Sharing the Disney Magic with Family & Friends-DL Diamond Anniversary-DCA F&W Fest Kiosks & The End!

[jedijill]

Believe me. I'm sorely tempted.

Do it, do it, do it!

Jill in CO

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Now all the points have been used and they won't go to waste.

Big load off the mind there!

On the healing front Fran is getting ancy.

I can't blame her. It's hard to just sit and let things heal. Boring, too.

This will be the second DVC resort where I have grilled TriTip, should I try for all of them?

Sounds like a worthy goal to me!

Mmmmmm Tri Tip….

If you haven't had Costco's Mac and Cheese, give it a try, it's so tasty and creamy!

Duly noted! I don't believe we've ever tried it.

 

[franandaj]

That is fabulous that Ace of Cakes will do the Copyrighted image. I simply cannot wait to see the end product and what flavour you select. That is a sign of a good bakery getting praise from Disney!

I can't wait to see it live and in 3D as well!

Where will the cake be on the birthday girl day or is it to be a surprise? In the Grand Villa is there a large table where you can spread all the glorious food? Sparkers on the cake too? I want to imagine it all there. But I might just have to wait....

My birthday is the Friday night and we will definitely dig into the Tiggr sheet cake that night, I hope Mickey will be around to admire for a little while. We may take him back to the Sunday afternoon party at my house and dig into him there, or maybe Saturday....we'll see. I plan to put all the food on the "bar counter" and have it wrap around to the stove and kitchen counter. I am so OCD that I have actually written out (and plan to diagram) the food and the order it should go in! I'm picky that way with buffets, as far as I am concerned there is an order, salads, fruits, mains, sides and a separate area for desserts.

I'm glad you were able to resolve that and put it behind you.

It was a relief and nice to get some actual cash for it. It's already in the bank! Well half of it, I get the rest when they check in.

Absolutely not! I'm glad that she can get out, but I think your 2 spotter rule for her own good is probably a good thing.

Thank you!

I like it! Get her tired so it keeps her out of trouble.

It seems to work. Tonight is another night to get her all tuckered out! Hopefully that gives me some DIS time in the next two days.

I don't know... I've never had a Costco chicken.

Really? They make a great meal for a picnic or a night when no one wants to cook! And so tasty, I'm not sure if they season the skin with crack or what, but it's really good!

Ok, I've heard of tri tip. However, I didn't know it was a California delicacy. Any beef that we've ever had custom butchered has had it ground up.

I just thought everyone ate it until planning our gamers meet. It's really good. I haven't had one in a while. I've had four in my freezer since Labor Day (got them for $2.99/lb) and I'm saving three of them for this trip. Maybe I'll have the other one for Memorial Day and then wait for them to go on sale again.

Those look like some awesome cakes! And that whole spread just looks pretty incredible! I realize you're leaning heavily on Costco, but it still looks like quite the undertaking for your birthday!

That's what I was saying in the opening part of the post, even though I'm trying to make it easy, somehow it still ends up to be a production, but I know I have lots of help and that will make set up a snap. Then we can all just kick back and enjoy.

Sorry, late again but I'm here! I CANNOT wait for your birthday party!!! I've been looking forward to it for a year now and especially now with all the drama in my life. I'm so happy Fran was able to get out to the car and drive to band! What a relief it must have been for her to get out of the house and get back a bit to normal.

I know! I've been looking forward to it for long time too! I hope your drama has calmed down by the time you get here and you can just relax.

The food looks amazing! I never buy that stuff at Costco since I live alone. I can't wait to try it! OMG! You are getting an Ace of Cakes cake?!!?!?!?!?!?!? And I get to eat it!?!?!?!?!??

I know! I'm saying the same thing!

I'm so excited about seeing you guys, meeting Jenny, and seeing Cynthia for longer than 5 minutes. The rest of your friends and family look like a blast too!

This is going to be so much fun with all of us hanging out. I think everyone will get along really well.

I don't know if you are interested but I have an awesome baked bean recipe that can be made ahead and baked later.

I was thinking about some additional veggie/legume, but I have a feeling we already have too much food here!

And @PrincessInOz its not too late to book a flight! There's plenty of room for you!

That would be so fun if you could make it, but I realize that the flight is almost as long as the party when you consider both legs of travel.

 

[franandaj]

The sax might be rice krispie treat or modeling chocolate. I don't think cake would hold up well enough, but I'm sure they've got it sorted

And hey, I've been reading, it's just been insane for me the last few days

I'm sure the sax will be cake because when we were discussing the possibility of two flavors, they suggested that Mickey could be one flavor and the sax could be another. In the end I chose all one flavor.

