CyndiLooWho
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This is an awesome trip report. 
Love is “Universal”: Our Awesome Anniversary Adventures in Orlando (May 2015 TR)
- Thread starter Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
- Start date
AthenaBolina
Mouseketeer
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ahhhhh I can't wait to go in two months!!! You're making me uber excited!!@
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
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Consider me uber jealous that you have the ability to "pop over" to one of the theme parks (the good kind of envy, of course!
). nancipants, you are living my dream!! Oh Diagon Alley!! Can't hardly stand waiting to see it-3 weeks from today (yikes time went faster than I realized)-started re-reading the Harry Potter books (perfect for a Universal Trip report
I say go for the Minion Lights! Even if you decide not to put up a tree you can hang them from a mantle or bartop counter or something.
Did I wish you guys "Happy Anniversary" yet?? Sounds like was a great day-ending in a...food coma?The pictures of portions I've seen from Hash House look ginormous...
Thank you, Monykalyn! Yes, the day indeed did end in a food coma.....pics coming up soon
.I will admit, I am thinking more and more about those Minion lights. We have a fireplace in our rec room with a mantle that spans the whole width of the room. It would look mighty nice this Christmas with a couple of sets of Minion lights glowing in the winter darkness, tree or no tree. Perhaps I should budget for them for October
.I'm sure you all have figured it out by now, but I'm a bit of sap
. Okay, more than a bit sometimes!It was incredible.....and nothing like the following Friday (when US was SO BUSY!). Our arrival day was projected to be "moderate" crowds but it most definitely should have been categorized as "slow".
I couldn't get over how the Leaky Cauldron looked exactly like it did in the movie. So very impressive!
Could you swing a split stay? A few days at a SW onsite property (so you get the awesome benefits of an onsite stay there) and then a few days at a Universal property? I know the Universal resorts come at premium, but the complimentary Express Passes are da bomb.
When we stayed onsite at SW in 2012, we chose the Residence Inn SeaWorld. It was a great property. Parking, internet, a hot breakfast buffet, and Quick Queue (front of the line) passes for SW were all free with our stay. They have a large zero-entry pool, a huge hot tub, a sport court, and rooms with kitchenettes. The other one we had shortlisted was the Hilton Grand Vacations at SeaWorld...the pool looked awesome and the rooms were so spacious (and had in-suite laundry). No breakfast, though, if that's a deal breaker.
This is an awesome trip report.
Thank you!
Glad to have you reading along!
A trip in two months! It will be here so fast!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
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Friday, May 1st.....the conclusion:
Hash House A Go Go is located on the north end of International Drive, very close to Universal Orlando Resort. It was very easy to get to after leaving the parking garage following our time at Universal Studios, and super quick too. They are located only a mile and half apart.
Steve had long since had this establishment on his dining bucket list, especially after seeing the Vegas location showcased on Man v. Food.
Then, we stumbled on this video from the Phantom Gourmet on Youtube, and he was seriously hooked:
Yes, that video review also features the Vegas location specifically, but from what we were able to determine, the menu at the Orlando restaurant were identical. If the reviews were true, Steve might gain back the 41 pounds he dropped, all in one sitting!
Despite it being a Friday night, the restaurant wasn’t very busy if the parking lot was any indication....which was a bit of a relief, as we had not made any advance reservations.
Inside, it’s kind of a unique decor.......sleek and modern mixed with country farm charm. Muted lighting, clean lines, and dark colours punctuated with shiny silver accents were offset by stalks of grain, biscuit mix silos, and a sparkling resorted 1940’s farm tractor in the foyer. It looked and felt very clean and new and well-maintained. And oooohhhh.....did the aromas emanating from the kitchen smell divine
.
