Trip Report Mad dash for Lunch with my Valentine

My first pre-trip report. Previously I wondered what would happen if my trip report turned out dull? I could just skip posting it altogether - but not if I've already announced it with a pre-trip report.

And who wants read a pre-trip report that basically says the same things as the actual trip report, sans details?

Let's stick to the entire pre-trip era LOL.

The set-up: this will be our last planned WDW trip until at least December 2016/more likely January 2017. Caveat: Our Tables in Wonderland card is good through the fall, so we may make a non-park trip, or do a holiday party, or a combo Uni-Dis trip for a few days in 2016.

Our annual passes expire on the 13th of this month, and from the two phone calls I've had with WDW cast members, that means we can go to the parks on the 13th.

We were torn between doing a little extra since we won't be back so soon vs. saving money because...bills and stuff.

We also wanted it to be unrushed, easy, stay at one hotel the whole time, and maybe get an extra night out of the deal.

Almost booked CBR. Almost booked offsite. Almost booked offsite first night or two and then CBR for a couple of nights. Compromise: we booked Pop Century for the first time, for three nights.

Originally this was to be Sunday night through Thursday, but Brian has to be home for work Thursday morning. so we switched it to Sunday day through Wednesday.

We've lately been driving up from Fort Lauderdale late on Sunday nights after Brian works an 18 hour day at a Dolphin's Game. I work Sundays, too, but I don't come close to that level of exhaustion. So I get to drive the whole 3 or so hours myself at night, while he sleeps.

I was hoping for more of a - let's both take Sunday off, wake up when we wake up, try to get out the door by 9 or 10AM, but 11 is fine, and take turns driving without rushing. (And I can work a little when he drives.)

Our AP's are weekday only anyway, so when we get there, we can explore Pop and AoA, and we can go to Disney Springs, but no parks. I kind of liked that idea - again, less rushed, relax a bit, get to really explore Disney Springs with all the new stuff without feeling like I'm missing something at MK. A leisurely pace of strolling, shopping, eating...maybe the hot air balloon thingy?? I've had my eye on that for a few years.

We booked Morimoto for our first dinner. Likely will have lunch at the resort.

Who knows if that will work out to have us waking up early and making our first rope drop? One can hope.

Day one - relaxing day.

Which leaves us scrambling today and yesterday and the day before...
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
And the star of our show:

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The man, The Craig.

What a sweet, genuinely helpful person. He did not have to go out of his way for us. I thanked him profusely, and he tried not to take a tip. Ha!

Oh, I'm sure the chef had something to do with it all. But really, Craig took this from a wonderful dinner to a memorable experience. I really need to write to Disney about him.

This was easily tied for the best meal of our lives – tied with our four year anniversary meal at the exact same place over four years ago, with Craig.

And thank you to Disney Chase Visa rewards for allowing us to pay the bill! It was kind of record-setting LOL.

But the night was not over...
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I should probably be able to wrap this up before I go to sleep.

What we heard about the refurb was that it was led by the fact that it was a 19 year old building that needed new back of house re-do such as new walk-ins, dishwashers, etc. and reorganization but the structure on the public side wouldn't change much.

Cool beans - let's see it!

Something we had discussed on many trips was there was karaoke every night at the Swan & Dolphin. Brian and I met at karaoke about ten years ago. We love it and used to go constantly. I was always curious if karaoke at Disney would be super serious like American Idol tryouts, or full of kids, or ?

Well, after all that wine, first we stopped at a shop a few doors down and replenished my Disney records for my record store. Then we set off bumbling around until we found S&D. It was just after 9:30, when it was supposed to start. It took us like 20 minutes to find Kimonos, the sushi place/bar where it was being held - back and forth, asking 3 people, finally heard something and followed the sound.

Vodka soda, please.

Brian was on to beer.

The rotation was short - which means there weren't many singers or a long wait for your turn. Yay! There were no children, but there was a regular admonition from the hostess to keep the language clean because it's a family hotel. Ok! So no "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails LOL.