I know your life has been crazy, but it's also exciting and bittersweet at the same time. As you said in your thread, hopefully these four months will go by just as quick as the last fourteen. I'm just sorry that I don't get to meet you in a week or so.

Believe me. I'm sorely tempted.

Do it, do it, do it!

Jill in CO

Big load off the mind there!

I can't blame her. It's hard to just sit and let things heal. Boring, too.

I can't imagine how bored she must be. I would be spending all my time reading/writing TRs and planning future trips, but she doesn't even enjoy that. She's just binge watching Game of Thrones waiting for the new season, and catching up on old Dr. Who episodes.

Sounds like a worthy goal to me!

I guess I'll have to get busy!

I got the Homer seal of approval!

Duly noted! I don't believe we've ever tried it.

I would think that would be a great "night off of cooking" for Julie, and I'm sure your crew would love it. Is it Dave that eats either Quesadillas or Mac and Cheese? He would probably really go for this!

 

[franandaj]

So it’s taken time and research, but I finally rebooked another trip to WDW. I researched at least four possible itineraries, and for one reason or another (mostly band conflicts) only two worked out. So I went with a Christmas trip, and I may miss a minor band concert, but at least we have something, and it will be new. I have never been to WDW at Christmastime. I’ve been to DLR plenty of times and it is really magical, but there is so much different at WDW and I’m glad that we will finally be able to see it.

It will be a 10 day trip with one day basically wasted with travel, the day traveling back at least we will still have a half day at WDW before returning. So here’s the gist. We fly to Orlando on December 6 and fly back to California on December 16. After thinking about our plans for the cancelled trip, I was not looking forward to having a great time at WDW, going on a cruise, and heading directly back to the ship. I wanted to end with a WDW trip not vice versa.

Since I wanted a Verandah and they were sold out on the Itinerary I wanted for the Fantasy, we ended up with a 4 night cruise on the Dream as we had before. For the main reason that we get a day at sea, and hence can do the Remy Brunch with Champagne pairings.

I have decided that it is easier to head back home after a trip to WDW, than it is from a cruise, so I wanted to do the WDW portion after the cruise. We discussed the options and decided that with the amount of time Fran is comfortable with being away from the cats and given the placement of the cruise (weekdays), going before and after would only give us two weekends (where the crowds would be heavy the entire time we would be at WDW). We decided to only go to WDW after the cruise and while we would hit a weekend after the cruise, we would also get a couple weekdays as well.

So here’s the plan: We’re going to fly to Orlando on December 6 and stay at the Hyatt inside MCO for that night. Getting off the plane and going directly to the room sounds pretty appealing and the room rate was not bad at all. Thanks for this idea @Leshaface! The next morning we will book private transport to the port, and hopefully make a stop at a grocery store on the way to get Diet Mtn Dew, a few bottles of water and some wine for on board the ship.

We’ll board the ship hopefully close to noon and get acclimated to the new ship. After 4 nights on the Dream, we will disembark on Friday the 11th and head to Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. We could change to another resort next month at 7 months, but we kind of decided that @Flossbolna had a good idea. Staying at SSR we can scoot across the bridge to DTD and catch busses to any of the resorts very easily. Besides seeing the Osborne Lights, tasting the Christmas Kiosks at Epcot, the other thing I want to do is see the various resorts all dressed up for Christmas.

We’re staying five nights at SSR before catching a late plane back to LAX, where we arrive around 7:30PM. Because of the time of year it cost us an additional 10,000 frequent flyer miles per person, and because we were scheduled to come back on US Airways and on the original trip we had to pay an $82 change fee to have both legs on American. I’d rather fly on American, and both are non stop flights, which is preferable.

So now we just have to keep Fran healthy enough to be able to go on this trip! Today is two weeks from her next Ortho Doctor appointment where he will hopefully tell her that she can start bearing weight on the leg as tolerated, so we should countdown to that! I might even make a ticker!

 

[skier_pete]

Yay for your new trip! If you've never done WDW for the holidays, it's definitely worth it! Especially if you've never seen the Osborne Lights or Candlelight Processional, the two biggest MUST DOs in my view.

 

[afwdwfan]

I think your plans look great! I'm glad you'll get a chance to see WDW at Christmas. I'm sure you'll love it. It just seems extra magical that time of year!

