It's Good to be a Passholder :-) - a January 2020 Trip Report

[Joanna71985]

so jealous that you got to hold the shield!

 

[DontRushMe]

Have to say that Captain America photo is the cutest!

 

[Pumpkin1172]

OMG...how am I just finding this now!!!! I'm sooooo glad your back and doing a trip report. I seen you post on the Canadian forum. Now I'll have to go back and catch up. Good thing work ( grateful I'm still working ) is slow and I can catch up!!! Welcome back

 

[verleniahall]

All caught up again!!

Steve must be super proud of his hat!!

 

[Metro West]

Great report!

 

[sdoll]

Whoops, forgot to tell you where I work! If you know you're going to be in the area on a specific weekend, give me a heads up and I'd be happy to meet you there and say hello.

Town Peddler

I will have to look it up for sure. I assure you that from October-March I am in your neck of the woods more than mine. Wouldn't change it for the world as I am starting to realize just how fast the time is flying with my boys. My oldest is going to be a freshman this year. It doesn't make sense since I was just a freshman yesterday. Sadly I realize I am closer to a senior citizen than a senior in high school!

 

[sdoll]

Hi Sara! Welcome aboard!

Our son LOVED our water park trips years ago (all those August vacations that were oppressively hot, but was the only time of year we could escape for a week without having to worry about school or sports commitments). I will keep my fingers crossed that the state of the world is resuming some sort of normalcy by the time your July adventures roll around. It's so hard to know right now, isn't it? A part of me thinks that the water parks will be the best places to visit when things start to reopen (surely chlorine has some sort of disinfecting benefits against the transmission of Covid-19?) but perhaps I'm way off base....or just wishful thinking.

Capones will be a fabulous place to celebrate your son's birthday! Be sure to let them know in advance that he's celebrating his special day, as they have a special section of the show where they call out birthdays and anniversaries in a very Capones-like fashion. All those teen boys should LOVE the buffet as well! There is SO MUCH FOOD!

As far as Toledo is concerned.....it is SUCH an easy drive from where we live! (right around an hour, sometimes less if traffic is light on the interstate). We are so close, in fact, that we were annual passholders at the Toledo Zoo the first year we lived in Michigan: we fell in love with the zoo so much that we upgraded to an annual pass before we left that first day. We have visited twice for the Lights Before Christmas and were blown away both times (loved that it was free the year we had the annual pass, too......there is no such benefit for us as Detroit Zoo annual passmembers for their Wild Lights). We also went one year for Luminous Nights, with all the Chinese lanterns......so fun!! We have attended the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert at the Huntington Center the last 3 Christmases, visited the Great Lakes Museum, eaten at Tony Packos.....we've tried to hit most of the highlights! It's a great little city (though I wish the downtown had a couple of more coffee shops.....we can never seem to find many places down there to sit and enjoy a beverage before the TSO).

Hmmmm.......suggestions for teenage boys in the summer.......here's what Steve and I came up with (things our Jake enjoyed at that age):

A beach day (Daytona is a cool place for teens)

Gatorland (Maybe add zip lining? For sure do the Adventure Hour, its such an incredible experience that the boys would surely be humbled by [hand feeding HUGE gators chunks of raw meat, no fences/barries between you and them]. And....Gatorland has DEEP discounts on one day tickets right now, which are being offered until the quarantine is lifted but can be used until the end of December).

Mini golf. Congo River and Pirates Cove are both excellent, as are the courses at Universal. Check Groupon for a good deal on both Lost Caverns and Gator Golf & Adventure Park.....not as superbly themed as the aforementioned courses, but good value and fun nonetheless.

Fun Spot America (rides, go karting, etc.)

Icon Orlando (Madame Tussauds Wax Museum for selfies with the stars, plus a ride on the giant wheel......and perhaps even that crazy swing thing that they built outside if they are real thrill seekers)

If they are history buffs, perhaps the Titanic Museum? (Jake loved it as a teenager, but he inherited his dad's affinity for history)

A helicopter ride (we did this last October, and it was such a cool experience!)

