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

[wiscbugs]

As always, I have been following along your pre-trip report and awaiting your trip report!!!

I love the Cheesecake Factory too...my wife doesn't like it because the tables are so close but that's a small price to pay for the delish food!

 

[Portugal1000]

One thing to mention about Cheesecake Factory is that you can buy a 12 piece selection from Target. I'm sure everyone from The US already knows this so apologies for mentioning but as we have neither Target or CF in England then it was a big thing for us. We were super excited to discover this three years ago and now a tradition to do our first shop in Target on the morning after we arrive. We don't usually bother with desserts at restaurants (because we always order too many starters) but just have a break from food and have it later in the evening with Ben and Jerry's. Our son also discovered red velvet cake last year which he loved, again not really something we see in England. So imagine his delight when he realised there was a red velvet cheesecake in CF!! It's the little things that make you happy.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Yup, it's in the Mall at Millenia! There's also one in the Winter Park Village shopping center.

I always get the crusted chicken romano, which is heavenly. My husband always gets the chicken castaletta.

Edit: I see you got the Linda's fudge cake! Now I'm drooling. Your report is not good to read while on a diet.

They had two different kinds of chocolate cake, and both looked sooooo good: I asked for help deciding between the two from our server. She said the Linda's was the most popular.....after taking the first bite, it was not hard to see why!

Hi Gina
We are booked for 8 nights starting Aug 25 (it's the only time I have both kiddos off school, and will be two months since my surgery (the last one!))
We are spending the first two nights at Coronando Springs business level.....the kids think we are staying at All Star Music, but a couple specials later and some crazy Disney Math, we ended up with a nice upgrade. Then we are off for our six free nights at SVR. The kids wanted a Disney trip this time, however we will have a couple days left on our Universal Annual Pass to visit there too.
We are flying out of Detroit though, so no Galleria mall

I am so glad to hear you have another fun trip in the works! Staying at the Vistana is always awesome....but when its free....even awesome-er .

You are doing well, health-wise?

I think the potatos tots are the better choice. I had the mac and cheese ball burger once and the mac and cheese balls were decent but the burger wasn't too good.

I have to eat the desserts in like 3 sittings even after we split one last time I still had enough to have with lunch the next day!

Glad this stay was quieter than the last minus the snoring

The snoring is noise I am used to ... LOL, after 23 years, quite honestly, its hard to sleep without it .

I'm so glad you enjoyed The Cheesecake Factory! You really can't go wrong there. We also skip the appies and just enjoy the bread. I'm partial to the brown You were certainly due for an uneventful departure night! It seems like you were off to a great start, and with your lunch taking care of the hangries, you were ready to really get this party started. We've never eaten at Cici's as we don't have them locally, but I will be looking for one the next time we head south thanks to your endorsement!

Maria

To be honest, we kept waiting for the axe to fall that night....some sort of party to get underway, or the smell of marijuana to come sneaking under the door. It was eerily strange for everything to be so peaceful.

Now to decide.....book the Days again for October, or....?

What a great start so far! And I have to say I must add some photos later of the back of my car as well...and you can see we also have some similarities there. I thought I had the same Mickey but actually...mine is a bit different:

LOVE the Cheesecake Factory. We have two in proximity to our house, and though we don't visit often, when we do...it is awesome. Love that fried cheese and portions are always so huge...even the appetizers. My last visit to the one here I figured I'd just get two appetizers...and still couldn't finish them, but managed to find room for the cheesecake by packing away my leftovers.

We are also big fans of CiCis, and in fact I think that may be on our agenda for dinner sometime this week.

Glad the hotel experience went well!

Some Cici's....especially in the Orlando area....leave quite a bit to be desired. Too loud, too busy, and not always kept very clean. The one on the 535, though, is very well kept: it might be cheap, but it doesn't "feel" cheap.

I love their cinnamon rolls. I could eat a plate of those and skip the pizza entirely!

Ahh, Speed Racer for the shuttle driver. I think he was related to the one we had at the very little Alamo rental in SD. The rental place was on a very steep hill, about 15 minutes from the one way roads from the airport. I almost got carsick with his quick stop and go traffic driving. Either way, your description of your shuttle driver almost made me spit out my soda.

So glad no issues with the Days Inn this time. Quiet is what I expect in a hotel too.

Yep, we ate at CiCi's at least once every time we've been in Orlando. It's actually decent enough, and a good price for my pizza loving family. The kids were happy, they asked for certain pizzas, and what do ya know, that kind was promptly made and served. We definitely get our money's worth there.


Great update. Thanks.

Steve and Jake love that about Cici's, too.....they can order a specific pizza (if its not already on the buffet) and they will bring it right to our table. What's not to love?

As we were riding along in the shuttle, Jake leaned over on our way to the airport (okay, maybe he inadvertently slid into me as we turned a corner ) and quipped "Where's this guy from, New York City?". LOL, our driver certainly had the skills to transfer there if he ever felt the need .

Great start to the trip Gina. It's funny you should mention the "hangry". It's no great secret that if any of us get too hungry on vacation , that's when we start getting really cranky. What was different this time is that my formerly picky, light eating son had turned 12 since the last trip and shot up up about a foot in the last few months. He went from fine to STARVING in minutes and we quickly learned to have a plan for food for that kid at all times.
You could watch the ravenous gloom descend upon him. Oh the joys of having a pre teen boy. I had no idea they could eat this much, but I'm learning. He's 5ft 2 and 110 pounds and he ate a rack and half of ribs at Millers Ale House.. with fries.
I was coaxing him to finish some grapes and chicken nuggets a year ago.
I used to read about how Jake was always starving in your trip reports.. and now I know it first hand. It's definitely going to make our trips a little more food-centric for the years to come!

LOL, I feel your teenage appetite pain! Jake is getting better now that he's 20, but to be fair: we are just the type of people who need regular meals. I know many folks are two meal a day people, or snackers, or can just eat "whenever", but we have to have breakfast, lunch and dinner or we tend to come unglued.

Of course, we also enjoy eating. We like food ....and Orlando has just so stinking much to offer in that department. I swear, just stepping off the plane kicks our appetites into high gear!!

So excited to hear about your trip! I just found your PTR a few days ago, lucky I guess that I didn't have to wait long to see how it goes! I need ideas and inspiration for our July trip

I love Cheesecake Factory. We've eaten at several in different places, and none look anything like it did on BBT. They really didn't do it justice on the show.

Looking forward to the rest of the story!

gtpoohbear! Perfect timing on your part....we are just nicely kicking things off. So glad you are joining in the chatter!

I have to ask, though, what's BBT? Just wondering if its a program we can get up here in the frosty Canadian north.

As always, I have been following along your pre-trip report and awaiting your trip report!!!

I love the Cheesecake Factory too...my wife doesn't like it because the tables are so close but that's a small price to pay for the delish food!

Hi wiscbugs! Welcome aboard!

We had good luck with table placement....we had a booth right along the windows (the windows that faced into the mall), so we only had tables behind and in front of us.......there was a walkway along the side. It definitely helped us not have that crammed in feeling.

Now that I think about it, we are given booths quite regularly. Maybe because they don't want my 6' 3", 290 pound Big Steve (and his younger counterpart, who is equally brawny) sticking out in the middle of the restaurant, being an obstacle for other people to walk around? At any rate, I much prefer a cozy booth to the tables out in the open....so whatever the reason, I am happy that's where we are put!

 

[gtpoohbear]

gtpoohbear! Perfect timing on your part....we are just nicely kicking things off. So glad you are joining in the chatter!

I have to ask, though, what's BBT? Just wondering if its a program we can get up here in the frosty Canadian north.

Oh sorry, I was just referring to the Big Bang Theory shows since you had mentioned seeing it there. The set they used didn't look anything like any Cheesecake Factory I've ever been in.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Good start, glad you slept!

I love Cheesecake Factory. All of their pastas are sooo good.

 

[c3h3a3r]

Loving your report so far

 

[Ruthie5671]

Well, it did until my boys began to snore: first Steve, then Jake . And that, my friends, was the only noise we heard all night long. Let me hear a hallelujah from the crowd!

HALLELUJAH!!!!! I would imagine there is a picture of you back in the manager's office with words stating "treat her like a queen - she blogs on trip advisor".

 

[jennasmommyinMS]

Well, it's about time that y'all got a good stay at that hotel--it was certainly well-deserved!

 

[dsmom]

Saturday, April 23rd….the conclusion:


Back at the hotel, Steve immediately collapsed onto the bed. His allergies had been bothering him all day long (he sneezed a thousand times…..and I’m not exaggerating on that number….on the commute to Buffalo alone), and despite attacking the onslaught with pills, eye drops and nasal spray, he still continued to suffer . Combining the evening’s gluttonous indulgences to the tiring commute and allergy onslaught, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. He was done like dinner .


Jake and I left him sprawled on the bed (despite the sniffling and snuffling, he looked comfy) and we headed to the indoor pool area on the first floor for a therapeutic soak in the hot tub. There were several kids splashing and carrying on in the pool (not in a bad way at all…just having a rocking good time on the night before their vacation began) so it definitely wasn’t a quiet evening in the tub … but it felt great nonetheless. The hot tub here is kept a nice, steamy temperature (which Jake and I prefer….unlike Steve, we love water that’s hot enough to turn our skin red like lobsters) and after a half day of being cooped up in the Journey, this was heaven .


Not a picture from this trip, but one from December……this time, I didn’t bother dragging the camera down with us:





Eventually, we shuffled ourselves back up to the third floor to change into our jammies. The plan was for an early lights out as our wake-up call was scheduled for long before the rooster crowed. But first, we had this to take care of:





We weren’t hungry, but we ate anyway………because it was so, soooooo good .


While Steve was still in and out of consciousness until that point in time (softly snoring, still sprawled on the bed, when we came back into the room), the prospect of fresh cheesecake manage to rouse him quite effectively . All the while protesting that he still felt like he couldn’t eat another bite, the cheesecake bit the dust with the appropriate sighs and mmmmmm’s added in for effect. Jake and I split the chocolate cake…..the portion size was easily shareable between two, and in fact, we still couldn’t finish it even with both of us putting up our best effort. I can easily say this was the best restaurant chocolate cake I have ever eaten……the only thing that was lacking was a large glass of cold milk. I briefly considered dashing down to The Landing, just off the lobby, to snag one up but my laziness overruled . Needless to say, the Cheesecake Factory didn’t disappoint on our main meal, and it continued to impress where dessert was concerned.


We refused to think of the calories we consumed just then: it would have seriously sucked the joy from the moment.

We flipped off the lights around 10 pm. I ordered Jake, the family night owl, to turn the TV off at 10:30. We all bent an ear toward the hallway…..silence . Would it last?



Well, it did until my boys began to snore: first Steve, then Jake . And that, my friends, was the only noise we heard all night long. Let me hear a hallelujah from the crowd!



Sunday, April 24th:

The wake-up call, pre-arranged the night prior, jangled us into consciousness at 4:00 am. With only one bathroom and three of us needing showers, we had no time to spare…..it was travel day, baby! I took the first shift in the shower, then Steve was next. Jake was super excited to be coaxed from his snuggly cocoon….not :





Eventually, we were ready to roll and we hauled our luggage down to the lobby to snag a quick breakfast before boarding the shuttle. My stomach was revolting something terrible (a combination of excitement and the sweet sins of the night prior……unfortunately for me, along with his prominent nose, I inherited a sensitive tummy from my Dad…..so just about anything can upset my insides at any given time) so I pretty much took a pass on a morning meal. The guys were happy to indulge, though….some waffles, eggs, toast, sausage and yogurt to get them through until the snacks were distributed on the plane.


It was quiet in the lobby at that hour of the morning. We were one of only three bleary-eyed families in the breakfast room.





While the guys finished off their breakfast, I checked us out of the hotel (yay! we broke the curse of the Days Disaster!) and beckoned the shuttle. It came screeching to a halt at the front door in, maybe, three minutes. Super fast .





