*7/30 Update: Our Intentions Were Good, But The Treats Were Better: One Month in Disney (4/21-5/21)

[ddluvsdisney]

No we haven't tried Fiesta. We used to go to Sam Diego's in Plymouth but that's closed and we used to like El Mariachi in Taunton but didn't have a great experience the last time we went so DH doesn't want to go there. We'll have to check out Fiesta! We have eaten at Pancheros recently and Jersey Mikes. That's the extent so far of our dining in Somerset. I think we need to branch out!

Love it!

Just a warning about Fiesta…. The parking sucks!

 

[mickey916]

Just a warning about Fiesta…. The parking sucks!

Good to know!

 

[buzzrelly]

we decided to see how long it would take us to walk there to MK from the TTC. We walked over to the Poly and then from there to the Grand Floridian.

That's quite a hike!

we decided to go get a different kind of treasure at Gaston’s Tavern: The Warm Cinnamon Roll.

Yum!

My original plan was to wait until our sons’ portion of the trip but we felt it was essential to make sure they were still good before our sons arrived. Yep, still warm and soft with lots of cinnamon, maple glaze and vanilla icing. Glad we verified that for the boys’ sake.

There's no end to the sacrifices we make for our children

This actually sounded and looked better than it was.

Aw, that's too bad because it looks really good!

He would scrunch down whenever a server would walk by. I think he thought he was being stealthy. Haha!

Ha, those Disney squirrels know how to work the system!

Since we are big fans of Tex Mex food, we made an ADR for the Maya Grill at the Coronado Springs Resort. It seems like you don’t hear too much about this restaurant so we weren’t sure what to expect.

Mike from Be Our Guest podcast talks about Maya Grill all the time so I've been wanting to try it. Three Bridges is over there though and I love their burger and sangria so I don't know if I'd be able to tear myself away from that if I ever get back to Coronado!

 

[mickey916]

That's quite a hike!

It didn't feel as far as I thought it would. It was a beautiful walk.

There's no end to the sacrifices we make for our children

They're so lucky to have us!

Aw, that's too bad because it looks really good!

It really does! We were very surprised at how flavorless it was.

Ha, those Disney squirrels know how to work the system!

It was really funny to watch him!

Mike from Be Our Guest podcast talks about Maya Grill all the time so I've been wanting to try it. Three Bridges is over there though and I love their burger and sangria so I don't know if I'd be able to tear myself away from that if I ever get back to Coronado!

Oh we haven't tried the burger at Three Bridges yet. We've only tried the apps there. I do need to get that burger sometime!

 

[mickey916]

5/9 A Slow-ish Day​

I woke up the morning of the 9th with a bad headache. It was a super hot day and we really had no concrete plans. I ended up going back to bed while DH walked over to Walgreens in the blistering heat to get me some Tylenol. After some rest and Tylenol I was feeling a little better so we walked over to Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ for lunch. This is a restaurant where you cook your own food at the table. We’ve never eaten at a place like this before so we weren’t sure what to expect.

We each ordered the “Create Your Own Lunch Gyu-Combo” which came with 3 BBQ items, miso soup, salad, and rice.

Here’s our soup:

I like miso soup but it’s pretty basic. DH wasn’t very impressed but he’s not a miso soup fan.

Our salads:

The salad was very fresh and we liked the house ginger dressing.

For my three BBQ items I chose: Angus Beef Rib, Chicken Teriyaki, and Shrimp Garlic

DH chose: Umakara Pork, Teriyaki Chicken, Angus Beef Rib

Here’s our first round of cooking:

Since we were newbies at this whole cooking at the table thing, we made one error right away. The server had given us each our own set of tongs which we used to put our raw meats on the grill. We both realized after we did it that we probably should’ve used one pair of tongs for the raw meat and one for retrieving the cooked meat afterwards to avoid cross contamination from the raw chicken. We had asked for silverware instead of chopsticks so we ended up using our forks to retrieve the cooked meat.

