Stuart and I had a great long weekend in Orlando Florida. We took off on Thursday afternoon, as I escaped from work early, and were greeted in Orlando by Emma and Iain. We discussed how it was funny that they were picking us up in the states because we had come to see them! It was first time in Florida for us both. Emma and Iain, and Emma's parents, had rented a large villa in southwest Orlando, in convenient location for all of Orlando's attractions. They had already been there for over a week, so were well up on where to go. The weather was a nightmare to pack for so I took enough clothing for every eventuality including four pairs of shoes!! Poor Stuart had room for two shirts and a pair of shorts!
On Friday it was pretty chilly starting out but we all went off to Universal Studios. The first thing Ia
in and I did was go on the 'Rockit', the only big roller coaster in the park. It was funny as they make you pick your music to listen to on the ride and it plays through speakers on your seat. Well, I picked my clubbing music, but I cant say I heard any of it as I was a little distracted as we got pull vertically up then plummeted over the edge, looping etc. It was very good for the first one - many more to come. The other 4 just watched us from the bottom. We went around the park, going on all the rides and watching the 3D movies. The most spectacular one for Stu and I was the Simpson's. We were sat in a roller coaster looking like thing. You are lifted up and become immersed in a 3D picture of the Simpson's cartoon and the roller coaster you are in, moves around simulating your journey through the picture yet you are not really 
going anywhere. It was really realistic and we were all screaming with enjoyment. They do things like spray you with water when someone sneezes for example just to give you the real feel!
in and I did was go on the 'Rockit', the only big roller coaster in the park. It was funny as they make you pick your music to listen to on the ride and it plays through speakers on your seat. Well, I picked my clubbing music, but I cant say I heard any of it as I was a little distracted as we got pull vertically up then plummeted over the edge, looping etc. It was very good for the first one - many more to come. The other 4 just watched us from the bottom. We went around the park, going on all the rides and watching the 3D movies. The most spectacular one for Stu and I was the Simpson's. We were sat in a roller coaster looking like thing. You are lifted up and become immersed in a 3D picture of the Simpson's cartoon and the roller coaster you are in, moves around simulating your journey through the picture yet you are not really 
going anywhere. It was really realistic and we were all screaming with enjoyment. They do things like spray you with water when someone sneezes for example just to give you the real feel!It was fun and we left at about 3pm to go off to play crazy golf with the pirates! We had a girls team and a boys team. I said whoever gets a hole in one buys the drinks! Well, I got two holes in one and Emma got one, so that
was a really silly thing to say. Iain got the lowest score though - but that was no surprise. Keith, Emma's Dad, managed to hit his ball in the little stream that wound around the greens. Fortunately, they are wise to it so there was a golf ball sized dam to stop your ball floating too far away.Following that we went off to Downtown Disney. It is like a high street with Disney shops, restaurants, cinema and cirque du soleil. Emma and Iain had discovered you have to eat early - ie before 6pm if you don't want to have to wait for over an hour for a seat. Well, we were later than that so we went to an Italian, but had to wait. That gave me a chance to buy my hole in one round!
On the way back home, Iain, Stuart and me got dropped off at t
he bar around the corner. It was really a restaurant come bar, we propped up the bar until closing. All I would say is that I would not recommend Santa Fe's margarita's as they are very poor! The bar also had a floor covered in monkey nut shells from the days costumers, it was certainly different.
he bar around the corner. It was really a restaurant come bar, we propped up the bar until closing. All I would say is that I would not recommend Santa Fe's margarita's as they are very poor! The bar also had a floor covered in monkey nut shells from the days costumers, it was certainly different.The weather warmed up for Saturday and we were off early, after our late night!, to Sea World. I was very excited as I really wanted to see the dolphins and whales, and off course do the rides. As the previous day we ran off to get on the first ride - the Manta, not mantra Emma!! It was meant to look like a manta ray and you got strapped in the seat then it revolved so your belly was facing the ground! This time we had five of us going on it. I sat with Stuart and Emma. The screaming started as soon as your seat revolved. Again we were pulled up vertically, th
en because you were essentially under the ride you could see what was coming next! It was actually less scary than normal rides, however one of the loop-the-loop had a big G force and it made all the blood rush to your head, apart from that it was fine. Stuart did not make a peep, and when I looked at him I realised he had his eyes closed! The photographic evidence at the end of the ride verified this - he said it wasn't scary that way :) The next ride was the Kraken - not the bracken Kieth! A big sick making ride that went around and around lots. We actually did that three time in the day but when we did two rides one after the other I felt really green! The dolphin show was better than the whales, but it was still good just not enough whale time for me and they kept going on about 'believe' - believe what?! Emma and Iain, who had already seen the whales earlier in the week said Shamu, the whale, wasn't playing as well! Maybe it was the heat. How
ever, as I said the dolphins were good. We avoided the soak zones at both shows - it wasn't that warm!
