On December 5th or 7th, the fourth year class took NBEO Part 2 boards. For many of us, this test is (hopefully) the last NBEO we will ever take. So after an 8-hour exam, and many hours of studying beforehand, what does one do to celebrate? Well, if you are like me and had to take the test in Orlando, Fl, there is only one thing to do: Disney World!
As many of you know, Disney World has 4 separate parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. If you have read any of my previous posts, you know I like food. Therefore, we ended up at Epcot. We ate our way around the world.
Rides:
Frozen Ever After- A tiny water rollercoaster without a huge splash! If you love Frozen, it is a must. However, be warned- you may stand in line for a very long time.
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros- A nice slow ride to help digest your last meal.
Soarin’- Hang glide around the world. Probably the most famous ride in Epcot. It is a must!
Spaceship Earth– Go inside the giant golf ball and learn all about the history of the world and how far we have come through technology.
Mission Space- Do not do this if you get claustrophobic, get dizzy easily, or if virtual reality makes you sick. This ride makes you feel like you are in a spaceship and you definitely feel like that!
Test Track– Make your own car and see how it compares to others throughout the day. You also get to ride “your car,” which is fun to do.
**We did Frozen first, and then used our 3 free fast passes for the other rides. I think our longest wait was 15 minutes all day.
Countries/Food:
All the workers in World Showcase are from that specific country and have name tags with the city they are from.
Norway- This was the first stop of the day (for Frozen Ever After). Since the ride is open at 9:00, some of Norway’s shops and restaurants are open, too. We tried Lefse from Kringla Bakeri Og Cafe, which is a traditional flatbread with cinnamon.
France– Where does one begin with France? First, it has the Eiffel Tower. France has the best food, in my opinion. For breakfast, we ate at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie. The quiche is to die for (we tried Florentine and Lorraine), Tartine aux fromages, the café liegeois, and a baguette. Skip the baguette; it isn’t fresh. For lunch, we went to Chefs de France. We had duck confit with mashed sweet potatoes (heavenly!) and the tomate et fromage de chevre. Both are very good, but I would recommend the tomate et fromage. Their chocolate cake and ice cream are very good.
Morocco– Morocco has an outdoor bazaar and a restaurant that sees Hollywood Studios (fun fact: Tower of Terror is painted to fit in with the Moroccan atmosphere so it doesn’t ruin the view). We ate at Spice Road Table for the last stop of the night. We got 3 sliders with a side of hummus fries and tried some Arabic beer/wine. All were very good. When we were getting ready to leave, the waiter told us to stay because they have the best view of the lights show. He did not lie! If you can time it out perfectly, I would recommend doing it to see the show! We got no photos because our phones died right as we were eating.
Germany– When in Germany, you must drink beer, right? Well, kind of. I tried a cider. Dan had a grapefruit beer and loved it so much that he had it over Christmas break, too. I believe Germany is one of the only countries that has a buffet. Germany also has a caramel store that makes everything covered in caramel or chocolate. I bought a chocolate covered s’more for dessert later.
Italy– Italy is beautiful. They have a central plaza and a statue with a fountain. Our first stop in Italy was at a food cart. Dan tried the tiramisu push pop, and I had an orange Limóncello. Later, around dinner time, we went to Via Napoli and had their Arancini balls. Yum!
China– We ran into a dragon while here, but missed the dancing because we wanted to eat at Nine Dragons restaurant. While I was super full from earlier, I love dumplings and had to try some. Dan ordered the General Tso Bao sandwich, and according to him, it was fantastic! They gave me ice cream and a Chinese birthday card for my birthday.
Mexico– Unfortunately, we didn’t eat in Mexico, but I would if I went back. The restaurant (and most of attractions) are inside of a pyramid. When inside, you are transported to Mexico at night, with running water (for the Gran Fiesta ride) and a bazaar to shop. Obviously, most of the restaurants are known for their margaritas.
Japan– Japan has a really cool, very large gift store that you should check out. The store sells everything from Pokémon to beauty products to authentic Japanese snacks.
Canada– While we didn’t eat in Canada (the line was way too long), it sounded delicious. Behind the big castle is a waterfall. Underneath, you can learn all about Canada and its wildlife.
UK– You can meet Mary Poppins and have fish and chips!
United States– Honestly, we live in the United States and didn’t feel like having a cheeseburger and fries. We went around Christmas time, so they did have a Christmas choir, but beware- show up very early to get a good seat.
Even if you are just in Orlando for vacation and didn’t have to complete an exam first, Epcot is a must! While kids may not love it, adults who like to eat and see different parts of the world should go. Disney made World Showcase to show off different parts of the world, and I personally think they did a great job.