All trip ratings are on a 1 - 10 scale: 1 the worst, 10 the best, 4 roughly equivalent to watching Jeopardy on t.v. with my mom.
10/1/03
Getting up at 4AM to go to the airport: 2
Going to the airport to go to Florida: 9
First flight to Minneapolis: 9 (Slept almost the whole way)
Second flight to Orlando: 8 (SO excited about going to Florida!)
Getting in at Orlando: 9
Hot beatiful weather in the jetway: 9
Delay in getting luggage and rental car: 2.5 (I was in Florida, after all)
Having to drive after long day of travelling from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale: 3
Having to listen to primarily country and Christian music when nothing else could be found in Central Florida radio: 2
Finally getting to West Palm Beach: 8 (I knew I was almost there, and I could finally get Party 93 on the radio!)
Finally getting there about 10PM: 9.9
Z already being there and being ready to go out for dinner: 9.999
Very few places being open after 10PM: 3 (I was still SO excited)
Z trying to get my to go to Max' for dinner: 3 (I gave Max' a 5 on the last trip, but it did appear to be open after all)
Max' not being open for food: 2
Primanti Brothers being open 24 hours: 9.999
Cajun chicken sandwich and fries at Primanti Brothers: 9
Watching the incredible Sox/A's game with Z: 6
The game itself: 9.9 even though the Sox lost
Z falling asleep WAY before it ended at 3AM ET: 3
10/2/03
Not waking up for golf until about 9:30AM: 2
Weather: 9.9
Golf at Palm Aire: 9
Me beating Z with a par on the last hole: 9.5
Playing the entire round in about 3 hours: 9.5
Us only playing 18 holes: 3 (though I WAS really tired)
Late lunch at Dan Marino's: 7
Miami/West Virginia game: 9.75
Best parking lot ever near Orange Bowl: 9.999
Shortest wait EVER for Z to negotiate tickets: 9.999
Seats: 8
Drunk Miami-fan lady one row behind us: 2
Her introducing us to her parents: 5 (kind of interesting)
First half of game: 8 (amazed it wasn't a blowout!!)
Miami "Band of the Hour" during halftime show: 7
Third Quarter: 9
Game itself: 9 (STILL not a blowout!!)
Miami Ibis mascot Sebastian doing full Hulk Hogan routine during time out, complete with "Real American" on PA System: 9.9975
Jai Alai players tossing souvenir balls into stands: 9.9
Us not getting a souvenir ball: 2
Z accidentally kicking over a kid's tray with a hamburger on it: 8 (too funny for words for those who remember the 2000 Orange Bowl game)
The Dad saying "Don't Worry about it", picking up the burger, and leaving it for the kid who later ate it: 9.9999975
Drunk lady nearly making me deaf when she couldn't see a play, then yelling "WHAT HAPPENED ?" as loud as humanly possible into my ear from roughly 1 inch away: 1.15
Fourth quarter of game complete with amazing run by West Virginia running back, WVU actually taking the lead, Kellen Winslow Junior's amazing catch, and Miami finally winning by 2 points: 9.95
Finally falling asleep at the condo, exhausted: 9
10/3/03
Not waking up for golf until about 9:30AM: 2
Weather: 9.9
Golf at Palm Aire: 9
Me playing really really well: 9.9
Us only playing 18 holes: 3 (though I was REALLY tired)
Our cart breaking down on #14 and us having to lug our bags the rest of the way in the heat: 1.5
Traffic on way to Giants/Marlins game: 1
Getting to the game still in the first inning: 8
Missing 1st inning HR by about 20 seconds: 2
Great club seats Z got us: 9
Club Level snacks, bathrooms, etc.: 9
Game through 6 innings: 8
Z saying after 6, "If the Giants don't score now, this game is going at least 11 innings, and probably 14": 4 (Didn't care much at the time either way)
Giants not scoring, and game going 11 innings: 8
Great end of the game, including Giants scoring in 11th followed by Marlins rallying to win when down to last strike: 9
Z doing roughly 50-minute drive to Roadhouse for post-game dinner in roughly 15 minutes: 9.9
Dinner and drinks at Roadhouse: 9.9
Drinks: 9
Cost: 9
Food quality: 9.5
Z putting on an absolute show by eating a soup, half a big bowl of onion strings, a number of rolls, a big steak, baked potato, and absolutely humongous sundae in about 3 minutes: 9.999999999 - his best show of eating since the famous "Shorty's Rib Incident" in the mid-'90s.
