Orange Lake Stuff

Here's a quick list of activities at the resort you can do. Some of these things have an additional fee:

• lazy river ... a very big lazy river!
• world's biggest inflatable water slide
• 3 other water slides in 2 mini water parks
  
• putt putt
• golf
• bungee trampoline jumping
• rock wall climbing
• fishing
• jet ski
• free movie theatre & popcorn
• fitness centers
• pool games
• video game contests
• tennis
• racquetball
  
• ping pong
• beach volleyball
  
• kids' art crafts & activities
• karaoke
• nature walk
• tubing
• wakeboarding
• water skiing
• alligator show
• live music
• Hawaiian luau
• 7 restaurants

That's a lot of stuff! So, start thinking about what you'd like to do during those hot, lazy afternoons on our vacation week. On Tuesday of that week, we'll probably be spending most of the day at Orange Lakes, recuperating.

What's New ?

Well, what should you expect on this upcoming trip that's new or different in Disney World? It might seem a funny question to ask of a place that's had the same Dumbo ride flying in circles for 40 years now, but there's actually quite a bit of things that's new ...

• Construction: The Magic Kingdom is in the midst of a huge construction project in Fantasyland, plus there's some rebuilding going on in Main Street. You can also expect to see some of the back part of the castle covered (tastefully so) in construction tarps. Some of the early work is already finished, and a couple of rides in Fantasyland have enhanced waiting areas. Look for queue changes at both It's a Small World and at the Pooh ride.
  
• Star Tours: Star Tours is closed right now, but is scheduled to re-open in late May, and will be a re-designed attraction. I don't know a lot of details, but I have heard it'll feature more of the prequels (groan!) and the ride will use a variety of combinations of different Star Wars vehicles so that your ride will be different almost every time you go on Star Tours.
• The American Adventure: OK, this ain't new by any means, but I've never once seen this Epcot attraction, so I'm looking forward to finally enjoying it.
• Different restaurants: This trip, we're mostly eating the tried & true, but there's a few places that'll be new for all of us.
• Magic Kingdom fireworks: Apparently a new twist to the night time show is to take images of park guests collected during the day and then project them onto the front of the castle when they do the fireworks.

That's it for this post. Stay tuned for more updates in the near future including:

- a decent list of activities at Orange Lake
- an itinerary
- some ideas about how we're gonna navigate the parks with 11 people ... do we split up into smaller groups or stay together?

What to Wear?

So I abandoned my blog ... ah well, you know how it is. You open an account, start something new, then totally forget about it the next day for the next couple of years. Stuff happens.

So, now I'll do something practical with my blog. The big family event this year, of course, is Arbor Day. After that, we've got the big voyage to Disney World. So, to help with planning, and to generate some enthusiasm from the reluctant children going on this trip, I'll use this blog as an aid.

And, the first topic in this re-purposed blog: proper clothing!

It's not as simple as it sounds though. First off, children need to shed their natural inclination for ties and blazers. I know I had trouble with this as a child, and it's only natural to see the same behavior in my kids. So, sorry guys and girls ... no dress clothes this time. Leave your petticoats and frocks behind.

Keep in mind, we'll be in Florida in June. If you've got the extra money, I highly recommend doing like Michael Jackson and hiring someone to hold an umbrella over your head while outdoors at all times. It's a little expensive, but definitely worth it.

Obviously, wearing white, or at the very least, avoiding dark clothes is what you want to do. Loose fitting, cotton shirts and shorts will help. As a kid, I hated wearing a hat, but I highly recommend doing so. It'll keep the sun off your head and the glare out of your eyes.

Sunscreen is another necessary item. Splurge for the oil-free, non-greasy stuff ... you're gonna sweat buckets, and the cheap stuff can get into your eyes. Take some time with the sunscreen. You definitely don't want a sunburn on your first outing in the vacation.

Try to avoid cotton socks, if possible. You definitely want to wear socks & comfy, broken-in shoes with good cushion. But, cotton soaks up moisture and that'll make it easier to get blisters. Go for socks you'd buy for working out in or running. They will help wick sweat off your feet. And, of course, go for the white socks. You want to reflect as much of that sunlight off your body as humanely possible (see the above post about hiring the umbrella man again).

That's it for this post. Next time, I'll write about something a little more interesting.