I am a little more than exaggerating when I say we took this place over. At least, it felt like it. I started with "Sara Smile" by Hall and Oates - and when you're getting good feedback throughout the opener, you know it's going to be a good night.

image.jpeg


That picture was my second song - complete 360 - "Push" by Matchbox 20. Cuz sometimes I just like to yell lol.

Brian did "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel

image.jpeg


He has a very pretty, Irish-y voice and can hold a note for a half-hour, so he gets the crowd on his side right away.

He also did "Runaround Sue" and I'll have to try to remember the others.

EDIT: in the pic, he is crushing "Lady" by Kenny Rogers.

I also did "At This Moment," "Let Her Cry" and "Wherever You Will Go." Like I said, short rotation, at least 3 vodkas, adoring fans lol. Had a great time!!

Not 100% sure if we got back in time to get a late snack or if it was after 12. I think it was after 12 and I was eating turkey slices from the fridge. The replay of the SOTU was about 15 minutes in. I really wanted to watch - Brian was out like a light - I made it maybe a half hour into the speech and was out, too.

Next morning I felt a little crummy again - but this time it was definitely a hangover. Not a bad one, but it was there. We walked over for breakfast. Checked out at 11. There should have been a discussion about if we wanted to push it and try to get some theme park time and drive home late, but we both knew that would be a stretch and put us in traffic. As we were driving away, Brian gave a courtesy "where are we going?" And I just told the truth: "I'm not dressed for the parks (in my sweatpants.) I dressed for the ride home. I miss my puppy." And I hate sitting in late day weekday traffic to get home. We took turns driving and I got some work done, and we were home by 3. Holy parade of kisses from the puppy when we walked in the door (and she rarely does that.). Next day - I come home - nothing from her lol. Back to normal.

...and planning a blowout 10 year anniversary in Sept 2017 at Victoria & Alberts and staying at the GF(?) with DVC rental. Planning starts...now.
 
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MinnieM123

Premium Member
I've seen many wonderful food pictures over the years, but gotta tell ya -- those pictures you posted of your dinners at Flying Fish were positively over-the-top unbelievable!! Those were jaw dropping photos!! What a great experience you both had, and such wonderful, attentive service from the staff there as well.

(Just a thought: there is also a restaurant/food forum on this site. Do you think it might be a good idea to share a few of your excellent food photos over there? Different members read different forums, and your photos and descriptions might be welcomed and appreciated by many others as well. People enjoy reviews of various restaurants, and it's helpful when they're planning their vacation schedules.)

Then again, after stating all the above, I realize that Flying Fish is going down for renovations! Oh well . . . ;)
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I've seen many wonderful food pictures over the years, but gotta tell ya -- those pictures you posted of your dinners at Flying Fish were positively over-the-top unbelievable!! Those were jaw dropping photos!! What a great experience you both had, and such wonderful, attentive service from the staff there as well.

(Just a thought: there is also a restaurant/food forum on this site. Do you think it might be a good idea to share a few of your excellent food photos over there? Different members read different forums, and your photos and descriptions might be welcomed and appreciated by many others as well. People enjoy reviews of various restaurants, and it's helpful when they're planning their vacation schedules.)

Then again, after stating all the above, I realize that Flying Fish is going down for renovations! Oh well . . . ;)

In preparation for possibly posting on the food thread at your suggestion, I re-read The flying fish review –

And now I want a banana Napoleon. :confused::(:arghh::hungry:
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Meh. It was "this close!!" :arghh::arghh::bored::arghh::brb::arghh::arghh::hungover:

So here is the deal: Brian had to come to work in Tampa for a few weeks. (His main job is managing at Sun-Life Stadium - that's Dolphin football stadium) but after football season is over, they use him elsewhere and he has other things lined up for the summer. The same company that runs bars & concessions for the stadium also runs them at the Florida State fair in Tampa (which I lovingly refer to as Tampon) every year.

