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Winter in Orlando Theme Parks Guide

January 9, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I feel like I just started this seasonal theme parks guide series, but it’s my last post. I just did Christmas in the theme parks, so now it’s time for winter in Orlando theme parks! FYI: I will be considering January and February as winter for this post. As in, the period of time after the holidays but before the spring festivities start.

Winter in Orlando

Winter in Orlando

If you aren’t familiar with the theme parks, you probably wonder why I’m doing a separate post from the holidays guide. That’s because there’s a couple of months wherein the holidays are over but the parks are still open and have some special events! Typically, the crowds are smaller during this time of the year. So, the parks host special events to draw people in.

Winter in Disney

The Christmas decorations usually come down in January, around/after the marathon weekend. You enter the half of the year where the Magic Kingdom looks normal without any holiday decor. The majority of the parks are somewhat quiet and feature special After Hours events to entice people to visit. I plan to visit in February and attend an event at Magic Kingdom, so be on the lookout for a review of that experience. However, in previous years it was a great time to ride the rides with minimal waits.

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The other big thing that happens in January and February in Walt Disney World is the Festival of the Arts at Epcot! You know from my Epcot Festival of the Arts Guide that I love this event and it’s my favorite seasonal event at Epcot. The weather is cooler, which makes it easier to enjoy the food around World Showcase. Plus, there’s lots of fun entertainment to enjoy. Festival of the Arts ends on February 19th and Flower and Garden begins February 28th this year! So, technically your winter trip could coincide with either or neither of these fun festivals!

Winter at Universal Orlando

Once again, we encounter another one of my favorite theme park events. This time, it’s at Universal Orlando resort and I’m talking about Mardi Gras. I posted a Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando guide previously, but suffice it to say it’s a fun time! The event begins the first weekend in February and goes until the beginning of April. Since it’s so long, I’m covering it in both winter and spring guides. I highly recommend riding on a float if you can. If not, enjoy catching some beads when you watch the parade.

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Winter at SeaWorld Orlando

SeaWorld tries to draw in visitors during this time of the year with several limited time special activities. For instance, there’s an Inside Look event taking place over two weekends that offers a behind the scenes look at how the animals are taken care of at the park. Just for Kids Weekend takes places one weekend in January. There’s also an Elmo’s Birthday celebration lasting one whole week. Additionally, from February to May, they have the Seven Seas Food Festival! We enjoyed a few food items from it one time and think it’s good for any foodies in the area.

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Where are you headed?

So, that’s an overview of what you can expect to experience in the Orlando theme parks in January and February. Are you visiting any of the parks this winter?

You can check out my other seasonal theme parks guides here:

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Fall
  • Christmas

Filed Under: Travel Tips Tagged With: Orlando, SeaWorld, Theme Parks, Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World, Winter

A Look Back at 2023: Year in Review

December 27, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe, but another year is coming to a close! Just for fun, I thought I would do a little look back at 2023!

Look Back at 2023

Look Back at 2023

Maybe it’s just me, but the last few months have flown by! I can’t believe 2023 is almost over! The end of a year always makes me reflect on what I accomplished or what happened. It also makes me happy to look ahead to the new year. So, here’s a brief look at my 2023!

Return to Solo Travel

Prior to the pandemic, I would travel a couple of times a year by myself. However, that all stopped during the pandemic. In May of this year, I finally resumed my solo adventures! I visited Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm by myself! This felt like quite the accomplishment as I had to fly across the country and navigate things all by myself. I also wrote a post Solo Disneyland: Tips for Going Alone in case anyone else is interested in doing the same thing!

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I wasn’t initially planning to visit Universal Orlando this fall. However, I ended up taking a bit of a last minute trip to see the Stranger Things house! Attending Halloween Horror Nights by myself feels like another accomplishment since their slogan is literally “Never go alone.” I also wrote Halloween Horror Nights Solo Tips for anyone considering taking the plunge to do HHN alone.

Visited Some New Places

I kicked off this year with my first visit to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. My mom and I visited the park for two days and enjoyed doing many of the Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours.

