Travels in Orlando Part 3

[Sue F]

Travels in Orlando Part 3
The Travellers: Me (Sue) - Planner, mine of information and enforcer of time schedules
Jorge - DH & big kid
Rebecca - DD aged 6 and world class chatterbox
The Rookies: Eileen - My Mum. Disabled ECV driver and biggest kid of them all.
John - My Dad - Disney convert.
Pat - Jorge’s Mum - not into Disney but wants to get a tan.


Day 5 20/02/02
Animal Kingdom

Breakfast at the villa today followed by an early start at AK for most of us while Pat 'catches some rays' at the villa. Acting on advice from the DIS we want to catch those animals before they all get dopey and go to sleep later in the day (or is that us?!? ). On arrival we head straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris and get FP for 9.55am. In the meantime we wander around the Pangani Trail and oggle at the Gorillas, they are all out, playing in the sunshine. At the alloted time we get in the queue for the disabled entrance at Kilimanjaro, just off to the side as disabled get their own jeep.

At this point I must mention that I have tied my lime green ribbon to the ariel of our car and also to my rucksack in spite of Jorge laughing at me and calling me ‘sad’ Anyway, while waiting in the queue I get a tap on the shoulder <img src="http://www.purple-paw.com/~disneybb/iB_html/non-cgi/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'> “Excuse me but are you on the DIS?” Haha! See, Jorge - I told you I wasn’t sad! I turn round and find two american ladies covered almost from head to toe in pins and lime green ribbons - even on their electric scooter. They introduce themselves as Tinkerbell129 and Perdita and they say that there is a pin meeting at the Contemporary on Friday night should I wish to go. We have a chat about the DIS and DLP before heading onto the ride. I can see that even Jorge is impressed now by the power of the lime green ribbon. I decide not to go to the meeting as it will be all US DIS whom I do not know.

Anyway, back to the plot - we board the Safari bus and head off. The animals are all out - many more than we saw last time we came and we get loads of photos and , of course, we catch the poachers. Hooray We are Heroes! It always amazes me that the drivers of this (and also the backlot tour at MGM) make it sound as if it’s the first time they have done this commentary instead of the 2000’th.

Back down to Dinoland. Becky loves the Dinorama section and the new ’Chester & Hester’ ride which is a bit, no actually a lot, like Dumbo at MK. We also crane our necks to see the new ride they are building which seems like a 'mad mouse' type of ride where the very small cars speed round bends in the track making it seem like your'e just about to come off.(those of you who have been to Blackpool will know what I mean) We stop by to visit with Pooh and Eyore at the character pavillion and then lunch is massive smoked turkey legs. We then wander into Asia. Kali river rapids has a 90 minute queue with no FP available so we decide to give it a miss and walk through to look at the tigers who are, predictably, asleep. Back to camp Minnie Mickey for the Festival of the Lion King which is my favourite show and Becky gets to join in the finale, dancing round the centre with a musical instrument shaker thing. It’s really hot now so we miss the parade in favour of the temptation of our swimming pool in the glorious sunshine.

Later on we take in some window shopping at Downtown Disney Marketplace and then dinner is taken at the Black Angus Steakhouse purely because we were passing. I have only 6 words for this place - bad food, bad service - never again ! Looking forward to US tomorrow. <img src="http://www.purple-paw.com/~disneybb/iB_html/non-cgi/non-cgi/emoticons/sleeping.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':zzz'>


Day 6
Rain, Rain and more Rain

Awoke to cloudy skies and pouring rain so dug out the yellow ponchos and head for US figuring that it will be OK as most of their attractions are inside. Breakfast at the villa and set off. Half way down the 192 the rain turns torrential so we change plans and decide to go shopping instead. We stop at the 192 Flea Market which was surpisingly good. Loads of stalls - reportedly over 400 although we didn’t count them. Selling a remarkably large range of dangerous weapons of the sharp, pointy variety along with the usual Florida t-shirts and mountains of luggage. Pat buys one of the t-shirt mountains and we get Rebecca a fantastic pull along flight bag for $15 - bargain as these are $34 at Seaworld. When we are all shopped out I make a run for the van in the downpour and get soaked to the skin running 10 yards. Everyone else stays nice and dry under cover while waiting for me to pick them up. We head back to the villa and everyone falls asleep while I get soundly thrashed at Disney Trivial Pursuit by Becky (I have never won yet! ) Once the others wake up and the rain eases off slightly we decide to brave the weather and, minus Pat, we head to US for the Mardi Gras Parade. Becky is the proud owner of 37 sets of beads from last year and intends to beat that record this year. First there’s dinner at the NBA Cafe in Citywalk. This place is actually a lot smaller inside than you would think, with one wall make up entirely of a giant screen with, you‘ve guessed it, basketball playing. Jorge sits opposite the screen and we get hardly a word out of him for the next hour. I have BBQ Chicken Pizza while the others opt for mahi-mahi and salmon. Finish off with a yummy chocolate sundae. Food was very good and the waiter ‘Brett’ was lovely, paying loads of attention to Rebecca and making her ‘Shirley Temples’ I think she was quite smitten <img src="http://www.purple-paw.com/~disneybb/iB_html/non-cgi/non-cgi/emoticons/inlove.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':lv'> and started telling him her life story (the long version) poor guy. He really earned the large tip we left him.

After dinner we walk into the park and manage goes on Kongfrontation and Back to the Future before the Mardi Gras Parade at 8pm. Between us all we manage to catch 93 sets of beads as they are thrown from the floats. Becky is beside herself!<img src="http://www.purple-paw.com/~disneybb/iB_html/non-cgi/non-cgi/emoticons/hehe.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':hehe'> They have special supervised areas along the parade route for under 9’s so that they don’t get lost in the crowd which I thought was a great idea. We squelch back to the van in the still pouring rain. Thank heaven for our trusty yellow ponchos!!

Back at the villa we have a warming glass of wine while we hopefully scan the weather reports. We have had over an inch of rain today alone and tomorrow is promising more of the same - not good news for our Illuminations Cruise tomorrow night!! Go to bed praying that the US weathermen are the same as the UK ones. i.e: Wrong. <img src="http://www.purple-paw.com/~disneybb/iB_html/non-cgi/non-cgi/emoticons/sleeping.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':zzz'>

[Carole]

Shame about the rain, but you seemed to have fun despite it. Hope it's a bit dryer for your cruise.

[Guest]

We wore our ribbions but never saw any other
shame about the rain  
Kongfrontation was closed on our trip i was really looking forward to it

[ANGEL]

shame about the rain, but it didn't seem to stop the fun Sue! . great reports thanks!

[BONZO]

Hurrah for the Lime Green Ribbons! - I'm really glad that they worked for you - very impressed.

Yers, when it rains it comes down by the bucketfull doesn't it.

[Guest]

Great, the lime green ribbons worked for you!!

Now I'm hungary, NBA cafe is brilliant isn't it, we had superb service too.  Unfortunately missed out on the Mardi Gras parade - sounds fun!!

I hope you get back to see the AK parade, it's superb!!  .

[AlisonB]

Bit wet today then? .

At least you got some good bargs shopping!

[Guest]

Oh the memories of Mad Mouse at Blackpool .  .

Frances x

[mapman]

we had our ribbons - not a peek though

Pat's having a ball then ?