Exploring Orlando

Have you ever sat through one of those timeshare presentations for a couple nights in a hotel? Hilton offered a few nights in Orlando for a very small investment with the agreement to sit through their presentation.

I figured it was worth it. As if exploring Orlando wasn’t enough, I was able to upgrade my package for an intimate VIP concert including dinner and an open bar. I had to take the opportunity. And thankfully, I have a friend who’s down to adventure with me any time.

We booked it between Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. Partially because it’s a slow travel time, and wouldn’t take away from her family time as it was before her son went on school break.

A few months prior we took the kids to California and explored Universal Studios there. The trip to Orlando allowed us to see the park on the other coast, as well. The Florida property includes multiple parks, so we opted to explore two of them. (She’s a huge Harry Potter fan, so venturing to both Harry Potter areas in the two parks was a priority.)

We got to watch the Grinch’s holiday parade with several familiar characters and performers with artificial snow falling. The line passes were pricey, but worth it, as we got to ride everything we wanted to (nearly everything at both of the parks we visited.)

Some of the standout experiences were the Hogwarts Express, which transferred us from one Harry Potter land to the other one in the other park. (Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.) Of course we had to partake in Butterbeer and eat at the Leaky Cauldron on one of the days.

We also learned an incredible lesson when we thought we’d try to ride every possible ride on our second day of exploring the parks. The water rides, which are super kid-friendly, are not for us. We were completely drenched, beyond soaked, straight down to our socks and undergarments.

She had medication in her pocket which actually dissolved into a paste from the excessive water. Even the human dryers did little to help. Yes, human dryers. They had huge machines you step into that were supposed to help you dry off with heaters and blowers inside. (This was an extra cost.)

The dryers smelled like moldy feet and did little to dry us off. Walking around in wet socks and squishy shoes was the most unpleasant experience of the entire trip. It was probably the only somewhat negative part of the trip.

Thankfully, we attempted the water rides at the start of our day, so the Florida sunshine helped dry us off (eventually). Though we weren’t as “presentable” for photos the rest of the day. We still enjoyed the day and took our less-than-perfect pictures.

The presentation wasn’t nearly as dreadful as I expected. We were treated very well, which makes sense for the brand and the fact that they were selling expensive packages. The offer was much better than I anticipated.

One of the most memorable things about the short trip was the VIP concert experience. We were able to add seeing Lee Brice in an intimate concert for far less than a regular concert ticket. That included standing at the edge of the stage to enjoy the show, or watching from your table.

We decided to go out and explore the nightlife a bit after the concert. There was a bar with live music near our resort, so we finished the evening there. The band took requests and played their version of several different genres.

It became a thing for patrons to challenge them with songs, while also buying a round of tequila shots. That was fun to watch. (We may or may not have contributed and participated.)

Overall, I am looking forward to returning to Orlando in the near future to check out some of the other parks, as well as more of the local culture that most tourists forget about. (It’s easy to do with so much focus being on the parks.)

If you’re from the Orlando area or have spent time there, what’s your favorite thing to do in the city?