The last full day

Damn, it's here! The last full day. Cannot believe it, gutted. I suppose all good things come to an end and this has surely been the best holiday I think we have all had. It's been the most exhausting but also the most rewarding.
This morning we used the hotel pool, the kids would have spent the whole 14 days there if they had the chance, good job we had an agenda with mickey and his friends instead.




Had lunch and set off to epcot. Not the best park to spend your last day in but we needed to ride 2 rides that we have missed.



First I got fastpasses for test track, so we queued for soaring. Great ride and the girls loved it and wanted to get straight back on.





We then did a couple of Smaller rides and at the end of one ride, we succumbed to some more pictures. One of the girls surrounded by Disney characters is a jigsaw-brilliant and the other is below.......



A giggle or what!?!?

We hastily made our way over to the Norway section of Epcot where we had booked a princess character dinner as a surprise for the munchkins. Wow, wow, wow! The food was fantastic and the girls chatted to 5 Disney princesses, it was lovely to see the excitement in thier faces. Also Ness the emotional creature that she is was nearly in tears!!





We paid the bill and sped over to Testtrack which was another great ride. Although we had fastpasses it made us late for the fireworks in the magic kingdom, by about 5 mins. We managed to see the fireworks from across the lake. They where still magical especially our last night. Can tell you muggins here had a lump in his throat!
This is probably the last blog of our hols as our schedule tomorrow is leaving Orlando at 18.30 and landing at Manchester on Thursday morning at 7.30am.
Well folks it's been a pleasure knowing that you have all been Reading and commenting on the blog.
Love and hugs to you all!!!

Gez, Ness, Bear & Lamb xxxx
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Location:Vineland Rd,Kissimmee,United States

Monday 17th May

Hello guys,

Ok so went to bed Sunday night with a chill, had a tablet and sweated it out during the night. Woke up a bit rough but another tablet got me going.
Decided that because of the hectic days that we had had we better take it easy. I dropped Ness of at an outlet mall (again!), just hope you all like your presents and they fit! Lol
The girls and I spent the next hour or so at the hotel pool.
Collected ness and had lunch.
We then decided "off the wall" to go to gatorland. It wad only a 5 minute drive and well worth it. Gator wrestling, gator jumping gator feeding (cold hot dogs for you to throw at the gators).

We watched in the juvenile pens a little bit of a scrap between two gators which ended with one of them having a bloody mouth. Gracie got upset and had to tell one of the rangers (bless)
While we were there the heavens opened and thunder and lightening lit the sky. This got lottie upset as they have a kiddys water play area that we promised she could go in but they turned it off when the lightening came.
Came back to the hotel and got changed for tea. Lovely steak and steak salad at a "long horns" restuarant.
Then finished the night off at winter summer wonderland mini golf by blizzard beach. I know your all saying to yourself that Gez can't go anywhere without a bit of golf, but you gotta believe me when I say that it's all been Ness's ideas-tru!!
The huge carpark wad empty so let the bear and the lamb sit on my lap and drive the motor. Also let Ness have a go (think I was more scared!)
We came home probably too late for the kiddywinks. They are now fast asleep, just hope they don't dream about alligators!
Cheers.

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Location:World Center Dr,Orlando,United States

Sunday 16th May

Ness -

Well, gez has finally let me do a blog. This has been my most fave day as I spent the morning shopping at the Florida mall... Well not quite my fave but it was cool. Not an outlet mall but still bargains to be had cause of exchange rate. Bought some stuff from abercrombie and fitch and a cover from the apple store. ( match you now zoe). The girls built a bear cause obviously we don't have a store in Telford although in their defence they did Disney them up!!!! Had lunch and thought I'd put gez thru enough shopping so we headed for epcot.



The 2 main rides had queues of 80 mins long each and none of us could face the wait as fast pass wasn't working on either. We did a few rides which were fab. The first was a shuttle launch which gave you a sick bag just in case which un nerved me but I was ok. Great ride it turned out.


Then we did a few with the girls including a nemo one with crash the turtle interacting with the kids - very clever.



The girls met mickey, minnie, goofy, Pluto, donald and queen if hearts today.

















They thought it was wonderful. The down side just before that we lost lottie.!!! Heart stopping stuff. It was only a couple of mins and she did really well and stood in the same place and gez found her with an English couple and a worker... Lottie was sobbing bless her and has clung to me the rest of the night. Emotional.
Watched the fab fireworks at epcot before calling it a night. Had a swift one in the Irish bar across from the hotel and are now ready to get some shut eye.

Girls are missing home now and are looking forward to seeing family and friends. We are all sad to be coming home soon but happy to get home just to chat about the wedding and look at photos. We bought an ace keep sake presi for ourselves. It's a mickey and minnie bride and groom salt and pepper shaker. They even have diamantes on them - just me!!!!

Anyway, water park tomorrow to try again and get a bit of a healthy shade of White, aquatica we think!!

Miss you all, love ya x x x

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Location:World Center Dr,Orlando,United States

Saturday 15th May

Hi guys,

Well where do I start!
Today is our Discovery cove day where we lounge about in large saltwater lagoons filled to the brim with fish.



Arrived at 9.30am to be greeted by the Seaworld staff. Told where everything was. Given wetsuits for the day snorkel and masks, sunscreen (which won't harm the sealife) & towels.
We set up camp on the edge of the large superwarm lazy lagoon and river. Then went for complementry breakfast. The girls enjoyed theirs and I had too much!
Well we all got suited up and went for a lazy swim in the lagoon. Water was lovely but nothing else but humans would stand it. Lottie through away her lifevest and glad she did as the bouyancy of her wetsuit kept her afloat. Couldn't stop smiling at my girls enjoying themselves! Humbling moment.

Next we ventured into the other large lagoon...... Wow! Such an array of different fish. Some small some huge and I mean huge. Some rays were as large as pool tables. Swimming in groups an awsome site.
Also around one corner seaworld had cleverly put behind plexiglass barracuda ( which were as big as me!) and black and White tip reef sharks. So many people were getting caught out by the trickery.
We/I spent most of the afternoon just in awe, I love things like this!!
Ok now it was time for lunch. What a selection which was being provided within the cost.
Stuffed again. Free beer!!!! Excellent!
Had another swim and by this time it was time for Gracie and myself to have a swim / interaction with a dolphin. Ok so after a small talk on what to and not to do we were split into groups of about ten. We met the trainer and then we met Diago our dolphin.
Cannot describe to you the face Gracie had all the time we were with the dolphin it was lovely.
Gracie was the first to swim with it which I think will stay with her forever.
I also loved it and although diago was swimming you gently back to shore you just knew that if it wanted it could go ten times faster. Such a graceful yet powerful creature.
The interaction lasted about 40 mins and even the trainers called down Vanessa and Lottie to stroke diago and have a photo with him.
Needless to say we took the opportunity to purchase these treasured memories.















SORRY about the orientation of some of the photos!!

The afternoon flew by and we were one of the last groups to leave the park. Def would recommend to anybody although it isn't cheap.
Came back to the hotel for showers, had a bite in the hotel and set of for downtown Disney.



Lottie got pooped quickly so we all came back for an earliesh night.
Thanks for listening!



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Thursday 14th May

Had a little road trip for myself this morning to try and see the shuttle take off up close. Left the hotel at 11.20am. At 1.00pm had travelled only 12 miles. Still 35 miles from it! Turned around and had to watch the launch from hotel pool. Still an awsome sight! Like a large slow moving firework. You could see the fire from the rockets. Gutted that I wasn't up close. Think you had to get up real early this morning or camp out last night.
Left all my girls baking and playing in the pool, which I think suited them whilst I was away. Got back only to find that something had stung Ness on her finger. Her finger went numb and she swore that the numbness went up her arm. ( thought I was going to collapse needing medical help - was ok though - ness x)
We left and went to Hollywood studios again for about 4, just in time for the Indiana jones show.
Ness's finger is a lot better now by the way.
Did a few more rides only to return where we left the stroller only to find one that someone had nabbed ours!!!! The undesirables left us with one that I wouldn't put a dog in! So have left that one and am setting off to guest services to complain.
Wow! Disney are brilliant. Guest services gave us FOC a stroller they sell for $60!! and it reclines which will be perfect for the rest of the holidays.



Having tea in Tgi Fridays. The girls remember our server John from our first visit.

We finished the evening off with mini golf. Nice.

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Location:W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy,Kissimmee,United States

Thursday 13th May

Hi people,
Decided to go to blizzard beach today.
Arrived there about 11.00am and didn't have much trouble finding a couple of beds right were we wanted them.
Settled down and explored the park. Went on a couple of decent rides then had lunch. Lottie made herself at home on the toboggan runs. Gracie didnt manage summit plummet but did go down the next biggest one. I overcome my fear of heights to tackle summit plummet. Wasn't as bad this time. Think the breeze last time had something to do with it. It's an almighty fall with speeds around 50-60 mph! Felt like being punched in the back by 40 fists. Have filmed myself on a couple of rides with the waterproof camera that we bought with us. Can't upload to this blog as all the pics and vids can only come from my iPhone.
Finished off by trying to laze in the lazy river, which is difficult when lottie just wants to swim in the current instead of sitting on a inflatable ring.
We came back to the hotel to change and set of to Disney marketplace. Had our dinner in the Rainforest cafe. You are surrounded by trees and animals and every 20/30 minutes there's a thunderstorm which the kiddiewinks loved.






Finished dinner and looked around the wonderful shops Disney had to offer. Had to pull Ness away or else she would have been there until they shut, which is 11.00pm by the way!



The girls dictate the return to the hotel, lottie usually needs to be picked up all the while and Gracie is very good at letting us know she's tired.
Shuttle Atlantis takes off tomorrow afternoon for the last time. 300,000 people expected to hit the Kennedy space station and surrounding areas. Traffic nightmare according the local tv. So gonna skwint into the distance while out tomorrow.
Anyway, speak laters!
Ness - tan update - rubbish!!!!! This is the downside to an otherwise wicked holiday!!!!!! X



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Half way point

OMG can't believe we are already half way through our holiday!
Went to Hollywood studios today and it was busy and hot. We managed to "ride the movies", saw a couple of shows - the stunt spectacular is great with cars, motorcycles and jet bikes pulling all sorts of stunts. We saw the very well put together street perfomance of high school musical 3.

The girls saw beauty and the beast, while I rode the rock n roller coaster, which sends you to 60 mph in under 3 secs!! Nice! The girls also played as the size of ants in the " honey I shrunk the kids" playground.

Came out of that and I took Gracie AND Lottie on hollywood tower of terror. They both didn't worry too much and loved the actual ride. Funny seeing people bottle it and walk past my 4 year old on the way out!


Gonna go back and enjoy the things we missed another day as I think Its the best park.

Oh yes nearly forgot, saw this and thought it was a bargain. Ness said it wouldn't go with any trousers I have so I didn't bother!........






Went to ihop for tea - very nice!!
I am currently writing the blog while the guys are enjoying a swim. Wireless works around the pool - good to know.

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Location:Resort Village Dr,Orlando,United States