This year, we decided to forego annual passes to any of the 3 major Orlando area parks and try some of the lesser known attractions that the area has to offer. On our last visit to Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT), we decided to try an “oldie, but a goodie”.

Gatorland

I have to be honest, whenever I thought of Gatorland, I thought of Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Vacation – he was always wanting to head off the beaten path and check out some bizzare attraction. Well, Gatorland was always my, “World’s Largest Ball of Twine”.

I live in Florida, so seeing alligators, while not commonplace, certainly wasn’t some “once in a lifetime” experience for me. Heck, we have a gator or two in the canal behind my house! We also had a 10+ footer in the pond at my place of business. So, why was I supposed to be excited to go to Gatorland?

No Longer a Roadside Show!

Yes, Gatorland started out decades ago (1949) as a roadside attraction. Probably a little cheesy, and definitely not as big as the Gatorland of today. However, what has developed out of that heritage is an attraction that does a very good job at educating visitors as well as entertain. All of the shows and exhibits do a very good job of providing information on the indigenous (and not-so-indigenous)  species of Florida. Some shows even provide you with a bit of a history lesson on Florida and Gatorland itself.

Activities range from shows on gator handling and feeding to train rides and nature walks. There’s even the obligatory petting zoo with domestic animals such as goats, llamas, cows, etc.  There is a beautiful natural viewing area, complete with an observation tower that provides you with a great vantage point for watching and feeding gators in their natural habitat.

If you are a bird lover, you’ll be impressed with the variety of Florida’s water fowl present. We happened to be at Gatorland just after many of the eggs had hatched. A boardwalk around the gator lagoon provided an excellent opportunity to view nests (complete with hatchlings!) up close.

My family and I particularly enjoyed the “Swamp Walk”. This area of the park features a boardwalk through an area representing Florida as it must have been prior to the settlers’ arrival. It’s amazing that anyone ever wanted to settle in Florida! Yes, you can still find areas like these, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to find, unfortunately.

Decent Prices

Park entry was very reasonable at $22.99 for adults and $14.99 for children under 12. Children under 3 are free. Those prices are for the basic entry. There are packages that allow you to unlimited train rides. There are also options for getting your picture taken with an alligator. Personally, I’d skip the unlimited train rides. We only took the train once around the park. It was nice, but I didn’t see a need to ride it again. For the photo opportunity, I’d recommend bringing your own camera. Similar to other parks, a Gatorland photographer is there to take your picture. However, unless you really like having these photos as mementos, I’d forgo the approximately $10 fee for the photo and take one yourself. Yes, having your picture taken is included in the package – the photo actually taken by the Gatorland employee is extra.

FYI, click here to go to Gatorland’s website for a discount coupon. You can also get discounted tickets/packages by purchasing them on Gatorland’s website – click here.

Lunch at Gatorland was also very reasonably priced, and the variety was such that everyone should be able to find something they like. You could even order some gator tail!

A Great Break From The “Big Boys”

After visiting Gatorland, I’d have to say that my attitude has changed completely. What a great day! Smaller crowds than the big attractions – although there were crowds. If you get there at the 9:00AM opening time, you should be able to see every show and every exhibit by 2:00PM or 3:00PM. This includes a break for lunch.

For a nice, relaxing off-day from the major attractions, hit Gatorland early, enjoy a wonderful day of Florida wildlife and history, and then come home to Disney Holiday Townhome and hit the pool during the heat of the day!

Up Next

Another minor attraction? Maybe a pub? Heck, I’m not even sure! But stay tuned – I’m sure I’ll think of something!

Once again, my family and I were on a mission to find some authentic ethnic food during our last trip up to Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT) . This time, we thought we’d try some Mexican food. We had seen a couple of Mexican restaurants in the area, but were unsure as to which one to try. I mentioned this to a fellow vacation rental owner, and she suggested a restaurant that just around the corner from DHT!

The reason I hadn’t noticed this particular Mexican restaurant is because it shares a building with a Mexican food market. The other vacation rental owner told me two things that convinced me that we should try this place: 1) very authentic Mexican cuisine and 2) GREAT margaritas! That was good enough for me!

El Tenampa

Located just 3 miles east of DHT on Irlo Bronson Highway, El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant is easily found on the north side of the road – if you know to look for a restaurant and/or a small grocery store! Whenever, we stay at DHT, we go past this place at least twice, and I’ve only ever noticed the grocery store!

