Post-Cancer Solo Celebration! March 4-9, 2018 (UPDATE 3/10: DAY 3 DINING REPORTS)

DINING REVIEW
STORYTELLERS CAFE DINNER

So my first real meal was dinner at Storyteller's Cafe in the Grand Californian.

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Biggest pro of this restaurant was absolutely that it was in my hotel. After a really long drive and a couple of hours of walking around DCA, I was really hurting and didn't have access to my pain meds. So, I probably couldn't have faced a long walk to dinner. Unfortunately, that was one of the best things about this meal.

Here is the menu:

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I was started off with the bread basket: a loaf of white bread, two corn muffins and butter.

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This LOOKED great, but was disappointing. The bread was not warm, which would have made it a lot better. The muffins were stale.

My appetizer, however, was a real winner: the famous corn chowder.

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This is not just "corn chowder". It's so beyond. The chicken, the bacon...it's super savory and really incredible.

My entree was the chicken paillard and it was ... uh, not what I was expecting. First of all, it was supposed to be "lightly breaded" but it was not breaded at all. The inside was juicy but without the breading the outside was completely dried out. The caper sauce tasted weird and fishy. The fingerling potatoes were hard. At least the carrots were nice.

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After that disappointment, I passed on dessert in favor of whatever was in the lounge. My server, Janelle, was great, but overall, for $42, I expected a lot more.


This was a no for me.
 
Despite the bad food experience at Storyteller's, it sounds like you are having an AMAZING time! The view from your room is superb! I love the Grand balconies... we spend a lot of our room time out there. Hope your second day is shaping up to be equally amazing!
 
DAY TWO, OVERVIEW
PART ONE

Today started bright and early again; I was awake at 5:30. I got up and opened the door to my balcony, and hearing the park come alive (complete with instructions via loudspeaker) was a great way to slowly wake up, too.

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After a shower in the amazing remodeled shower with handheld rainforest head, I went to the Lounge for breakfast. The spread was pretty great: pastries, bagels and toast; cereals and milk; deviled eggs; yogurt and smoothies; fruit, meats and cheeses; hot oatmeal with fixings. I made a plate of pastries and a small bagel, along with a bowl of oatmeal, to eat on my balcony. The oatmeal wasn't great (too watery for me) but everything else was tasty.

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I left by 7:30 for the EMH at DCA. (The bag check from Grand Californian to Downtown Disney was very short, for those who've been wondering.) I had a nice talk at the gate with a couple of WDW veterans who were on their first DLR trip (and gushing about how walkable it was), got a high five from a supporter wearing a breast cancer lanyard when I told her I was in remission, and then took a leisurely stroll down Buena Vista Boulevard (snapping pictures and stopping for Photopass along the way). My destination:

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Guardians of the Galaxy, Mission: Breakout.

I was a tad nervous to be honest, but I'd come prepared with my motion sickness patch and Dramamine. It was fun! (Though on my ride photo, I did not look to be enjoying myself). The drops were crazy fun and though I felt a bit queasy, I really enjoyed it. Not sure I'll do it again, but I'm glad I marked it off my list.

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(I actually started to say "Good morning!" to these cuties in line before I stopped myself!)

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After that, it was off to CarsLand, where I got another PhotoPass photo (I've taken more photos on this trip with MaxPass than on my whole previous trip). I snapped a photo with Mater, who was told by his sweet handler that I was in remission (after seeing my button) and Mater almost made me cry by telling me how proud he was. Yes, he's a giant truck, but still, it was great to hear him say "Whoo-ee! You made my day!" (As an aside, the PhotoPass guys were super impressed when I came right to them with my pass to scan, exclaiming: "See! This is how it should be done!")

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I then rode Radiator Springs racers next to a car full of adorable children having the time of their lives. They waved at me while we raced, and beamed from ear to ear when I clapped for them after they won. Then I crossed another "never before" ride off my list with Luigi's, which was fun and not as sick-making as I feared. I did make a kid's day when he came up behind me when I was first at the gate, and I immediately switched places with him so he could have first pick of the cars. Grandpa was sweetly grateful, too. I got a wave from them as our cars danced past each other.

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At this point, I had enough time to pay entirely too much for a bottle of water before heading to Disneyland for opening there.

One note: I made an attempt to greet every single CM I saw by name and wish them a good morning. You'd be surprised how many of them perked up when I did this. Such an easy thing that seemed to make people so happy.
 
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I ate at storytellers once for dinner and ordered from the menu and I was not impressed at all by the food. At least you got some good chowder.

