Tuesday Feb 15th 05
I suppose that question will forever remain unanswered. Its the mid-point of our holiday and the past week has simply flown by. Then again, with the amount weve crammed in its hardly surprising that time appears to have placed itself into ludicrous speed (I love Spaceballs the movie!). To illustrate this, looking back on the previous day we
When we woke on Tuesday morning it was is if the cast of a horror movie had invaded the villa. We all felt and looked like zombies after the effort we put into Monday. We hadnt planned for it to be so hectic, it kinda just happened that way. The guide books, people on these forums, even common sense tells you not to push yourself too far in Orlando but the euphoria of the moment took over and we carried on. If you only take one tip from these pages it would be to pace yourself, dont go mad and remember you can always come back another day.
With the living dead now fed there was only one thing we all wanted to do swim!. Its so nice to have a pool to splash around in and the children really appreciate this. I honestly believe that if we said we couldnt afford to visit the theme parks, my kids would be more than happy to stay in the pool! It was another beautiful morning and we were all glad of the rest. I know that my calves are were beginning to feel sore from all the walking. You can over-indulge food whilst in Orlando but I havent walked so much in years and my desk-bound legs arent used to the distances involved.
After a light lunch of sandwiches and salad we left the villa to do a bit of shopping at Mall At Millenia. Its extremely easy to find as its off the I4, junction 78. Id wanted to visit here as I knew they had an Electronics Boutique for video games and GAP shops for my DW Ruth. In fact, Mall At Millenia has 4 separate GAP shops for different things. Dont ask me what they are though as the idea of even going in a shop like GAP is not my cup of tea!
We parked up and entered the mall. As usual, youre greeted by a blast of icy cold air from the environmental systems, so nice in the afternoon heat. What we found strange was that wed come in on what we assumed was the ground floor the car park certainly seemed to be on the level but upon entering the centre itself we found we were on the first floor. The ground floor level appeared to be in the basement. I didnt get chance to fathom anymore of this as we were too intent on visiting some of the stores. We split into two groups with the kids coming with me to Electronics Boutique and Ruth went off to have a look around the GAP shops. We soon found what we were looking for in the games shop, a new GameBoy SP for Emily ($70) and some games for her and the boys. New GBA games there cost around $30 and work perfectly on British GBA consoles. This is roughly just over half the cost of the same game back in the UK. The 2nd hand range of games was also extensive and again, the value was very good. For once in their lives, Emily, Danny and Howard were, within reason, allowed to pick what they wanted from a games store. Unless we win the lottery, that would never happen in the UK!
Pleased with the games wed bought from EB we met back up with Ruth whod found a couple of things to buy from GAP. Of course we had to go through the obligatory does my bum look big in this? and Does this colour/style suit me? routine that partners across the universe have to contend with! Once shed decided what to buy we carried on through the Mall.
Two things struck me about this mall from the off:
1) The lack of shoppers it was not in the least busy. Some shops had no customers at all!
2) The exclusivity of some of the shops.
Take a look at some of the stores there; Cartier, Hugo Boss, Tiffany & Co, Gucci, Burberry (Chavs dream!), Louis Vitton, Jimmy Choo Shoes etc etc. Even if I was ever lucky enough to win the lottery, I still wouldnt visit any of these stores! In my opinion, the Mall At Millenia is aimed squarely at the fashion conscious with very large disposable incomes. I have to admit that I felt out of place here and Ruth found that some of the shops didnt even have price labels. This means that if you have to ask, you cant afford to buy.
One thing that is worth visiting the MaM for is the food court; its immaculate with a great range of different foods on offer. We plumped for some ice creams for the kids and freshly made smoothies for ourselves. These were gorgeous concoctions of fruit, ice, yogurt, ice cream and mystery ingredients that made up a great beverage. After being refreshed here we moved on around the mall but apart from Fye (music / DVD etc) we didnt look into any of the other stores as they just werent our cup of tea or our price band!
Im not a big fan of Mall At Millenia and now that Ive been I wouldnt go back. In our opinion, the range of shops and value is better at The Florida Mall, Premium Outlets or Belz. Id even prefer to visit a Walmart over another trip to Millenia! But hey, thats just me. I never have and never will be interested in fashion, Trinny & Susanna, The Clothes Show or anything else that isnt jeans, t-shirt and trainers. If however, you like fashions, labels and the price tags, then give Mall At Millenia a try.
