Epcot

Dec 28th:

Up early and out to Epcot.  Chris had set up a breakfast with the Princesses in Epcot so we had to get there and of course it was in one of the furthest areas of the park!  So we were walking fast/running to get there at our appointed breakfast time. 

But it was worth it - Makenna was super excited and she got a "free" (a relative term at Disney as you may know - as it was part of the price of breakfast which was over $100) - picture with Belle.  But we also got some candid shots with other princesses that came to visit our table.

Then we went off into the park and here's what we did (again, in no particular order):

Spaceship Earth  (Future World East)
Universe of Energy (Future World East)
The Seas with Nemo & Friends (Future World West)
Turtle Talk with Crush (Future World West)
Soarin' (The Land)
Living with the Land (The Land)
The circle of Life (The Land)
Journey into Imagination with Figment (Imagination!)
Captain EO (Imagination!)
ImageWorks (Imagination!)
Mission:  Space (Mission:  Space)
Test Track (Test Track) - did this twice
Mexico (World Showcase)
Norway (World Showcase)
American adventure (World Showcase)
Morocco (World Showcase)
UK (World Showcase)

This was also split up over the 28th and 31st - as there were things we couldn't do and fit in all in one day. 

Just some comments on some of the things we did here (from what I remember and trust me....some I remember because it was fun...and some...well,....just read on).

The Turtle Talk with crush was fun as it was interactive so kids could talk and respond to the turtle and he would be quick-witted and have comments that applied to the things the kids were saying.  I really liked this as it wasn't canned and seemed more personal to the audience.

LOVED Soarin!  We got really lucky to get on this ride as it was a 3 hour wait (if I recall - it was something ridiculously long) but this family, for whatever reason, was leaving and not going on the ride and they had a Fast Pass for right at that moment.  So we quickly got in line and got right in - maybe we waited 10 minutes.  AWESOME!  You sit in a seat where your legs dangle a bit and then you get lifted up into one of 3 tiers and the seat (or row of seats) twists and turns and tilts as you look at a huge screen and feel like you're soaring (paragliding) over a canyon and other wonders.  I was also happy as that it wasn't a twist and turn like a really fast crazy roller coaster.  It was more a gentle gliding and turning.

Captain EO was a VERY old movie with Michael Jackson - wonder if they have to pay the family royalties on that anymore?

Norway is where the Princess breakfast was.

We also loved the Test Track.  The line for it was ridiculously long but it was still fun.  So fun that we did it twice but the 2nd time we had a Fast Pass - which was still a long wait but not near as long as the first time.

We did this interactive Phineas & Ferb thing where you get a cell phone and it gives you clues and sends you to a country and you have to follow clues around that country and go to different stores and areas to get the next clue.  It was kind of neat but got old for me fast as I just wanted to do other things.  But I think Makenna liked it and it sent us to the UK so I liked that as I loved looking at things and reminiscing about our time over there.

Now for the thing that just about did me in.  It was Mission:  Space. 
We had just got done with Soarin' and there was a "warning" about if you're prone to motion sickness that maybe that ride isn't for you.  But since it was so mild and easy I figured I was invincible and that the warning was just for little kids.  NOT TRUE with Mission Space.

Ever since I had Makenna, I can't spin around once without being completely dizzy (and no, it has nothing to do with being blonde!).  That's why I don't really do roller coasters anymore and part of the reason we didn't do space mountain (Chris wasn't feeling well and after this ride there was No WAY I was going to do space mountain!).

Anyways, we get into line for Mission Space and there are two lines you can pick from - one is for an intense experience and the other for I guess a less intense ride.  Again, after just getting done with Soarin' we hopped right in line for the intense version.

Although we kept (we meaning Chris asking me) wondering if we should really do this version of the ride and me poo-pooing him, we got on.  You are pretending to be a NASA crew going up in space so you are really strapped in tight and air is blowing on your face (thank God!) and the ride starts to shake and then....you die....or at least I felt like I was going to.  As soon as the G-Force kicked in I immediately started breathing loudly and heavily...trying to suck in all the cold air I could so as to not puke on myself.  As you're "enjoying" the ride, it's asking you to press certain buttons and Makenna was unable or unwilling to and I definitely was unwilling to do anything but concentrate on not getting sick.  Chris was laughing.

When that ride was finally done (with it's brief threat of continuing) I got off and was so dizzy and disoriented I had to walk out and sit in a back hall for about 10 minutes.  That's when I could finally see straight and things weren't still spinning in front of me.  I started slowly walking and felt like I was tilting.  I was walking in front of Chris and Makenna and when they asked me something I turned my head to look back at them and was completely disoriented and dizzy all over again.  So I just had to walk straight ahead and not look back.

I told Chris I never felt like was going to puke and crap my pants all at the same time.  The pressure on my stomach was intense.  Chris then noticed I had a little something on the back of my pants and I was mortified.  I went into a bathroom and found that I had actually just sat in something but boy was that a close call!

We then decided to go over to Ellen's Energy Adventure where I had to just sit on a ride that moved you through different areas and I had to sit sideways so not to get sick.  Then I had to close my eyes when stars were flying at us...so as to not get sick.

When we got back to the hotel room and I was laying down for the night (about 2 hours later)...I literally closed my eyes and felt like I was still on that ride.  That was freaky!  That was definitely one intense ride and hampered what rides I was able to go on the next day.

But we still got some good pictures and videos:

 Someone had a VERY Long day!) This was on the bus ride back to the hotel)