Oh, The Places We’ll Go! From the “stars” to the “sea”: Universal, SeaWorld & beyond - Spring 2016

[wiscbugs]

The chips and salsa at Chili's are my absolute favorite....I could eat about 3 bowls of the chips. Now I am hungry for them!!!!

 

[MochaDrinker]

I love the chips and queso at Chili's and the panko onion rings, but none of the entrees are that interesting to me.

 

[dancin Disney style]

And it was surprisingly innocuous . I wonder what she'll have for us today?

Do you seriously want to let this dog loose?


If you fart consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas will be produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

 

[bankr63]

You know you have to be worried when they offer a smaller size than "small". Those that offer "baby" size generally mean business when it comes to portioning.

I don't suppose you have some photos of your ice cream indulgences? We love a little food porn here .

Actually, the first time I learned that lesson was at Five Guys. A regular burger and fries is WAY too big for a late lunch before a dinner out.

Food porn pictures? We have pictures of nature, sunsets, the campground, etc. But I'm a big guy like Steve. When someone puts an edible treat in front of me, the LAST thing I'm thinking is "Oh, wait, let's get a picture of this!" So no, no pictures...

 

[chicagoshannon]

I usually get the chicken pasta at Chili's also. One time I had the Parmesan crusted salmon which was amazing but then the next time we went it wasn't on the menu anymore.

I think we might have to try Confisco next time we are there. The prices look really good for theme park food anyway. In Feb we ate at the bakery for lunch and I think it cost just as much and didn't have nearly as many choices, just sandwiches really.

 

[tortilla24]

Lucky you.....you're in the final countdown! Sounds like you may have timed things just perfectly: hopefully the tropical depression will have long since rolled through and the sun will be shining once again.

My boys are always VERY grateful for my willingness to hold their stuff while they enjoy the wilder rides. That's why they are always happy to accommodate my must-do's during our trip.....like these moments:



I don't know how I missed posting that picture from our Tuesday at Universal Studios, but we danced with Bob and Vector after Despicable Me! And those guys of mine joined in with enthusiasm.......just another reason why I love them so .

So awesome. Your family seems to have really mastered your ideal vacationing style!

I do hope the sun is shining for us next week. Fingers crossed we're not parading around through torrential downpour!

 

[dancin Disney style]

So awesome. Your family seems to have really mastered your ideal vacationing style!

I do hope the sun is shining for us next week. Fingers crossed we're not parading around through torrential downpour!

Hopefully the big storm changes course. Have a great time no matter the weather.

 

[Monykalyn]

Does the Krispy Kremes in Orlando not give out free hot off the belt donuts when the Hot donut sign is on?
Love Chili's too-we use their online (and app) ordering and curbside service when on vacation. Nothing better than relaxing in the condo, kids can spread out and we can have an adult beverage without worrying about driving...I have the recipe for their Ruby Relaxer too

What a fun day!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

The Cajun Chicken Pasta is my favorite too.

Wow that server, yikes. I'm sure she doesn't work there anymore, she wouldn't last long like that.

Loved reading about your Universal day, it made me a little (reverse) homesick! Which means your trip report is great

You know what I enjoy about the cajun chicken pasta? It's got a little kick without being truly hot. I'm not generally a fan of spicy foods, but that dish is just the right balance.

I am looking forward to trying Maggiano's in the fall.....they are owned by the same company as Chili's.

The chips and salsa at Chili's are my absolute favorite....I could eat about 3 bowls of the chips. Now I am hungry for them!!!!

Looking back over the food photos is definitely a stark reminder of how our Canadian chains pale in comparison (not that we don't have good restaurants here, but they don't come close to the Chili's quality-and-quantity-for-the-price value). What I wouldn't give for one to be a little closer to home! Almost makes me want to plan an impromptu overnight trip to Niagara Falls .

I love the chips and queso at Chili's and the panko onion rings, but none of the entrees are that interesting to me.

