We've just returned from our usual September/October visit to the house. Our schedule included park visits, trying a couple of new (to us) restaurants and various planned, and unplanned, jobs on the house. You'll notice the bears, Ted and his friends, getting into the pictures again!
The Halloween party is separate from regular park entry, though at a lower rate than a full-day Disney ticket. If you go on a Halloween Party day and don't have a ticket, you'll be required to leave by 7pm, a wristband will show you are a party ticket holder. Although the party doesn't start until 7pm, you can enter the park at 4pm. We arranged to meet friends for dinner at 4.15pm at Tony's Town Square Restaurant. Tony's is a Trattoria at the top of Main Street and celebrates Lady and the Tramp's first kiss, over spaghetti. Despite having a reservation, we had a bit of a wait, but, once we were in, the service was very welcoming and the food was good, though limited choices for vegetarians. The bread with dinner was fabulous! The restaurant is Victorian-style and looks classy.
For research we had to try a couple of deserts which were very nice but we had to show you this one. The picture of Lady and the Tramp is drawn on in chocolate sauce! Frank bear couldn't believe it! We would eat there again, but it was quite pricey and they don't serve alcohol.
It had been sunny when we arrived but as we left the restaurant at about 6.30pm it was pouring with rain. Crowds were leaving at speed (those without party tickets) so that Main Street was busy and the stores were packed with folks sheltering from the downpour. This was tricky to navigate with three people each on an ECV electric scooter.
The rain did put a damper on things - it continued to rain until about 8.30pm - and the evening would have been easier and more enjoyable in the dry, but we weren't deterred and the crowds were out there, really filling up the park as darkness fell. We joined a line, but it moved quickly and soon we had secured (well the bears had) their first treats of the night. There are several locations where they hand out candy of various descriptions. The servers are friendly and don't mind bears being in line! Having the scooters was great for carrying the bears and their bags of candy!
We got in line for the newly refurbished Pirates of the Caribbean, which claimed a 40 minute wait time but have to say the line never stopped moving and we were onboard our ship in under ten minutes. We got more candy at the Enchanted Tiki Room before dashing off to Big Thunder Mountain - another short line and only had to wait for one train to go before it was our turn.
Wanting to see the earlier parade (so we could leave around 10pm after the fireworks and before the second parade) and having three ECVs we headed to the disability area near Liberty Square but it was already packed out. We got a spot but couldn't see very much and standing on the wall was not allowed! The scooter users were able to stand up and if they could not then we'd recommend getting to the Parade early if you want to be able to see! We saw Captain Hook on his ship sword-fight Peter Pan, Aladdin, Wreck-it Ralph and bizarrely some chickens! A little footage can be seen in the video below.
We dashed across to the front of Cinderella's Castle to catch the Hocus Pocus show which was supposed to be great but after a delay they eventually cancelled it because of the ongoing rain. There was a later showing but we planned to have left by then so I can't tell you about it. Having secured a decent spot in front of the castle - we didn't go to the disability area as it was too crowded to get through, but we were happy where we were. The crowds grew as we stood and soon it was time for the light show on the Castle walls. You can see some on the video below.
We ended our night with the fireworks display - ten minutes of music-based fireworks show which was a great end to our night. There was another Hocus Pocus show and parade but we'd seen enough. We thought it would be quieter leaving at this time and we were right - it was easy. No lines at all.
It's a fun event though a lot of standing in line for candy, though the lines move quickly. You'd do more if you didn't have a dinner stop so it depends on your motivation - Halloween decorations, candy, rides, parade, etc. Dry weather would undoubtedly help. These events do sell out so book before you go, you can do this online and they send e-tickets.
It's certainly worth the trip as you can get on the rides pretty easily, in fact our recommendation is save your daytime ticket price (over $100) and spend approximately $70 on your party ticket. Ignore the party and hit the rides. They are not all running, but those that are seemed to be much quicker to get on. That's our plan for next year anyway! If you enter at 4pm you still get 8 hours of park time and might even have time to grab a little candy. Anyway, it's too late now for 2015 but maybe it's something to consider for 2016? You are coming in 2016 aren't you?
