June-11 Trip: Are you Eating, Flying and Sailing Nuts? FINAL UPDATE 9/14

[mckryan]

Oh my gosh, I so agree with you about headaches and Test Track's queue. I cannot stand it, but I love TT! I think I'll throw a set of headphones in my bag for my next trip, too, and listen to some music to drown it out.

 

[ajf1007]

Loving the latest updates! I don't want your trip to end..

 

[kikiq]

Thank you for returning

I was needing a WDW fix after my DH told me that he could fix the leaky sink. Then after a flood, running water and luckily a napping DGD, maybe I needed to call the plumber. I could leave him on Mission Space!

 

[PoohNFriends]

Happy to see an update! Can't wait to hear how Rose & Crown worked out for you - it was one of our faves last trip so a must do again in October.
I hope they also have TV's in the ladies' room at ESPN (not that I expect you to have actually seen them with your own eyes ) Problem is a bathroom break could turn extra long if something exciting was going on I had to watch!

 

[lisaviolet]

Still reading. Loving it. Running to do things. Like you care. Anyway, I know how difficult it is to finish a TR - to get the energy and time. Difficult. So - hmmm - good luck on that.

Just wanted you to know that we're still out there.

 

[cj9200]

The end of the day at Epcot, Dinner and Illuminations. AKA Bubble and Squeak?

Headed over to dinner at the Rose and Crown. Reason I made this ADR was primarily because we never dinned here. Not expecting much from the food but it is in a great location. Well, the locations was great and the food was pretty good.

We were a little early so we wandered around the garden’s area. Nice spot to take a break.

It was looking iffy outside so they were not recommending seating in the outdoor area. Rain was a possibility so we opted for inside. It wasn’t very crowded so we were quickly seated. They did tell us there was a viewing area on the lagoon where we could stand and watch the show if we wanted.

Looking towards (UK use of the word versus toward in the US) the bar area

The place is nicely laid out and comfortable

Our waitress came to take our order and I asked a question I was dying to ask, “What is a Bubble and Squeak?” From what I understood, it is basically somewhat like bangers and mash. Except the mash is different or something.

We split the trio of cheeses from the UK ($9.99) I opted for Sunday Roast - with Yorkshire Pudding, Roasted Potatoes, seasonal Vegetable, and Shallot Gravy ($16.99). Without asking she explained that it was roast beef, not a pot roast type thing. OK. It is beef and it was roasted. Works for me.

DD ordered the Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie - Creamy Mushroom-Vegetable Ragout topped with Mashed Potatoes and Cheddar Cheese served with Mixed Greens and Roasted Portobello Mushroom ($14.99)

Both were pretty good. Mine was a little on the bland side so I did season it a bit with salt and pepper. DD’s shepherd pie was better than I expected. Lots of flavor. She was satisified and so was I. Dinner was nice and relaxing, there was not a rush to get us out of there. Later figured out we were one of the last seatings for the night.

While we were eating I inquired from the hostess who passed us by where we could see Illuminations. She told me to tell our waitress and she would look for a table outside. If not, we could watch from their reserved viewing area. We asked and a table was available.

So we decided to opt for desert out on the veranda. The Sticky Toffee Pudding ($4.99) was her choice. I only pick at desert so DD always gets her choice. The waitress escorted us out to table while we waited for Illuminations and desert.

What can I say. Even though we were kind of crowded at the table, we had a great view. Very civilized way to see the show. Oh, and the toffee thing was good.

Illuminations was Illuminations. As good as ever. Hard to pick between this and Wishes for nighttime entertainment. Wishes maybe by a nose.

I took some video but it is on the computer that crapped out on me so I can’t get to it until that piece of junk is fixed. It is at the shop now getting debugged so if it comes back in the next couple of days, I’ll post it.

With the show over we headed back out through the restaurant. They had already had much of it cleaned and ready to close for the night. They were pretty quick about it.

