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

[bellebookworm9]

MOROCCO
As a whole, there aren't really reviews for Morocco. However, examiner.com says that Morocco is one of the strongest booths at the festival every year.

Kefta Pocket (Ground Seasoned Beef in a Pita Pocket) $5.00
I'm not sure about the Kefta; I think I want to try the Falafel instead.

allears rating: (54.5%)

Falafel Pita Pocket $4.75
This sounds yummy, and got a really good review from examiner.com: "The Falafel Pita Pocket offers well-seasoned chickpeas balls with a hint of spice, which are then deep fried. And doesn’t everything taste better deep fried? The falafel is lightly dressed, then served in a pita with crisp slaw. The pita fillings provide a nice mix of flavors and textures, as well as is visually appealing."

allears rating: (43.7%)

Baklava $3.00
I honestly don't think I've ever had baklava before, but it looks and sounds great! If you follow the disneyfoodblog at all, you might remember that last year there was a "Baklava Showdown" between Morocco and Greece. The winner was...











It was a tie! The author said it was literally the exact same item, so I think we will get it in Morocco because nearly everything at the Greece booth sounds good, so it'll be a nice appetite break.

allears rating: (69.6%)

Morocco Total: $7.75
Running Total: $96.50

BELGIUM
Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream $3.75
I'm almost positive that Mom doesn't like mussels, so we'll probably skip this one, but that garlic toasty looking thing on the side looks rather delicious!

allears rating: (74.6%)

Freshly Baked Waffles with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream $2.75
This looks absolutely fantastic, and it combines some of my favorite foods! It also got glowing reviews:
examiner.com:"I indulged in a Freshly Baked Waffle – that’s not just a PR description – enhanced by the slightly tart berry compote. The waffles were perfect – hot, crisp on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside. The compote prepared the berries and spices just to the point of intense flavor, leaving some berries whole. Thus the compote’s texture complemented that of the waffle. Using real whipped cream (thank YOU) added an extra, decadent touch."
disneyeveryday.com:"So Yummy! Filling too. Waffle was soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. Compote ROCKED! Definitely a winner! Bring it back next year!"

allears rating: (82.5%)

Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Iced Coffee
I'm on the fence about this, since neither Mom nor I like coffee, and she bought some chocolate wine recently and it did not agree with her. But we both love chocolate normally, and this is another item with rave reviews:
examiner.com:"I sipped on my altogether too-small but so-worth-it cup of Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Iced Coffee. Smooth, without a cloying aftertaste. When good coffee is found anywhere in Walt Disney World, it should be sampled and savored repeatedly."
disneyeveryday.com:"OBSESSED with this bevvy! I love me some coffee and Godiva too?!…I’m in heaven. Price was high in proportion to the serving size but that hasn’t stopped me from getting more then one cup… =)"

allears rating: (77.6%)

Belgium Total: $2.75
Running Total: $99.25

 

[bellebookworm9]

Today is the halfway point between the day we came home from our last trip and the day we leave for our next one!! 8 months and 5 days! Things should start getting more interesting in the next few months because there will be flights and park tickets to purchase, park hours released (so we can make real plans!), info for the Food & Wine Festival, and MNSSHP, and ADR(s?) to be made (those will depend fully on the flights).

For now, we'll continue our food & wine journey from 2010.

SPAIN
Taste of Spain (Serrano Ham, Chorizo, Manchego, Olives, & Tomato Bread) $4.25
Some of this sounds really good (the ham, cheese, and bread) while I don't really care for (what looks like) salami, or green olives.
examiner.com says "As promised, the plate provided a little bit of everything the American imagination thinks of as Spanish flavors. The Manchego cheese was sweet and nutty, offering a good balance with the olives, meat and the very flavorful tomato bread. My only small complaint is that the dish doesn’t seem quite enough on its own – a small quibble indeed, as it is obvious that the Spain Marketplace Kiosk was designed to feature the dishes together. And that’s how the booth should be experienced."

allears rating: (54.9%)

Seared Albacore Tuna with Romesco Sauce $4.00
More than likely a no go. disneyeveryday says "on the Cast Preview for Food & Wine this was a food FAIL. My friend ordered this dish and the fish looked like chicken it was so overdone and DRY. There was no hint of pink inside. Another friend has had it since and said it was cooked perfectly. Order at your own risk."

allears rating: (52.1%)

Spanish Almond Cake $2.75
No reviews for this, but I think it got overall positive reviews here on the DIS. We might get this, but it will probably depend on how many desserts we've already eaten.

allears rating: (52.1%)

Only one country today because I've got to go to a meeting with my housemates for our townhouse next year! Fingers crossed that we get it!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Hey DISers! It's been a busy, busy, busy week. I had two exams, auditioned for an a capella group (which I didn't make but am not too upset about at all-I mostly auditioned to appease my friends), and had an info session for my summer job. If you followed along on my last TR, you would know that last summer I was an Orientation Advisor (OA) here at school, and am pretty confident that I will be rehired for this summer.

In other news, I just found out that flights for our trip will go on sale MARCH 15TH. That's just over a month from now, and it will be my priority to buy our tickets the day they go on sale, since they are generally cheapest then, and only go up from there. The next priority (in June) will be to pay off the balance on the room, then in late July (before ticket prices go up again) our park tickets, and lastly, the MNSSHP tickets. Then it's just a matter of saving up food & souvenir money!

I really can't wait until April for the park schedules to come out. I do have a rough idea of what we want to do in my head, but I need to deal with the flights first (so it's good that we can get those before the park hours).

Going off last year's hours and MNSSHP dates, our plan will look something like this.

Thursday
-Mom picks Gretchen up from school
-Go home, last minute packing

Friday
-Depart in morning/early afternoon from Buffalo
-Arrive in Orlando (hopefully) no later than 3:30pm
-Take Magical Express to Beach Club Villas
-Dinner at Beaches and Cream (can't wait to try the No Way Jose!!)
-Swim, explore, maybe check out the Boardwalk night entertainment

Saturday
-Enter through International Gateway for rope drop
-Do Future World
-Eat around the world
-Possible afternoon break at the hotel
-Dinner: either snacking around the world or Sunshine Seasons
-IllumiNations
*I know it's really not recommended to go to F&WF on Saturdays because the locals come out in force, but we probably won't have much choice, unless MNSSHP is on Saturday.

Sunday
-Enter Epcot around 11am
-Continue around World Showcase
-Afternoon break
-Return to Epcot
-IllumiNations

Monday
-Sleep in a bit
-Breakfast at Cape May Cafe
-Relax around resort
-Head to MNSSHP around 3:30
-Return when we get tired

Monday
-Sleep in
-Late breakfast/ Early lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe
-Return to Beach Club/Take ME back to airport

*Depending on flights, we may have a late lunch at WCC before MNSSHP, and explore WL until we can head to the party, and then have breakfast at CMC on our departure day.

Any thoughts on which way I should do things with WCC and CMC? If we get a late flight back to Buffalo, lunch won't be an issue, so I really have to wait until next month to figure all that out. Also, does anyone know when MNSSHP dates are usually announced?

Finally, a moment of silence for Mickey's Toontown Fair, which closed today. You will be greatly missed.

 

[jenbear123]

Hey Gretchen! Your day by day plans look good. Are you not bursting with excitement to go?!! I think MNSSHP dates are announced around mid-May.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Hey Gretchen! Your day by day plans look good. Are you not bursting with excitement to go?!! I think MNSSHP dates are announced around mid-May.

I am excited, but at this stage, not as excited as last time. Now I'm an old pro at planning, and there isn't as much to plan this time anyway. I know that in the past couple years, the tickets have gone on sale on April 30th or May 1st, so I'm assuming the dates are announced before that? Or, at the very least, when the October calendar comes out, the dates that MK closes at 7 would be a good indicator!

 

[bellebookworm9]

I was reading my allears newsletter, and there was something mentioned about Splash Mountain getting lap bars. I clicked on the blog link to read more. As I read, it was all about changes in the Magic Kingdom. There was 40th Anniversary merchandise mentioned. This made me realize that, oh hey, we'll be there during the 40th anniversary. Among other things, there were pictures of new Dooney & Bourke purses. I want one. I need to be convinced that I don't need one...but I wouldn't buy one until we're actually there anyway. I'd like another letter carrier (the third picture down). I looked at the messenger bags, but they actually seem a little smaller.

Here's a link, go check them out for yourselves!
40th Anniversary Disney Dooneys

There are two other things I'd like to buy.

One is the Four Parks, One World CD that I've heard many rave about including Jen and Brook.

The other is this lovely new 2011 hoodie. I'm a college student; I can always use more hoodies! (Especially because, for some reason, at the moment I've only got two here with me ).

What souvenirs do you like to buy when you're there?

 

[wdwgirl03]

I saw the new 40th anniversary D&B bags too and I really want one. I just don't know if I can justify that much money on one bag. We'll see...otherwise I might just get another wristlet.

