Double, Double, Toil & Trouble: a Halloween-inspired trip of “two’s” – an October 2016 TR

[Monykalyn]

Every time I see your reports of Discovery cove and Aquatica I think "we gotta do that"! Since my poor DH is resigned to several Disney trips in the next year (gotta get good use out of those AP's!) perhaps we sneak away to DC or SW or Aquatica one trip. I am already trying to talk him into 2 weeks again next late spring/early summer. Will have the timeshare weeks...

But I think we may get to do our first ever MVMCP! Possibly a Halloween party if cards fall right-big maybe and lot of things have to line up right.

SVR was actually in the exchange pool for a short while. Don't usually see that-we do love the Marriott resorts so it would be hard to switch from what we know lol!

 

[chicagoshannon]

Yes we typically go several time a year but we decided to take a break. We're going to go to the Smoky Mountain in Sept and then probably Washington DC next spring.

 

[mmdis]

I.love that your nieces and newphew declared this the best day ever. Isn't that what vacations are all about!

 

[dancin Disney style]

Did you notice they have Tab????? I haven't seen that since I was a kid. One of the days we spent at DS we did take a stroll through the Coke store and I knew about the roof top bar but of course I forgot all about it.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Gina's favourite

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

What a great ending to your family's holiday. It sounds like the perfect day for you all. The cabana rental was really good value, is the price tiered throughout the season?

I see you are thinking about MNSSHP, have you seen they are starting it in August this year?

I did see the crazy early start for the Halloween parties!!! While I'm happy for the late August guests.....which will be a LOT of Canucks, since school here doesn't resume until after Labour Day.....it seems way too early to be celebrating an October holiday, IMHO. I think Disney's pushing it a bit on this one. I also can't imagine how HOT it will be for anyone in costume . We've been to Orlando three times during the last week of August, and we were uncomfortably warm in swimsuits .

Every time I see your reports of Discovery cove and Aquatica I think "we gotta do that"! Since my poor DH is resigned to several Disney trips in the next year (gotta get good use out of those AP's!) perhaps we sneak away to DC or SW or Aquatica one trip. I am already trying to talk him into 2 weeks again next late spring/early summer. Will have the timeshare weeks...

But I think we may get to do our first ever MVMCP! Possibly a Halloween party if cards fall right-big maybe and lot of things have to line up right.

SVR was actually in the exchange pool for a short while. Don't usually see that-we do love the Marriott resorts so it would be hard to switch from what we know lol!

I so hope that your dates work out so that you can attend the two parties!! We love the Disney hard ticket events: the Halloween party a touch more than the Christmas one, but both are still so much fun. There's something rather special about the combination of the Magic Kingdom after dark, no Fastspasses and the lower crowds.

Definitely try to incorporation Discovery Cove, SeaWorld and Aquatica on a future getaway.....you won't be disappointed. And if you book a day at DC (even without the dolphin swim, so a much more favourable rate) you get admission to SeaWorld and Aquatica at no extra charge for 14 days. When you consider the unlimited admission to the two other parks, in addition to the day at DC (and all the food and beverage inclusions there), it does become a much more reasonably splurge .

Yes we typically go several time a year but we decided to take a break. We're going to go to the Smoky Mountain in Sept and then probably Washington DC next spring.

That sounds like so much fun! I know my parents loved the Smokey Mountains when they visited there many years ago. And Washington DC will be a cool experience for the kids especially!

I.love that your nieces and newphew declared this the best day ever. Isn't that what vacations are all about!

Sometimes, its the smallest things that end up making the biggest memories. I know they loved the Disney Halloween party, SeaWorld and Discovery Cove very much too, but there's something about water play and sunshine that seems to always top a child's list .

Did you notice they have Tab????? I haven't seen that since I was a kid. One of the days we spent at DS we did take a stroll through the Coke store and I knew about the roof top bar but of course I forgot all about it.

Steve noticed that right off the bat, and said the same thing as you. I suspect he will be ordering one on our next visit . He's pledged to read the menus in their entirety before making his selection from now on.

