Two Worlds

Dolphin greets the audience at a show at Orlando, Fla.’s Sea World. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

As you learned in yesterday’s post, Sea World is often atop my list when vacationing in Orlando, Fla. One of the reasons I love going there is its Fun Pass. You pay the price of one day’s admission and choose the Fun Pass option (at the electronic ticket sales booth at the entrance). This allows you to use that same ticket – without paying anything extra – to enter Sea World as many times as you’d like for up to one year. Yes, it costs exactly the same as a one-day ticket. The goal, as I see it, is for visitors to keep coming back and spending money on the extras – food, special shows, souvenirs, etc. My family and I went twice during my recent trip, and we bought lunch and drinks both times. And I still have my ticket, which will work until the end of the year, in case I find myself back in the area. It could happen. I could win the lottery. You never know.

Di Meglio is the author of Fun with the Family New Jersey (Globe Pequot Press Travel, 2012) and the Guide to Newlyweds for About.com.

Flamingo greets visitors to Orlando, Fla.’s Sea World. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Everyone goes to Orlando for Disney World, myself included. But there are many other theme parks in the area. One of my favorites is Sea World. It’s gotten a bad rep over the years, especially after the recent tragedy when one of the animal trainers was killed by a whale in the Shamu show. While that incident was awful, the park has done what it can to get back on its feet and implement preventative measures to keep that from happening again – at least from what I, a tourist, could tell. On my last visit just a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that there were far fewer Shamu shows than before, for instance. I assume that gives the whales more rest time.

Still, my family enjoys a day at Sea World. From the flamingos that greet you near the entrance to the wild Manta roller coaster (which I would never dare take a spin on but was popular with hubby and my sister), there’s something for everyone. The highlight of the park is the shows featuring the animals. Even though my sister finds it cheesy, the dolphin show with the acrobatic stunts by both man and beast and bright, lively costumes has always taken my breath away. “Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island” has sea lions performing tricks and humans participating in silly banter and antics on a pirate ship. Of course, there’s always Shamu, the star of the park. The one disappointment was that the penguin exhibit was closed for renovation. We actually went there because Baby boy loves penguins, and we wanted him to see them up close. Alas, he couldn’t. We did find other entertainment, though, and just walking through the park is a pleasure on a nice, sunny day.

Nowadays, there are also all sorts of concerts for the little ones, including a popular stage show with Elmo and his mates from Sesame Street. Baby boy bopped to the beat while other babies were literally dancing on tables during that one. That wasn’t even my favorite Sea World moment. Baby boy and I had been waiting for my husband and sister to feed the dolphins and we were by the observation pool. A dolphin literally came face to face with Baby boy and it was as though they had a conversation, talking back and forth to one another. Baby boy got so excited, he could barely contain his giggles. If only I could hold him up to the pool and take a picture or video at the same time. I’ll just have to keep this priceless memory locked in my own brain.

Di Meglio is the author of Fun with the Family New Jersey (Globe Pequot Press Travel, 2012) and the Guide to Newlyweds for About.com.

Hubby and Baby Boy pose outside the fountain that greets guests to Downtown Disney. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Although our stay at Florida’s Walt Disney World Resorts only lasted one week, we spent an extra two weeks at my sister’s house in the area. As a result, we snuck in some extra Disney time over the weekends when I wasn’t locked in the closet working. (I literally had to work in my sister’s walk-in closet, so Baby Boy would actually let me do my writing and editing.) Since we had already doled out major cash to stay at the Disney resort, All-Star Music, visit the parks, and use the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan, I opted for more affordable options during the rest of our stay in the Sunshine State.

Downtown Disney costs nothing to enter. Even though there’s no admission fee, you have to stick to your guns to have a free or nearly free day there. The place is loaded with charming Disney-centric shops. The kids will be wooed by the Disney toys and gear, so expect some whining and begging for you to buy things. I admit I gave in and bought my son an Izzy (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates) doll. If you are in the market for Disney souvenirs, Downtown Disney is the best place for them because there’s a very wide selection. There are also restaurants and small eateries if you are hungry. But you’ll have to pay for those.

Still, walking around and browsing costs you nothing. Each shop has an interesting display out front, which makes for fabulous photo ops. In addition to the beautiful Mickey fountain and garden scene out front, you’ll find Cinderella, Buzz Lightyear, and Mr. Potato Head statues to name a few. There are free concerts galore if you want to take in some music or a brief theatrical performance. Nearby, there’s a little train and a Merry-go-round, both of which will cost you $2 each per child. Baby boy had a blast on both. Although not free, these two rides are pretty affordable.

