Epcot

Friday was our day at Epcot. We started out at The Seas with Nemo & Friends. Cute ride, lots of aquarium space (dolphins, manatees, seahorses, etc.) and an interactive little show with Crush, the surfer dude sea turtle from Finding Nemo. It wasn't crowded, so we did the Nemo ride twice.

I had read about a newer ride they had in the Innoventions area called Soarin'. It was one of those where you look at the screen and the way they film makes you feel as though you are flying. In Disney fashion, this ride was unique in that you are actually strapped into something that lifts you high into the air and gets you right into the screen so it's more realistic. Victoria just hit the mark for the height requirement, so I grabbed two Fast Passes to come back later and ride. I was itchin' to do something adventurous!

We had reservations for the Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Palace - a restaurant in the Norway area of the World Showcase. The lunch was delicious and the kids LOVED seeing all of the princesses. It was just like the other character meals where each princess comes to your table, signs autographs, interacts with the kids and poses for pictures. So special! Since the princesses were people and not furry costumed characters...Gabriel was ALL OVER IT! He was flirting, growling at them (he thinks girls dig that) and playing peek-a-boo with them. It was hilarious!

Victoria had been reluctant to join in the other character parades around the restaurants, but happily joined in behind Snow White for this particular parade.

Gabriel had already seen the boats over the waterfall before lunch for the Norway ride, so we headed to that ride after lunch. It was just as cute as I remember. We stopped for a little while in Mexico to listen to some great Mariachis. Then, it was time for Victoria & I to go ride Soarin'. We got strapped in and lifted high off the ground and the movie began. It was awesome! They even had fans blowing so you felt as though the wind was actually on your face. She was giggling and really enjoying it - so was I. Then, all of the sudden I started feeling a cold sweat coming on...and my heart starting beating faster...and I was about to be sick! I mean, we were completely stationary in the air, but the movie was actually giving me motion sickness - which is so weird because I never experience that. So, I got a little panicky because we were only a minute or two into the ride and Victoria was next to me having a jolly good time. So, I just quietly turned my head completely to the left so I could look at something that wasn't moving - I think it was one of the fans. I started feeling a little better. So, I spent the rest of the time looking to my left at a fan and would turn my head the other direction every once in a while to smile at Victoria. Can't believe it, because I was having so much fun. Oh well...at least Victoria loved it! I'll pop a Dramamine before next time! Absolutely a credit to how realistic the ride is...

After that we headed to see one of my favorites, Figment!! I still have the Figment doll that I got while I was at Epcot when I was five-years old! They both loved the ride and had fun doing all of the games & interactive stuff afterwards. Of course, Victoria picked out her own Figment doll to add to her growing collection of stuffed animals. After all of that excitement, we headed back to our hotel for some afternoon swimming and to relax before the next day of fun at Hollywood Studios.

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