Fly on Friday the 13th?? Yep, we`ll turn superstition into 23 nights of fun!! A Sept/Oct 2024 TR

[schumigirl]

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[schumigirl]

HOTEL CHOICES


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I don`t think anyone who has read these TR`s before will be surprised with our choice of hotels again this trip.

Might be boring to some, but we adore both of these hotels so much and for us they are both perfect for us and yes, we have stayed so many times with them both, enough to make us feel they are both home from homes.

Of course we did once consider the other resorts, but to be honest they don`t come close to what we love about these two resorts, so I can`t see us changing that anytime soon, with the exception of Grand helios when it opens, we do plan to stay two nights there, probably not next May, but hopefully next September, it sounds absolutely amazing, it will be beautiful and being right inside the new park will be quite special too. The only time we have stayed in a hotel like that was when we stayed in the Disneyland Hotel but in Paris, it was so lovely, so this sounds about perfect too.

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We will be starting off at RP this visit, I forget if it`s 7 or 9 nights we`re here, but we do enjoy anticipating our arrival here, it is all so familiar as it should be for the amount of night`s we`ve spent here, it is warm and welcoming and although some don`t like the newish decor, we do, it looks much cooler than the older designs, but I do miss those beautiful and ornate umbrellas that adorned the entrance area.

The whole hotel is stunning, every area has it`s own charm and there are plenty of dining options, you`ll never go hungry in either hotel with a huge range of choices.

Outside of the lobby is the lovely water feature with the ever present elephants, if it`s quiet it is such a pretty area to sit out in for a time and watch the world go past.

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The rest of our trip is at the stunning Sapphire Falls which is a few minutes walk away from RP either outside or through the convention and ballroom area.

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The Caribbean theme is prevalent everywhere in the hotel and as soon as you approach the building you can see all the touches that have been added to make this the beautiful hotel it is.

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This hotel is probably even prettier when you approach it by boat, it is so beautiful and that huge window in the lobby is so impressive, even without the huge Christmas tree that is up during the Holidays. The added water feature is beautiful, day or night this is one of the more impressive ways to see the hotel in all it`s glory.

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The view from Strong Water balcony at night is simply stunning, you can see some of the park from the lagoon side of the hotel, over to RP and from certain rooms you can see the view down to I Drive too and rather unfortunately especially as the trip comes to an end, you can see planes take off from MCO....something we don`t want to think about, but it is nice how you can clearly make out planes coming in and out.

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Sapphire does have one of the most impressive of lobbies, it is wide open with a huge ceiling height too, the light that comes in make is feel even more spacious and it is pretty too. They really thought about the light and ambiance when designing this hotel. And of course similar to RP they have the most amazing aroma all through the lobby which is beautiful as you walk in.

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Behind that huge brick facade is one of the most central areas of the hotel, an incredibly beautiful spiral effect staircase which leads down to Amatista and the exit to the boat dock, it is impressive and certainly one of the most photographed parts of the hotel.

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You can of course take the elevator down to these areas too, but it is so much prettier to take the stairs, well maybe on the way down, after a few hours in the parks, elevators are so much more inviting!!!



Food options and rooms coming right up

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[SCDizFan]

Yay! It is never too soon to start your trip report! One of favorite things!

Oh no, I think we may miss you again! I bought the anytime tickets to Howl-O-Scream and we can only do Sunday nights and that puts the first one on October 6th that we can attend!

I hate we aren't flying VA to Europe this year but we are going to Paris in January to see Notre Dame. Booo.

 

[schumigirl]

Yay! It is never too soon to start your trip report! One of favorite things!

Oh no, I think we may miss you again! I bought the anytime tickets to Howl-O-Scream and we can only do Sunday nights and that puts the first one on October 6th that we can attend!

I hate we aren't flying VA to Europe this year but we are going to Paris in January to see Notre Dame. Booo.

back SCDizFan, you`re right, it`s never too early to start!!!

Oh surely not again......lol......isn`t that just typical. We`re still thinking if we want to do HoS or just miss anything Halloween themed this year, but SW did it so well, I`m sure you`ll love it there, I forget if you have gone before??

I can`t believe it`s been 5 years since ND fire, I think it`s going to be fully reopened in December if I remember right, that will be something to see and something special to look forward to.

Glad to see you posting though, always nice to see your posts along the way

 

[schumigirl]

Some say, that food and drinks on our vacations are a huge part of our fun......

I guess it could be true!!

But, we feel very spoiled for choice when in America, of course we have some lovely places to eat here too, plenty of them, especially little traditional country or seaside pubs which are our favourite places to eat given the choice where everything is made fresh from scratch and food is hard to beat in those places.

