The ... "Possibly The Last Trip With Kids for A Long Time" Trip Report (8/23 - 9/2/2013)...........
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**Cam22** · 10-14-2013, 10:23 PM

Very nice day, except for the extended family bailing on breakfast. Glad that was easily straightened out.

You travels around WS sound very much like the way we tour this area. The artificial turf by Germany got the same response from Luke. We were standing there munching our German F&WF goodies when he asked me to look down. He said, "We can get this for the front yard and I'll sell the mower." The stuff actually looks and feels really good.

Russi01 · 10-16-2013, 08:55 AM

Sounds like a relaxing day. Glad the text did not wreck your day. Sorry dinner was not so good.

JerseyDad · 12-29-2013, 09:43 PM

......(continued) DAY SIX, and “I'm going to see Pooh!! I'm going to see Pooh!! I'm going to see Pooh!!”....

(Note: For all those that had been waiting on the edge of your seats for the continuing saga of this trip…yes, all 3 of you ……I apologize for the extremely lengthy intermission before finishing this. The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated …..and, now I know how Abe Vigoda feels.

The reason for the delay, is that I needed to demonstrate what seems to be my recent onset of “50 Something Dyslexia” with using the stairs …and as such, FELL – UP some stairs as I was carrying a basket of clothes (…my home office is next to the cellar laundry room so I’m often cast in the role of Mrs. Dilber the laundress) And instead of using the aforementioned basket of “spring-fresh” socks, tee’s and frilly unmentionables (why should MY undies be boring) …as a garment filled air-bag to break my fall …I rolled sideways and smashed my right shoulder on the nose of one of the steps (I curse that day I chose oak steps) …and I pretty much destroyed the joint / socket and lotsa’ soft tissue in / around the joint.

So …walking barefoot across a field of broken glass that’s been sitting in the sun all day and has been sprinkled with rubbing alcohol and salt ….would be less painful that typing anything of great length. So as you may understand …this takes FOREVER to type with the use of 1.25 arms ....and as such any other replies I’ve made on the board in the recent past needed to be done with texting on my Droid …which I hate to do) ….so ….being that I like to finish what I started ...even if it takes forever...I'll continue:

…anyhow…..THIS was THE DAY that I wait for all year ….and had done so each preceding year since 2004. It was Character Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare Day!! And even more importantly …and day for a chance to have a picture taken ….with POOH!!! OK ….so I’m a 52 yr old fan of a big golden-yellow ball of fluff ….so, sue me!!

We had our 9:25 am breakfast ADR’s all set up …and a buffet breakfast awaiting us at the GF. It was a REALLY nice day too …great weather …warm of course since it was still August (at least for another 2 days anyway) …but …it was one of those really blue-sky type days….with the obligatory early day white fluffy clouds floating ‘round here and there. So …we were up early …and off to the bus stop to hopefully get to the GF by 9 am at the latest. These breakfast at GF days for us were kinda’ special too, in the “just getting there” aspect of it all. Of course …being at POP …we needed to use the bus …which we take to the MK …then …it’s onto the resort monorail …which gets us a glimpse at the Contemporary, Transport Center, and Polynesian …before finally pulling into the stop at the GF. The monorail ride was however kinda’ missing something this year, (although it wasn’t the signature ‘petting zoo aroma’…which was clearly hitting a high note that day) ….but then it hit me!! …. our 24 yr old daughter wasn’t there ….reciting the whole, “Please stand clear of the doors. Por favor manténganse alejado de las puertas." ….in both English & Spanish. ……and do it SO WELL ….at least 4 times …..before we reached the GF!!

….anyway …the monorail trip (the first of our stay this time) ….was enjoyable to me …’cause it gave me a good look at the Poly and Contemporary …and to see the progress that had been made at the new section of the GF as we were pulling into the stop there. I love the GF for the ‘period’ of time it represents …and the associated architecture and décor. I do however miss seeing the beginning stages of construction for the Gingerbread House in the lobby. We usually went during “Jersey Week” for the first several visits to WDW ….and they were usually just starting off the ‘roof tiles’ when we were there during those early stays.

