GENE

Sunrise Hot-Air Balloon Ride
UP, UP & AWAY…AND BACK DOWN AGAIN. The
thrill of catching the sunrise in the clouds lured us out of
bed at 5 a.m. to head over to Orlando Balloon Rides. After
being transported deep into the woods, we got in the hot-air
balloon basket and readied for our ascent. With hardly a
chance to feel the heat from the dragon breath flames that
fuel the balloon, we began a swift drop back to Mother
Earth, right at the edge of The Everglades. After the captain
purposely collided into a few trees to slow down the balloon
and soften the landing impact, we crashed into the marshy
ground and quickly realized the only way to return to
civilization was to hike back. To make matters worse, the
pilot got a radio message that the grumpy landowner where
we landed had fired two warning shots, and the sheriff was
on the way. We weren’t trying to trespass, we were trying
to survive. After making it through a few miles of muddy
terrain filled with prickly plants, pesky insects and raging
wildlife, we headed back to the hotel room wondering
whether or not we should check off this adventure as
another bucket list accomplishment.
Orlando World Center Marriott
IT’S A GRAND WORLD AFTER ALL. The Orlando
World Center Marriott is Vegas-style, sans the casinos and
sub-par all-you-can-eat buffets, though you definitely
won’t go hungry here. Forget The Magic Kingdom, this
place is soooooo much better! Our room number was 21,000
something – way too many numbers to remember during
a weekend stay. Throughout our visit, we relaxed in our
suite, ate at all 5 restaurants on site, had a drink (or 3) at
all the bars and even grabbed a pick-me-up at the on-site
Starbucks in between much-needed spa treatments. The
army of culinary staff members here are among the best
in the country, and the diverse, ever-evolving menus make
this place not only a great escape for the entire family but
a bonafide culinary destination in its own rite. We even
got our fitness on by hitting the greens at Hawk’s Landing
Golf Club and swimming a few laps at the Falls Pool Oasis,
featuring a pair of 200-foot winding waterslides, a 90-
foot speed slide, a kid’s splash park and multiple pools
with waterfalls. The resort also boasts one of the largest
convention and event spaces in the country, making this
the perfect place to work and play…and a great homebase
for our weekend exploration of Orlando-area attractions.
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