Ruthie5671
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2009
Now you know that they have your picture up in the back room with a warning to the staff!
Glad you're back on the boards. I've seen the pictures already, but it's fun to re-live the adventures!
Double, Double, Toil & Trouble: a Halloween-inspired trip of “two’s” – an October 2016 TR
- Thread starter Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
- Start date
Now you know that they have your picture up in the back room with a warning to the staff!
Glad you're back on the boards. I've seen the pictures already, but it's fun to re-live the adventures!
livingthedream
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2005
Somehow our life here in Saskatchewan always seems to map yours and Steve's. My hubby and I are living apart (me - Prairies and him - Maritimes) at the moment due to work. Because of circumstances he had to take a 13 month contract there rather than stay in SK, so I am inspired by your trip report to figure out how we can meet in Orlando to reconnect.
I always love your trip reports!
Welcome back!
Bev
I always love your trip reports!
Welcome back!Bev
dancin Disney style
<font color=blue>I found one to share with some fa
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
WOW.... such compliments. I'm going to get a swelled head. This truly is what keeps me coming back!Aw, thanks Munro. Your contributions are always a lot of fun. Don't hold back....continue to try and keep @dancin Disney style in line (assuming, of course, she ever shows up
).
Hi Patty! So glad to have you back! You'll have to help @bankr63 with our dear friend @dancin Disney style ..... 'cause she can be a handful.
Now to back track and see how this shindig is shaping up. Have no fear I will read through and be back.
JenLanDisney
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2007
Welcome back, Gina! I'm so glad to hear that you've settled in to Michigan.
Your trip reports are always so delightful; what a treat!
Your trip reports are always so delightful; what a treat!
dancin Disney style
<font color=blue>I found one to share with some fa
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
No...you're 'those guests'. Remember I've stayed there too so I would know.
disneyAndi14
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2014
I remember reading about some of your noisy nights at this hotel, I hope your first night of vacay was quiet and pleasant. I love Cheesecake Factory as well, we don't have any around here. Your kittens are so cute!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
We have one about 15 minutes from where we are now living here in Michigan. It is no longer going to have to be a Florida splurge!
And even I was surprised at the difference between the October photo and the current picture of Violet and Dash. No wonder it seems like they are eating me out of house and home!! They've tripled in size!
I have to say, it does feel SO GOOD to be back. Like coming home
. I think for me, with so much change in my life, its good to come back to something so familiar.What a handsome boy!! Those whiskers
. My Dash, at 8 months, is over 10 pounds and ridiculously long in the body...so I'm expecting that he'll top 20 or more before he's full grown. Apparently the Maine Coons can grow right up until they're 3 or 4 years old. We upgraded to a king bedroom suite when we moved just so we have room for the whole family 
.Now you know that they have your picture up in the back room with a warning to the staff!
Glad you're back on the boards. I've seen the pictures already, but it's fun to re-live the adventures!
That's what Steve said too, Ruthie. He swears they have a "Beware This Woman" sign with my mug shot in their lunch room 
.Somehow our life here in Saskatchewan always seems to map yours and Steve's. My hubby and I are living apart (me - Prairies and him - Maritimes) at the moment due to work. Because of circumstances he had to take a 13 month contract there rather than stay in SK, so I am inspired by your trip report to figure out how we can meet in Orlando to reconnect.
I always love your trip reports!
Bev
Oh Bev, that's a HUGE distance between you
. I feel for you, my friend, because I know how tough it is.....and at least Steve was within a 7-8 hour drive. An Orlando escape is definitely a great way to reconnect as a couple.....I hope you have a trip in the works sometime soon!Well, it's about time you finally showed up. Fashionably late, as always
.Thank you!! And
back! So glad to have you joining in with our crazy group once again .Well, there goes my theory of being just too charming to forget
.Those kittens have me wrapped around their little paws. Hard as I try to remain in charge, they've long since taken over this house
. Don't give me too many compliments on them, or I'll inundate you with pictures:
I am happy to report that this stay at the Days was a complete success. Stay tuned for the full run-down coming up soon!
