Double, Double, Toil & Trouble: a Halloween-inspired trip of “two’s” – an October 2016 TR

[I-4Bound]

We really like Sonny's! They have restaurants all along I-95 through Georgia, and we often stop and eat there on the drive down to Orlando. Discovery Cove continues to look like paradise on earth!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sonny's looks great! Have to put that on the list for our other trips this year! Looks like another local favorite - and a little less touristy! Looks like I'll easily get two meals out of that portion!

Also, went to take another look at the Keep calm shirt- I don't see the picture anymore?

You might have missed the t-shirt......he's wearing it in the photo under the M Den sign (just underneath the picture of the two Michigan Ts). @bankr63 has an exceptionally keen eye for details!!

Wow that's a lot of food. It looks delicious too! Next time you'll need to go earlier in your trip since you have a nice villa to heat up the leaf over food in.

Absolutely!! In fact, I would maybe even do a take-out order and bring it back to enjoy at the villa.

I think you might have sunk in the hot tub after all that lovely food

Ha ha! No kidding!! Good thing they're not too deep .

No...just not giving up on trying to convert you. My in-laws need to enjoy a little cheese cake. I may consider letting you slide on the carrot cake issue.

Please don't. I have no idea what minimum wage is in MI (going to go and Google that in a minute) but I'm quite sure that the work and that money don't jive.

peopleofwalmart.com

Well you're out of the club then. This is the #foolingyourselfintobelievingyouareyoungerthanyoureallyareclub

I will never convert where cream cheese is concerned . I'd rather eat bugs.

Minimum wage is only $8.90 per hour here in Michigan (for my American readers, its $11.40 per hour in Ontario) but the cost of living is also quite a bit less, so for the most part, I think it all balances out. Even after more than two months of officially living here, Steve still gets all giddy when he fills up the journey at the gas station. It costs under $35 here, while it was $70 on our last trip back home.

That looks so good! I think we'll have to add it in next time we're down there.

I think you guys would like it! Is Duncan a big meat eater?

Hey- I want to join! On second thought, I am much closer to 30 than I previously thought! My AARP membership is in the American Association of Reallyyoung People!

Age is just a number anyway right? If its true that "You're only as young as you feel", then I'm really only 25 .

We really like Sonny's! They have restaurants all along I-95 through Georgia, and we often stop and eat there on the drive down to Orlando. Discovery Cove continues to look like paradise on earth!

The next time I go back, I want to try their pulled pork. It looked REALLY good, too!!

Discovery Cove is indeed a very, very special place . I can only imagine how awesome it is to work in such a beautiful park.

 

[Callie]

That BBQ looks AMAZING. May I ask how much everything was?

 

[Callie]

And minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25. I use to have to push carts in the snow for under $6 an hour in high school, plus pay union dues. It was horrible. My PT job only pays $8.75 after two years, but hey its money, across the street, free tanning, and possibly bonus.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

That BBQ looks AMAZING. May I ask how much everything was?

The two bottomless beverages, two entree platters (each with two sides), appetizer and tax was right around $40 .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

And minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25. I use to have to push carts in the snow for under $6 an hour in high school, plus pay union dues. It was horrible. My PT job only pays $8.75 after two years, but hey its money, across the street, free tanning, and possibly bonus.

Hokey!!! I hope housing and other costs are equally as low!! Does that mean income taxes are pretty minimal?

 

[Monykalyn]

Mmmm BBQ-looks yummy. There is nothing better than brisket done right! We have friends that compete in BBQ competitions (and several who are certified judges)-in fact am volunteering for Rock n Ribs in 2 weeks at a gate (don't tell Steve-this would be hog heaven for a meatarian!); one of our friends actually won a world championship in Vegas a couple years ago for his potato salad! Nice to know about Sonny's-portions look large enough to comfortably share. Will keep in mind for November trip.

 

[Callie]

Hokey!!! I hope housing and other costs are equally as low!! Does that mean income taxes are pretty minimal?

