Downton Disney: the Disney Snob and the Seven Seas Clubs-5/15 #PolynesianParadise

[AGPrincess]

Sorry for the lack of updates lately, guys, but I just wanted to wish you all a very...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I had a lovely Christmas with my family, and now we're busy getting ready for our Florida trip -- we leave on the first of the new year!! Now that there's free wifi in the parks, I'll be sure to tweet during the trip (I'm @bookishprincess on twitter! )

I haven't had much time to post here, but I have been sharing some festive Disney sights on my blog lately. If you're impatient for an update or want to join in for twelve days of DISNEY Christmas, check it out!

However, it shouldn't be too much longer before I get an update up on here. I hope y'all are hungry, because the dinner offerings at the Grand Floridian Club are coming up next!

[AGPrincess]

SO. When I last left off during our GRAND Disney day, I was relaxing with a glass of lemonade up on the fifth floor of the Royal Palm Club...



Tea was from 3:30 to 4:30, as you know, and the only problem with tea is that its so delightful, you just cant stop eating cookies and scones piled high with Devonshire cream. But if you eat a lot, you probably wont be hungry by 5, which is when dinner starts.

I needed to get hungry again. Pronto.

So I decided to do some more exploring that involves walking and that burns calories, right?



There are so many corners to discover on the Royal Palm Club. Like these totally awesome balconies. Sadly, they are technically smoking areas. Boo.



Luckily this smoking area (just off the third floor) was deserted, so I sat and watched the monorails go by very fun.

As dinner got closer, I joined most of the family at a table on the fourth floor, where they were just enjoying the view and the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra.



THIS is a fabulous band. They sound so wonderful. Theyre all dressed in grey (I love the color grey. It's so elegant). They have super swanky shoes. Their instruments are always so perfectly shiny and gleaming in the golden light from those great chandeliers.



The fun thing about staying on the club level is that you get an aerial view of the band!



Check out that binder full of music - it's huge!



That pianist was incredible - he would be playing his part, talking to the saxophonist next to him, yet sounding completely amazing and perfect.

Dart and I danced along to some of the songs, and we were all enjoying it so much, we were inspired to go down and request a few songs. First Dad went down and asked for In the Good Old Summertime, which my mom loves. Then Mom requested A Kiss to Build a Dream On. I love that song I hung over the balcony and sang along. Everybody else seemed to like it too there were couples (grown-ups, not just the little girls in princess dresses!) dancing along in the lobby below.

We asked for Put on Your Sunday Clothes from Hello Dolly, but sadly they didnt know it. We were actually doing a little Disney-themed music video to that song during our trip (a video which I will be debuting on this trip report soon! ), so we were kinda bummed about that.

Still, it was SO fun and such a fun perk of having dinner up in the Royal Palm Club, because the music floated right up to you! We applauded loudly after they played our songs, and they looked up and waved!



Soon it was time for dinner, so I summoned some empty room in my stomach and surveyed the selection!



Another atmosphere shot to give you a sense of how the lounge was set up that big table had food on it, then the counters beyond had coffee and tea and also the warmer with hot foods.

I always think that club food is good enough to act as dinner, though depending on your tastes, it might be more like appetizers. But at the Grand, I would call this selection a deluxe dinner no matter what!



There were crudite.



There were lovely cheeses.



Smoked mozzarella.



Mmmm brie!



The white bread was SO delicious, and there was regular butter as well as citrus butter.



There was fruit.



There were CUPCAKES! At dinner! Thats just a win.



Then there were several cold appetizers. This was roast beef brushetta. It doesnt necessarily sound tasty, but it was super delicious really good beef on white bread with a little horseradish sauce.



Sushi!



This was bloody mary ceviche sooooooooo fancy.



For the hot appetizers there were two different mini entrees. Tonight they included spanikopita and bacon-wrapped chicken. I didnt expect to like the bacon one, but it was surprisingly tasty, and the spanikopita was delicious!

Its so nice and relaxing having dinner on the club level. Its like eating at a buffet, only you can take the food back to the room and you stay as long as you want and you can go back up as many times as you want. I have worked at a Disney club lounge, and I have seen how much food doesnt get eaten, so I know you basically *never* need to feel guilty about eating too much on club.





My plate...you know, I found I actually was pretty hungry after all.

[MEK]

I have never stayed club, but I have always wondered how much food actually gets eaten. It's good to have that insider view of what is consumed and wasted. Your choices look delish and sushi, too! Wow! Very cool that you could hear the orchestra so clearly. It sounds like a wonderful experience.

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Sounds like a lovely afternoon listening to the band! Your dinner looks great!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by MEK

I have never stayed club, but I have always wondered how much food actually gets eaten. It's good to have that insider view of what is consumed and wasted. Your choices look delish and sushi, too! Wow! Very cool that you could hear the orchestra so clearly. It sounds like a wonderful experience.

It was really interesting to get the behind-the-scenes view - I was always amazed at the guests who went out to fancy dinners and never touched the club food. The food is a big part of the reason we stay club, I can't imagine not taking advantage of it!

Originally Posted by Stringbean&Wingnut

Sounds like a lovely afternoon listening to the band! Your dinner looks great!

Listening to the band really did make that evening extra magical!

[Dreamer & Wisher]

Those were delicious looking offerings for dinner. It would be so convenient to start a trip with a stay on a club level. Dinner would be ready when you arrived and then a yummy breakfast before you head out to your first park!

[marDgreen88]

I did a lot of monorail watching from my BLT room, too. How can you not?

Aww, how cute that the band was playing for you? (Well, we'll pretend.) Seriously, that's just adorable that yall requested songs and danced. I love it.

OMG, there was SUSHI?!??! Excuse me while I go book a trip.

P.S. I'm going to follow you on twitter! I didn't know you had one!

[petals]

Grand Floridian looks so amazing and I want one of those cupcakes

[MainStreetFireman]

Originally Posted by AGPrincess

As dinner got closer, I joined most of the family at a table on the fourth floor, where they were just enjoying the view and the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. THIS is a fabulous band. They sound so wonderful. Theyre all dressed in grey (I love the color grey. It's so elegant). They have super swanky shoes. Their instruments are always so perfectly shiny and gleaming in the golden light from those great chandeliers.

My DS plays saxophone, and tells me that their bass sax is an incredible instrument. (He also makes it a point of catching the Main St./Fantasyland sax quartet. -- Such great musicians play at WDW!)

[AGPrincess]

Hey guys! So I'm back from Florida and already missing it. It's funny that no matter how much time I spend at WDW, I always leave feeling that it would be fun to stay just a few days more.

It was a short time but a lovely one. My favorite part was probably eating lunch in the Beast's Castle -- we got to sit in the BALLROOM! My least favorite part was the Irish losing the National Championships. Yeah...that was a rough game, but you can't ask for everything. And it was fun to visit Miami and get to be on the beach!

ANYway, I'd better finish up THIS trip report before I start a new one...and nothing is a better cure for the post-Disney blues than trip reporting, right? I also have finally finished a kinda fun Disney music video from the summer trip that I can't wait to share!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by Dreamer & Wisher

Those were delicious looking offerings for dinner. It would be so convenient to start a trip with a stay on a club level. Dinner would be ready when you arrived and then a yummy breakfast before you head out to your first park!

Definitely convenient - and you don't have to worry about making a reservation etc. and the club lounges are almost always quiet.

Originally Posted by marDgreen88

I did a lot of monorail watching from my BLT room, too. How can you not?

Aww, how cute that the band was playing for you? (Well, we'll pretend.) Seriously, that's just adorable that yall requested songs and danced. I love it.

OMG, there was SUSHI?!??! Excuse me while I go book a trip.

P.S. I'm going to follow you on twitter! I didn't know you had one!

I know -- if there is a monorail in sight range, you pretty much HAVE to watch it! We LOVED the band, they made the Royal Palm Club that much more fun! And yay!! I followed you back!

[Mommy2BnB]

Glad you are back and that you had a great trip! Can't wait to hear all about the new Fantasyland!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by petals

Grand Floridian looks so amazing and I want one of those cupcakes

Aren't they cute with all those mickey sprinkles?? They have good cupcakes down at Gasparilla too!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by MainStreetFireman

My DS plays saxophone, and tells me that their bass sax is an incredible instrument. (He also makes it a point of catching the Main St./Fantasyland sax quartet. -- Such great musicians play at WDW!)

That bass sax is the biggest saxophone I have ever seen! And you're so right, the musicians at Disney are really excellent!

[AGPrincess]

Originally Posted by Mommy2BnB

Glad you are back and that you had a great trip! Can't wait to hear all about the new Fantasyland!

Thanks! Can't wait to share!