Trip Report Back so soon? LIVE

I may have just finished my last TR (The Big Fat Liars Thanksgiving Report!) but our next trip is fast approaching so I'd better make a PTR! This will be another short, non-parks trip.

Background: Our dear friend S is getting married! The official engagement has been very short (and no, it's not a shotgun wedding before anyone chimes in :rolleyes:) so we had to make our plans quickly. S's fiance is in the military and is being transferred to Japan very soon so it was important for them to make things official before he leaves. She's an elementary school teacher so she will finish the school year before following him to live in Japan for the next three years. Since it was relatively short notice, they picked a holiday weekend so as many friends and family could attend as possible.

ANNNNNDDDD since it's a holiday weekend, of course we will do a little Disney while we're in Florida!!

Friday, February 17
Afternoon flight to JAX
Overnight with M's parents

Saturday, February 18
Late morning wedding and brunch
Celebrations! And packing!
Overnight with M's parents

Sunday, February 19
Drive to MCO
DME to CSR
Check in to CSR
Resort hopping
8:10 Dinner at Beaches and Cream
More resort hopping and maybe some fireworks viewing?
Overnight at CSR

Monday, February 20
10:15 Breakfast at Las Ventanas
DME to MCO
Afternoon flight to EWR

That's it for now. The Disney part, as you can see, will be very short, so instead of doing a full TR I'll probably do a live or semi-live trip while we're down there.
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
IMG_0641.JPG

Gets me every time!

IMG_0642.JPG

This huge group (gang?) of bikers passed us. I stopped counting after 17.

IMG_0643.JPG

Jimmy John's veggie sub with hot peppers

IMG_0644.JPG

Norm Lewis!

IMG_0645.JPG

Is this Starbucks new???

IMG_0646.JPG

Not quite the crowds we saw after Thanksgiving. The lines were long but moving.

IMG_0647.JPG

Back of line to bus in 14 minutes.

And today's award for Parents Behaving Badly And Kids Calling Them Out (PBBAKCTO) goes to...the parents who tried to sit in the very front row of the DME bus despite the sign that says the seating is "reserved for those in need." One of the kids pointed out the sign and the family reluctantly moved back! There is some hope for the future!!
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
IMG_0668.JPG


IMG_0672.JPG


Despite having had sandwiches at Jimmy John's we were hungry again! We went for our go-to Pepper Market meal, cheese empanadas!

IMG_0674.JPG

A CM was putting the sliced tomatoes on the right into the contraption on the left and getting perfect diced tomatoes. I want one!

We took the food to go on the way to eat in the room. In PM I dropped the box ( :( ) but the box stayed closed and I didn't make a giant mess ( :D ).

IMG_0675.PNG

There was a mysterious Pokéstop by the building.

IMG_0676.JPG

It still tasted good!

We ate our empanadas (delicious as always!) and rested for a bit in the room. I took a shower and we put on nicer clothes before heading to...

IMG_0680.PNG

Bus stop 2, which was also a Pokéstop!

IMG_0681.JPG

Our college campus had a lot of these trees. One time M and I were doing an outside biology class and our professor was...let's just say she seemed like she smoked a lot. Of not-tobacco. I, being the STELLAR student and citizen that I was, grabbed some of the red flower things and put them in the prof's hair to see if she would notice. She never did and kept walking around with the class like that.

IMG_0682.JPG

There was a bit of a backup at the bus stop. But we waited less than 15 minutes. Now we're on our way to the MK to catch the monorail!

There is a funny family of five on the bus with us. The parents keep singing, "Moana" and the kids are responding with "Make way! Make way!" Earlier the kids were all shouting which characters they want to see at the park. We are almost to the bus depot and they are all super excited.

I didn't take any pics of the room because you all have seen plenty of interior moderate resort rooms. :)
 

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
View attachment 190628
Gets me every time!

View attachment 190631
This huge group (gang?) of bikers passed us. I stopped counting after 17.

View attachment 190632
Jimmy John's veggie sub with hot peppers

View attachment 190634
Norm Lewis!

View attachment 190635
Is this Starbucks new???

View attachment 190636
Not quite the crowds we saw after Thanksgiving. The lines were long but moving.

View attachment 190637
Back of line to bus in 14 minutes.

