*Bye Bye black out dates & HELLO summer of Disney! EPCOT CARB-A-THON! [12/8/13]

[kanadar]

yeah i agree single rider line is always kinda long for RnR. I know my family uses it because we don't care if we sit together and theres 3 of us so 1 would have to ride alone anyway. We have gotten in line behind people who don't realize its the single rider line even though they tell you like 20 times. I think its just so long because its a roller coaster, which usually the wait time posted for standby is usually off and people base their decision on that. I think my sister also said their fp to standby ratio is pretty skewed, in that they let like 80 fp's in to like 20 standby or something like that, not how most of the rides work.

 

[JulieODC]

Could totally go for on of those margs right now! So fun that that was your first time on ToT!

BTW, I just request to start following you on IG

 

[emmebear]

Wow, you are really tearing through the trill rides

Sorry you didn't enjoy Expedition Everest though. We rode it on a trip in 2008 (before the yeti broke) and LOVED it. We rode again in 2011 (after the yeti broke) and it just wasn't as good as we remember it.

I really think the yeti not working makes a difference. The way they have changed the lighting and everything really takes away from the big finish. And without that, the build up of the ripped tracks and shadow just kind of fall flat.

it wasn't a terrible roller coaster...think i just expected more.

space mountain is my absolute least favorite.

i LOVE the wreck-it ralph meet & greet area!! it's so cute!

that's great that you got to ride tower of terror for the first time!! i think it's the only disney ride that actually scares me a little bit... i've ridden it tons of times but still feel anxiety every time before the drops. i don't know why. it's really fun though & the theming is amazing.

the single rider line for rock 'n' roller coaster is always so long compared to others, i don't know why!

TOT was really fun. i enjoyed it!

single rider line was long & hot. it was rough but the wait & torture was worth it.

Could totally go for on of those margs right now! So fun that that was your first time on ToT!

BTW, I just request to start following you on IG

hello!! great to see you on instagram!

and thanks for reading along.




i cut my finger pretty bad so it makes typing really awkward. i will try and update on sunday.

but here are 2 emme pictures from today. it was pajama movie day at school today & she got the merida archery set as well. needless to say, she had an awesome day.

 

[psindone]

I have to tell you I really enjoy your reviews. In my many, many years of going to Disney you have eaten at places that I would probably have not even considered. Thanks for bringing me up to speed on them. Also doing Disney alone does have it's advantages. I have had a few occasions where I was there for a couple of days by myself. I guess because I am so familiar with the place it just feels like home and not strange at all to be alone. You can see that Emme loves it as much as you. One day she will be heading off for some time alone there and you will be asking her if you can come along...... Time does fly.....enjoy.........

 

[emmebear]

I have to tell you I really enjoy your reviews. In my many, many years of going to Disney you have eaten at places that I would probably have not even considered. Thanks for bringing me up to speed on them. Also doing Disney alone does have it's advantages. I have had a few occasions where I was there for a couple of days by myself. I guess because I am so familiar with the place it just feels like home and not strange at all to be alone. You can see that Emme loves it as much as you. One day she will be heading off for some time alone there and you will be asking her if you can come along...... Time does fly.....enjoy.........

Thanks for reading along! I'm so happy to ear my reviews are helpful.

I dread the day when Emme wants to go solo. Just the other day she told me she is not my baby Anymore & is a big girl. Not going to lie...I did cry A little bit.

Good thing for us, we are going to Disney together for 4 days for a mini vacation. So exciting! I'm taking my big camera so that means much better pictures.

Happy Sunday!

 

[psindone]

Your pictures are great now.... Looking forward to seeing the new ones....

 

[emmebear]

updated 7/21/13


SOLO TRIP part 5...KONA CAFE!

i valeted my car at the polynesian (btw, valet is FREE when you use your TIW card). i was so grateful for valet as i was pouring rain outside.

i made my way to kona and was one hour early for my ADR. despite checking in, they let me know that i probably won't be seated early. bummer but i decided to grab a drink to pass some time.

i found an empty seat at the bar & was greeted promptly by the bartender. she was really nice. i ordered my usual.

Skyy vodka dirty martini


the drink was pretty strong but the vodka was not over powering. the gentleman next to me started some small talk with me. i didn't want to be rude and kept the conversation going but i was pretty excited to see my buzzer buzz. it was 45 minutes before my ADR but i was happy to be getting my table.

tambu lounge also accepts TIW!

i'm pretty sure my ADR was set for one person. but i think there was a mix up or they thought i had an additional person coming. i finally had to flag someone and let them know it was just me & only me for dinner. there was an awkward pause from the CM but finally my CM came over and got my drink order.


the cm brought over some bread with butter.

the bread and butter were quite tasty. it was a huge loaf of bread. i had a few bites as i was saving for my entree.


along with the bread, the CM brought along a pair of these too. i was really excited.

i used the chopsticks for my entire meal. yahooooo!



