T Morrows Child
<font color=red>Dis Dads #596<br><font color=peach
- Joined
- May 31, 2007
- Messages
- 316
Howdy, folks! We we had our family trip to "the World" on Spring Break this year! We generally try to do a family trip (me, wife, 12 yr old stepson and 7 yr old daughter) once a year and an "adults only" trip at least once a year. (We're kicking around Oct/November dates right now).
We had a great trip a few weeks ago over Spring Break, and I want to do a bullet-style trip report so you can get through my points quickly and get on to MORE TRs!
The accommodations -
It was Spring Break, so we needed some elbow room. We usually stay on property, but we opted to save some dollars and get extra space by booking a condo with All Star Vacation Homes. We got a 3 bedroom unit for right around what the Caribbean Beach Resort would have cost us that week.
The Tough Part - Check-in was kind of a mix-up, and we weren't terribly pleased. We were told on Thursday that we'd be able to get a noon check-in, but they told us it would be 4pm when we arrived.
The Good Part - Due to some maintenance issues, our condo wasn't ready so they upgraded us! We still got a 3 bedroom place, but this one had a private pool in the back with a screened in lanai! Guess what the kids wanted to do every day at 2pm! That worked out well, since I like to get my naps in on vacation, anyway!
The Food -
BEST IN SHOW DINING = Tusker House Lunch. I can do a looong review report just on how wonderful the Tusker House is. We ate here on Monday of our trip, and our kids both asked if we could use the Park Hoppers and just have lunch here every day. (3 weeks later our daughter is still talking about Tusker House.) There is something for everyone here, including the ability to make a nice PB&J on wheat bread for my little girl. Kris and I partularly loved the Indian-inspired curries and specialty dishes. Our boy loved the carved meat-meat-meat! Really, something for everyone. I should have resisted, but I hit the dessert buffet pretty hard. What do you expect when you have the chance to get something as wonderful as Warm Cinnamon Banana Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce!?!
HONORABLE MENTION = Garden Grille for dinner. The characters were really terrific, and made the experience fun. The peek over into the Living With The Land ride scenes was a big bonus for the kids. The food was "fine," with beef tenderloin, roast turkey, and broiled mahi-mahi served family style with starches. Tasty but not remarkable.
FUN, DECENT DINING (but we probably won't go out of our way to return): 50s Prime Time, Captain's Grille, Earl of Sandwich.
FAVORITE FOOD TRADITIONS - We always share an order of Chili Cheese Fries at Pecos Bills (jazzed up by their toppings bar) and a Chicken Shawarma Platter from Tangerine Cafe.
BEST DISCOVERY - Karamell Kuche at Germany - warm caramel popcorn and a fresh caramel apple (which they were happy to cut up for us). Amazingly buttery and smooth! (Oh, and the Tequila Bar inside Mexico gets a big thumbs up, though our enjoyment of that place will really wait for our "adult trip" this fall)
The parks -
MK - This is where staying off property was a problem. We are early-birds in the park, which killed us on the day we were to go to MK. They had roped off the monorail and ferry entrances until around 7:50 for an 8am park opening. As a result, we weren't off the ferry until 8:06. (It worked out better for me another day, when I parked at the TTC at 7am and walked over to the Polynesian to grab the monorail. They let me in the park with my annual pass, even though I told them I wasn't a resort guest!)
BEST of the MK - The Haunted Mansion queue was wonderful, as was the hitchhiking ghosts.
The Winnie the Pool queue was also great. On our main MK day, we took our morning to do many attractions and saved up Fastpasses. We were in the park until around 1pm before taking our mid-day break. When we returned at 6:30, I had fastpasses for Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Philharmagic, Big Thunder Mountain, and Spash Mountain! We had enough time to do it all plus the Carousel, the Peoplemover, and the Carousel of Progress before hitting our Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party. Very fun!
Whew! I'm kinda tired of typing. I think I'll continue later, if anyone may want more.
We had a great trip a few weeks ago over Spring Break, and I want to do a bullet-style trip report so you can get through my points quickly and get on to MORE TRs!
The accommodations -
It was Spring Break, so we needed some elbow room. We usually stay on property, but we opted to save some dollars and get extra space by booking a condo with All Star Vacation Homes. We got a 3 bedroom unit for right around what the Caribbean Beach Resort would have cost us that week.
The Tough Part - Check-in was kind of a mix-up, and we weren't terribly pleased. We were told on Thursday that we'd be able to get a noon check-in, but they told us it would be 4pm when we arrived.
The Good Part - Due to some maintenance issues, our condo wasn't ready so they upgraded us! We still got a 3 bedroom place, but this one had a private pool in the back with a screened in lanai! Guess what the kids wanted to do every day at 2pm! That worked out well, since I like to get my naps in on vacation, anyway!
The Food -
BEST IN SHOW DINING = Tusker House Lunch. I can do a looong review report just on how wonderful the Tusker House is. We ate here on Monday of our trip, and our kids both asked if we could use the Park Hoppers and just have lunch here every day. (3 weeks later our daughter is still talking about Tusker House.) There is something for everyone here, including the ability to make a nice PB&J on wheat bread for my little girl. Kris and I partularly loved the Indian-inspired curries and specialty dishes. Our boy loved the carved meat-meat-meat! Really, something for everyone. I should have resisted, but I hit the dessert buffet pretty hard. What do you expect when you have the chance to get something as wonderful as Warm Cinnamon Banana Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce!?!
HONORABLE MENTION = Garden Grille for dinner. The characters were really terrific, and made the experience fun. The peek over into the Living With The Land ride scenes was a big bonus for the kids. The food was "fine," with beef tenderloin, roast turkey, and broiled mahi-mahi served family style with starches. Tasty but not remarkable.
FUN, DECENT DINING (but we probably won't go out of our way to return): 50s Prime Time, Captain's Grille, Earl of Sandwich.
FAVORITE FOOD TRADITIONS - We always share an order of Chili Cheese Fries at Pecos Bills (jazzed up by their toppings bar) and a Chicken Shawarma Platter from Tangerine Cafe.
BEST DISCOVERY - Karamell Kuche at Germany - warm caramel popcorn and a fresh caramel apple (which they were happy to cut up for us). Amazingly buttery and smooth! (Oh, and the Tequila Bar inside Mexico gets a big thumbs up, though our enjoyment of that place will really wait for our "adult trip" this fall)
The parks -
MK - This is where staying off property was a problem. We are early-birds in the park, which killed us on the day we were to go to MK. They had roped off the monorail and ferry entrances until around 7:50 for an 8am park opening. As a result, we weren't off the ferry until 8:06. (It worked out better for me another day, when I parked at the TTC at 7am and walked over to the Polynesian to grab the monorail. They let me in the park with my annual pass, even though I told them I wasn't a resort guest!)
BEST of the MK - The Haunted Mansion queue was wonderful, as was the hitchhiking ghosts.
The Winnie the Pool queue was also great. On our main MK day, we took our morning to do many attractions and saved up Fastpasses. We were in the park until around 1pm before taking our mid-day break. When we returned at 6:30, I had fastpasses for Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Philharmagic, Big Thunder Mountain, and Spash Mountain! We had enough time to do it all plus the Carousel, the Peoplemover, and the Carousel of Progress before hitting our Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party. Very fun!
Whew! I'm kinda tired of typing. I think I'll continue later, if anyone may want more.
I haven't been to Tusker House since it was a counter service, but it sounds great! When I was at Disney last, they were constructing the Winnie the Pooh queue, so if you have pictures I'd love to see them 
I'll be reading if you continue with your reviews!
