It'll Be All Right -A May 2012 TR Closing Thought and PTR Link 8/12*

[MEK]

Caught up. Yeah! Well, except for pictures. But I promise I will get to them.

Also - yeah for being well into your second trimester. That's always a great feeling.

What's this about the weather getting "cold" where you live? Sorry, can I just laugh at that when I think about another winter here in the North East.

OK - glaring mom stalking your seat - definitely not good and so freaking rude. She had a place to sit. And, honestly, just because someone looks perfectly healthy does not always mean that they are. You really can't ever know for sure.

I hope that Alex enjoyed his trip on SOAT.

Thinking about your Dad while on LWTL. Isn't it funny how Disney makes us feels so nostalgic at times.

I give you props for admitting the FP blunder. I'm sure that will never happen again.

 

[MEK]

Sorry for the dup post. Stupid work computer. Grrrrrr!

 

[marDgreen88]

No need to apologize girl! You're pregnant, so you're completely excused.

Oooooh, possible Christmas trip? Exciting!

 

[amazingact21]

Caught up. Yeah! Well, except for pictures. But I promise I will get to them.

Also - yeah for being well into your second trimester. That's always a great feeling.

What's this about the weather getting "cold" where you live? Sorry, can I just laugh at that when I think about another winter here in the North East.

OK - glaring mom stalking your seat - definitely not good and so freaking rude. She had a place to sit. And, honestly, just because someone looks perfectly healthy does not always mean that they are. You really can't ever know for sure.

I hope that Alex enjoyed his trip on SOAT.

Thinking about your Dad while on LWTL. Isn't it funny how Disney makes us feels so nostalgic at times.

I give you props for admitting the FP blunder. I'm sure that will never happen again.

Hah, I know, I shouldn't complain with the weather here; I couldn't imagine living up north and dealing with snow. To me, when the temp drops into the 30's, I feel like I'm in a snowstorm or something.

No need to apologize girl! You're pregnant, so you're completely excused.

Oooooh, possible Christmas trip? Exciting!

It would be more of a day trip, since we'll be in the area visiting family, but hey, I'll take it! Any time spent at Disney during the holidays is magical. Plus, I have to make use of my annual passes...

 

[amazingact21]

I know it's been half a month since I last posted an update, and I'm sorry about that. Things have been crazy around my house, and I didn't have a lot of free time to spend on the computer. Not to mention, these past few weeks I've been feeling pretty sick, so the idea of getting off the couch and going into the computer room wasn't appealing. Honesty at its finest.

But, I'm here now, though, and next week Alex will be away on a work trip, so I should have some time to write one, possibly two more updates.



May 7th Late Morning/Early Afternoon:

My mom, Alex, and I had experienced all the fun we could inside the Land; soaring over CA, learning how to live with the land, and chowing down on some Danishes and now were ready to eat some lunch.

Originally, I had planned for us to eat at Teppan Eddo, but my mom was less than enthusiastic about the idea. In her mind, she can go to a hibachi restaurant at home.

She was in Disney World. She wanted something unique and different. I could see her point. Not to mention, we had no need to head to the World Showcase that morning, and I knew my mom would appreciate not having to walk 80,000 miles for once.

So, after a little bit of looking and debating about the daily schedule, I decided to book an ADR at Coral Reef.

I don't like seafood.

At all.

But Alex loves it, and I figured the atmosphere itself would be really cool to experience, so I double checked that there were one or two non-fishy items on the menu and booked us for 12:25.

f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


I went inside and checked us in, then joined my mom and Alex back outside. The whole restaurant was fairly empty, so our buzzer took less than five minutes to go off.

I'm guessing since the place was so empty we lucked out and got an amazing table right at the front near the tank.


It was incredible to be able to look straight ahead and see all sorts of fish and marine life swimming around. Not to mention, it was sort of relaxing. I don't think any of us were thinking about the horrible heat that was waiting for us back outside, nor were we in a big hurry to pick our food.

Our server came around really quickly, introduced himself as V, and took our drink orders. Before he left, he told us his personal favorites on the menu and explained if we liked a particular taste which food would fit that category best. After looking at the menu some more, we all agreed that V was probably right, and we each ended up ordering the 3 things he suggested.

As we waited for our food, we couldn't help but look around and enjoy the sights.

My mother when she was still deciding:



f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr
Alex and I were already regretting not trying Coral Reef before this, and we hadn't even tasted the food yet.


f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

One of the sea turtles was hanging out right in front of us, which was amazing. How many times can you say, "Oh, how was my day? It was great. While I was eating lunch I got to watch a sea turtle and tried to find all these other cool fish that were listed on a paper at my table. How was yours? Oh, you went to Firehouse. Well, that's cool, too."


