Never Eat More Than You Can Lift...But, Kermie, FREE FOOD!!! September 2009 Report

[catne]

o.k., I have too much time on my hands right now...just added birthday lunch at San Angel Inn on arrival day. Every time we ride the boat in Mexico, I want to eat there...and all the reviews complain that it doesn't taste like "Mexican" food (as in not Taco Bell or other 'merican versions of Mex or tex-mex) Which is fine by me, lol...that stuff is always too spicy for me. And I figure the lunch prices are way more reasonable since it'll be OOP meal. If nothing else, we can have a loverly liquid lunch there

and, step away from the phone...I have started calling trying to get Kouzzina for dinner one night. So far no luck of course. And I don't really "need" to get Kouzzina...but I wanna go!!! Sure wish Kouzzina was available on the on-line booking system so I don't have to make a kazillion calls. Should just give it up but that Kouzzina menu looks so good.

I better just quit this nonsense, and go work on my Halloween party T-shirts...

 

[disneygirlinnj]

haha i keep staring at my ADRs too trying to figure out what I can change and swap around. can't get anything though but I feel like I NEEED to keep playing around with them!

 

[catne]

haha i keep staring at my ADRs too trying to figure out what I can change and swap around. can't get anything though but I feel like I NEEED to keep playing around with them!

it's a sickness, I tell ya. I have to quit this silliness, now! It's just that new restaurants are always calling me

 

[catne]

IGOTKOUZZINAFORMY BIRTHDAY

can you tell I'm excited? O.K., now I really am done with this ADR silliness. Really. I mean it this time

Saving Tutto Italia for January (see, I already told DH we're going back So I can start up on the ADR silliness in mid-September again)

 

[KatMark]

IGOTKOUZZINAFORMY BIRTHDAY

can you tell I'm excited? O.K., now I really am done with this ADR silliness. Really. I mean it this time

Saving Tutto Italia for January (see, I already told DH we're going back So I can start up on the ADR silliness in mid-September again)

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I'm sure you won't make a single change before September.

 

[catne]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I'm sure you won't make a single change before September.

I have joined ADRS Anonymous...will not change another one.

although now I'm looking at Table Service lunch possibilities for Sunday (hey, it's my Birthday WEEKEND, right? And we can always use the left-over counter service to get some excellent sandwiches for the road trip home, right?)

Hello, my name is Cathy and I'm addicted to Disney ADR planning.

(And hey, I could have been "CatMark" on the user name...cuz I'm Cat (short for Cathy) and DH is Mark.)

 

[KatMark]

I have joined ADRS Anonymous...will not change another one.

although now I'm looking at Table Service lunch possibilities for Sunday (hey, it's my Birthday WEEKEND, right? And we can always use the left-over counter service to get some excellent sandwiches for the road trip home, right?)

Hello, my name is Cathy and I'm addicted to Disney ADR planning.

(And hey, I could have been "CatMark" on the user name...cuz I'm Cat (short for Cathy) and DH is Mark.)

Then there would be 2 great KatMark's (CatMark) with Kathy as their name and Mark as their husband who like to change ADR's all the time (I'm still working on changing my Yak & Yeti).

 

[catne]

So, been scheming with my DS about adult beverage possibilities for after-park evening relaxation (hot tubbing, or just lounging around the resort in the late evening.) Of course, we'll be having the occasional (o.k., daily) Disney delightful adult beverages, but talking about late after park-time when we don't want to sit in a bar.

We're going to buy the refillable mugs (DS & his BFF both drink gallons of soda & tea a day...figured we'd save money buying the mugs.) So anyway, found out we can get the caffeine free coke, so obviously that'll be good for vanilla rum & cokes But, other possibilities we're thinking of...fountain lemonade & blue raspberry vodka...or getting a chocolate milkshake at the POFQ bakery & mixing it with Dekuyper Buttershots...or vanilla milkshake with buttershots & creme de cacoa...or sprite with Dragonberry rum (strawberry)...now we just have to stop thinking about it, or we'll be packing too many booze bottles (if there is such a thing)

 

[medicgirl911]

Girl you are speaking my language! Blue UV and lemonade!!! Now the choclate shake and buttershots...omg that sounds good! I vote for an after-party in your room!!!

 

[catne]

Girl you are speaking my language! Blue UV and lemonade!!! Now the choclate shake and buttershots...omg that sounds good! I vote for an after-party in your room!!!

Party

Another one we came up with...rootbeer schnapps in a vanilla milkshake...adult rootbeer float

 

[MickeyNicki]

Party

Another one we came up with...rootbeer schnapps in a vanilla milkshake...adult rootbeer float

I feel faint...OMG that sounds insanely fantastic...hi ho, hi ho, its off to the store I go......

 

[catne]

I feel faint...OMG that sounds insanely fantastic...hi ho, hi ho, its off to the store I go......

Oh Yeah! But if your stores are like my stores, watch out...you'll be like a kid in a candy store when you hit the DeKuyper shelf. Mine is about a mile long & wayyyy too many yummy sounding flavors (all of which would go very well in a vanilla milkshake, mmmmmmmm)

That's my big packing debate right now...which flavors to take, which to leave home. Going to be a very fun vacation

Oh, another one son mentioned...coconut rum and amaretto in a chocolate shake...almond joy!

 

[catne]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I'm sure you won't make a single change before September.

I fell off the wagon last night...you were right, I made another change

Have been reading some reports of over-booked restaurants & horrendous wait times for people...and looking at our schedule for Friday 9/11...with a 5:30 at 1900 Park Fare if it gets backed up & we have to wait more than a few minutes we will miss some of the MNSSHP. Plus that's our last night of the vacation so we don't want to chance missing park time either.

So I cancelled 1900 Park Fare...and booked CRT for an early dinner at 4:15.
Now, we actually liked the food at dinner when we ate at CRT in 2008...was it $50 a plate food - no. But we figured half the cost was for the privilege of eating in Cinderella's castle...so in that case, was really good food for $25 a plate. How's that for creative accounting/justification Well, I think our guests will be thrilled to eat in the castle, anyway. And even if we have to wait to be seated, with a 4:15 rez we'll be out before 7:00 party start time.

And since we'll be eating early dinner, I made our Boma breakfast for an hour later...figure if we eat breakfast later, then we'll probably just grab some snacks for lunch that day.

What really surprised me is how many choices came up when I went to see if I could book CRT for 9/11 -- that's a MNSSHP day & I'd always read that it was hard to book MK restaurants on party days because people like to get to the park in late afternoon & eat there so they're in the park at the start of the party. Well, I requested 4:30, party of 4 at CRT & the 4:15 slot came up...but The Plaza, Tony's and Grand Floridian Cafe also came up with availability between 4:30 & 5:30. Even Crystal Palace came up for dinner - although it was a 3:35 seating. I was just very surprised. And then Boma breakfast--I tried 1/2 dozen different times between 8:05 and 10:50 for a party of 4 and every one was available. What's up with that...all this availability less than 2 weeks out?

Hope that doesn't mean the on-line system is totally messed up and over-booking restaurants that really have no availability!

O.K., I'm done now. No more dithering with the reservations!

Going back to the adult beverage debate. Have a 6-pack wine carrier to fill with liquor & liqueur bottles...

Just a couple more days & I can start serious packing (already started with the medicine/sunscreen/ponchos bag!)

I am so ready to go (well not really)

 

[choirchic]

Party

Another one we came up with...rootbeer schnapps in a vanilla milkshake...adult rootbeer float

Wow! I'm gonna have to try that one...

 

[catne]

Wow! I'm gonna have to try that one...

It's Yummy! I think I should buy stock in DeKuyper considering how many bottles of the stuff I have in my liquor cabinet

Actually, we discovered virtually any flavor liqueur makes a wonderful adult beverage when swirled into a vanilla milkshake

Now I seriously just have to figure out which 6 bottles to take...would be a fun off-topic poll, wouldn't it

 

[catne]

Quick live update…

Sorry can’t actually do a full live report (have to share the dang wired connection with DH…and he’s working!!! So I guess since that pays the bills have to defer to him on first dibs on computer time. So just a couple of quick comments about parks in general & some dining experiences in specific…


