Spring Break 2012
Traveled to Florida for spring break this year. We had a wonderful warm time in the sun. Wes, Bri and I spent time in the motel pool, on the beach, in the sun, and then went to Orlando. I decided on visiting Universal where Wes enjoyed the Harry Potter ride, and both Bri and Wes went on the Spiderman rides. Both Bri and Wes were turned off by the long waits for the rides, over an hour and a half for most, and felt no ride was worth that time. I could not convince them to wait for rides.
At Sea World I hobbled straight toward the Elevator ride, high above Orlando, and since I was disabled, they let us step right on without waiting. We all really enjoyed that ride, and that privilege. We also all enjoyed the Dolphin and Whale Show at Sea World. There were aerialists, high divers, birds, as well as the dolphins. It was a tremendously entertaining show!
At Universal I went on no rides, spending most of my time in a wheelchair, worn out from the days before at Sea World and Aquatica. I believe these parks need to figure out a way to have a "Nanny" or "Grandma in the Scooter" rate. We pay the entire entrance fee, and do nothing but suffer in silence, pushed around by massive crowds, jockeying with other chairs and scooters trying to find scarce shade, bored stiff.
Why can there not be a special rate, special entertainment, or facilities directed towards the disabled????? How about shaded Movies or TV next to the long wait lines, or computer networks where the waiters (not-for the ride) can be entertained?
I planned the theme park-museum trip because I wanted Wes and Bri to have that experience once in their lives. However, in my opinion the real events we planned had a lot more positive results.
We spent evenings in Largo, Florida, with my brother, Tyll, and he grilled out. We ate on the patio of the house my Mother lived. He was working on a car his friend, Ted, had given him. Sadly Ted died last year. The car was on the patio, and talk about car parts was fast and furious. Cats roamed about the dark fringes of the lot, since Tyll feeds the scraps of the meals to the animals of the brush. He has seen raccoons, possum, feral cats, and heard questionable growls.
He took the kids fishing on the beach, and although the kids had bites, only Wes pulled one in. That night we ate fish for supper. It was tasty! At the beach the kids really enjoyed swimming in the Gulf, digging in the sand, watching the waves, sunning in the sand, watching the birds, and at one point we saw a manatee move through the water down the coast. It was huge.
Swimming at the motel pool with the floating toys was a treat. One day we visited St. John's Pass for souvenir shopping, and on the way back visited Sea Coast Bird Sanctuary at Reddington Shores. We were excited to see all those pelicans and a red tailed hawk up close and personal. The night hawks' nests were in the trees right above our heads, with their fledglings squawking for food. It was more interesting and real than a manufactured ride. I insisted on leaving money for bird food support- since the visit was free. Let us compare this with, say Universal....
Universal parking lot holds thousands, costs $14.
Universal ticket costs over $75.
Universal experience, includes long lines for created, short thrills,
all extras cost A LOT extra.
Sea Bird Sanctuary
parking area accommodates.....4 cars...FREE
entrance fee....FREE
no rides, no lines, no wait.....
Unlimited fun, no lines, lots of nature, odors.....FREE
Seeing birds rescued and helped......feels good!
We spent an evening with my friends, too. I believe we had more fun one evening, and morning with friends than three days at those fancy theme parks. I know the kids enjoy swimming and going on tubes at Aquatica, but once down the ride, and they wanted to go on another ride. Is that not proof that it is not of lasting value?
At my friend Helen's house, we enjoyed talking about all sorts of things. Bri loved seeing all of Helen's fashion dolls, and the beautifully crafted dresses she had made over the years. Her doll house is progressing nicely, and lighting is going in. She has found light that does not need wiring, using hearing aid batteries. Very sharp! Tyll and Harold watched the latest DVD of steam powered boats Harold had built, again so interesting. Too bad we could not actually see the pool and the boat, but it was only up for a short period of time.
I concluded I need to be more decisive on vacations regarding plans I make, since children think they know what they want to do, but I will have some suggestions they will not want to try that will end up being fun and exciting in spite of their disinterest. Each child also insisted I had planned too much family time. A vacation can be too long, and sometimes shorter is better. AS Dorothy says, "Are we in Kansas yet?"
