Mom said I had to go! The "Melting in May with Mom" Report! Updated 11/9 - EPCOT!!

[mom2mek]

Boo for the rain. I'm glad it stopped and you were able to enjoy a couple of hours at Epcot!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Tangierine Cafe! My favorite CS in Epcot. I could go for a Chicken Shwarma platter right about now....YUM!

Good plan to scratch Fantasmic....warm, dry jammies and MK fireworks sound like a better idea!

Hi Missy!! Glad you're back! Yep, the Tangierine Cafe is definitely on my list to do again! I was pleasantly surprised!

Sara

 

[*dreamit*doit*]

All caught up here now, too! I just have to say...I love your mom!!! She's awesome, she totally had me at the whole wanting to turn your pillows to the end of the bed and fall asleep seeing the castle.

Glad the third time was the charm w/ the room. Your view was great and watching the EWP AND the fireworks from your balcony is just heaven. One of my highlights when we stayed at WL last year was the EWP from our balcony. Sigh... It really is the PERFECT way to end any day!

Glad you got see F&G - isn't it incredible what they do with those topiaries? So pretty!!

I read the article on the event they had at MK - O M Goodness!!!

The Poly at dusk is just gorgeous.

I could just crawl into these pictures right now...do you think that can be arranged??

Can't wait for more!

 

[mom2mek]

All caught up here now, too! I just have to say...I love your mom!!! She's awesome, she totally had me at the whole wanting to turn your pillows to the end of the bed and fall asleep seeing the castle.

Glad the third time was the charm w/ the room. Your view was great and watching the EWP AND the fireworks from your balcony is just heaven. One of my highlights when we stayed at WL last year was the EWP from our balcony. Sigh... It really is the PERFECT way to end any day!

Glad you got see F&G - isn't it incredible what they do with those topiaries? So pretty!!

I read the article on the event they had at MK - O M Goodness!!!




I could just crawl into these pictures right now...do you think that can be arranged??

Can't wait for more!

Thanks for reading. I really need to update this one - it's been 2 weeks since I last did!

I love the EWP too! It's so goofy and sweet! We were sad on nights that we didn't get back in time to see it!

Sara

 

[mom2mek]

Day 3 - May 17, 2010
Classes....then Magic Kingdom

Today we were able to sleep in a bit since we had an extra 1/2 hour before classes started. Woo-hoo!! We followed our same routine from the day before and left Tahiti via the beach walkway towards Capt Cooks to get our mugs filled with coffee before leaving for the Gaylord. Classes got out at 5:00 and we headed back to the Poly to change and go to dinner!

Dinner tonight was at The Wave in the Contemporary Resort. I had the pleasure of eating there last May with Shawn and we really enjoyed it, so I was hoping Mom would like it as well. We boarded the monorail for the short ride over to the CR and then I proceeded to get us lost. Again. Why is it so hard for me to find this place? The same thing happened last year. I know it's all the way on the ground floor but for some reason I guess I'm "CR navigationally-challenged" or something.

We got off the monorail, took the escalator down one floor like most everyone else, and then got on the elevator that only just brought us back up to the monorail level again.

Nice.

Well hello people who just offloaded from the monorail...we did too....then rode this thing back up!! Aren't we funny?

So we finally made it down to the ground floor and checked in. The lobby was fairly crowded but we managed to find a seat in between two other groups. (Sidenote, one of the groups was two ladies who were speaking another language - I thought it sounded Italian - and they had a few kids there with them. Well one of these ladies had the absolute shortest shorts on I had ever seen! They were almost non-existent! I just kept hoping she didn't drop something and have to bend over to get it or I (and everyone else around her) would have been very uncomfortable!)

(From the lobby of The Wave, looking back “up” to the main lobby of the CR)

After about 10 minutes we were seated towards the back of the restaurant and ordered up some drinks. I love all of the decor - all some sort of wave theme. It's in the chairs, the lighting, the ceiling, the silverware, everywhere.....

Mom got some wine and I got the Magical Star Cocktail - X-fusion Organic Mango and Passion Fruit Liqueur, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, and Pineapple Juice (had to have at least one drink with a glow cube).

