3/17 Update Day 13 of our 14 day! DISUnplugged PODCAST CRUISE and a rainy week at WDW

[A.Mickey]

So let me try this again.... I would love to talk disney FOOD with anyone, whether you have some suggestions or I can help you!

Overview:

May 8th 2009- May 21st 2009

Our longest Disney Vacation yet!

Day 1, May 8th:
[post=32176824]Chapter #1: Arriving at the Dolphin[/POST]
[post=32225061]Chapter #2: The Fountain Restaurant and Exploring the Boardwalk[/POST]
[post=32337794]Chapter #3: The Outlets[/POST]
[post=32338390]Chapter #4: Narcoossee's[/POST]
Day 2, May 9th:
[post=32642602]Chapter #5: Arriving in Celebration, FL[/POST]
[post=32643583]Chapter #6: Celebration Town Tavern[/POST]
[post=32729355]Chapter #7: Gator Hunting[/POST]
[post=32798661]Chapter #8: The Wave[/POST]
[post=32799367]Chapter #9: Poly Meet and Jellyrolls[/POST]
Day 3, May 10th:
[post=32833305]Chapter #10: Arriving in Port[/POST]
[post=32833838]Chapter #11: Beach Blanket and Exploring the Ship[/POST]
[post=32849046]Chapter #12: Welcome Aboard Reception and The Golden Mickeys[/POST]
[post=32849640]Chapter #13: Animator's Palate and the 1st night[/POST]
Day 4, May 11th:
[post=32920061]Chapter #14: Disney Institute and Palo Brunch[/POST]
[post=32921331]Chapter #15: Brush with "Celebrities" and Martini Tasting[/POST]
[post=32938996]Chapter #16: Ask Tracy Session and Wine Tasting[/POST]
[post=32939155]Chapter #17: Toy Story The Musical and Parrot Cay[/POST]
[post=32980374]Chapter #18: Wonderquest and the 2nd night[/POST]
Cruise Intermission:
[post=32981121]Designer[/POST]
Day 5, May 12th:
[post=32981750]Chapter #19: Serenity Bay and Cookie's BBQ[/POST]
[post=33025022]Chapter #20: Podcastaway Party and Disney's Earth[/POST]
[post=33040555]Chapter #21: Pirates and Krazy Karaoke[/POST]
Day 6, May 13th:
[post=33106167]Chapter #22: Live Podcast Taping and Lee Cockerell[/POST]
[post=33106990]Chapter #23: Dreams and Tritons[/POST]
[post=33231311]Chapter #24: Podcast Farewell Party[/POST]
Intermission between Sea and Land:
[post=33246428]Our jam packed fun filled extended weekend part 1[/POST]
[post=33246571]Our jam packed fun filled extended weekend part 2[/POST]
[post=33246644]Our jam packed fun filled extended weekend part 3[/POST]
Day 7, May 14th:
[post=33297283]Chapter #25: Will we see Aaron, or go to Le Celliar?[/POST]
[post=33342500]Chapter #26: Pop Food Court/Here comes the Rain![/POST]
Day 8, May 15th:
[post=33409490]Chapter #27: Epcot and Teppan Edo[/POST]
Jaime AKA Tiggerbell goes to Indy for a DISmeet!
[post=33451249]Chapter A: Jaime's trip to Indy: The Drive Down[/POST]
[post=33451571]Chapter B: Jaime's trip to Indy: Arriving in Indy and D&B[/POST]
[post=33473544]Chapter C: Jaime's trip to Indy: Day 2 Bub's Burger and the Indy DISmeet![/POST]
[post=33473552]Chapter D: Jaime's trip to Indy: 2nd Half of the DISmeet[/POST]
[post=33473565]Chapter E: Jaime's trip to Indy: Saturday night and Sunday Morning![/POST]
[post=33542996]Chapter #28: Epcot and Flower and Garden[/POST]
[post=33669096]Chapter #29: DATW 1st Half[/POST]
[post=33682127]Chapter #30: DATW 2nd Half[/POST]
[post=33809741]Chapter #31: DATW The Night that Changed me Forever![/POST]
Day 9, May 16th:
[post=33896791]Chapter #32: DHS w/Aaron & Nana[/POST]
[post=34013306]Chapter #34: Poly Beach and Chef Mickey's[/POST]
Day 10, May 17th:
[post=34184993]Chapter #35: MK w/Aaron & Nana, Pinocchio Village Haus[/POST]
[post=34390930]Chapter #36: Our last afternoon with Aaron in the MK.[/POST]
[post=34544184]Chapter #37: Trails End Buffet and our last evening with Aaron and Nana[/POST]
Day 11, May 18th:
[post=34703430]Chapter #38: Animal Kingdom/Tusker House[/POST]
[post=34707399]Chapter #39: Downtown Disney/Wolfgang Puck Express[/POST]
Day 12, May 19th:
[post=35178323]Chapter #40: Checking into Boardwalk/Epcot and Tangerine Cafe[/POST]
[post=35222677]Chapter #41: Chefs De France/Video of our BWV Room[/POST]
Day 13, May 20th:
[post=35876621]Chapter #42: HS and The Brown Derby[/POST]

​

 

[A.Mickey]

May 8th & 9th Staying at the Dolphin. Great rate through Dreams Unlimited..No park tickets...What will we do?

May 10th-14th..Aboard the Wonder with the Podcast Team

May 14th-19th We will be back at Pop. Staying here with the 5 day $500 GC offer (stayed here in Septmber of 08 for Free Dining)

May 20th & 21st Staying at the Boardwalk. Renting DVC pts. @ $10pp (1st time staying at a DVC Resort)

 

[A.Mickey]

Me...Shanan 29 at time of Trip. Piglet lover...Pin Trader. DH lets just call him Jason turning 34 on our Trip.

This trip will be partly adult and partly with our ds...will explain later.
Other part of our trip....we have the loving Nana and our ds Aaron Mickey who will be just over 2 years old on the trip.

 

[A.Mickey]

Jason and I were married in Sept of 06 before we ever discovered the disboards. We were going to take a cross country roadtrip for our honeymoon, but for some reason we decided against it...maybe it was the rising gas prices, I don't really remember. We ended up going to Univeral Studios and Islands of Adventure for a week for our honeymoon. Well after the 1st two days at Universal we were pretty bored and ended up going to DTD. Jason had never been to Disney World (well he did go when he was 1 but really didn't remember anything) but he had grown up going to Disneyland. I on the other hand, have great memories of my grandparents taking me when I was small in their motorhome and staying at FW. I went back to the World with my parents and sisters twice when I was in Jr. High. At DTD we pondered the thought of getting an AP since it probably made the most economical sense...if we went back 2 more times within the year. We decided to purchase an AP. 900 dollars later and we were on our way to Hollywood Studios.

On this trip we knew NOTHING about all the great dining Disney has to offer, or all the great discounts you can get with an AP on hotel rooms and the like. Ok so fastforward 1 week after our honeymoon and I find out I am 3 months pregnant!! I feel a little bad because I went on Dueling Dragons I few more times than I should have if I was pregnant!! Well we feel a little bad about getting an AP, but that doesnt stop us plan for our next trip for Jan of 07. We try to time it so we beat the holiday crowds and we still get to see some of the magic that is Disney. We plan this trip knowing that I will not be able to ride some of the rides so we plan it all around FOOD and this wonderful thing called ADR's! Hmmmm....trying to remember where we ate is kinda difficult...I know the first ADR we ever had was at Boma. Oh that's right we ate at California Grill one of the nights and our waitress was also 5 months pregnant. Whispering Canyon Cafe, 50's Prime Time, San Angel Inn... I know there is more I am forgetting......

Ok then we had our sweet son Aaron in April, and we planned for our last trip using our AP for Sept of 07. We left Aaron home with the grandparents. This was our 1 year anniversary and Aaron was only 5 months old at the time of our trip. We dined at Victoria and Albert's on our 1 year wedding anniversary and it was AWESOME!! Worth every penny!! We also ate at Le Celliar, Liberty Tree Tavern, Garden Grille, and I am sure once again I am forgetting something but I can't recall at the moment.

Then in January of 08 Jason purchased a Zune and we discovered the wonderful world of disney podcasts. Soon I was hooked on the DisUnplugged they made me crack UP! When they said that they were having a 1st ever disunplugged podcast cruise I knew that I had to go! Jason and I on May 8th 2004 met, then on May 8th 2005 Jason suprised me by taking me on the Spirit of Chicago which is a ship that cruises the harbor at Chicago while you eat dinner and watch a show. The podcast cruise is 5 years almost to the day that we met so I felt that it is too good to be true! Maybe after 10 years of being together disney will be sailing in the Alaskan waters and then all my dreams can come true!!!

Then we went again to the World thanks to Free dining with Aaron and Nana in Sept of 08. We went back to Boma, and Le Celliar, and tried Beaches N Cream, Coral Reef, Ohana for Dinner, Chef Mickey's, Fort Wilderness Buffet(not sure if that is the name), again I know I am forgetting some.....well anyway we have been trying to go to every disney restaurant that is in the parks or at the resorts, I think we are getting close to have tried them all...except the Italian restaurants...Jason is allergic to Olive Oil.

 

[A.Mickey]

Ok....so like I said previously we got hooked to the DisUnplugged Podcast and just knew that this would be the perfect time to take our 1st cruise! So we started looking for airfare for May 10th early in the morning. Coming from Chicago the earliest we could find was around 10:30 am. This didn't seem early enough for us, because we want to be at the port by 11am. We want to get the most time at the ship as humanly possible! Then we thought about arriving on Saturday May 9th and stay at the airport that night, then take the transfer to the port in the morning. Hmmmm.....wow....almost 300 dollars for one night. No thanks! So we look into the pricing that Dreams got for the Swan Dolphin Pre Cruise stay and its roughly 100 a night!

I say to Jason, Why don't we just come down on the day we met? Jason says Yeah sounds good! Although at first I think he said You are funny!
So we were just planning on going on the cruise and coming right back to IL. The grandparents were just going to watch Aaron, because when we went to a Dismeet in the Summer of 08 we met and talked to AskTracy about bringing a small child on the cruise and she told us that until they are pottytrained it is really not worth it to bring them on the cruise, I think she said something about paying extra for the Flounders club or something...I really don't remember the details other than...if they are not potty trained just leave them at home.

Nana had so much fun on the last trip that she would rather not stay at home. She decided she is going to bring Aaron down to Disney World on May 12th and is staying til May 18th at Pop with the Buy 4 get 3 free promo.

So around this time Jason got a pincode email for the 5 night stay with park tickets for around 1000 and get a 500 Gift Card. We equated this to basically free dining. This will also be over Jason's 34th birthday on May 15th also giving us the 75 GC for souviners...or in my case pins!! We decide to stay at Pop after our cruise for 5 days and this takes us to the 19th.

Nana and Aaron are leaving on the 18th and I didn't want to come back the very next day. I just feel that when they leave then you know that your vacation is almost over so we just decided to extend it by two days and stay at the Boardwalk by renting DVC pts. We have never stayed at such a nice place before... in fact we 1st stayed on property at Pop at our very last trip in Sept of 08. We keep thinking of purchasing DVC...will this take us over the edge to becoming fullfledged DVC owners?!?!

 

[A.Mickey]

We have yet to try any of these restaurants:
The Fountain
Grand Floridian Tea Room
Narcosse's
Citricos
The Wave
Chefs De France
Blue Zoo
Hollywood Brown Derby
Jiko
Yak & Yeti
The Plaza Restaurant
Teppan Edo
Cape May Cafe
Sassogula Food Court at Port Orleans??

