Day 1: First Flight
Day 2: Just Hanging Out
Day 3: Disney Fun
These posts are getting too long (and taking too long!) so I’m taking a short cut with this one. I posted the photos (126 photos, down from 156!) on my Picasa site instead of posting them here. I’ll put one or two good ones here and link to the rest. Hopefully that works for all.
On Day Four, Sunday, we had Lego Land on the agenda. Sadly Lucas was still running a fever so Andrea stayed home with him while I took the other five kids (um, I mean fathers and children) to Lego Land. Everyone was SUPER EXCITED!
Lego Land!
Mike and Alan jumped right in to redesigning the park and discussing all the ways it could be even bigger and better! Overall it was pretty cool, especially since it’s only about a year old. Apparently they bought the closed down Cypress Gardens and renovated it into Lego Land. There is still an area called Cypress Gardens that has “historic botanical gardens” and a cool banyon tree. We didn’t make it that far however. We spent the entire day there and ended up rushing through the final third of the park, not including the Cypress Gardens or the closed-for-the-season Water Park. I think we could easily have spent two full days there. Especially if the weather had been just a touch warmer!
The first thing we did was take a trip on the “Island In The Sky,” a ride that went way high up and provided an awesome view of the park.
Lex and Eve went on their first roller coasters. They both went on a regular one with cars on tracks. I was next to Lex and part way through he decided it was too scary for him. A little late buddy! Then while Lex learned to drive a Lego car, Eve and I went with Mike and Joe on a hanging-from-the-track type of roller coaster. Eve squeezed my hand tightly and part way through said she wanted to get off. Fortunately roller coaster rides are over pretty fast! Neither of them seemed terribly traumatized though. I suspect they’ll try roller coasters again some day. :)
Maybe the coolest part of the park was the Miniland. Tons of real-life places, built in Lego miniatures. They had NYC, Washington DC, Kennedy Space Center, and so much more! Several of them were even interactive in small ways. It was amazing to see all the detail put into the landscapes.
Our first view of Miniland.
I like this picture. :)
Here is a video of Lex driving his Lego car. They had “police” walking around issuing tickets to kids breaking the rules. There was a max you could get and still get your Lego licence. I don’t know the number because Lex got no tickets! He was sweet at the very end and helped another kid get unbucked. In the video you can hear all of us shouting things at him. :) You can also see the blue roller coaster in the background that Eve and I went on while Lex learned to drive.
Lex officially has his Lego drivers license! (well, had, it seems to have been misplaced shortly after this photo was taken :/ )
I wanted a group picture on the way in, but we were all too excited to stop, so instead I made everyone pause for a picture on the way out. Tired happy people having fun.
Eve told me on the plane ride home that we have to come back to Florida some time when she is at least six, but before she is thirteen. I thought that was a random thing to say, but she explained that she really, really wants to drive a Lego car. :)
A good time was had by all at Lego Land! Now go check out all the pictures in the Picasa album. You know you want to!
Day 5: Kennedy Space Center
Day 6: The Zoo
Day 7: A Drive Along the Coast
Day 8: Heading Home
