2008 Disney Adventure

As you can see, we've been there and done all that and more besides!!!

We landed at 10:30 PM Thursday, February 14th. Our flight was at least a 1/2 hour late! We got out of the airport by maybe 11:15PM, after a very long line of other folks getting their rental cars from Alamo! We finally got to the hotel and to bed by about 12:30 PM Florida time!! We got up the next morning had a nice breakfast at Denny's (all of ours are closed so to me that was a treat!!)and then at 9 AM we had to go get all of our tickets from the See & Do Welcome Center which was about 10 miles away.
Tickets in hand, we decided to go to Sea World, mostly because we found out that Animal Kingdom opened at 8 AM and here it is about 9:30. And partly because, according to the guy at the Welcome Center, Sea World was 'just down the road' from the Welcome Center...yeah right! I went the way he said thinking 'right down the road' meant just that! Well, I doubled back too soon and ended up retracing our 'steps', so to speak, only to find out that we needed to go just a little further.
Anyway, we found the park, got the car parked and got just inside the gate and realized...no camera! Dang it! I'd left it at the hotel...not in the car, the hotel!! So I purchased one at the concession...$15. And then...after going through the bag check and the ticket gate...I realize... I can't find my credit card...we are NOT off to a good start! After searching through everything & retracing our steps, we were directed to the customer service counter and thank GOD, there it was!! Someone had actually turned it in...my faith in mankind was suddenly boosted to a new level!
Credit card recovered and much calmer, we started our adventure. We saw the manatees and turtles & took time to pet the Dolphins and the manta rays...wish we could have afforded the Discovery Cove thing...but $200...WOW!! We saw Shamu and walked most everywhere...no we did NOT ride the Kraken!! WOW! that thing LOOKED scary! After Shamu we decided that we would head for the beach to see the Ocean! Yeah!
We went back to our hotel, grabbed clean clothes for the evening and swim suits and towels and took what I thought was about a 40 min. drive to Cocoa Beach to see the Ocean. Well, that ride turned into about an hour or more! But we got to the Ocean after Mom made a couple of wrong turns! The boys swam for about an hour, I got my feet wet...all the way up to my thighs...waves are so fun! We were on the beach just about sunset. Very cool!! It was about 5:30 -6:00 and unfortunately, we had to hurry and change and head back for Orlando because we were supposed to be back to Arabian Nights by 7:15 PM for the VIP treatment and then the 8:30 show.
We were doing really well for time when all of a sudden...brake Lights!! Traffic jam!! Oh my goodness!! It was awful!! I can see bright red tail lights for miles ahead of me. I'm trying to get to I-4 from Florida 528 & we were like 2 miles from the interchange and everything just stopped! I freaked out, panicked and got the phone number to Arabian Nights from the brochure and called them. They were understanding, very kind and gracious about the whole thing and actually kind of waited for us...as it turned out, we weren't the only one's late do to the traffic. When we got there, they swept us through a back entrance and we got right in to where all the neat stuff was happening. The VIP treatment was: front row seating for the show, a special gift bag, we got to go pet some of the horses,...That was cool... and we got to meet some of the cast...that was way cool! The meal was wonderful and the show was outstanding!! I loved the whole thing and the boys seemed to really enjoy it too!!! Bonus!
We got back to the hotel around 10:30 PM and fell fast asleep...I was up at 6:30...don't ask why...but I got showered and got the boys moving and we headed to Animal Kingdom, by way of McDonald's for a quick, cheap breakfast. Animal Kingdom, as it turns out, was pretty much just down the street and behind our hotel. Very cool!! We got there about 8 AM...Camera in hand, this time...and went straight for the Safari ride. Enroute we took time to walk slowly around the front part of the Tree of Life and then across the bridge to Africa. While there, we each got a couple of souvenirs and then we were off on Safari...it was great just as you said it would be. Then we went to see the Gorillas, & the Hippos. Walked a couple of the trails, took the train to Rafiki's Planet thing, looked around...the boys were bored with this part, took the train back...we were looking for what we thought was a boat ride down the river in Asia. We found out that they had stopped doing it...bummer. I am, in the meantime, taking pictures of things I think are cool which includes the back side of the Tree of Life and Mount Everest. Now the boys are really bored and I in turn am ready to KILL them!! I take them to the 'Happiest place on Earth' and they are bored and crabby!!! I was NOT happy with them. In a little while they came to realize that MAYBE they needed to quit their crap. We rode the Dinosaur ride...that was fun, even they thought so. We got our picture taken! And of course, they always exit you from these rides right into a souvenir shop. The boys each got a set of really powerful, really cool magnets.
