When we were on the cruise I had promised my girls that I would take them to Busch Gardens since we didn't go on the excursion to Atlantis in the Bahamas. Busch Gardens cost less than half as much, that was my main motivation. What I forgot was what a miserable experience we had the last time we visited Busch Gardens five years ago. It was hot and miserable and Ellie and Josie couldn't ride most of the rides because they weren't tall enough and it took all my willpower to just make it through the day.
This year wasn't a whole lot different. We got up bright and early and Ali dropped off Lilly, Anna and Samantha and several huge refillable drink containers and bid us farewell. Lindsey and the little ones were planning to meet us later in the day. The girls rode their first ride while I parked the car, but even with us getting there at the crack of dawn they still had to stand in line for about forty minutes. When they finally emerged everyone was thirsty so we stood in line to fill the containers Ali gave me and to purchase the two more that were needed at some extraordinary price that I've blocked from memory. We then stopped to use the restroom that was right there at which point some large person banged into Anna and knocked her drink out of her hand so it went all over her and cracked when it hit the ground. Back into the beverage line we went where the lady there kindly gave us another at no charge. We then walked over to the next ride and got in line and just as it was almost our turn it was closed for lightning nearby. Argh.
By now it was late morning so I suggested we eat an early lunch while we waited for the weather to clear. We stood in yet another line to purchase rather horrible and overpriced food and after eating we went back out to find something open. If you guessed that we got in line only to have the ride close again just before our turn you'd be right. Busch Gardens has animals so we wandered around looking at those, but really that is not what one goes to an amusement park to do. We finally got to ride a few rides after queuing for hours, no exaggeration.
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| I'm taking the photos and holding all the drink containers. I should have photographed those things, they were enormous. |
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| Finally on a ride! |
While the girls were tempted to stay at Busch Gardens until closing in the hopes of getting on more rides, I was done. We'd earlier made plans to meet up with Ali and go to a locally famous burger joint that had some rather interesting entertainment and I wanted to go ANYWHERE else. Lindsey had arrived at Busch Gardens with Mari and Baker and had invited Ellie to stay with them and spend the night, so it was the perfect night to try this place out as the entertainment was not entirely wholesome and definitely not age appropriate for a 9-year-old. In retrospect perhaps it wasn't age appropriate for Josie either - after her initial shock, a few stares which her sisters quickly told her was NOT ok, and a promise that we could leave if she was too distressed, she actually rather enjoyed the evening. We went to a place called Hamburger Mary's, famous for their burgers, and their drag show.
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| The girls with our waitress. |
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| Katie offering a tip. |
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| What could possibly be wrong with this picture? |
The burgers were really good and it was all good fun, ours weren't the only children there, and it didn't get so saucy that I would feel the need to go to confession, so all in all a fun night. Much more fun than the day that's for sure!
