We are off to eat and drink around the world :)....

[dgbg100106]

3rd F&W We are off to eat and drink around the world ....

Well there is me = Brandi, Wife, Mother and Fun person
There is DH = David, Husband, Father, and wonderful to me.

Let’s see, we bought our APs last year, knowing full well that we were coming back this year for F&W. So at our 11 month window we booked our home resort, the Beach Club, and picked up a Studio Villa.

We have enjoyed the Festival for the previous two years, the 14th and 15th year and every year we learn something new. Last year we took David’s Sister and her Husband with us the last two days.
That trip was a lot of fun, you can read about it here…. Trip Report

We talked to our friends so much about the festival last year we thought for sure they would go with us, but they told us NO, can you believe someone would tell us NO, I mean we were floored. But ok, if you don’t want to go to the happiest place on Earth, during the most grown up time in the world, then I can’t make you.

Now granted we are grown up with the youngest child 18 , and they decided to have another kid late in life who is just now 7, and I know this has some influence on your decision to go to the World but….

Anyway, we start by getting the resort booked and waiting for the fun to begin, planning and more planning.

This link is to WDW’s official website for the Festival:
http://www.foodwinefest.com/

Link to the Disney Food Blog (unofficial) site for the Food & Wine Festival including links to 2010 coverage:
http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011-e...wine-festival/

Current schedule: Could change at any moment based on the way I feel at the time.

Sunday:
Fly in, arrive 2:20pm
3:30pm @Beach Club Villas
hit up some of the kiosks
Taylor Dayne
Monday:
hit up some of the kiosks
38 Special
Sanna Dinner reservations 7:40
Tuesday:
Seminars / Demos? Kiosks, etc, etc....
DISmeet at 4PM
Flying Fish Cafe, Chef tasting 8:15PM
38 Special
Wednesday:
More of the same will fill in later
7:35pm Jiko
38 Special
Thursday:
Holding out for 3D Dessert Discovery no dessert party...
Yatchmans Steakhouse dinner reservations 6:50pm
Friday:
8:20pm flight back;
DME will pick us up around 5:30pm I am sure.​

Army Ball
Uncle Sy
Chicago, IL
Chicago, Part two
Chicago, Part Three
Chicago, Hancock Building
Chicago, Miracle Mile
Chicago, Day three
Leaving Chicago and going to Follies at Kennedy Center
CA, day 1
CA, day 2
Montrery Aquarium
DISmeet
Sports Legends Museum
Babe Ruth Birthplace
Crime and Punishment Museum
Crime and Punishment part 2
Crime and Punishment Part 3
Crime and Punishment Part 4
Mr. Boot
Uncle Vanya
August 22, 2011 Flying on a jet plane....
August 23, 2011 Iceland
August 23, 2011 Amsterdam, Netherlands
August 23, 2011 Amsterdam Part 2
August 23, 2011 Amsterdam Part 3
August 23, 2011 Amsterdam Part 4
August 24, 2011 Amsterdam, Netherlands
August 24, Amsterdam part 2
August 24, Amsterdam Part 3
August 24, Amsterdam Part 4
August 24, Amsterdam Part 5
August 24, Amsterdam Part 6
August 24, Amsterdam Part 7
August 24, Amsterdam Part 8 The Red Light District
August 25, 2011 Amsterdam, Netherlands
August 25, Amsterdam Part 2
August 25, Amsterdam Part 3
August 25, Amsterdam Part 4
August 26, 2011 Embarkation Day, Celebrity Constellation, Leaving Amsterdam
August 27, 2011, Sea Day and First Formal Night
August 28, 2011 Berlin, Germany
August 28, Berlin Part 2
August 28, Berlin Part 3
August 28, Berlin Part 4
August 28, Berlin Part 5
August 28, Berlin Part 6
August 28, Berlin Part 7
August 28, Berlin Part 8
August 28, Berlin Part 9
August 29, 2001 Sea Day
August 30, 2011 Stockholm, Sweden
August 30, 2011 Stockholm Part 2
August 30, 2011 Stockholm Part 3
August 30, 2011 Stockholm, Part 4
August 30, 2011 Stockholm, Part 5
August 31, 2001, Helsinki, Finland
August 31, 2011 Helsinki Part 2
September 1, 2011, St. Petersburg, Russia
September 1, St. Petersburg, Russia Part 2
September 1, St. Petersburg, Russia Part 3
September 1, St. Petersburg, Russia Part 4
September 1, St. Petersburg, Russia Part 5
September 1, St. Petersburg, Russia Part 6
September 1, St. Petersburg, Russia Part 7
September 1, St Petersburg, Russia Part 8
September 1, St Petersburg, Russia Part 9

