A Tale of One School Open House

I could have just posted a tweet with a picture and a clever comment of a typical wonderful day, but I wanted to dedicate a little more because I felt it deserved it.  First off, this is not, in the slightest, a marketing gimmick or a ploy for the boys’ school.  If I’ve learned anything in the past few years is that no two people have the same experience with any particular institution.  I’ve heard people wax poetic about the boys’ previous school while it leaves a seriously bad taste in my mouth.  Conversely, I’ve heard some minor complaints about policies and such at the boys’ current school.  I, on the other hand, have no other feelings but contentment and peace.  It’s all about perspective and everyone is different.  Click here for more...

Here is the rest of the text just in case the link doesn't work. (Sorry, no additional pictures)

I implore all parents looking for a place to educate their children, to please look for a place that educates the whole child in a way that leaves you at peace—meet the Staff, talk to the Principal, & finally use your parental instincts (it’s wiser than you’ll ever  give it credit for). Seek a higher standard for education and the existence of a high moral code (I’m sure this can be found whether in public or private institutions).  If it doesn’t look or feel right, don’t hesitate to look elsewhere—especially if you live in a city that has plenty of options, as I’m Blessed enough to.

My boys are thriving and happy. I love being able to write that sentence.   And as I watch them play their roles at this year’s Open House & document everything for memories sake, I can’t help but feel pride for their achievements and pride for the choices the Husband and I were strong enough to make.  The day began with an early Mass in which my 4^th Grader (as a member of Student Council) represented himself and his school by lecturing the First Reading and doing an excellent job. His brother, my 6^th Grader, was asked to be an Usher for the service.  The Mass was lovely led by the one & only dynamic Pastor, Fr. Joe. The students played various roles and some of the older students represented themselves and their community with so much dignity and poise.  Throughout the Mass, everyone could see the main message of the school for its students–serve others and strive for excellence–the very values I endeavor to instill in my sons.

 After the Mass, we were able to visit all the classrooms, the Book Fair, the computer lab and the Science Fair (featuring works by the students in 5th-8th grade).  This is my favorite part of Open House because I get to see what the kids are up to & what the teachers take pride in–displaying their most treasured works in Art, Science, English & Math.  It is during this time that the personalities of each class shines through.

 I was so humbled and filled with pride when the 2nd Grade teacher told the Husband & I that she wishes she was able to teach our boys because they are so exceptional. (We enrolled in this school as my youngest was entering the 3rd Grade and my oldest was entering the 5th).  What a beautiful compliment to hear and I’m truly proud of these boys.

 We have so much to look forward to in the years ahead having met & interacted with the Junior High teachers and I’m excited at the experiences & challenges my children will face.  They will learn and grow and I’m Blessed that they are in a great environment and we seem to have found “home”–a place we are meant to be (in a Parish and in a School).

If you’re in the Lakewood, CA area or the Greater Long Beach area, give this school, St. Pancratius Parish School a look. It’s a Catholic Preparatory EK-8 Program, with daycare and after school extracurricular activities. Meet the energetic Principal and dedicated Staff & see if it’s a good fit for you and your child. And no matter what part of the world you’re at, shop around for the right school.  And really, never stop expecting excellence from those that educate our children.

Catholic Schools Week is off to a great start in my neck of the woods and I’m a Blessed parent. ♥♥♥♥


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Here's to You, Jetblue!

On our recent family vacation trip, our airline of choice due to convenience and price was Jetblue Airlines.  They are fairly known in my neck of the woods having quite a large presence in our local airport. Each seat is equipped with its own television screen. I didn’t want any ear phones since I was planning to either take a nap or read my Kindle, so I picked the “Map” channel which is a live pinpoint of our location as we fly towards our destination. It’s pretty cool. There were little advertising breaks and they showed some of the charities that Jetblue participates in.  I started to feel really good about sitting in my seat and patronizing a company that seems to be giving back to the community. So, here I am, back to the routine day to day life appreciating all the wonderful memories we created on our 18 day vacation. And as such, I wanted to highlight the airline that got us to and from smoothly and safely. Here’s to you, Jetblue! Thank you for all you do.

Soar With Reading
Objective: To get books in the hands of underprivileged kids.

This year they’ve donated about $500,000 worth of books, and $1,250,000 worth of books to date.  Literacy is so important in our world. It’s the gateway to education and one of the most powerful ways of communication.  What a great organization and I can only hope that they continue their tireless fight because so many kids are counting on these programs to better their lives.

 KaBOOM!
Objective: To create functional and safe playgrounds for underprivileged children in order to support the theory of the importance of play for the healthy child.

Their vision is that “all kids get the childhood they deserve filled with balance and active play, so they can thrive.”
To date they have built, open or improved about 16,000 playgrounds.


CarbonFund
They have partnered with this organization to reduce CO2 emissions which is a benefit to our environment.



Jetblue also has relationships with organizations that support education such as: Pencil, Cradle of Aviation,  SUN ‘n FUN.  And they encourage their employees to volunteer their time and energy in their communities and are open to requests from nonprofit organizations asking for assistance.
Keep up the good work, Jetblue!

I encourage everyone to support small business, but also support businesses that give back to the community.  We can all do good things in the world.  And nothing is more powerful that where we spend our money.
 
