If we can DREAM it, we can do it! ..... another 30 day vacation Update 02/07

[Linda67]

Karin, that view is just spectacular

I've never wanted to stay at the Contemporary but now I do!!

 

[dizneeat]

Day 7, August 17

Are you kidding me? - Part 3


We both ordered some Diet Coke, Tom had a Whisky Sour, while I ordered my usual Strawberry Daiquiri.
When our drinks were delivered the server took our order for our food and brought over

a basket full of the California Grills Sourdough bread and

some butter sprinkled with seasalt. We both nibbled the bread and butter until our starters arrived. Tom had ordered

the Bacon Cheeseburger Flatbread, Wagyu beef, Tillamook Cheddar, House made Dill pickles and Heirloom Ketchup. It looked really good and tasted equally wonderful. I wanted to try

the Homemade Potato Gnocchi, Wild Mushrooms, Edamame, Smoked Pork, Organic Soft-Poached egg. It looked different from what I had expected to receive but I was pleasantly surprised.
The Gnocchi were absolutely delicious and melted in your mouth. There were plenty of mushrooms and once the egg was broken and oozed in, it even put it on a higher note. Only downside before our main courses were served, was that we had snacked too much in the afternoon and were both already full after our starter.
But we had ordered a main course and that was soon delivered. Tom had ordered one of his absolute favourites again,

the Spicy Kazan Roll, crab, shrimp, bay scallops, tuna and fireball sauce, and it did not disappoint. He enjoyed it very much.
I had opted for an old favourite as well,

the Grilled Pork Tenderloin, with Goat Cheese Polenta, Roasted Mushrooms, Zinfandel Glaze, and Sage. While it was really tasty, I soon was too full to eat any more. And right when I had given up and put down the cutlery, the manager of the California Grill, Michael, an Austrian, came over to greet guests.
Seeing I had not finished my dish he came to ask if everything was alright and when we answered in German it took him a minute and then he recognized us as Rons friends.
He stopped and told us all about the renovations which are to start in the new year and how he had just spent a vacation on the Florida Keys and how much he and his family had enjoyed eating and swimming at Marker 88. It was so fun to see some of the servers watching us and some of the other diners were looking at us as well.
We asked Michael to store Rons gifts for him and he happily obliged. He finally said his goodbyes and when he had left our table we asked for our bill. Once that was settled we headed back down to our level and stopped at the Lounge for a drink.

Tom tried some Yuengling and again I had a Diet Coke. We sat and chatted for a while before we headed back to our room. They had done turndown service and the room looked nice and relaxing.

We spent some time out on the balcony, watching the boats and the lights and the hustle and bustle that was going on before we headed back to the Lounge for some desserts.


To be continued ............

 

[dizneeat]

Karin, that view is just spectacular

I've never wanted to stay at the Contemporary but now I do!!

It really truly was more than I had expected and we just loved being out on that balcony.

I am pretty sure you would like it up there too!

 

[KatMark]

Great updates, Karin.

Although I am not a fan of the Contemporary as a resort to stay at any longer, the first time we stayed there (we stayed twice), we got that spectacular view and it truly cannot be beat.

Your meal at California Grill, as always, looks yummy. I asked Mark if he wanted to try it next year. He nicely declined and said he wants to go back to Yachtsman...I can't argue with him there.

Nice turndown service.

 

[dizneeat]

Day 7, August 17

Are you kidding me? - Part 4


We spent some time out on the balcony, watching the boats and the lights and the hustle and bustle that was going on before we headed back to the Lounge for some desserts.

Tom had opted for a liquid dessert and picked

a Heineken, while I got myself

some tea and

two of the desserts from their offerings. They were both really nice and while I was slowly finishing off my desserts and drink, Tom went and tasted

the Cognac they were offering there too.
It was getting close to the time the fireworks were supposed to start, so we headed back to our room, took our cameras and sat out on our balcony. The Electic Water Pageant was just gliding by.

