Orlando Fl 2-12-2019

Well today is the day, we can’t wait to see Emily (our cousin) and go on tour with her at Disneyworld/Epcot. We read the rules of what to bring and not to bring, it’s going to be in the mid to high 80’s today, so hydration, hydration. We feel so fortunate to have her as a tour guide and such an experienced one at that, Emily does VIP tours and if you are not sure what that entails then click on the link. We previously set a meeting place in Disney Springs parking building as it is free to park and Emily will pick us up and drive us to Epcot. The Disney Springs is just outside the parks and has incredible accommodations, restaurants and shopping. Emily picks us up and off we go, we feel so assured as we drive thru the gates and Emily finds a great parking spot close to Epcot. We get our wrist bands and proceed thru the gate check and bag check area. Thousands of people are streaming and Emily is calm & cool as she leads us through the crowds. The view of the famous Epcot Sphere is coming back to us, the last time we were here was over 25 years ago. You still have that feeling of excitement knowing you will get to see and feel this incredible place all over again. Emily is constantly on her iPhone arranging places and times for us to get in. Occasionally Emily will say OH! let’s go over here there is an opening and we will not have to wait. It’s not often you get to go to Epcot and not have to wait in line, we had to wait very little if at all, thank you Emily. So of course, Angela needs a cup of coffee and in we go to the biggest Starbucks in the world, well let me clarify; they use Starbucks coffee and logo but Disney runs it. They probably serve a thousand people per hour or more. We head to the “Living With The Land Pavilion” where they have the ride called Soarin, if you don’t do anything else you must do this. I will preface this with; I have a problem with heights and motion sickness but I’m game. Emily sees a co-worker who is organizing the line and we get right in. Its a huge space with winding lanes for people to wait, we move at a fast pace and cleared for the next batch of people to go in to what looks like a theater and indeed it is but you sit on a bench similar to a Ski Lift and you buckle yourself in, thank goodness! I’m getting a little nervous as it starts to move and the screen surrounds you with a visual that appears to put you thousands of feet in the air, good thing I wore my rubber pants today. Next stop is painting a mural (part of the art festival) you are given a small cup with paint and directions on what numbers for you to paint, it is a giant paint by numbers that everyone can do. Time for a little bite and Emily chose Deconstructed one of the many great food booths along the way around World Showcase Lagoon. We are alerted that the next ride time is coming up and its called Living With The Land, it’s a view of our great country and how we can take care of it, Epcot has a hydroponic garden that the food produced is used in some of their restaurants. The next pavilions is the Seas with its underwater adventures starring Nemo and ending with real life creatures in their huge aquarium. Each country is invited and has to qualify to be part of Epcot World Showcase, imagine getting the feel for 11 countries in a 1.5 mile walk. There are flowers and plants everywhere and sometimes in the shape of Disney characters. We stop by the Canadian Pavilion giving us warm feelings of the country next to Alaska our beloved state. A French restaurant catches our eye and a food booth a little farther down that has crepes called Crepes des Chefs de France and yes, Angela had a chocolate one. Not to be left behind I stroll over to Germany for a Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen and take a break with Emily. There is construction going on in the Lagoon to update electrical but does not interfere with its beauty. Everything here is done on a grand scale and with visitors comfort and convenience always in mind. There are Disney characters walking around to entertain and surprise children as well as adults. The Moroccan Pavilion was fantastic and we really enjoyed the spiced beef hummus. We start working our way around to the far side of World Showcase Lagoon past the Mexico and Norway Pavilions to the Sidewalk Art. It always amazes me to see how a person can picture in their mind and create such work. We swing by one of the many shops to pickup a few things for the grandkids and work our way out of Epcot to grab the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. It reminded me of our time here 25 years ago when after a long day at the park we gathered our families; the Storter’s and Tweedie’s to ride back to the hotel exhausted. Our timing was great as there was a torrential down pour just as we got onto the monorail and as we approached the Magic Kingdom the rain stopped. Emily signed us up for the Haunted Mansion where there is always a line but, not with her, we just followed her red bow she was wearing and went to the head of the line in no time. The ride has not changed much but still very entertaining. Emily had some food credits earned as an employee and she was fractious enough to share in Mickey Mouse ice cream bars, perfect treat for a hot afternoon. We start to wind things up and head to the exit gate, thousands of people from all over the world, there were tourist groups from South America, it’s summer down there so they come here, lots of teens in their t-shirts designation tour group. One last look down main street of the Magic Kingdom knowing the next time will probably be with the grandkids. It’s dinner time and we head back to Disney Springs where our car is and a dinner date with Emily and her boyfriend Tyler, our first time to meet him. There is a huge list of restaurants but want to keep it casual and easy so Emily picks the Polite Pig, great choice by the way. It was busy, as everything there is but, it did not take long to get the food, it was delicious. The evening was cooling off by now to be very comfortable as we walked down this beautiful open mall area, we are surrounded by every major upper end retailer. We walk by the Marvel Store and thoughts of our cousin Megan Bradner (VP, Development and Production Marvel TV) come to mind, and for the last stop of the evening the Disney Style store where we found ourselves in a tea cup, what a day, Thanks Emily.