Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort

We had the opportunity this past weekend to be hosted at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort located on Bonnet Creek. This resort needs to be at the top of your list to stay in Orlando and I’m sharing why below and our favorite parts from our stay.

We had the opportunity this past weekend to be hosted at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort located on Bonnet Creek. This resort needs to be at the top of your list to stay in Orlando and I’m sharing why below and our favorite parts from our stay.

The Resort

This resort is located less than 5 miles from Walt Disney World Resort and offers 62 acres of fun and enjoyment. When you book with the Wyndham Grand Orlando you get access to five different pools, two lazy rivers, and eight hot tubs. Two of the pools have water slides for kids. They also offer access to an 18 hole mini golf course and access to four Walt Disney World golf courses. There are a bunch of walkway paths and views of the lake.

Rooms

They have several different rooms including a couple with bunk beds for kids. Our spacious king room had a living area, full king sized bed, tv, dresser, coffee bar with a mini fridge, closet, and full bathroom with a walk in shower. Our favorite part was the balcony out the back where you get a view of the pool area and the Epcot fireworks every night at 9 pm.

Dinning

They have four onsite restaurants at the resort and several more on the surrounding Club Wyndham property. They offer two places for breakfast including the Tesoro Cove which is a buffet style breakfast with an omelet and waffle station as well as the Bistro which offers the full starbucks coffee menu and quick on the go breakfast items. Both offered plenty of allergy friendly options for me. For lunch, they have a restaurant called Back Bay which is located right by the pool area and has amazing salads, sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers. Their main dinner restaurant is the Deep Blue Seafood and was absolutely amazing! They have a wide range of seafood selections offered here and amazing views of the sunset. They also offer room service dinning all day.

Additional Ammenities

Some of their extra amenities include shuttles to Disney World Parks, free self parking, fitness center, lots of beautiful walkways and swings to look out over the lake, arcade, gift shop, bell service, concierge service, and an ATM.

There is so much to do and see here at this resort and it’s a great place to relax especially between Disney parks. We highly recommend checking them out for your next stay in Orlando. It is truly an unforgettable experience! Follow us for more Florida couples travel and adventures.

Disney World Parks Complete Guide

As many of you know, we are huge Disney fans as are many people we know. We continuously get questions about our favorite restaurants, rides and things to do in Disney. We have season passes so we go about once to twice a month. I figured it was time to share a complete guide to Disney. We will share our favorite highlights from each park in this post. Stay tuned for a specific blog post on each park that will go into more details. If you travel like we do, we love to have the best recommendations from people, especially from people who go all of the time. I realize that some people like to use vacation and travel guides for their trips and that is totally okay to do, but just wanted to provide another way to share the must see and things to do there from going often.

Magic Kingdom

Let’s start with the top favorite park! First of all would say that if you can plan a trip in the off seasons it’s the best time and also if you are able to go during the week, that is best too. Off seasons are January-February, September-October. I would also avoid going when they have special events if you can and aren’t going for that. You’re going to want to download the Disney app and make sure to link your tickets etc. Also, Genie+ will come in handy for any of the really big attractions, but I think if you do Magic Kingdom two days you can cover all the rides without Genie+. Also, another way around the really long lines on rides like Mine Train, Rise of Resistance, Slinky Dog, and Passage of Flight would be to get there for rope drop which is 30-40 minutes before the park opens. We also have often waited in those lines right before park closes and the lines have seemed less then. Now onto the fun part our favorite rides, restaurants, and things to do.

Rides

Big Thunder Mountain (this one is fun and a coaster, so I think you have to be a certain height for this)

Pirates of the Caribbean (great ride for anyone, just be careful about lifting your feet under the seats, I lost a toenail one time doing that)

Seven Dwarf Mine Train (would be smart to get a Genie+ for this one or go first thing in the morning once rope drops)

Space Mountain (this is a fav for most adults, honestly not my fav cause it’s jerky, but has a cool vibe)

Buzz Lightyear (we love this one and usually the line is a shorter wait)

Peter Pan’s Flight (this is a great kids one and is nostalgic to me)

Jungle Cruise (this one is often glossed over, but is such a fun ride and they’ve updated it)

Splash Mountain (you have to do it once, but honestly not my fav, I always get soaked)

Under the Sea (this one is Ariel’s journey and is fun)

These would be the one’s I would recommend the most at the park. They have several others for young kids like Winnie the Pooh, which unashamedly I like. My absolute favorite ride at Magic Kingdom would have to be Big Thunder Mountain and Corbin’s favorite is Mine Train.

