Sun, Shopping, Sand, Surf, Sweat & Shamu: A Splashin Summertime Sabbatical at SVR!

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, August 29th….continued .

Showcase of Citrus has a lot of little interesting things to look at in and around their little country store. Everything has a very old-fashioned, yesteryear kind of feel.









Every time we visit, I can’t help but think how much my dad would have loved seeing our photos from this tour, and hearing all the little details. He was a very old-fashioned, gentle countryman….and this attraction would have been right up his alley.

We strolled out to the little pier they have (where you could also fish the day away, if you were so inclined). It’s a pretty little area that’s just the perfect place for enjoying a slushie in perfect Florida tranquility.







While there were very visible signs warning folks against a dip in the lake (its gator territory), this fellow was an imposter :



I am sure, however, that there are tons of other real ones lurking in the murky corners of that water feature!!!

Once we had slurped those slushies all the way down to the very bottoms of the cups, it was time to head back across the bridge to the store:



…and get ready to board our chariot .





There were only 9 of us on the 2 pm tour: our family of four, and 5 other adults (all of whom were somehow related and who hailed from the UK). With lots of room to spread out (which was a small mercy in the oppressive heat), we settled in on the open-air bus and got ready to roll.

With a loud blaring of the horn, the engine rumbled loudly to life and Anthony, our driver, got things underway.



We're off!

 

[JaxDad]

Hi Gina! I'm looking forward to the rest of your monster truck photos. I need to take my kids there. I'm glad you see more of Florida than just the theme parks. The next time you are in Orlando during the heat of August, you should consider Wekiwa Springs State Park in nearby Apopka. Florida has some beautiful springs, and they offer a refreshing and relaxing break from the heat (the water is 72F year-round). We go tubing at Ichetucknee Springs every Summer. It's absolutely gorgeous, the ultimate lazy river, but too far for a reasonable day trip from Orlando. Wekiwa should be great for a half-day of swimming and kayaking.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I love that you have your orange tshirt on - for that coordinated look whilst visiting the orange grove

We visited last November and enjoyed the slushies but didn't do the tour. We also went to Lake Louisa state park, just across the way really, and had a look round there. The scenery is really nice but you need decent walking shoes on to go on the trails.

I can't believe it's the last day, no matter how long you go for it always go so quickly.

Really enjoying your report

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi Gina! I'm looking forward to the rest of your monster truck photos. I need to take my kids there. I'm glad you see more of Florida than just the theme parks. The next time you are in Orlando during the heat of August, you should consider Wekiwa Springs State Park in nearby Apopka. Florida has some beautiful springs, and they offer a refreshing and relaxing break from the heat (the water is 72F year-round). We go tubing at Ichetucknee Springs every Summer. It's absolutely gorgeous, the ultimate lazy river, but too far for a reasonable day trip from Orlando. Wekiwa should be great for a half-day of swimming and kayaking.

We had considered a visit to Rock Springs (instead of the Showcase of Citrus visit, actually) but we were worried that the water would feel TOO cold during such a hot spell, making it uncomfortable to go tubing down the springs. 72 is chilly .... REALLY chilly! (I complain when our YMCA pool is hovering around 86 ). Weird for a northerner, I know!!

We'll have to leave it on a to-do list for a future trip. Who knows, maybe May!

I love that you have your orange tshirt on - for that coordinated look whilst visiting the orange grove

lol, I didn't even think of that when I dressed that morning, but our tour guide mentioned it immediately too!

I must have subliminally had oranges on my mind .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, August 29th….the tour .

Anthony was a likeable young fellow…..very engaging and upbeat and he worked hard to keep us smiling and laughing. He did have a few choice comments to make about a former employee (the fellow who hosted our tour last year, after finding out that we were repeat visitors) which we were a bit taken aback by, only because its generally not customary to speak so openly and negatively about a past worker. Honestly, it made us a tad uncomfortable for a few moments (what is the appropriate response to the fact that last year’s guide was a pathological liar who has since skipped town on the run from the law? ) but mercifully the subject wasn’t brought up again.

Bouncing across the farmland, we saw lots and lots of fruit trees and bushes of the multitude of items that they grow onsite.



A major supplier to Florida’s Best and Tropicana, there were trees, trees, and more orange trees…..though there were no orange varieties in season right at this time of year:







We rumbled and rolled through the forest:





….and passed boggy streams touched only by nature.



Anthony abruptly stopped the truck when we saw a baby gator trying to slip away from the prying eyes of the tour guests. You can just see where he dipped between the water near the reeds:



I was just not quite quick enough with my camera. D’oh! Gator 1, Gina 0.

