"Let's See What We Can See!"- Surviving WDW With Three Under 3! - And now... A CRUISE?! Updated 4/19!

[Mollydolly334]

I know, right!? What is even wrong with me? The closest I've come is almost signing up for the Stan's Donuts 5K run, but I didn't end up signing up for it.

SO, what are your thoughts about the upcoming change to Dinosaur?!

Sounds like a super tasty day at AK!

Their Biscoff Pocket is truly life-changing… I also love their Lemon Pistachio donut!

Hmmmm… I wish they weren’t changing it!!! I love both rides so much- I like having the option to ride both!! It’s similar for ToT and Mission:Breakout over at DLR… I like M:B better but I like having the variety and option to ride ToT if I want!!! If that makes sense??

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 5 (The One Where Jake Finds His Favorite Park, and It’s Molly’s Turn to Find Food Nirvana!)- Part 2


Jake and I decided to complete our walking tour around Animal Kingdom and walk through Pandora!





We checked the lines for Na'vi River Journey and Flight of Passage, but, of course, they were both really long. We were totally fine skipping them; FOP makes me dizzy and Na’vi reminds me of Gran Fiesta Tour over in the Mexico pavilion.

As we were walking out of Pandora, I spotted Nomad Lounge, and instantly knew that I wanted to try this out. I KNEW that this would be right up Jake’s alley! I had been to the indoor lounge at Tiffin’s once before with a large group of DISfriends, but I had never tried the outdoor seating. This place always gets rave reviews!

We checked into the waitlist, and the lady said that it would be an hour wait. We figured that it would be perfect timing to do the single-rider line over at Expedition Everest, so we headed over to Asia.





We got in line, but the single-rider line looked like it still had a bit of a wait. Unfortunately, while still in line for Everest, we got a text from Nomad Lounge saying that our table was ready (at 11:55 AM, 20 minutes after being put on the wait list)! UGH! We wished that the wait time was a bit more accurate, otherwise we would have just hung around Africa. We figured that we had been waiting this long, we might as well stick it out and do Everest, then try to get into Nomad Lounge after our ride.

Jake and I engaged in some interesting conversation while in line. Did you all know that there have been SO many people that have died while attempting to climb Mount Everest, and they just leave the bodies along the trail?? I’ve heard that they even use the dead bodies as mile markers to know how far along the hike you are. They all have nicknames; one in particular is called “Green Boots Guy.” Talk about morbid!

We were on-ride by 12:10!



I sat next to this really fun tween-age boy who was hooping and hollering the entire time!



I think Jake had fun, not that you’d be able to tell from his ride picture…



Poker face game is STRONG. Guy looks bored out of his mind!

After we got off the ride, we HOOFED it to Nomad Lounge. Sadly, my navigation in Animal Kingdom was suffering this day, and I ended up getting us turned around and going the long way all the way back through Pandora. UGH! By the time we reached Nomad, we were sweaty and out of breath.

Luckily, the CM was nice about it, and said that we would still be able to get a table, but it might be up to a half-hour wait. At least that would give us time to dry off!

After all of that exercise, I needed something to cool me off! We plopped ourselves down on the ledge outside of Nomad Lounge, and there was a stand right in front of us selling Mickey Bars. For about 10 minutes, I debated on getting one, and Jake said “You know, as soon as you get one, they’re going to call us for a table.” I laughed and went up and got one anyway…



Sure enough, literally as Jake was taking this picture, we got our table ready text. We were the king and queen of bad timing today! I was able to eat some of it on the way to our table, but this Mickey Bar was kind of a bum one and broke apart/fell to the ground about halfway through (I even got some on my shoe ). I knew that I needed Mickey Bar redemption later in the trip!

I was a little flustered, but only for a moment, because we were then seated at this beautiful oasis!





Immediately after sitting down and glancing at the menu, Jake proclaimed “Oh yeah, this is definitely my style.” I retorted, “It’s almost as if I’m your wife and know you a little bit?”



Our waiter came soon after, and we ordered some alcoholic beverages!



May was Asian Pacific American Heritage month, so they had an ube drink on the menu as a special!! Jake decided to order it and promised I could have a couple sips; it was called the Tropical Ube Cocktail (Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça, Coconut Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Ube Extract, and Pineapple and Lime Juices garnished with a Pineapple Wedge). I decided on the Jenn’s Tattoo (Ketel One Vodka, Watermelon, Hibiscus, and Lime Juice).