But, we also love most places we eat in America, very few have disappointed yet, although there have been some corkers we won`t be going back to.



Orchids Lounge


The hotels have some wonderful options and something for everyone which sometimes makes it hard to leave in the evenings to go elsewhere.

RPR has Orchids Sushi Bar which is probably our favourite of all the options in this hotel.

It is a beautiful restaurant for dinner, or just for drinks as there is a lovely friendly bar too, you will get the warmest of welcomes either way. the whole restaurant has undergone a full revamp a few years ago now and bears no resemblance to what it used to be, I do love the new look, but I still think the old Orchids was maybe a little cosier feeling.

It does have a very contemporary feel about it now, very clean lines and the room is complimented by the huge chandelier which is stunning, especially at night.

They have tables, softer chairs and sofa`s down by the huge tv that tends to show all sorts of sports and you can sit at the bar which is really nice as the staff are wonderful.

Over the years we have enjoyed many an evening in here and the chefs, especially Chef Dan have been there for many years and the standard has never fallen.

I don`t think this dish is on the menu, but it is gorgeous, it`s like a Tuna Tini, but they simply call it a special and I usually get it at least once, tuna is fresher than fresh and spicy too!!

Their speciality is the Sushi Boats and they are huge!! Probably more suited to four people, or two very, very hungry people, and we were that night, I think we only left some of the California Rolls, but the compliment of sushi and sashimi is absolutely perfect.










This was a lovely evening we enjoyed there a couple of years ago, Maria who was the F&B manager back then made it very special indeed.









Jake`s American Bar


On the ground floor, Jake`s is one of two restaurants and the more casual of bars, it will be getting refurbed sometime in the future too and I am very curious as to how they will theme it, as it does fit with Jake`s plane that still sits in the lagoon.

It is very casual, but you do get very good food and cocktails here, the menu is not the largest of menu`s but sticks to tried and tested dishes that have survived so many menu changes over the years.

Outside the seating area is very pretty, you can opt to sit out there under the shadow of the bridge you walk in to the hotel on and the water feature is very nice and relaxing as you enjoy lunch or dinner. Definitely a popular photo opportunity there. And some folks don`t know it`s there, I`ve had many folks say they never noticed a waterfall!!!!

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The menu suits us down to the ground and always has done, this was our first meal in RP way back in 2009, back then they did character dining and although it was based in Islands, the characters used to come into Jake`s too, and it was so much fun, I wish they would bring those dinners back, they were popular but never too crowded and the interactions were always so much fun.

I love a bbq sauce based pizza and another thing the Italian relatives shake their head at .....not on their watch lol. But, this one with chicken, pineapple and jalapenos is possibly the best onsite pizza, maybe even tipping Sal`s at PB for quality. Definitely a favourite of mine.

Everyone always has their own favourite dish from here and always interesting to hear what it is as all our tastes vary so much.

And some very nice cocktails too!!!

This sharing cocktail was beautiful, even though our waiter set fire to the straws when he lit the liquor in the centre...it was funny at the time watching out straws melt in front of us in the flames as we all watched.

Yes, we did get another without the melting plastic in it!









These are two places we will frequent during our stay, both offer quality dishes and always with friendly service. We never book but in recent years it has got busier than ever, so if it`s full we will either sit at the bar, or simply go somewhere else as we really don`t care to have to make a reservation for places unless it`s a high end place we really want to eat in.


More food options up soon

 

[schumigirl]

STRONG WATER BAR







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I don`t think it`s a secret that we adore Strong Water and everything and everyone in it, if you`ve read any of the recent TR`s you`ll know it is just about our favourite place to be whether we stay at RP or Sapphire. It`s certainly more convenient to get home at night when we stay at Sapphire, that very short walk late at night can feel a little longer if we`ve indulged in one or two libations!!!!

When Sapphire opened in 2016 there was great anticipation for the much hyped rum bar that was going to sit in the prime location of the rear of the huge lobby, and despite us not drinking rum very often we looked forward to it opening and trying some of their creations.

We never knew how much we would come to love rum after just a few visits!!!!

For us there is no better place for the whole package of food, drinks and service, hard to beat and consistently top notch in every area, When it first opened it was just first come first served, but last few years you have been able to make a reservation, they will take walk ins of course and there are some highly coveted seats at the bar too, you won`t find better bar staff anywhere!

Their menu constantly changes to include some of the most varied and tasty dishes around as well as interesting and delicious cocktails, all made from fresh produce in house, I don`t think we`ve found one yet we haven`t liked!

It`s always a shame when dishes come off the menu and this is one of our (my) favourites, the Tuna Tiradito, absolutely beautiful and a little spicy too, but not too hot for folks that don`t love spice.

