STS-133-9

Good morning. Today we are going to go out to the Kennedy Space Center and do the Visitor’s Center tours and all that jazz. The Thursday weather forecast is rain in the morning as a front comes through and then windy and cold with the high temperature around 68F. So, basically, probably not launching Thursday. Maybe Friday.

STS-133-8

Let’s see, what’s next? After we got out of the Haunted Mansion the rain had mostly stopped. We walked back over to Tomorrowland and went on a couple of rides over there. Then we went and found a funnel cake and then watched the Electrical Parade. That was pretty impressive. The lights are really well done. While we were waiting for the parade to start I checked the NASA app and learned that the launch has once again been pushed back. This time it is listed as “Thursday at the earliest” which is not good news. I’m leaving on Saturday which means that Thursday and Friday are the only viable days for me.

Dad got in this afternoon and he was planning to return on Thursday so this is even more of a problem for him. We’ll see how it all turns out. I think tomorrow we’re going to try to go out to Kennedy and do the visitor center thing.

Pictures from The Magic Kingdom today:

STS-133-6

It has been raining here in the Magic Kingdom for the last hour and a half. We rode Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain in the rain thus becoming, somehow, even more wet. Now we are sitting under a covered sidewalk by a gift store drying out a bit and seeing if the sky will relent.

Update: got a poncho and soldiered bravely on. Stopped in to see the Haunted Mansion and accidentally crammed three adults into a two person car. That would have been tolerable had the ride not broken down half way through. After five minutes or so we were released from the “Doom Carriage” and walked out along the ride path. It was actually pretty cool. Not exactly Behind The Scenes but still interesting to see the ghosts and other effects in full lighting.

STS-133-5

Uploaded some pictures last night but haven’t managed to get the links to the organized yet and I can’t copy image locations with the phone either. We’re back with the mouse again today. Eileen also knows someone who works here so they’re going to let us in and then she and Wes are going to Animal Kingdom and I’m going to the Magic Kingdom. Finishing early today and then on the bus at 05:15 tomorrow morning to go to Kennedy.

STS-133-4

The lines have not been bad but it’s too hot for November 1st. Half of the children have Kim Possible mission communicator phones so everywhere you go you hear the little song chirping. The Spaceship Earth ride is nice and the mission to Mars thing made me nauseous but it’s basically a people centrifuge so that’s not surprising. The thing that has surprised me the most is that the “cast members” in the World Showcase are actually from the countries they work in in the park. I bought a snack from a completely disinterested French girl and was welcomed to the Japan gift shop with an authentic irasshaimase. I have some pictures to upload tonight so more then.

STS-133-3

In which I notice that my new sunglasses are missing a nose pad and convince the family to walk two and a half miles through the world’s largest strip mall (Orlando) to find replacements ultimately resulting in us almost not getting dinner and being Those People who walk into the restaurant 15 minutes before close and order a bunch of stuff and then dessert.

Tomorrow is the first of three early days with a 6:30am start to be at the front gates of EPCOT by 9:00am to meet our benefactor. I have to admit that I’m looking forward to it. I really liked that part of the park when we went when I was little and I’m curious to see how it’s changed.

STS-133-2

I have arrived in Orlando. It’s pretty crazy. The entirety of International Drive is basically a giant mall except it has theme parks on it too. I took a picture of my airplane in DFW and of the view out the front door of the hotel room. You can just barely see the top of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on the horizon. It turns out that mom knows someone that is giving us free passes to EPCOT tomorrow and Tuesday we’re going to go to the Universal Studios park which is where the Harry Potter stuff is. This is turning into a full blown vacation.