Day two: Epcot/Magic Kingdom

So we got up and got ready after getting our luggage in our room. We had a slightly flexible itinerary to stick to. We passed right by Spaceship Earth. . too long of lines; we can get a fastpass later. First: Test Track. AWESOME! Everybody loved Test Track. Second: Soarin'. Another awesome ride. Shane and I loved it! Next ride, MISSION: Space. . one of those simulation rides where you climb into a box and it tilts and moves to go along with what is showing on the screen. . immediate motion sickness! Note to self: Don't ride this one again. Moving on, The Seas with Nemo & Friends. . very cute, and we can't wait to do Tutle Talk with Crush, but we have an appointment for lunch in Norway with the Princesses.
The Princess Storybook Dining was great. . if you want to see the princesses. Our reservation was for 11:50, but we arrived at 11:30, and they got us in early. We first got to meet Belle in her beautiful yellow gown. Macy was ecstatic. She and I had discussed earlier that Belle was definitely our favorite princess. After pictures and autographs with Belle, we were seated at our table and introduced to the appetizer buffet: deli meats, rolls, cheeses, salads. . I can't remember what all was there. Then we ordered our meals. The food was okay, not great, but okay. We were paying to see the princesses, not have an excellent dining experience. We did manage to find something that everyone would eat, though. And the portions were large. . we should have shared. I only ate half of my pulled pork sandwich. As we ate, we were met by four other princesses, one-by-one. Ariel, Jasmine (Shane thought she was hot!), Princess Aurora, and Cinderella. Each of them would go from table to table greeting all the "little princesses" in the restaurant. They would take the time to sign autographs, take pictures, and have a quick chat. It was very cute for the little girls. My boys did not love it at all. We had discussed it with them before we left home, and they agreed to it for M. What thoughful brothers!
After lunch we rode the Maelstrom, a Viking boat voyage in Norway. . I like it! Then we back tracked to Mexico, stopped to get autographs and photos with Donald, then off to ride the Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros: Donald Duck, Panchito, and Jose Crioca. . silly, but a taste of Mexico.
Next it was back to Future World for Turtle Talk with Crush. . a definite must-see! It was really cute & amazing at the same time, dude! Crush actually interacted with the kids (and families) in real time. How did they do that? When Crush was done, we took a look at the Living Seas, an actual aquarium with over 3,000 fish, sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, and real divers. Really!
Then we went back to the World Showcase to take a QUICK look at the different countries on display. This is NOT Shane's favorite part of the park. He didn't actually want to see the World Showcase, but we asked the kids, and they were interested. We already seen Mexico & Norway, so next we stopped at China for a photo. Then we moved on to Germany, Italy, America, and Japan (quickly). When we got to Morocco, Princess Jasmine and Aladdin were out signing autographs. We stopped for a photo with them, and then quickly moved on to France where Belle was out in her regular blue dress for photos. While Macy stood in line to see Belle, the boys entertained themselves with a squirrel that was playing in the gardens. . boys! We moved right past the United Kingdom and on to Canada where we just happened upon Kenai and Koda from "Brother Bear". By then, it was between 3 and 4 pm, and we were feeling pretty good, so we decided just to hop the Monorail straight to the Magic Kingdom and secure a good seat for the SpectroMagic Parade. . it was not about rides at MK tonight, just the parade & something for dinner. Clearly. Our instructions were to hang out for our seats an hour before the parade started, but because I got confused on the times, we saved them for almost two hours. BUT, in my defense, an hour before the parade, people started to join us trying to secure their seats for the parade, too. Good thing I had researched it! I did forget where we should be for the Wishes nighttime fireworks spectacular, but it all worked out. We just watched them from under a tree in the park until they were almost finished, and then jetted for the gates so we could catch the bus back to the resort. What a nice ending to a exciting, fun-filled day! (I slept like a tired old log!)