Um, Where's the Ice?! - A July 2012 European and DLRP Adventure*UPDATE 12/15 Pg.29*

[burly]

Yes Please!!!

 

[IheartDDuck]

I'll be reading

I will be following along if you continue

I'm in

Yes I am willing because it is always so excellent!!!!!

Thanks everyone! I'll work on an update this week.

 

[IheartDDuck]

Hi everyone!

I started a new TR for my Disneyland trip. Hope to see you guys there!

Business Trip to San Diego? I'M GOING TO DIDNEYRAND!!!!! - Apr 13 TR

 

[ZehnJahren]

I'm not on here too much anymore (no trips until next year, boo) but I will be reading along if you continue, too!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Day 2 - Sunday July 1, 2012

Holy smokes friends. I'm still only on day 2? Jeez......

Okay, we left off having departed the Magic Kingdom in DLRP and heading back to our hotel. We wanted Dad to rest his leg after his unfortunate stroller collision, and then we were going to decide what we were going to eat for dinner.

Mom and Dad had checked with concierge to see what they recommended for dinner. Concierge told us that they recommended the California Grill at the Disneyland Hotel. Now, it's not the same as the California Grill at the Contemporary. It's definitely more traditionally French. Since concierge recommended it, they made a reservation for 8:15pm.

International Travel Tip # 30 - In France and some other countries, items and food include VAT tax, which means that they won't charge you any more than is listed on the tag. No hidden costs to contend with. Makes shopping a little bit easier if you ask me.

After relaxing and getting prettied up, it was time to head out.

The Disneyland Hotel is the Paris equivalent of the Grand Floridian. Not quite as big, but very pretty.







We had some time to waste, so we walked around the shops.

Who doesn't love this? I'm sad I didn't get one, but I was trying to budget well.





It was time to head in, and we were seated right away.



The restaurant was a little dead. Remember, people eat late here.





International Travel Tip # 31 - In Europe especially, the service staff are not on you like white on ride. They stay back and only check on you occasionally. They don't come over to you constantly, which I enjoy. They want you to enjoy your meal, not have them looming every second.

The menu was amazing.



Don't let the pricing fool you. Remember, tax and tip are included in the pricing.

This was my amuse bouche of chicken in a mustard sauce and prawns. It was very yummy. I believe the server gave me this because I didn't order from the prix fixe menu.



International Travel Tip # 32 - Prix fixe menus are everywhere in Europe, even at inexpensive cafes. They're a great way to get a variety of items to eat and get a tasting selection.

Mom and Dad ordered from the prix fixe menu.

Mom got Duck Foie Gras for her appetizer.



She loves foie gras. Me, not so much. It's okay, just a little too salty.

This was my filet with mushrooms and potatoes.



So good. And honestly, the perfect size. I was able to finish it, no problem.

Dad got the T-bone steak with fries.



And Mom got the salmon.



This was my dessert sampler.



Dad's candied coconut dessert.



Mom's cheese plate sampler for dessert.



The meal itself was incredible. I would highly recommend this to anyone who visits DLRP in the future. So yummy and definitely worth the money.

International Travel Tip # 33 - Europeans, especially French, love to take a long time for dinner and meals in general. They believe this is the time to enjoy and to take advantage of each other's company. This meal for us took almost 3 hours.

We headed out of the restaurant, full and completely satisfied. We had to walk through Downtown Disney to get back to our hotel.



And this was the crowd that was waiting for us.



See.....the World Cup was on this night. And we were walking Downtown straight into it. They had the cup playing on one of the big screens outside. And when Spain won....everyone went nuts!

They were yelling "ESPANA! ESPANA! ESPANA!!!!" It was awesome. We actually all ended up getting separated because everyone was so crazy. No biggie, obviously we all made it back together in the end.

Up Next: Walt Disney Studios and head back to Belgium.

 

[CarolynK]

Your pictures are beautiful! The restaurant looks wonderful. I am a fan of foie gras, but it has to be in small doses, it is so rich. Love the dessert cheese plate your mom got Does she remember what they were?

 

[teekathepony]

Yummmmm that meal looks awesome! I love the long, leisurely meals in Europe. I am a very slow eater and I like to take my time and enjoy anyway, so to be around others who are the same way is nice! (especially since my family are all scarf-your-food-ers!)
How fun to be caught up in that crowd too, that would be exciting!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Your pictures are beautiful! The restaurant looks wonderful. I am a fan of foie gras, but it has to be in small doses, it is so rich. Love the dessert cheese plate your mom got Does she remember what they were?

The restaurant was incredible, I would highly recommend it to anyone who visited. I agree, foie gras definitely has to be in small doses, it's very very rich.

I don't recall what the cheese plate consisted of, I forgot to write it down and she doesn't recall. I don't know if they even listed the cheeses included.