 Update after original post:
 I got a super sweet tweet from @Jetblue, and they followed me on Twitter. Very cool.

Dear SeaWorld

Here is another new post. Thanks for reading. 

New Blog Post

Here's the text just in case the link doesn't work. (Sorry, no pictures)

 As a fan of wild animals of the land and sea, I’ve always felt a connection to conservation and the individuals, groups and organizations that tirelessly work to help protect endangered species and bring awareness to the general population.  As such, I have been a fan of SeaWorld and their rescue and rehabilitation work for decades.  I was never more appreciative and connected to the SeaWorld organization than almost twenty years ago when I first heard of and saw my first Manatee.  Even though I was here on the West Coast and Manatees were struggling for existence on the East, the SeaWorld organization allowed those not able to work on the front lines of conservation to feel and become part of the cause.  I remember first visiting the Manatee exhibit some 20 years ago here in San Diego and marveling at all the information they put forth.  There were 4 manatees in the exhibit, all with visible injuries and all being cared for and rehabilitated by SeaWorld.  The goal was and hopefully still is, to nurse them back to health and return them to the their natural habitat.  While continuing to rescue these gentle and suffering animals, SeaWorld was a wealth of information on the species: their habitat, their needs, their plight.  I remember getting a season pass so long ago and feeling proud that my patronage was assisting in helping not only the Manatee, but all the other endangered sea creatures fighting for continued existence.

 Cut to modern times and the release of the very popular and widely viewed documentary “Blackfish”.  I admit to not having viewed the documentary myself.  But I have heard of it and am very aware of its content–that Orca whales should be freed into the wild and not in captivity.  And I don’t dispute this theory, because just using common sense alone, of course a wild animal would thrive better in the wild.  And of course, I heard (and continue to hear) all the controversy surrounding SeaWorld.  Selfishly, my first reaction was a feeling of sadness and feeling torn about loving an organization that, from what I have always known to be true,  the biggest fighters of sea life conservation, to now being the most hated entity with wild life advocates.  I see endless comments on line spewing disdain for them as they desperately attempt to repair their reputation and clear away the negativity on their Facebook and Twitter feeds.  I try to stay away from the propaganda and know that there are always two sides to every argument.  Again, I haven’t seen the “Blackfish” documentary, but I know that it’s powerful enough to make advocates of pretty much everyone who has seen it.  And I know that it comes from a good place–people who care about these living creatures and don’t want to support an organization that seems to be taking away the freedom of some beautiful creatures in order to profit monetarily.

 I remember having a conversation with the husband who is only aware of the “Blackfish” controversy from what I’ve told him, and his response was, “Well, let’s not dismiss all the good they’ve done too”.  Yes, I agree.  But it still doesn’t excuse the wrong–especially to the poor Orca whales who are still featured in their shows, animals that need the open space of the sea–not the prison of too-small tanks.

So, in traveling to Orlando, Florida, I was so very conflicted on whether or not my family and I would be visiting SeaWorld.  I have been to Orlando two times before and have always made a SeaWorld stop–mostly to see the Manatees.  The last two times we were there in the span of 15 years, the Manatee exhibit has always brought a smile to my face.  Again, the message is always about rescue, rehabilitation and release.  After some discussions with the husband, we decided we would go.  I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Would there be protestors at the gates?  No, there weren’t.  And at the time that we went, attendance was high.

 I was so excited to head on over to the Manatee exhibit because I remember it to be so informative and I wanted to see the new rescues and find out their stories.  I was in for a huge disappointment, however.  The Manatee exhibit had essentially been pushed aside to make room for a turtle exhibit–and yes, they need attention and are suffering their own endangered issues–but why push aside Manatees? Isn’t the whole purpose of SeaWorld to bring endangered animals to the forefront?  There is so much more work to do.  Manatees are still fighting to survive–there was even a controversy on them being labelled either “endangered” or “threatened” which is an important distinction because it affects the types of protections they receive.  It’s believed that those fighting for the lesser label are groups trying to encroach on their habitat–land developers or what not.  So, there’s so much more awareness to be given to this species and yes, other species such as the Turtles as well.  I feel that SeaWorld is missing the boat on the most important message–Conservation. Save the animals…save ourselves.

To be fair, they do still rescue and rehabilitate Manatees. On this particular visit, they had an orphan baby manatee separated from its mother and unable to feed itself.  SeaWorld handlers give the baby a bottle of milk with a bit of lettuce in order to continue to nourish the baby, but eventually hope that the baby will feed on its own.  So, thank you SeaWorld for continuing to do what’s right and important for these gentle creatures.

 But what, if any, were my other grievances?  Okay, first let me tackle the controversy–the Orca whales and the famous Shamu show.  The show itself is not even very good (again my own thoughts, my own opinion).  Things have changed.  Trainers no longer jump in the water–probably (although I don’t know for sure) because of the possible dangers involved.  The whales swim round and round and the finale involves the whales using their fins to fling at a very excited audience ready to be soaked by the animals.  If it wasn’t for the large big screens and the dramatic music, the show would be beyond flat–and is halfway there anyway despite all the add-ons.  I found myself thinking, maybe SeaWorld should revisit and revise what they offer.  If these whales are healthy and are able to return to the wild, why not go ahead and release them and focus on a whole different kind of show.  A show focusing on conservation and protecting endangered animals.  Yes, they constantly say their research has helped them understand the Orcas, but it still doesn’t explain why they are still kept in captivity.  No amount of PR talk can really explain or back that up.  And I want to reiterate, I have no desire to bash SeaWorld. I just want them to do better.  Do what’s right.