Pulling into the parking lot, El Tenampa doesn’t look like much more than one of those convenience marts with a coin-operated laundry next door in the same building. The lot is small, and we parked off in the dirt/grass. Opening the door to the restaurant, however, revealed a charming little establishment with full wall murals representing Southwestern scenes. We were immediately greeted by El Tenampa’s friendly staff, and seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant. A quick look around the (mostly full!) restaurant told me we were in the right place.  I’d say about 60% of the customers were of Mexican (or Hispanic) descent – a very good sign, in my opinion!

We started off with drinks. My wife and I had to try the margaritas. We were not disappointed! While looking at the extensive menu, we all munched away on the chips and salsa provided – which were very good, BTW!

Everyone was feeling a bit adventurous. The kids happened to see that you could get a side of cactus and wanted to try it. Sure! Why not? We’ve never had cactus. It was actually pretty good. It had the look and consistency of green peppers, but was a bit tart and not bitter like a green pepper.

For the main courses, my daughter got a junior quesadilla, and then munched on the chips & salsa, the cactus, and some of our main courses. Trust me, she didn’t starve! There was plenty of food to go around.

My son had the chipoltle style chicken. He really liked the meal. He mentioned that it was too much food. I also know that he’s not a big fan of pulling at “chicken parts”, so that didn’t go ever too well. Boneless would’ve been better for him – but how authentic is that?!

My wife had the grilled fish and was very pleased. She even tried the slices of avocado that came with her meal – and she is not a fan of guacamole!

I ordered the rib-eye steak and shrimp. I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. The flavor of the steak was outstanding! Like everyone else, I felt like there was just too much food. Wow! I’m glad I dug into the steak and shrimp before I gorged myself on the tasty re-fried beans and yellow rice.

The meals were all very affordable, with my steak and shrimp dish topping out the pricing at at paltry $15.99. Everyone else’s meals were under $10!

Authentic Cuisine, Great Atmosphere, Awesome Price

If you like great Mexican food served by a pleasant staff at an incredible price, then El Tenampa is a place you must visit. As I mentioned, the exterior will underwhelm you, but you won’t be disappointed with what’s inside. This is definitely one of those, “you can’t judge a book by its cover” kind of restaurants! It just has a great vibe to it. I can tell you that we will definitely be back to try another dish or two. Give it a try – you’ll be happy you did!

Up Next

A minor attraction that has been around longer than Disney, Universal, or SeaWorld!

I’ve talked about doing some reviews of the local ethnic-based eating establishments. It’s taken awhile, but we finally managed to hit a couple.

My family and I left some time during our last trip up to Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT) for some exploration. The whole family just loves Thai food. In fact, it may be our all-time favorite! We had (briefly) looked for a Thai restaurant on our past trips up to DHT, but had never gotten very serious about it. This time, we were determined to find one!

Holy Cow!

Yes, that’s what I said when I couldn’t find a single Thai restaurant in Kissimmee. Coming from an area where there seems to be a Thai restaurant on every other corner, it was amazing to us that there seemed to be none within 5 miles our DHT!

Thai Thani

On one of our vacations to the Kissimmee area, we had noted a Thai restaurant just south of SeaWorld, which is 8 miles from DHT. After doing a fairly exhaustive search on the Internet, I determined that this restaurant, Thai Thani, was the closest one to us. After looking at a few reviews on-line, we decided to give it a try.

Located just 7 miles from DHT, Thai Thani is located in a shopping center just south of SeaWorld on International Drive. This would put it on the southern edge of Orlando.

Thai Thani’s decor is beautiful. There are tables for larger (or smaller) groups, and booths for a more intimate setting. The staff was very friendly and attentive, seating us immediately and answering any questions we had about the menu.

Speaking of the menu, it is very lengthy! There were 68 different dishes on the dinner menu. I know for sure because they are all numbered. With so many items to choose from, the only thing I could order up front was delicious Singha beer. For someone who is even a mild beer lover, I strongly suggest you try this beer! I’m very much a lover of Bavarian beers, but this one has been in my top ten favorite beers for many years.

