Tinkin' About.... Walter and Rosie Candle Company

 

Hi there, Tinkers!

     I hope you're having a magical weekend! Today I want to let you in on a little secret... I am a scent-aholic. It took a long time to come to terms with it, but I can finally admit it now. I am. I LOVE scented things and can easily blow a paycheck on Bath and Body Works, Yankee Candle or various brands of perfume and body products. Like many people, scents hold strong memories for me. Every time I smell a strong mint bath product, it takes me back to the Peppermint Showers in the spa on the Disney Cruise ships. Oregano and frying oil remind me of my grandmother's house. My orange blossom perfume from Fragonard transports me back to the streets of Paris, where I bought it. So, it's natural that I have strong "scent memories" associated with Disney too. Heavy chlorine scents and sunscreens remind me of days at Typhoon Lagoon. Cinnamon and pine makes me think of the Christmas store at Downtown Disney. A musty smell, mixed with tropical notes takes me to the Polynesian lobby. (Before it was redone.) If you're a Disney fan, I am sure you have your favorite scents too. Maybe it's the popcorn on Main Street, or the smell of waffle cones being made in the Plaza Ice Cream Shop. Maybe you love the freshness of the Beach Club lobby, or the smokiness of the scene in Spaceship Earth where Rome is burning. Well, I have awesome news for you, my friends! You can enjoy your favorite scents, and relive your favorite Disney memories at home!


     Meet Walter and Rosie Candle Company. Started on Etsy in 2013, by an avid Disney fan and candle-maker, this company became a fast Disney fanatic favorite. The owner was cranking out wax tarts and jarred candles, scented to match favorite Disney Parks scents, like Soarin' and Mickey Waffles. The demand was so high, that she started having a very hard time keeping up with the rapid-fire pace at which her orders were coming in. Then, just this past June, new owners stepped in, Patrick and Ashton McGill. The couple are doing an awesome just of jumping in and getting orders out quickly to their anxiously waiting fans, and I am one of them, for sure! In fact, when they reopened the Etsy site in June, I placed an order for 11 sets of wax tarts, and I have been enjoying them over the past month. I thought I'd give you a review of the scents that I have tried, and let you know my favorites. As new scents come out, I will try to update you, as well as let you know when they are having sales, etc. To read my reviews and see a list of their available scents, click HERE!

     I am a big fan of supporting small businesses, especially when they involve Disney, and put out a great product, so if you're interested in trying their products for yourself, check out their Etsy site right HERE! Make sure you also find them on Facebook, (which you can do through the Tinkin About Disney FB page), and give them a Like!

    Oh, and head's up... they are having a "Christmas in July" Sale on Friday, July 31st, to do a VERY limited release of their Christmas scents. If you want to get a head start on your holiday shopping, or you need a little Christmas cheer as you're sweating through the summer, be ready to get on to the site and grab those candles while there are there!

Tink Tested: Kona Cafe Dinner (Appetizers and Dessert)

Location: 2nd floor of main lobby 

Parking/Transportation Situation: General Resort Parking or Valet Parking available. Bus service from The Studios, Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney. Boat service from Magic Kingdom and Grand Floridian. Monorail service from Magic Kingdom, Epcot, The Contemporary, The Grand Floridian and The Ticket and Transportation Center. Walkable from Ticket and Transportation Center. (If using Disney Bus Transportation, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time. For monorail or boat, allow approximately 30 minutes.)

Meals Served: B, L, D

Characters/Entertainment: None

Type of Cuisine: American fare with heavy Pacific Island influence, including sushi

Type of Menu: A la carte

Pricing/Dining Plan: $$/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: Kona Cafe Dinner Menu

Atmosphere: Sleek, modern café with a subtle nod to the South Pacific
Dress Code: Theme park casual

Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Guests who were unable to get into 'Ohana, or who enjoy Polynesian influenced cuisine, but don't want the all-you-care-to-eat of 'Ohana

Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Moderate

Fun Stuff for Kids: Nothing really, other than the standard coloring pages
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: Are we done yet????

