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Day 1 Orlando - Epcot Theme Park
Got of to a fairly inglorious start. As part of our Disney ticket purchase we were asked to attend a Wyndham condominium purchase option which would last 2 hours and save us $270 on our tickets + a "free" breakfast. Under normal circumstances we would say no, but $270 off, why not. Problem number 1, 8am start, WTF.
Just before 1pm we left the sales pitch feeling pretty flat and fairly hungry. Yep, just short of 5 hours and hardly a piece of food in sight. Anyway, let's soldier on, why not, it's pissing down with rain and has been since we arrived, don't recall signing up for this. We're starving and more sleep deprived than ever. We really know how to push the limit.
Bring on Epcot! Our drop off point was around 3 mile from the gate - WTF is going on here, can it get worse, yep, it's still pissing down with rain (apparently there is a severe tropical storm passing through Florida) and we have to walk to a monorail for around 500 hundred meters. Monorail boarded and we're away, in reasonable spirits given the last 6 hours. We finally enter the park just after 2pm.
Stop 1
Had to be to buy ponchos before we drowned, then onto Spaceship Earth. Real good start, we all enjoyed our 1st adventure ride, although tame, Spaceship Earth took us on a journey showing how we had evolved from when cave men first existed until now and the steps required to get there. This was an indoor ride, in the dark on miniature spaceships.
Stop 2
Had a quick look through some stores before deciding it was time to eat. Settled in at the The Land which offered a variety of selections, surprisingly not all fried. $35 later it was time to set off again.
Stop 3
The boss as we affectionately know her, Lina, deciding Soarin was the next item on the agenda, we loved it in LA so why not here. The wait was 100 minutes, but the boss said we're doin it. Lina waited in line........she's a good sport while the kids & I ran off to explore Living with the Land. This was a little boat cruise that showed the way Disney are creating ways of growing fruit & vegetables from around the world in their own unique ways differing from standard growth methods. They even explored, successfully growing tomatoes on a tree! The tree lived for 18 months and produced 32,000 tomatoes!!! The cruise showed the kids a lot of different foods from around the world and what they looked like. Also showed a series of fish and baby alligators.
Stop 4
Back to the boss and Soarin. The line had moved on a fair bit since we had been away so we soldiered through the last part as a family and totally loved it as we did in LA. For those who have not done this ride, get on it soon. It's a simulated ride taking you over the state of California. You feel the wind through you hair, your elevated in a dark room around 15 meters in the air with a massive screen coming at you. Golf courses, oceans, downtown LA it has it all. As a family we totally give this ride a 10/10.
Stop 5
Gotta keep moving though, we lost so much time earlier we need to make the most of the day, kids, although excited are just hanging in there though, gotta love their strength.
Stop 6
Walked a few more of the less than exciting options, more for really younger kids than ours, but we're here so we should do it.
Decided to call it a day at around 6:30 and head off to Downtown Disney. This place was nuts, people everywhere, imagine an AFL Grand Final and all supporter entering in one gate........now multiply this by 10, yep, crazy. Could not even get into any of the restaurants we tried. Even raining this place is busy.
Decided to get a cab home around 9:30. Its now 10pm and we are waiting for room service, Lina has checked out, kids eyes hanging out of their heads but they need food. Me, beer in hand and waiting to eat ALL this food we have ordered. Can I do it - hell yeah, but I didn't.
Time to check out.
Note for the day. Not the best theme park we've ever been to but may have been the day we had but you have got to go with what's on offer.
Seeya
Sent from my iPad
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