Tony Toon does DDP

[Tony Toon]

Wed 25th July

Nothing really to report in the food dept today, finishing the day with a return trip to Sweet Toms (with the voucher from last week our bill was $18.18 for the 2 of us! ).

We had spent the morning at the Studios with a Starring Rolls break ....


Red velvet cupcake for Liz and a Choc peanut butter cupcake for moi

Our afternoon was spent at Typhoon Lagoon - 3.45 - 6.30 a good time to visit.

But I have a really pressing question....

How do you both stay so bloomin slim whilst eating all this gorgeous grub?

Ali

What I would say is that when we come to Florida, sensible eating is the last thing on my mind (DDP certainly doesn't encourage it ) although Liz insists on a much more healthy diet at home. Just as well for me.

 

[Tony Toon]

Thursday 26th July

..... a beautiful day, and the day we have decided to drive across to Clearwater Beach. The Gulf water is like a warm bath - it never ceases to surprise me having been used in my boyhood to the freezing temperatures of the North Sea in the NE of England. We enjoy a picnic while I relax with a book and Liz with the new Kindle. Arriving back at the villa we have decided to visit Logan's Roadhouse to satisfy our hunger pang - a good choice - with a quirky server, Barbara, who is fine in small doses IMO. Liz had BOGOF entree voucher so the total bill (including my Newcastle Brown Ale) came to a little over $27 exc tip.

We shared loaded potato skins with bacon & cheese. So good we had nearly finished them before taking the photo.

Liz had pork chops with sautéed mushrooms & veg skewer

I enjoyed a very fine meatloaf.

I couldn't resist the small key lime ...

Friday 27th July

After our time at the beach we have changed our plans this morning from a water park to a shopping trip. I have decide that a Kindle seems like a good idea and we set off to Florida Mall. I think another thread might be useful to recount our experiences in this venture. It appears that different stores are better geared to selling warranties to foreigners - I could have paid over twice as much had Liz had not already bought a Kindle a few days earlier.

To cut a story short we finished up at Mall at Millennia Best Buy to get the right deal. Afterwards we thought we should pop into Mimi's Cafe for lunch - again a Wayneg recommendation. Thanks Wayne, it was our first visit and certainly won't be the last.

We took the $9.99 3 course offer ($1 extra for fresh veg selection and $4 dollars extra for the cheesecake option) - it was so good, as was the tomato & basil bisque.

Sirloin with mash and veg.

Liz took the standard menu dessert ice cream with a caramel topping

A perfect lunch!

Back home to try in vain to find any Olympic opening ceremony coverage on TV. Worth waiting for the delayed coverage though eventually at 7.30.

TT

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Glad you got to see the ceremony - we all really enjoyed it Are you getting any thunderstorms at the minute or just sunshine?

 

[Tony Toon]

Glad you got to see the ceremony - we all really enjoyed it Are you getting any thunderstorms at the minute or just sunshine?

Pretty much wall to wall sunshine at the moment.

 

[tinkerbells mum]

Seeing your Logan's dessert pots brought back very happy memories of our meals there last year. Glad you got your kindle

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Linda67]

Never tried Mimi's but it looks wonderful

 

[dixonsontour]

Never tried Mimi's but it looks wonderful

If you are going to go Linda sign up for the email club - mimi's are very generous with the coupons they send.

There is also one at the Loop.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Just catching up and I am loving all the off-site dining choices. I really hope I get to try Texas Roadhouse soon.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Pretty much wall to wall sunshine at the moment.

Great news

I am really enjoying your offsite reviews as we tend to eat more off than on!

 

[Tony Toon]

...... continuing our weeks 3&4 off site dining review

OK - you haven't heard from us for a few days. The fact is we're home again , having spent the last few days getting together all final shopping requests from Scotland, not that we have neglected our dining (or leisure).

Sat. 28th July

We made an unscheduled return to Logan's when I developed a fancy for some "ribs". Our change of mind meant that we weren't going to visit our original choice, Crackerbarrel, during a trip for the first time ever.

Liz had enjoyed the starter, loaded skins with bacon & cheese, so much a couple of days ago that we had a repeat to begin. I satisfied my craving for ribs with a steak combo while Liz had Chicken Teryaki.

After nearly a month of eating in Orlando our appetites are beginning to admit defeat so no dessert this time - yes true!

coming soon - Texas de Brazil (no photos) and Cheesecake Factory.

 

[wilma-bride]

Well that's a decision made for us (well, two actually) - we will definitely be eating at Texas Roadhouse and Logan's in a couple of weeks

 

[wendym]

Thank you so much for your reviews - we just booked Crave for Sunday Brunch for our October trip yesterday!
Wendy

 

[Tony Toon]

Sunday 29th July

We had planned to get to MK for rope drop but miscalculated the time it would take to get from TTC when we redirected away from the monorail to the ferry which had just left . Nevertheless we had a good morning at MK, managing many rides - the Brazilian Tour Parties had all but disappeared - interrupted only to recharge the batteries at the Main Street Bakery .

