Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures | Tales from my (mostly Disney) travels! | Page 2

- Grandeur of the Seas – Bridges, Main Dining Room Dinner Night #1
  
  Posted at 7:28 pm by taryngirl, on August 30, 2018
  After checking out our room, we headed back up to the deck to check some things out. First stop…the ice cream machine! We stopped here no less than twice a day…
  
  We checked out some other areas of the ship:
  
  The stairs in the Centrum:
  
  A Porthole:
  
  We headed to the muster drill. We were supposed to be on Deck 5 outside, but major storms were rolling in. So instead we were inside the theater. It was a little bit chaotic since multiple stations were located inside, but at lease we could sit down!
  
  From following different message boards and researching, I knew that we were going to:
  - Pass under the Key Bridge (and be able to see a red, white and blue buoy, which is the location where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner)
  - Pass under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
  - Pass over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (which we drive ON every summer to go to the beach!)
  I also had seen different times when these were supposed to be happening. I knew the Key Bridge was coming up soon, so we headed outside on deck 5 and could see it coming in the distance! It was perfect timing. Just off camera here to the left is where the red, white and blue buoy is.
  
  It was also perfect timing for us to head back and get ready for dinner. Our luggage up to this point had not been delivered yet. Once we got back to the room, our little suitcase was there, but not our big one! I talked to our room steward and he said I should have had it by now, and said to go down to deck 1, which I knew was the “naughty room.” A few different things can make you end up in the naughty room…alcohol, power strips, irons, crock pots…anything on the banned item list. I knew I had none of these, so at this point I was just hoping my suitcase WAS there!
  
  Yep. It was. I was too scared to take a picture because there was security…and luggage, everywhere! I was amazed at some of the items that were being pulled out of the suitcases. I claimed my suitcase and they told me I couldn’t have a power strip. I didn’t have one and tried explaining. They opened the suitcase and then ran it through the machine again. I was fine! So away we went with the suitcase to get ready for dinner.
  
  Dining on Royal Caribbean
  - There are 3 different dinner options when booking your cruise.
    - Assigned time of 5:30 p.m.–This is located in the Main Dining Room on the Grandeur, Deck 4–Great Gatsby. You will have the same wait staff for the length of the cruise.
    - Assigned time of 8:00 p.m.–Also located in the Main Dining Room on the Grandeur, Deck 4–Great Gatsby. You will have the same wait staff for the length of the cruise.
    - My Time Dining–This is a great option if you don’t want to be tied to a set time. If you want more flexibility with your evenings and days when you are in port, this will work great for you. You CAN make reservations through your Cruise Planner online, or you can just show up during dinner hours posted in the Cruise Compass. By just showing up, you may have a wait depending upon how many other people are doing the same thing as you! This is located in the Main Dining Room Balcony on the Grandeur, Deck 5–Great Gatsby. You may have different wait staff throughout the cruise.
  - Another option is to eat in the Windjammer buffet up on deck 9. You can choose to do this any evening you wish, even if you choose one of the above three choices. It’s a courtesy to alert your main dining room wait staff so they know not to expect you.
  - There are also a few dining locations on the Grandeur that you can pay an upcharge to eat in. I didn’t eat in any of these so can not share any tips or advice! I will say, I didn’t really want to pay additional to eat when the Main Dining Room is included in your cruise fare!
  We arrived at about 5:25 p.m. on deck 4 (just one above where our cabin is…super convenient!) The entrance to the Main Dining Room is next to the main “hub” of action…the Centrum. This is where they play live music, and have other entertainment. This area was PACKED! And there was a line that wrapped around to get into the Dining Room doors. I think this happens on the first night on almost any ship because no one knows where their table is! After the first night, it’s a breeze.
  
  We were escorted to our table, and to my surprise, we were seated with 2 other groups! I thought for sure we would have our own table because there were 5 of us. But we were at a table for 11! A family of 4 from Australia, and 2 friends from England (1 lives in US now). We absolutely loved meeting these people!
  
  I had already browsed some menus prior to getting on the ship. There was a big hubbub a few months ago when Royal changed their menus!
  
  Night 1 Menu:
  
  You can see the Starters, Main Courses, and Desserts. Some of these were standard on the menu and served every single night.At the bottom are a few “Premium Selections” that you can order and be charged the amount shown next to the entree.
  