Shortly after our gator sightings (plural, as we also spied the baby’s momma a few minutes later, just downstream….like her offspring, she ducked away as soon as she saw us approaching), Anthony again abruptly stopped the truck in hot pursuit of something only he appeared to see:



Turns out his keen eye had spotted a big ol’ banana spider, which he passed around to anyone brave enough to hold her :



No, we were not among the brave . We were quite content to marvel at her beauty while she rested comfortably in his hands rather than ours.

A few minutes later, we were getting down and dirty with a messy run through the water and mud:





Anthony had a lot of fun pretending we were stuck, and seeking volunteers to hop out and give us a push.



The farm is host to some sort of marathon in the winter months which features a variety of physical obstacles at various locations throughout the course. Anthony stopped at one of the hazards, and attempted to get Jake to demonstrate it for our group. Pleading that he was wearing the wrong shoes (sporting his Nike flip-flops in our Canadian red and white), \ake politely declined, at which point Anthony teased him about his silly hat and promptly exited the bus to show us how it was done.



Next stop on the tour, we got to make the acquaintance of some of the resident cattle that call the farm their home. Knowing that the big, loud, yellow bus meant snacks, they were quick to approach once Anthony pulled up alongside the small herd.





Unlike Lynne’s tour, we didn’t get to throw them oranges, but we were provided with a crate of other food to toss out and let them enjoy. Not as good as the oranges, I am guessing, but they seemed pleased nonetheless:



We’re not done yet. More animals to come, and a visit to the country store!

 

[Lynne G]

Oh yeah, since my groupon included 20 dollars in the store, we had to all get the slushies and some jars of jelly and hot stuff to take back as gifts. It was a fun trip, and we may do again. Sorry to hear the prices went up. While I did not think they were cheap even when we went, it was a fun change of pace for us.

Oh and for ArwenMarie, we had the Super Grover pass last year, and it worked in all Busch parks, water and amusement in PA, CA, VA, TX and FLA. I had no issue using it at Seaworld San Diego, Busch Gardens Tampa, Aquadica, and Seaworld Orlando. I would have used it at the new Aquadica in San Diego, but we ran out of time. Check the website, but I think Super Grover is a platinum card. At least that what is printed on my Super Grover pass. I thought it was a great buy. We also live close to Sesame Place. While my DH and DS would not be caught dead there, I activated all our tickets, and they never had to step foot in Sesame Place. DD only made me go to Sesame Place 3 times last year, as the water slides have a high height limit, so never a crowd, and she got to slide to her heart's content.

Ooops, sorry Gina -

Carry on----

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Oh and for ArwenMarie, we had the Super Grover pass last year, and it worked in all Busch parks, water and amusement in PA, CA, TX and FLA. I had no issue using it at Seaworld San Diego, Busch Gardens Tampa, Aquadica, and Seaworld Orlando. I would have used it at the new Aquadica in San Diego, but we ran out of time. Check the website, but I think Super Grover is a platinum card. At least that what is printed on my Super Grover pass. I thought it was a great buy. We also live close to Sesame Place. While my DH and DS would not be caught dead there, I activated all our tickets, and they never had to step foot in Sesame Place. DD only made me go to Sesame Place 3 times last year, as the water slides have a high height limit, so never a crowd, and she got to slide to her heart's content.

Ooops, sorry Gina -

Carry on----

Oh heavens, don't apologize! I am the Queen of going off-topic .

I am going to have a hard time passing up those Super Grovers if they go on a good sale on Black Friday .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, August 29th….the tour, the conclusion.

After visiting and feeding the cattle, we moved on to the family of resident water buffalo (who, since our last visit, had welcomed another baby to their family). Big Daddy and Momma and both calves came over to the fence to say hello.



We also met the farmer’s zebra and miniature donkey.



The watusi were a little less social than the rest of the animals. I think the heat had driven them to seek solace in the shaded area. The father and baby were also affected by the recent loss of the “Mom”, who was found dead in the field just a few weeks prior. Considering the condition of her leg at the time she was discovered, apparently it was quite obvious that she had been bitten by a poisonous snake and succumbed to the venom. Watch where you step when you’re out in the wild!



Heading back to the store, there were some fierce clouds rolling in in the distance. Anthony commented that we were wise to have secured the 2 pm tour versus the 4 pm tour, as it appeared those guests would be getting a little bit wet.

All in all, the “45 minute” tour lasted a full half an hour longer than promised, as we arrived back at the loading area about 3:15 pm (and we had departed promptly at the 2 pm start time). It was nice to see them go the extra mile (pardon the pun) on the monster truck portion of our visit.

