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Day Seven: Tuesday, December 24, 2002
Cast of Characters: Marissa (me-Chief Planner), Rory (my husband-Chief Financier), Lee (best friend-Ex-WDW Cast Member), Renee (best friend-Recent College Graduate)-all in our mid-twenties
Orlando Weather: Cloudy with heavy rain/thunderstorms at night, High 79º, Low 64º
Agenda: Breakfast at the Whispering Canyon Café, shows at Disney-MGM Studios, Victoria and Albert's
We were up around 8:00, and after getting ready, we walked downstairs to the Whispering Canyon Café for breakfast. Rory and I had been watching the antics from the lobby the previous day and we decided that we had to have breakfast there during our stay. Lee had invited Christopher to join us for breakfast, but he was running late and we decided to be seated without him. This meal proved to be one of the most fun ones of our whole vacation.
When our server came by to take our drink order, we told her that we would wait for the last member of our party and then order. She came by a few more times to ask if we were sure we wanted to wait before Christopher showed up about 20 minutes later. When our server came back after he had arrived, the first thing she did was scold him for being late and making the rest of us wait to eat. Lee had mentioned earlier that he was a Cast Member, and our server told him that as a CM he should know better than to make guests wait. She also told him that as punishment, he was responsible for paying the bill.
We ordered our food (everyone except Renee getting the all-you-can-eat skillet) and Christopher went to the restroom to wash his hands. Our food came out in just a few minutes and he was still away from the table. Our server looked disapprovingly at his empty seat and demanded to know where he had gone. Lee playfully told her that she wouldn't say because it might get Christopher in trouble, but then relented and told her that he was in the restroom. Our server then hollered at the top of her lungs, "CHRISTOPHER, YOUR BREAKFAST IS READY!" When he didn't show up (he hadn't heard her, but EVERYONE else did!), she said she was going to go get him and left.
Christopher finally returned and we asked him right away if our server had indeed gone to get him. She hadn't, but we thought it was pretty funny anyway. The food was delicious and as we were eating, we watched what other servers were doing to their guests. I won't spoil the surprise, but have your kids (or yourself) ask for a straw or the ketchup. Also, if anyone is celebrating a birthday, make sure to tell your server. Renee knew what would happen, but had to have ketchup anyway. Someone from a different table wanted ketchup and asked us quietly and politely for our bottle, but our server caught them "stealing" our ketchup and made examples of them.
The kids dining at the restaurant were asked to join in the pony race and were given wooden horses to ride around the restaurant. The adults were told to cheer them on by waving their napkins in the air. Towards the end of our meal, our server came by and told Christopher that he was going to help her lead the Hokey Pokey. He had to stand up and show everyone what to do. I only got one picture, mostly because I was laughing too hard to take any more. Christopher was such a good sport and seemed to be having a lot of fun. When we were done, he treated us to his CM discount once again and we left very full and very happy.
The only thing we had scheduled was Victoria and Albert's at 6:00, so we used the day to catch some things we missed. We took the bus to the Disney-MGM Studios. Lee knew one of the Cast Members performing in the Beauty and the Beast show (Cogsworth), so we got to sit in the VIP seats (the first 3 rows in the center section that were roped off). The show was great and we got to see everything close up. Afterwards, Lee hung around and talked with her friend Blaine, while Renee, Rory and I went to find a restroom.
While Renee was using the facilities, Rory and I browsed the jewelry shop nearby. I really wanted a Disney ring and I saw some very pretty ones in the shop. I asked about a couple of them, but they didn't have my size. Rory talked with the shop's supplier about ordering one in the right size and was told to call back in a couple of days. With the pertinent information in hand and Lee back from chatting, we decided to press on.
Renee really wanted to ride the Tower of Terror and I wanted to try it, but Lee and Rory refused to ride it, so Renee and I got in line and Rory went with Lee. Renee and I had given Rory our tickets so he could see about getting FastPasses for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, but the return time wasn't going to work. Rory and Lee went over to the Voyage of the Little Mermaid to talk with another one of Lee's friends working the show there.
Renee and I waited in line for about 30 minutes for the Tower. I had never ridden it before, so Renee was talking me through my apprehension (I don't like heights, and I especially don't like dropping from them!). I had promised Renee that I would ride with her (she wouldn't ride it alone), and I'm game for trying just about anything once.
Thank goodness for The Mouse For less that I knew at least one thing about this ride! You guys saved Renee and me from a scary ride turning into a terrifying one! We both knew about the seatbelt seat and figured out the loading order while we were in line watching others get loaded. We knew we didn't want that seat! Sure enough, just our luck that when our turn came, we were put in the spaces such that one of us would get that seat. We panicked mildly and politely asked the people in front of us if they would switch seats with us. They apparently didn't know about the seat and agreed to switch. Whew! I felt really badly for the woman who did get the seat, though, and I'm sure she didn't like us too much after the ride. I didn't want my first ride on the Tower to be that scary, though!