I believe Indiana and Michigan are pretty equal on those. Thankfully my real job pays way more an hour. Cost of living depends. For a one bedroom apartment, its about $700 plus where I live.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Mmmm BBQ-looks yummy. There is nothing better than brisket done right! We have friends that compete in BBQ competitions (and several who are certified judges)-in fact am volunteering for Rock n Ribs in 2 weeks at a gate (don't tell Steve-this would be hog heaven for a meatarian!); one of our friends actually won a world championship in Vegas a couple years ago for his potato salad! Nice to know about Sonny's-portions look large enough to comfortably share. Will keep in mind for November trip.

Brisket is my favourite. I love beef, but only if its cooked through and tender. That combination is generally tough to find, except where brisket is concerned. It's generally my go-to menu item whenever we hit up a barbecue place.

Rock n Ribs?!? Steve would be in heaven! Sounds like a fun event!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thursday, October 27th

When we both awoke that morning, as we laid in bed and savoured our final morning of complete leisure, Steve rolled over and inquired “we’ve got Aquatica on deck again today, right?”. I nodded and said, yes….that was the original plan. He raised an eyebrow at me and said “Original plan?” .

Well, yeah . But, I admitted, now I was second guessing “the plan”. I admitted that after being up to our ears in water for two days straight, I wasn’t sure I was up for another consecutive day of swimming. I almost felt the need to dry out for a day, if that makes any sense. He sighed with relief and said “Thank God. I went to bed last night hoping there was a Plan B”.

I am SO glad we think alike .

So, what could we do instead?

We debated our options briefly, both agreeing that we really didn’t feel like driving any great distances nor did we want to shell out a whole lot of money for one day tickets anywhere. We just wanted to spend our last full day somewhere fun, somewhere relaxing, and somewhere that brings us joy.

Well then…..when we put it that way, the decision was pretty easy .

After coffee and breakfast at the villa (we were now trying to eat up any food which we had purchased at the beginning of our stay and still remained in the fridge or the cupboards) we hopped into the rental car and made the short drive here:

Yep, SeaWorld . It really is one of our Orlando happy places. It would be our third visit here on this two-week extravaganza, but no matter how often we visit, we still always are able to find fun and different things to do. The park is beautiful and lush, the pace of the day is relaxing, and the weather was once again simply outstanding…..it was going to be a great day, indeed .

Without really putting any specific effort into doing so, we managed to arrive in time for park opening (sometimes being naturally early risers can have it’s benefits). On our way into the park, we stopped and had some pictures taken by the park photography staff, and added to our annual Photokey.

This one ended up being one of my favourites of the whole trip, and found its way to the cover of the photobook for this vacation. This was the first time we had seen SeaWorld use the frame prop, and we thought it was a great little addition .

Just as we finished up with the photographers, Shamu came wandering out to greet guests at his little Halloween Spooktacular station near Guest Relations. With virtually no line up at all, we managed this little meet-and-greet almost no wait. Perfect!

Making our way into the park, I sent Steve off into the Manta queue. The posted wait time was only five minutes this early in the morning, so it was crazy for him not to take the opportunity to ride.

While Steve had a spin on Manta, I toured around Key West. It was very peaceful and almost deserted there so I almost had the whole area to myself. I visited the splashy sting rays, toured through the retail shops, and stopped to admire the pelicans.

Making my way back to the Manta exit, I found Steve patiently waiting there having just finished his ride. He had located his ride picture and was waiting for our Photokey card so we could add it to the account.

I offered for us to head to Mako so that he could take in that coaster when crowds were still so low, but he surprised me by declining: apparently, he just wasn’t feeling up to Mako that morning. He said that he just wanted to enjoy a more low-key day versus one laced with thrills, so we leisurely meandered our way onward through the park.

While he didn’t want to ride Mako specifically, we both love the new Shark Wreck Reef area, so that’s where our foot travels took us next.

Heading into Shark Encounter, we found it completely deserted: now THIS is a treat we don’t get very often!!

