Love is “Universal”: Our Awesome Anniversary Adventures in Orlando (May 2015 TR)

[laurabelle]

Great Trip Report! Thanks again for recommending the travelzoo deal for Hash House a Go Go. We'll be there soon!

And I thought to myself.....perhaps we should communicate things like that more often. They really do need to hear it.

10000x Yes!

 

[CyndiLooWho]

Too bad about the Waffle House. It's my hubby's favorite place for breakfast out. Of course, there is a clean one 3 miles from our house, and another clean one 4 miles the other direction (we live in a university town near an interstate). Yes, it's greasy and bad for you and it all tastes great. It's actually something we look for when we stop overnight on the way to Orlando - a cheap motel with a Waffle House at the same exit, LOL.

 

[mrsabbott]

Oh how I want to see Diagon Alley!! <3 I have no idea when we will manage to get back to Orlando.. but hopefully soon! Your pics are great!

I think that my Hubs would just LOVE Hash House A Go Go. I was looking at the menu and there isn't much there for the kids and I to eat, but I would still like to give it a try!

LOL about the Waffle House. I don't know that I've been to many "clean" Waffle Houses in my life! And I am pretty sure the last time I ate at one was after a night of drinking in my mid-20's... where you crave grease and don't notice the nastiness around you! Now, there is Huddle House around here (first had one in Louisiana when we were stationed there) that is similar but much brighter and cleaner. We also have an IHOP! I love IHOP! So do the kids! The one nearby is really new and pretty on the inside. I always get the crepes. Always. I've tried other things on occasion but then end up wishing that I had just gotten the crepes.. so I just don't bother with choosing anything different anymore!

I would so love to put my toes in the sand! Hubs and I talk about retiring in a little beach town in Florida one day. Of course, Hubs won't step foot in the ocean because of his fear of sharks, but he wants to live near one. Go figure! There is just something about water that soothes the soul. Took the kids to a local lake/park yesterday and sat watching the water and it was just very soothing! Not as soothing as hearing the waves crash on the sand.. but still relaxing. Hubs and I talk about how wonderful it would be to sit and have your morning coffee while watching the ocean waves.. *sigh*

Loving your TR, Gina!!

 

[ArwenMarie]

You know what's depressing, though? I'm pretty sure I'll be called Grandma long before you are . I keep reading on Facebook about people I went to high school with who have babies and toddlers....and here's mine, now the same age as I was when I got married. So weird!

I envy you, though. I wish I had been able to have more children after Jake. Grateful for my boy, and enjoying the adult time that Steve and I are now blessed with, but still wishing I could have stretched out his childhood just a teeny bit longer.

Sorry you weren't able to have more children that you wanted, that is hard especially when it's out of your control and not something you are choosing

But I bet you will have a daughter one day and who knows, maybe grandchildren and then you'll be the young fun granny taking them to Orlando and I'll be the old granny who needs a ride to church lol.

 

[Lynne G]

Yep, if you don't live at the beach, it's like nothing else. I too like the salt air.

We don't have Waffle Houses around us, and I have been in two, one in Virginia, and one in Georgia. Both times I was not impressed in the least. I think my frozen waffles at home were better both times. I was afraid to order anything else. We have IHOPs around us, but since DD is not a breakfast foods eater, and we don't eat breakfast out a lot, I don't think I've been to one in many a years. We do sometimes eat out breakfast on vacation and the only things DD enjoys for breakfast out is steak and home fries. I usually am the one eating the eggs that almost always come with steak.


Ready to hear about Daytona.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I've never been to a Waffle House. We have IHOPs here which my kids love....You're right though, the menu is overwhelming with all of the combinations they come up with.

Looking forward to the beach report!

 

[nancipants]

Yeah, Waffle House is kind of gross. I love Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Denny's and Perkins are hit and miss. But First Watch is my absolute favorite. Darn, now I want breakfast.

I love beach days, probably because I grew up in Daytona. Sorry for making you jealous about my life 10 minutes from Disney World, Gina! I promise it's not all glamorous. I do have to go to work during the week, and deal with the infamous heat and humidity all the time. Of course, not having to deal with snow makes it worthwhile.

