Belle*s 30th Birthday Trip! June 9 - 13,2004 (Also starring Stitch)-Updated with Epcot Day About This Page:

[jastza]

Great report!! Can't wait for more!! Your report is keeping me going while I wait for our trip to start!!! Looking forward to knowing how e night went the 2nd time.
<font color="blue"> </font>

[DreaminDizney1002]

Just getting all caught up on your TR! Your description of V &amp; As just might have convinced me to try it on our next trip! Glad you liked MS! I was terrified the first time I rode it - but ended up loving it too!

[chezp]

Kudos to you for going on Mission : Space. I am still trying to pluck up courage to go on it, but maybe in December... we'll have to see, but your review has helped to reassure me a bit about it.

[DrDolphin]

Great job with Mission Space. I can't do Body Wars or Star Tours and have NO PROBLEM with MS....

I hope the rumor about Krystos is wrong - I really enojy watching them - they are amazing.

[buckysmom]

So glad to hear you liked Mission:Space. I'm hoping your second Eticket night was more successful!

[Jennifer2003]

Great update! Glad you braved your fears and rode!

Jennifer

[joyjoy]

Sara - I have just two words for you.

Cute. Shoes.

Okay, more words: The V &amp; A experience sounded fantastic. Good descriptions. I must add that I would die if I was allergic to wine. No, really. I would die.

Great TR!

[gumby74]

What a wonderful you had. It sounds like your birthday meal was delicious. And you've made me rethink going to V&amp;A's for a special night. My DH and I have worried also that it would be too stuffy and hoity-toity - but it sounds like it just makes it feel like a special occasion.

Enjoying your trip report. Can't wait to read more.

[ilovelilo]

I just got caught up with your report and I love it!! Thanks so much for the pictures of V &amp; A's and the descriptions of what you had. I would have been worried that it might be too stuffy too, but I'm glad to hear that it wasn't! And I also loved the picture of the flowers and I had to tell you that the Lemon drink from Israel is my favorite, too!

Looking forward to more of your report!

[statelady01]

So funny you got that pic with Krystos- Lynn and I saw them finish their performance and take off their masks- I about tried to get a photo with them but was beaten to it by alot of other people- so I am glad to see a Passporter in a pic with them!!

[Caldercup]

[ QUOTE ]
Our next stop was to get FPs for Test Track. Now don’t get me wrong – I like this ride! I just can’t understand why the lines are always so long. Way longer than Mission Space!

[/ QUOTE ]

It has to do with what ride developers call "through-put"... Test Track has a relatively slow loading process with a maximum of 6 people per car (and I'm not even getting into the breakdowns that TT experiences). Mission:Space has ten "capsules" holding 4 people each. If all 4 centrifuges are running, that's a maximum of 160 people per three minute ride (more than enough to offset the loading and unloading time.)

I read somewhere that Mission:Space can handle close to 1,500 (or more) people per hour if it's running at peak capacity.

Eileen

[DrDolphin]

great installment - I can't wait to read more.

[Belle*]

Friday, June 11, 2004 – continued!



After refreshing ourselves with some yummy Coke products we decided to wander over towards The Living Seas. We both love Finding Nemo and had heard about the character appearances near there. As we approached the building we saw the adorable new sculpture of the characters. Too cute! But the line for the attraction was out the door! No way were we waiting in line for what that attraction is now. Luckily Nemo and Pals were just swimming out for photos!



"Awww. You made me ink!" Stitch's favorite character from Nemo



Man, it must be hot in there!



Our next stop was The Land pavilion. We had yet to see The Lion King movie here so went straight there. Our timing was perfect – a movie was starting in 2 minutes! I really liked this film and its conservation message. Timon and Pumba are hysterically funny! But my enjoyment was dampened by families around us talking through the entire movie. After the movie we took a quick walk around the upper level and snapped some photos. I love the hot air balloons! This is another pavilion that I think could use a LOT of work. Hopefully the opening of Soarin’ will mean a face lift for this area.



Next Stop? Journey into Your Imagination! No wait at all for this ride and I even managed to get a few shots of Figment.



Goota love that dragon!



After the ride we sent my parents an e-mail from the Kodak station that they loved. At this point we had a quandary. It was a little after 11:30. We had a PS for lunch at Le Cellier for 1:00. We knew we wanted to go to the World Showcase but where to start? 90 minutes wasn’t long enough to start in Mexico and walk all the way around. (Our usual route.) So we decided to try to catch the only movie we hadn’t seen yet – Impressions de France. We walked through the Rose gardens that line the walkway from Journey to WS and admired the flowers. Why don’t my roses at home ever look like that? We hurried through Canada and Great Britain and made it to France in time for the next movie. I love the movies in the World Showcase and this was no exception. The footage is breathtaking! I always leave wanting to travel to China, Canada or in this case France. And yet, every time I start to plan a trip it always winds up being to WDW!!



Someday we'll get there for real!



We poked around in the shops on our way back to Canada but didn’t find anything we had to have. We arrived at Le Cellier a little bit early but were seated right away. We were seated in The Yukon along the far wall of the restaurant and our server was Sarah. When she asked if we had ever dined there before our answer must have been pretty fervent because she laughed! I mentioned that I was there for the soup and pretzel bread! When she brought those items she had added extra pretzel bread for me earning herself a huge grin and a mental note to tip her really well! Besides soup, I ordered the burger and DH ordered the Sirloin salad. I know most people say the Beaches and Cream has the best burgers but I had both theirs and Le Cellier’s on this trip and I have to say – Le Cellier wins that contest hands down!! DH also really enjoyed his steak salad.



Our tummies full (and how!) we set off to cruise the rest of the World Showcase. We didn’t spend much time here this trip but made sure to check out Mitsukoshi for new Hello Kitty stuff (my best friend collects) and get a ride on Maelstrom. We found the Viking wearing the Mickey Ears in the mural! So funny. Our last stop at Epcot was Guest Services. DH had had the brilliant idea that since we were going to E-ride night tonight again, why not do dinner at the MK instead of Alfredo’s as we had planned? Fine by me! We cancelled our PS at Alfredo’s and scored one for 7:15pm at Liberty Tree Tavern, one of our favorite character meals. That done it was back to the hotel. DH took a nap and I was off to the pool and the hot tub. I had the hot tub to myself and it was HEAVEN!!



Then it was back to the room to shower, dress for e-ride night and wake DH up so he could do the same!



Continued in next post…

[Belle*]

Friday, June 11 – 2nd E-ride night!!



For the first time this trip, it didn’t look like it was getting ready to pour rain as we headed out for the evening! Praying that our luck would continue, we drove to the MK. We had to park WAY out which made us a little nervous about the crowds we would encounter. We were running a little late an had to go straight to dinner upon arriving at the park. We only waited a minute or two before we heard the familiar, “Hear ye, hear ye! We are now seating the Varney Family from the State of Connecticut!” The food was wonderful as usual. I love their rolls and honey butter, the strawberry vinaigrette dressing on the salad and the turkey with gravy. Plus, the character interactions are great!



Man, these Chipmunks get around! They're everywhere!



My memory is failing me on what we did next so I’m going to take a break and consult with Stitch. Not that he’ll remember but maybe it will jog my memory to talk about it!



Up Next: The rest of E-ride night and Belle* and Stitch spend a WHOLE day at the AK!!

[DrDolphin]

great installment! We just did LTT for the first time this last trip and really enjoyed ourselves!!