Bring on the Pixie Dust! Going Back to Disney with Mom - a May 2016 PTR 5/18: LIVE UPDATE!

[ArielSRL]

Yay for an update! Not sure why this wasn't in my alerts but I just saw it on my "watched forums" page. We are 38 days away ourselves! We are doing BOG lunch. I'm sure we will pre-order but it will probably be that morning because, even though Mom and I already know what we are ordering at pretty much every restaurant, we have the boys who could change their mind any second and my dad who refuses to do anything ahead of time! I'm fairly certain I'm getting the turkey sandwich. I think Mom is doing the ham sandwich but I'm not certain. I think one of us will get the strawberry and the other the chocolate though Mom thinks the lemon looks good too. Dad will get a dessert too but I'm not sure if we can get him to order a cupcake or not - if so, I may push for the grey stuff or the lemon. He's a type 1 diabetic so he has to watch his sugar intake...so he may want to get something sugar free for himself. How selfish of him, right? LOL Oh and I am definitely trading my drink for the french onion soup!

 

[kastoney]

Love the ears you made. My daughter would totally love the inside out ones, as she is about all things joy, sadness, and disgust. Good plan to rope drop the. We met them last month and got to the park about 9:30. We ended up with w 45 minute wait, but the best character interaction ever.

 

[Elevationist]

Will and I are going to split the Roast Beef Sandwich - Served warm on a Baguette with Horseradish Sour Cream and Pommes Frites.

Gosh, this looks SO GOOD!!!

My mom decided to go with the Braised Pork - Eight Hour Slow-cooked Pork with Mushrooms, Onions, Carrots and Bacon served with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans Jardiniere.

Will got this when we were there in September and loved it!

Mmmmm. I had this when I went for lunch in April of last year. It's crazy tasty!

He debated about the Grey Stuff, but this won out! I also debated about the Master's Cupcake, but chocolate cupcakes really aren't my favorite, so I went with the favorite from last time

What! No Grey Stuff! SACRILEGE!

At some point I still need to figure out what we are going to do about Flower and Garden! I don't actually think we'll have a huge amount of time to eat at the booths with all of our reservations, but there are a few things I really want to try.

When I only had half a day at Epcot during Flower & Garden last year, I poured over DisneyFoodBlog and came up with a game plan, so I knew exactly what booths to head for!

 

[LindseyJo22]

13 Days until Disney!!!

Flower and Garden Plans

I am so excited that we are less than two weeks away from Disney (!!) I really can't believe that we'll be there so soon. I just got the vast majority of my grading done, and I am just waiting on a couple of assignments, so I'm almost in the clear for summer vacation! I really have to figure out what we're going to do with ourselves. We're usually homebodies, but there is only so much hanging out on the couch you can do from June to mid August. I've got some work cut out for me prepping my classes for next semester, but that's really about it. I love having the break though - since I've basically been in school my whole life, it's nice that my first "real" job also follows the academic schedule, and it certainly makes going to Disney and visiting home a lot easier.

But enough about life - I've been looking long and hard at the 2016 Flower and Garden passport, trying to figure out what I want to get.

From the first time I heard about it, I knew that the Smokehouse outdoor kitchen in the American pavilion was a must do.

I am planning on making it a point to try the Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapeños. I'll definitely be getting this without the jalepenos - those pickles ones are just not my cup of tea. But brisket with cheese fondue sounds fabulous - and the reviews of this have been pretty good so far.

From this booth I also want to make sure to try the Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon-Salted Caramel Sauce and Spiced Pecans. This sounds like everything I like - salted caramel, pecans, and if the chocolate cake is even halfway decent it sounds amazing!

Right now, because we probably won't have that much time to browse the booths - or we won't be overly hungry considering we've got a Cape May dinner reservation the day we get there and a Garden Grill lunch reservation on our main Epcot day, these are the only two things I'm considering absolute must-dos.

If I get to them, I've got a few other things I'd like to try though!

