Trip Report Grimm, Grinning Ghost Tour 2017

LowesChevy · Nov 15, 2017

Magic Kingdom

The new security check point along the way is much appreciated. After clearing that you head right for the ticket gates. The Annual Passholder line tended to be down near the monorail station way, so we went through the regular line, which wasn’t bad before park opening. I will say the congestion is more tolerable since they removed the train opening sequence, which I liked, but it really bottle nosed up the entrance. It was a crush of people going in different directions and now you can spread more people around Main Street like they used to in the past. The boys enjoyed the new castle opening, but unless you walked closer to the castle you couldn’t see all of the action. You can certainly hear it!

Our first stop was The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which Josh was extremely excited to see—good pick for that one. We rode It’s A Small World, Buzz and then managed to get stuck in the dark on The People Mover and they boys were not interested in riding it again lol. Nick isn’t keen on the dark. All rides and that one goes down in the dark! It is still one of my favorites. So Chris and Papa were off to the airport to get Stephanie, leaving Me and Grammie in charge of the lads.

We made our way through Frontierland checking out the shops. I took some photos of the Splash Mountain refurbishment and a few of the lads near the pumpkins at Liberty Tree Tavern. The park was happening, but it didn’t feel too crazy. Jungle Cruise line seems to be long all of the time. That’s why I FP+ the attraction. The boats hold a decent amount of people, but loading and unloading are slow at times making the wait times long. The boys enjoyed the ride and seemed to be okay during the Mekong River part as well. Afterwards they both got to press a penny at the exit to add to their collection.

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The Magic Carpets of Aladdin was next. A simple, but fun attraction that the boys really like and the wait wasn’t more than 20 minutes. Big Daddy, Chris and Stephanie made really good time coming back from the airport. They were already closing in on the hotel when we were in line getting popcorn. Just a few pieces to munch on now because they would join us for lunch at Casey’s Corner when they arrived at the park. It was close and probably one of the better options for counter service if you like hot dogs especially. My sister in law was less than thrilled by the choice, but deal, plus California Grill dinner is coming up so no bones about that! My brother finished off the tables’ French fries after his dog so apparently he enjoyed the meal.

We decided it was time to head back to the room and nap or swim!

Later on California Grill

LowesChevy · Nov 30, 2017

California Grill

I love the CG so much we are going twice! Since the refurbishment years ago, this place has been spot on with service and food. Truly the best signature restaurant WDW has to offer. I have yet to visit Victoria and Albert’s, which would be WDW fine dining restaurant. Signature dining gives you the illusion of fine dining, but rarely do the restaurants deliver a true fine dining experience.

My sole complaint is the noise level of the restaurant. It is simply too noisy at times, but other than that not much to complain about. We checked in and were taken up in the elevator and within minutes were seated in the main room facing the Polynesian and Grand Floridian side.

Nick wouldn’t change out of his Darth Mickey shirt!

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We looked over the menu and in the meantime Ellen came over to greet us and introduce herself. With Josh, of course we had questions and she asked the chef to come out and found out some information about some of the food items. For the record the bread was ok and the macaroni and cheese for the kids was good to go and he and Nick were both happy about that! No need to worry about sesame, peas, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, or egg with those menu choices. Plus the kid woofs down bread like there is no tomorrow, but how can you not love that focaccia anyhow? I feel for gluten allergy folks for that.

Chef came out and talked to my sister in law about a few things and we were good to go.

For the time being we all ordered a cocktail and wine. Cocktails- one of the few places I drink-Mai Tai of course
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We then ordered appetizers and entrees. I elected to do sharsies between Chris, Steph and I. All the food incoming to the table will include BLT flatbreads, apple salad, lobster roll, Sonoma goat cheese ravioli, halibut, black grouper and bison loin. I don’t know why, but in all of the years the Sonoma goat cheese ravioli with tomato broth never sounded appealing, but wow was it good. It has been on the menu since the opening, but never wanted to dive in for it. The lobster roll was fabulous-the meat was large chunks with creamy avocado and spicy yuzu sauce. Definitely sushi on steroids! Also another reason to visit California Grill more than once is to indulge on sushi. Mother enjoyed the apple salad, which has Purple Haze goat cheese, candied pecans and assorted other toppings. It is tasty, but with so many other things to eat it is a difficult choice!

