Come Obsess With Me - Going Home to the Poly, Sept 2010 - UPDATE What I Forgot...

[TheNewMrsB]

Here I am, talking about food again. I promise I'll talk about other things, like favorite attractions, but Joyciemc got me thinking about Kona Cafe. Specifically, breakfast at Kona Cafe.

Can we discuss the perfection that is Tonga Toast? I mean, I know everything that can be said pretty much has been said. I remember reading about it prior to my honeymoon and I remember DH sending me a picture or pointing me in the direction of one. And I fell in love.

The day we arrived, I was exhausted to say the least. After all, the wedding was the day before. We didn't get to the hotel until, I think, 1:30 and had to be awake to get to the airport by 5:00. I was a little tired.

But let me tell you, as soon as DH suggested we try to rustle me up some Tonga Toast, I jumped up off my spot on the couch in the lounge where I'd been sleeping (and probably snoring and quite possibly drooling) and made tracks for Kona Cafe.

And life was never the same. Angels sang and kittens wept with joy.

Heck, I'm a little teary eyed right now.

I will say, though, that even the most ardent TT devotee is bound to find this most perfect of breakfast foods a little much as the week goes on. It's, well, super sweet. There comes a time when a girl needs a break from straight-up sugar.

Good thing Kona also has Macadamia Nut Pancakes, aka The Greatest Pancakes Ever and in my mind the only breakfast food worthy of replacing the great Tonga Toast. They're perfectly fluffy, delicious and enormous. Perfect for getting your carb load on prior to walking the mini-marathon otherwise known as touring WDW.

Tell me that's not gorgeous. I dare you.

DH, meanwhile, is a huge fan of the Big Kahuna. I feel like this would be too much for me to tackle all at once. But he loves it big time.

In case you can't tell, that would be eggs, pancakes, french toast, sausage, potatoes, and there's a piece of grilled ham hiding in there as well. Ridiculous. But good, from what I've been told!

I appreciate a good cup of coffee but have never tried the French Press pot - I think I might give it a whirl this time around since I've heard such amazing things about it. Although I'm not entirely sure that my heart could withstand a perfect cup of coffee AND one of my two favorite breakfasts at the same time...

And have I mentioned the utter beverage perfection that is Lilikoi Juice? I dream of it throughout the 51 weeks when I'm not in WDW.

Now, I've had breakfast at Chef Mickey's and plan to have it at 'Ohana this time around. But it's super difficult for me to think of staying at another resort and not being able to walk, like, 3 minutes to the place where Tonga Toast is born. It only adds to the magic that is the Polynesian.

Next up: Favorite attractions. And then more food! And possibly alcoholic beverages!

 

[TheNewMrsB]

Hey all you Poly newbies! Have you been to the Poly FAQ Thread? You'll find a plethora of pics to get excited over, especially in the last few pages which have been posted by folks who just returned!

Poly FAQ Thread

 

[Chelley00]

Thank you for following along!

Glad to hear a positive review of Coral Reef. Did you get to sit near the fish?

Are you totally stoked about your Poly trip? I'm stoked for you!

We did get to sit right by the tank. I asked, and thought we might have to wait a little longer, but we didn't.

I'm actually a little nervous about the Poly. Read a few bad reviews lately

Have you not eaten Ohana for breakfast before? It was one of our favorites!

 

[TheNewMrsB]

We did get to sit right by the tank. I asked, and thought we might have to wait a little longer, but we didn't.

I'm actually a little nervous about the Poly. Read a few bad reviews lately

Have you not eaten Ohana for breakfast before? It was one of our favorites!

Aww...What is it that's made you nervous?

I try to take reviews with a grain of salt, since I don't know the person who's reviewing or their standards, etc. Still there are certain things which would give me pause.

Nope, never been to Ohana at all! I'm excited about it! We're trying valiantly to get in for dinner on what's currently scheduled as our Kona night, but no such luck at this time...

 

[Joyciemc]

I am proud to have inspired that lovely Kona breakfast post! I have been reading about Tonga Toast since I joined the DIS (8 years ago?!) and have never had it. That will change very soon!