Before we knew it, our food had arrived!
Alex had picked V's number one choice, the Lobster Ravioli:
f4 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

Alex had it when we ate at Palo on the cruise and loved it, so he felt like he'd give Coral Reef's a try.


Seeing as I avoided 99.9% of fish, I got the Grilled New York Strip Steak. I wasn't in a huge steak mood, especially since I'd had the same thing the night before at Kona, but V said it was one of the best, and it was either that or a salad, which I worried wouldn't fill me.
f5 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


And, finally, my mother ordered the Grilled Mahi-Mahi with jasmine rice and coconut lime sauce. My dad had brought Mahi-Mahi back from a deep sea fishing excursion somewhere out in the Caribbean once, and my mom really liked it. She figured this one would be delicious. And, I'll admit, of all the fish you can eat, Mahi-Mahi tastes the least fishy to me. I could bear it if I absolutely had to.
f6 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

(Oh man, just seeing these pictures makes me want to eat at Coral Reef right now! The downside to writing food reviews.)


Alex enjoyed his ravioli, but he said that near the end it got to be a little much. The lobster became overpowering, and he couldn't finish it. I took a bite, and I'm sure people who like that particular dish would've found it to be amazing. To me, all I could taste was the lobster. My mom said she liked it as well, but she agreed that it was a little much. (She finished the bowl for Alex.)

My steak was all right, but I'll admit, nothing to write home about. I kind of figured that going into the meal. I mean, people go to Coral Reef for the exceptional sea food, not the steaks.
Plus, in my opinion, it was just too big. All that beef...I was starting to moo after awhile.

The potatoes that it came with, though, were pretty tasty, and Alex ended up eating the rest of the steak, since he had surrendered his ravioli to my mom.


Keeping up?


My mother absolutely positively, without a doubt, LOVED her dish. She thought it was the best meal she'd had on property, and she swore up and down that nothing could beat Coral Reef. I didn't have any of the Mahi-Mahi, but Alex took a bite and they both agreed that it was an excellent fish.

My mom said that what made the dish so great was how flavorful it was. My mom comes from the land of pot roasts, baked chicken, meatloafs, etc so to be able to sit down, relax, and have someone prepare a meal as tasty as that made her tickled pink.

She felt like she was on some island in the Gulf, sipping on coconuts and listening to Jimmy Buffet music.

It made me so, so happy to see her that excited.

Made my whole trip, actually.

In all honesty, I wanted to cry seeing my mom have such a good morning. First, with Soarin', now with this meal. The only thing that could have topped it off was if her former favorite ride was open. (Test Track)


So, there I was, feeling great, floating on Cloud 9, when out of nowhere, my mom said, "Alicia, you should try this rice. Look, I pushed the shrimp to the side."

Hmm, let's see, rice with a coconut lime sauce...twist my arm a little harder, Mom.

I took a small bite, because there was a tiny part of me that was worried it'd taste like the fish.

But oh my goodness, heaven above, merciful Disney love….

It was AMAZING.

I mean, UNDENIABLY, UNBELIEVABLY, HEAVENLY.

That rice, you guys.

I could sing sonnets over that rice.

I could dedicate a love song to that rice.

I could make a national holiday over that rice.

I could-
All right, all right, you get my drift.

It was, without a doubt, the tastiest dish I've had in Walt Disney World. Now, I won't lie, I haven't eaten at a lot of restaurants on property, so there's still plenty of potential for something else to scoop up my taste buds and take over that top spot on my favorites list.
But for the time being, that rice holds the title, and I can't see anything else taking its place.

"I love this rice."

"No, guys, I seriously love this rice."

"You don't understand, no other rice will ever be good to me, anymore. I could live off this rice."

And my mother, being a mom, pushed a tiny bit to the side and told me to have the rest. I guess even at 22 (oh wait, I was 21 back then) you don't stop being a kid to your parents, and they don't stop sacrificing the things they enjoy for their children.

I felt a slight twinge of guilt at eating my mom's food, but not enough to stop.

"Are you sure you don't want any more, Mom? It's really good."

I know she was probably thinking, "Of course I want more, I ordered the dang dish!" but all she said was, "I had my fill, go on ahead."

And that is why Alex ended up eating the rest of my steak and my mom ate the lobster ravioli. We all ended up having a big communal lunch.
The whole time we were eating, V kept coming back to refill our drinks and ask how we were doing. He thought it was hilarious that we all ended up with a different dish than when we began the meal.


