Day 2 – Practically Perfect In Every Way | D.A.D. 2014 | Part 7

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Magic Kingdom; The Crystal Palace (Character Breakfast); Columbia Harbour House (Counter Service Lunch); Narcoossee’s (Signature Dining); Wishes

Dine Around Disney 2014 Trip Report Index! (And here is the Pre-Trip Report!)
All the photos for this day are on my Flickr. Full Florida 2014 collection of photos here!

August 15th, 2014
…Continued from Part 6…

With the final song sung, and the fireworks ‘sploded, we walked to the exit – walking through the shops to enjoy the ice cool air conditioning! A top tip that one – all the shops are interlinked! However, I did have to stop and buy myself a Mickey balloon – I’ve wanted one forever, and I wanted to just have it floating in our room ^_^ we paid cash for this, I think they are $12.99 – worth every cent to me ♥ and I deflated it (at the end of 2 weeks) to bring home!

Time was kind of pressing on, in that we were all knackered from the heat and the time difference, but then, I heard the music for the Move it! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party, so I insisted that we watch it go by! It’s one of those that is probably overlooked, the streets are never busy when it rolls by, but I think it’s fab!

Eventually, we got to the bus stop and waited for a bus – about 20 minutes, and got talking to an elderly American woman who was there on her hols with her family, but taking some time out away from them – very cool! I hope when I’m as old as her I’m still going to Walt Disney World with my family!

Back at home (Old Key West), we just about had enough time to shower and change before heading back out on the bus. It seemed like such a rush with the buses as we already could tell from our little experience of them that you had to allow waiting time, and of course the travel time too. I think it was at this point, we realised buses just weren’t for our family!

We got the bus back to Magic Kingdom, to then hop on the monorail round to Grand Floridian. We then had to walk through the resort to Narcoossee’s – it felt so far away on tired legs! Before going to check in, Steve used the panoramic mode on his phone to catch the view across Seven Seas Lagoon – so beautiful! We were all looking forward to our first signature dining experience at Walt Disney World.

We were given a buzzer to wait for our table to come up – about 10 minutes and then shown to a table with a view out of the window and of Cinderella Castle in the distance – awesome. I had read you can watch Wishes from this restaurant so was glad of the view!

As with all restaurants we dined at, we were asked if we were on a dining plan, and when we said “deluxe” where told what we were entitled to. I’m sure I had read somewhere (can’t remember where now) that some things are off the menu, but our server said everything was available for the picking!

When it comes to the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan at a table service restaurant you are entitled to one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert and one non-alcoholic beverage per person. Fountain drinks are generally refillable. Signature restaurants are 2 credits per person.

By now, Liam was feeling very hungry, and he was grateful for the bread and butter that was placed on the table! The air conditioning was also very cold in Narcoossee’s and he was complaining about it. I suggested that he always bring out his jacket to cover up with when we go out in the evenings. I think it was probably a combo of tiredness and hunger for him, as it was one of the only times he griped about air con.

After scanning the menu and a few suggestions from the waitress (I did love that in signature restaurants the servers were very knowledgeable about the dishes available) we made our decision.

There wasn’t really anything that took Liam’s fancy, so we just ordered a salad from the appetizer section to make up the third app!

Me: Artisanal Cheeses – Five tasting portions from around the world with accompaniments <em?($18)

Him: Barbecue Grilled Shrimp and Grits – Wild Florida shrimp with Budgie’s barbecue sauce, low country grits, cherrywood-smoked bacon and pickled greet tomato chow-chow ($17)

The Boy: Peach Orchard Salad – Regier Family Farm tree-ripened white peaches, Farmer Jones greens, sweet and salty hazelnuts, Manchego cheese and elderflower-chardonnay vinaigrette ($13)

Our first experience of signature dining was a great one, and for me personally, this was one of my favourites of the whole holiday. Our waitress was really attentive, and the food was all beautifully presented!