Gina's favourite

I only got close enough to take the picture, then I ran.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Tuesday, October 25th (the conclusion)

I let Steve pick our dinner destination after Aquatica: I really had no preference either way, so if he had somewhere that was important to him, it was a good opportunity to fulfill any specific wish-list location that he might happen to have. With only three dinner left before it was time to head home, we had knocked off most of the important entries off the to-do list during the week and half we had already been in Orlando.

I was not surprised when he steered the car toward Kissimmee and we ended up here.

Longhorns had impressed Steve enough that first night that he’d been talking ever since then about hoping to return there before the end of the trip. While we could have gone to the one near the Premium Outlets (which was somewhat closer to the Vistana), the one in Kissimmee isn’t much further away and was likely to be a little less busy. Even arriving in the midst of the busy dinner hour(s), we had no wait for a table and were seated immediately on arrival. The restaurant was very busy but they were still able to accommodate walk-ins as they arrived.

We decided that this night called for a toast: Joe and Lisa’s first taste of Orlando had been a resounding success, which was a huge relief to both of us. We had sang central Florida’s praises for so many years to so many people, but we never forget that while Orlando is “our thing”, it may not necessarily be someone else’s cup of tea. Knowing that they had a fun time together and made some unforgettable memories was worth all the pre-planning and travel advice that we had patiently doled out for months prior. Steve ordered a rye and coke while I indulged in a lovely berry sangria. Cheers!

That warm, soft, and flavourful honey wheat bread kicked off our meal once again. This time, we knew enough to bypass the appetizers to ensure we had enough stomach room to fully enjoy the bread and entrees.

Steve, not surprisingly, selected another steak for his meal with mac ‘n cheese and Caesar salad for his sides.

While I had loved the chicken tenders on our first visit, this time I opted for the parmesan crusted chicken as my entrée. For sides, I picked mashed potatoes and mac ‘n cheese.

The chicken was OMG good . In fact, I can safely say that everything from the sangria to the potatoes earned that distinction, and Steve wholeheartedly agreed. He sighed with contentment with each bite of the steak , and even fell in love with my chicken dish. There was nothing, not a single crumb, that we didn’t absolutely love. Steve had picked another winner .

After dinner, we headed back to our villa. I finished off the laundry that I had started after we returned from Aquatica, and we both had a short soak in Fountains hot tubs before calling it a night. It’s always hard for us to pass up the opportunity for hot tub time under the stars, no matter how much time we’d spent in the water during the daytime hours. It’s always the perfect way to end a day.


Coming up: our second visit of the trip to Discovery Cove......this time, just the two of us.

 

[3cmom]

Way before Longhorn was a national chain, my parents would take trips to Atlanta (about two hours away) just so my mom could get a Flo's Filet! Every time we went to Atlanta we ate at Longhorn! Fond memories! Looks like you guys enjoy it as well!

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Why oh why do I lways read your update just before tea, I always feel so hungry! I blame it on the time difference

 

[Ruthie5671]

Was that a glass of sangria or a bowl???

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Way before Longhorn was a national chain, my parents would take trips to Atlanta (about two hours away) just so my mom could get a Flo's Filet! Every time we went to Atlanta we ate at Longhorn! Fond memories! Looks like you guys enjoy it as well!

We certainly did. And.....there's one in our new community here in MI! We ate there last week.....so now, we don't have to wait until we go to Orlando to enjoy a meal there .

Why oh why do I lways read your update just before tea, I always feel so hungry! I blame it on the time difference

Ha ha! Sorry about that . My December trip report will be easier to stomach (ha ha! pardon the pun )......for some reason, I took less pictures of food on that trip .

Oh, I also forgot to answer your question above about the cabana rentals. Prices at Aquatica are seasonally-based. Summer they will be quite pricey, and then they're very affordable in the off season (starting at $45, and that includes towel rentals, the large locker, and the 12 bottles of water).

Was that a glass of sangria or a bowl???

When they brought it to the table, Steve suggested I check the drink for little swimmers . Apparently, he thought it looked like a fish bowl . It was huge, but they didn't compromise taste for size. Longhorns makes some of my favourite sangria.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Wednesday, October 26th

Neither one of us planned to drink much alcohol today, so we opted to drive to Discovery Cove versus Uber. We left the Vistana just before 8 am, and were checking in at the Welcome Center around 15 minutes later. There was no animal ambassador greeting guests that morning: either we timed it poorly, or the sloth and his friends were taking a day off.

