Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

  • Home
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Posts by Destination
  • Posts by Season

Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites Review

August 10, 2022 By Lindsay 1 Comment

Back in February, when I Dined with Orcas, I stayed at Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites. So, I thought I would give you a brief review of my stay there.

Dockside Inn and Suites

Universal’s Endless Summer Resort is technically two hotels – Dockside Inn and Suites and Surfside Inn and Suites. Each is considered a “Value Resort” thanks to their typically low rates. They are across the road from one another, but each has their own unique theming and amenities. However, they do share a bus to/from the parks. The bus goes to Surfside first and then Dockside. Additionally, Surfside is the smaller of the two resorts. I’m hoping to stay at Surfside later this year for the first time, so this review is going to focus on Dockside.

Dockside Inn and Suites Room

My mom and I stayed at Dockside Inn and Suites for four nights. Upon entering the resort, we both remarked how nice it looked, especially for the price paid. Dockside Inn and Suites has a very relaxing sitting on the beach vibe. It was also comforting to know that this is a newer resort, so we didn’t have to worry about it being outdated or rundown. The room itself was simple yet stylish, perfect for us as we aren’t fancy people. I will say that I was surprised by how nice the room was considering how affordable the rate was. I will note that we booked a standard view room and was given a pool view, which is considered an upgrade. Personally, I’m not a fan of pool views since they tend to be loud. However, we were so busy this trip that it didn’t really matter.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

Pros/Cons of Staying Here

As I mentioned above, this is a bigger value resort. However, I was surprised to find school groups staying at our resort since I hadn’t realized that school field trips had resumed post-pandemic. My biggest complaint about staying at Dockside Inn and Suites has to be the noise. I don’t know if it’s due to the school groups or not, but we heard noise through the connecting door to the room beside us every night of our stay. We also heard some people running up and down the hallway and experienced long waits for the elevator. So, just something to keep in mind if you decide to stay here is the possibility of groups staying here and the accompanying noise.

Another aspect I was impressed with was the affordable food options found at the resort. The food court was often crowded at the beginning of the day and towards the end of the day with those groups. However, we enjoyed all of the food we had here and were pleased with the affordable prices. I highly recommend grabbing some chicken and waffles for breakfast if you stay here!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

2023 Update: Dockside Inn Two Bedroom Suites

I wanted to update this post to include a little review on the two bedroom suites. I went back for a second stay in December 2022 with my mom again. This time, we booked the suite for one night. The price was great for an on-site hotel. There was plenty of space for the two of us. However, we encountered the exact same problems I mention in my Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites Review. There was lots of noise to be heard. Once again, we encountered groups staying here. This time, it was for a sports competition. Additionally, the main bedroom is colder than the rest of the suite with the air directly over the bed. However, it was ok for a one night (literally 8 or 9 hours) stay. You can see pictures of our suite in the Instagram post below. Additionally, you can read my more in-depth Endless Summer Suites review here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

Is it worth it?

Dockside Inn and Suites is a great deal for staying on-site at Universal Orlando. It includes park transportation along with early theme park entry. I also enjoyed the easy going vibes. I just wish it didn’t garner tour/sports groups, but that’s to be expected with a reasonably priced resort hotel.

Filed Under: Hotel Reviews Tagged With: Orlando, Travel, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Resorts

Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud Show Review

August 4, 2022 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

If you’ve gone anywhere near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, then you’ve probably seen the advertisements for the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud. I saw them for over a decade before I finally attended the show in May 2022 because I didn’t understand the appeal from the ads. However, I’m here to review it and tell you why it’s now one of my favorite meal experiences in the area.

Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show

Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show

Being from far southwestern Virginia, I loathe the stereotype of Appalachian people being dumb folks. So, I will admit that some of the advertising (in addition to the price) kept me from trying the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show for several years. I honestly expected to witness some depiction of dumb rednecks feuding and didn’t have any desire to see that. However, when I watched the show I was happy to discover that it’s not that. While it doesn’t follow the true history of the family feuds, it also doesn’t necessarily mock fun of the people either. In fact, I really enjoyed the addition of the music and clogging in the show as they are true to the area.

I heard that they recently added a new part to the show. They are calling the new high-flying contraption a Billy-copter. I’m sure the new addition brings even more fun to the show and I’ll have to head back to check it out.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

The Food

This is my first dinner show review on the blog, but it was my third dinner show experience in Pigeon Forge. So, I can safely say that the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud has the best food of all of the dinner shows in the area! Everything here tastes amazing! You get fried chicken, bbq pork, the creamy soup that is found at all of the dinner shows in the area, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, rolls, and pudding for dessert!

