Finishinig Orlando

 We've had four full days in the Orlando area visiting four top tourist destinations: Kennedy Space Center, Universal studios, Disney's Magic Kingdom, and Sea World.  They are four very different venues.  It is time for some thoughtful observations.  We have ranked the four theme parks in order of preference.  Yes, you can quibble with my listing of the KSC (Kennedy Space Center) as a theme park, but it is more like a theme park than it is a regular National Historic Park so I'm going with it.  I'll hold the rankings for a while, hopefully to build suspense.  

Observations.  Most theme parks are really not built for senior citizens.  KSC is probably best for older individuals as far the entire set-up.  Sea World is mostly shows in huge auditoriums both inside and outside as well as walk through exhibits.  Although it is supposed to be a mix of thrill rides interspersed with those other venues only two coasters were running and the flume didn't open up till about noon.  Not much for the thrill seekers. Magic Kingdom probably comes next for elders in regard to the attractions (read that as rides).  Many of the rides in Magic Kingdom are family friendly for pretty much any age, and there are numerous shows inside in auditoriums that work for anyone.  Universal comes last on the senior list as it is mostly a thrill seekers paradise.  I think we were always the oldest in line.  Of course we look like we are in our 30's or 40's so probably nobody else noticed.  And we probably failed to notice the oldsters who look as young as we do as well, so perhaps we weren't really the oldest in line.  

We don't last as well as we used to in theme parks.  We used to arrive for the park openings when on tour with my musician groups (orchestra, band, and choir tours) and stay till the bitter end with the fireworks shows before heading back to buses and back to the hotels.  We would do this for three or four days in a row.  I have no idea how we managed.  We are not lasting much past five hours in the parks instead of the former ten to twelve hours.  We have not made a single end of day show.  Perhaps we should have figured this out and adapted by starting later in the day and going for the night events.  Maybe if we do theme parks again we'll go for that idea.  It's been incredibly busy in the morning getting into the parks, and very busy at all the rides.  Afternoons seem much less busy getting into the parks and the park should get less busy in the evening so perhaps this is the key for seniors.  It is hottest if you come in mid-afternoon, and 85 like it has been this week takes a toll, but it is plenty warm in the morning too.  

The worker shortage seems to have hit all the parks.  The number of closed or understaffed kiosks in every park is generally obvious.  At MK Space Mountain, one of their most popular rides, they appeared to be running at half capacity.  Where they load the ride there were two sets of marked spaces 1 through 6 where they load the two three person cars.  Only one was in use and there was an hour wait to get to the ride.  Worker shortage?  Mechanical issue?  They have never used both loading points at one time? We who pay the big bucks to get into the park will never know.  

Parks cannot accommodate the number of people they are letting in.  I mentioned a bit about this the other day and will expound on it a bit more here.  KSC gets a pass here.  They were not having any trouble with the number of people in their space.  It is hard to know how the crowd we saw there compares with the expected daily crowd.  Seaworld, because of the large venues for their shows, seems to work well with large crowds.  Universal has pretty long wait times for all their big rides, thirty minutes to an hour.  We were there on a Friday.   Is that normal?  Could they run any of these rides more quickly?  No way to know.  Disney was a whole different world.  One hour and ten minutes from entering the line for parking until entering the park, and I guarantee we did it as fast as just about anybody because of being in the far right lane entering the parking area, taking the ferry to the park (perhaps that counts as your first ride?) and not having to get in line to purchase tickets.  There must have been people who spent closer to two hours just getting into the park.  The park is showing its age.  There are only a few rides worth doing.  Wait times for all of them seemed outrageous.  The People Mover is not much of a ride.  Certainly not worth waiting in line for.  When there is a fifteen-minute wait to get on the People Mover, there are too many people.  Similarly, Pirates of the Caribbean is not worth more than 10 to 15 minutes at the most (in my opinion).  60 minutes is a bizarre and unacceptable wait for that ride.  Ninety minutes for the Haunted House.  Too long.  You get the idea.  Is it all too many people, or too few workers, or some of both?  It is hard to say.  Whatever it is, it is bad for business.  

 Parks are expensive.  You knew that.  Do not expect to do anything cheaply in the parks.  Close your eyes and enjoy.  Budget more than you expect to spend then ignore it when you go over that amount.  Newest way to separate you from your cash?  Family drying cubes at the exits from the flume rides: $5 for 5 minutes.  It's a flume people.  You get on it when you want to get wet. 

So, what is our order of park preference?  Sea World wins.  Real animals.  Real learning.  We still like dolphin shows, and seal shows, and Orca shows.  They have changed the shows over the years.  They used to do themed shows for all their animals.  Now they have the animals do extensions of their normal activities.  More natural, less contrived.  Just as pleasing.  Lots of learning for the audience.  Mixed with the thrill rides and limited wait times and price, it was best.  Second is KSC.  All real, but all manmade.  Great history.  Maybe a little too much salesmanship about the space program in the future.  Price plus displays and things to do and ease of access might make this number one for many of you.  Third place is Universal.  Higher price, not as easy access, way more people.  The rides were spectacular.  If you are going specifically for thrill rides this is your place.  Disney Magic Kingdom comes last, They are the park that is most oriented towards family, but having to wait more than thirty minutes to do artsy rides doesn't work well for us.  Part of that may be that we have been there and done all those rides before, but knowing what the rides are like I can't imagine many thrilled customers at the end of those rides after waiting such a long time.  Disney is still the best with the small details.  Choreographed everything.  Organized and planned to the last detail.  They are just being overwhelmed by their own success.

Because we have been getting done so early at the parks we have not been eating at the parks.   Instead we have eaten at eateries near our hotel.  Cuban, pizza, Indian, Cuban again but a very different meal.  What fun.

You may see a picture of the two Moosai Warriors reacting differently to a day in one of the amoosement parks.  One is chomping down the last of the pizza from Giordono's, and the other one is completely done in.  This travel thing is not for the faint of heart.  

Tomorrow we return to Miami and meet with our cruise ship hosts.  We're getting close.