Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened."
Author: Dr. Seuss
Florida holiday from 25/6/11-16/7/11. Follow our wonderful adventure over these three weeks.
Saturday, 16 July 2011
15/7/11, Shopping & Magic Kingdom
Shopping day today. No point in taking any spare dollars home now. Spent the day at the outlets on Vineland Avenue. We were only meant to spend a couple of hours there, but it took up most of the day. Got David a funky car-stroller so he wasn't complaining too much.
Home for some pool time only to find that the air conditioning had packed in. The villa is now boiling. Tried to contact the management company but no luck. Found a large fan in the garage to help try and cool the place down. We could be in for a very uncomfortable night.
Out to Magic Kingdom tonight for the last time. Went to watch the electrical night time parade. This was fabulous. David entertained the waiting crowd with his hula hoop skills.
These hoops are provided by Disney cast members to keep kids entertained as they wait. We then made our way up to the front of the castle for the final time. We saw the "Magic, Memories and You projection show". We had no idea this was happening. We were just waiting for the fireworks at 10pm, when this great show started. It was amazing. This was followed by the 'Wishes' firework display.
Brilliant way to end our holiday. David then wanted to go and ride 'It's a small world" at 10:30pm. Not my idea of a thrill ride, but David really enjoyed it.
We got home to an e-mail from the management company....the air con will be fixed first thing tomorrow morning! Oh well, here goes....our last sleep before home.... it's gonna be a hot one!
Home for some pool time only to find that the air conditioning had packed in. The villa is now boiling. Tried to contact the management company but no luck. Found a large fan in the garage to help try and cool the place down. We could be in for a very uncomfortable night.
Out to Magic Kingdom tonight for the last time. Went to watch the electrical night time parade. This was fabulous. David entertained the waiting crowd with his hula hoop skills.
These hoops are provided by Disney cast members to keep kids entertained as they wait. We then made our way up to the front of the castle for the final time. We saw the "Magic, Memories and You projection show". We had no idea this was happening. We were just waiting for the fireworks at 10pm, when this great show started. It was amazing. This was followed by the 'Wishes' firework display.
Brilliant way to end our holiday. David then wanted to go and ride 'It's a small world" at 10:30pm. Not my idea of a thrill ride, but David really enjoyed it.
We got home to an e-mail from the management company....the air con will be fixed first thing tomorrow morning! Oh well, here goes....our last sleep before home.... it's gonna be a hot one!
Thursday, 14 July 2011
14/7/11, Animal Kingdom 2
Went to Animal Kingdom today to finish anything that we missed on our first visit. Seems like ages ago since we were there last. On entering the park we took David to Dinoland. We then headed for Finding Nemo, the Musical. Lion King, eat your heart out. This performance is fab. It would not be lost in the West End. Then the Heavens opened and the Florida rain descended on us. We hid under our Mickey Macs for about 20 mins.
Then out came the sunshine, and dried up all the rain. Flights of Wonder was our next stop. The birds here are amazing and put on a great show. David saw a big owl. The man explained that these owls eat deer. David was not happy. He thought that if these large owls eat all the deer that means we won't get any presents from Santa. Rudolph as Owl fodder!!
The show ended just in time to pick our spot outside Africa for the Jungle Parade. This parade is one of our favourites. Loads of colour and Disney Magic.
Alison and I then went to ride Expedition Everest. Great coaster with unexpected twists and turns. Great day out! Home to dip in the pool where David was perfecting his dive.
Out to TGI Fridays for tea...
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| "Do it like this, Mum!" |
Then out came the sunshine, and dried up all the rain. Flights of Wonder was our next stop. The birds here are amazing and put on a great show. David saw a big owl. The man explained that these owls eat deer. David was not happy. He thought that if these large owls eat all the deer that means we won't get any presents from Santa. Rudolph as Owl fodder!!
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| An American Bald Eagle |
The show ended just in time to pick our spot outside Africa for the Jungle Parade. This parade is one of our favourites. Loads of colour and Disney Magic.
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| High five! |
Alison and I then went to ride Expedition Everest. Great coaster with unexpected twists and turns. Great day out! Home to dip in the pool where David was perfecting his dive.
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| The 'Dave Dive' |
Out to TGI Fridays for tea...
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| Ding Dong!! |
13/7/11, Downtown Disney & Fantasmic
Started the day off in the Golden Corral. Their breakfast Buffet finishes at 11am and then their lunch buffet is served. Great opportunity to have brunch... American style. We arrived at 10:45am and I had my breakfast. Just after 11am I had my lunch. Bacon, eggs, sausages, beans before 11am, followed my chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy. Fab!!
We then headed to Disney Quest and finished some games that we missed the last time. We were on the River Raft Ride and then went on the Pirate ride. Great fun!