Heading into the park, we stopped to have our complimentary entrance photo taken (I am still SO bummed that they discontinued that perk) and then headed to the Laguna Grill for breakfast. I love the dolphin statue they have outside of the entrance: and like everything else at DC, its integrated unobtrusively into the lush foliage, meaning you might not even see it on your first pass by.

There were no changes, of course, from the offerings a few days prior…..but this time, we knew exactly what we liked and what we didn’t, so we chose a little better. Those French toast sticks are da bomb! And their mini muffins were really nice and moist, too.

It was a nice, warm morning (much less chilly than the first Discovery Cove visit a few days prior) so after breakfast, we decided to hit up the Grand Reef to swim with the fish and the rays before it got busier later in the day. We always find that around 9 am, many people are still arriving, are heading to their early-morning dolphin swim, or choose to visit the birds in the aviary (while the birds were at their hungriest) making the reef a nice peaceful place as the park activities officially get underway.

The cooler water was a bit of a shock to the system, but we could see the fish, the coral and the rays all super easily in the still water. It was worth the brief temperature adjustment, for sure.

Once we had our fill of the reef, Steve decided he wanted a bit of a siesta in the sun while the balance of his breakfast settled, so he found himself a comfy spot to kick back and relax.

I wasn’t needing a snooze just yet (I’m not much of a daytime sleeper at the best of times), so I headed to the aviary to check out some of the birds who call Discovery Cove home.

On my way to the entrance, I spotted the parrots who live outside of the aviary in a small area adjacent to the Freshwater Oasis. In fact, I heard them before I saw them: squawk, squawk!

!

Discovery Cove provides small cups of fruits and seeds for guests to feed the birds, so I helped myself to one of the little white ceramic containers and made my way around the enclosed area. The aviary is actually made up of two parts: one of which is this walk-through section, and the other portion which has the Wind Away River running through it. In that second section, large overhead nets prevent the birds from escaping:

..... and two powerful waterfalls create natural barriers on the sides. Swimmers can pass beneath the waterfalls but the birds, by design, will not.

There are lots of different birds in the aviary: some large, some small; those that fly and those that strut about on the ground; some which sport feathers in rainbow-sharp colours and others just a plain grey or white.

All of them, however, were absolutely beautiful……and I almost thought that several of them were trying to pose for me as I readied the camera for a photo.

More Discovery Cove is next!

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Great photos Gina. Have you ever had trouble finding a lounger? The last time we went people were walking around looking for somewhere to sit and even asking staff? I couldn't understand it really as they only have limited numbers. Perhaps everyone had saved places

On the Aquatica cabanas, the off season price is really too good to miss!

 

[pigletto]

Totally loved your Aquatica pictures! We love that park. I did end up getting tickets through CAA and will surprise the kids with them at Easter. I've told them that there was no way we were going as May was a strictly a bonus trip and we have Universal AP's. So they will be pleasantly surprised
A cabana really is out of the question though as it's $89 at the lowest for our May dates, and $149 at the highest. That's before our rotten exchange.
However we plan to get there early so I am not too worried about finding chairs.

Totally agree with you that August is too early for the party! We will be in Disney from August 25th to September 4th this summer. Luckily the party doesn't fall on any of our planned MK days, though I may switch to a party day for our second MK day since it should be quieter, and then hop somewhere else in the evening. We are however looking forward to being able to experience the Food and Wine festival for the first time when it starts on Labour Day weekend this year!

I'm loving your beautiful photos as always. Especially the parrots. My grandpa had many parrots (up to 10 at one point) and loved them fiercely. I always think of him when I see a cockatoo or Macaw. My parents still have his green talking parrot and he's been gone 20 years. They live forever. It sings "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in my grandpas voice.

