Banana Beach Cookout at Aquatica

[mckymama]

Hello,
I am packing and getting all my maps and tickets together as we leave Friday for Orlando! It will be me and DH (both 46 y.o.), two teenage boys, 16 & 18, and their two friends. I was wondering about the $19.95 pass for Banana Beach Cookout. It seems like a great price to feed teenage boys all day. However, I read a couple reviews on TripAdvisor where they said the food was bad. Anyone eaten there? Do they have macaroni and cheese? Their menu doesn't mention it, but when you go to buy the tickets, they do. Not a huge deal, just trying to see everything on the menu. Thanks for any help on this.

 

[Capt_BJ]

based on a Satuday visit 2 weeks ago:

the all you can eat is, as already stated, OK ... but there's better food at the other places. If you plan to eat two meals or are feeding a grazing teen horde...the way to go.

We took the 'one visit' option. Burgers and dogs - but no fries or chips - beans, lot's of melon, weak desserts otherwise. Potato salad and slaw, mac & chz, corn on the cob (steam line) but no greens or salad bar. Chicken drumsticks... Pepsi products. (I kept thinking about the buffet scene in Vegas Vacation)

Other places had a pretty good looking cheesesteak, wraps, pizza and the standard chicken strips. One place had a cuban sandwich that looked as tho it had been sitting since the soft opening...should be better as traffic picks up and the item turns over more. And hopefully food service in the "not AYCE" will speed up as they gain experience.... (read sssslllllooooowwwww)

4 one time thru with passholder 10% discount $49.99. Compare that to lunch for 4 at one of the other places.... A chicken basket (adult size) was about $8 plus a drink.... one time thru is a wash for most, but if your teen like mine wanted 3 or 4 hotdogs for lunch...and maybe more than one time thru in the day.....and you don't mind very ordinary food....

 

[mckymama]

Anyone else?

 

[richsilver]

My family liked it fine.It's like eating at a picnic,so you have to like that sort of thing.Everything I had was good.Probably just depends on your tastes.Both the potato salad and cole slaw were just the way I like them,watermelon had solid taste,chicken and corn on the cobb were fine.

I tend to eat pretty simply and when I'm doing something like a water park,just eat to keep going.Worked out good for us but doesn't provide much in choice.

Easy too.That was why we did it really.One time to pay and then don't worry about finding or deciding on anything else.


rich

 

[DixieDolphin]

Been to Aquatica a couple of times now.

Tried the Banana Beach Cookout on the second trip, but was extremely disappointed. It was pretty bad, honestly. Sea World usually has high standards for food, but this was downright icky.

The burgers had a weird flavor. The buns weren't very good either. Instead of slices of cheese, all they offered was a shredded cheese blend (nasty tasting AND impossible to put on the burger with any sort of accuracy).

Several of the 'side dishes' (like mac & cheese) were gone and not replenished. And even if they /were/ there, it really needed a supply of something starchy too... french fries, potato chips... something like that.

I tried to wash out the flavor with a bowl of chocolate pudding, but found bits of lettuce and cheese suspended in it once I started eating (eew).

Just not a pleasant eating experience, all in all!

On the first visit, however, I had a cheesesteak sub at one of the other restaurants and was much happier with that. Granted, they used nacho cheese on it (bwuh?)... but it was still much, much better than that buffet!

The unlimited drinks is a good deal, though. And if you're feeding a hungry-but-not-picky group, the buffet might be a good option.

=)

 

[Keggy]

DH and I did the all day pass with the AP discount. It was good for DH, but I am a picky eater so my choices were limited.

The day we went they had: hot dogs, chicken wings, veggie and regular burgers, mac and cheese, pasta salad, water melon, banana pudding, and chocolate pudding.

It also included drinks.

The food was fine, there were just better options for us, elsewhere.

This weekend we got a huge salad and chicken fingers w/fries and a HUGE sugar cookie for 18.00 (with our discount). We felt that was better for us.

 

[happylittlebirdie]

here is some additional information about the food and dining options at Aquatica. Some have wondered whether or not you can drink and eat throughout the park - the answer is Yes! You can also purchase baskets of refreshments from the Mango Market to take onto the beach, in addition to food from the following venues:

Waterstone Grill is a two-line restaurant serving an assortment of healthy sandwiches and salads, desserts and drinks.

Mango Market is a grab-and-go restaurant serving picnic baskets full of tasty lunch items ideal for a picnic on the beach.

Banana Beach Cook-Out is an all-you-care-to-eat restaurant featuring traditional burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken and classic side items.

For additional treats, there are six food carts located throughout the park.

 

[jerseygal]

Which one has the Cheesteak, Chicken Strips? Waterstone Grill?

Thnx...Always good having advance info...Saves LOTS OF TIME!

 

[happylittlebirdie]

The Banana Beach Cookout should have those options. There is a big media event going on this week so more food and ride reviews should be available online very soon. I'll let you know where you can find more info when it comes up, but let me know if you have any other questions....

 

[DixieDolphin]

Waterstone Grill is where I found the cheesestakes (and I believe they had chicken fingers and such there, too).

=)

 

[happylittlebirdie]

Thanks for the info Dixie - when did you go to Aquatica??? Were you at the grand opening? I saw the webcast of it - it looks really fun.

Also for those interested - here is a great Flickr page of Aquatica pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25002908@N07/

 

[DixieDolphin]

I was at the 'soft' opening day on March 1st, then again on the 15th. Probably again this weekend or next, too! I was almost headed there yesterday, but the rain kicked up fierce and I went to Sea World instead.

Nice pics! I haven't taken my camera out there yet, but I aim to soon.. wanna get some shots of the Commersons dolphins!

=)

 

[happylittlebirdie]

Great! I can't wait to see your photos. I hear the Commersom dolphins are just amazing - they swim together and on their backs in unison. How beautiful! Also, in case you're interested, Linda Mac from AllEars also posted about her visit to the park - she has some great photos as well:

http://allearsnet.com/blogs/lindamac/2008/03/seaworlds_waterpark_aquatica_o.html