The Many Adventures of an Aussie Disney Honeymooner

[zanzibar138]

I tried to Google how long it would take to walk from the TTC to AK, but... because some roads are off limits and some you can't walk on... it came out to 8 hours +. With some cheating, you could do it in about an hour and a half. (But you'd probably get picked up by security before you got there.)

I wish they had more opportunities to walk. I would take a half hour walk over a bus every time, and would really consider anything up to an hour. I used to walk 10km to work most mornings so that I didn't have to deal with crowded PT.

Had no idea they had a bald eagle! How cool is that??

Very cool!

"You know you're from Australia when..."

I always feel a bit like Dug when I see a squirrel.

Well, shoot. That's two shows Ben didn't care for. Did he like ITTBAB?

You know what, I don't think we actually discussed it! It probably only came up after the other shows because I really enjoyed them.

So that's where they went! They used to be over by the bird show when it was called "Up! A Great Bird Adventure"

Oh, that would have been a fun show!

But does make me wonder... Ben didn't enjoy some shows. Won't do thrill rides. What did he think of the park?

He loved AK! He really enjoyed the theming and the animals. He would have been happy just riding the safari over and over again if there was no line It was unfortunate KRR was down for our trip, as he would have enjoyed that too.

You look like "Oh my goodness!" and Ben is like "Meh. You've seen one dino, you've seen them all."

I think that's more me going 'what is happening on this ride?' lol!

 

[pkondz]

I wish they had more opportunities to walk. I would take a half hour walk over a bus every time, and would really consider anything up to an hour. I used to walk 10km to work most mornings so that I didn't have to deal with crowded PT.

10k every day??
And that's just one way!

I always feel a bit like Dug when I see a squirrel.

Oh, that would have been a fun show!

Actually... I much preferred the one before and the current one.
I think the birds stand out on their own and don't need extras.

He loved AK! He really enjoyed the theming and the animals. He would have been happy just riding the safari over and over again if there was no line

It was unfortunate KRR was down for our trip, as he would have enjoyed that too.

One I haven't been on in a long time. You get soaked on that ride.

I think that's more me going 'what is happening on this ride?' lol!

 

[zanzibar138]

Chapter 6: In which we get two rooms and nearly see a parade

6.8. Another night, another party​

We were on the bus heading towards MK when we started to see fireworks. We managed to catch the end of the show from the park. And just because you haven’t seen enough fireworks photos yet







The park was open until 10pm that night, so the park didn’t immediately clear out after the fireworks like it had before the last AH party. We were already starting to see cheerleading groups filter in ahead of the big competition the following weekend, and it was actually quite busy with long wait times all round. We filled in the time by people watching, photo taking and doing some of the less popular attractions.

Despite the consistently low wait times, we never did do the teacups. Ben was a little nervous about the spinning (but if my mum can do it, I’m quite confident that anyone could!). I always think it looks pretty though, especially at night. I had fun playing around with my camera.





Our first attraction was Mickey’s PhilharMagic. As a 90’s kid, I’ve always enjoyed the show. It was fun to see the newer additions too. Ben enjoyed it, but might have dozed off for a while

While in the area, we hung around the carrousel for a bit, got some photos and went for a ride.




(This shot would have been much better on a rainy night!)





Continued in next post…

 

[zanzibar138]

We took the opportunity to admire the castle from a different angle.



We decided to walk through and see what was on the inside…. not much compared to some of the other castles, but I did enjoy the mosaics.



Taking in the views from the front of the castle, you can see how crowded it still was. It was getting close to park closing by then, so a lot of people were making their way towards the exit.



We turned around and admired the castle from that angle too, before heading back through to Fantasyland.



I had discovered that the wait time for Winnie the Pooh was down to 15 minutes, so we headed there to wait out the last of our time before the party started.





As we left Winnie the Pooh, the park was officially shutting down and the party starting. We started with Peter Pan, which still had about a 25 minute wait at that stage.



By the time we were done, there was only about half an hour until the AH exclusive fireworks, so we headed directly to the hub. Since the castle was already closed off, we had to go the long way!



With drinks, popcorn and Mickey ice-creams in hand, we found a nice bit of curb to claim and waited for the show.



I already had sooooooo many fireworks photos, I took the rare opportunity to remain comfortably seated (as much as one can say they are comfortable on a hard bit of concrete curb ) and enjoy the close-up view of the show without the distraction of a camera.

