Why, My Little Guppy Has Groupies! - A Dec. 2013 TR *Completed

[MEK]

Oh man oh man - forgetting the tickets - what a bummer! But, hey, we have all done it and even though you think the world is ending at the time, looking back its not that big of a deal. And at least Landon still got his first monorail ride.

i am going to read your second update tomorrow because I need to get up and charge my computer. Yeah - I'm that lame that I'm too lazy to bring the charger to me.

 

[marDgreen88]

Oh nooo! Not the ticket! The good thing is that at least you still got to admire some beautiful resort decorations!

 

[MEK]

OMG - Landon's first visit button! Every kid needs one of them!

Love your pictures of the GF. I really want to stay there at Christmas some time. It's so, so beautiful.

Great pictures of you guys in front of the tree and the gingerbread house!

 

[emmysmommy]

I love that you pushed the "re-set" button on your evening. Sounds like all went smoother once you were enjoying the GF. (I'm a little testy on those long travel days.) The smell of the GF anytime let alone Christmas is wonderful. It was crowded when we were trying to take photos of the gingerbread house as well.

The family photos by the tree turned out great.

I also loved your mom's pep talk with Landon before the monorail ride. His "excited" look is adorable.

 

[USAFdad]

Inside the food court, the 3 adults picked up our mugs.
It was quite convenient that there were 3 colors to decide between. We each got our own color without having duplicates.


It was meant to be.


The Cast Member ringing us up had a bit of trouble activating our cups, but it was nothing too serious. Just one of many, many times we witnessed a CM getting frustrated with the new system.



My mom and Alex wanted soda, and when they placed their cups on the new RFID machine readers, it worked without a hitch.


I wanted some water, though, and the screen would not cooperate for me.

I would pull down the little tab that indicated water and nothing would come out, so I switched to another machine. It, too, would not work.

The screen on the machine instructed me to place my mug below the spicket, which I was doing. Nobody saw the screen tell me this, though, so when Alex walked up to me, he told me to remove my mug.


“Maybe it’s because it’s trying to read your RFID chip. Move your cup and see if it’ll work then.”


I sighed and showed him that that, too, was not the answer.


Some other attempts were tried, I became increasingly frustrated while Alex became more adamant and, eventually, I snapped at him.


Not one of my better moments, but those things happen.

I was able to get it to work right after I was snapped at. the trick was the cup could not be on the RFID reader at all I think one would have to hold it an angle right under the spicket.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

OK... FINALLY here and caught up Alicia.

Too much for me to comment on everything I'd like to or I'd be writing all day, but I just stopped in my tracks at the POP manager's "I'm not a fan of kids". Um... SERIOUSLY??!!!
Even IF that is true (which makes me think a career change may be in order), but to tell a guest that?? Just odd.

I love POP, I really do, but I have noticed a much lower standard developing overall which concerns me.

OK, so sticking with the most recent update(s), I too had issues getting water out of those machines. I think it's a decoy of some sort.

I know the exact off ramp to MK you're referring to, and it is terribly marked.

 

[amazingact21]

What???? They have water tied into the RFID system???? Why on Earth did they do that? You don't even have to pay for water!

Apparently, they don't. Alex will be the first to say I was using the dispensers incorrectly. Supposedly, if you don't put your mug on the RFID reader, the water will come out fine. But if the chip is being read it thinks you want a soda.

We don't ride the tram!

Seriously though, that's why I book through AAA so I can get the diamond parking pass and park close to the front. We just get out of the car and walk to the park entrance.

That's probably for the best.

That alone, might be one of my favorite displays of Christmas decorations on property. It is simple, but beautiful.

It was an amazing display. I think the grounds at the GF are the best as far as holiday decorations go. The resort really takes decorating to a whole nother level.

I realize they're trying to keep with the Victorian theming, but do they really have to go so far as to have one little, tiny, slow elevator that looks like it is from the turn of the century and probably powered by a steam boiler somewhere?

I wouldn't mind the elevator so much if the other guests took its small size into account. "Oh, only 3 inches of space left, my family of 5 will fit."

I wonder how many times that thing has broken down to people exceeding the maximum weight limit.