And today's award for Parents Behaving Badly And Kids Calling Them Out (PBBAKCTO) goes to...the parents who tried to sit in the very front row of the DME bus despite the sign that says the seating is "reserved for those in need." One of the kids pointed out the sign and the family reluctantly moved back! There is some hope for the future!!

The vasectomy sign always gets my husband and I. We love it!! What is the number of vasectomies up to now?
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
If you guessed we were on our way to the Poly, you'd be correct!

And if you guessed our first stop would be Trader Sam's, you'd be extra correct!

Sadly, though TS had just opened less than half an hour before we arrived, the wait for two was already 45 minutes. But there was space outside!

IMG_0708.JPG
IMG_0706.JPG
IMG_0707.JPG
IMG_0709.JPG

Left: my Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum. Right: M's Spikey Pineapple

IMG_0714.JPG

Then I decided I needed a Rosita's Margarita.

Our server, Natalie, was friendly and attentive.

IMG_0713.JPG
We both decided that sitting outside in the shade by the water was better than sitting in a dark, loud room, anyway.
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We'd never made the walk between the Polynesian and Grand Floridian. It's so beautiful and relaxing!

IMG_0743.JPG
IMG_0751.JPG
IMG_0752.JPG
IMG_0753.JPG
IMG_0759.JPG
IMG_0765.JPG


We used some outdoor-access restrooms that seemed barely used.
IMG_0768.JPG


Now we are hanging out in the lobby listening to the GF orchestra and people-watching as we wait for our dinner reservation.
IMG_0776.JPG

M took this one :)
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
IMG_0783.JPG
IMG_0784.JPG
IMG_0785.JPG
IMG_0786.JPG
IMG_0788.JPG

Chenin blanc for M and Syrah for me

IMG_0790.JPG

Sourdough

IMG_0791.JPG

Half of the pumpkin and fig salad. Yum!!!

IMG_0794.JPG

My seared tofu

IMG_0795.JPG

M's pasta

Really enjoyed all the food we had at Narcoossee's. our server was Nelson from Long Island and he was a tad awkward but very nice. We were seated on the upper level near the center of the dining area. I was facing the outside window and Seven Seas Lagoon and M was facing the bar.

I had read lots of unfavorable reviews of Narcoossee's (but decided to try is anyway, haha!) so I didn't know what to expect. I was impressed with the selection of veggie dishes, service, and qualityof the food. The atmosphere was nice but not extremely special IMO. There was a nice wine list and we each enjoyed the wines we selected. I am glad we tried it but wouldn't rush to go again. Of the signatures we've tried my favorite was Jiko, then Cali Grill, then Narcoossee's (not counting Le Cellier even though Disney calls it a signature).
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
If you guessed we were on our way to the Poly, you'd be correct!

And if you guessed our first stop would be Trader Sam's, you'd be extra correct!

Sadly, though TS had just opened less than half an hour before we arrived, the wait for two was already 45 minutes. But there was space outside!

Never been to TS, but I could never understand why they made it so small (from what everyone says). You'd think this would be a cash cow for them. :rolleyes:
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
Never been to TS, but I could never understand why they made it so small (from what everyone says). You'd think this would be a cash cow for them. :rolleyes:

It can be a bummer that Trader Sam's is small, but once you got to it you'll see why they made it small. Keeping it small, like the original in Disneyland gives it charm and intimacy. If it were larger it would lose the hole in the wall type of feeling that makes it special. But that is just my two cents.
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
IMG_0798.JPG
IMG_0799.JPG
IMG_0805.JPG
IMG_0810.JPG

Wishes was so beautiful (but you all already know that). I cried a little of course. I'm so glad we got to see it one last time. Though I will miss Wishes, I'm excited for what comes next.

IMG_0812.JPG

And we caught the Water Pageant too!!

A boat was pulling into the GF dock and the line was short so we hopped right on. After a stop at the Poly we were back at the MK entrance. The line for the ferry was absurd and taking up most of the path between the boat docks and the buses. Somehow we made it through to the buses, and a Coronado bus was pulling up right as we turned toward our stop! We've had much better luck with transportation on this trip than on the last one.

We got back to Coronado shortly after 10, got ready for bed, watched silly TV, and went to sleep.
 
Last edited:

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom