{"id":7493,"date":"2017-08-09T10:25:07","date_gmt":"2017-08-09T15:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=7493"},"modified":"2017-08-09T10:25:51","modified_gmt":"2017-08-09T15:25:51","slug":"theres-more-than-disney-in-orlando","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=7493","title":{"rendered":"There’s, sort of, more to Orlando than Disney."},"content":{"rendered":"

Last weekend Brenda and I visited Disney in Orlando with our son and his family. \u00a0August you say? \u00a0Yes, it was hot, very hot, and I was surprised to learn that it’s the busiest month for Disney in Florida. \u00a0 It seems that the cooler months are actually “dead” according to one of the “cast members” that I spoke to. \u00a0It’s all about vacation, hot or not and when the kids are free, off to Disney!<\/p>\n

Before I get started, I’ll put up a photo of our grandaughter Tori trying on one of Brenda’s hats. \u00a0Cute right?\"\"Ok, now that’s out of the way.<\/p>\n

Yes, I know, this is a blog about boats so, as always, I was hot on the trail to come up with something to write about but after three days of looking for something that was “blog worthy” the best I could do was this shot of, well, I think it was the little mermaid, Ariel or something like that. \u00a0Not exactly a collector’s item but it is a boat. \u00a0 Not actually.\"\"Disney has some interesting boats but they are certainly more for looks than a “real” boat. \u00a0 In spite of that, these ferry boats were nicely proportioned.\"\"This one would look nice traveling down the ICW. \u00a0\"\"However, I was trying to find some “real” boats and as we reached Monday, our last day in Orlando I wasn’t optimistic that I’d come up with anything to write about. \u00a0However, as luck would have it, the gang decided to head out for lunch at nearby Disney Springs Mall. \u00a0Have you ever noticed that just about everything in Florida has a “theme”? \u00a0Well, I have and where we went for lunch,\u00a0The Boathouse restaurant<\/a>\u00a0also has a theme however, it’s a boat theme and a very good one at that.<\/p>\n

The restaurant is owned by Steven Schussler, the same guy who brought you such fine dining experiences as The Rainforest Cafe and T Rex and yes that one has a dinosaur theme. \u00a0After seeing so being baragged by “everything themed” I was really surprised,and pleased, to find his nautically themed place “themed”\u00a0with real-life antique runabouts and outboard motors. \"\"How about this odd boat near the entrance? \u00a0I can’t imagine that it works well buy it’s cute in a sort of “you’ll be killed riding in this thing but have fun doing it” sort of way.\u00a0\"\"Of course, as you’d expect, you are greeted by a nautical pinup girl as you enter to get you into the spending mood, of course.\u00a0\"\"On the walls are some real antique outboard engines. \u00a0And, unlike the decorations in most nautically themed dining spots, these motors are indeed real, and there’s lots of them, dozens, actually. \u00a0And, given their condition, I expect that they all work.\u00a0\"\"As you approach the Boathouse, you can even take a ride in an authentic Amphicar<\/a>, a half dozen of what was a production run, over an 8 year period in the 60s, of about 3,700. \u00a0 Want to take a closer look? \u00a0It’s going to cost you as a 20 minute ride will set you back $150. \u00a0Want to learn more about how to get your own ride in one? \u00a0Click here.<\/a>\u00a0\"\"Pay the fare and off you go. \"\"Down the ramp and you are on your way. \"\"Their non-customer descent is sedate but if you are willing to pay the fare, they launch with flare. \"\"And a big splash.\"\"As this very short video shows, these are tough little cars. \u00a0