Finally, there’s the Lego store, which is a gold mine for free fun. Outside there are large Lego structures of a dragon fighting a knight, a gigantic sea creature that is in an actual lake, Snow White, the Seven Dwarfs, and Buzz and Woody on a rocket. My favorite one is of a family of tourists – replete with daughter dressed like princess, son dressed like pirate, and mom and dad with Disney-inspired hats – walking their dogs. In addition, outside the store, there are little tables for the kids to create their own Lego art and even race Lego cars that they put together. You pay no money for it, but some parents seemed to be paying with their patience. Their kids didn’t want to leave. Can you blame them?

Di Meglio is the author of Fun with the Family New Jersey (Globe Pequot Press Travel, 2012) and the Guide to Newlyweds for About.com.

Enzo is all smiles at the Crystal Palace at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

We just finished a fantasy vacation at Walt Disney World. Granted, there was the usual amount of temper tantrums, neatly doled out among grandparents, parents, and baby in attendance. There was a bit of constipation and diarrhea, typical for any family vacation. And there was an altercation with an aggressive six-year-old who pushed my one-year-old out of Pluto’s view on the dance floor at Magic Kingdom. Still, overall, the vacation was a dream. And I learned a few tricks for parents thinking about taking their infants to the happiest place on Earth. Here goes:

Do the Dining Plan – The Disney Dining Plan, which is available to those staying at Disney resorts, makes it cheaper and easier to plan your meals. We do the Deluxe Dining Plan because my husband and I enjoy eating at the finer restaurants in the evening and taking in the character breakfasts in the morning. You will spend more on tips and alcohol on Deluxe Dining, but it is still far cheaper than buying these meals without the plan.

Stay at the Value Resorts – Disney offers a range of resort experiences, but the cheapest ones are the value resorts. We stayed at the All-Star Music, and we have stayed in the past at the Pop Century resort, all of which were wonderful. While they don’t afford the luxury of the monorail (like deluxe resorts, Polynesian, Contemporary, and Grand Floridian), they include bus transportation to the parks and the rooms are pretty much the same size and layout as the ones in the more expensive resorts.

Go in January – January is the slow season for Florida and Disney. People flock to the parks to see the decorations and activities during the holiday season and once the kids get off for winter break in February, which means January is the sweet spot. We barely ever had to wait in line more than 10 minutes. When we did, we simply got a fastpass and bypassed the line, which is necessary when traveling with a one-year-old.

Bring the grandparents – My parents traveled with us. They were a big help, and we made beautiful memories that we will all keep in our hearts forever.

Listen to Your Kid – Baby Boy is not talking much yet – especially with the two languages – but he let us know when he was tired or hungry and we made his schedule our schedule. That’s the best way to keep him – and all the rest of us – happy.

Savor Every Smile – The one above was one of my favorites of the trip.

Di Meglio is the author of Fun with the Family New Jersey (Globe Pequot Press Travel, 2012) and the Guide to Newlyweds for About.com.

If only the real Italy could be in Florida like the fake one in Epcot! Then, long-distance love wouldn't be so bad. © Photo courtesy of Di Costanzo and Gerenini

Get the truth about one of Italy’s most popular islands – and its people – by reading my new weekly blog installments (every Monday right here on this site)

Chapter Twenty-Two – Crazy in Amore?

Maybe dating a native Italian who still lived in Italy was a big mistake. But it was already too late. I was falling in love with Tony. I was certain of this in Florida, where Tony, a known commitmentphobe, brought up the idea of having me visit him in Italy sometime in the spring. I told him I would try, but it would all depend on how things went with the physical therapy for my knee. Although I was walking and getting around, I still had a pronounced limp and lacked thigh muscle. I was going to physical therapy three days per week. It was grueling. I was proud I had made it through the Disney parks so successfully, but a trip to Italy would be difficult. Besides the travel, there was still the chance I would need more surgery to replace the cartilage that I lost. There was fear my (ACL) ligament was also loose.