Our server was pleasant and informative, but she was a little bit difficult to understand and she wasn't around terribly much. Not really complaining about it though, as it was just Mom and I and we weren't really in a hurry, but if I had been there with family (or even just a larger group) I would have been a little irritated that she didn't come around much and it took a while for her to take our order.

Instead of an entrée, I ordered two appetizers for my meal. First off I got the soup for the day - which was a creamy tomato type soup that came with little sandwiches. I'm not a big tomato fan, but this soup caught my eye and just sounded really good so I thought I would give it a whirl. It was delicious. Then I had the crabcakes. Officially, they are the "Florida Rock Shrimp and Lump Crab Cakes - with cucumber-tomato salsa and spicy remoulade". I had the crabcake appetizer here in May 2009 and it was delicious, but they have changed them a bit since then. They no longer bring out one big crabcake like I had last year (about the size of a large hamburger patty), it's now 2 small, dainty crabcakes (2 or 3 bites a piece). Not exactly a meal, but oh well. They were very good, just as good as last year in fact, just super-tiny!! LOL!

Mom got the pork and raved about it. Officially, it was the "Apple Brined Pork Tenderloin - with Bourbon Sweet Mashed potatoes, warm spinach-bacon salad and Sassafras Jus". I sampled it and agreed that it was delicious!

For dessert, The Wave does small portions of 3 different items. Last year, you were allowed to mix and match any 3 from the different choices, but this year, she said we couldn't do that anymore. So we shared the Creamy Indulgence - Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis, Coconut Panna Cotta with Passion Fruit Drizzle, and Chocolate-Passion Fruit Mousse with Pecan-Olive Brittle. They were all amazing. We also got a pressed pot of coffee which really hit the spot!

I felt surprisingly comfortable (and not overly full) when we left. Guess there is something to that whole "smaller portion size" thing, huh? But I think Mom was a bit uncomfortable because when I headed to the lobby doors to walk over to the MK, she was like "aren't we going to ride the monorail?" Um, Mom, if we did that we would have to ride it around to the TTC, wait, then the Poly, wait, then the GF, wait, and then finally to the MK. It's nice out, and the walk is short, let's just walk!! Ok, she reluctantly agreed! LOL! My mom is thin and in good shape (especially for her age) but I'm guessing she was tired and full by then so I felt kind of bad later on that I made her walk.

After the nice 10 minute stroll, we arrived to the MK!!

I was a little nervous about this since it was an EMH night, but figured we were just there to see Spectro and maybe ride a couple things before heading back to the Poly.

Oh. My. Word.

The crowds were nuts! We somehow managed to maneuver through the crowds on Main St and towards the hub in order to go find some seats in Liberty Square or Frontierland. I snapped this picture of the castle as we were walking (I'm so NOT Shawn!!) and laughed at the fact that I hardly even slow down to take pictures!! Maybe more of them would actually turn out if I slowed down or, heaven forbid, STOPPED!!

(Blurry, but still pretty)

We made our way over the bridge to Liberty Square and saw that our #1 spot in front of the HOP was already taken so we kept walking into Frontierland to find somewhere else to sit.

Eventually we found what appeared to be good seats. They were somewhere around the Diamond Horsehoe and the planters were half occupied by some older folks, and the spots in front of them (closest to the ropes) were all taken with families and children sitting there, so we figured we were safe to snag those spots. Mom sat down and I went to a couple of nearby gift shops to look for some souvenirs for the kids and to get a couple of drinks for us to have during the parade.

(This is from the planters where we were sitting….before it filled in around us. Everyone was sitting – the only area that might have had some people standing was right behind the lady in the wheelchair. Next to us, in front of us, and even some that were to the right, but kind of behind us, were all SITTING)

When I returned, some more of the spaces around us had filled in, but everyone who filled in (who had people sitting behind them) all SAT, and all was fine. (You see where this is going, right? Cue the ominous music….)

Yep - about 5 minutes before the parade was to start, a very tall family came and stood right in front of where all of the rest of us were sitting. The guy next to us made a comment like "hey, down in front" or something like that, but the father of the family turned around and said "what, I thought everyone was standing".

