Disney Quest Interactive Adventures

Today we decided to check out Disney Quest Interactive Adventures in Downtown Disney.

Disney Quest combines Dave and Buster's with an amusement park...with, of course, the Disney twist.

Disney Quest features virtual-reality based rides and games as well as hundreds of current and classic video games. Admission includes unlimited play and rides.

Buzz Lightyear's Astroblasters are enclosed bumper cars which vacuum up ammunition (in the form of balls) from the floor. The object of the game is to then shoot the targets on the other players' vehicles in order to send them spinning out of control.

Marlon looks forward to demonstrating his shooting prowess.

Unfortunately, his driver will be this guy. Good luck Marlon!

Animation Academy offers classes to young and old alike who want to learn how to draw their favorite Disney characters.

There's one of those favorite Disney characters now...that little wooden fibber...Pinocchio.

Aladdin's genie lures Marlon through the entrance to...

Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride-a virtual-reality ride through Agrabah.

Doug concentrates while playing one of those beloved classic video games of the Chuck E. Cheese variety. Which animal goes "moo"?

Marlon plays another classic game of Popcorn...catch a falling kernel.

Marlon and Doug don the headgear in order to Ride the Comix.

Ride the Comix is another virtual-reality attraction. In it, players use their laser sword to wage war against comic book villains.

In this video, watch one of the tumbling cars of Cyberspace Mountain where you design your own rollercoaster and then ride it.

Then see Buzz Lightyear's Astroblasters in action and Marlon and Doug's skill at yet another classic video game.
For a few more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/february/disney-quest/ .

To be continued...

Magic Kingdom with Trina

Today Angie was not feeling well so we took Trina to The Magic Kingdom where she and Marlon teamed up blasting aliens in Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.

Then they decided to take in Mickey's Philharmagic Orchestra in 3-D.

The Queen of Hearts, from Alice in Wonderland, is incensed that Marlon would take her picture and decries "Off with your head!" as she often does in the book by Lewis Carroll.

Trina and Doug were pleased to be able to keep their heads and proceeded on to a ride on the Walt Disney World Railroad.

The Railroad circles the perimeter of the park and provides a nice view of The Contemporary Resort in the distance.

Woody and Jessie, the yodeling cowgirl, appear daily in Frontierland at The Magic Kingdom.

Some fans seek autographs from the boy who magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan.

A relative of Donald Duck was spotted in Adventureland today...

with its offspring in tow.

For more pictures of The Magic Kingdom today, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/february/magic-kingdom-with-trina/ .

To be continued...

Lake Louisa State Park and Funny Cats

This morning we all slept in. In the afternoon, we headed to Lake Louisa State Park. About 25 miles away, it is the closest State Park to Theme World.

Lake Louisa State Park actually contains 5 different lakes-Hammond Lake, Dixie Lake, Dude Lake, Bear Lake and the largest, Lake Louisa.

We caught a glimpse of these Bambi look-alikes not far from the road.

Lake Louisa has a large beach area for sunbathing and swimming.

Angie and Trina were unable to do much sunbathing as it was cloudy and raining off and on.

In addition to live oaks and saw palmettos, this park also features an abundance of bald cypress trees like this one covered in spanish moss.

Spanish moss can be found from the southeastern United States all the way down to Argentina. The plant lacks roots and absorbs nutrients and water from the air and rainfall. While the plant does not feed on the tree (thereby killing it) it does block sunlight from the tree thereby slowing its growth rate.

Spanish moss can be a nesting ground for chiggers, rat snakes and three species of bats. Yikes!

Chatfield searched and searched for a nice soft place to lay.

Ferocious watch-cat Sammy prepares for the pounce.

Chatfield loves hair gel.

For a few more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/february/lake-louisa-state-p/ .

To be continued...

Marlon's Birthday at Epcot with Trina & Angie

It's Marlon's birthday and he decided we would all go to Epcot today.

They grow some weird things in the greenhouse at The Land Pavilion. One such thing is the Cinderella Pumpkin which often grows in the shape of a famous mouse.
These plants are being grown using aeroponics in which water and nutrients are sprayed on the plants' roots.

Pumbaa, Timon and The Lion King himself, Simba, teach Epcot guests about the importance of the environment in the film Circle of Life also located within The Land Pavilion.

Dory says "I speak whale...Happy B...i...r...t...h...d...a...y...M...a...r...l...o...n...Elmo doesn't look a thing like you." Nemo tells her MARLON isn't his dad...MARLIN is.

Besides...clownfish don't live to be THAT old.

Or THAT old.

Or as old as these Xian warrior statues found at the China Pavilion.

Or even as old as these two youngsters (one being Mulan).

Clownfish live to 3 to 5 years in captivity and 6 to 10 years in the wild.

The Temple of Heaven is located in the China Pavilion. The theater showcasing the Circle-Vision 360° film Reflections of China can be entered by walking through the Temple.

The Eiffel Tower looms in the background in this photo of the fountains of France in the France Pavilion.

Don't take a picture of me...there's food stuck in my teeth.

Spaceship Earth was open today but won't have its official grand re-opening until February 18th.

Each day at Epcot ends with the spectacular show Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. Here's a video.

For more pictures of Epcot, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/january/marlons-birthday-at/ .

To be continued...

Cypress Gardens and More with Trina & Angie

Today we drove around Kissimmee showing some of the sights to Trina and Angie. While we were driving through the Disney-developed town of Celebration, we came across these turkeys wandering down the sidewalk.

Later that evening we took them to Old Town (Angie and Trina...not the turkeys). In Kissimmee, Old Town is a shopping and entertainment spot complete with carnival rides and live music. They often have weekend bike and car shows too.

The next day we all went to Cypress Gardens and visited the coatimundis. Their natural habitats include Mexico, Columbia, Ecuador and bizarrely to us, Arizona.

The Aviary was one attraction we had not yet visited at Cypress Gardens. This bird made us feel right at home by climbing right on board.

This white cockatoo is thought to be bi-polar. Doug was standing next to the fence and this bird came up behind him saying "hello...hello." After she'd wandered up Doug's arm, the zookeeper warned us that she could be friendly one minute and biting your ear the next...hard. Luckily, she dismounted without any incident.

Next we ventured over to a show we had not yet seen. The Treasure of Cypress Cove will keep you laughing at its many corny jokes and puns.

"Something itches under this darn wing!"

This little tree frog was attempting to blend into the fence railing. He was between one and two inches long.

Angie and Marlon get ready to put out the fire. Meanwhile, Trina scopes out the next smoking area.

Cypress Gardens' Kringles shop is a year-round Christmas store with exhibits featuring the many Santa Clauses of the World.

Here's the Story of Saint Nicholas.

This is Father Ice from the heart of Siberia.

This is Mr. Peacock, possibly retired from NBC.

We then took a stroll through the Botanic Gardens.

We saw some bananas...

some Banyan trees...

and someone GOING bananas...

Then we started up for our final view of the park in The Sunshine Sky Adventure. Here we are beginning the ascent.

Here's a 3-minute video showing highlights of our day.
For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/january/celebration-and-old/ and http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/january/cypress-garden-with/ .

To be continued...