Trip Report JenniferS (and Mike) will be live 9/2-9/13 ... maybe!

Yes, it’s that time of year again, time for another live trip report from two of your favourite Canadians ... which means of course, that another hurricane is headed to Florida.

This will be my fourth live WDW trip report. The “who” and “where” remain the same, but the “how” and “when” are very much up in the air right now.

2016 here: (No, I don’t know how to embed links in a little blue “here”)

Hi, my name is JenniferS, and I am a Disneyholic. I have been accused of being a Pixie Dust snorter. I've been accused of worse, so no biggie.

Once we get home from a Disney trip, I am always in a bit of a funk, and never really up to doing a proper trip report. For those of you who know me, I generally post live over in Chit Chat somewhere. This is my first dedicated live trip report in the actual Trip Report Thread.

The cast:
Me. JenniferS. Just turned 49. Honestly friends, I don't know how that happened. I still feel 27. But, my passport and driver's licence insist I was born in 1967, and I have two 20-something sons, so it must be true.

This is me, on my way to work this morning. All smiles, because this is my last day of work for almost two weeks!
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And this is Hubby. He is not on his way to work today, as he has been off work for 6 months. He is 48 years old and this is the first entire summer he has had off since he was 14. In 31 years together, this is only the second time I have seen him with a tan.

Goofy is his favourite character.
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And last year, he was obsessed with this over-sized "Stitchie". There was no room in our luggage, but this year, I am determined to buy it for him, and bring it home by any means necessary. Actually, I'm just going to bring our big SouthWest duffel bag, and pay for an extra bag coming home.

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This will be our first Disney trip, just the two of us, since 1992!

Okay, that's the Who.
Coming up next - the Where.

2017 here:

This will be my fourth live trip report in a year, and after NYC last week, I thought Hubby had reached his limit, but he says, "No, go ahead, do a live trip report. It lets me control the tv while you talk to your friends." (As we meet more of my WDWDisney friends, he uses finger quotes around "friends" less and less.)

So, here we go, another live trip report. I really don't have the will to do a post trip report, so it's "live" or nothing. Once I'm out of the bubble, I'm out.

Introductions.
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That would be me, Jennifer, on the left. Big Disney fan, big Blue Jays fan, big Hubby fan. Ace, in the middle - although he will always be BJ Birdie to me. Hubby, Mike, on the right. Although Mike is the one who first introduced me to Disney in 1991, it's not really his thing. He goes with me most years to make me happy. And also for the food.

As with our past three trips, we will be spending 11 days, 10 nights at Coronado Springs Resort. We booked a BounceBack offer before checking out last year, before knowing how much construction would be going on. Oh well, it is what it is. And what it is, is my favourite resort in my Happy Place; so it's all good.

We have a Preferred King room booked, which means Casitas 1, 2, or 3. Nonetheless, I think I will be sending in a room preference fax tomorrow asking for a refurbed King room in either 7A or 8A. I'll be happy either way. I am ridiculously easy to please whilst in WDW.

Yes, I am one of those Free Dining parasites. By booking the BB offer last year, we are actually getting the full DDP for free, instead of having to upgrade from QDP. I put great thought and effort into our ADR's. Mike is a big guy and eats a lot. The heat and humidity really kills my appetite, so Mike eats at least half of my meals too. (I've recently packed on 20 pounds, so that may be a good thing.)

Next up, our somewhat loosey goosey itinerary.

2018 here:

Technically this is a pre-trip report, but we’ll be going live in less than a week!

This will be my third live September trip report.
2016:
https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/jennifers-is-live-9-7-16-9-17-16.918342/#post-7389286

2017:
https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/jennifers-was-live-9-6-17-9-16-17.931263/#post-7871205

It’s going to be a lot of same old/same old, as the cast, location, and ADR’s are pretty much the same. What can I say - we like what we like. And what we like is each other, Walt Disney World, Coronado Springs, and Free Disney Dining.

First, the who.
Me, JenniferS - Uber planning, pixie dust snorting Disney-aholic, 51 year old kid at heart (despite what the mirror says).
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This is Hubby. He likes the Tar Heels, the Blue Jays, food, beer, and me. Not necessarily in that order.
The words most often heard coming out of his mouth are “Whatever you want, Baby.”
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This is us. We are adorable together. We’re each other’s ride or die.
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Last year, we were celebrating my 50th birthday (as much as women celebrate these “milestones”).

This year, we are celebrating Mike’s 50th (both of us born in August, so it’s close enough to count) AND our 25th wedding anniversary earlier this year.

We have children, but we don’t bring them to Disney very often anymore. If they decide to get married and start giving us grand-babies, I will re-visit this decision. But for now, they stay home. We are on Jen and Mike time.

After two live trip reports, I’m not sure how wordy this report will be, but it will be heavy on pics, most especially of food! As Mike says - I’m only here for the food.

To be continued ....

To be continued ....

 

[JenniferS]

My thoughts on SW:GE ... it’s gorgeous for what’s there, but it definitely needs that second ride.
The details are amazing.

I take back what I say about a SW-score BGM loop. There are so many ambient sounds that are integral to the area that a land-wide score would just be drowned out.

Needs more streetmosphere. What’s there is very good and well received by guests, so more would be better, no?!

And all I can say is thank heavens I saw this guy before he saw me!

 

[JenniferS]

Some HOT, hopefully dry, weather coming.
We’ll be doing some swimming for sure!

 

[Ellen Ripley]

Batuu looks even more Star Wars with an overcast sky (haven't been there yet). Killer report, thank you!

 

[trr1]

@JenniferS when is the dinner show of Toledo?

