No Longer coming to you Live from Disney World! Take 3 DDW'S TAMBU LOUNGE 8/6

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Say it isn't so Mr. DDW! The Dark Side?! How could you!

I, for one, would be curious to hear about your comparisons of the two Parks in terms of general atmosphere, cast member interaction, of course overall food, etc. Andrew and I almost planned a trip to see the Harry Potter 'stuff' last year but I just couldn't justify the expense when we don't do thrill rides.

I have been to CityWalk and have seen The Blue Man Group. That is the extent of my visits to Universal. Oh, I have eaten at Emeril's Tchoup Chop and they may just be the two best meals I have ever eaten.

I'm still not sure what came over me when I bought that ticket - it almost felt like my heart was turning to stone. Still, after spending 6.5 hours in the Universal parks over the past few days, I'll try to address some of those comparisons.

General atmosphere: Disney wins, no contest. Each of the WDW parks succeeds in transporting you from the real world to somewhere else (although obviously there are some weaker areas, such as DHS's backlot and AK's DinoLand). Universal's parks feel more 'real world', from the barely themed roller coasters (that you could find at a Six Flags) to the large 'warehouses' that house some of the attractions. Universal's atmosphere is definitely fun and energetic, but I prefer Disney's immersion and escapism.

-There's one exception to the above: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (which matches WDW's immersion factor). The biggest flaw with the Wizarding World is that it recycled some of IoA's previous coasters. These coasters stand out (especially Dragon Challenge) because of their 'Six Flags' quality, but it looks like Wizarding World Part II will be completely original.

Cast member interaction: To my surprise, I didn't feel like Universal's cast members were any worse than WDW's. Both have workers who are really nice and friendly, and a few who might be having a bad day.

Food: My experience with Universal is extremely limited, but I have to give the edge to Disney here. Not only does Disney offer a ton of variety, but I feel like quality is slightly higher and prices are similar or more reasonable. My one meal in Potter World was good, but the menus at other locations seemed basic and/or overpriced. I even saw a place offering kebabs (which reminded me of Bengal Barbecue in DL), but when I saw other people carrying the kebabs around, they didn't look nearly as good as Bengal's. I haven't tried any of the table table service restaurants, and don't know if I will - good to hear positive things about Tchoup Chop, though!

Honestly, I think it was smart that you didn't go to Universal last year. There are some really cool shops and restaurants to explore in the Wizarding World, but aside from Potter, the thrill rides were my favorite part of Uni. That said, when Potter Part II opens, it might be fun visiting for a day (with a park hopper), as you could explore both halves of the Wizarding World and even take the Hogwarts Express between them.

Though initially this came as a bit of a shock for me , the more I thought about it the more it made sense that you would want to try something a little different for fun and entertainment (yet still in familiar territory) as you begin this new chapter of your "real" life. So even though your surprise announcement is a little sad and disconcerting for me personally, as I have so enjoyed all your WDW reports over the years, in the end I think that having you reporting on things from the "dark side" will be of great benefit for me and all of your other readers. It will be kind of like having a spy behind enemy lines.

That's a perfect description! When push comes to shove, I'm definitely on Team Disney, but the recent additions at Universal have finally compelled me to visit. Honestly, I'd be thrilled if Diagon Alley succeeds in drawing people away from WDW a bit longer, since then it might force WDW to actually start competing. Disney could certainly do more - they did it in DCA with Radiator Springs Racers (and they briefly tapped into it with the Mine Train's main show scene). I'd love to see Disney do it again.

Mr DDW, I for one am glad to see you are expanding your horizons. As proud Universal AP holders, a trip to Orlando for us would not be complete without a couple of days on the dark side

The dark side isn't as bad as I thought! In just a few hours (2.5 hours on Monday and 4 hours on Tuesday), I experienced far more than would be possible in WDW: Forbidden Journey (twice), the Incredible Hulk (twice), Dragon Challenge (both sides), Spider-Man, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (three times!), Transformers, Simpsons, Mummy, and (of course) some of the highlights of the Wizarding World (excluding Ollivanders). Single rider was almost everywhere, which helped a lot. The dark side definitely isn't Disney, but it's still really fun (and will improve tremendously when the Potter expansion is complete).

I have to come clean and admit that I have enjoyed my two visits to Universal - Orlando, especially the last one in summer 2010 because most of my family are big fans of the Harry Potter books and movies. However, our trips to Orlando are usually limited to about a week so when push comes to shove (so to speak), I will always choose WDW over US. But then again, I would love to see Diagon Alley...so perhaps "always" is too strong of a word.

