Category Archives: attraction

What’s a Visit to Orlando without A Mouse?

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Disney World, Orlando

Who goes to Orlando without at least one visit to Mickey Mouse? Even when Hurricane Irma blew through Orlando, the Walt JR on the job at DisneyDisney World Parks only closed for a couple of days. After spending a day with the manatees I only had 2 more days in Orlando so I hooked up with my BFF, JR. He works for Disney so he knows all of the shortcuts and tricks to a great visit. He’s also a Disney Photographer so he gets me to places where I can get great shots of my own.

Entering Disney

Don’t try this yourself. It’s illegal!

(Disney Tip) If you are one of those people who love photos of your vacation and plan to buy the photos the Disney Photographers take of you and your family, The Disney Photo Pass is the way to go.  It sounds expensive but it will save you money in the end.

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom Entrance

Disney is always adding and subtracting attractions and parks so it’s always changing. Through all of this “newness” I still love Animal Kingdom the best. I picked JR up at his work location. That was an adventure all by itself. Apparently GPS doesn’t work too well  in Disney’s back stage area. I wound up at the entrance to Magic Kingdom.The cast member at the entrance allowed me to turn around. A call to JR for directions soon had me pulling up to his work location. With JR to navigate I found the Animal Kingdom entrance with no problem.

Kali River RapidsFast Pass and the World of Pandora

Fast Pass is the best way to reserve your favorite rides. The Kali River Rapids is my favorite  ride but prepare to get wet. It wasn’t running when we first arrived. The crews were still repairing damages from the hurricane. Once it reopened we weren’t prepared with a change of clothes so we skipped it this time. My focus this trip was to see the new Pandora – The World of Avatar. Its been featured in a Disney Special on TV and it looks amazing. I have to see for myself! There were no Fast Passes for Pandora rides but we wandered over to check out the newest “land” in Animal Kingdom anyway.

Rainforest of Pandora

Crystal River Archaeological State Park

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Crystal River has more to offer than Manatees

Next stop, Crystal River Archaeological State Park. My fellow tourists turned in their rented wet suits and settled back on the bus. Madelyn handed out our “picnic” lunches so we could eat on the way to the park. The original tour was supposed to take us to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park but it was flooded from Hurricane Irma. Instead we were going to Crystal River Archaeological State Park.

Crystal River Archaeological State Park

Temple Mound

A National Historic Landmark, this 61-acre, pre-Columbian, Native American site has burial mounds, temple/platform mounds, a plaza area and a substantial midden. The six-mound complex is one of the longest continuously occupied sites in Florida. For 1,600 years the site served as an imposing ceremonial center for Native Americans. People traveled to the complex from great distances to bury their dead and conduct trade. It is estimated that as many as 7,500 Native Americans may have visited the complex every year. Although primarily an archaeological site, the park sits on the edge of an expansive coastal marsh. Anglers may catch saltwater and freshwater fish. As part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, the park offers bird-watchers the chance to observe a variety of birds.

The temperature was tipping 95 degrees so I chose to stay in the air conditioned museum. In addition to the artifacts on display there was a short educational movie. When my bus-mates returned they were really sweating. They said it was great scenery but really hot out there. I’ll save my exploration for another trip when it’s cooler out.

Crystal River Arch museum

One more stop

Part 3 of our tour is a 30 minute air boat tour of Lake Panasoffkee. Its about a 45 minute ride from Crystal River. Madelyn popped in the video from this morning. I think everyone was getting tired because the ride was very quiet. I was watching for hurricane damage but aside from a few trees and a lot of mangled bill boards the area we drove through seemed to be in pretty good shape. 

A great Day for The Manatees

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Beautiful Weather for a Swim with Manatees

Manatee Face

Today’s the day I’ll swim with the Manatees. That is if I can find the tour group.  I’m up before dawn. Pick up time is 7:30 but I’m not sure where. I have an address but no internet. Google maps gave me directions on a map but then told me they couldn’t help any more because my phone was off line. I propped my phone where I could see the map, crossed my fingers and headed out in the dark. Walgreen’s was the only landmark. When after 30 minutes I had not found Walgreen’s I turned around.

Entry at Mainegate Lakeside Resort Ah The Miracle of Technology

As the sunrise turned the sky a gorgeous red my cell phone blinked on and google maps decided to cooperate. I managed to get headed in the right direction before it went off line again. I passed my resort and kept on going. Just as I reached the intersection of RT 192 it popped on again telling me to “take a left”. 2 blocks farther and there was Walgreen’s and my phone started yelling for me to turn right, turn right! Sure enough there was the resort, Maingate Lakeside Resort. My pickup location! It only took me 1 hr and 15 minutes to find it. It was really only 10 minutes from my resort, The Mystic Dunes.  I guess you could say I took the long way around!

