'Moon over the World: Our Dream Disneymoon (Dec. 16-23, 2010) Trip Report - COMPLETED!! 1/16
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islandgirl · 01-09-2011, 06:06 PM

Great day at AK! BOMA sounds yummy.....can't wait to try it next month and get a look at AKL!

MelissaSue · 01-09-2011, 06:17 PM

Up bright and early, we walked over to the Magic Kingdom to grab a bus to the Boardwalk for our breakfast reservation at Kouzzina. As we walked by, they were right in the middle of the rope drop ceremony, so we hung back for a bit to watch. MAGIC!

We got over to the BWI with time to spare, so we took a quick jaunt up the boardwalk. Rob was blown away. He'd been there as a teenager, but he hadn't appreciated it. For me, it was instant love. It's so relaxing in the hotel itself, and the Boardwalk itself is so quaint and cute. We both sort of had a love thing.

Then we had an amazing, amazing breakfast. We started with a pot of press pot coffee, which is always a great way to start a meal, and then it was on to the food ...

I had a waffle topped with whipped mascarpone cheese, honey and pecans with chicken sausage. To be honest, this may well be the best meal I’ve ever had. The sausage was delicious, but not too fatty, and the waffle was perfectly cooked with a nice fluffy center and slight chew. The topping was sweet but not too sweet. Seriously, I count this among the top five meals of my life.

Rob had the “Stacked Kouzzina Breakfast,” which is poached eggs, olive toast, artichoke spread and sweet potato hash with chicken sausage. Again, the flavors were very well balanced, a great mix of salty and savory.

The whole meal was capped off with a delicious chocolate congratulations cupcake! So awesome. We will definitely be coming here again. (2 credits: $42.70)

Unfortunately, as we walked out, we realized that it was pouring. Yuk. We quickly retreated into the Boardwalk Inn, where we bought some fancy Disney ponchos, then headed back out into the rain.

We’d initially intended to play mini-golf, but we decided to skip it and instead took a leisurely walk around Crescent Lake, stopping in the Yacht Club, the Beach Club and back at the Boardwalk to check out all of the Christmas decorations.

Boardwalk was our favorite, but I loved all three of them and their location is awesome. We saw characters at Cape May Cafe as we were walking through, and we loved all of the decorations.

After our walk, we hopped on a bus to Downtown Disney Marketplace.

This was the day where things went from awesome to sort of wet and cranky. It was raining quite hard and our shoes were already wet, but we pressed on.

We walked around most of the shops in the Marketplace section, but the rain drove everyone inside, and all of the stores were packed, which didn't make for a relaxing experience. Our last stop was World of Disney, which was so packed we could barely move around the store. Very frustrating.

We were both well past cranky and moving into snappy, so we walked over toward Earl of Sandwich for a pick-me-up. We'd planned to pay OOP for lunch, but unfortunately, the line was literally out the door … not happening.

In hindsight, we probably should have walked over toward Pleasure Island and seen if the McDonalds was packed. Or even if Portobello, Fulton or Ralagan Road had openings, but I was cranky and not thinking straight.

So we decided to get out of the rain, and hopped on a bus to the West Side. We walked around briefly, but even Wetzels Pretzels was packed! So we decided to call it quits and head back to the hotel via bus.

Back at the Contemporary, I bought a new pair of Crocs to replace my sneakers and some souvenirs at Bayview Gifts. My own sneakers were totally soaked AND they were aggravating the heck out of my giant blister, which had only grown over the past day and a half.

Once we were all shopped out, we headed back to the Garden Wing, where we bought some vending machine snacks, took off our wet clothes, ate a junky lunch and took a nap.

We woke up feeling much brighter and headed over to The Wave in the Contemporary lobby for a free beer tasting. I didn’t write down the name of the cast member who ran the tasting, but he was the bartender at The Wave, and he was really cool.

The other folks at the tasting were also really awesome--it was a good group of DVC members and regular visitors plus one other couple visiting for the first time. The "regulars" were giving the "newbies" all sorts of advice, and I was so proud to be able to chime in with advice based on what I've learned from this board and from reading the Passporter.

The tasting itself was interesting and the beers (we tried two) were actually really delicious. I especially liked the Abita Amber. Yum yum!

