Trip Report **completed**Our not so perfect, but good enough July 2021 trip

Hi, all! It took me much longer to get this started than I wanted, but my computer decided it didn't have room for any more of my photos and I had to get an external hard drive and transfer some in order to start! We've also been a little busy getting everything ready for Logan to leave for Iowa in 2 weeks!

So, if you didn't follow along with my PTR, we were supposed to be on a cruise to celebrate Logan's HS graduation, but instead had to switch gears and decided to spend a few days at WDW.

Now, the specifics:
Who: Me (Amy), my husband Brian, Logan (18), Lily (16), and Owen (13)
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Where: Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Pop Century

When: July 11-20, 2021

Why: as I previously mentioned, this trip was to celebrate Logan's HS graduation. He asked for a cruise, so I do have another one scheduled for next June and we quickly threw together the Disney portion of this trip (so I guess we can call this his preliminary graduation trip!!)


We had some truly magical moments on this trip and some definitively un-magical moments as well! Unfortunately, our first day held one of the most un-magical moments.

We drove from Ohio and always try to leave very early to try to avoid as much traffic as possible. We set an alarm for midnight and our goal was to leave the house between 1 and 1:30 am. We were spot on!
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We made a quick stop at McDonald's for Cokes and were on our way. It was smooth sailing all the way to northern Florida. We even made it through Atlanta with no drama or slow downs!!
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Florida was stop and go the whole way, but we still made decent time and were pulling in to Cabana Bay Beach Resort about 4:00 which was about 1-1.5 hours later than we had anticipated, so not too bad! However, that is official check in time, and the parking area was a mess, as was the lobby!
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Luckily, they had sent me an email that allowed me to check in prior to arrival and that line was fairly short! The regular line was wrapped all the way around the lobby and was said to be 2 hours long! Brian dropped me off and found a parking spot that he probably shouldn't have been in to wait for me and sent Logan in to the lobby to guide me back to the car!

Now for the most un-magical moment of our trip! I had booked a 2 bedroom volcano view suite as a surprise for Logan since it was his celebration trip and I thought it would be cool to see the volcano lit up at night and watch all the activity in the park from our room. I paid way more than I normally would for a room, but felt it was a reasonable splurge. Well, we get to our room which happened to be on the second floor and this was our view:
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Yes, that is the back of a service building and the very tip of the volcano!! I don't understand how they can charge the same amount of money for this view as they can for the higher floor rooms (which I did request)! They need a lower partial or obstructed view charge for the rooms on this floor. I did say something and no one cared at all and basically told me to stuff it! Needless to say, we won't be back there any time soon!
 

Whippet Mom

Active Member
When we got back, we made sure everyone could get into a room and I took a few room pics. I felt that the changes to the bathroom were fantastic and I loved all of the new storage there and in the main area as well as having the large table available, but I hate how they took all of the "character" out of the rooms.
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Logan and I made one more trip to the car to grab a few last items.
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The room sure looks bland and I hate that they have taken a lot of the Disney magic out of the rooms which is why people stay there..
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm a little late to your report but it looks like you were having a good time. Interesting to see the Volcano Bay pictures, it does look like a nice water park, and I would splurge and get the cabana too. We got a cabana on Castaway Cay once and it was the best money for an extra experience that I spent on that whole trip!
Well, you have been a little preoccupied lately! I loved following along on Instagram! Hopefully you do a full TR for us here. I would love to do a cabana on Castaway Cay!!
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Wednesday, July 14 SeaWorld

The previous evening, I was able to secure an 8:55am ADR for Chef Mickey for this morning! (I had one for the Tuesday we were leaving because that was the only one available when I booked my ADRs at 60 days, but we wanted to be able to leave earlier that day for our drive home. I had looked constantly for Tuesday and Wednesday and wasn't able to find one until the last minute)

A few pics on the way to the Contemporary.
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TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We didn't have to wait long to be seated, but there was time for a few pics of the area:
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Then we had to wait a few minutes for the little dance party they do to be over. I was glad we got to watch Mickey from where we stood!
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They brought the bread basket, fruit, and yogurt with granola right away and took our drink order. They were OUT OF POG JUICE!!! We were so disappointed as everyone loves it and was part of the reason we wanted to eat there so much!
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No one cared for any of the bread and fruit is fruit! I was the only one to eat the yogurt which was certainly nothing special.

Donald was the first to stop by, but he seemed in a hurry and stayed close to one end of the table instead of being in the middle of the kids, so I got some not very good photos initially.
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Goofy stopped by next and he was much more interactive with us and the surrounding tables!
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TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Then the rest of the food was brought to the table.

