Warning: If you’re looking for a short trip report, this is not it! [img]graemlins/nono.gif[/img]

Saturday, June 29 - Epcot

Cast of Characters
Ellen – Mom to Ben and Trip Planner
Ben – Friend to just about everyone (6 going on at least 16)
Mallary – Ellen’s cousin, partner in crime and Ben's “mountain mama”

Just to make sure that Ben hadn’t been delirious from lack of sleep and that he wasn’t pulling our leg, I made sure to get the wake-up call this morning. Sure enough, it was Stitch! [img]graemlins/clappy.gif[/img] I kind of missed Mickey waking me up at WDW, but Stitch is fun too! For breakfast we dug into our pile of goodies from the Main Street Bakery… I love chocolate croissants, and marveled at the size of the cinnamon rolls. Those things are huge!!! (I was also impressed the night before with the size of the ice cream sandwiches they make there… now I’m not exactly petite , but I don’t think I could eat an entire ice cream sandwich by myself). I must publicly acknowledge that my cousin is wonderful, besides her not strangling my child (her training as an elementary school principal definitely helps there), every morning I awoke to the gurgle of coffee brewing in the coffee maker. [img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]

We got ready and once again did not have to wait too long for a bus (a nowhere near full bus… where was everyone?) for Epcot. Once again, we didn’t have long lines at Security or the turnstiles and headed right over to Innoventions West for the rope drop. Unfortunately, Test Track was down and the first Fast Passes were for 12:40 to 1:40. Since the times really did fit into our schedule, we happily got our passes and headed over towards The Land. We detoured over to see the new Journey into Your Imagination which was absolutely empty (one other person on the ride so we waited for another family). Having not ever seen the original JIYI, I can’t emit a totally learned opinion about the redesign, except to say that I thought that it was much improved over the last version. We liked seeing Figment here and there, however the music didn’t make that much of an impression (from what you all have said, I thought that I would walk away humming the tune). My one criticism of this attraction is that the effects from the smell section, make themselves apparent well before you enter that section of the ride. [img]graemlins/sick.gif[/img] After JIYI, we played in the empty Kodak exhibit. We then headed toward HISTA. Ben was protesting, and it became apparent that all of a sudden (after having seen it twice and liking it), he’s scared of it — he was actually crying (face hidden, shoulders shaking and all) during the show.

On the way over to The Land pavilion I was stopped by a CM and asked about the turquoise ribbon pin that I had on my lanyard. I responded that it was a ribbon for ovarian cancer and he said he knew (big surprise, no one up here in NY has ever seen it). His grandmother had recently passed from OvCa [img]graemlins/thedolls.gif[/img] and we had a short conversation; he told me that he would pray for me. Surprisingly, I wasn’t saddened at all by the exchange. His empathy was heartfelt and I was truly and deeply touched.

Soon we were bounding up the hill to The Land. The AC was much appreciated. We headed on over to the AP Lounge and got our reserved seating for the 5:45 showing of Shockwave, got put on the list for the AP seating area for Illuminations (Note to all AP Holders: You now have to get put on the list. Apparently they won’t just let you in if you just show your AP at the Illuminations viewing area.) Ben colored for a while and we took a few minutes to rest from the heat. Soon we were out and about and waited 15 minutes or so for Living with the Land (the longest we waited for any attraction on this trip besides fireworks). Next it was Food Rocks — one of our group’s favorites. By the time we got done, it was still early for our PS reservations at the Garden Grill but we asked if we could be seated anyway. There was no problem and we were seated just a few minutes later. What was interesting was that when we arrived, there was a group of children in chef hats and shirts making something at three tables on the lower rim (and their parents were busily snapping pictures of them). I asked what it was all about and was told the following: they had been doing a test run of a new “Disney Dining Experience” which consisted of a “Behind the Seeds” tour that culminated with the participating families picking some vegetables to be used in a salad. They then came upstairs to the restaurant, where the veggies were prepared into salad in the kitchen while the kids made the ranch dressing. The families then sat down to have lunch, which included two special desserts (one for the adults — it appeared to be an apple cobbler, and one for the kids which was hard to describe but it looked like a little flowerpot with “dirt” topped with marzipan flowers). They will continue testing and tweaking this and if it’s approved, it will be added towards the end of the year. I, for one, would be interested in this type of experience.

Lunch at the Garden Grill was very good and the attention from the characters was superb (though they were a little more busy than the first time we went). Ben went flying over to Mickey when it was our turn, and gave him a big hug like he was truly an old friend he hadn’t seen in quite a while. He clamored, “Mickey, you sent me a card! I’m here now!” (Poor Mickey didn't have a clue, but Ben didn't know that.)

After lunch, it was time for our Fast Passes to Test Track and off we headed. I was apprehensive and was made even more so by the different kind of tracks that I saw were to be tested. The very last thing I wanted to do was aggravate my hernias (ouch, ouch, ouch). By the time we made it to the loading area, I was actually nauseous. To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure if it was something I ate or just nerves. (The next morning it became apparent that it was something I ate. [img]graemlins/sick.gif[/img] ) I used the chicken exit and found the waiting area (with seating!) in the air-conditioning, as it was really getting hot out.

After Test Track, we headed back to OKW with the same idea as the day before. We were the only ones on the bus this time… where were the crowds we expected? By the time we got back to our room, it was raining so pool time was cancelled. We hung out a little while, napped some and just generally took it easy. For once, a vacation at Disney actually felt like a true vacation (in terms of R&R, that is).

[ July 06, 2002, 12:31 PM: Message edited by: ElenitaB ]