I really liked the ride, despite being scared half to death and holding the bar in front of me as if my life depended on it. Thankfully, we shared the lap bar with a kid, so we were able to get it pretty tight across our laps. I know some people think the whole thrill of the ride is getting some good airtime, but I thought it was pretty thrilling without it. The coolest thing about the Tower is the fact that you can't really tell when you're dropping and when you're going up. Your stomach just kind of temporarily resides in your ribcage until the ride is over. It was lots of fun and I got a Tower of Terror pin in the gift shop to commemorate my surviving my first ride. I don't think we got to experience the newest ride sequence (you know, the whole "tower is in control" thing that was
supposed to have debuted on December 31), because Renee said it was pretty much the same way as the last time she rode it a couple years ago and I didn't notice any of the added effects mentioned in the hype. I guess I'll have to try it next time.
After our ride, Renee and I went over to the Mermaid show to meet up with Rory and Lee. They were still talking with Lee's friend Alice and we were all set to get into the 1:35 show. It was still a little early to go in, so we walked around the area and got ice cream (I just had to have a Mickey bar!). We were let into the waiting area with everyone else and actually got good seats right in the middle of the theater. Alice was handling some of the background sea life (school of fish, octopus) and some parts of Ursula during this show, and it was very good.
As we knew it would take a while for three women to get ready for a fancy dinner with only one bathroom available, we headed back to the resort. Rory watched some TV (it took him only minutes to get ready, grrrrr!), while the rest of us vied for position at one of the two mirrors. Finally, we were all ready to head to the Grand Floridian.
Upon walking outside, we saw that the gray skies plaguing us all day had finally decided open up. The pavement was wet, but fortunately, it wasn't raining too hard when we got on the Ticket and Transportation Center bus. The weather held out long enough for us to get from the bus stop to the monorail, and that was as far as we worried about the weather. As long as we got to dinner looking good, we didn't care about getting back to the resort.
We took pictures in front of the Christmas tree and headed to Victoria and Albert's to check in with the maitre'd. Brian, the restaurant manager, escorted us through the main dining room and kitchen to the Chef's Table in the back of the kitchen. There was a nice little alcove decorated very nicely that even had its own beautiful little Christmas tree. The chefs were already hard at work, and we watched them for a few minutes as we waited for our server.
Our server, John, welcomed us to the Chef's Table and poured each of us a glass of champagne. Soon thereafter, Master Chef Scott Hunnel came by and introduced himself and then shared a toast with us. Dinner had officially begun. Chef Scott asked each of us in turn what our food likes and dislikes were, and if we were allergic to anything. Lee told him that she was allergic to shellfish and I told him that I don't like any kind of fish or mushrooms. Rory and Renee gave him free rein to bring them anything.
I'll try to tell everything we had, but our keepsake menus aren't complete, so I'm doing some of this from memory. First we were served an hors d'oeuvre of buffalo, followed by duck pâté (which tasted too gamey; none of us liked it), then an hors d'oeuvre of thinly sliced elk. The buffalo and the elk were superb. That was the first time I had tried any kind of duck, and I really didn't care for it. I think I can place that in my food dislikes column.
Appetizers followed the hors d'oeuvres (I know, three hors d'oeuvres weren't appetizer enough?). We all had herb marinated quail with lentils and garlic aioli. Then Lee and I had petit poulet (chicken) "coq au vin" with fingerling potatoes, and Rory and Renee had a diver scallop with sugar snap peas and artichokes. The chicken was absolutely to die for! The scallops that Rory and Renee had were huge and they both enjoyed them a lot.
The soup course was next, with free-range chicken consommé for Rory and sweet potato amaretto cream for the women. Rory liked his soup, but I have the feeling he would have rather had what the rest of us did. It was so amazing! It was sweet and creamy with a pinch of nutmeg and just a hint of amaretto. Chef Scott said it was the Victoria and Albert's holiday soup, and it sure did bring wintry, Christmas memories to mind.
After the soup, we were served Colorado lamb with cippolini onion puree. It was very good and so tender we hardly needed knives to cut it. The only other time I had eaten lamb was when I lived for a year in Australia and my mom made it. I didn't like how it tasted, so I hadn't had it since. I'd eat it every day if I could get it from Victoria and Albert's!
Next we had the terrine of sorbet with fruit to cleanse our palettes before the entrée. It was, of course, very delicious. If I remember correctly, it was a trio of sorbets-pear, huckleberry, and pineapple. Yum!