Well, I don't feel quite so bad about our first morning going off the rails now. Wow, that would be such a bummer to not have the tickets and not be able to get into the Magic Kingdom!! Not to mention the other challenges thus far. Looks like you were able to have a nice time at the Grand Floridian, though! It really does capture the best of Disney at Christmastime. You got some cute pictures with the tree too. Looking forward to the rest of the evening. Hope things go more smoothly. And no more broken pipes...crazy!

Leaving the tickets was so disappointing. Everyone really wanted Landon's first ride to be Small World, and I completely hosed that up.
The worst part was my mom had bought tickets for 8 days, and that was supposed to count as one day. So, we knew right off the bat she'd have one ticket wasted.

Oh man, what a way to start! The water, the tickets, the stroller... My DH does that with the shopping cart so if we ever had kids, he's not allowed to drive!
The GF is so gorgeous at Christmas. Sounds so busy though. And that sink! Yikes!
Hole everything turns around from this point on, nothing but good luck!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

We were off to a rocky start. Definitely not the smooth, easy going day I had originally planned for. But hey, we were at Disney, so no compaints.

Oh man oh man - forgetting the tickets - what a bummer! But, hey, we have all done it and even though you think the world is ending at the time, looking back its not that big of a deal. And at least Landon still got his first monorail ride.

i am going to read your second update tomorrow because I need to get up and charge my computer. Yeah - I'm that lame that I'm too lazy to bring the charger to me.

I felt so dumb for leaving the tickets, because I knew everyone else in my party was bummed out, and I knew I'd just caused my mom to waste one of her tickets.
But, I guess it makes for a good story now, and the entire trip wasn't ruined by that one mistake, so I suppose no harm, no foul.

Oh nooo! Not the ticket! The good thing is that at least you still got to admire some beautiful resort decorations!

Being able to see the GF did help get over our sadness about missing Small World. The gingerbread house was too amazing to not enjoy.

OMG - Landon's first visit button! Every kid needs one of them!

Love your pictures of the GF. I really want to stay there at Christmas some time. It's so, so beautiful.

Great pictures of you guys in front of the tree and the gingerbread house!

Staying at the GF during the holidays would be wonderful. Such a festive atmosphere.
And hey, you're DVC owners there now, nothing says you can't one day.

I love that you pushed the "re-set" button on your evening. Sounds like all went smoother once you were enjoying the GF. (I'm a little testy on those long travel days.) The smell of the GF anytime let alone Christmas is wonderful. It was crowded when we were trying to take photos of the gingerbread house as well.

The family photos by the tree turned out great.

I also loved your mom's pep talk with Landon before the monorail ride. His "excited" look is adorable.

My mom feels very fortunate she can go with Landon to Disney World. We weren't able to take a lot of trips growing up, so I think her being able to take those special trips with her grandson makes her very happy.
Those two are going to be trouble in years to come...

I was able to get it to work right after I was snapped at. the trick was the cup could not be on the RFID reader at all I think one would have to hold it an angle right under the spicket.

Yeah, yeah, yeah....

For the record, though, it's pretty annoying that I have to hold my mug at an odd angle just to get water. Why should I be punished for choosing the most nutritional item?

OK... FINALLY here and caught up Alicia.

Too much for me to comment on everything I'd like to or I'd be writing all day, but I just stopped in my tracks at the POP manager's "I'm not a fan of kids". Um... SERIOUSLY??!!!
Even IF that is true (which makes me think a career change may be in order), but to tell a guest that?? Just odd.

Yeah, I didn't understand why the manager was telling me that. Me, someone who was holding a kid at that very moment. That guy needed to reevaluate his life choices.

I love POP, I really do, but I have noticed a much lower standard developing overall which concerns me.

I know DISers here have a strong love for Pop. There are those who prefer to stay there over everywhere else, so I knew something had to be "off" the 2 times I stayed there. It can't have such a loyal following without having some kind of draw.

And, as I said, I think because it was insanely crowded during my stay that the rooms were fully booked and housekeeping kind of "rushed over" our rooms.

OK, so sticking with the most recent update(s), I too had issues getting water out of those machines. I think it's a decoy of some sort.

