How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Part Two
Since it's summer, rental prices are slighter higher, but this renter decided to give it a go anyhow. Please welcome (and visit) A bit of this, a bit of that! to the AOGB beach house.
I see you all came back for round two for Janet's trip around the world! Ok, so going to Florida from Jersey doesn't exactly constitute a trip around the globe, but it's the furthest I've been away from home in at least four years, so it's going to have to do for now. Without further adieu, let's just pick up from where we left off, shall we?
Day Three
On Wednesday, we decided to get out of the house "early" to make the 10am gator show that was in the resort. We all made it there, not so bright-eyed and bushy tailed only to be told the 10am show had sold out. Everyone else had the same idea for $5.00 a pop. So instead we got tickets for the 12pm show that, if we had known about it, probably would have been our first choice anyway. All this did was give us an excuse to go back and eat a heartier breakfast while we waited.
The gator show was pretty cool, but not what we expected. We thought we'd be outside and one with nature. Instead we were inside in an overly air-conditioned room that made me have to pee big time for about an hour. This guy came in with his traveling gators and he was one of those part time trainers, part time comedian types. At the end of the show we had the opportunity to pet a gator, but none of us felt the need to do that, so we skipped out.
After that we headed back to the pool again which after being in it a short while had to be evacuated again for the exact same reason as yesterday only THIS time, we saw the evidence (sorry, no pictures of that to prove it).
At night we went to see Arabian Nights which, I hear, is really the poor man's Medieval Times. I had never been to either, but after going to Arabian Nights, I might keep my money instead of spending it on MT. Arabian Nights was something we all decided to do because we had four free tickets and so we just split the cost of the remaining two. If we hadn't done that and had paid full price we either would have 1. not gone at all or 2. been pretty pissed that we had gone. All the money we had saved on the price to get in though was quickly spent on overpriced alcoholic drinks (you get to keep the glass!) and a pricey group picture that when scanned, will be fun for the whole family.
Don't get me wrong. The show was ok, but none of us are really theater loving folks. And you get dinner, but the dinner, in a word SUCKED. But then again, what do you expect when the cooks have to serve upwards of 800 people in a timely fashion for each sitting?
Finally, we ended the evening by going to Disney World's Pleasure Island.
Here's the weird thing about Pleasure Island. Anyone can walk around outside and see the sights and eat some food. But to get in to one of the clubs you had to be eighteen to enter, 21 to drink. And here in lies the irony that prevails when you have a setup like this at Disney World of all places. Walk in a club, you see your typical drunk people. Walk outside and you see five year olds, riding on grandpa's shoulders. It was all a bit surreal.
The irony hit full force when going in to one bathroom we saw a girl, half naked, lying on the floor, waiting for the paramedics to arrive. There was another girl holding on to the toilet in another stall. The girl they took away was barely conscious, if at all. They say it was drinking and possibly some ecstasy. I don't know. I have gone to plenty of clubs back in Jersey, but I've never seen a girl lie on the floor in the bathroom like that, looking so beat up. And then to see it in one of the bathrooms of the "happiest place on Earth"? Something tells me Mickey wouldn't approve. Nor would the grandpa types that had the five year olds on their shoulders but then again, why are they out so late, anyway!?
In fact, while at Pleasure Island, we are all pretty certain my boyfriend's sister and her boyfriend were propositioned by three "swingers" who were "conducting a survey". I think my boyfriend and I, and the whole brother/sister thing sorta cramped their style though. Even swingers, as it turns out, have their limits.
Day Four
Day four was the big activity day we had been gearing up for and winding down from the whole vacation. It also was prime, picture taking time. This was the day we went to Universal Studios theme park and decided to tack on the extra ten bucks to see Islands of Adventure theme park as well.
Now since this was my fourth time to Florida, I had seen Universal before as well as Disney World, Epcot, MGM and Sea World. So since the tickets were pricey for each, we only did the one day of theme parking. Universal we had two free tickets and that park offers rides as well as attractions. None of us had little ones in tow, so a trip to Disney World really wasn't necessary for at least $60.00 a pop.
Plus it needs to be said I am not now, nor have I ever been, a rollercoaster loving girl. Now before you all point your fingers and call me fraidy cat let me explain something. I live within a half hour of a cool theme park, Six Flags. And many season passes ago, I bit the bullet and rode the "scary grown up rides" such as Scream Machine and I'm hear to tell you I'm not afraid of them, I just HATED them. Heights don't particularly scare me. I don't get motion sickness when moving, only stationary (explain that one). I just DON'T. LIKE. THEM. I especially hate the roller coasters that require you to have bars around your head to support you. I can still remember how red my ears were and how certain I was I was going to have permament damage after that day at Six Flags.
No, I'm a water ride, slide going kinda girl. We were going to go to Wet N' Wild, but again, when you pay an arm and a leg just to buy a water, you try to pick and choose your battles. So I spent a lot of time at Universal waving to my boyfriend and holding his hat as he went on the rides I didn't dream about going on. They all got a good chuckle out of my trepidation, of course the next morning, when a 12 year old boy died on a rollercoaster at MGM they hushed up, at least until they found it his death was not related to mechanical error. Then they resumed laughing again.
That's me. Second to last row, second one from the left.
The final thing I learned in leg two of my vacation is that theme park foods have evolved. No longer are pretzels, popcorn and burgers enough. Oh no. Now they sell huge ass turkey legs, right next to the lemonade and italian ices. And with that, I leave you with a picture of the huge ass turkey leg, in full effect.
