EPCOT: Florida Day 4

Do you know what EPCOT actually stands for?? EPCOT: Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow, many don't, so if you didn't, try not to be TOO sad about it :D

This day, I got up early with the younger boys, to do the "grown-up" rides! :D Mark got to sleep in a little, so everyone was happy! Before everyone else arrived we rode: Mission: SPACE, Test Track,

(image stolen from Disney's photopass site, THANKS!) Soarin', and Living with the Land. :D Then we met up with my everyone else! I got to check out The Seas with Nemo & Friends, with my two favorite boys! Coleton really liked the seas portion of Epcot. (As we all knew he would!)

So, I was corrected that these are called "sea stars" not starfish... by my 2 year old... haha!! Smartie pants.

and he really likes the seahorses :D I do too, I think they're kind of cute!

Got crabs? haha Disney does!!

Then of course, we put the conch shell up to his ear and told him to listen for the ocean... not sure if he got that one or not...

"MOMMA MOMMA!! LOOK LOOK! I FOUND NEMO!!" Yup, it very well could be kiddo.... :D

"It's Mickey in the water!!" me: "do you think he can swim?" *look of concern*

We also rode Living with the Land again :D It may be nerdy of me to say, but I really like it! Then, it was off to the World Showcase!

Not before I stopped to get this shot of a crane...and got made fun of... what can I say it was pretty!

First up was Canada :D Five years ago, when Mark and I went after he graduated from OSU we may or may not have taken a really funny photo of me (that he carries in his wallet with him...) wearing moose ears... so again, something we HAD to recreate! (poor image quality and all!)

Photo of my parents outside Canada :D

Now, I know a lot of you are thinking that Epcot is strictly for adults... Well, Disney is really trying to change that! They have a ton more characters walking around now, and they incoorporated Duffy (see earlier posts). At any of the World showcase countries, you can color your own Duffy (FREE! Look for the Kid Kot fun spots!) and then take him to the different countries and get him stamped. Some of the countries will draw flags, or other things too! Coleton got his name written in Arabic (in Morocco), Chinese, & Japanese! He also learned how to say hello in each language! We also discovered that he was born in the year of the Ox, which explains SO MUCH! :D Here are a couple of us coloring his Duffy...

Ok, so remember how I said that Coleton was a tad apprehensive about the characters? Well, I would really like to thank Mr. Smee for turning that around for us! HE LOVES YOU SMEE!!

So, with Smee turning things around for him, he became a seasoned PRO at photos with characters! He went RIGHT up to Tigger & Pooh, without hardly any encouragement from me!

Here he is hanging out in the UK :D Just being a boy... chasing a squirrel... He thought it was "his squirrel". (We have him convinced that he has a pet squirrel, that always stays outside and that we never have to feed...but it's HIS pet...haha! perfect kind of you ask me!)

Next up, Mary Poppins... Oh how I love her! This one was AMAZING!! So proper, and polite! She seriously made me want to cry!

"Why hello little boy, what is your name?"

"My name's Coleton."

"Well, hello there Coleton, may I hold your hand?"

Seriously. I could not make this stuff up!

They chatted for quite some time! Became friends even! Then, when it was time to go, she SMOOCHED HIM! And it was all over from there. haha!! I don't think he knew what to think of a stranger kissing him! haha!! Get used to it kid! You're stinkin' adorable!

Evidence of said SMOOCH!

We continued on to the countries... France - which will be re-visited later:

My absolute favorite, Morocco (ABSOLUTE FAVORITE - and I honestly don't even know why!) This photo will replace one that I have in a Disney frame on my dresser, of me in the same spot many years ago:

After posing for a photo w/the fountain, we played in it a little to cool off :D (as you can see, Disney must use part tattoo for their lipstick... because it is STILL there, and remained so until washed off with soap!)

Then it was off to Japan... to see their drumming show, Matsuriza!

It is a MUST see in my book!

The Redcoats are coming, the Redcoats are coming!! (But really, Spirit of the American Fife & Drum Corps. :D They were pretty good!)

Except you'll never know if it's really them, because it's a black and white photo...

OH MY GOSH LOOK! IT'S THE USA!! I don't know why, but it cracks me up that they include the US when you're already in the US.... haha! and there was NO ONE THERE!

Onto another favorite, that was undergoing some rennovations while we were there, Italy!

So, I told you we'd revisit France... We went to Les Chefs de France for dinner and got to meet REMI! :D

I'm telling you, for a rat, he's not only adorable but extremely charismatic (especially since he couldn't talk!) :D

Then, Coleton and I got a dessert, that was meant to be shared, but Coleton had a hard time even sharing with me! Here we are fighting over it, taken with my mom's cell phone HAHA!

Then, we travelled back to Morocco, because I HAD to see Mo'Rockin... I fell in LOVE with this show when Mark and I went... there's something about strange instruments & belly dancing.. I don't know what it is!

Proof that even the skinny girls have rolls...LOL!

Coleton was in awe... or he was just so doggone tired that this is more of dazed & glazed look :D

So, I've become a little obsessed at this point.. but I just love trying to capture movement! It's VERY hard to do... especially not using flash & during a night show..fellow photogs, you hear me here!!

At the very end they ask the kids if they want to come up and dance, Coleton was a tad stand-offish :D

So, after this, we ride the boat ride in Mexico, which Coleton LOVED! Tour the rest of the countries. My dad and Mark grab beers in Germany, Mom gets a margarita in Mexico, I get dessert in Norway,

"Um, yes, I'd like one of everything."

That's right, I'd like my diabetic coma to-go.

(YUM-O!) and we meet to watch the night time show :D Illuminations! Here are a few of Epcot at night :D

Photo taken by the hubs (IN MANUAL!! anyone need an assistant?!? :D Such a proud wifey photog moment...) :D And one of my parents in front of "Mickey's golf ball."

And one last one:

That is one satisfied customer at the end of a big Disney filled day! At least this time he stayed up to watch the fireworks! Even if he thought they were too loud! He cried a little until he figured out he could just cover his ears! :D

What was in store for us on Disney Day #5? You'll have to just wait and see!