The banana bread french toast was delicious!
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As was the potato casserole! The eggs, bacon, sausage, and waffles were good, but nothing spectacular.
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They only brought one pancake initially. We immediately asked for two more!
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Donald was much more playful with the young child next to us, not that I can blame him!
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Then they did their dance party thing again!
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Minnie was the next one to visit our table.
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While Minnie was playing to the room, Pluto was hanging out in the hall behind us and just dancing around!
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Then it was his turn to visit with us.
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Songbird76

Well-Known Member
We were seated quickly once we checked in.
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My food taking photography skills were a little lacking this day, sorry! Logan got The Kitchen Plate which consisted of your choice of 3 side dishes. He chose mac and cheese, biscuits, and mashed potatoes.
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Lily also ordered The Kitchen Plate, but with mac and cheese, biscuits, and green beens.
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Brian ordered the chopped pork barbecue.
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And Owen and I shared the fried chicken and donuts and a side of mac and cheese.
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Probably an unpopular opinion, but I didn't care for the chicken! I loved the mac and cheese and the mashed potatoes though! I really wanted to try the Hummingbird Cake, but there was so much food left on the table and we already had cookies to eat later, so that is something I will have to try at a later date!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't love the chicken!! It was fine, but when everyone raves about it, you expect it to be really good, not just ok.
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
When we got back, we made sure everyone could get into a room and I took a few room pics. I felt that the changes to the bathroom were fantastic and I loved all of the new storage there and in the main area as well as having the large table available, but I hate how they took all of the "character" out of the rooms.
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Logan and I made one more trip to the car to grab a few last items.
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The room looks so bare!! It looks more like a college dorm room where the students haven't moved in yet. Not very welcoming or cozy.
 

TheMouseFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't love the chicken!! It was fine, but when everyone raves about it, you expect it to be really good, not just ok.
I didn't even really like it at all, so I thought maybe something was wrong with me. I ate it since that's what I ordered, but I certainly didn't enjoy it at all.
The room looks so bare!! It looks more like a college dorm room where the students haven't moved in yet. Not very welcoming or cozy.
This is exactly what it felt like!
Your photos of this day are just spectacular!!! Loving it!
Thank you!
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
I didn't even really like it at all, so I thought maybe something was wrong with me. I ate it since that's what I ordered, but I certainly didn't enjoy it at all.
I often have this issue. I guess my taste is just different from other people's. I am a picky eater, but there are so many foods that people rave about...like the Mac and cheese at Liberty Tree Tavern...I thought it tasted like wallpaper paste. SO bland. And I know people LOVE waffle fries....I can't stand them. They just taste like fry grease to me. Same with home made fries. But I love fried chicken, so I thought I'd love it, but it just wasn't that great. I felt bad for not eating more when I know most people would be so happy to gorge themselves on it, but I just couldn't force myself to eat more. I think I'm just weird....I have the same thing with movies. If people rave about it, I know I probably won't like it. Everyone said Little Miss Sunshine was hilarious and so great. I watched it waiting for it to get good. Got to the end and went "That's it? Where were the funny parts?" Same with The Birdcage, Happy Texas, etc. I guess I just have odd tastes.
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
I often have this issue. I guess my taste is just different from other people's. I am a picky eater, but there are so many foods that people rave about...like the Mac and cheese at Liberty Tree Tavern...I thought it tasted like wallpaper paste. SO bland. And I know people LOVE waffle fries....I can't stand them. They just taste like fry grease to me. Same with home made fries. But I love fried chicken, so I thought I'd love it, but it just wasn't that great. I felt bad for not eating more when I know most people would be so happy to gorge themselves on it, but I just couldn't force myself to eat more. I think I'm just weird....I have the same thing with movies. If people rave about it, I know I probably won't like it. Everyone said Little Miss Sunshine was hilarious and so great. I watched it waiting for it to get good. Got to the end and went "That's it? Where were the funny parts?" Same with The Birdcage, Happy Texas, etc. I guess I just have odd tastes.

I don't think you are wrong about the mac and cheese at Liberty Tree, it has never tasted that great to me. I do like the fried chicken at Homecomin' though, but I recent ate at Art Smith's Chicago restaurant and that fried chicken and mac and cheese was a lot better than Homecomin' in Disney Springs. One thing about Homecomin is I'm never pleased with the side dishes the mac and cheese has lots of cheese on top but the noodles aren't really sauced much, the mashed potatoes are pasty, and the biscuit always looks good but is always dry and hard. I do love the hush puppies that is available as an appetizer. I will say that I make a pretty killer mac and cheese so I am pretty picky when I get it at restaurants. And I'm with you on those movies and movie reviews too.
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
I don't think you are wrong about the mac and cheese at Liberty Tree, it has never tasted that great to me. I do like the fried chicken at Homecomin' though, but I recent ate at Art Smith's Chicago restaurant and that fried chicken and mac and cheese was a lot better than Homecomin' in Disney Springs. One thing about Homecomin is I'm never pleased with the side dishes the mac and cheese has lots of cheese on top but the noodles aren't really sauced much, the mashed potatoes are pasty, and the biscuit always looks good but is always dry and hard. I do love the hush puppies that is available as an appetizer. I will say that I make a pretty killer mac and cheese so I am pretty picky when I get it at restaurants. And I'm with you on those movies and movie reviews too.
Oh I have that with restaurants over here a lot. I had to learn to make a lot of my favorite things because they don't exist here, like biscuits and gravy, cheesecake, brownies....and I make really good baked goods now. I've tried out a lot of recipes and tweaked them to get them the way I like them. In the last few years, a few places have started carrying brownies and/or cheesecake, but it's never anywhere nearly as good as what I make. My kids are total baked good snobs!! When we go to a restaurant, they will avoid ordering stuff that I make because they say it's never as good. So I can totally understand, if you have a great recipe for mac and cheese the way you like it, another restaurant probably isn't going to compare.
 

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