The Frump Takes Over the World: Food Edition! A DR with Extra Magic! Update- 11/14

[Disneyfreak616]

How did I not know that you had a new TR going!?
Ontario section on LC!! Woot woot! Being from Ontario myself I always love to hear about how people were seated in our lovely trillium section.

That Jafar wanted poster pin is the last one I need to complete that set! How jealous am I that you found it. I'm keeping my fingers crosse that I find it during my trip this August.

Well I'm glad you found it!

We had a lovely meal there! Heheh.

I have to find a few more for that! Good luck!​

Aw, I just saw your little shout out to me and Joni you posted before the trip! I'm so sad we couldn't meet up! I'm positive that another opportunity will present itself someday though!

I am SO SO SO sad that I couldn't see you guys! Someday! ​

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Chapter 9: Sanaa

August 18th, 2012

Hey everyone! I'm back from Disney and just getting my life together in time to go to Disneyland! Life is good. I want to get as many updates done as possible before I leave again, but my Mom just had surgery today and I'll be taking care of her for the next week while she recovers, so I am not sure how much time I'll have. If you could all keep her in your thoughts and prayers though, I would really appreciate it. However, in the next week I'd like to get some updates done and provide you all with a little PTR update on all of the exciting plans for the Bicoastal Escapade with Dave and Mike! And now, on with the food!

------------------------------------------------------------

We got back to the villa from DHS and I changed for dinner in literally a minute and a half. We were running late! I headed down to Sanaa and checked us in and then waited for the rest of the fam.

They arrived shortly afterwards and we were seated at a beautiful window table without even asking! Score!

I love the decor in Sanaa. It is so beautiful and authentic. Definitely one of the most beautiful atmospheres of all the WDW restaurants.

Our server was a very attractive guy named Josh. He was SO good-looking.

We ordered Mango Lassis and other smoothies around, as well as Perrier and Evian (we asked for water...I'm good with just tap! Helloooo royal treatment!) in beautiful wine glasses. It was a lovely start to an excellent meal.

For his meal, Scott ordered the Sustainable Fish with shrimp, scallops and seasonal accompaniments. I have ordered this dish at Sanaa before and it is incredible! The fish is seasoned and cooked perfectly and the shrimp and scallops are tender and perfect. The broth is delightful. It's perfect! It was a fish similar to salmon on this night, I believe. A bit milder though. Yummo.

Mom ordered the Butter Chicken and Shrimp in green curry sauce with Five-Grain Pilaf. She loved this! The chicken was melt-in-your-mouth perfection and the shrimp had excellent flavor. The rice was great with the sauces! Unfortunately, that particular shrimp is no longer on the menu, but there are plenty of other excellent choices!

Closeup on the chicken:

Shrimp:

And the rice:

Delicious.

Sarah also had the Butter Chicken, but with the Beef Short Ribs (also no longer on the menu) and Basmati Rice. She STILL talks about the Butter Chicken. She cannot WAIT to get it again in August. It's that good. It's her new favorite thing. She loved the short ribs as well, and she loved putting the sauce from them on her rice. Yummo.

I went with the Tandoori Chicken, and OH MY was this a good idea. The flavor was incomparable. I LOVE Tandoori ANYTHING. So delicious. This was perfect. The flavors, the sauce...it was all just one of the best things I've ever eaten. And I have eaten A LOT of things.

I was a happy Frump.

Continued in Next Post​

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Chapter 10: Sanaa (Cont'd)

August 18th, 2012

Pretty soon it was time for dessert! Mom had the Mango-Berry Tapioca Pudding, which is right up her alley. It was delicious.

Scott had the Rice Pudding, which you actually pour the sauce over. It was definitely different, but he's all about that and enjoyed it!

Sarah went with the Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Mint Sorbet.

How can you go wrong with that? It was delicious! She loved it.

For my dessert, I went with an old Sanaa favorite, the Dessert Trio! It includes that same Chocolate Cake, Tropical Fruit Kulfi, and Chai Cream. OHHH THE NOMS. The cake was moist and wonderfully chocolatey, and the Kulfi never fails to be amazing. It is light and flavorful, and perfectly fruity! I love it. And last but most certainly not least, the Chai Cream. OHHH the Chai Cream. If you don't like chai, then you definitely wouldn't like this. But I happen to love Chai! AND THIS IS HEAVENLY. The texture is so smooth and delightful, and the chai flavor is unique and a savory contrast to the other two members of the trio. I love everything about this dessert. I wish I could have it now.