I'm so happy you are back!!!
Thank you so much!! And
aboard....the next installment is ready to go!!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
Thursday, October 13th (continued)
As most of you already know from past reports, we have a lot of fun dining in the USA. It has been a real treat on our Orlando family vacations to be able to enjoy meals at all the American chains that most of our friends south of the border take for granted. We Canadians often see all the mouthwatering commercials on the US TV channels throughout the year, so it’s rare that you’ll see us partaking in a meal while in the States at a restaurant that’s available back home. It’s a novelty to be able to dine differently.
Of course, that’s poised to change now that we’re living in America. With a Chili’s, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Cheesecake Factory, and virtually every other major chain we love within a 10 mile radius of our new community (and some located as close as around the corner), I suspect that future trips will be approached much differently where meals and food are concerned
. But, I digress…..
Arriving at the Cheesecake Factory, we were not surprised to notice that there was a wait to be seated. This always seems to be a popular place at the Walden Galleria, but with nothing else on the evening’s agenda (other than an early bedtime to ensure we were well rested when the wake-up call came in the following morning for our crack-of-dawn flight), we didn’t mind hanging out until our pager went off. They told us to expect about 30 minutes before we were seated, but we were ushered in within half that time
. We took the opportunity to review the extensive menu posted on the outside of the restaurant while we waited. So. Many. Options.
We have learned from previous trips to forego any appetizers here: filling up on nibbles means we’ll be hard pressed to finish the massive-sized entrees, and completely eliminate any possibility of having enough stomach capacity left for one of their delectable desserts. So once we were seated, we placed our orders and enjoyed the complimentary basket of fresh breads that was brought to the table by our server while we waited for our entrees to arrive
.
I must apologize for the lack of photos taken on this initial day……quite honestly, after so much time apart, we were much more inclined to just talk and get caught up and soak up each other’s company than to be snapping away with the camera. We had been missing each other SO MUCH that we were completely absorbed with each other 
. I promise, I did get back to my customary photo-craziness by the following day……so I’ll bombard you with pictures in future posts!
Our meals were really quite quick to be brought to the table, especially considering the dining area was at full capacity. Steve had chosen the meatloaf dinner, and it was ENORMOUS
.
Note the state of the Pirate beard: he had been growing this for months especially for our two Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties, and man…..was it a gnarly, ratty looking spectacle. Perfect, he said, for a pirate
.
As for the meatloaf, it was mouthwatering: as good as either his mother’s or my mom’s homemade recipes. We could, however, have ordered just one meatloaf meal and shared it between the two of us and had more than enough food. There was an absolutely massive slice of meatloaf, a pound or two of mashed potatoes, and enough corn to feed a small family.
While I had vowed that I would have something different than last time, my stomach was yearning for the delicious chicken parm sandwich that I enjoyed the last time we were here. I told myself that having a sandwich versus a meat-and-potatoes entrée would be beneficial in helping me save room for dessert. Of course, I was wrong
. It was HUGE.
Everything was fantastic: hot, fresh, flavourful and spiced just perfectly. With such large portion sizes, we were able to sample each other’s dishes without guilt and still left a ridiculous amounts on the plates for the server to clear away.
Much as we wanted to each enjoy a different dessert, there was no way we could both manage a separate slice of cake. In fact, neither of us were able to even bear the thought of sharing a slice there in the restaurant: once again, dessert would have to be taken to-go and enjoyed later that night in the hotel room once our entrees had partially digested.