My Artisanal Cheese Selection had the following cheeses: Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt Tam; Tête de Moine; Wyngaard Chèvré Affine, Petite Agour and Cashel Blue. I was given a little card to tell me more about each cheese, which I think was a nice touch. I can’t quite remember all the accompaniments, but from the photo I can tell you that there was pickle, fig and some crackers. I’m sure one was honey and the other may have been a chilli dip, I think the one in the middle was either pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

I’m not a fan of blue cheese at all, but all the others were really good.

Once Liam saw Steve’s Barbecue Grilled Shrimp and Grits appetizer, he decided he quite liked the idea of eating shrimp, so that went to him! He did kindly leave the grits for us to eat, which were creamy and full of flavour, and Steve said much better than breakfast grits he’d had in the past! The prawns had a bit of a kick to them!

And finally, the appetizer that Steve ended up eating by default – the Peach Orchard Salad which was refreshing and flavourful. Had I not had the cheese plate, it’s what I would have chosen.

We all liked the slower pace of signature dining, and it meant we didn’t feel rushed. Liam tends to come along for the ride in posh restaurants haha, but even he enjoyed each of the signatures! Steve and I are a bit foodie when it comes to eating out – we’ve got our eye on Victoria and Albert’s one year – perhaps when the boy has flown the nest!

Me: Grilled 7 Ounce Filet Mignon – Boniato-Idaho creamed potatoes with Farmer Jones romano beans, and herbed cabernet-oxtail reduction. Added butter-poached Canadian Waters Lobster Tail ($72)

Him: Two-Pound Steamed Maine Lobster – Fallen corn soufflé with malted popcorn sauce and buttered broccolini. ($74)

The Boy: 12oz Black Angus New York Strip Steak – roasted young potatoes, grilled cipollini onions, applewood-smoked bacon, and a Famer lee Jones organic Brussels sprout petals, with salsa verde ($45)

My filet steak was good! My lobster tail was good! The presentation was marvellous, and what a treat!

Steve enjoyed his lobster, which, if I recall he doubled up. It was the first time he’d had lobster. He said it felt like there was something missing.

Liam switched out all the sides that originally came with his steak for regular mash and beans, which was no extra. He couldn’t quite finish it, so that job when to Steve!

We then watched the Electric Water Pageant do its circuit around Seven Seas Lagoon – have wanted to watch this properly for a few visits now, so glad we were finally able to!

Me: Almond-Crusted Cheesecake – with Lambert cherry sauce ($11)

Him: Pistachio Gelato – with almond nougat ($10)

The Boy: Finding Nemo Cupcake – from the kid’s menu! ($5)

The waitress told us that the Almond-Crusted Cheesecake was the best and most popular dessert on the menu, so naturally I had to have that one! And she wasn’t wrong – it was delicious. You know when you just don’t want a dessert to end? That!

Again, Steve enjoyed his dessert – I was quite surprised he went for something so simple, but pistachio ice-cream is a lovely flavour.

Liam was well and truly stuffed by this point, and said he didn’t want a dessert – the waitress said to leave it with her, and she brought him out a Finding Nemo Cupcake – and he suddenly wasn’t so full!

Just as we were about to start dessert, the lights in the restaurant dimmed, and the music from Wishes was piped in. Very exciting! Some people left their tables to go out on the deck to watch, but we stayed inside.

Narcoossee’s

Bill Total: $290.72 (6 Credits) {Tip: $50}

DxDDP Running Totals: Bill: $539.66 | Credits: 15/126 | Tips: $84.99

We paid our bill and took a leisurely stroll back through the resort. We decided we just couldn’t be bothered to get the monorail and then wait for a bus (what with people also coming out of Magic Kingdom after Wishes) so the concierge hailed a cab.

Read about the day before:
Day 1 – We Have Lift Off:
Travel Day – LHR-ATL-MCO; Old Key West, Olivia’s Cafe (Dinner)

Read about the day after:
Day 3 – Illuminate The Possibilities:
Downtown Disney; Cape May Cafe (Character Breakfast); Kouzzina by Cat Cora (Dinner); Illuminations: Reflections of Earth

Read ALL the days!

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