"could I have another glow cube?" - spring 2017 DR - COMPLETE 8/17 Homecoming

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I mentioned it above but if you are like me and just skim the replies for your part I will repost it here too:

. It's very slightly creamy but from watching this video there's really not that much avocado in there. It's tasty! Maybe you guys could share one to start and see if you like it?

Sorry it took me so long to circle back. Busy week catching up after race weekend! Thanks so much for the video. It looks much different than I expected--not as thick, which is good. We were at Epcot on Saturday and tried to go get one but were totally defeated! We walked in to the pyramid and saw a huge line on the right going down the stairs. I had a bad feeling about it, but walked down hoping I was wrong. I wasn't--it was the line for drinks at La Cava!!! OMG over an hour just to get a drink. Needless to say we turned around very disappointed. We did, however, console ourselves with a cider at Rose & Crown. Calfan and I are both huge cider fans from trips to the UK, and I had a nice conversation with the bartender about Strongbow and how frustrating it was not to be able to get the real stuff in the US. (The import version of Strongbow is way sweeter than the UK version. I don't like sweet ciders/drinks so I like to ***** about it She was the same way so we bonded, LOL). Love the picture of you and DisYoda--Calfan and I had hoped to cross paths with her last weekend at Dark Side, but it was not to be!

 

[kastoney]

Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Applewood Smoked Bacon ($6.25). Scallops aren't my thing due to their dense yet wiggly texture, but R said that they were good. I tried the potatoes and green beans and found them pretty bland. The texture of the green beans was what I'd call "hotel ballroom" - which is to say probably previously frozen and a little squeaky. $6 is not a bad price point for this as scallops are a more expensive dish anywhere.This was a miss for me but I'm not the target audience anyway.

Green beans aside, cause who really wants green beans, these looks and sound delicious but scallops are my all time favorite seafood. Guess I love dense and wiggly

I can't describe how gorgeous and perfect the springtime weather was this day. Of course we needed more tasty food to fully appreciate the festival, so we ventured on and experienced my favorite booth again (sorry for the re-review but the pictures are better)

Wow,this is gorgeous. It almost doesn't even look real.

Of course the Carne Asada continued to be my favorite dish of the festival. Fresh, light tomato pico de gallo and tangy sour cream top a savory and decadent serving of moist shredded beef, all atop a spicy and flavorful hearty black bean cake. This is delicious and also a good serving size.

Alls I gots ta say is yum, yum, get me some!

Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapeños – $6.25

Well guys, everyone can have an off day and unfortunately the Smokehouse was having an off day with this dish. Look closely - can you see just how BURNT our burnt ends were?! They were basically charcoal and were completely inedible. Like crumbled in your mouth leaving an overwhelming taste of ash. It was pretty gross. R was no longer interested after the first bite so I just removed the brisket (sob... ) and ate the potatoes. Oh, and FYI I had asked for extra jalapeno, in case that is off-putting for you from the photo. Of course I was disappointed but some of my Dis friends have confirmed theirs were not like this, so we just got a bad one. Oh well.

Wow, what a disappointment. This was our favorite last year so even more sad they messed it up. But that brisket doesn't even look burnt it looks flat out decimated. Sorry R couldn't experience it in its usual form.

Our driver was intent on giving us his oral tour of Orlando including tidibits with varying degrees of veracity. Maybe he should become a Disney bus driver? Anyway, he was really fixated on WWE Wrestlemania being in Orlando that weekend and kept talking about it long after R and I confessed we were not wrestling fans.

Yikes, sounds like quite the experience. At least he didn't drop you off at Wrestlemania!

my great photo of the mojito

I especially like the lighting on the thank you for not smoking sign

In a true moment of "Oh, David", the Vernies (yes, I have renamed them haha )

Dying at the Vernies. I think we should officially start calling Ashley Vernie 1 and Justiin Vernie 2

I have some pretty funny pictures of Ashley's face as the cinnamon bombing was taking place but I won't post those. Let's just say her face perfectly epitomized what we were all thinking at the time.

What's the opening bid to get you to post them?

R and I ordered one of our favorite appetizer offerings on property, the Citricos flatbread of the moment ($18) which is not what is currently described on the Disney menu for Mizner's and AllEars is out of date, but I think this had some type of chorizo-like sausage, as well as spinach and fresh tomato. It was excellent and a different variety of toppings than we'd enjoyed on our previous visit to Citricos back in August. I don't know where Disney gets the tomatoes they use on their lounges' flatbreads (I am thinking of this one and the Territory Lounge) but maybe from the Land Pavilion? Because these tomatoes are so fresh and flavorful - certainly not what we could get in Atlanta at this time of year. (Side note: Citricos menu currently lists their flatbread as Linguica sausage, manchego cheese, baby kale, onions, cilantro crema. Which doesn't seem 100% like what we had as I don't remember the cilantro crema, but this could be it.)

Wow, this looks amazing. Everytime we've been at citricos they have a mushroom flatbread so I've never actually tasted one. This ones looks divine though. And I'm so with you on the tomatoes. The ones at CG are just as good. Wherever they are sourcing them from they are on point!

