Guest Blog: Traveling Together: Walt Disney World by the Dog Walker

This has been a very fantastic day for me and Drama Queen. That's right. While on the Orlando trip, Drama Queen and I went to Walt Disney World. I've been longing to see what it was like. It was always crowded with lots of people who come to enjoy the magic of Disney. Even though theme parks are meant to enjoy rides, despite long lines, I did something totally different that I think almost every Disney fan should ever do.

I wanted to do a meet-n'-greet of Disney characters that were available at the park. Before Drama Queen and I started our day, we went in the gift shop to buy some things, like sunscreen, and I bought a pen and an autograph book to receive signatures from the characters. 

I dressed up in Tigger style and Tigger played with the ears on my hat.

When meeting the characters, I decided to make voice impressions with them like Brian Hull does. A lot of them seemed surprised with my way of communicating and even saying some Disney motivations. For example, while Drama Queen and I were having lunch at a little buffet where Winnie the Pooh characters were greeting, I said something to Eeyore that should've been added to that movie, Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin. With those memorable pieces of advice implying to only Piglet (You're braver than you believe), Tigger (you're stronger than you seem), and Rabbit (you're smarter than you think), I said this one to Eeyore. "You're loved more than you know." That totally warmed Eeyore and the character gave me a hug for that.

I pretty much met eleven characters at the park and got their autographs, but there were those times that Drama Queen and I rode on a few rides. Walt Disney World, Florida sure had a lot of similar rides to Disneyland, California, like It's a Small World and the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. 

After a few times exploring and resting from the hot sun, and a bit of humid rain, Drama Queen and I had fun meeting the characters and riding some of the rides. As a treat, I bought each of us a Dole Whip Pineapple Float, an ice cream that Mom and Dad showed us at Disneyland and it was delicious. 

Walt Disney World was fun, but I think I prefer Disneyland, not only because it's a bit closer to Utah for a one-whole-day drive, but because I'm just more used to desert hot than humid hot. Maybe some day, if I can save enough money for another year of a one-week vacation, I could invite Drama Queen and maybe even Teach and her family for a Disneyland trip. And maybe even save enough money for fast passes so we won't have to wait in very long lines for the most popular rides.

Enjoy the pictures. And the little video of me doing impressions and motivational speeches.

Traveling Together - Universal Epic

I am not usually a theme park person. I get motion sickness, they are expensive, the lines are long, and until recently, I haven't been able to fit in the seats. That said, I laid down my $1200 for one-day passes for the six of us to go to the new Universal Epic.

Bossy suggested we wait and go after lunch so the lines would be shorter. She had been theme-parking all week, so we took her advice. In fact, Curly and I cooked breakfast for everyone in our group. Pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, and cereal with various muffins seemed to fill everyone up.

Then we headed out. Bossy was right. The lines were shorter. Some even less than an hour. Baby Doll really wanted to visit the How to Train your Dragon world. I was more interested in Harry Potter.

We went to her choice and we all got on the first ride. It was a little ship that rode through the water while you tried to hit targets with giant squirtguns. It was fun, but in my opinion, not worth the 45-minute wait.

Then we went to the How to Train Your Dragon Show. It was awesome! It reminded me of a short Broadway production. There was even a flying dragon!!

After checking with the group, Baby Doll and I got into another 45-minute line to ride the gliders. They were my favorite ride. If I held really still, it was just like flying and the breeze in my hair felt amazing after the long hot line. Baby Doll was a little disappointed that she couldn’t master the barrel-roll in one visit...

We bought drinks. Checked with the group and then Baby Doll and I got in line for the last ride in that world, the roller coaster. 

Now, I have been on coasters before, but only tame ones and this one was not tame. Thankfully, we had an hour in the line plus a 20-minute delay for me to digest the pbj I had eaten earlier. I think Baby Doll thought I was the one being a baby, but she always wants to go higher and faster.

I survived the ride, although Baby Doll teased me about having my eyes closed the entire time. I was pretty proud of myself.

Finally, Harry Potter World! 

Except it wasn't. It was all about the magical beasts and I haven't seen that movie. We started with the show and then headed directly into the Ministry of Magic. Finally! Stuff I knew!

The ride was pretty awesome, but not as exciting as I was hoping for. I guess they have a different Harry Potter world at each of the 4 Universals in Orlando.

Anyway, time had run out and we left the park right afterward. Dog Walker bought me a beautiful pair of Time-Turner earrings. Like his dad, he is very kind and generous.

I was exhausted and we had to check out of the hotel by 10 on Friday. So it was back at the room getting everything ready to go to the new hotel for one more day.

More tomorrow...

Traveling Together - Daytona by Dog Walker

It was quite a fun day for me, Sport, Scout, and Curly for our first time in Florida. Actually, Curly was in Florida

 last year for the FCCLA National Convention, but he didn’t get to choose where he went. We first had to drop off Mom and Baby Doll at the Convention Center for her volleyball tournament. After an hour drive from there, we visited a nice diner for breakfast in Daytona. Surprisingly, we were the only customers, but the servers were really nice. 

After breakfast, we went to the Daytona international Speedway for a tour. After some technical difficulties with our tickets, we managed to make it for a ten-o'clock tour when we were supposed to be at the ten-thirty tour.

We got to ride on a tram around the stadium and the race track itself. We even got to see what the NASCAR races were like up close.

It was really hot and humid while we were out on the track. There was some part of the tour where we came out of the tram to test out the banked road of the track. It was really steep for us even to climb. But that wasn't the only interesting thing. What was more interesting was seeing how small Victory Lane was, even if it looks bigger from a TV screen.

After that, we went back around to see what it was also like to sit in the audience of the races. It was still really hot, even from white chairs. After that, we rode back to the end of the tour. 

It was really refreshing to be back inside with extreme air conditioning. 

We went our separate ways from the tour group and looked at all the different racers in the museum. We even found a mannequin that looked like Curly's girlfriend.

After touring the gift shop and buying a few souvenirs, we went to pick up Mom and Baby Doll, and Curly offered to buy lunch at B.J.’s Restaurant. It's kind of an Italian restaurant that is never found in Utah, but it was a place that Curly ate at with his football team. There was an interesting dessert there called Pazooki. It's a cookie skillet with two scoops of ice cream on top. It was really satisfying.

I don't know how Baby Doll did in her games that day, but I'm sure she played her best and Mom was always there cheering her on.

Traveling Together - Last Day of the Tournament

Curly joined Baby Doll and me for the last day of the tournament. 

She played well and they won the first match.

Then they lost their second one and suddenly, the tournament was over. Tears and hugs and all after that.

We met up later with our team family for lunch at Ford's Garage. The food was yummy! The decor was fun and different. The bathroom was my favorite.

Ford's Garage was in the middle of the Facory Outlet stores. So after lunch, we decided to look around. I realized this could be a very good place for Curly to buy shoes for his mission. We looked in several stores and we finally found a pair of black ones at Cole Haan.

Can I just say the clouds are amazingly beautiful in Florida?

We made our way back to the condo, changed into our swimming suits and headed for the play area. Some of the kids headed for the water slides while Curly, Sport, and I stopped for a game of mini golf.

Then we all went to the pool.

Ok, not quite all, but most of us.

Then it was back to the room for a late supper of crockpot pork tacos that despite my limited spices were really yummy. Some of us stayed up late and watched Starsky & Hutch.

Tomorrow? Universal Epic!!