(Sea)Lions & Gators & Dolphins….Oh, My! A Halloween PTR/TR with a “wild” theme - Oct/Nov '18

Hi Gina,

So nice to hear from you again! We are all wishing you and Steve a wonderful trip.

I know how adventuresome both of you are, so don't worry too much about a T2D diagnosis. My DS was diagnosed T1D at 16, and if there is one thing we have learned it is that we shouldn't view it as a limitation but rather as the opening of a door into all kinds of new opportunities. Please don't lament what is lost but rather look at it as an opening of a door into all kinds of new and tasty culinary opportunities.

DS now has a girlfriend who is a vegetarian and lactose intolerant (he is Celiac and T1D). You would think this is a challenge, but it is more of an adventure in finding things that can satisfy all of the requirements while maintaining our standard of tasty and memorable meals. Thank God that no one in our family has been diagnosed as allergic or sensitive to Hot Stuff, or we would be lost; capsaicin is the saving grace in our family since we all agree on heat as one of the great flavours. I know it won't work for you personally but I'm sure that you can still find something that both of you can zone in on that meets your happy spot gastronomically while meeting the needs for a "sensible diet".

I know you are now at about 3 weeks from departure. I hope you both have a healthy and restful getaway from stresses of life. A bit of downtime can go a long way toward regenerating your batteries and preparing you for another dose of real life.

Love to you both; take care of yourselves and enjoy the relief of another getaway to your happy place!

Foods that are celiac, diabetic, vegetarian AND lactose free?!?!? Good heavens, that doesn't leave much!!! :eek: And I thought I had just inherited a cooking challenge :rolleyes1.

Thank you so much for the wonderful encouragement and good wishes. Last week was our first full week of eating well (and with all of Steve's restrictions), and you know......it wasn't as awful as I had feared. Even better, we're both feeling the initial (and very positive!) effects.....so its making the sacrifices feel worth it. Steve's blood glucose levels are down to 138 this morning (last week at this time, they were 258) so the medication and dietary changes are working. The internet has been a GREAT resource, too :thumbsup2. We've found some some recipes that sound super tasty (thank you @Monykalyn .... we picked up all the ingredients for egg rolls in a bowl today at the grocery store!) and are doing our best to embrace this new challenge.

We are definitely getting excited to get back to Orlando. 15 days to go! :banana: I'm thankful we will have had 3 weeks to adjust our diet (and glean some knowledge) before we leave so we can make good dining choices while we're away. And if Steve continues to feel better and better as his blood glucose levels drop (he is already raving about how much more energy he has and more clear headed he feels) then he will definitely be in good shape for mogging around the parks all day :).

Gina your life certainly never seems to slow down and throws you your fair share of punches along the way for sure. You both definitely deserve a wonderful holiday and a big Disboards hug.

The back of the house looks great and I bet the hot tub has been on overdrive! Hope Steve adjusts to his new diet and feels the benefits soon, it will be hard on holiday but you'll have to make him drive past that 'hot donuts' sign :goodvibes

Ah yes, Krispy Kreme will definitely be a no-no :sad1:. Ditto to the butterbeer (if you haven't looked at how much sugar and how many carbs are in that drink, DON'T :scared: .... otherwise you'll never want to drink another cup). BUT, on a happy note....he is free to enjoy all the juicy steak he wants, which is *almost* as much of a treat in his book as hot donuts :rotfl:.

Thanks so much for the virtual hug :goodvibes. I have missed chatting with y'all over the last six weeks!!

I'm sorry to hear that y'all have been going through so much, particularly with Steve's diagnosis. Hopefully, he can get on a treatment regimen that will help him to feel much better. I know you will still have a wonderful trip, even if you have to forego doughnuts! We saw the Blue Man Group last month, and we really enjoyed it. It's all thanks to you and your tip on those cheap tickets. I have been thinking of you all and praying for peace and comfort. Your backyard looks amazing!