The first year, I came up and stayed the whole time. That was pre-dog and pre-house and pre-my-store-opening.

Then he worked somewhere else for a few years, then back to the stadium last year, so back to Tampa in February. Last year I couldn't make it up because my car was not reliable for the 4 hour drive. Yes, it was that bad.

So he's been up here since something like January 26th. They put him up at a Residence Inn by Marriott, which happens to be pet-friendly, so...

Kylie and I drove up yesterday for a visit. Brought our Valentine's day gifts, and my laptop so I can keep working.

But it is really limiting when you bring a dog. Can't really leave her in the room alone. Brian is on a 4PM to 4AM work schedule, so this morning I was able to leave her up here with him and go use the gym, get some free breakfast, and then come back and place some orders for inventory.

I had planned to drop Kylie off at Petco for a bath, which usually would give us anywhere between 1 and 3 hours so we could go have a nice pre-Valentine's Day lunch.

Guess what? Petco was full. LOL. Someone called out, they were all backed up, no room for Kylie. No lunch for us. Stopped at the Subway across from the hotel on the way back. (ack.)

In the middle of all this, I googled the distance between a nearby town called Bartow, and Kissimmee. It came up as 38 miles apart. We are at the very east end of Tampa, really on the border of a town called Brandon, not Bartow. Bartow was where I got gas on the way LOL. But I started thinking if it was roughly a half hour drive, and Brian slept from 4AM to noon or 1PM, we could be on the road between 1 and 2pm, and he could be back to work by 4pm, and Kylie and I would drive home from Orlando, which is a little bit shorter drive home..

I called Best Friends Pet Care at WDW, and they had an opening for Kylie. Check.

I checked Disney resort reservations - settled on Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club. Never been, loved the Yachtsman's Steakhouse, seemed just nice enough for what would be our Valentine's Day lunch but not too overboard. Available at 1:50PM. Check!

And I am sold out of a good bunch of my Disney records at my store - so I can restock AND deduct the trip expense! Check and check!!

Before I booked anything, I decided to double-check the mileage. I did door to door from our hotel here to the Flying Fish (first thing that came to mind.) 62 miles. Estimated 1 hr, 4 minutes. That's double the 30 minutes I was thinking. Now, it was all highway. 53 miles of it was I-4, and a little before that was I-75, the entrance to which is just around the block from our hotel. So, without traffic, probably more like 45 minutes. But what if there was traffic? I started to feel bad about asking Brian to drive an hour each way for an hour lunch and then go to right work for 12 hours well into the night. He would have done it, which makes it worse LOL.

We don't have park tickets right now as our AP's expired last month and we don't plan to get new ones until 2017 (or more precisely, probably for Christmas this year.) But we still have our Tables In Won...

oops.

Didn't bring my Tables In Wonderland card. Did not plan on going to WDW. But - I still have my Chase Visa points - about $145 worth - so I can just transfer those to my rewards card and I won't feel so bad about not getting the 20% off TiW discount. Except...I didn't bring my rewards card, either. I have the Disney Visa card, of course, but not the card that you use to spend your points.

Rats.

That was kind of the clincher. It would have been a lot of work for a one hour meal, and would be a pretty big expense, and we're going into summer with Brian's work being a little spotty...just didn't make sense. Had to nix it.

So...first thing in the morning, I'm going to try to get a shampoo appointment for the around 1PM, and try to find a decent restaurant not too far from there. We'll do a decent lunch here instead. Then I'm driving home either Friday afternoon/evening (which is what I had planned but I think there will be no way to avoid traffic, and I'm in no mood for traffic when the ride is already 4 hours with the dog in the car LOL) or, more and more likely, Saturday morning-ish.

In re-reading this before I post it, I'm guessing I could probably get another Visa rewards card at Guest Services and immediately transfer my points to it...maybe a quick phone call...

Hmmm...

Still it's a lot for B. We'll see. :confused:
 

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