*The Laughing Place is Where I'm Bound! SEPT 2016 PTR* Final Update 9/10- New TR Link!!!!

[Mollydolly334]

Hey girl! YAY we'll be in Disney at the same time! I love that you're staying at the Grand.. SO magical!

Hi, girly! Glad to have you I'm so excited to stay at the Grand, I frequently dream about it

We were on the lagoon side and it was loud when we had our balcony door open in the afternoon, we could hear the music from the beach pool, but we didn't really mind. I liked jamming to some old school I actually have super sensitive hearing, and with the door closed, we couldn't hear anything! If want to relax on a quiet balcony in the afternoon then maybe request a different building, but it honestly didn't bother me at all

Great to know! Music from the pool doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I like stepping out onto my balcony and feeling like I'm in the middle of the action! I'm like you with the sensitive hearing and I am a light sleeper, but Disney bedtime is much later than normal bedtime!!

Cute! I love your park outfits. I'd like to dress a bit nicer this year, I usually just grab some comfy shorts. Maybe I'll buy some more dresses

Thank you! Dresses are my fave because they look like you put a lot of effort into your outfit, but are super comfy as well

Haha, story of my life I never use ANY of it either

Me either Except for the wipes, those were needed after a Mickey Bar fell apart in my hands

This has been and gone, so - CONGRATULATIONS!!

Thanks, girl! It still feels so surreal!

Love this idea Emperor's New Groove and Hunchback are two of my favourites, I need to watch them again.

I love Emperor's New Groove. My favorite part is when the little squirrel pops the balloon . I haven't seen Hunchback in YEARS, so I'm looking forward to watching it again!!

Since multiquote's being weird, I'll answer the rest of your comments here!

That's so funny (yet frustrating) about your Mac also needing a hard drive replacement too! It's almost made me want to convert to PC . Glad we have similar stances on the deliciousness of chicken nuggets And, not gonna lie, I got both of those snack ideas from your TRs I'm such a fangirl it's ridiculous!! Thanks for following along, a new update should be up in the next week or so!

Don't feel too much pressure about Sci Fi! My family has eaten there (although it was 10 years ago), but had overlooked it when making our plans, so it was good to hear a positive review and be reminded of it.

I had no idea some of those snacks even existed! As a coffee addict, I will definitely be adding the french vanilla iced coffee float to my must- have list. I've seen the macaron iced cream sandwiches before and can't wait to try one! Also, I believe Boma often has zebra domes as a dessert option with their dinner buffet (we are there for dinner), so I'm hoping to snag one then.

I hadn't thought about doing a PTR- to be honest I didn't know they existed until last week, haha. Maybe I'll start one, but I'm not sure I trust myself to keep up with posting things. We'll see!

Haha, phew!! I'm glad I could remind of you the greatness that is Sci-Fi

Haha, not gonna lie, I've spent wayyyy too much time looking at menus on the Disney website! I think I have a problem

You definitely should! I'd look forward to reading it

 

[Mollydolly334]

Real Life Update!!

Don't worry Disfriends, I haven't abandoned you! It has felt so weird to be disconnected for about 2 weeks, but it was nice keeping the electronics off for a while

These past 2 weeks, I've been on two different trips: one to visit my boyfriend for 4 nights, and one to San Antonio for 5 nights! As I am typing this, I'm sitting in the San Antonio airport waiting to board my flight. In addition, my mom, Grandma, and I will be driving to Chicago tomorrow to visit my sister. It has been a crazy and fun whirlwind of traveling these past few weeks, but I'm also looking forward to settling down and starting my new job.

I will be doing a mini TR of my San Antonio trip in my next post, which I hope to have up by Tuesday or Wednesday! Then, I will be completing my trio of Food Fantasies, rounding it out with the Alcoholic Beverage Edition!!

Talk to you soon, everyone! ​

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Looking forward to the San Antonio post. I was there for a weekend about 14 years ago. I'm interested to see what I remember, and how much has changed!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Looking forward to the San Antonio post. I was there for a weekend about 14 years ago. I'm interested to see what I remember, and how much has changed!