And a few repeats:
Colombia Harbour House for Disney Chicken Nuggets for Jason!
Gotta go get a No Way Jose Sundae at Beaches N Cream


And Jason's Favorite
DISNEY CHICKEN NUGGETS!!!

Everytime I ask him what he wants for dinner he 9 times out of 10 says Disney chicken nuggets. Too bad Disney isn't in our backyard!

 

[A.Mickey]

Ok...so after listening to the email show this week on the DISUnplugged I think I have decided against YAK and Yeti and now will try Tusker House instead. Thanks Pete!

 

[A.Mickey]

The start of our 2 week vacation!

May 8th is Jason and I's 5th anniversary, not marriage, but the day we met. We were married on Sept. 29 2006. This day will be special, Jason will be surprising me....and I will be surprising Jason.

So we are flying down and arriving at MCO at 10:10 am and renting a car from Dollar.

We will be heading over to the Dolphin and eating lunch at The Fountain. We have yet to eat here and we have heard that it is comparable to Beaches N Cream....our last trip we ate at Beaches N Cream and LOVED IT! So we are really excited to give The Fountain a try!

In the afternoon, we will check into the resort and get situated and then head out and explore the resort and head over to the Boardwalk to look at some of the new items that are for sale and perhaps search for hidden mickeys and pin trade!

Then we will come back to the room get ready for our 8:20 pm ADR for Narcosse's. We have not ate here either but have heard good things about it from Kevin on the podcast. Hopefully Wishes will be at 9:00pm or 10:00pm tonight so we can see it from Narcosse's. Or maybe we will go to the shoreline after we eat and watch Wishes from there. We will have to see. We will then be coming back to the Dolphin to rest up for Day Two!

 

[HeatherBelle614]

I'm new over here, too!

Can't wait to see how your planning progresses; we're going to be trying some of the same restaurants you have!

 

[A.Mickey]

Hi Heather!


Thanks for stopping by!
When are you visiting the World? I will be checking out your PTR to see what you are doing. It is fun to plan isn't it?

 

[A.Mickey]

Well, I just got off the phone to make my ADR for today, after a nearly 30 minute wait! At least you get to listen to Disney music while you wait, not that elevator stuff !

Here is our plan for today.
Wake up and drive to the Disney outlets by 10am.
Head over to the Belz Factory Outlet Character Premiere Mall #1 Store #47
Then Character Warehouse Mall #2 Store #109-110 this is also in the Belz Fatory Outlet, I would also like to find the Crocs outlet when we are here.

Then drive over to the Orlando Premium Outlets
And go to Disney Character Premiere Suite #1252

By this time we will be hungry and we will be eating at the Celebration Town Tavern based off of the many postive reviews of this eatery by the DIS team. After lunch will explore Celebration.

We will come back to the resort and maybe enjoy the pool, or go play some mini-golf.....our afternoon is pretty open.

Then at 7:00pm we will head over to The Wave for our 7:30pm ADR which I made today. We have never ate here, but have heard good things about this as well.

After our ADR we will take the resort monorail over to the Poly Beach for the DIS meet before the cruise, to meet with our fellow cruisers and enjoy Dole Whips while watching Wishes.

We will then be going as a group over to Jellyrolls. I have yet to go here but have wanted to for a while, just never found time in our vacation to do it.

What's in store for Day 3....Well our cruise will depart for one......stay tuned!

 

[A.Mickey]

This morning we will be waking up and heading over to Cape May Cafe for our 8:00 am Breakfast with some cruisers before the cruise. Jason and I are not much of Breakfast eaters so we defintley haven't tried this restaurant before. If my memory is serving me right, I belive the last time I had a TS for Breakfast was when Aladdin/Jasmine/Genie/Jafar were the characters that you could meet for breakfast at Ohana?

We will then check out of the Dolphin and head over to the Port and on our way stop and get some liquor. Not sure what we will be buying yet?

