Five Dwarfs Do Disney - September 22 – October 2, 2009

[Canadian Girl 77]

Starring
Happy
Aka DD, aged 4 (turning 5 in October). This is her fifth trip to Disney World and she loves the rides and the characters. She has definite ideas of what she likes and remembers a lot from past trips. Usually she is very easy going and well behaved. Usually was the key word here.

Grumpy
AKA DH, aged 31. His sixth trip to Disney World. He loves the magic of Disney.

Sneezy
Aka Me, aged 31. My eighth trip to Disney World. I love our family fun time although I probably should slow down and relax a bit more. Also, I have allergies and sneeze a lot. Happy likes to point that out.

Doc
Aka my Dad, aged 59. First trip back to Disney in 15 years. Third trip overall. Really excited to go and see Disney World with his only grandchild. Some health issues but nothing too drastic – really messed up his feet when they went to New York City a few years ago and walked a bit too much.

Dopey
Aka my mom, aged 60. First trip back to Disney in 15 years. Great lady, most of the time. Has some other problems with walking, etc…

Sleepy and Bashful couldn’t come but occasionally made guest appearances in the rest of us. Sleepy overtook us all at times and frequently we all became Bashful when Dopey started behaving like a 4-year-old.

Setting the Scene
This was the third Disney trip in a 12-month period for Happy, Grumpy and Sneezy. We decided to maximize our value from our annual pass. On this trip we booked 2 connecting rooms at Pop in a preferred room. We signed up for free dining and upgraded to the deluxe dining package. Rather than depending on Disney transit (because of Grumpy) we rented a car from Dollar.

The trip was divided into 2 parts - Doc and Dopey (my folks) stayed until the 29th. We stayed a couple of extra days and left on the 2nd of October.

Now, let's see how I do at embedding links and photos as we begin our journey...

The Trip
Before Day One
Day One - part one - lunch at San Angel Inn
Day One - part two - dinner at Teppan Edo

Day Two - breakfast at Crystal Palace
Day Two - lunch at The Wave
Day Two - dinner at 1900 Park Faire

Day Three - breakfast at Hollywood and Vine
Day Three - lunch at Sci Fi Drive In
Day Three - dinner at Ragan Road

Day Four - Typhoon Lagoon
Day Four - BBB
Day Four - Whispering Canyon for dinner and
Day Four - Halloween party

Day Five - breakfast at Tusker House
Day Five - lunch at Yak and Yeti

Day Six - Lunch at Le Cellier
Day Six - Dinner at Akershus

Day Seven - lunch at Brown Derby
Day Seven - dinner at Rose and Crown

Day Eight - Breakfast at Chef Mickey
Day Eight - Dinner at Tony's and the Halloween Party

Day Nine - Breakfast at Kona Cafe
Day Nine - Lunch at Planet Hollywood

Day Ten - Breakfast at Akershus
Day Ten - Lunch at Coral Reef
Day Ten - Dinner at Le Cellier

Day Eleven - going home!

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

Our vacation began on Monday, September 21 at about 6 pm when we (Grumpy, Doc and Sneezy) drove from our home in the Greater Toronto Area to my parents (Dopey and Doc) home in Niagara Falls, Canada. We then all drove over the border to a hotel near the Buffalo airport. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Buffalo Airport Hotel. Not to be confused with the Holiday Inn Express located one mile away. Grumpy, Doc and Sneezy tried to check in to the wrong hotel (we took 2 cars)

We figured out our mistake and made it to the right hotel. It was quite nice and the parking for Park N Fly was awesome! So very close to the hotel – I actually had to double-check to make sure I was parking in the right place it was so convenient. We then had to wait for my parents to show up (they were mailing a parcel and stocking up on duty free booze).

They arrived around 9 pm and we were starving! So, we had dinner at the hotel – Max’s American Grill. Appetizers were half off and the food was quite good. Mom somehow swung a free drink by signing up for a club with the hotel. I had to pay $1 to upgrade to a Strawberry Daquiri but whatever! By that time I was thinking – UH OH, THIS WAS A MISTAKE!

