It was a trip of firsts and lasts, but mostly, it was a vacation where a die hard Disney Imagineering fan discovered the surprises awaiting at the Universal Orlando Resort. Not that Walt Disney World didn't have its own secrets to be revealed, but as you'll see, we were not altogether prepared for what we found.
We had six days for six parks, one day for each. For the very first time, Universal took up a full one third of our Florida trip, and all I'll say now is, Disney better get it together. More on that later.
GREAT way to start our vacation!
Our youngest son invited us to journey with him to see "his" parks, meaning Universal. He hadn't visited Orlando in four years, and it had been almost 15 years since his last visit to Walt Disney World. Of course, we jumped at the chance to go with him! In the back of my mind, I wondered what he would think of Disney World in contrast to Universal, and in comparing experiencing Disney as a teen versus Disney as an adult.
With only four days at Disney and two days at Universal, time was at a premium. Off to the airport we went, beginning with our traditional stop at Caribou Coffee. Thanks to another long flight delay by Frontier (why do I keep flying them?), we started our vacation in Florida later than we had planned. That was ok, we thought, I'd scheduled our dinner reservation in plenty of time to still explore Disney Springs before eating.
Unfortunately, the Mouse did not perform as expected.
This later arrival in Orlando made our first encounter with Disney service all the more frustrating. The Company has clearly given up on Magical Express, and using it was a horrible first introduction to this Walt Disney World vacation with our youngest son. The service both on the ground and on the bus was slow, cast members seemed disinterested, and our ultimate arrival to the Old Key West resort was unnecessarily much, much, later than it should have been.
The resort had the Florida vibe we wanted, but as we'd soon discover, the lobby was closed due to renovation and the boat service to Disney Springs was not operating. That was something we greatly missed. There is something special about being on the water at Walt Disney World that makes it a richer and different resort experience than visiting Disneyland. So, although we were disappointed once again, we waited for the resort bus.
Fortunately, the resort bus to a very busy Saturday night crowd at Disney Springs came quickly. Hopping off, the crowds were thick but friendly, and there was a real buzz of excitement in the air. Such a far cry from the dying days of Pleasure Island. May it Rest In Peace.
The lengthy arrival delay meant that our planned two plus hours of exploration before dinner were now wasted. I was not happy, but I made a decision to roll with it and not let it ruin the night. I was in good company everywhere I looked. People in all stages and ages of life were out having a good time and getting along wonderfully. The COVID stressed world could learn something from theme park fans.
Live music! An ongoing delight.
Beginning with the disaster of our Magical Express trip, we eventually arrived one hour late for our reservations at Raglan Road. Well, we still needed that round of drinks and a great appetizer to start our trip and let a week of fun begin. The alcohol was pricey but a good choice. Our son's whiskey flight brought a smile, and my gin something or other was just what the doctor ordered. My wife found her drink to be good as well. But she's already a pretty relaxed person.
Our appetizer of choice could not have been better! Even the odd Irish name of Pull the Boxty did not deter us from ordering this absolutely satisfying and unique dish- pulled ham hock on a crispy potato cake topped with carmelized onions and a cheese sauce. Perfectly cooked and presented. We would have licked the plate if we could. In fact, I would have ordered it for my meal had I known. It was better than my very good fish and chips!
Whiskey anyone?
All of us agreed Raglan Road was a great experience, and Disney Springs at night is not to be missed. There was do much to see, but unfortunately, our tight schedule and the Magical Express delays meant we just couldn't do it. We'd have to squeeze it in during our other days and the park visits.
The hot live music, great service, and our delicious meal and drinks came at an equally top-notch price. Let's just say, it was by far the most expensive meal of our trip. And there was our first surprise. Disney and its associates have raised their prices quite a bit since our last visit just two years ago. Would I skipped eating at Raglan Road had I known? No, I'd still eat there as I knew my son would love it, but now, it is a one and done... unless someone else picks up the tab.
Great food and a very cool exterior!
(For the record, I'd always pick Asian food as my first choice, but my wife and I wanted this vacation to be something our youngest son would always remember, so it had to start off great. And it did! The photo above is from the rightly beloved Morimoto Asia. Had lunch there last trip, so I never saw this building at night!)
Magic-less Bands.
Surprise number two was that our Magic Bands were fairly a waste of time and extra money. Package shipping to your room? Not available. This was a drag and actually cost Disney some money as we purchased much less since we had to carry it with us. As one of my wife's very favorite features and benefits from staying on the property, this was a huge disappointment. Park access worked as expected, and they made for a great group photo, but it is not an expense we will undertake again at this level of use. And no, Magic Band+ is not adding anything we care about.
A wonderful room and fine surroundings
but with diminished services.
After a night out walking around and dining at Disney Springs, we eventually returned to our very nice and well-appointed room at Old Key West. We flopped into bed, setting the alarm for the early morning hours. Wanting to grab a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance, we decided to leave nothing to chance. That is a story for the next segment in this trip report. What a great story it is!
(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
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