Magic Kingdom with David and Bobby Part 1

Angie and Trina had left 4 days earlier but today we decided to go to the Walt Disney World Lost and Found to see if Angie's sunglasses lost at Animal Kingdom could be found.

The Lost and Found is located near the Kennel Club and this cool topiary of every Disney fan's favorite dog, Pluto, can be found smack dab in front of the building.
Yes, people lose MANY pairs of sunglasses daily at the parks...but we DID manage to find the right pair. We will return them to her someday.

The next day David and Bobby came to visit us for a couple of days following their cruise to Key West and Cozumel. We decided to take in The Magic Kingdom and arrived right before the gate opened and just in time to see the song and dance production that welcomes guests to the park.

David and Bobby took time to stand in front of The Magic Kingdom's most famous icon as seen before on this blog...Cinderella's Castle.

Cinderella's Castle has gotten new found attention since the introduction of Disney's Year of a Million Dreams on October 4, 2006. Officially extended through 2008, one of the Dream Giveaways is a stay in the Cinderella Castle Suite.

A great website to read all about this promotion and see pictures of the Suite can be found at http://www.wdwmagic.com/yearofamilliondreams.htm . Check it out.

Buzz Lightyear greets us and briefs us on our mission in his Space Ranger Spin.

Marlon and Bobby zero in on aliens.

After an intense battle with aliens it was time to ride "the happiest cruise that ever sailed".

Did you know that the name of the ride is officially spelled with all small letters? Take a look at some of the stars of "it's a small world".

Did you know the song was written by the Sherman Brothers specifically for this ride which was then called "children of the world"?

Did you know the ride features 472 figures (both animated and not) according to wikipedia?

Did you know that penguins can sing?

We forgot to ask David and Bobby if this cruise was indeed happier than their Carnival Cruise.

To be continued...

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...