A Private, Romantic 30th Anniversary Trip- Just Ask My Friends! Last Afternoon: EP p. 37 9/19

[Tracy161]

Yes, I would like to say no Mickey Bars were harmed in the this situation, but that would be a lie!

I love the walk from the Yacht & Beach Club, through the International Gateway and then strolling through an uncrowded UK and Canada on the way to Future World

Someday I will stay at an Epcot resort and experience this for myself - it's SO hard to imagine it!

Love the new version!

Me, too!!! I was so excited to see this for the first time and it did not disappoint!

Hey, look! Is that Justin Trudeau in the front row?

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I was waaay behind but now I'm all caught up and I'm loving the fun you two are having! Fabulously filled days with great fireworks to round them off for the perfect finish!
Just great

 

[natebenma]

We were at Epcot AM EMH on 10/20 as well! Did the opposite of what you did. We hit FEA right at rope drop merging with the crowds coming from Future World and used up our FP+ for Soarin after that! I'm not sure about Justin Trudeau, but the guy behind him was preparing for the worst!

Do you remember approximately how long your wait was. Starting with Frozen was definitely the better move. We weren't positive we were going to try to ride it that morning and Soarin' was our priority.

Yes, the guy in the second row was definitely preparing for a deluge!

It definitely pays to take advantage of EMH.
We love the new Soarin and I agree the animatronics on Frozen are incredible.
All your pictures are great as always.
We were able to get an 8:00am breakfast at GG for our November trip. Hoping to ride Soarin right after with little wait.
Looking forward to your next update.

We are big believers in the early EMH. We find we can get a lot done in the first couple of hours before the crowds start pouring in.

You will be in a great position to pounce onto Soarin' after breakfast!

Early EMH is a great way to do any park. Great pictures around World Showcase!

I can see mark being meh about Frozen. It's nice but could be so much more.

Totally agree with your thoughts on EMH! We almost always start with that park.

I thought Frozen was visually enchanting.

Sounds like a productive morning at Epcot! I like the new Frozen ride, but hate that it's tiered with Soarin' AND Test Track!

We had a fantastic morning, even though 45 minutes of it were spend in the Frozen queue. The tiering really makes it hard. Even with two days at EP, you can't FP all of the headliners.

 

[natebenma]

You made really good use of EMH!

I kinda like the blueish tint on the pictures. It makes them unique.

We were pretty happy with our morning.

It really annoys me when I take a bunch of pictures and don't notice I have the wrong setting. That happened when we were in Yellowstone a couple of years ago, too.

Frozen is a cute ride. I like it better than the Pandora river ride. I think that is meh.
I like the new Soarin so much more than the old.

I look forward to experiencing the new Pandora rides, but yes, I have heard reviews that agree with yours about the river ride.

The new Soarin' is impressive and fun !

The Star Wars fireworks look amazing. I will have to convince my wife and daughter to stay to see them in December. LOL

Sorry it has taken me so long to



you to the report.

I hope you are able to see fit in the Star Wars fireworks show on your trip.

You had a very productive morning in Epcot. I love when that happens.

I read so many negative reviews of the Frozen ride that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

I like the fall decor in Living with the Land.

Hope you're enjoying your summer!

I thought the Frozen ride was well done, but there were so many problems with long lines and breakdowns when it first opened. It was not THAT good to put up with issues.

Fall and Halloween have amazing decorations. That scene in Living with the Land was very festive.

Been a busy summer. I hope yours is going well.

 

[natebenma]

Someday I will stay at an Epcot resort and experience this for myself - it's SO hard to imagine it!

I won't lie. It's fabulous to be able to walk to some of the theme parks.

Me, too!!! I was so excited to see this for the first time and it did not disappoint!

I hadn't seen many previews of Soarin' so it was mostly a surprise. Lots of great scenes!

I was waaay behind but now I'm all caught up and I'm loving the fun you two are having! Fabulously filled days with great fireworks to round them off for the perfect finish!
Just great

Good thing I have been so slow in posting to allow you to catch up.



We had such a fantastic trip together.

So many fireworks compared to our previous trips.

 

[natebenma]

Lunch Around the World


After a busy morning of attractions in Future World, it was time to get busy at the Food & Wine booths.


We started here- we had not dined at Le Cellier in several years, not since it became a $ignature dining spot

The soup was good as always. We enjoyed the filet, it was tender but it didn’t have a ton of flavor.


A trip to the islands was next.

I loved, loved, loved the colorful, tropical flowers and the covered tables at this booth.