Um, hello??? NO ONE was standing other than them. It was so ridiculous.

Eventually, in order to see, the older gentleman sitting next to me (who had been there in those seats for quite a while) had to climb up on top of the planter (using his older wife to brace him) and Mom and I ended up climbing up there too. There wasn't anyone behind us since there was a big bush there and the planter was up against the building, and it was the only way we were going to be able to see. I was flabbergasted! But not entirely surprised, unfortunately.

Pretty soon, the parade was getting closer and I attempted some really bad pictures.

I had to keep my foot on the brick section of the planter to balance myself but I was also doing it because…,get this….the son of the parade encroachers came and TOOK the older gentleman’s seat while he was balancing precariously on the planter!!!

And the parents said nothing!!! They were so clueless to the fact that due to what they did, this older man was forced to give up his seat that he had staked out way before them, stand dangerously on the edge of a planter, and then their own son went and sat down on his seat!!

I wasn’t about to let one of the other "sons-of-rude-parents" take my seat when I was forced to stand due to their encroaching and rudeness, so I just kept my foot there and stayed as close to the edge as I could without falling off. I am not usually like this, but I was so irritated by the rudeness of this family, and then the disrespect to this older gentleman just pushed me over the edge! Ugh!!! I don’t get people sometimes!

Anyways, the parade was fabulous as always and we enjoyed it even though it wasn’t the ideal situation. When it was over we waited around a bit for the crowds to clear from the area (in the giant herd towards the castle hub) and then I thought we could go ride a couple of things.

Here is the ginormous crowd…remind me to not do EMH at the MK unless I arrive after the fireworks and are only there for the EMH. This was insane.

(Bad cell phone picture – sorry – but I’m sure you can still see the enormity of the crowds! Ick.)

Unfortunately, Mom wasn’t up for any rides, so we just went back a bit and made a left turn to cut through Adventureland and used the bathrooms right there before realizing at that point that we should really hustle up to Main St to get out of the park BEFORE the fireworks or we could get stuck by those ginormous crowds!! We picked up the pace and when we hit Casey’s Corner, we slipped inside and made our way down Main St via the stores. Phew.

We decided to take the boat ride back to the Poly and as we pulled away from the dock at the MK, the fireworks started. The boat captain was so cute…he asked if anyone had any place they HAD to be, and when no one said anything, he said “well, we will just take our sweet time and enjoy the show”! Thanks man! Free Wishes cruise! LOL! Only wish I had sat on the other side of the boat, because it was hard to get any decent pictures of the fireworks.

As the fireworks ended, we were right at the GF dock where everyone offloaded except for Mom and I! The captain was like “who did you make mad?” LOL! A couple of people boarded there and then we left again for the Poly!

Ahhh…home sweet home…

It was such a peaceful ride! When we offloaded, I made sure to thank him for the “free” fireworks cruise!

Dinner and a Show was our theme for this trip so far!! First was (lunch) at Yak and Yeti, followed by FOTLK (and a Safari); then it was Tangierine Café and Chubby Checker, and tonight it was The Wave and Spectro!! It was great! So where do we head to the next night??

Sara

 

[mkluvsmickey]

Yay, glad to see an update! I really want to try the Wave one of these days. Have you ever done California Grill? Another place I'd love to try, but I think that would have to be an adult trip.

Too funny about the short shorts. I'm glad you didn't have to see anything you didn't want to see before dinner.

Love your "on the move" pictures in Magic Kingdom - LOL. The crowds look crazy, just like what we experienced when we went back in the evening in May. Glad you got to see Spectro though, even with the clueless guests in front of you.

What a great way to see the fireworks too! Could you hear any of the music at all?

 

[mom2mek]

Yay, glad to see an update! I really want to try the Wave one of these days. Have you ever done California Grill? Another place I'd love to try, but I think that would have to be an adult trip.

My mom wanted to see if I could get a reservation there for this trip, but of course, with only a couple weeks notice, I wasn't able to! Imagine that! It would be a great place for a grown up trip!

