Sun, Shopping, Sand, Surf, Sweat & Shamu: A Splashin Summertime Sabbatical at SVR!

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Tuesday, August 19th.....the conclusion .

The sun, the heat, and the water from our day at Typhoon Lagoon had seriously drained us. Since no one felt like getting fancied up for dinner out somewhere, we decided as a group that it was the perfect night to bring something in. Giordano's got the vote.

We ordered by phone for delivery to the resort. Because of the security gates, we were told we had to meet the driver at the Welcome Center and given an approximate arrival time of 45 minutes. Promptly at the 40 minute mark, right as we were parking the van at the Welcome Center, we got a phone call confirming the driver was on his way to the Vistana and would be there in approximately 5-10 minutes. Right on cue, the driver pulled in with our order, we paid the bill, and we were on our way back to the villa .

The kiddos had the table set by the time we returned, and wasted no time in getting the food out of the boxes:



Having learned from last year's experience, we opted to order far less than we did on our first visit: this time we had one large "meat, meat and more meat" deep dish pizza, a traditional crusted cheese crust pizza (at Sweetie's request...she's not a deep dish nor meat fan), and an order of garlic bread with cheese.

Oh, the cheese. So. Much. Cheese.



Try as I might, I couldn't even finish one slice of that massive slice of pizza. Its so stinkin' delicious, but so incredibly heavy. Yep, we had leftovers.



Clean up from dinner was super speedy....all dishes in the dishwasher, left-overs into the fridge, and we were on our way shortly thereafter to the Fountains pool for another evening of swimming under the stars (Lord knows we needed it after that massive meal). The Fountains pool became our happy place while at the resort, and where we spent at least a portion of every single day of our vacation. Most nights while we swam, we were treated to music from the Tacky Tiki Bar which made the mood even more festive and fun. Simply awesome!

The next day we had something new and exciting planned, so we were hoping for more great weather. We were off to Clermont to jet ski on Lake Minneola. Jake and Sweetie were super excited....and so were us old fogies!

 

[shalom]

They only have two items for dessert.....cinnamon buns made with the pizza dough, and chocolate brownies sprinkled with icing sugar.

CiCi's also has a dessert pizza, apple pie filling on a pizza crust with icing drizzled over it. If it's not out I have asked for it and they make it. It's quie good.

Thanks for the info. Sounds good... except for the play dough brownies part.

I really need to get Congo River so my youngest can hold an alligator. The kids like mini golf, but we hardly ever do that on vacation unless there's a course at our resort. It tends to get pushed aside on the "we can do that at home" principle, but throw in the alligator holding and feeding, and we're talking something else entire.

Also need to try Steve's approach to lazy rivers next time. Only been in a lazy river once in my life, and I used Jake's method, which I didn't really enjoy. The lazy river was crowded, so I wandered off to the dead-empty pool before I got to experimenting, and then never got back to to the lazy river. Need a redo on the lazy river thing.

Which is one reason I am debating between Sheraton Vistana and Bonnet Creek for our 2016 Orlando trip. I meant to do Bonnet Creek in May, 2013, then we ended up going in January, so I thought the pools wouldn't be such a big deal and switched to somewhere cheaper -- dumb move, since it was in the 80s almost our entire trip.

Anyhow! I've been collecting your pics of Vistana pools, and it seems to me they're about on par in terms of slides and that sort of thing, but Bonnet Creek has a bit of an edge because it has a couple of lazy rivers and Vistana does not. OTOH, I get the impression that Bonnet Creek is kind of high energy, like most Disney resorts, while Vistana can have a much more laid back vibe, which we prefer. (I say this not having been to either... ).

Heaven knows I have plenty of time left to waffle about it. Feels like it's gonna be forever until we're out again. *sigh*

Your trip reports do ease the pain a bit.

 

[bankr63]

lol, good Canucks that we are, we swim regardless of the weather. We even went to Aquatica on Christmas Eve in 2012......our trio was one of about 30 people in the whole darn park . The other 27 were also most likely Canadians, or perhaps a family or two from Wisconsin or Minnesota. We're hearty enough that we could chip the ice off the water and jump in .

