The Bare Necessities - Day 15 Wednesday 14th August 2019 IOA and Cowfish

[OB1LukeLucas]

Yay you finally got in the pool!
Another good day, you managed to do plenty of rides. I could just eat a Cowfish burger and some sushi. I would actually love a Moscow Mule...do you think you could make one for me so I could pretend drink it!?!

[Goldia]

Originally Posted by OB1LukeLucas

Yay you finally got in the pool!
Another good day, you managed to do plenty of rides. I could just eat a Cowfish burger and some sushi. I would actually love a Moscow Mule...do you think you could make one for me so I could pretend drink it!?!

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I'd love to share a Moscow Mule with you, but unfortunately I haven't got any limes, and the lime juice in a bottle isn't quite the same so I'll need to go shopping, I'll do one for you soon. Promise

[Floridadreams]

Originally Posted by Goldia

Day 15 More IOA fun Wednesday 14th August 2019

Day 15

The alarm had been set for 7.30 and I’d chosen Kong to wake us up, but unfortunately I didn’t make a note at the time of what he said to wake us up and I hadn’t even remembered it was Kong who was on the end of the phone until I started writing today up and was going through my notes. I’m sure he was great and got us moving!
For breakfast we continued with the eating up of all the snacks from our WDW haul.

We had some of the fruit cups.

Plus Dave had a muffin and the kids had cookies.

Mum sent a what’s app message asking what time we were supposed to be meeting. We’d arranged 8.30am, but Dad thought it was 9am so we were waiting by the lifts for them to finish getting ready. Dad was suffering today with a bit of a cold. Yep, full on man flu

We got to the park by 8.54am and before we did anything else I made everyone line up for a photo!

I gave the kids the choice as to whether to turn left or right. They chose left, which of course meant Hulk.

Now given my terror at riding RRR you would be forgiven for thinking I don’t like Hulk, but this is such a smooth ride. I love it. Mum and Dad sat this one out.

Next up was Doctor Doom’s Fear Fall. Mum and Dad waited this one out as well and we could see them when we were at the top so we were screaming and shouting to get their attention and Dad managed to get a video of us on here!

Mum and Dad came on Spiderman with us. We were off by 9.30am, I was pretty pleased as we’d only been in the park for 30 minutes and we’d done 3 rides already.

Onwards and we skipped all the wet rides, with a promise we would come back later!

We walked around to Kong and really enjoyed this, eating some the tubs of nuts we had brought with us we waited in the queue (it wasn’t a long queue, but we were peckish).

We tried to get the Jurassic Park photo, it just about worked.

But we also got a bonus photo of us all walking away!

We wandered through to Hogsmead and went straight to the castle for Forbidden Journey.

Mum and Dad both thought this was a really impressive ride, although Dad does look like he’s holding on pretty tight in the photo.

We were peckish again so we had some of the little mini Disney cookies while on the go.

Kate cast a few more spells, she was really getting the hang of it all and they were working brilliantly for her here.

Mum was loving the theming of it all and took loads of photos of the village.

Next up we wanted to do the Poseidon’s Fury show/walk through.

I like this and thinks it’s a fun attraction. It was the longest line for us today, as you just have to wait until the next show is ready to start. So, in the queue for we ate some of the crisps, more fruit and other bits and bobs…it was very dark though so no photos.

Believe it or not we were still hungry so we decided on an early lunch today from Fire Eaters Grill in The Lost Continent at IOA.

Dad was suffering from his cold and didn’t fancy anything and so just had water. The rest of us all had water too.

Max had chicken tenders with fries. Dave and me both had gyros with hummus. The gyros were really filling and I liked mine, I think if it had been later and I was more hungry I’d have got fries as the hummus as the side wasn’t great but as it was still early I didn’t mind. Kate had gyros with fries. Kate couldn’t eat all her fries and actually the rest of us didn’t eat them either, so we must have all been full. Mum had falafel gyros with hummus. She really liked her falafel and felt like the gyros was pretty stuffed with it.

The meal for the 5 of us came to $55. Not bad really. While we were eating it started raining, but we just shuffled further under the umbrella at the table and hoped to stay a little dry.

