"Hurricane I get this wine to go?!?": A September 2017 Dining Report *COMPLETE

Day 8 – Sept 13
It’s Called the NO-mad Lounge!

We decided to make it a relaxed morning since we wanted to go to AK in the evening to see Pandora and the Tree of Life at night for the first time. It would have been nice to sleep in, but Asher wasn’t going to let that happen, so we were up early and thinking about breakfast. I suggested either The Wave or Grand Floridian Café and Chad chose the latter, which was fine because it was a beautiful morning and we loved the walk over to GF. We noticed that the resort landscaping had been mostly cleaned up during the previous day when they were able to get everyone back to the parks.

It was very peaceful and quiet in the Café, we were the only party seated for some time. This was our first visit to the restaurant and I loved the atmosphere with the bright sun pouring in the windows and the gorgeous views of the gardens outside the restaurant. It’s a perfect spot for a relaxing breakfast or lazy brunch and I love that they have the same brunch menu for both breakfast and lunch. If we ever got to sleep in, I would love to have brunch there.

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It was early and we were in the mood for breakfast food. I ordered the Eggceptional Morning: One Scrambled Egg with Bacon, Turkey Sausage, and Toast for Asher and I thought I ordered some fruit for him too, but it’s not on the receipt, so we apparently weren’t charged for it, which is nice. He totally crushed this meal, there wasn’t a crumb left on his plate and our server was very impressed.

Chad had the French Toast: Brioche French Toast with Madagascar Vanilla Bean-Butter with Bacon or Sausage and a side of plain hash browns, I guess he really wanted to carb it up that morning. I don’t remember him saying much about his food, except that it was good and he shoveled it in, so it must have been pretty tasty.

I was more interested in my coffee and mimosa. I had a hard time deciding between a mimosa or bloody Mary and I’ve been known to order both AND a coffee at breakfast or brunch, but went with the mimosa this time. They add Grand Marnier to theirs, which is a fancy touch. I had no trouble deciding to order the Lobster Benedict: Two-poached Eggs, Toasted English Muffin, Lobster, Hollandaise, and Marinated Tomato Salad and it was so wonderful looking that I was inspired to take a food photo!

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This was a wonderful benedict, there were nice piles of tender lobster under the eggs, which were cooked perfectly. I really loved the tomato salad as an accompaniment, it’s nice to have something acidic on the side with the benedict that was rich with the buttery lobster and fresh hollandaise.

Overall, we were super impressed with the Grand Floridian Café, the food and service were fantastic. It was convenient when staying at the Poly, but it was so good that I would make a special trip there for breakfast or brunch. It would be nice to go to EMH morning at MK and then head over to GF mid-morning for brunch, that sounds really great to me.

As we strolled toward the Poly walkway after breakfast, a friendly CM saw how Asher was enamored with his golf cart and offered the boys a ride, which was probably Asher’s favorite ride in all of WDW.

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I had some business to attend to and Asher needed a diaper change, so Chad took him back to the room while I visited the GCH to make sure we could stay in our room the next day when our reservation changed over to the two nights I had added. Then I had a leisurely walk over to the TTC to upgrade our tickets to APs. I took my time and enjoyed the peaceful walk, since when you have a toddler, even the simplest tasks can feel like a vacation if you get a few minutes alone.:charac2:

Then it was laundry and pool time at the Lava pool, which is a fun pool, but with a toddler I preferred the quiet Oasis pool since he is too little for the slide and the splash area was too crazy for him.

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We had a picnic of sandwiches, chips, and random snacks from our food stash which was a good break from heavy restaurant food. I was trying to get back to the room for an early naptime so we could get to AK earlier in the evening, but it felt impossible to ever get to nap earlier than 2 pm and this day was no different, because you know, there are important things like this to do…

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We drove our own vehicle to AK after nap to save time and the first stop on our must-do list was Nomad Lounge as we were trying to beat the evening rush, but the place was already packed. There were no tables inside and only one small table open outside, but I stalked a couch and managed to squeeze in as a couple was leaving. It was HOT outside, but the atmosphere was worth the sweat and we ordered icy cocktails to cool us down. Asher managed to bonk his head on the back of the couch immediately after sitting down and he howled a bit, fortunately he recovers quickly from these sorts of incidents. Then he wanted to go bang on some small tables that look like bongos, so we gave him his snacks and let him watch a show on my phone so we could hopefully chill a bit and save the other patrons from toddler noise. This was our also first visit here as well and we wanted to soak up the atmosphere.

I had the Spice Trader Classic: Hayman's Old Tom Gin, Dolin Vermouth Blanc, Lemon Juice, and Strawberries topped with Soda Water and it was perfectly mixed and refreshing for a hot afternoon. I especially enjoy light gin cocktails with citrus and subtle fruit flavors and this was exceptional. I loved the unadvertised shiso leaf included, which is a Japanese herb that I love and grow in pots in the summer. My friend gave me a starter pot and it just keeps coming back every year. Anyway, it has a wonderfully unique flavor and was a fun addition to the drink.

Chad had the Boto-Rita: Zignum Reposado Mezcal, Combier Grapefruit Liqueur, Guava Purée, and Lime Juice which he says was good and he would recommend it, but would try something else next time just because there were so many interesting choices.

Asher had water.

Our server Ritch was fantastic and very welcoming. We ordered the charcuterie to share and enjoyed it, our favorite item being a fancy bologna and that’s the only detail either of us remember. I was enjoying our time on the lovely verandah, as was Asher.