Halfway through, a family joined us at the table to our left, and while V was taking their order, he looked over at us and asked how we liked a particular dish (I think it was the ravioli) and Alex simply gave a thumbs up. V said something back like, "I didn't steer them wrong, I promise I'll take good care of you all."

He was an amazing CM, and we were all singing his praise by the time he came back for our dessert orders.

He mentioned that there was a Hidden Mickey near us, which we found!
f7 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr


And he took a picture of all of us:




For dessert, my mom and Alex both got the Baileys and Jack Daniel's Mousse:



And I got the Chocolate Wave:


I wanted to cry when I took the first bite of my dessert, it was that good. Oh my goodness. I don't know what it is about Disney and soufflés, but they have the recipe down pat. The wave made me think about the dessert at Palo, and I couldn't decide which was better.

The only downside to it was that it was incredibly rich. I mean, think melted chocolate on top of soft chocolate that just melts in your mouth. I could only manage to eat half of it.


Alex and my mom both loved their dish, but for some reason one loved the Baileys and one loved the Jack Daniel's, so halfway through they switched and began eating the part that the other person didn't want.

I took a bite or two of theirs, but I found it to be super strong, so I was relieved I didn't order a whole dish.

Naturally, they helped finish of the Chocolate Wave, and we all sat there, stuffed silly and almost giddy with happiness.

How could the day have been so perfect? It just seemed too good to be true.



We paid the bill and went to the front desk. I left a comment card for our server, because he was just too great not to give a pat on the back to. He needed some kind of recognition for making a great meal even better. The girls working the check-in desk were surprised when I asked to leave a good note about the service; I guess most people just leave negative ones. Which kind of stinks, because positive reinforcement is the best.


So, to sum up the whole lunch: I would highly recommend Coral Reef to anyone and everyone. Even if you're not a seafood fan, the food here is out of this world good. And the atmosphere is so unique and different. I completely forgot that it was a thousand degrees outside and that there were crowds and long lines and grumpy guests demanding chairs. It was the perfect break needed after a long morning riding rides.
And if you do go and get V as your server, you are in a great hands.


Walking back outside, the three of us were so full, we were pretty sleepy and agreed that the best thing at that point would be to take a nice long nap.

We stopped by MouseGears long enough to do a Vinylmation trade, then headed towards the exits.
Along the way, we happened to see that Daisy Duck and Stitch had just arrived for Meet and Greets and there was nobody around.

So, we decided to walk over there and grab a few quick pictures and move along. The whole event took 5 minutes top, which is almost unheard of for character interaction.









Can't beat a spontaneous character photo op!


Even though it was insanely hot out, and the brief walk from MouseGears to the park entrance had made me start to sweat profusely, I realized that we'd barely gotten any PhotoPass Pictures, and we really needed to take advantage of the opportunity.


So, I stopped us all in front of the F&G displays and made us take a few pictures:





And, by 1:45, we were all in our car and headed back to Sports.



Up Next: Our Good Luck Couldn't Last Forever

 

[Lauralooneyfordisney]

Chiming in too, very funny.

 

[Aussiesalad]

Ahhh Coral Reef looks so great! I am not a seafood fan at all so I have avoided it but it just looks awesome in there!

That is so great that your mum had such a wonderful time. I love that feeling when they are just loving it there. Makes you so happy!

That rice sounds amazing!!!!!

The Baileys and JD Mousse looks amazing!!! Ahhhh I need that in my life!!

 

[MEK]

Wow, wow, WOW......your meals at Coral Reef look and sound amazing! I haven't eaten there since 2006 and I keep saying I need to try it again. I am definitely going to build a lunch ADR into one of my upcoming trips. I do think the amazing atmosphere is pretty cool.

Fun Update!!!!!!!!

 

[Queenofallthings]

Great update! Your mom and I ordered the exact same entree and dessert I would order it all again in a heartbeat....I loved it! Shanleigh loved her lobster ravioli but after tasting mine she wished she had opted for it! Great pictures of you all!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Oh wow- your moms dish looks so good to me... The whole thing... The mahi, the rice... Yum (I like fish though...). & the desserts look amazing...

Coral Reef seems to be one of those restaurants that gets some really mixed reviews so its one of those things that its good you just went for it.... I haven't been there for 3-4 years but I do remember liking the food and atmosphere there very much... So glad your mom was having such a great day

Hope your pregnancy doesn't make you feel too tired or queasy... It's all those hormones doing their thing...

