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Articles Tagged ‘Orlando hotels’

Renovations add luxury rooms, lazy river to Orlando hotels

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Orlando-hotels By Pamela Mareghni

Whenever I’ve planned a Florida vacation, the Walt Disney World®Resort is usually the first place that comes to mind. And a Disney vacation really does have it all — with over 20 theme resort hotels, four theme parks, two water parks and two nighttime entertainment districts. Now it has even more to offer with the newly renovated Regal Sun Resort. I can’t wait to see all their updates on my next Florida vacation. Beyond the Walt Disney World®Resort, there are many Orlando hotels to choose from, including the new Hilton Orlando and currently-under-renovation Peabody Orlando.

Newly-Renovated Hotel in the Walt Disney World Resort: Regal Sun Resort

The Regal Sun Resort’s $25 million renovation was just completed in fall 2008. Just a few of the highlights include all-new rooms, a new large hot tub overlooking Lake Buena Vista, a pool area twice as big as before with a gradual “beach entry” and a kids’ interactive water playground. There is also a 24-hour café in the lobby and two new lounges, one with a view of the lake.

New Orlando Hotel: Hilton Orlando

The Hilton Orlando is slated to open in September 2009. While you have many Orlando hotels to choose from, this one really stands out. It is both a business traveler’s dream — being connected to the North/South building of the Orange County Convention Center via a covered walkway — and a pleasure traveler’s escape — having two resort pools and a lazy river. It also has a full-service spa, a 9-hole putting golf course, restaurants and a 24-hour marketplace. I could see myself drifting in the lazy river or putting around and never even making it over to Disney World!

Orlando Hotel Expansion Project: The Peabody Orlando

The Peabody Orlando is undergoing a $420 million expansion project with an expected opening of Fall 2010. Some of the highlights of the renovation include over 1,600 luxury rooms, a unique grotto pool with a pool bar, poolside cabanas with high-speed Internet access and a Napa Valley wine-themed restaurant. I think having a meal at this restaurant overlooking the grotto pool would be an absolutely enchanting dining experience.

With all these great new additions to the Orlando hotel scene, I know I will have a lot of choices to ponder before booking my next Florida vacation. Basically, whether you want to explore Walt Disney World®Resort or the greater Orlando area, there are many great new and updated Orlando hotels to choose from, both inside Walt Disney World®Resort and just outside it.

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Pamela Mareghni loves exploring cultures and languages through her voyages, which range from Fargo to France. Next to traveling, her second favorite thing to do is write about traveling.

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Posted in Disney Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Food & Wine, Orlando Vacation, Travel News | No Comments »

A Disney World veteran’s family vacation guide

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

Mickey_and_friends By Jim Cohn

Having lived in Orlando for nearly a decade, I had the opportunity to visit every Disney World  park and almost everything Disney on numerous occasions. The first couple of years we visited Mouse’s House were pre-kids — so, pre-stress, pre-diapers and pre-incessant whining for every souvenir under the Disney sun. I believe I also had more money back then. But our Disney World vacations went quickly from "Beers around the world" at Epcot to learning that monorails, parking shuttles and slow-moving park trains are among the most fun rides. And you can’t beat the lines.

There are a lot of things that being a local and a frequent park visitor taught me about navigating the Disney landscape, keeping the kids from meltdowns and even saving money on what can become an expensive family vacation if you’re not careful.

Where to stay

First, if you’re spending your entire Orlando vacation at Disney parks and attractions and not venturing to any other local favorites like SeaWorld or Universal Orlando, stay on Disney property. It makes life a lot easier than at off-site Orlando hotels,  with free transportation to anywhere you want to go between the boats and the buses, and really does add to the experience. All of the Disney World hotels are great, some better than others depending on the price point. Animal Kingdom Lodge was our favorite — very unique atmosphere and close to Animal Kingdom Park.

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The Orlando Hard Rock Hotel’s John Lennon room

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

Hard_rock_hotel
By Samantha Chapnick

For Beatles or John Lennon fans, the Orlando Hard Rock Hotel is like no other.

