Disney World

Finally I have some time to write about this. I know, it has been a long time without new blog texts and it has probably been really hard for you guys, I hope you somehow found a way to continue your life normally.

So I spent a week in Florida, Orlando, Disney World. First: I love Disney movies. I absolutely love them. I really need to start watching them again, most of them I just watched when I was a small kid. Lion King, Pocahontas and Mulan are my favorite ones. I don't know how to start about Disney World... I think you need to see it yourself to understand. I'm going to try my best to explain all the things I experienced.

I went there with Jack, Laura and their kids Cameron and Colton, who are my next host family. I'm just so thankful for the opportunity that they offered. I had so much fun, I took like 700 pictures and gained like 962969218967609 pounds.

So it was AWESOME. For you, like me, who know/knew nothing about Disney, first I need to tell you that it's humongous. It's not just a amusement park, it's like a city. There are six (?) parks, the main parks are Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom.

We flew there on Saturday, so that was pretty much just a travelling day. That evening we went to a buffet called Chef Mickey's, at the hotel. Disney Characters were dancing and taking pictures with kids. The food wasn't that good there, but the experience was great. Everything was just so overwhelming, everywhere. I really don't know how to tell anything about it.

Sunday was supposed to be the warmest day of the week so we decided to go to Blizzard Beach, one of the water parks. It would've been great without a sudden storm that hit. It started pouring down rain and the temperature dropped suddenly. Of course we were wearing just shorts that day. It was literally a blizzard beach that day. It was freezing cold. The boys didn't care about the weather, they had fun swimming and playing. We were like the only ones in the park that day. I couldn't swim, it was just too cold. I did the Summit Plummet (super crazy water slide that almost killed me) though! And that was the only thing. So I jumped up and down and tried to keep myself warm by dancing until I discovered that there was a hair dryer in the dressing room. So I spend the rest of the day literally standing under the hair dryer not to freeze. Laura and Jack thought it was funny. Yeah, yeah, I'm from Finland, I should be used to the cold, I get it. But I'm not.

On Sunday evening we went to Downtown Disney to eat with one of Jack and Laura's friends that were there too. We ate in a Rain Forest Cafe that was... awesome. That's the only adjective I can think of when describing Disney World. The whole restaurant looked like a huge rain forest, there were fake animals that actually moved and made sounds. Every half an hour "a storm" came, it became dark and there was a sound of thunder.

At this point I could probably tell you that it is super expensive there. And they charge you for everything! They really know how to make money, because people come there and pay for all that. Because it's cool.

On Monday we started visiting the main parks and started with Epcot. Epcot is a bit like Heureka in Finland. By a bit I mean Epcot is like 1000000 times cooler and bigger (it was around a lake). All of the parks are just huge and full of different things. They really have made it cool. We started the day with a ride that talked about energy. Yeah, sounds boring, but it wasn't. Ellen DeGeneres (who is absolutely one of my favorite celebs ever) was talking about it, and if she is involved with something, it just can't be boring. Many of the rides started with some kind of introduction video or movie. After that was the actual ride, in this one we went to the world of the dinosaurs. It felt so real, they had somehow built dinosaurs who moved and made sounds. I have know idea how. And the whole jungle was so real... I still can't believe it. You should have seen me there, wondering around like a kid in a candy store.

It was freezing the first days of the week. We were wearing our winter coats, I had my scarf and gloves and I was still cold. The wind made it even colder. We rode many rides during the day. There was an opportunity to "fly to Mars" with "a real spaceship". I was just talking to Christina and Courtney (my friends from the church) and they told me that the effect was made by spinning the thing around. There was a video that gave you the image of going forward even though you were just spinning around. I didn't know that until today! It felt like a real spaceship, it really did. Because I know exactly how it feels like to be in a real spaceship. I ride them every day to school.

The coolest thing of the park (maybe even whole Disney) was Soarin'. It was a ride where it really felt like you were flying. It was awesome. I kept thinking that Didi (my grandpa) would like it so much. We have always been talking about dreams and flying with him, just floating in the air! I loved Soarin'. I think it was Jack's favorite too.

