Live Report: Roving Reporter in Orlando Oct 27-31 [Update: Photos Added]

[ADP]

Looks great Dave...Thanks for the photos of AKL/AKV. It's such a peacful resort.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

My conference is over. I'm heading over to EPCOT for a special interview I'm very excited about, and then I'm going to check out Food and Wine.

 

[MenashaCorp]

My conference is over. I'm heading over to EPCOT for a special interview I'm very excited about, and then I'm going to check out Food and Wine.

TEASE!!!!!

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Man, today's interview was bizarre.

Afterwards, hung out with Teresa and Walter @ Food and Wine. Thanks for coming out guys.

Waiting for Sum of all Thrills now.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Hey everyone, I had a busy day at EPCOT on Friday, traveled yesterday, got home and instantly started pumpkin carving and getting ready for trick-or-treating. I'll finish up the trip report now.

Friday, I headed over to EPCOT and met Teresa around noon. We had an assignment for the DIS, and then were heading to the food and wine festival. Neither of us had been to the festival yet.

We checked out the Food and Wine festival center, and purchased our wrist gift cards. These Swedish chefs cracked me up. I was so tempted to get one, but ultimately decided not to.

Now it's on to Food and Wine, and we met up with Walter.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

I tried the Grilled Pork Skewer at Rio de Janiero, Brazil. It was OK, nothing special.

Teresa got the Grilled Empanada at Buenos Aires, Argentina. This was good.

Teresa and I both got the kielbasa and potato pierogie in Krakow, Poland. Yummy, comfort food.

Walter found us here, and we moved on to New Delhi, India.

Teresa and Walter both got the Rice and Lentil Crepe with Potato and Onion Filling. I got the Chilled Mango Lassi (Yogurt Drink) which I liked saying with a Scottish accent. The crepes were very spicy, and Teresa ended up letting me eat hers. The mango yogurt drink was really tasty, and very "mango-y". But it was bright orange, and looked like orange pepto bismal. Not such a bad thing after the spicy crepe.

There were no crowds to speak of, but the afternoon was getting very hot.

I got the Grilled Lamp Chop with Red Wine Sauce and Murray River Sea Salt in Melborne, Australia. This was very tender and tasty, but I was starting to get full.

In Munich, Germany, Teresa and Walter both got the Spaetzle Gratin with Ham and Cheese. This was very heavy, and almost like a quiche without the crust. I got the Nuernberger Sausage in a Pretzel Roll. Tasty, but not very appetizing presentation. Walter ordered a Beck's Pilsner, and for some reason they charged us for two. So I figured to get one as well.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

I tried the Cajun Style Crawfish Etouffee from the New Orleans kiosk. It was blistering hot.

We made our way to France. We found a seat in the shade, and Walter and I both got the Glace au Chocolat (chocolate soft serve in a waffle cone). Teresa got one of the slushie drinks. We had to eat the ice cream fast because it was melting fast. Boy, it was incredibly good, but I was starting to get full. It felt good to sit out of the sun for a while too.

Because we were all getting full we walked passed the Paris, France; Cork, Ireland; and Wellington, New Zealand kiosks.

We made one last stop at the Montreal, Canada kiosk. Where Teresa and I got the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup. Very tasty, but again incredibly hot, and maybe a little too hot and heavy for the heat of the day.

It was now about 4:00p, and Teresa and Walter needed to head out. We all walked to the exit, and snapped a photo to remember our day.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

After Teresa and Walter left, I decided to stick around, see if my appetite came back to hit a couple more food kiosks for dinner. I got a Fastpass for Soarin' that had a return time of 7:21p.

Since I had 3 hours until I could ride Soarin', I checked out some other FutureWorld attractions. I went over to the new Sum of All Thrills.

This was a pretty cool attraction. My design station and roller coaster design - "Electric Cobra". I'd go upside down twice.

I thought the ride was a lot of fun. Very smooth. I went upside down twice, but it wasn't as bad as a regular coaster that goes upside down. The ride was over really quickly.

I then went over and checked out Spaceship Earth. When I was talking with Teresa, I remembered that I had not checked it out since the re-model. No one was on it, and I walked right through. It was a very relaxing ride, and I thought the updates were good. I liked Dame Judy Dench's narration.

 

[Launchpad11B]

It was now about 4:00p, and Teresa and Walter needed to head out. We all walked to the exit, and snapped a photo to remember our day.

Great photo Dave. I like Walter's sleeveless look! It's coming back in style you know!! I'm glad you guys had such a good time.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Great photo Dave. I like Walter's sleeveless look! It's coming back in style you know!! I'm glad you guys had such a good time.

Thanks Paul, we had a lot of fun hanging out together, and I was glad to have to company to share food and wine with.

After Spaceship Earth, I headed back to the World Showcase to check out more of Food and Wine.

As a Western New Yorker, I was proud of the New York Wine Adventure. There were a lot of wines there from wineries I've been to many times in the Finger Lakes. I wish I knew more about how they were going over, but it was still good to see them there.

Of the 7 wineries on the kiosk, I've been to 5 of them. Casa Larga (the blue bottle) is right here in Rochester next to my daughter's girl scout camp.

The bottle on the far left, Konstantin Frank dry riesling, is my personal favorite. I love their winery, and it is on the lake (Keuka Lake) where my wife's grandmother had a cottage for 40 years. We've been there many times.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

I stopped at the Canada Pavilion to buy Evie an engraved Pooh keychain to add to her keychain collection.