Our entrée was veal and grilled prime filet with mushroom risotto and cabernet jus. As per my request, Chef Scott had left the mushroom risotto off my plate and replaced it with the most heavenly mashed potatoes I'd ever eaten. The meat was excellent and very tender.
The next course was a trio of cheeses and burgundy-poached pear. This was the only other selection I didn't like. The cheeses were way too strong for me (one, I believe, was even a goat cheese), and the pear too bitter. I'm not a great fan of "stinky" cheeses, so that pretty much limits my intake of cheeses to the mundane, everyday fare (i.e. cheddar, jack, mozzarella), and Victoria and Albert's is far from mundane. Nobody else seemed to like this course much either.
Here comes the part where everybody drools and has to run to the kitchen or vending machine for something sweet. At last! The desserts! And what a finale! We got one of each of the desserts Victoria and Albert's offers-six total! After eating for three hours, we weren't sure we could eat dessert, but who in their right mind could turn down the fantastic spread offered before us that night? They were almost too pretty to eat. We got green apple mousse tart with
calvados caramel sauce, Hawaiian Kona chocolate soufflé, caramelized banana gateau, vanilla bean crème brulée, pyramid of chocolate mousse with raspberries, and lemon soufflé with warm vanilla sauce. My mouth is watering just remembering it all! We shared all of the desserts around the table so everyone could try everything, and then we each had more of what we liked. I ended up finishing the pyramid of chocolate mousse because it was my favorite and was almost sinfully decadent and delicious. Rory finished the banana gateau, Renee finished the crème brulée, and Lee had a little more of the lemon soufflé (she didn't quite finish it).
With very full stomachs (we vowed we'd never eat again) and very happy hearts, it was time to leave. John brought our check, out came the credit card, and we had a picture taken with Chef Scott before we left the kitchen. Chef Scott walked us out through the main dining room and even retrieved my cape from the coat check before thanking us and bidding us good night. We were very satisfied customers. Lee even told us that she's worked shows where Wolfgang Puck himself catered the food, and that it didn't even hold a candle to Victoria and Albert's.
Side note: To satisfy those with an insatiable morbid curiosity (trust me, I'm one of those people too), our dinner for four people, including tip, came to $650. We did have wine pairings, but it was a special deal. We had originally scheduled the Chef's Table for Monday, the 23rd, but we got a call from the restaurant manager as soon as we checked in to the Wilderness Lodge. He said he had double booked the Chef's Table for the 23rd and asked if we could change our reservation to Christmas Day. That wouldn't have worked, since Lee was leaving
for Los Angeles on Christmas Day. Brian (the restaurant manager) switched some other reservations around and then called to offer us Christmas Eve. We took it, but Rory said that for the inconvenience, we all wanted to enjoy the wine pairings for the price of one. Brian agreed, and we only paid for one wine pairing, even though we all got wine with every course. One other thing I should mention is that none of us are big drinkers, so we only asked for samples of each pairing rather than a full glass with each course. That was much more
manageable. We still got to enjoy the wine, but didn't have trouble walking afterwards. It worked out nicely. If you like coffee, make sure you have some with your dessert. The pot in which it brews is so unique! If dining at the Chef's Table, tell your server if you have to go to the restroom. He or she will have to escort you through the kitchen and the main dining room. It felt kind of weird being led to the restroom like a bunch of kids, but at least we all went at the same time so as not to inconvenience our server too much. The restaurant manager then escorted us back to our table. Talk about feeling special!
We hopped back on the monorail to the TTC. By this time, the rain was coming down in sheets and there was no longer any hope of keeping our nice clothes protected. We waited what seemed an eternity for a bus to the Wilderness Lodge. We probably could have walked to the resort and beaten the bus if we weren't all dressed up (the TTC is very near the Lodge). To make matters worse, there were lots of people clogging up the covered waiting area, so we had to stand, packed in like sardines, at the soggy bus stop. Fortunately, most of the people there were just trying to stay out of the rain and only a handful were actually waiting for the same bus we were. The bus wasn't crowded back to the resort after it finally came.
After we had changed out of our now-damp dressy clothes, Rory, Renee and I relaxed and watched some TV, while Lee packed up her stuff for tomorrow's departure. She was being picked up by Mears at 9:35 AM. We were sad she had to leave early, but it was better than her not being able to come at all. She spent a couple hours packing and then we were in bed around 11:30.
High Points: Breakfast at the Whispering Canyon, close seats for Beauty and the Beast, liking the Tower of Terror, Victoria and Albert's
Low Points: Not being able to get the ring I wanted, the rain
Day: 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10
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