Still, Tony made me promise I’d visit because he saw a future for us and didn’t want me to think this was just “un’ avventura piccola solo per vacanza” (“a little adventure only for vacation.”) He could see us together for the long haul. Roberto started to see it, too. In between flirting with other women and hanging out with my brother, Roberto asked me what I thought about Tony and what was going on between us. I was honest and said that I was enjoying my time with him and that I had reservations about the distance between us but I was already falling in love. He admitted that he saw in the way Tony and I looked at each other that a love story was beginning to blossom.

Although my heart was happy to finally have found love, and I was having the time of my life with Tony, especially in Florida, where the sun was shining and Mickey Mouse was distracting us from concerns, such as how we’d manage such a long-distance relationship, a part of me felt impractical for allowing myself to feel this way about someone who lived in an entirely different continent. Italy was so beautiful, I thought. Maybe I wouldn’t mind spending so much time there. Wouldn’t love be enough to get us through any obstacle? Was there even reason to be practical about this matter of the heart?

Some names and identifying characteristics of the real people involved have been changed.

Tune into this Web site, Two Worlds, every Monday for the latest installment in my blog about my experiences in Ischia, and every other Monday to ItaliansRus.com for the latest Our Paesani column about all things Italian. Di Meglio is also the Guide to Newlyweds for About.com.

Roberto flirted with just about everyone in Florida. Even Minnie wasn't immune. © Photo courtesy of Di Costanzo and Gerenini

Get the truth about one of Italy’s most popular islands – and its people – by reading my new weekly blog installments (every Monday right here on this site)

Chapter Twenty-One – Harmless Flirting?

Roberto enjoyed living the life of a bachelor while on vacation in the United States, probably never more so than in the week we spent in Orlando, Fla. with my brother and his friends. The only problem was that Roberto had a girlfriend back in Italy. “I’m-a, how you say, flirting,” he would tell me. “No problem.” Still, he was leaving out the stories of flirting when he would finally get on the phone with his girlfriend Lisa.

By day, we would sleep in before heading to the Disney theme parks with either my brother or one of his friends. By night, we would either go out to dinner or eat at my brother’s house with his single buddies. One evening, we all headed to a bar. Tony and I went home early with one of my brother’s roommates. The three of us were all older than the others and had long outgrown the bar scene. Tony, who works as a bartender in Ischia, hardly wants to hang out at a bar or nightclub when he’s on vacation. But Roberto never left. My brother had his new girlfriend by his side, so he left Roberto unattended most of the time.

You’d think that would be okay, given he was 22 at the time and supposedly in a committed relationship. Another night, my brother had the boys bring the drinking to the house instead of going out to a bar. People were coming in and out. But I stayed locked in the guest room with a good book. Tony would come in and out of the room until about 10 p.m., when I drifted off to sleep. The next morning, I would discover that I missed all the fun.

Tony described a buzzed Roberto zooming around the house and talking to everyone in English. He zeroed in on one girl, who actually had a boyfriend who was at the house. And he walked over to her and said, “I like your big-a bobs!” Not boobs. He said, “Bobs.”

“Fantastic,” I said to Tony. “What do you think Lisa would say about this?”

“Non sarebbe contenta,” he responded. “She wouldn’t be pleased.”

Later on in the evening, Roberto had another encounter with her. She had just chugged a beer from a can, which women in Italy don’t do. And this all-American burped like she was a bull frog croaking in front of everyone in the room. “Now-a, that’s-a real woman,” Roberto said. “Real woman-a.” Moments later, she left with her boyfriend. Nothing more happened between Roberto and her, but his “flirting” made for cute anecdotes later.

Although Roberto was looking and not touching – barring his attempted kiss with Addy, which she thwarted – and his flirting appeared harmless on the surface, I kept thinking that if I were Lisa, I’d be bothered by this behavior. Who wants to hear that their boyfriend complimented another woman’s breasts? Or was scoping out the singles scene abroad? Then, I quickly realized I could be Lisa. I wondered how Tony would act when he returns to Ischia, which was only a couple of weeks away. Would he be “how you say flirting,” too? Should I be worried? Do all Italian men cheat? Was I ruining my life by getting involved with a real Italian?

Some names and identifying characteristics of the real people involved have been changed.

Tune into this Web site, Two Worlds, every Monday for the latest installment in my blog about my experiences in Ischia, and every other Monday to ItaliansRus.com for the latest Our Paesani column about all things Italian. Di Meglio is also the Guide to Newlyweds for About.com.