The main reason I want to do more than one breakfast at Kona is so I can try the Macadamia Nut Pancakes, too!


I haven't had breakfast at 'Ohana, but it is one of my favorite dinners (even though I don't think I've ever been hungry by the time the meat skewers come around- those appetizers fill ya right up!).

Keep the Poly love coming!

 

[Treft Family]

AHhhh! You guys DO realize that you are forcing me to plan another WDW vacation even though I haven't started the next one, right?

Now I'm curious about staying at the Polynesian! In April, I met a girl who's whole family was there and she said that's their favorite place to stay as well.

What is so amazing about this resort that makes you choose it more times than not over the rest?

 

[guitarob]

AHhhh! You guys DO realize that you are forcing me to plan another WDW vacation even though I haven't started the next one, right?

Now I'm curious about staying at the Polynesian! In April, I met a girl who's whole family was there and she said that's their favorite place to stay as well.

What is so amazing about this resort that makes you choose it more times than not over the rest?

I love the Polynesian for so many reasons. Where oh where to start?

Let's see:

The landscaping is beautiful, there's nothing like wandering along winding torch lit paths that are just meticulously landscaped with beautiful flowers and plants and listening to the Polynesian style music that fills the grounds. You can truly get lost in the atmosphere.

I personally love the layout of the resort. I like the idea of it being broken up into longhouses instead of one giant building with never ending hallways.

I think the pool is gorgeous.

The Polynesian is home to two of the best (IMHO) restaurants on property, a really great sushi bar and a pretty entertaining nighttime show.

I'm a huge fan of sitting at the far end (from the beach) of the Volcano pool and staring out at the castle across the lagoon.

The Lobby in the GCH (Great Ceremonial House) is just gorgeous, and very welcoming. It makes you fall in love with it. It says come in and stay awhile. (I find places like the Grand Floridian almost sterile, like, I'm afraid to touch anything, the Poly gives me the exact opposite feeling).

Watching Wishes and the EWP from the beach or your balcony is just... well... magical.

I think the view from the beach is just plain amazing.

Location, Location, Location. The TTC is just a short walk away for the monorail to Epcot. The monorail for the MK resorts and park is right there, which makes getting to our other favorite restaurants (Cali Grill, Narcoossee's) really easy. The bus service for everything else has never left me wanting, and the option to take the launch to the GF or MK is quickly over the past few years becoming one of my favorite modes of transportation.

The Cast Members are some of the most gracious on property. They really try to make you feel like family. Being greeted with "Aloha" and thanked with "Mahalo" and all of the other little touches that they bring really makes it special.

I could sit here all night and go on and on, but I think I covered the meat of it.

 

[TheNewMrsB]

Yeah - what he said!

Boy, he can take a picture, can't he? Of course, having such gorgeous material to photograph doesn't hurt!

I also have to add that for us, it's convenient because we like to go back to the room in the middle of the day - we're no park commandos, by a long shot! Being at the Polynesian makes it that much easier to leave the park we're in, hop the monorail or bus back to the resort or TTC, and chill out at the pool/room. Then we go right back out for dinner and again, everything we need is at our fingertips.

I have to share a secret with you, though - for about 3 seconds earlier this week we were considering switching to the Yacht Club. I know! Sacrilege! We were hoping that the lower price would enable us to stay an extra day (enable - what an appropriate word!). It didn't pan out, but I'm sure it's for the best. We're so into our routine that it would be unsettling to have to plan extra time to wait for bus and connecting transportation to and from, and we'd have to shuffle some things around.

We also happen to spend a lot more time around the MK area than around Epcot - don't get me wrong, I looooove Epcot. But in terms of the park itself and the dining surrounding it (Cali Grill, Narc's, Artist's Point, Ohana, Kona - just to name this year's ADR's) the Poly is much more convenient.

And honestly, if you told me I couldn't just walk over to the GCH and get my Tonga Toast...well, I looked at the possibility earlier this week when we were dicussing switching and I'm not gonna lie. I was pretty unhappy.

But no fear! Whew!

