When we left the West Coast and headed to Florida on our vacation, my husband forgot to pack an appropriate shirt for Disneys
Spirit of Aloha dinner show. While we were in
Crystal River on our manatee-sighting outing, he actually found a shirt for the luau and purchased it
(click here). I was impressed with his shopping acumen. After all our years of marriage, I guess there really are times when I can actually dress him up and take him out.
I should also mention that in the months leading up to our vacation, before I had broken my leg, my dear friend and I would hit our favorite shopping mall and peruse anything and everything having to do with our vacation. On one trip we bought resort wear, and on another trip we drooled over Hawaiian jewelry since we had reservations for Disneys Spirit of Aloha dinner show. She and I were itching to purchase matching Hawaiian Slipper pendants from Na Hoku
(click here) to wear to the luau, but the pendants that we liked were a little out of our price range so we chose to save our pennies instead for the actual vacation. But she and I decided that one day it would be fun to purchase funky, matching necklaces such as the Hawaiian Slipper in honor of our longstanding friendship.
I didnt give much thought to the necklace until my dear friend arrived in Orlando. She told me that she had a present for my daughter and me, and that she had purchased the same thing for herself. She said it was a Girlfriends present. After she unpacked her suitcase, she pulled out three small gift boxes. She gave one to my daughter, one to me, and kept one for herself. My daughter idolizes my dear friend and she was thrilled that she had received a special gift from her. When my daughter opened her box, her eyes grew as large as saucers. Inside the box was a Hawaiian Slipper necklace. I opened my box and found an identical necklace for myself. My dear friends eyes sparkled and she pointed to her neckline. She was wearing her necklace and had worn it all the way from the West Coast. I laughed and gave her a big hug. My daughter and I put our necklaces on and the three of us stood before the mirror admiring our matching jewelry. We looked way cool, and as my daughter would say, Girls rule and boys drool. What a perfect, perfect Girlfriends gift.
On the
ride back to Walt Disney World from Crystal River, Nutz4dznys cell phone rang. It was her son calling to let her know that he would be unable to attend the luau due to his college course load. We were all so disappointed to hear that but we understood (after all, wed been college students ourselves way back when the dinosaurs roamed the Earth, that is).
Nutz4dzny dropped us off at the Beach Club. She stated that she and her husband would probably be a little late to the luau but not to worry, they would be there. I told her to take their time and just join us at the table whenever they arrived.
There wasnt much time before the luau began, so everyone quickly showered and changed into their
luau attire. We had the Beach Club hail a taxicab for us and we headed over to the Polynesian Resort
(click here). Our dinner reservation was for 5:15 PM but we needed to check-in approximately 30 minutes prior to that time.
We arrived at the Polynesian porte cochere exactly on time and made our way through the resort. As we were heading towards the exit door that led to the walkway to Luau Cove, we were stopped by some Polynesian Resort Cast Members who wanted to check us in for the
Spirit of Aloha dinner show (click here). In all our years of attending the luau, we had never checked in for the dinner show inside the Polynesian resort. The Cast Members stated they were doing so because it looked like it might rain outside.
Once we were checked in, I told my husband that I didnt want to wait inside the resort, I wanted to take my chances outside with Mother Nature (the weather didnt look too ominous). He rolled me outside and down the handicap ramp, and we waited there for Minybear and her husband to arrive.
We werent waiting very long before Minybear and her spouse joined us. They wore matching Hawaiian attire, and according to the Ulukau Hawaiian Electronic Library
(click here), they looked very hie:
hie: n.v.s: Attractive, distinguished, dignified, noble, becoming
Yes, indeed, they looked very hie.
Minybear and her husband had a "makana," or gift, for my daughter:
Makana: nvt. Gift, present; reward, award, donation, prize; to give a gift, donate
It was the mascot named Daren
(click here) for D.A.R.E. Drug Abuse Resistance Education
(click here for D.A.R.E. website). My daughter loved the makana (gift), and I loved the symbolism (its never too early to start drug awareness education). What a perfect gift.
Together the six of us wound our way down to Luau Cove. Since I was in a wheelchair, a Spirit of Aloha Cast Member led our party to the roped off entrance for Luau Cove. It wasnt long before Nutz4dzny and her husband arrived, and once they did, our dinner party was finally complete.
Right on time, the Spirit of Aloha Cast Members began seating the dinner show guests. When we were led to our table, we found that it was front and center. What a wonderful view of the luau show we would have. I was thrilled. Here are a few photos of some of our happy group members:
Group Photo # 1
Group Photo # 2
No one in our party had seen the luau show since it had changed formats earlier in the year. We were looking forward to seeing how the new show differed from the old one. I have always loved the luau and make no secret of the fact that the male hula dancers legs are a big reason for that (after having been married as long as I have, I need at least one thing to make my husband jealous
).
I should mention that just like the old show, when we arrived for this one, we were given silk flower leis. According to the Hawaiian dictionary:
Lei: 1. n. Lei, garland, wreath; necklace of flowers, leaves, shells, ivory, feathers, or paper, given as a symbol of affection; beads; any ornament worn around the head or about the neck
Most folks wear a lei around their neck, while other folks either wear them around their wrist as a bracelet or upon their head as a wreath
(click here).
