Disney Isn't Just For Kids

The past three days have been devoted to a veritable melange of pleasures.  We headed north to visit son, daughter-in-law and grandkids in Orlando.  On Friday everyone except us had either work or school.  Being the diletantes that we are, we chose to take a one day trip around the world.

Neither of us have been to Disney's Epcot in years and years so off we went Friday morning.  Epcot fit the bill for us because of its World Showcase.  We're not into thrill rides.  We are into travel.  We're starting to chomp at the bit anticipating our April trans-atlantic crossing on the wonderful Celebrity Constellation.  Epcot is more for grown-ups than children. 

The weather was ideal, sunny with temperatures in the low eighties.  We arrived just as the park was opening.  I had read that the best way to avoid waiting in line for attractions was to do the park backwards, start with the world showcase at the back while everyone else was rushing to the space rides in the front.  This worked really well for us.  We never waited in a line for anything.  We even did the World Showcase backwards, starting with Canada and ending with Mexico.  Our reason for this was because we wanted to arrive in "France" at lunch time.  We especially enjoyed the countries that had 360 degree movie screens showing travelogue type movies...China, Canada, France and Japan.  The most spectacular is China.  I personally think that the presentations are cost effective for the sponsoring countries.  I remember many years ago seeing France's movie which is like being in a hot air balloon soaring over the French countryside.  At that time I thought, "Oh how I want to see France!"  I have spent much time in France since I made that wish, but the desire to do so started at Epcot.  I hope that Epcot continues to inspire others to see other countries, other people, other cultures.  It's not an amusement park but rather a somewhat contrived tapas of world countries.

        

We ate a nice lunch in make believe France and it was very good.  I had the three course plat du jour starting with onion soup, then quiche and ending with an excellent creme brule'.  Husband, being the quintessential Brit had roast chicken with potatoes.  We wandered through America, Japan and Norway, finishing up with a little boat ride through Mexico.  It was all fun.  At the end of the afternoon we walked back over the bridge to Future World.  We did the Space Ship Earth and the new Fast Track ride that simulates the road tests that cars go through and reaches speeds of sixty miles per hour.  We had a lot of fun.  It was a really different kind of day for us.

Saturday we hung out with the grandkids before joining friends for dinner.  The couple we joined were Pat and Kermit.  I had met Pat in 2002 online through a journal writing group.  We have gotten together before when we have been in Orlando.  This time we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant, Enzo's on the Lake, that Pat and Kermit frequent.  It was fantastic. 

On Sunday we babysat while son and daughter-in-law took a much deserved afternoon off from parenting.  The highlight was dinner at McDonald's and an hour or so of wildness at Mickey D's indoor playground.  By the we got the kids home, their parents had returned, relieving us of bathtime and bedtime routines.  We collapsed into bed ourselves. 

We've now returned home to where it's quiet.  I miss the children both young and old....ah well...everything in moderation.