I was told by my DH that you had to hold your mug at a right angle and avoid having the RFID chip touch the reader. I guess if you did that the machine thought you wanted a soda.
All I know is that it should not have been that difficult to get something that's FREE.

 

[Marsheliz]

Oh no!! The tickets!!!?? Your first day sounds like my first day when we went September 2012!! We brought my mom with us who at the time had stage 4 cancer and actually passed away this past April... Anyways, my DH left our Landen's formula, my dad lost Lawson in the lobby at our resort, I lost my luggage, my mom was upset and crying.. etc.... I was in tears 2 hours after our arrival. This past October 2013 wasn't as hectic as the previous year, but we definitely had our moments.

And the married people fights? I totally get that too. My DH say we never get in spats at home, like we do at Disney.. LOL. I think it's just a combo of thinking everything is going to be and its supposed to be, perfect and then it's not.

Love the Grand Floridian decorations! That is such a gorgeous resort, I would love to see it all decorated. Beautiful pic of you guys too!

 

[dtr_angel]

sorry it has taken me so long to catch up and reply, but I'm here! I'm sorry your trip wasn't always as magical as you would have liked it. I can't wait to read more and see how the entire trip fared. Hopefully not as rocky as ours started. Baby and plans - those 2 words do not belong in the same sentence

 

[amazingact21]

Oh no!! The tickets!!!?? Your first day sounds like my first day when we went September 2012!! We brought my mom with us who at the time had stage 4 cancer and actually passed away this past April... Anyways, my DH left our Landen's formula, my dad lost Lawson in the lobby at our resort, I lost my luggage, my mom was upset and crying.. etc.... I was in tears 2 hours after our arrival. This past October 2013 wasn't as hectic as the previous year, but we definitely had our moments.

Oh dear...that does sound bad! One of those situations where anything that could go wrong, did. Luckily it didn't scare you away from more trips with young kids.

And the married people fights? I totally get that too. My DH say we never get in spats at home, like we do at Disney.. LOL. I think it's just a combo of thinking everything is going to be and its supposed to be, perfect and then it's not.

Oh yeah, nothing can stress a couple out more than traveling. It just comes with the territory.

sorry it has taken me so long to catch up and reply, but I'm here! I'm sorry your trip wasn't always as magical as you would have liked it. I can't wait to read more and see how the entire trip fared. Hopefully not as rocky as ours started. Baby and plans - those 2 words do not belong in the same sentence

Haha, that is a true. Babies tend to mess up any plans you make.
I did keep in mind yours and all the other TRs I read about touring Disney with a baby, and I think it helped keep me calm. I kind of went into it knowing Landon was the leader and we'd do whatever made him happiest. Saved some potential meltdowns.

 

[amazingact21]

This update should be pretty short and to the point. And then, hopefully this weekend, I can get to the good stuff. That's the park, of course!



Sunday, December 1st, 2013:

Back on the monorail, my group of 4 crammed in with about 100 other guests. My only guess is that there were tons of people at the TTC and the Poly who had boarded and intended to visit the MK.

We were squished in like sardines, but it was no big deal.

Mainly because I got to catch a glimpse of the castle and Main Street as we neared the entrance to the Magic Kingdom.

Oh, how beautiful it was!

I remember the castle was pink at that moment, and the icicle lights were shining brilliantly. I could even see the arches made out of garland hanging over Main Street. It looked absolutely stunning and made me a little upset with myself that I'd forgotten the tickets. I wanted to get off the monorail so desperately and sneak inside for a bit.

I guess it's a good thing the Christmas Party was going on and I couldn't.



I'd love to place a visual here for you, Readers, to see how magnificent this view was, but unfortunately, all I captured was this:
f1 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

A partial view of the train station.



Proof, I suppose, that we really were on the monorail that evening?

Who knows...



Our car emptied out when the doors opened, long enough for us to find a seat before the exodus of people leaving the park hopped aboard.




We pulled into the Contemporary, nobody we could see exited, and the poor guests waiting at the entrance line had to stay put. There was no room for them to board!

Wow.