The BLT flatbread was my entrée, as well as mom’s. The only trend I see going around, not only the World either, is to go to bacon jam rather than actual bacon. It adds a richer taste to the food, but lacks that satisfying crunch of fatty crispy salty meat. Tomato mayonnaise was a great finishing touch, but a little heavy handed on many of the slices. I tried the buffalo strip loin dish. Very good, actually better than the buffalo dish at Artist Point last February, which was essentially a pot roast. The grouper was excellent, delicious white flaky fatty fish with the herbed gnocchi and pistou. I managed to get a few bites of the halibut from my dad as well. Makes you feel like you should have ordered that, but I ate some delicious things to begin with. I would say having the two extra adults helps you try more different dishes than just having the three of us.
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For dessert we have been loving the banana fritters, but the beignets have taken over. Not as good as the fritters, but not too bad either. Ellen was attentive and helpful and enhanced our experience even with the little guys in tow. Dinner was amazing and not often do I say that! Still one of the best restaurants on property.

Ratings 1-5. 5 being best, 1 being worst

Food: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Overall: 5 stars

Be Back—you bet! Later this week even!

Excellent experience all around—time to get these bones to bed for a busy day at the Magic Kingdom tomorrow!

LowesChevy · Dec 8, 2017

October 18th

We wore our matching shirts today and went off the MK again. The line for meeting Mickey was over and hour, so we decided to move along and possibly catch him later. We are doing the Character Spot at Epcot, so we will see him definitely in a day or so. Teacups were our first stop, which is a ride we don’t often ride because Big daddy isn’t into spinning rides lol. Grammie took the boys and Chris, Stephanie and I squished into another cup. Dumbo was next on the list and we practically walked right on. A woman jumped in front of me and took my elephant separating me from the rest of the family. Like really? People need to chill-there is plenty of Dumbo to go around. I did get some video, but is it from farther away. Afterwards we got a great family photo!

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We used our Fast Pass for the Tomorrowland Speedway and then backtracked to the Barnstormer. Probably the longest line we waited in, but it is a high demand ride for little guys. The three of us sat it out in lieu of taking photos. We headed over to Under the Sea next. By then it was about time for lunch at The Plaza.

The Plaza

My go to place for table service lunch at the Magic Kingdom. It is pretty solid as far as food goes. I like to get my chocolate milk shake here. The cheese steak is darn tasty and incredibly filling with a milkshake. Josh didn’t have any trouble finding something to fit his allergies either. No problems even with the soda fountain and nuts for sundaes in the smaller restaurant. Chris and Stephanie opted for the honey brisket macaroni and cheese, which looked pretty good, and they demolished it. Grammie and Big Daddy had sandwiches as well.

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Lunch was good, service was fine, nothing special, but good food in a nicely air conditioned spot.

Next up was a trip back to Adventureland for Pirates of the Caribbean! The queue was insane, I guess since it has been after the refurbishment. Great for the attraction, but I miss the days when it was a smooth running walk on ride. Maybe you waited 15 minutes for it, but now a must have FP+. We made it to the treasure room when things slowed up and boats had stopped moving. Shortly after that the announcement came on about staying in our boats blah, blah blah, but the attraction ended up going completely down. The made the announcement that the lights would come on and the power had to be turned back on etc. The whole ride was down and they were able to fire the animatronics back up, but no sound or music. That was on the creepy side seeing the mouths moving, but no sound! I had never been in POC when this happened. Normally the rides are slowed to allow wheelchair bound passengers to board, but this was terminal. It was a delight for me to see the inside with the lights on, but my nephews were like “really?!” You can certainly get restless in the boats as my legs aren’t very long, but they cramp up in these boats and the Small World ones. Our boat floated backwards into the last town scene and I got some great pictures! We were stranded for about 15 minutes, then the lights went off and music was on. CMs were giving an anytime FP for our delay , which was really nice!

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We worked our way back to Fantasyland to ride Peter Pan and Prince Charming’s Carousel. I was queued up and ready to take the boys photo at the Sword in the Stone when some citizen of Mainstreet came and kicked us off the thing. It would take a second the boys were already up there, I just thought it was really rude and unDisneylike of a CM to do that.

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Down to Tomorrowland and the Merchant of Venus. Nick really wanted the Storm Trooper costume for Halloween, so we stopped to get it. We rode Buzz Lightyear and decided it was time to call it a day and do some swimming! We missed a few things here and there, but pretty productive over all.

We are up for a fun night as we will drop Chris and Stephanie off at Wilderness Lodge to dine at Artist Point and are taking the lads for pizza at Blaze and the Lego Store.[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url]

12in12 · Dec 9, 2017

That family picture in Dumbo is amazing!

LowesChevy · Jan 8, 2018

RedNoseMickey said:
That family picture in Dumbo is amazing!

Thank you! Great photographer there that day. We used it as our Christmas card this year!

