This afternoon I headed to EPCOT which is my favorite park. It was heavily under construction the last time I was here so I was excited to see the progress.
My first memory of Walt Disney World resort is from the jumping water fountains at EPCOT, and the new Journey of Water, inspired by Moana is a modern approach to the fountains I loved as a kid. The exhibit takes you through water’s cycles and each cycle has an interactive water fountain. There are parts where you wave your hands to manipulate the water, a part where you jump to make the water fly, and another part where you walk and the curtain of water opens for you.
I was feeling a little hungry, but didn’t want to spoil my appetite for Space220. I decided to check out the new Club Cool. This is where you can sample soda from around the world. Overall, most of them were not good, but it was the little sugar boost I needed.
It started to pour so I did what most tourists do…head to the gift shop. Colton wanted some ears so I shopped for him and then decided to buy an umbrella. I had to ask for the umbrella at checkout and was expecting it to be ridiculous. It was about $15 which was way better than I was expecting. I don’t mind the rain, but it’s also a little cool and didn’t want to be freezing. The umbrella worked wonderfully and I explored the various topiaries throughout the front of the park.
Time for Space220! This restaurant is very difficult to reserve. I was lucky and caught a cancellation. The experience starts by boarding an elevator that takes you into “space.” There is a video below and above you to simulate riding all the way into space. This restaurant gets mixed reviews and I wasn’t expecting much. It was way nicer than I was expecting. The chairs are sturdy, the silverware heavy, and the drinks are strong. It’s definitely an elevated dining experience, but the decor is designed to look futuristic and sleek. The silverware is black and at first glance it looks like black plastic silverware. It’s not. It’s sturdy and high-end. Space220 has a set price and you choose an appetizer, entree, and dessert. The waiter did an excellent job explaining what I could and couldn’t have because of my allergies. I decides for the tortellini, short ribs, and the Astra dessert.
The food was fantastic, but also a little weird. Every dish had something a little unexpected to it and I think that’s why people don’t like it. It’s supposed to be futuristic and I think they nailed the menu. It was familiar yet different. I would eat here again, but not every trip due to the price.
Before my Disney day began at 7am sharp, I logged into the Disney app to reserve my spot for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. I couldn’t utilize the Virtual Queue at this time because my park reservation was for Animal Kingdom. (Most tickets don’t have park reservations now, but I’m special ) Instead, I paid for the Individual Lightning Lane where I could choose my time. Being able to pick my time slot was super important as I had a small window for it. I scanned my phone since my new Magic Band is nicely tucked in its box back home. The worst part of it is that last week I was working on packing lists for my website. Had I read my own packing list I would not have forgotten it. Anyway, it’s a nice way to try out how well the phone works in lieu of a Magic Band.
MobileMagic is what this feature is on the app and according to Disney you just hold up your phone once it’s setup to the entry points and then place your finger down. It worked this easily when I entered Animal Kingdom. Later, there was a checkpoint for making sure that I was a Disney guest for the early entry. It did not work as easily here. The cast member asked me to open the wallet and then it didn’t work. He asked where I was staying and let me in. I tried again when going to EPCOT. It didn’t work. The cast member said to unlock my phone and it worked. Lastly, I used it to enter the Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and didn’t have an issue. A cast member finally told me the trick. You need to hold your phone perpendicular to the checkpoint.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a newer ride at Walt Disney World and this was my first time riding it. I didn’t know too much about it other than it’s a thrill ride and intense. I’m always a little surprised at what intense means at Walt Disney World. Their intense and Cedar Point intense are two different things. Overall I enjoyed the ride, but I’m glad I took my Bonine this morning!
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