"Chill out Dear...we are going to your Happy Place"

[Glendamax]

speaking of sleep, I am hittin' the hay. I will try to upload some photos from that night, later.

TTFN!!!!

YAY! I'll be looking forward it!

 

[crossfamily]

Jaime I love it... I am so glad your daughter liked the rides. My ds9 get afraid till you make him go then you can't get him off. My ds3 is a scardy kat; and my dd2 is fearless. She loves them all.. I so can't wait to read more and Yes I want to see the pictures....

 

[jmmelvin]

I will finish this TR without pics and edit them later.

 

[jmmelvin]

We got up the next morning and went to EPCOT. The first place we went to was club cool! We searched everywhere for this place. My mother absolutely loved it. She said she never knew it was there. We tried every drink there was. I had them try Beverly first. The scrunched up their noses and were hesitant to try anything else. I heard a woman on the other side of the machines try it and hollar out "Who would do that to a person!!!!? That just isn't even right!!!! Who could even like that!?" I can't remember which ones we liked the best, but I know Mexico was one of them.

 

[jmmelvin]

Next we walked around the world showcase. That was our main goal for the day. I had never made it to the world showcase in my life. We always had so much fun in the front portion of EPCOT. We started in Canada and worked our way counterclockwise. We didn't go very far into the stores in Canada, but I loved the welcoming atmosphere of the garden outside of Le Cellier. We browsed the pin stands outside the stage area, and headed into the UK. I immediately headed for the Twinnings store. I bought my DBrother and DSIL a collection of teas. I had them send it to my resort and we headed over the bridge.

 

[jmmelvin]

We got in France just as Papa Noel was getting ready to leave. He was kind enough to pose for a pic with DD.

We stopped for a while and let DD make a wish in the "pond". DD and I sat down just before the Fountain turned on! We yelped and jumped down.

We left France and headed into Morocco. We got there just as a guy was coming out to talk about the drums they use. DD got to play them, and he posed for a pic with her.

 

[jmmelvin]

We were getting hungry, so we decided to start looking for a place to eat. with such variety, we were having trouble deciding! They smells are absolutely wonderful! I said that I was curious to see where the street lead to, so we followed it. I was soooo glad we did! in one of the shops near the kidcot stop was Jasmine and Genie! Genie had a great time messing with my ears, and Jasmine read them and just looked confused!

After getting our Photopass pic, we headed out of Morocco and decided to head to Japan for some food. SIL loves Hello Kitty and DM saw Hello Kitty stuff in the shop windows and went shopping while DD and I decided to stand out side and look around. I took some pics of DD in front of the pagoda, and the girls from Tokyo came out and started to play their drums. They were AWESOME! DD loved it! Halfway through, I noticed DM and DF standing behind us watching also. We walked through the garden adn went into the restraunt at the top of the garden. I ordered a sushi plate and it was delish! As soon as we walked in the store, DD started to throw a fit. DM took her outside to the tables where she wanted to eat. As soon as DF and I came out with the food, it started to pour! We ate under the umbrella while it rained and came out as soon as it stopped.

 

[jmmelvin]

After the Japan pavilion, we started to notice some music coming from the United States Pavilion. That is when we realized that we were missing the one thing DM wanted to see. The Candellight Processional. I felt so guilty for not getting there sooner for her to see it. She just said that we still had time and we kept going. We walked over to where Santa was and DD and I got in line. That is when they noticed me. Two DISsers with their LGMHPCs. The commented on my ears, and we exchanged cards. They were Firesgrumpy and I think Fire14. (Correct me if I am wrong.) The CM tending the line asked about their LGMHPCs and my lime green ears. We chatted with her and I gave her a card to come check out the DIS sometime. She gave me a tip about the clear ticket pouches for your lanyards. She said that if you put your photopass card in with the scanner facing out, they can scan the card without you having to remove it.