He is definitely feeling noticeably better than he was just one week ago. It's been a wonderful motivator for him to keep consistent with the changes (well, that and the fear that he might have a stroke or heart attack.....very real possibilities when his levels were so high). There are moments where I think he'd consider selling his soul for a bowl of ice cream ;) but they are growing fewer as the days tick by. Good habits are definitely being formed....for him and for me.
I am so happy that you enjoyed Blue Man Group! :cheer2: I am excited for that new experience. It's been on our Universal "bucket list" for many years, and I can't believe we're finally going to scratch that entry off.

Hi Gina! I’m so sorry you all have been through so much lately. I agree with @bankr63 that Steve’s diagnosis may end up being less of a burden and more of a lifestyle change that leads to both a healthier and a happier future for you guys. And selfishly, I’m so glad to have you back on the DIS. I really missed your posts. I hope we can have another DISmeet soon!

Thanks Brian :goodvibes. You are so kind!

We definitely must plan to get together again when our travels to Orlando overlap. Any plans to head back in the fall for the Halloween events?

Wow, the renovations look great! Here's hoping I'll still be able to run into you whenever you're in FL :)

(you will love Sesame Street, just saying. It is adorable!)

Absolutely! We will be at SeaWorld on the Saturday afternoon/early evening (May 4th) and at MK on May 9th (from whenever they allow us in.....maybe around 6:30?.....until park closing if we can hang in until 1 am). I don't suppose you'll be working at MK on that Thursday evening, will you?

So excited to see Sesame Street!! I am just hoping we have a chance to meet one or two of the characters while we're there!

Grief is a very difficult and personal thing to have to swim through. Been there...still struggle with it - Especially when the death was so unexpected. I can relate on many levels of it. I'm sending many thoughts and prayers to both you and Steve and your family.

The renovations look amazing!!! Seeing your hot tub...makes me want another one. Our current home came with one, but sadly it died and we couldn't afford to replace it. All three kids learned to swim in it lol. And we still talk about our evenings spent in it.

I'm glad Steve found out about his condition now - instead of later down the road where more complications could happen. We have several diabetics in our family, and yes, it can be challenging at times, but I know many eating facilities cater more and more to dietary restrictions now than they ever have. I hope this new venture for you two is an easy one.

I can't wait to hear more of our trip...and if you don't get around to posting before your next trip...have a GREAT time!!!! Enjoy your time away and relax and just spend time with each other. Some Florida sun may be just what the Dr prescribed for you two!

Aw, thank you my friend. Big hugs to you as well :hug:. Grief is a rotten club to belong to, but you are correct that none of us are immune from those kinds of painful losses. Hopefully the arrival of spring brings nothing but joy for ALL of us here on this thread :goodvibes.

Here's a little funny about our hot tub that is worth a share. We used to have a solid steel door leading out to the old Florida room, which is now the stone patio with the gazebo (and where the hot tub is located). As part of the renovations, we purchased a new exterior door with a large 9 pane window which would allow us to see outside from our living and dining room. Now, every time we go out to sit and enjoy a peaceful soak in the hot tub, we have this little face peering at us with the saddest face you'll ever see.....

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He paws at the window and cries for us until we come in.....we can see his little mouth moving :sad:. Oh, the guilt!!! :sad2:

Gina, I was so thankful to find another trip report from you- I’ve missed being on disboards! Baby #5 keeps me hopping.

Your renovations look amazing! I’m incredibly impressed with your efficiency and hope you all enjoy the results.

I’m just catching up with your difficult news. Much love from Florida. My heart hurts for you both. When my husband’s parents died within 3 weeks of one another in 2014, we both experienced grief in the form of physical symptoms. After my grandmother (only 44 years older than me and like a second mom) died suddenly in 2015, I participated in a faith-based program called Griefshare that was very helpful for me.

I pray all the love from friends and family near and far carries you. Y’all are sunshine on the internet! ❤️Hugs❤️

Thank you so much for the kind thoughts :goodvibes. I am so touched that you found time to post such a sweet message here for me, especially with your hands so full! You are so blessed to have such a large and happy family :). How old is your littlest one now? Am I remembering correctly that she will be a year old this summer?

Great to see an update from you Gina! Your renovations look amazing, wow! Nice that you'll be able to really enjoy your yard & hot tub now. I'm sorry to hear about Steve's health, especially at a time when he's already dealing with the grief and stress of losing his dad. I'm sure making these big changes will be challenging but once he starts to feel the result of those changes, I hope it will be easier.

