Tag Archives: Disney’s Boardwalk

My Walt Disney World Wish List

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DVC Resort Bay Lake Tower / Walt Disney WorldOur list of “must-do’s” for every visit to Walt Disney World is pretty long and seems to get longer all the time.  Sometimes I think we may need to shorten that list or stay longer on vacation, otherwise we may never have enough time to try some of the items on my Walt Disney World Wish List.  (I’m humming that song from Tangled, “I’ve got a Dream” as I type.)

This is not the pie-in-the-sky list of things I’d do if money were no object (that’s a list for another day).  I’m not talking about extravagant or expensive add-ons here, I’m talking about things I know about and have always wanted to experience, but have never made the time.  This list, if I gave it enough thought, would actually be pretty long – so I’m narrowing it down to 5 completely random items.

1. Spend more time on the Boardwalk.  I’d like to stay there someday because I love the The Boardwalk at Walt Disney Worldresort’s proximity to Epcot, but I’d be happy just visiting again at a leisurely pace.  I’ve only been there once, to eat at the Flying Fish (delicious with great service), and didn’t have time to fully explore and experience all the area has to offer.  Maybe I’ll get a chance to eat at the Trattoria al Forno – the restaurant replacing Kouzzina.  We love Italian food!

2. Spend Christmas at Walt Disney World.  We’ve visited Walt Disney World at Christmastime on more than one occasion, but we’ve never been away from home for Christmas Day.  A time in our lives – a window of opportunity – will open in the future that will allow us to take some of our most beloved holiday traditions on the road.  When that time Christmastime at Walt Disney Worldcomes, I’ve got a list of things I want to see and do.  For example – I love doing the resort loop to see all the gorgeous Christmas decorations at the resorts, but I’ve never seen the Wilderness Lodge at Christmas and I hear it’s spectacular!

3. Bowl at Splitsville.  We’re not avid bowlers, mostly because the closest lanes are 30 miles from home and are pretty rundown (a little sketchy, to be honest).  We’d bowl more if we had a better facility – bowling’s fun!  The thing about Splitsville is that I’ve heard so many great things about the food!  So bowling would be a treat, I think, and if it were combined with great food and beverages, it would be an experience!  The next time we find ourselves at Disney World on a rainy day, I’m going to suggest we make our way to Downtown Disney/Disney Springs for some bowling action!

4. Rent a watercraft.  I want to cruise around in a little boat and see the Walt Disney World property from a different perspective.  I’d rent my boat at the Contemporary Resort’s marina so I could explore Bay Lake.  Zipping around on the water and seeing the sights sounds both fun and relaxing to me.Crossing Bay Lake

5. Skip a day in the parks to go exploring.  Except for the days we arrive and leave, we’re always gung-ho for park action.  The luxury of skipping a day has never been mine.  We usually spend between 5 and 7 days on a Disney vacation.  I want an 8th day.  Stuck right in the middle of the week to go out and see what’s at all the resorts I’ve never visited before.  If staying at Bay Lake Tower (our home resort), I could walk over to Magic Kingdom and catch a bus to a resort I’m curious about, then return to Magic Kingdom and do it again.  For sure if I had the time and I was at Disney World at anytime during the last four months of the year, I’d love to see the guests’ decorations for Halloween or Christmas at Fort Wilderness – I hear they are a fantastic sight to see.

That’s it!  Those are the first five things that came to mind.  Have you done any of these?  What’s on your Walt Disney World Wish List?

Disney Dining – Flying Fish Cafe

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Flying Fish Cafe Menu CoverI’d heard great things about Disney’s Boardwalk (especially the Flying Fish Cafe) for a long time.  I can’t believe it took me so long to finally get there!  The Boardwalk is fantastic!  And the Flying Fish is on par with (or better than) any signature dining experience we’ve had at Walt Disney World.