Yeah, at one point I was thinking I should have just gotten the buffet, despite the poor reviews. It's a one and done for me!

Despite the bad food experience at Storyteller's, it sounds like you are having an AMAZING time! The view from your room is superb! I love the Grand balconies... we spend a lot of our room time out there. Hope your second day is shaping up to be equally amazing!

Yes, I'm having a really good time, and the balcony might be my favorite part!
 
DAY TWO
PART TWO - DISNEYLAND!

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I went over to Disneyland for the 9am opening, and stood in a slow-moving line. At that point, I decided to ditch my planned Wine Country Trattoria lunch, but the app wouldn't let me (stupid) and I spent the entire 15 minutes in line on hold with Disney Dining before giving up. I ended up just taking the $10 hit for WCT and doing a walk in at Cafe Orleans.

That said, I headed straight to Fantasyland. I got a return time for Peter Pan and then rode probably my favorite all-time ride: Mr. Toad. I love that crazy toad.

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Then I headed to Alice in Wonderland, where I hung out in line with this super sweet family, including an adorable baby named Penelope dressed as Minnie Mouse who kept holding my finger over her dad's shoulder. The whole family made a big deal over my remission button, and another guy in line congratulated me as well. The guy running the ride saw it and said "Oh, that's an AWESOME celebration." I am glad I did it, though I was worried about the attention; it really has made me feel good.

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Then it was off to London in a pirate ship with Peter Pan. I didn't take pictures, because I just soaked it all in. I just find that ride so relaxing.

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I tried to ride Pinnochio, but it broke down. I did get to talk to a family from England who were seriously giddy to be on their first trip and were happy to find someone who'd let them riddle them with questions. So fun.

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Next, I headed to Pirates with a return time. In line, a dad sprayed his 4-5 yo girl with sunscreen in the face pretty clumsily and got it all in her eyes. She was screaming, poor thing, and dad was frantically searching for something to wipe her eyes with in his backpack, when suddenly my Mom Instinct (tm) kicked in: I picked up the hem of my tunic and wiped her eyes. I didn't even think! Fortunately, he was grateful and she was really grateful! I resisted the urge to tell him to let mom do the sunscreen next time...barely.

From there, I went to Haunted Mansion with a MaxPass and here's where I began to realize I overdid it. I began to feel very weird on the ride...almost disassociated. I felt at one point like I was asleep and dreaming this...not a good thing. I quickly decided I need food and headed to Cafe Orleans. I wasn't going to do the Monte Cristo, but I realized I needed something heavy and grounding, if that makes sense. It and a Coke did help, but the pain was starting to overwhelm me.

Still, I was so close to Critter Country and I couldn't resist a ride on another favorite: Winnie the Pooh.

And now we come to what may have been the highlight of my trip so far. First, a man on a scooter was ahead of me, wearing a set of Stitch ears. He was super sweet but you could tell there were some issues there from a special needs standpoint. Anyway, I rode the ride, and as I was coming out, another man stopped me and said: "I just saw your button and wanted to tell you how proud I am of you, my dear." It was truly heartfelt and touching.

I stopped by Pooh's Corner for a sweet treat when the man on the scooter came in. He excitedly told us it was his birthday as he looked over the treats. I asked him what he was getting (two Tigger Tails), and when I got to the counter to pay for my rice crispy treat, I thought about the man who had called me 'my dear' and decided to pay forward the kindness. I told the lady I wanted to pay for the birthday guy's Tigger Tails.

It was such a little thing (I think the three treats total were $12 with my discount), but he was OVERWHELMED with gratitude, and started to cry. When he skipped away to tell his friend, the lady at the counter asked me if I knew him and I said not at all. She said: "Now THAT was special. Thank you."

I left the shop and he was outside. Guess what? His partner was the 'my dear' guy! I had no idea! They gave me huge, real, warm hugs and thanked me profusely. I left with a huge smile on my face and a lightness in my heart - for the price of two Tigger Tails. Worth it.

I was glad I had that experience to hold onto, since the walk back to the hotel was brutal. I was in serious pain, sick to my stomach, with a body that was screaming at me with every fiber that I'd done too much. I finally reached my cleaned room, and crashed.

Next up: A dinner I've looked forward to for ages and a very damp evening...
 
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Wow, you did good! I love your story about the two men.
But I hope you take care of yourself better! Would renting a scooter help? We don't want you to miss the rest of your trip, or have to go to the hospital.
 


Following along.