It was simply wonderful to enjoy this incredible attraction with no one but ourselves around. That 180 degree tunnel is pretty impressive when the exhibit is full, but it’s even more incredible when you an appreciate every square inch of it all at once. No matter how many visits we make to SeaWorld, things like this never get old. We both commented that we wished Jake had have been with us to share in that private experience: Shark Encounter is one of his favourite exhibits at SeaWorld, and he would have LOVED this.

When we finally emerged from Shark Encounter, we took a quick peek at the SeaWorld app to check on the timing of the various shows of the day and noticed that Blue Horizons would be starting soon. We hadn’t made time to see this show on either of our two previous visits on this trip, so we decided to head over to Dolphin Stadium to find seats for the 10:30 seating.

It was around 10:10 when we arrived and had no problem finding very good seats with a good view of the pool.

This show, which ended on April 1st after an incredible 11-year run, was one of our favourites at SeaWorld. It is hard not to be completely captivated by the beauty and grace of bottlenose dolphins, and Blue Horizons just showcased their abilities so perfectly.

At the time we were watching this show, we had no idea it would be the last time we would have the chance to see it. Looking back now, we are so happy that we swapped out our Aquatica day for another SeaWorld day for that reason alone. While I’m sure that the new Dolphin Days show will be equally as impressive (SeaWorld has rarely let us down when it comes to the quality of their park offerings), it was pretty special to see Blue Horizons one final time.

Stay tuned….there’s more SeaWorld fun coming up.

 

[Raeven]

As all of you know, Steve LOVES meat: given his choice, he’d take a juicy steak over a his favourite dessert without question (silly boy......men can be SO weird sometimes ). Meat just isn’t one component of a meal for my Steve, it is THE component of the meal .

Josh is like that too!

We had literally just remarked on the good size of the order (very much enough to share between two people) and dug in to munch the first of the rings when our server appeared apologetically with a second pan in hand. She noted that the kitchen had prepared a half order in error…..apparently they used to offer half orders of various menu items, but that had been discontinued a short time prior …..so she was bringing us the balance of the full order as per the menu description. Our eyes almost fell out on the table: like the strawberry lemonade, the portion was MASSIVE . We could have eaten nothing but onion rings and left full.

I selected the chopped beef brisket with baked beans, mac ‘n cheese, and Texas toast (corn bread was also an option for the bread side).

I'm not a BBQ fan (and I'm rather picky), but I've been wanting to try brisket it sounds really good.

Heading into Shark Encounter, we found it completely deserted: now THIS is a treat we don’t get very often!!

Ah it's so awesome when you can get an attraction all to yourselves!

This show, which ended on April 1st after an incredible 11-year run, was one of our favourites at SeaWorld. It is hard not to be completely captivated by the beauty and grace of bottlenose dolphins, and Blue Horizons just showcased their abilities so perfectly.

At the time we were watching this show, we had no idea it would be the last time we would have the chance to see it. Looking back now, we are so happy that we swapped out our Aquatica day for another SeaWorld day for that reason alone. While I’m sure that the new Dolphin Days show will be equally as impressive (SeaWorld has rarely let us down when it comes to the quality of their park offerings), it was pretty special to see Blue Horizons one final time.

I'm glad you got to see it one more time before it closed. When something announces it's closure I always want to see it one last time! On this trip we'll actually see Wishes for the last time, and I'm glad it fell within our dates.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thursday, October 27th (continued)

Leaving Dolphin Stadium, we both agreed it would be a good idea for Steve to ride Journey to Atlantis while we were in that general area and before the afternoon crowds increased wait times. One of his favourite rides in the park, he needed no additional encouragement. Wait times were still posted as 5 minutes so he headed off to take his place in line.

The first ride was a walk-on, and he was splashing down before I knew it.

I met him at the exit, and we had his ride picture put on our Photokey card. Surprisingly he wasn’t even very wet.