Shortly after we were seated, our server took our drink order. With our drinks in hand, the dinner show began with Auntie Wini
(click here) taking the stage. She was our hostess for the evening and soon explained that the luau was being held to welcome Leilani back from the mainland.
Auntie Wini was first joined on stage by her nephew Howie, then her niece Scout and the band called the Beach Bashers
(click here). Other ohana
(click here) soon took the stage. For those of you who dont know what ohana means, here is the Hawaiian definition:
ohana: 1. n.v.s Family, relative, kin group; related. Ohana holookoa, ohana nui, extended family, clan
With the whole clan on stage, the Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride song began playing
(click here for a link to the song) and the gang began dancing
(click here). The audience sat mesmerized
(click here). Before the song ended, Leilani arrived
(click here). She talked about her time on the mainland, and then the main portion of the show stopped so the luau guests could enjoy their meal.
The luau meal consisted of three courses. The first course
(click here) was comprised of a vinaigrette-dressed salad, some sliced pineapple, and a Polynesian-style bread. The second course
(click here) contained island pork ribs, lanai roasted chicken, South Seas fried rice, and a sautéed vegetable medley. I enjoyed the meal, especially the chicken and ribs (yum).
As we finished the first course and began the second one, the keiki were invited on stage to learn a hula dance
(click here). According to the Hawaiian dictionary, a keiki is as follows:
keiki: 1. nvi. Child, offspring, descendant, progeny
Both boys and girls took the stage
(click here). They were first taught hand signs
(click here), and once they had mastered that, they were taught the rest of the dance
(click here). It is always a lot of fun watching the youngsters hula. The audience loved it and I dont think there was a camera in the whole place that wasnt happily snapping a few photos of the keikis on stage.
After the keikis had departed the stage, anyone who was celebrating a birthday was invited on stage next. It didnt matter how young or how old you were, as long as you were celebrating a birthday, you were expected on stage
(click here). My dear friend was celebrating her birthday within a few days so up on stage she went
(click here). She said she was only doing this to honor me since she had remembered my story from a few years prior when I had made my sister join the birthday celebrants on stage (the night of that luau was actually my sisters birthday and we truly celebrated her birthday there). I felt so privileged that my dear friend was willing to embarrass herself on stage just to appease me, but since I was paying for dinner, I gladly let her take the stage (dont feel too sorry for her Im sure shes going to make me pay for this at some point in our friendship).
My dear friend was a real trouper. She made our group proud as she hulaed her little heart out
(click here). I think the highlight of the whole evening for me was captured in the look upon her face as she exited the stage after the birthday hula was over
(click here). Just like that MasterCard commercial states, there are some things in life that money cant buy. Well, almost. My money that night bought me another one of those It Just Does Not Get Any Better Than This moments that keep me going back to Walt Disney World year after year. All hail the almighty dollar, plastic or otherwise.
With our birthday girl safely back in her seat, Auntie Wini asked the couples who were celebrating an anniversary to take the dance floor. I was feeling slightly guilty about making my friend dance the birthday hula; how could I not dance the anniversary hula? My husband and I stood next to our table and swayed to the music. I found the whole thing quite comical considering I couldnt really stand nor dance due to my broken leg, but I gave it the old college try (and leaned heavily on my husband for support). I actually felt like the stereotypical high school male with two left feet. You know the kind he slow dances in the same spot, never moving his feet, and barely swaying as he rests his head upon his high school girlfriends shoulder. Yep, that was me. I definitely had the moves down pat. But it was nice finally having an anniversary dance with my husband.
Now that the audience participation portion of the luau had come to an end, the third course of our meal was brought out. There was much fanfare and the band played the theme song from Hawaii Five-O. We saw trails of smoke winding their way through Luau Cove
(click here). The smoke was coming from the dessert, the Kilauea Volcano Delight
(click here). Placed before us were individual cakes in the shape of mini-volcanoes, complete with flowing lava (sauce). The dessert was very unique and quite fitting for such a fun luau.
After dessert, the show started again
(click here) with songs and dances from Polynesia. This portion of the show reminded me of the old luau. We saw dances and costumes from many of the South Sea Islands: Tahiti
(click here), Hawaii
(click here), Somoa
(click here), and New Zealand
(click here), amongst others. For New Zealands Maori poi-ball dance, it was performed in both light and dark
(click here).
The poi-ball dance was not the only dance performed in the dark. Another dance was performed with flaming torches
(click here). Talk about dramatic and a real showstopper.
Click here for a slide show of the fire dance. It literally brought the house down.
The finale had the ohana back on stage for a final number or two
(click here). I couldn't believe that our evening had finally come to an end. Where did the time go?
The Spirit of Aloha dinner show was well done the band played & sang beautifully, and the dancing was as wonderful as always. We really enjoyed the show and expressed our pleasure in both the American manner
(click here) and in the Island manner
(click here). Auntie Wini bade everyone goodbye, Hawaiian-style
(click here). ~Aloha!~
With the show over, my family and guests exchanged our goodbyes. We truly had a wonderful time with everyone and felt so fortunate that they had agreed to take time out of their busy vacations to join us for dinner. I will cherish the memories of that evening always.
As my family and dear friend made our way to the Polynesian Resorts porte cochere, we stopped inside the resort for a final photo or two to commemorate our evening. Here you see Lilo & Stitch
(click here) and the little surfer girl
(click here). Oh, how I wish they all could be California girls
