WHO YA GONNA CALL" 29 NIGHTS OF GHOSTBUSTERS, MONSTERS & MORE - A 2019 HHN/SFR/RPR TR

[keishashadow]

Here we go Steelers, Here we go!

Thanks for that shout out I hereby dub you an honorary fan of the team lol

Now, that was a much better BD dinner for you! Everything looked delish. How nice of your friend to extend himself that way.

The scary fight rumblings start. My stomach lurched when i first heard the news break, knowing you had booked this trip...even though I know you two would tackle it with your usual aplomb.

 

[schumigirl]

Here we go Steelers, Here we go!

Thanks for that shout out I hereby dub you an honorary fan of the team lol

Now, that was a much better BD dinner for you! Everything looked delish. How nice of your friend to extend himself that way.

The scary fight rumblings start. My stomach lurched when i first heard the news break, knowing you had booked this trip...even though I know you two would tackle it with your usual aplomb.

Yep, I am happy to be an honorary Steelers Fan!!! I know zilch about the game......but hope I cheer in all the right places........

That is how a birthday celebration should be! We were incredibly grateful....

Oh yes, the airline carry on.......lol.......yes, not much we could do, so why worry.......we just felt so bad for folks who would lose their jobs.....

 

[smiths02]

That looks like a proper birthday dinner! So glad you got a do over!

 

[schumigirl]

That looks like a proper birthday dinner! So glad you got a do over!

Thanks!!

Oh it really was a treat, and yes, a much better birthday dinner!!

 

[NancyLuvsMickey]

Love that your friend made your re-do birthday meal an ah-mazing experience!!!!

 

[schumigirl]

Love that your friend made your re-do birthday meal an ah-mazing experience!!!!

Thank you Nancy.......oh I like that word.......ah-mazing.......lol......Yes it really was fabulous.......

 

[AprilDreamsOfDisney]

Oh, HOORAY! Eddie V's saves the day!

I was so so happy for you when I read this particular update. What a lovely table, sweet surprise on the table, and how wonderful to be recognized in that way. Your friend is kind indeed to have set it all up for you.

The food looks divine at Eddie V's! Wow! Those steaks! That shrimp! The scallops!!! Oh my!

So glad you had a special celebration for your birthday and that you were made to feel like the special lady you are! I imagine you slept well on a full stomach that night!

I also noticed you did a lounge at the pool that day - Carole, do you and Tom ever "pool hop?" I hear it's encouraged and I wondered what you thought of any other resorts' pools - is it worth a "hop" over to check them out?

 

[Tink2Day]

Yay for you your friend arranging for you and Tom to dine at Eddie V's. It looked like a FABULOUS MEAL and you received the
special service you so deserved on your Birthday!
Everyone should have the most special time for their Birthday and happy you received yours! (no dancing coconuts, LOL)

Hopefully it was just a one-off at your favorite restaurant on your Birthday.....your meals over the years have looked spectacular there.

 

[schumigirl]

Oh, HOORAY! Eddie V's saves the day!

I was so so happy for you when I read this particular update. What a lovely table, sweet surprise on the table, and how wonderful to be recognized in that way. Your friend is kind indeed to have set it all up for you.

The food looks divine at Eddie V's! Wow! Those steaks! That shrimp! The scallops!!! Oh my!

So glad you had a special celebration for your birthday and that you were made to feel like the special lady you are! I imagine you slept well on a full stomach that night!

I also noticed you did a lounge at the pool that day - Carole, do you and Tom ever "pool hop?" I hear it's encouraged and I wondered what you thought of any other resorts' pools - is it worth a "hop" over to check them out?

Thanks so much April ......yes, everything was perfect that night, we were so grateful for everything. Food was amazing......and yes, we slept incredibly well!!!!

Yes, pool hopping is actively encouraged. We first pool hopped many years ago, we went to Portofino and got unlucky....the quiet pool had been taken over by a very large family who proceeded to make as much noise as possible. But, they do have nice pools.