Guava rum bbq pork with tostones accompanied by a habanero-garlic pepper mojo! Amazing dish! I miss this one, that garlic mojo was the strongest garlic ever.......

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One of the newer dishes they offer is their charcuterie board, I say new, it`s not really new as such but new-ish and is very, very nice.

Another favourite dish is the Camarones, 4 huge shrimp in a lemony butter sauce, we ask for no extra cilantro as it is the herb of the devil and tastes vile to us, very much like eating soap, but this dish is beautiful and the cuban bread for dipping is perfect.

A dish we never thought we`d eat.....vegan hotpot. Absolutely gorgeous, one of the nicest dishes we have ever eaten....despite it being vegan!! It`s hot, spicy and very filling, but bursting with flavour, and very green, but don`t let that put you off, it`s gorgeous.

Maggie created a special dessert for one of our evenings with some friends, little bit of everything, although if I remember correctly, no one got any chocolate cake apart from Kyle.....no surprises there, he does love it.

The Rum Flights are very popular and the Rum Captains are the best at what they do. They will chat to you and find out what your personal tastes are and match what their expertise thinks you`ll enjoy. At times they will bring out something maybe out of one`s comfort zone, but when they have done that they have always been quite spectacular and we`ve enjoyed all of them.











There is a rum for everyone in Strong Water and even my non alcohol drinking son tried a couple and loved them, we were very surprised at that one!!!

It is one of the friendliest bars around, there is a family atmosphere and Fernando who is the manager and simply one of the nicest men you will ever meet loves his staff and guests alike. He and his team genuinely care and want you to have the best time and some of the team have worked there for a very long time and it all adds to that feeling of family.

We have enjoyed so many nights in there, too many some might say and it is the one place we are looking forward to the most when we come back. So many hours chatting to staff who we now know so very well and look forward to seeing them every trip and it has helped us enjoy so many nights with many friends over the last 7/8 years.

I did enjoy making our friend Lenny laugh at a not so family friendly joke here!!!!

So many fun evenings with friends.......

The views from Strong Water balcony are beautiful especially at night when the waterwheel and parks are lit up. The tables out here do fill up when the weather is fine, but we tend to just pop out for some picture opportunities and head back in.











It is pretty during the day, but night time is when the view is sparkling!

The fire pit is also a very popular area for folks to sit and it does get busy at times, sometimes you look out and there`s no one there, other times it is full, but nice little area to chill out in.

So, we can absolutley recommend Strong Water Bar for any occasion, or just for food and/or drinks. It is worth taking the time to give it a bash, it`s easy if you are in one of the other hotels, as the boat will take you there from Citywalk, you wouldn`t regret it, for us, we are counting the days till we are back to this wonderful place

YO HO ​

 

[Worfiedoodles]

You have great taste in hotels and food! You didn't mention the best part about Strong Water—no one should leave without trying Carole's Punch! It is both beautiful and delicious

I am a little surprised to hear your pizza concoction at Jake's might be better than Sal's, but I believe you

Have you ever stayed at the Hard Rock or Portofino Bay? I know RPR and SF are your favorites; I'm just wondering if you've tried the other two deluxe resorts

Looking forward to your next fabulous installment

 

[schumigirl]

AMATISTA​

On the lowest level down from the lobby is Amatista, the second jewel in the crown of Sapphire Falls a full service restaurant offering food from breakfast through to dinner and it is open all day for food which is a nice option as some places like Strong Water don`t open till 4pm.

You can`t really miss it as you pass it on the way out to the boats if you`re headed that way and it always looks so inviting when you pass, during the day unless there is a special event on it`s very rarely overly busy. Night times can be busy but it is a huge restaurant which is one of the reasons we never make a reservation here.



















The very first time we ate here, being honest, I wasn`t overly fussed, but I think looking back it was purely a mix of circumstances and some bad luck, but every other time since that first meal has been beautiful and faultless. But, yes, I did wonder what all the fuss was about.

They do a stunning buffet breakfast and they also have the regular stuff you can order if you don`t want too much, either works for us especially as there is the egg chef who will cook you what ever you want egg wise, but you will be spoiled for choice with the buffet. It is something all four hotels do well including RP, HRH and PB and especially for Thanksgiving and Mother`s day offerings, we have enjoyed both a couple of times and they were exceptional.

The day to day menu offers a variety of dishes from chicken noodle soup, wings, burgers and their signature dish which is the half or a whole Mojo Marinated Rotisserie chicken which come with a garlic and a cilantro sauce combined with either two or four sides depending on which size of chicken you order. I think we got this ages ago and it was lovely.

Wings, fish sandwich, burger, bbq pork, flatbreads have never disappointed whether it be lunch or dinner and if you get Jimmy looking after you, you are in for a treat, he is quite unique....in a good way of course!!


