After dinner we went to our rooms to get some sleep. After all we had to meet the shuttle at 5:15 am to make it to the airport for our 7 am flight. Mom tried to argue the timing with me but the hotel staff was quite insistent that we either needed to take the 5:15 or 5:30 shuttle.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

Day One
Oh we were up bright and early! At 4:30 am. Happy was not that happy about that fact but she quickly came around when she realized we were going to Disney World! YEAH! We got organized and cleaned and made the shuttle without a problem. Well, the only problem was that the seatbelts didn’t all work. Kid was safe though so we braved it!

We checked in our luggage on the curb with JetBlue. Excited that the next time we saw it would be when Disney’s Magical Express brought it to our hotel room. This was our first time using Magic Express. Surprisingly we actually saw our luggage getting unloaded in Florida from our airplane window (we purposely bought ugly, distinct luggage that you can easily locate).

We were waiting at our gate by 6 am. There was a bit of a delay at security because both Grumpy and I had forgotten to take our knife/window openers out of our carry-on luggage. Our Brother-in-Law is a firefighter and gave us these keychains so that we can get out of the car in an emergency. We both completely forgot about them (even though we’ve had them for two years). Both were confiscated. Oops! We got some caffeine while we waited and then boarded the plane. Happy ate a Pop Tart from home. Our flight actually left early!

The flight was uneventful. Happy loved the television and Doc snored for most of the trip.

We landed in Orlando 20 minute ahead of schedule. We decided to separate to get to the hotel. My Mom (Dopey) and I drove the rental car while Doc, Grumpy and Happy took Magic Express. Magical Express arrived at the hotel just as we had finished checking in at the front desk. It was 10:30 am at that time. We weren’t surprised to be told that our rooms wouldn’t be ready until 3 pm.

After Grumpy and Happy shared an ice-cream snack at Pop – and the rest of us bought holders for our Keys to the World, we went to Epcot. The first thing we did was ride one of Happy’s favourite rides, Spaceship Earth. My parents were stunned at all the changes that had been made to the ride since their last trip 15 years ago. We then went to Mexico for our lunch reservation at San Angel Inn.

We had to wait a bit to get through the line to check-in but the it was worth it. We got an awesome table overlooking the water. So cool!

Appetizers
Hopefully I matched up all the pics correctly.

They gave us salsa right away. It was tasty.

Tacos de Pato - Flour tortillas filled with duck meat marinated with tamarind sauce garnished with avocado, pineapple, and chives $10

We liked it. Happy - remember she is almost 5 - laid claim to this and ended up eating almost all of it.

Coctel de Camarones - Shrimp cocktail served with tomato juice, peppers, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and avocado $9

Tostados de Jaiba - Fried corn tortillas topped with shredded crab meat, mixed with chipolte mayo, red onions, cilantro, and lime juice $10

Tostados de Tinga - tomato marinated chicken and blacked beans on fried corn torillas, topped with lettuce, onion, avacado and sour cream. $9

We actually all enjoyed our appetizers. Quite a bit in fact! Although we were careful to leave room for the main course.

Main Course

Kids Meal - Cheese quesadilla with rice. Tasty but the kid preferred the duck taco. Kids today!

Mahi-Mahi a la Veracruzana - Grilled fillet of mahi-mahi served over white rice, prepared with capers, olives, bell peppers, Spanish onions, and tomatoes, seasoned with white wine and spices $19

Puntas de Filete en Salsa Guajillo - Beef tenderloin tips sautéed with fresh onions and chile Guajillo sauce, served over corn tortillas, black beans, and fresh cheese $18 At least I think this is what Grumpy got. Some steak thing.

Chiles en Nogada - peppers filled with pork meat over a bed of black beans. $17

Tacos de Ribeye - grilled ribeye over corn tortillas

Either way, our main courses were tasty. Even if I can't remember what they were exactly. Some tour guide I make, eh?

Dessert

Kid dessert = vanilla ice-cream with churro. Churro was a big hit!

Helado de Vainilla - a scoop of vanilla ice cream with mexican milk caramel. Two of us got this. We both liked it. But we didn't eat too much since we were stuffed.

Canasta de Moras Con Cajeta - white chocolate mousse with berries and milk caramel sauce on a fillo pastry shell. The other 2 adults got this and liked it a lot.