When our waiter overheard us talking about The Dakota and John Lennon, he casually asked if we were fans. Apparently our over-enthusiastic response must have impressed him. He mentioned there was a Lennon room in the restaurant but only devoted fans were granted access.

After dinner, Martin introduced himself as the person who’d be giving us the tour of the Lennon room. Seeing his black nail polish, dark black eyeliner, and wall of long black hair, I spuriously and erroneously assumed he’d be more excited to point out the goggles and outfit worn by Sex Pistols members or maybe even something from his generation’s equivalent of Metallica. Butdespite being the lead singer of a rock/punk band, he was a huge Beatles and Lennon fan.

After navigating the obstacle course of tables, going down some steps, through a locked door and down a hallway, we arrived at what I like to think of as The Inner Sanctum. Designed to replicate Lennon and Ono’s apartment in the Dakota, its a predominantly white room punctuated by poignant memorabilia. Here’s a little teaser of the items, for the rest you’ll have to go for yourself!

  • The white suit he wore on the cover of Abbey Road
  • The couch he used to compose songs — it was charming to see the wicker broken in places his elbows must have worn through while writing
  • A drawing of the family by John
  • One of the famous naked full frontal photos of John and Yoko
  • And my favorite piece — a menu from a now-defunct airline signed by all four Beatles. Apparently, the man sitting next to them, far before they were famous, got to chatting. When they told him they were in a band he casually said something like "Hey! Sign my menu in case you get famous one day." So many days passed before they became famous, he completely forgot he even had the menu. He stumbled upon it recently and it now resides in this room.

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Samantha Chapnick is a New York writer who scours international destinations looking for what hasn’t been found.

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Halloween events for all ages in Orlando

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

Disneyhalloween
By Samantha Chapnick

Whether you’re on a Disney World vacation or staying at other Orlando hotels, there’s no shortage of Halloween fun for all ages in the Orlando area.

Nick Hotel: Every Friday until Halloween, the Nickelodeon Family Suites does a party with a DJ at its outdoor waterpark. We went and were less impressed with the treats than the music and games — which were good. Expect slime and lots of it.

Halloween Horror Nights: Just seeing the billboard "photos" of Bloody Mary, the star of this annual Saw-like terror-fest, is enough to make a queasy person swoon. Would you expect anything less from Universal Orlando, with a full cast of scenic designers, make-up artists, scriptwriters and horror films at its disposal? This is a must-do for teens or anyone else with a strong stomach.

Mount Dora Craft Fair: This nationally ranked, juried event (Oct. 25-26) continues to attract more than 250,000 visitors and more than 350 of the best crafters in the country. Best of all in today’s economy: it’s FREE!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, through Oct. 31. The flip side of Universal’s Horror NIghts, this is about fun not fear. It’s "boo-free" as they like to say. Guests come in costume and trick-or-treat through the Magic Kingdom after regular park closing. Stay for the parade and fireworks.

Central Florida Zoo Boo Bash: Trick-or-treat in the wildest neighborhood in town at the Central Florida Zoo (Oct. 25-26). Another not-too-scary event for the whole family. Wear costumes and stop at trick-or-treat stations. Get your face painted, take a hayride, visit the pumpkin patch and learn about the myths and realities of some misunderstood animals. The price is Included in regular park admission.

SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular:  A "swashbuckling" good time recalls the popular pirate theme. Kids will encounter friendly pirates as they go to trick-or-treat stations and enjoy Halloween activities. Oct. 24-26 and Oct. 31.

Orlando Ghost Tours: Investigate the Greenwood Cemetery at night to see some real paranormal activity. And we’re not talking about your fellow tourists.

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Samantha Chapnick is a New York writer who scours international destinations looking for what hasn’t been found.

