Disney World to Disneyland: Our First Christmas Back--COMPLETE 1/13/09 About This Page:

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by TNTWheels

oh by the way what is at the Boardwalk at WDW is it worth driving by there on the way to the boat?

We love the Boardwalk for the atmosphere - to stroll along the boards, maybe do a bicycle rental that holds an entire family, play carnival games, have dinner, shop, enjoy different types of entertainment, walk the loop over to the Yacht Club, have a No Way Jose ice cream sundae at Beaches & Cream, sit in a chaise on the beach to just relax - it's simply fabulous. You can park at the Boardwalk Inn parking lot across the street after 5 p.m. and then walk over. We used to live 2 miles from there and did this about once a week. It was simply the best!

[chezp]

I know what you mean about the BoardWalk! It's interesting about Toy Story Mania not having a Fastpass, but we found it didn't need it on our trip - we couldn't believe that, even mid afternoon, it was only a 25 minute wait, whereas at a similar time a week earlier in WDW (similar low crowd levels), it was 110 minute wait!

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by chezp

I know what you mean about the BoardWalk! It's interesting about Toy Story Mania not having a Fastpass, but we found it didn't need it on our trip - we couldn't believe that, even mid afternoon, it was only a 25 minute wait, whereas at a similar time a week earlier in WDW (similar low crowd levels), it was 110 minute wait!

Oooo... that's good news for future trips. Naturally, we decided to ride it at such a busy time. We wanted to ride it again (especially Rich - he loved it that much), but we didn't want to do the line thing and if you didn't get in line right after rope drop, it was a really packed line.

[Colexis Mom]

Glad you enjoyed TSMM!! Can't wait to hear about Napa Rose!!

[TNTWheels]

Originally Posted by Two4Disney

We love the Boardwalk for the atmosphere - to stroll along the boards, maybe do a bicycle rental that holds an entire family, play carnival games, have dinner, shop, enjoy different types of entertainment, walk the loop over to the Yacht Club, have a No Way Jose ice cream sundae at Beaches & Cream, sit in a chaise on the beach to just relax - it's simply fabulous. You can park at the Boardwalk Inn parking lot across the street after 5 p.m. and then walk over. We used to live 2 miles from there and did this about once a week. It was simply the best!

umm when I mean drive by I meant in my power wheelchair, so I couldn't do the bike or the beach. See I take the monorail from the poly to the TTC then transfer over to the EPCOT monorail then go through EPCOT to get to the boat to HS. I can do this all in my power wheelchair. That why I like WDW better than DL.

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by TNTWheels

umm when I mean drive by I meant in my power wheelchair, so I couldn't do the bike or the beach. See I take the monorail from the poly to the TTC then transfer over to the EPCOT monorail then go through EPCOT to get to the boat to HS. I can do this all in my power wheelchair. That why I like WDW better than DL.

Well, maybe you could stop on the sidewalk by the beach and look at the water for a few moments, and, depending on your mobility and how many people you have with you, you could do the surrey bikes. Are you going to be with others or alone on this trip? Here's a pic of a surrey bike:



Anyway, I just had to list all of the stuff you can do at the Boardwalk. This area and Ft. Wilderness were 2 of our favorite areas just to hang out - great for walking or even wheeling, I would think.

[TNTWheels]

Thank I'll check it out. I will be on my own while my parents go off to the Bahmus or the carabian.

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by TNTWheels

Thank I'll check it out. I will be on my own while my parents go off to the Bahmus or the carabian.

Now that I think about it, you could have quite a blast! The evenings are busy with families on those surrey bikes, honking their horns, giggling, and having a great time. The path goes uphill and then, of course, downhill and everybody grunts and groans pedaling up the hill, but then they squeal with delight going downhill. Seems to me you could have so much fun using your wheels, following the others on the bikes.

[Two4Disney]

(Ooops, this should be Day 2: Part 4)

Napa Rose

Here's the introduction to our wonderful meal at Napa Rose, written by Rich.

