HALLOWEEN NIGHT AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS - ORLANDO

Tonight we went to Universal Studios Halloween Horror night, it was very well put together and we walked through several haunted houses but most of all Joanne handled a really wicked ride call "The Mummy" it was up, down, backwards, forwards, stop and started suddenly - i think she is still processing what the hack just happened, is was a great ride - the affects were brilliant.

It is late, so i better go catch some zzz's.

My cold is getting better, but as Relle always tells me "sharing is caring Aunti", so I decided to share my cold with Jonne and now she has it.

Nighty night everyone

NASA and Disney Hollywood Studios

NASA Tour and lunch with an Astronaut:

Visiting NASA was very interesting and we don't really understand the size of these set ups until you are there.  Joanne was keen to see inside one of the large building where the orbitor is assembled, but they have had no onside tours for over 30 years but they are trying to negiotate with NASA to set this up again, so watch this space, well NASA's website.

We also had lunch with an Astronaut (Roger Crunch), only with about 100 other people, but that was ok, as the food was nice and the astronaut was a really good speak, explaining his experience (he was 56years if age before he went to space), where he came from and how long it took for him to become one.

Hollywood Studios
We spent the morning visiting the Hollywood Studios, which is quite different to the other parks (sorry just experiencing some technical issues with the uploading of photos) ... anyways, it was a smaller park and there were lots of acts going on around the streets, but you got to see the production side of sets etc.

We take it for granted of what we see on the big screen, as it is all made up of several screens and then they sew it altogether, for us to then see at the movies or on DVD.

Epcot Park

Today we spent the day at Epcot Theme park ... it is much more for the adults and has a lot of interactive things to do and teaches lots about the land, universe, sea and car safety etc.  Joanne did really well and complete to big rides without feeling unwell, so that was excellent.  The park is huge, but I didn't think it had as many rides as Magical Kingdom, but it had samples of lots of different countries:  eg:  UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, France and several more, so they had snack sizes of the food and drinks relating to that county and currently a Food Festival has just started today, but goes on for a week or more. It was a warm day (just lovely) so went swimming this evening, the pool is open until 12am, so that's handy.

I better fly as the internet is about to run out and so I better rap this one up, I mean those who know me, know I can talk, but I do know when to stop - believe it or not - he he he.  Gosh whoever comes up with the ideas and builds these amazing rides are just amazing and good on them, but more so a huge THANKS to Walt Disney himself for starting it all off, he truly was an amazing man. Once you have been here, then most other fun parks back home or in Australia will not be the same, but that's ok they are all slightly different and the USA is a huge country and the population is bigger so the need big theme parks and Orlando has the land space,

We are off to Kennedy Space Centre tomorrow for the whole day, so that will be interesting.

Take care everyone and we hope you are keeping warm

Cheers the 2 winnies

First few days in Orlando ... Florida

We have been in Orlando for two days now and been visited the Disney Animal and Magical Kingdom - "where dreams come true", will that's what they kept saying all day.  When you enter the park, you grab a map and then work out which way around you want to go and it explains what each ride envolves. 

Yesterday in Animal Kingdom, it was a tad hot and after an early flight we managed a few rides including the Everest Rollcoaster ride, OMG it was classic , Joanne screamed her lungs out, that she just about deafen me in my right ear and i was just cracking up laughing with her response to the ride.  It got the old head spinning and this did not mix well with being tired and the heat,  it affected Joanne a bit more than me, so we ended up coming back to our hotel and I went swimming and sunbathing, while Joanne slept for about 3 and half hours, but all good after that wee nana nap. 

DAY 2:  We left at 9am this morning and did not get back until about 9.30pm. These parks are very well set up, the staff are always helpful, nice and the place is spotless.  We managed to do all sorts of rides and see most of the park, though there are some rides that you might want to double check before attempting, as you are not allowed on some if you have any heart or bloody pressure problems, so that's a good warning before getting on board. Joanne cannot believe how parents con their hot, tired,  grumpy kids to do half of these rides!  We've heard all sorts of stories!

WARNING - don't tell the kids about this place, as they would love it here, but it will cost you a small fortunate - he he he.

At the end of the day we took the monorail from Magical Kingdom over to Epcot and had a brief look around and also managed to complete two rides, which were great, very interactive rides ... Joanne loves the NASA space flight asimulator ride, only because she was the Command and I was the engineer and two other young guys were the pilot and the navigator.  We ended the evening watching an amazing fireworks and laser display over the lagoon, called "illuminations", just prior to the start of the show, mother nature decided to kick it off with an electrical storm, just lightening - we could not hear any thunder! 

We then returned at our hotel called "All Stars Music Resort" there are also two other resorts that are similar, called the All Star Movies and Sport".

Tomorrow we are off to Epcot tomorrow another Disney park that is a bit different to most the other parts.