Afterward, the rain had let up, so we relaxed on the beach and walked around the Contemporary property for awhile until it was time to take a bus back to Downtown Disney. We had dinner reservations at Wolfgang Puck Café, which we’d been very excited about.

Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to expectations by a long shot. It started as soon as we stepped into the room. The vestibule is TOO SMALL for the volume of people walking in (and waiting) there, and it looks like they cannibalized part of their waiting area to squeeze in more diners. Uncool.

As we were seated, we noticed that the whole place seemed really unorganized, with lots of servers and busers running around while others seemed to be just standing around. The whole place seemed to be a mess.

As the food started coming out, we were even more disappointed—it seemed like standard chain food. I know lots of folks on the board love this place, I felt like I could have had a meal as good (if not better) at the Olive Garden!

Rob had the Artichoke and Five Cheese Dip and the Macadamia Nut Crusted Breast of Chicken, and I had the Crispy Calamari (served with no tentacles) and the Pumpkin Ravioli (normally my absolute favorite dish ever). The only stand out was the Chicken, which was quite delicious. The rest of it was just … not good.

We were excited for dessert because the servers and busers kept mentioning the dessert bar and that everything was freshly made. We ordered the carrot cake and the chocolate cake, and we were disappointed by both. Our grocery store makes better desserts.

We had been so excited to eat in a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, so maybe we built it up too much in our heads? Either way, we likely won’t be returning. (2 credits: $107.26)

After our meal, we shopped around the West Side. The area is really beautiful, and I was glad we had an opportunity to check it out without all the pesky rain. I was enchanted by the hot air balloon:

Soon it was time for La Nouba. As we waited in line for La Nouba, we watched a very amusing toddler sass her mother. Cute (but glad she's not ours)! And, when we were seated, we met a lovely fellow traveler, who was seated next to me. She was very chatty (didn’t write down her name) and she made the evening a lot more fun. The whole evening, she was gasping and clapping--her joy was contagious.

The night got even better when I was chosen as part of the pre-show by Balto and Serguei. If you’ve seen La Nouba, this makes perfect sense: my hair was full of nits and my lap was perfect for stacking! TOO MUCH FUN! I only wish we had photos to commemorate the evening, but they were VERY serious about not using cameras in the theatre.

The show itself was unbelievable. I especially enjoyed Balto and Serguei as well as the Green Bird and the Diablos. The whole thing was absolutely breathtaking. I feel so lucky to have been able to enjoy such an incredible show!

Totally blitzed out and exhausted, we bused back to the Contemporary and immediately hit the hay.

Up Next: Sunday Morning, Our Own Home Alone Moment

MelissaSue · 01-09-2011, 06:26 PM

Somehow, in the night, our phone came unplugged, and we slept right through our wake up call from Stich.

WE SLEPT IN!

While Rob showered, I immediately got on the horn with Disney Dining, and luckily, I was able to get us into Whispering Canyon Café for about 40 minutes later than our original ADR. Thank goodness!

Once we were ready, we took the boat from our backdoor to the Wilderness Lodge. The morning was cool and clear, and the boat ride was magical: just us and the skipper. We walked the path to the building and took it slowly, admiring the beautiful landscaping.

Then we walked slowing up to the lobby, admiring the fixtures--I loved these owl sconces:

The hotel was beautiful, and as we were walking toward Whispering Canyon, we struck up a great conversation with two cast members standing in the lobby. They were asking a million questions about our vacation, and one of them was so jealous that we were having breakfast at Whispering Canyon. He was like, "Oh, that's my favorite! I love to eat there whenever I get a chance." It was such a nice interaction.

Breakfast was fun. Kaye, our waitress, gave Rob the business, and we had lots of fun with folks around us asking for ketchup. Breakfast itself was yummy. I had the skillet and Rob had the Eggs Benedict with beef brisket and barbecue-Hollandaise sauce. Sounded odd to me, but it was really delicious. Plus it was FUN. I’d love to eat there again. (2 credits: $41.82)

Afterward, Rob grabbed a hoodie in their gift shop. Then we headed out to the buses.

Our friend Steven (the same friend who joined us at Animal Kingdom) was planning to meet us in Hollywood Studios! By the time we got there, it was 10am and the park was pretty full. We headed over to Toy Story Midway Mania for fast passes … which ripened at 6:30 pm!

Up Next: Hollywood Studios

**mojjo** · 01-09-2011, 06:54 PM

What a great first few days!!! Sounds like you got a lot done.

