Disney Adventure 2014 -- Day 5

While we were waiting for the EPCOT fireworks, I asked my daughter what she wanted to do the next day. She said to come back to EPCOT so that is what we did on Day 5. Elena had eaten some doughnut holes and drank some orange juice in the hotel room while I had nothing.

Disney is implementing a new system -- Magic Bands. This serves as our park ticket and I can also use it for any food or souvenir purchase. If we get Fast Passes they also are on the Magic Band, and anyone who uses the Disney photo services can also the photos somehow that way as well.

We have had problems with the Magic Band every time we enter a park. For awhile mine would work, and my daughter's would not. Then yesterday my daughter's worked, but mine didn't. When this happens the gate attendant raises his/her arm and someone comes with an I-pad and scans the Magic Band and then we can enter the park. Yesterday the person with the I-pad said something like, "Oh new technology, which we really love." You have to hear a bit of sarcasm in her voice.  Coupled with this all is a new phone app which I can make work for maps and finding waiting time for attractions, but can't make work for doing our own Fast Passes or making meal reservations. I have complained about the fact that all I see on the computer whether it is morning, noon, or night is that the "server is too busy." One cast member told me Disney is building more server farms, and I expect over time the kinks will work themselves out.

Just inside the park we found the Jammitors.

Our first stop at EPCOT was the Universe of Energy. The attraction features Ellen DeGeneres have a nightmare that she is on the Jeopardy game having to answer questions about energy.

So in the course of the ride we all learn about energy, but I think what most people like best is going back to the time of the dinosaurs.

 After this attraction we went to the Plaza Cafe and had coffee and very good breakfast sandwich.

We walked to the Land pavilion and did the Listen to the Land Ride.

Part of this attraction shows how food is grown. This time I noticed two people cleaning the tanks in the aquaculture area.

Someone had left us a joke in the green house area.

 From the Land we went to the Seas building and did the Finding Nemo ride. Then we went to the Crush show. This show features Crush, from the Finding Nemo movie, talking to guests in the theater. By talking I mean carrying on conversations with guests. I enjoy this show very much and still haven't figured out exactly how it's done. Crush is an animated figure, but his facial expression changes as he speaks to match the conversation.

My daughter had spotted the monorail going above EPCOT, and since the monorail is one of her favorite things at Disney she was ready to be done with EPCOT. So we rode the monorail over to the Ticket and Transportation Center. I was planning to then transfer to the Magic Kingdom monorail and go to one of the resorts in this area for lunch. When coming down the ramp, a cast member was there telling everyone that the fastest way to get to the Magic Kingdom was to ride a bus since one ferry boat was also down. I asked about the resort monorail and it was still down for maintenance. So we took a hike to place that provided us a bus to the Polynesian Resort.

We went to the Kona Restaurant.

My daughter had fish tacos (above) and I had a plate lunch (see below). The plate lunch really made me think I was in Hawaii.

Then we splurged on a chocolate fondue for dessert. We got strawberries, pineapple, and kiwi on a plate, along with a couple of yummy cookies. Then the waiter brought us another plate of coconut cookies to use with our chocolate. It all was so good and so much fun.

From the Polynesian we grabbed a bus back to the Ticket and Transportation Center, got the monorail back to EPCOT, and then a bus back to our resort.

We took a bit of rest and about 7 PM headed up to Olivia's again for supper. My daughter had chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. I had a fish plate, corvina fish, a new variety for me. Very good.

Then accidentally we went on another adventure. I asked the bell service if the Downtown Disney buses would go to South Point (the bus stop for our room) before leaving the resort and was told yes. So we boarded a Downtown Disney bus and much to our surprise were taken directly to Downtown Disney. We got off and went to the bus stop for Old Key West and waited for a bus back. Glad the weather was pleasant!

Tonight we actually went to Downtown Disney intentionally. Coming back we went first to the Hospitality House, which surprised some riders. A woman on the bus explained, "The Downtown Disney bus runs backwards from the others, except once in awhile for when it doesn't." Well, we certainly found the once in awhile bus last night!