Congratulations on your remission! WOoHOo!
Oh ..what a Battle you’ve fought, warrior indeed!
Chemo certainly takes it’s toll... and though I know how excited you are to be Celebrating.. please be extra mindful cause ur body is not fully healed..it takes a long time..it’s hard to hear of your pain :(
Hugs ur way!
Perhaps slowing it down a bit so it just doesnt take over ur visit?

From one Survivor to the next...Stay Strong and
hope you have a Magical Visit with xtra Sprinkles of Pixie Dust today and Every day! pixiedust:
 
Wow, you did good! I love your story about the two men.
But I hope you take care of yourself better! Would renting a scooter help? We don't want you to miss the rest of your trip, or have to go to the hospital.

Yes, I'm trying to go a little slower. I was out today and really took my time instead of trying to rush, rush, rush. Things are better today.

As for the scooter, I lost feeling in my feet and hands due to chemo, so I'm paranoid about those things. I don't know that I could steer it. It's a possibility though if things got rough.

Following along.

Congratulations on your remission! WOoHOo!
Oh ..what a Battle you’ve fought, warrior indeed!
Chemo certainly takes it’s toll... and though I know how excited you are to be Celebrating.. please be extra mindful cause ur body is not fully healed..it takes a long time..it’s hard to hear of your pain :(
Hugs ur way!
Perhaps slowing it down a bit so it just doesnt take over ur visit?

From one Survivor to the next...Stay Strong and
hope you have a Magical Visit with xtra Sprinkles of Pixie Dust today and Every day! pixiedust:

You are so sweet, thank you so much!

And yes, I slowed down today. :)
 
DAY ONE
PART THREE

Apologies for the lack of pictures. I was not in a picture taking mood...

When we left off, I was crashed out in my bed at the Grand, suffering from "too much Disney." It actually took about four hours for me to feel strong enough to go out. And thank goodness I did, because I would not have wanted to miss dinner at Steakhouse 55!

I know it sometimes gets mixed reviews, but I had a fantastic experience. The food was delicious, the wine my sommelier/server selected for me was heavenly, and the server was the best I've had in a long time. She was an older lady named Pearl, and she took me under her wing right away. She even told me she'd pray for me, and though I'm not a pray-er myself, I accepted her prayers gladly.

I'll do a more detailed dining report later.

After dinner, I decided I was ready for some more rides! I had a return time for Soarin', but when I got there the line was backed up and I decided to go do another ride I've never done before: Silly Symphony Swings. As a Swiss, I was particularly pleased they were playing the William Tell Overture! (It's actually GUILLAUME Tell, but I have worked hard to let that go...)

After that, I took a ride on Ariel (I've been on that one before). Since it was cold and dark, I thought it would be a great time to ride Grizzly River Run. I shared a raft with a young couple. The woman was NOT excited about the ride, and kept blaming her boyfriend (teasingly). It didn't help that he kept saying "I bet you won't even get wet" and "We're halfway there!" (He started saying that as soon as we took off.)

And yes, we got drenched.

Finally, I decided to tackle Soarin'. I have always put this one off, because I assumed it would make me sick, just like Star Tours did. But it's an entirely different experience and not only did I NOT get sick, I LOVED it!!! Definitely a repeat visit is in the cards for me.

With that, I'd ridden almost all the rides at least once (with the exception of things like the Tea Cups, which I KNOW will make me violently ill). The only ones I'm missing are Flik's Flyers in Bugs Land and Golden Zephyr, which has been down most of my trip.

It was 8pm now, so I went back to the lounge, grabbed some desserts and headed to my room for a much-deserved rest.
 
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Sounds like a great first day, good mix of rides and amazing views from your room. And such a great variety of food - sorry Storyteller's was a bust, I have heard similar comments on it.

I'm glad you had a good experience on Soarin', it is a cool makeover. I agree with you on Star Tours, I can do it once per trip and it always makes me sick.
 
One note: I made an attempt to greet every single CM I saw by name and wish them a good morning. You'd be surprised how many of them perked up when I did this. Such an easy thing that seemed to make people so happy.

This is such a great idea. I'm totally going to borrow this idea on our trip.

It was such a little thing (I think the three treats total were $12 with my discount), but he was OVERWHELMED with gratitude, and started to cry. When he skipped away to tell his friend, the lady at the counter asked me if I knew him and I said not at all. She said: "Now THAT was special. Thank you."

