hughesfamilyadventures
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2025
- Messages
- 34
This morning was supposed to be a relaxed start. A little lie-in before heading to Blizzard Beach. Easy, right? Wrong.
Catherine’s family hopped on the Disney bus like the sensible humans they can be. I, however, drove us straight to… Typhoon Lagoon. Yes, you read that correctly. Muscle memory kicked in, and my brain said: “Waterpark = Typhoon Lagoon.” Either that or I blame Menopause, that's the excuse for everything these days. Never mind the fact that it’s been closed every other time we’ve visited. I didn’t even realise until we were nearly at Disney Springs. Quick sat nav change and voilà - we arrived at Blizzard Beach at 9:45am.
We shuffled through security and into the holding pen, where we optimistically tried to bribe the kids into a photo with Ice Gator. After all, we’ve got the classic Typhoon Lagoon one. But no. They’re teenagers. Smiles are apparently illegal before noon - or in some cases at all.
10am hit, the rope dropped, and we made a beeline past Lottawatta Lodge for some loungers. Paul disappeared on his own mysterious waterpark adventure while the rest of us tackled Teamboat Springs. Pro tip - there’s a ski lift. Did we use it? Nope. Instead, we listened to The Proclaimers and walked what felt like 10,000 miles up the mountain. Val and Stephen insisted they wouldn’t have used the lift anyway - because apparently walking uphill in Florida humidity builds character.
The ride itself was brilliant, though. Chris filmed the whole thing, and even Olivia cracked a smile (were we breaking the 8 year old down to enjoy rides? Victory.
Next, Chris, Thomas, Noah, and I hunted for more slides while the rest of the crew hit the wave pool. Our target? Runoff Rapids. Our problem? My swimsuit buckle. Apparently, it made me a health-and-safety hazard, so I got benched after climbing yet another 5,000 steps. Cue whinging about the injustice of buckled costumes with a random family also moaning about the stairs. Misery loves company.
Thomas and Noah rode without me, and Chris and I slid over to Toboggan Racers, where—obviously—I won. We reunited with the loungers to find Stephen having a cheeky nap, the others bobbing about in the wave pool. We went and joined them but not before Olivia and I were jumping waves like pros.
Eventually, we headed for Cross Country Creek (aka lazy river chaos) with the boys and grandparents. Plenty of laughs, and - predictably - we lost Val. Again. This woman is like a Where’s Wally character on holiday.
Lunch was at Lottawatta Lodge. Everyone tucked in, except Noah who stuck to his trusty Lunchables and snacks (because why eat FREE Disney food when you can eat crackers?). Afterward, Chris and Thomas went back to the pool, the grandparents napped, and Thomas and I hid in the shade like vampires.
Leaving the park was classic family chaos.
“We’re ready.”
“Wait, Val needs the toilet.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
“Now Olivia needs the toilet.”
It was déjà vu in real time.
Chris and I then detoured to the Mall at Millenia. Tiffany’s said they couldn’t fix my necklace on-site, so we drowned our sorrows at Chick-fil-A with a Sprite and H&M (where I managed to get several tops, a skirt, and a cardigan). Obviously, we couldn’t skip The Cheesecake Factory, even though I don’t like cheesecake. Chris heroically took one for the team - Spoiler: I am now converted to cheesecake - but much to Chris's dismay at the Cheesecake Factory only.
Dinner was Blaze Pizza at Disney Springs with the whole gang - minus Caitlin who'd stopped on her way back from Blizzard Beach earlier.
Now here’s where the day truly went off the rails. Val and Stephen’s pizza order. Imagine this: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, onions, mushrooms, AND ham. On. A. Pizza. I repeat—fruit salad. On. Pizza. Now Chris may have mocked my broccoli on pizza but this takes the biscuit! At this point in the trip, nothing they do surprises me anymore, but honestly… I think Italy wept.
We wrapped the night with some shopping. Off we went to Zara (two dresses for $45, thank you very much), the Lego Store where the boys bought some Lego, World of Disney where Chris purchased a new top, and Starbucks where Thomas ordered a 'iced blonde vanilla latte with sweet cream cold foam'. This drink outside of Disney is so complicated it probably caused a staff meeting! Then it was back to the resort for an “early” night at 8:15pm because the boys were doing a room swap before our Keys to the Kingdom tour.