Yay! It was a really fun trip. It was blazing hot (the dewpoint was 78 degrees) but there is so much to do there. I felt like I was in Mexico!

 

[iheartbelle87]

Sounds like you have a great trip planned! I'm very envious of the Grand Floridian! We'll just be missing you as we arrive on 9/5/16!

 

[missangelalexis]

Glad you are enjoying your time away!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Sounds like you have a great trip planned! I'm very envious of the Grand Floridian! We'll just be missing you as we arrive on 9/5/16!

Thank you, I'm very excited!! And we are at WDW from 9/3 until 9/9, so we'll actually be there at the same time!

Glad you are enjoying your time away!

Thanks! It was a much-needed break!!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Mini TR- San Antonio, Texas: May 24-29th!!

Hey guys! I just spent the last week in San Antonio, so I thought I'd share some of the highlights with you all! It was such a fun trip. My mom is a Pediatric Dentist, and she has a work conference every year over Memorial Day weekend. This year, it happened to be in San Antonio. Now, I originally didn't think of San Antonio as a very "touristy" place, but it turned out to be such a cool city with so much to do! I had only been there once before when I was 12 (for the same conference), but I barely remembered anything except the Alamo and the mall (of course ).

Day One- Arrival!

I woke up at about 9 AM and finished up my packing before our trip. Our flight didn't leave until 4:50 PM, so I had some time to run a few errands before driving to the airport! I went to my friend Gabi's house to visit her nieces, then ran over to the mall to get a book for the trip. I'm an avid reader and I love taking books on vacations, so I was researching books to bring and I found the perfect one! I picked out Unsweetined by Jodi Sweetin (a.k.a- Stephanie Tanner from "Full House")!

I'm almost done with it (it's a pretty light read-about 250 pages), and it's a very shocking book. As some of you may know, Jodi Sweetin suffered from addiction to drugs and alcohol after her time on Full House. I won't give the whole story away, but I was flabbergasted by how deep in trouble she was (and I am a psych major!). On a lighter note, it was also neat to read about the inside stories from "Full House," and how she has been managing her addiction.

After buying my book, I quickly showered and got ready. At about 2:15 PM, my mom got me and we swung by my dad's work to pick him up. Then, it was off to the airport! We first had a flight to Houston, which left at 4:50 PM. I kept myself occupied by watching Dance Moms on my phone (I know, trash TV, but I LOVE this show!). We landed in Houston at 8:00 PM, and since our flight to San Antonio didn't leave until 10:45, we decided to grab some dinner. I already knew what I was going to have for dinner even before we left:

Come on, it's a Texas right of passage! And it was pretty yummy too! I had the Whataburger with jalapeños and
cheddar cheese, with fries and a chocolate milk. After looking in some stores and wandering around the airport, it was finally time to board. This flight was nice and short; only about 50 minutes.

Finally at about midnight, we were landing in San Antonio! We took a taxi to our hotel, the Marriott Rivercenter. It was a very nice hotel, and it was connected to a mall, so that instantly won me over The lobby was really pretty and all lit up, so I snapped some pics:

By this time, it was 12:45, so we were exhausted and went straight to sleep as soon as we got settled in our room!

Day 2: Museums and Exploring!

Since my mom was in meetings almost all trip, my dad and I were travel buddies this week. We slept in until 10:30 AM, then decided to walk around the river walk and explore. For those who don't know, San Antonio is famous for it's long river walk filled with shops and restaurants.

We took a peek inside Rivercenter Mall and then decided to have an appetizer at an Irish pub on the river walk. After our delicious chips and cheese dip, we headed to Schilo's Deli to have some lunch.

My dad is a total foodie and was researching restaurants about a month in advance. He is a sucker for delis and Schilo's didn't disappoint! I had a Cobb Salad and he had Split Pea Soup. We washed our food down with their homemade Root Beer!