As we drove away from MaM we decided to make use of the Flex tickets and visit Sea World again, in particular, to catch one of the Shamu evening shows. We arrived there just after 4pm and found that the parking attendants had left the signs said drive on through! On a subsequent trip later in the holiday this happened again. So if you want to see one of the Shamu evening shows or just spend the last hours of the evening at Sea World, come after 4pm for free parking.
We gave some money to the kids and they fed the rays and then the dolphins. You have to be quick doing the dolphins though as the sea gulls are rather adept at nicking the fish whilst in mid-air! I dont mind paying to feed the dolphin but I dont want to waste this on annoying birds
Moving on from here I wanted to go on Journey To Atlantis but nobody else wanted to get wet. At least this time it was open and I joined the queue. It took ages to ride though as I was in the queue for over 30 minutes. Its not that it was that busy, the loaders didnt seem to be getting the boats loaded quickly, the last two seats of each boat were not being used and the delays after loading were long. This detracted from what is, I think, a very good ride. Eventually I got to ride and was placed in the front seat where I got drowned the big drop and then drenched by the nice(?!) people paying their 25 cents to shoot jets of water at our boats!
Because Id spent so long waiting for Atlantis, wed missed the last Clyde & Seymour Show which, although wed seen a few days before, is worth a second viewing as its so much fun. We walked around the park and visited Wild Arctic and had a whistle-stop tour of the Walrus and Beluga whales they have at Sea World. I say whistle stop as it had to be as the Shamu Rocks America show was abut to start. Still wet from riding Journey To Atlantis I sat in the soak zone (i.e. the first 14 rows of seats which can get very wet!) and the kids joined me. Ruth, being the ever responsible adult that she is, decided to sit higher up and take some photos of the show.
Now what can I say about the killer whales? Some people might say that to keep animals in these conditions and to get them to perform is bad. I can totally understand their point of view and I personally do not visit the circus or zoo as its my view that we shouldnt cage animals - unless its to protect them. And this is my dilemma about Sea World. The show that the trainers put on with the whales is superb. I cant tell what the whales are thinking but I feel that the animals are enjoying what they do. The interaction and rapport that the trainers have with the whales can only come through years of dedication and trust, at least, thats what it looks like to me. They must treat the whales as if theyre part of their own families and have years of getting to know each others idiosyncrasies this dedication has to be admired. If the whales were unhappy I do not think theyd perform, no matter what you coaxed them with. Any of the Shamu shows are worth coming to see and to visit Orlando and not see them would be a travesty.
The night had now set in and getting decidedly chilly. My decision to ride Atlantis and then sit in the soak zone for Shamu suddenly seemed very stupid. Doh! We made our way back to the main gift shop where Howard bought a fluffy manta ray that he named Reefy, Danny chose some toy dolphins & whales, Emily bought a toy for her best friend, Ruth got a very nice Sea World leather bag and I grabbed a lovely SW golfing shirt. Gimme one of these over a fashion shirt from Mall At Millenia anyday!
As we were leaving Sea World and making our way back to the car, Ruth overheard some people talking about visiting Typhoon Lagoon the next day (Wednesday). She asked me if it was open and I said no, as far as I knew, TL was closed for refurbishment. Ruth relayed this to the people who were adamant that TL would indeed be open on Wednesday. So much for all the investigation Id done online before we left home. More about this later
As we drove away from SW we decided to stop on International Drive for food. Wed rather take our chances on here than visit one the forever busy restaurants on the 192. Im so glad we made this decision as we found a jewel Friendlys on International Drive, just south of Austrian Court. True to its name, this is a very (family) friendly restaurant where the choice, value, quality and surroundings are hard to beat. The waitress talked us into a Mexican style starter which we all loved and the kids ordered hot dogs & hamburger meals. Ruth asked for a chicken meal and I opted for the Steak & Shrimp Special. Im drooling now just thinking about it!