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For some reason, Chad started chatting with a lady at a nearby table, I think he was telling her that the party on the couch next to us was leaving soon if she and her friend wanted to move over there (because that’s just how he is) and she was very nice, but her friend was shooting daggers at us with her eyes and I have no idea why she hated us so much. It felt like she was channeling every reason she had to hate anything ever in our direction. Seriously, disgust would have been an understatement. We are still perplexed about it, our kid was being very well behaved, we’re not loud or obnoxious, we don’t have body odor…:confused3

Despite the weird vibe, I was enjoying myself and ordered a glass of chenin blanc, but as soon as Ritch brought it around, Asher started to get antsy, so it was time for a quick exit, which meant wine in a to-go cup for mommy. At least it was a wine glass shaped plastic cup, which makes it somehow more acceptable. Chad shuttled Asher out while I took care of the tab and Ritch so thoughtfully brought a lotus glow-cube for Asher, which seriously made the rest of our evening more enjoyable. It’s amazing how long something like that can keep a kid entertained while riding in a stroller.

After our relaxing time at No-mad, we headed toward Dinoland for some dinosaur spinny fun and I stopped into some shops on the way. While I was in a shop, this happened…

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So apparently Asher got over his character weirdos just like that. And yes, they match, it wasn't planned, it happens all the time. I apparently subconsciously dress my son like a miniature of his dad. Chad said he insisted on doing a “big hello” instead of just waving from a distance. He wanted to do the “big hello” with Goofy and Pluto over in Dinoland, but they were leaving early for an event.

Kilimanjaro Safari at sunset was on our to-do list and we had a fastpass, but we needed more sustenance than just charcuterie for our safari adventure, so a quick stop in (a very empty) Harambe Market was in order. We all shared the ribs and the sausage, which we’ve had several times before and this time they weren’t quite as enjoyable as in the past. The ribs were somehow lacking a bit in flavor, the sausage was about the same, but the salads were seriously lacking in flavor compared to our past experiences. Also, the salads were full of liquid and the serving containers there have holes in them, so uhhh…what??? It was really messy. It was still good and I love the atmosphere in that part of the park. Chad and I also shared a Reef Donkey IPA, which was a nice beer with the food.

This was our first time in AK at night, so were were pumped about a sunset safari and the animals did not disappoint. Some are more boring at that time of day, but we saw some amazing activity on the savannah portion, which our very loud and annoying safari guide almost burst our eardrums over. She was incredibly loud. :headache:

The last item on our to-do list was to walk through Pandora after dark and we needed strolling drinks so another stop at Dawa Bar was in order for our favorite rum drinks (again). :drinking1 Pandora was packed even though the rest of the park was empty so after checking it out for a bit, we made our way to the Tree of Life to hopefully see the projection show, which we did manage to catch, then shopped while we waited for ROL crowds to clear out. It was a late night, as we anticipated, and we were grateful to have our own vehicle rather than waiting for a bus. It was a long, tired walk to the parking lot, but we survived.

Up next, Day 9: “No like-a ‘dis”
 
I was more interested in my coffee and mimosa. I had a hard time deciding between a mimosa or bloody Mary and I’ve been known to order both AND a coffee at breakfast or brunch, but went with the mimosa this time.
I knew you were my kinda people :drinking1

They add Grand Marnier to theirs, which is a fancy touch. I had no trouble deciding to order the Lobster Benedict: Two-poached Eggs, Toasted English Muffin, Lobster, Hollandaise, and Marinated Tomato Salad and it was so wonderful looking that I was inspired to take a food photo!

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Yum!!! This looks so good and must be a newer menu addition. They used to just have regular benedict but with a key lime hollandaise that I always enjoyed. But I'd take lobster over canadian bacon any day!

As we strolled toward the Poly walkway after breakfast, a friendly CM saw how Asher was enamored with his golf cart and offered the boys a ride, which was probably Asher’s favorite ride in all of WDW.

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:rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2: It really is the little things isn't it.

There were no tables inside and only one small table open outside, but I stalked a couch and managed to squeeze in as a couple was leaving. It was HOT outside, but the atmosphere was worth the sweat and we ordered icy cocktails to cool us down
My "secret" Nomads hideaway is definitely a secret no more. Glad you all were able to find a try.

I had the Spice Trader Classic: Hayman's Old Tom Gin, Dolin Vermouth Blanc, Lemon Juice, and Strawberries topped with Soda Water and it was perfectly mixed and refreshing for a hot afternoon. I especially enjoy light gin cocktails with citrus and subtle fruit flavors and this was exceptional. I loved the unadvertised shiso leaf included, which is a Japanese herb that I love and grow in pots in the summer. My friend gave me a starter pot and it just keeps coming back every year. Anyway, it has a wonderfully unique flavor and was a fun addition to the drink.
Yum, this sounds awesome!!!! I haven' tried this one yet but will have to on our next trip. Also now actively googling shiso as I've never heard of it before :-)

At least it was a wine glass shaped plastic cup, which makes it somehow more acceptable.
Acceptable and classy, all in 1 8-)

This was our first time in AK at night, so were were pumped about a sunset safari and the animals did not disappoint. Some are more boring at that time of day, but we saw some amazing activity on the savannah portion, which our very loud and annoying safari guide almost burst our eardrums over. She was incredibly loud. :headache:
Glad you all had a great safari. We've only done a sunset safari once and it was pretty uneventful
 
Glad you enjoyed the Mimosa at GFC. I had a hard time not getting a 2nd on our breakfast /lunch visit. Really enjoying your reviews
 


Hi, joining in here and just binge-read your fantastic dining/trip report! :cutie: Your pictures are fantastic & you make for a beautiful family. :-)

First of all you son is soooo adorable! That's amazing that his first trip was 5 months. Both my kids, I took them right before they turned 2.

I loved the pictures of your little guy in the boneyard in AK, we never have stopped to play there with our kids, usually as we go in August & it's super hot. My kids always get heat sensitive/ crabby at AK more so than other parks, something about that park it always seems more humid to me than other parks, at least when we go. I would love to check it out sometime though.

I love Via Napoli, we only ate there once but I would love to again. DH was only lukewarm about our meal there so we usually eat at Coral reef instead when we are at Epcot as that is his favorite.

Kringla bakery sounds awesome, like the Boneyard, I have passed it by a few times but never have went in, it's on my Disney Bucket List!

The lobster benedict looked sooo amazing at GF Café. I didn't know that there was a walking path from Poly to GF - how cool!

I've never seen any pictures of the oasis pool at the Poly. The last time we walked around the poly, they were constructing it.

Looking forward to reading more. Marina
 
Overall, we were super impressed with the Grand Floridian Café, the food and service were fantastic. It was convenient when staying at the Poly, but it was so good that I would make a special trip there for breakfast or brunch. It would be nice to go to EMH morning at MK and then head over to GF mid-morning for brunch, that sounds really great to me.
I continuously hear good reviews of their breakfast but have yet to make it over; I do like your idea of MK EMH and then brunch there, if I can ever manage to get my boys up for an EMH again lol. We're at BLT in Aug. for a few days so maybe we can do breakfast there finally.

since when you have a toddler, even the simplest tasks can feel like a vacation if you get a few minutes alone.:charac2:
:worship: I remember it well....................................

Nomad Lounge as we were trying to beat the evening rush, but the place was already packed. There were no tables inside and only one small table open outside, but I stalked a couch and managed to squeeze in as a couple was leaving.
As Kari said the "No-mad" secret is out. The first time we went to Tiffins not long after they opened, the lounge was empty. When we went back in Nov. and tried to find somewhere to sit and have a drink before our Tiffins reservation it was PACKED, and this was about 1:00. We had to stand for awhile and eventually got one barstool after walking around and around, inside and out, like 7 times lol. I'm planning on going there for drinks and apps with the kids in March and hoping we find a seat. I will say I rather it be crowded than bombing because I love both the lounge and Tiffins.

Asher started to get antsy, so it was time for a quick exit, which meant wine in a to-go cup for mommy. At least it was a wine glass shaped plastic cup, which makes it somehow more acceptable.
Oh man, I want a plastic wine glass shaped cup!

Isn't AK at night gorgeous?? We haven't had a really decent sunset safari other than lots of action from the lions but I love the ToL awakenings, riding EE after dark, and the whole park vibe in general once the sun goes down. Now being there at least one night is a must do each trip :goodvibes
 
Just read your review from the beginning, and am loving it! I don't even miss the food pics. Your descriptions are so good you're making me crave everything! Sorry you had to miss the Cali Grill Brunch. We've done it once, and it was amazing! We also have it booked for our upcoming April trip. We were there the week after the hurricane, so lucked out there. Your Asher is a cutie, and your DH isn't bad either! ;) I can see why you have to beat the girls off with a stick! Looking forward to the rest of your report!
 


Umm...so Chad just told me today that our next WDW trip is 10 weeks away, so I better get on with finishing up this report, right? It has been a busy couple of weeks with touring preschools for Asher to start next year 'cause I've decided that is the way to go for us. He needs more social interaction and I need to be able to schedule appointments, do major chores, run errands, work out, and have some space, maybe work part time if I can find something that works. We also managed to potty train in 2 days with the boot camp method and the boy must have been ready because it worked very well. That was a relief. And that is my life right now. Preschools and poop. I'll be back with an update soon though.

I too can only order the Carciofi Pizza when we go to Via Napoli! Sooooo good!

I can't wait to have it again, it may be the thing I'm most looking forward to for our next trip. Except maybe the Brunch at the Top. I dunno, it's a tossup.

My "secret" Nomads hideaway is definitely a secret no more. Glad you all were able to find a try.

It's one of those instances in which one laments that such a peaceful spot has become so popular, but at least they are staying busy which keeps their drink menu interesting. I was surprised the veranda was so packed even with the blazing heat that day.

Glad you enjoyed the Mimosa at GFC. I had a hard time not getting a 2nd on our breakfast /lunch visit. Really enjoying your reviews
I could have had a second...or third for sure. My toddler won't let us linger too long though.

I loved the pictures of your little guy in the boneyard in AK, we never have stopped to play there with our kids, usually as we go in August & it's super hot. My kids always get heat sensitive/ crabby at AK more so than other parks, something about that park it always seems more humid to me than other parks, at least when we go. I would love to check it out sometime though.

I've never seen any pictures of the oasis pool at the Poly. The last time we walked around the poly, they were constructing it.

That boneyard seems fun but my little guy just wasn't even that into it due to the heat that day. It was just blazin hot and humid early September, so August is definitely not a great time to play there. AK just doesn't have many places to cool off intermittently and it's so much easier to get overheated.

That Oasis pool is heavenly though, it warrants another stay at the Poly just to check it out. Might be my favorite WDW pool to date.

I continuously hear good reviews of their breakfast but have yet to make it over; I do like your idea of MK EMH and then brunch there, if I can ever manage to get my boys up for an EMH again lol. We're at BLT in Aug. for a few days so maybe we can do breakfast there finally.

Isn't AK at night gorgeous?? We haven't had a really decent sunset safari other than lots of action from the lions but I love the ToL awakenings, riding EE after dark, and the whole park vibe in general once the sun goes down. Now being there at least one night is a must do each trip :goodvibes

I don't know when we'll ever get to an AM EMH. Even though Asher woke up at 6:00 am most days it just took friggin forever to get him fed and ready, myself ready, and all our gear loaded to get out the door. We barely made normal rope drop. Maybe the process will speed up when he gets a little more independent...LOL. I know.

Thank you for reminding me that I forgot to ride EE at night!!! That is my favorite ride and I was looking forward to a nighttime ride, can't believe I completely forgot. On the list for next trip.

Just read your review from the beginning, and am loving it! I don't even miss the food pics. Your descriptions are so good you're making me crave everything! Sorry you had to miss the Cali Grill Brunch. We've done it once, and it was amazing! We also have it booked for our upcoming April trip. We were there the week after the hurricane, so lucked out there. Your Asher is a cutie, and your DH isn't bad either! ;) I can see why you have to beat the girls off with a stick! Looking forward to the rest of your report!

Thanks for reading and your kind compliments! Sounds like we just missed you in September! Perhaps our paths will cross in April!
 
Day 9 – Sept 14
“No like-a ‘dis”

We were up early again and I was determined to see the opening show at MK, so I rushed everybody to get ready quickly and we booked it over to the TTC. There we made the massive mistake of going up the monorail ramp because there was one sitting there, which of course left just as we made it to the top of the ramp. Then the CM totally fibbed and said another one was just around the “corner” and we stood there and waited and waited until it became obvious that there was some sort of problem. We had to fight our way back through the people that had piled in behind us and after “pardon me, excuse me”-ing our way out of there, we finally made it to the third ferry that had been there during our delay. Mad. We ran-walked as fast as we could and made it to the castle a couple of minutes before the show, but I did not have time to stop for coffee or have a leisurely stroll up Main Street as I had planned. Maybe next time.

After the show, we went the opposite direction of the masses and went straight to Tomorrowland so we could get coffee at Joffrey’s, which ended up being rather pleasant because the area was completely empty, as in one could look around and not see another guest at all. It’s probably the last time I’ll ever see such low crowds unless I just happen to be around for another hurricane. The latte from Joffrey’s was nice and Chad said his coffee was good, but it was so hot he couldn’t hold the cup and had to set it down to cool for awhile. We tried to look at Star Wars merchandise in Star Traders, but there was an overly chatty CM in there that would not leave my husband alone and we had to leave. So much for enjoying some early morning solitude and family time.

We went on a precarious spin on Astro Orbiters—those rockets really lean! I’m glad Chad had Asher as he was able to hold on to him more easily than I could have. After that we repeated some of our favorites in Fantasyland, scared the bejeezus out of Asher on Barnstormer (although now he says it’s his favorite ride), and did some more “big hellos.”

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I headed over to ride 7DMT for the first time while the boys played around the Casey Jr. area. In looking through the ride photos, I realized that I am a super dork and always have big cheesy smiles even though I’m alone.

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Here’s one from EE earlier in the trip, I appear to be ecstatic, but that poor kid next to me…

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We didn’t get to ride the train as the tracks were still blocked by debris, but I had another item on my to-do list, which was to get some treats and see the Tiki Room. I got my favorite citrus swirl and Chad got a Dole whip and we both shared with Asher. We had to wait a bit and ended up finishing those before even going in, which is unfortunate because it might have kept Asher more entertained. I thought he would love the Tiki Room, but about five minutes in he looks at me and says, “No like-a dis.” Oh well.

I hadn’t ridden Pirates yet and Asher wanted to go again because it was “Big scary but big fun,” so off we went. Asher wanted me to cover his ears so he wouldn’t hear so much of the scary sounds. He really did enjoy it, although it doesn’t appear that way.

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I was determined to get out of MK for lunch and Kona Café sounded perfect for some nice, cool sushi and drinks. I grabbed an ADR last minute and off we went, must have been in a gambling mood because we took the monorail again, fortunately with no delays this time. I love getting out of the blistering MK heat and escaping to the relative peace of Kona for lunch and it was especially quiet this day with just a few tables occupied. We got our favorite server, Bob, who has worked there for years. Bob is no-nonsense and at the end of a long vacation in a world of nonsense, he is a breath of fresh air. He quickly brought our drinks and the hot dog meal that Asher chose, which he gobbled up.

Chad and I had been wanting some sushi, so we shared the large sampler, a dragon roll, and the potstickers. All the sushi was fresh and tasty, the potstickers were hot and delicious, and we enjoyed relaxing there with our drinks, wine for me and rum and Coke for Chad. It was a lovely lunch.

Then it was nap time and I didn’t manage to escape, so after nap I insisted on some solo pool time while Chad took Asher to play. Of course, as soon as I get out to the pool it starts to cloud up and look rainy. I decided it was the perfect opportunity to check out Trader Sam’s since I had not yet been. It was full inside and I picked up a pager before going to the terrace to order a drink. My pager went off before my Hippopoto-mai-tai even arrived, but the server kindly said she would bring it to me inside.

I found a great spot inside and enjoyed my drink. It was strong with rum and a bit fruity, but not too sweet. I felt a little conspicuous in there by myself, which is unusual for me. I got to see some of the antics and ordered a second drink, the Shrunken Zombie Head and the Kalua pork tacos as I was feeling snacky. The Zombie Head was good also, but sweeter than my first drink. The tacos were very tasty and I loved the spicy pickled peppers on them.

Chad and Asher stopped in, but Asher didn’t want to sit still so that didn’t last long. I was honestly getting a little bored and lonely, the people that finally shared my table didn’t seem interested in chatting and there were some ladies at the next table that were treating the server rudely even though he was bending over backwards to please them, replacing drinks just because they didn’t like them. I decided it was time to go. I enjoyed the drinks there, but I think I actually prefer the atmosphere outside on the terrace so I will probably stick to that from now on.

I picked up some items in the gift shop then joined the boys for a quick dinner at Captain Cook’s. I was pretty full from my tacos (and buzzed from the rum drinks) so I just shared a few bites of Asher’s chicken nugget meal. Chad got the seafood stew that he had experience food envy over earlier in the trip. It was getting close to bedtime by then, so we strolled around a bit then headed back to the room to call it a night.

Up next, Day 10: We almost got to eat at Narcoossee’s
 
Day 10 – Sept 15
We almost got to eat at Narcoossee’s

This was our last park day :sad1: and we needed more Epcot, so off we went in our own vehicle this time. We had FP+ for Soarin’ but I needed some more caffeine and a snack so a stop at Sunshine Seasons was in order. I had never had the famous Disney cheese Danish and they always look so wonderful in everyone’s dining reports. I chose the nicest looking one in the case and it was fresh and delicious with my coffee. It’s not something I would normally go for, but glad I did since it was a not-too-sweet breakfast treat. Chad got some sort of veggie wrap which was pretty good and we both shared with Asher. I went on my solo hang gliding adventure, first time to see the new video. It was pretty good, but made even better by the fact that I got the best seat in the theater this time—front row, dead center—I was pumped about that. Chad decided to skip it because even with FP+ it had taken me forever.

We piddled around Future World for awhile and then started making our way toward WS for one more round of F&W booths. I wanted to try some beers in the Odyssey and picked up the Western FL Flight which was very enjoyable since I like wheat beers and ales. I think the Cigar City Guayabera Citra Pale Ale was my favorite of the bunch. Chad took Asher on toward the Mexico pavilion and I got to sip my beers in peace while enjoying the retro attractions music and slide show. It was heavenly.

On my way to meet the boys I picked up a shrimp and scallop cake from the Thailand booth to share with Chad. It was really good, totally our kind of thing and I think it should be a keeper. I wasn’t able to fully enjoy it though because when I showed up Chad informed me that Asher was acting very groggy and we were concerned that he was getting overheated. We decided to go on the Donald boat ride again to give him a chance to cool down in the AC and he perked up after that.

We were still hungry and I had a couple more items on the list that were easy to pick up on our way to the DVC lounge in the Imagination Pavilion. Chad went ahead to get Asher out of the heat and I somehow managed to carry the Spam hash from Hawaii, a Boursin cheese tart, and a glass of Gruner Veltliner from the cheese studio to the DVC lounge without spilling or dropping.

The spam hash was a big hit, spicy and savory, I should totally try to find a recipe and make that at home. It probably would be pretty easy. The Boursin cheese tart was a great value, it was filling enough to be a small meal and had a nice flakey crust with plenty of cheese filling. I also enjoyed my wine, there just wasn’t nearly enough of it.

It was our first time to visit the DVC lounge and we wanted to relax a bit and soak up the atmosphere. I made a delicious cherry ginger ale at the Coke Freestyle station, then Asher started running around like a lunatic and Chad was too busy chatting with another CM to help wrangle him. I quickly tired of chasing the kid and it was naptime anyway, so much for a relaxing stop.

I tried to get a bit more solo pool time and only managed to drink a margarita from the Oasis pool bar before the boys joined me. The standard pool bar margaritas are pretty good, but I don’t recommend asking for any adjustments to the recipe. I thought it would be less sweet but still good without the sour mix, but I was WRONG. :sad2: The lime juice they use is concentrate, I believe, and it was crazy sour. Big mistake on my part. I had to add some water and sugar to make it drinkable and it was still pretty rough.

After a short swim we were thinking about food again and were feeling lazy, but also wanted a good meal for our last night and decided it would be easy to walk over to GF again and try Narcoossee’s for the first time. We made it over after freshening up and upon trying to use the ladies room, discovered they were having some sort of plumbing backup and the floor was really gross, making it unusable. I had to trek all the way back to the pool to use the restroom there and that felt like it took forever, but we finally made it back and were seated right away.

Then the evening started to take a turn for the worse. Asher would not sit in the highchair and he wouldn’t even let me put him down on the booth seat next to me. We thought he was tired and maybe some goldfish crackers would get his attention. Our server kindly brought some out with our drinks, but no go. We ordered an appetizer then I realized that Asher was falling asleep which is completely unheard of, he never falls asleep anywhere except in bed and the car, so I started to get concerned. :worried: By the time we had started eating our calamari appetizer, I noticed he also had cold chills and I felt his forehead and of course he was burning up. Ugh. The next few minutes were a whirlwind of getting the check, our wonderful server Debby boxing up the goldfish, and me making a mad dash to the water launch because a boat had pulled up, carrying my sick toddler by myself. I knew he would not let me put him down in the stroller, so Chad walked our things back while we took the boat back to the Poly.

I was pretty depressed about spending our last night with a sick kid but when I opened the bag that Debby had packed up for us, there was a wonderful surprise—Narcoossee’s almond crusted cheesecake!!! I could have cried with joy, that cheesecake was the main reason I even wanted to go to the restaurant. And it would have been worth it because it was amazing. She also packed an adorable Nemo cupcake for Asher and after returning home I sent an email raving about her service and kind treatment. That cheesecake made lying in bed with a sick kid, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse so much more enjoyable. :thumbsup2

Oh, and the calamari was okay, the crust was a crunchy, cornmeal batter, a little heavier than I would prefer, and the accompanying pepper and olive relish was really my favorite part. I’m kind of mixed about the atmosphere at Narcoossee’s, I like the look of the place and the large windows, but it felt a little cavernous and loud to me. I was also pretty stressed though so my perception may be skewed.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention the bread service was a fresh, delicious sourdough. It was awesome, I hadn’t had real sourdough in ages and I gobbled it up!

I guess that was a pretty depressing last night :charac2:, but at least it was the last night and not the middle of vacation for the kid getting sick.

Up next, Day 11: Our mad dash to squeeze in a bit more fun
 
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Day 11 – Sept 16
Departure Day Mad Dash

It’s depressing to even write about departure day, but I’m determined to get this report wrapped up. Chad and I experience something we call “New Guest Detest” on our departure day in which we are so jealous of newly arriving guests that we physically despise them with their glowing, smiling faces and that skip in their step as they walk in the lobby. It’s just infuriating to see as we trudge along with a 12 hour drive to look forward to. :mad: LOL.

Asher’s sudden fever the night before had put me behind as I had meant to shower and start packing. Now I had to do everything in the morning before check-out, which is a challenge when packing both mine and Asher’s things, getting us both ready, and wrangling him in general. As you can see, he was incredibly helpful with the packing.
curtain.JPG

We decided to order room service for breakfast in an effort to save time. I was happy about this because I had meant for us to eat at Kona for breakfast during the trip so that I could try the macadamia pancakes.

Chad ordered the Aloha Eggs which was just a standard two eggs with biscuit and choice of meat, he chose sausage. We got another order of sausage for Asher and let him share our meals. Of course I ordered the Macadamia-Pineapple Pancakes and chose bacon for my side. I usually prefer more protein for breakfast and don’t generally order pancakes, but the addition of macadamia nuts adds enough protein and fiber that it seems like a more reasonable choice.

Our order was deliver and upon inspection we saw there was no butter. I called and informed room service that our butter was left off and after awhile someone shows up with packets of margarine (sigh) but none of the macadamia nut butter that’s supposed to come with the pancakes. That person had to make another trip to get it, I considered just doing without but I can’t stand margarine and I wanted the special butter. By the time we finally started eating our food wasn’t nearly as fresh and hot, but that didn’t ruin things.

My pancakes were absolutely packed with macadamia nuts. It was crazy! I didn’t expect there to be so many, those are some expensive nuts. I was really impressed with the amount. They were very tasty too, the pineapple sauce was sweet, no need for syrup and the good butter was worth the wait. We scarfed down the food and chugged some coffee and continued packing.

As our checkout time approached we debated our options and decided it made sense to eat lunch before leaving WDW rather than stop once we got on the road. Asher seemed perfectly fine, behaving normally, no fever. I thought maybe my hippie remedies that I always carry with us on trips had helped him fight off whatever was causing his fever the night before. Since he was showing no signs of illness we decided to go to Disney Springs and walk around for a few minutes then eat lunch. We had been meaning to go over there the whole trip and never made it.

Chad single-handedly loaded all our luggage so that we wouldn’t have to wait for bell services and we avoided the “New Guest Detest” to an extent. Off we went to Disney Springs, parked in the lime garage (LOVE the new garages there, so convenient), and walked around a bit, but we didn’t have much time to linger. Of course after visiting three of the finest theme parks in the world, one must pay exorbitant fees for toddlers to ride a dinky carousel and train ride in the sweltering heat.

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It was getting late and we needed to hit the road. We chose Frontera Cocina for our final WDW meal because margaritas and chips & salsa sounded fantastic. This was another new restaurant for us although Chad has been to the Frontera Grill in Chicago while on a business trip (jealous).

I love a well-made margarita on the rocks and decided to try the signature Frontera Margarita - Casa Noble blanco tequila, Royal Combier, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, salt rim. This was definitely my kind of margarita- quality ingredients, freshly mixed and NO sweet and sour. It would be a perfect pool or beachside margarita, very refreshing on a hot day.

Chad wanted to try a new margarita since the one I ordered was what he tried in Chicago. He went with the Topolo Margarita - Herradura anejo tequila, Torres orange liqueur, housemade limonada which was served without ice, martini-style. This was a smooth drink with the aged tequila, the server said that Rick Bayless likes this margarita as an evening after-dinner drink and that makes perfect sense. Chad said he slightly preferred the original Frontera Margarita, but no complaints on the Topolo.

We had their excellent chips and salsa- the chips are thick and corny, fresh-made salsas with a decent amount of heat. Asher can make a meal out of tortilla chips and he was easily occupied with crunching away.

For my entrée I went with Carne Asada for making soft Tacos - Grilled steak, poblano rajas, black beans refritos with queso fresco, salsa verde, guacamole, served with corn tortillas and they were great. A HUGE portion though, we could totally have shared this with the chips and salsa and been just fine. I love some authentic Mexican tacos and these did not disappoint, the steak was fresh and tender, the accompaniments bright and flavorful, and the corn tortillas were freshly made.

Chad chose the Shimp Mojo de Ajo - Pan-roasted Florida pink shrimp with mojo de ajo (slow cooked garlic, olive oil, lime and chipotle), plantain rice, grilled calabacitas with warm corn tortillas which was a huge portion as well. He loved it and the bite I tried was delicious, I would have loved more but I wasn’t even able to finish my own meal. We both shared with Asher and he seemed to love all the food as well. Our server was fantastic here as well and it was a wonderful note to end our vacation on.

We rolled our stuffed selves back out into the heat and made one last stop at Sprinkles to pick up treats for the road. This was our first time here as well and I love me some cupcakes. I got a mini cupcake sampler with a vanilla, a red velvet, a black & white, and a sprinkle cupcake. I ate them during our drive and my favorite was the vanilla, the buttercream was perfect. The sprinkle was good but so sweet it made my teeth hurt. The red velvet was just alright, not one of my favorite flavors, but the black & white was terrible. It tasted like dry devil’s food cake with royal icing. Chad got a big peanut butter, pretzel chip cookie and said it was great. I should have tasted it but I was distracted by the rash that was appearing on the back of Asher’s legs. Cue ominous music: Dun-dun-dun-duuuuuunnnn.

To make a long story short, we considered every possible cause for his rash from shellfish allergy to contact dermatitis. By the time we got back to Kentucky I figured out that his prior fever and the blisters that had popped up in his nose pointed to hand, foot, and mouth disease. :eek: Yuck. Gross. At least he had a mild case and the rash wasn’t extensive, didn’t even have any on his hands or feet. I guess no amount of hand washing and sanitizing could make up for all of this:

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It was a fairly miserable ride home, Asher was cranky and the drive back to KY always feels twice as long as the drive to FL. Even with the uncomfortable ending, the trip was a huge success and fun times were had by all.

In summary, some take-aways and impressions from the trip:

Resort- I’ve always loved visiting the Poly and was super excited to stay there. I loved the Oasis Pool, that was one of my favorite features of the resort. The grounds are gorgeous to walk around and it is very convenient to MK of course, but I’m not sure I consider the monorail much of a benefit right now with the risk of breakdowns and delays. It’s too much of a gamble with a toddler. The restaurants at Poly are a bit limited but the ability to walk to GF expands the restaurant options considerably for those like us who don’t want to travel far for dinner every evening. Because of that, I think an Epcot area resort might be a better option for foodies with young children who need to nap in the room daily. It’s much easier to get to a wide array of restaurants for dinner there and it would be nice to get into a park very quickly in the evenings after nap and pool time. Which is why we’re staying at Beach Club Villas for our next trip in April!

Time of year/weather- Being there for the hurricane ended up being a mostly positive experience, the only downside really being that I had to burn two more nights of DVC points. The heat and humidity outside of the hurricane days felt more oppressive to me than I remember in the past. Maybe I’m getting old. It was hard to enjoy any outdoor entertainment during the day and I’m hoping the weather will be more conducive to that during our upcoming spring trip.

Food- We had such incredible restaurant experiences this trip that I simply cannot choose a favorite or even a top three! All the new and new-to-us spots we tried were fantastic. Food, drinks, service, atmosphere—it was mostly perfect and I didn’t see any decline in quality this time. We ended up just a bit over breaking even on our TIW card this time. If I had known we wouldn’t be able to do the Brunch at the Top, I may not have purchased it, but at least we broke even and can use it for our next trip and that makes it worth the purchase price this time, I believe. For the three of us, I don’t think it would make sense to purchase for just one trip, even considering the number of table service meals and drinks that we typically enjoy.

That wraps up this dining trip report. I’ll be back with another one in just a couple of months, hopefully with plenty of food photos next time. Of course I’ll be following along with everyone else’s dining reports in the meantime!
 
You poor thing you certainly had quite the last 24 hours. How awesome of Narcoossee's to give you some almond cheesecake though! And at least Asher got sick at the end and not the beginning of the trip.

Thanks for sharing your dining adventures. I hope weather and health is on your side for your next trip!
 
I don’t know how I didn’t read your reviews sooner, OP. It took a snow day for me to find this thread.

Had I stayed at the Polynesian, I would have been one of those shiny, happy faces. I arrived on Friday, 9/15. I could have done without the hurricane even though it was over by the time I got there. The parks were slammed the next week, I think partly because people rescheduled their trips to the week we were there.

I hope you’ll review the F&G booths soon after your April trip, since I will be there in mid-May and I would love to read your impressions. We are staying at the Swan, and I expect to be in Epcot every day like I did in September. I was never a park hopper till we started staying at the Swan, and I won’t stay there without PH mainly for the ability to visit Epcot daily.

