Friday, January 10, 2014

On to Disney

The newsman on TV said that this week EVERY state in the country had temps below freezing, including Hawaii and Florida!   It’s true but then the weather on top of Hawaii’s volcano is ALWAYS cold!   Our original plans called for moving to Disney World on Monday but the forecast was not good so we stayed in Kelly Park an extra day.  On Sunday it was almost 80 so we slid into the deep cool water and snorkeled down the Rock Spring Run.  And as always - I looked like the monster from the dark lagoon!  As warm as it was on Sunday, Monday temps hit the bottom in low 30’s and highs in the 40’s. 







  Tuesday was not much better as we loaded on the long pants and sweat shirts and moved the condo to Ft Wilderness Campground in the maze of loops and lakes in the Disney Complex.

Wednesday was supposed to get warmer but we wisely chose to wear our winter coats as the morning started out cold - and we were taking a boat ride to the Magic Kingdom!   Thru the main gates, Main Street USA lay before us and led our eyes to the amazing view of the centerpiece of the park -Cinderella’s Castle.    The child in H emerged as he grabbed my hand and off we headed to Tomorrowland to ride his favorite ride – Space Mountain. NO, it is not on my list of fun things to do with all the jerks and fits of ups and downs and bright flashing lights being thrown in front of you in the blackest of darkness.  Although, to be honest, I did only see one set of lights until I finally peeked and saw it was the end of the fitful ride!   H’s second favorite ride, Tomorrowland Speedway was closed, as was his third – Splash Mountain.  We did ride the usual ones - the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Frontier Railway. We climbed the Swiss Family Treehouse and patiently sat thru the fake-feathered birds tweeting away in the Tiki Room!   
The Country Bears Jamboree is not as good as the one in our memory; however, the Parade of Presidents is still a great thing to behold.  We hurried and caught part of the noon parade but by 8pm we were leaning on the available strong fence to ease our weary backs and feet so we could watch the amazing fireworks display that flashed and boomed high above the moored paddlewheel tour boat.  The spreading fingers of color that drifted down the walls of the dark sky looked like large iridescent mum pedals reflecting in the calm dark water of the small river in front of us.   We finally joined the herd of human cattle, all trying to merge back onto Mainstreet, to finally end up at the various modes of transportation to get each back to their pillows and places of rest for the night.  Our boat finally arrived and too many of us were herded aboard, filling the boat with so many passengers that a lot were standing in the aisle.  Shortly after disembarking, a unique parade of small boats and their obedient barges behind them slowly paraded across the lake, just out from the boat dock at the campground.  Loud music bellowed from the lead boat as a large green dragon with a bright red tongue lit up.  Its body and tail were the 2nd and 3rd boats.  Then came a turtle, 3 jumping fish and lastly a bright green gator with smacking jaws on the following crafts.  Enough!  We needed a bus to our campground loop and our own soft pillows.  Thursday was going to be here soon and we needed to find the road out of Disney.