On our way home from a wonderful week at the beach with Morgan's family, we decided to surprise the girls with a (very short) trip to Disney World. They had absolutely no idea. In fact, even when they saw all of the Disney World signage, they assumed we were just passing by. Alice said wistfully, "I wish we could go to Disney World." Morgan and I had to bite our tongues to keep from spoiling the surprise.
When we pulled into our resort, the questions finally started. Lucy asked, "What are we doing here? Are we stopping for lunch?" That's when we told them that not only were we stopping for lunch, we would be staying for 2 days. AND going to the Magic Kingdom. Words cannot describe the volume of screaming and cheering that ensued.
Since it was such a quick trip, we splurged on a stay at the Polynesian Village Resort. I love the whole feel of this resort - the stonework, the dark wood, the midcentury-tiki vibes. And - best of all - it's close to the Magic Kingdom, which is why we chose it for this particular trip.
When we arrived, our room wasn't ready yet, so we decided to get a bite to eat. In the days leading up to our trip, I tried to snag a reservation at the super-popular and recently-reopened restaurant 'Ohana, but I was unsuccessful. I knew that the lounge next door to 'Ohana, Tambu Lounge, serves some of the restaurant's popular offerings, including the famous bread pudding. Not to mention a cocktail called the Lapu Lapu, which is a bunch of rum and tropical fruit juices served in a hollowed-out pineapple. Unfortunately, we found out that Tambu Lounge doesn't start serving food until after 4 p.m. There was no way our hangry crew was going to make it until then. We tried to get a walk-up reservation at Kona Café, but had no luck there either. Reluctantly, we made our way downstairs to Captain Cook's, the resort's quick service option...
After a quick mobile order, we found a table out by the pool. I was feeling disappointed that we wouldn't get to try that bread pudding, and I was not optimistic about the food at Captain Cook's.
Boy was I wrong. My quick service meal - the pulled-pork nachos - was AMAZING. 10/10 would recommend.
By the time we finished our lunch, our room was still not ready, so we changed into our bathing suits to enjoy the pool...
The pool at the Polynesian is like a theme park in itself. There is a splash playground for younger kids, complete with a small waterslide. Esme was nervous to go down at first, but she quickly overcame her fear.
Esme wanted to spend the whole time here, running through all the little waterfalls and splashing down the little slide.
We didn't mind hanging out here either. There was also a medium-sized waterslide here that Alice loved.
There was also a giant waterslide that went through a massive "volcano". Esme and Alice were a little intimidated by this one, but Lucy probably went down the volcano slide 20 times.
I had to try a cocktail from the pool bar. This is "The Voyager", which is made with coconut Dole Whip. It was very sweet, but delish.
After we relaxed with our cocktails for a moment, it was back to chasing Esme around the splash playground. I didn't know how we would get her to leave, but around 5 p.m., I received word that our room was finally ready.
A slight bummer that I need to mention: when we finally arrived at our room, our magic bands would not unlock our door. We tried to unlock it with the My Disney Experience app instead, but that didn't work either. Thankfully, I happened to meet a cast member in the hallway who unlocked the door for me. He told me that the app is glitchy and doesn't always work. We decided to go to the front desk in the lobby and get everything sorted out. The cast member at the desk noticed that Alice's name appeared twice on our reservation and told us that if there are any errors like that, the My Disney Experience app won't work properly. I guess this is great for security purposes, but I learned a very important lesson in all of this running around: Check your reservation in the My Disney Experience app before your trip and make sure everything on your reservation looks right. Then, you won't have to spend precious vacation time trying to sort things out.
Sunset over the Seven Seas Lagoon was just the thing to make us forget that minor headache...
If you look closely, you can see the Grand Floridian across the water.
The "volcano" waterslide that was Lucy's favorite thing ever.
Since we didn't have a dinner reservation, we decided to place a to-go order from Kona Café. We managed to find some chairs out on the "beach", which is the perfect place to watch the fireworks over Magic Kingdom.
Lucy, Alice, and Esme loved getting to run wild on the beach. Until the fireworks started, we pretty much had it all to ourselves.
For dinner, we ordered a bunch of food to share from Kona Cafe's to-go menu: the spicy tuna sushi roll, crispy pork-vegetable pot stickers, glazed chicken wings with sticky sauce, and - cue choirs of angels singing - the bread pudding with homemade caramel sauce! Apparently, the famous 'Ohana bread pudding (or at least the 'Ohana bread pudding's copycat) can be found on Kona's to-go menu. I'm not sure why the bread pudding appears on the to-go menu and not on Kona Cafe's regular menu, but I was super excited to learn this.
When Morgan went to pick up our food and brought it back, the bread pudding wasn't there! I was crushed! I checked my receipt on the bag and, sure enough, the bread pudding appeared on the receipt. Perhaps there was a mistake. We couldn't do anything about it at the moment, however, because it was getting dark and the fireworks would start soon. Thankfully, the rest of our meal was AMAZING, and the Electric Water Pageant was delightful.