Discovery Cove

One of the favorite things we did on our trips with Jake was to rent jet skis and go skiing for 2 hours on one of the beautiful lakes in Clermont. Such gorgeous scenery and almost no chance of you running into any other human being. This was several years ago and to this day, the guys STILL love talking about that day.

I've always wanted to visit Rock Springs at Kelly Park and go tubing in the natural springs. While I can't attest to its merits personally, it looks mighty awesome from the youtube videos I've watched.

The Outta Control Dinner show is excellent and the menu is very teen friendly (unlimited popcorn, salad, pizza, and pop, plus cake for dessert). Tony Brent is INCREDIBLE!

If I think of anything else, I'll be sure to post it here.

I still have my fingers crossed that the water parks will be open. I love your suggestions. I remember your review of renting jet skis. My kids would love that but I think with their ages they would have to ride with an adult and since we are bringing the whole neighborhood with us that won't be an option. I have thought about gatorland as we have never been there. I have a serious fear of gators and snakes that the thought creeps me out. No doubt our gaggle of boys would love it. I checked out the discounts and you aren't kidding. I will wait a few days and see what Florida announces before I buy tickets.
I am so glad you have discovered the Toledo's Zoo. We have never made it to the Huntington Center for TSO but I would love to go one year. I am not a coffee drinker so I can't recommend a coffee shop but if you haven't discovered Focaccia's deli or Grumpy's you are missing out on some great food!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

so jealous that you got to hold the shield!

I must admit, I was a little bummed to have to give it back! LOL

Have to say that Captain America photo is the cutest!

Aw, you're too sweet.

But I do think I need to make a point of getting that one printed for my "gallery"!

OMG...how am I just finding this now!!!! I'm sooooo glad your back and doing a trip report. I seen you post on the Canadian forum. Now I'll have to go back and catch up. Good thing work ( grateful I'm still working ) is slow and I can catch up!!! Welcome back

Great to have you along!!! Welcome aboard!

All caught up again!!

Steve must be super proud of his hat!!

He ADORES that hat. Only wears it on our Florida trips, "special occasions". Best souvenir idea we've ever had!

Great report!

Thank you! Glad to have you reading along!

I will have to look it up for sure. I assure you that from October-March I am in your neck of the woods more than mine. Wouldn't change it for the world as I am starting to realize just how fast the time is flying with my boys. My oldest is going to be a freshman this year. It doesn't make sense since I was just a freshman yesterday. Sadly I realize I am closer to a senior citizen than a senior in high school!

I cannot begin to tell you how much I miss the days of being a sports mom. Jake played ice hockey, ball hockey, inline hockey, basketball, softball, volleyball, and track. I spent most of his childhood in a gym, in the bleachers, or in an arena.....and we made some of the best memories ever (and met some of the most wonderful people!) at tournaments and other team events. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

I still have my fingers crossed that the water parks will be open. I love your suggestions. I remember your review of renting jet skis. My kids would love that but I think with their ages they would have to ride with an adult and since we are bringing the whole neighborhood with us that won't be an option. I have thought about gatorland as we have never been there. I have a serious fear of gators and snakes that the thought creeps me out. No doubt our gaggle of boys would love it. I checked out the discounts and you aren't kidding. I will wait a few days and see what Florida announces before I buy tickets.
I am so glad you have discovered the Toledo's Zoo. We have never made it to the Huntington Center for TSO but I would love to go one year. I am not a coffee drinker so I can't recommend a coffee shop but if you haven't discovered Focaccia's deli or Grumpy's you are missing out on some great food!!

Ooohh....never heard of Focaccia's or Grumpy's, but we will be sure to check them out! We did eat at Ye Olde Durty Bird one visit just because the name made us laugh.