Once the drinks were served, we had finally made our decisions. We started off with an order of egg rolls for the table. The kids both got won-ton soup as well. For entrees, my kids went with the chicken Panang curry. My wife got the House Fried Rice Combination, which included pork, beef, chicken, and shrimp. I was torn between the Phad Thai, the chicken Phad Kee Mao, or the duck Panang curry. I finally decided on the duck Panang curry.

WARNING: There seem to be two camps for Thai restaurants – those who use fish sauce and those who do not. Thai Thani does use fish sauce.

UPDATE: I just went to my “regular” Thai restaurant. They told me that all I needed to do was to ask for no fish sauce when ordering. I thought that they actually cooked with the fish sauce. Apparently, it’s added prior to serving. Good news for those of us who aren’t fish sauce fans!!

My family’s “regular” Thai restaurant doesn’t use fish sauce. I’ve been to some that do, and have not been impressed – I just don’t like the taste. Having said this, Thai Thani’s Panang curry is not overpowered by the fish sauce like I’ve seen at a couple of other Thai restaurants. The kids were very happy with their curry! I was a bit less enthused, and had wished that I had tried one of the other two dishes. I’m not sure if it was the fish sauce, or the duck. I love duck, but I’m not sure I’m a big fan of duck in curry. My wife was very pleased with her selection.

The portions were huge! My daughter had half of her entree left to take home. The rest of us did better, but none of us “cleaned our plates”! If it hadn’t been for the discrepancy in the degree of spiciness between my son and daughter (the spicier, the better  for my son!), I think they could’ve gotten by on a single dish.

Prices were a bit on the high side for Thai restaurants. The lunch prices, which are around $10 for an entree, are about what I’m use to paying for dinner. The dinner prices for entrees average about $14.

Our Home Away From Home

We’ve been looking for a “place to call home” in the Kissimmee area, in terms of Thai food. I think we’ve finally found it. Thai Thani is a beautiful place to take the family for some very authentic Thai cuisine. If this is your type of food, you won’t be disappointed!

Up Next

Another ethnic restaurant review is standing in the wings! Which “country” will we visit for our next meal? Stay tuned!

Mimi’s Cafe

We had just arrived in Kissimmee to do some cleaning and maintenance at Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT). It was around noon, and we were all starving! As we were traveling along the Osceola Parkway, my wife blurted out, “Mimi’s Cafe!”. Without asking the rest of the family for approval, I took a hard right – Mimi’s Cafe it was!

Located just east of The Loop mall, Mimi’s Cafe is just 6 miles from DHT. If you happen to be in this area – possibly on a shopping trip – this restaurant is one of several in the area to choose from.

Mimi’s is a great change of pace for casual dining. Decorated with a New Orleans motif, Mimi’s is very inviting. The menu is peppered with the usual fair that you see in these type of restaurants. However, it also boasts several items that are unique to Mimi’s.

Items, such as the Blackened Chicken and Bleu Cheese Quesadilla, the Turkey Pesto Ciabatta, and the Seared Scallops with Asparagus Ravioli, are just a few of the items on the menu that seem to be unique to Mimi’s. Something else not often seen on menus – different quiches were featured.

“Just Enough Lunch”

We decided to go with dishes from Mimi’s “Just Enough Lunch” menu. Once again, I was surprised that someone from our family decided on the Jambalaya. This time it was my wife! She’s not really into spicy like me (or my son), so it was an even bigger surprise. She enjoyed it, but it was a bit too spicy for her. FYI, my son tried a bite of it, and didn’t think it was that spicy – surprise! My son went with the Parmesan Chicken Ciabatta, which he liked very much. I tried the Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wrap, which had just the right amount of heat. My daughter went for the cheeseburger from the kid’s menu. The items from the “Just Enough Lunch” menu were just that – perfectly portioned for a light lunch!

Overall, our visit to Mimi’s Cafe was a very pleasant experience. The prices would be on the high side of the restaurants mentioned above. If you’re going to get something “tried and true”, such as a burger, a salad, or a typical sandwich, then I’d stick with your favorite casual dining establishment. However, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to try something you can only get at Mimi’s, then I say, “go for it!”.

Up Next

Another dining establishment and a minor attraction. We’re exploring all the alternatives to The Mouse, The Studio, and SeaWorld.

BJ’s Brewhouse & Restaurant

We were up at Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT) for a long weekend to re-supply and do some deep cleaning. It was the Saturday evening before Mother’s Day (our traditional night out for Mom), and we were having a bit of a problem deciding where to go for dinner. We were already at The Loop mall, so my wife suggested we try BJ’s Brewhouse. Knowing that is was also a micro-brewery, I had no problem with her decision!