I had never seen the monorail THAT busy before. I'm sure it happens frequently during the busy summer months and while the famous Christmas crowds are in town. But it's never been an issue during our visits.

Until then.

At the TTC station a good chunk of folks departed, and we were back to our normal monorail excursion.

For the last fifty feet.



By that point Landon was getting pretty fussy, and there's only so much entertainment you can provide sitting down on a bench, so it was with great relief that we made it to our final destination.

The Polynesian!

I didn't have time to take in the tropical entrance with its dolphin statue and waterfall and bright flowers. I needed to get Landon squared away pronto, and we only had about 20 minutes to spare before we needed to check in for dinner.

The second floor was packed.

Are you seeing a theme here?



I'm sure most of it was guests waiting for O'Hana's, but no matter. There was no maneuvering, finding an empty chair, spotting a secluded spot for us.


On a whim, I decided to walk downstairs and try my luck in the lobby. Most of the other people must have been unfamiliar with the resort, because down there it was decidedly better. Barely anybody was milling about, and I found a whole set of seats to ourselves.

f2 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

We set up camp right next to the Poly's Christmas tree, and with the sounds of the waterfall right behind us, and the Hawaiian music being played through the speakers, it was extremely relaxing.

f3 by Alicia Wolchick, on Flickr

My mom thought their tree was cool and unique. She loved the flower decorations and how it took a tropical spin on a traditional decoration. As a native Floridian, that was her kind of tree!


Alex and I took care of Landon while my mom went and browsed in the art shop. (Which, I think is closing, now, which is kind of sad. I loved looking at the pieces in there.) By the time she rejoined us, Landon was passed out.

I wished I could have stayed there longer; everything was so peaceful, and it was the first time that night that I'd had a chance to relax in Disney. I wanted to cherish the moment.

I always make such fond memories at the Poly. Despite not having ever stayed there, I was walk away from my visits with some little moment or two that really sticks with me.
Last trip, my mom and I got the chance to walk around the grounds in the early morning, and this time, I was able to sit back and take in the Christmas season without having to do anything.

I don't know what I'll do if I ever go to Disney and DON'T visit the Poly.



As much as I would have preferred to lean my head back on the sofa and take a little siesta with Landon, we were all starving and our reservation time had arrived.

I had stalked the Dining Reservation Page, read every comment in the December Facebook group about cancelled ADRs, and hoped against hope I could land an O'hana's reservation. We have yet to eat there, and I want to so badly.

But even at my 180 day mark, the only time available was 8:45pm.

It just wasn't in the cards for us.

Again.




So, Alex and I booked our traditional meal at Kona.


We've yet to skip this restaurant on a trip.



Our table was ready about ten minutes after we checked in, and when we were seated, the hostess forgot our highchair. It was a little odd, but I just assumed she saw Landon asleep and figured we didn't need it.

​

The three of us sat in our booth and waited for our server to come introduce herself and take our drink orders.

We chatted about nothing in particular.

We continued to wait.

We picked out our entrees.

We waited a little bit longer.

We chose our desserts.

And still, we waited.


Then, just when our patience was about wore out, our server arrived.

Hallelujah!

It had only taken 12 minutes...


Now, please, don't jump down my throat. I'm not one of those obnoxious guests that feel entitled or give my servers a hard time. I'm really not. I know a little more about the food industry than most. My father in-law used to own a restaurant, my brother works in a kitchen, and both my sister in-laws are waitresses. I get the business and understand how hard their jobs are.
But, c'mon- we did wait a ridiculously long time.

Not making a big deal, just stating a fact for anyone who's interested in going to Kona.


"We're ready to order-"

"Let me get your drinks, then I'll come back for your orders."

Oh dear...

Thankfully, she did not take near as long to bring our drinks out, and she was able to remember our order without writing it down. Can't complain about that. Plus, she brought out the amazing Hawaiian bread with macadamia nut butter.

At which point, all conversation ceased and we devoured the bread.

And were given a second loaf.

Oh, Vacation, how I miss you, if only for all the delicious carbs I get to consume without guilt.


My mom and I were seated in the chairs chowing down; meanwhile, Alex had set Landon down on the booth next to him and sat sideways so that his leg was covering the end of the booth.