Z saying "I think I need another 2 of these" referring to his half-eaten steak roughly 20 seconds after Scott the bartender had placed it in front of him: 9.999999999
Finally crashing at the condo, exhausted: 9
10/4/03
Not waking up for golf until 9:30 AM: 4 (I was getting used to it by now)
Weather: 9.9
Golf at Inverarry: 9
Me playing well, but Z one-upping me for win: 8
Us only playing 18 holes: 3
Going swimming at the condo: 8
Dinner at Shuck and Dive's: 9
Quality of blackened chicken sandwich: 9.5
Size of sandwich: 5
Su not being there to get oysters or fried green tomatoes: 1
Watching the great Sox/A's game at Blondie's: 8
Game: 9
Freezing Drinks: 9
Fans: 9
Popcorn only having caramel or butter flavor: 1
Going to Primanti's for late-night second dinner: 9.75
10/5/03
Not waking up for golf until 9:30 AM: 4 (I was REALLY getting used to it by now)
Weather: 9.9
Golf at Palm Aire: 9
Me holding off Z to retain Florida State Title: 9.5
Our playing partners being hillarious: 9.5
One of them once hitting my ball by accident, then picking it up and pocketing it: 9.975
Them not caring at all about Z's putt on #18 which could have decided the Florida State Title: 2
Us only playing 18 holes: 3 (I was getting used to this by now as well)
Mario the Baker's for lunch: 5
Food at Mario's: 5
Many TV's covering baseball and football games: 8
Mario's not NEARLY being the level of Playoffs when Reggaeman was playing (in spring of 2001): 1
Z insisting on Dairy Queen after Mario's: 9
Swimming at the condo: 9
Knowing Z was leaving soon: 1.000000001
Seeing Z off at the airport: 1
Remembering I still had a REALLY long time left in Florida: 9.999999
Recovering by sitting with frozen drink at Fat Tuesday's while listening to "DJ Butterfingers" mix: 9
Dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger: 8.5
10/6/03
Waking up without Z there anymore: 1
Remembering I was still in Florida and about to play golf: 9.9
Weather: 9.9
Trying to find the place to get Championship Cup engraved, and wasting over 2 hours: 2
Place being deserted once I finally found it: 1.5
FINALLY getting the "Golf Bonanza" at Palm Aire: 9.5
First round of golf at Palm Aire: 9.95
Round taking 2 hours to play full 18 holes: 9.975
Second round of golf at Palm Aire: 4
Round being cut short after 9 holes since that had already taken 2 hours 20 minutes and it was really hot: 2
Going swimming: 9.5
Driving around looking for interesting places to eat or go out at in Pompano and other communities: 7
Dinner at Damon's: 4
10/7/03
Weather: 9.9
FINALLY finding the relocated place to get the Cup Engraved: 9
The guy telling me it would be ready before the end of the day: 9.5
Golf at Carolina Club: 9
Golf itself: 9
Quality of course: 8.5
Difficulty of Course: 7 (with 10 being most difficult)
Pace of Play: 2 (By Florida standards)
Going swimming: 9.5
Going to get Cup, only to find guy hadn't started it yet: 3
Having to wait an hour, exhausted and really hungry, while guy did engraving: 2
Cup finally being updated: 9
Finally getting to "Zuckerillos and Fish" for dinner, starving, only to have it be closed for renovations: 2
Going immediately to hang out with bartender Scott and eating dinner: 9
Dinner: 9.5
Scott: 4
Knowing I had to leave Fort Lauderdale the next day: 1
Knowing I was going to Disney World and would still have lots more time in Florida: 9.975
10/8/03
Weather 9.9
Drive to Disney from Fort Lauderdale: 5
Not being able to correctly count the "Yeehaw" billboards and win a prize: 2
Finally getting to Coronado Springs and checking in: 9
Golf at Osprey Ridge: 9.5
Starter telling me "Welcome to the best golf course in the state of Florida": 9.5
Course Quality: 9.5
Difficulty of Course: 7 (with 10 being most difficult -- seemed really easy through first few holes, but once it got going, wow...)
