I can’t believe that summer has come to an end. Our summer was jam packed with so many schedules from balancing my new job, running the blog , family activities and organizing parties. It’s a circus. No wonder summer went by so fast. I’m just glad I spent a lot of quality with my family in spite of it . We made sure we did a lot of fun things with the kids this time of the year. We want it to be memorable for them of course.
So to wrap up our summer, before the kids go back to school. We visited The Smoky Mountain National Park at Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It was beautiful and fun ! We had a lot of good memories. But I’ll have to do a separate blog post on that one. As i want to talk first about this amazing place we stayed in Gatlinburg which is Margaritaville Resort.
First off, I love the island theme ! As born and raised island girl myself, it gave me bittersweet memories of the island life. From the atmosphere, decors and warm hospitality, it’s a breath of fresh air and makes you feel at home.
Right when you walked in their tropical decorated lobby, you are greeted with their wonderful staff and a refreshing citrus infused water. Some of you know i love my citrus infused water in the summer, it’s refreshing and healthy. Their staff, Shae and Thomas are so accomodating and helpful to us on what great local places to dine and to do around the area. They just makes things more easier for us. We are so grateful.
The Room
This hotel just opened last July 2018. No wonder why everything looks new and clean ! We got a standard room with double queen beds overlooking the pool. For a standard room, it is quite roomy and the bathroom is big. You’ll love the shower ! If you have little kids, they have a space to play and for you to have coffee too.
We love the views over looking the pool and the Smoky Mountain, it’s so serene and peaceful.
The Amenities
Downtown Riverfront Location
Walking Distance to Attractions, Shopping and Dining
Indoor Pool
Hot Tub
Expansive Outdoor Pool Area with Waterslide
Covered Terrace with Fireplace
St. Somewhere Spa (Full-Service Spa)
License to Chill Bar, LandShark Bar & Grill, Joe Merchant’s Coffee & Provisions, In-Room Dining
Variety of Suites Including Family Suites and One and Two Bedroom Suites
Everyday we make sure to visit the parrots. They are so fun to watch that made the kids begging for a pet parrot . Do you know that Gatlinburg have an attraction for parrots and all kinds of birds ? I’ll talk about that more on my next post.
After our hiking that day, a dip at the pool is a good idea. We enjoyed their water slide and my daughter loves the splash pad. The littles are having a blast in this area.
We absolutely have a great stay at Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg. I’ve read that fall season is amazing in Gatlinburg. As the leaves are changing at the Smoky Mountains, I’m sure it’s a sight to see. Go out and create those memories with your love ones.
Universal’s Island of Adventures is in a way connected to Universal Studios, the best way to get across from one park to the other , is to take Hogsmeade Station where you can board and ride the Hogwarts Express to King’s Cross Station in the London area of Universal Studios. You need park-to-park ticket to do this. If you are a Harry Potter fanatic, it’s a must. You’ll get to encounter familiar characters and creatures from the Harry Potter books and film.
I have to say there are more rides in Universal’s Island of Adventures than in Universal Studios , but both equally fun. It’s just that Universal Studios have more shows than rides. It really depends on your personal preference but both parks have shows, rides and entertainment for people of all ages.
My daughter’s favorite is the Seuss Landing, mostly all the rides here are suited for little kids. Right when you enter Seuss Landing, you’ll be greeted with all things fun and colorful. Inspired by the adventurous and fun books of Dr. Seuss.
Just so you know, get your camera ready because the park is full of characters, ready to meet you and pose for pictures ! I shared some tips on previous post about what you need to know before going to Universal Orlando.
Me, my husband and our son Lucas favorite ride is the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. I can’t believe how much time, brains and talent invested in creating this whole Harry Potter World. It’s mind boggling, truly amazing and spectacular.
As always, we stayed until the park closed. There are so much things to do. We probably didn’t get to do it all. But oh well, we had a lot of fun and that’s what matters. I don’t know if you are the type who plans everything to a T in the theme park , I know i’m not but my husband is kind of that way. He goes through the map, plans out and navigate our way. Which i’m really grateful of because i’m an exhausted mama who takes care of everything most of the time and it’s good that someone is taking care of other things. He always does.
On our day 3, we went to….
Universal’s Volcano Bay
Universal’s Volcano Bay is just a walking distance from our hotel Cabana Bay Beach Resort. They even have their own entrance to the water park . It’s so cool and was so convenient. Especially with kids, you want everything as convenient as possible.
Now let me tell you this, we are water park junkies. We go to one every summer. We’ve been to many in Michigan, Ohio, Florida and one in Hawaii. So far this water park is the best one yet.
