Trip Report One Little Spark *COMPLETED*

One little spark of inspiration
Is at the heart of all creation
A dream can be
A dream come true
With just that spark
In me and you

One little spark ignited a relationship that is currently four decades long.

One little spark inspired a surprise (and very last-minute) birthday trip to WDW.

One little spark made a dream come true.

Who: Tuvalu and Woody
When: February 8-12, 2023
Where: Disney’s Pop Century Resort

 

[Tuvalu]

And it looks like all the plexiglass dividers are gone from the queue??

The Gran Fiesta Tour was one of the last attractions to have the plexiglass removed. All queues are now plexiglass free!

On the one hand, I'm somewhat curious as to what they look like in person.

 

[Tuvalu]

Day 2, con’t

 

[mpaulam]

No plexiglass, no masks...January can't get here soon enough!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Day 2, con’t

In Italy I found another FARTS art. Not sure why I did not notice it yesterday. This one’s from Luca.

I stopped taking pictures at this point because I got absorbed in enjoying the festival booths and shopping in France. (Yes, I’m a real Emily in Paris. ) Wine was purchased @Figgy1.

It was after 4 pm when we returned to our room. We only had a short break as I had scored us a dinner reservation at a restaurant new to us. As Woody was getting ready I pulled the receipts from the two bags containing our purchases.

We’d bought four individual items at four different locations.

One item per receipt.

I could not believe the ridiculous length of the receipts. I placed them side-by-side on the bed using a pillow for size comparison.

Disney - there’s got to be a better way! Think of the trees! (Don’t be like CVS!!!)


Just before we left I received a text from Not in Paris Emily who was enjoying after-work snuggles with Astrid.

It was cold and rainy in Atlanta. Sure glad Woody and I weren’t there!

 

[Figgy1]

Never thought I'd miss farts so much

 

[Swissmiss]

Day 2, con’t

View attachment 700901








View attachment 700906

I think I may have already mentioned this as a comment in someone’s TR, but the Golden Pass train does not run in Germany. It is a Swiss.

 

[Tuvalu]

I think I may have already mentioned this as a comment in someone’s TR, but the Golden Pass train does not run in Germany. It is a Swiss.

 

[cgersic]

OK FRIENDS HERE IT IS - HOPEFULLY THE LAST PHOTO I WILL EVER TAKE - AND THE LAST TIME I WILL EVER SEE IN PERSON -




THE AWFUL TACO BARGES!
View attachment 700730

And it’s a dark crappy picture. Which perfectly sums up how I feel about them!

Is there an actual removal date?????

 

[Tuvalu]

Is there an actual removal date?????

Harmonious ends April 2 and Epcot Forever returns on April 3. Seems there will be a phased removal of the barges.

Disney announces the end date for EPCOT's Harmonious and confirms removal of the lagoon hardware

Disney announces the end date for EPCOT's Harmonious and confirms removal of the lagoon hardware

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[cgersic]

Harmonious ends April 2 and Epcot Forever returns on April 3. Seems there will be a phased removal of the barges.

Disney announces the end date for EPCOT's Harmonious and confirms removal of the lagoon hardware

Disney announces the end date for EPCOT's Harmonious and confirms removal of the lagoon hardware

www.wdwmagic.com

THAT deserves a hallelujah!!

 

[Swissmiss]

If I had an inner Sheldon I would write to them to tell them to repaint the trains to remove Golden Pass from the sides

 

[Tuvalu]

If I had an inner Sheldon I would write to them to tell them to repaint the trains to remove Golden Pass from the sides

 

[Tuvalu]

Day 2, con’t

Dinner required a short trip on the Skyliner and a surprisingly long walk.

The walk would have been more easily tolerated had the breeze not ceased and humidity increased. The sun was low on the horizon but still ablaze.

Also we did not know exactly how to get to where we were going. The GPS on Woody’s watch thought we were in a car.

We walked parallel to the Skyliner.

