Just Got Back

[robsawatsky]

Got back on Wednesday from 12 nights in Kissimmee. Had 7 day hoppers. 2 days each at Epcot, Studios, MK and 1 day at AK plus a day at Blizzard Beach. Also made a side trip to Kennedy Space Center. A couple of days just relaxing at the pool and then home (Richmond, BC). FYI, we flew out of Seattle on TWA (their bankruptcy made us a bit nervous until the court settled the takeover by AA) to save a few hundred dollars over Vancouver departure.

Stayed at Oak Planatation Resort. It's a timeshare by Vistana, not Hampton anymore. No pressure except one phone invite message for a timeshare presentation breakfast - we didn't go but it was worth $75 off or equivalent in Disney dollars. Nice place though. Not luxurious but adequate and nice pools (2 large pools, kids water play pool plus whirlpool spa) with nice landscaped grounds. We had 1 bedroom loft with 1 & 1/2 bath for 2 adults - 3 kids. Sofa sleeper for two kids plus a rollaway. We got the kingbed upstairs.

Weather was cooler than average but mostly mid 70's with a couple of days in low 80's. One day of torrential rain (but warm) and one cold day (59 high at MK).

Any questions

 

[asc]

Hello robsawatsky -- Sounds like you had a fun and busy trip! We always fly out of Seattle too. I cannot believe the difference in cost in airfares. Where do you park your car?

My main question is what restaurants did you enjoy?

Thanks.

 

[robsawatsky]

Parked the car at the Days Inn Seatac. Actually, got a park'n'fly deal with a 2 room suite overnight since we left at 6:10 AM.

We're not big on spending time and money at Disney table service restaurants. And the rest aren't much special, except I like anyplace that gives me chili or soup in a bread bowl.

 

[asc]

A bread bowl? You have obviously been spending time at the Tim Hortons by Ironwood Plaza.

 

[robsawatsky]

I meant breadbowls at Disneyworld and area restaurants. I've only bought doughnuts at the Ironwood Tim Hortons.

 

[Canada Goose]

robsawatsky-hey neighbour! Did you see us down in Orlando? We were there from Mar 14th - 26th. I was the one with the limegreen ribbons on my pack LOL. This year we concentrated on Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and SeaWorld , since we were able to buy their tickets at "par" and we had a great visit to WDW last spring.
asc...We flew Northwest out of Seattle and parked at Ajax Park and Fly near the airport. Their service was good and they have a printable coupon on their website for $7.25 per day. Last year we stayed overnight at the Best Western and were able to leave our car there for 7 days free and then $5.00 per day. Both places shuttle you to and from the airport. You are likely inquiring about Disney restaurants so I can't comment there (my memory fails me, since we ate only at the small counter restaurants), but if you have a car and a little free time, I would highly recommend Bahama Breeze on I-Drive www.bahamabreeze.com. We had alot of fun there, with great atmosphere and food. It does get crowded though, so if you have small children that don't like to wait for their meal, then it may not be a great choice.

"Going to WDW"

 

[asc]

Thank you Canada Goose!

Actually, I am (heaven forbid!) getting a little tired of the Disney restaurants and am hoping to spend a little more time at off-site places. Even the name Bahama Breeze sounds just about right.

Thanks for mentioning the Best Western. We have decided to do park 'n fly in reverse, park for our trip and stay at the hotel the night we return. We are flying American and it does not arrive until 12:49AM (eek!). I am calling around to compare rates.

Did you enjoy Sea World? The "at par" tickets do sound appealing.

 

[shamu]

We are going for new year and I am so worried that we wont be able to go to the beech or juste in the pool. Did you go?????? I"m so worried!!
°o° Nadine <IMG SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif" alt="confused">

 

[Canada Goose]

asc-the Best Western wasn't fancy, but the hotel was clean and the beds were comfortable. They also served a complementary breakfast which was much better than we had expected. Our family really enjoyed SeaWorld. It is a quieter and more relaxing park than those at WDW or US, and many of the exhibits are interactive (feeding the dolphins and stingrays) or "walk throughs", so you can move around at your own pace. The shows are scheduled several times a day, so we were able to see everything that interested us. And Kracken is an awesome rollercoast. If you want more info about the at par rates, you can read about it at SeaWorld's website.
Shamu...last year we visited Orlando in January and this year in March. Both times we encountered cool and unpredictable weather. Some mornings during our January visit, when we went to the parks, it was so cold that we wore pants, sweatshirts and polarfleece vests. By mid afternoon it had warmed up to teeshirt and shorts weather. Then it cooled down again in the evenings. You get wet on many of the rides, so you have to be prepared with ponchos or dry clothes, or you freeze afterwards when the weather is cool. We also had a couple of very hot days. I think the secret is to be prepared for all types of weather and bring clothing that can easily be layered. There are lockers available for your stuff, it you don't need it with you. I think that we were just unlucky to get caught in a cold spell. But standing in lines was much more pleasant than when it is hot and humid. Most of the hotels have heated outdoor pools and our kids hopped in every night and found the water warm. Now I on the other hand preferred to sit in the hot tub with an Irish coffee on those cold nights lol.