We carried on further around the park to Seuss Landing.

It had stopped raining, but as we came out of the rest rooms here it started raining. Again. So, we took shelter waiting for it to stop.

We went through the express line, which meant we missed out on the photo with the Sneeches in the queue to the High in the Sky Trolley train ride. The ride is ok, when it’s not wet it’s better as you can see more over the park.

Next up was the Carouseusal.

And we had to do One fish, Two fish.

I love this photo of me and Kate

And yes we got wet! Kate tried her best to avoid me getting a jet spray to the face, but it didn’t work.

We also did the Cat in the Hat.

We decided that we would go back and do the two wet rides we had missed out on and then head back to the hotel as the kids really wanted to try out the pool. We figured that we would do the Hogwarts Express back to US tomorrow sometime before we left.

First up was Bilge Rat Barges and we got absolutely soaked, properly drenched and it was hilarious

Here we all are pretty wet after Bilge Rat Barge’s.

And a selfie of me!

Then we went over to Rip Saw Falls.

The line took quite a while, but we got on in the end. We went as two groups of three.

Me, Mum and Dad. I wasn’t looking forward to being in the front of the boat! It’s a shame the photos haven’t come out so well.

Kate, Dave and Max.

And would you believe it as we walked back to the hotel the rain started . Again . The pool was closed due to thunder and lightning . So, we went up to the room. Housekeeping had already been which was a bonus and had left a little note to say that Kate’s cuddly toy had been having fun while we were out!

The kids shared some of the sour balls candy we had got from Goofy’s.

We ended up being stuck in the room all afternoon so didn’t get any pool time. We ventured out to the hotel bar and got a couple of drinks in Jake’s Bar. I think everyone in the hotel had the same idea as it was jam packed in here. We had to sit outside.

The kids both had cokes.

I had a Ginger Smash, wild turkey bourbon, ginger liqueur and lemon juice. I absolutely loved this drink it was very tasty and I could easily have drunk another. Dave had Gold Rush, essentially a whiskey sour as it was bourbon and lemon juice. He liked his.

Mum and Dad joined us as the rain was stopping so we made them down their drinks (sprite for Dad and Mojito for Mum) and made a dash for Citywalk.

On the walk a log fell off the wall and Kate had to dodge out of the way of it as it narrowly missed her head. Here is Max holding the offending log!

The kids had been keen to go to Cowfish as Kate loves sushi and Max loves burgers.

So, decision made then!

Max went for the Grasshopper milkshake which is a minty, chocolate masterpiece with vanilla ice cream, mint and shaved chocolate and is a mere $12 (although the menu said $11).

Kate went for Gimme More S’mores milkshake for $12 also, vanilla ice cream, double dark chocolate, marshmallows, crunchy graham crackers, topped with toasted marshmallow. Sorry the photo is so blurry.

I went for the Gin Sing, gin, crème de framboise, orange juice, lemon juice. This was a lovely cocktail and was gone way too quickly. Mum also had this and she really enjoyed hers, but hers seemed to last longer than mine did. Dave went for Bourbon Smash, bourbon, elderflower, lime juice, raspberries. Again he liked his, although it was more pink than he thought it would be (his is on the left, mine on the right).

Dad had a Ginger Ale.

We didn’t have any starters and just went straight for the main courses.

Kate and Mum both had the dozen sushi.

Max had the CBCLT burger but without the lettuce or tomato and the sauce on the side, so just cheese and bacon really.

Dad had the Dynamic Duo burger which had a rib in the burger.

Dave and me both had the Double Deuce sushi. There were loads of sushi and it was all really good. Some of them were quite spicy, all tasty. I couldn't quite eat it all but Kate helped me out

Dave and me also went back to an old favourite and had the Moscow Mule. This is a lovely drink, vodka, ginger beer, lime juice. It didn’t disappoint.

Max somehow managed to pour some of his drink down his T shirt, but at least he finished his.

Kate couldn't drink all her shake (just as I suspected) but Max was happy to help out.

The bill came to $207 before tax and tip.

