Weekend Memories at Disney World

• The view from the balcony of our Wyndham resort unit wasn't too bad considering we were facing the parking lot but being on the 8th floor did have some disadvantages:

• Despite the cloudy, overcast, yet still 90-degree weather, we managed to spend the day poolside winning games, enjoying the warm water and each other.

• It misted a tad that evening as we set out for Downtown Disney, but because we were in the land where dreams come true it didn't last long. And Darcy took us into this place

where her dreams came true......

• Kelly finally became a true Floridian with her purchase of a Florida Resident Disney Seasonal Pass!

• After enjoying a presentation on Disney's Animation, we ran into some of Disney's newest cast members and a few of Disney's Oscars. 

• While Tom, Kelly, and Madison risked their lives inside this hotel, Darcy and I went to be discovered.

• Awoke to a brisk morning - FINALLY, FALL WEATHER - and we hopped aboard the ferry to take us to the Magic Kingdom which was decorated for the month of October.

• There is something about that castle that brings out the best in people...

• Disney always has great people to meet and interesting critters to enjoy.

• But nothing beats a Disney parade floating down Main Street with all of your favorite characters.

Which is why Disney is Florida's greatest tourist attraction...

even for those of whose who live here!

Weekend Memories

1. She talked again about getting the dog, and then her father and I talked about getting the dog. I guess I have some thinking to do.

2. I was taking an arty photo and then he walked in front of me and made the picture even better.

3. Their eyes were just wide with all the sights as our boat sailed down the canal and the song kept repeating, "It's a small world after all."

4. I was remembering Disney when my girls were younger, strolling through the streets avoiding all the feet and bodies, determined to get to where they wanted to go only to arrive there and find them both asleep in the stroller.

5. Our first day together at Disney ended with a ferry ride that gave us a beautiful breeze to cool us all off.

Hats of Epcot and its countries

Mexico - I always stop in Mexico for a frozen margarita. This time we actually looked at the map and discovered there was another attraction. Across the way from my eatery is a building that takes you into a re-creation of the market streets in Mexico at night. There was also a boat ride and a candle-lit restaurant, but the market place was awesome.

This hat was too small.

This hat was too small and too blue.

This hat was better, but not quite right.

But this hat? This hat was awesome.

***

Norway - We ventured into this country because it too had a boat ride. We had been on this before and it isn't anything spectacular, but the movie after the ride is worth taking a look. Plus it is in air-conditioning and those who drink too many margaritas in Mexico can catch a quick cat nap.

This hat was too girly.

This hat was too manly.

***

China - This is an interesting country in the World Show Case with a lot to explore. It is also one of the countries in the new Kim Possible Game with lots of hidden places. We watched the 180-degree movie on China and shopped a bit, but alas, no hats.

Epcot - Each time we visit Epcot we find something new to explore. This trip we went into the flight simulator that took us to Mars. Epcot is definitely an all-day park visit and it still has, in my opinion, the best closing show of all the parks. While it isn't a country, it still has its own hats.

This hat was too bulky.

This hat was too small

This hat was too big.

This hat was too silly.

***

And this last hat?

This hat was just PERFECT!

The animals of Animal Kingdom

While in the Animal Kingdom we took a two-week safari, which unfortunately had to be cut short due to elephant poachers, but we did get to see quite a few animals up close and personal.

The giraffes were all over the area as we drove through the terrain. This little one was trying to camouflage herself, but our guide was an expert and pointed her out.

This elephant wasn't hiding from the heat like most of the other elephants so I was able to get a fairly decent photo.

This ostrich was close enough that I could have petted her, but we weren't supposed to reach our hands out of the jeep so I didn't. Instead, I took her picture and she was quite happy to pose for it.

These two rhinos were relaxing in the shade far off from the rest of their group who were bathing in the watering hole.

After the safari, we strolled through the area and observed this meerkat who was posing for our group. He was a hoot. He just scampered on to the rock and would turn and pose, turn and pose while everyone snapped his picture. He was my kind of guy!

For a moment Sharon and I thought our brothers had joined us here in Animal Kingdom (both are named Russell). This guy was a tad scary as we were only divided by a deep trench. He sat for awhile staring at all of us, then made a noise, shook his body, and loped off on all fours.

This little gal lived in the same area as the meerkat, but allowed him to get all the attention while she stayed back enjoying a little green for lunch.

Our Disney photo re-creation

Picture #1 - Standing in line for over thirty minutes with four children waiting to get our photo with Tigger made us forgo the re-creation of our first photo. As I said, you can't just approach a character on the street for a photo anymore. If you want to meet the character, stand in line folks! We opted to let the handler take all of us in the picture and we invited Pooh to join us. (Tom too was photographing)

Picture #2 - We didn't see the chipmunks until after we were leaving the park and the line was too long, so we asked Goofy to be our substitute and he obliged.

Picture #3 - We didn't get to Epcot and we didn't find the place where Sharon was run over originally. Instead, I caught her at this moment.

Picture #4 - I never caught Sharon and Tom together in our unit, but I did catch these two....

Disney's Labor Day Weekend

We are staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, a piece of property that Walt Disney didn't get a chance to buy during his secret purchases, making it the only property on Disney not owned by Disney. Or so the Wyndham people keep telling me.

It is a newer Wyndham property and they are still working on it currently building a new tower for Presidential Reserve members like myself.

Despite my being at Bonnet Creek in May and also having listened to a spiel five weeks ago in Wisconsin, I was scheduled for a breakfast to listen to the exciting happenings in Bonnet Creek. We all trooped up to the main building at 11:00 AM to eat and collect the $75 visa card they were willing to fork over for me to attend. Breakfast turned out to be a choice of juices, coffee, and assorted packaged bars or bagels. There were also some apples, but they had been picked over pretty well. So much for the big breakfast, I had been promised.

Our representative surveyed the scene and sent everyone else back to the unit stocked up on packaged junk so that she could talk to just Tom and me. Two hours later we left armed with a contract that would "lower that maintenance fee" my mother pays for her property in the Dells, our visa cards worth $75, and two headaches. Nice people, but they have to understand that purchasing more property will not be happening in the next few years. We can't even use what we have!

We got to the Magic Kingdom at about 2:00 PM. The heat index was sky high and the sun was just beating down turning everything fire hot. You didn't dare touch anything that was in the sun or you would scald yourself.

John and I are people who sweat up north in the winter and from the moment we stepped out of the car, between the two of us, we could have filled a couple of 25-meter pools.

Disney always decorates for the season or for an occasion. The Magic Kingdom was decorated for Halloween with oranges, browns, and yellows everywhere along Main Street. There were pumpkins with all sorts of different faces. And of course, Mickey Pumpkins.

We arrived just in time to see the end of the musical show on the castle stage. Ben's eyes were wide open at all the familiar characters dancing and prancing and chattering on stage. Disney certainly knows how to put on a show and when the fireworks went off at the end even I got a little teary-eyed at the magic of it all.

We rode plenty of rides. Saw plenty of characters. Took plenty of pictures so we can go back years from now and remember it like it was yesterday.

 

We had a great day despite the heat. We got some showers that cooled off everything and the sun went behind clouds after 5:00 PM and made for a nice evening. The park was crowded, but not overly so and we managed to slurp down some delicious frozen lemonades.

Not a bad way to spend the holiday weekend.