Yummmmm that meal looks awesome! I love the long, leisurely meals in Europe. I am a very slow eater and I like to take my time and enjoy anyway, so to be around others who are the same way is nice! (especially since my family are all scarf-your-food-ers!)
How fun to be caught up in that crowd too, that would be exciting!

I love long, leisurely meals too, even though I can be a food scarfer at times as well.

The crowd was awesome! It was so much fun to see them so excited, but then again we know that Europeans love their soccer....well football.

 

[shan23877]

I missed an update! I didn't read past the DLR TR update!

Beautiful resort!

What a lovely meal! I'm not huge on foie gras myself. Too rich for me. I tiny bit is good though!

Even though I'm good at math, thinking about having to convert monies gives me anxiety. I'm too much of a budget freak!

Can't wait to hear more-more silly dad pics please!

 

[TinksThree]

That looked like a great meal!! I am not too sure about the foie gras but then I have never tried (or had the opportunity to try) foie gras...not adverse to attempting at least once though. The hotel looked lovely as well!

 

[IheartDDuck]

I missed an update! I didn't read past the DLR TR update!

Beautiful resort!

What a lovely meal! I'm not huge on foie gras myself. Too rich for me. I tiny bit is good though!

Even though I'm good at math, thinking about having to convert monies gives me anxiety. I'm too much of a budget freak!

Can't wait to hear more-more silly dad pics please!

I agree, it was the fact that the foie gras was so rich. That's what I ultimately had the problem with.

You know, converting the money really isn't so bad. I always convert my money before I leave, so I don't have to worry about fluctuating exchanges and additional fees that I might receive.

I will see what silly Dad pics I have and continue to post them.

That looked like a great meal!! I am not too sure about the foie gras but then I have never tried (or had the opportunity to try) foie gras...not adverse to attempting at least once though. The hotel looked lovely as well!

The meal was incredible! So nice, by far one of the best restaurants I've eaten at.

 

[DVCWDWMEMBER]

The meals were amazing for sure. I love taking time to eat.... must be because I was raised European

 

[ZehnJahren]

Of course, my eyes were drawn to the Dooneys in that update; I love the Paris bags! I like the big retro print, but it's definitely too big for me - the letter carrier is more my size! Budget or no, that one would have been MINE!

I really liked the extra "meal time" in Europe too; it was always so much nicer to feel like we had time to visit, not that we were being shoved in and out of tables for turnover reasons. That meal looks like it was GREAT; love the presentations!

 

[IheartDDuck]

The meals were amazing for sure. I love taking time to eat.... must be because I was raised European

I like taking time to eat too. I think there's a time and place for anything. A time for eating slowly, and a time for eating fast.

But you know as well as I do. In general you and Jason eat slowly, while Dad and I scarf! Hahahaha.

Of course, my eyes were drawn to the Dooneys in that update; I love the Paris bags! I like the big retro print, but it's definitely too big for me - the letter carrier is more my size! Budget or no, that one would have been MINE!

I really liked the extra "meal time" in Europe too; it was always so much nicer to feel like we had time to visit, not that we were being shoved in and out of tables for turnover reasons. That meal looks like it was GREAT; love the presentations!

The Paris bags were really cute. I seriously thought about getting one, but I resisted. It was difficult, believe me.

 

[burly]

Fantastic update, food looked YUMMY..


KIM

 

[DVCWDWMEMBER]

I like taking time to eat too. I think there's a time and place for anything. A time for eating slowly, and a time for eating fast.

But you know as well as I do. In general you and Jason eat slowly, while Dad and I scarf! Hahahaha.



The Paris bags were really cute. I seriously thought about getting one, but I resisted. It was difficult, believe me.

Yep you and dad are the scarfers..... probably worried that someone will take your food and eat it. Hahahaha

 

[IheartDDuck]

Fantastic update, food looked YUMMY..


KIM

Food was incredible! So so yummy. I reminisce about that meal frequently.

Yep you and dad are the scarfers..... probably worried that someone will take your food and eat it. Hahahaha

I'm proud to be a scarfer.

And I am constantly worried someone's going to take my food! You know Jason...."what's that over there!?" *snatches food*

 

[DVCWDWMEMBER]

Hahaha I know what you mean Jason would always do that

 

[IheartDDuck]

Hahaha I know what you mean Jason would always do that

And he still does it.

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

The Disneyland Hotel looks very, very pretty...Loved seeing your dinner at the California Grill which was ever so Frenchy

It is interesting how much later the Europeans go out for dinner... I remember when we ate in France at 7... we were definitely some of the first patrons... and in Italy? When we ate at 7:30...as we were leaving at 10- there were people coming in -some even with children... Well when in Rome...

It is really interesting to me... I kind of feel that you travel to see and experience new things/ways of doing things...it would be boring if it was all the same...