Trip Report Another Jolly Holiday ~ JOY From the World ! *COMPLETED*

At the conclusion of my last trip report
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/a-jingle-bam-birthday-completed.922901/
I ended with To be continued....

Well, here's the continuation. Though to be fair, the trips were totally different and not connected in any way except they both included Me (yep, a humble one I am!) And for the second time in a year, I left WDW only to return a week later. I am very grateful that I can visit my favorite place as often as I do and am honored that y'all follow along.

I booked this trip on a bounce back offer while vacationing last year:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/its-a-jolly-holiday-completed.909445/

And this year I may have booked a bounce back offer for December 2017. Okay, I did book. But my love/hate relationship with traveling in December and a few unknowns for the fall may cause me to cancel. Time will tell.

Ready to read about our latest adventures? There's DRAMA . And ELEVATOR COOKIES . And maybe even a RED CARD .

Dates: December 10-15, 2016
Resort: Disney's Wilderness Lodge (duh....it's Christmas!)
Cast: Tuvalu and Woody

Who's in?

 

[FlaggNL]

Good to see you back, @FlaggNL!

Thanks!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Just a question, and sure will receive comments as you, but who is the naughty one: the one who posted the picture causing some to have naughty thoughts or the one who stated what most may have been thinking???

Just throwing it out there.

Yeah, Yeah , what he said.

It was entrapment if you ask me!!!

Max

Guilty as charged.

 

[Princess Leia]

Le Cellier was a staple in our dining rotation.........until the restaurant went signature. (Though tempted to launch into a diatribe of how the DDP ruined Disney dining, I'll refrain.) We usually went for lunch as there were several reasonably-priced and delicious choices ~ the Montreal Chicken sandwich, the steak salad, the French dip, the burger with Black Diamond cheddar....thick-cut fries....a cup (not bowl) of cheese soup....oh how I miss them! Even when word leaked out about Le Cellier being a hidden gem and ADRs became impossible to get I always managed to snag one.

But going signature meant good-bye to the lunch menu and doubling prices. So it was good-bye Le Cellier for the Tuvalu family.

Until today.

Woody really likes the intimate ambiance and the architectural details.
View attachment 188606

We were seated at a private booth in the corner. I can't remember which "section" of Canada we were supposed to be in.

View attachment 188607

Here's a look at the special Prix Fixe menu.
View attachment 188608

At $49/per person (plus tax and gratuity) it was the most expensive lunch Woody and I have ever eaten. But considering that an a la carte steak is $49, this was a good value in comparison.

And it was worth EVERY LAST CENT (or should I say dollar)!!!!!!!!! By far, this was our most favorite meal of our vacation. The food was phenomenal and the service top-notch.

What better way to begin a meal than with pretzel bread?!!!
View attachment 188609
Oh yeah, there's sourdough and a whole grain thingy too....but what's the point?

What's better than pretzel bread? Pretzel bread dipped in CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP!
View attachment 188610
This soup ranks #2 behind Chicken Corn Chowder for me. I have the recipe for this soup and have made it many times ~ and it tastes like the original.

Both of us ordered the beef tenderloin as our entree. The steak cut "like butta".
View attachment 188611

It should come as no surprise that we also chose the same dessert ~ Chocolate Mousse Maple Leaf
View attachment 188613

View attachment 188614
DECADENT!

There aren't enough superlatives to describe our meal. I HOPE HOPE HOPE this Prix Fixe menu stays around awhile!

This makes me want to go back to Montreal
Well, I want to go back to Montreal on a regular basis, but whenever I see anything slightly Canadian, my heart hurts.
Also- that is so much butter!!!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Also- that is so much butter!!!!

Is it ever possible to have too much butter?

