Lindsay, Author at Laughing Lindsay

Gran Destino Tower – Disney Coronado Springs Resort Review

March 13, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

On my most recent visit to Walt Disney World, I stayed in the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort with my mom. Here’s a look at that experience.

Gran Destino Tower

Back in 2014, my mom and I visited Walt Disney World for the first time. While there, we attended a blogging conference held at the Coronado Springs Resort. We disliked how big and spread out everything was there, so we hadn’t returned in the decade since. However, back in 2019 Disney opened the Gran Destino Tower at this resort. So, when we spotted a deal on a room in the tower for our early February trip, we decided to try the resort again.

The Coronado Springs Resort celebrates Spanish, Mexican, and South American cultures. It’s a sprawling resort built around a beautiful body of water. Its size and resort classification (moderate) remind me of Disney Port Orleans Riverside Resort. Both resorts feature a lovely/romantic vibe but have totally different theming.

Standard Room

We stayed in a standard view room with two queen beds. Our room was on the front of the building and we had a view looking out at Hollywood Studios as well as the parking lots. I thought it was a nice view.

My mom and I were immediately impressed with the room upon entering it. In fact, I pulled up my email from when we booked to double check the price. Ha! We paid $220/night for the room and we definitely thought it was worth it! Everything still looks shiny and new. The room has modern upscale touches that make it easy to relax. In fact, we had a non-park day this trip and found this to be the perfect place to just chill.

Also, worth noting is how quiet this resort was. We didn’t have an adjoining room and rarely heard other people.

Pros

Park Transportation – It is only via bus, but it is still a great perk of staying on-site.
Close to bus stop – The bus stop for this area is right in front of the tower. This is a huge improvement over the last time we stayed here!
New – The tower is new, so everything looks sleek and pretty!
Close to food – This resort has lots of food options. There’s a restaurant at the top of the tower (Toledo). Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to try many of the foods here. However, I’d love to go back to explore those options.
Quiet – This was one of the quietest resort stays I’ve had. I loved it.

Cons

Multiple bus stops – The tower doesn’t change the fact that the resort is large and spread out. Sitting through multiple bus stops at the end of the night isn’t ideal.
Convention crowds – Since this is the only moderate to have a convention center attached, it can be a busy resort. The center probably increases the amenities available but it can also lead to crowds and higher prices during certain times of the year.
Bus only transportation – There’s no access to the Skyliner here or monorail. So, if you want to go somewhere, you have to take a bus. Also, this resort is kind of removed from several of the parks.
Not overly Disney themed – There are some nice touches, like a picture of Walt in the lobby and some Mickey’s in the wallpaper pattern in the room. However, this is definitely a more adult-themed resort. I enjoyed it, but if you have children, you may want to look elsewhere.
Few tubs – We had a lovely shower. However, I know people with children prefer tubs. I’m not sure how many rooms have tubs but that is something to request or inquire with the hotel about if it’s important to you.

Would I stay in Gran Destino Tower Again?

As I stated above, I hadn’t stayed at Coronado Springs Resort in a decade. However, I was very impressed with the tower. Since my trips are all adults only, I wouldn’t hesitate to stay in the tower again. Have you ever stayed in the tower?

Dollywood Seasonal Events Guide

March 7, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Since Dollywood opens in early March, I thought I would do a nice Dollywood Seasonal Events Guide. This post will highlight the various limited time festivals happening at the park this year. I will also link to separate, more in-depth posts on what to expect during each season of the year!

Dollywood Seasonal Events

Over the past several years, the park has really invested in their seasonal festivals. Each of these experiences is unique and fun. However, if you are wanting to see a certain festival then it’s important to plan your trip around the dates of the event and the park operating calendar. Without further ado, here’s a look at each of the festivals that you can experience at Dollywood.

I Will Always Love You Music Festival

The I Will Always Love You Music Festival was introduced in 2023 and is the newest festival. It starts when the park opens for the season and goes until mid-April. I visited in 2025 and wrote a guide to the festival. It’s perfect for any Dolly fans.

Flower & Food Festival

The Flower and Food Festival is the one most people think of when they consider a spring break trip to the park. I enjoyed my one visit to the park for this event and highlighted it in my Spring at Dollywood post. I loved looking at all of the Mosaicultures around the park. Plus, the food was pretty good! This event typically runs from mid-April to early June.

Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration

My post Summer at Dollywood 2022 was my return to blogging. So, you know it’s must be something good to inspire me to start this blog back up. My husband and I really enjoyed trying the different foods here and the delightful drone show! They also have lots of bright decor around the park. The Summer Celebration runs from mid-June to early August.

Harvest Festival

I think fall at Dollywood is one of my favorite times to visit! I love seeing all of the autumnal decor in the daytime and then seeing the park light up for the Great Pumpkin LumiNights. DW embraces the beauty of fall in the Smoky Mountains with their Harvest Festival. It’s not about Halloween here, but rather simple and beautiful fall! I’ve been lucky enough to attend this one several times! This festival typically goes from mid-September to late October.

Smoky Mountain Christmas

Last but certainly not least it’s Christmas at Dollywood! I’ve visited this one a few times as well. Pro tip: check the weather forecast if you are visiting this one as it could be really cold or a little warm, you never really know what to expect. This festival features lots of gorgeous decor and amazing lights! Smoky Mountain Christmas is a great time for all! Christmas starts in early November and goes until the end of the season/early January.

2024 Dollywood Seasonal Events

Well, there you have the full list of special limited time festivals that take place at Dollywood. Each festival is included with the price of admission. Plus, each event highlights the beauty of the location during that time of the year or embraces the public love for Dolly. So, which of these events have you attended or have you been eyeing?

Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival Tips

March 5, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Last year, I took a solo trip across the country to visit the great state of California. While there, I had the pleasure of experiencing Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival! It was towards the end of the event last year, so I didn’t write a post. However, this year’s event kicks-off in just a few days. So, I thought I would do a little guide with tips for anyone out there planning a trip!

Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival

For those who don’t know, Knott’s Berry Farm is a theme park in California. In fact, it’s just minutes away from Disneyland! I visited Knott’s while staying at the Sheraton Park Hotel, however I considered staying at their hotel. The fact it was undergoing refurbishment and didn’t have a working restaurant is the only reason I didn’t stay there on that trip. However, if I go back I’d like to stay there and explore that area a little more.

For those interested, you can read the full boysenberry history on the theme park’s blog. I recommend reading it if you plan on visiting. Suffice it to say: this hybrid berry is what started Knott’s Berry Farm and why the boysenberry festival is an annual tradition to this day!

2024 Festival

Something to keep in mind whenever visiting non-Universal/Disney theme parks is that other parks aren’t always open everyday or have their festivals going on every single day. That being said, the Boysenberry Festival will be taking place everyday between March 8 and April 7 and then weekends only until April 28. So, if you want to experience the festival, there’s a small window to catch it.

Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival Tips

Visit early – I visited on the last weekend of the festival last year. I pre-purchased a shirt and pin for the festival online. However, upon entering the park I discovered that they had sold out of all but a few festival shirts. So, I wasn’t able to get said shirt and received a refund. If specialty merch is important to you, I encourage you to visit early in the festival for the best selection.
Arrive early – I went on a Friday in May (they extended the festival last year) and was shocked by the crowds! Apparently, it’s a massively popular end of the year field trip for lots of California schools. I rope dropped the park and still encountered long lines for everything. My advice is to rope drop one important ride and maybe go on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Also, pay for the skip the line offering if rides are important. Also, grab food early as lines got long.
Check out the entertainment schedule – Granted, I attended a day that was considered part of the extension. However, I was disappointed to learn after planning my trip that Knott’s didn’t have some of the regular festival entertainment on the day I attended as it was seemingly reserved for the weekends. I’ve heard good things about the shows at this park, but I was unable to experience them for myself.
Make a plan – This festival is known for fun food offerings. So, I highly recommend examining the menus and watching YouTube videos for food reviews to make your selections before you visit the park.
Buy the Festival Tasting Card – I purchased the Boysenberry Festival Bundle last year, which included admission to the park as well as 3 food items from the festival. That made for a fun lunch and seemed like a good value to me. The regular 6 Festival Tasting Card seems like a great value as well.
Download the app – The official app has a map along with show times.

Why I would go back

As you might have noticed, I encountered some issues when I visited last year. However, the food was really good. In fact, thanks to this trip I learned that I loved a new berry. So, now I get excited whenever I stumble upon something with boysenberries in it and buy it. Ha! I wouldn’t mind going back on a weekday in early March or April to get the full experience. Have you ever experienced the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival?

Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast Review

February 28, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I’ve now had the opportunity to try Topolino’s Terrace character breakfast twice! I first went in October 2023 with my husband and then again a few weeks ago with my mom. So, I thought it was time to finally write my review!

Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast

Topolino’s Terrace is the signature dining restaurant at the top of the Riviera Resort. For dinner, it is a fancy signature dining experience. However, for breakfast it is a top tier character dining experience! To correspond with the French Riviera theme of the resort, it’s the Breakfast a la Art with Mickey and Friends meal! The views out over the resort and surrounding Orlando area makes for a unique dining experience.

The Characters

As I stated above, this is an art themed meal. So, Mickey is dressed as a painter with an apron and paintbrushes. Minnie is a poet dressed in papers as a dress. Daisy is a dancer. Donald is a sculptor. It’s so cute to see the different outfits on the characters. Plus, there’s a song that plays from time to time and then the characters dance around the room.

The four characters come around to each table to take pictures. The characters have had us stay in our seats both times I’ve eaten here. I think that maximizes the space of the restaurant and probably keeps things moving quickly. However, it doesn’t feel rushed. I think the seated meal makes it feel more peaceful and relaxing than a buffet. I enjoy not having to worry about missing a character while getting food.

