~#~ The one the kids don't know about... Day 2 ~#~

[Reetser]

The one the kids don't know about! Day 2. 4th August 2009

Need to catch up?
Pre-trip report here
The Big Reveal here
Day 1 here

Hi there Thanks for stopping by.

DAY 2

Well despite such a late night and long travel day yesterday the kids were awake for 5.45am In fairness to them they were very very quite but I could hear them whispering and I could hear the telly on low! I managed to ignore it sufficiently to roll over and sleep in till 7! I have to say it was one of the best 'first' nights sleeps I have had in all the visits and I didn't want to get up! Normally I am up with them at 5 something or other as we make an early start in a park but I think the fact that we had little in the way of plans for today my body was taking advantage!

Our main priority for today was to go to DTD for a 3pm ADR in T-Rex (which was a surprise for the kids) so as we had lots of time to relax we thought we would start the day with a breakfast out of the apartment. Over the years we have done the usual breakfast places but we had never tried the ihop and therefore decided that this morning would be our maiden visit! We all had a great feed in here and we thoroughly enjoyed finishing off with a pancake or two!

Katie wanted to take a picture of her 'smiley' face pancake!



By the time we had finished breakfast we decided that it was too early to make our way to DTD so we decided on a visit up to Premium Outlets for a mooch. Karen had been after a pair of 'Fit Flops' before coming away and as she couldn't find a pair she liked back home she decided to wait until we came away. This sounded a good idea in theory but the reality of being dragged from shoe shop to shoe shop was never going to sit at the top of the kids list of activities for today (or mine for that matter!) We just kept telling the kids that 'their' time would come later if they were patient now!

After a circuit or two of this outlet and a visit to just about every shoe shop (without success!) we decided to make the short trip over to DTD. On the way back to the car the kids had 5 minutes play in the kids play area. This area really is for little ones but Rees doesn't seem to mind!



We arrived at DTD around 12 pm and I decided to park over on West Side as we haven't really done this side over the last few years. We just always seem to go to Market place and park on that side.

When we got out of the nice air conditioning of the car it was very noticeable how hot it was! We have been in the heat & humidity of September before but this is our first August visit and we found it to be very similar. A few moments outside and you can feel the beads of sweat forming down the centre of your spine! We parked by the old Virgin Mega Store and walked past to notice that this was now a Princess Diana tribute display which just seems very weird!

Not much shade to hide!



Our first port of call was to surprise the kids with a ride in the balloon if a) it was running and b) it was affordable!

It was open and it was just affordable!













CONTINUED...

[Reetser]

This was a big thumbs up from all of us. The views from up here are fantastic as you can see for miles.























After touching back down again we decided to take a stroll over to the new Design-A-Tee shop which is on the very far side of Market Place. This meant a walk through Pleasure Island and most of Market Place which provided lots of air conditioned breaks for us as the heating had most definitely been turned up to full!



The kids chose the same design and the same phrase for their t-shirts with one in red and one in pink. The design was one of all the characters together with the phrase "Been There, Done That," (above the characters) and 'We Liked It So Much, That We Came Back!" underneath them with their respective names and WDW 2009. The T-Shirts are not cheap but then nothing involving Disney sold on Disney really ever is. I think the premium on these t-shirts however is worth it based on the fact that you can personalise them to say what you want.

The concept in here is you design and pay now and then collect later in the day so this worked out OK for us as we had our ADR booked but it's worth thinking about for anyone with a plan to just go a design them without much time.

With the time around 2.30 we decided to head back to the T-rex restaurant via the 'Art of Disney' (my favourite shop!). As we left this shop and stepped back out into the heat Katie came out with an absolute Gem of a question. She innocently turned to me after we exclaimed about how hot it was and said "Dad, what do they have to make it so hot?" "The sun!" I replied, "But it's not sunny now she said!"

Now as I sit and type it doesn't sound that funny but at the time we were all tickled by this innocent question. I suppose in her head this was just another one of those things that Disney can do and that they have this big radiator they can turn up!

I digress!