Keep Fran off that leg so that it won't interfere with this trip!

 

[jedijill]

Oh, I'm so glad you found a combo that works out for you and its at the holidays! WDW truly is magical! I don't know if you are interested, but they offer a backstage holiday tour that goes to the big warehouse where they make and store all the decorations. It's really cool.

Fingers crossed that Fran feels tons better by then!

Jill in CO

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I don't think you are picky the devil is in the details! Congrats on your Christmas trip! Xx

 

[KathyM2]

Wow, that trip sounds so amazing!! I haven't ever seen SSR...I bet that will be fun too. And great idea about being able to resort hop easily from DTD! Yay!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Yeah!!! New trip booked!!

Seems like you doing a kind of slightly shorter version of our trip last year! I think you will love it! I am so glad that I could give you an idea of how to make lemonade out of the lemons (or SSR points being the only ones available ). It will be fun to compare notes on our trips!

If you have never been to WDW during Christmas, I think you will love it. I was amazed how much I enjoyed the Osborne Lights. They are really much more prettier in person than on any picture or in any video. And I thought all the storytellers at Epcot were really wonderful.

I think staying at the Hyatt at MCO is a very smart choice! It will make things so much easier for you! I know that if you take Disney transfers they even come up and collect the luggage in your room and you only see it again once you are on the ship. And I know that if you are staying at a Disney resort you can book the luggage transfer separately, even if you are taking other transportation to the port (not like it is with Magical Express where you need to be on the bus for you luggage to be transferred). It might be worth it it enquire if the same luggage transfer is available from the Hyatt. I think it is 35$ for up to 6 bags or so.

 

[franandaj]

Yay for your new trip! If you've never done WDW for the holidays, it's definitely worth it! Especially if you've never seen the Osborne Lights or Candlelight Processional, the two biggest MUST DOs in my view.

I really want to see the Osborne Lights. We've seen the Candlelight Processional at DL and while it was nice, it's not something we will need to do again. There are more people who are clamoring to see it, so we'll probably leave it for them.

I think your plans look great! I'm glad you'll get a chance to see WDW at Christmas. I'm sure you'll love it. It just seems extra magical that time of year!

Keep Fran off that leg so that it won't interfere with this trip!

I've been wanting to do a trip then ever since, we planned (and canceled) a potential trip there back in the last wave of canceled trips.

Oh, I'm so glad you found a combo that works out for you and its at the holidays! WDW truly is magical! I don't know if you are interested, but they offer a backstage holiday tour that goes to the big warehouse where they make and store all the decorations. It's really cool.

Fingers crossed that Fran feels tons better by then!

Jill in CO

I'll keep that one in mind, I hope that she feels better in a few weeks!

I don't think you are picky the devil is in the details! Congrats on your Christmas trip! Xx

Thanks!

Wow, that trip sounds so amazing!! I haven't ever seen SSR...I bet that will be fun too. And great idea about being able to resort hop easily from DTD! Yay!!

A lot of people don't like SSR, but I think it has it's advantages, at least in this case, and when we rebook with Naked Jim. I'll post details of that when I completely decide, but he wants to do a split stay which involves the Treehouses.

Yeah!!! New trip booked!!

Seems like you doing a kind of slightly shorter version of our trip last year! I think you will love it! I am so glad that I could give you an idea of how to make lemonade out of the lemons (or SSR points being the only ones available ). It will be fun to compare notes on our trips!

Yeah, I guess we are, but no Thanksgiving where the fridge goes out! However, it will be at our house this year. We could have changed resorts at 7 months, but I've stayed at all the resorts (well now except for the Poly Bungalows), so it's time to go back to SSR.

If you have never been to WDW during Christmas, I think you will love it. I was amazed how much I enjoyed the Osborne Lights. They are really much more prettier in person than on any picture or in any video. And I thought all the storytellers at Epcot were really wonderful.

I really hope that they are still in the Streets of America, rumor has been that they would be moving to Epcot.

I think staying at the Hyatt at MCO is a very smart choice! It will make things so much easier for you! I know that if you take Disney transfers they even come up and collect the luggage in your room and you only see it again once you are on the ship. And I know that if you are staying at a Disney resort you can book the luggage transfer separately, even if you are taking other transportation to the port (not like it is with Magical Express where you need to be on the bus for you luggage to be transferred). It might be worth it it enquire if the same luggage transfer is available from the Hyatt. I think it is 35$ for up to 6 bags or so.