My Fellow PassengersOur tour bus

I was the first to arrive but right behind me was a family of 4 from England. We chatted a bit until a big blue bus with Florida Dolphin Tours written on the side pulled up. Our ride was here. We piled in still chatting about England and America and travel in general. We stopped at several more resorts adding passengers until the bus was full, At that point our guide, Madeline, did a head count and handed out our breakfasts. Not bad for fast food. It quickly became clear that Madeline and I were the only American’s. We had the British Invasion on our bus. One fellow quickly advised us he was the exception. He was from Wales!

And along Came Irma

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Hurricane Irma takes Aim for FloridaMickey Mouse

As Hurricane Irma heads for Florida even Disney is not immune. The World famous home of Mickey and Minnie is closing for only the 5th time since it opened in 1971. Why am I talking about this? Because it looks like I may be heading for Orlando just as Irma leaves the state.

A Mini Vacation in Jeopardy

About a year ago I had a chance to grab  a quick visit to Orlando. By quick I mean only 4 days. Fly down, spend a couple of days and fly back. The cost, just $150.00 so I jumped at the chance. The only problem was that I had to use the trip before September 30. I usually avoid vacations before October because of my work load but the price was too good to say no. So now I find  myself watching the weather channel nightly and getting updates from my friends in Orlando.

Saturday Morning Update

storm track

 

According to the weather folks, Irma’s hurricane strength winds are going to begin to reach Orlando tonight. On Sunday Orlando should be in the thick of it but as the pitchmen say-But Wait! There’s More!-. They just announced that Irma’s winds are going to hang around through Monday before the storm moves on out of the area.

So what about the trip?

I continue to monitor conditions. My resort is expected to be open for business on Tuesday. It’s been closed as of yesterday. Disney World is planning to welcome visitors again on Tuesday. Everyone is planning to bounce back quick. One can only hope the optimism is well placed. I guess it will all depend on the planes. If they are flying into Orlando I guess I’ll be going. House sitter/pet sitter is on standby so everything is in place if I get to go. I guess I’ll have a new adventure. I usually run away from disaster zones not toward them. I know my limits. In the meantime, keep your eye to the sky.

UPDATE

Just announced Irma is shifting to the West. Bad for the coast good for Orlando.

Captain John and the Whales

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Captain John’s Whale WatchingWhale Tail

Captain John Boats lives in Plymouth, MA and sails the seas of Massachusetts Bay and Stellwagen Banks. Why, Matey? What does the Captain John do on the bay? We be lookin’ for whales. Mostly humpback whales but also finbacks and minkes. So come on board and let me tell you a “tail” of the sea.

Whale Watching in Massachusetts

Summertime on the Massachusetts coast means whales. The evening news happily reports when the first whales of the season begin to arrive along Cape Cod. The first are usually the rare right whales. We watch them from the shore. We recognize them by their distinctive wide V-shaped blow. All the while we watch we also freeze in the early spring blustery cold.

Whale TailWith Warmer Weather come the Tours

As the weather warms the Right whales move out and the Humpbacks, Finbacks and Minkes take their place. I’ve followed the whales for 43 years through good years and bad. South of Boston there are 3 main tour companies, Boston’s New England Aquarium, Captain John Boats in Plymouth and the Dolphin Fleet out of Provincetown. It doesn’t seem to matter which one you take, they all seem to end up at Stellwagen Bank within sight of each other and the Pilgrim Tower in Provincetown.

A Whale of a Trip

Last Saturday I finally had a free afternoon. I usually prefer the morning trip out of Plymouth with Captain John. I seem to have better luck on those tours but this time I couldn’t get away until the 2 pm tour. We no sooner reached the feeding grounds of Stellwagen Banks than 3 humpbacks sounded right next to the boat. They stayed close for 3-4 dives before moving out.  We had several other humpbacks cruise along with the boat and then one tried to ride our bow! It was a very active trip and the passengers were really excited.

Riding a bow wave

Rate the Trip

If this was your first trip it was a definite 10. There were lots of whales and lots of activity. For a more experienced whale watcher it might have been a bit of a let down. There were no flipper slaps, bubble net or surface feeding, or breaches but some lovely flukes…a 5. I am so spoiled!

Gurnet Light

Gurnet Light