mark&sue
<font color=teal>I keep trying to convert everybod
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2004
- Messages
- 5,510
Wednesday 13th April
We are up very early so we can take advantage of the extra early hour which on-site guests are given.
We arrive before the gates are open and are one of the first in the queue. It is very exciting. Eventually the gates open and everyone runs towards the other side of the park to get to Harry Potter land. I feel just as good as I felt last July when we were here last. The themeing is brilliant
There is a fair queue by the time we use the lockers for Forbidden Journey and unfortunately as the ride has broken down we have to wait. We are "stuck" in the bit where it snows and there are two differents scenes filmed here so is not as repetitive as it could have been.
We eventually get on the ride and is just as good as I remember it although it breaks down just as we reach near the end so spoilt it a bit.
Next we go on Dragons Challenge (or whatever duelling dragons is now called) We go on the red side. This is a first for me and it is pretty extreme, We seem to have lost Megan's hat so go back and luckily enough it had been found on the seat. While we are back at the start of the ride we go back on to try the blue side. I must admit I do feel a bit sick now. I think on future trips I will just go on one of the colours and not both!
We stop to have a butter beer and to take in the atmosphere
I love the snow on the buildings with the sun and blue sky in the background
Maurice takes a great family photo of the three of us
It is now time to go to the rest of the park as it gone 9 and the area is getting very busy. We plan to go on the wet rides last so off to spiderman we go and take advantage of our front of the line passes. A great time is had by all on this favourite.
We go on Hulk next and I just have to go on this again as I loved it so much although I still feel a bit sick from the previous roller coaster. I do love the Hulk and it did not disappoint.
As it is getting hot we decide to go on the wet rides next starting with the tame jurrassic park. Next is Mark's favourite part of the whole holiday, and he has saved loads of quarters up so he can use them to get the riders wet on Dudley Doo rite ripsaw falls. Great fun is had by all
We get straight on the popeye barge ride and of course we are all soaked, the kids go back on again as they love it so much. We queue up for the Dudley Doo ride but it is broken and we wait about half an hour before they say that the ride has closed as they are not sure how long it will take to fix. We are all very disappointed.
We are also very hungry so go off to citywalk to see what to have for lunch. We want to sit outside as everyone is wet (except for me as I have put my spare dress on!)
There is nowhere that seems to have outside seating so we go into Bubba Gumps. The food and service is very good and me and Lisa get some very refreshing cocktails
These are delicious
Lisa finally manages to order the Florida Key Lime pie and it does not disappoint. The waiter is the same one we had last year and he comes and does a little Forrest Gump quiz with us.
We decide to go back to the hotel to lie in the sun. The early mornings have caught up with Mark and Maurice who both fall asleep. I find the room way too cold and would have liked to have sat outside like in the treehouse. Instead me, Lisa and Jack and Megan go to the pool. Kirsty stays in the room to watch TV (and have a nap). We sit by the big pool for a while. I go off to find what the other pools are like and find the quiet pool is sure very quiet.
I sunbathe for half an hour and then go back to the room to get ready for our last night which has to be spent at the wonderful hard rock cafe. I have a collection of glasses (thanks to Mandymouse I now have even more!!)
Here is a selection
On the way back to the room I take a couple more photos of the resort
This one from the window just before getting to our room
Kirsty has had a relaxing afternoon
Lisa and her family come into our room and we have a few drinks before we go out. We walk to the Hard Rock and take the obligatory night shot before getting to the restaurant
We have our group photo taken (which we buy later) and are seated in a separate area. We have been seated here before on a previous visit and are not sure if we would prefer to be nearer the action but we still have a great time as usual. Me and Lisa order some fab cocktails
And we have to order our traditional natchos starter
We have an amazing last night at our favourite restaurant and realise how sad we are to be flying home tomorrow.
We take more photos before leaving the restaurant
One last visit to the Hard Rock shop and I buy a pair of golden guitar earrings.
We start to walk back to the hotel and notice a courtesy bus sitting waiting to take us back to the hotel so don't hesitate to pile on
This is a nice way to get back to the hotel, our very own complementary bus
The bus drops us off at the front of the hotel so have a fun half hour trying out all the props!!!
We run around like children (oh yes some of us are) having the time of our lives giggling and goofing about
It is a beautiful evening and the astmosphere is electric
We have had a brilliant last night
We eventually head back to our room and stop off at a random lounge by the lift
We have a few more drinks back in our room and all agreed what a great holiday we have had and decide that we want to go back on Forbidden Journey tomorrow morning before heading for the airport, so we need to get up early. We go into our own rooms and the fire alarm goes off (well instead of alarm it is a recorded voice saying it is an alarm) so we end our trip in the same way as we began it. We meet up in the corridor and all the lights are flashing. We then hear another voice telling us it was a false alarm and to stay put, so luckily there is no evacuation this time. We finally go back to our rooms (but not before I manage to break a glass in Lisa's room first) and fall happily asleep
Susan
We are up very early so we can take advantage of the extra early hour which on-site guests are given.
We arrive before the gates are open and are one of the first in the queue. It is very exciting. Eventually the gates open and everyone runs towards the other side of the park to get to Harry Potter land. I feel just as good as I felt last July when we were here last. The themeing is brilliant
There is a fair queue by the time we use the lockers for Forbidden Journey and unfortunately as the ride has broken down we have to wait. We are "stuck" in the bit where it snows and there are two differents scenes filmed here so is not as repetitive as it could have been.
We eventually get on the ride and is just as good as I remember it although it breaks down just as we reach near the end so spoilt it a bit.
Next we go on Dragons Challenge (or whatever duelling dragons is now called) We go on the red side. This is a first for me and it is pretty extreme, We seem to have lost Megan's hat so go back and luckily enough it had been found on the seat. While we are back at the start of the ride we go back on to try the blue side. I must admit I do feel a bit sick now. I think on future trips I will just go on one of the colours and not both!
We stop to have a butter beer and to take in the atmosphere