Plus, it’s all you care to enjoy. So, if you want more of something, your waiter will bring it to you! That great hospitality seems fitting for this show set in the Appalachian mountains. My mom and I asked for more dinner rolls and pulled pork as they make great little sandwiches! Another thing that sets the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show apart from the other two shows is that you eat your meal before the show. We preferred being able to enjoy the meal prior to the show as we didn’t feel distracted. I recommend arriving early to give yourselves time to eat and ask for seconds before the show begins.

While I realize that a dinner show is expensive and not something many people can afford to do often, the food is really good here. Plus, you are paying for the experience of a show and a meal. So, to me it’s worth it. Plus, you can usually find a coupon if you look around online or find one of those coupon books around town.

Filed Under: Food Reviews Tagged With: Pigeon Forge, Travel

Dine with Orcas SeaWorld Orlando Review

August 2, 2022 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

One of the post ideas that inspired me to re-start the blog is a review of the Dine with Orcas at SeaWorld Orlando. I did this dining experience with my mom back in February of this year (2022) and had a difficult time finding current reviews on it. So, I’m doing a blog post on it in case someone else is searching for a more recent review of it.

Dine with Orcas

The Food

As I stated above, this is a review of my Dine with Orcas experience at SeaWorld Orlando from February 2022. One of the biggest changes to this experience in recent years is the food. Prior to the pandemic, it was a buffet. However, as of this writing it is a seated meal with a menu of entrée selections. Everyone begins with a basic yet fresh house salad along with your beverage. Then, you are served your entrée along with a dinner roll, yellow rice, roasted vegetables, and herb roasted potatoes.

I chose the Pan Seared Salmon (my food is on the left in the collage above) and was pleased with it. My mom enjoyed her Herb Roasted Beef and stated that it was good a few times. My salmon had a good taste and wasn’t dry; as is often the case with fish served to the masses. The corn salsa gave it even more flavor then eating plain fish. The roll was really good as were the vegetables. The potatoes were probably the least exciting part of the meal, but they weren’t bad.

Finally, a plate of desserts to be shared (seen in the collage on the right) was brought to the table. Seeing as it how was just two of us, that was plenty of food. However, we did have to discuss who got to eat which dessert since there wasn’t two of each type. I would have preferred less variety so that both of us could have tried everything. Either way, you can’t leave this meal hungry!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

Dine with Orcas Show

Moving on to the actual Dine with Orcas portion of the review, the show was somewhat short and sweet. I recommend arriving a little early as they appeared to seat people as they arrived. We were able to get a front row seat since we arrived early and we got to begin eating our meal before the show started. Some people arrived late, got a seat towards the back (probably still not a bad seat though), and appeared grumpy that they were served their meal towards the end of the show.

The show was probably about 20-ish minutes, so not too long for little ones to sit through. The show itself was filled with lots of fun facts about orca whales as well as neat tricks. It was simply amazing to be that close to such a huge yet graceful creature. The trainers even stayed after the show to talk with diners and answer any questions they had.

Overall, the Dine with Orcas experience at SeaWorld Orlando is something my mom and I will remember forever. My mom absolutely loved the experience and she can be hard to please. I also think it would be a great way to get out of the sun and enjoy a meal in the park if nothing else. While it can be a pricey meal, it is definitely a unique experience you won’t get at home.

Filed Under: Food Reviews Tagged With: Orlando, SeaWorld, Theme Parks, Travel

The Inn at Christmas Place Review

July 26, 2022 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I figured a good way to celebrate Christmas in July was to share my thoughts on my recent stay at The Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Spoiler alert: It’s amazing!

The Inn at Christmas Place

I have been traveling to Pigeon Forge ever since I was in high school and have rode by the beautifully themed The Inn at Christmas Place countless times. However, it wasn’t until May of this year that I finally got to stay there! My mom and I booked a standard two queen room for two nights and it was everything I dreamed of!

The Grounds of The Inn at Christmas Place

There’s so much to say about The Inn at Christmas Place, so it’s hard to know where to begin. So, I’ll start from the outside by gushing about the beauty of the outside of the hotel and the grounds. Immediately upon arrival, you will see their amazing double doors with wreaths made into the glass windows! It’s simply gorgeous and sets the tone for the entire stay. Plus, they have a courtyard with pond so that you can walk around outside and relax. They also have an outdoor pool in addition to an indoor pool, but we didn’t get a chance to experience those on our trip. You can view pictures of the outside and some of the indoor public spaces in my Instagram post below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

Inside the Inn at Christmas Place

Once you head inside the hotel, you can really enjoy the holiday spirit. There’s so much décor around every corner! In fact, at the end of each hallway is an uniquely themed holiday display! My mom and I enjoyed taking the elevator and getting off at each floor just to view the different displays. I highly recommend it. Warning: It may put you in the mood to walk across the street to The Incredible Christmas Place store to purchase everything you see! Take a look at some of the absolutely stunning decor!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

