Trip Report A Poly Girl in a GF World *COMPLETED*

*Gasp!*

Is it true? Tuvalu, the die-hard Polynesian fan, spent 4 recent nights at a different deluxe resort? Didn't she already have three magical stays at the Poly this year? Didn't she take her name from her favorite longhouse at the Poly? Isn't this blasphemy? (Actually it isn't, but you get the point.)

Yep, it's true. Like many of you who have broken loyal ties to a political party (don't worry, I'm not gonna go there) Woody and I decided to try another option for our Food and Wine Festival excursion.

In anticipation of the question, "Why didn't you stay at an Epcot resort?" I will say, "Cause I like the MK resorts better."

Tuvalu and Woody taking a trip to WDW specifically for F&W is a bit ironic, since:
1) We are not foodies and
2) We are not big drinkers
But as we approach our sunset years, we are determined to keep ourselves open to new experiences and embrace change (even when we don't like it.)

And really, who doesn't like to eat?

Now back to the resort. The Grand Floridian. Disney's Flagship resort. The resort people call "too stuffy." Or "I could never be comfortable there." Or "The Four Seasons is a much better resort for the price."

Well, Woody and I were quite comfortable, despite a couple of irritating incidents to be revealed later. We had no problem walking around in our Target and Kohl's clothes. And we got a room rate that wouldn't have paid for the janitor's closet at the Four Seasons. (Okay, a slight exaggeration.)

The deets:
Dates: October 1-5, 2016
Cast: Tuvalu and Woody

Follow along to find out how we filled that "rumbly in our tumbly."

 

[Tuvalu]

Saturday (con't)

Woody and I managed to quickly scarf down the underwhelming cookie sandwich ~ the small scoop of ice cream was melting fast in the warm sunshine. Besides, we were nearing the end time for our first FP. And I certainly never want to waste a FP, especially one I had booked early on Day 60!

However FPs don't carry the same sense of urgency/importance for Woody. While he enjoys skipping a long standby line, there is never any attraction he must experience, fastpass or not. And he sometimes feels restricted by the planned-in-advance fastpasses. Before we left for this vacation, he reminded me that he would prefer to go with the flow and if we miss a FP, we miss a FP ~ it's not a big deal. "I don't care if we use any fastpasses at all," he said.

Turns out his statement would end up being pretty funny later in the trip. You'll have to wait to find out why.

Woody was also smart enough not to question me when I said, "Let's go use our first fastpass." After witnessing the Sleepy Hollow debacle, he knew better than to poke the bear.

We walked up the path around Cinderella Castle to get to Fantasyland....a few baby steps at a time. The walkway was packed. Fantasyland was packed. I don't think it could have been this crowded back on opening day!

We made it here just in time.

Woody likes the classic MK rides. You can't get any more classic than Peter Pan!

Although our next FP attraction comes close.

Will Tangled become a classic? Time will tell. If it does, it's a shame the movie is only represented by restrooms! We used them of course. Then I needed a picture of the lovely waterfall.

 

[Zipadeelady]

I agree! This waterfall is lovely and a lovely picture too!

 

[Tuvalu]

I agree! This waterfall is lovely and a lovely picture too!

Thank you!

 

[Tuvalu]

As Woody and I walked, I wondered if there might be another store selling 45th Anniversary merchandise. Since we were nearby, we popped in here ~

Zilch.

Then we made the mistake of taking the path between Storybook Circus and Tomorrowland. I know part of the path is a designated smoking area, but c'mon....must we all be chimneys??!!

Happily, I was successful in making a commerative purchase at the Tomorrowland Light & Power Co! It wasn't the t-shirt I was looking for, but it was an item I needed ~

A protective case for my new iPhone . A new phone was my #1 priority after all the troubles I'd had with my old one during the trip with my folks.

It was a custom case which required a 30 minute wait. Rather than stand around, we decided to spin around.

On the MPB 2.0, naturally.

Our FP window for Space Mountain was now open, so we decided to ride and then pick up my phone case since the SM exit dumps you into the gift store.

We noticed a huge black cloud forming behind Space Mountain. Now before we'd left our room, I'd asked Woody to check the weather app to see if we'd need to carry our umbrellas with us. "We don't need 'em, " Woody responded. "Only a 15 percent chance of rain all the way until midnight."

Apparently the big black cloud did not get the memo.

We decided to ignore the telltale sign as we rode through the cosmos. Regrettably we did not get to sit in the same rocket.

What's the deal with the lady in front?

Okay @lostpro9het, I give you permission to make fun of me. Again.

 

[lostpro9het]

Okay @lostpro9het, I give you permission to make fun of me. Again.
View attachment 172453

The irony here is that I did the most perfect @Tuvalu pose on SM two weeks ago and the dang ride camera didn't flash!!!

I was going to save that picture for an occasion such as this...

 

[Tuvalu]

As we exited the Tomorrowland Light & Power Co., the sky was rumbling. The sun had disappeared and the big black cloud had taken over. It was time for us to leave MK anyway, since we had a dinner ADR back at the GF. We hoped to get to the monorail before the rain began, and purposefully began to power walk.

I nearly power-walked right into @Doc Disney!!

She wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings (she admitted as such in her TR) and did a double-take when I blocked her path. It was our second encounter at WDW in 5 months (see, I'm not the only one with an addiction problem!) The first time we did not get a picture together. This time Woody and @Doc Disney's mom Mary made sure it didn't happen again!

We chatted only briefly before a loud thunderclap startled all of us! We quickly parted ways, hoping to make it to our destinations before getting wet.

Woody and I hadn't even reached Main Street when the torrents began. Thanks a lot, weather app!

 

[Tuvalu]

The irony here is that I did the most perfect @Tuvalu pose on SM two weeks ago and the dang ride camera didn't flash!!!

I was going to save that picture for an occasion such as this...

How terribly disappointing! I'll just take your word for it.

 

[sheriffwoody]

I nearly power-walked right into @Doc Disney!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this!! So cool that y'all have run into each other twice now!

 

[Tuvalu]

Fortunately Woody and I were able to dart in and out of the shops in our attempt to stay dry walking down Main Street. But once we were through the train tunnel, we were at the mercy of the open skies. It was a wet walk to the monorail.

Had we become total drowned rats, we would have returned to our room and changed before dinner. But we were just damp, and it was exactly 7 pm ~ our ADR time.

And where would we be dining?

We checked in and were told it would be a few minutes. I took a few pics out the window while we waited. With the new LIVE photo feature in iOS 10, I can actually watch it rain in these photos. It's a pretty cool feature.

The Grand Floridian Cafe was a restaurant that really wowed us during one of our first family visits to WDW. Even though we had three young kids, we were park commandos from rope drop to fireworks. (You may have guessed this was not Woody's choice .) One hot MK afternoon, when we had all reached our breaking point (and no one but Woody wanted to return to our hotel) we decided to cool off on a monorail ride. (Yes, this was back in the day when the monorail a/c actually worked!) We disembarked at the GF and discovered the GF Cafe. The posted menu prices were very reasonable for this counter-service family, so we decided to have an early dinner.

It was beyond wonderful! The atmosphere was charming and very relaxing. It was quiet. The staff was friendly and attentive. Food was delicious. And the best part was that our children received paper dolls to play with ~ pirates for the boys and Victorian girls for Em. (Millennials, STOP LAUGHING! There were no electronic devices to entertain our children. Our children entertained themselves with their imaginations as they played with the paper dolls.)

We have eaten at the GF Cafe several times since and have never been disappointed. It is one of those restaurants that should be on our regular rotation but we forget about it. And then we go and eat there and say, "Why don't we eat here more often?"

Though we didn't know it at the time, this dinner would be our favorite meal of the trip.

Our wait to be seated wasn't long at all and we were given a picturesque window table.

So many tempting choices!

 

[MinnieM123]

Fortunately Woody and I were able to dart in and out of the shops in our attempt to stay dry walking down Main Street. But once we were through the train tunnel, we were at the mercy of the open skies. It was a wet walk to the monorail.

