Whew! 2weeks in Florida can certainly fly by when you're busy. With 5 sets of guests already having stayed in the house since we took possession it was our turn to head down to sunny Florida and attempt to make some of the changes we were planning a reality. It was certainly an eye opening experience, one that I'm glad we won't have to tackle again any time soon. At one point our kids had dubbed it one of the worst vacations ever!
Prior to our arrival we had arranged for some contractors to come in our first full day to quote for us the big kitchen reno. That went as planned and by the second day we had made our decision and moved forward with other tasks. What we hadn't anticipated was the amount of clearing out we had to do. The previous owners had kept all the old TVs, damaged linens and even personal items from the owners prior to them. We threw out a lot of stuff. The carpets had been cleaned prior to our arrival and next the tile floors had to be tackled. We are happy to report that the floors are very clean and look great.
It is amazing how little tasks can take up so much time and energy. We truly wanted to have the house feel comfortable and welcoming to anyone renting it. This way everyone can enjoy their vacation in their own home away from home. For the benefit of our kids we had to squeeze in some fun activities, this trip was not the usual busy take the theme parks by storm vacation that they are used to. As reported before we went to LEGOLAND, we tackled a mini golf course (that also had some gators the kids could feed, lots of fun!), Downtown Disney and on our last day after checking out of the house we went to Disney.
We left the house in the capable hands of our property managers, who are great people and crossed our fingers that the guests arriving later that day would appreciate our efforts. The kitchen looks so much different than it did before. In addition to changing the counters and adding a back splash we have new dishes and cutlery, glassware and small appliances. We hope if someone needs something it will be in a drawer or a cupboard.
In other areas of the house we put all new linens and towels, 3 bedrooms got new paint and the hallways which have seen a lot of traffic got a new coat of paint as well. Outside we cleaned and scrubbed the pool deck, cleaned the sides of the house and scrubbed the tile on the pool. It was like spring cleaning in July. We replaced the front door which had been badly mistreated over the years and installed a new deadbolt, handle and event a matching door bell.
It is hard to believe that all of those things took up so much of our time. I'm sure there was other things we did that I am missing in my list, but this will have to do for now. Next post I think I will focus on the fun stuff we managed to squeeze in while in the Sunny South!
Showing posts with label Legoland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Legoland. Show all posts
Thursday, 8 August 2013
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
A Visit to Legoland
I haven't posted in what feels like a long time. We've made our way to Florida and we're hanging out at the house. We are exploring Windsor Palms so we can share with everyone everything the resort has to offer. I was talking to one of the guards at the gatehouse and he was telling me that it's rained here every day for over a month. I checked the weather network and today it was not supposed to rain so we decided to check out LEGOLAND.
Our 7 year old is crazy about Lego, and I mean crazy. If he could he would play with Lego all the time and would own every Lego set ever made, especially Star Wars. Luckily our 10 year old daughter also likes Lego, she though is more of a collector. She has a lot of sets but her prised possession is her Lego Harry Potter sets, she has built them all and has them on display-not much playing happens with them.
So this trip is our first since LEGOLAND opened. We have seen coupons in the Lego Club magazine in the past for a free kids admission with an adult admission, but since the LEGOLAND discovery centre in Vaughn opened I haven't seen any. My brother in law sent some to us on his last trip down in the mail, but they seem to have vanished so this morning we set out on a mission to find some on our own. You can find on line savings but not as good as the one I mentioned above. We stopped at a tourist centre on the way and they also have discounts that allow you to visit a second time within the 7 days following your visit but we knew we wouldn't be able to take advantage of that. The employees at the tourist office said that they had heard of some coupons on Pepsi bottles and at McDonalds. So off we went to find a McDonalds. Our second stop was the McDonalds within a mile of LEGOLAND itself and we got the coupons and not only did we get the buy an Adult admission get a child's admission free but it also included entrance to the water park which we wanted to do! We had some extras which we will leave at the house for others to take advantage of.
