The ABCs of a New 'Ohana Adventure-G is for: Greetings From Teppan, Good-Byes, and Good News!!! - COMPLETED 1/7

[Steppesister]

Wow, that's a lot of bills to pay. I am the same way with debt. I tend to try and get rid of it as fast as humanly possible.

Hang in there! Hope you can get rest as needed. I know it's hard.

I've been working a lot of extra hours and it's really paying off. Quite literally. And that's especially important now that mandatory time off might be looming. Scary times indeed. Not sure how ANYONE will be able to make payments on ANYTHING if this keeps up.

 

[Steppesister]

That's okay. I get that life can get in the way. You have to put things in perspective... some things can wait... some can't.

Thanks for understanding.

I get that. I'm not fond of debt, either. I don't pay credit card debt if at all humanly possible and I shake my head in wonder at those who do. Yes, sometimes circumstances can dictate the necessity, but those who do it willingly, or deliberately...

That's what credit is for.... times is absolutely necessary circumstances and to be paid of as quickly as possible. Why give others your money for free?

I love Germany, but have never been to Croatia. I have no idea what to expect there. Beauty and abundance or poverty and pollution. No clue!

I imagine there are a lot of old buildings from the pre-WW1 Era like Baroque eras? Kinda like Berlin and Vienna? Maybe? Lots of green, forested countryside and waterside parks and walks. Just a guess though, not really having researched it at all.

I'm not a huge fan of this virus... Just sayin'.

I'm not a fan of the global hysteria and goods hoarding. In times like this you can truly see the hearts of people who have proven to be extraordinarily selfish.

Yikes! I thought I had it rough!

Hopefully, it's all of short duration and once the debt is gone, I can go back to working sane amounts of hours.

 

[Steppesister]

I'm sorry about that, but at least you have a plan.

I do, and it's paying off so far.

Personally I'd probably go with the friend over new territory, but that's me. I tend to be a little clingy and not so adventurous.

I do love to explore and see new things, but the allure of seeing a friend is always inviting too. Choices, choices....

Fingers crossed! I'm sure you can do it!

So far, so good!

 

[ariane37]

This particular update seems coincidentally relevant as I watch my cruise and trip to Italy possibly go up in smoke.

It's affecting all of us I do hope it works out for you to go because your trip is shaping up to be amazing!

while, I sat contemplating the meaning of life and planning my funeral.

Ugh! If anyone says this has not happened to them in Disney and on other vacations they're lying!!!

Maria and Enzo’s has a cute backstory

Doesn't it?

owards the end of our time in Maria and Enzo’s a balloon artist arrived and was certainly doing enough business to pay his bills. We watched him make a ton of animals for tables with kids and even made a birthday crown for a lady in the group of older adults sitting next to us

We only had lunch there so no performers at all but it sounds so neat Now I want to go back for dinner!

I hope by September this out-of-control situation, all politics and TP hoarding bologna aside, is over and our cruise will go on as planned (and almost paid off). While my immune system could, my nerves can’t handle it.

Amen and all appendages crossed!!! Stay healthy!

 

[Steppesister]

It's affecting all of us I do hope it works out for you to go because your trip is shaping up to be amazing!

I know I'm not alone and everyone is very frustrated. I think things will even out and be back to normal by the end of Summer and we can all get back to the business of just living.

Ugh! If anyone says this has not happened to them in Disney and on other vacations they're lying!!!

For reals!!! I'm just glad I didn't suffer very long or have to make my way out of the park by myself.

Doesn't it?

The Imagineers were very clever on this one.

We only had lunch there so no performers at all but it sounds so neat Now I want to go back for dinner!

The performers sure added a lot to the fun we had at that meal. It wasn't loud or stressful in the restaurant too which was nice despite there being a lot of kids.

Amen and all appendages crossed!!! Stay healthy!

I spend most days, all day, at work where the TP runs freely and there's hand sanitizer for all. Added to that we are screening all patients with temporal therms, turning away anyone with a cough or who has traveled. Sadly, there may be a ban on all elective surgeries soon which is a good portion of our business. We are closed for Spring Break because our flooring is being replaced, which had been scheduled months ago, and will be paid, but good timing on that one. So, work this week and the week after off at that job although I picked up 3 of those days at my other job.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Back on track, figuratively speaking, we headed for a showing of the Lion King, but were late in the game and were literally the very last party seated.

We were one of the last few people seated for this show the last time we saw it and were directed to really good seats down in the front. Luckily, we weren't placed in front of children. I always try to avoid that if I can.

I did not know myself until the Tuesday before we left that Friday that my folks had decided to come down to WDW for a couple of days and they asked me to keep it a secret from the kids. I did and they were shocked to tears.

This is a huge secret. I expected it to be something like dinner, but seeing your parents was really special.

I am not sure my dad loved what he got, but he is super picky and the way he dug through his plate, nosing around with his fork, cracks me up. A picture is worth a thousand words…

I bet he was hungry later and stopped somewhere before they got back to their hotel.

I got one of those kinds of “cramps”. You know what I’m talking about… it’s the kind that makes you break out in a sweat, wonder what foul thing you ingested to make your knees weak, and to start looking for a place to die in agonized glory, writhing in tachycardic panic.

This is scary to think of all the inconvenient times this could happen. Being strapped into an airline seat would be one of them.

We were far too full for dessert and ended up taking “home” the entire order of spaghetti we didn’t need.

I have almost never enjoyed the side of spaghetti that comes with most Italian meals. It usually lacks flavor.

M&E’s has some live entertainment that adds something more to the meal and that certainly has value.

I love violin music and this would have been the highlight of the meal for me.

I spend most days, all day, at work where the TP runs freely and there's hand sanitizer for all. Added to that we are screening all patients with temporal therms, turning away anyone with a cough or who has traveled. Sadly, there may be a ban on all elective surgeries soon which is a good portion of our business. We are closed for Spring Break because our flooring is being replaced, which had been scheduled months ago, and will be paid, but good timing on that one. So, work this week and the week after off at that job although I picked up 3 of those days at my other job.

There is so much that is unknown about what will happen with COVID-19. Maybe you will be able to earn some extra cash from all the nursing services you can provide.

 

[Steppesister]

T is for: Tonga Toast on the Terrace and Toes in the Sand

​

Time for toes in the sand, toasting at Trader Sam’s, and touring around the resort that I was long looking forward to. The Poly is the one resort that holds my longest-standing memory of WDW. During my very first visit in 2000, my parents, my 4 oldest kids, and I all piled into their gigantor motorhome and drove across the country from Portland, OR to Orlando. Insane? Probably. After sleeping in truck stops, random Walmart parking lots and campgrounds as we chugged across the US, Fort Wilderness was a mighty fine sight. I have many memories from that first stay at Disney Florida: Being startled, and then fascinated, by an armadillo while walking to the showers, the beautiful boardwalk that we took walks on through the undeveloped areas hoping to see a snake, Hoop-do-Doo, among many other new and exciting sights and sounds. But one memory stands out more vividly than any other. After 7 days in a confined space with 4 kids under 9 and 2 grandparents growing crankier by the minute, I needed some alone time. So, I left all the kids with my folks (because I’m cruel like that) and boarded a boat for the Poly. No words other than “Magical!” could describe my instant love of the resort. I wandered the walkways taking in the exotic music backgrounded by tropical flowers, Tiki statues, and a warm, soft breeze on my face.

(*Side note: While I still adore the Poly, a couple of other deluxe resorts have overtaken my #1 ranking for most loved.)

Fast forward to 2010. I was coming home from Crapistan and on a ladies’ trip. We chose to stay 2 nights at the Poly but unfortunately didn’t really get to enjoy the resort nearly as much as I’d have liked. No pool time, Trader’s wasn’t open and, while the room was lovely, there wasn’t much time spent in it.

I vowed to change that, so booked the kids and I in a water view room for 2 nights at the end our trip. By then, everyone would have gotten their park time wants satisfied and be ready for some lounging and rest. I calculated right and the kids and I spent quite a lot of time being lazy and content in a tropically luxurious resort. On our morning of transfer, we checked all of our bags in with bell services and boarded a bus to the MK where the plan was to take the monorail to our new digs. It sort of went like that….

We got to the point of being a couple people behind the front of bag check line at the Magic Kingdom when I suddenly realized I was loaded with a bunch of booze singles in my bag. That, My Friends, doesn’t get you through security. EEK! What to do? WHAT TO DO?!? Some of you would fairly quickly say, just concede the liquor. Obviously, you would not be on my Squad if we’d been at the Alamo. “Never surrender or retreat!” Some of you might even try to get creative and try to sneak it on through. I did neither. I sidled on up to the nearest CM in blues and told her of my idiocy. She wasn’t any help at all with no solution other than take an Uber. I wasn’t satisfied. The kids gave up on me and skipped on ahead to take the mono to the resort. They abandoned their mother with 10 or so singles of assorted bottles of hooch. Fools.

Taking another stab at it, I approached another older gentleman security guy and again explained my dilemma. “Oh, that’s no problem; people do that all the time.” He politely and calmly told me he would get me a private escort to the boat launches who’d see me onto the next boat and I'd be on my way. We parted with a friendly, “Sounds like you’re gonna have a great time at the Poly! Enjoy!” There ya go, Disney! That’s more like it. As promised, I got my private escort and in less than 5 minutes I was on my way for the short journey to the Polynesian. Ironically, I beat the kids there by a full 20 minutes or more. I laughed in their faces just like any good parent would do.