Looking forward to more!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gina, we love IHOP..........pancakes were lush......and yes it is so cheap!! "Some" people say I don't know what budget is lol......but we will go back here this year again......

Looking forward to reading about the beach

Next time, I'm going for the pancakes, too. They looked divine!! But then again, so did the omelets.....oh, the painful decisions one has to make on vacation!! Such a hardship, I know!

Great Trip Report! Thanks again for recommending the travelzoo deal for Hash House a Go Go. We'll be there soon!

10000x Yes!

I hope you enjoy the Hash House as much as we did!

Too bad about the Waffle House. It's my hubby's favorite place for breakfast out. Of course, there is a clean one 3 miles from our house, and another clean one 4 miles the other direction (we live in a university town near an interstate). Yes, it's greasy and bad for you and it all tastes great. It's actually something we look for when we stop overnight on the way to Orlando - a cheap motel with a Waffle House at the same exit, LOL.

lol, I can handle greasy if its just the food to which that description applies. But when the floor of the restaurant looks like the floor of my inlaw's cattle barn .....I just can't do it!

I'm thinking we just might have just picked a poor location. Ya never know, we may give a different outlet another go sometime in the future.

Oh how I want to see Diagon Alley!! <3 I have no idea when we will manage to get back to Orlando.. but hopefully soon! Your pics are great!

I think that my Hubs would just LOVE Hash House A Go Go. I was looking at the menu and there isn't much there for the kids and I to eat, but I would still like to give it a try!

LOL about the Waffle House. I don't know that I've been to many "clean" Waffle Houses in my life! And I am pretty sure the last time I ate at one was after a night of drinking in my mid-20's... where you crave grease and don't notice the nastiness around you! Now, there is Huddle House around here (first had one in Louisiana when we were stationed there) that is similar but much brighter and cleaner. We also have an IHOP! I love IHOP! So do the kids! The one nearby is really new and pretty on the inside. I always get the crepes. Always. I've tried other things on occasion but then end up wishing that I had just gotten the crepes.. so I just don't bother with choosing anything different anymore!

I would so love to put my toes in the sand! Hubs and I talk about retiring in a little beach town in Florida one day. Of course, Hubs won't step foot in the ocean because of his fear of sharks, but he wants to live near one. Go figure! There is just something about water that soothes the soul. Took the kids to a local lake/park yesterday and sat watching the water and it was just very soothing! Not as soothing as hearing the waves crash on the sand.. but still relaxing. Hubs and I talk about how wonderful it would be to sit and have your morning coffee while watching the ocean waves.. *sigh*

Loving your TR, Gina!!

I am with your DH....I would give my eye teeth to retire near the beach......a little condo with a balcony overlooking the surf. Our Jake is terrified of sharks too (doesn't help that we regularly travel when Shark Week is on TLC!) but finally got into the water last summer....and loved it, of course.

I do hope that you guys can soon return to Orlando and repeat your awesome trip that you took last spring! I know it means so much to you. Fingers crossed and lots of prayers sent your way! I truly believe in the power of positive thinking.

Sorry you weren't able to have more children that you wanted, that is hard especially when it's out of your control and not something you are choosing

But I bet you will have a daughter one day and who knows, maybe grandchildren and then you'll be the young fun granny taking them to Orlando and I'll be the old granny who needs a ride to church lol.

I may wish that we had been blessed with more children, but you know....I am just totally grateful for the one I had. Many others aren't so lucky. And while that tumor may have stolen away my chances for a larger family, it didn't steal away my life or my livelihood....and for that, I am eternally thankful. No looking backwards, just looking forward .

Yep, if you don't live at the beach, it's like nothing else. I too like the salt air.

