TinkTatoo
Has a Tink tattoo on her shoulder
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2004
- Messages
- 2,936
Tinks Summer 2006 Tour Day 18 Epcot and the Garden Grill
Cast
Me - 44 Chief planner loves all things Disney
DH - 50 Designated driver cant wait for Vero Beach
DS 9 Hunting for Yu-Gi-Oh Cards (again)
DD 8 Minnies number 1 fan also loves Vero Beach
Monday 14th August
Day 18 - Epcot and the Garden Grill
We werent too late getting up this morning, we had breakfast and decided to go to the main pool for a while. We walked there and it only took about 6-7 minutes and we got there about half 9. Unfortunately the slide didnt open until 11am and if we had known that we would have stayed at our local quiet pool. We still had fun and got talking to a couple who lived somewhere between Orlando and Tampa. Their home resort was SSR but they were spending 5 days at OKW. They had 3 daughters and werent doing any parks - just spending the time at the resort. It was interesting chatting to them as they didnt know anything about the Dining Plan, or about booking ADRs at 180 days (they were waiting for the 90 day window to book Chef Mickeys for Christmas eve.) I was able to tell them they could call now - which they did and got their reservation. They also added the dining plan to a stay they had over Labour Weekend.
Our kids and theirs did the sandcastle building competition and there was a prize for the winner. The CM judged that they were all winners and the girls got a little bag with a slinky in it and DS got a pirates hat and a plastic dinosaur. By now the slide opened and we had some fun on that. We stopped for some lunch at around half 11 (three guesss what we had
)and then tried to get DS & DD back to the room so that we could get ready for Epcot. DS didnt want to go (nothing unusual there then.) We eventually got him back after a lot of giving out. He and DD had showers then chilled in their beds watching some TV. We told them that we needed to leave for Epcot by 3pm at the latest, we eventually got them to get ready and managed to get going just after 2pm. We didnt have to wait long for a bus and as it is the closest park to OKW we were there within 15 minutes.
The kids wanted to get Passports so we got these and started off in Canada on our trek around the world. Unfortunately they wanted to do it at break neck speed so DH & I are looking forward to having some time here on Friday when we have our ADR at Le Cellier. We made our way round the world stopping at all the kid spots to get our passports stamped. We looked in the store at Japan and DS got some Yu-Gi-Oh cards that he hadnt seen anywhere else (Note these cards cost $26 and we later saw them in Walgreens for $11
). Once this was done we carried on with our break neck trek around the world (Jules Verne would have been proud.) Just as we arrived in Italy the heavens opened and we got soaked. The rain lasted until we got to Norway and by the time we came out of Mexico it was blazing hot again and the pavements were steaming. As Mexico was our last stamp on the passport they got their special prize for completing them.
We left the World showcase and made our way into The Land for our 5:30pm ADR at The Garden Grill. We waited a while to be seated and the kids did the activity at the fun stop while they waited. We were called to our table and were on the second tier at the back. Our server wasnt very good and we hardly saw him. He took the drinks order and explained that it was a family style restaurant and that he would bring the food to us. The kids werent impressed when he brought them their drinks in small paper cups with lids and straws.
He bought a plate of food and it was nice. There was beef in a sauce with mushrooms, Turkey with cranberry, some catfish which was tasty and sautéed vegetables. There was also some very nice garlic smash (which is mash potatoes to you and I) plus Mac & Cheese for the kids, which was awful as it had a really strong synthetic cheese taste. There were also some chicken strips and fries, although there was nothing that DS would eat. When I eventually saw our server again I asked for a refill on the drinks and some plain beef and turkey for DS which he eventually bought but he never offered to give us any more food.
He was obviously having a bad day as he came out of the kitchen which just happened to be right by our table, then turned round to go back in and walked straight into another waiter who was loaded with drinks. They all fell to the floor and smashed, some of the drinks splashed onto the kids feet but he never asked if they were OK.
Eventually he brought our desert and immediately brought us the check. If we hadnt been on the dining plan this meal would have cost around $120 which we didnt think was worth it. Also we waited a very long time for the characters to come round and Mickey walked straight past our table without even stopping. As we were leaving I went up to his minder and told her that he had ignored us so she got him to take a photo with us.
We wouldnt go back to the Garden Grill again and preferred the meal yesterday at Crystal Palace.
After dinner we rode Soarin and managed to get row 1 again, we love this ride and there was a guy next to me who was seeing it for the first time. He was laughing, ohhing and ahhing all the way through and said he couldnt wait for his wife to ride it via baby swap.
When we left The Land DS was in bad form as he hadnt really eaten anything and was tired and in no humour for the fireworks. DH decided the best bet was for he and DS to go back to OKW as DS would never have lasted another hour and a half until Illuminations. DD decided to stay in the park but about 10 minutes after the boys had left she said she wanted to go home as well. So much for our plans to see the fireworks once we were staying at OKW. Thats two nights in a row that we havent managed it.
DD and I made our way to the bus stop and did a bit of pin trading on the way. Now here is a bit of the report exclusively for the Irish Dis'ers amongst us. While DD & I were waiting for the bus we saw Gerry Ryan and his family on the way into the park. For those of you who dont know, Gerry Ryan has a popular morning show on 2FM Irish radio (although I prefer to listen to Ray Darcy)
DD and I got back to OKW at around half 8 and the boys were looking at DSs Yu-Gi-Oh cards that he got in Japan. We all went to bed at around half 9.
Tomorrow - AK and Donalds Breakfastsorrus.
Cast
Me - 44 Chief planner loves all things Disney
DH - 50 Designated driver cant wait for Vero Beach
DS 9 Hunting for Yu-Gi-Oh Cards (again)
DD 8 Minnies number 1 fan also loves Vero Beach
Monday 14th August
Day 18 - Epcot and the Garden Grill
We werent too late getting up this morning, we had breakfast and decided to go to the main pool for a while. We walked there and it only took about 6-7 minutes and we got there about half 9. Unfortunately the slide didnt open until 11am and if we had known that we would have stayed at our local quiet pool. We still had fun and got talking to a couple who lived somewhere between Orlando and Tampa. Their home resort was SSR but they were spending 5 days at OKW. They had 3 daughters and werent doing any parks - just spending the time at the resort. It was interesting chatting to them as they didnt know anything about the Dining Plan, or about booking ADRs at 180 days (they were waiting for the 90 day window to book Chef Mickeys for Christmas eve.) I was able to tell them they could call now - which they did and got their reservation. They also added the dining plan to a stay they had over Labour Weekend.
Our kids and theirs did the sandcastle building competition and there was a prize for the winner. The CM judged that they were all winners and the girls got a little bag with a slinky in it and DS got a pirates hat and a plastic dinosaur. By now the slide opened and we had some fun on that. We stopped for some lunch at around half 11 (three guesss what we had
)and then tried to get DS & DD back to the room so that we could get ready for Epcot. DS didnt want to go (nothing unusual there then.) We eventually got him back after a lot of giving out. He and DD had showers then chilled in their beds watching some TV. We told them that we needed to leave for Epcot by 3pm at the latest, we eventually got them to get ready and managed to get going just after 2pm. We didnt have to wait long for a bus and as it is the closest park to OKW we were there within 15 minutes. The kids wanted to get Passports so we got these and started off in Canada on our trek around the world. Unfortunately they wanted to do it at break neck speed so DH & I are looking forward to having some time here on Friday when we have our ADR at Le Cellier. We made our way round the world stopping at all the kid spots to get our passports stamped. We looked in the store at Japan and DS got some Yu-Gi-Oh cards that he hadnt seen anywhere else (Note these cards cost $26 and we later saw them in Walgreens for $11
). Once this was done we carried on with our break neck trek around the world (Jules Verne would have been proud.) Just as we arrived in Italy the heavens opened and we got soaked. The rain lasted until we got to Norway and by the time we came out of Mexico it was blazing hot again and the pavements were steaming. As Mexico was our last stamp on the passport they got their special prize for completing them.
We left the World showcase and made our way into The Land for our 5:30pm ADR at The Garden Grill. We waited a while to be seated and the kids did the activity at the fun stop while they waited. We were called to our table and were on the second tier at the back. Our server wasnt very good and we hardly saw him. He took the drinks order and explained that it was a family style restaurant and that he would bring the food to us. The kids werent impressed when he brought them their drinks in small paper cups with lids and straws.
He bought a plate of food and it was nice. There was beef in a sauce with mushrooms, Turkey with cranberry, some catfish which was tasty and sautéed vegetables. There was also some very nice garlic smash (which is mash potatoes to you and I) plus Mac & Cheese for the kids, which was awful as it had a really strong synthetic cheese taste. There were also some chicken strips and fries, although there was nothing that DS would eat. When I eventually saw our server again I asked for a refill on the drinks and some plain beef and turkey for DS which he eventually bought but he never offered to give us any more food.
He was obviously having a bad day as he came out of the kitchen which just happened to be right by our table, then turned round to go back in and walked straight into another waiter who was loaded with drinks. They all fell to the floor and smashed, some of the drinks splashed onto the kids feet but he never asked if they were OK.
Eventually he brought our desert and immediately brought us the check. If we hadnt been on the dining plan this meal would have cost around $120 which we didnt think was worth it. Also we waited a very long time for the characters to come round and Mickey walked straight past our table without even stopping. As we were leaving I went up to his minder and told her that he had ignored us so she got him to take a photo with us.
We wouldnt go back to the Garden Grill again and preferred the meal yesterday at Crystal Palace.
After dinner we rode Soarin and managed to get row 1 again, we love this ride and there was a guy next to me who was seeing it for the first time. He was laughing, ohhing and ahhing all the way through and said he couldnt wait for his wife to ride it via baby swap.
When we left The Land DS was in bad form as he hadnt really eaten anything and was tired and in no humour for the fireworks. DH decided the best bet was for he and DS to go back to OKW as DS would never have lasted another hour and a half until Illuminations. DD decided to stay in the park but about 10 minutes after the boys had left she said she wanted to go home as well. So much for our plans to see the fireworks once we were staying at OKW. Thats two nights in a row that we havent managed it.
DD and I made our way to the bus stop and did a bit of pin trading on the way. Now here is a bit of the report exclusively for the Irish Dis'ers amongst us. While DD & I were waiting for the bus we saw Gerry Ryan and his family on the way into the park. For those of you who dont know, Gerry Ryan has a popular morning show on 2FM Irish radio (although I prefer to listen to Ray Darcy
)DD and I got back to OKW at around half 8 and the boys were looking at DSs Yu-Gi-Oh cards that he got in Japan. We all went to bed at around half 9.
Tomorrow - AK and Donalds Breakfastsorrus.