The Food

Given that this is a plated meal and not a buffet, I think the meal is a much better quality. I think it also helps that it’s a signature dinner location. You begin the meal with a paint bucket full of pastries that includes croissants, mini muffins, and cinnamon apple muffins. They also include butter, Nutella, and strawberry jam to top your pastries with. I enjoy mixing and matching them.

Both times I have selected the sour cream waffles for my entree. I have been pleased both times. The second time I opted for the plant based sausage, but it’s a little dry and crumbly. The orange maple syrup adds more depth and flavor to the meal. The cream is a nice touch as well. I tried my husband’s quiche in October and it was really good too. I doubt there’s a bad entree here to be honest. Although, I have heard the bread pudding is a touch dry.

Is Topolino’s Terrace Character Breakfast worth it?

As with any other character dining experience, this is an expensive meal. It’s currently $49/adult and $30/child. My husband and I paid for the meal out of pocket in October and found it to be worth it. The food was really good and plentiful. Plus, the location and views were amazing. My mom wasn’t as convinced. We used the dining plan in February 2024 and she said she wouldn’t pay out of pocket for it. I guess it depends on what you want from a meal. My husband values food quality, taste, and ambiance more than characters. My mom likes to sample things from a buffet and see characters. I think she prefers the Cape May Cafe for character breakfast.

So, have you ever eaten here?

Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review

February 22, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

In December, my mom and I stayed in a standard tower room at Cabana Bay Beach Resort during the Universal Orlando portion of our trip. Today, I’m sharing a review of that experience as well as my thoughts on the resort as a whole.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Last year, I reviewed the family suite at this resort. For my third stay here, we booked a standard room. Unfortunately, a regular room wasn’t ready when we checked in. So, they gave us a tower room with a bit of a view of Volcano Bay (the waterpark).

As you may recall, CB is a Value Resort at Universal Orlando. This means it’s in the same category as Universal’s Endless Summer Resorts, which I reviewed previously. Previously, it was considered a Prime Value, but it has been downgraded to a Value with the addition of the Stella Nova and Terra Luna coming in 2025. It offers only bus transportation to the parks and doesn’t come with free express passes. It features a retro 50/60’s vibe with lots of fun little touches.

Standard Room

My mom continues to enjoy the retro vibes of this resort. I think it makes her feel nostalgic. The beds were moderately comfortable. One huge complaint I have about this resort is the water pressure. It’s not enough for the shower or the toilet to work properly. Universal really needs to work on that. Overall, it was a comfortable enough room, considering we got a passholder discount and were there for only two nights.

Bayside Tower

While we had a standard two queen room, it was situated in the Bayside Tower. I have mixed feelings on the tower. While the tower itself seemed quieter than the building, the view of the waterpark made for a loud stay during the day. The drums that beat and the music that plays at the beginning of the day woke me up the one morning that we were sleeping in. Additionally, we could hear music playing during the day when we were napping. The noise is one of the reasons I recommend getting a white noise machine and/or a standard view at hotels. The other problem is the distance from the lobby and transportation. It’s quite the walk with all of your luggage or at the end of a long day.

Food Options

Given that this is a Value resort, there’s only quick service options here. There’s the main Bayliner Diner food court that serves the bulk of you what you can get here. I recommend the half chicken for dinner from here. I like to grab a smoothie and a croissant sandwich from Shakes Malt Shoppe for breakfast. There’s also the Galaxy Bowl Restaurant, Swizzle Lounge, two pool bars, and a Starbucks here. Unfortunately, if you want a nicer sit-down meal, you’ll have to head to the parks or City Walk.

Pros

Free park transportation – Again, free park transportation is one of the main reasons I tend to stay on property at UO and Disney.
Early park admission – Hotel guests can enter a certain park 1 hour early.
More affordable – We got a great passholder deal on this room of around $150/night!
Pool – CB has the largest pool on property and even has a lazy river!
Bowling alley – Fitting the retro theme, there’s even a bowling alley at this resort! It would make a great non-park day activity.
Lots of room options – There’s interior entry rooms in the main buildings as well as the towers. There’s also several exterior entry rooms available as well as family suites.

Cons

No sit down restaurant – For some families, this may be fine. For others, it may be a disappointment.
Bus only transportation – It’s not really feasible to walk over to Sapphire Falls to take the boat to the parks here. Although, there is a 20 minute garden walk path over to the parks.
Low water pressure – In fact, when we moved over to Disney I was actually impressed with their water pressure. That’s how low the pressure is here.
Can be crowded – Given how large the resort is, it can be a crowded resort. Additionally, sometimes groups or teams may stay here.
Distance – Given how many rooms this resort has, it’s spread out as far as UO resorts go. Depending on where you are staying, it may be a bit of a hike to the bus and/or lobby.

Should you stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort?

If you want a good value on the hotel or need a quieter family suite, then this is an excellent resort. In fact, I know lots of people consider this one of their favorite resorts. It’s usually more affordable and has plenty of room options. If you want a classier theme, quieter resort, express passes included, or boat transportation, then you will want to consider a different resort. Have you stayed at Cabana Bay?