Our shuttle driver was apparently in training for the Indy 500 , because we made it across the street and to the airport doors as if we were on some sort of four-wheeled rocket ship. Steve and Jake joked that this was our first flight of the day. If they were going for a swift service, they most certainly achieved it .





Buffalo Airport was still half asleep at that hour of the morning, so there was no line for bag check at the Jetblue counter. We already had our boarding passes printed, so after checking our suitcases we went right to security and breezed through in seconds using the expedited lane afforded to us by our Even More Space seat upgrade. We checked emails and surfed the net while we waited at our gate .





The excitement was starting to kick in, and my stomach had mercifully stopped rolling. We were all more than ready to get this show on the road……in just a couple short hours, we would be breathing in the warm Florida air and feeling that marvelous sun on our pale faces!





The flight was on time and wonderfully uneventful……no turbulence or delays of any kind. My window was woefully in need of a cleaning, though:





….but that’s literally the worst complaint I can come up with. Oh, and Steve though the movie selection was a disappointment. He ended up sleeping most of the way.


About here, we excitedly noted that we were just above the exact location of our dear friends. @dsmom ! (I know you couldn’t see us, but I hope you could sense us waving at you and David from 35,000 feet! )





We landed, picked up our luggage, and headed to the garage to pick up our vehicle from Dollar. After a bit of an administrative issue (apparently they have new systems that wreaked havoc with our pre-paid reservation, specifically because it was pre-paid with my credit card but Steve was the primary driver on the booking: I guess that’s a no-no now? At any rate, they were good about adjusting things and we only experienced a slight delay as a result) we were loading our bags into the back of a white Kia Optima and heading out of the garage.


For whatever reason, our GPS always has a hard time acquiring a signal when we are initially leaving the airport, so we ended up making a wrong turn before her directions kicked in and put us back on the right path. Steve-o didn’t trust his co-pilot in the passenger’s seat, who (just for the record) had made mention that he shouldn’t have turned when he did . But hey….we had nothing but time. A small detour was no biggie….except that Mr. Allergies was still feeling a bit crabby so he was quite annoyed by the whole thing.


We were not scheduled to meet with our personal concierge at the Vistana until 1 pm for the VIP Check-In, so we opted to have lunch before heading to the resort. The guys were starving (as was I….remember, I had only eaten literally two bites of toast at the hotel and a tiny bag of cookies on the plane since the chocolate cake the night before) so we were all getting a little hangry . This vacation was all about indulging Jake in his favourites, since it was to be his last trip for quite some time, so it was no-brainer as to where we would head for our arrival day meal: Cici’s it would be.


Cici’s was a good choice, really. No waiting for food, all we cared to eat, and super affordable. The Cici’s location we like best (always clean and bright, with great staff) is also conveniently right across from the resort. It was surprisingly quiet as we seated ourselves and enjoyed a pizza and pasta feast.





Bad trip reporter that I am, I didn’t even take any pictures…..but remember, I said we were all a little hangry (and Steve was still brooding a teeny bit about the GPS letting him down) so no one was in any real mood for photos, anyway. We just wanted to eat . And you know…..it was the balm our weary travelling souls needed. The buffet was great, with lots of tasty pizzas (including thin crust and stuffed crust) to be enjoyed. It’s not fine dining by any stretch, but we always find it to be an incredible value. Our three buffets totaled $22.34 with tax and we more than enjoyed our money’s worth.


Jake was feeling the effects of his indulgences as we left the restaurant. We have no self control .





It was about 12:30 by this point, so we decided to head to the resort in hopes that our VIP Check-In concierge would maybe be able to see us a few minutes earlier than were scheduled.





More to come!

Those desserts look incredible! So glad your night at the day's was uneventfully peaceful.
And how sweet of you to think of David and me inflight. We were sending prayers your way for a safe flight

 

[chicagoshannon]

SO glad you guys were able to sleep that night. That chocolate cake looked yummy. Sort of reminds me of my long ago Olive Garden favorite Chocolate Lasagna. It was seriously the best dessert every. Unfortunately they took it off the menu like 10 years or more ago. Every time I go into Olive Garden I hope they brought it back.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Oh sorry, I was just referring to the Big Bang Theory shows since you had mentioned seeing it there. The set they used didn't look anything like any Cheesecake Factory I've ever been in.

