Back from the Dis

Well, we got back from another great trip to the Dis, and the last one for a while.

We went down Thursday morning and checked into Coronado Springs. It's a pretty resort, but the rooms aren't any nicer than the rooms at any other moderate (we've stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside, those rooms were much nicer.) We made out way out to Epcot and got spend the night in World Showcase. We'd never really gone into the park and JUST done World Showcase, so that was nice, to just walk around and soak it in. We got to see Miyuki make candy art. It's absolutely incredible. She just makes animals out of this starchy sugar in no time flat. You can tell that she's work tirelessly to learn how to do it and worked even harder at being really good at it. We were hoping to get picked for her to make us something cool, but alas, we got there a little late, but it was still a good show.

We had an amazing dinner at the Tangierine Cafe. It's the counter-service restaurant in the Morocco pavilion but it's super-expensive and you get a TON of food. We had exactly what we had the last time we were there Shawarma Combos. Lamb and Chicken cuts with Couscous, Taboulleh, Hummus and bread. Uh, yum!!!!! It couldn't have been better.

The next day was Magic Kingdom all day. We had an incredible lunch at the Crystal Palace. We met all the characters really quickly and the FP even got to walk in the dance party with the characters. It was really cute!

It was also the day that Heather took the FP to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. This time she picked the white all-princess dress. It wasn't princess-specific but she looked so beautiful in it. Heather took pictures of her after they were done in the boutique and you could see a bride in her since she was in a white dress. I took the little kids back for a nap then came back and met the girls for a night in the park. We were bushed, especially the girls, and we crashed when we got back to the room.

Next day was Hollywood Studios...Heather's favorite park. We had a decent morning, but the kids were being crazy. When we got back for nap (I didn't think we'd need one) Heather suggested going somewhere for dinner outside of DHS(we had Hollywod and Vine booked.) I didn't want her to give up her favorite park (but that ended up working out.) So, the JB didn't want to sleep so we went for a walk and starting thinking about where to eat dinner. I made a call into Dis Dining and at first I tried to move our Hollywood and Vine reservation later and found out that Maya Grill(the sit down place at Coronado Springs) was 2 dining credits. Then, on our walk, I found out that Maya Grill was only one credit. So, I took it.

Well, the JB and I had walked to El Centro, the main building where everything(including Maya Grill) is. The front entrance of Maya Grill is right next to the door we came in and out of everytime we went there. I look over and I see a hostess at the desk talking to a guy in a chef's jacket. I walk over and ask if they do specialty desserts. The chef, Marc, responds "Well, you got any ideas about what you'd like?" I come back with "Well, you've got the chef hat on!" Which he did, actually a cap that said chef on it. So he and Alexandra, the hostess, start throwing out the house cakes the bakery has and eventually they say Strawberry Shortcake. Well, now you're speakin' my language! Marc even said he'd cut from the cake a portion for the right number of diners and redecorate it for us. Then we were talking about why we're celebrating Heather and Russian comes up. They say they've got this Russian girl that works outside at the bar right next to the lake. She agrees to come talk to us because they thought it was cool the Heather was learning to speak. So they all conspired with our server, Edwin, who was great to bring the cake in and everything. It thought it turned out very cool, and the cake was very much like the cake we had on my birthday at Citrico's.

The next day was Animal Kingdom and our night out. Animal Kingdom is a short day in our family. We hit the character spots in Camp Minnie-Mickey early and found out that Safari Daisy is only there from like 12-1, after which point she goes to MK and spends all of Donald's money (even though they're not hitched!) We had a great breakfast at Tusker House where Safari Daisy is one of the characters, YAY! Daisy isn't Heather's favorite character, but Donald is mine so I figure Daisy is appropriate, especially in a specialty outfit(which is hard to find since they're park-specific.)

Then we had out night out. We ate at Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's in Kidani Village which is HUGE!!!!, just like everything else at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We parked where the Security Guard told us to go and followed the elevator to the Lobby where we were told to go, then we thought we were going the wrong way down the hall, so we took the steps back downstairs and ended up in the Employee Break Area. They were shocked to see us. But, two guys who worked the kitchen at Sanaa took us ALL THE WAY back to the front where the restaurant is. They were very nice, and they even admitted that they didn't know the door we came out of was there until we came out of it (as Heather said, we passed through the Mystic Portal.)

The meal was incredible. We had a bread course with a Tamarind sauce, a Cucumber Raita, and a Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Uh, yum! Then we had a selection of 3 salads(Red and Golden Beets, Chickpeas and onions in a viniagrette, and okra and tomatoes) and Heather had a Tomato Soup with Paneer Cheese. Well, after we ate all of that our server (they call themselves Merchants) asked if we were going to try for our entrees. Are you kidding!?!?!?! We're all business about food in this family! Heather had a Lamb Rack with a pilaf that was very cool and I got Beef Short Ribs, Basmati Rice, and Spinach with Paneer Cheese. WOW! Heather's taught me alot about eating and I would have never gotten the Spinach in the past, but this time it put my meal over the top! Oh, then dessert. Heather had a orange infused layer cake with saffron sauce and I had a Chai Cream. Wow!

So, ready to explode we went to MK and hung out. Had some Dole Whips. Went back to the room late and crashed.

The next day we went back to Epcot so the FP could do Soarin' (her favorite ride, and mine.) We made our way back into World Showcase and met Mulan, got Miyuki to make us candy this time (a green tiger) and had some eats in China (I had this cool Beef Noodle Bowl) and then Heather headed off to DHS by herself. I took the kids to Club Cool and tried some Coke products(I love the Kinley Bitter Lemon) and then we went back to the room. By all accounts Heather had the best time of the trip, for her, in DHS. I am so glad she had a good time.

We got Heather at DHS after nap and headed over to Downtown Disney. We had a really great meal at Wolfgang Puck Express. It has got to be the second best Counter-Service value on the Dining Plan because it is SO expensive. We found a lovely set of earrings for a friend of Heather's and then it was sleepy time.

We finished off our trip in Magic Kingdom. We were able to get the FP on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad twice and I was able to take her on Splash Mountain (and avoid the mega water cannon.) We got back on Buzz Lightyear and we were abl to eat at Liberty Tree Tavern in the Benjamin Franklin room. We drug ourselves back to the car, but not before anice man in the Art of Disney store entertained the CCM for quite a while while Heather waited on me and the FP to come back from BTMR.

All in all, a great trip. Now we've got to put some real space between now and the next trip. Heather docked at the Beach Club on her boat ride to DHS from Epcot and she's in love. Maybe that's where we're going next...