Going back to do what we missed last time Day 5 Aquatica

[Emma Y]

Cast; Me Emma 40 You'll be relieved to kinow there are no photos of
me in my tankini
DH Jim 43 Won't go anywhere near a swimming pool at home,
but enjoys the water parks
DD Kirsty 8 Can't wait to go to Aquatica
DS James 4 The wetter the better

Obviously the whole day is a new experience due to Aquatica not being open for very long.

Day 5 Sunday 6th April Aquatica

We woke around 6.15, the kids watched some weird cartoon on the telly while Jim and I packed the last few things. We were ready to roll at around 8 o'clock.

We checked out of the hotel and put our suitcases into the luggage room. We decided on Sizzlers for breakfast and I made up for last time by having more, also made sure we all had some fruit as the kids were in danger of getting scurvy. We left Sizzlers at about 1/4 to 9 and caught the I ride trolley which takes you right into Aquatica and stops at the entrance. We arrived at about 9 o'clock.



Although it was overcast and a bit cooler today, there were plenty of people coming into the park. Once inside we were a bit unsure where to go. Eventually found the lockers and changed and hired a couple of towels.
Kirsty wanted to buy some flip flops so while we were in the shop I managed to get a park map, they could have done with giving you one of these when you came in the gate. We also bought the all you can eat deal at the Bananaboat cookout from a kiosk near the entrance. We then found a shady sunlounger on the beach by the wave pool to leave our towels, suncream etc. and then went off in search of slides.

We started off with Whanau way, but before we climbed the stairs, we noticed a sign saying that little squirts like James needed a life vest, so he and Jim went off to find one while Kirsty and I stayed with the rubber rings. They weren't gone long and we got to ride, I went on with Kirsty and the boys went on together, it was a fun slide and we went straight back on. The kids wanted to do it again but Jim and I wanted to do some of the other slides and we win because we're bigger than them.
We did Tassie's Twisters next because Kirsty wanted to do that one where you're flushed down the toilet, you could watch other people as you queued which was quite entertaining, especially when they disappeared head first down the drain which some of them did. It was great fun and luckily Kirsty and I went down feet first. This slide leads you into the lazy river which is a lot shorter than the Disney waterparks, but you get to see some fish. After we'd done that we wandered over to Walkabout waters which is the kiddie bit and let them play while I sat in the shallows and watched, Jim went off in search of more slides and I enjoyed the sun which had decided to come out after all. After quite a long time, Jim came back and said he'd been on a slide which Kirsty would love and that I should take her on it. I sent him in to round up the kids and we went over to the Taumata Racer which was right next door. For those who don't know, this is a toboggan ride, you ride in a line so you can race if you want to. The first part is in an enlosed tube which is quite windy (that is windy as in watch not windy as in beans ), then the second part, you come out of the enclosed tube and slide down what is a very steep drop - head first , scary but exhilarating at the same time. Jim and James watched and James said he wanted to go on it. I was a bit dubious, but he was tall enough so thought that the worst that could happen is that he would be a bit upset and not want to go on it again. How wrong was I ? He absolutely loved it and we rode it twice more after that.

It was nearly 12 and we hadn't felt the benefit of our all you can eat deal yet, so we thought we'd better do something about it. We had a couple of visits to the buffet each, which was salads, burgers, hot dogs (Kirsty breathed a sigh of relief as she was getting withdrawal symptoms), BBQ chicken, corn on the cob etc. You can help yourself to soft drinks and coffee too, I may be wrong, but I thought that some of the drinks tasted watered down.