The Chocolate Cake, or Trio Member Numero Uno:

Numero Dos, the Tropical Fruit Kulfi:

And Numero Tres, the Chai Cream:

YUM YUM YUM. This meal was nothing short of fantastic, and we can't wait to be back!

After dinner, we wandered outside, where a bonfire was happening by the savanna.

Yes, you can have a bonfire and watch wild African animals roam, all while staying out of harms way and having a nice chat or reading a good book.

They don't call it the place where dreams come true for nothin'!

It was a beautiful evening.

Just look at that sky:

Sisters at the DVC home:

Sarah enjoying the fire:

Such a frumpy face.

Our Zebra friend:

It's just so peaceful there:

The gorgeous lobby:

Mom, Scott and Sarah went to spend the evening by the pool...

While I grabbed a book, a seat by the fire, and spent my evening reading. I called Allie and talked to her for a little bit as well.

A while after it got dark, the fam came back down to the savanna and we used the night vision goggles to watch the animals. It was SO cool! And the CM's were very knowledgable and friendly. AKL is such a great place to spend time if you want a non-park evening. It's beautiful and there are constantly new activities (that are awesome) to do with the whole family.

After a bit we all headed up to get ready for bed. Goodnight Kidani!

Continued in Next Post​

 

[leopardmickeyears]

Yay updates!!

Wishing for a speedy recovery for your mom!

as if I didn't want to visit/stay at AKL bad enough, your pictures just make me want to go MORE

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Yay updates!!

Wishing for a speedy recovery for your mom!

as if I didn't want to visit/stay at AKL bad enough, your pictures just make me want to go MORE

Thank you very much!

I hope you get to stay there someday! I just love it so much. ​

 

[honeybunches]

Such a great thread! I love your positive attitude. Saying a prayer for your mom's recovery. Take care of yourself too, it's easy to get worn down when you are taking care of someone else.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Great pictures from Sanaa and Kidani Village! The bonfire shot with Sarah is so cool, and now I'm really in the mood for everything they serve at Sanaa (something spicy and then one of each dessert please!).

Will definitely keep your mom in my thoughts this week!

 

[__disneygirl]

Ahh, we had such a nice time at Kidani on our last day of the trip. Omg, I miss it so much right now. I LOVE IT. We ate at the Mara before we walked over there (I got the African Stew which was SO GOOD!!!), but I really want to try Sanaa next time. I would also love to see Kidani at night. Your pictures are so great!

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Such a great thread! I love your positive attitude. Saying a prayer for your mom's recovery. Take care of yourself too, it's easy to get worn down when you are taking care of someone else.

Thank you very much! You're too sweet. I will try to remember to do that!​

Great pictures from Sanaa and Kidani Village! The bonfire shot with Sarah is so cool, and now I'm really in the mood for everything they serve at Sanaa (something spicy and then one of each dessert please!).

Will definitely keep your mom in my thoughts this week!

Thanks! Ah yes, that sounds so good right now. Especially the desserts.

Thank you very much. ​

Ahh, we had such a nice time at Kidani on our last day of the trip. Omg, I miss it so much right now. I LOVE IT. We ate at the Mara before we walked over there (I got the African Stew which was SO GOOD!!!), but I really want to try Sanaa next time. I would also love to see Kidani at night. Your pictures are so great!

So do I. SO MUCH. Yes you should try to get a later reservation so you can enjoy the sunset and the night vision goggles out by the savanna. It's so magical. ​

 

[princess_momma]

I wish your mom a speedy recovery! So glad she has you to take care of her!

Mmmm Sanaa looks so good! I really need to squeeze it in one of these trips. I'm just dying to stay at AKL. It seems like basically staying in paradise. I love all the activities they have going on there!

 

[emmysmommy]

I'm so excited to see your Sanaa review since we are trying it for the first time in August. The décor is so lovely!

Your photos of Kidani are so beautiful. I know it is probably even more amazing that a photo can tell.

I hope your mom has a quick recovery. Sending prayers her way.

Looking forward to maybe running into you in a couple weeks!

 

[ocalla]

Take good care of your mom; hoping she recovers very soon!!

