And Then There Were Three... The Big 18/21 20 May 2019

[Dixiechic]

Index is here

Didn’t sleep very well last night. Kept waking up. Typical when I could have a bit of a lie in today.

The plan was to leave around 9, get some gas and then go to volcano bay for when it opened at 10. Phoebe said she didn’t want to go and was still stressing about having not long left and people were going home and we still hadn’t done this and that.

I then spent a while on the phone booking premium seating which meant we had padded beds and a locker where we were seating. I also got 2 meal plans as well.

We eventually left at 9.30 and stopped for gas at the race track. These petrol stations are amazing. They have a tiny little area for people to pay for gas and sundries and the rest of the space is taken up with coffee, Ice cream, grab and go food items.

We arrived at the universal parking lot just before 10.30 - volcano bay doesn’t have its own parking lot so unlike Disney you have to pay $25 to park in the main garage. This is the first parking we’ve had to pay this trip and I didn’t like it!

It all gets very faffy now and I’m not a fan of faffing about. We parked the car. We then had to go through bag check whilst still in the lot and I had to stop at the will call machines to swipe my card and put in my reference to get the tickets for the seating and the meals plans. We then have to join the queue for the bus and go on a 5 minute bus journey to the entrance of volcano bay. It’s then a fair walk to the actual entrance where you scan your ticket. You then get given a tapu tapu band to wear which you use to reserve times for the popular/busy rides.

We then had to go to the concierge desk to get allocated our seating. Finally we get set up, have a quick look at the map which doesn’t make a lot of sense and decide that we’re so hot we just need to get in the pool and cool down. We get in and the wave machine klaxon goes off. The waves start and stop after about 4 waves. A bit disappointing but at least the floor isn’t as rough as typhoon lagoon.

We set off and see which ride we come to first. There are 2 family raft type rides similar to the cyclone at center parcs. They are both ‘ride now’ so we don’t have to get a return time but we still have to scan in with our bands which I don’t really get.

100 steps to get to the top and it looks pretty hairy. You get weighed as a group to make sure the raft is safe. Off we set and Phoe cried like a baby the whole way down. We then did the other one which was more enclosed and not quite so bad. Had a quick go in the lazy river.

It was now after half 12 and no one had eaten any breakfast so we started looking at the menus for lunch. My plan behind purchasing 2 meal plans was that we would share the 2 meals and 2 snacks between us but both girls were hungry and needed a burger each, and I ended up with a third burger. Long story short - all 3 of us left some chips, jas and I left almost half a burger each and Phoe left some of hers. 2 would have been plenty!

We were boiling hot again now so headed back to the pool getting 3rd degree burns on our feet from the hot sand - jas doesn’t like water parks and said she was done after the first few rides but she came with us. They had just started the waves again and it was much better this time. Both girls loved it and had proper smiles on their faces.

I tried to take some pics but my phone had the ‘phone needs to cool down before use’ message!
We then did a couple more raft rides, went in the fearless river - you have to wear a life jacket in this one and it really whips you along. We kept making our legs to a running motion and it was like being usain bolt. We got a return time for the aqua coaster which was 125 minutes - we should have done this first thing but we had no clue about the layout having not been here before so just worked our way round.

We went back to our beds - jas napped, Phoe was on her phone and I ready my book until 10 minutes before our return time. We then had a quick go in the waves and made our way round to the coaster. This is where it goes wrong (a familiar theme!) - jas has already called tiding in the back but when we got to the top and weighed it was lightest at the front, heaviest at the back so she wasn’t too happy. The front person then had to cross their ankles hanging out of the boat.

Just before we loaded, the rafts stopped as a previous guest had lost their tapu tapu band on the way down and it had to be retrieved for safety purposes.

The ride was really good but the low level bumping hurt my head. As we went up the hill to get off, Jas was in tears as the pressure had really hurt her ankles. Jas is not a crier so I knew it was bad. She stormed off back to beds and grabbed her stuff to go and get changed.