The Chef: Andrew Sutton

Prior to Napa Rose, Sutton spent seven years as executive chef at the Ivy Award-winning Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley. This was after five years with Dean Fearing at the Five-Star, Five-Diamond award-winning Mansion on Turtle Creek in his hometown of Dallas.

The Ratings: Zagat Best of Orange County for the last 5 years. Travel expert Samantha Brown’s favorite Disney’s restaurant.

Introduction:

Wow, wow, wow. What else can I say? Words escape me. This was one of the most incredible meals ever! The food, the service, the ambience – all wonderful!

Having said that, I will tell you how the night started out on the wrong foot but eventually got righted. We arrived about a half hour early for our 7:30 p.m. PS. We waited for about 10 minutes in the lovely lounge until we were invited to be seated. We were led to a table for two in the back corner by a window.

As we approached, the mother who was seated with her family of five at the table nearby saw us coming, jumped up, and said “Wait, before you sit down, I have to retrieve something.” And with that, she crawled under the table we were headed for and pulled out her young son who was hiding there.

We smiled and joked with them as we sat down, hoping that would be the end of it. However, the young boy quickly jumped up again, ran around the restaurant without supervision, and soon was crawling under our table again while we sat there. The parents seemed to think it was cute, but we were annoyed beyond belief. That was enough for us. As our server approached, we asked to be seated at another table.

The staff was very gracious and led us back to the lounge for another 10-minute wait for an open table. Thankfully, our second table was in an even a better location, near the big window overlooking DCA. Everyone on the staff was joking with us throughout the night about the incident, and they made up for the problem (which they did not cause) in many wonderful ways.

Our server was Al from Riverside, and he was fantastic. He is also a master sommelier. He apologized for our inconvenience, and then described some specials as well as the Vintner’s Table tasting menu with the optional wine pairings. The main menu changes four times a year (once for every season), and the Vintner’s Table menu changes every Friday. After looking over the menu, we decided to go for the Vintner’s Table with the wine pairings.

NOTE: Just a note before we go through the menu with our comments. You will notice that for the first two courses, we each had different items. This is because I am allergic to certain shellfish. When we let Al know this, he received the OK from the chef, and two substitutions were made.

Next: Let the dining begin.

[TNTWheels]

Yes I thought of that when I was with Katarina but she did wonderful around me and didn't bug people but talk with them. I think I'll go eat the on the next big trip with someone to DL since I'm not going alone to DL anymore.

[chezp]

Glad they were able to seat you somewhere else - now don't leave us hanging like that. : I want to hear all about your wonderful meal.

[Colexis Mom]

I can't believe someone would let their kid run around like that!! Glad you were able to be reseated!! Don't leave us hanging!!

[Two4Disney]

Adding my comments (rant) to this part of the Napa Rose experience:

There was no way I was going to put up with somebody's child hiding under our table while dining at Napa Rose. We had been looking forward to this meal for too long and were going to spend too much money not to have a superb experience.

We smiled the first time the child was under our table, but by the second time, I was really fed up (muttering my displeasure), but the husband just sat there doing nothing and grinning. The older child was the one who went to get the little one out from under our table. Only then did the mother react. Perhaps they were only dining at Napa Rose with their 3 kids who obviously weren't up to it because Storyteller's Cafe had such a huge wait. Perhaps the staff there said they could get in sooner at Napa Rose. It was Christmas and such a popular time for families to be out, so this situation may not even occur during less busy family-oriented times of the year. But other families chose to eat in the adjoining Lounge - and maybe they should have, too.

While waiting for our table in the Lounge, we saw the mom putting the youngest in the stroller parked in the entry, hurrying to get out of there. So, I'm sure she was uncomfortable with the whole situation. Perhaps it was her husband who insisted on the meal since he seemed the least bothered by the whole thing. We were asked if we wanted to return to our original table since they were leaving, but the husband was still sitting there and we chose not to return to that table.

