Orlando Area Resorts

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!

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.

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.

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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.

NEW Florida Resident Staycation Offer at SeaWorld Orlando

12 March 2020 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

EDITED TO ADD: SeaWorld and all area theme parks are closed for the remainder of March due to Coronavirus concerns, so this ticket offer is no longer available. Stay tuned for further updates about local area theme parks.

SeaWorld Orlando announced today that their Florida residents can take advantage of a very special offer this weekend!

Starting today, March 12, SeaWorld Orlando Parks are offering Florida Residents a staycation promotion! Florida Residents can save up to 60% on SeaWorld tickets as low as $49.99, Aquatica tickets as low as $34.99, and a SeaWorld/Aquatica 2 park ticket for only $59.99.

The promotion starts today, March 12th, and ends March 16th – better act fast to score those deals! The promotion comes just in time for the Seven Seas Food Festival, ongoing at the park through March and April.

The nearby Discovery Cove will be participating in the offer as well, offering Florida Residents a 40% discount if they book their reservation by March 16 and visit by May 20, 2020.

For more info and to take advantage of this deal, click here. Or to score even more, and visit Discovery Cove too, click here for more information on that deal.

Food and Wine Weekends at Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria

9 October 2019 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I’ve written before about the wonderful hotel options at the Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando. We stayed there back in 2015 for their Race Weekends package, and I’d been there before with my friend Amanda, on a girls weekend getaway, full of fun, food, and sunburn in my case. Back then, I called these hotels the “best kept secret in Walt Disney World,“ and while I think that word has gotten out, there are still many people that don’t even know where these resorts are located. Food and Wine Weekends may just change that.

A great way to get introduced to these beautiful properties is one of the many event weekends they have going on throughout the year. The aforementioned Race Weekends are a great option for runDisney races; they really give you extra fun for your races, with all sorts of great amenities to enjoy. They also have Florida Resident rates, breakfast included packages, and more. Last night we were invited to experience a taste of their Food and Wine Weekends. These weekend menu options extend the “Magical Dining” menus that happen all over Orlando in September, with proceeds going to various charities, and are a perfect complement to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

Food And Wine Weekends Breakdown:

The Food and Wine Weekends offer special tasting menus at 3 of the restaurants throughout the Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria. The best part (for me and many of my friends) is that they also offer full vegan menu options at each of these locations.

A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed the vegan Magical Dining menu at Zeta Asia, and it was truly amazing. I was very happy Amanda made that reservation because I didn’t know it existed and I’m still thinking about the menu items we had (I am officially in love with the vegan Bao Buns and the Bibimbap)!

You can find ALL of the Food and Wine Weekends menu options, including Peacock Alley’s “Bar du Chocolat and Champagne tasting” and the Myth Bar’s “Pop Culture” with house made fresh fruit popsicles, organic ice pops, and “poptails” for the adults, in this guide from Hilton Bonnet Creek.

Vegan Options:

Last night, we were treated to the vegan Cauliflower Salad from La Luce, the Vegetable Fricassee from Bull & Bear, and the Impossible Bibimbap from Zeta Asia. These were all wonderful choices, and honestly, I was full after the first option, and absolutely stuffed by the 3rd. I somehow made room for the two vegan desserts we were offered, a dark chocolate and passion fruit dessert from Bull & Bear, and the special request dessert available in the hotels when you request a vegan dessert: fresh fruit sauce over a coconut tart, with fresh berries and whipped non-dairy cream. They were both SO wonderful, it definitely didn’t feel like a thrown-together vegan option, which is often the case with desserts. Check out photos in the gallery below from the evening and some of the hotel properties. Just click to enlarge any photo:

Vegan Tasting Menu Hilton Bonnet Creek Waldorf

We were also treated to a vegan cocktail, since the one they were serving that night had sheep’s milk in it. We were given a modified “Bee’s Knees” with agave instead of honey. It was very floral and lovely. You can order this at Peacock Alley any time! You can watch the bartender create this drink for us, as well as chefs creating the amazing nitrogen-cooled chocolate pictured above, any time on my Food and Wine Weekends Instagram story highlight.

I hope I’ve tempted you a bit to head over to the Waldorf Astoria Orlando or Hilton Bonnet Creek and experience their Food and Wine Weekends for yourselves. It really is a wonderful experience, and such a nice, relaxing, crowd-and-line-free way to enjoy some culinary delights. I was hosted for our tasting experience, but I truly do love these properties and think they are such a nice getaway from the hustle and bustle of the nearby Disney hotels. Did I mention the lazy river?

If you’ve never been, enjoying a Food and Wine Weekends tasting menu is a great way to get over and explore the properties before staying the night (but staying the night is also a great way to end your Food and Wine Weekends evening!).

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 tasting event, but my thoughts and opinions are, as always, my own.

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VIDEO: Island H2O Live! Grand Opening

21 June 2019 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Today was the grand opening of the brand new Island H2O Live! water park at Margaritaville Resort Orlando, and they invited me down to check it out, so let’s see what they have to offer!

For more info, and to book tickets, visit: https://www.islandh2olive.com/

This video was filmed on June 21st, at Island H2O Live!, for their grand opening. Check it out below!

Holiday Memories Await at Gaylord Palms ICE!

15 December 2016 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

My family and I have been visiting Gaylord Palms ICE! as part of our holiday traditions since 2007, before I even wrote about it in Zannaland. It has really become one of the things my children most look forward to, and they ask every Fall – “when does ICE! start?” (Part of the perks of being Orlando locals; our holiday traditions are just a little bit bigger and over the top than many places.)

Over the years, we’ve seen the displays and offerings change and grow – ice skating outside, ice skating inside, snowball fights, snow tubing, enchanting circus performers, characters, and differing Christmas themes in ice. In all those years, none has been so magical, to me personally, than this year’s theme – A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Growing up in the 1980’s, I have very specific and very wonderful memories of Christmastime. Christmas is always exactly 2 weeks after my birthday, so the whole month of December has forever been overwhelmingly magical to me. I remember the weeks leading up to Christmas were filled with Christmas specials: Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,” the Rankin Bass productions of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” and of course, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

I can see myself clearly, sitting on the floor close to the T.V. in my festive Christmas nightgown, while the lights on the Christmas tree twinkled behind me and the scent of pine and the cookies my mother was baking wafted around me…watching those shows, commercials and all, once a year. At the risk of sounding even more ancient than I already do, this was before a time of cable and satellite television, before 300 channels and DVR’s and Netflix and Roku and Apple TV, or even Blockbuster and VCR’s at this point. So waiting all year to see these shows and making sure you didn’t miss them was a big thing. It became a part of the season, a part of the traditions, a part of the magic.

So to walk in to Gaylord Palms at 9 degrees (a very common temperature feel growing up outside of Boston), and see “A Charlie Brown Christmas” larger than life, right before my eyes, was pretty special for me. The detail was absolutely mind-boggling. Every character, every color, every detail from the television special was carved in perfection. Add to that the music and audio clips from the show, and it was truly a wonderland for anyone who’s grown up with the show, or the Peanuts in general. They were my grandmother’s favorite, and she loved Snoopy, so the Peanuts Gang were always a big part of family visits to her house. I left the ICE! display and wanted to go right back in and see it all again, so I could be little 8 year-old excited-for-Christmas-me once more. If anyone is a fan of the Christmas special or Charles Schulz’s work in general, you must go, you will not be disappointed. The night we were there, Charles Schulz’s son, Craig Schulz, was on hand and seemed to be enjoying himself as well. I can only imagine the memories he must have of these characters.

More to see at Gaylord Palms

Also a part of Christmas at Gaylord Palms is a tree lighting display, A Christmas Wish Light Show, which is the most impressive display yet. Returning for the second year is Cirque Dreams, an impressive show of acrobatic artisans performing in the lobby stage nightly. Alpine Snow Tubing also makes a come-back in the ICE! area, where you can tube down snow-covered slides, as well as other fun activities like photos with Santa, stories with Mrs. Claus, a Build-a-Bear Workshop, and much more. ICE! runs this year through January 1, a perfect treat for winter break from school or work. The property itself is so beautiful, it’s like another world when you are inside and my kids ask me all the time when we can stay there next!

Thank you to Gaylord Palms for inviting my family and I to experience the magic of Christmas at Gaylord Palms and see ICE! and the other entertainment offerings first hand. My opinions, as you can see, are my own. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Gaylord Palms ICE! Returns to a Classic Christmas Tale

21 December 2015 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Gaylord Palms ICE! 2015 — Beautiful grand atrium tree

Continuing the grand tradition of millions of pounds of ice sculpted by artisans and formed into amazing displays for all to see, this year Gaylord Palms Resort returned to a classic Christmas story, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.This was actually one of my favorite Gaylord Palms ICE! displays in years past, so I was happy to see it return to Gaylord Palms in an updated form.

For those unaware, ICE! is an indoor winter wonderland featuring:

Walk-through holiday attraction, kept at a chilly 9 degrees
Two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures
Four ice slides
Six individual rooms depicting the story of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
The Frostbite Factory — a live carving zone
Final room is a breath-taking Nativity scene carved from crystal clear ice

In addition to the sculpted ICE! displays, there is Alpine Rush Snow Tubing in a separately ticketed area, for unlimited rides down snow-covered slides on tubes.

Both of the above ticketed events are part of the larger Gaylord Palms Christmas, including free events like an all-new show:

Cirque Dreams UnWrapped

Be dazzled by an array of seasonal characters brought to life in a dreamscape of imaginative costumes and creativity, while stunning feats of showmanship are unwrapped, performed on stage and in the air. Broadway director and Cirque Dreams founder Neil Goldberg is bringing the famed entertainment brand to Orlando for the first time in the company’s 22 years with this exclusive show. The entire family can enjoy this uniquely inspired 25-minute Christmas dream presented with the Broadway style and inventive theatrics for which Cirque Dreams is renowned.

This show was captivating and fun for the whole family, a wonderful addition to the beautiful decorations in the grand atrium – which also features SNOW this year after the Cirque Dreams shows.

You can find out more about the events and activities at Gaylord Palms on their site, and purchase tickets to ICE! and other events. Staying at the Gaylord Palms is always a magical experience, I find myself just not wanting to leave the resort because there is so much to see and do and experience. The holidays amplify that feeling, so if you haven’t booked your stay, go ahead and make plans now for this year or next!

Disclosure: I was invited to experience ICE! with my family by Gaylord Palms. My opinions and thoughts are my own.