Trip Report "BOAT!" "Boat?" "BOAT!" A November Trip Report

Hello, my fellow Disney nuts. Welcome to another Bee trip report. If you're here for a pixie-goggled traipse through the Happiest Place on Earth...this ain't that. While there were a lot of things we really enjoyed on this trip, there were also plenty of annoying and disappointing things, and I want to get that out there so that if you only read trip reports where everyone is smiling all the time and nothing goes wrong, you can take the chicken exit right now and there will be no hard feelings. But if you're here for the whole package ranging from DRAMMA to delight to disappointment...stick around!

Who: Me, M, and my brother Jay
Where: WDW Dolphin
When: November 22-27 in Disney, November 27-30 visiting M's family in north Florida

A little background: This trip was supposed to be November 23-29, with four nights at Disney and two nights with M's parents. But Southwest has ceased all operations to Newark Airport, and we had already booked all our holiday travel to/from Newark, so we had to change ALL of our flights to different airports. This was suuuuuuper annoying, but we made the best of it by extending our vacation an extra day on each end.

We also originally (after we changed our flights) planned to spend the first night at a Disney value resort since we would be arriving so late and to take advantage of DME, but I had a lot of Marriott points so we ended up saving $400+ to just stay all five nights at the Dolphin using points for some of the nights.

 

[Swissmiss]

I don’t care what the 90s commercials said. Today, Animal Kingdom ISAZU!

Oh, hope tomorrow is calmer - today we’ve intentionally stayed away from the parks (today is all about the food experiences) because none of us are great with crowds. Happy New Year!

 

[bee]

We watched both Epcot AND DHS fireworks from our room tonight!

 

[Swissmiss]

We watched both Epcot AND DHS fireworks from our room tonight!

I should be ashamed to admit that we got back to our room shortly after 11, and by 11:40 I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore and I went to sleep (I did hear when midnight came but was too comfortable in bed to go outside to look up for fireworks!). I should be ashamed, but I’m not. And I’m well rested now

Happy New Year and plenty of good things in your life in 2020

 

[bee]

We're back! Time to get going on the OLD TR so I can start the NEW TR!

Day 3, cont.

We had a dinner reservation to get to so we headed toward Epcot!

It wasn't long before a boat arrived!

When we arrived at the International Gateway we still had a bit of time until dinner.

We heard the sounds of the British Revolution in the UK and had to follow!

We loudly sang along to the songs of The Beatles, Queen, and The Who. We love this show!

We still had time to kill, so we checked out the tea shop.

Downton Abbey jewelry

George Washington! I have a friend who just finished playing Washington in Hamilton in Chicago

We *STILL* had a bit of time until dinner so we followed the sign that said "Additional Restrooms!"

I'd never been in these bathrooms, so naturally I had to take some photos.

Up next: Dinner time!

 

[MinnieM123]

I agree with your thumbs down feeling, about the Downton Abbey-inspired costume jewelry for sale. Even though I'm a huge fan of the show, I think the merchandise is out of place in the UK pavilion.

Imagine how many unique items, that actually originate from the four countries of the UK, could be highlighted in that shop. Hate to see a missed opportunity there.

 

[bee]

Day 3, cont.

At 7:45 we checked in for our Epcot Forever Dining Package at the Rose and Crown. We had done the dining package for IllumiNations (RIP ) in August and absolutely loved the experience, so we were looking forward to trying it again to see the new show.

Last time we were taken to our table at exactly 7:45, but this time we waited quite a long time. The CMs had us line up in the order we arrived and told us we would be seated closer to 8:00. I figured the delay was due to the chilly weather this evening; last time we were seated on the lowest level of outdoor seating, which does not have any heat lamps.

Not drunk yet!

Still waiting...

We waited and waited and lots of our fellow guests were getting antsy. Finally, CMs started leading us to tables...but they started at the BACK of the line, so those of us who arrived early got seated LAST.

My guess about the cause of the delay turned out to be correct, because we were seated on the higher level with heat lamps. Our server, Guy, greeted us and we asked about the vegetarian options. They were the same as last time: vegan versions of fish and chips, bangers and mash, curry, and a hot pot. We ordered drinks and deliberated while Guy went to get the drinks.

