AGLET – We're Gonna Tour The World Together! Updated 11/9!!!

[Joyciemc]

You've inspired me to try and fit a Kona breakfast in our October trip... we were going to skip it this time around...

I love Tonga Toast, and I love the strawberry compote stuff. But that Samoan meal looks amazing...

 

[rndmr2]

Love your Kona breakfast review, love the pics! I really want to try that Tonga Toast someday but as another poster mentioned, they also have the Macadamia nut pancakes there and I would love those too. Oh, well, I'll just have to go there twice.....

I am another one that doesn't like those microgreens, I like just regular lettuce, like Iceberg, romaine and that butter lettuce (Boston Lettuce) I don't want to eat tree leaves with stems, especially not on top of eggs...

 

[MEK]

Love Tonga Toast!!!!!!!!!!!! That is one breakfast that can actually fill me up till dinner. Hard to believe - but true!

Wingnut's breakie looks pretty good too, although it IS a little heavy on the garnish.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Akershus - Jill, John, and Brooklynn have been, but it will be the first time for Bella and me.

Plaza - We have an 11:00 ADR, so after a normal park opening morning, we'll eat and then probably go on back to the room for swim and naps.

Via Napoli - I am trying to decide between mushroom and prosciutto & melon. The latter intrigues me. If they had ham and pineapple, that would be my first choice.

Hurricane Hannah's - I have been told they have awesome burgers, so when we are over there visiting Wigd and Shocker, I plan to check on that.

Your ADR's sound great!!! I've always wanted to try The Plaza. Since Bella has been starting to warm up to the princesses, I think she'll really like Akershus. Via Napoli sounds great too - when we had that ADR on our list, I had wanted to try the proscuitto and melon pizza as well (it sounds like their version of the ham and pineapple). I've never been to Hurricane Hannah's, but it sounds great too!

We're always early, too, but when you get the chance to take nice pictures as you wait, that's a good thing.

We are ALWAYS early for our ADR's...I hate being late to anything!

I fought off pins for a while, but now I love to get one or two or three or four per trip that represent something fun we did, some new place we stayed, one of the girls' first times on a ride, etc. I love my pin board, and I keep at school right behind my desk to bring me instant happiness when I need it.

That's a fun way to keep vacation memories beyond pictures! I'm sure the kids at school like seeing your pin board as well!

I do like Tonga toast. A lot.
But I have to scrape out most of the banana mush. I just like a slight hint of the flavor, and I don't like the texture of the cooked banana. I do use the strawberry topping. Tonga toast is a winner, for sure.
The problem is, macadamia pancakes are also served here.
I like those also. A lot.

Oh, to be at the Polynesian this morning enjoying breakfast!

Oh how I love Tonga Toast! I'm a fan of the banana, so that's my favorite part! It really is hard to decide between that and the pancakes, those are so good too! I would love a Poly breakfast right now!

I love that juice, too, and I find it funny that they serve it at Tusker House and call it something else. LOL.

I love how your server filled up your spoon with whipped cream. Your hot chocolate looks yummy !!

I vote Hollywood Studios for your park for that day. Psst - they let people in early now to avoid the TSM melee.

I know! It's just funny that it has different names at different places!

I thought that was pretty awesome of her! I really like the hot chocolate at Kona, I know it's probably exactly the same as everywhere else on property, but something about it makes me happy!

AHHH, what I wouldn't give for Tonga Toast for breakfast this morning! Mana of the gods, I swear! I think there is nothing better than starting a morning at the Kona Cafe, surrounded by the sounds and smells of the Poly lobby and leisurely watching the monorails go by!

I also love that you can get Tonga Toast at Captain Cooks, which I will be doing on our next trip. That way I don't have to worry about DS sitting through a sit down meal! Same yumminess, less hassle!

LOL it really is The breakfast of champions!! Kona is a fabulous place to start a Disney day!

I've never gotten the Captain Cook's version, but I do think that is awesomely convenient!

Oh, tonga toast. Sweet, sweet, literally sweet tonga toast. Happy sigh.

Sitting at Kona, sipping lilikoi juice, devouring tonga toast...it's sort of my happy place.

Hahaha I think "sweet" is the perfect adjective too! Kona breakfast is definitely a must-do for us!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

STOP THE PRESSSES....You mean I can just, like, mosey on down to my local grocery store and pick up a bottle of Liloki juice or whatever the heck its called in various Disney locations with a tropics and/or slightly exotic theme??? That makes me very happy, indeed, as I also love that juice.

