Surprise Orlando Trip Days 3 & 4

WARNING: NOT AS MANY PICTURES AS MY LAST POST, BUT STILL TOO MANY

Day 3: Blizzard Beach

After having a send-off breakfast with Mema and Papa in the morning, the kids and I made a trip to Target then spent the rest of the day at Blizzard Beach (which is only open 10am-6pm) while Ben worked.  Blizzard Beach was so much fun! The weather was perfect for being in the water and the lines weren't too long.   There were fun water slides and play areas and a big wave pool and kids were all old enough to enjoy pretty much everything.  I told myself I'd love to go back to DW in the summer just to go to there again, and try the other water park too.

This was the first of many times a bee has hung out with Eliza,
perhaps thinking she was a walking garden?

Luke, you're doing it wrong.

I wasn't taking pictures when we were on the big rides but I did get a few pictures of the kids at the big kid play area called Ski Patrol Training Camp.  This had smaller slides, floating "ice" to walk on, and a zip line.  The younger kids probably would have been content to just stay in that area the whole time.

For the second day in a row, Luke fell asleep on the shuttle back to the hotel.  We had time in the room to shower and get changed before meeting up with Ben for dinner at one of the restaurants on the hotel property where we were able to hang out with some real characters.  Then we walked around outside for a bit, enjoying the lights and the sights and the very comfortable temperature.

  

Day 4: Cousins & Resort Time

By Friday the kids were completely worn out and really needed to sleep in, so it worked out well that they could.  This was our latest morning of the trip.  Ben was working again, so once the kids were up and ready to go, I took them to Michael and Keturah's house to have a few hours with family.  We were so excited to see everyone (and enjoy their big yard and exotic wildlife) that the time flew by, just hanging out.

This is a real grasshopper called the Eastern Lubber.
It really is enormous.

The kids and I left at lunch time and spent the rest of the day at the resort.  They LOVED the fun pool and, again, probably would have been content to just stay there all day.  Once the older kids found some other kids to play games with, I took Luke to some of the other activities nearby, including a pond where we could paddle around on Swan boats for a little while.  Then we tore the older kids away from the pool, stopped at the arcade for a few minutes, went to the room to change clothes, and met Ben for dinner.  We put the kids to bed as early as we could (mostly because we would be having a very early morning the following day), left Cat in charge, and Ben and I went out and walked around to see the neighboring shops and resorts.  (I decided that I wouldn't mind staying at the Beach Club or Yacht Club resort some time.  They have some really cool pools.)  Pools were still open, there were movies being shown on big screens outside, restaurants, fireworks, and more.  Disney World really is a never-ending family-friendly party.