We don't have Waffle Houses around us, and I have been in two, one in Virginia, and one in Georgia. Both times I was not impressed in the least. I think my frozen waffles at home were better both times. I was afraid to order anything else. We have IHOPs around us, but since DD is not a breakfast foods eater, and we don't eat breakfast out a lot, I don't think I've been to one in many a years. We do sometimes eat out breakfast on vacation and the only things DD enjoys for breakfast out is steak and home fries. I usually am the one eating the eggs that almost always come with steak.

Ready to hear about Daytona.

We only ate breakfast out a couple of times while we were away, too. We generally eat in the villa for the most part, and "big breakfasts" just a few times. But we do enjoy the chance to indulge in a large morning meal from time to time....especially when that's generally the only opportunity we have throughout the year for "breakfast out".

I've never been to a Waffle House. We have IHOPs here which my kids love....You're right though, the menu is overwhelming with all of the combinations they come up with.

Looking forward to the beach report!

We could have totally eaten at IHOP every morning, chosen something different, and still had things left on the menu that we wanted to try. I'm almost glad we don't have one of them at home, or I'd definitely need larger pants!! lol

Yeah, Waffle House is kind of gross. I love Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Denny's and Perkins are hit and miss. But First Watch is my absolute favorite. Darn, now I want breakfast.

I love beach days, probably because I grew up in Daytona. Sorry for making you jealous about my life 10 minutes from Disney World, Gina! I promise it's not all glamorous. I do have to go to work during the week, and deal with the infamous heat and humidity all the time. Of course, not having to deal with snow makes it worthwhile.

Looking forward to more!

It's a good kind of jealous, I promise!! And I could totally learn to deal with the heat and humidity without complaint. At least you don't have to shovel it!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Saturday, May 2nd....part 2:


It was another gorgeous morning in Orlando, with nothing but sparkly sunshine as we made our way to Daytona via the I4. The drive was fairly uneventful, save for some construction issues in certain sections, and a small back-up next to a vehicle pulled off on the side of the road (paramedics were performing CPR on someone who was laid out on the ground, while a young pregnant woman stood by....our hearts broke for them ).


And then, we were here:








Arriving at the beach itself, we secured a parking spot behind one of the gift shops that was right along the beach for $10. After paying the attendant and securely locking up the car, we opted for a stroll first and swimming later, so we headed in the direction of the pier.














When we visited Daytona for the first time last August, it was so oppressively hot (well over 100 degrees) that we didn’t bother to walk the length of the pier, instead seeing out shade from the sun and the cooling relief of the ocean waves. With a much, much more moderate day on this May day, it was nice to be able to enjoy the views from the pier’s end.















It was very breezy oceanside (oooohhhh, my poor hair! ), and noticeably cooler than in Orlando....by probably at least 5 degrees. There were big waves as a result, and we were surprised that we didn’t see more surfers taking advantage of this gorgeous Saturday (though the beach itself was noticeably busier than the day we visited last August......which surprised me a little, when it was substantially cooler and no humidity. I would have thought that hotter, sticker weather would drive more people to the beach, but what do I know?).





























After completing our little walk-about of the pier and surrounding area, we grabbed our swimwear from the car, changed in the change rooms by the pier, then staked out our place on the sand. We sprayed our pasty white northern bodies liberally with Banana Boat SPF 100 sunscreen, then headed down to the water to get wet.





Brrrrrrrrr! Maybe not! The sun was nice and warm, but the water? Not so much!


Okay, perhaps that’s why there weren’t many surfers out catching a wave. Good Canadians that we are, we’ve been known to swim in some pretty chilly waters, but this was a bit too cold even for us northerners. We got up to our knees, but that was it......and you know, though, that was enough . It was marvellous to just be there.......breathing in the fresh salty air, listening to the waves, feeling that beautiful breeze whipping our hair around (okay, whipping MY hair around....my Steve-o doesn’t have enough to muss up). It was so peaceful and relaxing and special just to walk along the shore, holding hands, soaking up the sun and all those warm, fuzzy feelings of spending uninterrupted, quiet time together.







Eventually we made our way back to "our spot” on the beach, and stretched out our towels to soak up some southern rays.





Steve enjoyed a nap, while I lay and watch the waves crash in. After our hectic day yesterday, this was just what the doctor ordered. Vacation relaxation at its finest.