The park itself was not overly crowded, I'm not sure if that's because it's a weekday or because it's been raining so much. We weren't about to complain though, the only ride we waited more than 10 minutes for was the dragon roller coaster. It did manage to rain a couple of times but that was okay as we were already soaking wet. The new Legends of Chima area was fun, a splash pad and a boat ride that sees you spraying others with water and getting wet yourself. The signs say you MAY get soaked, it should have said you WILL get soaked. We didn't dry off until we after we made our way to the water park and intentionally got wet. The ride was fun, but I would save it until right before I went to the water park or right before I was going to leave.
LEGOLAND is definitely geared toward the 2-12 crowd with a few bigger rides to keep the older kids and adults interested. Our kids definitely had fun and with the water park it was a full day. I think you could make it a full day without the water park (especially in the months the water park is closed) if you took in some of the shows which we did not get to see. The water park is not big but it was a great way to cool off and what is there is great. A good wave pool and the joker soaker had lots for the younger kids and adults alike to do. Overall we had a great time, I would only have a few comments about things to be aware of. If you've been to Disney World, this is not Disney. Often the rides loaded slowly even when the line was short and staff didn't always seem to know what they were doing. Every time it rained everything shut down, even if there was no visible lightning. Food pricing was reasonable for a theme park, still too much for what it is though and I would recommend avoiding the fried chicken.
There is lots of Lego merchandise (LOTS)and they do NOT accept the Lego VIP card, which is not great if you collect points or have points to redeem. The kids had their own money to spend but we told them to wait until we went to the Downtown Disney Lego Store to buy anything big because they have points saved that they can redeem. It's a good thing to be aware of.
We enjoyed our day and the kids came home tired and happy. I would recommend it to anyone with a Lego lover in the 2-12 age range. But keep your eyes out for coupons or specials, even with our 2 for 1 coupons it was still $200 for admission. If you have been to LEGOLAND and have any other advise for people leave a comment and if you want to go to LEGOLAND and have a question, ask and I'll do my best to answer. Thanks for stopping by and hopefully I'll have some more posts during this visit. Next up are home reno updates and a stop by Magic Kingdom and New Fantasyland.
Our 7 year old is crazy about Lego, and I mean crazy. If he could he would play with Lego all the time and would own every Lego set ever made, especially Star Wars. Luckily our 10 year old daughter also likes Lego, she though is more of a collector. She has a lot of sets but her prised possession is her Lego Harry Potter sets, she has built them all and has them on display-not much playing happens with them.
So this trip is our first since LEGOLAND opened. We have seen coupons in the Lego Club magazine in the past for a free kids admission with an adult admission, but since the LEGOLAND discovery centre in Vaughn opened I haven't seen any. My brother in law sent some to us on his last trip down in the mail, but they seem to have vanished so this morning we set out on a mission to find some on our own. You can find on line savings but not as good as the one I mentioned above. We stopped at a tourist centre on the way and they also have discounts that allow you to visit a second time within the 7 days following your visit but we knew we wouldn't be able to take advantage of that. The employees at the tourist office said that they had heard of some coupons on Pepsi bottles and at McDonalds. So off we went to find a McDonalds. Our second stop was the McDonalds within a mile of LEGOLAND itself and we got the coupons and not only did we get the buy an Adult admission get a child's admission free but it also included entrance to the water park which we wanted to do! We had some extras which we will leave at the house for others to take advantage of.
The park itself was not overly crowded, I'm not sure if that's because it's a weekday or because it's been raining so much. We weren't about to complain though, the only ride we waited more than 10 minutes for was the dragon roller coaster. It did manage to rain a couple of times but that was okay as we were already soaking wet. The new Legends of Chima area was fun, a splash pad and a boat ride that sees you spraying others with water and getting wet yourself. The signs say you MAY get soaked, it should have said you WILL get soaked. We didn't dry off until we after we made our way to the water park and intentionally got wet. The ride was fun, but I would save it until right before I went to the water park or right before I was going to leave.
LEGOLAND is definitely geared toward the 2-12 crowd with a few bigger rides to keep the older kids and adults interested. Our kids definitely had fun and with the water park it was a full day. I think you could make it a full day without the water park (especially in the months the water park is closed) if you took in some of the shows which we did not get to see. The water park is not big but it was a great way to cool off and what is there is great. A good wave pool and the joker soaker had lots for the younger kids and adults alike to do. Overall we had a great time, I would only have a few comments about things to be aware of. If you've been to Disney World, this is not Disney. Often the rides loaded slowly even when the line was short and staff didn't always seem to know what they were doing. Every time it rained everything shut down, even if there was no visible lightning. Food pricing was reasonable for a theme park, still too much for what it is though and I would recommend avoiding the fried chicken.
There is lots of Lego merchandise (LOTS)and they do NOT accept the Lego VIP card, which is not great if you collect points or have points to redeem. The kids had their own money to spend but we told them to wait until we went to the Downtown Disney Lego Store to buy anything big because they have points saved that they can redeem. It's a good thing to be aware of.
We enjoyed our day and the kids came home tired and happy. I would recommend it to anyone with a Lego lover in the 2-12 age range. But keep your eyes out for coupons or specials, even with our 2 for 1 coupons it was still $200 for admission. If you have been to LEGOLAND and have any other advise for people leave a comment and if you want to go to LEGOLAND and have a question, ask and I'll do my best to answer. Thanks for stopping by and hopefully I'll have some more posts during this visit. Next up are home reno updates and a stop by Magic Kingdom and New Fantasyland.
Monday, 10 June 2013
From the Longest Short Sale, to the Quickest close!
Things have finally settled down after a very crazy week. Our involvement in a very long short sale left us disappointed and drained, but we bounced back and found an even better home! Our closing actually happened this time. The house is still located in the amazing Windsor Palms Resort, it is 1.5 storeys, with an amazing open concept design, soaring ceilings and lots of room for everyone to spread out. Outside we still have a large private pool with waterfall spa, and lots of space to relax!
The closing was a whirlwind experience. I don't know if we could have done it if we hadn't been prepared to close on the other house. What was different about this closing though was that we had existing rental bookings that would carry over with the house sale. We ended up closing on Thursday, to give us a bit more time to prepare for guests arriving on Saturday. Everything fell into place before guests arrive and by the end of the weekend we had most of our advertising in place.
With guests arriving each Saturday for the rest of the month, I've been fielding calls and emails all week. Today we made our first booking through Home Away. Now we have a booking for July as well. I have to admit I was/am concerned about being able to get people into the house, when we took possession during peak season. Getting the reservation today and having our listing live on VRBO and Dwellable, is easing my fears.
I have to admit that I am getting excited about our trip in July. I am a big kid at heart and can't wait to go to Disney and check out New Fantasyland! There are so many things I would like to do at Disney World, but I don't know if we will be able to do it all this trip. Our just turned 7 year old son is a Lego fanatic and LEGOLAND is a must this trip. We will be arriving not long after the opening of the new Lego World of Chima area, this is fitting as we just had a Lego Chima birthday party for him.
Our "to do" list is still long and we have lots to do before we leave to head south. For the moment though I'm going to work on getting more sleep than I have been. Have a great week everyone!
The closing was a whirlwind experience. I don't know if we could have done it if we hadn't been prepared to close on the other house. What was different about this closing though was that we had existing rental bookings that would carry over with the house sale. We ended up closing on Thursday, to give us a bit more time to prepare for guests arriving on Saturday. Everything fell into place before guests arrive and by the end of the weekend we had most of our advertising in place.
With guests arriving each Saturday for the rest of the month, I've been fielding calls and emails all week. Today we made our first booking through Home Away. Now we have a booking for July as well. I have to admit I was/am concerned about being able to get people into the house, when we took possession during peak season. Getting the reservation today and having our listing live on VRBO and Dwellable, is easing my fears.
I have to admit that I am getting excited about our trip in July. I am a big kid at heart and can't wait to go to Disney and check out New Fantasyland! There are so many things I would like to do at Disney World, but I don't know if we will be able to do it all this trip. Our just turned 7 year old son is a Lego fanatic and LEGOLAND is a must this trip. We will be arriving not long after the opening of the new Lego World of Chima area, this is fitting as we just had a Lego Chima birthday party for him.
Our "to do" list is still long and we have lots to do before we leave to head south. For the moment though I'm going to work on getting more sleep than I have been. Have a great week everyone!
Thursday, 4 April 2013
Still NOTHING!
Arrgh! This is like a bad dream you can't wake up from. Update from earlier today is that the seller's lawyer is pressuring them to get an approval (the seller must be pulling her hair out, I mean she is the one who can't afford the property). The bank negotiator is saying "it is out of my hands now as I have made my recommendation for approval" She is also looking to her manager to get an answer. Her work is done so I'm sure she wants to get rid of us bugging her for an answer!
I've been assured that the weather is bleak and gloomy with lots of rain right now. I keep reminding everyone that it's still cold here and I'd like some heat! At this point who knows when we'll get an answer. I think I'll focus on some other things for the time being. My laptop failed in a big way on the weekend and we're in the process of putting things back the way they were. Our daughter has some testing coming up in figure skating and she's on the school basketball team which is keeping her occupied most of this month.
Our youngest is a boy infatuated with all things Lego and is dreaming of Legoland. Hopefully we'll go soon. In the meantime I've been recruited to organized his clone mini figures, the good guys, bad guys and all the guys in between! Off I go into our own mini-legoland! (or should I say minefield, have you stepped on those things..ouch!)
I've been assured that the weather is bleak and gloomy with lots of rain right now. I keep reminding everyone that it's still cold here and I'd like some heat! At this point who knows when we'll get an answer. I think I'll focus on some other things for the time being. My laptop failed in a big way on the weekend and we're in the process of putting things back the way they were. Our daughter has some testing coming up in figure skating and she's on the school basketball team which is keeping her occupied most of this month.
Our youngest is a boy infatuated with all things Lego and is dreaming of Legoland. Hopefully we'll go soon. In the meantime I've been recruited to organized his clone mini figures, the good guys, bad guys and all the guys in between! Off I go into our own mini-legoland! (or should I say minefield, have you stepped on those things..ouch!)
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
Spring has Sprung!
With the new season upon us, I'm trying to be optimistic! To have a little fun I sent an e-mail to our Realtor and his assistant asking for bets on what the Easter Bunny will bring us this weekend! We've been busy with preparations for the house. I have updated our website, and rates and contact information are now posted. Check it out and let me know what you think (www.mickeysgardenvilla.com) ! We did get an update from the seller's lawyer on Friday. It stated that the second banks negotiator has approved the sale, but she needs management approval. That approval is our final hurdle to closing this deal.
We've been having lots of conversation with our kids about what they would like to do when we finally get to go to Florida. As of now they have it narrowed down to a trip to Legoland, some mini-golf and a visit to a Disney water park. Now which Disney water park is still up for discussion. The 2 are Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. They both look amazing but for me Typhoon Lagoon is my pick. You can snorkel with sharks swimming below you, I really want to do that! Normally we go crazy at the theme parks, but this time we'll probable take it easy. We'll of course do some shopping so we'll hit Downtown Disney and probably City Walk at Universal, among other places.
I do have a large TO DO list when it comes to vacationing in Florida, but it's almost impossible to do it all in one trip so some things will have to wait. What's on your list? Leave me some comments about what you would want to do and I'll make a list of things to do in the Sunshine State!
We've been having lots of conversation with our kids about what they would like to do when we finally get to go to Florida. As of now they have it narrowed down to a trip to Legoland, some mini-golf and a visit to a Disney water park. Now which Disney water park is still up for discussion. The 2 are Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. They both look amazing but for me Typhoon Lagoon is my pick. You can snorkel with sharks swimming below you, I really want to do that! Normally we go crazy at the theme parks, but this time we'll probable take it easy. We'll of course do some shopping so we'll hit Downtown Disney and probably City Walk at Universal, among other places.