Reports show that the park is struggling with dwindling attendance.  So, dear SeaWorld, why not make some changes? I don’t want to give up on you.  I want to believe (and some may label me delusion and I don’t know that they’d be wrong) that you have the very best intentions for the animals.  It’s what I’ve convinced myself all these many years.  You have the power to do good for the animals that need you.


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Our Legoland Florida Experience

Moving on to the next theme park...

Here's the new blog entry. Thank again for reading. :-)

Our Walt Disney World Florida Experience

Here is the orignal blog entry on our memorable trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. We had such a great time! Thank you in advance for taking the time to read. ☺

Here is the full entry (just in case the above link doesn't work).

When I mentioned to a few people that we were going to Orlando, Florida, the general response was, “Disney?” Although there are so many other attractions in Orlando, WDW is the main iconic attraction. The main attractions, not counting the Hotel Resorts and the Waterparks, are four theme parks: Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Epcot. And as an added bonus, Downtown Disney. Each theme park is unique in its offering and generally use up a full day. We opted for a Park Hopper Pass that allows us to go to each park for one full day & an open 5th day at whichever one we would like to return to. As a family, we decided we would vote on which park to go to on the 5th day after we visited all 4 parks rather than choose ahead of time & reserve our FastPasses. Speaking of FastPasses, to maximize your time & avoid any more wait times than you need to, purchase your tickets ahead of time, register on line & reserve the FastPasses for your desired rides. Restrictions and rules differ depending on the type of tickets you have and whether or not you are under a Resort package. Look into all that information ahead of time and plan it all out. It makes the full experience less stressful.

Magic Kingdom
We had often heard that the best New Year’s Eve fireworks are at this theme park. It’s internationally famous with live webcasts so people from all over the world can view them. So, naturally it would be logical to predict that it would be extremely crowded that day. The Husband and I decided since the boys were now older, they could handle this challenging adventure and we would take a leap of faith and choose New Year’s Eve to visit this park. (I feel like there should be some kind of adventurous Indiana Jones music inserted here).  Our plan of attack was simple–get there early. So, at the pre-crack of dawn, the 4 of us trekked over to the Magic Kingdom, except you can’t get to Magic Kingdom directly. You have to park in their official parking lot & either take a monorail or take a ferry to the park. It is the only park of the 4 parks that does not have direct access to the parking lot from the park itself.  Did I mention we arrived at the pre-crack of dawn? And no, we weren’t the first ones there. There was already a substantial size & continuing to grow crowd in several lines. And it was also the first time we heard the dreaded phrase, “Fill in all the available spaces”. They wanted us to all gather & squeeze in–no need for lines–just squeeze in folks. Yeah. What could go wrong? When the gates finally opened, yup, you guessed it, there was a mad rush to get in. Running. Yeah…I’m not a big fan of crowds of people mad rushing and running to a final destination. But we survived it & found ourselves on a large ferry headed over to the Park.

My wide eyed 9 year old baby boy on the ferry & ready for the day!

 Again, we were organized and had a plan to head over to the “Mine” ride that is ever so popular and FastPass booked for a few months. We figured if we stand in line early enough we won’t have to wait in line for too long. Even heading over there at the start of opening, we still had to wait in about a 60 minute line. That’s not so bad though considering that the wait time can get up to 3 hours on peak days. And the ride itself is pretty fun. It’s not a heavy roller coaster and there’s some nice scenery focusing on Snow White’s Dwarfs. For my thrill seeking husband and kids, it was not very exciting. And yes, I can confirm first-hand that Magic Kingdom on New Year’s Eve is very, very crowded. I have to say though, if you manage your FastPasses correctly, you can maneuver through the crowds and reduce your wait times quite efficiently. I have to give ourselves pats on the back for planning ahead because the day was wonderful and we pretty much went on everything we wanted to. Space Mountain is always a favorite and the Husband and boys loved it. My 11 year old made a declaration that it is the best ride Magic Kingdom has to offer.  Splash Mountain is fun and surprisingly not terribly crowded that day. Personally, I don’t think you get too wet–like maybe a light sprinkle, but if you are truly concerned about it, make sure you bring a poncho so you don’t miss out on the ride. They pretty much have the same rides as Disneyland in Anaheim: Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World, Thunder Mountain, People Mover, Dumbo etc…

The boys enjoyed The People Mover. It goes through Space Mountain which they got a kick out of.