I'll definitely have to look into this!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Great work! Sounds like an amazing reschedule. I love Flossbolna's suggestion of staying at MCO before the cruise as well. So glad it works for you. And finishing off at WDW? Pure Magic.

 

[Flossbolna]

I love Flossbolna's suggestion of staying at MCO before the cruise as well.

Oh, I can't take credit for that!! That was @Leshaface! I just came up with the idea of inquiring about getting the luggage transferred.

Yeah, I guess we are, but no Thanksgiving where the fridge goes out!

Oh, yes, you better leave out that part!! And the part of a family member getting really sick (talking intensive care unit sick) just a few weeks before the trip.

I kind of feel like I am sharing your excitement of booking as I just spend a long time on the phone with member services to add final touches to our DL reservation for the summer, we decided to add on one night at the Paradise Pier on points. Not a cheap option, but it will work for us to use points and be able to stay on property and let Disney handle the luggage. I just did not want to take the gamble of being able to get that one night via waitlist or through constant stalking of the website. This way we are now all set for the whole summer trip with the exception of the last night before I fly back! I have been spending the last few days reading my guide book and already realize that I need to plan three more trips to California before I will have seen everything I want to see (at least three, possible more!).

 

[PrincessInOz]

Oh, I can't take credit for that!! That was @Leshaface! I just came up with the idea of inquiring about getting the luggage transferred.

Yes, it was @Leshaface!

Sorry. I did read her name when Alison typed it out but it was too early in the morning (it was around 7.30 am or so here).....my brain processed it as Flossbolna. Hmmm. I wonder if I need to be tested for dyslexia or something!

 

[KathyM2]

I was wondering about the treehouses....the descriptions sound pretty cool. I wonder what people don't like about SSR? Is it just the location?

 

[ACDSNY]

The December trip sounds awesome I really liked seeing the Osborne lights.

 

[mvf-m11c]

That is great that you will be going to WDW during the holiday season. I have done the holidays at WDW a couple of times and I wanted to go this year over the Halloween trip but it will be great to go back and enjoy the Halloween season & F&W Festival.

 

[franandaj]

Great work! Sounds like an amazing reschedule. I love Flossbolna's suggestion of staying at MCO before the cruise as well. So glad it works for you. And finishing off at WDW? Pure Magic.

Oh, I can't take credit for that!! That was @Leshaface! I just came up with the idea of inquiring about getting the luggage transferred.

Yes, it was @Leshaface!

Sorry. I did read her name when Alison typed it out but it was too early in the morning (it was around 7.30 am or so here).....my brain processed it as Flossbolna. Hmmm. I wonder if I need to be tested for dyslexia or something!

OK, I'm glad the two of you worked this out while I was at band!

Oh, yes, you better leave out that part!! And the part of a family member getting really sick (talking intensive care unit sick) just a few weeks before the trip.

Well, if you saw my refrigerator, you would understand why it would be a problem to have it go out! And definitely we don't anyone in the ICU! We have had enough troubles with Wound clinics, Orthopedic surgeons, bionic hips and knees. It's time we get to relax and enjoy!

I kind of feel like I am sharing your excitement of booking as I just spend a long time on the phone with member services to add final touches to our DL reservation for the summer, we decided to add on one night at the Paradise Pier on points. Not a cheap option, but it will work for us to use points and be able to stay on property and let Disney handle the luggage. I just did not want to take the gamble of being able to get that one night via waitlist or through constant stalking of the website. This way we are now all set for the whole summer trip with the exception of the last night before I fly back!

I can understand that, I've never stayed there, but have heard it's pretty nice. Can I ask where you are stopping staying in Northern California or on the way?

I have been spending the last few days reading my guide book and already realize that I need to plan three more trips to California before I will have seen everything I want to see (at least three, possible more!).

There are still places in California that I have yet to see! We were sort of hoping to take a trip to Yosemite next May, but with the rescheduling of our WDW trip with Naked Jim, that makes May a very tight month. We were hoping to go before June when the schools let out and the place gets mobbed with families. There is so much to do in this great state! You should check out PrincessInOz's thread on San Francisco, she covers so much more than just "the city". She has probably seen more of California than I have and I have lived here since 1970!

I was wondering about the treehouses....the descriptions sound pretty cool. I wonder what people don't like about SSR? Is it just the location?