They also have a really nice little bar if you fancied just popping in for a drink anytime during the day or waiting for your table, bar staff are always incredible and they make a mean spicy margarita!!!



















There are seats outside too and the view over the lagoon is beautiful with the waterwheel beside you it is a lovely area to enjoy some food from breakfast to dinner.

So, another restaurant we will absolutely be visiting during our stay is Amatista, might even venture down to do their buffet breakfast as it has been a while since we have done it, but we`ll definitely be having dinner there at some point.




More restaurant options offsite and onsite coming up.....

 

[schumigirl]

You have great taste in hotels and food! You didn't mention the best part about Strong Water—no one should leave without trying Carole's Punch! It is both beautiful and delicious

I am a little surprised to hear your pizza concoction at Jake's might be better than Sal's, but I believe you

Have you ever stayed at the Hard Rock or Portofino Bay? I know RPR and SF are your favorites; I'm just wondering if you've tried the other two deluxe resorts

Looking forward to your next fabulous installment

lol.....yes, it is a rather lovely drink!!

Sal`s was a hit and a miss last trip, when we ate there as guests of the Concierge Manager, the pizza`s were beyond perfect, but we had previously visited and they were just average, so that`s why I`m a little down on it and putting Jake`s above it as their pizza is always fabulous.

The Hard Rock has never appealed to us, it never feels like a resort to us, and PB is similar, it is beautiful and does feel resort like but just misses something for us. As with all the resorts, staff are always lovely, but yes, we`ll stick to our old favourites I think.

Didn`t you and mr worfie stay at HRH recently??? Although I could be thinking of someone else lol.....

Glad you`re enjoying it. I`m just sorry our dates aren`t aligning again this year, we`ll need to work on that one

 

[Worfiedoodles]

We will, indeed need to sync better! I want to enjoy a Carole's Punch with the inspiration

We have stayed at both Hard Rock and PB and like both. I prefer RPR; Mr. Worfie is an HR fan, and I admit it's nice being that close to US when it's cold or nasty out. Mr. Worfie is excited that HR's Club apparently now has Coke Zero. I guess it's the little things To me, PB did have the best food in their Club, but it is a hike from there. I also enjoyed their alternate pool with the bocce courts and cold plunge. It doesn't attract littles like the main pool, so it ends up being a mostly adult retreat.

 

[schumigirl]

We will, indeed need to sync better! I want to enjoy a Carole's Punch with the inspiration

We have stayed at both Hard Rock and PB and like both. I prefer RPR; Mr. Worfie is an HR fan, and I admit it's nice being that close to US when it's cold or nasty out. Mr. Worfie is excited that HR's Club apparently now has Coke Zero. I guess it's the little things To me, PB did have the best food in their Club, but it is a hike from there. I also enjoyed their alternate pool with the bocce courts and cold plunge. It doesn't attract littles like the main pool, so it ends up being a mostly adult retreat.

lol.....deal!!!!

I agree, it`s funny how simple things keep us happy at times, coke zero isn`t too much to ask for really is it......

Yes, the proximity to the Studios is a lovely perk of staying at HRH.

PB pools are nice, we were unlucky the one time we did go to the "quiet pool" lol....it was anything but quiet due to one rather large family that descended at the same time. We left and we heard later that the family concerned were asked politely to leave. Now we never pool hop, seen them all and as we aren`t the biggest pool people it`s not something we do, but I always tell folks to pool hop even once as they all have their good points.

Cold plunge.......

You`re a braver woman than I am Maria

 

[keishashadow]

All caught up . Love making the TR lol

We're not doing HHN either - neither one of us have the "Halloween gene"

Whaaat? Boo! JK

Oh no, I think we may miss you again! I bought the anytime tickets to Howl-O-Scream and we can only do Sunday nights and that puts the first one on October 6th that we can attend!

Sea world one? If you have the tix linked in your account, might want to log in and check the actual “dates” printed on the tix. Was looking at family’s and noticed this:




They called in to inquire and were told they were actually good any day of the event. YMMV, worth inquiring if you want to visit a different day than in original plans.

 

[keishashadow]

All caught up . Love making the TR lol

We're not doing HHN either - neither one of us have the "Halloween gene"

Whaaat? Boo! JK

Carole - not to hijack the thread below.

Oh no, I think we may miss you again! I bought the anytime tickets to Howl-O-Scream and we can only do Sunday nights and that puts the first one on October 6th that we can attend!

Sea world one? If you have the tix linked in your account, might want to log in and check the actual “dates” printed on the tix. Was looking at family’s that were also anytime tickets (they purchased a while ago) and noticed this:

View attachment 879669


They called in to inquire and were told they were actually good any day of the event!