 However, they don’t have an Aladdin Magic Carpet ride that holds a very special place in the hearts & memories of my family. ♪ A Whole New World…♪ (Dedicated to my boys!)    Okay, so like I said, it was a very full and busy day–tiring but super fun.  But when it hits midnight, it’s time to gather for one of the greatest firework shows I’ve ever seen. It truly was spectacular–lighting up the sky in all different directions–just amazing! And nothing is better than celebrating with my 3 loves and getting hugs, kisses & “Happy New Years”.  What a fabulous party!   But the part that sticks out forever in my memory is the experience of trying to leave the park.  Holy socks!  There were so many people and we were all packed together like a herd of cows out to slaughter. (Sounds very dramatic, but dude, I was tired, cranky, claustrophobic, and feeling super desperate.) And once again, we heard the dreaded phrase, “Fill in all the available spaces.” Wait. Let me take a moment…that phrase gives me anxiety. And then when our ferry arrived people were pushing & squeezing to get in. I just grabbed on to my 9 year old for dear life because I didn’t want us to get separated. The husband was leading us and my 11 year old was following me closely. And I have to say, both boys were amazing troopers. They stuck it out with minimum complaining (I think I probably whined the most). We headed out of the park at about 12:15am and by the time we arrived at our hotel it was about 3:30am. Our hotel is only about 20 minutes away. *Shudders* I live to tell the tale. This experience alone, although filled with wonderful loving and fun memories,  was enough for me to decide this Park was not getting my vote for our 5th Day/2nd Park visit.

Live Army Man walking around ready for pictures. Very cool and I give him credit for having to endure that costume.

 Disney’s Hollywood Studios
 New day, new park.  This park is much more laid back and less crowded than Magic Kingdom, although there are still fairly large size crowds since we came on a peak part of the season. We made sure to pre-FastPass the most popular attractions: Tower of Terror, Star Tours, and Toy Story. All of these rides are enjoyable with my shining favorite being the Tower of Terror. That seems a little out of character since I’m far from a thrill seeker, but I enjoy the Twilight Zone concept and it’s majorly creepy in an artistic way. I just grip some handles next to my seat during the turbulent portions of the ride & I’m good to go. The Husband and the boys love the Star Tours Ride. It’s very adventurous and of course super nostalgic. The adventures change and the cute part (*spoiler alert*) is that a random “spy” is on every ride. One time it was my 11 year old son. He cherishes that moment.

My crazy guys just can't pass up this picture opportunity. Those Star Speeder go pretty fast.

                              The Toy Story ride is also fun, but extremely popular. The wait times are often in the hours and depending on who you ask, isn’t worth that much wait. But if you can fanagle yourself a FastPass, go for it.  Oh, and just a reminder to the Toy Story riders, make sure you put on the 3D glasses that are handed to you before you board the ride. I put mine on my head & forgot to wear them–and yeah, it is kind of necessary for the full enjoyment of the ride.   The highlight of the day was when the boys signed up and got to participate in Jedi Training. It’s open to kids 4-12 (so my 11 year old was able to make it, thank goodness). You are given a specific time to come back to the sign-up location to wait for your “training”. It was a bit of a wait & long enough for the boys to wonder if it was all worth it. But when it was finally time, they were told to stand up & try on their Padawan robes for a fitting. Okay, so that perked them up. When all the kids received their robes, they formed two lines & trotted over to a stage area right outside of the Star Tours Ride. All the kids get a lot of attention during this parade because they’re wearing their robes & look totally nerdy cute. When the training starts they are greeted by their “Master” teacher (we had a super actress–she was firm, sarcastic & stayed in character). They receive training in how to handle their light saber & proceeded to learn some moves to use against the “dark side”. And then finally (*drum roll*), the scary villains come out–Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and a couple of Star Troopers.  I really enjoyed the dude who portrayed Darth Maul. He got close enough to the audience where we could even see the color of his eyes. The costume was fabulous! Of course, we were suppose to act fearful, but I just thought he was awesome. The kids then get to “fight” their villain. What a great memory for the kids and fabulous picture opportunities for the parents. If you have children that fit into the age range & they have some knowledge or enjoyment of Star Wars, I wholeheartedly recommend that they sign up & participate in this experience.

Normally a Pacifist, my 11 year old held his own against the scary Darth Maul.

I'm not sure if one is suppose to be smiling while fighting such a scary villain. Leave it to my 9 year old to go against the grain.

Another highlight at this park is the Fantasmic Show, which is a spectacular light & water show. It defies description without completely spoiler alerting it for the viewer, so I’ll just say, you have to go and see it. Try to get a FastPass so you can get prime seats, but if you aren’t able to get one, at least try to get in line early. The stadium is huge but gets pretty packed since it’s a very coveted show.

 Animal Kingdom

In the background is the Tree of Life. I'm glad we have pictures for memories, but there is no substitute for seeing it in person.

 Okay, hands down my favorite Disney World park! I have a deep love for wild animals and a special passion for conservation and the plight of endangered animals so my thoughts & feelings obviously come from a very biased place. But this Park feels very special from the moment you see it and then step foot inside.  The center of the park is “The Tree of Life” which is a man-made tree with hundreds of different animals carved into it’s trunk. It’s breathtaking and gorgeous from afar and spectacularly detailed up close. They have a safari tour that is probably the closest I will ever get to experience a real one. Sometimes the line can get long for this attraction, but either FastPass it or make time for it. It’s totally worth it. They set up the animals in their natural surroundings and each tour is different because naturally no one can predict what animals will do on any given day. For our visit on this trip, we saw so many wonderful animals. The best part was that our driver/tour guide was well-informed and intelligent. We were able to learn so many things about some of the severely endangered animals of Africa and what we can do to help them. Did you know that recycling your cell phone helps with saving Elephant habitat? It makes me sad to also learn that one of the animals that Animal Kingdom houses is already extinct in the wild. The only ones that exist are ones in captivity. How sad is that? But it tells me that conservation work and awareness is still very much needed and I’m grateful for parks like this that work to help keep people informed.

