Our arrival day at Common Orlando with children, together with a keep at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, pool hopping at Common’s premier lodges, exploring CityWalk, and dinner at Antojitos.
After months of planning, we lastly made it to Common Orlando for a three-night journey with my boys!
This journey has a little bit of a protracted backstory. A number of years in the past, making an attempt to get Mazen to learn extra, I instructed him that if he learn the entire Harry Potter books, I might take them to Common. Final summer time, he completed all of them (and watched all of them), and this journey was lastly the reward—though it took me a short while to get my act collectively and really plan it.
That is the primary of three posts and covers our arrival day, first impressions of Loews Royal Pacific, pool hopping, CityWalk, and our first-night dinner.
Reserving with Hillary
My good friend Hillary (Survivor Hillary!) helped me e book our resort and park tickets. Hillary is a journey specialist with Cherry Tree Lane Holidays, and focuses on serving to households plan Disney, Common, and cruise holidays. She is a lifelong theme park lover who visits Disney a number of occasions a yr along with her personal children so she’s acquired battle-tested methods for navigating the parks in a double stroller, discovering the perfect snacks, choosing the proper resort, and methods to preserve the magic going when plans change. You could find her at @allmagicnomeltdowns on Instagram and TikTok or electronic mail her at [email protected].
Flying to Orlando
One thrilling element that made the journey really feel even sweeter: I lastly used Southwest factors I’d been saving for years, so our flights have been free.
I haven’t flown Southwest in years, however boy do they do issues extra effectively than the opposite airways! From the way in which they move out the drinks (Birch’s acquired a lid!) to boarding patterns, I used to be significantly impressed. I want they’d extra routes from my residence airports.
We flew from Richmond, leaving Charlottesville at 4 a.m., and arrived in Orlando by 9:30 within the morning. So we had a full first day!
We took a Lyft on to Royal Pacific and have been checking in by 10. Whereas our room wasn’t prepared but, they’d simple baggage storage and health heart locker rooms to alter into pool apparel.
Loews Royal Pacific Resort
We stayed at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, which incorporates Common Categorical Passes for all resort friends as an enormous perk. Whereas the resort worth is on the costly aspect, Categorical Passes are additionally extremely costly when bought individually, so bundling every part collectively felt price it.
Location was one other large promoting level for me. Royal Pacific is extraordinarily near each Common Studios Florida and Islands of Journey. We have been in a position to get virtually in every single place inside 5–10 minutes by strolling or water taxi, and Common CityWalk was solely a couple of ten-minute stroll away.
Royal Pacific looks like a tropical escape tucked proper inside a theme park vacation spot. It has lush landscaping, palm bushes, and a Pacific island theme that I beloved. In comparison with the opposite resorts we visited whereas pool hopping, it did really feel a bit older. However every part was good for what we wanted.
Our room was snug and pretty normal for a theme park resort. We didn’t have the perfect view (simply the parking zone), however we additionally didn’t spend a lot time within the room. The bathe was good, and the mini fridge was handy.
The largest perks of staying right here have been the placement and Common Categorical Passes. Each have been nonnegotiable for me, and so they actually paid off. Plus pool hopping!
Lunch by the Pool
We had lunch at Bula Bar & Grille, the poolside restaurant.
I had a black bean burger and aspect salad that have been each nice! Birch beloved the mac and cheese.
Royal Pacific Pool
We went within the pool on daily basis! The water was heat, and there have been loads of lifeguards on responsibility who have been extraordinarily attentive. I felt a lot extra snug having Birch swim round with the variety of lifeguards in each nook and cranny. We additionally beloved the new tubs, the zero-entry design, and the sandy seaside space.
Somebody delivered plantain chips to my chair!
Birch participated in a scavenger hunt organized by the resort actions workforce, which he beloved as a result of he gained a squishy toy that he performed with the entire keep.
Pool Hopping
One of many perks Hillary instructed me about is that friends staying at a Common Premier Resort can pool hop between Royal Pacific, Arduous Rock Lodge, and Portofino Bay. We took full benefit of this throughout our keep and tried all of them!
Stroll To Arduous Rock
Later within the afternoon, we walked down the trail, by means of CityWalk, and over to the Arduous Rock Lodge pool.
The stroll was longer than we anticipated, particularly within the warmth and sporting pool garments, so for those who’re making the journey, I’d advocate taking the water taxi as an alternative. You do must get out and swap boats at CityWalk, but it surely was nonetheless a lot simpler.
Exploring CityWalk
We wandered by means of the retailers and began getting excited for the times forward.
Arduous Rock Pool
The Arduous Rock pool had just lately been renovated and ended up being one in all our favourite components of the journey. It has a enjoyable celebration environment with a DJ, underwater music, and a waterslide that Birch completely beloved. He went down it 25 occasions! I beloved singing A Million Desires underwater.
If we return to Common, I might undoubtedly see us staying there.
Portofino Bay Pool
On our departure morning, we additionally visited the Portofino Bay Lodge pool. It was quieter and cooler in tone, with a European really feel. The waterslide there was one other hit.
A Little bit of Climate Luck
We had somewhat on-and-off rain throughout our arrival day however no downpours, so we acquired actually fortunate that we might nonetheless swim. The opposite two days didn’t rain in any respect regardless of rain within the forecast. Not one of the ponchos I packed ever acquired used.
Water Taxi Again To The Royal Pacific
So stress-free!
Dinner at Antojitos
We ended our first day with showers, a fast water taxi trip again to CityWalk, and dinner at Antojitos, which is Mexico Metropolis-themed.
The tableside guacamole was the hit! I had shrimp tacos with grilled pineapple. We beloved the stay music too.
Early to Rise, Early to Mattress
On arrival day, we had been up since round 4 a.m., so we naturally went to mattress early. That truly labored completely as a result of we had an early begin the subsequent morning for Islands of Journey.
Subsequent Up
Our full day at Islands of Journey, the place we dive into Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, Hagrid’s Bike Journey, and Butterbeer.
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