Wow! What a pleasant surprise! Located in the 2nd phase of The Loop mall on the Osceola Parkway, BJ’s has something for everyone. Sure, they had the microbrews, but they also had a great selection of wines and mixed drinks. They even had microbrewed rootbeer!! (BTW, if you are even a modest fan of rootbeer, you must try BJ’s – great stuff!)

Food

BJ’s menu is very wide-ranging. From pizza and pasta, to soups and salads. From burgers and sandwiches, to full blown entrees. Knowing that I would be ordering the beer sampler and we’d be getting salads, we decided to forego the appetizers.

My daughter had the classic stuffed baked potato, which she loved. It was so big she actually had to take it home! My son surpised me with a selection of the New Orleans Jamalaya. It was a perfect selection for him – spicy (he’s had a cast-iron stomach since he was 10!), a variety of meats, and good mix of peppers, sauteed onions, and tomatoes.

My wife and I went with a couple of entrees. My wife decided on the blackened fresh Atlantic salmon. We both seem to be a bit picky when it comes to blackened anything. We feel that term gets thrown around way too much to describe items that are NOT blackened, but merely seasoned with Cajun-type spices. However, she was duly satisfied with her choice to go with the blackened instead of the broiled salmon.

I had the New York strip, which was perfect. Cooked precisely as I had requested (medium-well), the steak had great flavor. Not a bad piece of meat on the entire strip!

Beer!

If you’re a first-timer to BJ’s like I was (and you like beer), I’d go with the sampler, which features all of the beers brewed by BJ’s. I’m guessing here, but I believe you get 5 ounce servings.

BJ’s Brewhouse Blonde – a light Kolsch style beer. I’m not a fan of wheat beers, and there IS a hint of wheat flavor. In spite of this, I would still rate this a good beer.

Harvest Hefeweizen – again, I’m not a fan of wheat beers. I tried 2 big swigs, but finally had to pass on this one. I’m sure a fan of wheat beers would like this one.

Piranha Pale Ale – OK, I started seeing a pattern with the light beers. Even this one had a slight hint of wheat. I guess this would be my only complaint about the BJ’s beers. Fellas – you can make a light beer without wheat!! Seriously! Once again, however, in spite of this, I would rate this a very drinkable beer.

BJ’s Jeremiah Red – maybe it’s just because the next few beers are in my wheelhouse of preference, but I think the darker beers are where the BJ’s brewmeisters really excel. Fruity, as you would expect in a “red”, but also very malty. This beer had great flavor. Watch out – this one packs a punch at 7.3%. I would rate this beer as very good to excellent.

Nutty Brewnette – this one was a bit of a surprise. I expected a more traditional British brown ale. However, this one has a very hoppy bite that I’m use to in a lighter beer.  I would rate this beer as very good.

Tatonka Stout – I ate the majority of my steak with this beer. I have to say, the pairing was perfect! Awesome flavor. Very rich. Yet another suprise – topping out at 8.5%, this represents BJ’s strongest brew. If you’re a Guinness drinker you know that Guinness is nowhere near this for alcoholic content, which is around 4%! I would rate this beer as excellent.

BJ’s P.M. Porter – I finished off my steak with this beer, and then just sat back and enjoyed the rest of this fine porter. Thick, rich, and slightly sweet, it is the perfect after dinner beer. Who needs coffee when you have a porter? I would rate this beer as excellent.

For a more in-depth (and professional!) description of the beers, check out the beer page on BJ’s website.

Prices

Prices are very reasonable for this type of restaurant. It’s not Wolfgang Puck’s, but it’s no Olive Garden either. Even with my wife’s cocktail, my beer sampler, a couple of fairly high-end entrees, and a couple of desserts, we paid around $80, including the 20% tip. Not bad for a family of four!

Summary

Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant. Great food, great beer, wide selection. Oh! And the service was excellent! That may be the most high-end part of this restaurant. My family will definitely be back! In fact, we may have to do it for Father’s Day. (Hey, Mom got to choose the last time!)

Up Next

Maybe some minor attractions and/or a restaurant. We don’t have annual passes to Disney this year, so we’ll have some time to check out all of the many non-Disney activities. It should be an adventure – stay tuned!

Frankie Farrell’s Irish Pub & Grille

My family and I spent a long weekend up at our Disney Holiday Townhome (DHT) recently. While there, I got a real hankerin’ for a good beer. I did a couple of searches on the Internet, but didn’t find much in the area. On our way to EPCOT, I noticed a billboard on SR-535. Frankie Farrell’s Irish Pub & Grille. Hmmm…. This might fit the bill!

Frankie Farrell’s is a brand new pub (less than 1 year as of June 1, 2008 ) that is located behind the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores just off SR-535, and just south of SR-417. The great thing for my family (and our guests) is that it is just under 3 miles away from DHT! Because it is so new and not obvious from SR-535, it is not very crowded – YET!

We were greeted by Ryan, one of the managers, and his staff. I had many questions about the beer selection and the sports packages that they provide. Ryan and his crew answered all of my questions. When they didn’t have an immediate answer, they would go off to research the question and return with the answer.

The decor certainly gives you the feel of an Irish pub, but it isn’t as intimate as the other local pubs I frequent. Since it is brand new, you definitely do not have that residual smell of smoke that many older establishments have from back in the days when smoking was allowed inside. There is also a really nice outside cafe area for cooler weather.

Our server, Kate, was friendly and very attentive. She was also very helpful when we had questions about menu items. We never had to wait long for refills. The food arrived before I had finished my first pint, which was unexpected. I’m usually on my second pint before my food arrives at my local pubs.

The quality beer selection and excellent food are just the beginning of why this pub may turn out to be my personal “watering hole of choice” whenever we’re staying at DHT. The beer list is long and full of great beers including beers from Ireland, England, Denmark, Belgium, Australia, Holland, and microbreweries in the US. There are also the US standards. No German beers (Spaten, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, etc), which is what I prefer, but hey, it’s an Irish Pub!! Besides, I love a good Guinness straight from the tap. Here is a list of beers available when my family visited:

Draft Beers

• Guinness
• Bass
• Magner’s
• Harp
• Swithwick’s
• Tennent’s
• Boddington’s
• Newcastle
• Strongbow
• Carlsberg
• Stella Artois
• Foster’s
• Heineken
• Grolsch
• Shipyard (Seasonal)
• Blue Moon
• Wild Berry Ale
• Sam Adams
• Yuengling
• Killian’s Irish Red
• Miller Lite
• Amber Bock
• Budweiser
• Bud Light
• Coors Light

Bottled Beers

• Heineken Light
• Corona
• Smirnoff Ice
• Budweiser
• Bud Light
• Michelob Light
• Michelob Ultra
• Miller Lite

Food

If you like pub food, then you’ll be in heaven at Frankie Farrell’s! Not a big fan of pub food? Well, don’t despair – there is a wide selection of menu items that aren’t considered typical pub food to choose from. Appetizers include such things as Buffalo wings, chicken quesadillas, mozzarella sticks, potato skins. Salads and soups are also available. Main courses range from sandwiches to burgers. Steak and fish also can be ordered, along with chicken Parmesan, teriyaki chicken, and chicken & mushroom alfredo.

I’m sure the food above is great (and I’m sure I’ll find out, eventually), but besides great beer, I head to an Irish or British pub for what I consider traditional “pub food”. I’m a big fan of pub food, and so is my family. We ordered a couple of items and shared them to see what everyone liked.

First off, here is the “pub menu”:

• Irish Breakfast – Served all day! Rashers (bacon), sausage, white & black pudding, eggs, fried tomatoes.
• Fish And Chips – Atlantic Cod in our own special batter and deep fried, served with tartar sauce and chips.
• Shepherd’s Pie – Choice ground beef, carrots, onions, celery, and leeks mixed together and cooked to perfection and topped with fluffy mashed potatoes. Optional cheese topping.
• Bangers & Mash – Two plump British Isles sausages served with fluffy piping hot mashed potatoes and gravy
• Chicken Curry – Every region in India has their own version. We present our classic regional favorite served over your choice of chips or a bed of rice.
• Guinness Stew – This pub specialty is Angus Sirloin braised in Guinness Stout with aromatic vegetables.

