Run Disney to Eat Disney - Glass Slipper/Dark Side Challenge Dining Report - Feb & Apr 2016 - 5/9
- Thread starter Dis_Yoda
- Start date
twinsouvenirs
Mother of Dragons :)
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2013
Love the "Run Disney to Eat Disney" theme!
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
Thank you for reading along!
I love Food Porn too! I have my husband trained well as well - he knows to not eat until the photo is taken! Its great seeing all the photos here on the boards
It's such a true statement for me! I love being able to indulge at Disney!
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
Legoland - Displays & Food
On March 4th, it was my Friday off of work (I love my Alternative Week Schedule when I actually get to have my Friday off!) and I took totally advantage of it! During Christmas, I received a free ticket to Legoland from the VIP Club. My husband says they probably sent it to me because I spent a lot on Legos last year at Walt Disney World and this was their thanks for giving us money. The ticket was valid until April 30th. January and February ended up being too busy for me to use it then so this was the first chance I got!
I encountered no traffic on I-75/State Road 17 on my drive up and made it in great time so I arrived a bit early for their 10AM opening but I entertained myself with my DSLR and the front gate attendants as I was front of the line. (I ended up taking almost 400 photos during the day - here are only the highlights)
Right at 10AM, they opened up and I went in. The park was pretty much dead! On my walk towards the roller coasters, I did a quick walk through the Lego Star Wars Displays.
Each of the roller coasters were walk on. I even got to ride Flying School completely by myself!
I say the 4D Lego Movie Show. It was cute but no where as good as the movie.
After the 4D Show, I was hungry as I hadn’t eaten breakfast. Next door to the Fun Town Theater was the Fun Time Pizza Buffet. It was $14.99 which didn’t seem bad for a park meal.
My salad was decent. I loaded up on some veggies and cheese as the pizzas were not yet out on the buffet as they had just opened and I was among the first in the restaurant for the day.
The pizza was just ok - I had a slice of Garlic Bread, Pepperoni, and Cheese. It was very basic park level food. I think I’ve been spoiled by Disney too much. At least I didn’t feel ripped off with the price!
After lunch, I walked through Mainland with more detail now. Here are some of those:
It was then time for the 12:15PM Pirate Water Show so I decided to watch that, knowing it would be super cheesy. It was but still entertaining!
The show took about 20 minutes and afterwards I walked through the old Cypress Gardens portion of the park. To me, it was a sad reminder of what I remembered it used to be. Growing up in Florida, I got to experience it when it was fully bloomed and not with random pathways blocked off and overgrown.
I then got through the rest of the main highlights of rides for adults after that walk before the 2:00PM 4D Show of “Legends of Chima” The Chima show was better than the Lego Movie one and I went into that one not knowing anything about that Lego line.
I had some time to kill until the 3:00PM Heartland Show so I got some ice cream. It was super affordable ($3.27 for 1 scoop of ice cream with rainbow sprinkles)
The Heartland Concert show was cute but totally geared towards children. I kinda felt bad for the actresses as there were maybe about 30 people in the theater when it was obviously made to hold about 150 or more. They still played to their audience well with their songs about friendships!
I called it a day after that, stopping through the shops on my way out. I ended up picking up a Wall*E set made for 12+ years old as I haven't seen it before and I love Wall*E! I got my husband two keychains. Overall, a pretty decent day! I didn’t spend a ton of money in comparison to a day at Disney World. I did miss my Disney Experience for entertainment and food. I’m glad I had a free ticket though as I wouldn’t have been happy if I had spent the $89 on a full admission. The drive home was ok - I had traffic thru Winter Haven but once I got onto 17, it was clear driving to Naples and I was home by 6:30PM!
On March 4th, it was my Friday off of work (I love my Alternative Week Schedule when I actually get to have my Friday off!) and I took totally advantage of it! During Christmas, I received a free ticket to Legoland from the VIP Club. My husband says they probably sent it to me because I spent a lot on Legos last year at Walt Disney World and this was their thanks for giving us money. The ticket was valid until April 30th. January and February ended up being too busy for me to use it then so this was the first chance I got!