  Kid’s Menu (same every night):
  
  We met our waiter, Austin from India, and our assistant waiter, Kevin from the Philippines. They both were very good and very efficient. They did expect our entire order, including dessert, right off the bat.
  
  I mentioned earlier that during the muster drill we were having thunderstorms. Well they didn’t stop! They continued the entire way down the Chesapeake! I was glad we were wayyyyyy out to sea yet. The lightning was non-stop! This was the Chesapeake Bridge while we were eating.
  
  I ordered the Caesar Salad and the Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup.
  
  The Caesar Salad was okay. Not the greatest, not the worst. I particularly liked the shaved Parmesan cheese. The soup was amazing! And I don’t really love mushrooms.
  
  My daughters both had the Seasonal Fruit Plate. My youngest only eats watermelon, and my oldest eats everything except cantaloupe.
  
  The fruit was very fresh! And between the 3 of us we ordered at least 2 plates each evening.
  
  Chicken Waldorf Salad:
  
  Shrimp Cocktail:
  
  These were eaten by others at our table. I’m assuming they were good because no one complained!
  
  Kid’s Pizza with French Fries:
  
  She deemed this one of the best pizzas she ever had! And she would continue to have. Every.single.night.
  
  Spaghetti Bolognese:
  
  My oldest daughter ordered this. And she ate every single last noodle. We were supposed to share, and I had one bite. I LOVED the sauce! It was so good that I would order this later in the week for myself.
  
  New York Strip Loin:
  
  I realllllly wanted to love this steak. But it was just okay. I prefer Filet Mignon so this was just eh. I’m glad I got it cooked medium. The potato and vegetables were great!
  
  Here are a few dishes others at our table ordered:
  
  (This may have been the fish of the day?? Or the Horseradish Crusted Salmon?)
  
  Aged Prime Rib of Beef:
  
  Next up was dessert!
  
  Warm Hazelnut Chocolate Cake:
  
  If you like hazelnut, you will love this! It was so delicious! Very warm, and perfect with the whipped cream.
  
  Royal Cheesecake:
  
  My oldest daughter got this every single night! It was SO GOOD. I’m picky about cheesecake! And the strawberries were perfect with this.
  
  Royal Chocolate Cake:
  
  I think this was very good, because there was none left!
  
  Overall we loved our experience in the Main Dining Room, and were stuffed to the gills when we left.
  Posted in Cruise, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized, Vacation | 0 Comments | Tagged Food Picture, Foodie, Grandeur of the Seas, Great Gatsby, Main Dining Room, Menu Picture
- Disney’s Polynesian Villa Deluxe Studio Lake View
  
  Posted at 3:46 pm by taryngirl, on August 29, 2018
  After a quick lunch at Captain Cook’s we headed directly to our room. We didn’t have to stop at the front desk in the lobby because they had both emailed and texted our room number to us. We were using our Disney Vacation Club points, and reserved a Deluxe Studio–Lake View. Here’s a quick video tour:
  
  The Deluxe Studios here at the Polynesian have two bathrooms. One with a regular shower/tub, toilet and sink:
  
  The second bathroom has a really awesome shower and a sink:
  
  The kitchenette is a nice feature. It includes a microwave, toaster, coffee pot, and mini-fridge. Also provided are some paper products including a roll of paper towels, paper plates and paper bowls.
  
  The bedroom and living area include a Queen size bed, a pull out sofa, and a murphy style bed that pulls down under the television.
  
  We had an amazing view from our patio:
  
  Pros of staying at this resort:
  - Location! You are two monorail stops away from Magic Kingdom. You can walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center to get on the monorail for Epcot. You can take a boat to Magic Kingdom also if you prefer.
  - Atmosphere. This resort really makes you feel like you are on an island somewhere. If you love tropical, Hawaii type feel, then this is the resort for you.
  - Restaurants. I love every single restaurant here. Kona Cafe has great breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also serve really good sushi (so I’ve been told…I don’t eat it!). Ohana is my favorite restaurant anywhere on Disney property. The food is SO GOOD! It’s served family style. They also have the Pineapple Lanai that served Dole Whip!
  - Cast Members. The people that work at this resort are super friendly. Every single one that we crossed paths with said “Aloha” to us!
  - Pool! The pool here has undergone some renovations and now includes a splash area. There’s also a water slide. If you prefer something more relaxed there is a quiet pool as well.
  Cons of staying at this resort:
  - Price. This is an expensive resort. The average price per night on the smallest room type is $525. That’s the average!
  If we get the opportunity, we will definitely stay at this resort again!
  Posted in Deluxe Studio, Disney, Polynesian Villa, Polynesian Village Resort, Room Review, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Deluxe Studio, Disney, Lake View, Polynesian, Polynesian Villa, Polynesian Village Resort
- Captain Cook’s Lunch
  