YMMV, worth inquiring if you want to visit a different day than in original plans.

 

[schumigirl]

All caught up . Love making the TR lol


Whaaat? Boo! JK

Carole - not to hijack the thread below.

Sea world one? If you have the tix linked in your account, might want to log in and check the actual “dates” printed on the tix. Was looking at family’s that were also anytime tickets (they purchased a while ago) and noticed this:

View attachment 879669


They called in to inquire and were told they were actually good any day of the event!

YMMV, worth inquiring if you want to visit a different day than in original plans.

Thanks Janet, and hijack away, it`s nice to have expert opinions helping out!

Glad you`re enjoying it so far, I do enjoy a little pre trip babble!!

 

[schumigirl]

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[schumigirl]

We do enjoy eating in the parks sometimes, yes we do spend a lot of time offsite but there are old favourites and some new favourites that we do enjoy while we are in the parks.

Usually because we don`t spend all day in the parks, we can spend a couple of hours then leave and go have lunch offsite somewhere and there are of course thousands of options.

Some folks say the food in the parks is awful. Well I agree, some places are not as good as they should be, but there are many places you`ll get some very good food around both parks and of course Citywalk.

Maybe not 5 star, but for theme park food, it can be pretty good. We tend to avoid several quick service places like Mel`s Diner, Circus McGurkas, Cafe4 and the Comic Strip Cafe and also rather controversially for some, we do not particularly like either Potter restaurant for the food that they serve, if you`ve never been to the UK, this is not what we have over here generally. However we do keep meaning to give some of their items another try at some point. Seeing Shepherds Pie being described as having beef in it, even fake beef rankles as Shepherd`s Pie is always and has always been a lamb mince dish and wedges are not chips...so many things are wrong with their menu, but as I said, we just don`t eat there.

But, there are some very good places to enjoy in both parks!!

FINNEGAN`S​

Several years ago we had a few bad experiences with meals in Finnegan`s, they were not the nicest and very greasy, so we avoided it for a few years except when we went into sit at the bar and enjoy a cocktail or two.

Finnegan`s is incredibly popular and for years it was a highly sought after place to be before HHN began, during the HHN evenings you cannot get near the bar at times, it is mobbed. So we tend to go during the day around lunchtime, and of course we had to try something from their menu as we were there.











The bar staff here are among the best around, some of them have worked there forever and there`s nothing they don`t know about any cocktail ever served in the bar.

The Cobb salad, minus blue cheese is one of their nicest dishes, and big enough to share between the two of us, even without the wedges. They serve it with their own sauce, but she brought some honey mustard in case we didn`t like it.....we loved it! It is incredibly fresh and the Scotch Eggs aren`t too shabby either.











Tom is a big sandwich fan, he would eat sandwiches for every meal if he could and the Reuben is one he does enjoy when we`re here. He loved the little beetroot salad that comes with it, it`s odd as we usually like the same foods, but when it comes to beetroot, he only likes pickled, I prefer non pickled. He says mine tastes earthy.....who knows!! But we both liked this one.

Their burger pictured underneath is an average burger, nothing out of the ordinary, but nice enough, I wouldn`t rush their to get it as there are other places around with just as nice or better.

Where Finnegan`s really shines for us is in the bar.

The famous Rum Neuralyser hasn`t been on their menu for many years now, those that remember Jim who worked behind the bar for what seemed like forever, was one of it`s creators....according to Jim of course......but after he left it was removed and replaced, but all the bar staff know it and will make it up happily. It`s one of the nicest ones we ever tasted.












When we`ve been in around lunchtimes, it`s never been as busy as it used to be from memory, you can make a reservation, but they had plenty of room for walk ins the days we were at the bar, but I imagine it can get busier over weekends and peak times.

I do think there are some dishes we just wouldn`t get from here, but for the most part we have enjoyed the dishes we`ve had recently, so we will definitely be going there for a lunch or two this upcoming trip, certainly for a couple of cocktails!!!

LOMBARDS​

Lombards is one of those places that is visually beautiful and when you go inside it almost doesn`t look like it should be in a theme park, but it should be a very elegant out of town restaurant somewhere.

Again, you can book, but we never have and have always got a table immediately, no waits and as they have extra seating upstairs, they have plenty of tables.










It is uniquely designed for sure and very beautifully designed too, always cool which is very welcome usually and a nice break from the heat, I do think the giant fish are a little odd, but given the theme I get it.

Downstairs is where we usually sit, there is a massive fish tank that sits in the middle of the room, most love it, I prefer not to look at fish when I`m eating, but most love it, it`s certainly impressive.











We do like sitting upstairs, it`s not always open, usually only at peak times but we`ve been up there a few times and it is nicer, you can step outside and the views are very nice.