I skipped the Tonga Toast and went with the Samoan while we were there for breakfast. It was delicious. Overall, we loved our breakfast there.

And you're going to AK next, am I right?

According to Wingnut, why yes, you can!!!! He swears that it is exactly the same as V8 Splash Mango. (I'm not really a fan of either juice, so I can't chime in too much here, but they are a similar color from where I'm sitting! ) Hope you are able to achieve those Polynesian Disney tropics at home!!

Wingnut really loved the Samoan. It looked good, but I am also not really a fan of Hollandaise.

(Yes, I know. First Lilikoi juice, now Hollandaise. Nobody is ever going to trust my food opinion ever again! )

Why yes, our most favoritest park!!!!!!

I fell three updates behind this weekend but now I'm all caught up!

Firstly (I think we all agree that 'firstly' is definitely a word, no?), your haircut is super cute! I need to get mine cut so badly...it's seriously been 2 years since I've had it done...I don't think I have quite enough to donate though.

I totally understand your feelings on the Poly. I really do want to stay there at some point, but I get the whole "it's really dark" thing. I was looking at pictures on someone else's TR a while back and I remember thinking that the room was really dark. And as I said previously, I had trouble navigating POP so I can only imagine how lost I will get at The Poly when I have a surplus of foliage to contend with and no 50 foot Disney icons. I already feel conflicted about it...

Secondly - Cali Grill...THANK YOU. We're going there this July for the first time and I was already really looking forward to it...you totally made me even more excited! And thank you for pointing out that the CR is confusing. I think I'll just have the mob wait upstairs on the 14th floor while 1 or 2 of us go down to check in. Seems pointless to have 8 people crammed into the Mystery Elevator, only to cram back in after check in.

Thirdly - I freaking love Tonga Toast. WITH the strawberry compote. I don't think I've ever had an experience where something was too sweet for me (yay for my endorphins, not-so-yay for my weight loss goals ) Oh yes...and Lilikoi Juice (also called Jungle Juice at Boma) is AMAZING!

Firstly = most definitely a word!

Thanks!! You need 8 inches for Pantene, 10 for Locks of Love!

It really was a bit dark and confusing for us. I can see why people love it, and I really did want to love it, but we just never fell in love with the theme! And no, there really are no stand-out navigational assistants beyond the roof of the GCH. Not very helpful!

Yay!!! You must be SO looking forward to your ADR!! I don't think your group can go up to the restaurant before checking in, I think it is only accessible through the super-secret elevator (it seems to be in its own wing). I could be wrong, someone chime in to clear this up??? You check in down on the 2nd floor, then ride the elevator up to the 14th to get into the restaurant.

LOL I don't think I could eat the Tonga Toast AND the strawberry compote!! That is way too much sugary goodness for me!

Yess, a Kona review! I'm eating there for my first time in Sept, only going to try the tonga toast! It looks sooo good!

It really is awesome! We love going to Kona for breakfast!

Tonga Toast!! I've wanted to try it for years!! We had an ADR there in '09 and ended up sleeping through it... Bad!! This year we have an ADR there for EARLY on our Epcot Day... I haven't figured out how to get there on time from CSR though the person on the Disney Dining line said that buses won't go there that early?

The Samoan is what I will guess my hubby will eat!!

I believe the juice is POG juice no?

No!!!! You have to make it to your ADR this time!! What time is your ADR? Take a bus to the MK (busses start running to the MK at 6:30 AM), then hop the monorail over to the Poly (monorail starts at 7 AM). The boat launches from the MK don't start until 8 AM. You can definitely make it there when not on the monorail loop, I've done it before!

Yes, it is exactly the same as the POG juice, it just has different names around the different restaurants. It's also called Jungle Juice, I believe at Tusker House.

Mmm love me some Tonga Toast!

Meeting up with P&F at DHS I hope!

Tonga Toast is just SO Disney, right? Where else could you have this for breakfast???

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Tonga toast is one of those things I've been meaning to try, along with my mom. We have grand plans of getting it from Captain Cook's one day and sharing it, because, yes, there IS a limit to the amount of sugar I can handle first thing in the morning.

We saw P&F a couple times when we were there, and I kept hoping you'd get to meet them!

Hahaha same here! But that didn't deter me from finishing my Tonga Toast, save for one super-sugary crust piece!

Your server knows what's up! Whipped cream in a spoon yall. It's the new thing.

Yeah, what is with the plant on top of Wingnut's breakfast? That just doesn't look appetizing.