Inside a Double Queen Room

I just loved all of the little touches inside our room at The Inn at Christmas Place! For starters, take a look at the adorable “Silent Night” pillows on the bed! I thought that was a fantastic way to decorate! Plus, the small tree on top of the tv stand added even more festivity to the room! The bathroom also had some holiday touches! You can see all of these things, including the view from our room in my Instagram post below! Also, I can honestly say that I slept great in this bed! The mattress was very comfortable and the shower actually had a pretty good water pressure. Those are both things I look for in a good quality hotel room.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laughing Lindsay (@89linz)

I think it’s obvious why The Inn at Christmas Place became one of my favorite places to stay in just one visit. I love that I can experience the holidays anytime of the year with the wonderful decorations. Plus, the hotel itself is great quality, with a comfortable bed and delicious breakfast buffet included! So, I’ll end this post by including some tips for making the most of your stay!

Tips for Staying at The Inn at Christmas Place

  • Check out the special hotel run channels on the television to really set the mood (think fun holiday music and stories).
  • Look out for the special events taking place by looking at the event calendar in the elevator. You don’t want to miss your chance to see Santa!
  • Grab some cookies in the lobby every night for a fun way to end the day!
  • Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast with a great selection of food and a fun breakfast room! I also recommend trying their special Christmas blend of coffee.
  • Take the time to roam around the hotel and see all of the Christmas decorations, you won’t be disappointed.

You can celebrate the spirit of the holiday season all year long with a stay at The Inn at Christmas Place!

Filed Under: Hotel Reviews Tagged With: Pigeon Forge, Travel

Disney World Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour #DisneySMMC

February 20, 2017 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

If you are looking for a new experience at Walt Disney World or you are only visiting for a short time, then you should check out the Disney World Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour.

Disclosure: As an attendee of the 2016 Disney Social Media Moms, I received a complimentary tour for myself and a guest (my husband).

Disney World Ultimate Day of Thrills

Disney World Ultimate Day of Thrills

Last May, I was lucky enough to attend the 2016 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. Following the conference, I was able to set-up a VIP tour for myself and a guest. So, I scheduled my tour to take place during my Disneymoon on a Sunday. I’m happy to finally report on our experiences on the Disney World Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP tour.

There are actually two options for the Ultimate Day VIP Tours. There’s the Ultimate Day for Young Families and the Ultimate Day of Thrills. We opted to go with the Day of Thrills as it is geared more towards teens and adults in terms of rides on the tour. Both Ultimate Tours involve you and a group of other guests being led around the parks with a couple tour guides. These guides are very knowledgeable and friendly. Plus, they act as a fastpass for you to get on the rides. The tour lasts around 7 hours and it includes lunch along with special transportation between the parks.

At a price of $299 on top of a park-hopper ticket, the VIP Tour services are definitely not for the budget conscious. However, if you have only a limited time to enjoy the parks and want to make sure to hit up your favorite rides, then this is a great option. It’s also a good option if you are wanting to experience Disney World in a new way. It was fun to be led around by the tour guides who knew so much about the place. Plus, you get to go backstage to between parks. Oh, and you don’t have to stress about planning ahead of time.

We started our tour at Magic Kingdom. Our group rode Splash Mountain first thing. However, I didn’t want to get wet that early in the day. So, we sat that one out (yes, you are free to sit out rides by waiting in a gift shop or by the ride exit). We also sat out Space Mountain. We rode Haunted Mansion and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

The site linked above outlines a typical tour, but they do say that tours can change based on attraction availability. During our particular tour, Pirates of the Caribbean was down. So, we got to ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train twice to make up for it. I thought that was a nice trade-off.

Disney World Epcot Sunshine Seasons Lunch

After the Magic Kingdom, they whisked us away to Epcot where we enjoyed lunch at the Sunshine Seasons. Then, we got to ride Soarin and Test Track! Following our short trip to Epcot, we headed over to Hollywood Studios. There, we sat out the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. We also tried Toy Story Midway Mania for the first time and enjoyed Star Tours again.

All in all, it was a fun but busy day. The Disney World Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour is perfect for someone wanting to make sure they get to experience all of these fun rides in one day or visit.

Filed Under: Travel Tips Tagged With: Disney, Orlando, Theme Parks, Travel, Walt Disney World

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • Next Page »

Follow Me

Get new posts by email:
Powered by follow.it

Contact Me

Email me at linzer08@gmail.com

Grab My Button

Laughing Lindsay

Search My Site

Blog Archive

Copyright © 2025 Laughing Lindsay

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept
Privacy Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT