Day 33-35 - Orlando, Florida

Day 33 (28 July). An early departure from Tallahassee meant that we were able to arrive in Orlando before lunch. We checked into Shades of Green which is a resort within Walt Disney World, but it is owned and operated by the US Armed Forces. The rest of the day was spent finding our way around this large resort, doing laundry, thinking about how we wanted to approach the next week and then buying tickets. The kids loved the pool, but the extensive arcade games really took their fancy - and they have been hooked ever since.

Shades of Green has large well equipped rooms and we have plenty of space. The facility and its amenities are extensive (pools, restaurants, transport) and it is a great place to stay.

We have decided upon a four day pass to Disney World and a two day pass to Universal Studios. There are four main parks in Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom) whilst there are two main parks at Universal Studios (Islands of Adventure - where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is located and Orlando Studios). We will concentrate on two days each at Magic Kingdom and Disney Hollywood Studios and then two days at Universal Studios.

Day 34 (29 July). Select resorts within Walt Disney World have the opportunity to take advantage of early and late opening hours at select parks at different times throughout the week. We were able to enter Magic Kingdom at 8.00am which was an hour before the general public. There were less crowds and it was a treat to be at the front gate when Mickey and the Disney crew formally opened the gates for the day (though they repeat it gain at 9.00am for the general public). We got some quick photos before heading to Tomorrow Land and riding Space Mountain an indoor roller coaster - it was very exciting. As the other 'lands' opened up we got around to the headline rides early before the large crowds commenced lining up. We thought about the Fast Pass - where you get a ticket and come back at a later pre-determind time and go straight to the front of the line - but it wasn't worth it in the early part of the day. We rode Splash Mountain (after coaxing a very nervous Chloe into the boat - she'd had a previous bad experience on a similar ride at Movie World on the Gold Coast in Australia and was still scarred from the experience); Pirates of the Caribbean; Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin; The Haunted Mansion; and Thunder Mountain Roller Coaster. The minor attractions such as the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse; Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride; Carousal of Progress; Tomorrow Land Speedway; Monster's Inc Laugh Floor; and the like were all good if somewhat tamer than the headline rides. It was fairly hot and humid by lunch so we caught a ferry back to the Polynesian Resort and walked a short distance back to Shades of Green for an afternoon nap (the kids went to the pool). Andrea and I were already feeling exhausted.

After dinner we caught the ferry back to Magic Kingdom and repeated a few of the headline rides. The crowds were still large and whilst we fought through some areas and rides that were fuller than others for the most part it was easy enough to get around. The longest wait we had for a headline ride was 40 minutes. The shops were full of every imaginable product with a Disney label (and we took home some) including a Christmas store which was heaven for Andrea. We watched the evening Main Street Electrical Parade and the nightly Fireworks Show was terrific. Magic Kingdom is enormous and all your senses are constantly over-loaded. It is a visual feast to be here and it is everything that you think and more. You cannot help but get caught up in the 'magic' of Disney. It was a fantastic day and night that we thoroughly enjoyed. We went to sleep quickly and very well.

Day 35 (30 July). We woke mid-morning - thank goodness. Recharged for another sensory onslaught. This time the destination was Disney Hollywood Studios. After some morning laundry and a light lunch we caught the bus to Disney Hollywood Studios. We didn't quite know what to expect as it is smaller than Magic Kingdom, but no less impressive. It was a treat to walk down Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards as they paid tribute in art deco style buildings to the films through the ages. It was very appealing. We tackled a number of attractions (some a bit lame), but four stood out - a half hour Beauty and The Beast Musical; the Tower of Terror; Star Tours and The Great Movie Ride. The Beauty and The Beast Musical in the ampi-theatre was really entertaining (Chloe and Emily loved it). The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror could be heard through the park due to the screams of those taking the ride - a good indicator. It was sensational and Andrea, Chloe and Matthew almost needed heart starters at the end - certainly they screamed and felt sick - whilst Emily and I were okay. You sit in a maintenance elevator and travel forward up, and down inside an old hotel randomly dropping 13 stories (a number of times). It was a beauty, though Andrea and Matthew will never repeat the experience. Star Tours is based upon Star Wars and is a fabulous flight simulator like you are in the movie. It was so good we went back and did it again straight away. The Great Movie Ride traveled through classic film scenes and Hollywood moments. There were great effects and character involvement.

Tomorrow - back to Magic Kingdom (all the wiser for our earlier visit) and then the same for Hollywood Studios on Sunday. We are doing Harry Potter and Islands of Adventure on Monday (heard the wait lines for Potter are horrendous so hope a Monday will bring less crowds) followed by Orlando Studios on Tuesday. By Wednesday we should be shattered and will start our journey back to DC.