Who Invited My Mother In Law? A Moderately Deluxe TR All New X 3 & PTR Link 2/3 !!

[Captain_Oblivious]

Bryan and I had agreed to some pool time, and on this day Bryan and I took turns swimming with Maddie and soaking our very tired feet in the hot tub.

Sometimes that feels like the best part of the day!

As you get off the elevator, the bar will be about 20 feet in front of you on the left. The restaurant spreads out around the bar and the far wall is comprised entirely of windows. We were seated on the coveted right side of the room, but I can’t believe that there’s a bad view in the house. From our table, I was looking directly across the Seven Seas Lagoon at the Grand Floridian (and the sun setting behind it), and Maddie was staring straight at her beloved castle. Poor Bryan was stuck looking at me.

Sounds like a great spot! And I'm sure Bryan wasn't too upset.

When ordering we’d consulted our server because I simply couldn’t decide between the featured fish entrée and the filet mignon. The server (who was entirely professional and knowledgeable) simply said “The filet has been voted best in Florida for the last 5 years”.*

*by members of the California Grill staff.

We enjoyed watching the gorgeous sunset as we waited, and as it began to get dark Maddie became enchanted with the view. We asked for a booster seat so that she could see the lights of the castle change a little more ease.

Incredible view! Looks like dinner is worth it just for that!

It was simply breathtaking. I would love to end a lovely meal by seeing Wishes from that location some day.

Sounds like I need to look into trying this place.

When the driver played the princess announcement as Maddie entered, the all SHRIEKED at the top of their lungs and looked around frantically to see what princess would be joining them for a trip to CBR. Maddie was the one who finally had to point out to them that SHE was the princess.

As we made the longish trip back to CBR, the teens began to sing along with one of the young men who’d begun to play the ukulele (why oh why would anyone bring a ukulele to the Magic Kingdom?).

Seriously. Everyone knows the ukulele is for Aulani, and that you bring your accordion to Florida.

 

[amandaw]

Miss Maddie makes such a pretty princess! Sounds like she was really excellent during the meal, too!

All of the food at California Grill sounds superb! I really think that may need to be the next signature we try out. I had wanted to try it on our last trip but I could never get an ADR.

 

[Cinderella909]

Sounds and looks like a lovely dinner! And, Maddie was a princess indeed! Sounds like she was as polite as a princess! Loved how the bus driver made her entrance special. Just love the magic that one gets sprinkled with while in disney!

Happy thanksgiving to all! I'm thankful for all my wonderful disney magical memories! Karen

 

[Lisa29]

Great update again.

Maddie looks so beautiful in her princess dress.

 

[KatMark]

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

 

[Caretames1]

I see you've been kind as well, and I haven't had to catch up on 100 pages!

I so wish we would have an an ADR at Via Napoi. It has officially gone on my list for next year. Your food looks go good,and I really could have gone for some good pizza.
My sister is 34 and still eats her noddles naked!

Without further ado, I bring you Cinderella and Prince Charming.

I think I'll frame this one

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Absolutely stunning pictures! I actually had a fleck of dust in my eye I see this coming our at a wedding someday, you know 40 years from now.


I see the WS is an exciting place for Maddie as well. Kadence must be placated with kidcot stops, and a snack or two. I do dream of someday, exploring the area at my pace. Alone.


My DH got a shirt in Canada, something about hockey, Blah, Blah... He liked it. LOL I'm such a fan, NOT!

Loved your review of CG. I think I may try that someday, but it have better be when we have free dining!

I know I skipped over some stuff, but Kadence is loving Maddie's costumes, and thinks her Cinderella one is the best. She's also mad at me for not standing in a very long line for Snow White.

She'll live.

Happy Thanksgiving!​

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Hi there Joining in late here, so I haven't read everything yet. Your daughter is so cute, and I love the interactions some of the princesses had with her! Amazing CM's. Bravo for taking MIL along! When we planned our wedding trip and IL's, it was so stressful I don't think I could do it again. I look forward to reading the rest

 

[pkondz]

We were back at CBR in no time, and Maddie was pleased to see that her guys had been behaving nicely in her absence.

'Cause there's nothing worse than misbehaving stuffies.


I have daughters... I know.

Bryan and I had agreed to some pool time, and on this day Bryan and I took turns swimming with Maddie and soaking our very tired feet in the hot tub.

Good plan.

Who can resist a photo shoot at the fountain (or accesorizing with a plastic lei for that matter?)

I know I, for one, cannot.

I loved these light fixtures above the check in desk

They look very similar to the one hanging above our dining room table. DW picked them. I guess that proves she has good taste!

You know what struck me about this? I'm sure the 'hat' part is aimed directly at ball caps, but it wasn't all that long ago that men wouldn't be caught dead without a hat. I really wonder if they would enforce it if an elderly gentleman wearing a fedora came in.

From our table, I was looking directly across the Seven Seas Lagoon at the Grand Floridian (and the sun setting behind it), and Maddie was staring straight at her beloved castle. Poor Bryan was stuck looking at me.

