Thursday, February 26, 2009

Warm Weather Here We Come!!! (Or So We Thought!!)

With the Toledo area having 2 feet of snow on the ground, covered in 4 inches of ice, and after the cell phone vs. snowblower incident, we decided it was time to flee the state and head south.
Somehow it didn't go quite as planned though.
The snow seemed to have travelled with us. Here we're at the South Carolina welcome center. Don't worry though, this wasn't the end of it. When we got to Dad and Lizzie's, it started snowing there too!!!! Luckily it didn't last too long or even stick to the ground.
The view from Dad and Lizzie's

Our journey continues...Disney here we come!!!!!


Our campsite at Fort Wilderness before we got set up (and before it dropped to 29 degrees) Jay cooking at our campsite

We could see some of the Wishes Fireworks from our campsite




Views around Fort Wilderness


Pioneer Hall
The Lawn Mower Tree

The Beach


One day we took a boat from Fort Wilderness to the Magic Kingdom, then took the monorail to the Contemporary Resort, and then a boat back to Fort Wilderness


The Contemporary Resort and the new Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort
Another view of the Contemporary from the boat we were on
Going over the water bridge that connects Bay Lake with Seven Seas Lagoon
Magic Kingdom from the Contemporary Resort
A peek inside the Contemporary Resort

Since the pool at Fort Wilderness was closed, we were able to go swimming at the pool at the Wilderness Lodge

Inside the Wilderness Lodge lobby

The pool at the Wilderness Lodge
We had some swimming companions at the Wilderness Lodge pool

After camping we stayed at the Pop Century Resort
Our room was in one of the '50's buildings right by one of the big bowling pins (the staircase)
A very big Tramp
A very big Lady
Magic Kingdom, Here We Come!!!!
Cinderella Castle
Carrie and Belle
Carrie and Cinderella

More views at the Magic Kingdom

Meeting Iridessa (one of the fairies from Tinkerbell)
Meeting Tinkerbell (This one's for you Sara)
Meeting Fawn (another one of Tinkerbell's fairies)


Wishes Fireworks at Magic Kingdom


The Castle and Partners statue at night


One night we went to the Grand Floridian Resort to have dinner at 1900 Park Fare (a character dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, the Evil Stepmother, and the two step sisters).

Carrie with Prince Charming
Jay with Cinderella
Again we saw the Wishes fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, this time from the Grand Floridian
A look around the pool at the Grand Floridian
Inside the Grand Floridian main building
After eating dinner one night, we went to play mini golf at Disney's Winter Summerland course. One course looks like what Santa and his elves so in the winter and the other course looks like what Santa and his elves do during the summer.
Santa statue at the beginning of the courses

An igloo for the elves
The castle in the snow
Minnie snow figure
Mickey and Pluto snow figures
The castle in the sand
Goofy sand statue
Donald sand statue

We went to the Spirit Of Aloha Dinner Show at the Polynesian Resort. In the show, they introduce you to different Hawaiian customs and dances.

One of the Hawaiian Dances



Fire Dancer



On our last day, we stopped at Disney's Hollywood Studios before heading over to Epcot.

The Sorcerer's Hat
Floral Sorcerer Mickey
Jay and Prince Caspian
Epcot

Spaceship Earth
Mexico
Norway
China
Germany
United States

After spending some time at Epcot, it was time for Jay's christmas present. Dive Quest at The Living Seas in Epcot.


A Hidden Mickey in The Living Seas


Some Fish
Man Made Coral
Jay in the water

A Few Other Things We Saw
Coronado Springs Resort
We saw Herbie at the Wide World of Sports
The Pool at Port Orleans French Quarter
Jackson Square at Port Orleans French Quarter Resort
Eventually we had to head back to the great white, icy, cold north.
We get a good laught at those Chik-Fil-A signs in Atlanta. Gotta love the cows.


Good Eats
While we were at Disney, we had some incredible food on the Meal Plan
The Wave-A Healthy Restaurant at the Contemporary Resort
Grilled Marinated Flank Steak with Seasonal Vegetables and Chimichurri
Cinnamon Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Honey Roasted Root Vegetables and Apple Cider Sauce
Chocolate Mint Mousse, Strawberry Sorbet, and Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
Vanilla Braised Pineapple Spears, Almond Pineapple Raisin Baklava, and Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce
Pinocchio Village Haus-Lunch at Magic Kingdom
Caesar Salad
Pepperoni Pizza, Side Salad, and Strawberry Cheesecake

1900 Park Fare-Dinner at the Grand Floridian Resort
Desserts-Lemon Meringue Tarts, Chocolate Mousse, Carrot Cake, Fruit Tarts, and Cheesecake Tarts

Wolfgang Puck Express-Lunch at Downtown Disney

BBQ Chicken Pizza
Roast Beef and Cheddar Foccacia Sandwich

Maya Grill-Dinner at Coronado Springs Resort

Mixed Grill-Filet Mignon, Fresh Catch (Baked Tilapia), St Louis Style Ribs, Mixed Vegetables, and Mashed Potatoes
Filet Mignon, Sauteed Shrimp, Mixed Vegetables, and Baked Potato
Fried Cheesecake
Creme Brulee


Spirit of Aloha-Dinner Show at the Polynesian Resort

Pineapple-Coconut Bread, Sweet Golden Pineapple, and Mixed Greens with Mango Poppy Seed Dressing
BBQ Pork Ribs, Roasted Chicken, Polynesian Rice, and Mixed Vegetables
Kilauea Volcano Delight-Chocolate Mousse over Chocolate Sponge Cake with Raspberry Sauce Drizzle, Served on top of Pineapple Sauce.

Cooke's of Dublin-Lunch at Downtown Disney

The Original One and One Fish and Chips
Mini Irish Sausages and Chips
Doh Bar (deep fried Snickers bar with a funnel cake batter)
YYYYYYYYYYYUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you ever have the chance, go ahead and splurge, it's well worth it.

Our Last Night-Le Cellier in Canada at Epcot (one of our favorites)
Le Cellier Mushroom Filet Mignon served with cream cheese mashed potatoes and finished with white truffle-herb butter sauce (minus the mushrooms, of course)
New York Strip topped with bercy butter served with balsamic red onions, watercress, and roasted yukon potatoes
Chocolate-On-Chocolate Whiskey Cake-Chocolate cake brushed with Canadian Whiskey layered with Chocolate Mousse finished with Honey-Thyme Anglaise and a Chocolate Vanilla Walnut Sauce
Campfire S'mores

At Goofy's Candy Co. at Downtown Disney, you can design your own treat. You can start off with your choice of snack (cookie, rice krispie treat, gingerbread mickey, marshmallow, pretzel rods), and then you decide what you want it dipped in, topped with, and drizzled with .


Jay got 4 marshmallows on a Mickey straw, dipped in dark chocolate, topped with sprinkles and mini M&Ms, and drizzled with milk chocolate.

Before we left, we both got a set of pretzel rods.

Jay's-All dipped in dark chocolate and drizzled with milk chocolate, one with mini M&Ms, one with peanuts, and one with mini milk and white chocolate chips.
Carrie's-One dipped in white chocolate with chopped pecans and caramel and milk chocolate drizzle, one dipped in milk chocolate with chopped peanuts and white chocolate drizzle, and one dipped in milk chocolate with Reese's Pieces with white chocolate drizzle.

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