But at our next table, the family sitting next to us was a delight. The parents obviously spent a lot of time and effort training their children to know how to behave in public, even though you could see the boys were really tired. True, these kids were older, but you could tell the parents were involved with instructing them. We overheard the dad teaching the younger son all about tea and wine and they discussed college choices with the older kid. It was a joy to see parents so involved with their kids' lives.

BTW, we only saw 2 people in Napa Rose wearing jeans - and one of them was the mother of the misbehaving kid.

Okay, rant over. The service was superb, and it was fun joking about the possibility of other kids crawling under our new table. The staff handled it all so well, and we really appreciated that.

Kathy

[LLaffinPlace]

Whew! I am so glad the kid issue got the appropriate attention and was resolved. I just couldn't face reading that your evening was ruined! I have been so looking forward to reading about this meal.

Bob and I are now big Toy Story Midway Mania fans! What a hoot! After our stay at the Boardwalk Inn at WDW we are also quite enamored with the entertainment and ambiance on the Boardwalk.

[Two4Disney]

Day 2 Part 4 (continued)

Napa Rose Part 2

The second half is long, but we didn't want to break this night up any more than we had to.

The Vintner’s Table

A Chef’s Tasting Menu inspired by the Warm Flavors of the Holidays in the Wine Country

Four Course (+ Two Surprise Courses) Prix Fixe Menu: $85 per person
Flight of Four Wines: $45 per person

Bread: Parmesan Crisps

Surprise Course #1

Kathy: Carpaccio of Crab with Citrus and Toast Points
Rich: Spicy Asian Beef in Rice Paper Wrap

Rich’s Comments: We were pleasantly surprised to get this course. It was a substitute for me. The beef was nicely spicy and made for a great opening to the meal. And the parmesan crisps added a crunchy, cheesy flavor to this course and the rest of the meal.

Kathy’s Comments: I love surprises like this. The citrus really kicked up the crab and made for a delightful combination.

First Course

Kathy: Wine Country Lobster Tamale with Crème Fraîche, Caviar, and Christmas Red and Green Salsas
Terre Rouge Vineyards, “Enigma” Marsanne-Roussane-Viognier, Sierra Foothills 2007
Rich: Zinfandel Braised Wild Boar Shoulder with Mustardo and Borlotti Bean Cassoulet
Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneto La Forra 2003

Rich’s Comments: I got to choose this substitution from the starter menu. The boar was excellently cooked. The zinfandel braise added a taste much like cranberries. The cassoulet was a nice accompaniment. Delicious! As for the wine, Al and I discussed what to do with this pairing. Since I was having a substitute course, the Enigma was not a good match. So we could go with a stronger white, probably a Chardonnay, that would not be a perfect match, but might transition better to the next course. The other option was to pick the best match for this course even though it might not transition as well. I chose the second option, and Al suggested the Nozzole Chianti Classico, which is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. Lovely!

Kathy’s Comments: Rich’s wild boar and wine combo sounded delicious, and I was thinking I’d love to try that next time. The lobster sitting on that tamale was so plump and tasty, I was glad I didn’t have the “regular” tamale at Tortilla Joe’s the night before. This tamale was extra special with the lobster and caviar and worth trying even if you think of tamales as being Mexican food and you’re not a fan. This was something different.

Second Course

Pheasant & Truffles: Roasted Pheasant tossed with Fresh Winter Black Truffles and Cavatelli Pasta
Lane Tanner, Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley 2000

Rich’s Comments: Perhaps the best course (although they were all fantastic, so it’s hard to choose just one). The combination of pheasant, truffles, and pasta was exquisite! The pinot noir was very bright and fruity.

Kathy’s Comments: I fell madly in love with truffles. Who knew mushrooms could be so amazing. I agree with Rich – it’s difficult to choose a favorite course.