We took a bus to the Boardwalk from (I think) Magic Kingdom – Old Key West to Magic Kingdom, Magic Kingdom to Boardwalk.  I know we could have actually taken a bus to Epcot, walked through Epcot, exited through the International Gateway and walked on to the Boardwalk – we wanted to be…uhm….fresher than we would have been had we walked all that way.DSCN3950

We dressed a little nicer for the Flying Fish having heard it was similar to places like Jiko or California Grill.  Arriving early enough to check out the Boardwalk area, we were delighted!  Street performers, shops, refreshment stands – there was a lot to enjoy.  We had time to watch a juggling mime and explore a couple of shops before checking in at Flying Fish.  After inquiring about waiting in the bar, we were directed to another place entirely, ensured our flashing buzzer would work at a distance.  We found the Belle Vue Lounge iDisney's Flying Fish Cafe Interiornside a different entrance at the top of a staircase – laid back, relaxed, cool and comfortable…the perfect place to enjoy a pre-dinner beer.  We had just enough time to order and pay the tab – we took the beers with us back downstairs and down the walkway to the Flying Fish when our buzzer went off.

We were seated by a very friendly hostess who informed us that our server would be Bob.  Bob sounds like such a regular name…he is, however, an extraordinary server.  Bob was fantastic from the first moment he arrived at our table to the moment we left the building…he made our dinner at the Flying Fish into something amazing!

Bob explained that the menu is customized weekly based on the freshest ingredients available –Flying Fish Cafe Artisanal Cheeses he made recommendations and described various options and daily specials in a way that made us certain of one fact:  If an old boot were on the menu, Bob would make you want to order it!  We started with appetizers.  Having heard great things about the Artisanal Cheeses, we ordered that to share.  This consisted of five tasting portions of cheeses and accompaniments – cheeses included “Cowgirl Creamery’s Red Hawk”, “Beehive Cheese Creamery ‘SeaHive'”, “Lamb Chopper”, “Midnight Moon Goat Cheese”, and “Flora Nelle”.  Accompaniments included Fig and Almond Torta, Raisins on the Vine, Honeycomb, and a Spiced Spring Melon, Sweet Onion, Golden Raisin and Mandarinquat Chutney.  If you like cheeses and trying new flavor combinations, we highly recommend this delicious and exotic plate of goodness!  Soups, salads, Flying Fish Cafe Menuand other appetizers like calamari, crab cakes, mussels, and vegetarian sushi were also available.

For entrees, Joseph and I decided the Chef’s Special – Thunder Fish (delicious!).  Raymond ordered the Idaho Potato-wrapped Red Snapper and Megan had the Oak-grilled Maine Sea Scallops.  We are a family of seafood lovers, but if your family is not, there are other (non-seafood) options.  When we were there, the menu included Lamb Chops and New York Strip.  Salmon, tuna, and pasta with shrimp were also on the menu. Flying Fish Dinner at the Boardwalk

Normally, we skip dessert in favor of appetizers (we end up too full!) and occasionally pick up something sweet later in the evening.  We were having such an exceptionally good time at the Flying Fish Café, that we lingered as long as we could.  We ordered hot tea and coffee after our meal and Raymond and I split a dessert called “Sinful Dark Chocolate Delice Creation” which had a description so unique we felt we had to try it – “Amaretto-laced Chocolate Mousse, Brownie Torta, Thai Chili-laced Caramel Sauce, Candied Bacon and Dark Chocolate Sorbet”.  Sounds like a LOT going on there, but the flavors blended SO well together and the bacon, welllll – who doesn’t like bacon?  Megan and Joseph had spotted a shop on the Boardwalk earlier that had a Flying Fish Cafe Chocolate Desserthuge candy selection and opted for something there for dessert.

Waddling happily to catch a bus for the return trip to Old Key West, Raymond and I made plans to visit the Flying Fish again.  Megan and Joseph headed back out to the parks to enjoy some more rides.  It was a GREAT evening.

Have you eaten at the Flying Fish Café?  If a meal there is in your plans – ask for Bob!