  Posted at 11:37 am by taryngirl, on August 28, 2018
  
  When we arrived to the Polynesian, I was starving. So we headed directly to Captain Cook’s, which is the quick service location there. I hadn’t stayed at this resort for 5 years, and this location had undergone some renovations since then. Here’s the lunch/dinner menu posted (August 2018):
  
  Each quick service location seems to operate differently. For this particular one, there was a queue set up and 3 registers. You order at the register and they give you pager. You can order “for here” or “to go.” If eating here, you simply go to your table and sit putting the pager on the table. If taking it to go, there’s a to go counter just to the left of the registers. If you are ordering a kid’s meal, be sure to note what all comes with it! It’s usually 2 “sides” and a drink. The sides may be carrots, grapes, apples, a cookie, fries, etc. At this location you have to go to the refrigerators and retrieve any of the cold items, including the kid’s drink.
  
  Another random note…if you are on the Quick Service Dining Plan, or the Standard Dining Plan, as your beverage you can get a single serve alcoholic drink. Pictured here you can see some beer. This would count as your beverage if you don’t want a soda, etc!
  
  The buzzer:
  
  And my choice for lunch, Pan Asian Noodles and Vegetables with Chicken:
  
  Being the planner I am, I already had a list of all of the food I wanted to try on this trip! I had googled menus, pictures, review, etc. I knew I had to have these noodles!
  
  My review: They were just okay. Boo. I was expecting more flavor! I did eat almost all of it, and it was a good portion size. Good mix of vegetables, chicken and noodles. I don’t think I’d order it again here though! I might try the Pork Fried Rice or the Hot Beef and Cheddar (which looked amazing!).
  
  Stay tuned for more reviews from here! We did have a few more meals here for breakfast and lunch.
  
  Posted in Captain Cook's, Dining Review, Disney, Polynesian Village Resort, Quick Service, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Captain Cook's, Disney, Foodie, Polynesian, Polynesian Village Resort, Quick Service
- Grandeur of the Seas Cabin 3061
  
  Posted at 1:27 pm by taryngirl, on August 27, 2018
  
  It’s time to take a tour of our stateroom! Since we had two separate staterooms, we wanted them to be connecting. Options were somewhat limited for this for the exact category we wanted. We knew we wanted to be on a low deck mid-ship due to some motion sickness issues. The 4th, 5th, and 6th decks had all of the action, so we opted for the 3rd deck knowing we could walk up a few flights of stairs if the elevators were full. Elevators were not an issue for us except on embarkation day when EVERYONE is trying to get up to deck 9! Also, I always check the deck plans of the ship so I can see what’s below us and what’s above us.
  
  I was able to find cabins 3059 (Inside–Category 2V), and 3061 (Inside–Category 1V). Both were 136 square feet. Just a little blurb on Inside vs. Oceanview vs. Verandah vs. Suite…we prefer an Inside cabin. I like it to be dark, and I like to save some money so we can do more excursions. The price difference is just too much for me to justify it based on how much time we actually spend IN the cabin! We are basically there to shower and sleep! Now, when we do an Alaskan cruise or Panama Canal, then I would consider a balcony/verandah.
  
  Another word of warning before you watch this video…cruise cabins are SMALL! Not like normal sized hotel rooms. My filming seems very CLOSE…well it was! There’s only room for 1 person to stand in the bathroom. I promise I will get better at videos!
  