I just came back from a trip that included After Hours (at MK and Hollywood Studios). I absolutely loved it - so much fun to do all the rides with no real lines and the park was so enjoyable without the crowds. It lets you slow down and enjoy all the details - I'm sure you'll have a great time! Also, after reading about it in so many of your trip reports, we finally tried Sweet Tomatoes on this trip - it was great! Delicious, fresh & healthy (well, except for all the soft serve I had...but hey, it's vacation!)

I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the Disney After Hours event.....it always seems like we tend to have very similar tastes when it comes to vacation experiences, so I very much value your feedback. It was most certainly a splurge at this late point in the planning, but I'm unbelievably excited about that little add-on. I ordered us some Disney shirts to wear and have dusted off my Mickey ears :earboy2:. Steve's hoping to get his sugar under control enough before we leave that he can enjoy at least one Mickey bar that night without too much guilt. I had hoped to snag a 7DMT Fastpass for the 7-10 pm time slot, but alas t'was not to be. I did, however, get FP's for Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and meeting Mickey and Minnie at Town Square.....so that's a pretty nifty start to the night all on its own.

Yay for Sweet Tomatoes success! Isn't it a great place? Every time we visit, I find myself wishing they had franchises here in Michigan!!
 
Your yard looks fantastic!

I think if you hop out to City Walk for lunch instead of quick service in the park you'll have decent luck with food. You could always do a burger without a bun if need be. The new Today Cafe might also be open and that looks like it might have something a diabetic could eat.
 
Your yard looks fantastic!

I think if you hop out to City Walk for lunch instead of quick service in the park you'll have decent luck with food. You could always do a burger without a bun if need be. The new Today Cafe might also be open and that looks like it might have something a diabetic could eat.

Yes, I'm also thinking that Citywalk will definitely be our best bet for dining :thumbsup2.

Have you heard anything about when they hope to have the Today Cafe open for business?
 
Absolutely! We will be at SeaWorld on the Saturday afternoon/early evening (May 4th) and at MK on May 9th (from whenever they allow us in.....maybe around 6:30?.....until park closing if we can hang in until 1 am). I don't suppose you'll be working at MK on that Thursday evening, will you?

So excited to see Sesame Street!! I am just hoping we have a chance to meet one or two of the characters while we're there!




Here's a little funny about our hot tub that is worth a share. We used to have a solid steel door leading out to the old Florida room, which is now the stone patio with the gazebo (and where the hot tub is located). As part of the renovations, we purchased a new exterior door with a large 9 pane window which would allow us to see outside from our living and dining room. Now, every time we go out to sit and enjoy a peaceful soak in the hot tub, we have this little face peering at us with the saddest face you'll ever see.....

57355547_10157516658906416_9098694968817483776_n.jpg


He paws at the window and cries for us until we come in.....we can see his little mouth moving :sad:. Oh, the guilt!!! :sad2:

I do work on the 9th, but unfortunately I end at 5pm (so unless I extend, I wouldn't still be at MK). However...I should be at SW on the 4th! I'll have to keep an eye out for you :)

Also- I said this on FB. But I can't get over his face in that picture! It is so adorable, yet sad at the same time
 


Thursday, November 1st: SeaWorld, continued

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After wrapping up our private ride on the Sea Carousel, we noted that we had just enough time for a brief visit to the Passmember lounge for a beverage break before we would need to be heading over to Wild Arctic for our Walrus Tour. We took note of the new signage along the edge of the pond as we passed by:

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If it's not new, we certainly had never noticed it before.

Arriving at the Passmember lounge, it was definitely a different experience than it had been on the busy weekend prior. We quite literally had the whole place to ourselves.

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We poured ourselves some drinks from the Freestyle machines and found ourselves a place to sit. As you can see from Steve's posture, we were starting to feel the effects of our busy pace over the last week.....vacations are exhausting!! :rotfl:

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Some rehydration and a short rest in the air conditioning was just what we needed. It was so quiet and peaceful, Steve even managed a short nap while I reviewed some of the photos I had taken with my phone and checked in on social media. Eventually, though, I had to wake Rip Van Winkle as it was nearing tour time and we didn't want to be late :tiptoe:.

