Walt Disney World: It's Not Just for Kids

Mythos at Islands of Adventure

This entry is part II of my Universal Orlando (UO) planning for Disney fans series-read Part I here.

Being a fan of hyper-planning, I was a bit flummoxed when I booked my first Universal Orlando vacation.  I knew that I wanted to at least try some sit-down restaurants.  Perusing menus online, I found that vegetarian options at Universal Orlando were pretty limited.  Table service options seemed marginally better, so I decided to check out Mythos, which was supposedly the #1 Theme Park Restaurant in the World.  I did not make a reservation though, as I was unsure if I would be meeting a friend for dinner.  Despite reading over and over on the net that I could make a reservation that day, I was still surprised that I could make a reservation that day (ON THE FOURTH of JULY!).

However, while people insist that the reason for an easy reservation at Universal’s restaurants is owing to the way Universal vacations go, I think there may be another reason.  Mythos was the worst food I’ve ever had in a theme park, and the service was horrid as well.  I can safely say it is the only time in my life I’ve ever internally groused about leaving a tip on top of the discount.

On my trip in 2009, I ate at Finnegans and Lombards, and found both to be marginally better than the parks’ counter service.  I recommend The Kitchen at the Hard Rock Hotel for great food and service.  If you’re looking for a “special” dinner, I recommend splurging on Emeril’s Tchoup Tchoup-I wasn’t bowled over by the vegetarian option, but the special tofu appetizer I had was enough to send me back again.

The Universal Meal Deal is not even worth trying to me, as I don’t eat burgers.  I’ve gotten the Universal refillable mug-while it was a great deal, it flopped around on rides.  It was enough trouble that I didn’t get it on my next trip (or you could even bring it back on another trip).

Next time…the discount I consider Universal’s Best Kept Secret.

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Related posts:

1. Universal 101 for Adult Disney Fans-Part III
2. Universal 101 for adult Disney fans: Part I