Up first was the Land pavilion. The handlers had yet to secure Soarin fastpasses on this trip, and after doing so, they jumped on Living with the Land. This is an educational tour through Epcot's greenhouses, and despite its rather boring nature, is one of the handlers' favorites. There's really interesting experimental plants on display, like this tomato tree.
And these hydroponic herbs.
Then it was on to the Living Seas (recently and stupidly renamed The Seas with Nemo and Friends). This used to be one of the handlers' favorite pavilions, before it went all Nemo crazy. It's still pretty good fun to look at the various fishy residents, though.
Look, hidden Mickey!
Arrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Puffer fish!!!!!!!
After that we wandered into Innoventions. This is a very hands on area aimed at entertaining little kids...which means it was right up the handlers' alley. We played one game that involved us horking around an oiking piggy bany and trying to 'save' for 'retirement'. We seemed to be doing well in the game until, at the finale, our piggy's animated character grew wings and flitted off into the sunset. The handlers figured that meant that they'd save enough for retirement when pigs could fly...not very encouraging.
Anywho, we also played a game that involved ridding a house of potential fire hazards. Then Handler 2 digitized his image and played a video game with himself as the main character.
The handlers were getting pretty hungry by this point, so it was time to hit the Festival booths. This year, Disney handed out free "passports" that listed every offering at each booth and had a place that you could get stamped by each "country" after sampling some of their fare. Handler 2 loves a challenge, and he took to this passport idea with gusto. He decided that, come hell or high water, we would visit every food and wine festival booth and taste something at each so that he could get his passport filled out and attain the coveted "completed" stamp.Yeah, a stamp. That's all you get. That, and the thrill of accomplishment...or whatever. Point is, the handlers had already sampled from 7 different places, but that meant they had 20 to go. Time to get with the eating. Today the handlers managed to get through Puerto Rico, Poland, Mexico, and China.
Yeah, that's right Christie. We went to China, too. So there!
Here are the handlers enjoying the Food & Wine Festival.
Upon reaching Mexico, Handler 2 stated that we should go into the special tequila tasting room and margarita bar that's inside the Mexican temple and order a quality Mexican drink. As this offer was completely unprecedented in their 7+ years of marriage, Handler 1 jumped at the chance to expose Handler 2 to some alcoholic culture. They decided on a pomegranate margarita, which was strong and to neither of their tastes. Oh well, perhaps tequila just isn't Handler 2's thing.
Here's the "wall o' tequila" in the bar.
After finishing up all we could eat, facing the fury of the Maelstrom, and polishing off a few ride fast passes that were lingering in the handlers' pockets, it was time for the event of the evening. Handler 1 had signed us up for a special dessert experience.
This was a lovely set up, with stations of delicious pastries and other desserts, flanked by stations of dessert wines and apertifs. For example, at one station they were flambe-ing doughnuts in a Red Stag liquer, after which you were encouraged to douse your drenched (and recently enflamed) doughnut in chocolate sauce and/or other toppings. This was accompanied by Red Stag shots, or alternatively by sweet sparkling whites...and that was just one of the tasty options. There was also live entertainment throughout the evening. Very chic.
Needless to say, the handlers indulged in much dessert and drink. Handler 1 especially liked the impromptu tasting and education she got from the Courvoisier guy. Handler 2 liked the Irish cheeses the best. After the food, everyone made their way to a special viewing area for Illuminations (the Epcot fireworks display). This is the handlers' favorite fireworks show, and it has basically ruined them for other fireworks events forever. Seeing it from the very front (as is intended) only made the experience better. They had also been provided with special 3D glasses that made all light spots appear to be surrounded by Mickey heads. This made for a particularly interesting effect when the large fireworks went off.
This was a lovely set up, with stations of delicious pastries and other desserts, flanked by stations of dessert wines and apertifs. For example, at one station they were flambe-ing doughnuts in a Red Stag liquer, after which you were encouraged to douse your drenched (and recently enflamed) doughnut in chocolate sauce and/or other toppings. This was accompanied by Red Stag shots, or alternatively by sweet sparkling whites...and that was just one of the tasty options. There was also live entertainment throughout the evening. Very chic.
Needless to say, the handlers indulged in much dessert and drink. Handler 1 especially liked the impromptu tasting and education she got from the Courvoisier guy. Handler 2 liked the Irish cheeses the best. After the food, everyone made their way to a special viewing area for Illuminations (the Epcot fireworks display). This is the handlers' favorite fireworks show, and it has basically ruined them for other fireworks events forever. Seeing it from the very front (as is intended) only made the experience better. They had also been provided with special 3D glasses that made all light spots appear to be surrounded by Mickey heads. This made for a particularly interesting effect when the large fireworks went off.
When the lights finally went out, we made our way to Dowtown Disney, rather laboriously, and hiked over to DisneyQuest...only to find that it had just closed for the evening. See, the handlers remember way back when DQ was open until 12 am and they would end their evenings there every night of their trip. However, it now apparently was open only to 11 on weekends, and closed at ten on this particular day. So, stymied, the handlers made their way over to the shopping side of Downtown Disney to try and get their shop on. They managed to browse through only one store, before all the shops closed down as well.
Wondering why exactly Disney did not want them to spend more money, the handlers gave up and returned to the hotel for rest and recuperation.
Quote of the Day: "Oooh, Mickeys everywhere!"