If you want to see more, here are a couple of videos of the parade and light show, and a longer one of the fireworks show. Enjoy!
Now in its twentieth year, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival allows you to walk through the regular countries, together with some temporary additions, all around Epcot's World Showcase, sampling food and drink from each country as you wander. The portions are small meaning that you can try lots of different foods and drinks, but the prices are not correspondingly small, portions generally being in the range of $3-8. When we arrived at the parking ticket booths, we mentioned having an ECV and the lady said "this one is on me" and waived the parking charge and allowed us to park in the disabled parking area, even though we don't have a blue badge. If you have mobility issues it's worth mentioning it - it's just a short walk from there into the Epcot park and no struggling to get a wheelchair onto the transportation. Doesn't guarantee anything, but always worth asking if you need assistance.
Passport in paw, Ted set off to see (and eat and drink) the world! The different booths will stamp your passport (whether or not you buy anything) and it gives you a record of where you stopped and can be useful to give the kids a task. They offer gift cards near the park entrance, on an elasticated wristband, which you can top up before you start and use this to pay for your choices - it may help you to control your spending, if you are on a limited budget. The bears recommend use of an ECV electric scooter to aid transportation, especially after a few beers! Hic!
Albeit not very adventurous, our favourite sample of the day - and it helped it was a fair-sized (not tiny) portion, were the chips from the Yorkshire County Chip Shop in England! Fresh, hot and crunchy they were lovely. Have to say the chocolate and vanilla creme brullee in France was pretty good too! Although it is the Food and Wine Festival, you'll also find plenty of beer to try - I say plenty, the glasses are pretty small again! Most of the cast members were friendly and upbeat.
For Chase Card holders there's a great air-conditioned lounge about half way around the World Showcase. In here there's room to sit down while drinking cup after cup of Coca Cola Freestyle where you can mix up a huge array of flavours. It was a great place to stop for a cool. Then we continued on to find more cheese. Frank found a Bratwurst in Germany while Duffy (below right) had a cheese plate from Ireland.
By late afternoon the park was really filling up and the lines were getting longer (you couldn't just walk up and pay) and would get worse into the evening, so go early! By the time we'd got all the way around to Australia and New Zealand we had circumnavigated the globe. After we'd done the festival we read some tips which said head left and tour the world clockwise as the majority of folks go anti-clockwise. We'll try that next time.
There is a building dedicated to Craft Beer which is to the left as you approach the World Showcase so we finished our World Tour in here. The small beers are about $3.25 each but you could have four in a flight for $10.25 so we decided to go for those, which went even further when we bought both flights on offer - 8 small Florida beers! There were some very interesting flavours and we were able to pass them around the group to ensure everyone got a taste. It seems the bears got the best of the deal. To help sober them up, we took them to one more food stand the Artistry of Cheese where we had some fondue and a trio of Artisan Cheese. As we were eating it started to rain so we decided to make a run for the parking lot before we got too wet (as - of course - we hadn't taken our raincoats).
We are not big fans of Epcot and haven't been in years, the other parks having far more in the way of rides and entertainment so that we don't bother to go but we were invited to the Festival and it makes such a difference. We didn't get a chance to try any rides this time, but if we had gone earlier in the day we could - we didn't arrive until 3pm. Plan before you go - you will find lists of the food and drinks available - and, if you are on a limited budget get one of the gift cards with your max spend on it so you can't get carried away. It was a very enjoyable experience - the most fun we've ever had at Epcot!
There were live bands playing and we even stopped for a while to watch an impressive acrobatic comedy act, so it's not just about the food and drink. Keep your eyes open and if you see something that takes your fancy try it. If it's horrible there won't be much and if you love it you'll know what to order next time.
We were returning to the two parks of Universal - first Islands of Adventure and then the Studios, with friends who had not been since the Harry Potter areas had opened, our goal was to ride the Hogwart's Express in both directions, see some Harry Potter stuff, ride whatever coasters we could and hopefully meet a dinosaur!
