I had to drop a CM friend off at MGM today, so I decided to hit Epcot while I was there to check out the Food and Wine festival. Despite the drizzly weather, the park was pretty busy.
I hadn't eaten yet, so I hit the Electric Umbrella. It was packed, as it always is, and there were only three registers open with long lines on each one. Grrr....
I figured Test Track would be a pain with the rainy weather, so I went to The Land to ride Soarin', and to see if the new creek out front was working (it was... *yawn*, the sign was working too). BTW - the jumping fountains at the Imagination pavillion were working again. Yay!
The wait time for Soarin' was 95 minutes! This was just after noon (today is 10/7), and the fastpass return time was between 7:15 and 8:15 pm. No Soarin' for me!
The wait time for The Land ride itself was 30 minutes. The time before the next Behind The Seeds tour was ten minutes. I decided to take the tour after being assured that I could take all the pics I liked. BTW - If you're a passholder, you get a 15% discount on the tour.
The tour ran for over an hour, and was really pretty interesting. Part of the thrill is getting to be on stage on the ride itself.
We got to release lady bugs and feed some fish and were given either radish or pumpkin seeds to try to grow. We were given plastic bags, a cotton ball and some nutrients to mix with the seeds. I took the pumpkin seeds. Also, getting up close to the alligator pen was really neat. One of them got in the water and followed us around.
After the tour I checked the wait time for Soarin' again. 190 minutes! Amazing.
I went through one of the wine things that was set up. It looked pretty thorough, but I know absolutely nothing about wine. The wine appreciation class looked to be completely full.
In World Showcase, there are little food and beverage things set up all over the place, and again, it seemed very busy. There was even a Puerto Rico booth!
On a different note, I was at Pleasure Island last night, and the work on the Irish pub seems to have really picked up pace. It looks like the outside of the building(s) (it looks like there might be more than one) is pretty much done. Can't wait for that to open.
I hadn't eaten yet, so I hit the Electric Umbrella. It was packed, as it always is, and there were only three registers open with long lines on each one. Grrr....
I figured Test Track would be a pain with the rainy weather, so I went to The Land to ride Soarin', and to see if the new creek out front was working (it was... *yawn*, the sign was working too). BTW - the jumping fountains at the Imagination pavillion were working again. Yay!
The wait time for Soarin' was 95 minutes! This was just after noon (today is 10/7), and the fastpass return time was between 7:15 and 8:15 pm. No Soarin' for me!
The wait time for The Land ride itself was 30 minutes. The time before the next Behind The Seeds tour was ten minutes. I decided to take the tour after being assured that I could take all the pics I liked. BTW - If you're a passholder, you get a 15% discount on the tour.
The tour ran for over an hour, and was really pretty interesting. Part of the thrill is getting to be on stage on the ride itself.
We got to release lady bugs and feed some fish and were given either radish or pumpkin seeds to try to grow. We were given plastic bags, a cotton ball and some nutrients to mix with the seeds. I took the pumpkin seeds. Also, getting up close to the alligator pen was really neat. One of them got in the water and followed us around.
After the tour I checked the wait time for Soarin' again. 190 minutes! Amazing.
I went through one of the wine things that was set up. It looked pretty thorough, but I know absolutely nothing about wine. The wine appreciation class looked to be completely full.
In World Showcase, there are little food and beverage things set up all over the place, and again, it seemed very busy. There was even a Puerto Rico booth!
On a different note, I was at Pleasure Island last night, and the work on the Irish pub seems to have really picked up pace. It looks like the outside of the building(s) (it looks like there might be more than one) is pretty much done. Can't wait for that to open.
