‘Morning all!
And ain’t it a lovely morning?
Well actually… it is. Except for one little detail; it’s our last day in paradise. Tomorrow, we have to pack it in and head it on up the road. That’s the “sting” in the tail of any trip to anywhere. It’s almost like an elaborate con; a game where the deck was stacked so cunningly that you were almost compelled to “go all in”. We’re nothing more then foolish marks being played by some sly grifter. Our own weaknesses are being used against us and yet…
We love every minute of it.
Sooner or later though, it will all come crashing down around us. Our ever present work-a-day lives will have to be attended to once more. But (and this is a crucial “but)… but, we do still have today to play in the sun.
One more chance to game the system…
to turn the right card…
to make the quick move…
to really enjoy the world around us….
One more glorious day.
Ok you’s guys… here’s the set up for the day: A bit of breakfast, a look around somewhere new, some time on the water, some time in the water, a good stretch of the legs, a spot o’ “linner”, and some time to putter around. That’s really all we would be doing today, so now you know the gist of it. Given that, you can just stop reading now if you’re so inclined. But if details are what you’re after, you know I’ll supply ‘em…
in nauseating abundance.
So let’s get started already. We’re burnin’ daylight don’t ya’ know.
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Aloaha
Being as we still didn’t have park tickets (nor the extra funds with which to acquire such), we were not in any great hurry this morning. The plain English translation of that last sentence would be: “we took the opportunity to sleep in a bit”. Of course I was still up before everyone else, but at least it wasn’t while the sun was still lurking below the horizon. Once we were all up and about though it was time for a little bit of breakfast and for what would be a rather unexpected culinary discovery. First things first though... we have a boat to catch.
As you’re already well aware, the Wilderness Lodge is a beautiful place, and just to belabor the point a bit farther here are some of the sites that greeted us on the way down to the boat dock.
Truth be told, Spanish moss doesn’t really make me think of the great national parks of the American West… but it is right pretty.
A little bit o’ nature…
A beautiful scene to contemplate while waiting for our conveyance…
…and our launch approaches.
There are boats of varying sizes that service all of the resorts in the vicinity of the Magic Kingdom and different vessels will travel slightly different routs. Generally speaking, there will be a small flag (or more precisely: a pennant) of a specific color flying at the prow of each boat and that color will tell you where that vessel is headed. The one we caught that morning was headed here…
It was a little tough arriving right at the pearly gates of the mighty MK and not heading triumphantly toward the turnstiles, but that just wasn’t going to be happening. The plan this day was to catch the resort loop monorail, and that we did. This was also the first time I actually saw this particular view of one of these iconic vehicles…
An empty cabin!
(a rare site indeed)
A moment or two later and we pulled out of the station heading clockwise around the Seven Seas Lagoon. As such, the first thing you see after passing by the train station and the front gates would be this minor attraction…
Followed immediately by this venerable resort…
After a stop to pick up folks at the Contemporary and then a second at the TTC, we arrived at the “Poly” (our actual destination for the morning) and were lavishly greeted in the upper lobby of the Ceremonial House by these two fellows…
The Polynesian is the second most senior resort on property, has one of the most loyal followings, and is flat out one of the most beautiful…
But I’m getting ahead of myself so let me save images of that type for a bit.
First, it’s time for breakfast….
Welcome to the Kona Café!!!
