Regal Oaks Resort in Kissimmee, FL {a 3-Bedroom Condo Tour}

My family and I were provided complimentary accommodations and attraction tickets for the #GoodbyeCrowds event. All opinions are my own.

A few weeks ago my family and I had the absolute pleasure of staying at the Regal Oaks Resort in Kissimmee, FL. Not only are the 3-bedrrom condos spacious, they're beautifully decorated, too. This post is picture heavy, so grab a latte, sit back and enjoy. There's even a BONUS video at the end. :)

{The kitchen is fully loaded with everything you'll need to prepare breakfast, lunch, or dinner for your family.}

{Master Bedroom}

{Second Bedroom with one Queen Bed}


{Third Bedroom with Two Twin Size Beds}

{The view from the top of the stairs}

{another look}

{Our day got a little rainy while we were at Aquatica. It was nice to go back to the resort and play in the pool with friends, once the rain subsided.}


{After a big day at Wild Florida and Gatorland, we came together as a bunch of bloggers and had a buffet of tacos. Four families all seated, either at the dining room table, or outside at the patio table, it was a night to remember, for sure!}

A Day Away: In Kissimmee, FL {#GoodbyeCrowds}

My family and I were provided complimentary accommodations and attraction tickets for the #GoodbyeCrowds event. All opinions are my own.

A couple of weeks ago my family and I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with some pretty amazing friends. Marisa and Carter, along with their families and {our now GREAT friends} Nori and Rochelle, our Experience Kissimmee hosts, met us in Kissimmee, FL for a weekend of NON-STOP fun!!

First stop: I-Drive 360. Sealife Aquarium, The Orlando Eye, and Madame Tusseauds Wax Museum are all fun attractions at I-Drive 360. That trifecta made for an amazing day!!

{This is Chely, the Green Sea Turtle at Sealife Aquarium in Orlando.}

As the kids journey through Sealife Aquarium, they collect stamps in their free Passports. They learn so much as they walk through the aquarium to see more than 5,000 creatures, see pregnant seahorses {did you know the male seahorses are the ones who carry babies?}, a cool, color changing jelly fish exhibit, a 360 degree Ocean Tunnel, and SO much more. There's even a hands-on Rockpool experience at the end! Have you ever touched a sea urchin? You can at Sealife Aquarium!

{the kids all earned their medals. Yay!}

Our next stop was to the TOP of world...or, at least 400 feet above Central Florida. The Orlando Eye has been a pretty hot topic in the news since it's first go-round in May 2015. In about 30 minutes we went to the top and back down, in our private pod, seeing distant sights like, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, the Orlando Skyline and much more. In your pod you have a digital guide to direct you in all you see.

{I might have had a couple of scaredy cats with me that day. Haha!}

 

{How many blogger kids can you fit in one picture? Can you believe this is only two families?? And, Mabry isn't even in the shot.}

While having already done Sealife Aquarium and The Orlando Eye, one might think the day is over. Nope, not yet! We still hadn't seen Taylor Swift, Vin Diesel, and Walt Disney at Madame Tusseauds. My kids thought it was SO COOL seeing Neil Armstrong and Abraham Lincoln in wax-form, as if they were truly right in front of them. It was a history lesson and a fun activity, all in one! Not to mention rubbing elbows with The Beatles, Will Smith and Brad and Angelina.

{Jett jumped in the ring with Muhammed Ali for a minute.}

{Marisa and I pose with an American Icon, Walt Disney.}

Our day at I-Drive 360 was perfect. With countless shops and restaurants that we didn't even get to go to, I can totally see my family going back to experience these attractions again AND have lunch and do some shopping.

Want to WIN a trip from Experience Kissimmee of your own?
Visit goodbyecrowds.com to choose from a Thrill Trip or a Chill Trip for Two. You can also text either ChillsFL or ThrillsFL to 313131 to enter. Limit one entry per person, per day.

As a first responders wife, I feel the need to also let you know of the SPECIAL OFFER that I-Drive 360 has going on for the month of September. Police, Fire, and EMS Personnel can take 50% off of single or combo attraction tickets. That's an AMAZING DEAL!

