Biscuit's Grand Adventure | An epic tale three decades in the making!

[GreatBiscuit]

Hi there Biscuit!

Howdy and

I found your TR from Brookelizabeth's, and I told myself I just had to find out what this "Buscuit's Great Adventure" was all about. I am now caught up with the particulars of the cast and the PTR details (not all of them, just the recent ones).

Glad to have you aboard!

You take some really great pictures! Especially the one of Tahli looking out the plane window, that one is my favorite!! I recently got a Nikon D-60 and am learning something new everyday. I've got 4 classes to take before I go to WDW in November, so hopefully I'll be able to get some really great shots.

Nice camera! I can't wait to see how your pics turn out!

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Episode 57 - A Disturbance in the Force

Previously on Biscuit's Grand Adventure, buses were delayed, desserts were consumed and the clan was reunited. Saying our goodbyes to The Land pavilion, the Biscuit Bunch headed back out into the heat of the day. We made our way towards World Showcase and immediately discovered that the June sun was blazing in full fury. We took it slow and paused a time or two for photos.

'



Tracy's foot was better today, but still was not at full capacity. Tahli and Papa walked ahead a ways and the rest of us brought up the rear.



After we rounded the corner to Canada, I joined the front line to lead the pack.



We paused a moment in front of Off Kilter's stage for a quick t-shirt shot. (Thanks to Park Guest of Unknown Identity # 1 for helping us out.) Unfortunately it did not turn out at all so I won't waste the bandwidth posting it. Sidebar I love Off Kilter. I have a couple of their CD's and enjoy listening to them. I was looking forward to hearing the band live. Then the sun went supernova and I realized that the seats were uncovered. Sorry guys, don't love you enough to leave a layer of skin melted into the bench. Maybe next time.

We wandered on a bit and decided to take a mulligan on the photo, stopping in the UK pavilion for a redo. (Thanks to Park Guest of Unknown Identity # 2 for helping us out.) This one turned out nicely. It was posted once, but in case you missed it, here you go.


'

I took a few more photos as we made our way around the lagoon.







It was wall to wall people that day so it was slow going. Not sure what the deal was, but Epcot was PACKED.

We then made our way out of the International Gateway to take the boat launch to DHS. Don't roll your eyes at me. Yes I know it's slow But the boats have AC and I wanted to further ingrain the joys of staying on property deeply into the minds of my parents. (Namely by pointing out the joys of the Boardwalk and the Y&B Club resorts.)

We arrived at the dock and there happened to be a boat pulling in. Yeah! There was a changing of the crew and we were surprised when the boat pulled away empty from the dock. It crossed the canal to where another Friendship was moored, and the crew swapped boats. Hmmm...well...okay no big deal right? Well, not exactly. Boats are like cars in that when they sit a long time in the sun, they get REALLY HOT inside. This one was no exception. But we weren't sure how long it would be until the next launch so we decided to grin and bear it.



Well, most of us anyway.




We managed to make it through, but I think I sweated off a good twenty pounds by the time we arrived.

We made our way through the gates and I got my first live glimpse of the Sorcerer Hat. Having seen about a gazillion photos of it online, I wasn't all that phased by it. We made our way down the street and paused for a couple of Photo Pass pics.

Sidebar. For some reason our pictures just did not turn out well on PP. Several of the images were very washed out and the ones from MGM were underexposed. I was really disappointed when I saw them all online, especially after seeing so many awesome shots posted here. None were worth keeping and I am SOOOO glad I forgot to preorder the CD before we left. But I digress.

One thing we noticed right away was that The Studios were far less crowded than Epcot. Not sure why, as it was not an Extra Magic Hours day at Epcot, but hey, I wasn't gonna raise a fuss over it. We browsed a couple of shops and slowly made our way down Hollywood Blvd. We still had a bit of time before we needed to check in for our dinner reservations at Mama Melrose. Aunt Jana had never been on The Great Movie Ride so we decided to give it a whirl.

You really have to stop rolling your eyes at me. Yes I know I vowed to avoid this attraction. But, it was close and fit the time frame. Sometimes you've got to make sacrifices people.

The queue was literally deserted and we walked straight onto a waiting tram. We were one of the last ones on and had a seat near the back. The girls really liked the idea of this attraction but I wasn't sure how they would handle the darker scenes. Our first real test came when our Tram was hijacked. Hailee was not happy that we left our driver. She kept wanting to know happened to her and if she would be okay. They handled the Alien and horror sections fairly well and were cheering when our driver conquered the evil gangster. Here's a question. When did they stop using the fire effect in the hijack scene? I could see where they still had the burn marks on the building. Sheesh, you leave a place for little over a decade and they start changing things. Crazy.

The girls LOVED the Wizard of OZ room and wanted to go on the ride again.

One thing I did not take into proper calculation on this ride was the movie montage at the end. I realized that we needed to hustle our hineys if we planned to make our dining ressies. As soon as we returned to the loading dock, I rushed the crew out and to the right. We cut down the alley in front of ABC Commissary, and hung another right. I was not sure of the exact location of the place so we wound up wandering a bit before we found it.

I got us checked in and all was well in the world. Nana and Jana went next door to check out the Christmas shop while Tracy took the girls to make use of the facilities. I then overheard the hostess tell another party that they could not be seated because members of their group had not yet arrived. Woops! Better call mom and have her head back this way. I'll just grab my phone, not in this pocket, not in that one either. Not in the backpack. Hmmmm.where did I have it last? Let's see, I had it in my hand when Hailee got upset over the driver being marooned, so I set it down on the bench next to me and put her on my lap, then...DOH! I forgot to pick up when we ran off the ride!

Great Galloping Biscuits Batman!

I used Tracy's phone to call my mom and told her to get back post haste so we could at least be seated. I wasn't OVERLY worried about the phone. Worst case scenario, I have to report it lost and order a replacement from employee care. Luckily I have the insurance on it and I have an unlimited everything plan so I didn't have to worry about somebody racking up usage. I was prepared to wait until after we ate to go back to the Great Movie Ride, but the cast member at the podium told me it was okay to go ahead and grab it. Eager to expedite the mission, I shot out the door and flew towards the GMR as quickly as my stubby little legs would take me.

There was a Cast Member rearranging strollers outside so I asked her if the attraction had its own Lost and Found or if items would go straight to the front of the park. She vanished into the building for a few minutes and soon emerged with my Berry. WOOHOO! I called the crew and they were being seated so I gave them my drink order. I went a lot slower heading back (mainly because us fat guys only have one good burst of steam per day) and shot a few photos along the way.

Given its unpopularity, how would Mama Melrose rate? Would I follow the majority opinion of the place, or would my decision to take a chance (based off of a single DIS Boards TR) pay off? Tune in next time to find out.

Coming up on Episode 58 -Mama Mia!

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Episode 58 -Mama Mia!

Previously on Biscuit's Grand Adventure, group photos were taken, floating ovens were traveled in and a mobile phone was not mobile enough.

When last we left off, which was oh, like thirty seconds ago, I was schlepping though the innards of DHS snapping photos on my way back to:





When I returned to Mama Melrose's, I discovered a different Cast Member at the podium. I asked her if she knew where our party was seated and she frowned and told me that all members of the party are supposed to be present for check in. I gave her the cliff notes version of the prior fifteen minutes and advised her that her predecessor had given me clearance for pre-seating departure. She seemed a bit confused, but luckily the CM who actually walks guests back to their tables arrived and recognized my shirt. She smiled and said "You must be Biscuit!" This confused the poor podium girl even more. I responded in the affirmative and my new favorite CM led me back to the table.

Our crew was about as far away as you can get from the waiting area. If you picture a diagram of the place as a square, you enter the restaurant from the lower left corner and we were seated in the upper right corner. I don't know why I felt compelled to share all that, but there you go. The first thing I noticed about the place was that it was dark in there. REALLY dark. It took a few moments for my eyes to fully adjust. We soon located the sea of orange that comprised my table and I was happy to discover a nice tall glass of iced tea waiting on me. Ahhhhhhhhhh now that's how I spell relief right there.

I perused the menu and no sooner had I sat down than the bread arrived. I found it to be mighty tasty and still piping hot. Tahli buttered herself a roll and held up and yelled "This biscuit is NOT having a great adventure!" (Which nearly caused me to choke on my own bite of biscuit.)

Already I was starting to like this place. After perusing the menu, I decided to go with:
Charred Sirloin Steak - gorgonzola butter on roasted red pepper polenta, grilled asparagus and red wine reduction $20.99

While First Lady Biscuit elected to try:

Penne Ala Vodka - with pancetta and sweet onion, finished with tomato basil sauce, cream, vodka and pecorino romano $16.99

(Thanks to AllEars.net for the menus.)

Nana and Jana also got the steak Papa got the Spaghetti Fra Diavolo without the Fra Diavolo. (AKA just the pasta and sauce as he is allergic to shellfish.)

The kids all three went with the Penne Pasta With White Cheese Sauce and Vegetarian Minestrone Soup.

I wasn't sure quite what to expect as the reviews were mixed. However, something about it perked my interest when I was reading Philladisneys TR. I decided to go ahead and give a try and if nothing else, at least Id know where to avoid in the future.

The kids soup was the first to arrive. The girls slurped it right down, but only ate the juice.




When the rest of the food arrived about 10 minutes later, I was immediately impressed with the presentation. Yet I wasn't here just for looks. I was after flavor and let me tell you friend I TOTALLY found some! Everything we ordered was great! I loved the red wine/ balsamic vinegar reduction sauce! The steak was very tender and juicy and cooked to perfection. (I ordered Med-Rare). The polenta was very good as well. I sampled Tracy's Penne Ala Vodka and Hailee's Penne Pasta & White Cheese Cheese Sauce and both were quite good.

Some food porn for you:





After stuffing our gullets and commenting multiple times about how delicious the food was, we were faced with the decision of desserts. The girls got sundaes, I went with the Coconut Gelato , and Nana and Jana got Tiramisu, First Lady Biscuit got Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake and I'm not really sure what Papa went with. The only dessert picture that really turned out was the tiramisu. The rest all washed out with the flash and more resemble glowing blobs than anything edible


The Gelato was quite tasty and Mom & Aunt Jana pronounced the Tiramisu as and I quote "To Die For". Which I believe is how they referred to the Strawberry shortcake from lunch as well. So there you go. Two desserts in one afternoon that were both worth sacrificing one's well being to acquire.

The verdict: we all enjoyed the food very much and were happy and content with the meal.



This was one of the two dining options I fretted over the most and I am so glad that I decided to go ahead and keep it. Would we eat here again? Definitely. Will we on our next trip, probably not, only because I want to try 50's Prime Time and either Hollywood and Vine or dare I say it, the Brown Derby. The Sci-Fi I could take or leave. I'd love to peek in and see it, but I have a hard time coming to grips with sacrificing a table credit for a burger. Even if its a really good burger. Well, that about wraps it up for this episode. Next time, we''l discover which attraction was a surprise hit and which instilled terror. The answer just might surprise you. Plus, we inherit some of Jordan's truly awesome Park Mojo!

Coming up On Episode 59- Tales of Terror and Triumph

 

[MrsSpratt]

YAY!

Biscuit -

Great update! Sorry things are wonky - I think we all know how it is.

How long have you been doing photography? Your shots are great - sorry that Nice random people 1 & 2 didn't work out, but I HATE it that the photopass pics were a pass - you don't hear that often.

Sorry to be so impatient -

Mrs. Spratt

ps - Did y'all get hit by the storm today?

 

[Nana & Papa Biscuit]

I am beginning to see a pattern here. I am finding desserts "to die for". Could that be the problem with my school girl figure? It is more like a school bus figure lately but I would eat all those desserts again in a heartbeat!

 

[jordanyosh]

Then the sun went supernova and I realized that the seats were uncovered. Sorry guys, don’t love you enough to leave a layer of skin melted into the bench. Maybe next time.

and

I took a few more photos as we made our way around the lagoon.

(Nikon N60, Sigma 70-300 at 300MM, Shutter Priority, F-stop unrecorded 1/1000, ISO 400)

(Nikon N60, Sigma 70-300 at 300MM, Shutter Priority, F-stop unrecorded 1/1000, ISO 400)

(Nikon N60, Sigma 70-300 at 300MM, Shutter Priority, F-stop unrecorded 1/1000, ISO 400)

(Nikon N60, Sigma 70-300 at 300MM, Shutter Priority, F-stop unrecorded 1/1000, ISO 400)

These are beautiful pix!!! Just breathtaking..I'm listening to Shane and Shane right now and it totally adds to your pix!

Glad no one lifted your Crackberry

I may need to think about Mama Melrose's again....hmmmmmmmm

 

[SunnieRN]

I am beginning to see a pattern here. I am finding desserts "to die for". Could that be the problem with my school girl figure? It is more like a school bus figure lately but I would eat all those desserts again in a heartbeat!

Lol, that is something I love about wdw. The desserts. But between being in a sauna and walking I am sure your school girl figure survived intact!!

Biscuit, great job choosing Mama Melrose!! I'm glad it worked out so well for your family!! Woo hoo for double updates!!!!! Your pictures continue to be over the top GREAT!! Love Tahlis biscuit comment!!!

Mrs Spratt, I loved our stormy morning and would love to get some more rain today, but it doesn't seem likely. How are things in your neck of the woods?

 

[brookelizabeth]

Great update! The World Showcase pictures are really beautiful.

Glad you enjoyed Mama Melrose! We were supposed to try that back in November, but that was not such a good day for us that trip-we barely ate at all! I'll have to be sure to work it into the plans again on a future trip.

LOVE Thali's comment about "This biscuit is NOT having a great adventure!"

These are beautiful pix!!! Just breathtaking..I'm listening to Shane and Shane right now and it totally adds to your pix!

We like Shane & Shane here too, one of their songs was in our wedding. I can totally imagine how their music adds to those pics!

 

[All7OfUs]

Super updates this time around. I totally agree! Go with what you think is gonna work for YOUR family!! Never go with the reviews here (although they can help) food and theming tastes are just to subjective. Case in point, our HDDR experience. If we went with food opines alone, we'd have never tried it. Turned out to be one of our favorite meals.

Off Kilter was too "loud" for our tastes. Worth it once just to say we'd seen em, but next time, we'll look for something else.

Sorry you baked your bisquits on the boat. I was thinking of trying that out, but I'm fairly warned- thanks!

 

[shebaxric]

That Tahli is a chip right off the 'ol Biscuit!!

I'm glad you like Mama Melrose, my family and I ate there a couple of years ago and it was just okay, not fantastic but not horrible either. Nice save on the Berry, too! I've read TR's before where people were not so lucky with valuable items (see Peter Panic Attack's TR). Your Epcot pictures are really lovely, but you can definitely tell how hot it was by just looking at the humidity in the air.... Maybe I should try that boat ride and melt off the 20 pounds!!

 

[Kimberly815]

Glad to hear that your phone made it back to you safely! And that the girls enjoyed the Great Movie Ride!

She smiled and said “You must be Biscuit!”

At least there was one person who didn't ask "Who's Biscuit?"

 

[jcc0621]

Sorry for the long delay in posting. I’ve been pulling some extra Sidebar – I love Off Kilter. I have a couple of their CD’s and enjoy listening to them. I was looking forward to hearing the band live. Then the sun went supernova and I realized that the seats were uncovered. Sorry guys, don’t love you enough to leave a layer of skin melted into the bench. Maybe next time.

We then made our way out of the International Gateway to take the boat launch to DHS. Don’t roll your eyes at me. Yes I know it’s slow. But the boats have AC and I wanted to further engrain the joys of staying on property deeply into the minds of my parents. (Namely by pointing out the joys of the Boardwalk and the Y&B Club resorts.)

Smart man Brain wash them slowly

None were worth keeping and I am SOOOO glad I forgot to pre-order the CD before we left. But I digress.

FOr future reference. I pre-ordered the Photpass the year before last. When we got home we didn't have enough pictures to justify the costs (Only a total of like 12), I just called and cancelled and they credited me money back!

I had it in my hand when Hailee got upset over the driver being marooned, so I set it down on the bench next to me and put her on my lap, then….DOH! I forgot to pick up when we ran off the ride!

Oh no!

, but the cast member at the podium told me it was okay to go ahead and grab it.

Oh Good!

There was a Cast Member rearranging strollers outside so I asked her if the attraction had its own Lost and Found or if items would go straight to the front of the park. She vanished into the building for a few minutes and soon emerged with my Berry. WOOHOO!

I perused the menu and no sooner had I sat down than the bread arrived. I found it to be mighty tasty and still piping hot. Tahli buttered herself a roll and held up and yelled “This biscuit is NOT having a great adventure!” (Which nearly caused me to choke on my own bite of “biscuit”.)

Coming up On Episode 59 – Tales of Terror and Triumph

 

[AshClan]

Well, I was all set to quote Tahli's biscuit line, too, but jcc beat me to it. That is hysterical! Quite a young wit you have there!!

Thanks so much for the double update. Made my salad lunch much more enjoyable than it would've been!

OMG the kids look soooooo hot on that boat. But on a day like that there is no question that the boat was the way to go. That's WAY too long a walk from Epcot.

Love the photo of Papa and Tahli. And the one of the 3 of you too! All of them, really.

I ADORE Off Kilter. Last April, we saw them three times. But yes, those seats get SUPER hot. You have to get there early to snag the shaded seats.

Glad you enjoyed Mama Melrose. We had a great meal the first time, and a lousy one the second (more due to service than food). There aren't a ton of good choices at DHS, though. I love Brown Derby, but for lunch, so I can get the Cobb Salad I agree that SciFi is worth a look, but not worth wasting a dining credit. H&V, we've always liked. But I know most don't. It is loud, but the variety is a good thing for my picky bunch!

Thanks again for the extended update and for all the great pictures. Hope work calms down for you soon!! (As long as you promise to hope the same for me.....)

 

[GreatBiscuit]

YAY!

Biscuit -

Great update! Sorry things are wonky - I think we all know how it is.

It’s slowing down now thankfully. Just lots of things going on outside of work as well.

How long have you been doing photography? Your shots are great - sorry that Nice random people 1 & 2 didn't work out, but I HATE it that the photopass pics were a pass - you don't hear that often.

Thanks! I started taking photos in college, but have pretty well been on hiatus for a while. Most of the pictures I’ve taken the past 7 years have been point and shoot shots of the girls.

ps - Did y'all get hit by the storm today?

That we did. I was happy for the rain, but not thrilled with the timing as we had to drive through it for 30 min for an early morning doctor’s appt.

Could that be the problem with my school girl figure?

Oh great…I guess that makes me a London double decker.

These are beautiful pix!!! Just breathtaking..I'm listening to Shane and Shane right now and it totally adds to your pix!

Our last worship leader introduced me to Shane & Shane.

Glad no one lifted your Crackberry

Me too!

I may need to think about Mama Melrose's again....hmmmmmmmm

It worked out well for us anyway. I can’t speak to everyone’s taste but I LOVED that steak. The penne pasta was good but wasn’t fantastic. The item PhillaDisney ordered in her TR looked pretty nifty as well.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Biscuit, great job choosing Mama Melrose!! I'm glad it worked out so well for your family!! Woo hoo for double updates!!!!! Your pictures continue to be over the top GREAT!! Love Tahlis biscuit comment!!!

LOVE Thali's comment about "This biscuit is NOT having a great adventure!"

Well, I was all set to quote Tahli's biscuit line, too, but jcc beat me to it. That is hysterical! Quite a young wit you have there!!

That Tahli is a chip right off the 'ol Biscuit!!

I was glad I made the reservation. It really was a great meal for us. Tahli’s comments keep me laughing constantly. Around our house, we call them Tahli-isms. One of my favorite was when we were eating at Texas Roadhouse. She pointed out a mounted Ram on the wall and asked me “Is that real?” I assured her that it was and explained that is was stuffed. She then asked me why it was on the wall. I told her it was for decoration. After thinking it over a minute, she dead-panned “Who thought a dead goat would make a good decoration?”

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Great update! The World Showcase pictures are really beautiful.

Thanks BE!

Glad you enjoyed Mama Melrose! We were supposed to try that back in November, but that was not such a good day for us that trip-we barely ate at all! I'll have to be sure to work it into the plans again on a future trip.

I worked out well for us, but we LOVE Italian food.

Super updates this time around. I totally agree! Go with what you think is gonna work for YOUR family!! Never go with the reviews here (although they can help) food and theming tastes are just to subjective. Case in point, our HDDR experience. If we went with food opines alone, we'd have never tried it. Turned out to be one of our favorite meals.

Good point. When it comes to food, I’ve learned that you can’t always take folks’ word for it.

Sorry you baked your bisquits on the boat. I was thinking of trying that out, but I'm fairly warned- thanks!

We’ve done several friendship rides and this was the only time I’ve had an issue with it being that hot. I think the AC just wasn’t able to catch up after the boat had been sitting so long in the sun.

I've read TR's before where people were not so lucky with valuable items (see Peter Panic Attack's TR).

You’ve piqued my curiosity now. I may have to wander over and check out his TR.

Your Epcot pictures are really lovely, but you can definitely tell how hot it was by just looking at the humidity in the air.... Maybe I should try that boat ride and melt off the 20 pounds!!

It was INSANELY hot. With it being over-crowded it just was not a fun day to be in Epcot.

Glad to hear that your phone made it back to you safely! And that the girls enjoyed the Great Movie Ride!

Me too!

At least there was one person who didn't ask "Who's Biscuit?"

She actually asked my dad when she was seating everyone the first time so she knew already!

Smart man Brain wash them slowly

Now you see my master plan!

FOr future reference. I pre-ordered the Photpass the year before last. When we got home we didn't have enough pictures to justify the costs (Only a total of like 12), I just called and cancelled and they credited me money back!

That’s DEFINITELY good to know!

Thanks so much for the double update. Made my salad lunch much more enjoyable than it would've been!

Happy to be of service. Speaking of which, it’s time for break!

OMG the kids look soooooo hot on that boat. But on a day like that there is no question that the boat was the way to go. That's WAY too long a walk from Epcot.

They kept the misters going and did pretty well all things considered.

I ADORE Off Kilter. Last April, we saw them three times. But yes, those seats get SUPER hot. You have to get there early to snag the shaded seats.

I was kind of sad. For some reason I thought the whole thing was covered.

Glad you enjoyed Mama Melrose. We had a great meal the first time, and a lousy one the second (more due to service than food). There aren't a ton of good choices at DHS, though. I love Brown Derby, but for lunch, so I can get the Cobb Salad I agree that SciFi is worth a look, but not worth wasting a dining credit. H&V, we've always liked. But I know most don't. It is loud, but the variety is a good thing for my picky bunch!

We’re def going to branch out at DHS next time and try to do a couple of meals there.

Thanks again for the extended update and for all the great pictures. Hope work calms down for you soon!! (As long as you promise to hope the same for me.....)

Throwing work calming PD your way now.

 

[shebaxric]

Thanks BE!
You’ve piqued my curiosity now. I may have to wander over and check out his TR.

You absolutely must! See link below.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2137961

 

[GreatBiscuit]

You absolutely must! See link below.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2137961

I'll def be checking it out.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Thanx for the double updates, Biscuit! Nice pics as always - I especially like the one of Tracy and the girls in front of (I'm guessing, since the background's out of focus) the upside down fountain by Imagination at Epcot. You should frame that one!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I was glad I made the reservation. It really was a great meal for us. Tahli’s comments keep me laughing constantly. Around our house, we call them Tahli-isms. One of my favorite was when we were eating at Texas Roadhouse. She pointed out a mounted Ram on the wall and asked me “Is that real?” I assured her that it was and explained that is was stuffed. She then asked me why it was on the wall. I told her it was for decoration. After thinking it over a minute, she dead-panned “Who thought a dead goat would make a good decoration?”

That is awesome!! What a great sense of humor.