By now, more people had gathered on the beach. I was thankful we arrived early and got seats. The Electrical Water Pageant is very old-school Disney. It's basically a bunch of barges that light up and sail across the Seven Seas Lagoon. It's nothing fancy, but it is very nostalgic, and people love it. It was our first time getting to watch it.
The fireworks started soon after the Electrical Water Pageant ended. Since The Polynesian is right across the water from the Magic Kingdom, we had an awesome view of the fireworks show.
After the fireworks ended, we made our way back to our resort room. While I tucked the kids into bed, Morgan ran back to Kona Café with our take-out receipt to ask them about the bread pudding we ordered.
Here is one thing I will say about deluxe resort rooms: they are much larger and more comfortable for families. When we stayed at Pop Century Resort (a value resort) in November, we actually had to get 2 connecting rooms in order to have enough space for all of us. Our room at the Polynesian was much larger and slept all of us comfortably. So even though a deluxe resort is a splurge, it is a good value in that we only needed one room for our family. The downside, of course, is that one deluxe resort room is still more expensive than 2 value resort rooms, depending on the resort and the time of year. But when we factored in the resort's proximity to the Magic Kingdom as well as the amenities, like the pool, the cost was worthwhile for a shorter trip.
Now, back to the bread pudding saga. When Morgan returned, HE HAD THE BREAD PUDDING!!! The cast member he spoke with told him that, since the bread pudding comes a la mode, they can't set it out on the counter with the rest of the take-out orders. You have to ask for it to be brought out. So, there you go. Another lesson learned. Morgan and I sat out on the patio outside our resort room (I had requested a first-floor room because we have a stroller.) and shared the bread pudding. I had not requested a water view, but we still had a beautiful view of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Grand Floridian resort. And, oh yeah, the bread pudding was HEAVENLY. Definitely worth all the drama.
Good morning from the Polynesian! This resort is beautiful at all hours of the day. We were lucky to have beautiful, albeit very hot, weather.
I wanted to ride the boat from our resort to the Magic Kingdom, but I was outvoted. My kids love the Monorail.
I don't care how old I get, or how stressful it is to get out of our resort room on time. I will never get tired of the views of the Magic Kingdom from the Monorail.
Since it was summer vacation, we knew that the Magic Kingdom would be crowded and wanted to get there early. I would say we arrived about 30 minutes before the park officially opened, and already the crowds were out in full-force.
Walking right down the middle of Main Street U.S.A.
Once we arrived at the entrance to Adventureland, we had to wait for the park to officially open to go in We always like to head for Adventureland and Frontierland first-thing, since it seems most of the crowds make a beeline for Fantasyland. However, I think the people visiting Disney World on this particular day had the same strategy. The game plan was for Morgan to take the big girls on Splash Mountain (since that ride usually gets very long lines later in the day), while I took Esme on Jungle Cruise (a ride I like that no one else in my family really cares about).
Adventureland is my favorite land.
I was not prepared for how HOT is gets in central Florida in August. I mean, I knew it would be hot in theory, but holy cow. Also, Esme fell asleep in my arms while standing in line for Jungle Cruise. Imagine carrying a hot child that weighs as much as a sack of bricks while standing out in the hot sun. I was very happy to finally board our boat!
Esme woke up as soon as we got on our boat. She loved the Jungle Cruise! Maybe I finally have a family member who will ride it with me!
I know these animals are fake, and you can see real animals on the safari in Animal Kingdom, but I still love this ride for its history and, of course, the puns.
When we got off the Jungle Cruise, Esme and I met the rest of our family over at Splash Mountain. There is a very cute playground for toddlers near the ride's exit. We got a Rider Swap (a special pass for parents with children too small to ride), and I got to ride Splash Mountain with Lucy and Alice, while Morgan hung out with Esme. He took her on Aladdin's Flying Carpets.
I love Splash Mountain.
After Splash Mountain, we rode the Haunted Mansion. When we were in Disney World back in November, the stretching room pre-show wasn't happening because of social distancing. It was so much fun to have that pre-show back!
After Haunted Mansion, we rode Peter Pan's flight. The ride broke down while we were waiting in line, so it took us a long time to get on our flying pirate ship. By the time we finished the ride, everyone was starting to feel a little hungry. We made our way to Fantasyland. Morgan took the two younger ones on Mad Tea Party, while Lucy and I picked up a couple of Cheshire cat tail pastries for us to share from Cheshire Café. They were delicious, but too small to really be sharable.
I am so glad Morgan will ride this ride with our kids. It makes me so dizzy!
After the teacups, we made our way to Tomorrowland. Alice was finally tall enough to ride Space Mountain, and she was so excited!
