"Going to Disney for the weekend, BRB!" October 2011 PTR-Update 10/6-ONE DAY!!!!!

[bellebookworm9]

I love that you have your Facebook status planned already, since I may the sort of person who does that too...

That's great that you got your room booked already! I'm not very familiar with the Epcot area resorts, so can you walk to Epcot from there?

I also love your Harry Potter shirt. I'm pretty excited for that movie to come out, to say the least.

Welcome! Yeah, I'm a little OCD about planning these trips...

Yes, the Epcot area resorts (Yacht & Beach Club & Villas, Boardwalk Inn & Villas, and Swan & Dolphin) are a 5-10 minute walk from Epcot and a 15-25 minute walk to the Studios. You can also take the boat, but it's normally faster to walk, especially to Epcot.

I love my HP shirt!! I am so freaking excited for tomorrow night! We're trying to figure out how early to get there; Yahoo answers said 5-12 hours -we won't be doing that but we're thinking 2-3.

You are totally right about having to book BCV early, especially during F&W. That was my whole thing with this trip, I made sure I made the reservations exactly 11 months out, because I wanted to be walking distance! That location will be so nice for you guys since you're only going to be there for the weekend.

Yeah, I was looking for owners in August! We would have stayed at AKV again if it came down to it, since we had overall very good luck with the buses there, but it will be so nice to just take the 5 minute walk back to our room at the end of the night! (Minus the night of the Halloween Party, of course!)

 

[Eight]

Yes, the Epcot area resorts (Yacht & Beach Club & Villas, Boardwalk Inn & Villas, and Swan & Dolphin) are a 5-10 minute walk from Epcot and a 15-25 minute walk to the Studios. You can also take the boat, but it's normally faster to walk, especially to Epcot.

Aah, okay. That's pretty convenient! I had no clue that you could walk to Hollywood Studios as well.

I love my HP shirt!! I am so freaking excited for tomorrow night! We're trying to figure out how early to get there; Yahoo answers said 5-12 hours -we won't be doing that but we're thinking 2-3.

Have fun tonight! I went to the midnight premiere of the last movie, and I think we got there around five hours early, and we were fairly far back. We were still able to get good seats though.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Well, this isn't Disney related at all, but I just wanted to share. For those of you who don't live in New York, you may or may not know that the NYS budget is currently an epic disaster. The SUNY schools have been having budget cuts left and right, and they knew they were going to have to start cutting programs. Well, today they made the announcement: Studio Art, Computer Science...and the Communicative Disorders and Sciences Department. They will keep the programs open until the class of 2014 graduates (the class after me), but they are no longer accepting applicants. This also applies to the graduate program. I'm even more upset because last week one of our professors said we are not a targeted department, we have a strong grad program (one of three), we have all these accreditations, we have a lot of majors, etc. The best part? They didn't even tell the faculty until an hour before the rest of the school.

However, I have recently been debating whether to get certified/attend grad school here or in Florida. NY requires a lot of tests, fees, and 3 years of teaching experience before you can be certified. Florida requires that you pass a test. I'm also receiving a grant with that legal stipulation that within 8 years of graduation, I will teach for 4 years in a low income school (basically any school in Florida) in a state that has a shortage of speech paths. Florida is one of those states. New York is not. My decision kind of got made today. So yeah, I just wanted to share this horrible news with you all.

 

[IheartDDuck]

Well, this isn't Disney related at all, but I just wanted to share. For those of you who don't live in New York, you may or may not know that the NYS budget is currently an epic disaster. The SUNY schools have been having budget cuts left and right, and they knew they were going to have to start cutting programs. Well, today they made the announcement: Studio Art, Computer Science...and the Communicative Disorders and Sciences Department. They will keep the programs open until the class of 2014 graduates (the class after me), but they are no longer accepting applicants. This also applies to the graduate program. I'm even more upset because last week one of our professors said we are not a targeted department, we have a strong grad program (one of three), we have all these accreditations, we have a lot of majors, etc. The best part? They didn't even tell the faculty until an hour before the rest of the school.

However, I have recently been debating whether to get certified/attend grad school here or in Florida. NY requires a lot of tests, fees, and 3 years of teaching experience before you can be certified. Florida requires that you pass a test. I'm also receiving a grant with that legal stipulation that within 8 years of graduation, I will teach for 4 years in a low income school (basically any school in Florida) in a state that has a shortage of speech paths. Florida is one of those states. New York is not. My decision kind of got made today. So yeah, I just wanted to share this horrible news with you all.

That's terrible! I think it's just awful how they are cutting funding in schools across the board. The Florida option sounds like a good alternative though.

 

[jenbear123]

That's terrible! Why do they always have to cut corners on the things that many people love and enjoy? I won't get into as I don't want to offend anyone but that would definitely make my blood boil as well!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Harry Potter was great! We arrived at the theater around 9:15, expecting to have to sit on the floor in the lobby for 3 hours. Much to our surprise, around 9:30, they told us we could go into the auditorium!! We were the second group in and got exellent seats! I thought this movie remained most true to the book, and it really lined up with what I had pictured in my head. Everyone should go see it! (As long as you've read the books, otherwise you will probably be very confused).

In other news, we are not taking our program cut lying down. Please go sign our online petition to save the program! We're just over halfway to our goal of 5,000 signatures.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-geneseo-speech/

 

[bellebookworm9]

I've decided that once a week I will update with pictures and info from this year's Food & Wine Festival. I'll share what we would like and not like to try. I'm also going to use allears survey ratings in percentages (what the majority of people thought) with these symbols:
= Winner!
= Worth a taste
= Did not like (but I don't think there are any of those among things we want to try!)

Also, since we are not drinkers, I won't be reviewing any alcoholic beverages, but there are several non-alcoholic drinks that sound interesting! So, let's start our tour around World Showcase, beginning at the WS Plaza and continuing clockwise! (All photos are courtesy of allears, thedisneyfoodblog, and the DIS).

CHILE
Shrimp de Ceviche $4.75
This is on my "maybe" list. I like shrimp, but haven't seen too many reviews of this dish. The popcorn also seems a little weird, but I hear that's some sort of Chilean tradition.

allears survey = (45.9%)

Pastel de Choclo $3.75
My six years of Spanish class failed me on this one. I thought "choclo" was chocolate, since "pastel" is definitely cake. Imagine my surprise when I found this was a Beef & Corn Pie. (I just looked it up, and "choclo" actually means "corn cob". Who knew?) This is also on the "maybe" list. The picture makes it seem a little burned, and again, I haven't read too many reviews of this.

allears survey = (60.2%)

Total Spent at Chile: $0

Desserts & Champagne
Dessert Trio $3.50
No champagne for us, so it's all about the desserts at this booth! You can get each dessert for $1.50, or all 3 for only $2 more, saving you a whopping........ONE DOLLAR!!! (But really, what can you buy in Disney for $1?) I've heard generally good reviews of this, with the Strawberry Angel Verrine and Pear Streusal Pudding Cake seeming to be the favorites. People seem to think the Dark Chocolate Sensation is bland.

allears surveys:
Strawberry Angel Verrine = (53.1%)
Pear Streusal Pudding Cake = (46.7%)
Dark Chocolate Sensation = (49.8%)

Total Spent at Desserts & Champagne: $3.50
Running Total: $3.50

Check back next week for another update!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Today is our 10 month mark!! I've also gotten all my Christmas shopping done (though apparently the Disney Store is *hugely* backed up on stuff-people on the Dooney & Bourke thread are saying that they are just now getting shipping confirmations from Cyber Monday! ) To celebrate this awesomeness, let's continue making our way around the F&WF to explore the delicious possibilities!

