Four if by Land, Six if by Sea **Updated 2/23**COMPLETED - Page 28 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Sounds like a wonderful evening. I'm like you - never too full for dessert! I have to confess that if I'd actually gotten Thom's "nothing" I would've been very tempted to lick the plate clean.
__________________
Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
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Great updates. Is Stitch Maddie's new favorite character? Never realized a cruise could be so entertaining. Aren't you thankful that Disney really takes care of the kids so you guys can keep on playing? Bring on some more.
Room service had worked so well the morning before that we tried it again this morning. Our food was delivered at the same time, but this time Maddie and I had already been up for a few minutes. Maddie dug into her cereal, but I just stuck with juice and again since we had our Palo brunch at 10:30.
The rest of the family gradually surfaced over the next hour. Maddie announced that she wanted to go to the hot tub, but thankfully I realized that she meant the bathroom Jacuzzi before I put on my bathing suit. She had the best time playing in that tub.
Before we knew it, the time had come to take the girls to the kids club. Once again, Maddie wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but Mary Devall had done a fabulous job at getting her pumped up for the 10 a.m. program “Who wants to be a Mouseketeer?”
I volunteered to take the girls and immediately wished that I had let Thom do it as soon as we entered the Oceaneer’s club and found out that Mary Devall’s group was meeting in the lab. Maddie’s security blanket would not be with her.
I got Maddie signed in, but when it was time for her to go through the gate she began . She put her arms around me and then she put her arms around Mary Devall and cried “Mar Val” over and over again. The counselors that were behind the gate were about to cry themselves. Mary Devall just stood there stroking Maddie’s hair and grinning this sheepish grin - - my big girl absolutely eats up this kind of attention from her baby sister. (We had almost the same situation a couple of weekends ago when Maddie was upset because Mary Devall was going to a birthday party. Maddie was crying with her arms wrapped around Mary Devall who looked up at me and said "I just love these moments." )
I was just about to sign Maddie out and take her with me to check Mary Devall into the lab when another counselor approached us and said “Maddie, don’t you want to meet Mickey Mouse?” Apparently Mickey was their special guest this morning. Maddie’s tears immediately dried up and she managed a broken “yee-ss” as she held out her arms to the counselor. She never gave us a second thought after that.
Mary Devall and I made the short trip to the lab where her check-in procedure was much smoother. I did notice on this trip that she didn’t want to stay indefinitely at the club. She always asked when we would be picking her up. This time she wanted to leave after making flubber which was later that afternoon.
Once the girls were safely deposited in their respective clubs, I headed back to the room and picked up the rest of my party for our return visit to Palo. I was so excited by this brunch because we didn't even know about it on the 4-night cruise 3 years ago, so this was a first for me!
We were seated in our same booth and, true to her word, Coralia was our server again. She explained how the meal would work and then she took our drink orders. We could have a complimentary glass of champagne, a mimosa or a bellini. I immediately ordered a bellini and assured my parents that they would like it also (now I knew my dad would, but my mom actually only “likes” FABs). Thom went with orange juice and I could have kicked myself later for not getting him to order a drink since I could have easily taken it off his hands (the same way that my dad did when my mom took one sip and went “ewwww!”)
Once our drinks were served, Coralia escorted us to the buffet where she described each and every item on about 6 buffet tables. The offerings ranged from seafood (and we’re not just talking shrimp here ) to marinated vegetables to cheeses to breads to fruit and salads - - and that’s just what I can remember. She also showed us sample plates of the hot entrees that we could order - - anything from pancakes to omelets to frittatas to chicken parmesan to fish and veal. The desserts were also on the buffet, but I was too overwhelmed to even think of them right then.
Coralia left us to serve ourselves from the incredible amount of options. I tried the tuna carpaccio, marinated eggplants and artichokes, mozzarella cheese, a shrimp shooter and a blue cheese and walnut bread. I honestly could have done without the main entrée and just had fun trying each and everything on the buffet. I did go back for some berries with absolutely sinful real whipped cream.
After about two rounds at the buffet, Coralia came by to ask if we would like anything of the warm entrees. We each chose a soup - - mine being cream of cauliflower which was simply delicious. Next we chose an entrée and I decided to go with a frittata. It was good, but quite heavy with the quantity of meat in it. I probably didn’t even manage a fourth of it because I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of room for dessert.
When my mom got up to go to the dessert table, my dad asked her to pick something for him. She told him “,” so he tried it again with me. My dad doesn’t ask for much, so I selected one of everything chocolate on the table and returned his plate to him. For myself, I decided on a warm sticky bun, tiramisu and an espresso tart. Once again, it would have been nice to have room just to try everything.
As much as I loved the dinner at Palo, I have to say that the buffet was hands down my favorite meal of the two. The quality and the variety of the food was not to be beat. My mom even told me the other day that her appetite was definitely coming back after her surgery because all she could think about was that buffet.
Once again, Coralia was a wonderful server. Thom even took a picture of us together so that we won’t forget her.
Up next . . . a lazy afternoon.
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Sometimes words aren't needed . . .
Last edited by Jillybean; 02-18-2009 at 11:23 AM..
Great update, Jill. I am so glad that there aren't food pics as I am hungry right now and more so since reading your report. Please come back with MORE.
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Yummmmmmmy!
That buffet sounds delicious!
How sweet of Mar Val to love her little sister with hugs! So cute!
I am glad that Maddie's fear of characters has passed! Sounds like Mickey saved the day!!!
Yum! I've decided that brunch at Palo will be a "must do" when I take a cruise! And Mary Devall eating up Maddie's attention is too much! MORE! Please.
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
I haven't been able to read the boards much, between school this semester and work it has been absolutely crazy but I have been missing the boards so much, only good thing about not being on everyday is that I get to come back to a whole bunch of updates...
What wonderful snacks you get each day, I would totally starve myself for a week before my cruise just so I could enjoy everything. The Minnie's were so cute, glad that they were so attentive and concerned about you and Maddie's accidents.
What great one-on-one time you had with Maddie at the pool, she sounded like she was in her glory and Stitch, the pictures were just so cute. It is so adorable to see what a change she has gone through with the characters...the picture of her and Stitch walking down the hall was perfect.
You meals (all of them) sound amazing but the Palo brunch, I am dreaming of this brunch as I will get myself on a cruise one day
Glad that even with Maddie's initial apprehension she seems to be having a great time at the kids club.
This picture is so cute, I don't know what it is about these poses but my little one does the same thing. I suddenly see her like 10 years ahead and boy does it make me nervous.
Can't wait to hear more Jill, this sounds like the most amazing vacation.
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I have to confess that if I'd actually gotten Thom's "nothing" I would've been very tempted to lick the plate clean. 
again since we had our Palo brunch at 10:30.
She had the best time playing in that tub.
. She put her arms around me and then she put her arms around Mary Devall and cried “Mar Val” over and over again. 
(We had almost the same situation a couple of weekends ago when Maddie was upset because Mary Devall was going to a birthday party. Maddie was crying with her arms wrapped around Mary Devall who looked up at me and said "I just love these moments." 
)
and assured my parents that they would like it also (now I knew my dad would, but my mom actually only “likes” FABs). Thom went with orange juice and I could have kicked myself later for not getting him to order a drink since I could have easily taken it off his hands (the same way that my dad did when my mom took one sip and went “ewwww!”
) to marinated vegetables to cheeses to breads to fruit and salads - - and that’s just what I can remember. She also showed us sample plates of the hot entrees that we could order - - anything from pancakes to omelets to frittatas to chicken parmesan to fish and veal. The desserts were also on the buffet, but I was too overwhelmed to even think of them right then. 
MORE! Please. 
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