First Solo Trip to WDW for Food and Wine & Hurricane Matthew - OCT 2016 Updated 12/30 Post #165-167

Did I hear you are in Disneyland this weekend? Do you have another trip report going on that trip?

I never saw the displays about past Food and Wine Festivals. I wonder how I missed those.

mvf-m11c said:

I saw Remy on the Canada kiosk which was neat to see.

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I had great fun hunting those down.

mvf-m11c said:

I love going to the Canada kiosk when I went in 2012 for the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup which Is my favorite.

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That is one of the main draws of the Food and Wine Festival for me. I love that soup.

mvf-m11c said:

Dennis bought a Boeuf Bourguignon – Braised short ribs in cabernet sauvignon with mashed potatoes

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That looks delicious.

mvf-m11c said:

the one that I enjoyed the most during the F&W Festival was the potato and leek waffle with beer-braised beef and smoked gouda cream.

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That sounds amazing.

Corinna

dhorner233 said:

Beautiful day! Beautiful pictures! Thanks for the menus. I could have found something at every kiosk that I wanted to taste. I totally enjoyed the festival when I was lucky enough to go a couple of years ago.

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It was a nice day to be at the park for the whole day. Mostly I don't stay at the park for the full day so we can get a rest. But everyone didn't have an Annual Pass like me so I understand the situation and stayed with them. Your welcome Denise. I have taken a lot of shots of the kiosks and menus during the F&W Festvial. There was something that I would try but I wanted to eat at the kiosks that I was recommended.

PrincessInOz said:

Oooh! Food porn.
Love your selections so far at F&W. Those waffles are surprisingly good, aren't they?

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

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Thanks PiO. I got to thank you and Alison for recommending the Belgium kiosks with the potato and leek waffle. The waffles were amazing especially the potato and leek waffle.

Your welcome.

franandaj said:

I'm glad you liked the beef and leek waffle at the Belgium pavilion, that was a big surprise for us. We liked all three, but the savory one was especially good! I can't believe you left the line for Test Track to meet your Dad to enter the park. He should have at least let you ride, but I can understand.

Glad you got to meet Jill as well!

I hope you have a safe drive down tomorrow and looking forward to seeing you on Sunday!

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The potato and leek waffle was one of my favorite dishes during the F&W Festival. I know that I left Test Track to meet up with the rest of my party but he didn't have his ticket and he couldn't get on in. I could have rode Test Track but I will ride it when I go back.

It was nice to meet Jill during the trip.

I had a fun time last weekend at DL with you and Fran. Thank you for dinner that night and seeing F! that night. Too bad that DF fireworks didn't happen that night since it would have been fun to take long exposure shots.

dhorner233 said:

Did I hear you are in Disneyland this weekend? Do you have another trip report going on that trip?

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I went to the DLR this past weekend during the Avenger's Marathon, opening weekend of the Christmas season and Star Wars Season of the Force. I met up with Alison on Sunday and Monday. Right now, I am busy with work and coaching basketball but I will try to write up a TR or just a quick TR with pictures during the trip since I have to finish up my WDW TR.

dolphingirl47 said:

I never saw the displays about past Food and Wine Festivals. I wonder how I missed those.

I had great fun hunting those down.

That is one of the main draws of the Food and Wine Festival for me. I love that soup.

That looks delicious.

That sounds amazing.

Corinna

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The displays when walking down to World Showcase were neat to see from the past years and shows the different logos from the previous F&W Festivals.

Those were fun to look for Remy on the kiosks.

The Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup is one of my favorite dishes during the F&W Festival. One day, I will have the appetizer at Le Cellier.

The Beouf Bourguignon looked good and I should have got one.

The potato and leek waffle was good.

After we passed by the Japan pavilion, we were now heading on over to the American Adventure pavilion which there were more different kiosks during the Food & Wine Festival. We had a few kiosks while walking in Epcot and looking for more different foods.

When we were passing by the American Adventure pavilion, I looked on over towards the American Gardens Theater, the Voices of Liberty was going on and later that night “Air Supply” during the Eat to the Beat event.


The Hops & Barley Market menu


We went on in to see “The American Adventure” show. Ann and Aiko wanted to see the show and we went on inside the theater.


Waiting for the show to start.


The American Adventure show is a nice show to see every time I am at Epcot.

After the show, we head on back out at World Showcase and head on over to the next pavilion which was Italy.


The Italy kiosk


Italy menu


The next kiosk was the Poland kiosk




Now passing by Germany and it was a little busy but not too busy where it was hard to walk around.


When I was by Germany kiosk, I had to stop by and get the Apple Strudel which I had it before back in 2012.


Germany menu


Apple Strudel with vanilla sauce


Right next to the Germany kiosk was the Brewer’s Collection kiosk


We walked on over to the next kiosk which was Africa.


We continued on over to the next kiosk which was South Korea.


South Korea menu


Now we are at the China pavilion which is one of the pavilions that Aiko wanted to visit the most during the trip. While we were here, I had to get pictures of the China kiosk.


China menu


While we were at the China pavilion, we head on over to see Reflections of China. Aiko have seen the 360 circle vision show at the China pavilion in the past and she enjoys seeing when she was here with Ann and Dennis a few years ago.


After seeing the show, we were now in Norway and there was quite a lot going on from the construction of the new Frozen ride at the former Maelstrom ride.


I remember back during the D23 Expo in August with DAF that they showed some art work of the new addition to the Norway pavilion. There was the construction walls right at the newest part of Norway pavilion.

We were now at the Mexico pavilion


Mexico kiosk




The next kiosk that we passed was the Australia kiosk and this was one of the kiosk that I wanted to eat.


I had the Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies.


I enjoyed the lamb with the potato crunchies which gave it crunch. The pesto was good as well.

Now passing by new Zealand kiosk




There weren’t too many kiosks that we stopped by after the Australia kiosk. The next one was the Patagonia kiosks. This is another kiosk that I ate during the trip but we didn’t stop at that kiosk when we walked by but we did went to that one.


Patagonia kiosk


The next one we passed by was the Farm Fresh kiosk. Ann went in the queue for that kiosk.


Farm Fresh Menu


She got the Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Nueske’s Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers and Green Onions.


After going around World Showcase, we head on over to the other kiosks that is between World Showcase and Future World. The Wine Studio and Cheese Studio were in the garden walkway between the two worlds.

Wine Studio menu


Cheese Studio menu


Cheese Studio kiosk




Ann got the Trio of Artisan Cheese. The first one had Karst Caved-aged Cheese with Honey. The second is a La Bonne Vie Goat Cheese with Craisin Bread and the Third one is aRogue Creamery Oregon Blue Cheese with Berry-Port Compote.


After she got her cheeses, we head on over to the new stands which are the Sustainable Chew and Chew Lab. But when I looked at the dishes at those two kiosks, there was nothing that I wanted to eat so badly. I was a little full from that afternoon with all those kiosks that we went.

Sustainable Chew kiosk


Chew Lab menu


Chew Lab kiosk


After we walked by the Sustainable Chew and Chew Lab, my dad and Aiko went on over back to the Japan pavilion so they could have dinner at Teppan Edo. The three of us didn’t want to eat at Teppan Edo at the Japan pavilion since we were full from all the different food and wine during the F&W Festival. While my dad and Aiko went on over to the Japan pavilion, I went on back to the car so I can get my tripod for Illuminations. Dennis and Ann went around World Showcase to do some other things until we had our special event that night.

That is it for this post and stay tune of what we have done that night.

I'm hungry! I'm enjoying the vicarious tasting of the F&W kiosks.

You had the Aussie lamb? I wonder how "Aussie" it was. At least it looked well cooked. Glad you enjoyed it.

Everything looks delicious! I want to go!!!

You managed to sample quite a few things. What a shame that you passed up what for me was the highlight of this year's food and wine festival: the liquid Nitro chocolate and almond truffle at the Chew Lab. This is the most decadent dessert I ever had.

Corinna

Thanks for sharing all the pictures of the kiosk menus. I just made my reservations for the Beach Club for next year's F&W event.

PrincessInOz said:

I'm hungry! I'm enjoying the vicarious tasting of the F&W kiosks.

You had the Aussie lamb? I wonder how "Aussie" it was. At least it looked well cooked. Glad you enjoyed it.

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I really want to go back to the F&W Festival to try those different dishes that I didn't try.

I did. The lamb was good and I remember that you told me not to try the shrimp.

dhorner233 said:

Everything looks delicious! I want to go!!!

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Ditto. I want to go back again but I would choose the Christmas season over the F&W Festival.

dolphingirl47 said:

You managed to sample quite a few things. What a shame that you passed up what for me was the highlight of this year's food and wine festival: the liquid Nitro chocolate and almond truffle at the Chew Lab. This is the most decadent dessert I ever had.

Corinna

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I was able to do quite a lot that day at Epcot which we spent a whole entire day. I know what you mean which I did missed a lot of dishes that I wanted to try during the F&W Festival.

franandaj said:

Thanks for sharing all the pictures of the kiosk menus. I just made my reservations for the Beach Club for next year's F&W event.

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Your welcome Alison. That is great news to read that you made your reservations at the Beach Club next year.

When everyone did their own thing at Epcot where my dad and Aiko went to the Japan pavilion to eat at the Teppan Edo restaurant, while Dennis and Ann went to do other things around World Showcase Lagoon, I head on back to the car to get my tripod in the car. It has been a while since I have been at the park for most of the day which I usually get a break in the middle. But with everyone here on one two day or four day tickets, they want to get the most out of the whole day. It is a different when you have an annual pass and a regular ticket.

When I went back to the car to get my tripod, I went straight on back to World Showcase to eat at some more different kiosks during the Food & Wine Festival. There were times where I was so stuffed that I couldn’t eat any more. But I couldn’t help myself of eating more and more at the F&W Festival.

The first thing I did was head on over to the Patagonia kiosk to get the beef empanada. I didn’t get the beef empanada earlier since I have ate at the Australia kiosk where I got the lamb chop. This time, I had to get the beef empanada.


I enjoyed having the beef empanada during the F&W Festival which is one of my favorites along with the potato and leek waffle at Belgium along with the Canadian cheddar and cheese soup at Canada.

After I had the beef empanada, I head on over to where the location of the IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party location is which is right next to the Disney Traders store which is right next to Showcase Plaza. Dennis, Ann and Aiko were originally planned on attending the Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party but Aiko was all full since she was eating at the Edo Teppan with my dad. So they asked me if I wanted to join since she is not going to have dessert that night. It was nice from Dennis and Ann to invite me to eat at the IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party. My dad and I were originally not planning on eating there since there was nothing my dad wanted to eat.


It was a while until it was time to get our table for the IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party, so I just walked around WS to get some pictures until it was time.




I didn’t take too many pictures since I was waiting for my dad and Aiko at the Japan pavilion after they finished dinner. When they finished, I met up with them and we headed on back to the Showcase Plaza area since I needed to get back to Dennis and Ann. My dad and Aiko went to the handicapped section close to the Port of Entry store right by Showcase Plaza which they will be watching.

When I found Dennis and Ann, they were already in the queue to get in the Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party area.


This feels like all of those FP events like Fantasmic!, World of Color, etc. where you will have to wait in a specific area and then you can go in. It was tough at the beginning since we had to fight the crowds to get in the area. It was so busy at Epcot that night where walking in WS was crazy.

When the CM’s let the guests in, everyone in the area was fighting their way in o get the best tables. We were able to get a decent spot close to the Showcase Plaza area.


There were a lot of tables around Showcase Plaza but the closer you are the better or sometimes the back is better over the front or middle.


The IllumiNations Sparkling Desserts Party is just like the Fantasmic! Dessert package at DL where you get to eat desserts. But this is not like DL (where it is now gone) where you get a box of dessert and the drinks where you can get all you can eat desserts. There were okay selections from baklava, tiramisu, chocolate ganache tarts, crisped rice puffs, cinnamon sugar churros with caramel and chocolate sauces, season berry cobbler, apple dried fruit crumbles, sparkling blue velvet cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies and no-sugar-added lemon cookies.