Unlike Sizzler or Ponderosa, Friendlys doesnt have a buffet to choose from. However, the portions are so big and well made that you dont need a buffet. And if you think the meals are ice, wait until you try the puddings! Their speciality is anything to do with ice-creams or sundaes which the kids had great fun in demolishing. Ruth & I shared an apple pie with custard and cream which, apart from the American habit of smothering everything with cinnamon, was mouth wateringly good. We all ate and drank our fill and the bill, considering wed had starters, main meals and deserts, came to $61. If we go to Pizza Hut in the UK and just have pizza it cost around £35 so Friendlys is superb value. Please, if you get the chance try their restaurant do it, you wont regret it!
Now, back to the Typhoon Lagoon saga. As the kids had also heard Mr Bozo being adamant that TL would be open on Wednesday they wanted to go there. From all the information Id read before we left Blighty I knew that TL was closed but Mr Bozos ideas had now planted a seed of doubt into my tiny mind. It was around 21:30 in the restaurant that I had a flash of inspiration. How would we check if it was open or not? Its 21:30 here which means its 02:30 back home no one awake to check the net for us except Work! Haha! They take pleasure in calling me during the middle of the night (OK, I get paid extra for this) so this was my turn to call them and ask for a problem to be solved. I spoke to my colleague Tim and explained that I was in a restaurant in Florida and I wanted some information from the net. Quick as a flash, Tim brought up the TL web pages which clearly stated that Typhoon Lagoon was closed. Thanks Tim grrrr to Mr Bozo for making me have to make phone calls back to Blighty to check if a park is open or not!
Arriving back home at 22:30, stuffed and tired, we all flopped into bed and dropped off. The kids have been brilliant so far, even though weve had late nights and done so much stuff they havent been complaining or been naughty, well, no more than usual. So although we are doing a lot, were not that stressed. And what a great feeling that is!
Off to Blizzard Beach tomorrow.
I suppose that question will forever remain unanswered. Its the mid-point of our holiday and the past week has simply flown by. Then again, with the amount weve crammed in its hardly surprising that time appears to have placed itself into ludicrous speed (I love Spaceballs the movie!). To illustrate this, looking back on the previous day we
- Visited 2 Disney Theme Parks, saw one open and the other close.
- Rode 14 different rides (some more than once)
- Saw three shows
- Two 3D shows
- Had meals in 2 Disney restaurants.
When we woke on Tuesday morning it was is if the cast of a horror movie had invaded the villa. We all felt and looked like zombies after the effort we put into Monday. We hadnt planned for it to be so hectic, it kinda just happened that way. The guide books, people on these forums, even common sense tells you not to push yourself too far in Orlando but the euphoria of the moment took over and we carried on. If you only take one tip from these pages it would be to pace yourself, dont go mad and remember you can always come back another day.
With the living dead now fed there was only one thing we all wanted to do swim!. Its so nice to have a pool to splash around in and the children really appreciate this. I honestly believe that if we said we couldnt afford to visit the theme parks, my kids would be more than happy to stay in the pool! It was another beautiful morning and we were all glad of the rest. I know that my calves are were beginning to feel sore from all the walking. You can over-indulge food whilst in Orlando but I havent walked so much in years and my desk-bound legs arent used to the distances involved.
After a light lunch of sandwiches and salad we left the villa to do a bit of shopping at Mall At Millenia. Its extremely easy to find as its off the I4, junction 78. Id wanted to visit here as I knew they had an Electronics Boutique for video games and GAP shops for my DW Ruth. In fact, Mall At Millenia has 4 separate GAP shops for different things. Dont ask me what they are though as the idea of even going in a shop like GAP is not my cup of tea!
We parked up and entered the mall. As usual, youre greeted by a blast of icy cold air from the environmental systems, so nice in the afternoon heat. What we found strange was that wed come in on what we assumed was the ground floor the car park certainly seemed to be on the level but upon entering the centre itself we found we were on the first floor. The ground floor level appeared to be in the basement. I didnt get chance to fathom anymore of this as we were too intent on visiting some of the stores. We split into two groups with the kids coming with me to Electronics Boutique and Ruth went off to have a look around the GAP shops. We soon found what we were looking for in the games shop, a new GameBoy SP for Emily ($70) and some games for her and the boys. New GBA games there cost around $30 and work perfectly on British GBA consoles. This is roughly just over half the cost of the same game back in the UK. The 2nd hand range of games was also extensive and again, the value was very good. For once in their lives, Emily, Danny and Howard were, within reason, allowed to pick what they wanted from a games store. Unless we win the lottery, that would never happen in the UK!