Since lines were non-existent, I suggested he ride again while we were here. When he hesitated for a minute, I assured him I was more than fine to wait (and reminded him that I had the Jewels of the Sea aquarium to entertain me if I wanted something to do in the interim) and he dashed off with a smile for a second go. He’s such a big kid .

He was nice and damp when he exited the second time, and decided he’d rather dry off in the sun rather than ride for a third time. The Groove Chefs were performing in the area between Journey to Atlantis and Kraken, so we stopped to listen to them for a bit while Steve dried the water drops from his sunglasses.

We were both feeling a little peckish by that point (breakfast had been early and not overly substantial or heavy), so we decided to beat the lunch rush and have an earlier mid-day meal. I let Steve choose where we dined, as it didn’t matter much to me either way. Since we didn’t buy the all-day dining on this visit (we had specific offsite plans for dinner), he thought it was a good idea to pick somewhere that’s not on the plan. Since we tend to visit the plan participant locations quite regularly….we might as well branch out when it’s convenient and easy to do so.

We settled on Mama’s Pretzel Kitchen.

We had eaten there once before and really enjoyed it…..enough to pledge to return for another meal there someday. “Someday” had officially arrived .

I had the meatball pretzel twist with a side of their house-made kettle chips. Steve had some sort of pretzel sandwich with ham….not on the main menu so perhaps a daily special? (I can’t really remember….d’oh! ) His meal, too, came with a side of chips.

We grabbed an outdoor table and settled in to enjoy a quiet meal. Unfortunately, the quiet only lasted so long……a school group descended on the outdoor seating area and the air became alive with the excited, high-pitched chatter of a dozen five-to-eight year olds. Their enthusiasm and energy was adorable but good grief, they were loud!!

I should add that the food here was great and we both really enjoyed our meals. The pretzels were hot and freshly cooked, the meats were great, and the kettle chips were crunchy and fresh too . It was also nice to have something different than the typical burgers-and-fries or pizza theme park fare. We chose to share a drink here, but the saltiness of the chips and the warmth of the morning had us draining that drink pretty quick. Once we finished up our food, we stopped into the Passmember Lounge for more drinks at the complimentary Coke Freestyle machines before heading back into the park for more fun.

We noticed for the first time that the machines in the lounge offered the park’s very own signature beverage, Mako Blast (and it was even available in diet….woot!). We both tried it, and thought it was quite good. A nice little personal touch on SeaWorld’s behalf!

Winding our way back toward the Marketplace, Steve was sidetracked at the Mako plinko game along the pathway. Steve adores his park games, so it was no surprise when he was reaching for his wallet and pulling out the $5 bill to hand to the attendant. His intent was to win me one of the large sharks for my stuffy collection, but with the minimum score of 30, I ended up with one of the little life preservers . Oddly enough, this game location is one of the only ones in the park that won’t allow you to trade up if you play additional times, either …….so we stuck with the life preserver and he didn’t bother giving the game another try.

We were nowhere near done yet. More SeaWorld exploration is coming up.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Ah Sea World. Have you ever been in the Manta aquarium? I love that one as it has an octopus!

Did they showcase the pilot whales in the dolphin show when you saw it? When we were there in Feb they were actually testing out tricks with them. It was really neat. At the end of the show one of those little birds the kid holds on his arms at the end fell into the dolphin pool. Everyone started screaming and pointing and finally one of the dolphin trainers notices and got him out. I really hope it was ok.

I generally like the pretzel kitchen but last time we were there the pretzels weren't fresh at all. We happened to eat there in the late afternoon and I don't think we'll do that again. The earlier the better I guess.