I encountered no traffic on I-75/State Road 17 on my drive up and made it in great time so I arrived a bit early for their 10AM opening but I entertained myself with my DSLR and the front gate attendants as I was front of the line. (I ended up taking almost 400 photos during the day - here are only the highlights)
Right at 10AM, they opened up and I went in. The park was pretty much dead! On my walk towards the roller coasters, I did a quick walk through the Lego Star Wars Displays.
Each of the roller coasters were walk on. I even got to ride Flying School completely by myself!
I say the 4D Lego Movie Show. It was cute but no where as good as the movie.
After the 4D Show, I was hungry as I hadn’t eaten breakfast. Next door to the Fun Town Theater was the Fun Time Pizza Buffet. It was $14.99 which didn’t seem bad for a park meal.
My salad was decent. I loaded up on some veggies and cheese as the pizzas were not yet out on the buffet as they had just opened and I was among the first in the restaurant for the day.
The pizza was just ok - I had a slice of Garlic Bread, Pepperoni, and Cheese. It was very basic park level food. I think I’ve been spoiled by Disney too much. At least I didn’t feel ripped off with the price!
After lunch, I walked through Mainland with more detail now. Here are some of those:
It was then time for the 12:15PM Pirate Water Show so I decided to watch that, knowing it would be super cheesy. It was but still entertaining!
The show took about 20 minutes and afterwards I walked through the old Cypress Gardens portion of the park. To me, it was a sad reminder of what I remembered it used to be. Growing up in Florida, I got to experience it when it was fully bloomed and not with random pathways blocked off and overgrown.
I then got through the rest of the main highlights of rides for adults after that walk before the 2:00PM 4D Show of “Legends of Chima” The Chima show was better than the Lego Movie one and I went into that one not knowing anything about that Lego line.
I had some time to kill until the 3:00PM Heartland Show so I got some ice cream. It was super affordable ($3.27 for 1 scoop of ice cream with rainbow sprinkles)
The Heartland Concert show was cute but totally geared towards children. I kinda felt bad for the actresses as there were maybe about 30 people in the theater when it was obviously made to hold about 150 or more. They still played to their audience well with their songs about friendships!
I called it a day after that, stopping through the shops on my way out. I ended up picking up a Wall*E set made for 12+ years old as I haven't seen it before and I love Wall*E! I got my husband two keychains. Overall, a pretty decent day! I didn’t spend a ton of money in comparison to a day at Disney World. I did miss my Disney Experience for entertainment and food. I’m glad I had a free ticket though as I wouldn’t have been happy if I had spent the $89 on a full admission. The drive home was ok - I had traffic thru Winter Haven but once I got onto 17, it was clear driving to Naples and I was home by 6:30PM!
nco91590
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2014
Great reviews! I must say, I find myself annoyed on your behalf at the iceburg salad at Boathouse. For some reason, it really grinds my gears when you have to PAY for a salad, and then it's all iceburg and looks like it came from a bag. If it's a free salad sure...I'll have iceburg. But I would have been beside myself paying $8 for that salad.
Ok....deep breath. Stepping off my soapbox. LOL.
Ok....deep breath. Stepping off my soapbox. LOL.
kastoney
Disney foodie served with a side of sarcasm
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2010
This is AWESOME!!!!! My hubby and I were just talking about him doing the princess next year and then I see this. Gives me so many ideas for him ; )
But you finished!!!!! Congrats
Oh, this is my absolute favorite. We missed Sanna our last two trip and it doesn't appear to be in the cards for next trip either. Fingers crossed for August as I need me some bread service.
That a girl. Dehydrated + alcohol = a great nap!!!!
Free Legoland, score!!!!!! Looks a bit cheesy, but fun. I'm sure my daughter would love it but don't think she'd give up a Disney day for it
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
Thank you for enjoying the reviews!
I get being annoyed over spending $8 for iceberg. I live in Naples, FL where some stuff like this is normal at a lot of the restaurants in town that are on the nicer side. It seems the only places I get free salads are chains (although I do love my salad at Carrabba's!) With it being a running trip, it was a way to at least get some vegetables in!
Hahaha! I can only imagine what your husband would end up wearing if you decide for him (or if you get Casey to pick it)
We aren't doing Princess next year. We are doing Wine & Dine Weekend's Lumiere's Two Course Challenge now instead of him doing the half and me doing the 5K. Running is more a morning thing for me than a night time one! 2017 will probably just be Star Wars - Light Side & Dark Side. My husband told me we need to cool it on vacations next year to do some house stuff as this year was supposed to be that year but being a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding (and the balchorette party in Cancun) has taken more money than we thought and 4 race trips kinda changed that.