We strolled around the Galleria for a while after dinner, hoping to help mitigate some of the post-dinner bloat. Eventually we headed back to the car and made the short drive back to the hotel. We had intended to enjoy a swim in the hotel pool, but our long and busy day of housework and travel had left us both unbelievably weary (and the fullness from dinner was just exacerbating that sensation). So, back at the Days hotel, Steve stowed the Journey in the long-term parking area and then we opted to enjoy our Cheesecake Factory take-way in bed:
(Linda’s Fudge Cake……a bazillion layers of chocolate cake between smooth layers of chocolate frosting
)
It was lights-out by 10 pm, and we were asleep within minutes. With a 7 am flight, we’d be up before the crack of dawn, so the more hours of shut-eye we could squeeze in, the happier we’d be in the morning. Happily, we didn’t hear so much as a peep from other guests all night. No one was hosting an open-door party, no one was smoking marijuana, no one was singing karaoke
. It was dreamy.
In the morning, we were both excited to get this show on the road. After showers and readying our luggage for the flight, we headed downstairs to the lobby and grabbed quick breakfast from their complimentary buffet.
We must have been the only ones flying out so early, because there wasn’t another soul at breakfast
.
After our meal, we beckoned the shuttle which whisked us off (again, all by ourselves) to the airport, where we breezed through a very empty security line and found comfy seats at our gate. Our plane departed on time and we arrived early at MCO. We took our time picking up our luggage and rental car…..we were in no rush, considering our only commitment wasn’t scheduled until later that evening….and leisurely made our way out into the sunshine. After becoming adjusted to the chilly autumn weather in Canada, it was nice to return to summer-like temperatures
.
We opted to drive around a bit and sight-see to kill time before lunch. At 11 o’clock, we headed for a quick, healthy meal at Sweet Tomatoes since we were both rather hungry. It had been quite a long time since our early-morning hotel breakfast, and I hadn’t eaten much at that time anyway: my tummy had been suffering from pre-flight excitement
.
Sweet Tomatoes NEVER disappoints. It’s so nice to be able to enjoy a convenient, healthy, tasty, affordable, all-you-care-to-enjoy meal right inside the tourist area. We were early enough to beat the morning rush but timed perfectly to partake in the freshly-cooked entrée items as the cooks brought them out.
Because I had dined so lightly at breakfast, and eaten so healthily for lunch, I felt no guilt in indulging in this for dessert:
Calories don’t count on vacation anyway, right?
As we savoured our sundaes and freshly-baked muffins from the bakery station, we plotted our next move. Should we try checking in at Wyndham Cypress Palms, knowing that check-in wasn’t officially until 4 pm and we could potentially have hours left to wait? Should we go shopping? Stop and enjoy SeaWorld for a while with our annual passes? We both decided to head to Cypress Palms and try out luck: if nothing else, we’d satisfy our morbid curiosity as to what the resort will be like in person. Having booked via Skyauction and never having visited the resort before, we were eager to know if it was a good pick or a mistake we’d never make again. Here was hoping it was the former and not the latter, or I’d be fired as trip planner.
Next stop: Kissimmee!
Ah.....I'm so glad all the boring pre-Orlando stuff is over. I promise, it gets much better from here.
As most of you already know from past reports, we have a lot of fun dining in the USA. It has been a real treat on our Orlando family vacations to be able to enjoy meals at all the American chains that most of our friends south of the border take for granted. We Canadians often see all the mouthwatering commercials on the US TV channels throughout the year, so it’s rare that you’ll see us partaking in a meal while in the States at a restaurant that’s available back home. It’s a novelty to be able to dine differently.