BRAZIL
Grilled Pork Skewer with Farofa $4.00
A review from examiner.com says that this dish "was moist and well-cooked, if a bit blandly seasoned. The farofa breading tasted slightly nutty, although farofa can take on various flavors depending on its preparation." We will probably try this.

allears rating = (44.9%)

Shrimp Stew $4.25
A review from disneyeveryday.com says "This booth is batting a big FAT ZERO! I was hard pressed to find the coconut and lime in this dish. Bland! Only redeeming quality was that the shrimp was cooked perfectly… but it was under seasoned. Two thumbs down for you Brazil. Ciao’!" Probably won't be adding this to our food repertoire.

allears rating = (48.3%)

Total at Brazil: $4.00
Running Total: $7.50

PUERTO RICO
Asopao de Pollo (Chicken Soup with Rice) $2.50
This seems to be a big hit! I've seen DIS reviews saying it's very flavorful, almost seems homemade, and is a big portion. Disneyfoodblog says "slight cilantro taste to the soup, asopao de pollo had some serious flavor going on! It was a huge portion, and delicious." We will see how hot it is outside before we get this!!

allears rating = (58.0%)

Medianoche Sandwich $2.75
Another big hit! Examiner.com: "The Medianoche delivered what was promised: a warm appetizer-sized sandwich of familiar meats and toppings. It offered a good proportion of meat to cheese, the bread was lightly grilled, with the pickles and mustard adding a little tang. As such, it was satisfying but not memorable." From Disneyfoodblog: "The incredible medianoche sandwich was a surprising winner — savory, warm, and just perfect for a midnight kitchen raid!" Finally, Disneyeveryday tells us "Bang for your buck is what you’ll get here. This is a classic Cuban Mix sandwich…hot pressed and delicious! Go for it!" However, I don't really like all the stuff on the Cuban, so this will probably be a no.

allears rating = (63.4%)

People seem to be torn on the booth as a whole. The examiner says it's rather bland, and should be skipped unless you're looking for comfort food, while the Food Blog says it was their favorite booth.

Total in Puerto Rico: $2.50 (possibly)
Running Total: $10.00

 

[bellebookworm9]

Last night, when I was not studying for finals Mom called and announced, "I've decided that the next trip after this we take will be during Christmas and we'll be taking Ian (my brother)." Me: "Ummmmm, okay. Where did this come from?" Well, I made her some Christmas CDs and they have the Holiday Wishes music on them, which she apparently fell in love with.

So we decided that December of 2013 is when this trip will happen. I'll most likely be living in Orlando, attending University of Central Florida, and they finish classes and exams early. Ian is developmentally disabled, so my first thought was, we'll need to rent a car, because I don't know if he'll be able to deal with the buses. But then I remembered, if I'm already living there, I'll have a car with me. Problem solved! Still working out accommodations. We could stay in a studio at Kidani again (my first choice-awesome pool, convenient parking) or rent a condo offsite for less than a 1BR villa. So, yay exciting news!!

Now, back to your regularly scheduled F&WF update!

ARGENTINA
Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Puree $4.75
I think this sounds very interesting. Though I didn't find many reviews of this dish, examiner.com says "It was spicy and well-cooked...felt the Boniato puree was not as sweet as expected, so that the beef and puree complemented one another well. (The Boniato fell somewhere between potato and sweet potato in sweetness, but not cloying or distracting.)"

allears rating: (73.9%)

Roasted Corn and Cheese Empanada $2.75
I like corn. I like cheese. I think I'll like this! Disney food blog says "Looks incredible, tastes even better! One of my favorites so far!" The examiner agrees, saying, "The empanada offered a crust that was neither too tough nor too soggy. The mildly spiced filling didn’t rely on the cheese for its flavor and we could taste the roasted corn flavor."

allears rating: (47.3%)

Argentina Total: $7.50
Running Total: $17.50

MEXICO
Tamal de Pollo $4.50
I'm not a big chicken fan. We'll probably pass on this one.

allears rating: (64.3%)

Taco de Chilorio $3.75
This looks good! I like pork, and I've never had avocado, so this would be a good way to expand my food horizons!

allears rating: (54.0%)