It looks like things might start to reopen around May 4 in Florida, so if you're thinking Gatorland tix, I'd consider getting them while they are still on the cheap. I totally understand that it might be beyond your tolerance, though....I'm creeped out by a wide assortment of things myself. Except most of mine are food related LOL. Give me a gator any day, but please keep mayonnaise and cream cheese at least 20 feet away!!

 

[sdoll]

I have been closely watching what Florida is doing. I am hesitant to buy anything just yet. I want a bit more info on what will be open before we decide what to do. If the water parks aren’t open and the resort pools are closed I think we will postpone the trip with 5 boys we could blow our budget quickly if we have to find something to do everyday. It will all work out one way or another but I am a planner and hate that I can’t really plan!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sunday, January 26th: Universal, continued



One of Steve's favorite Orlando treats is the Disney Dole Whip.....and whenever we are at the Magic Kingdom, we always make a point of savoring a cup or float. Since we don't get to MK very often though (as Disney is generally a very small part of our vacations, and often NO part as was the case for this trip), its a delicacy we don't get to enjoy with any kind of regularity. Probably a good thing for our thighs ;-).

That said, we were quite excited when we learned from one of Tim Tracker's videos that Wimpy's (when it was open) was now offering the infamous Dole Whip (or, more specifically, the "Dole Whip Pineapple Sorbet"). When it came to choosing a dietary splurge on that sunsational January afternoon, there was no question at all what it would be.



It was equally as pineapple-y and delicious as the Disney version, and was the perfect light snack for that delightful, pleasantly warm afternoon. To me, Dole Whips taste like Florida: all citrussy and fresh.

With our Islands of Adventure to-do list perfectly complete, we decided to head back to the Studios for a bit before meeting our dinner date later that evening. We originally intended to ride the Hogwarts Express back over to the other park, so we left Toon Lagoon and made our way back through Jurassic Park toward Hogsmeade.



(Steve is just a bit too tall for this photo overlay LOL)

We found a photographer on the bridge in front of the castle, so we stopped for a quick pic.



I wasn't a huge fan of the vantage point from which the photographer took the photo, but the background is nice! (and he was a sweet young kid who was super patient with all the people who walked in front of him, bumped him, and just otherwise made his job SUPER hard.....so props to him nonetheless).

Arriving over at the entrance to the Hogwarts Express, we found a huge line of people waiting to have their ticket scanned [presumably the migration of all those folks who had spent a good chunk of their day waiting in line for Hagrids, and were ready to head out of IOA now that they finally got the chance to ride], so we opted to just keep on walking and head back to the Studios the old fashioned way. We had done a TON of walking that day already, but it actually felt kind of nice.....after being cooped up in the house for the last couple of months as winter put its grip on Michigan, it was empowering to be outside and breathing in fresh air. All that vitamin D from the sun was invigorating! I was exceptionally happy that we had chosen to both purchase a great pair of Sketchers Go Walk shoes, though: they have been the absolute BEST park shoes we have ever owned (I'll be looking for a sandal version for our fall trips....happy feet are the key to a successful vacation).

Once back at the Studios, Steve wanted a ride on The Mummy (and I wasn't feeling up to such a hellish experience....I am still trying to recover from my one and only turn on that ride several trips past) and it just so happened that the Universal Superstar Parade was preparing to roll through, so it worked perfectly for him to hit up the ride with our after-4 Express (one of the perks of our Premier AP's) while I staked out a prime spot along the curb for parade viewing.



I'm not sure why, but we have NEVER watched the parade from this part of the park before. It was a nice change! Crowds were low so we had lots of space between us and the next family, and Steve actually made it back in time to catch the very first float as it rounded the corner.



Universal's parade isn't as "polished" as those at the Disney parks, but it sure is fun just the same. We always find ourselves wanting to sing along with the music and dance along with the characters as they pass by.





