Day 10, Zip Lining At Gatorland, Teak Neighbourhood Grill - April 2016, Scottishnellies 2nd Live Flo

[scottishnellie]

So here we are halfway through our holiday already. We have done loads and it seems to be passing quickly! We have a few more 'free days' on the planner in the latter half though so the pace should slow down a bit. She says.

Today we would be zip lining at Gatorland! I was up at 7:30 today and Kieran up at 8. Woke the others, usual round of showers etc getting ready and left as planned at 9:20. We needed to be sure to be at Gatorland by opening at 10am as we had to get in using our tickets and make our way to the zip lining booth by 10:15 or lose our place.

I was nervous and excited about this in equal measure, having never done anything like this and being unsure how I would feel once I was up there. The other 3 were of course just bouncing with excitement, adrenaline junkies that they are! I had booked this through Orlando Groupon, paying $104 for the 4 of us ($139 – a 25% off code I had been emailed by Groupon) which includes admission to Gatorland. This was quite a saving against the $280 it would have cost to book with the park directly. Once I got the groupon you were supposed to phone Gatorland to book your spot, but having tried it once and it being a nightmare of options to dial number this for that, all done in a screeching hill billy voice, I gave up and emailed them. They emailed me the next day confirming my first choice of date and time was booked. Easy.

We arrived at 9:50 following google maps on the I-phone again (finding this far better than the villa sat nav as it's quicker to load up and start directing us) to find there was a queue waiting for opening so we joined it. Got to the counter at 10:07, presented the groupon print out, she took our details, checked everything off and gave us our park map. After a quick loo stop we made our way straight to the zip lining depot just in time at 10:14. We were checked off, given the paperwork to complete and told we would kit up at 10:25. As we were waiting there was a real rough woman with 2 kids came in. Right rough talking and looking and she was arguing with them that she was only 5 minutes late but they had clearly told her she wasn't zipping. She stormed out effing and blinding that they were racist so and so's while the staff radioed for security. I was just glad it appeared she would no longer be in our group! They must have sorted it out though as Kevin said he saw them kitted up later in the day.

We were joined by the rest of our group, 3 ladies and a man in their 50s, a couple in their 20s, and a mum with her daughter who looked about ages with Kieran. They were all nice.
We stood in a circle in the kit room in front of a hook with our set of gear on then then instructors talked us through how to put on each piece of equipment one at a time while they came round checking and tightening things. We watched a safety video about how to hook on and follow the yellow, orange and red warning markers. All very straightforward and even Kieran understood all he needed to do. Kitted up, off we went to climb the 77 steps up the first tower. After some photos we climbed to the top and got ready for our first slide. I was terrified. I can't lie. Kieran was away first, laughing and woo-hooing through the trees at the top of his voice. Hannah went next, then it was my turn. It was quite hard to make yourself walk off the edge and trust it would hold your weight but once off it was ok. Much faster than I expected! And you can't control which direction you face. I seemed to favour a bit of a rotation all the way over (trust me) so was a bit dizzy! The mum with the daughter swung over first, then her daughter refused to zip over and the instructor over there radioed to say she was crying. So the mum and daughter had to drop out then. Shame. After everyone landed at the next tower we climbed a couple of stories to the top of it and off for the next slide. Except this time they put you off backwards so they can take your photos as you zip away. It was even more weird going off backwards! But it was better than my first time. We continued like this zipping from tower to tower through the trees and at each one they would point out which alligators / crocs you were going over, with their names and info about them. I started to really enjoy it although I never mastered letting go with my arms stretched out to each side like my daredevil kids did! I was still hanging on the the central line.

Before the final zip, where 2 of you race each other over the turtle pond, we had to cross a high wooden bridge. Although you were all hooked up I found this the more nerve racking bit I think. Of course the kids ran and bounced their way over it, then I crawled and edged over it like Gillian McKeith in I'm a Celeb, then Kevin came bounding over behind me. The instructor laughed and said "wow he has heavy feet" and I explained no, he was just doing that to make me nervous!

In the final race zip Hannah just beat Kieran, and Kevin beat me by a country mile. We walked down the steps of the final tower and back to the kit room to take everything off. We all thoroughly enjoyed this. The kids positively LOVED it with Kieran declaring it was the best thing ever. And yes, I would definitely do it again. The whole thing took 90mins.

We viewed our photos which were great. They were $12 for each 5x7 or $15 for 8x10, or $58 inc tax for a CD with them all on. I of course bought the CD. I could hardy believe I had done it so having proof I had, and actually laughing in them, it had to be done! I am gutted I have no way of posting them on here from the CD though as we have no PC to view them with until we get home. I will just need to come back and add them in a couple of weeks.

The rope bridge we had to cross!

