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Old 12 Apr 15, 09:41 PM  
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#1
disneydaft70
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Join Date: Aug 07
Location: Durham, UK
I'm never gonna eat that much food again... oh look food!

I can't quite believe it's taken me almost a year and a half to share this report with you. But here I am, as the saying goes “better late than never”

I had originally planned to do a trip report after writing one on our previous trip but I just never got round to making notes and my memory is rubbish for stuff like that, so it's only because I still have my itinerary and my photos are dated on my phone that I can write this.

A little background. My son Conor and I were on our 5th and final trip (for a while anyway, until he can afford to pay his own way or one of us wins the lotto) So we decided to go out with a BANG (literally!) 3 weeks in Orlando from 7th-28th November 2013, with 5 nights I Drive and 16 in Disney, 14 of those on the Dining Plan.

This is us



And this is what we were like throughout the holiday... hence the title



So it begins...

7th November – VA's finest and Chilis

They obviously came round as soon as we were in the air and seatbelt signs were off with the obligatory itsy bitsy teeny tiny no good to nobody packet of Penn State pretzels and I had a vodka and orange (why as it's not a drink I'd ever choose? ) and Conor a coke. For dinner we both had sausage and mash, side salad and bread roll followed by a GU Key Lime dessert. Plane food is plane food I guess, and thankfully in with the price as I wouldn't pay extra for it. I had a glass of white wine with mine (again, no idea why as I drink red? ) and another coke for the boy.




Our choice for our first meal in Orlando was at Chilis which was a 5 minute walk from our hotel. We were not disappointed. I ordered the mixed fajitas which had grilled chicken, shrimp and steak and Conor, surprisingly ordered a pepperoni pizza as he said he wasn't that hungry. For drinks I had the Blackberry Margarita and Conor had Dr Pepper. Conor said it's the best pepperoni pizza he's ever had (and he's had ALOT! ) and the steak on my fajitas was amazing! As for the margarita...WOW!



Not content with the culinary delights we'd already bestowed upon ourselves we ordered dessert. Conor had the Chocolate Molten cake on our last trip and we both loved it, but as it was “holiday season” the little beauties had a Pumpkin Spiced Molten cake on the menu, and I just had to try that. It was to die for!

Hugely successful first meal.

8th November – Traditional first brekkie at IHOP, Butterbeer and Bubba Gump

Now a little tale to tell you, I'll make it brief don't worry. Up until 2012 I was pescetarian, for 22 years infact. It was a huge and very strange thing for me and way too long a story but I suddenly craved meat again and gave in to my cravings that year, so until then had never experienced the side of America everyone told me about...THE MEAT!
So, I digress, one of the first things I wanted to try was bacon with maple syrup.
IHOP was always our first morning breakfast so that was what I ordered, the Rooty Tooty Fresh n Fruity pancakes with bacon, scrambled eggs and sausage. Conor just went for a plain old stack of buttermilk pancakes as they've stopped doing his favourite. Oh and of course both our favourite fruit drink, the strawberry splash and a pot of English tea for yours truly. Yum!
This was prior to slurping half a ton of maple syrup over it.


Suitably stuffed we caught a cab to Universal and our park life began...

Not an hour later we were on the beer... well, just this sweet sickly loveliness


After our morning in Islands we had obviously built up an appetite and had already planned to eat dinner at Bubba Gumps. We're both huge fans of the movie and loved the restaurant and got every question right the server could throw at us. Oh yeah, we're good!
I think we'd both decided what we wanted months prior and we both still went with those choices, I went for the Jambalaya and Conor had the Shrimpers Heaven. I also had decided I was going to try and have a cocktail with every dinner so went for the Blood Orange Margarita which was even better than the Blackberry one at Chilis and Conor got some luminous blue drink in a souvenir cup he's never used since obviously.
The Jambalaya I have to say is one of my most favourite meals ever. I would love the recipe for this but can only come close. They ask you how hot you want it so I said hot... it was HOT! But soooooo good. I'm salivating here as I type.
Conor enjoyed his but even though I love prawns, sorry shrimp, I would have got bored with it and he said he'd pick something else next time. Still, another successful meal and would definitely go back.



