During our break Grumpy, Belle and Goofy all slept. I was in and out and Bashful just rested. It was much needed and I was glad. Our wake up call came and we all got up and freshened up. We changed as we would be out late and didn't know how cool we'd get. Plus last night at Chef Mickey the kids were freezing with the AC. We knew now to bring sweatshirts/long sleeves to dinner.
We caught the bus to MK and then needed to get on the monorail to the Poly. Problem was so did what seemed like 1,568 other people. We had to wait for another monorail as there just was not room for another sardine to pack in there. We waited. And waited. And waited. Finally it came and we plopped in and got a seat. Then over the speaker the announcement I did not want to hear. There was going to be a delay as they were getting another monorail out on the track. Ugh. Our ADR was for 5:30 and it was already like 5:20. Oh no. So we sat. And sat. Finally we took off. only to stop on the rail again for some sort of delay. I called 411 and got the number to the Poly, called and got patched through to the Ohana hostess stand where it just rang and rang and rang some more. I was getting upset. I knew this was a popular spot and the idea of being so late for our ADR that they cancel it was really bumming me out. Grumpy told me to relax, nothing we could do. He was right. All my worrying was not going to get this monorail moving any faster. We started moving again and when we finally reached the Poly it was like 5:40. We de-monorailed (is that a word?) and ran inside. Hold on kids, we have to get there fast!
We got in line to check in. The place was bustling. The man in front of us had no ADR and was told a 2 hour wait! I was just praying they would not turn us away as we were now 15 minutes late. Worrywort, all was fine. No problem checking in at all. We were handed our little pager thing and all was right in the World. Phew!
This called for a drink though and one of the adult persuasion. I went to the bar to get a Corona for Grumpy and the infamous Lapu Lapu for myself. As the bartender was getting my order our pager went off. We waited only like 5 minutes for our table, sweet!
Drinks in hand off we went.
Our table was right to the left of the grill area if you are standing in front of it. We were right along the pathway that the kids would later do their thing and march by. We sat down and breathed a sigh of relaxation. A Lapu Lapu will definately do that for you. Boy it was good, strong for me, but good. And how can you not love a drink served in a real pineapple?
Our server was Marne and from her first hello I knew she was from somewhere like Minnesota. She had that "Golden Girls" accent, you know Rose from that show. I believe if memory serves me correctly she was either from Minnesota or Wisconsin. She was very friendly and very sweet. She explained the menu to us and offered to bring Belle anything she wanted (she listed macaroni and cheese, hamburger, chicken tenders, peanut butter and jelly) as Belle was not feeling the Ohana menu as the rest of us were. Belle decided to get a plate of Mac and Cheese and perhaps try some of the other items.
The food came quickly and there was really so much! The wontons and dipping sauces were delish and we all liked those. Grumpy and I enjoyed the salad. I think I ate all the shrimp myself (I'm a sucker for shrimp) and the wings were tasty too. We were just loving life with this meal!
Bashful and Goofy went up to take part with the kids marching around. Belle hung back, again that feeling of being too old. Makes me sad that she is getting that way already. The man sort of MC-ing the kids was very fun and nice and the kids had fun.
However here is where a scary moment happened. At the table next to us was a couple with their son who appeared to be about 3. He also went to take part in the march. Well it was over and our kids come back and all the other kids go back and yet their son is gone. They get up and are running around looking for him, calling his name, telling CMs that he is missing. It just put a pit in my stomach. It was a few minutes, which when you are the parent feels like an eternity, and another guest came over and said he was in the bathroom. Someone found him there. Apparently during the march he must have had to go and so he went but didn't tell anyone. They came back to the table and were so relieved. How scary, I am so glad they found him safe and sound.
The skewers by this point were coming. So much food! We enjoyed it all but Grumpy felt bad about it being so much food. Then dessert came and oh my is that good. No, good is not strong enough a word. It was magnificent! The bread pudding and that banana sauce, a lethal combination. I could have literally licked the plate.
Marne was great and so the kids decided she was worthy of one of our candy canes. We picked up some Disney candy canes before the trip and decided to give them away when we ran into people that were super nice to us. Marne was the first candy cane we gave out. Bashful presented it to her I think, I was in the restroom with Belle at the time.