Of course, that’s poised to change now that we’re living in America. With a Chili’s, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Cheesecake Factory, and virtually every other major chain we love within a 10 mile radius of our new community (and some located as close as around the corner), I suspect that future trips will be approached much differently where meals and food are concerned
. But, I digress…..Arriving at the Cheesecake Factory, we were not surprised to notice that there was a wait to be seated. This always seems to be a popular place at the Walden Galleria, but with nothing else on the evening’s agenda (other than an early bedtime to ensure we were well rested when the wake-up call came in the following morning for our crack-of-dawn flight), we didn’t mind hanging out until our pager went off. They told us to expect about 30 minutes before we were seated, but we were ushered in within half that time
. We took the opportunity to review the extensive menu posted on the outside of the restaurant while we waited. So. Many. Options.We have learned from previous trips to forego any appetizers here: filling up on nibbles means we’ll be hard pressed to finish the massive-sized entrees, and completely eliminate any possibility of having enough stomach capacity left for one of their delectable desserts. So once we were seated, we placed our orders and enjoyed the complimentary basket of fresh breads that was brought to the table by our server while we waited for our entrees to arrive
.I must apologize for the lack of photos taken on this initial day……quite honestly, after so much time apart, we were much more inclined to just talk and get caught up and soak up each other’s company than to be snapping away with the camera
. We had been missing each other SO MUCH that we were completely absorbed with each other . I promise, I did get back to my customary photo-craziness by the following day……so I’ll bombard you with pictures in future posts!Our meals were really quite quick to be brought to the table, especially considering the dining area was at full capacity. Steve had chosen the meatloaf dinner, and it was ENORMOUS
.
Note the state of the Pirate beard: he had been growing this for months especially for our two Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties, and man…..was it a gnarly, ratty looking spectacle. Perfect, he said, for a pirate
.As for the meatloaf, it was mouthwatering: as good as either his mother’s or my mom’s homemade recipes. We could, however, have ordered just one meatloaf meal and shared it between the two of us and had more than enough food. There was an absolutely massive slice of meatloaf, a pound or two of mashed potatoes, and enough corn to feed a small family.
While I had vowed that I would have something different than last time, my stomach was yearning for the delicious chicken parm sandwich that I enjoyed the last time we were here. I told myself that having a sandwich versus a meat-and-potatoes entrée would be beneficial in helping me save room for dessert. Of course, I was wrong
. It was HUGE.
Everything was fantastic: hot, fresh, flavourful and spiced just perfectly. With such large portion sizes, we were able to sample each other’s dishes without guilt and still left a ridiculous amounts on the plates for the server to clear away.
Much as we wanted to each enjoy a different dessert, there was no way we could both manage a separate slice of cake. In fact, neither of us were able to even bear the thought of sharing a slice there in the restaurant: once again, dessert would have to be taken to-go and enjoyed later that night in the hotel room once our entrees had partially digested.
We strolled around the Galleria for a while after dinner, hoping to help mitigate some of the post-dinner bloat. Eventually we headed back to the car and made the short drive back to the hotel. We had intended to enjoy a swim in the hotel pool, but our long and busy day of housework and travel had left us both unbelievably weary (and the fullness from dinner was just exacerbating that sensation). So, back at the Days hotel, Steve stowed the Journey in the long-term parking area and then we opted to enjoy our Cheesecake Factory take-way in bed:
(Linda’s Fudge Cake……a bazillion layers of chocolate cake between smooth layers of chocolate frosting
)It was lights-out by 10 pm, and we were asleep within minutes. With a 7 am flight, we’d be up before the crack of dawn, so the more hours of shut-eye we could squeeze in, the happier we’d be in the morning. Happily, we didn’t hear so much as a peep from other guests all night. No one was hosting an open-door party, no one was smoking marijuana, no one was singing karaoke
. It was dreamy.In the morning, we were both excited to get this show on the road. After showers and readying our luggage for the flight, we headed downstairs to the lobby and grabbed quick breakfast from their complimentary buffet.
We must have been the only ones flying out so early, because there wasn’t another soul at breakfast
. 
After our meal, we beckoned the shuttle which whisked us off (again, all by ourselves) to the airport, where we breezed through a very empty security line and found comfy seats at our gate. Our plane departed on time and we arrived early at MCO. We took our time picking up our luggage and rental car…..we were in no rush, considering our only commitment wasn’t scheduled until later that evening….and leisurely made our way out into the sunshine. After becoming adjusted to the chilly autumn weather in Canada, it was nice to return to summer-like temperatures
.We opted to drive around a bit and sight-see to kill time before lunch. At 11 o’clock, we headed for a quick, healthy meal at Sweet Tomatoes since we were both rather hungry. It had been quite a long time since our early-morning hotel breakfast, and I hadn’t eaten much at that time anyway: my tummy had been suffering from pre-flight excitement
.
Sweet Tomatoes NEVER disappoints
. It’s so nice to be able to enjoy a convenient, healthy, tasty, affordable, all-you-care-to-enjoy meal right inside the tourist area. We were early enough to beat the morning rush but timed perfectly to partake in the freshly-cooked entrée items as the cooks brought them out. Because I had dined so lightly at breakfast, and eaten so healthily for lunch, I felt no guilt in indulging in this for dessert:
Calories don’t count on vacation anyway, right?
As we savoured our sundaes and freshly-baked muffins from the bakery station, we plotted our next move. Should we try checking in at Wyndham Cypress Palms, knowing that check-in wasn’t officially until 4 pm and we could potentially have hours left to wait? Should we go shopping? Stop and enjoy SeaWorld for a while with our annual passes? We both decided to head to Cypress Palms and try out luck: if nothing else, we’d satisfy our morbid curiosity as to what the resort will be like in person. Having booked via Skyauction and never having visited the resort before, we were eager to know if it was a good pick or a mistake we’d never make again. Here was hoping it was the former and not the latter, or I’d be fired as trip planner.
Next stop: Kissimmee!
Ah.....I'm so glad all the boring pre-Orlando stuff is over. I promise, it gets much better from here
.
pattyw
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2008
Glad to hear your Days Inn experience was good again! That's a great deal for a night's stay and parking. We pay more for just parking at the Parking Spot!
Your babies are adorable!
I'm grateful for my kitties now that my boys are grown up and not around as much! The house is never quiet!
Your babies are adorable!
I'm grateful for my kitties now that my boys are grown up and not around as much! The house is never quiet!
Mrs Doubtfire
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
A great start Gina, at Christmas the wait at the Cheesecake Factory was quoted at 2 hours. Luckily my daughter managed to snag a bar table for us.
tortilla24
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2016
Glad to see you back, Gina! How lucky to have our US chains close-by to your new home.
dancin Disney style
<font color=blue>I found one to share with some fa
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
Looks like we will miss each other by a week this year. We are going a little early for our winter break.
Last edited:
dancin Disney style
<font color=blue>I found one to share with some fa
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
Well, it's about time you finally showed up. Fashionably late, as always
I had to figure it out all by myself. Plus, let's be real.....I have to make an entrance. 
pepperandchips
[melinda]
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2014
Happily, we didn’t hear so much as a peep from other guests all night. No one was hosting an open-door party, no one was smoking marijuana, no one was singing karaoke
LOL
your luck may be evening out, so I guess it's a good thing future trips will originate from Michigan! Let the fun commence!Ah.....I'm so glad all the boring pre-Orlando stuff is over. I promise, it gets much better from here
I'm a dork and I love to read about all of it! We are so lucky that with our drive, by the time you made it to Buffalo we are 2/3 of the way to Orlando!
Cheesecake Factory looks divine. I work across the street from a mall that has a Cheesecake Factory but we rarely go. Thinking I may need to summon the compadres for a Friday treat tomorrow...
Can't wait to read your official write up of the resort though I think I may have seen some spoilers on FB!
disneyAndi14
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2014
The pictures of your kittens are adorable. It has been awhile since I have eaten at Cheesecake Factory, wow they do have big portions. The cake looks so yummy. Looking forward to your review about the Cypress Palms, we have considered staying there as well.
pattyw
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2008
Looks like we will miss each other by a week this year. We are going a little early for our winter break.
No Dismeet this year! 
We'll catch you another time! One of these days maybe a Buffalo Dismeet with all of you guys??
dancin Disney style
<font color=blue>I found one to share with some fa
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2005
Nope, just 'those guest' again. Badge of honour actually.We must have been the only ones flying out so early, because there wasn’t another soul at breakfast
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