I have to say that EPCOT wasn't always my favorite Disney park. In fact, it wasn't until my College Program experience that I even went to the World Showcase section of the theme park! It was about halfway through my College Program when my mother came to visit me and we decided to spend the afternoon walking around EPCOT. At this point I had been around the World Showcase many times, but it wasn't until my mom's visit that I actually took the time to walk around the shops in the France pavilion. My mom had noticed nestled back in the corner of the pavilion a cute little shop with wooden signs that said "Boulangerie" and "Patisserie." We happened to be a bit peckish, so we thought we'd stop by and check it out. We popped inside the little shop and were squeezed into a tight line with several other park guests. The shop itself was tiny and for a moment I caught myself thinking why on Earth would the Imagineers make sure a popular place so cramped, but I caught myself realizing this was just Disney magic at its best. The little shop was modeled after an old French cottage so even waiting in line to buy our sweets made us feel like we had been transported to France. We purchased one cheese plate and a baguette to share and headed out to the cul du sac to sit at one of the vacant cafe tables along the street. Sitting there with my mom, eating cheese, listening to street music of accordions playing familiar French tunes, I truly felt like I had been swept away to Europe.
One of my most favorite things about Disney is how the place can completely transport you to a different time, a different place and a different state of mind. This experience really stuck with me and now it has become a tradition. I can't make a trip to EPCOT without stopping into the Boulangerie Patisserie for at least a croissant, cafe au lait or of course my favorite French cheese plate. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment