Parks

Rides Revealed for Brand New Peppa Pig Theme Park

29 July 2021 by Christian Ryan Leave a Comment

Earlier this year, Hasbro provided details on their brand new Peppa Pig Theme Park coming to Florida in 2022. Today, the company announced the rides and attractions we can expect to see when the park opens!

Designed to be the ultimate day for little ones, the new theme park combines interactive rides and themed play grounds with character shows and an indoor cinema for quieter moments.

Every corner of the charming new park is crafted with preschoolers in mind, from their first roller coaster rides with their parents and free fair games for the whole family, to an all-terrain course where they will pedal tricycles through a sensory-rich trail and a colorful splash pad that celebrates “muddy puddles” jumping fun!

Through every experience, families will snort, giggle and create their family’s first theme park memories together with Peppa and her friends.

The map provided gives us some details of the rides and attractions coming to the park, including Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster, Grandad Dog’s Pirate Boat Ride, and Peppa Pig’s Balloon Ride.

While there are many rides and shows announced, families should know that the park is designed with little ones in mind, so all experiences will be child friendly. Many of the rides are interactive, and the park is also set to include several sensory-rich experiences and shows to keep children of all ages entertained.

Hasbro also announced that annual passes and vacation packages for the park are available now. For travel dates starting April 1, 2022, families can book two nights and receive a third night free! The vacation packages offered also include a stay at any of the LEGOLAND Florida Resort hotels, which are all located just steps away from Peppa Pig Theme Park.

Additionally, Annual Passes are on sale now and include free parking. To learn more and book now about the Annual Passes or book a vacation package, visit PeppaPigThemePark.com/Florida

We’ll be sure to follow the Peppa Pig Theme Park as more updates come out, and you can click here to see all our announcements from it.

LEGOLAND Florida Resort Announces Holiday 2021 Lineup

13 July 2021 by Christian Ryan Leave a Comment

This morning, LEGOLAND Florida Resort has announced that it’s classic events Brick or Treat and Holidays at LEGOLAND are returning later this year.

Brick or Treat

Saturdays & Sundays in October

(October 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, 30-31)

Activities at this event include trick or treating around the park at fun character interactions, life-sized LEGO builds, and meet-and-greet opportunities with seasonal characters. Guests can also enjoy “one-of-a-kind” live shows, and Halloween-themed snacks, all while the park is completely decked out for the event.

See our coverage of previous Brick or Treat events here.

Holidays at LEGOLAND

Select Dates in November & December

(November 26-28 & December 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 24-31)

Guests will “dance, sing-along, and deck the halls” with interactive experiences, including a 30-foot tall LEGO tree. Get ready to meet LEGO Santa and create memories with giant holiday-themed LEGO builds.

Our coverage of previous Holidays at LEGOLAND events is available here.

All of the events this holiday season are included with LEGOLAND Florida Resort’s general admission and select annual passes – which can be purchased here.

Stay tuned for more updates from this year’s exciting events!

Caribe Royale Orlando Good Neighbor Disney Hotel Tour and Review

8 June 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

When I first moved to Orlando in 1995, the landscape was quite different. In fact, I currently live in a place that was pretty much cow pastures and scrub palms. So I remember well when Caribe Royale appeared on the horizon in 1996 with its pink towers, on the corner of State Road 535 and State Road 536, or World Center Drive. At the time International Drive had just been extended there and not much existed on that road either. My point is, a lot has changed since then, including the Caribe Royale! The Disney Good Neighbor resort is currently in the process of a $125 million phased renovation, to be completed by the end of this year. One tower of resort rooms has been completely refurbished, with the other two towers being done now. We were recently invited out to check out this new renovation and experience the Caribe Royale Orlando ourselves so we can share our review here with you.

Located just minutes from Orlando’s world-renowned attractions and 16 miles from Orlando International Airport, Caribe Royale Orlando is a TripAdvisor award-winning standalone, upscale hotel and convention center. It offers guests exceptional all-suite accommodations, flexible meeting space, a multitude of on-site dining options and amenities, and unrivaled service.

Caribe Royale Orlando features 1,215 one-bedroom suites and 120 renovated two-bedroom villas. If you’re looking for a place to fit your larger family, this is a great option. I know that is a problem I always have, with 3 children, especially now that two are grown adults, we need more space, or two rooms, which can get costly quickly. Having a suite option like this is the perfect answer. If you’re worried that Caribe Royale is showing signs of being built in 1996, let me put your worries at ease. Click to enlarge the photos of the rooms below. The last photo shows the 2-bedroom villa buildings in the background.

Find our full Queen One-Bedroom Suite Tour below:

The property is in the midst of a $125 million phased renovation which includes fully remodeling all of the hotel’s one-bedroom suites, an all-new 50,000-square-foot grand ballroom and pre-function space (bringing the total meeting space to 220,000 square feet), and an inviting new lobby. The all-new 50,000 square foot Palms Ballroom is now open and ready for meetings and events. The entire renovation is due for completion by the year’s end.

New Caribe Royale lobby — Here’s what the lobby of the Caribe Royale will look like when renovated.

Caribe Royale has 6 on-site food and beverage outlets, including The Venetian Chop House, recipient of the prestigious AAA 4-Diamond rating and winner of Orlando Magazine’s 2020 Readers Choice awards in four categories. (And they even have a vegan option!) There’s also 3 Large heated outdoor swimming pools with waterfalls and a 75-foot waterslide plus two hot tubs and a separate children’s pool and splash pad in addition to:

3,500 sq. ft. fitness center
The Island Spa
Lighted court for basketball and tennis, yoga and indoor cycling classes, 1.5 mile running trail and catch-and-release fishing
Accessible suites available

But how will I get to Disney?? you may ask…well, there is scheduled transportation to the Walt Disney World TTC and evening shuttle to Disney Springs. It’s also just a short Uber or Lyft ride away if you need to get there at a certain time.

We had a wonderful lunch at Calypso Pool Bar and Grill – shown below are the vegan options, and they have a full menu and full bar as well.

Vegan burger at Calypso Pool Bar Caribe Royale

Overall, I was super impressed by the Caribe Royale Orlando. We had a wonderful stay and the pool area was so relaxing and fun. I cannot wait to see the lobby renovations, but I think it’s pretty cool as it is now, very Florida/Caribbean feeling with lots of little nooks and crannies to explore. Still, they are adding an on-site Starbucks in the location of the current gift shop, and adding a Bacardi Rum Bar to the lobby too! It’s definitely something to keep in mind for your next trip.

Rates vary depending on location and room type. They have many discounted rates, including Florida Resident rates starting at $260/nt, for two-bedroom villas — a sweet savings off regular rates of $349 – plus Military and First Responder and AAA rates, as well as BOGO deals for certain dates.

Exclusively for my blog readers, I’m offering a special for your next visit to Caribe Royale Orlando. Book your suite by June 30 for stays now through September 30, 2021 and receive 10% OFF Caribe Royale’s best available rate on select suites! Advance reservations are required, and you MUST use this link when booking to get the special offer. Reminder, must book by June 15!

Disclosure: Caribe Royale Orlando invited us out to experience their resort and provided meals and accommodations for my family. That said, as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own and we are always 100% honest in our reviews.

If you have any questions on the Caribe Royale Orlando or any area resort, let me know in the comments below!

Family-Friendly Music Festival Coming to LEGOLAND Florida Resort

7 June 2021 by Christian Ryan Leave a Comment

A year that’s already been crazy just got even crazier. The all-new, family-friendly LEGO VIDIYO Music Fest is coming to LEGOLAND^® Florida Resort this Labor Day Weekend, September 4 through 6. ‘DJ L.L.A.M.A’ – the musical superstar behind LEGO^® VIDIYO™ – will be making a special appearance at LEGOLAND^®Florida Resort for one weekend only as part of his newly announced world tour.

LEGOLAND writes,

L.L.A.M.A, whose name is an acronym for Love, Laughter And Music Always is the first LEGO^® minifigure to sign a deal with a record label and the first artist to release a song via LEGO^® VIDIYO™, will be touring five LEGOLAND^® Resorts across the world to perform on stage. L.L.A.M.A is a global citizen, originally from the Andean region of South America, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of making music that keeps people happy.

The figure is part of the innovative music video maker experience by LEGO, titled VIDIYO.

VIDIYO is a brand-new way to play that helps children dream big by directing, producing, starring in, and safely sharing their own music videos, featuring tracks from across the globe, led by chart hits by Universal Music Group’s unrivalled artists.

L.L.A.M.A., who is featured in the augmented reality experience, also appears in the new DJ Llama BeatBox kit, available here.

And big DJ L.L.A.M.A. fans will be able to see even more from the artist later this year at the LEGO VIDIYO Music Fest.

This vibrant, interactive music festival will feature “dance-off” parties, interactive games, and pop-up performances. Colorful photo opportunities include larger-than-life scenes, and guests are encouraged to dress up as their favorite music artist to win prizes.

L.L.A.M.A will headline the music fest with two performances on each of the three event days on a specially themed stage. During the three-day extravaganza, families will also learn more about the world of LEGO VIDIYO while they get creative and produce their own content.

All of the event activities during the festival are included with LEGOLAND Theme Park general admission and select Annual Passes. Those looking to learn more details or purchase passes to the park can do so on the event’s website.

If you’re interested in the upcoming LEGO VIDIYO Music Fest, be sure to check out our other updates about the park!

What is Evermore Resort? Luxury Hilton Conrad Orlando Breaks Ground

11 March 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

It’s rare that a project in the Orlando area garners this much excitement and a new theme park or attraction isn’t involved. Evermore Orlando Resort has raised the bar on that excitement and so much more. But What is Evermore Orlando Resort you ask? Keep reading to learn a little more about this massive and unique undertaking very close to Walt Disney World:

What is Evermore Orlando Resort?

“With the launch of the Evermore project, Dart (Dart Interests) is introducing an entirely new hospitality category that will change the landscape of vacation rental homes,” says Christopher Kelsey, President of Dart Interests. “We are creating the first-ever wholly-owned, large-scale community of purpose-built vacation rental homes and operating them with hotel-quality standards and world-class resort amenities. Our approach solves the #1 problem for vacation renters: uncertainty in the quality of the home. Almost all vacation rentals are owned by individuals, each with their own unique tastes and willingness to maintain the properties. Our centralized ownership model makes it possible for our guests to be certain that they are getting a first-class home with superior safety standards. Our scale also means that we can deliver a wider array of services to our guests making their visit easier and more enjoyable. Plus, our range in sizes – from 2 bedrooms to 11, makes us the perfect destination for any group, including large multi-generational or multi-family gatherings,” he adds.

Accommodations:
At full buildout, the massive 10,000-bedroom resort represents an equity investment well in excess of a billion dollars and arguably creates a new institutional-grade asset class. Evermore’s first phase will open with nearly 1,500 bedrooms spread among an array of stay experiences, from single homes to villas, flats and hotel guestrooms. The plans include 69 houses ranging in size from five to eleven bedrooms. Beyond vacation homes, the resort complex will also offer 76 four-bedroom flats, 41 two and four-bedroom villas and a luxury Conrad hotel which will offer sophisticated design, best-in-class amenities and intuitive service to provide an exceptional travel experience in Orlando.

Conrad Orlando Luxury Hilton Resort

Conrad Orlando at Evermore will debut with 433 rooms, including 51 impeccably designed suites and 10 spacious family suites offering oversized accommodations that deliver all the comforts of home. Other features include 40,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space, a tranquil spa and numerous dining options including a signature rooftop experience. The hotel will open with Hilton CleanStay, Hilton´s industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection in properties around the world. The elevated processes and Team Member training have been developed with RB, maker of Lysol and Dettol, to help Conrad Orlando guests enjoy an even cleaner and safer stay from check-in to check-out.

“The signing of Conrad Orlando marks a significant milestone for the brand as we continue to grow our portfolio in iconic locations around the world to better meet the needs of our discerning travelers,” said Nils-Arne Schroeder, global head for Conrad Hotels & Resorts. “This hotel’s ideal location within Orlando and near Walt Disney World, along with Conrad’s prestigious reputation for delivering intuitive service, infinite connections and modern design will ensure guests leave feeling truly inspired by their stay with us.”

Amenities:

At the heart of the resort, all guests will enjoy a massive 20-acre tropical beach complex and Evermore Bay, an 8-acre crystalline water amenity by Crystal Lagoons®. This proprietary design incorporates unique, environmentally sustainable technology that uses up to 100 times less chemicals and only 2% of the energy used by conventional swimming pool filtration systems, creating ideal conditions for guests of all ages to enjoy the water year-round.

The surrounding beach areas will feature zero-entry swim areas, bars, cabanas, private fire-pits and an aquatic adventure area with a waterslide, rope swing and watersports of all kinds. Other amenities will include a lively food hall & gourmet market, a casual resort restaurant featuring views overlooking both the golf course and bay and a two-story Boathouse that will serve weddings and private events. While the Scottish links style ‘New Course’ will remain open for play throughout construction, a new 18-hole Nicklaus Design course will open with the resort and pay homage to the legacy of golf excellence at Grand Cypress.

Meetings & Events:

Orlando currently ranks as Cvent’s No. 1 meeting destination in the country and the resort complex will offer event professionals over 150,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space for groups seeking a change from the traditional conference room. The Boathouse and garden lawn nestled on the bay’s edge will provide a sophisticated Orlando wedding and event locale with a classic Chris-Craft boat for private use.

Bookings for Evermore Orlando Resort are slated to launch in 2022 with the grand opening for the first guests anticipated for summer 2023.

Today, Dart Interests, a leading developer and owner of large-scale real estate projects, and global hospitality company, broke ground for the 433-room luxury Conrad Orlando as part of their latest project, Evermore Orlando Resort. Orlando-based PCL Construction is overseeing construction for Conrad Orlando.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Conrad Orlando today, coming one step closer to welcoming our first guests in summer 2023,” said Christopher Kelsey, President of Dart Interests.

Conrad Orlando Amenities

Conrad Orlando at Evermore will be managed by Hilton Management Services and will debut with 433 rooms, including 51 impeccably designed suites and 10 spacious family suites offering oversized accommodations that deliver all the comforts of home. Other features include 40,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, a tranquil spa and numerous dining options including a signature rooftop experience.

The resort’s interior design will create thoughtful moments of connections to nature including guestrooms finished in hues of sand and water that offer an abundance of light and floor-to-ceiling picturesque views out to Evermore Bay. Spa and fitness activities such as yoga, meditation and hydrotherapy will be offered in both an indoor and outdoor environment. Upon opening, the hotel will operate with Hilton CleanStay, Hilton’s industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection in properties around the world, for a healthy experience from check-in to check-out.

Conrad Orlando guests will also enjoy access to Evermore’s massive 20-acre tropical beach complex and an 8-acre crystalline water amenity by Crystal Lagoons®. The surrounding beach areas will feature zero entry swim areas, bars, cabanas, private fire pits and an aquatic adventure area with a waterslide, rope swing and watersports of all kinds. Other amenities will include a food hall & gourmet market, a casual resort restaurant featuring views overlooking both the golf course and bay and a two-story Boathouse that will serve weddings and private events.

Evermore Orlando Resort will open with nearly 1,500 bedrooms spread among an array of stay experiences including vacation homes, villas and flats, in addition to Conrad Orlando.

I am BEYOND excited for this project to take shape right down the street from me, and change the landscape of Orlando vacationing. I can’t wait to see and experience Evermore Orlando Resort and Conrad Orlando as well!

For more information about Evermore Orlando Resort or Conrad Hotels & Resorts, please visit https://evermoreresort.com or https://newsroom.hilton.com/conrad.

We’ll share more info here as we receive it! Thanks for reading.

World’s First Peppa Pig Theme Park Announced, Coming to LEGOLAND Florida Resort in 2022

25 February 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

My son is almost 13, but grew up watching Peppa Pig, and as a result, his older brother and sister did too! Also as a result, we are ALL super excited about this news! Here’s the scoop about the Peppa Pig Theme Park coming to LEGOLAND Florida:

Starting in 2022, families will squeal with delight as they jump into the playful world of Peppa Pig for an unforgettable day of adventure at the World’s First Peppa Pig^™ Theme Park, only at LEGOLAND^® Florida Resort.

Designed to be the ultimate day for little ones, this all-new standalone theme park will feature multiple rides, interactive attractions, themed playscapes and water play areas—complete with “muddy puddles” of course—and fun live shows daily, all based on instantly recognizable locations from the globally popular brand. Families will meet Peppa and her friends as they snort, giggle and play to build their family’s first theme park memories together.

Rides and attractions details for the new Park will be announced this summer. When Peppa Pig Theme Park opens in 2022, it will be a separately ticketed park. Unlimited Florida sunshine and wonderful weather will allow this new theme park to operate year-round. Annual Passes to Peppa Pig Theme Park will be available as standalone memberships or inclusive passes that will also grant admission to LEGOLAND Theme Park, LEGOLAND Water Park and other regional Merlin Entertainments attractions.

Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in location based entertainment with brands including LEGOLAND, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE^® Aquariums, has an exclusive multi-territory licensing agreement with Hasbro, owner of the Peppa Pig brand, to build and operate the Peppa Pig attractions, targeted at the preschool market, as part of its broader strategy to engage in partnerships with some of the world’s most popular brands.

Fans and parents of future “little piggies” can be among the first to hear the big news by signing up for the Peppa Pig Theme Park emails on PeppaPigThemePark.com/Florida

Oink, oink!

Closest Hotel to Disney Springs – We Explore the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

24 November 2020 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

If you’re like me, you have driven by the hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd. near Disney Springs (in my case, way back to when it was called the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village and later Disney Village Marketplace), but never really stopped to investigate the amazing resorts that exist, minutes from the shopping and dining action. One example of that is The Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort Complex, which just announced the completion of its reimagination and $14 million-dollar guest room renovations and poolside dining. Even better, the rates right now are some of the lowest the property has ever seen – some nights are under $100 a night (yes you read that right).

Situated around 5 minutes (yes you read that right too) from Disney Springs, the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista and its sister property, the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista are conveniently accessible by the recently installed pedestrian bridges crossing East Buena Vista Drive. No need to worry about cars in your way or waiting for crosswalks to be clear. However, if you want to park in the Disney Springs parking garages, those are really close too!

We were recently invited to tour the newly remodeled rooms and Oasis restaurant and were pleasantly surprised. For those history buffs, the Wyndham property was actually the 3rd resort to open at Walt Disney World. It has a storied history, opening as the Dutch Inn, which later rebranded as the Americana Dutch Resort, before being sold to Grosvenor and becoming the Grosvenor Resort, renamed to the Regal Sun Resort, and then merged with the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and became what it is today. In between all of those name changes, there have been several multi-million dollar renovations, so you would never know walking into the lobby or a room, the history of the resort! The resort now features open air, socially distanced dining in the Oasis Restaurant adjacent to the new kids’ pool section of their massive aquatic center.

The two official Walt Disney World Resort hotels, the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista are packed with many shared amenities. This guest room renovation includes 394 newly reimagined garden-themed rooms for the value-minded guest and another 232 rooms in the upscale 19-story tower overlooking Disney Springs, which features a lake house motif.

“Just in time for your holiday vacation and weekend staycation planning, we have completed a significant transformation that has been several years in the making, said Jay Leonard, General Manager of the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort Complex. We are grateful to those who have pardoned our dust as we worked with top designers and builders to create what we believe will be a great guest experience.”

See You at The All New Oasis Restaurant

Open daily for lunch and dinner, it’s ideal for everyone who wants to soak up a day’s worth of the Florida sun or simply delight in a refreshing beverage or satisfying meal while watching sports on the big screens in their all-weather dining room.

Handcrafted cocktails, frozen drinks, beer and wine selections and a delicious menu of dining options await poolside. From mouthwatering fish tacos to some of the best chicken wings in town, you will find what you seek at the Oasis Restaurant. Fresh baked pizza, a variety of burgers, sandwiches and salads are prepared to order as you relax at the pool or recharge after an early start at the theme parks. Hidden Mickey fans will also find quite a few to hunt down and spot!

