Travels in Orlando Part 2

[Sue F]

Travels in Orlando Part 2
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 sceptic.
Pat - Jorge’s Mum - not into Disney but wants to get a tan.


Day 3 - 18/02/02
Magic Kingdom

The trouble with there being 6 of you is that it takes a while to get everyone fed and organised in the morning so we finally set off for MK at 9.30am amid much stamping of feet and pointed looks from me. Cross the lake on the ferry with a massive crowd and a sinking feeling - this is going to be a seriously busy day. When they spy the Castle Mum and Dad finally start to appreciate the sheer scale of Disney - they were expecting something like Alton Towers!! Bag check is HEAVING and we finally get into the park at 10.45am. Another 20 mins to hire Pat an electric scooter ($35) and then we walk up Main Street and stop to watch the new show on the forecourt stage. Its so much better without all those annoying smiley dancers and with more characters. I go get the FP for Buzz Lightyear and they are already up to 12.45pm. We walk around the park to Fantasy land - there’s not much point going on any rides as the lines are already huge. We manage a go on Snow Whites Scary Adventure and battle through Minnie & Mickey’s houses before heading down to Tomorrowland. Mum and I go on the people mover while the others do Buzz Lightyear. Needless to say - Jorge stuffed them all and Dad complains loudly that Jorge knew where the ‘bonus’ panel was, you can tell he secretly enjoyed it though - I think we may have a convert on our hands. Mum and Dad are showing signs of strain and I don’t want to push them on their first visit so, sadly, we decide to forgo the parade and head back to the villa for R&R and a lovely swim before heading back tonight for the Fireworks and Spectromagic.

Crossing the lake on the way back Mum spies the pontoon boats out on the water “Wouldn’t it be lovely to go on one of those” she says. At this point I spring my big surprise which I have been keeping for weeks - I have booked the illuminations cruise for us all. Dad calls me devious, quite unjustly in my opinion. The cruise is all set for Saturday and I can’t wait.
Ponderosa on the 192 for dinner - Dad is very impressed as it appeals to his stingier instincts. We feasted on pork chops with lovely apple sauce and mashed potatoes - along with the usual ‘all you can eat’ buffet of spaghetti bolognese, tacos, chicken wings and chicken nuggets etc. Half way through the meal disaster strikes. I manage to knock Rebecca’s grape juice all over my lovely cream trousers!! There was no way I was going to Spectromagic covered in purple blotches so I rush back to the villa and dump them in cold water so they won‘t stain. 20 mins later and OH MY GOD!!!! I had left the Disney Tickets in the pocket of my trousers. After spending 10 minutes ironing the tickets dry I am officially declared a ‘no ticket’ zone and the word ‘Alzheimers’ is mentioned repeatedly. Honestly, it could happen to anyone!! Couldn’t it?

Back at MK we are confined to using the ferry due to mum’s chair but we don’t mind as the Castle is changing colours - beautiful. We check the still damp tickets at guest relations and the kind CM changes them with a grin for new ones, just in case.

Walk up Main Street which is busy with people leaving after the 7pm Spectromagic. There are two tonight and we watch the 8pm fireworks and 9pm parade. Tinkerbell shoots down and the fireworks start - they are spectacular, better than last year. We settle down with hot chocolate and wait for the The Spectromagic Parade. It is simply stunning with the thousands of little lights twinkling. Rebecca especially loves the little dancing fish who appears in the middle of the parade and I love the way the Peter Pan float suddenly changes from white to coloured lights as if by magic. Mum is in floods of tears by the end. Even Dad has a lump in his throat and says that it is, technically the most impressive parade he has ever seen.

Pat has decided to stay at the villa which is a shame - she’ll never know what she missed.

Back to villa - tired but happy.




Day 4 - 19/02/02
Wet and Wild and Walmart Revisited
No parks today as we are all tired after MK yesterday so after breakfast at Dennys (Becky’s favourite for their smiley face pancakes) we troop up to Walmart on Kirkman Road to do it justice. It really is an Alladins cave and two hours later we emerge laden with food, shoes and handbags and a ’Remington Fuzzaway’ for Jorge - apparently he’s always wanted one. They get the fuzz off your jumpers . We then head down to W&W. It’s really busy and queueing for the rides takes an age so we spend a couple of hours playing in the wave pool before the weather gets windy and we drive down IDrive to Pointe Orlando. We wander round all the shops and have fun looking round FAO Schartz and jumping on the piano floor. Mum even does a passable ’God save the Queen’. Across the road to Daryll’s for dinner. Their slow cooked ribs melt in the mouth for Jorge and Dad while mum and I go for the ’Pulled Pork Sandwich’ with lovely ’Loaded Mashed Potatoes’. Pat opts for the Shrimp and Becky has a Cheeseburger. 6 clean plates and two half eaten slabs of Cheesecake later we head home and I have my first US bath in the massive tub in our room. By that I mean I have always had hotel showers before - not that I never wash!!!

[Carole]

Those passes just don't survive getting wet, do they ,.
We managed to drown our Universal ones when we went on the Popeye water ride.

[Guest]

Glad the tickets surived
What a lovley surprise did you find it hard to keep to yourself?
Great to keep up with reports  ,

[BevS97]

I am giggling away at Jorge's superb purchase a ’Remington Fuzzaway’  - would you believe I was the proud owner of the very same machine?  my mum bought be one for christmas when I was about 16 - 'Oh thanks mum,  just what I always wanted! , '

Bev

[ANGEL]

lol Sue, your dad sounds just like mine! He's also a Disney sceptic, now turned convert, since our trip last year . Also loved Ponderosa for the same reasons as your dad .

[BONZO]

Sue,

Sounds like you've a couple of "converts" on your hands.

Made a mental note of Daryll’s to try out next time.

(I've edited the text at the top to read Day 2)

[Guest]

Sue,

Great report.  However, I could still never see my parents in Disney, can anyone be converted?

Smiley pancakes with fruity topping, mmmm, I had that too!!

That Walmart on Kirkman Road is quite daunting, we lost children in there!!

Getting round to Part 3!

[AlisonB]

I hope you all told Pat how brilliant Spectromagic was! (Not that she probably minded much&#33. The music always chokes me up!

[Guest]

My mouth is drooling at the sound of that food

Frances x

[mapman]

lovely reporting - so easy to read, it just flows.

Nice to read about your Dad getting into it all - people don't realise how MAGICAL it all is.

We had our tickets (and money) soaked on Kali River at AK - so I know how you felt.