And to answer your question from yesterday, no, Duncan doesn't like meat. Well, he's actually never tried it because he doesn't think he'll like it. One day I'm hoping he'll try a hamburger or something. It's really frustrating. Madeline doesn't really eat meat either. I can get her to eat a hot dog or nuggets but that's all.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I too love Seaworld, I find it so pretty in places and relaxing. Glad you were both enjoying your last day. The weather has been beautiful throughout

 

[afan]

Gina those jean capris look good! What brand are they? I seem to remember a bit of capri chat in either your ptr or the last trip report. I need a 2nd pair since it just doesn't get hot enough in Seattle for shorts all summer

 

[pepperandchips]

I was away too long but caught up tonight while relaxing - your posts have been a wonderful vicarious vacation and I really truly appreciate you sharing! Your reports are so helpful in planning, except for when they make me ravenous at home looking at all the yummy food pics

Too many great posts to quote, but inquiring minds want to know what Diet Mako Blast tastes like!

Your reviews always make me realize how much I take the U.S. restaurants for granted - I haven't been to longhorn in years (in fairness, everyone in my family prefers Outback but we haven't been there either) and Sonnys has been at least a decade! I have been craving barbecue and the Polite Pig and now Sonnys reviews are not helping! R and I are going to smoke a beef brisket for Easter dinner with my family so at least I will get my fix soon. Keep up the great posts and intrepid reporting!!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Josh is like that too!



I'm not a BBQ fan (and I'm rather picky), but I've been wanting to try brisket it sounds really good.

Ah it's so awesome when you can get an attraction all to yourselves!

I'm glad you got to see it one more time before it closed. When something announces it's closure I always want to see it one last time! On this trip we'll actually see Wishes for the last time, and I'm glad it fell within our dates.

I still can't believe Wishes is ending!! I am glad you get to see it before its just a fond memmory . My biggest Disney regret is not being able to see the Osborne Lights at Christmas before they were retired......a big part of me is still hoping they'll bring them back again in 10 years, just for old times' sake.

Ah Sea World. Have you ever been in the Manta aquarium? I love that one as it has an octopus!

Did they showcase the pilot whales in the dolphin show when you saw it? When we were there in Feb they were actually testing out tricks with them. It was really neat. At the end of the show one of those little birds the kid holds on his arms at the end fell into the dolphin pool. Everyone started screaming and pointing and finally one of the dolphin trainers notices and got him out. I really hope it was ok.

I generally like the pretzel kitchen but last time we were there the pretzels weren't fresh at all. We happened to eat there in the late afternoon and I don't think we'll do that again. The earlier the better I guess.

And to answer your question from yesterday, no, Duncan doesn't like meat. Well, he's actually never tried it because he doesn't think he'll like it. One day I'm hoping he'll try a hamburger or something. It's really frustrating. Madeline doesn't really eat meat either. I can get her to eat a hot dog or nuggets but that's all.

I love, love, LOVE the Manta aquarium.....especially on a hot day! It's a great place to hang out while I wait for Steve to ride.

I wonder what would cause a bird to fall into the water??? Poor little thing. It had to be in some terrible distress.

I am sorry that the Pretzel Kitchen fell short on your last visit . I do think our early dining was key to the great experience: I am sure our entrees were freshly cooked that morning.

I too love Seaworld, I find it so pretty in places and relaxing. Glad you were both enjoying your last day. The weather has been beautiful throughout

We were so, so blessed where the weather was concerned. Two weeks of sunshine and only an hour of light rain on day one. It doesn't EVER get any better than that.

Gina those jean capris look good! What brand are they? I seem to remember a bit of capri chat in either your ptr or the last trip report. I need a 2nd pair since it just doesn't get hot enough in Seattle for shorts all summer

My capris were the Mia Buttlifter capris from Mark's Work Warehouse. Absolutely the BEST denim capris that I've ever owned . So far, I haven't been able to find them on the website for this season, but it might just be a shade too early. I can assure you that if they make a return for 2017, I will be buying a pair in every colour that they offer. They fit perfectly and are SO comfy!!

I was away too long but caught up tonight while relaxing - your posts have been a wonderful vicarious vacation and I really truly appreciate you sharing! Your reports are so helpful in planning, except for when they make me ravenous at home looking at all the yummy food pics

Too many great posts to quote, but inquiring minds want to know what Diet Mako Blast tastes like!