 

[jmmelvin]

After the US pavilion, we headed to the Italy pavilion. We got there just as the storyteller got there. We pulled up a chair and sat down to listen. After the story, I took DD to the fountain to make a wish. I took some pics of the pavilion, and we headed to Germany. (Side Note: My boss was the project manager for these two pavilions.) I loved Germany! Especially the fudge! I took Spanish and German in high school and my first year of college, and I have some German ancestory, so I was especially interested in this pavilion. We stopped and toured the miniature village and I took some pics while DD watched the train. I took a pic of DD in this pavilion acting like she was asleep. She asked me to. The fountain also called for another penny for a wish. We admired the hamdmade dolls, and left the pavilion for the next. We browsed the outpost and headed into China. We walked back to the back stores, and admired the merchandise there, then we headed over to Norway. I knew about the ride here, and DD had been wanting to go on a boat ride, so we walked right on. I didn't realize it had such scary parts to it. I told her it was just make believe and she would turn to me and say, "It's okay mommy, God will take care of you."

 

[jmmelvin]

We got off the ride and I took a pic of DD with the Huge Troll Carving, and of her wearing a viking helmet with braids and holding a sword. I showed DM where Akershus was and told her I would like to do that some day.

We walked to the Mexico pavilion and the three kings were just arriving for their story. I took DD's pic with them and we headed into the pyramid. I absolutely loved the plaza look inside! I so want to eat here someday. I told DD that we were going on the other small world ride, and she got excited. We got on, and away we went. This was a relaxing and neat ride. I loved all of the artifacts in it. I went to Mexico with my DM and DF when I was a kid and remember DF bartering with a woman on her handmade dolls. The marienette puppets also looked VERY familiar to me. When we came out of this pavilion, we made a potty break for DD, who didn't quite make it to the potty, so I had to mop up a puddle and change her.

 

[jmmelvin]

Next we went to Turtle talk.....again....... DD was determined to ask a question. This was not her time ..... agian.....

After Turtle talk, we rode the Nemo ride again, and played int he sharks learning center. I got a lovely pic of DD in Bruce's mouth.

We rode soarin' next and it was Awesome!!!! Mom thought she was imagining things when she smelled the smells, until she looked at me and heard me say....."Do you smell those trees!!????"

We came out of Saorin' and it was almost time for Illuminations to start. We found a place to watch them, and DM and DD stayed there while DF and I got some nuggets from McDonald's. This was LOUD!!!!!! It was BEAUTIFUL!!!! I was doing fine until the song "Peace on Earth" came on. I saw the faces on the globe, and heard that and just sobbed!!!! Mom looked at me, laughed, and said,"Its okay, I cried when I first saw the faces on the globe." We were heading out of the park when I pointed out the "good-byes" on the sphere. We watched and said each of the ones that we could. It was a nice touch. As we walked out, we walked over the "special" sidewalk and got all excited watching it as we stepped on it. This was a wonderful night. We were glad to get back to the resort and sleep though.

 

[Fire14]

I felt so guilty for not getting there sooner for her to see it. She just said that we still had time and we kept going. We walked over to where Santa was and DD and I got in line. That is when they noticed me. Two DISsers with their LGMHPCs. The commented on my ears, and we exchanged cards. They were Firesgrumpy and I think Fire14. (Correct me if I am wrong.) The CM tending the line asked about their LGMHPCs and my lime green ears. We chatted with her and I gave her a card to come check out the DIS sometime. She gave me a tip about the clear ticket pouches for your lanyards. She said that if you put your photopass card in with the scanner facing out, they can scan the card without you having to remove it.

Yes it was I and Friend and my DH fires_grumpy.
It was great to see another diser and of all people to notice ears first it was the non diser!!!!.

 

[jmmelvin]

Yes it was I and Friend and my DH fires_grumpy.
It was great to see another diser and of all people to notice ears first it was the non diser!!!!.

It figures!

