This gated resort has as many amenities as any other I have come across (e.g. seven pools, seven recreation centers, six cafes, tennis, basketball, volleyball, shuffleboard, fitness trail, mini-golf, billiards, ping-pong, karaoke). The units are spacious, well-equipped, and well-maintained. Some are a bit dated, but certainly nothing that detracts from one's stay.

We tried to hit all of the seven outdoor pools. There is a pool to fit everyone's taste - quiet, mostly adults, mostly kids, cool, warm, peaceful, activity filled, waterfalls, etc.

For your convenience, there are several fitness centers on the property to help you keep in shape during your stay. There are plenty of tennis courts, so be sure to bring your racquets. Additionally, there is mini-golf, a wide range of activities, walking trails, store, gift shop, etc.

If it wasn't for the fact that Disney was so nearby, you could easily stay on the property for the whole week and never run out of things to do.

Additionally, Vistana is conveniently located to Disney, Universal, Sea World, and all other attractions, malls, dining, etc.

The staff was very warm, friendly, and efficient.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

We went for the early-bird menu, so it made the great experience very affordable. Everyone enjoyed their food very much and still talks about the evening.

To learn more about Kobe Steakhouse in the comfort of your home, click on this link: I'm hungry--let's go out to Kobe's!

One tip is to use the "Fast Pass" system to get on some of the marquee events, which tend to have longer lines. Plan out your route and try to stick with it. That will ensure you get to see and do what is most interesting to you.

Be sure to keep your eyes and ears open, so as not to miss all the many intricate details on the rides. There are so many wonderful and creative "props." The music can only bring back fond memories.

Try to eat during the less prime mealtimes to avoid the crowds. Some of the character lunches or dinners allow you to make reservations ahead of time. If eating with Mickey or Donald is important, try to call ahead.

The simulation rides are quite real, so be sure to not pass these up.

You may want to consider a multi-day Park Hopper Pass, which will allow you to come and go as you please in all the Disney parks during your stay. That way you can leave if tired or if a sudden storm blows in. and you will not feel like you must stay to get your money's worth.

Highlights by Land:
Tomorrowland: Alien Encounter, The Timekeeper, Buzz Lightyear, and Space Mountain
Fantasyland: Peter Pan's Flight and Legend of the Lion King
Liberty Square: Hall of Presidents and Haunted Mansion
Frontierland: Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad, and Shootin' Arcade
Adventureland: Treehouse, Tiki Room, and Pirates of Caribbean

Enjoy!

A good way to plan your time at Universal Studios Orlando is to spend some time on its website. To begin your time of fun, click here!!

The marquee attractions are certainly worth seeing and waiting in line for, but walking through some of the set areas also gives you a rush.

Some of the rides we enjoyed most were: Men in Black, Jaws, Twister, Earthquake, Kongfrontation, Back to the Future, Alfred Hitchcock . . .

If you're a fan of Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat, you will want to make a little mischief in his town. Check out the pictures to get a glimpse of some of the fun. Oh, and watch out or you might be on the receiving end of some of George's or his friends mischief!

P.S. You will also want to use Universal's version of the "fast pass" to help you get into, and with limited waiting, some of the more popular attractions.

You will want to give yourself most of a full day to experience all that Epcot has to offer. As you leisurely stroll about the grounds, be sure to look all about and enjoy the vegetation, plants, flowers, and music.

I'd suggest you just walk around "the lagoon" and experience each country as you come to it.

Canada: O'Canada the 360 degree Circle Vision Show is worth seeing.
United Kingdom: Fish-n-Chips at Rose and Crown Pub is pleasing to the taste buds.
France: A picture by the Eiffel Tower and a glass of wine may be in order.
Japan: The acrobatic show is definitely worth seeing, and how can you go wrong sampling some of the food?
Italy: A little of the music puts a smile on your face and bounce in your step.
China: The Circle Vision Show is worth seeing.

The Rides/Attractions: Test Track is very interesting and fun to experience. This is a good place to use a Fastpass. The Universe of Energy is petty cool as are Spaceship Earth, The Living Seas, and Living with the Land.

If you want to go to Epcot now, just click on this link and you'll be on your way to making memories - Take me to Epcot please!.

I would suggest you bring as little extra clothing as possible. As soon as you are in the gate, secure a convenient locker to put your valuables and dry clothes in. Next on the list is to secure a lounge chair or spot on the beach, claimed by your towel. We had no trouble leaving our towels out as everyone seemed to honor this practice.

The marquee events have the longest lines, so I would suggest you ride them first: Summit Plummet and Slush Gusher, provided you are not afraid of heights, the feeling of freefall, or speed! They are awesome rides, but wow, they are fast!

We had a lot of fun on Teamboat Springs for a group experience. But we probably spent the most of our time on the racing-type rides: Runoff Rapids, Snow Stormers, Toboggan Racers, and Downhill Double Dipper.

I'd suggest getting your lunch either a bit early or a bit late. As is usual, everyone seems to eat around noon. Old habits die hard, even on vacation!

If you want to take many trips on the rides, I'd suggest using the stairs whenever possible and as long as your heart can take it. However, it is fun to ride the Chairlift to get an aerial view of things.

Finally, as the day lingers on and the "rush" of the marquee rides wane, enjoy some time at Melt Away Bay or a leisurely float in Cross Country Creek.

Enjoy the day and rest assured you will be "squeaky" clean and wrinkled when it is time to go home!

To check out all that Blizzard Beach has to offer online, just click here: Transport me to the Beach, Scotty.

The attraction is not hard to spot, as it is the only upside down building in the City! If you drive along Intern'l Drive, you can't miss it. But just to be sure you can find it and what it has to offer, click on this link: Woderworks.

The best place to park is in the adjacent parking garage. It's an hourly rate thing, but worth it for the convenience.

The interactive games are a riot, especially Lazer Tag. When we played, and they posted the scores for all to see, we all had a good laugh when mom had zero, zip, natta points. Can you believe that, she played the whole game and did not score a point! She got her revenge though when she took the prize on the Buzz Lightyear Ride at the Magic Kingdom (i.e. Galactic Warrior).

You can easily spend a few hours at Wonderworks. Be a kid and have fun!