September 2009 Visit

Wow! If any Disney Trip could be perfect this trip was as close as it could get starting with a pleasant on time flights. Every time we planned to board a bus for a Park or Resort it was right there waiting for us and not over crowded. The parks were not crowded so we walked right on to most rides or could easily obtain a Fast Pass to our favorites. Once again my wife spanked me like a red headed step child at the Toy Story 4D Attraction by over 30,000 points. Epcot's SORIN added a new Pine scent to a couple of the woods scenes adding to the enjoyment of flying across California. During our visit to the Magic Kingdom we experienced another Walt Disney World first! We meet Scoop on Main Street where we made our very first of three trades with him. If not familiar how it works, you pick a hidden pin from Scoop's suspenders - then you must pick the matching hidden pin. If you pick the matching pin and everyone does, Scoop digs out a special pin from his leather bag. After my wife and I both traded with Scoop he asked if I would trade one of my "D23" Pins I had on my camera strap. He traded us a Haunted Mansion AP (Artist Proof) pin for one of my extra "D23" Pins to put on his vest. Scoop, Hildegard and Fire Chief Trumpetto can be found on Main Street at different times of the day. After all these years and visits, this was our first meeting with Scoop and Hildegard outside a Pin Convention.

The only thing that went a bit wrong was our return from the Poly Resort's Kona Cafe on our last night, it took over two hours. At the time it was not too funny, however after the fact it is hilarious. We planned to ride the Monorail to Epcot and catch a bus from their to the Caribbean in order to avoid the crowd exiting the Magic Kingdom since it had just closed. First the Monorail did not adhere to it's policy of in and out of the stations in 90 seconds. Once we arrived at the transportation center we walked down one ramp and up the other to take the Monorail to Epcot. Only to be told that there was no Bus service at Epcot. So we went down and up the ramps once again to ride all around the circuit back to Magic Kingdom. My wife and I hopped on the third bus to our resort and for some reason the bus went in the back way which made us the last stop instead of the first.

Finally had a meal at Sanaa's at the Animal Kingdom Lodge!

If you read our June 2009 adventure than you know we attempted to dine at the Animal Kingdom Lodge's Sanaa Restaurant. We arrived on time for our 7pm reservation and were seated within less than 10 minutes. Our waitress "Carrie" was very pleasant, friendly and helpful explaining the menu and each item we had questions about. My wife and I shared the Indian style Bread service which includes choice of three breads and 3 accompaniments. Not knowing one from the other we chose the Naan, Paratha and Paneer Paratha flat breads with the very spicy Garlic-Ginger Pickle, Sweet and light heat Tamarind Chutney and the Cucumber Raita which was great to cut the heat after the Garlic-Ginger Pickle. Verdict: Very Good and full of flavor. Although enjoyable the ever thrifty wife feels it was not worth $8.99, however I found it well worth the price. After all it breaks down to under $5.00 each for an appetizer.

My wife chose the slow cooked Chicken with red curry and Beef short ribs  with the five-grain pilaf, where as I chose the Shrimp with green curry and the beef short ribs with the Basmati Rice. My wife and I are in agreement that the best of the three "Slow Cooked Meals in Gravy" was the very flavorful melt in your mouth beef short ribs. My wife may have cared more for the chicken however, I believe she may still be a little put off chicken because of our previous Disney visit. The Slow cooked in gravy entrées are served in small individual bowls on a long thin plate. We took Carrie's advice and poured our small bowls on the plate so the juices would blend a little with the rice and ease of cutting the meat. As a side note when the meal is first set down it may appear to not be very much food. I'm a very big eater (TOO BIG) and it was more than enough for me. Verdict: Excellent and full of flavor, well worth the trip.  In fact it was good enough for me to fall just below the Shrimp and coconut curry soup at the Kona Cafe at the Poly resort. Personally I believe Sanaa should serve a portion of flat bread with each entree.

Although we really did not have much room for desert, the dining plan forced me to have to eat one (I have bruises on my arm from Carrie twisting it), darn the luck. My wife opted for the eggless chocolate cake and I chose the butter cake. Mine was just fine, where as my wife and I both agree the cake was dry. In defense of the Chocolate cake it was served with a mango sherbet that we both do not care for the Mango flavor. I would guess that the combination of the two would eliminate the dryness of the cake. Verdict:  Good, just to full to enjoy the deserts. Oink, Oink!