The food here is generally very good, but over the years we have had some stinkers including fish that was off and dishes that should have been hot that was distinctly lukewarm although nearer cold would have been more apt.

Their cold dishes have always been top notch although I have heard their lobster roll has declined in quality over the last few years, so won`t be ordering that again. But, their shrimp cocktail and tuna dish are both beautiful.











Fish and chips is just not the same in the US. Fish is in small pieces which is just not how we do it, but Kyle does quite like their fish and chips although the batter is not crisp the way it is here, however he enjoys it and the fish does taste nice.

The shrimp alfredo was surprisingly nice, pasta wasn`t too heavy and the shrimp were lovely, not overcooked and Tom really enjoyed this dish. The dish I had that day was unfortunately not the nicest, I took one taste of the fish and knew immediately it was off before it even reached me....not good.

These dishes look lovely, one is the chicken sandwich and the other is the ramen bowl they had on the menu at the time, however, neither one of us tasted either dish properly and they were both decidely cool after waiting 40 minutes, all because I asked for no cilantro to be sprinkled on top.

Our waiter was incredibly poor, very angry at us complaining and blamed the delay for me asking for substitutions which add to cooking time......lol.....it became a thing where I very nicely spoke to the manager who was horrified we had been told 40 minutes wait wasn`t a long time......well, we never got our lunch that day, but the manager was very professional and it won`t put us off trying it again....maybe.

I do wish there was a decent seafood option around in the parks or Citywalk, for exceptional seafood. I don`t count Bubba Gumps as decent at all, but I guess top end restaurants wouldn`t really fit in around the parks, I get it, so we do go offsite for good seafood or to the hotels too.

So, another two restaurants we are looking forward to getting back to this coming trip.



More plans coming right up.....

 

[disneyseniors]

AMATISTA​

On the lowest level down from the lobby is Amatista, the second jewel in the crown of Sapphire Falls a full service restaurant offering food from breakfast through to dinner and it is open all day for food which is a nice option as some places like Strong Water don`t open till 4pm.

You can`t really miss it as you pass it on the way out to the boats if you`re headed that way and it always looks so inviting when you pass, during the day unless there is a special event on it`s very rarely overly busy. Night times can be busy but it is a huge restaurant which is one of the reasons we never make a reservation here.





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The very first time we ate here, being honest, I wasn`t overly fussed, but I think looking back it was purely a mix of circumstances and some bad luck, but every other time since that first meal has been beautiful and faultless. But, yes, I did wonder what all the fuss was about.

They do a stunning buffet breakfast and they also have the regular stuff you can order if you don`t want too much, either works for us especially as there is the egg chef who will cook you what ever you want egg wise, but you will be spoiled for choice with the buffet. It is something all four hotels do well including RP, HRH and PB and especially for Thanksgiving and Mother`s day offerings, we have enjoyed both a couple of times and they were exceptional.

The day to day menu offers a variety of dishes from chicken noodle soup, wings, burgers and their signature dish which is the half or a whole Mojo Marinated Rotisserie chicken which come with a garlic and a cilantro sauce combined with either two or four sides depending on which size of chicken you order. I think we got this ages ago and it was lovely.

Wings, fish sandwich, burger, bbq pork, flatbreads have never disappointed whether it be lunch or dinner and if you get Jimmy looking after you, you are in for a treat, he is quite unique....in a good way of course!!





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They also have a really nice little bar if you fancied just popping in for a drink anytime during the day or waiting for your table, bar staff are always incredible and they make a mean spicy margarita!!!





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There are seats outside too and the view over the lagoon is beautiful with the waterwheel beside you it is a lovely area to enjoy some food from breakfast to dinner.

View attachment 879212





So, another restaurant we will absolutely be visiting during our stay is Amatista, might even venture down to do their buffet breakfast as it has been a while since we have done it, but we`ll definitely be having dinner there at some point.




More restaurant options offsite and onsite coming up.....

I think we will try that one in November. Even I can't get lost when it's on the floor level going out to the boat, LOL. I don't know why we didn't think of it before, so thanks, Schumigirl

 

[schumigirl]

I think we will try that one in November. Even I can't get lost when it's on the floor level going out to the boat, LOL. I don't know why we didn't think of it before, so thanks, Schumigirl

lol.....yes, you can`t really miss it Ruth.

The food is good, but I do think their breakfast buffet is lovely and the restaurant itself is just so bright and airy, it`s not my favourite restaurant, but it`s up there as a must do at some point.

 

[schumigirl]

​

If you`ve read any of our trip reports before you`ll know we do like to drive in America and have a good old ramble round about to places new to us, and also to places we have visited before that we enjoy going back to time and time again. There are so many towns we like to fit in and usually on a morning we can spend ages trying to decide which one to visit!!!

