the florida vacation, act 3

Don't forget to read Act 1: The Wedding and Act 2: The Trip to Universal Studios!

Act 3: The Beach
Setting: Grand Plaza Hotel, St. Pete Beach
Cast of Characters:
CAITLIN, relaxed, lazy beach bum in her late 20s
DAN, her husband

***

Scene 1: The Drive, Wednesday (Caitlin and Dan drive to St. Pete Beach for a short vacation, just the two of them.)
CAITLIN: Did that road sign just say there is a Wawa ahead? We don't have those at home, and I know you love them! Do you want to stop??
DAN: Yes!
(Scene ends with Caitlin and Dan enjoying delicious sandwiches... and the unexpected surprise of finding a Wawa in Florida.)

***

Scene 2: The Beach, Thursday (Caitlin and Dan are laying on the beach)
CAITLIN: Let's take a beach walk. What are these weird birds that keep skimming their beaks through the top of the water and snagging fish?
DAN: Look! A whole roped-off nesting area for them. They are Black Skimmers.
CAITLIN: Oh my gosh. Look at the tiny baby birds!!!!! They are sooooooo cute.
(Caitlin rushes back to hotel for camera, and scene closes with her taking an absurd number of photos of the baby birds)

***

Scene 3: The Beach, Friday (Caitlin and Dan are swimming in the waves)
CAITLIN: Find me a cool shell
(Dan digs around with foot in sand)
DAN: Bam! Got one! Check out this cool clam.
CAITLIN: Yayyyyyyyyyyy!
(Scene closes with Caitlin taking a clam selfie)

***

Scene 4: The Florida Aquarium, Sunday (Caitlin and Dan stop at the Florida Aquarium on the way back to Orlando to catch their flight. They tour the aquarium enjoying all the cool birds, reptiles, fish, sharks, and other sea creatures.)

CAITLIN: You know what was my favorite part of the aquarium?
DAN: What?
CAITLIN: The birds.
DAN: (rolls eyes and smiles) Of course.
(Scene closes with Caitlin and Dan arriving home both energized from a busy vacation and refreshed from such a relaxing time at the beach! Curtain.)

***

the florida vacation, act 2

Don't forget to read Act 1: The Wedding!

Act 2: The Trip To Universal Studios
Setting: Universal Orlando Resort
Cast of Characters:
CAITLIN, woman in her late 20s, obsessive Harry Potter fan
DAN, her husband
EILEEN, DAD, Dan's parents
TIM, COLLEEN, Dan's siblings
KEVIN, Colleen's boyfriend

***

Scene 1: Monday (Universal Islands of Adventure Theme Park. Caitlin and Dan are joined in Orlando by Eileen, Dad, Tim, Colleen, and Kevin on Sunday following The Wedding [Act 1]. Vacation was planned by Dad as an early celebration of his birthday in July.)

CAITLIN: I am obsessed with Harry Potter and I am thrilled to be back at Universal Orlando since I missed the opening of Diagon Alley by only a month when we visited last year!!!!!!!!
DAN: Ok. Calm down.
CAITLIN: I cannot calm down!!!! I am too excited!!!! Harry Potter!!!!!!!!!
(Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade Village is explored. Fun is had by all, despite some unfortunate adverse reactions to the weird screen/motion rides throughout the park.)

CAITLIN, DAN: Time for water rides!
(Cast rides Jurassic Park, Dudley Do-right, and Bilge Rat Barges all in a row)
CAITLIN, DAN, EILEEN, DAD, TIM, COLLEEN, KEVIN (FAMILY): We are soaked, good thing it's 95 degrees out!
(Family continues exploring park, riding coasters. Caitlin enjoys a butterbeer with lunch in Hogsmeade. More rides, including taking Hogwarts Express to other park to see Diagon Alley, the new Harry Potter feature.)
CAITLIN: (In awe) It's amazing... London and Gringott's and Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes and Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream and The Leaky Cauldron and Knockturn Alley and everything!!
(Caitlin laments that she is not a wizard and spends the afternoon pretending to be one in Diagon Alley.)

(Scene closes with exhausted family enjoying dinner at Margaritaville in CityWalk area)

***

Scene 2: Tuesday (Universal Studios Florida Theme Park)

CAITLIN, DAN, DAD: We got to the park early to ride the Harry Potter Escape from Gringott's ride, but it is currently down. Oh well, we can ride it later. (walk to Minions ride instead)
DAD: That was my favorite ride here! Let's wander over to the Simpsons area.
CAITLIN: Hey look! Let's get our picture taken with them!!

(Caitlin, Dan, and Dad are joined by Eileen, Tim, Colleen, and Kevin who have rallied for Day 2 fun)
FAMILY: We are tired, but we fight through the exhaustion!! Let's ride more rides, especially the Men In Black ride where you get to shoot aliens! Yay!!

