EPCOT Future World

Today, we decide that we're only going to do EPCOT Future World today.  I wake up at 10:00 am and Laurie wakes up at noon.  We really needed the extra sleep to recover the Halloween the night before. My back and legs were killing me so we didn't want to do anything too strenuous.

 

12:30 pm - we arrive at EPCOT. I pay the parking attendant $10 for parking.  He hands me a parking receipt and $10 back.  I mention that I already gave him $10 so I don't need any change.  He takes my $10.  I could really use the $10 but honesty being a virtue and all.  Oh well, you're welcome Walt Disney Corporation. The parking attendant is really nice and he tells me that EPCOT

 

12:40 pm - we enter the gates of EPCOT and get our picture taken at the golf ball.  At this point I just found out I forgot the battery to my camera.  It's back in the room getting recharged.  All of my pictures are now coming from the video camera.  Our plan it to start with the Universe of Energy.

 

12:50 pm - we're looking for some Minnie Ears for Laurie.  She wants a specific kind, it's sequined and is a head band.  We're directed to Mouse Gears, the main souvenir shop at EPCOT.  No luck.  It's very cold in this store.  The air conditioning is way to high.

 

1:10 pm - We arrive at Ellen's Energy Adventure.  This is a really great place to cool down if you're hot. I'm a little tired still trying to wake up from the night before, so I sleep through about half this ride.  The weather in Florida is half nice.  It's humid as hell, but there is a breeze.  Half the time I'm dying from humidity and then other half is really nice.

 

2:00 pm - That's a long ride.  We pass by the Wonders of Life and it's still close.  Now we're off to Mission Space.  We see some Photopass photographers and we find out that they are actually in training.  Their supervisor tells them the best way to frame their shots at each location and then then do some test shots.  It's pretty cool that the WDW photographers are actually trained.

 

2:20 pm - We just got off Mission Space.  How can you not love a ride that features Gary Sinise. I'm not as sick getting off the ride and I did the first time I rode is two years ago.  I think they slowed it down so it doesn't kill people anymore.  By the way, there's a non-spinning version.  Go with the Orange team.

 

2:30 pm - We're now riding Test Track.  No lines.  Sweet.  This is a great ride and as we get off we see the Coke station.  Laurie and I get coke Icees.  Now we have to find shade to drink our slushies.  I go back to Mouse Gears, but it's too cold, so we go to Innoventions.

 

2:40 pm - I tour Innoventions East, not much to look at and I meet up with Laurie again.  As we leave, we see that there is a character pavilion. We pull out our Photopass and get our pictures taken with Goofy, Mickey, Minnie and Pluto.  I wish Donald was there.  We move toward the exit and see that there is a wine seminar going on.  We get some information about the Food and Wine festival.  Now we can plan tomorrow.

 

3:00 pm - Journey Into Imagination.  Lame ride, great playground at the end of the ride.

 

3:30 pm - The Land.  We're pretty hungry at this point.  Here's a great thing to do.  Get a Fastpass for Soarin' then go eat.  Ride Living with the Land and then Ride Soarin'.

 

The Land Pavilion is a great place to eat, until today.  Apparently when they redesigned the Land, the food options immediately went down.  We used to order chili, salad and sub sandwiches.  Now it's all fru fru foods.  Ciabatta this, panini that.  I just want a normal meal.  I pay $9 for Salmon and Mashed potatoes, Laurie spends the same on beef and flat bread. What a waste of time and money.

 

Living with the Land is a ride that I like to do.  It's just interesting to me the different ways you can grow crops.  The boat ride is pretty much the same, but instead of having a live person give narration, we have a recording.  I'm not missing the live person.

 

My only problem with this ride and Ellen's Energy Adventure is that they always try to make you feel back because you're a evil human trying to destroy the earth.

 

Soarin' is a great ride.  Just as great as Disneyland. (It's the exact same ride).

 

4:30 pm - Nemo and Friends.  We went on this ride on Sunday.  What a great ride.  I starting to see how this is going to be incorporated at Disneyland's submarine ride.

 

4:50 pm - Laurie wants a button.  She found out that if you go to Guest relations, you can get a button to commemorate your time at EPCOT.  We go to the counter and this nice person from Japan helps us.  He asks if this is our first time...No.  Then if we were having an anniversary...no.  He looks puzzled.  Then says I have one for you and gives us a Magical Gatherings button.  Cool.  Now when is my Million Dreams going to be fulfilled.

 

5:10 pm - We leave to go back to the resort.  That night I go to Pleasure Island for some improv fund.  Don't forget you can see me live at the National Comedy Theater - www.nationalcomedy.com.

 

Alan Ng

 

www.mypalal.com

www.themeparkshopper.com

 

 

Halloween at WDW

It's going to be a late dat today.

12:00 pm - arrive at Disney Quest. Laurie likes the interactive stuff like building a roller coaster, jungle cruise and alien encounter. I like the video game. I played a lot of the old stuff, Dragon's Lair, Tron, missle command.

3:00 pm - return to resort to prepare for the Halloween party.

5:00 pm - we leave to the Magic Kingdom and we arrive about 2 hours before the event begin. I'm not feeling well. My nose is running like water. Since we're early we decide to make use of the photo pass they gave us for the event. There's about 5 photographers stationed around the castle for the event. We get our pictures taken at each one.

Laurie is dressed as Cinderella. She's really playing her role. She being nice to children and telling them they look cute in their costumes. She meeting a lot of parent. I'm taking pictures. I'm just not that sociable.

We decide to take afew attractions while we wait and while I feel miserable. We do Philharmagic. What a great 3D movie. I wish this was at Disneyland. It's a way to debute Disney Characters in their computer animated form.

Next it's off to the carousel. I take pictures while Laurie looks cute. I shoot and video.

7:00 pm - an announce is made by a creepy Spirit letting us know the party has begun. Our priorities for this party is to get pictures, get candy, see shows.

As we walk toward the haunted mansion, we spot Cinderella's carriage. Picture moment. These photopass photographers are very good. They know how to pose.

It takes about 15 minutes but we get our picture. We arrive at the Haunted mansion and there's no line. There I also a picture moment at the mansion in front of the hearse. Pretty cool shot.

We get on the ride and now we're about 25 minutes from the parade. We then take our spot in Frontierland. Laurie then goes off to get some candy. Leaving me to wallow in my runny nose.

8:10 pm - the headless horseman gallops down the parade route. Super awesome. The horseman was one our tourguides from our horseback ride.

8:15 pm - the not-so-scary-Halloween parade begins. All of the characters were out and all of the villians. We are very impressed with parades at WDW.

9:15pm - we waiting in front of the castle for the fireworks show. We meet a family with a small girl also dressed as Cinderella. Laurie and the little girl hit it off even though she was shy to start.

Again WDW has a really good fireworks show. We were treated to Hallowishes.

I start to think that this is a school night. Can all of these kids be on vacation?

I also notice that for a sold out event this one is a lot of fun, not too crowded and well organized. I'll leave this blog here and let you see the rest of our fun in the photo gallery. I can't put anything up right now because I have a really bad internet connection at the resort.

1:00 am - I'm sick and tired and I'm getting some sleep.