As long as it's warmer than Lake Muskoka in May, I'm in!

We always hit one of the Disney waterparks in March. We would probably do both, but one is usually closed for maintenance each March. Eventually I'll try one of the competitors, but we still have a lot of visits left (at least 5 I think) on our 10day WPFAM NE tickets. The water is still plenty warm in March, and on most rides you're so busy hanging on, you don't notice the temps.

 

[bankr63]

Try as I might, I couldn't even finish one slice of that massive slice of pizza. Its so stinkin' delicious, but so incredibly heavy. Yep, we had leftovers.

Clean up from dinner was super speedy....all dishes in the dishwasher, left-overs into the fridge, and we were on our way shortly thereafter to the Fountains pool for another evening of swimming under the stars (Lord knows we needed it after that massive meal).

What I want to know is, how much pizza is now actually crammed into that poor fridge. We saw the CiCi's extras. Does the door still close?!?

 

[tristyp]

Thanks tristy! I always think that photos really help to tell the story. Lots more to come. Thanks for sticking around and continuing to read .

Your trip is sure racing up quickly! You must be so excited!

Yes it is we are getting super excited. I showed my wife the mini golf you went to. She gave me a funny look and said there is no way she is holding an alligator. But once I showed her the poles with the gator food she was sold because she knew our kids would love that. We are going to try to get there on one of are down days.

I don't think I told you as you were gone, but we added 2 days at Disney Dolphin at the beginning of our trip. We are going to take advantage and walk to Epcot the first day and Hollywood Studios the next. So our trip is now 15 nights in Orlando plus the park n fly night

One other thing happened tonight that I am dying to share. I told my wife but she doesn't get the same joy out of saving money that I do When I added the 2 days I had to cancel my car reservation for 215. I really didn't want to use it anyway as it was through the Costco.com site and it said it was for Americans only (They have since added the rental app to the Canadian site). I ended up getting a rental through Dollar for 276 and then secured one with Alamo through Costco.ca for 305 which gave me the extra driver. My wife doesn't want to drive while there but it is a nice feature if needed. Anyway, after doing my twice (at least) daily check for car prices I decided to check the Alamo site for some reason. The site had a full size for 250 for the 15 days and 2 hours. I then started trying to pump in entertainment book coupons and the only one I could get to work was a $15.00 off one. I ended up getting the car rental for $233.07 I will continue to look but I am happy with the price plus its Alamo and being able to do online check-in and head straight for the garage is a huge bonus. Not to mention being able to choose our car. As I said before I am hoping there is a van in the full size to take. I know some people will say get what you want but a full size is fine for us and I cant really justify the extra 225 for the vehicle especially after all the extras we already spent on. But if one is there then great.

One other funny thing with the rental. I booked it at 7pm right before I left work. I came home and decided I was going to pay for one more hour to give me a bit of extra time if I needed on departure day and the prices were back up to over 400 for a full size. Totally weird how these car rentals work.

Sorry for hijacking your thread.......carry on

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

Wasn't the weather just HEAVENLY!!

MINI DOUGHNUTS!!!!! a trip to Typhoon Lagoon is not complete without the mini doughnuts!! I love the pic of Jake and Sweetie going down the slide!

 

[nancipants]

That sounds like a great day. I saw the chicken and waffle sandwich sign last time I was there. We usually always bring lunch, but we might have to try that one day.

I tried Giordano's once, but I'm like Sweetie and hate deep dish (I refuse to call it pizza). Flippers is my favorite pizza in town.

Can't wait to hear about jet skiing! I've actually never gone, but we were talking about doing it next time the in-laws are in town. However I will have to go on the ocean or river, because Florida lakes give me the willies, lol.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I really need to get Congo River so my youngest can hold an alligator. The kids like mini golf, but we hardly ever do that on vacation unless there's a course at our resort. It tends to get pushed aside on the "we can do that at home" principle, but throw in the alligator holding and feeding, and we're talking something else entire.

