Food, Frights, & The Fortieth: A Trip Report of Epic Proportions. *11/28*

[Merida]

I really like the buffalo vinylmation! The non-people ones tend to be my favorites, I'm noticing. The people ones just look too... weird?

That episode of How I Met Your Mother is my favorite (haven't watched past season four, though. I should catch up some time but there's just too much TV). I love the robot in the video

I like the stop/go Mickey sign! They're adorable.

There are the cutest Phineas and Ferb t-shirts; have you seen the one for this Christmas? It has Perry wrapped up in the light strand and is glow-in-the-dark? I'm really hoping the kid's sizes don't run too small so I can pick up an XL for myself. Why aren't these in adult sizes??

 

[TanzUnited99]

Lovely pics of the lego store and Characters in Flight balloon.

Lol at the teenage girls! I'm glad you managed to figure out the reason behind their screaming and avoid the hormonal explosion that could have taken place

 

[Nermel9]

OMG I love the Jack apple! I don't think I could have eaten it, though!

Great pics of the balloon!

 

[BerrysGirl]

Oh no, potential for hormonal explosions? Not good. Large groups of teenage girls should always be avoided at all costs.

I love How I Met Your Mother! And I love Robin Sparkles! "Let's Go to the Mall" and "Sandcastles in the Sand"? Classics....

To be honest I was surprised how old some of the girls looked. I mean some had to be in their 20's... I guess maybe girls that age think they have a more age-appropriate shot with a heartthrob but it was a little unnerving. And when the bus was moving you could just feel the crowd surging forward and I wanted nothing to do with that!

I'm so glad you got my reference How I Met Your Mother is my favorite show. I'm super bummed I can't be there December 10 - 12 when Neil Patrick Harris does the Candlelight Processional. I'm making Matt go and take pictures!

Ok, I LOVE that miniature setting. I would be using that all the time.

Ha, Joe Jonas! I remember being a teen and being in love with NKOTB and not understanding how there were people who WEREN'T (gasp), but I just don't get these boy bands / artists anymore. Like, for example, Justin Bieber. I guess I'm just missing something - and that something is probably 13-year-old-girl hormones.

I'm so glad I took the opportunity to invest in a (to me) high quality point-and-shoot camera. I just had so much fun playing around with it and the miniature setting is definitely my favorite too!

I was the same way with N'SYNC! Now no one even remembers the band and they only know Justin Timberlake -- and he wasn't even my favorite part! But I totally agree with the Justin Bieber example. I do not get it. I don't think I've ever even heard a song of his on the radio

I love the pics, especially the one with the Characters in Flight balloon through the fence. Meg likes the Jack apple...he's her new fave.

Too funny about Joe Jonas. I literally cracked up at that part.

I'm so glad Jack and Nightmare Before Christmas has stood the test of time to become a classic. I just love that movie! They had a ton of cute merchandise out for Halloween too but I am disappointed you can't meet Jack and Sally like you can in Disneyland... guess I'll have to go someday!

Sounds like a fun solo day! I cant wait to go to DTD!

DTD can get crazy around Christmastime, just a warning! I'd suggest either driving (if you have a car) or taking the boats to Port Orleans and catching buses there to parks, then resorts. It's a little roundabout but after the experience I had at the DTD bus stop for the Boardwalk bus, I think less stressful. If you plan to do shopping, go early!

 

[BerrysGirl]

I really like the buffalo vinylmation! The non-people ones tend to be my favorites, I'm noticing. The people ones just look too... weird?

That episode of How I Met Your Mother is my favorite (haven't watched past season four, though. I should catch up some time but there's just too much TV). I love the robot in the video

I like the stop/go Mickey sign! They're adorable.

There are the cutest Phineas and Ferb t-shirts; have you seen the one for this Christmas? It has Perry wrapped up in the light strand and is glow-in-the-dark? I'm really hoping the kid's sizes don't run too small so I can pick up an XL for myself. Why aren't these in adult sizes??

I agree, the people vinylmations can totally disconcerting. My favorite ones actually tended to be the abstract ones. I liked the idea of just using the Mickey shape as a blank canvas, ya know?

You should totally catch up on How I Met Your Mother! It is such a good show and they're getting closer and closer to meeting the mother

I have seen that Perry the Platypus shirt! I have this one:

But maybe a more seasonally-appropriate shirt should be in my future...

Lovely pics of the lego store and Characters in Flight balloon.

Lol at the teenage girls! I'm glad you managed to figure out the reason behind their screaming and avoid the hormonal explosion that could have taken place

Thanks for the compliments!
I'm really glad I figured out the potential-hormonal explosion cause as well... I think it would have really bothered me otherwise. That isn't to say I agree with it, but, ya know, knowledge is power

OMG I love the Jack apple! I don't think I could have eaten it, though!

Great pics of the balloon!

I think the same thing about half the treats at Disney! They're so pretty how can you eat them. I guess the silver lining is that a lot of the time at Disney pretty also equals delicious and that's just a great combo

If you're still in the market for a camera I totally recommend checking out the Cannon line!

 

[BerrysGirl]

Still in DTD, I stopped in a candy store and saw this cutie:

I wouldn't want to eat it!

Then I headed back to D Street for...

I seriously almost bought that shirt.

A family was trading before me and they got Quasimodo. No one (the CM included) had any idea who it was so I tentatively stepped up and identified him. The Dad seemed to really love vinylmations and proclaimed trading "the best part." So much so that he stuck around to see who I got when I traded.

Phil again!

He thought he looked neat so I offered to trade with him. Because you know, trading is "the best part." "Oh no," he says "my son would kill me if I traded this one away." Uh, ok. You had no idea who Quasimodo was and you love trading... I didn't think I was stepping out of bounds to offer to trade with you... Oh well.

Continuing on with Phil once again in my possession, I stopped into Curl because I had heard they had Toms.

Yeah, I think they have Toms.

I love these shoes but could not really justify another pair so I just gazed at them for a while before moving on. They have hand-paited Toms at Curl which I would love to own but they cost like $20-$30 extra and I'm not sure if I'd ever want to wear them in fear of ruining the design. Eh. Maybe someday...

Now, I have a confession to make. I did not go into the Lego Store. Nor did I get pictures of the new Lego statues out front. Y'all have seen them, you know who I'm talking about. Buzz, Woody, Snow White and the Dwarfs, Prince Philip and the Dragon... The area was just too crazy with construction walls up creating a bottleneck effect and I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn't even spend a lot of time in World of Disney. Just a quick stop at Customer Service to unload Phil for:

Now this one I LOVED!

I headed back behind World of Disney to Basin. I thought for sure I'd buy something in there but none of the soaps smelled very good to me. Guess I was having an off day in the olfactory region or something.

I moved on to the shiny store because Matt did owe me something for riding in the front of Splash Mountain.

Maaaaybe.

This Piglet's a little above our price range.

I just thought this was cute. The little boy hugging the Donald. Matt's favorite character is Donald so I thought of him instantly

Ding ding ding we have a winner! I adored this necklace. I really considered buying it.

My passion for Piglet is great but I could finally talk myself out of the purchase.

My plan was to head back to Goofy’s Candy Co. to get some chocolate covered marshmallows but the crowds had gotten pretty intense so I decided to head out. I then had a tentative plan to hop a boat to Port Orleans to try the beignets I’d been hearing so much about. I wasn’t entirely in the mood for sweets (another reason I decided to skip Goofy’s) but I was sooo curious to try my first beignet and I thought it’d be worth the trip. Unfortunately once I arrived at the dock I noticed a sign informing guests that the boats were temporarily not running. However, there were no CMs around and a huge line of guests were waiting at the dock

I have no idea what was going on and I wasn’t in the mood to hang out to find out so I just headed to the bus stops. I decided not to wait for any bus in particular and to just hop on the first bus that looked like it’d head to an appealing location.

Where’d I end up?

 

[Disneymoon23]

Wow what an amazing view of the 40th fireworks! What did the perimeter fireworks look like from that angle? I can't imagine how fantastic that would be

The ending was breathtaking! I took a video which hopefully I can include in my trip report. In it you can hear my husband say "Wow" which is a reaction that I didn't expect to hear from him at Disney It was probably my favorite memory from our trip

Your downtown disney morning looked like a lot of fun. Nothing beats sleeping in and taking it easy after a few days in a row of going commando. I really like the pictures you took. New cameras are always fun! What kind is yours?

