I am a lover of Walt Disney World. I grew up about an hour away from the resort complex and have fond childhood memories of being there. My husband also grew up about an hour away. He is not a lover of Walt Disney World, but a few times a year he will indulge me by joining me in a visit.
Last night I lured him in with the possibility of visiting later in the evening with no scheduled visits inside of a theme park. We were to simply enjoy a night of merriment along the Magic Kingdom monorail loop.
Here’s a look at our itinerary.
Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Monorail Loop Date Night Itinerary
6:45 p.m. – Arrive at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
There’s one adult beverage that my husband prefers above all others. Vodka and RedBull. You won’t find RedBull anywhere on the Magic Kingdom monorail loop unless you look inside the cowboy’s red solo cup.
We took the elevator to the fifth floor of the Contemporary Resort and I snapped this photo while he grabbed some ice from the hotel’s ice dispenser and poured himself a drink. We headed back onto the elevator and took it one floor down and then took the escalator back up to the fifth floor to board the resort monorail.
7:00 p.m. – Arrive at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort & Grab a Stool at the Kona Island Sushi Bar Window
I love sitting here! Floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lush tropical landscape as well as the monorail landing platform. It was fun to watch families and couples come and go as the sun was setting.
7:15 p.m. – Order an Adult Beverage and an Appetizer
I had done a little online recon before heading to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. We had three solid lounge choices to choose from. All three with different merits and offerings.
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and Tiki Bar was my first thought because…Trader Sam’s. However, I am not a rum or sweet beverage drinker and although the atmosphere almost drew me in, I just wasn’t feeling anything on their cocktail menu.
Tambu Lounge was my second consideration because…like Spongebob Square Pants a Lapu Lapu also lives in a pineapple. Then again…sweet.
Kona Island was sort of an afterthought until I perused the menu and found the motherlode. Right there on the “Featured Beers” list. Napa Smith Hopageddon Imperial IPA, 9.2% alcohol by volume and registering a whopping 144 IBU’s. For my non-beer-drinkers, IBU stands for International Bitterness Unit and ranges anywhere from 0-100. As you can see, this Double IPA tipped the charts on the bitterness scale and boy was it TASTY!
My husband was strongly considering a sushi roll to go along with his vodka/RedBull but settled on an order of pork and vegetable Pot Stickers. He went on and on about the sauce and how wonderful it was until I looked on the menu and told him it was a creamy soy-ginger sauce. The man hates ginger. The man loved the sauce.
7:40 p.m. – Hop Back on the Monorail
7:45 p.m. – Arrive at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
Upon our arrival the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra was playing “I Wanna Be Like You” from Disney’s The Jungle Book. We stood along the rail and listened to the live music for a moment before making our way to Citricos Lounge on the same level.
8:00 p.m. – Grab a Window Seat in Citricos Lounge
My husband and I sat and chatted and watched as the last rays of the day washed over the beautiful white buildings which make up Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. David, a veteran 17-year cast member, appeared from behind the bar and took our order. I opted for a glass of Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc from Western Cape, South Africa to go along with an Artisan Cheese Board.
Travis enjoyed the last of his Vodka and RedBull.
The cheese board came with four offerings.
- Crottin – A pasteurized goat’s milk cheese made by Vermont Butter & Cheese out of Websterville, VT
- Robiola – Double cream, Italian soft-ripened, raw cow, goat and sheep’s milk cheese from the Langhe Region of Italy
- Fourme D’ambert – Raw cow’s milk blue cheese from Ambert, France
- Comte – Unpasteurized cow’s milk Gruyere from Franche, Compte in Eastern France
The cheeses were accompanied by a fruit compote, fig, date, honeycomb, crushed almonds and a house-made lemon-thyme cake.
There was another couple seated up at the bar who seemed to have the same idea. They too had popped into the Grand Floridian for cocktails before their dinner at California Grill as we would see them later on in the evening.
8:45 p.m. – Hop Back on the Monorail
8:55 p.m. – Cocktails at California Grill at the Top of Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Well…a dirty martini for me. Sweet tea for my date. Presented to us just in time for…
9:00 p.m. – Wishes Fireworks
9:25 p.m. – Entrees at California Grill
I went with my old standard Pork Two Ways with a glass of Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay and he opted for the Wagyu Beef. The menu had changed slightly from what is listed on the official Walt Disney World website and both of our entrees has gone up in price to $42 and $61 respectively.
This was a super fun date night for both of us. Picking the day after Labor Day could have been hit or miss. I think the fact that it was a Tuesday night helped with the monorail and dining locations being less busy.
I can not wait to do this again soon. It would also make for a fabulous GNO!
