Top 50 Rides in Florida

There has never been a more exciting time to be a theme park enthusiast in Florida. Star Wars Land opens @ Disney's Hollywood Studios this year, Toy Story Land just opened, and there will be a ton more opening up by Disney's 50th anniversary year of 2021. There have been new sections added at Sea World, Legoland, and several other theme parks. Heck, in a manner of hours, Busch Gardens adds Florida's tallest launch coaster in Tigris.

With all this excitement, it is the perfect time to rank the best rides in Florida. What are the best rides we have right now? Will the new rides be as good? Check out the list below and decide yourself.

Disclaimer: I have not been to Legoland Florida yet, I have also not riden the Fast and the Furious ride @ Universal Orlando.

Top 50 Rides in Florida

50. Popeye Bilge Rat Barges - Islands of Adventure

You get soaked on this ride and it is a great river rapids ride. That being said, there are many rides that are simply better.

49. Congo River Rapids - Busch Gardens Tampa

Another great river rapids ride, that in my opinion is better than Popeye. A little bit longer ride with a typically shorter wait. 

48. Flight of Passage - Disney's Animal Kingdom

A lot of people probably have this much higher, but Avatar knocks this down a few pegs in my opinion. Just not my cup of tea.

47. Dumbo - Magic Kingdom

Is this the most exciting ride? No

Is it one of the most iconic? Definitely

46. Freedom Flyer - Fun Spot Orlando

Freedom Flyer is a super smooth ride. It would be higher if it were a bit longer or more exciting.

45. Escape from Gringotts - Universal Orlando

Cool ride, again probably higher on most lists. Theming was awesome, especially outside the ride.

44. Scorpion - Busch Garden Tampa

Was the 2nd coaster I've ever riden and has sentimental value. It simply isn't as good as some other rides though.

43. Falcon's Fury - Busch Gardens Tampa

Very exciting ride, but just way too short. Also I'm the only one in my family that will ride this and riding alone just isn't as fun.

42. Kraken - Sea World Orlando

Would be higher, but ride is a bit jerky and gives me a headache after a few rides.

41. Race Through New York w/ Jimmy Fallon - Universal Orlando

Awesome ride, but my brother got sick on it, so that is the lasting image of it.

40. Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - Magic Kingdom

The most underrated ride at magic kingdom in my opinion. Some people hate that this replaced Mr. Toad, but our family loves Pooh!!!

39. Bumper Kars - Fun Spot Orlando

Come on! You know you love Bumper Kars! Imagine being able to ride over and over! You can do that with the lack of lines at fun spot.

38. Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin - Magic Kingdom

Amazingly fun ride. Would be even higher if...the guns always worked.

37. Journey to Atlantis - Sea World Orlando

A really fun flume with some roller coaster elements

36. Pteranodon Flyers - Islands of Adventure

Super cool ride with a great view of the park.

35. Skull Island: Reign of Kong - Islands of Adventure

Really enjoyed this ride and its cool that little ones can go on.

34. Alien Swirling Saucers - Hollywood Studios

This is where it gets really good. All rides from here on out are just a joy. Love spinning on the swirling saucers.

33. Soarin' - Epcot

Super fun ride, but can't reach the other rides on this list. It is cool seeing the cool places around the world.

32. Storm Force Accelatron - Islands of Adventure

Like an amped up version of tea cups. This is super fun.

31. Mad Tea Party - Magic Kingdom

Nothing beats the original.

30. Men In Black Alien Attack - Universal Orlando

Similar to Buzz, but better accuracy and a longer ride.

29. Doctor Doom Fearfall - Islands of Adventure

A cool drop tower. So neat.

28. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem - Universal Orlando

One of the cooler rides at Universal Orlando. My favorite motion ride at the actual park.

27. Sheikra - Busch Gardens Tampa

One of the most exciting rides, but it is super short. The lack of length keeps it from being top 10.

26. Seven Dwarf Mine Train - Magic Kingdom

A sweet ride with an always long wait. Not as thrilling as it could be.

25. Slinky Dog Dash - Hollywood Studios

An awesome coaster that is kid friendly.