One of those places that really stands out to us is Mount Dora. It is a must do little town for us, it is so quaint and full of adorable little stores that you don`t find anywhere else and it is one of the most interesting of places as it is so quiet, weirdly quiet!

Genuinely, we always feel as though we shouldn`t laugh too loud or make any sounds at all as we walk through, definitely one of the more peaceful places around and the antithesis of any theme park you can visit.

Around a 40 minute drive from the hotels, it truly does feel like you`ve gone back in time when you walk through the small streets, they are uniquely decorated and it`s just different, everyone is friendly and approachable. To be fair we`ve found this to be true in all these types of towns we visit.

There are plenty of places to park and immediately you are in the centre of this little gem of a town. We`ve been lucky on several occasions to be there when there has been a Farmer`s Market or similar on and they are so lovely to come across. We bought some of the nicest Canadian Maple Syrup here once, we still talk about it today.

​

One of the prettiest parts for us is Lake Dora, it is huge!!! They have several boats that will take you around and you can see the natural wildlife that reside in the lake, yes, that would be alligators, snakes and snapping turtles....one of the men who operate one of the boats knows us now and is always offering to take us around the lake.....

​

This was a rather large alligator we saw on our last visit, and according to the resident expert here, there are thousands of them in there. He suggested we visit in the evening and shine a torch to see them clearer, yes, that`s a good idea, let`s irritate them!!!!










It is however, incredibly beautiful and like the rest of the town, very peaceful to sit and pass half an hour or so.

​

There are so many little areas here to enjoy including little mews with some nice little stores, including a lovely little wine shop that we do want to go back and visit as it`s been a while and hopefully see anything new they have now.

One of the lovely stores we enjoy visiting while we are there is Mount Dora Olive Oil Company, their produce is amazing, oils are gorgeous and their balsamic vinegars are incredible!! So many varieties and flavours to choose from, we are always spoiled for choice and have to choose carefully so we do like to try different options every time.

Our favourites right now that we still have some left are a maple balsamic and a pepper one, both are gorgeous and now we`re trying to stretch them out till we leave, but I think they`ll be done in a week or so.

This is one of the reasons we are glad of the extra luggage allowance!!

We have a lot of local honey producers here, but Tom does stock up on some of theirs as he does enjoy them along with the ones from the Sunday morning market in Lake Eola, he is a massive honey fan, unlike me who only uses it for honey mustard dressing.

We love eating here and there are so many places to choose from. We`ve tried several and been very happy with them all. But a couple of them we really loved are below.

The Goblin Market is probably our ultimate favourite....maybe!

​

Well, I think it`s our favourite, but there are so many places we have enjoyed it is hard to narrow down just one as the best.

But, this place was a find, from the outside it didn`t look like much, but inside it was like nothing we had ever expected. It is down a back street and if you don`t know it`s there you might not find it, but it is worth looking for, can`t recommend it highly enough.











It was classically beautiful, very elegant and it was a very welcoming place from as soon as you walked in the door. Every little detail had been thought of and the detail was perfect, you did feel as though you were in an old English library/restaurant.

The food was also exceptional on the three occasions we have eaten here.











Right on the main street is Las Palmas, a Cuban restaurant that we have enjoyed visiting twice now, not our usual choice of foods, but it has been very nice each visit. There was one dish we`ll never order again, but you have to try something different in places.












Two for one cocktails......yes please!!!!

Off the main street in what looks like just a little selection of small stores, you take some steps down and you`re into a lovely little pub/bar which completely surprised us first time we went.

The Frog and Monkey was one of the nicest little places and unexpectedly one of the busiest places we have ever been in for lunch in a small town. We were lucky to get a table as we were almost first in, within 10 minutes the whole place was full.

​

The burgers here rivalled any other burger we have ever tasted in America, not quite sure what made them so good, but it was one of those places you wanted to (but wouldn`t) lick the plate!!!

Mount Dora is worth the little drive if you have a free day to pass and want to visit somewhere that will give you a slower pace for a day. It is a very relaxing place to walk around, plenty of stores to visit and many wonderful food options that will cater to every taste.

So, although we tend not to plan.....these are places we absolutely plan to visit, we just don`t work to a schedule, we wake up and decide where to go and what to do on any given day!! Perfect.



More coming up......

 

[Worfiedoodles]

View attachment 880558



​

If you`ve read any of our trip reports before you`ll know we do like to drive in America and have a good old ramble round about to places new to us, and also to places we have visited before that we enjoy going back to time and time again. There are so many towns we like to fit in and usually on a morning we can spend ages trying to decide which one to visit!!!