We arrived shortly after the park opened, having paid extra for preferred parking we picked up a wheelchair in the parking lot as we had booked an ECV electric scooter. We didn't realise we needed to swap out the courtesy wheelchair for a different manual chair at Wheelchair Rentals, which would then be dropped off at the ECV station inside the park. Would be helpful if they made that clear as it is quite a trek into Islands of Adventure and even further to the Studios entrance. The bears were not amused at the newer, smaller basket on the ECV - it seems people were putting their children in the old one, oblvious to the dangers, so the bears had to squish in!
We walked through the Marvel Super Heroes Island and Toon Lagoon on our way to Hogsmeade. We'd check out the wait times at Jurassic Park as we passed, but if it was long we'd carry on to Hogwart's Castle and the Forbidden Journey ride which we know can get a very long line. As we arrived we were amazed how quiet it was - just a 5 minute wait? We headed straight onto the ride.
We really enjoy dinosaurs so love what Universal have done in the Jurassic Park area. This water ride especially as you enter through the big Jurassic Park gates and into the park, where - disaster! - things have gone awry and some of the dinosaurs have escaped! The ride culminates a climb through a warehouse, a big shock then a steep drop where you probably will get wet. It's a fabulous ride and with so many per car the line - when there is one - does move reasonably rapidly. Unfortunately, shortly after we got in line, they had to close the Velociraptor Encounter so we continued on to Hogsmeade. We tried to get onto the Pteranadon Flyers but there's a rule that you can only go on with a child - we didn't have one, and weirdly no one in the park would lend us one of theirs!
We hadn't taken the time to get a Disability Pass at Universal but when you have an ECV many of the rides call you through the Fast Pass entrance which does help to get through the rides more quickly. At Hogwarts, it meant we could use the elevator into the Castle without missing out on amazing scenes of moving pictures, Dumbledore's Office and a scene played out with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Unfortunately, you do miss going past the Sorting Hat, but if you ask they will let you go and take a photo. Again, there was really no line on this ride - something we've rarely seen!
The Forbidden Journey is a simulator ride and not a favourite, but we all went anyway - it broke down half way through. Fortuunately, that meant we got a couple of fast passes for use on some rides in the park and the chance of another go, which we took. We didn't have much of a wait for Flight of the Hipppogriff and the new, much faster Dragon Challenge coaster, though they really need to put more lighting in the lines when there's no queue as you cannot see where you are going (doesn't matter when there's a long line moving at about 1 mile an hour!)
As there was no line (again!) in the Three Broomsticks quick-service restaurant we thought it was a perfect time for lunch. You order from a pretty extensive menu, pay, then pick up your food from another counter. You are then shown to a table where you can eat your meal. We did spot a bar - serving alcohol no less (take that, Disney!) if you need something stronger with your food.
We caught the Hogwart's Express at Hogsmeade station, taking the ECV with us (they load it onto the train after you climb aboard) and we followed the journey through the English countryside to London's King's Cross Station. Outside the station you can get a picture with the triple decker Knight Bus before finding the secret entrance into Diagon Alley. Don't forget to wait outside Gringott's Bank for the dragon that breathes fire.
Like Hogwart's Castle, even if you don't want to ride Escape from Gringott's, it's worth walking through the line. You enter into the bank with several goblin tellers at work, the chandelier's are very impressive! There's a holographic scene inside the bank that sets up your tour of the bank. If you are a Harry Potter fan you'll recognise the names on the bank's office doors as you stand in line.
Please note, there are mock-up seats outside the bank if you want to see if you will fit on the ride, however, they don't tell you there is a very narrow 'doorway' to get through to step onto the mine cars. It can be frustrating if you've waited in line and then find you can't get on! Diagon Alley has a number of themed shops and if you have one of the interactive wands you might even be able to cast a spell or two!
We headed to the weirdly named World Expo to find The Simpsons Ride. Universal Studios does seem to have an over-reliance on virtual rides rather than coasters, which is a little disappointing, but we did enjoy the Simpsons, housed in Krustyland! There are also fast food outlets for Donuts, Krustyburgers and even a Kwik-E-Mart.
