Shrmdougluvr
Give it all to me fool!
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
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Just spent 7 nights in Florida during my kids February recess (an Upstate NY phenomenon).
Not going to rehash the whole thing, but will do it Stugotz's Weekend Observation style:
Not going to rehash the whole thing, but will do it Stugotz's Weekend Observation style:
- Flew Jetblue out of Albany. No complaints, except my TV didn't work. Can't imagine a more convenient flight process that mid-day ALB.
- Pre-arranged for a driver to pick us up at MCO. Well worth it.
- 5 nights at WDW Dolphin. Cost 40k points on SPG Amex and resort fees ($266). Really good value.
- Nice lobby, but definitely not a hotel i'd pay a rack rate for. Rooms subpar. Double beds. Got kicked a lot.
- Excellent pool area. Liked it more than Hilton Bonnet Creek and the WDW Yacht/Beach Club.
- Extremely convenient as we visited EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. Walked everywhere.
- Enjoyed the entertainers on the Boardwalk each evening.
- Waited almost two hours to ride Frozen at EPCOT. Well done, but took my formerly favorite ride, and made it a soul sucking test of endurance.
- Little Shrmdougluvr is almost 5, and finally hit 40 inches to ride the big boy rides. Awesome.
- Disney is much more enjoyable when done in bits and pieces, as we have over the last two years.
- Saw plenty of Syracuse gear, and our waiter at Shula's was a Syracuse native.
- Spent last two nights at Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach. Transferred 40k points from Chase UR to Hyatt to cover the two nights.
- Stayed last year also, but hotel had been nicely refreshed. Great rooms with kitchenettes. Lots of PB&Js and cereal the last couple days to save money.
- Stopped at a Publix on way there (had rental car from the Dolphin). Elderly man at register recognized by Syracuse shirt, and apparently had seen the SU-Miami game. Was quite knowledgable about SU hoops and the ACC.
- Beach is gorgeous, but a little bit honky tonk (more Ocean City than Ogunquit). Less SU gear seen than at Disney, but a young couple saw my shirt and commented. They went SU undergrad.
- Did Memo's Pirate Ship cruise (sunset). Was skeptical, but it was a lot of fun and they really focus on the children, which is win-win.
- Took the car down the coast on short drive (Sand Key, Indian Shores, Redington, Madeira, etc.). Stopped at Treasure Island Beach. Sand not as nice as Clearwater Beach, but actually liked the vibe. Little more unkept, kinda like Pensacola Beach/Perdido Key, which we found to be gorgeous.
- Saw plenty of dolphins.
- Flew back Southwest, using Chase UR points i transferred, out of TPA. Much more convenient than MCO.
- A little boy on the flight was celebrating his fourth birthday. Apparently, he told his parents he wanted to see snow and make a snowman as his present, so his parents must have picked the convenient flight to ALB. I was nervous for them, knowing the unseasonably warm weather Upstate last week. We arrived in a bit of a squawl. Not usually happy to see the snow, but this made my day.
- Last Florida trip for a while (we've been the last three years).