30something Couple Does Food & Wine for the First Time!

[ShesAPirate]

Hello and welcome to my very first PTR – which will turn into a trip report of epic proportions, filled with pictures and reviews and awesomeness (I hope)!

And now for the longest introduction ever!

Allow myself to introduce... myself. (hmmm... why is there no Austin Powers smiley? )

Let's call me Gigi (38). I didn't “grow up” with Disney. I was a Looney Tunes kind of kid, and don't remember ever watching any Mickey Mouse cartoons, aside from Mickey's Christmas Carol (honestly, I'll watch any characters' Christmas special – Pac-Man being a perfect example of that fact). My first trip to the World was in1986, when I was 13. It was a family trip, consisting of 15 cousins, aunts, and uncles. We stayed off-site (Vistana Villas), and at the time there was only MK and Epcot. As a 13 year old, Epcot was less than thrilling to me – aside from Figment! I remember getting a little lecture when 13 of the 15 of us fell asleep while on Universe of Energy hahaha. But MK, on the other hand... well, I just fell in love!

Here's a pic from that trip. I'm the one with the blue Mickey shirt on

Ugh, that hair! Gotta love the 80s And what is Donald wearing? Some kind of space suit?


My next trip was the following summer with my mom, but after that I didn't get to go again until 1993. I was a nanny for a family that was moving from NYC to Jacksonville, FL. They brought me on vacation with them, so I could watch the kids while they looked at houses. The plan was that I would fly home from Jacksonville, and they would go on to WDW. The night before I was to return to NYC, they surprised me and told me I was coming to Disney! Woohoo! And staying at THE POLY! My first time staying onsite, and it was at the Poly! That trip was when I truly fell head over heals in love with all things Disney – including Epcot! This will be my 11th trip to the World.

With me on this trip will be my adorable, sweet boyfriend, who I'll call DJ (33). He has NEVER been to WDW before! He went to Disneyland when he was about 12 or 13, but that's it. He loves thrill rides, and doesn't mind going on them without me (he went on several coasters alone when we went to Hershey Park). He's basically just following my lead on this trip, but is very much looking forward to Space Mountain, Mission Space, Star Tours... all those type of things. He is a very science-minded and incredibly intelligent (yeah, I'm bragging, I can't help it) and I think he's going to absolutely LOVE Epcot. Between all the techy/sciency stuff and all the booze and food, it's going to be his favorite place

We are going during Food & Wine (which I've never experienced), and couldn't be more excited about that. We both love good food and good wine and good beer – so this is right up our alley!

This is us at a party a couple of months ago

(awwww, yay! )

We are also going to MNSSHP – the last party is the day we arrive, and since I've never done any of the parties, I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to go. I'm SO excited to see the parade and fireworks and all the decorations!

We rented DVC points from a reseller for this trip. The amount of money we saved over booking directly through Disney was incredible, and the service has been wonderful so far! We will be staying at AKV Jambo House for the first 4 nights, and (at this time) AKV Kidani for the last 2 nights, in Savanna View Studios. I have us wait-listed for those last 2 nights, figuring that if we have to move anyway (there was no availability for the entire 6 nights), why not move to somewhere totally different? So I keep hoping that the wait-list will come through... Keep your fingers crossed for us! A little pixie dust would be a great thing Either way, we'll be at Disney, so it's not going to ruin our vacation if the wait-list doesn't come through... it just would be a nice extra thing.

Now onto the ADRs!

We will have DDP the first 4 nights, then DxDDP for the last 2 nights.

Day 1:
Lunch at Garden View Tea Room (OOP, since it's not on the DDP)

Day 2:
Dinner at Les Chefs des France

Day 3:
Lunch at Sci-Fi (this is OOP)
Dinner at Jiko

Day 4:
Lunch at Le Cellier

Day 5:
Lunch at Via Napoli
Dinner at Crystal Palace (gotta have my Eeyore time!)

Day 6:
Breakfast at Boma
Dinner at California Grill

Day 7:
Lunch at Coral Reef

I've only ever been to Crystal Palace and Sci-Fi – the rest are brand new to me. DJ is very adventurous with food and will try anything once (including things like kangaroo!) so I tried to make our ADRs at places where he could explore and I could be picky, boring, meat-and-potatoes me

I didn't originally have Sci-Fi on the list, but I read a review of their new menu the other day, and I felt that I wanted DJ to see the restaurant. I figure even if we go in and just have apps and drinks, he'll still get to see how cool it is in there.

Alright, that's info overload for now, I'm sure. I promise tons of pics and food porn. Hope you'll stick around! Comment, advise, ask questions, etc. I'd love any input on our ADRs! AND explain Photopass to me

[ShesAPirate]

We are 1 month away! So excited!!!

From what I understand, the 30-day mark is important when you're wait-listed. Here's hoping that something opens up at BWV or BLT and we're next in line. Our wait-list goes until 7 days before our trip, though, so there's always hope! I'll just keep praying for pixie dust

[Queenofallthings]

Hey Girl! I followed you over from my TR .... I have to say I am a little envious that you're going for F & W....I love F & W....you are going to have such a great time! Your ADR's look great, some of my favorites are on there!! BTW, you two make an adorable couple

[ShesAPirate]

Thanks for joining in! I'm so excited about going to Food & Wine, especially since it'll be our first time. Actually haven't ever been in the fall before (my favorite season) so that makes it even sweeter.

Oh, thanks for the compliment about us, too!

[RNBelle]

Where are you staying if you don't get your Wait list? You guys are DVC owners?

[ShesAPirate]

Originally Posted by RNBelle

Where are you staying if you don't get your Wait list? You guys are DVC owners?