Too funny about the short shorts. I'm glad you didn't have to see anything you didn't want to see before dinner.

Me too!

Love your "on the move" pictures in Magic Kingdom - LOL. The crowds look crazy, just like what we experienced when we went back in the evening in May. Glad you got to see Spectro though, even with the clueless guests in front of you.

What a great way to see the fireworks too! Could you hear any of the music at all?

The beginning we could hear and that was about it. The further away we were from the MK, the less we were able to hear.

Sara

 

[vamassey1]

Dinner sounded so delicious. I love crab cakes and pork. My Dh is the same way after a full meal. No walking, just a gentle ride.

I've never stayed for EMH at MK yet, I'm scared of the crowds. I'm sure they get better the latter you're there but we're rope drop people.

Sorry about the rude parade watchers. I have a story about that too. It ruins it for everyone else. I'm glad you did get to see Spectro.

Don't you just love the pathway through the stores on Main Street? It's a life saver.

How special to get a free Wishes cruise. Another perfect ending to your day.

 

[mom2mek]

Dinner sounded so delicious. I love crab cakes and pork. My Dh is the same way after a full meal. No walking, just a gentle ride.

I've never stayed for EMH at MK yet, I'm scared of the crowds. I'm sure they get better the latter you're there but we're rope drop people.

Sorry about the rude parade watchers. I have a story about that too. It ruins it for everyone else. I'm glad you did get to see Spectro.

Don't you just love the pathway through the stores on Main Street? It's a life saver.

How special to get a free Wishes cruise. Another perfect ending to your day.

We are definitely more rope drop people. I think the only way I would attempt an EMH at the MK again would be to go ONLY for the EMH, but that's just impossible with small children. Maybe on an adults trip!!

Rude parade encroachers are awful and really can spoil people's nights. I don't let it get to me too much but I am fortunate and are able to get back to Disney more than some. I feel bad for some people whose experiences are ruined and they may not be back for quite some time, if ever. Just so unnecessary.

Sara

 

[mermaid764]

The wave sounds like an amazing restaurant, one I definitely wanna try in the future.

I can't believe the nerve of that family, those are the type of people that shouldn't choose disney as a vacation.

Looking forward to more

 

[mom2mek]

The wave sounds like an amazing restaurant, one I definitely wanna try in the future.

I can't believe the nerve of that family, those are the type of people that shouldn't choose disney as a vacation.

Looking forward to more

Definitely try out the Wave - it has been very good both times I have had the pleasure of dining there!

I have a feeling that families like that are like that wherever they go on vacation.

Sara

 

[kaysmommie]

Sounds like and your mom had a nice night except for the parade encroachers. You probably know that is my pet peeve . The Wave sounds great though, I would love to eat there sometime. I had to laugh about your castle picture. Still very pretty but I can tell you were walking and kind of snapped the picture. I do that all the time too . Awesome on getting to see Wishes from the Poly boat. I can't wait to hear more.

 

[mom2mek]

Sounds like and your mom had a nice night except for the parade encroachers. You probably know that is my pet peeve . The Wave sounds great though, I would love to eat there sometime. I had to laugh about your castle picture. Still very pretty but I can tell you were walking and kind of snapped the picture. I do that all the time too . Awesome on getting to see Wishes from the Poly boat. I can't wait to hear more.

Thanks Nichole! Parade encroachers - grrr....

Sara

 

[*dreamit*doit*]

Bourbon Sweet Mashed Potatoes! Looks like I may have to try out The Wave! I had the same drink as you at the Coral Reef. Now, that I think of it, where did my glow cube go?

Some people can be so clueless! Or even worse...just not care. Glad you were still able to see the parade, though.

That free Wishes cruise is great isn't it?? We got a couple of them when we stayed at WL last year. And it's something we didn't even plan for, just perfect timing and a pleasant surprise.

 

[lovebuzzandwoody]

That crowd! Probably a good idea to bail.

The Wave looks like a cool place. I'm glad your mom liked it too.

 

[BippityBoo]

Laughing at your poncho pictures! Great!