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday (con't)

Refreshed from the nap, we were ready to take on the MK ~ hooray, it was not a party night! I thought we should continue with today's theme of creative transportation and ride the boat to the Contemporary and then take the monorail to the MK. (I know, Tuvalu + monorail = issues, but I was willing to gamble! )

Plus, we got to take advantage of this photo op:

The Mickey sculpture has been here for ages. In one of our photo albums (not digital, actual prints ) we have a picture of Em and her brothers as children sitting in the ears. I'm too lazy to 1) find it and 2) scan it.

I am happy to report there was no brawl on the monorail platform tonight. No drama of any kind and no waiting ~ the way monorail transport is supposed to be.

A birds eye view of the lodge and cabins.

If any of you watch The Middle, or at least saw the episode when the Heck family goes to WDW, you will appreciate the next story.

Woody and I arrived to large crowds at the turnstiles (tapstiles?) There was an Asian family ~ dad, mom and school-aged daughter ~ in line ahead of us. Woody heard them conversing in Japanese and the parents were doing a lot of pointing ~ at the computer printouts in dad's hands, at the tapstiles and at their wrists (which did not have MagicBands). When it was their turn at the tapstiles, dad handed the computer printouts to the CM and the family stared at her.

CM: "These tickets are for Disneyland "
Blank stare from dad, who pointed at the papers.
CM: "This is the Magic Kingdom."
Blank stare.
CM: "You are at Disney World "
Dad points at the papers again.
CM, pointing: "You need to take these over there to Guest Relations." She handed him the papers and desperately looked for another CM who could help the family get the ticket situation resolved.

Proof that TV plot lines are not as far-fetched as they may seem!!!

 

[bee]

CM: "These tickets are for Disneyland "
Blank stare from dad, who pointed at the papers.
CM: "This is the Magic Kingdom."
Blank stare.
CM: "You are at Disney World "
Dad points at the papers again.
CM, pointing: "You need to take these over there to Guest Relations." She handed him the papers and desperately looked for another CM who could help the family get the ticket situation resolved.

NoooooOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mcstensrud]

OMG Disneyland? Son of a (B) for Bummer!!!!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I love that episode of the Middle. Too funny that you actually saw something like that happen. It's my guess that probably happens fairly often.

 

[Scoppin]

Wednesday (con't)

Refreshed from the nap, we were ready to take on the MK ~ hooray, it was not a party night! I thought we should continue with today's theme of creative transportation and ride the boat to the Contemporary and then take the monorail to the MK. (I know, Tuvalu + monorail = issues, but I was willing to gamble! )

Plus, we got to take advantage of this photo op:
View attachment 188745
The Mickey sculpture has been here for ages. In one of our photo albums (not digital, actual prints ) we have a picture of Em and her brothers as children sitting in the ears. I'm too lazy to 1) find it and 2) scan it.

I am happy to report there was no brawl on the monorail platform tonight. No drama of any kind and no waiting ~ the way monorail transport is supposed to be.

A birds eye view of the lodge and cabins.
View attachment 188746

If any of you watch The Middle, or at least saw the episode when the Heck family goes to WDW, you will appreciate the next story.

Woody and I arrived to large crowds at the turnstiles (tapstiles?) There was an Asian family ~ dad, mom and school-aged daughter ~ in line ahead of us. Woody heard them conversing in Japanese and the parents were doing a lot of pointing ~ at the computer printouts in dad's hands, at the tapstiles and at their wrists (which did not have MagicBands). When it was their turn at the tapstiles, dad handed the computer printouts to the CM and the family stared at her.

CM: "These tickets are for Disneyland "
Blank stare from dad, who pointed at the papers.
CM: "This is the Magic Kingdom."
Blank stare.
CM: "You are at Disney World "
Dad points at the papers again.
CM, pointing: "You need to take these over there to Guest Relations." She handed him the papers and desperately looked for another CM who could help the family get the ticket situation resolved.

Proof that TV plot lines are not as far-fetched as they may seem!!!

One thing to be in the wrong park or even theater, but wrong state would be a real issue.

 

[Gabe1]

Time for our first FP.

"Jingle Cruise, Jingle Cruise, Jingle all the way......"

