"It's Time for the MONORAIL PUB CRAWL!" April 2013 Trip Report**COMPLETE 7/14

[Miss Potts]

Can't wait to read your review of 1900 Park Fare... I went when I was a kid and have no memory of it!

I have an ADR for our last day of our next vacation.. I really thought the menu and the character selection were great!

 

[jecskc]

When we were there, a party of 7 were trying to get a walk in at 50's prime time .... at noon ..... during Spring Break. Way to plan ahead, people !!!

I want to stay at the GF sooooo bad !! I am so fired up for them to be finished with the DVC villas so I can book a room. I've seen the points chart and it is a few points more than everywhere else, but not as crazy as I thought it would be. I hope to be able to stay there next year !!

 

[LizzieinDisney]

I am with you, I would love to stay at the Grand Floridian one day! It is so beautiful. I hope you enjoyed your breakfast!

 

[emmebear]

finally all caught up! great report...it's like i was there!

this makes me want to go back to disney soon. very soon. i so want to go...but i really shouldn't. i should probably flip a coin to make up my mind.

 

[Linda67]

Playing catch up

Yay for having an AP, did you get a TiW card as well? - I'm going to pick one up in December for sure

Your photos of the studios at night are wonderful - I love the one of the hat with the balloons in the foreground - did you use a tripod?

Aren't the grounds at GF pretty? - I can't see us ever staying there but it's a lovely place to visit

 

[rachel09985]

When we checked in we first were directed to get our picture taken.



Ugh, what a horrible picture of me!!! My hair was so messed up from the wind and that outfit doesn't look well together. My new Tevas are pretty ugly but they did help my feet pain a little bit.

We waited about 20 minutes and during that time Patty took pictures while Emme played around with the coin machines




I started getting impatient but I can't be too mad considering we were 2 hours late!





Wish these pictures weren't so blurry



Playing with her new coins! She looks possessed here. Haha



We finally got sat and we went right up for our food.

First plate.



Yeah, you see that brick up in the left side of the plate? Those are their "cheesy" potatoes. Definitely not cheesy anymore. Also their bacon is not real bacon anymore!! I was soo mad. Definitely not what I have been promising Patty our breakfast would have! I just don't get why these buffets change when they have a good thing going.

The lobster eggs benedict and smoked salon were very good!

I went up the buffet and did creeper mode on the buffet and took lots of photos.

Toast/marmalade/jelly


These plates are pitiful but fruit, bread pudding, and sticky buns?


Oatmeal, french toast, pancakes


Pastries and more fruit


Watermelon, empty lobster eggs benedict, potatoes, and crappy bacon.


pre sliced ham


Yogurt, smoked salmon


Strawberries and strawberry soup




Next plate has yummy watermelon and honeydew with another lobster eggs benedict. I love their watermelon here. Maybe it is just a coincidence but every time I have been there (3) the watermelon is always so fresh and juicy.



I also got the amazing strawberry soup. I love this soup. The more I have it the more I love it. We even made it at christmas this year.





Alice




Pooh! I didn't get my picture with him because I have so many with Pooh between CP and 1900!



Mary Poppins!! I looove her!


Mad Hatter! Sorry for the shadow! He was funny. He saw my shirt and asked if I was going to the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor.



Tigger came over and since I didn't care to get my picture with him I was on my phone instagramming a picture. He came over and started trying to play around with my phone! Then I told him I was on instagram and he posed and wanted me to take his picture!!

Thus this is the picture I posted on Tigger on instagram!



I loved it! Such a fun interactive character.

We had a nice time with the characters here. The food was disappointing because the two things I were talking up weren't there anymore. But everything else was good. Plus, breakfast was only $20.99! You can't beat that for a character breakfast.

Next up: a fun day at Epcot!

 

[emmysmommy]

Yikes... that bacon looks awful! And no bread pudding or sticky buns in the pan?? Hmmm.... not sure I would be so thrilled with that. But the pre-sliced ham looks like a good idea. We've been to 1900 twice for breakfast but haven't been for a couple years. Looking at the price of this character meal it may be an incentive!

I forget.... are there Mickey waffles at 1900 PF?

That Tigger is a rascal!

 

[Nermel9]

I actually really want to try 1900 PF someday, but I'm not sure my DH would go for it! And the food doesn't look that great either, which is sad because from the way you were describing it, it sounded like it was going to be amazing! Oh well! I'd still like to go there, the character assortment is very strange, Pooh characters, Alice characters, and Mary Poppins? I kind of wish they had some of the penguins from Mary Poppins instead of the Mad Hatter! Just to change things up a bit!