I don't know when my next Orlando trip will be, but if it's before yours, I'll definitely share my thoughts on Diagon Alley. Maybe it would be worth it for a day.

Btw, I did notice a few people in Universal wearing MagicBands, so I wasn't the only one to start exploring the dark side.

Loved the Universal review! I also love Butterbeer

Butterbeer was delicious...but I might have enjoyed pumpkin juice even more. I liked the spiced, cider-like flavor (and the ingredients list contained actual pumpkin puree!).

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Speaking of Universal, here's another update focused on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (from June 3rd). Four years after opening, the land is still drawing in crowds, and I was excited to finally see it for myself.

The buildings are perfectly themed from a variety of angles.

And you never know what you might see in the storefronts, such as this oversized chocolate frog.

I was looking forward to trying some savory food, so I hopped in line for the Three Broomsticks.

Some menu highlights

The Great Feast looks really good! I believe it costs $49-50 and feeds 4 people.

I chose the roast chicken meal with corn and potatoes - this cost $10.99 (before my 10% annual pass discount). This was perfectly fine (although now I'd like to try Flame Tree BBQ's or Cosmic Ray's chicken to compare!).

I also got a glass of pumpkin juice with my meal - it was delicious. It tasted like apple cider to me, and the ingredients list actually mentions pumpkin puree and apricot puree (not surprisingly, apple juice concentrate was an ingredient). I don't know if I'd get it again, but it was fun to try once.

A few hours after exploring the Wizarding World, I couldn't wait to find my Disney side again. So I headed off to MK in the evening - walking down Main Street felt as amazing as always.

After watching a bit of the Electrical Parade, I decided to head to Sleepy Hollow for my first waffle sandwich there. The nutella and fruit waffle was my choice, and it was wonderful as expected. You just can't go wrong with a freshly made waffle, nutella, and fruit.

I then enjoyed Wishes from the FP+ viewing area.

After Wishes, I got in the standby line for the Mine Train to ride it at night. The line was only about 45 minutes, and the area looked gorgeous after dark. That said, some of the animatronics weren't moving, which was a bummer.

The Tangled Toilets also warranted a stop.

While the Wizarding World is great, I'd choose MK over Universal/IoA 90% of the time. We'll have to see if Diagon Alley changes that at all!

 

[mousegear]

I had to laugh, Mr DDW! We are both AP holders at WDW and US. I always feel little guilty leaving WDW to visit US, like a traitor. I totally agree with you about theming of US. Besides WWHP, US feels and looks like nothing more than Six Flags. While we stay mostly at WDW during our vacation which usually consists of more than 10 days, we do spend 2~3 days at US. We like seeing Harry Potter land and DS (who is 10) likes to get his fill of thrill ride at US. Also, I cannot wait to see Diagon Alley expansion. We are returning both Aug and Sept to Orlando and plan on spending sometime at US to explore Diagon Alley. As for food, I do like some of the TS places at US, including Tchcoup Chop, Mythos, Lombards, and Margaritaville. I will be waiting read more of your review on US.

 

[jedijill]

Welcome to the Dark Side! My company owns Universal so I was able to get a free ticket right after the purchase and used it to see Harry Potter. I really want to go back after they open Diagon Alley. I keep putting on our yearly surveys that employees should get the same level of perks for Universal that Disney gives their employees.

Jill in CO

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I had to laugh, Mr DDW! We are both AP holders at WDW and US. I always feel little guilty leaving WDW to visit US, like a traitor. I totally agree with you about theming of US. Besides WWHP, US feels and looks like nothing more than Six Flags. While we stay mostly at WDW during our vacation which usually consists of more than 10 days, we do spend 2~3 days at US. We like seeing Harry Potter land and DS (who is 10) likes to get his fill of thrill ride at US. Also, I cannot wait to see Diagon Alley expansion. We are returning both Aug and Sept to Orlando and plan on spending sometime at US to explore Diagon Alley. As for food, I do like some of the TS places at US, including Tchcoup Chop, Mythos, Lombards, and Margaritaville. I will be waiting read more of your review on US.