It was after two o'clock when our stomachs finally signaled that our breakfasts had started to wear off. Noting that we were starting to turn rather pink (which was sure to change to red as the sun set.....why do burns always get worse after dark?) we decided it was time to peel ourselves off the sand and head off in search of lunch.

We changed back into street clothes, tossed our swimwear in the car, and set off on foot en route to Steve's choice in lunch restaurants.

Hog Heaven is next.

 

[schumigirl]

Lol....I think you Canadians and us Scots have similar skin tone.......we burn so easy too.

I'm thinking I didn't recognise Daytona Beach......then I remembered im getting it mixed up with Cocoa Beach it is very breezy.....that's why we ended up going to Clearwater/StPetes.......warmer and calmer.......but it looks nice and quiet and plenty to do.........

Oh love your swimsuit! Suits you

 

[disney ny]

Every time I read one of your reports I become convinced I need to do the things you do in Orlando! I read about Aquatica and Sea World in one and I want to do those and I want to stay at Sheraton Vistana sometime too. Now I want to go to Universal and the beach. I should just hand over my wallet and let you do my planning. Our next trip looks to be next February and we will stay DVC since we are members but I really think we will branch out and try more in Orlando. I am thinking it may be too cold for Aquatica though, what do you think? I will also have to go back and reread all of your reports and write down everything to do and places to eat! Hash House looks so amazing and like a place my husband would love. Oh and one last thing..........I agree with everyone that says all Waffle Houses I have ever been in have been super gross and I am far from a food snob. I love even McDonalds (not very popular to admit that anymore) but Waffle House is just plain gross unless you have drank a lot and it is the middle of the night. I don't anticipate ever going in one again since my youth has passed me by.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Lol....I think you Canadians and us Scots have similar skin tone.......we burn so easy too.

I'm thinking I didn't recognise Daytona Beach......then I remembered im getting it mixed up with Cocoa Beach it is very breezy.....that's why we ended up going to Clearwater/StPetes.......warmer and calmer.......but it looks nice and quiet and plenty to do.........

Oh love your swimsuit! Suits you

The next beach we try is going to be on the gulf coast . We have been three times to the Atlantic, and while we love it, its time to branch out and try something new. Unless St. Augustine continues to call my name.....my gosh, it looks so beautiful there.

Thanks for the compliment on the swimsuit....I thought the style was kind of cute, and the pattern was so different. But....that dang wind made the skirt blow around and make me look hippie in our beach pics . That said, I still loved it.....I buy a few of that brand on every trip (I got another one I liked even better....it has a ruffly top that was good at hiding my.....um....imperfections . Unfortunately, though, I can only get them at Walmart in the States (our Canadian stores don't offer them), and the US Walmart online store won't ship to Canada. So I stock up when we're there and it generally gets me through to the next vacation. We swim almost daily at the Y here at home, the chlorine is a killer on the fabric. I tend to go through a lot of swimwear over the course of a year!!

Every time I read one of your reports I become convinced I need to do the things you do in Orlando! I read about Aquatica and Sea World in one and I want to do those and I want to stay at Sheraton Vistana sometime too. Now I want to go to Universal and the beach. I should just hand over my wallet and let you do my planning. Our next trip looks to be next February and we will stay DVC since we are members but I really think we will branch out and try more in Orlando. I am thinking it may be too cold for Aquatica though, what do you think? I will also have to go back and reread all of your reports and write down everything to do and places to eat! Hash House looks so amazing and like a place my husband would love. Oh and one last thing..........I agree with everyone that says all Waffle Houses I have ever been in have been super gross and I am far from a food snob. I love even McDonalds (not very popular to admit that anymore) but Waffle House is just plain gross unless you have drank a lot and it is the middle of the night. I don't anticipate ever going in one again since my youth has passed me by.

