WOW!! A Fabulous Fall Trip to HRH Sept-Oct '18-& Live TR's 8/5-8/7, 9/7-9/9!!Plus Bonus TR 11/1-11/3

[pattyw]

After our drink and snack, we headed to the bird aviary!! Hopefully, they are a hungry bunch today!!

 

[pattyw]

Meet my new friend: I named him Smokey- he has smokey grey wings!

 

[pattyw]

Smokey was a hungry one!








Pose for the camera Smokey!

 

[pattyw]

Here's Joe's friend- we called him Buddy!

 

[pattyw]

Buddy was hungry, too!!

 

[Monykalyn]

Thank you again for the tip about the $99 deal!!

and it is extended til nearly end of December

The bird aviary looks so neat - are you allowed to pet the birds? We are so used to holding our chickens and petting them I probably wouldn't be able to help myself lol.

 

[pattyw]

and it is extended til nearly end of December

The bird aviary looks so neat - are you allowed to pet the birds? We are so used to holding our chickens and petting them I probably wouldn't be able to help myself lol.

That price is just amazing!!

Loved the bird aviary!!

I'm sure you could pet the birds- I was so nervous when the bird landed on my arm I didn't think about touching him! They would probably go right to you- they would sense your comfort with them!

 

[Pumpkin1172]

What a great trip report so far. I just love seeing all the different pictures. It sounds like you had a fabulous trip. Can't wait to hear more

 

[pattyw]

What a great trip report so far. I just love seeing all the different pictures. It sounds like you had a fabulous trip. Can't wait to hear more

We had a wonderful time! I'm so glad you're enjoying my trip report!

Thanks for reading along!

We're down to the last few days, but still a lot more fun to come!

 

[pattyw]

It was just wonderful to walk around the aviary and have all the birds flying & walking around! It's a good idea to head here earlier in the day while the birds are still hungry if you're interested in feeding them. It was so incredible when the bird landed on my arm!

Here are a few more pictures of the residents and the beautiful landscape:

 

[pattyw]

We found another little one that wanted a snack:

 

[pattyw]

They have these cards available so that you can identify the birds in the aviary:

 

[pattyw]

After the aviary, we headed to our locker to stow our phones. Then we were off to the Grand Reef! I forgot to purchase a waterproof case for my phone so sadly, I didn't take any pictures. Next time!!

GRAND REEF:
Swim and snorkel with thousands of tropical fish through this stunning coral reef habitat.

Surprises abound. Families can seek discoveries along the water’s edge or cross a bridge to see sharks swimming below. Play hide-and-seek with thousands of beautiful fish, from small colorful angelfish to velvety rays. Further out in the reef, stunning habitats create the feeling of swimming right alongside sharp-toothed reef sharks. You can even take paths and bridges to the reef’s islands and hidden grottos as they delve into the reef from above, around and below.


We so enjoyed watching the fish and rays!

Now it was time for lunch! We failed to retrieve our phones so no pictures of the lunch offerings- sorry! But there were so many choices- and we had another delicious meal!!

The offerings included:

Laguna Beach Burger
Island Seasoned Salmon
Grilled Churrasco Steak
Grilled Jerk Chicken
Fish tacos
BBQ Pulled pork
Pasta with marinara sauce or alfredo sauce
Mac & cheese
Chicken caesar salad
Rice
French fries
Cole slaw
Steamed veggies
Fruit
Assorted desserts

We both chose the fish tacos, rice, mac & cheese. Very good!!

 

[pattyw]

After lunch, we went to the

Wind Away River:

Ride the soothing currents of a tropical river as it winds past sandy beaches, through a dense rain forest, beneath the rocky terrain of cascading waterfalls, and through an underwater cave.

Glance down as you travel and take in the wonders that exist beneath the surface of the crystal-clear water.



Afterwards, we had another couple of wines and snacks- then decided to shower and change. It was about 3:15 pm.

They have wonderful locker rooms with showers- stocked with body wash, shampoo, and conditioner! There are also hair dryers available!


I reserved our Uber and again, our driver was there SO FAST! He pulled in less than 5 minutes after I confirmed our pick-up! WOW!! This trip was $10.24 and with tip $13.24. So, our round trip Uber cost with tips was $28.12!! Very good deal!

 

[pattyw]

We had a wonderful, relaxing day at Discovery Cove!

Joe and I couldn't help but reflect on our two previous visits to Discovery Cove. Our first visit was in April 2004. The boys were so young!! I found my scrapbook from that trip. Here's the page with Discovery Cove:






Our next visit was June 2015:




And now- just the two of us:



WOW!! How time has flown!!

Orlando has been a special place for our family since our very first trip in 2001. So many memorable moments!

The best part is that Kyle and Troy still enjoy Orlando & the parks! And they still join us on vacation when their schedules allow!

One of my favorite songs is Alan Jackson's Remember When. And the last line truly sums up what Joe and I felt when we left Discovery Cove that day:

Remember When
Alan Jackson

Remember when we said when we turned gray
When the children grow up and move away
We won't be sad, we'll be glad
For all the life we've had
And we'll remember when

 

[pattyw]

So, we returned to the HRH at about 4:00pm with plenty of time to freshen up before the evening reception.

Tonight's offerings:

 

[pattyw]

 

[pattyw]

 

[pattyw]

It was another wonderful night in the lounge!! Always good food & good company!! Over the course of our stay we've met so many nice people!

Tonight was going to get so much better.....

Our friend that works in the lounge brought over someone very special that we've always wanted to meet - Carlton Hudson- the managing director of the HRH! I've sent him many e-mails over the years complementing the staff at the HRH!! Each time, he has answered my e-mails almost immediately! That impressed me so much! It truly says so much about the management of the hotel- and why this is such a special place!

We talked with him for a little while- he was so cordial! We expressed gratitude to each other! He thanked us for our repeated business- we expressed our thanks to him for all he does to make the HRH so exceptional!!!

WOW!!!

 

[macraven]

He is a fantastic man!
I met him many years ago when he worked at the hotel