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

[greenclan67]

OH yes Gina, LOVE Twistee Treats. First time I have ever indulged in a banana split, and it was super awesome. So did you say you have tried a different location? We never knew if the ice cream topped ones were the same as this one. We found it while staying at Grande Villas (right beside it) and shopping at Walgreens. We ended up driving back there from Kissimmee (Orange Lake) twice the last trip because we weren't sure the one close to Orange Lake was the same. If it is, lord help us. Xmas trip is in full plan mode now, my Dad had surgery Thurs, and is doing really well, and should be home tomorrow. 81 and had a lobe removed from his left lung. Tough guy up walking the next day. My kids still don't know, we haven't uttered a word. They do however believe, that we are taking their Dad for a surprise Xmas gift, on the 20th & 21st, of Dec(hockey game & football) in Buffalo and we are giving it to him for a gift!! They don't need to know we are actually going to Buf to fly on the 20th, do they? Once I get them there on the 19th, we will spill the beans that night at dinner, or we will wait til morning, haven't decided yet which to do. It will be a short trip for us, only a week, but we are back 81 days later for 13 days. So can't complain too much. So glad I don't have to do the Xmas shopping again this year. LOL I am going to but my husband tickets to see his beloved Packers play in Tampa on the 21st, I think it was the only way I convinced him to go. He has never been to a NFL game and is more excited about that then anything. So we are staying in Tampa on the 20th and 21st, and now I am searching for 5 nights in Orlando. 22nd to 27th. Your trip report has been awesome, and sorry to hijack your thread. Twisty treats is coming up in less then 96 days. Can't wait.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

OH yes Gina, LOVE Twistee Treats. First time I have ever indulged in a banana split, and it was super awesome. So did you say you have tried a different location? We never knew if the ice cream topped ones were the same as this one. We found it while staying at Grande Villas (right beside it) and shopping at Walgreens. We ended up driving back there from Kissimmee (Orange Lake) twice the last trip because we weren't sure the one close to Orange Lake was the same. If it is, lord help us.

Yes ma'am, we also tried one of the others in Kissimmee (the one closest to Orange Lake.....and not to give too much away before I get to that part of the report, but it was even better than the LBV location). I have yet to figure out if they are all owned by the same franchise, or if the LBV is somehow apart from the others. The building style is certainly different, and the two menus were also slightly different from each other too.

So glad to hear your dad is doing so well . Here's to continued good health and improvements for him in the days to come! I am also happy to hear that your vacation planning continues to roll along. Christmas will be here before you know it, so the next 96 days will fly by in a flash!

I am envious of both you and pigletto.....I so wish I also had an Orlando holiday getaway in the works. Still more than 7 months to go for me .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, August 22nd....hallelujah, it’s a rest day! Heaven knows we needed it.

Everyone slept in. Steve and I were still the first ones up, but with no deadlines to adhere to today and no set plans, we lounged in bed and enjoyed a lazy hour or so before rising to make coffee. I went to have a shower while all was still quiet, and emerged from bathroom to find Steve had a wonderful breakfast of pancakes and sausages all ready and waiting:



Love that man . He takes good care of me.

The kiddos smelled food and emerged bleary eyed and bed-headed, but visably well rested and smiling. After they indulged in Chef Steve’s hearty breakfast, they showered and took some time catching up with friends back home via social media. I took an hour and caught us up on laundry, ran the dishwasher, and regained some order around our living quarters.

Mother Nature had blessed us with yet another glorious, sunshiny, blazing hot day, so later in the morning we were happy to head back and enjoy a daytime swim in both the Fountains pool:



....and we also checked out the Lakes pool, just for fun.



While the Lakes pool was quieter and very pretty, we spent very little time there. The Fountains pool was just more our style. Larger, deeper, and fun to get soaked under that pretty fountain.



We opted to give our bodies a break, and enjoy a home cooked meal in the villa for lunch. After multiple consecutive days of eating out (or bringing food in), something lighter was definitely in order. Steve again assumed chef duties, and whipped us up an easy and quick meal of hamburgers, hot dogs and Kraft dinner. Simple, but just what the doctor ordered!

With nothing on the afternoon agenda, we asked the kids if they wanted to come with us to make the jaunt to Ron Jons Surf Shop at the Festival Bay Mall. Not surprisingly, they were happy to come along (You’re going shopping? Why yes, I think we will!). Steve and I both wanted new t-shirts (we loved the ones we bought last year at the Cocoa Beach store) and we thought it was prudent to keep our still-yet-to-be-sunburnt-on-this-trip bodies out of the pool during the afternoon hours when the sun’s rays were at its strongest.



This was the first time we had been to the Orlando store, and for anyone wondering, it was MUCH smaller than the Cocoa Beach counterpart. It still had the same great beachy merchandise, but on a far less grander scale. Even with the less extensive stock, we all found a few clothing items that caught our fancy (and several items to take home to friends and family) making the voyage up the busy I-Drive well worth it.







The day was still young, the sun was still shining, and after piling back into the van, the kids asked if we could stop at the Florida Mall before returning to the villa for the afternoon. It was a great day for a drive, so we agreed to indulge them a little and give them a couple of hours at their favourite trendy retail stores. Sweetie was desperate for a Pink sweater, and Jake was eager to spend some time in Champs (neither of which we have near our home).

But did Steve and I really want to be mall rats for a couple of hours? Honestly....no. So we opted to drop the dynamic duo at the mall entrance with an established meet-up time and location, and we opted to do a little touring of the area in the van.

Part 2 yet to come.

 

[Lynne G]

Ooooohhh, a mini road trip.

Glad you liked malls. We hit the Florida Mall last time we were in Florida, but no malls this time.

So nice to have breakfast cooked for you. I do not think my DH would ever do that for me. Cook he is not.

Just retuned from food shopping. Not my favorite chore, but we are stocked for the week.

Not sure where our next vacation will be. Florida, California, a cruise, St. Thomas? I tend not to be narrowing where until the start of the new year.

Carry on.....

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Not sure where our next vacation will be. Florida, California, a cruise, St. Thomas? I tend not to be narrowing where until the start of the new year.

So many choices!! You will have to keep me posted on what you decide .

Jetblue released their schedule today through to June 2015, so I was able to book our flights for May! Its now official....May 1st to May 8th, landing in Orlando by 9:40 am on our arrival day and not flying out until 7 pm on the day we return home.

I was so very weird only purchasing flights for two.

 

[pigletto]

So many choices!! You will have to keep me posted on what you decide .

Jetblue released their schedule today through to June 2015, so I was able to book our flights for May! Its now official....May 1st to May 8th, landing in Orlando by 9:40 am on our arrival day and not flying out until 7 pm on the day we return home.

I was so very weird only purchasing flights for two.

Congrats on getting your May flights!!!
I'm sorry you are planning the trip without Jake. I know that must be hard for you. Whenever I think of dd not coming next year (no October break for her if she gets into the school she wants) it makes me sad. However, I must admit I get a teensy bit excited at how much less it will cost us. Just a teensy bit though. Then I feel guilty and go back to sad.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Congrats on getting your May flights!!!
I'm sorry you are planning the trip without Jake. I know that must be hard for you. Whenever I think of dd not coming next year (no October break for her if she gets into the school she wants) it makes me sad. However, I must admit I get a teensy bit excited at how much less it will cost us. Just a teensy bit though. Then I feel guilty and go back to sad.

Ya know, it was weird, but it wasn't necessarily a bad weird. We went ahead and purchased the Even More Space seats for both of us, both directions, and didn't bat an eyelash . Like you said, its such a savings dropping down by a whole person!

And he's always welcome to change his mind between now and then. So this Mom is having no guilt at all .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, August 22nd……the remainder .

After dropping our young shoppers off at the mall and establishing a meeting time, Steve and I went on tour. We had nowhere specific to go, nor anywhere specific we wanted to go, so we just….drove. We held hands, enjoyed the solitude of each other’s company, marvelled at the continued gorgeous sunshine, and pointed out some interesting things along the way (we northerners are weird like that….we get all excited when we see a store that we always see advertised on the US stations we enjoy here on TV….like hey! Did you see that? A Burlington Coat Factory!). We drove down all those streets and roads that we always mused aloud “I wonder what’s down that way?”.

And during our exploration, we found this:



Lynne G, we found a Wawa! And I say to Steve, hey! That’s the place that’s supposed to carry Tastykakes. Blank look from Steve-o, but interested nonetheless as anything that has “cake” in the name is worth finding out more about . I recount our discussions here in my PTR about Taskykakes and how they were highly recommended by a couple of the posters on the Dis. And just like that, we wheeled into the parking lot and were on our way in search of a sweet treasure.



We found them in abundance. Lots of different choices, but we took the recommendations that were posted here and bought a package of the chocolate cupcakes and the butterscotch Krimpets. We explored the store for a bit (quite an all-encompassing convenience store, that Wawa was……better than what we have here at home, that’s for certain), paid for our purchases, and went back to the van to share them together.

Lynne, I am happy to report that we give both samples high marks . Steve preferred the Krimpets, I was partial to the cupcakes (but chocolate my favourite indulgence….so the cupcakes already had the odds stacked in their favour). Definitely a large step up in quality from the Hostess brand snacks that we grew up with. And definitely best enjoyed with a glass of cold milk!!

We resumed our travels and eventually wound back up at the Florida Mall to pick up the Terrible Two. They were all smiles with bags in hand, so we knew they had been successful in their respective quests. We took them for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery, then headed back to the resort. Dinner tonight was going to be cooked and enjoyed in the comfort of the villa, so once we were landed…..we were in for the night.



Not long after returning to the Vistana (maybe 20 minutes after we had arrived back inside the villa, the skies started to grow dark. Very dark. And we marvelled….could it be? The first rain we had seen in a week? FINALLY?????

And yes, Mother Nature unleashed. And man, did it rain .

It pounded on the skylight so hard I thought we might have a monsoon right there in the living room. But happily, the Vistana’s sturdy construction stood its ground and we were kept safe and dry as the storm raged on (complete with some rather dramatic cracks of thunder that made me jump a time or two! ).

I have no idea if this video will work (I have never uploaded a video to the Dis from Photobucket before) but we shall give it a whirl. Please forgive me if this attempt is a bust. If I'm successful, it will show you how hard the rains came down:



But like most August rainstorms in the Sunshine State, the rain only lasted for about 90 minutes or so. Eventually (albeit slowly), the skies cleared and made way for quite a lovely and comfortable evening. Towards the end of the deluge, we whipped up a simple dinner of boneless chicken wings, baked mac & cheese, veggies and garlic bread and worked together to complete the quick clean up afterward. By the time dinner was over, we were gifted with a perfectly fantastic evening for enjoying at the resort pool. The rest of the night was spent first in the Fountains pool and hot tubs, then later relaxing and watching some TV in those big comfy beds. We all hit the sack when tiredness overtook us…..no wake-up time for the morning was set in stone. "The plan" for Saturday had us embarking on the short journey eastward for some sand and surf at the “World’s Most Famous Beach” .

 

[Lynne G]

Yay, a tastycake convert. I will agree with Steve, I really like butterscotch, so those krimpets are one of my favorites. And with you, I'd never turn down chocolate, so I eat those cup cakes too.

Funny WaWa story. DD plays travel soccer, so driving quite a distance to a game is a common event this time of year. So, as we go along this very hilly and nothing to see road, we see WaWa University. Yes kids, you need to go to school to work there!

Sometimes the best part of vacation is to just relax. After a very hot day at Universal, with a very early start, we ended up at the Teak Neighborhood Bar and Grill near Universal, and had a very leisurely early dinner, then went back to the hotel and swam, and ended with ice cream for a late snack and early bed.

I think we ended up at the pool more this time then any other trip. I guess because it was so hot most of the time.

Enjoying the trip report!

 

[ZehnJahren]

I think I'm caught up again!

I loved your Aquatica posts. We are wanting to possibly do a waterpark on our off day, and have been leaning towards Typhoon Lagoon. I didn't even know about Aquatica until your posts; glad to see more waterparks and in such detail! Thanks!

How nice of Steve to make a big breakfast! And I was glad to see more pictures of the resort in that update; I think we might request Fountains, but I have to dig through your report or the SVR thread to find the request link again! I don't think it's too far back.

Tastykakes - I've seen them all over the place here but I didn't know they were any good. I may have to try those cupcakes.

WOW what a rainstorm!!! That's a park-clearer right there! I think I would have jumped ship if I was in a park that day!! That's the whole reason we're taking "waterproof shoes" and quik-dry clothing!

 

[pigletto]

I watched your video of the rain! Instantly brought me back to a similar day standing under an awning at Hollywood Studios while that came down. This particular day it went on for hours. It was then I decided the next time someone asked about ponchos on the Dis that I was going to remark "Don't bother.. nothing will protect you from a downpour".

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sometimes the best part of vacation is to just relax. After a very hot day at Universal, with a very early start, we ended up at the Teak Neighborhood Bar and Grill near Universal, and had a very leisurely early dinner, then went back to the hotel and swam, and ended with ice cream for a late snack and early bed.

And ^that^ right there is where some of the best vacation memories are made .

I love those leisurely nights. Maybe its a sign I'm getting old(er)?

I loved your Aquatica posts. We are wanting to possibly do a waterpark on our off day, and have been leaning towards Typhoon Lagoon. I didn't even know about Aquatica until your posts; glad to see more waterparks and in such detail! Thanks!

If you are looking for a fantastic deal on a waterpark day, single-day Aquatica tickets for October (weekday dates) are only $19 pp. And cabanas are just $59 (which would also give you 12 bottles of water, 8 towel rentals, and a large locker as part of the price). So comparing the price of TL and Aquatica, TL would be about $55 per person, or $110. For the same cost you could get your admission, a cabana, and a parking pass (all pre-purchased online). Just an idea that I thought I'd toss out there .

And I was glad to see more pictures of the resort in that update; I think we might request Fountains, but I have to dig through your report or the SVR thread to find the request link again! I don't think it's too far back.

Ah, its the Diamond Lane check-in that you are looking for. Here ya go (I'll save you some searching!):

https://www.mystarcentral.com/services/diamond.jsp?propertyId=01

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I watched your video of the rain! Instantly brought me back to a similar day standing under an awning at Hollywood Studios while that came down. This particular day it went on for hours. It was then I decided the next time someone asked about ponchos on the Dis that I was going to remark "Don't bother.. nothing will protect you from a downpour".

I felt soooo bad for anyone who was at the parks during that storm . They must have been so, so wet.

And you're right. No poncho in the world would be keeping out that much water!

 

[dancin Disney style]

That was quite the downpour. In my experience those ones only last 15-20 minutes.....90 minutes was pretty serious. The weather is really changing. Until 2 yrs ago our August weather was so consistent that you could have set a watch to it. It used to rain every afternoon sometime between 2-4. It was very easy to plan to be in a park or where ever in the morning and then back to the hotel for an afternoon siesta before dinner. Last year we had rain at all different times of day. This year we only saw rain twice...once around 3pm and once around 7pm. The first one was the heavy downpour with thunder and lightening the second was moderate rain that only lasted about 30 minutes. There was one other day that there was thunder but that was all.

Imagine your plane landing into that downpour? That's was we experienced in 2005. We arrived to the tail end of a hurricane. It only rained the day we arrived but the skies stayed black for 2 more days.

 

[ZehnJahren]

If you are looking for a fantastic deal on a waterpark day, single-day Aquatica tickets for October (weekday dates) are only $19 pp. And cabanas are just $59 (which would also give you 12 bottles of water, 8 towel rentals, and a large locker as part of the price). So comparing the price of TL and Aquatica, TL would be about $55 per person, or $110. For the same cost you could get your admission, a cabana, and a parking pass (all pre-purchased online). Just an idea that I thought I'd toss out there .


Ah, its the Diamond Lane check-in that you are looking for. Here ya go (I'll save you some searching!):

https://www.mystarcentral.com/services/diamond.jsp?propertyId=01

Thanks for the link! I think we're going to request Fountains (I really like the pool), top floor, away from highway noise if possible. Usually I like to just have the luck of the draw, but it would be nice to get an area I've actually seen pictures of. Too bad there are no elevators, but those don't always work anyway. We will just have to be careful not to overpack so we're not carrying heavy suitcases up the stairs.....

