ZZUB said:
KPK:
Loved the flash back to the '70s. I enjoyed it more than I actually enjoyed the '70s. Will you indulge me for a minute? Something I've been chewing on for a while and you mentioned it in a left handed way (Hi Horse W. Girl). When we were kids, we always stayed off property. There was one time we stayed at the Polynesian, but every other trip was at the Days Inn/Days Lodge. I don't ever recall feeling like we weren't "in the magic" whatever that means, nor do I ever recall feeling like we were missing something when we ate dinner some place
other than at one of Disney's overpriced eateries. Now it may have been my age, but I thought those perish-the-thought off property trips were really great.
And yet, the very idea of staying off property now sends me into near convulsions. I won't
even consider staying off property. In fact, I generally don't even read off property Trip Reports. Reckon why that is? Why did we grow up staying at Days Inn/Days Lodge and it was great but as adults we
insist on staying "in the magic," whatever that means?
Did we buy into the marketing machine?
Now then. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed 1900 PF (technically, you were at Cinderella's Gala Feast, but there's only so much RAM in our brains for all of the Disney nomenclature, right?). We ate there a few years ago and were nonplused. But based in part on the Clampitt's report, we're headed back there again on our next trip. Of course, they regularly eat pig's feet and other unmentionable meat-type food products, so maybe La2's recommendation should be taken with a hearty bit of salt (and Immodium AD). However, you seem normal and you really enjoyed the food. That's encouraging. 'preace the good word.
Looking forward to more, but I'm getting sad your trip is nearing the end.
Very interesting question, ZZUB. Here's my longwinded, rambling thought on the subject (scroll down if just want the "nutshell" version.)
Back then, when there was ONLY the Magic Kingdom, and ONLY FW, Contempo, and Poly, it was much easier to "day trip" it to the MK. I know on our trips, we went to Sea World, and sometimes Cypress Gah-dens. As my nana would say. (Ever see the Super Friends in a waterskiing pyramid? Can't find it at WDW, my friend.) I don't think we went to MK several days in a row, or anything. It was a day there, a day at the pool, a day at Sea World, a day at the pool, yada.
And, I think there's a huge dose of "you don't know what you're missing." For us kids, who had never been out of New England, the road trip alone was a blast. (My brother, 3 at the time, commenting at EVERY 18-wheeler all the way down I-95, "There goes a bee-bee twuck." (bee-bee = big big) ) And gosh, back then we could just stretch out in the way-back of the station wagon and nap. That was the life.
Anyway, staying in a hotel was huge. Any hotel. Was magic. And a pool!!??! Are you kidding??!!! We didn't even want to go to Disney World (Magic Kingdom, really, but what the heck did we know?) all that much. Same thing with eating out. Going to the local Bonanza (and hearing my 3 yr old brother ask EVERY waitress " 'scuse me, canIgetasalad?" because he heard my mom say it once.) was a thrill, because we just never got to eat out, ever. Except on vacation.
Now, being on property is, to me, essential. There are FOUR parks to navigate, for the love of Pete! And because we do stay at hotels and eat meals out occasionally, the Disney-ness of the hotels and the restaurants is something special we can't get at home.
The abbreviated version of that whole diatribe is ...
Those were different times, my friend.
AND. Actually, the restaurant is called 1900 Pare Fare. Cinderella's Gala Feast is the name of the character meal which takes place there at dinner time. The breakfast meal is the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast.
So there.
And, how did you know I'm left-handed?