May the Fork Be With You - Complete. Symphony in the Sky Galactic Dessert Party

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Good Morning Dis Friends and to those who I have followed, reviewers I have admired, those reviews I have lurked on and savored your photos and descriptions I offer a BIG THANK YOU! This board has inspired me for years and guided me on past trips and saved me from Hollywood and Vine! I've commented often, lurked more often and participated in a live dining review thread but it is my first time going solo! I just got a photobucket account and I'm hoping to become adept at formatting and posting. I am hoping to pay it forward just a bit with a short and hopefully interesting and somewhat unique dining review of my upcoming trip. The font is bigger because I am getting old and need to be able to read it because through a few strokes of luck and some massaging it into being I am going to be spending my 50th Birthday at the Happiest Place on Earth! So Happy Birthday to me!

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A bit of background on this trip - my husband has a conference at the Gaylord in Kissimmee and asked if I tagged along if I could keep myself busy while he had to work. Umm - YES! The conference began the day after my 50th Birthday, the kids are all married or in college and I could take off works so heck yes I can! Let the planning begin! I am a little cautious about this as I am going to be staying off site, something we haven't done since we were broke new parents taking our 3 year old and it was all of our first visits to the world and we fell in LOVE. Back then we stayed at the Days Inn in Kissimmee and budgeted funds for McDonalds (the great big one on property with the giant fiberglass stretched out Ronald - remember that one?) and we had the money for one table service and one charachter meal. We agonized for a while but decided that the 50s Prime Time Cafe sounded like fun and a show and we have made sure we go to it on every trip because it is special but we wont do it this time. The character meal fyi was breakfast on the Empress Lily. Sweet memories of our salad days. Now that little girl is grown, and married and we are about to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in April and it is remarkable how time changes but you can measure some of life's milestones by trips to Disney World. Had anyone told me back then I would be spending $69 to eat dessert and watching fireworks I would have scoffed at them. Life changes and it is a sweet ride and hopefullly the desserts will be sweet and worth it too!

I also will spending part of this trip touring solo which is new to me but after seeing so many wonderful threads of those who have done it I began to anticipate it with excitement and decided to book some things I might not book if I were with the family. I also am going to TRY to not eat anywhere we have before. We have a fair number of trips under our belt but we have plenty of options we have not tried yet so we shall see how this goes without a visit to our sentimental favorite 50sPTC.

So that said here is a rough idea of the agenda

Sunday March 6

Arrival Sunday March 6 with a crack of dawn (some pun intended) early flight from Dallas and hoping to get to the MK with my DH by lunch time for the first ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern. I have not eaten here and need to remedy my Disney sin of never having tried Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. I am thinking we will grab dinner at a QS and we have tried Pecos Bill, CHH, BOG lunch, Casey's and Cosmic Rays so our options are a bit more limited but I am open to suggestions from you brilliant folks! Maybe this will be the day I break the "thou shall not eat in Fantasyland" rule and do Pinocchio Village Haus or maybe we can grab a Sleepy Hollow Waffle or even try a walk up at Plaza. I have a few FP+ for Peter Pan and 7DMT and Wishes but we were just in DL in California for Christmas so we have experienced most of the attractions in one incarnation recently so we can really fly but the seat of our pants. Maybe after the early flight we will need a nap in Hall of Presidents.

Monday March 7

DH will be working and conferencing and visiting booths so I am off to DHS for a bucket list item - Lunch with an Imagineer at the Hollywood Brown Derby. I'm really excited about this as I am a bit of a nerd and love backstage tours. We did KTTK tour last time we were at WDW for DS high school grad trip and it was Nerdvana so I have high hopes this will be interesting and engaging. I will probably shuttle back to the Gaylord for dinner with DH after he is done working. We talked about maybe going to Citywalk or Disney Springs - depends on how tired he is I guess.

Tuesday March 8

DH is working again and I am flying solo. I decided to try an Epcot Tour and since the World Showcase: DestiNATIONS Discovered Tour included lunch at Restaurant Marakesh, a place I have eaten and probably would not choose to return to, I opted for UnDISCOVERed Future World Tour. No lunch on this one but I may "trip report" a bit in this dining review and share what I saw as I had trouble finding too many reviews of this tour. After a 5 hour walking tour I thought I would try something else that I could enjoy solo that the family might not love so I plan to hop on the resort monorail and enjoy afternoon tea at the Gardenview Tea Room at the Grand Floridian. Hubby has events into the evening so I will head back to Epcot after some R&R and have dinner by grazing off the F&G Festival carts.

Wednesday March 9

I may sleep in a bit and then DH should be done at lunch time so we will head back to DHS. He is a big Star Wars fan so we will want to take in the geeky sights together. We are abandoning our beloved 50sPTC in exchange for lunch at the SciFI Drive Inn. I am sure it will be fun and cheesy and fits the sci fi theme or the day that we will cap off with the Symphony in the Sky Gallactic Dessert Party (aka can you possibly eat $69 in desserts?)