Sanaa is one of our MUST do restaurants each trip!! It's so good And isn't AKL the most beautiful resort!!!

 

[Disneyfreak616]

I wish your mom a speedy recovery! So glad she has you to take care of her!

Mmmm Sanaa looks so good! I really need to squeeze it in one of these trips. I'm just dying to stay at AKL. It seems like basically staying in paradise. I love all the activities they have going on there!

Thank you very much.

It IS so good. Definitely worth the trip. I hope you get to stay at AKL someday! It's wonderful.​

I'm so excited to see your Sanaa review since we are trying it for the first time in August. The décor is so lovely!

Your photos of Kidani are so beautiful. I know it is probably even more amazing that a photo can tell.

I hope your mom has a quick recovery. Sending prayers her way.

Looking forward to maybe running into you in a couple weeks!

Yay you're going to love it! I've always had a wonderful experience there. It's beautiful.

Thank you! It definitely is. It's amazing to me how a photo is such a mediocre representation of the feeling of actually being somewhere. All it does is give you a feel for the layout or a slight glimpse of what to expect, but nothing compares with actually BEING there.

Yes! I certainly hope I do! We'll be at Disneyland from the evening of the 24th to the morning of the 29th!​

Take good care of your mom; hoping she recovers very soon!!

Sanaa is one of our MUST do restaurants each trip!! It's so good And isn't AKL the most beautiful resort!!!

Thank you, I will!

It's excellent! Definitely a must-do for us as well.

AKL is STUNNING. Takes my breath away every time.​

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Chapter 11: An Eclectic Assortment of EPCOT Deliciousness & We Didn't Even Go to World Showcase!

August 19th, 2012

This morning we woke up, went to Mass, and got to EPCOT a little before 10 A.M.

Momma behind the scenes taking some video:

I love my fountain.

We did some Future World attractions and then decided to have lunch at Sunshine Seasons.

I didn't get one of those, but HELLO!? Red velvet WHOOPIE PIE!? So much yes.

Sarah had the Reuben with the delicious Seasons potato salad for her meal. She loves the Reuben here, and I helped her out with that potato salad because it is SO good. Lighter than your usual potato salad and full of flavor. Yum.

She had the Chocolate Mousse Cake for dessert, and you don't need me to tell you this is good. You can just TELL:

Mom had the Mongolian Beef with vegetable fried rice:

It was yummy! And she had the Cheesecake with berries for dessert:

Delish.

I had the Sweet and Sour Chicken with noodles for my meal. I love this meal. It is always so flavorful. It's great!

Of course I had to have my Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. Heavenly perfection, and surprisingly light. Perfection.

Scott had the Togarashi Seared Tuna Salad:

WOW, this is SO GOOD. Scott and I are big fans of fresh tuna, and this salad was excellent. He let me try some. If I had it I would not have wanted to share. It was a really great CS meal! And healthy too!

For dessert, Scott had the Pineapple Coconut Cupcake:

YUM.

NOM.

This cupcake was one of the best Disney has yet to offer. The fresh pineapple and coconut were delicious with the creamy frosting and light cake. I'm glad Scott is a sharing guy. That was a fabulous cupcake.

Sarah was getting into Ninja Mode now that she had refueled.

I was attacked:

At some point, we went into Mouse Gear, where I deer-faced all over the Mickey Rice Krispy Goodness:

After that, we headed out of EPCOT, but not before meeting some fun friends first! Stay tuned!

Continued in Next Post​

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Chapter 12: The Grand Floridian Flirt

August 19th, 2012

We saw Stitch and Daisy out by the park entrance/exit with virtually NO line, so we decided to say hello!

I have no idea why the pic with Stitch is so yellow. :/ My mom's camera was probably on a weird setting because the picture with Daisy was taken on mine and the light isn't weird. This is why I like using ONE camera. It's so much hassle with a bunch of different ones.

We headed out of EPCOT and I took some PINventory on the bus.

We freshened up and headed out to wait for a bus to MK.

Once at MK, we hopped a monorail!

Me gusta.

We got off at the Grand Floridian and checked in for our dinner ADR at the Grand Floridian Café. We were seated immediately at a lovely window table.

The fresh rose on the table is a nice touch.

I love the atmosphere in there. So quaint and really contiguous with the Victorian theme. I love it.

