The Bare Necessities - Cocktails, coffee and cookies Summer 2019

[Milpston]

How have I only just found your dining report? I have just binge read the whole lot. You have definitely put Narcoosees firmly on my list. I still fancy California Grill but strengthened my doubts over Storybook Dining. Thank you very much.

[4holibobs]

Just finished your report, thanks for sharing it with us.. you did so well using all the credits and they made great snacks in Universal.

Looking forward to next years report!

[collybird]

I think the family’s top threes were surprisingly insightful, I knew Kate’s would be but Max’s have an unexpected level of detail ‘you can refill your drinks a lot’ had me giggling. I was so surprised to hear that you think Tony’s was your favourite, very funny as (I think) I thought Mama Melrose was my favourite last year and we both ate at those places on the first day, talk about peaking too soon!

I had wondered if you had considered Saratoga Springs, I think you'd love it there, but maybe I just think that because I love it. I do think it will be very special for you to see all the changes at CBR and probably best to stay there whilst it's still affordable before they crank the prices up now the Skyliner will be up and running.

[Goldia]

Originally Posted by MrsSilverStar

Great round up - even if the others didn’t completely play along 😂
Upper to Washington sounds fab! How will you cope with slumming it with the rest of us after that?! 😄
Really pleased next year’s plans are well underway, look forward to finding out the new food report title!

See more...

Ha ha I was having trouble narrowing down my highs too. I made them stick to three.

I'm really excited about DC. It's a lovely, walkable city and we don't mind a bit of walking.

Report titles...well, it felt like every ride I was on and every restaurant we ate in had a clever catchphrase that I thought we be a fab title for a report, now I'm struggling to remember them all

Originally Posted by scouse_minx

Fantastic round up and lovely to see it all in one place. The trip to Washington DC sounds like such a great trip and I hope we’ll have a trip report even if it is non Disney

CBR always looks like a great choice and of course you’ll have loads of time to decide on a universal stay. I have a booking for CSR for next year but whether I’ll keep it or not depends on how well my first solo trip goes this time around.

Love that all the best snacks and cocktails are in one post - if I forget my list when I’m out there I can always refer back here for a good choice

I am so determined to have that massive fish bowl at the Wave, I’ve booked my birthday ADR there. So in the interest of vicarious living, I promise to order it and review it even if it means my sever thinks I’m an old lush

PS. Yes.. it’s almost 700ml.. I think it’s 680ml to be exact but I’m not gonna fuss over 20ml, do you think they’ll give me a to go cup if I don’t finish it with my meal?!

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Of course there will be a trip report, I love writing them. It's great being able to reminisce with you all and each one I write I download and archive for reading when I'm old and grey.

If you are getting a resort mug you could always take that with you to the Wave for any leftover cocktail. But, I have to say, even typing that felt all wrong...cocktail that isn't drunk? What are you thinking of? Even if it is a huge cocktail...

Originally Posted by Milpston

How have I only just found your dining report? I have just binge read the whole lot. You have definitely put Narcoosees firmly on my list. I still fancy California Grill but strengthened my doubts over Storybook Dining. Thank you very much.

See more...

Hey there I'm glad to see you have a countdown getting it's groove on. Narcoossee's was great, definitely add it to to your list, right at the top I think Cali Grill was great and the HEA fireworks were super so it's a good choice, but the food at brunch was better for us. I've seen other people really enjoy SBD so you never know...

Originally Posted by 4holibobs

Just finished your report, thanks for sharing it with us.. you did so well using all the credits and they made great snacks in Universal.

Looking forward to next years report!

See more...

It made the spends at Universal a little bit more acceptable having all those snacks. I'm also looking forward to next year's report!

[Goldia]

Ok, so I've been shamed by TheCMG and have spent the afternoon rather productively writing and then posting pre travel day. The index to the whole trip report is here should you be interested in reading it all again, but with even more detail

Originally Posted by collybird

I think the family’s top threes were surprisingly insightful, I knew Kate’s would be but Max’s have an unexpected level of detail ‘you can refill your drinks a lot’ had me giggling. I was so surprised to hear that you think Tony’s was your favourite, very funny as (I think) I thought Mama Melrose was my favourite last year and we both ate at those places on the first day, talk about peaking too soon!