The pool at HRH is probably our least favourite pool anywhere. Far too shallow and it was just too busy, we never went back there.

For us we love the pool at RP......we don't need nor want a slide, so it`s perfect for us. We also like Sapphire Falls pool. But, to answer your question (eventually) no, we never pool hop as it`s not worth it for us. But, although I intensely dislike Cabana Bay, the lazy river seems to be very popular.

That`s just us though...…...

 

[schumigirl]

Yay for you your friend arranging for you and Tom to dine at Eddie V's. It looked like a FABULOUS MEAL and you received the
special service you so deserved on your Birthday!
Everyone should have the most special time for their Birthday and happy you received yours! (no dancing coconuts, LOL)

Hopefully it was just a one-off at your favorite restaurant on your Birthday.....your meals over the years have looked spectacular there.

Thank you Tink….it was our highlight meal I think...….and yes, they made us feel very special indeed.

I`d love a dancing coconut.…..lol.......

We did say we`d go back to Ocean Prime, as you rightly said, we`ve had some beautiful meals over the years there, but we just won`t go back during Magical Dining month......but, in saying that.......Eddie V`s so impressed us, it`ll be hard to beat!

 

[schumigirl]

We sat in the lounge for quite a while today......we relaxed and chatted and then when it was time for Royal Relaxation we had a red wine and a beer.....and I have to show you the shirt Tom wore today!

When he saw it in the store it reminded him of the shirts some wear here at the hotel......he does actually have a set of TM beads that one employee we knew well gave him many years back. He was touched, and everyone was asking the guy why he gave his Top Employee beads away.....when he told everyone who he gave them too, everybody said, ahhh ok....I see why.

But, we did think that would cross a line for him to wear them in case someone thought he was a TM!!!!

Tom and one of the young ladies who has worked in the lounge for a long time.......she`s now on the front desk and doing incredibly well there.

Again, even though we don`t eat here, well, we do like to snack a little, I do like to get pictures of the food......it`s always an important issue with folks thinking about booking Club Level. If there are food issues in your family, they are excellent with dealing with them and will work with you to help, I`m not sure why some folks don't expect them to be excellent with these issues, but they are brilliant and we have seen many people be grateful they are so helpful.

Tonight it`s the Pasta Pesto dish...….

We sat on some very comfortable seats over to the side tonight...…and we did indeed do some relaxing today......

I love grapes!!! Can`t eat a whole lot of them, but red grapes over here are particularly delicious.....goes well with some cheese and red wine.....or beer in Tom`s case today!

The lounge is quite busy tonight, and I did notice there were a lot of Brits in tonight......some chat, some don`t. One couple who had been there maybe four or five days hadn't spoken a word to anybody.....one older couple I`ll be honest, we did try to avoid as she banged on about being cheap and how all us Brits like to be cheap......

Seriously!!!!! Er, no........not all of us!!! Speak for yourself lady........I`m quite happy to spend whatever it takes, as Tom will happily attest to ......Tom thought it was hilarious how I actively avoided having a conversation with her.....lol.....

We decided we would go down and have the Wok experience in Islands Dining Room tonight.

This is something we have enjoyed many times and it`s always fabulous......when we went down, looking in to Islands, we didn`t see the Wok Station in it`s usual place and asked the hostess if it was on...she said yes, it was just properly in the area where the breakfast buffet was served...…ah, that was why we couldn`t see it. She said they had changed it earlier in the year.

At this point we asked if we could have Casey as our waiter. She said absolutely........we have know Casey for a good few years now and he is a lovely young man, always remembers everyone, even after we hadn`t seen him for a year when we did only visit once a year.

So, we got one of his tables and settled down to decide what wine to have. We didn`t get a bottle tonight as Tom was having beer.....yes, you can take the unfinished bottle away with you, but we had wine in the room and we had a few drinks in the lounge tonight, so one glass would be enough.

