Last week I left unseasonably warm Iowa and hopped a plane to Orlando with my girls. Our destination- the Gaylord Palms resort. Our plans- to play in snow and ICE. (Video tour of ICE below- including a ride down the ice slide!)

But instead of bringing my husband along- he unfortunately had to work- we brought Grandma! Because you can read my tales of ICE at Uptake and Blissfully Domestic, I thought I would get my mom’s thoughts on our trip.

I recently had the privilege of accompanying my daughter and granddaughters to the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida, for two and a half days of fun and relaxation.

Gaylord Palms Decorated for Christmas

The resort is beautifully designed and decorated; the staff is wonderfully helpful and courteous. Everything you might wish for is under one roof: restaurants, shops, luxury spa, entertainment, all without feeling crowded. (Be sure to wear very comfortable shoes; you will be walking the four acre compound extensively.)

Brenna and Caelan were in awe of the decorations and pointed out displays that I would have overlooked. One of the fountains was under repair and the girls were so concerned about it. Before we left, the fountain was fixed and I took their picture setting on the edge of the pool.

During our stay, we saw ICE, the fantastic sculpture featuring Shrek and all his friends. The display is crafted from 200 tons of ice and is breathtaking. Also featured is SNOW, a winter wonderland, especially for those who live in more tropical areas. Since Iowa has not had snow that has stayed on the ground yet this season, Brenna and Caelan enjoyed building snow sculptures. We also enjoyed the movie “Puss In Boots.” This is a great movie for the whole family.

Later, we decorated gingerbread houses and families at Gingy’s house. All materials are included and provided lots of sticky fun! We managed to pack our projects and take them home with minimal damage.

Caelan very seriously informed us that she was Gingy’s girlfriend and an argument ensued when Brenna declared that she was his girlfriend too! Caelan was very adamant that SHE was his girlfriend, and when we asked about Mrs. Man (Gingy’s real name is Gingerbread Man), Caelan’s response what that Mrs. Man wasn’t real.

Brenna had a very loose top tooth and we tried to enlist Shrek to help pull it out; very comical since his fingers were too large to fit in her mouth. We had a lot of fun teasing and Shrek tried to sneak up and surprise Brenna; we even tried to solicit help from Princess Fiona. Great fun!

During our stay, two scavenger hunts were featured. We had a lot of fun looking for Coca Cola bears, hidden in niches and displays throughout the resort. Some were difficult to spot but we managed to find the 10 bears with clues and most of the bears without clues as well. The Magic Bean hunt won activity books and a bean to take home and plant.

In retrospect, this is probably not a trip I would have taken on my own; most of my pleasure came from watching Brenna and Caelan and their enjoyment. In our hectic world, all too often we forget the wonder of discovery; being able to travel with my family and especially to view the world through the eyes of a child makes it the best experience of all.

We so thoroughly enjoyed ICE at Gaylord Palms that I have the idea of visiting each Gaylord resort over the next few years and experiencing ICE at each one! Check out what is going on at the other Gaylord resorts this Christmas:

Opryland in Nashville

Texan near Dallas

National in Washington DC

To view all my photos from our fun at ICE please visit my Gaylord Palms ICE Flickr page.

Family Rambling would like to thank the Gaylord Palms for hosting us for ICE.

View from my balcony at the Boardwalk Inn, Walt Disney World

I was treated to pure Disney luxury during my “5 stars to Mickey bars” weekend at Walt Disney World.  My room at the Boardwalk Inn, a deluxe resort at Walt Disney World, was incredible.  Decorated in tones of pale sunshine and crisp white linens, it felt fresh and clean.  The view of the boardwalk from my balcony almost had me believing I could breathe in the saltiness of sea air.

My room

My room was a “standard with a water view”.  The bed was very comfortable, the desk had enough outlets for both my laptop and phone to charge at the same time.  The addition of the couch was nice; the extra sitting room would help make this a comfortable room for a family.  I especially loved my small balcony with its’ metal chairs.  It was wonderful to sit out there in the mornings and evenings with the small treats the hotel had left and just relax.

(Note:  because I was a guest of Walt Disney World I received turn down service, evening snacks, a fruit basket and a cheese plate.  These amenities are available with concierge service room packages.)

Mickey towels

Telltale signs of “the mouse” were everywhere: from the carefully folded towels on my bed to the toiletries.  The hallway carpets even had his image woven into the designs.

Throughout the resort are the small touches that make Disney resorts memorable.  From the antique silent picture viewers in the hall to the immense waterhorse chandelier and miniature carousel; everywhere you turn there is something to discover.

If your room doesn’t have a balcony (or even if it does) take some time to sit on the large veranda at the rear of the lobby.  The white wicker chairs come on various sizes to fit every guest, and the conversation couch makes it easy to relax, lean back and chat with friends and family.

While the Boardwalk Inn is only a 5 minute walk from Epcot and a short boat ride from Hollywood Studios there is plenty here to keep you occupied.  The Luna Park pool is a favorite of kids; a more relaxing swim can be found at the resort’s two quiet pools.  Kids of all ages can enjoy the arcade and families gather at the Community Hall for crafts or board games.  My personal favorite is the Surrey bikes that can be rented for a true family bike ride!

You can enjoy everything from fine dining to pub food on the Boardwalk, and don’t miss a morning pastry at the Boardwalk Bakery.  It’s the perfect way to begin a magical day.

Boardwalk Inn Facts

Room options range from standard rooms, to suites to garden cottages.  Rates begin at $340 per night for a standard room during the low season.

Driving to the resort?  You can self park or, for a fee, have a valet park your car.

Transportation around the parks and resorts is free to resort guests via bus or boats (water taxis).

Disney’s Magical Express can pick you up at the Orlando International Airport and take you directly to your resort and handle your luggage for you (expect a 2-3 hour wait for your luggage to arrive).  If you are taking the Magical Express to the airport after your stay the resort can handle everything for you- from checking in for your flight to transporting your luggage.  (Do not check in for your flight online!  If you do the resort can not check you in and you will have to handle your own luggage.  Yes, I did that.)

High speed internet is an additional fee (my biggest pet peeve in expensive hotels and resorts).

Disclosure: This trip was part of a Disney Media event. My transportation, lodging and meals were provided by Disney. All photos and thoughts are my own.