Waldorf Astoria Orlando
14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL 32821
March 2016
Pre arrival check in we choose room 1243. We arrived around 2 pm and found out that the previous vacationers room had a 4 pm check out time. We were assured by the staff that they will clean it right away. We were given several drink and app vouchers as an apology. We were having a friend meet up with us for the night so we did enjoy drinks and appetizers in the lobby bar. At 5:30 our room still wasn't ready and wouldn't be ready for at least 45 min. The original person checking us in came over and helped us move to room 1225. This room also offered us a better view. Our luggage was brought up right away which was appreciated. The room was the same layout as last time great view of pool, Epcot and Hollywood studios. The staff also brought us a complimentary fruit plate and waters. We didn't receive turn down service the 1st night. Did the 2nd, and received a card since 3rd had do not disturb on. Ordered room service burger, filet, and Asian salad. Accommodated allergies, and wasn't longer than a 30 min wait. Check out at 4 am very easy. One small charge on our room that wasn't ours. Staff took care of it without a problem.Valet never had us wait longer than 10 min. Never offered water unlike the Hilton Bentley.
Coffee bar is peacock alley. Lots of pastries, fruit cup for me. Soy or almond milk for those with allergies. Very long lines though. There was only one person making coffee.
Pool staff set up chairs for us and offered menus. Unfortunately tons of children, tons of pool toys and floats, parents walking back and forth, a hiding sun, and lots of wind. Needless to say we left the pool area.
The pool bar is Aquamarine. We enjoyed a pimms cup and some shade. Walked to Hilton pool area to see lazy river. Very small compared to description. Felt cramped. Thankful for Waldorf common areas.
Coffee bar is peacock alley. Lots of pastries, fruit cup for me. Soy or almond milk for those with allergies. Very long lines though. There was only one person making coffee.
Pool staff set up chairs for us and offered menus. Unfortunately tons of children, tons of pool toys and floats, parents walking back and forth, a hiding sun, and lots of wind. Needless to say we left the pool area.
The pool bar is Aquamarine. We enjoyed a pimms cup and some shade. Walked to Hilton pool area to see lazy river. Very small compared to description. Felt cramped. Thankful for Waldorf common areas.
Hilton Bentley Miami/South Beach
101 OCEAN DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FL 33139
March 2016
We dropped the car off with the valet and headed into the hotel for check in. The Valet service great, friendly and fast. To our delight our room was ready and we were upgraded to a Suite!706Our suite (706) was large and offered some great amenities. However the room was pretty rundown. The worst parts were the stained couch, scraped table, dirty walls.
The Beach set up crew were great. Beach butlers were very slow and hardly around. We ended up leaving the beach and headed to the pool area due to lack of service.
The restaurant offers a great octopus appetizer that was allergy friendly for me. The downside was only 3 types of beer available very basic. The restauarant offers battered French fries. The staff were mostly confident they were dairy free but did offer to make me some fresh fried potatoes. Very nice touch. Bar service inside also friendly. Dairy free calamari. There was a noticeable difference in service weekend vs mid week though. There were definitely some cleanliness issues. At lunch we received dirty Silverware and napkin set. At lunch the next day I received a dirty place-mat.
On Monday our room was only partially cleaned. Towels on chair, toilet paper on sink, sheet left on bed. Manager sent another housekeeper to finish but had to wait about an hour. The 2nd day housekeeping was much better!
The Beach set up crew were great. Beach butlers were very slow and hardly around. We ended up leaving the beach and headed to the pool area due to lack of service.
The restaurant offers a great octopus appetizer that was allergy friendly for me. The downside was only 3 types of beer available very basic. The restauarant offers battered French fries. The staff were mostly confident they were dairy free but did offer to make me some fresh fried potatoes. Very nice touch. Bar service inside also friendly. Dairy free calamari. There was a noticeable difference in service weekend vs mid week though. There were definitely some cleanliness issues. At lunch we received dirty Silverware and napkin set. At lunch the next day I received a dirty place-mat.
On Monday our room was only partially cleaned. Towels on chair, toilet paper on sink, sheet left on bed. Manager sent another housekeeper to finish but had to wait about an hour. The 2nd day housekeeping was much better!
HILTON GARDEN INN JACKSONVILLE JTB/ DEERWOOD PARK
9745 GATE PKWY N JACKSONVILLE, FL 32246
March 2016
We were here only for one night in room 501. Our room was clean except the door to the room is in serious need of replacement. Breakfast was not included in our stay. The pricing was 6.95 for cold 12.95 for hot. We opted for the hot breakfast and most items were good. However, the potatoes were soggy and unappealing.
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Homewood Suites Daytona Beach Speedway
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We arrived at Homewood Suites Daytona Beach Speedway around 6 pm. We pre-checked in earlier in the day and so our keys were ready and waiting for us. We parked right in the front of the hotel and then made our way to the third floor and to room 328. Our room was large, clean, offered more than we needed for the night and was in good condition.
In the morning we didn't receive our bill but the front desk staff was friendly and quickly printed it out for us.
In the morning we didn't receive our bill but the front desk staff was friendly and quickly printed it out for us.
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, FL 32821
2015
We pulled right up to the valet stand and were quickly helped with our luggage. The check in area is beautiful and welcoming. One of the staff members greeted us right away and helped us with check in. Including an upgrade thanks to our Hilton Honors status.
We were blown away with our room. We walked into a lovely dining area with wet bar and Nespresso area. A large living room with a pull out sofa. A well appointed bedroom area with an enormous bathroom. We also had a very nice and good size balcony area (unfortunately the view was of the parking area).
During our stay enjoyed lunch and drinks at the pool restaurant, were always greeted, and always came back to a perfectly clean room.
We did have one bad experience during our stay but nothing that would keep us away from the hotel. We ordered room service around 9:30 one evening. An hour later we still hadn't received our food. Finally our meals arrived however my meal was incorrectly made. I had asked for a couple exclusions due to my allergies and there was obviously a miscommunication. The staff did correct the meal and once I received it I did thoroughly enjoy it! It was probably one of the best roast chickens I've ever had.
Thanks to the wonderful atmosphere, beautiful rooms, and convenient location we would definitely recommend a stay at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.
We were blown away with our room. We walked into a lovely dining area with wet bar and Nespresso area. A large living room with a pull out sofa. A well appointed bedroom area with an enormous bathroom. We also had a very nice and good size balcony area (unfortunately the view was of the parking area).
During our stay enjoyed lunch and drinks at the pool restaurant, were always greeted, and always came back to a perfectly clean room.
We did have one bad experience during our stay but nothing that would keep us away from the hotel. We ordered room service around 9:30 one evening. An hour later we still hadn't received our food. Finally our meals arrived however my meal was incorrectly made. I had asked for a couple exclusions due to my allergies and there was obviously a miscommunication. The staff did correct the meal and once I received it I did thoroughly enjoy it! It was probably one of the best roast chickens I've ever had.
Thanks to the wonderful atmosphere, beautiful rooms, and convenient location we would definitely recommend a stay at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.
South Beach Marriott
161 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139
2015
We landed in Miami and hopped in a cab to the South Beach Marriott. It was still pretty early so we correctly assumed that our room wouldn't be ready. The hotel held our bags for us and we headed out for some lunch.
After lunch we headed back to the South Beach Marriott (which was brightly and boldly decorated for Christmas) and our room was ready. Before heading up the room the staff offered us a complimentary Mojito. That is the way to start a vacation!! The room was bright, airy, and modern with two full size beds. We also had a nice view of the ocean (no balcony but did have a sliding window), counter top, chair, coffee maker, refrigerator, shower, and large bathroom.
Breakfast was buffet style and offered a good variety. The one downside was the service. There really wasn't enough staff to handle the guests inside and outside. It took us ages to flag someone down to order drinks.
After lunch we headed back to the South Beach Marriott (which was brightly and boldly decorated for Christmas) and our room was ready. Before heading up the room the staff offered us a complimentary Mojito. That is the way to start a vacation!! The room was bright, airy, and modern with two full size beds. We also had a nice view of the ocean (no balcony but did have a sliding window), counter top, chair, coffee maker, refrigerator, shower, and large bathroom.
Breakfast was buffet style and offered a good variety. The one downside was the service. There really wasn't enough staff to handle the guests inside and outside. It took us ages to flag someone down to order drinks.
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
1751 Hotel Plaza Blvd Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
We drove up to the front of the hotel and the valet was happy to help us. I made my way to check in where a very friendly and efficient staff member quickly welcomed me and settled all of the necessary information. Our stay was for only one night (we planned a night of dinner and drinks at Downtown Disney) and so we chose a basic room. The room was clean and offered two full beds, a desk and chair, tv, mini-fridge, and large bathroom.
During our stay we were also happy to see a Starbucks, pantry, restaurant, and lounge in the hotel. We did make purchases at the Starbucks, the Pantry, and had drinks at the lounge. All were satisfactory.
The downsides to this hotel were that the room was in need of updating. The walls were a bit dirty and had some patches. For one night this was fine but if I was really on a vacation to Disney World and this was the room given to me for a week I wouldn't have been pleased. The 2nd downside was the lack of express check out.
Overall I would give this hotel another try thanks to the perfect location (across the street from Downtown Disney).
During our stay we were also happy to see a Starbucks, pantry, restaurant, and lounge in the hotel. We did make purchases at the Starbucks, the Pantry, and had drinks at the lounge. All were satisfactory.
The downsides to this hotel were that the room was in need of updating. The walls were a bit dirty and had some patches. For one night this was fine but if I was really on a vacation to Disney World and this was the room given to me for a week I wouldn't have been pleased. The 2nd downside was the lack of express check out.
Overall I would give this hotel another try thanks to the perfect location (across the street from Downtown Disney).
Doubletree by Hilton at the entrance of Universal Studios5780 Major Blvd., Orlando, Florida, 32819
We drove to the front of the hotel and the valet were very friendly, humorous, and eager to help. We walked to check in and a very personable staff member quickly checked us in and offered us warm cookies. We made our way up to our room again we were only staying one night (planned a night of dinner and drinks at Universal City Walk). Our room was nicely decorated, clean, and offered two full beds, a desk and chair, large bathroom, tv, and a coffee maker.
The downside to this hotel is it's not within walking distance to City Walk. However we had a very quick, very funny taxi ride for just $5.
We didn't partake in any but the hotel does offer a lounge, Starbucks, and restaurant.
In the morning our express check out slip was under our door and the valet was ready to get our car. Nice and easy!
The downside to this hotel is it's not within walking distance to City Walk. However we had a very quick, very funny taxi ride for just $5.
We didn't partake in any but the hotel does offer a lounge, Starbucks, and restaurant.
In the morning our express check out slip was under our door and the valet was ready to get our car. Nice and easy!
Walt Disney World
When Greg and I got married we were young and hadn't really traveled much. We decided to go to Disney World for our honeymoon. We thought this would be good since I was under 21, we liked to have fun, and there was a wide range of activities. For our 13th anniversary we headed back to Disney World. We didn't have any kids with us so we weren't exactly theme park fanatics. My cousin asked us, “ after we returned so you guys really like the rides and stuff?” My answer was “not always, we go on some, shop, drink, eat, and just enjoy the atmosphere. Disney World is our way of being a kid with having the benefits of being an adult”.
Here are the activities we did at the parks:
Magic Kingdom
Stitch's Great Escape
Space Mountain
It's a Small World
Mickey's Philharmagic
Enchanted Tiki Room
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Haunted Mansion
Epcot
Mission Space
Soarin
World Showcase
Downtown Disney
Hoypoli
Curl
Margarita Bar
Here are the activities we did at the parks:
Magic Kingdom
Stitch's Great Escape
Space Mountain
It's a Small World
Mickey's Philharmagic
Enchanted Tiki Room
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Haunted Mansion
Epcot
Mission Space
Soarin
World Showcase
Downtown Disney
Hoypoli
Curl
Margarita Bar
Disney's Yacht Club Resort - May 2012
Greg and I flew down to Orlando via Jetblue, and picked up our rental car from Hertz. The drive to the Yacht Club was easy and pretty fast. When pulling in to any of Disney's Hotels you first come to a security guard check point. The guard checked out ID and pulled up our information and welcomed us by name. We then pulled up to the Valet Station where we were welcomed again, given a valet ticket, and had our luggage taken for us. Throughout our stay the Valet Team was wonderful. They would offer us waters for our ride, open our doors, and were always speedy. Kristin from South Dakota welcomed us and showed us to the Concierge Level Lounge where we would be checked in. Kristin also offered us a beverage while we were seated.
Eric from San Juan checked us in and was very friendly, efficient, and warm. We originally booked a Concierge Level Garden View room. Requests can be made when booking but are not guaranteed. We did request a King Bed room. We didn't get our King Bed but we were upgraded to a Concierge Level Room with a Lagoon View 5145. Yay! The room had an entrance way, separate bath (tub and toilet), his and her sinks, chest of drawers with a Cuisinart coffee maker, large closet, 2 queen beds, a daybed, desk and chair, large shelf, flat screen TV, a nightstand, and a full balcony with a wonderful view. There were two downsides to the room. The first was that it was a connecting room so we were able to hear our guests next door. The second problem was a loud knocking sound that would come from the tub pipework.
The Concierge Lounge was terrific although I do agree with others that the Animal Kingdom Lodge Lounge was better. For breakfast the offerings were:
Fruit (Cantaloupe, Melon, Pineapple)
Muffins
Danish
Croissant
Bagels
Boiled Eggs with a touch of dill
3 varieties of Cereal
Oatmeal
Fruit Yogurt
Coffee, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Milk, Chocolate Milk, Tea
We never made it to snack time but for hors d'oeuvre's the offerings we had were:
Conch Fritters
Pork Potstickers
Brie en Croute
Cheese in Phyllo
Egg Rolls
Crudites
Cheese and Crackers
Coleslaw
Artichoke and Proscuitto Salad
Antipasti
Coke, Ginger Ale, Diet Soda, Lemonade, Iced Tea, 2 varieties of red wine, 2 varieties of white wine, and a selection of beers.
