The Ump Me, Do You Need A Wee Tour 2024 – Day Four Friday 18th October

With a bedtime of 9.30 last night, a rise of 6am was not too surprising. I was also awake.

Louise slept on, so sadly I took the chance to reply to a couple of work things on the phone before going downstairs at 7am to make myself some cereal and toast. It’s always fun trying to find something to watch on American TV for those few minutes whilst eating breakfast. I’m never sure which new channel isn’t crammed with right-wing propaganda and if you can avoid an advert it’s either very large men talking about a style of football I do not understand or a rerun of some very old sitcom. I was yearning for the Applicances Direct ad to be honest.

Louise wasn’t up until after 8 a.m., so it was a later start after everyone had showered and readied. I wasn’t too stressed, as I had already squandered yet more dollars on multipass for today. It does feel like the standard park experience is broken for the most part. I know everyone has different views and experiences here, but it feels like now you have to pay extra to get what was standard a few years ago.

We left the house at 8.30 and parked up at 8.45am. We trammed in from Dinosaur 225 only for Rebecca to go for an entry denying wee.

Does anyone else have an uncontrollable and undeniable reflex to smile at all dogs?

Once we were in, It’s Tough To Be A Bug was the obvious first choice due to our LLs not starting until 12, (the offsite scum cruse strikes again) its proximity and lack of wait time.

Freddie couldn’t be-leaf this was a person and not a tree. He just didn’t twig. I had to root out my camera and capture the moment as I’m a bit of a sap. Enough!

Freddie was not the most impressed he would be all holiday with this attraction. There was no fear or aversion to the creatures “leaving!” the theatre. It just didn’t go very fast and/or upside down.

At this point, coffee was desirable, so we headed over to Starbucks, and Rebecca and I went in to gather essentials for everyone. Even though I ordered I gave Rebecca’s name to avoid a Cregg moment.

We sat on a wall whilst everyone destroyed the various types of coffee and cake.

Wees were had before we headed all the way over to the rapids. If we were to get wet, it would be early to give the sun time to work its magic.

We didn’t fare too badly wetness-wise on the way around, but then got soaked by the squirting elephants at the end of the ride whilst we waited to disembark.

Freddie and Tom rode again as the standby said 25 minutes but it turned out to be closer to 45. The rest of us sat watching the monkeys for that amount of time.

We’d missed a Lion King show I had my eye on due to the longer ride time, so instead we ate. Yak & Yeti was closest so that was an easy choice.

Once again the camera fell into younger hands.

Our next LL was due for the safari which, yes, you spotted it, was all the way back across the park. We had an excellent driver/guide and saw lots of interesting stuff.

After locating the stroller among the plethora of others in the parking lot, we walked across to Pandora. We had a 2.30 LL for Flights of Passage. We set up a rider swap so that Freddie could ride twice. Louise and I sat out with a napping Dougie and face-timed Emily back home for a bit whilst the others rode.

Louise and I then rode again with Freddie. His excitement to do so was not dampened by just having ridden it.

He once again needed a wee but thankfully the wait was short and he managed to wait until we could rush him to the restroom upon our exit.

We met everyone else and were greeted with a drink.

The LLs were coming thick and fast now, with Everest the next. Yep, that was at the other side of the park again.

With a rider swap set up, Louise, Freddie, Rebecca, and I rode first, with Tom and Freddie going second.

Having taken this same picture every year since this ride opened, here is this year’s version.

and this one

We strolled to Dinoland whilst Tom and Freddie rode, with Rebecca taking Dougie for a spin. I can’t spell Triceratops.

Once everyone was back together we went to Dinosaur. We just about made it within our LL slot giving us the pleasure of walking past that queue.

We had set up the customary rider swap but Freddie was not keen enough on the experience to want to do it a second time.

Louise and I opted to sit down and have a drink whilst everyone else went off to the rapids again which had a short standby. Whilst we waited for them I wandered off to the shop to pick up something Dougie had expressed a lot of interest in (as much as a 2-year-old can), but he loves a hat and had been shouting “Duck” every time he saw Donald so….

Of course, you can’t get one child something without the other…..

We were heading out now…

So here’s an example of the added expense of Multipass affecting our decisions. Almost without exception over the years a day at DAK meant an ADR for Yak and Yeti. It is one of our favourites and a lovely way to wrap up the day at this park. With all the extra dollars going on getting on rides, today we were headed off-site for what would be a considerably cheaper meal. We were headed for Applebees and I had chosen the one at Celebration and the hat was never coming off.

I have to admit that I wasn’t that hungry. My way of addressing that was to “only order two appetisers”.

We’ll get to that when that photo appears, but here is Freddie’s Corn Dog.

I realised the error in my theory when my pretzels arrived.

I had also ordered the Chicken Wontons. Not being that hungry I of course demolished the lot.

Dougie had pizza.

Rebecca also went for the same approach as me with Pretzels and Wings

Quesedeia (another word I can’t spell) Burger for Tom.

Louise had a steak which she declared wonderful.

With a few shakes, wines and drinks all round it was $170 including a good tip. Our server, Dalton, was excellent.

Once again full and tired we headed for home and once again did not make it past 9.30.

Till the next time…..