Tequila, Dole Whips & Tonga Toast: Celebrating 50 years! Read all about it!

[J&C@Disney]

We've been to disney so many times and never stopped for a Dole Whip!!!!

I am deffinatley going to stop and get one this time, im very excited to try it

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

We've been to disney so many times and never stopped for a Dole Whip!!!!

I am deffinatley going to stop and get one this time, im very excited to try it

Not only are they good, they are pretty to look at - sorry I didn't take a picture. Maybe someone reading will come along & post a picture

The dole whip itself is not a soft ice cream vanilla/pineapple swirl, it's all a solid pineapple yellow color. They put it inside a clear cup & then they pour the pineapple juice over it. They also had orange floats with pineapple juice poured over them. They were sooooo good & if you have the DDP, they qualify as a snack credit! I wish I had one right now

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Part 2: The Luau Drop the rope already!

We had plenty of time to get to the luau so we took our time walking out of the Magic Kingdom. I just love walking down Main St & really looking at the shops...smelling the bakery, looking at the castle, the balloon sellers, photo pass photographers, seeing all the people walking about & hearing all the excitement in the air. Doesn't matter what time of day Main St. USA is always exciting.

DS was in a better frame of mind knowing that we'd be back in a few hours to enjoy the late-EMH's. Especially sweet after all his sacrifices made touring the "old people" attractions that afternoon (exception being BTRRM when dad got ill). We were holding 6 FP's to use later, 4 for BTRRM & 2 for Splash Mtn (ironic isn't it that of all rides we used DH's park tix's to get us the 2 extra for BTRRM - we got 3 of them before we rode with DH & then another plus the 2 for Splash after the Bears, we just didn't tell DH )

Anyway, once we exited the park I headed for the boats that take you to the GF then the Luau. DS wanted to ride the monorail but I promised him we'd ride that over to the CR for the pirates cruise after the luau. A boat was approaching as we walked up but it didn't look like we'd make it on. Lo & behold, there was a group of 10 infront of us. Not enough space for them to ride together so we were allowed to board - lucky us.

Approaching the Grand Floridian by water

Once we got to the Polynesian, we had about an hour to kill & since DH had not been to the Poly, we walked around the lobby for him to see how pretty it is. Then we went upstairs near Ohanas & relaxed on some comfy chairs to cool off. DH enjoyed a beer from the bar & eventually we got a spot in front of the big screen TV & watched some golf.

They make such a big deal about arriving at the dinner shows early so I didn't want to wait until the last minute so we left for the luau about 40 minutes early. The luau cove is off to the right if coming by boat and to the left if coming by monorail. It's situated between the POLY & the GF wedding gazebo.

When we arrived, they checked our names & took a family picture of us. It later turned out to be a rather good picture but having already bought one at Chef Mickey's we passed.

After the picture, they put you in a lovely landscaped area, right outside of where you're going to be dining. The views over the 7 seas lagoon are lovely & I took a few pictures.

View of the Contemporary Resort

Here you can see the landscaping with one of the islands of the 7 seas lagoon in the distance

The hot pavement under our feet in this "waiting" area was starting to be too much for my tired feet. When you're stuck standing still with no place to sit after 3.5 vigerous days of walking at WDW, you start to realize how tired your legs & feet are. It'd be nice if they could let us in so we could sit down with a cold beverage. Ah, wait, I see some people with drinks but it turns out that the all inclusive beverages with the luau doesn't start until they seat you. Hmmmm.

Then I noticed the castle beyond the 7 seas It's hard to see in my photo but its there

Come on already! I'm now thinking I needed my head examined using 6 TS's, the equivilant of $200, to get to wait in the hot sun, on hot pavement with no seat for a mass quantity served meal. I look over at my DH, he is chatting with another guy about sports.

In front of us a young couple have their toddler in a stroller & she looks HOT. She is begging them to let her out. I'm wondering why, when suddenly they do she literally BOLTS under the rope & her dad has to chase her down. Back to the stroller. Poor kid, I know how she feels.

DS has found a hot "stump" to sit on.

