Just the two of us...no dining plan, no discounts, no allergies...lots of pics! COMPLETE

[ThreeBoyMama]

Your GF Cafe breakfast looks delicious! Enjoying your report. And happy birthday! What a fun gift basket surprise

 

[loves to dive]

Lucky you switching to the Dolphin...what a gorgeous hotel...very Vegas like! We thought Tuesday (my birthday) was the coldest day, but they were all so darn cold,, they ran together. Did you drive or fly Saturday? Just wondering if you had any problems at the airport that day?

We drove, we live in Ga. so only 7 1/2 hour drive.

 

[tweetylori]

Your GF Cafe breakfast looks delicious! Enjoying your report. And happy birthday! What a fun gift basket surprise

Yes that Grand Floridian brunch will forever live in infamy for me! Thank you so much!

 

[tweetylori]

We drove, we live in Ga. so only 7 1/2 hour drive.

Be glad you drove, the airport was a mess that day!

 

[tweetylori]

So we left the Grand Floridian Cafe and spent some time wandering around the resort. Looked through some shops. It was nice and relaxing and NOT crowded, which was so refreshing after the last four days of throngs. Finally we decided to venture on and we said our goodbyes to this beautiful hotel.

 

[tweetylori]

You know, we might not be able to ever afford to stay at any of the monorail Resorts, but we can darn sure enjoy their public spaces.

Disney is meant for dreaming, so it was time to dream on at the Resort that when I was a little girl I said I would come back to one day and stay. Well that certainly never happened, and there are other hotels this adult gal would prefer in this day and age, but I can still remember being awed by what was then a MASSIVE and oh-so-futuristic hotel when it was first built. Husband was excited to check it out because on previous visits together we must not have gotten out of the monorail there. He was READY to step foot into the Contemporary hotel for the first time!

He was also ready to get the party started! I knew The Wave had a bar, so after doing some shopping and looking around, we went in search of it.




TIP: Just keep going DOWN. To where the lobby is

 

[tweetylori]

Then look for this:

 

[tweetylori]

It was early afternoon so there was no receptionist. We peeked behind and there was the gorgeous bar. Love the blues! Bartender greeted us, and we made ourselves at home on some comfortable bar stools. Didn't take long for Husband to get his hands on a $17 Bourbon Flight, and I stuck with a Red Wine. Can't remember what specifically I ordered but it wasn't my fave of the trip. Husband loved his flight.

 

[tweetylori]

While we were enjoying our drinks, the Bartender let us know that it was raining out and that the bar was about to get slammed because of it. After days of extreme cold, the weather had finally lost a bit of the chill, so we had been thinking "oh SURE, now that we have a day off of the parks, it's going to be nice". Now it was pouring, and we were comfortably ensconced at a comfy bar with a friendly bartender, so okay with us, bring on the rain! But the crowds didn't come. Maybe everyone in Magic Kingdom was so glad to not be freezing that they didn't care if they were getting wet. I don't know, but we were okay either way. Because all we had to do was get back on the Monorail and head to our next destination.

We figured the best time to try to get into Trader Sam's Grotto was when they opened, so we went back to the Polynesian, waited in line and were lucky enough to get a seat at a tall table near the bar right after they opened.

 

[tweetylori]

There is a reason this place always has a line. It is SMALL inside. But the minute you step in you are swept away! I won't divulge everything that goes on because surprises are a big part of what makes it so much fun. Staff members are terrific...they've really got this down to a fun science. Thirty to forty-five minutes is about the perfect amount of time to witness all the joviality. That being said, it can make a difference who your table/bar mates are. We stayed for awhile and it was so much more fun when folks around us were friendly and having fun. Get a couple deadbeats next to you and it can be a bit of a buzzkill. Yes you can ignore them, but when they've been placed right next to you and there's no where to move to, you do the best you can.

Let's talk drinks. They are expensive, of course. They are mostly rum drinks, but there are also wine, beer and other liquor options. It's the rum drinks though that have real character and charm. So when in Rome...I for one, had to try:

 

[tweetylori]

Husband managed to try the only bourbon drink on the menu:

 

[tweetylori]

We both were very happy with our drink selections.

 

[tweetylori]

Which is a good thing because a drink here will run you in the $16 range. With plenty more being higher with suggestions of sharing. But they are FUN drinks. Note, the special umbrella for my STORMY drink:

 

[tweetylori]

Husband was happy enough with his drink that he ordered a second of the same, while I switched to a rum flight. I'm not big on sweet drinks, so it made sense to me to experience rum without all the mixers. According to my unsophisticated rum taste, I confess I could hardly tell the difference between the three.

 

[tweetylori]

The flight was $19. Yes Husband, two whole dollars more than your $17 bourbon flight steal at The Wave! For another $17 or so I could have taken the glasses home from the flight...uh, thanks for the offer, but no thanks.

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our time at Trader Sam's, but it sure wasn't cheap. It was the closest thing to the old Adventurer's Club that we have found at Disney these days. And that's worth a few extra bucks for entertainment value.

Coming up next...the food mistake we made, and the DON'T DO THIS lesson we learned.

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Coming up next...the food mistake we made, and the DON'T DO THIS lesson we learned.

I'm on the edge of my seat!

 

[stace1214]

I am LOVING your reviews! What an awesome trip! Can't wait to read more!

 

[Ensusieasm]

Why is your “MISTAKE” making me crave your next installment so much?

 

[tweetylori]

I'm on the edge of my seat!

Sorry for the delay...pesky work gets in my way during the day, and I've been dealing with a very sick Pup this past week as well. Poor guy's progress is going by baby steps.

 

[tweetylori]

I am LOVING your reviews! What an awesome trip! Can't wait to read more!

Thank you!