We were greeted immediately and ushered to a table. We dropped our fatigued bodies into the booth, grateful for the comfy place to rest our worn out legs and feet. We both started with one of their signature drinks (the virgin variety): Kiwi Watermelon Lemonade. Note this was also available with alcohol if desired, and both could be ordered in a souvenir glass if desired. They were cold and fresh and fruity and flavourful, and tasted every bit as good as they looked. The watermelon garnish was perfectly ripe and juicy, too.....you could tell it had been cut from the melon just before serving. I must also note we had excellent service that evening, with our drinks and entrees being brought out very, very fast........we literally had our beverages in front of us within the time it took Steve to make quick trip to the loo.
My gosh, were they refreshing. They were just what two exhausted travellers needed. It was like drinking in a little bit of Florida itself.
Not long after our beverages appeared, our server brought us out a plate of complimentary biscuits, fresh and hot from the oven. They were enormous....each the size of a small planet (okay, maybe not that big....but certainly the size of a softball). They served them with whipped butter and their own homemade strawberry jam.
Suspecting that our entrees would appear shortly and be super-sized themselves, we ate the biscuits sparingly....but we had to try them nonetheless. Despite their size (and the fact that biscuits, by nature, are quite dense and heavy) these were really, REALLY good. Warm, soft, fluffy, and not super, super dense.....much lighter, in fact, than our biscuits at Cracker Barrel the night prior. And that strawberry jam? Mouth-watering
. It rivalled my mom’s......and she’s the best jam maker I know.
Before we’d even had a chance to finish the biscuits (thank God she saved us in time!), our smiley young server came bustling over with our entrees. Steve went with the “Smoked Bacon, Avocado & Cheddar Burger” and a side salad:
I chose the Mashed Potato and Bacon Burger with a side of fries:
Oh. My. God
. The burgers were served with daggers stuck square in the center, and it was a good thing too, because they needed to be hacked into pieces in order to make them manageable to eat. Steve raved about how his meal tasted like a gourmet burger, and was super impressed that taste and quality were not sacrificed in the name of portion size (as is often the case). Both of our burger platters had it all.....the food was hot and fresh, the taste was superb, the presentation was eye-catching, and the size? Well, in the words of Adam Richman “In the battle of Man v. Food, food most definitely won”! 
I will also note that even the barbecue sauce served as a plate garnish was freakishly delicious. When we inquired to our server about it (and asked that she bring us a little dish on the side for dipping....it was that good!) she explained that it gets many rave review from guests. A house-made item, its a soy based sauce that’s rather addictive. Having ordered my potato and bacon burger plain (I’m not much of a toppings girl), I will admit to enjoying a generous amount of that barbecue sauce on my burger....or the portion of it that I was able to eat, that is.
I am sure this establishment goes through more take-out boxes than any other place in Orlando. The other entrees we saw being brought out from the kitchen were equally massive, and just as mouth-wateringly appealing....almost every patron stopped chewing their own meal and stared wide-eyed as yet another platter, piled high and a fresh sprig of rosemary shooting out the top like a flag marked to symbol another country conquered, passed by their table en route to another aghast table. We saw a plethora of chicken and waffle platters emerge from the kitchen, and as Steve salivated without apology, we patted ourselves on the back for our good thinking to also plan a breakfast stop here later in the week.
We ate what we could....yes, Steve did manage to finish his burger!!....and our server brought us a to-go container without even having to ask. She also (with a laugh) inquired as to whether we wished to partake in one of their “infamous desserts”, and while the mind was willing, the stomach most definitely was not. We couldn’t even imagine taking it to go and eating it later. Dear God, no
.
We had pre-purchased a Travelzoo voucher for this meal prior to our trip. The voucher was $20 and valid for $40 worth of food and beverages. With the voucher in hand, our server stopped by the table one last time to thank us for visiting and letting us know that the voucher covered the full cost of the meal in its entirety, and there would be no bill. We thanked her for the great service, gave her a generous tip (based on the total value of our check before the discount) and rolled ourselves out to the car. If we were having motivation issues upon arrival, we were stopped almost dead in our tracks by this time. We made the short drive back to the resort, promptly changed into our swimsuits, and headed to the Fountains hot tubs. Any delay on our part in doing so would have seen us sound asleep on the beds before you could say Hash House A Go Go
.