Emme is too cute, those pictures of her on the boat are adorable!

 

[jecskc]

I always see bad reviews of the Park Fare food, so we never book it. Maybe someday we will give it a try.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Ugh, obnoxious teenagers. It's amazing how they can change one's mood so quickly. I have had my fair share as well. So annoying.

YAY for annual pass. I JUST got one myself. It's so cool to have! It just feels right.

Haha, the photo of Emme making the peace sign might be the cutest thing ever.

 

[rachel09985]

ooooh I hope I can find either a quick moving buzz n woody line or an uncrowded one!

It was awesome !I Love no lines.

A bit late to the party but i'll be following along

Yay thanks for joining along!

Great pics!

Thanks!!

I'm caught up so let's see if I can remember all the things I wanted to comment on!

First, I LOVE your photos of DHS at night - the hat, the signs, the ToT - awesome photos! Too bad the teens completely spoiled the ride. Errrr...

Yay for your AP! I am familiar with the compulsion to book another trip to extend the value. Since my AP and TiW are not in renewal sync it drives me even nuttier since I have to renew one and then the other to make it work! I'm deranged!

You have given me hope for TSM since I definitely need to go during Fantasmic in hopes the lines are reasonable! Definitely trying that next time. And your score on TSM is still way better than my 118,000... I really suck at that!

Love the photos from the boat to the GF. What a great way to get to the resort.

I understand what you mean about the renewal sync. I think I am going to buy the TIW too so it will really be out of sync! It is like I am always thinking of how to get to disney trip now that i have an AP and know I can get in for free!

Can't wait to read your review of 1900 Park Fare... I went when I was a kid and have no memory of it!

I have an ADR for our last day of our next vacation.. I really thought the menu and the character selection were great!

Yes I did like it although I was a bit bummed about the menu change. It is still one of my favs though.

When we were there, a party of 7 were trying to get a walk in at 50's prime time .... at noon ..... during Spring Break. Way to plan ahead, people !!!

I want to stay at the GF sooooo bad !! I am so fired up for them to be finished with the DVC villas so I can book a room. I've seen the points chart and it is a few points more than everywhere else, but not as crazy as I thought it would be. I hope to be able to stay there next year !!

Lol, i just don't get people that don't plan before they go on disney vacations. I can't wait to see the new GF DVC too even though I will never stay in it. I really think about becoming a DVC member but I don't even own a house yet so I think I should think about that before DVC.

I am with you, I would love to stay at the Grand Floridian one day! It is so beautiful. I hope you enjoyed your breakfast!

I did enjoy my breakfast!

finally all caught up! great report...it's like i was there!

this makes me want to go back to disney soon. very soon. i so want to go...but i really shouldn't. i should probably flip a coin to make up my mind.

Lol it does feel like you were there! Haha I miss it. It was so much fun.

Playing catch up

Yay for having an AP, did you get a TiW card as well? - I'm going to pick one up in December for sure

Your photos of the studios at night are wonderful - I love the one of the hat with the balloons in the foreground - did you use a tripod?

Aren't the grounds at GF pretty? - I can't see us ever staying there but it's a lovely place to visit

Nope I didn't get TIW yet! I am thinking about it though. I didn't use a tripod but I like that one too! I brought a tripod but I never used it.

Yikes... that bacon looks awful! And no bread pudding or sticky buns in the pan?? Hmmm.... not sure I would be so thrilled with that. But the pre-sliced ham looks like a good idea. We've been to 1900 twice for breakfast but haven't been for a couple years. Looking at the price of this character meal it may be an incentive!

I forget.... are there Mickey waffles at 1900 PF?

That Tigger is a rascal!

The buffet was pitiful when I took pictures of it! There were so many things out! I used to love the buffet there but this trip just made me sad about it. There might be mickey waffles in the kid section. I just googled it and I think it said yes. Tigger is a rascal. I love him!

I actually really want to try 1900 PF someday, but I'm not sure my DH would go for it! And the food doesn't look that great either, which is sad because from the way you were describing it, it sounded like it was going to be amazing! Oh well! I'd still like to go there, the character assortment is very strange, Pooh characters, Alice characters, and Mary Poppins? I kind of wish they had some of the penguins from Mary Poppins instead of the Mad Hatter! Just to change things up a bit!

Emme is too cute, those pictures of her on the boat are adorable!

