Memories to Last a Lifetime!

This May, we took Jim's dad down to Florida, his favorite vacation spot. He's 87. I hope that at age 87 I still love Disney World as much as he does. What follows are a few memories from the special week we shared together...

On our first day in Florida, we caught the end of the Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot... something Jim's mom would have liked, I think. We stopped to take in this train display. I loved how they used real little bonsai-like trees for the whole town. Check out dad's wheels... He gets around just fine at home but we rented him a ride for the week since we'd be doing so much walking.

I had to snap a shot of the plant-version of Lightning McQueen since almost every little boy we know right now seems to be obsessed with him...

Ah, Italy... Funny how in the shot the sky almost looks fake too... The weather was actually THAT nice.

Looking at the 'big ball' from across the pond...

Speaking of 'across the pond' - We stopped over in the United Kingdom pavillion to take in a British rock band performing in the gazebo. I think it was a little loud for dad's taste but he humored us. He even knew some of the songs...

A quick group shot by Spaceship Earth. I think dad rode that one at least twice. I had to draw the line at Mission: Space. I told him if it was too scary for me, it was too scary for him.

The Icon... I remember thinking it was a giant golf ball when I was a kid. Funny that I still remember that whenever I see it.

Day 2 was beach day! We drove out to the coast to Daytona Beach. It was picture perfect.

The Zahniser men - battling each other in a contest for whitest skin...

On Day 3, we headed out for the Magic Kingdom. However, one cannot simply drive to the Magic Kingdom (maybe that's what makes it Magic?) Some genius has devised a plan wherein the only way to actually get 74 gazillion people to the actual park is via boat or monorail. So we opted for boat. It was quite the production...

Crossing the Seven Seas Lagoon (I vote for changing it to the "Are-we-there-yet Lagoon")

And, FINALLY - Cue the obligatory train station shots...

I love how these shots are a right of passage for every single trip to Disney World (or Land.) I will not let my party pass go without standing in front of the station for a photo-op. It's just not happening- it's the law.

And, just for the record, let's get one "Beginning of the day shot"...

First item on dad's agenda was multiple rides on the train... We aim to please.

Next up: Parade? CHECK!

I think I was even more excited to ride this than dad because they don't have it at Disneyland anymore and I love it (I'm a sucker for nostalgia) - The PEOPLEMOVER!

One of the highlights of any Disney day... the elusive yet delicious Pineapple Whip. Our favorite semi-annual to annual treat.

I should start a collection of all the pictures I have of us eating and/or posing with this dessert.

Where else do you see a banjo and steel guitar playing with a sousaphone? And playing the Toy Story song? Nowhere, I tell you.

Now we come to the part of the day when I start playing around with the camera - Cue the Castle shots...

Cue miniaturize feature...

Now, it's getting close to the time that is my favorite time in one of my favorite places in the world- dusk on Mainstreet, USA... All the lights are coming on and the castle is lighting up. I know it's the kid in me but I still can't help feeling that "magical feeling" being there to see it all unfold. Call me crazy- I know it's silly. But I'm kinda glad I still feel that way. Makes me know I'm not old and jaded.

It's getting darker and pretty soon all the lights that were glowing on Mainstreet will be turned down, and then the show really starts...

And then, before you know it, Tinkerbell's flying, just like she did when I was a little girl, and the fireworks are lighting the sky above the Castle...

And before I leave, like always, I turn and give the Castle one final quick glance... hoping I'll make it back to this magical place to add more memories to the ones that have already been written.