We went to Ridemakerz where David spent his birthday money on a remote control car (Lightning McQueen). You actually buy all the bits and David builds it in the shop. He wanted the extra wide chrome alloys with the red flames tyres. Great place.
We strolled through Pleasure Island and David spent some time in the Lego Imagination Center. Did some shopping in a Disney store, ate some ice cream and then headed for home. Spent an hour in the pool. Tried to stay out of the burning sun after yesterday. After tea we headed out to Hollywood Studios to watch Fantasmic. We love this show, but poor David was a little traumatised by the villains chasing Mickey. He left crying..."Daddy, don't ever take me here again!" We met a nice American couple sitting behind us who were taken by David. Big guy kept calling him 'Doode'. Gave David a dollar for his next vacation to America. Bring it on!!
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| Yummy! |
We then headed to Disney Quest and finished some games that we missed the last time. We were on the River Raft Ride and then went on the Pirate ride. Great fun!
We went to Ridemakerz where David spent his birthday money on a remote control car (Lightning McQueen). You actually buy all the bits and David builds it in the shop. He wanted the extra wide chrome alloys with the red flames tyres. Great place.
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| Adding the rims!! |
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| The car that David built |
We strolled through Pleasure Island and David spent some time in the Lego Imagination Center. Did some shopping in a Disney store, ate some ice cream and then headed for home. Spent an hour in the pool. Tried to stay out of the burning sun after yesterday. After tea we headed out to Hollywood Studios to watch Fantasmic. We love this show, but poor David was a little traumatised by the villains chasing Mickey. He left crying..."Daddy, don't ever take me here again!" We met a nice American couple sitting behind us who were taken by David. Big guy kept calling him 'Doode'. Gave David a dollar for his next vacation to America. Bring it on!!
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| Fantasmic |
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
12/7/11, Clearwater
Relaxing day spent in Clearwater. It took about an hour and a half to get there from our villa in Orlando. We found a perfect parking place and a great spot on the beach. The beach is absolutely stunning with wonderful white sand. The beach is fed by the warm waters of the Gulf and swimming in it is a pleasure. I do not exaggerate when I say it is like sitting in the bath. I have never felt anything like it. Could have stayed in it all day.
David spent most of the afternoon crashing into the warm waves.
It was very hot and on our return to the villa we realised that we were all rather red. Alison looks like the pepperoni on her pizza. Talking about the pizza, we stopped in dominoes on the 192 on the way home. Their menu and the taste of their pizzas are nowhere near as good as at home.
David spent most of the afternoon crashing into the warm waves.
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| Look at me! |
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| OOOPS! |
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| Got it!! |
It was very hot and on our return to the villa we realised that we were all rather red. Alison looks like the pepperoni on her pizza. Talking about the pizza, we stopped in dominoes on the 192 on the way home. Their menu and the taste of their pizzas are nowhere near as good as at home.
Monday, 11 July 2011
11/7/11, Hollywood Studios 2
Another busy, fun packed day today. We headed out early to Hollywood Studios.
This was our second visit here, and again it was busy and very hot! We went, first of all, to see Voyage of The Little Mermaid. Nice musical show in a very cool theater. I then went onto Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. This must have the best start to any thrill ride on the planet. After the countdown your car takes off and reaches 60mph in 2.8 seconds. We then went to see Journey into Narnia. Disappointing is an understatement. I thought that I had been in the usual Disney holding pen before the actual show....no! It WAS the show. After some lunch in the shade we headed for the Indiana Jones Stunt show. Fab!
We went from here to watch the Pixar Parade where the pre-show involved David entertaining the crowd by shaking his 'tail feathers'.
We then went to see Beauty and the Beast, before heading for the Studio Backlot Tour. We finished the day in Toy Story Mania. This was fun, but I don't understand how it sells all it's fast passes by 12 noon and constantly has queues of over an hour. A very busy day. We will probably head to Clearwater tomorrow.
This was our second visit here, and again it was busy and very hot! We went, first of all, to see Voyage of The Little Mermaid. Nice musical show in a very cool theater. I then went onto Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. This must have the best start to any thrill ride on the planet. After the countdown your car takes off and reaches 60mph in 2.8 seconds. We then went to see Journey into Narnia. Disappointing is an understatement. I thought that I had been in the usual Disney holding pen before the actual show....no! It WAS the show. After some lunch in the shade we headed for the Indiana Jones Stunt show. Fab!
We went from here to watch the Pixar Parade where the pre-show involved David entertaining the crowd by shaking his 'tail feathers'.
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| Shake these tail feathers!! |
We then went to see Beauty and the Beast, before heading for the Studio Backlot Tour. We finished the day in Toy Story Mania. This was fun, but I don't understand how it sells all it's fast passes by 12 noon and constantly has queues of over an hour. A very busy day. We will probably head to Clearwater tomorrow.