It was only 8:30 or so when we made our way into Captain Cook’s for some grub. 2, 4, 6, 8, What do we anticipate?! TONGA TOAST! But that wasn’t going to feed all four of us, so we also got a breakfast burrito and a breakfast flatbread to share.

​

It was all decent and filled its purpose of tiding us over until our dinner later that night at Maria and Enzo’s. Thoughts? The Tonga Toast isn’t the same without the strawberry puree that it comes with at Kona Café. It’s just too sweet with the syrup they serve it with at Captain Cooks. The flatbread and burrito were so-so, nothing to rave about. Bellies satiated it was time to hit the pool while we waited for our room to be ready and our luggage. Power lounging was about to commence.

​

We found the perfect shaded table under a big umbrella and settled in. We read on our phones, dipped in and out of the pool hogging up dry towels like TP during a pandemic (that might have been funnier if I’d written it last week), and closed our eyes at times.

​

At some point I made good use of the contraband booze and ordered a lime margarita with coconut rum and added a bit more because it was 5:00. Give or take a few hours. There were very brief periods of showers, but our umbrella proved faithful and the hot tub warmed us up when the drizzles gave us chill.

​

The morning turned into early afternoon and our room was still not ready, so I set out on a stroll around the lovely resort. Rather than droll on with commentary, here are some photos I took as I went:

(I can't decide which one I like most... thoughts? )






​

When I was finished taking in more of what this lovely, relaxing resort had to offer, I finally called around 2:00 to see if our room was ready. Our patience paid off… but I’ll leave off here making you wonder just what room we got.

YOUR TURN:

Do you ever feel like you have enough time at your resort or do you simply book your resort KNOWING you will spend very little time there?

Do you ever WISH you'd spent more time just taking advantage of what your resort has to offer (pool, activities, lounges, restaurants, etc....)?

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

 

[Steppesister]

We were one of the last few people seated for this show the last time we saw it and were directed to really good seats down in the front. Luckily, we weren't placed in front of children. I always try to avoid that if I can.

WOW, nice little bit of pixie dust! And I do too; it's the kind thing to do.

This is a huge secret. I expected it to be something like dinner, but seeing your parents was really special.

It was very hard to keep it from them especially with the phone calls to coordinate had to be made. The looks on their faces made it all worth it!!

I bet he was hungry later and stopped somewhere before they got back to their hotel.

I'm absolutely certain. He's always been that way. LOL!

This is scary to think of all the inconvenient times this could happen. Being strapped into an airline seat would be one of them.

OMG, that would be the absolute WORST!

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the Fasten Seatbelt sign..."

I have almost never enjoyed the side of spaghetti that comes with most Italian meals. It usually lacks flavor.

This spaghetti makes a repeat performance.... stay tuned....

I love violin music and this would have been the highlight of the meal for me.

I do too. My great-grandfather, aside from being a coal miner, was a fiddler. My 2nd cousin ended up with that violin and it'd be very cool to have it someday.

There is so much that is unknown about what will happen with COVID-19. Maybe you will be able to earn some extra cash from all the nursing services you can provide.

I can only hope so. It would definitely be a win-win. We now have a confirmed case in the county I work at for my 2nd job. Time will tell on this one.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

Now that we are older, we have less interest in doing the rides and more interest in resort time. We love the Beach Club and Wilderness Lodge and enjoy spending time at their pools. The best day of our stay at POR in January was the afternoon at the pool.

 

[suse66]

I weakly made my way into Amorette’s and asked for some water, told the cashier I wasn’t feeling well, found a table to sit at without passing out, and sipped my water. I texted the kids, who still sucked at not hearing their phones, and slowly recovered from whatever sudden scourge I had. I am guessing…. just an educated guess… that I had become somewhat dehydrated and had lost enough electrolytes that it caused the cramps and other “unfortunate” symptoms, weakness, etc… and needed to simply replace them. In which case water wasn’t really the cure. Sure, it’d help, but I also needed some salts. What better place than at a Disney restaurant where salt is king? Pro-tip: Don’t be an idiot like me. Stay hydrated so you can play longer.

Oh no! That is the worst feeling......I had the same thing happen on my December trip and spent an hour at WL feeling like I could die at any moment. It's the worst!

Luckily, I was able to avoid an embarrassing EMS encounter, or worse, and made my way back to the Lego Store where my kids were obliviously engaged in making cool stuff while their mother was dying. No big deal.

No big deal at all....for them!