Ha! I definitely understand that feeling about Universal now (although it's totally been worth switching to the dark side, at least temporarily). Honestly, even WWHP has some of that 'Six Flags' feeling because of Dragon Challenge, but I suppose they couldn't just tear down such a good coaster (and thankfully, it's not visible from most of the land).

Have fun exploring Diagon Alley! Not sure when I'll be there, but I can't wait to see it - it almost sounds more immersive than the existing WWHP in IoA. And thanks for the TS suggestions - if I ever break away from the food options in WWHP, I'll have to give some of those a try.

Welcome to the Dark Side! My company owns Universal so I was able to get a free ticket right after the purchase and used it to see Harry Potter. I really want to go back after they open Diagon Alley. I keep putting on our yearly surveys that employees should get the same level of perks for Universal that Disney gives their employees.

Jill in CO

Thanks for the welcome (and very cool that you're 'related' to Universal)! It's interesting thinking about the theme parks from a corporate perspective, with Comcast and the Walt Disney Company almost feeling like opposites in terms of their media/themed entertainment offerings (and Comcast was even trying to acquire Disney a decade ago!). Tickets to Universal would be an awesome perk (and it doesn't seem like a difficult one to add).

 

[kanadar]

Oh man! I feel like I have been gone from this thread forever! Second semester of school got pretty busy for me so I have A LOT of catching up to do on here! Things are about to get even crazier for me though! My boyfriend proposed last week and we are now currently planning our Disney wedding!!! Disney food from a new perspective maybe?!

I hope to catch up real soon on all the food porn! With school over I have more free time now.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Hi everyone! Although I'm back home now, I still have many more pictures to share. First up: another update from Universal.

As a huge ice cream lover, the Wizarding World's strawberry & peanut butter ice cream seriously tempted me. Ultimately, I decided to pass.

The selection in Honeyduke's was also rather enticing.

Instead, I decided to order a full meal in the Three Broomsticks.

My choices were the fish and chips, pumpkin juice, and chocolate trifle. The fish and chips were good, although I don't know how they compare to those at Rose & Crown, Raglan Road, or Yorkshire County Fish Shop. That said, the dish was overpriced, at $13.99 (although I paid less with my 10% AP discount). I have to say, the food at Universal (and other amusement parks, such as Six Flags) makes Disney quick service look like a good value, IMO.

The pumpkin juice was still good, and the trifle was okay but nothing special.

Here are some more pictures of the Wizarding World, taken from Dragon Challenge's queue.

The long line below is the queue for Ollivanders, which I didn't get to experience. It sounds like an intimate, semi-interactive special effects show, which makes me wonder how it compares to Enchanted Tales with Belle.

To cap off my experience in the Wizarding World, I had to get another frozen butterbeer (that stuff seems to be liquid money for Universal!).

If you're getting tired of these Universal updates, don't worry. So am I. That's why I decided to throw in some more WDW pictures. This next batch is from the Disney water parks, which I'm seriously going to miss when my annual pass expires.

Blizzard Beach is a great choice when looking for thrills, with Summit Plummet being one of the tallest and fastest free fall slides in the world. The view from the top is incredible (but it's even cooler when going down the slide!). Using a waterproof case on my phone, I was able to photograph the experience twice.

In comparison, Typhoon Lagoon wins for atmosphere, IMO. It feels like a tropical paradise, where things are just slightly twisted due to a powerful typhoon.

For the first time, I tried some of the substantial food offerings at Typhoon Lagoon! TL has plenty of quick service eateries and snack stands, but I stopped at one of the larger ones: Leaning Palms.

The menu is pretty standard for a quick service eatery.

My choice was the chicken sandwich with apple slices, and I thought it was perfectly adequate. The chicken was moist, the lettuce and tomato were fresh enough, and the bun didn't fall apart.

But the real highlight of my TL dining experience was a waffle sandwich from Lowtide Lou's (which I discovered thanks to a post on this board). Apparently these waffle sandwiches are being offered through June and July to celebrate TL's 25th anniversary.

My choice was the fruit waffle, and it was good! Perhaps not as good as the waffle sandwich in MK with nutella, but the cinnamon sugar was a tasty addition.

Overall, the Disney water parks are a ton of fun to visit. They don't offer as much substance (or interesting food) as the theme parks, but I still recommend them for their unique themes and impressive attractions.

 

[emmysmommy]

Hi Mr. DDW! I enjoyed reading about your escape to the dark side. I've not ventured there so I'm always interested. It looks like you like that Butterbeer.

