Trip Report: Extended Version

Still putting a few things away here at home, but I finally finished my last load of laundry from the trip--woot! Here's the general overview of what we did each day. More details to come on specific events/restaurants.

We started our trip on Friday afternoon. My parents traveled with us this time, so we waited for them to arrive from Indiana that morning. In the mean time, my girls and I had a callback for a Christmas show (we all got in!) that we had to work in before we left town. When my parents arrived, we had just a few minutes to repack their van with all our luggage and theirs. Fortunately, we were only going to Atlanta--a four-hour trip--so it was OK that we were a little tight. I think everyone had something at their feet, but we squeezed everything in. We had a brief stop-over for our callback and then were on our way to my brother's house where we spent the night before heading for Florida on Saturday.

The trip in to FL was also pretty smooth. We stopped at the Welcome Center and snagged a free cup of OJ before arriving at Pop Century around 4 p.m. on Saturday. [A side note: I actually turned down free passes to the Sea World Halloween party for that evening. I was offered an opportunity to review it for Trekaroo, a family travel site, but knowing that our arrival time was unlikely to be early in the day, I let those go to another family. It hurt a little, but it was the right decision.] Our check-in at Pop went pretty smoothly. We had done online check in, and this saved some time. Still, I had to wait for an actual desk clerk Cast Member, since I was paying with gift cards and not the credit card on file. My mom, on the other hand, was able to check in with a roaming CM who had a handheld device, charging their room to her card. It took all of about 30 seconds.



We had only stayed at Pop one other time, back in 2005 soon after it opened. Our reactions were largely the same: this resort is fine, not great. The theming throughout the resort is fun, but the rooms are somewhat bland. In addition, because it is so large, it always feels crowded. That said, our room assignments were precisely what we had asked for, so we really have no complaints...we just like some of the others better than Pop. This was also our first opportunity to use our Magic Bands. We were all very excited to see that they indeed worked in opening our doors. That is, perhaps, the single best use of them--so convenient to simply tap your band to the censor, especially when you have your hands full.

That Saturday evening, we had our traditional dinner at Sweet Tomatoes (we don't have these in Nashville). We love to fill up on healthy food (soup and salad) before diving in to all Disney has to offer. I found an online discount that gave us 15% off with my Visa card, so that was a bonus.

Since we had two different types of tickets--Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Homeschool Days Parkhopper Tickets--we were told by my CM cousin that it would be a good idea to have plastic tickets to enter the Parks, particularly for the Halloween party, to ensure that the system didn't take away one of our Parkhopper days instead. (This is one of the quirks of the system--it can't prioritize tickets at the gate.)In addition, we knew that plastic tickets would be our only opportunity to acquire Fastpasses while in the Parks (though we had scheduled 3 FP per day on our Magic Bands through FP+). So, since we had no evening activities planned, we headed to the Magic Kingdom Guest Relations to have our tickets "fixed."

The process did take some time--it's clear there are still some kinks in the system and quite a learning curve for CMs--but we were rewarded well for our trouble. Since we were arriving near closing, we were given passes to head into the MK in time to see the evening fireworks. (This "Magical Moment" was courtesy of our daughter who kept begging us to go into the park then...followed by our explaining that we didn't want to waste a whole park ticket day for just an hour or so in the MK. The CM overheard all this and granted her wish!) Along with that, we were given two FastPasses good for any ride--we were able to ride Under the Sea (which we'd never been on) and Buzz Lightyear. We also got free ice cream bars from a cart! All-in-all a pretty sweet deal!

Because of our surprise trip into the MK, most of us didn't have great walking shoes on (the girls and I were wearing flip flops) and we also got to bed later than planned. But sore feet and a little less sleep were a small price to pay for Extra Magic!



Sunday, we tried to sleep late and ate a light breakfast in our room before heading to Whispering Canyon Café for lunch. I'll write more on this experience, but I'll just mention that what could have been a terrible lunch turned out well for us again because of the way Disney handles their own mistakes.

After an hour or so of rest, we donned our Halloween costumes and headed to the party. I'll do a separate post on this as well...overall, we enjoyed the whole night, but it's not something we feel we have to do often or again anytime soon.



Monday was a "rest day" after our late night. We have brunch at Kona Café (always a favorite) and did a little shopping for last-minute necessities like milk. We had planned to walk over to Art of Animation for dinner, but a downpour of rain nixed that idea. We settled for the Everything Pop food court. It was fine, and we were able to mostly dodge the rain.