The performers who flank each float are super high-energy and always look like they're having the time of their lives, and the costumes are so colorful and eye-catching. They never stop moving throughout the parade route, and must be exhausted by the time they make it around the entire loop!





Once the parade was over, a quick check of our phones noted that the day was winding down. It's true what they say, "Time flies when you're having fun" (if only a work day passed by that quickly! Perhaps they might if there were Dole Whips and characters involved!). We had dinner plans with our friend from SeaWorld (the delightful young lady who pixie dusted us with some dolphin fun the day before) and we were both looking forward to enjoying some fun conversation with her over drinks and dinner at one of our Universal favorites, the Hard Rock Cafe. It was probably wise for us to go grab a table before the masses descended on the restaurants once the parks closed for the day.....which occurs much earlier in the night in late January than it does at other times of the year.

Coming up: Love All, Serve All. Dinner at Hard Rock!

 

[bearzabout]

Did you know that Ginthers Swirl on International Drive just south of Central Florida Parkway had Dole whip? They are a lot cheaper than at Disney ($3.75 for a Dole Whip float). We also like their banana split. At $4.50, it is a steal.

They are near Wawas, our favorite place to get a large Italian sub. They are only about $6 and delicious. There are tables at both places for outdoor dining.

 

[sdoll]

Hi Sara! Welcome aboard!

Our son LOVED our water park trips years ago (all those August vacations that were oppressively hot, but was the only time of year we could escape for a week without having to worry about school or sports commitments). I will keep my fingers crossed that the state of the world is resuming some sort of normalcy by the time your July adventures roll around. It's so hard to know right now, isn't it? A part of me thinks that the water parks will be the best places to visit when things start to reopen (surely chlorine has some sort of disinfecting benefits against the transmission of Covid-19?) but perhaps I'm way off base....or just wishful thinking.

Capones will be a fabulous place to celebrate your son's birthday! Be sure to let them know in advance that he's celebrating his special day, as they have a special section of the show where they call out birthdays and anniversaries in a very Capones-like fashion. All those teen boys should LOVE the buffet as well! There is SO MUCH FOOD!

As far as Toledo is concerned.....it is SUCH an easy drive from where we live! (right around an hour, sometimes less if traffic is light on the interstate). We are so close, in fact, that we were annual passholders at the Toledo Zoo the first year we lived in Michigan: we fell in love with the zoo so much that we upgraded to an annual pass before we left that first day. We have visited twice for the Lights Before Christmas and were blown away both times (loved that it was free the year we had the annual pass, too......there is no such benefit for us as Detroit Zoo annual passmembers for their Wild Lights). We also went one year for Luminous Nights, with all the Chinese lanterns......so fun!! We have attended the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert at the Huntington Center the last 3 Christmases, visited the Great Lakes Museum, eaten at Tony Packos.....we've tried to hit most of the highlights! It's a great little city (though I wish the downtown had a couple of more coffee shops.....we can never seem to find many places down there to sit and enjoy a beverage before the TSO).

Hmmmm.......suggestions for teenage boys in the summer.......here's what Steve and I came up with (things our Jake enjoyed at that age):

A beach day (Daytona is a cool place for teens)

Gatorland (Maybe add zip lining? For sure do the Adventure Hour, its such an incredible experience that the boys would surely be humbled by [hand feeding HUGE gators chunks of raw meat, no fences/barries between you and them]. And....Gatorland has DEEP discounts on one day tickets right now, which are being offered until the quarantine is lifted but can be used until the end of December).

Mini golf. Congo River and Pirates Cove are both excellent, as are the courses at Universal. Check Groupon for a good deal on both Lost Caverns and Gator Golf & Adventure Park.....not as superbly themed as the aforementioned courses, but good value and fun nonetheless.

Fun Spot America (rides, go karting, etc.)

