The Real Housewives of Kissimmee

Magic Castle Inn & Suites
(focal point of the film, The Florida Project)

So...last year a movie came out by the name The Florida Project (a play on the development name for Walt Disney World) I had wanted to see it after everyone started raving about it but failed to get the chance. Luckily during a delightful 16 hour flight I was on to Hong Kong, it was being offered as part of the inflight entertainment... So I watched it... and I really, really enjoyed it.
The film follows of the lives of people who live in the hotels off 192 right behind Disney. Knowing the area and living/working in the area.. it almost seemed like the film could have just been a documentary of life in Kissimmee... and up until the very end of the film.. it seems like it could have even been a reality TV show. While obliviously a movie and not real life, it does give a very real feeling of what its like for people who live and work right on the doorsteps of the Disney empire but might never be able to afford the chance to visit and how millions of visitors yearly have no idea whats really going on where they vacation. ....But I guess that could be said for anywhere, really.
 But it was kinda neat to see a whole bunch of places I've been to or been past. Showing things like Orange World, Twistee Treat, different crappy gift shops, the Mickey Pylon!... and even signs for Cici's Pizza and Ichiban Buffet (one of my favorites!)

I almost feel like had I seen this film before moving down to Orlando... it might have even put me off it. ha
But yeah, Magic Castle Inn & Suites.

Yup.

And much like in the movie.... there were even Sandhill Cranes!
((AND A BABY!!))

(((yyeeeessssss)))

Annddd.... here's the Trailer for the movie.

So yeah... if you haven't seen this movie yet... you probably should.

and here's a rather good news story about the hotel and movie - click

บวกหนึ่ง : โยโย่แลนด์ (because, why not?)

When visiting a country... on the other side of the world... and for the first time... obviously, the first thing you'll wanna do is visit the mall... right? Uh....
Who needs Buddhist Temples, Royal Palaces, or anything with any sort of cultural value... when you can visit.... the mall!

Ah, Seacon Square, because, why not?

Originally this wasn't gonna be a stop on my trip. But since I had finished my morning/afternoon activity in a timely manner and was sooo close anyways.... I used Uber for my second time, ever... And made my way over to the mall.

So... yeah, Seacon Square. A rather large mall in Bangkok. (its one of the largest in the whole country!) And also one of like.... 8... I ended up inside of over my 3 days in Thailand...
But at least I wasn't here to shop?

They were having this odd... Auto Show going on... I guess.

Also, this bear <3

Bread Talk!!
But also, the reason I'm here.. And not doing something of historical or cultural value....
BEHOLD!

Yoyo Land! โยโย่แลนด์
...home of Bangkok's only indoor amusement park // roller coaster!

Park Map

the park, mostly geared toward kids was a lot bigger than I had thought. It also had way more rides than I was expecting... Like this fun looking kiddie Viking ride.

And a small kid sized log flume with better theming than most Cedar Fair parks.

Cowboy/Horse ride.. with fake cacti!

Bumper Car(s)

Ghost House

Snowland?!

BOOM BOOM!
(I laughed way more than I should have)

Things weren't looking so good for Hotel Pooh
also, I laughed at this too, haha, Pooh.

Kinda neat looking double helix car ride.
But also, the reason I came here and the only thing I rode....
wait for it.... wait for it!!....

Roller Coaster / รถไฟเหาะ / Zoom / ซูม !
yeesssssss

a Zierer custom built Tivoli model

Featuring this epic clear blue tunnel...

Lets do this!
(My fourth and final Thai coaster!)
Zooooooooooooooooom!

So...excited.... here we go!!
The ride starts without even a lift hill. Booster tires just push you out of the station and you start rolling past all the other rides and arcade games. slowly making your way around to the lift that comes pretty much two thirds of the way around the course.
(and that adds no more than say... 5 feet of elevation change.. haha)

Such an exciting layout, I know.
The ride used to be something more worthwhile but in 1999 the park and coaster were both down sized and what was once a pretty cool looking coaster became more of a 'tour around the park'
(see this image from RCDB - https://rcdb.com/2239.htm#p=38792 )

Post the rides modification, this became the only substantial drop on the ride, and it comes pretty much at the end, after you glide around over-top of the rest of the park area.