Hooray for Hollywood!

She was awesome! I agree, why don't more places serve whipped cream in your utensils???

LOL the rest of his dish was great, just not the bizarre foliage!

I had to laugh at Wingnut's thoughts during the meal. I am also not a fan of microgreens growing out of my dinner. Also, I don't want a microgreen salad. I want iceburg and romaine with lots of bleu cheese dressing.

The juice is V8? Good to know, because I like it a lot, and when I drink a V8 product I feel very virtuous. I'll have to pick some up for one of those days when all I want to eat is cheese and potato chips.

The Tonga Toast looks and sounds delicious. I'll have to give it a try one of these days.

Yeah, he was a little befuddled about that, but just picked it off easily! This wasn't a breakfast that needed salad!

Yes, he swears it is V8 Splash Mango. I'm not really a fan of either, but I'll take his word for it!

You definitely have to give the Tonga Toast a try - it is super sweet goodness!!

Mmm that Tonga Toast looks SO good! I don't like bananas though, that's why I didn't get it when we went to Kona! However, I feel like I could possibly eat around the middle...

Brandon got the Samoan when we ate there too, he really liked it! We're going to have to go back there in November, I think! I just need time to fit it in!

Aww, your shirt is so cute! I finally started watching Phineas and Ferb, I really like it!

It is a bit banana-y, although I have heard of people not really liking bananas still enjoying it (MeMom, for one!).

I always have to fit in a Kona breakfast while we're there! It's just so wonderfully Disney!

Thanks!! It's from Target! I love P&F, I think the show is hilarious!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Wow! I have only met 1 other person that is allergic to cinnamon! I wish my allergy would fade away, but it seems as though my food allergies have actually been getting worse

So happy for you that you got to enjoy the Tonga Toast! I will live vicariously through your trip report!

I have never ever met anyone else allergic to cinnamon!! I'm sorry to hear that your allergies have been getting worse! Is it only cinnamon, or the other spices like ginger and nutmeg as well? If you ever need "Dining at Disney While Allergic To An Annoyingly Common Spice" tips, I'm here for you!!

Glad to have you along!! (If you want to read about my Disney dining while allergic to cinnamon (and nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, mango, and peanut), here's my dining report from 2010!)

You've inspired me to try and fit a Kona breakfast in our October trip... we were going to skip it this time around...

I love Tonga Toast, and I love the strawberry compote stuff. But that Samoan meal looks amazing...

Hahaha I don't think I could ever skip a Kona breakfast!! The Samoan really was great, I was surprised Wingnut didn't go for something sweeter, as he is a big sugar lover, but he really loved it!

Love your Kona breakfast review, love the pics! I really want to try that Tonga Toast someday but as another poster mentioned, they also have the Macadamia nut pancakes there and I would love those too. Oh, well, I'll just have to go there twice.....

I am another one that doesn't like those microgreens, I like just regular lettuce, like Iceberg, romaine and that butter lettuce (Boston Lettuce) I don't want to eat tree leaves with stems, especially not on top of eggs...

Thanks!!! Yes! It is a conundrum every time we go to Kona! Decisions, decisions...

I'm a "regular lettuce" fan as well. I like the microgreens and those mixed greens with the longer stems and purple and green leaves, but anything too bitter, like frisee, not usually my favorite! We really weren't anticipating a salad with Wingnut's meal, it was funny when it arrived!

Love Tonga Toast!!!!!!!!!!!! That is one breakfast that can actually fill me up till dinner. Hard to believe - but true!

Wingnut's breakie looks pretty good too, although it IS a little heavy on the garnish.

Hahaha it is very filling!!! (But not enough to stop me from eating before dinner! )

It was very randomly garnish-heavy! But he still liked it!!

 

[Megablocks]

I forgot to mention that Wingnut's breakfast also looks delicious, except for the greens. I'm so weird about garnishes on my food, I always need to pick off everything. Those would definitely have ended up in a neat little pile on the side of my plate!

 

[annmarieda]

Breakfast looks yummy!! I tried to make the tonga toast at home... and I am not sure it lived up to what is served at WDW. Having never had it... I just don't know.

I mention thinking the Poly seems so overly brown and dark.. Well...except for the area near the restaurants. There... I think that area is amazing!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I forgot to mention that Wingnut's breakfast also looks delicious, except for the greens. I'm so weird about garnishes on my food, I always need to pick off everything. Those would definitely have ended up in a neat little pile on the side of my plate!