Would the lighthouse help us find our way?

Eventually we arrived at a favorite spot of @Tony the Tigger. We were running late and did not have time for a pre-dinner drink at Banana Cabana.

Thankfully the restaurant was right next door.

Prior to tonight, Woody and I had been to Caribbean Beach only twice - once in the early 90s to see my folks’ room (our family was staying at POR) and again in 2010 for a one-night stay with Em (which was so bad we vowed never again.)

Sebastian’s family style menu sounded delicious to me, and @Loco_driver had given the food high praise. I had been wanting to try the restaurant for awhile but honestly it’s not that easy to get to except by Skyliner (and even then…)

We checked in and were immediately taken inside. The restaurant is L-Shaped with a small room that opens into a lovely large room with lots of natural light.

 

[Tuvalu]

We had an awesome server who was prompt, personable and attentive. He clearly explained everything that we would receive in the family-style meal. Shrimp could be added for an additional charge (not an issue for us non-shrimp eaters.)

He asked if we would like to start with something from the bar. Woody ordered a Stella Artois and I was excited to try a Sebastian Island Paradise, a frozen POG Juice concoction.

“I’m sorry but we’re out of the POG juice,” our server apologized.

Rats. I made do with a Piña Colada instead.

First to arrive was The Spice Necklace Salad (mixed greens and kale with spiced pumpkin seeds, tropical fruit and radish, with Key Lime dressing) and House-baked Pull-apart Rolls with Guava Butter and Carmelized Onion Jam.

Neither of us are fans of “fruity” leaf salad but this one surprised us. We both had second helpings! And the rolls with butter and jam….soooo good! We could have made a meal with the salad and rolls alone. But we paced ourselves knowing more was coming.

The meats - Oven-roasted Citrus Chicken, Slow-cooked Mojo Pork with Mango salsa, Grilled Chili-rubbed Beef with Mojito Relish.

I have a weakness for Mango Salsa. I put it on all three meats! The chicken and beef were my stand-outs while Woody liked the pork best. (We agreed that, even sauceless, the flavor of all three was very tasty.)

The sides - Cilantro Rice and Beans, Vegetable Curry and Broccolini.

For me, Cilantro Rice ranks right up there with Mango Salsa. It was delicious! The Vegetable Curry was Woody’s fave.

The broccolini went untouched as usual.

Just as we thought we could put nothing else in our bellies, out came the Coconut-Pineapple Bread Pudding, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Every bit as good as ‘Ohana’s!

 

[Loco_driver]

I don’t think I even mentioned in my live TR that we did indeed visit Sebastian’s. We had surprisingly slow service, but I think they might’ve been a bit short staffed in the kitchen that night. Still one of my favorites even though it is a bit of a pain to get to. I think it’s actually easier to walk there from the riviera than from the CBR skyliner station. Glad you seemed to enjoy your meal!

 

[Tuvalu]

I think it’s actually easier to walk there from the riviera than from the CBR skyliner station.

Noted for future reference!

 

[Bullseye1967]

We had an awesome server who was prompt, personable and attentive. He clearly explained everything that we would receive in the family-style meal. Shrimp could be added for an additional charge (not an issue for us non-shrimp eaters.)

He asked if we would like to start with something from the bar. Woody ordered a Stella Artois and I was excited to try a Sebastian Island Paradise, a frozen POG Juice concoction.

“I’m sorry but we’re out of the POG juice,” our server apologized.

Rats. I made do with a Piña Colada instead.

View attachment 701148

First to arrive was The Spice Necklace Salad (mixed greens and kale with spiced pumpkin seeds, tropical fruit and radish, with Key Lime dressing) and House-baked Pull-apart Rolls with Guava Butter and Carmelized Onion Jam.

View attachment 701149

View attachment 701150

Neither of us are fans of “fruity” leaf salad but this one surprised us. We both had second helpings! And the rolls with butter and jam….soooo good! We could have made a meal with the salad and rolls alone. But we paced ourselves knowing more was coming.

The meats - Oven-roasted Citrus Chicken, Slow-cooked Mojo Pork with Mango salsa, Grilled Chili-rubbed Beef with Mojito Relish.

View attachment 701152

I have a weakness for Mango Salsa. I put it on all three meats! The chicken and beef were my stand-outs while Woody liked the pork best. (We agreed that, even sauceless, the flavor of all three was very tasty.)

The sides - Cilantro Rice and Beans, Vegetable Curry and Broccolini.

View attachment 701151

For me, Cilantro Rice ranks right up there with Mango Salsa. It was delicious! The Vegetable Curry was Woody’s fave.

The broccolini went untouched as usual.

Just as we thought we could put nothing else in our bellies, out came the Coconut-Pineapple Bread Pudding, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Every bit as good as ‘Ohana’s!

View attachment 701153

This is probably our favorite dining option outside the parks! The meats are soooooooooooooooooooo good!!!!!!!! We never have a problem getting there, but we always have a car.

 

[Tuvalu]

This is probably our favorite dining option outside the parks! The meats are soooooooooooooooooooo good!!!!!!!! We never have a problem getting there, but we always have a car.

Oh we had a car too - Woody hates to drive when on vacation!

 

[Songbird76]

We had an awesome server who was prompt, personable and attentive. He clearly explained everything that we would receive in the family-style meal. Shrimp could be added for an additional charge (not an issue for us non-shrimp eaters.)

He asked if we would like to start with something from the bar. Woody ordered a Stella Artois and I was excited to try a Sebastian Island Paradise, a frozen POG Juice concoction.

“I’m sorry but we’re out of the POG juice,” our server apologized.

Rats. I made do with a Piña Colada instead.

View attachment 701148

First to arrive was The Spice Necklace Salad (mixed greens and kale with spiced pumpkin seeds, tropical fruit and radish, with Key Lime dressing) and House-baked Pull-apart Rolls with Guava Butter and Carmelized Onion Jam.

View attachment 701149

View attachment 701150

Neither of us are fans of “fruity” leaf salad but this one surprised us. We both had second helpings! And the rolls with butter and jam….soooo good! We could have made a meal with the salad and rolls alone. But we paced ourselves knowing more was coming.

The meats - Oven-roasted Citrus Chicken, Slow-cooked Mojo Pork with Mango salsa, Grilled Chili-rubbed Beef with Mojito Relish.

View attachment 701152

I have a weakness for Mango Salsa. I put it on all three meats! The chicken and beef were my stand-outs while Woody liked the pork best. (We agreed that, even sauceless, the flavor of all three was very tasty.)

The sides - Cilantro Rice and Beans, Vegetable Curry and Broccolini.

View attachment 701151

For me, Cilantro Rice ranks right up there with Mango Salsa. It was delicious! The Vegetable Curry was Woody’s fave.

The broccolini went untouched as usual.

Just as we thought we could put nothing else in our bellies, out came the Coconut-Pineapple Bread Pudding, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Every bit as good as ‘Ohana’s!

View attachment 701153

I think I should go here with you next time, just to eat your broccolini. I will make a meal of that, and you can have the rolls and the dessert and salad....I won't eat any of that, and I don't like mango or pineapple, or coconut. So between the two of us, we'd let nothing go to waste!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I have a weakness for Mango Salsa.

I always knew you were brilliant.

So glad you enjoyed Sebastian’s! The previous incarnation, Shutters (shudders) was very hit or miss. We were at Sebastian’s before it was family style, and it was more hit or hit!

We also used to order the full menu from Banana Cabana. I believe they “officially” no longer do that, but there are/were some crossover items and the kitchen is the same.

CBR has long been a fave QS food court, even through all the changes. Of course, put a pile of pulled pork on a plate and I’m happy. Mojo pork is extra heavenly.

…and it’s very easy to get to when you stay at CBR!