Orlando

I have been trying to get to this post for the last few weeks, because my fear is that our Orlando vacation photos will end up with the same fate as our 2012 Christmas in Ontario photos - wonderful memories to share, but too many photos to choose from and the thought of writing the commentary overwhelming, so it doesn't get done.  I have over 800 photos from our trip and when I look at each one, I smile while remembering the fun things that we did, said, and experienced.  I am determined to get this done today, even if it is the condensed version (I know, you're thinking "40 photos is condensed?").   

Three weeks ago, Kevin, Bradyn and I were having a wonderful family vacation in Orlando, Florida.  We arrived on Tuesday May 14, after a dreadfully early 6 am flight from Vancouver (via Chicago).  The real adventure started when we took the Disney Magic Express shuttle from the Orlando airport to our hotel - Disney's Pop Century Resort.  The hotel was great.  I mean, as far as the accommodations themselves it was nothing special, but the atmosphere, service and location were great (right on the Disney Property, and very 'kitchy', if you know what I mean).  After dinner, we went for a walk around the property and enjoyed the decor.

Screwy things happening with my photo upload here, but I think you get the idea of the scale of the hotel decor here - it was crazy!  I think my favourite part was realizing that one of the giant statues we looked at (and couldn't figure out what it was) was an 8-track tape!  Of course we then had to explain to Bradyn what that was.

On Wednesday, I had to head back to the airport, as I had a business meeting in Toronto on Thursday.  While I was away, Kevin and Bradyn started exploring on their own.  Bradyn enjoyed 3 hours in the pool on Wednesday, and then they headed to Downtown Disney.

 Sharing a 'beer' with her dad, while having dinner at Planet Hollywood.

The 'Mousekeepers' at the hotel were known for making towel characters, displays of children's toys on the window ledges and generally making things fun.  Here is just one of the surprises we had.

When I arrived back at Pop Century Resort at 1:00 am on Friday, I was greeted by this wonderful character in our hotel room window.  This is Duffy the Disney Bear, and Bradyn coloured him while exploring Epcot Center with Kevin on Thursday.

With me back in Orlando, the 'real' vacation started.  On Friday we headed to Disney's Hollywood Studios park for Star Wars Weekends.  2 years ago when we went to Disneyland, it was all about the princesses.  This trip, it was all about Star Wars and Harry Potter.  In Disneyland, Kevin and Bradyn went on The Tower of Terror ride - not me.  This time, the two of them started bugging me again about going on rides (my stomach is just not into crazy rides anymore) so I made them a deal... if I went on The Tower of Terror, they promised not to bully me into going on any more scary rides.  As you can see here, I survived the ordeal.

This is a shot of the ride from the back.  Exactly what you think - you go up, drop down, go up, drop down.  Over, and over again.  I distinctly remember screaming my head off and at one point I yelled "Oh God, not again".

Here is the proof that I did it.  Look closely, because you will never see another one of these with me in it for a 'crazy' ride.  (The big, popular rides take photos of you so that you can buy them afterwards as a souvenir - or, you can just use your camera and take a picture of the picture.)

One of my favourite things at Hollywood Studios was the stage performance of Beauty and the Beast.  Kevin and I saw this play on Broadway in New York, but I loved this one nealy as much. 

While Kevin tried to get into a show with Ray Park (the actor that played Darth Maul), Bradyn and I were running around chasing Star Wars characters so she could get her picture taken with them.

We met up with Kevin again, just in time to get the two of them with Darth Maul....

and a Storm Trooper....

a Gamorrean Guard....

and Jango Fet.

On Saturday, we headed to Animal Kingdom.  It was great!  Kevin and Bradyn went on some crazy rides, we lost Kevin's prescription sunglasses, found Kevin's prescription sunglasses, saw a performance called 'Festival of the Lion King', went on a Kilimanjaro Safari, and loads more.

The weather was smokin' hot while we were in Orlando.  Even though the temperature was at most 33 or 34 degrees, with the humidity the weather forecast would say 'feels like 45'.  Water in the parks was $2.50 a bottle, so Kevin would very enthusiatically look for the 'Daisani water refill stations' - water fountains - to fill his empty bottle.  One of those silly little memories that make me smile.

Self family photo in front of the The Tree of Life.  I loved taking these family pictures.  We have quite a few where somebody was cut out of the picture - usually Bradyn because she was so short, or half of my head since I was holding the camera - as we tried to get the right angle.  We were always smiling though.

On Sunday, we headed back to Hollywood Studios for the last day of Star Wars Weekends.  Bradyn was starting to get impatient with Mamarazzi, so she took a picture of Kevin and I instead.  I always forget how things look completely different from Bradyn's perspective - at 3 feet tall, looking up.

Waiting out our first downpour.  We got caught without our jackets on Sunday - I think we were being optimistic about the forecast (and didn't want to be carrying anything more in our backpack).