Here’s my proof that I made it all the way through! This was my next photo.



Continued in next post…

 

[zanzibar138]

It continued to amaze me how quickly those last couple of hours of AH party went. I can see why people would be tempted to skip the fireworks show to take full advantage of the lower wait times for rides. However, we have no regrets about our decisions and maintain that the uncrowded fireworks shows were the best bit about the party!

With about 90 minutes of party time left, we headed for the big rides, which still had wait times of over 30 minutes at that point – longer than what we’d experienced at the previous party. Still, by then we realised how good that actually was! Ben had talked about giving Seven Dwarves another try, but always talked himself out of it when the time came. I felt bad for him spending that last 90 minutes of party time following me from rollercoaster to rollercoaster and waiting for me to ride. I couldn’t pass up those wait times though, and rode Seven Dwarves twice in a row.



By the time I was done with Seven Dwarves, we had just over half an hour left. Tron was still hovering at around 40 minutes, so we hoofed it over there, with the understanding that I’d just make it for one last ride. As we passed the Barnstormer, I offered to ride that with Ben – it was a literal walk-on and less than 5 minutes wasn’t going to make a difference to me getting onto Tron. He was too worried about messing up my plans and wouldn’t hear of it, which was a shame as there was always quite a long wait there during normal park hours so we never did ride it.

There were a few people rushing to get to Tron, and the line was definitely longer than it had been at that time at the previous AH party. I know that it was shorter than 40 minutes though, because I finished my first ride with just enough time to jump back in line and ride it again!



And of course by that time the party was officially over, and the park was shutting down. We made our way to the exit with everyone else who was left.



I loved that we just had a short walk back to BLT. No lining up for transport or dealing with crowds on ferries or buses or monorails. Just a nice quiet stroll in the moonlight. That trip alone was worth staying at BLT for!

We had gotten our new room number earlier in the day, and were relieved that my MB opened the door for us. However, our luggage wasn’t there! It was nearly 2am and we were both completely beat, so we called down to bell services instead of going back down to get it ourselves. Bad move. I didn’t actually time it, but it would have been at least 20 minutes that we were sitting around waiting.

In the meantime, we checked out the room, and I was thrilled to see that we had a view of the… parking lot. No seriously, I was thrilled! Because beyond the parking lot was Space Mountain and the castle! And if we looked in the other direction, it looked like there was a bit of a lake view (which I confirmed the following day). I later realised that this was actually the exact room I had initially requested!



Eventually of course, our luggage did arrive, and we were able to put ourselves to bed in preparation for an unfortunately timed early morning.

 

[pkondz]

And just because you haven’t seen enough fireworks photos yet

We were already starting to see cheerleading groups filter in ahead of the big competition the following weekend

Uh, oh...

Ben was a little nervous about the spinning (but if my mum can do it, I’m quite confident that anyone could!).

You can always slow it down, too. Or even stop it.

Nice shot.

Ben enjoyed it, but might have dozed off for a while

We took the opportunity to admire the castle from a different angle.

Ladies and gentlemen... the backside of... the castle!

We decided to walk through and see what was on the inside…. not much compared to some of the other castles, but I did enjoy the mosaics.

But you can eat inside it.

We started with Peter Pan, which still had about a 25 minute wait at that stage.

Not bad at all.

Such a pretty area.

It continued to amaze me how quickly those last couple of hours of AH party went. I can see why people would be tempted to skip the fireworks show to take full advantage of the lower wait times for rides.

Very much so. But some things just can't be skipped.

Ben had talked about giving Seven Dwarves another try, but always talked himself out of it when the time came.

Too bad. It's such a tame little coaster.

As we passed the Barnstormer, I offered to ride that with Ben – it was a literal walk-on and less than 5 minutes wasn’t going to make a difference to me getting onto Tron. He was too worried about messing up my plans and wouldn’t hear of it, which was a shame as there was always quite a long wait there during normal park hours so we never did ride it.

You didn't miss much. At 53 seconds long, by the time it starts, you're just about done.

There were a few people rushing to get to Tron, and the line was definitely longer than it had been at that time at the previous AH party. I know that it was shorter than 40 minutes though, because I finished my first ride with just enough time to jump back in line and ride it again!

Good for you!

I loved that we just had a short walk back to BLT.

My number one reason for wanting to stay there some day.

