Trip Report: Citrico’s Dinner (Day 4, Part 3 | July 2021)

 At All Star Movies, we stopped in the gift shop. I picked up a magnet and a powerade. In the room, we checked our Southwest boarding passes and Magical Express pick up time. I also started packing. 

I learned Citrico’s, being a signature restaurant, has a slight dress code. My biggest concern was no tank tops which was all I had. I put on a cardigan, but honestly I don’t think it’s a big deal.

Around 6:45, we left the room. Our reservation was at 8:35 PM. We stopped to look around the Toy Story section before going to the bus stop. 

We took a bus to Magic Kingdom and then a boat to Grand Floridian. When the Cast Member came with the boat he said he was going to the Grand, but went to the wrong line. My dad asked the other CMs if he could be trusted 🤣. We did get there safely.

We had about an hour to kill so we walked around and checked out the gift shops. Dad bought a Hawaiian shirt which he’s gotten into. It was pricey, but he could use his discount.

Dad wanted to try the Enchanted Rose. We sat on a couch and got drinks. Dad likes scotch so he got Johnny Walker Blue. I got a B&B which was a non-alcoholic cocktail. I liked it. There was an obnoxiously loud guy in the lounge, but other than that it was nice.

We aren’t always appetizer people, but when at a signature dining…or something. Dad got the pork belly which he loved. I got the corn bisque which was so good. It tasted just like liquified corn in the best possible way. The corn flavor really shined. I still think about that soup.

For an entree, dad got the short ribs. Again he really enjoyed it. I got the rigatoni which was the vegan dissh. It had an “egg” on top which was really a yellow tomato. It was very good and I especially liked the zucchini. I would recommend it to vegans and non-vegans. 

I was full, but dad wanted dessert so he ordered the apple rose. I tried to bite and it was good-not too heavy.

We thought about walking to Magic Kingdom, but were tired so decided on taking a bus to Disney Springs. That may have been a mistake, because it took a long time. We started to worry, but a bus did show up around 11. It took a bit to catch a bus at Disney Springs, too. Ultimately, we ended up in the room around midnight so it was a late night. 

Dad stopped in the lobby at the dog tag/ID machine and made a tag for his horse, Gabe. In the room,I showered, finished packing, updated my notes, and went to bed.

Today’s Highlight: Citrico’s dinner

Steps Walked: 13,644

Trip Report: Final Happily Ever After (Day 2, Part 3 | July 2021)

 I wasn’t 100%, but really wanted to push through so I recommended dinner. We did a walk-up waitlist at the Grand Floridian Cafe. Dad has eaten here before and really liked it. Our wait was less than five minutes.

I got the watermelon lemonade which was the perfect drink for me. Dad got the miso salmon which is a little adventurous for him. I got the fried chicken. I don’t typically like fried chicken but this was just spectacular. It was cooked perfectly and I still think about that meal.

Dad still talked about going back to the hotel. I was just worried this would be our only chance to see Happily Ever After again before it ended. Our only option was Friday and we thought the crowds would be awful.

So, we took the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom. There were characters out on the train station when we walked in. We were going to try Big Thunder, but the line went down to the walkway on the water. So, we decided to just get out spots for Happily Ever After.

We got a spot in the area in front of the stage. We sat on the side so we could sit with our backs against a wall. Around 8:30/8:45 they told us we had to go to the front and we went up to the rope. It isn’t necessarily the best spot because you have to tilt your head. But I loved not having anyone in front of me. I teared up a bit when Tinkerbell flew. Happily Ever After is a beautiful and moving show that grew on me over the years.

The park didn’t close until 10. Instead of battling the crowds and lines for a bus, we went to Frontierland. Now, Big Thunder was a walk-on. We had time to ride one more time, but decided not to push it and made our way to the exit. We did kind of meander out and did some window shopping on Main Street.

The bus stops were a bit busy, but the buses were running very consistently. We got one of the charter buses. They lack some Disney magic, but it’s great to have a guaranteed seat. And shout out to the bus guy organizing everything. He did a great job and kept things flowing.

At All Star Movies, we stopped in the gift shop so I could pick-up a Powerade. Back in the room I showered, we made a bit of a plan for the next day, and then I quickly fell asleep.

Today’s Highlight: Happily Ever After

Steps Walked: 18,753

Up Next: Day 3