Cheers! (Side note, I love how Jake is BEAMING in every single shot. He was one happy camper at Animal Kingdom!)

I’m really glad that I went with the Jenn’s Tattoo- it was very light and refreshing in the heat and not too sweet! Jake’s Tropical Ube Cocktail was yummy but very thick and rich- he admitted defeat about halfway through it.

I was still full from my Mickey Bar, but Jake wanted to order an app. I was trying to sell him on the churros, but he decided to get the Cuban Frita Sliders with Yuca Fries.



He was thrown off when he got them; he thought that he was ordering more of a traditional Cuban sandwich with ham, mustard, pickles, etc. The patty was super aromatic with lots of curry and spices. He said that they were fine but not what he was expecting. The Yuca Fries were good though!

We sat and chilled for almost an hour. It was SO relaxing and a perfect way to just chat and reflect on the trip. From now on, Nomad Lounge will have a permanent spot in my Animal Kingdom itinerary!! We had a great time and the vibes were immaculate!



Had to get another pic of the perfect Disney Husband.

It was about 1:30 by now, and we were satisfied with our time at Animal Kingdom. Overall, I’m SO glad we took the trip here this morning. We didn’t have the most “productive” visit in the traditional sense (we only did two rides). But, we spent the morning doing what we love; walking, eating/drinking, and just enjoying each other’s company. It was one of my very favorite moments of the trip.

And, because of this, Animal Kingdom has moved to my #3 park! I hate to say it, but Jake was right.

We waited for a bus for only about 15 minutes; but it was SCORCHING outside! We made it back to POFQ by 2:10 PM.



It was soooooo funny, Jake saw this water fountain full of coins in the lobby and exclaimed, “Uh oh, hope Evie’s not hungry!”

Speaking of the kids, they were busy having a fantastic pool day over at Marriot’s Grande Vista Resort with Haley, Ryan, Cici and Chief!













Back to POFQ! Nana had texted us that she was by the pool and had a table/some chairs, so we quickly jumped into our swimsuits and met her there!



POFQ was gloriously peaceful this afternoon!

The pool was no different! There were barely any chairs taken, and it felt so quiet and tranquil.



Nana excitedly told us all about her eventful morning! She said that she had gotten beignets for breakfast, and that she had walked over 5 miles this morning, doing the loop between POR and POFQ multiple times over. She exclaimed, "I absolutely LOVE this resort. It’s one of my new favorites!”

As soon as she said “beignets,” I immediately got a craving for them. So, I headed over to Scat Cat Club to grab some and fill up my mug with soda!



I got three traditional Mickey Beignets and all three dipping sauces (because, duh!). The sauces were strawberry, chocolate, and caramel. Jake and I shared these by the pool!



We both loved the caramel sauce the best; it paired so well with the beignets and almost reminded us of pancakes and syrup, haha! We agreed that these beignets were MUCH better than the somewhat stale ones we had tried at Disneyland last year. These ones at POFQ were hot and fresh and COVERED in powdered sugar.

After our tasty treat, Jake and I were itching to get in the pool!


​

 

[piglet1979]

I love Animal Kingdom but Jeff hates it. He hates zoo's. It is not my number 1 park but might be my number 2. 2 is a toss up with HS and Animal Kingdom. My least favorite is EPCOT. That has stuck since I was a kid but it is Jeffs favorite. We did try for Nomad's on our visit but it was a super long wait so we didn't. I suspect Jeff would have loved it too.

I have never stayed at POFQ but stayed at Riverside. I loved the resort. We did swim once at POFQ but I wasn't a fan of the pool. It was easy to lose sight of the kids. I didn't know about the Beignets then but wish I did. I will have to try to get them on our next trip.

 

[vamassey1]

I really like the way your day at AK played out. It was the perfect couples day.

I have not had success at Nomads yet. We got on the wait list in April but it was called while we were on the train to Planet Watch. I'm going to keep trying.

 

[alohamom]

I have never been to The Nomad Lounge but it's on my wish list now, what a beautiful and tranquil spot to spend some time relaxing and re-energizing. Thanks for posting about it!

 

[missjackiemcg]

They all have nicknames; one in particular is called “Green Boots Guy.” Talk about morbid!

