After returning to the Vistana (and I should point out, we had zero issues on the commute up the I4 both to and from Universal….and that was the case over our entire trip…..smooth sailing with no delays every single time) we freshened up a bit and enjoyed getting off our weary feet for an hour. When we were sufficiently rehydrated and rested, we decided to head to Kissimmee for some retail therapy and dinner.
Our shopping destination was, as those of you who have read my previous trip reports will know, the Nike Clearance Store. We consistently get really, really good deals here on shoes and sportswear for the guys specifically (I have also found some good clothing prices from time to time, but not so much of late….but then again, there’s only so many dri-fit t-shirts I want in my closet at any one time). It’s situated in a little strip plaza that also houses a Dollar Tree, a Disney outlet, and a few other name brand stores.
Steve was in search of a few specific items for himself, so I set him loose in pursuit of his stuff while I focused on looking for something to bring back for Jake. I knew he wanted a new pair of shoes, so I short-listed his options based on his very specific criteria, then called him to let him know what he had to choose from. If anyone has ever raised a teenager, you’ll know it was easier to let him have the final say rather than to waste money on something he might not wear. He was at my mom’s enjoying her Thanksgiving feast (my sister and brother and their families were there as well) and I think he was glad for the phone call and a few moments of respite from the holiday fracas. He was delighted with the shoes he picked out (especially since they were being paid for by mom and dad….one of the “souvenirs” we brought him home!!) and we were happy with the super cheap cost. The Jordans he decided on retail for $200 back home (plus 13% tax). We paid $55 USD and only 6.5% tax. Even with our horrible exchange rate, it was still a win.
Steve made a whole bag of purchases as well….shoes, shirts, and athletic bottoms specifically. We left with two giant shopping bags in tow as we quietly mused about how we may have a crisis on departure day considering there were two minions who would be taking up the bulk of the room in the empty suitcases. Oh well, we would worry about that later.
We browsed through the Disney outlet as well before leaving the plaza, but didn’t find anything that caught our eye. They had a good selection of items, though, and some pretty good prices.
Dinner was our next task…..our Mythos burgers had long since worn off…..and Chili’s in Kissimmee was what we chose as our destination.
We love Chili’s…..we have consistently good meals there, and the prices are shockingly affordable. I would give my right arm to have this chain here in Canada. Seriously, I think I’d eat there every week.
We were greeted warmly on arrival, seated immediately, and our beverage order filled right away (strawberry lemonade for moi, Coke Zero for Steve). We decide to go with the 2 for $20 offer, and selected Texas cheese fries as our appetizer:
They were brought out from the kitchen really quickly, piping hot and very tasty.
For entrees, I had the Cajun chicken pasta (it, and their crispy chicken tenders, are my Chili’s favourites):
…and Steve had steak (upgraded to a 10 oz from 6 oz for an additional $4):
As we have come to expect, everything was great. Servers were super friendly, the food was delish (Steve’s steak was cooked exactly to order) and portions were very large. The atmosphere is so comfortable and relaxed, and we enjoyed being able to leisurely enjoy our meal after a busy day of mugging around the parks.
We had other plans for dessert, so we paid the bill ($31.66 including tax, excluding tip), thanked our server, and headed out.
We didn’t have far to go in search of our sweet treats for the evening. It was literally just a couple of parking lots over……
Mmmm…….donuts……
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And not JUST donuts. Monster donuts
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Just when you think that Krispy Kreme can’t get any better, they create some Halloween masterpieces that we simply could not pass up. Since we were super full from dinner still, we took our half dozen donuts to go and made the short drive back to the Vistana. They would be our late-night indulgence after a much-anticipated evening soaking in the Fountains pool and hot tubs.
It was a perfect, gorgeous night. We stayed out enjoying the amenities for a good couple of hours……swimming in the pool for a while, then relaxing in the hot tubs, then back to the pool…..until the hot tubs had sapped what was left of our energy and we could barely keep our eyes open.
It was donuts and milk before bed, then off to dreamland
. Tomorrow was another busy park day, and we needed our beauty sleep.
. It's definitely tough on the budget to incorporate two different park families on one trip....ticket prices for shorter visits (2-3 days each versus a 7 day ticket) are so much more expensive.
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Am I the only one who thinks that sounds like an odd combination? Of course, I don't like the "LT" of a "BLT" as bankr63 so eloquently pointed out, so admittedly.....I'm a tad off strange from a dietary standpoint. Okay, strange from several standpoints!! 
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. You guys have all the good places out west. I believe you have Olive Gardens, too!! If it weren't for your wacky, intense winter weather, I might just be convinced to relocate 
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. I will admit, the suits pretty sweet.
Glad to have you reading along!!
I had no idea! They have a Krispy Kreme too, I think 