The other half of Epcot was full of things from other countries. There where like small parts of different country's cities. For example from Paris there was Eiffel tower. They were full of small shops and restaurants from the countries. It was really neat. I could've spent many days there if it wasn't that cold! Colton got really tired that day of all the walking. The whole trip was for the boys so we just basically went where they wanted to. And I was completely okay with that, there's really not much to whine about when you get to go to Disney for free...

This was either Chinese or Japanese, I can't remember...

It's crazy how it felt for me like the whole place was full of people, even though it's not even close as busy this time of the year than it is on summer. I'm really glad we went now, I'd rather take a little bit of cold than even more people than there was.

Cameron (I like this picture a lot!)

Colton

In the evening there was a firework show. It was just awesome. That's all I can say. I've never seen anything like it before. Here's few pictures.

There are Disney Characters walking around in all parks and taking pictures with people. I met so many of them but Laura has most of the pictures on her camera. I'll probably have to write a new text just for those pictures and videos when I get them.

I really don't know her name in English... But I like the movie!

Stitch! He started kissing me, it was really ticklish and that's why I'm giggling. He was so cute!

Mary's kids, Cameron, Colton and me.

Me kissing Donald Duck!♥

"Will you marry me, Anniina?"

Tuesday was another really long and tiring day. We spent it in Magic Kingdom. I think most of that park was for smaller kids. There was few nice roller coasters. Nothing was like in Hershey though! I was so scared then and I never thought I'd ever ride them. But I did and now something that would've been cool earlier doesn't feel so cool anymore. I guess I have to go to Hershey again!

I love how all the rides have some kind of story behind them. It's not just a ride or roller coaster, it gives you a meaning when they tell the story. The best roller coaster of whole Disney in my opinion is Space Mountain. It was like the only one that felt like something! One of the rides was Pirates of the Caribbean, it was done like that Dinosaur ride. Amazing. The boys wanted to dress me like a pirate...

The castle was absolutely phenomenal. I didn't even know it really existed! It was beautiful in the daylight, but at night when the lights on it turned on it was just amazing. I took probably about hundred pictures of it. You're only going to see few though. On Tuesday evening there was Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party and parade. We stayed there almost till midnight and you can just imagine how tired I was. It was all worth it though. There was fireworks all around the castle and later Disney Characters singing and dancing on the stage.

The Parade was absolutely one of my favorite things of the whole trip. Again, something that I've never seen before. I just stared at it my mouth open and took as many pictures as I could. All the Characters were dancing and singing Christmas songs and performing to people. There was like a path and people had gathered around it to see the show. I think the pictures tell more than my words.

That day was amazing, but too long. All of us were exhausted and cranky when we went to the hotel. And then I couldn't sleep because Laura was snoring. Next morning we all slept in, even the boys who usually start playing at seven a'clock in the morning. That didn't stop them playing later though. The boys are so wild. I've never had brothers, so it's going to take some time to adjust. I had Theo here though, be he's 14 already and behaves really well. It's different when they are younger, in this case 6 and 10. I'm glad I got to know them before I move over completely, it won't be such a shock then. This is my last week with Skorics. Sad, sad, sad.

Wednesday was Hollywood Studios day. If I'd had to pick my favorite park, this would be it. It's not a surprise - I love movies, plays and all that stuff. It was pretty freaking awesome. The weather was nicer also. At first we saw Indiana Jones stunt show. I don't know enough adjectives to describe these things. It is so big and... miraculous. All the stunts were so cool, they have planned every show so well and worked on them so hard.

The next show we saw was Beauty and the Beast, it was a 30 minute version of it. Do I really need to say that I liked it? It could have been longer tho!

On that day we also saw a thing about Disney animation, how they make the characters and things like that. That was really interesting to me. There was a shop with all the Disney art things on it. If I'd have money, I know how I would've spent it. Those art works were amazing. I wish I could be as good as them. Just need to keep on practicing!