Agreed . Add in alligators and it turns a humdrum activity into a Florida "attraction". Though I must admit, the Congo courses are far, FAR nicer than anything we have here at home. The only mini golf we have in our city is a seasonal course that they set up out of the back of a tractor trailer in the parking lot of our local mall.

Also need to try Steve's approach to lazy rivers next time. Only been in a lazy river once in my life, and I used Jake's method, which I didn't really enjoy. The lazy river was crowded, so I wandered off to the dead-empty pool before I got to experimenting, and then never got back to to the lazy river. Need a redo on the lazy river thing.

lol, Steve's size makes lounging on an inner tube rather challenging at times , but he also prefers his personal approach as it keeps more of the body wetter (and therefore cooler). It also keeps his big ol' size 15 feet from whacking someone else in the head as they push by. Though when the more agressive ones do that, I almost think they deserve a foot upside the noggin' .

Anyhow! I've been collecting your pics of Vistana pools, and it seems to me they're about on par in terms of slides and that sort of thing, but Bonnet Creek has a bit of an edge because it has a couple of lazy rivers and Vistana does not. OTOH, I get the impression that Bonnet Creek is kind of high energy, like most Disney resorts, while Vistana can have a much more laid back vibe, which we prefer. (I say this not having been to either... ).

Heaven knows I have plenty of time left to waffle about it. Feels like it's gonna be forever until we're out again. *sigh*

Your trip reports do ease the pain a bit.

One of the things we love about the Vistana is the peacefulness of it all. Even when its "busy", its not chaotic. One night, there were all of 5 people in the Fountains pool at 8 pm, and Steve and I were two of them . Sweetie and Jake joined us shortly after and made a total of 7. I think part of it is that there are so many different pools to pick from, and they vary the location of the special events, so you can either follow the fun (and the crowds) or avoid them if that's your thing.

A lazy river sure would be nice, though. A nice long one that takes you all the way from the south side .... from the Super and Cascade pools .... to the Fountains pool and back. But that would hike my yearly maintenance fees by one serious degree .

As long as it's warmer than Lake Muskoka in May, I'm in!

We always hit one of the Disney waterparks in March. We would probably do both, but one is usually closed for maintenance each March. Eventually I'll try one of the competitors, but we still have a lot of visits left (at least 5 I think) on our 10day WPFAM NE tickets. The water is still plenty warm in March, and on most rides you're so busy hanging on, you don't notice the temps.

In all your trips, you've never been to Aquatica or Wet 'n Wild? I am surprised!!

What I want to know is, how much pizza is now actually crammed into that poor fridge. We saw the CiCi's extras. Does the door still close?!?

Oh bankr, do you forget who I am travelling with? Jethro and his son!

Those Cici's pizzas were gone within the first day and a half. A snack here, a snack there, a slice or two for breakfast and poof! No more pizza .

Yes it is we are getting super excited. I showed my wife the mini golf you went to. She gave me a funny look and said there is no way she is holding an alligator. But once I showed her the poles with the gator food she was sold because she knew our kids would love that. We are going to try to get there on one of are down days.

I don't think I told you as you were gone, but we added 2 days at Disney Dolphin at the beginning of our trip. We are going to take advantage and walk to Epcot the first day and Hollywood Studios the next. So our trip is now 15 nights in Orlando plus the park n fly night

One other thing happened tonight that I am dying to share. I told my wife but she doesn't get the same joy out of saving money that I do When I added the 2 days I had to cancel my car reservation for 215. I really didn't want to use it anyway as it was through the Costco.com site and it said it was for Americans only (They have since added the rental app to the Canadian site). I ended up getting a rental through Dollar for 276 and then secured one with Alamo through Costco.ca for 305 which gave me the extra driver. My wife doesn't want to drive while there but it is a nice feature if needed. Anyway, after doing my twice (at least) daily check for car prices I decided to check the Alamo site for some reason. The site had a full size for 250 for the 15 days and 2 hours. I then started trying to pump in entertainment book coupons and the only one I could get to work was a $15.00 off one. I ended up getting the car rental for $233.07 I will continue to look but I am happy with the price plus its Alamo and being able to do online check-in and head straight for the garage is a huge bonus. Not to mention being able to choose our car. As I said before I am hoping there is a van in the full size to take. I know some people will say get what you want but a full size is fine for us and I cant really justify the extra 225 for the vehicle especially after all the extras we already spent on. But if one is there then great.