Tune in for part three, the final chapter, tomorrow!
I see you all came back for round two for Janet's trip around the world! Ok, so going to Florida from Jersey doesn't exactly constitute a trip around the globe, but it's the furthest I've been away from home in at least four years, so it's going to have to do for now. Without further adieu, let's just pick up from where we left off, shall we?
Day Three
On Wednesday, we decided to get out of the house "early" to make the 10am gator show that was in the resort. We all made it there, not so bright-eyed and bushy tailed only to be told the 10am show had sold out. Everyone else had the same idea for $5.00 a pop. So instead we got tickets for the 12pm show that, if we had known about it, probably would have been our first choice anyway. All this did was give us an excuse to go back and eat a heartier breakfast while we waited.
The gator show was pretty cool, but not what we expected. We thought we'd be outside and one with nature. Instead we were inside in an overly air-conditioned room that made me have to pee big time for about an hour. This guy came in with his traveling gators and he was one of those part time trainers, part time comedian types. At the end of the show we had the opportunity to pet a gator, but none of us felt the need to do that, so we skipped out.
After that we headed back to the pool again which after being in it a short while had to be evacuated again for the exact same reason as yesterday only THIS time, we saw the evidence (sorry, no pictures of that to prove it).
At night we went to see Arabian Nights which, I hear, is really the poor man's Medieval Times. I had never been to either, but after going to Arabian Nights, I might keep my money instead of spending it on MT. Arabian Nights was something we all decided to do because we had four free tickets and so we just split the cost of the remaining two. If we hadn't done that and had paid full price we either would have 1. not gone at all or 2. been pretty pissed that we had gone. All the money we had saved on the price to get in though was quickly spent on overpriced alcoholic drinks (you get to keep the glass!) and a pricey group picture that when scanned, will be fun for the whole family.
Don't get me wrong. The show was ok, but none of us are really theater loving folks. And you get dinner, but the dinner, in a word SUCKED. But then again, what do you expect when the cooks have to serve upwards of 800 people in a timely fashion for each sitting?
Finally, we ended the evening by going to Disney World's Pleasure Island.
Here's the weird thing about Pleasure Island. Anyone can walk around outside and see the sights and eat some food. But to get in to one of the clubs you had to be eighteen to enter, 21 to drink. And here in lies the irony that prevails when you have a setup like this at Disney World of all places. Walk in a club, you see your typical drunk people. Walk outside and you see five year olds, riding on grandpa's shoulders. It was all a bit surreal.
The irony hit full force when going in to one bathroom we saw a girl, half naked, lying on the floor, waiting for the paramedics to arrive. There was another girl holding on to the toilet in another stall. The girl they took away was barely conscious, if at all. They say it was drinking and possibly some ecstasy. I don't know. I have gone to plenty of clubs back in Jersey, but I've never seen a girl lie on the floor in the bathroom like that, looking so beat up. And then to see it in one of the bathrooms of the "happiest place on Earth"? Something tells me Mickey wouldn't approve. Nor would the grandpa types that had the five year olds on their shoulders but then again, why are they out so late, anyway!?
In fact, while at Pleasure Island, we are all pretty certain my boyfriend's sister and her boyfriend were propositioned by three "swingers" who were "conducting a survey". I think my boyfriend and I, and the whole brother/sister thing sorta cramped their style though. Even swingers, as it turns out, have their limits.
Day Four
Day four was the big activity day we had been gearing up for and winding down from the whole vacation. It also was prime, picture taking time. This was the day we went to Universal Studios theme park and decided to tack on the extra ten bucks to see Islands of Adventure theme park as well.
Now since this was my fourth time to Florida, I had seen Universal before as well as Disney World, Epcot, MGM and Sea World. So since the tickets were pricey for each, we only did the one day of theme parking. Universal we had two free tickets and that park offers rides as well as attractions. None of us had little ones in tow, so a trip to Disney World really wasn't necessary for at least $60.00 a pop.
Plus it needs to be said I am not now, nor have I ever been, a rollercoaster loving girl. Now before you all point your fingers and call me fraidy cat let me explain something. I live within a half hour of a cool theme park, Six Flags. And many season passes ago, I bit the bullet and rode the "scary grown up rides" such as Scream Machine and I'm hear to tell you I'm not afraid of them, I just HATED them. Heights don't particularly scare me. I don't get motion sickness when moving, only stationary (explain that one). I just DON'T. LIKE. THEM. I especially hate the roller coasters that require you to have bars around your head to support you. I can still remember how red my ears were and how certain I was I was going to have permament damage after that day at Six Flags.
No, I'm a water ride, slide going kinda girl. We were going to go to Wet N' Wild, but again, when you pay an arm and a leg just to buy a water, you try to pick and choose your battles. So I spent a lot of time at Universal waving to my boyfriend and holding his hat as he went on the rides I didn't dream about going on. They all got a good chuckle out of my trepidation, of course the next morning, when a 12 year old boy died on a rollercoaster at MGM they hushed up, at least until they found it his death was not related to mechanical error. Then they resumed laughing again.
That's me. Second to last row, second one from the left.The final thing I learned in leg two of my vacation is that theme park foods have evolved. No longer are pretzels, popcorn and burgers enough. Oh no. Now they sell huge ass turkey legs, right next to the lemonade and italian ices. And with that, I leave you with a picture of the huge ass turkey leg, in full effect.
Tune in for part three, the final chapter, tomorrow!
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