|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 4:14:29 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 4:26:19 GMT
The next day was warm and dry. Shorts and sunscreen weather! Here's the view from our other room. I always forget how flat central Florida is compared to my home in the north. We took this boat across the lagoon to the entrance to the Magic Kingdom. While others chose to take the monorail. Cinderella's castle is the focal point of the Magic Kingdom. And, finally we arrived at Main Street, Disney.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 5:15:42 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 5:33:48 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 5:53:20 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 6:21:46 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Dec 22, 2013 7:27:34 GMT
Some people were excitedly waiting for a show to begin in front of the castle so we sat down to wait, too. ;D
Children or not, I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that, so I admire your sense of family, htmb. My main thought as I see these pictures is "pity those poor employees dressed in those heavy furry costumes in that heat".
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Dec 22, 2013 7:33:13 GMT
Oh thank you so much for showing us those totally brilliant photos! You make me want to head straight there with my grandsons but I thinks they need at least three more years before they will appreciate the experience. I took my son and a friend there for 10 days for his 16th birthday but had been a number of years prior to that just on our own when my husband and I spent 6 weeks in America. You certainly brought back some memories.....the place ain't changed too much!
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 13:09:16 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 13:40:42 GMT
|
|
|
Post by mossie on Dec 22, 2013 16:15:03 GMT
Many thanks, it looks like a really super place for the young.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 17:17:51 GMT
Some people were excitedly waiting for a show to begin in front of the castle so we sat down to wait, too. ;D Children or not, I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that, so I admire your sense of family, htmb. My main thought as I see these pictures is "pity those poor employees dressed in those heavy furry costumes in that heat". Bjd, I totally understand your sentiments, but I also imagine, like me, you'd soften a bit and change your stance if you lived two hours away from Disney, your grandchildren were relatively the same ages as mine, and this was a rare opportunity to spend time with them. Todd, I am always impressed by your enthusiasm and the delightful way you seem to experience life, though ten days at DW with two sixteen year old boys goes beyond the call of duty!!!!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2013 17:30:43 GMT
I immediately spotted the zillion strings of lights wrapped around the castle so I can imagine how it looked after dark.
I am lucky to have rarely been to a Disneyland with small children, because I am allergic to the "characters" in costume and all that sort of thing, including the parades, but I don't mind the rides, even the hokey ones aimed at younger visitors.
I went to Disneyworld and Epcot twice with my parents, and we always enjoyed it even though we were adults, but we are also able to go there during low season when the parks were not overcrowded.
I think I went to Disneyland in California maybe about 15 years ago after not having been there for 20 years or so and the thing that impressed me the most was that it suddenly seemed to have become a "real" place because the trees have become venerable and really massive, since they are now more than 50 years old.
The last time I was in Orlando (long ago) and at Disneyland Paris (at least 10 years ago), the vegetation still gave the impression of saplings and therefore made everything seem a bit fake. Once nature has completely conquered those parks, they will look better.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 18:08:36 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 18:28:25 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 18:48:28 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 20:16:17 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 20:24:41 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2013 20:51:15 GMT
Some amazing things to see! Am I correct in assuming that the giant baobab and the anthill are artificial recreations for the purpose of African scenery? Gorillas totally look like gorilla costumes. I wonder which one came first.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 22, 2013 20:57:23 GMT
Oh, Htmb! This is an amazingly brilliant look at a huge subject and each & every one of your photos is a stand-alone triumph.
My only opportunity to see Disneyworld was not to be. We were visiting my dad in Seminole when my son was little, & planned trip on Christmas day(!) was cancelled because of the miles-long waiting lines reported on the news.
But hey ~~ this is totally delightful & certainly less tiring.
How young were the smallest children with you? I'm asking because of wondering how little kids handle all the excitement and necessarily long amounts of walking. All the children in the photos seem awfully pleased & nowhere near over-stimulated meltdowns.
Thank you so much for this super, colorful report!
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 22:54:30 GMT
Kerouac, the baobab tree in the middle of the park (on hill as you enter park) is definitely artificial. I assume the others seen out on "safari," as well as the termite hills, are artificial as well, but I'm not completely sure. I found it fascinating to seen some of the arrangements they have for keeping animals separated/contained. Most of the areas looked absolutely real. Disney does it all up very well.
I was very disturbed by the gorillas. They appeared very agitated to me and one continued to try getting down a ravine with what looked like the intent to come across to the human area. There was just something about them that didn't feel right.
Thank you, Bixa. Sorry you didn't make it there way back when.
I was in high school when Disney World opened and a group with which I was involved was allowed to borrow official Disney costumes to use as part of our musical entertainment. Chip n Dale, Goofy, Pluto, etc. In return, we had to go door to door in several different neighborhoods, leaving plastic bags at each door containing drinking glasses embellished with pictures of a Disney characters.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 23:06:50 GMT
I forgot to say, the children were 2 1/2, 4, and 5 1/2. Though they are certainly very well-behaved children, my son and daughter in-law couldn't be better at parenting. They work well together, are super-organized, and know how to plan a trip. We also had a double stroller with us, food, water, a change of clothes for each and sunscreen.
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Dec 22, 2013 23:29:00 GMT
I really enjoyed this thread htmb. It brought back some very happy memories, we spent our Honeymoon in Orlando 30 years ago! It seems that the Swiss Family Robinson boat ride is still in action. We have pictures of myself on the tea cup ride! Many laughs over the cars on the tracks, I did not drive back then and from my performance that day, my husband believed I never would. I bounced the car off that rail all the way down the route.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 23:35:23 GMT
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 23:47:54 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2013 23:50:02 GMT
Disney characters = clowns (to me). Scary creatures to be avoided at all costs!
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 22, 2013 23:51:50 GMT
The stuff of nightmares!
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Dec 23, 2013 1:42:22 GMT
Considering we were only 19 and 20, we were pretty much still kids! My husband's Aunt & Uncle invited us to stay with them in Orlando since they could not attend the wedding. Their neighbour gave us free passes and drove us there and back, they spoiled us. She passed away about a month ago. I think it is a wonderful way to spend time with a young family and letting the others do the daily planning was probably a good way to just tag along and enjoy watching the kids, young and old, have fun! The shows were very entertaining back then, I can just imagine that they are amazing now.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 23, 2013 4:42:27 GMT
Mich, that sounds like a wonderful honeymoon for you and your husband. I'm sure you'd be surprised to see how everything has grown since. The huge parking lots, new roads into and around the parks are new to me, not to mention the sheer volume of people, though they do a good job of running the place. I'm just thankful we had cool, dry days for our trip.
I can remember driving from Tampa to Daytona years ago and hardly noticing when I passed Orlando. Disney has certainly brought tremendous change to the area over the past 40+ years.
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Dec 23, 2013 10:21:28 GMT
I hadn't realized those were real gorillas! I thought the models were well done.
|
|