So Bryan had the best view. Gotcha.

When ordering we’d consulted our server because I simply couldn’t decide between the featured fish entrée and the filet mignon.

That's never a problem for me. Filet wins every time. I love seafood, but... nope. If filet's on the menu, then that's what I'm having.

Maddie shocked us by choosing macaroni and cheese over the child’s steak that was offered.

Interesting. When DD12 ordered the steak at Coral Reef (adult size) it came to the table and was about as big as her head. I mentioned that she'd never be able to finish it.

It was gone before I finished the sentence.

Our server delivered our bread once he’d cleared our starters, and without making a fuss about one of us being 5 years old, also dropped off a bowl of goldfish crackers along with it. It was a touch that delighted our little princess (and her dad).

That's great!

We enjoyed watching the gorgeous sunset as we waited, and as it began to get dark Maddie became enchanted with the view.

Who wouldn't?

Our entrees arrived shortly after the sun set.

Nice timing. And nice pics too, BTW.

The verdict? While I would have preferred my steak with out the glaze, there was no denying that this was one excellent cut of beef. It was tender, unbelievably lean, and very flavorful. The potatoes were delicious, and the asparagus was perfectly cooked.

Gee, now the Denver sandwich and fries I just had don't sound so great.

Rice Krispy Sushi—cereal treats wrapped up with fruit leather and Swedish fish to resemble sushi accompanied by marshmallow wasabi and fondant pickled ginger.

That "sushi" is hilarious!

We settled up with our server (bill was $205—yay DxDP!!)

Gotta love the dining plan.

We walked slowly toward the bus stops at the Magic Kingdom and found a bus waiting for us when we arrived. Unfortunately it was packed with a group of teens (a choral group I assume)

A coral group? Cool! Was Nemo there? Or Crush? That's just so ...

oh.

choral

nevermind.

When the driver played the princess announcement as Maddie entered, the all SHRIEKED at the top of their lungs and looked around frantically to see what princess would be joining them for a trip to CBR. Maddie was the one who finally had to point out to them that SHE was the princess.

They sang loudly for the entire trip. Across the aisle from us was a teen girl who was not a part of that group, and she looked mortified that anyone would do that- and so did her parents.

Were they any good at least?

I actually felt sorry for them because they were wearing First Visit buttons, and I really didn’t want those inconsiderate kids to be their first impression of Disney.

Hopefully they had enough pixie dust to offset any boorish bus behavior.

fter what seemed like an eternity we arrived back to the peace and quiet of Aruba. One of us was paying the price for skipping nap time.

It was you, right?

Oh. Not you.

Thanks for the chapter!

 

[shan23877]

I hope your dining credits were actually worked out at VN!!!

I hadn't realized the coloring stations used Sharpies...that really doesn't make sense!! Why not crayons??

The pixie topiary area looks really cute!! Disney is a master of the details!

The Sharpie thing is so silly! I suppose that it's because Sharpie is a sponser, but still! Terrible thing to give to children.

The Pixie Hollow topiaries were some of my favorites. That little area was such a hidden gem!

About the sharpies- Preach it Sister!


Everett is at a great age for the kidcot stations now, but there is NO WAY I will ever let him know they exist. DS+permanent maker= disaster. I have thought maybe I'll bring my own crayons for him, but you know once he sees the other kids with markers, that it will be all over.

Exactly! It's such a pain. Kids who are old enough for Sharpies are too old for Kidcot!

Maddie is so good and patient waiting in those character lines, she is such a sweetheart! The photos always come out so cute, and I love hearing the stories about the funny questions she asks the characters.

She really loves meeting the characters, so that's the only reason why she's well behaved. If it was a character that only mom and dad wanted to meet I'd be telling a different tale.

We had such great interactions this year. So many CMs really stood out for making the M&Gs a trully memorable experience. Thank you.

Glad you actually got to spend some time browsing WS, it sounds like you guys had a great afternoon!

It was a really nice afternoon. Bryan and I could have browsed a bit more, but as you know you have to be grateful for what time you get when touring with the littles.

45 minutes is no fun, but at least it was for a good Snow White. When you see a CM doing their job well, it almost makes the wait bearable.

She was really THAT good at her job. I suppose that in the end it was worth it.


Lots of waiting in this chapter. We tried to keep our kids away from the masks and concentrate on getting Passport stamps instead. That seemed to help.

I wish that we'd thought of that. I just didn't have any patience for the coloring that day. We usually distract Maddie with shopping but there's just not much for kids to buy in France.

She's the best princess! I convinced my daughter she was a good role model because she reads books, and doesn't wait around for someone to rescue her.

Isn't she? I've always loved her for exactly those reasons. I'm a big fan of Mulan too.



Uh oh. Now Kathy's going to yell at you for violating her copyright. Better get lawyered up, quick!

That's why I had the kid do it. Hoping that she'll be so irresistible that Kathy will let it slide.

I seriously don't get why character lines were SO CRAZY that week, maybe there was just a LOT of smaller kids who wouldn't do the other rides? I've got no clue, Tyler was happy! Ha!