The boys were like wild birds in Florida. © Photo courtesy of Di Costanzo and Gerenini

Get the truth about one of Italy’s most popular islands – and its people – by reading my new weekly blog installments (every Monday right here on this site)

Chapter Twenty – Wild Birds in the Sunshine State

Still reeling from the loss of dear Alessio, we arrived in Orlando, Fla., where my brother picked us up at the airport. With Addy back at her university, Roberto had no one with whom he could flirt. And he started calling Lisa back in Ischia more often to check in and see how she was doing. Being a lady, Addy never allowed anything to happen between Roberto and her. Although I was still disappointed in him for having tried to kiss Addy while his girlfriend was back home waiting for him, I was hoping that he learned his lesson and was ready to be as committed as everyone thought he was.

When we stepped into my brother’s car, we quickly learned that he had a girlfriend, too, now. And we would meet her during our stay. Wow, my brother sounded serious. This was a first for the Casanova of New Jersey. Roberto spoke of his girlfriend, and Tony admitted that he was pursuing a relationship with me. I blushed a bit because I had never really had a boyfriend, and I think my brother was a little shocked, even though my parents had warned him that there was something more between Tony and me.

At my brother’s house, which he had recently bought and I had never seen, we sat down to dinner with Big Antonio, one of his roommates. A character in the true sense of the word, Big Antonio is a portly guy, who is in love with food and drink. Indeed, the love affair makes it difficult for anyone to break bread with him; you’ll always become second to the savoring of his meal. A vagabond, who never stays settled in one place for more than a few years, he is constantly on the go. And even though you can never believe a word he says – he makes up stories to entertain, which makes it hard to separate fact from fiction – he will always have you peeing your pants with laughter, so you can never be mad at him for his exaggerations.

Of course, Tony and Roberto knew none of this, so they were taken aback at first, and they were buying into every word to come out of his mouth. Between Roberto’s broken English and Big Antonio’s broken Italian, the three were able to communicate. After quickly devouring my meal – grilled pork chops and salad – I turned to my trusty computer; I had a lot of work to do to make up for the time I lost will saying good-bye to Alessio. Once it was done, my vacation could officially begin.

While I was typing away, Big Antonio had a little fun with his Italian visitors. I could hear all the rumblings from inside the other room. He told them that they had to make room for some more food because he prepared a special pasta dish just for them. “Pasta Siciliana is delicious and among the best pasta dishes you’ll ever eat,” he said. “Deliziosa!” Roberto was the first to admit that he was full from my brother’s feast but that he could never turn down pasta, especially from a new friend, who wanted to honor him on his first U.S. visit. Tony agreed.

Big Antonio, now wearing a fluffy, white chef’s hat, held a plate of spaghetti and tiny meatballs in one hand and a white dish towel hung over the other. Roberto and Tony, Italian lovers of pasta, had their tongues wagging like dogs over a plate of bacon-smothered steak. To look at it, the pasta seemed all right, perhaps even “delizioso” as Big Antonio described. But when Roberto and Tony put the noodles in their mouths, they both turned a pale shade of green and noticeably forced their jaw to keep chewing slowly so as not to vomit right in front of Big Antonio. Who would want to hurt the feelings of this big teddy bear? After the pair managed to swallow that first bite, my brother and Big Antonio began roaring with laughter.

Finally, they turned to Roberto and Tony and pulled out cans of Chef Boyardee. It was a ruse. This was no “Pasta Siciliano.” This is what people in the middle of the country considered to be Italian food, and neither my brother, nor Big Antonio ever indulged in this garbage. But Boyardee, they got a good laugh out of making the real Italians eat it! Roberto and Tony, confused at first, were good sports about the whole thing. It took them a few minutes to realize it was a joke and there was no special pasta dish for them. They spent much of the rest of the trip asking Big Antonio for that special “Pasta Siciliana.”

Moments later, I finished up my work, took my shower, and headed to dream land, and so did Tony. More friends started to come into my brother’s bachelor pad. Roberto wasn’t going to miss the chance to meet the Floridian ladies. This was a different breed than Addy and anyone he had met in New York, so far. That next phone call to Lisa would just have to wait until tomorrow.

Some names and identifying characteristics of the real people involved have been changed.

Tune into this Web site, Two Worlds, every Monday for the latest installment in my blog about my experiences in Ischia, and every other Monday to ItaliansRus.com for the latest Our Paesani column about all things Italian. Di Meglio is also the Guide to Newlyweds for About.com.

