TRIP REPORT - The OtHeR SiDe of OrlanDo -lodging at WINDSOR HILLS

[ddluvsdisney]

Looks nice. OMG Didn't DD sitting on that gator make you nervous?! My DS10 would that!!!
I'll have to show DH the pics. We'll see.
Looks like we'll be in FL the week before you.

 

[mikkiwikki]

Looks nice. OMG Didn't DD sitting on that gator make you nervous?! My DS10 would that!!!
I'll have to show DH the pics. We'll see.
Looks like we'll be in FL the week before you.

YES...it did make me nauseous...actually. Hubby was right behind her. I did NOT do it...but a lot of young kids did surprisingly

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

Great thread! We are also returning to WH for 2 weeks again this summer. After looking at the pics, I think we will have to try Gatorland this time! My ds7 would love it! He watches Animal Planet 24/7, and dh is always watching Gatorboys!

 

[mikkiwikki]

On the 27th ( I know this is out of sequence I skipped ahead to Gatorland due to popular demand)
we decided not to go anywhere but Windsor Hills.

After Breakfast the kids wanted to go to the Playground. There is an awesome climbing castle in the background. I have to say me and my hubby met a lot of nice parents hanging out and watching their kids here. They also had (did not take a pic) one of those spinny things...VIDEO example HERE kids LOVED IT.

We spent the afternoon swimming...but I did not bring my camera...

 

[mikkiwikki]

just a little update...I just learned my car needed 4000 dollars worth of repairs...I ended up having to trade it in for a new car (requiring a 5000 dollar downpayment) & PLUS the tax man is DEFINITELY not being very kind...BOO boo bOO!

Due to these issues..and some unexpected HOME repairs...We were forced to cancel our spring break trip...bummer. Oh well. We will be back in December. I need to make another ticker. Guess Ill try to get into the Christmas spirit by watching the videos I made on one of our Universal dates. here it is!

VIDEOS..click pics to see.






UP NEXT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER!!

 

[QuirkyBelle]

Wow, those Gatorland photos bring up some good memories. As part of a school trip down to Florida, our group got to participate in a special event at the place. We were there at night , got our own private show, and took a walk down the boardwalk shining flashlights in the gators eyes. We also got to hold a baby gator and a snake. It was pretty awesome! It was great to see you pictures though, since now I know what it looks like during the day. :lmao

Grinchmas looks like a great show!

 

[mikkiwikki]

Wow, those Gatorland photos bring up some good memories. As part of a school trip down to Florida, our group got to participate in a special event at the place. We were there at night , got our own private show, and took a walk down the boardwalk shining flashlights in the gators eyes. We also got to hold a baby gator and a snake. It was pretty awesome! It was great to see you pictures though, since now I know what it looks like during the day.

Hey QuirkyBelle!
That sounds like fun. We didn't get to hold a baby gator but they brought out a crazy lizard with a really long tongue.

Grinchmas looks like a great show!

Yes it was a nice day with this show. The kids really enjoyed it.
Im enjoying your trip report too. Cant wait for more pics!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Grinchmas looks like a cute show.
Too bad about your spring trip Don't cars stink?!
Will you go for the actual Christmas holiday again? Sounds fun.
I'm trying to talk DH into going next year for Christmas. We'll see.

 

[aussieGeorge68]

Thanks for the post. Loved the photos from Windsor Hills and Gatorland. All I need now is a way to convince my wife to go to gatorland.

Regards
George.

 

[mikkiwikki]

Thanks for the post. Loved the photos from Windsor Hills and Gatorland. All I need now is a way to convince my wife to go to gatorland.

Regards
George.

HI AussieGeorge68 -
Glad to oblige. More pics to come tonight!

 

[mikkiwikki]

One PIC from the end of our last Universal day..Apparently Universal is going to finally make a movie about the LORAX.

MOVIE TRAILER CLICK HERE. I can't wait to see it.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."
Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
US author & illustrator (1904 - 1991)

 

[momlee4]

Thanks for the pics and detailed post about Gatorland! I shall have to add it to our agenda for our trip in October. I like that it won't take a whole day to do. We can maybe spend the other half of our day in one of the Dis waterparks (gotta use up our Water Parks +More days!) We've got 3 boys and I'm sure 1 of 'em if not all 3 would love to have their pic taken sitting on a 'gator. Very cool!
Sorry to here about your car. Bummer.

 

[shalom]

Excellent tip on the train at Gatorland -- now I just have to remember it should we ever got there!

Very nice poster explaining how BRUNO was a gator that is very agressive and had attacked numerous trainers....One man had his hand chomped and its on Utube if you want to watch! Im not kidding thats what the poster next to this one said!

There is one on Youtube about a gator biting someone's head, or at least that's what the blurb says -- I have not watched it, thank you very much!

But the sign you photographed made me think of this footage, of a crocodile grabbing a lawn mower, which cracked me up last year (not the same report but many of the same visuals). Different reptile, but I suspect the Bruno adventures weren't too different!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo52h53pgIU&feature=endscreen&NR=1

ext off to the Swamp walk . I have to say this was surreal...like untouched foliage as far as the eye could see...pristine untouched floridaland scapes ...so quiet and beautiful.