LowesChevy · Jan 8, 2018

Dinner & Disney Springs

We dropped Chris & Stephanie off at the Wilderness Lodge a shade early so they could enjoy a drink before dinner at the Territory Lounge. The boys were plenty excited about Disney Springs, well mainly Nick was pumped on the Lego store. Josh pretty much goes with the flow.

Blaze is conveniently close to the parking garage, as well as many of our other new favorite places. The line was long, but it moves pretty fast as pizzas are slinging every so many seconds out of the oven. The associate in charge of the front of the line was very nice when I enquired about cross contamination. She said everyone on the line would change their gloves to avoid any issues, but most of the menu is relatively safe allergen wise for Josh’s sake. A big reason I selected to eat here, plus who doesn’t love pizza?!

The tables are cafeteria style and available on first come, first serve. It was busy, but people are constantly in and out. We found some seating inside and waited for our order to come up. It didn’t take long, no longer than any other fast casual spot. One pie came out before the other two, but it was not a long wait. We ordered two pepperoni pies and one cheese pie, which Josh and Grammy Deb split. The pizzas are not huge, but 3 was enough for the 5 of us to split. Before I really started to watch my food intake, I could have eaten a whole one, but now I watch my carbohydrates pretty close and with all of the snacks back at the room I wasn’t starving to death. Now California Grill, I go hungry! Nick and I also split a 20 oz Coke and tap water is available for free. We even had a couple of slices to take home.

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After that it was crazy time at the Lego Store! Nick had a great time and of course took forever to decide what he wanted. They enjoyed walking around a bit, but Josh was tired and ready to head back. Over all a successful trip to Disney Springs! We didn’t have any cross contamination issues, what a relief! Back to BLT.

I told Chris that the Magic Kingdom was open late and we could meet up after they had dinner. He texted me to meet them since they were headed over by boat. I was really tire, but few opportunities like these come along so I sucked it up and walked over. It was crazy busy and I was trapped by the new nighttime show. We finally met and hopped in line at the Mine Ride! It took about an hour and 20 minutes, but we got to ride! He really wanted to ride it and with the boys it would have been cumbersome with Josh being too small. Met some great people in line and rocked it out. Stephanie was not a huge fan lol, but I will post the photo from that night later. I mentioned Haunted Mansion, but she wussed out on that too! Overall it was a great gamble to come back over. My bro was pumped.

Tomorrow begins two days at Epcot![/url][/url]

LowesChevy · Jan 9, 2018

Kona Café Breakfast

We hoped on the monorail my favorite spot for a change in venue this morning. The restaurant wasn’t overly full, but Kona is a happening place. The chef came out to speak to Chris & Stephanie and pancake boy was getting his carbo dish on. The service was incredibly slow unfortunately-our server was absent most of the time.

The food finally arrived and my dad’s omelet was not great, his dish was not hot, but what is hot enough for him. If I get seated in his section again I will request another server. No in all seriousness it was the victim of the larger party at the table. He should have ordered cakes what can I say? Everyone else was happy with their dishes; Chris loved his Loco Moco choice, Pineapple Mac nut pancakes you can’t go wrong either.

Everyone was content and full, but getting the bill and heading to Epcot took a while. An uncharacteristic experience at Kona Café by any means and disappointing to say the least.

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Off to Epcot![/url]

LowesChevy · Jan 10, 2018

October 19th Continued

On deck first was taking Nick on Test Track, while Stephanie and Grandma Deb took Josh to The Seas with Nemo and Friends. Timing worked out really well and Nick loved Test Track. After that we all rode The Land and then it was time for a Josh request.
This boy’s lone request was to meet Mickey Mouse and with the hour long wait time at the Magic Kingdom yesterday I was glad I made a reservation at the Character Spot! I hadn’t kept up with the details on the CS and now only 3 characters are there, but a great experience if your kids dig characters. Josh had a ball and then of course we had to find more characters after that.

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We stopped for an early lunch at Cantina de San Angel. I find the barbacoa tacos to be excellent for counter service and on the spicy side. Nick and I were splitting a Coke until he backwashed! My dad ordered nachos also, which are fine sometimes, but on the sloppy and processed side for me. I do love nachos with cheese and they hit the spot sometimes, but the chicken and beef tacos are a tastier choice. Plus the beans and rice are well seasoned. After lunch we rode the Three Amigos and explored the inside of Mexico. We came out and hopped in line to meet Donald Duck.
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We did some extensive World Showcase touring. By the time we made it to American Adventure the boys were getting tired and we decided to make our way back to BTL. Dinner is just at the Wave, so we can hit the pool and relax.[/url][/url][/url][/url]

LowesChevy · Jan 22, 2018

The Wave Dinner

I didn’t know what to expect here. I thought when the menu first came out it looked on the healthy side. We eat at the restaurant for breakfast here all of the time and it has a convenient location. With Josh’s allergies and dietary restrictions, I can rest easy on the fact that everything is carefully crafted and not processed junk.