We were super glad that mustered the energy for good soak in the outdoor spas......we met some incredibly nice people and enjoyed some great conversation as the steaming, bubbling jets melted away our achy bones and bloated bellies. On that particular evening, there was a young couple from Ottawa who were spending their final night at the resort before heading back home the following morning, a car salesman and his wife from Buffalo who were travelling with their extended family, and a Florida local, her husband who was originally from Colorado, and their young son (who enjoyed telling us about his exotic pet snake). It was just a delightful way to end a long, exciting, and simply spectacular first day in Orlando.
Sleep came fast that night.....if we both weren’t soundly off to dreamland within five minutes of turning out the light, I’ll eat my shorts. Thankfully, there was no schedule for the following morning, so we could sleep as long as our internal clocks would allow.
Saturday’s plans: a leisurely breakfast, followed by a road trip to Daytona Beach.
“If love is like the ocean, you can say that I am lost at sea”.
Hash House A Go Go is located on the north end of International Drive, very close to Universal Orlando Resort. It was very easy to get to after leaving the parking garage following our time at Universal Studios, and super quick too. They are located only a mile and half apart.
Steve had long since had this establishment on his dining bucket list, especially after seeing the Vegas location showcased on Man v. Food.
Then, we stumbled on this video from the Phantom Gourmet on Youtube, and he was seriously hooked:
Yes, that video review also features the Vegas location specifically, but from what we were able to determine, the menu at the Orlando restaurant were identical. If the reviews were true, Steve might gain back the 41 pounds he dropped, all in one sitting!
Despite it being a Friday night, the restaurant wasn’t very busy if the parking lot was any indication....which was a bit of a relief, as we had not made any advance reservations.
Inside, it’s kind of a unique decor.......sleek and modern mixed with country farm charm. Muted lighting, clean lines, and dark colours punctuated with shiny silver accents were offset by stalks of grain, biscuit mix silos, and a sparkling resorted 1940’s farm tractor in the foyer. It looked and felt very clean and new and well-maintained. And oooohhhh.....did the aromas emanating from the kitchen smell divine
.
We were greeted immediately and ushered to a table. We dropped our fatigued bodies into the booth, grateful for the comfy place to rest our worn out legs and feet. We both started with one of their signature drinks (the virgin variety): Kiwi Watermelon Lemonade. Note this was also available with alcohol if desired, and both could be ordered in a souvenir glass if desired. They were cold and fresh and fruity and flavourful, and tasted every bit as good as they looked. The watermelon garnish was perfectly ripe and juicy, too.....you could tell it had been cut from the melon just before serving. I must also note we had excellent service that evening, with our drinks and entrees being brought out very, very fast........we literally had our beverages in front of us within the time it took Steve to make quick trip to the loo.
My gosh, were they refreshing. They were just what two exhausted travellers needed. It was like drinking in a little bit of Florida itself.
Not long after our beverages appeared, our server brought us out a plate of complimentary biscuits, fresh and hot from the oven. They were enormous....each the size of a small planet (okay, maybe not that big....but certainly the size of a softball). They served them with whipped butter and their own homemade strawberry jam.
Suspecting that our entrees would appear shortly and be super-sized themselves, we ate the biscuits sparingly....but we had to try them nonetheless. Despite their size (and the fact that biscuits, by nature, are quite dense and heavy) these were really, REALLY good. Warm, soft, fluffy, and not super, super dense.....much lighter, in fact, than our biscuits at Cracker Barrel the night prior. And that strawberry jam? Mouth-watering
. It rivalled my mom’s......and she’s the best jam maker I know.Before we’d even had a chance to finish the biscuits (thank God she saved us in time!), our smiley young server came bustling over with our entrees. Steve went with the “Smoked Bacon, Avocado & Cheddar Burger” and a side salad:
I chose the Mashed Potato and Bacon Burger with a side of fries:
Oh. My. God
. The burgers were served with daggers stuck square in the center, and it was a good thing too, because they needed to be hacked into pieces in order to make them manageable to eat. Steve raved about how his meal tasted like a gourmet burger, and was super impressed that taste and quality were not sacrificed in the name of portion size (as is often the case). Both of our burger platters had it all.....the food was hot and fresh, the taste was superb, the presentation was eye-catching, and the size? Well, in the words of Adam Richman “In the battle of Man v. Food, food most definitely won”! I will also note that even the barbecue sauce served as a plate garnish was freakishly delicious. When we inquired to our server about it (and asked that she bring us a little dish on the side for dipping....it was that good!) she explained that it gets many rave review from guests. A house-made item, its a soy based sauce that’s rather addictive. Having ordered my potato and bacon burger plain (I’m not much of a toppings girl), I will admit to enjoying a generous amount of that barbecue sauce on my burger....or the portion of it that I was able to eat, that is.
I am sure this establishment goes through more take-out boxes than any other place in Orlando. The other entrees we saw being brought out from the kitchen were equally massive, and just as mouth-wateringly appealing....almost every patron stopped chewing their own meal and stared wide-eyed as yet another platter, piled high and a fresh sprig of rosemary shooting out the top like a flag marked to symbol another country conquered, passed by their table en route to another aghast table. We saw a plethora of chicken and waffle platters emerge from the kitchen, and as Steve salivated without apology, we patted ourselves on the back for our good thinking to also plan a breakfast stop here later in the week.
We ate what we could....yes, Steve did manage to finish his burger!!....and our server brought us a to-go container without even having to ask. She also (with a laugh) inquired as to whether we wished to partake in one of their “infamous desserts”, and while the mind was willing, the stomach most definitely was not. We couldn’t even imagine taking it to go and eating it later. Dear God, no
.We had pre-purchased a Travelzoo voucher for this meal prior to our trip. The voucher was $20 and valid for $40 worth of food and beverages. With the voucher in hand, our server stopped by the table one last time to thank us for visiting and letting us know that the voucher covered the full cost of the meal in its entirety, and there would be no bill. We thanked her for the great service, gave her a generous tip (based on the total value of our check before the discount) and rolled ourselves out to the car. If we were having motivation issues upon arrival, we were stopped almost dead in our tracks by this time. We made the short drive back to the resort, promptly changed into our swimsuits, and headed to the Fountains hot tubs. Any delay on our part in doing so would have seen us sound asleep on the beds before you could say Hash House A Go Go
.
We were super glad that mustered the energy for good soak in the outdoor spas......we met some incredibly nice people and enjoyed some great conversation as the steaming, bubbling jets melted away our achy bones and bloated bellies. On that particular evening, there was a young couple from Ottawa who were spending their final night at the resort before heading back home the following morning, a car salesman and his wife from Buffalo who were travelling with their extended family, and a Florida local, her husband who was originally from Colorado, and their young son (who enjoyed telling us about his exotic pet snake). It was just a delightful way to end a long, exciting, and simply spectacular first day in Orlando.
Sleep came fast that night.....if we both weren’t soundly off to dreamland within five minutes of turning out the light, I’ll eat my shorts. Thankfully, there was no schedule for the following morning, so we could sleep as long as our internal clocks would allow.
Saturday’s plans: a leisurely breakfast, followed by a road trip to Daytona Beach.
“If love is like the ocean, you can say that I am lost at sea”.
schumigirl
It’s a bit of a roodie doodie word for lady parts!
- Joined
- May 15, 2007
- Messages
- 31,203
Glad you enjoyed hash house.......it was one of those places we weren't sure about as we had mixed reviews.......burgers look lush!!
Looking forward to see what you think of Daytona Beach, we haven't been there for about 5 years.......
Looking forward to see what you think of Daytona Beach, we haven't been there for about 5 years.......
ArwenMarie
DIS Veteran
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Yum! The drink especially looked delicious. I try not to drink sweetened drinks at home, but when I'm on vacation...bring it!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
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Glad you enjoyed hash house.......it was one of those places we weren't sure about as we had mixed reviews.......burgers look lush!!
Looking forward to see what you think of Daytona Beach, we haven't been there for about 5 years.......
If you're a burger lover, schumi, you must give Hash House a try (or shall I say, a Go Go?
). I don't think you'd be disappointed!Life is so unfair sometimes. I am in envy of your daughter....she has the exact height and weight proportions I have always wanted!!
Hey! You had some "green" in your meal, even if it was just the kiwi in your beverage!
Yes, yes I did! Might have been the only meal that I had in Orlando where I could say that, too....unless you count parsley as a green
.I'm the same....home is for nutrition, but vacation is a whole different ball game. Unless, of course, vacation lasts for more than a week at a time. In that case, I can't eat out and indulge every day......my stomach tends to revolt after a while. I had to be a lot more careful and make much smarter decisions when we did our two-week getaway last August. Otherwise I would have needed my stomach pumped by week #2
.Good news for you, tristyp! Chicken and waffles was exactly what Steve had for breakfast on our second visit later that week. Stay tuned ..... pics and a full review will be forthcoming!
I think you'll like it!Someday, I want to go back and have dessert....the snickers bread pudding, to be exact. I would have to vow not to order an entree on that visit, though, 'cause there's no way I could eat dessert after the portion sizes they serve!
chiamarie
DIS Veteran
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[QUOTE="Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina, post: 53669264, member: 211072"
Oh chia, now you just made me feel old. You just compared me to your boyfriend's parents.
All of a sudden, I can feel every grey hair on my head .[/QUOTE]
Agh! Sorry; that wasn't my intention.
Just comparing the love that you two have; that they also have; and they're coming up on 40 years. It was a compliment, I PROMISE!
Oh chia, now you just made me feel old. You just compared me to your boyfriend's parents
. All of a sudden, I can feel every grey hair on my head
.[/QUOTE]Agh! Sorry; that wasn't my intention.
Just comparing the love that you two have; that they also have; and they're coming up on 40 years. It was a compliment, I PROMISE!
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
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- Sep 12, 2008
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Agh! Sorry; that wasn't my intention.
Aw, I know.....I was just pullin' your leg
. I will gladly take the compliment.....Steve-o and I do have a good thing going .ArwenMarie
DIS Veteran
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Aw, I know.....I was just pullin' your leg
Actually, you make me feel old Gina!
Because I'm the same age as you and you have a grown son and are going on these vacations with your hubby and I have little kids LOL
jm106
DIS Veteran
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- Jan 3, 2009
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- 2,038
Us Too! We waited a long time for little ones. My sis is a grandma x3 and she is same age as my Dh. I have a 6 year old.Actually, you make me feel old Gina!
I would love to take Dh to Hash house. There was one right by condo we stayed at in october but I thought it was a "GoGo." That burger Looks huge
Last edited:
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
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Actually, you make me feel old Gina!
You know what's depressing, though? I'm pretty sure I'll be called Grandma long before you are
. I keep reading on Facebook about people I went to high school with who have babies and toddlers....and here's mine, now the same age as I was when I got married. So weird!I envy you, though. I wish I had been able to have more children after Jake. Grateful for my boy, and enjoying the adult time that Steve and I are now blessed with, but still wishing I could have stretched out his childhood just a teeny bit longer.
I often wonder where they came up with such a strange name. I think I might Google that to see if I can find out!
Definitely a good place to take teen boys with hollow legs. We're planning on taking Jake and Sweetie at Christmas
.
Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina
Life is short. Live it well.
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Saturday, May 2nd: part 1
After a freakishly busy first day in Orlando, and a soothing evening in the resort hot tubs, I had thought we’d be tired enough (and sufficiently relaxed) to sleep until noon.
Wrong.
Perhaps our bodies knew that our subconscious wanted nothing more than to squeeze every moment of fun out of our vacation as humanly possible. Or, we were just having trouble turning off those pesky internal clocks that have us accustomed to getting up for work at 5:30 am every day. Regardless the reason, we were awake as the sun rose, and couldn’t get back to sleep no matter how much we tried.
Steve got up, started the coffee pot, and then went for a short work out at the Fountains fitness center while I hopped in the shower. When he came back, he showered and readied himself for the day while I enjoyed the lovely view and tranquil peacefulness of the morning on the balcony with a fresh cup of Tim Hortons in hand.
When we were ready to roll, we headed out the door in search of breakfast. Plans for today called for us to try the infamous Waffle House.....we had stumbled upon them just about everywhere in Central Florida and said this trip we would finally see for ourselves what made them so popular. There was one very close to the Vistana near the Crossroads, so we had pulled into the parking lot within minutes and were headed inside.
Now, let me preface my next comments by assuring you that we’re no restaurant snobs. We can enjoy a meal virtually anywhere, fancy or not, as long as the place is clean and the service and food are both suitable. Stepping inside the Waffle House, we were immediately turned off......it was just gross (and oddly enough, packed full....with people waiting for tables in the foyer). The floor was disgustingly filthy, the smell of grease was pungent, the staff were disheveled, and the whole place just felt grungy. I couldn’t eat there.....I just couldn’t. I leaned over and shared my thoughts quietly with Steve, who heaved a sigh of relief and joined me in my swift exit. I was so disappointed.....it had been on our to-try list for so long! That said, we all have standards.....and this one met none of ours. Goodbye, Waffle House
.
With Waffle House off the table (pardon the pun), we moved on to Plan B (because we usually have a Plan B in our back pockets, just in case). There was somewhere else we had always wanted to try.....another chain we don’t have here at home.....and it was close by, too. So that’s where we headed.
We had a devil of a time trying to find a parking space, which we hoped was a good sign (but what did we know? The Waffle House was packed, too, remember). When we finally got the car parked and went inside, we were relieved to see a bright, clean interior full of chattery families and staff that were running hither and yon with plates full of breakfast cheer. We were seated immediately and attended to promptly by an efficient server who took our drink order while we perused the menu.
The menu was really, really diverse.....choosing what to have was surprisingly difficult. In the end, Steve opted for the steak and eggs, which also came with hash browns and their infamous pancakes:
I had their strawberry banana French toast: (no veggies JaxDad, but there was fruit....does that count for anything?)
Steve had chocolate milk, while I went with white milk. We had both had our fill of coffee at the villa earlier in the morning.
I have to say, IHOP nailed our breakfast. Steve raved about his steak....apparently it was cooked perfectly and very flavourful....and my French toast? Soooooo good (though too much strawberry sauce for me.....but I’m being nitpicky). Steve tried all of the various syrups on his pancakes, and declared the strawberry and blueberry to be the clear winners over the more traditional varieties.
Cost, including tax, for the two entrees and two large milks was $26.25 including tax, excluding tip. We paid our server and headed back to the car: next stop, Daytona Beach!
Scratch that. Next stop, souvenir store. We needed a beach bag for our swimwear and towels....it’s the one thing we forgot to pack, as we discovered earlier that morning. Thankfully, there’s only a couple of dozen souvenir shops in Lake Buena Vista, so we detoured into the first one we saw. With beach bag in hand (and a few other items we couldn’t pass up), we were ready to hit the highway. We got a motivational message from the sky writers to kick off our journey:
We were a mere one hour away from salt in the air, and sand in our hair. I couldn't wait. The ocean is better for the soul than therapy.
After a freakishly busy first day in Orlando, and a soothing evening in the resort hot tubs, I had thought we’d be tired enough (and sufficiently relaxed) to sleep until noon.
Wrong.
Perhaps our bodies knew that our subconscious wanted nothing more than to squeeze every moment of fun out of our vacation as humanly possible. Or, we were just having trouble turning off those pesky internal clocks that have us accustomed to getting up for work at 5:30 am every day. Regardless the reason, we were awake as the sun rose, and couldn’t get back to sleep no matter how much we tried.
Steve got up, started the coffee pot, and then went for a short work out at the Fountains fitness center while I hopped in the shower. When he came back, he showered and readied himself for the day while I enjoyed the lovely view and tranquil peacefulness of the morning on the balcony with a fresh cup of Tim Hortons in hand.
When we were ready to roll, we headed out the door in search of breakfast. Plans for today called for us to try the infamous Waffle House.....we had stumbled upon them just about everywhere in Central Florida and said this trip we would finally see for ourselves what made them so popular. There was one very close to the Vistana near the Crossroads, so we had pulled into the parking lot within minutes and were headed inside.
Now, let me preface my next comments by assuring you that we’re no restaurant snobs. We can enjoy a meal virtually anywhere, fancy or not, as long as the place is clean and the service and food are both suitable. Stepping inside the Waffle House, we were immediately turned off......it was just gross (and oddly enough, packed full....with people waiting for tables in the foyer). The floor was disgustingly filthy, the smell of grease was pungent, the staff were disheveled, and the whole place just felt grungy. I couldn’t eat there.....I just couldn’t. I leaned over and shared my thoughts quietly with Steve, who heaved a sigh of relief and joined me in my swift exit. I was so disappointed.....it had been on our to-try list for so long! That said, we all have standards.....and this one met none of ours. Goodbye, Waffle House
.With Waffle House off the table (pardon the pun), we moved on to Plan B (because we usually have a Plan B in our back pockets, just in case). There was somewhere else we had always wanted to try.....another chain we don’t have here at home.....and it was close by, too. So that’s where we headed.
We had a devil of a time trying to find a parking space, which we hoped was a good sign (but what did we know? The Waffle House was packed, too, remember). When we finally got the car parked and went inside, we were relieved to see a bright, clean interior full of chattery families and staff that were running hither and yon with plates full of breakfast cheer. We were seated immediately and attended to promptly by an efficient server who took our drink order while we perused the menu.
The menu was really, really diverse.....choosing what to have was surprisingly difficult. In the end, Steve opted for the steak and eggs, which also came with hash browns and their infamous pancakes:
I had their strawberry banana French toast: (no veggies JaxDad, but there was fruit....does that count for anything?
)
Steve had chocolate milk, while I went with white milk. We had both had our fill of coffee at the villa earlier in the morning.
I have to say, IHOP nailed our breakfast
. Steve raved about his steak....apparently it was cooked perfectly and very flavourful....and my French toast? Soooooo good (though too much strawberry sauce for me.....but I’m being nitpicky). Steve tried all of the various syrups on his pancakes, and declared the strawberry and blueberry to be the clear winners over the more traditional varieties.
Cost, including tax, for the two entrees and two large milks was $26.25 including tax, excluding tip. We paid our server and headed back to the car: next stop, Daytona Beach!
Scratch that. Next stop, souvenir store. We needed a beach bag for our swimwear and towels....it’s the one thing we forgot to pack, as we discovered earlier that morning. Thankfully, there’s only a couple of dozen souvenir shops in Lake Buena Vista, so we detoured into the first one we saw. With beach bag in hand (and a few other items we couldn’t pass up), we were ready to hit the highway. We got a motivational message from the sky writers to kick off our journey:
We were a mere one hour away from salt in the air, and sand in our hair. I couldn't wait. The ocean is better for the soul than therapy.
schumigirl
It’s a bit of a roodie doodie word for lady parts!
- Joined
- May 15, 2007
- Messages
- 31,203
Gina, we love IHOP..........pancakes were lush......and yes it is so cheap!! "Some" people say I don't know what budget is lol......but we will go back here this year again......
Looking forward to reading about the beach
Looking forward to reading about the beach
-
Rope Drop Like a Pro: How to Time Your Disney Arrival
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Highlights of the 2025 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
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Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks at Magic Kingdom
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New Exclusive Merchandise From Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
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SNEAK PEEK at Rotational Dining Aboard the Disney Adventure, Setting Sail in 2026
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Disney Cruise Line's Parade Float to Feature New Disney Destiny Performance in 2025
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Disney Store Debuts New Disney x Formula 1 Merch Ahead of Las Vegas Grand Prix
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That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE
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