We have done a few of the Rain Forest cafes but this was the first time in T-Rex. It has just been too busy on our previous Florda visits and we thought we would let the novelty wear off before booking. That said when Karen tried to get the ADR for today there wasn't much availability. Clearly still a popular place!







CONTINUED...

[Reetser]

I Can't remember fully what everybody had but looking at these photos I seem to think we had a flat bread and salad to share for starters!





I think this photo of a Steak/Cheese sandwich was mine and the Pizza was Rees's.





With Karen having a Pulled Chicken Sandwich and Katie Macaroni Cheese.



We couldn't finish our sandwiches so we asked for a take out box so we could have some supper later! Because we were so stuffed we decided to skip on dessert and promised the kids an ice cream or similar later! Whilst we were in the T-Rex we decided that as a treat we would let the kids do 'build a Dinosaur'! It started off as a 'let's look' and when I first looked at the cost of the dinosaurs I was pleasantly surprised that they were around the $20 mark and thought that that wasn't too bad. Reluctantly I agreed (I am always soft at the start of the holiday!)

This is Katie's Dinosaur getting stuffed! Sorry, 'being born!'





After they had both chose their dinosaur it was then, "can we get some clothes Dad?' Clothes!

So 30 minutes later and $114 lighter we now had 2 new additions to the family! At this cost I am thinking about getting the bleading things insured!

The time was now 4.30 and it was just about passed our collection time for our T-shirts so that was our next stop. We headed back here via a few tactical 'air conditioned' shops and took another browse in the Art of Disney. I could spend hours in here!

We decided that it was maybe time to start heading back to the car as we just about as far away as we could possibly be! The problem with this plan was that as soon as we stepped out of the Art of Disney the rain started and as we all know Florida rain isn't the lightest! We managed to get to Pleasure Island with limited damage but as we got to Raglan Road the thunder was right over head and the rain like golf balls! We found ourselves trapped under a canopy with about 30 others all with the same idea of riding it out. After about 15 minutes of it simply getting heavier we decided that as we were right opposite the entrance to Raglan Road, it would be rude not to go in and sample a Guiness!

The 15 paces from shelter to door saw us sufficiently soaked! Whilst we were in here we got the kids an ice cream as promised whilst Karen enjoyed a large glass or two of wine! I on the other hand managed to make a pint of Guiness last an hour! Whilst we sat in here the kids took the opportunity to dress their Dinosaurs!









As the rain had finally passed we decided we would make our way to the car and head home. Last nights Publix stop was only for a few essentials so we called in again with a bit more of a list to the delight of the kids. With the shopping done we headed back to the apartment and got the kids in Bed for 8. We spent the evening watching telly and catching up on some emails. In the past Orange Lake has had wifi spots in selected areas but since our visit at Christmas this has now gone to resort wide which is a fantastic improvement!

We decided to turn in about 10 ish and I decided to watch my ipod. Readers of my last report will remember that the theme was Lee Evans as I put the entire box set onto my ipod to watch to unwind. This time I chose the 26 episodes that made up auf wiedersehen pet series 1 & 2 for my 'chill out' time I have to watch something to let Karen get off to sleep before I start snoring!

With the time now 11.15 I decided that it was time to give in. The alarm was set for 6am in the morning as we had a surprise ADR booked for breakfast!

SEE YOU REAL SOON!

Day 3 can be found here

[stationeryguru]

Looks like you had a wonderful day! Thanks for the photo's of T-Rex as we have an ADR for there in December. Look forward to reading more x

[simba]

Sounds like a great first day. I am confused where abouts is that balloon at as we don t think we have actually seen it when we've been to DTD but we have seen it from the I4.

[Guest]

Loving your trippie. Wow at your photos from the balloon.
Can't wait to read more:pop:.

[Guest]

Like your pancake Katie - very artistic!

[Guest]

balloon ride looks good,can i be cheecky and ask how much it was?

[Eeyore rocks]

Another great day.

That pancake look yum.

[walden64]

Another great report - love the Dinosaurs

Michelle