I feel that way about every seaford place in Orlando!! Much as I think Joe's Crabshack looks like a nice place, as a dear friend of mine likes to say..."I don't eat bait" . That's one of the things I adore about central Florida .... there really is something for every taste and budget .

Do you seriously want to let this dog loose?

If you fart consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas will be produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

What can I say? I like living on the wild side .

I read your little fact of the day to Jake last night, and his comment to me? Dad and I could probably test that theory.

Actually, the first time I learned that lesson was at Five Guys. A regular burger and fries is WAY too big for a late lunch before a dinner out.

Food porn pictures? We have pictures of nature, sunsets, the campground, etc. But I'm a big guy like Steve. When someone puts an edible treat in front of me, the LAST thing I'm thinking is "Oh, wait, let's get a picture of this!" So no, no pictures...

Sigh. Sometimes you let me down, my friend. Next time, whip out that cell phone and snap us some food pics!

I usually get the chicken pasta at Chili's also. One time I had the Parmesan crusted salmon which was amazing but then the next time we went it wasn't on the menu anymore.

I think we might have to try Confisco next time we are there. The prices look really good for theme park food anyway. In Feb we ate at the bakery for lunch and I think it cost just as much and didn't have nearly as many choices, just sandwiches really.

You are having the worst luck with your favourites being taken off the menu! First the dessert lasagna at Olive Garden and now Chili's has let you down.

The prices at Confisco are definitely reasonable (very much on par with what we paid for burgers at Simpsons Fast Food Boulevard a couple of trips ago), and you will absolutely find more variety versus the bakery . When is your next trip scheduled for, anyway? Have you picked out dates?

So awesome. Your family seems to have really mastered your ideal vacationing style!

I do hope the sun is shining for us next week. Fingers crossed we're not parading around through torrential downpour!

We will all send you lots of happy thoughts and bright and cheery vibes . They don't call it the Sunshine State for nothin'!

Does the Krispy Kremes in Orlando not give out free hot off the belt donuts when the Hot donut sign is on?
Love Chili's too-we use their online (and app) ordering and curbside service when on vacation. Nothing better than relaxing in the condo, kids can spread out and we can have an adult beverage without worrying about driving...I have the recipe for their Ruby Relaxer too

What a fun day!

Yes ma'am....they took those hot donuts right off the conveyor for us. Since we got two full dozen under the promotion, we got one box of piping hot glazed and the other assorted. Variety is the spice of life, right?

Your idea of Chili's to-go is a rather ingenius one ..... we may have to give that a try on our October trip. We currently have Chili's planned for a lunch on one of our "down" days, and the thought of enjoying it poolside along with a drink in a monkey coconut holds a definitely appeal!

 

[kittylady1972]

While I am anxiously awaiting your report on the breakfast, I loved the last posts. Chilis is also one of my favorites here. It's located close to where I used to work, and whenever I am in that area around lunchtime I always drop in for lunch because it is SO fast and SO cheap and SO good! I love the flatbread and especially the Chicken Enchilada soup! Oh and the dessert...the molten lava cake is just incredible! Seriously drooling here just thinking about it!

Ah and the Krispy Kremes...oh so yummy!

Then your mention of Maggiano's...had no idea they were owned by the same company. We just discovered Maggiano's a few months ago and also feel in love with it. We've been 2 or 3 times now, and for my pasta-loving family it is a huge hit...and also a great deal.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I read your little fact of the day to Jake last night, and his comment to me? Dad and I could probably test that theory.

If they do it together then it would only take 3 years and 4.5 months. We will all be anxiously awaiting the results.

BTW, 2 DOZEN Krispy Kreme's???????? Don't come to me for a liver transplant. I did drool a little looking at the picture though.