I knew a lot of people had died attempting Everest, but yikes, I did NOT know they just left them there!! ....and NAMED THEM!!!!

This is top level husband stuff right here.

I got three traditional Mickey Beignets and all three dipping sauces (because, duh!). The sauces were strawberry, chocolate, and caramel.

I know everyone raves about the sauces!! Growing up, my Grandma took me to New Orleans a bunch, so I'm a beignet purist! Nothing ever compares to the ones at Cafe Du Monde, and they don't serve them with sauces, so I've never tried!!! They do sound delicious though!

 

[ambula603]

Na’vi reminds me of Gran Fiesta Tour over in the Mexico pavilion

I don't love Na'vi, and this comparison made me laugh. Lilli has always had the best idea - can we make Gran Fiesta Tour into Coco!? I think it could be an easy change!

I love how Jake is BEAMING in every single shot. He was one happy camper at Animal Kingdom!

This made me smile, I noticed it too!

But, we spent the morning doing what we love; walking, eating/drinking, and just enjoying each other’s company. It was one of my very favorite moments of the trip

Man, if only we could PLAN these wonderful moments...because I am certainly the queen of planning every moment of a vacation. I get the irony, so I try to relax and allow for more of them to happen!

 

[cindianne320]

What a great afternoon with your hubby at AK! That Everest pic is classic!
I love Tiffins, but that lounge looks even better.
The kids looked like they had a great afternoon, too!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Did you all know that there have been SO many people that have died while attempting to climb Mount Everest, and they just leave the bodies along the trail?? I’ve heard that they even use the dead bodies as mile markers to know how far along the hike you are. They all have nicknames; one in particular is called “Green Boots Guy.” Talk about morbid!

YES!!! It is crazy how many people want to climb Everest!!!

We were the king and queen of bad timing today!

Or it just got you into Nomad faster....

We agreed that these beignets were MUCH better than the somewhat stale ones we had tried at Disneyland last year.

The beignets when we were out there were TERRIBLE!!! not sure if it was because it was a temp location. But I was very disappointed with them!

Your stay at French Quarter makes me want to stay there again!

Also Nomad Lounge is literally half the reason I want to go to Animal Kingdom anymore... I hope the new lounges are just as nice!

 

[Mollydolly334]

I love Animal Kingdom but Jeff hates it. He hates zoo's. It is not my number 1 park but might be my number 2. 2 is a toss up with HS and Animal Kingdom. My least favorite is EPCOT. That has stuck since I was a kid but it is Jeffs favorite. We did try for Nomad's on our visit but it was a super long wait so we didn't. I suspect Jeff would have loved it too.

I have never stayed at POFQ but stayed at Riverside. I loved the resort. We did swim once at POFQ but I wasn't a fan of the pool. It was easy to lose sight of the kids. I didn't know about the Beignets then but wish I did. I will have to try to get them on our next trip.

Wow!! I'm surprised that Epcot is your least favorite park- that's quite the unpopular opinion!! Epcot used to be Jake's favorite park, but each time we go there, he keeps saying that he likes it less and less.

Yes- you should definitely try to stop by POFQ on your next trip! They're super tasty and also fun just to stroll around POFQ. Scat Cat's Club also looks like a "hidden gem" bar at night; I think they have live music some nights and their drink menu looks fantastic! I'm so sad we never made it over there during our trip!

I really like the way your day at AK played out. It was the perfect couples day.

I have not had success at Nomads yet. We got on the wait list in April but it was called while we were on the train to Planet Watch. I'm going to keep trying.

It was SO nice to spend a low-key day just the two of us, especially since Jake was leaving that night Yes- definitely keep trying for Nomad!! It's a quiet area that seems more adult and is tucked away. Animal Kingdom can get quite hot; but this spot seems breezy and shaded.

I have never been to The Nomad Lounge but it's on my wish list now, what a beautiful and tranquil spot to spend some time relaxing and re-energizing. Thanks for posting about it!

Of course!! The drinks were awesome and it was a nice and cool spot (AK can get so hot sometimes)! I originally learned about Nomad from another TR on the DIS, so I'm happy I could re-pay the favor for someone else

I knew a lot of people had died attempting Everest, but yikes, I did NOT know they just left them there!! ....and NAMED THEM!!!!


This is top level husband stuff right here.