Had we become total drowned rats, we would have returned to our room and changed before dinner. But we were just damp, and it was exactly 7 pm ~ our ADR time.

And where would we be dining?
View attachment 172533

We checked in and were told it would be a few minutes. I took a few pics out the window while we waited. With the new LIVE photo feature in iOS 10, I can actually watch it rain in these photos. It's a pretty cool feature.

View attachment 172531

View attachment 172534

The Grand Floridian Cafe was a restaurant that really wowed us during one of our first family visits to WDW. Even though we had three young kids, we were park commandos from rope drop to fireworks. (You may have guessed this was not Woody's choice .) One hot MK afternoon, when we had all reached our breaking point (and no one but Woody wanted to return to our hotel) we decided to cool off on a monorail ride. (Yes, this was back in the day when the monorail a/c actually worked!) We disembarked at the GF and discovered the GF Cafe. The posted menu prices were very reasonable for this counter-service family, so we decided to have an early dinner.

It was beyond wonderful! The atmosphere was charming and very relaxing. It was quiet. The staff was friendly and attentive. Food was delicious. And the best part was that our children received paper dolls to play with ~ pirates for the boys and Victorian girls for Em. (Millennials, STOP LAUGHING! There were no electronic devices to entertain our children. Our children entertained themselves with their imaginations as they played with the paper dolls.)

We have eaten at the GF Cafe several times since and have never been disappointed. It is one of those restaurants that should be on our regular rotation but we forget about it. And then we go and eat there and say, "Why don't we eat here more often?"

Though we didn't know it at the time, this dinner would be our favorite meal of the trip.

Our wait to be seated wasn't long at all and we were given a picturesque window table.
View attachment 172535

View attachment 172549

View attachment 172547

So many tempting choices!
View attachment 172536

It was a number of years ago when I went there, but I also really liked the GF Cafe. It was pleasant and not pretentious. The prices were a little higher than what was comfortable for me at that time, but they weren't out of line with other (less formal) TS places.

 

[Tuvalu]

We began with drinks ~ a glass of Shiraz for Woody and my fave Magical Star Cocktail.

With the LIVE feature you can watch the glow cube change from red to blue to purple.

The rolls were warm. Crispy outside, doughy inside. Yummy!

Woody ordered the New York Strip ~ perfectly charred and juicy. The chimichurri sauce added fabulous flavor. I asked for a bite....twice!

My pan roasted chicken was so moist and delicious I only let Woody have ONE bite!

We licked our plates clean and still had room for dessert. Cheesecake with strawberries and chocolate mousse cake ~ both perfectly sized to end a meal without being too filling. Only $4 apiece.

We left the GF Cafe satisfied and happy. Rain was still falling at a steady pace so we would have to make a run for the room. Glad that Sago Cay is so close to the main building!

I had hoped to return to the MK for some nighttime fun but the rain nixed that. I thought about @Doc Disney and wondered if she would get to see MSEP one last time. I wondered if there might be a "surprise" addition to Wishes for the 45th Anniversary. But most of all I wondered how good that plush mattress and high-thread-count sheets were going to feel. I was exhausted!

(Wishes was delayed that night. I didn't hear or read about any additional fireworks, so I assume the show was the same. @Doc Disney did get to see MSEP, but I think it was the late show?)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

LOVE LOVE LOVE this!! So cool that y'all have run into each other twice now!

Six degrees of Tuvalu.

 

[MinnieM123]

Six degrees of Tuvalu.

 

[Doc Disney]

It was our second encounter at WDW in 5 months (see, I'm not the only one with an addiction problem!)

My addiction is getting worse by the minute My Mom and I are desperate to get back to DL! haha

 

[Doc Disney]

(Wishes was delayed that night. I didn't hear or read about any additional fireworks, so I assume the show was the same. @Doc Disney did get to see MSEP, but I think it was the late show?)

