March 14th
 

Home Up March 14th - Page 2


 

Thursday, March 14th, 2024              

When we woke up to get ready for our final day in the parks, we were greeted by this sight in our resort swimming pool...
 

Grand Lake Resort


 

A pair of mallards in the resort swimming pool.

 

Today marked our last day in the parks, and we would be spending it at Epcot. After getting ready we had to pack up Grandpa Gary, Grandma Terry, and Uncle Steven, as they had to check out of their condo this morning. We then loaded up into our respective vehicles and made the drive over to Epcot.

Once we made it through security and into the park, our first stop was the new festival area behind Spaceship Earth so that Drew could check it out. While we were here, we took advantage of the opportunity to have our PhotoPass taken with the new "Walt the Dreamer" statue in this area of World Celebration. We then headed off to World Discovery to take a spin on Test Track, but not before heading up to the GM Lounge to enjoy a complimentary beverage and take in the views from the lounge area. We then headed down to design our vehicles and take a ride around the track.

It was now getting close to our return time on the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride, so we headed off that way. We made a pit stop at the Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Company located out front so that Tara and Jayden could get their caffeine fix while we waited to get in line for Guardians. We made it through the line and onto the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster, and enjoyed every second of it (except for the song we got - "Conga" by Gloria Estefan, possibly the worst of the available options).

After our coaster ride we headed towards the World Showcase, but not before first stopping at the Epcot Farmers Feast festival booth so that we could taste the Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake, which came with a crème fraîche whipped cream. Well, the kids and I didn't taste it, but everyone else seemed to really enjoy this particular treat.

Once we made it to the World Showcase, we headed off to the Norway pavilion to take in the Frozen Ever After ride that we had sigend up for with Steve's DAS pass. The line for this ride is usually too long to wait out, even though we do enjoy it, so we were excited to be able to get on without the big wait.

At this point we were all beyond hungry. We couldn't really decide where to eat, so we headed to the The American Adventure pavilion to find a table and grab a bite to eat at the Royal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbeque. While I would have preferred to head over to the United Kingdom to enjoy the fish from the Yorkshire County Fish Shop, not everyone is a big fish eater, so at least we could all find something here to enjoy.

After refueling, we continued our stroll around the world, eventually stopping in France to go for a spin on Remy's Ratatouille Adventure. I had read that they were testing this ride without the 3D and the need for the glasses, but that feature was still in use for our ride today. The 3D effects don't really bother me, but I was curious what it would be like without that. While we were in France we decided to catch the Beauty and Beast Sing-Along show. I think that several of our group used this as nap time, but I enjoyed the show.

After leaving France, we bid adieu to Grandpa Gary, Grandma Terry, and Uncle Steve, as they headed back home. We were spending another night in the condo, so we weren't in a rush to leave and decided to continue to explore the park.

We found ourselves in World Celebration, and Drew was able to convince Tara to take a spin on her favorite ride of all time - Journey Into Imagination with Figment! OK, OK... maybe I should have said Tara's least favorite ride of all time. I know that there is a lot of love for Figment amongst Epcot fans, but I think something needs to be done with this ride.

Our next stop as at the Bambi's Butterfly House to see what kind of butterflies we could spot. This was a peaceful experience, see a wide variety of butterflies flitting around, but it wasn't an area that we would be spending a ton of time in. We were heading off to The Land for our next destination. Once inside, we timed it just right to catch the Awesome Planet movie before heading downstairs to get on the Living with the Land boat ride, which truly is one of Tara's favorites! One of these trips her & I are going to take the Behind the Seeds tour to get an inside look at the greenhouse experience!

You can read about the rest of our day on page two of the pictures!

 

Epcot


 

Uncle Steven pushing Tara around in the wheelchair.

 
 

The topiaries of Huey, Dewey, and Louis in World Discovery.

 
 

We finally got an opportunity to visit the General Motors Lounge above Test Track today. This is a look at the lines of people waiting to enter the queue.

