Sangria, Sisters and Sons...10/3 Complete!

YAY!! Yummy, huh. But this is better?

Yes, definitely!!!!

That's too bad about Via Napoli, we don't eat there too often but luckily our meals have always been good. At least you were able to drink while it rained :drinking1

Up until last week, we had always had great food and service at Via Napoli. Hopefully, it was just a fluke...Darn, I'll drink in the snow. LOL!

You know….you can sleep AND an extra day at WDW. Just fly in the night before. We've done this a bunch and either stay at MCO or at a value resort for the night ::yes::

Yes! We've done this too and it just seems to work out better. In fact, we did it in May. We flew out late afternoon and spent our first night of the Epic Girl's Trip at Pop.

Love all your character pics in EPCOT :lovestruc And @PlutosRHM55 looks like he can be your third son! Great DISMeet!

I had never met Joy and Sadness before and I absolutely LOVED them. Timmy was really sweet!
 
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear Via Napoli wasn't great. They're usually one of the more consistently good restaurants, and I think when that's the case it's even more of a disappointment when everything is off! Judging by your picture, they put A LOT of pepperoni on your pizza, so I'm not surprised it was really greasy.
What a bummer.

This was just super disappointing as it's always been good in the past. I'm hoping it was just a fluke and next time (although it will be awhile) will be better!
 
September Update!!!

I was playing around with dining reservations on MDE this afternoon and was able to score Joe a reservation for lunch at Olga's Canteen. It's about 30 minutes after our Hollywood and Vine reservation, but my plan is for Joe to walk me and Gia in, get settled, help me get her food and then Joe can walk over to SWGE. He has no idea at this point that I've booked it for him. Knowing how much he likes Star Wars, I know he will be really excited about this!!!! I wasn't able to get a reservation for the 3 of us at any point while we are there, and when I saw I could get one for Joe, I jumped on it. I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, so this is totally ok. Now, when to tell him...:love:

I also booked Disney's Not so Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing for the night we attend MNSSHP. Can you believe we have 3 dessert parties reserved for this trip!?!? Crazy, right??? I just couldn't help myself. It's seriously the only way I can watch fireworks. I've said this before and I will say it again...I love having the unobstructed view and not having to line up an hour before they begin, smashed against everyone else who wants to see them...Hee! Hee!
 
I was playing around with dining reservations on MDE this afternoon and was able to score Joe a reservation for lunch at Olga's Canteen. It's about 30 minutes after our Hollywood and Vine reservation, but my plan is for Joe to walk me and Gia in, get settled, help me get her food and then Joe can walk over to SWGE. He has no idea at this point that I've booked it for him. Knowing how much he likes Star Wars, I know he will be really excited about this!!!! I wasn't able to get a reservation for the 3 of us at any point while we are there, and when I saw I could get one for Joe, I jumped on it. I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, so this is totally ok. Now, when to tell him...:love:
I don't want to rain on your parade, but... better informed than not.
You do know that the only thing to eat at Oga's Cantina for lunch is this?
Batuu_Bits_SWGE_WDWNT.jpg
Batuu Bits - A light crisp snack mix from the galaxy - $8.00


Can you believe we have 3 dessert parties reserved for this trip!?!?
:laughing:
Sure! I believe you!
It's seriously the only way I can watch fireworks. I've said this before and I will say it again...I love having the unobstructed view and not having to line up an hour before they begin, smashed against everyone else who wants to see them...Hee! Hee!
After having done it now... I totally understand this.
However, I haven't booked it next trip since I'm solo and... just don't see myself doing that alone.
 


How exciting for Joe that you got him an Oga's reservation! He will be so excited.

I am a fan of the dessert parties too. I love fireworks but hate being shoved in with a million people!
 
Congrats on landing an Oga reservation! I'm sure that'll be a great surprise.

I agree with 100% on the fireworks front. Having a guranteed, reserved spot for great firework viewing is a game changer. I don't think I'll ever book a trip without one anymore.
 


