Getting Ready for a Wild Time at Food & Wine- An October 2015 PTR - Updated 7/27

[wellesleyprincess]

"Pop"-ing for Food and Wine

Solo Trip 2.0
​

As Mickey Mouse would say "Alright Everybody, let's get this show started!" (or something like that at the beginning of Philharmagic). I've been on the boards for a while (especially when I've done Disney races) , but must confess I only recently discovered the trip and pre-trip reports. Before we begin shout out to Elevationist (Billie) and Tracy161 for inspiring me to do this!

Who: Just me! I'm back in school (law school) after working for 5 years. It's been a big transition, but I love being back in school. I've been going to Disney World since childhood (as you can see in my signature), but things really picked up after I graduated from college and until this year I was going annually.

When: October 28-31, 2015

Where: Pop Century (The choice du jour of solo travelers on the Dis)

What: 2 full days in the Parks with Park Hoppers focusing on Food & Wine and (as a bit of a treat to myself) the Disney Dining Plan

Why: 20th Anniversary of Food & Wine Festival! I've always loved the food at Disney. I'm currently a vegetarian and have dealt with food allergies in the past, and Disney is one of the few places I don't have do a crazy amount of research on what restaurants I can/can't eat in. Three years go I discovered the wonderful world of Food & Wine when I ran the Tower of Terror 10 Miler on my first solo trip. (That's also when I met Baloo in a hidden corner of Adventureland during MNSSHP with no line in the picture above.) So take three of my favorite things Disney, Food, & Wine and role them into one and you get the Food & Wine Festival. If they added a Shakespeare performance that I got to watch with the 10th Doctor, you'd basically have my idea of heaven.

The next year, my Dad & I went on a father daughter long weekend trip during Food & Wine. I skipped this year (primarily due to school schedule and saving money) and missed it terribly. Our fall break falls during Food & Wine and between a larger than expected tax return and working this summer, I can afford to spend it at Disney World.

How: Well that's basically what this pre-Trip is about, right? I'm already surprised by how much things have changed since I skipped a year (FP+ was still in Beta last time I went) and I haven't done the dining plan since 2010 (so needless to say it's changed)

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Table of Contents​

Update 1: Favorites
Update 2: Mickey Mail
Update 3: Pre-Park Hour Trip Plans
Update 4: I'm Gonna Need a New Title
Update 5: Park Hours
Update 6: A Disney Lull
Update 7: Starting to make travel plans
Update 8: Another Change
Update 9: ADR wish list
Update 10: ADRs
Update 11: Back from the Dark Side
Update 12: Sanaa Review
Update 13: Waiting Time
Update 14: No Update Update
Update 15: Double Digits
Update 16: Food and Wine Events

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Update #1: A Few of My Favorite Things​

To get started I thought I'd let everyone know a little more about me. So here are a few of my favorite things.

Favorite Park: EPCOT, as I mentioned this trip is all about Food & Wine. I also love Figment (especially the old DreamFinder version), Sunshine Seasons, and Soarin'

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Favorite Ride: Tower of Terror! From the theming to thrills this is my idea of the detail of Disney

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Favorite Character(s): Alice in Wonderland (both the original and Tim Burton versions), Minnie Mouse, Cinderella, and Nemo and Friends (as a vegetarian I love the quote "Fish are friends not food")

Favorite Resort(s): Pop (where I'm staying this time), Port Orleans-French Quarter, and Contemporary; I'm also hoping to try out AKL at some point

Favorite Restaurants: As mentioned in my intro, a lot of my love of Disney World stems from the food. So my favorite favorites are probably (in no particular order) Boma, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, Rose & Crown, and 50s Primetime. I have my fingers crossed that I'll get to try Be Our Guest this time.

A little more about my non-DisneySide: I'm an avid runner (5ks to Full Marathons) and so will probably at least mention it in passing. My favorite non-Disney shows are Doctor Who, The Big Bang Theory, and Downton Abbey. I'm also a big Harry Potter fan and have been since the third book was released. I'm a vegetarian.

25 days until Park Hours
72 days until ADRs
192 days until FP+
252 days until DISNEY!!!

Author's note: I'm also planning a trip to Universal in May (with my mom). If anyone is interested in that planning (and if anyone actually reads this) let me know, I may post slight detours related to that planning (I'm planning to do a trip report on that trip afterwards). I'm a full time student and am going to try to post updates at least every Wednesday.

