Trip Review

Ok, here it is everyone, my Orlando trip review:

OVERVIEW

We had a fabulous time at Orlando, 8 days and 7 nights of fun, romance and relaxation. It truly is a place for people of all ages. Even though we had been there before, we fell in love with the place all over again.

WEATHER

Typical July Orlando weather. It was hot, but not unbearably hot. Just remember to wear light clothes. Be aware of pop-up afternoon thunderstorms. I%26#39;d say on half of the days we were there we had pop-up thunderstorms. Don%26#39;t wait to buy ponchos for 7 dollars at the parks unless you want them as a souvenier.

HOTEL

We stayed at the Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate. Let me tell you, we couldn%26#39;t have asked for anything better. Check in was smooth and pleasant. As we came in we were given a package which included our keys, resort map, welcome letter, and select guest door tags (more on that program in a second). The resort manager was aware that we would be celebrating our first year anniversary during our stay and in our room we found a plate of chocolate covered strawberries, a bottle of bubbly, a congratulations card signed by hotel employees and some other goodies. The attention to detail did not go unnoticed by us. The rooms were well appointed, clean and roomy. The pool area was incredible. There were 3 pools to choose from, which included the quiet pool, a zero entry family pool with a great waterslide and an 850-feet lazy river pool. There were basketball courts, tennis courts a par-3 golf course and of course the championship golf courses. I played the par 3 golf course which was fun. My wife had a spa treatment done (the hydrating island wrap) which received rave reviews. Do yourself a favor if you stay here. Sign up for the select guest program. It%26#39;s free of charge!!! On the doortags we were given you can select what type of morning beverage you would like, which newspaper, and an option for affordable breakfast starches. You can also choose preferences online which include extra pillows, extra towels, high floor room, low floor room, etc. The turndown service that comes with the program is great. We would come in every night and find our bed ready for us to jump in, also, mint chocolates and a card indicating the weather for the following day.The location was great for those who decide not to stay on disney property. 20 minutes to Universal and 10-15 minutes to all Disney attractions including Downtown Disney. The championsgate complex has convenience written all over it. There you will find a supermarket, a pharmacy, a McDonalds, a pizza place, Chilis and 2 gas stations. We were very happy with the Omni and would definitely stay there again.

DINING

I%26#39;ll review the restaurants for which we had recervations.

Restaurant Marrakesh (Epcot)

Pricey but worth it. The atmosphere is fantastic, you really feel like you%26#39;re at a Moroccan palace. The waiters are very friendly and attentive. The food was great. My wife and I ordered the Marrakesh Feast. Which included soup, entree and dessert for $35. The bellydancer was great and entertained us during our meal. This was a great experience.

Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge)

What a great buffet. You will find the same type of food we eat here but with African flavors incorporated into them. My favorite was the coconut curry chicken stew, it was to die for. Try the Savannah dry cider for a refreshing drink and leave room for dessert as there are some great options in this department.

The Plaza Restaurant (Magic Kingdom)

After some heavy dinners, this was a great stop. Here you will find sandwiches and burgers. I had the plaza club which was surprisingly filling and my wife loved her tuna sandwich. Nice, classy atmosphere inside.

The Hollywood Brown Derby (MGM Studios)

We just had to do fine, romantic dining and this was the perfect place to accomplish that. The feeling inside is very upscale, dim lights, and walls lined with portraits of celebrities which are digital recreations of the original portraits. My wife and I split the original cobb salad to start and it was fantastic. I had the grilled duck breast, with duck sausage, garlic grits and chili jam. The flavors and texture of the food went well together. My wife had the grouper which she loved. My dessert was worthy of a picture and the flavor did not dissappoint either.

Note: No matter how upscale a restaurant might be at a Disney park, no one will every say anything about the way you%26#39;re dressed. So feel free to be lax about that.

Sorry for the length, I will review the parks in separate posts.

Trip Review

Nice TR. You just gave me another hotel to check out.

Trip Review

Read a few of your posts, nice reports. Glad you had a good time.

Hi Penn,

Great review. Glad you mentioned the place in Morocco. I loved he food there, and noticed the gentlemen like the belly dancer ';purely for the art form'; :+)

I%26#39;m sure your tips will be helpful to people who have not visited the area before.

How are you adjusting to reality?????

Thanks once again for a great review Pennstate!!!!!! And I%26#39;m so glad you and your wife had a great time. You planned your trip very well ahead of time and it appears it paid off!

In your opinion, is the Omni more for couples or couples with children? Did you see a lot of families there, or was it mostly couples?