Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Rockefeller Center Tour Review

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Last month, I took a quick 48 hour trip to New York City with my husband. While there, we took the guided Rockefeller Center Tour! I couldn’t find many detailed reviews or tips for taking it when I was planning our trip. So, I thought I would post a review to help anyone else considering doing this.

Rockefeller Center Tour

Rockefeller Center Tour

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know that I took a quick trip last month to experience Christmas in New York City with my husband. I will be doing several posts over the course of this year looking at other aspects of that whirlwind trip. Today, I want to focus on the Rockefeller Center Tour!

This is a 75 minute walking tour of the three city blocks that make up Rockefeller Center. The tour costs $27/person but can also be booked with other packages. For our trip, we purchased the Rock Pass for $56/each and that included entrance to Top of the Rock. I intend to write a separate post on the Top of the Rock experience at a later date. Today, we will focus on the tour.

The Experience

I found the entirety of Rockefeller Center (not just the tour) to be confusing. The staff sent us to the wrong floor initially and we had trouble getting to where we needed to be. I recommend everyone arrive a little early for their tour if they don’t know where they are going. Thankfully, once we were where we needed to be, it was smooth sailing. Our guide gave everyone an ear piece to hear them better. Then, we were off!

This is a fast paced walk around the complex, including a look at the outside buildings. It was a cold winter day, but our guide didn’t seem to care. We were in and out of buildings without any regard for the constant back and forth temperatures. To be honest, it seemed almost random the buildings we went in. We seemed to zig and zag around and through buildings. Perhaps, that is just the nature of things here?

It was really interesting to learn about the history of the center. Our guide even showed us some photos on her tablet of people and places from years ago. It made the history aspect more engaging. I also enjoyed thinking about Mr. Rockefeller working on this center and Colonial Williamsburg, which tied my recent trips together.

It was also neat to have some of the artwork pointed out and explained. I certainly wouldn’t have noticed some of it or walked around like that on my own. However, I don’t think it’s a tour I need to repeat if I visit NYC again.

Pros

  • Informative – The guide was quite knowledgeable about the center and its history. It was more interactive than just reading about it online.
  • Unique – This is definitely an experience that’s unique to NYC and you can’t do it anywhere else. The artwork is best seen in person.
  • Artsy – This tour certainly made me more aware of and appreciative of the art around and in the center.
  • Short – I think the advertised 75 minutes was pretty accurate. I think any longer would be too long. It was a neat way to spend an hour or so.
  • Inexpensive – Lots of tours are way more expensive. This one was really affordable.

Cons

  • Bigger group size – We had about 20 people in our tour group, which is more than I expected. That made it a little difficult to fit everyone into small spaces or to stay together outside on the street.
  • Weather dependent – It was a cold day and not ideal for this tour, in my opinion. I’d save this one for a nice weather day, if possible. I’m sure it’s not much fun in the rain either.
  • Felt like walking in circles – I’m not sure if we really walked around in circles, but it sure felt like it.
  • A little dry – I appreciate the addition of the pictures on the tablet, but it was a tad dry. I can see why they have separate tours for children and families as this definitely wouldn’t have been entertaining for them.

Tips

  • Pick a good weather day – If you can wait until closer to your trip to buy tickets, pick a day with pleasant weather.
  • Buy a package – We purchased the Rock Pass, which we felt was worth the money. The tour was a neat add-on to help us explore and appreciate NYC.
  • Wear comfortable shoes/clothes – This is a walking tour that goes inside and outside.
  • Arrive a little early – If you don’t know for sure where you are going, then I recommend arriving early to find it. The center is large and can be confusing.
  • Consider booking Top of the Rock right after – We did the tour at 10:30 AM, which was great. However, I selected 4:30 PM for Top of the Rock and that was a mistake. It was way too crowded. I wish we had just gone right after the tour.

Should you do the Rockefeller Center Tour?

The tour worked well for us since it was our first time exploring NYC. I think it’s ideal for couples who like art or history. I could see lots of people getting bored though. If you are more into shopping or shows, then you might want to skip this one.

Ale and Compass Breakfast Review at Walt Disney World

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When I took a quick 48 hours trip to Walt Disney World late last year, I decided to eat breakfast at Ale and Compass at Yacht Club Resort. I’d heard many people online call it the best breakfast value on property. So, I thought I would check it out for myself.

Ale and Compass

Ale and Compass

Prior to this trip, I had seen several Youtubers eat at Ale and Compass. They all gushed over the value of the buffet here. So, it had been on my list of places to try for a little while. Then, I booked this trip to enjoy the holidays at Disney and it seemed like the perfect time to try it. I wanted to see the gingerbread carousel at Beach Club, which is directly beside Yacht Club.

