Trip report [Space Coast & Orlando FL]

[digga]

First “real” trip to Florida (first time we stayed with my SIL/BIL and basically never left their compound near West Palm Beach). Not sure why I’m bothering to post, because food is low-priority on this trip (even for us, for whom the bar is low), but I figure, WTH.

Friday to Sunday
Started off in the Satellite Beach area although our main goal was Kennedy Space Center, 1 hour north because we couldn’t find appealing lodging that was closer because we planned this trip so dang last-minute. We had a 2-day KSC pass and Spring Onion groaned a bit (“why is everything an hour away?”) but got used to it. Friday dinner was at home after hitting the local Publix. Forgettable bagels from Salty Bagel for breakfast on Saturday. Forgettable food for lunch at the packed Orbit Cafe at KSC on Day 1 (we should’ve eaten out at the Saturn V campus, where we started our day but SO kept insisting he wasn’t hungry yet; we still don’t know better than to let a 10-year-old dictate meal planning). Forgettable takeout sushi dinner from Haru. B got a touch of food poisoning—based on the timing, probably from lunch, so we laid low on Sunday, eating lunch at home (frozen supermarket pizza and can of lentil soup cuz we’re just THAT fancy) and headed south to Sebastian inlet, which was awesome. SO wanted sushi again, so he and I got supermarket sushi. B ate something. No food photos, so some Saturn V and Atlantis photos.

Monday
B was feeling much better. Even though some Onions had posted about Presidents Day in FL, we were still surprised to see kids waiting for the schoolbus when set out early for KSC Day 2. We decided to grab more bagels/bagel sandwiches from Salty Bagel on the way to have for lunch inside KSC; we figured mediocre bagels were better than feeding B’s PTSD by eating inside KSC again. It’s been a long time since we felt proud to be Americans, but our visit restored some of that sense, if only temporarily. SO gleaned many new facts for his sponge-like brain. On our way home, we had a very fun dinner at Intracoastal Brewing. We snagged a spot outside on a big picnic table that was close to a fire pit (it got chilly! We’re never gonna survive the rest of the winter after we get back home to Greater Boston). Place got very crowded even at that early hour of 6 pm…they run a popular trivia night that starts at 7 pm. Good pub grub—giant loaded bratwurst for B, kids cheeseburger for SO, and I got fried rice with portabella mushrooms. B enjoyed their IPA offering but I don’t think he was bowled over. Anyway, we were too busy enjoying our conversation with our picnic table neighbors.

Tuesday
We delayed our drive to Orlando because there was going to be a Space X Falcon 9 launch (EM be damned) at ~6:15 pm. We had lunch at a casual riverside (Banana River) place, The Island. Food was decent and it was nice to be outside. Meh-looking fish tacos for B, decent ceviche app for me, fish and chips (thick-cut American-style potato chips, not proper chips but good nevertheless) for SO (he kept raving about his fish and even wanted another order to-go for later…we convinced him not to).

After checking out Cocoa Beach pier, we grabbed some food at a nearby Publix, thinking we would be eating dinner out at the spot we were going to view the rocket launch (sushi again for me and SO, B grabbed some sort of sub from Jersey Mike’s). The launch was underwhelming due to cloud cover but we chatted with some nice locals and SO was not at all underwhelmed…he had a great time, sitting in our hatchback after he set up a cozy spot for himself, eating sushi. B and I waited to eat until we got “home” to our Orlando hotel. We definitely know how to live large, don’t we?! LOL

Wednesday (today)
Universal all day. Free breakfast at our hotel, a big pretzel for SO midday, and then an early dinner at Finnegan’s in the New York portion of Universal. Bacon cheeseburger for SO, salmon BLT for B, and a very salty vegan shepherd’s pie for me. Home and back for more tomorrow at Universal.

We’re seeing some weird stuff in FL, stuff we’re not accustomed to seeing back home in Greater Boston. I’ll just leave it at that.

[honkman]

@digga

We’re seeing some weird stuff in FL, stuff we’re not accustomed to seeing back home in Greater Boston. I’ll just leave it at that.

You can’t leave us just guessing - we want details

[digga]

I would be in serious violation of the “no politics” rule if I provided details.

[grumpyspatient]

Thanks for the posting. I really liked the space center many years ago. Orlando, not so much.
Have family in Sarasota, and there are some pretty decent spots for food and interesting things to do in that area.
But if I didn’t have family there, I don’t think Florida would be on my travel list.

A slight warm up coming to NE in the next day or so. Safe travels.

[GretchenS]

You really did pick a great (very cold) week to be gone.

[tomatotomato (Denise)]

Get a good dose of sunshine in you while you are in FL. At home you are missing frigid weather that we haven’t seen in awhile, mixed with a heady combination of snow and ice. Soak in the warmth, and by the time you head home I think schtuff here will have thawed. Your trip is perfectly timed!

