2BoysMum&Dad
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2004
In my hand-written notes I made at the end of Friday 23rd July, I spookily gave the days report the heading The Calm Before The Storm, only because it was the day before we flew out to Florida and didnt think at the time it was really a very good or apt title. I have decided to name all the parts of my trip report The Calm Before The Storm Tour, in honour of the climax of our trip - Hurricane Charley which gave us an extra day in Florida.
Wednesday 4th August
THE CAST
Sergeant Major Zoe You WILL enjoy yourselves
DH Trevor I am NOT going to like this
Birthday Boy Michael (aged 10 to 11)
Why to everything Piers (aged 8 and a bit)
Today was originally scheduled as a Magic Kingdom day, but as its not long since we visited there, we decided to go somewhere else today. We had a late start this morning (now becoming a regular trend!!!) and after having breakfast in the room headed for Disney Quest. I can now hear you telling me that I have just contradicted myself. I said we didnt want to visit MK because we went there recently but we are now visiting DQ and we went there yesterday! For some reason, I never really considered DQ as a proper theme park and always somewhere to go to fill time at the end of the day or visit before going off elsewhere!
We did Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise and played some arcade games. I visited the DIBB and saw I had two private messages, from Kazzykay and JDG. Unfortunately, the machine here at DQ this time wouldnt let me answer private messages! I noticed a really nice new message posted by Ulsterscot which brought a lump to my throat. I was most disappointed that the b***** DQ machine wouldnt let me reply to it!
Time for lunch and we headed off for a steakhouse. Trevor had been going on for ages about getting a descent steak meal. We aimed for the Black Angus as we had a discount voucher for it and it wasnt too far away. Unfortunately, we had left CBR without the book containing the voucher and the map! We realised wed left them behind when driving to DQ, but couldnt be bothered to go back for them. Luckily we found the place with no problem and had a good and reasonably priced meal. As it happens, we arrived during their early bird period which is 2pm to 5pm during the week, but it wasnt clear if they did this at the weekend too (probably not). The brochure said early bird was between 12pm and 5pm but the waitress said 2pm to 5pm, so beware.
When we finished eating, we headed back to CBR and got ready to go out to Typhoon Lagoon. We arrived at 5pm and had a great time. The first thing we all did was try the inflated rings which take you around the whole park, great fun.
Michael on the left and my legs at Typhoon Lagoon
Trevor and Piers got ahead of us and we didnt find them for ages. Michael and I got off at the same point where we got on so we thought! We waited for them for ages, but still no sign, so we gave up and went to the main pool area in the middle. We saw one of those huge waves being generated. After it passed, we went further in, towards the deeper water thinking it would be a good twenty minutes or so before another wave would be generated, WRONG! I was terrified that Michael and I would be drowned as Michael was only just able to touch the bottom and I was in quite deep too!
Michael (and Piers) are not particularly strong swimmers. Another thing I was worried about was my contact lenses which I had put in before leaving CBR earlier (I dont wear them every day, but thought they would be a good idea for swimming). Michael was not worried and liked the look of this, just as well I suppose. We faced away from the wave as it hit us and I ended up swallowing some water, partly because I was panicking and partly because Michael was hanging on to me and dragging me under! Luckily my contact lenses were still in place, I generally avoid total emersion whilst wearing them just in case.
After all this fun, we thought wed better resume our search for Trevor and Piers. We wondered around for a while, even visiting the toilets at the top next to the large pool area, Michael went in to use the facilities and when he came out I took a picture from here. We looked across at nice views and spotted Trevor and Piers in the same area we had just left, typical! We went down to join them. Apparently, theres more than one spot you can enter/exit the stream and Piers was convinced they got out where we all got in and Michael and I got out too early. After getting our bearings a bit better, looks like Piers was right. He has a very good visual memory, I thought I had obviously he inherited it a bit too well and I gave it away to him totally!
