Walt Disney World Day 4: It's A Small World

It's a world of laughter, a world of tears,
It's a world of hopes and a world of fears.
There's so much that we share that it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all.

There is just one moon and one golden sun,
And a smile means friendship to every one.
Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide,
It's a small world after all!

It's a small world after all!
It's a small world after all!
It's a small world after all!
It's a small, small world.
–It's A Small World by Richard Sherman & Robert Sherman

Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Destiation: Epcot Center
Weather Forecast: High of 75˚

7:30 am, EST [5:30 am, MST]: Why did I set the alarm for 7:30? Previous experience tells me it is too early.
8:30 am, EST [6:30 am, MST]: On vacation. Check back later.
9:00 am, EST [7:00 am, MST]: OK. It's time to get serious about this vacation.
11:02 am, EST [9:02 am, MST]: It was a slow morning, but we're finally catching the shuttle to Epcot. We're all dragging a little today.
11:16 am, EST [9:16 am, MST]: That was a quick trip. Epcot is the closest park to our hotel, and we even stopped to pick up passengers at 4 places at the Port Orleans - Riverside hotel.

11:43 am, EST [9:43 am, MST]: Today is supposed to be really warm. Already the sun is bright, so we stopped to get sunglasses for LadyBug and while we were at the little cart I got another Disney Trading Pin. Then we had to rent a locker, because even though it is supposed to hit 75˚, it gets cool in the evenings. And while I was paying for the locker rental, I bought another Disney Trading Pin. It's an addiction. I'm seeking help. Then we did the requisite milling about/bathroom breaks. It's time to get this party started.

11:45 am, EST [9:45 am, MST]: We're on our way to our lunch reservation, but the wait time for The Seas w/Nemo & Friends is pretty nonexistent, so we're going to hop on.
11:47 pm, EST [9:47 am MST]: The people behind us are speaking Portuguese. Almost all of the people speaking a foreign language here are speaking Portuguese. It is pretty cool. They have little survey takers who stop random guests as they enter the park and this morning, the woman who stopped me was from Brasil {everyone's name tag has their home city and state or country listed below their name. It is really fun! I love to read them.}. And some people waiting for the shuttle yesterday were from Brazil. I actually said hello and asked them where they are from. I kind of want to say hello to this cute couple in line today, but I'm not really a great conversationalist even in English, much less in very rusty Portuguese.
12:09 pm, EST [10:09 am, MST]: The Nemo ride was really fun. And then we wandered around and looked at what was going on in the attached aquarium for a bit. We are really late for our lunch reservations, but they will squeeze us in as soon as they can. I hope it is sooner, rather than later.
12:57 pm, EST [10:57 am, MST]: This restaurant is really cool. The aquarium here is pretty giant and there are four huge ceiling-to-floor observation windows on one wall of the restaurant. There are also observation windows in the Nemo ride and, as mentioned, after you get off. They have three different water tour options — you can actually go SCUBA diving in the tanks {with the sharks!} if you're certified. There is also a dolphin encounter and a SCUBA assisted snorkeling tour {no certification required}, but they all require prior planning. That would have been cool. I'll remember for next time. Anyway, back to the restaurant. It's called the Coral Reef. This is officially the most expensive meal we've ever eaten. And if not for the Disney Dining Plan {I know, I sound like I'm selling something here, but I'm not. I am receiving no compensation of any kind — just telling it how it is for us.}, we definitely would not have eaten here.

