"To Disney & Beyond" ~ Road Trip 2010 ~ Final Drive & Final Thoughts

[tinkgurl]

Hi! I saw you joined my TR, so I had to come join yours! So funny we were there around the same time!

 

[ReneeDisney]

Great start to your trip report. Looking forward to more ........

 

[taymacsmom]

Welcome back! Looking forward to hearing about all your adventures!

 

[mandas08]

Wow, What a great hotel. My husband and I have been talking about how on our next trip to Gatlinburg we'd rather stay in a hotel to be closer to everything...we may have to check that one out. It looks like you got the best of both worlds! Please please please tell me you got in a trip to the Donut Friar while in Gatlinburg...its my favorite

 

[Spartangirl]

Exciting to have a new TR to read! We are heading down in a week.... any advice to deal with the heat?

You must be SO EXCITED!!! Your trip will be here in no time! The heat...it was definitely HOT when we were there! I would suggest pool breaks and bringing water with you! We took afternoon breaks everyday...pool breaks when the weather cooperated! We also brought water bottles with us in backpacks. Cool ice cream treats help too! If you have it, wear very light clothing! Yes it's going to be hot, but at least you'll be in Disney!

Hi! I saw you joined my TR, so I had to come join yours! So funny we were there around the same time!

Hey!!! So glad you joined in! Welcome! That is funny that we were there around the same time...it will be fun to compare experiences!

Great start to your trip report. Looking forward to more ........

Hi Renee! Thanks so much.......there is TONS more to come!

Welcome back! Looking forward to hearing about all your adventures!

Hi Kelly! Thanks! I can't wait to share everything!

Wow, What a great hotel. My husband and I have been talking about how on our next trip to Gatlinburg we'd rather stay in a hotel to be closer to everything...we may have to check that one out. It looks like you got the best of both worlds! Please please please tell me you got in a trip to the Donut Friar while in Gatlinburg...its my favorite

Welcome! That's exactly why we chose this particular hotel...it really did have the best of both worlds! You don't even realize that you're on the Gatlinburg strip! It's right around light #3 if you're familiar with the area. It wasn't centrally located, but it wasn't a far walk AT ALL! We actually preferred being out of the main section and away from some of the noise. Plus, it's a short walk from the Donut Friar! Oh yes, we found this treasure...it makes an appearance in my TR!

 

[Disneygrl36]

It really has been HOT here in TN......hope you guys didn't melt. Nice to see that the rooms at Zoders are nice. I have always thought it was a cute hotel snuggled in there beside the stream.

Ready for more!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Welcome home!

Wow, for a Best Western that hotel looks beautiful! I can see why you were happy with your choice

Chris's reaction to the temp is funny, he'd love it here, we've had 100 degree weather everyday for past 2-3 weeks with no end in sight

 

[Princess_K]

Just found your TR! I've actually stayed at Zoder's Inn on a past Gatlinburg trip

looking forward to the next update!

 

[Shannon84]

Excited to see your first report I know the summer has been brutal heat wise here in VA ... our AC went out in our truck..so no road trips for us!!!

 

[stacikristine]

What a great start! Don't you just HATE incompetence? I can still remember being in elementary school and learning that word. It quickly became a favorite. But I hate having to use it.

Oh my goodness--your view is gorgeous!! That picture of you and Chris is so great. Do you usually ask people to take your pictures, or do you set it on something and use a timer? We end up doing a lot of both--as well as the arm out, self shot. Your pictures are great, by the way!

I finished your other WDW report, and I loved every minute of it! It looks like you two have SO much fun together!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

What a lovely setting for a hotel! Can't wait to see more.

 

[Spartangirl]

It really has been HOT here in TN......hope you guys didn't melt. Nice to see that the rooms at Zoders are nice. I have always thought it was a cute hotel snuggled in there beside the stream.

Ready for more!

Melanie ~ We almost did melt! J/K! However, it was extremely HOT and HUMID...not quite what we're used to here in Michigan! Zoders was such a cute, little hotel and we did enjoy the rooms......having a balcony over the stream didn't hurt either!

Welcome home!

Wow, for a Best Western that hotel looks beautiful! I can see why you were happy with your choice

Chris's reaction to the temp is funny, he'd love it here, we've had 100 degree weather everyday for past 2-3 weeks with no end in sight

Thanks, Michelle! We were so happy with our choice...of course I researched a TON before we left and read many reviews. Zoders had great feedback and many people called it a "hidden gem" in Gatlinburg. Chris is truly something else when it comes to temperature. I practically bought him a whole new wardrobe with "Cool Max" type shirts and a "crazy sun hat" (which you'll see in later pics), just so he wouldn't complain!

Just found your TR! I've actually stayed at Zoder's Inn on a past Gatlinburg trip

looking forward to the next update!

So glad you found my TR and welcome! Zoders is very cute, isn't it? I may try to get another update up tonight!

Excited to see your first report I know the summer has been brutal heat wise here in VA ... our AC went out in our truck..so no road trips for us!!!

Shannon ~ OH NO!!! That stinks about the AC in your truck!!! Ugh...sorry to hear about that! It's been in the upper 80s here since we got back and people are complaining. Chris and I think it feels GREAT compared to some of the temps we encountered!

What a great start! Don't you just HATE incompetence? I can still remember being in elementary school and learning that word. It quickly became a favorite. But I hate having to use it.

Oh my goodness--your view is gorgeous!! That picture of you and Chris is so great. Do you usually ask people to take your pictures, or do you set it on something and use a timer? We end up doing a lot of both--as well as the arm out, self shot. Your pictures are great, by the way!

I finished your other WDW report, and I loved every minute of it! It looks like you two have SO much fun together!

Thanks so much, Staci! I don't like incompetence either and don't like having to use it.........but, sometimes you need to! Wasn't the view pretty? We loved it! We're kind of like you guys in the picture taking...we do the "arm shots," sometimes ask people to take them, and use our travel tripod with a timer. Our travel tripod comes in handy......it folds up small enough to fit on our camera backpack, but extends to the size of a full tripod. The pic of the two of us was with the tripod. I appreciate the compliment on my pics! Thanks so much for reading my other report.......we do have a lot of fun together!

What a lovely setting for a hotel! Can't wait to see more.

Laura ~ It was just beautiful.....we really did feel like we were up in the mountains! I'm hoping to get a new update up tonight!

 

[iixheartxyouxox]

just found your TR and it sounds very exciting. I also love to travel and would be so happy to travel as much as you guys do! my boyfriend is the opposite though and could care less if he were to go on vacation so its great both of you love to travel so much! looks like you guys had a lot of great adventures planned and i cant wait to read about them =]

 

[Spartangirl]

Saturday, July 24, 2010
Sangria & Our "Hollywood" Encounter


After getting settled in at Zoders, we walked down the Gatlinburg strip to a restaurant called Dolce Uva Wine Bar Cafe.

Upon entering, we were greeted and seated by the owner, Glenn. He made some wine suggestions and we both decided to try a specialty sangria with fruit...perfect for a HOT day! Cheers to the beginning of another great vacation!

We looked over the menu and I ordered the chicken con frutta which was amazing! The dressing was a strawberry puree mixed with a balsamic vinaigrette. SO GOOD!

Chris wanted the house special which was ravioli. He couldn't decide between the cheese or the meat so he left that decision up to the owner. Glenn brought him the "cheese," which Chris raved about...it was filled with ricotta cheese, and had parmesan and mozzarella plus sauce on top. See the bread in the back? Wow was it ever hot and crisp! A perfect compliment to both meals!

We couldn't have started our trip with a better meal!

Chris and I decided to have a little fun, so we headed to the "Hollywood" Wax Museum.

Now let me warn you...Chris and I can get a little "goofy!" I don't know who was laughing harder in the museum........the people who were watching us or us laughing at ourselves being so dorky! Words won't even do these pictures justice, so I'll let the pictures do the talking...The first couple are a little "tame." I guess we needed a little bit of warm up time...

Continued in the next post... http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37750011&postcount=95

 

[Spartangirl]

Continued...

After our celebrity encounters, we decided to head back to the room to chill out on our balcony. Chris and I were tired from our long day, but so happy with the start of our vacation!

Up Next: Llamas & Camels in Tennessee? Yup!

 

[Spartangirl]

just found your TR and it sounds very exciting. I also love to travel and would be so happy to travel as much as you guys do! my boyfriend is the opposite though and could care less if he were to go on vacation so its great both of you love to travel so much! looks like you guys had a lot of great adventures planned and i cant wait to read about them =]

Hey Brittney! Thanks so much for joining in! Awww...that's too bad about your bf not wanting to travel. I am very fortunate that Chris likes to travel as much as I do....plus, he doesn't like to do any of the planning, which is one of my favorite parts. So, I plan and he usually doesn't know what's going on until the trip! It works out for both of us! This trip was definitely quite an adventure and I can't wait to share more...

 

[punkin413]

ray would've had the same reaction to the temperature! although it's been 100 hear since mid july so that's no surprise to us. but going on vacation in it would have caused him to scowl too!

love the room on the water! very pretty. and the pictures at the wax museum are hilarious!

 

[redsox721]

Great start to your vacation. LOVE the wax museum pictures. Looks like you really enjoyed it. The hotel looks very nice and the food looks amazing. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait for the rest.

 

[SoonerGirl]

I don't even know what to say - those pictures are awesome!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I'm here, but it looks like I have some catching up to do!!!