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Reports and Reviews for Dining and Restaurants Trip Reports |
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8 Aug 18, 09:18 PM |
#1
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Imagineer
Join Date: Aug 05
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Million Dollar Food Baby - We're Ba-ack and We're Fa-at!
It has been such a long time since I last wrote a trip report and yet, on/after this trip, I am attempting both a trip report AND a food report. I must be mad! I won’t go into too many details about the trip itself, since they are all in my pre-trip report but we will have 17 nights of (hopefully) delicious food and – more importantly - cocktails from Universal, Disney, offsite restaurants and the Disney Dream. Most of the places will be repeats to (some of) us but there will be a couple of new places along the way. We don’t have any dining plans and will be paying OOP for everything, although I do intend to buy the Tables in Wonderland (TIW) card when we get to Disney. I will summarise whether the card saved us money (although, admittedly, I have future trips planned for November and February so will be getting my money’s worth) and comparing the savings to the DVC/AP discount we would get without the TIW card. For the five of us, I have pre-loaded a Fairfx card with $3000 ($50 per person per day) for our meals during the ‘land’ portion of our trip. Snacks and drinks will generally be bought individually as needed. We have also adjusted our plans to include the first day of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which we are very excited about. So, to briefly (ha! – who am I kidding, I can’t do anything briefly) introduce me and my crew, from a food perspective: Me – Joh, 45. I love, love, love cocktails. A day without a cocktail on holiday is a sad day indeed. Favourite Orlando restaurant – Manny’s Favourite drink (alcoholic) – Cosmopolitan Favourite drink (non-alcoholic) – Pepsi Max Favourite snack – Anything with cinnamon DH – Gary, 51. Gary loves ribs and loaded mash. Favourite Orlando restaurant – Texas Roadhouse Favourite drink (alcoholic) – Amaretto Sour Favourite drink (non-alcoholic) – (hot) tea Favourite snack – Anything with peanut butter (the No Way Jose at Beaches & Cream is his jam!) DS – Daniel, 15. Daniel is 15. He loves food. Full stop! Favourite Orlando restaurant – Texas Roadhouse Favourite drink (non-alcoholic) – Any milkshake ever Favourite snack – In his words “it WAS the frozen s’mores at Food & Wine Festival” (they didn’t have that last year and, looking at the menus, nor do they have it this year so I guess my boy will be finding a new favourite) DD – Rhiannon, 24. Rhiannon is my ‘skinny fatty’ Favourite Orlando restaurant – Friendly’s Favourite drink (alcoholic) – Sex on the Beach (or as Disney calls it ‘Fun on the Beach’) Favourite drink (non-alcoholic) – Fanta/Tango Favourite snack – Anything mac & cheese DD’s Fiancé (DDF) – Ben, 31. Loves steak and onion rings. Not necessarily together. Not necessarily apart. Favourite Orlando restaurant – none as he’s never been Favourite drink (alcoholic) – Budweiser Favourite drink (non-alcoholic) – coffee (that’s a guess, I will ask him later) – nope; apparently it’s Coke Favourite snack – anything with bacon We also have five of our friends along for the ride at varying times throughout the trip, although I probably won’t be documenting their food, especially as one is a veggie and there’s nothing more boring than vegetables and tofu She does drink like a fish, though, so I might include her cocktails. So, with just 9 days to go until travel day, let the countdown begin.
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Sep 05 - Fred & Wilma - Second Time Around ; Oct 06 - Fred & Wilma & the Girls Came Too ; Feb 07 - Fred, Wilma & Friends February Fun & Frolics ; Apr '08 - Fred, Wilma & Family do Disney ; Aug '18 - A Graduation is Cause for Celebration ; Nov '18 - #girlstrip - PTR Edited at 12:30 PM. |
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8 Aug 18, 10:50 PM |
#2
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Imagineer
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haha love the favourite drinks idea already pinching that one for next time. Glad you decided to do this and looking forward to it (especially as I promised lots of comments only yesterday ) Have a great holiday!
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Dining & Trip Reports: 50 Shades of Beige (2022) xxl rated food DLP, EuropaPark & Efteling Roadtrip (2019) 3 parks, which is best? The Prisoner of Vineland Mall (2019) Orlando passion, romance and fine dining...ok so it's mainly eating Scream if you want to go Fatter! (2018) This report contains images some dieters may find distressing! The 12 Days of Easter (2015) Rumoured to contain up to one good joke. Let me know if you find it Edited at 10:52 PM. |
9 Aug 18, 12:05 PM |
#3
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VIP Dibber
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Looking forward to this
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9 Aug 18, 12:17 PM |
#4
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jul 09
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That title has made me lol 😂
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Westridge Villa 2008/2009 OKW 2010/2011/and 2012 also Anna Maria Saratoga Springs 2013 and Anna Maria OKW again 2015 and Anna Maria 2017 Contemporary Resort & Anna Maria ALWAYS AUGUST! August 2022 my 50th! - Universal Hardrock Hotel, Bay Lake Tower, Boardwalk villas, Polynesian, Anna Maria Island. |
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9 Aug 18, 06:13 PM |
#5
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
Join Date: Aug 05
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Aw, thanks for reading and commenting. It makes it worth it when people reply. I hope you will follow along if you aren't suffering too much from Post Disney Blues
Hey there, hoping we bump into you all at Universal Glad to have made you laugh and thanks for reading.