It is so good to get home, not just because we love our actual house, but we miss our friends and home family, and our little pet, Chester. It was a wonderful vacation, but it is good to get back!
s
At Sea World I hobbled straight toward the Elevator ride, high above Orlando, and since I was disabled, they let us step right on without waiting. We all really enjoyed that ride, and that privilege. We also all enjoyed the Dolphin and Whale Show at Sea World. There were aerialists, high divers, birds, as well as the dolphins. It was a tremendously entertaining show!
At Universal I went on no rides, spending most of my time in a wheelchair, worn out from the days before at Sea World and Aquatica. I believe these parks need to figure out a way to have a "Nanny" or "Grandma in the Scooter" rate. We pay the entire entrance fee, and do nothing but suffer in silence, pushed around by massive crowds, jockeying with other chairs and scooters trying to find scarce shade, bored stiff.
Why can there not be a special rate, special entertainment, or facilities directed towards the disabled????? How about shaded Movies or TV next to the long wait lines, or computer networks where the waiters (not-for the ride) can be entertained?
I planned the theme park-museum trip because I wanted Wes and Bri to have that experience once in their lives. However, in my opinion the real events we planned had a lot more positive results.
We spent evenings in Largo, Florida, with my brother, Tyll, and he grilled out. We ate on the patio of the house my Mother lived. He was working on a car his friend, Ted, had given him. Sadly Ted died last year. The car was on the patio, and talk about car parts was fast and furious. Cats roamed about the dark fringes of the lot, since Tyll feeds the scraps of the meals to the animals of the brush. He has seen raccoons, possum, feral cats, and heard questionable growls.
He took the kids fishing on the beach, and although the kids had bites, only Wes pulled one in. That night we ate fish for supper. It was tasty! At the beach the kids really enjoyed swimming in the Gulf, digging in the sand, watching the waves, sunning in the sand, watching the birds, and at one point we saw a manatee move through the water down the coast. It was huge.
Swimming at the motel pool with the floating toys was a treat. One day we visited St. John's Pass for souvenir shopping, and on the way back visited Sea Coast Bird Sanctuary at Reddington Shores. We were excited to see all those pelicans and a red tailed hawk up close and personal. The night hawks' nests were in the trees right above our heads, with their fledglings squawking for food. It was more interesting and real than a manufactured ride. I insisted on leaving money for bird food support- since the visit was free. Let us compare this with, say Universal....
Universal parking lot holds thousands, costs $14.
Universal ticket costs over $75.
Universal experience, includes long lines for created, short thrills,
all extras cost A LOT extra.
Sea Bird Sanctuary
parking area accommodates.....4 cars...FREE
entrance fee....FREE
no rides, no lines, no wait.....
Unlimited fun, no lines, lots of nature, odors.....FREE
Seeing birds rescued and helped......feels good!
We spent an evening with my friends, too. I believe we had more fun one evening, and morning with friends than three days at those fancy theme parks. I know the kids enjoy swimming and going on tubes at Aquatica, but once down the ride, and they wanted to go on another ride. Is that not proof that it is not of lasting value?
At my friend Helen's house, we enjoyed talking about all sorts of things. Bri loved seeing all of Helen's fashion dolls, and the beautifully crafted dresses she had made over the years. Her doll house is progressing nicely, and lighting is going in. She has found light that does not need wiring, using hearing aid batteries. Very sharp! Tyll and Harold watched the latest DVD of steam powered boats Harold had built, again so interesting. Too bad we could not actually see the pool and the boat, but it was only up for a short period of time.
I concluded I need to be more decisive on vacations regarding plans I make, since children think they know what they want to do, but I will have some suggestions they will not want to try that will end up being fun and exciting in spite of their disinterest. Each child also insisted I had planned too much family time. A vacation can be too long, and sometimes shorter is better. AS Dorothy says, "Are we in Kansas yet?"
It is so good to get home, not just because we love our actual house, but we miss our friends and home family, and our little pet, Chester. It was a wonderful vacation, but it is good to get back!
s
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