Icon Orlando (Madame Tussauds Wax Museum for selfies with the stars, plus a ride on the giant wheel......and perhaps even that crazy swing thing that they built outside if they are real thrill seekers)

If they are history buffs, perhaps the Titanic Museum? (Jake loved it as a teenager, but he inherited his dad's affinity for history)

A helicopter ride (we did this last October, and it was such a cool experience!)

Discovery Cove

One of the favorite things we did on our trips with Jake was to rent jet skis and go skiing for 2 hours on one of the beautiful lakes in Clermont. Such gorgeous scenery and almost no chance of you running into any other human being. This was several years ago and to this day, the guys STILL love talking about that day.

I've always wanted to visit Rock Springs at Kelly Park and go tubing in the natural springs. While I can't attest to its merits personally, it looks mighty awesome from the youtube videos I've watched.

The Outta Control Dinner show is excellent and the menu is very teen friendly (unlimited popcorn, salad, pizza, and pop, plus cake for dessert). Tony Brent is INCREDIBLE!

If I think of anything else, I'll be sure to post it here.

Sadly it appears our trip is going to be a bust. We rented from a Wyndham owner and Wyndham announced that when they open they will be cancelling the reservations of guests. I honestly respect that decision. I also sort of doubt that the water parks will be fully operational. we might check out a condo in Clearwater for the week. Or we might just wait a year. Either way it will all work out!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Did you know that Ginthers Swirl on International Drive just south of Central Florida Parkway had Dole whip? They are a lot cheaper than at Disney ($3.75 for a Dole Whip float). We also like their banana split. At $4.50, it is a steal.

They are near Wawas, our favorite place to get a large Italian sub. They are only about $6 and delicious. There are tables at both places for outdoor dining.

Ooooh.....I had no idea!! We used to visit the Twistee Treat locations frequently before Steve's diabetes diagnosis, but never made it to Ginther's Swirls (I think I remember reading somewhere that most of them are all owned by the same family). Might have to give them a try this fall if Steve's numbers are good!

We have often said we would love to have Wawa stations here in MI. We have Speedways (which are kinda close in offerings and quality) but Wawa still exceeds them. Such great value for grab-and-go snacks & meals!

Sadly it appears our trip is going to be a bust. We rented from a Wyndham owner and Wyndham announced that when they open they will be cancelling the reservations of guests. I honestly respect that decision. I also sort of doubt that the water parks will be fully operational. we might check out a condo in Clearwater for the week. Or we might just wait a year. Either way it will all work out!

Aw, I am super sorry to hear that. You know I can fully appreciate that kind of disappointment :-( . I hope you are able to figure out a good alternative that will still be fun for your family.

I found a really great rate on a weekend getaway to Frankenmuth for Steve's birthday (end of June). If we are still barred from crossing the border by then, I was thinking it would be a good alternative to spending his special day with family. But .... given the current situation, I'm so hesitant to book anything. Honestly I'm a bit afraid of getting our hopes up and looking forward to something, only to have that anticipation dashed again. Even if the region has started to reopen to tourism by then, is it wise to even go? It's so hard to know what to do right now.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hey all, my apologies for the lack of updates over the weekend. Friday was our anniversary so we spent the evening making the most of our special day (27 years!) even though the stay-at-home order meant no fancy dinner out or other customary celebration. We did get some spectacular weather, so we ordered Longhorns curbside pickup and had a lovely steak dinner and drinks in the backyard.

Saturday, we had 80 degree weather (!!) so we spent the day crossing yet another project off the quarantine to-do list: we recovered our back porch [which was a textured concrete] with a nice, comfy exterior tile. It was a tedious process with tons of cutting, but it looks great and feels SO nice on our feet!! (especially at night when we are getting in and out of the hot tub) While Steve worked on the tile, I planted 5 new trees and 3 new berry bushes, planted 3 pots of pansies, put out our new solar lighting, cut the lawn, and weeded all of the gardens. Let's just say we all slept well that night.....all the fresh air an exercise had us tuckered out like a pair of kittens!