I know everyone raves about the sauces!! Growing up, my Grandma took me to New Orleans a bunch, so I'm a beignet purist! Nothing ever compares to the ones at Cafe Du Monde, and they don't serve them with sauces, so I've never tried!!! They do sound delicious though!

I KNOW!! I guess I understand since it's such crazy conditions up there and could be dangerous to retrieve the bodies... but seriously??

Ahhhh- New Orleans and Cafe Du Monde is on my bucket list for sure! Jake has been once a long time ago but can't remember how the beignets were... I think that means he needs a re-do (with me)!

I don't love Na'vi, and this comparison made me laugh. Lilli has always had the best idea - can we make Gran Fiesta Tour into Coco!? I think it could be an easy change!


This made me smile, I noticed it too!


Man, if only we could PLAN these wonderful moments...because I am certainly the queen of planning every moment of a vacation. I get the irony, so I try to relax and allow for more of them to happen!

YES I am definitely for the Coco re-theme! They already have a bunch of Coco themed stuff in the pavilion so it would just make sense!! I love the Coco scene they added to Philharmagic as well!

UGH- tell me about it! This was exactly one of those moments Originally, I had planned for us to leave the park a couple hours earlier, but I'm so glad we didn't. Surprisingly e had allotted way too much time for pool stuff this trip (half the time, we didn't even want to swim)!

What a great afternoon with your hubby at AK! That Everest pic is classic!
I love Tiffins, but that lounge looks even better.
The kids looked like they had a great afternoon, too!

HAHA he says that it's his favorite ride too!! I'm like "are you sure?"

I've never tried Tiffin's before!! I'm an adventurous eater overall, but the stuff on the menu looks REALLY adventurous (and expensive)! What's your favorite dish there? It's on my list for sure!

YES!!! It is crazy how many people want to climb Everest!!!


Or it just got you into Nomad faster....


The beignets when we were out there were TERRIBLE!!! not sure if it was because it was a temp location. But I was very disappointed with them!

Your stay at French Quarter makes me want to stay there again!

Also Nomad Lounge is literally half the reason I want to go to Animal Kingdom anymore... I hope the new lounges are just as nice!

LOL Everest would be a big fat"no" for me. I hear about so many rich people who choose to spend their money on that... I can't think of anything I'd want to spend my money on less. I could barely hike Diamond Head in Hawaii without feeling like I was going to pass out

I'm glad we weren't the only ones who thought the DL beignets were over-hyped!! The churros and macarons, however... WAY better at DLR!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Day 5 (The One Where Jake Finds His Favorite Park, and It’s Molly’s Turn to Find Food Nirvana!)- Part 3


Where we last left off, Jake and I filled our bellies with beignets and were anxious to do some swimming in POFQ’s pool! Nana doesn’t really enjoy swimming (unless the water temperature is more like a jacuzzi), so she supervised.

However, much like our situation at CSR a couple nights ago, we had cooled down considerably since being at the park, so the water felt freezing! We swam around for about 15 minutes, then spent some time in the hot tub.

Jake headed back up to the room around 3:45 PM. He wanted to get showered up and pack the last of his stuff before we left for Disney Springs. Since he just had a backpack, he could take a cab straight from DS to the airport and spend his last couple hours soaking up ALL of the Disney time.

Mom was feeling thirsty, so we went over to the Mardi Grogs pool bar to check it out!





She decided on a Banana Cabana!



Right after I took this picture, I asked, “Why are you holding your drink so weird?” It reminded me of this…



The weather was starting to look a little cloudy at this point… they were anticipating a thunderstorm to start soon, so Mom and I headed back up to the room at 4:00! I quickly took a body shower and changed/did my makeup. Jake and I were both ready by 4:30, but my mom still needed a bit more time, so Jake and I decided to take a stroll around POFQ and maybe check out POR as well!



It was funny; I accidentally took a 2ish minute video after taking this picture, and Jake and I didn’t notice until after we got home. We watched it, and it was essentially a 2-minute video of Jake’s butt as we were walking through the resort. It was really sweet though; we could hear our conversation during the video, and the entire time we were just raving about POFQ and saying how we should stay here more often. I'm just glad it didn't catch us bickering about something (which can be often).

We reached the river and started to walk on down to POR, but it started drizzling almost immediately!!