Btw... Totally with Mary Ellen on the cold thing... How cold can Northern Florida get? I'm in Southeastern Pa...- do you remember those stories about that cold, snowy winters the troops spent at Valley Forge under Washington? Well that's a 25 minute drive from my house... And I'm sure the New englanders think that our- winters- the Mid Atlantic - are nothing - but I guess it's all what your used to...

 

[MeMom]

We haven't hit Coral Reef yet, but only because we fear a 'fishy' smell that some have reported. I would probably get the steak, although that ravioli did look pretty scrumptious. I think the sharing thing might be a great idea.

I love that you were so happy seeing your mom so happy. Jill and I enjoy seeing each other so happy in WDW, so I could relate very well as I read your thoughts.

 

[teekathepony]

Sounds like you guys had a good lunch! We ate there in 2007 and I loved it, but when we went back in 2008 they had changed things and I was not a fan. I don't eat seafood OR red meat so it's a problem to find something to eat in there! Hahaha

 

[marDgreen88]

I'm with your mom. Hibachi is fun, but it's just not Disney fun in my opinion!

And now I'm with YOU. Seafood = NOPE. YET... we went there on my first trip because they went there on Full House and Boy Meets World. Yep... It really is an awesome restaurant though, isn't it? It's certainly one of a kind.

Hahaha, glad you liked that rice! They must have changed it since 2010 because I don't really remember it! (Yeah, I got the mahi mahi when I went. I don't like seafood but I felt like I had to be authentic and get it because I'm weird, and the waiter said it was the least fishy fish. It was alright... but ANYWAYS.) Man, that chocolate wave looks AMAZING. YUM.

Sounds like such a great meal! You must be pretty glad your mom was against the hibachi idea, huh?

 

[amazingact21]

Chiming in too, very funny.

Hi! Thank you!

Ahhh Coral Reef looks so great! I am not a seafood fan at all so I have avoided it but it just looks awesome in there!

That is so great that your mum had such a wonderful time. I love that feeling when they are just loving it there. Makes you so happy!

That rice sounds amazing!!!!!

The Baileys and JD Mousse looks amazing!!! Ahhhh I need that in my life!!

Coming from someone who hates seafood, I was happy that I gave the restaurant a try. The place itself was so cool, and the desserts....

Wow, wow, WOW......your meals at Coral Reef look and sound amazing! I haven't eaten there since 2006 and I keep saying I need to try it again. I am definitely going to build a lunch ADR into one of my upcoming trips. I do think the amazing atmosphere is pretty cool.

Fun Update!!!!!!!!

I would definitely recommend eating there again. I know the next time I'm on a long trip, I'll probably book another ADR there.

Great update! Your mom and I ordered the exact same entree and dessert I would order it all again in a heartbeat....I loved it! Shanleigh loved her lobster ravioli but after tasting mine she wished she had opted for it! Great pictures of you all!

My mom absolutely loved all her food choices, and she still talks about how great the food was to this day. I think if I needed some convincing to get her back to Disney, I could throw in a Coral Reef lunch and she'd be hooked.

Oh wow- your moms dish looks so good to me... The whole thing... The mahi, the rice... Yum (I like fish though...). & the desserts look amazing...

Coral Reef seems to be one of those restaurants that gets some really mixed reviews so its one of those things that its good you just went for it.... I haven't been there for 3-4 years but I do remember liking the food and atmosphere there very much... So glad your mom was having such a great day

Hope your pregnancy doesn't make you feel too tired or queasy... It's all those hormones doing their thing...

Btw... Totally with Mary Ellen on the cold thing... How cold can Northern Florida get? I'm in Southeastern Pa...- do you remember those stories about that cold, snowy winters the troops spent at Valley Forge under Washington? Well that's a 25 minute drive from my house... And I'm sure the New englanders think that our- winters- the Mid Atlantic - are nothing - but I guess it's all what your used to...

Haha, I know, I know, I shouldn't complain about the weather. In the grand scheme of things, I have it pretty good. I lived in Illinois for 2 years, and even though I was a kid, I hated the winters. I just can't do the cold. If I have to put on a coat and boots, it's not a good day.

We haven't hit Coral Reef yet, but only because we fear a 'fishy' smell that some have reported. I would probably get the steak, although that ravioli did look pretty scrumptious. I think the sharing thing might be a great idea.

I love that you were so happy seeing your mom so happy. Jill and I enjoy seeing each other so happy in WDW, so I could relate very well as I read your thoughts.

Part of what makes Disney trips so great is experiencing loved ones' happiness, in my opinion. I absolutely cannot wait to go back with my kid and see it through their eyes.
Normally, I'm not a big fan of sharing dishes, but it worked out really well in this instance and made for a big family-style lunch.