We got another Rider Swap, and Morgan took the older girls on Space Mountain, while Esme and I enjoyed The People Mover. I don't even know if you can technically call this a ride, but I love it so much. By this time, it was so hot that it felt nice to sit down and enjoy the breeze.
After we got off The People Mover, the rest of the family was still in line for Space Mountain. Esme was asking to see Cinderella Castle, so we walked over to Fantasyland for a little tour. We found the Sword and the Stone, the Wishing Well, Cinderella's Fountain, and walked through the center of Cinderella Castle to look at the beautiful mosaics. It was nice to slow down and appreciate these little details, especially with Esme who loves princesses.
By the time we met back up with the rest of our crew, it was starting to rain. But not just sprinkle. It was a full-on downpour. Basically, a giant wall of water pouring out of the heavens. I ran with Lucy and Alice to ride Space Mountain, while Morgan got some a cup of coffee and managed to keep himself and Esme, who was napping in the stroller, dry. After Space Mountain, we had time for one more ride before our late lunch reservation at The Plaza. By this time, the weather was starting to clear up, so we rode the Astro Orbiters.
The Plaza Restaurant is small, but really beautiful. The theming here is very turn-of-the-century, which fits in well with the rest of Main Street U.S.A. The Plaza is known for its comfort food; I ordered the meatloaf, and Morgan got the fried chicken. Both were delicious!
The best part about the Plaza is that it is right next door to the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, which means that the Plaza Restaurant also has excellent desserts.
Esme was a big fan!
By the time we had finished our late lunch, the sun had come out again! Time to head back to Adventureland for more rides.
We rode Pirates of the Caribbean, and then headed for one of my all-time favorites, The Enchanted Tiki Room.
Next we journeyed Under the Sea with The Little Mermaid...
The exterior / queue for this ride is one of my favorites...
In early August, Disney World required masks in all queues and on all rides, even outdoors. This didn't bother us so much when we visited back in November, but I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed masking in the August heat. Thankfully, masks outdoors were optional in common areas, or while eating and drinking in restaurants. We did get plenty of mask breaks throughout the day.
After riding Under the Sea, we made our way back through Fantasyland and happened to see the most beautiful double rainbow over the Magic Kingdom.
Is there anything more magical?!
Next, we headed for It's a Small World...
Esme had been singing the song all day and asking to ride this one.
She loves it so much!
After Small World, it was time to catch a runaway train through the Wild West...
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!
By this time, it was getting late, and the fireworks were about to start. Since we had already watched the fireworks the night before from our resort, we decided to take advantage of the lower crowds and ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. We got another Rider Swap pass. While Morgan took the older girls on the Snow White and the Seven Dwarf-themed coaster, Esme and I rode Winnie-the-Pooh.
She LOVED it.
She started crying when it was time to get off. Since there was no one else in line, the sweet cast member let us stay on and ride again. Esme's day was made!
After my turn on Mine Train with Lucy and Alice, the park was about the close for the night. Morgan, Lucy, and Alice wanted to take one last ride on Space Mountain. We booked it across the park to Tomorrowland, and we made it just in time.
Esme was still going strong...
Until she wasn't.
I can't believe this little one went park open to park close with only a brief stroller nap (and the nap in my arms while standing in line for Jungle Cruise that morning). She is a rock star.
Blurry but happy faces as we made our way down Main Street, towards the exit.
I finally got my wish, and we rode the boat back to our resort. By this time, the kids were all half-asleep, and the adults were not doing much better. I don't even remember getting the kids in their PJs or brushing my teeth.
In the morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at Kona Island - coffee, pastries, and POG juice (passion fruit / guava / orange juice) - before loading up the car and heading for home. Even though we were only in Disney World for a short time, we managed to cram so much so much in! It was a pretty magical 48 hours.
The highlight for me was our stay at the Polynesian Village Resort. Even though this was a splurge for us, the amazing pool, delicious food, larger room, and proximity to the Magic Kingdom made the extra cost worthwhile. I don't know that it would make sense for us to stay here all the time, but for this trip, it was perfect!
I also learned some valuable lessons on this trip, some of which are very niche and specific (like how to get the 'Ohana bread pudding without an 'Ohana dinner reservation), but some were more general and would apply to any vacation. For example, I think we felt pressure to fit everything in, even though we were only in Disney World for a short time. We managed to do almost everything we wanted to do, but we were pretty exhausted by the end of our park day. I wish we had taken it easier and kept a slower pace. I should have had each of us pick one attraction / ride, grab a bite to eat somewhere relaxing, and used the rest of the time to enjoy our wonderful resort and its amenities. Also, August in Florida is not my favorite. I think we will stick to visiting Disney World in the cooler months from now on!
In spite of the mishaps and the exhaustion, we had such a blast. I love getting to make these memories together. Having children really is like getting a second childhood; I will never get tired of seeing the world through their eyes!
