A Birthday, Besties, and Bubbly...with Jen and Joe on the Go!!! 9/29 Link to New Report and We're Back Again!

[Jenny Sanders]

My favorite thing about Space Ranger Spin ride photos is always the look of INTENSE concentration And you delivered lol

HAHA! You're so right!!!! Joe ALWAYS kicks my butt on this and I really am trying hard to beat him (just once).

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

2 1/2 hours

Ach Jen you can totally manage 2 1/2 hours to Hawaii! How short is your flight to Florida and before you answer just know that I am jealous of you!

@Jenny Sanders i just realised that I read your post wrong and the 2 1/2 hours is to Orlando ( definitely jealous lol) and you clearly do that all the time lucky lady! Your flight to Hawaii is pretty much the same as ours to Florida so yup it’s loooong! Maybe someday they’ll figure out a way to make it faster

 

[Jenny Sanders]

My Birthday Dinner at Paddlefish...

Tonight, for my birthday dinner, we had reservations at Paddlefish with our wonderful friends, @CruellaNY and Steve. This was a new to us restaurant and one I was so excited to try. I believe it was new to Ariane and Steve too.

Let me just say, that DS was crowded tonight. It was so crowded that the Orange Garage closed early due to too many cars. It was also a Saturday night, the parks all closed early, (with Epcot being the latest at 9 pm), so what else was everyone in WDW supposed to do???

It took Joe and me what felt like forever to get to DS. Traffic was horrific. But, we just took our time, pulled into the garage after what felt like forever, and found a parking spot right away on the first floor. It was pure luck that someone was pulling out in front of us as we were turning down the aisle. We usually park in the Lime Garage, so it took us a minute to get our bearings.

We did a little shopping because we ended up being about 45 minutes early for our reservation. So, we spent some time in World of Disney, Basin, and Tommy Bahama. We then walked over to the restaurant and checked in with our phones. We soon got our table and I texted Ariane to let her know we were seated upstairs.

Our friends arrived and Ariane and I started with a pitcher of sangria that we both thought was very good. I'm almost positive we drank every last drop. Steve had a glass of Grey Goose and Joe had an Old Fashion. We did a cheers for my birthday and then we started ordering the food. There was soooooo much food!! And, everything we ordered was EXCELLENT. I started with a wedge salad and Joe had crab cakes. Ariane had the fried green tomatoes and I think Joe and Steve had an order of the lobster corndogs. Joe and I also split an order of the crab guacamole. These were just the apps folks...For our entrees, Joe had salmon and I had the fried shrimp. Ariane had a filet and I think Steve had a steak too. Holy cow! Again, we all enjoyed our meals but were waaaaay too full for dessert. However, our wonderful server brought me a piece of cheesecake (more pixie dust) to say happy birthday!!!

Joe, Ariane, and Steve sang Happy Birthday to me and then Ariane and Steve gave me the most wonderful gift. They gave me a beautiful, MK park icon Loungefly wallet, and a package of all sorts of Disney teas. I was beyond surprised!!! It was the perfect gift and I was blown away by their gerosity and thoughtfulness. They have become such good friends and Joe and I cherish them so much!!! ❤

We sat around for the longest time, shooting the poop and enjoying the beautiful sunset outside our window. All too soon, we were calling it a night. I think we were one of the last tables upstairs to leave.

Next up, breakfast at the Grand Floridian Cafe...

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Our Food Pics from Paddlefish!!!

 

[butterscotchcollins]

How sweet! Good friends are such a blessing

 

[missjackiemcg]

What a perfect dinner with friends for your birthday Happy belated, Jenny!!!!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

We were given an awesome room at the back of the Garden Wing overlooking Bay Lake. It was quite stunning. FYI, we had booked a standard view this trip so this was more pixie dust!!!

I love your view. This is a time that a garden wing room would be good - no long waits for an elevator.