VERY interesting about Aquatica! $19, that's unbelievable! I'm going to go back and re-read your part about that park, and show Mom too, to see if she likes the look of it. $19!!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Yay, Wawa! And Tastykakes!

I notice you guys do a bit of shopping. Are the prices much better here with the exchange rate and all that?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

That was quite the downpour. In my experience those ones only last 15-20 minutes.....90 minutes was pretty serious.

The storm itself lasted about 90 minutes, but the heaviest rain (what was in the video) was probably restricted to about a half hour. I was like Mother Nature had saved up a whole weeks worth of precipitation and dumped it all at once. The water in the parking lot had nowhere to go.....if anyone had been walking, they would have just been sloshing through one giant puddle.

VERY interesting about Aquatica! $19, that's unbelievable! I'm going to go back and re-read your part about that park, and show Mom too, to see if she likes the look of it. $19!!

Best waterpark deal in Orlando right now, IMHO . I think you ladies would love it. And you certainly can't beat that price!!

Yay, Wawa! And Tastykakes!

I notice you guys do a bit of shopping. Are the prices much better here with the exchange rate and all that?

Prices are better, selection is better, sizing is better (more options for my biggest guy for sure) and the tax rate is way lower (6.5% versus our 13%).

Under Armor hoodies were $40-45 in Orlando. They are $60-80 at home, and a much less diverse selection of colors, styles, etc. Jake bought a pair of Nike shorts for $10, and they are $40 here at home. Steve can easily get size 15 shoes (non-existent in our neck of the woods) at the outlets for a scary low price ($27 this trip for a pair of Nike trainers...size 15!!) and plus size shirts are in every store (anything bigger than a XL here is a rarity, unless its at Walmart). Shoes are a biggie...Jake bought 4 pair. He can get the unique styles that aren't available in Canada for less than the run-of-the-mill ones are at home (he's the girl I never had....he has more footwear than Steve and I combined ).

Then you add in the tax difference, and we always come out WAY ahead!!

 

[dancin Disney style]

I notice you guys do a bit of shopping. Are the prices much better here with the exchange rate and all that?

I do as much shopping in the States as possible. We don't have the sales or outlets that are available south of the border. I just bought a pair of Nikes, which are the only shoes that I will wear to work, regular price $120 on sale for $28. So even with the exchange rate it's still waaaaaay better.

My BFF's husband will only wear designer clothes and we once took him cross border shopping with us. He bought over $1500(here in Canada) worth of clothes for around $400.

 

[tristyp]

Yay, Wawa! And Tastykakes!

I notice you guys do a bit of shopping. Are the prices much better here with the exchange rate and all that?

I wanted to second Gina's post about the prices. We always buy clothes in the United States. We usually plan a one night trip twice a year and go to the Premium outlets at Birch Run in Michigan. I find we save a minimum of 50% from Canada even with the US exchange rate right now. When we went before Summer my 9 year old (then 8) got a pair of DC shoes, a pair of Under Armour shoes as well as 9 shirts(4 under armour, 3 Nike and 2 Old Navy) as well as 7 shorts (3 Under Armour, 3 Nike and 1 Old Navy). That cost us under $250.00 including exchange. A couple of the Under Armour shirts we got for $6.00. They are at least $25.00 in Canada. Then theres the gas and booze....but lets not go there.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Then theres the gas and booze....but lets not go there.

No kidding!!!

(but I'm going to go there anyway )

We stopped at the Duty Free store (first time!) on our way home from this last trip. We're not big drinkers, but Steve wanted to pick up some bottles of alcohol, one for my brother and one for himself. The bottles at Duty Free were 2 for $25. Just ONE of the bottles (same brand, same volume) at our local liquor store retails for $37.50. $12.50 vs $37.50???

And gas? Right now, its $1.219 a litre here. Using this online calculator:

http://www.mississauga4sale.com/Gasoline-Conversion-Calculator-litres-gallons-us.htm

it shows the equivalent price per gallon as $5.54. We filled the rental in Orlando for $3.14/gallon, and our SUV in Syracuse for $3.68/gallon. Completely nuts!!!