We did peek in during desserts but nothing really caught our interest.
After 10 p.m the lounge is closed but you can still find:
Swedish Fish
Yogurt Covered Pretzels
Granola
Variety of Sodas
Our experience with check out was easy. The day before we checked out we asked to see our bill. There was a small discrepancy because of Valet Parking but it was taken care of with no problem. We were emailed our final bill around 4 am on the day of check out and everything was accurate. We called down at 11 for luggage assistance and our car and headed off to the Orlando International Airport.
Eric from San Juan checked us in and was very friendly, efficient, and warm. We originally booked a Concierge Level Garden View room. Requests can be made when booking but are not guaranteed. We did request a King Bed room. We didn't get our King Bed but we were upgraded to a Concierge Level Room with a Lagoon View 5145. Yay! The room had an entrance way, separate bath (tub and toilet), his and her sinks, chest of drawers with a Cuisinart coffee maker, large closet, 2 queen beds, a daybed, desk and chair, large shelf, flat screen TV, a nightstand, and a full balcony with a wonderful view. There were two downsides to the room. The first was that it was a connecting room so we were able to hear our guests next door. The second problem was a loud knocking sound that would come from the tub pipework.
The Concierge Lounge was terrific although I do agree with others that the Animal Kingdom Lodge Lounge was better. For breakfast the offerings were:
Fruit (Cantaloupe, Melon, Pineapple)
Muffins
Danish
Croissant
Bagels
Boiled Eggs with a touch of dill
3 varieties of Cereal
Oatmeal
Fruit Yogurt
Coffee, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Milk, Chocolate Milk, Tea
We never made it to snack time but for hors d'oeuvre's the offerings we had were:
Conch Fritters
Pork Potstickers
Brie en Croute
Cheese in Phyllo
Egg Rolls
Crudites
Cheese and Crackers
Coleslaw
Artichoke and Proscuitto Salad
Antipasti
Coke, Ginger Ale, Diet Soda, Lemonade, Iced Tea, 2 varieties of red wine, 2 varieties of white wine, and a selection of beers.
We did peek in during desserts but nothing really caught our interest.
After 10 p.m the lounge is closed but you can still find:
Swedish Fish
Yogurt Covered Pretzels
Granola
Variety of Sodas
Our experience with check out was easy. The day before we checked out we asked to see our bill. There was a small discrepancy because of Valet Parking but it was taken care of with no problem. We were emailed our final bill around 4 am on the day of check out and everything was accurate. We called down at 11 for luggage assistance and our car and headed off to the Orlando International Airport.
Seminole County, FL - January 2012
We were visiting friends and didn't have too much planned beyond hanging out and having lots of good times. Here are a few of our favorite things and places!
Restaurants
Four Rivers Smokehouse - Winter Park, FL
- Delicious pulled pork sandwiches, good bbq sauce, enjoyed sides of cole slaw/sweet potato casserole/fried okra.
Bubbalous Bodacious BBQ - Winter Park, FL
- Tender pulled pork, horrible bbq sauces, pulled pork sandwich should not be in a sub roll.
Oviedo Townhouse Restaurant - Oviedo, FL
- Tasty and comforting breakfast, friendly and efficient staff
Raglan Road - Downtown Disney - Lake Buena Vista, FL
- Casual and fun atmosphere, friendly staff, great dancers and musicians, highly recommend the shepherds pie or the fish and chips.
Things to do
Flagler Beach - Flagler Beach, FL
- We drove up old Rte 1 hoping to see some whales. Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales but we did see pretty scenery, laid back beach towns, and a nice wide and soft sand beach.
Lake Eola Park - Orlando, FL
- We went to the Sunday Farmers Market and we were so glad that we did. Fabulous venders like Kauai Tropical Syrup, Ghost Tonic, and fresh fruits and veggies. We enjoyed a lunch of Banh Mi sandwiches along the water and took some passion fruit flan to go.
Restaurants
Four Rivers Smokehouse - Winter Park, FL
- Delicious pulled pork sandwiches, good bbq sauce, enjoyed sides of cole slaw/sweet potato casserole/fried okra.
Bubbalous Bodacious BBQ - Winter Park, FL
- Tender pulled pork, horrible bbq sauces, pulled pork sandwich should not be in a sub roll.
Oviedo Townhouse Restaurant - Oviedo, FL
- Tasty and comforting breakfast, friendly and efficient staff
Raglan Road - Downtown Disney - Lake Buena Vista, FL
- Casual and fun atmosphere, friendly staff, great dancers and musicians, highly recommend the shepherds pie or the fish and chips.
Things to do
Flagler Beach - Flagler Beach, FL
- We drove up old Rte 1 hoping to see some whales. Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales but we did see pretty scenery, laid back beach towns, and a nice wide and soft sand beach.
Lake Eola Park - Orlando, FL
- We went to the Sunday Farmers Market and we were so glad that we did. Fabulous venders like Kauai Tropical Syrup, Ghost Tonic, and fresh fruits and veggies. We enjoyed a lunch of Banh Mi sandwiches along the water and took some passion fruit flan to go.
Boston to Disney World, FL Road trip with an 8 year old - April 2010
Day 1:
Tip #1 When driving from Boston to Disney leave at midnight! I know it sounds crazy but it really is the best option! We missed all of the traffic in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Baltimore! We also got to drive longer between breaks because Porscha (8) slept through the night (kids and the bathroom breaks - any parent knows what I am talking about).
Our first stop along our road trip was in pursuit of Aunt Ruby's Peanuts. Unfortunately, all we could find were the homes and closed stores of Enfield NC. This town has such a quaint feel but looked like it was hit hard by the current economics of our country. Further down the highway we stopped in Rocky Mount NC for some BBQ. Gardners BBQ wasn't our idea of BBQ food it was more southern comfort food. That being said, the food was delicious! They offered everything from fried chicken, trout, pulled pork, pulled turkey, vegetables, soups, desserts, and more.
We had reserved a hotel room in Fayetteville NC however it was 3 in the afternoon and we were all wide awake so we decided to push on and reserved a hotel (thanks to Tripadvisor.com) in Brunswick GA. I had previously looked up two farmers markets along our trip. The first was the NCDA&CS Southeastern Farmers Market in Lumberton NC. Here we found some veggies, canned goods, hot ginger ale, and friendly conversation. The next farmers market was the Pee Dee State Farmers Market in Florence SC. We just made it to this market before they closed and by all that we saw we knew we would have to do some shopping here on our return trip.
Finally pulling into Brunswick GA around 9 p.m. we found the Comfort Suites Golden Isles Gateway hotel. First impressions of the hotel was that it was newer, modern, clean, and friendly. We did run into a snag at check in (a little big of computer error) but soon had our keys and headed up to our room. When walking into our room you have a small hallway with a large bathroom on the left, a sitting area with couch and table, two double beds, flat screen tv, and many other accessories. All three of us had a great night sleep and thanks to our extra effort in driving we got to sleep in until 8 a.m. Got dressed and headed down to the free continental breakfast. The hotel provides: coffee, juice, cereal, biscuits and gravy, bacon, and even waffles.
Day 2:
Lunch: Back on the road and we realize that we are now going to check in to Disney about 4 hours too early. I checked online for dining reservations at T REX in Downtown Disney and sadly nothing was available. I called our Itinerary Planning Office at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (concierge level rooms) and spoke to Summer. Summer went out of her way for us by calling the restaurant to see if they could fit us in at 12:30 p.m. Needless to say that fit us in and we had a terrific lunch (T REX is soooo much better than Rainforest Cafe).
Shopping:
We then outfitted Porscha with a new purse, pen, and autograph book and headed to our hotel.
Check in:
We pulled up to the main gate area of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, showed our ID and were on our way to the Jambo House. The Concierge staff met us at our car, waited with us for our baggage to be unloaded (We had 13 bags - and the staff kept telling us all week that this wasn't a lot at all compared to others), escorted us directly to our room, and checked us in. We were given room 4321 (easy to remember). I can totally understand how everyone feel about the concierge rooms needing to be bigger, luckily ours had bunk beds in it so it was a big roomier. Porscha was so excited first at hearing all about Hidden Mickey's, then finding some in our room, and then BAM looking out our balcony and already seeing warthogs, zebras, giraffe's, and more! We decided to head upstairs and check out the concierge lounge. We were in time for afternoon tea - yummy and cozy.
Dinner: We made reservations at one of our favorite restaurants - Jiko. Our server was Marty and he was very nice, attentive, and even agreed to be Porscha's first signature in her autograph book. During the dinner Porscha found a hidden Mickey - we all thought she was crazy at first because no one else could see it. Finally another patron was able to make it out as well. When in Jiko if you are dining in the room off of the bar area (not the main dining area), walk into the room, turn around to face the entrance, look to the beaded curtain on the left and try to find "Porscha's Hidden Mickey." At dinner Porscha enjoyed carrots and celery, and the kids pizza - both were yummy. Greg's appetizer was the Chef's specialty flat bread and my appetizer was the Taste of Africa. Both were amazing! For entrees Greg had a vegetarian dish (I can't remember the name and the menus are now different than those on WDW or Allears.net) and I had the Spice crusted Tuna. Both dishes were outstanding however Greg's was better. After dinner we headed up to our room and changed and then rushed out to the Magic Kingdom.
Park: Here's the one and only problem with Animal Kingdom Lodge......the bus system. We waited 25 minutes for a bus to the Magic Kingdom and naturally when it finally got to us was packed. Arrived at the Magic Kingdom and walked around the parade and in the rain (yup rained our first day in Disney) to Tomorrowland for the Wishes Dessert Party. I had heard previously that they staggered the guests times for arriving, this is no more. Everyone arrives at 9 p.m. and it causes a huge line for check-in. Once you are checked in the staff escorts you to a pre-reserved table. YES! We are right up front with prime views! The buffet was incredible sweet after sweet after sweet. The fireworks were fun and exciting even without Tink. When we were first booking our vacation we saw that Magic Kingdom was going to be open until 3 a.m. our first day we thought it was crazy. EMH to 3 a.m. plus rain = best time to visit the Magic Kingdom! We got to ride Stitches Great Escape, Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Monsters Inc., Snow White, Peter Pan, and more without any lines!
Day 3:
Park: After sleeping in a bit we got ready to head out and stopped by the concierge lounge for a muffin or two since our breakfast reservations weren't until 11 a.m. Off to Epcot we go. Right after getting into the park Stitch was nearby so naturally had to get his autograph. We then headed right over to Soarin. This ride is amazing - we all loved it!
Breakfast: We were running low on time so had to make our way over to Norway for breakfast at Akershus Hall. Porscha was beyond happy here! She was able to meet and get autographs from: Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Ariel. Breakfast was also yummy with the buffet, hot eggs, bacon, sausage, and potato casserole. We decided to spend the entire day at Epcot since we had dinner reservations at Chef de France for 5 p.m. We enjoyed Test Track, Nemo, Mission Space Green, shopping in Mexico, making a mask in Italy, and then came China. Porscha did the traditional find a pearl and naturally the lucky kid got a shell with 2 matching pearls in it!!! When starting to exit China we realized it was pouring out! Porscha and I had ponchos so Greg went hunting for either a poncho or an umbrella within the store (not an easy task).
Dinner: So there we are completely soaked, running to France for dinner, squishing along and Porscha is loving every minute of it. Apparently do to the rain Chef de France wasn't busy so they didn't even really look up our actual reservation. We were seated right away and had a very nice waiter. Porscha had Cheese Puff Pastry for an app and Fish for her entree claiming both were awesome! Greg and I had both had the Maison Salad for an app and our entrees were the Fruits de Mar Kebab and the Duck. Both outstanding. Best part of today for me was getting to see one of my best friends and her husband. Diana met us at the hotel and we hung out on our balcony for a little while. We then showed them around our hotel, stopping by the concierge lounge for cordials and dessert - YUM!
Day 4:
Breakfast: We didn't have any reservations for breakfast today so we enjoyed the lovely spread in the concierge lounge. They offer pastries, bagels, cereals, fruit, oatmeal, quinoa, coffee and juices. Off to the Magic Kingdom we go - detoured of course by the long wait for a bus.
Park:
Arrive at the Magic Kingdom in full Fairy outfit (well Porscha did anyways). We took a quick but fun spin on the Teacups and got to have a chat with Alice. Alice asked Porscha to do a small favor for her. She wanted Porscha to tell the fairies that Alice said "Tag your it no tag back!." We found Pixie Hollow and waited in an hour long line to meet the fairies (long but worth it). On this day Porscha was the only other "Rosetta" that we saw so everyone made a big deal over her; she loved it! After hanging with the fairies for a little while we thought it best to complete the look by having her face painted in Rosetta fashion. With a little time left before lunch we visited the Haunted Mansion. Porscha liked this ride but did admit it was a little spooky.
Lunch: We made reservations at The Wave inside the Contemporary. Sadly this was the only bad meal we had all week. Our server was pleasant but went no further than that. We never received a breadbasket, or assistance with the menus. Porscha had celery and carrots along with pizza and said it was good. Greg and I split The Wave for 2 as an app - definitely not worth it. It was tasty but tiny tiny portions. For entrees Greg got the Reuben and I got the Burger both were good but nothing outstanding from a Table Service restaurant. As we left the restaurant we all decided it would be nice to just head back to the hotel and go swimming. I am so disappointed in everyone who complained to the Animal Kingdom Lodge about the "swimming hole." We both thought it was imaginative to have the pool really fit in with the African theme. Now the hotel has a regular blue pool - boring!