 

[TanzUnited99]

Aaw that Save The Trees shirt looks cute!

That's wierd that the dad didn't want to trade yet he said that was his favourite thing to do

I personally am not a fan of Tom's but they do look comfy.

The figuirines look great and oh no on the plan of getting beignets falling through.

 

[Nermel9]

OMG. I want that Ewok shirt. I didn't see that in D-Street, and I went there! Huh.

Strange that person didn't want to trade with you. People are weird. It seems like everyone gets the Phil Vinylmation! And I don't even know who he is!

I went in Curl too, and didn't see that wall of Toms! They had a little rack, but not a wall! They must have done that after I was in there, because I went there on 9/29, the first day of our trip. Are they comfy, I really want a pair. Do you think they are good for the parks?

I'd love to just hop on the first bus I saw, can't wait to see where you ended up!

 

[melmar136]

Looks like you had fun browsing at DTD. That little Piglet necklace is adorable! I just love him! Can't wait to see where you wound up next!

 

[BerrysGirl]

The ending was breathtaking! I took a video which hopefully I can include in my trip report. In it you can hear my husband say "Wow" which is a reaction that I didn't expect to hear from him at Disney It was probably my favorite memory from our trip

Your downtown disney morning looked like a lot of fun. Nothing beats sleeping in and taking it easy after a few days in a row of going commando. I really like the pictures you took. New cameras are always fun! What kind is yours?

Oh please share that link in your TR, I can't wait to see the fireworks from that angle! It must have been incredible

My camera is the Canon ELPH 100 HS. I just bought it in July and it really is a match made in heaven. It's totally a point and shoot for dummies. Even I manage decent pictures! I can't imagine how amazing the photos would be if you had any kind of talent

Aaw that Save The Trees shirt looks cute!

That's wierd that the dad didn't want to trade yet he said that was his favourite thing to do

I personally am not a fan of Tom's but they do look comfy.

The figuirines look great and oh no on the plan of getting beignets falling through.

I may be going back to DTD in December for that Ewok shirt I just can't think of a place where I couldn't wear that shirt

I know Toms look weird but they are so comfortable and once you get the hang of them they're actually very easy to "accessorize." They're actually great plane shoes too... wear socks, slip off at security, throw them on the floor, slip them back on, and you're good to go. No lacing, sitting, or zipping required

I'm bummed I didn't get to try the beignets either... but I will. Someday.

OMG. I want that Ewok shirt. I didn't see that in D-Street, and I went there! Huh.

Strange that person didn't want to trade with you. People are weird. It seems like everyone gets the Phil Vinylmation! And I don't even know who he is!

I went in Curl too, and didn't see that wall of Toms! They had a little rack, but not a wall! They must have done that after I was in there, because I went there on 9/29, the first day of our trip. Are they comfy, I really want a pair. Do you think they are good for the parks?

I'd love to just hop on the first bus I saw, can't wait to see where you ended up!

There was one little Star Wars display when I was there and it was on the side of the rack closest to the cash registers... I sure hope it's there when I go back because I really want to get it!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was cursed with the reoccurring Phil I highly recommend his movie, Hercules. It's cute, check it out!

Did you go downstairs in Curl? They were down there kinda behind the stairs. Toms are decent park shoes. I wore them on my first day and they were great until about the 10th hour of being on my feet. Then I started to feel like I needed some more arch support than they provided. I didn't wear them again in the parks. But they are seriously the best airport shoes ever!

Looks like you had fun browsing at DTD. That little Piglet necklace is adorable! I just love him! Can't wait to see where you wound up next!

Isn't the necklace sweet? Piglet has always held a special place in my heart... See, I'm only 5'1" and, as Piglet is a very small animal, us very small animals have to stick together

 

[BerrysGirl]

Why, the Boardwalk!

I thought that area would be the perfect destination. I could take a stroll, head to Epcot for a F&W snack, then arrange to meet up with Matt there for the evening (he was getting off work in about an hour).

A funny thing happened while on the bus, a couple was sitting near me discussing doing a very similar thing. They were using the bus to get to the Epcot area so they could walk to the International Gateway. The boyfriend / husband wanted to get off on the first stop to save time, but the girlfriend / wife insisted they should wait until the Yacht or Beach Club stop to get as close to the gateway as possible, arguing that would save time (keep this in mind, it's important in a moment)...

