Disney's Hilton Head Resort, South Carolina

In the United States, Disney has extended its reach further than the parks and resorts and they have other properties outside of Orlando and Anaheim.  One of those is a mere six hours up the road in South Carolina on Hilton Head Island.  Of course being so close, it was a perfect excuse for a road trip and to tick another state off the list! 

We visited way back in February, when the weather was much cooler than it is now and it hit lows of around 3oC, which for two girls being used to a Floridian winter (I use that word very loosely) it came even more of a shock to the system than Chicago!

Cold weather regardless, the Hilton Head resort is stunning.  It sits next to a beautiful lake and marshes and about a mile or so from the beach.  The marshes looked like something out of a film- it was speechless!  You can walk out to a gazebo over the marshes and although the wind really whipped up a chill while we were there, I can imagine it to be very beautiful during the summer!  

Hilton Head is also a Disney Vacation Club resort and because of this, the rooms are either studios or villas which make for a very homely stay.  The decor is all themed around a lake house theme which I simply loved!  Wooden board floors and very airy spaces, once again I felt as if I were in a film!  The bathroom also had a jacuzzi bath which was so relaxing, I ever normally pamper myself with anything like that so I enjoyed it very much. 

The amenities at the hotel were also very homely and welcoming.  Upon our arrival, we were greeted with warm apple cider and cookies - which are always a winner for me.  There's also a lounge with a crackling open fire, super comfy chairs, a selection of board games and newspapers - for us, it was great to warm up after a brisk walk outside!

They also have a whole selection of recreational activities (bike hire etc), a pool (definitely was too cold!) and a Community House where they were hosting a hot chocolate making activity.  I think I had whipped cream and extra marshmallows!  There's a quick service restaurant which served your regular Disney fare for breakfast and lunch but when you're lounging by the pool, you don't really need anything else! 

We did venture down the beach which was basically deserted.  The resort runs a shuttle down to the Disney Beach House if you don't fancy the walk.  Again, the Beach House would be amazing in the warmer weather with its pool and restaurant but was completely empty during our visit.  The beach was lovely; I really enjoy walks along the beach in the cold weather and I had wrapped up warm enough so it was invigorating enough to blow all the cobwebs away! 

The Island itself is very much geared up to the golfing tourists with a large range of restaurants and boutiquey shops scattered around.  Another perk for us was a Barnes and Noble - I forgot how much I enjoyed browsing through a bookshop, it's these simple pleasures that you can forget about in the busy, bustling, car-less environment of Disney!

Another great thing about this resort was that it was full of Disney magic without being so highly strung like the parks.  The cast were warm and friendly and took the time to chat to us and make us feel welcome and at home.  The Disney-outside-of-Disney helped me return to Florida feeling refreshed and rejuvenated!  Now, I'm very eager to visit Disney's other DVC resort here in Florida at Vero Beach!  

Kennedy Space Center

I have unearthed a new found love: space and space exploration. Before space was something that I was interested in but I could either take it or leave it.  I did want to go to the Kennedy Space Center, it was pretty high up on my bucket list but I wanted to go because it was such an iconic location and I didn't really know what it would involve once I got there.

 Then we finally made it:  we went to the Kennedy Space Center and it sparked a curiosity inside of me that I really had no idea what was there.  I put it fully down to the quality of the KSC and their exhibitions and it was fuelled further when we went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC (more on that later!).  

The Kennedy Space Center is at Cape Canaveral, which is about an hour or so away from Orlando and a super easy drive to get to.  Their visitor center is obviously away from the launch pads there but you can get pretty up close and personal through their tours.  

There are so many exhibits there that you would struggle to see all in one visit; we've been twice now and still haven't got round everything!  We first of all headed to the Apollo/Saturn V Center which is a short bus ride away from the main visitor complex.  You get to see a restored Saturn V rocket, other memorabilia from the Apollo program and even get to touch a piece of real life moon rock!  There is so much to take in there, you could easily spend a good couple of hours exploring and taking it all in. 