So that is the plan so far and I hope I can do it justice. Hope some of you come along and enjoy our experience with us.

So with a little Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust! I hope you enjoy traveling with us.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

In case you were curious who you're traveling along with on this report I am Dawn. My screen name is from the Disney Classic Little Golden Book Sleeping Beauty because as a child I found my name in the book on the very first page! It read "and they named the princess Aurora, which means Dawn." I think that might be when I got hooked on the whole Disney experience. This is me last December at DL

I did not take my first trip to WDW until I was 22 years old and took my daughter for the first time when she was 3 - if anyone tries to tell you that you have to wait until the kids are older and can remember a WDW trip smile politely and nod but know this - there is no magic so special as touring through the eyes of a fully believing three year old who gasps in amazement at everything. (Her mom gets a bit gobsmacked too) Since the I have logged a few more WDW trips (six I think)and one to Disneyland Paris when we were on an assignment there with Telecom France and most recently a holiday trip to DL California with DS and his girlfriend.

I've been blessed to have a husband who doesn't quite share my obsession but enjoys and indulges it. My kids are bonafide Disney nuts and most recently wenfinally got to visit Disneyland in California. This is where pixie dust abounded! We checked in at Paradise Pier and we were upgraded to a one bedroom suite, club level! We also were thrilled to learn we would be in the parks for Dick Van Dyke's 90th Bday! And my son got stuck in Hyperspace Mountain with the lights on! Seriously! So much pixie dust but then came my favorite Disney experience of all time. Here's is a quick shot of it because I think at this moment I used up a lifetime supply of Pixie Dust.

Yes, I sang happy birthday to THE Dick Van Dyke after a chance meeting as he exited the parade to get on the train. right place, right time. Magic. So that said I believe I will have a grand time this time it I fear my magical amazing journey pixie dust was all spent last December but one never knows what the future holds.

The guy traveling with me is Jess and he is a keeper too. I've got 30 years invested in him and he is pretty great. You'll see him from time to time in this report when he isn't working.

Ok...I think that covers it. Now we just have to wait until Sunday and let the fun begin....can't wait to get there!

 

[Avery&Todd]

I'm IN!! Can't wait for the excitement!!!

 

[DisneyJo]

Your plans sound great

 

[jabead]

Hi Dawn!! I hope you have a great trip and can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[Misha72683]

Looking forward to reading all about your trip!

In case you were curious who you're traveling along with on this report I am Dawn. My screen name is from the Disney Classic Little Golden Book Sleeping Beauty because as a child I found my name in the book on the very first page! It read "and they named the princess Aurora, which means Dawn." I think that might be when I got hooked on the whole Disney experience. This is me last December at DL

I did not take my first trip to WDW until I was 22 years old and took my daughter for the first time when she was 3 - if anyone tries to tell you that you have to wait until the kids are older and can remember a WDW trip smile politely and nod but know this - there is no magic so special as touring through the eyes of a fully believing three year old who gasps in am I have a few WDW trips under my belt and one to Disneyland Paris when we were on an assignment there with Telecom France.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. We took our kids for the first time this past year at 2.5 and 4 and it was pure magic. At 32 it was my first trip and it was magical for me, but it wqs so special to see it through the eyes of my kids. Maybe they won't remember this trip (but we'll be back) but I will.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

I'm IN!! Can't wait for the excitement!!!

So glad you'll be following along! It is just a few more sleeps!

Your plans sound great

Thanks Jo! I am pretty excited! Thanks for following me!

Hi Dawn!! I hope you have a great trip and can't wait to hear all about it!

Hi Barb! Your solo travels inspired me and I have had so much fun reading your reports! Not sure if you remember me but I did a live report way back when and you were so awesome to keep that thread indexed and alive!

I agree wholeheartedly with this. We took our kids for the first time this past year at 2.5 and 4 and it was pure magic. At 32 it was my first trip and it was magical for me, but it wqs so special to see it through the eyes of my kids. Maybe they won't remember this trip (but we'll be back) but I will.

Who says all the magic has to be for the kiddos! My memories of the magic are just as precious and I am so glad you "get it!" Thanks for following!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Oh my gosh! If I didn't postpone our trip, DS and I would have been doing the Imagineer Lunch with you! How funny! I can't wait to hear about it!

Looking forward to your reviews! Have a great trip!!

 

[LinderInWonderland]

Yay! Looking forward to this trip report, especially learning about the tours. I will be celebrating my 50th when Magic Kingdom is celebrating theirs - a bucket list trip of sorts. I am collecting as many ideas as possible!!

 

[OasterP]

I'm excited to follow along! Some day I can imagine I will do either a solo or a girls trip. Right now I have a LOT of years with kids, as mine as still young. Can't wait to hear what you did!