I left the shop and he was outside. Guess what? His partner was the 'my dear' guy! I had no idea! They gave me huge, real, warm hugs and thanked me profusely. I left with a huge smile on my face and a lightness in my heart - for the price of two Tigger Tails. Worth it.

I was glad I had that experience to hold onto, since the walk back to the hotel was brutal. I was in serious pain, sick to my stomach, with a body that was screaming at me with every fiber that I'd done too much. I finally reached my cleaned room, and crashed.

That is a wonderful, magical moment. Such a small thing and made someone's day.

Finally, I decided to tackle Soarin'. I have always put this one off, because I assumed it would make me sick, just like Star Tours did. But it's an entirely different experience and not only did I NOT get sick, I LOVED it!!! Definitely a repeat visit is in the cards for me.

It was 8pm now, so I went back to the lounge, grabbed some desserts and headed to my room for a much-deserved rest.

I get motion sick so easily (and the patches make it even worse) and yet I can do Soarin as long as I close my eyes on the going up part. It's a favorite of mine as well. I hope you got lots of rest and felt great today. I ached with pain just reading about your pain, but it sounds like you know your body and how to take care of yourself. Hope it was another magical day today!
 
Lol!

What a day! I am loving living vicariously through you to experience the Grand's lounge. Sounds fabulous!

It's definitely a treat!

Lovely visit so far... continued Pixie Dust ur way...pixiedust:

::HUGS::

This is such a great idea. I'm totally going to borrow this idea on our trip.



That is a wonderful, magical moment. Such a small thing and made someone's day.



I get motion sick so easily (and the patches make it even worse) and yet I can do Soarin as long as I close my eyes on the going up part. It's a favorite of mine as well. I hope you got lots of rest and felt great today. I ached with pain just reading about your pain, but it sounds like you know your body and how to take care of yourself. Hope it was another magical day today!

It really was so easy to brighten up their day. It was actually kind of sad so many seemed pleasantly surprised. I mean, their names are right there!

Yes, I really enjoyed meeting those guys...but ended up with an even better story today! Stay tuned!!
 
Sounds like a great first day, good mix of rides and amazing views from your room. And such a great variety of food - sorry Storyteller's was a bust, I have heard similar comments on it.

I'm glad you had a good experience on Soarin', it is a cool makeover. I agree with you on Star Tours, I can do it once per trip and it always makes me sick.

I do love Soarin'! Now I wish I hadn't been so chicken and could have seen the original, but oh well! I think Star Tours is worse because it's in 3D and it moves...
 
DAY THREE PREVIEW
DISNEYLAND - SPECIAL FRIENDS

Today was very, very special. Not because I rode a bunch of rides (I did) or because I ate at Blue Bayou (also did) or that I finally bought a Pandora bracelet (I did), but because of the people I met. I don't have pictures of them because it wasn't appropriate or I don't have permission to share, but I wanted to tell you guys about them.

LITTLE CRYING BOY
I had a return time for Peter Pan, and when I went to the entrance, a man and a woman were asking the CM questions. Right behind them was their son - maybe 5, if that - and he was so upset. I bent down and said "Are you okay?" and he hitched in breath and said "I don't WANT to ride it!"

I bent further down and explained that I don't like scary rides either (a bit of a white lie) but this was my favorite and it wasn't scary at all! "You get to fly in your own ship, and see mermaids, and there's a whole CITY laid right out at your feet!" He stopped crying as I told him about it, his eyes got wide, and when his parents turned around he said he might want to go on after all.

Score one for me!

ZACH

I was one of the last ones on the carousel, so had to take the inside horse. A little boy of 4 or 5 was right beside me, with his little sister and slightly older brother (they may have actually been twins) on the other horses in the row. His mom was standing behind them. He gave me a little side eye at first, not sure about me.

When the ride started, I did that "excited look" at him where you screw up your nose, shrug your shoulders and squeeze your fists. You guys know what I mean. Well, Zach did it right back! For the rest of the ride, we'd glance at each other and one of us (usually him) would make the excited face and the other would mimic it. He also invented a game where he'd put his hands on the bar or move them down to the handles and I'd copy him as quickly as I could before he moved his hands again.

We had so much fun!

KIDS AND MY BUTTON
I had several kids today in lines either stare intently at my celebration button trying to figure out what "remission" meant, or flat out asked me.

I told them that I had been very sick, and the doctors had taken out the thing that made me sick and it hasn't come back, so we call that remission. They were all fascinated, and one of the boys gave me a high five. Their parents all seemed really pleased I was talking to them about it in a way that they could understand.

