Beware the Snack Police! (Pre-trip Dining Report 2018)

[Dennys]

Beware the Snack Police!

Pre-trip report – we are booked to go to Orlando in August and are getting very excited about it. Celebrating Mr B’s big birthday this year (50), and with the children getting older and increasingly less likely to want to come on a big holiday with us, we splashed out and have booked 1 week at Universal Studios and 2 weeks at Disney with the DDP.
Let me introduce ourselves:

Me, Mrs B: age 43, a teacher / SENDCo
Loves: my job, my friends, my family and eating (not necessarily in that order)
Most looking forward to:
Restaurant – Teppan Edo or Satu’li Canteen
Snack – too many to think of! Probably Dole Whip… if I had to choose.
Dislikes: people not making good use of snack credits (hence the title!)

Mr B: age 50 (this month)
Loves: Leeds United, sleeping, spending time with the children, well themed restaurants
Most looking forward to:
Restaurant - Rainforest Café / T-Rex (and getting beer on the DDP this year!)
Snack – Venti latte from Starbucks!
Dislikes: not having a plan

L: age 16 (turning 17 when we are at Disney)
Loves: reading, sleeping, the cat
Most looking forward to:
Restaurant – San Angel Inn
Snack – Root Beer
Dislikes: being told what to do

J: age 14 (this month)
Loves: Leeds United, his X-box, chicken nuggets
Most looking forward to:
Restaurant – T-Rex
Snack – something from Karamell-Kuche
Dislikes: plane food

I am an avid DIBB trip report, Touring Plans & Disney Food Blog reader but this is the first time I have been brave enough to post something.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS - HARD ROCK HOTEL
When we are at Universal we will be staying at the Hard Rock Hotel, we stayed here briefly the last time we were in Florida and loved it, so are looking forward to a more prolonged stay this year.
We have not yet decided on restaurants for that week yet, but it is likely that we will visit some old favourites:
- Margaritaville
- Denny’s (for breakfast)
- Cracker Barrel (for breakfast)
- Three Broomsticks
- Leaky Cauldron
- Cheesecake Factory
But are also keen to try some new places, particularly:
- Kekes
- Toothsome Chocolate Emporium
We have bought 3 lots of Universal Dining Plans each, just to have this paid up front as I have a habit of going for the cheapest option if paying OOP!

DISNEY - OLD KEY WEST
When we get to Disney, we are staying at Old Key West. We have stayed here before and, again, loved it so are keen to get back. Our 180 day slot came up last week so we have made the following ADR’s – we have tried to go for some new to us (New) places but I was also asked to keep some old favourites (Old Fave) on the list:
- Liberty Tree Tavern – Lunch (Old Fave)
- Rainforest Café – Lunch (Old Fave)
- Boma – Tea (New)
- Akershus – Lunch (New)
- Yak & Yeti – Tea (Old Fave)
- Mama Melrose – Lunch (Old Fave – with Fantasmic Package)
- 1900 Park Fare – Breakfast (New)
- Teppan Edo – Lunch (New)
- Rose & Crown - Tea (New)
- Be Our Guest – Lunch (Old Fave)
- Skipper Canteen – Tea (New)
- T-Rex – Tea (Old Fave)
- Trattoria al Forno – Breakfast (New)
- San Angel Inn – Tea (Old Fave)
- Tusker House – Lunch (New)

I have subscribed to Touring Plans and now that we have the ADR’s booked, the planning seems to have really started! I will look forward to letting you all know how we get on later in the year…

[mrsdjh]

3 weeks sounds great!

We are staying at Cabana Bay for a week in October so I'll look forward to reading about where you eat when you are based at Universal and particularly of you find the Universal Dining Plans good.

[Kidd McFluff]

Looks like you'll be at OKW the same time as us - 5 months to go! Some fab places to eat there - happy planning.

[kev007]

Wow, 3 weeks sounds so good!

We're off to the Yacht Club for 2 weeks in September and are looking forward to trying out some new places as well

Kev

[DisneyDreamer81]

Your plans sounds amazing! Looking forward to reading all about it

[Goldia]

Ooh, I love a food report! We had a fab meal at Margaritaville so hopefully you will too.

I'm loving the look of your wdw ADRs, I'm sure you will have a fab time at Teppan Edo it's really fun and the breakfast at Trattoria al forno looks good with the characters. We will be out there 10 days before you so will overlap slightly, although are you at universal first? If so then maybe we won't cross paths. I hope you have a brilliant holiday and I can't wait to see all your food photos.

[MikeH23]

Sounds like a great trip, looking forward to hearing all about it as we are at also staying at OKW later in the year.

[theCMG]

Subscribing 😀

[Kat11]

Some nice choices there, looking forward to reading your food report if your doing one. 😋

Kat

[Dennys]

Originally Posted by mrsdjh

3 weeks sounds great!

We are staying at Cabana Bay for a week in October so I'll look forward to reading about where you eat when you are based at Universal and particularly of you find the Universal Dining Plans good.

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Thanks for replying. I am curious to see if we can get the Universal Meal Deals to break even. We bought them primarily to have some of the outlay paid up front - and we know that we definitely want to eat at both Harry Potter restaurants. I will have to keep a close eye on what they are all choosing for their meals / snacks!

Originally Posted by Kidd McFluff

Looks like you'll be at OKW the same time as us - 5 months to go! Some fab places to eat there - happy planning.

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I’m loving the planning – it’s like a hobby. Although maybe verging on obsession now… Only 5 months? Too exciting!

Originally Posted by kev007

Wow, 3 weeks sounds so good!

We're off to the Yacht Club for 2 weeks in September and are looking forward to trying out some new places as well

Kev

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Are you doing a Food Trip Report? I love seeing what other people are eating.

Originally Posted by DisneyDreamer81

Your plans sounds amazing! Looking forward to reading all about it

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Thank you! I’m looking forward to doing it… seems like it is never going to get here…

Originally Posted by Goldia

Ooh, I love a food report! We had a fab meal at Margaritaville so hopefully you will too.

I'm loving the look of your wdw ADRs, I'm sure you will have a fab time at Teppan Edo it's really fun and the breakfast at Trattoria al forno looks good with the characters. We will be out there 10 days before you so will overlap slightly, although are you at universal first? If so then maybe we won't cross paths. I hope you have a brilliant holiday and I can't wait to see all your food photos.

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Thank you! I’m really looking forward to Teppan Edo. And Margaritaville is always one I look forward to. We once saw Jimmy Buffet in concert in Las Vegas (randomly!) – it was ace and I always listen to his albums in the car when I want to feel like I’m actually in Florida and not driving to work!
Yes, we are doing Universal first. Then Disney from the 17th August.

Originally Posted by MikeH23

Sounds like a great trip, looking forward to hearing all about it as we are at also staying at OKW later in the year.

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Thank you! We are definitely looking forward to it.

Originally Posted by theCMG

Subscribing 😀

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Thank you!

Originally Posted by Kat11

Some nice choices there, looking forward to reading your food report if your doing one. 😋

Kat

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That is my plan – I don’t think I could commit to a full trip report (although I do love reading them), but thought I should be able to manage a food report. Now just need to remember to do photo’s before we eat…