For me, life is about investing in family, enjoying food and saving to travel. One of my Dad’s last gifts was a family holiday to Orlando, Florida. It had always been my dream to take my children to Disney World, and my Dad made that possible. So, before we went, I researched my heart out to make sure that it would be a holiday of a lifetime. Living in Australia, so far away from the USA, I was totally reliant on the internet and social media for my information. Google maps was an invaluable source of honest, real and reliable information and photographs from everyday people just like me. Not only did they help me before we travelled, planning which attractions to visit and when, but they also helped us when we were in Florida, finding great family places to eat, shop and see.
Like Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa – the complex which had a replica pirate ship in the pool. Not to mention the waterslide which shot you out of the ship into the water.
Then there was the incredible value for money deal we got when we booked our accommodation at Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando- five express passes to Universal Studios, for three days, included for free with our room booking! Not to mention the water taxi we got to travel in each day from the resort to Universal. The express passes gave us early entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and saved us so much time! It was truly a VIP experience.
Topping it off was the incredible customer service we experienced on my daughter’s birthday at the Island’s Restaurant. The chef made a cake beyond our expectations and the staff carried it out, singing Happy Birthday and carrying a balloon bouquet attached to a basket of chocolates. I still get teary when I remember the look of awe on my daughter’s face. One of the most memorable birthdays ever!
When I got home, I started sharing my reviews and photos of our trip and I was gobsmacked. Within a couple of weeks, my Disney World review had thousands of views and my photo of Kang and Kodo’s Twirl ‘n’ Hurl ride at Universal Studios had hundreds of thousands of views. Could this be right? Could I actually be helping this many people? Did others share my love for all things fun and quirky? This really spurred me on with reviewing places I visited and today I love sharing amazing places that offer families fun, value for money and great customer service. Google maps and local guides allows me to share my passion for family, food and travel with others. I hope that my reviews and photos will help people to live their best lives and, perhaps, have their dream holiday too.