Tonight, for my birthday dinner, we had reservations at Paddlefish

It looks like a great place for a birthday party. We ate there once and the drinks were expensive. I remember that DH's Manhattan was $24 per drink.

our wonderful server brought me a piece of cheesecake (more pixie dust) to say happy birthday!!!

That looks really good.

Joe and I also split an order of the crab guacamole.

That also looks good.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

How sweet! Good friends are such a blessing

They certainly are!!!

What a perfect dinner with friends for your birthday Happy belated, Jenny!!!!!

Jackie, it was honestly one of my fav birthdays ever!!!

I love your view. This is a time that a garden wing room would be good - no long waits for an elevator.

If you stood further away from the window, all you saw was water, which was very cool. We never take the elevators in the garden wing. I find them waaaaaay too small and sketchy...But, that's probably my claustrophobia coming out. LOL!

That also looks good.

The crab guac was over the top delicious!!!

 

[suse66]

The parking lots for the main building, DVC and Garden Wing were completely full. When we checked in, I asked the CM if we could be complimentary upgraded. After about 20 mins on the phone with her manager, she said sorry, but we are completely full. That's all I can tell you...

Wow! It just seems so early in the re-opening to be completely full. At least you got pixie dusted with that gorgeous view. So pretty!

Our friends arrived and Ariane and I started with a pitcher of sangria that we both thought was very good. I'm almost positive we drank every last drop. Steve had a glass of Grey Goose and Joe had an Old Fashion. We did a cheers for my birthday and then we started ordering the food. There was soooooo much food!! And, everything we ordered was EXCELLENT. I started with a wedge salad and Joe had crab cakes. Ariane had the fried green tomatoes and I think Joe and Steve had an order of the lobster corndogs. Joe and I also split an order of the crab guacamole. These were just the apps folks...For our entrees, Joe had salmon and I had the fried shrimp. Ariane had a filet and I think Steve had a steak too. Holy cow! Again, we all enjoyed our meals but were waaaaay too full for dessert. However, our wonderful server brought me a piece of cheesecake (more pixie dust) to say happy birthday!!!

Oh my gosh, everything looks so good! Yum! What an awesome birthday dinner.

Joe, Ariane, and Steve sang Happy Birthday to me and then Ariane and Steve gave me the most wonderful gift. They gave me a beautiful, MK park icon Loungefly wallet, and a package of all sorts of Disney teas. I was beyond surprised!!! It was the perfect gift and I was blown away by their generosity and thoughtfulness. They have become such good friends and Joe and I cherish them so much!!! ❤

Lovely! How sweet is that?? ❤

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Oh my gosh, everything looks so good! Yum! What an awesome birthday dinner.

Paddlefish was a definite win for all of us! Suse, you and your husband have to try it out!!!

Wow! It just seems so early in the re-opening to be completely full. At least you got pixie dusted with that gorgeous view. So pretty!

We'll be able to do a comparison in less than 6 weeks...

Lovely! How sweet is that?? ❤

I know, right!!!!

 

[kittylady1972]

OMG all that Paddlefish food looks excellent! Might have to add it to my list...for next week.

 

[annie170]

That's great that you were able to spend your birthday with good friends! How did they like their steaks at Paddlefish? I'm not much of a seafood eater, but my husband is and would probably love that place.

That's too bad that Disney Springs was so crowded. I've heard that social distancing and mask wearing left a bit to be desired there. Did you find that to be true?

 

[Jenny Sanders]

OMG all that Paddlefish food looks excellent! Might have to add it to my list...for next week.

WHAT!!!!! Give me the deets lady!!!!

That's great that you were able to spend your birthday with good friends! How did they like their steaks at Paddlefish? I'm not much of a seafood eater, but my husband is and would probably love that place.

That's too bad that Disney Springs was so crowded. I've heard that social distancing and mask wearing left a bit to be desired there. Did you find that to be true?

