Epcot's 30's anniversary! On October 1, 2012!

Well, the anniversary was on October and it is April 30, but who's really counting.  So happy 30 1/2 year Epcot.  

I visited in June 2012 as well which I did not feature on my blog as I was taking time off from it. So here you go.
Brave came out in the summer time and before the film came out they had Highland Games at the entrance to the World showcase.  You could be separated into clans and earn badges (a button) once you completed the games.  The most impressive thing was a huge sand sculpture.  Merida is sand, with all that hair, very impressive!

Then onto characters.  Surprisingly Merida was not in Epcot, but the Magic Kingdom, but there were plenty of other characters to see.  We stumbled upon a character explosion next to the American Adventure and found Mr. Smee and Max!  If only we had made it there about 20 minutes early.  There were about 12 characters out all at the same time.  Why doesn't this happen every visit?

To close out one evening we ate at the Rose and Crown in the British Pavilion.  We enjoyed the dinner on the patio, the side unfortunately.  But I had read that they have a Illuminations viewing patio so we asked and we were let in.  I'll have to say that Illuminations is a not my favorite show.  I fell it's kinda boring, low fireworks, fire, low fireworks, turning globe, low fireworks, then everything together.  Meh.

Now I'm back to September 2012!  In April 2013!

But the real reason why I spent the most time in Epcot than I ever had before was the Food and Wine Festival.  I tried going in 2011 but it didn't work out so I was very happy to make it in 2012.  

All the food comes in tapas form.  Usually about $3-4 you can easily eat your way around the world.

I found Jiminy Cricket and Stitch!  Two unusual characters to me that I had to see.  I was the last one to see Jiminy for the day.  For the win!  Rachel finally found out what my love of characters was all about and had a hilarious game of charades with Chip and Dale.  One of my best memories of the trip for sure!

It was the last day of my trip to WDW that also happened to be the 30th Anniversary of Epcot.  They gave out cool maps that showed the changes over the years to Epcot and a button.  Rachel could not make it into the park because of work so I got her a set too!  I love free buttons!  I wasn't able to make it to any of the presentations because I was occupied by eating around the world and having to fly out at 6pm.

I would love to go back to Epcot during the food and wine festival.  The food, in the restaurants or pavilions  is the real reason to visit Epcot at any time of the year.  But there is nothing really like eating around the world with a friend during the food and wine festival.
Up next, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Hollywood Studios aka the Park of Terrible Shows

Hollywood Studios is truly a theme park with shows.  Good shows?  Maybe not.  

The first show that I saw was The Little Mermaid.  Thank goodness it's only at 20 minute show because it was awful!  Ariel was underpitched the entire time, Eric was a bit fluffy, and the show was so chopped to bit is wasn't enjoyable even if the actors were good.  I wanted to leave but I was sitting in the middle of the row of a full theater so I stuck it out.

One thing I always enjoy in the park is the Magic of Disney animation area.  They always have displays set up for the next Disney or Pixar film.  As I was there in September they had Wreck it Ralph. 

As always I look for characters both inside and outside the Animal courtyard.

The next show was the parade.  They use music from the two California Adventure parades with only about half the interesting floats.  But I do love the music anyways and seeing characters you can't see in meet and greets in the park.

Rachel and I also hit up the 50's Prime Time Diner.  I got a pot roast and Rachel the pork chop.  And man were both of them delicious.  Followed by their smores, what could be better?  We both cleaned out plates but did not get stickers.  I want my money back!

Now to my last adventure in June.  I saw the Beauty and the Beast show.  It is one of my favorite full length musicals so I was excited.  The theater is very nice but the show again is a bit disjointed, but not as much as the Little Mermaid.  The show was decent but there was one thing that still sticks in my head.  What is the deal with the bright pink dresses?  Why?!  They are so ugly!

And finally from my trip in June was Fantasmic.  I love the show in Disneyland.  It is my favorite show there and when I visit I never miss it.  I must have seen it about 50 times.  

The Walt Disney World show just doesn't quite have it.  Missing are my favorite parts with the large boats around the Rivers of America.  There is one part where characters are stuck it bubbles that goes on for about 2 mintues, why?  The changes from the original show certainly don't make it better in my opinion.

I think that Hollywood Studios may have made it's way to the bottom of my Walt Disney World trip.  I certainly spent the least amount of time there compared to the other three parks.  

Up next, Epcot.

It's baseball season!

Opening day in KC was this past weekend.  Did I go? No!  We thought about the Sunday game but the wind picked up.  So tomorrow it is instead.  It's a free t-shirt day and I just can't resist.  And I'm sure I'll see these fireworks in not too long!

But for now I can make another embroidery hoop!  Be ready people, there are many more of these in the works.

Again, to paint or not to paint?  That is the question.  Off to Kauffman stadium soon, or The K as the locals call it.  

No time!

Lately I have not had a ton of time to work on my craft projects.  Life sometimes takes over all my fun!    I've had a lot of shifts that have pretty much taken over my whole day.  Disneyland, why must you take all my time away.

Even on my days off.   Yesterday I was back in the park for fun for a whole 16 hours!

My good friend Amber came into town with her two girlfriends from college to play with me in Disneyland.

We visited both Disneyland and California Adventure parks.  Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Roger Rabbit, California Screaming, Toy Story Midway Mania, Soarin' over California, The Little Mermaid, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones, Star Tours, The Disneyland Railroad, we did it all!

We closed California Adventure with World of Color which none of the other girls had seen.

And my favorite part of the night was VIP for Fantasmic.  What a View!  We finished off the night by flying over London in Peter Pan's flight.  Not a bad way to spend a day off!