View

Guy brought us a Pinot Noir (for me) and a Sparking Duchess (for M).

We ordered two cheese plates and two vegan fish and chips. If it ain't broke!

View from the table

See the to-MAH-to ketchup on the plate? A runner brought out the plates and noticed we didn't have any ketchup, so he offered to get some to-MAH-to ketchup for us. We didn't need any but he disappeared before we could refuse. Then Guy came to check on us, ALSO saw we had no ketchup, and told us he was ALSO going to get some. The runner came back with ketchup and then Guy came back with ketchup...so we had much, MUCH more ketchup than we needed. I am assuming most Americans ask for ketchup for their chips, but we would have been content with the malt vinegar on the table.

All throughout the meal Guy kept the drinks coming. Although he wasn't quite as fun as personable as our server the last time we did the dining package, he still did a great job.

The show began...and ended. I know it's hard for me to go in with an open mind because I loved IllumiNations so much, but Epcot Forever did nothing for me. In fact I found it kind of annoying. The only things I liked were the kites.

After the show Guy brought out our desserts. We only ate a few bites, not because they weren't good, but because we were so full.

We both finished our "fish" but we still had lots of chips left so Guy was kind enough to bring us a box.

The view as we left

So, this whole experience was rather disappointing. We loved the dining package the first time we did it, mostly because we had a great view of IllumiNations and the service all around was excellent. But since we did not enjoy Epcot Forever and don't feel the need to watch it again there is no point in paying that much to get a guaranteed seat for it. The whole check in experience was disorganized and disappointing, and frankly we are getting a little old for the "all you can drink" aspect to be worth it. I don't even like Pinot Noir that much but I felt the need to keep drinking because we needed to "get our money's worth." The food was very good so we will certainly be back to the Rose and Crown for a regular meal (in fact as I'm writing we have already been back!) but the dining package is just not worth it to us anymore.

After dinner we took a boat back to the Dolphin, showered, and went to bed.

Up next: Day 4

 

[RememberWhen]

Day 3, cont.

At 7:45 we checked in for our Epcot Forever Dining Package at the Rose and Crown. We had done the dining package for IllumiNations (RIP ) in August and absolutely loved the experience, so we were looking forward to trying it again to see the new show.

Last time we were taken to our table at exactly 7:45, but this time we waited quite a long time. The CMs had us line up in the order we arrived and told us we would be seated closer to 8:00. I figured the delay was due to the chilly weather this evening; last time we were seated on the lowest level of outdoor seating, which does not have any heat lamps.

Not drunk yet!

Still waiting...

We waited and waited and lots of our fellow guests were getting antsy. Finally, CMs started leading us to tables...but they started at the BACK of the line, so those of us who arrived early got seated LAST.

My guess about the cause of the delay turned out to be correct, because we were seated on the higher level with heat lamps. Our server, Guy, greeted us and we asked about the vegetarian options. They were the same as last time: vegan versions of fish and chips, bangers and mash, curry, and a hot pot. We ordered drinks and deliberated while Guy went to get the drinks.

View

Guy brought us a Pinot Noir (for me) and a Sparking Duchess (for M).

We ordered two cheese plates and two vegan fish and chips. If it ain't broke!

View from the table

See the to-MAH-to ketchup on the plate? A runner brought out the plates and noticed we didn't have any ketchup, so he offered to get some to-MAH-to ketchup for us. We didn't need any but he disappeared before we could refuse. Then Guy came to check on us, ALSO saw we had no ketchup, and told us he was ALSO going to get some. The runner came back with ketchup and then Guy came back with ketchup...so we had much, MUCH more ketchup than we needed. I am assuming most Americans ask for ketchup for their chips, but we would have been content with the malt vinegar on the table.

All throughout the meal Guy kept the drinks coming. Although he wasn't quite as fun as personable as our server the last time we did the dining package, he still did a great job.