Click on a photo below to enlarge and see the updated restaurant and amazing pool area:

Oasis Restaurant Exterior Wyndham LBV — Oasis restaurant

Oasis Restaurant Wyndham LBV — Seating in the Oasis restaurant

Oasis Pool Wyndham LBV — Oasis Pool area

Oasis Pool Kids Area Wyndham LBV — Interactive kids area

Oasis Cool Pool Wyndham LBV — Oasis “cool pool”

Oasis Pool Cabana Wyndham LBV — Oasis pool cabanas

Reimagined Tower and Garden Rooms

Interior Image Group drew the inspiration for the design concepts from the hotel’s lobby area, continuing the lake house theme from the tower into the garden guest rooms. These newly recreated rooms allow guests to unwind and relax with the feeling of being in their very own garden retreat.

Jamie Malays served as lead creative designer on both hotel offerings and applied her expertise using multiple fabric textures, wood finishes and a minimal color palette in the garden concept.

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Tower Room — King room at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Tower Room Disney Springs view — A Disney Springs view tower room at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

Upon entering a reimagined garden room, guests will find themselves in a serene and inviting space. The main design features are the all-white, laminate wood, built-in storage bench unit that is back lit and accented with decorative aviary hooks to hang caps and jackets. This is where functionality meets beauty; it is aesthetically pleasing, and also acts as a multifunctional storage space with room to place luggage and hideaway shoes in the under-bench area.

Hidden spaces have also been created within the built-in entertainment center, which conceal a coffee maker and mini refrigerator (much larger than the Disney value resort fridges), and come standard in each room.

Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Garden Room — Garden room at Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

The 55” TV is displayed on a backlit wood finish entertainment wall conveniently opening the space on the new quartz countertops. Maintaining the functional design, the built-in unit has an ample amount of storage space with three large drawers.

Carrying the minimalistic theme over onto the sleeping area, a soft green wood headboard awaits guests, accented with modern light fixtures. The vanity and bathroom also received a significant facelift, starting at the entrance with a new rolling white barn door and a frosted edge back-lit mirror that hangs over the spacious vanity.

The large picture windows feature a privacy and a blackout shade. The blackout shade is actually decorated with a relaxing garden motif so when closed, it looks like a beautifully pained picture on the wall.

The best part is perhaps the quick walk to Disney Springs, knowing that this beautiful room is waiting for you on your return. I was so impressed with the new room designs, and at this price point, how could you not to stay here?

Walking over to Disney Springs really reminded me of staying in Disneyland, and walking over from Harbor Blvd. to Downtown Disney. That’s a pretty common practice when staying off-property in Disneyland, so it really makes sense that it would work here in Walt Disney World Resort too! So many people want to stay in a Disney hotel, but the comfort and amenities found here are hard to beat – you still receive Extra Magic Hours, FastPass+ (under normal circumstances) and other Magical Extras.

What impressed me most at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista was the people. Everyone we met was like family, ready to welcome you to their home. They were justifiably proud of their beautiful hotel, and the wonderful amenities it has to offer guests. It truly is a hidden secret on Walt Disney World property and definitely worth investigating for your next stay. Head to Wyndham Lake Buena Vista for more info and to book your stay today!

*Disclosure: The Wyndham Lake Buena Vista invited us out to tour their rooms and pool area, and walked us across to Disney Springs and we experienced some of the shops and dining there. You can see more on my Wyndham LBV instagram story from the day! As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for reading!

Hilton Bonnet Creek & Waldorf Astoria Food & Wine Weekends Return

20 October 2020 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

One of the best kept secrets among Walt Disney World visitors is the resorts that are on Disney property, but not Disney-run hotels. Two exceptional examples of this is the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. I have visited, stayed, and dined at these properties for the past 5 years or so, and am consistently impressed with the quality, service and surroundings. I understand that everyone seems to want that Disney experience, but these properties really have so much to offer, you’ll wonder why you didn’t stay here before…

Hilton Bonnet Creek lazy river — Just part of the Hilton Bonnet Creek views and lazy river

If by chance you do not know where these resorts are located…if you are coming from Disney Springs, heading toward the rest of the Disney parks, you will take a left off of Buena Vista Drive onto Chelonia Parkway. The Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando are about a mile down on the right. There is a central parking garage for both properties, but you can valet at either spot too, for a fee. If you are just dining, you can have your parking ticket validated for free parking as well. You can read more about staying here in my previous Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria posts. For now, though, we are discussing FOOD (and wine)!

You may recall last year I was invited out to experience the Food & Wine Weekends that the Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Orlando put on. I then went back on my own to experience it again, and I’m still thinking about that food. Food & Wine Weekends have officially returned, and though the experience is slightly modified, it is still a spectacular time. This year, Zeta Asia has sadly not reopened yet due to the pandemic. Our fingers are crossed it will be returning soon. However La Luce and Bull & Bear still have an amazing 4 or 5 course offering for the Weekends, and better still, they have full vegan menus for both locations!

