| | After I checked into Disney's Grand Floridian resort and we awaited the arrival of all of the 50 teachers being honored, the rest of the day was mine to explore. The good people at Disney's Imagination Campus. I ended up at EPCOT as my first stop. Many have asked if I brought my family along with me for this trip. With the end of the school year on the first day of the trip - and considering the cost of taking three more family members to Orlando - we didn't think it wise in the days of record inflation to make that investment. |
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Going alone meant I didn't have anyone to argue with about what we ride next, no one to argue with about what we were or were not going to eat for dinner, and no one to argue with when I didn't want to buy an overpriced souvenir. Nope. Not on this visit. It allowed me to walk faster, go to the things I chose, and skip whatever I wanted to skip.
I walked on to the first few rides with no wait - Mission to Mars, Test Track, and only had a short wait on the floating dark ride in the Mexico area of the park. From that point on, wait times could get pretty lengthy.
I walked on to the first few rides with no wait - Mission to Mars, Test Track, and only had a short wait on the floating dark ride in the Mexico area of the park. From that point on, wait times could get pretty lengthy.
Still, my stated goal on this visit was simply to live in the moment and seek out experiences that most people don't get. I walked through a few nooks and crannies in the World Showcase, making sure to visit the exhibits in the Norway and Morocco areas.
I love to simply admire the architecture and the detailed presentation of artwork and statuary in the different areas.
| It's quite a haul to get from the monorail stop to the very rear of EPCOT, where the American Adventure is presented. Soon I had passed Germany, Spain, and Italy only to find myself in Japan. Taking a stroll off the beaten path found me in a serene Japanese garden, where I admired various Bonsai trees that were each decades old. The first of several lizards I would encounter on this journey was spotted perched on some bamboo stalks that grew in the area. | |
| | Unfortunately, I didn't see any street performers on this visit. These spontaneous shows were always some of our favorite things to encounter and gave one more glimpse into the various cultures represented in the World Showcase. I really hope COVID didn't shut down that aspect of Disney Parks forever. |
| | Both Norway and France have added new attractions since I was here last. In Norway, it's not as much a new ride as it is a retheming of the existing ride. We always loved the ride that took us through a Norse river on search of a troll, only to launch the boat backward unexpectedly. Now rethemed to Frozen, I would have taken a turn, but I didn't feel like I missed anything by choosing not to wait in a 40-minute queue. Likewise, I'm not a big fan of Ratatouille, so the new ride in France didn't appeal to me. Again, I would have ridden, but a 60-minute wait did not attract me either. |
| Instead, I finally splurged for a meal (using the first bit of the $200 gift card provided to each of the 50 teachers). A big piece of fish and "chips" are always tasty and filling in the United Kingdom area. I carried those and a $4 bottle of water to the Canada area, where I sat for the first time since getting off the monorail. That water, by the way still comes to about four times the price of gasoline these days. |  |
I've always enjoyed the look of the Canada exhibits. The buildings and gardens are always so clean and crisply manicured. I'm not sure why the Lion King topiaries are located in this area, but I think I captured Rafiki presenting Simba to Mufasa at just the right moment, with the bright sunshine in the background.
Alberta Bound performed on a stage in this area, so as I ate my fish and fries, I caught some of their show, which honored Canadian performers.
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A special tent was set up nearby as Bambi's Butterfly House. There was a loud crowd of people in the tent, but the flowers and butterflies helped me appreciate the wonders of nature. A couple of cocoon boxes were also on hand and when ready would produce even more of the winged amusements.
| On the way to the front of the park again, I found there was not much wait time for Soarin' - a really interesting simulation ride that takes guests on a trip around the world. The sensation of actually flying through the air seems pretty realistic on this ride, which has been updated since the last time I was there. I wanted to try to do some things at the Magic Kingdom before it closed, so I high-tailed it back to the monorail to get there. Those pictures will be the next to appear here on the website, so stay tuned. | |
Would you like to see the full report about the 50 Teachers Celebration hosted by Disney's Imagination Campus?
Head over to the page that contains the whole collection of my report.
Head over to the page that contains the whole collection of my report.