Both the Jamaican patties and the pork were good, but both could have been spicier. I especially enjoyed the pickled onions that came with the pork.


We stopped off at the Fresh stand and in a nod to my discontinued Sunshine Seasons beet and goat cheese salad, we ordered this:

Love the table you snagged, Mark!

The salad was so good that it was the only item we ended up repeating on this trip.


It was now time for our Test Track fast pass, so we took a little break from eating.

Having satisfied our need for speed, it was time to satisfy our sweet tooth.

I'm not sure if I would get the cronut again. Too much sugar for me. I don't like a coating of sugar on my food. My first job was at a Dunkin Donuts, so I am partial to their style of pastry. When I was working in back, when I would bake the muffins or finish (coat/frost/decorate) the donuts I would leave one without all of the extra sugar and eat it warm out of the oven or fryer. There is also a farm stand near my home that sells cider donuts with and without sugar on the outside, so I always get the plain for me.

The cronut/Dolewhip booth is near the International Gateway and it was time for our afternoon break, so we returned to the Yacht Club, spent some time at Stormalong Bay and then we got ready for our spectacular anniversary celebration!


Next Up: Jeepers Creepers

 

[rteetz]

Looks like a great time eating around World Showcase and riding Test Track! I have never had a cronut...

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Superb snacking Dee!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

The food looks really good. We didn't get anything from the island booth maybe this year. Can't wait to hear about your anniversary celebration.

I just noticed your new cruise ticker. That is so exciting!! Is the T for Teena?
Miss her!

 

[SarahDisney]

Looks like you had some nice bites at the food booths!

I can take or leave the coating of sugar on foods like that. I don't mind it, but I also don't need it. If the dough is good enough, the sugar is unnecessary.

 

[natebenma]

Looks like a great time eating around World Showcase and riding Test Track! I have never had a cronut...

Grazing and trying different foods, especially international selections, is one of my favorite styles of eating.

This was the second time I have had a cronut- I had the version Dunkin Donuts made and it didn't blow me away either.

Superb snacking Dee!

Thanks! It was a great way to spend lunchtime.

The food looks really good. We didn't get anything from the island booth maybe this year. Can't wait to hear about your anniversary celebration.

I just noticed your new cruise ticker. That is so exciting!! Is the T for Teena?
Miss her!

The island booth was beautiful and offered some interesting, exotic selections.

I think you saw Teena's post on the FAQ thread- yes, we are cruising together on the Fantasy in early September.

Looks like you had some nice bites at the food booths!

I can take or leave the coating of sugar on foods like that. I don't mind it, but I also don't need it. If the dough is good enough, the sugar is unnecessary.

There are so many choices!

I'm guessing that you would be limited in what you could sample at Food & Wine. Do they make any accommodations for kosher eating?

 

[Wood Nymph]

I especially enjoyed the pickled onions that came with the pork.

I've fallen in love with pickled onions. I love the watermelon salad that they have at both Food & Wine and Flower & Garden and it has pickled onions. It isn't that easy to find pickled onions at home.

 

[cindianne320]

YUM! My stomach is growling at the sight of your yummy snacks! What a perfect way to spend an afternoon!

 

[mickeystoontown]

We used to enjoy LeCellier until it turned into a signature restaurant and it just wasn't worth two dining credits in our opinion. It's good that you were able to get a little taste of LeCellier at the food booth.

I've had a cronut the last two trips and I really liked them. (could have done with a little less sugar). Mr. Sweet Tooth John didn't care for it. Go figure!?!

 

[SarahDisney]

I'm guessing that you would be limited in what you could sample at Food & Wine. Do they make any accommodations for kosher eating?

Nope. I can have a few of the drinks, but that's about it. I've been a few times during F&W and it doesn't really bother me much since I'm not a big foodie anyway, and I do kinda like seeing what fun foods they offer, even if I can't eat them.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

The island booth was beautiful and offered some interesting, exotic selections.

I think you saw Teena's post on the FAQ thread- yes, we are cruising together on the Fantasy in early September.



Yes I saw Teena's post right after I posted on your TR. LOL
So happy for both of you! You'll have a blast. I'm a little nervous to go on a cruise, but it would be great to go with a cruising veteran.

 

[wdwnut61]

I hope one day to make it to F&W everything looks so good. More great pictures can't wait for your Pirates and Pals cruise

 

[JanetMom]

The food pictures look so good! Can't wait!

 

[natebenma]

Hey folks!

Thanks for sticking with me through my delays in posting and responding.

I'm going to do my best to finish this report up in the next couple of weeks.

