Today Hunter and I were invited by my mom (Grandma Kee) and dad (PopPop Colonel) to the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot. We headed there early to “beat the crowds.” Yeah, us and about 50,000 of our closest friends! We knew it was a bad sign when the lines to get in were snaking through the ticket booths and out to the parking lot.
Our first order of business after we made it inside was to check out the festival center. This is where a lot of activities happen and more importantly, where you can buy things. On the way there, we happened upon a mama (I assume, because she was bossy) duck and her TWELVE little ducklings. They were the cutest things, and Hunter loved following them to their final destination, a cool pond outside the festival center.
After perusing the center (and emerging with credit cards unscathed), we started speaking in code. We were headed to the almighty PG (playground) and we didn’t want to spill the beans to Hunter prematurely. I am not a fan of overcrowded playgrounds or obnoxious children, so there was a chance we would be walking straight past the “PG.” However, there was a normal amount of kids and most of them were well behaved, so we indulged the little man and let him run his legs off. It was a really cool playground set up just for the festival, and they had one side specifically for 2-5 year olds. Hunter would have stayed all day, but we lured him away with the promise of lunch.
Lunch was al fresco in Mexico, where we enjoyed all manner of burritos, tacos, chalupas, and nachos. Mmmm. Post lunch, we wandered the World Showcase, and took in the mariachi band (where some crazy lady manhandled my child and a mariachi scared him half to death), and then were beseeched by cries of, “SEE TRAINS?!??!” Yes, that’s right, Hunter once again remembered that the miniature trains were just around the bend. We spent a good while watching them (fixating on the one particular train that was “tuck” on the track), until a nice man came out and fixed the train and we could move on. Another playground was soon discovered, again only in place for the festival. I wish they would keep these thin
gs all the time! Hunter was loving them! This one was all tunnels and he had it to himself for the most part.
Finishing up the Showcase, we met a nice artist making a beautiful plein air painting in France, then headed for the exit. We promised Hunter a ride on the “faceship ride” first, and lucked out that the line was a quick five minute walk in. I always enjoy the Spaceship Earth, and Hunter really does, too.
Now, I know you’re wondering, “What, no monorail ride?” Oh, don’t be silly. We left the park with the cries of, “MONORAIL MONORAILLLLLLLLLLLL!” rattling our brains, so we went for a quick spin from Epcot to the Ticket and Transportation Center and back. And this kid’s no fool… the whole way, he said, “Go Magic Kingdom? Ride Buzz? Ride Chugga Train?” He is well aware of where the monorail can and should take him, and he was a little perturbed when we told him we were not going into the Magic Kingdom today. He is a hard kid to stay a step ahead of in that way.
We had a pretty fun time today despite the crowds. It made it a little difficult to get too “into” any of the stuff, though we did enjoy looking at all the colorful and creative displays. Our particular favorites were the ridiculously ostentatious ostriches with air plants for “floofs.” I would like to go again on a *slow* morning to take in a bit more, but today was a good first overview of the festival.
Yeah, after I got ready I asked Hunter if he liked my flower. “Nope,” he said. “Take that out.” LOL! He stuck t it all day, too… my parents asked him again if Mommy looked pretty and he said, “NOPE!” So thank you… my child has no taste.
em – you look so cute in bright yellow with the flower in your hair! i love it!