The perspective from the hotel was really awesome and we enjoyed to be able to enjoy them from our balcony.
And then it was time for the fireworks.

Once the fireworks were over we watched a little TV, before Tom picked up

a Bud Light from the Lounge and took it back to our room to enjoy on the balcony. It was fun to watch the bus parade as there were so many buses driving in and out of the MK bus stop. Around 11pm we were tired enough to get over our excitement of staying at the Contemporary and finally went to bed.


To be continued ............

 

[KatMark]

I know sooner comment on one set of updates, and you go and post another set.

Beautiful parade and fireworks pictures, Karin. You did a great job on those!

Love the looks of your goodies from the lounge too.

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Dinner at CG looks fabulous, I'm glad that you enjoyed it. And what a breathtaking view you had from your balcony. This is the way to do Disney!

 

[jedijill]

Wow, dinner looked amazing! CG is one of my favorites and I'm really excited to see the remodel. The view from your room just keeps getting more amazing.

Jill in CO

 

[eandesmom]

What a pretty view and lovely dinner! Ah, I'd love to be on that verandah right now! I'm not sure I can make it a whole year.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

The view from your room was so awesome. I don't know if I would like the California Grille. I'm not very adventurous with food. Bob would love everything, but I would need my pork to be well done. Beef I do like rare.

 

[englishrose47]

Wow you are the Update Queen today!!! I tried sushi for the first time at the House Party and it wasn't as bad as I expected !! Posswibly I will try again and maybe even like it !!All the food looked good !! Great view for the Parade and fireworks !! Next October we plan on doing the Peter Pan thing when we go with P &P !!Dan wants to do the Halloween Party so we will save that for 2014 !!

 

[annmarieda]

Love the view from your balcony and the view down to (I assume) Chef Mickey's ?

Dinner looked yummy!

 

[MEK]

Yummy dinner! I love sushi!

The offerings in the lounge look great, including the alcohol. If I stayed there I wouldn't have to bring my whole bar with me.

Nice firework pictures! What a view!

 

[jenseib]

wow....you are on a rolll! Love all the posts.

Your view is amazing! Dinner looked great, even with out Ron there. I hope you got to see him at some point and time.

 

[jamiesgirl]

Finally starting to catch up again! The views at the Contemporary, are amazing!!! And of coarse, your food pix are wonderful, as always. Looking forward to following along again!

 

[dizneeat]

Great updates, Karin.

Although I am not a fan of the Contemporary as a resort to stay at any longer, the first time we stayed there (we stayed twice), we got that spectacular view and it truly cannot be beat.

Your meal at California Grill, as always, looks yummy. I asked Mark if he wanted to try it next year. He nicely declined and said he wants to go back to Yachtsman...I can't argue with him there.

Nice turndown service.

Thank you, Kathy!
This was our second stay at the Contemporary too, and I actually cannot wait to go back - but only if we can afford Concierge with MK view. I would be too disappointed with anything else.

We just love the California Grill. We have been to Yachtsman too, and will definitely return, but CG has a different feel. Especially for us, since we seem to know so many wonderful people who work there and who make every visit so extra magical for us.

I know sooner comment on one set of updates, and you go and post another set.

Beautiful parade and fireworks pictures, Karin. You did a great job on those!

Love the looks of your goodies from the lounge too.

It was awesome to sit on your own balcony, cold beverage (from lounge) in hand and watching the fireworks.
There were so many yummy goodies in the lounge - we tried a lot, believe me.

Dinner at CG looks fabulous, I'm glad that you enjoyed it. And what a breathtaking view you had from your balcony. This is the way to do Disney!

Our CG dinner was such a wonderful start to this wonderful WDW/DCL part of our trip. We were VERY happy!
Unfortunately having that view REALLY spoils you! I would love to be able to afford that luxury every trip.

Wow, dinner looked amazing! CG is one of my favorites and I'm really excited to see the remodel. The view from your room just keeps getting more amazing.

