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Old 07-31-2005   #34 (permalink)
Dana
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Joisey
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Re: PiratesFan WDW Trip Report

Quote:
Originally Posted by PiratesFan
Dana, thanks for noticing the details. It has actually taken me a good while to write about each day even though I took good notes every night before bed. It has been a great way to give something back to DC and to accurately give a timeline to all of the pictures we took.

As for a couple of annoying incidents, they were really exceptions to an otherwise great time. My biggest peeve was the poor quality and selection of food at the Poly snack bar. With DDs 5 and 7, we were often taking breaks at the resort and just needed to grab some decent food that was not as elaborate as the Kona Cafe or Ohanas. I still miss the way the Col. Cotton Mill was in the Dixie Landings days. They offered a much better variety of food, morning, afternoon, and evening. I am begining to see the light why some people swear by concierge. Especially at the Poly. Kind of steep in price though just to avoid dry chicken and rubber hamburgers.

I know lots of DCers have favorite spots around the MK to eat at. We do to, but when you are in the parks, it is often dificult or not just impossible to pick any old place and expect to either find a table, not wait on a 30 min line just to order, require reservations, or find a menu without all of the pseudo gourmet food offerings that a finicky-to-normal 5 and 7 year old will be satisfied.

We thought that during this trip, we would avoid some of the food woes by booking lots of character meal PSs. For our 8 night, 9 day trip, DW booked 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 3 dinners. This was really great for all of us, but the times in between, mostly around diner, were a bit difficult. Many times we were in our home base park, the MK, and wanted to get a bite for this or that. Well, this or that, always meant leaving the park by monorail or boat, getting in the car, and either travelling to another park, resort, or go off-property (went to a Shonney's near DTD once). As I am sure most of you know, those kind of trips can take a really long time, especially when you have to dodge the parade and Wishes crowds. Not really an option at all when you have a hungry spouse and kids that need something soon.

Hopefully things will get better as the kids get older. Can't blame them for not wanting the same chicken strips and fries being offered in different places over and over.

PiratesFan
I feel the same way as you with the food offerings. I feel so bad for my DD who doesn't really eat a lot of the "normal" fast food. She eats chicken strips for 80% of the trip. I plan at least one sit-down meal a day so she gets a little variety. Those fast food places that actually have variety are the first ones to get full and not have a spare table when we decide we want to eat...lol We eat lunch at our resort often too. I have to have a break as does my DD who is 11 now and still needs to rest a bit after a hard morning in the parks. Besides aren't those breaks great? You get to refuel your stomach, yourself and your patience. I have found it easier to deal with the bumps in the road (example: rudeish guests) if I am not tired. I truely enjoyed every word of your trip report and thank you for the time you took to write it. Your reasons for doing that are the exact ones I have for writing the same details. Thanks agian.
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82 off-site ~ 91 off-site ~ 97 ASMusic ~ 00 ASMovies
02 Wilderness Lodge
~ 04 Animal Kingdom Lodge
05 Animal Kingdom Lodge & Polynesian

05 Port Orleans French Quarter
~06 Old Key West
07 Port Orleans French Quarter
~ 08 Old Key West~
09 Port Orleans French Quarter


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