I got off at the Swan (the first stop), not concretely knowing if it was the fastest route to Epcot, but know that I hate waiting at the bus stops. I went around the Swan grounds and over the boat bridge to the Boardwalk. Matt's parents are DVC members and the Boardwalk is their home resort. I will always associate this resort with them and Christmastime since they stay there. In fact I'll be there in 28 days! I stayed at the Boardwalk Inn with my parents in 2007 too and I've always felt comfortable at this resort. It isn't my favorite but I certainly do not complain when I'm there

I stopped into the Boardwalk gift shop to browse and trade Vinylmations.
Initially I wasn't planning to trade because they didn't have a mystery box, just the clear box with three to trade. However, I saw a cutie I had no problem saying goodbye to Phil for...

Everyone say it with me. "Awww."

After securing Bullseye I headed to Epcot.

Past the wedding pavilion where the path from Boardwalk meets with the path from the Beach Club who did I run into? Why, the couple from the DTD bus! The couple recognized me too because the women jabbed the man in his side and said "see SHE got off at the first stop and WE waited. I was right! This was faster!" I didn't have the heart to tell her that I had taken my sweet time getting here and had stopped in a gift shop for several minutes while they seemed to be booking it at top speed... so yes, moral of the story, if you're in a rush it's faster to get off on the first stop of the Epcot Resort Loop.

Once through the International Gateway, past France, and into Morocco, I got a call from Matt who just got off work. Thankfully I was able to duck into one of the rooms in Morocco to be able to make plans to meet up and we could actually hear each other. For once I was grateful that not a lot of people take the time to throughly explore Morocco...

Matt was just getting changed quickly and hoping a bus to Epcot so I still had time to kill. By then I was really getting hungry so I decided to stop by New Zealand and sample another F&W treat.

Seared Sea Scallop with Kumara-Red Curry Puree and Apple Radish Salad

This was just ok. Everything was good individually but it really need a strong unifying flavor. The Sea Scallop had a very mild flavor that I think should have been enhanced with the curry puree but there wasn't enough of the curry. The apple radish salad was very crisp and refreshing, but also a little bland in flavor. I enjoyed it as a filler but could not see myself ordering it as, say, an entree.

After my quick snack I grabbed a bottle of water and headed towards the Epcot entrance where Matt and I had arranged to meet. I knew I still had some time to kill so I decided to stop in Mexico to visit my favorite caballeros.

It was, of course, a walk on and I was assigned a row all to myself or so I thought...

I settled into my row only to realize that I had been followed by three full-grown adults Ok, those rows are small (they will fit maybe three adults at most) and here I am squished on the very edge of the boat by a complete stranger. I looked deploringly at the CM working trying my best to summon my telepathy to get someone to notice this uncomfortable situation but no one seemed put off by the crammed row. I think I heard a word of Spanish and or Portuguese (they did not speak throughout the ride and the comment I overheard must have been in passing because no one responded) from my row-mates so I can best surmise that they were foreigners lacking the "boundary issues" Americans have and saw no issue with cramming into this boat (they probably assumed that was what expected of them). Either way it was a slightly uncomfortable ride and I went out of my way only to look at the sights on my left side (to avoid looking at them and creating further awkward moments).

Thankfully it is a short ride so my discomfort was not long. And Matt called when we reached the unloading dock that he was at bag check so when I got off my crammed cruise, I quickly booked it to the front of the park. Unfortunately I had told Matt to meet at the big Food and Wine Entrance display... I thought this meant the main display in front of Spaceship Earth, he thought I was referring to the Donald and Daisy topiary display at the start of World Showcase.

Ok, let's try this again. We arranged to meet at the fountain... but what side?

Ok, we got this... I finally found him! Success!

We sat for a minute catching up on the days events but poor Matt was starting to get hungry so we headed back to world showcase.

Matt was distraught when he saw this picture because his head blocked Spaceship Earth in its entirity. Don't worry, his head isn't that big.

We had both liked the sound of Singapore so we stopped and got:

Shrimp Cake on a sugar cane skewer with Singapore Noodle Salad and Coconut-Braised, Beef Rendang with Jasmine Rice.

Both were quite good. The only thing I didn't like was the noodle salad. It was cold and kinda weird. I would have liked it better if the noodles were heated. Matt's beef was very good too albeit spicy (a common theme of most of the dishes we had at F&W).

We decided we should start to head out of Epcot for our dinner reservation at the Wave. We had plenty of time so we moseyed but in the direction of the monorail.

We stopped at one of the F&W merchandise booths to pick up a commemorative pin:

Too cute!

We stopped at Guest Services to trade vinylmations, of course:

Matt's is the... Snake Eye? And I got Rowlf the dog! P.S. I am sooooo beyond excited for the new Muppet Movie!!!

While we were snapping a picture of our vinylmations, someone else came by to investigate:

Hi!

We headed out of Epcot and caught the Monorail to the TTC. Then we got on the resort monorail and enjoyed our cruise over to Contemporary.

 

[BerrysGirl]

We still had plenty of time so we stopped to trade vinylmations and pins again.

Matt got the cutie I got earlier in the day and I got Oliver!

I know I made Matt trade for a Goofy and Donald pin here because he had promised Goofy he would and I thought the Goofy and Donald one was very appropriate for him.
However, once more, I got no photographic evidence.

We were starting to get hungry so we decided to go check into dinner at:

The Wave!

Matt and I had never eaten here so we were excited to try something different together.

We were literally some of the first people to check in for dinner so the kitchen wasn't quite open. No worries though, we got comfy in the fun blue lounge they have for their waiting area.

As soon as 5:00 struck, our pager instantly went off and we were whisked into the main dinning room to a little 2-person seat on the wall.

Our server, whose name I unfortunately cannot recall, was so nice and attentive. He gave us a hard time for being from Ohio (he was from Michigan) but quickly forgave us when we told him we didn't really care for OSU (shhh. Don't tell my State!) For our appetizers, Matt and I each got a cup of French Onion soup.

This the best French Onion soup I have ever had! And I love me some French Onion soup. It was such a nice balance of onion in the rich broth with a touch of something (which I'm embarrassed to admit I can't remember exactly what) that made the soup so wonderfully extraordinary.

Because it's The Wave and they're known for their wine, Matt and I also decided to get glasses of Sauvignon Blanc.

Matt's was a little better than mine (they were from different vineyards) but Sauvignon Blanc is definitely my favorite type of wine!

I was trying to get a shot of the dinning room but it's so dark in there I basically just got Matt drinking his wine like a creeper.

For our entree, Matt and I split the Chili-Soy Marinated Flat Iron Steak (Thai-Chili-Ginger Long Beans and Udon Noodles) (allears.net).

It's was very good. Not too spicy but with a nice flavor.

We noticed the servers all wearing 40th Anniversary buttons and asked our waiter about them.

He said that all the resorts that celebrated their 40th October 1 received special buttons too. We oohed and aahed over them and told him it was such a neat thing and he brought us two of our own! So now I have two special 40th buttons

Dessert was also a must here because my parents could not stop raving about the trios. Unfortunately, it looks like The Wave has changed its menu so the desserts are now different but I want to say we ordered the All American Trio?

It definitely had something to do with being American, and it definitely had (from left to right) Boston Cream Pie, Apple-Pecan Pie, and Key Lime Pie. I wasn't as in love with this dessert as I thought I'd be, the Key Lime Pie was definitely my favorite. The Boston Cream Pie was good but not my cup of tea, and the Apple-Pecan Pie was a little to dry for my taste.

Overall though I loved the Wave and would definitely return

After dinner we decided to catch a bus to DHS.

I wanted to ride Star Tours with Matt!

We had a little wait but quickly found ourselves at DHS and saying hello to this little guy:

This "tour" we got the Droid, Tatooine, Admiral Ackbar, and the asteroids / Death Star. I'm so excited we got all different sequences AND I didn't feel at all queazy. So I will be riding Star Tours from now on but I will be closing my eyes if I get Coruscant again

After our awesome ride, we headed up Hollywood Blvd. to check out the Villains shop to trade vinylmations.

Phil is following us!!!

I got the Muppet who loves the fish and Matt got Phil. Again

We quickly decided to ditch him and headed to the Art of Animation to trade again.

Matt got the punk star one, and I got Quasimodo. I thought he was cute!