I tried the shepherd’s pie, and my wife had the chicken curry. Both were excellent. If I were to compare them with other pubs that I frequent, I would say that the curry was the best I’ve had! (I have a local Indian restaurant that serves better curry – in my humble opinion – but no pub does it better!) Curry can vary widely from restaurant to restaurant. I’m sure this is based on the region of India where the recipe originated. This curry tended more towards a green curry, rather than a red curry. Curry isn’t for everyone. However, if you are a curry fan, you’ll be very satisfied with this one!

The shepherd’s pie was very traditional and had a great flavor. I went with the optional cheese, which is the only way to go – again, in my opinion. The menu item above states only ground beef. However, I believe our waitress said there was also lamb in the mix, which makes sense since this is how most (all?) shepherd’s pies that I’ve had previously have been prepared. Either way, the pie was awesome! The only thing I would say is that it would have been nice to also have a side vegetable – say, steamed broccoli and/or carrots.

The kids tried both of these, and both gave them a big “thumbs up”! Our next visit will include an order of the Guinness stew, at the very least! It came highly recommended by the entire staff.

Prices

Prices were just above the sweet spot of most Kissimmee and Orlando area restaurants. Sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers were under $10. Most entrees were under $15. Steaks and fish (not fish and chips, which were $14.95) were typically between $20 and $25. Not exorbitant prices, but slightly higher than your typical Applebee’s, TGi Friday’s, or Olive Garden.

The Best For Last – SPORTS!

I’m a big college basketball and football fan. I also enjoy the NFL and NASCAR. But you can get many of those sporting events at home or in an average sports bar. With the 2008 Euro Cup coming up, I was looking for a place where I could watch soccer (football, to the rest of the world). Frankie Farrell’s has DirecTV, along with several sports channels. ESPN, ESPN2, GolTV, Setanta, and Fox Soccer Channel are all provided, which means I don’t have to miss a single match of the 2008 Euro Cup – or the upcoming Bundesliga season for that matter! These channels cover just about every major soccer league in Europe and the Americas!! With 13 TVs available, you are all but guaranteed to see the match of your choice.

I checked with Ryan, and he mentioned that they may get some of the other major sports packages offered by DirecTV once they become more established.

Soccer, Food, and Good Beer – All of the Essentials!

Frankie Farrell’s isn’t the quintessential Irish pub – then again, it’s not a hundred (or more!) years old either! But if you want to watch your favorite soccer team, enjoy a great beer, and some very good food in a pub atmosphere, then Frankie Farrell’s will do quite nicely! Heck, unless your wife is a soccer fan, too, let her walk over to the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores for an afternoon of shopping while you bask in the glory of your team’s victory!

Combine these elements with the close proximity to DHT, and you can’t go wrong with picking Frankie Farrell’s Irish Pub & Grille as your holiday watering hole!

Up Next

Another pub crawl? Another shopping spree? Maybe some local minor attractions? Who knows – it’s summer! And I’m sure I’ll come up with something!

A Real Factory Outlet Shopping Center!

Well, I can tell you that Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is the real deal! Most (all?) stores here are truly factory outlets. We were very impressed with the prices at several of the store we visited. In particular, the Nike and Bass shoe stores seemed to have very good prices. The Nike store’s shoe selection was wide, but often had limited sizes. If you could find your size, you were almost guaranteed a very good price. The Bass shoe store had prices that were 40% to 50% off retail. The selection of shoes in the “sweet spot” sizes was also very good.

Here is a brief review of the stores we actually visited. It includes “name – prices/selection/notes”:

• Nike – Very Good/Very Good/Sizes somewhat limited
• Bass – Excellent/Very Good/Not just large and small sizes
• Borders – Average/Average/Seemed to be older book selection
• Vanity Fair – Good/Very Good/Several name brands
• Liz Claiborne – Good/Good/It’s tough to find Liz at these prices
• Fossil – Very Good/Good/Great sales, and good every day prices

Here is a quick list of some of the other brand stores:

• Disney Outlet
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Converse
• Claires
• Eddie Bauer
• Reebok
• Kasper
• Hard Rock
• Jockey
• Nine West
• Van Heusen
• Wilson Leather
• Hager
• Izod
• Aeropostale
• World of Coffee (Note: supposedly the best English tea in the area)
• Gap
• Dress Barn
• KB Toys
• Rawlings
• Old Navy
• Rack Room Shoes – Looked to be your standard store – they all have inexpensive shoes!
• SAS Shoes

There were a couple of “electronics outlet” stores as well. I’ve always found that I get the best prices for electronics via the Internet, so I didn’t check these out. FYI, there are many of these types of stores throughout Kissimmee. I can give no opinion on the pricing and/or quality. These may be worth a visit.

