Day One – All Star Movies & Beaches and Cream

We picked Lily up from school at 11am and were on the road by noon.  It is about a 6 1/2 hour drive to Walt Disney World.  Lily loved her travel bag full of Disney books, princess crayons, coloring books, a Princess Sofia nightgown, a new Belle toothbrush, snacks in a Frozen lunch bag, a festive outfit to change into, and her Snackees!  We started the trip by listening to the Frozen soundtrack!

It was a rainy but smooth ride.  We hit Orlando about 5:30pm and rush hour traffic slowed us down a bit.  I originally had an 8:20pm reservation at Beaches and Cream but since we were making such good time, I called and moved it to 7:30pm.

It was a welcome sight to see the big Walt Disney World sign.

For the bulk of our trip, we are staying at the Contemporary.  However we decided that we would stay somewhere more affordable on our travel day and opted for the All Star Movies Resort.  For about $100/night, it was a great deal.  I thought that Lily would enjoy the theme and since it was on Disney property, it was as close as you could find to our other hotel.  We checked in and the pixie dust began.  Since Lily was celebrating her birthday, they gave her a cute birthday button and a stuffed Tigger!  So sweet.  We were staying in the Love Bug wing.  We grabbed our overnight bag and headed to our room.  It was simple and clean.  Lily loved the Mickey shampoos.  Personally, I thought that the room was a little tiny and I am not sure I could deal with double beds for the entire trip (considering this little blonde girl sneaks into our bed many nights!) but it was perfect for one night.  Lily changed into a cute Mickey and Minnie outfit sharing a milkshake!  (Another Old Navy find!) and we headed to our reservation.

I planned a lot of our meals at different resorts so that we would have the opportunity to see other hotels and get an idea of where we may like to stay in the future.  The Beach and Yacht Club resorts were very pretty and the pools were so nautical and  charming.  We checked into Beaches and Cream and headed into the arcade next door while we waited.

I choose Beaches and Cream for our first night because I read great reviews about the menu and the ice cream.  I thought that it would be casual and fun.  Our meal plan would begin until the next day, so this meal was out of pocket.  The decor was adorable and it looked just like a vintage soda shop.

Our waiter was AMAZING!  One of the best on the entire trip.  His name was Brian and he really set the tone for the level of customer service that you find on Disney properties.

I chose the Beaches Angus Beef Burger with a side of onion rings and a glass of Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit.  It was so refreshing and delicious with a bright citrus taste.

The Beaches Angus Beef Burger served with Ham, Swiss Cheese, Sautéed Onions, Horseradish-Mustard Sauce, Lettuce, and Tomato on a Fresh-baked Bun.  The burger was a little greasy but very good and the onion rings were delicious.

Chris ordered the Pork Belly Cuban Sandwich – Ham, Pork Belly, Swiss, Dill Pickle Relish, and Grain Mustard on a Fresh-baked Sub Roll with French Fries.  He thought that a few of the pieces of pork belly were a little fatty but that overall it was a very authentic Cuban and very good.  Lily ordered the Kids Pasta – Elbow Pasta with Turkey Marinara and a side of grapes with a Pink Lemonade.  It was perfect for her.

While we were there a few tables ordered the Kitchen Sink.  If you have never heard of this dessert before – it is sure a spectacle!  The Kitchen Sink (serves four) and has scoops of Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, and Mint Chocolate Chip smothered in every topping plus and entire can of whipped cream!  The lights blink as the giant sundae makes it way to the eager party!  Originally, I thought that this would be a fun way to celebrate Lily and Chris’ birthdays.  However, we were getting pretty full!  We decided to share the No Way Jose sundae – A Peanut Butter and Hot Fudge delight featuring Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Morsels, Whipped Cream, and a Cherry!!!!!  It was DELISH!!!!!!!!!!!!  I would go back and just order dessert!  It is something that I will be craving until our next trip!

Brian had a special treat for Lily!  He brought her a Mickey birthday sundae and the entire restaurant sang Happy Birthday to her!  She was a little shy but she loved it!

After dinner we walked through the Beach Club!  The flowers in the lobby were gorgeous!  I saw where Cape May was located and you could smell the seafood as you walked by!  I should have peeked to see if there were crab legs…just kidding!  It looked very cute and I hear the the character breakfast has some of the best character interaction on the property.  Maybe next time!

We headed back to our hotel and had another surprise in store for Lily!  The night before she had asked us if we could have a movie night soon!  Tonight the All Star Movies resort was having Movies Under the Stars and were showing FROZEN!  Lily changed into her swimsuit and we headed to the pool!  It was bustling and Lily played with a few other children.

We explored the fun garden areas and then headed back to our room for a good nights sleep!  We saw a baby bunny too!

All in all, it was the perfect end to the start our trip!

Next up….EPCOT!!!