Relaxing on our last morning
My parent's plane was scheduled for 1:00, so they arranged with Atlantis to be picked up about 11:00. We didn't have to leave until later, so we walked them to the lobby and they decided to just wait for the car there. We said our good-byes, and Andie, the kids and I walked over to Stormalong Bay.
It was immediately apparent that it was a bit cool for swimming. After about 1/2 hour we decided to call it a day and head back to BW to shower and change. Just as we were leaving the pool it started raining. Once we were ready to head back to BW it really started pouring. We figured "Well, we're in our bathing suits and already wet - let's just head back". So, we walked back to BW in the pouring rain. We really couldn't complain, though, as this was the only time in the entire trip that the weather was anything but perfect.
We made it back to the BW and went into the health club to shower. I was a bit concerned when I saw the notice on the door that read "No one under 14 allowed in Health Club", but nobody said anything. Poor Andie had to take both kids with her. After we were all showered, dried and dressed, we decided what to do with our remaining few hours. If we'd known what the weather was going to be like we would have headed straight over to Downtown Disney, but it was too late for that. We decided to have lunch at "Spoodles" instead.
We really enjoyed lunch at "Spoodles". I was really surprised because I've heard such glowing things about "Flying Fish" and mixed things about "Spoodles", but Andie and I both preferred "Spoodles". Actually, we ordered a sandwich that turned out to be a basic hero, which was OK but not great. What we really enjoyed was the "Mediterranean Combo", a collection of side dishes like hummous and eggplant salad, served with pita bread. It was fantastic. Easily the best single meal of the trip. The kids had mac and cheese.
By the time we were finished with lunch the weather had cleared. We went out to the porch, where Andie and I sat and chatted while the kids played. We met a nice couple who was at WDW celebrating their anniversary with their kids and grandkids. Finally, about 1:30, we admitted that it was time to leave. We gathered up our things, got the Behemoth out of storage, and started the long trip home.
All in all, an absolutely wonderful trip. Sure, there was a lot of stuff we didn't get a chance to see and do, but isn't that always the case? My parents got a chance to see WDW, and they really enjoyed themselves. It was also a lot of fun spending the time with the kids. Charlotte was especially fun to watch. She looked like she was going through complete sensory overload, just looking at everything with such wide-eyed wonder.
Addendum
Charlotte has been real funny after the trip. Every time we see a commercial for WDW she declares "We go back there". A few weeks later we went on a weekend trip to visit Andie's aunt and stayed in a hotel. She wanted to know if we would see Mickey Mouse, and if the pool would have sand.
One thing I never mentioned is that I started a new job the week after we returned. One of the requirements of the job is that I attend at least 2 technical training sessions and/or conferences each year. I've been a Sybase database programmer for over 10 years but have never been able to attend a User Group technical faire, so I said I wanted to go to the next one. It's in early August at; you guessed it, WDW. So I'll be going back a lot sooner than I thought, but it just won't be the same with Andie and the kids. Still, I think I'll manage.