en because you were essentially under the ride you could see what was coming next! It was actually less scary than normal rides, however one of the loop-the-loop had a big G force and it made all the blood rush to your head, apart from that it was fine. Stuart did not make a peep, and when I looked at him I realised he had his eyes closed! The photographic evidence at the end of the ride verified this - he said it wasn't scary that way :) The next ride was the Kraken - not the bracken Kieth! A big sick making ride that went around and around lots. We actually did that three time in the day but when we did two rides one after the other I felt really green! The dolphin show was better than the whales, but it was still good just not enough whale time for me and they kept going on about 'believe' - believe what?! Emma and Iain, who had already seen the whales earlier in the week said Shamu, the whale, wasn't playing as well! Maybe it was the heat. How
ever, as I said the dolphins were good. We avoided the soak zones at both shows - it wasn't that warm!Following Sea World, it was straight to one of the outlet villages. We spent about two hours there spending money. Stu and I were limited with what we could buy - because our suitcase was already so full! But the Martin's and Bevan's had no such issues! While we were waiting for Iain, buying another pair of golf shoes, we watched this little boy aged about 4 having a pee in the flower boarder in the middle of the shops. Being a typically little boy, or rather male, he was seeing how far he could spray it!!!
That night, having missed lunch, we ate at the Longhorn Steak House. It was very good and we were lucky to get seated as the place soon filled up. As at these places, we ordered way too much, so buy the time our steaks arrived we were already loosening the belts. I had the best pomegranate margarita. Dinner was followed by a game of scrabble, with Keith and Jenny beating us. Although, at least the standard was much better than your usual games with just the four of us - typically three and four letter words only!
Sunday was also a sunny day and Emma had already told us we were off to the water park! So following a very quick jog in the morning we left Jenny and Kieth to have a day by the pool at the villa and we went to Dis
ney's Typhoon Lagoon. It was massive, with a huge wave pool. We found our spot in the sun and went off to go on all the flumes. The first flume was quite placid although I as a little concerned as it was called the stern burner!! However, the real stern burner was the one with the vertical drop and at the bottom it gave you the biggest wedgie (swimming costume up bottom)! Emma and I did it once and that was enough so we sent the boys up for another run, while they were away we watched everyone else suffer as they got to the bottom. The best flume wash the crushing n' gusher. You could go in a three person or two person ring and it was lots of fun, but keep your bottom up otherwise it is not so much fun!! Finally, we tried out the wave pool that generates a huge wave that breaks and basically drowns you. It was terrifying as it was coming towards you, but it didn't seem to bother all the little kids that were there for hours. Emma went off to the shallows leaving us to drown. We then went to join her only to discover the shallow water was worse, as the strong current swept you up and pushed you along the bottom of the pool which was like sand paper (a non-slip surface), it even drew blood on Iain! By half past three the sun had gone behind the clouds and it was time to go home. I should also mention that all the voices at the park were British - the only ones mad enough to go to a water park during the coldest winter Florida has ever had!
ney's Typhoon Lagoon. It was massive, with a huge wave pool. We found our spot in the sun and went off to go on all the flumes. The first flume was quite placid although I as a little concerned as it was called the stern burner!! However, the real stern burner was the one with the vertical drop and at the bottom it gave you the biggest wedgie (swimming costume up bottom)! Emma and I did it once and that was enough so we sent the boys up for another run, while they were away we watched everyone else suffer as they got to the bottom. The best flume wash the crushing n' gusher. You could go in a three person or two person ring and it was lots of fun, but keep your bottom up otherwise it is not so much fun!! Finally, we tried out the wave pool that generates a huge wave that breaks and basically drowns you. It was terrifying as it was coming towards you, but it didn't seem to bother all the little kids that were there for hours. Emma went off to the shallows leaving us to drown. We then went to join her only to discover the shallow water was worse, as the strong current swept you up and pushed you along the bottom of the pool which was like sand paper (a non-slip surface), it even drew blood on Iain! By half past three the sun had gone behind the clouds and it was time to go home. I should also mention that all the voices at the park were British - the only ones mad enough to go to a water park during the coldest winter Florida has ever had!After an early tea we were dropped back at the airport. Unfortunately, our flight was late arriving, meaning it was even later getting into Houston and we had to fly through the rain storm that was heading to Orlando - so it was a bumpy flight my least favourite.
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