It was lovely seeing Casey again.....he laughed as he asked how long we were staying this time......he laughed even louder when we said a month (almost) he said if it had been anyone else he`d have assumed they were joking, but he knew how long we liked to stay and knew we weren`t joking...…nice young man.

I ordered a Malbec and Tom had a beer....he guessed we were there for the Wok experience, so told us to go up when we were ready........

It is laid out very well, with the main wok area where they cooked eggs in the morning and plenty of space, whereas when the Wok station was out front, it felt a little tight.....

There are two soups on offer. We have had a green curry one that was gorgeous, but tonight the options were hot and sour and egg drop soup....both looked nice....you can go up as often as you like, but one bowl is enough for us.

There is also a lovely fresh salad selection, which we don`t indulge in tonight, but the coleslaw dish looked lovely......sadly full of onion.

Casey had popped some bread on the table while we were up getting the soup......hard to resist warm bread, but we do only have a little......

Tom had the Egg Drop Soup and I the Hot and Sour and both were lovely.....yes, we could have gone up again. But, we didn`t.

There is never any rush in here while you dine and it is nice that it`s not so busy, so it is nice to be able to sit and chat as you enjoy the food.

Casey comes up to chat before we go up for our entrees, he really is a lovely young guy and we do like him a lot. If he is working we`ll always ask for his table.

When you go up for the Wok, you grab a bowl and fill it with as many vegetables from the selection available as you want, then go up to the chef who is cooking.

You hand her the bowl and she begins to cook it, asking if you`d like garlic and ginger in the wok, then asks you what protein you`d like......

The choices are chicken, shrimp, beef or tofu......the chicken is now only white breast meat......Tom and I both always have chicken and shrimp. Delicious.

She adds the protein and asks rice or noodles, we always only ask for a tiny amount of either as the bowl would be overflowing if you did.....then it`s your choice of sauce.....

You can mix some sauces together, and again, we are rather predictable as we always have the Szechuan and Teriyaki together......gorgeous!!!!

And we also have chilli flakes added, you can have cilantro and chopped peanuts too.

When we get back to the table Casey has dropped off some hot sauce for us......he remembered we liked it spicy!!!! And I did add some of the Siracha to the bowl too........it did indeed add an extra kick...….

The food was delicious...…..and our bowls looked tiny compared to some other bowls we saw pass us by...….but it was more than enough for us.......

The mix of the two sauces, and for me the addition of the Siracha were perfect.......I can`t eat a lot of veg so some mixed peppers were ideal for me.....Tom loves snow peas and red onions, and did fill up on them.

They were delicious!!! And both of us did wish we could have gone up for a second bowl, as many people do....but nope, we were full!

There are desserts, little mini cheesecakes and assorted cake dishes.....and one rice pudding ball on a little spoon...….we had tried that before...….not for us!!!!

We didn't have any dessert tonight, we really were beat with food, so we paid the check and thanked Casey once again for taking such good care of us......and set off considering going to IOA for the last hour or so.

Back in the room, we both looked at one another and looked at the pool........

Yes......pool night won that decision!!!!

Into our costumes, we headed down and found some lovely loungers where we prefer to sit. Folks had been on them as we looked down from the window, but by the time we got down, they had gone. So we settled down for the rest of the evening.

The movie sucked!!! So I had my ipad while Tom bopped in and out of the water......I did pop in once, and forgot to come out!!!

Drink wise we had a beer and a wine for me. The wine wasn`t really anything to write home about, but it was fine.

At 10pm, prompt, the whistle blew and everybody out...….it was still gloriously hot and I did wish tonight the pool was open till 11pm as it is in the peak season. But, it was time to leave, so back up to the room where I had a couple of emails to reply to and we watched some tv for a while, as I enjoyed the view out of the window. Turndown always close the drapes, but I do sometimes open the sitting area ones....the view is lovely.

So, we had a kind of early night, again, it hadn't been an exhausting day, but we were soon out for the count and looking forward to another day tomorrow...…..

