The Trip That Finally Made My Wife Haul Off And Slug Me In The Face (COMPLETED 10/2)

Chapter 14: The One With The World’s Most Expensive Bowl of Mac and Cheese


This trip really pushed us to our limits. Our previous record for driving had been over 3,600 miles on the tour of the Great Plains states, also known as the World’s Most Boring Drive In The World. But on this drive through the Deep South, we smashed that record to pieces by driving over 4,100 miles by the time we returned home. This is what happens when you drive from Delaware to Florida via Oklahoma.


We’d known from the beginning that it was going to be hard on us. Those five days doing the loop from Atlanta out west to Oklahoma and then back to Florida were grueling. And so, we’d planned our itinerary with an incentive at the end. We needed that light at the end of the tunnel in order to keep going. And that incentive was a little bit of Disney time.


It’s funny—when we’re talking with friends, they often seem to see us as “the Disney family”. Their impression is that we love Disney World and we go there all the time. And while yes, we do generally love Disney World, our kids have actually not set foot in the Florida theme parks since 2012. We’ve had plenty of tastes of Disney along the way—Aulani in 2013, Disneyland in 2014, Hilton Head in 2016…but we also like variety. Hence the 50-state tour. It’s always interesting to see how you’re perceived in different circles.


Anyway, the Budget Committee had determined that a full-blown park visit was not in the cards for this trip, but the idea we pitched to the kids was a couple of nights on-site and a visit to Typhoon Lagoon. After 2 weeks in the car in stifling summer heat, everyone thought a water park would be just what the doctor ordered.


There is no truly affordable way for a family of 6 to stay in one room on-site at Walt Disney World. It’s just a fact of life. And I can’t pull my “conveniently forget a couple of kids when booking” trick because of the fact that admission is tied to each guest. The cheapest option is the family suites at the All-Star Music resort, but there are only 6 of them available and, being a theme snob, there are other places I’d prefer to stay. We found a summer discount offer and decided the best fit was a blast from the past for me—the cabins at the Fort Wilderness Campground.


This is where my family always stayed on our visits to WDW when I was a kid. When we’d first visited, the Magic Kingdom was the only theme park and your options for staying on-site were the campground, the Polynesian Resort, and the Contemporary Resort. I remember visiting both the River Country water park and Discovery Island. During that same time period, I would walk 15 miles to and from school carrying a 50-lb. backpack, uphill both ways in seven feet of snow, even in summer. And get off my lawn!


Anyway, being a family that generally decides not to fix things if they ain’t broken, we had a great time staying in the cabins (actually, trailers at the time) and that became our base of operations whenever we went to Disney World. It wasn’t until I had kids of my own and cheaper options were available that we started trying out other places to stay. So, coming back to stay at Fort Wilderness was a nostalgia trip for me.


We drove about an hour west along the Beachline Expressway from Cape Canaveral to the Orlando area. It’s a very easy drive. I should point out that driving in Florida is made much easier with a SunPass toll transponder in your car. I don’t know how people drive in Florida without them, especially in the Miami area. Just about every major highway down there is a toll road, and many of them are fully automated. @cj9200 had hooked us up with a transponder just before our trip and it made our lives so much easier getting around Florida. However, he had neglected to give us his credit card number to handle the billing. In any case, thank you, CJ!


After that hour of driving, the kids were thrilled to finally say that they were back on Disney property. Aaaahhh…


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Scotty decided to re-create his pose from the last time we’d brought them. In 2012, we’d vacationed in Myrtle Beach, SC for a week. Then, Julie and I had decided to surprise the kids with a few days at WDW afterwards. We left Myrtle Beach and turned south instead of north, and waited for the kids to figure it out. We actually made it all the way to the gates! It’s a fun story, and you can read about it here if you’d like to waste even more of your own time.


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We entered the campground, and I stopped at the front office to check in and get our assignment. Everyone got out of the van, because if you have a choice between sitting in a parking lot and going inside a building that Disney Imagineers once built, you always choose the latter. Also, we’d been crammed in that stupid van for almost two weeks now.


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Disney themes are the bacon of the decorating world. They make everything better.


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We got our cabin assignment and a very helpful map of the resort and set off to find it and unpack.


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The cabins are really nice. It’s a great setup for a family our size. The only downside is that there’s one bathroom for the 6 of us to share. But that’s also true in most of the hotel rooms we stay in. It’s always nice having an extra room to stretch out with a sofa bed so nobody has to sleep on the floor. There’s also a kitchenette, although we didn’t use it for our short stay.


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Once we’d unpacked, we got back in the van and drove to the Polynesian Resort. Or, I guess it’s Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, if you want to get technical about it. I’ll just call it the Poly because it’s fewer syllables and I’m an extremely lazy man. On this night, we were having our very first O’hana dinner experience.


I have to admit, I was originally sad to see the waterfall garden go, but the new lobby of the Poly has really grown on me.


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For some reason, possibly because we’re masochists, we tried to get another photo of the kids. You can see how well that turned out.


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There’s a Bible verse that says “Children are a blessing from the Lord.” You know why that’s in there? Because occasionally you have to be reminded of that.


Aha! I caught him on my phone in between making dumb faces.


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Thank goodness we’d made reservations, because the lobby was packed with people. It always amazes me how many people are trying to get seats in the most popular tourist destination on earth by just walking up at 6:00 p.m. and asking for a table. I’m experiencing this now as I plan our latest Disney adventure with my brother, who doesn’t want to make reservations for dinners or Fastpasses because he’d rather “just wing it.” I told him I hope he enjoys the Country Bear Jamboree.


O’hana, as most of you know, is a dinner served family-style with several courses. It features pineapple-coconut bread (which is wonderful), salad (obligatory, I guess), and then a glorious round of all-you-can-eat beef, chicken, and shrimp fresh off the grill, served with wings and dumplings, noodles, and stir-fry vegetables. It’s an exciting, exotic blend of Polynesian and Asian flavor influences served to American tastes—which, for uncultured swine like me, basically means that they added some teriyaki sauce to some of the dishes. Truth be told, I was sold once I heard “all-you-can-eat meat from the grill”. As Jeff (@Terra Nova guy ) once said in one of our threads, “Meat + Fire = World’s Best Recipe.”


Anyway, you don’t want me to describe it. You want food photos. Here’s the kids with the awesome bread.


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When looking at the menu, Dave was decidedly undecided about trying most of the food. Somewhere, my parents are laughing at me, because he’s as completely unadventurous in his dining choices as I am. Take note parents: when you curse your child with the pronouncement, “Someday I hope you have a child, and that he’s just like you!”…it works!


Our server was very helpful and found out his favorite dish in the whole wide world is mac-and-cheese, so she had the kitchen whip up a massive bowl for him.


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Which is great and all, but he was 13 years old, so he got charged the adult rate for O’hana. Which is in the neighborhood of $50. He wouldn’t try anything else from the dinner. So, if I do the math...

...hang on, let me get my socks off...


...carry the one...


...That made it a $50 bowl of mac-and-cheese.

Needless to say, this put me in a bit of a foul mood when signing for the check. I may or may not have wondered if the mac-and-cheese had come with a TV in it.


Now, I do owe some context on David’s behalf here. For one thing, he had no idea how expensive the meal was. He says he would have tried more of the foods if he’d known what we were paying for him. And I believe him. He was in vacation mode, figuring he could just get what he wanted and not worry about it. And secondly, he’s really been growing up in the last year or so. Puberty is kicking in, he’s grown at least a foot, and he’s suddenly becoming a lot more adventurous in trying foods. It doesn't hurt that he's currently consuming as many calories per day as the Denver Broncos. I remember when I used to be able to eat like that. Anyway, I was angry at the time but have since learned that I owe him a break.


The rest of us thought the meal was terrific. We loved everything.


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This was the only decent shot with beef I could find. I was too busy eating it.


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I think the only disappointment was the bread pudding--or, as I like to call it, Lazy Man’s Cake.

"Hey, Frank, can you bake a cake for us?"

"Nah...just take this bread and dump some syrup on it. It's the same thing."

I will admit right off the bat that I’m not the target audience for bread pudding. After all, since pie is better than cake, how much better is it than the lazy man’s version of cake? So strike one is that it wasn’t pie. Strike two is that it included bananas. I don’t mind bananas on their own, but I don’t find that any foods are improved by adding bananas to them. Bananas are basically the Anti-Bacon.

For example: chocolate chip bars. Sign me up!

Chocolate chip banana bars:

giphy.gif


And then, strike three: after such a huge meal and all-you-can-eat portions, the last thing I want is a giant heavy loaf of bread soaked in caramel sauce. It’s like swallowing an anchor.


Of course, it had ice cream with it, so I had to try some.


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None of us, not even the teenagers, could finish it. Overall, though, we really loved our meal there. We’d definitely go back.


The server had tipped us off that we could watch the fireworks over the castle from the restaurant.


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We finished dinner before the show started, though, so started walking down to the beach at the Poly. On the way out, we walked past the various tiki figures at the entrance to O’hana. We thought we could make for good tikis ourselves. What do you think?


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I thought I could do a really effective pantomime of this guy, but for some reason Sarah objected. I don’t know what her problem was.


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The Poly beach was a favorite spot of ours for years to watch the show until they built the new DVC bungalows out in the water and took away most of the view. However, there’s one spot where you can still see most everything. It’s just a little more crowded than it used to be because now everybody’s trying to cram into that space.


First came the Electric Light Parade (boy, we really needed to wipe the condensation off the camera lens).


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Then the main event. Someday, we’ll figure out the proper camera settings for good fireworks photos.


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Once we enter Disney property, our family usually enters a type of fugue state in which we are determined to maximize the value of every second and dollar spent there. In other words, we typically burn the candle at both ends. Everyone was interested in a nighttime ride on the monorail around Epcot to see it lit up at night. But it was also well past Drew’s bedtime. I ended up taking one for the team and driving Drew back to the cabin to put him in bed, while Julie took the big kids for a monorail ride and was left to figure out the Disney transportation system on her own to get back there. I think it involved a monorail, a boat, and the internal Fort Wilderness bus system. Maybe two buses. I’d diagram it for you, but I don’t have a big enough flowchart.


Coming Up Next: Typhoon Lagoon! Or “Mickey’s Pool”, as Drew called it.
 
That's so sweet of you to say that. If you had been a few years later we may have been able to gift you with more pixie dust, but recalling the time period you probably got the better of the pixie dust as the changes weren't all for the better. Maybe you just need to come back!

We would't change a thing. As far as coming over again, it could happen.

Alison is the best Fairy Godmother ever!

Very true.
 
The cheapest option is the family suites at the All-Star Music resort, but there are only 6 of them available and, being a theme snob, there are other places I’d prefer to stay. We found a summer discount offer and decided the best fit was a blast from the past for me—the cabins at the Fort Wilderness Campground.
I hear you on the theme snob, I'm kind of the same. Unless you throw in free dining. Then I'll stay anywhere (see my ticker). I''m a cheap date.
I would love to stay at the Cabins. Unfortunately I have a wife who is not at all woodsy and refuses to go on a trip to Disney World and "sleep in the woods". :sad2:

As Jeff (@Terra Nova guy ) once said in one of our threads, “Meat + Fire = World’s Best Recipe.”
It's true! ::yes::
I've done the 'Ohana breakfast (which was also good by the way). But never had the pleasure of getting meat sweats there for supper. I probably won't. Oldest DD is not a meat eater, can choke down chicken but that's about it (she's not a vegetarian, just feels the same way about meat as I do about vegetables...bleh), and DW doesn't like beef or seafood, so it really wouldn't be worth the cost. Unless I do a solo trip for a DDCC one day....
 
he One With The World’s Most Expensive Bowl of Mac and Cheese

uh oh......

also known as the World’s Most Boring Drive In The World.

Only one thing in the world that's worse.
Driving across Saskatchewan.

And I get to do it twice this summer!!

we smashed that record to pieces by driving over 4,100 miles by the time we returned home.

Not bad. About the same as I do driving to Disney and back.

we’d planned our itinerary with an incentive at the end. We needed that light at the end of the tunnel in order to keep going.

Waffles. It was waffles, right?

And that incentive was a little bit of Disney time.

Okay, that works too.

our kids have actually not set foot in the Florida theme parks since 2012.

And yet.... If you've gone more than once... Especially if you've gone without small children!... Then you're a Disney family according to the rest of the planet.
I have no idea why Disney has this stigma. The Joneses go to Vegas every year for the last 20 years... but they're not a Vegas family. The Smiths go to their cabin at the lake every year for 35 years... but they're not a cabin or lake family.

I got kinda annoyed at my Mom the other day "You're going to Disney? What is there to do there?"
Yeah... and she doesn't go to the beach every summer... to basically sit and get sand in uncomfortable places and..... nothing else.

a couple of nights on-site and a visit to Typhoon Lagoon.

Nice!

There is no truly affordable way for a family of 6 to stay in one room on-site at Walt Disney World.

Funny... even before I read on, I started thinking of camping. I was close.

And I can’t pull my “conveniently forget a couple of kids when booking” trick because of the fact that admission is tied to each guest.

Stoopid rulz.


Those look really nice! I didn't quote your photos, but I sure looked closely at them.

I remember visiting both the River Country water park and Discovery Island.

Wish I could've. I was around then too... but missed them.

During that same time period, I would walk 15 miles to and from school carrying a 50-lb. backpack, uphill both ways in seven feet of snow, even in summer. And get off my lawn!

It's the last 3-4 miles that get to ya.

We left Myrtle Beach and turned south instead of north, and waited for the kids to figure it out. We actually made it all the way to the gates!
and you can read about it here if you’d like to waste even more of your own time.

I did! And that was great! Thanks for the link!

if you have a choice between sitting in a parking lot and going inside a building that Disney Imagineers once built, you always choose the latter.

Well.... I dunno. There's a radio in the vehicle in the parking lot, ya know.

Disney themes are the bacon of the decorating world. They make everything better.

Wow. Nice turn of phrase there.

On this night, we were having our very first O’hana dinner experience.

Lucky! Always wanted to try that... and almost certainly never will.

:sad1:

For some reason, possibly because we’re masochists, we tried to get another photo of the kids. You can see how well that turned out.

:laughing:

There’s a Bible verse that says “Children are a blessing from the Lord.” You know why that’s in there? Because occasionally you have to be reminded of that.

Are "blessing" and "curse" used interchangeably?
Asking for a friend.

I’m experiencing this now as I plan our latest Disney adventure with my brother, who doesn’t want to make reservations for dinners or Fastpasses because he’d rather “just wing it.” I told him I hope he enjoys the Country Bear Jamboree.

:sad2:

Oy. While you're having fried chicken at 50s, or filet mignon at Le Cellier or French onion soup at BOG.... he can enjoy his umpteenth serving of chicken fingers from yet another quick serve.

It features pineapple-coconut bread (which is wonderful),

No. It is not.

and then a glorious round of all-you-can-eat beef, chicken, and shrimp fresh off the grill, served with wings and dumplings, noodles, and stir-fry vegetables.

Oh, man.... :faint:

“Meat + Fire = World’s Best Recipe.”

Truth.


One of these children wants you to put the camera away so he can start eating.
Not saying which one.



but it's Drew.

Take note parents: when you curse your child with the pronouncement, “Someday I hope you have a child, and that he’s just like you!”…it works!

It does? Must use this.


:lmao:

Which is great and all, but he was 13 years old, so he got charged the adult rate for O’hana. Which is in the neighborhood of $50.

:headache: Ouch.

I may or may not have wondered if the mac-and-cheese had come with a TV in it.

No. Just an iPad.

Now, I do owe some context on David’s behalf here. For one thing, he had no idea how expensive the meal was. He says he would have tried more of the foods if he’d known what we were paying for him. And I believe him.

I get this. He may have actually thought he was saving you money. "Dad doesn't have to pay to get me all this meat. I'll just have some Mac n chees."

I remember when I used to be able to eat like that.

Me too...


<drool>

This was the only decent shot with beef I could find. I was too busy eating it.

Good! Put the camera down and chow down.

I think the only disappointment was the bread pudding--or, as I like to call it, Lazy Man’s Cake.

Really??? Well... shoot. This is one of the main reasons I want to go there.



Sorry. Not seeing anything except tikis.

I thought I could do a really effective pantomime of this guy, but for some reason Sarah objected. I don’t know what her problem was.


Fg2bqJihs3vckiI7eTMW-GwdGd51n0HpXVJuruZbD4Gx4KebfBmBGycfxn5DxnfaYADzqDwdyrSdqmW5oGqBqFx0SpBoSB5Y983WotxhvNJ9-WVCQ3SRu5Nkk_4fRtTGsNl7EfPhrFYVl3X1-LYAcdY6-KcUHXKgCJMDx0YxqVwZFOrXPiJyC-UFpNh35xKMAXCc-Nbr9NDjYoDTzoxvcwlzu1efAHW8x3on6w6qQmIKw77-IXQWu4M5iD5_t8ceTRRGQvClkbLgAkAJ2F4lTd206TZSZxeKKJgN9P0G2QJ5UpxsIjJ1kBvaOgvyC6ELgF7BCR-3YRsvcwAL0H-rFkEXjwSsV5QZRDm7FsCW83YW1vLdFsGKCsP1iBY_FOh_9zbTr8fGtOMcOoKEXVnf72jvZN3FZhhixzHQCN9tv8I84WHXq7pwZC7eIBZXKoV4nsvN5gt7Z5V01fHqzPU5gl-dpXLg0eBwntfAspu2fhpeFjaX6uH-Q4fIZPPUuWkk6UhIfYg219ek_s44bu46DsR7G8W-8-6ez6cmcU7NmblEtka7cGyGdMx-917aMxq4MYZWazbB6hGy5GyuJHmxgG_5wWlQan_AcIa7u4aW=w570-h854-no

:lmao:

Once we enter Disney property, our family usually enters a type of fugue state in which we are determined to maximize the value of every second and dollar spent there.

::yes:: As it should be.
 
And that incentive was a little bit of Disney time.

Can't think of a better one!

Their impression is that we love Disney World and we go there all the time.

I hate this. I really do. Perfect response VV

And yet.... If you've gone more than once... Especially if you've gone without small children!... Then you're a Disney family according to the rest of the planet.
I have no idea why Disney has this stigma. The Joneses go to Vegas every year for the last 20 years... but they're not a Vegas family. The Smiths go to their cabin at the lake every year for 35 years... but they're not a cabin or lake family.

I got kinda annoyed at my Mom the other day "You're going to Disney? What is there to do there?"
Yeah... and she doesn't go to the beach every summer... to basically sit and get sand in uncomfortable places and..... nothing else.
This.


There is no truly affordable way for a family of 6 to stay in one room on-site at Walt Disney World. It’s just a fact of life. And I can’t pull my “conveniently forget a couple of kids when booking” trick because of the fact that admission is tied to each guest. The cheapest option is the family suites at the All-Star Music resort, but there are only 6 of them available and, being a theme snob, there are other places I’d prefer to stay. We found a summer discount offer and decided the best fit was a blast from the past for me—the cabins at the Fort Wilderness Campground.

"Here's a nice space of floor, kids!" (Wish you could still do that.) Now we just go far less often. I guess Disney didn't think of that- I honestly think they lose a fair bit of cash in the overall $ amount a big family spends over a few nights of an extra room.


During that same time period, I would walk 15 miles to and from school carrying a 50-lb. backpack, uphill both ways in seven feet of snow, even in summer. And get off my lawn!

:lmao:

So, coming back to stay at Fort Wilderness was a nostalgia trip for me.

Poly is like that for me. I hadn't stayed there until 2010, but I first saw it in 2000 when I struck out on my own on a family trip while we were staying at Ft. Wilderness (of all places). I took the boat over there and just wandered and though to my lil' ol' self: "Self: You should stay here someday!" So I did. Always brings back such wonderful memories of that trip - the first with my kids and evokes that feeling of how much I love Disney.

However, he had neglected to give us his credit card number to handle the billing. In any case, thank you, CJ!

Rude. How inconvenient.


Love this!

The only downside is that there’s one bathroom for the 6 of us to share.

What's the big deal? You're in the woods with a ton of trees, no?

On this night, we were having our very first O’hana dinner experience.

This review actually makes me want to go there again. Even if it is a buffet and I'll eat $10 worth of food for $50.

I have to admit, I was originally sad to see the waterfall garden go, but the new lobby of the Poly has really grown on me.

Me too. Exactly my feelings. Kinda was nostalgic for me. But they really did a nice job on the refurb.

There’s a Bible verse that says “Children are a blessing from the Lord.” You know why that’s in there? Because occasionally you have to be reminded of that.

:lmao:

...That made it a $50 bowl of mac-and-cheese.

Oh dear. :cool:

Now, I do owe some context on David’s behalf here. For one thing, he had no idea how expensive the meal was. He says he would have tried more of the foods if he’d known what we were paying for him. And I believe him. He was in vacation mode, figuring he could just get what he wanted and not worry about it. And secondly, he’s really been growing up in the last year or so. Puberty is kicking in, he’s grown at least a foot, and he’s suddenly becoming a lot more adventurous in trying foods. It doesn't hurt that he's currently consuming as many calories per day as the Denver Broncos. I remember when I used to be able to eat like that. Anyway, I was angry at the time but have since learned that I owe him a break.

I like this. Growth is good to see. And it'll be healthier for him in the long run if he can learn to expand his palate.

None of us, not even the teenagers, could finish it. Overall, though, we really loved our meal there. We’d definitely go back.

Yeah, the pudding is just... why?

First came the Electric Light Parade (boy, we really needed to wipe the condensation off the camera lens).

Again.... a huge nostalgia thing for me. #sniffsniff

Then the main event. Someday, we’ll figure out the proper camera settings for good fireworks photos.

Easy-peasy. There's one right there on top labeled "GL".

Oh! That stands for good luck! ;)
 


Did both of those a while ago and I miss those extinct attractions. Of course I didn't know the water could kill you

Details, shmetails. The slides were fun. I remember that.

No problem, sorry I forgot the credit card.

Don't worry, there's still time! We're heading back down to FL this summer, you know.

I hear you on the theme snob, I'm kind of the same. Unless you throw in free dining. Then I'll stay anywhere (see my ticker). I''m a cheap date.
I would love to stay at the Cabins. Unfortunately I have a wife who is not at all woodsy and refuses to go on a trip to Disney World and "sleep in the woods". :sad2:

I figure in general, any place on Disney property is a good thing. I wouldn't be opposed to the Value resorts if, like you, I got a deal I couldn't refuse. It's not like I'm planning on spending a ton of time in my room anyway. But I don't feel like the Value resorts have that same transporting magic of theme like the other resorts do.

The Cabins certainly are not "roughing it" in any way. Pretty nice, actually. And there's a lot to do in Fort Wilderness. There's the petting zoo, boat and horse rides, Chip & Dale's campfire, canoe trails...it's really a great place to stay.

It's true! ::yes::
I've done the 'Ohana breakfast (which was also good by the way). But never had the pleasure of getting meat sweats there for supper. I probably won't. Oldest DD is not a meat eater, can choke down chicken but that's about it (she's not a vegetarian, just feels the same way about meat as I do about vegetables...bleh), and DW doesn't like beef or seafood, so it really wouldn't be worth the cost. Unless I do a solo trip for a DDCC one day....

I hate to say this, but it sounds like it's time to trade in the family for a newer, upgraded model.:rotfl2:

O'hana is probably the closest Disney gets to being in a Brazilian steakhouse.
 
Only one thing in the world that's worse.
Driving across Saskatchewan.

And I get to do it twice this summer!!

Well...hooray. Will you have someone riding shotgun to keep you awake?

Not bad. About the same as I do driving to Disney and back.

:laughing: With 5 other people in one vehicle, including teens and a toddler?

Waffles. It was waffles, right?

Mmmm...I do like waffles.

Okay, that works too.

I should hope so!

And yet.... If you've gone more than once... Especially if you've gone without small children!... Then you're a Disney family according to the rest of the planet.
I have no idea why Disney has this stigma. The Joneses go to Vegas every year for the last 20 years... but they're not a Vegas family. The Smiths go to their cabin at the lake every year for 35 years... but they're not a cabin or lake family.

Exactly! We've covered almost the entire country now. This family goes to the beach every single year. And somehow they say we're "always going to Disney"? I don't get it.

I got kinda annoyed at my Mom the other day "You're going to Disney? What is there to do there?"
Yeah... and she doesn't go to the beach every summer... to basically sit and get sand in uncomfortable places and..... nothing else.

I've had people ask me the same thing. Especially when Julie and I went by ourselves. "What is there to do without kids?"

Besides the roller coasters, shows, nice meals, behind-the-scenes tours, luxurious swimming pools...I dunno. Not much, I guess.

Funny... even before I read on, I started thinking of camping. I was close.

I have a friend who is married with 6 kids, and they all spent a week camping in a tent at Disney. That was certainly the cheap way to do it! I don't envy his back, though.

Those look really nice! I didn't quote your photos, but I sure looked closely at them.

It really was a nice setup for our family.

Wish I could've. I was around then too... but missed them.

I'll always be a little nostalgic for those places. Good memories.

It's the last 3-4 miles that get to ya.

::yes:: Those cinder blocks in the backpacks really get heavy after a while.

I did! And that was great! Thanks for the link!

Hey, thanks for taking the time to read it! That was a fun day. Man, the kids look young in those photos.

Well.... I dunno. There's a radio in the vehicle in the parking lot, ya know.

Well, there is that. Everybody was sick of the van at this point in the trip, though.

Wow. Nice turn of phrase there.

Thanks! Also: mmmm....bacon....

Lucky! Always wanted to try that... and almost certainly never will.

But why not?

Are "blessing" and "curse" used interchangeably?
Asking for a friend.

Survey says: ::yes::

Oy. While you're having fried chicken at 50s, or filet mignon at Le Cellier or French onion soup at BOG.... he can enjoy his umpteenth serving of chicken fingers from yet another quick serve.

Exactly. I keep trying to tell him Disney has changed in the 20 years since he's been there. Whether or not you like to plan that far ahead is beside the point. You really have to do it. Especially since we'll be there during a busy, crowded time of year. I'm figuring we won't be getting on many rides any day after lunchtime, just whatever we can get a FP for.

No. It is not.

It was! Mostly because I could not taste any coconut in the bread.

One of these children wants you to put the camera away so he can start eating.
Not saying which one.



but it's Drew.

::yes::

It does? Must use this.

It certainly worked on us!

No. Just an iPad.

I would have been happier if that were included.

I get this. He may have actually thought he was saving you money. "Dad doesn't have to pay to get me all this meat. I'll just have some Mac n chees."

Thinking back, I'm almost sure that was part of his thinking. I didn't explain the costs up front, so I can't hold him accountable to that.

Good! Put the camera down and chow down.

Way ahead of you, pal.

Really??? Well... shoot. This is one of the main reasons I want to go there.

I think your mileage may vary. Personally, I've never been wowed or excited by bread pudding. It's just kinda...there.

Sorry. Not seeing anything except tikis.

The resemblance is uncanny!

::yes:: As it should be.

In other words, we're not getting any sleep.
 
Can't think of a better one!

We needed that bright spot on the itinerary to power through all of the long drives.

I hate this. I really do. Perfect response VV


Yes! Don't know why it's more socially acceptable to go to the boring local beach every single year.

"Here's a nice space of floor, kids!" (Wish you could still do that.) Now we just go far less often. I guess Disney didn't think of that- I honestly think they lose a fair bit of cash in the overall $ amount a big family spends over a few nights of an extra room.

They definitely lose it with us. It's just an expensive trip, so we have to spread them out. Now, I think we would probably go once every few years anyway because a) we like variety, and b) I think Disney would lose a little novelty/magic if we went every single year. But honestly, I don't think they care. They keep raising the prices and cutting back on experiences available to all in favor of "premium" experiences that others are willing to pay extra for, and it keeps working for them. They haven't found the price people aren't willing to pay yet. But they may have found mine!

Poly is like that for me. I hadn't stayed there until 2010, but I first saw it in 2000 when I struck out on my own on a family trip while we were staying at Ft. Wilderness (of all places). I took the boat over there and just wandered and though to my lil' ol' self: "Self: You should stay here someday!" So I did. Always brings back such wonderful memories of that trip - the first with my kids and evokes that feeling of how much I love Disney.

I was similar with the first time I laid eyes on the WL and AKL. It was a dream to be able to stay there someday.

Rude. How inconvenient.

Some people.

Love this!

:goodvibes They are SO looking forward to this summer.

What's the big deal? You're in the woods with a ton of trees, no?

:rotfl2::rotfl::lmao: You win the comments on this chapter.

This review actually makes me want to go there again. Even if it is a buffet and I'll eat $10 worth of food for $50.

If you don't have the meat sweats, you're not doing it right.

Me too. Exactly my feelings. Kinda was nostalgic for me. But they really did a nice job on the refurb.

It feels brighter and larger in there, which I'm sure was the intent.


:sad2:

I like this. Growth is good to see. And it'll be healthier for him in the long run if he can learn to expand his palate.

He's getting there. I was a slow learner, too. Still am, actually.

Yeah, the pudding is just... why?

I'm glad you agree. I just don't see the appeal in bread pudding. It's a meh. Without the ice cream, it would be hard to eat.

Again.... a huge nostalgia thing for me. #sniffsniff

And we can still watch it without paying extra!:thumbsup2

Easy-peasy. There's one right there on top labeled "GL".

Oh! That stands for good luck! ;)

:rotfl2: We are determined to figure this out!
 
Well...hooray. Will you have someone riding shotgun to keep you awake?

Funny you should mention that...
I'll be driving through it right after a night shift. I am a bit concerned to be honest.

:laughing: With 5 other people in one vehicle, including teens and a toddler?

You win.

Exactly! We've covered almost the entire country now. This family goes to the beach every single year. And somehow they say we're "always going to Disney"? I don't get it.

:sad2:
Yep. Just like my mom.

I've had people ask me the same thing. Especially when Julie and I went by ourselves. "What is there to do without kids?"

Besides the roller coasters, shows, nice meals, behind-the-scenes tours, luxurious swimming pools...I dunno. Not much, I guess.

You know one thing you didn't mention that I like. Security. I never feel like I need to watch my back or feel threatened.
I also like that I can park the car (if I drive down... or not rent one if I fly) and let someone else take the wheel.

I have a friend who is married with 6 kids, and they all spent a week camping in a tent at Disney. That was certainly the cheap way to do it! I don't envy his back, though.

Blow up... mattress.
Or bring a bed.

::yes:: Those cinder blocks in the backpacks really get heavy after a while.

Wish there was some way of getting rid of those!

Hey, thanks for taking the time to read it! That was a fun day. Man, the kids look young in those photos.

It was a fun read. Just like you said.

Well, there is that. Everybody was sick of the van at this point in the trip, though.

Totally get that.

But why not?

Can’t justify the expense. I don’t eat that much anymore.

Exactly. I keep trying to tell him Disney has changed in the 20 years since he's been there. Whether or not you like to plan that far ahead is beside the point. You really have to do it. Especially since we'll be there during a busy, crowded time of year. I'm figuring we won't be getting on many rides any day after lunchtime, just whatever we can get a FP for.

He’ll find out. The hard way unfortunately.

It was! Mostly because I could not taste any coconut in the bread.

I could. Trust me.

Thinking back, I'm almost sure that was part of his thinking. I didn't explain the costs up front, so I can't hold him accountable to that.

See?

I think your mileage may vary. Personally, I've never been wowed or excited by bread pudding. It's just kinda...there.

Others have raved about it. TBH, I’m not a fan of bread pudding normally... but everyone kept going on about it, so...

In other words, we're not getting any sleep.

Sleep is for when you get back to work.
 
Chapter 11: The One Where My Wife Punches Me In The Face

rofling.gif


That was Brilliant!


And to think, I used to go camping in the Everglades as a young'en even while knowing the irrefutable truth about the bloodthirsty hoards.

Now I'm even more disappointed in myself for having not been back to this thread since the New Orleans update.
My loss...
I'll finish trying to catch up today if I can and maybe comment on the most recent chapter at least.
We'll see how it goes.
 
Those five days doing the loop from Atlanta out west to Oklahoma and then back to Florida were grueling.

It’s funny—when we’re talking with friends, they often seem to see us as “the Disney family”.

There is no truly affordable way for a family of 6 to stay in one room on-site at Walt Disney World.

I remember visiting both the River Country water park and Discovery Island.

During that same time period, I would walk 15 miles to and from school carrying a 50-lb. backpack, uphill both ways in seven feet of snow, even in summer. And get off my lawn!

On this night, we were having our very first O’hana dinner experience.

:goodvibes Love O'hana! It's been two years since I've been there and I really want to go back again!

Thank goodness we’d made reservations, because the lobby was packed with people.

::yes:: And it's one of the harder reservations to get, at least that's been my experience!

I’m experiencing this now as I plan our latest Disney adventure with my brother, who doesn’t want to make reservations for dinners or Fastpasses because he’d rather “just wing it.” I told him I hope he enjoys the Country Bear Jamboree.

And like @pkondz said chicken fingers. Although it's really easy to get a walk up at the restaurant in Morocco.

It features pineapple-coconut bread (which is wonderful),

:crazy2: Blech

It was! Mostly because I could not taste any coconut in the bread.

I could. Trust me.

I've had it before. You can definitely taste the coconut in the bread.

salad (obligatory, I guess),

Actually this is a component of the meal that I usually love. At Disney I never eat enough veggies because I'm too busy stuffing myself with meat, pasta, tacos and other such grub. This salad is so refreshing with the Asian dressing, it's really good!

and then a glorious round of all-you-can-eat beef, chicken, and shrimp fresh off the grill, served with wings and dumplings, noodles, and stir-fry vegetables.

Yes, to all of this!

...That made it a $50 bowl of mac-and-cheese.