While I was waiting, I realized I had never actually been in the Canada attraction. So I decided to go check it out and watch the "Oh Canada" circle vision film. The film was OK, but the Canada attraction was really well themed.

I discovered I was getting hungry again. So, yippeee, let's hit some more food kiosks.

 

[Launchpad11B]

Thanks Paul, we had a lot of fun hanging out together, and I was glad to have to company to share food and wine with.

As a Western New Yorker, I was proud of the New York Wine Adventure. There were a lot of wines there from wineries I've been to many times in the Finger Lakes. I wish I knew more about how they were going over, but it was still good to see them there.

A bit off topic, sorry Dave. Did you know the finger lakes are some of the deepest lakes in the country? I know, very random thought.

 

[Bornteach]

A bit off topic, sorry Dave. Did you know the finger lakes are some of the deepest lakes in the country? I know, very random thought.

Careful Paul, we are going to start calling you Cliff Claven!!

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

I had heard good things about the Paris, France kiosk. So I decided to make my way there. I picked up a diet coke on the way.

I got the Parmentier de Boeuf Braise au Cabernet (beef short rips with mashed potatoes and Cabernet sauce). This was delicious.

You got a pie of mashed potatoes filled with shredded beef. Yummy!

Next up, Cork, Ireland where I got the Lobster & Scallop Fisherman's Pie. This was also very good. It was rich and cheesy with big chunks of scallops in it. Very good.

I wanded across the way to Wellington, New Zealand to try the Lamb Slider with Tomato Chutney.

Of the 3 "entrees" I tried this evening, this was my least favorite. I think the lamb burger could have used more meat and was overpowered by the tomato chutney. Plus, the chutney sogged the bun, and made it fall apart. Time for dessert now - back to Cork, Ireland for... Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Ganache.

This was fantastic! And at $2.75, I thought one of the best bargains of the evening. I was full, had my dinner and dessert, and it was time to start to head out. There was one more thing I wanted to try. Off to Rio on my way out for the Leblon Frozen Caipirinha.

At $7.25, this was a pretty pricey drink, but I needed to use up the money on my gift card. So I splurged. Caibirinha is the official drink of Rio de Janiero, and I was actually able to have these when I attended a conference in Rio in 2007. They weren't frozen drinks there though. This version was pretty good. It's similar to a mojito, and very yummy. Good way to top off my night.

I felt bad because I think the dishes I had in the evening by myself were the best ones I had at the festival. I wished Teresa and Walter were still with me to share them.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Last stop, time to use my Fastpass and ride Soarin'. I love this ride, and figured it would be a great way to end my trip.

On my way out, I watched the light displays on the sidewalk.

I decided not to stay for Illuminations because I had a very early flight Saturday morning. I needed to get home in time to take my youngest daughter Evie DD8 trick-or-treating (Maggie DD11 is already to cool to go trick-or-treating with Dad).

 

[DisneyTaylors]

Last stop, time to use my Fastpass and ride Soarin'. I love this ride, and figured it would be a great way to end my trip.

On my way out, I watched the light displays on the sidewalk.

That's the way we also like to end our evenings at Epcot. Those path lights are cool looking too. Man, I wanna be there so bad. Only 3 more weeks...

- Bill

 

[Cyrano]

Caught up with your reports. Your early night was not much help Dave

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Caught up with your reports. Your early night was not much help Dave

Yes, you are very correct Reid. I should have just stayed up...

OK, here's the very last part of my report. I was scheduled on the earliest flight out of Orlando on Saturday - 6:00am. I really needed to get home to participate in Halloween with my family. After the long day at EPCOT on Friday, Oct 30th, I was beat. Fortunately, I was all packed, just needed to get some sleep, and head out in the morning. I set my iPhone alarm to 3:30am.

Saturday morning arrives, I roll over, drowsy from sleep, look at my phone... BLAST! It's 6:10am!!! I've missed my flight!!! I jump out of bed, and look at my phone. I had turned the volume all the way down for when I was in my conference and meetings, and I forgot to turn it back up.

In my mind, I'm having memories of Jean-Paul, Jean-Paul running the New York City Marathon and staying with Elaine on Seinfeld.

I quickly check the computer to see when there is another flight. There's one leaving at 8:30am, and if I hurry, I should be able to make it. I jump in the shower, shave, and brush my teeth. Throw my last couple items in the suitcase and rush out the door. I jump into my rental car, and fly to the airport. Shoot, I forgot to fill it up with gas, but no time now, I gotta go...

I go up to the JetBlue counter, and they put me on stand-by for the 8:30am flight that connects through JFK. If all goes according to plan, I should get in to Rochester, NY at 1:30p. Plenty of time for trick-or-treating. I have to tip my hat to JetBlue, they were incredibly helpful in my getting on another flight.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

My flights all go well, and I touched down in Rochester, NY a couple minutes early. I was at home before 2:00pm, plenty of time for Halloween, and the girls were waiting for me in the driveway to carve pumpkins.

I had promised Evie, DD8 , that I would take her and her friends trick-or-treating, and I had to drop Maggie, DD11 , off at her friends house to trick-or-treat in their neighborhood.

Here they are all decked out in their costumes.

And here's Evie's haul after trick-or-treating.

She was not a fan of the 100 calorie Organic ginger snaps...

 

[ADP]

Welcome back Dave...Glad you made it home for Halloween! The girls look great in their costumes.

Thanks for the pictures and report. See you at DAP!!!