Thanks! Slow and steady wins the race for me! Finishing makes me happy too.
I'll cross my fingers for you for August! We keep changing our minds for April's trip as well. We're staying at the Villas at Grand Floridian so I'll probably keep us around the monorail for dinners for ease as we totally want to be back in the room for night by 7PM to relax and be to bed early!
It does! Perfect time to take advantage of it!
It was a bit cheesy but that's a theme park based on Legos for you. I wouldn't give up a Disney day for it either! Living so close makes things a little easier for us!
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
Naples Craft Brew Fest
On Saturday, March 5th, I attended the 5th Annual Naples Craft Brew Fest. I went with the same coworker that I did this last year with as she’s my usual Beer Fest buddy! We both know how to enjoy a decent amount of beers and not overdo it, especially with it being a hometown event where we are likely to run into people we know. This year was the first year they had two types of tickets - VIP & Regular Admission. We both opted for the VIP as it would get us 30 minutes early entry into the fest, the ability to try 5 VIP only beers and food pairings by a local restaurant called The Local that sources everything around Southwest Florida that it can. It also had private bathrooms and indoor/outdoor seating for when you wanted to escape the sun!
We also got a tote bag that included one of the beer mug holders and some other goodies. That mug holder turned out to be super helpful, even if it looked silly having a glass as a necklace!
Pork Belly BLT
Pork Tortilla
General Tso’s Chicken Taco
Beer List
The food photos were the highlights for the various food dishes they had this year! That General Tso’s Chicken Taco was amazing! Nice bit of heat to it that was well cooled with the light beer I had. The Pork Belly BLT was awesome as well! It was house cured Pork Belly that was perfectly crisp with a homemade aioli.
As far as the beer, I loved that they had so many new beers this year! Over 80! No way I could try them all but I did find some new ones I liked and didn’t like, especially from small Florida breweries that I haven’t seen a lot of or have been nervous to try.
Some of the highlights of those were the Naples Beach Brewery - Island House (Coconut Pineapple Saizen), Sweetwater Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout, Palm City Brewery My Gose-To w/ Cucumbers, Woodchuck’s Out On A Limb, and Green Flash - Treasure Chest.
We did end up running into quite a few of our coworkers this year (unlike last year or at annual Mercato Beer Fest in the fall) including one of the most straight lace men at work being well, really loose! It was super amusing (and we had fun teasing him that Monday)
On Saturday, March 5th, I attended the 5th Annual Naples Craft Brew Fest. I went with the same coworker that I did this last year with as she’s my usual Beer Fest buddy! We both know how to enjoy a decent amount of beers and not overdo it, especially with it being a hometown event where we are likely to run into people we know. This year was the first year they had two types of tickets - VIP & Regular Admission. We both opted for the VIP as it would get us 30 minutes early entry into the fest, the ability to try 5 VIP only beers and food pairings by a local restaurant called The Local that sources everything around Southwest Florida that it can. It also had private bathrooms and indoor/outdoor seating for when you wanted to escape the sun!
We also got a tote bag that included one of the beer mug holders and some other goodies. That mug holder turned out to be super helpful, even if it looked silly having a glass as a necklace!
Pork Belly BLT
Pork Tortilla
General Tso’s Chicken Taco
Beer List
The food photos were the highlights for the various food dishes they had this year! That General Tso’s Chicken Taco was amazing! Nice bit of heat to it that was well cooled with the light beer I had. The Pork Belly BLT was awesome as well! It was house cured Pork Belly that was perfectly crisp with a homemade aioli.
As far as the beer, I loved that they had so many new beers this year! Over 80! No way I could try them all but I did find some new ones I liked and didn’t like, especially from small Florida breweries that I haven’t seen a lot of or have been nervous to try.
Some of the highlights of those were the Naples Beach Brewery - Island House (Coconut Pineapple Saizen), Sweetwater Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout, Palm City Brewery My Gose-To w/ Cucumbers, Woodchuck’s Out On A Limb, and Green Flash - Treasure Chest.