I'd try that but my butt is too big

DH is still talking to the guy whose wife brings him a beer

The toddler is begging dad to let her loose again. They go through a negotiation. She has to promise to not run under the rope again.

She promises.

They let her out.

She BOLTS into the crowd behind us Fortunately it's not like a morning rope drop at a park so her dad doesn't have too much trouble chasing her down.

Back into the stroller.

Now she SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER

DS has his head hanging down. He looks at me, his face is beat red with heat.

Why did I wear jean shorts today of all days.

It would've been a good day to wear nylons.

I'm getting a headache now as stroller toddler continues to scream.

Finally, I spy a CM

He LOOKS at us & TURNS AROUND



I'm remembering being WARNED on the DISboards by so many others to SKIP the luau.

I try to sit my big butt on one of the many "stumps" surrounding the holding tank. To my surprise, I'm able to one cheek it.

After 5 minutes, not only are my feet hot & tired, now my butt is hot & sore.

And my head hurts thanks to stroller toddler.

Thankfully she's settled down playing with her moms phone. Poor thing, it's not her fault she's hot & needs some space to move.

I hope we're not sitting beside them

FINALLY, A CM comes to our rope to "WELCOME" us. All cheery & happy like most of the CM's, well except for our waiter at H&V. But hey, we're finally walking down the path.

Then we're stopped.

But at least we're only about 2 families back. They are asking your name & then walking you to your table. Well, we used our DDP 6 TS credits so I know upfront we're not going to be front & center.

Probably behind a table of 6 foot tall people.

With stroller toddler right behind me.

OK OK OK, I know I'm being negative but I was HOT everywhere and I do mean everywhere. I was so OVERHEATED at this point this is how I know for sure the Good Lord takes care of children & fools because neither of my guys were belly aching about this wait.

So we're walked past the stage, past the center & we're heading to the complete opposite side.

She walks past the first table and then she turns & smiles sweetly & tells us to enjoy our dinner & show

Hey, this isn't such a bad table afterall. There is only a table for 2 infront of us & the stage AND we aren't ALL the way on the edge. We're one table away from the edge

But I liked our spot anyway.

NOW we're ready to have some fun!

It took a while for our waitress to get to us. She was not too warm & fuzzy like the CM that seated us. Took our drink orders & after some time, came back with a glass of wine for me & a tall glass of beer for DH. We had a pitcher of water at our table which we all drank down before she returned.

So finally we're settled in & the food starts a comin'

The table is set up really neat. They have these long silver palm tree looking trays that more silver palm tree looking plates fit on. Our salad was really, really good. Poppy seed sweet dressing on a green leafy salad, WONDERFUL sweet pineapple bread & butter & of course, fresh pineapple.

There is no lingering over salad. You barely finish your salad and out comes the main course. BBQ chicken, ribs, hawaiian rice & veggies. DS is getting that look on his face, that look that tells me he isn't going to eat a bite. I ask the waitress if there are any kids offerings?

She asks. "What about a hotdog sweetie?"

I'm thinking our not so warm & fuzzy waitress is just an efficient waitress who is busting her butt to get every one of her tables served at the same time. Plus with no air conditioning, hmm, I'd probably fare a lot less so I decide my first impression was off the mark.

Not too much later she serves up a plate of mac & cheese with a hotdog. Refills our wine & beer. And brings me a glass of sprite to make my own wine cooler.

Then we hear someone on the stage.

CONT

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Luau, CONT
The "meat" of the Luau

We hear someone on stage & it's a grandmotherly looking woman wearing a mumu

Here's "grandma" greeting the guests

At this point, everyone has just started their dinner so it's hard to eat & look sideways but not impossible. However, at this point you feel like Charlie Brown & the peanuts gang while they're in school listening to the teacher talk, "MaWahWahWahWah"

DH, while devouring a BBQ rib & drinking a beer "What'd she say"

DS: Can I get another hotdog

I look around, nobody is listening to grandma. If they are, they don't understand her either

BUt having read the DISboards, I know the "plot" sorta, something about a young lady learning to embrace her Polynesian culture, grandma teaching her some sort of Disney friendly lesson & of course, a boy who secretly likes her but pretends not to.