 

[Raeven]

Cutback Cove is our favourite cabana area in the whole park due to its lush vegetation and private feel. On our last cabana rental, we gave the Roa’s Island cabanas a try but found them to be more open, much noisier (all the shrieks of excitement from the guests being swept along in the rapids), less secluded, and more subject to gawkers on foot. For us, the whole purpose of a cabana rental is to have a private and quiet space to retreat to when you need a break from the hullaballoo of the water park, so Cutback Cove is the idea spot.

That does sound like a good spot!

hey were also absolutely astounded to find out that we had rented them a cabana for the day…..that yielded hugs and shrieks all around…..and it was a true delight to start the morning on such a happy note. I should mention that it was also a very affordable splurge: with our passmember discount, each cabana (which provided both Lisa/Joe and Steve/me with large lockers, towel rentals, 12 bottles of Dasani water in each cabana, PLUS the private space ….. as well as 20% off at the gift shop and Adventure Photo) was only $41 plus tax. In comparison to Disney’s waterparks (where cabanas run you $320 each with tax) this was an unbelievable steal .

So sweet and such a good deal!

Joe and Lisa indulged the kids in some water play time in Walkabout Waters, which was a huge hit all round. It’s tough for families not to have a really fun time in this multi-generational area, where everyone from pre-schoolers to Grandmas can find something to appreciate. The kids especially loved it when Uncle Steve joined them for a good soaking under the massive tipping bucket.

We have a Six Flags with a waterpark that has a section that looks just like that! (Well it's basically the only part of the waterpark there), but I used to love the bucket when I was a kid

It was so quiet, in fact, that our cabana attendant said that some of the staff were sent home due to low numbers. He said that management estimated that there were only about 1500 guests in the park that day.

Wow!

Sometimes the kids and I coasted around while their parents and Steve took in another big slide. Their excitement was so incredibly cute…..every time we neared one of the two entrances, they’d shriek “Just one more time around, Aunt Gina!!”. Let’s just say, I was easy to convince .

Aw so cute!

Sometimes, Steve and I handed off that rascally trio to their momma and daddy and we snuck away for some quiet time in the Rapids by ourselves. Every once in a while we’d hear a little voice shout “There they are!” and Steve would wink at me and whisper “Crap! We’ve been spotted!” .

You and Steve are so cute too!

More often than not, though, the whole seven of us grabbed hands and were swept along by the current, making the most awesome memories along the way. I think, in many ways, this was the kids favourite park day of them all: no schedule, no itinerary, and no crazy amounts of walking in the heat: just endless fun and sun and family.

Almost everything in this post is adorable it sounds like the perfect day!

As we returned to our cabanas as the lifeguards closed the rides at 5 pm, the kids wrapped us in big, soggy hugs, declaring with big grins that “this was the best day EVER!”.

I'm glad the kids had a great day!

Steve ordered a rye and coke while I indulged in a lovely berry sangria. Cheers!

That sangria looks huge in comparison

The chicken was OMG good . In fact, I can safely say that everything from the sangria to the potatoes earned that distinction, and Steve wholeheartedly agreed.

It looks delicious!

 

[Callie]

Loving the report. Will need to try Discovery Cove! Give those twins some extra love from me

 

[chiamarie]

Fun story; I thought of you tonight. I have family in town, and they are staying at the Blue Heron Beach Resort; and as I was driving there; looking for their sign....low and behold I saw Marriott Hotels Vistana; I finally figured out where this place is! Ha! (Ps, I'm pooped. 4 kids all between the ages of 7-11....and its only day 2 of 8).... looking forward to hearing more about your upcoming trip and what you have planned!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Great photos Gina. Have you ever had trouble finding a lounger? The last time we went people were walking around looking for somewhere to sit and even asking staff? I couldn't understand it really as they only have limited numbers. Perhaps everyone had saved places

On the Aquatica cabanas, the off season price is really too good to miss!

Never had a problem finding a lounger on any of our tips....though to be fair, we have rented a cabana two out of our five visits, and on the others, we've barely sat down LOL. We tend to relax in the Freshwater Oasis in the sunken loungers versus stretching out in the sun. We're water babies at heart .