We will get some photopass pictures taken and check in and hopefully be on the ship by 1:00 pm and head right over to Pluto's Dog House for Disney CHICKEN NUGGETS! As Jason would say! Attend the party as the ship launches at 5pm. I am not sure about the Dinner rotation, but I believe the first night we will be attending an Hor'dorves party in the Walt Disney/Roy Disney Suites hosted by the DISUnplugged team.

 

[aaronmckie]

How exciting, can't wait until Friday so the rest of our ADR's for the trip are set
Well, except for the 20th-21st, of course.

 

[A.Mickey]

So since I will be meeting the Celebraties on the cruise AKA The Pod Squad....I decided to listen to all of the podcasts that I have missed. I started listening to them about a year ago. I highly recommend listening to them if you don't they are GREAT and sooo FUNNY! So far I am up to November of 2006, only have 14 more months of podcasts to listen to in 85 days! Can I do it?

 

[A.Mickey]

Got all my ADR's this morning, and I got everything I want!
Will have to start posting all the rest of our days plans a little later, now that everything is set. Starting to get really excited now!

 

[A.Mickey]

So.... Universal Studios/IoA has something about a free 2 day ticket.......?

We already have a 7 day ticket from watching the Super Bowl....if we qualify for the 2 day ticket we may have to add this to at least a little bit of our plans for Saturday May 9th. Keep you posted and let you know if we get the ticket.

 

[A.Mickey]

I am thinking to add Park hoppers once we get to Pop Century after our Podcast cruise.

Ok sooo the cruise will be over....I am not quite sure what we will be doing on the cruise, because I didn't want to plan too much, as we have never been on a cruise before and I am not sure what the podcast crew will be doing, sooooo..we will just be exploring and learning everything on the Wonder as we go....I can tell you that on Castaway we plan on renting the Bike/Snorkels/Innertubes....is this a good idea??

Thursday May 14th
Slowly work ourselves....or shall I say roll ourselves off the boat.
After 4 days of eating everything we have ever wanted!

We will be taking DCL transport over to Pop century, and we will check-in.

Today we get to see our son Aaron!!

I know we will miss him like crazy after being away from him for 6 days!

Aaron is coming down with Nana (Jason's mom) on May 12th. This will be their third day at Disney. I am not sure what park they will be in. But we plan on suprising Aaron sometime during the afternoon/evening. (another reason why we might get park hoppers in case he will not be at Epcot.)

Epcot is the park of choice for today as we finally got a DINNER reservation at Le Celliar!!!! We have tried so many times in the past to get a DINNER reservation here and they were always booked so we had to resort to lunch. It didn't disappoint, but we are so looking forward to dinner here.....we have an 8:20 pm ADR. We booked this ressie for 3 people, so in case we make any friends on the cruise that want to join us for dinner we most likely will be sitting at a 4 top and could accomadate.

In the week before making our ADR's I figured on booking the dining plan for the 5 days we are at Pop. I like this idea, because then I won't be looking at the menu worried about the price of the food, and knowing how our 500 dollar disney gift card is just dwindling.
This way we can use our gc for tips and just go crazy! This will be a trip of a lifetime! We won't be doing this again until Aaron is 20. Mind as well make the most of it

 

[DWFan4Life]

I just finished reading your report and it's great. Looking forward in hearing more from you after your trip.

Have a nice day.

 

[A.Mickey]

I just finished reading your report and it's great. Looking forward in hearing more from you after your trip.

Have a nice day.

Thanks for stopping by! I can't wait to come back and post pictures GALORE! I still have to post what our plans are for the May 15th-May 21st!

Oh and on a side note...I am up to Feb. 20th 2007 show of the DISUnplugged. I started listening in Jan. of 08 so I have about 10 more months of shows to listen to before May 8th....it is looking like I will get it done!

 

[3guysandagal]

Hi Shanan!

Thought I'd drop by and say hi!

since we are there from May 6-21, AND going on the cruise we might see you around.