It's now about 1 PM and we decided it was time to go to Disney Hollywood Studios( AKA. MGM) After all, we did have a 2-day hopper pass and we weren't going to get to use it to it's fullest potential if we didn't get moving.We got to MGM rather quickly and hopped a tram to the front gate and started looking around. Right away we discovered that we had time to kill, about 3 hours worth, until 4:30 PM, because that's when the stunt show started. So while we waited, we did The Great Movies ride and had a late lunch. We found the Star Wars thing and watched a show they were putting on outside of it. Then we headed to the Lights, Action, Movie Extreme Stunt Show. Even with a Fast Pass (which we decided we liked very much!) the wait was quite long to go in, but the show was great and the boys really liked it. We came back by the Star Wars ride and rode that...one word...vertigo!! But even at that, it was fun!! The boys Loved it!
By now it's 5:30-6 PM, we took off for Epcot. Standing at the entrance to Epcot, Alex decides to try rubbing one of his magnets on the magnetic strip of his 2-day hopper ticket. Contrary to the Myth busters...this DOES deactivate them...his card wouldn't work...we had to wait while they fixed his card... by getting him a new one!!! He is apologizing and blaming the Myth busters!! I wanted to kill him...but I refrained.
One of the very first things we did was the BIG Epcot ball. Of course, by this time it's dark and Epcot really shines in the dark!!! Spaceship Earth...The boys loved it...it was worth the 30 minute wait, believe me...they really didn't want to leave. We went to Mission: Space and Alex rode the spinning version and Hunter and I did the Non-spinning version. (After the Star Wars ride I thought I'd pass on anything that spins!) Again the ride exits you through the gift shop! And of course we had to have a little souvenir from the ride...it was rather awesome!! The girl in the gift shop was great and told us the best place to see the Illuminations fireworks show was in 'Mexico'. So we headed for 'Mexico', we went inside the Inca Temple building and there was this neat boat ride...we went on that and then found some food near the water and sat and ate while the fireworks went off. They are, to say the least, spectacular!! By now it's late enough that the park is closing and the whole crowd at Epcot left, all at the same time...crazy!! We are talking a virtual sea of people!!
We got back to the hotel around 10:30 or later. I stayed up and packed everything, except what we would need the next day for Magic Kingdom.We had specific things we wanted to do at Magic Kingdom...ride the monorail...did that to and from the parking lot! Cool...Got breakfast. Went to Tomorrow land and did Hunter's must do...The Buzz Light-year ride! We had to have our picture taken in front of Cinderella's Castle, Alex wanted his picture with Walt Disney and Mickey and we wanted to ride the train all the way around the park...we did that... 2 times. I guess we liked it a lot!! While all this is going on we find out there is a blizzard at home...we were so hoping the flight got cancelled...of course, no such luck!!! Funny thing though...we got in on time even with the weather being so crappy but then we ended up being stuck on the plane for 1/2 hour 45 minute until they could get the jetway out to the plane!! Then we had to wait like andother 1/2 hour for our bags...Not sure i want to fly Allegiant again. They maybe cheaper but you do get what you pay for!!
None the less, we went, we traveled, we saw, and at least one of us wants to go back...SOON! Next time...I want a week at least...no rushing around. After all that we did in the three days that we were there, I think we could have slept the whole next week!!! I went to bed earlier every night the following week that's for sure. But we have all recovered and life is back to normal and we all have the memory of a Wonderful time at Disney World.
Check out some more pictures at http://www.disneyphotopass.com/default.aspx Keep checking back to this site too...I'm planning on downloading all the pictures we took to this site. I'm working on a photo book from Disney. Pricey, but it will be way cool!

Enjoy the Pictures!!

Great Living Tips

I received this from a good friend and wanted to sure it you...

Some POSSIBLE suggestions for an Exceptional, Superb, Powerful Life!
1.) Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
2.) Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3.) Tape your late night shows so you can get more sleep. (Watch the shows tomorrow.)
4.) When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement,
'My purpose is to________ today.'
5.) Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6.) Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did last year.
7.) Always pray and make time to exercise.
8.) Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of Six.
9.) Dream more while you are awake.
10.) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.
11.) Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12.) Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13.) Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14.) Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15.) Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class .......but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16.) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card?
17.) Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18.) You may not see life as fair. It's still good.
19.) Life is too precious to waste time hating anyone.
20.) Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21.) You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22.) Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
23.) Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24.) Ladies - Go on and burn those 'special' scented candles, use the 600 thread count sheets, the good china and wear our fancy lingerie now. Stop waiting for a special occasion. Everyday is special.
25.) No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26.) Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
27.) Forgive everyone for everything.
28.) What other people think of you is none of your business.
29.) Time heals everything. Give time, time!
30.) However good or bad a situation seems, it will change.
31.) Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch with them.
32.) Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
33.) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
34.) The best is yet to come.
35.) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36.) Do the right thing!
37.) Call your family often.
38.) Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
"I am thankful for __________." "Today I accomplished _________."
39.) Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
40.) Enjoy your ride through life and make the most of it.
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH.
LIFE'S A GIFT ... UNWRAP IT!

Happy Valentine's Day

I know I haven't been Blogging lately, but work has been demanding and time just seems to have slipped by, day by day. Really, nothing special has been going on. I've been working on getting my sewing/craft room in the basement rearranged and cleaned up and that's taken some time. It also is part of my Less is More campaign for my self. In line with that I finished an afgan that has been around for about 25+ years and gave it to our good friend, Eddie. He just loved it. SO, I finished something and as an added bonus, I made someone happy!!! In addition to that, I do have to mention...on 01-07-08 I weighed 208...This AM 02-11-08 I weighed 200...not a great deal of weight in a month, but I'll take what I can get!!

And just for the record ...This weather has been unbelievable...we got 10-12" of snow last Wednesday and I had to stay home all day. That put me behind at work and I already had something going on to make me miss 1/2 of Thursday, so now I am playing catch-up at work!! And we leave Thursday for Orlando so I'm missing 1/2 of Thursday and all of Friday!! So I really shouldn't be blogging NOW!

Anyway, Yes, I said Orlando...Alex, Hunter and I are flying out Thursday evening to Orlando, Florida to see Mickey Mouse (and other various things)! And yes, I'm getting excited and nervous. (I think the boys are too!) The last time I was there, Rhonda was living in Florida and she did all the driving and planning...this time it's all on me. I have to get us everywhere and keep us safe. I'm sure it will be fine, but I'm nervous about it none-the-less.

The weather is supposed to be in the 80's in Florida while we are there! WOW! Here it has been below freezing for so long, it seems like forever! I will be so grateful for a few days of WARM!

Our tentitive itinerary is as follows: Fly out of DSM on Thursday @ 6:20 PM CST. Land in Orlando @ 10 PM EST. Get the rental car and drive to our Hotel (Best Western Lakeside, just 2 miles from Disney World!!) Next morning we have to get our '2-day 4-park hopper' tickets to Disney World, tickets to Sea World and also the Arabian Nights Dinner Show.

Hopefully we can do Sea World and one of the Disney parks (Magic Kingdom) in one day (along with a late Dinner Show) and

two Disney parks (Animal Kingdom & Epcot) the next day.

On Sunday, the day we leave, we are planning a trip to the east coast...Cocoa Beach...to, at least, see the ocean and maybe Alex can do a little ocean fishing off the boardwalk. (His wish, not mine!)

And maybe Hunter can get in the water...he would like that, I'm sure!!

After that, our flight leaves Orlando @ 3:45 PM EST and arrives back in DSM @ 5:45 PM CST. Trip over.

I know that's a lot to cram into three days but that's all the time we have and I intend for us to as much as possible in those three days. I know we will be tired when we get home, but it will be so fun while we're there!! I'll fill you in when I get back.

We hope you all have a Wonderful Valentine's Day!