2 Haunted Mansions, 1 Day: Grand Finale & Link to Pre-Trip Report for Feb. Trip!

[Disneygrl36]

How has your DH never been to a concert before this????
Oh......I've always wanted to stay at the Poly.......

 

[Kimberly815]

Did you love the Poly? Your room looks beautiful in the pictures. Did you think it was worth the price?

 

[lurkyloo]

We just went to the Thanksgiving banquet at the DL Hotel last week, and I got the jazz band to play Will's favorite song - "I Wanna Be Like You"! He requests it every year, but this year I did it as a secret

Aw... that's cute! And what a great tradition! I've never done a holiday meal at Disneyland - is it worth it?

How has your DH never been to a concert before this????

I know! He somehow missed that phase of teenagerdom where you get totally into bands and music. He only listens to soundtracks. I guess, if you count going to the Hollywood Bowl to hear John Williams, that qualifies as a concert. But he's never been to a "show" - like with a band and a mosh pit and stuff.

Did you love the Poly? Your room looks beautiful in the pictures. Did you think it was worth the price?

It was worth the price we paid, but that's cuz we got a screamin' deal at $229/night! I would never pay rack rate to stay there. The grounds are lovely and the rooms are big, but as with all of Disney's Deluxe hotels, for the price you pay you could be staying at a 5-star hotel with way more plush accomodations and amenities.

Really, I've gotten just as much enjoyment out of the Polynesian's public areas when I was a guest elsewhere than we got as guests there. Well, OK, the pool was pretty cool.... And I like the rooms - they just don't feel "Deluxe" to me.

That said, I definitely like it the best of the three monorail resorts!

 

[romymichelle21]

Aw... that's cute! And what a great tradition! I've never done a holiday meal at Disneyland - is it worth it?

It is! I just thought it was funny that you mentioned that song, and I totally just saw it played at a Disney park myself!

We went last year as well - it you and Patrick usually do something just together, I'd recommend it! It's $60+ per adult, but there's toooooons of food! (And a bazillion desserts! )

Ok, now back to your trippie

 

[lurkyloo]

OK, where were we...? Ah! Dinner at Ohana...

Tiki One...

Tiki Two...

Tiki Three...

Freaky Tiki!

So.... don’t hate on me, but I think I’m the only person on the planet who doesn’t like Ohana. It was SO LOUD!!! And the food was aggressively mediocre...

They sat us right next to the Coconut 500 Speedway, and we watched as every child in the place came running or screaming or conga-ing or coconut-coaxing right past our table. I had neglected to bring my earplugs, so I was not a happy camper. I’m not sure why it didn’t bother me at Whispering Canyon – maybe we weren’t in the flow of traffic there.

The essence of Ohana...

Exotic Polynesian “salad”...

Trader Joe’s frozen gyoza?

Donde está el SPAM?

Tastes like sweet!

Hmmm.... I seem to have no pictures of the meat, but we all know what shoe-leather looks like, right?

Apparently Polynesians like their bread drowning in high-fructose corn syrup

Finally something snapped for me and I decided if I couldn’t beat ‘em, I’d join ‘em! DH and I began exhorting the racing children to go faster, faster, FASTER! And farther, farther, FARTHER away from us!

On their way out, Jennifaerie and Rob came by to chat, and I hope I thanked them again for switching ADRs with us. We were all politely vague about our post-dinner plans, not wanting to obligate the others to hang out. DH and I planned to go watch HalloWishes from the Poly beach again, but we almost didn’t make it cuz it took so long to get the bill.

We raced down the beach trying to find an open spot, and finally ended up at Sunset Point, where we perched in the damp grass.

At the end of the show we stood up to leave, and who should be sitting right behind us but... Jennifaerie and Rob! It was really shameless the way they stalked us on this trip... We all walked back to toward our rooms together, talking and talking until we finally almost fell asleep on our feet. DH and I are so used to being solo on our Disney trips – it was nice to feel like we were on vacation with friends!

Coming up next... Do we really get to ride Haunted Mansion at Disney World and Disneyland on the same day?! (Those of you who know, pipe down!)

 

[Wazzo]

So.... don’t hate on me, but I think I’m the only person on the planet who doesn’t like Ohana. It was SO LOUD!!! And the food was aggressively mediocre...

I agree with you!! Again! I feel like it's too much food too... It's literally overwhelming!

 

[ElenitaB]

Looky what we saw!

That's not a "what." It's a "who" and he was reminding you to let your conscious be your guide when mocking the French!

We're eating at 'Ohana a week from tonight. This will be the first time we'll be back for dinner since '01 when DS was one of those annoying children (I was annoyed and he was mine ). Hopefully we'll be seated far, far away from the "Coconut Speedway."