One other funny thing with the rental. I booked it at 7pm right before I left work. I came home and decided I was going to pay for one more hour to give me a bit of extra time if I needed on departure day and the prices were back up to over 400 for a full size. Totally weird how these car rentals work.

Sorry for hijacking your thread.......carry on

Yay for the great rate on the car rental, AND for extending your trip by a couple of extra days!! That is seriously awesome!

Don't forget to use your Entertainment Book coupon if you decide to give Congo a try. And sign up to be on their email list, and you may get additional discounts emailed to you as well (gator food, etc.). A penny saved is a penny earned (or an extra Mickey bar at the very least!)

Wasn't the weather just HEAVENLY!!

MINI DOUGHNUTS!!!!! a trip to Typhoon Lagoon is not complete without the mini doughnuts!! I love the pic of Jake and Sweetie going down the slide!

We have been so, SO lucky with weather on our August trips (on all our vacations to Orlando, for that matter). We've sure seen why Florida got the nickname "the sunshine state". We always worry that our luck will run out, though, and one of these trips will end up being a washout. Its bound to happen (and I can't even complain when it does) but yet I fret about that before each departure!!

I loved that photo as well . I was glad we could just order a couple of downloads from the Photopass site. Pictures are my favourite souvenir of all!

That sounds like a great day. I saw the chicken and waffle sandwich sign last time I was there. We usually always bring lunch, but we might have to try that one day.

I tried Giordano's once, but I'm like Sweetie and hate deep dish (I refuse to call it pizza). Flippers is my favorite pizza in town.

Can't wait to hear about jet skiing! I've actually never gone, but we were talking about doing it next time the in-laws are in town. However I will have to go on the ocean or river, because Florida lakes give me the willies, lol.

We may give Flippers a try on our May trip. It seems to be the other favourite among Disers here. There haven't been many pizzas we've tried that we didn't like, so I'm sure it would be a winner too!

I hope to get my jet skiing entry started later today (depends on how hard they work me here at the office this afternoon ... how dare they expect me to be productive when there's a trip report to be written?) . Stay tuned .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Wednesday, August 20th - part 1 .

This was our much-anticipated jet skiing day, an activity idea that was originally Jake’s brainchild. August 20th was he and Sweetie’s “13 month anniversary” (awwww ….. GAG! ) and he had asked if he could so something fun, different and special for her. After mulling over the multitude of activity options in the area, this was his pick (he had spied the billboard for Lake Buena Vista Watersports, located across from the Vistana, on last year’s getaway and I think it had been in the back of his mind ever since). When the Groupon deal for Makaio Watersports came out, Steve decided the kids couldn’t have all the fun and that he wanted to take part too, so we opted to make it a family affair with the guys picking up the tab (yep, Jake paid for he and Sweetie’s himself. He’s a good kid ).

I want to put in a good word…..a VERY good word, for that matter…..for Tom and Susan, the proprietors of Makaio Watersports. From the time I contacted them to book a date for our Groupon redemptions until we stepped foot off those skis, they were simply awesome people to deal with. Amazingly helpful, wonderfully friendly, and offering an excellent value-packed product. They made the whole adventure surprisingly easy. Definitely a business I could wholeheartedly recommend to anyone else who was interested in pursuing a similar activity.

We had been given our pick of which chain of lakes we wanted to ski on: Butler, Conway, Minneola or Winter Park. Since we had no clue which one was “best” (or what criteria to even judge them on), we relied solely on Susan’s expert recommendations. Lake Minneola was ultimately the winner based on its proximity to the Vistana and the lushness of the surroundings (we wanted someplace “pretty”). To avoid having to get up super early for this activity but trying to avoid the afternoon storms (always a possibility) we booked for a start time of 10 am, meaning we’d wrap up at noon.