From there it was back to the hotel. While on the Boardwalk, we ran into this guy doing card tricks.

He asked me to hold this box

It was empty, really it was

Then this guy was also out

One of the things that makes the Boardwalk area stand out is the evening entertainment. These guys are fun to watch and is a nice plussing of the resort area. Well, that and the ESPN Club, the other restaurants, Dueling Pianos.... Can you tell I like the Boardwalk?

It was beddy bye time after a stay on the balcony. From the room. Full moon out tonight

Well, thats it for the day. A really jam packed and productive day. The MK and EPCOT visits were great, dinner was enjoyable and ending the night with Illuminations. Doesn’t get any better.

The Princess made a decree that instead of going back to the parks, we were going to just chill out at the resort tomorrow. Hang by the pool maybe watch a little TV and read. In other words vacation. It is interesting how our park touring habits have changed since owning DVC. We visit the parks but not nearly as much nor from dawn to dusk. Hey, why not? It isn’t like we are staying in a dump and need to get away from the hotel.

Up Next: Day 6 Friday, June 17 Chilling at the Boardwalk AKA CLOWN SLIDE?

 

[cj9200]

Good call.

Not that there is anything wrong with Jasmine.

OK, this thing looks absolutely delicious in every way except for that coffee ice cream part. I am not a coffee drinker and can not stand anything that has that flavor to it. I'd be afraid a scoop of that would begin to melt and contaminate everything else with that flavor.

That one also took me back. Hate coffee. From things I have read, the hardest part is the peanut butter. I think that maybe the cake items would be tough.

Love ,love your trip report -
Sounds like you have had a very busy summer ,so glad your
feeling better !
I'm sure having so many fun things planned helps keep you going and
in turn you stronger and closer to your A game everyday

Thanks. It has been a busy and fun summer. That is over now. DD started school last week and we are getting back into the swing of things.

I hope your trip to Savannah and KY was a good one. I am anxiously awaiting an update. School starts in three weeks, and we have new faculty orientation in two weeks. My free time will start to be a mere summer memory. Not that I am pushing you to hurry at all!

Sorry it has taken so long. With traveling and the kitchen remodeling going on, just haven’t had time to post much. This is taken much longer than I thought but if the cabinets get put in today and tomorrow, most of the work I can do will be over. Hope to finish soon.

I've read on the restaurant boards that you can substitute different flavors of ice cream if you need/want. You can change those scoops to a different flavor and enjoy!!!

Great information. Nix the coffee and chocolate. Not that I plan on eating one anytime in the near future.

I hear you on the withdrawl thing...that's why I am going back next week!
One Kitchen Sink for my DD's birthday instead of a cake-thanks for the itemized list from the blog so I can calculate my workouts ahead of time

Hope you are having/had a good time. No trips planned until a short one in December. Withdrawal is kicking in big time.

Now for “proud mama” time, my daughter just had her braces removed and is one happy child. Me too because her million dollar smile did not cost quite that much although at the time we paid for them it felt like we were spending a million dollars. Rather than splash her photo all over disboards (yes, I am excited about the outcome of money well spent, not just for appearance but because I know it will avoid future dental problems) I posted a before and after photo here. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2732915&page=26[/COLOR]

Interesting that you are a Psychology Professor. My daughter wants to major in psychology in college. Maybe you can trade notes with her. And yes, they think I am “scary crazy” not that I have a mental illness. I really don’t have anything to worry about. The girl pack she hangs out with are very protective. Mess with one of them and you have to face the wrath of all of them. As to the calories in a Kitchen Sink, I thought I heard that by magic, no deserts have calories in WDW.

Your daughter looks great and I am sure she is happy. We missed the braces thing. DD was adamant that she was not going to get them and the dentist said she could use them but did not really need them.

I've reallyenjoyed your TR's over the years. Although the trip details change, the closeness between you and your dd is constant. As a fellow parent of a teenager, that's no small feat!! Thanks for sharing, and I hope you continue to get better.