We make a conscious effort to try at least a couple of new things on every trip, whether its a different restaurant or a new attraction. Big or small, it doesn't matter.....it just needs to be something we have never done before. After 7 trips in 6 years, and with two more scheduled for 2015, I will admit pur philosophy is getting somewhat harder to fulfill....but thankfully, Orlando just keeps growing and changing so new is still not too difficult to find . Groupon and Livingsocial have been great sources of inspiration, as has Travelzoo. We are more apt to give something a whirl when its 40-60% off....then if we hate it, at least we didn't pay full price! But to be fair, we haven't been disappointed in anything yet. The whole area really does a great job at providing some pretty cool experiences for tourists.

I had to laugh out loud at your comment of handing over your wallet and letting me plan your vacation. That's what both of my bosses do . I have already planned two trips for my one boss and one for the other, and according to a text I received earlier today, apparently I'll be booking trip #3 for one of them this week (he's been bitten by the bug, too......I told him it would happen!).

Waffle House seems to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it kind of places. Boss #2 ate there four times on his December trip......so obviously it was not a put-off to him . I am leaning toward giving Sweet Tomatoes breakfast a try at some point, too.......apparently the one near Universal offers a breakfast buffet (the one in the Crossroads, near the Vistana, does not). Toojays has been recommended to me, and schumi suggested Peach something-or-other....so those have to be considered too. I'm going to need to book more holidays .

 

[nancipants]

The next beach we try is going to be on the gulf coast . We have been three times to the Atlantic, and while we love it, its time to branch out and try something new. Unless St. Augustine continues to call my name.....my gosh, it looks so beautiful there.

Having grown up in Daytona I'm not a huge fan of the gulf coast, but Fort De Soto is my recommendation:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...s-Fort_De_Soto_Park-Tierra_Verde_Florida.html

http://fortdesoto.com/

http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_ft_desoto.htm

 

[disney ny]

Waffle House seems to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it kind of places. Boss #2 ate there four times on his December trip......so obviously it was not a put-off to him . .[/QUOTE]

He ate there FOUR TIMES? Well I never, never, never in a million years. That just blew my mind!

 

[jm106]

Great pics of your beach day. Dh wanted to visit Daytona but we have so many other places to see.
We have never eaten at Waffle House since reviews arent too good. I'm not into most breakfast places because I'm spoiled by jersey diners. We have IHOP here but they don't have everything diners do. In Orlando we just eat a quick meal(ok coffee) or free breakfast at hotel if it's offered. This trip we will have more time since we aren't doing theme parks

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Well sorry to be MIA but I just realised I wasn't getting your link on my email anymore

Anyway, just caught up with your last few days and love the beach pictures. Thanks for the Mummy details, going backwards does get me, I only went on Expedition Everest once and that was enough!

Hopefully the link will work again and I will be keeping up with you

 

[pcstang]

I grew up surfing at cocoa beach and Daytona. Still hold a special place in my heart but.....check out Clearwater beach on the gulf coast. Beautiful white sand and awesome sunsets. I lived in Panama City beach for 16 years and the white sand is unbeatable! Great TR!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Having grown up in Daytona I'm not a huge fan of the gulf coast, but Fort De Soto is my recommendation:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...s-Fort_De_Soto_Park-Tierra_Verde_Florida.html

http://fortdesoto.com/

http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_ft_desoto.htm

Once again, thanks for the recommendation . I will definitely check out your links!

He ate there FOUR TIMES? Well I never, never, never in a million years. That just blew my mind!

Mine too.....especially after we saw the inside of the one in Lake Buena Vista .

Great pics of your beach day. Dh wanted to visit Daytona but we have so many other places to see.
We have never eaten at Waffle House since reviews arent too good. I'm not into most breakfast places because I'm spoiled by jersey diners. We have IHOP here but they don't have everything diners do. In Orlando we just eat a quick meal(ok coffee) or free breakfast at hotel if it's offered. This trip we will have more time since we aren't doing theme parks

Jersey diners have more choices than IHOP? That's a lot of entrees!

Well sorry to be MIA but I just realised I wasn't getting your link on my email anymore

Anyway, just caught up with your last few days and love the beach pictures. Thanks for the Mummy details, going backwards does get me, I only went on Expedition Everest once and that was enough!