That was our theory. The ride lines were always short, and the character lines were unbearable.

I love the pics all around WS, hahaha, I would totally get like that coloring too, I AM like that colouring bahah. I'm glad everything worked out with the DP credits being correct, what a weird mix up!

It makes me happy when characters are good! I hate the ones that are all "Hi" *signs* *hugs* "BYE", Ugh.

I definitely know the shirts you're talking about, definitely had a red one with a white leaf, they're pretty readily available up here baha! Love the pics of the hats in the Canada gift shop! Cute!

Ugghh! Bryan had his heart set on that shirt. Maybe next trip. I'm glad to know that they're made!

I have finally caught up. Your daughter is absolutely beautiful, especially with her big smile.

Loving your TR! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you so much! Thanks for joining in!

You win for favorite post of the day!!

lol I'm a sharpie junkie too and have often wonder why they gave small kids sharpie's to color with.

Isn't it strange? I am glad to know that I'm not alone in my obsession.

Thanks for the call out Shannon. Isn't the Pooh and Tigger M&G classic? I loved the setting. Did Bryan ever find the shirt? Tons of them here. Be happy to send one in appreciation for the help you gave me. (Even though it caused serious undue stress and multiple changes for my ADR's. ) I think the Snow White was the same one we had for dinner and yes, she was amazing. Wait till you see the pictures. Can't wait see more pictures!!!!

Glad to do it! I had so much fun helping you that I should send you a gift! So sorry about the ADRs at least it worked out! Going to get over to your TR soon and get caught up again!

Looks like y'all were really having a nice time at EPCOT! That's great that y'all got in some character meets. I can't believe Maddie didn't want to wait to meet Jasmine!

I was beyond shocked! She had never turned down a princess meet before!

And that is so frustrating about the dining credits after Via Napoli! I sure hope everything really was ok with them.

It ended up being ok, but I was so irritated with that lady!

All of the pictures are great!!

Thanks Amanda! How have you been?

While the dining credit mixup and the less-than-lovely VN manager don't sound great, the rest of the afternoon looks like a lot of fun!

I always enjoy the F&G pics! It's cool to see all the fairy topiaries. I recently watched one of the Tinkerbell movies for the first time so now I actually know what it's all about!

The Belle and Beast pics are my favorite! So cute.

The Pixie Hollow area was so cute! We're well versed in fairy so we may be biased.

Those are some of my favorites too! I was talking about our M&G from this trip today, and said that the Belle ones were ALL AMAZING. Totally love those girls for making my little girl's day over and over.

All caught up! I, too, must confess to being a sharpie addict! I have hidden D from the KidCot stations, although I may be ok since he doesn't like to color! I think just to be safe, I'll avoid them in March, too!

Yay for another Sharpie addict! Avoid them! It's just not worth it.

everyone really, really has to check their DDP credits BEFORE leaving the restaurant!

years ago, they cahrged us double at Capt. jacks..(this was towrads the beginning of the trip) we didnt' look, or notice.. it didn't bite us in the butt untill our last day.

we had lunch at teppan edo our last day, with enough time to walk out the internaonal gateway and walk over and check out yacht and beach club (wow, tha WAS a longime ago, seeing as we had never been over there), and then maybe have a bit of pool time before the Magical Depress picked us up.

the waitress kept insisting we had no credits, and it took forever with a manager to sort it out.. after waiting forever while he called the resort (I had a printo out of the ADRS, and told him exactly how many credits each was) he finally came back all happy and smug..... "here's the problem! you probably didn't know that the hoop de doo is 2 credits each!"

Um, yes, I TOLD you that a half hour ago!!!!! I know every rest. at WDW that is 2 credits each, and rattled them off.

he kept wanting us to pay with our credit card and sort it our at the resort. we refused. it finally got settled, but by that time, all we had time for was to go back to Pop centruy, and have a cocktail and wiat for the bus .

the moral of the story, ALWAYS check your credits on the receipt after every meal!!!

I remembered reading that, and that's why I was checking! Thanks to you guys for sharing your story. In the end it was ok, but that lady was such a pain to deal with that I still left upset.

We dined here in June and had the pistachio gelato. It was heavenly and we talked about it for weeks. We are going next October and I cannot wait to come back here for dinner.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

OOOOhhhh we'll have to make a point to get some next trip.

You got some great PP pictures and of course yours are great!! I loved the Tinkerbell and Fairies area...and I am grown up with no kids!

Isn't it cool back there? We were really glad that we ventured back there.

I hate it when that happens. Those gold laces are lousy if they're too loose, too. You just can't win sometimes.

It's totally a drag. I swear they just don't make things the way they used to.

Your wish is my command, my lady.

So cool Ponzi! Great job!

Yeah. "We don't have failure... only deferred success. Oh, and good luck when you leave school and get out into the real world."

I hate that! I was competing when I was Maddie's age, and I lost my fair share of times. I like to think that no lasting damage was done.

Hear that, Nebo?

And for the record. Yes, yes I am.



Well, it is Halloween, so it'd be okay, right?

