We attended a spring training game at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, between the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Grand Slam Grill:
Lunch:
Beverage:
Distance sign:
Outfield chairs:
Bullpens:
Big D:
Play ball:
Automated Ball-Strike challenge, being tested in spring training:
Mascot:
We visited Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Spring Hill, Florida. Famous for its live mermaid shows.
Peacock:
Peahen and young peacock:
Lunch:
Mermaid statue:
Gift store:
Spring water park:
Can’t really see them, but there were some manatees over by the bank:
River boat tour:
Eagle nest:
Kayaks on the river:
Mermaid theatre:
Mermaid show, performing a variation of the Little Mermaid story:
Cheesy fun.
We visited Epcot within Disney World during their After Dark special event.
This was unique in that it was the first time we’ve driven to a Disney World park; previously we were staying inside the bubble at the Fort Wilderness campground, but we did this visit when back at TTO.
Epcot parking entrance:
The After Hours info:
We thought it a little odd that the map cut off halfway around the lake… but later found that they blocked off that, which was disappointing; we enjoy walking around the lake:
The Spaceship Earth globe:
Spaceship Earth ride:
Lime dole whip snack:
Luminous show:
Looking towards France:
Ratatouille ride:
Minnie Mouse:
Looking across the lake:
Mexico pavilion:
Norway pavilion:
Frozen ride:
Selfie:
The Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind ride had a somewhat long wait; it seemed like it was going extra slow:
Definitely the least fun of the three After Dark experiences, between not being able to go around the lake and longer lines. But still enjoyable.
We visited Magic Kingdom again, during regular hours (and on Valentine’s Day).
Train station and train:
Castle:
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure:
Ferry to Tom Sawyer Island; a generally boring area, but we had to visit it, as it will be going away soon, to be replaced with a Cars-themed land:
The river and riverboat will also be going away, unfortunately:
Pirates of the Caribbean ride:
Snack:
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride:
Video:
It’s a Small World ride:
The traditional picture of the massive New Zealand representation:
Tron Lightcycle Run ride:
Video:
Snack:
Carousel of Progress ride:
A new activity is making a custom tiara from a selection of frame styles and crystal colors, which Jenn did:
Jenn with her new tiara:
Haunted Mansion ride:
No one poses like Gaston:
We had dinner at the Be Our Guest restaurant on Valentine’s Day:
We visited Epcot within Disney World.
Chalk art:
During the Festival of the Arts they have special food booths, and some dishes to collect stamps for a prize, which Jenn enjoys doing. Here are all of the things we ate as part of that:
The prize last year was a plastic glass that Jenn still uses; the one this year was a rather unpleasant rice cake thing (at top, on the collection booklet); disappointing:
Another collection thing that Jenn did was the World Traveler Passport, where she got a stamp and handwritten message from each of the world pavilions, from someone from each country:
Mexico pavilion:
Frozen ride:
Germany pavilion:
Italy pavilion:
Japan pavilion:
Morocco pavilion:
United Kingdom pavilion:
Living with the Land ride:
Paint by numbers:
Flowers:
Guardians of the Galaxy ride:
Spaceship Earth ride:
A custom video based on our answers:
Journey of Water:
We enjoyed the Magic Kingdom After Dark so much that we booked a couple more, starting with Hollywood Studios After Dark.
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:
Dinner in Galaxy’s Edge:
Smuggler’s Run ride:
We got to be pilots, for the first time; we’ve been engineers and gunners in the past:
Galaxy’s Edge:
Blue milk:
Rise of the Resistance ride:
Toy Story Land:
Alien Swirling Saucers ride:
Slinky Dog Dash ride:
We enjoyed free Mickey bar ice cream:
Toy Story Mania ride:
Runaway Railway ride:
Star Tours ride:
Sunset Boulevard:
Rock’n’Roller Coaster ride (did not enjoy this one; very rough):
Tower of Terror ride:
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:
A fun night.
We also visited Hollywood Studios in Disney World.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area:
Oga’s Cantina for lunch:
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride:
Toy Story Land:
Spinning Saucers ride:
Slinky Dog Dash ride:
Toy soldiers drummers:
Some food:
Toy Story Mania scores:
Hollywood Tower of Terror ride:
A video:
Pandora store for a couple of charms for Jenn:
The Brown Derby for dinner:
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:
A posed photo in front of the castle:
Side of the castle:
Little Mermaid ride:
“The backside of water” on the Jungle Cruise ride:
Pirates of the Caribbean ride:
Riverboat and castle:
Haunted Mansion ride:
An amusing Haunted Mansion pic:
Castle selfie:
Later fireworks and light show:
Teacups ride, with Jenn’s giggles:
Peoplemover ride:
Space Mountain ride:
Tron ride:
A video with us:
Heading out, with a mostly empty Main Street:
A magical experience.
We drove our coach just 48 miles, about one hour of driving, from Clermont to Disney World, Florida.
Here’s a map showing our route, heading in a deliberately long route, to kill time before check-in time:
An interactive map:
Checking out of TTO; unusual to need to check out, but at TTO one needs to hand in the site number tags:
Leaving TTO:
Clermont water tower:
An idiot driving with a flat tire, practically falling off:
Going through a toll plaza, entering Florida’s Turnpike:
Florida’s Turnpike:
We stopped at Turkey Lake Service Plaza for lunch, and to kill some time:
KFC for lunch:
A trailer staging area in the service plaza, which we could have used if the truck/RV parking was full:
Toll plaza when leaving the turnpike:
Exit to Disney:
Entering Walt Disney World:
Exit to Fort Wilderness:
Passing by Magic Kingdom parking:
Entering Fort Wilderness:
Fort Wilderness security gate:
Fort Wilderness Reception Outpost:
Unhitching area, where we untoaded:
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:
Orbit Cafe:
Atlantis Space Shuttle building, with the booster rockets and fuel tank out front:
The shuttle is suspended in the air:
Space toilet:
Space bed:
Challenger and Columbia memorial:
Shuttles:
Astrovan:
Bus tour to the Apollo/Saturn V Center:
Rocket:
Vertical assembly building:
Saturn control room:
Saturn V rocket:
Space suits:
Capsule:
Rocket garden:
Green-screen pic:
An interesting place to visit, at least once. We probably won’t visit again, though.