Disney World: Hollywood Studios After Dark

We enjoyed the Magic Kingdom After Dark so much that we booked a couple more, starting with Hollywood Studios After Dark.

Entrance

We had to experience Muppet-Vision 3D one last time — it will be shutting down in June 2025 and replaced with a Monsters, Inc land:

Muppet-Vision 3D

Muppet area

Dinner in Galaxy’s Edge:

Dinner in Galaxy's Edge

Smuggler’s Run ride:

Smuggler's Run ride

We got to be pilots, for the first time; we’ve been engineers and gunners in the past:

Smuggler's Run ride

Galaxy’s Edge:

Galaxy's Edge

Blue milk:

Blue milk

Galaxy's Edge

Rise of the Resistance ride:

Rise of the Resistance ride

Rise of the Resistance

Toy Story Land:

Toy Story Land

Alien Swirling Saucers ride:

Alien Swirling Saucers

Toy Story Land

Slinky Dog Dash ride:

Slinky Dog Dash ride

We enjoyed free Mickey bar ice cream:

Mickey bar ice cream

Toy Story Mania ride:

Toy Story Mania ride

Toy Story Land

Runaway Railway ride:

Runaway Railway ride

Star Tours ride:

Star Tours ride

Sunset Boulevard:

Sunset Boulevard

Rock’n’Roller Coaster ride (did not enjoy this one; very rough):

Rock'n'Roller Coaster

Rock'n'Roller Coaster ride

Tower of Terror ride:

Tower of Terror

Video:

We did all of the rides that were open during the special event, even ones we normally skip (like Star Tours and Rock’n’Roller Coaster).

Hollywood Boulevard:

Hollywood Boulevard

A fun night.

Disney World: Hollywood Studios

We also visited Hollywood Studios in Disney World.

Entrance

Main street

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area:

Stormtroopers

Oga’s Cantina for lunch:

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Galaxy's Edge

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride:

Galaxy's Edge

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Toy Story Land:

Toy Story Land

Spinning Saucers ride:

Spinning Saucers ride

Slinky Dog Dash ride:

Slinky Dog Dash

Toy soldiers drummers:

Toy solders drummers

Some food:

Snack

Toy Story Land

Toy Story Mania scores:

Toy Story Mania scores

Hollywood Tower of Terror ride:

Hollywood Tower of Terror

A video:

Pandora store for a couple of charms for Jenn:

Pandora store for a couple of charms for Jenn

The Brown Derby for dinner:

The Brown Derby for dinner

Disney World: Magic Kingdom After Dark

After spending several hours at Animal Kingdom, we went back to our coach to rest for a few hours, then headed out again to Magic Kingdom, for a special “After Dark” visit, where we (and hundreds of others) could enjoy the park after closing hours, with pretty much no lines for any of the rides, and “free” popcorn, ice cream, and beverages.

We timed our arrival well, and with some help from the ferry boat skipper going extra slow, we were able to see the early evening fireworks from the boat:

Fireworks from ferry boat

A posed photo in front of the castle:

Posed photo in front of the castle

Side of the castle:

Castle

Little Mermaid ride:

Little Mermaid ride

“The backside of water” on the Jungle Cruise ride:

The backside of water on the Jungle Cruise ride

Pirates of the Caribbean ride:

Pirates of the Caribbean ride

Riverboat and castle:

Riverboat and castle

Haunted Mansion ride:

Haunted Mansion ride

An amusing Haunted Mansion pic:

Amusing Haunted Mansion

Castle selfie:

Castle selfie

Later fireworks and light show:

Fireworks and light show

Teacups ride, with Jenn’s giggles:

Teacups ride

Peoplemover ride:

Peoplemover ride

Space Mountain ride:

Space Mountain ride

Tron ride:

Tron ride

A video with us:

Heading out, with a mostly empty Main Street:

Mostly empty Main Street

A magical experience.

Disney World: Animal Kingdom

We visited the four Walt Disney World theme parks again this year.

I’m doing a separate post for each park visit, starting with a half a day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, which is part theme park, part zoo.

Some posed photos:

Posed photo

Avatar land:

Avatar land

Avatar ride:

Avatar ride

Lunch:

Lunch

Heading to the safari ride:

Heading to safari ride

Safari ride

Animals

Posed photo

Tree of Life:

Tree of Life

Snack:

Snack

Expedition Everest ride:

Expedition Everest ride

Kennedy Space Center

We visited the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Merritt Island (by Cape Canaveral) on the coast of Florida.

