Full Bloom Blog

So before we get started, let me just say that it is going to be very hard for me to keep this post at a reasonable length. I have so many beautiful photos and great memories from this trip, please be patient with me! I will try to break up the trip into more digestible pieces – but I cannot guarantee that I will not get carried away.

For our ten year wedding anniversary, Erik and I wanted to take a vacation, just the two of us. To save you the long story of how we landed on our location decision, the gist is that traveling during an international pandemic is challenging and we wanted to optimize vacation time, minimize travel time and not break the bank through all of it. We secured this fantastic vacation package through Costco and really got the best of every situation during the whole trip. The reason we called our trip “Ticket-less” because (aside from our flight) we did nothing in Orlando that required a ticket or pass. We skipped the theme/amusement parks altogether and had an amazing time! There really is so much more to see and do in Orlando that doesn’t require a ticket than one would think!

Our trip total was five days, four nights. We flew to Orlando on a Wednesday afternoon and because of the short duration of the vacation as well as the warm weather we were traveling too, neither one of us needed to check a bag. We each traveled with one personal item and one small roller suitcase and neither one of us was strapped for space. After agonizing over the decision and WAY overthinking it, I snagged this burlap bag on Amazon and am so glad that I did. I’m kind of obsessed with it now. Here is what my travel items looked like…

Erik got me this fantastic poncho for my birthday just the week before. I always explain it to him like this; a poncho is just a wearable blanket. Which…is really great for travel. I wore a tank top underneath with my leggings and tennis shoes. Once we landed in Orlando, I took off the poncho and stuffed it in my oversized bag. Layers are the key to travel outfit success.

Upon landing in Orlando we made our way to the car rental window. The representative at the counter informed us that all of our reserved category was out so they would upgrade us for free. We had a couple different choices but we quickly agreed on the GLADIATOR option. Easily one of my favorite parts about the trip! Especially when you’re used to cruising in a *mini van* anything a little impractical, sporty, or fun is a vacation by itself! Can you tell we were excited?!

Before heading to the hotel, we detoured to a grocery store to stock up on some basics to hold us over without having to hit the hotel convenience store several times a day. It was my first trip to a Publix so that’s a big deal…right? Being that I’m a mom and I spend entirely too much of my life working out grocery runs and coupon checking, I was most excited that I did not need a membership card, to enter my phone number, nor paper coupons to get discounts. Good job Publix, for making your store discounts less difficult than they could have been.

Our hotel: Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs (could they make that name any longer!?) was beautiful! One of the reasons we chose this hotel was the proximity to lots of things. We were able to enjoy night life at Disney Springs which was within walking distance. It’s a short drive to several charming towns and attractions and only about an hour to the beach. We loved it! When in doubt- book Hilton. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by one. And in fact, if I am remembering correctly, some of my favorite hotels I’ve ever stayed in were Hilton. Including this one. After several questions at check in, the representative at Guest Services upgraded our room for free! Traveling with Erik is the best. He always secures the free upgrades somehow. We went from a parking lot view to this…

The room itself was pretty nice, but standard. I liked that the sink was outside the toilet/shower room. It alleviates traffic jams when getting ready to head out or getting ready to turn in. And the toiletries provided were Crab Tree and Evelyn so I was not mad about that…. For a full room tour, keep your eye on our YouTube channel: Graneys on the Go

Quick refresh in our lovely room and ready to hit the Springs! Although we were just in Orlando ten months prior, this was our first trip to Disney Springs. I must say, it far exceeded my expectations! If you know me, it is no surprise that we B-lined to SPRINKLES cupcakes ATM, but sadly it was temporarily closed.

We were very excited about a late night dinner at Wine Bar George and for some exploring. Unfortunately, it was a little rainy, but it made for smaller crowds and very mild temperatures. Here is the Pork Plume that Erik had been waiting weeks (maybe months) to try. I had chicken skewers, but my favorite thing at dinner was the saganaki, or flaming cheese (second photo). It’s actually a fairly normal dish im all the little Greek cafes around southeast MI, but regardless, a little pyrotechnics at a meal never disappoints.

It was great walking around Disney Springs because everything was already decked out for Christmas and it all looked so festive. After dinner, we popped over to Vivoli Il Gelato get some dessert. Not the best gelato I’ve ever had, but when you combine it with the atmosphere it instantly becomes better. When in doubt, order the stracciatella. In the world of gelato, it’s always a safe bet.

I’m going to leave things right here! Ha. I just made an entire post about our first eight hours of the trip! Haha, you’re optimistic about the rest right?? Keep your eyes peeled for a post about our day at Winter Garden, Winter Park, our drive out to Cocoa Beach, more fun at Disney Springs and our incredible hotel. There was so much to see and do there! If you’ve never done Orlando without theme parks- think about it! There is so much to do and let’s be real, you can’t beat the weather! Stay tuned and check out more Florida fun!