My stay in a luxury vacation home

One of the many "firsts" I experienced during my Princess Half Marathon weekend trip was staying "off" Disney property at a luxury vacation home. Normally when we visit the Walt Disney World resort we stay "on property" at Disney. But this time, the ladies and I had the chance to stay in a Global Resort Homes vacation home in the gated community of Windsor Palms .. and it was amazing !

our house - 8016 King Palm Circle

The house was a 5-bedroom, 3.5 bath, two story house and it can sleep up to 12 people. As there were only five of us in the house, we had more than enough space...but I could see my entire family (the "party of 10") staying there and never stepping on anyone's toes. There was one "king" bedroom, two "queen" bedrooms, and two "twin" bedrooms (each with two twin beds, and one of those rooms was Mickey Mouse themed!). There was also a sleeper sofa, so everyone had their own space for catching up on some much-needed sleep.

 foyer

The house was light and airy and beautifully decorated. We all loved the kitchen and spent quite a bit of time one morning musing about where the pictures and other decor might have been purchased - because we all wanted to replicate it in our own homes! The picture up above shows the entryway as you walk in the front doors - the steps lead to the upstairs bedrooms (the two "twin" rooms) and one of the three full bathrooms. Through the archway on the right is the kitchen area. The kitchen had a dishwasher, coffee pot, AND a Keurig coffee machine - and enough dishes and coffee cups for everyone.

living room with the most comfortable red chair EVER!

The living room area had vaulted ceilings, a flat screen television and very comfortable seating areas. One of my favorite details in the living room were the huge (empty) frames hanging on the walls. I had just seen something like that on Pinterest and thought it was a genius decorating idea for larger walls. And that red chair in the photo? Yeah. It was the best chair ever. I wanted to take it home, along with the very cool clock in the foyer. 

 the frame decor...love it!

As great as the inside of the house was (and it really was!)...my favorite part of this house was the screened in lanai with the pool and hot tub. Yes, we had our very own pool, complete with an alligator (fake, of course...we named him Gary the Gator because no pool in Florida should be without gators, right?). If I had the time, I would have spent at least an entire day sitting poolside, sipping fruity cocktails. As it was...we were super busy and only had minimal pool/hot tub time. 

ah, paradise

The hot tub was the favorite spot for all of us that weekend - even when we arrived home at 11 p.m. Friday night and had to be awake at 4:30 a.m. for the Royal Family 5K ... we still decided it was time to take a dip in the hot tub and rest our weary feet. Sadly, we were all too tired to sip fruity drinks at the time. But the next day, after finishing the 5K, the hot tub was the destination of choice once again. And ... once again we were all too tired for tropical cocktails!

In addition to the great decor, pool, and hot tub the house also had a full size washer and dryer - perfect for washing the bathing suits and towels after a day of swimming, or doing a full load of laundry so you can go home with clean clothes! And, we also had wireless Internet ... a great thing when you have a house full of bloggers and social media geeks.

the kitchen/dining area

The Windsor Palms Resort is one of the nine Global Resort Homes communities in the Orlando area. We were just 2.5 miles from the gates of the Walt Disney World property and the drive was easy, even when traffic was a bit heavy (early in the morning). Windsor Palms has a 7,500 square foot clubhouse complete with a community pool, sundeck, and hot tub. There's also a playground area for the kids, a fitness center, sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, and a 58-seat movie theater.

my room

The thing I enjoyed most about our stay with Global Resorts - other than the hot tub! - was the feeling when you came home at night, tired from walking all day at the parks, that you were HOME. We walked in the front doors, dropped our things in our rooms, and gathered in the kitchen area and it felt like home. It was a great feeling. And then in the morning, we had our "coffee talk" time before heading out for that day's adventure. I was definitely sad to say "goodbye" to our house when I left. 

For more information on Global Resort Homes, visit their website.

Disclosure: I stayed with Global Resort Homes as part of their Global Blogger Program and our stay was complimentary. I received no monetary compensation for my stay or for this review. All opinions and photos in this post are mine.

I'm going to Disney World!

As any "regular" reader of this blog knows, I kinda sorta LOVE all things related to Walt Disney World resort in Florida and Disney in general. It's my happy place. I cannot get enough Disney. (Yeah, some might say a 12-step program is in order, but whatever).

This time next week I'll be on my way to the airport, ready to board a flight headed to, you guessed it, Disney World. But this isn't just any old trip. Oh no. Next weekend could quite possibly go down in the history books as one of the best weekends EVER at WDW.

I'll be spending the weekend with my dear friends Kristen and Jackie in a Global Resort Homes vacation home (our sponsor for the accommodations!) and we'll be participating in the Tangled Royal Family 5K race on Saturday morning. And eating at some of the best restaurants on property. And spending days in the parks. And sipping wine while we sit in our private hot tub at the vacation home.

And well, I haven't been THIS excited about a trip in quite a while.

OK. Yes, I am always excited about going to Disney with my family (that's a given, right?)...but this is different.

I desperately NEED this trip.
With my friends.
Having "girl" time.
Just being ME.