Arriving over to the area just outside of Mango Joes and Wild Artic, we took note of the Christmas decorations that had literally popped up overnight.

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Gone were the whimsical orange pumpkins which adorned the park for the Halloween Spooktacular. In their place were the lush trees and festive decor that SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration is so well known for. The park's decorating crew had been very busy!

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Our timing was pretty much ideal, as our tour guide was walking up to the check-in point just as we approached. She greeted us warmly, took our names, and indicated that we would get things underway as soon as the balance of the participants had arrived. One other couple was already there, so we just had one other small family to wait for.

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This tour meets just outside the Wild Arctic gift shop. We and the other couple who were waiting took the opportunity to snap some photos of each other with the giant polar bear statue. Teamwork! :teeth:

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The other family arrived soon after, and with all participants now present and accounted for, we headed inside to begin the tour! :hyper:

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We had a chance to tour through the Wild Arctic exhibit on our way to meet the walruses, stopping to see some of the other animals that call this habitat home. Animals like the beautiful beluga whales.

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I think everyone was just anxious to get to meet the stars of the afternoon, though. After passing through the exhibit (and being encouraged to go back through at the conclusion of the tour, at our leisure) we made our way to a "backstage" area where we could stow our belongings while we enjoyed getting up close with the walruses. A Photokey photographer was there to capture pictures of our experience, and he started with photos of each couple/family in front of the Wild Arctic sign.

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The tour itself was super fun and very informative. Being "up close" to these majestic creatures is really something you need to be in order to appreciate its awesomeness. These animals are HUGE. Watching them come around the corner for that first look, when you're just steps apart, is something you never forget.

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The animal care staff told us all about their behaviors, their care, and their personal history. We learned about their tusks, about Garfield's eyes, and about the relationship between Garfield (a male) and Kaboodle (a female).....not the least of which was the birth of their baby, Ginger, in 2017. The demonstrated some of their amazing abilities, and it was humbling to see just how SMART these creatures are. The complexities of this world never cease to amaze me.

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Feeding them was such a cool experience. And we were so excited to have had the chance to be up close with BOTH walruses and not just one. That was unexpected and such a fun bonus.

After we all had a chance to feed them (after receiving specific instructions from the care staff as to the do's and do not's of feeding....these are massive animals, after all, and guest safety is always a SeaWorld priority), we were all invited back up to have couples/family pics taken as well.

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And in the middle of the tour, a very cool surprise! The other young couple who took part became engaged: he dropped to one knee and proposed, as Garfield and Kaboodle gave them a very fitting walrus-style blessing :goodvibes.

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A big kiss to celebrate!!!

Afterwards, we had the amazing opportunity to spend some time with the two babies (Ginger, who was born to Garfield and Kaboodle, and Aku, a rescue who was adopted by Seaworld around the same time as Ginger was born) in the special habitat that is off-limits to park guests. No cameras permitted, so unfortunately no pics....but take my word for it: they are TOO CUTE :goodvibes. I could have spent the rest of the day right there, watching them play. We felt so blessed to be part of that very cool opportunity.

We were so glad to have opted to book this tour.....and at just over $20 with the passmember November discount, we felt it was a true steal. It took about an hour total and was absolutely worth every penny. Once again, SeaWorld impressed us with the quality and value of this extra offering. We had never been disappointed in a tour before, and this one kept up the perfect record. Totally recommend!

We poked around Wild Arctic for a little while longer after our group disbursed, but time was ticking away.....we still had more fun to squeeze in before we called it a day.

The balance of our SeaWorld Thursday will be next!
 
The kissing picture is wonderful. How lovely to get a proposal on your tour.
Enjoy your Easter Weekend, will you be in the hot tub with the cat stalker looking on :goodvibes that's so funny, make you feel like naughty parents!
 