Today's little gem.....
A cockroach can live for 9 days without it's head, before it starves to death.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

While I am anxiously awaiting your report on the breakfast, I loved the last posts. Chilis is also one of my favorites here. It's located close to where I used to work, and whenever I am in that area around lunchtime I always drop in for lunch because it is SO fast and SO cheap and SO good! I love the flatbread and especially the Chicken Enchilada soup! Oh and the dessert...the molten lava cake is just incredible! Seriously drooling here just thinking about it!

Ah and the Krispy Kremes...oh so yummy!

Then your mention of Maggiano's...had no idea they were owned by the same company. We just discovered Maggiano's a few months ago and also feel in love with it. We've been 2 or 3 times now, and for my pasta-loving family it is a huge hit...and also a great deal.

So glad to hear such awesome feedback on Maggiano's!! It doesn't get much mention here on the boards, so I often wonder if its a secret gem?

How do you find it compares to Olive Garden or Carrabba's? (assuming you have been to one or both)

If they do it together then it would only take 3 years and 4.5 months. We will all be anxiously awaiting the results.

I hereby take a pass on that experiment. Perhaps @bankr63 and his son would like to assist?

BTW, 2 DOZEN Krispy Kreme's???????? Don't come to me for a liver transplant.

 

[bankr63]

If they do it together then it would only take 3 years and 4.5 months. We will all be anxiously awaiting the results.

BTW, 2 DOZEN Krispy Kreme's???????? Don't come to me for a liver transplant. I did drool a little looking at the picture though.


Today's little gem.....
A cockroach can live for 9 days without it's head, before it starves to death.

Well, not so anxiously. If the theory is true (and I have no idea how you would test it), Bellville will be nothing but a smoking hole in the ground.

And speaking of testing. Who the he!! paid someone to research today's tidbit? And why?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Friday, April 29th


This was a day that I, especially, had been anticipating with a ridiculous amount of excitement so it took no effort at all for me to vault out of bed that morning. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, at even at an early hour we could easily tell we were in for another day of higher-than-normal temperatures. This would definitely call for an extra application of sunscreen before we embarked on our activities of the day .


This would be our final Universal installment of the trip: the third day of usage on Jake's three-day, park-to-park ticket. It would also be the last time that Steve and I would use our annual passes before they expired on May 1st . Anything on our Universal must-do list that hadn’t yet been conquered would have to be addressed today…..but first, we had a special event to attend .


The park opened at 8 am that morning, but our breakfast reservations weren’t until 8:45 (which was the first seating of that particular day). We arrived at Universal, parked the car, and were through the turnstiles by about 8:20 thanks to no traffic on the I4 and no lines to enter the park.


The boys had humoured me and I was thrilled to have us all decked out in matching Minions wear for our final Universal park day . Jake was clear that his participation in my Minions mania was limited, and he had brought a t-shirt to change into once our breakfast was over . Hey, I could live with that.


Since we had lots of time until our breakfast seating, we stopped at the park entrance for a few final pictures with our Photoconnect annual pass. This had offered us AMAZING value over the course of the past year, especially since we had been able to purchase it at a promotional price of $49.95 (for comparison purposes, I think the current price for the same product is somewhere around $150). There’s no better souvenir in my book than memories preserved in photo form .

We took our time strolling over to Café La Bamba. The park was very quiet and peaceful that early in the morning. I would assume most of the crowds had headed straight to Diagon Alley following the 8 am park opening.





The restaurant itself wasn’t open quite yet, and didn’t open the doors until literally two minutes before our 8:45 reservation time. While we waited, we sat in the courtyard and soaked up the fresh air and warm breeze of the beautiful morning as other guests also began to arrive.








The process to check in for our reservation was very quick, and once confirming our last name against their master list we were ushered to our table. We were very impressed by the inside of the restaurant…..it was bright and airy and really quite pretty .





We also loved that the tables were nicely spaced and not crammed closely together. After many a Disney character meal where we were jammed in so tightly that we could hardly move our chairs out when we needed to stand up , this was a marvelous surprise. It was refreshing to be far enough away from our neighbours not to hear every word of their conversation during our meal. On that specific day and time, the restaurant was nowhere near at capacity, either…..despite the initial influx of guests on opening, it was only perhaps ¼ full at most.