After our big lunch, we explored some more and happened upon Louis Tussaud's wax museum! We decided to buy the combo ticket, which got us into both the wax museum and the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum. Overall, the museums were a bit cheesy but a fun way to pass the time! The wax museum was actually pretty creepy, I kept thinking that the figures were going to come alive!

Had to get a picture of my favorite, of course

The Ripley's museum was ok, but we were done with it in about a half hour. One of my favorite displays was this Rhinoceros statue made entirely of old toys!

Once we got done, we headed back to the hotel and had some pool time. It was a bit cloudy, but still 90 degrees. I enjoyed a pina colada and read some of my book!

Then, we went back to the room to meet my mom and get ready for dinner. Before dinner, we looked around at a few stores, including one really cool store called Del Sol. All of the items in Del Sol changed color when exposed to UV light. So for example, they had shirts that were originally black and white, but turned all different colors once you went out in the sun! There was a Tinkerbell tank top in there that was simply adorable. I'm still kicking myself for not buying it. For dinner, we ate at County Line BBQ on the river walk. My mom and I shared Ribs, beans, and french fries. It was perfect for our first night in Texas! After dinner, we had a drink in the hotel lobby and went up to bed at 11:30 PM.

Day 3: El Mercado Marketplace!

This day was my mom's only full day off. She had a short meeting from 11 AM until 12:30, but then she was free all day! We woke up at 10 AM this morning and got some Starbucks from the lobby for breakfast (I got a wonderful s'mores frappe). Then, we went back to the room and watched the Scripp's Spelling Bee. You guys, I got so ADDICTED to this! The kids were simply adorable and so polite, I always felt so bad when one misspelled a word! While my mom was at her meeting, my dad and I snuck off to the mall to buy my mom a present.

This year, my mom won a special award and was accepting it at this conference. The award was for "Excellence in Education," since she trains dental residents at her clinic. This award was a huuuuge honor for her, so we wanted to do something special to congratulate her. We decided on a tanzanite pendant from Zale's. We gave this to her at dinner this night and she absolutely loved it!!

After we met back up with Mom, we took a cab to El Mercado! El Mercado was a really cool marketplace in downtown San Antonio. It felt like you had been teleported to Mexico! All of the items for sale were really festive and the store owners even tried to barter with you! We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant and bought a few things for my sister and family friends. While we were at the market, we tried this amazing Sangria slushy from a wine store.

We got to keep the cute glass and my mom and I each got it refilled later in the day. My mom exclaimed, "If this stand was in our hotel, we'd be in trouble!"

After visiting El Mercado, we showered and got ready for our dinner reservation at Boudro's. Boudro's was a steakhouse with a Tex-Mex flare. We lucked out a got a seat right on the river! Our view was beautiful:

For dinner, I had pork tenderloin with onion rings and chorizo sweet potatoes. I'm pretty sure I licked my plate clean. It was such an interesting combination of flavors and even impressed picky ole me! After my dad gave my mom her gift, a special dessert that he had pre-ordered came out. My dad, ever the charmer

After our delicious dinner, we headed back to the hotel for a nightcap in the lobby and headed to bed around midnight!

Day 4: Mom's Speech and a Lazy Day!

This day, we woke up early at about 6:30 AM. My mom was accepting her award this morning and the presentation started at 7:30. Now, she is usually an amazing public speaker and cool as a cucumber up on stage. She can talk to multiple thousands of people about dentistry for hours! But, of course, she was a nervous wreck about delivering a 2-minute speech to 1,000 fellow pediatric dentists. She changed outfits about 5 times and was pacing around the room like crazy.

Finally, she finished getting ready and we headed over to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Since my mom was an award recipient, my dad and I got VIP seating! There were two people that spoke before her, then Mom did her acceptance speech. Her speech was perfect. She even received a standing ovation after she left the podium! For the rest of the trip, multiple people approached her to say that she touched their hearts, or that her speech made them cry! She felt so tickled by that.