Since I'm getting caught up I have to mention that I was really excited to see a picture of those glorious macadamia nut pancakes! Even if they weren't all fresh.

Thanks for sharing all your updates and photos.

 

[jabead]

Such great updates, DDW!! Thank you so much for posting them here. I really do appreciate the help with keeping this thread going.

We still have more than 100 pages before this thread reaches the maximum 250 page limit, so please keep the live (or almost live) updates coming folks!!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Hi Mr. DDW! I enjoyed reading about your escape to the dark side. I've not ventured there so I'm always interested. It looks like you like that Butterbeer.

Since I'm getting caught up I have to mention that I was really excited to see a picture of those glorious macadamia nut pancakes! Even if they weren't all fresh.

Thanks for sharing all your updates and photos.

Glad you don't mind me updating from the dark side! And you're right about butterbeer (and pumpkin juice), but it felt wrong visiting Hogwarts and not buying those specialty drinks! Because of their thematic relevance, they're definitely more compelling purchases than LeFou's brew.

And the pancakes might not have been Kona's best batch, but they still tasted great.

Such great updates, DDW!! Thank you so much for posting them here. I really do appreciate the help with keeping this thread going.

We still have more than 100 pages before this thread reaches the maximum 250 page limit, so please keep the live (or almost live) updates coming folks!!

No problem - I'm so glad you're enjoying the updates, even the non-Disney ones. I've got one more set of pictures to post (and then maybe a restaurant review that I might post in the general board).

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Here's my last set of updates from this trip, starting with a visit to the food court at Port Orleans French Quarter.

I decided to try 2 snacks here, including the chicken gumbo. This was warm, hearty, and not too spicy.

The beignets (aka the reason I headed over here) were very good as well. While I don't know if they're made to order, this batch was certainly fried to order. In fact, each time I took a bite of a new beignet, steam billowed out from the hollow center!

The only negative at POFQ? I thought the oversized masks in the sitting area were kind of creepy.

On another day, I headed to Epcot's Japan to try a new restaurant for me.

Teppan Edo is a place that I'd read many good reviews about, so I was excited to try it. I've been to a few teppanyaki-style restaurants elsewhere, and this one definitely compared favorably in terms of service and entertainment. I particularly enjoyed the Disney references interspersed throughout the meal (such as the classic onion volcano, which became "Space Mountain").

As for the food itself, it was very tasty. My choice was the chicken and shrimp combo (with white rice instead of beef rice), and everything was cooked well. If I had one criticism, it would be that the noodles were slightly bland, but it wasn't a problem when the noodles were mixed with everything else.

Overall, the food and show were very enjoyable, but I couldn't help but feel this place is more overpriced than the typical Disney restaurant. It surprised me that my meal here actually cost more than an impressive dish I'd tried a few nights prior at a signature restaurant. That's why I don't plan to rush back here.

For dessert, I stopped by a pavilion that isn't part of my normal rotation: China.

Lotus Blossom Cafe serves lychee ice cream (as well as caramel-ginger) for dessert. While it might not have been as fresh or smooth as the creations at L'Artisan des Glaces, the flavor was really good.

If you think that's the end of the ice cream updates, think again. I also visited a classic ice cream spot at the Beach Club.

Some time ago, Beaches and Cream added the No Way Jose to its to-go menu. I'd never tried it before, but I wanted to get the smaller size instead of a full sundae. Fortunately, this wasn't a problem, and I was finally able to enjoy this classic creation that so many have raved about.

(However, if I could only choose one ice cream parlor, I'd still choose L'Artisan des Glaces.)

On my last night, I headed back to Magic Kingdom once again. After watching Wishes in New Fantasyland...

...I stopped by Aloha Isle for one last snack. Yep, my last Disney snack of the trip was a refreshing dole whip (pineapple vanilla swirl - the best kind).

There's actually one more review to share, but I haven't written it yet (it might even end up as a separate thread). Until then, I can say it was a perfect choice for our signature dinner.

It's been fun contributing to this thread again - I hope you enjoyed the Disney and Universal updates!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Hi everyone! I'm back in Orlando, staying offsite again. That suits me just fine, as this trip isn't Disney-focused. While I ate breakfast and lunch in WDW on Wednesday, this trip has been more about Universal, and this next update is a doozy. Sadly, Diagon Alley isn't open yet, but that's ok - everything else has more than made up for it.

For starters, I finally had my first TS meal at Universal: lunch at Emeril's Tchoup Chop, located at the Royal Pacific Resort.

This restaurant focuses on Asian-Polynesian fusion, and it looks beautiful on the inside (even though part of it was blocked off).

My choice for lunch was the Hawaiian Naraigi Katsu: seared marlin, romaine, onions, water chestnuts, carrots, green onions, napa slaw, tomatoes, cilantro, macadamia nuts, cucumber, wonton crisps with a mandarin orange-sesame soy vinaigrette and a drizzle of wasabi aioli and kabayaki glaze (menu description from the Emeril's site).

I guess the name had me expecting something a little more interesting, but this was basically a Pan-Asian salad with some tempura-fried marlin. It was fresh, but the flavors weren't too different than you would find at a chain restaurant.

Tchoup Chop is currently offering a deal where each table gets a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an entree (if someone at the table presents a Universal ticket). As such, I decided to try the signature banana cream pie with graham cracker crust and caramel sauce. This was really good, and the crust had a great flavor and thick texture. The one downside, again, is that it wasn't particularly interesting. I'm glad I tried it, but next time I'd go for something with more unique flavors (or skip dessert entirely).

Overall, this was a decent lunch spot with a great discount (my entree cost $16 and the dessert would've been $10), but I probably won't rush back.

I also spent some time exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter again.

The construction walls are down, meaning the beautiful London waterfront and Hogsmeade Station are visible for everyone to see. Diagon Alley hasn't opened yet, but spoilers are all over the place now - I'm trying really hard to avoid them!

On Wednesday evening, while attempting to explore the London area again, I noticed that it was completely blocked off and a huge crowd had formed by the entrance. That's because they were holding a star-studded, red carpet event in London and Diagon Alley. Here are some of the people who were there:

Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix)

Matthew Lewis (Neville)

Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy - he came up to the crowd, was really friendly, and even took selfies with people!)

Other stars at the event included Warwick Davis, Bonnie Wright, Robbie Coltrane, Evanna Lynch, James & Oliver Phelps, and Mario Lopez (conducting interviews), but I couldn't get great pictures of them. Still, it was so exciting being there, and the crowd was going wild.

From there, I headed to the Universal Music Plaza to see the Tonight Show's music performance, and before filming began, Jimmy Fallon came out to hype up the crowd. Everyone went crazy for him (especially when he called out people who hold up giant iPads and block everyone else's view).

Then the performance began! Fun performed one new song (the event description said there would only be 1-2 songs), but then they stayed on and performed three of their biggest hits! It was a seriously fun experience, literally.

Believe it or not, it gets even better. Earlier today (Thursday) in Universal, I headed toward London again to see if anything was happening. My plan was to cut through Springfield, when I noticed another "hot set" for Jimmy Fallon. The CM at the entrance told me Jimmy would soon be filming beer pong there, so I secured a spot and waited (for about 45 minutes).

Soon, it was all worth it, and Jimmy Fallon arrived to face off against tonight's musical guest - Pitbull!

Jimmy and Pitbull interacted with the crowd a few times, even taking selfies with people. Personally, I was content with the high five I got from Jimmy - what a cool moment! By the way, I just watched the Tonight Show and was easily able to spot myself a few times during that segment. Pretty exciting, even though I was grinning like a fool.

Later that evening, I returned to Universal to see Pitbull's Tonight Show performance. I got in line 90 minutes early, which was early enough to be near the front, in the center! It was really fun, and Pitbull's performance was full of energy.

It had been a few hours since I'd eaten, so after the performance I headed over to a new restaurant in CityWalk: Vivo Italian Kitchen. It actually opened on Monday, just three nights ago!

I had originally showed up around noon to have lunch here, as the website says it opens at 11am. However, they only opened at 4 today. Because of that, I got to walk around the restaurant when it was empty - it has a very modern vibe, but is still casual and welcoming.

My seat was at the chef's counter, which meant I had a nice view of the chefs prepping dishes (and some freshly made pasta).

My server was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. Soon after I was seated, he brought over some water and offered me bread (in comparison, at Via Napoli, I've never been offered bread). This bread was warm and tasted extremely fresh - the oil and balsamic vinegar only made it even better.

I was hungry, so I decided to order a full meal. My appetizer was the burrata salad with orange segments, cherry tomato, pesto oil, and orange balsamic glaze ($12.95). This was a really great appetizer. The house made burrata was extremely fresh and creamy on the inside, and I loved it with the sweetness of the orange and lightly dressed greens.

Next was the dish I was most excited to try: squid ink pasta with sautéed shrimp, clams, squid, white wine, basil, and butter ($16.95). This dish was extremely flavorful, with the primary flavor being garlic (which I love). Everything was cooked really well and tasted fresh, and I thought the price was extremely reasonable.

I had to finish things off with dessert, and my choice was something that sounded fairly simple: ricotta cheesecake with candied fruit and seasonal berries ($4.95). The cheesecake was light and fluffy, and it had a surprisingly sweet, citrusy flavor from the candied fruit (which was inside the cake). The berries and chocolate garnish further enhanced the dessert. I'd actually choose this over the lemon cheesecake at Citricos, which costs nearly twice as much.

Vivo is easily my favorite meal I've had at Universal, and it might be my favorite Italian restaurant in Orlando (including WDW). It strikes a great balance between good quality and reasonable prices (whereas Disney's Italian selections are mediocre, pricey, or both). My bill came to $31.37 before tax, but including a 10% annual pass discount. That's less than most entrees at the WDW signatures, and I was extremely happy with everything here. Can't wait to come back and try some other dishes!

As you can probably tell, this may have been my 'breakthrough' visit to Universal. It's incredible how much effort Universal-NBC-Comcast is pouring into this media preview week, but the best part is that they've made all of these events available to day guests. I even heard someone saying outside the Potter gala, "that was totally worth the cost," as she stared proudly at a selfie she'd taken with Draco Malfoy.

This whole week must have been a dream come true for people. In fact, Universal is seriously challenging WDW as the place in Orlando where "dreams come true" on a daily basis. Once Diagon Alley opens to the public (on July 8th!), the competition will only intensify. It'll be interesting to see how (if?) Disney reacts, but until then, I'm sure Universal will continue to blow visitors away.

 

[OrangeKnickers]

Wow DonaldDoleWhip! Now I can not wait to go to Universal/IOA next year. I am mainly going for Harry Potter, but reviews like this make me think that I'll find some really interesting experiences elsewhere in the parks (not something that I was expecting). That Italian restaurant looks fabulous.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

What a great update Mr. DDW! Fantastic day.

I am sorry you were disappointed in Tchoup Chop. We have had dinner there twice although the most recent meal was at least 5 years go. Both meals are at the top of my best meals ever eaten list. I am sure I have pictures somewhere but they would be actual pictures, not digital so I would have to not only find but scan them!

Love all of your celebrity "meetings". So cool seeing Jimmy Fallon!!

 

[mom2my3kids]

While I am and always be a HUGE Disney fan, we were really impressed with Universal this year...Harry Potter was just beautiful and the ride was my all time favorite just outbeating Soarin...With our trip june 2015 we are also spending two days at Universal...

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Wow DonaldDoleWhip! Now I can not wait to go to Universal/IOA next year. I am mainly going for Harry Potter, but reviews like this make me think that I'll find some really interesting experiences elsewhere in the parks (not something that I was expecting). That Italian restaurant looks fabulous.

I hope you enjoy Universal when you go! Honestly, you're going for the right reason. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is easily the highlight of Universal, and that'll only become more true when Diagon Alley opens up. Still, there are definitely other great things to discover. The Spider-Man ride in IoA utilizes some really cool technology (even though it's 15 years old), and the thrill rides pack a huge punch compared to WDW! Also, the Italian restaurant was a great find. It seems like Universal is making an effort to spruce up CityWalk, as I noticed a lot of construction walls there (although the construction isn't nearly as intrusive as Disney Springs/DTD). That's good news for us!

What a great update Mr. DDW! Fantastic day.

I am sorry you were disappointed in Tchoup Chop. We have had dinner there twice although the most recent meal was at least 5 years go. Both meals are at the top of my best meals ever eaten list. I am sure I have pictures somewhere but they would be actual pictures, not digital so I would have to not only find but scan them!

Love all of your celebrity "meetings". So cool seeing Jimmy Fallon!!

I seriously can't believe how fun Universal's been over the past few days! And it's okay about Tchoup Chop - while those dishes at lunch weren't too special, it looks like the dinner menu features several composed dishes that sound interesting to me. I'd be happy to try it for dinner (as well as the other Emeril's restaurant) sometime.