Stand out dishes: Sticky Wings, Pan-Asian Noodles with Shrimp, Kona Coffee-Rubbed Pork Chop, Kilauea Chocolate Torte, Chocolate-Banana Crème Brulee
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: Grilled NY Strip or Sustainable Fish, and Warm Apple Tart or Yuzu Citrus Tart

Experience: Once again, Tinkers, this was a fly-by-the-seat-of-yer-board-shorts booking for us. We had a planned to attend the Frozen fireworks at the Hollywood Studios this night, since my Mum was in town from Boston, and my daughter LIVES for all things Elsa. The Florida weather, however, had other plans. Like to crack open the sky with some lightning, and pour down buckets of water on our heads. (Looks like there's a "Rain Queen" out there who is way more powerful than that "Snow Queen".) Rather than get totally drenched, we opted to get some eats. We were planning on dessert only, since we had enjoyed some fabulously fancy cuisine from Steak and Shake in the early evening, but our appetites got carried away, as you will see.
     We were able to book a reservation on our way to the Polynesian, for 8:30pm. We valet parked, and went up to Kona. When we arrived and checked in, the table wasn't quite ready, so we took a few minutes to enjoy the scenery of the new Polynesian lobby.

 (No more large, babbling waterfall. No more tropical, vaguely-mildewy-yet-somehow-appealing scent.) We took a look at the set up of the Kona Island sushi bar and the new Hawaiian shaved ice treats being offered. Mental note- return here for a refreshment someday, when I have been in the Magic Kingdom and am sweating my mouse ears off. Our pager went off within ten minutes and we were shown to the table.
     It did take quite a while to be acknowledged by a server, but it may have been because the restaurant was starting to empty out, and the remaining servers had more tables than normal. When we were greeted, K's egg allergy was acknowledged and the chef was sent out to speak with us, even though they did give us one of those confusing allergen menus. The chef was super nice and she assisted us in picking out appetizers and desserts that K could eat. We found our that all three appetizers that we had ordered were safe for him, and for dessert, the chef was sending out a World Famous Mickey Ice Cream Bar, so we knew, we could probably bribe K into behaving for the majority of the meal period.
     Our server brought out bread for us to enjoy while we waited. I would tell you, dear Tinkers, that it's worth coming here for the bread alone, but that might be a pushing it a bit..... well, maybe not. Let's just say this: The bread is heavenly! A delicious, warm loaf of sweet bread, (think King's Hawaiian rolls, but better!), served with a sweetened macadamia nut butter. Yum-O! Embarrassing as it is, we managed to get through two loaves before the appetizers even came out!
     On a side note here, I do want to address the unconventional meal we ordered. Guests have asked me in the past if its ok to book a reservation at a Disney restaurant and only order dessert, or appetizers, or whatever. Sure it is! I would caution you with a couple of things though... #1. Always tip appropriately. Now, I'm in no way insinuating that you wouldn't. I'm just saying, as an ex-server, remember that if you are sitting at a table and ordering just dessert, when I could have had a table ordering three courses, I would appreciate it very much if you tipped above the standard 18-20%. #2. Be considerate. Whenever you can, try and grab a spot at the bar. Now this isn't always an option. You may have kids with you, the location may not have a bar, or it may just be full. But whenever it is doable, it's the most appropriate option. If you do end up at a table, try and keep your visit on the shorter side, and don't stay for hours, sipping a coffee or nursing a cocktail. You can always move your conversation to a more appropriate seating area, without utilizing a server's table. #3. Try to do this "after hours", when peak dining times have ended, (after 8pm). You'll save yourself from a lot of shady side-eye from other guests who are waiting, as well as from servers who are missing out on larger tips.
     All of that being said, there we were, at Kona, with kids, for a late "dessert only" reservation.
     The appetizers took about twenty minutes to arrive. We had gotten Sticky Wings, the Pot Stickers and the Steamed Pork Buns. They were all colorful and plated beautifully, though I would describe them all as being more like "small plates" than an appetizer for a table of three adults and two kids. The Sticky Wings had a salty-sweet soy and ginger glaze on them. Nice flavor, similar to 'Ohana's Honey Coriander Wings, though 'Ohana's are better. 4 small drummettes came in the order. The Pork Buns were unique. They were like mini-open faced shredded pork sandwiches, with fresh veggies and a soft, pillowy, doughy bun. They had a nice, sweet flavor, and looked beautiful, but again, there were only two small buns in the order. The Potstickers were not baked like the 'Ohana ones, but steamed, which made them seem a bit lighter. The filling was pork and veggies and they were very tasty. There were four on the plate. Between the five of us, the appetizers were gone pretty quickly. 

