We’ve discussed before how I try to be a fun mom and Jenny tries to keep things like King’s Island and Disney World hidden from her kids. Today I bring you another example of Jenny’s lack of fun-ness.
A few weeks ago, Jenny and I were both contacted by people at Cedar Point and invited to bring our families up to spend the night at their new indoor waterpark, Castaway Bay. So, because I am fun, I said yes. And because Jenny is not, she said no. (So she’s got a newborn, what’s your point?) (But shout out to Cedar Point for inviting us both.)
Anyway, last Friday Andy and I packed up the kids and headed north to Sandusky. Despite having lived my entire life less than four hours from one of the top theme parks in the country, I have never actually been to Cedar Point – a fact that Tricia, who is their biggest fan and was also there last weekend, finds appalling. But if Castaway Bay is any indication of what the rest of the parks are like, I want to go there asap!
We arrived fairly late in the evening on Friday, and after we checked in, I went straight to the blogger event held at the spa. (I think it’s kind of brilliant for an indoor waterpark to have a place for parents (read: moms) to sneak in a little pampering and relaxation!) By the time I got back to our room, it was a little after nine and Sam was already in his pajamas – but Kate was raring to go! She and I decided to explore a little bit, so we went down and found the water park. Does she look excited?
Can you blame her?
Anyway, by that point it was about 9:15 and the water park closed at 10… but in my quest to be a fun mom, I asked Kate if she wanted to go put on her swimsuit. She RAN through the hotel, and we were back to the water park in no time.
Kate and I had so. much. fun. Very few people were there by that time, and we didn’t have to wait in line for anything. After we went down the first slide, she got a glimpse of the Rendezvous Run Water Coaster. It is by far the most thrilling ride in the park, and I really didn’t think she’d want to do it. But I was WRONG. When we rode it the first time, we didn’t know what to expect – when we went through a tunnel in complete darkness, I had a hard time breathing I was so claustrophobic! I tried to be brave and yelled up at Kate (we were in a raft together) “It will be over soon, honey!” and she yelled back “I LOVE THIS!!!”
We rode it over and over again, and on one ride Kate bounced up as we went down a hill, and from my perspective it looked like she lost her grip on the raft’s handles (she swears she didn’t). I immediately grabbed her arm and yelled “Hold on!!!” and she yelled back at me, “Oh my GOSH, Mom, I’m FINE! SERIOUSLY!!!” and I could see her teenage years flash in front of my eyes. When we got to the end of the ride, we were both laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes.
The 40-ish minutes we had at the water park that night will stick with me for a long time.
The next morning the kids were up and ready to go by 7 a.m. However, the water park didn’t open until 9. So, we managed to keep them contained until it was open, and we were the first people through the doors. Kate and Andy headed straight for the Water Coaster, while Sam and I explored the Toddler’s Tide Pool. Sammy didn’t leave that area the whole time we were there, and that was just fine with him. He had a ton of fun! The toddler pool is right in the middle of the water park, which made it really easy for me and Andy to switch off. I also loved how clean and well-maintained the whole resort is. Honestly I think there’s something inherently skeevy about water parks, and I fully expected to feel slightly grossed out at Castaway Bay – but I totally didn’t at all. Pretty impressive.
After a few hours of fun, we had to head home. Kate, of course, would have happily stayed for another week, but Sam was ready for lunch and a nap! But Castaway Bay was still on Kate’s mind at school Monday. She wrote her own review as a school assignment!
To translate:
Fun Fun Fun!!! I loved my trip. It was so cool! At the water park I went on every slide! Castaway Bay was the best! I played basketball in the pool! I went on a barrel rope thing. Can you imagine what it was like? If you go to Castaway Bay you will love it. I loved the wave pool. It was so cool! Go there soon.
As you can tell, we had a fantastic time and Castaway Bay, and can’t wait to go back. In fact, we just might go back sooner than we planned, because the nice people at Castaway Bay have a great offer for all Mommin’ It Up readers! Click the button below and find out how you can book an overnight package for as low as $129. Believe me, it is WELL worth it!
*****
Castaway Bay provided me with a night’s stay and water park passes, but the views and opinions expressed above are all my own. And Kate’s.
FUN!!! I wanna go!
Ok, so, to defend myself, I would have LOVED to have gone. I actually really love water parks. But I thought hotel room w/ a newborn and 2 kids who would both be trying to sleep ON me would not have worked this time. I hope they ask me back in a few months! Because I do have a *little* fun in me…especially when that fun takes place INDOORS! Holla!
Glad to hear you had such a fun weekend! We went to Castaway Bay the other year with the girls and are headed back to Sandusky this weekend for their birthday. It’s nice to have somewhere so close that makes you forget about the winter snow for at least a little!
Have fun!! I can’t wait to go back.
After 18 years in Florida, when people would come visit and say, “We want to take you to Disney.”, my usual response was, “Go ahead and go, take the kids, I’lll stay home, I’d hate to be a burden.”.
Really, for some things, once IS enough!
UP
I guess Jen gets her lack of funness from our side.
That looks awesome!! So glad you had a fun time!
I can’t wait to the Molly is big enough for this kind of thing. How old do you think they need to be to have fun?
I don’t know, Mackenzie. Kate was a great age for it, but Sam had a lot of fun too! The toddler pool was really nice. Molly would have fun in it while you and your husband traded off going on the big rides 🙂
I grew up in Ohio and went to Cedar Point multiple times every year. So I too find it beyond my level of comprehension that you have never made it there! Now that I live far away, I still make and effort to come home with the kids every summer (my mom would say it is so that I can take them to Cedar Point and not visit her!) I’ll have to try this waterpark out when I come home next time…thanks for the review!
I am addicted to blogs and even though I am not a mommy, I decided to check your blog out. I was pleasantly surprised to see your cousin is as hilarious as you. I will read anything (well, almost anything) for a laugh. Anyway, I had to comment on this post b/c for whatever reason I have very fuzzy memories of my parents attempting to take us to Cedar Point maybe in middle school? Am I dreaming? I remember it being tragic b/c they said it was going to rain, so we didn’t soldier on and instead stayed at a hotel somewhere between Germantown and Sandusky? Am I losing it or is this a fuzzy memory of yours too?