  The sleeping area:
  
  The desk area and closet:
  
  Inside the cabinets and the safe:
  
  These are the ONLY 2 plugs in the entire cabin! Surge protectors are not permitted and they are very strict with this on this ship! They confiscated a large number of these from people’s luggage. I may or may not have had to go to the naughty room myself! To be discussed in a later post…
  
  Inside the closet:
  
  The bathroom:
  
  Posted in Cruise, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Cruise, Cruise Cabins, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Trip Report
- Mother/Daughter Disney Trip! August 2018
  
  Posted at 10:40 pm by taryngirl, on August 25, 2018
  I know I’m in the middle of writing my August Grandeur of the Seas trip report, but I have to also start my DISNEY WORLD trip report! So I’ll probably be alternating, but to read straight through either report, be sure to check my Trip Reports tab where I will have links so you can follow in order.
  
  THE PLAN:
  - Who–myself, my two daughters, my cousin, her two daughters
  - What–all girl cousin trip!
  - When–August 11-18th
  - Where–Polynesian/Bay Lake Tower
  - Why–one last hurrah before school and soccer start, to use our DVC points, we all have an annual pass, and WHY NOT?!
  So we knew we wanted to go in August, but had to plan around school and soccer schedules, and other family vacations. Also, because I am a Disney Vacation Club Member, my new points came available August 1st. So I had to plan for some time after that. My cousin, Alex, had already made her reservation at Polynesian Village Resort, by renting DVC points. She planned to arrive 3 days before us. We had gone once in August before and I swore NEVER AGAIN! It’s so dang hot, and it rained every day. But alas, August it was! After several changes of resort for us, we decided on Polynesian Village Resort and Bay Lake Tower. I wanted to do the split stay so I could experience more than one resort to share with my Disney clients.
  
  About a month ago, we made the decision that my oldest daughter would not be able to make the trip. She is on a premier soccer team and we had gotten the schedule. You guessed it…a tournament! It’s her first year on this team and we just didn’t think it was a good idea to miss several practices and then a tournament. So it would just be my youngest daughter and I making the trip.
  
  We had been cruising from August 2-11th from Baltimore. Upon return to Baltimore, we had flights booked leaving at 1:30 p.m. ish. After researching, I saw there was a flight that left at 11:05 a.m., and there were varying times you could depart the ship. So I called Southwest and made the switch and canceled my oldest daughter’s ticket! It was super easy, and we now have a credit for her to use.
  
  We departed the ship around 8:15 a.m., got our luggage, went through customs and met my husband in the parking lot by 8:40 a.m. We headed directly for the airport. He dropped us right around 9:00 a.m. There was a flight leaving at 9:45 a.m. ish that I inquired about at the counter, but it was too late because our luggage still had to be checked. It would not have made the plane! So we could leisurely make our way to our gate. One note at security…we had to take out any electronics that were larger than a cell phone. I’ve never had to take my iPad out before. Also, all food/snacks had to be taken out and put in a separate bin. (This was the moment I found the huge zip loc bag my mother had given my daughter in case she got hungry. It was filled with chocolate twizzlers and caramel creams…)
  
  We made it through security and headed to our gate. We weren’t hungry because we had eaten breakfast on the ship before we got off. I caught up on some work things and Kinsey caught up on her YouTube. By the way…I LOVE MY NEW AMERICAN TOURISTER MICKEY LUGGAGE!
  
  We had a great flight, and once in Orlando, made our way over to the B side to head to the Magical Express transportation area. I noticed a new sign! AND hand sanitizer! That was a definite difference I noticed on this trip. Hand sanitizer dispensers near or in most restaurants on Disney property. I am a fan!
  
  This was about 1:45 p.m. on a Saturday. Look how empty it is! The Polynesian was lane 2 and we were the only ones in it!
  
  A few people did eventually come in behind us before we were able to board a bus. But it was still very empty in this whole area!
  
  If you are brand new to Disney World, or have never used Disney’s Magical Express, GO HERE to read all about it! It really is so convenient. In summary:
  - Disney will send you luggage tags in the mail once you register with Magical Express. They are yellow, and you attach them to any luggage you are checking at your airport.
  - You get to the airport and make your way to the B side of Orlando Airport and head down to the Magical Express. Watch for signs! And there’s a map they will send you with your luggage tags. DO NOT GO TO BAGGAGE CLAIM if you put the yellow tags on your luggage!
  - You scan your Magic Band at the check in area, and they tell you which lane number to get in.
  - You board the bus and they drop you directly at your resort!
  - Your luggage will be delivered to your room…normally within 4 hours of arrival at the airport.
  WHAT I PACK IN MY CARRY ON! Since it can take up to 4 hours to receive your luggage, pack your carry on with any essentials you think you might need in that time frame. For me: Wallet, electronics, chargers, medication, deodorant, bathing suits if I think we will swim, MagicBands, a brush. This is all in case the luggage does not show up before we head to a park or to dinner, etc.
  
