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Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House Review

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Back in December my mom and I shared a Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House while visiting for the holidays. Today, I am going to share my thoughts on that experience.

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House

My mom and I initially booked a Tavern Room for this trip. However, we received a call a few weeks out from our trip that they had overbooked our room. So, they upgraded us to a house. While normally you can book a specific house, we had no idea which house we were staying in until we were handed the keys. We ended up spending two nights in the Orrell Kitchen. FYI: Kitchens used to be a separate building from the house back in colonial times. So, while you may book or be placed in a “kitchen”, it’s still a whole separate home.

The House

At first glance, this is an adorable little home. There was a little sign on the wall detailing some of the rich history of this home when you first enter it. We were tickled to have our own spaces, with my mom taking the downstairs bedroom and I took the upstairs. However, as we spent sometime getting familiar with our home, we started to notice lots of little issues.

For starters, while there was two bathrooms, only the upstairs one had a shower. So, my mom took only one shower while we were here because she didn’t want to navigate the stairs. The stairs were a whole issue onto themselves. They totally couldn’t be built like that today. You can view them in my Instagram post to see for yourself how bad they were.

By the time I went to bed, I discovered another glaring issue: the lack of working heat. I was freezing the whole night. We went back to check in to inquire about switching to a room someplace but we were told everything was booked up. They sent maintenance out to look at the house. Apparently, they couldn’t get the heat to work either. So, they put a small portable heater in the upstairs room and called it a day. Thankfully, it was a small space so the heater was able to heat the bedroom. Unfortunately, the one bathroom with a shower was still a little chilly.

We also had issues with the lock on the back of the house. When we checked out, we couldn’t even get it to lock back. Upon returning the key to the front desk, we told them about the issue and they didn’t seem surprised. In fact they told us not to worry about it.

Pros

  • Location – The houses are located right in Colonial Williamsburg! It’s so easy to walk to everything. Plus, we loved not having to deal with parking during the fireworks.
  • Tickets included – Staying at any of the official CW resorts (including the houses) gives you length of stay passes to Colonial Williamsburg.
  • Unique – It’s truly a unique experience to stay in a house that old. I don’t know anywhere else you can do that.
  • Early access to booking dining reservations – This was especially useful since we were staying during one of their busiest weekends: the holiday season. We were able to book the Holiday Tea prior to the general public since we stayed on property.

Cons

  • Stairs – They didn’t have standards for building stairs back then. So, anytime you get a house with stairs, you run the risk of them being really bad.
  • Run down – I know these are old houses, that’s the whole point of staying in them. However, they really need some love and attention. They need to update the electrical system and put in more outlets. Also, the heat didn’t work in our house.
  • Weird bathrooms – The bathrooms also need to be updated. Once again, just like when I stayed in the Deluxe Suite last year, the bathroom ceiling cut in at an angle in the shower.

Is a Colonial Williamsburg Colonial House worth it?

Suffice it to say, that while it’s mighty convenient and neat to stay in colonial lodging, I probably won’t do it again. I’ll be looking at hotels the next time I visit Colonial Williamsburg, unless they do some major updates to these houses.

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.