Now here is why my visit to M&Es is perfectly relevant to my trip and current world events. During the course of the evening, our server joked a bit about making sure we "Fare la scarpetta" 'd. In Italian that means to sop up the sauces and “finish” the meal using the bread. That got me to talking about my dream of one day visiting Italy. This was before I had committed to the Italy and Greek Isles Cruise with Karilynn. (I think?) Anyhow, I asked her if she could mention any special places I should visit in Italy that were “off the beaten path”. She exclaimed, “Come to MY village!!”. She told me of 2 places and I knew for certain I’d never remember them, so had her write them down on a piece of paper for me. I saved them, and just last week researched them both.

I really hope you are able to take your trip this year.

We were far too full for dessert and ended up taking “home” the entire order of spaghetti we didn’t need. We settled up our bill and the kids were antsy to head out ahead of me for some reason that I cannot remember at the time. Maybe for Anara to hat shop? I wandered to the back towards the bathrooms, used them, (no surprise there), and found some interesting art and photographs that nicely supported the storyline of the restaurant. Antique images of the glory days of luxury airline travel lined the walls and this amazing Edison-style fixture caught my eye.

I would love to check it out one day, even for a drink and appie.

I love that the staff is Italian. It added to my personal overall enjoyment because it made the backstory of the place come alive. Disney for me takes me from my ordinary, everyday life into a fantasy of sorts where, sure it’s not real, but it is different. M&E’s has some live entertainment that adds something more to the meal and that certainly has value. It is a brighter and more casual feeling which I think might be better for families. Terralina, on the other hand, has outdoor, waterside seating which is nice, and has a more romantic feel to it. As mentioned, it also beats out M&Es for food quality. Perhaps it is like comparing apples to oranges with seeds being the only likeness, but those are my thoughts on both.

I like your perspective on each, thanks!

But, I love the writing process, this TR gets me to edit my photos, keeps me connected with my friends, all of you whom I consider to be such, and it’s something to do while I am on-call these weekends. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I appreciate all of you who continue to stick with me and find this trip report still worthy of paying attention to. I hope that you find the material interesting, relevant, and enjoyable to read. Thank you!

I love reading your witty and insightful commentary and reveling in your gorgeous photography. Keep writing!

Since I chose to stay here in the hospital rather than go home and risk not being able to get here in my 30-minute show up agreement, I have nothing but quiet and time to write and edit, I am actually hoping I can even get another chapter up today. We shall see… I live just over that 30-minute drive and there is always the chance I could get called in... more than once. It’s just not worth it to go home and have to turn right back around. So, I’ve got my pillow, my blankie, my overnight bag and a hospital-sized stash of TP. And since apparently that’s all you need to be prepared for a respiratory virus I’m all good.

Sounds like you have a good plan. Be safe and careful!

After 7 days in a confined space with 4 kids under 9 and 2 grandparents growing crankier by the minute, I needed some alone time. So, I left all the kids with my folks (because I’m cruel like that) and boarded a boat for the Poly. No words other than “Magical!” could describe my instant love of the resort. I wandered the walkways taking in the exotic music backgrounded by tropical flowers, Tiki statues, and a warm, soft breeze on my face.

I felt the exact same way the first time I visited the Polynesian. You deserve a medal for driving cross country with four littles and your parents! It reminds me of my own early parenting days traveling between our cottage in PEI and Ontario with three boys under 3 and "Thomas's Trackside Tunes" on constant replay.

At some point I made good use of the contraband booze and ordered a lime margarita with coconut rum and added a bit more because it was 5:00. Give or take a few hours. There were very brief periods of showers, but our umbrella proved faithful and the hot tub warmed us up when the drizzles gave us chill.

Sounds perfect!

Do you ever WISH you'd spent more time just taking advantage of what your resort has to offer (pool, activities, lounges, restaurants, etc....)?

Absolutely! There is never enough time.

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

AKL! I could happily do a resort only trip there and never get bored.

 

[pkondz]

We have a fair bit to go, Dear Readers, with our Disney Adventures.

Good! More to read!

Not to mention, I haven’t even gotten to my Uni portion yet,

Oh! Did I know this? If you've mentioned it before, I forgot it.

This particular update seems coincidentally relevant as I watch my cruise and trip to Italy possibly go up in smoke.

Yeah... I hope you can still go. When is it? It's in the fall, isn't it? Hopefully by then... <fingers crossed>

First, let’s stroll a little….

No saunter?

had a day at the pool, and I swear we’re gonna get to that

Nah. I'll believe it when I see a photo of tootsies in the water.

we headed to The Springs, affectionately still called DTD by the diehards.

My kids’ most firmly planted memory of DTD, as with many of yours I imagine, is of the Lego Store.

mmm.... no. I think mine are the Disney Store, actually. Neither girl was into Lego.

