donderdag 5 februari 2015

4 Great Date Night Ideas in Orlando

From character meet-and-greets to zany dinner shows, there truly is no end to the options for family-friendly dining in Orlando. But for those looking for a quiet, kid-free night, the choices are surprisingly plentiful, too.

Fireworks Vistas

Watch Disney World fireworks off-site
Watch Disney's fireworks off-site, enjoying them without the crowds. (©Walt Disney World)

The sky lights up with a kaleidoscope of color each night as fireworks burst over Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Forgo the crowds and instead snag a table at one of a handful of restaurants known for their birds-eye vistas of the evening’s pyrotechnics. That list includes California Grill where diners can watch the show and listen to the soundtrack for the Wishes fireworks display either at their table or on the outdoor observation deck. Guests of the new Four Seasons Orlando restaurant, Capa, also enjoy stellar views on this Spanish steakhouse’s sprawling outdoor terraces. And while Reunion Resort's Elevenrestaurant isn’t located on Disney property, the views of Epcot’s nightly IllumiNations show are still crystal clear from the restaurant’s rooftop deck. 

Cozy Tables

Bull and Bear
Enjoy a romantic dinner at Bull and Bear. (©Bull and Bear)

With secluded alcoves and cozy booths, a date-night-worthy restaurant has the ability to make a couple feel as though they’re on their own secluded island. That’s exactly the feeling diners get at Christner's Prime Steak & Lobster where a slew of private dining rooms, available at no extra charge, create a clandestine vibe within this celebrated classy steakhouse. Bull and Bear supplies a similar milieu in its dark and sultry dining room at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, where couples can snuggle into comfy side booths and share either the Chateaubriand or Tomahawk for two.

Interactive Bites

Napa's monthly wine dinner in Orlando
Try Napa's monthly wine dinner for a taste of the world's best wine regions. (©Napa at the Hyatt)

Those couples keen on getting in on the action can check out a few Orlando hotpots with an interactive element, including Farris and Fosters Chocolate Factory, a Baldwin Park gem offering couples the chance to take over the operations to make a pound of chocolate while sipping their BYO wine. At the Hyatt Regency Orlando, a series of monthly wine dinners hosted at either Napa or Fiorenzo allow attendees to take a travel-free culinary journey through the world’s best wine regions with wine experts and Hyatt chefs as their guides. Finally, escape to Italy via the Harbor Nights events hosted regularly at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando, where the Harbor Piazza transforms into a strolling culinary extravaganza complete with limitless gourmet bites and wine samplings at stations dotting the al fresco space.

Front Row Seats

Luma on Park
Visit Luma on Park for at least seven courses of delicious dishes. (©Luma on Park)

Delight in being at the mercy of the chef’s whimsy during one of a select few chef’s table experiences available in Orlando. In Winter Park, Brandon McGlamery gives guests a front-row seat to the action in his kitchen at Luma on Park, where his team whips up a series of seven to nine artful courses. Just down the street at The Alfond Inn, Chef Marc Kusche unfurls five courses paired with wine for diners perched in front of his open kitchen at Hamilton’s Kitchen. And finally, it’s impossible to overlook Victoria and Albert's, home to Orlando’s most coveted chef’s table. With up to 10 personalized course served kitchen-side, this three-hour culinary adventure books out months ahead of time so advance reservations are a must.