Saturday 9/20
• Flying from Nashville to Orlando
• Learning about transportation.
o Airplanes
Question for the pilot – “Can you fly the airplane slow, or only fast?
o Buses
Question for the bus driver – “How many people ride on the bus in a day?”
o Monorail
Question for the Monorail Pilot – “How many Monorails are there?”
Ride in the cockpit for an honorary Pilot license.
o Trains
Question for the Engineer – “Why do you blow the horn?”
EPCOT
• World Showcase-
o Focus on countries of Norway, Mexico, and China.
o Lunch at an authentic Norwegian restaurant, Akershus
Focus on culture and traditions of Norway
o Maelstrom and Cultural Video in Norway
Focus on Viking legends, way of life, and history.
o Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico
Focus on Mexican holidays, such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
o Wonders of China
360 movie “Land of Beauty, Land of Time"
• This movie features footage of China including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City of Beijing, the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia, the Yangtze River and the tropical rain forests of Hainan Island.
Focus on 2008 Olympics
o Kid Stop and Passport Stations in each country.
Each stop teaches an important fact about the country.
They learn how to say “Hello,” and their name in each country.
Color a mask, and receive a token that represents each country.
At passport locations, they have to answer a trivia question about the country before earning a passport stamp.
• Future World-
o Innoventions West – This is hosted by my company, and is a very important part of every trip to EPCOT. There are many learning experiences here.
Test the Limits Lab – This is a lab to let kids experience some of the tests that are done on products to make them safe for our family. There are 5 labs where they can actually perform the tests on their own.
• At the "Shatter Lab" you get to pull a rope attached to a large hammer and send it crashing into a TV screen. The screen doesn't break and it is explained that if it did, it would safely implode. This innovation was a result of UL testing
• At the "Impact Lab" you release a 55 gallon drum on a firefighter's helmet. The helmet remains intact thanks to Underwriter Labs safety standards.
• At the "Slam Lab" you jump on rubber pads causing fire doors to slam. This tests their reliability after continuous use.
• The "Drop Lab" drops a safe from a three story building and the "Torture Lab" tests the limits of everyday household appliances.
Where’s the Fire? – Learn how to identify and protect yourself from fire hazards in the home. A section of this exhibit is designed to teach little ones how to escape a fire and to 'stop, drop and roll'. Earn "Fire Chief" ranking by answering the "Burning Questions."
Think Place – Use computers to take pictures and learn to use e-mail. Other stations let you create a silly "Think-A-Ma-Jig" to gather treasures from under the sea. There's the "Little Thinker Playground" which younger visitors can explore.
• If provided an e-mail address for the classroom, we intend to send a virtual postcard to her classmates.
The Great American Farm – Here there are fun interactive exhibits, to learn about what is involved in getting our food on the table.
Sunday 9/21
Magic Kingdom
• Basic Skills
o Taking turns, Sharing, Counting
• Practical learning about letters
o Sounding out words on signs
o Pointing out items that begin with a certain letters
• Practical learning about colors
o Playing “eye spy”
• Practical learning about mathematics
o Shapes
o Patterns
o Symmetry
• Dinner at an authentic Hawaiian Restaurant, O’Hana
o Focus culture and traditions of Hawaii
o Learn Hawaiian words
o Learn an authentic Hawaiian Hula Dance
o Wear and Learn about the traditions of a Lei
Monday 9/22
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Basic Skills
o Taking turns, Sharing, Counting
• Practical learning about letters
o Sounding out words on signs
o Pointing out items that begin with a certain letters
• Practical learning about colors
o Playing “eye spy”
• Practical learning about mathematics
o Shapes
o Patterns
o Symmetry
• Filmography and Animation Tours
o Touring real movie and television sets
o Learning, first hand, about special effects
o History of television and films
o Touring a working animation studio to watch how our animated characters come to life.
o Touring a working design studio, where costumes and props are designed and created.
o One Man’s Dream - This interactive gallery features a collection of memorabilia from the Disney archives that has never been available to the public before. Visitors are shown artifacts from Walt Disney's life and from the history of the company he founded -- from his birth in 1901 through the company’s vision for the future. In addition, the attraction includes a short film of Walt Disney’s life that explores the extraordinary hardships he overcame, as well as previously unseen footage, including Walt talking about his creation, Mickey Mouse.