On the bus back to the main visitor complex, you can see the massive Vehicle Assembly Building where the rockets are put together.  Even on my second visit, I could barely comprehend the size of that building: it;s over 160m tall and each of the stars on the American flag outside is 6ft across.  Amazing!  It's in this building that the new Space Launch System will be built.

My favourite favourite favourite part of the KSC is the Atlantis exhibition.  I don't want to give any spoilers but the unveiling of the Space Shuttle Atlantis is so moving.  The exhibit is really first class: it still blows my mind to think that that actual shuttle, only a few feet in front of you, has been to space over thirty times.  The orbiter just seems so humble throughout the whole of the exhibit.  As well as a ton of information about the shuttle and the space shuttle program, there's a really touching tribute to the crews of the Challenger and Columbia whom were both lost.  We braved the Space Shuttle Launch Experience as well (tentatively... scarred from Mission: Space at Epcot) which is pretty much what it says on the tin.  I really could happily revisit this exhibition several times over.

On our second visit to the KSC, Dena surprised me with a "Now and Then" close-up tour where we visited the launch complex 5/6, where Alan Shepard became the first American launched into space, the Air Force Space and Missile Program, the Cape's lighthouse, where the Challenger's remains were laid to rest and so much more!  It was fascinating to hear about NASA's first space programs and everything that they have achieved up until the present and also a little bit more of what's going to come in the future.

We're hoping to make it back to the Cape for a rocket launch in the near future and that would really be a dream come true.  I'm currently swotting up on as much astronomy knowledge as I can possibly fit into my little brain and it really is so amazing how much is out there!  I wish I had paid more attention in physics!  

Day trip to Chicago

Sometimes you've just got to grab life by the horns and travel 1,154 miles to the other end of the country for a day.  Not an overnight stay, but a get-up-at-3am-and-get-back-home-at-midnight kind of day.  That's one of the great things about this country: you can jump on a plane pretty much how you would catch a bus and if you're lucky enough, you can get some seriously cheap flights.  Once our $100 return flights were booked, we got on full planning mood on how to make our 10 or so hours in the Windy City a productive one.  First and foremost though, we had to go on the hunt for a winter coat!  We left behind 25*C weather to a balmy 6*C (and Chicago was going through something of a warm spell...it could have been -10*C)!

We got up very early after finishing at late shift at work and boarded our 6am flight  with just a backpack and camera in toe.  It was quite refreshing to pack so light to be honest, we knew we weren't going to have to waste previous time waiting on our checked luggage and we skipped off our flight into the much fresher air of Illinois.  

As soon as we got into the heart of Chicago, I was immediately blown away by the architecture and the look of the city.  Super high skyscrapers that looked straight out of the movies!  We first headed down to Millennium Park to see the famous Bean, take the obligatory selfies and enjoy the humidity free air!  As I said, I really couldn't believe how pretty the high-rises were and how striking the modern almost mirror-like buildings were next some of the older buildings.  

Chicago sits next to Lake Michigan and it's only when you can't see the other side of the lake that you can really begin to comprehend the size.  For me, I'd never seen a lake that was much bigger than a pond... Lake Michigan could have been the ocean!  We then strolled along Chicago's Magnificent Mile, which is a large strip of fairly upscale shops (think Tiffany's and Cartier) and before we knew it, it was lunchtime and then meant a stop in Cheesecake Factory at the bottom of the John Hancock Tower. 

Once lunch had settled, it was time to begin conquering my fears and ascend the 100 story high building.  At the top of the tower, you can see a 360* view of the city and if you're brave enough, you can do the TILT experience which tilts you 30* out across the city (not for me, thank you).  The top of the tower has loads of different computers and interactive features which help you pick out different buildings and landmarks across the Chicago skyline.  It's one of the must-dos when in Chicago and I'm so glad we did it!  