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| Tower of Terror! |
Sunday, 10 July 2011
10/7/11, David's fifth birthday
What a great day we had today celebrating David's birthday. We set off for the Magic Kingdom and picked up his official birthday badge. We then had a meet with Mickey and Minnie and both signed David's birthday card.
We then got a ride on Thunder Mountain. David just loves this ride. We met Donald Duck and Goofy and then went to watch the Bears' Jamboree. After this David got a ride on a Carrousel.
This was followed by a magical lunch inside Cinderella's castle at her Royal Table.This was absolutely brilliant. I thought it might have been a typical Disney buffet, like we had at Mickey's barbecue. This would have been no bad thing. Not a chance. All through the meal I was referred to as a 'Lord'. David and family met Cinderella before we received the official Royal invitation to our table.
After seating us inside we were given the most fabulous menu. After I made my request for their fabulous 'pork three ways' the waiter replied "As you wish my Lord". Could get use to this! Alison was always spoken to as 'Princess' and Dave as 'Young Prince'. It was fine dining of the highest quality....until I knocked a whole glass of Sprite across the rich carpet!
David never managed to finish his pizza, so being Dad, I helped. The waiter approached our table..."Pillaging My Lord?" During our meal David met with Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Belle and Ariel, the Little Mermaid.
David was brought a special birthday cake for his dessert. The waiter lit the candle and started singing happy birthday at the table. He had to stop because David had blown out the candle before he finished the first word...hilarious.
After the meal we went to see Monsters Inc laughing floor. This was real fun as the monsters interacted with the audience. David wanted to ride Pirates of the Caribbean again. Even better the second time round. We finished the day with a splash on Splash Mountain. Throughout the day David was wished happy birthday by so many people. One cast member dressed up as a pirate noticed us in a line and came over to me and said, "On your travels today, could you look out for David? If you see him, could you wish him happy birthday from me?" Then, as he turned around, "David! I never saw you there, buddy. Happy Birthday!" The cast members were fab. We would pass an ice-cream stall and the attendant would shout, "Happy birthday, David". The best was when we left the park and, still in Disney property, stopped for some petrol. Alison and David went in to the petrol station to pay. While they were in some Disney cast members were also buying some petrol on their way home. One of them noticed David's badge and insisted all staff and customers stop to sing "Happy Birthday" to David, right there inside the shop. Only in Disney!
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| Mickey and Minnie meet the Nicolsons |
We then got a ride on Thunder Mountain. David just loves this ride. We met Donald Duck and Goofy and then went to watch the Bears' Jamboree. After this David got a ride on a Carrousel.
This was followed by a magical lunch inside Cinderella's castle at her Royal Table.This was absolutely brilliant. I thought it might have been a typical Disney buffet, like we had at Mickey's barbecue. This would have been no bad thing. Not a chance. All through the meal I was referred to as a 'Lord'. David and family met Cinderella before we received the official Royal invitation to our table.
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| Look into my eyes |
After seating us inside we were given the most fabulous menu. After I made my request for their fabulous 'pork three ways' the waiter replied "As you wish my Lord". Could get use to this! Alison was always spoken to as 'Princess' and Dave as 'Young Prince'. It was fine dining of the highest quality....until I knocked a whole glass of Sprite across the rich carpet!
 |
| Sleeping Beauty |
David never managed to finish his pizza, so being Dad, I helped. The waiter approached our table..."Pillaging My Lord?" During our meal David met with Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Belle and Ariel, the Little Mermaid.
 |
| Snow White |
David was brought a special birthday cake for his dessert. The waiter lit the candle and started singing happy birthday at the table. He had to stop because David had blown out the candle before he finished the first word...hilarious.
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| Blow |
After the meal we went to see Monsters Inc laughing floor. This was real fun as the monsters interacted with the audience. David wanted to ride Pirates of the Caribbean again. Even better the second time round. We finished the day with a splash on Splash Mountain. Throughout the day David was wished happy birthday by so many people. One cast member dressed up as a pirate noticed us in a line and came over to me and said, "On your travels today, could you look out for David? If you see him, could you wish him happy birthday from me?" Then, as he turned around, "David! I never saw you there, buddy. Happy Birthday!" The cast members were fab. We would pass an ice-cream stall and the attendant would shout, "Happy birthday, David". The best was when we left the park and, still in Disney property, stopped for some petrol. Alison and David went in to the petrol station to pay. While they were in some Disney cast members were also buying some petrol on their way home. One of them noticed David's badge and insisted all staff and customers stop to sing "Happy Birthday" to David, right there inside the shop. Only in Disney!
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