Laughing Lindsay

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Disney’s All Star Resorts Overview

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In the years that I wasn’t blogging, I visited Walt Disney World many times. So, I have a lot of content I can put out on those experiences. I figured that I would start with reviewing the resorts since there are so many options available. Over the years, I have stayed at most of the on-site resorts. To kick-off my coverage of the resorts, I’m starting with the most affordable, Disney’s All Star Resorts!

Disney's All Star Resorts

Disney’s All Star Resorts

There are three Disney’s All Star Resorts: Music, Movies, and Sports! Each of them is considered a “value” resort at WDW. That simply means these rooms will be the cheapest on-site rooms available. Personally, I’m a fan of staying on-site due to the included transportation to the parks. Often times, that makes it worth the higher prices to stay at an official Walt Disney World resort. So, here’s a look at the three cheapest hotels.

Disney’s All Star Movies

Of the three resorts, All Star Movies has my favorite theming. I guess it feels more Disney-like to wander around seeing big statues of movie characters. The sections here include: Toy Story, Fantasia, Love Bug, 101 Dalmatians, and Mighty Ducks. I have stayed here a couple of times, but I think I prefer the Toy Story section the most. It reminds me of my childhood and gets me in the mood to visit Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. Plus, it’s considered a preferred section as it’s closer to transportation and the lobby, which is worth a lot after a long day in the parks.

Disney’s All Star Music

I’ve stayed here only once and it was a great solo trip. In fact, it was my last trip before the pandemic and my last as a WDW Annual Passholder. All Star Music has sections themed after popular music genres including: country, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, calypso, and Broadway. I paid extra to stay in the preferred section or calypso section and it was worth the few extra dollars to be close to everything.

Disney’s All Star Sports

Lastly, there’s Sports. I finally stayed at this Disney’s All Star Resort in December 2024! I guess it’s because I’m not super into sports. Also, this is a super popular one for guests competing at ESPN Wide World of Sports to stay at. So, it can sometimes be easier to get a room at the other two. Sports themed sections here include: baseball, basketball, football, surfing, and tennis. I stayed in the tennis section, which was great because I’m a Donald Duck fan.

Pros

  • Cheaper rates. This is compared to other on-site hotels and not necessarily off-site ones.
  • Family Suites at Music are usually the cheapest suites on property and great for a larger family.
  • On-site perks, including transportation, early entry, and booking dining length of stay 60 days out.
  • Fun theming to suit your tastes.
  • Newly refurbished rooms.

Cons

  • Noise. There are outside corridors, which leads to more noise. Additionally, the walls and floors tend to be thin. I’ve heard all kinds of things while staying in a value resort. In fact, I find the All Stars to be comparable to the Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites at Universal Orlando in terms of room quality and noise.
  • All three are popular with sports/tour groups. My advice: avoid them during competitions or school breaks.
  • One bed is a pull down bed. With the refurbishment, one of the beds became a pull-down bed/table. It’s just not as comfortable as a regular bed. It’s definitely not optimal for longer stays or older folks.
  • Buses are crowded. In fact, during slower times of the year, a bus will be shared between all three resorts.

Overall, I find Disney’s All Star Resorts to be great for a short trip on a budget. However, I think it’s worth it to spend a little extra for a longer trip or one when you need two actual beds.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tips

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Now that I’ve been back from this trip for a few months, I thought I would give some Busch Gardens Tampa Bay tips in case anyone else is planning a trip here.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tips

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tips

I previously posted about the Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours. So, I won’t go in to as much detail about those tours in this post. This is a general visiting and planning tips post.

  • Choose your hotel wisely. I had initially planned on staying near the park. However, some folks on Reddit made me change my mind. Once my mom and I visited the park, we realized what those people were saying was true. It’s in a safe area, but we much preferred the area near the airport. We ended up staying at the Hyatt House Tampa Airport Hotel and were pleased with that decision. The hotels near the airport were much nicer and it wasn’t too long of a drive/ride over to the park. Understand that it can be quite the drive from Orlando as well.
  • Download the park app and get acquainted with the map. The park no longer gives out maps of the park or a list of entertainment options. So, you will have to use the app to navigate the park. I didn’t realize that a portion of the park was closed and we had to backtrack at one point to get where we wanted to go. I might have known that if I had studied the app’s map a little closer.
  • Ride the train. While you will see lots of beautiful animals on the ride, it will also help you get acquainted with the layout of the park. We wished we had ridden the train earlier in the trip to get a better understanding of the park sooner.
  • Look at the park calendar. You can view the park hours on the website ahead of time. Be sure to look for any special events happening.
  • Book tours ahead of time. Some tours are popular and fill up quickly. Also, be on the lookout for specials to save money!
  • Arrive early. The park gets more crowded as the day goes on.

So, these are my Busch Gardens Tampa Bay tips. Do you have any others?

How to Save Money on a Disney World Trip

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I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Disney theme parks multiple times. So, here are my tips to save money on a Disney World trip!

Save Money on a Walt Disney World Trip

How to Save Money on a Disney World Trip

Most people know how expensive and complicated it can be to plan a Walt Disney World trip. However, not everyone knows these tips to save money on a Disney World trip! This post will be similar to my general theme park saving tips post, but it’s filled with more specific info on WDW. Some of these are super easy to implement, while others may require a few steps. It just depends on your needs and time/money available.

Save on Disney World Rooms

My first piece of advice to someone looking to save is to consult the special offers page on the WDW website. On that page, you can see the official specials Disney is currently offering to entice people to visit during certain times of the year. Years ago, you could count on certain promos running like clockwork. However, since the pandemic, those offers are fewer and far between. Still, it’s best to consult that page as it’s easy to book the promo and save money by just looking at dates in the listed range.

Another way to save on lodging is to rent DVC. DVC is Disney’s timeshare program. So, you are essentially renting someone’s timeshare at a deluxe resort. You can rent from an individual DVC owner directly, which can be cheaper but has more risks involved. Personally, I’ve used the DVC rental program linked above twice without any issues. I stayed at the Polynesian Resort in 2018 and at Old Key West (as seen in my Instagram post below) in 2019 thru them. I also recommend taking a look at their confirmed reservations for an even bigger discount.

You can also save on a room by booking thru a third party website. I used Orbitz back in 2013 to book a room at Pop Century around the busy Christmas holidays because Disney’s site showed no availability.

Both of these options (DVC rental and third party sites) comes with some tradeoffs. For instance, their cancellation policy is typically stricter than Disney. Also, you may not have the option to make payments prior to the trip. You will also have to link your reservation to your Disney account in order to book other things, it won’t automatically link like it does when you book direct.

Lastly, you don’t have to stay on Disney property when you visit. Personally, I enjoy the included free bus transportation to the parks and have never stayed off property. However, I know that there are loads of good neighbor hotels that are usually a good bit cheaper. Some include breakfast and/or a free shuttle. However, word of advice on the free shuttle: most of those are pre-scheduled times, not whenever you want like Disney’s transportation is. Also, taking an Uber/Lyft to/from the parks can eat up savings real quick. You can also rent a house nearby from individuals. There again, consider the transportation costs.

Save on Tickets

I hesitated to include a section on tickets because I don’t have a lot of experience with it. However, I want this to be a complete post. I’ve heard (never used) good things about purchasing discounted tickets from Undercover Tourist. I always just purchase my tickets directly as I tend to book packages and prefer the ease that comes with booking directly.

You may also save on tickets with an annual pass, if they are available. However, passes have gotten so expensive, that it takes more days/trips to make them worth it now. I had one from 2018 to 2020, but then let it go during the pandemic. It was nice to be able to go whenever I wanted and always have a room discount (as well as food/merch discounts).

Save on Food

There are a couple of ways to save money on food. You can save money by cooking meals in the room/house. Generally speaking, quick service restaurants are cheaper than table service. The BBQ pictured below is from a quick service restaurant in Epcot and didn’t require an advanced dining reservation! You can also share some meals (particularly flatbreads) at quick service restaurants. Additionally, Walt Disney World is one of the very few theme parks that allows you to bring in outside food, as long as it’s not in glass containers or requires microwaving/refrigeration.

Save on Souvenirs

While the ShopDisney website does not offer everything you can find in the parks, it does sell quite a few items you may want for your trip. Plus, they offer sales from time to time. Additionally, if you (or your child) won’t know the difference from a Disney plush/shirt/ears to a WDW branded one, you can find Disney branded items at Walmart, Target, and Amazon. Those items are typically much cheaper than what you would find in the parks. However, they won’t say the parks on them.

Save on Gift Cards

This one is a bit more complicated and sometimes not worth it. If you have a Target RedCard, you can save 5% on gift cards, including Disney ones. Then, you can use those gift cards to make payments towards your trip or to buy food/merch in the parks. Personally, I buy my gift cards at Kroger to get Fuel Points and save on gas. You can also earn gift cards on various websites online.

Conclusion

Shew. This is a long post. However, I wanted to provide readers with a detailed list of ways you can save money on a Disney World trip. So, have I missed any tips/tricks you like to use to save?

Tips for Visiting SeaWorld Orlando

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This is a post I probably could have/should have written months ago. I visited SeaWorld Orlando on three separate trips in 2022, so I have plenty of tips for saving money and making the most of your trip.

Tips for Visiting SeaWorld Orlando

Tips for Visiting SeaWorld Orlando

By and large, visiting SeaWorld/Busch Gardens theme parks tends to be a pretty laid back experience, particularly if you are used to planning a Disney trip. So, my tips for visiting SeaWorld Orlando are about saving money and making the most of your day.