D'oh! Big Bang Theory....of course!! I think all the paint fumes here at home are starting to affect my comprenhension abilities .

The Cheesecake Factory set on Big Bang is soooo plain......totally opposite of the ornate Buffalo interior!

Good start, glad you slept!

I love Cheesecake Factory. All of their pastas are sooo good.

I'm not sure if I'd go with the pasta next time, or a chicken dish. Or maybe a pasta-and-chicken dish?

Loving your report so far

Thank you! So happy to have you reading along .

HALLELUJAH!!!!! I would imagine there is a picture of you back in the manager's office with words stating "treat her like a queen - she blogs on trip advisor".

Steve was betting on that very same thing . I hope the picture made my nose and waistline look smaller .

Well, it's about time that y'all got a good stay at that hotel--it was certainly well-deserved!

Aw, thanks! It was definitely a nice surprise....albeit unexpected after the last two stays. We didn't have very high expectations this time!

SO glad you guys were able to sleep that night. That chocolate cake looked yummy. Sort of reminds me of my long ago Olive Garden favorite Chocolate Lasagna. It was seriously the best dessert every. Unfortunately they took it off the menu like 10 years or more ago. Every time I go into Olive Garden I hope they brought it back.

Oh, but I think they did bring it back!! Jake specifically pointed it out on the menu...........

http://m.olivegarden.com/menu/chocolate-caramel-lasagna/prod2680126

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Those desserts look incredible! So glad your night at the day's was uneventfully peaceful.
And how sweet of you to think of David and me inflight. We were sending prayers your way for a safe flight

Aw, thank you for that!! Now I know why things went so smoothly .

 

[mandas08]

Excited to join in! Glad the hotel able to redeem themselves. I love cheesecake factory, I've only been twice but I got two giftcards for Christmas and you are making me anxious to use them..although I will not be skipping the cheesecake...u are crazy haha

 

[Monykalyn]

He went from fine to STARVING in minutes and we quickly learned to have a plan for food for that kid at all times

You mean it gets WORSE?? I have a 10 year old boy who eats every 2-3 hours -he even wakes up in middle of night sometimes crying from hunger-even if he ate good dinner and snack-I try to stuff him with protein so it lasts longer-and he gets unreasonable when he's hungry. I need to take warnings about teen boys more seriously and start stocking stuff now while I can still afford it LOL


Gina-3 of the 5 of us are "regular meal" people. Me and Middle kid can eat "whenever"-although I do cook dinner most nights of the week at same time. Family dinners are important times. However when I am by myself and not at work I frequently wonder why at about 3 pm in the afternoon why I feel lightheaded and nauseous-and realize it is because I forgot to eat after I had my am coffee I am a nutritionist so I know better, but I am not a huge breakfast eater under best of circumstances and I get busy with house cleaning or errands and before I know it it is several hours after lunch time...

 

[Callie]

Now I"m craving CiCi's and their Alfredo sauce pizza I think it is. It has a white sace. Also their cheesy bread and the brownies if I remember. Its been years, because there are none in my big city. Yet back home, we have one and its way smaller of a city. Maybe I'll splurge on my diet this weekend. Down 18 pounds overall, and 10 the last month on Weight Watchers. Your trip report makes me crave the good stuff!

 

[Kivara]

One thing to mention about Cheesecake Factory is that you can buy a 12 piece selection from Target. I'm sure everyone from The US already knows this so apologies for mentioning but as we have neither Target or CF in England then it was a big thing for us. We were super excited to discover this three years ago and now a tradition to do our first shop in Target on the morning after we arrive. We don't usually bother with desserts at restaurants (because we always order too many starters) but just have a break from food and have it later in the evening with Ben and Jerry's. Our son also discovered red velvet cake last year which he loved, again not really something we see in England. So imagine his delight when he realised there was a red velvet cheesecake in CF!! It's the little things that make you happy.