The show began...and ended. I know it's hard for me to go in with an open mind because I loved IllumiNations so much, but Epcot Forever did nothing for me. In fact I found it kind of annoying. The only things I liked were the kites.

After the show Guy brought out our desserts. We only ate a few bites, not because they weren't good, but because we were so full.

We both finished our "fish" but we still had lots of chips left so Guy was kind enough to bring us a box.

The view as we left

So, this whole experience was rather disappointing. We loved the dining package the first time we did it, mostly because we had a great view of IllumiNations and the service all around was excellent. But since we did not enjoy Epcot Forever and don't feel the need to watch it again there is no point in paying that much to get a guaranteed seat for it. The whole check in experience was disorganized and disappointing, and frankly we are getting a little old for the "all you can drink" aspect to be worth it. I don't even like Pinot Noir that much but I felt the need to keep drinking because we needed to "get our money's worth." The food was very good so we will certainly be back to the Rose and Crown for a regular meal (in fact as I'm writing we have already been back!) but the dining package is just not worth it to us anymore.

After dinner we took a boat back to the Dolphin, showered, and went to bed.

Up next: Day 4

Illuminations was my favorite too. We were there last December (2018) and I made a point of going to see it with my (then) 6 year old. We got FPs and it was awesome! I’m sad that the replacement isn’t great. It’s temporary though? I like the idea of reserved good seats. Epcot is big and there are lots of good views, but there are also lots of views that you think might be good then aren’t. Plus all you can drink is somewhat appealing to me with two kids in tow... my wife doesn’t drink though so the pricing might not work out.

 

[bee]

Day 4: Monday, November 25

Our day had a late start, due to the *ahem* events of the night before.

We had coffee in the room and watched some TV.

Oof. Unfortunate abbreviation.

Eventually we got ourselves ready and headed back to Epcot.

You can barely tell, but it's "snowing" in this photo.

UGH

So what does one eat when one is *ahem* recovering from the night before?

Greasy, carby German food! And a grapefruit beer for good measure. Hey, it's only like 2.5% alcohol!

We lucked into a table as someone was just leaving one, so we got to sit and enjoy the beautiful pavilion.

We had some FPs in Future World so we headed in that direction.

Monorail!

Up next: Our favorite ride

 

[bee]

Day 4, cont.

At some point a CM gave us DVC stickers:

Soon our FP window arrived for Living with the Land.

Working!

This flower display always makes me think of the Contemporary Resort.

Up next: a different boat

 

[bee]

Day 4, cont.

After LWTL we were #done with Epcot for the day.

We didn't have to wait long for a boat back to the Dolphin.

I always send photos of the various wedding locations to my brother. He is very interested in having a Disney wedding (one of the smaller ones) but there's one problem: he doesn't have fiancé(e) or even close. He jokes that he is the Ted Mosby of his friend group because he is the only single one and everyone else is married or in a long-term relationship.

BOAT! BOAT! BOAT!

We disembarked at the Swolphin dock and went back to our room.

BOAT! BOAT!

WHAT A WASTE! You not only didn't finish your drink, you didn't save the cup so you can get another at a discount???

Night view from the room (ft. my reflection/shadow)

Up next: returning to an old favorite for dinner

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

My only viewing of Epcot Forever was while eating on a garbage can in a light rain. I wasn’t impressed but figured/hoped it would be better under more ideal conditions. Sounds like that isn’t the case.

Also excellent Wilsoning in that last pic.

 

[dizfan917]

MMMmmmmm.... German CHEESE and nudles! and I do love that Grapefruit Beer!

 

[bee]

I agree with your thumbs down feeling, about the Downton Abbey-inspired costume jewelry for sale. Even though I'm a huge fan of the show, I think the merchandise is out of place in the UK pavilion.

Imagine how many unique items, that actually originate from the four countries of the UK, could be highlighted in that shop. Hate to see a missed opportunity there.

Yes, I would love to see unique items that aren't just mass-produced in all the shops of WS!