Tuesday 9/23
Magic Kingdom
• Basic Skills
o Taking turns, Sharing, Counting
• Practical learning about letters
o Sounding out words on signs
o Pointing out items that begin with a certain letters
• Practical learning about colors
o Playing “eye spy”
• Practical learning about mathematics
o Shapes
o Patterns
o Symmetry
• Hall of Presidents – We will view a patriotic film in which specially produced paintings are projected onto a screen that stretches about halfway round the theater (180 degrees). The film covers much United States history, focusing on the origins of the Constitution and the presidency.
• At the conclusion of the film, the screen parts to reveal a stage filled with lifelike Audio-Animatronics versions of each and every one of the US presidents. Each of the figures moves, nodding a head or gesturing in some way, as their names are called. The program concludes with speeches given by our current president, George W. Bush, and the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, who actually rises from his chair.
Wednesday 9/24
Animal Kingdom
• Affection Section – A gentle animal petting area for kids. Sheep and goats are among the featured animals.
• Conservation Station – Exhibits pertaining to animal training, feeding, veterinary medicine and animal conservation.
• Habitat Habit - Exhibits for all ages teaching us to share our world with animals. Special area features cotton-top tamarins.
• Discovery Island Trails – Observe several types of animals
o Abdim's Stork
Asian Small-clawed Otter
Axis Deer
Blue & Yellow Macaw
Cape Teal
Comb Duck
Eyton's Tree Duck
Galapagos Tortoise
Greater Flamingo
Grey Kangaroo
Green-winged Macaw
Red Kangaroo
Ring-tailed Lemur
Roseate Spoonbill
Saddle-billed Stork
Salmon-crested Cockatoo
Silver Teal
West African Crowned Crane
White Stork
White Faced Whistling Duck
Woolynecked Stork
• Flights of Wonder – A show about the birds of Asia.
• Kilimanjaro Safari – This is the highlight of all of Animal Kingdom. This is a 100 acre African savannah with Lions, Elephants, Zebras, Hippos, Flamingos, and Bongos. We will ride in a jeep, through the savannah and observe these animals in their habitats.
Thursday 9/25
EPCOT
• World Showcase-
o Focus on countries of Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, UK, and Canada.
o Focus on history and creation of cuckoo clocks from Germany.
o Observe the architecture in Italy.
o American Adventure is an Audio-Animatronics stage show about the founding fathers and the history of America.
o Observe the gardens and statues in Japan.
o Morocco –
Treasures of Morocco tour – We will learn about the culture, history, and people of Morocco, as well as the basis for the Morocco Pavilion in Epcot
Gallery of Arts and History - This is a wonderful display of the science, music and technology of Morocco.
Fez House – This represents a typical Moroccan home. There are beautiful mosaic tiles, carvings, and artifacts from daily life.
o France -
Impressions de France – This is an informative movie about the landscapes and music of France.
o UK –
Butterfly and Knot Herb garden - The butterfly garden also has a Chrysalis Box; approximately 35 butterfly chrysalis are pinned for display each week.
We will also walk through a giant hedge maze.
o Canada -
"O Canada!" is a film presented in Circle Vision 360, includes new scenes highlighting Canada's natural beauty, cities and diverse populace.
o Kid Stop and Passport Stations in each country.
Each stop teaches an important fact about the country.
They learn how to say “Hello,” and their name in each country.
Color a mask, and receive a token that represents each country.
At passport locations, they have to answer a trivia question about the country before earning a passport stamp.
Friday 9/26
EPCOT
Innoventions East
o Don't Waste It! Is a 4,000-square foot exhibit that entertains and educates about the trash disposal process. The interactive games include how to recycle, reduce and reuse "trash" and a personal "trash" profile.
o StormStruck - Experience the power of a weather event complete with wind, rain and lightening. Learn how best to prepare your home against potential weather damage. Kids can build a Storm Safety Kit. Everyone can participate in the "Weather Safe" Kiosks.
o The House of Innoventions is a walking tour of the House of Tomorrow! During the tour of the "smart home", we'll see a multitude of products that will help enhance and improve our lives.