That Boat in Typoon Lagoon
The wave generating area is very good and very popular and we spent the rest of our time here. I explained to Trevor that Michael and I were already experts at experiencing the waves (like right!), but was still worried about the boys. I didnt want them going too deep. But they were really keen and happy to just drift with the waves as they hit us and they managed really well with no problems. At one stage I managed to scrape my knee on the bottom in the shallower water as the wave pushed me along. The ground is really very rough and its easy to get scraped, it feels just like pumice stone and I discovered it was great for filing down the dead skin on my heels!
The large waves came in about once every two minutes and then they started producing waves which went left to right and are much gentler. This was not popular with the masses and there was a sort of mutiny with boos resounding around Typhoon Lagoon when the C.M.s appeared to not understand or have problems with the requests to arrange for only the big waves. Eventually, we got what we wanted and only received the big waves until the park closed. Did this happen when anyone else visited Typhoon Lagoon?
It was time to leave the park, well it was closing after all! We didnt bother getting dressed properly. Trevor and the boys just put t-shirts on and I wore my towelling hooded top thingy. We decided to opt for the Typhoon Lagoon mug instead of the $2 change from handing in our locker key. Got to the car and put our towels on the car seats to preserve the car from chlorine. Unfortunately, the car smelt of chlorine for a while afterwards, but it wasnt a bad smell.
Arrived back at CBR, got properly dried off, dressed and off to DTD. Headed for Ghiradelli for another great ice cream treat. Unfortunately, Michael got upset because I ordered him a strawberry ice cream, this is what he originally wanted. Piers requested something and changed his mind. This made Michael change his mind (to mint choc chip) but he only managed to tell Trevor of this change and I was the one actually ordering the ice creams. Michael blamed me, I blamed Trevor and Trevor blamed everyone!
Michael still enjoyed his ice cream, but was still in a bit of a sulk. We promised to let him have a small present as compensation (one he didnt have to pay for out of his pocket money) and he seemed pleased at that. We visited the Lego shop again and he chose an axe type thing.
Another fun filled day and we are tired again! Back to CBR and bed. ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz
Join us tomorrow for a p.s. booked meal at the Rose & Crown and well hopefully get a good spot to see Illuminations and meet up with Mr & Mrs Earthbound and daughters.
Wednesday 4th August
THE CAST
Sergeant Major Zoe You WILL enjoy yourselves
DH Trevor I am NOT going to like this
Birthday Boy Michael (aged 10 to 11)
Why to everything Piers (aged 8 and a bit)
Today was originally scheduled as a Magic Kingdom day, but as its not long since we visited there, we decided to go somewhere else today. We had a late start this morning (now becoming a regular trend!!!) and after having breakfast in the room headed for Disney Quest. I can now hear you telling me that I have just contradicted myself. I said we didnt want to visit MK because we went there recently but we are now visiting DQ and we went there yesterday! For some reason, I never really considered DQ as a proper theme park and always somewhere to go to fill time at the end of the day or visit before going off elsewhere!
We did Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise and played some arcade games. I visited the DIBB and saw I had two private messages, from Kazzykay and JDG. Unfortunately, the machine here at DQ this time wouldnt let me answer private messages! I noticed a really nice new message posted by Ulsterscot which brought a lump to my throat. I was most disappointed that the b***** DQ machine wouldnt let me reply to it!
Time for lunch and we headed off for a steakhouse. Trevor had been going on for ages about getting a descent steak meal. We aimed for the Black Angus as we had a discount voucher for it and it wasnt too far away. Unfortunately, we had left CBR without the book containing the voucher and the map! We realised wed left them behind when driving to DQ, but couldnt be bothered to go back for them. Luckily we found the place with no problem and had a good and reasonably priced meal. As it happens, we arrived during their early bird period which is 2pm to 5pm during the week, but it wasnt clear if they did this at the weekend too (probably not). The brochure said early bird was between 12pm and 5pm but the waitress said 2pm to 5pm, so beware.