After the award recipient speeches, there was a keynote speaker named Erik Wahl. He was exquisite! He is a graffiti artist and best selling author, and he painted three amazing paintings for us using only his hands. The paintings were each done in 4 minutes and were of Bono, the Statue of Liberty, and Albert Einstein. As a surprise, he gave the painting of Bono to a lucky audience member for free!

He painted this in 4 minutes!!!!!!

He also talked about how in the business world, you need to keep your creativity and think outside the box. My mom used her "in" to let my dad and I meet him backstage, and was one of the nicest, most humble guys I've ever met.

After the exciting morning, my dad and I headed out to the river walk for some lunch. We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe (my choice!). I had the twisted mac and cheese with Sriracha

Since we were both beat from the early wake-up call, my dad and I went back to the room and took a 2 hour nap! It was definitely needed. Then, we met up with my mom and spent some time by the pool.

For dinner tonight, we ate at a fancy restaurant called Bohanans. This place was so elegant! It reminded me a lot of the Hollywood Brown Derby. For an appetizer, we had toasties with candied jalapeños. Oh my word, I could have eaten the whole jar. As you may know, I LOVE spicy food. The candied jalapeños were like pickles, but way better!! My dad had to physically pry them out of my hands

Ever the adventurous, I ordered french onion soup and a caesar salad for dinner. After dinner, we went into Ghiradelli's for dessert.

YOU GUYS. I was so proud! I managed to cross off a Disney Food Fantasy in San Antonio!! I seriously don't know how I pulled that one off I ordered (of course) the Mint Bliss Sundae:

And it demolished me. It was sooooo creamy and rich. I actually felt physically sick about 1/3 of the way through it. So, a lot of it actually just turned into soup and was thrown away But the 1/3rd that I ate was pretty darn tasty! After our huge sundaes, we crashed into bed at 12:30 PM.

Day 5: Pearl District and Shopping!

Wah, our last full day! We woke up at 10 AM and headed right out the explore the Pearl District of San Antonio, since my mom had the morning off. The Pearl District is a bit outside of Downtown and felt less "touristy." It was adorable! There was a huge flea market going on with food trucks from local businesses and even some clothes/jewelry from it's boutiques. We looked around a little bit before eating lunch at a Mexican restaurant called La Gloria's. Here, we ate queso dip with tortillas.

After our lunch, we went over to look inside the Emma Hotel. The Emma Hotel is a unique, rustic hotel in the Pearl District. It was super cool and had a definite southwestern flair. Since I'm a Disney resort lover, themed hotels are my jam!

We took a cab back to the hotel and decided to all split up. My mom had to go back to her meeting, my dad wanted to see the Alamo, and I wanted to go shopping at the mall. So, I headed to the Rivercenter Mall for some retail therapy! I grabbed a Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher to keep me hydrated!

Overall, the trip was pretty successful. I bought a really cute crop top from H & M! I wanted to find something to wear with my black maxi skirt to dinner and this fit the bill!

It kind of reminds me of something that Kelly from "Saved by the Bell" would wear, no?

After my shopping trip, I read my book in the hotel room until it was time to get ready. At 5 PM, we went down to the hotel lobby for drinks and appetizers with my mom's colleagues. It was fun talking with my mom's residents! Since they're all in their mid-20's, I get along with them really well and we had some fun conversations.

After our cocktail hour, we went out for dinner with my Mom's colleague from Atlanta and his son. We ate at Landry's and I ordered some gumbo and a baked potato. I also had a really yummy drink called an Austin Mule, which is pretty much a Moscow Mule but with grapefruit vodka and bitters

After our dinner, we had a drink in the lobby bar and called it a night! We had an early flight out the next morning!

Day 6: Departure!

We woke up at 7 AM to booming thunder and lightening! We finished packing up and left for the airport. For breakfast, we had Starbucks and just hung out until our flight to Chicago at 9:50 AM.

