Despite the harrowing adventures of the night before, we were up early and hit the parking lots at 8:03, caught the first tram to the entrance, and were first in line when the very nice lady opened the chain at 8:32. Breakfast Molly’s was just as Spiffy as always.
The crowd was very small early one. Just after the opening, we enjoyed the Pickers and then did some shopping. We needed some jellies/jams, a new belt for my older boy, and a b-day present for my M-i-L (a wind chime from the Blacksmith’s shop).
We had brought along some dry clothes and left them in a locker at HH and dropped down the hill to the Frisco Barn to take advantage of the sale on water shoes—Buy One, Get One Half Off. Unfortunately, and we didn’t notice this till later, we were charged full price for all three. My wife is going to call them and suggest they remind their people about their specials ;-)
Anyhow, we had to hike back up the hill to put the street shoes in another locker. Then it was on to the water rides. My wife and younger son did AP—not too long a wait. Then my wife, my younger son, and I got on a boat at RB while my older son manned a cannon in the fort.
We grabbed lunch at the Rib House—my only regret is that we couldn’t find a way to bring the bones home to the dogs (they just wouldn’t send them to Package Pickup ;-) ).
Then we hit LROTO—by this time, the crowds were getting bigger, but the number of people was still far from overwhelming, and the line moved quite quickly. All four of us rode together for this one. Then my wife and younger son wanted to do AP again, so we trudged up thataway, stopping on the way to get frozen lemonades (the GOOD ones). The wait for AP was longer this time, so I sat down and cat-napped with my back against the fence.
After that, we went back up to HH, and they changed into dry clothes and shoes—I at least put on dry socks. (Note: the water shoes were not really good quality, I guess, because the insoles came out of all three pair.)
Then we headed for the depot and a train ride. George was our conductor—he is pretty new, it seems, as he had a little trouble with the lines, but the real news is that the Indians are back (and the Yankees are gone). The whole skit makes more sense that way. When we got back to the depot, George said, “If you enjoyed yourself, my name is George, and come back and join me for another ride. If you didn’t, my name is John, and I’ll be waiting for you at the depot.”
We left the depot and did FM—very few people in there. Then we went BACK to the depot to take George up on his offer (my younger son and I taking a side trip to the baseball cart so he could buy his teacher a present). When we got bak on the train, George looked at us and said, “Are you back already?”
I said, “You told us to come back if we enjoyed ourselves, didn’t you?”
He laughed and walked on. He got the Pottersville joke in the second time.
Then it was over to and down Cardiac Hill so my wife and younger son could do FITH.
We ate at the Lumberjack camp/Skillet. The Lumberjack skillet is the only one I will eat, and the stuff had been simmering a while, long enough for all the flavors to mingle, and it was VERY good! The waterfall makes for a cool place to sit and relax.
Then, we sadly climbed Cardiac Hill and headed out through OM 9without stopping this time) to the lot and boarded our new vehicle for the trip home. Once again, we had not problems driving, and we got home about 10:10, tired and very satisfied, looking forward to the next time!