It was the 11 o'clock parade! So yes, the late one Also, Wishes and Celebrate the Magic were both the same, no changes for the 45th. Apparently there was a special stage show in the beginning of the day, but we missed that. So really, nothing was different on this day other than an insane line out the door of the Emporium

 

[21stamps]

Saturday (con't)

Woody and I managed to quickly scarf down the underwhelming cookie sandwich ~ the small scoop of ice cream was melting fast in the warm sunshine. Besides, we were nearing the end time for our first FP. And I certainly never want to waste a FP, especially one I had booked early on Day 60!

However FPs don't carry the same sense of urgency/importance for Woody. While he enjoys skipping a long standby line, there is never any attraction he must experience, fastpass or not. And he sometimes feels restricted by the planned-in-advance fastpasses. Before we left for this vacation, he reminded me that he would prefer to go with the flow and if we miss a FP, we miss a FP ~ it's not a big deal. "I don't care if we use any fastpasses at all," he said.

Turns out his statement would end up being pretty funny later in the trip. You'll have to wait to find out why.

Woody was also smart enough not to question me when I said, "Let's go use our first fastpass." After witnessing the Sleepy Hollow debacle, he knew better than to poke the bear.

We walked up the path around Cinderella Castle to get to Fantasyland....a few baby steps at a time. The walkway was packed. Fantasyland was packed. I don't think it could have been this crowded back on opening day!

We made it here just in time.
View attachment 172405

Woody likes the classic MK rides. You can't get any more classic than Peter Pan!

Although our next FP attraction comes close.
View attachment 172407

Will Tangled become a classic? Time will tell. If it does, it's a shame the movie is only represented by restrooms! We used them of course. Then I needed a picture of the lovely waterfall.

View attachment 172406

Where is the waterfall located? I don't think I ever noticed it.

 

[Tuvalu]

Where is the waterfall located? I don't think I ever noticed it.

If you leave the Tangled restroom area and walk towards Haunted Mansion, you will see the waterfall on your right.

 

[21stamps]

If you leave the Tangled restroom area and walk towards Haunted Mansion, you will see the waterfall on your right.

Thanks! Will definitely look for it next month!

 

[DonnaOnTheRocks]

I used to Love paper dolls!

 

[Tiggerish]

We began with drinks ~ a glass of Shiraz for Woody and my fave Magical Star Cocktail.

With the LIVE feature you can watch the glow cube change from red to blue to purple.
View attachment 172550
The rolls were warm. Crispy outside, doughy inside. Yummy!

Woody ordered the New York Strip ~ perfectly charred and juicy. The chimichurri sauce added fabulous flavor. I asked for a bite....twice!
View attachment 172551

My pan roasted chicken was so moist and delicious I only let Woody have ONE bite!
View attachment 172552

We licked our plates clean and still had room for dessert. Cheesecake with strawberries and chocolate mousse cake ~ both perfectly sized to end a meal without being too filling. Only $4 apiece.
View attachment 172553

We left the GF Cafe satisfied and happy. Rain was still falling at a steady pace so we would have to make a run for the room. Glad that Sago Cay is so close to the main building!

I had hoped to return to the MK for some nighttime fun but the rain nixed that. I thought about @Doc Disney and wondered if she would get to see MSEP one last time. I wondered if there might be a "surprise" addition to Wishes for the 45th Anniversary. But most of all I wondered how good that plush mattress and high-thread-count sheets were going to feel. I was exhausted!

(Wishes was delayed that night. I didn't hear or read about any additional fireworks, so I assume the show was the same. @Doc Disney did get to see MSEP, but I think it was the late show?)

We are big fans of the GF Café, too. (autocorrect inserted that accent, I am not that pretentious! ) Always an enjoyable experience, even that one time that we dined there with my MIL and her best friend, who is also my hubby's godmother, when the food took an extraordinarily long time to come out. We were chatting away and hadn't really noticed the time, but at some point realized it had been nearly an hour, and asked after our orders. I don't recall what caused the problem, but I do remember that the staff were very apologetic and gave us all free desserts, and comped the bottle of wine that we'd ordered.