Anyway, our waitress brought DS another hotdog & refused to allow our beer or wine to get less than a quarter empty.

So we're now all really starting to enjoy ourselves. Grandma starts to introduce the cast & then they start doing TOTALLY disney friendly things like having kids up to learn to hula dance, inviting people up for their birthdays...

I give DS a longing, loving look

DS gives me a no way in Timbuktu look

I remember when he really used to like me

He still likes me, you know what I mean if you have or have parented a teen

ANyway, then they invite all the people celebrating ANNIVERSARIES

DH looks at me like

So to DS's embarssment, the 2 old 50 year olds get up for an anniversary dance

Aww, my guy really is romantic

So after that, now that they've got all the "What are you celebrating" stuff taken care of & dinner is winding down out come the dancers

Let me tell you, the costuming & dancing was phnenominal & I can't spell phnenominal but you get the idea

Don't the guys look great!

And of course the pretty ladies

The girls were twirling some polynesian thing-ama-bop, don't remember what its called but they were all very good at it

Really, all of the dancers did a great job. All the effort put into getting into this show was really washing away at this point. I was having a great time.

Then I looked at DS.

He had his forehead sitting on the table.

At first, I'm alarmed, thinking he's still overheated & something is wrong

ME: DS, are you okay?

DS: I'm bored

ME:

DH: Sit up, you don't need to be sitting there with your head on the table

ME: You're rude

DS: I didn't want to come to this show

about that time, grandma comes on stage to talk about volcanoes. Then you hear a sizzle & out comes a parade of waitresses carrying oversized plates with what looks like dry ice on them.

It's actually volcano dessets with the "volcanoes" erupting.

That caught all our interests.

Here comes our waitress, ever so efficiently serving up plates of volcano cakes. They are chocolate dome shaped with red gel like icing oozing down the side, sitting in some yellow gel ooze.

Presentation = excellent

I liked the chocolate part, the gel ooze didn't care so much for.

DS wouldn't try any of it.

How can DH & I enjoy food so much & have produced such a picky non-adventuous eater I'll never know.

Well, after dessert comes what a lot would describe as the main event, and that's the fire twirller. He really was good!

Here he is with one fire baton

He is twirling sooo fast that there is fire flying. He twirled 2 batons later but my pics didn't come out of those

Here he is twirling behind his back

It was about this time our waitress finally slowed down a bit. She brought another sprite, wine & beer over. I thanked her for bringing DS the special order. She said it happens with kids all the time, some just don't like the BBQ. Then we learned she's being doing this gig for 31 years

Wow, 31 years working in Florida with no air conditioning?

She said she loves it. Has always worked the luau too. Wouldn't do anything else. Well, she does keep up I'll give her that!

Looking back, I'm glad we did the luau once I'd even do it again but NOT when it is sooo HOT outside. The wait outside is brutal if you're tired & not prepared for it.

Live & Learn!

But it really was fun overall.

By the time we left the luau, we went to the monorail & decided to stop in to the MK because DS wanted to try to get a FP for Space Mtn.

I tell you, that boy is crazy for his mountains

So we all go in & DS takes off for tomorrowland. I tell him if no FP's available for SM, get them for Buzz so I can humilate him again

I had time to use the RR & then sit on a bench and enjoy some people watching there at the hub infront of the train station at the base of Main st.

So this is what it's like to be older

It's nice not to have to be the FP runner.
So glad super DS is now taking over in that dept.
I'm thinking about how sore my feet are.
Wonder if I got a blister.

DH is walking towards me with that look on his face.

ME: What's wrong DH?

DH: You said the bathroom was over there. I walked all the way over there & it wasn't. But there was a line. So I'm waiting & it turns out people were waiting to see Pluto. I gotta go & here I'm in a line for Pluto!

DH had a few beers at the luau, recall

ME: What'd you do then?

DH: Well, I ask one of those people with a name tag on

ME: You mean the cast members

DH: Yeah, well I had to walk all the way over there (pointing)

ME: Those CM's are helpful. I'll bet that CM even knew where Pirates of the Carribean are

About that time, DS shows up. In fact, he's practically jogging. Oh to have that kind of energy.