 

[Tracy161]

I'm here!!! I didn't realize you'd started - woohoo!!! I'm seriously thinking of trying to hit up Food and Wine this fall myself... we shall see. The heck with the money tree... I want to find the Disney gift card tree!

I also have my fingers crossed that I'll get to try BoG this time too...

So excited you started this! And so happy to provide some inspiration! Excited to help you count down to your trip.

 

[wellesleyprincess]

I'm here!!! I didn't realize you'd started - woohoo!!! I'm seriously thinking of trying to hit up Food and Wine this fall myself... we shall see. The heck with the money tree... I want to find the Disney gift card tree!

I also have my fingers crossed that I'll get to try BoG this time too...

So excited you started this! And so happy to provide some inspiration! Excited to help you count down to your trip.

Yay! Now there's someone to talk to!

It's kind of funny that you're thinking of heading down for Food & Wine some time (which totally should do!) while I'm thinking I may do either a 2016 or 2017 trip during Flower & Garden. (Which I haven't been to since 2005.)

 

[cynditech]

Following! We're going down on the 17-23 and soooo looking forward to F&W! I didn't realize it will be the 20th anniversary!!!

 

[leshunlenese]

popping in! I am really excited to try food and wine for the first time!

 

[megveg]

Im here and going the same time! Ill be there 30th- nov 9th but its still overlapping dates

(Princess Wellesley from Wellesley, MA? im from MA and I used to work in Wellesley!)

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Following! We're going down on the 17-23 and soooo looking forward to F&W! I didn't realize it will be the 20th anniversary!!!

Welcome! Happy to see you from the October thread!

popping in! I am really excited to try food and wine for the first time!

It's my favorite event for sure! I hope you enjoy it too! I joined in on your pre-trip report.

Im here and going the same time! Ill be there 30th- nov 9th but its still overlapping dates

(Princess Wellesley from Wellesley, MA? im from MA and I used to work in Wellesley!)

Welcome! And yay for overlapping dates! I'm not from Wellesley but I went to Wellesley College and picked my screen name back when I was a student.

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Update #2: Mail Call!​

Welcome back everyone! We're on our second no snow snow day today. What's a no snow snow day you may ask? A no snow snow day is when we freak out a little prematurely here in the South because there was a potential winter storm that instead of snow ends up in rain. When I went to college in Massachusetts, we had probably several feet of snow over the course of 4 years and not a single snow day. (There was one day during a blizzard that a professor cancelled class and it was a huge deal to us but the school wasn't closed). Now that I'm back in school in the South, we've had 3 snow days and 0 inches of snow. On the bright side the extra study time has given me some extra Disney planning time too

So I went out to the mailbox yesterday and guess what was there? My first Mickey mail!!!

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Mickey mail always makes it feel like the trip is officially happening!!!

Also Halloween Party dates came out yesterday. I'm not doing it this trip because I've done it twice and I decided to do a park hopper instead.I'm still glad they came out because I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is not a party on my tentative Magic Kingdom day.


Reader Question: So in copying several other trip reports I thought I end by asking my readers a question to share!

So this week the question is:

What Disney souvenir do you actually use in the "real world"?

For me it's definitely my mugs. I have several including the one I used this morning.

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I also use my refillable mugs as my commuter mug on a regular basis. They're the perfect size for me and there most durable mug I've ever found.

And finally....
The Countdown

18 days until Park Hours
65 days until ADRs
185 days until FP+
245 days until DISNEY!!!

 

[leshunlenese]

Update #2: Mail Call!​

Welcome back everyone! We're on our second no snow snow day today. What's a no snow snow day you may ask? A no snow snow day is when freak out a little prematurely here in the South because there was a potential winter storm that instead of snow ends up in rain. When I went to college in Massachusetts, we had probably several feet of snow over the course of 4 years and not a single snow day. (There was one day during a blizzard that a professor cancelled class and it was a huge deal to us but the school wasn't closed). Now that I'm back in school in the South, we've had 3 snow days and 0 inches of snow. On the bright side the extra study time has given me some extra Disney planning time too

So I went out to the mailbox yesterday and guess what was there? My first Mickey mail!!!

View attachment 79666​

Mickey mail always makes it feel like the trip is officially happening!!!