Playing partners being great golfers: 4
Them spurring me on to good play: 9
One of them actually being a fan of High Heat: 9
The other being a member of the Ireland National Cricket Team: 8.5
Jacuzzi after golf: 9.5
ESPN Club (and other dinner destinations at Boardwalk) being absolutely mobbed when I was starving: 1
Finally getting 2 chicken sandwiches in All-Star Food Court: 8
Picking up Michelle and Kimy at the airport: 8
Not being able to find great way back to hotel from airport: 2
Not being able to sleep due to excitement over Disney: 9.5
Michelle and Kimy not appreciating my not being able to sleep since it kept them up past 2AM: 2
10/9/03
Weather: 9.9
Dropping girls off at Magic Kingdom before 8 AM: 8
Exctement over Disney: 9.999
Not being able to go in yet since I had to get Su: 2 (when I dropped them off, could only concentrate that they got to go in and I didn't!!)
Meeting Su at the airport: 9.9999999
Su being all fired up to go to parks despite flying overnight: 9.5
Us meeting the girls at the Contemporary: 8
MGM Studios: 9.5
Hot Pretzel and freezing Diet Coke for lunch: 8.5
Not having to go on Tower of Terror or Rock and Roller Coaster with the girls: 9.99999999
Beauty and the Beast Show: 9.5
Little Mermaid: 7.5
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: 9 (REALLY fun, though we never made the top 10)
Great Movie Ride: 5
Getting to go to a "Soft Opening" for Haunted Mansion movie exhibit: 9.9
Haunted Mansion movie exhibit: 4 (it could have been a LOT better)
Backlot Tour: 6
Muppet-Vision 3D: 8.5
Other assorted exhibits and snacks: 8
Long Wait for Fantasmic: 2
Great Seats for Fantasmic: 9
Popcorn and freezing Diet Coke while waiting for Fantasmic: 8
Fantasmic: 9.999
Dinner at the Pepper Market: 5
Jacuzzi before bed when completely exhausted: 9
Finally crashing for the night, utterly exhausted: 9.5
10/10/03
Weather: 9.25 (Still really nice, just a bit overcast and drizzly at times)
Being just about first ones in Animal Kingdom: 9.5
Animal Kingdom: 9.5
Kilamanjaro Safari: 9.5
Tons of animals being out: 9
Ostrich trying to "get" Michelle from about 2 feet away: 9.5
It's Tough to be a Bug: 5
Show itelf, other than 10 scary moments: 9 (very funny)
Me making it through it, again: 9.99999
Flights of Wonder: 7 (Good, but not as amazing as last time)
Dinosaur with the girls: 2
Girls and Su forcing me to do it: 1.002
The moment when I realized I was strapped in the car, and it was moving, and I couldn't get out: 1.00000000000000000000000001
Dinosaurs miraculously not getting us: 9.999999999999
Me forgetting the scary ending, and being really scared again: 1.000001
Me somehow making it through it, again: 9.99999999999
Getting off the ride when it was over: 9.999999999
Tarzan Rocks: 7.5 (Good, but again not as amazing as last time)
Frozen lemonade ice at Tarzan Rocks: 8.5
Assorted other attractions, food, etc. at Animal Kingdom: 8
Festival of the Lion King: 9.25
Being so tired we all almost fell asleep at Festival of the Lion King: 2
McDonalds after Animal Kingdom: 5
Speed of service: 8 (WAY better than expected)
Them getting my cookie wrong twice: 2
Quality of cookie, once corrected: 4
Pool in the afternoon: 9
Swimming in fairly cold water: 8
Doing the water slide with Su: 9.5
Pioneering a new "spin" technique on the slide: 9.75
Jacuzzi afterward, when REALLY exhausted: 9.5
Michelle sleeping through the whole thing: 2
Dinner at All-Star Food Court: 5.5
Su getting her favorite Taco Salad: 9.25
"Not So Scary Halloween Party" at Magic Kingdom: 9.7
Overall look and feel of Magic Kingdom: 9.75
Trick or Treating through MK: 9.9
Su, Michelle, and Kimy reverting to little-girl-hood with "What'd ya get" after each Trick or Treating stand: 6
Them actually getting "Fun Dip" and other cool candy: 9
Them going back multiple times to same Trick or Treat stands when they liked the candy: 2 (bad karma in my opinion)
Us getting 2 free party photos: 9 (They actually came and look pretty good!!)
Costumes on other visitors and Disney Characters: 9
Us not having costumes: 4 (I wanted them, but it wasn't really worth it)
Me actually winning Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin against Su for the first time ever on only my second try of the night: 9
Ride lines being relatively short: 8
Haunted Mansion: 8.5
Getting to see the end of Cinderella's Surprise in front of the castle: 8 (though the girls would probably give it a 3)
Fireworks over castle: 7.75
Pre-Halloween standard Display: 6
Special Halloween finale with stuff all around us: 9.5
Hearing the end of a scary story about the Headless Horseman: 4
Seeing the Headless Horseman ride down the street 3 minutes later: 9
Special Halloween Parade featuring many villains and costumed character: 8
Girls getting to ride Space Mountain 3 consecutive times before leaving at end of party: 8.5
Me not having to ride it with them: 9.999999999999
Finally crashing for the night, utterly spent and exhausted: 9.5
10/11/03
Weather: 9.25 (Still a little bit overcast)
Sleeping somewhat late (i.e. 9:30): 7
Not being first ones in the park: 1.1
Feeling of sleep from needing it so badly: 9.5
Breakfast at Pepper Market: 6
Pool in the morning: 9
Swimming in fairly cold water: 8
Doing the water slide with Su and girls: 9.5
"Spin" technique actually still working: 9.75
Michelle and Kimy building new touches on technique: 9.9
Jacuzzi afterward, since still REALLY exhausted: 9.5
Epcot: 7
Spaceship Earth: 8
Starting on the "Canada" side of the nations, for once: 8
Not really hitting many shows on time: 2
Comedy show in UK: 8 (Really grew on me as it went on)
Drummers in Japan: 7.5
"Statue" at Italy: 8
"Statue" holding Su by the ponytail and not letting her go: 8
Mexico Boat Ride: 6.5
Other assorted eating, siteseeing, etc. in nations: 7
Not going on Mission Space or Test Track with the girls: 9.99999999
Small hands-on exhibits in Wonders of Life: 8
Cranium Command: 8.75
The Making of Me: 6
Rain suddenly pouring down and us having to leave before Illuminations: 1.5
Us finally getting to The Contemporary for dinner: 9
The restaurants being mobbed with 90 minutes waits: 1.2
Su taking us to the Roadhouse in record time: 9.5
Seeing Kimy unexpectedly do a Z (see ratings above for 10/3/03) and eating about 5 rolls in roughly 2 minutes: 9.5
Food and drink at dinner: 9
Finally crashing for the night, ridiculously spent and exhausted: 9.5
10/12/03
Weather: 9.5 (Overcast, but not rainy anymore)
Magic Kingdom: 8
Waiting for girls to do two "mountains": 6
Not having to do them with them: 9.999
Trying the "Shooting gallery" with Su: 7.5
Seeing the hillarious "Country Bear" guy: 9
The Bear completely ignoring Kimy and Michelle when they tried to take a picture with him: 9
STILL not making it to the Hall of Presidents: 2.5
MGM Studios: 9.95
Girls getting fastpasses for Tower Of Terror before they ran out: 9.95
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: 9.999999999
Michelle and I debating 'fastest-finger' technique before the show began: 6
Kimy knowing that she guessed quickly and somehow got it right: 9.5
Michelle getting into the top 10, at #3!!: 9.75
Kimy actually getting into the Hot Seat at #1!!: 9.9999999999
Kimy, while in the hot seat: 9.99999999999999999999
Not appearing too nervous: 9.75
Remembering my name correctly: 9.5
Getting all 5 of the following fairly-easy questions correct to make the 1000 point plateau (answers below): 9.99999
"What color is the 'Stop' traffic sign ?"