After riding Toy Story and some heavy Pin Trading we enjoyed a late afternoon meal at Hollywood Studio's Brown Derby. Our meal began with one of our favorites foods from Disney World the Famous Cobb Salad for two. We both opted for the Sterling Silver Pork Tenderloin with white cheddar mustard spaetzle, Swiss chard, onion pomegranate relish and cider aus. We finished off with the Strawberry cheesecake and Double vanilla bean Creme Brulee. Verdict:  I enjoyed mine, where as my wife's pork was over done. Had she mentioned it too me I would have traded with her as I do not mind my pork a little well done. Unfortunately no matter where we dine across the country, if a meal in our group has a problem it is usually served to my wife. I can't explain it, however it simply works out where they will serve her the cold meal, over or under cooked meal. My daughter will many times had the same problem so her husband solved the problem by always ordering the same meal as our daughter and trade her when served. He doesn't care for "Conflict". However I have no problems with letting a server know that a meal is incorrect.

Since the Brown Derby is a signature restaurant it requires two of your seat down dining plan. Normally you would have to pay for the appetizer, however since we where opting for the Fantasma meal the appetizer was included. So even if you do not plan to attend the Fantasma Show and the meal times fit your schedule opt for the Fantasma meal plan. The cost is the same requiring two seat down meals yet a appetizer for each is included in the package at no additional cost.

We attended the first Halloween Party of 2009 on September 4th for an evening of Costumes, Trick or Treating and of course picking up the Limited Edition Halloween Party Pins for my wife's collection and a few for our trading page. Carolyn opted for the framed set rather than the individual pins as the set included all the individual pins plus an additional pin only available in the set. After riding the Pirates for the third time we had a quick meal at the El Pirata y el Perico across from the Pirates of the Caribbean and next to Pecos Bill. We had Beef Tacos and A Taco Salad which we found would put Taco Bell to shame with the amount of fresh Beef that Disney offers in the crisp Ortega shells and side bar. (Enough meat in one Disney Taco to equal 3 or 4 Taco Bell Tacos and the meat tastes like beef rather than the Taco Bell meat and filler taste.)

We rested in front of the Pin Trading Center at Frontierland waiting for 7pm to purchase the new Limited Pins. It was a comfortable one and a half hours enjoying the crowd walking by as a cool breeze hit us in our rocking chairs. After walking all over the Park to Trick or treat we started for the front of the Park Trading Pins with every cast member we found. We had a great seat for Fireworks and the late Halloween Party Parade up on the patio of the Main Street Railway station. As I stated earlier, if any Disney trip could be perfect this one was the closest we have every come to having one.

Our last evening at Disney World we returned to Kona Cafe so I could have the best thing in Disney World the "Shrimp and Coconut Curry Soup". While I was enjoying the curry soup, my wife had the Kona salad as her appetizer. I had the Ginger crusted Ribeye which arrived cooked to perfection as was the yukon mashed potatoes, yet the stir-fried broccolini was undercooked as usual to the point of being raw. My wife's meal was served cold and overdone (Not just her opinion), however since it took almost an hour to be served our entrees my wife just ate the meal. Since our favorite server Debbie was off this evening we had her polar opposite " Andrew from Montgomery County CC" as our server. Andrew has to be the slowest uncaring server we have ever had the displeasure to meet. The tables around us served by others were seated after us, served and out the door before we had our entrees. The rest of our trip was fantastic so we chose not to let Andrew ruin any part of our trip. Even the two hour Monorail and Bus rides did not put a blemish on this great five day stay in Walt Disney World.

Weather: Was the warmest of all our Trips and had to use our Disney ponchos the least. Although it rained briefly each day we missed getting wet all but one afternoon and our trusty Disney ponchos kept us dry.

When you take your family to Disney World or any other family amusement center. Please remember that it is still the real world not fairy land where all is good. Evil can happen even at the happiest places and you need to protect your family. Do not allow our children to wander alone in the parks or resorts as Pedophiles are everywhere.  In fact it is our understanding that another young person was fondled or had a man expose themselves at one of the Disney water parks in July and August which brings the count to over 5 incidents for the summer of 2009. One can not blame Disney as they do the best they can with their part security and local sheriff's deputy on location in uniform and plain clothes. It is ultimately the child's guardians responsibility for their safety

September 2009

It must be the retired cop in me. I noticed an dramatic increase in uniformed and undercover security at the Magic Kingdom.

We plan to bring the good and the not so good about our Disney adventures.