i asked the CM what he recommended as an appetizer. he recommended these:

Pot Stickers - wok-seared pork and vegetable dumplings with creamy ginger-soy sauce $7.49

and an inside view:

so there were only 4 dumplings for the price of $7.49. i muttered under my breath that these better be the best dang dumpings ever. the creamy ginger-soy sauce was TO DIE FOR. oh wow, the sauce was exquisite. i could have eaten a bowl of rice with that sauce on top of it and been a happy camper.

all i could think about were the potstickers from 'ohana. i love those potstickers so much. these weren't terrible and tasted good. they were definitely steamed prior & i wished they were pan fried just a few more minutes longer. when i make dumplings at home and freeze them, i do pan fry them so that both sides are crispy. the trick is to add a few drops of water to the oil as they are frying to get that crispy texture.

the seaweed salad had a little bit of heat to it. i'm not a fan of seaweed salad at restaurants as it is overly unnecessarily sweet. this salad wasn't.



and my entree was served soon after:

Sesame Seared Sea Scallops - with rice, wakami salad and tarragon-champagne beurre blanc $18.99


here are some more views of the entree:

i love me some scallops. this entree had 4 scallops for $18.99. i had to think about this being an $18.99 dish. i've also had amazing scallops at california grill (my favorite) as well as flying fish. i tried to not think of the previous scallop dishes that i have had & wanted to give these scallops a shot.

the tarragon-champagne beurre blanc was really really yummy. both this sauce and the creamy soy ginger sauce were the winners of the night. so very delicious!

the scallops were slightly over cooked. the scallops appear as if they have a nice sear but the soy sauce used to sear it is very deceiving.

i absolutely hated the seaweed salad. it looked as if it was a complete after thought. it was kind of just thrown on top of my rice (which made it soggy) & this batch was really sweet. i wish i had asked for the dish without the seaweed salad as it was a complete & utter hot mess. the peppers underneath it had a nice crunch and i enjoyed those. however, i did not enjoy my now soggy rice. yuck.

for $18.99, it was a nice portion. it's my least favorite scallops dish on disney property. the scallops were fresh but just cooked a little too long. if you order this dish, order the seaweed salad on the side. it's not good at all with this dish. maybe seaweed salad makes this dish asian? i don't know but i really hated it.

i did feel that the dish needed a bit of heat. maybe a sriracha aioli or a wasabi cream? it needed some spice for sure.

the meal was a decent meal. i've never been to kona for any meal & i'm glad i got to try dinner. i don't know if i'd ever return for dinner. i definitely want to try breakfast for the samoan hash.

after the meal, i left my car parked in valet and rode the monorail to a very wet magic kingdom.

 

[kanadar]

We've stayed at the Poly a lot, and have never eaten Kona for anything other than breakfast so I can't say anything about the other meals. But my sister and dad LOVE the samoan hash, but as my sister has said, she loves anything with pulled pork on it haha. Too bad you didn't enjoy you meal more

 

[Linda67]

I am loving your solo, thill riding, yummy eating, delicious drinking day!

Isn't incredible how quickly you can move around the parks when you are flying solo

Your dinner at Kona looks delicious but it sounds like it probably looked better than it tasted

Oh and cool tip about TiW at AoA, we are staying there for a few days in December so that's great info

 

[rustyanchor]

those pot stickers look delish. ginger-soy sauce would be right up my alley. that stinks about the scallops though.

 

[buckeev]

". when i make dumplings at home and freeze them, i do pan fry them so that both sides are crispy. the trick is to add a few drops of water to the oil as they are frying to get that crispy texture."

Ok, so WHEN are you gonna post THAT recipe!?

 

[emmebear]

We've stayed at the Poly a lot, and have never eaten Kona for anything other than breakfast so I can't say anything about the other meals. But my sister and dad LOVE the samoan hash, but as my sister has said, she loves anything with pulled pork on it haha. Too bad you didn't enjoy you meal more

samoan hash is going to have to wait until probably our sept/october trip. i don't have time for kona for our next trip. so tragic. i can't wait to try it!

I am loving your solo, thill riding, yummy eating, delicious drinking day!

Isn't incredible how quickly you can move around the parks when you are flying solo

Your dinner at Kona looks delicious but it sounds like it probably looked better than it tasted

Oh and cool tip about TiW at AoA, we are staying there for a few days in December so that's great info

the TIW discount is awesome at AOA. you really feel like you're getting an absolute steal.

kona dinner was much prettier than it actually tasted. i cant wait to go to cali grill again and eat some scallops. yummy!

and you are right...i got around so quickly without lugging a jogging stroller and a 3 year old around. it was really weird at times cause i'm so not use to the FREEDOM.

those pot stickers look delish. ginger-soy sauce would be right up my alley. that stinks about the scallops though.

that ginger sauce was scrumptious. wish i could find the recipe. it was so good.

scallops weren't terrible but they weren't the best i've bad. just adequate.

"

Ok, so WHEN are you gonna post THAT recipe!?

that recipe would take forever! i still owe pumbaa a spicy chicken recipe.

made 200 last time and froze them.

 

[buckeev]

....

that recipe would take forever! i still owe pumbaa a spicy chicken recipe.

made 200 last time and froze them.

Ohhhhh...OK....I SEE how it is now! ...
That's alright, I can be VeRY patient.

 

[emmebear]

updated 7/26/13


SOLO TRIP part6!



after dinner at kona, i headed over to a very wet magic kingdom.

so it's official. i made it to 4 parks in one day. however, because of the craptastic weather, i decided to call it a night and head to my hotel. it started to drizzle & i didn't have a poncho or an umbrella.

i was going to return to magic kingdom and ride a few more thrill rides before heading home.

i made the right decision to head to the hotel as it started to pour down rain.

i was so happy to get to my hotel room.

i used priceline and booked the doubletree for $50. it was a total steal. i found street parking across from the hotel & i saved another $20 by not having to pay to park my car at the hotel. i felt like i "stuck it to the man" with the parking.

the bed was wonderful. i had planned on meeting some friends in downtown orlando but fell asleep while watching some anthony bourdain.

i woke up bright and early and headed to magic kingdom...again.

the weather was still a little overcast but it was much better than the evening before.

i got a photo op.

i love this topiary.

i made my way to conquer space mountain but not before a photopass photographer asked if she could take a picture.

i had forgotten how much i dislike space mountain. it's so jerky. i will probably never ride space mountain again.


after space mountain, i made my way here:

but i spotted this first:

looks like walt & mickey have a new friend. ha ha.


i also ran into another friend:

i finally made it to my destination:

i love love love this ride so much! it was an absolute blast.

FUUUUUUN!

after the ride, i made my way over to tortuga tavern for lunch. i was soooooo hungry!

 

[kanadar]

samoan hash is going to have to wait until probably our sept/october trip. i don't have time for kona for our next trip. so tragic. i can't wait to try it!

When in October will you be there? My family and I are going in October as well

 

[emmebear]

updated 7/26/13


SOLO TRIP part 7!

i really wanted to have a burrito. that's why i chose tortuga tavern. emme once had a kids meal here & i remember seeing a burrito on the menu. nothing else seemed appetizing to me & all i could think about was a burrito.

here is the menu:

i ordered:

Beef burrito with black beans & rice


so that's not the most appetizing looking burrito ever. but i made a visit to the fixins bar & loaded up.

and voila! burrito transformed to something delicious:

there was no sriracha sauce but i did find some packets of hot sauce. wasn't the best but it was better than nothing.

and the receipt:

this wasn't the best burrito in the world but it was incredibly satisfying especially for a meal under $8.00. i'm not quite sure if this was because i was famished or that all i wanted was a burrito but i was really happy with my choice.

also, tortuga has seating under the shade. there are a few tables in the area with the sides that are air conditioned but the other areas have ceiling fans that are rotating so there was a nice breeze.

my belly was really happy but as i started to walk, i spotted something that i could not resist at sunshine tree terrace.



*drumroll*

Citrus swirl


the citrus swirl is so yummy. it was pretty hot on this day...steamy hot. this was the perfect treat to have despite being obnoxiously full from devouring the entire burrito.


as i was enjoying my citrus swirl, i was making my way to fantasyland. i had a FP for the little mermaid ride. but i bumped into a few cute furry friends.

look how absolutely cute chip & dale are in their fancy outfits. i love chip and dale. they always have the best character interactions. chip & dale really made my day.



up next, fantasyland!

 

[rustyanchor]

i have NEVER BEEN to tortuga tavern because it's always closed when we are at disney!! i guess because we always go in the off-season (feb/march or sept-nov). dang. that burrito looks pretty good! the cilantro rice makes me think of chipotle... i love their rice.

congrats on 4 parks in 1 day. glad the weather cleared up for you on the next day. i love your pics, this is definitely getting me in the mood for my next disney trip in september! it can't get here quickly enough!

 

[meggiebeth]

I am in! I love your report so far (having read the first two pages- so lots of catching up!) and Emme is absolutely adorable! You make such a cute family.

This may sound a weird question, but how do you pronounce Emme? I wasn't sure whether it was just 'Em' or 'Emmy'.

Off to catch up more....

Meg~ Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[DLFan123]

I always enjoy your pictures and reviews, so thanks for posting. Congratulations on your weight loss-you look great!

That butter at Garden Grill looks so good. The butter alone makes me want to go there!

It's too bad you didn't like the scallop meal at Kona. I had it in May and loved that seaweed salad. I guess it is just a personal taste preference.

About your new Epcot shirt, I love it! When we were there, I got the Parisian Minnie mug, which looks basically like your shirt without the writing on it. It's one of my new favorite mugs!

Sounds and looks like you had a fun time. All your theme park pics are great!

 

[rustyanchor]

patiently awaiting your next update....