This just boggles my mind. I had a hand-me-down bucket of random Lego with very little variety in it. Certainly not more than two colours!

I got one of those kinds of “cramps”. You know what I’m talking about… it’s the kind that makes you break out in a sweat, wonder what foul thing you ingested to make your knees weak, and to start looking for a place to die in agonized glory, writhing in tachycardic panic.

Been there. I feel your pain.

Yes, I literally wondered if I’d make it without having to purchase a $500 Disney set of new clothing.

Just one sock? Don't you normally buy those in pairs?

(I usually save that for nights I wine pair. The clothes buying part that is.)

I sat contemplating the meaning of life and planning my funeral.

Thank goodness for phones. Otherwise you have to read the graffiti and there probably isn't much at Disney.

I texted the kids, who still sucked at not hearing their phones,

I have teens/young adults. I totally understand this.

I am guessing…. just an educated guess… that I had become somewhat dehydrated

That was the second thing I thought of. First being something you ate didn't agree with you.

my kids were obliviously engaged in making cool stuff while their mother was dying. No big deal.

Sorry. Probably shouldn't laugh, but... struck me as funny.

​

She's wearing a long sleeve shirt????

Even after a perilous encounter with the Grim Reaper I can find the desire to stuff my face with Italian food.

I could not do this. I'd be... "Need to lie down. Now."

​

"Oh, hi! You're alive! Spend money!"

Maria and Enzo’s has a cute backstory

Thanks for sharing the link.

I love that it is staffed with real Italians.

Oh! Did not know that.

My kids are weird and actually love eggplant,

Yes. They're weird.

Pollo alla Parmigiana

Out of what you ordered, that's the only one that appeals... and it doesn't look... well...

Clearly, the presentation could use a little work.

… yeah... that.

a violinist strolled down the stairs to serenade the tables. When he made our way to our table, we encouraged him to linger by requesting some out of the ordinary, non-Disney selections.

Nice!

His time was well rewarded with a sizable tip.

So... Totally ignorant here. How does one tip a violinist? I mean... they're playing. You can't just hand him a bill, can you?
(Which is a whole other issue. I never carry cash, generally.)

That probably made up for an entire tray of full wine glasses a different server spilled just after he left.

ooohhh..

Not gonna lie, that was a colossal show in and of itself. I can assure you management was very present.

I bet! For both statements!

our server joked a bit about making sure we "Fare la scarpetta" 'd. In Italian that means to sop up the sauces and “finish” the meal using the bread.

I don't need some server giving me language lessons to do that!!!

This was before I had committed to the Italy and Greek Isles Cruise with Karilynn. (I think?)

You don't know who you're going with? How strange!

When or if my trip happens, I will almost for sure will visit one or both.

Hope it works out for you.

(Alberobello)​

I mean…. WOW!!!!

That's pretty cool! Never seen that.

That unique architecture is only found in that particuar region of Puglia, Italy and are called "Trulli". Fantastico! No?

Si!

ended up taking “home” the entire order of spaghetti we didn’t need.

Send it back and ask for it not to be charged to your bill.

Antique images of the glory days of luxury airline travel lined the walls

Those are cool

Like that! Lit on both ends?

I was looking for the speakeasy "secret entrance" I'd heard rumors about.

"Oh, I think you're looking for this door.", as he led me to an obscure door in that area.

If you hadn't asked... would you be able to find it on your own?

I popped through not knowing where exactly it'd spit me out, and found myself looking at this:

Cool!

should there be continued interest in reading.

"Should"... of course!

There is no trip for me planned right now, as I’ve chosen to take the year off and travel to other places.

Well... I had 2. One is canceled and the other almost certainly so.
Another is a (very) slight possibility, but for other reasons, probably won't happen. So...

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I appreciate all of you who continue to stick with me and find this trip report still worthy of paying attention to.

I hope that you find the material interesting, relevant, and enjoyable to read.

Yes! To all three!

Since I chose to stay here in the hospital rather than go home

First read that and thought you were a patient there.

Beauty and the Beast more than sucks and the Little Mermaid might be even worse.

correct.

I can't stop biting my nails for more than 10 minutes. So basically I'm doomed to a fever and cough eventually.

Yep. You're a goner.

 

[pkondz]

That's what credit is for.... times is absolutely necessary circumstances and to be paid of as quickly as possible. Why give others your money for free?

Right. Pay interest? at... 25%???? Nope!

I imagine there are a lot of old buildings from the pre-WW1 Era like Baroque eras? Kinda like Berlin and Vienna? Maybe? Lots of green, forested countryside and waterside parks and walks. Just a guess though, not really having researched it at all.

I have zero clue!

I'm not a fan of the global hysteria and goods hoarding.

In times like this you can truly see the hearts of people who have proven to be extraordinarily selfish.