Totally loved your Aquatica pictures! We love that park. I did end up getting tickets through CAA and will surprise the kids with them at Easter. I've told them that there was no way we were going as May was a strictly a bonus trip and we have Universal AP's. So they will be pleasantly surprised
A cabana really is out of the question though as it's $89 at the lowest for our May dates, and $149 at the highest. That's before our rotten exchange.
However we plan to get there early so I am not too worried about finding chairs.

Totally agree with you that August is too early for the party! We will be in Disney from August 25th to September 4th this summer. Luckily the party doesn't fall on any of our planned MK days, though I may switch to a party day for our second MK day since it should be quieter, and then hop somewhere else in the evening. We are however looking forward to being able to experience the Food and Wine festival for the first time when it starts on Labour Day weekend this year!

I'm loving your beautiful photos as always. Especially the parrots. My grandpa had many parrots (up to 10 at one point) and loved them fiercely. I always think of him when I see a cockatoo or Macaw. My parents still have his green talking parrot and he's been gone 20 years. They live forever. It sings "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in my grandpas voice.

Aw....what a wonderful way for your Grandpa's legacy to live on. It made me tear up to imagine you being able to hear his voice, all these years later (even if it has a parrot-y twang to it LOL). I've never had a bird for a pet, but now you make me want one!!!

So no party splurge for your family? I can't wait to hear your review of Food & Wine.....that's been on my to-do list for a LONG time! In fact, now you have me wondering.......should we maybe forego MNSSHP and do a Food and Wine day on our October trip instead? So many options! Of course, I wiffle-waffle back and forth about EVERYTHING these days LOL. Each time I see a SeaWorld commercial on TV I think to myself.....we should add that to our April/May plans.... . Steve's going to disconnect our cable if I keep this up!

Aquatica tickets are an amazing Easter gift for your kids!!! I am so, so happy you found admission tickets at a great price! I'm going to resist the temptation to look up pricing on CAA, otherwise, Steve might disconnect my internet too .

That does sound like a good spot!

So sweet and such a good deal!

We have a Six Flags with a waterpark that has a section that looks just like that! (Well it's basically the only part of the waterpark there), but I used to love the bucket when I was a kid

Wow!

Aw so cute!

You and Steve are so cute too!

Almost everything in this post is adorable it sounds like the perfect day!

I'm glad the kids had a great day!

That sangria looks huge in comparison

It looks delicious!

I know!! Here was this BIG guy with this little drink and me with my supersized sangria . I rather felt like a bit of a lush!

Loving the report. Will need to try Discovery Cove! Give those twins some extra love from me

Those babies need to meet you in person someday . I think you need to plan a little summer weekend getaway . We have a spare room you'd be welcome to stay in!

Fun story; I thought of you tonight. I have family in town, and they are staying at the Blue Heron Beach Resort; and as I was driving there; looking for their sign....low and behold I saw Marriott Hotels Vistana; I finally figured out where this place is! Ha! (Ps, I'm pooped. 4 kids all between the ages of 7-11....and its only day 2 of 8).... looking forward to hearing more about your upcoming trip and what you have planned!

Well then.....now you know how EASY it is to get to us! No excuses now, young lady .

Which reminds me.....have I given you my new cell number yet? (something tells me I probably didn't in the chaos of the move) Let me know and I'll PM it to you if need be. It would be awesome if we could meet up between your work commitments and our park plans!

 

[pattyw]

I rather felt like a bit of a lush!

Ok, Gina you're aging yourself! Funny- we were just talking about the term "lush". I said this when my DS's were around and they had no idea what that word meant! I asked young people at work and they didn't either!

I felt ancient!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Ok, Gina you're aging yourself! Funny- we were just talking about the term "lush". I said this when my DS's were around and they had no idea what that word meant! I asked young people at work and they didn't either!

I felt ancient!

Or.....somewhere in the 43-ish range .

Jake's agency is on strike right now, so he's been doing picketing shifts rather than his customary support shifts with his clients. He called me the other day on his way home, and he was telling me that he was picketing with a group of people whom he doesn't normally work with. He made mention of this "older woman" who was there and with whom he shared some good conversation. As he was describing her, I was picturing a pre-retirement grandma. Turns out, when I asked "She would have been in her early 60's then, right?" he says "OH NO! More like your age".

"Older woman"!?!?!?! Ouch .