Universal Express from the Orlando airport to the resort was fast, the bus very clean, and the arrival times were about every 15 minutes. What more could you ask for? A great hotel. And we stayed there.
A nighttime shot from the bus station.
Universal's Dockside Resort was the choice for our entire Florida vacation. You heard that right- not Disney. Sure, we visited a couple of Walt Disney World resorts, but here at their main competitor, we couldn't resist the fresh modern look, very large and bright rooms, and equally great bus service to City Walk and the parks. It worked for us!
Oh yeah, the price. Way below what we would have paid at Disney for an All Star Sports or Pop Century room. In-lobby Starbucks, lounge, brand new food court, and huge pools. The place had everything but the oversized icons, faded paint, and dreaded Motel 6 feel.
Check In was fast- less than a ten minute wait- and we were upgraded to a private bedroom and a room with two Queen beds, a dining table, and a refrigerator at no extra charge.
We took an Uber to Disney Springs. Very inexpensive.
Dinner at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant (a new tradition with our son) would be the star of the evening, but we had three stops for smaller treats to start off our vacation in just the right mood.
Gideon's Bakehouse offered up a huge and delicious Peanut Butter cookie in a ghoulishly clever setting. Next up were an order of ribs at Morimoto Asia, which are some of the best on the property. Or maybe the best anywhere. Yes, they are that good.
Lastly, there was a stop at Coca-Cola, where we sampled flavors from around the world. Although it was not free as in Epcot's Club Cool, the flavors were much better than the ones currently offered at the theme park.
Much like we would do everywhere we went, we shared these treats among the three of us. It was good practice for when we took in the booths at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival later in the week.
That was not our practice when it came to dinner at Raglan Road, appetizer and adult beverages aside. After walking for several hours and checking out everything we hadn't seen before at Disney Springs, we were ready for a drink and appetizers.
This isn't a joke, but it is a very sweet reminder
of a beloved family member and a story she shared.
Checking in at the podium, it was a short wait for our table, which ended up being the exact one we had at our last trip. That was kind of fun- but we had time for some shopping in the pub's attached store. We purchased nothing, but our son found a "challenge coin" to give to his brother in law, the new fire chief.
Sláinte!
While this post is not a "Dine or Ditch" article (a series on the blog about restaurants and their food/atmosphere/value), I want to mention that dinner at the pub was certainly a strong contender for our favorite vacation meal. Even compared to our previous trip with him.
The entertainment was top notch, and our server was excellent. The fun, festive atmosphere was the perfect way to begin a much needed family vacation. Lively, but not over the top. We enjoyed every minute we spent at Raglan.
We considered other appetizers we hadn't tried previously,
but this was just too good to pass up.
After a great meal and a relaxed time together, we did a bit more strolling under the evening's balmy Florida skies, and then we returned to Universal's Dockside for the night. We'd begin the next day at Islands of Adventure. My third visit to this park made me look at it in a whole new light.
More to come!
(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
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