Then, in March my husband and I made a last minute trip to Colonial Williamsburg! It was his first time visiting and my second. Although, my first time was on a field trip in fourth grade and it’s a blur. I’m already discussing returning to Williamsburg for the food alone. You can read my Colonial Williamsburg Food Guide to see for yourself how good the food is!

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In June I managed to book a weekend stay in Mt. Airy, North Carolina with my mom. You can read my Andy Griffith Homeplace Review to learn about our stay. I also wrote a Mt. Airy Food Guide for Mayberry North Carolina that has gotten several views.

Returned to Some Old Favorites

In February, I was happy to return to Universal Orlando for Mardi Gras! In fact, my mom and I did the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine and absolutely loved it! I was also tickled to visit my favorite festival at Epcot: Festival of the Arts! My Epcot Festival of the Arts 2023 Review details why I love it so much!

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In September, my mom and I visited Disneyland for their Halloween festivities for the first time! You can read my Halloween 2023 at Disneyland Guide to see what I recommend. Suffice it to say that Oogie Boogie Bash is awesome!

Other Hobbies

In 2023, I also got into some other hobbies besides travel. I painted several door hangers and little home decor items. In addition to that, I also got better at baking. I made my first ganache for a chocolate peanut butter pie in September. In November, I made my first meringue for a pie for a family Thanksgiving get together. I realize these aren’t things most people would include in a post like this, but they are things I’m proud of.

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Looking Ahead to 2024

You may have noticed a pattern in this year’s travels: I did several last minute trips. I prefer to have trips planned out in advance. However, that isn’t always possible. I’m not certain where I will end up next year, but I currently have one trip booked for 2024. I will be heading to UO for Mardi Gras and WDW for Festival of the Arts in February again! My mom and I are leaning towards canceling our UO passes and visiting some other places in 2024.

So, what was your 2023 like? Where did you go? Do you have trips planned for 2024?

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: Disneyland, North Carolina, Orlando, Travel, Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World, Williamsburg

Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille 2023 Review

December 21, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

While visiting Universal Orlando for the holidays, my mom and I were able to experience The Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille at Islands of Adventure! We loved this experience last year, so I jumped to book it when it came out this year. There were many changes made to the experience this year, so continue reading to see if it’s worth it.

Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille

Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille

Last year, my mom and I absolutely loved this character meal at Universal. That’s why when Universal finally announced its return on October 19th I jumped on booking it. In fact, the site was a little glitchy and there was a long wait on the phone lines. So, I booked it without using my annual passholder discount for fear of missing out on it entirely.

Previously, this meal was held at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendus. That was the perfect setting for this experience. Unfortunately, the restaurant is currently under refurbishment and isn’t an option. So, the decision was made to move this meal to Confisco Grille for 2023.

Changes for 2023

Once the dust settled so to speak, I was disappointed to realize that Universal had increased the price dramatically while also lessening the experience. Last year, we paid $41.99/each and this year it’s $58.99! So, it went up $17 in just one year. Then, I realized it went from being a buffet to a plated meal. So, that meant less food. I also realized once initial reviews came out that it went from being The Grinch and Friends to just The Whos. So, we lost a few Dr. Suess characters with the change. Additionally, they removed the free photo downloads from the experience and instead rely on you using your cell phone.

So, was it worth the additional $17 for an experience that included less? Let’s get into the specifics of this meal.

The Food at Confisco Grille

We started the meal with a plate of pastries for the table. This included mini croissants, mini blueberry muffins, and a bowl of fruit. The muffins were dry and the croissants were fine. As for the fruit, I ate the pineapple and strawberries. My mom ate the watermelon and cantaloupe. They were good, it’s fruit. I also selected the Grinch Punch for my beverage. It was nice and fruity.

Then, we were able to select an entree for the main portion of the meal. My mom and I both got Martha May’s Chicken and Waffles. The waffles were pretty standard. The real star here was the combination of the whipped honey butter and hot honey drizzle. Everything combined (chicken, waffles, butter and drizzle) was a delightful experience. Then, there were a few random berries tossed on the plate for added color?

