But the lazy river on the Lagoon side would have been so much cooler. In fact when I was talking to Massimo at Grande Ocean a few years ago, he had said that that the lagoon was originally planned to be a lazy river, and in fact you can even see where it would’ve connected to the main pool over there. You could actually see where that section was filled in where it would’ve connected.
I can definitely see it, Jeremy, as you described, and also by using my imagination and looking at the way the lagoon was laid out......
I saw it when I did a walk-through in 1998 on my first visit.
Before Mass was even there, I had heard that story many years ago from others, too, that it was constructed while leaving open the possibility
that a Lazy River might go there.
I think whoever led the opposition to that initially was brilliant, however, and showed a lot of wisdom at that time, as it would have wiped out
a lot of beautiful trees and foliage in the interior, which in my mind sort of defines Grande Ocean to this day.
AND, what would have become of the awesome "Library" as I have named it-----you know, that winding row of chaise lounge chairs
that separates the N pool from the lagoon----the so-called "outdoor reading room" just adjacent to the bicycle area?
Over the years I have spent a lot of quiet time there reading books, sometimes for hours, and it's definitely
one of the most beautiful & quiet mini-retreats that any HH resort offers anywhere.
Had it been a Lazy River it would have been overly noisy most of the day, with kids running everywhere.....HH's version of "Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon", imho,
and the constant commotion would have taken something away from the tranquility we have now.
By sticking with the lagoon, the resulting GREAT Dolphin "activities pool" on the South side thus became the focal point for action----
sunning, games, organized activities, and families having more playful & boisterous fun in and around the pool......and having THAT is equally important
and is absolutely necessary. Gotta have that for a true family vacation!!
But I think we only need to have ONE of those.
And what we also retained was the best Gazebo & Grill area, and the thicker Live Oak tree population with the large gnarly limbs reaching down to the ground,
with an emphasis on the more Low Country habitat which has Coi fish, turtles and frogs.
To me, that's a wonderful respite FROM the hectic nature of the south side.
I want a resort where there's "some place" where anyone can go to and hear themselves think.
A balcony should not be some kind of elevated Bleacher where you have to watch and experience the cacophony of a "water resort",
but rather a place to sit and relax with a glass of wine and hear only the birds, crickets, and frogs....
or heaven forbid, hear NOTHING while enjoying a good book or talking to your spouse.
We stay on the South side a good bit when our family is there together in Summer, but my wife and I adore to stay on the North lagoon side the other times....
Spring, Fall, and Winter, when we want a different vibe.
Don't tell anyone, but it's sort of romantic over there in the evenings with the lit trees, when the different colors and nature's sounds come alive.