It used to be amazing before their lack of real bacon and cheesy potatoes! In fact it used to be my favorite! A penguin would be soo cute! I do like how they have unique characters though. I think they are all characters from England, but yes they are strange. I think it is a good place to try!

I always see bad reviews of the Park Fare food, so we never book it. Maybe someday we will give it a try.

I actually used to love their breakfast! I think it is a good spot for breakfast and cheap! It used to be my favorite one but since the potato dissapointment it went down a bit. However, I still think you should try it! I love eating at the GF and the characters are good!

 

[rachel09985]

After breakfast we took the monorail to the TTC then took the monorail to Epcot. I love how the monorail takes you through Epcot first.

I love this picture of them.



I tried to take a picture of me and Emme, haha.



When we got to Epcot the bag check wasn't too long. I stopped to take a picture of the gorgeous flowers in the planters in front of Epcot.



Love that big giant golf ball!





It is so cool how these topiaries are so elaborate now. I saw a picture of a topiary from the early 90s and it was so simple.



Pretty flowers!



These Phineus and Ferb toparies were cool! I still have never really watched that show but I like the characters.



I just loved the colorful flowers in the bed.



At this point I saw this woman in front of me wearing tight white leggings with white underwear underneath. You could see everything! I am not going to post my picture I took of her

We were on a mission to get fastpasses for Soarin! Emme and Patty have never done that ride so that was one of our must dos! I let them stay behind since it is such a hassle to go in and get fastpasses with a kid and I got two FP for us!

Our time was 4:15 to 5:15.





Then we headed over to the Nemo ride to ride it!



Emme had a bit of a meltdown here. She didn't want to go on this ride because she was scared. Then she decided that she wanted to go home to Jacksonville didn't want to be in Disney anymore. We got her to calm down by telling her we were going home later and I would be coming!

The ride was fun and cute! This is one of the hardest rides to photograph.

I got this cool picture though of the current.



Then we went to go see turtle talk with crush! They have never done this either and I thought they would like it, especially with the kids having a role.



Emme and I played one of the computer games to keep her occupied and she got every single question right just by guessing! Smarty!

When we went into the theater Emme sat up front with the kids. When it was time to ask questions she held her hand up but didn't get called on. The show wasn't the best one I have seen but it was still pretty cute! One little boy got called on to ask a question and he said, "Um...um...um... I like you." Haha, that was hilarious! Crush was funny after that response. Another little girl asked what Crush's dads name was.

We looked around the aquarium for a little bit.





We saw the manatees eating.





Patty also showed me the hidden mickey!





Emme wanted a picture of them in the shark mouth so after that picture we left. Emme didn't want to leave though because of all the fun games in that room.

 

[rachel09985]

After the seas pavilion we decided it was flower and garden booth time! I was so happy that they added food booths this year. It wasn't too busy so I hope they continue it next year.

To get to the booths you have to pass the Oz movie setup. I took my picture in the balloon. There was this lady who was trying to get her two little girls picture and they wouldn't stand where she wanted to and she was yelling at them for like 5 minutes! I felt bad.



They had these cool glass flowers- accidentally had my ISO up too high on this!




So we were walking and then all of a sudden passed the Oz playground. Once Emme saw the playground it was no turning back! She made a dash to the playground!



I was grateful for this break because of this...



They had these awesome Adirondack chairs that were sooo comfortable, and they were under the shade! I sat back and relaxed while Patty played with Emme. It was absolutely peaceful.

Here was my view.



This playground was so awesome. The ground was so soft and bouncy and the playset was so colorful and unique.

Luckily the ground was bouncy because I witnessed a kid about 7 fall from the yellow ring flat on the ground with his head hitting first. If it was a hard surface he would have cracked his skull open. His mom was helping him originally when he fell then he went crying to his dad. After he was better, his dad helped him complete the rings without falling. Sweetest thing ever.

Patty and Emme did the rings also and it was quite entertaining.





Especially this ring was funny!







We finally dragged Emme out and made our rounds around the World Showcase!

First I tried the infamous violet lemonade that everyone drinks about.



This was great! It was sweeter than normal lemonade but still had a sour kick. I enjoyed it.

Crowds weren't horrible.





While Patty went to get Emme ice cream I saw these pretty wind chime things.





This one was my favorite. Anything with the castle and pink is ok in my book!



Patty finally got Emme ice cream. The man working the booth was sooo slow but he had a handicap so I felt bad.

We passed the Irish band whose name I am drawing a blank on right now!



Ah just remembered their name - Off Kilter!

Next up: more World Showcase eats (and drinks!)

