Well, the die is cast. The Disney trip has been booked. Flights have been arranged. The G. family is going to Disney World the first week in June. Robb? Greg & Beth? Jay? (Apologies to any other FLA bloggers I've inadvertently omitted...) Anyone up for a meet & greet? I'm always looking to add more names to the list of "Bloggers I've Met"...
I don't know who's in more trouble, us... or Walt Disney's megalocorp...
Anyhoo... Thanks to everyone who posted on my initial post, or e-mailed me, or PM'd me with suggestions (and yes, Ross, I *will* give you a call some evening - or, even better, get together with you at the range this spring - to pick your brain). I'm certain that I'll have about a zillion more questions, and not all about Disney itself - for example, I haven't flown since 9/11, and have no idea how the security theater has changed the "experience" of flying since I last braved the skies.
We'll be staying in the Pop Century "value" resort and relying on Disney's ground transport to and from the airport and to the individual theme parks, so there won't be any "unsanctioned" vacationing. We'll be in Orlando for 8 days, with 7 days theme park admission, so we will be bouncing between theme parks like largish sunburned ping-pong balls all week long. I imagine after a week of shepherding two young children around the land of the mouse I will be about ready to dive into a large vat of bourbon...
Current plan is to run through all the parks once, then hit Magic Kingdom and Epcot as needed on subsequent days. We're going to try to take at least a half day off, where we lounge around the pool and relax rather than rush, rush, rush. Of course, no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy, err, mondosuperfuncorp... We'll have our dog-eared copies of Birnbaum's Disney Guide (thanks Brad!) to guide us (and, most likely if I know myself, I'll have printouts of all the suggestions people have made as well!).
The only question left, then, is what caliber is best for Rodents of Unusual Size?
{snerk}
That is all.
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15 comments:
Gimme a holler, I'll probably be around.
I love meeting other bloggers, it helps me feel better about myself ;)
Oh, and the guy who runs gunsholstersandgear.com is another west-central Floridian.
OK, geek alert. . . June is Star Wars time in Disney Studios. . .
Looks like the Star Wars weekends may be starting in June this year. Google it as you get closer to see if you are there at the right time.
What is SW WEEKEND? you ask? Think fans of SW all over, a few of the actors there for autographs and such, and lots of fans in costume. The also have special stuff sold only those weekends like Jedi Mickey dolls and pins and stuff.
If you are a SW fan you have to do if you are there. I went to one and it was GREAT. . .
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/special-events/star-wars-weekend/
West,
Definitely. I'll make a point of sneakin' out at least one night. I'm certain by about Wednesday I'll need a night of heavy drinking...
JD,
That's wild. My son is a HUUUUUGE Star Wars fan. He will be a very happy little man indeed...
OK, looks like Star Wars weekend is May 22 - June 14,2009
http://allears.net/tp/mgm/m_starwars.htm
It is only on the weekends but man what a day it is! Now I am even more jealous. . .
= )
You are going to love it dude! You have to take your son to Star Tours if he is a fan. And the gift shop attached has more SW stuff than you can imagine. . .
Congrats...
You needed a vacation. Just remember to leave your sidearm in your vehicle.
(I presume Florida recognizes Mass. CCW permit.)
Florida does not recognize MA carry permits. I wish we had Indiana-style "accept anything" reciprocity, but alas we need explicit agreements... and you can be damn sure MA will never recognize FL permits!
But, FL does offer out-of-state permits, which is good.
JD - last time I was at Disney, the wife got a Princess Leia Mini-Mouse.
Anyhoo, I'm down for some drinkin'
I don't know where the good booze joints are in Orlando, but I can do some research.
You have time to get a Florida non-resident concealed weapons license if you start now. If you're going to be bringing any weapons, I strongly suggest it.
If you do bring weapons, you CANNOT carry them inside the parks. If you get caught with it, and they do searches of bags at the entrances, you can be thrown out of the park without refund of ticket prices. You might also be arrested, depending. Leaving it in your luggage and having it in your hotel room is a different story, even though the hotel is still Disney property. (Get a feeling that the theme parks have a hand in the legislation around here?)
If you get a valid carry license here and choose to go out somewhere, and meet friends in a bar, you have to leave firearms in the vehicle. Obviously, if you were drinking, you'd do that anyway. Florida lets you carry in restaurants, but not bars. Florida also lets you smoke in some bars, but not in restaurants.
That being said, if I were in your place, I would definitely bring a pistol with me, even if I left it locked up in the room all the time. I would have it accessible at night, as a JIC thing. We have on rare occasions had tourists attacked in their rooms. Not often, but enough that I wouldn't stay in a hotel without one.
Feel free to e-mail me with any other questions I can help with.
Jay, i spent about 5 years working in the tourists areas of orlando... ill PM you on the forum and you can feel free to pick my brain...
Thanks for the tips, guys, but I'll be leaving the heaters @ home. Given that we'll either be in our hotel or at the park, there's not a lot of opportunity to carry - certainly not enough to make it worth going through the hassle of getting my non-res permit and flying with a firearm...
I may not have a gun, but that doesn't mean I won't be armed...
And thanks for the offers of advice. I will DEFINITELY take y'all up on them as the day draws nearer.
When I go to Disney, I don't even bring a bag because the "search" line is much slower than the "no bag" line. You also face zero scrutiny if you have no bags, which means on-body carry isn't a big deal. I mean, I wouldn't carry at Disney if it meant there was a tiny chance my doing so would wreck the entire family's vacation... but when its just my wife and me and I don't plan on riding roller coasters, I'm not as concerned.
What's their policy on fanny packs? I was thinking of picking up one of the reinforced ones from LL Bean to take with me - would be good for carrying cameras, etc. rather than hanging everything off my belt like Tourist Batman...
Fanny packs go through the "bags" line and you have to open them.
And for Rodents Of Unusual Size? Why, what else but a mouse gun?
Rodents of Unusual Size? I don't believe they exist. (OOF!)
I have to say that the search lines on my visits have been rather quick. they don't do that detailed a search, just poke around a bit for looks. . .
And yes, I use the fanny pack for cameras and video tapes and such and they do look at in them too. they don't do any check on your body though the times I have been through. Whatever is in your pockets they never see. . .
It is a lot of show like the TSA folks do.
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