I know the month isn’t quite half over, but I’m exhausted. We just got back from Orlando, Florida where we marched in the MGM/Disney Star Wars Weekends parade. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that marching at one of the Disney parks to the sound of Star Wars music BLARING wasn’t one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. We marched Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All three days were beyond hot, so luckily the powers that be in Disney made it a short parade with a nice slow pace.
The perks for getting to do something so cool (like we need perks to be geeks in public) are two park-hopper passes for each day you march. That gave Jon and I a total of 4 passes each day (doing a little math for you). We spent the first day at Epcot, the second at MGM, the third at Animal Kingdom (with a stop back at MGM for a photo with Jedi Mickey) and the last at the Magic Kingdom.
My dad used to live by Disneyland when I was between the ages of 10 or 11 and 12. I spent many a summer day at that park in those years. I also visited while in high school. That park is pretty familiar to me. I should note that I was at Disney World only once during a brief trip in 1987. We didn’t see much of the park that day, but what I did see didn’t leave a good impression. While I had a much better time at Disney World this time around, I still hold that Disneyland is a much better park. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to go back to Disneyland next summer to compare the two as a grown up.
Of the parks, I think MGM and Animal Kingdom are my favorites. AK had tigers, lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos and rhinoceroses. MGM had the 3D Muppets show, a back lot tour with Star Wars and Aliens props at the end, and of course they were blaring that Star Wars music. We took many photos, and I hope to have them online in the next week or so.
My back and neck made enjoying our time in Florida pretty difficult. The parks require a lot of walking and there is only so much I can do before the pain starts shooting down my legs (plural, since it’s on both sides now). Add to that the fact that we were barely back from Columbus before leaving for Orlando and I’m in a ton of pain. I am so happy that we went on both trips, but I sure am happy to be home.
It sounds like you had a pretty good time (minus the pain).
I went to Disneyworld when I was 17 and I enjoyed it. I never did make it to Epcot though.
And even though I live in Southern California and have since 1991, I have never been to Disneyland. Nor do I have any yearning to do so. Although I suppose I should go at least once in my lifetime.