La Luce^® is Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek’s signature restaurant, inspired by famed Napa Valley chef and restaurateur Donna Scala. I have yet to have a less than stellar meal there. Additionally, the servers, bartenders, managers, and more all go above and beyond to ensure you are taken care of, you know about all of the offerings, and you are enjoying yourself. It’s something we forget exists sometimes, that servers can really go above and beyond with every guest. And yes, a few of my visits have been as an invited guest of the hotel, but others have not, and I’ve still been impressed every time. It really is worth a trip over there to experience the service and food. Here is what is included with your Food & Wine Weekends menu:

La Luce Food & Wine Weekends Menu

La Luce Food & Wine Weekends VEGAN Menu

We started our our meal at La Luce with some cocktails, but then decided to get the wine pairings as well. I will say that I am in no way a wine connoisseur or even really a wine person, however each of these pairings went so well with the menu items, it really made me consider being a wine person!

For the regular menu, there are some choices to be made from the Taste of La Luce menu. Christian chose the Bruschetta, the farfalle, and the Risotto, which came with a seared filet mignon. The other options were a roasted red pepper and tomato soup, Cacio e Pepe (an amazing dish which I included a photo of even tho Christian didn’t pick it – they serve it in a bowl made from parmesan cheese!), and a salmon filet. Then for dessert the choices are between Sugar Bombolini and a Nutella cake. He chose the Nutella cake. We aren’t including photos of all the regular menu items here because we have everything on the video.

I didn’t have any choices with the vegan menu, but I was not disappointed. Even the Spaghetti Primavera, which I wasn’t super excited about because I’m not a regular ol’ tomato sauce kind of person, was wonderful. You could tell it was made fresh in the back and bursting with flavor. The risotto was also amazingly flavored. Just the right amount of pepper added. Also, I had a lot of leftovers, which I was very happy about.

The dessert, a macaron, normally made with egg whites, was made with aqua fava (the liquid left in a can of chickpeas) and you really couldn’t tell that it was vegan at all. As you can see, the portions were huge as well. Our server also recommended we try a vegan pizza, made in their 700 degree brick oven, and it was hard not to finish the whole pizza. They used a chickpea paste in place of tomato sauce, and it made for a great flavor combination with the crispy crust. There was also an absolutely amazing sunset view, as you can see below.

La Luce digital menu — digital menu at La Luce

La Luce VEGAN Bread service — Vegan bread service and cocktails

La Luce VEGAN asparagus soup — vegan asparagus soup

La Luce VEGAN spaghetti primavera — vegan pasta primavera

La Luce VEGAN Seasonal Risotto — vegan seasonal risotto

La Luce VEGAN Limoncello maracon — vegan limoncello maracon

Hilton Bonnet Creek chandelier sunset — sunset views at Hilton Bonnet Creek

Bull & Bear has a reputation for comfortable elegance. Where you are taken care of from the moment you step food inside, and the food and drink quality match that service. Unlike some other upscale dining locations, you don’t feel out of place or stuffy in this atmosphere. You do feel like your every desire (as far as dinner goes) will be taken care of. Named one of the Top 100 Restaurants in the United States by Open Table, Bull & Bear offers a menu featuring re-imagined steakhouse classics and trend-setting fare including a signature 32-Day Dry-Aged Tomahawk Rib Eye. You wouldn’t exactly expect a place with that sort of reputation to offer a vegan option – but they DO! And, they do it well. Here is the breakdown of what’s included for Food & Wine Weekends:

Bull & Bear Food & Wine Weekends Menu

Bull & Bear Food & Wine Weekends VEGAN Menu

We started again with cocktails and bread service. Here everything but the brioche is vegan. The ciabatta bread I had was so good, it didn’t even need butter of any kind. The amuse bouche here was quite simply, amazing. I know they like their Pasta Explosion here, but to me, this was the real explosion of flavors, it was SO good. The mushroom soup was also very hearty and flavorful. The wedge salad was a little dry for both of us but I was happy to have something light in between courses.

Bull and Bear cocktails — Gold Smoke and Mary Pickford cocktails

Next up was a tomato tart for me, which was super unique in flavor and very tasty. A thick crust with chickpea sauce inside and heirloom tomatoes on top. Then, pasta explosion time. It was basically mushroom ravioli. I’m not sure if ours were just sitting there for too long or what, but they didn’t really explode for either of us in the regular or vegan version. It was quite busy and I think there was a bit of a mix up with what the 3rd and 4th courses were for us, so that may have been the issue.

Lastly, the vegan fall vegetable fricassee was my favorite. It paired distinctly fall vegetable flavors with Asian seasoning, and made for a warm and hearty combination. I want to attempt to make this at home! The dessert here was also the vegan macaron but with passionfruit sorbet inside. Of the two macaron desserts, I preferred the limoncello.

sunset at Bull and Bear — Sunset at Bull & Bear

Bull and Bear VEGAN amuse bouche — Vegan Amuse

Bull and Bear VEGAN mushroom soup — Vegan mushroom soup

Bull and Bear VEGAN wedge salad — Vegan wedge salad

Bull and Bear wedge salad — Bull & Bear wedge salad

Bull and Bear oyster rockefeller — Oyster Rockefeller

Bull and Bear vegan tomato tarte — Vegan Heirloom Tomato Tart

Bull and Bear vegan — Vegan Pasta Explosion

Bull and Bear VEGAN macaron dessert — Vegan Passionfruit and Coconut Macaron

Of the two experiences, it’s hard to pick a favorite. I think for what you get, vegan-wise, La Luce was the winner. Christian agreed for the regular menu as well. We both loved the atmosphere and surroundings in Bull and Bear though. I would go back to either in a heartbeat. In addition to my review here, Christian and I also have a fun video of our experience. We hope you enjoy watching it to see first hand what it’s like at each resort’s location. Please like and subscribe to see more of our fun Orlando and Disney vlogs!