I love that one guy who bought tons of supplies... and now can't sell it. Hope he goes bankrupt. Scumbag.

 

[pkondz]

and Toes in the Sand

Oh my gosh... I seriously did not read ahead when I commented that you had to have a photo of tootsies in the water (close enough) for it to be real.

The Poly is the one resort that holds my longest-standing memory of WDW.

Nice.
Mine would be POR.

During my very first visit in 2000, my parents, my 4 oldest kids, and I all piled into their gigantor motorhome and drove across the country from Portland, OR to Orlando. Insane?

Nope. Did similar when I was a kid. 8 people in a van going across country.

as we chugged across the US, Fort Wilderness was a mighty fine sight.

Wait... that is not the Poly.

Being startled, and then fascinated, by an armadillo while walking to the showers,

I've had that happen! It was at ASMu. Thought it was a cat or a rabbit for a second.

the beautiful boardwalk that we took walks on through the undeveloped areas hoping to see a snake,

Wonder if you can still do that?

So, I left all the kids with my folks (because I’m cruel like that) and boarded a boat for the Poly.

No words other than “Magical!” could describe my instant love of the resort. I wandered the walkways taking in the exotic music backgrounded by tropical flowers, Tiki statues, and a warm, soft breeze on my face.

Sounds wonderful.

(*Side note: While I still adore the Poly, a couple of other deluxe resorts have overtaken my #1 ranking for most loved.)

I could guess.
WL and AKL?

I vowed to change that, so booked the kids and I in a water view room for 2 nights at the end our trip.

Nice.

I calculated right and the kids and I spent quite a lot of time being lazy and content in a tropically luxurious resort.

That sounds... pretty amazing.

We got to the point of being a couple people behind the front of bag check line at the Magic Kingdom when I suddenly realized I was loaded with a bunch of booze singles in my bag.

Whoops!

Some of you would fairly quickly say, just concede the liquor.

Nope! I would've done exactly what you did.

They abandoned their mother with 10 or so singles of assorted bottles of hooch. Fools.

He politely and calmly told me he would get me a private escort to the boat launches who’d see me onto the next boat and I'd be on my way.

Now that's more like it!

Ironically, I beat the kids there by a full 20 minutes or more.

Serves the ingrates right!

I laughed in their faces just like any good parent would do.

TONGA TOAST

mmmmm!

The Tonga Toast isn’t the same without the strawberry puree that it comes with at Kona Café.

No. I would think not!

hogging up dry towels like TP during a pandemic (that might have been funnier if I’d written it last week),

ordered a lime margarita with coconut rum

Ew!!! NO!!!!!!

There were very brief periods of showers, but our umbrella proved faithful and the hot tub warmed us up when the drizzles gave us chill.

Sounds pretty ideal.

(I can't decide which one I like most... thoughts? )

The top one, actually.

awww...

Our patience paid off… but I’ll leave off here making you wonder just what room we got.

I'm gonna guess... one with TP in the bathroom.

Do you ever feel like you have enough time at your resort or do you simply book your resort KNOWING you will spend very little time there?

I know I won't be there much.

Do you ever WISH you'd spent more time just taking advantage of what your resort has to offer (pool, activities, lounges, restaurants, etc....)?

Yes, actually... well... with a coda. If I knew I was going to spend more time at a resort, I'd probably not book a Value. But... that's one reason (money being the other, obvious one) why I do book Values. I'm not there, so...

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

Hmmm... I haven't "stayed" there, but have visited a couple times... but... WL. Easily.

 

[MeghanEmily]

What beautiful poly pictures! It looks like heaven from where I am currently socially distancing myself in my own home in the middle of a cold Canadian March.

Do you ever feel like you have enough time at your resort or do you simply book your resort KNOWING you will spend very little time there?

I never seem to have enough resort time. Sometimes if I know I won't spend much time there, I might book a value or stay offsite. The only times I've come close to spending enough resort time has been when we were at the Grand Floridian and really wanted to take advantage, taking time for the pool, the spa, all the shops, and several of the restaurants all in one stay. But it's typically always a little rushed and never enough time at the resorts.

Do you ever WISH you'd spent more time just taking advantage of what your resort has to offer (pool, activities, lounges, restaurants, etc....)?

100%. It's hard not to want to be in the parks all the time, but the resorts really have some special experiences to offer.

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

I would say Animal Kingdom is on that list. And maybe also the Poly. We didn't have our best experience when we stayed there but I'd like to give it more of a chance and spend more time appreciating it if we ever went back.

 

[missjackiemcg]

I hope you are not getting bogged down with reading this drivel and still find some level of entertainment as we hop, skip, and jump from place to place.