For the price of $49 per person, it does feel like a lot where you can all you can eat. But I would say that it was not worth it in my opinion since I am not a dessert type person. I do like eating desserts but the ones that I tried were not to my liking. Also, the price for a nice spot to see IllumiNations is okay if you get there early. This is like staking out a spot for IllumiNations around WS lagoon. I would rather pay for F! at DL then pay for the IllumiNations Sparkling Desserts at Epcot but that is my opinion. I was grateful for Dennis and Ann to ask me to join them that night.

Now we were waiting for IllumiNations that night which is one of my all-time favorite nighttime shows at WDW. Every time I come to WDW, I have to see this show at least once and it still never lets me down. Very interesting during the show, some of the pyro techniques didn’t work correctly. We did see a boat came from the center of the Earth Globe barge which was kind of odd at first but it did worked later on.

Here are some pics from IllumiNations that night.








During Act II of IllumiNations, this is where the fireworks is going off but the Globe barge didn’t go off but it did later on.








After IllumiNations was over, we met up with my dad and Aiko from the other side of Showcase Plaza. Even though there was a problem during IllumiNations that night, I always enjoy seeing it every time I am at Epcot.

We head on back to our cars. But before we did that, some of the party needed to use the restroom so we head on over to the restrooms by Spaceship Earth, I took a few pics with the long exposure.


We head straight on back to our cars and went back straight to the Sheraton Vistana Resort. I was tired that night which we spent the whole day at the park which I was there earlier. It was nice to be at the park for the whole day but I would rather take a break in the afternoon. But I was able to do some things at Epcot during the F&W Festival.

This concludes the second full day during the WDW trip and the next day will be at the Magic Kingdom which I had to do some changes to my trip because of DAF not coming and the bump thanks to my dad which we left on Saturday instead of Friday. I was planning on getting to the MK early in order to ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train which I have read that the wait time is in that hour to 90 minute range which is scary. That is it for this update and stay tune for the next day at the MK.

That was nice that you got to enjoy the Illuminations Dessert Party. I think I could do that Dessert buffet. Assuming that they taste decent, I like those dessert offerings. But I've found that desserts at WDW tend to be hit and miss. Sometimes, they feel like the kitchen have hung on to the desserts for a day too long and they end up being stale and dry.

Nice pictures of Illuminations. That's a great position from that spot.

ETA. I forgot to say that that Empanada is also one of my favourites from F&W festival.

I also love the Empanada. How nice that you were invited for the Illuminations Dessert Party, but what a shame that the desserts were not to your likely. Your photos of Illuminations are truly stunning.

Corinna

I have been away on the boards lately and finally able to catch up.

PrincessInOz said:

That was nice that you got to enjoy the Illuminations Dessert Party. I think I could do that Dessert buffet. Assuming that they taste decent, I like those dessert offerings. But I've found that desserts at WDW tend to be hit and miss. Sometimes, they feel like the kitchen have hung on to the desserts for a day too long and they end up being stale and dry.

Nice pictures of Illuminations. That's a great position from that spot.

ETA. I forgot to say that that Empanada is also one of my favourites from F&W festival.

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That was nice of Dennis and Ann to let me join with them during the Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party. The Dessert buffet was nice but I am not too much of a dessert person. With everything going on from the F&W Festival, I was so full that night especially with all the food at the kiosks.

Thank you. It was a nice spot. Not the ideal spot but it was nice.

dolphingirl47 said:

I also love the Empanada. How nice that you were invited for the Illuminations Dessert Party, but what a shame that the desserts were not to your likely. Your photos of Illuminations are truly stunning.

Corinna

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The empanada are very good that my mom made some a few nights ago with the same ingredients. It was nice that Dennis and Ann let me join with them. There were some desserts that I enjoyed but I don't think it is worth $50 a person. Thanks Corinna.

Now it was the third full day of the trip in which I am ready to head on over to the Magic Kingdom that morning. My original plan was to head on over to the MK on Saturday the 17th but since due to the bump on Friday, I lost Saturday at the MK which I had FP+ so this time, I was planning on going to the MK first thing in the morning in order to ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train since the wait time can be in that hour range after the park opens.