Yesterday we masked up and braved the grocery store (currently the dreaded weekend task), enjoyed a beautiful long walk, and cleaned out both vehicles. I had every intention to get an entry posted last night but a migraine snuck up on me (I think my head knew that the weather was about to change....I'm often a more reliable source that way than the local meteorologist) so I ended up calling it an early day and heading to bed. Thankfully I woke up in far less discomfort....migraines are THE WORST.

So now its Monday and my plan is to get something up tonight to keep things moving along. I appreciate your patience because I know its annoying to have the big lags between entries. It's coming, I promise!!

 

[I-4Bound]

You are right - Ginther's Swirls and Twistee Treat LBV are owned by the same family, and their menu offerings are pretty much the same at both locations. We've been to both loads of times, but I like the Lake Buena Vista location better, probably because it was the first one we visited.

Happy Anniversary!! I'm in awe of how much yard and outside work ya'll have done. We have been ridiculously lazy during this stay-at-home period. I thought being out of work would mean I did more housework...clearly, I was mistaken

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

You are right - Ginther's Swirls and Twistee Treat LBV are owned by the same family, and their menu offerings are pretty much the same at both locations. We've been to both loads of times, but I like the Lake Buena Vista location better, probably because it was the first one we visited.

Happy Anniversary!! I'm in awe of how much yard and outside work ya'll have done. We have been ridiculously lazy during this stay-at-home period. I thought being out of work would mean I did more housework...clearly, I was mistaken

Thank you for the anniversary wishes! Seeing that number makes me feel more than a little bit old.

We indulged in a couple of lazy weeks at the beginning of quarantine when the weather was still pretty cold. As far as the latter part of the stay home order was concerned, we have really tried to make lemons out of lemonade and aimed to do all the things we always wanted to but never seemed to have the time for. We plan to sip margaritas and soak up the sun for the rest of the summer once life gets back to normal!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sunday, January 26th: the conclusion



We figured, given the slower time of year, that we wouldn't need to make a reservation for anywhere on CityWalk, which I suppose was a bit of a risk considering we had invited a friend to join us....but it worked out as we had hoped. It was pretty quiet and there was hardly anyone out and about when we strolled up to the front door. The parks had not yet closed for the day, so we were well ahead of the masses that would descend on the restaurants in just an hour or so.



We arrived before our guest (intentional on our part) so we could get seated and settled before she arrived. We wanted her to just be able to come on it, sit down and relax without having to hang out in the lobby.....just in case there WAS any kind of a wait or delay. There was, however, no wait of any kind except for a hostess to become available to take us to our table.



All the little details here are fun to take in, much as they are at the Hard Rock Hotel (we love all the music-themed embellishments at the Hotel when we enjoy the amazing breakfast buffet at The Kitchen). It's an upbeat, casual atmosphere....with tons of things to look at!



We were seated at the back of the restaurant, near a massive staircase that leads to the upper level. On previous visits, we always seemed to be seated alongside the bar, so this gave us a whole new perspective on the Cafe.....and a new appreciation on how HUGE this restaurant really is.

We knew our dinner date was on her way, so we went ahead and ordered some drinks to sip away on while we waited for her to arrive. I am a big fan of the fruity mixed drinks here.....they are as delish as they are pretty! Our server also managed to talk us into the souvenir glass size: it really was a much better deal. For just a few dollars more than a regular drink, you got twice the volume (24 ounces versus 12) *and* to keep the glass. I was sold LOL. I opted for the Hurricane while Steve had his signature light beer.



Once T arrived, we set about getting her a cocktail as well, and ordered an appetizer to share. We had a bit of a tough time deciding on what appy to order, so we solved that problem by settling on a sampler.

