ShannonAlbert.com - June 2009

Off on our first adventure walking to the International Gateway at EPCOT. We had seen the walkway on our surrey bike a couple of days before so we were pretty sure we knew where we were going. We all met on the Boardwalk near the bakery and I saw that DH had given Blake his room key as he liked holding it and getting into the room by himself. I didn't want him holding $200 worth of tickets (which were on his room key) especially as we were about to go into a park. I took the card from him and told him he could have it back later but major tantrum began at that point. SIL knew we'd grown very frustrated with Blake by this point and she took him away from us and sat him in a chair and let him scream it out. It took him 30 minutes to calm down and his hair was soaked from working up quite a sweat screaming in the sun. I actually appreciated SIL doing this as DH and I do get so beaten down by Blake. We have him scream it out at home but it's tough in public knowing exactly what to do sometimes.

Breakfast on the Boardwalk

So we were off to EPCOT and Blake wouldn't have another episode like this for the rest of the trip. Get to the World Showcase shortly after 11 and proceed toward Canada to start the loop around. The plan was to spend a few hours at the World Showcase and then leave for Typhoon Lagoon for the rest of the day. Went to get Payton a passport so she could get it stamped in each country and then we're off looking for the Kidcot station in Canada. Isaac is very upset that we aren't doing any rides and it is sweltering hot and there is no entertainment until later in the day so I propose that we make our way to the USA, have some lunch somewhere along the way and then leave for Typhoon Lagoon. Payton and I would try to return later and finish her passport book - WS is something she and I are much more interested in seeing anyway.

The Dan family in EPCOT

Group ends up settling on food in USA much to my embarrassment (I'm big on trying a variety of foods and my daughter has even come around on this) but it makes everyone happy to get something to eat and be in the A/C. We head out from there back to BWV to change into swimsuits and get our beach bags together. Wait for 15-20 minutes for a TL bus and then we're off. We get there and it is PACKED. The wave pool is full of people and it's tough to find any empty chairs. I keep walking and finally find a spot to put our stuff and grab a few chairs. Then the group is off in different directions - Dan and Katrina have the older kids and Joey. Dan for some reason always wears his glasses even on waterslides and wave pools and lost his glasses in the wave pool. It was pointless looking for wire frame glasses amongst the huge amount of people. He did file a report that he'd lost them but he never did find them. He had trouble seeing the rest of the trip. Andy, Blake and I go for the lazy river as Blake was afraid of the wave pool. Lazy river is so much fun and so lengthy - very relaxing and a good introduction to the water for Blake. After that, Blake wanted to play in the sand and Andy stayed with him. I was off in a search for frozen lemonade and ended up walking around the whole park. I spotted the cute little Ketchakiddee Creek area and get the group together to start moving in that direction and find new seats. By this time, people had really started leaving the park and shortly after we'd relocated, it started to rain which really got people out of the park. We found a spot under a umbrella and the little ones didn't even seem to notice the rain as they dug in the sand and made many trips to the water with their buckets. After the rain cleared out, I suggested we go play in the Ketchakiddee Creek play area (Dan and Isaac had gone to the shark reef by this time but the rest of us headed for KC). The kids loved this and Payton spotted the little water slide type of thing in this area. The little ones were very excited and much to our surprise really loved it. They wanted to do it over and over and over again. Dan and Isaac return from shark reef and we want Dan to get pictures of the little ones on this water slide thing so they proceed to go again and again. It's about 1 hour until closing (why do they close SO early?!) so Katrina, me and Isaac head for the big waterslides. We walk right onto 3 of them and then we're packed up and headed out of the park. Everyone had a great time.


Back to the hotel and Payton and I were off to complete the World Showcase and catch another Illuminations. Dan and Isaac had also gone so they could get dinner in Mexico. We meet up with them in Mexico and eat together and order food to go for the others who are back at the hotel.

Eating with Dan and Isaac in the World Showcase

Payton and I stay there to tour the remaining countries and she gets them all to stamp her booklet. We make it to the bridge between France and the UK when Illuminations begins. We watch and walk quickly to catch a Friendship boat back to BWV. We were in our room at 9:24 p.m.