The flight to Chicago was smooth, and then we had a 2 hour layover until our flight to Milwaukee. However, we ended up getting a sprinkle of pixie dust! United Airlines had overbooked the flight we were on, and offered $400 in airline dollars to EACH person who would be willing to take a later flight out. Well, we were on that in a second! We only had to wait 2 more hours for our later flight at 5:20 PM, plus we left $1200 richer! My parents are going to Hawaii in February, and those points will probably pay for almost all of their airfare!

After hanging around the airport for a bit longer, we finally got on a plane! After a long, harrowing, 15-minute flight, we landed back in Milwaukee at 5:50 PM.

What a fun trip! This vacation was really a pleasant surprise, because my dad and I were just expecting another boring business trip, but it turned out to be loads of fun!!

Stay tuned for Food Fantasies- Part 3! This week is also the first week of my Disney Movie Challenge, so I'm anxious to report back by Sunday!!
​

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Nice reading about your San Antonio trip. I remember walking a lot along the riverwalk and it was really nice. I do remember The Alamo, but not much else about the city. Being Canadian from the east coast, it's not exactly in my neighbourhood, but it would be nice to go back someday.

 

[missangelalexis]

Sounds like such a fun trip!! You guys ate at so many yummy places and that sangria slushy looks amazing! I'm sure it was nice to have some quality time with your dad too

 

[DisneyJo]

It sounds as though you had a wonderful time and congrats to your Mom on her award

 

[Mollydolly334]

Nice reading about your San Antonio trip. I remember walking a lot along the riverwalk and it was really nice. I do remember The Alamo, but not much else about the city. Being Canadian from the east coast, it's not exactly in my neighbourhood, but it would be nice to go back someday.

It's a nice city! Not the first place I'd think of to vacation, but it's very quirky and charming!

Sounds like such a fun trip!! You guys ate at so many yummy places and that sangria slushy looks amazing! I'm sure it was nice to have some quality time with your dad too

Oh girl, that slushy WAS amazing! It was a great trip, and I hadn't seen my dad in a while so it was really nice to spend some time with him

It sounds as though you had a wonderful time and congrats to your Mom on her award

It was a great time! And thank you, my dad and I are really proud of her

 

[Mollydolly334]

Food Fantasies Part 3- Alcoholic Beverages Edition!

I don't know if I should be thrilled or disturbed that there is a website called "Drunk Disney"

Hello, friends! Welcome to my third and final establishment of Food Fantasies!

I am not a huge drinker (Like, at all. Going out to loud parties is actually one of my least favorite things to do). However, Disney drinks are a whole other league! See, the reason I don't enjoy alcohol as much as others my age is because I am not very good at making my own drinks. I can be very picky about food/beverages and what is normal for most people can too strong for me. I always get the proportions wrong and end up with a gag-inducing mixer. But, if someone experienced makes them for me, I definitely like to enjoy a drink or two! And since Disney is good at everything, I think I will be safe in their capable hands

So, these are the drinks that I would love to try at Disney!

Tropical Cotton-tini from T-REX

"With Parrot Bay Coconut Rum and tropical juices."

Yum! I looove cotton candy, so this is a perfect drink for me. Plus, you get to keep the super cute shaker! We are eating here for dinner on our first night, so I'll be sure to order it then. The candy apple flavor also sounded great as well!

Key Lime Cooler from Beaches Pool Bar and Grill

"Skyy Citrus Vodka and key lime juice blended with vanilla ice cream."

My mom and I have vowed to have a whole day dedicated to swimming and just enjoying the GF. This sounds incredibly refreshing. I can just picture myself sipping on this while laying by the pool . If I'm in the mood for something more hydrating, I'll go with:

Black Cherry Lemonade from Beaches Pool Bar and Grill

"Grey Goose Cherry Noir Vodka, Odwalla Lemonade, fresh lime juice and grenadine topped Sprite."

I really have gotten to love cherries lately; I have some in my lunch almost every day! I am also a big fan of anything sour, so this would be a hit.

Krakatoa Punch from Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

"Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Pyrat XO Reserve Rum, Orgeat (Almond), Sam's Gorilla Grog, hibiscus grenadine served in a souvenir tiki mug."