We were in the mood just to wander so we found ourselves at the other side of the park. We popped into the Writer's Shop just because I had never been there before but nothing really caught our eye.

Then we stopped in the Muppet Gift Store to trade vinylmations. Again!

And this my friends marks the end of our vinylmation trading.

I got the Clock Cleaners and Matt got Monstro the Whale from Pinnochio. I loved the Clock Cleaners one so much and Matt decided we should end there so my Mom could have it. Overall I'm really happy with our ending figures and I can't wait for my Mom to see them over Thanksgiving.

I think we were beginning to realize our time together was coming to an end and this was the last night before we spent two long months apart... I remember dawdling and then we both randomly decided we needed more sweets so we went back to the Villains Shop.

I got the Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows. Because I love marshmallows. But also because I wanted this:

I haven't had a Mickey straw since I was 5!

Matt got a GIANT peanut butter cookie-head.

There was some misunderstanding when we were browsing the goods in line and I thought Matt was looking at the adorable cake pops. So when he asked if he should get the big one or the small one I was a little confused but told him the big one because I wanted to share...

Yeah, he should have gotten the small one

That thing was massive and unfortunately we could not finish it. Still, it was yummy!

This ends day 4 of our trip. We decided to beat the crowds home to spend some quality time together. We were both getting a little sad that I was leaving tomorrow so we wanted to make the best of the night. We managed to get seats on the bus home but sat behind the most spoiled, obnoxious teenager. She complained about everything. Waiting, standing, sitting, being tired, the bus turning it's lights off, the bus turning it's lights on... sigh. She had no problem of course sitting on her blackberry when the lights turned off flashing that blinding screen in my face as she excitedly texted her friend that Joe Jonas has been at DHS today and her Mom had seen him ride Rockin' Roller Coaster. I can't escape Joe Jonas

Soon though we were home and in bed. Tomorrow was the last day...

 

[IheartDDuck]

Wow, that was a hefty vinylmation trading day. Phil really was following you everywhere. Stalking you almost.

Okay, the the Gran Fiesta Tour was an interesting situation. I would have felt the same way that you did. My mom makes fun of me all the time, because she immigrated from Europe and doesn't suffer from the space issues that us American's have. She says I'm too paranoid about people getting close.

 

[TanzUnited99]

Lol at making it to Epcot before the couple who were debating where to get off - it probably was a good thing to keep schtum about having spent some time wondering as well!

Mmm the F&W treats look so good - I so want to visit around that time one day.

I'm glad you enjoyed your meal at The Wave and that was soo sweet of your server to bring you the special 40th buttons

 

[Disneymoon23]

Ooohh the Wave looks yummy. I really want to try it out next time I go.

I love the clock cleaners vinylmation! You picked a good one to stop with. It's funny to see all the vinylmation you traded around because we ran into a lot of the same ones you did. It seems like every store you trade at has almost the same stuff in their mystery boxes.

I like the picture of the little lizard. Even though we saw them everywhere, we would always stop and watch them when we saw one. I guess we were just fascinated by lizards running around because we don't see them everyday in West Virginia.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Well, it sure seems like you had fun trading vinylmations! Cute F&WF pin too.

That cookie Matt got looks SO good!

 

[PirateKate]

Good thinking to stop trading while you had two Vinylmation you liked. I always keep trading up until the very last minute and usually end up with one I don't like, but there's no time to trade it again.

Shopping at DTD looks like fun. I've never really taken the time to go into all of the shops there, but it would be a nice way to spend the afternoon. A break from the parks after the 40th makes perfect sense.

I thought it was funny that Joe Jonas kept showing up every where you were. I've never understood the appeal of the Jonas brothers or Justin Bieber.

 

[Merida]

I'm apparently the worst at Vinylmation trading - the only ones I recognized were Phil, Quasimodo, and Oliver! They don't give you any sort of identifier, do they? It would be so helpful!

I can't believe there were four people that wanted to go on the Mexico ride at one time. I don't think I've ever seen it that crowded!

I'm glad you enjoyed the Wave! We have a breakfast reservation there in a couple weeks, maybe they can recommend a nice breakfast wine.

 

[melmar136]

That giant peanut butter Mickey head cookie looks amazing! It's bigger than Matt's head!!! I hope it was yummy.