Back at the country store, we were eager to do a little shopping from some of the quaint little items they had for sale.

I loved this sign that hung prominently as you entered. I pointed it out to Steve . At least he was warned .



Sweetie enjoyed lovin’ up the resident cats that made themselves at home on any open shelf they could find.



There was TONS of stuff to pick from. We purchased an assortment of items to take back to friends and family back home. Steve picked up several bags of these to take back to his co-workers to enjoy:



We bought some jams:



….and some honey (made right there on the farm, from the blossoms of the oranges….we had seen the hives in the field on the tour):



And we picked up a new bottle of their "bone suckin’ sauces" .... we had enjoyed the one from last year’s visit and the boys were happy to be able to pick up a refill:



The kids got a bag full of the old-fashioned candy sticks in various flavours, and we also each enjoyed a bottle of their vintage sodas (we were sooooo thirsty!!):



My only shopping regret? They had the most adorable water globe……and I didn’t buy it . It was a “Florida Snowman”: a little pile of snowman face pieces (coal eyes, carrot nose, top hat, etc.) in a crystal clear dome, so when you shook it up, its face pieces floated all around. So stinking funny!! (and exactly my type of humour ) . I had worried it may not survive the trip home in my checked baggage so I took a pass, and now I regret it so much. I would have loved to have that snowman on my desk here at work to cheer me on our wintery Canadian days. I may have to pay a visit to the store on the next trip just to pick one up.

Finishing our shopping spree, we were off to return to the villa for a short rest before dinner. Nothing beats an afternoon siesta on a steamy Friday afternoon. The clouds were still rolling in, so it looked like we might have a shower before the evening was over. We may have to break out the umbrellas!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, August 29th….the final chapter.

It did, indeed, rain down during the late afternoon and early evening. Nothing torrential, just a nagging, dreary rain producing a few hours of wetness and gloom. It was still drizzling pretty good when we got ourselves moving and headed in search of a nice family dinner. Umbrellas were definitely necessary .

Following our dinner disaster at TGI Friday’s on our arrival day in Syracuse, we were rather worried about returning to Friday’s for our traditional Orlando serving of their infamous peanut butter pie (would we be disappointed twice on one vacation?) but decided as a group to give it them another chance. Hopefully lightning would not strike twice!

We had always had great service and food at the one on International Drive, so with nothing but time on our hands, that’s where we headed. If it took us a little longer to get there in traffic, no biggie.

On arrival, we were greeted warmly, seated promptly, and immediately notice that familiar, awesome Friendly’s vibe that was missing at Syracuse. THIS was what we had been expecting in Syracuse .





Drinks were brought quickly by our very attentive server, and we ordered a round of appetizers to enjoy:



Yep, fried cheese. Jake’s favourite, and an undeniable family tradition. Which meant some stretching and silliness was in order.



Hmmmmmmmmm….perhaps he is losing his touch?

Steve had steak:



….Sweetie ordered a burger, and Jake and I had their chicken strips. I didn’t want to eat too much, because we needed to leave room for the best part of the meal .

Cue the angels singing :



Reese’s Peanut Butter pie (for moi, Jake and Sweetie), and vanilla bean cheesecake for the big guy (he’s a weirdo…..but I love him despite that ). Thank the Lord this stuff isn’t easy to get here in Ontario. Best. Dessert. Ever.

We finished our desserts, and headed back to the villa for our second last swim in the Fountains pool (the rain had stopped and the skies had cleared, leaving us with a marvellously comfortable evening). It seemed almost unbelievable that we would return home in just “two more sleeps”. Every second was starting to count!

After a sensational soak in the Fountains hot tubs and a refreshing dip under the stars, we tucked ourselves into bed. Tomorrow we would “light up the night” with our beloved Shamu .

But what else?

 

[dancin Disney style]

We are in the same boat. I have tons of flexibility but Steve, no so much.

I could always come for that first week and keep you company .

3 weeks.....ah......its fun to imagine .

Heck Ya you can come!!!!!!!

 

[dancin Disney style]

Shhhhh...You are witnessing a rare and special event American readers. In these last few exchanges quoted above, you are seeing the birth of the rare and wonderful Canadian Snowbird. Don't spook them and just continue to watch and if you are lucky, by the end of this thread you'll see them purchasing condos in Boca Raton and retiring.

Not Boca....it's going to be Miami and we are going to be the new Golden Girls. I'll be Blanche....Gina who will you be? Pigletto we need a third....you in? For sure we need a Sophia....any takers?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Heck Ya you can come!!!!!!!

Lord have mercy, Orlando would never be quite the same . Can you imagine the fun we would have?

Not Boca....it's going to be Miami and we are going to be the new Golden Girls. I'll be Blanche....Gina who will you be? Pigletto we need a third....you in? For sure we need a Sophia....any takers?

I call Rose. That leaves pigletto for Dorothy, and a Sophia TBD. Too bad bankr63 wasn't female, because he could have rounded us out.

I spent my lunch hour browsing the Orlando real estate market (pigletto, you're a troublemaker.....t'was you that planted those seeds in my head). Found a couple of nifty condos I could totally see myself living in. I must remember to purchase my Lotto 649 tickets this weekend. Someone's gotta win it, it may as well as be me .

 

[pigletto]

I'm in. Dorothy it is.

The Showcase of Citrus looks like a lot of fun Gina. One thing your trip reports have absolutely done for me is to show me how much more there is to see and do in Orlando and that offsite is a fabulous option!

 

[dancin Disney style]

Lord have mercy, Orlando would never be quite the same . Can you imagine the fun we would have?



I call Rose. That leaves pigletto for Dorothy, and a Sophia TBD. Too bad bankr63 wasn't female, because he could have rounded us out.

I spent my lunch hour browsing the Orlando real estate market (pigletto, you're a troublemaker.....t'was you that planted those seeds in my head). Found a couple of nifty condos I could totally see myself living in. I must remember to purchase my Lotto 649 tickets this weekend. Someone's gotta win it, it may as well as be me .

If bankr63 will put on a wig and support hose I'm good with that. Sophia he will be!!!! Now, who's going to tell HIM?


Many times I have looked at real estate in the Orlando area. I could have a house 3-4X larger that what I live in, including a pool with enclosure, be mortgage free and still have about $250K left over from the sale of my current home. Just to top it off, DH could have a very similar job to what he has here but with less responsibility and make about $20K MORE. I would never work another day in my life. Does that sound like I should move to FL or what? If anyone has the magic work permit wand send it my way.

 

[bankr63]

Too bad bankr63 wasn't female, because he could have rounded us out.

Whoa whoa WHOA! Bite your tongue missy!! I personally DO NOT think it's too bad that I'm not female!

Did they have driver? It could be like Driving Miss Daisy, only in triplicate. I actually know where a couple of Piggly Wigglies are...

If bankr63 will put on a wig and support hose I'm good with that. Sophia he will be!!!! Now, who's going to tell HIM?

A wig? Well maybe a rug, I am getting a bit thin on top (I HATE aging). But NO support hose; my legs are much too nice for that. If you insist on the hose then I will insist on wearing them with shorts and sandals...

 

[dancin Disney style]

Whoa whoa WHOA! Bite your tongue missy!! I personally DO NOT think it's too bad that I'm not female!

Did they have driver? It could be like Driving Miss Daisy, only in triplicate. I actually know where a couple of Piggly Wigglies are...



A wig? Well maybe a rug, I am getting a bit thin on top (I HATE aging). But NO support hose; my legs are much too nice for that. If you insist on the hose then I will insist on wearing them with shorts and sandals...

Can we compromise with an eyeglass chain and a lovely handbag?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I'm in. Dorothy it is.

The Showcase of Citrus looks like a lot of fun Gina. One thing your trip reports have absolutely done for me is to show me how much more there is to see and do in Orlando and that offsite is a fabulous option!

I am glad to hear you are content with your offsite choice for this trip . I worried you would have traveler's remorse after it was booked (and non-cancellable).

Are you planning on doing any offsite attractions? Or are you pretty much sticking with Disney & Universal this time around?

Many times I have looked at real estate in the Orlando area. I could have a house 3-4X larger that what I live in, including a pool with enclosure, be mortgage free and still have about $250K left over from the sale of my current home. Just to top it off, DH could have a very similar job to what he has here but with less responsibility and make about $20K MORE. I would never work another day in my life. Does that sound like I should move to FL or what? If anyone has the magic work permit wand send it my way.

Amen, sister.

Whoa whoa WHOA! Bite your tongue missy!! I personally DO NOT think it's too bad that I'm not female!

Did they have driver? It could be like Driving Miss Daisy, only in triplicate. I actually know where a couple of Piggly Wigglies are...

A wig? Well maybe a rug, I am getting a bit thin on top (I HATE aging). But NO support hose; my legs are much too nice for that. If you insist on the hose then I will insist on wearing them with shorts and sandals...