24. Skyride - Busch Gardens Tampa

Underrated ride with great views of the park and a sweet breeze. Great way to see rhinos and elephants.

23. Rock n' Roller Coaster - Hollywood Studios

Super fun ride and the most intense coaster at Disney. Would be ranked higher if the seats were more comfortable.

22. White Lightning - Fun Spot Orlando

Surprisingly fast wooden coaster at fun spot. Just a very unique and fun ride. With no wait, you can ride it over and over.

21. Mine Blower - Fun Spot Kissimmee

Wooden coaster that goes upside down!!

20. Space Mountain - Magic Kingdom

I don't ride this enough. One of the most iconic rides out there.

19. Manta - Sea World Orlando

You feel like you are flying on this ride. It's awesome until you are waiting at the end, then its not so awesome.

18. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Magic Kingdom

I have this lower than others in my family. Jr. loves this ride. I do too, but not as much as what is to come.

17. Test Track - Epcot

This is Jr.'s absolute favorite ride and its a blast. A sweet coaster.

16. Jurassic Park River Adventure - Islands of Adventure

One of the best water rides around and a sweet throwback to a classic movie.

15. Revenge of the Mummy - Universal Orlando

An absolute gem of a ride. Cool indoor coaster with some surprises.

14. Forbidden Journey - Islands of Adventure

Many say this ride is their favorite in Florida, but it slots in at #14 for me. Really fun ride either way.

13. Cobra's Curse - Busch Gardens Tampa

My favorite part of this ride is the giraffes you can see from the top of the ride.

12 - Rip Ride Rock It - Universal Orlando

The best ride at Universal Orlando. Super fun and cool to choose your song.

11. Kumba - Busch Gardens Tampa

A sweet coaster with lots of inversions. A classic that has stood the tests of time.

10. Expedition Everest - Animal Kingdom

Best coaster at Disney and the only that goes backwards.

9. Mako - Sea World Orlando

The best ride at Sea World. That 1st drop is amazing and terrifying.

8 - Incredible Hulk - Islands of Adventure

The best coaster at Universal Studios Resort. 

7. Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man - Islands of Adenture

The best ride at the resort. It also has great value being one that the whole family can enjoy and being a Spider-Man attraction.

6. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa

Super fast and super amazing coaster.

5. Toy Story Mania - Hollywood Studios

Super fun and interactive ride. 

Side Note: I'm undefeated in this ride.

4. Montu - Busch Gardens Tampa

Best coaster in FL. This ride has 7 inversions

3. Tower of Terror - Hollywood Studios

Every time it's different and every time it is spectacular.

2. Splash Mountain - Magic Kingdom

9+ minutes of pure glory. Such a great ride.

1. Kilimanjaro Safaris - Animal Kingdom

The best ride in the United States. Now, it's not the ride that makes it great, its the animals, but where else can you see a hippo that close? Where else will a rhino go right past your jeep? Closest we will get in this state!

What do you think of this list? Do you have anything that you would change?

- Noland

Another Family Update

Hi again everyone!!!

So it may have been a minute....

1 post in 2018 and we are finally back!

WE are not back to the extent we were before, but I promise we will have more than one family post this year....

Here is what we are up to.....

Eli Thomas is our three-nanger and we love it. He is still an absolute ball of joy and has more personality than any child we have ever seen. I atill joke that he will be a pro-wrestler when he grows up because he is just overflowing with that personality. Eli teaches us that life is full of joy and that we need to be thankful for what we have. He's had a good health year!!! Yay!!! Still has had some bad luck, injured often, but he always has a smile on his face. His favorite Disney character is still Baloo, but recently he got into Daniel Tiger.

Jr. was big into baseball this past year. He's getting so big and so good at it. The child is my mini-me and makes me feel like a stud. He loves sports, and doesn't care if it is watching or playing. This guy just wants to participate in competition. Currently he is in machine pitch and all-stars happen at the next level of competition. Almost there to the crazy sports level! His favorite teams are the Noles, the Lightning, the Magic, and the Bucs. Our baseball team is still the Orioles!!!