Warm chocolate banana torte with vanilla ice cream and handcrafted belgian couverture chocolate crown ($12). This dessert is very dark chocolate, decadent, and complemented perfectly by the rich and creamy vanilla ice cream. The bananas are both baked into the torte and caramelized on top and this is just an out-and-out delicious end to a meal. We loved it again.

Oh, I forgot about this dessert and how good it is. Citricos has never wowed us so we haven't eaten there too much, but this little beauty and the flatbread remind me that we should give it another try.

I had a TON of fun meeting up with Ashley and Dis_Yoda, and R really hit it off with Mr. Vernie. Dis_Yoda's friend was also a teacher so there was plenty to talk about and I could not have had a better first Dismeet. So, dining buddies, if you're ever in Orlando at the same time as I am I would love to meet you!

So glad the 3 of you could meet up and have so much done. But maybe just slightly green eyed at the sight of 3 of my favorite disers at once and I'm not there And go Vernie 1 with the drink!

 

[pepperandchips]

That is different. I like it!

Disney World is really upping their photo pass game! We used it a lot this trip.

How cool, you got to meet Ashley! Can't wait to read about it! We're down to 9 days, and I'm taking note of everyone's F&G snacks! Too bad about the burnt ends. I like the crunchy part of roasts, but not THAT crunchy, lol! The fish lens photo of you guys is awesome! Oh, and you're sundresses are too cute! I am definitely going to try the shrimp & grits and the carne asada, and the rose drink!

3 days now, lady! So excited for you

I always love those burnt ends, I am not sure what was going on with them on that particular visit but it's not the norm. I love brisket burnt ends, I always try to get them at our favorite local barbecue place but they're usually sold out!

Hope you have a wonderful time on your trip and make sure you come back with a DR

Y'all are cute! That's an adorable picture!

Aw, thanks!

This picture is AMAZING. You should blow it up and frame it.

Epcot is just so photogenic during Flower and Garden! I got an even better picture last year (but I was lugging around a huge camera and lens which I am no longer doing, too much hassle)

YURM! This looks so good! I love Key Lime. I was lucky enough to have a giant piece in Clearwater Beach but this looks just my size.

Yeah, in that heat I feel like this was the perfect serving. Plus, as tasty as the key lime pie was, I never want to fill up on just one thing at the festivals because I want to taste everything!

GURRRRRRL, you ain't kidding. I went to F&G TWICE and barely experienced the festival. My kids were slowin my drinking down! Ok...so I'm already planning my 2019 trip (because I'm insane) and have a few dates picked out. Because you are likely NOT a lunatic, get back to me once you've looked at your 2019 Disney plans and I will meet you for ALL. THE. DRINKS.

Well I am an insane lunatic just in a different way, I mean I have a Disneyland trip planned in about a month and then I already have October at WDW on the books and I am currently trying to negotiate a July trip for the Tables in Wonderland Food and Wine festival preview event. So basically let me know when you're going in 2019 and there's a good chance my crazy self would be there

I love scallops, so I'm pretty sure I will have to try this one, but boo on the green beans. It definitely doesn't look as good as the scallop dish we had at F&W a few years ago.

Sad that this one was a "meh" for you, because it sounds so yummy!

I don't know if this booth was just not my style or what because I have read great things about these items on other folks' DRs!

Ahhh, I can't wait to try this!

I wish I had one now!!!

Good grief, those DO look like charcoal! How disappointing...

Yeah, it was very literally BURNT ends. Not like how they're supposed to be at all!

HOW DID I MISS THIS?!?!?!? This is Pepe!!!! My most favorite bartender at La Cava!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL when I saw who was in this video I actually thought you of you

 

[pepperandchips]

Oh David! That man just needed to not be a server at a busy bar. He would probably do better at like Martha's Vineyard.

Your photos aren't that bad for being in the dark! I know you were struggling with the photos.

The photo of the 3 of us is so cute!

I had so much fun as well! Hopefully next time our trips line up my husband is with me!

Hahaha. Except at Martha's Vineyard he would probably be the only one there and it would be another disaster! Poor David. I hope we have another overlap!

The adult part of me is so jealous you met Ashley and @Dis_Yoda ! I love DisMeets and that picture of the 3 of you is adorable Also your pictures of Citricos food at Mizner's is making me excited to eat there next month!

Well thank you, friend. And my pictures are making ME want Citrico's. Can't believe it's already been a month since we were there. I can't wait for my next Disney trip.

Yes, we had a great stay! I can't believe DISers were so close, we were at GF on 4/1! We did four nights at GF then two nights at CR... and still no ROL for me!

Only got to enjoy Mizner's once this trip... kiddos get in the way...

Your pics are great - living vicariously through your dining!

And yes, good commute karma to you too. 6/15 can't come soon enough.

Kudos to you for getting to Mizner's at all with the kids in tow on your trip. Sounds like a fabulous time, ROL or not. I'm sure you will make it there eventually! I saw the timelapse video that's been making its rounds on facebook with the bridge construction and everything sounds like it's ahead of schedule. Oh please please be true!

Carry on with the vicarious vacationing!

LMAO...oh dear. Will definitely have to avoid David at all costs. Your food at Mizner's looks YUMMY, and what a cute pic of you ladies--how fun!

Thank you! It was another success at Mizner's. I had never been to the Trader Sam's outdoor patio but it seems like you can just walk up and get your own drink, which is the route I would go in the future.

