And other musings from this year’s Halloween Horror Nights
OK, we may not be first with the news in this instance, but we prefer to be right rather than quick (or some such nonsense). And, having recently completed our first trip to the epic production that is Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, we can say with some certainty that this is another rich tableau of the grisly, gory and downright fun.
With 10 haunted houses, four scare zones, two major shows and a scare-actor cast of hundreds (or so it seems), this year’s event – on select nights through November 1 – is packed with the gruesome stuff of horror movies, including, in a unique presentation, Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness. Yes, dear old Ozzy, who sadly passed away last year, finally gets his own House and well-deserved tribute haunt, and it is very much one of this year’s highlights.
But then, there are a whole bunch of highlights to enjoy in HHN35, including this year’s Tribute Store and a stunning live-action show featuring Britain’s fire-juggling Fuel Girls in Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir. Amazingly, they perform four times a night, and it is nothing short of breathtaking each time. Don’t sleep on the main show on the lagoon, either. A Rockin’ Stranger Things Rewind wraps up the hit TV series in suitably wild and eye-catching style, with a 12-minute performance that makes full use of the high-tech lighting, sound system and water features.
The performers of Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir go through their fire-juggling paces
The usual crew of chainsaw-wielding maniacs are also in good form, as are the scare zone denizens, especially from the macabre Downtown Clown Town and the freak show style of Sideshow of Decay, with a wild array of mis-formed and mutilated miscreants, making for a suitably scary backdrop of horror hangouts.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise, though, was before the evening’s event had even opened its ghastly gates. For the first time, we visited the evening CityWalk venue that undergoes a Halloween transformation from the Red Coconut Club to the aptly-named Dead Coconut Club, a live music bar-lounge that is open from 4pm each night and features some superb small-scale set-pieces that really add to the overall HHN style, as well as a live band who provide a rollicking soundtrack of well-known cover versions. This was a makeover Universal introduced in 2022 for HHN31 and it is now a key part of the Halloween scene and great fun while you wait for the main event to open.
The one thing we did find fault with, though, was the dining options for this year, which we thought were distinctly lackluster. There is certainly no shortage of places to get an alcoholic drink, but the food was a tad underwhelming, and the Minions Cafe remains a terrible idea in its use-the-App-or-go-hungry format. After trying numerous times to find the menu on Universal’s scattergun App website, we basically gave up and went for the sure thing of the Today Cafe, which continues to be some of the best VFM for food in the park, in our opinion.
But that one minor gripe aside, this was a thoroughly satisfying and entertaining evening out, and the live shows remain a real crown jewel in this gem of a presentation. And, for a true snapshot video of this year’s event, be sure to look up our new video of the Horrors in store:
What began as Orlando’s first boutique Irish music festival in 2012 is now a local institution at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant in Disney Springs. The Great Irish Hooley kicks off for the 14th time just as the long Labor Day weekend begins on Friday, Sept. 4 and continues through midnight, Monday Sept. 7. This annual fiesta significantly adds to Raglan Road’s rep for the best of Irish song, dance, food, and drink, so check out all the details from their latest press release:
Six outstanding Irish bands, hailing from Glasgow to Galway and beyond, will rock the indoor and outdoor stages with traditional jigs and ballads, Neo-Folk, Celt grass, and pop tunes. Hooley guests can kick up their heels Sunday and Monday when the pub’s troupe of Irish dancers will lead Ceili step dances on the house floor. Entertainment kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday and runs all day the rest of the weekend from 11 a.m., to feature:
The Consequences
Driven by a passion for exploring the colors and complexities of Irish music, The Consequences are a new Irish traditional band eager to showcase their talents for Raglan Road guests. Hailing from around the United States, Lexie Boatright (Maryland), Jake James (New York), Cara Wildman (Texas), and Ryan Ward (New Jersey), come together at the Great Irish Hooley to create an original, dynamic sound.
Folk Division
Galway, in the heart of western Ireland, brings us this vibrant band of young singers and multi-instrumentalists. The group features Aaron Killilea (guitar, vocals), Chloe Reilly (vocals), and Mary Duggan (fiddle/keys/vocals), bringing a blend of timeless Irish music with fresh, contemporary arrangements.
Plain Sailin
This dynamic four-piece Irish trad/folk band from Clare and Offaly features Ronan O’Connell (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Seamus Kinsella (Fiddle), Darragh Cuddihy (Percussion, Vocals, Whistle), and Graham Lynch (Banjo). Blending traditional tunes with contemporary genres and a signature Irish twist, the group creates a vibrant experience rooted in the spirit of Ireland
Men of Aran
Men of Aran – Photo credit Luis Silos
These two legends of the Irish traditional music world, Colin Farrell (fiddle & whistles) and Dave Curley (banjo & vocals) have toured, performed, and recorded with numerous traditional Irish music luminaries. They’re known for charming Raglan Road audiences with a potent mix of sublime musicianship and electric energy.
Adam Sheahan
This gifted Irish folk and trad singer-guitarist is a storyteller at heart who captures the true spirit of Ireland. Having appeared on stages around the world, Sheahan brings his authentic voice and timeless songs to the Hooley for guests of all ages.
Northern Crossing
This traditional Irish music ensemble from Glasgow and Belfast features Hannah McNeill (fiddle, vocals, banjo & mandolin) and Niall McIlroy (guitar, whistles, flute & vocals). Both are accomplished musicians who offer an exciting live show.
Raglan Road Irish Dancers – The pub’s award-winning Irish dancers kick up their heels and defy gravity before your eyes.
The Irish vibes and Hooley spirit wouldn’t be complete without new bites and sips, and Raglan Road will debut these fall and Halloween specials during the long weekend:
Samhain Sangria: The Whistler Irish Whiskey and Pinot Grigio shaken with apple cider juice and house-made cinnamon syrup, topped with a bubbly Magners Irish Cider float.
Irish Pumpkin Shake: Our signature Baileys shake ice cream chilled to thrill with pumpkin spice, topped with a creamy cinnamon cold foam.
Boooo! Pumpkin Cream Ale crafted for Raglan Road by 81 Brewing Tampa, Fla.
Bandaged Bangers: Mini sausages bandaged in golden pastry, served with bright, tangy cherry buffalo sauce.
Raglan’s Ghostly Guinness Pie A hauntingly good puff pastry pie, its spooky face tucking into braised beef, wild mushrooms, and a slow-cooked Guinness gravy, garnished with a sweet onion puree.
Black Barrel Whiskey Ribs Half rack of slow-cooked pork ribs, coated in a Jameson Black Barrel whiskey glaze, served with a side of Guinness glaze.
Proper Little Pumpkin Raglan Road’s signature cheesecake with a pumpkin spice twist.
In addition to its All-Day Menu, the restaurant will serve its weekend Rollicking Raglan Brunch at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, Labor Day, the pub will open at 10 a.m. with its All-Day Menu and brunch specials to include The Full Irish, Hipsters Lament and Bread Pudding French Toast, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. At the restaurant’s Shop for Ireland boutique, a selection of new Halloween T-shirts and hoodies will be available through October.
Reservations are recommended but not required; call 407-938-0300. Check out raglanroad.com, and plan to join us for the Great Irish Hooley!
OK, it’s Magical Dining season in Orlando right now, and that means a chance to sample a lot of restaurants we might not normally visit thanks to the special 3-course prix-fixe menu that is the fundamental part of this annual dining extravaganza.
This year’s Magical Dining program (Aug 14-Sept 30) features a record-breaking 180+ restaurants all offering their own MD menus, which make for a genuine cut-price treat when it comes to dining out during this 48-day period. In the course of the last 20 years, it has become a genuine local highlight, and a great reason to sample restaurants that might not normally feature in our budget. The restaurants come in two categories, those at a $40 fixed menu and a $60 group that offers a more rarefied experience.