While it still has been quite a while since I had the time to dedicate to a quality blog post on here or at Robinson Athletic News, we have been keeping busy.
I have enjoyed my extra time with my family and helping Jenna achieve her dreams.
She has her caligraphy business available at https://www.etsy.com/shop/JennaLetters?ref=shop_sugg
I really hope you can check her out.
Also don't worry, I will post more on both sites this year!!!!

Thanks and I will be back here to post as I some additional time to work on this. Focusing on our other projects for now though, but Jenna may be back on occasion as well!

Have a great day and Go Noles!!!!!

Stay blessed,

- Noland

Robinson Family Update

Hi everyone!!! It has been a while for us, so we wanted to give you a quick update on everything going on with us!

Here is what we are up to.....

Eli Thomas turns 3 at the end of the month. He is an absolute ball of joy and has more personality than any toddler I have ever seen. I often joke that he will be a pro-wrestler when he grows up because he is just overflowing with that personality. Eli teaches us that life is full of joy and that we need to be thankful for what we have. He's been sick most of his life, has had some bad luck, injured often, but he always has a smile on his face. Eli is always happy. We love our happy boy so much. This boy is such a loving son and brother that copies everything his older brother does. He loves dancing, sports, and Disney. His favorite Disney character is Baloo.

While it has been quite a while since I had the time to dedicate to a quality blog post on here or at Robinson Athletic News, but my family has been doing awesome things in the meantime.
I have enjoyed my extra time with my family and helping Jenna achieve her dreams.
She has her caligraphy business available at https://www.etsy.com/shop/JennaLetters?ref=shop_sugg
I really hope you can check her out.

Additionally, we have started a fun side project with the family. We have been making and filling out brackets about everything. You can follow us doing that here at https://juniorsbrackets.blogspot.com. A new bracket will be posted every 5 days, so there is plenty to check out.

I hope you are able to give it a shot.

Thanks and I will be back here to post if I get some additional time to work on this. Focusing on our other projects for now though.

Have a great day and Go Noles!!!!!

Stay blessed,

- Noland

Ways to Help Ensure Success

There has been a meme being shared online about what leads people to be successful. Most of that meme is stuff that I whole heartedly agree with. However, there is some of it that I disagree with. Success can be measured in multiple ways after all. Certainly there are things one can do to make themselves more successful and on the other hand, there are things they can do to make themselves less successful though. All of that being said, here are some surefire ways to make yourself more successful in life.

1) Exercise Often
Exercising makes you happier by giving you increased dopamine levels. That dopamine chemical releases happy feelings in your body.
Exercise helps you sleep better. It is proven to help keep you more awake during the day and asleep at night.
Exercising at least 30 min a day greatly reduces the risk of heart disease. 60 minutes is even better. Play 60 is a real legit thing. Regular exercise also helps you live longer and stave off other chronic diseases like diabetes.
Exercise has even been linked to boosting the size of the hippocampus according to numerous studies.
Finally, exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels.
There are numerous other benefits to exercise. We are just scratching the surface here.

2) Embrace Change
The world is constantly changing and we should be too. We should be evolving daily and embracing the inevitable change in our lives. If we are struggling to do that, we likely could be struggling in life. Embrace the change around you assuming it is positive change and learn to adapt to new environments. Being adaptable will make you more successful. People that are set in their ways, could often be set in the wrong ways. Things do not operate the same today as they did 20 years ago.

3) Commit to Your Goals
If you set a goal it is to better yourself. Follow through on your goals. Do not be one of those people that makes a resolution only to break it a week later. Your resolutions and your goals are to better you. Be the best you that you can be and commit to those goals. Achieve them.

4) Do Not Gossip
Do not talk about other people's business. What do you get out of it? Seriously, what is the point of talking about other people unless it is positive or to that person?
There is zero point. You don't feel better about yourself. If you gossip you are just telling other's about an uncomfortable situation somebody is in. Imagine that person finding out....Imagining them never finding out and you just talking behind their back. There is no point in doing this.