Dinner: Tonight dinner reservations for the Flying Fish at The Boardwalk Hotel. Another great tip: If you are valet parking at your hotel then you do not have to pay for valet parking at the other resorts. After walking through the hotel you find your self on the Boardwalk. We absolutely loved it here and will be staying here on our next trip. You have stores, restaurants, games, performers, views of the lake, and so much more. The Flying Fish was the first restaurant that went above and beyond for "celebrating." The hostess greeted Porscha with First Time and Happy Birthday Buttons and showed us to our table. Our waitstaff also went above and beyond for Porscha's entree. Oddly enough she doesn't like anything breaded (fish sticks, chicken fingers, etc.) so our waitress accommodated her with a sauteed piece of fish rather than the kids fish sticks without us having to buy her a separate entree. For appetizers Greg and I had calamari and the crabcakes. For entrees we had Potato wrapped Red Snapper and the Scallops. All dishes were outstanding! Like all other Disney restaurants the Desserts were a little lacking however the Flying Fish Desserts were the best.
Day 5:
We booked the Tusker House Breakfast this morning and so we had to head right over to the Animal Kingdom Park. The bus ride was quick however we still ended up missing the morning parade.
Breakfast: I had read previous reviews but it was still a little sad for Porscha that Donald would not sign autographs outside the breakfast. Upon entering the Tusker House you walk through the buffet area which is enormous! Our waiter came over and greeted us and brought coffee and juice. The Buffet had so much variety it truly had something for everyone. Every dish we tried was delicious!! Best Breakfast! The first we saw of the characters is when they would call up the kids, pass out instruments, and had a small dancing parade (Porscha was too shy). Eventually Daisy, Mickey, and Goofy came by the table for photos and autographs. Now the downside to our breakfast. After giving our card to the waiter he came back and tried to tell us we didn't have any dining credits (I knew we had 18 left). At first he wanted us to pay for the meal and figure out the billing later - to which I replied no and that I would like to speak to a manager. The manager tried to tell me the same thing but there was no way I was going to have to argue my bill at a later date when I paid for the dining plan to avoid all this. Eventually the manager figured out that Greg's card was deactivated (however he was still able to get in parks and use it for charging - go figure) and found that we did have more than enough credits and ended up using my card.
Park: Of course the park was beyond packed today! After the breakfast fiasco we lost a ton of time and couldn't go on any rides with long lines. Luckily It's tough to be a bug had a short wait (it's a fav of mine). We started to head over to some rides and Porscha found the hair wrapping. After waiting for a couple of people it was finally her turn. By the time she finished we had to head over the our meeting area for our 1 p.m. concierge only Safari Tour. The tour was terrific! We got to see a lot of the animals up close, learned interested facts about the animals and learned how Disney cares for the animals. After the tour we were in need of some ice cream! We made our way through Asia, hung out with the monkeys and headed over to Dinoland for a ride on the Primeval Whirl! After this we all thought it would be good to head back to the resort for some pool time.
Change of plans!
We were supposed to check out of Disney and head over to Daytona Beach. We were having such a great time, and wanted to see more of the Magic Kingdom so we headed to the concierge for help. The person we spoke to reserved us a pool view (concierge level was sold out) and we were fine with having to be moved. The concierge staff also informed us we had the best of both worlds. We would have a new room and not have to check out plus our dining plan and concierge level access were still available to us until midnight the next day.
Dinner: Tonight we made dinner reservations for Narcoossees at the Grand Floridian. The first thing I noticed is that it's a little hard to find - thank you to the valet staff for guiding us. When we checked in for dinner we were handed a buzzer for a little bit of a wait. Fortunately, this worked out great as we were then able to be on the deck and watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom. We were also able to watching the floating lights parade as it made it's way around the lagoon. Pretty cool! For appetizers we had the Calamari and Crabcakes (we wanted to compare from the Flying Fish - Flying Fish wins) and they were good. Greg had the Snapper and I had the Etouffee for entrees both were delicious.
Day 6
Prior to checking out we enjoyed breakfast in the concierge lounge. After eating I went to check us out with the concierge staff. I happen to ask about us checking back in and before I knew it she was checking us in and printing our new room keys. Of course our room wasn't ready yet but it was fabulous to not have to check in at 3 pm with all the new guests! Concierge level totally worth the money!!
Park: Had another horrible wait for a Magic Kingdom Bus! You really need to work on this AKL! Finally arrived at the park and went to check out Adventureland. We rode Pirates of the Caribbean, Swiss Family Treehouse, enjoyed a Dole Whip and hung out with Lilo and Stitch. Next we went over to It's a Small World followed by the Liberty Square Riverboat and the Frontier Shooting Arcade.
Lunch: We didn't have any reservations but we thought why not try to get in to Tony's Town Square. Just as the parade was starting and right before closing they were able to fit us in! For appetizers we enjoyed Mixed Greens and the Tomato and Mozzarella Salad. For entrees we enjoyed Tony's Flat Bread and the Special: Turkey Club Panini. Both were good however the panini was enormous and way too stuffed. It ended up just falling apart.
Snack Credits: Throughout the week we got a couple of snacks here and there: zebra domes, grapes, ice cream, etc. On our final day at Disney we had 18 snack credits left. We were visiting friends who lived nearby tonight so we thought why not bring dessert. Head over to the Confectionery and pick up cupcakes, frosted cookies, fudge, and a must have: German Chocolate Chip Cookie! In addition to that we brought home cookies, fudge, and more.
Dinner: Drove up to Oviedo to visit with one of my best friends. We went to one of their favorite places - Tijuana Flats. Fun atmosphere, yummy food, lots of variety. It kind of reminds me of Wahoo's (minus the fish tacos unfortunately). Loved being able to catch up with everyone! Finally headed back to AKL around 11 p.m. and had to organize or stuff for the car. Our game plan is to leave at 5 a.m.
Day 7
Time to call the valet and baggage. Luckily I remembered to have Porscha go to sleep in what she would be wearing today. Greg loaded up the car and carried her right to her next "bed." There we are making good time and bam - police lights in our rear view. $215 later I find on the internet that a certain county in GA is infamous for pulling people over and getting large sums of money from them. To quote another blogger "if they pull you over you will definitely be getting a ticket."
Lunch: Finally pass into South Carolina and we stop at a store in Santee SC that we previously pulled into. This time I noticed a sign that said Lone Star Barbecue and Mercantile 1 1/2 miles down the road. We decided why not! All I can say is YUM YUM YUM! The original buildings (however moved to this location), cute store, terrific buffet, and friendly staff this is a must have stop! For today's BBQ we all had the pulled pork the sides we all tried were: sweet potato casserole, fried okra, tomato casserole, cole slaw, rice, and peach cobbler. We ended up getting our order to go as it wasn't really lunch time yet. I was so disappointed when I realized we didn't stop here on the way to Florida - we would have been able to have their Shrimp and Grits which I can only imagine are fabulous!