The DS boats were docked, but, ironically, the boats weren’t running during our trip due to lack of precipitation. We took cover over by Building 5, but we realized pretty quickly that this rain wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

We quickly ran to Mardi Grogs to take shelter! We were a little bummed that we couldn’t take our walk and see POR, so we decided to grab an alcoholic beverage to soothe the pain. This pool bar had a great menu with some unique cajun eats- I remember seeing a pimento cheese sandwich as well as hot boiled peanuts!

Jake ordered a Hurricane, and it came in a super cute souvenir cup! It’s displayed on one of our coffee tables at home. I decided on a Pineapple Mule. Moscow Mules are one of my go-to’s back home and an alcoholic beverage that, 99% of the time, I really enjoy.



Well… was that enough foreshadowing for you? I immediately took a sip and asked the bartender, “Are you trying to kill me?!”

It was SO strong and honestly, really really bad. Even Jake took a sip and agreed that it was just plain gross. I remember also having a similarly gross Mule way back in 2016 at Mizner’s Lounge at the GF. It was not sweet at all and the ginger beer tasted really flat.

OK- in present day- typing this all out made me very curious, so I looked at the menu. Apparently, the Pineapple Mule is made with WHISKEY instead of vodka!!! No wonder I hated it!



Lesson learned- read the menu next time ya dummy!!

Jake and I just shared his Hurricane and we were more than ok. It was a fun vibe at Mardi Grogs; the bartender was super duper sweet and we enjoyed listening to the animated conversations around us!

The rain was slightly slowing down, so we made our way back to the room around 5:15 to grab my mom. It was time to head to Disney Springs for the evening and meet up with the rest of the crew!

We stopped in the gift shop and looked around for a bit, since it was still drizzling. I loved how they had beignet mix and other New Orleans-themed gear here! This was one of the better gift shops we saw around property and it had a great variety.



Since the boats weren’t running, we had to get a bus to DS. We stopped at POR first, then arrived at Disney Springs at 6:00!

We had a dinner reservation booked for all 10 of us at Rainforest Cafe for 6:30 PM, but Haley had texted us saying that the Marriott crew was running late. So, we decided that we had a little time to stop by the cookie bar at Summer House on the Lake.



Jake needed his beloved Pinkie Cookie for the plane ride home!



Cookie- secured!!

Mom and I also posed by this cute little set-up for Mother’s Day.





Even though Haley, Ryan, the kids, Cici, and Chief hadn’t arrived yet, we figured we’d make our way over to Rainforest Cafe to let them know that we were running late.

They confirmed that we needed our entire party present in order to check-in, but didn’t seem too worried about us being able to get in late. We decided to pass the time in Goofy’s Candy Company!





While we waited, I decided to do a “Make Your Own Treat.” It had been so long since I had done this (I’m pretty sure the last time was before COVID)! I decided on a caramel apple dipped in milk chocolate, with peanut butter chips and crushed Butterfinger on top.



I asked them to cut it up for me, but they said that they weren’t allowed!! Interesting?? I decided that I’d save it in the mini fridge back at POFQ and eat it sometime in the next couple days.

Also, I'm still salty that they took away dark chocolate as a dipping option. Dark chocolate is the superior chocolate!!

Here it was all wrapped up!



The rest of the crew texted us that they arrived shortly after, and we were able to get seated at Rainforest Cafe right at 7:00 PM!



The twins had the cutest little matching outfits on tonight!



I got to sit next to this cutie patootie.



And across from this cutie patootie!



My mom had brought the Mardi Gras beads from POFQ to give to Evie tonight, and they were a hit. She loved them!!



Please disregard the sugar packets strewn about the table (and the fact that Evie is standing on her seat). I promise that the twins are (somewhat) civilized toddlers.

Rainforest Cafe is so nostalgic to Haley and I. There is one at Gurnee Mills in Illinois (about 50 minutes away from where we grew up). As a child, it was a yearly tradition to spend the day at Six Flags Great America, then eat dinner at Rainforest Cafe!

Jake figured that he should leave for the airport around 7:30, since his flight was at 10:00 PM. So, he didn’t have time to order a drink. I decided on a frozen raspberry daiquiri!



One last cheers with Uncle Jake!



I’m not going to lie, I was SUPER bummed. It sounds silly, but Jake and I really don’t spend much time apart, and it always feels so weird when he’s not around. Like I’m missing a limb or something.