I do have a large TO DO list when it comes to vacationing in Florida, but it's almost impossible to do it all in one trip so some things will have to wait. What's on your list? Leave me some comments about what you would want to do and I'll make a list of things to do in the Sunshine State!
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
How do you Sleep?
I think I might be driving my husband a bit crazy. I'm a little obsessed with mattresses. I've been looking at options for the house in Florida. Of course we have to check out what's already there, have a good sleep on all of them. I personally am not the pickiest when it comes to firmness of the mattress, BUT I do really dislike saggy mattresses. I love my husband but I do not want to be forced into sleeping wedged into the middle of a bed with him. A girls gotta have some space to herself!
So I want to know what YOU like in a mattress! Firm, medium, pillow top, plush. I think I'm pickier about my pillow, and I travel with my own so it's not a big issue. I put a poll up on the right of this post, pick more than one option if it fits your needs. I want some opinions! If the poll doesn't help you describe what you would want to sleep on, leave me a comment!
I am hoping that we are in the home stretch with this purchase. I am itching to go and get things moving. I want to start renting the house, I want to take the kids to a Theme Park, any one of them. We have Canada's Wonderland but it's closed right now and it's just not the same! For our first visit this year, which will be both business and pleasure I think Legoland will be our goal. We've not been yet and I have a 6 year old who is saving every penny he finds towards his Lego fund! (He's doing pretty amazing, and I've been impressed with both kids saving since last January).
So as we move towards the one year mark, I'm starting to get down to details. Mattresses, furniture, paint and even getting my information package ready! But that's for another post. Enjoy the rest of your week and thanks for stopping by!
So I want to know what YOU like in a mattress! Firm, medium, pillow top, plush. I think I'm pickier about my pillow, and I travel with my own so it's not a big issue. I put a poll up on the right of this post, pick more than one option if it fits your needs. I want some opinions! If the poll doesn't help you describe what you would want to sleep on, leave me a comment!
I am hoping that we are in the home stretch with this purchase. I am itching to go and get things moving. I want to start renting the house, I want to take the kids to a Theme Park, any one of them. We have Canada's Wonderland but it's closed right now and it's just not the same! For our first visit this year, which will be both business and pleasure I think Legoland will be our goal. We've not been yet and I have a 6 year old who is saving every penny he finds towards his Lego fund! (He's doing pretty amazing, and I've been impressed with both kids saving since last January).
So as we move towards the one year mark, I'm starting to get down to details. Mattresses, furniture, paint and even getting my information package ready! But that's for another post. Enjoy the rest of your week and thanks for stopping by!
Monday, 18 June 2012
What Else is there to do when You go to Florida?
We are approaching 6 months since our offer was accepted by the seller on the house. While I patiently wait for an update this week I thought I'd put down some of the great things to do in Florida. We missed getting to see Star Wars weekends (maybe next year), so I need to have a list of other things we can do this time we visit. Just about everyone knows about Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Busch Gardens and more recently LEGOland Florida but what else can you do to fill some time while on vacation. Below I'll list some things I've come across or know of through friends and family.
1. Gatorland (www.gatorland.com)
My nephews had a blast here and where else can you sit on a gator and get your picture taken?
They also have a nice water play area for the kids.
It's about 17 miles and 25-30 mins from Windsor Palms.
2. Lets go to the BEACH
Coco Beach (www.cityofcocobeach.com), about 90 minutes (75 miles) from Windsor Palms. This
beach is very near NASA (another great destination) and Cape Canaveral.
Clearwater Beach (www.clearwaterflorida.com), beautiful white sand beach and among other
things, you can visit the Clearwater aquarium to visit Winter the dolpin -of Dolphin Tale fame
(www.seewinter.com). About 90 minutes and 87 miles from Windsor Palms.
3. One of my favourite things to do is MINI GOLF.
Florida has some of the most amazing mini-golf courses I've ever seen (although I'm sure there
others elsewhere). Here are a few to check out: Winter Summerland and Fantasia at Disney
www.disneyworld.com, Hollywood Drive-in golf at Universal Orlando,
www.universalorlando.com; Pirates Island Golf in Kissimmee is fun with 2 different courses, find
them at www.piratesislandgolf.com; finally there is Congo River Golf, www.congoriver.com.
