Chapter 3.
Wednesday
The suite we rented was amazing! It's honestly like having your own apartment, with the added benefit of having all the food you want delivered to your suite. Jennifer and Sally put everything away in the drawers and closets in the bedrooms and unpacked all the toiletries to the bathrooms. Sally basically had the hallway bathroom all to herself. After unpacking, we changed into more comfortable clothing and went to explore this magical hotel. We decided that since it was 12:30 p.m., we would tour for a while and then have lunch. We headed out of our suite and went down the hall until we saw the Observation Deck overlooking the Atrium.
"Wow, this place is massive!" said Sally.
"I can't believe this," said Jennifer.
We were just trying to take everything in. We were on the fourth floor, four floors from the top. The Atrium is quite large and has multiple floor sections that looked like they were floating in the air. Each contained different activities that you could do. There is mini golf, video games, coffee bars, reading and eating areas, and a few areas for learning and exploring for the kids and teens. Escalators and walkways take you from section to section. They connect to the sides, floor, and each other.
We took the glass elevator to the bottom floor, where the Magic Water Park is. Once the elevator doors opened to the water park, it seemed even more magical! So many colors and slides and music. All the pools had underwater LED lights and were lit in assorted colors. Some pools had five to six distinct color schemes in various parts of the pools. The lazy river also had colors running throughout. Heck, even the slides had LED lights along the insides. There were wavy slides, raft rides and areas for chilling out in lounge chairs. As we walked around, we could see beverage machines that dispense free water, soda, juice, and iced tea. They had lifeguards on duty, and the park was lit in assorted colors to make everything "pop" with excitement. A DJ was pumping out tunes, and teens and adults were having a ball.
One thing you don't hear is little kids screaming and babies crying. That's because the WOE does not allow anyone in under ten years of age. I know this sounds crazy, but it's really nice. When the WOE first announced their opening plans over twelve years ago, this age stipulation was called a foul by some parents. But as time went by and they finally opened, many were happy to vacation in a place that had no babies crying or kids screaming and running around the place. Even most parents with kids take a vacation here and are glad to leave the little ones with grandma and grandpa for a week. So, there are no kiddy rides, diaper changing stations, strollers, and no parents going sleepless because their kids won't go to sleep when they do. The ten and up policy is terrific and a rite of passage for many kids, for when they turn ten, they can't wait to come. Many come for their 10th birthday!
As we continued to walk around, we saw cabanas that could be reserved for a ½ of a day, free. There was a lazy river with cool caves and gentle waves. There was also a separate area just for adults to relax, which had a small beach with waves lapping at the shore and lounge chairs under umbrellas and replica palm trees. There is wait staff that can take food and drink orders and deliver them right to you. We looked at the menu and were surprised the prices were so low. A hot dog, fries, and drink cost only $4. A cheeseburger, fries, and drink are only $5.50. And the best part is tax is included, and there are no tipping or service charges either. Adult beverages start at $1.50 for a draft beer. The Magic Water Park is massive and self-contained. The hotel rooms start at Floor 2, but the Water Park is about 3 stories high itself, although it is considered just one floor. It has an insulated ceiling, so there's no noise getting into the suites above.
After our tour, we took the elevator to the second floor, above the water park, to get lunch. This floor is complete, with no floating sections and contains the two restaurants and the Snack Pantry. Each restaurant has a variety of different sized tables to accommodate any size family. There was relaxing jazz music playing in the background, but you could easily still hear each other talking. As we walked into the entrance of the Hungry Magician, we were greeted by a friendly hostess. You have the choice of either paying with your meal plan or paying the $10 per person, yourself, before being seated. We merely scanned our index fingers for payment, using our meal plan and were shown to our table. Once seated, our waitress quickly came over, told us about the specials at the buffet, and took our drink orders. The selection and quality of the food were stupendous. Both Jennifer, who can sometimes be picky, and Sally were delighted. Once we were done eating, we simply got up from our table and headed back to our room to rest our indulged bellies and probably take a nap. We had no bill to pay and no tip to leave. Marvelous!
