A Salute to Food & Wine but Mostly Wine..12/21 FINAL THOUGHTS...a Solo Trip Adventure

[Mickeefan]

The deal next week is that World of Disney is opening one hour early (at 8:30) for passholders and there is an additional 35% discount on select merchandise. Of course, I plan to hit WOD and then head to the Studios for the day.

 

[Donald is #1]

Wow, I am gone for a long weekend and what do I find? 3 great updates!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Your Epcot pictures have me wanting to be there right now so bad. One more month, one more month, one more month....

Thanks! I'm sure the month will fly by!!

The deal next week is that World of Disney is opening one hour early (at 8:30) for passholders and there is an additional 35% discount on select merchandise. Of course, I plan to hit WOD and then head to the Studios for the day.

Hope you get some good deals. And have fun at the Studios!!

Wow, I am gone for a long weekend and what do I find? 3 great updates!

Thanks so much! I'm trying to get through the report before I forget what happened! You were in WDW, weren't you? How was your trip?

 

[Donald is #1]

Thanks so much! I'm trying to get through the report before I forget what happened! You were in WDW, weren't you? How was your trip?

Yep, we were there from Thursday night (errr, make that Friday morning) until Tuesday. We had a great time. Hopefully, I will download my pictures this weekend so that I can start my trip report.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Yep, we were there from Thursday night (errr, make that Friday morning) until Tuesday. We had a great time. Hopefully, I will download my pictures this weekend so that I can start my trip report.

Can't wait to hear about it!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

So, here we are, Saturday afternoon. I’m sorry to say that my memory is already fading. But I’ll do my best. This is a largely photo-less update. Sorry again.

After lunch I shopped around the Mexico pavilion and rode the Gran Fiesta Tour. Meh on the ride. Love the pavilion.

I stepped out of the dark and cool Mexico pavilion and thought I’d give browsing around F&W a try. My first stop… no surprise.

But I quickly decided it was too crowded for my taste. I will definitely say that there is a BIG difference in crowds at F&W on the weekends. Must be that local influx. The lines were so much longer! So, a note to my future self, who has already decided that I want to come back for F&W as often as I can, it is best to avoid the weekend for F&W.

An aside – I am so in love w/ food and wine that I found myself looking online this morning to determine how many DVC points I would need to return to Beach Club Villas each year for F&W. The answer is 82 for another Thurs – Tues visit and 106 for a whole week. Hmmm.

Back to the trip. Next I headed over to MK. This afternoon I knew there was a meet happening of another online community. I’m not really active in this community but listen to the podcast and thought that it might be a nice break from solo time. The first meet was in the rose garden. Everyone was very nice! It was fun to meet other crazy Disney nuts and chat a bit as well as put faces to the names of some of the podcasters I’d been listening to. We rode Pirates as a group. And I think this was the first time I’ve gone in the left queue!! Wow. They are very different.

After that I headed back to Beach Club for some pool time. Ahhh…. I love the sun!!
After some sunshine and relaxing I headed over to Downtown Disney for some souvenir shopping!!

 

[ILuvCrush]

But I quickly decided it was too crowded for my taste. I will definitely say that there is a BIG difference in crowds at F&W on the weekends. Must be that local influx. The lines were so much longer! So, a note to my future self, who has already decided that I want to come back for F&W as often as I can, it is best to avoid the weekend for F&W.

An aside – I am so in love w/ food and wine that I found myself looking online this morning to determine how many DVC points I would need to return to Beach Club Villas each year for F&W. The answer is 82 for another Thurs – Tues visit and 106 for a whole week. Hmmm.

I Agree... even on a Fri evening... F&W was packed!! I can't imagine how crowded and long the lines were on a weekend


And I SO didn't miss the DVC 'aside' thrown in there!! I was impressed athow far you can stretch your points, once I started playing with the numbers.... so worth looking into Take the tour in December!! Tell Gib I said HI!!

It was really great that you got to enjoy that MK meet!! I hope that the Mousefest ones are as nice.... I'm sure they will be

Paula

 

[TarzansKat]

I know my mother and grandmother went down for a weekend, mainly to go to MNSSHP, but they said, never again a weekend in October for the same reason. So crowded due to Food & Wine Festival, and they're more none crowd people.

Nice that you had that meet up in the MK! Funny, I typically go to the left for Pirates.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I don't know if I go left or right on Pirates!!! Why have I never noticed before???

 

[KatGarcia]

I am all caught up!

Great shots of the world showcase early in the morning!

I too loved Brown Derby! I did it solo and had NO problems what-so-ever! Great food and a beautiful place, right?

So far a great trip!

 

[brookelizabeth]

All caught up! I've enjoyed all the updates, and again, loving your pictures.

F&W was NUTS when we went. I knew it would be busy, but sometimes we could barely walk, it was wall to wall people. Of course it was on Sunday, the LAST day of the festival. But, I'm glad we went despite the crowds.

It's so great that you were able to meet up with your friend and with the group of people from an online community!

DVC can be a GREAT deal. We actually went on the tour on our trip and learned all about it. I drool at the thought of all the possiblities.

I laughed out loud at the talk about the Disney Dating Program to fuel the wedding program, to fuel the kids babysitting programs. I am surprised Disney hasn't already banked on that!

 

[julezdisney]

Hi! Cool update- I am sooo looking forward to Epcot! Woo Hoo!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

So next chronologically next is my evening at Downtown Disney. The evening where I was feeling so smug that I left the masses at Food & Wine and expected the Downtown Disney stores to be relatively empty. WISHFUL THINKING. It was a mad house. Not sure where all the people came from but it was craziness. I'm too lazy to photograph my souvies so I guess that will have to wait afterall.