Here is the rundown of Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando Food & Wine Weekends dates and info:

October 16-November 22, 2020

Bull & Bear Chef’s Table – Fridays & Saturdays, 6pm – 10pm
Experience an exclusive multiple course Chef’s Tasting Menu for $145 (plus tax and gratuity). Suggested
wine pairings are available for $45 additional. Reservations recommended. View Menu.

Taste of La Luce – Fridays & Saturdays, 6pm – 10pm
From the kitchen of La Luce, enjoy an exclusive four-course menu for $55 (plus tax and gratuity).
Suggested wine pairing available for $30 additional. Reservation recommended.

NEW: Vegan Tasting Menus
Available at Bull & Bear and La Luce, Friday and Saturdays.

Sip, Swirl & Savor: A Wine Tasting Experience – Fridays & Saturdays, 5:30pm – 7pm,
La Luce Entrance
Regardless of your wine knowledge, this is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy samples of wine and learn
from an experienced sommelier. Complimentary.

Bonnet Creek Beer Garden – Saturdays, 4:00pm – 5:30pm, Hilton Lobby
Join us for an exclusive tour of Florida’s top craft breweries with samples of their award-winning beers.
Complimentary.

Bar Du Chocolate and Champagne Tasting – Saturdays, 6:30pm – 10:30pm, Peacock Alley
A decadent selection of à la carte chocolate treats hand-crafted by Waldorf Astoria Orlando’s world-class pastry chefs. (watch our video above for more of this amazing display!)

You can reserve any of the dining experiences at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek or Waldorf Astoria Orlando on Open Table. If you are vegan and want to order off the regular menu, I’d recommend letting the restaurant know ahead of time and the talented chefs will be happy to accommodate you! I’d go back just for the vegan pizza any time!

Have you stayed at either of these properties, or enjoyed their Food and Wine Weekends, or their stellar dining options?

I’d love to hear your thoughts or if you plan to check it out. Let me know in the comments below or drop me a line on social media, I’d love to chat about it! Thanks for reading.

Disclosure: As mentioned, I was hosted by Hilton for this event, but my thoughts and opinions are, as always, my own.

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND TEAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO:

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love!

REVIEW: Gaylord Palms Goblins and Giggles Weekends 2020

22 September 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Gaylord Palms Resort

If you haven’t heard of the Gaylord Palms Resort, it is situated over in Kissimmee. It’s actually very close to the ESPN Wide World of Sports/Art of Animation side of the Walt Disney World Resort property. It’s super easy to get to and close-by for those wondering if it’s easy to stay there and go to the parks. We have stayed there a few times over the years, and absolutely love the resort. The resort itself is a great place to do a staycation for locals too because there is so much to explore and do in the hotel itself. We’ll have full resort and room tour videos coming up later this week, so be sure to subscribe to our Zannaland channel and click the bell to get notified when they go live! Now, let’s get to our review of Goblins & Giggles Weekends!

What is Goblins and Giggles Weekends?

We discuss all that’s included in Goblins and Giggles Weekends in our previous article, so check that out if you’re curious as to what’s included. In addition to this Goblins and Giggles review, you can watch our video from our weekend there to see what we saw and enjoyed! Watch here:

Is Goblins and Giggles Worth it?

I think it is, yes. The event weekend rates start at $189/nt and I think that’s a great value with some extras thrown in like the Halloween Hide & Seek with Spookley the Square Pumpkin, the Trick or Treating, and the little shows, animal encounters and storytelling on the tv. We didn’t get video of that but basically on channel 51 of our room tv, from 6-10pm, we could watch storytime with Morgana, and Monster Mash with Vlad, where their costumed characters told stories or did dance numbers for the kids. That was the only place we saw the Goblin in question from the weekend name. Unless we missed him being somewhere else, be sure to tune in to see him.

I will say that while I personally enjoyed the Castillo de San Marcos ALIVE! experience, because I love fun theatre-y stuff like that where people perform dramatic monologues, I can see how some people might not think it was worth the $15 per person ticket price. I don’t usually do any sort of Halloween experiences like that, so maybe that’s the going rate, I’m not sure, so I’ll let you decide for yourself.

For the ticket fee, you see some lit up jack-o-lantern collections, which are very fun, but I do wish I could’ve taken some photos of them in the daylight too. Then you experience 3 different ghost “stations” where each ghost tells you their tale and then ushers you on. It ends with Bones, a “comic relief” performance to counteract the creepy (and based on real stories?) tales you just heard. Bones was really fun, we loved him. Then you are sent to the SpookEasy, where you can enjoy an alcoholic drink if you’d like. So if you had a big family, that price would add up quickly, but again, it’s up to you to decide if it would work for you. I will say the performers were all great, really into their characters and the makeup and costumes were on point too. I really had fun.