Sticky Wings

Pork Buns

Pot Stickers

     On to dessert! Kona has some really unique and yummy desserts, from the Kilauea Chocolate Torte, to the Jasmine Tea Infused Cheesecake, options are tasty and have a bit of island flare. Which is why I was SHOCKED when it was time to order and my mother announced that she wanted.....a Mickey bar, just like K! To be fair, we all know how delicious they are, and she hadn't had one yet on this trip, but come on, man!!! Hawaiian-style desserts!!! No? Oh, well, I guess I'll be the fun one, AGAIN. I went with the Banana-Chocolate Creme Brulee. I had it once before and loved it, so I wanted to see if it was still as good. The hubs passed on dessert tonight. (Super bizarre, I know.) So while D, K and Mum all enjoyed chomping on Mickey's chocolately ears, and trying to eat the ice cream before it was a melted pile, I dug into my gorgeous dessert. I apologize to you, because I was so excited about it, that I immediately knocked the huge chocolate swirl that came on top of it onto the floor, so it looks rather boring in my picture, but trust me, it was

great!

Banana-Chocolate Creme Brulee

The sugar was nice and crunchy on top, so as to give the consumer the satisfaction of cracking it, like any good creme brulee should. There were a couple of banana slices among the smooth, creamy banana custard, and on the bottom, a rich, velvety chocolate ganache. Just enough. Enjoy your Mickey Bars. I need some alone time with my creme brulee. Wait, it's gone already? Sniff. Sniff. (Worth noting, if you're a coffee drinker, the Kona press-pot coffee here is some of the best on property, but since we were not looking to be up too much later, we passed this time.)
     Almost time for Wishes! We hurried up and paid off the check and ran on over to the 'Ohana waiting area to get a view of the castle from the nice, A/C-ed, dry indoors. (Great thing to remember if you happen to hit a rainy night in the parks and want to stay dry, but see the fireworks. Perfect view from up there, and it's generally emptied out by the time the fireworks start.) K and D "Oooh"ed and "Aaahhh"ed, danced, and sang along to every word of Wishes. A woman standing near us said, "Oh, you've seen this before!", to which D said, "Yeah, like, a TON." Alright, kid, we get it. #DisneySpoiled

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl) You didn't really eat much at Kona, D, but did you like it?   "I liked the bread a lot. I would go there and eat, and eat, and eat the bread."   Well, ok, then. Tell us how you really feel.   "Huh? That IS how I feel." (D doesn't do sarcasm yet.)   How about your Mickey Bar, how was that?   "Good!'   Do you think kids would like the restaurant?   "Yes, because they get to go to the fireworks like we did. And eat that bread."   Fair enough.

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  Hey, K, would you go to Kona again?   "I go 'gain."   Why did you like Kona? Was it the Mickey Bar?   "Mamma! Mamma! Mickey? Mickey pop?"   Well, it was kind of like a Mickey lollipop. It was a Mickey ice cream bar.   "Ice keem. Mickey 'ike ice keem."   Mickey likes ice cream?   "Yeah."   I don't know how he'd feel about eating ice cream that was in the shape of his head. I think I would feel weird about eating human head-shaped ice cream. That'd be gross.   "Eewwww!"   I know. I over-thought that one, huh?   

Will we be back: Probably not for lunch or dinner, just because we know we prefer 'Ohana. We already know we want to come back and do a "date night" at the sushi bar some night, and we will have to come back at some point for breakfast. Kona serves one of the most legendary Disney breakfasts of all..... banana-stuffed french toast, coated in cinnamon and sugar. Also known as Tonga Toast! 

Tink Tested: Ohana Dinner

Location: Second floor lobby in the main lobby of the Polynesian Village

Parking/Transportation Situation: General Resort Parking or Valet Parking available. Bus service from all parks. Boat and monorail service from Magic Kingdom, Grand Floridian, Contemporary and Transportation and Ticket Center. (If using Disney busses, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time. For monorail or boat, allow about 30-45 minutes.)

Meals Served: B, D

Characters/Entertainment: Characters at breakfast only. At dinner there is a strolling ukulele player/singer, hula lessons and coconut races for the kids. Also, if you can plan to dine during the Magic Kingdom's fireworks show, you will have a great view from most spots in the restaurant, and the accompanying music is piped right in.

Type of Cuisine: Hawaiian grilled meats and sides

Type of Menu: Family-style, all-you-care-to-eat

Pricing/Dining Plan: $$$/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: 'Ohana Dinner Menu

Atmosphere: Tropical, tiki-filled dining room
Dress Code: Theme park casual

Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Kids, Families, Couples

Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Hard

Fun Stuff for Kids: For about 15-20 minutes, every hour, the strolling ukulele player comes around the restaurant. He or she encourages the kids to get up and learn the hula with them, and occasionally they even offer a coconut race, where the kids are given a coconut and a broom and they race around the restaurant, pushing the coconut like tiny, tropical hockey players. "Kids" of all ages will be smitten by the fireworks view and glimpses of the Electrical Water Pageant floating by, if you time your visit right.
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: What rides?????

Stand out dishes: Pineapple-Coconut Bread Pudding with Banana Caramel, Honey Coriander Chicken Wings, Grilled Steak, Chicken and Shrimp
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: Only one option here, but all-you-care-to-eat options are always a great use of your Dining Plan Point.

Experience: So, remember how I had said that there was no arm-twisting involved in getting the fam to go to Whispering Canyon? Well there WAS arm-twisting with 'Ohana, but only in the form of my hubby twisting MY arm to get this one in ASAP. 'Ohana has been my husband's hands-down favorite restaurant on Disney property for years now. So much so that I think we have eaten there on every single trip we did together as guests before we moved here. So much so that I learned how to make his beloved Honey Coriander Chicken Wings so that when we lived up North, he'd still get to enjoy them. (It's actually pretty easy to do and I will gladly share the recipe if anyone wants it.) So, 'Ohana was a no-brainer. Especially when a 5:10pm reservation happened to show up one Friday afternoon. You should know that booking 'Ohana is a challenge. My husband is far from being the only Guest to love this place, and so it is a highly coveted, and very challenging reservation to nab. Book as far out as you can, (180 days out is the furthest you can go), or be flexible and steadfast in looking for a cancellation. If you're looking for a truly special experience here, research what time "Wishes" is at The Magic Kingdom on the night of your visit, and try to get a reservation that would place you in the restaurant for the show. (NOTE: Not all tables have fireworks views. If this is important to you, check in early and let the host know you are willing to wait a little extra for a fireworks view table.)
     We valet parked at the Polynesian Village around 4:45pm and made our way through the newly-refreshed lobby, and upstairs to check in at the podium, for our 5:10pm reservation. We were given a pager and asked to stay on the second level of the lobby. There is a large seating area, as well as a the tropical Tamu Tamu bar available, so if you want to sip from a pineapple, or just take a load off while you wait, you can. We waited about half an hour to be paged, which is not unusual for 'Ohana. They tend to seat in rounds, so you'll notice the seating area getting quite full, and then several parties' pagers going off, all at one time.  
     We were given the little mini-tour of the fire-grilling area as we walked to our table. Normally, the server would stop at the bread station and grab you a loaf of 'Ohana's Pineapple-Coconut Friendship-Love-BFF's Forever Bread. (Ok, ok, it's really only called Pineapple-Coconut Bread. The previously used name is what we affectionately refer to it as.) Due to K's egg allergy, Disney is very strict about not placing any food on the table until a chef has visited and filled you in on what the person with the allergy can and cannot have. Our server would bring our bread once the chef had been over. We lucked out and got a great castle-view table, but since it was only about 5:30pm, we knew we would not be around for the 10pm fireworks.    
     Our head server was one of the better we have had at 'Ohana. Very accommodating, friendly to the kids, and on top of things. She took care of our drink orders and would help clear plates. Each table also has an assistant server, who handles food delivery. Within ten minutes, the chef came over to visit. We have been to 'Ohana so many times at this point, though, that we did not require a review of the items that K could and could not eat. We were able to simply request an egg-free dessert and avoid the bread. Everything else on the menu is already egg-free.
     Now that we were cleared by the chef, the server brought out our Pineapple-Coconut Friendship-Love-Happiness and Sunshine Dust Bread, 



The Magical Mystical Pineapple Coconut Bread

and our assistant server brought a large bowl of salad. This one looked like a new version since the last time we dined here. There were mixed greens, edamame, radicchio and, I believe, Jicama, all in a Lilikoi dressing. It was tasty, but had some bitterness to it because of the veggies, so after a couple of bites, I put it aside. Next, we were given warm hand towels, (which I always think is a nice touch), with our skillet of Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings, (the hubby's favorite), and Pork Dumplings, (my favorite). We also got our Teriyaki Noodles, (K's favorite), and Stir Fried Veggies, (really no one's favorite). Like usual, this was the time that my normally VERY loud family, became silent. No, we weren't bowing our heads in prayer. We were busy shoving food in to our yappers. D and Daddy both loves them some wings, so they were elbow deep in sticky sauce within minutes. I pretty much go to 'Ohana for the dumplings alone, so I can do some damage. The only thing I did not care for was that they have started serving the dumplings covered in a sticky-sweet sauce. Since I liked them plain much better, I asked the assistant server for a bowl of plain dumplings and promptly got some sans-sauce.

