Trip Report *COMPLETED* Flowers, Family, and ??Fireworks?? (and lots of FOOD): A Memorial Week Trip Report

We are back! I am departing from my usual trip report procedure in that I haven't written the entire thing yet, but am instead posting a bit at a time as I go along. Tonight I am starting with introductions of the cast, since there are some additions who haven't previously appeared in my TRs.

The Cast

The cast of this trip of course includes my wife M and me, Bee. There are three new players, however: M’s mom, dad, and brother, all of whom I consider to be my own family as well! For simplicity I will refer to them as MIL (mother-in-law), FIL (father-in-law), and BIL (brother-in-law because his name starts with M as well! Oh and we all have M last names. Even MIL's maiden name starts with M). A little about each of us:

Bee (me)
Age: 27
Occupation: opera singer/voice and piano teacher
Vegetarian, obsessed with Disney, loves seeing Broadway musicals
Married to M for going on two years, honeymooned at WDW
The planner and organizer of the bunch

M (my wife)
Age: 27
Occupation: writer/academic advisor
Vegetarian, smart and funny, not exactly OBSESSED with Disney like I am but still loves going
Married to me for going on two years, honeymooned at WDW

MIL
Occupation: church musician/voice and piano teacher
Obsessed with Disney and giraffes, loves children
Married to FIL for (almost) 32 years, honeymooned at...you guessed it, WDW!

FIL
Occupation: HS guidance counselor
Quiet but secretly hilarious, reads all the time, half Italian
Married to MIL for (almost) 32 years, can you tell where we get our Disney obsession??

BIL
Age: 23
Occupation: HS math teacher
Did not get bitten by the Disney bug like the rest of us! Guessing if he gets married he will NOT honeymoon at WDW!

As you can see education is important to this family! It goes back to the previous generation as well because both of M’s grandfathers were university professors; one has a doctorate and the other was ABD when family circumstances prevented him from finishing. In addition, BIL, M, and I all graduated from the HS where FIL is now a guidance counselor (though he worked at a different school while we were are going there) and BIL now teaches there too.

The Plans

Dates
Saturday, May 28-Thursday, June 2 (Me and M)
Saturday, May 28-Monday, May 30 (MIL, FIL, BIL)

Hotel
Pop Century one night, WDW Swan four nights (Me and M)
Two nights offsite in LBV (MIL, FIL, BIL)

Tickets
Annual Passes (Me, M, MIL, FIL)
FL Resident Park Hopper (BIL)

Flights
Southwest Airlines nonstop (Me and M. The others drove as they live 2.5 hours away)

Transportation
DME and Uber (Me and M)
Rental car (MIL, FIL, BIL)

The week before our trip was busy and we didn’t have much time to pack and prepare for the trip. A few days before I finally dragged out the suitcase and started putting things inside, but it wasn’t until the night before we left that we finally got serious about packing. I had rehearsal in Westchester that evening and got home to NJ around 9:30. M had done a lot of work toward packing and we managed to get in bed before midnight for a brief sleep.

We debated whether to bring a large suitcase or a small one and decided on a small one so it wouldn’t be too much trouble to transfer from Pop to the Swan on Sunday. Since the suitcase was small enough we had the option to check it or carry it on. We decided to put the DME tag on it in case we wanted to check it, but to make the final decision in the morning after we saw the line for Southwest bag check. I had been reading TSA horror stories about crazy long wait times and missed flights and I didn’t want to add any unnecessary time to our pre-security time.

Next up: Day 1

 

[Doc Disney]

We hopped in and got off at the Gluten Free. I mean Grand Floridian. M and I have been calling it that for years because of all the decorations that say “GF.”

This is super funny! I kind of want to steal it and start saying that too!

 

[bee]

This is super funny! I kind of want to steal it and start saying that too!

Steal away!

 

[sheriffwoody]

We hopped in and got off at the Gluten Free. I mean Grand Floridian

AHAHAHAHAHA that is hilarious.

 

[Figgy1]

Basin is my favorite nonDisney Disney store of all time. I always try and not spend too much money there. Like I said try LOL The relation scent bath salts always remind me of Soarin when I get home. I may have to get some for old times sake.

 

[bee]

AHAHAHAHAHA that is hilarious.

Basin is my favorite nonDisney Disney store of all time. I always try and not spend too much money there. Like I said try LOL The relation scent bath salts always remind me of Soarin when I get home. I may have to get some for old times sake.

Soarin'-scented bath salts, eh?? I have to check this out! I really like the shampoo and conditioner and they both smell soooo good and by extension they make my bathroom smell nice too.

 

[MinnieM123]

I also enjoy the ice cream at The Fountain. (I've "indulged" many times over the years . . . ) It's tasty and in a convenient location if you're staying at either the Swan or Dolphin. (Also, you avoid the extra long lines at the ice cream outlets in other areas of WDW.)

 

[Figgy1]

I also enjoy the ice cream at The Fountain. (I've "indulged" many times over the years . . . ) It's tasty and in a convenient location if you're staying at either the Swan or Dolphin. (Also, you avoid the extra long lines at the ice cream outlets in other areas of WDW.)

The fountain just got added to our list of places we're going to try and get to while resort hopping

 

[MinnieM123]

The fountain just got added to our list of places we're going to try and get to while resort hopping

Another nice perk is the ground level location at the Dolphin, with air conditioning inside the hotel. There are a few benches near The Fountain inside, or you can walk around the corner to the rear opening of Picabu's and grab a table in there. The family can sit and enjoy their ice cream (if you all needed a break for a few minutes in the a/c). Picabu is an informal, cafeteria-style, tray restaurant, so you can easily just go in the back area and sit at a table with the ice cream.

 

[Figgy1]

Another nice perk is the ground level location at the Dolphin, with air conditioning inside the hotel. There are a few benches near The Fountain inside, or you can walk around the corner to the rear opening of Picabu's and grab a table in there. The family can sit and enjoy their ice cream (if you all needed a break for a few minutes in the a/c). Picabu is an informal, cafeteria-style, tray restaurant, so you can easily just go in the back area and sit at a table with the ice cream.

Thank you for the tip but no ice cream for us.

 

[Figgy1]

@bee is the Basin in the GF as big as the one in DTD? THNX

 

[bee]

I also enjoy the ice cream at The Fountain. (I've "indulged" many times over the years . . . ) It's tasty and in a convenient location if you're staying at either the Swan or Dolphin. (Also, you avoid the extra long lines at the ice cream outlets in other areas of WDW.)

That coffee caramel ice cream ended up as our favorite of the trip and as you can see we ate a LOT of ice cream!

The fountain just got added to our list of places we're going to try and get to while resort hopping

Excellent choice!

Another nice perk is the ground level location at the Dolphin, with air conditioning inside the hotel. There are a few benches near The Fountain inside, or you can walk around the corner to the rear opening of Picabu's and grab a table in there. The family can sit and enjoy their ice cream (if you all needed a break for a few minutes in the a/c). Picabu is an informal, cafeteria-style, tray restaurant, so you can easily just go in the back area and sit at a table with the ice cream.

Yes! Indoor seating! Air conditioning!

Thank you for the tip but no ice cream for us.

They do have sorbet!

@bee is the Basin in the GF as big as the one in DTD? THNX

Nope, it's quite a bit smaller and the selection of products is smaller as well. It's much quieter than the DD/DS store and is of course convenient to MK and the monorail resorts. They actually didn't have the exact shampoo we wanted but we really like the ones we ended up getting instead.

 

[Figgy1]

THNX @bee I'll check and see if the sorbet is DF and I'll hit the Basin in DTD in the way in and maybe check out the one in GF also, just to compare LOL

 

[bee]

THNX @bee I'll check and see if the sorbet is DF and I'll hit the Basin in DTD in the way in and maybe check out the one in GF also, just to compare LOL

http://www.swandolphinrestaurants.com/menus/restaurant_menus/fountain/fountain_icecream.html

According to this menu the raspberry sorbet is DF.

 

[Figgy1]

http://www.swandolphinrestaurants.com/menus/restaurant_menus/fountain/fountain_icecream.html

According to this menu the raspberry sorbet is DF.

Thank you so much.

 

[MinnieM123]

http://www.swandolphinrestaurants.com/menus/restaurant_menus/fountain/fountain_icecream.html

According to this menu the raspberry sorbet is DF.

Thanks for posting that, Bee. I was interested to see that they had a few options for diabetics as well. (I'm not diabetic, but quite a few people are.)

 

[bee]

Day 4, cont.

After our ice cream we changed and got ready for dinner. Our reservation at Jiko was at 6:30 but we left a little after 4:00 so we would have plenty of time to transfer busses and hopefully have time for a drink or two at Victoria Falls. We waited three minutes at the Swan for an AK bus and had the entire bus to ourselves.

Bus!

When we disembarked at AK, an AKL bus was already waiting and left shortly after we boarded. We arrived with plenty of time for a drink and admired the lobby on the way to Victoria Falls. There were plenty of tables available and we were promptly greeted by the server/bartender. I ordered a Rye Manhattan and M went with a Fireball/Rumchata cocktail. Both were strong and tasty.

Menu

Lamp

Looking down at Boma

Manhattan and Fireball Cocktail

We still had time before our reservation and I was ready to get in on the South African wine action early, so I tried the Barista Coffee Pinotage because it sounded interesting and I love (almost) anything coffee-related. The server brought me a generous pour and the wine was so super delicious. I really enjoyed it and would totally get it again.

Wine menu

Pinotage

M decided on the Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, which I tried a sip of and also enjoyed.

Beer menu

Beer

Did I enjoy the beverage? (Manhattan)
Yes!

