The Godfather's Live Trip Report, photopass added post #442

[wayneg]

Our last 3 days after the cruise were at Holiday Inn DTD, used airmiles so only cost me $10/night parking.
Lunch we had at Beaches & Cream, has to be one of the best burgers you can buy. We then walked it off around the World Showcase.

Evening meal at Cheesecake Factory with Nigel, Mart & families. Over 1 hour for a table and then 2 hours to eat, a bit slow but lots of talking so we didn't mind too much, made a change from Disney trying to rush us out.

Next day we went to IOA & Universal before our last DIS meet at the Poly. Evening meal was in Sweet Tomatoes with CM friends, no pics of the salad.

Last day was in MK, got there for opening and managed walk on for everything we wanted to do. Lunch in Columbia Harbor House, bit of a shock as we went straight up to order 3 x chicken & fish combos to be told they had stopped doing it, they still do fish & chicken but not mixed.
Looked around the Haunted Mansion new graveyard line, great addition.

Last evening meal at Orlando Alehouse. Our best starter of the trip Zinger Mountain Melt- Chicken Zingers on a bed of fries covered in melted cheeses & bacon bits, don't look at the Nutrition Facts

And one of the best desserts you can get, Capt. Jacks.
A great meal to end the holiday.

 

[jockey]

Wayne Fab pics looked like you guys had a ball... I kept up with Mathews blog too, it was fab! I really need to do a Disney cruise! Your FE gifts were fab !

 

[micksn]

Thanks for sharing your Disney holiday! It's given us some good ideas for next years ADR's.

 

[wayneg]

Wayne Fab pics looked like you guys had a ball... I kept up with Mathews blog too, it was fab! I really need to do a Disney cruise! Your FE gifts were fab !

Martin said the cruise was their best part of the holiday,
Nigel said it was their best trip to date.
A cruise certainly adds to our enjoyment.

Thanks for sharing your Disney holiday! It's given us some good ideas for next years ADR's.

Glad it helped.

A few figures from my DDP spreadsheet.
16 nights, 3 adults
CS total $775.83
Snack credit total $183.52
TS total $1,710.92
Total $2,670.27

Average $166.89/day (4 CS credits unused)
Last years average $163.37/day using all credits.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Its 1 TS, you get 3 courses if doing the Fantasmic package.
We are considering OKW again 21st July~ 11th August, depending on flights maybe 2 nights offsite 19th~21st July before the 21 nights onsite.

Snap we want exactly same dates. Have OKW booked but flights are the next challenge. We were in 2013 this year at OKW - must have been close by again?

 

[disneyholic family]

dueling TOT pictures:

we have about 10 different ToT pictures, but this one is my favorite (even though there are only 3 of us in this one - DS, DD and me)
DD isn't really scared - she and DS pose each time......(another favorite - the two of them reading a book)...

<a href="http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/ac152/batsheva_lerner/WDW%20August%202011/?action=view&current=DisneyPhotoImage91.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac152/batsheva_lerner/WDW%20August%202011/DisneyPhotoImage91.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[wayneg]

Snap we want exactly same dates. Have OKW booked but flights are the next challenge. We were in 2013 this year at OKW - must have been close by again?

You stalking me?

Great pic Beth, did the other 3 not ride? Matt sometimes reads the park map on pics.

 

[disneyholic family]

You stalking me?

Great pic Beth, did the other 3 not ride? Matt sometimes reads the park map on pics.

that time it was just the 3 of us - we managed to get all 6 of us on it only once....4 rode twice....and the 3 of us, over and over...

DD, DS and i once rode it 17 times in a row!!
that was before they changed it to a multiple drop...
it was in the evening, when everyone was in line for fantasmic...
we and another 15 or so people kept running around to get back on.....the entire group of us kept riding it together....we didn't know any of them, but we all just kept ending up together...
DS, DD and me and the rest of this motley crew...

17 times!!! i LOVE that ride!!!!! my 2nd favorite ride in all WDW!!! most favorite being Splash Mountain!!

 

[disneyholic family]

here's the one with all 6 of us - the one and only ride with all on board!
we're on the left - the left middle row and the top row the two on the left

<a href="http://s895.photobucket.com/albums/ac152/batsheva_lerner/WDW%20August%202011/?action=view&current=DisneyPhotoImage101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac152/batsheva_lerner/WDW%20August%202011/DisneyPhotoImage101.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Snap we want exactly same dates. Have OKW booked but flights are the next challenge. We were in 2013 this year at OKW - must have been close by again?

How spooky, we were in 2010! I don't know if we were there at the same time tho?

 

[disney_princess_85]

LOVE the Duffy ears!

Personally I would not miss one of the evening meals for Palo, to me its not worth missing out on the great food thats free(included) to pay $20-30pp. Never had an evening meal in Palo, doubt we ever will but don't mind missing breakfast/lunch for brunch.

If you want Brunch then book it as soon as you board, they keep plenty of tables for the day you board, thats how we did it 2 years ago, could choose any day, any time we wanted, they only release a few for advance bookings. This time we ate a little later 11:30am, it was almost empty, not sure if the increased costs is putting people off.

Hi, we have just come back from the med cruise - loved every minute of it.

I had booked Palo dinner beforehand and got the Palo brunch on board.

TBH I cancelled the Palo dinner as it was our first ctuise also and we wanted to experience all of the menus.

We kept the Palo brunch and loved it.

As Wayne says, wait until you get onbaord. On the Magic you did the change of ressie at DJ rockin bar I think. Don't miss the pirate night whatever you do, its fab.

Thanks all. I have cancelled the dinner reservation and will try to get one for brunch onboard.

 

[UKDEB]

That looks scrummy. What is it? We've never eaten at Wolfgang Puck's Express, but I could be tempted!