This is kind of where my good intentions to document this meal went completely down the tubes LOL. Once T arrived and we got chatting it up, I completely forgot to take ANY other photos of our meal (while I can tell you I had their Twisted Mac, Chicken & Cheese, I have no recollection of my fellow tablemates' entree selections). The chatter is always lively, engaging and entertaining, which is a GOOD thing! (who needs more pasta pictures anyway, right? Ha ha!) Our service was also a hot mess, with our entrees arriving at almost the same time as the appetizer and drinks taking a forever to arrive. Our server was friendly and otherwise seemed pretty capable but nothing went together right for him. We actually cringed a bit when it was time to summon the bill......we feared it would take longer to get the check than it was to eat our meal.

The food (while poorly timed) was delicious, the company was outstanding, the drinks were delicious and we were so happy to have been able to spend some time with a friend we don't see nearly often enough. All in all, a fantastic night. We were incredibly grateful for the moving walkway back to the parking garage because we were so full it was hard to walk.

Back at the villa, I opted for a soak in the villa jacuzzi before bed instead of the hot tub. Some nights just beg for a bubble bath.

Next up: more SeaWorld!

 

[Joanna71985]

You always post the best food pictures (everything looks so good). And happy belated anniversary!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

You always post the best food pictures (everything looks so good). And happy belated anniversary!

Thank you!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Monday, January 27th: SeaWorld!



We made a point of getting up and going fairly early on that Monday morning, hoping to make it to SeaWorld for park opening....and we did. We wanted to ensure we had a full, uncluttered, leisurely day at our disposal so we could enjoy the rides, shows and the tour that we had booked (more on that later) at a nice relaxing pace.

We stopped for Photokey pictures at the entrance, and we met a wonderfully sweet photographer who spotted our passmember lanyards and said he wanted to take a picture with a different background than the lighthouse since he correctly guessed that we had lots and lots of those from past trips. He chatted us up as we walked down toward the Guest Services building until we were in front of a beautiful, lush background of tropical trees and bushes. He has asked us where we were from, and joked that we needed "green" in our pictures since we wouldn't be seeing green for several more months once we made it home to Michigan. It was super kind of him to fuss over us so much, and I wish I had thought to take note of his name and made special mention of his efforts to the Guest Services team for a much-deserved pat on the back. It was nice to see a photographer make those extra efforts for guests.



We had all-day dining on this particular day, but we opted to skip the continental breakfast that's offered each morning and wait until one of the regular restaurants opened for the day. We had made a fresh pot of coffee in the villa when we had gotten out of bed, and neither of us were super hungry just yet, so it made more sense to wait for something a little more substantial than to fill up on sweet muffins and fruit. We opted to just take some time and enjoy some of the animals in the park first......starting with the Manta aquarium.



Tucked in behind the Manta queue, this is a beautiful little aquarium full of colorful fish and graceful stingrays.

Being there first thing in the morning, we had the unique opportunity to watch the animal care staff feed the creatures who call the Manta aquarium home. Looking up to the overhead tanks, it was an unusual sight to see feet among the fins!



In addition to the larger wall and overhead tanks, there are smaller aquariums which showcase some of the smaller sea creatures at the park. Sometime you have to stop and look hard....it's often difficult, on first glance, to tell what is marine life and what are plants. Nature is so incredible!





After we had our fill of the fish in the Manta Aquarium, we strolled over to the manatee habitat, and it happened to be feeding time for the masses there as well. Breakfast for everyone!



We were the only guests in that particular area, so we had an opportunity to have a great discussion with the caregivers of these massive creatures as they dumped in case after case of fresh, grade A produce. It was a really nice opportunity to ask our questions and learn a little more about these gentle giants who eat so much lettuce!!



The underwater viewing area is my favorite.....it gives you such a perspective on just how HUGE these animals are. And let me assure you, they are simply massive: somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 pounds a piece.



This is easily my favorite photo from that manatee visit, though.......this little scamp was quite enamored with Steve, and followed him all along the glass wall as he moved. Wouldn't you just love to know what they are thinking? (I know I certainly would)



To be continued.....