Seeing Jimmy Fallon, the music performances, and the Harry Potter stars was just too cool. Those experiences really made the park feel alive, and they were perfectly fitting for a park with "Studios" in its name (hello, DHS ). I know they don't happen all the time, as this was a media preview week for one of the most touted theme park expansions ever, but it seems like Universal does this kind of thing more often than Disney (such as their Mardis Gras concerts, which bring major musical acts to the park several times a year and are included with park admission). I can't believe I'm saying this, but Universal has won me over!

While I am and always be a HUGE Disney fan, we were really impressed with Universal this year...Harry Potter was just beautiful and the ride was my all time favorite just outbeating Soarin...With our trip june 2015 we are also spending two days at Universal...

Agreed on Universal - it may be different from Disney, but it has so much to offer (and Diagon Alley isn't even open yet)! Forbidden Journey is a fantastic ride, and it's up there as one of my favorites with Soarin' and Tower of Terror. Even the queue area is impressive enough that I want to spend time there, but it never happens because the single rider line is so short.

 

[Linda67]

So I haven't stopped by this thread for some time but I am more than happy to see Mr. DDWs Universal reviews

We love Universal but haven't been for a couple of years and are super excited to be staying there for a few days in October

I was interested to read you review of Emeril's Tchoup Chop, as we are considering this for lunch/dinner one day as we are staying at the Royal Pacific Resort

Vivo was another place to try on our list, as in Antojitos

Universal are really stepping it up with dining and we can't wait to visit

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

So I haven't stopped by this thread for some time but I am more than happy to see Mr. DDWs Universal reviews

We love Universal but haven't been for a couple of years and are super excited to be staying there for a few days in October

I was interested to read you review of Emeril's Tchoup Chop, as we are considering this for lunch/dinner one day as we are staying at the Royal Pacific Resort

Vivo was another place to try on our list, as in Antojitos

Universal are really stepping it up with dining and we can't wait to visit

Glad you liked the Universal update! If you loved it before, I can only imagine how much more fun you'll have this time. And staying on-property looks awesome, especially at one of the deluxe hotels with boat transportation and unlimited Express Pass!

Personally, I'd recommend Tchoup Chop for dinner over lunch (since lunch didn't feel that special to me), but at least the lunch menu is reasonably priced. Vivo is also highly recommended, and I obviously can't comment on Antojitos, but the building looks really cool. There are still some construction walls up in CityWalk (although it isn't nearly as much of a mess as DTD), which means more new dining options will be open soon.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

So I'm back home and my WDW annual pass officially expired - this was the first time I was in Orlando to take advantage of the last few days of my ticket. I've got more pictures to share, but here's a quick update from the 21st of June, which featured a special food truck event at Downtown Disney.

The Disney food trucks were all there, each with updated menus:

I wasn't a fan of the menu changes at Superstar Catering, the DHS-inspired truck.

There were also lots of visiting trucks around.

One of the trucks I stopped at was TJ's Seafood Shack, which featured some dishes with fried and grilled seafood.

The grilled fish taco with cilantro sauce (and some added sriracha) was delicious!.

Yum Yum Cupcake Truck was also attracting large crowds.

My cupcake choice (vegan, gluten-free peach) had a bit too much frosting for me, which is usually the case regarding cupcakes IMO. That said, I really enjoyed the flavor of the cake itself.

Namaste Cafe (the AK-inspired truck) was my final stop, where I enjoyed the char-grilled tandoori shrimp with pickled vegetables and basmati rice.

This dish used to be served on naan bread but no longer is. I didn't mind, as it still contained a ton of flavor and plenty of perfectly cooked shrimp.

Since I was already visiting the DTD West Side, I used my ticket to enter DisneyQuest again. What a mistake - that place isn't worth anyone's time, IMO.

One interesting thing I noticed is that DisneyQuest seems to share a cupcake supplier with Starring Rolls.

In other DTD news, the first new parking garage for Disney Springs is really coming along. Thank goodness, because the parking situation can often be atrocious.

Overall, the food truck event was a nice way to sample some different food trucks from the area. Maybe when Disney Springs is complete, it'll continue to have visiting food trucks - I hope so!

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

Mr. DDW you are KILLING me with the Universal pics! I want to go back so badly! And you got to see Jimmy Fallon and Pitbull play beer pong, and you saw Fun perform?!? I am too jealous for words. I am desperately trying to talk Rob into a day trip there in September. Thanks for all the great updates!