SOLO DAY at MAGIC KINGDOM Snacks and BE OUR GUEST lunch
Monday morning rolled in and I was on my own. It was rainy and chilly, in the 50s so I pulled on the handy $59 zippered sweatshirt is bought earlier in the trip (weather was so crazy this time - 80 and stunning in the afternoon and 50 in the evening - hello Florida). I tucked my vintage (from a 1999 trip) bright yellow Mickey Rain Poncho into the plastic bag from the hotel ice bucket into my bag and headed off. I never toss anything Disney but I had more comments on that poncho. I guess it’s retro cool. I had no idea. I just knew it was in a drawer and tucked it in my luggage “just in case”
I also pulled on my favorite geeky WED Engineering shirt so I completed the geeky look. Lots of comments on it too particularly from CMs. I was totally nerded out and off to the MK. It’s ok. I am a nerd and I own it.
My morning food experience started with an unremarkable Starbucks latte and bagel that I ate on the ferry going over to the.MK. It was a little weird being alone gong to the MK and surrounded by families but it was fun to hear the excited chatter of little ones and the glimpses of the castle you get and mamas holding up little princes and princesses to point out the castle. It was delightful actually. I might like the ferry more than the monorail.
I arrived at the MK and it was misting- made it through bag check and got to the hub and the omnibus was there. It was raining pretty full on and it was dry inside so I hopped on. Another first. Was transported down Main Street and had donned and snapped the sides of the poncho and hoped off and got in line to see Merida. Noting says Brave like waiting in a big to meet a character but the ducks were out. I got my Princess fix and headed over for my Tomorrow Land FP experience. I saved the world from Zurg, visited an alien who thankfully is only dong meet and greets and not burping chili dogs in our face anymore - is Stitch’s Great Escape officially closed? Gosh I hope so. It is such prime real estate but the ride is kinda awful.
So I made my way over to jungle cruise and my tummy was rumbly so I knew it needed a Dole Whip - that is usually the correct answer to most MK issues btw.
One beautiful Dole Whip - I was glad I had this as I found out I was there during the Great Citrus Swirl of March 18 during the brief moments that they changed the Citrus Swirl to the sweeter Orange Swirl. It lasted about a week until the backlash caused them to change it back. I understand- tart orange purée swirled with vanilla soft serve makes sense and is Orange Bird Approved - orange soft serve and vanilla soft serve without the signature tartness is just blasphemy. My pineapple over orange choice saved you from this (the full story can be found on the Disney food blog and probably other spots in the inter webs)
I explored the river and saw the backside of water and then fought the crowds to my lunch adr at Be Our Guest.
I love everything about the interior of Be Our Guest - the ceiling, the snow in the window, the gargoyles, the West Wing where you eat in sensory deprivation. Everything was wonderful except my food.
I probably ordered the wrong thing. I mean I was sitting in the ballroom and it was gorgeous and I was in a sturdy big soft chair and people were bringing me food. What is the problem?
This soggy sandwich full of gristly ham. It was greasy but not in a yummy way. It was flat and kind of smushed. The ham was pressed ham not a nice jambon like I expected. I’ve eaten here and een delighted so I am pretty sure it was what I ordered not being what I expected. I think I I had
Disneyland Croque Monsieurs in New Orleans Square in mind and this was just kinda limp and oily. The pomme frites were shoestring and crispy. I liked them. I liked being off my feet.
Maybe I am also considering all the trouble I had getting an ADR even for lunch and expected more. It was not inedible but it wasn’t great. I had half and tossed half in the bin.
I did finish dessert with a pretty little Masters Cupcake topped with Gray Stuff.
Ok disclaimer- the mylar cupcake wrapper is adorable and really hard to take off or perhaps my cupcake skills are lacking. It’s a commercial cupcake and the gray stuff seems more processed than it once was. It’s bleneded pretty smooth. It was fine. The crispy pearls were nice. It was ok. Not amazing but solid.
But for half a sandwich that was pretty unremarkable I hated that I spent $24 for this lunch. I think there are a lot of places I could spend $24 for one person to have lunch and get much better food. I may be urging BOG on the back burner for a while.
$23.72 for a soggy ham sandwich, soft drink, decent fries and a cupcake was kinda on the meh scale for me.
But the day does get better as I went wild for dinner - thank goodness I didn’t need ketchup
Next Up - Dinner at the Wilderness Lodge’s Whispering Canyon Cafe.