Two Altercations And A Salad Please

Day two and everyone slept a lot better. This being the case we only managed to get out the room by 8.15am and we HAD to be at Animal Kingdom for it's opening at 9am. So off we went in my all American 300C. Thank the sweet Lord of eBay for our AAA diamond parking passes - meaning we could park very near each Disney Park entrance without having to take a tram / walk for miles. How much was this privilege I hear you cry... about £4.36p.


We liked Disney's attempt at a safari park come jungle ride-fest and all went on the safari part first thing - after watching the park opening ceremony, of which, the Magic Kingdom one was much much better and almost brought a tear to my (wobbly) eye. After the safari we watched a 3D Bug's Life show which was fun but lots of loud noises, darkness and mist so both kids were a bit unsure about that part. We did a kiddy ride which they loved (typical) and I ventured on the one they called 'Everest'. I'm not sure I'm as agile or resistant to being affected by rides as I used to be but I came off this terror-fest with a smile on my face and legs made of jelly - brilliant fun. I also rode 'Dinosaur' which was a time travel / dinosaur / asteroid fun fest - alone. It was good but a bit much for my delicate munchkins.



We saw two shows too, Finding Nemo (very clever puppetry and acting all at once) and later on The Lion King. This show was one of the best things I have seen at a theme park and seemed to encompass everything that was good about Disney - brilliant acrobatics, perfect acoustics, a centre stage, great songs and singing - with an uplifting feeling throughout and stayed with us (me only) as we trotted out from the air cooled barn into the hot sun.

We also managed to get some snaps with the characters with the ever-satisfying family pic with a certain mouse in the bag. Just after this we ran into my first almost altercation. As you click away happily at the character of choice cuddling your pride and joy(s) a Disney photographer also takes 'official' pictures allowing you to pick them up later, at Disney prices. I had just finished taking snaps of my pride and joys with Goofy when the Disney photo man handed me his special card (to hand in and buy photos) to which I politely responded "no thank you" to which he said "if you didn't want me to take pictures you should have said" .... WHAT??? Am I dreaming? Was Disney cast member getting all shirty? Why is it down to me to tell him NOT to? Why couldn't he have asked if I wanted any? So I walked away, got annoyed then walked back, gave him a polite (as always) piece of my mind and went off on my way. As you can tell I was most perturbed by this turn of 'events'. So off we went to get a picture with a large duck costume with a man in it and a pair of characters comprised of an alien and a Hawaiian girl.
We left the park after the obligatory parade ready to come back to the hotel and for a swim. It was at this point I almost had my second and much more dangerous alteration. I was forced to pull in to a lane to get the freeway / highway at the near last possible moment -if only CHiPs were present but we're nowhere near California and they were fictional.... I digress - and the man who I really really needed to let me go in was accelerating to get past me and left me not a lot of room as he overtook at speed that I vented my spleen with a long hoot to which his passenger window came down and a long arm came out and I was given the bird - a very large bird for all to see. Then this nice man slowed down (on a fast road) to a crawl and this same door was opening and leg coming out (car still moving) presumably ready for me to beg for mercy as he would inevitably get out and point a scary gun at me (maybe with accompanying Hollywood music) Luckily this did not happen and after some careful lane weaving we lost him. Parp.

Back to the hotel for swim, bath and change. We went out to eat to a place called The Olive Garden which I was told by a certain Milly-dawg not to go to. How wrong he was. At this Italian eatery chain I proceeded to consume one the best meals I have ever had. Now this is possibly a little over the top and wont be helped by the meal as I describe it but it must have been the service, the place, the food and ambiance as well as two very tired and very well behaved kids. I had an amazing cold beer (just the one) called something like Yuenling and .It. Was. Amazing. I ate spaghetti with meatballs but not only were these excellent meatballs but it also came with as much 'garden' salad with croutons as I could eat along with as many garlic bread sticks as I could consume too. Convinced? Probably not but believe me it was all so good and we ate at the bar - with lots of room for plates and the kids' drawing that they gave out. Eating at the bar? How brave and nouvelle of us.

So we've had two almost alterations and my garden salad. Who knows what merriment tomorrow will bring but I think after two long park days we will be relaxing more but with an afternoon trip to Epcot and a meal in 'Japan' to look forward the fun should continue. Although, storms are coming..... and yes I mean the weather.

Wife asleep again so I will now raid the fridge once more for a dessert never ordered at The Olive Garden. Yes, it's the Olive Garden and I'm not raving over a burger or a steak - strange, but true. Night.