I ate so much during that week. I though I'd never get enough of cheesecake, but I was wrong. I ate way too much of that during the week. On that Wednesday Jack and Laura (and me) got bored of all the fast food we had been eating. Laura made a reservation to a fine restaurant. That food was good. I've never eaten in that fancy restaurant. For you who don't know: We don't go out a lot to eat in Finland. In my family we mostly just cook our own meals every day. So fast food and going out to eat often have been something new for me.

That was like the best pork I've ever eaten, gosh...

After Monday and Tuesday we were so tired that we decided to go early (8 PM) to the hotel. It felt good to chill out for a minute before going to bed.

Thursday was the first warm day. The first day I didn't need my thick winter coat! That of course also means that I got sun burned. My skin is still dry because of that, ugh. I don't want to know what I will look like when the summer comes here and everybody gets beautiful and tanned and I get ugly and pink because I'm so pale. The sun is so much higher even in Pennsylvania than it is in Finland. Anyways...

The last main park we went to was Animal Kingdom. I've always liked zoos a lot. Of course that was way too better than some boring zoo, duh. We started the morning with a real Safari ride thing. We were in a car and actually drove through a Safari, seeing animals like giraffes, lions, antelopes, and elephants.

ROAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR

Giraffe (obviously you didn't know that so I just had to say it)

Me holding a real snake... I was horrified (even though I don't look like it). Please ignore my face and look at the snake, he's the point of this picture!

Later that day we saw a Lion King show. That was other favorite with the Parade. It was truly phenomenal. All the songs and dances and characters and oh, I was in heaven. I cannot describe the show. All I can say is it was awesome. It's like Broadway shows, you can't realize how awesome they are if you haven't seen them.

One of the roller coasters was around a thing that looked like Mount Everest. I can't believe that they actually built something in the shape of Mount Everest and made it a roller coaster.

We saw some kind of bird show also. The birds were flying among the audience, it was really cool.

That day we came home even earlier. The boys chilled at the hotel's pool and I was drawing. Friday was a rest day. We slept in and went to Downtown again to do some shopping. Then we just chilled out at the pool the rest of the day. That was the warmest day of the week and a really nice ending of the amazing week. The whole week was so perfect. It was so tiring though, that 6 days was enough, just perfect.

And then it was from Disney World to normal world. Now all I have left is memories, many pictures and the smell of chlorine in my hands. Sniff.

I feel like everybody has been in a Christmas mood this week at school. Well, Christmas is only few days away. My week was really busy, the whole Monday evening I was cleaning up and studying for the few tests I missed while I was gone. The whole evening. On Tuesday I finished few drawings and wrapped my Christmas presents. All of the other presents were already under the tree. I have my own pile, I was so happy! I didn't think they'd get me that many presents. I love whenever I feel like I really am just one of the kids.

I got a packed from Finland the other day, from Janica and my other school friends. Thank you guys so much, you totally made me happy! I got so much salt liquorice and some chocolate. The chocolate I ate the first day. Fazer's chocolate won't last long if it's near me... I think I'll get some more though with my mom's packet. I hope it comes before Christmas!

I took one of the salt liquorice boxes to school and shared it with my friends. It's funny how many people wanted to try it, even though I said: "Do you wanna taste a Finnish candy that you won't like?" to everybody. Maybe you should have believed me! Well, now you can say that you tasted a Finnish candy that you didn't like. Hahahaha, it is hilarious to watch people's faces when they eat it. Some try to hide it and pretend it's okay for a moment, then they just break and spit it out. Some will just make a horrible face and spit it out right away. Jaclyn is the only American I have met who likes it!

Wednesday, the last day of school was just pointless. The periods were like 20 minutes long and we didn't do anything anywhere. I spend half of the day in the choir room. Then after that we had a "party". Wohoo, so much fun, party at school. So I basically ate chips for 1,5 hours and then went home. I ate way too much cookies and chocolate and now I have been shaking for about 10 hours for all that sugar. It is kinda disturbing.

ANDDDDD THAT'S ALL, FINALLY I'M DONE, I swear, I seriously wrote this text for more than five hours. With adding all the pictures and stuff it takes so much time... Now I'm off to my lovely bed.

Anniina kiittää.