Esquites $3.75
Hmmmm....corn and mayo. Not two foods I'd normally put together. Disneyeveryday says, "I am NOT paying $3.75 for a cup o corn…NOPE you can’t make me!" But examiner.com states, "I have to admit, I thought the mayo would be a distraction, but it complemented the corn. All the better for the mayo’s presentation, which allowed me to control how much to add to each bite." We'll put this as a maybe.

allears rating: (55.1%)

Churro $3.50
Come on now. It's a churro, something that is available everyday of the year at the Mexico counter service. Why spend $3.50 for this stick o' sugar? We had one back in 2007, and I remember thinking it was just "eh".

allears rating: (60.8%)

Frozen Congo Fruit Punch $2.75
Ding ding ding!! Score one for the non-drinkers!! Disneyfoodblog says they loved this drink, examiner said "Yes, it tasted a bit like a Hawaiian Punch Slurpee, a tad sweet but without the cloying aftertaste. Just the kind of thing I’d recommend for kids and others who don’t consume alcohol to try at Epcot Food & Wine Festival", and disneyeverday stated that it was a favorite of the author's daughter. Orange and pineapple, two of my favorite fruits. How can you possibly go wrong with that?!

allears rating: (63.5%)

Mexico Total: $10.25
Running Total: $27.75

 

[wdwgirl03]

Wow, 2013, now that is some advanced planning! LOL. But the holidays are a great time to go. It's busy but still fun. I'm hoping to go again next year after Christmas.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Wow, 2013, now that is some advanced planning! LOL. But the holidays are a great time to go. It's busy but still fun. I'm hoping to go again next year after Christmas.

Heehee, it's probably not as advanced as it seems! This was literally a 5 minute conversation lol. We don't want to go during the actual holiday, we hope to go the week before it gets really busy (ie, if it were this year, we'd be there now, and TouringPlans says it's not terribly busy at this time). For now, we'll settle for watching the HGTV special on the decorations and the Christmas Day parade! I think they finally got rid of Kelly Ripa, and replaced her with Ryan Seacrest. If you remember from last year, she has always annoyed me, so this is a good thing!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Ah, 2013 isn't that far in the future!

I always plan my years out very far in advance. My upcoming trip next October has been about 4 years in the making!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Heehee, it's probably not as advanced as it seems! This was literally a 5 minute conversation lol. We don't want to go during the actual holiday, we hope to go the week before it gets really busy (ie, if it were this year, we'd be there now, and TouringPlans says it's not terribly busy at this time). For now, we'll settle for watching the HGTV special on the decorations and the Christmas Day parade! I think they finally got rid of Kelly Ripa, and replaced her with Ryan Seacrest. If you remember from last year, she has always annoyed me, so this is a good thing!

We've been a bunch of times after Christmas and once before Christmas. You are right, it is not nearly as crowded if you go earlier (we went the week before Christmas). The crowds definitely started picking up our last night there but going before was nice because we got to go to MVMCP!

I did see that Ryan Seacrest is hosting the parade this year. I'm kind of glad too...Kelly Ripa sometimes annoys me as too.

 

[bellebookworm9]

The semester is finished! I arrived home yesterday, and got my GPA this morning. It was a 3.44 but I missed the Dean's List (again), this time by .06. It was my Humanities final that caused it. It required two essays plus many other short answer and multiple choice questions. I finished the two essays, and answered some of the other questions, but I ran out of time-and I was there for nearly the three hours allotted. I earned a B in the class, but if it would have been a B+, I would have made the List.

For some better news, I ordered the hardcover boxed set of Harry Potter books, since I re-read them frequently (about every 6 months, sometimes less!) and have wanted them for quite some time. They were here waiting for me, and I loved cracking the spines!

I also gave my best friend Sara her gift before we left.

She received this stuffed penguin named Polly:

And this bracelet from the Disney store (in blue)-I bought matching ones for both of us:

Plus a $15 Starbucks gift card. She was pretty thrilled!

On to your scheduled Food & Wine Festival update!

POLAND
Kielbasa and Potato Pierogie with Caramelized Onion and Sour Cream $5.00
Mmmmmm, kielbasa, one of my favorite things! Although the overall consensus seems to be that the pierogies are the frozen ones from Mrs. T that you can get in your local grocery store, the kielbasa seems to be a hit, and the toppings add some flavor. This is definitely on my list!

allears rating: (59.6%)

Golabki (Pork Stuffed Cabbage) $2.75
This is on the maybe list. Disneyfoodblog said "We didn't love this one, but it had much more flavor than expected!" Amanda Tinney from disneyeveryday loved it: "This dish was NOMtastic. Pork was seasoned well and rice in the filling was good too. Sauce was not too overpowering." And examiner.com "declared it a success with the lightly seasoned pork filling working well with the cabbage roll...did think there needed to be more sauce, which might have been a serving problem."

allears rating: (48.9%)

Poland Total: $5.00
Running Total: $32.75

CHINA
Black Pepper Shrimp with Sichuan Noodles $4.50
This looks yummy! I love shrimp! examiner.com says: "The noodles were milder than anticipated. There was a generous amount of shrimp with the noodles, well prepared and a bit spicier than the noodles themselves." And disneyfoodblog reports "The black pepper shrimp and noodles is a massive portion, and could easily be a snack for two." Sounds perfect!

allears rating: (65.1%)

Pork Pot Stickers $3.50
If these are anything like the ones at Ohana, I am all over that!! That was one of my favorite dishes during the meal. I didn't find any reviews, but the disneyfood blog says they are a great appetizer for the chicken stick.

allears rating: (68.0%)

Xinjiang Barbecue Stick $3.50
A possibility. Examiner says that it's a good choice for walking and eating, and disneyfoodblog says it has a lot of flavor.

allears rating: (49.4%)

Caramel Ginger Ice Cream $3.25
We'll probably skip this, because it's something that is always available at Lotus Blossom Cafe. In addition, Disneyfoodblog says the flavor was slightly too strong, but that it's large enough for the family to share.

allears rating: (60.8%)

China Total: $8.00
Running Total: $40.75

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season, and if you celebrate Christmas, I wish you a Merry one!

 

[IheartDDuck]

Oh man, you are killing me with all of the food pictures! October can't come soon enough.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Merry Christmas everyone!! Last night we went for a ride to look at lights, which is always enjoyable, but it seemed that this year there were a lot less than usual.

Here are some pictures of the decorations at my house:

This morning we woke up to lots of presents under the tree!

I love the wrapping paper!

I got:
Disney Apples to Apples

Beauty and the Beast (my favorite! And I've never had it!)

Season 1 of glee

Purple Fuzzy Socks

Really cool princess box

A talking glee Magic 8 Ball

Mickey earrings

Plus some new purple sunglasses, and the "Play Up Your Eye Color" set from Almay (eye shadow, mascara, and purple liner).

My younger brother, Ian, got a bunch of cool stuff too. He doesn't sit still long enough to get many good pictures.

-Biographies of Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears
-A celeb photo book
-Lots of tabloid magazines
-A CD player
-I made him 6 CDs
-An Emily Osment CD

Mom got Bath & Body works lotions and the wrist gift card for the 2010 Food & Wine Festival. (Yeah, I know we can get one next year, but I thought it was really cool, and tangible proof that we're actually going again!)

This is the aftermath:

I hope you were all as blessed as we were today! I'll be back with your scheduled weekly update on Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[bellebookworm9]

SOUTH KOREA
Barbecue Short Rib with Steamed Rice and Cucumber Kimchi $4.25
Disneyfoodblog says the ribs were great, examiner reports that the ribs were "a good balance of sweet and spicy, with a tender beef that was cooked just the way ribs should be... also thought it was a bit messy to eat with small plates and no guarantee of seating, a challenge for the outdoor venue. The Steamed Rice was exactly what I hoped for, that balance between sticky and mushy. I’d hoped for something stronger, spicier from the Cucumber Kimchi, as I’m more familiar with cabbage kimchi. While the cucumber version was quite attractive, I found it mild and rather limp; the dish might have been better served with cubed cucumbers rather than sliced."