We'll be at Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House for the first 4 nights. Our last two nights are currently at Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village. Those last two are the only ones we're wait-listed for (at Bay Lake Tower and Boardwalk). Jambo House was our first choice for the whole 6 nights, but we couldn't get it. So I booked Jambo and Kidani... and then started thinking, "If we have to move anyway, why not move somewhere totally different?"... so onto the wait-list we went. Still hoping and praying it'll come through!

We're not owners. We rented points through a reseller for this trip. It'll be the first time staying DVC. Very excited for that, too

[ShesAPirate]

Our Park Hoppers arrived today!!!

We used Undercover Tourist to get our tickets, saving about $60 over getting them directly through Disney. I've purchased tickets from them once before this, too. Easy-peasy!

Having the tickets just makes this trip so much more real. Can't believe how close it is. Exactly 4 weeks from tomorrow!

[ShesAPirate]

Man, being presently unemployed and 4 weeks away from our trip (!!!) really makes it difficult not to obsess about everything. I was moments away from rearranging half of our ADRs today, but luckily stopped myself. There is definitely such a thing as over planning!

I have been reading the Dis and AllEars and everything else non-stop. I love this crazy excited feeling of anticipation. It's like a month-long Christmas Eve!

[ShesAPirate]

26 days!!!!! Jumping out of my skin over here! So much so that I keep updating this PTR that no one's reading At least it gives me a place to get out my excitement a little bit

Here's a little list of the things I'm most excited about:
-Being there with someone who's never been there before (and it doesn't hurt that I'm crazy about him )
-Food & Wine for the first time
-Mickey's Not So Scary for the first time
-Riding the monorail
-The smell of AKL lobby
-Taking pictures with my new DSLR (I've never had a really good camera with me at Disney before)

... and a billion other things, of course!

Oh, a question to anyone who might be reading -- since the accident a couple of years ago, do they allow people to ride in the conductor's car on the monorail anymore?

[Queenofallthings]

I'm here hon...just one of those crazy weeks at work!! So tired at night I couldn't keep my eyes opened to get on the Dis!

I get obsessed about changing plans and ADR's when I have time on my hands too It's the one thing I think we all have in common! F & W ... I am so envious...I love that time at Disneyworld!

[ShesAPirate]

Originally Posted by Queenofallthings

I'm here hon...just one of those crazy weeks at work!! So tired at night I couldn't keep my eyes opened to get on the Dis!

I get obsessed about changing plans and ADR's when I have time on my hands too It's the one thing I think we all have in common! F & W ... I am so envious...I love that time at Disneyworld!

Thanks for sticking around!

I can't tell you how excited I am to be there during F&W, and that we'll get there for the last MNSSHP, AND that there will be Christmas decorations going up during the week, too. It's like a dream come true. I've never been during the fall so all of this will be brand new to me

[MamaJessie]

Originally Posted by ShesAPirate

And what is Donald wearing? Some kind of space suit?

We are also going to MNSSHP – the last party is the day we arrive, and since I've never done any of the parties, I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to go. I'm SO excited to see the parade and fireworks and all the decorations!

Alright, that's info overload for now, I'm sure. I promise tons of pics and food porn. Hope you'll stick around! Comment, advise, ask questions, etc. I'd love any input on our ADRs! AND explain Photopass to me

I'm joining We have pics of us with space suit wearing Mickey from the 80s. I just need to get my hands on a scanner....

We have done MNSSHP and had a great time, enjoy

Photopass - wish I had used it more often. They manage to take good pics, it is convenient and really wish I had just pre-ordered the CD before we left for a discounted price and had more pictures taken. Lesson learned for next time..

[ShesAPirate]

Originally Posted by MamaJessie

I'm joining We have pics of us with space suit wearing Mickey from the 80s. I just need to get my hands on a scanner....

We have done MNSSHP and had a great time, enjoy

Photopass - wish I had used it more often. They manage to take good pics, it is convenient and really wish I had just pre-ordered the CD before we left for a discounted price and had more pictures taken. Lesson learned for next time..

Welcome aboard, glad to have you!

I don't really understand the whole Photopass thing at all. It seems no matter how much I read, I still don't get it somehow. I guess the photopass photographers are all over the parks, right? I'm planning to pre-order because it's hard to get good pics together when you're just a couple without asking strangers.

I'd love to see your pics of Mickey in the space suit. I have a few more from the 80s that I'll probably post soon.

[MamaJessie]

Originally Posted by ShesAPirate

Welcome aboard, glad to have you!

I don't really understand the whole Photopass thing at all. It seems no matter how much I read, I still don't get it somehow. I guess the photopass photographers are all over the parks, right? I'm planning to pre-order because it's hard to get good pics together when you're just a couple without asking strangers.

I'd love to see your pics of Mickey in the space suit. I have a few more from the 80s that I'll probably post soon.

Really, they were everywhere. Places I never would have imagined. There was even one taking pics during Hallowishes! You just hand them your card and they take your pic. They also took quite a few pics while we were visiting with characters and it was nice to have those pics leading up to the big "smiles and cheese" moment. Also nice at the end of test track (there were probably more but like I said - we weren't sold on photopass in the beginning) I scanned my card and loaded my ride pic onto the card. If you have any more questions, ask away. So many things about WDW trips are hard to wrap your mind around until you are there, doing it.. so I totally understand!!

[ShesAPirate]

Originally Posted by MamaJessie

If you have any more questions, ask away. So many things about WDW trips are hard to wrap your mind around until you are there, doing it.. so I totally understand!!

Thanks! I'm sure I'll have more questions as the trip gets closer. I appreciate you offering to help and the info you provided so far!