Every meal served during this Visit Orlando-inspired event, presented by Orlando Health, also benefits a variety of deserving local nonprofits. Since 2009, this initiative has raised nearly $3.3 million for various charities, and this year sees OCA (Opportunity, Community, Ability) as the main beneficiary. It empowers individuals with autism and other developmental differences — from as early as 18 months through adulthood — while also supporting their families, many of whom face financial barriers to care and long-term services. OCA partners with organizations like Special Olympics, United States Tennis Association, A Gift for Teaching, Orlando Family Stage and Central Florida Vocal Arts. Proceeds from Magical Dining ($1 from every $40 meal and $2 from every $60 meal) will go toward therapy scholarships, helping increase access to critical services and support, as well as programs that guide adults with special needs in defining life after high school with purpose, independence, and meaningful connection.
So, we have every reason to feel good about all our dining out for this extensive six-week period!
Now, our latest venture into Magical Dining territory is well worth recording, as it provided the perfect excuse to head out and sample a place we have been meaning to try for years, but have never quite got round to (mainly because it is quite a drive from the main Orlando tourist area). But, as we soon discovered, the Mission Resort + Club is well worth seeking out, notably for a special occasion. We didn’t have special reason to seek it out, but we decided it was just well past time to visit!
Now, it should be pointed out that you do need to make a significant effort to get there. It is nearly 40 miles and a 45-minute drive from Walt Disney World, into neighboring Lake County, where you’ll find the pretty town of Howey-in-the-Hills (and yes, there ARE some hills in Florida!). The Mission Resort is just to the north of this lovely lakeside location, set in more than 500 acres of private, landscaped grounds that include two championship-quality golf courses and a blissful Spa.
As the photos immediately suggest, this is a resort beautifully styled in classic Mission style, redolent of its Spanish Mediterranean roots and the Colonial style popular in southern California in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its graceful colonnades, tiled roofs and elegant architecture are a treat for the eyes, while the hotel part of the resort includes 176 rooms and two restaurants (plus an extra one, Grove House, in the golf clubhouse). It is also officially one of the Historic Hotels of America.
In the midst of this low-key grandeur lies the Conquistador Bar + Restaurant, which is brand new on the Magical Dining list for 2026. This was originally La Margarita Restaurant and El Conquistador, now consolidated into one with a super-chic bar and separate dining section, overlooking one of the pleasant courtyards around the property. There is a lovely outdoor terrace and then the main building, on the second floor, with the bar area immediately evident from the terrace.
Step inside, and there is a light, airy dining room, incorporating an unusual mix of cowhides, warm wood cabinetry and vibrant greenery. The bar boasts hand-crafted intricate tilework accents and surrounding architectural details, with a doubled back bar displaying high-end tequilas. Overall, the open, flowing floor plan includes pleasant, intimate nooks and a contemporary feel that still pays homage to the resort’s heritage.
You’ll notice we’re providing a LOT of specific detail about the restaurant as it’s definitely the kind of place you’ll want to sit and admire the decor and the ambiance. We were one of only four tables dining on this particular evening, hence it was pretty quiet and subdued, but we can easily imagine this being quite a lively room at peak periods as there are only about 15 tables in all, plus the terrace and the separate bar area. It has all the charm of communal dining for large families and groups, plus a more intimate arrangement for couples.
When it comes to the food, at least for Magical Dining, their menu covers a wide variety of bases, so it shouldn’t be hard to find something you like. The appetizer choice includes Caesar Salad (baby romaine, parmigiano and brioche croutons), Chorizo & Asparagus Bisque (aged manchego with a creamy finish), the Hunter & Gatherer (a vegetarian salad of spiraled beets, goat cheese, crispy pancetta, pickled onion and balsamic vinaigrette) and French Onion Soup. We chose the Hunter & Gatherer and the Bisque, albeit without the goat cheese for the veggie dish, as it’s not one of Susan’s favorite tastes. There was also a mini baguette for the table, which went extremely well with the soup. The salad was virtually an entree-sized portion, which immediately showed that we weren’t being short-changed on the prix fixe menu!