  I spy! This particular bus was stopping at three different resorts. We were lucky, and drew the first stop! Taken through the bus window because we were very near the front seat.
  
  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS RESORT! This is 100% my decor and atmosphere. We actually had professional pictures taken here at this resort when the girls were 3 and 5. This was one of the spots!
  
  UP NEXT…another piece of my cruise trip report!
  Posted in Disney, Uncategorized, Vacation, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged August, Disney, Disney's Magical Express, Magical Express, Planning, Polynesian, Polynesian Village Resort, Trip Report
- Grandeur of the Seas, Windjammer and Deck Pictures
  
  Posted at 7:54 am by taryngirl, on August 23, 2018
  
  Continuing on with embarkation day…
  
  We headed straight up to the pool deck, deck 9, and went to the Windjammer for lunch. It was about 11:45 a.m. at this point. The Windjammer is the buffet restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It has several different “stations.” There’s a Kid’s Corner, Healthy Corner, Dessert area, Bread/Soup area, Beverage station (lemonade, mango water, iced tea, water, coffee, hot tea), and regular hot choices, salad bar, etc. When we arrived it wasn’t full yet, but by the time we left, people were looking for tables!
  
  Here are some pictures of some of the food offerings during this lunch:
  
  And this is what I decided on!
  
  I wasn’t super hungry at this point, so I just nibbled on a few different things. I personally LOVED the bolognese sauce and would eat this several more times throughout the cruise!
  
  After lunch, I walked around and took some pictures of decks 9 and 10.
  
  This is where we spent a majority of our time! This is the Main Pool. There are also 4 hot tubs all around the pool.
  
  Shot from the 10th deck.
  
  This is the Solarium. Also on the 9th deck, and exclusive for adults only.
  
  A hidden gem on this ship is the Park Cafe. It’s located in the Solarium on deck 9, and offers some good eats! Sandwiches, salads, nachos, cookies, etc. etc. It’s a great place to grab a quick snack. Just not the serving hours in the Cruise Compass! Even though this is located in the “adult only” Solarium, children are permitted to go here to eat.
  
  Not shown are a bunch of tables and chairs, where people will sit and play all kinds of games they bring onboard. I even saw someone painting on a canvas! It’s super quiet compared to the outside main pool area. It’s also a little bit warmer and stuffier in my opinion, because there is no outside air coming in. I did hear from someone that while in port, they did open the roof.
  
  Also located in the back of the Solarium is the spa. I personally did not spend any time here on this cruise!
  
  Up Next…Our cabin and some inside pictures!
  
  Posted in Cruise, Dining Review, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Baltimore, Buffet, Cruise, Park Cafe, Pool Deck, Royal Caribbean, Solarium, Windjammer
- Grandeur of the Seas, Embarkation Day, Baltimore Cruise Maryland Terminal, Check In
  
  Posted at 9:28 pm by taryngirl, on August 21, 2018
  
  Our adventure began bright and early in the morning. My husband was driving us and dropping us directly at the port. It was about a two hour drive and our boarding time was anytime after 11 a.m. I like to budget in time for traffic, accidents, etc. and I like to be EARLY! So my goal was to be in the at 8:30 a.m. SUCCESS! We managed to fit 6 people and alllllll of our luggage and carry-on bags in my Sorento.
  
  The drive was very easy and we didn’t really hit any traffic. We were to the port by 10:45 a.m. I didn’t get any really good pictures of the Baltimore Port drop off area as we were very rushed! Since we were being dropped off, we were in a line of cars, and the porters were waiting to take our luggage right away. One note…porters generally do not work for the cruise line, but rather the port itself. I always tip them $1 per bag that I’m checking with them. They load the bags on carts that are driven to the ship. They are then delivered to your stateroom sometime throughout the afternoon.
  