1:52 pm, EST [11:52 am, MST]: Lunch was awesome! It is starting to rain so we're going to get our jackets from our locker. And I'm sure that anyone who didn't use the bathroom at the restaurant will have to do that too.
2:00 pm, EST [12:00 pm, MST]: The rain has now become a downpour. The lockers are indoors and just across from Spaceship Earth, which, conveniently is our first FastPass of the day. We made a mad dash from the lockers to the queue, which is covered. Hopefully it will pass as quickly as it came in.
2:23 pm, EST [12:23 pm, MST]: The rain stopped while we were in Spaceship Earth. LadyBug, who is our Official Disney World Vacation Map Keeper has just checked the time and our FastPass reservations and suggests that we head for the next one, which will be available in 7 minutes.
2:38 pm, EST [12:38 pm, MST]: The Chevrolet Test track is temporarily closed. Perhaps due to the rain?
2:43 pm, EST [12:43 pm, MST]: We've decided to take a small detour to Mission: SPACE. The wait is short and we've still got 45 minutes until our Test Track FastPasses expire {unless the ride is still closed at that time, in which case, we could use our FastPass any time the ride is open during the rest of the day}.
2:47 pm, EST [12:47 pm, MST]: This is a simulator ride — good thing I took my Dramamine today. Still, they offer two different versions of the ride and we're going for the less intense one, just to be safe. LadyBug has been assigned to be Mission Navigator {with buttons to push, and everything}, Mr. Bug is the Pilot, Grasshopper is the Mission Commander and I'm the Engineer {in charge of expanding the wings when its time. We all have buttons we get to push. Nifty.}
3:15 pm, EST [1:15 pm, MST]: Mission: SPACE was cool. We're back at the Test Track. They've changed this too, since I was on it last. You get to digitally design your own car and then see how your specs meet the test track challenges.
4:08 pm, EST [2:08 pm, MST]: The Test Track is totally awesome! Grasshopper, especially, really liked it. We got up to 60 MPH on the straightaway. After some milling about, we've arrived at Living with the Land. We have FastPasses that become available at 4:30, but there is zero wait time. They're practically begging people to get on and they are sending boats half-empty. We're going to skip the FastPass this time.
4:43 pm, EST [2:43 pm, MST]: There's no wait for Captain EO, either. They've digitally remastered the 1986 film, which played for 18 years, and brought it back. Confession: I had such a crush on Michael Jackson, circa 1986.
4:52 pm, EST [2:52 pm, MST]: Confession #2: I'm having a really hard time staying awake through Captain EO. I think we're all really tired. And some of us are a little grumpy, although I won't mention names.
5:04 pm, EST [3:02 pm, MST]: Time for some more aimless milling about. No one can agree on what to do next.
5:38 pm, EST [3:38 pm, MST]: We're still milling about, but we've put it to good use and now we're milling about the World Showcase, with tours through Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Japan, America, Italy, Germany, China, Norway and Mexico.

6:04 pm, EST [4:04 pm, MST]: We've stopped in America for soft pretzels and soda. The pretzels are shaped like Mickey Mouse. Grasshopper fed some of his to some very friendly ducks and now they're trying to make friends with LadyBug, perhaps hoping for something else tasty to eat.

6:16 pm, EST [4:16 pm, MST]: We made our way through Italy, Germany and China and now we've stopped in Norway to ride Maelstrom. Rides that go backwards {i.e., Expedition Everest} are awesome. Boat rides that go backwards {i.e., Maelstrom} are even awesomer.
6:45 pm, EST [4:45 pm, MST]: We've just got Mexico left to see and then we are headed back to our hotel to soak our feet and rub them with peppermint-y lotion.
8:32 pm, EST [6:32 pm, MST]: We're going back up the Sassagola River for dinner at the Riverside Mill Food Court.
9:07 pm, EST [7:07 pm, MST]: Refillable souvenir mugs were included with our package. We just picked them up tonight {because who wants to tote a mug around with them everywhere?} and there is a little chip or something in them that tells you when your refills expire. You set the cup down on the soda dispenser, it makes a magical sound and starts to dispense your soda and a little display screen tells you what day your refills expire. To buy them, they are some ridiculous amount per day, but you have unlimited refills during that calendar day. Leave it to Disney . . .
9:47 pm, EST [7:47 pm, MST]: Because of winds, the Water Taxi is closed, so we're taking the path along the River back to our hotel, where we will fall, I'm sure, exhausted into bed.