NOOoo! I'm trying to be good on my diet here I had no clue Target sold CF cheesecake. I've not yet been to a CF, but cheesecake is my fave dessert. We live in a small town, and the nearby "city" has a shopping area with chain restaurants, but we still only have about 10 eateries in close proximity to us.

 

[chicagoshannon]

D'oh!



Oh, but I think they did bring it back!! Jake specifically pointed it out on the menu...........

http://m.olivegarden.com/menu/chocolate-caramel-lasagna/prod2680126

Thanks for that. It looks like they changed the recipe (added caramel and not as many layers) BUT I think we need a trip to Olive Garden now.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Excited to join in! Glad the hotel able to redeem themselves. I love cheesecake factory, I've only been twice but I got two giftcards for Christmas and you are making me anxious to use them..although I will not be skipping the cheesecake...u are crazy haha

mandas08!

I definitely realize I'm an oddball when it comes to my cheesecake aversion . I just can help but think.....

....cheese is for pizza. And sandwiches. And as a garnish for a cracker. Cheese (and other non-dessert ingredients like carrot or zucchini) do not belong in my cake!!
Of course, that's just ONE of my many dietary hang-ups . I have dozens more .

You mean it gets WORSE?? I have a 10 year old boy who eats every 2-3 hours -he even wakes up in middle of night sometimes crying from hunger-even if he ate good dinner and snack-I try to stuff him with protein so it lasts longer-and he gets unreasonable when he's hungry. I need to take warnings about teen boys more seriously and start stocking stuff now while I can still afford it LOL


Gina-3 of the 5 of us are "regular meal" people. Me and Middle kid can eat "whenever"-although I do cook dinner most nights of the week at same time. Family dinners are important times. However when I am by myself and not at work I frequently wonder why at about 3 pm in the afternoon why I feel lightheaded and nauseous-and realize it is because I forgot to eat after I had my am coffee I am a nutritionist so I know better, but I am not a huge breakfast eater under best of circumstances and I get busy with house cleaning or errands and before I know it it is several hours after lunch time...

See, I can never forget to eat. My stomach is as reliable as the setting of the sun. I wish I could forget to eat sometimes.....I might actually have the figure I want if that was the case!!

Now I"m craving CiCi's and their Alfredo sauce pizza I think it is. It has a white sace. Also their cheesy bread and the brownies if I remember. Its been years, because there are none in my big city. Yet back home, we have one and its way smaller of a city. Maybe I'll splurge on my diet this weekend. Down 18 pounds overall, and 10 the last month on Weight Watchers. Your trip report makes me crave the good stuff!

The alfredo pizza is Jake's Cici's fave too. Steve's is the barbecued chicken.

NOOoo! I'm trying to be good on my diet here I had no clue Target sold CF cheesecake. I've not yet been to a CF, but cheesecake is my fave dessert. We live in a small town, and the nearby "city" has a shopping area with chain restaurants, but we still only have about 10 eateries in close proximity to us.

Someone take a peek for me (pretty please!) and see if they also sell the Linda's fudge cake. We don't have Target here, but I'd happily make a trip to one while we are in Orlando for some!!

Thanks for that. It looks like they changed the recipe (added caramel and not as many layers) BUT I think we need a trip to Olive Garden now.

I think they only way anyone can improve on chocolate is to add caramel . Or maybe peanut butter.

I hope you are able to get it at your local OG!!

 

[toystoryduo]

So glad to hear that your stay at the Days Hotel went well for you guys!

Love The Cheesecake Factory! Their portions are HUGE! (I still miss the white chocolate/blueberry cheesecake though.)

We like Cici's too! We used to have a few Cici's near our house, but they all closed up. We do stop at the ones near Disney on occasion though, especially when we have a Groupon.

 

[ElenaJane]

You broke the Days' curse! I guess management can't do much about your family's snoring, which is too bad. BTW, I see you are using your new Emoji options!

Great that you had a fairly restful night and a smooth flight! CiCi's as a first stop as a meal is pretty funny. It is a bargain though!

Since there has been a trend of showing the back or our car's Disney side, I thought I'd throw mine in too!