and everything in between
We are Capitals fans and travel to see them play when we can. Normally, since we are fans of the visiting team, we are surrounded by home fans who are cheering for the other team but they have always been nice to us at all the stadiums we’ve visited. Except Detroit.
Every year my husband and I visit the Disney parks but this year we also tried out Universal. A lot of people refuse to compare Universal to Disney because they are so different, but I am going to because with tickets being so ridiculously expensive, sometimes you have to choose one or the other.
We have stayed at other hotels in Orlando during our yearly visit to the parks, but I think the Drury Inn is such an amazing value that it doesn’t make sense to stay anywhere else.
The hotel is right off the highway which is great but also makes exiting the hotel difficult because of all the traffic. There are several fast food restaurants nearby and a Whole Foods across the street. Universal is just down the street.
The hotel is brand new and as you might expect, everything appears fresh and new. Check in was so quick and our room on the fifth floor was clean and spacious. We loved the floor to ceiling window that looked out onto the highway in front of the hotel. Our room was very quiet. We never heard anything from the highway or from other rooms.
Having been built in the 60’s, the resort is old but you wouldn’t know it to look at the place. The property is well cared for and appears new. The hotel lobby is an impressive sight and the check in process is top notch. You can help yourself to complimentary fruit and beverages while you sit in a cushy chair and are checked in by employees who excel in customer service.
Even though the staff explains how to find your room, it is still easy to get lost as there aren’t many signs to direct you and there are so many different paths and stairways inside the lobby. Once outside, there are even more pathways. After asking a staff member for help, we found the area our room was located in. Adjacent to the pool and with a fabulous view of the golf course are the premier mountain vista rooms.
The Private Oasis Pool is hidden and tucked away to the side of the main pool creating a peaceful and relaxing respite from the crowded scene of the main pool. Usually, there are never more than 25 people present. The large, heated pool is never crowded and anytime you feel like taking a refreshing dip, you’ll pretty much have the pool all to yourself. Everyone must be over 21 which helps foster a very quiet and calm atmosphere.
My husband has been a fan of the Jabbawockeez since their win on America’s Best Dance Crew years ago. We were excited to see they had a new show in a new theater at Luxor.
My husband and I stopped here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. We were seated immediately and the restaurant was not crowded. Our service was quick making it a nice place to eat and get back to gambling.
We shared an appetizer of mozzarella sticks and a side of waffle fries to go with our two burgers. The mozzarella sticks came with a spicy marinara and the waffle fries were lightly seasoned. We both went with the standard burger and I got blue cheese on mine that came with just the right amount.
We both thought the food was tasty and worth the price (given the standard Vegas premium). We would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a quick burger lunch at The Mirage.
Thunder From Down Under, located in Excalibur, is a fun show for ladies who are interested in laughing, shouting, and acting silly while mostly naked men shake their stuff for your enjoyment. The guys certainly aren’t the best dancers but they are very nice to look at and they are enthusiastic about putting on a good show.
They dress in sexy costumes and strip them off to only thongs. They never show the naked front but always turn around to reveal their naked butts. Along with dancing, there are a few ladies selected to go onstage for a mini lap dance or to participate in a contest. They even pull an old grandma on stage which is hilarious!
My husband and I always purchase Diamond Club tickets at every baseball game we go to. These are the seats that are right behind home plate and usually they include entry to a very nice, private lounge area with a buffet, a bar, nice bathrooms, and easy access to the Diamond Club seats. During the game, servers bring you anything you want to eat and drink, free of charge. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and so many other baseball stadiums know how to treat their big spenders, so I was rather surprised that Citizens Bank Park does none of this.
We stayed here for 2 nights because it is the closest hotel to Citizens Bank Park and is just a 5 minute walk to the stadium. (You can read a review about the stadium here.) The price was outrageous because it was game day but you have to remember you are paying a premium for convenience.
On game day the hotel charges non-guests $20 to park in the hotel parking lot but when you check in and pay for parking, you’ll receive a parking permit that you must leave in your car. Make sure to get one. The front desk person didn’t give us our permit when we checked in and it caused problems when we tried to get into the parking lot on game day. Even though the lot was virtually empty because it was 4 hours prior to the start of the game, the hotel had closed off the parking lot and had an attendant out front who didn’t believe us when we tried to explain we were hotel guests. She refused to let us on the property for quite a while.