I've fallen in love with pickled onions. I love the watermelon salad that they have at both Food & Wine and Flower & Garden and it has pickled onions. It isn't that easy to find pickled onions at home.

I love picked onions, too. We used to dine at the San Angel Inn every trip, and there was a pork dish that had these. At home, I will soak red or sweet white onions in white vinegar when I am cooking some Mexican dishes.

YUM! My stomach is growling at the sight of your yummy snacks! What a perfect way to spend an afternoon!

I agree! I love sampling a variety of foods.

We used to enjoy LeCellier until it turned into a signature restaurant and it just wasn't worth two dining credits in our opinion. It's good that you were able to get a little taste of LeCellier at the food booth.

I've had a cronut the last two trips and I really liked them. (could have done with a little less sugar). Mr. Sweet Tooth John didn't care for it. Go figure!?!

There are so many other dining choices at Disney that I don't find it worthwhile to spend the extra $ to dine there. But that soup!!! I tried making it at home and it was okay. Not the same. But I didn't have the correct beer for the recipe, so that is part of it.

I prefer savory to sweet (except chocolate, always chocolate), so it wasn't one of my favorite things. But I'm glad I tried it.

Nope. I can have a few of the drinks, but that's about it. I've been a few times during F&W and it doesn't really bother me much since I'm not a big foodie anyway, and I do kinda like seeing what fun foods they offer, even if I can't eat them.

I admire your dedication and I am impressed by the preparation you do when planning what you eat on vacation.

Yes I saw Teena's post right after I posted on your TR. LOL
So happy for both of you! You'll have a blast. I'm a little nervous to go on a cruise, but it would be great to go with a cruising veteran.

I am doing a surprisingly minimal amount of planning for this. I will be totally following Teena's lead. I have planned my excursions- snorkeling in Tortola and Saint Thomas. Teena doesn't leave the ship except on Castaway Cay. She enjoys some quiet time at the adult pool while we are in the other two ports.

I hope one day to make it to F&W everything looks so good. More great pictures can't wait for your Pirates and Pals cruise

We loved our first visit during Food & Wine. With this, Halloween festivities and comfortable weather, I think this is our favorite time of year at Disney.

The food pictures look so good! Can't wait!

Me, too!!!

My head is spinning, but it is a good problem to have!

 

[natebenma]

Jeepers Creepers


We had spent our morning in EPCOT and enjoyed a lunch made up of Food & Wine offerings.

During our afternoon break, we spent some time at the pool and then made some changes to our plans when we got back to our room.

Tomorrow, Friday, would be our last day. We had afternoon Fast Passes for EPCOT, it was the first time during our trip that we were able to schedule Frozen Ever After. As you may recall, we sucked it up and rode standby earlier, to tepid reviews from Mark.

He was not interested in riding again.

So we “Let it Go”

We scheduled morning Fast Passes for Magic Kingdom instead.


*********************************************************************

Tonight was our Anniversary Celebration.

Dinner at Boma (scheduled last minute), followed by the Pirates and Pals Fireworks Cruise (also scheduled last minute).

We needed to figure out how to travel from the Yacht Club to Animal Kingdom Lodge.

The answer was “Friendship boat to Hollywood Studios, Bus to AKL”

I wonder if we can find a FP for Rock-N-Rollercoaster before dinner…





As we entered HS, we saw Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie meeting over in the corner

What? No Jafar from afar?


We had a little bit of time before our RNR FP window opened, so we followed this guest

Here:

The Jawas were out. I’m glad we spent some time with them since it was announced this week that they will no longer be meeting at Launch Bay.







For the record, it appears that I am “Jawa-height”


It was now time for the Main Event








Note the Anniversary buttons we are wearing.

I can’t believe that it was just a couple of years ago that I noticed the giant guitar rests atop a keyboard.


We went through the FP entrance and got into the short line inside the building. We looked at the posters and saw this:

My name and hometown (blocked out) appeared on this poster. Note for those of you who don’t know, my legal name is Diana, but not many people have ever called me that since birth when my favorite uncle nicknamed me “Dee Dee”

I did a double-take and pointed it out to Mark.


I thought it was amusing that only my name appeared on the Anniversary Poster. Still, a sweet touch.


Then we heard the people behind us say “Hey, look what the sign says! That’s my name!”


There was a Happy Birthday poster displaying now.


I turned to the woman and said “Did you get creeped on, too?”


She looked at me like I was a psycho killer.


Whatever!

We were really disappointed when we had to leave the park the previous day without going on RNR, so I’m glad we had a chance to ride it at the last minute during the trip!



Next Up: Cheers at Boma!