[Sunshine842]

You definitely did the right thing. As you found, much of the food in Florida is forgettable and uninspiring, and its much better to focus on the activities than the food. (This from a 40-year resident)

Glad you had a good time…seeing a launch is still an impressive thing. I want to head over to see one of the Heavy launches one of these days.

[digga]

Playing catch up…it’s been a hectic few days. Tiring, but SO is having fun so it kinda makes it worth it. Kinda. Sorta. One thing we learned is that if you don’t want to stand in lines for counter/quick-service meals, reservations are a must. Unsurprisingly, food has been uniformly mediocre and pricey. Surprisingly, you can get adult beverages nearly everywhere (at a premium price, of course). This trip makes me long for LegoLand in Denmark, where we had very nice food. Now, we find ourselves lowering our already low bar and trying to find the bright spots.

One last lunch at Universal at Lombard’s in the San Fran area. The restaurant felt like a calm respite from the park. A decent vegan sausage casarecce for me, burger for B, chicken fingers for SO with double grapes as his side. We cobbled something together for dinner in our hotel room from a Whole Foods run.

We moved onto the Disney area the following day (Friday) and started off at Hollywood Studios. B and SO were particularly excited about all the Star Wars stuff (admittedly, I was, too). Lunch was at PizzeRizzo, a counter-service place based on the Muppet Rizzo the Rat. SO has a soft spot for rodents and was sad to learn that the pizzeria and Muppets 3D are going to be replaced by Monsters, Inc. Definitely not gonna win any pizza awards, but it was a good value with a nice patio set away from the crowds and I had a surprisingly ok vegan sausage sub. Kids pepperoni and an adult-sized pepperoni and sausage for B. SO is still sad thinking about Rizzo’s pizzeria.

We decided to nab spots early (5:30 pm-ish) at BaseLine Tap House, not because we were hungry but just because there was no line and places to sit. We split the cheese charcuterie board and a good pretzel. B was pleased to see Stone beers on tap.

We ended the evening at Oga’s Cantina. We were all slightly disappointed that there wasn’t an animatronic band inside but we were visited by Storm Troopers. SO enjoyed the Oga’s Obsession (blue jello in a Petri dish) and begged me to order a blue wine. I couldn’t let him down.

Saturday (yesterday) was spent at Epcot, where I was expecting slightly better food. Way overpriced sushi lunch at Shiki-Sai. Agedashi tofu was pretty bad. We split a sushi platter which was decent, and they kindly let us swap 1 nigiri set for more salmon, which is SO’s fish of choice. SO was so hungry, he started eating the sushi before taking a photo. Still hungry after lunch, which is always sad. Lines everywhere. SO got his first Dole Whip cone, which he liked but he prefers chocolate. SO and I got some instant udon bowls at the Mitsukoshi store to have for dinner back at the hotel. Takeout salad for B. SO came home with his 1 souvenir, a Remy (magnetic) friend. We saw lots of people walking around with different ones…he had to have the rat chef, bien sur! Plus, he says Remy reminds him of Rizzo.

Today is our last day. We’ll be at Magic Kingdom (as an aside, saying these place names reminds me of Del Boca Vista from Seinfeld…It feels so silly). If we can ever make it through the Disney Marathon traffic.

We’re trying to eat as healthily as possible…speaking of marathons, good thing we’ve walked ~27 miles over the last 3 days. Will probably do another 10 miles today.

[Madrid]

I’m glad you and B. are having fun through SO…otherwise, it would be difficult, I suspect! It’s interesting to see it from your family’s eyes because Florida is out for my family. Also glad you found some semi-decent food. It’s warming up here in the Boston area…above freezing today, 41! and 50 by Tuesday!

Safe journey home.

[digga]

One final non-report from Magic Kingdom. A very early lunch (~11:45 am) at Ray’s Starlight Cafe. After nearly 9 days straight of visiting major tourist attractions, it’s finally gotten through our thick skulls to eat early even if not necessarily hungry just in case we got tired of waiting in lines (we did but weirdly, we got used to it). The guys split a burger, B helped me with my vegan patty melt, which was ok.

A late afternoon repast at 3 pm (I don’t know what else to call it…not lunch, not dinner) at Jungle Navigation Co. because they had reservations and adult beverages (we found out that MK is the one place that doesn’t offer alcohol anywhere except at the full-service restaurants. We could’ve used a cold one whilst waiting in lines.) Weird falafel plate for me (hummus was paste-like). I liked the addition of pepitas, though. Radish as a garnish? Weird but I ate it because vegetables. B liked his cachapas a lot (corn arepas topped with pulled pork). Dinner was a footlong hot dog for the guys while we watched the fireworks display.

My one souvenir, complete with built-in bottle opener and hidden beer koozie.

And that’s a wrap for a looong time, although SO was already planning our return visit (Universal and Hollywood Studios only, particularly for the Star Wars stuff).

Back to work. Lots of work.

[GretchenS]

Sounds like a fun (if exhausting) trip and a good escape from winter weather.