An interactive map of the area:

Selfie:

Selfie

Orbit Cafe:

Orbit Cafe

Atlantis Space Shuttle building, with the booster rockets and fuel tank out front:

Atlantis Space Shuttle

The shuttle is suspended in the air:

Atlantis Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle

Space suit

Engine

Atlantis Space Shuttle

Space toilet:

Space toilet

Space bed:

Space bed

Challenger and Columbia memorial:

Challenger and Columbia memorial

Shuttles:

Shuttles

Astrovan:

Astrovan

Bus tour to the Apollo/Saturn V Center:

Bus tours

Rocket:

Rocket

Vertical assembly building:

Vertical assembly building

Saturn control room:

Saturn control room

Saturn V rocket:

Saturn V rocket

Space suits:

Space suits

Capsule:

Capsule

Rocket garden:

Rocket garden

Green-screen pic:

Kennedy Space Center

An interesting place to visit, at least once. We probably won’t visit again, though.

Bok Tower Gardens

We visited Bok Tower Gardens on Iron Mountain in Florida. It is a 250-acre garden and bird sanctuary, with a tower that includes a 60-bell Carillon. The “mountain” on which it is built is one of the highest in Florida, at 295 feet elevation (yeah, Florida is very flat).

Here’s an interactive map of the gardens:

The brochure map:

Map

Tower cross-section:

Tower cross-section

Entrance:

Entrance

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Exhibits:

Exhibits

Changing Florida:

Exhibits

Elevations of Florida:

Exhibits

Cafe:

Cafe

Gift store:

Gift store

Bok Tower:

Bok Tower

Pond

Flowers

El Retiro historic home:

El Retiro historic home

Art boardwalk:

Art boardwalk

Window:

Window

Sundial:

Sundial

Bok quote: “Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you”:

Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you

A fascinating tower and nice gardens. Highly recommended.

Rainbow Springs State Park headsprings

We visited the headsprings part of Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon, Florida.

Their map:

Rainbow Springs map

The main part of the park is physically separated from the campground:

A sign with info about the history:

Info sign

Pond and waterfall:

Pond and waterfall

Natural Landmark since 1972:

Natural Landmark since 1972

Paths and the spring:

Paths and the spring

Caution, gators:

Gators

Info sign:

Info sign

Selfie:

Selfie

Swimming area:

Swimming area

Swimming area from other side:

Swimming area from other side

Bumpy path:

Bumpy path

Marshy area:

Weedy area

Marshy area

Bubbling sand GIF:

Bubbling sand

Waterfall GIF:

Waterfall

Waterfall long exposure:

Waterfall long exposure

A nice park. Apparently crazy busy in summer, but not so much in winter.

Video

Video: Hundreds of manatees at Three Sisters Springs in Florida

Some clips from three viewpoints at Three Sisters Springs in Florida, with hundreds of manatees gathered around the springs.

Seeing hundreds of manatees at Three Sisters Springs in Florida

We visited Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, Florida, to see manatees. These fascinating creatures spend the winter gathered around warm springs connected to the gulf, as the springs maintain a temperature of 72° F year-round.

Here’s a map of the springs:

A map on the wall of the visitor center:

Map

350 manatees counted:

350 manatees counted

Entrance sign:

Crystal River Three Sisters Springs

Manatee manners signs:

Manatee manners

One of the springs:

Spring

Lots of manatees:

Manatees

The nearby Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center:

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Florida’s Forgotten Coast

While staying at Ho-Hum RV Park, we did a few drives along the Forgotten Coast, in the panhandle of Florida. Amongst other things, we saw all four of the lighthouses on the coast.

A pamphlet for the lighthouse driving tour, with information about each lighthouse:

Lighthouse driving tour pamphlet

The first drive was west of the RV park, with lunch at the Blue Parrot Ocean Front Cafe (they have a live cam you can view, too), then St George Island Lighthouse.

Here’s the route on an interactive map:

Bridge to St George Island:

Bridge to St George Island

Blue Parrot for lunch:

Blue Parrot

St George Island Lighthouse; unfortunately the museum was closed when we visited:

St George Island Lighthouse

St George Island beach:

St George Island beach

Further west, the Cape San Blas Lighthouse in Port St Joe:

Cape San Blas Lighthouse

The second drive was east of the RV park, to St Marks National Wildlife Refuge, St Mark’s Lighthouse, and Publix groceries on the way back.

Here’s the route on an interactive map:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge visitor center, with info about the lighthouse too:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge visitor center

The wildlife refuge:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St Marks Lighthouse:

St Marks Lighthouse

The third drive was to have lunch at The Fisherman’s Wife restaurant in Carrabelle, then visit the nearby Crooked River Lighthouse.

Here’s the route on an interactive map:

The Fisherman’s Wife; we wanted to eat here last year, but they were closed for the holidays. They were closed again most of the time we were at Ho-Hum this time too, but opened a few days before our departure:

The Fisherman's Wife