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Sep 05 - Fred & Wilma - Second Time Around ; Oct 06 - Fred & Wilma & the Girls Came Too ; Feb 07 - Fred, Wilma & Friends February Fun & Frolics ; Apr '08 - Fred, Wilma & Family do Disney ; Aug '18 - A Graduation is Cause for Celebration ; Nov '18 - #girlstrip - PTR |
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9 Aug 18, 07:16 PM |
#6
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
Join Date: Aug 05
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We don’t normally make many plans in advance of where we are going to eat and when. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) We don’t eat an awful lot of meals at Disney restaurants (not TS ones anyway) and 2) We are normally only a party of 3 nowadays so don’t find it difficult to get in somewhere at the last minute. So the only meals we tend to book are Disney TS that are hard to get – Beaches & Cream, ‘Ohana, etc.
This trip, though, is different for a few reasons. Firstly, DD is desperate to eat at some Disney places that she either enjoyed previously or wants to try for the first time. Secondly, we are a group of 8 so, if we want to eat at a particular time or on a particular day, we need to have reservations. And lastly, the fact that we are a bigger group means our itinerary is less fluid than normal, so we have had to make those decisions so everyone knows what’s happening and can adjust plans accordingly. DH and I weren’t prepared to compromise on all of our favourite offsite restaurants, but we have had to accept that dining on this trip will be more onsite than off. Since we were just there in February and we are going back together in January, we were prepared to be somewhat reasonable As I previously mentioned, we have a good mix of old favourites, both on and off Disney property, together with the Universal dining and the Disney Dream (we haven’t sailed on the Dream before so it will be new to all of us, except Wendy and Rich). Here’s the lineup…. Nicholas Culpeper, Gatwick North Terminal Our go-to bar/restaurant whenever we fly from Gatwick. Food is good, drinks are excellent and it’s a fab way to start the holiday. Friendly’s If all goes to plan, we will eat here on the day we arrive. This is DD’s favourite but the whole family loves it. It’s cheap and cheerful and a good choice to start the holiday off right Toothsome This place wasn’t open the last time we visited Universal so it’s new to all of us. We are planning a lunch here. I have read good and bad reviews so interested to see if it lives up to the hype or not… Cheesecake Factory No trip to the US is complete without a meal at Cheesecake Factory. We always swear we will leave room for cheesecake and invariably end up getting it ‘to go’. Flame Tree BBQ We are planning a cheeky evening at Animal Kingdom the day we check in to Animal Kingdom Villas, so this seemed like a good choice for dinner. Another new place to us and DD is dying to try the mac and cheese. I like the sound of the Mandarin Orange Vodka lemonade. Sanaa As I mentioned, Ben is from South Africa. One of the reasons we chose to spend part of our holiday at Animal Kingdom Villas was because DD knew he would love it. Sanaa gets great reviews and, as another new place for us, we are keen to try it. Obviously we will be getting the bread service…. ‘Ohana Linda will be joining the five of us for dinner at ‘Ohana. I know it gets mixed reviews but, again, Rea thought Ben would enjoy it. Gary, Daniel and I have been twice before – once was good, once not so much. Will we like it this time? The jury is out… Beaches & Cream Since the other half of our Disney stay is being spent at Boardwalk Villas, Beaches & Cream seemed an apparent choice. Kim and Terry haven’t been before and neither has Rea so they are all looking forward to it. I think it’s a safe bet that Gary will have a No Way Jose. Yak & Yeti Another firm favourite, this will be the first meal that will see all eight of us together for lunch. We have had to book two tables of four but are hoping we will be seated together. If not, we will do a boys table and a girls table. I always say I will have something different here but end up ordering the duck. I wonder if I will stray this time… Liberty Tree Tavern Four words – Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake – the sole reason for our lunch reservation here. Manny’s Chophouse Manny’s is my favourite so this was one I wasn’t prepared to compromise on. As a vegetarian, it is unlikely that Linda will join us for our dinner here. I love their frozen peach drink... Texas Roadhouse It is tradition to eat here with Kim and Terry. We love this place and only once, out of several visits, have we left disappointed. And that completes our line-up. There will, of course, be additional snacks and QS eats to add to the TS restaurants we have planned. Next up more on my favourite subject... cocktails
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Sep 05 - Fred & Wilma - Second Time Around ; Oct 06 - Fred & Wilma & the Girls Came Too ; Feb 07 - Fred, Wilma & Friends February Fun & Frolics ; Apr '08 - Fred, Wilma & Family do Disney ; Aug '18 - A Graduation is Cause for Celebration ; Nov '18 - #girlstrip - PTR |
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9 Aug 18, 07:40 PM |
#7
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Imagineer
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Ooo you’re eating at some of my favourite restaurants so I’m looking forward to this! I will now be humming ‘the final countdown’ for the rest of the evening, thanks for that
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9 Aug 18, 07:43 PM |
#8
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Imagineer
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Looking forward to this👍
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9 Aug 18, 08:08 PM |
#9
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
Join Date: Aug 05
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Haha, you're very welcome.
Hope it doesn't disappoint!
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Sep 05 - Fred & Wilma - Second Time Around ; Oct 06 - Fred & Wilma & the Girls Came Too ; Feb 07 - Fred, Wilma & Friends February Fun & Frolics ; Apr '08 - Fred, Wilma & Family do Disney ; Aug '18 - A Graduation is Cause for Celebration ; Nov '18 - #girlstrip - PTR |
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10 Aug 18, 10:26 PM |
#10
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VIP Dibber
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Tofu and tequila is my jam
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