For our main courses, Simon had the Piquillo Salmon (piquillo pepper cream and sauteed spinach on a parmesan risotto) while Susan opted for Chicken Rigatoni (seared chicken in a shitake garlic cream with dry sherry and herb oil), while we could also have ordered the vegetarian Paella Jardin (saffron rice, peas, garbanzo beans, asparagus, pepper medley, capers and olives) or the Heritage Pork Chop (in a sweet potato puree with apple-bacon jam and brussels sprouts). Susan really liked the garlic cream, as well as the spiced rub on the chicken and generous size of the portion, while the salmon really hit the jackpot for Simon with its charred top layer, succulent fish underneath and the wonderfully tasty pepper cream.
For both of us, there was just slightly too much for one sitting, but we will enjoy the other half of the rigatoni for lunch at some stage this week! There was a short wait between the appetizers and entrees, but that suited the surroundings and the occasion. Finally, the dessert selection was possibly the hardest of them all – but the most memorable. From the choice of Peach Compote (orange sponge, melba syrup and vanilla ice cream), Seasonal Gelato & Sorbet (a rotating Chef’s selection), Creme Brulee (Madagascar vanilla bean with a caramelized sugar crust) and Seasonal Bread Pudding, we selected the latter duo and were richly rewarded by some of the best flavors of the evening.
Susan went so far as to say it was the best creme brulee she has ever had (and we’ve enjoyed some pretty fancy versions over the years), while the classic bread pudding hit all the high notes for Simon, who is a genuine aficionado of this traditional dish. He’d rate it alongside that at Raglan Road at Disney Springs, which has been his gold standard for bread pudding ever since the authentic Irish bar/restaurant opened in 2005. We each enjoyed a coffee with our desserts, while we also had a mocktail and glass of chardonnay to start with, bringing our total bill to $113. However, in full disclosure, we did have Visit Orlando vouchers for the meal, hence our outlay ultimately was $33, plus tip.
Dinner took a fraction under a leisurely two hours, which suited us perfectly, and we had the benefit of seeing the courtyard below us light up for the evening to complete a totally refined dining experience. All in all, we would definitely go back at some stage in future, perhaps for a wedding anniversary or birthday, and we’d be highly tempted to book a room for the night as well, to make it a really special occasion.
That’s the full review for now, but expect more restaurant reports from us soon! And, for YOUR Magical Dining experience, be sure to look up https://www.magicaldining.com/.
OK, so we’re not Rick Steves, or even Rick Shaw (yes, bad joke, we know; Simon used to write headlines for Sun Sport), but, like the famed American travel writer, we have our own YouTube channel, and we’re only 2.4million subscribers short of his Follower base.
Maybe not quite so impressive, then. But we do have reason to like our own content, especially when it comes to highlighting aspects of our Year On The Road RV adventure, which we celebrated the second year of completion for just a few months ago. Want to get a flavor of where we went and what we did? Then check out this link.
We’ve also updated it in recent months to cover things like the opening of the fab new Level 99 gaming center at Disney Springs and the thrilling upgrade of SeaWorld’s Expedition Odyssey ride, which gives it a really dynamic new aspect. We also posted multiple videos of last year’s media preview of the truly epic Epic Universe park of Universal Orlando, including this lofty viewpoint.
We will also be risking life and limb (well, waistlines at least) for this year’s annual edition of Magical Dining here in Orlando – which runs from August 14 to September 30 and offers some truly great tastes at more than 180 restaurants, all featuring a special cut-price prix fixe menu – and we’ll be sure to report back in video terms at some of the newest restaurants in the Magical program.
All this is a very long-winded way of saying (blatant plug alert!), if you haven’t yet discovered us on YouTube, then hop on over to our home page and Subscribe to be sure of some entertaining content. We’ll never catch up to the venerable Steves, but we like to think we’ll keep you informed and amused just the same.
