Once again Grey was too hyped up to sleep. I laid with him forever, and he was just maniacal...laughing and cackling and growling like crazy. So since it was my turn to take him out, we walked around the resort to check out the other sections. Char had already slept for a little bit, so she went with us.
Our resort had suites in Lion King, Cars, and Finding Nemo themed sections. When we booked, Grey hadn't seen any of those movies, and the big kids didn't have a preference, so I just asked for a room wherever. Before we left, though, he got really into Cars, so he ADORED this section. He didn't want to leave!
Mater is his favorite character from the movie, so he was giddy to see him...
"Lighting Keen" is his second fave...
After we checked everything out, we headed back to the room and got everyone ready to go to Epcot for the night.
Obligatory picture in front of "the ball"...
It's hysterical that this is the overlay that they chose, because this is how we all felt by the end of the night (keep reading).
First up was the Seas with Nemo and Friends...
Then we used our fastpass at Turtle Talk with Crush, which is a fun little show where Crush (the sea turtle from Nemo) talks to you through the screen. The kids get to sit in the floor in the front and the adults sit in benches behind them. We were on the back row of benches, and Charlotte wanted to go sit in front, but Hunter didn't want to and she wouldn't go alone. After several minutes of pleading with Hunter, he agreed to go sit with her (but reluctantly because he didn't want to be called on...remember everything's embarrassing these days). Since they were one of the last ones up there, they got put right in the middle on the front row.
So, Crush swims onto the screen and is really funny. After a little intro telling us not to panic, but that there's no water in our tank, he asked to talk to the little dude on the front row in the blue shell. James looked at me and said, "that's Hunter". I knew he wouldn't be happy, so I was nervous how he'd respond. He did great, though! Crush asked who brought him here, and Hunter said, "James and Carole", so Crush asked if he knew James and Carole:) Hunter told him we were his parents. He asked where he was from and if there was surfing there, to which Hunter responded, "not really":) Then he asked James and Carole to raise their hands and the host brought the microphone back to us so we could talk to Crush. I had Grey, so James is the one that talked to him. It was so funny...everyone was laughing at Crush and James's interaction. I so wish I had a video of it.
Hunter was excited after and not upset at all, so that was a relief. He did say he was so embarrassed, but didn't really seem like it. Char and I headed to Soarin' to use our fastpasses and the boys went to Club Cool for some Coke samples.
After Soarin', we headed to Test Track where James and Hunter had fastpasses. The plan was to get rider switch for both Soarin' and Test Track so that the 4 of us could ride all of them without lines. Hunter said that his tummy hurt from all of that coke, though, when we got to Test Track, so Charlotte and Hunter switched magic bands so that she could use his fastpass. While James and Char rode Soarin', the rest of us headed to Mexico to ride the Donald ride (I can't remember what it's called). Grey loved seeing Donald everywhere, but was a TERROR on the way there and after it was over. He screamed so loud right in my ear twice (it rang all night) because he didn't want to be carried, but when I put him down, he refused to hold my hand and ran away. After I forced him back in the stroller, we walked around World Showcase and found a (disgusting) bathroom in Germany to use. SIDENOTE: this was a frequent occurrence for me this time around. So many gross bathrooms:(
Needless to say, by the time James got to me, I was so stressed out. Thankfully, it was time for dinner, so we headed to Akershus to meet the princesses! We had to wait for about 15 minutes, and Grey was not having it, so I was sweating from all the wrangling when they called us in. Then after taking a picture with Belle, we had to wait another 15 minutes (at least) in the small foyer area. This was a nightmare with Grey. I was so over it by the time we got to our table.
Char in the princess parade...
Grey was really stressful at dinner as well (throwing food and silverware and yelling). You could tell he hadn't napped for two days in a row. So we ate quickly and met the princesses as fast as we could.
I was not impressed with Cinderella or Ariel, but maybe it was my stressed mood.
Snow White was much better (she's always so good at interactions)...
And Aurora was decent...
By the time we were done, I was set on just getting out of there, but James and the kids really wanted to ride Soarin' again , so we headed all the way back to the other side of Future World. I considered going back to the resort alone with Grey, but I knew there was no way that I could carry him and fold up that huge stroller alone on the bus, so we waited outside of the ride. I realized while Grey was running around hysterically that I didn't have my phone and that I had left it outside in the stroller, so we headed out to get it and it was pouring rain. My phone was wet (but miraculously not broken) and the stroller was SOAKED. We pulled it up to the covered part of the Land pavilion (where Soarin' is) and I pulled out everyone's poncho and got them ready. Grey and I got ours on and waited. When they came out, we decided not to use our Test Track rider switch or our Mission Space fastpasses. We were just too grumpy and tired. We got soaked on the way to the bus. It was pretty symbolic of how the afternoon and evening had gone.
I was ready to get some good rest so that the next day could be a happier one:)
Favorites of the night:
James - Test Track
Carole - Turtle Talk with Crush
Hunter - Soarin'
Charlotte - Soarin'
Grey - Donald and the 3 Caballeros ride
