Yes, it was a nice trip. I don't have high expectations -- I just go to see my parents, my grandma Thelma (who just turned 90 this year -- I took a video of her telling a ghost story from her childhood), and my goddaughter and her parents. I usually do one amusement park day in Orlando so my son isn't totally bored, and it was Epcot this year. That was pleasant, partly because when I registered for the volunteer for a day thing they got my birthday and so they gave me a button that got us a free dessert at lunch in the Japanese restaurant as well as lots of birthday greetings. It took me awhile to figure out what the heck was going on with that since the woman at the ticket booth had a thick Indian accent and my birthday was still over a week away, and it was also a little unnerving getting all those birthday greetings from total strangers, but the Indian lady had definitely hinted it was good for something to wear that button, and come lunchtime it was.
Epcot is showing its age, or at least hasn't changed much since the last time I was there twenty years ago, but this time we went on two rides we hadn't in the past because of long lines -- the mission to space and the test track, and those were both fun. And Canada and China had updated their movies, at least. Also, lunch was good, and my son didn't complain too much except about the old 1986 3D Captain Eo (Michael Jackson), which my mother for some reason was very intent on seeing. I was also stunned when he asked weren't we going to Homassassa Springs State Park again this visit, so I was happy to stop there on the way down to my goddaughter's house. Probably the nicest thing about the trip was noticing that my kid was growing up and becoming more fun to travel with. (Last year he'd whined most of the way through Homassassa.)
I also have to say the hotel was great in Orlando -- we stayed at Lake Buena Vista Village Resort and Spa (I think that's it), obtained cheaply via Expedia, which meant we had two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room/dining room, for little more than I'd normally pay for a dinky hotel room up here. It was also a really short drive to Epcot. So that was a nice comfortable way to be there with my folks and made me feel a little better about them traipsing around in the high 90's heat with us. I suspect it's such a great deal because this is actually a failed condo complex, but whatever -- it made for a nice stay and also an easy drop-off at the airport Tuesday morning.
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I'm glad you got a great deal on the hotel accomodations. I like to live in luxury for for the few days I'm on vacation.