After the Nap
OK, I admit we ate too much food, and the three of us needed a food nap. It's not the first time we have overindulged, and I'm sure it won't be the last. After two hours of being comatose, we arose from our comfy beds and decided to head back down to the water park. We thought we would enjoy the water park for a while and then retire early, as it has been a long day and we wanted to go to the WOE Complex first thing in the morning, well rested.
As we headed to the elevator to go down to the park, we stopped at the Observation Deck to admire the Atrium again. We could see that the colors of the Atrium's ambient lighting have slightly changed. It seemed the ceiling was changing from a bright sky blue to a later afternoon/early evening glow. We also looked at the Interactive Directory on the wall, which told us what took place in each section. One section caught Sally's eye: The Magician's Classroom.
Sally said, "Look, they'll teach you magic."
She has always loved magic and now looked forward to learning more. She touched the Magic Classroom on the Interactive Directory, and more information came up, much like clicking on a link on a computer. It gave a list of times each day the class was taught. She clicked on a time, and it asked her if she wanted to reserve a spot. She touched yes, and then it asked her for her room number. She entered the room number and then the guests who would be attending, and then clicked OK. Once complete, we immediately received a text confirmation. Really cool!
We then proceeded to the elevator and went down to the Magic Water Park, this time to have fun! The water park is well insulated because you don’t hear all the noise reverberating, as you usually do in an indoor setting. The water is even heated for comfort. We found a couple of empty recliners sitting in the beach area of the wave pool and plopped our belongings down. Towels are available everywhere, and so are beverage dispensers. They even have mini waterproof safes for your valuables.
Sally and I headed for a few slides, while Jennifer decided to lay down and chill for a while. We went on three slides within just a few minutes and had a blast. The water park is so big, it could handle at least 1,500 people comfortably. Each one of the Hotel Family complexes has its own themed water park.
Because our water park is themed to Magic, we had slides that resembled wavy scarves and a tall structure that looked like a magician’s hat, which contained several slides wrapping around it. There were giant rabbits, wands, and even a few slides that had a unique effect built into them that made it look like the end had disappeared. Just like the Atrium, the Magic Water Park has a ceiling that resembles the sky and the time of day. Since everything at the WOE Complex is indoors, the ceiling skylights help keep your brain's circadian regulated. Otherwise, you wouldn't really know night from day.
Then we heard this magic chime and the words, "Abracadabra." Suddenly, all the colors in the pools, slides, and ambient lighting around the park changed colors. It was really neat. We were told this happens on the hour, every hour.
I must admit, it was nice not having to deal with little kids running around and hearing, crying, and yelling. Some kids were ten or eleven-years-old, but they weren't acting crazy and unchained. There were lifeguards present and very vigilant.
Here's a real big plus to staying at the WOE Complex overnight: If you wish, and they do encourage it, you can trade your cell phone in for a pager device that you wear on your wrist called an Emergency Alert Device or EAD. The premise is this: You're on vacation, whether it's for a weekend or two weeks. The WOE does not want you videotaping anything at all, at any time. They also frown on you taking pictures in most places. The reason is simple to understand; glowing phone and video screens can distract others and cause them to lose enjoyment in a show or attraction. Pictures do the same. People are always having to walk around others trying to take a picture of their group against a particular background. Also, do you really want your boss or family bothering you when you are on vacation? No, absolutely not. The Complex only offers Wi-Fi in specific areas, and cell reception is spotty. This is deliberate.
You can choose to stay in areas of the hotel that have no Wi-Fi. These areas are best for those who wish to just "disconnect" from the world. They want you to relax and escape. They want you to get away from the news, politics, work emails, and computer gaming. They want you to enjoy not having to do work. You can tell your boss you can't access your email and you can leave your phone at the hotel's concierge's desk.
Once you turn in your phone, you will get your EAD. If family back home has an emergency, they will call the concierge's desk number you gave them, and if they say it's an emergency, they will send an alert to your EAD. A four-digit number will appear along with the message your family left. You can either call home or work using the four-digit code you received on a blue courtesy phone or call from your living room or kitchen phone when you get back to your suite. This also works for leaving your kids at the water park or in the Complex. They can also have an EAD, and the employees can notify you if there are any problems. The EAD can also track your kids if they take off or get lost.