Not bad really for main courses for 6 people, 5 cocktails and 2 awesome milkshakes. Most of the meals were around $16, the sushi Dave and me had was $25 each, so these were pricier and we both had 2 cocktails.

We were happy with our meal and as it had finally stopped raining we let the kids get changed and get into the pool for an hour before going to bed so at least they got a swim in the pool, even if the rest of us didn't.

I had thought we could go back into the parks to watch one of the night time shows, but we didn’t as the kids were keen to try the pool. So, we still haven’t seen the castle projection show or the movie night time show in US.

The day didn’t go quite to plan with the weather, but we really did have fun at IOA. We did all the rides we wanted and we got on the two wet rides which we hadn’t been able to do the day before due to the weather. While we didn’t get to go to the pool during the daytime at least the kids did have some fun for an hour in the evening after the meal. On the afternoon sitting in the hotel room I was pretty cross, looking back now at the photos it was a good day and we all enjoyed ourselves. Bilge rat barges and Rip saw falls were so much fun and we laughed a lot. I think I prefer IOA to Universal Studios, it's just a fun vibe with all the different areas and wandering around it today was fun. Even if I didn't appreciate it so much at the time.

Did I mention that it rained a bit today?

Statistics
Steps 21,303
Attractions 12

Coming Soon
Next up tomorrow it’s our last day, we catch some of our favourites at IOA and US before heading to Hard Rock Café for a final meal and the flight home. I did manage to upgrade the Universal tickets to Annual Passes for the princely sum of $0 though so that helped cheer us up.

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Oh how do you do the wake-up call? I didn’t realise you could get them in Universal too, I thought it was just Disney! I’d love to do it when we are staying at RPR!
Cowfish didn’t seem to bad cost wise for all of you! That’s on our list so glad to see it’s doable, even with cocktails 😉

[Goldia]

Originally Posted by Floridadreams

Oh how do you do the wake-up call? I didn’t realise you could get them in Universal too, I thought it was just Disney! I’d love to do it when we are staying at RPR!
Cowfish didn’t seem to bad cost wise for all of you! That’s on our list so glad to see it’s doable, even with cocktails 😉

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I love the wake up calls. It's really easy at Universal. There is the same button on the phone as Disney. I wish I'd taken a photo of the phone. But I didn't. It's another automated message so if you've done the phone wake up at Disney you'll know what to do as it's the same steps. Apart from the fact that you get to pick your character to wake you.

I hope you figure it out. Your countdown is looking good. Have a magical trip!

[Floridadreams]

Originally Posted by Goldia

I love the wake up calls. It's really easy at Universal. There is the same button on the phone as Disney. I wish I'd taken a photo of the phone. But I didn't. It's another automated message so if you've done the phone wake up at Disney you'll know what to do as it's the same steps. Apart from the fact that you get to pick your character to wake you.

I hope you figure it out. Your countdown is looking good. Have a magical trip!

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Thanks Goldia - it’s our first trip so it’s all new to me, including character wake-up calls 😁 but I’ll figure it out if it’s as easy as you say!
We are getting very excited in this house 😆😆😆

[Goldia]

Originally Posted by Floridadreams

Thanks Goldia - it’s our first trip so it’s all new to me, including character wake-up calls 😁 but I’ll figure it out if it’s as easy as you say!
We are getting very excited in this house 😆😆😆

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Ah, ok. Both systems are easy to use and it's just an automated messaged. The room phones have a button that says 'wake up call' or something similar. There are also buttons for the front desk or housekeeping etc. You will spot it if you're looking for it. Then it's just a case of listening to the automated message and entering the right time. The computer will make you enter it a couple of times and then will tell you what you've booked and you have to confirm it's the correct time. I've not been able to make a 7am alarm for the whole trip, it's a repeat each day sort of thing, but actually that's fine as we don't always want an early wake up.

The hard part I had was convincing one of my kids to pick up the phone when it started ringing. After the first time of course they realised it was going to be Pooh, or Mr Incredible or someone fun telling them to get up and start enjoying the day. It's one of the those tiny little perks that I love about staying on site. It's all part of the magic.