Give it a try! Let me know how that works out.

 

[shan23877]

Great updates. I just love the pictures of Maddie with the Princesses. You can just see how much she eats it up.

Mr. Mark says that Maddie looks awesome in the racoon hat...good job, Maddie.

The photopass pictures of the three of you are great too.

Kathy I'll be so sad when she's not into it anymore. There is just nothing like watching a little kid light up when one of their heroes makes them feel special.

Thanks Mr. Mark! She had fun doing that.

Well, it is a shame that you had to waste so much time waiting in line, but at least the better than average character experience makes it worthwhile.

The character lines this trip were crazy! It was worth it in the end though.

Well, you know, math in Italy is so much different than it is here.

I'm sorry the manager was difficult about it. Hopefully, they didn't overcharge you and this won't come back to haunt you.

It ended up being okay, but that lady was rude! A total bummer after a great lunch there.

luvin the update

Thanks!

I am loving your TR! Your daughter is adorable. My husband and I are heading to Disney next month - he just turned 50 and he's never been! I haven't been in years so we are really looking forward to it. I'm learning so much from your report, thanks for taking the time to write it

Thank you so much! I'm so glad that you joined in! If you have any questions, please let me know-I'd love to help.

How awesome! I'm sure that you and your DH will have an amazing trip!

Love all the character interactions. Was Maddie ever afraid of characters? I'm afraid DS is going to be... He'll be 4 when we go.

I hope your Dining Credits were right in the end!

She was never afraid of any characters--except Mike W and Sully. They were just so big and realistic that she panicked a little.

It might help to let him watch them from the line for bit to see what he thinks. A good start would be the Fab 5 greets in Town Square. You can see everything that's going on, and they're usually really cuddly and fun there.


She has refused to sit on Santa's lap since she was 2 though. She'll tolerate the Easter Bunny, but not Santa. Not even now.

Yikes - I've been totally MIA. Sorry.

Loved all the princess meet-and-greet pics. So cute! And what a fun time in World Showcase. Soooo wish I was there........

Hope all is well with you and your family, Shannon. Haven't talked in ages.

No need to apologize Roni-I've had no time either. I have missed chatting with you and Amanda though, we'll have to do better soon. Hope that everything is going well for you and Miss Willow.

Me too...I love wandering WS.

 

[shan23877]

great pictures!! what beautiful views. we have eaten at clif. grill once, and really loved it. we were there at just the right time. I think we watched wishes form the observation area, after the entree and before our dessert. it was great.

maddie looked pretty, as always!!!

so sorry about the loud teens on the bus ride back. I know kids like to have fun, but it sure would be nice if they consider everyone else. esp. when you are all cramped together, and everyone is tired.

Cali Grill was amazing. I was so glad that we did it for our first real signature. Sounds like your timing was perfect! I may have to try that next time.

Those kids were pretty well behaved in the parks, but on the bus they were really rude. I know kids are kids, but sheesh! A ukulele sing along?

Yay for a wonderful meal at CG!!! We loved it there as well, I'm curious to see what the renovations will bring! Maddie's dessert sushi is awesome!!

I really want to see what the reno is all about. Honestly I didn't think it was in need of an overhaul. I can't wait to go back. The dessert was so cute! I'd be tempted to order it myself.

Great pictures of Maddie, as usual The flowers at EP are absolutely gorgeous!! We've only been to the F&G Festival once and loved it. Now that all the kids are in school, it's hard to get away in May.

Thanks Heather! I was so glad that we had a chance to get to F&W before Maddie started school. We probably won't get back for the fest for a while now.

Cali Grill is one of our favorite signatures. And you're so right...the view is beautiful at sunset. The sushi dessert is adorable!! The first time the waiter recommended it to the kids, I was a bit skeptical. Yall's dessert looks heavenly, too!! Yay for the DxDp!! We've always found it to be a really good deal for our family since we like the signatures. Do you think you will do again on future trips??

Looking forward to more!
Heather

Cali Grill was amazing! I was so, so glad that we tried it. I remembered the dessert from you TR! That's why I encouraged Mads to order it.

We loved the DxDP, and will most certainly do it in the future. We loved having the option to use the credits on signatures, and still enough to do Maddie's character meals too. I am torn on which ones to do next trip though-there's so many great choices!

I don't want to ruin it because I plan to include the saving from DxDP in my end of TR wrap up, but we saved a boat load of cash using it. So glad that we did it.

Oh my word! The views from the California Grill are amazing and that's coming from someone who's deathly afraid of high places. The food looks pretty darn good as well. Yep, I think that I'd suffer through my fear of heights in order to eat one of those scrumptuous looking steaks.

It was so beautiful up there Lisa! We weren't sitting right next to the windows either. You'll have to try it some day. It was totally worth it.

Oh my....that meal does look very good. I will have to work on Mark in bringing a nicer shirt and a pair of khaki's so we can go there (he hates dressing up on vacation).

Bry was skeptical when I told him he'd have to "dress up" too. He softened when I showed him the menu and said a golf shirt would work nicely.

