Scott gives the new team running the restaurant a strong review:
The restaurant I found at Downtown Disney recently was very different from the old place. The food was top-notch – creative interpretations of Italian dishes that were flavorful and filling. And I suddenly find myself able to once again recommend it as a destination.
When it first opened, Portobello was my favorite restaurant in Downtown Disney, and not just because the husband of one my friends and co-workers in Magic Kingdom West Attractions cooked there. After growing up in Indianapolis (bleech) and spending four years broke as a college student in Chicago, Portobello was the restaurant where I discovered that food could be something better than cafeteria or fast food. I thank Portobello for my ever-since-then addiction to roasted garlic, for example. So it's nice to see that they've got folks in the kitchen again who care about food as much as my friend Gene did back in the day.
Here are a couple other notes today that I wanted to mention, but for which didn't feel like creating separate blog entries:
In fact DinaLand really needs some work on it to make it look Disney Standard!
Hard Rock, Good call on their behalf, lowing prices, honouring last years APs.
Military discounts - Should Apply to allie countries too, like the UK.
If they want more business in these tough times it would be a great ad campaign in UK TV offering free entry to UK Military. My Bro would be over (again) in a shot if he could save 148 british quid on ticket prices!!!
That said, I'm not as opposed to carny rides in a kiddie land. Just landscape 'em and decorate them well. (See Camp Snoopy for the original rubric.)
Also interesting to see how the new HRP's attendance goals have shifted. Remember when we were attacked by park backers for suggesting that there was no way in heck that Hard Rock Park was going to do "30,000 visitors a day," as the original management team promised?
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Adding a few kiddie rides to HRP should not be an issue provided, as Steve and Robert said, they dress em up with some flair and panache. Take a look at the kiddie rides at DisneySea...man, everything at that park looks awesome.
I still think HRP needs their version of DCA's Blue Sky Cellar: a place to showcase their new 10 year plan for the park. Nothing works better at ensuring long term customer loyalty than showing the folks what you plan to do to make their theme park experience even better.
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As for DinoLand USA, that Chester and Hector area just blows. It is the Paradise Pier of WDW. Where's the $1.1 billion to fix that travesty, Iger?
And FYI, staying at SoG doesn't even get you free parking in the WDW parks. Well, it might if you get a cool parking attendant, but I was told last time I was there that they aren't supposed to let you park for free anymore.
I have to add, though, that this year is a great year to be a military member (or retiree for that matter) living in Central Florida! :)
And, by the way, Disney, c'mon, give the SoG guests free parking! You can't tell me Disney wouldn't earn some nice goodwill, not to mention some positive press, by doing that.
As an active duty military member living in central Florida, and an admitted Theme Park Nut, I make every effort to be as informed as possible on deals regarding admission to the parks.
The Universal deal for military is really only good for the military member, and *maybe* a non-FL resident visitor. The reasons are:
- The price for a 'companion', 7-day 2-park ticket is $10 less than the Annual Pass ticket you can buy at the local Publix.
- You can get a 1-day 2-park ticket on base (and at SoG) for $65, which is the same cost (before taxes) as a FL resident ticket purchased through Universal's web site. And that ticket doesn't have the FL resident restriction.
In short, for any military member's planning on using this benefit, I'd recommend the following:
- If you LIVE in FL, buy annual passes for your 'companions'. You can get one for yourself to for subsequent visits after your free ones.
- If you're NOT a FL resident and you're coming to Orlando on vacation, just get the 1-day 2-park ticket, unless you REALLY think you'll go more than one day.
Personally, I don't think the entire Universal 'complex' is worth more than one day - you can see the best of both parks in one day EASILY (assuming low crowds). We just did it last month. :)
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On the plus side, they're absolutely correct to add more children's attractions. I hope they make them more permanent looking than the Banana Splits area - while the rides looked good, they were just positioned over pavement - it screamed carnival ride.
But I'm thrilled that my AP is still good...