As for other souvenirs I like to get pins and now I'm into vinylmation. So pretty much all useless stuff.

 

[bellebookworm9]

I saw the new 40th anniversary D&B bags too and I really want one. I just don't know if I can justify that much money on one bag. We'll see...otherwise I might just get another wristlet.

As for other souvenirs I like to get pins and now I'm into vinylmation. So pretty much all useless stuff.

My mom told me, "You got the purse you really wanted, now save your money for something ELSE fun. Let me buy the next Dooney & Bourke!" (for herself, of course, lol). She really likes the first one, but it's $270. She also really likes the white sketch medium tote which is *only* $195. I think I might get the 40th anniversary wristlet to carry my cell phone, iPod, and ID around campus-lots of people have the VB card holder things, and those are similar!

Maybe I'll buy a Vinylmation or 2 this time around. They sell them at MouseGears, right? We probably won't be making it to Downtown Disney, but since I think MouseGears is one of the best stocked stores after World of Disney, I'm assuming they would have all the souvenirs we could possibly want!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I'm signing on! I still have to read though. I will get caught up ASAP!

 

[lnk1229]

What souvenirs do you like to buy when you're there?

We just got back from our trip in January... And of course I miss Disney terribly so I am checking out everyone's PTRs!!

The souvenir that I didn't expect to fall in love with is Vinylmations.. they are terribly addiciting. I included pictures in my TR if you want to check them out.. we must have brought 30 of these little guys back home!!

 

[bellebookworm9]

I'm signing on! I still have to read though. I will get caught up ASAP!

Great! Thanks for coming over!

We just got back from our trip in January... And of course I miss Disney terribly so I am checking out everyone's PTRs!!

The souvenir that I didn't expect to fall in love with is Vinylmations.. they are terribly addiciting. I included pictures in my TR if you want to check them out.. we must have brought 30 of these little guys back home!!

I completely understand...the first thing to do when returning from a trip is to live vicariously through others! Apparently the Vinylmations are pretty popular! I'll check out your TR later this evening!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Apparently the Vinylmations are pretty popular! I'll check out your TR later this evening!

Yes, they are starting to become really popular and they are now pretty much everywhere so you definitely won't have a problem finding them if you wanted to! Even though I only bought a couple in August I think I must've had to stop and look at them at every store I saw them in.

 

[brookelizabeth]

Okay, all caught up now...and starving!

The Beach Club! And during F&WF! Even better! You will love it, I'm sure! It's such a wonderful location and beautiful area.

As for souvies - that 4 Parks 1 World CD is awesome, a great purchase. I plan to get another pair of Mickey earrings and some Mickey themed measuring cups/spoons...along with a few other things. You have to wait for my PTR update!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Okay, all caught up now...and starving!

The Beach Club! And during F&WF! Even better! You will love it, I'm sure! It's such a wonderful location and beautiful area.

As for souvies - that 4 Parks 1 World CD is awesome, a great purchase. I plan to get another pair of Mickey earrings and some Mickey themed measuring cups/spoons...along with a few other things. You have to wait for my PTR update!

More food pics are on the way! We are very excited for BCV. We really considered the Boardwalk, but the Beach Club location (slightly closer to Epcot) and the pool won us over. My roommate stayed at the Boardwalk in last month, so between her pictures and yours I'm ready for the beauty that is the Epcot resorts area...until I see the Swan & Dolphin in the background.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Some exciting non-Disney news: my group has been cleared for an on campus townhouse next year! We pick the actual house on Thursday evening, and our selection number isn't too bad, 11 out of 24. The only real negative about the houses is that the washers & dryers are in a completely separate building at the end of the complex-no fun when it's blizzarding!

They provide us with the basics: couch, chairs, table, dining chairs, fridge, stove, dishwasher, bed, dresser, desk, and more closet space than I know what to do with! However, we have to provide everything else, including a microwave, toaster, and vacuum. I was looking on the Target website for bathroom things the other night and the first row of items that came up were all Mickey related-I think it's a sign! Plus, amazingly enough, that set is cheaper than a generic zebra print set! If you've ever moved before, what might I need that I'm not remembering?

Now, on with the food & wine tour!

