disney day four :: braves spring training & epcot

Part of the boys (Jody, Banks, Owen, Wesley and William) decided they wanted to experience Braves Spring Training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.  The Braves were scheduled to play the Detroit Tigers.  The boys headed out in time to watch the players warming up...

Mary Reese, Julie and I caught a bus to Epcot...

The Flower and Garden Show was happening at Epcot...so the park was especially beautiful!

We had lunch reservations in Italy at Via Napoli Pizzeria.  We made our way over through the World Showcase where we ran into some friends from the Lion King {Mary Reese's school play was The Lion King so she was excited}...

We checked into the restaurant.  Justin, Kathryn, Sarah Kathryn and Ben joined us after we were seated.

We ordered some delicious drinks...

Mary Reese got a Strawberry Aqua Frescas.  Julie got a Rossini and I ordered Sangria...

Mary Reese ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs off the kids menu...

Julie and I ordered a Margherita Pizza...

Delicious and Delightful!  And cooked in one of these fabulous pizza ovens...

 

We shopped a little in Italy and France...





 

The rest of the crew was done with spring training, so they met us in time to ride Test Track.  They loved designing their own cars before getting on the track...

 

Finally it was time to ride!  Only Jody rode this last time we were here so the rest of us were excited to ride...

 

We all made it off the track safely...

 

I opened a Disney Visa right before the trip.  One of the advantages is a special character meeting in Epcot near Test Track.  The wait was only about 10 minutes, so we took advantage...

 

 

 

 

It was quick and painless!  The photos were automatically linked to our Photo Pass account.  Lots of candid shots and some of my favorites from the trip.

We visited the Cool Club to taste different Cokes from all over the world.  Then we ventured up in Epcot's ball to ride Spaceship Earth...

We went over to Mission Space where Wesley picked the Orange Team {more intense} level of training. 

 

Owen LOVED it!  The orange mission did not seem to phase the Murphree crew but some of the others felt a little sick after the ride {a co-worker said to do the Green less intense mission}.

We ran into our friends the Nethertons.  Drei joined our crew for the The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Turtle Talk with Crush.

We headed back through the World Showcase...shopping & sampling food and drinks from each country...

We drank margaritas from the margarita stand in Mexico, ate a pretzel and drank beer from a street vendor in Germany, ate pizza again at the walk up counter in Italy {not as good as the sit down},  ate ribs and funnel cakes in America, and we had sangria and spicy food in Morocco.  We tried to get a crepe and an orange slush in France but everything was closing down!  We even tried to buy crowns but no one would get them for us... 

We sat at the America Garden Theatre and watched Illuminations.

Then we made our way to the front of the park to catch a bus home...

A fun filled day in Epcot!  An early start in Animal Kingdom is on the agenda for day 5!