 
 

A look at Spaceship Earth from inside the Test Track GM Lounge.

 
 

The building for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind behind the now-empty gold-domed Wonders of Life Pavilion as see from the GM Lounge inside the Test Track building.

 
 

A different view of the Nova Corps Starblaster on display outside of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster as seen from the GM Lounge inside the Test Track building.

 
 

A look across the park at the top of The Land building from the GM Lounge inside the Test Track building.

 
 

This time we get a look up at the GM Lounge from the entrance to the Test Track queue.

 
 

Jayden's car design for her ride on Test Track.

 
 

Another view of the Nova Corps Starblaster on display outside of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster.

 
 

The ceiling display inside the first room of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind queue.

 
 

Uncle Steven being forced to give the famous 'Peters Family Salute'.

 
 

A few shots of the preshow of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind queue...

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

The hallway heading towards the loading area of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

 
 

There is also an area of refuge inside the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind queue.

 
 

The loading area of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

 
 

A look at the Groot topiary near the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride.

 
 

We also saw the topiaries of Pluto, Minnie, and Mickey in World Discovery...

 
 

...as well as Chip and Dale.

 
 

A couple shots of the floating flowers in the waters surrounding the Odyssey Pavilion...

 
     
 

We encountered the Encanto topiaries as we approached the World Showcase - here is Louisa, Mirabel, Antonio, and Isabela.

 
 

Miguel and Dante from Coco were also on display near the World Showcase.

 
 

Here is another look at Dante...

 
 

and one of Miguel.

 
 

A view of the Norway pavilion in the World Shocase.

 
 

Drew in the queue for Frozen Ever After...

 
 

...and jumping into another attempt at a picture of the queue.

 
 

A few shots from the Frozen Ever After ride...

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

A few shots of the model railroad in the Germany pavilion...

 
     
 

...and the town was having its own Flower and Garden Festival!

 
     
     
 

A lizard on a rock in the model train display in the Germany pavilion.

 
     
     
     
 

A couple of birds on a wall in the World Showcase lagoon...

 
     
 

A look at the Tiana topiary in World Showcase...

 
 

...as well as a dragon topiary.

 
 

A look at Spaceship Earth across the World Showcase lagoon...

 
     
 

Topiaries of Cogsworth and Lumière from Beauty and the Beast in the France pavilion.

 
 

A Cogsworth movie prop on display in the Beauty and Beast Sing-Along lobby...

 
 

...as well as Lumière...

 
 

...and other characters from the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast.

 
 

A Tinkerbell topiary...

 
 

...along with Captain Hook and Peter Pan.

 
 

A Bambi topiary...

 
 

...along with Flower and Thumper.

 
 

Goofy being blown away in topiary form.

 
 

A look at the shrinking hallway of Journey Into Imagination with Figment...

 
 

...as well as a few additional shots from the ride...

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

We also toured Bambi's Butterfly House on display in World Celebration.

Here are a couple shots of a white peacock butterfly...

 
     
 

...as well as a Julia butterfly...

 
     
 

...and a zebra longwing butterfly hanging upside down...

 
 

...as was this Junonia atlites butterfly.

 
 

Here are a couple more zebra longwing butterflies...

 
     
 

A look at the inside of the Bambi's Butterfly House.

 
 

One last shot of a white peacock butterfly.

 
 

The entrance sign to The Land.

 
 

This great egret was exploring the plants outside of The Land entrance...

 
     
     
 

A waterfall seen during the beginning of the Living with the Land boat ride.

 
 

The buffaloes on the prairie during the Living with the Land boat ride...

 
 

...as well as the scarecrow in the farm scene.

 
 

A Little Mermaid display set up in the greenhouse of the Living with the Land ride.

 
 

Some more scenes from the Living with the Land ride...

 
     
     
     
     
     
 

Please click here for page two of the photos

 


 

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