The "NorthCoast" Ohio adventure - PTR July 10-22 - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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The Toledo zoo sounds wonderful! Hope you all enjoy Cedar Point, too. We visited there quite a number of years ago with Stefanie and her cousin. Stefanie and I didn't do much, but Luke and our DNiece loved it.
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Looking forward to this PTR/TR! Wow that zoo is pricey! We're totally spoiled by so many free things here in St. Louis. We are going to the zoo this weekend for Father's Day in fact. Looked like a good time though.
Thanks! We have four zoos within "day travel" range of us and of the four Toledo is only topped by the Indianapolis Zoo (which isn't reciprocal with our pass either). Hope you enjoyed your Father's Day weekend trip to the zoo! We did that once when I was pregnant with Cullen. The Columbus Zoo offered free admission for a father an child. My husband's brother met us so we only paid for my admission. That's another great zoo - with a Manatee exhibit
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
What a great time at the zoo and congrats on the deal with the pass!
I'm constantly looking for bargains
Quote:
Originally Posted by lauriep
Sounds like a fun zoo! I love Nolan's comment about the fake termite mounds. Who says kids don't notice the theming at WDW??
(I don't think the crocodile could be 1500 tons, as a blue whale is only 100 tons, but I'd love to see one sometime if they're really huge!)
Thanks for noting my error! The crocodile was 15 tons, not 1500
Nolan firmly believed the WDW were actually real until we let him in on the theme secret.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
The Toledo zoo sounds wonderful! Hope you all enjoy Cedar Point, too. We visited there quite a number of years ago with Stefanie and her cousin. Stefanie and I didn't do much, but Luke and our DNiece loved it.
The zoo is really pretty - my pictures didn't do it justice. The main portion was built with Public Works money under Roosevelt and the buildings have Tiffany glass ceilings and gorgeous mosaic tiles everywhere. They've remained largely unchanged
I'm not sure how many "big" rides Coach and I will be able to enjoy, but I think the boys will have fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great pics from the zoo!
Thank you!
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The Fun, Old-Fashioned Family Vacation, 3.0 http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...ml#post4472933
Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
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Summer has been chugging along here! We've had several new "firsts" for our family
Sir Nolan conquered his fears and learned to ride a 2 wheel bike
Cullen's PT has started showing results, and he's figured out how to peddle a bike!
Patrick attended and graduated from Safe-T-Town
The flip side? He's very quick to remind us of every rule and law he's learned. It was pretty funny when he noticed his Uncle A (Coach's brother) pull up in front of the house. He'd already unhooked his seatbelt before stopping the car. Patrick really read him the riot act for breaking that rule. A. looked at me and said he reminded him of Bobby Brady from the episode of the Brady Bunch where he was a safety monitor gone overboard.
We also had a really fun time at the Aquatic Center for our playgroup this past Friday. We were there for the family swim from 5-8 that evening. Good thing it was still in the 90's!
Patrick's got the lovely sunglasses from the eye doctor's. He and Nolan both had eye exams earlier that day and Patrick thought the glasses looked cool.
When it was time to leave, Cullen didn't want to go.
Saturday we took the boys to view Monster's University and we all the movie! We have it on our list of "must get" DVD's. We swam for a bit that afternoon, but had to get out and dry off because we've had lots of "pop" up thunderstorms. It's to be expected because this has really been the first good stretch of hot days we've had.
We also got a really great deal on a hotel for the Sandusky portion of our Northern Ohio vacation In order to do this, we've had to shift a few things around.
So back to the plans:
Monday, July 15th - Brian and the boys will be arriving at my mom's house. I'm going to need the morning to wash up my laundry from New York and we're just going to have a relaxing day. We might head to the city pool for a bit, or we might just let the boys have fun with the sprinkler and water guns. That night, Brian and I are going to go out to celebrate our anniversary! Hard to believe we'll have been married for 9 years. Right now, it looks like we'll be going to B Spot (Michael Symon's restaraunt) or Lollitas (one of his other places), then possibly out to meet some friends on West 6th Street (the nightclub area) of Downtown Cleveland. I should mention that my mom is one of 6 kids and Dad is the youngest of 12 so I have a TON of cousins (somewhere around 65 first cousins and many, many 2nd and 3rd cousins), so I'm sure a cousin or two will be tagging along.
July 16th:
We're going to head to the Cleveland Zoo. We will be packing a small cooler with lunch stuff because there aren't safe options for Cullen and Patrick. This zoo is pretty spread out and has several areas which involve some hills so we'll be bringing the double stroller. My parents will be coming, along with my grandmother. Though, if the weather is in the 90's, she may not be able to come. My Mom's brother and his wife, a cousin and her son will also be meeting us at the zoo. My cousin's son is 6 months younger than Patrick and visiting from California
July 17th:
We are going to be up and on the road e.a.r.l.y. today because we're heading for Cedar Point The eight year old is currently 47 inches, so we've purchased a junior ticket. If he grows between now and then, we will have to upgrade his ticket. The plan is to get to the park for opening Gotta thank our Disney training for this!. The park hours are 10 am -10 pm, and the lot opens around 9:00. It's about a fifty minute drive from my parents' house so I figure we should leave around 7:45 that morning. We are taking two coolers with us. One will be left in the car, and the smaller soft sided cooler will be stored per the special diet requirements (Guest Relations will direct us to a QS location where the cooler can be stored in a fridge until we need it). We can take unopened water bottles into the park with us (one per person) and will take advantage of that by bringing five frozen bottles of water.
We will also get the Parent Swap pass at Guest Relations. Their version of the Guest Assistance Card is not really applicable for us since Cullen can't ride any of the bigger rides (it's essentially a timed FP system for the bigger rides) so we're hoping to take advantage of lower morning crowds for the kids areas because everyone heads for the bigger rides right away.
We will tour until lunch time, stop and eat and then possibly take in a few more rides or a show. Around 3:00, we're going to leave the park and head to.....KALIHARI to check in We got an awesome deal through a FB coupon for Ohio residents. Two nights for the price of 1 I'd been stalking their site because it works out to be cheaper to stay at Kalihari than one of the Cedar Point Resorts plus Kalihari is a bit nicer of a resort - our room will have a large dorm fridge and a microwave. We also have a fireplace, though I doubt we will need it in July. The stay includes passes for the water park and for their Outdoor Adventure Park.
Hopefully, our room will be ready at check-in so we can unpack and relax for a bit - maybe even swim. We are going to eat a light dinner and my parents should arrive around 6. At that point, we'll go back to Cedar Point to ride anything we've missed...and hopefully stay for the Laser Show at 10:00 that night.
July 18th:
Today is my Birthday. My only wish? A family breakfast that I don't have to cook or clean up after. We plan on having breakfast at our resort. Patrick can get his special scrambled eggs (milk/cheese/butter free) and dry toast. Cullen will be happy with dry toast and fruit and Nolan? He'll have one of everything on the menu I swear, I don't know where that boy puts all the food he eats! We plan on hanging out at the resort, enjoying the outdoor pool and indoor areas. Coach plans on ziplining We also have coupons to see the zebras and Giraffes on the property. Lunch will be in our room with the food we brought and dinner? Probably hot dogs/chicken nuggets etc. for the kids. We also will stop at the arcade and bowl or play glow in the dark mini golf and enjoy the dry treetop play area.
July 19th:
We are going to check out but we can stay and play at the waterpark, so we're planning on doing that until 3:00. At that point, we're going to make a quick trip over to Marbelehead to the Lighthouse State Park where we can tour the lighthouse ($2.00 for Coach, Nolan and I. Patrick and Cullen are free). We will then head back to my parent's house and should arrive there around 7:00 that evening.
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Ch-Ch-Changes July 2015
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Great plans. We used to go to Cedar Point every year when my daughter was younger. You're so right about the hills at the Cleveland Zoo. We always took a wagon there and I remember pulling it up that big hill to the primate building. We live with easy driving distance to other zoos, Erie and Pittsburg. I live on the Eastside, in Mentor.
Liz
Patrick sounds like Dylan with the rules. He very much likes to tell people what to do. And way to go Cullen on riding the trike! I need to see if Lukas can do that. Our Parents as Teachers teacher told us that's a sign they're ready for potty training because apparently it uses the same muscles. idk, but maybe.
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Hope you all enjoy Cedar Point, too. We visited there quite a number of years ago with Stefanie and her cousin. Stefanie and I didn't do much, but Luke and our DNiece loved it. 
Thanks for noting my error! The crocodile was 15 tons, not 1500
It was pretty funny when he noticed his Uncle A (Coach's brother) pull up in front of the house. He'd already unhooked his seatbelt before stopping the car. Patrick really read him the riot act for breaking that rule.
A. looked at me and said he reminded him of Bobby Brady from the episode of the Brady Bunch where he was a safety monitor gone overboard.
the movie! We have it on our list of "must get" DVD's. We swam for a bit that afternoon, but had to get out and dry off because we've had lots of "pop" up thunderstorms. It's to be expected because this has really been the first good stretch of hot days we've had.
I'd been stalking their site because it works out to be cheaper to stay at Kalihari than one of the Cedar Point Resorts plus Kalihari is a bit nicer of a resort - our room will have a large dorm fridge and a microwave. We also have a fireplace, though I doubt we will need it in July. The stay includes passes for the water park and for their Outdoor Adventure Park. 
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