Lunch was a hit! Doc was quite impressed with the food. We then rode the Gran Fiesta Tour with Donald Duck before heading to the hotel to get sorted out.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

Our rooms were adjourning and located on the 3rd floor of the 1970s building. We saw a fellow DISer’s door decorated for a birthday. Too cute but we just saw it from the floor above so we didn’t leave a message. Our luggage was in our room so we unpacked. Everyone but me (Sneezy) and Happy decided to have a nap. We went for a swim in the pool. That was cut short because of an unscheduled cleaning. We went back to the rooms and got everyone organized to return to Epcot. We decided to get fastpasses for Test Track and while we waited the 20s for minutes for our passes to activate, we went on Mission Space – team green! First time Happy was tall enough to go on this ride so it was a first for all of us. There was no wait. We all went on it and didn’t think it was that intense. We then went on Test Track All of us! Oops. Grumpy and I had forgotten how fast it was and Dopey was a bit traumatized. Or so she insists, she seemed to be smiling in the photo!

Dinner was at Teppan Edo in Japan. They were running way behind. So we didn’t get to our table/grill until almost 8:30. Dinner was good although Happy was quite exhausted and didn’t get to fully enjoy the experience. She was sad that the Japanese store was closed when we were finished dinner. She really wanted to buy a bullet plate at the store. Sneezy promised to go back later and get one. Of course, when we went back later we discovered they were $50 each! For a cheap plastic plate! Happy didn’t get the plate. There was some discussion about it but she decided there were other things she’d rather have for her birthday. Smart thinking!

We walked through the nearly empty park – pausing to enjoy a few of the Epcot features like the twinkle lights embedded in the pavement. We went back to the hotel for some much needed sleep. Happy was happy that we got the see some of Hallowishes, from a distance as we left Epcot.


The food at Teppan Edo

Appetizers
Assorted Tempura - shrimp, chicken breast and seasoned vegetables with a Japanese dipping sauce $7.95

We all got this and we all loved it!!!!! So good!

Kids Meal - Tempura Combo - shrimp and chicken $9.50. In the cool plate.

Main Course
Teppan-Yaki - Filet Mignon $29.95 - everyone but Grumpy wanted this. I really just wanted Tempura but they couldn't do it as a main course. Thank goodness because this was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Teppan-Yaki Ueno - chicken breast and large shrimp $24.95 - what Grumpy wanted. And he loved it!

The dips we got with the Filet. YUMMY!

Dessert is a little harder to decipher since I didn't take a picture of the menu. But I think I can figure it out - or at least post pictures.

Kid ice-cream with birthday candle!

Chocolate Ginger Cake $5.50

Green Tea Pudding $6.50???? Not sure about this but maybe?

Dinner was delicious. Dessert wasn't as adored but we were pretty stuffed!

 

[MickeyNicki]

Im in!

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

Some members of our party decided to be Sleepy the next morning so we were a little late for our 8:45 am reservation at the Crystal Palace. We were only 5 minutes late so I guess it makes sense that they showed us to a table relatively quickly. It took way longer to get through the characters though. We were pretty much done by the time the first character visited us.

Happy was pleased to participate in the mini-parade although she did freak out when Dopey said something about her needing a napkin and she didn’t have one. I chased her down and gave her one. Then all was good again.

The food was okay. The chocolate Mickey shaped waffles were a big hit. I’d never seen those before. There was puffed French toast, normal mickey shaped waffles, circle shaped pancakes, microwaved bacon, and all the usual stuff.

Incidentally, Happy became obsessed with getting pictures of her food at this time. A little obsessive-compulsive one could say.

After breakfast we went into Adventureland where we systematically hit every attraction with NO WAITS! We went on the Swiss Family Robinsontreehouse, then Jungle cruise, Aladdin’s Magic Carpers, Enchanted tiki room, Pirates of the Caribbean and met Captain Hook and Mr. Smee. We went on Splash Mountain after that (except for Dopey) with no wait. Happy argued that she didn’t want to go on it but I ignored her and she exclaimed that it was her favourite ride of the day that evening. Yes, I am THAT mother. We even managed to stay dry. The last time we went on that ride we got soaked through to our underwear.

We were going to go on Big Thunder Mountain but it was temporarily closed. So, we headed to the Contemporary for lunch at The Wave. On our way down Main Street USA we happened to stumble across a celebration parade.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

The Wave was awesome! And practically empty despite it being 1 pm.

Happy and Doc had chocolate milkshakes to drink (included on DDX). Note the Mickey sprinkles!

Dopey and Grumpy had the Mega-Berry Smoothie (also on DDX). Raspberry Purée and Nonfat Yogurt blended with Odwalla Berries GoMega, an excellent source of Omega-3 4.69

Me, I just had soda.