DS: No Space Mtn, I got Buzz

ME: sounds good to me

So we leave the MK & go back to the monorail to ride to the Contemporay Resort.

Up Next: Part 3 of Dole Whips, Luau & Arrrgh

Mutiny on the 7 Seas

 

[natebenma]

Not only are they good, they are pretty to look at - sorry I didn't take a picture. Maybe someone reading will come along & post a picture

The dole whip itself is not a soft ice cream vanilla/pineapple swirl, it's all a solid pineapple yellow color. They put it inside a clear cup & then they pour the pineapple juice over it. They also had orange floats with pineapple juice poured over them. They were sooooo good & if you have the DDP, they qualify as a snack credit! I wish I had one right now

Here ya go:

Dole Whip

Dole Whip Float

 

[Queenofallthings]

All I have to say is YUM!

 

[natebenma]

Loved your update. What a busy day!!! I haven't seen too much info about the Luau so it was great reading about your experience. Being near loud, fast toddlers always makes me appreciate the ages my boys are right now. Quiet, sloth-like preteens!

 

[mandas08]

Sounds like you had a great time at the luau. We chose to see Hoop De doo because of reviews I read. Maybe on our next trip we will try the luau as well.

Alright which is better the dole whip or dole whip float?

 

[natebenma]

Sounds like you had a great time at the luau. We chose to see Hoop De doo because of reviews I read. Maybe on our next trip we will try the luau as well.

Alright which is better the dole whip or dole whip float?

IMO- the float is better, but it is way messier!

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Loved your update. What a busy day!!! I haven't seen too much info about the Luau so it was great reading about your experience. Being near loud, fast toddlers always makes me appreciate the ages my boys are right now. Quiet, sloth-like preteens!

I love your description

Thanks for posting the pictures of the Dole WHip floats, my mouth watered just looking at it.

IMO the floats are better because I like pineapple juice, it's like a dole whip with a kick But I'd have either one no problem

Had a really buzy weekend & tomorrow night is open house at school. But I promise an update soon...we had a lot of evening left even after the luau

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Sounds like you had a great time at the luau. We chose to see Hoop De doo because of reviews I read. Maybe on our next trip we will try the luau as well.

Alright which is better the dole whip or dole whip float?

We had been to the Hoop De Doo three times before...we really like that show! So we wanted to try the luau. Really, I think it would be more pleasant if it weren't soooo hot outside. The Hoop De Doo is in the airconditioned indoors which is more comfortable for August. The luau would be nicer to see during the winter months

I think I prefer the Hoop De Doo, for one thing you can HEAR the corny jokes, but I'm glad we did the luau, the dancing really was amazing including the fire twirler. It's hard to recommend one over the other, just depends on what a person likes, western vs. polynesian theme.

P.S. I vote dole whip float

 

[princess_momma]

The luau looks fun! Now I know to schedule if I'm going during a cooler month! Hmmm and I gotta do it in the next few years before Landon wouldn't want to do it!! Oh kids...

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

The luau looks fun! Now I know to schedule if I'm going during a cooler month! Hmmm and I gotta do it in the next few years before Landon wouldn't want to do it!! Oh kids...

It really was fun & I'm sure your cute little guy would have fun doing it when he's a smidge older...as long as he's not strapped in a stroller

Yes kids. You really need to enjoy them when they're little, while they still really like you FOr his birthday, we took DS out to eat with his friends, he asked me in advance if they could have their OWN booth.

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Dole Whips, Luaus & Arrrgh Part 3 Mutiny on the 7 Seas

After the luau ended, we woddled like a herd of cattle out of luau cove back towards the Polynesian Resort. When you get smooshed up against people walking in a slow pace in the August heat, you start to remember again how hot you are. We had been sitting outside for about 90 minutes & now with full guts & 2 out of 3 of us a little buzzed from the bottomless beer & wine our efficient waitress of 31 years had served us, like the crickets you start to hear when you're camping outdoors, the griping began by my 2 guys.

DH: We going back to the room?