We both liked the teriyaki chicken and my shrimp was good. The Angus Rib Eye was way too tough and chewy. It was almost impossible to eat. The Umakara Pork was so thin that DH had a hard time getting it back off the grill without sticking. This was a fun way to eat lunch but overall just okay food. We probably wouldn’t do it again. We gave our meal a B.

Since I wasn’t feeling 100% we took a drive to the Florida Mall to check out Primark’s Disney section. We had watched a vlogger who showed there was a lot of Disney inventory at cheap prices. We made the drive and found the Primark store. There was a very small section of Disney items upstairs but nowhere near what the vlogger made it look like. It was mostly children’s clothing and trinkets. There were only two or three actual adult items. It was definitely not worth the drive there at all.

We’ve never ventured out to the Florida Mall before and we were shocked to see the crowds. It was a Friday afternoon in early May and most of the parking lots were completely full. As we walked through the mall there were so many people it looked like Black Friday shopping up here in the Northeast. I don’t know if they were mostly tourists or locals but it was packed! It was really something to see.

I thought the conveyor belt sushi restaurant was pretty cool to see as well.

I was feeling much better after our Florida Mall trip and needed to get some steps so we headed next to Disney Springs and walked over to Saratoga Springs Resort.

We picked up an old favorite from Artist’s Palette, the Bullseye Cupcake.

This is a yummy chocolate cupcake filled with peanut butter mouse and topped with peanut butter and chocolate buttercream. The peanut butter mouse and buttercream are fantastic, so full of peanut butter flavor!

Eventually we walked back to the Orange Garage and headed once again to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for a light dinner. I had read that we could order appetizers from the Sanaa Lounge so we walked over to Kidani Village from the main parking lot.

I was actually quite surprised at how very small the Sanaa Lounge is. There were only about three tables in addition to the bar which only had five or six stools. The tables were all occupied so we sat at the bar. We ordered the Indian Bread Service: Choice of Five Breads with all Nine Accompaniments - Traditional Naan, Garlic-Ginger Naan, Spiced Naan, Onion Kulcha, or Paneer Paratha. Accompaniments - Red Chile Sambal, Cucumber Raita, Coriander Chutney, Mango Chutney, Tomato-Date Jam, Garlic Pickle, Spicy Jalapeño-Lime Pickle, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, or Tamarind Chutney.

This bread service is phenomenal. The naan is warm and fresh and the sauces are very flavorful. This is our second time ordering this. Last time I liked all the spicier sauces (the bottom row) and DH liked the sweeter ones (the top row). This time however we both preferred the sweeter ones. Our favorite was the tamarind chutney in the middle of the top row and the tomato date jam right next to it.

We also shared the Samosas: Potato and Pea Samosa with Tamarind and Mango Chutney (Plant-based)

Neither of us have ever eaten samosas before so we weren’t sure what to expect. We didn’t like them. They were dry and flavorless. We’re not sure if it’s just that we don’t like samosas or if these weren’t good ones. Either way it was a miss for us.

While it was great being able to order the bread service without making an ADR, I don’t think we would go to this lounge again. It was a bit too tight quarters for us. The entire time we ate, a man stood directly behind DH, practically touching him. I think he wanted DH’s seat so he was “waiting” inches away from him. It was weird and uncomfortable. Despite that, we gave Sanaa Lounge an A- (A for the food, “-” for the ambiance).

After our meal we headed back to the hotel so we could rest up. Our sons were landing at midnight that evening and staying at the Springhill Suites Airport hotel. We couldn’t wait to pick them up the next day!

Total steps: 14888

Up next…let the family adventure begin!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

There’s a new restaurant like that in Warwick RI near the airport. I wasn’t a fan of cooking your own food. I didn’t think it was that great for the prices we paid. I don’t think I’ll ever try one again.