Love how Maddie seemed to be enjoying herself and how sweet of the waiter to bring her goldfish crackers.

Ugh....that must have been a very unpleasant bus ride.

She was an angel during dinner! I thought that the goldfish crackers were a great touch.

The bus ride was one for the ages. It always seems to take so long to get back to the resorts at night anyway, but that night it seemed like an eternity!

My gosh, that steak looks delectable! The flatbread doesn't look half bad either! I've done Cali Grill twice, and both times were awesome, so glad to see that you also had a great experience, Disney meals can be so hit or miss sometimes.

I was so worried that we'd have a dud of a dinner, but I was very, very pleased. I hope that we'll go back on our next trip too.

I also tend to stay away from fruit based desserts (I don't want anything healthy impinging upon my indulgence) but your description of the peaches cake may make me change my mind!

my sister in law has the same idea about fruit and dessert. It was an amazing dessert though. I would order it again and again.

It also cracks me up that Maddie's idea of "business casual" attire is a princess wedding dress and a pink lei. I just love her sense of style!

Thanks Marissa! She certainly has very specific ideas about what occasions warrant what outfits.

So glad you had a great meal at California Grill...It's consistently one of my favorites (withstanding the service issues I had last trip.)

Jill in CO

Oh no! I'm sorry that you had bad service there. There was almost nothing I'd change about our dinner there.

Cali grill looks so awesome!! The view is great too!! I'm glad you guys enjoyed it! I would definitely love to have a meal there and finish it off with wishes from the deck! Awesome!

UGH! I'm pretty sure we encountered those teenagers at a few points too...

You HAVE to try it one of these trips Katt! It was phenomenal.

Those kids. Such a long bus ride.

 

[shan23877]

You already know that I've been away from the DIS and I had A LOT of catching up to do, but I'm happy to say I'm all caught up! Just a few comments:

When I have no plan and some free time, I always end up shopping, too. Mousegears is tied for my favorite place with the Emporium.

Me too, those stores are always fun to shop in. WoD at DTD is a close second though.

We haven't tried Via Napoli yet, and that's a mistake. I always get into my head that we need to try something "different," and then the kids never end up eating. I am definitely putting VN on my list for next trip. I've come to the realization lately that they will ALWAYS eat pizza, even when they refuse everything else. Might as well get some really good pizza and please everyone, right!?

I've always felt the same way. I was glad that I booked this one 'for Bryan' though. Sometimes what you want is food that you know you like! Try it next trip, you won't be disappointed.

That Snow White is the whitest, snowiest Snow White I've ever seen, even in that heat!

OMG! I thought the same thing! She was ghostly white.

I agree with you on the Sharpie thing (both about hoarding them and them being dumb for a place filled with children). That's why we've never done the KidCot stations. We stopped at one once, then realized they had Sharpies and have skipped them ever since! Maybe we should just bring our own Crayola Washables or some crayons and let them try it. Hmmm...idea!

That's a great idea! My best idea was to avoid them forever.

We did a date night once to California Grill and loved it. Not a bad dish to be had! I've been wanting to go back, but now that we refuse (WITH GOOD REASON) to take my MIL back, it's just us with the kids. I'm glad she did so well there. It sort of inspires me to try it with my crew. Sort of. You can't really lose with that view, right?

I can't wait to go back to Cali. Try it with the kids! They may surprise you. Maddie was simply enchanted with the view.

That must have been a great meal. Delicious steak, awesome view, and Maddie on her best behavior just enjoying seeing her castle. Really, why wouldn't you want to go back there?

Exactly! It's definitely on the list for next time!

Sorry about the bus ride. That would be a bit intimidating, especially to a family who are first time guests.

They were just kind of annoying to us, but that family looks positively scared! I sure hope that the rest of their trip was much more magical.

You are very lucky that Maddie would choose fresh fruits and steak over other choices!

We are very lucky about that. She's getting a lot better about trying new foods as she gets older too. She's just never enjoyed chicken strips. I guess I don't give them to her enough.

I was perfectly fine with my choice of ADR for this next trip until I read your update. Teriyaki chicken and Filet Mignon are my two favorite meat so to put them together sounds heavenly. But it's so expensive... what to do, what to do???

I'm so sorry! I am really making trip planning harder for people with this TR aren't I? I would say that it's on par with the prices at Fultons. I hope that you try it one of these days though-it's great.

I'm so glad you enjoyed your California Grill dinner! It sounds absolutely wonderful... and that view just can't be beat!

I'm so jealous that you had that view every single night of your vacation. We had to settle for one dinner. It was an amazing dinner though!

What a lovely last night. I am so sad that your TR is almost over. But almost in time for your next trip.

Don't worry-It'll probably take me until January to actually finish! I sure hope to have another trip to report on this year!

Sounds like a great spot! And I'm sure Bryan wasn't too upset.

You're sweet. Sounds like you are well versed in "husband speak" too.

*by members of the California Grill staff.



Incredible view! Looks like dinner is worth it just for that!

It really was.

Sounds like I need to look into trying this place.