Shopping: Next we headed back to the Pee Dee State Farmers Market in Florence SC. Naturally I had to purchase sweet potatoes for my parents, boiled peanuts for us, strawberry bread and peach almond bread for all of us. We stretched out legs and then enjoyed our delicious lunch from Lone Star. Right up the road is the Youngs Plantation Outlet. Here you will be able to try and purchase lots of local foods. We tried everything from Pecans to Bene Wafers! Great place to pick up gifts!
Let's keep on driving!
Back on the road again and I have started to look at where we should spend the night. Somehow my husband talked me into driving straight through. Here we are making good time again and then we hit Hartford CT. There was a car fire in one of the underpasses and so they rerouted all traffic from the highway through the city. One would think that in the middle of the night this wouldn't be a huge issue but it was. Some of the streets had cops directing traffic, some streets and lights, there were all sorts of vehicles going every which way. To top it off when we finally got back on the highway, the highway we re-opened. Pulled into our driveway around 5 a.m. everyone ran right to their beds!
Overall we had a terrific trip, fabulous memories, and the desire to do it all again!
Tip #1 When driving from Boston to Disney leave at midnight! I know it sounds crazy but it really is the best option! We missed all of the traffic in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Baltimore! We also got to drive longer between breaks because Porscha (8) slept through the night (kids and the bathroom breaks - any parent knows what I am talking about).
Our first stop along our road trip was in pursuit of Aunt Ruby's Peanuts. Unfortunately, all we could find were the homes and closed stores of Enfield NC. This town has such a quaint feel but looked like it was hit hard by the current economics of our country. Further down the highway we stopped in Rocky Mount NC for some BBQ. Gardners BBQ wasn't our idea of BBQ food it was more southern comfort food. That being said, the food was delicious! They offered everything from fried chicken, trout, pulled pork, pulled turkey, vegetables, soups, desserts, and more.
We had reserved a hotel room in Fayetteville NC however it was 3 in the afternoon and we were all wide awake so we decided to push on and reserved a hotel (thanks to Tripadvisor.com) in Brunswick GA. I had previously looked up two farmers markets along our trip. The first was the NCDA&CS Southeastern Farmers Market in Lumberton NC. Here we found some veggies, canned goods, hot ginger ale, and friendly conversation. The next farmers market was the Pee Dee State Farmers Market in Florence SC. We just made it to this market before they closed and by all that we saw we knew we would have to do some shopping here on our return trip.
Finally pulling into Brunswick GA around 9 p.m. we found the Comfort Suites Golden Isles Gateway hotel. First impressions of the hotel was that it was newer, modern, clean, and friendly. We did run into a snag at check in (a little big of computer error) but soon had our keys and headed up to our room. When walking into our room you have a small hallway with a large bathroom on the left, a sitting area with couch and table, two double beds, flat screen tv, and many other accessories. All three of us had a great night sleep and thanks to our extra effort in driving we got to sleep in until 8 a.m. Got dressed and headed down to the free continental breakfast. The hotel provides: coffee, juice, cereal, biscuits and gravy, bacon, and even waffles.
Day 2:
Lunch: Back on the road and we realize that we are now going to check in to Disney about 4 hours too early. I checked online for dining reservations at T REX in Downtown Disney and sadly nothing was available. I called our Itinerary Planning Office at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (concierge level rooms) and spoke to Summer. Summer went out of her way for us by calling the restaurant to see if they could fit us in at 12:30 p.m. Needless to say that fit us in and we had a terrific lunch (T REX is soooo much better than Rainforest Cafe).
Shopping:
We then outfitted Porscha with a new purse, pen, and autograph book and headed to our hotel.
Check in:
We pulled up to the main gate area of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, showed our ID and were on our way to the Jambo House. The Concierge staff met us at our car, waited with us for our baggage to be unloaded (We had 13 bags - and the staff kept telling us all week that this wasn't a lot at all compared to others), escorted us directly to our room, and checked us in. We were given room 4321 (easy to remember). I can totally understand how everyone feel about the concierge rooms needing to be bigger, luckily ours had bunk beds in it so it was a big roomier. Porscha was so excited first at hearing all about Hidden Mickey's, then finding some in our room, and then BAM looking out our balcony and already seeing warthogs, zebras, giraffe's, and more! We decided to head upstairs and check out the concierge lounge. We were in time for afternoon tea - yummy and cozy.
Dinner: We made reservations at one of our favorite restaurants - Jiko. Our server was Marty and he was very nice, attentive, and even agreed to be Porscha's first signature in her autograph book. During the dinner Porscha found a hidden Mickey - we all thought she was crazy at first because no one else could see it. Finally another patron was able to make it out as well. When in Jiko if you are dining in the room off of the bar area (not the main dining area), walk into the room, turn around to face the entrance, look to the beaded curtain on the left and try to find "Porscha's Hidden Mickey." At dinner Porscha enjoyed carrots and celery, and the kids pizza - both were yummy. Greg's appetizer was the Chef's specialty flat bread and my appetizer was the Taste of Africa. Both were amazing! For entrees Greg had a vegetarian dish (I can't remember the name and the menus are now different than those on WDW or Allears.net) and I had the Spice crusted Tuna. Both dishes were outstanding however Greg's was better. After dinner we headed up to our room and changed and then rushed out to the Magic Kingdom.
Park: Here's the one and only problem with Animal Kingdom Lodge......the bus system. We waited 25 minutes for a bus to the Magic Kingdom and naturally when it finally got to us was packed. Arrived at the Magic Kingdom and walked around the parade and in the rain (yup rained our first day in Disney) to Tomorrowland for the Wishes Dessert Party. I had heard previously that they staggered the guests times for arriving, this is no more. Everyone arrives at 9 p.m. and it causes a huge line for check-in. Once you are checked in the staff escorts you to a pre-reserved table. YES! We are right up front with prime views! The buffet was incredible sweet after sweet after sweet. The fireworks were fun and exciting even without Tink. When we were first booking our vacation we saw that Magic Kingdom was going to be open until 3 a.m. our first day we thought it was crazy. EMH to 3 a.m. plus rain = best time to visit the Magic Kingdom! We got to ride Stitches Great Escape, Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Monsters Inc., Snow White, Peter Pan, and more without any lines!
Day 3:
Park: After sleeping in a bit we got ready to head out and stopped by the concierge lounge for a muffin or two since our breakfast reservations weren't until 11 a.m. Off to Epcot we go. Right after getting into the park Stitch was nearby so naturally had to get his autograph. We then headed right over to Soarin. This ride is amazing - we all loved it!
Breakfast: We were running low on time so had to make our way over to Norway for breakfast at Akershus Hall. Porscha was beyond happy here! She was able to meet and get autographs from: Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Ariel. Breakfast was also yummy with the buffet, hot eggs, bacon, sausage, and potato casserole. We decided to spend the entire day at Epcot since we had dinner reservations at Chef de France for 5 p.m. We enjoyed Test Track, Nemo, Mission Space Green, shopping in Mexico, making a mask in Italy, and then came China. Porscha did the traditional find a pearl and naturally the lucky kid got a shell with 2 matching pearls in it!!! When starting to exit China we realized it was pouring out! Porscha and I had ponchos so Greg went hunting for either a poncho or an umbrella within the store (not an easy task).