     Now, kids here do have the option of ordering a kid's meal, with choices like chicken nuggets or mac and cheese, however, our kiddos like the food here so much that there's no need to order them something different. In fact, at this point in the meal, K was dangling the long, curly noodles from his mouth and grinning ear-to-ear.
     Almost right after receiving our appetizers, the servers started coming around with the skewered meats. We weren't quite ready for that, since we didn't even have room on our plates for meat, so we politely declined and asked them to return later, which was no problem. D was showing food in her mouth, partially because she was actually hungry, and partially because she wanted to be "ready" when it was time for hula dancing and coconut races. It's always tough for us when we happen to be sat right as the musician is starting up, because then she won't eat because she wants to go dance. This time worked well for us because the singer didn't appear until more than halfway through the meal, so we had plenty of time to fill her belly first.
     When my husband deemed the pile of chicken bones to be high enough, we signaled the "meat guy", (according to D), to come over with the delicious steak, chicken and shrimp skewers. Now, those of you that have eaten at 'Ohana in the past may be realizing that meat choices are fewer now. I remember when they used to have grilled turkey breast, pork loin, sausages, and other options in various years passed. The variety has been limited, however, I do have to say... it's not a bad thing. It seems to me that limiting the selection has allowed them to perfect the three options that they do still have. The chicken was juicy and covered in a delicious sweet and sour glaze. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium, and had fantastic flavor. The shrimp, (though I didn't eat them), were D's favorite and she accumulated a pile of tail shells on her plate as she devoured them. Bravo, 'Ohana!
     Just after the meats were served, the male singer came out and serenaded the restaurant. He then called for all the kids to go up and learn the hula and the Huki Lau song, so D ran off to have some fun. K was engaged in a battle with a tricky pile of tangled "noo-doos", so he didn't mind being left behind. The performers here are fun, talented and very sweet with the kids. K is a particular fan of the female singer who has been there for years and years. She always stops by out table and sings right to him, which makes him cover his face and giggle.
     By the time D came back to the table, it had gotten dark enough out that we were able to see the Electric Water Pageant floating by the windows and that kept the kids entertained as the table was cleared and dessert was brought out. People LOVE 'Ohana's dessert, a warm bread pudding made from the Pineapple-Coconut Best Friends In Love For Life YOLO bread, and served with a banana-caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Personally, I think it's very good, but it doesn't "send me". Give me a chocolate lava cake and I'm thrilled. Cinnamony bread pudding? Eh. The hubs loves it, though, and always manages to squeeze some in, no matter how full he is. D was psyched because they brought her the "kid's dessert", which was a dense chocolate cupcake, with a gooey marshmallow fluff frosting, and mini- M&M's on top. Mr. K of course got a grand, egg-free dessert brought out... vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, egg free cookies and fresh raspberries. The whole family was happy. And full. Very, very full.

     We paid our check and rolled on out of 'Ohana as content as we always are when we eat there. It may be tough to make a reservation, but it's totally worth it!
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl) D, did you like Ohana?  "Yah, I liked the foods." What was your favorite thing to eat?  "Oh, I liked the chicken and the shrimps. Dessert was good too. The marshmallow fluff on the cupcake was good."  Do you think other kids would like it?   "Oh, they'd love it! The coconut races are so fun and I liked to learn the hula dance." (Proceeds to give me a demonstration of her hula skills, which look a bit like she's dancing to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off".) Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  Hey, K, you liked Ohana, right?  "Hana? Eat."  What was your favorite thing to eat?  "Noo-doos" (Noodles)  Yeah, you loved those noodles. You ate a ton. Did you like your ice cream for dessert?  "Yes. Ice keem. Ooooo... Hana, peez? Dinna, peez? Eat, peez?" (Translation: Yes, ice cream. Ooooo. Ohana please? Dinner please? Eat please?) Dude, you are always hungry. I feel ya.

Will we be back: We probably shouldn't have done Ohana so early in the review process, since there's no way the hubby is going to be ok with it not being in rotation again very, very soon. We may have to do a double-check on this one!