We were at Jambo House the same week as your trip. It was a nice time to go, not terribly crowded, and the heat wasn't too bad. DH always takes our older dd and I take our 5 yr old (she has some special needs, so it's better that we all split up for the day). When I read your TR's I think about DH and DD. They too have a special bond, and have a great time together.

Anyway, thanks as always, and best wishes to your dd for her senior year!!

I am all for daddy/daughter time. We are close but life is not just a bed of kitchen sinks. She is stubborn. Gets that from her mother and both sets of grandparents. I, on the other hand am always poised, collected an even tempered. Believe me?

Still enjoying your TR! You and your daughter remind me so much of my relationship with my dad growing up. My parents divorced when I was very young, and I would go visit my dad in California and he would take me to Disneyland. He was (and still is) a big kid, like you - enjoying all things Disney just as much as I did. Special memories - and now he comes with us to take my daughters to Disney! I love watching him with my girls having a blast on the rides and making it all as magical for them as he did for me.
Looking forward to more!

A BIG KID? I’m not a big kid. Actually, one of her friends commented that when we are together we just act like two kids. My motto is not to grow up and let adulthood overwhelm me making life miserable. Good for your dad. The Disney gene is firmly implanted in our DNA. When and if she has kids, they will inherit it.

Oh my gosh, I so agree with you about headaches and Test Track's queue. I cannot stand it, but I love TT! I think I'll throw a set of headphones in my bag for my next trip, too, and listen to some music to drown it out.

Same here. Good advice for the next visit.

Loving the latest updates! I don't want your trip to end..

Thanks. Another reason that this is taking longer than I wanted is no more reliving it. With no trips planned in the near future, there is nothing to look forward to on the Disney front. I do have a dive trip planned to Roatan in February. Also waiting for the 7-month window to open to try to get a room at Aluani for the summer.

Thank you for returning

I was needing a WDW fix after my DH told me that he could fix the leaky sink. Then after a flood, running water and luckily a napping DGD, maybe I needed to call the plumber. I could leave him on Mission Space!

Funny. At least he tried. I definitely know the feeling though. We won’t talk about sinks at my house. I have a particular idea for the type of sink I want and can’t find it anywhere. We will be looking at kitchen places after I pick her up from school today. Wish me luck.

Happy to see an update! Can't wait to hear how Rose & Crown worked out for you - it was one of our faves last trip so a must do again in October.
I hope they also have TV's in the ladies' room at ESPN (not that I expect you to have actually seen them with your own eyes ) Problem is a bathroom break could turn extra long if something exciting was going on I had to watch!

Rose and Crown was better than I expected. Not V&A level but good.

Can’t report on the layout of the ladies’ room at ESPN. DD doesn’t like the place so I usually leave her and go by myself. I would imagine that TV’s are also plentiful there. Won’t comment on the length of bathroom breaks. Very funny though.

Still reading. Loving it. Running to do things. Like you care. Anyway, I know how difficult it is to finish a TR - to get the energy and time. Difficult. So - hmmm - good luck on that.

Just wanted you to know that we're still out there.

I do care. I am a very caring person. OK, maybe not so much. Time has been the big factor. Can’t wait for the kitchen to be done. Glad you are still out there.

Next update may be as early as tomorrow.

 

[cj9200]

Day 6 Friday, June 17 Swimming and eating at the Boardwalk AKA Mmmm Good

I didn’t argue with DD’s decision to stay at the Boardwalk today. Why not. I slept in till around 10 and she stumbled out of bed around noon. Today was pool day. Weather was nice. Hot but not oppressively so.

Picked a lounge chair that was in the shade and settled down with my book.

The elephant was a favorite for DD when she was a little one

CLOWN SLIDE. Run away.

Leaping Horse

She decided to join me at the pool although she opted for a sunnier spot.

Dad, Stop taking my picture.

I was getting hungry. Where to eat? How about ESPN? Works for me, not for DD. Her loss. Can you tell I love this place?

Had to take a picture of this. After all, it is my Alma Mater. The best time of year is the fall and the start of college football season. New coach this year and there are a lot of question marks. They played their first game Saturday and did well. A good start. Haven’t been to a game in a while and may go up before the year is over. Football Saturdays in the south is something special and not to be missed.

Self Portrait. Man do I need a shave. Wearing my Dis Dads’ shirt. For those that don’t know, the Dis Dads is a sub-forum of the Disney for Families forum. It is pretty fun over there for any of you Disney Dads out there.

I ordered the boneless chicken wings. Pretty good.

The rest of the day was spent back at the pool. That and reading or watching TV in the room. Oh, and there was a nap involved I am sure. Yep, pretty much a wasted day at WDW. And you know what? IT WAS GREAT. Who would have thought it, a vacation during a Disney vacation. I am going to have to do this more often.

Also took a few pics of the resort. This brought back memories.

For those of you that don’t know, this is the double doors to heaven. Also known as the Grand Villa we spent DD’s 16th birthday with a few of her friends.

And the infamous ice machine. For context, see one of the other nuts TR.

The major decision of the day was where to have dinner. We planned on a late lunch at the Chefs de France but that was nixed because we did not go to EPOT and I didn’t want to blow a park day just to eat. Some discussion on going off-site but since she was so taxed driving up here and the brief drive to the Marketplace, we decided to stay on-site.

Dinner choice was Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club. We have dined here before and liked it. Similar menu items as the Yachtsman but at a lower cost. That and it is easier to get in as a walk-up.

We had time to kill before hand so we took our time walking over. Saw a couple of streetmosphere acts on the Boardwalk.

Never seen this guy before. He was pretty good.

Also this guy

Had to stop by the ESPN Club to check scores

Running out of pic space so the next post will be our dinner and some nightime shots.

 

[cj9200]

Arrived to the restaurant and were seated within 5 minutes

Nice place and very nautical themeing. Ya Think.

While contemplating what to order, I informed the waiter that the Princess does not eat meat. No problem, I’ll bring out the chef. He comes out and they settle on the pasta dish with no meat. He really didn’t have to do that but it shows how they accommodate dietary needs.

I decided on the Captain's Grille Experience which is a choice of an appetizer, entree and dessert. $27.99. Started off with the Lump Crab Cake - with house-made Tartar Sauce ($10.49 a-la-carte) and the Grilled Rosemary Pork Chop - with creamy bacon polenta, roasted mushroom ragout, and balsamic jus ($21.99 a-la-carte).

OK, not an appealing pic but I dug in before I thought to take a snapshot

DD’s pasta thing

It also had tomatoes and the misguided child hates tomatoes so she put them on my bread plate. They were tasty so with a little salt and pepper they were gone.

My entree

Took one bite. All I can say is WOW. The pork chop was done perfectly. Moist and tender. Perfectly seasoned. This was as good as any dish at V&A. Not a big fan of polenta and thought about substituting it. So glad I did not. Again WOW. Tons of flavor. Thank god my appetite is back because I relished this. As you could see.

At least I didn’t lick the plate

The Princess picked out the desert as usual. House Made Gelato - chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ($4.49 a-la-carte). She chose strawberry. Again, good. Especially like the embroidered chocolate thing.

All in all a fantastic dinner. Can’t find the receipt so I wish I could show that this was a bargain for what you got. The CG Experience menu was a good value if you want every item. I did (well dessert went to DD) and it was great. Will go back here again in a heartbeat.

I told the hostess that was comparable to any dish we had at V&A. She came back and said the chef and the person that gilled the chop were beaming. I also filled out a recipe request (which I did not get, probably because they could not read my writing).

Still more pics coming so see the next post. Hate the 25 limit pictures on the boards.

