Two adults take on Flower & Garden & Spring Training (w/photos) New! 5/9:THE END

[acm97]

Great points...We can agree to disagree because based on my experience, I believe moderate is a perfect fit for CBR. Over the past 12 years we have stayed almost exclusively at CBR, and they have recently renovated the pools and many of the rooms on the property, the pirate themed rooms are the latest, although not our thing even in my demographic. My parents bought DVC in 2011 and now we stay at the deluxe villas. I love them, and even at my age I realize what a difference there is between moderates and the Deluxe Villas, especially having only stayed at moderates in all our visits prior to 2011. Because of the bad exchange of DVC points to anything other than DVC, I don't think we will get back to CBR anytime soon, unless we paid cash when they have great deals. I do also think Disney does a great job on the upkeep of the properties, even on our visits during droughts. Anyway, just my two cents.

 

[poison ivy]

Great points...We can agree to disagree because based on my experience, I believe moderate is a perfect fit for CBR. Over the past 12 years we have stayed almost exclusively at CBR, and they have recently renovated the pools and many of the rooms on the property, the pirate themed rooms are the latest, although not our thing even in my demographic. My parents bought DVC in 2011 and now we stay at the deluxe villas. I love them, and even at my age I realize what a difference there is between moderates and the Deluxe Villas, especially having only stayed at moderates in all our visits prior to 2011. Because of the bad exchange of DVC points to anything other than DVC, I don't think we will get back to CBR anytime soon, unless we paid cash when they have great deals. I do also think Disney does a great job on the upkeep of the properties, even on our visits during droughts. Anyway, just my two cents.

What a great story. It's wonderful that Caribbean Beach holds such special memories for you. My heart will always belong to Ft. Wilderness. That's where we stayed growing up.

Thanks for sharing. Glad to have you here.

 

[poison ivy]

Day 3 continued:

A St. Patrick's Day Afternoon at Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival - Take III


We drove over to Epcot for one last time to wrap up the Flower and Garden Festival.

The plan was to pick up right where we left off - 13 booths total: 4 down, (1 skipped) = 8 left to go.
A lot of ground to cover w/6 snack credits due to expire.

We'd head toward Germany and work our way toward France.

First stop:

Fruits by the Glass - (sorry no menu photo)

description from Disney's website:

"Wet your whistle with beverages made from a cornucopia of fruits.
You'l find beer, wine, gluten-free ale and more! Fruits by the Glass is located in World Showcase Plaza.

To drink:
Watermelon Passion Fruit Cocktail
(served with Cane Vodka from Florida Distillery LLC)
Wild Berry Slush - non alcoholic (Try It Selection)
Sea Dog Blue Paw Wild Blueberry
Mango Mama, Mango Wine from Florida Orange Groves
Blueberry Blue, Blueberry Wine from Florida Orange Groves
New Planet: (Gluten Free) 3R Raspberry Ale from Boulder, Colorado
DeLoach Vineyards Heritage Reserve Chardonnay
DeLoach Vineyards Heritage Reserve Pinot Noir
Dasani Water
Seagram’s Orange Citrus Sparkling Water
Minute Maid® Light Lemonade
Honest Kids® Super Fruit Punch"

Our selection:

Wild Berry Slush

This was delicious and very refreshing!! Great compliment to the day!

We decided to hitch a ride over to Germany.

It's a beautiful scenic route

Green was everywhere! So festive!!

Next up: Bauernmarkt Farmer's Market

This was a beautiful set-up with the food booth to the right and a beer garden straight ahead. Destined for a crowd later on tonight.

Menu

Our choices:

Savory Bread Pudding with Spring Peas and Wild Mushroom Ragout

German Meatloaf Sandwich with Sweet Mustard and Fried Shallots

These were a surprise compared to what we were expecting and both were really excellent. The mushroom ragout was similar to a stroganoff and the meatloaf seemed more like a German sausage. Perfect kickoff to a great afternoon!

Next Up: Primavera Kitchen - Home to some of the most expensive offerings at the festival. We used 3 snack credits here!

Menu

Our selections: (sorry for the poor photos but there was no real place to set anything down so we had to maneuver on a bench.)

