April Chicago DIS meet----where are we going to meet??

[Dan Murphy]

Well, it 's looks like we agreed on April 12th at the date for the early Spring Chicago area DIS meet. And it looks like we will be getting together in the Gurnee area, just north of the city and just south of the Wisconsin/Illinois border. The last time we met in the Gurnee area, we had a great and relaxing lunch at the Cracker Barrel restaurant, a favorite of many I know.

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After lunch we went a few blocks over to
Gurnee Mills Mall food court for the afternoon.

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And for dinner the group went to another restaurant nearby.

Any thoughts on where we should meet next month? The above are fine for me. And I sure do hope to see the many DIS'ers from the area who have never been to a DIS join in and share the fun with your fellow Disney nuts you spend time with here on the boards. It's a very easy drive to this area.

How about it? Who has never been to a meet and are going to make this their first, of many future ones????

Dan

 

[shep]

Let's see...
The weekend of the 5th we will be in Tennessee and it looks like the 12th is open...
Oh DW....
Have to see what's going on(She really likes Cracker Barrel.. )

 

[NancyIL]

Well...I believe there's a Rainforest Cafe at Gurnee Mills.

 

[Bunchkin]

There is a Chili's right on the mall enterance drive if anyone is interested in that.
But I will admit to being addicted to the gift store at Cracker Barrel.

There is also a yummy bbq place inside Gurnee Mills Mall, it's at the far end where JCPenney is located. But I can't remember the name of the restaurant right now.

 

[fantasymagic]

Rainforest Cafe, as NancyIL suggested sounds good to me. I've never been to the ones in WDW.

But I'm open to anything. Just can't wait!

 

[MarkRG]

The above is fine with us too, as long as Rainforest has some normal food, we went to the one in Woodfield not too long after it opened, exotic wasn't the word for the menu then. And we're not bashful of ordering off a kids menu either.

I don't remember the name of that new bbq place, but it sure looked interesting..

 

[helenabear]

I've never been to Cracker Barrel and would love to go there. RFC never seems to have much that I am really into and is a bit expensive for the food. Are the also the ones we almost went to in June and had trouble with because of a deposit and "set menus"?? But truthfully I am still on the fence about coming and if I do I can eat wherever

 

[Fire14]

i'd prefer not rfc i hate the food there and it's over priced in my eyes. cracker barrel is fine or bbq place sounds good.

 

[Bunchkin]

Yesterday I was timid to state that I too didn't want to eat at RFC.
But now that others have stated the same I'll pipe up.

I do not wish to eat food I find "scary beyond all reason".

 

[Big V]

I love the Cracker Barrel! The last Gurnee Dis meet, we ate at the RFC after the meet. I thought it was rather expensive. We will be staying at the Hampton Inn right by the mall, so any place is fine with us.

 

[We4mickey]

I almost missed this one.
It's been along time. Will check with DW if that works, as a CM it's hard for her to get off.
Keep me posted on any updates.

 

[jfulcer]

Cracker Barrel is fine with us to start, food court in the middle is ok too, and dinner we are flexible. The bbq place sounds interesting, does anyone have more information on this??

We4Mickey, You're welcome to catch a ride down with us if you want, we have an empty backseat in the van...

 

[Dan Murphy]

It would be great to see you again, We4, it's been a long time!!!!

Here are the in-mall restaurants if we are looking to them for a dinner after the food court afternoon. Cracker Barrel is great for me too for lunch, really enjoy that palce.

109 Branding Iron BBQ 855-8620
607 Corner Bakery Café 856-1700
857 Rainforest Cafe
Rink Side Restaurant and Cafe 855-7800
856-1064
337 Ruby Tuesday 662-0756


This is the franchise site for the Branding Iron.

http://www.brandingironbbq.com/

 

[jfulcer]

That BBQ place sounds really nice.

 

[Bunchkin]

The bbq place is good. We ate lunch there the last time we visited Gurnee Mills Mall. BUT.......everyone should know that they DO NOT have a large seating area. Depending how many people attend for lunch, and want to eat at the Branding Iron, we could easily fill at least 3/4 of the seating capacity. But until there is a head count it will be hard to tell.
But again the food there is good.

Right across from the restaurant is a large open area, which is also right in front of JCPenney. There is a large amout of seating there......BUT NO TABLES!!! Just a ton of chairs!!!

 

[iluvdisney]

Bummer - I'm going to a concert down in the Cincinnati area that day so I will be missing another DIS meet - I sure am hoping to make one of them out in the Chicago area this year!

 

[BriarRosie]

This is really funny, because last weekend I met a couple of DisneyDollarless gals at Gurnee Mills, and we ate lunch at the Branding Iron (located close to Entrance G).

We had such a good time there, and a couple of us tried out the Aquamassager machines they have in another area of the mall.
$10 for 7 minutes, and it was great! (Pay more $$$ and you can stay in there longer.)

I mainly lurk on DIS, but I would like to come around and say hello to any Disney fans 'round the 'Net.

 

[NancyIL]

Cracker Barrel is fine with me. I'm staying overnight in Chicago, so still may go to Rainforest Cafe on my own for dinner.

 

[Towncrier]

Hi Lori - I've seen your posts over on RADP. I hope you can make it to a DISmeet soon. I'm not sure that we can get away in April this year. For the past couple of years we've managed to make the trek to Chicago for the official spring DISmeet, but our calendar is awfully full this time of year.

Still trying to get a definite yes out of DW Sue regarding Patrick's picnic on July 12th. Perhaps I'll make some priceline ressies so we have to go.

 

[Big V]

It would be great to meet you Lori. I lurk on the DisneyDollarless sight once in a while!