Since the park opens at 9am, I left the Sheraton Vistana Resort around 8:30am. That was a big mistake on my part where I didn’t leave early enough since there will be people waiting when the park opens at 9am. When I got to the Transportation & Ticket Center, the Express Monorail line was closed, the Ferry was only running one boat the Resort Monorail line had a couple of Monorails on the line.

I always enjoy going to the MK when I am in Florida since it is almost like DL where it is twice the size. But I will always like DL more than the MK. This was the first time seeing the revamped MK since I haven’t been there in 2012. So much has changed from that time.

So I got to the park around 9:20am. I was not happy to get to the park that late that morning since the only way to ride the 7DMT was to go through the standby queue.


It is nice to see the Halloween decorations at the MK where just like DL has a lot on Main Street.


When I was at the Hub, the area looked completely different from 2012 where it had the stream of water on the bottom where the new garden areas are now.


The first thing I do was head on over to Fantasyland to get in the queue for the 7DMT. And what I have feared the most when I got to the park that late that morning is to see a lone queue to ride it. From the queue on the outside, I knew that it was going to be at least an hour or longer.


After seeing that queue, I gave up and didn’t go on the 7DMT that day. But I did plan on coming back to the MK sometime later during the trip in order to ride it. I could have waited in that hour queue but it wasn’t worth it.

So I took more random pictures when I was at the MK that morning until I had some FP+ to use.


Belle’s Village. So much has changed around that area where I was able to see Belle’s Village during 2012 where the 7DMT was still under construction.






The Little Mermaid ride is the same ride experience at DCA but the façade was way better over the DCA version.




Another spot from the 7DMT


The queue was just so long that I just forgot about going on it.


I went by the Rapunzel part of FL which is right at the end of IaSW and Peter Pan in Fantasyland.




I was now in Frontierland and heading on over to ride Pirates of the Caribbean since I have a FP+ for that ride.




When I used the FP+ for PotC, it was quick and efficient like when I used the MagicBand on Sunday. The PotC at the MK is nice but I still prefer DL version over this one where the MK doesn’t have the Blue Bayou like DL has and it has another drop. Also I remember that the MK PotC was more lighter over the DL version where it is more darker and harder to get shots.

Here are some shots from PotC that morning. I used the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 prime lens. There were a lot of times when I rode PotC that I missed the shots and were blurry.


















It was nice to ride PotC that morning and compare the DL version to the MK. By far the DL version is way better over the MK version.

After riding Pirates of the Caribbean, I wanted to get some shots of the new Hub area. The new Hub is very nice and more spacious with the extra space for seeing the parades and fireworks.




I like the Disney character statures on the columns around the garden area.










The viewing area to see the fireworks is nice and I was hoping to get a FP+ for the fireworks but they were sold out and with limited spacing.












After I went around the Hub, I head on over to Tomorrowland to ride one of my favorite rides at the Magic Kingdom.




I went to ride the Peoplemover. The Peoplemover is one of the rides that I must go on when I am at the Magic Kingdom. When Disneyland had the Peoplemover until the mid 90’s, the Peoplemover at DL was one of my favorite rides at DL along with the DL Monorail. Now that the Peoplemover no longer exists at DL, this is the only way to ride it which is at the MK.








I enjoy riding the Peoplemover around TL from going inside Space Mountain. It is a shame that DL won’t bring back the Peoplemover but it is nice that the MK still has it.

After riding the Peoplemover, I head on to see the Carousel of Progress. I do enjoy seeing the CoP when I am at the MK which it used to be at DL until the MK got it in the 70s.


That is it for this post and stay tune of what I have done later during that day at the MK.

Love the 1.8 lens! Great shots on the PoC! They don't have Fast Pass for the 7 Dwarfs? I love the People Mover too. So sad they took it out at Disneyland!

Great shots with a great lens. Hope you made it on to 7DMT.

What a shame that you did not get to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train that day. I hope that you got to ride it later in the trip.

Corinna

That was nice you got to enjoy the dessert party. It looked good, but I can understand how it may not taste as good as it looks. Too bad you didn't me it to MK in time for the actual rope drop, and had to try 7DMT on another day.