Saturday, May 13, 2023

Florida Trip May 11-14

So one weekend we're moving into the house and the next? I'm off to Florida.

Jason had invited me many months ago, back in the fall, to be a judge for his end of year History Fair for his 8th graders. 

So off to Bradenton I flew, and after the Fair, Sammi, Jason, Charlie, and I spent the weekend at Walt Disney World.

in Sammi's art classroom

Jason with his three judges 

The three of us made our way around 58 different students' boards and presentations in the space of two hours. Whew. 

After school, we loaded up with Charlie and headed for Disney's Riverside resort for two nights. Riverside is one of three resorts on property (there are 24 in all) that allow pets in the room. He stays in his crate while we're at the parks and we have a door hangar that lets housekeeping know. This hangar also allows a Disney employee to come into the room to check on him. 

Our room is one of the Royal Rooms which is decorated as though you are in a castle. 



The headboards light up with fireworks, too










We got up bright and early to go see Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival 





























































We went back to the room at lunch to cool off and nap 
before spending the evening at Magic Kingdom











We had tickets for the fireworks dessert party this time. Thanks to Sammi always getting blocked and unable to see on the regular street we hadn't watched the show together in a very long time (2017!)

The dessert party tickets have a few options. You can sit down for the all you can eat BEFORE the show, AFTER the show, and DURING the show, but you have to specify which time when you purchase your tickets. Knowing the complete insanity that happens as soon as the show is over and you can barely move anywhere, we opted to go sit down after the show and let all those folks get out of the way. Plus, if you choose before the show, you may not get to the reserved watching area early enough to get up to the front of the area without people in front of you. 

While you may be thinking the during choice would be the best, the seating area is not in the center of Main Street like the reserved standing area is. You are way off to the right with more obstructions blocking angles. And, if you choose the during and don't get seated at a table at the rail, you may end up having the roof block you as well. 


We arrived at the reserved standing area an hour ahead of time to be sure we could get to the front of the fence and therefore have no one standing directly in front of Sammi. Even then, we claimed one of the last spaces. Close to show time, that gate you see above closes and we moved up to the rail. 


The only obstruction was one the light poles, which is true anywhere in the reserved space, but also this twisty topiary. If did it again, I'd try to move to the left more and get the topiary out of the way and that pole less centered. But Sammi was able to see the whole show as well as the projections on the castle.

Post party desserts: 









Sunday morning we packed up and stopped off for Mickey Beignets before heading for the airport















 

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