Before our O'hana dinner, my mom and I are definitely going to hit up Trader Sam's. I love the glass it comes in, plus rum punch is usually a winner for me . If Mom and I are feeling particularly adventurous, we might share a:

Uh-Oa! from Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

"Myer's Dark Original Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple, and Grapefruit juices, Falernum, Cinnamon, and Fresh Lime Juice. Recommended for two or more guests. Served in a souvenir tiki bowl."

This drink reminds of a "fish bowl!" It looks amazing and perfect for some vacation fun! Plus, I bet that my super-practical mom could find 3424830948 different uses for that souvenir bowl.

Salted Caramel Manhattan from Mizner's Lounge

"Palm Ridge Whiskey, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Salted Caramel Syrup, Bitters, and Pineapple Juice."

This sounds heavenly! My mom and I love to sit down at the end of a long day and talk for a while, so I'm guessing that we'll frequent Mizner's Lounge because of it's amazing ambiance. And, maybe one night, this will serve as a nightcap (or dessert, or whatever it needs to be ).

Strawberry Fields Mimosa from Raglan Road

"Ciroc Vodka, Apreol, lemon juice and house-made strawberry puree topped off with prosecco."

Our last dinner in WDW should go out with a bang, right? Mimosas are a family favorite, although a strawberry mimosa sounds infinitely better than a regular orange kind! If I'm not in the mood for an overly sweet drink, I'll order this to go with my meal:

Well's Banana Bread Ale from Raglan Road

Like I said up above, I am Miss Picky! This also applies to beers. Pretty much the only beer I will drink is a Corona with a lime. But, I just recently tried this banana bread beer and fell in love! Guys, it really tastes like banana bread! It's almost creepy, like you are drinking blended banana bread. It's very refreshing though and the banana gives a much sweeter taste to beer than it normally has.


I hope to try most of these at some point on my trip (hopefully not all in the same day )! What is your favorite Disney adult beverage?? Let me know in the comments down below, I'd love to hear your top picks! I should be back in a few days to recap the first movie on my Disney film countdown. This week, it's "The Emperor's New Groove!"

See you real soon!
​

 

[missangelalexis]

Mmm all those drinks sound yummy! Especially the black cherry lemonade and the mimosa! I'm not usually a drinker at Disney, but I do love the Grand Marnier slushie in France at Epcot!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Mmm all those drinks sound yummy! Especially the black cherry lemonade and the mimosa! I'm not usually a drinker at Disney, but I do love the Grand Marnier slushie in France at Epcot!

Ooh, that slushy sounds great, I'll have to look out for it! Also I see that you have a new ticker, yayyy! If you do a PTR I will happily follow along!!

 

[Upup4fun]

Resort Thoughts and Changes

We were originally planning on staying at the Poly this trip, because it was one of the cheapest Magical Deals and we know that we love this resort. All of our choices for these dates were: Beach/Yacht Clubs, Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian.

Well, we knew that we didn't want to stay at the Beach/Yacht Clubs, since we had just stayed there the past few trips. Contemporary was ruled out since the theming doesn't appeal to us. So, it was between Polynesian and Grand Floridian, and the Poly won because of it's more relaxed theme and cheaper price.

I should have been thrilled, right?! My favorite resort for 6 nights on a mother-daughter trip!! But, I kept re-thinking our resort choice. First of all, if Leah and I went to Disney in 2017, we would definitely stay at the Poly because it is perfect for "first timers." So, would I really want to stay at the same resort two trips in a row?? Second, the GF kept pulling at my heartstrings. I couldn't help but think of how we felt when we first walked into the lobby on our last trip. Plus, the GF just screams "girls trip" and the elegant theming is to die for! Third, since the pricing for GF is so ridiculous, I felt as though we should spring for this deal because we may never get the chance to stay here again!

I brought these points out to my mom, and turns out she was secretly thinking the same thing!! So finally, on March 30th 2016, we booked our 2nd Mother-Daughter trip!! September 3-9th at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, with 6 day park hoppers!