Sorry your meal at VN wasn’t great but besides that you seem to have had a great day ( even with the early wake up). Your boys seem like a lot of fun. :thumbsup2
Loved the vlog as always- it always amazes me how a wee snippet of music from World Showcase and it’s like I’m right there!:goodvibes
Just wondering how kari feels about your new sister wife joining you in your future?? :confused3Hopefully it’s not a case of 3 being a crowd as I really think pole-dancing Kari has the edge over underwater travelling wife :rotfl:
 
Speaking of dinner, this one was not very good AT ALL, which was extremely disappointing as we have always had great food and service here...
Oh no. That’s sad to hear. Via Napoli has been my family’s must do restaurant. We’ve always enjoyed it. The pizza in your picture doesn’t look the best though. I hope the place isn’t going down hill.
 
How exciting for Joe that you got him an Oga's reservation! He will be so excited.

I broke and told him last night and he is soooooo excited!

I am a fan of the dessert parties too. I love fireworks but hate being shoved in with a million people!

I'm just not a big fan of crowds and the dessert partires help eliminate that. :P

Congrats on landing an Oga reservation! I'm sure that'll be a great surprise.

I told him and he was beyond thrilled!!!

I agree with 100% on the fireworks front. Having a guranteed, reserved spot for great firework viewing is a game changer. I don't think I'll ever book a trip without one anymore.

I agree 100%. I've just become too spoiled. LOL!

Your boys seem like a lot of fun. :thumbsup2

Yes, they were! They are super fun to travel with.

Loved the vlog as always- it always amazes me how a wee snippet of music from World Showcase and it’s like I’m right there!:goodvibes

To be honest, I had no idea that music was even playing when I was filming. LOL!

Just wondering how kari feels about your new sister wife joining you in your future?? :confused3Hopefully it’s not a case of 3 being a crowd as I really think pole-dancing Kari has the edge over underwater travelling wife

Kari will always have the edge!!!! She's soooooo awesome!!!:love:

Oh no. That’s sad to hear. Via Napoli has been my family’s must do restaurant. We’ve always enjoyed it. The pizza in your picture doesn’t look the best though. I hope the place isn’t going down hill.

Jeff, this was so disappointing. I should have taken a pic of Matt's salad too. It was so sad looking.
 
Oh those early morning flights are THE worst!!! Glad it seemed to go pretty smooth though even though it was early!

Glad everyone loved staying at CR! That MK location cannot be beat. I was SO wishing DH and I were staying there for our MNSSHP this past weekend! lol

Sorry your meal at Via Napoli was meh! I can't believe they are charging for the bread now! What a rip off!

Love your September changes! I really need to get back to Skipper Canteen! I'm also considering booking the MNSSHP dessert party for us at our next party but I'm totally on the fence about it!
 
Hi Jenny! This is my first time reading one of your trip reports and I had to introduce myself because we have a few things in common.

I also live in the Chicago area. Northwest Indiana, just south of Crown Point. I've taken that 6 am flight on Southwestern many times out of Midway. If you don't mind me asking, where do you live that you had to leave your house at 2:30? With that early flight, there's generally no traffic, so we can make it to Midway in about 50-55 minutes. Leaving at 3:15 - 3:30 is usually plenty of time to park and get through security without any problems.

I checked out your YouTube channel and was pleased to learn you are a White Sox fan! My husband and I are huge Sox fans. I always tell people I could never have married a Cubs fan and they think I'm kidding. I'm not. We've had different season packages over the years. You had some great seats on the 14th! Fun Sox fact: I was in attendance on July 23, 2009 for Mark Buerhle's perfect game. My husband, one of our daughters and I had seats three rows behind the Sox dugout. Other than the birth of our three daughters, it was the coolest thing I've ever witnessed. And of course, 2005 will always be one of my favorite years!

Did your son enjoy his time with the college program?

How disappointing that Via Napoli was less than satisfying. And charging for the bread now! That's crazy!

I'm jealous that you're able to get to Disney so often. It sounds like you have a great trip planned for next month. I work as a high school teacher with students with mild learning disabilities. My trips are during my Fall, Spring or Christmas breaks. I haven't gone during the summer in about seven years as I'm becoming less tolerant to the heat.

Looking forward to reading more about your trip.
 