Your reviews always make me realize how much I take the U.S. restaurants for granted - I haven't been to longhorn in years (in fairness, everyone in my family prefers Outback but we haven't been there either) and Sonnys has been at least a decade! I have been craving barbecue and the Polite Pig and now Sonnys reviews are not helping! R and I are going to smoke a beef brisket for Easter dinner with my family so at least I will get my fix soon. Keep up the great posts and intrepid reporting!!!

Aw, thank you so much!! Your kind words just made my day!

The Diet Mako Blast was hard to describe, but I want to say it was kind of like a Blue Dr. Pepper. It was very different but very good!

While I have never cooked a beef brisket at home myself, I purchased one a few weeks ago at the grocery store.....but I haven't googled exactly how it should be prepared yet. Since we're going to be here in Michigan and alone for Easter (and missing the big turkey dinner at home with extended family), maybe I should put that brisket on our holiday menu, too. Any cooking tips are greatly appreciated!

 

[Raeven]

I still can't believe Wishes is ending!! I am glad you get to see it before its just a fond memmory . My biggest Disney regret is not being able to see the Osborne Lights at Christmas before they were retired......a big part of me is still hoping they'll bring them back again in 10 years, just for old times' sake.

That is a big regret of mine too! There was no way we could've gone the last year (we had just gone for the first time 2-3 months before so it was just not enough time to plan it, save money, get time off). And our first trip was supposed to be a once in a lifetime thing But I wish I had known sooner maybe we would've tried to do something.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thursday, October 27th (continued)

With my new life preserver stuffie in tow, Steve decided he needed a sweet treat to console him for his poor performance on the Mako Plinko game [any excuse will do ]. We didn't have any dessert at Mama’s Pretzel Kitchen…..there was nothing really on their menu that had really appealed to us….and anyway, there was a must-do Seaworld snack that we hadn’t yet enjoyed on this trip, and our vacation time was quickly running out.

We headed to the Polar Parlor with a single purpose: we were in search of a Shamu Sundae.

Inside the shop, we were greeted by a very sweet young pair of teenagers; a young lady who was working the cash and a young man who was in training. The young woman was taking the orders while the young fellow prepared each one with directions and assistance from his co-worker when needed. There was a bit of a small and slow line as a result, but both staff were working hard and apologetic for the delays so no one seemed to mind the short waits that ensued.

When it was our turn to order, the poor young guy became a bit flustered and nervous at the prospect of preparing our Shamu Sundae: it was the first time someone had requested one, and he was completely unsure of how to put all the components together. We couldn’t help but laugh while watching him create our masterpiece: while all the proper ingredients were there in abundance (vanilla soft serve, hot fudge, brownie wedges, whipped cream, and a cherry in a souvenir Shamu bowl), it definitely wasn’t the most attractive assembly we’d ever seen . He apologized profusely, and we assured him he did just fine……and much as our dessert wasn’t pretty, it tasted AMAZING .

We found ourselves an outdoor table to sit and enjoy our treat in the warm afternoon breeze. Several people stopped to peek at our dessert and to ask the cost (around $5 with tax for us as passmembers….a steal considering the shareable size and the souvenir dish ) so I’m sure that young man had the opportunity to hone his Shamu Sundae skills a little more that day .

Once our ice cream had been fully enjoyed, we stopped at the rest rooms to wash sticky hands and rinse out the Shamu bowl so it could be tucked away in my purse for the balance of our park visit. When we reconvened outside of the rest rooms, Steve took my hand and told me that he was picking our next activity. I asked if he was finally ready to ride Mako again, and he smiled and said “Nope”. When asked where we were headed, he just smiled and said “you’ll see in a minute” .

While we had visited Oysters Secret earlier in the vacation to have my ring from our May trip repaired, Steve had been encouraging me for this entire two weeks to stop and pick another pearl to have a special souvenir of this getaway too. I kept assuring him that it was unnecessary, but today he would not be swayed: we were heading home tomorrow, and he was not taking no for an answer.