This is where I put my Disfriends to work!! To those who have stayed at the GF before, which is the best Outer Building to request? After looking at the maps, Big Pine Key is what I am considering right now, because we would love being close to the pool and main building! However, reviews have stated that Big Pine Key tends to be noisy. Has this been true for you? Boca Chica is also a contender! We are not sure about Sago Cay/Conch Key because of their locations; we like being in the middle of the action!

So, please let us know your opinions on the best Outer Building for a garden view room!! Any advice is appreciated!​

We stayed garden view in Boca Chica and really loved it! Wonderful balcony and vaulted ceilings in the room on the 5th floor! Also we were right by the pool. Honestly everything is centrally located at GF! Its wonderful. Book reservations at GF cafe for vanilla french toast!

 

[Upup4fun]

Resort Thoughts and Changes

We were originally planning on staying at the Poly this trip, because it was one of the cheapest Magical Deals and we know that we love this resort. All of our choices for these dates were: Beach/Yacht Clubs, Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian.

Well, we knew that we didn't want to stay at the Beach/Yacht Clubs, since we had just stayed there the past few trips. Contemporary was ruled out since the theming doesn't appeal to us. So, it was between Polynesian and Grand Floridian, and the Poly won because of it's more relaxed theme and cheaper price.

I should have been thrilled, right?! My favorite resort for 6 nights on a mother-daughter trip!! But, I kept re-thinking our resort choice. First of all, if Leah and I went to Disney in 2017, we would definitely stay at the Poly because it is perfect for "first timers." So, would I really want to stay at the same resort two trips in a row?? Second, the GF kept pulling at my heartstrings. I couldn't help but think of how we felt when we first walked into the lobby on our last trip. Plus, the GF just screams "girls trip" and the elegant theming is to die for! Third, since the pricing for GF is so ridiculous, I felt as though we should spring for this deal because we may never get the chance to stay here again!

I brought these points out to my mom, and turns out she was secretly thinking the same thing!! So finally, on March 30th 2016, we booked our 2nd Mother-Daughter trip!! September 3-9th at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, with 6 day park hoppers!



This is where I put my Disfriends to work!! To those who have stayed at the GF before, which is the best Outer Building to request? After looking at the maps, Big Pine Key is what I am considering right now, because we would love being close to the pool and main building! However, reviews have stated that Big Pine Key tends to be noisy. Has this been true for you? Boca Chica is also a contender! We are not sure about Sago Cay/Conch Key because of their locations; we like being in the middle of the action!

So, please let us know your opinions on the best Outer Building for a garden view room!! Any advice is appreciated!​

We stayed in Boca Chica and loved the balcony and vaulted ceilings on the 5th floor. Honestly, everything at the GF is beautiful and centrally located. Not at all spread out! For fun, try the french vanilla french toast at GF cafe. Sooo yummy! Make an ADR.

 

[Upup4fun]

We stayed in Boca Chica and loved the balcony and vaulted ceilings on the 5th floor. Honestly, everything at the GF is beautiful and centrally located. Not at all spread out! For fun, try the french vanilla french toast at GF cafe. Sooo yummy! Make an ADR.

Sorry to post twice! New to Dis!

 

[GAN]

Food Fantasies Part 3- Alcoholic Beverages Edition!

I don't know if I should be thrilled or disturbed that there is a website called "Drunk Disney"

Hello, friends! Welcome to my third and final establishment of Food Fantasies!

I am not a huge drinker (Like, at all. Going out to loud parties is actually one of my least favorite things to do). However, Disney drinks are a whole other league! See, the reason I don't enjoy alcohol as much as others my age is because I am not very good at making my own drinks. I can be very picky about food/beverages and what is normal for most people can too strong for me. I always get the proportions wrong and end up with a gag-inducing mixer. But, if someone experienced makes them for me, I definitely like to enjoy a drink or two! And since Disney is good at everything, I think I will be safe in their capable hands

So, these are the drinks that I would love to try at Disney!

Tropical Cotton-tini from T-REX

"With Parrot Bay Coconut Rum and tropical juices."