Hahaha same here!! I'm a big food separator!

Breakfast looks yummy!! I tried to make the tonga toast at home... and I am not sure it lived up to what is served at WDW. Having never had it... I just don't know.

I mention thinking the Poly seems so overly brown and dark.. Well...except for the area near the restaurants. There... I think that area is amazing!

Oh I've never attempted to try it at home!! You should definitely try the real version to compare! I bet your at-home version was good!

It really is! The area by the GCH is very pretty, and the rest of the resort is pretty too, but I think the main area definitely is the nicest!

 

[Simba22]

Good to know about California Grill! Thanks!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

All caught up! I know just what you mean about a resort being perfectly lovely but just not "you." Something for everyone at WDW!

So glad you enjoyed California Grill. I have only been there after dark and have had the pleasure of watching Wishes but your photos have me thinking a sunset view would be awfully nice too!

Holy cow - that juice is V8?? Putting it on my grocery list to try!

Love your haircut. Looks super cute.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Good to know about California Grill! Thanks!

No problem!

All caught up! I know just what you mean about a resort being perfectly lovely but just not "you." Something for everyone at WDW!

So glad you enjoyed California Grill. I have only been there after dark and have had the pleasure of watching Wishes but your photos have me thinking a sunset view would be awfully nice too!

Holy cow - that juice is V8?? Putting it on my grocery list to try!

Love your haircut. Looks super cute.

Exactly! That's what I love about Disney, there really is something that would appeal to everyone!

The sunset really was gorgeous! It was so pretty with the castle view!!

According to him, yes!

Thanks!!

 

[Megablocks]

Hahaha same here!! I'm a big food separator!

I'm so glad it's not just me!! I'll try pretty much anything, but my food CANNOT touch! If I'm at a buffet, I try SO hard to keep everything separate. If I order something & it's touching, I separate it as best I can before I can eat...DBF thinks I'm crazy. Okay, yeah, maybe he's right. But really, I'm so weird about it!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

I'm so glad it's not just me!! I'll try pretty much anything, but my food CANNOT touch! If I'm at a buffet, I try SO hard to keep everything separate. If I order something & it's touching, I separate it as best I can before I can eat...DBF thinks I'm crazy. Okay, yeah, maybe he's right. But really, I'm so weird about it!

Hahaha I'm the same way! Crystal Palace was the only place where I couldn't stop putting things on my plate, no matter where they landed!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Clearly, yes, our plan was to head to DHS that day.

We hopped a bus and soon arrived at the park around 8:40, in plenty of time to queue up for the rope drop madness for TSM. We decided that we did finally want to see what all of the hype was about, so we would join the stampede for a ride.

We arrived at the turnstyles...which were open. People were entering the park, and then heading in the direction of Pixar Place in their little groups, not one giant mass as I had anticipated. A sudden thought hit me.

"Oh no. Did I totally screw up and miss EMH's???" I looked at Wingnut, knowing he wouldn't know.

He shrugged.

"Maybe the rope is closer to the hat."

We kept walking.

The park wasn't crowded at all, and while people were walking very speedily towards TSM, we were able to get all the way to Pixar Place without encountering any ropes or lines of any kind. Apparently we were one of the lucky ones to encounter the soft openings of DHS at approximately 8:30 or so!

Never having experienced the rope drop madness at DHS, but having heard legend of it, I think that the soft opening is a fantastic idea. People trickle into the park, rather than rushing in one large group. And then there wasn't a big huge line for TSM!!

No. Wait. There was a line. Albeit, a pretty short one, but one that was visible from outside the building.

Because, as the CM's were informing everyone, TSM was down. Momentarily. Temporarily. Probably.

Some people were standing in line outside of the ride, waiting out when it would open. We decided to grab FP's and come back later (no line at the FP machine!)l, and got FP's for 9:40 that morning.

While people were still slowly entering Pixar Place, we decided to head over to a different part of the park and ride what we could in the meantime. We were quickly foiled in that plan, as it seems that the only ride that opens early is TSM - the rest (or The Muppets, at least) all still open at 9, which gave us a few minutes to loiter around the fairly empty streets of DHS.

I spotted the Phineas and Ferb M&G area, and, as my wardrobe had been prepared for this very area, I wanted to take a picture in front of the set. I told Wingnut that I wanted to take a picture here now, in case the lines for the M&G got long later.



Hey, there's Perry!



The M&G area is really cute, filled with fun P&F details.