*****

Other adventures from our weekend include Dinner at Medieval Times, a day of waterslide fun at Seaworld's Aquatica, Wild Florida, Gatorland, Crayola Experience, and lodging at Regal Oaks Resort. Be on the lookout for more posts from these great locations! You can search the hashtags #GoodbyeCrowds and #MyKissimmee, if you want to get see posts from our whole group. 

Fun Spot America in Kissimmee, FL {Lives up to It's Name}

I was provided accommodations, theme park admission and tickets to local attractions in exchange for my feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you, Experience Kissimmee!

If you're looking for a FUN family outing for all ages, I've got a great day trip idea for you! Located right in Central Florida, the heart of the Sunshine State, is an amazing attraction FILLED with thrilling rides, arcade games and tasty treats galore.

While in Kissimmee, FL a couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of going to Fun Spot America and spending the day with new friends and all of the friendly staff. As soon as we met Lola, Fun Spot's Promotions Director, we were told of all of the high standards and expectations of their Amusement Park. I knew after meeting her, we were somewhere that was Top Notch. I knew we were in for an exciting day!

As soon as you pull into the parking lot, the first thing you notice is the Sky Coaster. How could you not? At 300 feet tall, Fun Spot America's Sky Coaster is the tallest in the WORLD. That's right, IN THE WORLD!!

Guess who rode the Tallest Sky Coaster in the WORLD? You guessed it! Jonah and myself, along with our new friend, Marisa of Adventures of Tampa Mama, braved the more than 120 foot free-fall together. {It was windy that day, so we were told that our free-fall was more like 140 feet...but, who's counting?! LOL}

The experience of being hoisted 300 feet into the air, pulling the ripcord and then plunging toward Earth was exhilarating! It was INCREDIBLE! I truly cannot describe it. It was unlike anything else I have ever done before. And to experience it with my son and a new friend makes it even more special. Since the height requirement is only 42", the whole family can ride!! 

Watch a video of our entire Sky Coaster experience here:

That's not nearly all there is to do at Fun Spot America! With more than TWENTY rides to choose from, we were in for a treat! First, we rode Go-Karts on tracks that are so unique they have patents. Patents, y'all! There are four Go-Kart tracks to choose from. The Vortex Track is 4 stories high and features the world's steepest banking curve at 32 degrees. When you come over that embankment you feel the drop. It's such a thrill! 

Jonah and I said more than once that we would love for the rest of our family to be here. The go-karts, the Sky Coaster, the Hot Seat, the Screaming Eagle and so many more rides would make the perfect day of fun for our rowdy bunch! Did I mention the yummy snacks? Our favorite snack stop of the day was to the Dippin' Dot stand. We LOVE Dippin' Dots!

{photo credit: Adventures of Tampa Mama}

{Selfie's were totally invented while the inventor was on a thrill ride. Look at Marisa and I having way too much fun on the Hot Seat!}




{Rochelle, one of our hostesses from Experience Kissimmee joined the boys inside the Monster Truck tire. We had two of the VERY BEST hostesses in Kissimmee!!! Thank you, Rochelle and Nori!} So, next time you're in Kissimmee {Orlando area}, take a break from the theme parks and go spend a day in Fun Spot America. You won't be sorry that you did!
Be sure to follow Fun Spot America on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for special promotions and deals. 
Win a Snowy Holiday of your own from Experience Kissimmee by either texting "snow" to 82257 or going to SnowyHoliday.com. The prize is a 3-day, 2-night stay at a Kissimmee destination resort, theme park admission and tickets to local attractions for the winner and three guests.

Snowy Holiday Fun in Kissimmee, FL at the Gaylord Palms

I was provided accommodations, theme park admission and tickets to local attractions in exchange for my feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you, Experience Kissimmee!

