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Old 4 Sep 09, 06:40 PM  
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spencem
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Special Family Holiday Day 2

Monday, Aug 17th Epcot

Please see Part 1 for a full cast list.

The plan for today called for an early start for most of the group at Epcot while DW and I stayed in and waited for the ECV drop off from Randy's Mobility. Due to her back condition DW finds it impossible to walk around the parks, last time out we had just hired ECVs from the parks, but at Christmas had found the parks were running out and she ended up either in a manual chair or walking. We looked into hiring one for the length of our stay and were pleasantly surprised that it was cheaper as well as guaranteeing we had one.

Andy from Randy turned up just before 9am as promised and showed me how to collapse the ECV so it fitted into the Tardis. Here the 1972 hire car redeemed itself somewhat by having a boot big enough that I only had to fold the handlebar rather than pull the whole thing apart. If you had a normal car it would have come apart to allow it to fit in the boot.

It turned out our pool alarm was not the only one to have been going off all night, the one in a bathroom between the kid's rooms had been doing the same keeping the other side of the house awake as well. Because of this none of us were up at 5am and in the end all left home together for Epcot after calling the management company to report the alarms and two non-working lights.

Our convoy of Pimp Mobil (Chrysler 3000), Ant Hill Mob (PT Cruiser) and Tardis (Jeep designed in 1972) pulled into Epcot just before 10am. The parking lot was agreeably empty, so much so that the others walked down to where we had parked in disabled (UK Blue Badge still working fine for parks) rather than ride the tram.



We had chosen Epcot to break our brother in gently to the whole Disney thing since he is not at all keen on cute and MK would have seen him on the first plane home. We would have gone to DHS that first day, but it was morning EMH there and so best avoided.

First up was Mission Space, after first re-explaining Fast Pass and picking a set up for Test Track. Most people rode, but not me as the simulator element makes me feel sick. If I could get off once you are in orbit I would ride all day. Also sitting it out were DW and DSis-in-law. We three walked round to the exit to get out of the heat and to play the clever game they have there. We had two goes on this, once as the crew and once as the mission controllers. I was going to walk over to Soaring to get passes for that as we waited but discovered my brother had his family's tickets in his pocket on the ride. The queue time had shown 30 minutes when they went on, but there was a big delay for 'cleaning' and it was nearer 45 minutes later that they came off. I think they all enjoyed the experience, the super cool nephew pronouncing it 'all right'.



Once off my brother and I walked across the park to get Fast Passes for Soarin'. I mentioned I was thinking of eating in Sunshine Seasons (since they do healthy) but on entering the Land pavilion DB reacted in horror to seeing what he called a works canteen.

Passes safely collected we rejoined the others and bypassed a 60-minute queue for Test Track. While everyone enjoyed the ride it doesn't do that much for me, having used to have to drive 1000 miles a week for work car simulators are not that exciting. The Colchester's were impressed with all of the detail in the queue area and the fact that most of it worked.

A discussion followed on where to have lunch, ending with a walk round to Mexico and the counter service place. This went down well with everyone except HB's stepson who walked a bit further to China and then back to eat with the rest of us. After eating the heat drove us inside the Mexico pavilion where we had a chance to do the boat ride for the first time ever. This did not go over well at all well with the super cool and sarcastic members of the group, DB commenting that it "would have been ok if not for that blooming duck"

The shopping area and glassblower went over a little better.


Club cool beckoned for a post-lunch drink, where HB managed to get most people to try Beverly, as we got there the fountain show started up so I watched that rather than filling myself with fizz.

The plan was now to get out of the sun for a few hours and head back to the villa, but first we had to satisfy DW's craving for any animal that most people would consider scary and so cut 45 minutes off of our lives in Universe of Energy. Luckily it was just loading as we arrived and so we didn't have to sit through the pre-show to see the plastic dinosaurs. I will leave it to you to imagine how well this outdated attraction went over with the Colchesters

Earlier in the day I had picked up two bottle lanyards, as we exited the ride DS presented me with his in two parts, so I went back to the cart I'd got it from as we walked up to the central part of the park. Rather than just change the broken lanyard the kid on the cart decided he had to phone for permission, which took him a while and the others walked on in the direction of Spaceship Earth. Once I had the replacement I was a little miffed to find they had joined the queue without me, except DW and DS who were waiting on their own. I see no reason to wait for this ride as it never has a line later in the day and so called over we were going on ahead to the villa only to learn that they had changed their plans and were staying in the park. Also I had HB's and Stepson's Fast Passes for Soarin' as well as their entrance tickets still in my pocket so we had to wait anyway.

Once I had reunited passes with owners we 3 headed back to the villa for a nap and some pool time, only for this to be interrupted by a turtle attack.


All of the others except Stepson joined us after a while for a bit of a break. While back we called the management company to find out what was happening with our problems for them to tell us everything was sorted. Since the smoke alarm in our room was still on the dressing table, to pool alarm in multiple parts, the other pool alarm still emitting its intermittent bleeps, and the lights not working we were a little upset at this news.:angry: To be fair the woman on the other end of the phone was less than happy to hear nothing had been done also.

We all headed back to Epcot around 6:30 where after a quick ride on Spaceship Earth (much better since my last ride in 06) we met the others for a trip on Nemo into the Sea Pavilion. This ride also went down well with the Colchesters, not.

"It would have been better without the stupid animated fish."


The actual aquariums did impress as did Turtle Talk, even if I had to practically drag them in they all laughed at Crush's antics, even Supper Cool Nephew.

We next used our Fast Passes for Soarin' and asked the CM if we could wait for row one on the next flight, which they were happy for us to do. This ride did go over well and was pronounced their favourite so far.

By now it was nearly 9pm and so time to make our way up to the lagoon, the lack of time to grab something to eat did cause a little friction but it soon passed. Four of us were able to use one of the disabled viewing areas, with the CM saying the others could join us 5 minutes before the start if there was space. They decided not to risk it and walk round to an empty part of the fence, failing to realise the significance of the boat jetty blocking their view of the water. They enjoyed the show even if they did not see much of the globe. I thought it was as excellent as ever and really liked the improved globe screens.

Our brother got the biggest shock of the day with the superb organisation of the emptying of Epcot, having been caught is horrendous traffic out of UK parks he could not believe how easy getting out was here.

Angelmouse and DS went straight back to the villa while the rest of us made a quick stop at IHOP for a late dinner. Our brother was surprised when his dinner arrived fried, he apparently didn't realise that "smothered FRIED chicken" would be fried. This was today's most special moment.

Edited at 01:11 AM.
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Old 4 Sep 09, 08:31 PM  
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Another great report with lopely photos.
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Old 4 Sep 09, 11:32 PM  
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shirley
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great day any piccies of your villa
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Old 5 Sep 09, 07:36 AM  
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scotsprincess
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hi

great day and lovely pics
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Old 5 Sep 09, 08:45 AM  
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MEZZA
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great report keep them coming
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Old 5 Sep 09, 09:18 AM  
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spencem
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Originally Posted by shirley View Post
great day any piccies of your villa
Thanks

I have some and will post them later in the report, so keep reading.
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Old 5 Sep 09, 09:59 AM  
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summersun
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great report
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Old 5 Sep 09, 12:13 PM  
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Juliemack
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I take it that's one of the Colchesters outside the Nemo ride? (I love those seagulls)...haha
sounds like a nice first day, curious to find out if your DB is a Disney convert, will read on to find out
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Old 5 Sep 09, 12:57 PM  
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Epcot seems to have got better and better over the years, sounds like a good day.
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Old 5 Sep 09, 02:12 PM  
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Fab trippie. So sensible to have three cars.
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