Fair warning, we’ve hit a rest day. It was incredibly welcome, don’t get me wrong. We had broken the cardinal rule of ensuring day two was a rest day due to the cooler weather so now after the long travel day and three consecutive park days we were ready, but content-wise, well if it were possible to be poorer, it will be.
We stayed in bed until 8am which was a bit of a breakthrough time zone wise and we took our time getting ready, leaving the house around 9.30. One real benefit of a rest day is the opportunity to go and eat a life-threatening amount of food for breakfast so we did that.
I can’t remember where I saw it but I had noted in my plan that we should try a new place called @TheDiner. It is in Lake Buena Vista not far from Crossroads and due to yet more bobbins traffic it took over half an hour to get there and there was a point, when stationary on the 192 that I considered just pulling into a Perkins or Dennys there to avoid my growing frustration with the length of time it was taking to get anywhere.
We stuck it out and upon arrival we were quoted a 20-minute wait. We waited outside whilst looking over the menu.
We ordered –
Louise and Me – Eggs Benedict
Freddie – Grilled Cheese
Rebecca – House Special Cinnamon Toast with Egg and Sausage
Tom – Bagel and Boston Cream Pie Pancakes
Dougie – Fruit Cup
I am only slightly ashamed to admit that Louise and I ordered one of those Boston Cream Pie Pancakes to share after finishing our Eggs Benedicts and it was very much the right thing to do.
With juices and coffees, it was $185 including tip.
We drove back to the Solaro resort (where we were staying), through the entrance on the other side of the road to our villa, and around to the pool and clubhouse.
We found some beds and upon trying to locate the towels the lifeguard told me that they do not supply them, so that had me driving back to the villa to go and get some!
We were settled in by the splash pool and the boys played in that for a long while.
A waitress approached after some time and took a drinks order. We left the tab open but she never darkened our door/beds again so lost out on any tip we could have given her. I guess she was busier around the main pool.
Rebecca, Tom and Freddie went over to the main pool for a while and I went for a walk around the local estate to get Dougie to sleep. It was quite the safari with lizards, rabbits and snakes all making an appearance.
Freddie was keen to try the Flow Rider thing, so that’s what happened next. He has more bravery than I ever did at six years old.
After a few minutes of lying down and then kneeling up, he was on his feet….
On his next few tries he went back to lying down for the fun of it and the chap helping him here was really good with him.
As his session came to an end he hadn’t had any form of wipe out which would result in him shooting up over the top, so he intentionally fell off and did just that. He absolutely loved the whole experience.
We left the pool around 5.30 and went back home to get ready for dinner (tea).
The plan said the Cheesecake Factory but we were pretty sure the wait would be unbearable. I had tried to book, but that seems impossible from the UK and I had forgotten to ring up to do so since arriving in the US.
We got there at 8.15 and of course at that time on a Saturday, the wait time was quoted at two hours. You would think as that is pretty standard why they don’t build another location in the area.
With that being clearly a non-starter we set off in search of an alternative. We thought of Bahama Breeze and headed in that direction but again the traffic to get there was queuing from the Premium Outlets right the way down to the junction where BB is, so instead we bailed at the Longhorns we were sat in traffic outside of.
Even there we were given a 30-minute expected wait. After every minute of that, we were seated after waiting outside.
There was a bread service and we started with two appetisers to share. Spinach Artichoke Dip and a kind of Bloonim’ Onion thing.
Both were very good.
It was steaks all round, which were delicious. My loaded spud was a little cold and dry but overall a tasty meal.
You can see I was a little late to the photos….
With a couple of wines and an unusual two beers for me, and Freddie finishing up with an ice cream, it was a slightly surprising $280 including tip. With me out of my mind on two beers, Tom drove us home and we managed a landmark bedtime of 11pm.
Till the next time…..
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