As my habit throughout this TR has been to include the menu for each venue, I might as well continue on with that trend. So here’s what you’ll be offered up for breakfast at the Kona:
Kona Cafe
Breakfast Menu
Tonga Toast
Banana stuffed sourdough bread, rolled in cinnamon sugar
served with Strawberry Compote and your choice of ham, bacon, or sausage
Big Kahuna
French toast, Pancakes topped with Pineapple sauce and Macadamia Nut Butter,
eggs, home fried potatoes, ham, bacon, and sausage
Two Eggs Your Way
with home fried potatoes, a biscuit,
and choice of ham, bacon or sausage
Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes
with macadamia nut butter, pineapple sauce
and your choice of ham, bacon or sausage
Pancakes
with choice of ham, bacon or sausage
French Toast
with choice of ham, bacon or sausage
Steak and Eggs
A char-grilled New York Strip steak served with two eggs,
home-fries potatoes, and biscuit
Ham and Cheese Omelet
with home-fried potatoes and a biscuit
Blueberry Pancakes
with choice of ham, bacon or sausage
The Somoan
poached eggs with Hollandaise served over smoked pulled pork hash
Fruit Plate
fresh seasonal fruit served in a pineapple with banana nut bread
Fresh Fruit Cup Side Dish
Coffees
100% Kona Coffee French Press Pot
Kona Blend Coffee
Espresso
Cappuccino
Cafe Latte
Cafe Mocha
Juices
Orange juice, Apple juice, Cranberry juice, Tomato juice,
Pineapple juice and Grapefruit juice
Kona Cocktails
Wasabi Mary
Absolut Peppar Vodka, wasabi, spices and tomato juice
Mimosa
sparkling wine and orange juice
Non-Alcoholic Specialties
Glowing Character Punch
Minute Maid Lemonade punch served in a souvenir cup
with a glowing Disney Character Clip on light
Mega Berry Smoothies
raspberry puree and nonfact yogurt blended
with Odwalia berries
Lilikoi Juice
passion fruit, orange and guava blend
Take a home a bag: Whole Bean or Ground
Kona Blend - $15.00
100% Kona - $40.00
(process as on January 2012)
The trademark item on that there list (the one that most folks rave about); that would be the Tonga Toast and it is worth the price of admission to be sure. Tamara gave that a whirl and declared it to be most excellent. The boy went for the “Big Kahuna” (fittingly) and basically had a little bit of everything (a good choice if you’re plenty hungry but don’t really know what you want). Now, as for me… well as y’all know; I are a carnivore. Given that fact one would expect me to go for the Steak and Eggs and on any other day you’d have been correct. But this was different. I was feeling like I needed something with more of a South Pacific flare about it yet hearty and comforting. So, I ordered up something completely different and it ended up changing the way my family will now be approaching the Kona form this point forward.
Let me offer up three words here:
Macadamia
Pineapple
Pancakes
No, really…
When these apparitions arrive at your table, the first thing you need to do is have the server take the syrup right back into the kitchen. Trust me; you really don’t want to be damaging anything as delicate and savory as these lovely bits of griddle-tastic deliciousness with mere boiled tree sap (no matter how good said sap might be). The cakes themselves were nearly flawless and the bits of macadamia show up in ones or twos within each bite acting like explosions of flavor as you encounter them. All that said, the real win here (and I’m serious about this) was the crushed pineapple sauce that crowned the stack like a golden snow glazing the Himalayas. My word! This stuff ain’t anything like the lackluster chunks that you’ve ever attempted to liberate form a can or even like the goo that comprises the center layer of your great aunt’s famous Thanksgiving Day casserole. No sir. This was nirvana to the point of even outshining (dare I say…) a Dole Whip. The combination was a near perfect blend of sweet, savory, acid and crunch that was all the better when combined with a bit of the excellent ham that tagged along as a side dish. Everyone at the table tried bites of this as well and as a result I spent the rest of the meal having to fend off errant forks heading toward my plate. We’ve unanimously declared this dish to be the real hidden jewel at the Kona. I honestly can’t wait to go back down there and have another plate of this fabulousness.
Ahhhhhhhhh…
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Exploring the Realm
After one marvelous meal and a few cups of some very fine coffee, the talk turned to what adventure should be next on the list for the day. The decision was made that since we were here, we might as well explore the grounds of the Polynesian itself. This is one of Disney’s premiere destinations and a spot on the map which I’d never explored. Also, being as the place is just a might on the pricy side, I may not be getting back here very soon either (well, other then to get at some more of those pancakes of to hit the Ohana buffet that is).
As you already have seen, the “Ceremonial Long House” is quite the beautiful spot. The first floor is dominated my an indoor waterfall and lush tropical flora
The theme continues in spectacular fashion as you travel outside and though out the property
The feature pool is also a veritable feast for the eyes, but you’d really expect no less of Disney now would you?
Just beyond the pool is a beach area that fronts the Seven Seas Lagoon and offers a truly fine view of the boats and ferries that ply the waters and of course the enchanting sites that are just off in the distance…
There are a couple of quiet pools as well and numerous additional water features scattered across the grounds…
The architecture is whimsical and perfectly suited to con us less well traveled individuals into believing that just maybe we really are roaming a tropical isle…
At every turn we’d encounter another lovely quiet spot where one could escape the mid summer heat and just melt into the landscape
…and given the Poly’s strategic location at the southwest corner of the resort loop, one is never very far form Disney’s iconic modes of inter-park travel or two of it’s most beloved destinations
Were it not for the fact that I actually know that there is a real Hawaii which beckons us to visit in the future (and even a Disney destination hidden amongst that chain of Pacific Emeralds), I could almost make myself believe (just for a moment mind you) that this small corner of WDW was the actual paradise that I’d long read and heard about.
Like Polynesian sirens…
The place just reaches out and calls to you.
(and such calls are hard to resist)
(Why do I even bother).You got one to split??? Why on Earth would you want to share that chocolatey delicousness????