Journey into Imagination - The What If! Lab has fun experiments. You can conduct the orchestra, step on stepping stones that create sounds and look into a special mirror that distorts your body.
Mission Space – A ride that simulates a real space shuttle launch, orbit, and landing. This will be Kennedy’s first year reaching the height requirement, and she has been looking forward to this for several years.
Spaceship Earth - Learn about the history of communications from cavemen to future centuries.
Test Track Queue Area - The entire queue area resembles an industrial testing laboratory filled with actual test equipment and vehicle components. The automotive tests performed on cars and trucks are illustrated in the Quality Zone, highlighting GM automotive technology, and the Safety Zone, displaying GM safety innovations and practices. The ride is a simulation testing of a GM vehicle. Simulations include brake, wheel, suspension, airbag, seat belt and windshield tests.
The Seas - "Sea Base Alpha is a working marine research center. We will observe the daily research activities. A member of the Sea Base Alpha team will be in the Observation Deck to explain the work during each scheduled activity.
o The Observation Deck provides another perspective of viewing the sea life.
o Visit the Manatees on the 2nd level. Meet manatees who have been rescued and are being rehabilitated before being released into the wild. Each manatee eats approximately 50 pounds of food each day. Overhead television monitors show a short video on the manatee.
o Ocean Resource Exhibit - an aquaculture exhibit about farming and husbandry of aquatic plants and animals.
The Land -
o Living with the Land - a gentle 14-minute boat ride through unique indoor plant growing areas. An introduction shows tropic, desert and prairie biomes that existed before humans arrived. Your guide explains all about the four greenhouses and the aquaculture facility.
The boat glides on into The Land’s experimental growing areas:
The Tropics Greenhouse - crops such as rice, sugar cane, peanuts, cacao, and bananas are usually grown under the 60-foot dome. These crops can be found in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and the southern United States.
The Aquacell - crops include fish, alligators, catfish, tilapia, and sunshine bass and American eel.
The Temperate Greenhouse - featuring the concepts and technologies of sustainable agriculture, including intercropping, integrated pest management and specialized irrigation systems that reduce waste and increase crop production.
The Production Greenhouse - where tons of tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and other vegetables are grown for use in The Land’s Garden Grill Restaurant and other Epcot restaurants. Land scientists utilize growing systems that are kinder to the environment and improve productivity.
The Creative House, showing imaginative ways to grow crops -- without soil, hanging in the air, even on a space station. USDA scientists currently are working at The Land to develop fruit with a longer shelf life.
o The Circle of Life - a wide-screen movie about the environment and our relationship with the land. All set to build Hakuna Matata Vacation Resort, Pumbaa and Timon are damming rivers and cutting down trees. Simba steps in to remind them, and us, to take care of our environment. Scenes were filmed in over 30 nations.
Saturday 9/27
Kennedy Space Center
• Kennedy Space Center is a full-day experience. We will learn about the history of the space program, the current launch scheduled for October, and about current advances in space exploration.
• We plan to take both the bus and walking tour.
• The bus tour goes to LC-39 Observation Gantry and the Apollo/Saturn V Complex.
• The walking tour includes movies, simulators, presentations, and demonstrations about NASA.
Sunday 9/28
Returning home
l. This is our first trip to DW and we are taking our daughter out of school for a week to go and I am not exactly sure what to write about DW and it being an educational trip
. 
We need some sort of paperwork to account for the kids. I am a Dizzer so I know there is plenty of educational components. IMO, almost all trips can be educational. First trip on an airplane can be a BIG learning experience. Map reading (in this age of GPS) on road trips. All sorts of stuff. I only deny about 1 in 20 across my desk, and most of those are because the parents only put something like "Visit Aunt & Uncle" as the so-called educational experience. Most districts limit to 3-5 days per school year.