Asparagi con Aragosta all' Ortolana (green asparagus, lobster, garden cocktail sauce)



This was excellent!! The dish is served cold with large chunks of lobster, baby asparagus and fresh dill. We loved it!

Lasagna Primavera - (spinach lasagna, green peas, zucchini, mushrooms, broccolini, béchamel and fresh tomatoes w/garlic and basil leaves)



Excellent as well!!! Really fresh with a great combination of flavors. This was one of our favorites.


And for dessert - Panna Cotta al Lemoncello



This was delicious!! So good!! (JQ skipped it since it's made with the liqueur)

Continued in the next post;..

 

[poison ivy]

Day 3
A St. Patricks Day Afternoon at Epcots Flower and Garden Festival - Take III
(continued)


Festival Marketplaces: 8 down - 5 to go


Next Stop:

The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews The American Adventure
(again, with some of the most expensive menu items we used 2 snack credits here)

We sampled:

Pulled Pig Slider w/Cole Slaw I thought this was way too dry. JQ enjoyed it.
(apparently there was a fixins bar we didnt see)

Smoked Beef Brisket with Collard Greens and Jalapeno corn bread I really liked this.
JQ thought it needed something
(which may have been at the fixins bar also)

Rocky Road Brownie Mousse this was a hit for both of us!!! So Good!!

We sat in this quiet section adjacent to the America Pavilion

At this point we were done - but still had 4 booths to go and 1 snack credit left.
So we decided to force one more and headed toward Japan.

Hanami - (with 1 high priced item we used the last snack credit for)

We ordered:

Frushi (fresh strawberries, pineapple and cantaloupe rolled with coconut rice, atop a raspberry sauce,
sprinkled with toasted coconut and whipped cream)



Chirashi Hanazushi (grilled salmon, cooked shrimp and crab stick served over a bed of
fragrant ginger rice with Volcano and Dynamite sauce)



As great as both of these were it was hard to enjoy them on a
full stomach. The volcano and dynamite sauce is pretty hot.
The Frushi is awesome!! Really creative, fresh and delicious!

We cut our losses and called it a day.
On three separate visits we managed to enjoy 9 out of 13 Garden Marketplace kiosks.

The 4 missed were:

Lotus House - China
Taste of Marrakesh - Morocco
LOrangerie - France
Pineapple Promenade

Hopefully they will continue the food offerings in the future when we visit again.

As we're walking out thru France I glance across the bridge on our way toward England.

Welcome to the Party!!! This time the crowd is coming in from both directions!

That green beer served in the plastic cup days ago has substantially improved to this welcome souvenir
and everybody seemed lined up to get one!!!

Au revoir World Showcase

Cute festival merchandise kiosks set up throughout Epcot

On our way out, we decided to walk the other side of Future World
to explore more of the beautiful gardens, topiary and playgrounds.

And that concludes our visit to Epcots Flower and Garden Festival.
It really is a beautiful event and Im so glad we were able to experience it.
Cant wait to go back!!

Too bad we were leaving. Looks like St. Patty's Day was just getting started!!!

Next up: an evening of deluxe dining at Sanaa

 

[Johnny Quest]

Wow! Every dish from Japan was excellent. The Frushi was amazing. I'm looking forward to doing this again while staying at an Epcot resort.

I didn't realize how spoiled we are by Deluxe resorts until we were sitting in CBR wishing we had booked BWV.

PI, great report. Waiting to read more.

 

[poison ivy]

Day 3 continued................

A deluxe dining plan dinner at Sanaa


Having one table service credit left, we decide to end our anniversary with dinner at Sanaa.

We really love this restaurant!

Tucked away inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village, this beautifully designed restaurant provides a serene, picturesque atmosphere.

We've dined here twice for lunch in the past, but this would be our first time at dinner.

Sanaa does not offer your typical restaurant fare nor your typical dining experience.

Disney describes it best from their Website:

Experience the art of African cooking with Indian flavors, as exotic animals roam the Sunset Savanna before you.

Family-Friendly Feast
Savor slow-cooked meats, zesty salads and vegetarian specialties as you discover exquisite African cooking with Indian flavors.