I stayed at All Star Sports (review to come) on this trip. I could have taken a Lyft directly to this resort. However, I had extra time and didn’t want to spend the money. So, I rode a bus to Hollywood Studios. Then, I took the Skyliner over to Epcot. Finally, it was a short walk over to the Yacht Club.

Breakfast

At Ale and Compass during breakfast, you can order an entree or a “continental enhancement” buffet with an entree. Given the rave reviews on the buffet’s value, I opted to try it this time. For $28, you get an entree, the buffet, and a drink! Everything on the buffet looked good and fresh. I loved the fruit available. The pineapple was juicy. The grapes were fresh as were the strawberries. I really enjoyed the deviled egg. The biscuit and gravy was surprisingly good as well. Not the best I’ve ever had, but it was some of the best I’ve had in Orlando. The pastry I selected was pretty good too. Unfortunately, the cinnamon roll didn’t wow me. I found it to be dried out and lacking much flavor.

For my entree, I went with the Dark Chocolate Waffles. It comes with dried cherry compote, espresso-mascarpone cream, and chocolate shavings. My waitress highly recommended it and I’d seen several people online like it. Admittedly, I’m not usually a cherry fan. However, these waffles were delicious! The combination of all of the flavors went together really well! I figured I’d end up removing the compote, but I didn’t. I truly enjoyed this dish. In fact, I don’t think you need the provided syrup. I also selected turkey bacon for my meat. It doesn’t look all that appetizing, but it was good too.

Is the Ale and Compass Breakfast a good value?

At $28, this is easily the cheapest buffet on property. However, as with all buffets, it can be a lot of food. I think it’s an excellent value for hungry folks. If I return again, I’ll probably just get those tasty dark chocolate waffles since I didn’t have the stomach space to eat them all. Then again, the waffles alone are $16, so an extra $12 for a plethora more options seems worth it. The biggest “minus” of eating here is the location. It would make a great breakfast on a Hollywood Studios or Epcot day. Plus, it fueled my resort decor sightseeing day.

So, have you ever eaten here?

Save Money at Universal Orlando Resort

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With a brand new park opening later this year, many people may be wondering how to save money at Universal Orlando Resort. So, I thought I would share a few of my favorite tips to help people out.

Save Money at Universal Orlando

Save Money at Universal Orlando

Visiting any theme park can be expensive. I actually wrote a general how to spend less at theme parks post a while back. This post will focus on Universal Orlando Resort exclusively as there are little things you can do to save money on your trip, if you are willing to do some research and math. Here are some ways that I have saved money on a trip as well as a few ways I’ve heard of but haven’t actually done.

Save with Packages

  • Package deals – Universal almost always has some sort of promo that involves booking a room and ticket package with them directly. Sometimes, you can save a good bit of money with these packages. However, you have to pay attention to the details. If you were only planning to visit for a few days and the deal involves staying longer, then it’s probably not saving you any money. Also, a longer ticket means more nights in the hotel. Do the math before booking!
  • Special Offers – Similar to my save at Disney World post, I’m going to encourage you to keep an eye on the special offers page on the UO site. They drop new promos pretty consistently. However, you once again need to do the math on them before booking as they typically require a minimum number of nights.

Ticket Deals

  • Xfinity ticket deals – Xfinity/Comcast customers can sometimes get a deal on theme park tickets. I actually purchased tickets through them for a trip back in the fall, but had to cancel due to a hurricane. UO was able to cancel and refund my tickets directly, which was very useful.
  • Third party ticket deals – I’ve never actually purchased tickets from an outside vendor, however I’ve heard you can save a good bit. Personally, I would rather spend a few dollars extra for the piece of mind that I can call UO directly if I encounter a problem (like a hurricane) rather than dealing with the customer service of an outside entity that may not be as understanding.
  • Annual Pass – An annual pass would grant your admission to the parks for a year. It would also give you access to special hotel discounts. However, you would need to do the math to see if you are visiting enough days to come out ahead.

Save on Hotels

  • Third party hotel deals – Again, I’ve never actually done this. However, you can book Universal hotels on third party hotel sites. I’m not sure that you save much doing this, but it can be done. Again, I prefer the cancellation policies at Universal and prefer to deal with them directly.
  • Stay off-site – I’ve never visited Universal when I wasn’t staying on-site. However, I know lots of people like to rent a house or stay off-site to save money. Keep in mind you would also need to budget for transportation to/from the parks or parking and a rental car. Also, pay attention to cancellation policies, especially during hurricane season.

