Preface

Similar to Animal Kingdom, I feel like people gloss over EPCOT and don’t recognize all that it has to offer. I am those people. Or, at least I was until our latest visit. Walking the main loop, you have a nice view of the water as you pass through each country. If you slow down a bit, you will find other places tucked away beyond the shops and eateries along the main loop. I really wanted to go off and explore but we were pressed for time. I also noticed some fancy-schmancy sit-down eateries I’d like to check out. Eating quick meals and snacks for a week no longer works for this almost forty-year-old right here. I want to sit down, relax and enjoy a hot meal. When I say enjoy, I mean savor each bite without a time limit and have casual conversations where we can hear each other’s responses. That might be asking a lot considering we have two children in tow but if we didn’t have to cram our EPCOT experience into 6 hours, it’s not far-fetched at all.

Epcot

I knew that today would be hella hectic and we’d have to be a bit more strategic with what we wanted to do and see. That meant getting an early start and having a hearty breakfast. I met my sister (Kell) in her room where we chatted for a while before we walked over to the food court. We have been working on strengthening our relationship and the in-person, one-on-one time was priceless. I ordered Mickey Mouse waffles with a side of bacon and sausage for myself and the boys. The boys were not impressed with the Mickey waffles so I ended up eating them myself. After breakfast, we walked back to the rooms and grabbed our bags for the day. Parker wanted to stay in the room and play with his new legos. Go figure. 

The great thing about my father-in-law (PaPa) driving us to the parks was that it made transporting the stroller easy. My in-law’s van is so big that we just lifted the stroller into the back. We didn’t have to take the seats out or fold it. Just roll it on in and out. 

Once we made our way through security we saw Goofy and Pluto at the entrance waving at guests. We paused for a couple family photos but also for Parker to take a few snaps himself. People passing by would smile and chuckle when they’d see Parker with Brian’s big camera around his little neck. Then Parker would stop, line up his shot, take his shot and say “that was a good one”. The expression on people’s faces would totally change like “oh wow, this kid is really trying to do something!”

Out of all the times I had been to Disney World for family vacations, band competitions, and cheerleading competitions, I had never ridden Spaceship Earth, the flagship attraction at EPCOT; neither had Kell. It’s a slow-moving ride in the dark where you “Travel through time and explore the remarkable history of human communication from the Stone Age to the computer age”. Now, I’m not claustrophobic or anything, but I began to feel like I was going to have an anxiety attack once the ride started. Parker began to panic because it was dark and he already said he didn’t like rides so I had to work overtime to calm my nerves. I quietly narrated to him what we were seeing and explained to him that those “people” were not real and that they are called “animatronics”. “It’s all pretend…make-believe,” I told him. Of course, we were on the ride that was having technical difficulties and it kept stopping for extended periods in the dark. I just kept talking to Parker and silently praying for the technicians to get it together so we could get off the ride. 

While we were busy with Spaceship Earth, Brian was on the search for more golden sculptures that are part of Disney Fab 50 Character Collection. The sculptures of some of Disney’s most memorable characters debuted in August 2021 as part of their 50th-anniversary celebration. With a total of 50 statues spread across Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, and EPCOT, Brian had his fun laid out for him. On the way to meet up with everyone else, Kell, Parker, and I stopped by The Seas with Nemo & Friends. It was another slow-moving ride sitting in a “clamobile”. There was absolutely no wait but the walk up to our clam was enough for Parker to know he did NOT want to get up. I was that parent and coaxed him on to the ride. We appeared to be descending into the ocean which kind of blew Parker’s mind. Again, I had to explain to him that we weren’t really underwater and it was like watching a movie on the projector screen at home. My baby was so concerned that we’d left the park and were lost in the sea with these whales and sea turtles. My own anxiety/claustrophobia kicked in again and I still don’t know what’s that’s about because I’ve never experienced that before. By the time we made it to the end of that ride, I was using my phone as a flashlight to help keep Parker calm. He was eager to hop off and go explore the aquarium that awaits when you disembark. If we had more time, we would have completed the self-guided “Finding Dory’s Friends” scavenger hunt in the aquarium. There were guides all around engaging with the kids and asking them questions about what they were seeing in the aquarium. Parker was confident, counting the eels he saw. 