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Dinosaurs invade Downtown Disney at T-Rex Cafe

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

 TrexrestaurantBy Samantha Chapnick

Most parents greet theme restaurants with at least a minor groan — especially those with more refined ta stebuds and already ailing wallets. Even forgiving the food, the prices, lines, noise and force-fed commercialism seem disproportionate to the experience promised.

T-Rex Cafe, Orlando’s newest and hottest theme restaurant, opened today, seemingly determined to blast that stereotype. And for at least one family, ours, it has almost completely done so. Located in Downtown Disney and done in partnership with Walt Disney World, it retains the standards of the King of Illusion but adds the efficiency  of a company that respects its customers’ time constraints and intelligence.

From its life-size dinosaur skeleton (cast from genuine dinosaur bones) to the meteor showers blowing over diners’ heads, this restaurant was as lovingly crafted as a Cuban cigar.

Pride more than profit emanates from Keith Beitler, the Landry’s Restaurants COO, as he shows us around T-Rex.

"Every single piece was made by hand — see the bright colors, the detail!" he says of the coral reef adorning the walls and encircling the bar. 

Of the animatronic dinosaurs:

"That’s an anatomically correct adolescent. Kids know all this, everything about dinosaurs. That sign tells, how old, it is, how long it was, and when it lived.

Chef John Silenzio is equally as passionate about visitors, his staff and quality, albeit within given constraints. His attitude — that the staff need to have fun if the diner’s experience is to be fun  — is boosted through his cheerful personality, in-house giveaways (iPods, gas cards are a few of the random gifts), and lack of ego. It works.

As a gourmand who appreciates local, organic, fresh foods, I do manage my expectations of the food. This ain’t Per Se and it would take all of the hydroponically grown, organic sugar snap peas harvested in a year to meet the needs of one evening here. But it also isn’t Denny’s or Planet Hollywood.

The food is unquestionably a good value for the experience you are getting. It would easily sweep the awards in the "chain theme" category. Some appetizers are actually very good: Icecave
the flatbread and bruschetta being two, and Silenzio is focused on meeting diverse eating needs. If a party has a vegetarian, any allergies or intolerances,  the chef himself will come out to see what he can make and then bring it out personally to ensure you get what you ordered. As a vegetarian, I found this spectacularly accommodating in this high volume environment.

With that said, there are some small changes that would immeasurably improve the dining quality that I’d like to see implemented. For example, their signature dessert: a mind-blowing four huge squares of brownie, with caramel sandwiched between, would taste far better with a simple switch to a premium ice cream like Haagen-Dazs instead of the relatively flavorless current selection.

But all in all, with careful meal selection, this becomes an incredible immersive experience that doesn’t insult the diner’s intelligence or break her bank.

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Samantha Chapnick is a New York writer who scours international destinations looking for what hasn’t been found.

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Disney offers free admission on birthdays

Thursday, September 18th, 2008

Disneyvacation
The folks at Disney have come up with another way to entice tourists to their parks.

In 2009, anyone will be able to get into Walt Disney World and Disneyland parks for free on their birthdays.

Guests will have to register on the Disney site, then present the confirmation message at the park along with valid identification, including proof of their birth dates.

If you already have a multi-day ticket or pass, you won’t be left out. Just show it’s your birthday, and you’ll get a 1-day Magic Your Way base ticket to use any time until your next birthday, a FASTPASS badge, or a "fun card" equal to the price of a base ticket for use on merchadise and park activities.

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New York ranks best for mixing leisure, business travel

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

Newyorkhotels
New York City is ideal for combining business travel with leisure, according to a new Orbitz for Business survey.

When business travelers were asked what city makes it easiest to extend work trips with extra leisure time, New York topped the list, which also included San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando and Washington, D.C.

For international travel, London and Paris were noted most frequently as good places for adding leisure time.

Here are some other findings in the latest survey by Orbitz for Business and Business Traveler magazine:

• Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of travelers surveyed say they have extended a business trip with a leisure component in the last year.

• Eighty-one percent plan to extend an upcoming work trip, or are considering extending it, by adding vacation time with family or friends.