Step inside this East African-inspired eatery, which evokes a traditional spice market, decorated with handcrafted wares under the graceful branches of an acacia tree.

Start your meal with Indian-style bread service with 3 accompaniments, from sweet mango chutney to spicy red chile sambal.

For your entrée, select from tender meats slow-cooked in gravy - such as beef short ribs and spicy Durban chicken; as well as vegetarian dishes like paneer cheese-and-spinach. A range of sampler platters lets you choose a variety of flavors, and kid-friendly fare like burgers, pizza and grilled chicken is sure to please even the pickiest of palates


Unfortunately, I did not photograph the restaurant.

But we did manage to capture our meal in stages as the evening progressed:

We inform our server we are on the deluxe dining plan and have a few questions regarding the menu and meal credits.

1.) Does the appetizer sampler for two count as 1 or 2 appetizers on the meal plan? Answer: Only 1.
(Great! I could order this and James could order something else!)

2.) Does the Indian Style Bread Service count toward an appetizer? Answer: Yes! (Great! we could get this also!)

3.) Do the non-alcoholic specialty drinks count toward the beverage on the meal plan? Answer: Yes! (Great! I'm getting a smoothie)

We are psyched!!!!

(sorry forgot to photograph the drink menu)

So I quickly order the Mango Lassi Smoothie $4.69 (a traditional blend of mango puree and non-fat yogurt)

This was amazing!!! I am still dreaming about it!!! Hopefully I will be ordering this again and again!!

JQ picks the All-Natural Lemonade topped with a Wildberry Foam $4.19
(which he thought was really refreshing and delicious - before he tried mine!)

First course - Appetizers:

1) We order the Appetizer Sampler for Two: Potato and Pea Samosas, Lamb Kefta Kabobs, and Roasted Cauliflower.

*warning* the roasted cauliflower is NOT the same item as per the lunch menu. I was expecting the excellent roasted cauliflower with marinara sauce from their lunch menu which is very mild and delicious.

Nowhere did I read anything to the contrary in its' description as "spicy cauliflower" for this appetizer at dinner.

MY MISTAKE!! Look closely and you will see red hot pepper flakes all over the florets.

The sauce is not a mild marinara - it is very spicy. Unfortunately, I took a bite and learned this the hard way!!! Waaaay too hot to enjoy in large doses (and I can usually handle myself). It really took away from the greatness of this appetizer. Had I known ahead of time I would have planned accordingly.

So I mention this to the server but he was unaware of any other type of cauliflower being served. I assured him there was. He stated they already were redesigning the menu and it was no longer being included. So maybe I'm not alone in my opinion.

The other two items are excellent!!!! Highly recommend!!!

For the record; here's a past photo of the cauliflower appetizer on the lunch menu. Big difference!!

2) We also order the Bread Service (included w/ the meal plan as well). Oddly, it's listed at the bottom of the drink menu. Sorry for the poor photo.

Indian Style Bread Service - $9.99 choice of five breads and five accompaniments.

I thought we chose each of the 5 breads – Traditional Naan; Garlic Ginger Naan; Spiced Naan; Onion Kulcha; and Pappadum.

However, we only received three: Pappadum (crispy - made of lentil flour); Traditonal Naan - (brushed w/clarified butter called ghee); and Onion Kulcha

Served w/ your choice of 5 accompaniments out of 9: (ours were some of the mildest)

Bottom row left to right:
Tamarind chutney
Coconut chutney
Mango chutney

Back row:
Cucumber Riata
Roasted Red bell pepper hummus

We love this!!! And order it whenever we dine here.

Moving on to the Entrees:

I chose from the Slow-cooked in Gravy, Simple and Well-seasoned selections: choice of two: with basmati rice or five grain pilaf.

Shrimp w/ green curry sauce; basmati rice and butter chicken. Excellent!!!! I order a variation of this every time we dine here!!!

JQ ordered from the Tandoor Oven: served with apricot-raisin chutney and choice of basmati rice or five grain pilaf.

Tandoori Shrimp and basmati rice. This is delicious!!!! The Tandoori shrimp or chicken are JQ's favorites!!!

