Family, travel, mom blog | Theme Park Mom (Leigh Caldwell)

The Hilton Bonnet Creek is a new hotel that is bordered on three sides by Walt Disney World property. Needless to say, it’s a great place to stay on a visit to Orlando. There are 1,000 guest rooms, six restaurants and lounges, and a gorgeous pool.

Guests of the Hilton Bonnet Creek can use the Guerlain Spa and Rees Jones golf course at the adjacent Waldorf Astoria Orlando hotel.

This summer, the Hilton is offering room rates as low as $139 per night. Here are some of the packages available:

PACKAGES FOR FAMILIES

• Wandering Wizards Package (from $154 per night) – Would-be wizards can enjoy action-packed days of magic and villains, beginning after a complimentary daily breakfast. Children will receive a spell-casting wand upon arrival, and parents will enjoy a 3pm late checkout to ensure enough time to cast all spells. All hotel guests enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks and the Kids Eat Free breakfast and dinner special at Harvest Bistro. see website for complete details
• Summer Magic Package (from $169 per night) – Visitors can enjoy even more fun in Orlando with a $25 Disney gift card AND a $50 nightly resort credit. The credit can be used for any resort amenity, including 12 restaurants and lounges, championship golf course, and Spa by Guerlain. All hotel guests enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks and the Kids Eat Free breakfast and dinner special at Harvest Bistro. see website for complete details
• Family Summer Magic Package (from $189 per night) — Kids eat, play and drink free! A hotel package featuring the resort’s most popular family requests, includes a spacious guest room, complimentary kids’ meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner!) at Harvest Bistro, complimentary kids soft drinks during pool hours; a $10 per child daily arcade credit; and nightly Dive-in Movies at the pool, with free popcorn. What could make it better? How about a $25 Disney gift card (per stay)? All hotel guests enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks. see website for complete details

PACKAGES FOR GOLFERS

• Summer Golf Bonus (from $139 per night) — Enjoy a spacious guest room, and two complimentary rounds of golf (playable after noon). All hotel guests enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks, and the Kids Eat Free breakfast and dinner special at Harvest Bistro. see website for complete details
• Unlimited Golf (from $199 per night) — For the golfing enthusiast, the Unlimited Golf Package is a terrific opportunity to hone skills over a weekend. Package includes a day’s unlimited play on the resort’s Rees Jones-designed Championship Golf Course (for each night stay) and unlimited use of the practice facilities. Also included is a $20 per person daily resort credit, which can be used for a spa treatment or at any restaurant or lounge. All hotel guests enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks and the Kids Eat Free breakfast and dinner special at Harvest Bistro. see website for complete details

PACKAGES FOR COUPLES

• Bed and Breakfast Package (from $159 per night) – Relax in a spacious guestroom featuring the signature Hilton Serenity Bed and refresh in the morning with a breakfast buffet for two adults at Harvest Bistro. All hotel guests enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks and the Kids Eat Free breakfast and dinner special at Harvest Bistro. see website for complete details
• Romance Package (from $189 per night) – Enjoy a spacious guest room featuring the signature Hilton Serenity Bed, sparkling wine or cider upon arrival, and full in-room breakfast for two. All hotel guests enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks and the Kids Eat Free breakfast and dinner special at Harvest Bistro. see website for complete details

VALUES FOR FLORIDA RESIDENTS

• Florida Resident Value Rate (from $121 per night) – Florida residents can enjoy fun in their own backyard with the resort’s Florida Resident Special. Endless amenities include golf, spa, swimming pool, lazy river pool, and even nightly Dive-In Movies in the summer. All hotel guests also enjoy complimentary direct transportation to Disney parks and the Kids Eat Free breakfast and dinner special at Harvest Bistro.

We recently took part in a new-to-me activity at Disney’s Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World: Make Your Own Vinylmation!

The blank Vinylmation figurines have been available to buy for several months, and now some Walt Disney World resorts are offering Vinylmation decorating as part of their menu of daily activities for guests.

At the Polynesian, a table was set up with dozens of colorful Sharpie markers to decorate the figures. We were invited to buy a blank Vinylmation from a nearby merchandise location and then let our creativity take over.

The cast members manning the table had set up some real Vinylmation figures to spark our creativity. The Theme Park Kid had a great time decorating her Vinylmation, especially when it came time to pop off the arms and the head to better color around them.

When she was done, she even signed the bottom.

Regular readers will know that I preach this a lot, but I will say it again: Don’t overlook the great amenities and activities at your resort when you vacation at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Most of us need a little break from all the stimulation inside the parks, and there are lots of fun activities happening at our resort when you need a down day. So, don’t forget to peruse that activity calendar you are given when you check in.

We found the Make Your Own Vinylmation activity at the Polynesian. I am told it also takes place at the All-Star Resorts. If you’ve seen it in other Walt Disney World locations, please let us know in the comments.

This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival.  Go there to read more great Disney posts!

If you are planning an Orlando theme park vacation this spring, here are two new hotel offers that might save you some money.

CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort

I am so excited about the April 15 opening of the new CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort in Orlando. Today, CoCo Key is announcing a special rate of $89 for mid-week stays at the brand-new hotel, from April 15 through May 31. Standard room rates run $99-$129 per night.

As the hotel’s name shows, CoCo Key is more than a hotel. It has its own 54,000-square-foot water park with 14 water slides and play areas for children and teens. Unlimited water park access costs $19 per room, per day for hotel guests.

CoCo Key is right in between the Universal and SeaWorld theme parks on International Drive, and the hotel offers free transportation to and from these parks.

You can book a room at the special rate for Coco Key in Orlando online.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort

During the month of May, you can book a special package at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The hotels are offering a special rate of $159 per night. If you book a stay at the special rate during any weekend in May, you will be entered to win a private, catered cruise aboard the Fan-ta-sea. One of these cruises will be given away to a lucky family each weekend.

The Swan and Dolphin hotels are in Epcot Resort Area at Walt Disney World, and guests get free transportation throughout the Walt Disney World resort, as well as other privileges such as Extra Magic Hours.

To book this “Mother May I” special, call 800-227-1500 and ask for rate code “MOTHER2.”

Here’s a theme park concert to respect: Aretha Franklin is singing this weekend at Universal Studios Orlando.

The Queen of Soul performs March 13 as part of Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration, which runs Saturdays through April 17. Mardi Gras means Cajun cuisine, authentic New Orleans music, concerts, and, of course, a parade with plenty of bead throwing.

The Mardi Gras parade starts at 8 p.m. Saturday night, and Aretha’s concert will begin at 8:30 p.m.

The concert lineup for the rest of the Mardi Gras season includes:

• March 20: Miranda Lambert
• March 27: 3 Doors Down
• April 3: Beach Boys
• April 9: Sheryl Crow
• April 10: Flo Rida
• April 17: Chicago

Universal is running a special hotel package in conjunction with Mardi Gras this spring: Book 3 nights and get 2 more free. You can still book this package online through the end of March.