We did end up running into quite a few of our coworkers this year (unlike last year or at annual Mercato Beer Fest in the fall) including one of the most straight lace men at work being well, really loose! It was super amusing (and we had fun teasing him that Monday)
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
Looks like a great beer fest and love the addition of the food pairings. We have a few around here, but they have devolved over the years and are now just drunken college parties. I'm way too old for that
We have a few beer fest around here that are like that as well like the "Bacon & Beer Fest" or the Beer Festivals in Fort Myers.
In Naples, its well known around town that the police are out for DUIs which keeps people in check unless they are using a Taxi or Uber. These ones also cost a little bit more than the Fort Myers' events which also helps! So glad they haven't devolved in Naples yet!
I'm too old for drunken college parties as well! I'm a more in bed by 10PM during the week/11PM on the weekend type girl!
Hope you had a wonderful trip! Are you going to end up putting up a dining report or trip report?
I went to the sushi bar in October solo and it was nice and I had wonderful service, its just the downstairs I haven't had luck at service wise. I hope you have a wonderful time there!
I_Heart_Disney_4_Lyf
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
Thanks for all of your pictures and reviews! I have yet to try any of these places but hope to on future Disney trips. Congratulations on all of your running! My aunt did the princess half marathon last month. They always look so fun!
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
I was really happy with the food this year! That homemade bacon sounds so good right now along with those funky tacos.
Thank you for joining in! Disney has so many different places to try - it makes it difficult to mix in old and new favorites along with some new places especially if you don't get to visit often! Hope your aunt had an awesome time at Princess! I have a love/hate feeling with princess because I'm not that happy with the course in comparison to the other courses they have but I'm glad I've given it a try twice now! I am going to skip it in 2017 though.
It was so much fun! Hopefully I'll keep it up as a yearly tradition
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
Dark Side Challenge Dining Plan
We are now a little over a week out for our next Run Disney trip! Time to dust this report off and start talking! For this trip we are staying at the Villas @ Grand Floridian. My husband is excited he finally gets to stay at this home resort since I've only stayed there solo or with my mother. (We only own 63 points there and thus only enough for a long weekend a year) We aren't planning too hard core of a trip with it being a race weekend but we do plan on enjoying the Flower & Garden Festival on Friday along with Hollywood Studios on Saturday.
Thursday, April 14th
Lunch: Road Food Somewhere (We're leaving Naples around 11:30AM)
6:40PM: The Wave
Friday, April 15th
Lunch: EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Booths
4:30PM: Tutto Italia Ristorante
Saturday, April 16th
Dark Side 10K
Breakfast: RunDisney Box!
Lunch: TBD in Hollywood Studios
5:30PM: Citricos
Sunday, April 17th
Dark Side Half Marathon
Breakfast: RunDisney Box!
12:00PM - Grand Floridian Cafe
We are now a little over a week out for our next Run Disney trip! Time to dust this report off and start talking! For this trip we are staying at the Villas @ Grand Floridian. My husband is excited he finally gets to stay at this home resort since I've only stayed there solo or with my mother. (We only own 63 points there and thus only enough for a long weekend a year) We aren't planning too hard core of a trip with it being a race weekend but we do plan on enjoying the Flower & Garden Festival on Friday along with Hollywood Studios on Saturday.
Thursday, April 14th
Lunch: Road Food Somewhere (We're leaving Naples around 11:30AM)
6:40PM: The Wave
Friday, April 15th
Lunch: EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Booths
4:30PM: Tutto Italia Ristorante
Saturday, April 16th
Dark Side 10K
Breakfast: RunDisney Box!
Lunch: TBD in Hollywood Studios
5:30PM: Citricos
Sunday, April 17th
Dark Side Half Marathon
Breakfast: RunDisney Box!
12:00PM - Grand Floridian Cafe
DisneyKates
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- May 23, 2015
Yay! We are also gearing up for the Dark Side race weekend! We will be there the 16th through the 23rd & are running the half. I'm looking forward to reading your report.
kastoney
Disney foodie served with a side of sarcasm
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2010
I was hoping we'd be in the same proximity at some point, but it looks like only the run plans intersect (the hubby run of course, not yours truly). We're coming in Thursday night and staying at the airport, then have MK and Artist Point on Friday, Resort day (Wilderness) and hoop dee doo on Saturday, then Kona post marathon on Sunday. Are you all just in for the weekend?
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