We visited Orlando for the first four days of our trip, including two Disney World parks, Epcot and Magic Kingdom.
This is the car that we rented to get around in Orlando. Michael Scott would be jealous!
Here is Jerm standing in front of Epcot's iconic Spaceship Earth ride that welcomes you as you enter the park.
For anyone who hasn’t been to these parks, Epcot’s theme is centered on various countries and cultures around the world. The buildings and structures and restaurants in each country imitate what is perceived to be those of its origin. Even most of the employees working in each “country” are from the respective country, as well as some of the foliage and plants. Jerm and I marveled at how the plants manage to stay alive when the surrounding environmental conditions obviously do not mimic those of the native country.
This is Jerm in "Canada"
These two are of us in "Morocco", where we chose to eat and it was DELICIOUS!
The cultural section did not have very many rides. Instead, it offered short films on large 360-degree screens that told a story about the respective country while showing various landmarks and features from a helicopter view. Each country also had characters that would act out what I consider “sidewalk skits” for a large group to see. Most of the rides were in a futuristic section and carried themes focused on technology and outer space and such, but, unfortunately, the waiting times for these rides were ridiculously long – up to an hour and forty minutes for a few of them – and so Jerm and I opted to only ride anything with a thirty minute waiting time or less, which didn’t leave us very many options. Even so, we were still able to experience enough to have a good time.
The second park that we visited was a last-minute change from our original decision to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and we chose it because it looked like it had more to offer in terms of acreage and attractions. Let me tell you, from a child’s perspective, this place is called Magic Kingdom for a reason. Upon entering this park, there is the huge fairy tale castle, and the park is just flowing with a colorful array of buildings and Disney characters and balloons and things to buy, and they even had a place where a girl could get her hair done like a princess and wear a crown and a gown (for a fee, of course, but that is for the King and the Queen to worry about). They also had a parade with many Disney characters that were singing a magical song and magically dancing and frolicking in the streets, and it was just magical.
Jerm putting a chokehold on Minnie. See the castle in the background?
Jerm and I with Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
From a twenty-five year old’s perspective, however, the magic slowly dissipates with the fifty minute or longer waiting times for rides, the accumulation of butt sweat, and the understanding that even though you secretly want to believe that Cinderella meant it when she called you a princess, the truth of the matter is that she is just getting paid to do a job.
Still, it was magical enough that, one day, Jerm and I are going to take our children there, but only when they are old enough wipe their own butts and not want to be carried around the park the entire visit.
Cinderelly, Cinderelly
Night and day it's Cinderelly
Make the fire, fix the breakfast
Wash the dishes, do the mopping
And the sweeping and the dusting
They always keep her hopping
She goes around in circles
Till she's very, very dizzy
Still they holler
Keep abusy Cinderelly!
We can do it, we can do it
We can help our Cinderelly
We can make her dress so pretty
There's nothing to it, really
We'll tie a sash around it
Put a ribbon through it
When dancing at the ball
She'll be more beautiful than all
In the lovely dress we'll make for Cinderelly
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