From the Pineapple Promenade - Pineapple Soft Serve with Coconut Rum (yum!)

I usually get the swirl Dole whip, but I think the coconut could be a great combination with the pineapple!

From Urban Farm Eats - Watermelon Salad with Pickled Onions, B&W Gourmet Farms Baby Arugula, Feta and Balsamic Reduction.

I can see this one happening as a refreshing snack in the afternoon or early evening - all the super great reviews have me putting this on my list, even though it wasn't an original pick.

From Florida Fresh -
Shrimp and Stone-ground Grits with Andouille Sausage, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes and Cilantro, because how can you turn down shrimp and grits?

From The Cider House -
Beer & Cider flight (with the beer subbed for more cider) - I saw this on a Facebook group and it went on the list ASAP - I think this is the other thing that I'm going to make it a priority to try. Will and I love cider, and neither of us care that much about beer, so this sounds amazing! If I have any room or money left, I also love the sound of basically all the food from this booth:

Land-harvested Field Greens with Apples, Dried Blueberries, Stilton Cheese and Apple Cider Vinaigrette
House-made Potato and Cheddar Cheese Biscuit with Smoked Salmon Tartare
Freshly Baked Lemon Scone with Crème Fraîche and Mixed Berries

I don't think I'll get to these, but don't they sound fabulous?

From Taste of Marrakesh -
Falafel Pocket with Cucumber-Tomato Salad and Tahini Sauce

I adore falafel, so this is on the list - but it might not happen. Will isn't a fan, and I think we'd probably be sharing a decent number of these to save money (and to be able to get other snacks). But I'm still hopeful!

Other than that, I'm also hoping to finally try school bread this trip and to get myself a Mickey bar. I didn't get one of those the last couple of trips, and I love them!

I know we're also going to try and hit up Les Halles for breakfast or snacks, so I'm not worrying as much about hitting the French booth for Flower and Garden, even though the macaron they have sounds wonderful.


Other than the food, I'm really excited to get my picture with the Winnie the Pooh topiary, and hopefully Phineas and Ferb as well as Beauty and the Beast, too! Of course, I'm hoping we can get most of them, but those are the ones I'm really excited about


The only other trip news lately is that I made yet another set of mouse ears! I used some black sequin fabric and red tulle and made a set of classic Minnie Mouse ears. That fabric was a huge pain to sew, but they turned out pretty adorable! Still definitely not professional quality, but I'm improving and am really enjoying making these ears. I've got fabric for a set of Belle inspired ones, so that's on tap for some time this week too. My bag is going to be full of mouse ears! I'll try to post photos once I have the Belle ears made

Can't believe we're going to be there so soon!

 

[kadrachb]

13 Days until Disney!!!

So close!

Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon-Salted Caramel Sauce and Spiced Pecans.

This looks really good, and I am also -very- excited to try it. I actually just saw Disney Food Blog post a recipe for it... so maybe I'll try and make it too!

Pineapple Soft Serve with Coconut Rum (yum!)

The one thing that wasn't great about these is when they melt you get hit with a ton of rum. And I mean, I like rum, but, wow. Thats a lot of rum at the bottom of those!

Land-harvested Field Greens with Apples, Dried Blueberries, Stilton Cheese and Apple Cider Vinaigrette
House-made Potato and Cheddar Cheese Biscuit with Smoked Salmon Tartare
Freshly Baked Lemon Scone with Crème Fraîche and Mixed Berries

All these sound so good! I'm equally as excited to try the last two, I'm weird about salads though.

 

[ArielSRL]

OMG...I'm trying to lose some weight before our Disney trip in June and its hard when I read about all this food....yum! Sounds wonderful!

 

[LindseyJo22]

OMG...I'm trying to lose some weight before our Disney trip in June and its hard when I read about all this food....yum! Sounds wonderful!

Oh I know - I've been working on it fairly successfully since October, but vacation is my time to eat ALL THE FOOD! It's basically one of my favorite parts of a Disney vacation, so I don't really pay attention to eating "healthily" when I'm at Disney. I'm hoping that the walking and adding in a little morning running will help minimize the damage though

 

[Elevationist]

AHHHHHHH! Your trip is SO CLOSE now!!!

I am planning on making it a point to try the Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapeños. I'll definitely be getting this without the jalepenos - those pickles ones are just not my cup of tea. But brisket with cheese fondue sounds fabulous - and the reviews of this have been pretty good so far.

We are so on the same page here. I was reading that and was like "Mmmm, ooooh, that sounds so good----- EW JALEPENOS, NEVAMIIIIND." So it's good to know you can get it without them!

From this booth I also want to make sure to try the Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon-Salted Caramel Sauce and Spiced Pecans. This sounds like everything I like - salted caramel, pecans, and if the chocolate cake is even halfway decent it sounds amazing!

Unf, I wish I was eating this RIGHT NOW.

From the Pineapple Promenade - Pineapple Soft Serve with Coconut Rum (yum!)

Had this last year, and LOVED IT!

Shrimp and Stone-ground Grits with Andouille Sausage, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes and Cilantro, because how can you turn down shrimp and grits?

You can't. Well. I can't, at any rate.

From The Cider House -
Beer & Cider flight (with the beer subbed for more cider) - I saw this on a Facebook group and it went on the list ASAP - I think this is the other thing that I'm going to make it a priority to try. Will and I love cider, and neither of us care that much about beer, so this sounds amazing! If I have any room or money left, I also love the sound of basically all the food from this booth:

I love hard ciders! I would be all over this!

I know we're also going to try and hit up Les Halles for breakfast or snacks, so I'm not worrying as much about hitting the French booth for Flower and Garden, even though the macaron they have sounds wonderful.

Come on, I know you can make room for that macaron! I believe in you, Lindsey!

 

[LindseyJo22]

So close!

I KNOW!!! Tomorrow is 10 days - I'm still kind of in shock that it came around so quickly!

This looks really good, and I am also -very- excited to try it. I actually just saw Disney Food Blog post a recipe for it... so maybe I'll try and make it too!

Oh, I definitely am going to go look this up - I'm already commissioned to make cookies for us this weekend (my husband loves chocolate chip ones), but I'm putting this on the list if it isn't terribly complicated.

The one thing that wasn't great about these is when they melt you get hit with a ton of rum. And I mean, I like rum, but, wow. Thats a lot of rum at the bottom of those!

Good to know! I might just mix it up a lot and then toss the bottom bit - I know you're paying for the alcohol, but I can only do so much

We are so on the same page here. I was reading that and was like "Mmmm, ooooh, that sounds so good----- EW JALEPENOS, NEVAMIIIIND." So it's good to know you can get it without them!

Yeah - no thank you! And I'm pretty sure you can, but I'll report back!

Come on, I know you can make room for that macaron! I believe in you, Lindsey!

Haha I'll be lucky if I can make room for a few of these things with all of our insane meals! But I totally can't wait We're already planning on lunch being F&G booths the day we get there, so I'm hoping we can make it through a decent number of these things - depending on how crazy the lines are :/

 

[chunkymonkey]

The booths were so delicious! We ate around the world quite a bit. I can't remember what we ate though so I'll have to get to that part in my TR so I can look over the pictures. I do remember the cheddar biscuit being really yummy...but then again, everything was! You'll have a BLAST. Oh and there's this really yummy bacon and cheese roll at Les Halles, I got it for breakfast one day and it was delicious. I soooo want one now but I don't know any place near me that makes anything like that!

 

[Sarahh1027]

I just binge-read your entire PTR! Your two mini trips looked wonderful!!!! I can't wait to hear about how your trip goes!!! ENJOY!!!

