The Lovejoys Go To Orlando, FL
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February is the ideal time for us Lovejoy’s to get out of Wisconsin. We are so over the winter and are in dire need for some vitamin D. Our favorite spot is, of course, Orlando! This year, we made our way back to explore Disney World, SeaWorld, Gatorland and, of course, the beach! Check out our adventures below:
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As the name states, this kingdom is full of magic and wonder. We walked into the park (a little later than we would have liked) greeted by an energetic parade filled with music and dance. The parade led you to Cinderella’s Castle where the floats stopped, characters got off and everyone danced in the street. The kids were beside themselves at how social and easy it was to approach a character and have fun with them.
We made a stop at the Firehouse where the kids received complimentary “magic spell cards” to fight off Disney Villains. These cards came in so handy as we checked out each other’s cards while we stood in line. The kids still cherish the cards now that we are home (and they were free).
Our highlights were Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan and the Happily Ever After fireworks. So many “oohhs” and so many “aahhs”
This park is big and crowded and wait times for rides can be up to 200 minutes which makes it so important to plan your FastPasses, be familiar with the grounds and have a plan before you walk in.
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After a day at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom was a breeze. Animal Kingdom may have more land, but has fewer rides and attractions, making the need to try everything a little less imminent. We got into It’s Tough to be a Bug immediately. I thought this show was really fun with 3-D effects and, for the most part, my kids did too…until, they turned off the lights and they had spiders hanging from the ceiling! My boys weren’t phased at all, but my brave daughter, Kyleigh, screamed hysterically. Luckily, it was towards the end of the show and we got out pretty quick.
We made our way to DinoLand U.S.A. and the kids really liked the Boneyard, which is nothing more than a playground where the kids were able to run around without us adults telling them where to go and where to stand. After they got their bit of freedom, we headed to the ride Dinosaur --- FANTASTIC!! My husband’s favorite, by far. What my husband really liked was the detail that the designers put into the building and the ride. A must do, for sure.
We walked through Asia and did the Kali River Rapids. Wow! It was kind of a short ride, but so much fun and a much needed cool down in the hot sun. Of course, we did Kilimanjaro Safaris, which was a big hit, but my favorite was Pandora-World of Avatar. They did such a great job making you feel like you are in a whole new world. We did the Na’vi River Journey ride which was great!! My kiddos were too short for the Avatar Flight of Passage so we had to pass on that one, but the people getting off loved it!
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Day 3 – Work Day: Tour Disney World Resorts
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I took a work day while the kids played in the pool with my husband. I was able to visit 14 Disney World Resorts. Everything from Disney’s All-Star Resorts (which I do not love), Pop Century Resort (which I liked a lot better), to Fort Wilderness, Port Orleans, Animal Kingdom, Contemporary, Polynesian finishing at the Grand Floridian. Every resort was different, with its own personality and perks. I was able to view different room categories including the 3 Bedroom Villa at Animal Kingdom that has a pool table for when you are taking a break from looking at the animals right outside your room at the perfectly located waterhole and feeding platform. I was also able to dine at different resorts including the Port Orleans-French Quarter and check out the entertainment at the Polynesian once the sun went down. I took the walking trail from the Wilderness Lodge to the campgrounds of Fort Wilderness then hoped on a boat to the Contemporary and watched the fireworks over the castle from one of their Club Level Rooms. The Cast Members at every resort was wonderful, treating me and their guest like royalty.
Many of my client's biggest decision is where to stay. Not many people get to experience all of the resorts. This was a great experience to understand the difference between the properties and who would be the ideal client for each property.
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My kids had so much fun at SeaWorld. They loved that they could feeding sting rays and petting dolphins. The Aquarium was great with sharks and octopus. Of course, everyone had so much fun on
The Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin ride. In The Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin Ride, you 'slide' along the ice in a cart, just like a baby penguin, through icy caverns during the Aurora Borealis. At the end you are greeting by dozens of real penguins! Our family loved it!
My daughter loves rides so we went on the Journey to Atlantis. It was an equal balance of peaceful and thrilling at the same time. She could not get enough! My husband and I aren't the biggest roller coaster goers so I was so proud of my husband when he got in line for Kraken. He thought it was awesome!
Of course the sea lion, dolphin and killer whale shows where incredibly educational and entertaining. My kids were on the edge of their seats anticipating to get splashed.
I can not leave out the food! They had wine and whisky tasting stands. They had food stands everywhere with different food at every stand, all smelling and tasting amazing!
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Please, please always schedule a pool day. The parks are great, educational, possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but make sure you take some time to decompress, rest you legs, enjoy the sun and each other.
My oldest son is obsessed with nature and went on a lizard hunt around the pool, trying to outsmart these fast, evolutionary evolved creatures with no luck. Kyleigh practiced her swimming under water and diving in. Preston played catch with my husband and enjoyed splashing the water at us. We all had a great time laughing, playing and remembering how much fun we have together.
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We heard so much about Gatorland but never really thought about it, so we gave it a shot. It was perfect! The cost to get in was pretty inexpensive so we were good with the idea of staying for a few hours and then heading out if we weren't having it.
They had a show and tell where I got to hold a live (huge) python. My kids were so excited for me and had so many questions for the staff. We went to see Gator Wrestling where a guide talked about the history of gator wrestling and then actually wrestled a gator. The kids even fed baby alligators. It was a great time and the kids walked way learning so much about these amazing creatures.
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We needed to see a little sand, so we rented a car and headed to Cocoa Beach. My oldest son has been fascinated with cruise ships since I talk about them quite often. We stopped by the port where they got to see how big these ships really are. My son tried so hard to make me promise that our next vacation is a cruise.
The beach was wonderful. The waves were so much fun. I took each kiddo out to come face-to-face with the white water as the waves crashed down on us. We tasted the salt and built sand castles. It was a perfect ending to an amazing trip.
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