WDW, Part V: Epcot and Staying Out Late

In case you didn't bother to look at the Post Title, we're getting back to Disney World now...

So on Tuesday, Day 3 1/2, we had a slow start, enjoying the buffet breakfast at the hotel (and enjoying even more the fact that Aunt Tracy took the kids outside to play so I could relax while eating and not worry about who was smearing what where!). Eventually we made it out the door and headed to Epcot. We went on the main rides there-- Mission to Mars (I did the easy version-- Craig opted for the hard one later in the week), Spaceship Earth (I was pleased that I could recognize Judy Dench's voice), and Finding Nemo. And then we headed over to see the various countries. We had some lunch in Mexico and the rest of my family joined us there.

As we kept walking we came upon the boat ride in Norway called Maelstrom, which we decided to ride, just Craig and Bentley and I, while everyone else kept moving. That turned out to be a big mistake. The line was way longer than advertised and it was the most BORING wait ever. That's one thing I'll say for Disney-- you may have to wait in line for forever to ride on anything, but at least they usually keep the lines fairly entertaining and moving fast enough that you keep feeling like you're getting somewhere. Norway has not caught on to this concept. We were dying. The only good thing about the wait was the nice family in front of us who discussed the vikings with us and one statement Bentley made. This was after we'd been waiting for 40 minutes and he suddenly looked around and said, "Mommy! Where's Kendra?!" That just about killed me. She'd been gone for FORTY MINUTES and he JUST NOTICED?!?! So I guess he's not ready to babysit just yet...

Anyway, after all that waiting Maelstrom turned out to be the most disappointing ride ever. The nice family in front of us threw their arms up in exasperation and demanded their money back. I would have liked to have gotten time out of my life back. But what can you do? We mostly just made it the joke of the entire trip-- any time we had a few minutes to spare, we'd suggest going on Maelstrom again and then groan in annoyance.

We caught up to my family in France, where they were waiting with delicious French pastries for us. That was nice, at least!

Then we went on Soarin', which is one of my all-time favorite rides ever, and had dinner and were going to go home and put the kids to bed when Craig had an idea: what if we just mosied over to the Magic Kingdom and watched the 9:00 parade? Part of me thought he was nuts. But the other part of me-- the part that has mostly been suppressed since becoming a mom-- had to admit that it did sound like fun, and the kids seemed to have gotten a second wind since eating, and, well, why not?

So the four of us went to the Magic Kingdom. And we got there maybe fifteen minutes before the parade. And it was PACKED. Too packed. There was nowhere we could sit that the kids would be able to see a thing. We wandered hopelessly for a while until I finally asked a worker, ahem, cast member (!) if she had any advice. She looked me in the eye and said simply, "Eleven o'clock."

I think I said something brilliant, like, "Huh?"

"Really," she countered, "it's way less crowded for the eleven o'clock parade."

"I don't think my kids will make it that long." I said.

"No, it's perfect. They're already asleep"-- I checked, she was right-- "just go shopping or something for now, the fireworks at ten will wake them up, and then you can enjoy the parade at eleven!"

Maybe it was because I was already so sleep-deprived, but what she was saying made sense to me. I turned to Craig to get his opinion, saying hopefully, "Do you think that could work?"

Craig surprised me by bursting out laughing, "I knew that was the best idea in the first place! I just also knew that if I suggested it, you'd say I was crazy, but if it were someone else's idea, you'd think it was a good idea."

My husband knows me too well. So we alternated watching the kids and riding on Pirates of the Caribbean (no line!) and Thunder Mountain (my favorite; it really is). The fireworks started while I was on Thunder Mountain with Tracy, who had joined us. I'm not sure which was more fun-- watching the fireworks from up high while zooming around like that, or sliding drunkenly into Tracy with every turn we took (that ride turns almost exclusively to the left, so beware to those sitting on the right!). Either way, I was having a blast.

The kids woke up, and Kendra began crying. That very sad, "Why have you kept me up this late and forced me to sleep in a stroller that leaves me uncomfortable no matter which way I turn?!" sort of crying. Fortunately right then they began some performance in front of the castle. "Look, Kendra," I said, pointing, "Mickey Mouse!" That shut her up. She only had eyes for Mickey after that.

The parade was next and it was great. We sat right in the front where we could see, and no one was even standing menacingly near us, trying to edge us out of this great location. Several of the characters gave my kids high fives, and Chip'n'Dale pointed at them with two fingers-- I think they thought Bentley and Kendra were twins. This is a mistake a lot of people make, especially when they're sitting down and you can't tell that Bentley is a good three inches taller.

Staying up late was a fabulous idea. Good thinking, Craig!