Surrey Bikes

Did a small group for a Florida Resident Disney Fan meet. We met over at the Port Orleans Riverside resort. We had lunch in the food court and then we went out to do the Surrey Bikes. We decided on one bicycle and it was comical. We laughed a lot! 2 sat up front (one being an insistant child wanting to drive! LOL luckily, you have to be 18 or older to drive.) We should've put the 3rd person in the front there next to him or he could've been in the middle. But we were all game to let him enjoy it too I think. 3 of us were in the back and I was half off the outside! OMG! It was fun! I will recommend that one does not wear flip flops or open heeled sandals. This was the 2nd best day I have had all year with my depression.

Definitely something to do again later, when not so hot but also when we have more people. Would be fun to do something like a Chinese firedrill on them too! I would like to go back and do the Surrey Bike's there too with my mom. There are 3 sizes to these bicycles. All are based on the half hour time frame. Hours of operation may vary.

• 2 seater: $20
• 4 seater: $22
• 6 seater: $24

Race for the Cure

This event doesn't completely tie to Disney, but it use to. This is the second year that this event has been away from the WDW resort. I am disappointed in that, but am over it too. Breast cancer is something that came into my life several times. I had an Aunt that married to my mom's oldest brother who had suffered from it. Then my mom's sister survived it. And then my mom discovered a lump. She was just released from her 5 years clear (2009), and another lump was found her other breast within a couple weeks. I have had many, MANY patients who have had breast cancer and friends too. I have become friends with an AMAZING group of Disboard women because of this disease. They inspire me and am proud to know them. All the people mentioned above, even with a name, are why I want to do this or why I participate in other events (like scrapbooking for a cure).

This is something near and dear to me. I have on my bucket list to participate in a Race for the Cure. I had planned to do that this year..... but it took SO long to get this date from them, that I forgot and have other plans that weekend. Could I change them??? Not really. I have my vacation that week and am going away that first weekend (the weekend of the RFTC) to a place up north. (Sorry, no details about that). I come back and then go to WDW to see friends.

My plan was to create a small team and do the walk. There is both a walk and a run. Raise money to help fight this disease. More information can be found at the site below. Please join this fight in any way you can.

Susan B. Komen RFTC Orlando, Florida 10/17/2010

I really wanted to do this. I guess it's something to do next year...

Parasailing

Thanks to a friend, I was able to enjoy something that many people never take the chance of doing at Walt Disney World. On Friday, May 14th 2010, I went parasailing. Yes, I did and I’m afraid of heights! Now, when I say I am afraid of heights, it’s not like the kind where you get a panic attack. I don’t get all freaked out. I have done a few things that I wouldn’t be able to do if I didn’t just do it.


You take off from the stern of the boat and return there without getting wet. I am not aware of being able to get dunked on this. I was in regular clothes and didn’t bring my suit for this due to other plans that we had that day. There is a pilot of the boat, the one who gets you hooked up and another who is like a spotter.


While my friend was up in the air, I was moved to the waiting position and stepped into my harness. I was given simple instructions: where to hold on at, where not to hold onto, and scissor kick to come down. I was hooked up and asked if I was ready… and off I went!


It was exciting and I could see for 15 miles that day. It was quiet and peaceful up there. It was smooth for the most part. I felt very safe in the harness and the guys were great that handled everything. I didn’t want to know until I came back down, but I was told I was at 600 ft. when I settled back onto the boat. I did get a little motion sick coming down from the sensation.


Over at the Contemporary Resort, there at the boat dock by the pool, you will find the Sammy Duvall’s Water Sports Centre. They offer not only parasailing, but waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and Jet Skiing. I haven’t looked into the other offerings yet, though maybe one day I will.


For the parasailing, you can do a single or tandem flight. There are 2 levels to each flight, regular and premium. The single regular is $95 plus tax. This flight takes you for 8-10 minutes at 450 ft. The premium single is $130 plus tax and the run is 10-12 minutes at 600 ft. Tandem flights run the same length of time and height with a cost of $170 plus tax for single and $195 plus tax for the premium.


There is a 24 hour cancellation policy. The weight minimum is 125 lbs, with maximum is 330 lbs. When the weight minimum isn’t met then they may be paired with another flier to meet the minimum weight requirement. Children of at least 5 years old may participate and children under the age of 18 must have an adult present to sign the waiver before departure.


The schedule for parasailing is 7 days a week with weather permitting from 9:00am to 4:30pm for summer season and from 10:00am to 4:30pm during winter season. Departures are every 30 minutes.


To book you can call 407-939-0754 for a bird’s eye view. Reservations are preferred and you have a 90 day window to book your flight.


Enjoy!

Disney Bucket List

I decided after seeing a thread on the Disboards to do a Disney Bucket list. Things I would like to do and/or that I haven't done. Now, I may not ever mark off everything... but we shall see. The Adventure by Disney trips could be done without being Adventures by Disney. They are places I want to go and see. I have been working my way around the different resorts, and I have decided to add paid rooms to the resorts that share DVC (like at Wilderness Lodge and Beach Club).