Great pics... between the visuals and the witty prose, your trip reports really are great!

 

[Rora]

Carrie! I am so happy that someone else doesn't like Ohana's either!! I really can't stand the atmosphere. I know, I know-- I'm a grouchy 22 year old grandma..

Can't wait for day 8!

 

[Disneygrl36]

I loved the pictures of Patrick with all the different Tiki god poses. Good times.
Didn't you have a Lapu Lapu??????? I think O'hana was better before they changed the menu a few years ago.
I think the Poly beach is one of the most romantic places to watch the fireworks in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[lurkyloo]

I agree with you!! Again! I feel like it's too much food too... It's literally overwhelming!

Whohoo! Ohana Hatas, Unite!

That's not a "what." It's a "who" and he was reminding you to let your conscious be your guide when mocking the French!

Carrie! I am so happy that someone else doesn't like Ohana's either!! I really can't stand the atmosphere. I know, I know-- I'm a grouchy 22 year old grandma..

Hooray! Join our club! Maybe I'll re-name it the Grouchy Ohana-Hatin' Grandmas....

Didn't you have a Lapu Lapu??????? I think O'hana was better before they changed the menu a few years ago.

If a Lapu Lapu has booze in it, then no, we didn't get one. Perhaps that's the secret to enjoying Ohana.... and so many other things, it seems! I've heard that many people don't like the new menu. I have to admit I'm curious what those potatoes tasted like - they seemed to be a fave.

 

[29apr00]

Sorry you didn't enjoy the Ohana experience!! Drink more drinks next time! Seriously though, you would think they would do a better job at assigning tables, ie CHILDREN near the parade route, and COUPLES next to the windows.

 

[Kimberly815]

Hmmm. . . .Interesting review of Ohana. We haven't tried it yet. The reviews seem to lean one way or the other with Ohana.

 

[MomBoyd]

 

[lurkyloo]

Seriously though, you would think they would do a better job at assigning tables, ie CHILDREN near the parade route, and COUPLES next to the windows.

That is a really good idea! I wonder why they haven't figured it out...

Hmmm. . . .Interesting review of Ohana. We haven't tried it yet. The reviews seem to lean one way or the other with Ohana.

Well, just remember I am a big ol' restaurant snob who doesn't have kids and take my review with a grain of salt!

OK, OK - hey! It's the holidays! Some of us have Christmas cards to write and presents to wrap!

To tide you over, a couple pix from Day 9: Disneyland...

 

[LaurenMic]

Awww lovin' those pics! Cute dress, you look gorgeous!

 

[Rora]

To tide you over, a couple pix from Day 9: Disneyland...

Whoa whoa whoa. Hold up. Disneyland?! How'd you get there?
Hmm.. so you do get to 2 Haunted Mansions..

By the way, great pics!

 

[Kimberly815]

Adorable pics! And that dress is stunning on you!

 

[MiaBella05]

 

[lurkyloo]

Awww lovin' those pics! Cute dress, you look gorgeous!

Adorable pics! And that dress is stunning on you!

Aw...... thanks!

Whoa whoa whoa. Hold up. Disneyland?! How'd you get there?

Read on....

OK, Day 8, Part 1, coming up!!

 

[lurkyloo]

My journal entry for this day is kinda sketchy b/c I wrote it at 1AM the next day and had to be up again at 4:30AM...

The plan was to wake up fairly early, get in a swim at the Polynesian’s main pool, and then pack up and check out before our 11:30am brunch reservation at Kona Cafe. However, when we got to the pool at 8:30, we learned that they don’t open the water slide til 10am – booooo!

No slide for you!

The View

So we trudged back to the room and packed as much as we could, knowing we’d have to come back, shower and finish packing in time to make brunch. Then it was back to the pool for a 30 minutes of elbowing kids outta the way as we raced up the stairs to the slide trying to ride it as many times as possible.

(I’m giving you lots of pix now cuz there aren’t many for the rest of the day...)

After a hasty shower and DH running to the restaurant to hold our table while I finished packing and lugged our junk to the car, we had this delicious breakfast at Kona Cafe...

Tonga Toast & Sausage

The Big Kahuna: Coconut macadamia pancakes, French toast, eggs, ‘tatoes, bacon... prolly some ham... sausage... I love “everything breakfasts”!

It was OK. It’s never as good as I think it’s gonna be. But at least we were paying good honest cash, instead of using the Dining Plan!

After brunch we poked around in the gift shop looking for something to get our neighbors as a thank-you for watching the cat...

Eureka!

And then we took the monorail to the Grand Floridian to shoot some pix...

The Grand Floridian Spa

What?! A Saturday with NO events at the Wedding Pavilion?!

And then took a boat to the Magic Kingdom to start our Quest for the Haunted Mansion on Both Coasts.