Quick Trip to Disney World

There's an overload of pictures today, but it's Disney World!

Marc had his days off changed to Monday and Tuesday last week, so we decided we better use the time well. Sunday afternoon we decided to head to Disney World. We put in for name your own price on priceline and got a great deal at this resort. Yes, it is named Gaylord Palms, and yes, it looks like a palace!

 This is the hall that eventually leads to our room, which is pictured on the right. Odd, it looks like we have a window, but when you open it up it's actually a balcony to the inside. However, the inside looks even more outdoors than the outside view. Here's why.

There is a huge atrium at the center of this hotel. Above is the picture of the ceiling of the atrium, and below is pictured the floor of the atrium. Yes, there were waterfalls and a creek running through it, so we could open the balcony doors and listen to the water running.

 These alligators call this atrium home. Or in other words, they slept in the same hotel with us, just outside the balcony. But as you can tell by the picture below, they were a long ways away from our window.

This is the walkway around the atrium. You can see our balcony, which was the third row up on an inside corner. Yes, this is still inside the hotel.

 

 Although it looks like we had a good boat ride, and Marc a good fish ;) this is actually still inside the atrium. We didn't discover the boat until the day we were leaving, that's how huge the atrium was.

 We started out in the Epcot center. Unfortunately we only had one day in the parks, so we had to go fast. Marc's friend from BYUI works here, and she was kind enough to set us up with a sweet deal to get into the parks. Let's just say we didn't pay much.

 We tried out the newly remodeled Test Drive. Where you design your own car, go on a roller coaster test drive, and then see how your car ranked. Let's just say ours ranked much higher on power than efficiency.

 There were several characters sneaking around. Mulan was in her native land when we went through the world showcase, as were many of her friends. (Conversation overheard in France by a dad and two daughters as they walked by Aurora: The father asked: Do you still need Aurora? Daughter: No, we just need sleeping beauty. As they walked passed I mentioned to Marc: Aurora is Sleeping Beauty. Daughter to Father: Aurora is Sleeping Beauty. Other daughter: No she's not. Father: Aurora is Snow White. 2nd Daughter: Yeah, we need Snow White! Hmm... well I tried!)

 It was too dark to tell, but here we are on a viking ship in Norway. No surprise all the trolls jump out at you as you ride through. Northern lands and their trolls!

 Herzlich Willkommen! Is how the sign greeted us in Germany as we stopped by for some Bratwurst und Sauerkraut. Almost felt like home walking through the cobbled streets, with big signs for Oktoberfest.

This is Living with the Lands boat ride. Since this is where Marc's friend works, she gave us a behind the scenes tour. It was very interesting. Yes, those are tomatoes on a tree, a tomato tree. One tomato tree they have produced 32,000 tomatoes in one season!! Crazy huh?

   Who's ready for a Safari?!?      

We made it to the Animal Kingdom. Though unfortunately it was closing earlier than we thought. Who knew it closed at 7:00pm?

 There were so many animals, that looked just like they were living on the safari. It's amazing how they set it up and don't have animals eating each other. The ostrich ran right in front of the female lion as it followed our safari vehicle.

Here are a few of the animals: A Hippo

 A rhinoceros

 A giraffe. We could even see it's colored tongue as it tried to eat the leaves.

I don't remember what this is.. but interesting that the large horns are for air conditioning. The guide said that their blood will circulate through the horns and cool down. Then it will circulate the cool blood back through the body. By this time I was kind of wishing that Mormons really did have horns, if they worked like that. It was a rather hot day.

 We were on the back of the safari, so this shows the trail we just drove through. 

That's the Lion King's tree of life behind us.