  Once our luggage was taken care of, we took our carry-ons with us into the terminal. What do I pack in my carry-on for a cruise? Normally, a bathing suit, deodorant, prescription meds, passport, wallet, ID, any valuables and electronics. We then got into the security line. This is where they check your ID and booking information. The carry-ons do go through a scanner. We were able to bring a 12 pack of bottled water with no problems at this specific port. After security, we headed to the cruise check-in line.
  
  Here are a few pics from inside the terminal.
  
  At the counter, they gave us our first CRUISE COMPASS! This had all of the general information we needed for our boarding day.
  
  We also received a paper with all of the Officers onboard and other useful information.
  
  We also received information about the various Adventure Ocean Kid Clubs onboard.
  
  MUCH MORE TO COME!
  
  Up next…Grandeur of the Seas, Windjammer Buffet, and more!
  
  Posted in Adventure Ocean, Cruise, Cruise Compass, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Adventure Ocean, Baltimore, Cruise, Cruise Compass, Embarkation, Kid Clubs, Royal Caribbean, Terminal
- Royal Caribbean Cruise Line—Grandeur of the Seas
  
  Posted at 8:08 pm by taryngirl, on August 6, 2018
  Every summer, my children and I take a vacation with my mother. The past few years it’s been to the Jersey Shore. However, this year we had a special guest…my aunt from Australia! So we decided on something different. A New England/Canada cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Grandeur of the Seas. One deciding factor was the ability to drive to the port vs. having to pay for flights. And RC was having an amazing sale at the time I was looking!
  
  The itinerary:
  - Baltimore
  - At Sea
  - Boston
  - Portland, Maine
  - Bar Harbor, Maine
  - Saint John, New Brunswick
  - Halifax, Nova Scotia
  - At Sea
  - At Sea
  - Baltimore
  This was also appealing because I have never been to any of these ports! We always go south to the Caribbean.
  
  After booking, I kept a close eye every time Royal Caribbean would run a special promotion. One benefit of using a Travel Agent…they can check for discounts automatically when they are released! No need to have to do it yourself.
  
  Up Next…Day 1–Royal Caribbean Cruise on the Grandeur
  Posted in Cruise, Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Baltimore, Bar Harbor, Boston, Canada, Cruise, Grandeur of the Seas, Halifax, Maine, Massachusetts, New England, Nova Scotia, Portland, Royal Caribbean, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Saint John
- March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 5}! Part 2–Satu’li Canteen and Mobile Ordering
  
  Posted at 7:57 pm by taryngirl, on August 1, 2018
  
  DID YOU KNOW…that for some Quick Service restaurants throughout Walt Disney World, you can order ahead? This fantastic service is called MOBILE FOOD AND BEVERAGE ORDERING! (You can read all about it directly through that link that takes you to Disney’s official page.)
  
  Basically, instead of waiting in line, you can go onto your My Disney Experience App,
  
  This is the menu shown outside of the restaurant:
  
  The restaurant itself does have both indoor and outdoor seating. One note, there are signs on the tables stating you must be a patron of the restaurant in order to use the tables. So don’t plan on getting a table and sitting there while you wait for the rest of your party who is riding Flight of Passage.
  
  We stood outside the restaurant and used the My Disney Experience App to order our food. We walked in immediately. When entering, just look for the separate Mobile Order Pick Up window. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN THE REGULAR LINE! There was only one person in front of us in this line.
  
  If you didn’t order ahead, this is what the line looked like:
  
  What you can’t see is that the line snaked and then went out into the foyer area of the restaurant. SO WORTH ORDERING AHEAD! You can save so much time.
  
  Confession time…I was skeptical. I always have modifications, no this, extra this, etc. etc. You can still modify with the app!
  
  Now to the good stuff…the delicious food! I ordered the Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken Bowl with Rice and Creamy Herb Dressing and NO Boba Balls! This is also served with Crunchy Vegetable Slaw. I also asked for all three sauces on the side when I got up to the window. The other two sauces are the Black Bean Vinaigrette, and the Charred Onion Chimichurri. I mixed all three together in the bowl and it was SO GOOD. I will definitely eat here again and I will definitely order this exact same thing!
  
  My friend ordered the Kid’s Meal–Cheeseburger Steamed Pod which is served with Chips and a drink.
  