 

[cj9200]

OK, the last few pics...

Fully fatted and happy we rolled back to the room. A few pics on the way back.

Love Storm-a-long Bay

Stopped by Cape May to check it out for future reference

The sandcastle was cool

We did did the character's breakfast here which was OK. The dinner buffet. Eh.

I thought this was cool. What can you say.

Y/B Lobby. Love this hotel.

Friendship

The Boardwalk. ESPN what else.

Ate here once. It was OK and pretty expensive.

So off to the room and more R&R. This was a lazy day and we liked it. Relaxing at the pool, chilling in the room and a great dinner. All in all a good day. The great thing about DVC is we have so much to do outside of the parks that we don’t have to run from line to line.

Unfortunately we have only one more day left. We were down at the time because we knew we were leaving but now I am excited that there is only one more day to report on the TR. Thank god this is almost over.

Thanks for your patience and I hope to have the “last day” up soon.

Up Next: Day 7 Saturday, June 18 California Grill and the last surprise AKA Are you sailing nuts?

 

[franandaj]

Your TR is stringing me our until out late October trip, but don't we have one more surprise? Or am I confused? I don't think we've gotten the Sailing NUTS part of it?

 

[kid-at-heart]

Waiting for the photos of the kitchen cabinets...

If your daughter ever has questions she is welcome to contact me. I paid (not my parents) for my schooling so I learned many ways to save money during my ten year education trek. One thing which will save her (in other words, you ) big bucks is when she is in her junior year of undergrad, she should take her GREs and start applying to doctoral programs (if she decides to go for psychology or a similar program, i.e., biology, etc). If her gpa is high enough (and we know it will be) and her GREs are high (also know they will be) doctoral programs will "pay" her to attend their school by providing a tuition waiver and a stipend for participating in research and teaching. Heck, I was just a little above average and they paid me so if they will pay me they will pay almost anyone. If she decides to go for a masters first and then later a PhD, "she" will have to pay her expenses, not the program. But you probably already know all this...

 

[kikiq]

Captain's Grille You had what I ordered last time we were there, except I had the key lime dessert. Dinner was the best! And to think the only reason we ended up there was because I was on a taste all the WDW crab cakes kick that trip. Wonder when we can fit in another trip?

 

[ajf1007]

Oh no! Not your last day post...... What will I do when it's over? As a side note, I'd also like to see the finished kitchen! Another side note, I created a slide show with music, etc using the Iphoto on my MAC. It was great! Really easy to use. Are you getting used to yours yet? I have to say, I'm completly converted. No more pc's for me. I still don't feel like I'm utilizing it to it's full potential though.

 

[cj9200]

Day 7 Saturday, June 18 Part 1 - The final surprise AKA “The Water Sprites Again?”

Today started with a lazy morning. We had an appointment at the Contemporary Marina at 11:30 so we could not linger around for long however. Before DD got ready, I walked around and took a few pictures.

From the Balcony

The fitness room. DD worked out both here and at the Animal Kingdom. Liked both but AK’s was a little better because of the view outside.

Yea, we didn’t make the bed. I did fold up the sleeper so we had more room.

In no time we were up and in the car headed over to the Contemporary. Did not get lost or take a wrong turn so we pulled into the hotel with plenty of time. Or so we thought. I told her to wait to the side while I checked in. Well, we were late. It was 11:10 and our appointment was for 11:30. They had that we were supposed to leave the dock at 11:15. HUH? The CM replied it didn’t matter and radioed the dock to announce our arrival.

The question is arrive for what? The Princess said she had an idea what I was up to when we pulled into the Contemporary. Before that, she was certain we were diving the living seas again. Yep she was certain we were going on the water sprites. So what did we do?

Make your guesses before you scroll down. I’ll wait.





















This

The sailing part of the trip was parasailing around Bay Lake. I did this on a cruise at Castaway Cay and really liked it. The plan was to watch as DD took flight. When I called, they informed me that the minimum weight on a calm day was 120 lbs. If it was windy the minimum weight went up. Dripping wet and with lead weights around her ankles, she would barely make the minimum. They only alternative was to do a tandem flight. So why not. I made the reservation when I was still barely able to walk let alone strap into a parachute. My thinking was it would provide motivation to get stronger.

While I was signing our lives away, the CM explained what our options were. You are up about 15 minutes from takeoff to landing. There were two options 450 feet or 600 feet. In for a penny, in for a pound so I opted for 600 feet. They also have a photo option for around $25 (I think). So we also did that.

What was it like? Fun. The view was magnificent. It is also a quiet and smooth ride. Very cool. She loved it.

Some pics from the boat.

First they give you a vest and you are told to take off your shoes. They also strap you into a harness.

Close up of the kid

I got strapped onto the parachute first and then DD. You are told to lean back as they unfurl the chute. It fills with air and you are gently reeled out to your height.

This is about 50 feet off the ground (or should I say water)

This was part of the way up

This was probably pretty close to our max height. We stayed up here for about 10 minutes.

The view is amazing. I am sure it puts to shame the views from the ballon. This one is from the boat. I also brought a disposable to catch some of the views up there but alas they are trapped in the virus ladened computer. If I ever get them back, I will post them here.

On the way back we decided to act a little goofy. “Look. I am flying.”

Notice the smile? I think she had fun.

Within about 45 minutes from leaving the dock we were back on dry land. We thanked and tipped the two-man crew and bid them a good day. From there, it was back to the hotel and the pool. And reading. And watching TV. And probably a nap. Don’t remember what was for lunch. Probably snacks and leftovers. No mater. We were headed to the California Grill for dinner tonight.

Up Next: The last of our last full day. Dinner at the California Grill. AKA Another bird’s eye view of the kingdom.

 

[franandaj]

That sounds like so much fun! I though that was the "flying" nuts part of your trip. I was trying to figure out where you would be renting a sailboat at WDW for the sailing part! The last time I went was about 10 years ago on Castaway Cay. I was thinking about booking it for our trip in November when we are staying at the WL. Is it still warm enough on the 1st of November? I would imagine so...

I know I wouldn't have to worry about the weight requirement...at least on the end that your Princess did!

Looking forward to CA Grill, we're booked in there for less than two months!

 

[kid-at-heart]

Oh my, I would have needed a barf bag. I do not like heights.

So who enjoyed it more, your daughter or you? I bet you, because you probably enjoyed your personal experience of the ride and you enjoyed experiencing your daughter's "enjoyment" of her ride. Is not being a parent the greatest? I love being able to introduce my daughter to new experiences.

 

[cj9200]

Your TR is stringing me our until out late October trip, but don't we have one more surprise? Or am I confused? I don't think we've gotten the Sailing NUTS part of it?

You have now. Eating - V&A, Flying - skydiving, sailing - parasailing. Surprises are done for this trip. Very pleased with myself not only on DD’s response to them plus I was able to keep them secret. Lucky you for an upcoming trip. Alas nothing planned for me except a very short trip in December.

Waiting for the photos of the kitchen cabinets...

If your daughter ever has questions she is welcome to contact me. I paid (not my parents) for my schooling so I learned many ways to save money during my ten year education trek. One thing which will save her (in other words, you ) big bucks is when she is in her junior year of undergrad, she should take her GREs and start applying to doctoral programs (if she decides to go for psychology or a similar program, i.e., biology, etc). If her gpa is high enough (and we know it will be) and her GREs are high (also know they will be) doctoral programs will "pay" her to attend their school by providing a tuition waiver and a stipend for participating in research and teaching. Heck, I was just a little above average and they paid me so if they will pay me they will pay almost anyone. If she decides to go for a masters first and then later a PhD, "she" will have to pay her expenses, not the program. But you probably already know all this...