When our second loaf of bread arrived, our server insisted Alex go get our stroller so Landon could sleep more comfortably. While this sounded like a swell idea, both of us knew the minute we moved the baby, he would wake up.

But, Alex decided to take the gamble and off he went to retrieve it.

And tada! Like magic, Alex picked the little guy up, sat him down in the stroller, and pop! Those little blue eyes appeared alert and full of energy.

A 20 minute catnap would have to do, because that little dude was completely awake and ready to party.


All this occurred right as our food was arriving (isn't that always the case?) so off Alex went to return the stroller back to its original parking spot while I begged our server to bring us a highchair.


The highchair arrived, Landon was situated, and I unpacked a disposable bib and a food pouch for him.

While all that was happening, Landon discovered that the silverware, an edge of a plate, and Alex's napkin were all within his baby-sized arm length. So, there I was, bent over the table, rummaging around in P.I.T.A.- you all remember P.I.T.A., the lovely bag whose depths were unmatched by any bag on the face of this earth- when I was showered with a knife and fork and a napkin.

Ahhh...

Such a relaxing dinner.




My group came to love the servers who knew to place any and everything far away from the baby's spot.

Because no matter how quickly you try to move objects out of child's reach, you're usually too slow. Those munchkins just sit there and wait for the perfect opportunity to grab at items. They have tunnel vision, and they don't have the disadvantage of having to also focus on preparing food, settling bills, speaking to other people.


About an eon later, Alex had returned to his seat, Landon was content playing with his (and his father's) MagicBands, and we could all start eating in relative peace.

My mom ordered the Pan-Asian Noodles:
​

At the time, she thought it was a really good dish, but she said the ginger left a pretty potent aftertaste. So much so that she could taste it on her toothbrush days later.

Alex and I both got the Teriyaki Steak:
​

Alex was heartbroken that they'd switched his brocolini with some bitter tasting greens. He was extremely disappointed to miss out on one of his favorite vegetables at Disney.

The steak and rice were prepared exactly like we wanted it, but I thought the teriyaki was too strong. This might've had to do with the fact that Alex asked for extra sauce, and the cooks just gave us both some.
I'm a fan of that flavoring, but it was just too overpowering that night.

The chef that evening was very heavy handed with the seasoning...



Near the end of our dinner, we started feeding Landon his food.

It was an adventure. To put it in simple terms, my son is loud.

There's nothing quiet about Landon. You know he's in a room.

If he's mad, he screams.

If he's tired, he garbles.

If he's playing, he babbles.

If he's happy, he yells.

From the minute he wakes up in the morning to the second he passes out at night, he's making some kind of noise. He has several different types of screams, some of them more popular than others.

For instant, when he's trying to get the dog's attention, he does what we call the "Raptor Call." Where it's this dinosaur-ish bird call.

And when he hears music and gets really excited, he does this "Ahhh-hhh" shout.

*I have a video of that one for a later update.*

And, for his meals, he does what we've already determined is the Hulk move.

Short of keeping him inside and out of the public eye for his first 2 years of life, there's no way other people won't hear him. It's inevitable. I used to get really embarrassed in restaurants with all the looks and stares, but over the months I grew more and more accustomed to it.

I figure he's not unhappy, so it's not harming anyone.

Well, that night at Kona was no exception. After getting that first bite of food, Landon began his, "Gimme gimme gimme!!!" outbursts. They're not long, just little "Whaaas!"

They wouldn't even be that bad if he didn't have such high-piched vocal chords.

The 2 ladies next to us shot quick smirks our way, that wonderful green flag we look for with other dining patrons that says, "We're not bothered by him."

They even made the comment, "Whatever's he's eating must be pretty good."


Unfortunately, I guess there was a lady sitting across the aisle from us who was shooting Alex daggers. Alex said she was getting pretty ticked off, with a sour expression on her face, doing one of those constant turn around and glare motions. I felt guilty about it, but I couldn't simply ask Landon to stop. He was 7 months old; he didn't know he didn't need to be so overenthusiastic about his food.



Oh well, it was one of those situations that I couldn't change and just had to power through.

