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Why Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Resort #winwyn

July 5, 2017 By: Nanette

My family and I were provided a discounted room rate for our stay at the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Resort. The discount, however, does not impact our views or opinions of this resort.

The Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Resort

The resort has recently undergone a makeover and I have got to tell you, it’s absolutely lovely. I would find myself walking down to the lobby just to sit and relax there. There were so many different sitting areas. If you just needed a break or wanted to grab a cup of coffee at the Sundial Cafe and then relax there was plenty of space for that in the lobby.

It’s also really nice to have a cafe in the lobby as well as a gift shop. It made picking up cold drinks for hot days convenient. Oh and don’t even get me started on the gift shop! I couldn’t tear my sister away from there. They had the cutest Disney souvenirs and if you forgot anything such as toothpaste or any other small travel needs they had that too. And the best part of all well at least for this mom was the prices. They weren’t the usual overpriced travel size products you might expect. The prices were very reasonable, like what you would pay at your local grocery store.

Location, location, location!

That is the thing I liked most about our stay. We were just a 7-minute walk away from Disney Springs. And believe me, we took advantage of the quick walk to Disney Springs often throughout our stay, multiple times daily actually. Seriously, it’s super close.

I took a video to show you but since I am new to iPhone after years of Android I goofed and it didn’t record. So much for that huh? But maybe these photos will help you picture just how close it is.

Plus it’s not far to a local grocery store if you need to pick up something. We did a grocery run to pick up a 24 pack of water to put in the room’s mini-fridge to take with us to Disney’s Blizzard Beach. Saved plenty and it was close and easy to find as are additional restaurants if you want to eat elsewhere.

Additional resort amenities

24-hour desk staff. No matter what time I went down to make an inquiry or request I always got an informed polite response. Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how late I was up some nights.
Laundry. I know, no one wants to think about laundry when on vacation but having access to a washer and dryer on-site really came in handy. I can’t even imagine how much more laundry I would have had once I got home if I hadn’t been able to wash clothes on-site. Not to mention I didn’t have to pack as much either which was a good thing as we really over packed the Acura MDX Sport Hybrid we drove to Florida.
Gameroom. While it isn’t very big, it’s enough to keep little ones busy for a little while.
Pool area. Includes 2 pools, a poolside bar/restaurant with televisions and seating, a water play area for the kids as well as a hot tub. It was a nice addition that you could also get towels poolside so you didn’t have to bring down your bath towels.

Character Breakfast. If you have little ones and want to do a character breakfast you can and the price is about half of what you would pay for a character breakfast at Disney. I believe there are only 2 characters and it doesn’t include Mickey but it is still a good option.

Bus transportation to and from the Disney Parks. It’s nice to be able to walk out the front door of the resort and just hop on the bus to Disney and just do the same when the night is through. Please make sure you check the scheduled pick up and drop off times ahead of time.

Fitness Center. This is always a nice addition but I think I got my exercise in with all that walking at Disney.
24 hour valet/on-site self-parking. There is a resort fee and a $12 daily parking fee. You can choose to either self-park or use the valet service. Both are included in that $12 fee.

The Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Resort really does have a lot to offer.

The tower is beautifully renovated. However, we had a pool/courtyard view as you can see from the photograph above. It was taken right outside of our room. Both share the pool area and all other amenities. The room was clean and to me, that’s what is most important. We had issues with our keys not working but the staff was very helpful every time we needed assistance. They were very prompt about getting us into our room and after a long day in the sun, it was appreciated.

Overall, we had a very nice time and would consider the Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Resort again.

Thank you, Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Resort for providing us with discounted rates for our very special friends’ reunion. The girls had a blast and were so happy to be together again. Thank you for being a part of that.

Your Walt Disney World Trip Planning Tips

April 19, 2017 By: Nanette

So you’re heading to Walt Disney World for your very first time! That’s SO EXCITING! I remember my first time. Oh, it was simply magical. I’m excited for you!! I’ve got some Walt Disney World planning tips to help you get started.

Now comes the fun part deciding where you will stay and what you will do. “Oh but wait, I have food allergies.”

Food Allergies? No problem!

There’s no need to hit the brakes on the excitement.

Disney does an amazing job of taking care of individuals with special dietary needs. I’ll tell you all about that in just a bit.

Your Walt Disney World Planning Tips!

Let’s get you started by looking at your options for where to stay. There’s a lot to consider so let’s break it down into bite size chunks.

Where to stay at Walt Disney World. Questions to ask yourself.

What’s my price range?

How many guests will I have in one room? Keep in mind, some resorts do limit the number of guests per room to 4 for safety reasons. So, if you are taking extended family or have a large family you’ll want to look for locations that can accommodate your party size.

Do I want to stay near a particular park?

How will I get to my favorite park from my chosen resort?

All of these are things to consider as well as the likes, and ages of your children.