 

[schumigirl]

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22ND​

We slept quite late this morning, but we slept so well......I have raved before how comfortable the beds are in these hotels, and pillows too.....so for us it makes for a really good nights sleep...….and we did wake up this morning feeling refreshed........

The Singapore Grand Prix was on this morning, so we caught some of that before we went upstairs for breakfast....and our guy won so we were happy......

Breakfast was busy this morning, I guess as we were a little later this morning, so were others. We did take our time and as we ate we decided we`d go to Winter Park for a wander this morning.

As we pass over Universal Boulevard where it crosses the I-4 we see how the skyline has changed dramatically over the years.......the volcano and Aventura you can see from miles away at night......

Winter Park is a twenty minute drive up the I-4 and is a beautiful little town to visit. It has the peacefulness and tranquility we sometimes crave, and some lovely little stores and restaurants too. There really is an abundance of choice with food, and all of them very tempting.

I park on the street, right opposite the park aptly on Park Avenue, it`s ideal to park here as you right in the centre of everything. There are plenty of parking spaces around though.

Our first stop today is the gorgeous park which stretches a fair distance along and is always kept so beautifully and everything is just so.....nothing seems out of place.

And we did enjoy some nice shade along the way, as it would reach 90F today.

We love walking in parks, we have a huge wooded area behind us at home we often wander up into as there are some lovely walks around....I`m not one for walking in the wilds, but woods and forests, as long as there`s a path is just fine for us. We`re also lucky as we have the sea in front of us too, only a short walk down there too......so if the weather is nice we are spoiled for choice.

We hadn't come up here during the festive season before, and I did envision this tree below strung up with lights and decorated for Christmas....it just calls out to be done that way.....

The train station is right beside the park, and one of the prettiest stations we have ever seen. Stations in the UK aren't anywhere near as pretty.....there are the odd one or two in remote areas that do keep nostalgia alive.

Yes, we do like to sit in the shade for a while...…...and we were waiting on the train coming along........not that we were going on it....but there`s something about American trains we love. We keep saying one day we`d like to take a very comfortable train from one side of America to the other.......I think Tom would get bored though, so maybe we should stick to the plan of driving.....might be easier.

And we didn't have long to wait before we heard the dulcet sounds of the train in the distance...…..

I did however, get a huge wave from the train driver...

Yes, we are train fans...….not ones that stand like train spotters to get the numbers of every single train they can!!!! Each to their own of course, but I don`t understand that hobby.......

The shops are all lovely, and I could wander into most of them and make some purchases.......

I did see this in the window of one, and couldn't resist buying it for a friend of mine for Christmas.....she loves unique bags and anything that is a little bit different......most of our groups of friends don't buy Christmas gifts for each other any more, but I have a small group of around five friends that we do still buy each other a few gifts each.....and this would suit one of them down to the ground! My first Christmas gift purchased........

Although...…..I did buy two.…...……...….













Purchases made, we headed over to a store we like.....it sells Olive Oil and we had tried it last visit, but the oil wasn`t as nice as the one we buy from Mount Dora. But the store still has some lovely products and we do enjoy wandering around it.

It sits up a quiet little alley behind most of the stores in the street......

We did buy a dry rub for steaks for back home and that was all we bought in here today. They are as usual, very helpful and will let you sample any of the products they carry.

The street has some very nice stores, and one is Williams and Sonoma where we do pop in and buy a little gadget for want of a better word to slice Hassleback potatoes.....there are so many items we could buy in here, but some are very heavy and would never do for our luggage with the added weight. So, we do hold back a little.......not like us!!!

The Wine Room is somewhere we haven`t made it too yet, it gets fabulous reviews and we`ve only heard good things from people we know that have gone.....one of these days.......

The Park Plaza Hotel.......we only knew one person who had ever stayed here and it was a while ago....they said it was very quaint and that we`d like it, although the noise from the train bothered them a few times, other than that they loved the old style of the hotel.......but with it only being twenty minutes away, we didn`t need to stay over.

