I wrote a little bit about our trip to Orlando a few weeks ago, but today I’d love to share with you the beauty that is Gaylord Palms Resort.
We woke up the next morning and set off to explore the humongous indoor “jungle”. It was time to get some breakfast and since our favorite Villa De Flora was closed, we settled for a really nice decaf tea and pastry in the courtyard.
In case you’re wondering, Andrew is using the non-toxic natural hand sanitizing Cleanwell wipes to disinfect the table and Lexi’s hands.
It’s really hard to describe the hotel. It’s like a mixture of Disney intricasies, whimsical decorations, country swamp decor, twinkling lights, tuscan architechture, wet green jungle and the grandeur of a glass domed greenhouse.
Where else would you find balconies overlooking the depth of the jungle? Or a moss covered tree in the middle of a wooden swamp restaurant?
Or an ancient vine covered castle inside a resort?
Countless waterfalls and exotic plants?
And then you walk outside through the “swampland” area of the resort, past the tranquil looking spa, down the a few steps and through the glass doors, you walk out into the clean looking Arizona style pool oasis.
We didn’t spent much time at the pool, we didn’t have our swim suit with us, but Lexi started bouncing in Andrew’s arms at the sight of these little fountains covering the shallow walk-in edges of the pool. So we tried them out.
She was so hilariously focused on grabbing one of them. Fountains are fun 🙂
Besides the big kid friendly pool with slides and water features, Gaylord‘s had an adult only area with cabanas, lounges and a rectangular pool. That’s the area you would usually see us hanging out at, sipping drinks and laughing at each other’s jokes. Not this time though. We looked at what 1 year ago would be “our spot” and happily took our beautiful and tired daughter back to the room.
I know we will continue visiting Gaylord Palms whenever we are in the area, whether it’s to have dinner, go to the yearly ICE exhibit with Lexi, or just show off this gem to friends out of state. I don’t know if we’d stay there again. Not because it wasn’t fabulous, but because I just can’t pass up staying on Disney campus whenever in Orlando.
Hope you enjoyed the photo journey through Gaylord‘s as much as we enjoyed visiting.
16 comments
I stayed there for 4 days for a work function once. It was fine, but I do not remember it being all that fabulous, frankly, more like standard. I did spend a lot of time in the meeting rooms, and it was March and way too cold for the outdoor pools and fun. Interesting to see it again, it does not seem to have changed that much as far as the decor and inside attaractions, but seems greener. I remember the gym being very decent too and the rooms were comfortable. Thanks for triggering a trip down the memory lane 🙂
They host so many conferences it’s crazy. I didn’t really visit meeting rooms, or the gym or any other facilities. Rooms are standard, but I just adore the whole indoor jungle/waterfalls/flowers/castles thing!
Is it just a part of the building which looks like jungle/castle etc ??;)
Yeah it’s inside the hotel. Everything is in a greenhouse, under a glass roof.
Wow unusual hotel!!! 🙂 what rooms look like?
Just ordinary rooms 🙂
Hey Elena – a couple of things I’ve been meaning to write (completely unrelated to this post). We’ve got a 3 1/2m baby boy and we ended up ordering both the k-tan wrap and the nordic carrier (which has just arrived) and both are AMAZING. We live in New Zealand – so we had to order both products from the states as nowhere here stocks them yet. Even with shipping the nordic carrier ended up being cheaper than the ergo (which we were planning on buying) so we’re very happy. Anyway – just thought I’d say thanks … and let you know that your blog is helping FTMs all over the world!
Also, I read in your comments a brief update on your pp body/weightloss. I think it’s definitely time for another proper update! I jumped on the scales this morning and I’m back to my pre-pregnancy weight… but my stomach is so far from toned! Are you managing to fit in any exercise (or even just mini ab workouts?). I started about a month ago with the “moms into fitness” videos – but then my wee chap changed his napping so he was only napping for 45mins at a time! Anyway, needless to say that any kind of workout went out the window (I had to use that time to quickly clean the house/ wash diapers/ jump in the shower). Anyway – with summer on it’s way in NZ I’m keen to be back in a bikini in a couple of months but I still feel like I’ve got a bit of work to do. Anyway – a blog post would be great. Even if you’re not managing to fit much exercise in, it’s always reassuring to know we’re all in the same boat!
Love the blog – followed you all through your pregnancy. It’s great being a few months behind you (we’re about to start BLW in a couple of months) …..
Oh I am so glad Nordic and Ktan worked out for you! That’s awesome!
Weight loss/body: it’s funny you say that today, because just a few minutes ago I scheduled a Postpartum body post for Tomorrow, so come back tomorrow 🙂
Hope it’s everything you wanted, even though I didn’t have much to say 🙂
You always look great in your photos — but I think these are the first pics since your daughter was born that you don’t have what I would call the ‘tired mommy eye’ look that comes from too many sleep-interrupted nights. Have you been getting more sleep at night lately?
Haha!! That’s probably because it was our first fun trip!
Nights are the same from the amount of wake ups but I’m just getting used to it 🙂
So when you edit, do you also edit Lexie? Do you feel that is wrong in any way? When she gets older wouldn’t you like her to be proud of the way she looks without altering her appearance to look better?
Ok here we go again. I don’t know if it’s stupidity, ignorance or just lack of photography knowledge, but… The word “editing” usually applies to editing the colors and exposure (among other things) of the photograph to make it look better, more vibrant, give it a certain feel and mood etc. It doesn’t “ALTER” a person’s appearance to make it look better when you “edit” a photo. If you’d like to keep your photographs dull, spiritless and under/overexposed, be my guest, but I would really love to know where you see editing of people here, especially Alexis, to ask me about “altering her looks”. Besides, she’s a freaking baby, and a gorgeous one, what’s there to do to make her “look better”.
Some people are so clueless….
Wow that was an incredibly rude response for a simple question. By enhancing her features do they not improve them? You brighten the color of her hair and eyes making them look better so what does that teach her? Seems I’ve hit a nerve
A rude response to a rude question. You could have asked me if I edit Lexi, instead you TOLD me I do. Asking me IF I edit Lexi and then following it up with “don’t you think it’s wrong? Wouldn’t you want her to be proud of her appearance” is essentially saying that you think I do. You knew perfectly what you were saying.
“By enhancing her features do they not improve them? You brighten the color of her hair and eyes making them look better so what does that teach her?”
Again, could you please point out where I enhance her “features”? And how would you know whether I do or not, since you’ve never met us in real life?
Why would I brighten the color of her hair, that’s just ridiculous!? What’s wrong with her hair color to do that? And while eye brightening is a very common technique among photographers to bring out the whites of the eye that gets lost in a photograph, I don’t even do that, because her eyes are so bright and blue, if I were to brighten them further, she’d look like an alien.
I doubt these answers will satisfy you though, because you didn’t come here to get an answer, we both know that.
So are you denying the fact that you dont “alter” your daughter’s stork bite?
well, your question wasn’t posed properly. I think you meant to say “So are you denying the fact that you “alter” your daughter’s stork bite?”
And my answer to that, absolutely! You can clearly see it in the photos.
Lol, you people crack me up.