__________________

Ramada 2001, Quality Inn Plaza 2004, Imperial Swan/Caribbean Beach 2008, Imperial Swan/Animal Kingdom Lodge/Econolodge 2010, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside/Bay Lake Tower 2013, Florida Road Trip/Beach Club Villas 2015, Port Orleans Riverside/Villas at Grand Floridian 2017, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside 2018, Port Orleans Riverside 2019, Castle Inn & Suites, Anaheim 2020


Trip Report - December 2010
Food Report - November 2013
Florida Road Trip - November 2015
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Old 12 Apr 15, 09:45 PM  
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disneydaft70
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Join Date: Aug 07
Location: Durham, UK
After a couple of hours in Studios we caught a cab back to I Drive and did a little bit of shopping for supplies for the room. Still can't believe some of the stuff they come up with over there. I didn't buy them by the way.


9th November – Free breakfast and the beginning of our love affair with Raglan Road

Today we decided to see what the free breakfast was like in the hotel. I found this little bargain of a place on Travel Republic, Ł130 for 5 nights, bed and breakfast. And I can't praise this hotel enough, it was the Comfort Inn and Suites on Canada Avenue. The staff were fantastic, the hotel was newly refurbished and immaculate and it was situated only a few minutes walk from I Drive. Wouldn't hesitate to stay there again for a cheapy break.
Restaurant was busy most mornings so I used to go down and grab a couple of plates and take them back to our room.
And I made my first ever waffle


Today we were heading to Downtown Disney for the Festival of The Masters. After a few hours of looking at some of the most amazing artwork and enjoying the atmosphere, the music, the displays etc we decided to take an hour out as it was packed and took the water taxi along to our next “home” at Port Orleans Riverside. Had an hour there and put my request in for where we wanted to stay then came back to DTD. It was still crazy busy so we took our chances and managed to get a table sitting outside Raglan Road. We'd only ever stopped for drinks previously but we were both hungry by now so I ordered the Smokie City which is meant to be a sharing plate...there was no way I'd let anyone share that with me! My god...heaven! (Salivating again!) And Conor ordered the Burger R Way. I ordered a Corona and Conor a coke. Everything about this place we love, the food, the music, the entertainment, the staff, love it! Anyway...here's heaven in a dish and a burger...


Oh and as we walked around DTD I treat myself to a Rum Runner, yummmmm.

And just cos I could...had one of these for a nightcap


10th November – Pumpkin Juice, Flaming Moe's and Olive Garden

After another hotel brekkie made our way to a very quiet Islands. When we eventually made it round to WW instead of my usual Butterbeer I decided to try the Pumpkin Juice. And I thought Butterbeer was sweet! I drank half of it but it really was too much, I could feel my teeth rotting as I sipped it

A few goodies in Honeydukes

After we'd done what we wanted to do in Islands we head over to Studios. We wanted to try the Fast Food Boulevard in Springfield for lunch. Decided on Krusty Burger...and was even stupid enough to get Flaming Moe's for both of us in those damn souvenir cups we never use!
I got the Sideshow Bob Footlong hotdog and curly fries and Conor got the Krusty Burger with curly fries. He enjoyed his, I did not. It was cold and tasteless. As for the Flaming Moe... just tasted like cheap fizzy orange to me with a tablet in the base that made it look like it was smoking. Total rip off. Never again!


Before leaving Studios we stopped off for a drink in Starbucks, I had an iced cafe latte and we shared a delish chocolate brownie. Conor didn't want a drink.

Dinner that night was at one of our all time favourites, Olive Garden, but sadly it disappointed both of us this time.
I would go to OG for the bread and salad alone, infact I should have just asked them to keep refilling those for me and I would have paid for a main course.


Conor's favourite ever meal was the meatballs and spaghetti from OG which of course he ordered, but he said they have changed the recipe and they just weren't as nice. He didn't even eat it all. My fave was no longer on the menu so I chose spicy shrimp spaghetti dish which was average and I hate spaghetti! Why do I keep ordering things I don't usually go for? Anyway, both of us were disappointed.


We ordered dessert to try and make up for the main and again I stupidly ordered something I'd never usually order, mainly because I make the the most amazing raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake and there's no comparison Conor ordered the Tiramasu and said it was lovely, so we had a winner in the bread, salad and one dessert.


So all in all... Olive Garden was memorable for the wrong reasons this time.
__________________

Ramada 2001, Quality Inn Plaza 2004, Imperial Swan/Caribbean Beach 2008, Imperial Swan/Animal Kingdom Lodge/Econolodge 2010, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside/Bay Lake Tower 2013, Florida Road Trip/Beach Club Villas 2015, Port Orleans Riverside/Villas at Grand Floridian 2017, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside 2018, Port Orleans Riverside 2019, Castle Inn & Suites, Anaheim 2020


Trip Report - December 2010
Food Report - November 2013
Florida Road Trip - November 2015

Edited at 10:22 AM.
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Old 12 Apr 15, 09:54 PM  
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mikim
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mikim's Reviews
Hotel Reviews: 1
Looking forward to more x
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Below is a link to trip report 2013 may
http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=728462
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Old 12 Apr 15, 09:57 PM  
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disneydaft70
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Join Date: Aug 07
Location: Durham, UK
Originally Posted by mikim View Post
Looking forward to more x
Thanks, I'd forgotten how much work these involve. I've written quite a bit more and will post them tomorrow.

JA x
__________________

Ramada 2001, Quality Inn Plaza 2004, Imperial Swan/Caribbean Beach 2008, Imperial Swan/Animal Kingdom Lodge/Econolodge 2010, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside/Bay Lake Tower 2013, Florida Road Trip/Beach Club Villas 2015, Port Orleans Riverside/Villas at Grand Floridian 2017, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside 2018, Port Orleans Riverside 2019, Castle Inn & Suites, Anaheim 2020


Trip Report - December 2010
Food Report - November 2013
Florida Road Trip - November 2015
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Old 12 Apr 15, 10:03 PM  
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Guest
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Great start ! Keep going .,

Do you know Asda now sell bud light !

Edited at 10:07 PM.
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Old 12 Apr 15, 10:05 PM  
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theCMG
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theCMG's Reviews
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Oh wow, keep it coming
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Old 12 Apr 15, 10:22 PM  
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Kim
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You have sold me on the Smokie City at Raglan road... Love smoked haddock

Kim

Edited at 10:26 PM.
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Old 13 Apr 15, 12:38 PM  
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disneydaft70
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Join Date: Aug 07
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Originally Posted by becsluvssw View Post
Great start ! Keep going .,

Do you know Asda now sell bud light !
I did not...I wonder how many Syns they are on Slimming World, lol.

Originally Posted by Alladinneed View Post
Oh wow, keep it coming
Thank you...I will!

Originally Posted by Kim View Post
You have sold me on the Smokie City at Raglan road... Love smoked haddock

Kim
You will not regret it Kim, it really is mouthwateringly delicious!

JA x
__________________

Ramada 2001, Quality Inn Plaza 2004, Imperial Swan/Caribbean Beach 2008, Imperial Swan/Animal Kingdom Lodge/Econolodge 2010, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside/Bay Lake Tower 2013, Florida Road Trip/Beach Club Villas 2015, Port Orleans Riverside/Villas at Grand Floridian 2017, Comfort Inn/Port Orleans Riverside 2018, Port Orleans Riverside 2019, Castle Inn & Suites, Anaheim 2020


Trip Report - December 2010
Food Report - November 2013
Florida Road Trip - November 2015

Edited at 12:40 PM.
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Old 13 Apr 15, 01:58 PM  
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that cheesecake looks yummy, looking forward to hearing more
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Old 13 Apr 15, 04:31 PM  
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Teach0778
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Teach0778's Reviews
Restaurant Reviews: 2
Great start - looking forward to reading the rest
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