One of those places that really stands out to us is Mount Dora. It is a must do little town for us, it is so quaint and full of adorable little stores that you don`t find anywhere else and it is one of the most interesting of places as it is so quiet, weirdly quiet!

Genuinely, we always feel as though we shouldn`t laugh too loud or make any sounds at all as we walk through, definitely one of the more peaceful places around and the antithesis of any theme park you can visit.

Around a 40 minute drive from the hotels, it truly does feel like you`ve gone back in time when you walk through the small streets, they are uniquely decorated and it`s just different, everyone is friendly and approachable. To be fair we`ve found this to be true in all these types of towns we visit.

There are plenty of places to park and immediately you are in the centre of this little gem of a town. We`ve been lucky on several occasions to be there when there has been a Farmer`s Market or similar on and they are so lovely to come across. We bought some of the nicest Canadian Maple Syrup here once, we still talk about it today.

​

One of the prettiest parts for us is Lake Dora, it is huge!!! They have several boats that will take you around and you can see the natural wildlife that reside in the lake, yes, that would be alligators, snakes and snapping turtles....one of the men who operate one of the boats knows us now and is always offering to take us around the lake.....

View attachment 880595​

This was a rather large alligator we saw on our last visit, and according to the resident expert here, there are thousands of them in there. He suggested we visit in the evening and shine a torch to see them clearer, yes, that`s a good idea, let`s irritate them!!!!





View attachment 880596




It is however, incredibly beautiful and like the rest of the town, very peaceful to sit and pass half an hour or so.

​

There are so many little areas here to enjoy including little mews with some nice little stores, including a lovely little wine shop that we do want to go back and visit as it`s been a while and hopefully see anything new they have now.

View attachment 880572






One of the lovely stores we enjoy visiting while we are there is Mount Dora Olive Oil Company, their produce is amazing, oils are gorgeous and their balsamic vinegars are incredible!! So many varieties and flavours to choose from, we are always spoiled for choice and have to choose carefully so we do like to try different options every time.

Our favourites right now that we still have some left are a maple balsamic and a pepper one, both are gorgeous and now we`re trying to stretch them out till we leave, but I think they`ll be done in a week or so.

This is one of the reasons we are glad of the extra luggage allowance!!

We have a lot of local honey producers here, but Tom does stock up on some of theirs as he does enjoy them along with the ones from the Sunday morning market in Lake Eola, he is a massive honey fan, unlike me who only uses it for honey mustard dressing.

We love eating here and there are so many places to choose from. We`ve tried several and been very happy with them all. But a couple of them we really loved are below.

The Goblin Market is probably our ultimate favourite....maybe!

​

Well, I think it`s our favourite, but there are so many places we have enjoyed it is hard to narrow down just one as the best.

But, this place was a find, from the outside it didn`t look like much, but inside it was like nothing we had ever expected. It is down a back street and if you don`t know it`s there you might not find it, but it is worth looking for, can`t recommend it highly enough.





View attachment 880581





It was classically beautiful, very elegant and it was a very welcoming place from as soon as you walked in the door. Every little detail had been thought of and the detail was perfect, you did feel as though you were in an old English library/restaurant.

The food was also exceptional on the three occasions we have eaten here.





View attachment 880601





Right on the main street is Las Palmas, a Cuban restaurant that we have enjoyed visiting twice now, not our usual choice of foods, but it has been very nice each visit. There was one dish we`ll never order again, but you have to try something different in places.






View attachment 880583





Two for one cocktails......yes please!!!!

Off the main street in what looks like just a little selection of small stores, you take some steps down and you`re into a lovely little pub/bar which completely surprised us first time we went.

The Frog and Monkey was one of the nicest little places and unexpectedly one of the busiest places we have ever been in for lunch in a small town. We were lucky to get a table as we were almost first in, within 10 minutes the whole place was full.

View attachment 880599​

View attachment 880597




The burgers here rivalled any other burger we have ever tasted in America, not quite sure what made them so good, but it was one of those places you wanted to (but wouldn`t) lick the plate!!!

Mount Dora is worth the little drive if you have a free day to pass and want to visit somewhere that will give you a slower pace for a day. It is a very relaxing place to walk around, plenty of stores to visit and many wonderful food options that will cater to every taste.

So, although we tend not to plan.....these are places we absolutely plan to visit, we just don`t work to a schedule, we wake up and decide where to go and what to do on any given day!! Perfect.



More coming up......

Mount Dora does look lovely! And I agree with you completely -- the last thing I want to do is annoy an alligator. Also, the last place I would be is out on that lake! Much better to spend your time selecting olive oil and wine. Those restaurants do look like they are worth the trip What a nice way to take a much needed break from the activity in the Parks.