Illuminations was my favorite too. We were there last December (2018) and I made a point of going to see it with my (then) 6 year old. We got FPs and it was awesome! I’m sad that the replacement isn’t great. It’s temporary though? I like the idea of reserved good seats. Epcot is big and there are lots of good views, but there are also lots of views that you think might be good then aren’t. Plus all you can drink is somewhat appealing to me with two kids in tow... my wife doesn’t drink though so the pricing might not work out.

Yeah, the drinking is kind of what makes the price worth it. I have heard that some guests have been able to get mocktails instead of the available alcoholic drinks to feel a little fancy. It might depend on the serve and/or bartender working that night, though.

My only viewing of Epcot Forever was while eating on a garbage can in a light rain. I wasn’t impressed but figured/hoped it would be better under more ideal conditions. Sounds like that isn’t the case.

Also excellent Wilsoning in that last pic.

I still haven't watched it again. It's just not worth waiting around in a park that barely has anything to do these days due to construction and closures for a show that I didn't really enjoy.

MMMmmmmm.... German CHEESE and nudles! and I do love that Grapefruit Beer!

We have some Schöfferhofer grapefruit in our fridge right now!

 

[bee]

Day 4, cont.

Going into the trip we didn't have any dinner plans for this evening. We decided we both wanted a TS meal so I checked what was available, and we were excited to see a reservation for Flying Fish. We had had two wonderful meals at FF on previous trips due to the many choices on the separate, creative vegetarian menu, not to mention the excellent service and fun aquatic-themed atmosphere.

We checked in right at our reservation time and waited a few minutes to be seated. In the meantime we admired the decor.

Ooooops

When we were called to be seated I asked the hostess for a vegetarian menu. She replied, "All the vegetarian options are on the regular menu." This didn't worry me as I know Disney has been adding tons of new vegan and vegetarian options to all their restaurants over the last few months. I figured they had just incorporated the veggie choices into the regular menu, so I was surprised to see there was only ONE entree listed in the regular menu.

When our server arrived we asked about the vegetarian choices, and there was indeed only one. She even went to check with the chef, and from what she described the chef had no idea that there used to be more than one options, and they had zero suggestions. I'm not one to ask for special treatment, but at most Disney restaurants there are at least two veggie entree choices just on the menu, and usually there is at least one more thing that can be easily modified by replacing an ingredient or two, or leaving off something like bacon. In addition many Disney chefs, especially at signature restaurants, welcome veggie guests and are excited to create something to the guests' liking. It is very disappointing that Flying Fish has gone from having 3-4 vegetarian entrees that don't even need to be modified, to having just the one and having the chef apparently think we are crazy for asking about it.

We went ahead and ordered the one entree to share, plus two appetizers and drinks.

Thank GOODNESS they still have the seaweed bread and sea salt butter!!!

I didn't take photos of the menu so I don't remember exactly what M had but it was something with gin, and I had a Manhattan.

Cute plate

Appetizers: Wisconsin burrata salad and cheese plate

At least both of the appetizers were very good. We enjoyed trying the different cheeses and accompaniments.

The back of the cheese info card

And now, the moment of truth...

Roasted tofu

The tofu looked nice. And that's about the best thing I can say about it. Everything on the plate was just bland: the tofu, the veggies, the sauce. It really needed some acidity or texture or spice or SOMETHING. And before you all go saying "of course it's bland, it's TOFU!" I cook tofu at home at least once a week and it does NOT have to be bland. Yes, on its own it doesn't have much flavor, but that's what makes it great: you can add whatever flavors you want to make it fit into any dish! Just last night I marinated and roasted some tofu with soy sauce, red wine, olive oil, sesame oil, and maple syrup, and it was DELISH! It's also easy to fry or stir-fry tofu to get a nice crispy texture. I can see that they were trying to make the tofu look like fish because it's a seafood restaurant, but real fish has skin that gets crispy and lends extra flavor and texture, while tofu does not. If the sauce had at least been interesting it would have helped, but it was just bland and under-seasoned, and the texture was strange.

