2013: Epcot

The day started with Breakfast at Ohana. This is an all you an gorge yourself meal until you pass out and enter a food coma broken up by character visits. We saw Mickey, stitch, lelo, Pluto and that goofy waiter. The food was good. But then again, it is difficult to screw up scrambled eggs.

Afterwards we headed to Epcot. The journeys into the park are a physical challenge. Not just because it is hot. And not just because we tend to walk for ten hours. But also because I am the family pack mule carrying almost everything anyone might want in my back pack. This includes heavy batteries for cameras and ten water bottles! Of course I encourage proper hydration (only so I can lighten my load). Drink up everyone!

In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Clark cuts down the neighbor's pine tree and drags it into his living room for a Christmas tree. What Clark didn't know was the tree was home to a squirrel who pounced on Clark.

When I saw that scene in the movie I thought it was ridiculous. But I was reminded of it as we watched one of the many squirrels at Epcot. As we watched, a second squirrel out of no where pounced on the first and a wild chase started. It was fun to watch until the chase lead the squirrels running around my feet! I broke out dancing right there in Epcot as I tried to get away without stepping on one! Could you imagine what the mob would have done to me if I had stomped a squirrel at Disney?

Epcot has an aquarium that has been remodeled after the Finding Nemo movie. Mike loved the aquarium. It wasn't long before he wondered off. Finding Nemo turned into Finding Mike as we searched the place for him. We found him on the second floor trying to take a picture of a shark. Every time he took a picture the camera would flash and reflect against the glass. Undaunted, he kept taking the pictures and couldn't understand why none were coming out.

We walked around the world showcase and visited various countries, dodging in and out of air conditioning. We rode on Malestorm, which is a wild boat ride where angry trolls send your boat down a waterfall. We boarded the Malestorm boat, took off, rounded the first curve and the ride broke down. That should have been our first sign that we were in trouble! The ride started up again and when we hit the waterfall area, the ride broke us down a second time leaving us suspended over the falls! Norweigens are known for building boats but obviously not for building rides. We are suspended over the falls when a voice comes on "We are experiencing technical difficulties. Please remain seated". Technical difficulties? Does that mean the safety devices that pervent our boat from flipping over the falls are disabled? And remain seated? I was concerned that if I moved a muscle I might throw the boat off balance and send us hurdeling down the falls! The voice came back on "Please remain seated. We will be starting the ride momentarily". The thought crossed that perhaps they didn't know we were perilously suspending at the fall's edge. "The ride is starting now" and with one great shuv, our boat fell down the falls and we landed with a terrific splash. When the ride ended, I had never been more happy to be on dry ground, I almost knelt and kissed the carpet.

We survived Malestorm and made it to the USA area of Epcot. In the USA building, they have singers who sing several historic US favorites in the lobby. We really wanted to see this so we arrived twenty minutes early to get the best seats. Finally the singers came out in 1800's costumes and lined up in the lobby to begin their songs... Lined up with their backs to us! We arrived early for this? I am sure the show would have been really good if we could have seen the singers.

At the end of the day we got into position to see the Iluminations fireworks show. This is where people stand around a lake and get upset because they cant see the fireworks show through the obstructions nor tell what the heck is on that big ball in the middle of the water. the only comfortable places to stand and watch the show just happen to be all the places cast members tell you to move away from. A cast member had told us the best spot to watch the show was near France at the back of the park. But when we arrived, it was already crowded. We took the best spot we could find, which wasn't very good. For some reason, Disney has several islands on the lake whose only purpose is to grow tall obstructing trees. We tried watching the show through these trees. Who is the moron who grew trees in the middle of the lake? An hour with a chainsaw would have solved the problem and made thousands of people happy!

After the show everyone stampedes for the gates to get out of the park. Since we were in the back of the park, we were in the back of the hurd and had the longest trek to reach the gate. All the while we had to fight the crowd to keep from getting split up. It felt like we walked five miles to get out of the park!

We arrived home, sore from walking so far, but glad we had a great day at Epcot.