Holy people in DTD!!! Wowza. I did wade through all of the people to my beloved margarita stand for a treat. It was dark out at the time but this is the view during the day. Let me tell you...they have a way with tequila.

I did buy a few souvies (photos to come) and for dinner I wound up in Earl of Sandwich. I didn't even think about dinner until ~8:30pm hoping that some of the crowds would dissipate but not such luck. EOS was still a ~20 min wait in line... Was it worth it? Well it wasn't awful. I got a turkey club sandwich and chips and it hit the spot. I took it to go and went out to eat it on a bench and people watch. It was a turkey club. Not exactly mythical quality but not terrible either. I'd go there again. But first think I want to check out Wolfgang Puck Express.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I Agree... even on a Fri evening... F&W was packed!! I can't imagine how crowded and long the lines were on a weekend


And I SO didn't miss the DVC 'aside' thrown in there!! I was impressed athow far you can stretch your points, once I started playing with the numbers.... so worth looking into Take the tour in December!! Tell Gib I said HI!!

It was really great that you got to enjoy that MK meet!! I hope that the Mousefest ones are as nice.... I'm sure they will be

Paula

F&W on weekends is insanity! But an insanity with food and alcohol so I'm not going to rule it out in the future. I can totally see myself making an annual pilgrimage to this mecca so that makes DVC seem all the more reasonable.

I know my mother and grandmother went down for a weekend, mainly to go to MNSSHP, but they said, never again a weekend in October for the same reason. So crowded due to Food & Wine Festival, and they're more none crowd people.

Nice that you had that meet up in the MK! Funny, I typically go to the left for Pirates.

I don't know if I go left or right on Pirates!!! Why have I never noticed before???

Seriously, ladies. I've never paid attention but apparently I've never gone to the left. It was a whole new world, repelete with a very cool hidden mickey. I love finding new details on a ride I've been riding for 20+ years. That's Disney!!

I am all caught up!

Great shots of the world showcase early in the morning!

I too loved Brown Derby! I did it solo and had NO problems what-so-ever! Great food and a beautiful place, right?

So far a great trip!

Hi Kat! Yes, no complaints about Brown Derby. Definitely one of my faves!

All caught up! I've enjoyed all the updates, and again, loving your pictures.

F&W was NUTS when we went. I knew it would be busy, but sometimes we could barely walk, it was wall to wall people. Of course it was on Sunday, the LAST day of the festival. But, I'm glad we went despite the crowds.

It's so great that you were able to meet up with your friend and with the group of people from an online community!

DVC can be a GREAT deal. We actually went on the tour on our trip and learned all about it. I drool at the thought of all the possiblities.

I laughed out loud at the talk about the Disney Dating Program to fuel the wedding program, to fuel the kids babysitting programs. I am surprised Disney hasn't already banked on that!

Thanks! Love that your siggie now includes the photo of H kissing his Mickey Mouse. Too cute!!!! Oooh... you went on the DVC tour. Could that be the surprise you were alluding to? I still haven't found the other thread in which you already revealed the news.

Hi! Cool update- I am sooo looking forward to Epcot! Woo Hoo!

Thanks. Epcot is the greatest, isn't it?? Coming up (hopefully) soon.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

So Sunday morning dawned bright, clear and sunny. The plans called for Animal Kingdom but I wasn't feeling it. Have I mentioned how much walking there is in WDW? I was DEFINITELY feeling that. And I'm a sun worshipper. So I decided that I would skip AK in favor of a pool day with MNSSHP coming that evening. Not a fascinating day from a TR perspective. Caught up on my celeb gossip and read a trashy novel. But did get some Beach Club pictures for your enjoyment:

Those Disney details... even in the pavement, little pieces of shell representing the Beach Club:

The Quiet Pool by the Villas:

And the view from "across the street" on the Boardwalk:

 

[Charleston Princess]

That is the kind of pool day I want -- view of Stormalong Bay, a beverage from the pool bar, a trashy novel, and lots of sun!!!

All of your photos of Beach Club are sooo gorgeous!!!

 

[kschafer]

Love that your siggie now includes the photo of H kissing his Mickey Mouse. Too cute!!!! Oooh... you went on the DVC tour. Could that be the surprise you were alluding to? I still haven't found the other thread in which you already revealed the news.

You're not missing anything, she's keeping it secret so far, meanie!

Nice pics of the beach club, OKW had shells in the pavement too which I thought was so cool.

Definitely try Wolfgang Puck Express. We had breakfast there one morning and it was really good (I on the other hand would like to try Earl of Sandwich next time)

 

[cdotla]

Christine - I am just laughing reading your TR.

We were in WDW at the same time! I remember being tempted to do that Pirates meet - except I could have sworn it was sponsored by All Ears. You mentioned podcast...did the WDW today guys mention it???

Also, that "God Loves U" message that was printed in the sky from your Beach Club photos - well I was just a short distance away from you outside of LeCellier reading that same message!!! (I am about to post about that day on my next update. It was Saturday, the day of the Expedition Everest challenge!)

Too funny!!!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Isn't it liberating to throw your plans out the window?? At least that is how it felt for me when we did.

 

[LegoMom3]

Unfortunately we have done DTD on a Saturday evening more than once.

Total. Madness.

It's probably a local hangout, too, besides being a cool place for Disney guests to spend some time and money on a Saturday night.

I am loving your warm, sunny BC pics this morning as I sit here and it's 15 degrees outside my house...


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