5) Do not trash others
When you trash others it is similar to using gossip, but could be more extreme. I am going to get more specific here. We gain nothing by trashing the loved ones of others too them. We also gain nothing by trashing our loved ones. If their are marital issues for example, go to therapy. Do not air your problems for the world to see. Do not trash your spouse, or someones parent, or their sibling, or their friend, or their spouse. Now, if their is some truth you need to tell them about that person, you can tell  them privately and proceed with caution. Just know that these situations typically do not end well. However, if it does come to that drastic point where you need to lay down a truth bomb, you will have a lot more credibility assuming you aren't constantly trashing others.

6) Have someone you can vent to
It is not good to talk poorly about someone, but it also is bad to keep everything bottled up. That's why I said for problems with a marriage you should go to therapy. If your problems are not with a spouse and not as severe, have that person where you can vent to each other. Most the time, that could be your spouse. Just don't always be negative and don't vent to everybody.

7)Have someone to hold you accountable
We need others to hold us accountable for our actions. People to challenge us to be better. It is important to be challenged in life and improve daily. We need at least one person in our lives to help us do that. Hopefully we surround ourselves with people that make us better and hold us accountable. After all, our goal should always be to be the best we can be.

8) Take Responsibility
Constantly blaming others is a good way to ensure that nobody will want to work with you. We need people to work with us in life. It is important to acknowledge our mistakes and work to rectify them. We do not need to use negative talk or even apologize, but we do need to own our mistakes. Something like "I appreciate the hard work that everyone put in and will make sure that I do a better job next time" should suffice.

9) Become a Life Long Learner
This goes along with the embracing change I already talked about in some ways. Learn what is changing, learn what you can do to better yourself, learn about something which you have no idea about. Learning is a lifelong process and we should never stop doing this.

10) Genuinely Interact With Others
Albert Einstein once famously said "I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots." I fear that we have come to that time and our world is at a tipping point. Hopefully, people start to realize this and communicate more with actual people. We need human interaction. It is a wonderful thing. Sharing ideas, especially with those with whom we disagree is essential. This past election casts doubt on the fact that we can do this. Both sides shouting at each other and calling each other idiots. Placing blame. We need to exchange ideas though in order to better our planet. Hopefully, we can do that still.

Hope you enjoyed those little points...Now for me to improve on following all these as well. Until next time.

-Noland

2016: A Year In Disney

As 2016 is coming to a close, I'd like to look at the amazing feat Disney managed to pull off this year across the board. It was an absolutely brilliant year for the world's happiest company. The company slayed at the box office, television was on point, and the parks are improving. Things are certainly on the up and up for this wonderful organization. Before 2016 closes though, let's look at how historic this year really was.

Back in June, I posted a little piece about the 4 home runs to date in 2016. That bit was written before the Dory movie came out, before Doctor Strange, before Moana, and before the latest Star Wars film. Needless to say, it has gotten even more promising since that post. In order to not sound redundant, I will just say that those 4 home runs were amazing and I recommend them strongly. The 4 were the Lion Guard, Zootopia, Captain America: Civil War, and the Jungle Book. 

Before moving on to the second half of the year, I would like to go a bit further on how obsessed my children are with the Lion Guard. My kids love the show. This is especially true for our 4 year old son, Noland Jr. He has about 1/4 of the stuff he owns currently as Lion Guard related. The kid adores the show and the characters. Jr. is constantly trying to acquire new Lion Guard materials. It is a cool show for us too, because it is a bridge from the classic movie of our childhood, the Lion King. Just a brilliantly done show that hasn't lost any traction in our household.

Now onto the newer stuff...

Finding Dory was another smash hit for Disney and I too enjoyed the movie. I did not enjoy it as much as some people, but it was a great movie. The movie had really strong new characters and is certainly something Disney will continue to cash in on. It was not a failure by any stretch of the imagination and helped to grow the brand overall. Like I said, I enjoyed the movie and most enjoyed it even more than I did.

To me, perhaps the biggest hit and certainly the biggest surprise of the year was Moana. Now, I thought Moana would be really good, but it surpassed every expectation I had of the movie. After seeing Zootopia, I thought there was no way an animated movie could top that in the same year, but Moana was right up there. This movie was darn close to flawless and you must see it if you have not already. It will be interesting to see how the hype around this movie proceeds as time moves on.

