Our Day at EPCOT

Today was the 2nd day of our 4 day Park Hopper Ticket.  We haven't done any park hopping yet ;), but we might tomorrow or Sunday...who can say...there is just so much to do in each park!

We spent today in Epcot and the biggest parts of our day were the time we spent in Norway, doing the Princess Storybook Lunch, and the time we spent doing some neat space-y and tech-y type of rides in the World of the Future.

It's been fun to go through my 300 or so pictures each night and then to think about what I want to journal/blog about for our family to remember this trip as I wait for them to upload to the blog.  This trip has been a really neat experience for us all!

Here is Sissi on the steps at Shades of Green, on our way to get on the bus that will take us to the Ticket and Transportation Center where we catch the monorail.

My boys, waiting for the bus and planning our trip with the map.

A side view of Sissi's hair.  We were trying to copy Elsa's coronation hairstyle from the "Frozen" movie.  The idea came from www.princesshairstyles.com.  We haven't actually seen the movie, just the trailer, but Sissi has really gotten interested in the two girl characters.  They were in Norway today, while we were there for our lunch date.  The wait to see them was 2 hours though, so we didn't do that, but we did look through the gift shop and saw the Anna doll.  Sissi has decided that is what she wants her one Disney memento to be...I told her to wait and see what she thinks about that tomorrow ;)!

Our first ride of the day was Spaceship Earth, that is the ride that you see in the big "golf ball" as you enter Epcot.  When you come out there are all kinds of games and hands on activities about energy and conservation.

Here they are doing the driving game.

Then, we went on the Figment ride, all about our five senses and how we use our imagination.  Sissi, Gwangi, and my dad are using their hands to make music and pictures on the screen in front of them.

The "golf ball" at the entrance to Epcot.

The Christmas tree as you enter the World Showcase.

We only did the first three countries, we might get to see the others another day.  Here we are looking across from Norway to France and the Eiffel Tower!

The first country was Mexico.  There was a ride based on the movie "The Three Caballeros" and then some shopping to be done.  This lady was hand painting many of the little creatures that you see here.

The second country that you come to is Norway, home of the Akershus Castle and the Disney Princess Storybook Lunch.

Belle and Sissi.  Belle was the main attraction today, so we got a professional picture with the two of them as part of our lunch.  Good thing, since my pictures with Belle all have a dark shadow in the bottom corner...

She talked to Sissi about books and reading and asked her to bring her brother back next time...yes, it's true, Sissi talked about Krypto and how much he reads when she was meeting Belle.

Another Snow White...with a similar signature to the other one we met on Tuesday!  I think part of their "character training" is to have the same signature, so that when kids compare books, they look the same!

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Sissi.  They had a long talk about the color of paper they should use for Aurora's signature.

Cinderella and Sissi.

Here they were blowing kisses to Indy because he was the one behind the video camera.

Our favorite today was Ariel.  She has so much personality, was so fun and sweet and just hit it off with Sissi.  I have easily a dozen good pictures of the two of them together.

More of the talking between Ariel and Sissi.

The food!  It was a 3 course meal!  Let's just say we saved money on dinner because we weren't hungry!

The dessert...ah-mazing!

In Norway they have the "Maelstrom" Viking ride...we got a little bit splashed!

The next country is China and we wanted to see Mulan, but the person in front of us was the last one to see her before her break.  Ahhhh!  I took a picture anyway.  We may not have met her and gotten a signature, but we saw her!

Playing with some of the animals in the China pavilion.

Watching one of the shows in China.

While in China, the boys were sent on a "Phineas and Ferb" scavenger hunt mission.  They had to stop Dr. Doofenshmirtz from making his Panda-inator turn all of the pandas from black and white, to just black.  Whew, they succeeded!

As we walked back through Norway, the singers and characters were coming out for a show.  I thought it was my friend, Renita!

Is it Father Christmas, St. Nick???

Still walking back, we passed Mexico again, and they had a band outside singing and people were dancing to Christmas carols, like Feliz Navidad.

I think our favorite ride of the day was Test Track.  You get to design your own vehicle and then test it in a simulation drive on bad roads, trying to avoid accidents, and going FAST!  It was super awesome and we loved it.  Might use that "hopping" option to come back to Epcot and ride this one again.

Behind us in line for the hour we were waiting for the "Test Track" was a couple on vacation from Brazil.  The wife and daughter knew very little English, but the husband kept translating and over time, Sissi and the little girl, Julie, became good friends and wanted their picture taken together.  The little girl asked us to come to her house in Brazil for a playdate.  The parents all chuckled.

Here are the boys with their car design.

I'm ready for tomorrow...our second day in the Magic Kingdom.  More princesses, tried and true favorites to ride again, and lunch with Chef Mickey and the Gang at the Contemporary.  It's going to be a blast.

One thing we have yet to do, stay awake and at a park for the closing fireworks....if not tomorrow, we hear we have to do it in Sunday at the Hollywood Studios.  It's supposed to be an amazing Christmas light show!