When we finished eating, we headed back to CBR and got ready to go out to Typhoon Lagoon. We arrived at 5pm and had a great time. The first thing we all did was try the inflated rings which take you around the whole park, great fun.
Michael on the left and my legs at Typhoon Lagoon
Trevor and Piers got ahead of us and we didnt find them for ages. Michael and I got off at the same point where we got on so we thought! We waited for them for ages, but still no sign, so we gave up and went to the main pool area in the middle. We saw one of those huge waves being generated. After it passed, we went further in, towards the deeper water thinking it would be a good twenty minutes or so before another wave would be generated, WRONG! I was terrified that Michael and I would be drowned as Michael was only just able to touch the bottom and I was in quite deep too!
Michael (and Piers) are not particularly strong swimmers. Another thing I was worried about was my contact lenses which I had put in before leaving CBR earlier (I dont wear them every day, but thought they would be a good idea for swimming). Michael was not worried and liked the look of this, just as well I suppose. We faced away from the wave as it hit us and I ended up swallowing some water, partly because I was panicking and partly because Michael was hanging on to me and dragging me under! Luckily my contact lenses were still in place, I generally avoid total emersion whilst wearing them just in case.After all this fun, we thought wed better resume our search for Trevor and Piers. We wondered around for a while, even visiting the toilets at the top next to the large pool area, Michael went in to use the facilities and when he came out I took a picture from here. We looked across at nice views and spotted Trevor and Piers in the same area we had just left, typical! We went down to join them. Apparently, theres more than one spot you can enter/exit the stream and Piers was convinced they got out where we all got in and Michael and I got out too early. After getting our bearings a bit better, looks like Piers was right. He has a very good visual memory, I thought I had obviously he inherited it a bit too well and I gave it away to him totally!
That Boat in Typoon Lagoon
The wave generating area is very good and very popular and we spent the rest of our time here. I explained to Trevor that Michael and I were already experts at experiencing the waves (like right!), but was still worried about the boys. I didnt want them going too deep. But they were really keen and happy to just drift with the waves as they hit us and they managed really well with no problems. At one stage I managed to scrape my knee on the bottom in the shallower water as the wave pushed me along. The ground is really very rough and its easy to get scraped, it feels just like pumice stone and I discovered it was great for filing down the dead skin on my heels!
The large waves came in about once every two minutes and then they started producing waves which went left to right and are much gentler. This was not popular with the masses and there was a sort of mutiny with boos resounding around Typhoon Lagoon when the C.M.s appeared to not understand or have problems with the requests to arrange for only the big waves. Eventually, we got what we wanted and only received the big waves until the park closed. Did this happen when anyone else visited Typhoon Lagoon?
It was time to leave the park, well it was closing after all! We didnt bother getting dressed properly. Trevor and the boys just put t-shirts on and I wore my towelling hooded top thingy. We decided to opt for the Typhoon Lagoon mug instead of the $2 change from handing in our locker key. Got to the car and put our towels on the car seats to preserve the car from chlorine. Unfortunately, the car smelt of chlorine for a while afterwards, but it wasnt a bad smell.
Arrived back at CBR, got properly dried off, dressed and off to DTD. Headed for Ghiradelli for another great ice cream treat. Unfortunately, Michael got upset because I ordered him a strawberry ice cream, this is what he originally wanted. Piers requested something and changed his mind. This made Michael change his mind (to mint choc chip) but he only managed to tell Trevor of this change and I was the one actually ordering the ice creams. Michael blamed me, I blamed Trevor and Trevor blamed everyone!
Michael still enjoyed his ice cream, but was still in a bit of a sulk. We promised to let him have a small present as compensation (one he didnt have to pay for out of his pocket money) and he seemed pleased at that. We visited the Lego shop again and he chose an axe type thing.Another fun filled day and we are tired again! Back to CBR and bed. ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz
Join us tomorrow for a p.s. booked meal at the Rose & Crown and well hopefully get a good spot to see Illuminations and meet up with Mr & Mrs Earthbound and daughters.
