EPCOT, FL

The next morning the grand-kids have fully bounced back and are looking forward the day at Epcot

Entrance to Epcot with large globe

Although it's only one degree cooler than yesterday it feels cooler, less crowded and less confined than Magic Kingdom.  The wide walkways allow for more air circulation, plus the lush landscaping and water features all give Epcot a more relaxed less frantic feel.

Still the army of strollers patrol everywhere

Cooler shaded walkways

Inside The Land

Peter directs us to the Living with the Land ride. Not sure if the kids liked it much, but I thoroughly enjoyed its focus on ecological living and food production (a long time interest of mine).

Cucumbers

Tomatoes

Tower of flowers

Next we head over to The Living Seas pavilion, which the kids are more enthusiastic about plus we have Fast Passes for. In the first picture below, you can see how the Fast Passes really cut down on the wait times endured by the unfortunate Stand-by victims (oops, I mean visitors). I am thrilled to see my first live manatees in Florida and the kids get a kick out of rides.

Fast Pass versus Stand-by lines

Manatees

Fake jellies on a Nemo ride

Epcot's landscaping is truly a tour de force warming the hearts of all gardeners and plant nerds.

Donald's veggie garden

Boys playing in water fountains

Carpets of flowers

Monorail bridge over carpet of flowers and lake

Looking over the lake to the Journey into Imagination

Of course, everywhere we turn are gift shops and Disney nerds of all ages. We are not surprised to see all the kids dressed up as their favorite Disney characters, especially the girls decked out as their favorite princess.

What is surprising is all the ADULT Disney nerds, many also dressed up as their favorite characters.  On a tram returning to the parking lots at the end of a day, I meet a middle aged couple dressed as Mickey and Minnie mouse (of course). They are both from Omaha Nebraska and have been married for around ten years. They both grew up as diehard Disney fans and even spent their honeymoon at the Disney Resorts and attractions. They are such fanatics that woman spends her work lunch breaks searching for deals so they can afford staying at one of the Disney Resorts and wandering through the attractions for their annual vacations.  Yup - it was their tenth visit here as husband and wife - one for each year of marriage.

Not all the adult Disney nerds are dressed in costumes. We are fascinated by an older gentleman in a long black tunic, which had to be sweltering on such a hot day. The black garment is covered with Disney metal pins he collected over the years.  Needless to say, this year's versions of the pins are readily available in many gift shops.

Brooklyn with new toy and girls dressed as princesses

Man with metals

Cody's new light whirl toy

Christine and the kids have had enough of hanging out with stogie Grandma and Grandpa, so they go off in search of more thrilling roller coaster rides, while Peter and I head off to explore the International exhibits. We start off taking a closer look at the art of Japan. The comparison between traditional and modern arts is striking (probably true for just about any country for that matter).

Japanese Arch

Modern gumby girl

Traditional Samurai statue

Each country's exhibit is completely distinct and is makes for a great walking trip around the world. Each is offering its own food and flavors.  We stop and have lunch at an airy eatery in Morocco. The food is reasonably priced and excellent, especially compared to the food failures we encountered the day before in Magic Kingdom.

Japanese temple

Mexican pyramid

Morocco

As the heat of day builds up, we all decide to play it smarter by returning to the condo to splash around in the pool and rest up for returning in the evening. Christine had noticed yesterday that the ride lines were much shorter as we left Magic Kingdom in the early evening. The kids are still looking for thrill rides so they return to Magic Kingdom, while Peter and I go back to Epcot.  We start in Canada.

Canadian gift shop

Peter peeks through porthole

Quebec

Then we wander through Paris...
and back through Japan.  It's amazing how much better these scenes appear at night. The dramatic lighting turns Epcot into a photographers' paradise.
The mystique of Morocco shines through in the evening light.
Italy's pretty stunning as well... also, they have GELATO!
We walk back the part of the lake closest to the entrance to find a good spot to watch the evening's fireworks and still have a good get-away after the show.  Much to my chagrin, the best spots are roped off for people who have paid for the privilege of getting a better view. Typical of Disney Inc - anything to get an extra buck. Not to be deterred, I wait until a guard's gaze is turned and slip under the roping to get better shots of the show.

It's been a good day at Epcot