That trip alone was worth staying at BLT for!

I bet!

However, our luggage wasn’t there! It was nearly 2am and we were both completely beat, so we called down to bell services instead of going back down to get it ourselves. Bad move. I didn’t actually time it, but it would have been at least 20 minutes that we were sitting around waiting.

That's inexcusable. Very poor.

I later realised that this was actually the exact room I had initially requested!

They finally read the memo!

 

[zanzibar138]

Chapter 6: In which we get two rooms and nearly see a parade

6.9. Manatees in the mist​

We had an early morning shuttle booked to the rental car centre. And of course, on the day we were driving in an unfamiliar car on the ‘wrong side’ of unfamiliar roads through the city, after a very late night, we awoke to thick fog.



The shuttle arrived right on time and we were whisked off to the rental car centre, where I had surprised Ben by renting a Mustang convertible. Given all of the above issues, instead of being thrilled and excited to drive it, he freaked out a little and made me drive

We were headed to Blue Spring State Park to try our luck with some manatee spotting. I’d been keeping an eye on the manatee count on Facebook, which had been up in the high hundreds while we were in Vegas and Florida was experiencing its cold snap, but with the warmer weather had plummeted and was getting less and less every day. Unfortunately we were not able to change our plans to go earlier in the trip without losing our dining reservations, so I was nervous that we would miss them!

It was pretty foggy the whole way, so we didn’t really see much along the way. We accidentally ended up in the fast lane, which cost us a few $$ but saved us a bit of traffic headache, so I think it all worked out ok.



Entry was $6 per vehicle, which luckily we were able to pay by card since I’d forgotten to stash some cash in my bag! I’d read that it can get very crowded during manatee season, so we’d been aiming to arrive fairly early to beat the crowds and had succeeded, with only a few other cars already there.



The fog had lightened by the time we arrived, but not cleared, which made it very atmospheric.





The classic ‘I’m from Australia’ shot.



I had planned to take the boardwalk all the way up to the spring, but the last part after the gift shop and canteen was fenced off for maintenance. We had a little look in the gift shop, where I considered buying a hoodie and/or t-shirt, but we hadn’t seen any manatees yet, so it felt like I hadn’t earned it lol! We were both struggling with our disappointment with the boardwalk closure, lack of information and relative difficulty of actually spotting any manatees, which I’m sure was exacerbated by our lack of sleep. We decided to grab some breakfast from the canteen (a surprisingly good freshly made sandwich), and mull over our options. We were entertained by yet another squirrel while we ate.



We decided to wander back to the main parking area, conducting a more thorough manatee search along the way. We did enjoy the views of the river, which was crystal clear, but it was kind of hard to tell the difference between logs and manatees!



We were starting to think that this might be the closest we would get!



Continued in next post…

 

[zanzibar138]

We kept walking with hope, enjoying all the beautiful trees.



And from one of the observation decks about halfway along, we finally had some success!



We lingered for quite a while, watching the slow moving manatees, waiting for one to surface. In the meantime, we enjoyed some of the other wildlife.





When we finally caught one coming up for air, we thought we’d better move on, as there were more and more people gathering and we didn’t want to be manatee hogs!



The next observation deck was the highlight for me. For one, there were less people. The deck was super pretty being bordered by a large tree dripping with Spanish moss.





This deck was also closest to the river entrance, where a large(ish) group of manatees were gathered, ready to head out to the river to feed. The buoys are there as a barrier to entry during manatee season.



We lingered there for quite a while too, enjoying what we’d come to see. We felt super lucky that we’d managed to catch at least a handful of manatees, as the numbers in the spring area kept declining over the coming days as the weather continued to warm up.

 

[pkondz]

And of course, on the day we were driving in an unfamiliar car on the ‘wrong side’ of unfamiliar roads through the city, after a very late night, we awoke to thick fog.

Of course!
It's how people on this side of the pond welcome people from your side of the pond.

Makes for a pretty cool photo, though!

I had surprised Ben by renting a Mustang convertible.

Nice!

Given all of the above issues, instead of being thrilled and excited to drive it, he freaked out a little and made me drive

We were headed to Blue Spring State Park to try our luck with some manatee spotting.

Oh, cool!
I've seen... one? Maybe two? in the wild?

We accidentally ended up in the fast lane, which cost us a few $$ but saved us a bit of traffic headache, so I think it all worked out ok.

The end justified the means.