Not sure what had gotten into Link but it was after painting the mural he insisted on pushing the stroller, himself, all the way to the next country on our list. France. We were headed that way to see what Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure was all about. Gma was amped for this ride where you “Feel like you’ve shrunk down to Chef Remy’s size for a 4D culinary adventure based on the Disney and Pixar film Ratatouille. When you’re small, life is a big adventure!” It was actually pretty cute. The ride is from the perspective of a rat in a restaurant and you scurry around life-sized pieces of food in a mouse car. Parker was so upset about being shrunken down to the size of a rat and Kell and I kept reassuring him that we were still our normal size. He and Lincoln were doing okay with the ride until we “went into the oven” and then it was a wrap. Full-blown tears and they were ready to get off the ride. 

We headed to America for lunch and made our way out of the park afterward. Somehow Kell, the boys, and I lost Brian on our way out. Probably because we stopped to shop for souvenirs and my phone died before the text message I sent him went through. Brian and my in-laws made it back to the van before we did. Kell was already packed up so when we got back to the resort, she, Brian, and I hopped in the car to get her to her flight. The boys stayed at the resort with Gma and PaPa. The resort had s’mores kits you could purchase for use at the fire pits around the resort. Parker had fun with that and the boys played some games with PaPa at the resort arcade. Kell caught her flight back home and Brian and I made it back to the resort around 6pm or so. Although the morning had been a bit hectic, I was a bit bummed Kell left early. It was nice to have her around and to create some memories with her independent of our parents. It just felt different. 

We put on warmer clothes and headed back to EPCOT that evening. It was a little bittersweet because it wasn’t as rushed, which was nice, but it was so beautiful and I wished my sister could have been there to experience that. It seriously looked magical against the night sky. It felt romantic. We started around the thoroughfare and stopped at the Jumping Water Fountains at Imagination Pavilion. Water droplets ricochet from one entry point to another. It’s so simple but brought so much joy to boys. We stayed there for about 15 minutes watching them chase the water back and forth. Brian was taking pictures and I was able to stand back and just watch my boys live in the moment and partake in innocent fun. As a parent, it was beautiful to watch and it brought me joy. After that, we went to Journey Into Imagination With Figment which is an attraction Brian always looks forward to. It’s another slow-moving ride in the dark and the boys actually did well with it! The best part is the ImageWorks – The “What If” Labs. To be honest, I enjoyed the “What If” Labs before I had children. The goal post-looking area where you wave your arms in the air to create music is super cool and on this particular trip, I got to be a big kid and jump around on the “Stepping Tones” with my own children. We spent a good amount of time there before getting fish and chips at PaPa’s favorite spot, Yorkshire County Fish Shop, in the United Kingdom. Per Gma, they are really the star of the show.

It was a win-win because not only did I find the battered fish delicious, so did the boys. That took care of dinner. Word on the street was that France had the best pastries in the park, so naturally, that’s where we were headed next. Anytime PaPa is around, I can almost guarantee he’s going to surprise the boys with sweet treats. While they waited in line, Brian and I looked to secure a spot for prime viewing of Harmonious, EPCOT’s water/light show. “This magnificent new show brings to World Showcase Lagoon an innovative combination of floating giant screens, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics and lasers in a 360-degree view. Enter amazing worlds inspired by Moana, Aladdin, Coco, Brave, The Lion King, Mulan, The Princess and the Frog and other classic stories. Colorful images and effects dance and change as Harmonious weaves familiar Disney music and stories together in brand-new ways. Through unique perspectives as diverse as the world itself, Disney songs hop from language to language as the show brings people from different parts of the world together to unlock the magic of possibility.” As the show began, of course, Gma and PaPa showed up with a plate of sweet treats because, why not? We were in France! 

Harmonious was incredible and it was fun to sing along to some of the songs. Lincoln was apprehensive at first but he warmed up to the fireworks before it ended. Remember how I said it was bittersweet my sister couldn’t be there? At the beginning of the show, I called her via video so she could watch part of the shows with us before she boarded her flight. So it was kind of like she was with us. After the finale, we took our time heading out. It was absolutely beautiful and I’d actually like to come back for a date night. It was so romantic! As we made our way out, I noticed some paths led to buildings that were tucked away, off the beaten path that I’d like to explore. We will have to save that for next time. We pulled out a couple of blankets we had packed so the boys could snuggle down in the stroller and stay warm as we made our way back to the park entrance. In retrospect, it was a good idea to break up the day the way we did. It allowed us to decompress a bit then go back fresh.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read about our first day in the parks at Animal Kingdom
Read about our third day in the parks at Hollywood Studios