I believe they loved their steaks.
We only saw one family not wearing masks, but it did get VERY crowded and I'm afraid it will be even more so now that the parks are closing an hour earlier. I only have 2 dining reservations there in September, one on our arrival day and one before we head back to St Pete...The one on arrival may get canceled...

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

That looks like an amazing birthday dinner! So lovely you got to spend it with Ariane and Steve and even lovelier off them to buy you such a gorgeous gift

 

[kittylady1972]

WHAT!!!!! Give me the deets lady!!!!

HA! I just updated my most recent TR but DH and I are considering a small mini Disney getaway next week. We are waffling a bit...so it's a little less likely than it was last night when I was full on gung-ho planning...but I'm still thinking we may do it. We've got some time to decide. I'll keep updating my TR.

 

[buzzrelly]

Jenny, you move fast! I don't know how I got so far behind already!

I know it was just a salad but the flavors all melded together to create a little plate of happiness.

Just a salad? Ask @kastoney …to me, there is no such thing as "just a salad." I'll have to go there to try it!

Our server seemed very rushed and unattentive. He reversed both our drink and food orders and wasn't very friendly to be quite honest.

That's too bad. We always have awesome service there. I wonder if they are just understandably anxious about being at work like this. I know I probably haven't been myself lately since all this started.

Oh, and it was my birthday today, so extra celebrating was in order!!!!

Happy Birthday, again!!

They gave me a beautiful, MK park icon Loungefly wallet, and a package of all sorts of Disney teas.

How sweet!

I love that pic of all of you!

 

[CruellaNY]

t took Joe and me what felt like forever to get to DS. Traffic was horrific.

OMG that was crazy that night! Luckily our Lyft driver took a "we'll cut all these cars off" shortcut and got us there quickly especially since we were running late lol

Our friends arrived and Ariane and I started with a pitcher of sangria that we both thought was very good. I'm almost positive we drank every last drop

That was some of the best sangria I've had in Disney!

They have become such good friends and Joe and I cherish them so much!!!

Right back at you guys

How did they like their steaks at Paddlefish? I'm not much of a seafood eater, but my husband is and would probably love that place.

Oh I can answer for "Ariane" Her and Steve really enjoyed their steak/filet! "Ariane" doesn't eat seafood either but both the filet and those fried green tomatoes were DELICIOUS. Or so she tells me

 

[PrincessNelly]

Enjoying the TR!

What are your thoughts on visiting Epcot right now and the festival? I keep hearing that Epcot isn't worth visiting right now and the festival isn't anywhere as good as Food & wine

 

[Jenny Sanders]

That looks like an amazing birthday dinner! So lovely you got to spend it with Ariane and Steve and even lovelier off them to buy you such a gorgeous gift

It was perfect!

HA! I just updated my most recent TR but DH and I are considering a small mini Disney getaway next week. We are waffling a bit...so it's a little less likely than it was last night when I was full on gung-ho planning...but I'm still thinking we may do it. We've got some time to decide. I'll keep updating my TR.

HAHA! I'll have to pop in and check out your plans...

I love that pic of all of you!

Thank you Kelly. It was such a fun night.
We're going back to the Plaza at the end of September so I'll let you know if our experience is different.

That was some of the best sangria I've had in Disney!

I know, right!!!!!

Enjoying the TR!

And, thank you!

What are your thoughts on visiting Epcot right now and the festival? I keep hearing that Epcot isn't worth visiting right now and the festival isn't anywhere as good as Food & wine

We loved the low crowds. The booths are limited with their offerings but we still thought it was worth it. We're going back in 5 weeks, so I'll let you know if there's more available...

 

[annie170]

Oh I can answer for "Ariane" Her and Steve really enjoyed their steak/filet! "Ariane" doesn't eat seafood either but both the filet and those fried green tomatoes were DELICIOUS. Or so she tells me

Thank you Ariane! I appreciate your response! I'll have to visit your trip report.