I'm sorry fellow DISers if you've ever been disturbed by a loud infant at a meal before, but I can assure you, us parents would stop them if we could. It's mortifying for us...

Thank goodness Landon finished by the time dessert came. The attention was off of us, and we could eat our sweets in peace.

My mom wanted ice cream so she got the Kona Cone:
​

She had no idea it held so many sweets, and she got a kick out of unearthing all the little treats as she ate. My younger brother has a massive sweet tooth, so she had to send a picture of her dish to him and rub it in a bit.

We're a cruel family...

Alex and I got the Kilauea Torte:
​

I found it to be a bit rich for me, but I'd also cut back on sweets dramatically, so any chocolate was a lot. (And, looking at that photo, it appeared Landon had pear spinach for dinner. Mmm-mmm, yummy.)


Another great moment for me was when our bill arrived, and I realized the cash I'd set aside for tip money was in a separate envelope-

Back in the room...

So, like all respectable 23 year olds, I had my mom float me some money.





Finishing up our dinner, I walked away slightly disappointed with Kona. Normally, I'm a big advocate of the restaurant, but that night I didn't love it as much as I used to. The whole meal took almost 2 hours start to finish, the food wasn't as good as it had been, and I just felt like it was lacking in some element I couldn't put my finger on.

With so many Disney restaurants to choose from, I don't know if we'll make it back there on our next trip. Perhaps for breakfast...



Before leaving the resort, Landon needed a quick diaper change.

​

And, for anyone who does not have children, you can see there is nothing quick about it. Especially with the diaper bag from Hades, who was having a jolly good laugh burying the wipes underneath every other single thing in there.

Ugh.

Me and that bag were going to have a showdown sooner or later.



Everyone cleaned, full, and relatively happy, we headed out.

One last decoration for the night:





Back in the room, it was an early night for us in terms of Disney time, so Alex and I were confident we would have an easy going night. We went through Landon's nighttime routine, put him down, then messed around on our various electronic devices so as not to disturb the baby.

He slept like a champ through some Netflix viewing, a quick shower for me, and then woke up just as the lights were turned off.

Ahhh.

From that point on he woke up about every 2 hours, making it a very long night for us. But you didn't hear too much whining from us. We were waking up (frequently) in a Disney room.

Can't complain about that.

 

[afwdwfan]

I’d love to place a visual here for you, Readers, to see how magnificent this view was, but unfortunately, all I captured was this:



A partial view of the train station.

In all fairness, a partial view of the train station and a monorail is far better than the view from my desk.

I wished I could have stayed there longer; everything was so peaceful, and it was the first time that night that I’d had a chance to relax in Disney. I wanted to cherish the moment.

Sometimes, it is nice to just sit back and take it in. I'm glad that Landon cooperated for a little while.

It had only taken 12 minutes.

I completely understand. That is a bit much. I mean even if they're busy they could at least pass by to acknowledge the fact that you're there and let you know they'll be back.

While all that was happening, Landon discovered that the silverware, an edge of a plate, and Alex’s napkin were all within his baby-sized arm length. So, there I was, bent over the table, rummaging around in P.I.T.A.- you all remember P.I.T.A., the lovely bag whose depths were unmatched by any bag on the face of this earth- when I was showered with a knife and fork and a napkin.

Sounds about typical, to me. Welcome to parenthood.

Because no matter how quickly you try to move objects out of child’s reach, you’re usually too slow. Those munchkins just sit there and wait for the perfect opportunity to grab at items. They have tunnel vision, and they don’t have the disadvantage of having to also focus on preparing food, settling bills, speaking to other people….

I know! And isn't it ridiculous how they suddenly have these freakishly long arms that can reach farther than most adults?

To put it in simple terms, my son is loud.

He's a kid...

Oh well, it was one of those situations that I couldn’t change and just had to power through.


I’m sorry fellow DISers if you’ve ever been disturbed by a loud infant at a meal before, but I can assure you, us parents would stop them if we could. It’s mortifying for us…

I can honestly say that the only kids I've ever been disturbed by when I'm out eating somewhere is my own.

Another great moment for me was when our bill arrived, and I realized the cash I’d set aside for tip money was in a separate envelope-


Back in the room…

Right next to the tickets...