Unfortunately, the divers were not in the water again today (a real shame, because that’s what makes SeaWorld’s pick-a-pearl so much more special than many of the other locations throughout Orlando) but the fellow at the outdoor kiosk was a lot of fun and very engaging. Once again, I had Steve do the picking of the oyster and said I would select the setting: for me, it makes it even more special when both of us have a part in the experience. While I waited for the staff to repair my ring on our first visit, I had spied a lovely necklace with a manatee cage that I was almost certain would be my choice of setting once the size of the pearl was revealed.

Once he had selected his oyster……the ugliest one of the bunch, all hairy and homely on the outside…..it was time for the “opening ceremony”. With a wave of the wand and reciting the necessary words “Opa Opa Oyster!”, the oyster was opened and the contents revealed. We were both excited to learn the colour and size of the treasure inside!

A small group of people had clustered around us for the big reveal, and a cheer rang out when it was announced…..IT’S TWINS!

The Pearl Factory kiosk worker was excited, the small crowd was excited, and the staff inside Oyster’s Secret were even more excited when we brought the bowl inside for the pearls to be cleaned and measured. Only 6% of the oysters contain twins, so they assured us that this was a big deal and worthy of celebration . Both pearls were white and measured 6 mm in size, which we were told is quite large as far as twins are concerned.

They asked if I was interested in seeing their earring settings, but my heart was set on that manatee necklace, so that (and a second necklace, the latter with a dolphin tail cage) ended up being my picks. The cost was really, really reasonable too: each necklace (which came with the chain and cage) was under $20, and the pick-a-pearl was $16.95. With our pass member discount, our total bill was only about $50 with tax.

It was a highlight of our day. Steve might have missed the mark on Mako plinko, but he fully redeemed himself at pick-a-pearl!

Neither one of us had any other must-do’s left on our list, but neither were we ready to call it a day. The weather was amazing and the crowds were low, so we enjoyed just strolling around the park and soaking up the atmosphere. We toured through the Sea Garden, taking time to notice all the unique plants and little fish that were woven throughout the vegetation.

We also stopped to admire the parrots that call the Sea Garden home. Why hadn’t we ever noticed them on previous visits?

We popped into the Passmember Lounge for a short rest and more complimentary beverages from the Coke Freestyle machines:

……and strolling through Antarctica, we stumbled upon a meet-and-greet opportunity with Puck the penguin .

We had texted a friend (and fellow Disboards poster) who works at SeaWorld in the hopes of being able to meet up with her to say hello, and received a reply that we should meet her at the Dolphin Nursery at five o’clock. With another hour or so to kill, we decided to watch Blue Horizons for a second time: we had enjoyed the show so much earlier that morning, we welcomed the chance to see it again.

Heading over to the Dolphin Nursery just before 5, we not only got the chance to watch those beautiful baby dolphins romp and play (reminding us so much of our wee kittens……amazing how regardless of whether they sport fur or fins, animal can be so much alike) but we also enjoyed the opportunity to say hi to a special young lady who has been so unbelievably kind to us. She’s a poster here on the Dis, and happens to have what I consider to be the BEST job on earth (though I’m sure she might argue that every once in a while…..while her career is crazy cool, I am sure it’s not without it’s less-than-pleasant moments too ). She invited us to join her in the staff-only area alongside of the pool, and we got a close-up visit with several of those wee dolphins……much to the envy of the other guests who were openly wondering how we managed to secure such a cool opportunity.

Steve grabbed a photo of the two of us, but I won’t post it here to protect her privacy. I know she prefers to keep a low profile, and I want to totally respect that.

Once the dolphins were fed and tended to in the nursery, she peeled us away from all that cuteness and ushered us to one of the “backstage” areas for a close-up look at the feeding preparations for some of the other animals that she cares for. My favourite of them all were the otters…..my heavens, they are painfully adorable too…….those faces !! I could have just kissed them, fish breath or not . Both Steve and I were totally humbled and touched by this amazing gesture of kindness: the fact that she took time out of her busy day to give us such unique experiences and cool memories was a testament to how special this young lady is. This very unexpected pixie-dusting left us grinning like a pair of kids when she finally sent us packing. There was no better way for us to have ended off our final full day in Orlando, and I hope she reads this and knows how much we appreciated her time and efforts on our behalf .