The menu:

Sisters having a Grand meal:

Our server's name was Martin from Puerto Rico, and he was SUCH a flirt with me. I'm not sure if he's like this with all the monorail-shirt-wearin' Frumps that waltz in there, but we had him as a waiter again on our girls trip in December and he was just as flirty. On this occasion, he told me that my makeup was "pretty" and then just decided that I was "beautiful" in general. I was flattered and he was pretty cute, he just came on a bit too strong. He was a very knowledgable and attentive server, though, which is what I am reviewing him on anyway.

We were brought an assortment of rolls, including a sort of brioche bread with currants that I loved.

Mom and Scott shared the Seasonal Salad for an OOP appetizer, which included locally grown greens, heirloom apples, cranberries, fennel, Midnight Moon goat cheese, and an apple cider vinaigrette. It looks like there are caramelized nuts in it as well, but that's not on the menu description. Ah well. Bonus!

This was just the beginning of Mom's love of the GFC, as it was all of our first time here. The salad was excellent and they both loved it, but especially Mom.

Mom had the Sustainable Fish with fresh vegetables and seasonal accompaniments. She LOVED this. She is obsessed. She still talks about it! It was on the lighter side, flavorful as heck, and delicious!

Scott went with the Grilled Pork Chop with sweet potato-smoked gouda gratin with sauteed spinach and chimichurri. He loved this! Everyone was just so impressed with GFC so far. The flavors were unique and worked well together.

Sarah had the Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast with mushroom risotto, roasted mushrooms, and chicken pan juice. Again with the entrée love! This dish included some of Sarah's favorite things about food, tender and juicy, chicken, and mushrooms! It was excellent and definitely a more upscale take on chicken. She still talks about it.

I went with the Shrimp and Grits with Chorizo and fennel served on top of creamy Mascarpone cheese grits.

YUM. This was perfect. If I haven't said it enough before, I loooove southern food, and this was an upscale take on some classic southern food. I love grits and I love shrimp, and this had a bit of a kick because of the delicious Chorizo. I loved everything about this. Perfection.

Up next- Dessert and an unexpected DISmeet at MK! Will it live up to the excellence of the meal thus far? Stay tuned!

Continued in Next Post​

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Chapter 13: Desserts & DISMeets!

August 19th, 2012

For dessert, Mom and Sarah shared the Dessert Sampler for Two.

It comes with a Chocolate Mickey Mouse, Fresh Berry Tart, Boston Creme Pie, Key Lime Tart, and Lemon Cheesecake. The really enjoyed this! I think they enjoyed their entrées more, but they really liked these two. I think the Berry Tart and the Boston Creme Pie were their favorites.

Scott had the Boston Creme Pie for his dessert, which I think he liked. He definitely liked his entrée more though.

I had the Lemon Cheesecake for my dessert, and I loved it! It was creamy, just tart enough, a good size, and delicious.

We said Adios to Martin and headed out.

The Grand: where even the floors are perfect.

Ahh it's just so beautiful. I really hope I get the chance to stay there someday.

We headed out to the monorail station, and only one monorail could bring this kind of excitement onto Sarah's face:

The AVENGERAIL!

We got to MK and trapsed around in our ponchos in the rain, and Scott and Mom went to visit them Country Bears while Sarah and I went to see about Big Thunder and Splash. They were down because of the rain, so we ended up around Liberty Square.

So what better thing to do a little over an hour after a full meal than get a Nutella Waffle Sandwich? Nothing at all!

YUMMO. We took cover from the rain to enjoy it and then ended up watching MM&Y over by Crystal Palace and then Wishes from the Liberty Square bridge with the parents.

Afterward, we were walked through Frontierland from LS and I saw a familiar person walking by in the other direction.

So I went: "Brenda..." and ran up to them!

And whaddya know, it was Brenda (emmysmommy) and her daughter Emmy (JustEmmy), her husband, and Mr. DDW! (DonaldDoleWhip). This was so exciting. Brenda gave me a big hug and turned to my mom and said "your daughter's famous!" It was so precious. She took a picture of me and then we all of us DISers got one together!

The two of them had just gotten off Splash and they still look normal and functional. I guess that's what happens when you're not a Frump.

Speaking of Splash, we said our farewells and Sarah and I walked on! The two guys sitting behind us were rather flirty with me (monorail shirts attract men I guess?). Check out this pic:

They were really funny and we had fun riding with them.