 

[mickey916]

There’s a new restaurant like that in Warwick RI near the airport. I wasn’t a fan of cooking your own food. I didn’t think it was that great for the prices we paid. I don’t think I’ll ever try one again.

That's kinda how we felt too. Glad we tried it but probably wouldn't again. We'll stick to cooking our own pancakes at the table.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I think when I stop typing and leave my phone for a while I’m unable to finish.
Anyhow…. I actually love how the mall was packed. It’s so sad to me that the Swansea mall closed and the other malls close by don’t seem to have enough customers. I would much rather go to a store than shop online. I guess it really is a generational thing.

I love naan bread and any kind of bread for that matter. Haha
I’ve never heard of samosas either. Too bad they didn’t taste better. I was surprised by the A score for that dinner though if you didn’t like the samosas. ???

That Bullseye cupcake sounds heavenly! PB & chocolate yum!!

So excited about your 2 sons arrival! Can’t imagine how excited you both were!

 

[mickey916]

I think when I stop typing and leave my phone for a while I’m unable to finish.

I have been having some issues lately too. I keep getting the "oh snap" face on my phone.

Anyhow…. I actually love how the mall was packed. It’s so sad to me that the Swansea mall closed and the other malls close by don’t seem to have enough customers. I would much rather go to a store than shop online. I guess it really is a generational thing.

I miss the malls as well! I'm surprised the North Dartmouth Mall has still survived.

I love naan bread and any kind of bread for that matter. Haha
I’ve never heard of samosas either. Too bad they didn’t taste better. I was surprised by the A score for that dinner though if you didn’t like the samosas. ???

That tells you how good that bread service was, lol!

That Bullseye cupcake sounds heavenly! PB & chocolate yum!!

It is really good. Just the right amount of PB.

So excited about your 2 sons arrival! Can’t imagine how excited you both were!

We had a phenomenal time with them! Best trip yet.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I was actually at the Dartmouth mall the other day. My sister recently told my youngest DS that they are getting a Boot Barn there. He is a cowboy living in MA.
The cashier confirmed that is coming soon and that her son was excited too. Lol
Good to know they are adding stores.

 

[happily single]

I was actually at the Dartmouth mall the other day. My sister recently told my youngest DS that they are getting a Boot Barn there. He is a cowboy living in MA.
The cashier confirmed that is coming soon and that her son was excited too. Lol
Good to know they are adding stores.

Boot Barns are popping up everywhere! There is one in Warwick. I was surprised to see one on Route 1 in Attleboro, Mass last weekend

 

[mickey916]

5/10 Day 1 of Our Family Trip​

We picked up our sons in the morning at the Springhill Suites Airport resort, letting them sleep in a bit after their late arrival. We didn’t have plans to go to a park so we took them to the Lake Apopka Wildlife trail so they could see some gators and birds.

There seemed to be less to see than when DH & I went but eventually we did see quite a few gators. After about 1.5 hours driving through the wildlife drive we headed to Disney Springs.

Our sons have never eaten at Polite Pig and DS-28 was feeling like barbecue so we headed there for lunch. We had a big dinner planned so we actually split meals.

DS-28 and DS-26 shared the Slider Trio: Southern Pig, Low and Slow Brisket and Fried Chicken.

They both really enjoyed these sliders. They ranked them from top to bottom: Chicken, Brisket, then Pork but they liked them all.

DH & I shared Smoked Chicken Salad Wrap: spinach, roasted tomatoes, dried cherries, sunflower seeds, avocado purée served with a Pickle Spear

This was a pretty basic chicken wrap but it was good.

We also shared two orders of waffle fries.

These were perfectly seasoned and very crispy. They were very good!

We really enjoy the Polite Pig. It’s a great go-to spot at Disney Springs. This time we ranked it a B but it certainly has earned an A on other visits. We love that after you place your order the servers help you find a seat and wait on you if you need anything. It’s kind of a mix between table service and quick service.