Thanks to a reminder text from Makaio, we had excellent GPS directions to get us to the dock (located in the little town? City? of Clermont). After grabbing a quick breakfast at the villa, we left plenty early just to be on the safe side, and got there about 20-25 minutes before our scheduled reservation time. Tom was already onsite, with the skis in the water, ready and waiting .





He was delighted at our early arrival, and said that after we completed the necessary paperwork (driver’s license numbers and waiver signing) and the short orientation (how to operate the ski, things to do, things to not do, suggestions on cool places on the lake that we might want to check out) we could be on our way, and enjoy a little bonus time on the water. Woohoo!! So we breezed through the pre-skiing necessities, hit the loo (there were bathrooms onsite at the park) and sun screened one last time before boarding the skis and zipping off into the sun.



Hang on, we’re off!!!



The skis were 2013 Sea Doos that were super, super fast. I think we went from 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds flat. I was thankful that I had made the executive decision to put my hair up prior to leaving…..I wouldn’t have been able to see a thing otherwise.



The lake was darn near deserted (save for one fisherman and a boat towing a water skier) and really quite large, so we had some wonderful wide open spaces to just enjoy the ride and have a little fun on each other’s waves. Jake was quick to test out the turbo mode and thankfully Sweetie managed to not get left in his wake. It was marvellous to have the freedom of the kids going in one direction while we went in another, and still be able to see them (like a little green speck) zipping along on the other side of the water.

The boys were wearing smiles as big as their faces, loving every minute of it. I am surprised neither one of them swallowed a bug .

About 20 minutes into our little adventure, Steve slowed the ski down to a crawl, turned his head to face me, and says “what did we pay for this again?”. To which I replied “$89 for the two hours”. He inquires further “plus gas?”. No sir, gas is included in the rate. He tilts his head….no kidding? No kidding, Steve-o. He says with a grin “What a great deal. I would have paid $89 for an hour of this fun, let alone two!”.

Happy wife, happy life. Happy husband….happy vacation?

Eventually we managed to chase down Speedy and Sweetie and opted to go as a foursome through the canal from Lake Minneola to Lake Minnehaha. Tom had already warned us about the no-wake zone past the assortment of homes along the bank, and to be wary of the weeds near the edges of the narrow passageway which could potentially snarl in the motor, causing us to stall. We figured it was best to stick together in the event that the kids had an issue. Let’s just say Jake takes a bit after his momma and lacks talent when it comes to mechanical items .





The waterway between the lakes was so picturesque, and in some cases, almost prehistoric. It was nice to take it slow and just soak up all that natural beauty.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

My post was too long, and needed to be split....so let's continue......!

Lake Minnehaha was smaller than Lake Minneola, but just as fun. They had the strangest trees with hollowed out trunks. I have no idea how they didn’t fall over.





While we didn’t see any gators (thank the Lord) we did see a ton of beautiful birds. I am guessing most animals (of which I am sure there were many) were likely sent scattering at the sound of the skis.



We paused for a selfie on Lake Minnehaha:



And eventually, after zipping around and around the smaller lake for a while, we opted to return back to the larger, more open spaces of Lake Minneola.



Our two hours simply FLEW by (lol, literally and figuratively!). We were shocked when we looked at the onboard clock and noticed that we had just 20 minutes until it was time to head back to shore. Good things are always over too soon.

We had just finished taking a short break to chat with Jake and Sweetie (reminding them to be mindful of the time), and then “it” happened . I am not sure how, exactly……we literally just started to take off after idling for the few moments or two….but I saw Steve (and the ski…..that big guy was taking the watercraft AND his passenger with him) start to tip. And in a matter of moments, two pasty white Canucks were bobbing with the fish in Lake Minneola .

Don’t worry, I didn’t kill him. Though a murderous thought or two may have crossed my mind .

With a good dose of water now up my nose, we climbed back onto the ski, sopping wet but otherwise none the worse for wear. Jake and Sweetie had witness us flip off, and had zoomed back over to offer assistance (through their barely stifled laughter, I might add ). All I could think about were the brain eating amoeba that were reportedly in the lakes of Florida and wondering if I had just inhaled my death sentence. Poor Steve was apologizing up a storm (he knew how much I wanted to get my hair wet) so I couldn’t for the life of me be mad at him. Ah well, we were cooled off at the very least. 15 more minutes to air dry and then we sadly headed back to the dock.



Tom was waiting to greet us after our ride, and was quick to confirm our satisfaction with our rentals. Abso-freaking-lootely! We all shared a good round of laughs at our impromptu swim and then chatted for a bit longer with both Tom and his brother (or brother in law? Can’t remember which) who had joined him sometime over the past two hours. Eventually Steve and I were pretty much dry (one benefit of the Florida heat) and we piled back into the van to make the short trip back to Orlando.

The natives were getting hungry, but we all opted for a quick break at the villa to change and refresh (who am I kidding? It was us ladies who needed some serious hairstyle repair) then we headed back out the door in search of lunch.

A morning that spectacular called for an equally awesome mid-day meal. Who’s up for milk shakes?

 

[Lynne G]

That does look like fun! I'll wait to my little one gets older before I try a family ride.


We're always up for ice cream! The Twistee place was awesome, and we couldn't even finish our root beer floats. We have Friendly's around where I live, but it's not a place we routinely go to. Sometimes the food is ok, sometimes it's just ok. We always enjoy dessert though.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We're always up for ice cream! The Twistee place was awesome, and we couldn't even finish our root beer floats. We have Friendly's around where I live, but it's not a place we routinely go to. Sometimes the food is ok, sometimes it's just ok. We always enjoy dessert though.

We actually tried out Twistee Treat twice on this vacation....both the Lake Buena Vista and one of the Kissimmee locations. Both sooooo good! (but then again, when isn't ice cream awesome? )

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Wednesday, August 20th…..continued .

It had been a long time since breakfast, so today was a great day to enjoy one of those larger meals that we can really enjoy when we’re really hungry. After donning dry clothes and re-straightening the tresses, we made the short trek to one of our vacation favourites: Steak & Shake!



This was Sweetie’s first visit, so it took a while for her to pour over the menu. So many awesome choices, but such limited stomach room.



Eventually the difficult decisions were made, and our meal orders were placed with our server. A short time later, these lovely creations were delivered with a flourish:



You simply can’t go to Steak & Shake without having one of their signature frosty creations. Deciding on a flavour is almost as hard as deciding on which meal to order. Steve went with his customary Orange Freeze, Jake opted for Cookie Dough, Sweetie had the Double Chocolate Fudge, and I had the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. One taste and Sweetie became Steak & Shake’s newest fan! We probably could have stopped with just the drink and considered that lunch, yet the indulgences continued and the food arrived not long thereafter.

Jake, always the one to be different, had a chicken melt:



…while the rest of us went with one of their famous burgers:





Love, love their parmesan cheese 'n herb seasoned fries, too . Delish.

Smiles all around!



Sufficiently stuffed (again!....this is becoming a habit!!) we used another coupon from the Entertainment Book (for a BOGO milkshake), settled our bill, and indulged the kids in another shopping expedition. This time, to the Lake Buena Vista Outlet Stores (because in Jake’s rationalization, “They’re right next door to the resort, Mom….so why not stop? It will be a good way to work off our milkshakes”. The kid had a point ).



On this Wednesday afternoon, the mall was surprisingly quiet and parking was abundant. We again chose the divide and conquer strategy, sending the kids off together to shop at the stores of their choosing while Steve and I did our own thing. Our eventual meeting place would be the Nike outlet at the far end of the mall.

