Three Days, No Parks, But Lots of Food!!! A 3 Day DR

[jerseytinkerbell]

Hi everyone! Jerseytinkerbell back with you once again. This time it is a very brief non-park DR. Here's how it happened:

Every winter my grandfather spends a month in Florida using his various time shares. My mom was planning on flying down to meet him towards the end of his trip and driving back home with him, so that he doesn't have to make the 1,000 mile drive alone. A few weeks before his trip he was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. He didn't want to cancel this trip and really wanted to make the most of this time. As a result, a lot of various family members came down to stay with him throughout his trip and I decided to take a week off work to fly down with my mom and spend a week with him as well. I didn't want to pass up what could be my final chance to spend some quality time with him. We have to make the most of the time we have and my grandfather has such a positive outlook on the whole thing. He's the best.

My mom and I flew out of Philadelphia International Airport Wednesday morning at 7:50am. The flight went by smoothly and we arrived in Ft. Lauderdale to sunny warm weather. Beats the cold dreary weather in New Jersey! In fact, the next morning there was a huge snow storm back at home. We made it out just in time! After arriving at the airport we made our way to the Wyndham in Pompano Beach.





The view from our room.


For the next three days we had a blast! It was absolutely beautiful here. I never wanted to leave. We soaked up the sun on the beach every day.











We had some delicious food at nearby restaurants.






Had drinks poolside.




And enjoyed wine and snacks on the patio in the evening.


Saturday morning it was time to say goodbye to the beach and head up to Orlando for the rest of our trip.

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

We managed to run into some traffic on our way up the Florida Turnpike headed to Orlando and we didn't have a very big breakfast, so we decided to stop for lunch along the way. I kept seeing signs for Earl of Sandwich, so we finally decided to stop at one of the major rest stops which had EoS and lots of other options. It didn't have as many options as the one in DTD, but this was as close to Disney food as I could manage at the time, so I was fine with it. I tried The Full Montagu. Roasted beef and turkey with cheddar and Swiss, lettuce, roma tomato and mustard sauce. I got mine without the mustard sauce. Yuck! I grabbed a bag of Kettle Chips too.









This was so delicious! I am determined to try more EoS on future trips. I loved the bread and the combo of roast beef and turkey was fantastic.

The rest of the family got boring KFC. They didn't know what they were missing!

A short time later we arrived at our Orlando resort. Wyndham Bonnet Creek.

We were in Tower 6 which was also right next to the Wyndham Grand.


Deep in conversation with my grandpa on the bench swings.


The resort here was really nice. There was a different pool at every tower. Each one was unique and you could take advantage of any of the pools. There were also different places to eat throughout the resort which we took advantage of later in the trip. We explored the resort for a little while and then we went up to our room and unpacked and since they had the Must-Do Disney channel in the room I watched Stacey endlessly until they started to get annoyed.

Next up... dinner on Disney property!

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

I drove us over to Fort Wilderness because tonight I had made us reservations at Trail's End!

I had such a hard time picking places for us to eat that weren't too expensive, were appealing to their tastes and were not in a park. I knew this one would be a hit. After we parked we took the bus back to the restaurant since you are unable to park back in that area. We got on a super packed bus. Our one bus ride of the entire trip. Of course it's packed! There was a showing of Hoop-De-Doo Review getting ready to start for the evening so unfortunately we were making our way back there for dining at the same time as a lot of other folks. No worries though. We were back there in plenty of time for our reservation. Lots of people were waiting to get in Trail's End as well. It was a full house tonight. The secret is getting out! My mom and grandfather took a load off on the rocking chairs out front.


Once we were seated inside we ordered our drinks. I just love the little mason jars here. They get me every time.


We went up to the buffet and the line was INSANE!!!! So, I made a very wise move and made up two plates so that I didn't have to wait in line a second time. Don't judge me. I'm being clever.

First Plate:


Their yummy pasta creation, mac and cheese, fried chicken, salmon, baked beans, corn and glazed carrots.

I love the mac and cheese here! The goldfish crackers in the topping are so cute. The salmon was heavenly! I'm mad at myself for not trying it before. It was probably my favorite thing of the evening. The fried chicken is always excellent here. The corn and carrots were awesome as well.

My second plate which I struggled to carry.


Carved brisket, pulled pork, baked potato and fixins and corn bread with honey butter.

The brisket was just okay, I didn't end up eating much of it. I put the pulled pork all over my baked potato which was heaven! I love doing that here. The corn bread was fantastic as well.