Maria in a Polka Dot Bikini © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

My husband Antonio and I spent a week in paradise with my niece Maria, her parents, my parents, my sister, and a bunch of good family friends. Now that we’re back home – with the snow sitting out my window and the temperature dropping every evening – I am nostalgic for our vacation. But Maria is definitely what we all miss the most. Even though she hated to have the sun in her eyes, she was ever the fashion model sporting this yellow polka-dot bikini and white sun hat. She loved frolicking in the ocean with her new best friend, a plastic turtle float that we all tugged her around in. And she danced for us – and all our waiters – at dinner. Although she was often drunk with sleepiness, she was all smiles and hugs the entire trip. Indeed, you couldn’t ask for more from a baby. You can join in the fun with the family, by visiting the “Cruisin’ in 2011” photo album.

Maria sits on Babbo Natale's lap and hopes for good stuff for Christmas. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

There was no way my parents, Zio Antonio, and I (Zia Francesca) would miss 8-month-old Maria’s first Christmas. Although we can’t be with her on Dec. 25, we threw a Christmas bash like no other six days ahead of schedule at Zia Rosaria’s pad in Florida. Zio Antonio and I spent the week having Maria warm up to us – both literally and figuratively — as we forced her and her parents to tour Disney World in the freezing temperatures (I mean even the Disney topiaries were covered in white blankets).

We learned a few things on this trip, among them that Maria looks so cute you could just eat her up whenever she wears any fuzzy outfits that have ears to make her look like a bunny and that she has quite a sense of humor, not to mention a huge appetite. There is also no question that she is related to us. Her belly tells the whole story. The kid can eat, and even when she shouldn’t eat, she does. The other day she ate a chunk of garlic off the floor where her papa’ had been cooking, and she didn’t even wince. But her mother confirms that she was stinky for pretty much the entire day. If she had cleaned the floor with a little bleach after the garlic, she might have smelled like her older zii.

Maria’s role models? Bella and Shilo, the family dogs, which might be why she thinks it’s natural to eat off the floor, sleep on a big cushion or even a tile in the middle of Zia Rosaria’s living room, and she begs for scraps from the table. Although I gest, she does have one helluva time getting into mischief with the dogs. They are her best friends for now, and she is especially cute with Shilo, who lets her pull his tail, jump on him, and chew toys and books with him.

The only way Maria could love them more is if they could feed her. That’s what she likes about all of us, I think. We overindulged her desire to eat more and more tiny morsels of apples, peaches, potatoes, pancakes, chicken, waffles, and yogurt. As a result, the child who never spits up or vomits threw up on us twice. All our fault! I’m actually honored she threw up on me.

Highlights of our time with Maria include Nonno Pasquale demanding that Tigger, who Maria followed all over the room with her eyes while at breakfast at 1900 Park Fare in Disney’s Grand Floridian, come to say hello to us and take a picture immediately, Maria and Donald Duck having matching sombreros in EPCOT’s Mexico pavillion, and the moments she shared with Babbo Natale (Santa Claus), who might have secretly been her Nonno Pasquale, and his reindeer, who might have been Nonna Regina. My personal best memory, however, was Maria curling up under my arm and falling asleep. So sweet!

To enjoy more photos of Nonno Pasquale as Babbo Natale and Maria with all the characters (and some of the rest of us, too), then check out “Maria’s 1st Christmas” photo album. Buon Natale a tutti!

(l. to r.) Francesca, Alex, Rosaria, and Mamma Regina are soaked from a wet and wild ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom. © Photo courtesy of Di Meglio family

My mom Regina, my friend Alex, and I spent last weekend at my sister’s place in Florida livin’ it up. (To view photos from the weekend, click on the “Girls Weekend 2010” photo album.) We did the girlie girl thing with pedicures, soaked up sun in the baby pool (yes, a baby pool), went on rides at Disney World, did some shopping, and ate anything we wanted. The weekend, which was a much-needed distraction and lots of fun did include two men – my brother John and my sister’s dog Shilo, both of whom provided ample entertainment (from brother John giving his three-month-old daughter a bath to Shilo jumping onto the table to eat a zucchini pancake). There was girl’s night out with all of us, my sister-in-law Jaci, and baby Maria for dinner at Kouzzina. And there was many a World Cup disappointment. Let’s not even talk about that. Besides, delicious clams and pretzel bread made everything all better. Love and miss you all now!