Tangerine Cafe is AWESOME! We just loved that place. Isn't the atmosphere great?

Ohhh VB laptop case!! Have you seen the brand new backpack/laptop bag? Amazing!

Glad you enjoyed the Wave. It looks really neat!

 

[mom2mek]

Bourbon Sweet Mashed Potatoes! Looks like I may have to try out The Wave! I had the same drink as you at the Coral Reef. Now, that I think of it, where did my glow cube go?

Some people can be so clueless! Or even worse...just not care. Glad you were still able to see the parade, though.

That free Wishes cruise is great isn't it?? We got a couple of them when we stayed at WL last year. And it's something we didn't even plan for, just perfect timing and a pleasant surprise.

Those potatoes were tasty!! Definitely try out the Wave!!

These people definitely fell into the "just not caring" crowd. Such a shame.

The free Wishes "cruise" was definitely a pleasant surprise!!

That crowd! Probably a good idea to bail.

The Wave looks like a cool place. I'm glad your mom liked it too.

Yep - I'll credit Mom with that decision! I was kind of wanting to take a spin with my favorite pirate and maybe a quick turn on Big Thunder, but I think she was right in heading out!

Laughing at your poncho pictures! Great!

Tangerine Cafe is AWESOME! We just loved that place. Isn't the atmosphere great?

Ohhh VB laptop case!! Have you seen the brand new backpack/laptop bag? Amazing!

Glad you enjoyed the Wave. It looks really neat!

I have not seen that VB laptop backpack, Katie! Sounds great! So far I am loving my laptop case! It's so pretty!

Sara

 

[mommytothreeboys]

That dinner sounds FABULOUS! I will definitely have to put the Wave on my list of restaurants to try. Now that my boys are older, they can handle the more adult oriented restaurants.

UGH....Crowds! I'm glad you got to see Spectro though. Some people just don't get the whole parade etiquette. What a shame.

Cool...a Wishes "cruise"! It sounds like you and your mom had a wonderful time!

 

[stinkerbell007]

Oooooh, those rude people. I'm sure we ALL have a story or two about them. It's just incredible how utterly clueless a whole family can be. It CAN really ruin some people's visit or at least that day/evening. It seems like your good nature was duly noted by Disney magic, providing you with that free fireworks cruise. I'm assuming, somewhere else, that family was receiving some less than desirable karma. I guess we can only hope. (Is it bad of me of me to say that?)





Linda

 

[mom2mek]

That dinner sounds FABULOUS! I will definitely have to put the Wave on my list of restaurants to try. Now that my boys are older, they can handle the more adult oriented restaurants.

UGH....Crowds! I'm glad you got to see Spectro though. Some people just don't get the whole parade etiquette. What a shame.

Cool...a Wishes "cruise"! It sounds like you and your mom had a wonderful time!

Yes, you should try out the Wave. The food really is top-notch! We were very excited to have an unexpected fireworks cruise! It was a fun way to end a long day!

Oooooh, those rude people. I'm sure we ALL have a story or two about them. It's just incredible how utterly clueless a whole family can be. It CAN really ruin some people's visit or at least that day/evening. It seems like your good nature was duly noted by Disney magic, providing you with that free fireworks cruise. I'm assuming, somewhere else, that family was receiving some less than desirable karma. I guess we can only hope. (Is it bad of me of me to say that?)





Linda

Hi Linda! Ahhh...karma!! Yeah, I'm kind of hoping they were stuck inside the HoP for a couple of hours with all the audio animatronic presidents lecturing them on proper parade etiquette!!

Sara

 

[mom2mek]

Ok, how ‘bout I update this thing??? Sorry I’m so slow to write – it’s hard enough getting the report from February updated on a regular basis - but once I commit to something, I will see it through – so here it goes!

Day 4 – May 18, 2010
Boma & Boardwalk

Today when I woke up, Mom was already in the shower so I laid there and gazed out the window at the lagoon. The fog was very heavy this morning and it made for a gorgeous appearance over the Seven Seas Lagoon. I managed to grab my camera, roll out of the bed, and take a few pictures from the balcony with my half-open eyes while waiting for my turn in the bathroom.

