After resting for a bit, we started getting ready for dinner. Dinner was at 6:05 and we started heading down to the lobby around 5:15. Why did we cut it so close? Because we'd decided to take a Lyft! We were going to Steakhouse 71 and the only thing I could think to do was a bus to MK then a monorail ride to Contemporary (since we'd be dropped off at the TTC, we'd have to make all the stops on the monorail). That just sounded so long and so unreliable, so we used Lyft.
We were picked up at 5:26 and dropped off at 5:38. This was one of our cheapest rides at $16.90 (with the tip). We had a few minutes to wander the shops at the Contemporary and I found the poster calendar I wanted! It's a bit large, so I thought I might come back and get it later.
All dressed up!
Made our way down and checked in. I think the lobby looks so nice! And I loved the changes for the restaurant.
Took a self timer picture of us from this lovely low angle (propped on a chair). Despite the weird angle, I like it.
We got called for our table pretty close to our reservation time and were seated toward the back of the restaurant. It took a while before our server finally came by, I was starting to get worried. Eventually we got order in and started with drinks.
I had a pear French 75 and it was delightful! R and I have gotten into making cocktails at home and we've made French 75s, so I knew I liked them. The pear flavor was a nice touch. I can't recall what R got to drink, unfortunately. They had a lot of great stuff on the menu though.
For our app, we got the crab cakes and OMGGGGGG they were so good!! I had wanted the French onion soup, but I didn't want to get too full and that stuff is heavy. The crab cakes were so perfect. I honestly would have been happy if we'd left then...so far so good on the food!
For my main, I had a filet with the red wine glazed mushrooms. Again OMGGGGGG. Ok the steak was a steak. R actually makes a great steak at home, so I'm spoiled, but this was good! And the mushrooms were fabulous! That red wine sauce was super yum.
I think R had a strip and mashed potatoes. He said his steak was too salty...oh well. He's hard to impress.
We had the sauce flight. Chimichurri was my fav. I can't remember what R's fav was, maybe horseradish? They were all good, but none blew me away. If we go back, I'll probably just stick with the chimichurri and not worry about the flight, but I'm glad I got to try them all.
So our intention was to get that massive chocolate cake to celebrate my birthday, but our service was sooooo slow, we opted against that. Our server was very kind and I enjoyed him, but attentive he was not. I think we were there 1.5hr, which isn't terrible, but dessert definitely would have stretched it closer to 2 hours.
I was really keen on popping back into the Magic Kingdom!
Main Street was packed to the gills for fireworks, so we just stood on the edge of the sidewalk. We couldn't see the castle, but I wasn't too upset, I mean it was 10 minutes until showtime, so I didn't expect a good view.
Some folks seemed to expect a good view this close to the show, so we had lots of people squeezing in as close as they could to us and the people in the street. I was trying to stay up on the curb so people would stay away from me (like I said, I couldn't even see the castle!) but I still had people nearly touching me.
Had a pretty view behind me.
Leaned out a bit and got a couple of shots with the castle.
My face during Enchantment
That's what replaced Happily Ever After? Really? I can't even pinpoint what's so bad about it, I just...didn't like it. The music was blah and the transitions were really jarring. Oh well, glad we got to see it for ourselves at least.
We had plenty of time to get to Epcot to see Harmonious, so off we went! Packed into the monorail like actual sardines, covid schmovid.
Not a lot of people were hopping to the Epcot monorail, so it wasn't quite as full.
Would have looked cooler with a monorail gliding by!
We walked all the way to Germany so I could get the Schöfferhofer Wild Cherry Hefeweizen at the festival booth. AND THEY WERE OUT! Ugh. I was so sad, and I maybe felt a little more upset than I should have over a drink
I went back to Hops and Barley and got that strawberry and lime beer instead. We had a little time to kill, so we went back to that quiet spot in the UK to enjoy our drinks (R got the Kilkenny in Ireland, it's one of our favorites.)
Once it was close to Harmonious time, we just walked out of the UK pavilion and stood on the far side of the walkway to watch. Obviously we couldn't see much, but I figured I could watch it properly on YouTube later.
I liked Harmonious MUCH better. I always loved Illuminations too, so maybe I'm just more of an Epcot show gal. I loved the music and I love the concept of the animators from different countries working on the graphics. I can't wait to see those in more detail.
Anyway, that was where our evening ended! We walked back to our room and fell right asleep. Overall, it was truly a wonderful birthday! One of the best I've had in years. So thankful to have been there and been able to enjoy some of my favorite things.
Up next: HS
so no need to rush.
Also the only two Starbucks in our town with drive-thrus are so awful and the good one is in a bad traffic area, so I never go. 