According to our waitress the menu had just changed. This is what we got.

Appetizers

Black Bean Chili with Pork Tenderloin and Jalapeño Corn Muffin 6.99
Doc enjoyed this. Couldn't eat it all though.

Pear and Midnight Moon Cheese Salad with Arugula, Frisée, Watercress, and
Aged Port Vinaigrette 8.49
Waitress really encouraged me to order this and she was right! Delicious!

Lump Crab Cake Pan-seared with Napa Cabbage Slaw and Ginger Tartar Sauce 11.49
Grumpy and Dopey loved. Happy enjoyed it too.

Main course

Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich with Arugula, Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese-Herb Spread on Multigrain Bread 13.99
Not bad. Good by Disney definition.

Angus Chuck Bacon Cheeseburger served on a Multigrain Roll with choice of Napa Cabbage Slaw or Roasted Potato Wedges 12.99
Doc enjoyed.

Today’s Sustainable Fish with Edamame Stew and Cilantro Chutney 20.99
Dopey liked. So did Happy.

Italian Chef Salad Mixed Greens tossed with Red Wine Vinaigrette served with Prosciutto, Cappicola, Provolone, Salami, and Shaved Parmesan 14.99
Grumpy couldn't believe how much food there was in terms of meat and egg. Loved it!

Kids Meal = Nachos
Not as big a hit with Happy as I would have thought but she was getting Sleepy.

Dessert

Kids Meal = Make your own sundae
Big hit with the kid!

Freshly Crafted Sorbets 7.99
Lemon-Basil Sorbet
Pineapple Sorbet
Strawberry Sorbet
Doc loved. Me, I hated the pineapple but liked the other two well enough.

Decadent Flavors 7.99
Blueberry Compote with Yogurt Gelato
Lemon Cornbread with Vanilla Panna Cotta
Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel Sauce

I only liked the mousse. The others told him I was crazy!

A Sweet Ending to Your Celebration . . . Creamy Indulgence 7.99
Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis
Coconut Panna Cotta with Passion Fruit Drizzle
Chocolate-Passion Fruit Mousse with Pecan-Olive Brittle
Dopey liked these! Me, not so much. But then I did fill up on main and apps.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

After our delicious lunch we went to Pop for a much needed rest. We bribed Happy to get her to nap. We promised her a stuffed animal. It was worth it – she (and we) slept from 3-5 pm. It wasn’t much of a bribe since the stuffed animal purchase was inevitable.

When we got up we went to the pool. Dopey didn’t join us in the water since she didn’t bring a bathing suit. We had fun. Although we did discover that you’re not allowed to put a 4-year-old on your shoulders in the pool. Really, who knew? Feeling quite refreshed, we got ready for dinner at 1900 Park Faire. After Grumpy and Happy played a weird version of Twisted as invented by Happy.

Grumpy and Happy play "Twister"

Sneezy and Happy

We were on time for our reservation. A little early in fact. But it took over an hour after our scheduled reservation of 7:10 for us to be seated! Insane! The food was okay. Not stellar but okay considering it was a buffet and we were really there for the characters. Cinderella and Prince Charming weren’t really on their A game. But the stepsisters and stepmother were amazing! Didn’t the waitress was on the ball either. Hard since my expectations of a waitress at a buffet is already pretty low. Happy was happy and that is all that matters!

Happy's main course

Happy's dessert

Dopey's alcoholic beverage

Happy dances outside the Grand Floridian.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

We had an 8am reservation at Hollywood and Vine in Disney Studios. This was one of Happy’s requested reservations. She loves Little Einsteins although she has no idea who JoJo and Goliath are. Not that it keeps her from cuddling them. The food was okay but the singing and dancing breaks were very annoying. It seemed like I never had a chance to eat (as official photographer and Happy insisted I dance with her on each occasion).

At 9sm, I slipped out of the restaurant to get Toy Story fast passes. I was successful and obtained a return time of 9:55 am. I then raced back to the restaurant and met up with the rest of them.