"I like this car... I shall not drive it."

Beautiful shot

The classic ‘I’m from Australia’ shot.

I considered buying a hoodie and/or t-shirt, but we hadn’t seen any manatees yet, so it felt like I hadn’t earned it lol!

Yah....
"Oh! So you went and saw manatees! How was that?"
...
...
"We did not."

We were entertained by yet another squirrel while we ate.

Give him a bite to eat?

it was kind of hard to tell the difference between logs and manatees!

If you hadn't seen any later, then definitely, they were manatees. Since you did... they were logs.

We were starting to think that this might be the closest we would get!

And from one of the observation decks about halfway along, we finally had some success!

Yay!

I don't know a ton about birds, but do know that's a Pileated Woodpecker.

The deck was super pretty being bordered by a large tree dripping with Spanish moss.

Looks so nice. Love all that Spanish moss.

Quite a few!

We felt super lucky that we’d managed to catch at least a handful of manatees, as the numbers in the spring area kept declining over the coming days as the weather continued to warm up.

Glad you were able to see them before they were gone for the season.

 

[Steppesister]

The colour-by-numbers wasn’t open yet. Every time I saw it I thought it would be fun to go back later to see how it turned out, but we never did lol!

I loved doing this a few years ago. Creative way to engage the crowds and perfect for all ages.

Once we saw the queue for Les Halles, we quickly gave up on that idea.

Yeah, it was a total zoo on my trip too. I'd wanted a ham and cheese baguette but gave up about where you did. They should do a mini walk up kiosk at a 2nd location for like 5 items.

but looking back I suspect they requested a gondola with no character wrap. It was insanely difficult to take any photographs from in there!

Yep, I always do that too. Otherwise no photos are going to turn out at all.

We did briefly consider getting something from the coffee stall at that station, but by that time we were keen to just finish the journey.

MY FAVORITE COFFEE KIOSK in all of WDW!!! It's a PERFECT location!!

we came to Backlot Express.

I explore heavily on my trip there and there is a TON of cool memorabilia towards the back that I'd never seen before! A true hidden Disney gem in there and I had NO idea. Never tried the food though.

First up was Minnie & Mickey’s Vacation, which we both found very enjoyable, although we do prefer the old style animation.

Me too. It's a cute show, but I, like you, enjoy the old school stuff much better.

urned out that it was only about a 20 minute wait until the start of the pre-show, which may as well be part of the ride really! I enjoyed getting some more photos of the amazing theming.

Yes, the pre-show to me is part of the attraction for sure. So man cool effects in there!

Unfortunately when it came time for the show to start, we instead got an announcement that it had been cancelled.

Boooooooo!

We also really enjoyed the food and the free cocktail that came with our F! package. So glad I took the advice of @pkondz on this, as I consider it one of our better dining experiences.

PrimeTime is a great option, but you better go hungry! Heavy meal warning needed! My kids loved the antics and I think they'd choose to go back again given the chance.

This turned out very cute!

She made some calls and found out that she would be able to get us into one of those rooms the next day. We were happy enough with that outcome, and agreed to pack up and bring our luggage down to bell services in the morning.

I'm so happy they are making good on this. What a colossal mess to not have internet when you NEED it to do anything at their resort.

Awwww, this is such a cute shot of you two! Glad she didn't totally pass you by!

Wonderful!

We stopped to get a drink on the way over. I really was super impressed with the theming in that park, particularly in the Asia area.

Yes! They've really done a bang up job on the theming. The authentic decor really adds such a neat vibe!

We’d gone in with fairly low expectations, but both really enjoyed the show.

One of my faves too! I like the silly humor and you really get a cool view of those birds. Plus a nice way to take a sit-down break!

I think he was put out because he was probably expecting more of a Lion King story.

I can see that. This one focuses more on the artistry and music and less so on that story.

Nice shot!!

We actually didn’t realise how massive the restaurant was and that there were so many seating areas to choose from. Otherwise we would have chosen somewhere with nicer views. Nonetheless, it was quite an enjoyable dinner.

It's one of my favorite places for a quiet snack and rest. The lower seating area is absolutely lovely!

I’d read about the negativity around Dinosaur, but thought if it was a similar ride system to Indy at DLR, how bad could it possibly be? Well, I stand corrected lol! Bits of it were fun, but there was a lot of just being jostled around in the dark. I didn’t feel a strong urge to have to ride it again.

