What I did with 5 days in Orlando, Florida

As usual, arrival day primarily involves settling in, checking into your hotel or resort, in our case. With that said, there wasn't much planned for us initially. It was mainly about arriving safely, picking up our rental car, checking into our resort, grabbing some food along the way, and ultimately enjoying dinner (Twenty Pho Hour) at what I considered to be the coolest spot ever. See pictures below. It might not be everyone's idea of cool, but it certainly was to me. That summed up our first day. 

Now, before I delve further into this post, I want to give a huge shoutout to one of my incredible friends, Mili, for hosting us and making this trip truly memorable. Thank you for showing us around, checking in on us to ensure we were comfortable, and even clearing your weekend for us. Your hospitality was greatly appreciated! 

This day was a lot of fun! 

First things first: the gym! Now, my brother is a serious sleeper. I thought I loved to catch some Z's, but he takes it to another level! Despite our plans to hit the fitness center first, he decided to opt for extra sleep instead, so I ended up going solo. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the solitude! It gave me the chance to explore the resort while I spent about an hour lifting weights. I'm working on regaining some of the strength I lost last year from running before I dive back into marathon training, which, for some reason, I impulsively signed up for. I'll manage, but sometimes I let excitement get the best of me, leading to decisions I might later regret. Anyway, here's how the day unfolded.

After my gym session, we got ready and headed out for brunch since it was nearing lunchtime. We settled on the classic yet reliable IHOP, where I indulged in my usual pancakes.

Next, we made our way to Icon Wheel and the Museum of Illusions, where we had an absolute blast! The museum was particularly fascinating; it's incredible how the simplest things can bring me so much joy and excitement. As dinner time approached, we met up with Mili and grabbed a bite at Brother Jimmy's BBQ, enjoying some delicious food and even snagging a free printed photo.

To conclude our day on a high note and ensure we get enough sleep before our Disney adventure the next day, Mili took us to City Walk, which we accessed via a boat ride. City Walk is known for its vibrant atmosphere, diverse dinning options, lively entertainment venues, and thrilling nightlife. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Orlando, Florida.

A magical day is what it was!

I'm sure he had a great time as well but I wanted to do everything possible! Like everything! This was my first time going to Disney World and I had a blast. It was an experience I will never forget and will experience again many more times to come.

One thing first. It is 100% worth it to purchase the PhotoPass. Most of my pictures were all captured from the photopass. It also allowed me to focus on enjoying myself and not spending most of my time trying to find someone to take pictures of us. 

Here is how the day went. We got up late and honestly, I needed that sleep because I knew how long today was going to be as well as the amount of energy we needed for the day. So, yes we had planned on getting there earlier based on some blog posts I read but nah, it didn't happen that way and that's fine. I would say we got to Disney around noon. We of course got some food first before getting there and that was the best decision. 

To get to the actual park, Magic Kingdom, you can't drive directly there. Instead, and it really wasn't complicated at all, like how the blog posts I read made it sound. There will be signs on the road directing you to the parking lot for the park that you are visiting for the day. So, we parked at the Transportation and Ticket Center and from there we took the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom entrance. Overall, it took about 20-30 minutes to get to the entrance and it didn't take long to get into the actual park after that. 

We started the day by meeting up with Mili and another friend for brunch at the McDonald's with the largest entertainment center. Following our meal and a exploration at the McDonald's, we got on the road to the beach! The drive to Daytona Beach took about an hour and ten minutes. One cool things about this beach is being able to park right on the beach for a fee of $20, if my memory serves me right.

Our time at the beach was spent soacking in the sun and enjoying the beach vibe. As the sun began descent, we gathered our belongings and made our way to Bahama Breeze for dinner. 

Yes, you read that right! I was crowned the Queen of the Tournament! I mean, what are the chances of me buying my first VIP ticket to this show, attending for the third time but in various locations, and then receiving the first rose and being crowned the Queen of the Tournament? My knight, one hundred percent made my night, honestly the whole trip! The event was Medieval Times.

Medieval Times offers a themed dinner show where six knights engage in battles both on horseback and on foot. The audience actively participates by cheering for different knights, with each section assigned a specific color upon check-in. With approximately nine locations across the United States, the dinner menu typically includes tomato soup and garlic bread, a hearty half chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-roasted potatoes, two rounds of non-alcoholic drinks, a changing dessert selection, and coffee.

The show itself was truly spectacular! Both Yaw and I were fully immersed in the experience, seated in the yellow section (which happens to be my favorite color, specifically mustard yellow). At one point, each knight received a certain number of roses, which they kiss before tossing them to select individuals in the audience. I was fortunate to be the first person in my section to receive a rose from the yellow knight. Towards the end of the tournament, our yellow-knight, who sadly lost the tournament, bestowed upon me a special sash, declaring me the "Queen of the Tournament."

I highly recommend attending one of these shows if you ever get the chance! Opting for the VIP ticket is definitely worth it; being up close to all the action adds to the excitement, and it even includes a souvenir photo taken after you receive your ticket.