Admittedly, I have not seen Doctor Strange or the latest Star Wars yet, but they have been hits. I have also heard terrific things from all that have seen those titles.

2016 also was the year we once again had Disney passes and there are some exciting things going on at the parks. Nothing at Disney World is as exciting as the additional hours at my favorite park, Animal Kingdom. Although I hear next year will be even bigger for this park and Disney World in general. Before we get to next year though, let's talk about one more thing for 2016.

Each year, we do a Disney countdown for characters and this year I decided to include more family. We had 11 family members each submit their top 50 solely Disney characters, and top 50 pixar characters as well. 50 points were awarded for #1 and 1 point for #50 for each list. Here are the top finishers after the vote and who the 4 in my immediate family voted for as their 5 favorites (for Eli we scattered toys and pictures and took them away after he chose somebody).

Overall Disney
#1 Simba
#2 Mickey Mouse
#3 Donald Duck
#4 Pooh
#5 Jiminy Cricket

Robinson Top 5 1-5
Me: Jiminy Cricket, Baloo, Pooh, Pumba, Donald Duck
Jenna: Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Aladdin, Rapunzel, Simba
Jr: Kion, Mickey Mouse, Bunga, Donald Duck, Nick Wilde
Eli: Mickey Mouse, Tigger, Pooh, Piglet, Kion

Overall Pixar
#1 Nemo
#2 Dory
#3 Woody
#4 Crush
#5 Squirt

Robinson Top 5 1-5
Me: Buzz, Crush, Rex, Bullseye, Marlin
Jenna: Woody, Buzz, Lightning McQueen, Marlin, Rex
Jr.: Buzz, Lightning McQueen, Mater, Woody, Rex
Eli: Buzz,Woody, Crush, Lightning McQueen, Squirt

As you can see sometimes the slam dunk winner in the house loses out overall. This was most true with Pixar as Buzz finished 1st for all 3 boys, and 2nd for Jenna. However, my brother and his kids didn't include Buzz and he finished outside the top 5. Crazy!!!!

I sure will have fun comparing the lists as they come out each year. It was a cool project that resulted in a fun coloring book for the kids.

This year in Disney was awesome! I have a feeling that next year could be even better! You will be able to follow our Disney adventures for 2017 right here.

Until next time, see you real soon!!!!

-Noland

Disney @ Christmas Time

Christmas is the most magical time and magical season that there is. It is filled with happiness and joy. Makes sense that people want to be at the happiest place in the world during the happiest time in the world. A lot of people share this sentiment and Disney is packed for the holiday season. Other than 4th of July, the entire week before and after Christmas is the busiest time at Disney world. I went the day after Christmas before and it was difficult to even move much. However, there are some pointers in dealing with this crowded time at the parks.

First, to get the most bang for your buck at Disney, avoid the parks during those two weeks. Go at a different time in the season, all of the Christmas stuff is offered and you won't have to deal as much with the crowds. If you have a Silver pass (like us), your pass is blacked out during this time anyways. There are better times to go.

Next, determine how much the special events mean to you. The special event I am most specifically speaking of is the Very Merry Christmas Party. It is a special ticket event that is seperate from a regular day park admission. That being said, it does come cheaper than a regular park admission and offers some extra perks. Besides being cheaper it comes with a slightly less crowded park and is offered after park hours. You can usually get in at 4pm while the park closes to the general public at 7pm and you are allowed to stay until 2am (which is impossible for parents with young children). Free cookies and holiday beverages are offered at several locations throughout the park. There is also a variety of other holiday treats available for purchase. Additionally, there is a holiday stage show and a special holiday parade. Finally, the biggest draw which is special character meets that aren't available during the day. These meets included Sandy Claws (Jack Skellington), Scrooge McDuck, and the Zootopia characters this year. It is very worth it for one time, but I do not know if I'd go back since I've been once. Also it is very tough for my family to get our complete money's worth and stay until 2am because of the little ones.