Save on Food and Merch

  • Food and beverage card promos – In the past, my mom and I have purchased a food and beverage gift card at Mardi Gras that was on a discount. So, it was like getting an extra discount on food.
  • Annual Pass – Currently, the two most expensive tiers of annual passes get you a discount on food and merch.
  • Buy souvenirs early – You can find regular IP (Marvel, Harry Potter, etc.) shirts on Amazon or at your local stores for much cheaper than you can in the parks.

How do you save money at Universal?

These are the ways I have either personally used to save money or have heard of others using to save money at Universal Orlando. Did I miss any? How do you save?

Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg Review

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Last month, I had the pleasure of staying at the Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg when I visited the theme park. I thought I would do a little review in case anyone else was considering staying here.

Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg

While visiting the theme park, my mom and I decided to book the Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg for two nights. It had good reviews online and appeared to be really close to the park. Plus, it had great rates for the two nights we were interested in staying. I’m happy to report that this was a good decision.

Standard Queen Room

For this trip, we booked a standard two queens room using the IHG flexible rate. This gave us the peace of mind that we could cancel the room up until 24 hours prior to the stay. The hotel was in good working order with all of the furniture looking relatively new. I have a minor complaint about the towels and comforter though. Both showed signs of wear and tear and were fraying. So, I think it would be nice if they switched those out more frequently. Additionally, the mirror over the sink was too close to the plug-in to be usable. So, I couldn’t dry my hair at the sink and had to do it over at the desk. Other than that, the room was pretty good. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a stay here if you are visiting the area.

Pros

  • Location – It is really close to the theme park. So, it was ideal for visiting Christmas Town and coming back late at night.
  • Affordable – It cost us $264.56 total (including taxes) for a two night stay in early December! We thought that was really reasonable/cheap!
  • Free breakfast – If you are in a hurry to hit the road or the theme park, they provide a free breakfast.
  • Nice accommodations – The room itself is pretty comfortable and great after a long day in the park.

Cons

  • Fraying towels/comforter – The towels and bedding could be replaced, but they were still usable.
  • Limited breakfast options – I wasn’t overly impressed with the free breakfast, to be honest. The options were limited. Unfortunately, the cinnamon rolls were dry and tasted artificial.
  • Plug in near mirror unusable – As I stated above, I had to do my hair near the desk in the room instead of at the mirror over the sink. Not a huge deal, but something to know.
  • No sink in the bathroom – This has a split bathroom situation where the sink/mirror is outside the bathroom and is in the main bedroom. Some people may prefer this set up, but I don’t.

Should you stay at the Holiday Inn Express Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

If you are planning a visit to the theme park, this is one of the closest hotels. It has lots of pros, with a few cons. I think it’s great for a family on a budget. If you are looking to splurge, you may want to consider staying in Colonial Williamsburg or another chain.

Tips to Celebrate Each Season

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Now that it’s the beginning of a new year, I’d like to share a few tips to celebrate each season.

Tips to Celebrate Each Season

Tips to Celebrate Each Season

Personally, I need little things to look forward to doing. I love that each season is so different (at least in Virginia) and has different activities and holidays to look forward to. Fall and Winter with Halloween and Christmas tend to get the most attention. However, I enjoy bringing the same enthusiasm for the season and activities to the rest of the year. So, here are some of the little (affordable) ways I like to celebrate each season!

  • Crafts – Over the past couple of years, I gotten more into painting door hangers and little items. I love that Target has even started offering different seasonal crafts. I also just purchased a paint by number canvas from Aldi. I also have a few color by number books. Crafts ease my anxiety and brighten my day. So, it’s fun to make seasonal crafts to hang up or just look at while you color.
  • Decorate – This one often goes along with crafts, but I enjoy changing out the decor around my home. I’m always home and the plain walls can be boring to look at. So, it’s nice to switch out a few items every few months.
  • Bake – I love to bake! I enjoy making seasonal treats. Give me all of the pumpkin and apple in fall. I love blueberries, lemon, and lime in summer. Winter is great for chocolate or spice. Spring is the perfect time to make my grandma’s rhubarb pie.
  • Pancakes – I know this ones seems really random, but it’s a really affordable way to celebrate the season. Walmart (and sometimes Target, Trader Joe’s, or Aldi) will carry special seasonal pancake mixes. I enjoy picking up a couple each season and trying them on the weekends. I just finished off a peppermint mocha one from Walmart and am hoping Target gets their Valentine’s Day red velvet one again this year. You can also mix and match with seasonal whipped creams from Target or Aldi.
  • Travel – It should come as no surprise that I enjoy travelling to different destinations to see seasonal events. Although, I tend to avoid summer travel since it’s so hot.

How do you celebrate seasons?

Do you do anything fun to celebrate the different seasons? If so, what?