2belles'mom
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2000
- Messages
- 406
The Cast for Christmas 02:
Me, Disney Junkie and Master Planner
DH David, likes Disney
DD Katja, 6, Disney Junkie-in-training
DD Annika, 3, Disney Junkie-in-training
My brother, Steve
His wife, Sarah
Their son, Riley, 9
Their son, Tallon, 15 months
My mother--Nana
My father?Poppa
December 23?Blizzard Beach
Originally, my plans had called for another Magic Kingdom day today, but the general consensus of the group was that we should give Blizzard Beach a try. None of us had yet experienced a Disney Water Park, and Riley was just aching to go. The weather was sunny and a high of 70 was predicted so it seemed it would work.
Since Blizzard Beach does not open until 10, we were able to have a slow morning. We all had breakfast at Roaring Forks then gathered our beach gear and loaded into the rental van. Nana and Poppa would not be joining us for this one?their plans called for shopping and exploring.
We arrived at Blizzard Beach at opening, entered and went to the rental shack to rent towels and get life jackets for Tallon, Annika and Katja. Then we tried to find a spot for our ?homebase.? This was easier said than done; being newbies to Blizzard Beach, we had no idea what our patterns would and that made it difficult to determine a staging area. We settled on a group of lounge chairs at the far end of the wave pool. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but wound up being just about as far away from where we spent most of our time as you could get.
Steve and Riley immediately took off so they could take advantage of the no-line situation to hit the ?big ones.? Sarah, David, Katja, Annika, Tallon and I went into the wave pool and splashed around a bit. Then David and Sarah took the little ones to Tike?s Peak (the toddler/little one mini-water park play-area) and I took Katja to find some slides she could do. It was at this point that we realized just about all the stuff we wanted access to was VERY far away from our base!
First, Katja and I went to Ski Patrol Training Camp, and area for kids 6-12. This was really neat; she walked the ?ice-floes,? did the tube slide, had a blast on the T-Bar slide thing. This area was a hit with her. Then wemake our way up the many, many stairs to the top of the mountain where the three big ones were: Summit Plummet, Slusher Gusher, and Teamboat Springs. Being too short for the former two, we hopped on Team Boat Springs, billed as the longest family raft ride in the states. It was a great ride, and it was a very long ride. I then asked Katja if she would be willing to wait for me while I tried Summit Plummet?the highest (at 120 feet!), fastest and steepest water slide in the states. She agreed so we made our way back up the mountain. The line was fairly short, so I sent Katja back down to wait for me at our designated spot at the bottom of the slide. I must say that I almost chickened out. The slide is SO high, and as I peeked over the top, it looks like it drops to nothing but air. I had a bit of vertigo looking over the edge. And it is true that you actually catch some air before you make full body contact with slide. I did it though, and my brother?s words pretty much sum it up: The ride is one quarter free fall and the rest is your butt stopping you. Yes! It is rather hard on the hindquarters, and a lot of tugging on the suit has to happen as you crawl out of the landing trough.
Katja and I then made our way back to the our homebase (did I mention how FAR away it was???) and found Sarah and Tallon, Annika and David. David took the girls into the wave pool and I went to grab a little snack. When I returned, Steve and Riley were there too. We talked about our adventures, then split up again. This time, David, Katja, Annika and I went together to do Teamboat Springs (even better with more people on board!) and the slides at Ski Patrol Training Camp. After that we rejoined the rest of the group, got more food and relocated MOST of our junk to a lounging area near Ski Patrol Training Camp that was ever so much closer to the attractions we liked?Tike?s Peak, the base of the mountain, etc. Riley and Kata spent some time on the ice-floes and the T-Bar, and after that we were about ready to go. We had to schlepp all the way back to our original spot to get stuff we had left there, and then we took off.
For lunch, we decided to go to the Burger King near Wal-Mart. It has a play place with slides that appeals to the kids.
After that we?gulp?spent even more time in the pool, back at the Lodge! It was certainly a water filled day. I must say, though, that soaking in those hot tubs while sipping drinks from Trout Pass Pool Bar simply soothes the soul! I now own an impressive collection of Trout Pass Pool Bar Collectible Cups. We must have ?collected? at least 12 of them during our stay, and I managed to cram 5 or so in my suitcase!
We swam and tubbed into the evening, then hit the day with a very exhausted crew on our hands.
