Magical Rejects and Redemptions

[IndigoMickey]

Great trip report!


Anni

 

[EvaSue]

Sea Day #2!

This morning I was up a little earlier than my boys and resigned myself to going to Cove for the coffee, and getting breakfast for just Elliot since we were scheduled for Palo brunch. Well, I don't know how Von managed to get the good stuff, but I got crummy coffee. It was also way too cold, and as much as I hate asking people to redo something, I requested that she heat it up a bit more for me, because it really was undrinkable. I got a pumpkin latte and a vanilla latte, and they were both gross-out city, but it's half my fault, because I ordered them with skim milk, and that's not a vacation drink. Once I got back to the room, the boys were up and we had breakfast on the balcony, where I proceeded to spew FLAMING SCALDING hot crummy latte all over the glass. I think my barista wanted to teach me a lesson in hot coffee after my request. But coffee-complaints aside, it was the LOVLIEST morning, my Elliot adored our balcony breakfasts where he could walk about and be as chatty as he pleased and not have to sit in a chair. He was adorable, and always made sure to point out the “ocean!!”, just in case we forgot it was there. He never really understood that we were on a ship until we were out in open air where he could see the water. I am a HUGE supporter of spending the extra money for the balcony in almost any situation, mostly for the perks of private balcony breakfasts.
Elliot had a meltdown this time when we got to Small World Nursery, which really surprised me after how good he was before; but a CM told me this was extremely common, as now that the child gets the point about you leaving, they're not so savvy to the whole institution. Sorry, kid... brunch wins!
I asked our server (whose name I forgot *guilt*) to bring me a sissified mimosa with just a little champagne, while my hunny enjoyed the real deal. It was delish, crisp and bright and refreshing on my still-scalded tongue. I grabbed bits of this and that, and had the eggs julia for my main dish, which was DIVINE. I'm gonna come right out and say that in the matter of the hot topic of which you would chose if you could only do one... I'm team brunch. I love Palo Dinner, of course, but there's something about the daylight and selection mixed with the excitement of the day ahead and the slightly more casual atmosphere of bunch that really sets my heart a-soarin'. I'm not the world's most enthusiastic foodie (vegetarian alert!) so it's more about the experience for me, and who the heck doesn't love a good brunch!?
We attempted to go back to Nemo's Reef after brunch, but Elliot did not seem to have forgiven us for the nursery and was being a grump, so we went back to the cabin where he and I snuggled with a bottle and watched Nemo, and Daddy got to go upstairs and watch football. Since the ship was so full, they were including matinee performances of the three mainstage productions, so we decided this would be a good opportunity to see if we would be able to bring Elliot along, or if we'd need to scratch that idea and have him go to the nursery for the evening performance instead. As a former mainstage CM, I was NOT going to miss the shows, even if it meant making his highness Sir Elliot displeased with me. Our concerns were unfounded, however, as he was totally enthralled for Wishes, and sat through the whole thing without making a peep. I loved this, as it limited his nursery time and freed up our evenings as well! Wishes made me cry, as almost all Disney stage shows do, and the cat was great, we had class-act gymnasts on board.
Dinner was at Royal, and I ordered two of the escargot, since it is one of my all-time favorites on the ship, and the potato leek soup was even satisfactory, in spite of the fact that I'm not one to gush over the soups or deserts on board. I got the mushroom ravioli which was guh-ross, and I left it alone. I was expecting it to be in a sauce, but it was just floating in a dark broth, not something I'd order again! But like I said, I'm a fussy eater, and the food doesn't make or break it for me, so I was just happy to have my soup and snails!
Bedtime was a major meltdown, Elliot did NOT want to go to bed, and I felt really sorry for our neighbors, because he howled like a coyote for I don't know how long. I hadn't seen him upset like that since he was a baby, he usually only makes a stink for a couple minutes, at best. I never expected this particular problem, because the darn kid wasn't napping, for heaven's sakes, how could he also protest against going to bed at night!? Just too much fun to be had, I suppose, and who can blame him really? Eventually, as one might expect, the sandman won the battle, and we all settled down for a good night's sleep before our first island day!