Particularly apt in this anniversary year was the presence of the DeLorean car, and also the steam train from Back To The Future. We saw Doc Brown having photos with guests alongside the car but we didn't have time to stop. As we walked over to the Minions Ride, we caught the tail end of the parade. Not quite as impressive as Disney's but friendly, our bears getting a wave from at least one of the floats and Theo bear getting a high-five!
Around 4.30pm (the Studios were due to close at 5pm) we headed back to Kings Cross Station to return to the Islands of Adventure park (open until 8pm). At Kings Cross you get to enter Platform 9¾ and this is impressive. If you are in a group you must make someone stay behind and take a movie as you walk through the wall. Of course it's all done by mirrors, but it does look really effective! If you can't get someone to take a movie of you, then you can watch the people in line in front of you walking straight through the wall.
We returned to the Jurassic Park area in the hope we would be able to meet the Velociraptor and this time he was there!! Ted sent a spare human first to check out the raptor, but then it was the bear's turn. I thought they might just take a picture but he really did interact with them. Gave them a sniff and a roar. If you have time to wait (again, for us it wasn't long) it is really cool. If you have a dinosaur fan amongst you it has to be a "must do."
We remembered another bit of useful information about the ECV hire at Universal. There is the option, for another $10, to hire an ECV with a canopy. Now, rain or shine, this is a wonderful addition as it can get really hot. The bears found it a great place to sit too, now the basket is so small.
It is possible to do both Universal parks in a day, even both ways - check the opening times to see which opens later and aim to finish there. If you want to ride all the rides, though, you are probably looking at paying extra for the Express Pass (and that can be a pretty hefty charge) or booking a second or third day. The Hogwart's Express has different ride experiences in each direction so aim to ride it both ways (if that interests you).
Lake Eva Park
We had to pick something up at the Post Office which was close by Lake Eva Park so we decided to take the bears for a look around. There are a number of tennis courts, basketball courts, an open-air aquatic center as well as running and bicycle trails.
It's free to enter the park so can be a great way to relax when you just can't face the crowds at the theme parks or other busy attractions. With several playgrounds, there are slides, swings and climbing frames and the separate age-based areas mean the younger children don't have to fight off the bigger kids to use the facilities.
Despite the central location to beaches on the East and West coasts, you don't have to go that far to find a beach - as Lake Eva has one! Or there are benches to just sit and reflect.
There are a few table areas which are undercover and these can be reserved in advance, or you can take a chance and just turn up with your picnic (don't forget your teddy bears!) If you prefer, there are several BBQ/grills available for your use too. Our bears had a great time on the playgrounds and we're sure your children will too - and it doesn't cost anything!
A number of events are hosted in the park during the year and these can often be found by an internet search, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook and we'll post those we hear about.
While we were in Orlando this time, we heard the big news that Downtown Disney was re-opening as Disney Springs while we were there. Parking has been something of a nightmare for the last year or so as they've been installing two new multi-storey parking lots, but still, we made it over there twice - once as Downtown Disney and once as Disney Springs. Our first visit was around 5pm in the afternoon and we got to take the new exit slip road into the new parking lot and it was so easy. Got a space no problem and walked down into Downtown Disney. This parking lot is quite a trek from our usual area - the Marketplace - so we didn't make it down there, instead we took a look around at several new (and old) restaurants so we could have dinner. The cars below right are Amphicars that operate on land and in the water - they are available for a twenty-minute tour for three adults or two adults and two children, although the price tag is pretty steep at $125 per car!
We'd only been there a short while when it started to rain so, along with many others we headed into The Boathouse restaurant for dinner, you can read about our experience there below. In the build up to Disney Springs opening there were a few new places like The Boathouse, which opened in Spring 2015 and also Jock Lindsay's Hangar Bar, which had opened just three days before. There was a forty-five minute wait so we just grabbed a couple of pictures inside - it seemed tiny, but according to the website it seats 150! It was very dark inside too, but we'll go back and have a proper look sometime.
As it was still drizzling with rain we decided to head back to the parking lot which was easy enough to find and not too long a walk - the entrance is close to the AMC Movie Theater and Disney Quest, which is closing next year to be replaced by the NBA Experience.
Our return trip to the newly renamed Disney Springs was a little more manic! We arrived later than planned at around 6.30pm and the new parking lot was reading as full. We were on a tight time-schedule as we were flying home the next day so we decided to try the valet-parking next to Cirque du Soleil. It was easy enough to find and saved driving round and round until a space opened up. They told us we could get to the Marketplace on foot or using a Water Taxi so, as we'd not done that before we decided to give it a try. It was fun! Our driver, er Captain, had a great personality and we were sworn to secrecy about the bump into the dock so we never said anything, right? Ssshhh. The first stop was back by The Boathouse, but we stayed onboard to get off closer to the Marketplace area, though, it was still a bit of a walk.
We headed straight for the Rainforest Café as we had a $25 gift card to use and a Landry's Select card which helps jump the line. We were seated in under ten minutes, which is a record, though it was relatively quiet. Despite being a noisy venue, we like to be surrounded by all the (phoney!) animals and setting and the staff are generally friendly. Again, the menu isn't the greatest for vegetarians, but they do have a veggie burger. We've covered it in previous newsletters so haven't included it this time. It was dark by the time we left, and we just caught a little of the volcanic eruption that goes on from time to time.
We made time to hit a few stores in the Marketplace, including the huge World of Disney store and the Build-A-Dino teddy bear/dinosaur store and restaurant, T-Rex.
We returned on foot to our valet parking area. Note that your parking ticket gives you information about letting them know (e.g. by text) that you are on your way so you don't have to wait for your car when you arrive. We paid the maximum $20 as we stayed for more than two hours. Traffic wasn't too bad leaving at about 9pm, though with construction it's a bit of a mess! We did see a few of the Epcot fireworks as we left!
It will be great when the construction is over but until then, if you want to go to Disney Springs, try to allow plenty of time - for the shows or restaurant reservations they tell you to allow an extra hour! When the second lot is open by the Marketplace it will help and will be closer as it was a bit of a trek without an ECV. Still, with all the stores, restaurants and bars it is definitely worth a visit. Regular parking is free (at least it is at time of writing, there are rumours that might change) and the atmosphere is great - there's plenty to see and do for everyone in your party. Note: If you want dinner though make a reservation! Although some are Disney restaurants a Disney Dining reservation will require a deposit (refundable with enough notice) but if you contact the restaurants direct we've found they will often take a reservation without a fee so it's a little more flexible.
The Boathouse at The Landing, Disney Springs had a long wait for a table, so we decided to eat at the bar. As with most Disney restaurants, the servers were pretty clued up on allergies and advised that anyone with a shellfish allergy should not order anything fried as the shrimp shares the same fryer as everything else.
The menu for vegetarians was very weak resulting in a macaroni cheese plate, although it was nice but a little cool. Overall, it was a good experience - not many restaurants have a speedboat table (seriously, there's a table set into a speedboat!) The seating at the bar are unusually roomy and comfortable with hooks for hanging a coat or bag by your knees. You might also find some interesting cocktails being made! We'll go back, although they need to expand their vegetarian options (or get some!)
We'd heard good things about Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at the Polynesian Resort - and about the long wait to get in before about 8pm - so we headed to the resort around 2.30pm (Trader Sam's opens at 4pm). Resort Security told us we'd have to valet park for $20, but when we went to the valet parking desk they said we could self-park for free, which we did. We had some time to kill so took a look around the lobby, the gift shop and got some Dole Whip at the Pineapple Lanai! Dole Whip is pineapple soft serve and is fabulous!