Ladies only pic:



On past trips, we have found this location to be rather hit and miss. We either yield nothing at all that’s a great bargain, or we find a ton of stuff….there’s generally very little middle ground. This visit turned out to be a roaring success , with both the kids and us old timers coming away with bags of great deals (particularly at Under Armor). We also netted some excellent prices at the Lindt outlet on yummy treats to take home to family. In fact, Steve and I purchased more here than we did at the Premium Outlets a few days prior.

Happy bargain hunters sufficiently satisfied with the day’s purchases in tow, we headed back to the villa for a little rest. For a scheduled “rest” day, it certainly had been a busy one! A little siesta before dinner was definitely in order .

 

[ZehnJahren]

So many updates I don't know where to start!

The jet-skiing certainly looked like a good time, though it really is too bad you got dumped in the lake!!! I was on a jet ski in the Mississippi River one time and we got stalled on an underwater sand dune while we were still very far out from shore - did I mention a lightening storm was coming?? - and I made my BF at the time get off and push us out; it was really dangerous because the Mississippi is so muddy you can't see what's under there. Looks like you survived the brain eating amoebas though, so that is a definite plus!!!

How cute that it was the 13th "month-a-versary" for Jake and Sweetie. LOL! But that was thoughtful of him to insist on paying for their time on the water. And it's so great that it turned out to be such a roaring success and you all enjoyed it so much!!

I used to love Steak and Shake but I can't eat it anymore - it makes me sick now. Those shakes look delicious though; especially a Cookie Dough one!?!?

Glad to hear shopping was a roaring success - it isn't always!

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Great time on the jet skis but I think I would have been worried about alligators

Great reading as always Gina

 

[dancin Disney style]

Awesome...we love Steak N' Shake as well. We first discovered it in Pennsylvania. The funny thing is that we had seen it many times on various road trips and just thought it was sketchy looking. Well, we tried it in PA only because we were STARVING and needed immediate food. From then on the mere mention of it makes the drool flow.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I was on a jet ski in the Mississippi River one time and we got stalled on an underwater sand dune while we were still very far out from shore - did I mention a lightening storm was coming?? - and I made my BF at the time get off and push us out; it was really dangerous because the Mississippi is so muddy you can't see what's under there.

I am glad our experience was a little less harrowing than yours!

Great time on the jet skis but I think I would have been worried about alligators

Don't think that didn't cross my mind as we were tipping over . But Tom (the fellow that runs Makaio Watersports) says he's never seen one yet on that lake....and he's been looking for them.

From then on the mere mention of it makes the drool flow.

Awesome visual!

 

[jennasmommyinMS]

I was so excited when I saw your post about Steak and Shake! We used to go there a ton when I was a kid and we were stationed in Deland, FL, for 3 years, and I've thought about that restaurant ever since. (Yes, I'm an Army brat) I've been wanting to take my daughter to eat there for years, but it's never worked out--that's definitely changing next year. I'm planning for us to eat there at least twice--one time so that I can get what I always used to order (chili 3 ways) and another time to order something new.

I can't wait for another update from you!

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

Great time on the jet skis but I think I would have been worried about alligators

Great reading as always Gina

This was exactly my thought!! The pictures you took on the lake are beautiful, almost looked like pictures from a scary movie with those treesQ

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I was so excited when I saw your post about Steak and Shake! We used to go there a ton when I was a kid and we were stationed in Deland, FL, for 3 years, and I've thought about that restaurant ever since. (Yes, I'm an Army brat) I've been wanting to take my daughter to eat there for years, but it's never worked out--that's definitely changing next year. I'm planning for us to eat there at least twice--one time so that I can get what I always used to order (chili 3 ways) and another time to order something new.

I can't wait for another update from you!

Welcome aboard! Thanks for reading along.

We have yet to try the Steak & Shake chili, but it looks soooo good. Is it spicy? (always my fear!)

This was exactly my thought!! The pictures you took on the lake are beautiful, almost looked like pictures from a scary movie with those treesQ

Those trees were rather eerie. And being the only ones on the lake at the time, it really lent a spooky tone to the scenery. I can't imagine what it "feels" like as a storm is rolling in, or darkness is setting. Definitely wouldn't want to be out there alone at that time .