(Scene closes with Family saying their goodbyes in hotel lobby the next day. All agree the trip was a success and tons of fun!)

***

Stay tuned for Act 3: The Beach!!!

the florida vacation, a play in three acts

We took a great vacation mid-June. Ten days in Florida divided into three almost entirely different vacations... And here it is, presented in the form of a poorly-written three act play!

Act 1: The Wedding
Setting: Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Cast of Characters:
CAITLIN, wedding guest in her late 20s
DAN, her husband
JOE, groom and coworker of Caitlin
ROSHNI, the beautiful bride
WEDDING GUESTS: KATHY, JASON, CARL, and BETH, other friends/coworkers and associated spouses also attending the wedding

***

Scene 1: The Sangeet, Friday Evening (Ballroom at the resort. CAITLIN, DAN, and other WEDDING GUESTS are attending their first Hindu wedding, including the Sangeet on Friday which involves lots of singing/musical performances from the bride and groom's family and friends.)

JOE: Hi everyone!
CAITLIN, DAN, KATHY, JASON, CARL, BETH: Hi Joe! Let's take a group picture!
(Group picture is taken)

DAN, JASON, CARL: Joe, your clothes looks so much more comfortable than our suits. We are jealous.
JOE: They are! You should be jealous! Did you see that there are artists here to decorate your hands with henna?
CAITLIN, KATHY: Oh? Is it only for Roshni and the bridesmaids?
JOE: No, it's for all the girls!
CAITLIN, KATHY: YAYYYYYYYYYY!
(Caitlin and Kathy exit. Food is served. Musical performances begin. Caitlin and Kathy re-enter holding their hands carefully so as to not smudge their henna.)

CAITLIN, KATHY: Oh my gosh, look at all this delicious Indian food. They have our favorites: witch hats and maple balls.
(Other wedding guests roll their eyes at Caitlin and Kathy for not using the proper names for samosas and gulab jamun. Scene closes with wedding guests stuffing their faces with food.)

***

Scene 2: The Baraat, Saturday morning (Resort entrance. Wedding guests are waiting outside for Joe to arrive in a horse-drawn carriage. Up-beat Indian pop music blares from DJ booth.)

WEDDING GUESTS: There he is! This is so awesome and fun and silly!
(Joe exits carriage, dances awkwardly. Scene closes as wedding guests process with Joe to wedding venue in Resort atrium.)

***

Scene 3: The Hindu Wedding Ceremony, Saturday morning (Resort atrium)

WEDDING GUESTS: This set up is gorgeous. There are so many flowers... and fruits! Look at all the wedding guests watching the ceremony from their balconies. This is fun.
(Ceremony begins. Lots of Hindi chanting. Lots.)
WEDDING GUESTS: This has been going on a while. When does Roshni get to show up??
(ROSHNI enters, escorted by her maternal uncles)
WEDDING GUESTS: Oooooooh. She looks soooo pretty.
(Ceremony continues)

WEDDING GUESTS: We are getting a little hungry. Oh look our programs have little baggies of trail mix in them!
(Ceremony continues)
WEDDING GUESTS: Ok, we are hungry again and we already ate all our trail mix... including the extras from the empty chair behind us. Wait, are the bridesmaids serving snacks? This is the best ceremony ever.
(Ceremony continues. Lots of "auspicious moments" occur. Joe and Roshni perform many symbolic actions. They see each other for the "first time" [not actually] when a screen separating them is dropped at the beginning of the ceremony. Joe holds Roshni's face and pretends to point out a star in the middle of the day. She pretends to see it. They play a game where they compete to pick up a ring from the floor first. Roshni wins. They pour rice on each others heads. Multiple times. Wedding guests giggle. Ceremony concludes and scene closes.)

***

Scene 4: The Catholic Wedding Ceremony, Saturday afternoon (Resort atrium, different location)

CAITLIN: Oh my gosh, Roshni is in a completely different, amazingly beautiful dress for this ceremony. And all the attendants are in tuxes and new dresses too!
(Indian man sitting behind Caitlin explains to his wife that for the Catholic ceremony, the wedding guests do not process in with the groom, but instead arrive early and wait in the chairs. Scene closes with Caitlin reflecting that this experience is introducing a lot of "firsts" for everyone involved!)

***

Scene 5: Cocktail Hour and Reception, Saturday evening (Resort ballroom)

CAITLIN, KATHY: If we don't see some Bollywood-style dancing at this reception, we are going to be very disappointed.
(Dinner is served. Speeches and toasts proceed as normal. Wedding attendants proceed to center of dance floor and perform elaborate Bollywood choreography.)
CAITLIN, KATHY: YAYYYYYYYYY!

(Dance floor opens. Wedding guests dance and admire Roshni's third beautiful, elaborate dress. Fun is had by all. Scene closes.)

***

Stay tuned for Act 2: The Trip to Universal Studios!!!