All in all: wrong park, too many stairs, lost relatives, fruit salad pizza, and one very smug Toboggan Racer champion - Yours Truly. Not bad for a Thursday in July.
Catherine’s family hopped on the Disney bus like the sensible humans they can be. I, however, drove us straight to… Typhoon Lagoon. Yes, you read that correctly. Muscle memory kicked in, and my brain said: “Waterpark = Typhoon Lagoon.” Either that or I blame Menopause, that's the excuse for everything these days. Never mind the fact that it’s been closed every other time we’ve visited. I didn’t even realise until we were nearly at Disney Springs. Quick sat nav change and voilà - we arrived at Blizzard Beach at 9:45am.
We shuffled through security and into the holding pen, where we optimistically tried to bribe the kids into a photo with Ice Gator. After all, we’ve got the classic Typhoon Lagoon one. But no. They’re teenagers. Smiles are apparently illegal before noon - or in some cases at all.
10am hit, the rope dropped, and we made a beeline past Lottawatta Lodge for some loungers. Paul disappeared on his own mysterious waterpark adventure while the rest of us tackled Teamboat Springs. Pro tip - there’s a ski lift. Did we use it? Nope. Instead, we listened to The Proclaimers and walked what felt like 10,000 miles up the mountain. Val and Stephen insisted they wouldn’t have used the lift anyway - because apparently walking uphill in Florida humidity builds character.
The ride itself was brilliant, though. Chris filmed the whole thing, and even Olivia cracked a smile (were we breaking the 8 year old down to enjoy rides? Victory.
Next, Chris, Thomas, Noah, and I hunted for more slides while the rest of the crew hit the wave pool. Our target? Runoff Rapids. Our problem? My swimsuit buckle. Apparently, it made me a health-and-safety hazard, so I got benched after climbing yet another 5,000 steps. Cue whinging about the injustice of buckled costumes with a random family also moaning about the stairs. Misery loves company.
Thomas and Noah rode without me, and Chris and I slid over to Toboggan Racers, where—obviously—I won. We reunited with the loungers to find Stephen having a cheeky nap, the others bobbing about in the wave pool. We went and joined them but not before Olivia and I were jumping waves like pros.
Eventually, we headed for Cross Country Creek (aka lazy river chaos) with the boys and grandparents. Plenty of laughs, and - predictably - we lost Val. Again. This woman is like a Where’s Wally character on holiday.
Lunch was at Lottawatta Lodge. Everyone tucked in, except Noah who stuck to his trusty Lunchables and snacks (because why eat FREE Disney food when you can eat crackers?). Afterward, Chris and Thomas went back to the pool, the grandparents napped, and Thomas and I hid in the shade like vampires.
Leaving the park was classic family chaos.
“We’re ready.”
“Wait, Val needs the toilet.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
“Now Olivia needs the toilet.”
It was déjà vu in real time.
Chris and I then detoured to the Mall at Millenia. Tiffany’s said they couldn’t fix my necklace on-site, so we drowned our sorrows at Chick-fil-A with a Sprite and H&M (where I managed to get several tops, a skirt, and a cardigan). Obviously, we couldn’t skip The Cheesecake Factory, even though I don’t like cheesecake. Chris heroically took one for the team - Spoiler: I am now converted to cheesecake - but much to Chris's dismay at the Cheesecake Factory only.
Dinner was Blaze Pizza at Disney Springs with the whole gang - minus Caitlin who'd stopped on her way back from Blizzard Beach earlier.
Now here’s where the day truly went off the rails. Val and Stephen’s pizza order. Imagine this: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, onions, mushrooms, AND ham. On. A. Pizza. I repeat—fruit salad. On. Pizza. Now Chris may have mocked my broccoli on pizza but this takes the biscuit! At this point in the trip, nothing they do surprises me anymore, but honestly… I think Italy wept.
We wrapped the night with some shopping. Off we went to Zara (two dresses for $45, thank you very much), the Lego Store where the boys bought some Lego, World of Disney where Chris purchased a new top, and Starbucks where Thomas ordered a 'iced blonde vanilla latte with sweet cream cold foam'. This drink outside of Disney is so complicated it probably caused a staff meeting! Then it was back to the resort for an “early” night at 8:15pm because the boys were doing a room swap before our Keys to the Kingdom tour.
All in all: wrong park, too many stairs, lost relatives, fruit salad pizza, and one very smug Toboggan Racer champion - Yours Truly. Not bad for a Thursday in July.