Garlic and Parsley Snails in Brioche $4.75
This is a no-no for the non adventurous eater. Mom flat out refuses to try them, and I can't say I'm so fond of the idea myself.

allears rating: (69.3%)

Braised Short Ribs in Cabernet with Mashed Potatoes $4.75
When I first saw a picture of this, I thought it was a mistake because it simply looked like a lump of potatoes. Then I saw this picture and realized that the meat was inside. This looks absolutely delicious! Amanda Tinney from Disneyeveryday says: "This was my favorite from last year! It is still dang good! Most tender meat you will put in your mouth and the sauce….oh the sauce!"

allears rating: (78.3%)

Chocolate Milk Creme Brulee with Caramelized Sugar $3.75
Now it doesn't look like much, but I hear this can be quite delicious! Disneyfoodblog calls it "incredible", while examiner.com gave it this gloqing review: The crème brulée was tasty, although I have a personal preference for vanilla custard. The thin, caramelized top crust was a good contrast to the custard, which was just a bit runny. (It’s possible the consistency was due to the outdoor festival conditions, as I sampled the brulée late in a hot day). That said, the milk chocolate flavor was very subtle and a match for the crust. After my first couple of bites, I understand why this dessert is on guests’ list of repeat dishes to savor." And Amanda Tinney says, "So…I’m not a pudding gal. Don’t like the consistency, but I loved the contrast of the crispy crust on top with the choco pudding underneath. This was a winner!"

allears rating: (73.7%)

And, not part of the F&WF, but we are definitely going to get the

Grand Marnier Orange Slush $8.92
I hear fantastic reviews of this all the time. I've convinced Mom to buy it for me, since I will unfortunately be just under six months shy of my 21st birthday. What better to try as a first alcoholic beverage?

France Total: $17.42
Running Total: $120.92


Up next: Ireland

 

[brookelizabeth]

Don't forget about a shower curtain and necessary garbage cans!

Braised Short Ribs in Cabernet with Mashed Potatoes $4.75

Oooh, that looks soooooooo good! The chocolate creme brulee looks tasty too!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Don't forget about a shower curtain and necessary garbage cans!

Oooh, that looks soooooooo good! The chocolate creme brulee looks tasty too!

Mickey head fabric curtain and clear plastic curtain are on my list. I have a garbage can for my room, I'll probably buy a Mickey one for the bathroom, and I have to find out about the kitchen.

Those ribs do look good-I'm really excited about those!

 

[bellebookworm9]

We have our townhouse for next year! We picked number 38. We had originally wanted 37 because that's where two of our five people live now, but another group had already picked it. We're pretty close to the laundry building. I have friends that will be living in 34 and 15.

In Disney news, I was looking at flight prices for AirTran (we won't be using them but I was just getting estimates since they're the only "cheaper" airline with prices out for our dates). Yesterday when I looked it was $377 per person one way! I looked again today to see if maybe I had been looking at business class or something. The business class prices were slightly less, and the coach prices started at about $129. A little more expensive than I would like, but for a hoilday weekend, not too bad. And hopefully Southwest will be even lower.

I also renewed my Touringplans.com subscription today. I like it for the crowd calendars/wait time predictions. We may also use the beginning of the Epcot plan for our time in Future World. They also have a plan for MNSSHP, but I doubt we'll use it. I was looking at their pictures of the BCV studio as well, and it seems slightly more spacious than the one at Kidani, although it is actually about 1 sq.ft. less. I attribute this perception to the fact that it is a lighter color scheme and that there is an actual foyer! I was looking at one of the pictures thinking, "Wow, that hallway seems to go on forever" when I realized that it's because the door is to the side at the end of the hall!

Now, on with:
As Ireland is another big part of my heritage, I'm really excited for this booth! (I'm also seriously considering studying abroad in Ireland in a few years. )

Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie $5.50
Since I don't like lobster, we probably won't get this. The mashed potatoes on top look really good though! Disneyfoodblog says: "The Ireland booth is another one with looooooooong lines and happy customers! The Fisherman’s Pie is usually the reason behind both! While the booth is selling other items, it’s the Fisherman’s Pie that brought ‘em in last year, and it’s the Fisherman’s Pie that’s bringing ‘em in this year! Hit this booth either very early or very late. Scratch that. Forget about late. Hit it early!"

allears rating: (80.0%)

Kerrygold Cheese Selection: Aged Irish Cheddar, Dubliner, and Ivernia Cheese with Apple Chutney and Brown Bread $3.50
It's bread, fruit, and cheese. How can you go wrong with that? examiner.com says, "The balance of tastes in the selection didn’t disappoint us. The Irish Cheddar is a straightforward and versatile cheese. The Dubliner is a bit nuttier and sweeter. My favorite, the Ivernia, a hard cheese similar to a good Parmesan, was nutty and rich. A special surprise was the apple chutney, which was a strong complement to all the cheeses and balanced the dryness (appropriately) of the dense brown bread. This was one of the strongest Epcot Food & Wine sampler dishes for balancing flavors and texture."