 

[LindseyJo22]

The booths were so delicious! We ate around the world quite a bit. I can't remember what we ate though so I'll have to get to that part in my TR so I can look over the pictures. I do remember the cheddar biscuit being really yummy...but then again, everything was! You'll have a BLAST. Oh and there's this really yummy bacon and cheese roll at Les Halles, I got it for breakfast one day and it was delicious. I soooo want one now but I don't know any place near me that makes anything like that!

Yay! I'm pretty excited about them - we're planning on leaving ASAP in the morning so we can have a late lunch at some of the booths I'm just hoping the lines aren't crazy!

And I will be on the lookout for the bacon cheese roll - I saw that last time and thought it looked good, but we ended up sharing an egg sandwich type of thing (and then I got creme brulee to round out my breakfast ).

I just binge-read your entire PTR! Your two mini trips looked wonderful!!!! I can't wait to hear about how your trip goes!!! ENJOY!!!

Aww, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I am so so so excited! I'm hoping to have time to post a short final update later - today is packing day! Can't believe it

 

[cinderkelly]

Omg you're there now!! I've lost track of so much time but just wanted to wish you a magical trip!!

 

[Elevationist]

GAH! I missed seeing you off yesterday, too! YOU'RE AT DISNEY RIGHT NOW, OMG OMG OMG!

 

[LindseyJo22]

Omg you're there now!! I've lost track of so much time but just wanted to wish you a magical trip!!

Thank you! It is magical so far

GAH! I missed seeing you off yesterday, too! YOU'RE AT DISNEY RIGHT NOW, OMG OMG OMG!

I KNOW!!! It's the best


Live Mini-Update 5/18/16

Hi everyone! We are at DISNEY WORLD! And it's magical

My mom was a little delayed on her flight originally, but thanks to both of her legs being delayed she got on the original flight to Orlando and got to the Boardwalk in the late afternoon on Tuesday.

Will and I got to the hotel around 12:15 or so after leaving super early in the morning, but it was very worth it!

We snacked at the Flower and Garden booths for lunch - I got the burnt ends hash and the chocolate cake from the American booth and really enjoyed both a lot

We did a few rides, met mom, and explored the Boardwalk area resorts. Then, at 6:05 it was time for us to eat at Cape May Cafe for dinner. This was just Will and me, mom hadn't wanted to risk missing the reservation in case of plane issues. We had been looking forward to this for a long time, and we both thought it was amazing. The food was hot and fresh, they had some really standout seafood options, and our server was fabulous.

We also got Anniversary celebration buttons for this trip, which has been awesome. Our anniversary is in July, but we're pretty committed to never coming to Disney in July if we can help it So we're celebrating now! Buttons are awesome - just having people say "Happy Anniversary" every once in a while is amazing.

Yesterday we opened up the Magic Kingdom with rope drop and got a really efficient day in - we took a mid-afternoon break and still did something like 20 rides. The only thing we didn't hit up that was a main attraction was Big Thunder Mountain. We even got a Space Mountain fastpass for around 9:30 on the app. So far, I'm really impressed with the option to book your next FP right after you scan the last one - it makes for a useful way to use those shorter waits when you do have them, and we had really good luck with scheduling something for essentially right when we got off of the current ride.

Today we've slept in some, I'm uploading all my photos to Google so I can clear space on my phone, and we're planning a Monorail tour, potentially more Flower and Garden booths, and a late afternoon at MK before heading to the Top of the World lounge for Wishes. It's a fabulous trip so far!

 

[Elevationist]

Ya'll are the CUTEST!!! Thank you for the live update!!! I hope the rest of your trip is every bit as magical!!!

 

[ArielSRL]

Enjoy!! Looking forward to reading all about it!

 

[Saphire5742]

Sounds like a fabulous beginning. Hoping the rest of your trip is just as magical!

 

[kastoney]

Love the live update. Sounds like you're having a blast already. Love you were at the booths on day 1. The burnt ends were one of our favorites too

 

[c3h3a3r]

All caught up. Loving it and love your ears