My smart@$$ husband felt it was fitting for the "Asians to take a picture in front of Asia". Gotta love our White Mexican Boy. ♥

 The unofficial mascots for the Park are the beloved Lion King characters (still one of my all time favorite Disney movies) which is obviously fitting because the message of the movie is caring for “the circle of life”.  There is a wonderful Lion King music extravaganza show that is a must-see.  If you’re a fan of the songs in the film, get ready to sing along, clap your hands and stomp your feet. The performers are first rate and the sets and costumes are a delight to see. There is also a “Bugs’ Life” 4D  show. Get ready to exercise your different senses on this one. When we were filing out of this show, I turned around to make sure the kids were following me and spied my 11 year old examining the benches we were sitting on. He’s got a bit of that “engineering, how do they do that?” brain.  They have a large DinoLand section that reminds me of being at a fair. I have to admit this feels a little out of place with the rest of the park, but they have some great attractions including a time travel type dinosaur ride–the Husband described it as a cross between, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park. Kind of an unusual description but I believe it fits.  They have a “digging” play area for the younger kids–something we took advantage of 5 years ago when our kids were smaller, but had no time or need for it with this trip.  Just a hair’s throw away from this area is the theater that houses a live stage production of “Finding Nemo”. It’s a unique puppet/acting production based on the movie and the performers are excellent. The sets are colorful and elaborate. I get a big kick and laugh from how distracted the Husband gets with trying to deal with an actor performing with a puppet. It’s a must-see show though so make sure you make time out for it.

This is just one of the many unusual picture taking spots--so much detail.

 For a little water adventure, they offer a river rapids type ride. It’s a fairly short ride and in my opinion not as rough as it sounds.  We cheated a bit and wore our ponchos so we only got a little bit wet. I liked it because it wasn’t a choppy ride and didn’t have too many falls–which makes me very happy since, I’ve said before, I’m far from a thrill seeker.  And finally, the highlight attraction of this park for my guys (and me because it holds so many precious family memories) is the roller coaster ride, “Expedition Everest”.  It is based on the legend of the Yeti.  The line itself has pictures, information and tales of expeditions. It’s up to the rider to decide what’s authentic and what’s real. The ride itself is very thrilling and all do-able for me (the non-thrill seeker). There are fast moments, bumps and drops & some visual surprises.  We were lucky enough to go on the ride multiple times utilizing our FastPass and jumping on when the wait times were shorter.  All 3 of my guys now have a small stuffed animal Yeti as a momento of this ride and our experience at Animal Kingdom. It’s a fabulous park and I look forward to coming back again in future years.

Our family favorite. Baby Yeti is along for the ride.

 Epcot
 This is a very memorable park with lots of things to see and do. It can easily fool you to believe that it’s smaller than it actually is. When all was said and done, my family decided this was the park we would return to for our 5th Day/second visit. And I couldn’t be prouder and happy that the kids not only agreed with this choice, but were instrumental in making the final decision.

So much to see and do at Epcot. Love the uniqueness & beauty of these waterfalls fountain.

This is the famous ball photographed multiple times by millions of people. And it's beautiful in person.

Inside the famous and iconic Epcot Ball is a slow moving ride called “Spaceship Earth”.  This is an informative and engaging ride taking people on the evolution of information technology. It could use some updating to include the Internet and Social Media, but the main ideas are there and it’s completely fascinating.  There is also an interactive feature in the end that allows everyone to answer a few questions and a program comes up with an alternative “future” based on the answers given. It’s super fun for both kids and adults and the picture they snap and include in the final piece can be hilarious.  When you exit the ride, there are more interactive learning stations to entertain both kids and adults alike.  Another ride that may sound similar called “Mission Space” is anything but.  There are two versions for this ride, “Easy” and “Intense”. There are multiple warnings for the “Intense” ride letting people know that if you’re prone to motion sickness to not go on this version. Let me first state, that yes, I am prone to motion sickness.  But there are also multiple rides that warn this same thing and I can go on it and be just fine.

Test Track Creation Station. I can't even imagine how much time they logged on just creating and designing.

Test Track: Here is the Husband proudly buffing up his self-designed vehicle.

Let me give you a strong and heartfelt warning–if you are prone to motion sickness on a usual basis (like you feel that you need Dramamine to take before a flight or on a whale watching trip), then trust me, take the “Easy” option or just don’t go on this ride at all.  I made the unfortunate mistake to go on the “Intense” option thinking, I’ll just survive it like I survive all the other somewhat intense rides the boys convince me to go on.  This ride is different. It apparently spins you a gazillion (that may be a slight exaggeration) miles per hour in order to have that authentic feeling of riding a spaceship. I learned one very important thing…being an astronaut is not my calling. I definitely felt queasy and nauseous after the ride and felt I couldn’t shake it for the rest of the day. It was definitely a “lesson learned” moment for me.

Test Track: The boys teamed up to design their own car which they are also very proud of!

 Moving on to other memorable rides at Epcot, be sure to check out Ellen Degeneres’ Energy ride–it’s funny and unique. Also check out a ride called “Living on the Land” which the husband & I kept calling “Land of the Living” which caused some giggles because we kept connecting it to “The Walking Dead” which is so far removed from the ride. Consult a Park Map for all the other really great and entertaining rides offered at this Park as well as interactive learning stations–including a Piggy Bank game that teaches kids and families to save and invest money. But I can’t complete the trip back to memory lane without touching upon the guys’ favorite ride at the Park–Test Track. The concept of this ride is to test all the different aspects of a vehicle: performance, power, responsiveness, etc.  But what made the ride memorable was that the guys were able to design and custom build their own car–down to the shape, color and performance.  Once you’re on the ride, you can “test” the car you custom built against other “designers”. For the creative and engineering minds of my guys, this was, for lack of a better description, like a trip to Disneyland. On our second trip out, the boys spent quite a bit of time enthusiastically re-designing their vehicles. I commend the creators of this ride for coming up with an interactive way to bring in creativity.

World Showcase: My Lil' Mexican boys with their sombreros in "Mexico".

 And of course, the highlight of Epcot is the World Showcase where 11 countries (like Mexico, China, Italy…) are represented visually, artistically, culinarily (is that even a word?) etc… in very detailed and comprehensive remakes of their most iconic structures and customs.  It almost feels like you’re really in the country represented.  It’s about 1.2 miles long but so visually stunning you don’t even feel that. Try to spend time “in” every country. It’s really worth it.

World Showcase: Never has the husband...uh...or maybe gargoyle... ever been able to resist taking a crazy picture.

Chocolate brownie sundaes. *Sigh* of contentment.

Downtown Disney
Not officially a theme park, but a must-visit nonetheless. They have an AMC movie theater where we watched the latest Hobbit movie, they have a Lego Store which was extremely crowded and very popular, and they have various other shops and restaurants…but the highlight for the family (and especially me) is the Ghirardelli Ice Cream Shop. It’s worth all the walking and maneuvering through the narrow crowded walkways (at the time of our visit, there was some heavy construction going on so space was limited) just to smell the fabulous aromas coming out of the shop, snag some chocolate samples, and then dive into one of their famous sundaes. I’m a simple girl.
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 Some quick side notes: Parking is $17 a day at all parks. Parking at Downtown Disney is free. There are plenty of souvenirs, but you are hard pressed to find any souvenirs without Mickey Mouse attached to it. Why is this significant? Well, what if you just wanted some kind of memorabilia for say, Thunder Mountain? It seems the only option you have is a replica of the train with Mickey riding it. They should have some souvenirs that just say Walt Disney World or the name of each theme park. The souvenirs are over-run with Mickey’s image which is fine, but allow other options. *Rant finished*
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  We had such a memorable time at WDW! The Happiest Place on Earth for me is with my Crew: my beloved Husband and our precious Sons…and I feel so Blessed to create more happiness and memories we’ll cherish for a lifetime at these amazing parks. We’ll hopefully see you again, Mickey  Mouse!

 

Our Universal Resorts Florida Experience

 We recently went on an epic family holiday vacation to Orlando, Florida. I have several posts to write covering our trip. Here is the first one dedicated to Universal Resorts Florida. Thank you for reading!

Hearing about the newly built Diagon Alley over at Universal Florida caused quite a bit of a stir for my avid Harry Potter fans–which not only includes my two young sons, but their Dad as well. Back in July 2014, we decided, okay, let’s plan a Christmas Holiday vacation to Orlando! Our main focus would be of course, Universal Resorts which includes Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure…two separate theme parks connected by a large shopping area they named City Walk, a shared parking structure & now, for the first time, a train system connecting the two Harry Potter worlds–Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade–in an appropriately named transportation, The Hogwarts Express.

Hogwarts Express Platform 9 & 3/4

 I guess I can’t really go any further in talking about our experience at the two theme parks without going ahead & describing Hogwarts Express first.  It is disguised as mere transportation between the two parks but what it really is, is an experience. Without giving too much away–because really, nothing is better than checking it out first-hand with minimum spoilers–the experience begins in the line while waiting to board the train. I recommend entering Universal Studios first, and taking the train there to Hogsmeade. Remember, you must get some kind of flex pass or pay for the two parks in order to board the train.  If you’ve watched the movies, you know that the platform & the train are hidden from muggle (the mere mortal) eyes. A wizard must simply find the correct special platform (9& 3/4) and run into a solid wall. Sounds great & is easily accomplished in the movies with some fabulous special effects. Universal has managed to create a way for us park goers and avid fans to somehow participate in this experience. If you have little ones (or not so little ones–like maybe a childlike husband) get your video cameras ready so you can capture this magical experience on film. The train itself entertains you with adventures through London. After all, anything can happen in the wizarding world–the weather can be ominous, evil may be lurking behind a tree, wizards may be flying on broomsticks–I mean, I don’t know….like I said, anything can happen.

 Now, let me address Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade themselves. I have to commend the creative team at Universal for their obvious hard work in making the Harry Potter world come to life. If you’re inclined to, grab yourself a wand (they start at about 40$, but don’t hunt me down if they raise the prices) at Ollivanders and walk around several interactive stations to cast spells. Magic is everywhere.

Does that book have teeth? Yikes! Have your wands ready & cast those spells.

There are also plenty of things to entice you to spend money. The shops sell Hogwarts robes for a little (or maybe a lot) over $100.00, they sell house identifying beanies, scarves, gloves as well as a wide array of coffee mugs and the usual lot of souvenirs like key chains & magnets. But they also sell special Wizarding World candy like the famously sought after “Every Flavored Beans” or “The Chocolate Frog” among many other varieties. There are plenty of options for amazing souvenirs to burn a hole in your pocketbook. But what I recommend you absolutely must try is the very delicious varieties of Butterbeer which comes in the form of a regular hot or cold drink, a frozen drink & ice cream. We tried the frozen and the ice cream and absolutely loved them both. It is very sweet and I don’t even want to know how many calories it may contain (if you’re interested, look that up yourself, because I don’t want to know.) They also have pumpkin juice which, in my opinion is just a glorified apple juice & not particularly tasty, but they come in these cute bottles with pumpkin tops that my boys & husband felt they “needed” to have. I’m not a fan of how overpriced it is (I almost choked on the drink when I realized we paid about 8$ a bottle), but sometimes you just have to suck up the complaint in the name of vacation fun.

Pumpkin Juice and Butterbeer. Must-tries. Although beware of the prices.

 Along with all these treats, there are also ride attractions.

What? Is that a dragon? Yes!! And it breathes fire! Don't get too close!

Inside Gringotts Bank are many goblins. 

In Diagon Alley they have a ride called “Escape from Gringotts” which takes place in a Wizarding bank run by goblins. The line to get to the ride is a feast for the eyes because of the magical decorations, the detailed architectular designs and the animatronic goblins that run the bank. The ride itself is filled with nostalgia for the book & movie fans since it features a few of the most beloved Harry Potter characters. It’s an adventure filled ride and 3D glasses are provided. The main visual attraction is a giant fire breathing dragon on top of Gringotts bank…wait for it…it’s awesome & you can really feel the heat it breathes out.  Over at Hogsmeade, there’s “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” which is an adventure ride, “The Dragon Challenge” which is their grown-up roller coaster offering, and “Flight of the Hippogriff” which is the roller coaster offering for the younger or less adventurous set. There are also live shows on the outside stages in both areas.

One of the few stage show performances they present.

If you’re fans of the books and movies, the performances are very entertaining so make sure you check for showtimes.  There are themed restaurants, “Leaky Cualdron” at Diagon Alley & “The Three Broomsticks” in Hogsmeade. Both restaurants offer British style dining–fish & chips, beef stew etc.  It is amusement park food so the portions are not huge & the prices are high. Again, the experience is factored into the price (at least that’s what I try to convince my frugal self so she won’t throw a tantrum right there in the dining area–that would just be embarrassing).

Our youngest was qualified to go on every ride to the delight of his Dad.

 And yes, there is the rest of the park to cover too. Universal Studios offers much more calmer rides such as an ET ride, Transformers, and a Minion Ride. They also have show-type attractions like Twister & Terminator and a Shrek Show.

My tired legs needed to take a breather so this Simpson character kept me company.

They do have a roller coaster called Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket which from the looks of it is very intimidating, but according to my guys (who are adrenaline/roller coaster junkies) it’s pretty tame. I’m not a big fan of super roller coasters so I went with my own instinct and judgement & refused to go on the ride. Risk taker I am not. The Mummy Ride falls under their mediocre roller coaster offering. It has some pyro special effects & it can get pretty hot (which was a big complaint for my 9 year old because he doesn’t like being hot at all). But it’s entertaining & a big favorite with The Husband who rode on it as many times as he could–short-ish line, there he went!  Other attractions include a Men in Black ride and a whole section devoted to The Simpsons. At the time we were there, right smack dab in the middle of Holiday Season, there were parades going on periodically throughout the day. I didn’t actually get to sit & watch one, but it looked lively & entertaining–big floats & dancing characters.

 Moving on to Islands of Adventure, this theme park offers more satisfaction for the adrenaline seeking crowd–no surprise that my three guys love this Park. It’s separated into themed sections–”Islands”–offering entertainment, rides, shopping & food dedicated to said themes. Marvel has a whole section with the most intimidating looking ride, “The Incredible Hulk” & no, I did not partake. Seeing it & hearing the loud tracks along with the screams are enough to give me a panic attack. Ok, maybe not, but like I said, find me nice bench and my trusty Kindle & I’ll wait for my Crew.

The Incredible Hulk--loops and speed. My 9 & 11 year old, lead by their Dad, couldn't get enough. On a busy day, check back later in the day for possibly shorter lines.

 Along with other adventurous rides like Spiderman and Doom Fall, there are also visually stunning large pieces of art depicting Marvel Super Heroes. You can & should spend some time just taking pictures. There are also live characters who come out and take pictures with guests. We saw XMen characters such as Storm, Cyclops, and Wolverine along with Spiderman on motorcyles after a picture taking or autograph signing (I don’t get that, but to each their own) session. They look pretty cool and would make a great addiction to your Travel Scrapbook.

And the Oscar goes to...

