Are You Smarter Than A Flying Gator? by Kevin Kremer Page B

ten?
    â€œThe correct answer is B, four out of every ten. Would you believe 279 hurricanes hit the United States mainland since 1851; 113 of those hit Florida!
    â€œUmatilla! Umatilla was named after an Oregon town with the same name. The town’s nameis an Indian word meaning
laughing waters.
Every October, Umatilla has a big festival. What’s the name of that festival? Is it A, The Florida Comedy Festival; B, The Florida Alligator Festival; or C, The Florida Black Bear Festival?
    â€œThe correct answer is C, The Florida Black Bear Festival. Umatilla is the gateway to the Ocala National Forest. Lots of black bears live in the area.
    â€œJacksonville! Jacksonville was named after the territorial governor of Florida who became the seventh President of the United States. It was called
Cow Ford
at one time because it’s the narrowest crossing of the St. Johns River for many miles. Here’s the question, a geography question: Jacksonville is directly south of what major city in the United States? Is it A, Cleveland; B, New York City; or C, St. Louis?
    â€œThe correct answer is A, Cleveland.”
    â€œWe’re back live,” said Steve. “And Gator Mikey’s causing quite a ruckus as he flies over the animals at Kilimanjaro Safari. Look at those big gators!”
    â€œNow Gator Mikey’s swooping down as he approaches MGM Studios,” Brian pointed out. “He seems to be dropping down over Mickey Avenue.”
    â€œWalt Disney World!” Gator Mikey called out.“This is the greatest place on earth! I’ve got a Walt Disney question for you. Walt Disney had another name for his famous mouse before his wife, Lilly, suggested
Mickey.
What was that name? Was it A, Mikey Mouse; B, Mortimer Mouse; or C, Milton Mouse?
    â€œI’m going to repeat the question and then sing the theme song of the
Mickey Mouse Show
while you’re thinking about the answer.”
    Gator Mikey did just that. When he was done, he said, “The correct answer is B, Mortimer Mouse. Now, everyone knows what to say if they got the question right!”
    â€œI’m smarter than a flying gator!”
    â€œThat was terrific! Right now I’m going to fly over Walt Disney World and sing my favorite Disney songs. Where will I go after that? Well, I’ll sing you a little song before I leave this wonderful place at noon. That will help you figure out my next destination. Isn’t that
nice
of me?”

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    Gator Mikey’s visit helped Walt Disney World shatter their one day attendance record by eleven o’clock that morning. At noon, the famous flying gator hovered over Spaceship Earth at Epcot Center.
    â€œWhere am I going next?” Gator Mikey called. “Listen to my favorite Disney song and you’ll probably figure it out ...”
    In a huge garage at the Pocono Racetrack in Pennsylvania, Jeffie Gordon, his mechanics, and his pit crew were watching the television with great interest. They’d all just finished singing the popular song “A Whole New World” with Gator Mikey.
    Soft-hearted mechanic Will Volk loved that song. He actually had tears streaming down his cheeks. “Hey!” he said in his deep voice, wiping the tears from his face with a towel. “Gator Mikey replaced the word new with nice in the last line of the song.”
    Jeffie Gordon ran over to his computer and said, “I’ll do a quick Google search and see if there’s atown in Florida with the word
nice
in it!”
    â€œGot it!” Will Volk said excitedly, beating Jeffie to the punch. “It’s right here near Fort Walton Beach on the panhandle!”
    Back in the office of head football coach Bobby Boodeen, the coach had added another portable blackboard to his office.
    â€œLook, Gator Mikey,” he said out loud to himself. “I know where you’re headed next—but then what? You’re running out of letters of the
daw-gum
alphabet! What are