It was around 10 to 9 at this point, and we headed back in the direction of Muppetvision for what would most likely be our last Muppets visit of the trip (yes, I am getting sad that this is already our second to last full day at Disney!). Wingnut decided to go to the bathroom before the show started, so I took the opportunity to take a multitude of Muppet area pictures.



Okay, did anyone else know that there was a Muppets cereal released in 1988 called Croonchy Stars? It's "cinnamonnamony"!!!. Here is one commercial for it. And another one, for good measure.

I have to say, I think Rizzo is sorely under-represented as a Muppets character. "You know, the ocean. The big blue wet thing."



(Why yes, I am going to take every opportunity to ramble about the Muppets that I can.)



Some fountain pics:





Can I admit here that one of the Muppets clips I love watching is Pictures in my Head from the new movie? And when Gonzo says "Gonzo the Great will ride this baby again!!", I get a little sniffly? Yes? Good.



"It wasn't me - I've been framed!"



"Fish!"







A few weeks ago, I noticed a movie called Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey on our Netflix. I had really wanted to watch it, and then Wingnut's sister told us how great it was, and then I REALLY wanted to watch it. And so I did.

And all I can say is YOU ALL NEED TO WATCH THIS MOVIE. NOW. NOWNOWNOWNOW.

Seriously, it is wonderful and fantastic and it really will make you laugh and cry. (Not that I'm speaking from experience here.) It really really is a fantastic movie for anyone to watch, but especially a fan of Sesame Street and the Muppets and all of that wonderfullness.

Essentially, it is about a man named Kevin Clash, who grew up loving puppeteering, and eventually became the man behind Elmo. It is about his journey, and Jim Henson and Frank Oz are heavily featured.

Part of Jim Henson's memorial service that's also in the movie.

(Also, I know it's long, but if you have 15 minutes to spare, I also highly suggest watching the Jim's Favorite Song's clip, also from his memorial service. It concludes with the clip I posted above.)



I'd never noticed the anvil before.



Wingnut had joined me by this point, and we headed towards the all-but-nonexistent queue.

Every year, I buy Wingnut a Muppets ornament for Christmas. Last year was Beaker. One year it was Statler and Waldorf. I love those hecklers.



"So real, you'll think you're here!"

I wish I were there right now!!



Thank you, Muppet Labs Dept. of Wild Guesses!



We got inside, and since there was literally nobody else with us, I used the opportunity to actually get visible pictures!



Potato mashers for Attack of the Killer Potatoes.







Anyone want a drum of banana puree?



(Actually, Wingnut just got his wisdom teeth taken out. That'd be perfect for him!)



We were able to again enjoy the entire pre-show, and then we watched things explode into a chaotic mess as they tend to do with our beloved Muppets. After the show was over, we stopped back by the P&F M&G area (no, we didn't go visit the movie posters around the back of the Muppets building this year!), and it was, as I had predicted, very busy. I was glad I had at least gotten a picture of the set, as there was no way I was going to make Wingnut stand in the winding line to meet the guys.

We again checked the Muppets store for the elusive Beaker hat (nope), and meandered around, waiting for our TSM FP's to ripen.

 

[Joyciemc]

Ahhhhhh! I love the Muppets! Thank you very much for the thorough tour

Can I say how much I hate that the Muppet Store is really just a regular Disney gift shop with only marginally more Muppet stuff than they have everywhere else? Grr and harumph.

 

[Megablocks]

I LOVE Statler and Waldorf!!! DBF actually got me a shirt once with them on it! And he pictures you got around that area are great; I really love the Swedish chef's sign.

 

[CandleontheWater]

Now that you have completely jogged my memory... I DO remember Croonchy Stars! I think I may have even conned my parents into purchasing it once or twice! My parents were not fans of kids cereals, so they were a pretty rare event in our house. It is totally sad that I clearly remember the day my mom let us buy BOTH Cherry Coke and Cabbage Patch Kid cereal, and THEN have them for dinner!

Glad you guys got in once last muppets, it must have been fun having the preshow area to yourself. Did anyone else join you, or did you have a private showing as well?

 

[Disneyfreak616]

I totally agree with the whole "Rizzo is under-represented" thing. He's my favorite Muppet and I never see him in anything! Barely in Muppet Vision and not at ALL in the recent film! So upsetting...he's so sarcastic and I just find it really refreshing.

Love your Perry shirt! And I LOVE all of the Muppet Vision pics. I am quite the Muppet fan. I am also convinced that I am one.