Stays to complete:

Polynesian - Ft. Wilderness (Cabin, RV and tent) - Coronado Springs - Beach Club (non DVC side) - Boardwalk (non DVC side) - Wilderness Lodge (non DVC side) - Animal Kingdom Lodge (non DVC side)- All Star Music - All Star Movies - All Star Sports - Caribbean Beach Resort (Pirate Rooms) - Art of Animation - the Swan (only because at Epcot Resort area). I would like to do a couple conceirge or club level stays. (the upcoming DVC at Ft. Wilderness and Grand Floridian)


[completed stays: Dixie Landings/Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Carribean Beach (standard room), Yacht Club, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Shades of Green, Dolphin - Old Key West, Beach Club Villas, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Villas at Animal Kingdom - Kidani and Jumbo House, Boardwalk Villas, Pop Century, ASMovies, Animal Kingdom Lodge conceirge- Coronado- Beach Club concierge-]

Tours:

Backstage Safari - Disney's Behind the Magic of Our Steam Trains - Disney's Family Magic Tour- Epcot Dive Quest (must be SCUBA certified and I'm not) - Epcot Seas Aqua Tour - the Floral Experience - Holiday DLights Tour - Inspiration: Through Walt's Eyes - Mickey's Magical Milestones - Nature Inspired Tour - Sunrise Safari - The Undiscovered Future World - Wanyama Safari - Wild by Design - Wilderness Back Trail Adventure Segway Tour - Wildlife Discovery Excursion - Gardens of the World (this appears discontinued) - Around the World at Epcot - Dolphins in Depth, Marceline to Magic Kingdom, Wild Africa Trek and VIP tour (lol).

(Have done prior to the DBL: Keys to the Kingdom, Behind the Seeds, Backstage Magic and Yuletide Fantasy Tour)

Adventures by Disney:

Disneyland (have been but want to go back) - The Emerald Isle: Ireland - Cities of Knights and Lights: London and Paris - Viva Italia: Rome, Tuscany and Venice - Once Upon a Fairytale: Germany - Flavors of France: Provence and Paris - Spirit of America: Philidelphia, Washington D.C. and Williamsburg - Backstage Magic: Hollywood and Disneyland - Storybook Kingdoms: Austria and Czech Republic - Bella Italia: Florence and the Amalfi Coast - Beantown and the Big Apple: Boston and NYC - Golden Path to Yosemite: San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite - Rocky Trails and Mountie Tales: Glacier National Park and Canadian Rockies (list is subject to change due to any changes they make.)

Rides, Shows and more in the parks:

Magic Kingdom- Dumbo, Tom Sawyer's Island, updated Space Mountain, Fireworks Dessert Party
Epcot- Mission Space, Captain EO
Disney's Hollywood Studios- Stunt show, American Idol, Sounds Dangerous, updated Star Wars (version 1-2-3-4).
Animal Kingdom- Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Primeval Whirl, TriceraTop Spin

Outside the parks:

parasailing, mini golf (Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland), Richard Petty's Driving Experience, golf in general, camping (can't discuss the last time I was in a tent), Archery Experience, sea raycers, catamaran sailing, water parks (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon), Carriage Rides, Surry Bikes at Boardwalk, Saratoga Springs Resort, Polynesian and Port Orleans,  Photopass photo session (anywhere), Horseback Riding, Movies under the Stars (Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Contemporary and Beach Club), Spa treatments (Saratoga Springs, Mandara Spa and Grand Floridian), Disney Quest, bicycling (regular bikes), Yee Haw Bob at Port Orleans Riverside Resort.

Places to eat at Resorts:

Chef Mickey's (Contemporary), The Garden Cove (Swan), Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast with Lilo and Stitch (Poly), Citricos and the Chef's Domain at Citricos (Grand Floridian), Victoria and Alberts and the Chef's Table at V and A (Grand Floridian), Jiko's (AKL), Boatwrights (Port Orleans Riverside), Captain's Grille (Yachtsman), Maya Grill (Coronado), the Wave (Contemporary), Spirit of Aloha (Poly), Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue (Ft Wilderness), and Mickey's Backyard BBQ (Ft Wilderness), Shutters at Old Port Royale restaurant (Caribbean Beach).

Places to eat at Parks:

Donald's Breakfast Safari (AK), Cinderella's Royal Table (MK), Hollywood and Vine (DHS),  Tusker House (AK), Bistro de Paris (Epcot), Dine with an Imagineer (DHS), the Hollywood Brown Derby (DHS), Coral Reef (Epcot), Mama Melrose (DHS), Nine Dragons (Epcot), San Angel Inn (Epcot), Tokyo Dining (Epcot), Tuttu Italia Restaurant (Epcot), Via Napoli (Epcot), Yak and Yeti (AK), and La Hacienda de San Angel (Epcot).

Places to eat at DTD:

Fulton's Crab House, Bongo's, Cap'n Jacks, Portobello, T-Rex, House of Blues Sunday Gospel Brunch, and Wolfgang Puck Cafe.


Finally, Disney Cruises. Haven't done any yet, though think I would like to. Having never been out on the ocean, I am not sure if I would/should do a non Disney first. It is a thought.


There are 2 things on here I didn't include because I don't want someone to steal my dream. Will post about that another time.