Food Places

There are so many great places for food at Disney but I wanted to share our favorites and also the most affordable and GF friendly ones.

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe (has great mexican type food, they are always great with my allergies and have great prices)

Be our Guest (this is obviously more on the expensive side, but has amazing food and a great atmosphere)

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe (one of my favorite quick places in Magic Kingdom, they do a great job with GF/DF options and have a great menu)

Aloha Isle (I love the dole whip here, definitely need to try it out)

Animal Kingdom

This is my absolute favorite park at Disney World. I love all of the animals, rides, and trees. It’s a really beautiful park. Most of the time animal kingdom is the first park that closes at Disney so you want to get there earlier in the day. The only ride you might want a Genie + pass for is Flight of passage, but besides that it’s not necessary for the rest of the park. Flight of passage usually has a long wait, but if you get in when the rope drops or wait till the end of the day you can just wait in regular stand by line. It’s so worth the wait!

Rides

Flight of Passage (this is my favorite ride at any of the parks and is so much fun)

Everest (probably my second favorite ride at Disney, this is a fast coaster that goes forwards/backwards)

Kilimanjaro Safari (this is a great one for kids and so much fun seeing all of the animals)

The Lion King Show (you need to make sure to see this show! It’s so good!)

Dinosaur (this one isn’t too bad of a ride, it’s just really jerky, but if you have a kid who likes dinos then definitely check it out)

I also love their Gorilla trail and all of the other animals you can see on their trails near the Safari ride. Make sure to grab photos at sunset in the tree. There is a trail to go up in the tree at Animal Kingdom that is right next to the stroller spot for It’s tough to be a bug and it’s such a pretty trail and a good quiet photo spot. Corbin and I’s both favorite ride at Animal Kingdom is Flight of Passage.

Food

Animal Kingdom has some good places to eat. They are more limited but Avatar World is definitely the place to hit up for good food in Animal Kingdom.

Satu’li Canteen (by far my favorite in Animal Kingdom, they make these delicious buddha type bowls and they are so good for GF/DF allergies.

Flame Tree Barbecue (has great barbecue and very good with allergies)

Besides those two I would recommend hoping on over to Disney Springs. I’m sharing my favorite restaurants and things to do in Disney Springs in another post coming soon!

Hollywood Studios

This park is a lot of fun and filled with a lot of rides, especially for your older kids with Star War’s Galaxy Edge. This is Corbin’s favorite park because he is the biggest Star Wars fan! You’ll definitely want to make sure you have Genie + for the bigger attractions, unless you’re a passholder. Rise of Resistance is always pretty long and slinky dog dash as well.

Rides

Rise of Resistance (this is a must and so much fun! It’s very realistic too)

Toy Story Mania (this is a really unique and fun ride, great for any age)

Millennium Falcon (this is also a great one with a lot of action and fun)

Slinky Dog Dash (this is a coaster, but definitely fun for kids too)

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad (I haven’t rode this one yet, but keep hearing good things about it)

Rock n Roller Coaster (this is a fun fast paced roller coaster in the dark)

Tower of Terror (Corbin and I don’t like this one and never ride it, but a lot of people really enjoy it.)

Food

Backlot Express (this is great for a quick meal and will be affordable too, they have lots of GF/DF options)

Sci-Fi Dine in Theatre (this is definitely more pricey but is such a neat experience)

Ronto Roasters (this was recommended by family)

50’s Prime Time Cafe (also a really cool experience, but higher priced food)

Olga’s Cantina (you need to get the blue milk here, it’s not a food place but has amazing drinks in Galaxy’s Edge)

Epcot

If you want really great food and a unique around the world experience then Epcot is your place to go. They are always adding new restaurants here too. We haven’t tried a couple of them, but will share all our favorites and others as well. You might want to consider Genie + for Test Track and a couple of those bigger rides on a busy day, but should be fine with the waits for most of the rides.

Rides

Frozen (I have yet to ride it, but hear great things)

Test Track (this is a really fun one and unique)

Soarin (you need to ride this one at Epcot, it’s such an amazing ride)

Remy’s Ratatouille (this one is super cute and different, definitely wait to get in line at the end of the day)

Mission Space (there are two versions of this ride, one that spins and one that doesn’t. I always ride the one that doesn’t)

Living with the land (this one is surprisingly cool to see especially around Christmas time)

Food

Food is the highlight at Epcot and you have so much to choose from! Some of my favorites and allergy friendly places below. Don’t forget to check out Food and Wine festival and the flower festival as well.