Would I drink it again?
Of course. I always enjoy a good Manhattan.

Did I enjoy the beverage? (Fireball cocktail)
Yes

Would I drink it again?
Sure. It was sweet but the sweetness nicely balanced with the spice.

Did I enjoy the beverage? (Pinotage)
Yes!!

Would I drink it again?
Absolutely!! It’s not an expensive bottle so if I find it around here I might get a few.

Did I enjoy the beverage? (beer)
Yes!

Would I drink it again?
Sure!

After we finished and paid we took a walk outside to see the animals. We didn’t get far before it started to rain again.

Flamingos

Banans

Rain!

Next up: OH EM JIKO

 

[Tuvalu]

Yay, you're back!

 

[bee]

Yay, you're back!

Glad to be back! The entire weekend was spent cleaning and reorganizing our apartment (okay, we did stop for some black bean burgers and salads and beer but that was it!). We have a good friend from Florida visiting this weekend, plus it was time for a thorough cleaning and a purge of lots of excess stuff (where did it all come from???*). Our place looks so much better now.

Some non-Disney food for once

*90% or more came from our mothers. It's really lovely of them to see things (mostly clothes) in stores and think of us and send it our way but neither of them has any concept of how little space we have. It's difficult to say, "Please don't send me any more things because I really literally actually have no room for it" without sounding ungrateful. So our strategy is to say, "Thank you" with a smile and when the next purge comes, away to the clothing donation box it goes.

 

[bee]

WARNING: DON'T READ WHILE HUNGRY!!!

Day 4, cont.

We checked in a little early at Jiko and were seated immediately. Our server (whose name is escaping me! Ugh! Should have taken notes!) quickly greeted us and explained the menu and wine list. We asked for vegetarian menus (they have a separate veggie menu and I’m pretty sure they also have a separate vegan menu @figmentfan423!) and he recommended his favorites. We sometimes experience servers in Disney and in general who either have little to no knowledge about the vegetarian options, and/or immediately check out when we tell them we are vegetarians because they know we’re not ordering the filet mignon or lobster. There was none of that on this trip.

Front of menu

Back of menu

Anyway, we were both in a red wine mood. I selected the Post House “Missing Virgin” red blend and M picked another pinotage: the Painted Wolf “red den.” We really enjoyed both. For appetizers I selected the Roasted Poblano Pepper Soup and M picked the Taste of Africa (a selection of several breads and dips). Our server brought us some complimentary bread (guess I didn’t get a photo, oops) while we waited for the appetizers.

Wine lists

And wine glasses!

I don’t have enough good things to say about this soup. It may have been the most delicious soup I’ve ever eaten. It was savory, creamy, spicy, and lightly sweet in perfect balance. And the presentation was beautiful! I could have eaten about ten bowls of it.

Soup

The Taste of Africa was similar to the bread service at Sanaa on a smaller scale. I’m not remembering exactly what each dip was but one was a hummus and the others were similar to chutneys you would get at an Indian restaurant. One had a kick of spice to it but the others were mild.

Taste of Africa

We continued to be wowed by the entrees. It was tough to choose between the four options, but I went with the Egyptian Kushari and M picked the Maize-Crusted Tofu. Again the presentation for both was so beautiful. The Kushari consisted of different legumes and grains with baby squash and roasted whole peppers. Raisins added a bit of sweetness. It was so good but too much and I had to ask for a box to go!

Egyptian Kushari

As a vegetarian for over eight years I have eaten a lot of tofu in my life. I’ve had some that was prepared very well and some that was not prepared so well. I tried a bite of M’s tofu and it was cooked perfectly with a crispiness from the cornmeal crust. The sauce was full of flavor, quite necessary when dealing with tofu.

It was so pretty we had to photograph it from two angles!

As I said I was too full to even finish my entree so eating dessert was not an option. Drinking dessert, however…

M's Nutty African

My Zebratini

And then our server brought a small chocolate pot de creme to share for M’s birthday! He also brought little coconut cookies. They were tasty and light and the right size to follow this huge meal.

Desserts

From beginning to end this was a fantastic meal and experience. I so appreciate how accommodating Jiko is of various dietary needs even beyond food allergies.

Did I enjoy the meal?
Yes!

Would I eat there again?
Absolutely! At least once every other trip if not every trip.

After eating at Jiko, we have now had at least one meal at each of the AKL restaurants. I like that the three are all so good but so different from one another. Jiko is my favorite at the Lodge and may be my favorite restaurant in all of WDW (that I’ve tried so far, anyway).

Next up: Running in the Rain, Drenched Disneybound, and Empty Epcot

 

[Figgy1]

I should have listened to the warning it all looked soooo good!!!!!!!!!! Oh well kale and berry smoothie time. I was thinking about booking Jiko but the guys all wanted Sanaa so we have that booked for this summer. The GF naan gets excellent reviews so none of us will go hungry there