We then went on Tower of Terror. This has been one of Happy’s favourite rides in the past. Of course, since Dopey wasn’t going on the ride, Happy argued against it. I made her. Yes, I suck. But she loved it! After that, Doc and Sneezy decided to go on the Rockin’ Roller Coaster. Grumpy sat it out because he is too tall. By this time it was time for our fast pass. It was great! So, great that Happy insisted on waiting in line for another 40 minutes to ride it again. She wanted to keep going but we weren’t feeling the line.
We stopped at the Magic of Disney Animation to get autographs with the characters from Up. The line was long and 2/3 of the characters left for a 30 minute break while we were in line. So we decided to return another day and met Frozone instead. He scared Happy a bit. So she had Grumpy pose with her. It was then time for lunch at the Sci-Fi drive-in.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

We had lunch at the Sci-Fi Drive In. Happy was miffed because we were seated at a table in a car instead of the typical seating arrangement that we had experienced in the past. We told her to get over it. We wanted to be able to talk and nobody wanted to sit on their own.

Appetizers

Crispy Onion Rings 6.99
Doc and Grumpy had this. They enjoyed them.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip A blend of Monterey Jack, Swiss, and Parmesan, Spinach, and Artichokes served with Corn Tortilla Chips 7.99

Dopey and I both had this and loved it. So yummy!

Mains

Happy had a hot dog. She liked it.

Smoked St. Louis-style Ribs basted in Barbecue Sauce and served with
Coleslaw and choice of Baked Beans or Vegetable-Black Bean Relish 21.99
Eaten by both Doc and Dopey. They enjoyed it.

Angus Chuck Burger Flame-broiled Beef Patty topped with Cheddar or
Swiss Cheese, Sautéed Onions, Mushrooms, and Crispy Bacon served with a choice of Vegetable- Black Bean Relish or French Fries 12.99

Grumpy's menu item of choice. He ate it all!

Beef and Blue Salad Sliced Butcher-tender Steak with a Wedge of Iceberg Lettuce topped with Blue Cheese Dressing, Tomatoes, and Bacon 15.99
Yummers!

Dessert

Happy's sundae!

A Sweet Ending to Your Celebration . . . Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce and Treats 6.99

I had a sundae but forgot to take a picture. The food was good enough. The atmosphere was awesome. Grumpy and Doc were finding Dopey a bit much so I sent them to see the Lights Motor Action show. We arranged to meet them back at the hotel after their show. Happy was supposed to have a nap but that didn't happen until after the men got back.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

Shortly after Grumpy and Doc arrived back at the hotel (bearing the Tower of Terror robe that Doc decided he needed), Happy decided to have a nap. Before she had been too excited because the waitress at Sci-Fi gave her a license.

After our rest we headed to Downtown Disney for some shopping and dinner at Ragan Road! Apparently it was the 250th anniversary of Guinness that day. It was quite the party. Sadly we didn’t realize that the guy dressed like a bottle of beer was just another customer until he had already left. We so wanted Happy’s picture taken with him. Going for Parents of the Year award, doncha know!

Dinner was so awesome! LOVED IT!!

Grumpy's milkshake - Bailey's!

Appetizers

Crock o' Pate - Rustic chicken liver pate served with an apricot chutney. For 2 people. - $8.95
Tasty but way too much. Yikes!

Scallop Forest - Forks of battered scallops served with a lime dipping sauce. - $12.95 Doc liked it.

Calamari City - Salt and pepper calamari and mixed tempura vegetables served with a spicy remoulade. Great for sharing! - $10.95 Grumpy liked it!

Smokie City - Oven-baked layers of smoked pollock with mature Wexford cheddar and double cream, served with crusty bread. For 2 people. - $11.50. Dopey got this. counted as one appetizer. At least I think this is what she got.

The free bread. Yummers!

Mains

Kids meal - Shrimp and chips. A big thumbs up!

I got Chicken and Chips. Gold'n Chickin' - 2 deep-fried chicken skewers served with choice of a side: garden veggies, fresh salad with ranch dressing, mashed potato, or Irish chip. Off the kids menu but a nice big adult portion. I LOVE IT!!!!!

Portobello Beauty - Portobello mushroom cap burger filled with Dubliner cheese, tomato relish and served with chips and mixed green salad. - $13.50. Grumpy got it and loved it!

Salmon of Knowledge - Fresh salmon fillet topped with smoked salmon, baked and served with a maple glaze. - $22.95 Loved by Dopey.

Sod...The Stew - It's beef stew infused with a hint of Guinness. - $16.95 Approved and loved by Doc.

Dessert

Kid's ice-cream. Loved the presentation!

Dunbrody Kiss - Chef Dundon's gift to America. Chocolate, add chocolate, and then add some more. - $6.99 Mine. I loved!

Ger's Bread & Butter Pudding - Like no other pudding you have ever tried. - $6.99 All eaten up.

Raspberry Riot - Frozen raspberries surround vanilla ice-cream on a shortcake base and coated with warm white chocolate. - $6.99 Yummers!

We ended up watching a magic show outside of the World of Disney store. It was great. Although Happy was quite unhappy about not being chosen as a volunteer. We wandered around the stores and got back to the hotel at around 9:15. It took an hour for happy to fall asleep. I went to Petals and got a Strawberry Daiquiri and drank it in the bath to relax and regroup.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

We were supposed to have breakfast at Kona Café. But, we decided that it was more important to have a little down time so we skipped that at ate at Pop instead – chocolate chip pancakes. Don’t worry we cancelled our reservation to make someone else happy.

Actually, Happy and I went separate from the others and hung out in the arcade for a little bit. We met them back in the hotel where we then proceeded to Typhoon Lagoon without Grandma/Dopey. Dopey stayed and played games at the arcade instead. She probably spent $50 on Ice Hot or whatever that game is. She made a lot of tickets! By the time she went home, Happy had 6,000 tickets to spend.

It started to rain on our way to the water park. It was pouring when we bought our tickets. But, hey, getting wet was our goal! We swam in the wave pool – I ripped up my knee when a rogue wave tried to take out Happy. I also lost my glasses. Doc lost his hat while looking for my glasses (which Grumpy found) and then Doc lost his key card case while looking for his hat. In the end everything was fine and we decided to relax in the lazy river.

Happy loved the river and played weird games with us such as bumper cars, shark and don’t get wet! We went to the swimming with sharks area but only Doc and I did it. Happy bailed because she couldn’t figure out the mask and snorkel! Plus, the water was too cold. We then went in the lazy river some more and headed back to the wave pool. We took turns supervising Happy at the kiddie slide while the other adults body surfed the massive waves. At around 1:30 we went back to the hotel so that we could go to BBB at Downtown Disney.

 

[trickiwoo]

Happy is much braver than me! Tower of Terror made me cry!

Fantastic TR! I'm really loving all the food pictures!!

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

Doc stayed in the hotel and relaxed while the rest of us went to Downtown Disney for BBB! This was Happy’s 4th visit to the fairy godmothers in training so I had something special up my sleeve. I booked appointments for both of us! She was thrilled and we decided to get matching doos. Actually, Happy insisted. And that is how we both ended up with Pop Princess hairdos. Complete with Halloween-themed Mickey mouse decorations.

In the end, my hairdo lasted 24 hours. It was just too hot and the sweat mixed with hairspray made me feel unpleasant. Happy kept hers longer. Much longer!
After our hair appointments we stocked up on treats at Goofy’s. We confirmed that the make-your-own treats were no longer on the plan. I totally regret not doing the photoshoot instead.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

We ended up having to drive to the Wilderness Lodge for our 4:35 dinner reservation at Whispering Canyon. The hotel was magnificent and the restaurant was amusing. Doc will forever be scared of asking for ketchup after Happy requested ketchup and received 15 bottles! The antics were fun and the food was okay. The appetizers were the best part!

We had milkshakes!
SHERIFF’S SHAKES
Chocolate, Vanilla or Strawberry
All-You-Care-to-Enjoy 6.39

Appetizers

Barbecue Pork Spring Rolls
Barbecue Pulled Pork, Cheddar, Herbs, and Barbecue-Mayonnaise Dipping sauce 9.99. so totally awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Western Chips and Dip
Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips served with a bowl of Salsa and Queso Dip 9.49 Pretty darn good!

Kid got fruit.

The tasty cornbread

Mains

ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-ENJOY- Smoked Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, Oven-roasted Chicken, Beef Brisket, Mashed Potatoes, Cowboy Beans, and Corn on the Cob Mixed Greens Salad with Apple Vinaigrette, Coleslaw, and Fresh-baked Cornbread 26.99 per Person
Didn't really do it for me!

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak. Mashed Potatoes and seasonal Vegetables 28.99. Doc, Dopey and Grumpy all got this and they liked it.

Kid's burger

Dessert
Better than the main courses.