If you are just itching for a great shopping destination with incredible prices, then give Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores a shot. You won’t be disappointed. And, it’s just around the corner from our townhome!

Up Next

While the ladies are shopping at Lake Buena Vista Factory Shops, the guys can catch their favorite teams on the big screen and enjoy a great beer at Frankie Farrell’s, which is located next door!

Just a quick note for you beer drinkers – I went back to the Germany pavilion and found Spaten Oktoberfest!! YES!! Of course, I had to have a liter of it with my lunch. Mmmmmmm!!!

I will be doing reviews of a local pub, an outlet shopping center in the very near future – maybe while I’m still in Kissimmee. We’ll see.

I will tell you now that I checked out one of the many flea markets in Kissimmee.

I honestly don’t know what I was expecting. I’m not a big fan of flea markets. I’ve been to flea markets in the past, and haven’t been impressed with any of them. Back in the day (maybe 20 years ago?), flea markets were more like big garage sales. You had people who would scour local garage sales, “going out of business” sales, and estate sales. Then, they would bring their new found “treasures” to the flea market. Often you could find something of value for a decent price – a long out of stock item, a rare car part or piece of jewelry, or even some new items that had been purchased in bulk. It is my belief that these vendors headed to eBay long ago. Flea markets now have poor quality merchandise at just below the price of high quality merchandise. It is a rare occurrence these days to find a diamond amongst all of the lumps of coal at modern flea markets. This flea market was no exception. If you like flea markets, you’ll be in heaven when visiting Kissimmee, as there are at least three large ones. If not, I’d avoid them altogether, as you won’t be missing much.

While some of the larger hotels are still (amazingly!) charging for Wi-Fi, or even cabled Internet access, the smaller hotels and vacation rentals are providing it free of charge. Currently, I would say that less than 50% of the vacation rentals in the Kissimmee area provide this amenity. I’m not big on the, “Me, too!” mindset. However, I didn’t want to be missing a valuable service for my guests, so I took the plunge. I’m glad I did, because many of my future guests have mentioned that they will be bringing laptops!

So, if you’re planning a business trip in the Kissimmee area, or simply need to be “connected” while on vacation, come stay at DHT — and bring your laptops!

The Loop Mall

The Loop Mall is not what most people outside of Florida would consider a mall. This is an “open air” mall that resembles a very large shopping center more than your prototypical indoor mall. There has been a trend towards these types of malls throughout Florida, and this is one that continues to grow.

Located at the busy intersection of John Young Parkway and Osceola Parkway, The Loop is the centerpiece of what is quickly becoming a shopping and eating mecca for Kissimmee. In addition to The Loop, there are many other large stores in the immediate area, including a Lowe’s for the guys, and a BJ’s Club (similar to Sam’s or Costco) for the cost conscious. Restaurants are also popping up all over. If you need something (or just desire something), chances are that this area has what you need.

The Loop is well landscaped, and there is easy access to all shops from the centralized parking lot. The Loop is anchored by a Kohl’s, a Ross, a Michael’s, a Bed, Bath & Beyond, an Old Navy, and a Regal Cinema 16 theater. Other stores include a CVS Pharmacy and an ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. There are approximately 32 stores in all.

Restaurants at The Loop include a Macaroni Grill, a Wendy’s, a Chili’s, a Panera Bread Co., a Chipotle, Shane’s Rib Shack, Red Brick Pizza, and Johnny Rockets. For dessert after a movie, you can go next door to the Ben & Jerry’s for ice cream! Or, get a specialty coffee from Barnie’s, just 2 doors down.

A new second phase of The Loop is currently in the works. Once completed, it appears that it will more than double the amount of floor space of the mall. There is already a JCPenney and a Circuit City in the second phase. I have no doubt that other stores will be open by the summer of 2008. UPDATE: On a recent trip, I noticed that the second phase of The Loop has added a Belk’s and a Babies R Us. Things are moving quickly!

If your on the Osceola Parkway anyway, make sure to take a trip to The Loop, and check out the newest mall in the area!