Yeah, it's exactly like Indy- I think identical track lay out too.

We just caught a little bit of the ToL show on the way out.

Looooove the TOL at night!

What a fantastic shot!

I felt bad for him spending that last 90 minutes of party time following me from rollercoaster to rollercoaster and waiting for me to ride. I couldn’t pass up those wait times though, and rode Seven Dwarves twice in a row.

Was he okay with just waiting for you? Does he like to people watch? I'd have a hard time passing up the short wait times too!

And of course by that time the party was officially over, and the park was shutting down. We made our way to the exit with everyone else who was left.

And Ben had only ridden like one ride? I don't think I'd have felt like I'd gotten my money's worth, but I also know a lot of people do go for the AH parties ONLY for the fireworks and quieter park.

I later realised that this was actually the exact room I had initially requested!

WOW!! What a great view! And they should have given you that room in the first place!

Given all of the above issues, instead of being thrilled and excited to drive it, he freaked out a little and made me drive

Say what?!

It was pretty foggy the whole way, so we didn’t really see much along the way. We accidentally ended up in the fast lane, which cost us a few $$ but saved us a bit of traffic headache, so I think it all worked out ok.

I mean... you were in Ford Mustang! You're supposed to be in the fast lane.

We were starting to think that this might be the closest we would get!

This sounds a LOT like my quest for the platypus. But you got WAY more lucky and actually got your sightings!

 

[zanzibar138]

You can always slow it down, too. Or even stop it.

That's what Mum and I did. It was still fun!

Ladies and gentlemen... the backside of... the castle!

But you can eat inside it.

Yes, that part's pretty cool!

You didn't miss much. At 53 seconds long, by the time it starts, you're just about done.

It was more for the chance for Ben to get another ride in. The short ride wouldn't have bothered me if it was a walk-on (in fact, that's why I wasn't concerned about missing Tron ).

They finally read the memo!

Hoo-bloody-ray!

 

[zanzibar138]

Makes for a pretty cool photo, though!

I actually thought I could have got some pretty cool photos at MK that morning!

Give him a bite to eat?

No, we were well-behaved. It wasn't for his lack of trying though

If you hadn't seen any later, then definitely, they were manatees. Since you did... they were logs.

I don't know a ton about birds, but do know that's a Pileated Woodpecker.

Thanks! I figured it was some type of woodpecker - I hadn't heard one before, but it was pretty much how I would have expected it to sound.

 

[zanzibar138]

Yeah, it was a total zoo on my trip too. I'd wanted a ham and cheese baguette but gave up about where you did. They should do a mini walk up kiosk at a 2nd location for like 5 items.

Great idea!

Yep, I always do that too. Otherwise no photos are going to turn out at all.

Yes, I discovered that lol! Another thing we'll just have to do again someday!

I explore heavily on my trip there and there is a TON of cool memorabilia towards the back that I'd never seen before! A true hidden Disney gem in there and I had NO idea. Never tried the food though.

Haha we did the opposite then. I had no idea about the memorabilia.

PrimeTime is a great option, but you better go hungry! Heavy meal warning needed! My kids loved the antics and I think they'd choose to go back again given the chance.

Yeah, particularly since they give you a hard time if you don't finish your meal

This turned out very cute!

We were pretty happy with it

I can see that. This one focuses more on the artistry and music and less so on that story.

The only other version I've seen was at HKDL, which I think was somewhat similar, but I still remember it being more story as well. Otherwise I would have warned Ben. I think it's ok if you know what to expect.

It's one of my favorite places for a quiet snack and rest. The lower seating area is absolutely lovely!

Yeah, we were a bit annoyed we didn't realise there was additional seating!

Yeah, it's exactly like Indy- I think identical track lay out too.

Crazy how exactly the same layout can feel completely different!

Was he okay with just waiting for you? Does he like to people watch? I'd have a hard time passing up the short wait times too!

He was quite happy playing on his phone while he waited for me.

And Ben had only ridden like one ride? I don't think I'd have felt like I'd gotten my money's worth, but I also know a lot of people do go for the AH parties ONLY for the fireworks and quieter park.

He actually did feel a little disappointed that night, but he just wasn't really that interested in most of the rides. He loved TBA - would have been great if that had been open. But he wasn't interested in re-riding Pirates or HM or Buzz, and neither of us was interested in SM. Mostly he was just happy with the fireworks and enjoying the quieter park.