 

[dgbg100106]

Our reservation is set and I can see it on the Disney website, it always makes me feel a little better knowing that it is for “Real”…. October 2 - 7th, 2011

Flights have been booked, southwest has some really great deals. We are flying nonstop into MCO.

I called and got the Disney Magical Express lined up to pick us up and bring us back.

I am not sure but last time we made good use of a one day rental. We stayed at Boardwalk Villas, and walked over to Dolphin and picked up the car, drove to Wal-Mart, and bought cereal, milk, snacks and beer for the evenings, I am not so sure we will need all of that since we are there for food and wine. We might just walk over to the Hess station and pick up some beer.

Decisions decisions… What to do?

 

[dgbg100106]

So I posted on the F&WF official Sticky the following:

General question for everyone....

Have you done PFTS before?
What was the price last year?
Is it only on the weekends?
Is it worth it?
Is it worth getting the guaranteed seating?
Do you get to see the concert that night if you book PFTS?
Are the food offerings the same as the Kiosks?

Wow that is a lot of questions....


I was thinking that we might want to do Party For The Senses, I had heard almost all good reviews last year.

Then the bomb drops.... They only do the party on Saturday nights....

We are there Sunday thru Friday...... no PFTS for us this year.

 

[dgbg100106]

We are down into 7 month booking window for DVC resort and my friends that I had been trying to come to F&WF have decided that NOW they want to come.

We rush around to find them a resort and the only thing we can find is AKL, now don’t get me wrong I LOVE AKL. I want to buy points there so I can stay when I want to in my 11 month window, but that is another story.

So we are staying at Beach Club and we got them a studio at AKL. I know they will love it, but I just wish they were closer to us.

Beach club is perfect for stumbling back from the festival.

So the two newbies are Jim and Diana, they are from Oklahoma City, OK. They are so much fun. We have been on vacation with them to Barcelona, Spain and then we meet up again in San Antonio, TX last year. They are a great couple. Lots of fun and lots of with them two around.

 

[John's Mom]

Sounds like a great party to me!

Food, wine and good friends!

 

[dgbg100106]

Sounds like a great party to me!

Food, wine and good friends!

You are welcome to join in the fun!

 

[dgbg100106]

Since I was not going to be able to attend PFTS, my next choice is the 3D Dessert Discovery.

I read a couple of reviews from Last year here.. http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/...covery-event-at-the-epcot-food-wine-festival/ and here ...http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39171514&postcount=152

Just the amount of booze and bourbon make this a perfect fit for me and DH and our friends.....

Even if the price goes a little bit, I still think it is worth it, but it seems based on the past that it was only offered on a few Thursday nights, so I can keep my fingers crossed on that one.

 

[dgbg100106]

Since our friends have never been to AKL, we decided that they must try JiKo. So I made reservations for us.

So I made it for Wednesday night, hoping that 3D Dessert party will happen on Thursday night.....

So this will be my third trip to Jiko, I wonder if I will ever go anywhere else...Nope I love it there. The food is wonderful.

 

[dgbg100106]

Current Eat to the Beat schedule...