I hope you have a brilliant time on your once in a lifetime trip. We sure did. At the time I truly believed it would be a once in a lifetime and it wasn't until 18months after we returned that we decided we really did need to go back!

[Floridadreams]

Originally Posted by Goldia

Ah, ok. Both systems are easy to use and it's just an automated messaged. The room phones have a button that says 'wake up call' or something similar. There are also buttons for the front desk or housekeeping etc. You will spot it if you're looking for it. Then it's just a case of listening to the automated message and entering the right time. The computer will make you enter it a couple of times and then will tell you what you've booked and you have to confirm it's the correct time. I've not been able to make a 7am alarm for the whole trip, it's a repeat each day sort of thing, but actually that's fine as we don't always want an early wake up.

The hard part I had was convincing one of my kids to pick up the phone when it started ringing. After the first time of course they realised it was going to be Pooh, or Mr Incredible or someone fun telling them to get up and start enjoying the day. It's one of the those tiny little perks that I love about staying on site. It's all part of the magic.

I hope you have a brilliant time on your once in a lifetime trip. We sure did. At the time I truly believed it would be a once in a lifetime and it wasn't until 18months after we returned that we decided we really did need to go back!

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Thank you for going into so much detail - that is brilliant! My kids are 15 and 11 so I’ll have to choose my character wisely! The 11 year old would love it though 💕
Everyone keeps telling us we’ll be back - hubby is talking about Japan in 2022 though so there’s other plans afoot! I’m just going to enjoy this trip and do what we can😊

[Goldia]

Originally Posted by Floridadreams

Thank you for going into so much detail - that is brilliant! My kids are 15 and 11 so I’ll have to choose my character wisely! The 11 year old would love it though 💕
Everyone keeps telling us we’ll be back - hubby is talking about Japan in 2022 though so there’s other plans afoot! I’m just going to enjoy this trip and do what we can😊

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Japan would be awesome. You're right though, I think it's best to enjoy your current trip before thinking about the next one.

[collybird]

I think early starts are almost impossible by the end of the trip once the jetlag has worn off. I’ll often plan one in but it never comes to pass.

I'd have been in such a mood about the weather. I know it is our own fault for planning everything to the finest detail months and setting our heart on things but you do feel so cheated when your plans don't work out.

At least the kids enjoyed their pool time, it really is hard to keep everyone happy on holiday.

[Goldia]

Originally Posted by collybird

I think early starts are almost impossible by the end of the trip once the jetlag has worn off. I’ll often plan one in but it never comes to pass.

I'd have been in such a mood about the weather. I know it is our own fault for planning everything to the finest detail months and setting our heart on things but you do feel so cheated when your plans don't work out.

At least the kids enjoyed their pool time, it really is hard to keep everyone happy on holiday.

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I actually wasn't too bothered to miss out on Hagrids as I had always thought we wouldn't get on it this year and I didn't mind the idea of waiting until the next time. That's now not too far away for us. The early mornings are a killer in the 2nd half of the trip. I'm really trying to be mindful of that with the plan for this summer, plus I do want us to do some late nights this year so I'm planning in some while days just chilling at the resort with us heading into the parks in the early evening, we will see if that actually sticks in the plan

I was standing looking out the window for a long time. We had pretty dreadful weather, the worst we've ever had, there was a heck of a lot of rain and it did put a dampener on our plans I couldn't help myself there

Looking back I so wished I'd just got in the pool as if I had then Dave, Mum and Dad probably would have too and it would have made for a much nicer final night. As it was I was sitting on the sun bed in a bit of a sulk really at the time I was worried about putting the wet swimming stuff in the cases. Like it really would have mattered, now I'm thinking, so what they would either have washed up fine when we eventually got home or if not I would have thrown them. It's hardly the end of the world. Next time I'll not let that sort of thing hold me back. It's such a shame. There were lots of things on the trip that I stressed over, as you know but looking back now they were silly worries and I wish I'd been more laid back.

Hindsight is a lovely thing isn't it? Do you think I'd ever be able to convince Mum and Dad to come again? And of course do you think Dave will be happy for them to come again? There's so many things I'd do differently.