Dinner: So there we are completely soaked, running to France for dinner, squishing along and Porscha is loving every minute of it. Apparently do to the rain Chef de France wasn't busy so they didn't even really look up our actual reservation. We were seated right away and had a very nice waiter. Porscha had Cheese Puff Pastry for an app and Fish for her entree claiming both were awesome! Greg and I had both had the Maison Salad for an app and our entrees were the Fruits de Mar Kebab and the Duck. Both outstanding. Best part of today for me was getting to see one of my best friends and her husband. Diana met us at the hotel and we hung out on our balcony for a little while. We then showed them around our hotel, stopping by the concierge lounge for cordials and dessert - YUM!
Day 4:
Breakfast: We didn't have any reservations for breakfast today so we enjoyed the lovely spread in the concierge lounge. They offer pastries, bagels, cereals, fruit, oatmeal, quinoa, coffee and juices. Off to the Magic Kingdom we go - detoured of course by the long wait for a bus.
Park:
Arrive at the Magic Kingdom in full Fairy outfit (well Porscha did anyways). We took a quick but fun spin on the Teacups and got to have a chat with Alice. Alice asked Porscha to do a small favor for her. She wanted Porscha to tell the fairies that Alice said "Tag your it no tag back!." We found Pixie Hollow and waited in an hour long line to meet the fairies (long but worth it). On this day Porscha was the only other "Rosetta" that we saw so everyone made a big deal over her; she loved it! After hanging with the fairies for a little while we thought it best to complete the look by having her face painted in Rosetta fashion. With a little time left before lunch we visited the Haunted Mansion. Porscha liked this ride but did admit it was a little spooky.
Lunch: We made reservations at The Wave inside the Contemporary. Sadly this was the only bad meal we had all week. Our server was pleasant but went no further than that. We never received a breadbasket, or assistance with the menus. Porscha had celery and carrots along with pizza and said it was good. Greg and I split The Wave for 2 as an app - definitely not worth it. It was tasty but tiny tiny portions. For entrees Greg got the Reuben and I got the Burger both were good but nothing outstanding from a Table Service restaurant. As we left the restaurant we all decided it would be nice to just head back to the hotel and go swimming. I am so disappointed in everyone who complained to the Animal Kingdom Lodge about the "swimming hole." We both thought it was imaginative to have the pool really fit in with the African theme. Now the hotel has a regular blue pool - boring!
Dinner: Tonight dinner reservations for the Flying Fish at The Boardwalk Hotel. Another great tip: If you are valet parking at your hotel then you do not have to pay for valet parking at the other resorts. After walking through the hotel you find your self on the Boardwalk. We absolutely loved it here and will be staying here on our next trip. You have stores, restaurants, games, performers, views of the lake, and so much more. The Flying Fish was the first restaurant that went above and beyond for "celebrating." The hostess greeted Porscha with First Time and Happy Birthday Buttons and showed us to our table. Our waitstaff also went above and beyond for Porscha's entree. Oddly enough she doesn't like anything breaded (fish sticks, chicken fingers, etc.) so our waitress accommodated her with a sauteed piece of fish rather than the kids fish sticks without us having to buy her a separate entree. For appetizers Greg and I had calamari and the crabcakes. For entrees we had Potato wrapped Red Snapper and the Scallops. All dishes were outstanding! Like all other Disney restaurants the Desserts were a little lacking however the Flying Fish Desserts were the best.
Day 5:
We booked the Tusker House Breakfast this morning and so we had to head right over to the Animal Kingdom Park. The bus ride was quick however we still ended up missing the morning parade.
Breakfast: I had read previous reviews but it was still a little sad for Porscha that Donald would not sign autographs outside the breakfast. Upon entering the Tusker House you walk through the buffet area which is enormous! Our waiter came over and greeted us and brought coffee and juice. The Buffet had so much variety it truly had something for everyone. Every dish we tried was delicious!! Best Breakfast! The first we saw of the characters is when they would call up the kids, pass out instruments, and had a small dancing parade (Porscha was too shy). Eventually Daisy, Mickey, and Goofy came by the table for photos and autographs. Now the downside to our breakfast. After giving our card to the waiter he came back and tried to tell us we didn't have any dining credits (I knew we had 18 left). At first he wanted us to pay for the meal and figure out the billing later - to which I replied no and that I would like to speak to a manager. The manager tried to tell me the same thing but there was no way I was going to have to argue my bill at a later date when I paid for the dining plan to avoid all this. Eventually the manager figured out that Greg's card was deactivated (however he was still able to get in parks and use it for charging - go figure) and found that we did have more than enough credits and ended up using my card.
Park: Of course the park was beyond packed today! After the breakfast fiasco we lost a ton of time and couldn't go on any rides with long lines. Luckily It's tough to be a bug had a short wait (it's a fav of mine). We started to head over to some rides and Porscha found the hair wrapping. After waiting for a couple of people it was finally her turn. By the time she finished we had to head over the our meeting area for our 1 p.m. concierge only Safari Tour. The tour was terrific! We got to see a lot of the animals up close, learned interested facts about the animals and learned how Disney cares for the animals. After the tour we were in need of some ice cream! We made our way through Asia, hung out with the monkeys and headed over to Dinoland for a ride on the Primeval Whirl! After this we all thought it would be good to head back to the resort for some pool time.
Change of plans!
We were supposed to check out of Disney and head over to Daytona Beach. We were having such a great time, and wanted to see more of the Magic Kingdom so we headed to the concierge for help. The person we spoke to reserved us a pool view (concierge level was sold out) and we were fine with having to be moved. The concierge staff also informed us we had the best of both worlds. We would have a new room and not have to check out plus our dining plan and concierge level access were still available to us until midnight the next day.
Dinner: Tonight we made dinner reservations for Narcoossees at the Grand Floridian. The first thing I noticed is that it's a little hard to find - thank you to the valet staff for guiding us. When we checked in for dinner we were handed a buzzer for a little bit of a wait. Fortunately, this worked out great as we were then able to be on the deck and watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom. We were also able to watching the floating lights parade as it made it's way around the lagoon. Pretty cool! For appetizers we had the Calamari and Crabcakes (we wanted to compare from the Flying Fish - Flying Fish wins) and they were good. Greg had the Snapper and I had the Etouffee for entrees both were delicious.
Day 6
Prior to checking out we enjoyed breakfast in the concierge lounge. After eating I went to check us out with the concierge staff. I happen to ask about us checking back in and before I knew it she was checking us in and printing our new room keys. Of course our room wasn't ready yet but it was fabulous to not have to check in at 3 pm with all the new guests! Concierge level totally worth the money!!