Around 3.30pm we headed across the lobby to Trader Sam's to be told the line was outside, but fortunately it was in the shade and wasn't too long. We waited to be let in - it's a small bar so they can only let a limited number (51 I think) in. It's also very dark (atmospheric if you prefer). They give you a menu - without prices, which is annoying (look them up before you go or you could get horribly surprised!) - and the friendly servers will take your order. You can buy the drink or the drink with a souvenir mug or glass - if you go for the glass, then they take your used one and replace it with a new one so it's better for packing. We tried a very nice Hippopoto-Mai-Tai (below centre) which is probably the best value souvenir as with the glass it's just $15 - though be warned, the glass is heavy. Our friends tried the Uh-Oa! (below right) which, with the souvenir bowl comes at a hefty $40 price tag ($20 for just the drink) and this one has a cinnamon flavour but when they serve it they set fire to the rum-soaked sugar cubes on top. Sadly, theirs didn't really light and you'd think they'd have brought out another, or at least more rum-soaked sugar cubes - I'd want the full effect for my $40! They also have soft drinks and regular beer, wine and a nice pineapple cider so you don't have to have a cocktail - especially for the designated driver.
Every so often the volcano that can be seen through (well, on) the window erupts, when certain drinks arrive one of the heads on the wall suddenly starts kicking off about it! It's a fun (and expensive) place to visit - it's a bit quirky. The main problem is that it's so small.
We understand that after 8pm it gets quieter so you've a better chance of getting in and it's definitely worth a look. As we left, we ran into Polynesian Minnie in the lobby. They do sell a small food selection but we didn't try any.
BJ's Brewhouse at the Loop (a shopping, restaurant and movie theater complex) on West Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee was busy with customers trying to get their orders in before happy hour ended at 7pm. Happy hour offers money off beer, wine and other drinks and half price appetizers and mini pizzas. We had a party of about a dozen and service was a little haphazard, with some people's starters arriving with their entrées while some people's orders hadn't even been taken and the server really didn't want to take Happy hour orders after 6.45pm, although she did. All that said, however, the food was generally good.
There was a large range of handcrafted draught beers which were excellent and most of us got a free pizookie (pizza cookie) topped with ice cream wich comes with an entrée. It was busy but we were able to get a table for a large group (they don't take reservations) around 6.30pm without too much problem. If you all want to eat together you need to make sure the ordering is co-ordinated and if you want the happy hour deal get there nearer to 6pm than 7pm!
The Fish and Chip Shop on Champions Gate Blvd, Championsgate (exit 58 of the I-4) is well worth the 15 minute drive from Villa Southern Dunes (or stop off on your way back from the parks). This is a typical English style, eat-in or take-out fish and chip shop offering the usual fayre including cod, haddock, chips (fries), soft drinks and a small selection of wine and beer.
As they serve battered shrimp and only have one fryer, anything fried is unsuitable for those with a shellfish allergy. However, they are more than happy to pan fry fish to order, and there are plenty of other unbattered items on the menu. The friendly staff served us battered cod with chips, pan-fried haddock with mushy peas, onion rings with chips all served on "newspaper". We drank Sam Adams Boston Larger (on draught), Angry Orchard Hard Cider and Sprite. This shop has been open just over a year and are certainly worth a visit.
The Ovation Bistro & Bar is on Hwy 27 Northband, in a stripmall just before Posner Park, about 7 miles north of Villa Southern Dunes. We'd bought a Groupon deal and called ahead to make a reservation prior to leaving the house. On the evening we visited, the place was busy with a good atmosphere.
The menu is pretty extensive, though with little on offer to vegetarians. At Ovation, they use separate fryers for chicken, shellfish, etc., so there is no problem ordering fries if you're allergic to shellfish. We ordered the filet mignon and both were cooked to perfection. With no interesting-looking vegetarian dishes, we ordered a flatbread starter - which was a little hard and dry - and some onion rings. It's a shame they can't manage a single vegetarian entrée. They did, however, have an Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider, a virgin Pina Colada and Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale on draught. They even had a buy one get one free house Merlot that wasn't bad at all! (Theo, our little bear, does not 'do' salad!)
We'd certainly eat here again as the food was good and hot. The place was packed on the weekday night we were there so getting a reservation is probably wise. Don't forget to check for a Groupon deal!
The Proper Pie Company on Ridge Center Dr, north on the Hwy 27 just before Posner Park, is a family-owned British food business. They bake their own pies and pasties on the premises, including steak and kidney, Cornish pasty, sausage rolls and more. For the vegetarians they had a cheese and onion pie or cheese and onion roll. We took some of these home for dinner and they were fabulous.
In this little oasis you can find real British bacon, sausages, Warburton's bread, all the fixings for a British Sunday dinner and a variety of Mr Kipling's cakes, amongst other things. We found Branston Pickle, Heinz Beans, Marmite, Angel Delight and British chocolates and sweets. They even had Pickled Onion Monster Munch!!
The also have a good take-away menu which includes, of course, fish (cod and haddock) and chips. However, as they only have one fryer and the menu also sometimes includes fried shrimp, those with a shellfish allergy might wish to avoid anything fried. We bought some chips to eat in car and they were excellent - probably the best we've had in Florida! Unusually for Florida, their prices include tax.
Home Improvements/Maintenance This Trip
The Mickey and Donald Masters and the Nemo Room all have new comforters.
Last visit we installed a 58-inch Smart TV for the Great Room and moved the 42-inch to the Family Lounge. This left us with a "spare" 40-inch TV so we put it into the Mickey Master and moved the 22-inch to the Donald Master. Complicated isn't it? Oh, and the Mickey Master also has a new radio alarm clock with a USB socket for that important smartphone or tablet charging.
The motion-sensor coach lights on either side of the garage door were looking a bit tired and rusty so Ted got to work completely dismantling and respraying in black. They look fabulous now - good job Ted!
The lights on the pool deck were also falling apart, so we installed a couple of new coach lights.
We've always had a curtain for privacy on the front door sidelights and it is forever being caught in the door. It's gone, replaced with film which totally obscures the glass and loses that annoying curtain.
The Mickey Master en suite needed better storage for towels, so we fitted a new towel rack, which we brought over from the UK. We forgot to take a picture, but it's something like this!
We've had a few issues with the Family Lounge blind lately, so it was time to replace it. With 'vane savers' at the top, hopefully we won't have any more problems for a while.
In the kitchen, we found that the sink mixer tap (fawcet) handle came off in your hand (Yikes!) so Ted replaced it with a shiny new one.
We also needed to replace the underwater pool light. Ted couldn't reach from the side so sent one of the humans into the pool to unfasten it. The gasket had also failed so we replaced the bulb and the seal and put it all back.
The ceiling fans needed cleaning, but some are harder to reach than others. Don't jump Ted!
Sadly, all that remained of our lime tree was a twig, so we replaced it with A Sunburst Tangerine tree. Let's hope this one does better!
Thinking of what to ask for for your birthday? Or even Christmas? Why not try a Villa Southern Dunes Gift Voucher!
We continue to offer Villa Southern Dunes Gift Vouchers. Perhaps you can get your friends and family to pay for your vacation? Ask them for Villa Southern Dunes vouchers! We can send a PDF file for any occasion, by email to the person who contacts us or we can email it directly to the recipient. We offer any amount in US Dollars or GB Pounds, which must be paid for using PayPal (including credit cards) or by bank transfer. Credit card/PayPal payments will incur a 2% administration charge and vouchers will not be sent until payment has cleared but we will endeavour to issue the voucher within 24 hours of receiving cleared payment. If you need a voucher for a particular occasion, or to include a photo of your choice, just ask us at villasoutherndunes@gmail.com
The voucher can be used towards an existing booking (the name on the voucher must be a Named Guest), or towards a deposit, if not yet booked. The name on the voucher may be changed, but this instruction must come from the person whose name is on the voucher. If this is impossible, please contact us at villasoutherndunes@gmail.com
For more information, email villasoutherndunes@gmail.com or call 07952 408964 from the UK (011 44 7952 408964 from the US).
If you'd like to submit a short review of an attraction or restaurant you visited while staying at Villa Southern Dunes, or send some photos of your stay, please email it to villasoutherndunes@gmail.com Please supply your name, email address, dates of stay and age (if under 18). We'll try and include it if we can.
Thinking of what to ask for for your birthday? Or even Christmas? Why not try a 