So here's where the confusion sets in. James is expecting this to be presented the same as the lunch entrée, = tandoori shrimp on naan bread w/minted greens, tomato, onion and cucumber-yogurt riata. Here's a photo from 2011.

Obviously that's not what he received.

So he proceeds to attempt to recreate his lunch experience and re-designs his own meal.

I now present to you: Tandoori Shrimp ala Johnny Quest:

Not bad for a rookie!!!

Overall we are loving our meal. But as you can see this is a TON of food!!!! I barely touched my entrée and decide to take it home to NJ!!! Tomorrow is game day and I still have filet mignon sandwiches to make plus we were headed to the Studios that night. I didn't see where I'd be able to enjoy this before we left.

(JQ of course doesn't have any leftovers!!)

So I ask our server to please wrap everything up well enough to transport all the way home in two days along with whatever remained of the bread service and spreads.

He did a fantastic job!!! Everything was carefully packaged and well sealed to go in a carry-out handle bag. He really went above and beyond and let me just say that as soon as we got home we enjoyed every single bit of this. It was awesome to have Sanaa take-out in NJ!!!

Onto dessert - again my apologies for the poor photos

Everything looks really great!!! We settle on:

Dessert Trio - chocolate cake, tropical fruit kulfi and chai cream So good!!!!

Banana kulfi sundae With warm chocolate sauce, strawberries and spiced cashews.

The chef who invented this deserves an award!! This is absolutely amazing!
That's banana icecream in the photo with a little pool of chocolate. It tastes like a frozen banana split!!


Well that wraps up our dinner at Sanaa. If you ever happen to dine here, I hope you enjoy the experience as much as we do!!

Overall it was a great day and a fantastic anniversary!!!

up next: prelude to a date w/ the Phils at WDW

 

[Henlady]

PI:
I agree, Sanaa is a beautiful restaurant. We found it very relaxing and the food was good. With regard to the Chi cream - I fell in love with that stuff. The chef was supposed to e-mail me the recipe, but never did. I've tried to replicate it at home, but can't quite get it right. Guess we'll have to go back and I'll have just several of those for my meal!!

Keep up the good work with this TR. I'm loving it.

Kris

 

[poison ivy]

PI:
I agree, Sanaa is a beautiful restaurant. We found it very relaxing and the food was good. With regard to the Chi cream - I fell in love with that stuff. The chef was supposed to e-mail me the recipe, but never did. I've tried to replicate it at home, but can't quite get it right. Guess we'll have to go back and I'll have just several of those for my meal!!

Keep up the good work with this TR. I'm loving it.

Kris

thanks Kris! It's really great to have you along!! I didn't realize how much I would enjoy reliving the memories. wow your Fantasy cruise is right around the corner!! Are you ready to go??

 

[poison ivy]

Day 4 - Monday, March 18, 2013

Today marks our last day and we had something really big planned!

2013 Spring Training - Atlanta Braves v. Philadelphia Phillies at Champion Stadium
Mon Mar 18 2013 1:05 PM

Words cannot describe the anticipation!!

JQ and I are avid Phillies Phans!! We have religiously renewed our season tickets for 25+ years ...............year after year .................through all the trials and tribulations ......................when everybody else abandoned them ..................... in good times and bad..................We were there!!!
And when they beat Tampa Bay to win the World Series in 2008 - We were there!!!

We have never been able to catch them in Clearwater for Spring Training due to work. So while we were debating on when, where and how to celebrate, I decide to check the schedule. I tell James, "you're not going to believe this! They play Atlanta away on March 18 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. It's the day after our anniversary!" He replies, "We have to go."

Our fate was sealed.

It was February 21, 2013. First thing I do before anything else remotely related to the trip is rush to buy tickets to this game. Seating was limited. I grab two in the upper level and promptly pay the convenience fee to have them delivered.

Three weeks later, we land in Orlando.

And the rest as they say is history.

Up next……………..game day

 

[Johnny Quest]

There's only one thing better than Disneyworld with my wife in springtime...and that's Disneyworld with my wife and Phillies baseball!

And beleive me I feel very lucky to have a beautiful wife that likes baseball. I've got it made! It's a great time watching a major league game in a 7000 seat stadium.

 

[poison ivy]

Game Day March 18, 2013

Philadelphia v Atlanta Spring Training at Champion Stadium Disney World Wide World of Sports Complex 1:05 pm

Again, "Words cannot describe the Anticipation".

It's Monday, we leave tomorrow, but for today.......Game starts at 1:05pm!!

We can't wait to Go!

First order of business check the tickets.



Second order of business - make sandwiches.

We took our refrigerated leftovers from two nights ago and drove over to the food court at Caribbean Beach to get set up. I sliced up the filet using their "exceptional" plastic cutlery and heated up the gruyere potatoes in the microwave sitting over by the drink station. Our server had packaged up a full bread course to go with it: 2 onion pull apart rolls and 2 sourdough rolls.

I now present

The Filet Mignon Sandwich - hand sliced filet topped w/warm gruyere potatoes gratin (optional) on your choice of sourdough or onion roll.

Compliments of the Yachtsman Steakhouse!





These were sooo good we ate them on the spot!!

It was time to head over to the Wide World of Sports Complex.


Note: This complex IS accessible using the Disney Transportion System - however they only run busses to and from the All Star Resorts. So plan accordingly. We conveniently hopped in the car and drove over.
(Reason # 5 to rent a vehicle)

Not sure what a cab would run, but we saw quite a few.





We pull in and it's packed!! Every parking lot is full. You can already feel the energy!









We are directed to park on the grass in a far back row. Who cares? We're at the game!!



The transportation CM informs us we can use a complimentary shuttle to get dropped off at the front. Great! But we're too impatient to wait and opt to walk.

Turns out the "shuttle" is really just a few golf carts.



Here we are walking (with no end in sight)



And here's the shuttle whizzing past us! (Yep! That's what we get for being too anxious at Disney!!)



And there they go..........................



We arrive at last.







The place is hoppin'!







This poor guy looks imprisoned! (and it's only preseason!)



On our way in we pass this sign.





It felt really good to be here.

Next up a sneak peek at the ballgame.

 

[poison ivy]

Baseball and Disney World - perfect together.

What a great feeling walking in to Champion Stadium on game day.


It's a mini version of our favorite pasttime - Disney style!

Check out all the detail........

Love the trashcans.



Mickey icons at the concessions.
(Snack credits, room keys and Disney gift cards are all welcome here)



JQ is all business - the Phils are in town!!



Todays starting lineup



We're headed to Upper Level Section 217 Row H seats 13 & 14



Here's the view from our section







There were Phillies fans everywhere!!

Really glad we didn't opt for the lawn.



I think she just needed a little space!



Let's play ball!!

I capture a few photos to commemorate the day

The mighty Howard at bat



Swing!



So after 3 innings were down 11-5!! It's not looking good.

I decide to capture a few more shots.

Man, what a great job these guys have!





JQ points to the broadcasters "there's John Kruk" (former Phil)



Some entertainment for the crowd!





We decide to grab a snack and head down to the lower level for a better view.





Next time we'll try for these seats



Dude - that's not how you get on base!



"Hey Charlie".



I don't think that batboy's on our side!



How much for the cabana?



Final Score: 17-10 Yeah, we lost.



And that concludes a day in the life - when a Phillies Fan and a Disney Fan collide at the ballpark.
What a way to spend our last day. Perfect.

We loved every minute of it!!

Up next an evening at the Studios

 

[poison ivy]

Looks like I have one more update to go.

So bittersweet. It feels like our trip is coming to an end all over again!

 

[Iron Man]

The trip looks like it was great, maybe your son would have enjoyed it also. Too bad he had stuff to do at home. The food all looks delicious too. Johnny Quest would make a shrimp and rice pizza, so funny. The Yachtsman steak house photos made me hungry. I cannot wait until i'm down in Florida for my college program, where I can be into a small apartment with three other guys in just 40 days. I feel like it will be here in a , I can hardly wait.

 

[kittymamma]

Enjoying your adventures. Will be going soon and want to know about paying for goodies at the Flower Show kiosks....can you pay for food with KTTW card, credit card, cash ??? I had heard that some of the kiosks were contract and not Disney .