  My other friend ordered the Combination Bowl: Grilled Beef and Chicken with Rice base and the Chimichurri Sauce.
  
  They each also ordered a dessert. This is the Chocolate Cake (chocolate cake with a crunchy cookie layer and banana cream topping). We all tasted it. It was really good and super rich!
  
  The other dessert was the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse. (blueberry cream cheese mousse with passion fruit curd) I didn’t try this one, but they said it was good!
  
  I have eaten here on a past trip as well. These are some pictures of food my group ordered during that trip.
  
  Chopped Wood-Grilled Chicken with Romaine and Kale Salad Base.
  
  Regular order of the Cheeseburger Pods served with Chips.
  
  Overall, this quick service restaurant is one of my favorites! Be sure to give it a try at least once.
  
  Up next…Cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas!
  
  Posted in AEP, Animal Kingdom, Dining Review, Quick Service, Satu'li Canteen, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Animal Kingdom, Avatar, Disney, Foodie, Mobile Ordering, Pandora, Quick Service, Satu'li Canteen, Walt Disney World
- March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 5}! Part 1–Animal Kingdom
  
  Posted at 8:40 am by taryngirl, on July 18, 2018
  
  Sadly my departure day was here. BUT! I always get the latest direct flight home on Southwest. So I had some time to hit the parks until the afternoon. I started off with my usual breakfast at French Quarter, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory:
  
  Mickey Waffles with Sausage! This is by far, my favorite Quick Service breakfast!
  
  After breakfast, I headed to Animal Kingdom. I went straight to Pandora to meet up with my roommates. I spent some time taking pics!
  
  Pongu Pongu–a popular drink stand:
  
  Satu’li Canteen entrance:
  
  Inside Windtraders Shop:
  
  This land is so amazing!
  
  From there we headed over to Africa because we had a Fastpass+ for Kilimanjaro Safaris. This was taken on the bridge heading into Africa. It is just so amazing to me, how different each of the parks are!
  
  I rarely have the opportunity to “check out” every kiosk, etc., so I made sure to do that this time! This is Tamu Tamu Refreshments. I never knew they had Dole Whips here! AND you can get it with rum!
  
  I also got to look around the Harambe Market. It was just before opening time at 11 a.m., and there were a few people in line waiting already! I personally have never eaten anything from here yet. This area is really neat though!
  
  This is one of the “famous” walls throughout Disney World. See if you can find it next time you are there!
  
  One of my favorite places for a quick snack is Zuri’s Sweets Shop! I can always find a sweet treat here.
  
  The Harambe Fruit Market is another great place to grab a snack. You can see the Corn on the Cob counts as a Snack on the Disney Dining Plan (the purple and white logo DDP). The corn is not listed on the official menu online, but it was there in March!
  
  All of the items with the DDP symbol count as a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan!
  
  It was finally time for our Fastpass+! So we headed over to the Safari entrance. We were so lucky to see Augustus! The cute baby hippo!
  
  Lots of animals were out today!
  
  Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery menu (March 2018):
  
  You can also see more snacks as noted with the DDP symbol. From here we went to see the Festival of the Lion King. This is a DO NOT MISS show! It’s really fun to watch and action packed. I unfortunately didn’t take any pictures.
  
  We wanted to eat lunch at Satu’li Canteen back in Pandora, so we started to make our way there. Did you know there’s a path that can lead you there directly from the Festival of the Lion King? If you pull up the map on My Disney Experience you will see it. It was a really nice walk with not a lot of people! This ice cream cart was on the way. Note the DDP symbol for snacks!
  
  Looking from a spot on the path over towards Harambe.
  
  I had a Fastpass+ for Na’vi River Journey. It’s a really neat boat ride. It’s a little bit short, but the details are amazing! It’s very slow, no drops, a little bit dark inside, but perfect for anyone no matter the age or size. Here’s a short video I took!
  
  Up next….Satu’li Canteen and Mobile Ordering!
  
  Posted in AEP, Animal Kingdom, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged AEP, Africa, Avatar, Disney Dining Plan, Harambe, Harambe Market, Kilimanjaro Safari, Kusafiri, Na'vi River Journey, Pandora, Pongu Pongu, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, Snacks, Tamu Tamu, The World of Avatar, Windtraders Shop, Zuri's Sweets Shop
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