I'm not sure about this, it will probably depend on how full we are already!

allears rating: (54.8%)

Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw $2.75
I don't think I'll like this dish, but it seems to be a hit. Amanda Tinney from disneyeveryday says "OMG!!! This has been the runaway hit of my Food & Wine experience thus far! Delish! Punch of flavor, super tender meat with a kick! You have to try this! Promise me you’ll try it!"

allears rating: (61.3%)

South Korea Total: $0
Running Total: $40.75

SOUTH AFRICA
Seared Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Puree $4.75
I am all over this! Beef and sweet potatoes, two of my favorite things! examiner.com says it "smelled sweet and spicy", and Disneyfoodblog agrees with "the beef was delicious and slightly spicy-sweet."

allears rating: (60.2%)

Flavors of Afrrica (Salad, Bread and Spreads) $2.75
I'm still on the fence about this. I think it sounds pretty good, but examiner.com says "It offered two pieces of bread, two very mild curry sauces and a lentil salad. All very bland." Disneyfoodblog says it reminds them of Jiko and Sanaa, "which serve very similar dishes as appetizers."

allears rating: (44.8%)

Africa Total: $7.50
Running Total: $48.25

In other news I finally got a copy of the Unofficial Guide for 2011. I was ecstatic to see that Kidani Village was the only resort to score an "A" overall from readers, and scored 100% in both the "Would You Recommend this Resort to a Friend?" and "Would You Stay Here Again?" questions. Beach Club Villas also scored 100% for these questions, but received an overall reader rating of B.

The grades went as follows (Kidani/BCV):
Room Quality: A/B
Check In Efficiency: A+/A+
Quietness of Room: A+/A-
Shuttle Service: B-/C-
Hotel Pool: A/B+ (I'm assuming this refers to the Dunes Cove Pool at the Villas, as the Beach Club Pool rating was an A).
Staff: A-/A-
Food Court: B-/D-

The BCV ratings for shuttle service and food court make me a bit nervous, but we won't be using either of them that often. The shuttle we'll use once to get to/from MK for the Halloween Party. If we use the food court at all, it will be for a quick breakfast. I'm actually thinking our first night we should just go to Boardwalk Bakery, grab some pastries, and keep them in the fridge.

Unofficial Guide had some ratings as well (Kidani/BCV):
Sound Proofing: C/B
Lighting:C/D
Pillows: B/B
Overall: C/C+

I can't believe we've been home for 7 months and 1 day! It sure doesn't feel that long!

 

[bellebookworm9]

SINGAPORE
Coconut Braised Beef Rendang with Jasmine Rice $3.25
Honestly, this looks too much like vomit for me to even contemplate eating it. Adding to it is the fact that Amanda Tinney says, "HOT HOT HOT…Couldn’t taste anything but HOT. If you like it Spicy try it", this won't be happening, since I can't eat spicy food.

allears rating: (46.0%)

Shrimp Cake with Singapore Noodle Salad $3.50
This got a ton of mixed reviews on the DIS. Depending on the day, some people said the shrimp cake was gross and very gelatinous, and others said it was cooked perfectly. I think we'll probably end up giving it a shot.

allears rating: (45.3%)

Disney food blog said overall Singapore was an "interesting booth that challenged the taste buds."

Singapore Total: $3.50
Running Total: $51.75

GERMANY
Would you believe I could barely find any reviews of this booth? But Disney food blog says they recommend both the spatzle and the sausage. As a good chunk of my heritage is German, I'm pretty excited for this booth!