DS: What! We have FP's for BTRRM & Splash Mtn

ME: We're not going back to the room, remember, we are going on the Pirates & Pals fireworks cruise & then all or some of us can do the extra magic hours at the MK afterwards

It was after we got all these details cleared up that we rode the monorail back over to the MK & entered for DS to unsucessfully get the FP's for Space Mtn, although he did get the Buzz Lightyear FP's for later as I now realize I already covered before. So moving on...

We left the MK & once again boarded the monorail to go over the the Contemporay Resort. By now it was only about 7:30 which meant we had about an hour to kill. I was thinking this would be a great time to relax in some of those comfy chairs over by Chef Mickey's overlooking the back side of the 7 Seas Lagoon. There is a bar close by if DH wanted to get another beer, everyone could cool off & then we'd head to the meet & greet place for the Pirates Cruise.

So we arrive at the CR, I ask around where the Pirates & pals check in area is & am directed to the 3rd or 4th floor, don't recall. Well, DH likes to arrive everywhere early, so we decide to go find the area.

We find where the place is. Satified we will not get lost, I suggest we go back down a floor to hang out as I originally planned.

But neither of them want to leave.

They decide they would rather sit up there & wait.

The "crickets" start chirping again.

DS: My feet hurt.

DH: I'm tired of walking too.

DS: Do we have to do this?

DH: I just wanted to go back to the room but your mom made plans.

Mind you, they have now meandered to an area off to the side of where the reception with Captain Hook & Mr. Smee will be.

They choose to sit in this area which has 2 L-shaped couches, no windows but there are restrooms close by.

Down they both sit. I suggest we go to the other area so we can at least sit near a window, overlook the water or something.

DH: I'm comfortable here

DS: How long is this going to take?

It's apparanent they're going to just sit in this "area". My feet hurt too so I go ahead & sit. But I'm starting to get annoyed because they want to stay in this "caved" in area. After a while, we see a CM looking piratey emerge from the area, I head over as a few other guests who have now arrived do. My guys follow. The CM is just checking the list and telling everyone the "reception" won't be starting for another 20 minutes or so.

The normal families walk off to find a window area to overlook the water. I hear excited & happy voices talking. My 2 ogres head back to the walled in area that reminds me of a cave with a couch to reclaim their space. The crickets start back up again.

DS: Mom, why do you plan all this stuff?

DH: Did you notice the age of the other kids?

DS: Really mom, I'm too old to do this.

DH: He's right, I don't see any other kids his age here.

Honestly, I don't recall exactly every word that was said, you get the jest of it but I do recall about this time I was just about ready to EXPLODE!

Explode I did

ME: I'M GOING TO GO TO THE RR, WHEN I GET BACK I EXPECT BOTH OF YOU TO STOP YOUR GRIPING AND BELLYACHING.

Then looking at DS: Your cousin who is 28 years old loved this cruise when they were here last month, said it was his most favorite thing they did so NO, YOU ARE NOT TOO OLD FOR THIS

Then looking at DH: I can't tell you what I said to DH

I mumble something about them both being ungrateful & not helping to make the plans in the first place & then I stomp off to the RR to have a pity party.

I go sit in a stall for a long time. OMG, I have turned into those insane manics that yell at their families on vacation

I cannot stand people like that

Then I become aware of other ladies coming into the RR with their happy children & I started thinking about how we were all behaving out there & it was all I could do to not start sobbing. I really thought I was going to lose it.

I finally get myself under control & figure I'll go back out there & not say anything & chalk it up to all of us being overheated today, me overplanning, them complaining too much IMO, take your pick, but if they really don't want to go, I decide to let them bow out & I'll just go it alone.

So I go back out.

Only when I look at both of them, I get a real hard lump in my throat & I'm thinking how I don't want to start crying out there so I just do like Dory from "Finding Nemo" and keep on swimming. I just walk past both of them & go stand by the escalators.

By now, more & more people are arriving. Everywhere I hear excited and happy voices. The lump in my throat is getting bigger & I'm experiencing all kinds of things I shouldn't be waiting to go on a fireworks cruise.

More happy voices. ANd then the piratey guy comes out & WELCOMES everyone to the Pirates & Pals cruise. I spy Captain Hook & Mr. Smee coming out in the background & start to feel happy, little kid happy.