Well, no sooner do we commit details of our new book to print (see our last blog!), than here comes the real thing, hot off the press and twice as pretty. Yes, it’s the very first copy of The Best Orlando Villa Holiday Guide, and it’s looking mighty fine in our latest video:
It’s the first time we’ve seen it and we’re delighted with the sharp look and general layout and design. It’s been a while in the production stage, but it’s now on sale at all good UK bookshops and online with both Waterstones and Amazon.co.uk. Be sure to seek it out!
OK Brit Guide fans, this one’s expressly for you. Although our long-running guidebook died a slow and painful death in 2024, we have been quietly working to salvage the content and find a new home for it. And find a new home, we have.
The 29-year run of the Brit Guide was something of a phenomenon in guidebook terms, taking on the well-established big-budget travel series and coming out on top year after year as the UK’s best-selling guide to any destination. But now it has a successor. Step forward the Best Orlando Villa Holiday Guide.…!
Yes, we know, it’s a bit wordy, but the new UK-based publisher is well aware of the ever-growing market for villa holidays in Central Florida, hence they wanted to be right up front with this aspect of things. And, if we’re honest it’s something we should have done a while ago. The villa market is a real speciality in the Kissimmee area, and we needed a specialist to cover this area, hence the well-travelled Lizzie Best was recruited to write this section. We have to say, the information, and the way it is presented, far exceeded our expectations (and our ability to replicate it!).
In fact, with new layout and design, we think it looks even better than the days with our previous publisher. The colour is sharper, the design is more imaginative and the content has a bit more zing to it, having been given a complete overhaul and rearranged in a number of sections, including a month-by-month guide to what’s happening in terms of events and sports, as well as the weather (!).
A sample page from the new book
The chance to look at all the various Brit Guide content from a fresh perspective has led to a number of changes in the general flow of the book as well, while we have been able to add a lot more practical content when it comes to preparing for the holiday and getting to grips with matters like ride-share transport, toll roads in Florida (of which there are a lot) and travel insurance. We’ve added a section on Tampa Airport, in addition to Orlando and Melbourne, and boosted the Getting Around chapter with more advice and insight on child car seats, the essential Visitor Toll Pass and other driving practicalities. And the detail on villas, and all aspects of choosing the right villa and villa community, is second to none, with a comprehensive look at the logistics, value and places to stay, as well as things like grocery shopping and using barbecue grills.
Another big change is with the theme parks chapters, perhaps not surprisingly following the opening of Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe park, which is quite stunning. Now, all the main attractions are grouped together in one mega chapter, while a second chapter looks at other attractions, like Wild Florida and Mount Dora, that are all worthwhile Days Out in and around Orlando.
The full Epic Universe panorama
Of course, there are still chapters devoted to the essentials of Shopping, Dining and Sport, while we have re-worked the old Beyond Orlando section to give it a Florida Beaches focus that should have extra appeal to all our UK visitors.
In many ways, we’re grateful for the chance to re-work large parts of the old content and make it seem fresh again, and we thoroughly enjoyed the full write-up on Epic Universe, which is simply gorgeous to look at. There’s more in the pipeline, too, so be sure to follow all our updates on our Instagram account.
So, a final farewell, then, to the Brit Guide; and hello, Best Orlando Villa Holiday Guide (phew!).
It was 30 years ago this week that Simon’s first book was published, and led to a career in Orlando travel-writing that continues to this day. The Brit Guide to Orlando & Walt Disney World was unique in that it was aimed purely at the UK market to Central Florida, which no-one (surprisingly) had tried before. Our “little project” has since led to half a lifetime in the travel world, with book sales in excess of half a million, and counting!
There have been other travel adventures, to be sure, including trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Chile and Slovenia, plus our epic Year On The Road RV adventure, which this blog is named for. But Orlando has always been the abiding driving force, a constant in our world of regular globe-trotting.