Tuesday was a full day in Epcot. We had FP+ for Soarin', Character Spot (we've actually NEVER done this), and Test Track. We tried to change our selection for the Character Spot, since there was no line and we didn't really need to use it, but neither the app nor the kiosk nearby would allow us to make another FP+ selection (something it should allow you to do). As I said, still a few kinks in this system. As for Test Track, we really enjoyed the new "design-your-own-car" aspect of the ride, but we otherwise prefer the old version. It loses something with all the dayglow and darkness. For example, because it's so dark inside, you can actually see the daylight outside as the car in front of you breaks through the wall to outdoors, so there's no element of surprise. Sure, we knew it was coming, but it was more exciting when you used to crash through those doors than it is now. Also, it's hard to tell what the semi that heads toward your car is, so it's not as exciting/scary either.



We had lunch at Sunshine Seasons. We also visited the Chase Visa lounge in the American Adventure for free drinks and a nice little rest. In the evening, we took in some of the Food & Wine festival and had some tasty dishes, but we found that our old favorites (particularly the bakery in France) are a better deal and we are never disappointed in them. While we didn't stop to sit down, we stood and listened to Sugar Ray perform the one or two songs of theirs that we actually know. Took us back a few years. Scott and I finished the evening with dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel--alone. (My parents and cousin took the girls for us!) A rare treat for us!



Wednesday was our Homeschool Program at Disney's Hollywood Studios (more on that later). We hit all our favorites (Toy Story, Great Movie Ride, Tower of Terror, Star Tours) and tried a new dessert favorite: the Butterfinger Cupcake from Staring Rolls Cafe. (So very delicious!!!) But lines were rather long at even the marginal attractions, which we are just not used to. (I've come to the conclusion that balanced school calendars are screwing up Disney in the fall for all us homeschool families!) We saw Minnie Mouse in her new meet-n-greet and waited 45 minutes for my youngest to get her photo with Wreck-It Ralph and Venelope (never again). After getting frustrated at wait times, we decided to head over to Epcot to finish out our day at EMH. Even with F&W crowds, we were able to hit Soarin' again and several other less popular attractions. And we ate at the French bakery. Again.



Thursday had us back at the MK, our favorite park, and the one we are most comfortable navigating--which, in turn, allows us to do and see more in a day. We did two "new" things: First, we ALL rode Space Mountain together! It's a new era for our family! The other new event was eating at Be Our Guest. I'll do an entire post on that, but our overall impressions were VERY favorable. I'd put it on my "must do" list for sure. We left a bit before the MK closed to stop by Captain Cooks (Polynesian) and have a late dinner. Loved the pork nachos! And, of course, we got our self serve Dole Whip!



Despite it being our least favorite park, we decided to give Animal Kingdom a half day on this trip--if for no other reason than to eat at Flame Tree BBQ! And for the first time, our girls (and I) rode Expedition Everest! Our oldest didn't want to do it again (youngest went again with Daddy), but at least she got on it! Very proud of this brave move (if you knew her, you'd appreciate how hard this was for her). We got soaked twice on Kali River Rapids, and we saw my friend Claire flying as Squirt in Finding Nemo. That was really all we cared to do at AK, so we hopped back to the Studios for the end of the day. Again, the Studios was rather crowded, so we mostly attended shows and minor rides. (My parents weren't with us on Wednesday, so we mostly went back to DHS for their benefit.) We weren't able to ride Toy Story (out of FP), but we hit most everything.



Our last event before leaving town was breakfast with one of my old theatre friends at Olivia's (Old Key West Resort). We had a lovely visit, a good meal, and a bonus of 40% off with her CM discount (she is a seasonal Disney employee). We had another uneventful trip back to Atlanta, where we stopped over for my sister-in-law's birthday and to see my nephew who has been away at college. After a great night with them, we drove across town to my aunt's house so that my Dad could do a few quick repairs for her while we visited. She made us a yummy lunch, and by early afternoon we were on our way back to Nashville.

That's the long version of the whole week, but there will be several posts coming on specific events, activities, and restaurants. Oh, one other thing: although the crowds were greater than we expected, we couldn't have asked for better weather! Other than the brief shower on Monday, and one tiny shower while we were inside the American Adventure at Epcot, we had clear skies and mild temps!