Lastly, a plate of sweet treats was brought to the table. It included those famous Grinch Cookies, Max treats, and red velvet hearts! We ate the cookies (a good but basic sugar cookie) and took the rest to go. Maybe it was because we ate them hours later, but the Max treats were fairly dry. It was basically a chocolate shortbread. The red velvet hearts didn’t seem like traditional red velvet. It was more of a chocolate cake pop colored red.

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Overall, the food was ok. We got more food than we could eat, but I don’t know that it was better than last year. In fact, I preferred last year’s spread so we could try green eggs and ham pizza plus chicken and waffles.

The Experience

As I stated above, last year’s meal included The Who’s, The Grinch, and Sam I Am. I’ve also heard of The Cat in the Hat and Thing 1 and Thing 2 meeting here previously. This year, it was just The Whos. While I enjoyed the added benefit of hearing them sing, I feel like it lost something to not have the additional characters coming around.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out how different this meeting was. Last year, The Whos walked around to each table and spent time with each guest. This year, they kind of wandered around the restaurant and stopped at the same spots to sing. Our waiter ended up flagging them down and making us jump up at the end of a song just to get a picture with them. It seems to be set up to enjoy their appearance/singing more than a meet and greet.

Additionally, this year you go to The Grinch after you finish your meal. I enjoyed seeing The Grinch interact with other guests last year during the meal. So, this meant less time actually being entertained by him. We were also disappointed to have to stand in a line that went outside to meet him. That kind of defeats the purpose of a character meal if I have to stand in a long line to meet the character, I think.

Also, the environment was a little lackluster. I think I read online that some people were told the restaurant was The Grinch’s cave. However, we weren’t told that during our meal. I understand that they had to change the restaurant due to the issues at the other restaurant, however it kind of felt like an excuse to do less with the space.

Is the Grinch Breakfast at Confisco Grille worth it?

Given the price hike and lessened experience, you have to wonder if this meal is worth the high cost. This is still one of only two guaranteed ways to meet The Grinch (the other being the Universal Holiday Tour) at Universal. Plus, the line was much shorter than the hours long one in the park. My mom and I agreed that if this was our first time doing this breakfast, then we probably would have been content. However, compared to last year, this is a much worse experience for a lot more money. I honestly don’t think I would book this again unless there are changes made (either goes back to the other restaurant and/or more character meets added). Then again, if this is your one and only holiday trip to UO, then it’s probably worth it.

Filed Under: Food Reviews Tagged With: Christmas, Orlando, Theme Parks, Universal Orlando Resort

Christmas in Orlando Theme Parks Guide

November 8, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe but it’s already time to discuss Christmas in Orlando theme parks! I feel like I just did my Fall in the theme parks post, but the parks tend to kick-off the holiday season immediately after Halloween. So, it’s time to breakdown what you can expect if you visit between now and the end of the year.

Christmas in Orlando

Christmas in Orlando

It goes without saying that the theme parks go all out for the holiday season! I love visiting during this time of the year as I’m a huge Christmas fan (who isn’t?). I also enjoy the typically cooler temperatures that can be found in November and December. So, here’s a look at what you can expect at each theme park.

Christmas at Walt Disney World

You can expect to see holiday decor at every theme park and resort on property. I love seeing the uniquely themed trees around the property. Disney Springs also has some amazing trees!

You can experience the holidays at Animal Kingdom and Epcot with a regular park ticket. Animal Kingdom has a menagerie of animal puppets that I hope to see this year! Beginning November 24th, Epcot has the Festival of the Holidays with food booths and special holiday storytelling in select country pavilions. Additionally, they have the massively popular Candlelight Processional with celebrity narrators each night. A dining package may also be purchased to guarantee a seat at the show.

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Magic Kingdom has decorations up. However, there’s also a separately ticketed event called Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which I reviewed last year. The first party of the year is tomorrow night, November 9th. I love eating cookies and seeing the toy soldiers march down Main Street.

New in 2023, Hollywood Studios is hosting Jollywood Nights. Its first night is November 11th. Not much is known about this event. However, it seems like a highly themed after hours event. I will be attending next month and will know more about it after that.