Saving Money at SeaWorld

There are a few ways to save money on your SeaWorld Orlando trip.

  1. Book a package. Initially, we booked one of these in February 2022. However, my mom had a conflict at work and we had to cancel the package. So, I can attest to the fact they are really easy to work with if you need to cancel or modify a package. The vacation packages involve booking a room near the park (typically a chain hotel) and comes with several days worth of tickets. It also comes with some additional discounts for merch.
  2. Look out for sales. I said this in my SeaWorld Orlando Animal Tours: What to Expect post. However, I almost always booked our add-on tours using a discount. Their Black Friday/Cyber Mondays specials are typically really good, with discounts being better than an annual passholder discount.
  3. Consider a Fun Card or Annual Pass. If you are going for multiple days, a Fun Card can be a good way to save money on admission. The Fun Card does not come with additional discounts though. An annual pass comes with free bring a friend passes as well as merch and food discounts. My advice: do the math to see if either option saves you money.

Other SeaWorld Orlando Tips

  1. Have a rough outline of the day. SeaWorld doesn’t post their schedule too far in advance, typically. However, a few weeks out you should be able to get a good idea of what shows are happening and when. So, I typically have a general idea of what we’d like to accomplish with a Google Sheet schedule for the day to help guide our day. FYI: the only meal you can pre-book is the Dine with Orcas meal and show. If you want to eat at Sharks Underwater Grill, you will have to join the waitlist at the podium when they open.
  2. Look out for special events. SeaWorld Orlando hosts several special events throughout the year. You can see my Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando Review as well as SeaWorld Orlando Spooktacular Halloween posts to see what you can expect at those seasonal events. They will have specialty food as well as entertainment during those events. So, be sure to pencil those into your day if they are of interest to you.
  3. Download the app. They no longer offer paper maps. So, be sure to have the app downloaded if you need help navigating the park. Additionally, the app has an up to date park schedule to help guide your day as well.
  4. Plan a break. Seeing as how we have never stayed near the park, we typically just sit down on a bench in the shade somewhere and people watch. This gives us a chance to re-charge and enjoy the rest of the day.

So, those are my tips for visiting SeaWorld Orlando. Do you have any others?

Must Try Food at Hersheypark

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One of my favorite things about traveling is getting to eat new things! So, I thought I would highlight some must try food at Hersheypark!

Must Try Food at Hersheypark

Food at Hersheypark

There is lots to see and do in Hershey, PA. However, some of my most memorable experiences involves the delicious food! Seeing as how the Hershey Company is known for chocolate, it makes sense that their theme park would have lots of tasty options. Personally, part of the appeal of visiting here was getting to try chocolate on everything. As you will see, any chocolate or sweet fan can find lots to try here.

Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor

I initially was going to tell you about some delicious ice cream whoopie pies I had here. However, when I went to write this post, I realized they were no longer available. Although, you can get some tasty ice cream to cool off with from Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor! You can also get a big bucket of chicken bites with various sauces here! We tried the chicken and were pleased with it. I don’t have pictures as we snacked on them during a sudden downpour outside and the restaurant was packed! Plus, everything was wet. Nonetheless, I can recommend stopping here for a quick bite to eat.

Mini Donuts

We loved trying the flavor of the month mini donuts from the East Coast Donuts Truck! When we were there, they had these tasty donuts with a marshmallow glaze and Fruity Pebbles cereal on top! This was straight up childhood nostalgia for me and I would eat these again in a heartbeat!

The Chocolatier Restaurant

The Chocolatier is a full-service restaurant and bar that is just at the gates of the park. It is open year round and is certainly a must-do for anyone visiting. The best thing I ate in Hershey was at this restaurant. I got a huge slice of Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate cake that I split with my mom. It was amazing! I don’t see it on the menu currently, but I’m sure any of the desserts here would be just as good.

Hersheypark Foods I Wish I Tried

Seeing as how we spent only a few days at the park, I didn’t get to try everything I wanted to. If I ever go back, I’d like to try the crabfries from Chickie’s and Pete’s as well as anything from The Sweeterie.

New Foods for 2023

Hersheypark just opened for its 2023 season and announced some new foods! The Simply Chocolate dessert shop will have new King Size Shakes flavors! They’ve also added a new Philly Cheesesteak Co. location in the Pioneer Frontier region of the park. Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor is now serving a Chicken Bacon Ranch Grilled Cheese and seasonally exclusive ice cream flavors like Lemon Meringue Pie! Lastly, The Chocolatier will have some new seasonal dishes including a Summer Berry Salad and Peach Upside Down Cake.

So, if you have visited, what was your favorite food at Hersheypark? If you haven’t been, what would you like to try?