When she came back, Phoe and I nipped to do a couple of the 2 person tube rides and a lady go in the fearless river. On the way a small fly flew into phoebe’s eye which meant she would never see again and was about to lose an eye.

We headed back to jas. Phoe went to get changed and then we had the reverse bus faffing. When we got back to the car we dumped the stuff and then headed to Islands of Adventure where Phoe wanted to meet captain America and had wanted to look st the marvel pop heads.

Unfortunately the meet and greets finished at 5 and it was now after 8 (time for a mint chocolate). Jas got a couple of key ring mystery packs and we used our 2 snack credits on some pretzel prices and crisps and jas had a hot dog.

We left via voodoo doughnuts, headed back to the car and got home at 10, totally shattered!

No gdog lookalikes.

PHOEBE’S VERSION OF EVENTS BELOW:

Day 18 - Volcano Bay

Set the alarm for 8am but didn’t get up until about quarter past. Showered and dressed ready for some water park fun. I’d heard really good things about Volcano Bay, people say its better than the Disney ones!

I’d been banging on about this Cabana I’d seen someone post about. They’d said they’d booked one for the two of them, the waiter service included and a locker big enough to fit a rucksack in for only $85! Mum kept saying it seemed too cheap and tried to look on the website. She ended up phoning them from the house phone and booking it there and then. She also added a dining plan on for two of us.

We then left just before half 9 and stopped at the Racecar for gas. Mum went in to pay and then stated we needed to take a trip back there because they had a salad bar, a sandwich bar and a massive section dedicated to coffee. Only a tiny area to actually pay for your gas. She then started the clean the window with a giant sponge stick thing for the fun of it because it happened to be there.

Fun over, we continued to Universal. Parked in the Volcano Bay section and got the bus over to the water park. Mum swapped our tickets and got our dining cards, I gave them strict instructions to keep every piece of memorabilia they collected ready for the scrap book. It’s all about the Demems people! (Dementia memories).

We then went to check in and go to our Cabana. We’d walked past some, they looked lush. Two big sun beds with an extra chair, a fridge, lockers, and air con! I was hoping for an upstairs one. We checked in with the lady and a couple next to us asked if they had any left and the lady said they’d sold out, only ones they had left we’re $485! Should of phoned up and booked shouldn’t you! I was smirking to myself as we followed the instructions to take the path then someone will assign us to our seating. Once we got there and the lady had taken us to our ‘Cabana’ I was confused. This was not a Cabana. This was nothing like a Cabana. It was two sun beds, a locker and a mesh net looking thing which you could pull over to stop the sun getting in. Think of an igloo sliced in half. Turns out we’d booked Premium Seating. Not a flipping Cabana. I blame the women who posted on fb to say Cabana!

We then sorted our stuff out and headed over to the first of the rides. Two big raft rides. We’d walked all the way to the top and started with the blue one. As I watched people go down I decided I didn’t want to do it anymore. After the first drop, you get flung up a wall that’s not a wall, and all I could think of was we’re gonna die. This does not look safe. I continued to protest I wasn’t doing it. I did it. And I cried like a baby the whole way down. Screaming I didn’t feel safe. They basically tell you to hold on for dear life, otherwise you’ll plummet to your death. I couldn’t hold on and hold my sunglasses from falling off either, which of course ensures more panic that I’m going to die. If I do die on this trip, I want my funeral to be the biggest party of all time. Photos of me everywhere.

I was then dragged up to do the green one after my first ordeal. This one was marginally safer. Only marginally. We went in the wave pool and it has about 4 waves and stopped. Brilliant. We then went back to our so called Cabana to have a sit down. It was 12:20 by this time! Jas was hungry by this time so mum and I had gone to find food. We’d gotten two bacon cheeseburgers and a Reku or something like that. This were messy, but delicious. About 2 seconds after we’d finished eating, we went to the wave pool again. This was amazing! Continuous big waves for at least 5 minutes, if not more. It was very jumpy, trying not to be drowned by the waves and I’m thinking, this is too soon after food to be doing this! Don’t think I’ve seen Jas laugh like this in ages.