We went into the petting zoo next where the kids fed the animals (food was $2 per portion or 3 for $5). They loved this. I supervised hands scrubbed to the elbow like a pair of surgeons on the way out. The hand washing bits were really good mind you.

Then into the aviary where again they could feed the birds ($2 per seed stick or 3 for $5). Again they loved this. Again, hands scrubbed to the elbow!

It was now lunchtime. We went to Pearls Smokehouse where the kids both had hotdogs and fries

And Kevin and I shared pulled pork nachos (which was lush) and sweet potato fries

With 3 large diet cokes this came to $30 and everything was really nice. Loo breaks and some Dippin dots bought as dessert, we made our way around the rest of the park. I am not much if an animal person so I just let the kids lead the way, and the pace, and we followed them around. Once they had seen everything they were keen to head back to the villa for some pool time so we left at just after 2pm. By 2:30 I was plonked on my favourite sun lounger, face to the sun.

I love coming back to this pool. It's just fab to chill here. This was great until the kids started getting on each other's last nerve and were bickering too much. We got fed up listening to them so at 4:15 they were sent to their respective rooms (with all remote controls and electronics devices confiscated) for a time out for 45 minutes! Kevin and I enjoyed the peace, and when I checked on them Hannah was writing in her notepad and Kieran was playing with his Star Wars toys. So thankfully that sorted out some attitude issues and since 5pm (it's 6:30 now) they have been back to playing well in the pool.

We are going to head for showers to get ready soon as Kevin is desperate to go back to Teak Neighbourhood Grill for dinner, and since Wednesday is ladies night with $3 cocktails... Well, who am I to argue?

WORK IN PROGRESS, BE BACK TO UPDATE THE EVENING TONIGHT!.

Teak is a 25m drive from the villa and we arrived just after 8pm. As before, the atmosphere was great with a different singer playing acoustic guitar from last week, and the place was buzzing again. This time we sat outside as it was marginally warmed there than inside.

Kieran ordered the pulled pork quesadillas appetiser and the end we had to order him another portion of them, although Hannah and I both helped him with the second portion. These are absolutely delicious!

Hannah ordered the Smoking Gun chicken and ham thing that she had last week and scoffed it again.

I ordered the Chicken Sa-Teak (chicken satay) appetiser which was lovely, and enough for me given I had some of Kieran's quesadillas too.

Kevin looked and looked and finally ordered the Godzilla from a second menu the waitress brought over when he was struggling to decide. This thing has 1lb of meat in it before you even add the bacon, cheese, onion rings and all sorts of other stuff!

He managed it, but Kieran had to help him with the fries!

It did look amazing and Kevin has declared it the best burger he has ever eaten.

I worked my way through a couple of Peach Sangrias and a couple of Pink Stilletos from the $3 ladies night cocktail menu. Hic!

And the kids finished with an Ultimate Cronie each, which is a deep fried cinnamon donut, with dairy ice cream and fudge sauce.

When the waitress brought the check she said she had only charged us for one dessert as she had taken so long to bring the dessert menu when we had asked for it. It had taken a few minutes more than normal but she was really busy and it really hadn't bothered us.

We can't believe how great the food is in this place for the money. We might even try to make it there for a third time if we can.

Just popped back on to upload photos of the zip lining now I have access to them

[jorm35]

Glad to hear it's not just my kids who bicker and need time out! The zip lining looked amazing!

[k l is excited]

We have never been to Teak bar and grill I think this will be somewhere we will try on our return to Orlando your meals looked delicious. A lovely way to end another good day.

[margyloveswdw]

Very brave zip lining but it does sound like a fun experience! Teak looks lovely.

[JoJo88]

Oh my goodness you are braver than me, my hands and feet were going cold reading about you doing the zip lining! Well done brave lady!

Glad it's not just my kids who aren't perfect

Kevin did well with that burger, it looked absolutely massive! We've thought about trying Teak the last couple of trips and might do now seeing the food they do other than burgers as Daniel doesn't like them

Hope you have a fun day today! x

[Guest]

Really enjoying reading your reports

[missdopey]

What a treat day! The zip line adventure at gator land sounds amazing, what a great price too!

[ozzyowl1]

Great day, the zip line is on groupon at the moment and I was considering buying it for our summer trip, I'm definitely going to go for it now it sounds amazing - Thankyou x

[BriarRose]

I couldn't have done the zip-line, you were brave! Glad you all enjoyed it so much and seeing/feeding the animals, my two would have loved that.

Teak is definitely a to-do for me now

[Jake71]

The zip lining looks sounds fantastic, although I'm not sure I'd be brave enough. And OMG how good does the food look good at Teak and so reasonably priced. My DH and DS would love the Godzilla burger, that is right up their street. And the $3 cocktails are definitely up my street, Wednesday night will be Teak night for us 2018.