 

[intricatejewel]

Sounds like fun! Looking forward to your report

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Oh my gosh! If I didn't postpone our trip, DS and I would have been doing the Imagineer Lunch with you! How funny! I can't wait to hear about it!

Looking forward to your reviews! Have a great trip!!

I'm so bummed! I have read many of your reviews and just last week in one of Barbs reviews I saw her mention you had done Lunch with an Imagineer and i checked your links and found it so I could anticipate with more excitement! I would love to have had a Dis-meet!

Yay! Looking forward to this trip report, especially learning about the tours. I will be celebrating my 50th when Magic Kingdom is celebrating theirs - a bucket list trip of sorts. I am collecting as many ideas as possible!!

Hi Linder and welcome! These are just a few items on my bucket list. Its pretty long so I guess I have to keep going back and filling it! It's so wonderful to have so many options that every trip can be different! I know that the tea is something my normal traveling companions would grumble about but I think I will enjoy it. I have a love for dishes and love Royal Daulton so tea on the Royal Albert line feels special and lovely to me! Maybe one day I'll have grand daughters so I can do the perfectly princess tea because that sounds so lovely! I hope as you plan your 50th that it is full of magic when you get to go! It does take some of the sting out of these landmark birthdays.

I'm excited to follow along! Some day I can imagine I will do either a solo or a girls trip. Right now I have a LOT of years with kids, as mine as still young. Can't wait to hear what you did!

It feels a little odd to be going solo those few days but I look forward to being able to stop and literally smell the flowers for as long as I like! But I wouldn't trade a single second of the prior trips with kids where I had to plan in trips to the boneyard for dinodigging and having to eat at Pizza Planet. (Ok maybe a few of those seconds when they were having meltdowns but not many) Those years pass so quickly and I still stop at the giant monoliths at the front of Epcot and lay a fingertip kiss on my kids image from the millinenium celebration. I know many people find them ugly but I like knowing an image - albeit a not very good one - of my family is a fixture in Epcot. Lawdy me I sound sentimental - must be because I am.

Sounds like fun! Looking forward to your report

Thanks and welcome! I just love your screen name!

 

[ALEXandFAB]

Can't wait!

 

[Lisa F]

I am thinking we will grab dinner at a QS and we have tried Pecos Bill, CHH, BOG lunch, Casey's and Cosmic Rays so our options are a bit more limited but I am open to suggestions from you brilliant folks! Maybe this will be the day I break the "thou shall not eat in Fantasyland" rule and do Pinocchio Village Haus or maybe we can grab a Sleepy Hollow Waffle or even try a walk up at Plaza.

four words for you: Golden Outpost Waffle Fries. Just a thought. I want to bury my face in those

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Can't wait!

Amen Too! I packed yesterday and we don't leave fog two more days! Thanks for following along!

four words for you: Golden Outpost Waffle Fries. Just a thought. I want to bury my face in those

Omigosh! I just looked these up and they look ahhh-mazing. I had to laugh though that they come with a side of veggie sticks or Apple slices. All about balance, right?

 

[sk8jdgca]

Looking forward to your report. I know you want to eat at Disney, but I just want to say, Brunch is amazing at the Gaylor Palm. It is s beautiful resort.

 

[LindseyJo22]

I'm in! This sounds like so much fun

 

[Lisa F]

Amen Too! I packed yesterday and we don't leave fog two more days! Thanks for following along!



Omigosh! I just looked these up and they look ahhh-mazing. I had to laugh though that they come with a side of veggie sticks or Apple slices. All about balance, right?

Well these didn't used to be considered a QS option but now they are, so I wonder if they figured they needed to include a side to make it feel like a true QS on the dining plan. What are they going to give it to you with a side of fries? I slay me. I think that dinky cookie that they also have as a snack credit there is so they can offer "dessert." These are basically no prep required kid sides and dessert for the DDP.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Have a great flight on Sunday and hurry back to send reports

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Looking forward to your report. I know you want to eat at Disney, but I just want to say, Brunch is amazing at the Gaylor Palm. It is s beautiful resort.

I think we have one included in the conference package we may use Wednesday. We live in the Dallas area and have the Gaylord Texan here (some call it Texas Under Glass) and I am looking forward to staying in such a lovely place.

I'm in! This sounds like so much fun

Thanks Lindsey and welcome!

Well these didn't used to be considered a QS option but now they are, so I wonder if they figured they needed to include a side to make it feel like a true QS on the dining plan. What are they going to give it to you with a side of fries? I slay me. I think that dinky cookie that they also have as a snack credit there is so they can offer "dessert." These are basically no prep required kid sides and dessert for the DDP.

Lol - they really sound amazing and it's the first time in a long time I am not bound to the DDP too. It's hard to go wrong with loads of yumminess on waffle fries!

Have a great flight on Sunday and hurry back to send reports

Thanks Minnie!