EpcotChic23
10-04-2012, 02:19 PM
October 1st
Today is Epcot’s 30th Anniversary! One of the main reasons we came down to WDW was for this. I am a HUGE Epcot fan. It is such an important part of my life I wanted to be there for this day. I wanted to get to the park early since I wanted some of the special merchandise. I woke up at 6:45am. I let my DH sleep just a little bit longer. I got dressed with my 21st Centaury began on Oct. 1st 1982 t-shirt and went downstairs to get a coffee.
Went to Contempo Grounds and was speaking to the CM. I asked him what time they were open to. He said midnight but stop serving coffee at 11 (so that means you teq. only open to 11 I think to my self) and I told him the issue we had last night. He told me CR, GF and one other hotel he could not remember do not have something open 24hrs.
I head back up stairs to wake DH up. I remember the cast member told us last night when you get in the elevator put your room on the pad with the Mickey ears and it will take you to your floor. So I decided to check it out. I do so and floor 14 lights up. I know that is the concierge tower floor. I quickly hit 10 and go to my room. I will have to look into why this happened at another time.
DH was up and getting dressed when I got to the room. We opt to skip breakfast and head to the monorail. We arrive at Epcot at 8:15 and there is a good amount of people in line at the gates. It was awesome to see everyone wearing their own Epcot’s shirt. You felt it in the air it was going to be a special day. They opened the gates at 8:45 and we got our Epcot 30th button and special park map. I walk briskly to the merchandising line. Everything was being sold at Mouse Gears. I got in line by the pin station. My DH meets up with me (I walked a tad bit faster then he did). He said he was very happy to see where I was in line b/c it was pretty bad behind me. I guess the line eventually got really bad near the front gate I heard they shifted the line towards WS.At one point CM’s said the line was almost at Mexico!! While in line I saw my tour guide from the Undiscovered Future World tour we took in June. I wanted to say hi but I was like he probably didn’t remember me. I stay in line for the next 2 hrs. While DH goes gets food, FP for Soarin and road living with the land. He comes once in a while to check my progress. It was long but I was next to some awesome people in line that made the time go by nicely. The only thing that sold out by time I got in was the vinalymations which is fine with me since I am not a big fan. Got DH, DD, and I a 30th t-shirt , Duffy the bear wearing a 30th shirt (for DD) some pins and cell phone case. 2 hrs and $200 later I am done.
I meet up with DH. We missed our Soarin FP by 20 min. I hear that CM’s have gotten very tough on return time so we just decide to skip it. Like the girl told me in line next year Sorain will be there but not the 30th Anniversary merchandise. We go to UOE. Which is good for me since I have been up since 630 and have been on my feet now for over 2hrs I need to sit. Then we head to the F&W festival headquarters. We check out the Chase lounge, and some of the merchandise. We are getting hungry at this point it is almost noon so we decide to start our F&W experience.
We started at Argentina and slowly walked. Everything we tried was delicious. I don’t remember everything I need a list in front of me but some highlights were, Beef Empenada from Argentina, Pot Stickers from China, The Cheese plate from the Cheese stand, perogies and kelbasi from Poland and Mai Ti from Hawaii. It was raining on and off through out the afternoon but very light not to put a damper on our day. We did half of the F& W and we were stuffed we will do the other side another time. We go to see the American Adventure. The song Golden Dreams always gets me especially with the Challenger and 9/11 images. When we leave DH says he is tired and needs a nap. I thought about staying for the special event for the 30th but at 1pm the line was extremely long already and I did not want to stand. We head back to the CR so he can nap. He lies down and I go to the pool bar and keep the theme going with another mai ti. Sit by the lake and make some phone calls. It starts to rain so I go inside look at the shops and head back to the room to take a shower. By time I get out the sun is out again. I put on my complimentary robe and sit on the balcony and look at the most amazing view.
DH slept longer then expected so he took a quick shower and we hoped back to Epcot. I had to see Illuminations tonight with the special tag for the 30th. I guess a lot of people had that in mind b/c we got there around 5:45 and the lines to get in were crazy. We walk back to WS. It starts to rain. We grab some counter service in Mexico and then go inside the pavilion to eat on a bench by the fountain. At 7:30 I head out to see whets going on. YIKES people are already grabbing their seats for Illuminations. I grab a fiesta margarita and find a spot around that area. As usual I am surrounded by such nice people that help the time go by. We were next to some CM’s and talked to them. One of them was a trainer for news CM’s for Spaceship Earth and Mission Space. Illuminations began beautiful as always, and then it continued with the 30th Anniversary tag. I am getting goose bumps just typing it now. It was amazing. The finale was so loud I thought I was going to go deaf. When it was done I turned around to look at the people around me and everyone’s jaw was dropped. Bravo WDW for going above and beyond. Leaving my DH said he felt like he was part of something special. Then when walking out they started playing classic Epcot’s songs “New Horizons” “Tomorrow’s Child” and I started crying. It was amazing to hear these songs in Epcot again. They even had on the geosphere lasers writing Happy 30th Anniversary Epcot.
MK was having EMH until 1 so we headed there. Caught the end of MSEP. It was empty everything had less than 20 min wait. We had the best skipper on Jungle Cruise her name was Casey she was AMAZING!!! We went strong until midnight and then I was like I need sleep. We bought some bottle water to bring back to the room since there will be nothing at the hotel. We walked back and I passed out. I don’t even remember putting my head on the pillow. I did not set an alarm for tomorrow we could sleep in if we want we deserve it!