Susan greeted us shortly after we were seated to take our beverage order. The restaurant was busier than I would have expected. It seems to be a bit of a gem as far as table service goes for the area. I did notice a kid without his shirt on in the dining room, oh well I realize kids spill or have meltdowns, but rather inappropriate. We looked over the menu and my mother wanted grilled cheese. You know what that’s fine, but it’s straight to bed after dinner for you lol! My dad and I each opted for the crab cake and cheese board offerings and Chris and Stephanie went for the braised short rib and sweet potato gnocchi . The boys both ordered buttered penne.

Our appetizers came and the bread was also safe for Josh to eat. The cheese selection was generous with a piece of cheddar, blue and another cheese with accompaniments. I could barely finish a couple of the portions, so it is a great appetizer for sharing.
Dinners arrive after a while and the feasting began. Well the boys were already munching down. The crab cakes honestly some of the best cakes I have had outside my kitchen of course. The gateaux de crab at Citricos was always good, but this one is mostly lump meat. The old bay mayonnaise was an excellent condiment. I prefer a mayo based sauce to a sickeningly sweet fruity sauce any day. They are not huge, but a good value for the price and a great pairing for an entrée. My brother’s beef short rib was tender and rich. The dish was good, but after that lunch at Mexico and afternoon snacks, I didn’t want anything that heavy. Stephanie’s sweet potato gnocchi minus the mushrooms was a lovely dish as well.

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The boys got sundaes and I opted for the chocolate flight for dessert.

Susan was an attentive and excellent server. We enjoyed our meals and overall experience here. Already booked our next adr for dinner too!
Food: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Be back: already booked for February!

Lovely night to head back up to the sky bridge after dinner
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fractal · Jan 22, 2018

I never consider the Wave as a dinning option, but I only ever read great reviews. Maybe it's the name or lack of "themeing", not sure. Will have to give it a try.

LowesChevy · Jan 24, 2018

October 20th Beach Club & Epcot

I had planned eating at the resort this evening since we are moving on over to the Beach Club in the morning. Less travel time equals more time to pack up and enjoy the evening before bed. Big Daddy and I will move the caravan over and park plus hand the cold stuff off to bell services. We wouldn’t want that beer to get warm. The rest of the clan will catch the monorail over to Epcot. Surprisingly our drive took less time than them taking the monorail. I thought they would be waiting on us, but we managed to park, get our pass, drop off the cold bags and walk through the International Gateway and they had just gone through security and bag check.

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Worked out perfectly-Big Bro & Stephanie took Nick to Test Track, which he loved since yesterday and we did The Seas with Nemo & Friends with Josh. Afterwards we had our photo taken by the sign outside and then all went to Turtle Talk with Crush. It was the first time we had visited the attraction honestly. It is one of those things you feel weird if you don’t have children at. It was a great show and we were all laughing.
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Via Napoli
We had to book it to Via Napoli for lunch after the show, so Chris and I went to the Canada side of the Showcase figuring it was the quickest way. Stephanie and Nick followed behind us and Mom, Dad and Josh went the Mexico side. We all got there at nearly the same time, pretty crazy considering Chris & I were hauling buns like a bread truck.

The party was divided-some wanted Team Pepperoni some wanted Team Sausage, so we ordered to larges and salads to share. . It’s loud and busy, just like the children that visit. Pies were cooked perfectly and the service was good. Service can fluctuate here depending on how busy it is, some guests hold up the servers for a long time as well. Getting your bill paid can be a long experience. I expect that here since it is a huge restaurant. Great experience overall. We come back another day

Grandma and J Eskimo kisses
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What was left—Team Pepperoni prevailed!!

More Epcot later[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url]

LowesChevy · Jan 31, 2018

So our room was ready, but because the resort was automatically placing us near each other, Chris & Co.’s room was taking a while. We have dinner tonight at Biergarten so it is not a long trip.

It was time to explore anyhow. Nick & Josh enjoyed doing the Kidcot activities. Josh especially enjoyed it especially at China & Italy. He sat there for 30 minutes coloring! In the meantime Chris, my wine teacher, gave me a lesson on Borolo & Amuroni. Followed by some tastings too. He and Stephanie did some extensive travel in Italy before they had to boys, so he knows Italian wine well.

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Gorgeous day overall—I had my new lens out and about today and boy I can’t wait to use it again here!

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Trip Report Grimm, Grinning Ghost Tour 2017

LowesChevy

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12in12

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fractal

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