Report from Amy D. Gagliardi<\/p>\n
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Highway in the sky or HIT to use insider jargon is just that\u2026a successful addition to Disney\u2019s array of specialty and innovative dinning.\u00a0\u00a0 With a limited size of 25 participants this event proved to be a delight to those in my party of 4 and to the other guests we spent time with.\u00a0 If there were kinks on HIT\u2019s opening night they were worked out by night two when I attended.\u00a0 The evening flowed without a glitch.<\/p>\n
They say the third time is a charm and in the case of my securing a reservation for this event that was true.\u00a0 After two unsuccessful attempts to schedule, I managed to score a date on my third try.\u00a0 My daughter Lily saw the event notice on November 29th with reservations beginning on December 2nd.\u00a0 As luck would have it we were flying down to WDW on the opening day of HIT for the first night of our vacation.\u00a0 Go figure.<\/p>\n
Do you like appetizers, entrees, deserts and drinks?\u00a0\u00a0 We do.\u00a0 Even the non-alcohol drinking members of my party were excited about this experience.<\/p>\n
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Close your eyes and imagine being whirled around in the monorail with priority seating to experience deluxe dining at Disney\u2019s cherished monorail resorts.\u00a0 This includes WDW\u2019s flagship resort the Grand Floridian, and the originals the Polynesian Resort and the first built Contemporary Resort.\u00a0 That\u2019s my kind of imaginative experience.<\/p>\n
But wait\u2026this is really happening.\u00a0 Please join me, my husband Pete, our daughter Lily and her husband Mark on our journey through a multi course selection of surprises and treats as we dine around the monorail resorts through a highway in the sky.<\/p>\n
As we approach The Wave of American Flavors\u2019 entry way we are greeted by Angela the HIT manager.\u00a0 She stands smiling, welcoming and proud and facilitates our passage through the tunnel-like walkway into The Wave foyer.\u00a0 We are immediately met by Carrie and Mary who were to be our guides for the evening.\u00a0 First line of business is sorting out any possible food allergies of each guest.\u00a0 Lily was given a sticker on the HIT lanyard we were all given to wear around our neck to denote her food allergy.<\/p>\n
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As the HIT participants gathered in the Wave waiting area we sat and exchanged pleasantries in communal expectation of the night ahead.\u00a0 This was a cozy, relaxed group led by seasoned Disney staff who knew how to put us at ease while also reigning us in to bond as a group and follow their lead for the night.\u00a0 We were given an overview of what to expect\u2026approximately 30 minutes at each ![\"20161203](\"..\/images\/stories\/news\/20161203_184600.jpg\")
stop with a 5 minute warning before the end time at each dining site.\u00a0 After the ground work was laid down for us an ice breaker arrived in the shape of a martini glass filled with pineapple juice, grenadine on the bottom and rum to complete the body of the concoction. This drink is called the Bay Lake Sunset.\u00a0 Non-drinkers could substitute anything of their choosing and this option remained constant throughout the night.\u00a0 Ice tea, exotic juice blends, Martinelli sparkling cider were some of the offerings which were imbibed.<\/p>\n
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Enter Chef Kimmy from The Wave who met with us to describe our first course of the evening.\u00a0 Butternut squash bisque, a wonderful hot soup-like creamy delight, was served in a European style expresso cup (photo 4 Butternut Squash Bisque).\u00a0 The cup was rimmed with a scrumptious pumpkinseed butter brittle.\u00a0 This was a textural contrast to the smooth bisque as well as an added depth of flavor.\u00a0 I congratulate Chef Kimmy on her creation and sensational course.\u00a0 As a lover of butternut squash soup I appreciate her ability to maintain the integrity of the flavor of the squash, leaving it distinct, while adding complementary and subtle spice tones.\u00a0 Hats off to the chef!<\/p>\n
Alas we were whisked away to our next destination.\u00a0 As we were led to climb \u201csecret stairs\u201d to the monorail the transition to this ongoing and outgoing event continued.\u00a0 Walking out of the passage way we found two open monorail doors waiting to seat our party.\u00a0 A Disney monorail engineer guided us throughout the evening\u2019s transports.\u00a0 He shared monorail history and anecdotes with us throughout our excursion.<\/p>\n
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Our next stop was Disney\u2019s Polynesian Resort.\u00a0 Approaching the Trader Sam outside patio we were greeted once again by personnel specific to the resort.\u00a0 With all generosity we were told that now that we are at the Polynesian we are all \u2018Ohana\u2026cousins\u2026 so come in and eat with us.\u00a0 On the patio we were given a traditional Mai Tai brimming with swirled orange slices and maraschino cherries on a stick and fresh sprigs of mint.\u00a0 The appetizer course consisted of sesame seared tuna plated with an orange pickled beet salad and a separate small dish with a single chili dusted port belly.\u00a0 Beef was the tuna substitute for our fish allergy companions and they vouched for the tenderness of the beef.\u00a0 While the appetizer portions were almost bite size they were enjoyable.\u00a0 The pork belly seemed to win the favorite spot by consensus.<\/p>\n
All aboard once again with our fellow event participants, guides and monorail expert we sat together in anticipation of the entr\u00e9e course of our dining experience.\u00a0 Exiting the monorail at the Grand Floridian we lined up in ones and twos behind and alongside our guides who maneuvered us through the crowds entering and exiting the monorail to bring us safely and quickly inside this grand resort and to the door of Citricos our dinning destination.\u00a0 I must say that our guides were a bit like Miss Clavel from the Madeline story book who ushered her charges safely, swiftly and mindfully through their travels.\u00a0 It was a treat to be led by this seasoned team of guides who became more like companions as the night progressed.<\/p>\n
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The entr\u00e9e course was a short rib on a bed of cauliflower puree enhanced by a red wine sauce and 2 large tender scallops drizzled with a spinach and parmesan foam .\u00a0 A basket of warm sliced bread was served with a plate of salted butter to accompany this course.\u00a0 The food was good and the portions were entr\u00e9e sized. Our allergy companions received chicken in place of the scallops.\u00a0 They reported perfect satisfaction with their substitution as was the same feedback on the ribs and scallops.\u00a0 Much of the conversation however centered on the wine pairings.\u00a0 We could choose a chardonnay, a red and a red\/white blend selection. Some diners actually selected to take their wine with them to enjoy later and were given to go cups to carry their wine with them.<\/p>\n
We lined up again and walked from Citricos to the Grand Floridian tea room.\u00a0 Here we sat at sparsely but elegantly decorated tables as we awaited our cheese course (photo 8 table at the Tea Room).\u00a0 Our table of four received 2 platters filled with a representative from each quadrant of the cheese wheel .\u00a0 The triple cream brie was my personal favorite but others preferred the American aged Cabot cheddar while also enjoying the goat and blue cheese segments.\u00a0 Dried fig sections provided sweetness and a contrast in flavor while the thin sliced and buttered toast served as a yummy bed to support the cheeses.\u00a0 Disney\u2019s Fairy Tale sparkling wine was served table side and poured to the rim by an experienced Disney server.\u00a0 It was a pleasure to watch her as she managed to expertly fill the champagne flutes to the rim without spilling a drop.<\/p>\n
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I was fairly full at this point but my sweet tooth beckoned and so did our guides.\u00a0 On the way to our final destination a few moments were set aside to stop for a group photo at the Grand Floridian.\u00a0 Our guides patiently gathered our cell phone cameras so we could each go home with our very own private shot and memory of this wonderful evening filled with food and fellowship.\u00a0 Finally, back onto the monorail we started our track back to the Contemporary Resort.\u00a0 Traveling a full circle loop we would end the night where we had started.\u00a0\u00a0 We regrouped at the Contemporary Resort\u2019s 4th floor outside private viewing area to enjoy Wishes and to feast on deserts and cordials as well as coffee and tea.\u00a0 An impressive spread of deserts made by the Contemporary Resort pastry team was set up on tables within our private viewing area.\u00a0 Amid the sounds and sights of the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular we leisurely snacked with an unrestricted tasting of as much or as little as we desired.\u00a0 The night was ours to savor.<\/p>\n
Among the desert selections were an assortment of flavorful and tender macaroons, a cr\u00e8me filled tart topped with a generous assortment of berries, a tangy layered fruit flavored option and a densely, decadently rich chocolate treat resembling texturally a flourless chocolate cake.\u00a0 Very good quality chocolate was used here as were all the ingredients used to bake for us.\u00a0 Thank you Contemporary Resort pastry team!<\/p>\n
As in all things this night too must come to an end.\u00a0 Saying our goodbyes we eventually made our way towards the door which would lead us back to the reality that our special dining experience was to be over.\u00a0 But not so fast\u2026one more surprise.\u00a0 Event manager Angela met us at the door with a tray filled with silver boxes which were tied with black satin bows and a small card scripted with Disney\u2019s Contemporary Resort and an outline of the structure\u2019s amazing monorail fitting outline.<\/p>\n
These stylish boxes, looking almost too beautiful to open, held the unspoken words of our final farewell.\u00a0 Two chocolate truffles.\u00a0 One milk chocolate and one dark chocolate.\u00a0 Not a better way to end an evening of culinary excellence and surprises.\u00a0 Where a taste is worth a thousand words Highway in the Sky will take you there.<\/p>\n
Amy D. Gagliardi works in the field of maternal-child health and health policy.\u00a0 She is employed at Community Health Center Inc. (www.chc1.com)and is a volunteer for Lily\u2019s Kids Inc. (www.lilyskidsinc).\u00a0 She is a long time Disney enthusiast and has been visiting WDW with her family for many years.\u00a0 She can be reached at amyd.gagliardi@gmail.com.<\/a><\/p>\n For the details of this experience from Disney you can visit.<\/p>\n
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