The Brit Guide was always Simon’s specialty, though, an ever-evolving collection of user-friendly content, images and style that owed a lot to his newspaper background, but added his own personal experiences as a holiday-maker to the overall mix. In 2004, it led to him moving from the UK to Florida, to continue his love affair with the destination (and meet the love of his life!), which branched out into coverage for a wide range of media, including the BBC, the Telegraph, Independent and Sky Travel.
There were more books, online content aplenty and, of course, social media. Simon has appeared on TV, radio and various podcasts, and continues to write for a number of different outlets, despite now being in his Medicare years (which he hates!). Happily, there is also a new Orlando book in the offing, picking up where the Brit Guide left off in 2024. We’ll have more about that in due course, but, in the meantime, our new book – 111 Places in Orlando That You Must Not Miss – continues to be another major strand to the Veness Travel Media output, and something that has been really well received here in The City Beautiful.
All in all, it has been an action-packed 30 years of Orlando and much, much more, and we hope to bring even more to you in the next decade or so (God willing). So, just because the Brit Guide faded away last year, that doesn’t mean the end of our relationship with British visitors. It will just be re-born in a whole new package. Just like Orlando does every year!
We are rarely smitten by relatively simple rides in our theme parks, but we have to admit to being bowled over by the Constellation Carousel at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe park. It’s hard to imagine anyone could come up with anything new or really compelling for such an “old-fashioned” ride, but Universal’s designers have really reinvigorated this formula with their take on a classic carousel. Check out our video of the ride here:
While there’s no Brit Guide for 2025 (scroll back to January’s entry for those sad details), we can use the blog to update a few things that we think are worth highlighting this year, and here’s something for the repeat-visitor factor…
Orlando is all about amazing experiences. From the theme parks to the supermarkets, everything is larger than life and twice as exciting. So it makes sense that anything new is going to grab our attention and demand we check it out. Things like the new Apéro Bar at the glorious Conrad Hotel just outside Walt Disney World.
You know you’ve arr5ived somewhere special when you drive up to the swish Conrad Orlando hotel, which is part of the mammoth Evermore Resort, with its Crystal Lagoon
It’s no real surprise that a fancy hotel will have a just-as-fancy feature bar or restaurant, whether it’s a classic Disney hotel restaurant like Citricos at the Grand Floridian or the fabulous steaks of A Land Remembered restaurant at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort on Universal Boulevard (still the best steaks we’ve had in Orlando).
Funnily enough, the bars at some of these hotels have tended to be something of the Cinderella of their food and beverage line-up, with far less attention paid to an elegant pre or post-dinner beverage experience than the dinner itself. That has changed a bit in recent years with the advent of eye-catching venues like Universal’s rooftop Bar 17 Bistro and the fantastic AC Sky Bar at the AC Hotel in downtown Orlando, but it is still a bit unusual for hotels to lavish their full decorative might on the lobby bar, or similar.
The rooftop vibe at Universal Orlando’s magnificent Bar 17 Bistro
Applause for Apéro
The Apéro Bar absolutely smashes that failing into little tiny pieces. Not only does it provide the kind of chic, eye-catching venue that wouldn’t be out of place in a James Bond film, it goes the extra mile in providing drinks and food items that are as good as the setting itself, which evokes a blissful Italian Riviera ambiance by day and by night.
We’re no strangers to the occasional cocktail or two; it’s an Orlando speciality that goes back almost to the opening of the theme parks themselves. But Apéro goes much further in offering an all-round icon of high style for that special evening out. Even the glassware is a distinct cut above the usual martini and rocks glasses that we’re used to seeing.
To start with, it occupies an ideal location within the Conrad, on the lower level looking out over the spectacular crystal lagoon at the heart of the resort, a seeming ocean of brilliant blue that disappears into the distance. (For the record, the lagoon covers a whopping eight acres and is the brainchild of a South American company that uses proprietary technology to create super-size pools. This one is big enough to accommodate paddle-boarders!).