The cabinets are in! Next is reworking the plumbing for the sink and dishwasher. Spent the day talking to contractors for the countertops. They will be in in a week (they promised, I am hoping) then we will be done.

Thanks for the info on the Phd. If she goes for Psychology, she knows that she will need a Doctorate. Didn’t know about applying early to doctoral programs and getting paid for it. Woo Hoo! My last 9-5 was with a mental health non-profit so I knew she could work while earning Master then Phd. Told her about it and she is definitely interested. And I doubt you were “a little above average.”

Captain's Grille You had what I ordered last time we were there, except I had the key lime dessert. Dinner was the best! And to think the only reason we ended up there was because I was on a taste all the WDW crab cakes kick that trip. Wonder when we can fit in another trip?

Oooh, crab cakes. I stumbled on the Captain’s grill when we were searching for a place to eat and didn’t have an ADR. Always had a good meal there but this was exceptional. Made sure the chef knew how much we enjoyed it and they told me the kitchen staff were pleased we were pleased.

Oh no! Not your last day post...... What will I do when it's over? As a side note, I'd also like to see the finished kitchen! Another side note, I created a slide show with music, etc using the Iphoto on my MAC. It was great! Really easy to use. Are you getting used to yours yet? I have to say, I'm completly converted. No more pc's for me. I still don't feel like I'm utilizing it to it's full potential though.

Pics on the kitchen in about a week when it is done (fingers crossed). Working with Iphoto and am doing my first one-to one next week. I don’t edit the photos, they are what they are. I would like to play with enhancing them, do slide shows and start getting into video. A friend who is into photography also recommended Lightroom instead of Aperture for an advanced program. Agree with you on PCs. Never again. Trying to talk DD into a Mac but she wants to keep on PCs.

That sounds like so much fun! I though that was the "flying" nuts part of your trip. I was trying to figure out where you would be renting a sailboat at WDW for the sailing part! The last time I went was about 10 years ago on Castaway Cay. I was thinking about booking it for our trip in November when we are staying at the WL. Is it still warm enough on the 1st of November? I would imagine so...

Looking forward to CA Grill, we're booked in there for less than two months!

Technically skydiving wasn’t flying, more like floating. We did have a good time doing both that and parasailing. Warm enough in November? It could be but it could also be cold. The good thing is that you don’t get wet. The wind off the water while on the boat is probably the coldest you will get. I am sure you could wear jeans and a sweatshirt to keep warm.

California Grill is up next. I’ll give you a preview. It wasn’t as good as it usually is. Must have been a bad night.

Oh my, I would have needed a barf bag. I do not like heights.

So who enjoyed it more, your daughter or you? I bet you, because you probably enjoyed your personal experience of the ride and you enjoyed experiencing your daughter's "enjoyment" of her ride. Is not being a parent the greatest? I love being able to introduce my daughter to new experiences.

“Is not being a parent the greatest?” Yes, wonderful. Especially the surly teenage years. A fantastic time. Actually, it is pretty fun. She liked parasailing but she loved skydiving. Always fun to do new and different things with her. Our all-time favorite new thing we did together was getting her scuba certification when she was twelve.

 

[kikiq]

Have I said this before? YOU ARE THE COOLEST DAD!!!!

When they said Making Disney Memories...you got them!

 

[irenep]

Wow, what a trip! And still more to come! You really know how to get the most out of your trips.
I've often seen the parasailers over the lake and it looks so amazing. Glad you both enjoyed your experience. Not sure I could do it but my DD would love it - she did her first real skydive (tandem) while we were in Florida in April and loved it
Lots of food for thought here too - your restaurant experiences are making me reconsider where to eat. Haven't ever had a good meal at R&C but the view and your good report make me think it might be worth another go. Captain's grill also looks good - might try it next time we stay at the BC.
And I love your photos of the BWV - one of these days my waitlist will come through