When it came time to settle up I handed her my room card. Last night at Chef Mickey if you recall the server was able to take all the credits off my card. Marne was unable to do this so I had to give her Grumpy's card too. She took the kids and my credit off my card and Grumpy's off his. Again with mulitple room situations I think it would be easier for everyone to have all credits on one card. Maybe they can do this but they didn't do it in our case and I would have liked it if they were all on one.
We left Ohana and peeked at some cute Gingerbread houses in the lobby area. Then we got on the next Monorail and headed over to MK. I had originally planned to see the 9pm Wishes and the 10pm Spectro but then rethought that. The late Spectro would get us home very late and my kids are not super late stayer-uppers. So we made the decision to do the early 8pm Spectro. We entered the park and headed right for Liberty Square. It was already almost 7:30 so there were many, many people lined up for the parade already. We lucked out and got a spot on the side of a sort of large raised planter area. I don't know how else to describe it. We sat on the wall and the kids played with the light up toys I had brought (got 3 on ebay for $5, score for me!) and the glow sticks I had brought. We shared some glow sticks with some other nearby kids as well. Goofy struck up conversation with the lady next to us. She conversed back and that is usually all he needs to keep talking, and talking, and talking to you. Give the kid an inch and he will take a mile. She was a fun loving good sport and engaged him in talk about his day. Thank you kind lady for talking to the boy who kept waving his light up toy in your face and talking about Splash Mountain!
The time passed quickly and Spectro began. The kids enjoyed it and it was neat to see. I can't say I loved it though or would feel the need to have to see it again if the kids didn't want to. I mean it was good and fun to see but I don't know, I guess I just didn't feel the magic of the Spectro Magic. Don't hate me.
It ended and we had to figure out what to do for Wishes. I had wanted to get over to the Tomorrowland Bridge but that seemed far and crowded. Think think think. I decided that heading towards the front of the castle was probably going to be way too crowded. I made the decision to go towards Dumbo. I had read that we could see them here but we would lose the view of them going off behind the castle. Oh well, it would have to do. We lucked out and found 3 empty stools right along a wall by Dumbo. The kids got seats and I went and got snacks for us at Scuttles Landing. Diet Coke for Grumpy, Frozen Coke for me and the kids wanted cookies but they were out so Cheetos for all. My kids love Cheetos and I don't buy them too often. I think that just builds the allure of the Cheeto. The crunch, the orange fingers, the fake cheesey taste. They were in Cheeto heaven. The fireworks started and it was a very odd place to watch them. We had to keep turning our head to look either over by the castle or behind us. Back and forth, back and forth, it was like watching a tennis match. So I think we lost part of the wonder of Wishes but we loved it, we really did. Just being there, being in the World and seeing amazing fireworks was so special.
Okay so Wishes ends and we still have FPs for Jungle Cruise in the pocket. Another executive decision needed to be made and my constituents were not happy. I bagged the Jungle Cruise. I just felt that it would be best for us to head home. Doing the cruise would just get us out of there so much later. And the bus from MK to Pop is not the shortest. So with my approval rating at an all time low we left. They would thank me though, not tonight, but tomorrow when they woke feeling refreshed and ready for another day. Actually they never would thank me but I know it was the right thing to do at the moment and I'm Mom and I know best, right?
So off to the bus and we head home. It was a really fun ending to a really fun day and we had a whole week to look forward to. We quickly got ready for bed and hopped in.
I do have pictures from this evening's adventure but I am on the laptop, they are on the desktop, so I will have to add them in later.
Next up: Sunday December 17, a great breakfast at 1900 Park Fair followed by MGM and another night time change o' plans!
Now he is not a Grump unless it is Disney related. In his normal life he is very laid back, very fun and most of our friends call him the funniest guy they know. He makes me laugh. A lot. Except when it comes to Disney. Then he morphs into the most Anti-Disney, Anti Mickey guy I know. It is sad. Really sad. He has only been once, that trip with me when I was pregnant. He never went as a child, that was his first time. First disappointment, the infamous Castle as a Cake. He recalled seeing the castle on tv as a kid and then we he finally saw it in real life and it was this pink, gaudy concoction, well that was a magic sucker for him. And he is thrifty. No economical. No lets just face it, he is cheap. The man is cheap and he feels like a trip to Disney is just like holding your wallet open to the wind and screaming Take it, take it all! He asked me to make him a T-shirt that says Disney
.where debt is made. I refuse.