allears rating: (62.1%)

Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Ganache $2.75
We'll definitely be getting at least one of these-they're really tiny. examiner.com says, "the Baileys Irish Cream adds its own kick to the chocolate cake...the cake [is] delicious."

allears rating: (85.8%)


Ireland Total: $6.25
Running Total: $127.17

Up next: Canada

 

[bellebookworm9]

It was just over 4 years ago scared1 that we returned from our first trip to Disney in almost 13 years. I was just looking through that trip report (written under my old screen name) and realized that 1)Wow, I was such a newbie, and 2)my proof-reading has gotten much better. So over the next several weeks I will be sharing with you the details of that fateful trip. I thought at the time that I knew so much about Disney, but that was peanuts compared to my wealth of knowledge now! I distinctly remember that I had read the Unofficial Guide and wanted to use the touring plans, but my friends wouldn't let me; they thought they were lame. I think we were in line for Stitch's Great Escape when the family in front of us was looking at them; I exclaimed, "Look, people do use them!"

So let us begin the trip that began an obsession...(alternatively known as "Magic, Music, and Mayhem...Not the Fireworks!")

AUGUST 2006
In high school, I played flute in the Wind Ensemble. It was a tradition that every other year, the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, String Ensemble, Orchestra, Bel Canto choir, and Marching Band would head down to participate in what was then known as Disney's Magic Music Days. (It's now known as something like Disney Performing Arts.) So in August 2006, we received the letter that the following February the trip would take place. Mom decided she was going to chaperon; she would end up supervising me, my best friend at the time, Mary, and another girl who was in our room, as well as the room next door (which ended up being a total disaster, they were Brats with a capital B, and kind of ended up ruining the trip for us). The next several months passed in a haze of fundraising and meetings. We would be going from February 15-20, 2007, staying at All Star Music. We would spend 4 days in the parks, and have hopper passes. Details were confirmed, and finally it was time to go.

*In advance, you should know that we did not have a digital camera at the time, and only one of my friends still has pictures online. We did take 5 throw away cameras worth of pictures, but not all of them turned out, and the ones that did require scanning, which I have neither the means nor the patience to do right now. So there are pictures, just not a lot.

February 15, 2007
The day was finally here! Because there were so many of us traveling, we were split up into two groups. The larger group had a whole plane to themselves on a later, non-stop flight, while the remaining 50 or so of us were on an earlier flight with a stopover. All of my friends were with me and Mom on that flight which was really nice.

We had permission to leave school around 11am that day, so I was excused from Biology. One of my classmates said, "So wait, you're leaving to go to Disney right now? I'd be so excited!" Trust me, I was excited. I was definitely doing this on the inside! My dad was driving us to the airport. At that time he was still driving his 18 year old Acura, and there were several moments of panic when it wouldn't start. Eventually it cooperated and we were on our way, after stopping at Wendy's for lunch.

We checked our bags (nothing overweight ) and proceeded through security without any trouble. We probably snacked while we waited. I distinctly remember someone doing a crossword puzzle because the fact that another term for "Moonshine" is "White Lightning" has stuck with me ever since. When it was time to board, our group was allowed on first and we took the entire back of the plane. Mary had been to Disney several times before with her family, but they had always driven, and she had NEVER flown anywhere. She was freaking out. She took a picture of the sign that says, "If the plane should crash use the seat as a flotation device" and sent it to her sister with the message "We're going to die!"

Obviously we did not. The flight was actually very uneventful. At one point we thought it was lightning, but it turned out to only be the strobes on the plane. It was already dark when we landed, and after we got off we took the fake monorail to the central terminal, grabbed our bags, and headed to Magical Express. I'm pretty sure we filled up an entire bus by ourselves and we were soon on our way. It was pretty late by the time we arrived at All Star Music, I'm guessing around 8pm. It took nearly an HOUR to get us all checked in. Picture 50 teens, plus a bunch of parents chilling in the lobby of ASMu. Yeah. Not a pretty sight. When everything was all finally straightened out, we headed to our rooms in Country Fair 5. All the way at the back of the resort. I was in 5407, and Mom was in 5432, I think. We were behind the giant violin; Mom was almost at the end of a corridor backing up against the woods, it was kind of creepy.

I believe I took this picture the next day.

After we had dropped our stuff in the rooms, we went back to the main building to get some dinner. I think I had a hot dog. When we were done we traveled back to the rooms to shower and get ready for bed. I believe everybody else arrived close to midnight. We had a fairly early morning the next day (I'm pretty sure we were supposed to be up at 8-we obviously never made rope drop) so we were glad to go to bed.


The next day would bring our first day at the Magic Kingdom, and the majority of our musical performances.

_________________________________________________________________

End flashback day 1. I hope you're enjoying the walk down memory lane! There are more pictures coming next time, I promise!

Continued here

 

[bellebookworm9]

Today we'll continue our journey around World Showcase with
Despite the fact that Canada is a mere 20 minute or so drive from my house, I haven't been there since the age of 5ish. Part of this is because I don't have a passport, and part of it is that the Peace Bridge terrifies both me and Mom. When we were last there, we visited MarineLand, which is pretty much the Canadian version of SeaWorld.

Last May, we visited Le Cellier and found it to be quite good. Let's see what the booth has to offer, shall we?

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup $3.75
We had this at Le Cellier and found it to be extremely salty. I'm really not sure that we'd get it again.

allears rating: (85.4%)

Maple-Glazed Salmon with Lentil Salad $4.50
Mom doesn't like salmon and I'm not a big seafood eater myself. We will not get this, but disneyfoodblog says, "the sweet Maple glaze on the salmon is wonderful."

allears rating: (72.4%)

Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta $3.75
I've never had chicken sausage before, but it sounds interesting. However, because this has chipotle in the name and peppers on top, we won't be getting it because it's sure to be spicy. However, disneyfoodblog says, "One of our favorites was the chicken chipotle sausage with corn polenta; the addition of the peppers makes this a spicy and delicious dish — possibly better than what you get in the restaurant!"

allears rating: (72.9%)

Nanaimo Bar $2.75
Now this is something I'm excited for! disneyfoodblog says, "the Nanaimo bar — a new item on the menu this year (and not found in the restaurant) is a decent nod to Canadian favorites. While the Nanaimo bars my mom makes are better, this is a nice, sweet way to end your tour of Canada." examiner.com agrees, writing "Nanimo layer bars offer a chocolate graham-cracker crumb base, a buttercream center that can be made with different flavors, and a chocolate topping. The Epcot Food & Wine Festival’s version is reminiscent of a homemade peanut-butter cup, with added emphasis on the chocolate. And a touch of coconut. It was rich, the kind of dessert I would have loved to show up at a school bake sale." I love peanut butter cups, so this should be good!

allears rating: (46.3%) followed very closely by at 43.8%.

Canada Total: $2.75
Running Total: $129.92

As long as I have the time, let's start wrapping up with
Not knowing what "charcuterie" was, I just looked it up. According to wikipedia it's the branch of cooking dedicated to prepared meats. Well, that makes a lot of sense now, looking at the items.

Nueske's Charcuterie Plate (Applewood Smoked Beef, Duck, and Ham) $3.75
This looks like a deli platter, and we will therefore be skipping it, but disneyfoodblog says, "The Beef, Duck, and Ham were quite good; my favorite was the ham."

allears rating: (42.5%)

Cheese Fondue with Croutons and Roasted Potatoes $3.00
I would like to try this, but it received mediocre reviews. Although this photo looks to have more than the "three croutons and two small but nicely spiced potatoes" as described by examiner.com, here are the reviews.
Disneyfoodblog: I was excited to try the fondue here, but my potatoes were cold…very strange!! Still, the cheese itself was delicious — very wine-y!
Examiner.com: I was frankly unimpressed with the quality of the lukewarm fondue; it was thin and flavorless, a problem beyond mild. There were also an insufficient amount of dipping items...Even with sampler sizing, the fondue and dipping proportions were off. I don’t recommend this Marketplace for those who love cheese. Instead, head to Ireland and try their cheese plate or head to Canada for Cheddar Cheese Soup.

allears rating: (40.3%)

Charcuterie and Cheese Total: $0.00
Running Total: $129.92

Next time we will be finishing up with Greece and New Zealand.

I will continue "When I was a Disney Newbie" this weekend, when I am home and have access to our photo album and scanner.

Only one week and a day until I can get our flights taken care of!

ETA: This PTR has over 1,000 views! That's great, but I know there's no way I've looked at it that many times! Post to say Hi-I love to chat!