The Curly Girlies and I met up with my sister, Auntie, today for a day of fun and amusement. We went to "the best 1/2 day attraction in town" (this is the actual description on their website. I do love their honesty.). This was one of the best attractions we have ever been too. All of us left saying how we definitely would be back.
One of the first things we saw when we walked into the first room was a hurricane simulator. Our favorite ice cream parlor has a hurricane simulator in the parking lot and whenever we go B begs and begs to go in it.
"Really?," I always ask. "We live in the hurricane capital of the world and that's not enough for you? I shouldn't have to pay $10 for you to stand in a wind tunnel. Next time a hurricane comes through, you can stand outside for free."
When I saw the Hurricane Simulator in this room, I grabbed be and said excitedly, "Look B! You've always wanted to do this! Let's go!"
The attendant gave us a brief explanation of what we would feel and then left. The wind started up, the windows on the walls started shaking and showed lightening and we heard thunder.
"I'm scared!," cried L.
"It's OK. It's all pretend, even if it doesn't feel like it," I said, calmly.
We were quite the sight as we exited. We were all completely windblown and poor L couldn't even walk straight!
We did some really cool things, but I think the best entertainment for everyone was the roller coaster simulator.
If you recall from an earlier post (A Parent's Prerogative) I do NOT handle roller coasters (or water slides) very well at all.
Auntie and B went on the Roller Coaster Simulator first. M, L and I waited and watched. Before the ride started, L kept saying, "I'm going to go with you, Mama! You and me together!"
The ride started and we were able to see what the girls were watching on the inside and we saw the simulator spinning and twirling. M took a step back and said, "No way. I am not doing that!"
We heard a bunch of screaming, but when the capsule opened, we saw two smiling faces and laughter. L said, "Come on, Mommy! Let's go!"
"Oh, no," I said. "Let me go first and I'll decide if you can do it."
B offered to go with me, little did she know what she was getting herself into.
We got strapped in and I asked B, "Is this fun?"
"Very!," she replied.
"Is it scary?," I asked.
"A little, but not too much."
"Will you hold my hand?"
"OK. Auntie wouldn't hold my hand, but I'll hold yours," she replied sweetly.
The capsule closed and I thought, "What have I gotten myself into?"
The screen came up and we started moving on an incline. I started screaming.
"Mommy!," Abby laughed. "We haven't even moved yet!"
I can't begin to tell you what the roller coaster was like, because I was too busy screaming. We went loop di loops, corkscrews and straight down and I screamed pretty much nonstop. I'm surprised B isn't deaf from hearing me scream. .
"Aaaugh!!! Get me off of here!!! I don't want to do this anymore!!!," I screamed over and over again.
I'm not sure whether I should be embarrassed or proud that B laughed the entire time. Was she laughing at the ride or at me? I'm not sure I want the answer to that.
As soon as the ride was over and the capsule opened, I said, "That's it. I am not doing that again!"
Auntie, M and L were all laughing like crazy and Auntie said, "CGM, everyone heard you screaming! I videoed the whole thing!"
I was shaking so hard I could barely move, but I managed to move fast enough to get out!
"Can we go again, Mommy?," B asked eagerly.
"N-O! Absolutely not," I replied.
"I'll go with you again, B," Auntie offered. The 2 got on and braved a different coaster while I tried to compose myself.
After they finished, B spied "The Astronaut's Challenge" an orbit simulator.
"Let's go do that!," she said, barely able to contain her excitement.
We walked over to it and the attendant looked at B and said, "She has to be 48 inches to ride."
"Great," I said. "She's 50 inches."
The woman looked at B and said, "Well, if you say so."
"I do say so, but if you don't believe me, please feel free to measure her again."
At that, I started following L to a different part of the room. I looked back a few moments later and saw B sitting in the orbiter with the attendant shaking her head.
"CGM," Auntie called. "The attendant is saying B can't ride it because she's too short."
I walked back over there and said, "What's the problem?"
"Ma'am, your daughter is too short for this ride."
"Really?," I challenged. "Your sign says you have to be 48 inches to ride. My daughter is 50 inches. Did you measure her again like I said you could?"
"Ma'am, you daughter's feet don't reach the bottom. She's too short. She can't ride."
"Right," I said, beginning to get annoyed. "If you are telling me that 50 inches is too short, then perhaps you need to change the sign to say 'You must be above 50 inches to ride'."
"No, Ma'am. The ride is for 48 inches or above. Your daughter is too short," she replied again, just as annoyed as I was.
"OK. I got it. Come on, B," I replied, not bothering to hide my displeasure.
B came off, fighting back tears. I took her over to the height sign and took a picture of her showing how she is definitely over 48 inches. Auntie, B and M really wanted to do the ropes course and I really wanted to get the whole Orbit Simulator height requirement sorted out.
One thing people learn about me is if I feel that my girls or I are wronged in any way, I will fight to the end, even if it's just to get someone to admit that their height requirements are wrong.
I found a manager and while I was conversing with him, I sent M and Auntie to the Rope Course to get started.
I explained the situation, I showed him my picture of an angry B standing at the height sign showing she is definitely 50 inches. I ended with, "What really upsets me is your attendant was questioning my word. Why would I lie about my child's height when I could be potentially putting her into a dangerous situation?"
"Well, Ma'am, I actually just finished talking to that attendant, because she was very upset about the whole exchange between the two of you. I explained to her that the feet do not need to be flat on the platform; as long as her toes are touching, she's fine."
"Wait," I said, knowing how fickle I was sounding. "Are you just saying she can go because you want me to be happy, or are you certain she'll be safe on it?"
"I promise I wouldn't tell you anything that would put your daughter's life in danger," he laughed. "When you go back there, just tell the attendant I OK'd your daughter's ability to ride."
I thanked him very much and B started jumping up and down like a jumping bean!
"Let's go now! Let's go now!!," she squealed.
"We can't. There is no way I am going on it, so we need to get Auntie. Let's go up to the rope course."
We found our way to "The Basement" which is actually the 3rd floor and found Auntie and M strapped in, but standing on the first landing.
M is very much her mother's daughter and chickened out. She came down and B went up and as scared as Auntie and B were, they did great! My heart was racing just watching them walk on all the ropes, up so high.
After they finished, I told Auntie about my conversation with the manager and her eyes lit up.
"Great! Let's go," she said excitedly.
We got back to the simulator and I went through the entire conversation with the manager with a different attendant. She looked at me and said, "Really?"
"Yes," I said, annoyed. "I promise I wouldn't put my daughter at risk. If you don't believe me, though, feel free to call him and ask."
Finally, after much commotion, B was let on.
Auntie and B were a bit nervous as they were getting strapped in. "Are you sure of this, B?," Auntie asked. "It's not too late to say you don't want to do it."
"No way," said B. "I want too! It will be fun!"
"Just think," I said. "If you survive, you are both one step closer to being astronauts!"
B was much more enthused at that idea than Auntie was.
The ride started and B screamed like I did when I was on the coaster simulator.
As soon as they got off, B looked at me and said, "That was AWESOME! I want to go again! Can you go with me, Mommy??"
All I could do was look at her and shake my head.
"Do you not remember the Coaster Simulator?," I asked, walking away. "No way. Nuh uh. Not happening."
I took a video and texted it to The Doctor along with the video Auntie took of my screaming on the coaster simulator.
"They sound like they are having fun," he wrote. "You sound like you're in The Nightmare on Elm Street."
Yup. That pretty much sums up my thoughts on coasters, both real and simulated. They are my Freddie Krueger, minus the claw, the scary face and the killing.
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