We hopped in the van and hit the road to the Sunshine State… me, the hubs, the kid, my mom, stepdad, and two nieces. You would think that seven people in a mini-van (love our Toyota Sienna!) for 12.5 hours would be a rough start to a trip but I think all the conversation made the ride seem quicker. The feet in the face, not so much (Skylar!) but otherwise the ride was smooth and our quick overnight in Georgia helped break up the drive.

Arriving in Orlando, we went first to SeaWorld, a first trip for the kids and the hubs. I hadn’t visited since I was a teenager years ago. The best part was the dolphin show, which I think most guests remember from trips as a child, but otherwise the park felt lacking. Too hot, too crowded, lacking enough signage, etc. I still have a hard time with some of their animal practices so that didn’t help my overall impression but I went in with an open mind on that front. There were way more rides than the last time I visited and those seemed to be the draw — in this seemingly animal-focused park. Weird.

At Disney, in all fairness, it was hot too but their parks seem to have more airflow and shady spots to take a break, sorely needed in the summer. We spent the next few days zipping from park to park, cramming in as much as possible so the nieces could hit the highlights in all four parks. Mine Train, Expedition Everest, Big Thunder Mountain, Soarin’, Frozen Ever After, Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Star Tours, Avatar: Flight of Passage… even time for a spin on the Carousel of Progress. So much accomplished in a short three park days.

Everyone enjoyed the Happily Ever After fireworks dessert party in Magic Kingdom, despite Mother Nature’s attempt to rain us out. Big negative this time around was the dessert party crowd in the viewing area. Disney recently started offering a post-fireworks dessert party in addition to the pre-fireworks party. Those post-fireworks guests share the same viewing area with the pre-fireworks guests and that stinks. It was much more crowded than we experienced in March – during spring break. Hopefully this changes.

A super fun time was had by all at Typhoon Lagoon, with a Beachcomber Shack (private cabana) rental to enjoy all day long. We also visited Typhoon Lagoon one evening during a private Disney Vacation Club event but that was PACKED! Hard to find an empty chair anywhere and the lines were long throughout. So much for a limited admission event…

 

When we drive to Florida, I like to try to find fun things to do on the way home, if we have time. This trip had a planned activity on the way home that was thwarted by crazy hot/humid temperatures and rainstorms. I changed my plans on the fly to include a visit to the Catty Shack Ranch in Jacksonville, Florida. This is a non-profit, forever home for wild cats that have been abandoned, neglected, or given up for various reasons by private owners and zoos. If you’re ever in Jacksonville, I highly recommend checking their calendar to see if they’re open to the public for a night feeding that day. Super fun time for everyone, reasonably priced, and a great cause. You can even adopt one of the cats and help support their mission to build new enclosures. For local folks, this reminded me a lot of the Wildlife Center of Virginia’s origins with wild cats instead of native Virginia wildlife. Seeing tigers and lions frolicking with the Executive Director and volunteer staff was truly a memorable experience!

Until next time… which happens to be very soon! Toy Story Land grand opening, here I come!