One of the amazing perks to living in Florida is all of the fun attractions and events that surround us. Within just a couple of hours, we can be right in the middle of Gainseville, Daytona or Tallahassee. A favorite of my family's, though, is Kissimmee, Florida. There's so much to do and see in Kissimmee...especially during the Holidays!

Recently, Jonah and I had the privilege of experiencing Kissimmee and quite a few of it's popular Holiday attractions. Over the next few days I'm going to share our Snowy Holiday travels with you. If you're looking for some incredible attractions and events to go to and make memories with your family, you'll want to be checking back often! I'll be sharing stories from Disney, Sea World and also from places you may have never heard of like, U Can Cook and Fun Spot...and boy, do I have stories to tell! Jonah and I had more fun in four days in Kissimmee, FL than we've had together in years!

The first stop on our Snowy Holiday Adventure was Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center. We were there to enjoy dinner at Sunset Sam's, watch a preview of The Nutcracker by the Orlando Ballet, see a performance by Luminescence, feel the wind in our hair as we rode Snow Tubes at Alpine Rush and set our eyes on breath-taking displays of ice sculptures at ICE! featuring The Nutcracker. You could say we were in for a very eventful evening of {very COLD} fun!

photo credit

photo credit

Gaylord Palms features three historic locations in Florida within their beautiful indoor atriums: St. Augustine, Key West and the Everglades. You can also see South Beach featured at the Quiet Adult Pool. In the photo above you see St. Augustine's Castillo De San Marcos.

photo credit

Our dinner reservations were at Sunset Sam's Fish Camp, located in "Key West" at Gaylord Palms. We boarded our vessel and dined under the twinkling lights. The atmosphere is romantic enough for date night and family friendly, too. Your kids will love that they get to eat dinner on a sailboat!

I enjoyed a Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, Fingerling Potatoes and a Grilled Tomato. It was divine. The steak was so tender and the chimichurri sauce was an excellent compliment to it. 

Next, we made our way to see the Christmas Tree Lighting and watch a preview of The Nutcracker performed by the Orlando Ballet. The dancers were are so graceful and beautiful. It made me want to find the nearest location to see the full performance.

After the ballet, we were dazzled by the breathtaking musical performance of Luminescence. When I say "breathtaking", I mean BREATHTAKING. There were numerous times throughout this show that I found myself either near tears or in complete awe of their talent. This band and group of entertainers will have you in the Christmas Spirit in no time!

{pictured is +TampaMamaAdventures and FrugalandFunMom's kids with Jonah}

The night just kept getting better; there is so much to do at Gaylord Palms during the Holidays! After the tree lighting, ballet and musical performance, we went to Alpine Rush to Snow Tube down one of EIGHT lanes of snow. This time my breath was taken by the sheer fun I was having! I felt like I was a kid again racing down the slopes in my snow tube. After tubing, we enjoyed a Hot Chocolate Bar, Rice Krispy Treats and Italian Ice. 

Finally, we went to discover what 3 million pounds of ice looks like. ICE! at Gaylord Palms is an exquisite display of The Nutcracker depicted in the form of sculpted ice. It's truly amazing. 

Before you step foot inside the 15,000 square foot, 9 degree "cold room", be sure to grab one of 1,500 parkas that is provided so you don't freeze your buns. Did you know it took Harbin Ice Carvers 11,160 hours of total carving time to create this Winter Wonderland.  

Photos truly don't do this attraction justice. I'm not sure what I expected to see when I first walked in...but, I was blown away by how beautiful and cold and colorful and cold it all was. {Yes, I said cold twice. It was cold, y'all!}

If you're looking for a fun Holiday event for your family then you'll want to be sure to check out Christmas at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL! On top of everything that I've mentioned above, you can also see Santa Claus or have Breakfast with Shrek and his Friends!

Win a Snowy Holiday of your own from Experience Kissimmee by either texting "snow" to 82257 or going to SnowyHoliday.com. The prize is a 3-day, 2-night stay at a Kissimmee destination resort, theme park admission and tickets to local attractions for the winner and three guests.

Want to follow along on all of the Snowy Holiday Adventures with Experience Kissimmee? Check out Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!