Each ride consists of two laps around the layout and since I'll probably never be back here. I went back for a second ride. Taking both a front and back seat double lap. haha

Via YouTube, I found this delightful on and off ride video showing the coaster in all its glory.
Not my video, but it shows off the ride well enough that I included it here. ha.

Uh and because why not, some bonus Twitter stuffs.
https://twitter.com/CanobieFan/status/970588302448496640
https://twitter.com/CanobieFan/status/970594964630638592

(Hey look, semi-actual content for once!)

The Apopka Fair

So.... Uh... I visited the Apopka Fair at Kit Land Nelson Park in Apopka, Florida for the first time ever....? yay?

This was my first fair exclusively by Paradise Amusements.
(I had seen them do a collaborated Midway elsewhere, last year)

Giant Wheel built by Expo Wheels. I didn't ride it here, but I've ridden this one before... And the ride experience can be summed up with one word. Cheap.

Surf City walk through Funhouse.

Haunted Mansion, a tiny walk through haunt. The actual 'show' building wasn't even half the length of the facade.

""Speed Freak"" Himalaya.
Not sure who built this or where it came from... But I had seen it once before at the Lake County Fair.
The people riding it seemed to be having a good time. haha.
 Odd.

The ARM Vertigo was probably the newest and best kept piece at the fair.

The Technical Park Street Fighter looked like it had seen better days.
(Skipped it here, but I have ridden this exact one elsewhere)

Chance Wipeout.

Super Slide

Wisdom Area 51 gravatron ride.

ARM 1001 Nachts
.....and now for the one ride... I did ride.

Behold, the China Dragon!

A Wisdom built Orient Express coaster.

And since it was a new for me... It became coaster #925....!
(....just 75 till I hit 1000!)
((I should feel ashamed of myself, but I'm not))

Totally worth it.

Totally.
Also, also, I won this fantastic 'Poop Emoji' hat from the Water Gun Fun game.... Because, well, I'm an adult... Or something.

Uh, woo?

Nature Connects: a LEGO display not sponsored by LEGO

Soooo... for my birthday... Jeff took me to the Leu Gardens in Orlando to see the Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks display. We had been to the gardens a few years prior but after finding out they were having a LEGO event... He knew I wanted to go check it out.. So fresh off the plane from my own birthday gift to myself, a whirlwind trek across Southeast Asia.. We headed off to the gardens! (listed on the National Register of Historic Places!)

The 'event' features 16 sculptures in 13 displays all made out of LEGO's, some 450,000 bricks... placed all around the 50 acre garden. Even with the provided map showing the general area the models were placed.. some of them were harder to find than others...

So yeah, Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks!
(woo)

Gardening Grandfather with Granddaughter
46,940 bricks

Peacock
68,827 bricks

Ant Mosaic
12,990 bricks

 Galapagos Tortoise and Darwin Finch
23,317 bricks
(by far the hardest model to find... we even found other people who were lost looking for this one!)

Birdbath
14,802 bricks
(I love the little LEGO squirrel!)

Giant Pansy
29,314 bricks

Roseate Skimmer Dragonfly
 7,788 bricks

Wheelbarrow
29,900 bricks

     Hummingbird and Trumpet Flower
61,107 bricks

Giant Corn Spider
16,492 bricks

Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed
39,708 bricks

Buck, Doe and Fawn
84,442 bricks
(aww)
((also, I guess I missed getting the Buck in this shot... so lets make that 15 sculptures in 13 display, oops))

And last, my favorite....
The LEGO Bonsai Tree! Built with 9,143 bricks...
(And I would totally buy this as a kit!)

Yup