Photo courtesy of Disney. Golden Gate Cocktail: created especially for 15th anniversary of California Grill at Walt Disney World Resort.

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Golden Gate Cocktail

This drink was created especially for the 15th anniversary of California Grill at Walt Disney World Resort. The award-winning restaurant at the top of Disney’s Contemporary Resort opened to rave reviews on May 15, 1995.

1 1/4 ounces Remy Martin VSOP Cognac
3/4 ounce Amaretto Disaronno
1/2 ounce cranberry juice
Orange slice, for garnish
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Squeeze the slice or orange into the drink.

(Recipe and photo were provided by Disney, and I toast them for that.)

A parenting book I rarely recommend in a parent-teacher conference or I.E.P. meeting is The Three-Martini Play Date. I think it, but keep it myself.  What I mean to say is, you have to take a moment to be a grown up.  If your babysitter has to be more than just C.P.R. trained by the girl scouts, you may have tough time pulling this off.  Just last night I had grown up drinks, after 9 p.m., at the house of a friend.  Three adults were responsible for a total of seven children, but with the combination of custody arrangements, bargains with spouses/au pairs, and the perfect storm of children falling asleep at the right time, we each had two cocktails, and 100 laughs.  Topics included occupational therapy, disciplining your children when angry vs. not angry, abusive bosses, embarrassing typos while texting, facebook-driven romances, and how Sandra Bullock selected the name for her new baby (we have a theory, that seemed excellent after just one glass of wine).

It can be very hard to take a break during vacation, as strange as that seems, and if you are caring for a child with special needs, coverage is sparse.  Going to dinner and a movie on the same night sounds about as feasible as jetting off to the Bahamas for the week.  This is why a nice cocktail, or even a mocktail, may be the kind of break you can afford.

At four, children can use the kid’s clubs, as my cruising friends call them, or Child Activity Centers, such as The Neverland Club at The Polynesian, where the babysitters are. No need to call the other option, Kid’s Night Out, where a caretakers come to your room, for a fee, and another fee, plus an expense, unless your children are under four, or if they use diapers. Child Activity Centers participants must be younger than 12. We pay a lot for childcare in our area, and the sticker shock/anxiety of leaving my children with someone new, scared me off the first time.  I must say, the reviews I have read are very impressive. Many parents are nervous at first, but children ask for their sitters to come back again and again.  They even ask if your child has any allergies or special needs ahead of time.  This time, though, we planned our trip so our youngest would be old enough for the centers, instead.  Please don’t tell the people serving our 10th anniversary dinner that the cake should say, “Happy 10 year and 6 week Anniversary.”  Luckily, they won’t ask for proof.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort is on the monorail.  Staff members may call it “the toaster” but if you grew up with microwave, you might not see the resemblance. The monorail access means that you are a stop away from the Grand Floridian and “The Poly” which each house centers for children. You can plan to have cocktails and light appetizers at the bar, and leave before the bill for the childcare rivals that of the bill from your orthodontist.   You also may be able to enjoy the atmosphere from the bar area, without having the advance dining reservation you might not have made at 7 a.m. last December.  Call ahead just in case, but finding a good cocktail is dramatically easier than finding a good steak.

If you are used to getting the call or the text to come and get your child because he got sick when he was anxious, or she isn’t transitioning well to the new setting, you may enjoy your “90 minute” date more than a four course meal where you have the meter running in your head.

To reserve a spot at The Mouseketeer Club at The Grand Floridian Resort, or The Neverland Club at The Polynesian Resort, call (407) 939-3463. They will ask for a credit card to guarantee your space, and you can cancel up to 24-hours ahead of time.  The rate is approximately $10/hour per child, with a 2-hour minimum. Allow some time to sign your child in, and adjust to the new surroundings.

Under the “try this” section of this I thought about posting the recipe for the cocktail above. In general, test-driving new things before you travel make sure you aren’t in for any unhappy surprises.  In this case, the cocktail may be the antidote to unhappy surprises you find, “off-property.” Always with the ways to keep the magic alive in and out of Walt Disney World.