There is also a comic book section called “Toon Lagoon” that is great for picture taking. There are big thought bubbles you can stand underneath of & make funny postings on your Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I mean, social networking is the constant chase for the unique picture (well at least it should be).   Overall, this area needs a bit of an overhaul. It’s outdated and the younger set can’t relate to the old-time characters. Heck, even I don’t know some of the characters. There are a few water rides in this area as well. My guys report that they are not too rough (since I didn’t go on them myself), but there gauge on “scary” and “not scary” is different from mine (but they’re adrenaline junkies, and I’m a chicken–wait, let me find a better word, gentle seeker, yeah…that sounds better.)

I mean...really? They may need to share an Oscar with their Dad.

Jurassic Park, named from the motion picture movie, is another themed section. The main attraction here is a River Adventure ride with the disclaimer “you may get wet”. But wait, cross out the “may” and replace it with “definitely”. And depending on where you are seated on the boat, you may even be soaked. That means your clothes could end up dripping with water. How do I know this? Yeah…you guessed it, front row, soaking wet. There’s a finale drop in the end that is the culprit for all the water chaos. We went early in the day though & luckily with the hot weather I was able to dry towards the end of day. I did go into the restroom and ring out my pants though to help the drying process along. Geez, this blog thing is really allowing me to reveal more than I would ever consider. The ride itself is very entertaining though and unless you’re absolutely against the drop at the end or getting wet, allow yourself the experience at least once. A change of clothes or a poncho can easily alleviate the worry about walking around the rest of the park wet.

There aren't many places you could find a hysterically laughing child being fed to a T-Rex.

Another ride that sticks out in my mind is a Flying ride which involves two riders, one small (there’s a maximum height requirement) and a larger person. If you don’t have a smaller person with you, unfortunately, you will not be able to ride this ride. The husband was thrilled that our 9 year old still qualified for the younger rider and aptly designated him “the passport”.  Surrounding this ride is a great play area we escaped to when the rest of the park was too crowded to maneuver through. Word of warning though, there are water gun areas and even though I told the boys not to get wet, they managed to “accidentally” get soaked. Biggest advice I can give mothers on vacation–don’t sweat the small stuff. Just sigh, shake your head, and let them carry on. There are also great picture spots in this area. Take advantage of them and try to take creative pictures.

 The Lost Continent is another area focusing on Poseidon. There’s a couple of shows you can check out in this area and additional picture spots.

Cute ride. Follow directions so you don't get wet...maybe.

 Seuss Land is another area that’s a feast for the eyes. It is decorated by the strange & quirky characters of the Seuss books. There is a Train Trolley ride (it overlooks the area and I wish it would go a bit slower since I wanted to savor the sights more), a Cat in the Hat ride featuring Thing 1 and Thing 2, and a circling Fish ride (there’s a bit of a twist & surprise in this one). During the Christmas holidays they present a stage musical production of Grinchmas, the musical.

 It’s a fantastic show featuring great music and a colorful set. I enjoy it so much & was disappointed to hear that they don’t have an equivalent production on my side of the world at Universal Hollywood. There’s always hope that may change.

 And I can’t neglect to mention the Port of Entry area where there are additional food options and souvenir gift shops.

I asked the Husband for a grumpy face & that's what he gave me. That's about as grumpy as he gets, I guess. And I love my 9 year old's happy face. ♥

And probably the most unpleasant information to share is the daily parking fee of $17.00 (please remember this was at the end of 2014-beginning of 2015), but the good thing is that you are directed to a nice parking structure (where you cross your fingers you don’t end up at the top where you don’t get shade cover–I think  this only happened to us once and it was an overcast day so it wasn’t too bad). Once you exit your car, follow the crowds or the signs to a long (and I mean long) walkway towards City Walk and the two theme parks. The walking doesn’t lessen as the day goes, so make sure you wear very comfortable shoes.

 If you have an American Express (AMEX) card, you get additional perk discounts–if you spend $50 or more, you receive 10% discount on merchandise and food, and 15% off the same stuff if you spend $70.00 or more. Since I have an AMEX card, I was able to take advantage of these discounts. It might not seem like much but it all adds up since everything is fairly pricey.

 I can’t fail to mention our choice for favorite eating spot inside Universal Studios. It’s called Cafe La Bamba and it’s tucked in an unassuming spot at Universal (consult a park map) so it doesn’t seem to get as crowded as all the other eateries inside the park. They offer Roasted Chicken, burritos, tacos, ribs and salad options. The prices are reasonable with some menu items under $10 with most between 11$-17$. You order at the counter but workers clean up your table. I even tried to throw away my own trash but they didn’t have trash cans available to me. A kind worker told me, “Just leave it all there. We’ll get it”. Nice.

What fabulous memories Universal Resorts gave my family and I. I learned a lot of things about us on this visit. I learned that my legs are a lot stronger than I give them credit for. But I have to give a shout out to my Skechers with Memory Foam. Seriously, I don’t know how my feet could’ve survived without them. I learned that the Husband is an amusement park beast who has endless energy. And I learned that I get very mean & cranky when I’m super tired and I’m a lot less of a night person when I’ve been on my feet all day. And I learned that no matter how tired I feel the night before, when I wake up in the morning & absorb the joyous energy of The Husband and the boys that I can summon the energy for yet another day of walking and standing–and have loads of fun!

 See you again someday, Universal Resorts Florida! XOXO