 

Make It at Home: Tonga Toast

One of our favorite Disney World food items that we only recently discovered (we'd been hearing about it, but didn't try it until our last trip) is Tonga Toast. It's served at both the Kona Cafe and at Captain Cooks in the Polynesian Resort. Basically, it's a amped up version of French toast, with bananas stuffed inside. The slices they serve at Disney are about 4 inches thick, so it's a very filling breakfast. An adult and child can easily share a serving.

I decided to try making it at home this morning. It was actually much easier than I expected, and it was a huge hit with my girls! Here's the finished product:



Follow this link to the recipe--yes, it's the official Disney version--and try it for yourself.  Your taste buds will thank you!

The Best Thing I Ever Ate...@WDW

One of the things I enjoy most at Walt Disney World is having my favorite treats...and seeking out new favorites! On this trip, I had several new experiences. Out of these, I found one restaurant that now makes my "never miss" list, and one that falls into the "don't bother" category. Here's the basic run-down of our food adventures, starting with snacks and treats:

• You still can't beat the classic Mickey Ice Cream Bar for a cool, creamy afternoon snack. Current price is $3.50, which isn't terrible by theme park standards. (Of course, you can get a whole box of frozen treats at your local grocery store for that price. Kind of puts things into perspective and might help you resist having one every day.)


• I was slightly less enamored by the School Bread at Norway's Kringla Bakeri than I had been in years past. Perhaps the pastry isn't quite as attractive because it has gone up in price to $2.87 (with tax included), but mine was a little dry, even with the creamy custard center. Just didn't quite do it for me this time.


• The bakery in France, however, did not disappoint. Where else in the World can you get a filling ham and cheese croissant for a mere $3.25? Seriously, this could be a meal! And the chocolate mousse is as good as ever--and only $3.35! Note to self: never, NEVER skip this yummy eatery!


• The carrot cake cookie at Writer's Stop (Disney's Hollywood Studios) was as yummy as I remembered it, but at $3.95 it's a bit pricey--especially if you're not sharing it. Oh, it's definitely big enough to share! But I'm really the only one in my family who likes carrot cake (and all the bakery treats at WDW are off limits for my oldest daughter because of her tree nut allergy and the possibility of cross-contamination--boo). So spending nearly $4 and eating the whole cookie myself was a bit extreme--and, yet, I did. Twice. Yep, it's that alluring...irresistible, even. I just couldn't help myself. On the bright side, the coffee at Writer's Stop is excellent (fresh-brewed--not that Sanka junk) and inexpensive at $1.99.

Now, on to more substantial fare:

• We ate at our favorite Animal Kingdom counter service restaurant, Flame Tree BBQ, and were completely satisfied. It was just as we had remembered--a lot of tasty food, and the prices had not increased much since our last visit. The four of us shared two adult entrees, a half chicken meal ($9.69) and a rib meal ($10.69), and all of us were full when finished.


• Another favorite that did not disappoint was Tortuga Tavern (formerly El Pirata Y El Perico) in the Magic Kingdom. When you receive your tray, you might think, "This cost me how much?" Basically, you get a taco shell (or taco salad shell...or burrito...you get the picture) with only meat inside. But, don't panic! You will get your money's worth at the elaborate condiment bar. Pile that $8.19 taco salad as high as you can and enjoy! Beef nachos run $7.29, and the kids meals are $5.49. Our girls shared one meal (it comes with 2 sides!), and we drank water--allowing us all to eat our fill for around $22.


• On a different day at the MK, we tried out the new dogs at Casey's Corner. (By the way, if you arrive at opening, as we did, you might be chosen to throw out the "first pitch" to Casey. And even if you're not chosen, everyone gets to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and the Cast Members throw Cracker Jacks to waiting guests!) We were actually planning to just have a snack here (mostly to spend time with a CM friend who was on her lunch break), as we had late lunch reservations for my birthday in Epcot. Thinking of one of Casey's hot dogs as a snack was a mistake! They are HUGE! My husband and I should have shared one...but we didn't. He had the Chicago Dog and I had the Chili Cheese Dog. We had a party of 6 (our family of 4, plus my cousin Camille who is in the College Program at Disney, plus our CM friend Conny), and we all ate here for under $40. And, again, we were full. Here's the price list for a few items: $8.59 for specialty dogs (fries or apple slices included); $6.49 for an order of corn dog nuggets; $2 for an order of fries; and $5.19 for a plain hot dog. If you like typical American fare that is filling, Casey's Corner is a great choice.