**Colexis Mom** · 01-09-2011, 06:58 PM

More great updates! Glad Kouzzina and WCC were hits! Sorry about WPC being a disappointment!

And the rain!

Nouba is fantastic!!

More please!

**KMB733** · 01-09-2011, 07:14 PM

All caught up with your updates!! Sounds like you are having a great time, despite a few hiccups.

MelissaSue · 01-09-2011, 07:29 PM

The three of us wandered around the park, starting with the Honey playground, which was so fun. On our way out, Steven and Rob maneuvered me into position for this photo:

Haha, boys.

Then, after a walk down Avenue of the Americas, we took in the Muppets’ Show, Steven’s favorite, and rode Rock and Rollercoaster, which I really, really loved. Waiting in the alley for our limo was just too fun. Very gritty.

At that point, we realized it was getting sort of late. Steven had to hit the road (to get back home--he had work the next morning) by 1 p.m., and we had lunch scheduled for that time. While we were walking around, Steven caught me outside Echo Lake Apartments looking very silly and swimming in Rob's sweatshirt:

Our last ride as a threesome was The Great Movie Ride, which was hijacked by a gangster!! But our tour guide took care of him, and then we were on our way … so funny.

Once we disembarked, Rob and I headed off to Sci-Fi Dine-In, and Steven hit the road.

Sci-Fi is not something we’ll ever do again. Everything everyone says about it is true: the tables are too small, the food is not good and the atmosphere doesn’t compensate.

Rob had Spinach and Artichoke Dip and I had onion rings, and Rob had the Reuben while I had the Smoked Turkey Sandwich with a gross cucumber salad. We both had cherry cokes, which were quickly and consistently refilled … and that’s the absolute best thing I have to say about the restaurant. We should have gone to 50s Prime Time. (2 credits: $74.03)

At this point, we should have cut our losses and headed to the Boardwalk Inn to relax or even back to the Contemporary to take a nap. But we didn’t. We foolishly plowed on. And I was really happy with that at first. We went over, got fast passes for Tower of Terror and got to meet Lotso, who I LOVE.

We also had a bit of fun exploring The Magic of Disney Animation. We especially enjoyed the kiosks that take your photo, then tell you which Disney character you're most like (I got Cinderella; Rob got Jafar.)

At this point, I knew I needed a break, and Rob suggested that we try the Studio Backlot Tour because it is a lot of sitting. The line was deceptively long, but when we finally got on the ride, it was quite enjoyable! I really enjoyed the “backstage” look at the park, especially the simulated movie set. Very exciting—you could really feel the heat of the fire on your face!

Tired, I suggested that we head over to the Writer’s Stop for some coffee and to relax with a book. Unfortunately, the place was absolutely packed to the gills. There wasn’t even anywhere to sit on the floor!

We headed to Starring Rolls, instead. We sat out in the drizzle, enjoying a marble cupcake, which was yummy, and coffee. My feet were killing me, and I was starting to get seriously cranky, but the sugar and caffeine did us some good.

Up Next: Energized and Loose in Hollywood Studios

MelissaSue · 01-09-2011, 07:40 PM

Rejuvenated, we decided to wait in line to meet Buzz and Woody. Big mistake. The line was deceptively long. For those of you who haven’t waited for this character interaction in Pixar Place, the line has switchbacks and several “photo spots” spread out throughout the line.

Unfortunately, people push their way in, so there’s not enough room for anyone to actually take photos, and other people’s kids are going in and out of each other’s photos. It was a mad house! We did manage to get one good shot:

It was a completely frustrating mad house. The wait was at least 45 minutes, there were people jammed in and it started to get hot. Then the kids started getting anxious. Finally, I totally melted down. Crying and sniffling and a big, red nose, the whole works. Thank goodness Rob was understanding. It was totally embarrassing, but I know that you guys will understand.

The interaction with Buzz and Woody, though, totally made up for it. They were fresh off of a break and extremely peppy. Woody hugged me for a looooong time, until Buzz pointed out my wedding ring … and then Woody stared Rob down. Rob actually blushed! It was the greatest interaction we had all week. A lot of fun.

Once we exited, we realized that we didn’t have enough time to use our Tower of Terror fast passes AND see the lighting of Avenue of the Americas, so we passed off our passes to a couple of teenage girls. They were really excited. Passing on the magic!