….we were seated quite promptly upon our arrival and checking in. It was almost TOO promptly for my liking, BECAUSE I had just settled into one of the big cushy chairs in the lobby and had began to “take it all in” (the interior grandeur of the GF lobby) when I was summoned to the entrance by our buzzing pager. We were seated toward the rear of the dining room …but not too far from the food …which was a very good thing …because I think I packed an extra appetite with me before leaving home!!

In keeping with (my) tradition ….upon being seated, I ordered a Bloody Mary ....as I have done on each of the previous 10 visits. I guess that the whole conditional reflex thing that was demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov (the Russian guy with the salivating dogs) …proves true: Sit me at a table in the GF …and I salivate and order a Bloody Mary.

…as soon as the drinks were squared away …we headed to the buffet stations. I almost had a sense of guilt as I filled up a plate to near over-flow conditions and thought to myself, “Are you really going to eat all that”? …..it was almost amazing how that same sense of faux guilt reared up again as I was making my 2nd and 3rd trips to the food-fest!

….for the most part, the food was still good, with some notable exceptions. I say notable because the items that I’m referring to are ones that I look forward to having, sort of my gastronomic “Must Do’s” of WDW. The smoked salmon (lox to all the misplaced former NY’ers like me) …was not up to its usual high standards. (meaning …it was terrible …a definite downgrade in quality) ….but most notable on the ‘downer” list …was the Lobster Benedict. It was nowhere close to being what I had always loved. There wasn’t a scrap of lobster meat to be found in the lobster Hollandaise sauce which tops the eggs. It almost appeared that someone opened a can of Lobster Bisque …..and poured it over the eggs. (And not even GOOD lobster bisque like ‘Bookbinder’s’ or a few other high end canned products). That was an immediate disappointment ….and seconds on that item were not even considered. And though I may seem picky …it also seemed that WDW has done a definite switch on their breakfast sausage brand / type. It’s really not that good ….and that was noted both at the GF…and back at the resort. My wife also commented that the Lobster Benedict was not what it used to be …so I didn’t feel bad that …I was disappointed (she never agrees with me …and says that I just like to complain for the sake of …complaining!) Fortunately …my vegetarian daughter was able to have a filling breakfast (which really isn’t that hard to do at the GF buffet) …but I still worry that she’s eating enough healthy stuff.

….of course …the MOST important aspect of the WHOLE GF Breakfast was ….getting to see POOH. And …not only seeing him (I’m assuming it’s a him?) …but ..getting my picture taken with Pooh …as has happened the previous 11 times! Well …in this area …WDW did not disappoint. As I sipped my Bloody Mary …seemingly out of nowhere, Pooh appeared! As he made his way to our table …my joy was approaching it’s zenith (really …I’m like a little kid when it comes to stuff like traditions) …and I got my pic with Pooh!! Of course we were also visited by Tigger ...who ..as if on a yearly programmed command …”groped” my daughter about her face and head …and covered her in a “smother hug”. Most amusing …to me ….was the visit from Mary Poppins. Always the genuine lady of proper etiquette …..she came up with a polite answer when my daughter asked, “Where did you get your dress …I want one”!! (mind you …my daughter ..the dress wearing 17 yr olf slave to fashion …was completely serious with her inquiry…and if a place to buy the ‘Mary” dress was in WDW somewhere …she’d go and want to buy it!!)

…after having our fill of buffet goodies ….we headed off in the direction of the MK. It would be way to easy to have re-boarded the monorail and taken the 3 minute ride to the MK stop …so we did what we have been doing each and every year we’ve been to the GF for the character breakfast: We took the boat from GF to the MK. It was a great weather day, and the ride was just as enjoyable as it always has been.

.....our ‘original’ agenda had us at breakfast with my brother and his family …but, as he had cancelled from that at the last minute …it was his impression that we would meet them at the MK later that morn. Well, his plans were not to be, because my wife was major league miffed at them for their behavior over the first few days …and then the capping moment where they cancelled the character breakfast reservations (under her name) at the last minute. So, that being the case we just did “our thing” with no expectations of meeting or “doing” the park with them. It was clear to us, anyway, that they were on a completely different wavelength from us to begin with. They never showed up to meet us when we had our FP+ reservations at a certain ride so that we “could be like family” ….and were off on their own doing the entire MK in about 3 hrs because my SIL was just waving my nephew’s GAC around like it was the Golden Ticket. (I could only envision her at WDW a few weeks later when the DAS system went into play ….her head would have exploded if she had to schedule her ride entrance times and then wait for them to roll around).

Anyway …we did PotC as the first ride once we got to the MK …because it’s one of my wife’s favorite attractions (and ..I think because the A/C works so well too). We worked our way around the park from there in a clockwise direction ….stopping in whatever shoppes we came across …being that we were on “OUR” time …with no agenda other than to enjoy.

By the time we got around to Fantasyland …my wife started to complain about pain in one of her ankles. It looked a bit swollen, but she decided to push-on anyway. We did all the major rides …worked in our FP+ reservations …and by the time we were around to Buzz Lightyear …my wife’s ankle was really starting to bother her. We took a ride on the PeopleMover …to allow her to rest her foot, but it really didn’t help the soreness subside. It was looking sort of ‘mottled’ with red / white blotches …and definitely puffy (push a finger on it and it left a ‘finger-print’ as if you were touching sunburned skin). So, we decided that it had gotten bad enough for me to start worrying a lot more than I usually do ….and we headed back to the room.

When we got back I tried, as did she, to figure what was wrong? She didn’t twist or turn it …so it wasn’t a sprain. I know that she bought some new shoes in Mousegear in Epcot …and I was wondering if she was not used to them? But in that case, she usually just got a blister or red spot where the new shoes were rubbing too much, or if they were too loose. (she NEVER takes my advice to get really good comfy shoes before going to WDW …and always gets a blister or ..a raw bleeding friction sore!)

What came to mind …sort of, was that she had some lobster benedict at breakfast …and I was wondering if she had a seafood allergy ….which …in almost 35 yrs of knowing her …she’s never had (evidenced by plates of shrimp magically disappearing from in front of her …with only a slight trace of cocktail sauce left at the upturned grinning corner of her mouth...)

She took a Benedryl allergy pill, just in case …a few Advil …we put her foot up on a pillow, and I made a make-shift ice-bag to lay on her ankle (2 bottles of cold beer, wrapped in 2 slightly dampened washcloths…..and I was never a Boy Scout!). That relieved a bit of the uncomfortable feeling, and she just decided to rest the remainder of the daylight hours.

My daughter proceeded to nap (she’s an expert at that …all 17 yr olds seem to be) …and I took a swim and had a few beers at the poolside.

Before we left for DtD …we had a quick dinner in the POP food court and it was again made quicker by the limited choices due to the same food station being closed …(shocker!!)

We didn’t have definitive plans for the evening, other than doing Downtown Disney and some shopping …because my daughter wanted to see about some clothes for “back to school” …and …we bought last years back-pack …in ..I think …Wet Seal ?

But with my wife’s foot bothering her, we were going to stay away from the DtD West Side that evening….and just work our way from the Pleasure Island area and the shops over to the Marketplace area. That way …we could finish off the evening with ice cream at Ghirardelli (and my mandatory double espresso) ….and I could get more of the great soaps from Basin. (yes, I do like that store a lot) And …the soap made for dogs is wonderful …nice clean scent …and it calm my dog’s seasonal allergies so that he doesn’t scratch himself to death!!

…the ice cream at Ghirardelli was wonderful as always …and I got some sundae that was basically ALL dark chocolate toppings with espresso ice cream …I think it was …called “Espresso Escapes”(?)…and it was VERY good. I know that $9 bucks for an ice cream sundae is kinda’ steep …but it WAS Ghirardelli …and it was their chocolate and toppings …so …it was worth it. (I just wish they still used the real glass dishes and real spoons …it helped to justify the cost in my mind).

