"We shall double our efforts" - July/Sept 2017 Dining Report - Update 9/26 Flying Fish (Complete)

Introduction/Initial Plan for July

Originally my mother and I just had a trip planned for September. Then she wanted to do something in July and was going to do it by herself. Then she invited me and she's paying (mostly) Who can turn down a free trip? Not this girl! I actually ended up getting us 2 Park 1 Day Tickets at Universal Orlando for 'free' as Regal Crown Club had them in their redemption options for 60,000 points each! As I go to the movies a ton (27 movies so far this year!), I had like 240,000 points just sitting there waiting for something cool to use them on since I don't need to use them for movie tickets thanks to my Moviepass. Maybe the box office ladies will stop asking me to use my free ticket now that they can see I used it for something else! Since I got the tickets, my mother is going to pay for Front of the Line Express (Single Use) Passes (I think - I'm not sure she realizes its $120 per person rather than the $65 it can be as low as) If not, oh well!


July Plan

July 1st:
9:00AM - Arrive at Ritz Carlton Grand Lakes
Breakfast @ Hotel
Enjoy Lazy River @ Hotel
1:00PM - Massages
4:00PM - Head to Disney Springs
5:15PM - Morimoto Asia

July 2nd:
7:00AM - Breakfast @ Hotel
8:00AM - Head to Universal
9:00AM - Universal Opens
Lunch - Who Knows?
Dinner - Who Knows?

July 3rd:
Breakfast @ Hotel
Possibly a Disney Park for Dis_Yoda in the Morning after Goodbyes
 


Wow, I'm not horrifically late for once. Can't wait to eat and drink all about it. Hope the ankle is on the mend
 
Saying hello and that I am here! Excited to read about your dining adventures :)

Welcome! I'm happy to have a weekend away as its been crazy busy. I realize the first trip is barely Disney but I like to stick to this board for my threads! Whens your next weekend trip? There is a chance I may have another short weekend trip in the midst of something else I have to go do so maybe it will end up being the same weekend.

Hi!! Will be here to read all your dining reports!! Have a wonderful trip!!

Yay! Glad you are here reading along :).


Wow, I'm not horrifically late for once. Can't wait to eat and drink all about it. Hope the ankle is on the mend

You aren't late! You are here before the party even begins. As I have a Designated Driver (my mother) - I shall be drinking lots! As of Friday - I'm supposed to be out of the boot 100%. This will be my first huge ordeal on my foot though - I'm planning on wearing my stability running shoes and being aware if I'm feeling like I overdo it. I won't lie and say I'm not a little nervous but I got to get it strengthened back up somehow! At least Saturday will be relaxation with it being a spa day + pool day!
 


Thanks for the bat signal! I was surprised that you had another trip planned, but you're right who can resist a free trip!

I can't wait to hear about Morimoto Asia, that's one of the few reservations that I booked for my trip in the Fall. Yay to lifting the travel moratorium!
 
Free trips are the best! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures!
 
Always enjoy hearing about your adventures! Your plans sound terrific!! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the Ritz.

I'm glad you love reading along! My mother loves the Ritz in Orlando so I know we should be taken care of well. She actually expanded our reservations to include tonight as well - if I get out of work early enough, I will be up there tonight! Its fiscal year end at work so if I end up leaving work later than 7PM - I'm just going to drive up in the morning so I can get to bed.

So excited for new trips from you!

I love new trips, especially free ones!

Thanks for the bat signal! I was surprised that you had another trip planned, but you're right who can resist a free trip!

I can't wait to hear about Morimoto Asia, that's one of the few reservations that I booked for my trip in the Fall. Yay to lifting the travel moratorium!

I'm hoping the service issues from my first two visits to the dining room have long been solved. This trip wasn't originally in the plan but I'm glad it is now! I've always been happy with the food for my 2 dining room visits and my 1 sushi bar visit. I'm happy you lifted your travel moratorium!


Welcome!

Free trips are the best! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures!

Free trips are the best! Hopefully I can get up there tonight rather than tomorrow!

can't wait to hear all about it!

Welcome! I can't wait to enjoy it :)
 
Highball and Harvest

I left work sometime after 6:00PM as my brain was fried and my body sore. I had walked entirely too much for someone that is just out of the walking boot this day (I say this when I’m about to go to Universal the next day) I debated on driving up to Orlando or going home. Idiot me decided to drive up there. I stopped at Sonic at some exit for a slushy (watermelon pop rock) as I figured sugar would help wake me up but it didn’t work. As soon as I turned onto I-4, I was so so very tired. I had to put on some loud angry rap to keep me awake for the drive I had left (about an hour) I made it to the Ritz Carlton Orlando around 9:40PM. Look at my face!

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So Tired

My mother had called me while I was on my way up and told me the room number. She was definitely up past her bedtime at this point (she’s usually in bed by 8/9pm) so I was a brat and took a photo anyway as I needed to keep up with my Instagram Project 365. I unwinded on my iPad for about an hour and went to bed until I woke up naturally - around 7:15AM.

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Room with View

We decided to go to the buffet for breakfast where I indulged. Seeing as I barely had dinner the night before (if you count a slushy as dinner), I loaded up! Highbar and Harvest is like walking into a Hipster’s dream restaurant. I am not a hipster but I could care less about decor if the food is worth it. Luckily it was.

As this is the Ritz, they serve real bacon unlike the flimsy microwave bacon Disney usually gives you. It was perfectly crispy which is why I ate so much. They also had manchego cheese which made me so happy as I never allow myself to buy it at the store since it is so expensive! The biscuit was dry and disappointing but I’m spoiled when it comes to biscuits so it was my own fault for thinking a buffet biscuit would be good. The donut was a better choice for my carb intake. I had some fruit for good measure. The grits were really good though but that could be because I put a ton of cheese on them.

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Plate #1: Bacon, Donut, Watermelon, Biscuit, Manchego Cheese

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Grits w/ Cheese & Bacon

I went for a second plate although I probably didn’t need it. I got more bacon (yum!), 2 small pancakes and another piece of watermelon. I couldn’t finish the pancakes as I was full!

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Plate #2: Bacon, Pancakes, Watermelon

Overall, I was happy with this breakfast. We’ll be going back on Monday!

We went back to the room to get ready to spend the morning in the pool/lazy river at the Marriott next door. With your resort fee, they include 2 lazy river tubes so we enjoyed that for a little over an hour. When laying on the lounger, drying out, I noticed my left ankle wasn’t happy to not be in compression socks! Opps! I will totally wear them tomorrow at the park.

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Pool Time (And a swollen ‘fixed’ ankle)
 
Joining in, glad to see another Dining report from you. Is Sonic good? I always see commercials for it but we don't have the chain this far up north. The Ritz looks beautiful and who doesn't like real bacon, yum!

I hope your ankle does okay with park Touring!
 
Yikes sounds like you had quite the driving adventure. Glad you made it ok though, I'm gonna bet it was the pop rocks in watermelon slushy that really got you there :-)

Hipster or not, looks like a great buffet at the ritz. Hope your ankle holds up for you at Universal
 
Here! Hope your ankle doesn't bother you too much with all the walking you do.
 
I'm always so afraid of driving when tired, usually I'm lucky that I have Fran to do that for me, but sometimes she gets tired too. I'm glad you made it safe. That buffet looked really good. I'm just looking forward to a little over a month from now when someone else will make me breakfast! I hope your ankle holds out walking through Universal tomorrow!
 
Joining! Mmmm that bacon does look good! However the ankle does not, I hope it behaves for you at Universal!
 

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