Sounds like you guys had a good lunch! We ate there in 2007 and I loved it, but when we went back in 2008 they had changed things and I was not a fan. I don't eat seafood OR red meat so it's a problem to find something to eat in there! Hahaha

Ooh, yeah, I could see that being an issue for you. The only other choice, really, is the salad they have. Which I'm sure is good, but there's so many other Epcot restaurants you can eat at that have a bigger variety.

I'm with your mom. Hibachi is fun, but it's just not Disney fun in my opinion!

And now I'm with YOU. Seafood = NOPE. YET... we went there on my first trip because they went there on Full House and Boy Meets World. Yep... It really is an awesome restaurant though, isn't it? It's certainly one of a kind.

Hahaha, glad you liked that rice! They must have changed it since 2010 because I don't really remember it! (Yeah, I got the mahi mahi when I went. I don't like seafood but I felt like I had to be authentic and get it because I'm weird, and the waiter said it was the least fishy fish. It was alright... but ANYWAYS.) Man, that chocolate wave looks AMAZING. YUM.

Sounds like such a great meal! You must be pretty glad your mom was against the hibachi idea, huh?

Yeah, I am really happy we went to Coral Reef instead of Teppan Eddo. I mean, who knew one little ADR change could turn that day into something amazing? I can't wait to go back there and eat more of that rice and that chocolate wave.

 

[CandleontheWater]

I got a little behind, sorry!

Seriously chair lady- kids don't need chairs, in fact, if the kids were in the chairs, they should have given them up to the adults. That's the way manners should work. Kids have way more energy to stand and way more flexibility to sit on the floor than any adult has. I probably would have given her an earful, but I'm confrontational like that, I also have no problems calling out smokers in non-smoking areas, people touching things at museums, and people using cell phones during movies, among others.

Wow, that meal at Coral Reef looks awesome. We ate there a long time ago, maybe 2005? and really enjoyed it then, glad to see its still living up to expectations. It is one restaurant I'd like to get to with Everett, because I think the tank would easily keep him entertained and make for a very smooth meal.

 

[amazingact21]

I got a little behind, sorry!

Seriously chair lady- kids don't need chairs, in fact, if the kids were in the chairs, they should have given them up to the adults. That's the way manners should work. Kids have way more energy to stand and way more flexibility to sit on the floor than any adult has. I probably would have given her an earful, but I'm confrontational like that, I also have no problems calling out smokers in non-smoking areas, people touching things at museums, and people using cell phones during movies, among others.

Wow, that meal at Coral Reef looks awesome. We ate there a long time ago, maybe 2005? and really enjoyed it then, glad to see its still living up to expectations. It is one restaurant I'd like to get to with Everett, because I think the tank would easily keep him entertained and make for a very smooth meal.

I'm not a confrontational person, at all, but if DH were there, he would probably have said something. He's like you with the smokers in non-smoking sections. Oh boy does that tick him off!


I never thought of that, but yes, I bet Coral Reef would be an excellent restaurant to go to with a toddler. Instant entertainment without having to pull out the iphone or tablet. Hmm, I'll have to keep that in mind for the future...

 

[wakica]

Mmmmmm!! Those desserts looked SOO yummy!! What was on top of the mousse one? It just looked so pretty with the colours and the little beads on top and the pretty lacy thing. I just want to dive into one right now!

 

[amazingact21]

Mmmmmm!! Those desserts looked SOO yummy!! What was on top of the mousse one? It just looked so pretty with the colours and the little beads on top and the pretty lacy thing. I just want to dive into one right now!

I'm not 100 percent sure about the little beads, but I think they were chocolate. The lacy thing was salted caramel, and I remember it was really good! I took a bite of it, and I thought it went so great with the whole dessert.

 

[Elleshoodat]

My mouth is watering ... it's a good thing it's lunchtime here!

Seriously, between your mom's dish and The Wave, Coral Reef just shot to the top of my must-try list. Nick doesn't eat seafood, either, but he'd enjoy the steak, and Andrew would love the view!

 

[amazingact21]

My mouth is watering ... it's a good thing it's lunchtime here!

Seriously, between your mom's dish and The Wave, Coral Reef just shot to the top of my must-try list. Nick doesn't eat seafood, either, but he'd enjoy the steak, and Andrew would love the view!

I was sure Coral Reef wasn't going to be a restaurant I'd want to return to, what with all the seafood and all, but it turned out to be delicious. I think it'll be one of those places we'll eat at again next time we go to WDW.