Yum! I looove cotton candy, so this is a perfect drink for me. Plus, you get to keep the super cute shaker! We are eating here for dinner on our first night, so I'll be sure to order it then. The candy apple flavor also sounded great as well!

Key Lime Cooler from Beaches Pool Bar and Grill

"Skyy Citrus Vodka and key lime juice blended with vanilla ice cream."

My mom and I have vowed to have a whole day dedicated to swimming and just enjoying the GF. This sounds incredibly refreshing. I can just picture myself sipping on this while laying by the pool . If I'm in the mood for something more hydrating, I'll go with:

Black Cherry Lemonade from Beaches Pool Bar and Grill

"Grey Goose Cherry Noir Vodka, Odwalla Lemonade, fresh lime juice and grenadine topped Sprite."

I really have gotten to love cherries lately; I have some in my lunch almost every day! I am also a big fan of anything sour, so this would be a hit.

Krakatoa Punch from Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

"Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Pyrat XO Reserve Rum, Orgeat (Almond), Sam's Gorilla Grog, hibiscus grenadine served in a souvenir tiki mug."

Before our O'hana dinner, my mom and I are definitely going to hit up Trader Sam's. I love the glass it comes in, plus rum punch is usually a winner for me . If Mom and I are feeling particularly adventurous, we might share a:

Uh-Oa! from Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

"Myer's Dark Original Rum, Bacardi Superior Rum, Orange, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple, and Grapefruit juices, Falernum, Cinnamon, and Fresh Lime Juice. Recommended for two or more guests. Served in a souvenir tiki bowl."

This drink reminds of a "fish bowl!" It looks amazing and perfect for some vacation fun! Plus, I bet that my super-practical mom could find 3424830948 different uses for that souvenir bowl.

Salted Caramel Manhattan from Mizner's Lounge

"Palm Ridge Whiskey, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Salted Caramel Syrup, Bitters, and Pineapple Juice."

This sounds heavenly! My mom and I love to sit down at the end of a long day and talk for a while, so I'm guessing that we'll frequent Mizner's Lounge because of it's amazing ambiance. And, maybe one night, this will serve as a nightcap (or dessert, or whatever it needs to be ).

Strawberry Fields Mimosa from Raglan Road

"Ciroc Vodka, Apreol, lemon juice and house-made strawberry puree topped off with prosecco."

Our last dinner in WDW should go out with a bang, right? Mimosas are a family favorite, although a strawberry mimosa sounds infinitely better than a regular orange kind! If I'm not in the mood for an overly sweet drink, I'll order this to go with my meal:

Well's Banana Bread Ale from Raglan Road

Like I said up above, I am Miss Picky! This also applies to beers. Pretty much the only beer I will drink is a Corona with a lime. But, I just recently tried this banana bread beer and fell in love! Guys, it really tastes like banana bread! It's almost creepy, like you are drinking blended banana bread. It's very refreshing though and the banana gives a much sweeter taste to beer than it normally has.


I hope to try most of these at some point on my trip (hopefully not all in the same day )! What is your favorite Disney adult beverage?? Let me know in the comments down below, I'd love to hear your top picks! I should be back in a few days to recap the first movie on my Disney film countdown. This week, it's "The Emperor's New Groove!"

See you real soon!
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I'll drink to that!!! I'm joining in......

 

[Mollydolly334]

We stayed garden view in Boca Chica and really loved it! Wonderful balcony and vaulted ceilings in the room on the 5th floor! Also we were right by the pool. Honestly everything is centrally located at GF! Its wonderful. Book reservations at GF cafe for vanilla french toast!

Good to know!! Thanks for the suggestions I was actually debating on doing The GF Cafe for breakfast on our rest day! Not sure if I should make an ADR if we would cancel, was it busy when you were there? We may try to do a walk up!!

Sorry to post twice! New to Dis!

No problem! and glad to have you along!!

I'll drink to that!!! I'm joining in......

Thanks for following along!! Cheers!