Hi Gina! Regarding diets, I give up alcohol for Lent every year, and the last few years extended it to carbs in general. It’s always a little tough at first, and there are occasional tough moments, but it’s really not too bad. I think Steve and you will do great. Like you mentioned, you can still eat all the steak you want! Or as I did yesterday, all the chicken wings I wanted (but sadly unsweet tea instead of beer). Every Lent I lose 15 or more pounds without ever feeling hungry. I’ve thought about maintaining the diet full time, but it’s always difficult with the kids. At least that’s my excuse, although really I do miss lovely, carby, hoppy beers! And I get to have some tomorrow. Happy Easter!
 
The tours are quite popular for proposals. I was with a friend when she was proposed to on the killer whales up-close tour (made for some adorable pictures)
 
((((((Gina))))))
I’ve been MIA due to a pretty wretched few months that started just before Christmas and didn’t start to settle until March. I just haven’t felt like I had much to offer anyone and I was in a terrible funk. I thought about you today and went looking for a trip report. I am so sorry to hear of Steve’s fathers passing and I can only imagine how painful and chaotic these last few months have been for you both. I’m also sorry I was so buried in my own junk that I wasn’t aware of your sadness.
I’m also sorry to hear of Steve’s health concerns. I’m sure once you adjust and learn the ropes that you will tackle this with your characteristic energetic style! Your dining reports will look different but will be helpful to a lot of people I bet ! I know I need to be mindful of what I am eating far more than I used to be too.
I’m glad you have a trip coming up soon to warm your hearts. It’s been a rough time for you both. :hug:
 
Hi Gina! Fell behind here as we were on our cruise!

15 days until your trip?? :cheer2: Can't wait to hear all about it !! Hope you'll have time to do a TR!!! Look so forward to them!!::yes::
 
It looks about done. I think I read yesterday that they will be having AP previews on April 26.

Ooooh, perfect! It would be fun to be among some of the first people to be able to try it out :). I'm not really a fan of the Today Show, per se, but I'm a sucker for trying anything new at the parks :o.

The kissing picture is wonderful. How lovely to get a proposal on your tour.
Enjoy your Easter Weekend, will you be in the hot tub with the cat stalker looking on :goodvibes that's so funny, make you feel like naughty parents!

We enjoyed several long soaks in the hot tub over the holiday weekend, actually :goodvibes...and yes, those little faces watched us morosely the entire time :rolleyes:. Silly little fluffs, thy are.

I hope you had a lovely Easter as well! And hey, while I'm thinking of asking....do you have another trip in the planning stages yet?

Hooray for Steve's improvement! Have a happy and blessed Easter!

Thank you! As you saw on FB, we spent Easter day at Greenfield Village. When we couldn't be home with our families (both Steve and I had work commitments for Saturday, so we really couldn't swing a trip home for the weekend), it was nice to have something to do to keep us busy. Always grateful for those little diversions that keep us from being homesick on special days.

Steve's blood glucose levels continue to nudge down, and we are so grateful for the steady improvement (even though its slow). We are both embracing the dietary changes and so far we can both see positive results. I actually ate cauliflower AND cabbage this week!! :eek: Steve looked at me across the dinner table tonight and said, "Your body is going to go into shock if you keep this up" :rotfl2:.

Hi Gina! Regarding diets, I give up alcohol for Lent every year, and the last few years extended it to carbs in general. It’s always a little tough at first, and there are occasional tough moments, but it’s really not too bad. I think Steve and you will do great. Like you mentioned, you can still eat all the steak you want! Or as I did yesterday, all the chicken wings I wanted (but sadly unsweet tea instead of beer). Every Lent I lose 15 or more pounds without ever feeling hungry. I’ve thought about maintaining the diet full time, but it’s always difficult with the kids. At least that’s my excuse, although really I do miss lovely, carby, hoppy beers! And I get to have some tomorrow. Happy Easter!

We saw a commercial the other day for Corona Premier, and its really low in carbs and sugar. I think we'll pick some up this weekend so Steve can give it a try. He's always been a Bud Light kind of guy, but a Corona Premier would likely be better than no beer at all. Kind of like the low carb, low sugar bread we bought......it really isn't very tasty when you compare it against regular bread, but after a week with NO bread.....well, that ended up being none too shabby :rotfl:.