Pleased with the games wed bought from EB we met back up with Ruth whod found a couple of things to buy from GAP. Of course we had to go through the obligatory does my bum look big in this? and Does this colour/style suit me? routine that partners across the universe have to contend with! Once shed decided what to buy we carried on through the Mall.
Two things struck me about this mall from the off:
1) The lack of shoppers it was not in the least busy. Some shops had no customers at all!
2) The exclusivity of some of the shops.
Take a look at some of the stores there; Cartier, Hugo Boss, Tiffany & Co, Gucci, Burberry (Chavs dream!), Louis Vitton, Jimmy Choo Shoes etc etc. Even if I was ever lucky enough to win the lottery, I still wouldnt visit any of these stores! In my opinion, the Mall At Millenia is aimed squarely at the fashion conscious with very large disposable incomes. I have to admit that I felt out of place here and Ruth found that some of the shops didnt even have price labels. This means that if you have to ask, you cant afford to buy.
One thing that is worth visiting the MaM for is the food court; its immaculate with a great range of different foods on offer. We plumped for some ice creams for the kids and freshly made smoothies for ourselves. These were gorgeous concoctions of fruit, ice, yogurt, ice cream and mystery ingredients that made up a great beverage. After being refreshed here we moved on around the mall but apart from Fye (music / DVD etc) we didnt look into any of the other stores as they just werent our cup of tea or our price band!
Im not a big fan of Mall At Millenia and now that Ive been I wouldnt go back. In our opinion, the range of shops and value is better at The Florida Mall, Premium Outlets or Belz. Id even prefer to visit a Walmart over another trip to Millenia! But hey, thats just me. I never have and never will be interested in fashion, Trinny & Susanna, The Clothes Show or anything else that isnt jeans, t-shirt and trainers. If however, you like fashions, labels and the price tags, then give Mall At Millenia a try.
As we drove away from MaM we decided to make use of the Flex tickets and visit Sea World again, in particular, to catch one of the Shamu evening shows. We arrived there just after 4pm and found that the parking attendants had left the signs said drive on through! On a subsequent trip later in the holiday this happened again. So if you want to see one of the Shamu evening shows or just spend the last hours of the evening at Sea World, come after 4pm for free parking.
We gave some money to the kids and they fed the rays and then the dolphins. You have to be quick doing the dolphins though as the sea gulls are rather adept at nicking the fish whilst in mid-air! I dont mind paying to feed the dolphin but I dont want to waste this on annoying birds
Moving on from here I wanted to go on Journey To Atlantis but nobody else wanted to get wet. At least this time it was open and I joined the queue. It took ages to ride though as I was in the queue for over 30 minutes. Its not that it was that busy, the loaders didnt seem to be getting the boats loaded quickly, the last two seats of each boat were not being used and the delays after loading were long. This detracted from what is, I think, a very good ride. Eventually I got to ride and was placed in the front seat where I got drowned the big drop and then drenched by the nice(?!) people paying their 25 cents to shoot jets of water at our boats!Because Id spent so long waiting for Atlantis, wed missed the last Clyde & Seymour Show which, although wed seen a few days before, is worth a second viewing as its so much fun. We walked around the park and visited Wild Arctic and had a whistle-stop tour of the Walrus and Beluga whales they have at Sea World. I say whistle stop as it had to be as the Shamu Rocks America show was abut to start. Still wet from riding Journey To Atlantis I sat in the soak zone (i.e. the first 14 rows of seats which can get very wet!) and the kids joined me. Ruth, being the ever responsible adult that she is, decided to sit higher up and take some photos of the show.