Tomorrow?Chief Mick?s, Downtown Dis, and the Hoop Dee Doo
Me, Disney Junkie and Master Planner
DH David, likes Disney
DD Katja, 6, Disney Junkie-in-training
DD Annika, 3, Disney Junkie-in-training
My brother, Steve
His wife, Sarah
Their son, Riley, 9
Their son, Tallon, 15 months
My mother--Nana
My father?Poppa
December 23?Blizzard Beach
Originally, my plans had called for another Magic Kingdom day today, but the general consensus of the group was that we should give Blizzard Beach a try. None of us had yet experienced a Disney Water Park, and Riley was just aching to go. The weather was sunny and a high of 70 was predicted so it seemed it would work.
Since Blizzard Beach does not open until 10, we were able to have a slow morning. We all had breakfast at Roaring Forks then gathered our beach gear and loaded into the rental van. Nana and Poppa would not be joining us for this one?their plans called for shopping and exploring.
We arrived at Blizzard Beach at opening, entered and went to the rental shack to rent towels and get life jackets for Tallon, Annika and Katja. Then we tried to find a spot for our ?homebase.? This was easier said than done; being newbies to Blizzard Beach, we had no idea what our patterns would and that made it difficult to determine a staging area. We settled on a group of lounge chairs at the far end of the wave pool. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but wound up being just about as far away from where we spent most of our time as you could get.
Steve and Riley immediately took off so they could take advantage of the no-line situation to hit the ?big ones.? Sarah, David, Katja, Annika, Tallon and I went into the wave pool and splashed around a bit. Then David and Sarah took the little ones to Tike?s Peak (the toddler/little one mini-water park play-area) and I took Katja to find some slides she could do. It was at this point that we realized just about all the stuff we wanted access to was VERY far away from our base!
First, Katja and I went to Ski Patrol Training Camp, and area for kids 6-12. This was really neat; she walked the ?ice-floes,? did the tube slide, had a blast on the T-Bar slide thing. This area was a hit with her. Then wemake our way up the many, many stairs to the top of the mountain where the three big ones were: Summit Plummet, Slusher Gusher, and Teamboat Springs. Being too short for the former two, we hopped on Team Boat Springs, billed as the longest family raft ride in the states. It was a great ride, and it was a very long ride. I then asked Katja if she would be willing to wait for me while I tried Summit Plummet?the highest (at 120 feet!), fastest and steepest water slide in the states. She agreed so we made our way back up the mountain. The line was fairly short, so I sent Katja back down to wait for me at our designated spot at the bottom of the slide. I must say that I almost chickened out. The slide is SO high, and as I peeked over the top, it looks like it drops to nothing but air. I had a bit of vertigo looking over the edge. And it is true that you actually catch some air before you make full body contact with slide. I did it though, and my brother?s words pretty much sum it up: The ride is one quarter free fall and the rest is your butt stopping you. Yes! It is rather hard on the hindquarters, and a lot of tugging on the suit has to happen as you crawl out of the landing trough.
Katja and I then made our way back to the our homebase (did I mention how FAR away it was???) and found Sarah and Tallon, Annika and David. David took the girls into the wave pool and I went to grab a little snack. When I returned, Steve and Riley were there too. We talked about our adventures, then split up again. This time, David, Katja, Annika and I went together to do Teamboat Springs (even better with more people on board!) and the slides at Ski Patrol Training Camp. After that we rejoined the rest of the group, got more food and relocated MOST of our junk to a lounging area near Ski Patrol Training Camp that was ever so much closer to the attractions we liked?Tike?s Peak, the base of the mountain, etc. Riley and Kata spent some time on the ice-floes and the T-Bar, and after that we were about ready to go. We had to schlepp all the way back to our original spot to get stuff we had left there, and then we took off.
For lunch, we decided to go to the Burger King near Wal-Mart. It has a play place with slides that appeals to the kids.
After that we?gulp?spent even more time in the pool, back at the Lodge! It was certainly a water filled day. I must say, though, that soaking in those hot tubs while sipping drinks from Trout Pass Pool Bar simply soothes the soul! I now own an impressive collection of Trout Pass Pool Bar Collectible Cups. We must have ?collected? at least 12 of them during our stay, and I managed to cram 5 or so in my suitcase!
We swam and tubbed into the evening, then hit the day with a very exhausted crew on our hands.
Tomorrow?Chief Mick?s, Downtown Dis, and the Hoop Dee Doo
