OB Goes to Orlando - Day 15 - Poly bound

[Orlandobelle]

Sunday 2nd November

We were up and about early this morning (just for a change) but no time for an early morning dip today. We set about loading all the luggage into the cars and met with a small problem. We’d had to change our 7 seater Dodge Grand Caravan for a ChryslerVoyager due to a problem with the brakes – and it was smaller – our suitcases wouldn’t fit into the trunk space ! We ended up having to fold up the rear seats (there were only 4 of us now so it wasn’t a huge problem but if we’d needed to fit the 6 of us in we’d have been in trouble).

By 9am we were off up the 27 and east on 192 for our breakfast, we decided after last night’s success at Golden Corral we’d try their breakfast buffet as well. Impressive (especially the selection of gateaux! ) but I prefer the Ponderosa for breakfast. Suitable replenished we waved goodbye to mam & dad after verbally going over the route to Miami airport at last a dozen times with them. Just before they left mam gave me a present to say thank you for organising the trip – the silk PJs I’d admired so much in Epcot

We headed off up World Drive to the Magic Kingdom gateway – I was so excited about going to the Polynesian. Keep right at the parking toll booths, flash my AP again (I love that bit!) and follow the signs to the Poly. It was so exciting to drive down the side of the parking lot and over the bridge that the trams go under enroute to the TTC. As we approached the security entrance I realised that not only did I have a ‘pink slip’ (we’d never been sent one) but I didn’t even have the confirmation number with me (oops). The security guard was very nice - especially once he realised we were brits – examined my driver’s licence very carefully and gave us a temporary parking permit. We pulled up under the covered section of the entrance road and were greeted with our first ‘aloha!’. I felt like royalty as we got out of the van and uttered the magic words ‘we’re staying concierge’. In no time at all our luggage was loaded onto a trolley and the bell-hop scurried away to see if our room was ready – it was only 11am lol! It was ready – room 3530 – (I’d requested 1st floor-patio or 3rd floor – balcony) so Steve took the girls into the lobby to visit the bathroom (ever predictable my two !) whilst a golf cart was summoned to whisk us and our luggage to Hawaii.

The girls absolutely loved travelling on the cart, we had a guided tour of the grounds, our driver pointed out all the interesting places and explained about the check in process & the concierge lounge. Basically we could go straight to our room and get settled in and then go down to the Concierge desk when we were ready to complete check in and pick up our keys etc Ahh – the luxury of not having to queue at the main lobby check in desks !

Our room was lovely …
… spacious, clean and a lovely view of the garden from the balcony but it just seemed so cramped after the villa!

We headed down to the concierge lobby and had our first encounter with the wonderful Christine. We were given our room ‘keys’ (Tinkerbell design) that would also give us access into the Hawaii Longhouse and give us charging privileges. Rachelle was very impressed that she had her own key. Now we were staying in Disney – on the monorail – and what did the kids want to do ? Go to Universal !

So, off to Universal we went – to the Studios as the girls wanted to ride Shrek again. We decided to try preferred parking today (only $4 with my AP) as we only had a couple of hours – big plans for the evening ! The line for Shrek was too long but we struck lucky as Shrek himself was just about to come and meet his adoring public near the exit for the ride. Surprisingly Annabelle did not want to know (she adores the film) but Rachelle thought it was wonderful – as good as, if not better than meeting the princesses !
One thing we discovered about Shrek – he does not sign autographs ! Apparently he never learnt to read or write in the swamp

We got express passes for ET and grabbed lunch (chicken strips & mac n cheese) while we were waiting and had a visit from Curious George (although the girls had no idea who he was!) then headed over to ET. I think this was one of the girls’ favourite rides of the whole trip – especially when ET says their names at the end – we still get impressions from Annabelle even now. Our flying visit over it was time to head back to Disney.

On our way back in I called at the concierge desk to pick up a list of our PSs – another great perk of staying concierge – no transatlantic telephone calls ! Now there was a load of reservations on there that I hadn’t made – our Dreams Unlimited agent had got a bit carried away and booked all her recommendations for us even though I’d made my own arrangements with the Poly. There was one addition on there I didn’t mind though – Cindy’s for breakfast the following morning We went up to our room and found another surprise waiting for us…
Birthday cake #4 compliments of the Poly

…Then it was a quick change and ‘Off to Neverland’! We had booked Rachelle into the Neverland Club for 5:30pm and ourselves into Ohana for dinner @ 6pm (Rae isn’t a big meat eater) She climbed in through the window of Wendy’s bedroom, we were given a pager and asked where we were going to be and what time we were expecting to be back. Off we went to the Great Ceremonial Hall and upstairs to the restaurant. At the desk we requested a seat near the window (Wishes was at 7pm) and were told we may have to wait up to 30mins for a window table so we headed into the bar for cocktails. I had the most amazing lapu-lapu, served in a pineapple (but there was so much of it that I had a separate glass as well) We were seated by 6:15 and its just as well – two of those cocktails and I wouldn’t have been in any fit state to eat! What can I say about Ohana? The appetisers were fantastic – I could quite happily have made a meal out of those alone (salad with the most amazing lime dressing, wontons, green beans, chicken wings, banana bread). Then the main course – or should I say the meat ! Cooked over an open flame pit on skewers and brought to your table – as much as you can eat. Turkey, steak and shrimp – amazing, one of my favourite meals of the trip.


During the meal we watched the fireworks from our table (partially obscured by the framework around the windows but still good), the kids had coconut races and hula hoping (not too near our table) and there was a singer serenading birthdays and anniversaries. Included was dessert of fresh pineapple and caramel dipping sauce – mmmm (Annabelle and I literally fought over this !) Full and very happy we collected Rachelle from the Neverland Club (which she loved) and went back to our room. Fortunately we decided to go via the lounge to find we were just in time for ‘cordials & desserts’. Now I’m a dessert freak and I was in seventh heaven here ! The most amazing little chocolate cups of fruit mousse, fudge cake, and various other sweet things. Steve is an alcohol freak so he was more than happy to find ‘all you can drink’ brandy, baileys and kahlua on offer. We took a small selection back to our room (we were still stuffed from dinner) plus coffee, put the girls to bed and sat on the balcony with our drinks. Bliss !


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Day 7
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Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1
Day 0 - travelling

[Guest]

Sounds like a great time you were having there, O'Hana's sounds lovely - I can see why everyone raves about it. Nice little extras like the birthday cake too - wasn't that great.

thanks for the report

Carol

[Guest]

Wow what a great trip I love your photos too.

[Mike]

Now we were staying in Disney – on the monorail – and what did the kids want to do ? Go to Universal !

See more...

-

...what did you expect? Logic?

Ohana sounds great - we enjoyed our limited resort restaurant experiments at xmas (Boma, WCC) and want to try more next trip...this will probably be one!

Next, please, OB!

Mike

[Orlandobelle]

Been a bit busy this week but will get them finished soon - promise !

[Mike]

... still quiet here today, isn't it? Not much in the way of 'new reports' is there?

(faint sound of tapping fingers, clearing throats etc...)

..er, OB, any sign of , you know
THE NEXT DAY?



No rush!

[Orlandobelle]

to be honest I'd stopped writing them as nobody had replied - thought they were too boring

[Mike]

well I like them... I was so brain-burnt from writing mine, that I didn't really settle to reading anyone else's until this last week, and now I'm almost up to date here, on the DIS and wdisneyw!

More please!

[AlisonB]

I'm enjoying them too OB!

Didn't want to start replying to them all as they'd bump other very recent ones further down the page! Just thought I'd reply on the last one!

Keep going - keep going!