Needless to say, I was NOT myself for most of this dinner. I was just worried about his flight going smoothly, and I also felt bad that he would have to work this week while we were still on vacation!

We excused ourselves for a second, and I walked Jake to his Uber pick-up location. I did cry a little bit , but I wanted to put on a brave face for Jake. We shared a quick hug and kiss and I sent him on his way, with strict instructions to keep me posted on his travels! He gave me strict instructions to have a great time and not worry about him.



Bye, Love!! I’ll miss you!

I returned to Rainforest Cafe and got started in on my fun drink (lord knows I needed it ). The group had also ordered some Spinach and Artichoke Dip as an appetizer!



The dip tasted great; it was your standard spinach and artichoke dip, but it hit the spot.



Baby Ethan slept through the whole thing!

To be honest, I wasn’t super hungry, since Jake and I had been snacking all day. I decided to order the Blue Mountain Chicken Sandwich with french fries.



The sandwich had grilled lemon chicken, bacon, and swiss cheese. I subbed out the lettuce/tomato/onion and added avocado instead!

This sandwich sounded A LOT better than it actually was. It was probably my least favorite TS meal of the trip; combined with the fact that I was not hungry/still sad, the sandwich also wasn’t very flavorful and was pretty dry. I was able to get through maybe half of it, before deciding that I would just save my appetite for dessert later on.

Mom liked her food (she got some kind of stir-fry), but it was very spicy and gave her some gut-rot later on. Mom and I had a bad experience with food at the T-Rex Cafe back in 2016, so I was very much expecting this meal to also not be great. And sadly, it met my expectations.

It was fun for the kids, though! They really enjoyed the little “storm” performance and all of the animatronic animals!!





We peeked in the gift shop for a bit after the meal. I had to get a picture of “Tracey Tree”- for some reason, I was TERRIFIED of her as a kid!



After we looked in the gift shop, we took a stop in Goofy’s Candy Company! Haley and Ryan wanted to get some treats for themselves and the kids throughout the week.

I spotted this cute taffy called “Powerlimes” and sent it to Jake. We are huge fans of the music from A Goofy Movie by “Powerline” (AKA Tevin Campbell).



It was about 9:00 PM at this point, so we milled about outside of Goofy’s Candy Company and decided what to do. Suddenly, the volcano erupted at Rainforest Cafe, and we excitedly tried to show the kids!! Evie enjoyed it, but Ollie immediately started screaming, “ALL DONE FIRE, ALL DONE FIRE!” Poor guy.

We could tell that the kids were pretty wiped from swimming all day. I decided to split up, while the rest of the crew decided to make a stop at World of Disney to grab some souvenirs and toys for the kids. There was a dessert that I NEEDED to try!!



I walked over to Gideon’s Bakehouse and grabbed a spot in line. They were only estimating about a 20 minute wait- not bad at all! It helped that it was later at night and also a Monday. I was inside by 9:35 PM!



When Gideon’s had released their cake slice menu on May 1st, I excitedly checked the list as soon as I woke up to see if I could try one of their elusive cake slices. My options were pretty limited, since I only like vanilla cake and I don’t like cream cheese frosting. The #1 cake slice that I had wanted to try this trip was the Golden Oreo Cake. It sounded RIGHT up my alley; sometimes, I actually prefer Golden Oreos to regular chocolate ones! Imagine my delight when I found out that they were offering the Golden Oreo Cake slices on a night that we were already going to Disney Springs! There was NO way I was going to miss this!

I grabbed a slice of the Golden Oreo Cake, along with a Dark Coffee Cake Cookie and another Peanut Butter Cold Brew Cookie (my favorite of our cookie haul a couple days ago)! My mom had requested an original Chocolate Chip Cookie, and Haley had requested an original Chocolate Chip Cookie and a Peanut Butter Crunch Cookie, so I got those for them as well!

My mom texted me that Haley, Ryan, the kids, Cici, and Chief had headed out, so I told her to meet me over by Gideon’s! I grabbed a table outside of Raglan Road and tucked into my treats.

Behold… the Golden Oreo Cake!



“A three layer vanilla cake smothered in loads of our special Golden Oreo Buttercream!”

I was cautiously optimistic for this cake… earlier in the trip, I had tried a bite of Jake’s Valentina’s Cake from Gideon’s, and we both DID NOT like it!

Well. That was NOT the case for tonight.



Oh my lord. Now, I had finally reached Food Nirvana!! This cake was an absolute dream. The vanilla cake was so soft and tender, and the buttercream was out of this world. It was so rich and buttery with the perfect amount of sweetness. It 100% stood up to its name- I would have been able to tell that it was “Golden Oreo” flavored if I was blindfolded! The flavor was spot on and the crunch from the cookies worked so well with the soft cake and frosting. If I could have this for every single birthday moving forward, I would be ONE happy girl!

My mom was able to find me, and we sat to enjoy our treats. My mom loves their original Chocolate Chip Cookie and happily munched on that. I also tried a couple bites of my Dark Coffee Cake Cookie!



On this trip, I really tried to sample ALL of the things from Gideon’s. On past trips, I had tried the original Chocolate Chip Cookie, the Pistachio Toffee Cookie, the Coffee Cake Cookie, and the Key Lime Chocolate Chip Cookie (July 2023 special cookie). Then, this trip, I was able to knock out 5 additional cookies!!

I think that overall, my favorite cookies from Gideon’s are the Key Lime Chocolate Chip and the Peanut Butter Cold Brew cookies. Sadly, those are both seasonal options!! I’m hoping that there’s a good seasonal cookie option for September 2024!

While we enjoyed our treats, Jake texted me that he had boarded his flight in the nick of time. Apparently, MCO was MOBBED tonight. It took him so long to go through security, and he needed to rush to his gate. I wished him a safe flight and made a mental note to make sure we got to the airport nice and early for our flight back on Sunday!

I managed to finish about ⅓ of my Golden Oreo Cake and a couple bites of the Dark Coffee Cake Cookie before I called it quits for the night. I was excited to snack on these treats for the rest of our stay at POFQ! Mom and I headed out of DS around 10:15.

When we got to the bus stop, a bus was there, but there was an elderly couple (at least 85 years old) with the wife being in a wheelchair struggling to get on the bus. A 30ish year old man jumped right in to help the lady on the bus, and was chatting away with her husband too. It made our hearts melt! Faith in humanity- restored!

We got back to POFQ around 10:35 and decided to do our Mother-Daughter Trip Tradition (sorry Jake ). We got some hot chocolate in our mugs at Sassagoula Floatworks, then settled into bed to watch a Lifetime movie!!

Tonight, our choice was “Obsessed to Death.” I don’t remember much; except that it was very raunchy!! Perfect thing to watch with your Mom.

I had a few more bites of cake during the movie (I couldn’t resist), and Mom and I decided to hit the hay at 11:35 PM. We had grand plans to rope-drop Epcot tomorrow morning!



​

 

[cindianne320]

I've been to Tiffins twice- once by myself and once with DH.
I'm trying to decipher my pictures. It looks like Z and I shared the bread service, I had yummy pour-over soup, and a steak dish. (And a fancy purple martini.)
When I went by myself, I had a rum punch, another pour-over soup, and Lobster Mac and Cheese. Then I had the 50th dessert. Everything was so good!

 

[cindianne320]

Ah- I'm sorry you were so sad to say goodbye to Jake. That must have been so hard! I hope the rest of your trip goes smoothly and you enjoyed the time with your family!

 

[disneyAndi14]

I love golden Oreos that cake looks divine! I would love it
I’m sorry Jake had to return to reality already! It sounds like you had a wonderful few days with him at your Happy place!

 

[ambula603]

I’m not going to lie, I was SUPER bummed. It sounds silly, but Jake and I really don’t spend much time apart, and it always feels so weird when he’s not around. Like I’m missing a limb or something

This is so sweet and sounds JUST like Jason and I. Even after 20 years together, I still feel this. I actually started choking up FOR you while reading you describe how your heart was hurting!

but it was very spicy and gave her some gut-rot later on

I need to add gut-rot to my vocabulary, that is hilarious (but not fun at all!)

A 30ish year old man jumped right in to help the lady on the bus, and was chatting away with her husband too. It made our hearts melt!

Love, love, love seeing ordinary people do sweet, considerate things. I must be hormonal because I teared up reading about this, too!

 

[vamassey1]

It was SO nice to spend a low-key day just the two of us, especially since Jake was leaving that night Yes- definitely keep trying for Nomad!! It's a quiet area that seems more adult and is tucked away. Animal Kingdom can get quite hot; but this spot seems breezy and shaded.