That reminds me of a State Park we went to near Myrtle Beach (which was admittedly less jungle-y, but lots of little wildlife) -- I did not expect the one at Gatorland to be that good!

 

[mikkiwikki]

Excellent tip on the train at Gatorland -- now I just have to remember it should we ever got there!



There is one on Youtube about a gator biting someone's head, or at least that's what the blurb says -- I have not watched it, thank you very much!

But the sign you photographed made me think of this footage, of a crocodile grabbing a lawn mower, which cracked me up last year (not the same report but many of the same visuals). Different reptile, but I suspect the Bruno adventures weren't too different!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo52h53pgIU&feature=endscreen&NR=1

I love the video...I can imagine bruno doing the exact same thing. He was just as big and scary.

 

[mikkiwikki]

On this date we decided to travel to the Orlando Science center.

http://www.osc.org/

This was one of my kids favorite dates. There were TONS of hands on activities, and Ill totally do a disservice to it with the number of pictures I took.

However here is my report.

This is us walking from the garage to the Science center

ON that date they had a stingray feeding - you can see the stingray climbing up the glass trying to get a treat from the handler.

Also there was a baby ALLIGATOR feeding which my kids really enjoyed watching, however I did not get any pictures.

They had a cool hands on exhibit about SOUND - you could SEE soundwaves with this exhibit. and there was a gravitron in the background

And an exhibit about gravity using pinewood derby models.

There was a floor dedicated to guitars..and a flying plane simulator, and huge 3d car ride simulators.

For lunch we went to a SUBWAY that was connected on the 2nd floor in a very nice cafeteria.

Then we went back to see the 'ORANGE factory' which was a cool hands on activity for kids where you picked oranges from a tree, and put them through a conveyor belt, and packaged them in boxes....The kids really loved this and didnt want to leave.


My kids made me promise we will go back there on our next trip. BIG huge WIN on this date.

 

[aussieGeorge68]

Excellent tip on the train at Gatorland -- now I just have to remember it should we ever got there!





There is one on Youtube about a gator biting someone's head, or at least that's what the blurb says -- I have not watched it, thank you very much!

But the sign you photographed made me think of this footage, of a crocodile grabbing a lawn mower, which cracked me up last year (not the same report but many of the same visuals). Different reptile, but I suspect the Bruno adventures weren't too different!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo52h53pgIU&feature=endscreen&NR=1

Thats a great video, the crocodile park where Elvis lives is only 60miles away, I should go and check him out. If you ever come to Australia you should check out the late Steve Irwin's Australia zoo. The crocodiles there are huge, the noise when the crocodile snaps in the feeding show reverberates around the stadium, it's something that you need to experience in person to really appreciate. Unfortunately there is no way any reptile park in Australia is going to let you touch a croc or alligator, so Gatorworld here we come.

 

[QuirkyBelle]

I love science museums! They're so much fun!

 

[mikkiwikki]

I love science museums! They're so much fun!

Yes! So very true! And another great tip to save money...

We are members with the ASTC

Article about here...>>CLICK

Basically we have a local science museum that is a member of the ASTC...if you get a annual membership (70 bucks for a family of 4) you can go as many times during the year as you like AS WELL as free admission to any of the participating ASTC museums! We went to visit family in Boston and got into the Boston Museum of Science for FREE. Similarly the Orlando Science Center was FREE. We totally visit plenty of science museums throughout the year to justify the annual fee, and we love visiting towns and looking up their science museums. Very budget friendly and the kids are learning something new all the time. Win-win.

 

[stacy347]

Yes! So very true! And another great tip to save money...

We are members with the ASTC

Article about here...>>CLICK

Basically we have a local science museum that is a member of the ASTC...if you get a annual membership (70 bucks for a family of 4) you can go as many times during the year as you like AS WELL as free admission to any of the participating ASTC museums! We went to visit family in Boston and got into the Boston Museum of Science for FREE. Similarly the Orlando Science Center was FREE. We totally visit plenty of science museums throughout the year to justify the annual fee, and we love visiting towns and looking up their science museums. Very budget friendly and the kids are learning something new all the time. Win-win.

Thank you so much for posting about this! We have a local science museum that participates as well, but I had no idea about the reciprocating centers. We'll definitely be using this on our road trip in June.

Glad you had such a good trip ~ looks like a lot of fun was had by all!

 

[mikkiwikki]

Thank you so much for posting about this! We have a local science museum that participates as well, but I had no idea about the reciprocating centers. We'll definitely be using this on our road trip in June.

Glad you had such a good trip ~ looks like a lot of fun was had by all!

Cool! glad to help another Diser save some CHA CHING!

We totally had so much fun - so much so that my kids were asking that we go back daily to OSC..alas we never got back here.
We will definitely be back in December 2012 tho!

Here is a better link about the astc to find out if your destination is participating. >> http://www.astc.org/