• Our family has yet to find a favorite eatery at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We fare OK at Studio Catering Company (the turkey club and fries are pretty good at $9.99)   and ABC Commissary (the Asian salad isn't bad for $6.89), but there's no restaurant in the Studios that makes it to our favorites list.


• At Epcot, Sunshine Seasons has consistently been our favorite counter service eatery because of its many choices, especially in the grab-n-go sections. However, this trip was a bit disappointing. The side salad remains a bargain $2.99--but it has decreased in size by at least 1/3! And the selection of grab-n-go items has decreased significantly.  The freshness, flavor, and quality of the food, however, was still top notch. All-in-all, this is still a great eatery...just not as great as it once was.

Finally, let's talk table service. These fall into the categories of Not Worth the Hype, Consistently Delightful Experience, and New Favorite. Here are my assessments:

• Les Chefs de France. This one has received pretty mixed reviews on fan sites, and I can see why. I, myself, am conflicted. This is where I chose to have my birthday meal, partially because I wanted a new experience with rich food, and partially because I knew the girls would enjoy seeing the animatronic Remy. The service was more than adequate (I had read about snotty servers, and we encountered none of that), and we were seated quickly. As for food, we were not very hungry (see above mention re: Casey's Corner), so we decided to have an appetizer for the table and order one round of the pre-fixe menu ($23.99) and share it. (Two of the items we were considering were on the pre-fixe menu, and added up to around $22, so we would be getting dessert for $2--a great deal, right?) Knowing it was my 40th b-day, and that I had noted this on my reservation (and I was wearing a ridiculous b-day hat as well--not subtle at all!), I fully expected an additional free dessert, which would be more than enough for our entire party to enjoy. We were seved baguettes in a paper bag--cute presentation--which were warm and yummy. We took the plunge and ordered the escargot--I can't resist the opportunity to try something new! At $12.99 for 6 small snails, this was a splurge. I choose to think of it as buying an experience, because...well...they just weren't good (mostly a texture thing). But I was very proud of my picky husband and children for at least trying them (the girls left about $4 worth of chewed up snails in their napkins). The French onion soup was tasty, but not especially rich in flavor. There was a LOT of cheese, but it was not quite as hot as I would have liked (a common problem at Les Chefs de France, if guest reviews are to be trusted). My husband enjoyed the quiche Lorainne and salad. Again, the word adequate comes to mind. Finally, it was time for dessert. I was happy to be serenaded by half a dozen French men. What didn't make me happy is that I was served, as my birthday dessert, the dessert that I had already paid for. No free b-day dessert. Seriously disappointing. I mean, crushing. (Have I mentioned that I love free food?) This might have colored my whole experience. We were nearly finished with our meal and dessert when Remy made a very brief appearance at our table. He was adorable, but it was clear that his "handler" was in a hurry. Definitely not worth the expensive meal simply to experience Remy. Lesson learned.


• The day before my birthday, my girls and I had tea at the Garden View Tea Lounge (Grand Floridian Resort & Spa). This has become a tradition for me--first with my dear friend Nori, then with my oldest daughter, and this time with both daughters. Tea at the Grand Floridian is a consistently charming exercise in tradition and grandeur. The atmosphere is quaint, the food scrumptious, and the entire experience delightful! It's affordable, although not cheap. But this time, it was especially affordable and delightful. My friend, Nori, although not able to join us on this trip, called ahead and paid for our tea as a birthday gift! What a fun surprise! In addition, I received a yummy birthday cupcake and a rose from the tea room. This was a much better birthday celebration than my actual birthday meal at Les Chefs de France!


• Finally, our new favorite: Kona Cafe. We visited Kona on a day we weren't going into the Parks, so that we wouldn't feel rushed. Having visited Hawaii in my twenties, I was eager to try their version my favorites--Kona coffee and macadamia pancakes. I had also read rave reviews about the Tonga Toast. Our server confirmed that two adult entrees would likely feed our family of 4, so we ordered Tonga Toast with ham and Pineapple Macadamia Pancakes with bacon. 

  I am the lone coffee drinker in the family, so I wasn't able to order the French pressed pot for two. Still the carafe of Kona/Columbian blend was pretty awesome. Can't imagine it being any better! And the food...oh, the food. The pancakes were heavenly! And the Tonga Toast is over 3 inches thick! So very good...and filling...I'd even say fulfilling! Add in a coke for my husband, and we spent around $35 including a tip. Worth. Every. Penny! Add this one to the "must do" list.