I do that too



OMG that looks so good. I've had something like that once before during restaurant week here and I loved it.



I've wanted to try this dessert every time we go, but we never end up getting over there. I'll have to try again this time...

What's so funny is that my imitation arancini was also from restaurant week! But it was nowhere near as good as Citrico's. Definitely worth a stop for apps and dessert!!!

How did I not get anything from the smokehouse. I love BBQ so much. My mom got her and my sister one, but didn't get me one. Rude!


This looks so good. So much sausage on that baby!

My mouth is literally watering for some of that!

That is rude! Don't worry, I think the Smokehouse has basically the same stuff every year. and yes that flatbread was good and had a lot of toppings! We have liked both of the ones we've tried. I always make myself hungry responding on my DR comments... haha.

Freakin David.. The worst. I wonder how he is when it's actually really busy.

In a bizarre twist, it's probably better if he IS busier. Then more people would just go get their own drinks, like we should've...

I'm glad you got a good picture of this! We were thinking the sausage tasted more like bacon. But I've never had chorizo so it's entirely possible it was just a new taste to me. But those tomatoes.. ahh. Delicious.

I could really go for a tomato-laden flatbread right about now. I'm starving.

This is so cute!! The Vernies loved crossing paths with you guys!

We had so much fun! And I was very happy that the pictures came out cute and not like my last round of pictures at Mizner's hahaha

SO GLAD I found your DR! Loving it. Sometimes I think I plan trips around the food and drinks. I am really starting to amp up my Disney trips (August will make 3 in one year...maybe because I am in complete control of the vacation itinerary my my husband and I ), and I always write a DR in my head. It just doesn't ever make it to the boards.

I really enjoyed the key lime tart. Just the perfect tang. My burnt ends were delicious so totally unfortunate yours ended up heavy on the burnt. The ribs I could do without having spent the money. I also loved the Twinings Mint Julep at the Berry Basket. Nice and refreshing without being too sweet.

Looking forward to reading the rest of the report!

so glad to have you here! The more we visit WDW the more it becomes focused on the relaxing experiences (dining and pools) and less about the fastpasses and rides. I am also the vacation planner and I applaud your commitment to taking the husband to Disney three times this year! I more or less force poor R to go so often too. Y'all are brave going in August! R has put his foot down about summer trips. He will only go over the summer if he doesn't have to go in the parks

 

[pepperandchips]

Now I feel like a tool, because I am so late replying to my special reply! I seriously need to get my priorities right...Dis first, work later!

Psh. Look how long it takes me to reply to the comments on my OWN report! You should never feel like a tool. Just happy to have the company here so I am not just making an online food scrapbook LOL!

I do not blame you. I would do offsite if it worked out better. It just hasn't since we stayed on the first time when I was a kid. LOL

Oh don't get me wrong, I much prefer onsite. Just can't always afford it!

Whoa...you guys are good! Google Maps says 6 hrs 45 min from our house. I guess we are Northeast of the city so that might add in some time, but I doubt we can do it in that amount of time because of bathroom breaks!

Well we don't have any of those small humans who need potties very often, and we're already getting a head start on you since we basically live on top of the 75/85 connector. But let me tell you I looooove those new Peachpass lanes down by Eagle's Landing!

I know, right? Honestly, nighttime at Disney is stunning. I can't believe there are people that skip the nighttime hours. I could never go to Disney and not tour at night. And yes, I keep my kids out late! But I throw in a midday break every day.

Yep, us too! Disney is best done as a sandwich with a nice nap filling in the middle

Thanks for posting this. I was fairly certain this was the case. I plan to stop by Dockside Margaritas and it just seems like it is a stand, therefore leading me to believe you can do "to-go" on drinks at DS. But honestly, I was just guessing that is was a stand (and still am) but regardless, I plan to take one to go.

Dockside is great - just beware that stuff can be STRONG! They have a really great rumrunner and their margaritas are also super tasty. Hmm, now how can I get one before October...

 

[pepperandchips]

Sorry it took me so long to circle back. Busy week catching up after race weekend! Thanks so much for the video. It looks much different than I expected--not as thick, which is good. We were at Epcot on Saturday and tried to go get one but were totally defeated! We walked in to the pyramid and saw a huge line on the right going down the stairs. I had a bad feeling about it, but walked down hoping I was wrong. I wasn't--it was the line for drinks at La Cava!!! OMG over an hour just to get a drink. Needless to say we turned around very disappointed. We did, however, console ourselves with a cider at Rose & Crown. Calfan and I are both huge cider fans from trips to the UK, and I had a nice conversation with the bartender about Strongbow and how frustrating it was not to be able to get the real stuff in the US. (The import version of Strongbow is way sweeter than the UK version. I don't like sweet ciders/drinks so I like to ***** about it She was the same way so we bonded, LOL). Love the picture of you and DisYoda--Calfan and I had hoped to cross paths with her last weekend at Dark Side, but it was not to be!

No worries! I have gotten busy and been bad at responding too. We have seen the line at La Cava REEEAALLYYY long only once, and for some odd reason on that visit there was no one at all waiting for tables, so we just "dined in" with our margaritas that time. Usually we luck out for some reason.