Do it!


Seriously. Everyone knows the ukulele is for Aulani, and that you bring your accordion to Florida.

Exactly!

Miss Maddie makes such a pretty princess! Sounds like she was really excellent during the meal, too!

Thanks Amanda! I was so relieved that she was so well behaved.

All of the food at California Grill sounds superb! I really think that may need to be the next signature we try out. I had wanted to try it on our last trip but I could never get an ADR.

I hope that you try it! We loved it, and I think we'll try to get an ADR there for next trip too!

How have you been? Did you guys have a nice Thanksgiving? You and Roni and I need an good chat night soon.

Sounds and looks like a lovely dinner! And, Maddie was a princess indeed! Sounds like she was as polite as a princess! Loved how the bus driver made her entrance special. Just love the magic that one gets sprinkled with while in disney!

Happy thanksgiving to all! I'm thankful for all my wonderful disney magical memories! Karen

I hope that you and your family had a lovely Thanksgiving as well. Thanks so much.

I was so proud of her behavior there. As you know, a parents enjoyment of any meal depends greatly on the children's behavior. We were so happy that she let us enjoy the meal.

Great update again.

Maddie looks so beautiful in her princess dress.

Thank you so much!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Thank you Kathy! I hope that you and Mr. Mark had a great Thanksgiving as well.

 

[shan23877]

I see you've been kind as well, and I haven't had to catch up on 100 pages!



I so wish we would have an an ADR at Via Napoi. It has officially gone on my list for next year. Your food looks go good,and I really could have gone for some good pizza.
My sister is 34 and still eats her noddles naked!


You must try it!! It was sooooo good!

Absolutely stunning pictures! I actually had a fleck of dust in my eye I see this coming our at a wedding someday, you know 40 years from now.

Thanks Carey! I hope that your eyes recovered. and yes, 40 years sounds just right.

I see the WS is an exciting place for Maddie as well. Kadence must be placated with kidcot stops, and a snack or two. I do dream of someday, exploring the area at my pace. Alone.

Wouldn't that be great? I do get why it's boring for kids though. I guess I don't blame them.


My DH got a shirt in Canada, something about hockey, Blah, Blah... He liked it. LOL I'm such a fan, NOT!

I don't care much for hockey myself.

Loved your review of CG. I think I may try that someday, but it have better be when we have free dining!

You must! I think that free dining would be the perfect time!

I know I skipped over some stuff, but Kadence is loving Maddie's costumes, and thinks her Cinderella one is the best. She's also mad at me for not standing in a very long line for Snow White.



She'll live.

Thanks Kadence! And for the record- I don't blame your mom at all! I'm thinking Kadence is easier to reason with than Maddie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you Carey! I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving as well.

Hi there Joining in late here, so I haven't read everything yet. Your daughter is so cute, and I love the interactions some of the princesses had with her! Amazing CM's. Bravo for taking MIL along! When we planned our wedding trip and IL's, it was so stressful I don't think I could do it again. I look forward to reading the rest

Welcome!! Thanks for joining in! I really appreciate you reading along. Please don't be a stranger.

I think that time to reflect has really helped me. I will invite MiL along again, but I'll have very different expectations.

'Cause there's nothing worse than misbehaving stuffies.


I have daughters... I know.

I'm so glad that you understand.




I know I, for one, cannot.

again-I knew I could count on you to really 'get it'!

They look very similar to the one hanging above our dining room table. DW picked them. I guess that proves she has good taste!

She must! I really loved those fixtures.

You know what struck me about this? I'm sure the 'hat' part is aimed directly at ball caps, but it wasn't all that long ago that men wouldn't be caught dead without a hat. I really wonder if they would enforce it if an elderly gentleman wearing a fedora came in.


You make an excellent point. I reiterated this to DH tonight (because the conversation was about fedoras, as so many are) and we both think the wording is a bit strange. I'm sure that a natty gentleman would be embraced in his fedora or pork pie though.


So Bryan had the best view. Gotcha.

You also speak fluent "husband" huh?

That's never a problem for me. Filet wins every time. I love seafood, but... nope. If filet's on the menu, then that's what I'm having.

Usually I'm the same way. I was thinking that it being the California Grill the seafood might be outstanding. I was very happy with my filet though.

Interesting. When DD12 ordered the steak at Coral Reef (adult size) it came to the table and was about as big as her head. I mentioned that she'd never be able to finish it.

It was gone before I finished the sentence.

DD usually can't get enough of steak, so I was surprised. Were you disappointed that you didn't get to eat 1 1/2 steaks?



Nice timing. And nice pics too, BTW.

Thanks Ponz!

Gee, now the Denver sandwich and fries I just had don't sound so great.

Sorry about that.

That "sushi" is hilarious!

Isn't it adorable?



A coral group? Cool! Was Nemo there? Or Crush? That's just so ...

oh.

choral

nevermind.







Were they any good at least?

nope.

Hopefully they had enough pixie dust to offset any boorish bus behavior.



It was you, right?



Oh. Not you.

Thanks for the chapter!