Needless to say, we will not return to Flying Fish anytime soon. When we got home I wrote to Disney to let them know that we used to really enjoy the restaurant and the variety of options, but will not be returning unless we know that more veggie options return to the menu. I got a bland "thank you for your feedback, sorry we disappointed you" type of response. As a vegetarian I do not expect every single restaurant to accommodate me, and I would never go to a Disney steakhouse (for instance) expecting an amazing creative entree. But in a time when Disney is really pushing the plant-based options, AND considering that Flying Fish used to have so many choices for us, this meal was just plain disappointing.

Sorry for the big block of downer text! Let's continue! We walked back to the Dolphin from the Boardwalk.

We stopped at the General Store for a cookie, and decided to get some scones for the morning as well. Pro-tip for AP holders: get your cookies and scones and cupcakes at the General Store and not Boardwalk Bakery to get your 20% AP discount!

Back in the Dolphin:

COOKIE! Obviously we couldn't pass up the RAINBOW COOKIE!!!

And with that we showered and got ready for bed.

Up next: Day 5! Mostly a relaxed resort day, with a little Epcot thrown in.

 

[dizfan917]

Hooray for Wisconsin burrata!! To be honest, I have no idea what that is, (I do know that it is CHEESE!!) but you can be sure I'm going to check it out!!

Sorry to hear about your meal at FF. That seems really odd considering the great meals you've had there in the past. boo, FF!

On a completely unrelated note, did you see that Brunch at the Top has gone up in price?! I guess it's good that I can never get a reservation, it keeps some $$ in my wallet. Dunno if I'll even try for our September visit... sigh.

 

[MinnieM123]

What an interesting interior design for Flying Fish. And OMG, that floor!!

Bummer though, that the vegetarian food you ordered didn't exactly measure up to expectations. Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever you put with it in a recipe, so I'm surprised that the chef there didn't do more about the flavor. (Too bad you don't eat fish, as I imagine that the fish there must be excellent.)

 

[Darstarr]

WHAT A WASTE! You not only didn't finish your drink, you didn't save the cup so you can get another at a discount???

Must have been a rookie.

 

[SharonD]

We’ve had bad experiences at Flying Fish the last two visits so it is off the rotation. And that was with ordering fish ...

 

[bee]

Hooray for Wisconsin burrata!! To be honest, I have no idea what that is, (I do know that it is CHEESE!!) but you can be sure I'm going to check it out!!

Sorry to hear about your meal at FF. That seems really odd considering the great meals you've had there in the past. boo, FF!

On a completely unrelated note, did you see that Brunch at the Top has gone up in price?! I guess it's good that I can never get a reservation, it keeps some $$ in my wallet. Dunno if I'll even try for our September visit... sigh.

No, I didn't see that. Ouch! I'd rather pay the $15 more for Celebration at the Top and get a private room, full bar, dinner food, and fireworks during the meal!

What an interesting interior design for Flying Fish. And OMG, that floor!!

Bummer though, that the vegetarian food you ordered didn't exactly measure up to expectations. Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever you put with it in a recipe, so I'm surprised that the chef there didn't do more about the flavor. (Too bad you don't eat fish, as I imagine that the fish there must be excellent.)

I love the aesthetic of Flying Fish! Everything relates to water or fish in some way without feeling cartoony (to me anyway).

Must have been a rookie.

We’ve had bad experiences at Flying Fish the last two visits so it is off the rotation. And that was with ordering fish ...

I forgot to mention that the table next to us was having a ton of problems with their fish and steak being cooked properly. They sent plates back to the kitchen multiple times and we saw the manager come to their table at least twice. They ended up getting a large part of their bill comped. Actually now that I'm remembering it we saw the manager running around A LOT because there were several issues that night. It was kind of bizarre compared to a normal Disney restaurant experience.

 

[bee]

Day 5: Tuesday, November 26

The day began with coffee and scones in the room.

We split the two scones and both agreed that the sprinkles scone was good but the blueberry scone was amazing!

We relaxed for a bit and then decided to take a walk around the lake.

These were just on a table in the hallway near the elevators

BOAT!

I checked the MDE app for a lunch reservation and got one for Ale and Compass.

We checked in at the restaurant and looked at the menu while we waited.

Up next: Food!