Jill in CO

Michael told us a little bit of what's to come and what is to be done and the price range he is working with for the remodel. I could not believe my ears how much money they intend to pump into it.
Plus I really hope they'll keep some items from the old menu.

 

[jedijill]

Michael told us a little bit of what's to come and what is to be done and the price range he is working with for the remodel. I could not believe my ears how much money they intend to pump into it.
Plus I really hope they'll keep some items from the old menu.

I hope hope hope they keep the Vahlrona Chocolate Cake! Its so yummy!

Jill in CO

 

[dizneeat]

What a pretty view and lovely dinner! Ah, I'd love to be on that verandah right now! I'm not sure I can make it a whole year.

It was awesome and we felt like a million dollars up there on our balcony!
You have to wait a whole year to go back? ....... we are under 50 days and I cannot wait.

The view from your room was so awesome. I don't know if I would like the California Grille. I'm not very adventurous with food. Bob would love everything, but I would need my pork to be well done. Beef I do like rare.

Doris, the view was just awesome.
I do agree that the California Grill is not for everyone. You need to be open to new things, as they really like to "experiment" sometimes, but we have not had a bad meal there yet.
The pork is awesome the way they do it. It melts in your mouth. They ask if the way the do it is okay with you and I just love it that way.

Wow you are the Update Queen today!!! I tried sushi for the first time at the House Party and it wasn't as bad as I expected !! Posswibly I will try again and maybe even like it !!All the food looked good !! Great view for the Parade and fireworks !! Next October we plan on doing the Peter Pan thing when we go with P &P !!Dan wants to do the Halloween Party so we will save that for 2014 !!

I need to get those updates out, Rosie, we will be back in 7 weeks from today. I cannot believe we are so close already again.
That sushi Tom had is amazing, but it is just too much for me.
Are you saying you are doing the Fireworks cruise? That must be awesome. We have yet to do that too.

Love the view from your balcony and the view down to (I assume) Chef Mickey's ?

Dinner looked yummy!

Yes, that is Chef Mickey's. We spent quite some time looking down at the diners there.

We just LOVE the California Grill and I am sure you would too!

 

[dizneeat]

Yummy dinner! I love sushi!

The offerings in the lounge look great, including the alcohol. If I stayed there I wouldn't have to bring my whole bar with me.

Nice firework pictures! What a view!

The lounge was very well stocked. And the food changed with time of day and was different every day as well. I could easily get used to that kind of luxury.

Yes, the view! I loved it and spent A LOT of time on that balcony!

wow....you are on a rolll! Love all the posts.

Your view is amazing! Dinner looked great, even with out Ron there. I hope you got to see him at some point and time.

I hope to update some more tomorrow morning (already going on midnight here ).
Jen, you would have loved that balcony! The view was just out of this world. We actually missed Ron on both visits to the CG we had, but we learned that he took quite a bit of time out because of a death in his family.

Finally starting to catch up again! The views at the Contemporary, are amazing!!! And of coarse, your food pix are wonderful, as always. Looking forward to following along again!

So good to have you back, Mary Ellen!
We just loved our stay at the Contemporary sooooooooo much. I was heartbroken when we had to move out again ..... and we were going to OKW and on to the DREAM. That says a lot doesn't it?

I hope hope hope they keep the Vahlrona Chocolate Cake! Its so yummy!

Jill in CO

So do I! I just love their Valhrona Cake ..... it would be a shame if they got rid of it.
Hm, maybe we should talk to Michael about it.

 

[dizneeat]

Okay, just one short little news flash!

I did online check-in today for our February visit to WDW! I must have been living under a rock as I had absolutely no idea you could check in 60 days prior to your vacation.
But I played with their new website and set up "my Disney experience" when suddenly it asked me if I wanted to check in for my upcoming vacation.
Yes, I wanted to and went ahead ...... so we are officially checked in for one night at Pop prior to our cruise and two nights at Bay Lake Tower after the cruise.

And YES, we are already checked in for our cruise as well - have been for a while.


I have a few updates (nearly) ready, but it is too late for me today, so I will update tomorrow morning!