 

[jmmelvin]

I forgot to tell you that Dad had been trying to get up with the dive team leader at EPCOT, he was a friend of my uncle's, to arrange to do the DiveQuest int he Living Seas for fre. Well, almost free. We just had to bring some fish that my uncle speared while diving out here in Panama City. He had sealed them in bags and put them in a cooler with ice on them. We had been constantly putting ice on them, but for some reason, they started to stink up my van. My uncle said that as long as we kept ice on them, they would be okay. My DF finally got up with him while we were in the living seas that day. George, The Dive Quest Dive Team Leader, was in ..... PANAMA CITY!!!!! He said he would be back the next day, and DF could dive then, he would just have to meet him up front at a special guest gate.

 

[jmmelvin]

We got up the next morning, and I grabbed daughter's dress and headed out the door with everyone to the van. We were going to DD's Hair, Makeup, and Nails appointment at Bibbiddi Bobbiddi Boutique. We were excited! She would get made over, then we would browse the stores in DTD and go to EPCOT.....again.......for DF to dive in the Living Seas.

 

[jmmelvin]

We got to the boutique, and they took DD's name, and gave us a pager/phone and a brouchure. They told us that when they were ready for her, the Fairy Godmother would call us. We browsed the shop for a while, and after about 30 minutes, the pager went off. We went back to the boutique and sat down across from DD as she was seated in the salon chair. DD got a "hair" ponytail holder that her fairy godmother in training (FGMIT) teased and styled. The (FGMIT) put hair clips and a tiara comb in her hair, painted her nails, and put eyeshadow, lipglos, and blush on her. She also put a glitter sticker on her cheek. We took DD into a room and helped her change into her gown. We can out, and the FGMIT put a sash on her and sprinkled her with fairy dust with her wand. Everyone ooooed and awed over how beautiful she was.

 

[jmmelvin]

After the makeover, DD and I went outside to visit Santa while DM and DF shopped. This was absolutely adorable! We left Santa, met DM and DF and went to the World of Disney where I stuffed a box full of Mr. Potato Head parts for DD's Mr. Potato Head. We left there and visited the Mickey mart again so DM could shop. After she made some purchases, we went to the bus and met up with DH in EPCOT.

 

[jmmelvin]

We went to the Living Seas and got in line ....to talk to Crush.......again....... But guess what? She finally go ther chance to ask a question, and she told him that he was her favorite character!!!! It was cute though.

After Crush, We saw the divers walk through to the back near the Manatees. We went to the center of the observation area of the tank, and waited for them to come out. We got some instruction on where to stand for some shots with DF on vieo, and sat down and waited. Somehow, word had gotten out that Mickey was supposed to be diving, and there were people sitting and waitng to see him. After about 15 minutes, we saw the divers get in the tank. They took their guided tour of the tank first, then came up to the window. It is a very cute portion of the video where DF is waving to me and blowing underwater kisses to DD in her princess dress. I was soooo excited! Mt Dad was diving in the Living Seas! I was running around like a little puppy dog along the glass watching and waving.

 

[jmmelvin]

After the dive, the families followed the divers back to the back, and watched the video and had a soda. They gave DF 2 free copies of the video while everyone else paid for their's! After everyone left, George gave me, DH, and DF a backstage tour of the facilities. This was very neat! George told us that Mickey was supposed to dive that day, but he was a no show! Randy and I asked how Mickey dove in the Seas, and George just grinned and said, "The same way we do, he comes in, puts on his mask, tank, and flippers and gets in." We kept trying to get him to tell us if they use a special costume, but he kept giving us the same spiel. He did finally give us two actual photos of Mickey Diving.

 

[jmmelvin]

After the tour and chatting with George, we met up with Mom and DD in the Land Pavilion. They were talking about the Garden Grill. DD got upset when Dad found out that they couldn't ge tin without an ADR. She soooo wanted to see Chip and Dale and the other characters, and eat with them. After I calmed her down with a conservation button that we had gotten, and the picture of Mickey, DH and I went to walk around the world, while DM, DF, and DD went back to the resort.