Where I'm at, I could be right in the front of the line that will surely form to get a picture with them.

Oh, wait. Nobody's with me

But then, I see my 2 guys. They sheepishly look towards me. Slowly, they approach & we all end up about 20 families back waiting in line for the meet & greet. I swallow the lump & ask DS if he wants to get any of the goodies?

One of them, don't remember which, asks if I'm now talking to them

We're almost to the front, DS doesn't dare NOT go stand by Cap't Hook & Mr. Smee for the picture, DH volunteers to take a picture of DS & I with them, but I ask the CM if he'll take a picture of the 3 of us which he does. I was wearing hoop gold earrings which Captain Hook pretended to be quite interested in. The character interaction was great, I could've kissed them both because everyone got in a better mood after the photo shoot.

DS: Can we eat those snacks?

ME: Yep, the reception includes all you can shovel down yer throat, you scurvy dog

DS starts to enjoy himself. DH gives me one of those "I'm sorry" looks, squeezes me & I tell him to stop so I don't start to cry but we're okay & that I'm sorry if I was psychowife.

By the time we had plundered the snack treasures & stuffed every available pocket & purse with snacks & bottled water, the pirately looking CM host divides us up by those early given numbers into 2 groups. A Captain Hook group and a Mr. Snee group. We were put in the Mr. Snee group.


A lucky young man was chosen to carry the Mr. Snee's group flag

All of us marched after Mr. Snee & the flag bearing boy, down the escalator, through the resort, outside past the pool, down the dock and to our pirates boat.

Arrrgh, things were looking up!

CONT

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

CONT, Pirates & Pal Cruise
The Night Improves

So after our group, Mr. Snees group, marched out onto the dock, a pirate host & a captain told each family where to sit on the boat.

Everyone is assigned a seat. We were told row 8. Only row 8 really was the 4th row back because rows 1&2 are separated by the center isle, then you have row 3 behind 1 separated by row 4 behind 2 by an isle, and etc. So in row 8, we were on the right side of the boat behind row 6, but only 4 rows back. On the even steven side of the boat. I think there were about 20 rows which is 10 rows back. So we were in a good spot

So we set sail and our pirate host starts us off by talking to each family, row by row, introducing & announcing where you're from and cracking some jokes along the way. He really was a lively host. Had all the birthday people stand up, then all the anniversary people. I can't describe how amusing this pirate was, but he was a real delight. By now, the 3 of us were having so much fun we forgot all about the "cave" back at the contemporary resort.

Here is our pirate host

Notice the roof on the boat & the blue railings at the front of the boat which act as a sort of "gate" to enter or exit the boat. This becomes relevant to my story shortly.

Anyway, I really can't say enough good things about our pirate host. He was wonderful. As he was entertaining us & before we arrived for the main event, we were able to see the electric water pagent from our boat.

Lucky me, it was on my side of the boat

This dragon was lit up one section at a time. This photo doesn't do it justice, this parade is a delight. One of the longest running little parades at WDW, you can catch this from the shores of the GF, Poly, WL, FtW campground, CR & MK. It's really neat to see it from a boat though. At the end of the parade, all the sections take on a patriotic theme

After this viewing of the water pagent parade, our boat sets sail for what I call the interior of the 7 Seas lagoon, the part that the monorail circles. We are sailing past the CR & towards the MK. I'm getting super excited because the MK is now positioned on my right & I can see the castle perfectly

But then, the boat passes the MK

It starts to circle back

Wait, that puts me on the farthest side

But then, they start to turn the boat on an angle. Okay, this MIGHT work.

But boy I'd rather be on the left side of the boat now with an unobstucted view.

We had rented a pontoon back in 2005 when a group of 8 in my extended family had gone for the 4th of July. Only we rented it for the 3rd since we were assured the fireworks would be the same show as the 4th. At the time, because they had a double fireworks lighting, all the pontoons were off to the side of the MK, behind the CR so you saw them behind the castle, only your view was seeing them as if side by side. Oh they were beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't the same as seeing the fireworks with the castle in the foreground.

So I was particulary looking foward to seeing the fireworks with the castle in front changing all its colors as the fireworks were going off.

