Friday 26th September............
I think by now we have photographed every inch of the parks, hotels, food and Citywalk........same as previous years, but we keep doing it every year. As the trip comes to an end we tend to take less pics of each other, I suppose it`s a bit sad as we don`t want to leave.
But we ached like heck this morning, we had done so much walking it was beginning to show on us.....Kyle is fit as a fiddle but Tom and I not so much. But we were feeling it after 16 days of marching around every day, but we could recover when we got home. Our last full day was finally upon us.
We headed up to the lounge for breakfast and said goodbye to one member of staff we wouldn`t see tomorrow. As we were eating there was a woman who had been looking over at us came over and asked if used to post on a certain British site. Well I did and got fed up with the atmosphere on there so stopped a long time ago. Anyway, we got talking and she says she recognised me from my previous trip reports on here. She was a nice lady and she remembered a thread I had started a few years ago. Anyway we had a good old chat and she told me of some people who had been banned from that British site now.......always interesting to hear what happens to people at times. So we chatted for a bit then we headed off. Kyle and Tom always think it`s funny when people you don`t know chat to you because they recognise you from a forum.
Went back down to room and called my mate Vicki...Tink1957. She was here this year with her daughter and we overlapped by a day or so.....well I had gotten her arrival day wrong, but we arranged to meet tonight at HHN. We headed down to the boat and as we were waiting I saw Vicki and her daughter so went over to say hi. It was so nice to see her again and meet her daughter as we had met her son last year, but he had to work this year. So we got the boat together and they were going to IOA, so we headed to Studios. It was a nice day, warm and cloudy, but you could feel rain was close.
We went in and did all our usual rides. DM was a walk on as was RRR which we did 4 or 5 times....it was fantastic as we got on the front row each time. That`s definetely the best row to be on. We wandered round slowly, partly because we ached so bad and our feet hurt.....but we were just taking everything in again. Every building, sound and the color of things. It was fairly quiet so we could wander without getting in people`s way. As we went in The Mummy the TM who recognised us a few days ago was shocked to see us again........he just laughed and hugged us when we told him this was our last day.....he said it seemed like a month since he first saw us, anyway we went in and really enjoyed it as always. We did it twice then sadly left that area and headed round to DA taking in some pictures on the way......
It was busy in this area today, very busy. So we just spent the time ambling round, taking some last minute pictures and had an ice cream before going into KA and again.....more pictures. But I`m sure they have been seen a thousand times so won`t post any more. We did go on single rider today although it broke down just before we got on it, we went to turn and leave when it started running again.....yay.......we got on one last time and we got on the front row.....it was nice. This is a very clever ride and a good one although it doesn`t have any exciting drops or like a coaster in any way it is well worth riding, even if you`re not a Potter fan. We`re not the biggest Potter fans but the whole area is phenomenal and an amazing place to be. Blows anything else out of the water.
The rain was coming on now and we were beginning to get hungry. We really have no desire to eat in any of the Potter themed restaurants at all so we head out to Lombards. This place is either a hit or a miss for us. But we wanted to try it again and see. So we went in and got seated immediately, it wasn`t busy at this point.
It is lovely inside and doesn`t feel like a theme park restaurant at all. Service is always good and was again today. I knew what I wanted so it was just waiting on them deciding. I ordered the lobster roll with sweet potato fries......I adore sweet potatoes........Kyle ordered Teriyaki Chicken and Tom had the Phillycheese steak sandwich with fries
I was so glad we went. It really was lovely. Everything was so tasty and my lobster roll had so much lobster in it.....I wasn`t expecting as much. Kyle`s chicken was delicious too......I did steal his spring roll. I don`t think I had one of the shooters but Kyle had the chocolate one and he said it was nice. We finished up and headed out back into the sunshine as the rain had gone off by now. We dithered as to what to do now. Should we go to IOA for a while or finish off in The Studios for our last park moment. We decide to go round and do MIB, Simpson`s for them and then ET. So we did that and then went on RRR for the last time. The sky was getting blacker by now and we knew the rain was coming. Just hoped it wouldn`t be too bad for HHN tonight.
We got back to the hotel before the rain came on but boy was the sky black. I sent macraven a pm to say I was in the room was she around for a chat. So she called me and we, as usual chatted for ages. Tom fell asleep while we were chatting and Kyle was on his ipad, so we were all happy with some down time while I was chatting.....and boy can we chat......lol.......
I`m off the phone later and we all get showered and changed and head up to the lounge before we go out for dinner. We sit on the comfy sofa`s and have a glass of wine and Mike, one of the guys who is in charge of the lounge is on the downstairs concierge desk for a few days comes up from there to say goodbye to us as he won`t be in tomorrow. It`s so nice of him as we have gotten to know him so well this year. I`m sad to say goodbye to him, but we do as we are heading off to our final HHN for this year.
We are a little later than planned but I we didn`t mind as we were chatting as usual........Nascar was fairly busy tonight, and we had our "usual" waitress. We all knew what we were having tonight, well Tom planned one thing then changed his mind..........
Kyle had Teriyaki Chicken with fries and veg, Tom had jerk pork chops with fries and I had pulled pork platter with sweet potato fries and coleslaw which was all gorgeous. One of the best meals we had and we are so disappointed that Nascar has closed down now. Just hope whatever they replace it with is just as good. We didn`t have room for dessert so we paid up and headed in to meet up with Vicki at the Boulangerie.
We went through the hotel guest entrance again, I`m glad we didn`t have to go through the regular queue especially as again, we could see and hear some very young children. I don`t understand that at all. But, we were soon meeting up and chatting with Vicki and her daughter. We had a really nice catch up but soon we are heading off to do our own thing.........I wish we could have spent more time together but with the mix up of when they arrived, we just kind of lost out on time.
But, we went straight through Face Off again, didn`t take a whole lot of pics tonight a lot more of the same really. Halloween was still our favorite house of the whole event and we really enjoyed it tonight again. MM got me at every turn and I got the Michael head tilt from him twice tonight.....so scary to see and I get transfixed every time. Dollhouse wasn`t as stinky tonight outside but the house was still good. The rain was on now, but strangely it wasn`t soaking us like before, it was very fine so you could walk around easily without feeling drenched. We did the rest of the houses and they were so good. When we were heading in to WD there was a man in front of me with his wife, teenage son and another child of about 6 clinging on to him and begging not to go in.......all the while the dad was telling him he would be fine, not to be scared just hang on to him. I couldn`t believe it. This kid was crying his eyes out and clung to him all the way round. The mother didn`t say one word. I have seen far too many kids cry and get upset at this event, but this was horrible to see. Several TM`s tried to talk to him and advise not to take him in but he wouldn`t listen. I spoke to one after and he said he wished they wouldn`t let anyone under 14 or 15 in. But, they do. That`s the only thing I would change about the event, no little kids.
We all feel a bit whooped tonight, so after doing all the houses we head out of the park for the last time. We stop off and buy some more jelly beans and Kyle a chocolate muffin. It`s always so sad to walk out that last time. And as always I turn to see those gates and entrance for the last time. I get a hug from Tom who is so patient with my little upsets. We wait for the boat which is a mistake. Kyle walks and is in the room ages before us.
In the room we finish off packing and chat. It`s late and we don`t have to get up early as we don`t need to drop the luggage off at DTD like we usually do. They get into bed are sleeping in no time.......I get back up and just look out the window for a while. Wishing I was on Dr Doom or any of the rides I suppose. Eventually even I drop off to sleep.