Animation themed resorts are always fun, especially for little ones. I was at the sneak peek for the Art of Animation resort when it opened back in 2012. What child wouldn’t love to sleep under the sea with Nemo?

And the fact that it’s a value resort really helps the budget. It’s not only a gorgeously themed resort (including Finding Nemo, The Little Mermaid, and CARS themes) it can accommodate large families so multiple rooms don’t have to be booked. Just an FYI the play area and pool there are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Location, location, location

Some of my personal favorite Disney resorts include Disney Contemporary because I love being so close to the Magic Kingdom, Disney Yacht Club Resort near Epcot and the tropical feel of Disney Polynesian Resort. I have yet to stay at Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge but I hear it’s amazing. Bucket list!

Do you want to ride the monorail from your resort? There are only a few Disney resorts that you can do that from including the Disney Contemporary Resort, Disney Polynesian Resort, and the Disney Grand Floridian. Yes, you can walk right over to the Magic Kingdom from Disney Contemporary Resort but why walk when you can take the monorail over.

Disney Resorts range from as low as $100 a night for a value resort to well over $500 a night for a deluxe resort or villa depending on the time of year you are visiting.

But like I said, where you stay will depend largely on what your specific budget, wants and needs lead you to. You have a lot of choices just look at the complete list of resorts to choose from.

What is there to do at Walt Disney World?

There is so much to do at Walt Disney World I couldn’t fit it all into one post if I tried. But you do have lots of options between all four parks Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. There are some great dining experiences to enjoy at Walt Disney World too. Some are always available, some only during certain times of the year.

This year there are some absolutely magically new additions to Walt Disney World you will not want to miss like the Rivers of Light show at Disney Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

The Disney Experience Changes from Park to Park

It really is a whole different experience for you from one park to the next. And oh, you can’t forget about Downtown Disney. They have made many changes since I was there and I can’t wait to go back and see it.

In addition to that Walt Disney World also has two water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park. A day at the waterpark is a fun way to cool off and give your feet a little break from all that constant walking. Waterparks, not your thing? Well, how about a round of golf or even miniature golf at Disney’s Fantasia Gardens? No matter how you love to relax and enjoy your vacation, Disney is the place to find it.

Transportation. I won’t have my car, how do I get where I’m going?

The great thing about visiting Walt DisneyWorld is that from the time you step off that plane at MCO your transportation needs are taken care of.

If you are staying on property (and I highly recommend you do) at MCO you can catch the magical express. It will take you and your luggage directly over to your resort. No, there is no additional charge for this service.

Getting from your resort to the parks is pretty easy too. Depending on your resort you may have access to multiple options including bus rides, boat rides or a ride on the monorail. When you check in they will hand you a map, look at it. Don’t do what we did the first time and just leave it on the dresser. It has a lot of information and will provide you with your options on transportation from your resort to where ever it is you may want to go. Keep it handy.

Why stay on property? What’s the benefit?

Oh, the benefits of staying on property! What can I say, I love it, love it, love it. Aside from staying in that Disney bubble and never having to step outside the magic of Disney, there is nothing like staying in the parks after the majority of the crowds have gone.

If you are staying on property you have the added privilege of “Extra Magic Hours”! And they are exactly that. You get extra hours to spend in the parks. On select mornings or select evenings, you’ll have access to a particular park after it closes to the general public. This is only available to those who are staying at one of the Walt Disney World Resorts. This alone makes it worth every penny to stay on property for me and my family.

The Magic of Magic Bands

What is a MagicBand? MagicBands are colorful wristbands that connect you to all of your vacation choices you’ve made with your My Disney Experience app. (see below for more information). With the magicband you can enjoy not having to carry around a purse or wallet for you gentlemen reading, as you can use it to enter the parks, unlock your Disney Resort hotel room, and make purchases, either food or merchandise. Pretty convenient don’t you think especially if you plan on heading to the waterparks since they are water-resistant you don’t have to worry about them. No more soggy money in your wallet or having to worry about heading back to the lockers when you want to buy something to snack on.

If you are staying on property, you’ll receive a magicband for each member in your party. If you are not staying on property and want a magicband, you can still purchase one either at the parks or online at the DisneyStore.com just search for Disney Parks Magicband.

Tools to make your trip run smoother

Apps! Yes, technology comes in handy here. Be sure to download the My Disney Experience app to your phone prior to your trip. In fact, download it right now to your phone. It’s that helpful not just in the planning stages but throughout your trip. I’ll wait.

Planning: From it you can buy theme park tickets on the go, keep your reservations and activities organized, select and change/modify your party’s FastPass+ experiences, check wait time on attractions, manage your Disney Resort reservations, tickets, magicbands and cards. You can even access menus from the restaurants while you are at the parks via the app and make dining reservations. Pretty handy huh?