Surprise Course #2

Soup of Duck Confit with Apple Chutney

Rich’s Comments: They surprised us with a soup of the day, a creamy blend of apple chutney with duck confit. The fruit of the thick broth with the intense flavor of the duck was quite wonderful.

Kathy’s Comments: Another surprise and this meant we wouldn’t have to miss the soup of the day. I prefer my duck in small quantities, and the soup was a great venue for the duck.

Third Course

Rosemary Grilled Rack of Lamb Double Chop with Roasted Parsnip Puree and Winter Mushrooms
Semler, Cabernet Sauvignon, Saddle Rock-Malibu 2003

Rich’s Comments: I have never considered myself a big fan of lamb, but if I could have it prepared this way every time, I would be. The lamb was cooked to perfection and paired wonderfully with the Cab. We were surprised that the wine came from Malibu, and we had quite a discussion with Al about that. Yum!

Kathy’s Comments: The first time I ever tasted lamb, I hated it. Then my dad encouraged me to try his at his favorite restaurant and I felt a bit more venturesome when it came to lamb. So when we were having my birthday dinner at Jiko at AKL at WDW, I tried it and it was quite tasty. The secret to that lamb seemed to be in the special sauce, as described by favorite server Sally. But this lamb was even better. The lamb was so delicious all by itself, I’d have to say I prefer it over steak – and that’s quite a compliment coming from me. And who knew Malibu could make such good wine? A tasty pairing, indeed. This may have been my favorite course, but it’s awfully close to the pheasant and truffles – especially with the Pinot Noir.

Fourth Course

The Best Hot Chocolate Ever: The Finest Imported Valrhona Manjari Single Estate Chocolate in the Richest Velvety Hot Chocolate. Served with Marshmallow Chantilly.
Bonny Doon, Framboise Raspberry Wine, Santa Cruz Mountains NV

Rich’s Comments: And then came the ideal finish: a cup of rich, thick hot chocolate to be eaten with a spoon. This was absolutely heavenly, and an incredible finish to an incredible meal. The wine was also sumptuous -- fermented raspberry wine with grapes infused after fermentation. The chocolate and raspberry combination was exquisite indeed. As I said at the beginning: Wow, wow, wow! An incredible meal, perfect service, romantic atmosphere -- what else could we ask for? One of the best meals we’ve ever had the privilege of enjoying.

Kathy’s Comments: I don’t normally like hot chocolate, as in hot cocoa – it just doesn’t sit well with me and I don’t enjoy the taste. But, zowie, wowie – this was something completely different. And with that raspberry wine? Absolutely perfecto! Bob & Larry – you’ve got to try this.

Rich’s Final Comments on Napa Rose:

The service was incredible and the food was equally amazing. I must also mention how well the meal was paced. It took 2.5 hours for the meal. We enjoyed the wine with each course, sipping slowly and lingering. We were never served the next course until the wine from the previous was finished. Perfection!

Kathy’s Anecdotal Addendum:

When we sat in the Lounge waiting for our table, I glanced over the wine list thinking I’d start with a glass of wine. Oh boy, I’m so glad I didn’t. Because pairing 4 wines with 4 courses caught up with me in a funny way. After our meal, we stopped off at the restrooms just outside Napa Rose. Now these are those fancy restrooms with wood doors between each stall. But I’ll have to blame it on all of that wine when I found myself walking into the handicapped restroom on my way out, thinking it was the exit door. LOL!

And then Rich got a big kick out of me wandering the Grand Californian in a daze. He saw me march right out there and he wondered where I was going. He had to run after me. So 4 glasses of wine (even smaller, tasting portions) may have been too many for me, but it was all worth it to have enjoyed such a fabulous experience. So then I’ll have to either blame or thank Bob & Larry because it was their multiple course meals of food & wine pairings that first inspired me to try this. And I must thank my dad for encouraging me to try lamb in the first place. But mostly I have to thank Rich, who swept me off my feet the first time I saw him pair salmon and Pinot Noir at a San Francisco restaurant when we were mere co-workers.

Thank you boys.