Gaylord Palms Goblins and Giggles — All of the Goblins & Giggles activities

Spookley the Square Pupmkin — Spookley, Gio and me!

ALIVE Castillo de san Marcos — Castillo de San Marcos ALIVE!

Lastly, there is the Phantom of the Atrium Light Show. I was really looking forward to this as I love a light show, and anything Phantom of the Opera related. This was a fun show, but it was quick, only 5 minutes long. The Phantom “conducts” from below, and the lights display various Halloweenie images and characters, with classical spooky music. I think this could be a much longer show, even if the lights aren’t necessarily showing graphics, they are just lights. Some of the images were a little cheesy, but again, it was super fun to watch from our balcony. I’d have sat through an hour-long show!

Will My Kids Like it?

There are some activities which are definitely geared toward younger kids. The Seth the Sea Turtle and Ava the Alligator Adventure Kids show is for sure. The bedtime stories on the tv are as well. The Hide and Seek is great for little kids and older kids, because if the little ones can’t solve the puzzles, older siblings or parents can help, and the littler kids can search for Spookley the Square Pumpkin. Trick-or-Treating is of course for everyone. The ALIVE! experience isn’t really very scary, it’s just loud in some parts when the actors really get into something. But little kids may not enjoy it if you are going at night. The Phantom of the Atrium Light Show is great for everyone!

Bottom Line Review

My Gaylord Palms Goblins and Giggles review in a sentence: I had a great time, my family had a great time. I think the value is there, and on par with Disney’s value resorts, which Gaylord Palms certainly exceeds in terms of comfort and surroundings. Again, I love going there for a Staycation and not even visiting the parks, because with the resort itself (even now when some things are closed) and the water park area, there is a ton to do.

I will say that we were a little disappointed in the lack of enforcement of the mask-wearing policy. It IS clearly stated everywhere that it’s required in the hotel, and at the pool unless you are in the water, but we did not see anyone outside of the front desk reminding people to keep their masks on or up over their noses. Many times people would be asking an employee a question, with no mask on, and no one was telling them to stop and put their mask on.

Additionally, they have notices to keep elevators at 4 people max occupancy, or your entire party, and we had to, at least twice, stop people from getting on the elevator with us. I realize that is a people problem and not a Gaylord Palms problem, but I do wish they had at least one person stationed around the atrium enforcing mask-wearing. We felt safe the whole time, however, we just stayed away from those who weren’t complying. Just something to be aware of if you are immuno-compromised.

How to Book

You can book directly at GaylordPalms.com and don’t forget about their upcoming holiday season as well with the Gaylord Palms I Love Christmas Movies pop-up experience!! We can’t wait for that! Thank you to Gaylord Palms for having us out and we hope you enjoyed our Goblins and Giggles vlog and review – stay tuned this week for Resort and Room Tour videos coming up on Zannaland!

You can also see the fun from our weekend on my instagram story if you missed it while we were there, I’ve saved it in a Gaylord Goblins highlight.

Disclosure: Gaylord Palms invited my family and I to stay for the weekend and experience Goblins and Giggles Weekends. We were provided with a $100 resort credit, passes for the ALIVE! experience and preferred seating at the pool area. As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Magic Kingdom Attractions – RANKED! Up the Waterfall Episode 35

12 August 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

This week, we wanted to do a fun palate cleanser episode after our deep discussions on Waking Sleeping Beauty, Most Unecessary Changes to Walt Disney World and Reasons You MUST Visit Disneyland. After the fun of our Disney Hotels RANKED episode, we wanted to rank ALL the Magic Kingdom attractions. For this ranking, we are using all the official attractions, as well as some experiences that have an added component. Examples are Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom, both of which have more to them than a traditional meet and greet, or “show.”

Will our ranking match up with yours? Did we commit any cardnial sins with our list? Let us know! My criteria for ranking was kind of subjective, not a “thrill factor” or technology, sometimes it was more just the classic nature of the ride or “Disney Imagineering” at its finest. We’d love to know your thoughts on all the Magic Kingdom attractions! You can create your own Magic Kingdom Attractions Ranking too! Feel free to screenshot your ranking and share it with us on any of our Zannaland social media channels (see below) or email us!

Don’t forget you can email us your Disney Trivia Question answers too!

Watch for our next LIVE show, Monday, August 17, 2020. We’ll be broadcasting live from the Zannaland facebook page, so be sure you are following along there and like the page to be notified when we go live!

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

Listen to Up the Waterfall:

You can listen anywhere you download and listen to podcasts, including:

(If there’s a podcast service where you can’t find our show, let us know and we’ll get it added there!)

Watch Up the Waterfall:

Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Feel free to comment below with your opinions on ANY of these hot button topics, any questions or info you’d like to add, or if it’s easier, head to the Zannaland Facebook page and join the discussion there with fellow Disney Parks fans!

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO:

Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney
Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney
Zannaland’s facebook page
Zannaland on YouTube
Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

We thank you for your support and for sharing the love!