I know you are probably freaking out about not possibly having a phone, no video, and no pictures. Well, let me tell you how they make up for this. There are staff photographers stationed around the Complex, mostly in the areas where they know you'll want to take a picture. They have these areas out of the way from the normal flow of foot traffic and here's the best part: It's all FREE! That's right, have all the pictures you want, and they send them right to your account. All you do is log in to your WOE account and post those pictures to your social media until your heart's content. You can even save and print the pictures at home. Some guests visit the WOE Picture Desk and pay a small fee to have photos printed and put into frames as keepsakes. All you need to give them is your room number (or name if you can't remember your room number or you are just visiting for the day). This also works on the rides and attractions that take photos. You look at your photo when the ride is over and if you want to keep it, just save it to your room number or name.
Remember, you can't just show up to the WOE. You must book your stay in advance, so they always know who is visiting. As far as vloggers go, well, you are unfortunately out of luck. No YouTube videos here. If they catch you with your camera on or using your phone to videotape, they will ask you to stop and delete the video. If you don't or refuse to delete it, they can ask you for your identity and could confiscate your camera or phone. So, think of all of this as helping you enjoy your stay even more and stopping a lot of rudeness that people can exhibit during shows, and while riding attractions. Plus, you won't have to worry about being unintentionally in someone's YouTube video.
I honestly love it and appreciate not having to duck and stop for people to take their pictures. Think back when we didn't all have cell phones and our cameras used film that had to be developed. For me at least, buying a roll of 36 mm picture film and having it developed wasn't cheap, so I was selective on what pictures I took. Not like with digital today. So, this is all sort of a throwback to yesteryear. Just enjoy the experience!
At around 5 p.m., Jennifer and Sally decided they had had enough, and we're going back to the suite for showers. With two women, I knew a shower wouldn't be in my immediate future, so I decided to hang out for a while longer.
As they headed up, I ordered myself a screwdriver drink and started thinking about everything. Everything that has been going on in our life lately. You know life can be good to you and then it can be cruel. People have so many expressions on how to live life, Like, "Live each day like it was your last!" Great! Shall I say goodbye to everyone, every day and should I have a farewell party every day? Come on, get serious! I also like, "Take each day as it comes!" or "One day at a time." How else can you do this? I can't live three days at a time unless you're mentally out of it, then it might all blend together. Or how about, "Life's what you make it." This is true for those who have control of their lives. But what about those who were born unable to walk and could be confined to a wheelchair, or blind, been abused or abandoned? The truth is, life is not fair to everyone because not everyone plays fairly. Life can be cruel to some and very volatile for everyone.
I guess I have been even more cynical lately because of Jennifer. Six months ago, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. She never smoked, but her parents did while she was growing up. She went through a massive round of chemotherapy, but it only stopped the spread into the lymph nodes. She would get violently sick and swore she couldn't go through that treatment again. She's lost her beautiful brown hair but tries very hard to stay positive. Jennifer and Sally are my world, and I can't imagine losing either. Our health insurance, which we spend over $500 a month on premiums for, has been nothing but aggravation. They fight us on paying for anything. Our medical bills from deductibles, co-insurance, and things they won't cover are over twenty-thousand dollars. Since Jennifer is a school teacher and I make only a little money blogging, we don't have the kind of money to pay for all that. In fact, we live from one check to the next. Since we didn't know what the future held for Jennifer, we borrowed the money from my dad to make this trip. My hope is that Jennifer would get some time to really relax and recoup while in this holding pattern. She's been through so much, and we thought a family vacation, one that may be our last, was absolutely needed.
The plan is; while Jennifer rests, I'll do my interviews for the tenth anniversary of the WOE, which hopefully will attract more visitors to my blog once posted, thus making a little more money to help with the bills.
With all the stress and worry lately, I've been questioning my faith and if there really is a God that I pray to every day. I feel like I pray more now because I am so scared lately. Am I praying to have things change for Jennifer or for supportive help for Sally and me to accept what might come? I, like many, pray every day to be a better Christian and always ask for forgiveness for my weaknesses. Maybe I believe because I'm afraid of so much and scared of what will become of me when I die. Then again, I think, once I'm dead, I'm dead. If there is no afterlife, I won't know about it anyways. But in the meantime, I'll try my best to be a good person.
Tomorrow will be a good day, I just know it will!
Wednesday
The suite we rented was amazing! It's honestly like having your own apartment, with the added benefit of having all the food you want delivered to your suite. Jennifer and Sally put everything away in the drawers and closets in the bedrooms and unpacked all the toiletries to the bathrooms. Sally basically had the hallway bathroom all to herself. After unpacking, we changed into more comfortable clothing and went to explore this magical hotel. We decided that since it was 12:30 p.m., we would tour for a while and then have lunch. We headed out of our suite and went down the hall until we saw the Observation Deck overlooking the Atrium.
"Wow, this place is massive!" said Sally.
"I can't believe this," said Jennifer.
We were just trying to take everything in. We were on the fourth floor, four floors from the top. The Atrium is quite large and has multiple floor sections that looked like they were floating in the air. Each contained different activities that you could do. There is mini golf, video games, coffee bars, reading and eating areas, and a few areas for learning and exploring for the kids and teens. Escalators and walkways take you from section to section. They connect to the sides, floor, and each other.
We took the glass elevator to the bottom floor, where the Magic Water Park is. Once the elevator doors opened to the water park, it seemed even more magical! So many colors and slides and music. All the pools had underwater LED lights and were lit in assorted colors. Some pools had five to six distinct color schemes in various parts of the pools. The lazy river also had colors running throughout. Heck, even the slides had LED lights along the insides. There were wavy slides, raft rides and areas for chilling out in lounge chairs. As we walked around, we could see beverage machines that dispense free water, soda, juice, and iced tea. They had lifeguards on duty, and the park was lit in assorted colors to make everything "pop" with excitement. A DJ was pumping out tunes, and teens and adults were having a ball.
One thing you don't hear is little kids screaming and babies crying. That's because the WOE does not allow anyone in under ten years of age. I know this sounds crazy, but it's really nice. When the WOE first announced their opening plans over twelve years ago, this age stipulation was called a foul by some parents. But as time went by and they finally opened, many were happy to vacation in a place that had no babies crying or kids screaming and running around the place. Even most parents with kids take a vacation here and are glad to leave the little ones with grandma and grandpa for a week. So, there are no kiddy rides, diaper changing stations, strollers, and no parents going sleepless because their kids won't go to sleep when they do. The ten and up policy is terrific and a rite of passage for many kids, for when they turn ten, they can't wait to come. Many come for their 10th birthday!
As we continued to walk around, we saw cabanas that could be reserved for a ½ of a day, free. There was a lazy river with cool caves and gentle waves. There was also a separate area just for adults to relax, which had a small beach with waves lapping at the shore and lounge chairs under umbrellas and replica palm trees. There is wait staff that can take food and drink orders and deliver them right to you. We looked at the menu and were surprised the prices were so low. A hot dog, fries, and drink cost only $4. A cheeseburger, fries, and drink are only $5.50. And the best part is tax is included, and there are no tipping or service charges either. Adult beverages start at $1.50 for a draft beer. The Magic Water Park is massive and self-contained. The hotel rooms start at Floor 2, but the Water Park is about 3 stories high itself, although it is considered just one floor. It has an insulated ceiling, so there's no noise getting into the suites above.
After our tour, we took the elevator to the second floor, above the water park, to get lunch. This floor is complete, with no floating sections and contains the two restaurants and the Snack Pantry. Each restaurant has a variety of different sized tables to accommodate any size family. There was relaxing jazz music playing in the background, but you could easily still hear each other talking. As we walked into the entrance of the Hungry Magician, we were greeted by a friendly hostess. You have the choice of either paying with your meal plan or paying the $10 per person, yourself, before being seated. We merely scanned our index fingers for payment, using our meal plan and were shown to our table. Once seated, our waitress quickly came over, told us about the specials at the buffet, and took our drink orders. The selection and quality of the food were stupendous. Both Jennifer, who can sometimes be picky, and Sally were delighted. Once we were done eating, we simply got up from our table and headed back to our room to rest our indulged bellies and probably take a nap. We had no bill to pay and no tip to leave. Marvelous!
After the Nap
OK, I admit we ate too much food, and the three of us needed a food nap. It's not the first time we have overindulged, and I'm sure it won't be the last. After two hours of being comatose, we arose from our comfy beds and decided to head back down to the water park. We thought we would enjoy the water park for a while and then retire early, as it has been a long day and we wanted to go to the WOE Complex first thing in the morning, well rested.
As we headed to the elevator to go down to the park, we stopped at the Observation Deck to admire the Atrium again. We could see that the colors of the Atrium's ambient lighting have slightly changed. It seemed the ceiling was changing from a bright sky blue to a later afternoon/early evening glow. We also looked at the Interactive Directory on the wall, which told us what took place in each section. One section caught Sally's eye: The Magician's Classroom.
Sally said, "Look, they'll teach you magic."
She has always loved magic and now looked forward to learning more. She touched the Magic Classroom on the Interactive Directory, and more information came up, much like clicking on a link on a computer. It gave a list of times each day the class was taught. She clicked on a time, and it asked her if she wanted to reserve a spot. She touched yes, and then it asked her for her room number. She entered the room number and then the guests who would be attending, and then clicked OK. Once complete, we immediately received a text confirmation. Really cool!
We then proceeded to the elevator and went down to the Magic Water Park, this time to have fun! The water park is well insulated because you don’t hear all the noise reverberating, as you usually do in an indoor setting. The water is even heated for comfort. We found a couple of empty recliners sitting in the beach area of the wave pool and plopped our belongings down. Towels are available everywhere, and so are beverage dispensers. They even have mini waterproof safes for your valuables.
Sally and I headed for a few slides, while Jennifer decided to lay down and chill for a while. We went on three slides within just a few minutes and had a blast. The water park is so big, it could handle at least 1,500 people comfortably. Each one of the Hotel Family complexes has its own themed water park.
Because our water park is themed to Magic, we had slides that resembled wavy scarves and a tall structure that looked like a magician’s hat, which contained several slides wrapping around it. There were giant rabbits, wands, and even a few slides that had a unique effect built into them that made it look like the end had disappeared. Just like the Atrium, the Magic Water Park has a ceiling that resembles the sky and the time of day. Since everything at the WOE Complex is indoors, the ceiling skylights help keep your brain's circadian regulated. Otherwise, you wouldn't really know night from day.
Then we heard this magic chime and the words, "Abracadabra." Suddenly, all the colors in the pools, slides, and ambient lighting around the park changed colors. It was really neat. We were told this happens on the hour, every hour.
I must admit, it was nice not having to deal with little kids running around and hearing, crying, and yelling. Some kids were ten or eleven-years-old, but they weren't acting crazy and unchained. There were lifeguards present and very vigilant.
Here's a real big plus to staying at the WOE Complex overnight: If you wish, and they do encourage it, you can trade your cell phone in for a pager device that you wear on your wrist called an Emergency Alert Device or EAD. The premise is this: You're on vacation, whether it's for a weekend or two weeks. The WOE does not want you videotaping anything at all, at any time. They also frown on you taking pictures in most places. The reason is simple to understand; glowing phone and video screens can distract others and cause them to lose enjoyment in a show or attraction. Pictures do the same. People are always having to walk around others trying to take a picture of their group against a particular background. Also, do you really want your boss or family bothering you when you are on vacation? No, absolutely not. The Complex only offers Wi-Fi in specific areas, and cell reception is spotty. This is deliberate.
You can choose to stay in areas of the hotel that have no Wi-Fi. These areas are best for those who wish to just "disconnect" from the world. They want you to relax and escape. They want you to get away from the news, politics, work emails, and computer gaming. They want you to enjoy not having to do work. You can tell your boss you can't access your email and you can leave your phone at the hotel's concierge's desk.
Once you turn in your phone, you will get your EAD. If family back home has an emergency, they will call the concierge's desk number you gave them, and if they say it's an emergency, they will send an alert to your EAD. A four-digit number will appear along with the message your family left. You can either call home or work using the four-digit code you received on a blue courtesy phone or call from your living room or kitchen phone when you get back to your suite. This also works for leaving your kids at the water park or in the Complex. They can also have an EAD, and the employees can notify you if there are any problems. The EAD can also track your kids if they take off or get lost.
I know you are probably freaking out about not possibly having a phone, no video, and no pictures. Well, let me tell you how they make up for this. There are staff photographers stationed around the Complex, mostly in the areas where they know you'll want to take a picture. They have these areas out of the way from the normal flow of foot traffic and here's the best part: It's all FREE! That's right, have all the pictures you want, and they send them right to your account. All you do is log in to your WOE account and post those pictures to your social media until your heart's content. You can even save and print the pictures at home. Some guests visit the WOE Picture Desk and pay a small fee to have photos printed and put into frames as keepsakes. All you need to give them is your room number (or name if you can't remember your room number or you are just visiting for the day). This also works on the rides and attractions that take photos. You look at your photo when the ride is over and if you want to keep it, just save it to your room number or name.
Remember, you can't just show up to the WOE. You must book your stay in advance, so they always know who is visiting. As far as vloggers go, well, you are unfortunately out of luck. No YouTube videos here. If they catch you with your camera on or using your phone to videotape, they will ask you to stop and delete the video. If you don't or refuse to delete it, they can ask you for your identity and could confiscate your camera or phone. So, think of all of this as helping you enjoy your stay even more and stopping a lot of rudeness that people can exhibit during shows, and while riding attractions. Plus, you won't have to worry about being unintentionally in someone's YouTube video.
I honestly love it and appreciate not having to duck and stop for people to take their pictures. Think back when we didn't all have cell phones and our cameras used film that had to be developed. For me at least, buying a roll of 36 mm picture film and having it developed wasn't cheap, so I was selective on what pictures I took. Not like with digital today. So, this is all sort of a throwback to yesteryear. Just enjoy the experience!
At around 5 p.m., Jennifer and Sally decided they had had enough, and we're going back to the suite for showers. With two women, I knew a shower wouldn't be in my immediate future, so I decided to hang out for a while longer.
As they headed up, I ordered myself a screwdriver drink and started thinking about everything. Everything that has been going on in our life lately. You know life can be good to you and then it can be cruel. People have so many expressions on how to live life, Like, "Live each day like it was your last!" Great! Shall I say goodbye to everyone, every day and should I have a farewell party every day? Come on, get serious! I also like, "Take each day as it comes!" or "One day at a time." How else can you do this? I can't live three days at a time unless you're mentally out of it, then it might all blend together. Or how about, "Life's what you make it." This is true for those who have control of their lives. But what about those who were born unable to walk and could be confined to a wheelchair, or blind, been abused or abandoned? The truth is, life is not fair to everyone because not everyone plays fairly. Life can be cruel to some and very volatile for everyone.
I guess I have been even more cynical lately because of Jennifer. Six months ago, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. She never smoked, but her parents did while she was growing up. She went through a massive round of chemotherapy, but it only stopped the spread into the lymph nodes. She would get violently sick and swore she couldn't go through that treatment again. She's lost her beautiful brown hair but tries very hard to stay positive. Jennifer and Sally are my world, and I can't imagine losing either. Our health insurance, which we spend over $500 a month on premiums for, has been nothing but aggravation. They fight us on paying for anything. Our medical bills from deductibles, co-insurance, and things they won't cover are over twenty-thousand dollars. Since Jennifer is a school teacher and I make only a little money blogging, we don't have the kind of money to pay for all that. In fact, we live from one check to the next. Since we didn't know what the future held for Jennifer, we borrowed the money from my dad to make this trip. My hope is that Jennifer would get some time to really relax and recoup while in this holding pattern. She's been through so much, and we thought a family vacation, one that may be our last, was absolutely needed.
The plan is; while Jennifer rests, I'll do my interviews for the tenth anniversary of the WOE, which hopefully will attract more visitors to my blog once posted, thus making a little more money to help with the bills.
With all the stress and worry lately, I've been questioning my faith and if there really is a God that I pray to every day. I feel like I pray more now because I am so scared lately. Am I praying to have things change for Jennifer or for supportive help for Sally and me to accept what might come? I, like many, pray every day to be a better Christian and always ask for forgiveness for my weaknesses. Maybe I believe because I'm afraid of so much and scared of what will become of me when I die. Then again, I think, once I'm dead, I'm dead. If there is no afterlife, I won't know about it anyways. But in the meantime, I'll try my best to be a good person.
Tomorrow will be a good day, I just know it will!