I love the island theme. It reminds me of the Hawaiian tropics and everything about the design is so cohesive. Of course, water parks are always fun but one of the things that most people dread about, are the long lines. Volcano Bay have a solution to that problem. Here, the Tapu-tapu bracelets will hold your place in the line rides. In other words, a virtual line.
All the rides at Volcano Bay feature a Virtual Line. It changes how you wait – leaving you free to float, swim, splash, eat, shop or just relax until it’s your time to ride. Here’s how it works:
Tap in at an attraction with your TapuTapu™ wearable and you’re in the Virtual Line™.
You’re free to explore the park while your TapuTapu™ counts down the minutes to your return time.
When your TapuTapu™ vibrates, it’s time to return to your attraction with just a short wait before you ride.
The rides are amazing and they have a lot for all ages. My favorite is the Puihi of Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides. I love that we are all in that raft together and it was so much fun to see everyone’s reaction as we slide down and splash our way to the bottom.
One of the most Instagramable area in the park is the Waturi Beach. This man made volcano – waterfall is the highlight and the most beautiful thing at the park. It’s even more fun when the wave pool starts. My boys love the wave pool.
Our 3 days park adventures at Universal Orlando Resort was so amazing ! We had so many unforgettable memories that last a lifetime. Traveling in the company with those we love is home in motion.
Thank you so much for reading and have a great day!
We all look forward for spring break here, that’s the longest off days we have from school and a great time to get out from the cold here in the Midwest. I’m glad we came home with an actual spring weather. I’ve heard it was cold while we were away.
I will try my best to walk you through with some tips from park to park and also what’s a great place to stay when you are planning your Universal Orlando vacation.
There are many advantages when you choose to do an onsite hotel. In Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort for instance, these are your benefits:
Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay. You can can come an hour early before the park opens
Free shuttles so it’s always a quick hop between your room and the parks. This is very convenient and you don’t have to deal with parking.
Resort-wide charging privileges with your room key.
Complimentary merchandise delivery to your hotel from Universal shops.
Priority seating at select Universal Orlando restaurants.
Location
On-site at Universal Orlando Resort
15 miles from Orlando International Airport
12 miles from downtown Orlando
About the hotel
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort was built in 2014, it’s design is inspired by the classic Florida beach resorts of the 1950’s and 60’s. It has a very relaxing, fun and laid back ambiance. For a family of four we got the family suite which is 430-square-foot rooms that sleep up to 6 with two queen beds and a pull-out sofa, and include a sliding privacy partition. Our most favorite feature of our room is the bathroom, it is compartmentalized where everybody can ready at once. That is really smart and it truly maximizes our time especially in the morning where everyone are rushing to get out the door and start the day. It also has a kitchenette with microwave, refrigerator , sink and a coffeemaker. It is very convenient and truly made for families or group of friends. Since it was spring break, there were quite teenagers around but mostly families.
The hotel is right next to Universal’s Volcano Bay, only a walking distance. They actually have their own entrance to Volcano Bay, that saves you time because the main entrance is quite long. Aside from that, Cabana Bay also have their own exciting recreation for everyone. Just like their two massive pools, one of them have a waterslide, interactive kids’ play area and a Lazy River. They also have a bowling alley, arcade games and a big gift shop area. It’s non-stop fun and there are so much to do just in the hotel itself.
We actually extended our stay for one day so we can enjoy the whole day with their fun amenities .
Accommodation and Amenities
They have 2,200 retro style guest rooms including family suites with kitchenettes. Also, complimentary WiFi in guestrooms and public areas, Universal Orlando Vacation Planning Center where you can purchase and plan your Universal Orlando Theme Park tickets. Self-parking ( daily fees apply) . If you need a rental car they have also have it available on-site. They pretty much thought of everything to make their guest experience as comfortable and convenient as possible.
You’ll also find a lot of recreation and dining on site. After our 3 days adventure at Universal Orlando Theme parks, we spent the next day just to enjoy their pool and outdoor amenities.
They have ….
Lazy River Courtyard – features a zero-entry pool, a lazy river with waterfalls and cannons for interactive fun and The Hideaway Bar and Grill.
Cabana Courtyard – features a zero-entry pool with dive tower waterslide, interactive kids’ play area, cabanas for rent and Atomic Tonic pool bar.
Jack Lalanne Physical Fitness Studio – Complimentary for hotel guests
Game-O-Rama – Enjoy old school classics and the latest high-tech games (fees apply)
We always come back to the hotel late from Universal Orlando Theme parks. So glad they have a lot of Dining options available. Most of the time we just order room service because we were so tired. Delizioso Pizza have a lot variety and they have a great service as well. We didn’t wait too long for our pizza to arrive.