Today, we did think again, of having lunch in Winter Park, but at the last minute Tom said he fancied going to the Ale House on Kirkman....ok then, I was always happy to go there.....

We were right by the car so we hopped in and drove back down towards Kirkman. The drive by Orlando city itself can be a little nerve wracking at times, but today I had one guy cut me up twice......pulled in front of me then slowed up.......seems he was trying to make a call.....so I went out and passed him.....he did it again.....only this time he kept going at great speed.......is bluetooth not a thing with most people!!!

Then we hit traffic........













It is crazy how bad this road can get!!! It was never as bad as when we were over by Disney coming from the Gulf Coast though.......that is traffic!!!!

We cut off at the Mall at Millenia turn off and were soon at the Ale House........

Being a Sunday it was busy, although it`s usually busy...….the bar looked to be full, so we got a booth and ordered our usual fanta and a lemonade...…..then studied the menu, although I think we do know it by heart by now.

Tom was planning to get a burger today, but the shrimp scampi caught his eye, so he opted for that......I went for the big red chicken sandwich which is hot and spicy!!!

Tom`s shrimp portion was impressive....there was a load of shrimp in it and it was delicious......shrimp were all soft and cooked as they should be.

I had asked for the third hottest sauce on the chicken, but they had run out, so I got the second hottest they serve and it was beautiful...…..chicken was tender and succulent and incredibly tasty......spice level was good too.

We always have good food here, never been disappointed in anything we have chosen here. Service too has always been impeccable.

Driving back home we see the pedestrian bridge over Kirkman that has taken an eternity to open......it seemed to be complete and we did see people walking over it one day......then a few days later the red tape was back up stopping folks from using it??? Weird.

Further round there are crossings for pedestrians to use if they walk back from Universal to any of the closest hotels on Kirkman......some folks say they`re not safe, but plenty of people use them just fine.

And home again.

Once up in our room, I did a few bits of laundry, and had a look at a couple of the purchases we had made today.....and we were being responsible...…most things we bought we were putting straight into suitcases, our idea was if we saw how much room they took up, we would buy less stuff......


Yes, cause that will work!!!!



Up next HHN................

 

[smiths02]

I really like that flower dress in the last post. I need one like it, or at least the belt!

 

[J'aime Paris]

Love the Orlando traffic meme, so funny!
I drive in Milwaukee rush hour only when necessary, but I doubt that even comes close to the Orlando roads.

 

[schumigirl]

I really like that flower dress in the last post. I need one like it, or at least the belt!

Aww thank you......I don’t even remember where I got that dress!!! The belt came with a red winter coat that looked better without it......so I switched.....

 

[schumigirl]

Love the Orlando traffic meme, so funny!
I drive in Milwaukee rush hour only when necessary, but I doubt that even comes close to the Orlando roads.

lol......although we love driving over there, the I-4 isn’t fun to drive on around Orlando itself.......

It‘s like a parking lot some days.......and usually we do our best to avoid it, but sometimes you just have to face the beast! Tom calls me Phoebe when I drive on that road......in her death cab!!! Wheeeeee...........

 

[I-4Bound]

I4 is such a stressful road to drive on! We always drive to Orlando, and usually by the time we get there, we always seem to hit rush-hour. After being in the car for 7 hours, that's tough!

 

[JaxDad]

I4 is such a stressful road to drive on! We always drive to Orlando, and usually by the time we get there, we always seem to hit rush-hour. After being in the car for 7 hours, that's tough!

Kind of funny, given your username...

 

[I-4Bound]

Kind of funny, given your username...
[/QUOTE

I suppose that's true!

 

[schumigirl]

I4 is such a stressful road to drive on! We always drive to Orlando, and usually by the time we get there, we always seem to hit rush-hour. After being in the car for 7 hours, that's tough!

I can imagine how stressful that must be after such a long journey driving......it always seems like rush hour there!!!