I love the snow on the buildings with the sun and blue sky in the background

Maurice takes a great family photo of the three of us

It is now time to go to the rest of the park as it gone 9 and the area is getting very busy. We plan to go on the wet rides last so off to spiderman we go and take advantage of our front of the line passes. A great time is had by all on this favourite.
We go on Hulk next and I just have to go on this again as I loved it so much although I still feel a bit sick from the previous roller coaster. I do love the Hulk and it did not disappoint.
As it is getting hot we decide to go on the wet rides next starting with the tame jurrassic park. Next is Mark's favourite part of the whole holiday, and he has saved loads of quarters up so he can use them to get the riders wet on Dudley Doo rite ripsaw falls. Great fun is had by all

We get straight on the popeye barge ride and of course we are all soaked, the kids go back on again as they love it so much. We queue up for the Dudley Doo ride but it is broken and we wait about half an hour before they say that the ride has closed as they are not sure how long it will take to fix. We are all very disappointed.
We are also very hungry so go off to citywalk to see what to have for lunch. We want to sit outside as everyone is wet (except for me as I have put my spare dress on!)
There is nowhere that seems to have outside seating so we go into Bubba Gumps. The food and service is very good and me and Lisa get some very refreshing cocktails

These are delicious

Lisa finally manages to order the Florida Key Lime pie and it does not disappoint. The waiter is the same one we had last year and he comes and does a little Forrest Gump quiz with us.

We decide to go back to the hotel to lie in the sun. The early mornings have caught up with Mark and Maurice who both fall asleep. I find the room way too cold and would have liked to have sat outside like in the treehouse. Instead me, Lisa and Jack and Megan go to the pool. Kirsty stays in the room to watch TV (and have a nap). We sit by the big pool for a while. I go off to find what the other pools are like and find the quiet pool is sure very quiet.

I sunbathe for half an hour and then go back to the room to get ready for our last night which has to be spent at the wonderful hard rock cafe. I have a collection of glasses (thanks to Mandymouse I now have even more!!)
Here is a selection

On the way back to the room I take a couple more photos of the resort

This one from the window just before getting to our room

Kirsty has had a relaxing afternoon

Lisa and her family come into our room and we have a few drinks before we go out. We walk to the Hard Rock and take the obligatory night shot before getting to the restaurant

We have our group photo taken (which we buy later) and are seated in a separate area. We have been seated here before on a previous visit and are not sure if we would prefer to be nearer the action but we still have a great time as usual. Me and Lisa order some fab cocktails

And we have to order our traditional natchos starter

We have an amazing last night at our favourite restaurant and realise how sad we are to be flying home tomorrow.
We take more photos before leaving the restaurant

One last visit to the Hard Rock shop and I buy a pair of golden guitar earrings.
We start to walk back to the hotel and notice a courtesy bus sitting waiting to take us back to the hotel so don't hesitate to pile on

This is a nice way to get back to the hotel, our very own complementary bus

The bus drops us off at the front of the hotel so have a fun half hour trying out all the props!!!


We run around like children (oh yes some of us are) having the time of our lives giggling and goofing about


It is a beautiful evening and the astmosphere is electric

We have had a brilliant last night

We eventually head back to our room and stop off at a random lounge by the lift

We have a few more drinks back in our room and all agreed what a great holiday we have had and decide that we want to go back on Forbidden Journey tomorrow morning before heading for the airport, so we need to get up early. We go into our own rooms and the fire alarm goes off (well instead of alarm it is a recorded voice saying it is an alarm) so we end our trip in the same way as we began it. We meet up in the corridor and all the lights are flashing. We then hear another voice telling us it was a false alarm and to stay put, so luckily there is no evacuation this time. We finally go back to our rooms (but not before I manage to break a glass in Lisa's room first) and fall happily asleep
Susan