Exploring: No need to worry about getting lost, there’s a GPS-enabled map for you. You can find your way around with step-by-step directions. Use it to find Character greeting locations and more!

Making great things a-m-a-z-i-n-g: You can preview your Photopass photos right on your mobile device throughout your vacation. You can also download, edit and share your PhotoPass media by purchasing Memory Maker which I tell you more about below.

Carrying around a heavy DSLR can get very tiring. Just trust me on that one. And what happens when you get home and there are no photos of YOU at Walt DisneyWorld. That is just not acceptable, it is just not magical at all. This is a family trip, a family experience, get in those pictures.

Don’t want to hand your expensive DSLR off to some stranger who probably won’t know if your photo is in focus or not? I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t either. So what’s the solution?

Memory Maker

This is the awesome thing I mentioned earlier. With Memory Maker you can enjoy unlimited, yes I said unlimited digital Disney PhotoPass photos you can take at hundreds of locations throughout Walt Disney World including at select attractions and dining locations. When you see a Disney photographer in the park simply walk up and ask them to take your photo. The photos are connected to your online Disney account with the touch of your MagicBand or card. See? I told you MagicBands are really magic.

Special tip: if you purchase the Memory Maker prior to your trip you can get a discount. You may need to buy it XX number of days prior to your trip so I’d check as soon as you have your dates set.

You may still want to take your camera along for candid shots but you won’t feel like you have to have it with you every single minute of the day and you’ll get photos with the entire family in them.

Now about those special dietary restrictions

If you are on a special diet such as gluten-free or have food allergies I will tell you we have had the most pleasant experiences at Disney when it comes to our restricted diets. We’ve probably eaten at every park by now and have never had any issues or problems ordering our meals. From our personal experiences, I can confidently say, Disney does gluten-free right! At both Table-service locations and at the quick service locations, we’ve been able to have our gluten-free meals made without hesitation and they are delicious! We’ve even had Mickey Waffles! Even at buffets, if you ask to speak to the chef he will walk with you through the buffet line and let you know what is available for you to eat based on your needs.

Just remember when you arrive at your chosen location, ask for the chef to come out and discuss your special dietary restrictions with you. They will happily do so.

If you make your dining reservations online make note of the food allergies or intolerances if you make your reservation by phone make sure to inform the cast member so they can not your dietary needs. You can also email Special.Diets@DisneyWorld.com for more help.

So don’t even stress about having a special diet, Disney is very accommodating.

Go Get Started on Your Planning and have a Magical First Walt Disney World Visit

I hope these Walt Disney World planning tips from where to stay and what to do as well as the other tips shared help you plan your first magical Disney vacation. If you have questions I’d be happy to try and answer them for you but if I can’t I can certainly point you in the right direction for the answer.

Have a magical day!

Take Time to Make Memories Along the Way

January 7, 2017 By: Nanette

You know how it is, you’ve taken a long road trip, you’re tired and you either just want to get where you’re going or get back home. The last thing you want to do is take a detour that takes you out of your way and adds another hour or two to your drive, right?

This happened to us just a couple of weeks ago. We were headed home after a few days away and were on our way back home, very tired.

Our little Bug has just has this fascination with Whataburger lately. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a Texas thing. It’s a restaurant that makes burgers Texans miss when they are out of Texas. Trust me on that one. Anyway, there is a two-story Whataburger in Corpus Christi by the Bay. Corpus is a little drive off our usual path home from visiting family in South Texas. We had had a late night and gotten up early so the thought of going off our path was well, one we weren’t exactly excited about.

But we had to stop ourselves and remember we only have our kids for a short time. So what’s another few hours on the road if it makes him happy? These are moments we have to make special memories. Are we going to do that or miss out on them? The choice is ours to make. We made the right choice and enjoyed the sites of Corpus Christi.

We would have loved to have walked along the shoreline but it was a bit too cold for that and we weren’t dressed for it. Maybe Bug will just get the chance to eat at Whataburger by the Bay again so I can get that walk on the sand in.

When our son is grown and with a family of his own, he’ll remember the time Dad took him to the two story Whataburger just because he wanted to see it.

Making those silly memories

Those are the memories, the silly moments, the “why in the world did I want to go there” moments he’s going to remember. I know from personal experience because that’s what I remember. I remember all the times my dad went out of his way just to make us happy.

So for now, we’ll just be happy he smiled that day ’cause Daddy took him to the two-story Whataburger. Don’t tell hubby but I’m really glad we stopped in Corpus. I hadn’t been there in 15 years and wanted to stop by too.

We had a nice lunch, talked and enjoyed the views, just living and loving the moments we had with our kids.

And Bug got to learn a little bit about the Founder of Whataburger as well. All in all, it was totally worth the extra time it took to get home.

Thanks Bug for reminding us it’s about the journey and joys along the way to our destinations that matter most. Memories, memories, memories – that is what happy hearts are made of.