Taylor Dayne: 9/3-10/2/11
38 Special: 10/3-5/11
Jon Secada: 10/6-7/11
Roger Hodgson formerly of Supertramp: 10/8-9/11
Billy Ocean: 10/10-12/11
Starship starring Mickey Thomas: 10/13-16/11
Sugar Ray: 10/17-19/11
The Orchestra starring former members of ELO: 10/20-21/11
Howard Jones: 10/22-23/11
Boyz II Men: 10/24-26/11
Gin Blossoms: 10/27-28/11
Sister Hazel: 10/29-30/11
Hanson: 10/31-11/1/11
The Pointer Sisters: 11/2-3/11
Night Ranger: 11/4-6/11
Air Supply: 11/7-8/11
Richard Marx: 11/9-10/11
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: 11/11-13/11

I have seen Taylor Dayne before and she can rock the house, and when she plays the drums it is amazing, but I would love to see 38 Special.... That could be so cool!

 

[dwheatl]

Two of the bands on there are doing free concerts in Santa Cruz this summer - Starship and Gin Blossoms. They must have the same promoter or something. I wanted to see Gin Blossoms (again) this summer, but we are gone when they are here. Too bad I can't head off to EPCOT during the school year.

 

[dgbg100106]

Two of the bands on there are doing free concerts in Santa Cruz this summer - Starship and Gin Blossoms. They must have the same promoter or something. I wanted to see Gin Blossoms (again) this summer, but we are gone when they are here. Too bad I can't head off to EPCOT during the school year.

Cool... I have never heard of Gin Blossoms...
Now Starship, was Jefferson airplane, then Jefferson Starship, and finally Starship right?

 

[dwheatl]

Cool... I have never heard of Gin Blossoms...
Now Starship, was Jefferson airplane, then Jefferson Starship, and finally Starship right?

Kelly and I both love the Gin Blossoms. And yes, that's the progression of Starship, from White Rabbit (Go Ask Alice) to We Built This City.

 

[franandaj]

Cool! and Yay!

I want to hear all about your trip because you'll be back about 2-3 weeks before I go!

 

[Scotgirl]

Hope you have a good trip. We're also there at that time for three weeks at a 2bdr villa at Kidani

We've never eaten at Jiko - what's the food like? Do you get value for money?

Looking forward to eating and drinking our way around the world!

Looking forward to reading about your trip - always interesting to read someone else's perspective.

 

[miprender]

Hi Brandi just read your whole TR on your other thread and joining in here too

Just wanted to say I love this photo of your family

 

[dgbg100106]

Cool! and Yay!

I want to hear all about your trip because you'll be back about 2-3 weeks before I go!

You know I will give you more details than you really need and food and drink porn are the norm in my TRs....

 

[dgbg100106]

Hope you have a good trip. We're also there at that time for three weeks at a 2bdr villa at Kidani

We've never eaten at Jiko - what's the food like? Do you get value for money?

Looking forward to eating and drinking our way around the world!

Looking forward to reading about your trip - always interesting to read someone else's perspective.

We love Jiko... Please look thru the last couple of trips, I take photos of the food. We have had so much fun there and enjoy the food so much.

Maybe we will run into you and your family while we are there. As you saw our friends are staying at AKL - Jambo House.

 

[dgbg100106]

Hi Brandi just read your whole TR on your other thread and joining in here too



Just wanted to say I love this photo of your family

Thanks....

We are a strange bunch... Was it the squinting eyes or the what's not love t-shirt.... You know I feel comfortable wearing that at Disney, b/c I know noone will judge me...

 

[miprender]

Thanks....

We are a strange bunch... Was it the squinting eyes or the what's not love t-shirt.... You know I feel comfortable wearing that at Disney, b/c I know noone will judge me...

At Disney there is no fashion police when when anything Disney like

Wait to you see what I have planned for my family. I am on the disboutique thread and making all matchy outfits for the kids and matching shirts for DH & I

Thank goodness DH goes along with my Disney clothes addiction

 

[dgbg100106]

At Disney there is no fashion police when when anything Disney like

Wait to you see what I have planned for my family. I am on the disboutique thread and making all matchy outfits for the kids and matching shirts for DH & I

Thank goodness DH goes along with my Disney clothes addiction

looking forward to it, you leave in a month right? Send me a link to your DISigns so I can see your matching outfits....