View attachment 186931

View attachment 186932

Wait, what? No chicken?
View attachment 186933
Of course you can't tell the sign has no chicken. But everything chicken had become turkey. Which I thought was hilarious and warranted a picture. But the camera in my phone can't work miracles. You'll just have to trust me on this. (Better yet, go read @ajrwdwgirl's trip report. She has a terrific picture of the sign which validates my "turkey" claim! )

We had a quick-witted Skipper who fired off jokes so fast (new ones we had not heard) that our boat never stopped laughing. It is the Skipper who makes or breaks your ride, and this guy was the BEST! (I don't have a picture and cannot recall his name. Again, you'll have to trust me on this. )

After we were safely back on dry land, our FP window for our next boat ride opened.
View attachment 186934

There was a big puddle on the seat which I did not notice until after I sat down. Soaked me to the skin. Not a pretty sight when we made our way to lunch.

Was the puddle water?

 

[Gabe1]

I've Been expecting this one!
It's been 15 long months since I have been able to ride "the fastest ride in the wilderness" and I still have another 10 months until I do it again thanks for thinking of me! - I think my trip report title could be - how many times can I ride BTMRR!

We must travel in the same time warp

 

[Gabe1]

When we are both in the world at the same time we will need to ride this together!
I'll be there in Nov!

As she will likely be also

 

[Gabe1]

I think someday I'll write my one and only trip report about how wonderful it is to take a trip to WDW with @Tuvalu and @TrolleyFollower91.

I'm in Sir.

 

[Kiwiduck]

Oh no, that poor Japanese family. I hope things got sorted out for them. They probably flew right over Disneyland on the way to Disneyworld!!

 

[LadyBelle]

CM: "These tickets are for Disneyland "
Blank stare from dad, who pointed at the papers.
CM: "This is the Magic Kingdom."
Blank stare.
CM: "You are at Disney World "
Dad points at the papers again.
CM, pointing: "You need to take these over there to Guest Relations." She handed him the papers and desperately looked for another CM who could help the family get the ticket situation resolved.

Proof that TV plot lines are not as far-fetched as they may seem!!!

I still have to correct a friend of mine about the difference.

 

[Tuvalu]

Was the puddle water?

I certainly hope so!

 

[Tuvalu]

OMG Disneyland? Son of a (B) for Bummer!!!!

I love that episode of the Middle. Too funny that you actually saw something like that happen. It's my guess that probably happens fairly often.

One thing to be in the wrong park or even theater, but wrong state would be a real issue.

Oh no, that poor Japanese family. I hope things got sorted out for them. They probably flew right over Disneyland on the way to Disneyworld!!

I'm sure both east and west coast Disney parks have protocol for guests with incorrect tickets. Still, in this day and age where there is so much information out there, it is hard to believe guests can make this mistake....even ones who speak a different language.

I still have to correct a friend of mine about the difference.

Ugh! And the Magic Kingdom is not "The Happiest Place on Earth".... that honor belongs to Disneyland. The MK is "The Most Magical Place on Earth".

 

[amjt660]

One thing to be in the wrong park or even theater, but wrong state would be a real issue.

try "wrong coast"

 

[Scoppin]

Guilty as charged.

I am really glad you have a really good sense of humour. Otherwise, I won't have made the comment.

 

[Scoppin]

I'm sure both east and west coast Disney parks have protocol for guests with incorrect tickets. Still, in this day and age where there is so much information out there, it is hard to believe guests can make this mistake....even ones who speak a different language.


Ugh! And the Magic Kingdom is not "The Happiest Place on Earth".... that honor belongs to Disneyland. The MK is "The Most Magical Place on Earth".

I do hope they were able to get it all straightened out and start enjoying their trip.

I just thought of something. Call me crazy, but wondering where they were staying. I can understand if they were staying off site. Which I hope they were. As if they were staying on site, I would hope for sure someone would have picked up on this and start working on correcting the matter.