I mean... you were in Ford Mustang! You're supposed to be in the fast lane.

Very true!

This sounds a LOT like my quest for the platypus. But you got WAY more lucky and actually got your sightings!

Ooh yes, platypus are a LOT more difficult to spot! They like to hide. The manatees weren't actually hiding, they were just fairly spread out over a large space and blended in with the logs lol!

 

[pkondz]

Yes, that part's pretty cool!

Hoo-bloody-ray!

I actually thought I could have got some pretty cool photos at MK that morning!

Absolutely. But... I think the best for foggy days must be either HM or TOT?
Just off the top of my head.

No, we were well-behaved. It wasn't for his lack of trying though

That sounds about right.

Thanks! I figured it was some type of woodpecker - I hadn't heard one before, but it was pretty much how I would have expected it to sound.

I remember the first time I heard a real live cuckoo... I was astonished to learn they sound just like the clocks!

 

[Steppesister]

Yes, I discovered that lol! Another thing we'll just have to do again someday!

Yes! Always lots to add to the "next time list"!

Haha we did the opposite then. I had no idea about the memorabilia.

Nor did I. I had never been in and thought I'd check it out and was so surprised!!! Always some detailing to be found it seems...

Yeah, particularly since they give you a hard time if you don't finish your meal

Exactly!

The only other version I've seen was at HKDL, which I think was somewhat similar, but I still remember it being more story as well. Otherwise I would have warned Ben. I think it's ok if you know what to expect.

I agree. Knowing helps put you in the right frame of mind and sets realistic expectations. Now you'll know for next time.

Yeah, we were a bit annoyed we didn't realise there was additional seating!

Another thing to add to your "Next Time List"

Crazy how exactly the same layout can feel completely different!

For SURE!!! The ride mechanics itself don't agree with my crap neck, but it is a great ride for theming.

He was quite happy playing on his phone while he waited for me.

GOOD! Sometimes it's nice to just take in the sights and sounds and be still.

He actually did feel a little disappointed that night, but he just wasn't really that interested in most of the rides. He loved TBA - would have been great if that had been open. But he wasn't interested in re-riding Pirates or HM or Buzz, and neither of us was interested in SM. Mostly he was just happy with the fireworks and enjoying the quieter park.

Everyone enjoys the park differently so no faulting there! I've been known to sit out ride opportunities in lieu of people watching fairly often.

Ooh yes, platypus are a LOT more difficult to spot! They like to hide. The manatees weren't actually hiding, they were just fairly spread out over a large space and blended in with the logs lol!

I'm so glad you got to see some since you'd gone out of your way to hunt them out! NICE!!!

 

[zanzibar138]

Absolutely. But... I think the best for foggy days must be either HM or TOT?

Yes, both of those would have been great options! HM would have been good as the fog started clearing, getting some shots over the water.

I remember the first time I heard a real live cuckoo... I was astonished to learn they sound just like the clocks!

I've never heard a cuckoo either. That would be fun!

 

[MPD]

If you're ever back and can add a couple of days to your trip, the Crystal River area (a couple of hours from Orlando) is amazing for manatee viewing and you can snorkel with them! We've done it twice and I highly recommend it.

 

[zanzibar138]

If you're ever back and can add a couple of days to your trip, the Crystal River area (a couple of hours from Orlando) is amazing for manatee viewing and you can snorkel with them! We've done it twice and I highly recommend it.

Crystal River looked so beautiful! I definitely considered it as an option, especially when we ended up flying into Tampa. I would have loved to have added a night to do that 'on the way' to Orlando. Although I think he would have loved it and considered it a much better use of time, when we were putting the itinerary together, Ben just would not hear of giving up a night in Vegas

Nevermind though, at least we still got to see some at Blue Spring.

 

[zanzibar138]

Chapter 6: In which we get two rooms and nearly see a parade

6.10. I can’t leave Florida without doing an airboat ride!​

Having had our fill of manatee viewing, we considered our next move for the day. High on the list for me was an airboat ride, as something unique to that area of the world. I knew we were really on the wrong side of Orlando, and there were far more options south of WDW, but we tried our luck finding something a bit closer.

We found something that looked promising and followed the directions to the Sanford Marina. We arrived to a very urban, very manicured looking but somewhat deserted lakefront. We wandered for a short while to make sure we weren’t missing anything, but Mr Google had definitely led us astray with that one!



