Daily Messes: World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's

Both hubby and I went to Florida when we were children and decided that this was the year we would take our kids. While we were there, we stopped at the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's. We saw some ads for it and decided to try it. After all, how often is it that we were going to be in Florida and get to go to the Worlds Largest Entertainment McDonald's? The kids were super excited because McD's is a "sometimes treat" in our house and the play area is an even bigger treat. (I had a friend who worked at the golden arches in high school and I heard stories about the play equipment. Even though I wash the kids' hands at the end, the thought of all the germs makes me shudder, so they don't get to go to the Playplace very often.)

Anyway, back to the post. This McDonald's had some pretty cool features: automated trash cans, an arcade and game area (complete with prize redemption center), a birthday room, a stage, a picture booth, plus a play area. They sold regular McDonald's fare, as well as "gourmet bistro" food, pizza, and cakes for dessert.

Trash Can

Bowling

Play area

There were some cons too. Ordering was confusing if you had never been there before, as there were no signs directing where you needed to go. First you placed your order at the ordering station. If you placed a bistro order, you received a buzzer. Then you walked 4 feet forward to the real cash registers to pay. If you ordered regular McDonald's menu items, you got them here (for example, Big Mac or Happy Meals). If you ordered bistro items (chicken quesadillas, cakes, pasta, philly cheese steaks, pizzas), you had to wait until your buzzer went off and then pick it up at the Bistro counter.

There can be a long wait for the bistro food. I received my quesadilla and peanut butter explosion cake within 5 minutes. However, my father in law ordered a philly cheese steak and chicken alfredo pasta and had to wait about 15 minutes. He later ordered a chocolate corruption cake (which comes pre-sliced and prepackaged) from the Bistro menu and had to wait a long time for that too. I received a metal fork with my dinner, but my in-laws received plastic forks, even though we both ordered off the Bistro menu.

Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Chicken Quesadilla with Peanut
Butter Cake

If you are in Orlando, Florida and your kids need to burn off some energy, this might be the place to stop. While the ordering was slightly confusing and the service/wait time inconsistent, everyone had a good time. The food was pretty good (not sit-down-and-relax-restaurant good, but definitely better than the normal McDonald's fare) and there were lots of things to keep all ages of kids entertained.