• 43 percent of respondents said they recently had a spouse, partner or friend accompany them on a business trip, without staying longer but simply sharing a room and seeing them during free time.

• 69 percent are willing to travel by car from a business city to a leisure destination; 47 percent are willing to travel 1-3 hours and 22 percent are willing to travel less than one hour.

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Westin Imagine Orlando hotel a best bet for business travel

Monday, September 15th, 2008

Orlando_hotels
By Samantha Chapnick

If I were a business traveler and needed to choose among the Orlando hotels, the Westin Imagine Orlando would be one of my top choices.

For starters, a little more than half of the rooms are one-bedroom suites. These are particularly well suited to business travel as they have a feature that is so intuitively smart, I wonder why few hotels have implemented it. The bathroom has two doors — one that opens to the living room and one that opens to the bedroom. People in either one can access it without disturbing the privacy of the other. In my mind, it’s a really important feature for anyone who plans on sharing a room with someone else — or anyone who has a partner, spouse or child who gets up earlier or stays up later then they do.

Second, I think the location is ideal. We’re talking tranquility and proximity. The convention center is literally across the street, and Universal Studios and CityWalk are a few minutes away by car or the hotel’s free shuttle. Plus, it’s an easy, traffic-free drive from Highway 4 and close to the part of International Drive that has the upscale restaurants and shops, but it’s far enough from the main roads and Disney World that there is virtually no noise from the city or families seeking mouse-made fun. 

Third, this hotel is an incredible deal. Thanks to its three-star rating, prices hover around $200 per night even during the high season, if booked in advance. However, in my book, the hotel we experienced was more of a four-star property.

The decor is lovely and all that, but it’s the service that earns my extra star.

Each staff member seemed to take personal responsibility for our happiness during our stay. I made several requests from housekeeping and the front desk, all were responded to literally almost immediately. Around 11 p.m., I asked for extra blankets and sheets to make up the sofabed. The housekeeper was there in under 3 minutes and insisted on making the bed himself. When I called the front desk with a time-sensitive Internet access problem, the hotel’s IT manager was in the room within (yes, literally) two minutes. When we were not able to get a good resolution from the telephone support  agent, he called the president of the company and his local sales rep and worked at it until someone came to physically fix the wiring in the hotel. While the problem was not solved as quickly as I would’ve liked, they did the best they could under the circumstances and made up for it by pro-actively reimbursing me.

if I were going to Orlando for a convention, the Westin Imagine Orlando would be my first choice of accommodations.

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Samantha Chapnick is a New York writer who scours international destinations looking for what hasn’t been found.

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Family travel: Top playgrounds in Orlando

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

Disneyboneyard
By Samantha Chapnick

Most theme park visitors with kids under 10 miss the best part of the parks — the elaborate playgrounds. So here are my personal picks for the top playgrounds in Orlando:

My 6-year-old daughter’s ninth time at an amusement park was the first time she enjoyed it. She, and her four under-48" friends, dutifully trudged to the attractions the adults thought they’d enjoy. And they did enjoy  rides like The Cat in the Hat at Universal Orlando and the kid’s roller coaster at SeaWorld. But nothing compared to the fun they had at what are arguably the world’s most elaborate and engaging playgrounds.

Orlando does everything amusing and over the top, and in this case, it’s the smallest society members who benefit.

• Walkabout Waters, Aquatica: This is my summer favorite, largely because it’s almost as much for adults as kids: We can play together. We climb up to one of the three tallest slides (about 60 feet high), shooting water cannons at each other along the way, and then wait for the 375-gallon bucket of water to dump on our heads.

• Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground, Disney’s Hollywood Studios: I sit on the sidelines while my daughter does her favorite things at this playground. She waits to get squirted, climbs on a giant ant, hides in the 30-foot blades of grass, and scrambles up the three-story net climb. Note that this playground is made from the actual stage props used in the movie.