I took my time eating and after a long while I went up for a dessert plate. Don't be fooled by the small little bowls over at the dessert table. Grab a regular plate from the other part of the buffet to make room for everything!


More corn bread, banana pudding, a sugar cookie, strawberry shortcake and bread pudding. Does anyone see what is missing? None of my beloved pecan squares!!! They didn't have any. I really hope they didn't do away with them all together. Rob will be devastated. I loved the banana pudding. It's so basic, but done really well. I really enjoyed the strawberry shortcake as well.

My family really enjoyed it here as well, so I was super happy. We were all in a food coma at this point, so we went back to the hotel and called it a night pretty early. Vacation is exhausting!

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

The next day we stayed at the resort all day. It had really warmed up from the day before, so we spent the whole day at the pool and lounging in the sun.

To start the day I went and grabbed us drinks at the one bar by the pool we were originally at. Escudos Restaurante Y Barra.


You have to have frozen drinks when you're sitting by the pool on vacation.



Mine was the one on the left. I forget what it was called, but it had banana and coconut rum. It was exactly what I had been wanting. The middle one was a Mudslide for my grandfather and the one on the right was my mom's Frozen Alligator which was basically a Mudslide, but with crushed up Oreo cookies and creme de menthe. These were pricey, but totally worth it. After swimming for awhile we worked up an appetite and came back here for lunch. This place was great. There was a bar to sit at and then lots of tables under the shade. Great location and a nice mix of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrees. We all decided to split an order of nachos.

These were delicious and super filling.

I also split an order of calamari with my grandfather.


The sauce that came with these was super delicious! I wish I could remember exactly what it was but it had an orange flavor to it. The chips that came with this came in handy for our nachos too.

I also got another drink. This was a Pina Colada and strawberry puree mixture.


After more time at the pool we relaxed in the room until later in the evening. We really liked the sound of the salads down at that same restaurant, so my mom and I went back down and ordered dinner for the three of us and took it back to the room. We all got the same thing. A Zesty Pork Salad served in a tortilla shell.



This was field greens, roasted pork, green apple and candied walnuts with a bbq dressing. The pork was a little too overdone for my tastes, but other than that it was really delicious!

If any of you plan on staying at Bonnet Creek in the future I would highly recommend this place for a quick bite to eat without leaving the resort.

 

[kastoney]

Sorry about your grandfather, but glad your mom and you made the most of it got to spend such a wonderful time with him.

Your Fort Lauderdale days look like pure and utter bliss to me. Beach, drink, wine, drinks, perfection. We usually stop for a night there when we go to key west and I've yet to actually hit the beach. Gonna have to change that.

Your resort looks awesome. A day of pool and drinks and bar food sounds ideal to me.

Glad you got a little bit of Disney in and trails end looks like the perfect choice. You talk that place up so much, one of these days Ive gotta just jump on a boat and go.

 

[vettegirl]

So sorry to hear about your grandfather's diagnosis. I am glad you all took the trip as your right a positive frame of mine with an illness like that can make a huge difference. The beach pics looking amazing as does all your wonderful food pics.

 

[dvc4life]

What a great trip to spend some quality time with your Grandpa. You have to enjoy them while you can and being in a favorite place of his priceless. Your Ft. Lauderdale pictures look like heaven. Sitting on the beach relaxing, having a drink and listening to the waves. Ahhhhh, bliss.

Loving all the food photos. Everything looks so good. Can't wait for more.

 

[Vernie822]

So sorry to hear that your grandfather is sick, but it's great to hear that he is taking it so well and is enjoying himself. You can see in the pictures how happy he is!!

Bonnet Creek looks lovely. We always did off-site as kids, but so far as adults we've stayed onsite. That looks like a great option for staying off-site!

We've never done Trails End, but we're thinking of staying at WL for part of our trip this November.. I think it might be a must-do if we stay there. Everything looks so yummy.

 

[KathyM2]

I'm so sorry too to hear about your grandfather. Looks like he has an amazing attitude though and really enjoyed himself on the trip. I want one of those drinks...they look delish!! Also, you really made me want to go to Trail's end. We went to the Hoop de Doo a few weeks ago and I see some of the same food items that we got...but also more that looked amazing. Looking forward to reading more!

 

[jabead]

Sad news about your grandfather, Jeri. But glad to hear that you and your mom were able to spend some quality time with him in Florida. I enjoyed seeing the photos from your trip on Instagram and am looking forward to seeing more photos here and hearing all the details.