Isn't all beer better somehow in the UK even if it's a bit on the warm side? I mean obviously I'm romanticizing my experience there since it was part of an epic vacation but it's hard to beat a quaint (ancient and amazing) pub and pint. The CMs at Rose and Crown are so sweet! I haven't been there that often but it's been great when I have.

I have always been jealous of other folks' dismeets and I never had one until now! very exciting and great company to boot!

Green beans aside, cause who really wants green beans, these looks and sound delicious but scallops are my all time favorite seafood. Guess I love dense and wiggly

There are so many places I could go with this but I will just leave it at wishing that I could get over my texture issues and eat like a real adult!

Wow,this is gorgeous. It almost doesn't even look real.

Well okay there may have been a *slight* auto adjustment in google photos but it really was that gorgeous out that day.

Wow, what a disappointment. This was our favorite last year so even more sad they messed it up. But that brisket doesn't even look burnt it looks flat out decimated. Sorry R couldn't experience it in its usual form.

Decimated is right! We made smoked brisket for Easter so we more than made it up to ourselves with non-burnt beef tastiness. Guess I'll have to go back to F&G next year to get the properly prepared burnt ends hash. Yeaaahhh there's a reason...

Yikes, sounds like quite the experience. At least he didn't drop you off at Wrestlemania!

I think he was disappointed that he DIDN'T get to drop us off at Wrestlemania. Although it might have been almost as entertaining as the rest of the night shaped up to be!

I especially like the lighting on the thank you for not smoking sign

What can I say? I'm an artist

Dying at the Vernies. I think we should officially start calling Ashley Vernie 1 and Justiin Vernie 2

Done. Maybe Ashley Vernie 1 will tell us where "Vernie" came from if we employ this method.

What's the opening bid to get you to post them?

What say you, @Vernie822? Personally I would never post unflattering/hilarious photos of other people because I am an expert at being caught unawares in backgrounds and foregrounds of photos looking like a derpface... and karma's a b.

Wow, this looks amazing. Everytime we've been at citricos they have a mushroom flatbread so I've never actually tasted one. This ones looks divine though. And I'm so with you on the tomatoes. The ones at CG are just as good. Wherever they are sourcing them from they are on point!
Oh, I forgot about this dessert and how good it is. Citricos has never wowed us so we haven't eaten there too much, but this little beauty and the flatbread remind me that we should give it another try.

Well in fairness I have never had an entree at Citricos so perhaps the best method is to simply enjoy appetizers, desserts, and libations! I still have the Narcoossee's cheesecake on my list of desserts to seek out on a monorail crawl but I always get distracted by Mizner's.

So glad the 3 of you could meet up and have so much done. But maybe just slightly green eyed at the sight of 3 of my favorite disers at once and I'm not there And go Vernie 1 with the drink!

Well if someone wasn't taking a year off (errrr... waiting a long time to go back) we could all rendez-vous. The three of us are in driving proximity. All we need is the Stoney clan (by your own logic you must be Stoney 1, right? ) to complete the magic.

 

[pepperandchips]

April 2: We RELAX!

In an effort to continue having travel companions who will actually go to WDW with me, I was making a real attempt to just relax on this trip. So on Sunday, we got up and made coffee and went down to grab pool chairs, where we spent the morning hours into early afternoon. Around noon the troops were getting hungry so we placed an online order for delivery with one of the local pizzerias I had heard great things about - Flippers Pizzeria.There are a lot of Orlando and Kissimmee locations and I knew from the boards that we could get delivery at WBC.

I did not put this on my card so I am not sure of the total for the bill but I believe it was around $50, which is great for 5 adults. Plus we were able to supplement with our own adult beverages . I was really pleased with the wide selection available at Flippers. Here's what we got:


Mediterranean salad, no ham $8.99. This was Romaine, ham (omitted from ours, I'm not much of a ham eater), roasted artichokes, Kalamata olives, Roma tomatoes, red onions, feta, fresh oregano, croutons & Greek dressing. While our salad was mostly greens and spinach, it was definitely tasty and refreshing out by the pool.


Two topping large pizza with olives and pepperoni, there was a web promo for a two topping and I am not sure of the price. Around $12.99.


Large california classic pizza - Basil Pesto sauce, roasted artichoke hearts, roasted grape tomatoes, red onions, fresh spinach & roasted red peppers, $19.39 Oh my gosh this pizza was gooooood! I loved the flavors, the crust was a nice chewy dough, and the ingredients were all fresh and tasty.


6 fresh cut breadsticks, covered in melted garlic butter & Romano cheese. Served with pizza sauce $5.99. These were a perfect showcase of the Flippers pizza dough - I like "fluffy" pizza crust like this so I thought the breadsticks were great and garlicky.

The pizza, salad, and breadsticks were all excellent. This was plenty to feed 5 adults lunch plus some leftover pizza for the refrigerator for snacks. This type of pizza is probably not for your average New Yorker, but we were able to get lunch delivered right to our tower for a reasonable price and we liked the food a lot. I would absolutely order from them again.

After we had our fill of sun, swimming, and relaxing, we all got ready and headed to the Animal Kingdom. We had some variety in our fastpass plans as my mom, sister, and sister's bf had not gotten tickets until the night before. One of the first things we did though was to enjoy some time in the late afternoon sun, watching Burudika Band from what I can only assume is their rain contingency location

I absolutely love the Africa area of Animal Kingdom. I think it's my favorite land in WDW.