Bogged down by this?!! NEVER!!!! I love joining you on your adventures, and it's so fun how you tell the story in bits and pieces instead of straight through

(Might be my new favorite DTD photo.)

LOVE these little floaty guys!!!

My kids are weird and actually love eggplant, so we got an order of Eggplant Parmesan:

I only recently discovered how much I love eggplant!!! The first time I devoured a piece of eggplant parmesan, I thought it was chicken LOL

So, I’ve got my pillow, my blankie, my overnight bag and a hospital-sized stash of TP. And since apparently that’s all you need to be prepared for a respiratory virus I’m all good.

Glad you're able to hunker down in one place instead of getting stuck in the back and forth! (also nice to have the necessary TP on hand!!)

Sounds like the loveliest time spent relaxing at the Poly! We've never stayed there, but I do hope to someday when our WDW vacations become more about relaxation and less about theme park madness!

Do you ever feel like you have enough time at your resort or do you simply book your resort KNOWING you will spend very little time there?

Do you ever WISH you'd spent more time just taking advantage of what your resort has to offer (pool, activities, lounges, restaurants, etc....)?

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

We almost always stay at Pop because we are very rarely in our room, and just need a place to sleep! We do enjoy the Hippy Dippy Pool at Pop Century, so we often take a break to swim mid-afternoon. This is one of the cheapest options, so it works for us for the time being, even though there are so many other resorts I'd like to try eventually.

I've stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter three times, as well, and really haven't even explored all it has to offer, so I would love to go back there for a do-over sometime, too. Last time I stayed there was in 2006!!

I never feel like we've missed out on resort time until after the trip is over and I'm reading other people's TRs thinking how nice a "down day" at the resort seems! When I'm in the moment on a trip, all I want to do is be in the parks soaking up the magic! I definitely need reminders to slow down.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

This particular update seems coincidentally relevant as I watch my cruise and trip to Italy possibly go up in smoke.

A lot of that going around, for sure. I'm supposed to be cruising in Alaska in late July and I'm terrified that's going to go down the tubes.

(Might be my new favorite DTD photo.)

It's a nice one!

(I was just getting into this series so this was super fun to see.)

Stranger Things is awesome!

Luckily, I was able to avoid an embarrassing EMS encounter, or worse, and made my way back to the Lego Store where my kids were obliviously engaged in making cool stuff while their mother was dying. No big deal.

We can always count on them, can't we?

Maria and Enzo are very successful restauranteurs who make the most of their 3 dining locations, Enzo's Hideaway, Maria and Enzo's, and Pizza Ponte. Their Italian restaurant, located in a converted air terminal is really well done in a retro, Art Deco style. I love the bright, open space with the travel poster art lining the walls. Even more, I love that it is staffed with real Italians.

Really, really love the theme there.

All 3 were slightly above average and certainly filling. None of the dishes were greasy, over salted, or lacking in flavor and, in general, we all enjoyed our meal in terms of food. Clearly, the presentation could use a little work.

Sounds about right (we ate there in January). I enjoyed it. And presentation is overrated.

Our server convinced us to be skeptical of how far these would go and we caved to the suggested up-sell with a side order of spaghetti which was DEFINTELY sub-par. Dry and bland could best describe it.

Hmm...Yeah, that definitely doesn't look like it's worth $8.

Just as our meal was served, that we ate family style from the extra plates our servers brought, a violinist strolled down the stairs to serenade the tables. When he made our way to our table, we encouraged him to linger by requesting some out of the ordinary, non-Disney selections. Sorry to anyone who was thrust from their Disney bubble while he played Mikki’s request of Vivaldi, Anara’s request of Lord of the Rings, and the one other tune that I can’t remember what was right now.

We had a guy doing that, too! He was awesome!

That probably made up for an entire tray of full wine glasses a different server spilled just after he left. Not gonna lie, that was a colossal show in and of itself. I can assure you management was very present.

D'oh.

For much better Italian FOOD at The Springs, my recommendation would be for Terralina.

Good to know! But I suspect you're right about M&E being better for families.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I appreciate all of you who continue to stick with me and find this trip report still worthy of paying attention to. I hope that you find the material interesting, relevant, and enjoyable to read. Thank you!

Of course! You're not getting rid of me that easily!

So, I’ve got my pillow, my blankie, my overnight bag and a hospital-sized stash of TP. And since apparently that’s all you need to be prepared for a respiratory virus I’m all good.

Hang in there! I hope you manage to get some rest through all of this. It's going to be a strange, stressful time for all of us.

During my very first visit in 2000, my parents, my 4 oldest kids, and I all piled into their gigantor motorhome and drove across the country from Portland, OR to Orlando. Insane? Probably.

I don't buy it. Nobody is that crazy.

