Nascfan
07-02-2008, 07:38 PM
Day 5: Tuesday the 17th
Time for a break from the main parks and a water park day – Typhoon Lagoon.
We knew we didn’t have to get there really early like the regular parks, so it felt good to sleep in a tad, and still we got there just at opening time.
We rode Crush ‘n Gusher, the water coaster first. That was an excellent ride! To be shot up by water, what an adrenaline rush! Then we did the three body slides, one each time, and all the raft rides, knowing how things would back up later as more people came. And they did back up. Crush ‘n Gusher and the body slides were no wait, by the time we got to the last raft ride, the family ride, it was about a 15 minute wait.
Now it was time to swim with the sharks, something Lauren had really been looking forward to. I remembered last time I did this, many years ago, I had trouble catching my breath due to the cold water, so I was smart and got used to it slowly. Everything was going fine, slowly paddling along, until I think I turned to quickly to see something and whoosh, the mask filled with salt water. If you’ve never had this happen, it’s not pleasant. Fortunately, there was one of the lifeguards pretty much right there so I was able to hold on to his float as I dumped the water and adjusted the mask and continued on. The whole thing was a great experience though! A beautiful blue fish swam right by my shoulder at one point, and Lauren had a wonderful time.
Having the major attractions out of the way, we could enjoy the wave pool for awhile, and we did. We were in the shallows at one point though, when a big wave came and took Lauren off her feet and onto her back. Skin and rough bottoms don’t mix too well. As a precaution we got her to First Aid and they dabbed it with anthiseptic and put a band-aid on. None the worse for wear.
We fed our bellies lunch and took a two lap floating tour around the whole park in the lazy river, another thing I could stay on/in for a whole afternoon. We could see weather moving in though, and wanted to beat the crowds out if it did rain, and we were pretty much done anyways. So we went back home to shower off the chlorine and take our break.
This is where another first comes in to play. Spontaneity! We had an open evening since this was not a scheduled park day, so the girls thought they might like to try Fantasia Gardens, since we were doing Fantasia Fairways the next day. The Gardens was one Kathy really wanted to do anyway. So we hopped a bus to Studios and walked the path over to Swan and Dolphin and to Fantasia Gardens. This was a lot of fun! The holes were all beautifully themed and fun to putt on. We really took our time and just enjoyed a nice evening of miniature golf at a place we hadn’t been before, since we had done Winter/Summerland on previous visits. Imagine, just deciding to do something at WDW at the last minute! For planners like us, this was almost unheard of, and yet, a, come on, say it with me, A Dream Come True! :mickey:
Next: actual anniversary day! Horseback riding, the Kitchen Sink, Fantasia Fairways, and 1900 Park Faire.
Time for a break from the main parks and a water park day – Typhoon Lagoon.
We knew we didn’t have to get there really early like the regular parks, so it felt good to sleep in a tad, and still we got there just at opening time.
We rode Crush ‘n Gusher, the water coaster first. That was an excellent ride! To be shot up by water, what an adrenaline rush! Then we did the three body slides, one each time, and all the raft rides, knowing how things would back up later as more people came. And they did back up. Crush ‘n Gusher and the body slides were no wait, by the time we got to the last raft ride, the family ride, it was about a 15 minute wait.
Now it was time to swim with the sharks, something Lauren had really been looking forward to. I remembered last time I did this, many years ago, I had trouble catching my breath due to the cold water, so I was smart and got used to it slowly. Everything was going fine, slowly paddling along, until I think I turned to quickly to see something and whoosh, the mask filled with salt water. If you’ve never had this happen, it’s not pleasant. Fortunately, there was one of the lifeguards pretty much right there so I was able to hold on to his float as I dumped the water and adjusted the mask and continued on. The whole thing was a great experience though! A beautiful blue fish swam right by my shoulder at one point, and Lauren had a wonderful time.
Having the major attractions out of the way, we could enjoy the wave pool for awhile, and we did. We were in the shallows at one point though, when a big wave came and took Lauren off her feet and onto her back. Skin and rough bottoms don’t mix too well. As a precaution we got her to First Aid and they dabbed it with anthiseptic and put a band-aid on. None the worse for wear.
We fed our bellies lunch and took a two lap floating tour around the whole park in the lazy river, another thing I could stay on/in for a whole afternoon. We could see weather moving in though, and wanted to beat the crowds out if it did rain, and we were pretty much done anyways. So we went back home to shower off the chlorine and take our break.
This is where another first comes in to play. Spontaneity! We had an open evening since this was not a scheduled park day, so the girls thought they might like to try Fantasia Gardens, since we were doing Fantasia Fairways the next day. The Gardens was one Kathy really wanted to do anyway. So we hopped a bus to Studios and walked the path over to Swan and Dolphin and to Fantasia Gardens. This was a lot of fun! The holes were all beautifully themed and fun to putt on. We really took our time and just enjoyed a nice evening of miniature golf at a place we hadn’t been before, since we had done Winter/Summerland on previous visits. Imagine, just deciding to do something at WDW at the last minute! For planners like us, this was almost unheard of, and yet, a, come on, say it with me, A Dream Come True! :mickey:
Next: actual anniversary day! Horseback riding, the Kitchen Sink, Fantasia Fairways, and 1900 Park Faire.