We were all able to do the safari together though, and shortly it was time for our "overlap" window where all our fastpasses could be redeemed at the same time, so we moved on to do that.

There were quite a few residents of Animal Kingdom out on the savanna!

Oh, haaaay!

This guy clearly wanted to get in the truck with us. We were full up though, so we had to move on. I have never done the true "night" safari but I do love a pre-sunset late afternoon safari. Unfortunately this time there were no elephants out and the big cats weren't moving much, so the giraffe was pretty much the highlight of the journey. Oh well, seen it all plenty!

Next up was Everest, but first we needed a snack.

It's no secret that the Mr. Kamal's falafel is one of my favorite in-park snacks. We ordered and they fried our falafel to order this time so they were amazingly fresh and perfect. The tzatziki or raita has gone by the wayside as had the samosas during our visit. However, the mango chutney is a good complementary sauce and the falafel really needs no gilding anyway. We also picked up a Triple Yeti Blast, which I can honestly say was pretty gross. It is basically the three flavors from the margarita machines just layered all in one cup. The flavors here do not meld well together. The mango and strawberry would have been good as a combo, I think, but the lime just had that fake margarita mix flavor and completely puckered my face every time I tried to drink it. Will definitely be skipping that beverage in the future.

After we conquered Everest, it was time to eat again. Because vacation! So we headed over to the Nomad Lounge so that my family could experience all its tasty glory.

We cozied up in one of the larger sofa nooks outside and everyone selected a beverage.

For mom:

Annapurna Zing - Indonesia; Bombay sapphire east gin, passion fruit puree, mint, and lime juice topped with ginger beer $8.50. I knew my mom would love this and I was not wrong. It's so tasty and refreshing!

For moi, the Tempting Tigress - Indonesia; Russell's Reserve 10yr bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Tamarind syrup, and lime juice $12.75. Pretty much my new favorite drink at WDW. I love the exotic flavors in this paired with bourbon, making this an exciting twist on an old favorite for me. I don't find it overly sweet but definitely takes me on a cocktail vacation!

R surprised me by choosing the Boto-Rita - Central and South America; Zignum Reposado Mezcal, Combier grapefruit liqueur, guava puree, and lime juice $10.75. This is a delicious and slightly sweet drink that has an interestingly smooth texture (the guava, perhaps?) but then hits you with that Mezcal lingering smokiness. It's pretty tasty and I love the pink peppercorns on top!

My sister ordered the Lamu Libation - Africa; Starr African rum, Cruzan banana rum, guava puree, with tropical juices topped with Gosling's 151 rum float $10.75. This is almost like a tiki drink in that the flavors are so tropical and it's a sweet but boozy drink. She liked this.

We ordered lots of appetizers for the table and just shared everything.

Selection of Artisanal Cheeses - chef's selection of accoutrements $14. The cheeses again were a two year aged gouda, purple haze goat cheese, feta, and a blue cheese. The plate came with honey, marcona almonds, fruit gels, dried fruit, and crispy bread made with dried fruit inside. Of course we ran out of bread as usual which drives me nuts but we had no problem just eating the rest of the cheese with forks!

We had a couple of orders of the Asian Barbecue Chicken Wings with Pickled Vegetables ($10). These remain a favorite, with a nice roasty flavor, tons of meat on the plump wings and of course the sweet and flavorful sauce on the outside.

We also had to get two orders of my favorite dish here - the Pork Ribs which are honey-glazed and coriander-spiced ($10) with a charred lime that you squeeze over the sweet and spicy rub on the ribs to create meat magic. OMG are these good. I would love to have these today... guess the smoked chicken we have planned for dinner is a good call. I don't know what is in the rib rub here beyond coriander and honey but it is so good - spicy without being hot. These are just fall apart tender perfection.

My sister wasn't sure how she would do with the other selections (she's got a sensitive tummy) so she ordered the Vegetarian Summer Roll with Ponzu sauce ($8) to have a safe option. These were fresh and crunchy but not all that flavorful and I probably wouldn't get them again.

I don't know how I missed it with the camera but we also had the bread service = Tiffins Bread Service - pomegranate olive oil, harissa yogurt, black-eyed pea hummus, zhough yogurt $10.

(bread service photo lifted from EasyWDW)

I'll be honest, I don't love this bread service. None of the actual breads wow me, which would be fine as the bread is usually just a vessel for the dips, but none of these dips bowl me over either. They're fine, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement among so many other great options.

We saved $26.20 here with the Tables in Wonderland card, which means that this meal was my official break even point (and start saving money with) the card for this year. I pulled a total math dork and decided to break up all the discounts to make sure I removed any discounts I also would have been eligible for with my annual pass, but I was actually curious to see whether TIW was a money saving option for us while Disney is offering 20% off so many dining locations with the AP discount. Through the date of this meal I have saved $172.90 with Tables in Wonderland at locations and on items where my only eligible discount was TIW. I have saved $243.20 if you count locations and items where I also would have been eligible for another discount (like AP or DVC). So yes, in short, TIW is a winning proposition for my family.

We caught another photopass photographer on the way to our next FP, which was over by Asia...

Rivers of Light! I was excited for my mom to see this show as she, like me, loved the Jungle Book Alive With Magic show. My sister and her boyfriend were not able to get fastpass so they headed over to the seating of Flame Tree while we scanned in and got seats. Well. We made ourselves comfortable in the accessible seating (with backs!) since my mom was using an ECV this trip, and then it began to rain. Like.... deluge. Like, omg have I ever been this soaking?

So the fp section thinned out considerably, I would say maybe 10-20% of the people stayed.

The show was delayed but one good thing about the humidity and rain is that it really boosted the projections on the water screens:

I could see the animals on the projections much better this show (even if my pictures didn't really capture that).

I really enjoy this show and find it to be an appropriate and peaceful "kiss goodnight" at Animal Kingdom. I like the music and the message and will continue to see it when I'm able. We had a great time at Animal Kingdom, but there was more sun and fun on the horizon! Time for bed.

Up next: we hang around the pool and eat a couple snacks at Epcot, then we head back for a longer day at Animal Kingdom!

 

[kastoney]

What say you, @Vernie822? Personally I would never post unflattering/hilarious photos of other people because I am an expert at being caught unawares in backgrounds and foregrounds of photos looking like a derpface... and karma's a b.

Well if someone wasn't taking a year off (errrr... waiting a long time to go back) we could all rendez-vous. The three of us are in driving proximity. All we need is the Stoney clan (by your own logic you must be Stoney 1, right? ) to complete the magic.

Stoney1 says Vernie1 has 48 hours to comment or its all systems go And for the record, because I have a problem, my year off, is now only 9 months

round noon the troops were getting hungry so we placed an online order for delivery with one of the local pizzerias I had heard great things about - Flippers Pizzeria.There are a lot of Orlando and Kissimmee locations and I knew from the boards that we could get delivery at WBC.

This sounds like a great idea. Do you just have to meet them in the lobby or something?

Large california classic pizza - Basil Pesto sauce, roasted artichoke hearts, roasted grape tomatoes, red onions, fresh spinach & roasted red peppers, $19.39 Oh my gosh this pizza was gooooood! I loved the flavors, the crust was a nice chewy dough, and the ingredients were all fresh and tasty.

Yum!!!!! X-ney on the peppers-ey and this is right up my alley.

I absolutely love the Africa area of Animal Kingdom. I think it's my favorite land in WDW.

Mine too. The details are pure perfection and you really do feel like you are transported to somewhere else. Theming in the truest sense of the word.

Oh, haaaay!

Haaaay. I just wanna look at my picture on the board

It's no secret that the Mr. Kamal's falafel is one of my favorite in-park snacks. We ordered and they fried our falafel to order this time so they were amazingly fresh and perfect. The tzatziki or raita has gone by the wayside as had the samosas during our visit. However, the mango chutney is a good complementary sauce and the falafel really needs no gilding anyway. We also picked up a Triple Yeti Blast, which I can honestly say was pretty gross. It is basically the three flavors from the margarita machines just layered all in one cup. The flavors here do not meld well together. The mango and strawberry would have been good as a combo, I think, but the lime just had that fake margarita mix flavor and completely puckered my face every time I tried to drink it. Will definitely be skipping that beverage in the future.

We had and liked these before too, but ours were most definitely not cooked to order. I'm sure that really puts them over the top.

I was totally drooling over your drink until you described it. Yuck! I'll be sure to stick to just one flavor.

Annapurna Zing - Indonesia; Bombay sapphire east gin, passion fruit puree, mint, and lime juice topped with ginger beer $8.50. I knew my mom would love this and I was not wrong. It's so tasty and refreshing!

Ah, my absolute favorite Nomads drink. Though it was always in a smaller glass when I got it. Fingers crossed they keep the big glass up

R surprised me by choosing the Boto-Rita - Central and South America; Zignum Reposado Mezcal, Combier grapefruit liqueur, guava puree, and lime juice $10.75. This is a delicious and slightly sweet drink that has an interestingly smooth texture (the guava, perhaps?) but then hits you with that Mezcal lingering smokiness. It's pretty tasty and I love the pink peppercorns on top!

Yum, this sounds really good and strangely one Nomads drink I may not have actually tried yet. I'll have to remedy that next time. I love mezcal and grapefruit so this sounds perfect

We had a couple of orders of the Asian Barbecue Chicken Wings with Pickled Vegetables ($10). These remain a favorite, with a nice roasty flavor, tons of meat on the plump wings and of course the sweet and flavorful sauce on the outside.

You are just making me want to book another disney trip soon with all of the goodness going on here.

We saved $26.20 here with the Tables in Wonderland card, which means that this meal was my official break even point (and start saving money with) the card for this year. I pulled a total math dork and decided to break up all the discounts to make sure I removed any discounts I also would have been eligible for with my annual pass, but I was actually curious to see whether TIW was a money saving option for us while Disney is offering 20% off so many dining locations with the AP discount. Through the date of this meal I have saved $172.90 with Tables in Wonderland at locations and on items where my only eligible discount was TIW. I have saved $243.20 if you count locations and items where I also would have been eligible for another discount (like AP or DVC). So yes, in short, TIW is a winning proposition for my family.

The TiW is definitely one of the best disney deals going. Especially for all of us tipsy girls It is going to hurt my liver and my pocket when we don't have one on our next trip

I could see the animals on the projections much better this show (even if my pictures didn't really capture that).

This has got to be one of the clearest projection pics I've ever seen. I'll be sure to visit after the rain next time

 

[ariane37]

That water projection of the lion is SO much clearer than the projections we saw last month! I think I would have been a bit more impressed if the projections had looked like that. We aren't planning on seeing ROL this month but maybe when the kids are with us in Aug. Speaking of August, you wouldn't have a trip planned then, would you? Say, towards the end of the month
I want to go back to Nomad Lounge! We only had a drink there before our Tiffins meal and I'd like to chill there a bit. I loved it!

 

[ArielSRL]

But let me tell you I looooove those new Peachpass lanes down by Eagle's Landing!

Okay, so give me the deets. We do not have a peachpass but my DH said we can get one or a Sunpass and they are good in both GA and FL? Is this true...help a girl out....

Yep, us too! Disney is best done as a sandwich with a nice nap filling in the middle

Love this description!

Dockside is great - just beware that stuff can be STRONG! They have a really great rumrunner and their margaritas are also super tasty.

Good to know on both counts!

Hmm, now how can I get one before October...

Oh, I'll just bring you one back.....

 

[toomuchtv]

We also picked up a Triple Yeti Blast, which I can honestly say was pretty gross. It is basically the three flavors from the margarita machines just layered all in one cup. The flavors here do not meld well together. The mango and strawberry would have been good as a combo, I think, but the lime just had that fake margarita mix flavor and completely puckered my face every time I tried to drink it. Will definitely be skipping that beverage in the future.

That's too bad, because it's SO PRETTY!

Selection of Artisanal Cheeses - chef's selection of accoutrements $14. The cheeses again were a two year aged gouda, purple haze goat cheese, feta, and a blue cheese. The plate came with honey, marcona almonds, fruit gels, dried fruit, and crispy bread made with dried fruit inside. Of course we ran out of bread as usual which drives me nuts but we had no problem just eating the rest of the cheese with forks!

This looks so good. Boo to running out of bread, though! There is never enough bread with these courses...

I could see the animals on the projections much better this show (even if my pictures didn't really capture that).

Oh wow! That projection does look really good! Someday, I will see this show...

 

[ArielSRL]

In an effort to continue having travel companions who will actually go to WDW with me, I was making a real attempt to just relax on this trip.

I should take a clue from you and try this sometime...lol.

So on Sunday, we got up and made coffee and went down to grab pool chairs, where we spent the morning hours into early afternoon.

See, I really should try this one trip, espcially with us staying deluxe lately. My DH actually requested a resort day but since he asked for it last week, um, what am I supposed to do about that now?? Did it not occur to him about 6 months ago when I asked for his opinion and he said, "Just plan it all. I trust you." In any case, I don't mind doing it in the future, but we are already at 8 nights....so do I need to go up to 10 and have a couple resort days? Hmmm, maybe so...lol.

I'm not much of a ham eater

Totally with you on this.

Large california classic pizza - Basil Pesto sauce, roasted artichoke hearts, roasted grape tomatoes, red onions, fresh spinach & roasted red peppers, $19.39 Oh my gosh this pizza was gooooood! I loved the flavors, the crust was a nice chewy dough, and the ingredients were all fresh and tasty.

OMG, this sounds delish! I love this type of pizza.

6 fresh cut breadsticks, covered in melted garlic butter & Romano cheese. Served with pizza sauce $5.99. These were a perfect showcase of the Flippers pizza dough - I like "fluffy" pizza crust like this so I thought the breadsticks were great and garlicky.

These look yummy, as well.

Oh, haaaay!

This guy clearly wanted to get in the truck with us. We were full up though, so we had to move on.

I have never done the true "night" safari but I do love a pre-sunset late afternoon safari.

Dusk is the absolute best time in my opinion. True night is too dark. So I don't think you are missing much.

We also picked up a Triple Yeti Blast, which I can honestly say was pretty gross. It is basically the three flavors from the margarita machines just layered all in one cup. The flavors here do not meld well together. The mango and strawberry would have been good as a combo, I think, but the lime just had that fake margarita mix flavor and completely puckered my face every time I tried to drink it. Will definitely be skipping that beverage in the future.

OMG, I am such a sucker for a pretty drink. I would have fallen for this one hard. Glad to know ahead of time not to bother.

My sister ordered the Lamu Libation - Africa; Starr African rum, Cruzan banana rum, guava puree, with tropical juices topped with Gosling's 151 rum float $10.75. This is almost like a tiki drink in that the flavors are so tropical and it's a sweet but boozy drink. She liked this.

Yum!

Selection of Artisanal Cheeses - chef's selection of accoutrements $14. The cheeses again were a two year aged gouda, purple haze goat cheese, feta, and a blue cheese. The plate came with honey, marcona almonds, fruit gels, dried fruit, and crispy bread made with dried fruit inside.

I said this on @ariane37's DR, but I love me some cheese!

I'll be honest, I don't love this bread service. None of the actual breads wow me, which would be fine as the bread is usually just a vessel for the dips, but none of these dips bowl me over either. They're fine, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement among so many other great options.

Good to know!

So yes, in short, TIW is a winning proposition for my family.

Thanks for doing the research. For our next two trips, I will space them so I can get us APs and use them for both trips, so I will be looking into the TIW card since we don't really prefer the dining plan.

We caught another photopass photographer on the way to our next FP, which was over by Asia...

Awww!

then it began to rain. Like.... deluge. Like, omg have I ever been this soaking?

Oh my! Though it does remind me of our last full day last year. We were at DHS and the bottom just fell out. We tried to hang but it went on for over an hour so we just finally left.

 

[seashell7290]

I just stumbled upon this report and I have to say you do Disney right! Thanks for taking one for the team and trying all those drinks I have a trip coming up in a few weeks and look forward to trying some of your recommendations.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Looks like a lovely meal at Nomad's! Glad you had great drinks (love that bourbon!)

Too bad you don't love the Bread Service - I just love that Harissa Dip! That is what makes it for me!

Glad the rain cleared out the crowds for Rivers of Light! Central Florida desperately needed that rain!

 

[mousegear]

I've stayed at WBC several times since my parents own timeshare at WBC and find it really convenient and wonderful to have room especially with full family. Your meal at Nomad Lounge looks wonderful. Sometimes, I find myself more satisfied with a few items off appetizers than actual entrees on the menu so Nomad Lounge looks like a perfect choice.

 

[Vernie822]

What say you, @Vernie822? Personally I would never post unflattering/hilarious photos of other people because I am an expert at being caught unawares in backgrounds and foregrounds of photos looking like a derpface... and karma's a b.

Done. Maybe Ashley Vernie 1 will tell us where "Vernie" came from if we employ this method.

Stoney1 says Vernie1 has 48 hours to comment or its all systems go And for the record, because I have a problem, my year off, is now only 9 months

I totally fell off the face of the earth, er, Disboards, for a solid 1.5 months so my 48 hours has long been expired, but Vernie is an ode to my middle name, the ever-embarrassing family heirloom "LaVerne". It's basically a name fit for a 99 year old, but my entire life my family has called me Vernie or LaVerne... so my disboards name is an ode to my 90's AOL screen name, hahaha.

Vernie 1 and Vernie2/Mr Vernie would love nothing more than a WDW rendesvouz with the Stoney 3 + the currently mai-tai sipping M&R.. And @ariane37 of course!! She's not in driving distance but she seems to know a good NY flight deal when she sees one

 

[ariane37]

I totally fell off the face of the earth, er, Disboards, for a solid 1.5 months so my 48 hours has long been expired, but Vernie is an ode to my middle name, the ever-embarrassing family heirloom "LaVerne". It's basically a name fit for a 99 year old, but my entire life my family has called me Vernie or LaVerne... so my disboards name is an ode to my 90's AOL screen name, hahaha.

Vernie 1 and Vernie2/Mr Vernie would love nothing more than a WDW rendesvouz with the Stoney 3 + the currently mai-tai sipping M&R.. And @ariane37 of course!! She's not in driving distance but she seems to know a good NY flight deal when she sees one

Lol! We did score flights for an awesome price again for August, I guess it's another one of my talents And that sounds like my kind of DisMeet and a recipe for all sorts of trouble!

 

[kastoney]

I totally fell off the face of the earth, er, Disboards, for a solid 1.5 months so my 48 hours has long been expired, but Vernie is an ode to my middle name, the ever-embarrassing family heirloom "LaVerne". It's basically a name fit for a 99 year old, but my entire life my family has called me Vernie or LaVerne... so my disboards name is an ode to my 90's AOL screen name, hahaha.

Vernie 1 and Vernie2/Mr Vernie would love nothing more than a WDW rendesvouz with the Stoney 3 + the currently mai-tai sipping M&R.. And @ariane37 of course!! She's not in driving distance but she seems to know a good NY flight deal when she sees one

Glad to see you back on the face of the earth LaVerne! Now if only we knew where that @pepperandchips chick got to

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Glad to see you back on the face of the earth LaVerne! Now if only we knew where that @pepperandchips chick got to

She's in Hawaii enjoying life

 

[pepperandchips]

Glad to see you back on the face of the earth LaVerne! Now if only we knew where that @pepperandchips chick got to

She's in Hawaii enjoying life

Yes, I am so awful! I just fell off the disboards for a while leading up to our big trip this year, then I was gone for almost two weeks and now I have the post-travel crud that seems to beset my sinuses every time I return from a big trip. It seems everyone has been busy with work or traveling lately, so I am not as embarassed since I seem to be in good company. Here are a couple of highlights from our most recent travels before I get back to finishing up this dining report!

We enjoyed our view at Aulani quite a lot!

Hawaii agreed with both of us and we loved having the Disney touches at the resort (photopass photographers for the win!)

Our first excursion from the resort brought a new fancy souvenir for me!

So we had fun celebrating the next step in our partnership for the rest of the trip

The highlight on Kauai was our helicopter tour of the island

And I absolutely fell in love with the Napali Coast

We enjoyed dining at each of our destinations, of course

And ended the trip a little heavier, tanner, and happier than we started at Disneyland

Where I got to realize my dream of visiting Walt's park and DCA.

So it was a pretty epic hiatus! And I will be sure to link you guys when I get around to writing about it!!