Now if I had been my kid's age, I would have had to wait an hour after my lunch before so much as a toe could be dipped in the water, but because I am parent of the year (not), we went straight into Roa Rapids which is like a lazy river with attitude, you don't take any tubes on you just float round or swim really fast ! Kirsty wore a life jacket so that she could float round, although I think she may have had to wear one anyway because of her height. While we were in there it started pelting down with rain, then the thunder started, and we were told to get out, this was easier said than done as the current was so fast and strong, Kirsty went flying past the exit, I managed to grab her hand, then a man grabbed my hand and hauled us both out (he was very strong)!
We walked about a bit ( we don't mind a bit of rain, we live in Scotland) and soon the thunder had stopped and the slides were opened again.
We were close to Kata's Kookaburra Cove which was the other kiddie area and while Jim watched the kids, I nipped back to our stuff and got the waterproof camera as I hadn't taken any other photos yet,












It started thundering again so we had to leave the water again, so we went back to our stuff which we had left on the beach and found that the lifeguards were clearing people off the beach too. We went back to the locker area to put our surplus stuff there. We sheltered there as it started pelting down again. As it eased off we went back over to the Banana Beach cookout to get some drinks. By the time we had finished them, the slides were open again so we thought we'd try the raft rides, Jim had noticed them when he had been exploring earlier. There was a longer queue for the Walhalla wave so we went on the Hoo Roo run first, it is a straight down slide with humps like an astroglide, Jim went down backwards and screamed like a big girl. We then went on Walhalla wave, the queue was longer but not unbearable. This was great fun too, some of the tube was enclosed for this one, it was longer than the Hoo Roo run, but not such a fast drop. We decided to call it a day as we'd done everything we wanted to. We got dressed and paid one more visit to the cookhouse for some food and a drink and we left the park. I took a couple of photos on the way,





Now I've posted them I think I am a big liar and that I actually took these on the way in.

I would have liked to have taken more photos but the weather was so yukky I didn't.

We went to the trolley stop and waited for a trolley



Well I think they're cute even though the rest of my family think I'm barmy.

We caught the trolley back to the Quality Inn Plaza and got our suitcases out of storage and got them to phone us a taxi. As we waited, the rain came on again. The journey to the Sheraton Safari was quite short, I meant to make a note of the taxi fare but I forgot, it wasn't too bad though. We liked the reception area, a bit more swish than the QIP. The kids were giving colouring packs and crayons. We asked to hire a fridge which was $5 a day. We had to go back outside to get to our accommodation block and it was almost ankle deep! quite liked that at certain times of the day, you needed a room card to get into the lift area and when we got out of the lift we were in a carpeted corridor rather than the outside corridors of the QIP. Our room on the top floor and I managed to take a photo of it this time

Continued ...

[Guest]

wow sounds like a good day, shame bout the weather!

[Emma Y]

The room wasn't actually as dark as it looks in the photos, it didn't help that in my haste to get the photo taken, I didn't turn on all the lights.

We unpacked a bit then went down to the shop, they had run out of milk, but the man in the shop said that the restaurant would give us some free of charge. We bought some crisps and cookies and I went back up to the room with the kids while Jim went to get the milk and have a sneaky beer as they didn't have any in the shop (didn't get that for free though)!

We watched the two Charlie and the Chocolate factory films back to back and went to sleep about 9ish.

It had been a great day, we really enjoyed Aquatica and we would definately go back, we were very surprised when we got back that a lot of people don't like it, but each to their own.

Tomorrow A much needed rest day ! and Downtown Disney

Emma

[dizzyc]

Sounds like you had a great day at Aquatica - would you say the "all you can eat" cookout was worth the money? My kids drink loads and my son can eat non-stop all day so I was thinking of booking this on their website before we go.

[tiggerfan144]

Id like to know that too did you get your moneys worth out of the meal deal

[ely3857]

Nice day, shame about the weather!



Jodie

[KazzyP]

Really enjoying reading your trippies

[Emma Y]

We wouldn't do the meal deal again, we had lunch and tea out of it but we had the same food for both so got a bit boring (although Kirsty will eat hot dogs till they come out of her ears so she was happy) I wasn't keen on the fizzy drinks either as they tasted watered down to me, I personally would have been happy with a bottle of water. I wouldn't dismiss it though, just because it didn't suit us, there are plenty of people it would be ideal for, if we had taken my 16 year old nephew, it would have been well worth it !

Emma

[Guest]

Aquatica sounds really good, great day!

[TinkTatoo]

Sounds like another great day