Let The Memories Begin! – Day 17

Ashley and I slept in while ZA and Jarod went for a morning round of golf.

(ZA : I wanted to write the details of Jarod and myself golf game. I wanted to say that
– we woke up before 6am and had redeemed cinnamon buns and danish with our free dining plan.
– Greeted with “welcome to the happiest place on turf” when we reached there and met the staffs there.
– Paid only $20 for rental for a full set of Taylormade RBZ sets and junior (although same set) is complimentary
– Hit range balls on actual tuft and near the 1st tee (just like the PGA pros on TV)
– The weather is cold in the morning and sunny but not humid by noon and we we were not tired at all.

but pictures speak a thousand words – just look at my stupid face.)

 

They returned before noon and seemed to have a great time. We then headed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. When we arrived at the park, we stopped at Fairfax Fare for lunch. Ashley had her usual Macaroni and Cheese which she is so addicted to. ZA had a pizza while Jarod and I had Chicken and Ribs. While Jarod and Ashley enjoyed their lunch, ZA and I felt it was not as good as those we had. We had Parfait for dessert and did not like them. So we went over to Starring Rolls Cafe and redeemed a Butterfinger Cupcake and a Napoleon using our snack credit. Ashley had an apple for dessert.

After lunch, we went to watch Disney Junior Live On Stage where stars of Disney Junior take the stage in this fun-filled shows with sing-alongs and dance activities. The show featured Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Sofia The First, Doc McStuffins as well as Jake And The Neverland Pirates. During the show, there were special effects like bubbles, golden  doubloons and confetti. As this is an interactive show, Ashley had fun joining in the singing and dancing. After watching the show, we stepped out and Sofia and Jake were having meet and greet. We joined in the line and Ashley had her autographs signed and photos taken.

Next, we proceeded to Toy Story Mania which we had FastPass+ booked. The standby wait time was more than an hour. This ride would not have been possible without the FastPasses, This time round, there was a technical issue with one of the screens for ZA and I. Jarod was the top scorer for that ride. We then proceeded to watch Voyage Of The Little Mermaid. This is a musical stage show combining special effects, live performances, puppetry, and clips from the classic Disney film The Little Mermaid. The special effects were great and we enjoyed the show.

After the show, we had wanted Ashley to try Honey I Shrunk The Kids. Jarod had tried this before back in Disneyland. However, it was no longer the 3D show we know and it was actually  a play scape. We did not stay long and made our way to watch Beauty And The Beast Live On Stage. We were swept into the romantic fairytale  of the Beast who could only be saved by love in this lavish Broadway style musical. We enjoyed the top notch singing, choreography, dancing, sets and the spectacular costumes. Ashley loved the finale when Beast turned into a Prince with dramatic effects.We truly experienced the magic of ‘Tale as old as time, true as it can be’.

We had only time for one more activity before leaving for our dinner. We took The Great Movie Ride. We entered through a re-creation of Hollywood’s Chinese Theater and boarded a vehicle for a fast-paced tour through soundstage sets from classic films including Casablanca,Tarzan, The Wizard of Oz, Alien, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. We enjoyed the relaxing ride. By the time we stepped out of the ride, it was dark already and we walked along the streets and soaked in the festive atmosphere. We concluded our trip to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On our way to the car, Ashley almost broke into tears when she realised that tomorrow would be our last day in Orlando.

We had a dinner reservation at Narcoossee’s at Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. It is the only signature dining location we booked as it had a relaxed atmosphere. Narcoossee’s is located at the end of the Grand Floridian transportation boat dock and took quite a bit of walking to get there. It is a waterfront octagon shaped building which allows for maximum capacity window seating with spectacular views of the Seven Seas Lagoon and Cinderella’s castle. We were 20 minutes late and checked in at the podium. While waiting to be seated, Ashley couldn’t wait to go to its verandah for the great view outside. It was not long before we were ushered to our table. We were lucky enough to get a window table. We ordered a Lobster Bisque to share. Ashley wanted Macaroni and Cheese again while the rest of us ordered the signature dish – Butter Poached Maine Lobster Tail with 14oz Boneless Ribeye Steak. Soon, our drinks arrived with complimentary freshly baked bread and salted butter. The bread had perfect textures of crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. The Lobster Bisque was tasty with lots of lobster meat. Soon, our entrees arrived and Ashley was so excited that our macaroni is Mickey shaped. The steak were cooked perfectly and the lobster tail fresh and sweet. Ashley loved the lobster tail too. While we were eating, we could see the Electrical Water Pageant. After the parade ended, we had full view of Magic Kingdom’s fireworks from our seat complete with piped in music. While most of us chose to watch it from the verandah, Jarod preferred to watch it from his seat. Ashley was laughing in excitement as she ran to the verandah to get a good spot to watch it. Although we were watching it across the lagoon, we had perfect unblocked view. It was so much better than staying at the park and trying to stake a spot to watch it with all the crowd. For desserts, we all returned to our favourite. Ashley had her Vanilla Ice Cream, ZA had Apple Tart with Caramel Sauce and Jarod and I had the Almond Crusted Cheesecake with Lambert Cherry Sauce. It was the perfect ending to our meal. With this meal, we used up all our dining credits for table service restaurant. It would have cost us USD 300 otherwise.

We took a stroll on the Grand Floridian compound with Jarod and Ashley stopping by several spots for pictures. They even tossed coins into a fountain and made a wish before returning to our hotel.