During breakfast, lunch or snacks, we usually go to Bayliner Diner. It is food court style diner. It is so laid back and a lot of your comfort food to choose from. We enjoyed our big breakfast there before we start our fun-filled busy day. Also, one of my favorite feature in this diner is their grab and go items from a variety of themed stations. You just grab an item of choice and go to check out counter yourself. It is so convenient especially if you only need a thing or two. It’s like a mini convenient store in a food court style diner.
They have Starbucks ! So coffee lovers, you know where to go. Actually it’s right next to Bayliner Diner.
If you want some indoor activities, they have a bowling alley and an arcade. It has a restaurant inside as well. We were planning to go bowling but we didn’t have the time anymore. We were worn out from the pool ! So little time so many things to do. But at least you have a lot of options to choose from. Everybody will have tons of fun !
For happy hour feel free to stop by at Swizzle Lounge for cocktails and made-to-order specialties.
Universal Studios Gift Shop to shop for souvenirs and basic necessities. It is quite big for a gift shop and pretty much almost have everything. From t-shirts, swimsuits, towels, sunblock, mugs, candies, toys and many more.
Day 1 : Universal Studios Orlando
Things you need to know before visiting:
Download the Universal Studios Orlando app. This is really important and I recommend to install the app before the trip. That way you get familiarize with the 3 parks and how to navigate your way through. This will guide you on how to plan your visit accordingly. It will also say the queue times of the rides, very user friendly. I highly recommend it.
3. How to strategically avoid the long lines. No matter what in all times of the year, Universal Orlando is always crowded. So I highly recommend to get the Universal Express or Universal Express Unlimited . We got the Universal Express Unlimited and totally saves us so much time. We get to ride our favorite rides twice and beat the long lines. Another strategy is to ride the rides from the back to the front. Most people ride the rides from the front to the back. You can also start with the big rides because most people ride the rides as they go. So it’s pretty much going against what most people would do. Also, check your app from time to time to check on queue times.
4. The “Child Swap” System. If your child is too small to ride or doesn’t feel like going on a ride that you would like to go, take advantage of the “child swap” system. One member of your party can wait with the little ones while the rest of your party rides. Once they are finished, switch places so whoever rode can stay with the kids, and the adult(s) who sat out can enjoy the ride.
5. Children under 3 get in for free and the first aid station located at the front of each theme park features a nursing station, so you can feed your baby in comfort and with privacy.
6. Food and Drinks . They are everywhere in the park from fast food to upscale restaurants. A lot of great restaurants and dining options for everyone at City Walk. City Walk has free self parking after 6 pm for all guest. We love to stroll around City Walk at night, it’s so lively. I suggest to pack some dressy clothes for some upscale restaurants or if you want to hit the club scene.
7. What to wear ? Dress for the weather, Florida weather always changes. It was spring time when we were there, so we experienced an afternoon shower. Around fall and winter, it’s usually chilly at night. So bring a light jacket with you. Don’t forget to pack some sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and first aid kit. If you are carrying bags, the security in the front will check your bags before you get in and most trill rides will require you to rent a locker. The small ones are free, the bigger ones have a fee.
8. Buy tickets ahead of time. You’ll save money by purchasing ahead and also avoiding the lines to purchase the tickets.
Now my greatest tip for you is to have fun ! There are so many things to do and so many choices. It can get overwhelming and it’s okay if you can’t do it all. The whole point here is to enjoy that bonding time with your family. Create those memories. Smile, laugh and just enjoy everything around you. It’s the people you love is what matters most.
Happy New Year everyone ! As for my first blog post for 2019, i would like to do a recap of our family highlights from last year. Disclaimer : It’s a long post as i’m trying to compressed those wonderful memories as much as i can.
I have so many contents and blogpost that i wasn’t able to publish that year because i wasn’t able to keep up and things went by so fast. So many ideas that i wasn’t able to execute. But why dwell on it ? Let’s move on and start a new slate for 2019. I hope this year will be as good or even better than last year.
Traveled with friends at Myrtle Beach and Charleston, South Carolina.
Last year, it felt like the longest winter ever. We had so much snow early in the season even up to almost spring time. So we and our family friends decided to go for a road trip together with our littles last Spring break. It was our first time going on vacation with friends with our kids. It was a lot of fun ! I still feel like it needs a separate blogpost because i have so much to say about the place and our memorable time together. But as for now i wanna mark it as one of my favorite memorable highlights that year. We felt so grateful for wonderful friends.
Family Summer Vacations
Usually around summer break we don’t take long vacations because Michigan summer is great and we swim in the pool almost everyday. So we gotta take advantage of that. What we do, is take short road trips and getaways. So last summer we went to Columbus, Ohio. Read our post here and here. I felt so humbled and grateful for that opportunity and experience.
We’ve never been to Traverse City, Michigan as a family of four. So we thought a short trip Up North would be a great getaway idea before school starts. Another separate blog post that i plan to make this year as i want to share more about our trip.