O.K., first it’s hotter than you know where…we were here last year same week, but was cloudy most of the time and highs in mid-to-upper 80s. This year it’s been sunny most of the time since Saturday, and highs in the 90s. And the humidity is up there too. We’re taking the afternoon breaks in the A/C, believe you me. Parks were not near as crowded on the holiday weekend (Epcot on Saturday -- Soarin’ fast passes at 11:00 were for return of 2:40. Still available at 2:00...same with TestTrack. Everything else was walk-on. Sunday & Monday a.m. at Magic Kingdom zero-5 minute walk ons in Fantasyland for first 2 hours - not morning EMH. Crowds were building by early afternoon, though & we skipped evening EMH at MK. Park was empty Monday morning,and Epcot crowds light on Monday afternoon…pretty obvious Labor Day weekend crowd had left. Tuesday a.m. at DHS was very light crowds…walk ons…even TSM was only saying 30 min. at 11:00 (not sure it was really 30,either…people seemed to be walking through most of the snake line at 11:00.)

Onto the food story…crowds at restaurants…well, there must be some, somewhere. But we’re really not seeing them much. Kouzina on Saturday night was only about ½ full when it opened at 5:30...by the time we got out of there around 7:00 p.m. there was maybe 25-30 people waiting to be seated (but something was wrong there, because there was easily enough empty tables to seat that many people…Kouzina has a few service issues to iron out before official grand opening, for sure.) The Wave was full on Sunday night, but didn’t seem to be a lot of people waiting to be seated when we left again, shortly before 7:00. Captain’s Grille last night…about ½ full during 5:30-7:00 range. Biergarten was mostly full but some seating available on Monday night. San Angel Inn on Saturday at noon…no more than ½ full. Counter Service -- lines, but not incredibly crowded…was not difficult to find tables even though we were eating during prime lunch times around noon-1:00. Tuesday at Olivia’s /Old Key West--not even ½ full at 7:00 p.m.

Now, comments about food and changes on the servings, and Dining Plan. Could not get the biscuits & gravy for a snack credit at POFQ this time…even though it’s well under $4.00. Same with bacon as a side. In both cases, was told snacks cannot be “plated” items. Huh? What about cake/pie/cheesecake..not like they scoop the cake into your outstretched hand. Is that not a plate they put it on?

Well, whatever, at least those breakfast items are relatively cheap …but looks to us like they’re kind of cracking down and insisting “snack” is a “snack” or dessert type item ….not anything that might resemble a meal.

We did buy the refillable mugs and are actually finding them very handy and well worth the $$, especially since we’re driving…they go with us in the car in the a.m. By the time we come back at noon, we’re ready for a frosty cold fountain drink. And when we eat lunch at our food court, we use the mug for our soda and take one of the bottles juices or waters as our Dining plan drink. Nice to have the bottled drinks for later to take to the park.

Another bit of bad news…at Sunshine Seasons/Epcot the Asian meal which we just had twice in May 2009 has changed. Used to be choose 2 entrees & 2 sides for the dining plan counter service. Now it’s choose ONE entrée and two sides. They do seem to be giving generous proportions still (plate was full)-really seemed like we ended up with same total amount of entrée so they’re not actually cutting back on serving size… but kind of enjoyed getting two different flavors on the entrée. Also, we ate right around 1:00 on Monday at Sunshine Seasons….park was very uncrowded…and they were already out of strawberry shortcake! I asked if more was coming out soon and was told no, gone for the day! At 1:00 in the afternoon…wasn’t there later to see if that was true or not. There was still plenty of other choices, but was just surprised to see it gone while lunch was still going strong.

Well, that’s all for now…Taking photos, and will do full reviews later!

 

[Samandmom]

Thanks for the live report. I really wish our school would go back to starting after Labor Day, since it sounds a great time to visit.

 

[catne]

Thanks for the live report. I really wish our school would go back to starting after Labor Day, since it sounds a great time to visit.

Well,I think it's the economy as much as anything making these crowds smaller...there just seems to be a lot less people around everywhere. It is very hot, though, so it's a good thing we can get so much done in the mornings and have a nice long afternoon break in the a/c. Loving the air conditioned restaurants, too.

Funny thing...it's so hot I didn't even want a micky ice cream bar!!!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Excited for a live report. Joining in!!!
Can't wait to read yummy reviews.

 

[jeminni]

Enjoying your reviews. This trip 9/24 to 10/1 will be our first time staying at POFQ. I'm hoping you'll have some reviews of it and of your adult milkshakes.