We then headed to the Lazy Rivers. We’d heard you had to wear life jackets because it was violent. It was just rubber rings, no life jackets. Again thought this was the end of me. It was nothing like we’d heard, just a normal lazy river! We then headed over to the other two family raft rides. Again, the first one had the death wall, with less of the edge so to speak to stop you flying off. The people doing down we’re so close to the edge, but I guessed they’ve tried and tested all weights going down. They weigh your party before going on to see if you’re under the weight limit. A few parties got spilt up. I survived the first one to the brave the second one. We had to join a party of two as you have to have a minimum of 3 to ride this. Adding more weight to the raft makes you go higher! This one didn’t have a wall. Thank god. Just a normal flume.

We then came to the fast rapids lazy river thing. Life jackets provided, it was hilarious. It’s only 1.1m deep so you can touch the floor, however if you did the current would sweep you away and you’re flying like Superwomen. If your legs were on the floor you had to do a Usain Bolt to keep up. Felt like we were running so fast, we went round this a few times before getting out and heading back the the Cabana not a Cabana.

Jas was going to nap but just sat with her phone and headphones. She’s moaned about 40 times that she doesn’t like sand, then she doesn’t like water parks and then said she didn’t like sun. Mum went to read her book on a different sun bed because there was no space in the fake Cabana. I then moved to mum after a while and napped for about 15 minutes.

We then headed over to the wave pool again before our time slot for the aqua coaster.

Once we were, Jas declared she wanted to sit at the back. They’d put us in weight order so mum at the back and Jas at the front. She then said she didn’t want to do it anymore. They then stopped the ride as someone had lost their taputapu on the ride so someone had to go in and get it. It was then our turn to be loaded on. Jas was told to remove her hat, which she didn’t like and then to cross her ankles over as she was at the front. This was again hilarious. Great drops, mum and I made the same noises going down each one. It takes you right into the Volcano too. Just as we were pulling up to get off, this is where it goes wrong, Jas lost it and said she’d never wanted to come on this ride and she’s now hurt her ankles by crossing them and making sure they stayed crossed for the ride and wanted to then leave. She walked back at the speed of light to the non Cabana and waited for us to get the key. She was proper crying as she walked off. She then got her stuff and stormed off to her changed. I followed her but she wouldn’t speak to me. She then made a march for the exit when I was stood shouting after her that we’re sat down here. She then came back demanding the exit was that was, to my response of how will mum know you want to go unless you go back and tell her.

Mum was then ready to go, so I moaned at just because she’s had a wobble we now have to leave. We were supposed to be going back into Islands of Adventure so I could meet Captain America. And we’d already binned of Hollywood Studios as we are going there tomorrow afternoon. It was then all a big drama about where we were going and what we were doing. Jas then stayed at the Cabana in disguise, while mum and I went to the two man raft and the crazy rapid, life jacket, lazy river. The rafts were no queue so we walked straight on both.

It then took us ages to find the mental river. A fly then flew into ma eye and I was blinded. I could feel it crawling around. It felt like a giant love bug. Mums shouting at me to open my eye and I’m yelling at her I can’t. She’s then yelling it will just wash out. I’m yelling it won’t and I’m going blind. All whilst we’re still trying to find the river. She’s telling me to keep blinking and it will flush it out. I’m yelling she would be reacting the way I was if she had one in her eye. I then stated my vision had blurred and I was concerned now. A staff member stopped and asked if we were okay and mum explained what had happened. She then advised us to walk down the steps and ask for some water to wash it out with at the bar. mum started to care at this point. The bar then told her to go else where as they were shut. After some words we then continued to the river, me still blinded. The plan was to shove my head under and open my eye before we got whisked away.