It was gorgeous and so calming and peaceful.

But enough of that peace – I had to get ready to go to class! Sigh.

Fast forward from 6:30 that morning until 5:00 that night and we are back at the Poly after a fun-filled (NOT) day of Accounting classes! LOL!

This was what was awaiting us upon our return!

(Isn’t he adorable?)

We got changed and left to drive ourselves over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for our dinner at Boma.
(Confession here…I made 3 different reservations for Boma because I wasn’t sure which day we would be over there and I definitely wanted my Mom to experience Boma as it is one of my faves. One of them was the night before this one and if I’m remembering correctly, I failed to cancel it ahead of time…oops! I did however, cancel the one that was for the day after this one when we checked in on this night! Don’t hate me.)

We arrived to the AKL around 6:00 and our reservation was for 6:20 so we took some time to look around the resort. It’s just so beautiful. The Lodge is so secluded, it really creates a peaceful and serene feeling as you pull up to it. You almost forget that you are in Florida and feel as if you are really in Africa. The heat that day certainly made us feel as such! My Mom enjoys looking at this resort, but she doesn’t think she would want to stay there because she said the drum beating would eventually get to her! LOL! I guess I never really thought about it, but it is fairly constant.

The gorgeous lobby at the AKL, with the deep rich darkness of the hardwood floors and the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the savannah at the back of the lobby, has to be one of the most stunning lobbies in all of the Disney resorts. My pictures hardly do it justice, but I took a few anyway!

We wandered around to the viewing area that is kind of tucked over on the left hand side of the lobby to see what we could see. Well, I’ll tell you what we felt – HEAT!!! Oh my word – it was blazing hot out there with absolutely NO breeze whatsoever. Let me put it to you this way – we didn’t stay out there for too long! LOL!

(Apparently, the animals thought this side of the building was pretty hot as well as there was nothing over here! I think we did see an ostrich way off in the distance, but that’s it)!

(Love the ostrich egg lamp)

We decided to meander down the staircase and past the waterfall to Boma and check in for dinner.

We didn’t wait but a few minutes and they were calling us back.

I adore how this restaurant is designed. I love the thatched roof “huts” that you sit under and the overall “marketplace” feel to it!

The food isn’t half-bad either! And by that I mean the food is amazing!!
LOL!

We stuffed ourselves silly. I ordered up a cold and refreshing Mojito and my Mom was daring and tried the African Wine Flight with the white wines. She enjoyed them but they were all a bit dry and tart. She prefers smoother wines.

We both REALLY enjoyed the soups. Even on this seriously “Hot-as-Hades” day, we each had 2 bowls of soup. I think I could make a complete meal out of just their soups. They had a delicious corn pudding that was new and it was out-of-this-world delicious!

For dessert we sampled pretty much everything and made ourselves almost sick. We also got a lovely pressed pot of African coffee to go with it.

Dinner was a bit hit and Mom is Boma’s newest fan – it was her favorite meal of the trip she said!

We rolled ourselves out of there and decided to walk outside for a bit to see what animals might be lurking on the savannah.

Oh great…..BIRDS!!! LOL! (I'm not a fan of birds, if you recall!)

We spent quite a bit of time out here listening to the guides and observing the animals.

(Cute little duck family – it’s blurry, but they are there!)

(My favorite)

We even got a good glimpse at Pumba!

We relaxed in the rocking chairs for a bit letting our food digest and then decided to head back inside and check out the gift shop!

I was on a mission – I don’t think I have mentioned this in this report – for a T-shirt for Emily with UP characters on it, preferably Dug. So far I was having no luck and I thought that since the UP characters are rumored to be heading to the AK for meet and greets, that maybe the gift shop in the AKL would have some shirts.

I thought wrong.

They had nothing.

Bummer.

We decided to head out at that point, but first we had to dodge and weave through a crowd that had gathered to watch a ….guess what….

DRUMMER!!!

(LOL – Mom was thrilled!)


Our next adventure was awaiting us at the Boardwalk, so off we went!!


Sara