1994 Walt Disney World EPCOT (3/21/1994)

Monday, March 21, 1994

Up relatively early and left by 8:00 to give us time in rush hour traffic to get to Breakfast with Minnie by 9:30. The days start out foggy or overcast, but get sunny and up to 80 degrees. The only traffic jam was in Winter Park due to a fender-bender. Once past it we made good time to Disney World. There we made the mistake of going to the Magic Kingdom parking lot instead of to the Magic Kingdom Resorts. Left to turn around and came through the parking gate again, showing our $5 receipt. This time we correctly found the Polynesian Resort and parked near the main entrance and walked into the tropics! Went upstairs in the lobby to the Papeete Bay Verandah for the Minnie Menehune Breakfast. Despite reservations and being 15-20 minutes early, we had to wait with many others in a large waiting area. Brynne and Leah were all dressed up for the occasion.

Brynne and Leah waiting
for Breakfast with Minnie

It was past 9:30 when we were taken to a wonderful corner table with windows on two sides. A typical buffet breakfast. Brynne just wanted bacon. Our first eating splurge of the trip. One by one, several characters stopped by to visit at the table. Of course, Minnie came, but also Goofy in a tropical shirt, and Chip and Dale. Leah studiously ate instead of making any eye contact. Brynne posed and accepted kisses on the top of her head.

Dale and Brynne

Leah, Goofy, and Brynne

Kathy, Leah, Brynne, and Chip

Brynne and Minnie

The breakfast was winding down when we left at 10:30. Traded in the parking ticket for $5 in cash. We left our car here for the day, wore our buttons proclaiming we had breakfast with Minnie, and went to catch the monorail (ride #25) to the Transportation Center. Transferred to another monorail (#26) to take us to EPCOT. We had decided to see a few things here, although we knew it would not be for Brynne and Leah’s taste. The monorail made a big loop through EPCOT before stopping at the station. Brynne and Leah pointed out the “big ball.” As we looped back, Leah said, “Look! Another ball!” not realizing it was the same one.

Disney World Monorail

We entered the park and went straight to the big ball for the ride (#27) in Spaceship Earth. As we spiraled up we learned about communication through history. We turned around and spiraled back down a steep descent, tilted back practically lying on our backs. The ride stopped for a while in the dark with loudspeakers blaring.

Kent, Brynne, Leah, Mike, and
Kathy at Spaceship Earth

Next we circled around to the right to the Journey into Imagination for the 3-D Captain EO show (#16) starring Michael Jackson. Not as good as the Muppet show, but a classic that will soon be replaced. Outside we watched the fountains that looked like jumping streams of water. Brynne tried to get wet.

Brynne under a leaping stream of water

After a restroom stop we heard booming music, and saw the water ballet at the CommuniCore Fountain, with the water spraying in patterns in time with the music. We looked for Disney characters and the Barbie show (not on today). Next, to Mexico for ride #28 on the Rio del Tiempo, pointing out Mexican sights, including a room of It’s a Small World dolls, illustrating fiestas. Then to Norway. But its ride had an hour and a half wait. When we arrived at Italy, we saw there was to be a Barbie autograph event (show #17?). We queued up early and had snacks. After a half hour, Barbie arrived in a pink stretch limo! She was accompanied by Skipper.

Barbie's limo

Barbie, Brynne, and Skipper

 We were in front in the limited access area, and got our autographs and photos. We then waited for transportation, and the first vehicle to come along was a double-deck bus (#29). We rode that all the way around the World Showcase Lagoon with a cocky driver. We made a beeline back to the monorail station. There were lots of cold drinking fountains, and we refilled our bottle. Ride #30 to the Transportation Center, then #31 on a monorail to the Magic Kingdom. There we took a boat (#32) to Discovery Island (show #18?), where our tickets were carefully checked.

Boat to Discovery Island

Not exactly a zoo like we thought, but a tropical world. We did not see any animals roaming free, but lots of birds. Several cages of large birds and small animals. We pretty thoroughly toured the island, seeing some ugly hatchlings at the hospital, a white peacock, a bald eagle, and what looked like eggs on netting draped high in the air. We later discovered the “eggs” were probably fruit off a tree!

Leah and Brynne on Discovery Island

White Peacock

Guttera pucherani/Crested Guineafowl

Phoenicopterus chilensis/Chilean Flamingos

Brynne at the flamingos

Eudocimus ruber/Scarlet Ibis

Crinum asiaticum/Giant Spider Lily

Haliaeetus leucocephalus/Bald Eagle

Coragyps atratus/Black Vultures and
Alligator mississippiensis/American Alligators

We hurried to catch the next boat (#33) off the island back to the Magic Kingdom. We had had our hands stamped, and could re-enter after being scanned by the ultraviolet light. The man was nice enough to show Brynne how her wrist lit up under the black light. We decided to again not get a stroller, but perhaps we should have. Kathy was starving, so we got her something to eat, plus cookies and milk for Brynne and Leah. We sent Kent and Mike to Space Mountain, while we watched some of the show on the Castle Forecourt that we had seen the first evening. After Kathy ate, we headed to Mickey Starland to get character autographs, which Brynne really wanted! But she did not want Captain Hook’s! She was disappointed that Dopey did not show. We did get another Cinderella mouse!

Leah and Brynne at the Mickey Starland playground

Walt Disney World Railroad

The Skyway was not in operation today, so we walked to meet the dads at the Dumbo ride. Kathy and I took the girls on the ride (#34), and Leah fell asleep waiting in line. Kent had picked up Brynne’s chosen souvenir, a Minnie Mouse hat with a Minnie face in relief in plastic (and one for Leah, too). We also rode Mr Toad’s Adventure (#35) where a family with a handicap cut in between us and the Ws! The dads took them on the Grand Prix Raceway (#36).

Brynne and Kent at the Grand Prix Raceway

One last walk down Main Street, and we took a monorail (#37) back to the Polynesian Resort to get the car. We took I-4 towards Winter Springs, but got off at International Drive to find a place for dinner. Both Brynne and Leah fell asleep in the car. We stopped at a buffet place, where Mike ordered the buffet. I had a salad, and Brynne woke up to eat something. On the way home I had us stop at a WalMart to buy film, at nearly closing time at 21:30. At Dave and Debbie’s we put the girls to bed (Leah in her clothes as she was still fast asleep). A Disney World grand total of 18 shows and 37 rides?!

Brynne and Leah with their Minnie Mouse hats

It's Minnie!

Next: SeaWorld.