You have a great sense of humor, and your little boy is adorable. :cloud9: I love little boys and miss having any around now that mine has grown up. :)
 
Finally finished up - what a sad end of the trip for your little guy. He was a trooper though! And those pictures :lovestruc he's so cute there with Donald! I have to admit your wrap up thoughts really make me want to go back to the Poly! You make a great point about the Grand adding so many additional choices close to "home". Your next trip is coming up soon! I hope the weather cooperates and you have a wonderful time! Thanks for the fabulous report :flower3:
 
I'm here getting caught up on everyone else's reports, lots of updates this week...from the folks who have been snowed in I guess? I'm in Kentucky and we had a surprising 7-9 inches of snow in our city overnight on Sunday. That seems to happen here frequently in early March after not having much snow all winter. I am ready for spring!!! I have cabin fever, seasonal affective disorder, and it is time for me to get my vitamin D on! I am so pumped about our F&G trip coming up.

You poor thing you certainly had quite the last 24 hours. How awesome of Narcoossee's to give you some almond cheesecake though! And at least Asher got sick at the end and not the beginning of the trip.

Thanks for sharing your dining adventures. I hope weather and health is on your side for your next trip!

Thanks! I am hoping for no illnesses next time, we haven't had a family vacation since Asher was born without one of us being ill at some point. We are 3 for 3, hoping this next trip breaks our losing streak.

I don’t know how I didn’t read your reviews sooner, OP. It took a snow day for me to find this thread.

Had I stayed at the Polynesian, I would have been one of those shiny, happy faces. I arrived on Friday, 9/15. I could have done without the hurricane even though it was over by the time I got there. The parks were slammed the next week, I think partly because people rescheduled their trips to the week we were there.

I hope you’ll review the F&G booths soon after your April trip, since I will be there in mid-May and I would love to read your impressions. We are staying at the Swan, and I expect to be in Epcot every day like I did in September. I was never a park hopper till we started staying at the Swan, and I won’t stay there without PH mainly for the ability to visit Epcot daily.

You have a great sense of humor, and your little boy is adorable. :cloud9: I love little boys and miss having any around now that mine has grown up. :)

Thanks! I just love having a little boy, he is so sweet and lovey right now. I'm trying to soak it all up before he grows up. I'll do my best to get started on my trip report right away when we get home. I have started my list for F&G booths, I don't know how many of the foods we'll end up trying as I want to keep the list short, but several of the cocktails are intriguing to me and have been getting good reviews. We shall see how it goes.

Finally finished up - what a sad end of the trip for your little guy. He was a trooper though! And those pictures :lovestruc he's so cute there with Donald! I have to admit your wrap up thoughts really make me want to go back to the Poly! You make a great point about the Grand adding so many additional choices close to "home". Your next trip is coming up soon! I hope the weather cooperates and you have a wonderful time! Thanks for the fabulous report :flower3:

Thanks! Asher still talks about how Donald touched his nose when he did the "big hello" with him. The Poly is really great, but I found myself missing AKL. You said you love the lodges too, right? We own at AKV and will be branching out again next trip, but I miss staying there every time we stay somewhere else. The convenience of BCV is going to be nice for our next trip though. When afternoon naps become less of a necessity and don't dictate our schedule so much, I anticipate spending most of our trips at AKV again, with an occasional VWL stay thrown in because I find the lodge resorts to be the most relaxing. Plus AKL has the best resort restaurant selection on property, IMO.
 
Just read your whole report. Thoroughly enjoyed, and seeing as how we have our first Poly stay this August, will take a few pointers (monorail) to heart.
“what’s the point if you can’t taste the alcohol” camp
I am also completely in this camp ;)
strolling trails in AK what one needs is a rum drink
Most assuredly!
kid’s appetizer of Cheese & Grapes with Crackers
This is a genius Kid's Meal offering!!
I loved how food-focused this restaurant is, sure you can have a nice view by the window, but it doesn’t really matter where you sit because the food is just incredible. The atmosphere was on the quiet side
pace the meal
Really the above is what makes an excellent meal, and unfortunately it is so hard to get the quiet and meal pacing right at WDW.

Chad took Asher over to MK for some daddy-son bonding time and I drank some of the wine I brought with me (Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc) on our balcony
This is sweet! And a kick-a#$ way to chill and still be productive!

This breakfast was pretty awesome and the best part? It was $15 per adult! Crazy town, right? I am so impressed with that pricing when guests were going to be stuck eating there anyway, they could have charged whatever and we would have paid it. And characters to boot? So awesome.
Thank you Disney for doing the "right" thing. This is why we keep coming back!

Narcoossee’s almond crusted cheesecake!!! I could have cried with joy, that cheesecake was the main reason I even wanted to go to the restaurant. And it would have been worth it because it was amazing. She also packed an adorable Nemo cupcake for Asher and after returning home I sent an email raving about her service and kind treatment
Another perfect example of Disney magic that makes even bad moments feel better!

we call “New Guest Detest” on our departure day
:rotfl2::rotfl2:
 
Just read your whole report. Thoroughly enjoyed, and seeing as how we have our first Poly stay this August, will take a few pointers (monorail) to heart.

Thanks for reading and glad you enjoyed it. We found ourselves missing the Poly at bit during our BCV stay, mainly the Oasis Pool. I hope you get to enjoy it during your stay, it's awesome to have a "quiet" pool that still has a pool bar and food.
 
Well that is interesting as the only other Deluxe we've stayed at is Yacht Club, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

We definitely enjoyed Beach Club, but the Poly is still above it on our favorites list, mostly for the aesthetic and the Oasis Pool. I've never stayed at the Yacht Club, but I love the lobby and common areas there. I'd like to try it sometime when we are out of DVC points.
 

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