We did a bit more exploring on foot and wandered around the streets.  As I said about Savannah, I really do believe walking around a city is the best way to get a feel for it and although we only saw a fraction of what the city has to offer, we were able to understand why it's the US's third city.  We ventured out onto the Navy Pier which was eerily quiet and all closed up.  It makes sense since we visited in February but it was strange to have nothing at all open.  However, it was still a nice walk in the brisk air.  

After all that walking, it was nearly time to head back to the airport to catch our flight!  We leisurely strolled back, taking in a bit more of the atmosphere and finally headed back to Orlando.  I thoroughly enjoyed our whistle-stop tour of this amazing city and it has definitely made me want to spend more time there at some point in the future to explore the museums, galleries and soaking up some of the music scene.  

It was great to see another side to the States - this time a busy, business focused place that's so different from Orlando.  Until our next adventure...!

CRP | Staycations #4,5 & 6

Continuing our journey around all the Walt Disney World resorts, next up we have Saratoga Springs, Coronado Springs and the Yacht Club!

Saratoga Springs sits prettily on the lake by Disney Springs and is mainly a DVC resort meaning that (to my knowledge anyway!) the rooms are studios or villas.  Saratoga Springs is also host to the treehouse villas which look incredible but we stayed in a two bedroom villa. The resort is inspired by Saratoga Springs, New York and there are references to this area throughout the whole resort.  I loved how clean and fresh the resort was, it feels so spacious and roomy so you're enveloped in the whole story.  The villa was, of course, immaculate and it's nice to have a little kitchenette in the rooms so you can truly feel at home!  In fact, we got a quick service meal and took it back to the room to have a little family meal!

Coronado Springs is a moderate resort based around Mexico and the southern states. Dena says that it's one of her favourites and that is high praise indeed.  Coronado Springs is massive and the accommodation borders a lake.  The main pool has a huge Mayan pyramid and looks pretty impressive!  It's also a great spot to catch a movie under the stars.  Coronado also has a cute little outside bar if you want to grab a refreshing drink to unwind.  I love the moderate resorts here - they are great value for money; the standard of the resorts is impeccable and although the rooms are a little bit smaller than the deluxes, they are more than enough.  

The Yacht Club is a deluxe resort in the Boardwalk area, just a stones throw away from Epcot.  The Yacht Club shares a lot of its facilities with its sister hotel, the Beach Club.  The Yacht Club tells the story of the hey-day of Coney Island so think lots of white plank boards and nautical references.  We got a magical upgrade to a lake view on the groud floor and it was stunning!  The room itself was also lovely, very nautical with a hint of Mickey here and there!  The Yacht and Beach have so many great bars and restaurants close by, it's probably one of my favourite areas here at WDW.  The Yacht and Beach have an amazing sand bottomed pool too as well as a few other smaller pools dotted around with jacuzzis.  I didn't venture into the pools unfortunately as it was a little too chilly for me!

A visit to Savannah, Georgia

After a while of living and breathing Walt Disney World, you need to escape the bubble and go to see what real America has to offer.  However, that being said, as silly as it sounds, I was a little apprehensive about actually leaving Orlando so Savannah was a great little place to visit.  It's a port on the coast of Georgia, Florida's neighbouring state, and only about a 5 hour drive! 

It felt great to jump into a hire car (finally!  Freedom!), turn the radio up and drive.  I'd realised how much I actually enjoyed the driving part of trips and the mini holiday actually starts then, not when you arrive in your destination however many hours later. 

Savannah is a gritty but beautiful little city, steeped in history and culture.  Throughout the city, there are beautiful squares (Chippewa Square is where Forrest Gump's bench was set), each with their own personality and interest.  At the centre of the city is Forsyth Park with its picture perfect fountain.  Throughout the park, there are families playing, couples strolling hand in hand, cyclists, and buskers filling the air with music.  I loved that about Savannah, you can almost sense the art and creativity in the air.  