Christmas at Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando was late in announcing their holiday plans this year. However, I wrote an entire guide to the holidays at Universal Orlando last year. The highlights include a parade with balloons like the ones seen in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Additionally, there’s the highly sought after breakfast with the Grinch and Universal Holidays Tour. Don’t miss the holiday tribute store or themed trees at the resorts! The holidays kick-off at UO on November 17th and end December 31st.

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Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando

Last, but certainly not least is SeaWorld Orlando. I posted a Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando Review last year outlining what you can expect here. Once again, you can partake in the festive activities with a regular park day ticket with special food booths and entertainment. The Christmas Celebration at SeaWorld begins November 10th and is mainly available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the season.

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Where are you headed?

As you can see, there’s not a bad place to experience the holidays in Orlando. So, where are you headed?

You can view my other seasonal theme park guides here:

  • Winter
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Fall

Filed Under: Travel Tips Tagged With: Christmas, Orlando, SeaWorld, Theme Parks, Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World

Cabana Bay Family Suite Review

October 25, 2023 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

On my first solo trip to Universal Orlando Resort, I stayed in a Cabana Bay Family Suite! Today I am sharing my thoughts on the visit. I plan to stay in a regular room with my mom in December, so stay tuned for that review in the future!

Cabana Bay Family Suite

Cabana Bay Family Suite

I actually stayed at Cabana Bay Beach Resort for the first time on my very first trip to Universal Orlando back in June 2015. However, that was before I was blogging trips and prior to UO building out the resort with additional buildings. So, this was technically my second time staying here. I used a passholder discount to get this room for less than $200/night. Universal considers this resort a Value Resort since it’s one of the cheapest resorts on property, which puts it in the same category as Endless Summer – Dockside and Surfside Inns.

Interior Entry

I paid a few dollars extra per night to upgrade to an interior entry and I’m glad I did. I believe this made the room quieter as I didn’t have to hear the pool as much and the carpet probably absorbed some of the sounds in the hallways. It was also nice not being in the sun when walking to/from the room. I recommend an interior entry for these reasons alone.

The window in my room had a view of a parking lot and the back of the hotel. I did hear some noise from the outdoors, but it was probably much quieter than a pool view room. I also heard some sounds from the room above me. However, that probably can’t be avoided at any hotel these days. I was woken up by the sounds of people returning to their rooms on the night of HHN that I didn’t attend, around 1 AM. So, the interior entry doesn’t guarantee a completely quiet experience, but I assume it is quieter than an outdoor entry.

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Extra Space

The reason Universal considers this a suite is because it’s a larger room with more space. It features a sitting area with a pull out couch and tv. There’s also a little kitchenette area. I really enjoyed this additional space as I brought up several meals to the room to eat at the table while watching tv. It made for a relaxing experience. I also sat on the couch to watch some tv and it was moderately comfortable. The chairs in the living room were admittedly less so.

There’s a sliding door to separate the extra space from the bedroom. Obviously, I never needed to use that door. However, I think it would be useful if a bigger family was sharing the space.

The suite also offers a different bathroom configuration. There’s a water closet (separate toilet), followed by a lighted vanity/sink combo in the middle, and then a shower/sink combo. There isn’t anything separating the bathroom space from the beds. I think a curtain or sliding door would be useful here.

Pros

  • More space – this would be great for a family to have more space.
  • Separate space to get ready – the bathroom configuration means someone can get ready while someone else showers.
  • Quieter than some – this was definitely quieter than a suite at Endless Summer.
  • Fun theme – I think most people enjoy the retro theme here.
  • Moderately affordable – depending on the time of the year, it’s a moderately affordable upgrade.
  • Good amount of plug ins – Since this is a room meant to hold more people, it has a good amount of electrical plug ins.

Cons

  • Nothing separating the bathroom area – A curtain or sliding door would be useful to conceal this area from the beds.
  • Costs more – A suite is more expensive than a standard room and an interior entry is more expensive than an exterior entry room.

Is a Cabana Bay Family Suite Worth it?

I enjoyed my stay in a Cabana Bay Family Suite. If it’s in the budget, I think it’s a good choice for a Universal Orlando trip.

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

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