The Prisoner of Vineland Mall - Orlando Dining 2019
 

Harry’s podgy fingers scrambled frantically through the final tin of Christmas chocolates.

There can’t be? There can’t be nothing left! Wait, here’s one. He unwrapped the precious morsel, paused the search just long enough to pop it into his mouth and carried on rummaging. Now fingers found only empty wrappers. It really was the last one. The end of the gorging season. A single tear welled up and plopped forlornly into the tin, salt without caramel.

What to do now? Suppose I’d better open that letter, Harry thought. Letters brought only bad news. Demands for settlement on his account at the corner shop, yet another reminder of his ban from the town’s deli counters (surely free samples are free?).

This letter looked different though. Nicer paper and it had a logo that looked like the world. The globe was covered in tiny writing. “Universal...something” he read aloud then opened the envelope with a kebab skewer.


Dear Mr Porker,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at the Universal School of Gluttony, Orlando.

Term begins on April 24th, please find enclosed a list of the park tickets required to access your lessons.

We await confirmation of your flight from the North-East terminal at Gatwick Airport. There is no need to bring an owl unless it has experience catching drones (in which case please contact the muggles in the Sussex Police).

Yours sincerely...professor something.

Harry had stopped reading by then, in fact he felt his heart may stop. He was going to Universal! Barely 3 months to go and he hadn’t looked at a single menu. Leaping to his feet he swept the desk clear of pizza boxes to reveal the long forgotten laptop beneath. And Windows update can sod off. Google, bring me CityWalk menus!


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow the rest of the Harry Porker story here or scroll down further for links to the dining reviews as I post them:

Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Invitation
Chapter 2 - Sorted
Chapter 3 - Shopping with Ms Grazer
Chapter 4 - Gandersnatch!
Chapter 5 - Invasion of the Bodyshamers
Chapter 6 - Gatwick North-East Terminal

Sadly, Harry never made it past Gatwick. After suffering a toblerone related concussion he was unable to fly and returned to work a broken Porker while Hermione enjoyed a solo shopping trip.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry Porker - the Prisoner of Vineland Mall - Orlando LIVE!

Pre-ramble

Long-term followers of the pre-trip will know that this was originally a bargain trip for me to solo the Universal parks (Harry Porker and the Philosopher's Scone) while DW was at a conference at Universal. Things went a bit awry and we've ended up without the conference part (or a most of the bargain :cry:) and are now spending 6 days in Orlando together as a proper albeit short holiday.

This is sort of explained in the Harry Porker story linked above but please only read that if you're a fan of either Harry Potter or complete nonsense, ideally both. There are dining reviews below which are more normal.


The Holiday

We're staying at the Hilton Doubletree near SeaWorld for 6 nights. Flying out BA from Gatwick on April 24th with an evening out with family (&pet-sitters) the night before. This will mainly be eating and if DW gets her way, shopping although I've also bought the SeaWorld 3 park tickets and hope to make it to at least SeaWorld, Aquatica and an evening at the 7 Seas Food Festival (at SW).

Anyone with the stamina to have made it through my last report Scream! If you want to go Fatter! will know to prepare for a mix of dining reviews, which I try to take seriously plus a load of other nonsense. Not sure if it's a dining report with extras or a trippie without us in it, it's a nom-com!

The Cast

Me: still a 40 something scruff/theme park enthusiast who will eat and drink most things. For this trip as you may have guessed I'll be channelling a new alter-ego.

DW: the lover of fine dining, seafood, steak and Italian who eats small quantities very frequently. If anything her tastes get more expensive by the year :mad: but she remains a formidable negotiator. If she comes through with one of the Universal hotels with free Express Passes much will be forgiven ;)

Sadly, this time, DD - very much the Ant to my theme park Dec will not be along for the trip :cry: We have a European parks road-trip planned for the two of us at Halloween so there's that to look forward to :D DW has so far refused my recommendation to invite Holly Willoughby instead.



After the usual planning overdose of a Disney holiday last year (with the Deluxe DDP ADR mountain) I'm loving the lack of preparation required this time around.

Brilliant! Fab pre-trippie :thumbs-up ... we'll arrive the day before you. We're doing Universal only this trip so look forward to reading your plans :wavey:

Great we can compare plans :) adding some of that detail into the first post either tonight or tomorrow.

Fabulous! We go 28th April . Bring it on.

Looking forward to your report👍

So looking forward to this I have just read your last food report over Friday and Saturday - it made me lol through my rotten cold 🤒
At least I am not last to the party this time 😂

Ooh, I didn't think you were going back this year. Excited for this!

arriving 4 days after us, I have to warn you that there may not be any food left after Harry Porker hits town :D Hope you enjoy the report

thank you, looking forward to eating/writing too

Glad you enjoyed, this one will be shorter but hopefully you'll like it too

neither did we :spin: such a bonus and flight was a great price in the sale so couldn;t resist. Loving your report :cool2:

----------------------------------------------------------------

I've added a bit more to the opening post including first draft list of restuarants. Trying not to repeat too much from before, perhaps will add the food backstories for me and DW in the next post :tongue:

Yeah another trip for you.

We are there from the 9th to the 18th of April so will try not to eat everything in sight and leave some tasty items for you.

Why have I never seen your first report. I feel a little overnight reading is about to commence.

Can’t wait for this one either. :thumbs-up