Saturday we have an all day tour at Kennedy Space centre and then on Sunday we move to the Universal Studios for 3 days and then Vegas here we come.

Have a Magical week!

Cheers The 2 Winnies

xoxoxox

PS:  hope you are not missing us too much, but I'm not missing the cold weather, I love this weather here in Orlando, very similar to Hawaii.

A bite of the Big Apple

Oops sorry for the delay in posting an update, have attempted twice and ended up going to sleep!   It certainly has been a full on time in New York, and yes all self inflicted!  Just to catch up on events since the last post. 

Karen and I went out and saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  This was fantastic and that statue is truely a beautiful sight. 

It was a fab day got a bit of a tan, headed back to the hotel straight after this as we left Sharlene behind as she has had a bit of a cold and needed a lie in. 

After picking her up we went walking a block over to find a full on market on 6th ave, that went right through to central park.  Now that is a long way if you know New York.  Great culture around these markets with a lot of both imported goods and local home made produce. Had a look around the Rockerfeller Centre, and Carnigie Hall. 

Once we got to Central park we couldnt resist a carriage ride, this was fab.  Central Park is beautiful, it must be amasing here in the winter.   Karen had to head back to Canada in the evening, am sure she will be popping back given it is just an hours flight for her. 

Next day Sharlene and I decided to sort out our last events using the New York pass and went to book tickets to see another stage show, Rock of Ages, and also to seek out bus tickets to Woodbury Outlet store. From there we headed towards Central Park and hired bicycles for a ride around the park.  It is huge, quite deceiving.  Had to stop in at Strawberry Fields to take a photo of the 'Imagine' mosaic dedicated to John Lennon, heaps of people there including two weddings taking photographs. Madam Tussauds was our next stop.  It was quite funny, Sharlene and I went around taking photos making poses to blend in with the wax model pose.  Had a lot of fun.  In one area you have the option of going through a scream horror walk.  We went through, couldnt stop laughing as these crazy men popped out of nowhere trying to scare us.  The sudden bang of a big drum at the beginng made Sharlene jump, i couldnt stop laughing. Towards the end we found a music booth of which you stuck your head on a board, you select a song and mime it.  Out popps a DVD with a cartoon presentation of two chicks dancing and miming to Lady Marmalade!!That was fun too!!LOL, by the way this is a one off copy write we will not be distributing any copies in near future!!! 

In the evening we went to Rock of Ages stage show, along the way we passed a free public show in the middle of times square of the New York symphoney orchestra (assuming it was them), some of the big screens on the surrounding buildings were showing it.  It was incredible.  The Rock of Ages was an interesting full on show telling a storey of two people wanting to follow their dreams in a 80's setting. The music was of course the rock classics with comedy, dancing, etc, had to crack up the narrator, he had a mullet, wore jeans and a t shirt that said, i love boobies in the first act and in the second act a picture of a camel with the words camel toe.  Fabulous acting and singing. 

 Wow that was one busy day.  Have to mention out side our hotel there must be filming close by, as there are cast and prop trailers, they're huge and dotted all down our street.  One particular bar is blacked out, all top secret.

One day left in New York.    

Let's Hear it for New York!

Wow, what a place.   Now i can understand why people rave about New York.  For a big concrete jungle it has amasing character, people, shopping, etc etc.   I feel safer here than i did in Rome.  It is our 2nd night in NY, we arrived at our hotel later than expected due to busy air traffic.  Once settled into our hotel we hit the streets.  It is hot and humid, heaps of people, went to planet hollywood to pick up our New York pass which allows you to visit 55 sights/activities/some discounts etc.  Certainly proved to be worth while.  Sharlene's friend Karen arrived from Toronto late Friday night they hit the streets as my eyes fell shut as soon as i rested my headed on my pillow.   Next morning we headed via subway to do the Statue of Liberty boat trip.  We had to flag that until this morning as the lines were hirendous.   So instead we went up Empire state building, amasing views; walked half of the Brooklyn bridge;  visited and shopped at a store that has 3 storeys of M&M chocolate (just love that store); walked Wall street, recorded and past a protest, stopped at 911 reconstruction site and visited their 911 visitor's centre.  We managed to do a bit of shopping inbetween all this, had tea, and ran back to our hotel to quickly change so we could get to the Sister Act show we booked on Broadway.  Wow, this was an incredible show, it had everything, props were incredible, singing was incredible, comedy, a definate highly recommend on broadway, hands are sore from clapping so much!  This place doesnt go to sleep, stopped in to get cheesecake for midnight supper then headed home.

Shopping Tip from Sharlene

... if you go shopping with my sister, then be prepared to spend some money ... I spent heaps today - he he he and there were no new shoes, just clothes - bugger


Ciao Sharlene
xoxox