Up Next: Festival of Lights and Pizza for Dinner

**Colexis Mom** · 01-09-2011, 07:48 PM

Great pictures! Sorry Sci-Fi was a disappointment!

MelissaSue · 01-09-2011, 07:57 PM

The lights were … indescribable. Seriously, if you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the Spectacle of Dancing Lights, BOOK YOUR TRIP NOW. There’re no words or pictures or videos that can do the thing justice.

Everyone in the huge sea of humanity was smiling, happy and singing. It was basically like Christmas spirit come to life. We wandered around with our mouths gaping, taking photos and video for about 25 minutes.

Then we headed over to Toy Story. Which really is the coolest ride ever. I last visited Disney World at the height of the Space Ranger Spin craziness, and at the time, I thought that was pretty darn cool. But this is that ON STEROIDS. Seriously, one of the most fun attractions I’ve ever experienced. I would play it all day every day.

Riding high on the rush of fun, we headed out to the boat launch. We had dinner reservations for Via Napoli. While waiting for the boat, I had a super fun conversation with two young girls—they asked me if Rob was my dad!! Too funny.

We got to the international gateway and hoofed it straight over to Italy and straight back to Via Napoli. What a beautiful restaurant!

This was tied for first as our favorite dining experience of the entire week. By far, it is one of the only places we ate lunch or dinner that we can see ourselves returning to over and over and over.

Our server, Viole, was amazing, and so was our bus boy, whose name I did not get. Really top notch servers, very kind and easy. I liked them both a lot.

That stuff was great, but it doesn’t even begin to explain how out-of-this-world the food is! We spilt the fritto misto, an assortment of fried veggies, calamari and fried cheeses. So good!! We both had a pizza—me the Quattro Formaggi (four cheese white pizza) and Rob the Carciofi (white pizza topped with artichoke, cheese and truffle oil). SO YUM!

For dessert, Rob had the Zeppole di Catarina, which were really delish, and I had the Ruota di carretto from the kids menu. It was vanilla gelato sandwiched between two fresh baked cookies. MY FAVORITE THING! (2 credits: $134.83)

For real, this was an amazing meal, and it totally made me eat my words about paying so much for “just pizza.” Man, I can be a real bitch sometimes!!

I wanted to take the boat to the Boardwalk, then take the bus to Magic Kingdom, then walk home, but Rob insisted that there would be a bus from the front of Epcot to the Contemporary. I knew he was wrong, but I went with it anyway. Call it exhaustion.

We ended up taking a bus to Wilderness Lodge and the boat to the Contemporary, thinking that would save us time over taking the monorail to the Ticket and Transpo Center. It would have, except we had to wait a while for our boat. There was a pleasure cruise docked where the Contemporary launch is supposed to dock.

Our boat kind of waited for awhile for them to disembark and leave, but they were really taking their sweet time. Finally, the boat was given clearance to dock on the other side, and he was able to pick us up.

We ended up waiting about 15 extra minutes in the cold. Although, on the bright side, we were able to watch the water parade from the dock while we waited. So that was nice.

We walked across the beach to our room, then went straight to bed. We were both completely zonked and kicking ourselves for not taking a break earlier in the day.

Up Next: Day Five, Magic Kingdom!

**Colexis Mom** · 01-09-2011, 08:19 PM

Great pictures of the lights!

And what a great dinner!

sc507 · 01-09-2011, 08:42 PM

You've been busy with updates!! I totally understand the getting cranky at Disney - I've had a few moments myself

Your pics with the Lights are great and your dinner at Via Napoli sounds so good! You've also confirmed with me that Kouzzina needs to be on our breakfast list next trip....

**Cam22** · 01-09-2011, 09:52 PM

Great updates!

for the review of Via Napoli as we finally get to eat here in June and I'm so excited.

**chezp** · 01-10-2011, 02:01 AM

Great updates!

It sounds like a wonderful time, despite the odd downside.

ilovedisney247 · 01-10-2011, 03:05 AM

Great updates . . . sorry about the long line to meet Woody and Buzz, but it sounds like it paid off! I'm glad you enjoyed Via Napoli, we loved the pizza, but thought the rest was so-so. The Osbourne lights are amazing! I'm getting ready to book my trip (solo again) for next December!