Thanks Ponz!

 

[tralin]

Don't worry-It'll probably take me until January to actually finish! I sure hope to have another trip to report on this year!

We were thinking of DL in April, but can't justify 2 disney trips in a year. I guess i need my dis friends to convince me. We'll have a trip next year for sure. Maybe Hawaii or cruise. How's the new house, school, job going? You've had quite the year yourself.

 

[amandaw]

How have you been? Did you guys have a nice Thanksgiving? You and Roni and I need an good chat night soon.

Hey! We're doing good, just been super busy! We had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We did a little getaway to a resort in Texas. I'm going to do an update in my TR with a litte mini-TR about this place. It was so much fun. How was y'alls Thanksgiving?

We definitely need a good chat night! I miss talking to y'all. We might need to schedule a chat time!

 

[ronnmel]

I'm so sorry! I am really making trip planning harder for people with this TR aren't I? I would say that it's on par with the prices at Fultons. I hope that you try it one of these days though-it's great.

Yes you are making it harder. It's okay though, now that I got over the fact that I'll have a heart attack when I see the bill, I'm actually very excited to be eating there. We tried Fulton's last time and it was uber expensive. Plus we were only two adults. But we did take wine, which I'm pretty sure we'll skip here, so hopefully it's not too bad. Who am I kidding? Of course it will be bad. Oh well, it's the "trip of a lifetime".

 

[megan511]

I have finally gotten caught up!

It looks like you had a great day at Epcot. I love all the princess pics! I love that all the girls gave Maddie that attention & made her trip special.

The photopass pics of Maddie twirling are precious! They should be in a Disney brochure.

Via Napoli looks great! We will have to try & make it there one day.

It sounds like you had a great night at CA grill. Maddie looked so pretty & how great that she could watch the castle. That view is stunning!

The Halloween pics were soo good! Those pumpkins were amazing! We have always had a soft spot for the Cubs so I hope you can retire that design in a few years.

Maddie made a beautiful princess & how sweet of her dad to be her prince! She will remember that forever.

I'm sorry for being so behind but hopefully I can keep up a little better. I hope you & your family had a great Thanksgiving!

 

[shan23877]

On the final day of our vacation we were up before the sun. Knowing that our time was short we hopped up and started getting ready for the day. Not being one to suffer from seasonal allergies, I suspected that something was amiss after my 137th consecutive sneeze. I assured Bryan that I was 100% healthy while clutching the tissue box, and we left the room.

We got to the bus stop at 6:45 and were able to catch a Magic Kingdom bus quickly. Surprisingly we didn’t have the bus to ourselves. From the Magic Kingdom we monorailed our way to the Polynesian. As was the trend on this trip, the monorail stalled more than once, but we managed to make it to the Poly in plenty of time to check in for our breakfast ADR.

We were back at ‘Ohana for our final breakfast. You didn’t really think we’d miss a chance to meet some more characters did you? Since I was still sneezing, coughing, and generally feeling horrible I wasn’t in the mood to have my photo taken. However, not willing to give up her chance to procure more plastic leis, Maddie made her way across the waiting area on her own. She triumphantly returned to us with 4 new leis-one for Bryan, one for me, and two for her (though as I recall, she ended up keeping all 4).

We were called in for our reservation shortly after arriving. We had one of the first ADRs of the day, and were pleased to find many of the tables unoccupied.

Our server arrived quickly, explained the rotation of the characters, and left to fill our drink orders.

Aloha Kakahiaka, E Komo Mai

Good morning, Welcome!

Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch. Our Polynesian friends invite you to join Mickey and Pluto for autographs and pictures.

Our Island Feast is served "Family-Style" which means we bring it to you,
so sit back and relax. E oli oli!

Breakfast 7:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Adult price range: $22.36-$26.62; Child (ages 3-9) price range: $12.77-$14.90

Tax is included; gratuity is not included. A standard, non-alcoholic beverage is included in this price.


Hua Paka (Scrambled Eggs) - made fresh, hot & delicious
Uala Kahiki (Fried Potatoes) - island-style potatoes, caramelized onions & scallions
Pua'a (Pork) - pork breakfast sausage links & smoked bacon
Assorted Warm Breakfast Breads
Seasonal Fruit Bowl for na Keiki (Kids)
Unlimited Orange Juice, Milk and Coffee included

​

Our server arrived quickly with our drinks and a platter of Hawaiian bread, fruits, and cinnamon rolls. We dug in right away. I couldn’t really taste anything, but Bryan and Maddie assured me that it was all very good.

Just a few minutes later we were served our main course. We had scrambled eggs, bacon (typical Disney disappointing bacon), sausage, and potato spears. Even I could taste how good everything was. While it was nothing extraordinary, it was hot, fresh, and tasty.

While we were eating Maddie began wondering how her very first meeting with the infamous Stitch would go. For some reason she got into her head that Stitch might eat her pen, so she was very anxiously awaiting his visit.

Lilo came by first. She had very little personality. A little disappointing since she’s so very spunky in the movies, but I assume that there’s only so much one can do to convey spunk without speaking.

Then finally, the big moment arrived. At first Stitch appeared to be on his best behavior, but once Maddie mentioned that she feared he’d eat her pen-he perked right up. After posing for photos, that silly Stitch grabbed Maddie’s pen and took off with it. Maddie thought that was the height of comedy and giggled uncontrollably until he returned with it. He was very apologetic, so Mads forgave him.

Loving every minute of it

​

We continued to enjoy our meal, and soon enough Mickey and Pluto appeared. Somehow Maddie had missed the fact that Mickey and her favorite dog would be in attendance, so she was really, really excited.

She's spotted them

Mickey couldn’t have been cuter. Mr. Mouse was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt Mickey was fun as usual. He gave lots of hugs, and posed for lots of pictures.

Blowing him kisses

​

Pluto came by next-wearing a lei- and Maddie grinned from ear to ear from the moment he arrived at the table. She loves the way he signs the autograph books, and he gave her lots and lots of hugs.

So very happy

Soon after he left the table it was time for the ‘Ohana version of the character parade. Maddie leapt out of her chair and ran straight for Pluto. She grabbed his hand, and didn’t let it go the entire time they were marching. Watching her parade around the restaurant so proudly clutching Pluto’s hand was great. She exuded pure joy. This was the reason that we’ve stood in so many character lines, sat through so many character meals. This was the good stuff. This was why we take her to Walt Disney World. It was perfect.

​

We’d certainly go back to ‘Ohana for breakfast. Maddie loved it, and is already requesting it for the next trip (she’s given her father a choice. We can either go for spring break or summer break. He hasn’t gotten back to her on that). It was a good meal, and the characters were lots of fun.

Shortly after the parade, we paid our bill and left ‘Ohana. There’s really something to these extra early reservations-we were out the door by 8:15. I was already running low on the tissues I’d hastily grabbed from the room, so we stopped at the gift shop at the Poly to get some more, and then made a stop at the ladies' room to change Maddie's dress. Seems that the fabric was itchy. Once that was taken care of it was back to the monorail. We’d be spending our last day at WDW at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[shan23877]

Don't worry-It'll probably take me until January to actually finish! I sure hope to have another trip to report on this year!

We were thinking of DL in April, but can't justify 2 disney trips in a year. I guess i need my dis friends to convince me. We'll have a trip next year for sure. Maybe Hawaii or cruise. How's the new house, school, job going? You've had quite the year yourself.

Ohhh, I'll help convince! Are you thinking about Aluani? Pkondz has some great photos from there in his TR (it's really funny too!)

The new house is good-I need more Christmas decorations! School and the job are good too. I think we've finally settled in. Thanks for asking.

Hey! We're doing good, just been super busy! We had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We did a little getaway to a resort in Texas. I'm going to do an update in my TR with a litte mini-TR about this place. It was so much fun. How was y'alls Thanksgiving?

We definitely need a good chat night! I miss talking to y'all. We might need to schedule a chat time!

Yes lets! I think we've all been too busy to properly keep up with each other. We may not be able to schedule it until next year, but let's get it on the books!

Yes you are making it harder. It's okay though, now that I got over the fact that I'll have a heart attack when I see the bill, I'm actually very excited to be eating there. We tried Fulton's last time and it was uber expensive. Plus we were only two adults. But we did take wine, which I'm pretty sure we'll skip here, so hopefully it's not too bad. Who am I kidding? Of course it will be bad. Oh well, it's the "trip of a lifetime".

It is expensive, but it's so nice to treat yourself to a really nice meal occasionally. You know you deserve it after the last year. I really think you'll love it and be so glad you did it.

I have finally gotten caught up!

It looks like you had a great day at Epcot. I love all the princess pics! I love that all the girls gave Maddie that attention & made her trip special.

We got so lucky to have met so many great characters this trip. It was memorable for sure.

The photopass pics of Maddie twirling are precious! They should be in a Disney brochure.

You are so sweet.

Via Napoli looks great! We will have to try & make it there one day.

It was great! I was a little unsure since we eat Italian food all the time, but I'm so glad that we made that ADR.

It sounds like you had a great night at CA grill. Maddie looked so pretty & how great that she could watch the castle. That view is stunning!

Between the view and the food it was a perfect meal. That castle is a beautiful thing to gaze at while you eat.

The Halloween pics were soo good! Those pumpkins were amazing! We have always had a soft spot for the Cubs so I hope you can retire that design in a few years.

I knew I liked you Megan! I hope to do a new design one of these years.

Maddie made a beautiful princess & how sweet of her dad to be her prince! She will remember that forever.

I'm sorry for being so behind but hopefully I can keep up a little better. I hope you & your family had a great Thanksgiving!

No worries Megan, I have been behind updating! I think we're all so busy these days that the Dis gets put on the back burner.

Thank you-we did. I hope that you and your family had a great holiday as well.

 

[marDgreen88]

Oh no! I'm sorry you weren't feeling well. The breakfast looks like it was so much fun! Maddie looks so happy. I love it!