BarryHom
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Aug 20, 1999
- Messages
- 14,159
May 25, 2001
The cast:
Me (the 29-year old)
When we do our research, were always on the lookout for something to make a joke about, and we thought coming here [Epcots World Showcase] would be the mother lode.
-- Lonely Planet Florida, Nick and Corinna Selby
Some people thought it was unusual for me to visit the Holy Land Experience. Im not religious. Ive only been to church for weddings and funerals. If I did go to a church service, Id be like Homer Simpson and fall asleep! Why was I visiting the Holy Land Experience then? For one thing, a lot of people on the boards asked about it and I wanted to see it first-hand. Secondly, I thought about the quote above from Nick and Corinna Selby. The place sounded like a cheesy tourist trap, so I thought that could really rip on the attraction. I would have a trip report full of jokes about the place. This attraction would be my mother lode. It would be the liveliest trip report ever!
I headed up I-4 to exit 31, where the Holy Land Experience was. I thought I avoided the rain and ugly clouds until I hit the exit before Sea World. Then the rain came down hard. I could barely see the road and drove at around 25 mph. It started hailing too and the drivers side of the car was pelted by tiny bits of ice. I had to get off the road. I finally saw an exit, but I couldnt tell which one it was. I decided that this had to be it, so I exited. It was the exit to Sea World. I decided I would hang out in either the Sea World or Discovery Cove parking lot until the rain let up. The Discovery Cove parking lot was the easiest to get in, so I pulled over and parked. I thank my lucky stars that I got through the weather without getting into an accident. I thought that surely I would hit another car with all the heavy rain.
I hung out in the Discovery Cove parking lot. This will probably be the closest I get to Discovery Cove. The parking lot had some nice palm trees and I was watching them sway in the wind. I was looking at them to judge whether or not to move out. It hailed on me for a while and the rain stopped after about 30 minutes. I headed out to I-4, but traffic was backed up for a mile on International Drive. Boy, do I hate driving on International Drive at this time of day. I finally made it to I-4 and headed to the Holy Land Experience.
I arrived at the attraction at around 7:15 and saw the buildings from the Interstate. It looked very nice! I pulled in and the place seemed dead. I tried to buy tickets, but the guest services person said that they were closing in 45 minutes. The rain had wiped out most of their attractions. I had endured the storm, so I know how powerful it was! She wanted to sell me tickets for tomorrow, but I wasnt sure I would be back then. She did notice my DIS moderator shirt and asked about it. Maybe I should have asked to be backdoored in just so I could take a look around, but I dont like to toss around my moderator status like that.
From what I saw of the Holy Land Experience, I should have remembered the next sentence in the Selbys quote, How disappointing it was for us, then, when we saw just how well this section was done. It did look well done, but I think I still could have made a joke about something.
I headed back out. My hotel was on West Vine Street in Kissimmee, so I headed down I-4. The Interstate was backed up around exits 28 and 29 and there were no signs of it clearing up soon. I pulled off again and decided to hang around somewhere to wait. WonderWorks was close and Ive always wanted to visit it, so I drove over there.
The cast:
Me (the 29-year old)
When we do our research, were always on the lookout for something to make a joke about, and we thought coming here [Epcots World Showcase] would be the mother lode.
-- Lonely Planet Florida, Nick and Corinna Selby
Some people thought it was unusual for me to visit the Holy Land Experience. Im not religious. Ive only been to church for weddings and funerals. If I did go to a church service, Id be like Homer Simpson and fall asleep! Why was I visiting the Holy Land Experience then? For one thing, a lot of people on the boards asked about it and I wanted to see it first-hand. Secondly, I thought about the quote above from Nick and Corinna Selby. The place sounded like a cheesy tourist trap, so I thought that could really rip on the attraction. I would have a trip report full of jokes about the place. This attraction would be my mother lode. It would be the liveliest trip report ever!
I headed up I-4 to exit 31, where the Holy Land Experience was. I thought I avoided the rain and ugly clouds until I hit the exit before Sea World. Then the rain came down hard. I could barely see the road and drove at around 25 mph. It started hailing too and the drivers side of the car was pelted by tiny bits of ice. I had to get off the road. I finally saw an exit, but I couldnt tell which one it was. I decided that this had to be it, so I exited. It was the exit to Sea World. I decided I would hang out in either the Sea World or Discovery Cove parking lot until the rain let up. The Discovery Cove parking lot was the easiest to get in, so I pulled over and parked. I thank my lucky stars that I got through the weather without getting into an accident. I thought that surely I would hit another car with all the heavy rain.
I hung out in the Discovery Cove parking lot. This will probably be the closest I get to Discovery Cove. The parking lot had some nice palm trees and I was watching them sway in the wind. I was looking at them to judge whether or not to move out. It hailed on me for a while and the rain stopped after about 30 minutes. I headed out to I-4, but traffic was backed up for a mile on International Drive. Boy, do I hate driving on International Drive at this time of day. I finally made it to I-4 and headed to the Holy Land Experience.
I arrived at the attraction at around 7:15 and saw the buildings from the Interstate. It looked very nice! I pulled in and the place seemed dead. I tried to buy tickets, but the guest services person said that they were closing in 45 minutes. The rain had wiped out most of their attractions. I had endured the storm, so I know how powerful it was! She wanted to sell me tickets for tomorrow, but I wasnt sure I would be back then. She did notice my DIS moderator shirt and asked about it. Maybe I should have asked to be backdoored in just so I could take a look around, but I dont like to toss around my moderator status like that.
From what I saw of the Holy Land Experience, I should have remembered the next sentence in the Selbys quote, How disappointing it was for us, then, when we saw just how well this section was done. It did look well done, but I think I still could have made a joke about something.
I headed back out. My hotel was on West Vine Street in Kissimmee, so I headed down I-4. The Interstate was backed up around exits 28 and 29 and there were no signs of it clearing up soon. I pulled off again and decided to hang around somewhere to wait. WonderWorks was close and Ive always wanted to visit it, so I drove over there.
Great report...can't wait to see what you thought of WonderWorks...I have been there once and that was enough for me...it is neat, but nothing I would do everytime I was in Florida...