As many of you know from reading this blog for the last year or so, things haven't been all peachy-keen-bed-of-roses-wonderful around here. From everything that happened with the wicked witch in her green polyester sash, to the job search that is never ending....I just haven't felt like "me" for quite a while.

What I need is some "me" time. Some time to hang out, have fun, laugh a little, and forget (for just a few days) about all the other crap. I want a few days where I don't have to think about the job search or laundry or grocery shopping.

That is what next weekend is all about.
This time, it really is all about me.
And I'm OK with that.

This all came about last fall. After (once again) not advancing to the next round for Disney's Moms Panel, a discussion was started on Twitter between myself, Jackie, and Kristen that we needed to DO SOMETHING FUN! We tossed around the idea of attending Blissdom, but eventually settled on the Princess Half Marathon weekend at Disney.

Thanks to Kristen's blogging brilliance, we were able to partner with Global Resort Homes and host a giveaway on our blogs between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As part of that partnership, Global Resorts is sponsoring our accommodations for the trip - and the house we're staying in? Yeah, it's absolutely AMAZING. I cannot wait to take photos and share it with all of you.

As for the 5K? Well, again last fall, I decided that I wanted to participate in a runDisney event. I bought running shoes. I started "training" with the Couch to 5K app, and then (1) I got sick, (2) it got cold(er), and (3) life got in the way. So...instead of running the 5K as initially planned, I am walking the 5K. But, it's still 3.1 miles. And we still get a medal at the end. And I've never been more excited about walking in my entire life. (And maybe next year I'll actually RUN the Princess Half Marathon!)

There are so many friends I cannot wait to see next weekend - friends I haven't seen in a while and some friends whom I have yet to meet IRL. There will be incredible amounts of hugging and laughter FUN with my friends.

And that sounds perfect. 

(And if you want to follow along on my 5K "adventure" be sure to follow me on Twitter - @TraciLeigh)

Happy Thanksgiving ... and a Global Resort Homes giveaway!

As most of my faithful readers know, my vacation destination of choice is Orlando, Florida. On any given day you can find me on Twitter or Facebook lamenting the fact that I'd rather be at the Walt Disney World Resort or wishing I was moving to Orlando. What can I say? That city feels like "home" to me.

Now, in all the years I've been visiting Walt Disney World and staying overnight, I've always stayed "on property." My "home away from home" has always been at Walt Disney World.

This is going to change in February 2012.

For the first time ever, I'll be staying OFF property, in a Global Resort Homes vacation home!

To say I'm excited would be a bit of an understatement. I'll be sharing the space with two very dear friends Kristen, a.k.a. @DVCMom (The DVC Mom), and Jackie, a.k.a. @jjzmgailey (Jackie's Magical Moments)- and we're going to be running (a.k.a. WALKING) the Royal Family 5K during the Walt Disney World Princess Half-Marathon weekend!

Whew.
I'm tired just from writing that paragraph.

Back to Global Resort Homes. You really need to check out their website to see the amazing townhomes, condos, and vacation homes that could be your "home away from home" during a trip to Orlando.

Your choices range from two-bedroom upscale condos to seven-bedroom luxury homes! And, there are nine distinctive resort communities to choose from when you stay in a Global Resort Home - all conveniently located close to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and the Orlando Convention Center. Each home is maintained and managed by Global's staff - and there is on-site personnel in the communities, to assist you with any needs you might have while in your vacation home.

And, just to entice you a little more: "Unlike traditional hotel rooms and Orlando hotel properties that offer minimal accommodations and amenities, vacation homes in Orlando offer the added space and functionality that can make all the difference in the world. Numerous bathrooms, fully-furnished kitchens, spacious living areas complete with large screen TVs, game rooms and private screened-in pools and spas all promise to enhance your Orlando vacation." (from the Global Resort Homes website)

Now, here's the really, really exciting part of this blog post.

Kristen, Jackie, and I are thrilled to announce that we are hosting a contest over our three blogs for a 7 NIGHT STAY in a four bedroom or larger vacation home, with a pool!

Yes.
You did read that right.
You could win a seven night stay.
In a luxury vacation home.
In Orlando.

Are you excited yet?
(I know you are!)

There are a few rules you must read, before entering the contest:
1. Not available to anyone who has won a prize with Global in the past 6 months, active/inactive Global staff, or affiliated companies.
2. Prizes are not transferable.
3. Entrants MUST be 25 years of age or older.
4. Black out dates apply - March, April, June, July of 2012, and December 20, 2012-January 4, 2013.
5. Valid for stays completed by December 20, 2012.
6. Prize is valid for a 7 night stay in a Global Resort Home, 4 bedroom or larger, with a pool, based on availability.
7. Actual property will not be guaranteed until 2 weeks prior to travel; however, once dates are chosen, winners WILL be guaranteed a home.

And now for the RULES!

You must enter using the Rafflecopter form below. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. (Be sure to click "read more" below to find the Rafflecopter entry form!!!).

This contest runs from November 24 through December 24. Winner will be announced on December 25! What a great Christmas gift!

You can find Global Resort Homes on Twitter and Facebook.

Disclaimer: Global Resort Homes is sponsoring our stay in February. No other compensation was received for this post. All opinions are mine.