We hit the road again to see if we’d have any more success with Mr Google’s next suggestion. Success!



We arrived just in time to join the next tour, so bought our tickets and walked straight through to the boat. We got the seats in the middle row.





We started with a quiet ride to a nearby bayou area, where we were excited to see several gators, a turtle and lots of bird life.







Next, we were instructed to put on our ear muffs as we sped across the lake. We saw heaps of gators disappearing under the water as we crossed. A little way in, I noticed that we had a bit of water coming into the front of the boat, and it seemed to be struggling a bit! Soon the captain stopped the boat, and asked a couple of the people in the front row to move to the back. Apparently we’d been too front-heavy to be able to plane properly, and after that it was all fine. Was a little nerve-wracking for a couple of minutes though!



On the other side of the lake, we sped through some of the little channels, which was a lot of fun, and amazing to see how the boat just went straight over the top of the vegetation.



We did a slow lap around a little island in the middle of the lake, which was a massive habitat for birds.



And with that, we sped back across the lake and back to headquarters.

It may not have been the best airboat ride we could have done, but we both really enjoyed the experience and I was pleased we’d made the effort.

Continued in next post…

 

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The day was getting on by the time we were done, and our tummies were rumbling, so we decided to stay for lunch at their little restaurant.



Unfortunately both our first choices were unavailable, and what we did end up ordering took a long time to come out. I can’t remember what Ben got, but I went with the tacos, so wouldn’t have expected to take that long! I looked around while we were waiting, decided against buying any t-shirts and found the little baby gator.



When our food finally did come out, it was very nice, but had put us a bit behind for the day. The poor waitress was very apologetic.

Ben finally decided to have a drive while we were out in the sticks with no traffic.



We had one more scheduled stop on the way back at Vineland Outlets, hoping to find some good bargains on Disney merch. To say this was disappointing would be an understatement. It had an even worse selection than the Vegas outlet! 95% of the merch was from either Christmas or marathon weekend. I did find a t-shirt I liked for $12, so that was a win. And I needed a new raincoat, so I decided to go ahead and buy the little marathon weekend one for $20. I’ll still need a proper one for hiking though. Ben was also disappointed with the Nike outlet and didn’t buy anything.

I took over driving again as we were back in pretty serious traffic. We passed a large warehouse type thing selling Disney merch, so decided to stop for a look there. I started getting excited when I saw the large range of merch, but it was still all just t-shirts and hoodies, and there was nothing I loved enough to want to buy. Ben found a couple of t-shirts though, which turned out to be a great buy as he was even getting compliments from CMs and wears them regularly.

We decided to do one more stop at Walmart to get some things for a ‘picnic’ style dinner. We were amused to find that we’d accidentally parked right next to another red sporty car.



Walmart is a bit of a novelty for us. Our supermarkets pretty much just have groceries, with a much smaller variety on offer too. Walmart has everything! We even found a selection of Disney merch in there. We ended up with a little pre-cut cheeseboard, crackers, dip, grapes, and a couple of pieces of cheesecake for dessert. We ducked in next door to get some adult beverages to go with it.

By the time we were done at Walmart, it was starting to get pretty late, and traffic was an absolute nightmare. I’d hoped to get back to the rental car centre before 6pm, but I wasn’t too panicked about it as closing time hadn’t been until 7pm. The very final stop of the day of course was the petrol station at the rental car centre



We arrived at the rental car centre and went inside to drop off the keys. There was no one at the counter so we just waited. And to our surprise, someone came along to tell us they were closed! Apparently they had changed their closing time from 7pm to 6pm since our arrival at WDW We were still able to do the key drop in the box, so that wasn’t an issue, but we would have to get an uber back to our hotel instead of having a free shuttle.

We were just standing around trying to figure everything out, when one of the shuttle bus drivers approached us to say he would be happy to do one last run! We were super grateful not to have to bother with ubers etc and gave him a nice big tip (although he did have to wait for me to run up to our room to grab some cash!).

We spent the evening just relaxing, catching up on Facebook etc (now we had wifi!) while waiting for the fireworks. Then set up our picnic dinner on the balcony for the show. We had an amazing view, and I was so happy we’d decided to do something about our room! I didn’t take many photos – too busy eating and enjoying. But I did take a few to document the view from the different perspective.





And with that, we called it a night.