 

[poison ivy]

Enjoying your adventures. Will be going soon and want to know about paying for goodies at the Flower Show kiosks....can you pay for food with KTTW card, credit card, cash ??? I had heard that some of the kiosks were contract and not Disney .

Hi and

The answer to your question is Yes to all of the above. You can also use snack credits from any of the disney dining plans.

In addition, you can preload these cute little wristlet flower and garden themed disney gift cards. They are sold at most merchandise kiosks throughout Epcot and can be found at many resort gift shops as well.

They look small and sit in bowls right by the cash registers.

We loaded 80.00 on one and we didn't manage to use it all at the festival. But it works just like any disney debit/gift card does and is accepted everywhere on property so we used it up on our last day.

Have a great time!!

 

[poison ivy]

The trip looks like it was great, maybe your son would have enjoyed it also. Too bad he had stuff to do at home. The food all looks delicious too. Johnny Quest would make a shrimp and rice pizza, so funny. The Yachtsman steak house photos made me hungry. I cannot wait until i'm down in Florida for my college program, where I can be into a small apartment with three other guys in just 40 days. I feel like it will be here in a , I can hardly wait.

Mark!!! What a surprise!! It's so rare you post here. Eventhough we went without you, you were there in spirit.

 

[poison ivy]

March 18, 2013

Last Day - Last Park

We had a simple itinerary today:

1:05 pm Phils Spring Training Game at Champion Stadium
Evening at Disney's Hollywood Studios

After the game, we leave among a sea of spectators.



And drive here to wrap up our trip.



The Studios was the only park we had not yet visited. Plus, they were hosting EMH tonight,
so we had all the time we needed.

I quickly grab a Times Guide on the way in.

Here's a rundown of our agenda:

Rockin Rollercoaster & Tower of Terror - FP or standby
Quick Service dinner at Starring Rolls - closed! (plan B TBD)
The American Idol Experience - Finale 7 pm
Fantasmic - 10pm

The crowd coming in around 4:30 pm.



We see these guys promoting their show as they drive up Hollywood Blvd. Looked like a good time.
Tried to find them later but had no luck. Well, there's always "Next Time".



First thing we do is walk up Sunset Blvd to RnRC.



It had a 20 min wait posted. We blindly grab FPs - forgetting the cardinal rule: check ToT first!
Why? Because of this



Thats right. A 45 minute wait! It was 5:00pm. and we couldn't get another FP for 2 hrs!!
We convince ourselves the wait time will go down and we'll try again later.
(our FPs for RnRC had a return time of 8:55 - 9:55)

This is going to take some major restrategizing to work around the Idol finale and Fantasmic!

Fortunately Disney provides just the fix, conveniently located to ease the anguish:





We get a cup of icecream for $ 4.57 (tax incl. no discounts avail)
This place always has a line.



Scoops is part of a food area called Sunset Ranch Market, where we sat down to regroup.

Here are some of the marketplace options:

Fairfax Fare (next to Scoops)



Catalina Eddie's



Rosie's All American Café



Theres also Anaheim Produce and Toluca Turkey Legs Co.. which I did not photograph.

It's close to 6pm. None of the food here motivates us.

Our Newly Revised Plan: (Inspired by 2 "Scoops" of chocolate and vanilla icecream)

Check out the ABC Commissary for Counter Service
American Idol Experience Finale - 7 pm
Standby or FP ToT ( if possible)
RnRC - 8:55 pm
Fantasmic - 10 pm

I can hear JQ's voice in my head 'It takes hours to accomplish practically nothing'

To be Continued....

 

[Johnny Quest]

Scoops is one of my favs in WDW. I find it hard to walk past without stopping. Next time it will be the Brownie Sundae for me...and maybe one of those Angus Cheeseburgers. Anyway, can't wait to get back down there and try it again.

 

[poison ivy]

Scoops is one of my favs in WDW. I find it hard to walk past without stopping. Next time it will be the Brownie Sundae for me...and maybe one of those Angus Cheeseburgers. Anyway, can't wait to get back down there and try it again.

Looks like Iron Man checks into the college program in about a month so you'll be back down before you know it. Thank goodness we bought those DVC annual passes!

It'll be an autotrain / college program / Star Wars Weekend adventure. Should be fun.