Now what can I say about the killer whales? Some people might say that to keep animals in these conditions and to get them to perform is bad. I can totally understand their point of view and I personally do not visit the circus or zoo as its my view that we shouldnt cage animals - unless its to protect them. And this is my dilemma about Sea World. The show that the trainers put on with the whales is superb. I cant tell what the whales are thinking but I feel that the animals are enjoying what they do. The interaction and rapport that the trainers have with the whales can only come through years of dedication and trust, at least, thats what it looks like to me. They must treat the whales as if theyre part of their own families and have years of getting to know each others idiosyncrasies this dedication has to be admired. If the whales were unhappy I do not think theyd perform, no matter what you coaxed them with. Any of the Shamu shows are worth coming to see and to visit Orlando and not see them would be a travesty.
The night had now set in and getting decidedly chilly. My decision to ride Atlantis and then sit in the soak zone for Shamu suddenly seemed very stupid. Doh! We made our way back to the main gift shop where Howard bought a fluffy manta ray that he named Reefy, Danny chose some toy dolphins & whales, Emily bought a toy for her best friend, Ruth got a very nice Sea World leather bag and I grabbed a lovely SW golfing shirt. Gimme one of these over a fashion shirt from Mall At Millenia anyday!
As we were leaving Sea World and making our way back to the car, Ruth overheard some people talking about visiting Typhoon Lagoon the next day (Wednesday). She asked me if it was open and I said no, as far as I knew, TL was closed for refurbishment. Ruth relayed this to the people who were adamant that TL would indeed be open on Wednesday. So much for all the investigation Id done online before we left home. More about this later
As we drove away from SW we decided to stop on International Drive for food. Wed rather take our chances on here than visit one the forever busy restaurants on the 192. Im so glad we made this decision as we found a jewel Friendlys on International Drive, just south of Austrian Court. True to its name, this is a very (family) friendly restaurant where the choice, value, quality and surroundings are hard to beat. The waitress talked us into a Mexican style starter which we all loved and the kids ordered hot dogs & hamburger meals. Ruth asked for a chicken meal and I opted for the Steak & Shrimp Special. Im drooling now just thinking about it!
Unlike Sizzler or Ponderosa, Friendlys doesnt have a buffet to choose from. However, the portions are so big and well made that you dont need a buffet. And if you think the meals are ice, wait until you try the puddings! Their speciality is anything to do with ice-creams or sundaes which the kids had great fun in demolishing. Ruth & I shared an apple pie with custard and cream which, apart from the American habit of smothering everything with cinnamon, was mouth wateringly good. We all ate and drank our fill and the bill, considering wed had starters, main meals and deserts, came to $61. If we go to Pizza Hut in the UK and just have pizza it cost around £35 so Friendlys is superb value. Please, if you get the chance try their restaurant do it, you wont regret it!
Now, back to the Typhoon Lagoon saga. As the kids had also heard Mr Bozo being adamant that TL would be open on Wednesday they wanted to go there. From all the information Id read before we left Blighty I knew that TL was closed but Mr Bozos ideas had now planted a seed of doubt into my tiny mind. It was around 21:30 in the restaurant that I had a flash of inspiration. How would we check if it was open or not? Its 21:30 here which means its 02:30 back home no one awake to check the net for us except Work! Haha! They take pleasure in calling me during the middle of the night (OK, I get paid extra for this) so this was my turn to call them and ask for a problem to be solved. I spoke to my colleague Tim and explained that I was in a restaurant in Florida and I wanted some information from the net. Quick as a flash, Tim brought up the TL web pages which clearly stated that Typhoon Lagoon was closed. Thanks Tim grrrr to Mr Bozo for making me have to make phone calls back to Blighty to check if a park is open or not!
Arriving back home at 22:30, stuffed and tired, we all flopped into bed and dropped off. The kids have been brilliant so far, even though weve had late nights and done so much stuff they havent been complaining or been naughty, well, no more than usual. So although we are doing a lot, were not that stressed. And what a great feeling that is!
Off to Blizzard Beach tomorrow.
And DS(5) insisted on buying cinnamon Frosties in the supermarket, which kept him going for most of the week as either a breakfast in the room or to carry round in a ziplock bag for a snack while riding in the buggy. Wish you could get them here (he makes do with cinnamon grahams, but its not the same). Also adore cinnamon buns, which we can't get here