After that we met up with Scott and walked on Big Thunder! Gotta love August crowds and EMH!

After our wild ride in the wilderness we went to meet Mom at Pirates, and I ran into a girl from my former class at school! Her name is Maria and I didn't even know she was gonna be in Disney! We talked with her and her family for a bit and then caught up with Mom and our swashbuckling friends.

You know what's a really fun word to say? Swashbuckling.

Go ahead. Try it.

Out loud.

It just has a nice in-your-mouth feel.

After Pirates we headed to Tomorrowland and waited about 15-20 minutes for Space. After that, we headed to the Main Street Bakery for a midnight snack.

NOM. Mom, Scott and Sarah shared the Cinnamon Roll, but I went with my classic croissant. Huzzah.

After we were done eating (that's my second post-dinner snack in case you're counting) we headed out of the park, had a sardine sesh on the bus, and crashed.

Continued in Next Post​

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Three more great updates! First of all, it's nice to see the seared tuna salad again. I always loved it when the tuna was over mixed greens, but apparently they now serve it over noodles. It probably tastes good, but I already eat way too many carbs at WDW.

I'm glad the food at GFC was really good! I had that chicken dish in July and enjoyed it a lot, but the fish and shrimp also look great! Regarding dessert, apparently the lemon cheesecake is extremely similar to the one served at Citricos upstairs (which means it's practically signature restaurant food) - great choice.

Your Splash Mountain experience sounds hilarious, and you have the picture so you'll remember those guys forever.

Finally, it was so great running into you that night! It was perfect timing, too, since you were able to recognize Brenda, but nobody knew what I looked like before that night. And then you met someone from school, too! Between all those encounters, the Nutella waffle/chocolate croissant, and the other fun rides, it definitely sounds like a magical night.

 

[Disneyfreak616]

Two more great updates! First of all, it's nice to see the seared tuna salad again. I always loved it when the tuna was over mixed greens, but apparently they now serve it over noodles. It probably tastes good, but I already eat way too many carbs at WDW.

I'm glad the food at GFC was really good! I had that chicken dish in July and enjoyed it a lot, but the fish and shrimp also look great! Regarding dessert, apparently the lemon cheesecake is extremely similar to the one served at Citricos upstairs (which means it's practically signature restaurant food) - great choice.

Thanks! Yes, I saw that it's now served over noodles when I was at Seasons last week. I agree, and I wish they would bring back the salad version.

It was! It definitely tasted like a signature dessert, and I think that is true about Citricos. They seem very similar. It was great! I enjoyed it a lot.​

Your Splash Mountain experience sounds hilarious, and you have the picture so you'll remember those guys forever.

Finally, it was so great running into you that night! It was perfect timing, too, since you were able to recognize Brenda, but nobody knew what I looked like before that night. And then you met someone from school, too! Between all those encounters, the Nutella waffle/chocolate croissant, and the other fun rides, it definitely sounds like a magical night.

It was REALLY funny. I love when I have experiences like that, where everyone's just having a good time! I'm super friendly so I always end up making friends with random people in Disney.

Same here! Yes, you were a mystery for sure! It was definitely one of the best MK evenings I've ever had. ​

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

It was REALLY funny. I love when I have experiences like that, where everyone's just having a good time! I'm super friendly so I always end up making friends with random people in Disney.

Same here! Yes, you were a mystery for sure! It was definitely one of the best MK evenings I've ever had. ​

Agreed - some rides are definitely enhanced by a friendly crowd (Tower of Terror is another one). And I'm so glad you had such a fantastic MK evening - I definitely did as well.

Btw, you caught my post before I could edit it to say "three" updates instead of two. I can count (sometimes), I promise.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

It sounds like your Mom is in good hands and definitely sending out good thoughts and well wishes.

I love that photo at the check in desk at Sanaa and how, even though the gentlemen appears to be in the middle of something, he still took a second to smile for your photo.

Love love love Sunshine Seasons. I had the S&S Chicken myself. It was a nice change from the usual fried chicken balls.
And yup, that heavenly Strawberry Shortcake.

I'm not a pin collector at all, but now there are 2 pins I want/need. No Dancing and that little Monorail with the Mickey ears.

Do you know if they still sell that Monorail shirt because now I want/need that too!! But not to meet flirty guys, just for the record.

Awww what a nice meet with Brenda! I'm hoping for one some day too.