….as we worked our way toward the end of the Marketplace and the bus stops …it was clear that my wife’s foot was really bothering her …and made the next day’s activities a bit of a question-mark………????? Luckily, the bus back to POP showed a minute or two after we got to the line, and it wasn’t crowded, so she found a seat quite easily …and was able to take a load of the ankle.

We stopped at Petals Bar once we got back to the resort (it was surprisingly NOT crowded ) ...and …my daughter headed right to the room ….undoubtedly going to get on her computer and chat with her boyfriend back in Jersey. I wanted to ask her to dump the water from the cooler in the room and get more ice …but that would have cut into the ‘Mr Wonderful” time (a.k.a …boyfriend) …so I thought better of it. (I’m a good dad …even if I’m the only one that thinks so!!)

…..( continued) ....up next DAY SEVEN, and, “FINALLY …We’re Gonna’ See What This Toy Story Mania thing is all about”.

**chezp** · 12-30-2013, 02:18 AM

Oh my goodness, you poor thing! Lots of

for that shoulder of yours.

I'm so glad you got to meet Pooh - and of course it's perfectly fine to see him and have a photo with him. After all, the highlight of every visit to Disney for me is seeing my favourite, Eeyore!

Erin1213 · 12-30-2013, 06:56 AM

Hope your shoulder feels better soon! I missed following your adventures! I'm so glad you got to have your visit with Pooh! It's a must do on our vacation also, however we enjoy meeting the whole gang so we usually go to CP for our breakfast. I have to agree that the quality of food has been slipping the last couple of times.

Russi01 · 12-30-2013, 10:10 AM

Sorry to hear about your shoulder and your wife ankle while at WDW. Hope her gots better by the next morning and yours is on the mend.

Mom24Girls · 12-30-2013, 10:43 AM

I am sorry about your shoulder!! I hope it heals quickly!! Sounds like a great day in WDW (except for your wife's ankle.

) and the breakfast sounded great! We are doing 1900 Park Fare for dinner, and I was a little disappointed I would miss the lobster benedict... now I don't feel so bad!

Looking forward to hearing more of your adventures!

JerseyDad · 12-30-2013, 03:08 PM

....so ....now that I figured out that online photo sharing thing ...let me add a few shots...

....me and Pooh ...together for our "yearly photo opp" (picture by wife with smudgy camera phone lens)

....my 17 yr old daughter, Vicki, aka Rose, aka Rosie (her name is Victoria Rose ...so I have options), at 1900 Park Fare (photo by dad ...with sparkling clean camera phone lens).
That's her Minnie-Mouse-Like theme outfit she wears specifically to the breakfast at 1900 PF ...and then to MK afterwards.
.....the daughter photo is a rare commodity ....usually she goes into "Sean Penn Mode" and she swats at the camera.

.....FOUND IT!!!! (here's a 2012 Photo at MK, right after breakfast at 1900 PF (don't care if I'm 'the daddy' ...I still think she's adorable in these clothes. She wore that to school once this year!!)

**Cam22** · 12-30-2013, 08:08 PM

First of all, I'm so sorry about the accident to your shoulder!

Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare sounded delicious and fun, except for the items that were not up to par this time. Your wife's ankle sounds like it was pretty bad.

Great pictures!

**chezp** · 12-31-2013, 01:52 AM

Nice photos!

JerseyDad · 12-31-2013, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chezp

Nice photos!

...thank you.

...hard to grasp that my daughter will be 18 yrs old in a few months ...its good to have photos.

lovewdw2 · 01-01-2014, 12:05 AM

OMG! I am absolutely loving your Trip Reports! In fact I have spent my time here reading and not noticing that it is almost 2014!

I am so sorry that you fell..... I hope you start to feel normal...using BOTH arms soon!

You got me laughing too... especially about the escalators in Sunshine Seasons! Why is it that every time that I am there they are never working??! How much do you want to bet that when I go into May that they are still not working?

I am mad too....I certainly understand why your wife is mad too! Are you sure that you and brother are truly related? He seems so DIFFERENT than you and not humorous at all! Your daughter's pics are so pretty! She is one Beautiful Girl!

I am waiting Patiently....for the next trip report!
Happy New Year by the way! : )