I had wondered if you had considered Saratoga Springs, I think you'd love it there, but maybe I just think that because I love it. I do think it will be very special for you to see all the changes at CBR and probably best to stay there whilst it's still affordable before they crank the prices up now the Skyliner will be up and running.

See more...

I suppose there weren't any real surprises with their top three were there?

I sort of thought Tony's would be a flop with the food mediocre at best, you know like maybe a poor version of Prezzo's or another Italian chain restaurant that we have over here, but it really wasn't. We haven't done MM since 2016 and I did love it then, so maybe it's better than Tony's, but the parade it really made it for me...and you know how I love Fantasmic, but I'm sort of thinking next year we will do HBD with the F! viewing...is it too early to be planning ADRs?

It depends on what the inventory is for SSR next summer, if they are in the midst of refurbs perhaps there will be less and therefore less availability. But, then CBR is in my heart.

[IBEX23]

Originally Posted by Goldia

Ha ha I was having trouble narrowing down my highs too. I made them stick to three.

I'm really excited about DC. It's a lovely, walkable city and we don't mind a bit of walking.

Report titles...well, it felt like every ride I was on and every restaurant we ate in had a clever catchphrase that I thought we be a fab title for a report, now I'm struggling to remember them all



Of course there will be a trip report, I love writing them. It's great being able to reminisce with you all and each one I write I download and archive for reading when I'm old and grey.

If you are getting a resort mug you could always take that with you to the Wave for any leftover cocktail. But, I have to say, even typing that felt all wrong...cocktail that isn't drunk? What are you thinking of? Even if it is a huge cocktail...



Hey there I'm glad to see you have a countdown getting it's groove on. Narcoossee's was great, definitely add it to to your list, right at the top I think Cali Grill was great and the HEA fireworks were super so it's a good choice, but the food at brunch was better for us. I've seen other people really enjoy SBD so you never know...



It made the spends at Universal a little bit more acceptable having all those snacks. I'm also looking forward to next year's report!

See more...

Oh I love the idea of taking my resort mug in my bag.. then secretly transferring it to my mug under the table like pouring alcohol into a non alcoholic drink in reverse... can you imagine the looks?!

I was more thinking I might be too intoxicated to finish it.. I can’t lose my dinner at a TS restaurant.. imagine the headlines ‘women throws up over Disney server after attempting mammoth drink for 3 solo...’ I may get barred from property

[caitlinsmummy]

Fab summary Abby, I particularly loved Max's I get the feeling he likes being able to have refillable and takeaway drinks haha!

So looking forward to the other trips, I hope your going to blog the Washington trip too xx

[Rescuer]

Abby! What a round up.

I don't know where to start...

Max loves the free stuff, Joe would be exactly the same.

Loads of great highlights. Tony's is not one I'd normally imagine being in there but it sounds like you had great food and service in there so it has obviously earned it's place.

All your quick service highlights sound so good, Blaze and Polite Pig are 2 I'm sad we missed out on. Those POFQ breakfasts were fantastic though.

Cheetos as a top snack, poor show from Kate there.

Glad to see Cowfish in your highlights.

Your future plans sound amazing, Washington and upper class how awesome, I do hope you do a wee trip report, my dh really wants to go there.

Now you have your Universal passes its worth keeping an eye on the annual passholder rates as well for the hotels.

I'm a little jealous as I expected to have 2 trips booked by now but I was pretty unwell and now can't book anything till I know more as I'd have no travel insurance cover.

I'm away now to start reading your full report.

[Disney Planning]

It made me smile to think of everyone pondering their top 3 and then (someone) giving up! My DH says he doesn't like planning as it makes the holiday go too quick just thinking about it, go figure...

A brilliant final summary and you have so much to look forward to. What a great bonus to get the UC flights 😄

[tory79]

I really love your reports, looking forward to the full one!
We just came back from 2 weeks in cabana bay on Sunday 18th so we overlapped a lot with your holiday.
We managed 3 meals at hard rock on this trip, we absolutely love it there, especially the cocktails (for me anyway)! Dh wanted to try having a day where we had breakfast, lunch and tea there one day but we never quite got round to it, too many other options!

We spent 3 days in Washington DC a few years ago. I’m not sure if you’ve been there before but it was absolutely brilliant and definitely in our list of places to return to one day. There is so much to do, we barely scratched the surface. Hope you have a fabulous time!