We had an awesome server for that meal that ensured our beverage requirements (and any other needs) were efficiently attended to throughout our breakfast. All of us ordered glasses of milk: white for Steve and I and chocolate for Jake. Just an aside about the chocolate milk in Florida: we find it very interesting that every chocolate milk we ordered in a restaurant was served as white milk flavoured with chocolate syrup, rather than pre-mixed chocolate milk from a carton or jug. We found that odd. Not a bad odd, just a different odd .


As we entered the restaurant, we immediately noticed the music playing and it created an atmosphere that was very upbeat and fun.....it had virtually the same effect as when you hear the initial sounds of the parade music before the floats appear from the back-stage area. A most excellent host (who was equipped with a microphone) was milling about the rooms keeping a general flow and control over the whole experience, and she did a fabulous job throughout the morning. She had the perfect personality for this task….friendly, energetic, but firm when needed…..and she really helped with the transition periods between character groups. 4 characters appeared at any given time, and when those four swapped out, an additional set was just minutes behind.


Our server had barely disappeared to fetch our beverages when the first of the characters came bouncing over to our table….and much to my delight, it was Kevin the Minion!











Let me tell you, this guy was a fan favourite: it was immediately clear that despite an incredible 8 different characters at this breakfast, Gru and his Minion were the stars of the show . Kids and adults alike were clamoring for hugs and photos.


I will also mention that there was something else that Universal did for this character meal that I thought was a really nice touch….each character (or pair of characters) toured the restaurant with their own dedicated TM. While this had multiple benefits (including protection of the character itself…..some people just do not set any boundaries for their children, sadly ) it was particularly nice from a photo standpoint. After capturing pictures with each of the characters individually, the TM offered every single time to get a family shot. So awesome! Wouldn’t it be nice if Disney did the same?





Gru showed up right after Kevin had moved on to the next group of guests, and I have to say…..Gru was a highlight for all of us. His character interaction was simply superb, and was something we will remember fondly for a very long time. Gru, you might be a villain, but we can’t help but love you .











Somewhere along the lines, in the middle of all the fun, we remembered OH YEAH! We’re here to eat . Before the next characters came dancing over, we sidled up to the buffet to see what was on the menu.





A word of caution that Steve made me promise to extend: see those monitors above the buffet? They pose a hazard to anyone more than 6 feet tall. Steve knocked his head on one so hard that I thought he might be concussed……I felt so bad for the poor guy. Considering at least half of the guests here would be children, and few adult visitors would probably be 6’3, it probably won’t be an issue for most. That said if you’re tall: beware .


The buffet items were limited in comparison to the super-extensive spread at places like 1900 Park Fare, but all the standard favourites were there and everything was being served up fresh and hot in small portions. The chefs were constantly refilling each items so nothing tasted as if it had been sitting around under the heat lamps. We all found lots of stuff we liked and there wasn’t one negative comment among us in regards to taste or quality.








On my second trip up to the buffet, they had a different item that hadn’t been there on the first run-through, but I wasn’t entirely sure what it was. I inquired to one of the chefs, who said it was an apple-oatmeal flan, so I thought I’d give it a try (it sounded good to me). It’s the item on the right of this picture:





It was SO GOOD . I would have seriously eaten an entire plate of these if they had been there on my first run through the line. Something quite different and surprisingly yummy….especially when I don’t normally embrace “different” very easily .


Once we returned to our seats, Fluffy and EB from HOP were the next to come by for hellos, hugs, and photos.








I seriously have to watch this movie someday. These two bunnies are just the most fun, friendly, playful and energetic pair of characters you will ever meet. I have to also give a HUGE shout out to Fluffy, who captured my heart not just from her interaction with OUR family, but how she handled a young fellow and his mom at the table adjacent to us.





There was an extended family seated next to us, with several sets of parents/grandparents and multiple kids of varying ages (spectacularly behaved with impressive manners, I will add). One little fellow was about 4, and while his siblings and cousins were revelling in the characters as they came by, he was completely overwhelmed and buried his head in his Momma’s shoulder as the tears streamed silently down his face. You could see on his mom’s face that she was crushed: I’m sure she had been eagerly anticipating this experience as well and what a disappointment to see her little one so upset.


Well, poor EB & Fluffy did their level best to engage this little guy but he wasn’t having anything of it…..he kept his arms firmly around his mom’s neck and his shoulders and his face buried from sight. After finishing with photos and autographs with balance of their family members at their table and then making her way around to the other guests in the room, Fluffy returned and gave Momma a much-needed hug from her opposite side. She then quietly pulled up a chair next to where they were sitting, sat herself down, and gently rubbed the little guys back without making so much as a peep. There they sat, with the fun music still playing and all the happy chaos continuing around them, but those three just had a private moment all to themselves. I can only imagine how much Fluffy’s personal attention touched that mother, because the whole exchange nearly squeezed happy tears out of MY heart. So precious .


Speaking of Fluffy, she’s quite a hoot as well. More than once, she would come sneaking up to our table with only me witnessing her approach (Steve and Jake were seated on one side of our table, while I was on the other), motioning to me with a finger to her mouth in an exaggerated “Shhhh!”. Then she’d pop up behind Steve and start massaging his head, or take Jake’s hat and pretend she was going to toss her pink beret and wear his instead. Gru, too, provided us with some impromptu fun moments, and he especially took a shine to Steve’s pin-laded chapeau, helping himself to it from the corner of our table and parading around the restaurant:





The character interaction throughout the whole breakfast was simply amazing. Unlike the Disney breakfasts where the characters generally visit, sign autographs and pose for pictures, and then they’re gone…..the interaction here happened throughout the meal and in a much less formal and much more spontaneous fashion. It was much more than a one-stop-at-your-table experience.....and it quickly vaulted this to our favourite character meal experience, EVER.


At this point in the morning, we were only half way through meeting all the characters who were featured at the event. Part two of the Superstar Character Breakfast to be continued in the next post.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

If the theory is true (and I have no idea how you would test it)

These would probably help:

 

[wiscbugs]

Hop is great...you have to check it out!

 

[bankr63]

These would probably help:

Speaking of smokin' holes in the ground, someone may have tried this in Ottawa today...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/sinkhole-rideau-street-downtown-ottawa-1.3621949

This is just a couple of blocks from Parliament Hill...

 

[dalmatian7]

OMG your Fluffy story, had me in tears. There are seriously some very special people that are theme park characters.

 

[Raeven]

That sounds awesome! The story with Fluffy and the child was so cute

We're doing the Grinch breakfast in December and I hope the characters are as amazing as they were for yours.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hop is great...you have to check it out!

I'm definitely going to check and see if its on Netflix: if not, Amazon to the rescue!

Speaking of smokin' holes in the ground, someone may have tried this in Ottawa today...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/sinkhole-rideau-street-downtown-ottawa-1.3621949

This is just a couple of blocks from Parliament Hill...

OMG! Now THAT'S a sink hole!

Thank the Lord it was only an empty, parked van that got sucked in. That could have been so much worse.

OMG your Fluffy story, had me in tears. There are seriously some very special people that are theme park characters.

Amen to that . I think any parent who witnessed that felt a real swell of gratitude for the person inside that costume.

That sounds awesome! The story with Fluffy and the child was so cute

We're doing the Grinch breakfast in December and I hope the characters are as amazing as they were for yours.

I would LOVE to do the Grinch breakfast some day. I have heard amazing things about it from a friend of mine so I'm sure you will absolutely love it. I hope you will come back to the boards and do a review of the experience after your trip!