As you wander through the streets, you can drop into antique shops or vintage clothes shops and browse for a bargain.  On West Broughton Street, you'll find a lot of high end shops as well as small independent shops, we had to stop by the Savannah Bee Company and sample all the amazing honeys and get a bag full of popcorn (birthday cake and Key lime pie flavour) from Savannah Rae's.  I loved the old cinema buildings as well as the beautiful Antebellum style town houses.

Savannah is famous for it's riverfront and we walked along it but found it to be full of regular tourist restaurants and shops; the streets nestled in the heart of the city were much more appealing to us.  It was also super easy to navigate around the city.  We obviously brought the car but we left it at our motel (The Thunderbird Motel - Krispy Kremes for breakfast and Moonpies on your pillow!) and just walked around, I think it's a better way to get a feel for a place. 

We also visited the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum.  It's a small, privately run museum but it is definitely worth a visit that documents segregation in Savannah.  I definitely learned a lot and even now, makes me so sad to think about it.  

We also took a trolley ghost tour.  I love learning about the paranormal side of anything and I was most looking forward to this.  Our ghostly host shared stories about many of the spooks and spectres that reside in Savannah, I just wish we could have stopped at more of these eerie locations!  Whether you're a believer or not, I think Savannah definitely has a paranormal vibe about it at night! 

We were only in Savannah for three days but it definitely left an impression on us.  It's a city full of grace and poise, but is also a little rough around the edges so you can feel at home and relaxed there.  Southern charm, indeed!

CRP | Epcot's Food and Wine Festival

The past six weeks or so have been crazy busy at work due to the 20th Food and Wine Festival at Epcot.  It's pretty much exactly what it says on the tin: a massive celebration of international food and drink in the World Showcase.  There have been 31 extra food kiosks around the lagoon and in Future World and it's been a great way to try some different cuisines!  It was initially our plan to try something at every food carts but due to hectic schedules and other plans, we only managed to try 21 out of the 31 - not too bad of an effort though! 

What was great about this festival was the fact that every single dish we tried was delicious!  The chefs did such a good job of making sure all the food was great quality.  Most of the dishes were around $5 too and tapas sized so it was pretty affordable.  

Along with the awesome food and drink, there were free concerts performed by some well known (and some less well known) bands and singers although I didn't manage to catch any of them.  

I think I visited the festival on three separate occasion as a guest and I have been thinking about what my favourite dishes were... it has been a really tough decision!  I think my favourite savoury dish was the Kalua pork sliders and favourite sweet dish was the liquid nitro chocolate truffle from the Chew Lab.  I was also really pleasantly surprised by the Pumpkin Cider from the Florida Farm Fresh stand - who would have thought that Pumpkin spice would make for a delicious cider?  It was like a refreshing mulled wine!  

A lot of guests have visited Epcot purely for the Food and Wine festival so it has been great hearing how the festival has grown and become bigger and better every year.  It seems as if Disney are striving to make it even more impressive and a few episodes of the Chew were filmed in the park, which I think must have been pretty exciting for foodies!

Now the festival is drawing to a close, I think Epcot is going seem quiet for a little while before Thanksgiving, Candlelight and Christmas kick into action.  It's been so much fun being able to get to take part in all of these incredible things that happen in the Disney parks; I still pinch myself to remind myself that it's all real... I think I'm pretty  much going to be saying that all year round!  

CRP | The breakfast blog

Warning: there is more eating involved in this blog! I think I said a couple of blogs ago that breakfast is one of my favourite meals and working a lot of evening shifts means that it's the easiest meal to eat out for.

A lot of the restaurants offer a la carte breakfast dining or buffet and to be honest, I have tended to just go for the buffet as its great value for money and the best way to fuel yourself for a busy day at the parks or work! I really must try and steer myself away from the buffet at some point though and try some of the delicious sounding breakfast options! I really need to try real American French toast (that's confusing!). 

First up, we have breakfast at Trail's Emd at Fort Wilderness. I really want to give them props for their guest service too; we arrived a little bit late for the breakfast sitting but as the buffet was still out, they allowed us to have that instead of ordering lunch. Although you have similar breakfast staples across all buffets, they also have individual twists suited to each resort. For example, at Trail's End, they had cornbread muffins straight up from the South! One of my favourite items from this buffet was the chocolate chip Mickey waffles (I will never, ever get sick of Mickey waffles!). It was also great to have loads of fresh fruit - something that we aren't really eating a lot of at the moment. I also unstandably enjoyed the huge selection of pastries: donuts, muffins, cinnamon rolls.... Yum! All, of course, washed down with bottomless coffee. 

Next up, we have The Wave at The Contemporary. Our second restaurant at The Contemporary, The Wave bases itself on modern American cuisine and this is evident in its buffet extras. They offered sweet potato pancakes, eggs benedict, salmon and an awesome build your own parfait station.  I stocked up on more Mickey waffles smothered in hot maple syrup served with crispy bacon. They also had a large selection of cheeses, ham, various fruit salads, breads and pastries. The Wave fits in perfectly in The Contemporary, it's design is almost 1980s like, but that fits Walt's vision of the future. I've really enjoyed both my meals at The Contemporary and I'm desperate to eat at Chef Mickey's, where you can watch the monorail soar silently overhead while you enjoy your meal! 

Thirdly, we took a little tour off property for a genuine American breakfast experience! Our American friends took us to one of their staple restaurants: Crackerbarrel! Crackerbarrel is Southern cuisine which, seems to me, means hearty portions of delicious food! The menu was HUGE! I struggled to choose what I wanted but ended up going for blueberry pancakes. These pancakes were some of the most delicious I have ever come across. They were light and fluffy with crispy edges and packed with blueberries. The portion was so generous I couldn't finish it and I really liked those pancakes!! While you're waiting for your food, they have a little peg game to play and you can also play board games there as well. Attached to the restaurant is a shop filled with all kinds of goodies, from food to holiday decorations to music. It was one of those places you could happily wander round for ages. 

America really knows how to do breakfast! 

CRP | Staycation #3 The Grand Floridian

It's been so hard trying to keep up to date with my blog but I'm going to try and catch up a little bit!! I've been busy staycationing so we'll start with probably my favourite so far....

The dream finally came true! I got to stay in The Grand Floridian and it really was everything I wished it could be and more. This resort is so beautiful and elegant without feeling stuffy or uncomfortable. If you couldn't tell, I loved it! 

We managed to actually see a little bit more of this resort as we had a bit longer there. The main entrance is a wonderful hub of activity: shops, hairdressers, restaurants and plenty of comfy chairs to sit and relax on. There's also a band that plays, which definitely helps transport you to a bygone era! 

The whole resort is reminiscent of a Victorian seaside town, complete with th architecture and areas to promenade around. We explored two of the swimming pools; one of which is nestled right next to the lagoon. 

We ate at the quick service restaurant (hurrah discount) that is right next to the jetty. Again, the food was delicious and wasn't too badly priced either. There were setting up for a wedding reception too and I really couldn't think of a more beautiful setting: in front of the lagoon, Cinderella's Castle on the horizon - a perfect view of Wishes. Of course, we came back later to watch the fireworks from this viewpoint! 

The rooms themselves were heavenly! They were so luxurious and the Grand Floridan provides a nightly turn down service including little chocolates on your pillow. There were also bathrobes (loved a hotel with bathrobes) and plenty of toiletries including a foot scrub and after sun. For me, it's little touches like this that put this hotel above the rest! I would put this hotel on par with the Four Seasons - it's really that good! 

I enjoyed myself so much that I would love to go and stay again and see what else this resort has to offer. They have restaurants that have amazing review and I hope to try a few of them throughout my program. 

Staying in the resorts is something I'm so glad I'm able to make the most of; they're so different and are a great way to escape some of the intensity of the parks and room sharing! 

  

CRP | Staycation #2 Fort Wilderness Cabins

IWow! I suspected this would happen but time is flying past at a rate of knots and I barely have time to sit back and take it all in. That being said, I'm having the best time and trying to make the most of all opportunities out here. 

To celebrate our month of being out here, our arrival group planned a little Staycation in the Fort Wilderness Cabins. At Fort Wilderness, you can rent a cabin in the woods or being your own motor home for a spot of camping. It's a really cute resort that lets you feel surrounded by nature and took me back to my camping trips in the UK! 

The resorts always have so many free activities to keep kids of all ages occupied and Fort Wilderness was no different. After stopping by the shop to pick up BBQ equipment, those of us who weren't working went to buy marshmallows and toasted them around a campfire! It was so much fun; we toasted, set alight to, and generally gorged ourselves on sugary goodness. After that, the fun continued! We had a little campfire sing along with Chip 'n Dale! It's moments like that which make Disney World truly one of the most fun places on Earth! 

Fort Wilderness is sat on the edge of Bay Lake which means that you can sit on the beach and watch Wishes! I can now cross another location off my "where-I've-seen-the-fireworks" list!! 

The cabins themselves were also adorable and cosy! Of course, they were decked out with wooden panelling and had a very in-the-woods feeling. There's a double bed, bunk bed and sofa bed in the cabins which means six people can stay. Out the front, there's also a BBQ and the store sells all kinds of goodies so you can have a whole camping experience! 

I love staycations! 

CRP | Breakfast at 'Ohana

Eating is something we do an awful lot of here in Florida so I'm going to continue the theme here on my blog!  Last week we ate breakfast at 'Ohana, which is a restaurant in the Polynesian resort.  The best thing about breakfast at 'Ohana is that it's a character breakfast and you get to meet Stitch!  I love Stitch - he is probably one of my favourite characters!  

 Our reservation was at 8.35am so we hopped on the bus from Housing to the Polynesian and checked in.   Our table wasn't quite ready yet but we were able to relax on some comfy chairs outside the restaurant until we were able to be seated.  We were welcomed into the restaurant as a cousin - afterall, 'Ohana means family and everyone is part of the family at the Polynesian!  

As soon as we sat down, we were brought coffee and some of Lilo and Stitch's favourite juice (made from guava, orange and mango) and a delicious bread/pastry basket.  The breads and pastries are always delicious at WDW so I would recommend giving them a go!  This was quickly followed by a fresh fruit platter of melon, rapsberries and pineapple.  Dena nor I are really big fans of melon so we were then brought another little bowl of berries and pineapple.  These little touches always make Disney resorts and service stand out to me.

We then were brought our hot breakfast pan: crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, sausages, potatoes, and Stitch and Mickey waffles!  My first Mickey waffle of the trip, I was beyond excited!  We helped ourselves to plenty of breakfast, served with maple syrup.  I'm quickly becoming a fan of breakfast foods and maple syrup... especially bacon!  I think it's the whole sweet and salty mixture.

The breakfast was an all you can eat but we were both full after one platter so didn't want anymore.  It was so good, breakfast is definitely one of my most favourite meals here.

While you're eating, different characters come round for your meet and greet!  We met Mickey Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, and had a selfie with Pluto!  It's so much fun because you have as much time as you want with the characters and you don't feel rushed or pressured to spend five seconds with them.  The sittings are also really cleverly allotted so the characters are able to get round everyone, fair and square!

Towards the end of the breakfast, the children are given maracas and do a little conga dance round the restaurant with the characters and they all love it so much!  It's such an unforgettable experience for them all.

I was so pleased to meet Stitch too! He's such a grumpy and mischeivous character; he really reminds me of my cat!  I enjoy the character breakfasts so much I've managed to reserve a table in one at Epcot for when the family come out.  It really does bring out the big kid in me!