Magic Kingdom does not have many holiday offerings outside of the party. The castle lights up at night and there are decorations around the park. However, if you want the holiday experience at Magic Kingdom, you need to go to the party. The special holiday treats are only available at the party.

We miss the Osborne lights a lot. That amazing experience at Hollywood Studios is never to be seen again. It is really sad that they won't have it anymore. We went a few weeks ago and were pretty disappointed at what was being offered. It was so sad. We didn't stick around for the new projection show after hearing it was just okay because the kids were tired. Honestly, this park makes me feel claustrophobic at times now and I am not that type of person. There just is not and will not be a lot to do until the Toy Story and Star Wars lands open up. Disney needs to increase the amount of character meets in this park to make it worthwhile to attend to non passholders. I go still because it does have some of my favorite rides, but I probably wouldnt spend my money to go here for just one day as of now. It will pay off in the long run, but it is not up to the Disney standard currently.

Picture of the Osborne Lights we miss so much. Disney isn't as exciting at Christmas, but its still cool.

Animal Kingdom is my favorite park and the park the boys enjoy most. It is a really cool park for the Animal lover and has a lot of boy themed attractions, while the other parks typically focus a bit more on the little princesses. It has the least holiday appeal though. It simply does not have holiday shows and lacks major holiday decorations. They do exist though, and the tree out in front is always my favorite Christmas Tree on Disney property. Do not expect much beyond that particular tree though as far as holiday appeal.

We are going to Epcot at Christmas time this weekend to catch some of those holiday festivities and will have more tips at a later date. The Christmas trees and decorations were up in mid November when we went, but the Candlelight Processional and other holiday shows were not quite ready yet at this time. The tree entering the World Showcase was a pretty awesome sight. Another cool sight was the tree in America. Finally, the holiday topiaries were also a very nice touch to the park.

If you do not care about holiday decorations and shows and just want to visit the parks, go in the morning! They are way more crowded at night because of the holiday offerings. Stay tuned in a few weeks for updates on the new Christmas offerings at Disney Springs!

From the entire Robinson clan, I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-Noland

The Ultimate Holiday Gift

Imagine the most amazing gift possible, imagine receiving the perfect gift. Most of you probably thought about a car, a house, an expensive wedding, a vacation, or something along those lines right? Well, what if I told you that all of those would be wrong? What if I wold you, that you could give a gift that was far better than those? What if the gift you could give was life itself?

Okay, so pregnancy right? The gift I am talking about has to certainly be pregnancy. It is not though. While that is an amazing gift, and is giving life, I am actually talking about a gift that even more people aged 16 years or older can give. This life giving gift comes in the form of donating blood.

Still not convinced, or think it is not necessary.

Well, how about if I tell you that every time you donate blood, you can save up to 3 lives. That's right, 1 blood donation can save 3 lives!

Need more convincing?

Every 2 seconds in the United States, somebody somewhere needs a blood transfusion. Multiple people somewhere need blood as I type out this post. At some point in your life, somebody you know will need a blood transfusion. It could even be you that needs one. I know that the need for blood hit close to me.

During pregnancy with Noland Jr., Jenna hemorrhaged and needed a lot of blood. In fact, she lost so much blood that she actually had to get two transfusions after delivery. Those blood donations saved her life. People that donated saved my family. She was not done though, not my amazing wife. She wanted/wants more kids and then we had Eli. With Eli, the doctors were more on top of it and it was less scary, but it still happened again. This time she would need 3 blood transfusions and the donated blood again saved her life. The donated blood saved our ability to do all of the wonderful things that we love and do them as a family. It allowed us to have all of these wonderful adventures. They saved the best mom possible. It gave our family life.

Please! Please! Consider donating blood! It is desperately needed and can be the ultimate gift.

Here is a link to all OneBlood Donation Centers in Florida

Here is a little bit more on why you should donate.

Here is what happens to donated blood.

You can really save someones holiday with this gift. It is a gift that everyone should consider. Give life and really truly do something good. For if we all are protecting EVERY life from conception until natural death, we are doing our part.

Thank you and have a Merry Christmas!

-Noland