For this portion of our trip we wanted to share some of our favorite discoveries with our sons so you will see some treats and restaurants will be repeated. The first repeat item of this trip is the peanut butter cookie from Summerhouse on the Lake. We just had to have them try this!

They agreed this is a must get cookie! A+

After lunch and dessert we spent time walking around Disney Springs before it was time to head to church. After the past two experiences I had spent some time researching different churches and reading reviews. Many of the ones in the area mentioned crowded seating and needing to go very early for parking. That wasn’t what we were looking for. Eventually I found reviews about St. Andrew Catholic Community in Pine Hills. Reviews mentioned a welcoming community, great music, a great priest, and not too crowded. This sounded like it might fit the bill. So, we drove to St. Andrew’s Church. As we entered there were many people greeting at the door. It definitely felt like a warm community. We sat in a fairly empty spot in the back, along the side. At the start, the piano player played a familiar tune but he jazzed it up quite a bit. He definitely played and sang with a flair you don’t typically hear in a Catholic Church. The priest announced that Pope Leo had been elected that week and asked the congregation, “Can I get an Amen?” DH looked at me and whispered “This is Catholic, right?” Haha! I responded “well he did just mention the Pope so it’s a good chance it is.” The rest of the Mass was exactly as described in the reviews. The music was great, the community warm and engaging, and the priest was excellent. My younger DS said, “did we just stumble upon the best Catholic Church in the country?” After the previous two weekends, it was quite a relief to find someplace we felt comfortable and engaged. After Mass they even gave all the women a beautiful butterfly key chain to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Originally I had assumed we would be going to Corpus Christi in Celebration and I had booked dinner at Columbia Restaurant since it was right in that town. However after DH and I had tried dinner at Boma earlier in our trip, we just knew we had to bring our sons. So, I moved our reservation for Columbia to the next weekend, canceled the Il Mulino reservation I had in that spot, and booked Boma as our first night dinner with the boys.

As we drove to the restaurant DH kept telling the boys about the butternut squash soup and chicken corn chowder. I was a little concerned they wouldn’t be in the rotation for that night and DH was going to be disappointed. But, thankfully, they were both on the buffet. I was so busy enjoying dinner with our sons after not seeing them for three weeks that I apparently didn’t take any pictures. We all enjoyed the strip loin, ribs, chicken, salmon, soups, sides and assorted desserts. It was a great first meal. Boma once again earned an A.

We headed back to the Residence Inn, Flamingo Crossing for our final night of our 19 night stay at that hotel. It was a great stay!

Total Steps: 12189

 

[hpygrll]

Your Catholic Church experiments are cracking me up - we went to the national shrine the first time and have since called it "Circus Church" as we thought it was a little nutty. Now when we go, we attend Holy Family - much smaller and everyone was very nice. Glad you found someplace that you liked!

 

[mickey916]

Your Catholic Church experiments are cracking me up - we went to the national shrine the first time and have since called it "Circus Church" as we thought it was a little nutty. Now when we go, we attend Holy Family - much smaller and everyone was very nice. Glad you found someplace that you liked!

I think we should get extra points for effort, haha! We went to the Basilica many years ago and didn't care for it either. Also, DH says big church = long Mass so he doesn't want to revisit there. I've considered Holy Family too. Good to know it's a good one too. We were happy we found someplace we liked too (and a bonus...no lizards)

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

I could just eat the Sanaa bread service every day and be happy Glad your sons arrived safely!

 

[mickey916]

I could just eat the Sanaa bread service every day and be happy

So good!

Glad your sons arrived safely!

Thank you! It’s great they could fly together.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Polite Pig is a family favorite! I’ve gotten those sliders a couple of times.

Glad to hear church was a better experience this time. That DH’s reaction to “can I get an amen!?” made me LOL! That’s so funny! I probably would’ve said the same. Haha

Boma again was a win so that’s a bonus!

What a great way to start this part of your vacation!! Great food and even better company!!