Today is Epcot’s 30th Anniversary! One of the main reasons we came down to WDW was for this. I am a HUGE Epcot fan. It is such an important part of my life I wanted to be there for this day. I wanted to get to the park early since I wanted some of the special merchandise. I woke up at 6:45am. I let my DH sleep just a little bit longer. I got dressed with my 21st Centaury began on Oct. 1st 1982 t-shirt and went downstairs to get a coffee.
Went to Contempo Grounds and was speaking to the CM. I asked him what time they were open to. He said midnight but stop serving coffee at 11 (so that means you teq. only open to 11 I think to my self) and I told him the issue we had last night. He told me CR, GF and one other hotel he could not remember do not have something open 24hrs.
I head back up stairs to wake DH up. I remember the cast member told us last night when you get in the elevator put your room on the pad with the Mickey ears and it will take you to your floor. So I decided to check it out. I do so and floor 14 lights up. I know that is the concierge tower floor. I quickly hit 10 and go to my room. I will have to look into why this happened at another time.
DH was up and getting dressed when I got to the room. We opt to skip breakfast and head to the monorail. We arrive at Epcot at 8:15 and there is a good amount of people in line at the gates. It was awesome to see everyone wearing their own Epcot’s shirt. You felt it in the air it was going to be a special day. They opened the gates at 8:45 and we got our Epcot 30th button and special park map. I walk briskly to the merchandising line. Everything was being sold at Mouse Gears. I got in line by the pin station. My DH meets up with me (I walked a tad bit faster then he did). He said he was very happy to see where I was in line b/c it was pretty bad behind me. I guess the line eventually got really bad near the front gate I heard they shifted the line towards WS.At one point CM’s said the line was almost at Mexico!! While in line I saw my tour guide from the Undiscovered Future World tour we took in June. I wanted to say hi but I was like he probably didn’t remember me. I stay in line for the next 2 hrs. While DH goes gets food, FP for Soarin and road living with the land. He comes once in a while to check my progress. It was long but I was next to some awesome people in line that made the time go by nicely. The only thing that sold out by time I got in was the vinalymations which is fine with me since I am not a big fan. Got DH, DD, and I a 30th t-shirt , Duffy the bear wearing a 30th shirt (for DD) some pins and cell phone case. 2 hrs and $200 later I am done.
I meet up with DH. We missed our Soarin FP by 20 min. I hear that CM’s have gotten very tough on return time so we just decide to skip it. Like the girl told me in line next year Sorain will be there but not the 30th Anniversary merchandise. We go to UOE. Which is good for me since I have been up since 630 and have been on my feet now for over 2hrs I need to sit. Then we head to the F&W festival headquarters. We check out the Chase lounge, and some of the merchandise. We are getting hungry at this point it is almost noon so we decide to start our F&W experience.
We started at Argentina and slowly walked. Everything we tried was delicious. I don’t remember everything I need a list in front of me but some highlights were, Beef Empenada from Argentina, Pot Stickers from China, The Cheese plate from the Cheese stand, perogies and kelbasi from Poland and Mai Ti from Hawaii. It was raining on and off through out the afternoon but very light not to put a damper on our day. We did half of the F& W and we were stuffed we will do the other side another time. We go to see the American Adventure. The song Golden Dreams always gets me especially with the Challenger and 9/11 images. When we leave DH says he is tired and needs a nap. I thought about staying for the special event for the 30th but at 1pm the line was extremely long already and I did not want to stand. We head back to the CR so he can nap. He lies down and I go to the pool bar and keep the theme going with another mai ti. Sit by the lake and make some phone calls. It starts to rain so I go inside look at the shops and head back to the room to take a shower. By time I get out the sun is out again. I put on my complimentary robe and sit on the balcony and look at the most amazing view.
DH slept longer then expected so he took a quick shower and we hoped back to Epcot. I had to see Illuminations tonight with the special tag for the 30th. I guess a lot of people had that in mind b/c we got there around 5:45 and the lines to get in were crazy. We walk back to WS. It starts to rain. We grab some counter service in Mexico and then go inside the pavilion to eat on a bench by the fountain. At 7:30 I head out to see whets going on. YIKES people are already grabbing their seats for Illuminations. I grab a fiesta margarita and find a spot around that area. As usual I am surrounded by such nice people that help the time go by. We were next to some CM’s and talked to them. One of them was a trainer for news CM’s for Spaceship Earth and Mission Space. Illuminations began beautiful as always, and then it continued with the 30th Anniversary tag. I am getting goose bumps just typing it now. It was amazing. The finale was so loud I thought I was going to go deaf. When it was done I turned around to look at the people around me and everyone’s jaw was dropped. Bravo WDW for going above and beyond. Leaving my DH said he felt like he was part of something special. Then when walking out they started playing classic Epcot’s songs “New Horizons” “Tomorrow’s Child” and I started crying. It was amazing to hear these songs in Epcot again. They even had on the geosphere lasers writing Happy 30th Anniversary Epcot.
MK was having EMH until 1 so we headed there. Caught the end of MSEP. It was empty everything had less than 20 min wait. We had the best skipper on Jungle Cruise her name was Casey she was AMAZING!!! We went strong until midnight and then I was like I need sleep. We bought some bottle water to bring back to the room since there will be nothing at the hotel. We walked back and I passed out. I don’t even remember putting my head on the pillow. I did not set an alarm for tomorrow we could sleep in if we want we deserve it!