 

[wiigirl]

Awesome update!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Great F&GF updates! I really liked the Oz garden and those glass flowers were so cool. I really wanted to try that lemonade but I forgot!

Those windchimes/decorations are really cute. Love the pink castle one!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

It's funny you mention the topiaries. I remember vividly the topiaries of the past, and they were indeed very simple. I did love them though.

I don't know why, but I just get fascinated watching the manatees eat. For some reason I just think it's cute.

Ahhh I love that hidden Mickey in the aquarium.

 

[scottny]

Nice view of the fountain.
Love the fireworks on the headboard.
That room is really nice. She looked like she was having so much fun.
Great pic of Mickey topiary at DHS.
Hmm, I was going to put HBD on the list for December and now not sure.
Nice TOT pics.
EEK! High Schoolers.
I would have been fuming from that girl and would have said a few not so nice things.
Love the hat and balloon pic.
LOL you ignored her.
Yum yum yum. All that food looked so good. Love the strawberry soup.
WOW! Tigger knows instagram. LOL
I never heard of the violet lemonade. Looks good.
All caught up. Fun updates and great pics.

 

[emmysmommy]

Hey Rachel - you had another cocktail? I'm shocked! Lavender huh? Not so sure about that only because I'm not big no sour drinks.

The Oz play area looks like such fun for the kids but it can create a bit of a problem for the parents if you have kids that don't want to leave!! Good think the ground is cushioned.

I'll have to look for the hidden Mickey in the aquarium. I love to watch the manatees eat too. You had a great shot of the jet stream on the Nemo ride. That would be really hard to photograph but you pulled it off. Do you ever put your camera on auto settings?

 

[Linda67]

Oh Epcot just looks so pretty during F&G

I've really missed not seeing it this year, it's such a great time to visit

The violet lemonade is just sooooo beautiful

 

[rachel09985]

My first food and wine booth was the Cottage, which was in the UK.

I wanted to try the trifle trio.







I loved the dessert trio at the Food and Wine festival so I figured I would love this! I didn't. The chocolate in this one was way too rich. The middle was the rich part. The green tea one was way tooo tea tasting! I love green tea but this was too much. The berry trifle was awesome! So light and fresh. I loved it!

Patty got a beer at the UK permanent stand.

At the restrooms we saw our first world showcase topiary- Captain Hook!



I loved this crocodile with the colorful flowers around him.



It was at this time I tried to be a creeper!!! I took a picture of this man that had the funniest outfit on. He was dressed as christmas. He was wearing bright green pants and a red polo! I don't wear my picture went though.

Next up were the Winnie the Pooh topiaries. I loved the props that they had!

Winnie had a red wire balloon.



Eeyore had some sort of different tail.



The rabbit had wire carrots.



I guess Tigger didn't really have any props but he did have cool stripes!



Rounding the corner to France we saw our first princess topiary- Cinderella and Prince Charming!!! When Patty first saw the topiaries she kept saying how the topiaries didn't have eyes. Well Emme heard and this entire trip Emme kept saying, "Mommy where are their eyes? Who took their eyes???" It was so funny. It was weird that none of the human topiaries had eyes.



All of a sudden I spotted a little creepy crawler on Prince Charming's hand!



Then it crawled on Cinderella.



And breathed out his neck to make it orange!!! I have never seen it before!!! What does it mean, that he is trying to mate??



Then we saw Aurora! I loved her necklace.





Aurora had two friends on her too! They were both on her hand! These lizards loved the topiaries. They were a breeding ground.

We stopped at the France booth for a very important mission- try the Rose grey goose slushie!



This was very good. It was pretty strong and had a great flavor. The only bad thing was that it was so melty on the sides. It didn't stay slushy long enough. In fact it spilled all over the place and went into my camera. So now the on/off button is sticky!

Patty got the goat cheese tart and while we ate/drank we saw Aurora and knew we had to meet her. She was wearing her new dress that I absolutely loved so we wanted to meet her. There was probably about 20 people in line so we waited. I took some topiary pictures of Beauty and the Beast characters. Cogsworth and Lumiere were my favorite topiaries of the entire festivals. I looooved the flowers in the bed!









such pretty eyes.





Next up- our meeting with Aurora!

Real life update

I leave for vacation on Saturday. I am going to Florida but not Disney. We are going to Panama City Beach for the week. I love my beach vacations as much as Disney.

Also we are planning on a Disney trip in July. It is like 60% yes 40% no. We were both going to go to in December but now we don't know if we both can go.