Today was Discovery Cove day. Polly has been asking to do this forever, but we wanted to wait until Winnie was old enough to join in, so this was the year. The girls were very excited and even though it was early were on great form. Winnie said she couldn’t wait to swim with her first favourite sea creature (the second apparently being a jellyfish!) We managed to be up and away by 6.30am and were checked in before 7am for the first swim of the day at 8am. Because we were so early (we weren’t the only crazies there at that time, honestly!) we were advised to grab something to eat before going to get our wetsuits and lockers. We grabbed a light breakfast (a full breakfast doesn’t fill me with happiness at the best of times, and certainly not before water-based antics…plus Winnie thought I’d she ate too much she might make the dolphin sink!) before trying to find the lockers. We asked two people who told us two different places to go. We went with the second suggestion which turned out to be the furthest point possible from our dolphin swim, but never mind. We opted for vests assuming it would warm up later. We had to remove all jewellery which I knew but had forgotten about. Now, my wedding/ engagement rings are quite chunky, and since my beloved placed it gently on my finger 10 years ago my fingers and knuckles have become slightly less elegant and more like gnarled tree trunks!! After a brief panic I realised there was sun cream on tap, and a few squirts later I managed to get them off. We then set off for our swim.
You are put into groups (we had 9 in our group) and you spend time in the water being told about the dolphins and having any questions answered (Winnie turned into Jeremy Paxman and started firing as many questions as she could think of at the poor woman!) before being allowed to gently stroke your given dolphin (restrictions as to where you could touch). Each person then got a ride and a hug with the dolphin before being taught a few instructions to give to the dolphin. The girls loved it (they have now changed their career of choice. Ducks, you’re on the bench. Dolphins, you’re up!) but I have to say this wouldn’t be my first choice of activity. Although you’re constantly being assured that the dolphins are well cared for (which I’m sure they are) I felt really awkward at times about having an animal essentially performing for us.
After our swim we chose a number of photos as if pre-purchased a package in the Blue Friday sale last year at the time of booking the swim. We got all images on a disk, plus they’ll be emailed to me digitally. 8 were printed and you got a photo frame and photo album to put them in. Next, we went for a swim in the freshwater pool before heading for the lazy river. Now most people were taking noodles to float on, but Polly wanted to swim. It’s shallow in parts (with a rocky base, leading Polly to say that we’d really hit rock bottom…ba-dum-bum!) then changes to 8 feet deep for fairly long periods. Both girls swam the whole way around which was pretty impressive as it was hard work. It was very pretty and relaxing without too many people. You also swim through the aviary which had some gorgeous birds in it.
By this time, they were hungry, so we went to get some early lunch. The food was standard buffet fare (think Disney quick service standard) and we all ate enough but it wasn’t the outstanding quality I’d heard it would be. Maybe I’m a food snob!!
After lunch Winnie asked to go ‘snorfling’ so we headed for the Great Reef. I didn’t go in as my skin reacts terribly to salt water so I opted to stay on the side in the hope of preventing my face from shrivelling up and shedding its skin (just call me Sir Hiss!) but the girls loved it. Winnie did particularly well as before this holiday she was terrified of pretty much every animal, yet here she was swimming amongst the fish. Polly decided to name them all, opting for names such as Ginger-Nose, Dot, Spot & Polka Dot (3 fish who always swam together) and The Limbo-hop Brothers. She could actually pick them out!
By this time, it was around 1pm and we decided to call it a day. We just aren’t the type of people who can just sit and chill out, and although we’d had a nice time, we were ready to leave. We went and got changed and just as we were heading back to the entrance to catch a Lyft the heavens opened. We picked up our booster seats (they stored them for us…could be helpful for others to know if you’re worried about taking one) and set off for the hotel. Steve, of course, had his usual power nap in the front of the car, much to the girls’ amusement. The plan was to spend the afternoon partly packing (I hate packing on the last day as I think it’s such a downer). However, they were testing the fire alarms. Let me tell you, if there ever is a fire in Animal Kingdom Lodge there is zero chance of anyone sleeping through that alarm. My ears are still bleeding now. They tested them 3 times for around 5 minutes each. We ended up having to go on the balcony!!! Still, we still managed to get a lot of bits and bobs done.
Polly had chosen Sanaa for her Birthday Eve meal. We’ve been once this trip, but the food, setting and atmosphere are wonderful, so we were happy to go again. We decided to walk as the temperature was actually pleasant tonight and it’s only a 10-minute stroll. The girls held hands the whole way and jibber-jabbered constantly.
We were seated really quickly in a window seat (perfect!) and the server came over immediately to tell us we could substitute the two adult desserts for the bread service, which we weren’t told the other day and suited us to perfection. The bread service is amazing but now the girls love it as much as us, so it has to be shared 4 ways! I think we may need to order two next time! The meal itself was as delicious as ever, and Polly got a special happy birthday chocolate on her dessert. During the meal the girls were asking Steve about different jobs he’d had, then about why he set up his business and how it changed over the years. He told them how it started off as just him working in a little unit where it was so cold, he had to wear fingerless gloves and ice formed on the inside of the plastic roof. They were then talking about how lovely his units are now and Winnie piped up with ‘your business is just like Carousel of Progress!’ It made me giggle!!
We walked back to Jambo House and watched one of the cultural representatives carving wood in the lobby. There really is always something going off here. It’s fabulous.
I’ve just given Polly her last goodnight kiss as a 7-year-old. I always get incredibly emotional around birthdays as although they’re a celebration, they’re also a harsh reminder of how fast time is passing by. That’s why we try to make the most of every single day, and what an amazing place to be doing that. And as Polly said earlier,
‘How can you be sad about me getting older when you told me that you love me more every single day? Surely that makes me getting older a good thing?’
She’s such a wise old woman at times.
Goodnight lovely people. I’m off to wait for the birthday fairy to arrive! ❤️
Doodle & Peg Do Disney 