SARAH
This was definitely the most special moment of the trip so far.

I saw that Mary Poppins and Bert were taking photos, so I lined up. Then two women came up with a young lady in a wheelchair named Sarah. Sarah looked 12 or 13 but she's actually 22. She was born perfectly healthy, according to her mom, but had troubles when she was young. Now she's non-verbal and confined to her chair. Not "locked in" per se, but close.

When they arrived, I turned and waved at her. She held out her hand like she wanted me to hold it, so I did. She pulled me to her (she was way stronger than she looked!) and grasped my hand tightly. For the next 10 minutes or so while we waited, Sarah and I held hands. She stroked my hand lovingly and her mom told me not a lot of strangers let Sarah touch them like that, but honestly it made my day. We took each other's pictures, then I gave her a big hug and kiss on the cheek. It was super, super sweet.

Now, I'm not going to lie: When I left them I needed a few minutes to pull myself together. Whatever my problems are/were, they're nothing compared to what Sarah and her mom have been through.

Also, one funny thing: At one point, she grabbed my purse and started rooting through it. I just held it out so she could see in, and she came out with a ginger chew! I offered it to her, but she wasn't interested and tossed it right back.

As you can see, it hasn't been the rides or the food or the shopping that's made this trip so meaningful, but the people. The amazing, happy kids, the little girl with sunscreen in her eyes, the boy scared of Peter Pan, the young man who wanted nothing more than a Tigger Tail for his birthday, the beautiful soul who just wanted to hold hands.

If I was looking for a reminder of the good in life, I've definitely found it.

PS...I didn't even mention the brother and sister behind me in line at the gate, when I asked what they were excited about riding. They both started chattering a mile a minute at the same time, getting louder and louder and flailing their arms as they tried to outdo their sibling for my attention. I kept looking back and forth between them and couldn't understand a word they were saying. :)

I felt like that crab in Moana: "Just pick an eye!"
 
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Your day was wonderful because you're a wonderful person. You noticed others, cared about them, and helped them. You were there magic today.

That is very sweet of you to say! I truly believe that if you give out kindness, the universe sends you kindness in return. And even if that's not true, it just feels good to be good to someone else.
 
DAY TWO
DINING REPORT
LUNCH AND SNACKS

I know I'm getting a bit off "live" now as far as my updates, but I wanted to go ahead and talk about my Day Two meals before moving on to Day Three. Let's start off with lunch and snacks.

LUNCH: Cafe Orleans

As I mentioned, I was feeling poorly at this point, and needed to eat something fast. No way was I walking to DCA for my WCT reservation, so I hit Cafe Orleans as soon as I walked in. I got a table right by the railing overlooking the river, which was nice. My server, Alan, was very sweet, but very soft spoken and shy. Still, he got the job done.

I forgot to take a picture of the menu, so let's get right to the food.

La Salade de Maison
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This was a really good salad. The dressing was tangy and interesting (raspberry vinaigrette is a new one for me, but it works!). There were plenty of "add ins" - fresh cherry tomatoes, candied pecans, goat cheese. The whole thing was delicious and I made quick work of it. It definitely blows away the salad I had at Ralph Brennan's the next night, but that's another post. ;)

Monte Cristo
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I've had this before and swore never again, but I really needed something substantial, since my body was rebelling at this point. This is like a big beignet with ham and cheese in the middle, and there's nothing wrong with that. I mostly cut out the ham and cheese parts and left a lot of dough on my plate, but it was delicious and hit the spot.

I just wish they would offer this in half a portion. The full sandwich is just WAY too much.

Celebration Beignet

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I hadn't planned to order dessert, but Alan brought me a beignet and congratulated me on my remission. It was a tasty beignet, but I'll admit I ate the whipped cream with a fork. ;)

SNACKS
Cheddar Garlic Bagel Twist from Maurice's Treats

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I LOVE these. I discovered them last time from a recommendation on these boards, and I had to try one again this trip. It's cheesy, bagel-y goodness, warm from wherever they keep them. As you can see, I was so hungry I forgot to snap a picture before digging in.

One note: A good thing about my trip was that my appetite has finally returned. This was about 10am and usually I'm not hungry until way later. If you or someone you know has been through cancer treatment, you know this is a big deal.

Hunny Pot Rice Krispie Treat from Pooh's Corner

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This is your regular crispy treat with a twist: The top is covered in caramel and then chocolate. I pretty much wolfed this down, too.

All in all, it was a good day for food. I'll post my Steakhouse 55 dinner next.
 

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