Regarding Trail's End, because of your past reviews I finally tried Trail's End for breakfast on my last trip and loved it. After reading your dinner review, I might just have to give dinner a try sometime too.

 

[OasterP]

I drove us over to Fort Wilderness because tonight I had made us reservations at Trail's End!

I had such a hard time picking places for us to eat that weren't too expensive, were appealing to their tastes and were not in a park. I knew this one would be a hit. After we parked we took the bus back to the restaurant since you are unable to park back in that area. We got on a super packed bus. Our one bus ride of the entire trip. Of course it's packed! There was a showing of Hoop-De-Doo Review getting ready to start for the evening so unfortunately we were making our way back there for dining at the same time as a lot of other folks. No worries though. We were back there in plenty of time for our reservation. Lots of people were waiting to get in Trail's End as well. It was a full house tonight. The secret is getting out! My mom and grandfather took a load off on the rocking chairs out front.


Once we were seated inside we ordered our drinks. I just love the little mason jars here. They get me every time.


We went up to the buffet and the line was INSANE!!!! So, I made a very wise move and made up two plates so that I didn't have to wait in line a second time. Don't judge me. I'm being clever.

First Plate:


Their yummy pasta creation, mac and cheese, fried chicken, salmon, baked beans, corn and glazed carrots.

I love the mac and cheese here! The goldfish crackers in the topping are so cute. The salmon was heavenly! I'm mad at myself for not trying it before. It was probably my favorite thing of the evening. The fried chicken is always excellent here. The corn and carrots were awesome as well.

My second plate which I struggled to carry.


Carved brisket, pulled pork, baked potato and fixins and corn bread with honey butter.

The brisket was just okay, I didn't end up eating much of it. I put the pulled pork all over my baked potato which was heaven! I love doing that here. The corn bread was fantastic as well.

I took my time eating and after a long while I went up for a dessert plate. Don't be fooled by the small little bowls over at the dessert table. Grab a regular plate from the other part of the buffet to make room for everything!


More corn bread, banana pudding, a sugar cookie, strawberry shortcake and bread pudding. Does anyone see what is missing? None of my beloved pecan squares!!! They didn't have any. I really hope they didn't do away with them all together. Rob will be devastated. I loved the banana pudding. It's so basic, but done really well. I really enjoyed the strawberry shortcake as well.

My family really enjoyed it here as well, so I was super happy. We were all in a food coma at this point, so we went back to the hotel and called it a night pretty early. Vacation is exhausting!

I always love your trip reports! I'm SO sorry about your grandfather though - that's horribly sad I'm glad you all got to hang out - he looks amazing! I have wanted to stay at WBC for a long time - I have gotten outvoted by my husband. As usual I love the food reviews. That mac n cheese looks amazing. Also I tried corn bread for the first time about two weeks ago (I have no idea why I never tried it before) and it was so good! I can't wait to read the rest.

 

[princess aleya]

Sorry to hear about your grandfather. Glad that you all got to do this trip together, looks like ya'll had a great time.

 

[wilma-bride]

Jeri, good to see you back - even if it was just a short trip. We are doing a 'no parks' trip in August so I'm curious to know how you coped. Lovely that you got to spend some quality time with your grandfather though.

I love the sound of your Mum's Frozen Alligator - in fact, is it weird that I am now wanting to take a trip to Bonnet Creek just to try one

 

[emmabemmainc]

Love your reviews this time and your previous ones as well. I just wanted to let you know that years ago, my grandfather was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. We honestly thought his time was up. He had a great attitude, found a wonderful doctor and he won his battle over cancer. So, it can be done and with all of the love your grandfather seems to have surrounding him, I have no doubt he'll win as well!

 

[happy2012]

Hi Jerri! Thank you for sharing this review. What a special time you have made to be with your grandfather & mom. It looks like you had a very nice time. The pictures of the beach are beautiful, we enjoy visiting that area of Florida too & I think we stopped @ the same place on the way to WDW. Was it in/near West Pal Beach by chance? I have actually looked @ both of those Wyndham Resorts you stayed at, so it's really cool to see that you stayed @ both!!! I hear nothing but good things about WBC. Oh & the food looks great!!!

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

You've inspired me to try Trails End for dinner Jeri. You had me when you said cornbread and honey butter.

I hope your Grandfather is doing well. What a great way to spend time together, eating Disney food!