Kahlúa-flavored Chocolate Cake
with Chocolate Mousse Filling and Fudge Icing 7.99

Deep-Dish Bourbon Pecan Pie
with Chocolate Sauce 7.49

Apple-Caramel Pie
Fresh Granny Smith Apples, Sugar Cookie Crust, Streusel Topping, and Caramel Drizzle 7.99

Kid cookies!

We then drove over to Magic Kingdom for the Halloween Party!

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

We went to Magic Kingdom via the Transportation and Ticket Centre to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. The park was really decked out! Very festive and it wasn’t even October! We got there a little before 7 (when the party started) so the park was slowly emptying. We first went on It’s a Small World. We then headed over to The Haunted Mansion for both the attraction and the special photo! It took a long time for them to get setup but we were second in line.

We also rode the Barnstormer, Teacups, and rode Buzz Lightyear (twice). We also watched the Villians show. Happy was thrilled to meet Malficient (and Captain Hook). She was also quite happy to point out that she had heard the music and show before – on her CD at home. She sang and tapped along with both the show and fireworks spectacle. It was quite an impressive display.

After the show, Doc and Dopey headed back for the hotel. Dinner didn’t agree with Doc. It didn’t agreen with me either but we wanted to see the parade. We lined up to see a few characters like the white rabbit, queen of hearts, Pooh and Eeyore. We loved the parade. It was amazing! Especially the Headless Horseman. It was quite neat to see how they reused floats from the Pirate and Princess Parade. The next day a cast member tried to convince Dopey that the Captain Jack Sparrow in the parade was actually Johnny Depp! He really gets around, eh?

We rode Pirates of the Carribear, saw Princess Jasmine and Prince Ali. We also stumbled across Timon, Tark and Tarzan (and somebody elese) in Adventureland. And no line up! It was almost midnight by this time so we got Happy’s treat bag filled at one stop (our second of the night), bought our special pins and headed back to the hotel. The candy was pretty sucky though. No chocolate!

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

double post

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

Lunch at Yak and Yeti was a neat experience. The theme is amazing. The food was okay. Well, a bit better than that. The waiter was hilarious – but not on purpose. He was VERY hung up on getting a tip. Really seemed worried that we would stiff him.

Appetizers

Dim Sum Basket For 2 (Picture) - Pork pot stickets, shrimp siew mai, cha su bao & pork siew mai steamed on a banana leaf and served with soy lime dipping sauce. - $13.99. Doc and Dopey shared this. Some of it they liked. Some items they hated!

Pork Egg Rolls - Served with chili plum dipping sauce. - $7.99 Pretty good.

Wonton Soup - Pork wontons, clear chicken broth and veggies. - $4.99 Pretty good.

Mains

chicken nuggets with a double portion of rice for Happy. She didn't really care about it. Too full from breakfast.

Crispy Honey Chicken (Picture) - Tempura chicken, broccoli, carrots and honey sauce. - $16.99 . mine. Not bad. But not stellar either.

Duck With Anandapur Glaze - Roasted half duckling, orange wasabi glaze, jasmine rice, and stir-fried veggies. - $21.99 Enjoyed by Dopey.

Tempura Shrimp - Chili plum sauce, coconut-ginger rice, and stir-fried veggies. - $19.99 Doc shared with me. Yummers!

Sweet & Sour Chicken or Pork - Tempura chicken or pork, ginger, garlic, bell peppers, and pineapple. - $16.99 Grumpy liked it. He had the chicken.

Dessert

Ice-cream for the kidlet.

Fried Wontons (Picture) - Skewers of fresh pineapple and cream cheese wontons with vanilla ice cream and honey vanilla drizzle. - $7.99 Dopey liked it.

Sorbet - Enjoy a taste of each flavor: mango, lemon and raspberry. - $6.99 . I only liked the lemon but Doc and Grumpy liked them all!

We skipped our second ride on Everest and headed through Dinoland instead. We were just too darn hot!

Happy, Grumpy and Doc rode the Triceratops Spin and then we forced Happy onto Dinosaur. She loved it. Notice the theme here! We then headed out of the park because it was so hot and we were getting a bit cranky. We rested and played video games for a bit. We skipped our O’Hana dinner reservation (we cancelled) and went to Downtown Disney later that evening. We did a bit of shopping – Christmas ornaments and a Lucky Dalmation for Happy. We had dinner at the hotel and Happy was in bed at around 9 or 10. It really rained too! It started to pour on our way home from Downtown Disney but stopped while we were eating dinner (I dropped them off in front of the main building) so they got to stay dry.

