Category Archives: Resorts

We’re Going to WDW – 10 Things I’m Looking Forward To!

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As mentioned before, I’m crazy excited to introduce our granddaughter to the joys of a Disney vacation. I can’t wait to see her reaction to characters, rides and all the sights, sounds, and flavors we can find for her to enjoy.

Personally, I am looking forward to quite a few things by myself. When I focus on staying “in the moment” while I’m at WDW, it’s amazing what random experiences stick in my mind as being particularly wonderful. I know what I’m most looking forward to changes for every visit, but this time the top ten are….

Drumroll, Please

10. The Electrical Water Pageant. Sure, there’s no afternoon parade in Magic Kingdom and no nighttime fireworks in the parks right now, but I’m kind of okay about it because I can still enjoy the most cheerfully ridiculous spectacle on the Seven Seas Lagoon!

9. Florida dawns and sunsets. I suppose we have some pretty amazing sunrises and sunsets in Louisiana, but I’m typically too busy to notice. Seems like when I’m at Walt Disney World I get to start and end the day with gorgeous skies and have time to soak up every moment.

8. The Ghost Host will lower my safety bar. And then I’ll get to see and hear all the things I adore in the Haunted Mansion! Madam Leota, Constance-in-the-attic, all of it! Maybe Little Leota at the exit might be my favorite. Hard to say because I love it all.

Haunted Mansion's Madame Leota

7. The smell of the lobby in Bay Lake Tower. Sure, it’s lovely when they say, “Welcome Home!”, but nothing is more welcoming to me than that special scent. It’s like a warm hug that washes away all my worries. I could be weird, but there it is.

6. Earning the lowest score on Toy Story Midway Mania. I don’t do it on purpose, but there’s a reason I have never participated in any sports requiring eye-hand coordination. Nonetheless, I love this ride! Breaking those plates is inexplicably gratifying.

5. PeopleMover. If you don’t love it, stay off of it and let the rest of us have it to ourselves. There’s not a single second of resting on that lovely blue upholstery as I cruise around Tomorrowland that I don’t love. Mr. Morrow, I can’t wait to be there!

4. Sipping and Snacking my way around World Showcase. This is the ultimate Epcot experience for me. I can shop, stroll, or sit and relax while sampling exotic fare and sipping an adult beverage. Doesn’t matter if we start in Mexico or Canada, I’m going to enjoy the trip around the World!

Italy Pavilion / Epcot's World Showcase

3. Taking a million pictures on Kilimanjaro Safaris. I’ve stopped trying to NOT do this. I can ride the Safaris five times on a single vacation and I will snap pics like I’ve never been there before. I’m convinced my family appreciates this phenomenon as just another of my many adorable quirks. And if they don’t, I don’t care. Look! An Okapi!

2. People watching from the Dawa Bar. Give me an Old Elephant Foot IPA and a place to stand. This is a great spot for soaking up the atmosphere in Africa. I don’t have very many must-do’s on every trip, but this is absolutely one of them.

And Number One…

Walking down Main Street USA. I can’t be alone here. This is probably something the majority of people love to do on a Disney vacation. It’s the ultimate I-am-back feeling. Familiar sights, sounds, and smells. The lovely air of nostalgia. There’s Cinderella Castle in all her glory…a familiar and beloved sight that will be especially welcome to these weary eyes…they’ll probably start leaking.

View of Cinderella Castle from Main Street U.S.A.

What will you be looking forward to the most on your next visit?

Kona Café Breakfast – Beyond Tonga Toast

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Tonga Toast at Kona Café is a Walt Disney World original.  This breakfast specialty has thousands of loyal fans and tops the list of must-do’s for those who have not yet had the privilege.  A generous serving of “Banana-stuffed Sourdough French Toast rolled in Cinnamon Sugar and served with a Strawberry Compote and your choice of Ham, Bacon, or Sausage” – Sounds heavenly and if you love sweet breakfast foods, you will not be disappointed.  Unless you’re me and you prefer savory eats first thing in the morning.

Kona Café Breakfast – Beyond Tonga Toast

For quite some time now, Kona Café has been a Disney vacation tradition.  Raymond and I (and now Joseph) are partial to the Egg White Omelet with roasted red peppers and goat cheese.  It comes with a side of berries and is an all around solid (and healthy) breakfast choice.  In fact, that’s just what they both ordered on our departure day.  Kona Café Breakfast - Beyond Tonga ToastMe? I decided to break away from the usual and try something new.  With quite a few delicious-sounding choices on the menu, I took my time selecting what I considered a splurge.  One, very simple-sounding dish caught my eye:  The Samoan.

Described as, “Poached Eggs with Hollandaise served over Smoked Pulled Pork Hash“, what could I not love about that?  All my favorite food-types in one dish.  In short order, my plate arrived.  It looked much fancier than I’d imagined.  Kona Café Breakfast - Beyond Tonga ToastBeneath a handful of gently sautéed arugula, the “hash” was actually some large, tender fried potatoes in a ring around the pulled pork.  This circle of yumminess was topped with two perfectly prepared poached eggs – yolks soft but not runny, whites firm but not rubbery.  The hollandaise sauce was smooth, thick and tangy.  I was uncharacteristically quiet as I savored every bite.

If you’ve been under the impression that Tonga Toast is your only breakfast option at Kona Café, think again.  Haven’t tried Kona Café yet?  Add it to your to-do list and you just might find a morning visit to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort becoming a vacation tradition for you, too.

Are you a Kona Café fan?  What’s your favorite breakfast item?

Disney Dining – Trattoria al Forno

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Honestly, the newest Italian eatery at Disney’s Boardwalk, Trattoria al Forno, was never on our radar.  We love the Boardwalk to be sure, but we usually visit for dinner at Flying Fish or as I’m running down the actual boardwalk during a runDisney event.  Even when the Trattoria was Kouzzina, it never occurred to us to eat there.  Too many dining choices, too little time!

All of that changed when I was making plans for our most recent visit to Disney World (last December).  I wanted to see the Candlelight Processional and I didn’t want to wait in a long, LONG line only to find out that all the seats were taken.  We needed a dining package!  I was surprised to find that Trattoria al Forno was a choice for the dining package and that breakfast was an option.  SCORE!  We could sleep in, head to the Boardwalk, try out this previously unnoticed restaurant, spend most of the day in Disney Springs and arrive in Epcot just ahead of the Candlelight Processional.  To me, breakfast wasn’t a risk and not a substantial investment to get preferred seating for the Processional during Christmas week.

We were very pleased with the entire experience!  The atmosphere and décor are fantastic.  The breakfast menu is unique and the service was fine.  Shorthanded on the morning we were there, the restaurant’s manager jumped in to serve coffee and chat up the patrons.  Clearly out of his element, we appreciated his willingness to pitch in.  We were in no hurry and didn’t mind sipping Mimosas (I ate the orange slice before I took a picture…oops) while we waited for our food.  This ended up being a welcome respite from rushing around, dealing with Christmas crowds.  Raymond had the Breakfast Calzones, I had the Poached Eggs (with sausage over polenta) and Joseph had the Scrambled Eggs (with sausage and potatoes) we shared a  big bowl of fresh fruit.  We were all satisfied and thought the Italian-inspired menu items combined with traditional picky-eater-pleasing choices meant there was something for everyone.  We would definitely return again!

In early February, Disney World announced that a Trattoria al Forno character dining experience will soon be available!  This sounds like a wonderful option and excellent alternative to Akershus in Norway (a popular Disney Princess meal).  This new offering will allow guests to meet their favorite Disney couples!  Different from other character dining options and convenient to Epcot, this new experience will definitely put Trattoria al Forno on many people’s to-try lists.  If it has fixed pricing and takes only one table service credit on the Disney Dining Plan, all the better – this should be a big success!

Rumor Alert!  I heard that today (February 23, 2017) is the first day to make ADRs for this experience, so if you’re headed to Walt Disney World this summer and are interested in dining with beloved Disney couples (Like Rapunzel and Flynn & Ariel and Eric), you might want to get busy on the reservations.  If you are able to book this new Character Dining Experience, please let me know the details!

Disney Dining – Grand Floridian Café Breakfast

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Last December at Walt Disney World, we ate a lot.  Adding both new experiences along with old favorites made coping with the Christmas crowds easier – less park time, more culinary exploration.  We rarely have a sit-down breakfast on vacation, so enjoying some early morning dining reservations was a rare treat.  One of the new places we tried was the Grand Floridian Café.

Grand Floridian Café Breakfast

It’s hard to write an honest review of a dining experience that began with vomit. Not our own, thank goodness, but there was upchuck splattered liberally near the cafe’s entrance.  If you’ve been to the Grand Floridian before, you may have noticed the dramatic and beautiful tiled floors.grand-floridians-tiled-entranceJust before our arrival, it appeared that a little someone had been violently ill smack in the middle of the lovely tiled atrium.  We gingerly skirted around the mess – I don’t know about Raymond, but I made a valiant effort to NOT breathe in until we were safely inside the restaurant. We were shown to our table immediately and seated beside a window.grand-floridian-cafe-table

The Grand Floridian Café’s décor is everything you’d expect from its location. It completely reflects the overall resort theme – white, bright, open and airy with small, lovely details in keeping with a Victorian feel. grand-floridian-cafe-detailsOur server visited our table right away with menus for us to look over.  I liked the simple presentation of the condiment selection on the table.grand-floridian-cafes-fancy-condimentsWhile there was nothing fancy or particularly outstanding among the menu offerings, there were some solid, hearty breakfast choices mixed among lighter fare like breakfast salads. I did not order one of theses, but thought the idea had merit. grand-floridian-cafe-interiorAs often happens with Raymond and I, we decided to order something to share and selected The Garden Omelet (Three-Egg Omelet, Spinach, Feta, and Roasted Tomato served with Lyonnaise Potatoes or fresh Fruit). We were keeping in mind that lunch that day would be at Whispering Canyon Café, another new experience for us, and we wanted to be good and hungry by then.grand-floridian-cafe-window-seat

While we waited for our omelets, I passed the time people-watching out the window. It was early and there weren’t too many people out and about yet.  There were few people seated near us in the restaurant.  It was Christmas week and while everywhere else was ridiculously busy, the Café was not doing a booming business this early in the day and that was just fine with us.grand-floridian-cafe-breakfastThe food was fine, even if our particular selection was rather unremarkable. The service was excellent, the restaurant’s peace and quiet was welcome and soothing.  Would we eat here again? Sure – especially during Christmas week when finding a serene spot to fuel up is nearly impossible.

I’ve heard the Grand Floridian Cafe’s lunch menu is good, boasting the popular Grand Café Sandwich (Open-faced hot Ham, Smoked Turkey Breast, Bacon, and Tomato with a rich Boursin Cheese Sauce and Fried Onion Straws).  Maybe next time we’ll try a mid-day meal instead of breakfast. Excluding the unfortunate vomit greeting, we had an overall good experience.

Have you tried the Grand Floridian Café? What did you think about it?