Too cute.

Is that a hidden Mickey sun?

Fab photo!

 

[UKDEB]

Just a quick post as its 5:30am here, Matt could not sleep due to AS level exam results so we just rang to get them. Now none of us can sleep.
He took 5 exams
Critical Thinking C
English Lit B
English Language A
Sociology A
Psychology A

The last 3 are what he is continuing onto A level next year so he is very happy right now.

Well done, Matt! What great news to get while you're on holiday. I haven't read your blog about the Sentinel visit yet, but I'll go off and find it after I've finished catching up with your dad's report. I've corresponded with Dewayne in the past and he's a Facebook friend.

 

[wayneg]

Well done, Matt! What great news to get while you're on holiday. I haven't read your blog about the Sentinel visit yet, but I'll go off and find it after I've finished catching up with your dad's report. I've corresponded with Dewayne in the past and he's a Facebook friend.

He really enjoyed his visit there, yesterday he submitted another article about 9/11. He now wants Dewaynes job
http://mathewgillings.wordpress.com/2011/08/19/day-12-orlando-sentinel-and-ipad-2/

That looks scrummy. What is it? We've never eaten at Wolfgang Puck's Express, but I could be tempted!

It is probably my favourite meal at WPE
WARM TURKEY MELT, CHEDDAR, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, ARUGULA, PORT WINE SAUCE AND
HORSERADISH CREAM WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES $13.50

Its a great place to use CS credits but very expensive OOP, every meal we eat there would be $70-80.

http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/casual-dining/wolfgang-puck-express/7983/section-menu

Direct link to menu
http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/content/files/foodmenu_Disney To Go 4-25-2011.pdf

 

[UKDEB]

I tried a carrot cake cookie for the 1st time

Wow! I'm gonna be getting me one of those!

 

[UKDEB]

Everything about the Dream looks fab-u-LOUS! I've managed to persuade Matt to do a 22 day trip next October/November and there won't be a better opportunity to squeeze in a cruise. I'll start working on him!

Thanks so much for persevering with the links even when I wasn't posting responses! It must have been a real pain, especially as you were obviously struggling to keep up yourself on this Lily-centric trip. I really do appreciate it.

What a fantastic trip, beautifully illustrated - such a boon for those of us languishing at home. You must really be back to earth with a bump.

 

[wayneg]

Everything about the Dream looks fab-u-LOUS! I've managed to persuade Matt to do a 22 day trip next October/November and there won't be a better opportunity to squeeze in a cruise. I'll start working on him!

Thanks so much for persevering with the links even when I wasn't posting responses! It must have been a real pain, especially as you were obviously struggling to keep up yourself on this Lily-centric trip. I really do appreciate it.

What a fantastic trip, beautifully illustrated - such a boon for those of us languishing at home. You must really be back to earth with a bump.

The Disney Dream is better at some things, worse at others. The adult pool is about half size of the Magic/wonder yet about double the guests.
As I have posted there is no evening bar to relax in like Promande lounge.
Glass wind barriers on top deck were a hazzard to me, why not make them slide and open up to allow free movement on Pirate night? instead no-one could get thru. After the fireworks we wanted to get down to the drinks station, the steps were blocked I evetually got to the bottom and stopped anyone else going up until they cleared (I should work in health & safety, I hate things like this)
Surprised how bad some things are designed on a state of the art ship, don't designers spend time on these ships?
On the other hand most of the ship is amazing and well worth a trip if you can.
I think I sent you most links, just the last few pages I have not done. Only took a minute or 2 to send, no worries.
It was a fantastic trip, I now need another

 

[UKDEB]

The adult pool is about half size of the Magic/wonder yet about double the guests.
As I have posted there is no evening bar to relax in like Promande lounge.

That's just crazy. I always say that what sets DCL apart is that it caters to the "adults only" demographic so well. We loved the adult pool, the adults only bars and, of course, Serenity Bay.

 

[disneyholic family]

The Disney Dream is better at some things, worse at others. The adult pool is about half size of the Magic/wonder yet about double the guests.
As I have posted there is no evening bar to relax in like Promande lounge.
Glass wind barriers on top deck were a hazzard to me, why not make them slide and open up to allow free movement on Pirate night? instead no-one could get thru. After the fireworks we wanted to get down to the drinks station, the steps were blocked I evetually got to the bottom and stopped anyone else going up until they cleared (I should work in health & safety, I hate things like this)
Surprised how bad some things are designed on a state of the art ship, don't designers spend time on these ships?
On the other hand most of the ship is amazing and well worth a trip if you can.
I think I sent you most links, just the last few pages I have not done. Only took a minute or 2 to send, no worries.
It was a fantastic trip, I now need another

from what i've read about the dream, it seems as if adults have it worse than they did on the wonder/magic...

was there any adult entertainment other than just bars and drinking?
when we were on the wonder, we really enjoyed the dueling pianos as well as the various parties in the dance bar (can't remember the name)..

just having a bunch of bars isn't having anything special for adults in my view..

we have reservations for the dream, so i guess i'll have an opportunity to see.....

was the carrot cookie from the writers stop (or whatever that place is called at DHS)?
the guy who took us to our table at sci fi was raving about them...
we didn't have a chance to try them out.....next time!!

 

[wayneg]

That's just crazy. I always say that what sets DCL apart is that it caters to the "adults only" demographic so well. We loved the adult pool, the adults only bars and, of course, Serenity Bay.

The adult pool has a bar area with stools and very shallow water, you can see in the pic some sat in it. The area nearest to us on the pic was always filled by the same group of people so no room for anyone else, the only area to have a dip was the bit in the middle, again mostly filled with people so it was a dip to cool off and out again.