Also Halloween Party dates came out yesterday. I'm not doing it this trip because I've done it twice and I decided to do a park hopper instead.I'm still glad they came out because I was pleasantly surprised to see that there is not a party on my tentative Magic Kingdom day.


Reader Question: So in copying several other trip reports I thought I end by asking my readers a question to share!

So this week the question is:

What Disney souvenir do you actually use in the "real world"?

For me it's definitely my mugs. I have several including the one I used this morning.

View attachment 79667​

I also use my refillable mugs as my commuter mug on a regular basis. They're the perfect size for me and there most durable mug I've ever found.

And finally....
The Countdown

18 days until Park Hours
65 days until ADRs
185 days until FP+
245 days until DISNEY!!!

Yes snow days but it for me!

 

[Tracy161]

to your "snow" days. I bet you are glad you're not in Massachusetts now! Here in upstate New York, we have had MORE than enough snow this winter, but my friends in the Boston area?! I don't even know how they're dealing with life right now. I've been in the Northeast all my life and I still swear I'm a southern girl at heart.

YAY for Mickey mail!!!!! Yes, it sure does make it feel that the trip is actually happening.

Hmm... as for souvenirs I actually use (a great question, by the way). I use my mugs all the time, too (including my refillable ones). Also I buy a magnet each visit with the year of my trip. I have them all over my fridge so they get lots of use as well.

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Update 3: Pre-Park Hours Plans​

First, thanks @leshunlenese, @megveg, @cynditech, and @Tracy161 for not making me feel like I'm talking to myself. If there are any lurkers out there (I say this an a very experienced lurker), please say hello.

With Mickey's Not So Scary being released last week, I thought I'd let you all in on my tentative plans absent park hours and ADRs.

Day 0 (October 28): Drive to Disney. Arrive at Pop late (9 pm at the earliest and like 10 or 10:30 pm.) Grab a bedtime snack at everything Pop and hit the hay.

Day 1 (October 29): EPCOT Day!!! My goal is to get there a rope drop. Grab a snack/coffee at either Sunshine Seasons or Starbucks. Do future world via commando touring (and planning FP+ for Spaceship Earth, Soarin', and Mission Space) until Food & Wine opens. Start sipping and snacking grabbing lunch at Tangerine Cafe, La Boulangerie in France, or Kringala in Norway. Continue to sip and snack. Around 3 pm I may hop over to Hollywood Studios to ride Tower of Terror (my favorite) and Rock 'n Roller Coaster then be back at EPCOT around 5 or 6 pm, or may just hang out in EPCOT and do one of the tastings in the festival center. Dinner at Tutto Gusto, Via Napoli, Chefs de France, or La Hacienda de San Angel around 7:30. Watch Illuminations and head out. (and in case anyone was worried despite driving down, I will definitely take the bus given that I plan to enjoy the wine part of Food & Wine)

Day 2 (October 30): Magic Kingdom Day!! This is the day that party hours have messed up. I thought there would be a party so, I assumed I'd get kicked out at 7 pm (not doing the party) and head over to EPCOT around 4 pm for a second taste of Food & Wine and dinner that night. So the current plan is Breakfast at Everything Pop!, then head out for the opening show/rope drop. Straight to Tommorrowland (for Space Mountain) and get FP+ for 7DMT, Peter Pan, and Big Thunder. Lunch at BoG (fingers crossed, with Columbia Harbor House as a back up). After lunch hop on the monorail to EPCOT for anything I didn't get to do at Food & Wine the first day (or anything I want to redo). Head back to MK around 4 or 5. 7:30 ish dinner at Crystal Palace (also considering Chef Mickey's as an alternative to this). May stay for Wishes or head out when I feel ready after dinner (I'm actually not a huge fan of Wishes, blasphemy I know but it's the truth).

Day 3 (October 31): Sleep in to recover from two days of rope drop to fire works. Check out and head to 10 am ish breakfast/brunch. I'm deciding between 'Ohana, Boma, or Chef Mickey's. Also hit Downtown Disney for a Erin McKenna's cupcake and any last minute souvenirs. Then sadly leave for the "real world"

I'd love any feedback and especially any advice on the place where I'm trying to decide between restaurants. I should also note that I'm vegetarian and on the Dining Plan.

The Countdown
11 days until Park Hours
58 days until ADRs
178 days until FP+
238 days until DISNEY!!!

 

[MnNsmom]

Subbing in. I will be back to read in a bit.

 

[MnNsmom]

"Pop"-ing for Food and Wine

Solo Trip 2.0
​

As Mickey Mouse would say "Alright Everybody, let's get this show started!" (or something like that at the beginning of Philharmagic). I've been on the boards for a while (especially when I've done Disney races) , but must confess I only recently discovered the trip and pre-trip reports. Before we begin shout out to Elevationist (Billie) and Tracy161 for inspiring me to do this!

Who: Just me! I'm back in school (law school) after working for 5 years. It's been a big transition, but I love being back in school. I've been going to Disney World since childhood (as you can see in my signature), but things really picked up after I graduated from college and until this year I was going annually.

When: October 28-31, 2015

Where: Pop Century (The choice du jour of solo travelers on the Dis)

What: 2 full days in the Parks with Park Hoppers focusing on Food & Wine and (as a bit of a treat to myself) the Disney Dining Plan

Why: 20th Anniversary of Food & Wine Festival! I've always loved the food at Disney. I'm currently a vegetarian and have dealt with food allergies in the past, and Disney is one of the few places I don't have do a crazy amount of research on what restaurants I can/can't eat in. Three years go I discovered the wonderful world of Food & Wine when I ran the Tower of Terror 10 Miler on my first solo trip. (That's also when I met Baloo in a hidden corner of Adventureland during MNSSHP with no line in the picture above.) So take three of my favorite things Disney, Food, & Wine and role them into one and you get the Food & Wine Festival. If they added a Shakespeare performance that I got to watch with the 10th Doctor, you'd basically have my idea of heaven.

The next year, my Dad & I went on a father daughter long weekend trip during Food & Wine. I skipped this year (primarily due to school schedule and saving money) and missed it terribly. Our fall break falls during Food & Wine and between a larger than expected tax return and working this summer, I can afford to spend it at Disney World.

How: Well that's basically what this pre-Trip is about, right? I'm already surprised by how much things have changed since I skipped a year (FP+ was still in Beta last time I went) and I haven't done the dining plan since 2010 (so needless to say it's changed)

We really enjoyed Pop on our last trip. It does seem to be very popular with solo travelers.

We haven't been to Food and Wine, but I'm sooo looking forward to it in October.

 

[Tracy161]

Looks great! Seems like you're making the most of your time there! I'm keeping my fingers crossed you can get into BoG! I haven't been to many of the restaurants you've listed so it's hard for me to offer advice, but they're all on my list too so I'm thinking you can't go wrong!

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Update 4: I'm Gonna Need A New Title​

I just emailed my travel agent to let her know I need to cancel my reservation.

I know, I know, you're all wondering what's going on.

This actually is good news and I'm going to need a new title, because now I'm going to be staying at

​

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I got a good deal on renting points and will be staying in a studio for only $50 more per night than I was paying at Pop! It's been my dream resort for a while. So now I'm going to do some new planning and I need a new title!

The Countdown
7 days until Park Hours
54 days until ADRs
174 days until FP+
234 days until DISNEY!!!

 

[Tracy161]

OMG! My heart may have skipped a beat when I read "cancel my reservation" but it looks like it's for a WONDERFUL reason!!! Woohoo! That'll be fabulous!

 

[MnNsmom]

I was going to be so sad for you, but WOOHOO for AKL! We would love to stay there.

 

[Elevationist]

I'M HEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So sorry for my late arrival. It's been all I can do lately not to neglect my own threads, much less keep up with my wonderful DISfriends! Forgive me, Royal Princess!

I'm so so so happy you're doing a PTR! Planning is so much more fun with company! Not to mention sometimes it really helps to put all the thoughts in your head down in writing for the rest of us addicts to read and discuss!

OMG OMG OMG! I can't believe you're upgrading from Pop to AKL! Whaaaaat! That's amazeballs! I'm a peanut butter and jealous sandwich!!!

What is this Erin McSomebody-Or-Another's cupcake you mentioned at DTD? I have never heard of such a thing! And I'm a sucker for a good cupcake... Or any cupcake, really...

Your tentative itinerary looks great! I'm diggin' all the Epcot time fo' sho'! I'm also manically refreshing the Disney Travel Agent portal for you at work this week until I see the October park hours post. It should be literally any day/minute now!

Also, new title suggestion: Going "Wild" for Food and Wine!