We are definitely getting better at coming up with low-carb, low sugar meal ideas. We are definitely not starving, even though I'd give my right arm for a cookie every now and then :blush:. A few of our friends and coworkers have been great with sharing recipe ideas, and I must admit we're having some fun in the kitchen as we cook up some new foods together!

The tours are quite popular for proposals. I was with a friend when she was proposed to on the killer whales up-close tour (made for some adorable pictures)

It was sure fun to be part of their special moment. They were a super sweet couple! Almost as cute as Garfield and Kaboodle ;).

((((((Gina))))))
I’ve been MIA due to a pretty wretched few months that started just before Christmas and didn’t start to settle until March. I just haven’t felt like I had much to offer anyone and I was in a terrible funk. I thought about you today and went looking for a trip report. I am so sorry to hear of Steve’s fathers passing and I can only imagine how painful and chaotic these last few months have been for you both. I’m also sorry I was so buried in my own junk that I wasn’t aware of your sadness.
I’m also sorry to hear of Steve’s health concerns. I’m sure once you adjust and learn the ropes that you will tackle this with your characteristic energetic style! Your dining reports will look different but will be helpful to a lot of people I bet ! I know I need to be mindful of what I am eating far more than I used to be too.
I’m glad you have a trip coming up soon to warm your hearts. It’s been a rough time for you both. :hug:

Aw, thank you my friend :goodvibes. I am so happy to have you back posting here on my thread!

I am so sorry to hear that life has not been kind to you for the last few months :sad1:. Sending you a big hug across the miles :hug: and saying a prayer that all your worries will eventually resolve themselves. Hope all is okay with your sweet family.

Our vacation meals will DEFINITELY be taking on a whole new shape this time......it's going to be a huge challenge for both of us, especially when we generally use vacation to justify a temporary overindulgence of our sweet tooths. I think our Disney day will be a pretty easy accommodation (Disney is absolutely wonderful about meeting special dietary needs), but the jury is still out for Universal. We've both been busy reading menus and planning out which restaurants might have something that Steve an eat other than a chicken ceasar salad. I'm sure it will be one of those things that we worry about endlessly but never ends up being a problem. I know you can appreciate the fact that I'm an overthinker!!

So sorry to hear about Steve's diagnosis- bit glad things are looking up (or down in numbers )

Thank you :goodvibes. It's been a crazy spring. I am definitely feeling like we need a vacation!!

Hi Gina! Fell behind here as we were on our cruise!

15 days until your trip?? :cheer2: Can't wait to hear all about it !! Hope you'll have time to do a TR!!! Look so forward to them!!::yes::

A cruise?!? :boat: How fun! Which cruise line? And to where?

So happy to see you got to spend Easter with family in the sunny south. The weather looked simply gorgeous!

Believe it or not, we are down to just 11 days before we leave!! :crazy2: One week from Saturday (May 4th). I've got a ton of things to take care of between now and then (haven't started packing yet, both of us have hair appointments, I have month end at work next week, and we have a few yard projects to complete if the weather holds) so I think the next 11 days will just fly by.....which is A-okay with me ;).

When is your next Orlando adventure?
 
Thursday, November 1st: the conclusion

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Pretty sure I forgot to post some of our other dining stops from earlier in this day. At one point, we had some snacks at Mama's Pretzel Kitchen.....a pretzel dog for me, and a sausage pretzel (I think?) for Steve:

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We had also stopped at Spice Mill for burgers. Much as they were delicious too, I ended up pitching most of the fries. Steve was smart to opt for salad.....it wasn't so heavy.

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We shared the watermelon, which was wonderfully ripe and sweet. I love that they always have fresh, seasonal fruit as a side/dessert option on the dining plan!

And now, resuming the report.....


Once our tour was over, we decided it was high time to forget about what we looked like and GET WET. If we ended up looking like a pair of soggy rats, it would not be an issue.....we only had an hour or so of park time left, and we wanted to make the absolute most of it. So....we opted to head to the park's newest attraction, Infinity Falls, to see what the waits looked like. When we had been there the Sunday prior, standby times were around an hour, and we were grateful for our free passmember quick queue.

This was a "crowd" photo on our way back from the tour over to Infinity Falls. It seriously almost felt as if we had the whole park to ourselves.

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Arriving at Infinity Falls, the sign was posted at 10 minutes, but we quickly learned that the standby time was very much overstated.

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Staff were filling the boats, but guests were sparse enough that there was no real standby line.

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We were boarded and being sent down the rapids within 5 minutes. It wasn't quite a walk-on, but it was awfully close.

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We ended up riding not once,

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....not twice,

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but FIVE TIMES :bitelip:...and by the time we reached the third run, the ride WAS a walk on :thumbsup2. And the ride staff were laughing and exclaiming "You again?" as we approached :rotfl:.

We even made two new friends, a young girl and her dad who rode with us on the first ride and continued to join us for the 4 that followed.....even though Mom and little sister had enough after the first go. We exchanged email addresses with the family before we parted (all drippy and soaked) and I was able to send them all the ride photos later that evening since they didn't have Photokey.

We attempted drying off in the massive dryers next to the ride, but we were so soaked after 5 consecutive drenchings that it was honestly an effort in futility. But, at least we can say that we tried! :o

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After we had had our fill of Infinity Falls (we seriously contemplated ride #6!!), we sloshed and dripped our way to Voyagers and grabbed a quick dinner before leaving the park.

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This meal alone almost equaled the cost of of our dining plan. Everything was SO tasty (the chicken, in particular, was outstanding) but there was no way we came even close to finishing it all. We did make sure to save room for dessert.....priorities, right? :o Wouldn't want to waste all that yummy chocolate goodness.

We opened the park that morning and closed it down that night. Now that's what I call a good day :goodvibes.

Arriving back at the resort, we indulged in a low-key evening of soaking in the Fountain hot tub while we got caught up on some laundry. We also did a little packing up, for we had just one more full day in Orlando before we would be heading home on Saturday....and we had a full itinerary, complete with two Dismeets. There would be little time for packing the following night, so it was nice to have the time to get a head start on such a dreaded chore.

Our Friday, which features meet-ups with @afan and @pattyw, is next!
 
A cruise?!? :boat: How fun! Which cruise line? And to where?

So happy to see you got to spend Easter with family in the sunny south. The weather looked simply gorgeous!

Believe it or not, we are down to just 11 days before we leave!! :crazy2: One week from Saturday (May 4th). I've got a ton of things to take care of between now and then (haven't started packing yet, both of us have hair appointments, I have month end at work next week, and we have a few yard projects to complete if the weather holds) so I think the next 11 days will just fly by.....which is A-okay with me ;).

When is your next Orlando adventure?

We went on Royal Caribbean- 7 day Western Caribbean. It was our first cruise! Orlando friends convinced us that we had to try it and so we tagged along on their cruise. It was nice to have experienced cruisers with us! Bonus was that we left from Miami so we got to visit with Kyle & Erin pre and post cruise. Troy joined us for Easter weekend so that we could be all together for a nice brunch before flying home!

Next Orlando adventure- Memorial Day weekend! It's a graduation celebration for Troy! and hoping to get a last dose of Disney before the chaos ensues when Star Wars land opens and we will stay clear for a while!

You both so deserve a nice vacation- I know it's been rough lately. I'm sure even with dietary restrictions, you will have yummy meals! I know it's time for Joe and I to get down to business and lose some pounds! I will anxiously await your dining choices which will give me some encouragement that we can be on vacation, eat healthy, and still have a great time!:)
 
Did you say no more trip reports? Oh no! Your reports are my favorites!

What they said. :) I hope you still pop in to give a brief rundown of items you enjoyed. While I'm mostly a lurker, over the years your reports have added many wonderful items to our family vacation itineraries. Seeing you and Steve continue your trips without your son has helped me see what future trips without the kids could be and something to look forward to instead of sad about. Life goals and all that. ;-) All that to say - your trip reports are much appreciated.
 
You certainly made the most of the short lines! We are planning a January 2020 trip, hopefully meeting up with our niece and family again for a few days, probably just getting SW tickets this time.

Not long now........:cheer2:
 

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