Anniversary in Orlando

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February 2001 - We celebrated our first anniversary with a trip to the Sunshine State.  We invited Cecille to join us during the four Disney days of the trip.  We stayed at the Marriott Grande Vista in Orlando, a beautiful golf resort.  The Disney experience in Orlando is head and shoulders above that of Anaheim.  There are four separate theme parks (seven if you count Disney Quest and the two water parks) -- all of them spectacular, with amazing shows and rides.

Photo of our hotel from Faldo Golf Institute

Day 1:  Upon arrival, we were greeted with the smell of turkey legs, the sounds of salsa, the feeling of beautiful weather, and the sights of everything "touristy."  For dinner, we went to the Mercado, where a live band was playing.  We had a anniversary/Valentine's Day/birthday dinner at Divino's. 

 
The kitchen and the dining area/living room in our suite

Day 2:  Universal Studios Orlando - Jaws and Kongfrontation had some interesting nuances that made them better than their counterparts in Hollywood.  The lines were short, so we were finished with the park and Universal City Walk by 4pm.  

• Fun attractions/rides:  Men in Black, Back to the Future the Ride, Terminator 2: 3-D

• Fun areas for kids:  Curious George Goes to Town, Nickelodeon Studios

• We don't recommend:  The Horror Make-up Show, Twister (maybe it wasn't working properly).

Back to the Mercado for dinner:  The China Garden Super Buffet was not truly super; nevertheless, it was all-you-can-eat for a reasonable price.

Day 3:  Kennedy Space Center is about an hour drive east of Orlando, on the Atlantic coast.  Bring extra quarters, because there are plenty of toll stops along the way.  We made an on-the-fly decision to go, but if you make plans, it might be worthwhile to view a shuttle launch or visit nearby Cocoa Beach.  The facilities are located within a wildlife refuge.

• Cool exhibits:  If you like science, especially astronomy and aerospace, just about everything is worth seeing.  The IMAX 3-D show is good eye candy.

• Fun tour:   The basic tour bus goes to LC-39, the Apollo/Saturn V Center, and the International Space Station Center.  Along the tour, you will also see spacecraft as well as some Floridian creatures.

• Fun for kids:  Play Dome, Astronaut Encounter, and the Ice Cream Shop

• We don't recommend:  Hanging out at LC-39, Sandwiches at the Moon Rock Cafe

That night we picked Cecille up from the airport and headed out to dinner at Sizzler's.  Across the street was a gigantic FAO Schwarz.  We took a picture "behind" Patrick the Pup and in Raggedy Ann's lap.

We bought 4-day park hopper passes with a Disney Club discount.  It is worth it to see all four major theme parks in Walt Disney World.  With the hopper pass, for example, you can finish your day at Animal Kingdom and then return to Epcot.  You do not need to pay for additional parking and there are boats, a monorail, and buses for transporting passengers between parks.  Another advantage of the pass is that if an event is cancelled (like Tapestry of Nations was for us), you can return and attend another day.  

Day 4:  Epcot Center is divided into World Showcase and Future World.  The World Showcase features several nations -- Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, USA, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom and Canada.  We enjoyed most of the nations, but flew through Germany, USA, and Canada.   Future World is a technology expo, museum and arcade rolled into one.

   
The Illuminations picture (second one) is from the Disney brochure.

• Fun attractions/rides in World Showcase:  Restaurant inside Mexico, Viking ship ride in Norway, Circle Vision film in China, Acrobats in China and Morocco, Taiko drummers and gardens in Japan.  Tapestry of Nations parade and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth evening spectacular.

• Fun attractions/rides in Future World:  Test Track, Spaceship Earth, The Living Seas.

• Fun for kids:  The Color of Life (Lion King), Disney's Internet Zone, Cranium Command, Honey I Shrunk the Audience.

• We don't recommend:  Body Wars, lunch in China, standing too close to the Off-Kilters' bagpipes.

Day 5:  Walt Disney World...Take 2!  Disney MGM-Studios was like Universal Studios with more attractions and lots of Disney magic.  This was the first time we rode rides that were actually scary at a Disney park.  Also, characters galore lined the streets to pose with the kiddies.  

• Best rides:  Tower of Terror has four thrilling free-fall drops.  Also, Rock n' Roller Coaster and the Great Movie Ride.
• Best shows:  Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Show, Hunchback of Notre Dame:  Festival of Fools, Fantasmic!
• Fun for kids:  Mulan parade, lots of Disney characters, Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D
• We don't recommend:  Star Tours (if you've already been on it).  Little children won't be able to ride on Tower of Terror (it drops 13 stories) or Rock n' Roller Coaster (goes upside down).

Indiana Jones Stunt Show, Festival of Fools, and MGM Studios Backlot Tour

Day 6:  Animal Kingdom - it's a jungle out there!  We read that the best time to see the animals was first thing in the morning and at dusk.   So we were up quite early, but thoroughly excited.  We kept saying, "Wow!" for lack of a better word.  This was a fantastic wild animal park.  Though we don't have pictures posted, we caught giraffes, elephants, tigers, lions, gorillas, various ruminants, kangaroos and several animals we'd never seen before, even on television.

• Best rides:  Kilimanjaro Safari, Kali River Rapids, Countdown to Extinction
• Best shows:  Festival of the Lion King, Tarzan Rocks, It's Tough to be a Bug.
• Fun for kids:  Characters in safari clothing, Bone Yard playground, Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, petting zoos.
• We don't recommend:  The Safari when the sun's high, Kali River Rapids when there's no sun (you will get wet!).

We saw elephants, giraffes, lions, and several ruminants on the safari ride.

That evening, we returned to Epcot to catch the Tapestry of Nations parade and also to visit some parts of Future World we did not have time for previously.  We then headed out to Downtown Disney.  We made reservations at Planet Hollywood, but had so much fun in the World of Disney store that we ended up eating at around 10:30pm at Rainforest Cafe instead.  Downtown Disney has Cirque du Soleil, Disney Quest (a haven for hardcore gamers) and Pleasure Island.  We didn't go to any of those, but still had a great time strolling through the bustling neon-lit areas.  We took a boat back right before midnight because our feet couldn't handle much more walking after 16 hours.

   
Downtown Disney:  Lego at World of Disney, Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe (10:30pm dinner)

Day 7:  It was good to do this last.  Our feet were a little sore from walking so much, and the Magic Kingdom attractions are not too different from the ones in California.  

• Best rides:  Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and Winnie the Pooh, neither of which were in Disneyland in California.
• Good shows:  Legend of the Lion King, Hall of Presidents. 
• Fun for kids:  Winnie the Pooh ride, Mickey's Toontown Fair, Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
• We don't recommend:  Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management, Space Mountain (the new tracks are more bumpy), ExtraTERRORestial Alien Encounter (this one was just okay).

   
Ferry ride to the Magic Kingdom, Indy Speedway, the "bounthy" Pooh ride

The next morning, we headed back to the Golden State.  We had so much fun and so many good memories - the best of which were not even captured in the photos.  The three of us joking around and having a good time - that's what this Disney experience was all about!

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