Walt Disney World

The interns took a trip today to Disney's Animal Kingdom and EPCOT to see some of the horticulture staff and projects and to get an idea of the scope of those parks' plants needs. It's extensive and impressive to say the least. We met with the head horticulturist on staff who manages a full third of the plant needs of the entire Magic Kingdom. She gave us a behind the scenes tour of the forage banks that the park uses to feed its animals and we entered and left the park through the staff entrance, something that has forever changed my childlike wonder that I normally have when in theme parks. Just kidding, it was actually really cool to see broken ride vehicles and dilapidated attractions behind the berm. Almost as cool as seeing the double layer, barbed wire topped fence that surrounds the Animal Kingdom (ostensibly to keep the animals in and intruders out, but I have my doubts.  Mickey Mouse feeds at night.)

This is more secure than most military installations.  Trust me.

EPCOT has some impressive plant displays, where they have sterile, ideal environments set up for growing things and have results to show for it.  Their pumpkins, cucumbers, gourds, lettuce, and sunflowers are all perfect and enormous.

New experiences:
1. Ate a lychee (it was excellent)

2. Made lemonade from real lemons
3. Saw a real live baby elephant (It looked just like the baby elephant in The Jungle Book)
4. Found out that Turken chicks are even goofier looking than adults
5. Learned how to fillet fish

6. Saw one of those enormous pumpkins they have contests for every year

I want to plant a seed in the other interns' plots to mess with them.

7. Saw a real life no kidding big hill in Florida.  It was so awesome we had to throw our hands in the air like a roller coaster.