We're doing an adult only trip in January, so I'll be trying again.

We stopped in the gift shop and looked around for a bit, since it was still drizzling. I loved how they had beignet mix and other New Orleans-themed gear here! This was one of the better gift shops we saw around property and it had a great variety.

This does look like a nice selection. I live in Louisiana and fly out of New Orleans. If you make it down there, there is a restaurant right past security that is linked to Leah Chase and there is a Cafe du Monde location there too.

Mom and I also posed by this cute little set-up for Mother’s Day.

Fabulous photo!

I decided on a caramel apple dipped in milk chocolate, with peanut butter chips and crushed Butterfinger on top.

I think I would like this too. You can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.

The twins had the cutest little matching outfits on tonight!

So cute!

I’m not going to lie, I was SUPER bummed. It sounds silly, but Jake and I really don’t spend much time apart, and it always feels so weird when he’s not around. Like I’m missing a limb or something.

So sorry for your sadness. I know you were thrilled once you were back together.

It was fun for the kids, though! They really enjoyed the little “storm” performance and all of the animatronic animals!!

Rainforest Cafe and TRex are basically for the kids. We go there too for the kids.

Behold… the Golden Oreo Cake!

I think I would like this too.

 

[Woth2982]

Our new dates are September 24- 29, 2024.

I am still so bummed we fly home the day you fly in! We wont even cross in the airport as we have like a noon flight home!

Mom, Haley, and I had a wonderful girl’s day in Lake Geneva, WI

What a great way to spend your early bday!

Ethan’s rolls and smile MELT me.

Oh my goodness what a sweet happy little chunk! I wanted a chunky baby so badly. I did not get one lol

Cake for breakfast is a must on your birthday!

If you are not having cake for breakfast on your bday you are doing it wrong.

Ube ice cream from Trader Joe’s!

What a perfect end to a perfect day!

his Mickey Bar was kind of a bum one and broke apart/fell to the ground about halfway through

Every single Mickey bar we got in August was broken. Savannah's ASD really showed here because she COULD NOT eat the broken Mickey bar. Did not matter if she bit it the chocolate would have the same effect. Never thought Id say this, but I ate way more Mickey bars last month than I wanted to!

I accidentally took a 2ish minute video after taking this picture

Totally something I would do!

We reached the river and started to walk on down to POR, but it started drizzling almost immediately!!

Oh no! What a bummer! I love walking the grounds of both resorts.

Pineapple Mule is made with WHISKEY instead of vodka!!! No wonder I hated it!

Ewww yuck! Whiskey and Burbon are not my favorites.

I loved how they had beignet mix

During the pandemic I had a box I had brought home from NOLA, I ordered a deep fryer JUST so I could make beignets at home the "right way". They were pretty good!

I'm still salty that they took away dark chocolate as a dipping option

I am sad I can no longer get chocolate covered pretzels there!

The twins had the cutest little matching outfits on tonight!

So cute!

Rainforest Cafe is so nostalgic to Haley and I.

Same! I do not love the food at all, but we used to go there all the time when we went to Disney.

I had to get a picture of “Tracey Tree”- for some reason, I was TERRIFIED of her as a kid!

Well she is pretty creepy.

“A three layer vanilla cake smothered in loads of our special Golden Oreo Buttercream!”

Oh my gosh this looks AMAZING!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Ahhhh- New Orleans and Cafe Du Monde is on my bucket list for sure! Jake has been once a long time ago but can't remember how the beignets were... I think that means he needs a re-do (with me)!

Oh, yes, you have to go at least once! It's such an incredible city--so much history and so much to see and do!

Oh, yum. Yay for beignets!! And Tiana's inspiration, Leah Chase!!!

We excused ourselves for a second, and I walked Jake to his Uber pick-up location. I did cry a little bit

Awww, this made me tear-up!!!!

Your cake and cookie selection sounds like a perfect way to wrap up the night, especially when you didn't really enjoy your dinner.

Poor Jake with the craziness of MCO. Who'd think it would be so wild so late at night!?

 

[PAsFab5]

Goodness the cake looks SO GOOD!!!

 

[Paulaparm]

I’ve never tried any of Gideon’s cakes yet. Definitely on my list for January