The fabulous view from the Apero Bar’s lagoon-view location
The airy space that Apéro occupies is also designed to invoke an al fresco style while keeping everyone super-cool in its cosy air-conditioned confines. The venue features warm woods and gold accents, notably in the unusual lamps that range across the marbled bar top and the moody ceiling lighting that casts a particularly golden glow over proceedings. The rectangular bar has seating on all four sides, with a lowered section at one end that encourages casual dining.
What’s on the menu?
Ah yes, the menu. It probably comes as no revelation to find excellent cuisine at a five-star hotel, but the Apéro menu is carefully curated to provide some of the best tastes – in both drinks and dishes – that the hotel offers, without going to the formality of the main dining room. We find holidays are more conducive to the laid-back vibe of upscale bar food, and we especially enjoy small-plate bar dining when accompanied by delectable drinks.
A setting fitting for 007 himself – the super-chic bar-lounge of the Conrad Orlando’s Apero Bar
And the hotel’s chefs really know how to turn on the style when it comes to some magnificent mixology and Mediterranean-inspired dishes that hit all the right notes for flavour without overdoing the bulk.
We’ll start with the drinks (as you do!), and freely admit that we were treated to some real highlights. The cocktails are divided into five sections for Negroni (four notable variations), Sbagliati (or unusual mixes of Negroni that would be considered “happy accidents” by most mixologists), Spritz (all with sparkling elements of some kind), Americani (a quartet of classics) and Spirit-Free. The Svegliato is a delicious coffee negroni, while the Banana Splitz is just outright fun! There is also a notable Italian wine selection that is sure to appeal to connoisseurs.
Ready for a cocktail? The Apero Bar boasts fab Italian-influenced concoctions, like their Birra Americano – a mix of Nardini Bitter, Mancino Vermouth Chinato, Alchermes, Cardamon and Lager Foam
There are just 11 food menu items, and three desserts, but they run the gamut of relatively simple salads, pizza, chicken wings and a signature burger (albeit all with a stylish touch) to fab burrata, arancini, Italian tuna poke and a superb cheese charcuterie board. We found the chicken wings, burrata and tuna poke absolutely delicious, while nearby fellow diners sang the praises of the arancini and charcuterie.
For dessert, we were tempted by both the Bread Pudding and Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brulee, but our barman, Francisco, insisted we try the Rocher, and boy was he ever right! This outrageously decadent over-sized ball of chocolate Frangelico semifreddo, salted caramel, chocolate cake, chocolate fudge sauce and macadamia nuts is simply our new favourite dessert anywhere in Orlando, and there’s a fair bit of competition for that.
The highlight dessert – that outrageously delicious, chocolate sensation Rocher
The Deets
Apéro Bar is open from 2pm to midnight Monday-Thursday and 1pm to midnight Friday to Sunday, with food served from 2.30pm to midnight every day. There is only valet parking at the hotel, but the rate is reduced to $10 for guests dining at Apéro.
In summary, this is far and away one of the most elegant – and downright tasty – bars we have sampled in Florida, or anywhere else for that matter. It has masses of style, and the tastes to match. And, for that special occasion or anniversary celebration, it takes some beating.
It is with sadness that we announce, officially, that we have severed ties with our publisher of the Brit Guide to Orlando, which we have written for the last 29 years. It has been a while in the works after some deep disappointments in the past few years, concluding with the publication of the 2024 edition in black and white, against our knowledge or even consultation.
It has been a good run, though. For much of the 29 years we have been the best-selling travel guide of any kind in the UK, and we have sold in excess of 250,000 copies in all. We have been a big part of many visitors’ Orlando holidays and have had some wonderful feedback and made lifelong friends as a result.
We will still be happy to meet up with people when they’re here, and we will continue to post on various social media about our work here in the Theme Park Capital of the World. And our work definitely won’t stop. As the old saying goes, as one door closes, another opens, and that will certainly be our intention going forward.
So, stay tuned to us here on the Veness Travel Media blog, and Follow us on Instagram, BlueSky Social and YouTube. You never know where we will turn up next!