The kids gave up on me and skipped on ahead to take the mono to the resort. They abandoned their mother with 10 or so singles of assorted bottles of hooch. Fools.

I'm sensing a theme with the kids here.

“Oh, that’s no problem; people do that all the time.” He politely and calmly told me he would get me a private escort to the boat launches who’d see me onto the next boat and I'd be on my way. We parted with a friendly, “Sounds like you’re gonna have a great time at the Poly! Enjoy!” There ya go, Disney! That’s more like it.

There we go! Thanks, experienced CM!

I laughed in their faces just like any good parent would do.

Excellent. Serves 'em right.

Do you ever feel like you have enough time at your resort or do you simply book your resort KNOWING you will spend very little time there?

It really depends. On our week-long family visits, we usually go for a cheaper resort because I don't anticipate spending much time there. If I'm splurging on a deluxe for a couple of nights, I will want to get value for my dollar so I'll usually plan to spend more time enjoying it.

Do you ever WISH you'd spent more time just taking advantage of what your resort has to offer (pool, activities, lounges, restaurants, etc....)?

Sure. It always feels like we never have enough time at Disney.

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge, for sure.

I really like the Poly, too.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

We found the perfect shaded table under a big umbrella and settled in. We read on our phones, dipped in and out of the pool hogging up dry towels like TP during a pandemic (that might have been funnier if I’d written it last week), and closed our eyes at times.

Hee! Hee! We'll all be gathering leaves in a week or 2...

(I can't decide which one I like most... thoughts? )

I like the one on top. But they are all VERY good!!!!

Which resort have you stayed at that you want to go back to specifically to spend more time at?

Definitely the WL. I would love to hang there for a week and just enjoy the resort.

 

[disneyAndi14]

All caught up, oh my goodness, so sorry you felt so sick at DS, never fun!
Thanks for the Maria and Enzo review, I love eggplant parmigiana

I sure hope you will be able to go on your trip this fall. Have you been to Italy? I have been twice and would love to go back again!

I totally agree about the Tonga Toast at CC, not nearly as good without the strawberry compote. I do love The Poly, it is so fun to walk around there and enjoy the grounds!

We are terrible about enjoying more areas of the resort! We spend time wondering around but rarely swim or lounge outside of our room. We really should do more of that.

 

[amazingact21]

All right, I'm over here worrying about suddenly becoming a homeschooling mom, while you RVed across the states with 4 kids under the age of 9.... How?!
I'm not surprised at all that you snuck away to the Poly for a break. I loved hearing about that first experience.

Oh goodness, I laughed out loud at your contraband booze situation. Definitely didn't cross my mind that you couldn't take alcohol onto a monorail headed to the MK. But who in their right mind would think to toss the booze?! That would most certainly NOT be on my list of options.

Hmm, maybe that's why I never understood the hubbub around the tonga toast. I can't have strawberries, so the only time I tried it ala without sauce I thought it was just okay.

Glad you all were taking advantage of the deluxe resort by sitting back and enjoying the hotel offerings.

 

[vamassey1]

My kids’ most firmly planted memory of DTD, as with many of yours I imagine, is of the Lego Store. Heck, it’s also one of mine. The oversized creations still rock my 10-year old self, and I could spend quite a while just browsing and geeking out.

Same. Kids still love to go through here.

I still want this.

I was having a ball, until it happened. I got one of those kinds of “cramps”. You know what I’m talking about… it’s the kind that makes you break out in a sweat, wonder what foul thing you ingested to make your knees weak, and to start looking for a place to die in agonized glory, writhing in tachycardic panic.

OH NOOOOO!

Stay hydrated so you can play longer.

Good advice.

My kids are weird and actually love eggplant, so we got an order of Eggplant Parmesan:

I love eggplant parm too.

And I’d pay it again in a New York minute as it really added to the overall enjoyment of our meal.

This does sound really nice.

Great family picture.

She told me of 2 places and I knew for certain I’d never remember them, so had her write them down on a piece of paper for me. I saved them, and just last week researched them both.

I love this idea for getting inside information when you travel.

I hope by September this out-of-control situation, all politics and TP hoarding bologna aside, is over and our cruise will go on as planned (and almost paid off). While my immune system could, my nerves can’t handle it.

I'm hoping it's better for everyone well before this time.

​

Very Cool.

I love that the staff is Italian. It added to my personal overall enjoyment because it made the backstory of the place come alive.

Do you know if she was with the Disney international program? They sent those participants all home. It's going to be a lot harder to get them back when they reopen as compared to getting the DCP kids back. Danielle was telling me that some of them can only come once so once they're back in their home country they can't come back to US for it again.

I hope that you find the material interesting, relevant, and enjoyable to read. Thank you!

I'm really enjoying your report and look forward to more.