If you are staying on-site, do you eat at off-site restaurants?

[Figment22]

Originally posted by jel0511
How do you get here from WDW? It sounds like a GREAT place to try!!!!

From WDW, take I-4 Eastbound to exit 74A for Sand Lake Road. Head west. Or, if you're heading north on International Drive, make a left at the Giant McDonald's with Perkins across the street. (That's not the one, though.) Follow Sand Lake Road west and the Gourmet McDonald's is on the left.

It's not the only "interesting" McDonalds in the Orlando area BTW. Here's a link for more info

http://www.mcfun.com

 

[meier56013]

Our first or second morning, a trip to the Crossroads Center for groceries is needed to pick up some breakfast items, snacks and pop. We stop at Perkins for a big breakfast, prices are very close to home. We might do one other night out at Chevy's. Our last trip, only three days, we never left the property but stopped at SuperTarget on the way in.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

I agree with another poster, if you are there for a long vacation, there is plenty of room for both.

We are going to eat offsite a lot more this time, (we still have to visit a few WDW favorites). We are there for 14 nights.

I also agree that I don't want to eat at places that I can at home, but Orlando has A LOT more restaurants than here in upstate NY!

I can't wait to try Sweet Tomatoes! That sounds like an awesome place! And we don't have Papa John's pizza at home, and DH likes their pizza, so we will probably eat there one time. And, we have a character breakfast with Spiderman...

Last time we went to WDW we drove, so we had a car all week. DH REALLY liked that. We never had a huge problem with WDW bus transportation, but we did like having our car because of the stroller and we would be guaranteed a seat.

I am looking forward to getting to know the Orlando area better. We are so excited!

 

[meier56013]

Mom,

Papa Johns will deliver to your room. The front desk gave us the phone # while at OKW last year. We love it too, so always have it as a treat while away from home.

Threadjack complete, continue on with the original topic

 

[DukeStreetKing]

There are some other good restaurants in the outlet mall just next to the Mercado. The Crab House was very nice, and I think we dined for free, I'm still not sure. My CC was billed and I paid, but then I noticed on my statement that it was refunded. Hmmmm, I never asked it to be. There is a nice looking Italian restaurant there, too. I think it's called Good Fellas or God Father's. Something like that. It looks a little bit more upscale.

Between the WDW restaurants and the rest of "the world", if you leave Orlando hungry, it's your own fault.

 

[got2lovedisney]

When we arrive at the World, I park the car and don't usually move it until it's time to go home (unless we drive to play mini-golf). We bring breakfast stuff, drinks and snacks. Everything else is onsite. Then again, we go Commando style so try to make it in early and we don't usually leave the parks until closing and by then dinner time has come and gone.

 

[disneysteve]

Personally, I would feel like a caged animal if I had to be trapped on Disney property for the whole week. We haven't stayed onsite recently, but when we have we always have a car and always drive everywhere we want to go onsite or offsite.

As for dining offsite, Sweet Tomatoes is wonderful. It is on Kirkmann Rd. near I-Drive. It is a fantastic buffet place with excellent fresh food and very reasonable prices. It is a chain but they don't exist anywhere near my home so its a treat we can only get in Florida.

Celebration has several restaurants. We have enjoyed Cafe D'Antonio a few times for lunch.

I agree that there are plenty of good places offsite and not just chain restaurants that you have at home.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

D.S. , I agree with you. Maybe it is because we have had so many visits to the "World" that we feel the need to explore. I know when I first went there I felt disloyal to WDW if I even thought of going offsite(do you think they put something in the water?). Once I went off site it was almost like a feeling of being free. It was unreal to find out that there was this whole huge world out there with tons of great places and I just limited myself to WDW. I think the off site thing comes with time and often the fact that we start to see that lots of the magic not w/in WDW but w/in yourself. That is my philosphy lesson for the day.

 

[erinch]

we usually stay at the vistana one week and onsite one week, so have gotten to try both.

In addition to ones listed (and we try to hit bahama breeze a couple of times) we are fans of Bennigans "2 for 1" happy hour, which is available in the dining room -- and an awesome montecristo sandwich and wonderful steamed broccoli.

we also like to go to the Krispy Kreme "factory" and eat hot donuts just off the press.

The margaritas are definitely bigger and cheaper at Chevy's or Don Pablos.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by Bella the Ball 360
D.S. , I agree with you. Maybe it is because we have had so many visits to the "World" that we feel the need to explore. I know when I first went there I felt disloyal to WDW if I even thought of going offsite(do you think they put something in the water?). Once I went off site it was almost like a feeling of being free. It was unreal to find out that there was this whole huge world out there with tons of great places and I just limited myself to WDW. I think the off site thing comes with time and often the fact that we start to see that lots of the magic not w/in WDW but w/in yourself. That is my philosphy lesson for the day.

I agree. I think folks tend to venture offsite more once they have been to Disney a few times. Certainly, there is way more than enough to see and do onsite to keep you busy for a couple of weeks but eventually you will have done pretty much all you care to and you start to wonder what else is around.

I've started making a list of new and different things to do next trip and only one or two of them are on Disney property - all the rest are offsite.

BTW - Offsite barely existed the first time I went to Disney in 1978 so there was very little if any reason to leave Disney property. Now there are tons of restaurants, malls, attractions, etc.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

D.S.

We do the list thing too. WE went to Colorodo Fondue Co. It was good for fondue but not for food. WE also went to Sea World (have not been in 9 yrs) and ate at Sharks restaurant that was good too but if you have not gone I suggest you just get a couple of appitizers because it is really pricy and the food is just okay. It is the ambiance for which you are paying.

Next year we are going to plan a day in St. Augistine complete with a ghost tour and a trip to the alligator farm.

If you find any new places OR have any suggestions let me know.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

OH and how could I forget we went to the free taping of TNA wrestling(for my 16 yr old) at Universal. It was okay as that stuff goes.