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

Sorry about your grandfather, but glad your mom and you made the most of it got to spend such a wonderful time with him.

Your Fort Lauderdale days look like pure and utter bliss to me. Beach, drink, wine, drinks, perfection. We usually stop for a night there when we go to key west and I've yet to actually hit the beach. Gonna have to change that.

Your resort looks awesome. A day of pool and drinks and bar food sounds ideal to me.

Glad you got a little bit of Disney in and trails end looks like the perfect choice. You talk that place up so much, one of these days Ive gotta just jump on a boat and go.

Thank you so much. It was definitely great to spend some quality time together.

The beach was wonderful. I would really like to go back there with Rob. It was so relaxing. I really want to do Key West as well. Trying to convince Rob to fly there.

The resort was really nice. Not the same feel as a Disney resort, but it was nice.

You definitely have to check out Trail's End! I can't say enough good things about it.

So sorry to hear about your grandfather's diagnosis. I am glad you all took the trip as your right a positive frame of mine with an illness like that can make a huge difference. The beach pics looking amazing as does all your wonderful food pics.

Thank you very much Lori. He definitely has a great spirit. The trip really helped a lot too. He had his first radiation treatment before the trip and spending this time away from home really helped lift his mood.

What a great trip to spend some quality time with your Grandpa. You have to enjoy them while you can and being in a favorite place of his priceless. Your Ft. Lauderdale pictures look like heaven. Sitting on the beach relaxing, having a drink and listening to the waves. Ahhhhh, bliss.

Loving all the food photos. Everything looks so good. Can't wait for more.

We definitely had a great trip! It has been a long time since I've been on a trip with him, so it was a lot of fun. Reading a book in the cabana on the beach was a definite highlight. It doesn't get more relaxing than that.

So sorry to hear that your grandfather is sick, but it's great to hear that he is taking it so well and is enjoying himself. You can see in the pictures how happy he is!!

Bonnet Creek looks lovely. We always did off-site as kids, but so far as adults we've stayed onsite. That looks like a great option for staying off-site!

We've never done Trails End, but we're thinking of staying at WL for part of our trip this November.. I think it might be a must-do if we stay there. Everything looks so yummy.

Thank you very much. He really has been so positive about the experience so far.

Bonnet Creek was really nice. I prefer the overall experience of staying at a Disney resort, but I would absolutely recommend it here if you ever plan on staying offsite.

I would highly recommend Trail's End during your stay! The food is incredible and the price is definitely right!

I'm so sorry too to hear about your grandfather. Looks like he has an amazing attitude though and really enjoyed himself on the trip. I want one of those drinks...they look delish!! Also, you really made me want to go to Trail's end. We went to the Hoop de Doo a few weeks ago and I see some of the same food items that we got...but also more that looked amazing. Looking forward to reading more!

Thank you very much. He really does. He is an inspiration to me.

The drinks at Bonnet Creek were awesome! It was exactly what I wanted. It has been soooooo long since I've been to Hoop de Doo Review, but I would love to go back. It does seem like they have a lot of the same food. There are right next to each other, so I guess it makes sense.

Sad news about your grandfather, Jeri. But glad to hear that you and your mom were able to spend some quality time with him in Florida. I enjoyed seeing the photos from your trip on Instagram and am looking forward to seeing more photos here and hearing all the details.

Regarding Trail's End, because of your past reviews I finally tried Trail's End for breakfast on my last trip and loved it. After reading your dinner review, I might just have to give dinner a try sometime too.

Thanks Barb. We had a lovely time on this trip.

So glad you enjoyed TE breakfast! I can't wait to go back. Their lunch menu looks amazing as well. Hopefully I can get there next trip to give it a try.

I always love your trip reports! I'm SO sorry about your grandfather though - that's horribly sad I'm glad you all got to hang out - he looks amazing! I have wanted to stay at WBC for a long time - I have gotten outvoted by my husband. As usual I love the food reviews. That mac n cheese looks amazing. Also I tried corn bread for the first time about two weeks ago (I have no idea why I never tried it before) and it was so good! I can't wait to read the rest.

Thank you very much. He's a trooper!

Bonnet Creek was really nice. I hate not having any access to Disney transportation though. Their shuttle system was expensive! Good thing we had our car!

Wow! First time trying corn bread. You would love the corn bread here. It's maybe the best I've ever had.

Sorry to hear about your grandfather. Glad that you all got to do this trip together, looks like ya'll had a great time.

Thank you so much. It was such a wonderful time. Lots of great memories.

Jeri, good to see you back - even if it was just a short trip. We are doing a 'no parks' trip in August so I'm curious to know how you coped. Lovely that you got to spend some quality time with your grandfather though.

I love the sound of your Mum's Frozen Alligator - in fact, is it weird that I am now wanting to take a trip to Bonnet Creek just to try one

Hey Joh! Well, I'm not going to lie. It was very hard to not be able to go into a park. Going to DTD helped, but I wanted an Epcot day very, very, very badly. I watched a lot of Stacey on the hotel tv. A lot.

The drinks there were fantastic! The resort is definitely worth checking out if you ever get the chance.

Love your reviews this time and your previous ones as well. I just wanted to let you know that years ago, my grandfather was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. We honestly thought his time was up. He had a great attitude, found a wonderful doctor and he won his battle over cancer. So, it can be done and with all of the love your grandfather seems to have surrounding him, I have no doubt he'll win as well!

Awww thank you so much for sharing that with me! My grandfather worked for DuPont Chemicals for many many years, so know he likes to say, "I worked with chemicals, now I'm going to make chemicals work for me!" I'm hoping he can kick cancer's butt!

Hi Jerri! Thank you for sharing this review. What a special time you have made to be with your grandfather & mom. It looks like you had a very nice time. The pictures of the beach are beautiful, we enjoy visiting that area of Florida too & I think we stopped @ the same place on the way to WDW. Was it in/near West Pal Beach by chance? I have actually looked @ both of those Wyndham Resorts you stayed at, so it's really cool to see that you stayed @ both!!! I hear nothing but good things about WBC. Oh & the food looks great!!!

Hey there! We actually stayed in Pompano Beach just north of Ft Lauderdale. It was really beautiful there. I would love to go back. Bonnet Creek was nice. I missed my Disney resorts though. I will say, I liked the layout of the rooms in WBC. Very spacious with a nice kitchen area.

You've inspired me to try Trails End for dinner Jeri. You had me when you said cornbread and honey butter.

I hope your Grandfather is doing well. What a great way to spend time together, eating Disney food!

Yes! Definitely try it! It is so yummy.

So far, so good. He's a tough guy. It was great to be able to spend some real time together and see him so happy.

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

The next morning we were all up early and I drove us over to Polynesian for one of my favorite breakfasts ever. Kona Cafe!

I was excited to see what the new lobby looked like. As much as I hate the fact that they removed the big beautiful fountain, the newly renovated lobby does look stunning.





At least I get a glimpse at the castle!


We checked in and didn't have to wait for too long before they called our name.


My mom and I in our floral shirts.


Our server here was awesome! Very funny and engaging and attentive. A+++++

He took our drink orders. My grandpa and I split the 100% Kona Coffee French Press Pot.


This coffee was heavenly as always. My grandpa really enjoyed it too.

All 3 of us also order the Liliko'i Juice which is a Orange, Passion Fruit and Guava blend.


So pricey, but so worth it in the end.

For our meal my grandfather ordered the Macadamia-Pineapple Pancakes with Macadamia Nut Butter, Pineapple Sauce and bacon.


This was a huge helping of pancakes, but he took them down which was great to see.

My mom and I decided to split 2 dishes. The Samoan and the Tonga Toast.

Tonga Toast is Banana-stuffed Sourdough French Toast rolled in Cinnamon Sugar and served with a Strawberry Compote which we ordered with bacon.


The delicious interior.


The Samoan is Poached Eggs with Hollandaise served over Smoked Pulled Pork Hash.


I am always so torn between these two dishes, so it was perfect that my mom wanted to try them both so we could do an even split. These were both incredible. There is something so unique and distinct about the Samona. It may be my favorite breakfast dish I have ever had.

After breakfast we went out to the monorail and took a ride all the way around in a loop back to Polynesian. At least I got to do one ride this trip! Even riding the monorail is a thrill. After our trip around the monorail loop we stopped for pictures in the new lobby.


And now we're off to DTD!

 

[vettegirl]

One of these days I am going to eat breakfast at Kona!! I am going next month for a few days and am thinking about a no parks visit, just a relax at the resort trip with my baby boy who will be 10 months old next month and am now thinking a little breakie at Kona!!

 

[Vernie822]

OK, your breakfast looks amazing! We have Kona as a must do on our next trip. All three of the entrees are a must do for me too.. although my fiance won't eat any of them, I can already tell. The Tonga Toast has been calling my name for awhile.