:faint: For as much as I have spent on meals at various frou frou restaurants, you have me beat on this one. I have never spent $50 on a bowl of Mac n Cheese and I've had it with lobster or truffles or all kinds of additions (which BTW don't make it better).

Needless to say, this put me in a bit of a foul mood when signing for the check. I may or may not have wondered if the mac-and-cheese had come with a TV in it.

Did you find any gold at the bottom of the bowl?

Now, I do owe some context on David’s behalf here. For one thing, he had no idea how expensive the meal was. He says he would have tried more of the foods if he’d known what we were paying for him.

I can understand this. However, this summer if your family is dining at any All-You-Care-To-Eat restaurants, I would go over the ground rules first. The younger ones may not have noticed any of this.....

I think the only disappointment was the bread pudding--or, as I like to call it, Lazy Man’s Cake.

Really? I crave this stuff, like seriously!

Really??? Well... shoot. This is one of the main reasons I want to go there.

Can’t justify the expense. I don’t eat that much anymore.

You can also order it at the Tambu Lounge, so you don't have to eat the whole entire meal to try it. I'm thinking about that for sometime in the future....

I thought I could do a really effective pantomime of this guy, but for some reason Sarah objected. I don’t know what her problem was.

:laughing: I can't imagine what part of it she would be afraid of seeing! :lmao:

Then the main event. Someday, we’ll figure out the proper camera settings for good fireworks photos.

I thought you did pretty well! :thumbsup2

I think it involved a monorail, a boat, and the internal Fort Wilderness bus system. Maybe two buses. I’d diagram it for you, but I don’t have a big enough flowchart.

Yeah, I can see how that would be quite a transportational nightmare.

As far as coming over again, it could happen.

Cool! Let me know! I'll come out and meet you for a drink or three!

I've had people ask me the same thing. Especially when Julie and I went by ourselves. "What is there to do without kids?"

Besides the roller coasters, shows, nice meals, behind-the-scenes tours, luxurious swimming pools...I dunno. Not much, I guess.

Fantastic theming in the resorts, CMs who brighten your day, clean rooms and entertainment everywhere you turn....

You know one thing you didn't mention that I like. Security. I never feel like I need to watch my back or feel threatened.
I also like that I can park the car (if I drive down... or not rent one if I fly) and let someone else take the wheel.

Plus we never have to worry about whether or not Fran can get around. Everything is accessible, and well maintained. No potholes in the sidewalks, or rickety cobblestone streets (except in the UK at Epcot).
 
Plus we never have to worry about whether or not Fran can get around. Everything is accessible, and well maintained. No potholes in the sidewalks, or rickety cobblestone streets (except in the UK at Epcot).
Right!!
 
Might have missed that? Is that the one served with the vanilla sauce?

The Tambu lounge is the bar in between Kona and O'hana. So it's the exact same Bread Pudding they serve in the restaurant that you can order at the bar.
 
The Tambu lounge is the bar in between Kona and O'hana. So it's the exact same Bread Pudding they serve in the restaurant that you can order at the bar.

Oh! Well.... that solves that problem! :laughing:

Thanks, Alison. :)
 
Funny you should mention that...
I'll be driving through it right after a night shift. I am a bit concerned to be honest.

Yikes. Be careful. Conditions like that are no joke.


:woohoo:

:sad2:
Yep. Just like my mom.

And so many others. I dunno.

You know one thing you didn't mention that I like. Security. I never feel like I need to watch my back or feel threatened.
I also like that I can park the car (if I drive down... or not rent one if I fly) and let someone else take the wheel.

Also good points. It's nice to leave daily responsibilities behind and go to a place where, for the most part, things work like they're supposed to and you don't have to worry.

Blow up... mattress.
Or bring a bed.

We have some little air mattresses we use in the hotel rooms, but even those get old after a couple of days.

Wish there was some way of getting rid of those!

Put 'em in another kids' backpack!:thumbsup2

It was a fun read. Just like you said.

:thanks:

Can’t justify the expense. I don’t eat that much anymore.

Gotcha. I think I just gave up on justifying expenses at Disney World, period.

He’ll find out. The hard way unfortunately.

::yes::

I could. Trust me.

In that case, don't eat the bread!

Others have raved about it. TBH, I’m not a fan of bread pudding normally... but everyone kept going on about it, so...

Looks like Liesa and me are votes against, and Alison is a vote for. Do with that what you will. I was the same as you, though--not generally a fan to begin with.

Sleep is for when you get back to work.

::yes::

rofling.gif


That was Brilliant!

Thank you, sir! Glad you enjoyed it.

And to think, I used to go camping in the Everglades as a young'en even while knowing the irrefutable truth about the bloodthirsty hoards.

Just a regular glutton for punishment?

Now I'm even more disappointed in myself for having not been back to this thread since the New Orleans update.
My loss...
I'll finish trying to catch up today if I can and maybe comment on the most recent chapter at least.
We'll see how it goes.

I'd love to have you back here! It would mean a) you're commenting again, and b) your workload is easing up.
 

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