"What biblical figure was placed as a baby in a basket ?"
"What is the statue at the end of Main Street in the Magic Kingdom ?"
"Who was King Arthur's bravest knight ?"
"What is John Wayne's Nickname ?"
Having to use a lifeline on the John Wayne question, generating a loud groan from the audience: 9 (too funny, and helped her get it right!!)
Getting the next 4 moderately-hard questions correct to make the 16,000 plateau (answers below): 9.999999999999
"What did 'S' originally stand for in ESPN ?"
"Which of the following items is made out of natural flowers ?"
"What is the natural vegetation in praries ?"
"Which of the following items is an ornamental stone ?"
Finally missing the 32,000 point question (answer below): 1.5 (but what a ride!!)
"What is the business of flylady.com ?"
Pool in the early afternoon: 9
Swimming in fairly cold water: 8
Doing the water slide with Su and girls, and them improving technique further: 9.75
Nachos the girls and Su got: 2 (It had the HORRIBLE-looking cheese on them)
Kimy taking FOREVER to get her hair wrap: 5
Jacuzzi afterward, since still REALLY exhausted: 9.5
Still being just amazed and excited over Kimy's effort in the Hot Seat: 9.9995
Girls having to get ready to leave: 2
MGM Studios: 7
Girls avoiding 150 Minute Wait on Tower of Terror: 9.9
Not having to go on it with them: 9.999999
Seeing very end of Beauty and Beast Show with Su: 9
Quickly leaving park: 2
Michelle and Kimy leaving: 1.0000000001
Me reminding Su that we still had a little time left in Disney and Florida: 9.99999
Epcot: 9.95
Getting a quick gift at discount prices: 9.5 (There are NEVER discounts at Disney!!)
Spot for Illuminations: 9.5
It not being the Italy Isola with 150 close friends and family: 1.5
Weather holding beautifully: 9.5
Illuminations itself: 9.999
Late dinner at Pepper Market: 5.5
Finally crashing for the night, beyond ridiculously spent and exhausted: 9.5
10/13/03
Weather: 9.25 (Clear again, but super-hot)
Having to check out of Coronado Springs: 2
MGM Studios: 8
Indiana Jones Stunt Show: 8 (WAY better than remembered)
Other assorted shopping and stuff in MGM: 8
Utter exhaustion: 2
Animal Kingdom Lodge: 7
Seeing animals on the savannah: 7
Participating in pelican feeding: 7
Lunch at Dixie Landings food court: 5
Having to leave Disney and go to airport: 1.5
Falling asleep, exceptionally exhausted, in plane: 9.5
Overall ratings:
Trip Overall: 9.95
Fort Lauderdale Section: 9.9 (A great time from the first minute to the last)
Orlando Section: 9.99 (Arguably best we've had yet in Orlando; why does it always seem that way ?!?)
Z: 9.9 (Would have been higher, but you didn't play more than 18 holes in a day, stay 'til Tuesday, or come to Disney World).
Kimy: 9.5 (Marked down for quietness the first few days, marked up because you didn't order eggs and because of the amazing hot seat performance!!)
Michelle: 9.5 (Marked down because you made me ride Dinosaur, marked up because you didn't order eggs and because you were the first to make the Top 10 at "Millionaire")
Su: 10+ as always...
Millionaire Answers:
"What color is the 'Stop' traffic sign ?": Red
"What biblical figure was placed as a baby in a basket ?": Moses
"What is the statue at the end of Main Street in the Magic Kingdom ?": Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse
"Who was King Arthur's bravest knight ?": Lancelot
Note: The comedy show we happened to see at Epcot was about King Arthur and Lancelot!!
"What is John Wayne's Nickname ?": The Duke
"What did 'S' originally stand for in ESPN ?": Sports
"Which of the following items is made out of natural flowers ?": Lei
"What is the natural vegetation in praries ?": Grasses
"Which of the following items is an ornamental stone ?": Tiger Eye
"What is the business of flylady.com ?": Housekeeping
Kimy answered "Travel Agency", ending her run