The tree houses are pretty cool, but they are also rather secluded, that can be a good or a bad thing. What a lot of people complain about is that SSR is so huge, it goes on forever and there are like 4-5 different bus stops within the resort. They find it "undisney like" and generic. Those are the haters. There are also folks who really love the resort, so it's all good.

The December trip sounds awesome I really liked seeing the Osborne lights.

I can't wait to see them in person. Ever since that whole bout of canceling trips the last time, I got the bug in me to do a Christmas trip. I just hope this trip isn't jinxed because it's planned on a canceled trip.

That is great that you will be going to WDW during the holiday season. I have done the holidays at WDW a couple of times and I wanted to go this year over the Halloween trip but it will be great to go back and enjoy the Halloween season & F&W Festival.

Thanks, I did want to go during F&W, but with our cruise to Baja and band commitments, it just won't work. So this is a good alternative!

 

[franandaj]

Saturday Activities

Many of the friends will be spending the day at the park. I may go into the park and go on one ride, but I’m not making a day of it. I’m planning on having lunch before heading to the spa and right now I have two places in mind. The Paradise Garden Grill is a great place to get a Mediterranean style lunch. You pick a meat and a sauce, and it’s served with rice and a pita, and a cucumber salad. My choice is either the chicken or the kefta meatballs with tzatziki.





The other choice would be Uva Bar and Grill for a Lamburger.



I’d like to have lunch early in the day so I have all afternoon to work up an appetite for dinner! Then it will be off to the Mandara Spa. I think I will either do a Balinese Body Polish Massage or the Elemis Exotic Frangipani Body Nourish Wrap. Either way I should be done by 3PM and will head back to the room to get ready for the evening.

I’ve told everyone to come gather at the room for Happy Hour at 4PM so that we can get ready for our evening! Next post will be all about the libations, so you’ll have to wait until then.

I always love giving Marcel free reign on meals, he usually doesn’t disappoint. Here we are a while back when life was happy.



First course will definitely be a soup. He has served us mushroom soups.



This was a particularly interesting soup that he served us. I believe that this was also mushroom based, but what is odd is the tempura battered Jerusalem artichoke garnish. It was pretty tasty though.



I know that these soups are not all mushroom based, but from my pictures it is starting to appear that way. I guess he knows that mushroom soup is Fran’s favorite!



Here is a butternut squash soup



This lobster bisque was just exquisite!



I like to have a seafood course and a salad course. Sometimes he combines the two like this.



He’s served us this meal on a number of occasions, and I really hadn’t realized how many times he has served this to us until I went back and looked through all my pictures from meals we have had with him. I didn’t post all the instances, just two.



Other times he just goes with a salad





Sometimes they are rather unconventional.



And this spinach salad was prepared tableside for us.



His scallops are wonderful



And sometimes he even goes for a handmade pasta



We will be requesting Bison for the main course, but sadly I don’t have any pictures of the Bison that he has served us in the past. He has made Weinerschnitzel for us. One time he made us an entire German feast of five courses.



I’m not sure if I want a cheese course for this meal.



But I am going to request a dessert that is somewhat “cakelike”, although I saw a post from someone on another Disney board who was served a chocolate Death Star for dessert. That might be nice as well!



This was one of his more interesting creations for us.



I love his soufflés, but that might be a little much for a party of 20+



This was also a great choice for dessert, a brownie topped with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce.



So here’s what I’m going to ask for:

5 courses – in any order: Soup, Salad, Seafood

Main Course – Bison with accompaniments (no truffle mashed potatoes)

Dessert – Something “cakeish”, doesn’t have to be cake, but would prefer that it’s not Crème Brulee, or another custardy based treat.

I will have to account for several folks with dietary concerns. I will remind him of my concerns: no organ meats, brains or other unusual cuts. No salmon, no Brussel sprouts, eggplant, peas or olives.

My sister’s family requests no: tomatoes, mushrooms, truffles, seafood, nuts, and pickles. My niece lists additional dislikes as horseradish, tartar sauce, wasabi, squash and blue cheese, but they should in no way effect our dishes, they can just have something off the main menu without any of these things.

Two last requests, one of the guests would like to know if it’s possible to substitute a Vegan or Seafood dish for the bison. She said the Ratatouille "Meatballs" on the appetizer menu sounded great. My mother would like a non chocolate dessert as it keeps her up at night.

Other than those guidelines/restrictions, we are looking forward to a tasty and memorable evening!

In addition to providing entertainment for my readers, this post has also allowed me to solidify my email to Chef Marcel about my requests for the dinner. I shall send this off in the next week or so!