Scottishnellies 5th Element 2019. Day 14. Epcot & Olive Garden

[scottishnellie]

Epcot today and we wanted to be there early to do soarin as we had used our tier 1 for test track, so the plan was to leave at 8:10.

But after our late night last night this was going to be a challenge. I had to wake kieran at 7:30 for a start. Now if you have to wake kieran up, who needs the least sleep of all of us, you know the rest are going to be shattered. Woke the girls and Kevin too. It was a direct toss up between Kevin and Hannah as to who was the grumpiest. Oh my lord they were a nightmare storming about growling and moaning at each other.

Coolbag packed, we eventually left at 8:25 and arrived at Epcot at 8:47. Got the slowest bag check woman ever and took 10 minutes to get through that. Walked to soarin and it was 20mins standby which was accurate.

I had forgot how much I love soarin. We were in the back row so did have dangly feet above us from the other row, but we were dead centre so the picture was perfect and we flew around a perfectly straight Eiffel Tower. We all really enjoyed it.

came off and did living with the land 5m stand by. Nice wee gentle jaunt through the plants.

Then walked onto Nemo

10:15 and into turtle talk. I know this is really a kiddie thing but I love seeing crush interact with the kids. It's so funny.

Then we had a look round the aquariums.

Over to the other side now to use our first fastpass for mission space. We did the orange as we always have and everyone liked it. Very clever how they make you feel that pressure on launch.

Came off and still had half an hr to wait til our fastpass for test track so we decided to try the green mission space, which is the less intense version, to see what it was like. While in the 10m standby queue I tapped the app and modified our 3rd FP from Nemo at 1:20pm to spaceship earth at 1:10pm, since we had already managed to do Nemo.

The green one wasn't as rubbish as I thought it would be. It was a slightly different film which was good. Instead of landing on Mars you just go into space and fly around the earth as she points out different countries. Quite cool. And you do still experience some of the pressure, just not like orange version where you can feel all your internal organs being sucked against your spine!

Loo break time. Or 'let's all go potty' as the chad dad next to me said.

Then it was time for our test track fastpass. The park had been pretty quiet up all morning and wait times now were 50m for test track and 30m for frozen. I was on with the girls and was happy to let them design the car.

Kieran did his with Kevin but as kevin is so competitive he wouldn't let Kieran have his choices as it's all about making the fastest one possible. Poor Kieran. I should've made kevin go with the girls. They'd never have let him away with that!

Kieran was not a happy bunny when the girls car came 1st!

Came out and to the left of the exit we found some wee benches in the shade to have our lunch and a wee rest. While sitting there they announced test track was closed for technical reasons, so we had timed that well!

Next was our 3rd FP for spaceship earth. The fastpass queue looked just as long as the standby which said 50mins. We asked how long it should be and they said 15-20mins. We tapped in at 1:05 (as you can always get on 5 mins before your FP actually opens). We got on at 1:25. While we were in the queue I was trying to book a 4th fastpass but it kept showing I hadn't used my 3rd one yet.

Having seen this daft photo that is taken at the start of the ride, I do actually look like I am about to fall asleep!

I knew Kevin would have a wee sleep on spaceship earth but as it turns out I fell asleep too. I only realised when it turned to go back down backwards and I got a fright.

When we came off I went back to the entrance and tapped my magic band again. It immediately dropped off the app and I booked us a 4th fastpass for soarin at 3:30. I had been hoping for Frozen but there were none for the rest of the day.

We were ready to start walking round the countries now. I love this, my 3 hate it and it was a first for Caitlin.

I had remembered the muc off cooking towels today so I wet those and Kieran put one round his neck and I used the other. I did offer it to Hannah but she was WAY too cool to wear it. Ironic really considering cool is the last thing she was. She also refuses to wear a cap insisting it makes her warmer. None of this proven science malarkey for Hannah. She knows better and would rather walk round melting and making grumpy comments about the heat killing her.

I wanted a margarita from Mexico but the queue at the outside cart was huge, so we went inside and I got one from the bar there and he put in a plastic tumbler for me to take away. Served in 2 minutes. It was yum.

Sorry it's half drank. I was in China by the time I thought to take a photo!

We picked up some snacks from karamel Kuche in Germany.

I had a salted caramel square. Caitlin had a cookie, Kieran had a cupcake and Hannah had werthers popcorn

Italy next

When we got to America the new guardians show was on. This basically a live band playing the themes from the guardians of the galaxy films with people dressed up as the characters. Me n Kieran loved it singing and dancing away. The other 3 tolerated it as least they were in the shade!

The cooling towels were magic by the way. My neck was lovely and cool, as was Kieran.

Japan

Morocco

When we reached France I had intended to get a grey goose slushie but I had just finished the margarita and the queue was huge so I skipped it.

There was a live band playing in the United Kingdom so we watched that for a bit.

Canada

We left the world showcase and stopped into club cool. We didn't tell Caitlin about the Beverley and when she tasted it she very politely said she thought there might be something wrong with it!

We had to tell her that it really was just that mingjng. I still can't understand who would drink that stuff?

We reached soarin at 3:30. We waited about 15 minutes to get on. We were at the far left this time so flew over a skelly Taj Mahal and around a squinty Eiffel Tower. Still loved it though. Nice chilled end to the day.

Exited out to the car which was 102 degrees - Mine and Hannah's side were in full sun and I could barely sit on the seat. Hannah was yelling at her dad to get the aircon started as it so burny.

We had decided earlier to eat st Olive Garden On the way home so set waze to the one at rolling oaks and off we went.

Arrived at 5:10 and being a Friday night it was already quite busy. We were told 20-35mins for a table and were given our pager. I could have had the half price wine while we waited but it had been a very hot day so I didn't want any.

We only waited 10 minutes, but when we were seated it was really a table for 4 with an extra chair at the end. I hate that. No way is there enough room on the table never mind the number of dishes you get in Olive Garden.

Bu the time we had eaten all the soup most of the pasta came home in boxes

when we left it was 6:15 and the skies had darkened and the lightning was in full force. Typical Florida weather eh?

Home for a chilled night. I now had 2 trip reports to catch up on so that would take a while and I had plenty of washings to sort since Hannah has just been saving it all up in her room and dumped it out as we were leaving this morning.

The girls had showers then curled up on Hannah's double bed for love island social media updates and gossip

Kevin day at the side of the pool for a while as there was too much lightning

Eventually it passed enough for him to play catch in the pool with Kieran for a while. I'm finally up to date with both washings and trip reports so I am off for a shower and an early night with my kindle.

Tomorrow is a free day on the plan so no idea what we will end up doing, but I am hoping for a chilled day!

Night all x

Just realised the Test Track ride photo is up. Oh dear. I was clearly trying not to choke to death on my own hair.