Only when they finished positioning the boat, my view of the castle, believe it or not, was actually obstructed by those horrible blue bars that served as a gate to board the boat. If I stood up (since nobody was behind me) I could then see the castle with no blockage, although doing that then the roof of the boat cut off anything that appeared to be higher than 10 feet above the castle.

If I sat down & leaned into DS, practically breathing down his neck, then I could see ALMOST all the fireworks going off panoramic view, but with no castle. BUt the tallest of the tallest fireworks were obstructed by the roof.

This was NOT supposed to happen!

Looking back, I SHOULD have got up & walked up front & plopped myself down with the pirate host & the captain. They were front & center, no roof over their head, sitting there enjoying a fabulous view

Everyone on the left side of the boat had an EXCELLENT view. I think there were 2 spots on the boat that could not sit & see the castle while viewing fireworks: myself and possibly the lady directly infront of me.

But her son was small & I think he ended up on his dad's lap & she slid over by him & seemed to be able to see fine.

I was heartbroken. After everything that had happened to get to this point and to then not being able to view it the way I had envisioned was a let down.

Then I looked at my 2 guys.

They were both mesmerized. I was even hearing some oohs & ahhs from them, even a "wow" from DS.

So I made lemonaide out of my lemons & decided to just enjoy what I could see. ALthough I couldn't see the high ones or the castle, the fireworks I could see were so pretty. You hear the sleeping beauty fairies "arguing" over pink & blue colors as they light up the skies. Overall it was pretty neat, although I think I prefer Wishes to the Summernights fantastic.

When the fireworks ended, the pirate host started asking trivia questions as we sailed back to the resort. Every kid on the boat won something & the disney questions were really fun to hear. DS won a deck of cards which is actually something that will be used at our house

When we docked, who should we see on shore but Peter Pan! He was available for a photo shoot with everyone. He confided in us that he didn't like pirates too much & asked us to remove those horrible pirate bandanas everyone had been wearing on the cruise Again, Peter's interaction with us was excellent & he was expecially great with some littlier guys that had pictures before us.

All in all, it was a really fun thing to do & I'd recommend it to anybody. Just watch sitting in that row 8

Oh, and don't plan it after a luau - LOL!

Up Next: Friday night ends with Extra Magic hours at the Magic Kingdom

 

[natebenma]

The pirate fireworks cruise looks like FUN! I'm glad your family finally rallied to enjoy it. It's too bad you didn't have the greatest seat.

I saw the EWP for the first time this year from the Poly Beach. It is really cute!

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

The pirate fireworks cruise looks like FUN! I'm glad your family finally rallied to enjoy it. It's too bad you didn't have the greatest seat.

I saw the EWP for the first time this year from the Poly Beach. It is really cute!

The pirates & pals cruise really is a fun thing to do - even tho none of us knew how to behave beforehand

Our pirate host was the best, he was just so silly Even my teen ended up getting a kick out of it when all was said & done.

I keep going back & looking at the pictures you posted for me of the Dole Whips - yum!

 

[natebenma]

I keep going back & looking at the pictures you posted for me of the Dole Whips - yum!

Glad you are enjoying the photos of the Dole Whips!

I have SO much food porn on my computer! At first, my family and friends all rolled their eyes as I snapped photos of my meals. Now they play along. One of my friends came back from a trip and said "Dee, you will be so proud! Look at this picture of Paul's pastrami sandwich!"

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

I have SO much food porn on my computer!

And you take such great pictures as I've been reading along on your TR - even your water pic's come out good

BTW, When I get to the part about TOnga Toast....well, I hope you'll stick with me & keep reading because I also didn't get a photo of the Tonga Toast & I'm really hoping you can help me out again?

 

[natebenma]

BTW, When I get to the part about TOnga Toast....well, I hope you'll stick with me & keep reading because I also didn't get a photo of the Tonga Toast & I'm really hoping you can help me out again?

Just say the word! I have Tonga Toast pics from 2009 and 2010. Plus the Macamazingdamia Pineapple Pancakes AND the Big Kahuna Too. LOVE breakfast at Kona!