Our room!

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

We cancelled our early morning reservation at 1900 Park Faire the night before. We decided extra sleep was more important. We had breakfast at Pop and arrived at Epcot at about 10:30. We got fastpasses for Soarin’ and visited the Seas. We didn’t do the Nemo ride but looked at the displays and Dopey and Doc took Happy to see Turtle Talk with Crush. Grumpy needed to avoid Dopey for a bit.

We then went on the Imagination ride and checked out the dancing water before our lunch reservation at Le Cellier.

LUNCH WAS AMAZING! Probably on par with The Keg but better than I would expect at Disney.

Appetizers

The breadsticks!

YUMMY SOUP
Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup made with Moosehead Beer and Bacon

Mains

Le Cellier Mushroom Filet Mignon served with Wild Mushroom Risotto finished with White Truffle-Herb Butter Sauce. Some of us got it with fries, others as it came and still more with cream-cheese potatoes. BUT WE ALL LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!!

Kid's steak. She ate it!

Dessert

Campfire S’mores. Chocolate Graham Crackers and Roasted Marshmallows with Vanilla Ice Cream 5.99
I was too full so I gave it to Happy.

Chocolate “Moose” Chocolate Mousse rolled in Toasted Chocolate Crumbs with Maple Leaf Antlers 5.99. Grumpy liked!

Le Cellier Mont Blanc Semifreddo with chilled Fruit Soup 6.99 Eaten all up by Dopey

Seasonal Sorbet 6.49. Doc likes sorbet. Always has.

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

After lunch we headed to Soarin. Happy once again didn’t want to ride but we made her. She loved it. We tried to convince Dopey who is afraid of heights not to go on but she did. She didn’t love it. Enjoyed the smells while her eyes were shut though.

We then began our world tour. We shopped in Canada where Happy searched for a missing stuffed animal or two in the shop and earned a Junior Ranger badge. We saw the movie and it was great. It started pouring while we were in the shop. It stopped after a few minutes.

We made our way around the world stopping in at the various shops, met Alice and Mary Poppins (Dopey had a personal encounter with her in the tea shop). Dopey and Doc tried some beers from around the world at the Beer Hop, a fleet of wine in France and Saki in Japan. Poor Happy also discovered that she was not meant to get a “monorail plate” after we discovered they were $50 each! For a plastic plate! Of course she also wants a belly dancing thingy too.

Let me know if you know where I can get a monorail/bullet plate cheaper. She really wants one for her birthday or Christmas.

We made it to Norway for our 6:40 reservation where Happy had a huge meltdown because she had changed her mind and decided that she did want her Belle dress – even though she had insisted that we not bring it that morning. After much drama, etc… I finally calmed her down and we had dinner with Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Aurora. It was a bit of a nightmare and people around us were betting on whether we’d cave and buy her a new dress. That wasn’t going to happen! And didn’t. Dopey found out that we couldn’t cancel our reservation at that point without penalty (not like that was going to happen but she was frustrated). Dopey also told off the guy at the podium for making us wait since we had a reservation. The concept of preferred seating was too much for us. Is it any wonder that Doc and I had booze that night at Petals?

Afterwards, Happy tried to convince me her temper was all a joke because she wanted to go on more rides. We went right back to the hotel where we cancelled breakfast for the following morning and put Happy to bed. And got Doc and I a drink.

Traditional Kjottkake
Ground Beef and Pork Dumplings served with Mashed Potatoes,
seasonal Vegetables, and Lingonberry Sauce
LOVE IT!

Kid got a hotdog and corn. She ate the hotdog and corn together minus the bun. Still wondering why I needed a drink that night?

Grilled Vegetable-stuffed Pasta
with Sautéed Vegetables, Tomato-Truffle
Grumpy liked!

Grilled Pork Chop
with Potato Gratin, Apple-Raisin Chutney, and Demi-glace
Doc approved.

Mustard-glazed Seared Salmon
with Roasted Carrots and Potatoes
and Mustard-Shallot Drizzle
Dopey liked it.

I didn't take pictures of dessert because we skipped it thanks to Miss. Cranky Pants.