As soon as we were life jacketed in, mum then started to help this little girl who’d been pushed towards the exit of the river and separated from her dad around the corner. I then got pulled in too so had no time to de fly my eye. I finally opened my eye and couldn’t feel it in there anymore. Sunglasses were firmly stuck to my face so this incident didn’t occur again.

We then made our way back to Jas and I went to get changed but there was a massive queue to took me ages. As we were walking back towards the buses. The dreaded fly made its return in my eyeball and I’m screaming it’s still in there. Now I’m the corner of my eye, I was able to get it. It was the smallest thing known to man. But boy did if feel huge in my eye.

We then got on the bus back to the car, where people don’t understand “move all the way back to the bus, fill all the available space in”.

We then dumped the stuff in the car and made our way to meet Mr America. We then entered into the park and Jas is looking for some Pop Heads in the Avengers, when mum announces Cap left at 4:45. Heartbroken, I went to sit outside the shop. I then spotted Aunty Ann’s Pretzals so that cheered me up a bit. We used a snack credit to get these and then went to find Jas some food. She fancied a hot dog from next door. You couldn’t use the snack credit against this and mum clarified this as she ordered it. The women said she couldn’t, which to Jasmine read as, you can’t have one. She then walked off again. Mum got the hotdog. I then said I was going to the fudge shop and Voodoo doughnuts before we went after her.

I then went to the restroom whilst mum went to locate Jas. We’d gotten some Vanilla and Birthday cake fudge to try. I then headed to Voodoo where they met me. Orders a pink delight, Captain Crunch, purely for Captain America. A raspberry filled one and a mango thing for mum. We then headed back to the car and mum still can’t understand Sat Nav instructions or directions. She thinks take a left in 2.8 miles is the next left in about 2 meters and screams out each time “JAS IS IT THIS ONE? ” No mum it’s in 2.8 miles!

Home in once piece, amazingly. We then sat out with a cuppa and a doughnut and Jas went to bed. Mum has already killed a giant Fred before we went out and about 10 minutes after sitting outside we heard more scuttling and said we’d go in shortly. Just after we said that, it was like all the Freds were uniting against us and the whole cast of bugs life started to scuttle and we ran for it. Finished the blog inside and then had a late night to bed!

Lay in tomorrow as we’re not heading to the park until the afternoon to meet Dad, Teresa, Sarah and Reece!

[Loopylooloo]

Demems! Lol. I shouldn’t laugh but your description of the fly in the eye incident was very funny Phoebe. Glad you can see now. I think your cabana not cabana was pretty cool anyway. Good old mum for booking it. Great photo of you and Jas smiling in the wave pool.x

[Inky]

Love volcano bay , but we stay at RPR so short bus journey from hotel

[MaryMendes]

I agree with you that VB is a lot of faffing. I found it better on my second visit when I knew what to expect.

[Dixiechic]

Originally Posted by Loopylooloo

Demems! Lol. I shouldn’t laugh but your description of the fly in the eye incident was very funny Phoebe. Glad you can see now. I think your cabana not cabana was pretty cool anyway. Good old mum for booking it. Great photo of you and Jas smiling in the wave pool.x

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I was trying to get a decent one of them smiling but couldn’t see a thing on the phone screen. Got back and there are none of them both smiling!

[Dixiechic]

Originally Posted by MaryMendes

I agree with you that VB is a lot of faffing. I found it better on my second visit when I knew what to expect.

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I think we’d be the same!

[eleele]

Mmmm, those mango doughnuts from Voodoo are the best!

Another great day, I'm so enjoying your trip report!

[collybird]

It does sound like a lot of faffing at Volcano Bay but I love the idea of the return times.

[margyloveswdw]

VB sounds a little bit of a faff and I'm loving Phoe's description of her near death experience on raft rides never mind the going blind by fly incident!

[mick]

Sounds like a good day


Joan