The whole meal took almost 2 hours start to finish, the food wasn’t as good as it had been, and I just felt like it was lacking in some element I couldn’t put my finger on.

2 hours is a long time. Especially with a baby. I know whenever we have the kids with us, the server who gets our order, food and check to us fast will get a little bit bigger tip every time. You can only distract and entertain them at a table for so long...

He slept like a champ through some Netflix viewing, a quick shower for me, and then woke up just as the lights were turned off.

Of course

We were waking up (frequently) in a Disney room.


Can’t complain about that.

It is a good thing you're the glass half full type.

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Yes, perfect proof you were on the monorail.

Sorry you didn't get your Ohana res, but at least you're still at the Poly.

My God, if there's one place on the PLANET to get over the attitude against children being, well, children, THIS IS IT!! I am absolutely a Disney is for everyone person, but I also get that people bring their children. Duh. I do not understand the attitude of some people, I really don't.

Hmmm, how "incovenient" you left that envelope back in the room.

I don't think I mentioned it before, but I love those glasses on him. So cute.

 

[MEK]

You know - the last time I ate at Ohana I felt like that. I decided I wasn't going back. 2 hours is just too long for a meal. Your steaks look yummy. Isn't it a bummer when they change a side dish. I kind of wonder what goes into that decision and if its all a cost saving approach. Dessert looked pretty yummy, too!

Ugh - when Brian was a baby he was terribly colicky and I used to get "the stare" ALL THE TIME! It was awful. It kept me home a lot until I decided I just didn't care.

Personally, I would love to see "the hulk" in action!

 

[Dugette]

Wow, that sounds like one uncomfortably full monorail!

Glad you found some space to spread out and relax in the Poly lobby. Very nice to hang out there and just enjoy the ambiance.

We were lucky enough to stay at the Poly this past trip, but I agree about always wanting to spend time there. On our trip in 2011, we stayed at Pop, but we spent a significant amount of time enjoying the Poly.

Sorry you couldn't get into 'Ohana. Someday!

Wow, that is a long time to wait for the server to make an appearance. If she was that busy, she should have at least dropped off the bread while you waited.

Awwww, sweet sleeping baby! That is such a bummer about him waking up right before the food came. I have to say, I saw that coming, though. We learned on our trip to never move a sleeping baby. Also totally understand the instant-baby-grab of things within reach at the table. Sorry you had silverware raining down on you!

Okay, that's really weird about the broccolini. We ate there 6 days after you, I think, and got the same entree and it had broccolini. Maybe they ran out the night you were there? Weird.

Funny, noisy little eater! That's too bad that the one woman was bothered by it. Could she not see how adorable he is?

I suppose if you have to be woken up frequently at night, realizing you're in a Disney room is a nice touch.

 

[teekathepony]

Too bad you couldn't get your 'Ohana ressie, I've never tried for one but I've heard they're like the golden ticket of reservations.
Hmmm too bad you weren't really impressed with Kona.
Glad the ladies next to you were giving you the green flag happy look, but the other one with the daggers needs to get a life; babies will not be told how to act or use indoor voices, no matter how miserable you are! So live with it, learn to appreciate a happy baby, and you'll be a happier person!

 

[Marsheliz]

I have totally been there- done that with trying to eat in a restaurant when your child is being just that, a child...

It just happens... We were in the Mexican restaurant one time and Landen was squealing ( he had just found his voice) and this snarky lady kept staring and even said something out loud.. I was SO pissed!! I said something back-and I'm not " that kind" of person.. It just made me SO mad. He can't help it lady!! Ugh!

That steak looked delicious!!

 

[marDgreen88]

Yikes, that monorail sounds crazy. It gets cozy in there, huh?

Oof! I now know to not order the pan Asian noodles. It looked good enough, but the thought of tasting something in your toothbrush days later? Disgusting.

I don't understand why people don't get that babies are babies. You can't simply shush them and expect them to quiet down. I can't believe that one lady would let it bother her so much. It sounds like she just needed to relax.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

joining in. We're planning a December trip also so I am loving your report. Landon is adorbs!

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

Great update