Hunting For Deer Means What?!

My blog’s draft section is getting full and some of the posts need to finally see the light of day. So, I will try to publish then on Thursdays. Most are of “filler” type variety, but I hope you enjoy them anyway.

A couple of months ago I’ve offered to treat my cousin-in-law and her family to a 2-night Orlando getaway. Our kids are the same age, so I figured it would be a good opportunity for all of us to drive each other crazy.

Additionally, our good friend was getting married in Orlando that weekend, so local hotel would give us a convenient base. After a lot of back and forth, I settled on Holiday Inn Celebration We were able to use our Saturday night stay (on both rooms) for the infamous IHG “Into the nights” promo.

I actually wrote my review of this hotel before  and mentioned that it wasn’t as clean as I would like it to be. Well, this time everything was fine. So, I think it’s a hit or miss kind of thing. I won’t go into detailed review of this property as you can see Trip Advisor for that

I will say that it’s a decent place to stay when visiting Disney, about 15 minutes away by car. At 20,000 points per night it can be a good deal during high season or holidays. The rates in the spring hover around $109 per night (plus $10 resort fee). When redeeming points, the  fee is waived.

There is a shallow heated pool, game room and a playground, all huge pluses when you have small children. Since we didn’t go to Disney parks, we were able to take advantage of all the amenities. Otherwise, if you will be gone all day, none of it will probably make a difference.

The thing my kids loved the most about the hotel was bunk beds. I mean, they went crazy when they saw them. My 4-year old son wanted to claim the top bunk for himself and had a fit when we said No. He climbed to the top a couple of times to join his sister, and we had to forcibly remove him. As you can see, there is a solid divider between the bunk beds and the rest of the room (wink wink). The most memorable experience was talking to other guests by the pool area. One lady was from Abaco island, Bahamas and mentioned that local residents resent Atlantis resort. She didn’t have anything positive to say about it, and mentioned that it made Nassau way too crowded. Apparently, she works in an exclusive country club in Abaco as a bartender and makes $4,000 per month from tips alone. I didn’t ask, she volunteered that info!

The most fascinating interaction occurred with a couple from Wisconsin. They were in their forties and mentioned that it was their first big trip without kids. To that I told her that my husband and I only go on one or two-night getaways.

The wife responded: “Oh yeah, we used to do that! I told my mother-in-law we were going hunting for deer up north and needed to stay overnight. Instead we would spend a night at a  hotel. She never asked us why we never brought back any deer from those trips.”

Oh my!

I also mentioned how staying at a  hotel sure beats camping. To that she nodded in agreement and said: “When we first got married, we used to live in a tent. Then we got a mobile home, and I said that I’m never going back.”

Makes sense to me.

Our activities 

We ended up hanging out in the Old Town and doing some rides that looked like something you would find at a State Fair. It costs 6 dollars for a go-cart ride or you can get a bracelet for $30 and do it to your heart’s content all day long. The kids had  a blast!

On our way to the wedding, my husband saw a shop that advertised raw milk. He pulled over and bought half-a-gallon. Worse yet, he took it to the reception (a dressed up event), put it on our table and poured himself a glass. Notice how it says “Not for human consumption, a treat for your pets.”

I used to think I was the quirky one in the relationship, but now I’m not so sure. We are two peas in a pod. There is no hope for our children. None.

 

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