Later that day, Bradyn was tired of the rain.  Not to worry though - two seconds later she was lauging and smiling again. 

This was MY favourite part of Star Wars weekend.  Not sure what's going on with my photo uploads again, but I'm not complaining.  :-)

On Sunday, Kevin actually got into the show with Ray Park, so B and I were on our own for a bit. While standing in line to get her photo with Anakin, we didn't realize that he'd left (yes, I was disappointed), but she was thrilled to get her pic taken with Mace Windoo and Kit Fisto. 

You should have seen Bradyn running around chasing the Cantina Band, trying to get them to pose with her.

On Monday, we headed to The Magic Kingdom.  Kevin kept asking 'Seriously - is that castle not way bigger than the one in Disneyland?'  This was in front of Beast's Castle.

I could not get over how black the sky got Monday afternoon.  Yes, we were poured on again, and even had hail while we took cover near Rapunzel's Tower.  It didn't last long though, and definitely didn't dampen our spirits.

What better ride to go on when you're already wet?

On Tuesday we headed to Epcot Center.  I hadn't been there since I was 18 (23 years ago!!) but I managed to find the boat ride in the Mexican Pavillion that I remembered.

We had some good fun in the Norway Pavillion gift shop....

and China.

From the time Kevin and Bradyn went to Epcot on Thursday, I kept hearing about the amazing 'Jambon Beurre' that Bradyn had.  She kept pestering us about it all day Tuesday until we finally made our way to the France Pavillion, where she excitedly pointed one out to me - a gigantic ham and cheese baguette sandwich.  I had to admire the way she clutched that thing for at least an hour, gnawing away at it as we walked around and looked at the sites.   She was adorable.

Before our trip to Disney World, I don't think I'd ever heard of Duffy the Disney Bear.  In the hotel, at 8 pm, you could watch a bedtime story about Duffy.  At Epcot, we were on the hunt to find him.

Despite the rain making the temperature bearable, Bradyn still felt it necessary to check out the Cool Zone.

Wednesday was the absolute highlight and much-anticipated part of our trip.... Universal Studios, where we would visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Bradyn has been obsessed with Harry Potter for a while now, and this was definitely the park she had been dying to visit.  We arrived at the park at 8:15, expecting to wait in line until 9:00 because we didn't have early park passes.  To our delight, the park attendant let us in early anyway, and we practically ran to the back of the park where Hogsmeade was located.  It was amazing!  Watching Bradyn was definitely the highlight for me - she was just so excited.  We ran into Hogwarts and took in all of the sights as we walked through the classrooms and corridors, towards the ride 'Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" where you "soar above the castle grounds... on an unforgettably thrilling adventure."  I was so caught up in taking pictures and enjoying myself that I suddenly found myself at the front of the line about to get on the ride.  Are you kidding me?  I have a photo of the sign warning that people prone to motion sickness should not get on the ride.  I had my eyes closed for 98% of the ride, but I did it, and managed to keep my breakfast down.  Never again, but I did it.  (Kevin and Bradyn went on again later in the day - crazy!)  We wandered around Hogsmeade and just HAD to get candy from Honeydukes at 9:30 am.

Again, a shot from Bradyn's perspective. 

This is absolutely my favourite picture from the entire trip.  I think it's the sparkle in Bradyn's eyes - pure happiness.

 

In front of Ollivanders Wand Shop, where Bradyn's wand chose her.  It was the one that, upon saying a spell, caused the owl up on the wall to turn it's head.  We later found out from the Wizard that Bradyn's wand was made of willow and has a Dragon heartstring core.  The wand selection process was quite lengthy, and VERY serious work because you had to make sure you got the right one.

Bradyn was obsessed with this chocolate frog, but I managed to get out of Universal Studios (and the airport) without buying one.

Kicking back, finishing off our second glass of Butterbeer.  OMG that stuff is soooooo good!  (Bradyn and I actually made some at home this afternoon.  Not quite the same but holy cow was it yummy.)

 

We spent our last day of vacation at The Magic Kingdom.  When we went to Disneyland, the one picture I regretted not getting was Bradyn with Chip and Dale.  We have a picture of me and Sherri with them in DisneyWorld as kids, and one of Kevin and Dallas with them in Disneyland as kids, so I was desperate to get one of Bradyn with them.  By 10:00 am Thursday, my Disney Bucket List was complete.  (well, all except a picture with Merida which I never did get, but after Chip and Dale, I didn't even care.)

 

After a quick shopping trip to a small Factory Store Outlet and dropping off our rental car at a nearby hotel, we headed back to Pop Century for a family swim.  As sad as it sounds, this was the only time I got to the pool in the 11 days we were in Florida, but it sure was fun. 

The view from our hotel room.

Our Little Mermaid.

What an amazing family vacation.  I really hope that we'll make it back to Orlando one day, because there is just so much more to see.