Leaving the park, we returned to the Vistana to freshen up before dinner.

A meal of epic proportions at Hash House A Go Go is next.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thursday, October 27th (the conclusion)

With a second gift certificate still in hand and to be used before heading home, Hash House A Go Go was an easy choice for our final night’s dinner. As the old saying goes…..If you’re going to go, go big .

It was moderately busy when we arrived around 7:30 pm, but we were able to be seated immediately in one of the open booths that remained. I think Steve began to salivate almost immediately: the smells emanating from the kitchen were enough to kick both of our hungers into high gear .

Being our final table service dinner of the trip (tomorrow’s nighttime meal would be fast food at the airport, scarfed down at the gate while we awaited our call to board the plane), we both decided to toast the conclusion of an amazing vacation with an alcoholic beverage. This was advertised on the table and looked pretty darn good:

We each ordered one from our server. The souvenir “glasses” (which were actually hard plastic) would be nice little souvenirs to take home .

We both perused the menus while we waited for our beverages to be delivered to the table. By the time the drinks arrived, we had made our selections and our server whisked off the information to the kitchen staff. We kicked back and sipped away on our drinks, which were flavourful but not overly strong.

It was a nice time for us to reflect on a wonderful two weeks of fun, and talk quietly about our return to “real life” in a couple of days. Steve would be leaving for Michigan shortly by Sunday morning and I would be alone with the kittens once again .

Our food arrived just as the conversation got teary and emotional. The crazy ridiculous potions shifted us back into vacation mode .

Steve ordered a bacon, avocado and cheddar burger and it was massive enough to warrant being served on a huge oblong platter with a dagger stuck unceremoniously through the center from top to bottom. Even Steve, with his voracious appetite, would find this burger and the enormous portion of fries tough to finish in a single sitting.

My meal, however, made Steve’s look like child’s play : on recommendation from our server, I had chosen the chicken pot pie. When she placed the bathtub-sized bowl in front of me, with the pastry spilling out over the sides, I wasn’t even sure what to say. It was stupidly huge: enough to serve Steve and I both, with extra to spare.

Let me say this: everything was delicious. Fresh, hot, flavourful, and amazing. I did, however, feel horrible at the amount of waste where my dinner was concerned: with Steve having his own massive entrée, he wasn’t even interested in my mammoth amount of left-overs: while he enjoyed sampling a few bites, that was all he could muster as he dug through his pound of beef and all the toppings. I ate and ate until I thought I might die of gluttony, and it still didn’t even look like I made a dent in the original portion. People were walking by our table gasping “Oh My God! Did you see the size of that thing?”. It was insane. And with checking out by 10 am the following morning, there was no sense in even having the staff box up the leftovers to take back to the villa. It bothered me a little….okay, more than a little…..to know how much would be going straight to the garbage. My only complaint of the whole meal.

Dessert was an impossibility as we finally threw in our napkins and requested that our server bring us the bill. I didn’t have enough stomach capacity remaining to swallow so much as a blueberry and even Steve was looking a tad uncomfy ... not even the “hot doughnuts now” sign at Krispy Kreme could have wooed us into more food that night. Our wonderful waitress cleaned and boxed our drink cups in nice little Hash House boxes (to protect them for the journey home), we covered the check and tip, and waddled our bloated bodies to the car.

Back at the resort, we tossed a load of laundry into the washing machine, changed into our suits and headed straight to the Fountains hot tubs: it was our last night at the Vistana, and there was no place we’d rather spend it. It was bittersweet, though, and we were grateful that it was mercifully quiet and we had a tub all to ourselves. We didn’t really feel like friendly banter and very much appreciated the chance to be reflective as we watched the stars in the night sky.

Our last day is next .