Can we compromise with an eyeglass chain and a lovely handbag?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Saturday, August 30th……our second last day .

There were no alarms set to wake up to again this morning. We slept until we could sleep no more, and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the villa. We had several items kicking around the fridge, cupboards, and freezer….from yogurt, muffins and fruit to bacon, eggs and sausage, so we all just made what we wanted from the assortment of foods and helped use up as much as we could. We hated to see anything go to waste, and this would be our last breakfast eaten at the villa. Tomorrow, we would grab a quick breakfast out once we had checked out of the villa prior to 10 am.

We chatted as a family about what exactly we wanted to do with this last official full day. I personally had only one burning desire……I wanted to see Shamu’s Celebration: Light Up The Night at SeaWorld that evening. And yes, I would have been mighty disappointed if I had missed out on that opportunity, as this was the only night during our 2 week vacation that the special show was being featured, a revival of their summertime special event just for the Labour Day weekend.

Polling the rest of my crew, the decision was unanimous. We would not only go to SeaWorld for the evening show, but we’d go for the day (or the better part of it, anyway….the early morning hours had passed us by). After our super-scheduled visit a few days prior, we were looking forward to a day with a more go-with-the-flow vibe and to hitting up some of the other attractions (Kraken, Journey to Atlantis, Wild Arctic) that we had not managed to visit on our tour. We would purchase all day dining and Quick Queue since we were planning to spend 8 hours or more until the park closed that night, and squeeze as much fun out of our second day as we did the first. We sunscreened, piled into the van, and arrived at the park right around 11 am.

Even with the later arrival AND the fact that it was a holiday weekend, the park wasn’t crazy busy and we had no lines at bag check, the turnstiles, or guest services for the dining and Quick Queue. Love, love, LOVE it!

The first thing we wanted to do was hit up Kraken, which the boys absolutely adored, since they were so disappointed to miss it completely earlier in the week. Without further adieu, we made that the first stop of the morning:



Steve and Jake rode first…..Sweetie, well, she wasn’t too sure it was going to be something she could handle. We waited it out in the gift shops while the boys took the initial tour:



They exited the ride giggling like a pair of little girls, oohing and aahing about how awesome it was, and Jake begged Sweetie to give it a go. All his pleading eventually wore her down (lol, to be honest….it didn’t take much ), and she caved. Braver than yours truly, she rode the mighty Kraken exactly one time…..then flatly refused to ride it again. There’s only so much courage a girl can muster .



I was proud of her, and I told her so. She’s a good sport.



After Kraken, we took the opportunity to visit our beloved penguins one more time. While the standy-by line was sitting at 45 minutes, with our Quick Queue, we got in immediately. Niiiice!



After trying out the “wild” version on our last visit, this time we opted for the “mild”, which we much preferred. We didn’t find that the “wildness” added to the ride experience at all…the mild option was smoother and inherently more enjoyable without all those sharp, jerky movements .

Upon exiting the ride and entering into the penguin enclosure, we were surprised to see a park photographer there this time (not there before….but we also visited at the VERY end of the day last time, which probably accounted for the photographer’s absence). We had him take some couple and family pics:







He also took some “magic shots”, where everyone’s favourite penguin, Puck, ended up appearing in our outstretched hands .



Stay tuned for more….we were just getting this awesome day underway!

 

[Lynne G]

Nice about the photo taker. I never saw one in the penguins the couple of days we spent in Sea World. We really enjoyed Shamu rocks and the holiday show they put on at Christmas time.

The nice thing with the Super Grover pass was that we came and went a few times at Sea World. We only spent one whole day, as I had bought an all day food pass for one day when it was on sale. We also got the quick que from the hotel the day before and even later in the day. Kids also found some quick ques laying on the ground, so they got triple rides via the quick que on all the coasters. DH and I enjoyed some quiet time while they rode. Their favorites were Manta and Kraken.

 

[pigletto]

Sweetie sure was brave to give that a try! DD and I are in your camp.. we prefer our feet on the ground in those situations. DD used to like roller coasters and then one day .. she just didn't anymore. Oh well.

I'm sad that your trip report is winding down! It's been such a joy to read about your adventures and I've been learning so much.

As for your questions.. I think this trip we plan to only do Disney and Universal (just talked dh into MVMCP tickets too. However, we are carving out a day for shopping and outlets, we'll be trying some offsite mini golf, and our plans are to eat almost entirely offsite.

Was Congo River the one you recommended with the Alligators? ( I really should go back and look for myself!). I saw it on Groupon the other day and if it's the one you wrote about I will grab it!