4. OLD TOWN (www.myoldtownusa.com)
Kind of like a year round amusement park there is quite a bit to do. There is a ferris wheel and one
amazing looking go-kart track. A good way to spend a couple of hours if you want to get out but
don't want to make a whole day of it. About 15 mins and 8 miles from Windsor Palms.
5. ECO Safaris (www.floridaecosafaris.com)
I think I've mentioned this one before, but I think it looks like a lot of fun. (About an hour away
from Windsor Palms.
I think that gives you a few more things to mull over when planning your trip. There are tons of things you can do. I remember as a teenager going to Sarasota and visiting the Barnum and Bailey museum....maybe you'd see Nick Wallenda while you're there!
Hopefully I'll have another entry later this week with an update on the house. Until then have a great week!
1. Gatorland (www.gatorland.com)
My nephews had a blast here and where else can you sit on a gator and get your picture taken?
They also have a nice water play area for the kids.
It's about 17 miles and 25-30 mins from Windsor Palms.
2. Lets go to the BEACH
Coco Beach (www.cityofcocobeach.com), about 90 minutes (75 miles) from Windsor Palms. This
beach is very near NASA (another great destination) and Cape Canaveral.
Clearwater Beach (www.clearwaterflorida.com), beautiful white sand beach and among other
things, you can visit the Clearwater aquarium to visit Winter the dolpin -of Dolphin Tale fame
(www.seewinter.com). About 90 minutes and 87 miles from Windsor Palms.
3. One of my favourite things to do is MINI GOLF.
Florida has some of the most amazing mini-golf courses I've ever seen (although I'm sure there
others elsewhere). Here are a few to check out: Winter Summerland and Fantasia at Disney
www.disneyworld.com, Hollywood Drive-in golf at Universal Orlando,
www.universalorlando.com; Pirates Island Golf in Kissimmee is fun with 2 different courses, find
them at www.piratesislandgolf.com; finally there is Congo River Golf, www.congoriver.com.
4. OLD TOWN (www.myoldtownusa.com)
Kind of like a year round amusement park there is quite a bit to do. There is a ferris wheel and one
amazing looking go-kart track. A good way to spend a couple of hours if you want to get out but
don't want to make a whole day of it. About 15 mins and 8 miles from Windsor Palms.
5. ECO Safaris (www.floridaecosafaris.com)
I think I've mentioned this one before, but I think it looks like a lot of fun. (About an hour away
from Windsor Palms.
I think that gives you a few more things to mull over when planning your trip. There are tons of things you can do. I remember as a teenager going to Sarasota and visiting the Barnum and Bailey museum....maybe you'd see Nick Wallenda while you're there!
Hopefully I'll have another entry later this week with an update on the house. Until then have a great week!
Saturday, 4 February 2012
What to do next? Well, first the sale of the house has to be approved, but we need to be prepared because when it does happen we'll be ready to jump into action.
There are so many things that we need to put in place before we hope to welcome people to our vacation home. We have been researching management companies trying to find the best company to take care of our guests. With that project almost finished we've turned our attention to details that are a little more...fun.
We have been looking for some good travel books to have available for everyone to use at the villa. I'm a particular fan of "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". Our first 2012 acquisition is Frommers Florida. It's a good overall look at what to do and where to stay in Florida.
Does anybody have a favorite guide book? Would you rather have access to information about Florida or theme park specific guides?
There are so many things that we need to put in place before we hope to welcome people to our vacation home. We have been researching management companies trying to find the best company to take care of our guests. With that project almost finished we've turned our attention to details that are a little more...fun.
We have been looking for some good travel books to have available for everyone to use at the villa. I'm a particular fan of "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World". Our first 2012 acquisition is Frommers Florida. It's a good overall look at what to do and where to stay in Florida.
Does anybody have a favorite guide book? Would you rather have access to information about Florida or theme park specific guides?
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