After a quieter day when we went back to Islands of Adventure to revisit some rides we especially liked, we moved to the Pop Century Hotel at Disney.

One major advantage of being here at this time of year is that we were able to do almost everything we wanted to do at EPCOT despite arriving just before lunchtime.

We still had to use FastPass, however, for Soarin' and the Test Track. Soarin' is an "unmissable" hand glider experience. A 3D movement effect is produced that makes you think you're flying over parts of America. More than once I found myself moving my legs to miss the rapidly approaching trees!

The Test Track brought you to speeds of 65 MPH in a small open car, close to the track. The crash into a wall test was genuinely scary for a moment.

What felt like the strongest G-forces I have yet experienced occurred on the Mission:Space ride. In fact, it is the sustained nature of the 2G force that makes it feel stronger. Other rides produce over 4G (the biggest being Hulk), but do so for a matter of a few seconds (see http://www.local6.com/news/5423136/detail.html). We worked up to the Mission:Space by doing the no-spin version first, which seemed a good strategy, especially after hearing that someone had died on it!

We enjoyed the shows such as the Circle of Life, O Canada, and the 360 film of China. The way in which the park is laid out—exhibits of different nations around a lake—made for a lot of walking. But, especially for those Americans who never leave their own state, it made for an interesting introduction to some of the cultures around the world, even if they were a bit stereotypical.

The American history show was surprising for a Brit. The level of self-belief and pride in their history of the average American is staggering for those of us who are, more commonly apparently, ashamed of our past. It did make for quite a story, but not quite enough to inspire me to want to live here, Andree will be glad to know!