La Cantina De Sangel (has great mexican food, they don’t have as many options for allergies though, but have some)

San Angel Inn Restaurant (is a fancier sit down but has great mexican food and great with allergies)

Space 220 (is a new restaurant and I have not visited yet, but have heard amazing reviews about it)

Tangierine Cafe (has moroccan food, not sure about allergy options here as I haven’t eaten here since)

There are so many other restaurants I haven’t tried yet in Epcot. I do know they have a couple of Italian restaurants that offer allergy friendly options too.

Hope you all enjoyed this guide and let me know in the comments if I missed any restaurants. Let me know which rides are your favorites too. I am going to share my Disney Springs Guide in the next couple of weeks. I hope that you all enjoy your visits at Disney and let me know if you have questions and be sure to follow me and check back for more travel guides on my blog, instagram, and Tik Tok (@autumnmturner).

Wyndham I Drive Stay & Icon Park

Orlando is one of our top favorite cities we love visiting in FL and we visit about twice a month. It’s such a beautiful area and filled with so many different fun activities. We are here to help you know where to stay and what things you need to do and see when visiting Orlando as a couple. This last weekend we had the privilege of being hosted by the Wyndham I-drive and Icon Park. We got to explore more of the Orlando area and had a blast getting to enjoy our weekend getaway. We wanted to share a recap of our trip and why we think you should start planning your next couples getaway there soon!

Wyndham I-Drive

The Wyndham I-drive is right in the heart of Orlando on I-Drive one of the highlights in Orlando. I-Drive is filled with so many restaurants, attractions, and things to do. The Wyndham I-Drive is also a five minute walk to Icon Park which is home of The Wheel (used to be the Orlando eye). The Wydham I-Drive is a beautiful and quaint resort that has two pools, lagoons, gardens, a cafe serving Starbucks, a full restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a hot tub. We got to stay in the Executive suite and the room was absolutely beautiful! It had a full king sized bed, a living space, dining room, three balconies, a mini kitchen with coffee maker, sink and refrigerator, a full sized bathroom with a walk in shower and an extra half bathroom in the front of the suite. It has plenty of space for three people to stay and to relax when visiting Orlando. The resort is an 8 minute drive to Universal, a 20-25 minute drive to Disney, and a 3 minute drive to Icon Park.

There are two pools and a hot tub to enjoy with their restaurant Gatorville that is perfect to grab lunch or dinner.

What we loved most about our stay is that it was close by to Icon Park and also easy access to so many different places on I-drive and the Orlando area. Their customer service is top of the line and everyone on staff was super friendly to us. We can’t wait to go back and visit again soon!

You can save 20% off by using the link below to book your trip at their best rate, no minimum nights required!

Icon Park

Icon Park needs to be at the top of your list for attractions to visit in Orlando. Icon Park is home to The Wheel. The Wheel (previously known as the Orlando eye) takes you up in an air conditioned ride 400 feet above Orlando with the most amazing views. Icon Park is also home to the Museum of Illusions which is filled with several fun illusions and photo opportunities. There were so many fun attractions there to check out! It makes the perfect day trip activity for a date or a long weekend away. You definitely want to grab the play pass which includes 7 different attractions and discounts at restaurants and stores. It’s good for 30 days too so you can always go back and see more! The play pass includes: The Wheel, Museum of Illusions, Sealife, Madame Tusades Wax Museum, 7D Motion Game, Orlando Starflyer, and Pearl Express. We loved The Wheel, Museum of Illusions, and Sealife. The Wheel takes you up 450 feet about Orlando and you can see everything and the views are stunning! The Museum of Illusions was one of our favorites as there was so much to do and see at this museum. They had a ton of photo opportunities and fun activities that make you laugh. Sea Life was also so cool to see as well. It was a full aquarium and had a ton of fish, turtles, sharks, jellyfish, salamanders, and other marine life to see. Our favorite was the Salamanders. They also have gift shops in both Sea Life and Museum of Illusions as well as a full market place to grab food at during your adventure.

We definitely had a blast and this would be such a fun day date for couples who live in the area or are visiting Orlando. Check out more on my instagram and Tik Tok. You can save over 50% off right now on the play pass too. I linked it here for you all and make sure to check out their page for more info! Also make sure to follow us here on our blog and social accounts for more FL couples travel and adventures.