Our youngest is already in Kindergarten
Now this one is a tear jerker for me. Our little girl is the closest we got of a baby is definitely no longer a baby at all. For 10 years of being a stay-at-home, i am so used to having a child on my hip while tagging along another child. It was a juggling act between the two and i can’t believe that time has come that both of them are going to school full day. My exhausted sleep deprived self from years ago hoped for this day as i was struggling to handle the mundane task. Now, i just can’t believe how time flies. I graduated the toddler – preschooler stage but i’m up for another challenge. This time to raised these two as great individuals to the society. I am a student for life especially when it comes to parenthood. So much trial and error. I’m really hoping for the best for them.
My eldest hits 10 years old milestone
My boy, the one who made me a mom is a decade old. Also, we notice a transition from being a little boy to an almost teenager. Ugh, i can’t type teenager. It gives me chills. I’ve heard that raising teenagers is the most challenging. If you are mom with teens. I will need all the tips. While we are not in that phase yet. Hopefully, Lucas won’t give us a hard time. So far, he has been really good at school, he gets along great with other kids, helps out a lot in the house with me and his dad. He takes care of his sister and just over all greatness. I am really praying and hoping for the best. I don’t ask or expect so much from them, i just want them to be happy. To be safe, to feel safe. I want them to be kind, resilient, responsible, make good decisions and the right choices.
It’s really what i pray and hope for everyday .
I’m the hostess with the mostess
I don’t know whose to blame here either me, my husband, my kids or my friends. But it seems like all the parties is in the house this year. My house is far from being grand. It’s not even close to being clean and organized but i tried to temporarily hide all my slack before the party hehehe. Regardless, this is the tenth year we lived in this house. I hosted so many parties and social gatherings. But i have to say i’m more low key now and prefer small intimate gatherings. My kids love it when i host parties in the house. They still request it up to this day. Sometimes i give in, sometimes we negotiate. As i’m thinking all the social gatherings that took place in this house, there were plenty. Not just mine but for our family and friends as well. It gives me that nostalgic feeling of good memories, lots of fun and laughter. It really all boils down to that. The memories you all share.
Family and Friendships
This is probably a bit more personal and something that i don’t want to go into details. But somewhere along the line of friendships and relationship with family members, things happen. It’s a mixture of really good ones and not so great ones . My take away from all the happenings that year is to always be kind. Be the bigger person. Be humble. Be grateful. We are all getting older. All of us are going to that same direction. Do the good thing, do the right thing. Find the beauty of everything, appreciate little things and don’t take anything for granted.A life free of hate and guilt .All these are easier said than done right ? But words are a driving force. Exercise your mind everyday to be the best version of yourself .
Blog Collaborations
The last but certainly not the least. I’ve worked with brands that i love .Brands that i’m proud to promote and align with my vision to serve my readers. I still have so much to learn and still navigating my way through. I’m so happy and grateful for all of you who is along with me. My hope and goal for 2019 is to serve you better.
Thank you soooo much from the bottom of my heart. I really hope for the best of us this 2019. Cheers!
Every summer we always go to the zoo and the water park. Well, we got two in one at this family attraction in Columbus, Ohio. We stayed at Hilton Columbus Downtown Hotel ( check out our experience here ). I’ve never been to a zoo that has a water park. So this is something new to us and it’s actually a really great idea. Kudos to the city Columbus who came up with this concept.
We feel so grateful to partner with Hilton Columbus Downtown Hotel for accomodating us a complimentary stay during our fun weekend getaway at Columbus,Ohio. Just a little bit of information just in case you didn’t know, Columbus is known for it’s art scene. From galleries of professional and independent artist, performers, designers and film, this city is oozing with so much creativity and passion. It is the home of the art and now art have a new home – Hilton Columbus Downtown Hotel. This hotel have an amazing art display in every corner. The first thing i noticed right when we entered the hotel is it’s stunning, artsy and modern interior design. The furnitures are a tasteful mix of modern scandinavian meets industrial. I love the laid back yet luxurious modern youthful vibe of this hotel.
A week ago we went to Kings Island amusement park in Ohio ( here’s that post ). I mentioned in that post about the hotel we stayed at and this is it! We stayed at AC Hotel Cincinnati at Liberty Center. It’s a new hotel located in the beautiful area of West Chester, Ohio. It’s about 20 minutes drive to Kings Island, not so bad and its definitely worth it, i guarantee. The hotel is right by the Liberty Center, it’s a nice and posh shopping district with various shops and restaurants. It’s also a beautiful place to stroll , shop, a nice backdrop to take your ootd shots if that’s your thing. They also have a family park nearby where the kids could play with the water sprinkles, they even have a miniature train display….so cute.