Hopefully the link will work again and I will be keeping up with you

Welcome back! Fingers crossed that the reminder link stays active .

I grew up surfing at cocoa beach and Daytona. Still hold a special place in my heart but.....check out Clearwater beach on the gulf coast. Beautiful white sand and awesome sunsets. I lived in Panama City beach for 16 years and the white sand is unbeatable! Great TR!

Thanks, pcstang .... I will definitely check it out . Clearwater beach gets a lot of love on the Orlando Hotels & Attractions board, so it was already on my short-list to research. Great minds think alike .

 

[mrsabbott]

Super duper cute swimsuit, Gina!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Saturday, May 2nd....part 3:

​

When we first visited Daytona Beach in August 2014, we were entertained by the planes that flew up and down the shore dragging various advertisements on giant flags behind them. You know the ones I'm talking about:





One of the places that they were advertising last summer was Hog Heaven, a local barbecue joint just one street away from the beach. Steve decided then and there that it sounded worthy of a try on a future visit.....so he had no hesitation in naming his preference when it came time to decide on a lunch venue. Having anticipated this long in advance (hey, you can’t be married to someone for 22 years and not know these things) I had already done my due diligence and found that it received, for the most part, some very favourable reviews. So when the tummies started to rumble, we rumbled our way over to Hog Heaven.





It was very, very busy when we arrived.....and right on the door, there was a “Recommended by TripAdvisor” award showcasing their popularity among online reviewers. A good sign (whoops! Pardon the pun! ).






They offered both indoor and outdoor seating to incoming diners, but since it was so incredibly breezy, we opted to eat inside the restaurant. Windy outdoor meals mean that I end up chewing my hair at least a few times during the main course .



A server was at our table within a few moments, and she took our drink orders while we perused the menu. It was all standard barbecue fare with an assortment of related sides......nothing weird or wacky, just everything you would expect from a barbecue joint. The aroma from the kitchen smelled deliciously meaty, so it was just up to us to decide which entree we wanted to try.





With drinks in hand (thankfully....we were desperately in need of hydration after our partial day beach-side) and our entree orders taken, we settled in to wait for our lunches to arrive. The plates being delivered to other patrons were looking mighty good. We also inspected the selection of sauces which were stationed on each table in an effort to decide which one(s) we might want to try.





Our wait after ordering was very minimal, and our meals appeared surprisingly fast. Steve went for the ribs with mac ‘n cheese, coleslaw and garlic toast, while I opted for the pulled pork, mac ‘n cheese, barbecue beans and garlic toast.




Almost everything, from meats and sauces to those delicious beans, were excellent and received two thumbs up from both of us. The sole exception was the mac ‘n cheese.....and it wasn’t “bad”, not at all, but I’m 99% certain it was made by Stouffers. I was just surprised that it wasn’t their own receipe.


We thought the sauces were great (Steve tried them all, I had the Smokey and Sweet & Bold) and really enhanced the taste of the meat (which was tender and lean..,..yum). Prices were excellent too, with our bill for two entrees, two bottomless soft drinks, and tax coming in at $26.25 (excluding tip).


After lunch was finished, we perused a few different souvenir shops and then headed back to the car. The trip back to Orlando was smooth and we were back at our resort by late afternoon.


Back at the resort, with stiff legs from the hour long commute and still-full stomachs from lunch, we decided on a walk around the resort grounds since it was much too nice to be inside. The Vistana has the most lovely gardens and landscaping, and lots of little paths to meander along. I could stroll around there all day .


























We even saw a heron, just hanging out and enjoying the tranquil afternoon:





Heading back to the villa, I stretched out on that great big bed and promptly fell asleep. Steve woke me a couple of hours later, afraid that if I slept any longer I may not be able to rest properly at night, so I grudgingly roused myself and got ready for dinner. Apparently all the fresh ocean air had a very tiring effect!

Tonight we’d be dining Argentinian-style at The Knife. That's coming up in the next post!

​