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

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

Uh... Pig on the Pond?

Uh... So there's this thing called Pig on the Pond that been happening in Clermont, FL for the past 20 years... And... I had never even heard of it until a few weeks ago... But since there was a carnival midway.. I felt the need the check it out.
 (Maybe a bonus coaster? hm. but sadly, there was none to be found.)

So uh, yeah... Pig on the Pond.
Oink?

The event was surprisingly busy.

And featured live music and BBQ....
as well as a small ride midway.

Was my first time seeing a 'full size' Expo Wheel.
Having only ridden the slightly smaller version of it a year ago at the Lake County Fair.

Wisdom built Silver Streak mini Himalaya.

ARM built Rock Star.

Wisdom built full sized Himalaya.

Sellner /Larson built Funnel Force.

and... a Hrubetz built Round-Up

woo.

 (hey look, an update... after like... half a year of me being lazy, sorry about that. Not like anyone really sees any of these.. ha)

The Vue at 360

The Vue at 360, or... The Worlds Tallest StarFlyer!

I'm not sure why Orlando needs a second StarFlyer... uh, basically a block from the first American one at Magical Midway... But whatever, I-Drive 360, Home to the Orlando Eye decided to go ahead and build what will be the tallest StarFlyer ride in the world, standing some 420 feet tall and I'll be sure to ride it!

Once it opens, supposedly next spring, it will replace the New England SkyScreamer at Six Flags New England by 10 feet or so becoming the tallest swing tower in the world.

 Having 'been in the works' some 3 years now... It was almost a surprise to see ground work actually start on this project.

(Unlike say, the Polar Coaster that still hasn't done much of anything, a block away)

 Ground work for a building. 

Assuming this will be bathrooms and tickets.

 The ride foundation has been placed and loading area paved.

What looks to be the queue has also been marked off.

 There was active work going on, despite the rain, while I was there.

 After 3 years, it was nice to see work progress.

Orlando has a bad habit of things being announced and never, ever happening.
I had almost forgotten about this project until I saw a photo showing off ground work! ha

Woo?

A quick visit to Sea Life Orlando

Since it was raining and I didn't wanna go to Epcot.... I made my second visit to Sea Life Orlando. I hadn't been since the place first opened and not much has changed. The place is nice but its small and extremely overpriced for what you get. They also seem to no longer use the odd 360 movie when you first enter, before you get to all the fish tanks. Hmm.

So, uh, Sea Life Orlando
(and now for a few random photos of fish and stuff)

See, fish.... and uh, stuff.

Jellyfish, also, I hate them.

But I liked this little orange fish.

More fish... and more stuff?

Oh look! Even more fish!

I think this diver was being attacked by these fish.
maybe?

But also, Seahorses <3

And lastly, these fish.

Yup