Nurnberger Sausage in a Pretzel Roll $4.25
I think this is the funniest looking thing ever. I have seen a few pictures where the sausage is shorter and fatter; about the same size as the roll. Either way, we'll probably get this!

allears rating: (65.1%)

Spatzle Gratin with Ham & Cheese $3.75
The spatzles that my grandmother makes are pretty bland, and these look really yummy!

allears rating: (65.1%)

Apfel Strudel ft. Werther's Original Karamell Sauce $3.25
Apples & Caramel-a great pair! examiner.com says, "The strudel pastry was tender, not tough. The caramel sauce elevated the dish, as did the bit of vanilla sauce on the side. Both added depth to the mildly flavored apple filling. It was comfort food done well, a dessert to come home to."

allears rating: (79.2%)

Germany Total: $11.25
Running Total: $63.00

As a side note, I'm making it a point to stop at the Karamell Kuche store, because all the pictures I've seen look amazing, and it wasn't open in May!

I also think I'm going to buy our park tickets soon. Airfare won't go on sale until probably April, and neither will the MNSSHP tickets. I've figured out what I'm going to dress up as: Minnie Mouse! I wanted to be something Disney, but not a princess because I don't want to confuse little kids. So Mom is going to make me a Minnie dress, and I'm going to buy some mouse ears (either a hat or a headband). No idea what Mom's going to dress up as, but we've still got time to figure that out!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Since I'm heading back to school tomorrow and will probably be super busy for the next few days (I'm going back early to help out with transfer orientation), this update will be a day early. (I'm also procrastinating packing...).

ITALY
Baked Cheese Ravioli, Creamy Bolognese Sauce and Melted Mozzarella $4.50
This looks AMAZING! Look at all the bubbly cheese! Definitely on my must try list, and Disney food blog says "the ravioli is superb".

allears rating: (64.2%)

Polpettine Toscane with a Rosemary Breadstick $4.50
I don't think I'll be trying this (Mom might feel differently). Although Disney food blog says "the polpettine were delicious (loved the sauce)", I can't eat things heavy on tomato-too acidic. I also HATE meatballs. Don't ask me why. Mom tries to convince me that they're just hamburger, but I just don't like them.

allears rating: (58.2%)

Cannoli al Cioccolato $3.50
Sign us up for this! We love cannolis but don't get them very often. There seem to be mixed reviews for this:
Disney food blog: While the cannoli was our least favorite, it was still quite good — a little extra layer of chocolate did the trick!
Examiner.com: Ah, the cannoli are fresh and made for chocolate lovers, with the shell dipped in chocolate and the filling dotted with miniature chocolate chips. For my taste, the chocolate of the cannoli overshadowed other flavors. And I didn’t catch much orange or other citrus flavor. But the shell was crisp, the cannoli ingredients were of high quality, and they were just the right size for the festival (about two fingers in width and length).
Amanda Tinney: This was just ok to me… I’m not a cannoli connesseur. The Cannoli shell had been dipped in chocolate and the filling itself also contained mini chocolate chips. If you are a cannoli lover you will probably think this is the bee’s knees.

allears rating: (56.7%)

Primavera Fruit Smoothie $3.50
I haven't found a picture of this, but it's non-alcoholic and sounds delicious!

allears rating: (66.7%)

Italy Total: $11.50
Running Total: $74.50

That wraps up the far side of World Showcase, and one day at Epcot. Let's begin on Day 2, shall we?


HOPS & BARLEY
New England Lobster Roll $7.25 scared1
I'm not really a fan of lobster, and I really can't justify paying $7.25 for a snack. However, examiner.com says "the lobster roll was tasty, with more lobster than expected and well worth the lines."

allears rating: (53.0%)

Boston-Style Crab Cake with Cabbage Slaw and Remoulade $4.50
This is on my list: Crab is perfectly delicious in my book!

allears rating: (67.1%)

Pecan Bread Pudding $3.25
I'm sure Mom will want to try this, though I can take or leave bread pudding. (I'm sure I'm committing blasphemy, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the stuff at Ohana, but that might also be because I dislike Bananas foster.) This stuff gets good reviews overall:
Disney food blog: "This fit the bill as a sweet, thoroughly “American” treat. I had mine on a relatively cool October morning, which made the warm, flavorful dessert even better! This is a mushy bread pudding (vs. a firm one) so be prepared!"
examiner.com: "My vegetarian palate pushed me toward the pecan bread pudding, a combination of flavors and textures that lip smacks of autumn to me. I wasn’t to be disappointed, as the bread pudding was dense without being too heavy and moist without being soggy."

allears rating: (74.1%)

Hops & Barley Total: $7.75
Running Total: $82.25

 

[bellebookworm9]

Hey everyone, I'm back at school now! January Orientation went really well, and my classes seem interesting and hopefully not too difficult. I WILL make the Dean's List this semester. Anything less than a 3.5 is not an option!

My roommate, Katie, just returned from a week or so at Disney with her family. We had a conversation that went like this.
Katie: So my mom got us a direct flight to the airport, which was great, only like 2.5 hours. So we land and my mom says "This looks like a small airport, I'll go ask where the Disney transportation is.
Me: (In response to the "This is a small airport" comment) B side, ground level.
Katie: Not when you're at the Sanford airport.
Me:
They ended up taking a $100 taxi ride to the Boardwalk. But aside from that fiasco the trip was fun, and she has lots of great pictures. She also bought me some Minnie ears for my costume in October.

Now for more Food & Wine yummies.

UNITED STATES
Bison Chili with Wild Mushrooms, Cabernet, and Pepper Jack Cheese $3.50
I think this sounds delicious, as a chili lover. I’ve never tried Bison before, so that will also be a new experience.

Allears rating: (58.7%)

Heirloom Tomatoes with Oregon Blue Cheese, Red Onions, and Basil $3.00
This dish is not appealing at all. I really can’t eat tomatoes anymore due to their acidity, and I’m not a fan of onions or blue cheese. But the dish did get rave reviews from examiner.com: “My vegetarian taste buds were bouncing around in my mouth when I tasted the Heirloom Tomatoes on two occasions. The tomatoes were the stars of the show, with a crisp flavorful taste that was complemented – not overpowered – by judicious amounts of blue cheese, red onions and just a touch of fresh basil. Fresh, refreshing, and perfect on a hot day.”

allears rating: (55.2%)

USA Total: $3.50
Running Total: $85.75

JAPAN
OK, we're probably going to skip this booth entirely. It's almost all sushi, which we don't particularly care for. Disneyfoodblog says the ribs are excellent, but so many other countries also have some sort of rib.

AUSTRALIA
Grilled Lamb Chop with Roasted Potato Salad and Red Wine Reduction $5.75
Originally I was super excited about this, but then I saw a picture and went "That's a very, very small amount of meat on that lamb chop". For the price, I don't think it's worth it.

allears rating: (70.9%)

Seared Barramundi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, and Lemon Oil $4.75
Aside from the fact that this picture makes it look like a salad with a side of fish and not the other way around, we aren't big seafood eaters, so we'll probably skip this.

allears rating: (70.8%)

Lamington (Chocolate Covered Butter Cake) $3.00
2 out of 3 sources said this was dry, but here's the reviews anyway.
examiner.com: The Lamington tempted, though, and was big enough for modest appetites to share if sampling a wide array of food kiosks. Alas, I wish I could have shared this dessert, as it was a bit dry for my taste. The Australia Kiosk version of Lamington didn’t have any cream or jam in the middle, as some versions do, and could have used it. The cake’s dryness distracted from the rather pleasant proportion of cake to chocolate to coconut. There are better desserts at the kiosks to try. Or sample the lamb chop if you’re an omnivore.
Disneyfoodblog: This heavy sponge cake (tastes like pound cake) decked out in chocolate with coconut shavings is deeeeeeeeee-licious!

We'll probably end up sampling this though.

allears rating: (53.7%)

Australia Total: $3.00
Running Total: $88.75

I've got Wind Ensemble rehearsal soon, but look for another update next week!