Oh those early morning flights are THE worst!!! Glad it seemed to go pretty smooth though even though it was early!
It did go very smooth, I just need my sleep more than an early flight. Next time, I will fly in the night before!!!! :P

Glad everyone loved staying at CR! That MK location cannot be beat. I was SO wishing DH and I were staying there for our MNSSHP this past weekend! lol
I honestly think it's THE best location of all the resorts, but that's just a personal opinion. It was so nice being able to walk over to Mk and not bus it, especially after the DAH event...

Sorry your meal at Via Napoli was meh! I can't believe they are charging for the bread now! What a rip off!
And, here's the thing...It was just ciabatta bread that you can buy at every grocery store in every city, nothing special...It wasn't even warmed.

Love your September changes! I really need to get back to Skipper Canteen! I'm also considering booking the MNSSHP dessert party for us at our next party but I'm totally on the fence about it!
I do too.:love:Can you believe they took the shrimp in a cup off the menu (for the time being)????? I wasn't able to order it or get the super cute cup you and Dan managed to snag. Although, it may come back and be permanent.
I decided to book the dessert party during our MNSSHP night because I want to see the new show unobstructed. Last year when we did the dessert party at the party, there was even more room to sit and spread out in the garden. I hope it's the same this time.

:welcome:

Hi Jenny! This is my first time reading one of your trip reports and I had to introduce myself because we have a few things in common.
YAY!:P

I also live in the Chicago area. Northwest Indiana, just south of Crown Point. I've taken that 6 am flight on Southwestern many times out of Midway. If you don't mind me asking, where do you live that you had to leave your house at 2:30? With that early flight, there's generally no traffic, so we can make it to Midway in about 50-55 minutes. Leaving at 3:15 - 3:30 is usually plenty of time to park and get through security without any problems.
We live in the western suburbs. I like to get there early because you NEVER know how bad security is going to be and I'd rather sit around at the airport than miss my flight...I hate flying to begin with so the earlier I get there the better for my nerves...

I checked out your YouTube channel and was pleased to learn you are a White Sox fan! My husband and I are huge Sox fans. I always tell people I could never have married a Cubs fan and they think I'm kidding. I'm not. We've had different season packages over the years. You had some great seats on the 14th! Fun Sox fact: I was in attendance on July 23, 2009 for Mark Buerhle's perfect game. My husband, one of our daughters and I had seats three rows behind the Sox dugout. Other than the birth of our three daughters, it was the coolest thing I've ever witnessed. And of course, 2005 will always be one of my favorite years!
Same! I could NEVER marry a Cub's fan. BOO!!!! I've loved the Sox since I was a little kid. My fav player of all time is Ron Kittle with Tyler Saladino a close second. Awesome that you attended Buerhle's perfect game!!!!

Did your son enjoy his time with the college program?
He loved it and plans on going back a third time after graduation!!!

How disappointing that Via Napoli was less than satisfying. And charging for the bread now! That's crazy!
Seriously! It will be a loooong time before I return.

I'm jealous that you're able to get to Disney so often. It sounds like you have a great trip planned for next month. I work as a high school teacher with students with mild learning disabilities. My trips are during my Fall, Spring or Christmas breaks. I haven't gone during the summer in about seven years as I'm becoming less tolerant to the heat.
I have to say that August is the worst month for me to go to Disney. It was beyond HOT this time. I prefer the fall. Hoping September will be nice...
We bought the AP's this year because financially it made more sense and with starting our YouTube channel. Here's hoping we can do it next year too!!!!!


Looking forward to reading more about your trip.
AWWW! Thank you sooooo much!!!!
 
What! No shrimp in a cup?? That was one of our favorites we tried, hopefully they do make it permanent!

Yeah I can definitely see the advantage to the dessert party viewing! Especially since the new show is projection heavy so the crowds are like HEA crowds with everyone trying to see the castle!
 
What! No shrimp in a cup?? That was one of our favorites we tried, hopefully they do make it permanent!

Yeah I can definitely see the advantage to the dessert party viewing! Especially since the new show is projection heavy so the crowds are like HEA crowds with everyone trying to see the castle!
I just watched your Halloween YouTube vlog and I’m even more excited to see it unobstructed ❤️
 
I was playing around with dining reservations on MDE this afternoon and was able to score Joe a reservation for lunch at Olga's Canteen. It's about 30 minutes after our Hollywood and Vine reservation, but my plan is for Joe to walk me and Gia in, get settled, help me get her food and then Joe can walk over to SWGE. He has no idea at this point that I've booked it for him. Knowing how much he likes Star Wars, I know he will be really excited about this!!!! I wasn't able to get a reservation for the 3 of us at any point while we are there, and when I saw I could get one for Joe, I jumped on it. I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, so this is totally ok. Now, when to tell him...:love:

What a nice wife you are! That's so exciting for Joe!

I also booked Disney's Not so Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing for the night we attend MNSSHP. Can you believe we have 3 dessert parties reserved for this trip!?!? Crazy, right??? I just couldn't help myself. It's seriously the only way I can watch fireworks. I've said this before and I will say it again...I love having the unobstructed view and not having to line up an hour before they begin, smashed against everyone else who wants to see them...Hee! Hee!

Good for you! And I do like that they are offering more savory options too ::yes::
 
Thursday, August 8th...

It was so nice to sleep in this morning. We took our time getting ready and then walked over to the buses. Our destination was Disney Springs and the goal was food. We had just missed a bus and the monitors weren't working so we decided to Uber it. This was my first Uber ride, believe it or not, although I did get to take a Minnie van back in May. Are they the same thing??? Anyway, the process was easy and in about 5 minutes, we were on our way. I plan on utilizing this more in September for the times we don't want to drive ourselves or take Disney transportation...

The boys wanted to eat at T-Rex Cafe, so I gave in and walked up to the podium with my Landry's card in hand (that thing is like gold). Of course, we were seated right away. The restaurant wasn't very busy, so I had a great opportunity to walk around and vlog for a bit before we were ready to order with not a lot of people to maneuver around.

We decided to share a few apps and ended up with the giant pretzel with queso and mustard dipping sauces and mozzarella sticks. I think Matt also ordered a Caesar salad (which was much better than the one he had the night before) with a few soft drinks. Everything was really good. I know some of the Landry's restaurants don't get a good rap, but we have always had consistently good service and food at both Rain Forset and T-Rex.

After lunch, we walked around a bit and did some shopping. I know I ended up buying Ashley and Tim a few tees at Uniqlo and I bought Matt and his fiance, Kari a few things at the World of Disney store. I also broke down and bought myself the Dooney and Bourke Toy Story wallet. But, more on all the souvenirs later...I have a whole vlog dedicated to those. Hee! Hee! :smooth:

Our final stop was Amorettes for some yummy desserts.
We shared a few chocolate-covered strawberries and that delicious Key Lime tart Joe and I shared back in May. Sooooo good. I really love this place.

We walked back to the buses after our treats and early afternoon of shopping and waited about 10 minutes before 1 showed up, which I consider a win. We decided to have a lazy afternoon before our DAH Villians event. But, how did we spend our afternoon? What did we end up doing and who did I bump into???? I'll give you a hint. A pair...😏

BD0785B4-11FD-41CF-8DC9-40905E13F86A.jpeg46ED05E7-A5D3-4B27-ACB5-C8CFD2D4E14B.jpeg329A12DC-5C1E-4B72-8FC4-38A91A73BD7E.jpeg58B78211-E58E-4793-A2FC-B5FDAD5E7D42.jpeg478FA87E-403D-4A7E-A814-B35B7BF39436.jpeg
 
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It was so nice to sleep in this morning.
This is possible????
We decided to share a few apps and ended up with the giant pretzel with queso and mustard dipping sauces
mmmm… that sounds so good.
I know some of the Landry's restaurants aren't very good, but we have always had consistently good service and food at both Rain Forset and T-Rex.
I've eaten at Rain Forest too many times to count. I've never been a huge fan, though. We/I did it because the kids wanted it. But it's not my first choice.
Our final stop was Amorettes for some yummy desserts.
Yum!
We walked back to the buses and waited about 10 minutes before 1 showed up, which I consider a win.
::yes:: I consider anything under 20 minutes a win.
 

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