We’ll Use Any Excuse To Go During the Holiday Season. Another food-focused trip report. 11/28-12/6 (Complete)

[mickey916]

This sounds like a very successful trip! It's awesome you were able to stick to your budget for an 8 day trip. Will you go back to WDW when you're in Orlando on your road trip? Sounds like a great time!

Yes! We will be in Orlando for 10 days this time, so we'll be doing parks, 4 with our sons. Last year on our road trip we only spent 3 days with no parks.

Here's our itinerary:
4/5 our boys fly down and stay in a hotel
4/6 We pick up the boys, go to Gatorland (DS-27's request) and Disney Springs, dinner at Homecomin'
4/7 Go to Universal Islands and Studios with Express passes from staying in Royal Pacific, dinner at Cowfish
4/8 Magic Kingdom, dinner at 'Ohana, staying in All Star Music for one night for early entry and ILL$
4/9 Hollywood Studios, dinner at Mama Melrose, then bring boys to airport. Late night snack at Dahlia Lounge, hopefully
4/10 Breakfast at Boma, Disney Springs day, maybe go to MK for dinner at Tony's
4/11 Epcot day, F&G Festival, dinner at San Angel Inn
4/12 MK day 2, dinner at Liberty Tree
4/13 Trattoria al Forno breakfast, walk the Boardwalk Area, hoping for 1900 Park Fare for dinner
4/14 Kona breakfast, monorail resort tour
4/15 Epcot day 2, Via Napoli dinner then head to Cocoa Beach

Jam-packed this time! Can't wait!

 

[mickey916]

Thank you so much for your great report! I was at Olivia's for breakfast on my Christmas trip, and if I remember correctly the tree was in the lobby area across the walkway from the restaurant. I like OKW and thought maybe I should stay there sometime when I have days to swim or explore. It was in 2020 during covid, so things might be different now. There weren't any gingerbread decorations that year.

We didn't go into the lobby so that explains it. We would love to stay at OKW sometime too. I keep stalking the DVC rental sites for good deals. Interesting there were no gingerbread displays in 2020, guess they didn't want to draw crowds into the resorts.

 

[jrmint427]

That sounds like a great itinerary!!

 

[Paulaparm]

Your Florida road trip sounds fun!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Final Tallies, Thoughts & Future Plans​

Overall this was another fantastic trip. We ended up logging 204,499 steps, averaging over 25,000 steps a day. Our total food cost for 8 full days was $1114.03 which I paid entirely with a redemption card or Disney Gift cards that I had purchased averaging 10% off.

With a Southwest sale and leftover credits, a discounted rental car, tickets & hotel from UT, and paying as much as possible with discounted gift cards, the 8 night trip cost us $4019.33. This also includes airport parking, Genie+ for 3 days, ILL$ for me for Tron, FoP and Guardians, and the Care for Giants tour. I was hoping to stay under $5k, so I think we did very well!

We’re very excited for our 2024 Florida road trip in 38 days. We’ll be driving down spending 3 days in Ormond Beach, 10 days in Orlando (4 with our adult sons joining us), 5 days at Cocoa Beach, 5 days at Bradenton Beach, 5 days in Fanning Springs State park in a cabin, 3 days in Charlotte and 3 days in Lancaster, PA with a few one day travel stops in between. I plan on doing a full trip report in the Community Board, like I did last year.

We’ve also been discussing 2025 already and my DH said the other day, “Why don’t we just spend a month in Orlando next year, since that’s where you really want to be?” Not sure if he was joking or not, but it sounds like a great plan to me! Truth be told, he enjoys it (almost) as much as I do! We’ve decided to go next year for the month of March. We’re going to convert his tickets for this April to an AP since it will still be good next March. Toying with staying in a VRBO but it’s so hard to tell from reviews what’s good and what isn’t, might just spend the month in a suite at Residence Inn, Flamingo Crossings. We’re never in our room anyways so a comfy bed, sitting area, and small kitchen is all we need. (And, if you know of a clean, quiet, reasonably priced VRBO property, let me know!)

That’s all for now! Thank you for following along and hopefully you’ll read my next reports too!

What are you planning to do in Lancaster, Pa? Just curious as I live in the area

 

[mickey916]

What are you planning to do in Lancaster, Pa? Just curious as I live in the area

No definite plans. We always like to check out the Strasburg RR. We also like to walk around Lititz and get some Wilbur's chocolate and also go to the Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Last year on our way home we stayed only one night and felt like we would've liked a little more time there so this time I booked three nights. It's such a lovely area. We took the kids there every year growing up, mostly for the Strasburg RR, the Railroad Museum and of course going to Hersey Park. Definitely open to suggestions though!

 

[mickey916]

Your Florida road trip sounds fun!

Thank you! We hope it will be! Last year we were spoiled by perfect weather for an entire month. Hoping this time to have similar luck.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

No definite plans. We always like to check out the Strasburg RR. We also like to walk around Lititz and get some Wilbur's chocolate and also go to the Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Last year on our way home we stayed only one night and felt like we would've liked a little more time there so this time I booked three nights. It's such a lovely area. We took the kids there every year growing up, mostly for the Strasburg RR, the Railroad Museum and of course going to Hersey Park. Definitely open to suggestions though!

I have season passes to Strasburg Railroad and I live in Lititz about 4 blocks from Wilbur. You have hit most of my favorites. If you have not done any of the Amish farm type places I would do one if no young kids. If you like miniature railroading and it has opened for season Choo Choo barn is a neat place. Don't think Hershey Farm Restaurant will be reopened from their fire when you are here.

 

[mickey916]

I have season passes to Strasburg Railroad and I live in Lititz about 4 blocks from Wilbur. You have hit most of my favorites. If you have not done any of the Amish farm type places I would do one if no young kids. If you like miniature railroading and it has opened for season Choo Choo barn is a neat place. Don't think Hershey Farm Restaurant will be reopened from their fire when you are here.

Lititz is such a lovely town! We haven't done any of the Amish farm places, that's a great suggestion. We did go to the Choo Choo barn many, many years ago when our sons were little. I hadn't heard about the fire, glad to here they will reopen though. We also tried that restaurant many years ago. Thanks for reading along!

 

[disneyAndi14]

I loved your report and I love your rankings at the end! I would love to spend a month or two in the Orlando area every winter!
My goal is to start spending 3 months every winter there in about 5 years!

 

[mickey916]

I loved your report and I love your rankings at the end! I would love to spend a month or two in the Orlando area every winter!
My goal is to start spending 3 months every winter there in about 5 years!

That is a great goal! After we discussed spending the month there next year, my DH said "and eventually you'll just want to move there." I told him I definitely don't want to move there. Don't think I'd enjoy the summer humidity or being so far away from our sons. I'm open to spending 3 months there though in the winter!