 

[eb3257]

My favorite is the hippo.

Me too!

 

[JenniferS]

J & K took the truck after we got back from DHS, so they drove here for dinner.

On the way to the Tower.

 

[JenniferS]

From the Dahlia balcony:

 

[JenniferS]

Toledo.

This was the plan all along - order one entree per couple and a truckload of apps and small plates to share. Brilliant plan, if I do say so myself.

Savoury churros. These were good, but not great.
I probably would not order these again.

These were for Mike and K. Our parents raised us right - J and I don’t eat this crap.

Pintxos are priced at $3 each. We ordered 6 between us. I chose 3 and asked the server to choose the other 3.

This was awesome. I think we all agreed it was the standout of the meal. Tomato bread.
But Jennifer, you don’t like tomatoes. These were crushed tomatoes with oil, garlic, and spices. Processed enough to not count as “raw” tomatoes.

 

[JenniferS]

The flavour of the shrimp was delicious, but the consistency of the shrimp was mush. Total mush. J & I would not order again. Mike enjoyed them more. K does not eat shrimp.

It bears mentioning again - Holy Hannah, this was good.

Side potatoes. Yum-orama!

Roasted cauliflower. Also yum-orama.

J & K’s shared entree - Manhattan Filet. They said it was very good.
For a two credit meal, there is not a lot of food here.

Mike and I split the hangar steak. And by “split”, I mean I had exactly one bite of steak.

Don’t feel bad for me - I rounded out my plate just fine.

Two desserts for the table.
Crema Catalana.

Toledo Tapas Bar.

J had the right 1/5 of the Tapas Bar. K, Mike, and I finished the rest.

 

[JenniferS]

A couple of fireworks from the restaurant - Fantasmic! we assume.

And then more from the Dahlia balcony.
That’s SW:GE. Trust me.

SW fireworks. I only took a few pics.

 

[JenniferS]

Mike felt bad that he missed out on the snow angels, so he decided to do turf angels. Don’t ask.

Walking back to the room via Three Bridges.

 

[JenniferS]

There have been two coffee runs so far this trip, and they’ve both been made by me. What’s up with that?!?

That’s it - Mikey’s on deck for tomorrow morning.

 

[JenniferS]

Day 2 recap.
DHS:
MF:SR
A-S-S
Toy Story Mania
RnRC
ToT
Muppet Vision 3D
Star Tours

Food:
1 CS credit- Ronto Roasters
OOP beverages at Oga’s
2 CS credit - PizzeRizzo
1 Snack credit at Starbuckies
2 TS credits at Toledo

How long was my nap? Looks like quite a long nap.
Almost as long as I slept overnight.

 

[trr1]

Toledo.

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This was the plan all along - order one entree per couple and a truckload of apps and small plates to share. Brilliant plan, if I do say so myself.

Savoury churros. These were good, but not great.
I probably would not order these again.
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These were for Mike and K. Our parents raised us right - J and I don’t eat this crap.
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Pintxos are priced at $3 each. We ordered 6 between us. I chose 3 and asked the server to choose the other 3.
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This was awesome. I think we all agreed it was the standout of the meal. Tomato bread.
But Jennifer, you don’t like tomatoes. These were crushed tomatoes with oil, garlic, and spices. Processed enough to not count as “raw” tomatoes.
View attachment 406312

So ketchup basically

 

[Rista1313]

For a two credit meal, there is not a lot of food here.

According to the website Toledo is a one credit meal (per person)

 

[JenniferS]

So ketchup basically

I like ketchup. On eggs, grilled cheese, and mac and cheese.

The flavour profile was totally different though - oil vs vinegar.

According to the website Toledo is a one credit meal (per person)

I don’t know how I messed that up! Well actually I do ... I belong to a couple of Coronado FB groups and many months pre-opening, someone in one of them told us it was bumped up to two - proving once again that you can’t trust everything you read on the internet.

I guess I never checked the official Disney channels as the restaurant got closer to actually opening. It was always our plan to split a meal and try a bunch of apps and small plates though.

I feel much better about the value of this meal now.

So score! Thanks to @Rista1313 I now have a TS credit to apply to Sci Fi OOP next week!

 

[Rista1313]

I like ketchup. On eggs, grilled cheese, and mac and cheese.

The flavour profile was totally different though - oil vs vinegar.


I don’t know how I messed that up! Well actually I do ... I belong to a couple of Coronado FB groups and many months pre-opening, someone in one of them told us it was bumped up to two - proving once again that you can’t trust everything you read on the internet.

I guess I never checked the official Disney channels as the restaurant got closer to actually opening. It was always our plan to split a meal and try a bunch of apps and small plates though.

I feel much better about the value of this meal now.

So score! Thanks to @Rista1313 I now have a TS credit to apply to Sci Fi OOP next week!

Nice! Have the shake with the alcohol...it's so good!

 

[NYwdwfan]

Nice! Have the shake with the alcohol...it's so good!

She'll have the shake sans the "good stuff". And a water.

 

[JenniferS]

She'll have the shake sans the "good stuff". And a water.

It’s like you KNOW me.

 

[JenniferS]

Leaving in 5 to go get J & K, and then we’re off to AK.

First stop - Starbuckies, so that tells you how our morning went.

The plan is to spend the typical 5 hours at AK, and then back to the resorts to change and de-funk. (Why is AK so bloody hot?!?)

Dinner is at the Yachtsman - one of our favourites, and then J wants to go to ESPN to watch some football. Because I am a kind, flexible, accommodating sister, I will leave the three sports enthusiasts at ESPN and meander into Epcot if time permits.

Catch at the entry plaza, just after 12:00.