 

[TheNewMrsB]

I am proud to have inspired that lovely Kona breakfast post! I have been reading about Tonga Toast since I joined the DIS (8 years ago?!) and have never had it. That will change very soon!

The main reason I want to do more than one breakfast at Kona is so I can try the Macadamia Nut Pancakes, too!


I haven't had breakfast at 'Ohana, but it is one of my favorite dinners (even though I don't think I've ever been hungry by the time the meat skewers come around- those appetizers fill ya right up!).

Keep the Poly love coming!

Oh, my goodness. You are in for a treat. I hope you're not put off by very sweet stuff, though (I have read posts where folks have complained that it's far too sweet...really, the description didn't give it away??? ). And those pancakes...just looking at that picture I put up last night makes me feel all warm and happy inside.

I need to look into my problems with food.

 

[Treft Family]

I love the Polynesian for so many reasons. Where oh where to start?



Whoa! You started fine! LOL Your pictures are beautiful. I think we're going to have to stay at the Polynesian at some point here. I DO like trying the different resorts and there haven't been any I didn't like. Each has had it's pros and cons.

I liked the Savannah view at Kidani but the hallways were dark. The rooms were fantastic! Oh, but I didn't like the food there or at AK.

I think this time we're going to explore the Polynesian really well. Maybe we'll even ask to see a room.

Not many more days now and we'll be soaking up the sun. We arrive at about 1pm on the Saturday so that still gives us PLENTY of time to fill the rest of the day and evening with FUN!

 

[Joyciemc]

Oh, my goodness. You are in for a treat. I hope you're not put off by very sweet stuff, though (I have read posts where folks have complained that it's far too sweet...really, the description didn't give it away??? ). And those pancakes...just looking at that picture I put up last night makes me feel all warm and happy inside.

I need to look into my problems with food.

Haha, you mean french toast stuffed with bananas and rolled in cinnamon sugar is sweet? That's crazy talk!

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Oh I just found this!!! I'll happily count down another month to your trip to the Poly (oh, and mine too ).

 

[Treft Family]

Tinkerbellie16, where has your favorite place to stay at Disney been? I like trying the different places so I can see which one I'll end up liking the best.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Tinkerbellie16, where has your favorite place to stay at Disney been? I like trying the different places so I can see which one I'll end up liking the best.

I want to try all the resorts but once I made it to the Polynesian, I was hooked! I love the location and LOVE the monorail to MK and from the TTC to Epcot and being able to easily access GF & Contemporary. I prefer my resort to have food that is good too. Yes, you can go other places, but I like to have that food just steps from where I am. That is one of the biggest reasons I can't give BC higher marks. I'll head back to BC when my kids are bigger and I'm not obsessing over where they are at in the pool because Stormalong bay is too big for little kids - you can not keep an eye on them and have to be with them every second. At the Poly, I can pop a squat and see them everywhere.

See TheNewMrsB??? I am OBSESSIng right along with you

 

[TheNewMrsB]

I want to try all the resorts but once I made it to the Polynesian, I was hooked! I love the location and LOVE the monorail to MK and from the TTC to Epcot and being able to easily access GF & Contemporary. I prefer my resort to have food that is good too. Yes, you can go other places, but I like to have that food just steps from where I am. That is one of the biggest reasons I can't give BC higher marks. I'll head back to BC when my kids are bigger and I'm not obsessing over where they are at in the pool because Stormalong bay is too big for little kids - you can not keep an eye on them and have to be with them every second. At the Poly, I can pop a squat and see them everywhere.

See TheNewMrsB??? I am OBSESSIng right along with you

I honestly think I've been spoiled for every other resort. Maaaaybe I'd try GF, but it's the only other one I'm truly intrigued by AND that has the convenience that the Poly has. Plus I'd still be able to hop the monorail and get my Tonga Toast in the morning...

I'll be posting a new update today! I've been way too lax...

 

[guitarob]

Oooh, Can't wait for your new update .

 

[TheNewMrsB]

(I hope to get DH to insert pretty pictures in this post as soon as he can, or to at least put them on our server and tell me where they're located. But tomorrow's my birthday and he knows he has more important things to take care of... )

So in my previous "Things I'm Looking Forward To" post, I covered the wonderousness that is the Kona Cafe - specifically at breakfast.

Now I move on to some of my favorite park stuff.

Let me preface this by saying that DH and I are not huge Animal Kingdom fans. Not that we don't like it, mind you, but for us there isn't much there that interests us. Yes, Expedition Everest is great (I actually was looking down and missed the Yeti. Then I sat there as the ride was ending and said to DH, "What about the Yeti?". True story ), and we enjoyed the Rapids and Safari and even Dinosaur...even though I felt as if I'd received a spinal readjustment by the time it was over.

Otherwise, though, we skipped it on our last trip and we will most likely do the same this time around. Hey - more time to enjoy what we really enjoy!!

So, let's talk Magic Kingdom, shall we?

First off, I love going in late September. The crowds are great, the weather's not as hot...and MK is decked out for Halloween! So festive! I just love the cute pumpkin Mickeys and all the fall colors!

(Yes. I would rather it were decked out for but that hasn't happened for me yet. So I'll take Halloween for now.)

There's just something about walking down Main Street, isn't there? It's magical. Especially the first stroll of the trip. It's just the best.

There are so many things that I look forward to in MK...riding the refurbished Space Mountain (especially since it was closed last year)...riding the other coasters in the park...Haunted Mansion, which I'm such a sucker for...Pirates, which never gets old for me...

However, there is a bittersweetness intermingled with all of this joy. I'm totally bummed that we won't be able to ride It's A Small World this year. As I told DH during our honeymoon, I know that it's nothing more than dolls and poster board and glitter, but it fascinates me. I practically ran on last year when we visited the MK on our first day. Which didn't do DH any favors seeing as how he had a bum foot... Oops.

And let's discuss the fact that DH and I were sorely, sorely undereducated as to the useage of snack credits. Up to this point, the most we've done is this: Along with a bottle of water or something. I also got schoolbread on our honeymoon. But that's it. Then we took all of our unused credits at the end of the trip (I think our tally last time was 18?) and buy those obnoxiously huge (yet ohsodevilishlygood) cookies from Minnie's Bakeshop and take them home.

Sure, we tell ourselves we're gonna give them away. But we don't. And we gain even more weight AFTER the trip.

Now, though, thanks to my addiction to the snack credits thread, this will no longer be an issue. All of the things we've been missing! It's a crying shame. But this will be rectified. Oh yes.

After all, I'd much rather gain weight IN WDW than when I get home.

Next Up: EPCOT! And the World Showcase, which I long time!

 

[Joyciemc]

I was sad to see Small World closed for our trip, too. It's one of those 'Disney Experience' rides for me, that really makes me feel like I'm at WDW.

We're not huge Animal Kingdom people, either. Well, it's mostly the safari that we're not into. I like the other rides and the atmosphere at that park. But I get where you're coming from.

Next year I am definitely planning our trip for a little later in Sept. That way we'll get to expereince the 'halloweenyness'!

Editing to add: Happy Birthday tomorrow!!! Hope you have a great day!

 

[MissLiz]

Poly stalker alert!



Just kidding! I saw the link to your PTR in your sig and I thought I'd come check it out.

Great start and you are making me even more antsy to get my trip going. This will be our first stay at Poly even though we've eaten there many times. It's also our first trip CL! Yay for finally wearing DH down! Heehee

I have been on the fence with excitement for this trip because we just did a big 10-day AKL trip in May with our newest DD and had a blast and we actually said that we probably wouldn't be going back to WDW until 2012. Well, then my lovely MIL called and said "I'm thinking about taking Grandma to WDW for her 80th birthday. Would you guys be able to come down and meet us?"

How do you say no to your mother-in-law AND grandma?!?!?! And since Grandma will need to use an ECV, where better to stay than Poly?

 

[Chelley00]

Small World is supposed to open back up the day before we leave, but we won't be able to go back to MK to ride it! I'm so bummed my mom won't be able to experience it