Park: Had another horrible wait for a Magic Kingdom Bus! You really need to work on this AKL! Finally arrived at the park and went to check out Adventureland. We rode Pirates of the Caribbean, Swiss Family Treehouse, enjoyed a Dole Whip and hung out with Lilo and Stitch. Next we went over to It's a Small World followed by the Liberty Square Riverboat and the Frontier Shooting Arcade.
Lunch: We didn't have any reservations but we thought why not try to get in to Tony's Town Square. Just as the parade was starting and right before closing they were able to fit us in! For appetizers we enjoyed Mixed Greens and the Tomato and Mozzarella Salad. For entrees we enjoyed Tony's Flat Bread and the Special: Turkey Club Panini. Both were good however the panini was enormous and way too stuffed. It ended up just falling apart.
Snack Credits: Throughout the week we got a couple of snacks here and there: zebra domes, grapes, ice cream, etc. On our final day at Disney we had 18 snack credits left. We were visiting friends who lived nearby tonight so we thought why not bring dessert. Head over to the Confectionery and pick up cupcakes, frosted cookies, fudge, and a must have: German Chocolate Chip Cookie! In addition to that we brought home cookies, fudge, and more.
Dinner: Drove up to Oviedo to visit with one of my best friends. We went to one of their favorite places - Tijuana Flats. Fun atmosphere, yummy food, lots of variety. It kind of reminds me of Wahoo's (minus the fish tacos unfortunately). Loved being able to catch up with everyone! Finally headed back to AKL around 11 p.m. and had to organize or stuff for the car. Our game plan is to leave at 5 a.m.
Day 7
Time to call the valet and baggage. Luckily I remembered to have Porscha go to sleep in what she would be wearing today. Greg loaded up the car and carried her right to her next "bed." There we are making good time and bam - police lights in our rear view. $215 later I find on the internet that a certain county in GA is infamous for pulling people over and getting large sums of money from them. To quote another blogger "if they pull you over you will definitely be getting a ticket."
Lunch: Finally pass into South Carolina and we stop at a store in Santee SC that we previously pulled into. This time I noticed a sign that said Lone Star Barbecue and Mercantile 1 1/2 miles down the road. We decided why not! All I can say is YUM YUM YUM! The original buildings (however moved to this location), cute store, terrific buffet, and friendly staff this is a must have stop! For today's BBQ we all had the pulled pork the sides we all tried were: sweet potato casserole, fried okra, tomato casserole, cole slaw, rice, and peach cobbler. We ended up getting our order to go as it wasn't really lunch time yet. I was so disappointed when I realized we didn't stop here on the way to Florida - we would have been able to have their Shrimp and Grits which I can only imagine are fabulous!
Shopping: Next we headed back to the Pee Dee State Farmers Market in Florence SC. Naturally I had to purchase sweet potatoes for my parents, boiled peanuts for us, strawberry bread and peach almond bread for all of us. We stretched out legs and then enjoyed our delicious lunch from Lone Star. Right up the road is the Youngs Plantation Outlet. Here you will be able to try and purchase lots of local foods. We tried everything from Pecans to Bene Wafers! Great place to pick up gifts!
Let's keep on driving!
Back on the road again and I have started to look at where we should spend the night. Somehow my husband talked me into driving straight through. Here we are making good time again and then we hit Hartford CT. There was a car fire in one of the underpasses and so they rerouted all traffic from the highway through the city. One would think that in the middle of the night this wouldn't be a huge issue but it was. Some of the streets had cops directing traffic, some streets and lights, there were all sorts of vehicles going every which way. To top it off when we finally got back on the highway, the highway we re-opened. Pulled into our driveway around 5 a.m. everyone ran right to their beds!
Overall we had a terrific trip, fabulous memories, and the desire to do it all again!
Walt Disney World, Orlando FL - May 2007
I know that Disney World doesn't seem to fit into my travel lifestyle but I am just a big kid. I think part of it has to do with not experiencing Disney World until I was 9 years old. Since then I have been to Disney 8 times. I have tried many Disney vacation packages, including budget on property hotels, moderate on property hotels, downtown Disney area hotels, Kissimmee hotels, and vacation club rentals.
My favorite experience would be the complete Disney experience. This entails staying on property, using the shuttle services, the all inclusive meal plan, and going to Cirque Du Soleil. This package can be pricey so we balanced it out by staying at one of the moderate Disney hotels. Our two favorites are the Caribbean Beach Resort and the Coronado Springs Resort.
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is nice because it's spread out. You have the option of being close to the main entrance (restaurant, pool, check in etc.) or staying away from the main area and having less noise. Each "island" (section of rooms) has it's own pool area and most have their own beach area along the river. The restaurants in this resort are pretty much cafeteria style and really only good for a quick bite.
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is similar to the Caribbean Beach Resort. This hotel does have the same type of layout, beach, 3 pools, and restaurant area. If you stay at this resort try the Maya Grill. We had a really nice dinner there - the chimichurri dip is a must try!
I love all of the parks in Disney World but here are some of my favorite attractions.
The Magic Kingdom - Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight.
Epcot - World Showcase - All of it!
Disney Hollywood Studio - Studio Backlot Tour, The Great Movie Ride, Rock N Roller Coaster
Animal Kingdom - It's Tough to be a Bug, Kilimanjaro Safari, Kali River Rapids, Dinosaur, The Tree of Life
Here's a list of some of my favorite on property restaurants.
Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jiko
Magic Kingdom - Crystal Palace Character Brunch
Contemporary Resort - California Grill
Downtown Disney - Wolfgang puck, Bongos, Portobello Yacht Club, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain
My favorite experience would be the complete Disney experience. This entails staying on property, using the shuttle services, the all inclusive meal plan, and going to Cirque Du Soleil. This package can be pricey so we balanced it out by staying at one of the moderate Disney hotels. Our two favorites are the Caribbean Beach Resort and the Coronado Springs Resort.
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is nice because it's spread out. You have the option of being close to the main entrance (restaurant, pool, check in etc.) or staying away from the main area and having less noise. Each "island" (section of rooms) has it's own pool area and most have their own beach area along the river. The restaurants in this resort are pretty much cafeteria style and really only good for a quick bite.
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is similar to the Caribbean Beach Resort. This hotel does have the same type of layout, beach, 3 pools, and restaurant area. If you stay at this resort try the Maya Grill. We had a really nice dinner there - the chimichurri dip is a must try!
I love all of the parks in Disney World but here are some of my favorite attractions.
The Magic Kingdom - Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight.
Epcot - World Showcase - All of it!
Disney Hollywood Studio - Studio Backlot Tour, The Great Movie Ride, Rock N Roller Coaster
Animal Kingdom - It's Tough to be a Bug, Kilimanjaro Safari, Kali River Rapids, Dinosaur, The Tree of Life
Here's a list of some of my favorite on property restaurants.
Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jiko
Magic Kingdom - Crystal Palace Character Brunch
Contemporary Resort - California Grill
Downtown Disney - Wolfgang puck, Bongos, Portobello Yacht Club, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain