Tuesday, December 20th (continued) 
Arriving back at the resort, we took a few more minutes to catch up on messages and emails in the comfort of the air conditioning before heading back outdoors for our tour of the grounds. While it wasn’t glaringly sunny that day, it was still very warm and quite humid despite the overlay of clouds. We made a point of drinking a bottle of water each as well; dehydration is always a risk when the weather is hot, regardless if its Christmastime or summer. Neither of us were at all hungry…..our rich and indulgent breakfast at IHOP would be plenty to carry us through until dinner that evening…..so lunch of any kind was not necessary.
Slipping back on our shoes, we headed out the door of the villa and down the stairs to the sidewalk. Since we were located on the arm of the resort that was more away from the main amenities, we crossed over the roadway and made our way toward the Village Center. There was a large fountain outside the Welcome Center/check-in building, and lots of red flowers that felt wonderfully festive
.
We had visited the Spanish-style courtyard behind the Village Center in the dark on the night of our arrival at the resort, but we hadn’t yet seen it during the daytime. It was equally as beautiful by day as it was all lit up in the evening. The colours all worked together perfectly, and the Christmas tree was truly lovely.
The Village Center pool area was the next stop on our tour. It was big, clean, and felt incredibly “tropical”…..and we were shocked to find it virtually deserted, especially considering the unseasonably warm weather.
In fact, for most of our week, the whole resort felt almost unoccupied
. 90% of the guests we saw were seniors toting golf clubs, while young families were almost non-existent. It was nice to have the property be so quiet……there were certainly no disruptive guests to impact our stay in a negative manner…..but being used to the active vibe of the Vistana (where there are a plethora of well-attended activities being held at all hours of the day in various parts of the resort), it was a strange feeling at the same time. We suspected the occupancy was quite low that week, but that surprised us too, since we were literally just days away from Christmas.
We strolled around the pool area for a bit, admiring how lovely the whole area was. I *loved* the mature palms…….they exude Florida charm…..and the soft colours woven into the décor were very relaxing. A little part of us was sad that we didn’t have a lot of leisure time built into the itinerary, but that was the price we would pay for having so many awesome activities planned for this holiday vacation. Alas, you can’t have it all.
Adjacent to the main pool was a separate lap pool, which we thought was a great idea on the part of the resort designers. I am sure the serious swimmers appreciated a dedicated space for laps, allowing guests to focus on their fitness while remaining nearby to their families.
Moving onward from the Village Center pool area, we strolled down the walkway along the water and found more festive trees and holiday décor dotted along the pathway. So pretty.
Signage along the water reminded resort guests that feeding the alligators was prohibited. I suspect, like at the Vistana, these signs only appeared after the June 2016 death of the toddler at the Grand Floridian
.
There was a fabulous, spacious sand volleyball court right along the lake. Again, though.....not a soul in sight
.
Then, we crossed over the lake to the other side of the resort via the beautiful, sprawling pedestrian bridge.
More signage on the other side of the resort warned of the risks of alligators and snakes. This is the new Florida norm, I suppose. The same hazards as have always been present, but now everyone is just more aware of them.
The Vista del Sol pool area greeted us on the other side of the walkway. Spanish-themed fountains, a fort with a splash pad, and a large pool were the centerpieces of this recreational space.
I can see this space being a HUGE hit with kids. This pool was definitely geared more for families: while the Village Center pool felt relaxing and elegant, this pool had the child-friendly fun factor while still keeping with the resort theme.
There was a large hot tub, as well (in fact, if I remember correctly, I think there might have been two
). They weren’t particularly secluded but they were a good size and as clean as the rest of the two pool areas.
The Copa Loca Bar & Grill was conveniently located poolside. The food and beverage options looked great and prices weren’t too crazy, either.
The sun was beginning to peek through the clouds and it really was just a great day for a walk, especially when the resort was so lovely. The areas along the water, especially, were very picturesque and evoked a feeling of relaxation. For anyone looking to escape the hullaballoo of the theme parks, this would be the resort to stay at.
Crossing back over to the main side of the resort, you could see the Grande Vista’s golf course off to the side:
Back near the Village Center, we continued our walk down toward the lighthouse. We discovered a pair of fire pits surrounded by Adirondack chairs, and made a mental note to spend at least one evening out here enjoying a drink and homemade s’mores. I’m sure we could squeeze that in before the end of our trip
.
The Lighthouse turned out to be the Sweetery, a little shop featuring an assortment of chocolate, candies and ice cream. Yum
.
The adjacent dock offered paddle boats for rent:
…..and there was a small, covered games area (where we shocking discovered REAL PEOPLE!!! They did exist!!
).
We toured around some of the indoor facilities as well, before heading back to the villa. They had a fairly sizeable arcade:
…..and an expansive, modern, well-equipped fitness center.
We wound up our walking tour in pretty much the same place we started….we made our way back through the Village Center courtyard, and back to Galleon building 95.
We had just enough time left to enjoy a short rest before heading out for our evening plans. Steve stretched out on the couch and was soon snoring away
, while I llounged on the bed and touched base with both Jake and mom by phone. It was nice to have a little down time to relax: especially on such an activity-packed week.
Coming up: our very first visit to Disney’s Beach & Yacht Clubs 
.
Dinner at Beaches & Cream with an EPIC ending is next.
.
.
. Not my favourite colour either, but the show is really great. I loved Pirate Island but this one is pretty fun, too.
.
. We are making good use of this in the evenings: one of my favourite aspects of our little town home community.....
than the snow and cold of winter. 
. I would think there will be a lot of kids who won't be able to attend an autumn commencement.
We graduated in June, though.