• The Boneyard, Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Perfect for Indiana Jones fans, The Boneyard playground has similar facilities to the one at Hollywood Studios but with an archaeological theme. There’s a net climb, really cool yellow spiral slide, and "rusted" Jeep. The highlight for many younger kids is the big dig — a sand pit where they can uncover dinosaur bones.

• Lake Eola: A traditional park playground with a twist. The manufacturer, Kompan, builds equipment that goes beyond the typical jungle gym. They try to stimulate both the imagination and develop oft-neglected abilities like balance, coordination and upper body strength. They also happen to be very close to some cool restaurants … but more on that in my next piece on Lake Eola.

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Samantha Chapnick is a New York writer who scours international destinations looking for what hasn’t been found.

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Family-friendly Orlando hotel offers Italy escape

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008

Loews_orlando
By Samantha Chapnick

Orlando is all about the fantasy. Like Vegas without the naughtiness, it’s about being somewhere other than the middle of Florida. At Orlando hotels, you can be on Safari (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge), in the South
Seas (Disney’s Polynesian Resort), in a castle (Doubletree Castle
Hotel), under the sea with SpongeBob (Nickelodeon’s Family Suites), or even
in a bygone Florida existing only in our memories (Gaylord Palms
Resort).

A few months ago, we got a chance to escape to Italy — Orlando’s version of Italy, that is. The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is an oxymoron: a large hotel that remains well hidden — at least to people like us who had never been to Universal Studios. Here are the top reasons to stay here:

1) The Piazza. Sure we’d passed it numerous times on previous visits, but the architecture is so clever and detailed we never quite realized it was a hotel. The illusion is magnificent. Built around one of Florida’s lakes, the anchored boats and sea wall repeatedly fooled even this well-traveled writer into thinking we were in a harbor town.

The actual buildings have been disguised to look like a cluster of 20 or 30 palazzo all facing the harbor or the pool. And of course there’s the obligatory tower with a dome.

My normal skeptical self would be interested, but not particularly impressed, by even the most detailed replica. Architecture alone does not make a destination. As Italy is one of my favorite places, I do not take its imitation lightly. In this case, someone somewhere involved in the construction really got what makes an Italian town an Italian town — namely, the outdoor public gathering space where people have a chance to interact and play without being surrounded by piped in music, overbearing commercialism, or fluorescent lights.

The heart of this Orlando hotel is the Piazza abutting the "harbor." It’s a wide-open space that comes alive in the evenings. Families love it because the parents can sits peacefully at one of the outdoor cafes, restaurants or the gelateria, while their kids expend the evening’s remaining energy running around, chasing each other, observing the ducks, or taking the bolted-down Vespas for a spin.

It’s equally appealing to adults. Many of the guests I spoke with gave it kudos for being the most socializing-friendly common area of any of the Orlando hotels they had stayed in.

2) Express line at Universal Orlando. The hotel’s room key is an express line ticket. Anyone staying at the hotel can bypass the long lines and go directly to the express lane.

Drseussblog3) Kid suites. We loved our kid suite. Imagine two full adjoining hotel rooms: both with the same view, about the same size. Now take away the risk by making the second room accessible only through the first — there is no door to the hallway. And add kid-friendly decor, including big crowns on the end of the bed, whimsical tables and chairs, plenty of space to play. Some have bunk beds and some twins. For younger children, needing to walk through the adult room to get to the bathroom will go unnoticed. But for older tweens and teens it would have been nice if they had their own facilities or a bathroom accessible from either room.

And as of last month, they now have a few "Cat in the Hat"-themed kid suites with, as you’d expect, lopsided headboards, bright red duvet covers, and illustrations from the book covering the walls.

4) The Boat to Universal. We loved taking the Italian-style mini-yacht to City Walk and Universal. It took less than 5 minutes (super fast!) and was free ($$ savings!), and most important, we didn’t have to get a parking spot, deal with traffic or find our way, eliminating one major source of our family’s vacation stress. Plus it was fun!

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Samantha Chapnick is a New York writer who scours international destinations looking for what hasn’t been found.

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