The afternoon was spent at Typhoon Lagoon before we returned to the villa in preparation for our reservation at Texas de Brazil. Liz had signed up for their offers and had acquired an alternative birthday for today which meant that she could eat for free so long as I was paying for the second. It is probably the only way now we would dine at TdB as it really is very very good but very expensive. The salad bar is extensive with delicious options. There is a lobster bisque to die for. Knife-welding gauchos (meat waiters) move around the tables, carving grilled meats from large skewers onto diners’ plates. There is an array of meats – the finest various beef cuts, lamb, chicken, pork sausage, and many more, all marinated with a traditional Brazilian recipe and rotisserie-cooked over open fire till perfection. As it was (cough) Liz's birthday we celebrated with cocktails -mojito royales. Unfortunately we have no pics but all too quickly, considering some of the meats we had not yet tried, we had satisfied our appetites. A year ago, having eaten at TdeB with DS and his GF, the 2 of them had stretched out the rear seats of our people carrier before stretching out themselves to return "home", because they had eaten so much. Our Nissan Verso this year didn't offer theis option to Liz and I on this occasion. With the BOGOF the bill came to $78.

 

[Tony Toon]

Monday 30th July

A morning spent lazing around Typhoon lagoon, before returning to the villa for some fruit and yoghurt and a shower. We headed out to Mall at Millennia with two intentions, an early dinner at Cheesecake Factory and last minute (and brief) mall shopping to pick up some requested items from A&F for DS.

Cheesecake Factory once again was excellent and surprisingly (in my memory of previous visits) reasonable at $34.

Liz had a Kobe burger with mushrooms and onions.

I had the blue cheese burger.

It turned out to be National Cheesecake Day which meant that cheesecakes were half price at Cheesecake Factory (the reason no doubt for my delight on seeing the check).

Liz had the Dulce de Leche (also my favourite)

..... while on this occasion I plumped for the Adam's Peanut Butter Cheesecake.

Despite numerous superb meals during our 4 week visit, both onsite and offsite, Cheesecake Factory was still outstanding and remains near the top of our list of must visits.

Still to come.....
During the day we have made an ADR for our final dinner - Tuesday, 8.25pm at Crystal Palace.

 

[dixonsontour]

Welcome home - enjoyed all your food photos

 

[Tony Toon]

Final Day - Tuesday 31st July 2012

We are up early, determined to get to MK for the pre rope drop appearance of Mickey et al and make it in good time this time.

There are several things we still wish to do but MK is on our schedule only to pick up one or two souvenirs and gifts from the Emporium. Next up is breakfast - at Sizzler's, unusually our first visit this trip. Imo, Sizzlers is one of the best value breakfasts around. Our particular favourite is the one along the Vineland Road near Crossroads. After filling up on Fruit, bacon, eggs, sausages + trimmings, pancakes etc we head into Epcot to hear one last set from Voices of Liberty. We are a little early (11.30) so stroll about a practically deserted World Showcase in the morning sunshine. Voices of Liberty are as usual, superb and we head off back to the villa to relax for an hour before leaving for a last visit to TL. By the time we arrive at TL the sun has deserted us a little but the showers have passed by. Never mind, its still warm enough to relax with our new Kindles.

Our very first morning,nearly a month ago, was spent at MK with breakfast - a tradition now. This year we have decided that our last meal will provide the ultimate bookend by dining at CP again. We made an ADR for 8.25pm which seemed like a good time to eat before watching "Magic, Memories & You" and "Wishes", the perfect end to a wonderful holiday.

We appreciate that CP isn't the choice of everyone but we feel that as well as the unique "Disneyism" of this particular restaurant, the food in fact is rather better than some like to give it credit for. Yes, it is a buffet, but that gives the opportunity to check out a number of the delights offered. Fruit, salads inc. shrimp, smoked salmon etc are interesting and varied. The carvery beef was really good (enough for a 2nd visit ) and the mash . There were several items I would have liked to have tried but the desserts were beckoning . Coffee and Amaretto Mousse, Key Lime Pie and another I can't remember were tasted before finishing up with a wonderful Apple and Cranberry cobbler with just a dollop of ice cream - heaven, and all while watching the darkening skies and constantly changing colours of the castle across from our window. Our wonderful server, Ana from Colombia, had served 30 years at CP and yet was only 15th in seniority among her colleagues - a telling statistic. CP is another restaurant which will remain near the top of our list.

M.M&Y is typical Disney, fascinating, spectacular and lump in the throat provoking, as is Wishes (replace "lump in the throat" with "tear in the eye"). Oh I know that the music is "cheesy" in the extreme - I should know as well as anyone because music has been my business for the last 50 years - but we left Main Street with the same tears we felt on leaving Fantasmic at the end of our first visit to Disneyland, Anaheim 15 years ago and with the knowledge that we'll be back ASAP.

 

[RDP]

Fantastic TR, thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the next one!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[tinkerbells mum]

I've loved reading your report thanks for sharing xx

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Petermgrady]

Great report. Loved reading it.

 

[casinocolin]

I must say this is the best report I have ever read and I love the fact that you use all your ddp credits. We have never had any credits left at the end of any of our trips also. You made the most of your trip and it has made me wanting to get on the plane right now and enjoy another trip and try some of the lovely food that you have had. Thanks for sharing, excellent pics.