Our Intentions Were Good, But The Treats Were Better: One Month in Disney (4/21-5/21) COMPLETE!

[mickey916]

OMG I cracked up because the harassment over the salad is something my boys would definitely do to me. I am loving your trip report.

Thank you so much! I do take a lot of heat sometimes, lol.

 

[disneyAndi14]

When I see your pictures it makes me really want to go to Ohana’s again! We have been about 4-5x in the past but unfortunately Andi isn’t a big fan anymore with her current diet. I love the noodles and pot stickers, yummy. I loved the shrimp on the skewers but something seems lost now that they are served on a plate.
The bread pudding I could eat every night, lol
I’m glad you all had an amazing meal!

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Ok, I think I found the new mystery avatar dessert, but I don’t want to spoil it for others, so I won’t let the cat out of the bag.

I actually wasn’t 100% sure I found it though, because the desserts don’t look completely identical. I was thinking they might be two different photos of the same type of dessert, but that just makes me sound a bit nutty. Of course then I wondered if this was a plot to throw us off… to see if we noticed. Lol.
Yes. I’m probably overthinking this. I watch a lot of baking shows.

 

[mickey916]

Ok, I think I found the new mystery avatar dessert, but I don’t want to spoil it for others, so I won’t let the cat out of the bag.

I actually wasn’t 100% sure I found it though, because the desserts don’t look completely identical. I was thinking they might be two different photos of the same type of dessert, but that just makes me sound a bit nutty. Of course then I wondered if this was a plot to throw us off… to see if we noticed. Lol.
Yes. I’m probably overthinking this. I watch a lot of baking shows.

You're too funny. I'm not that devious. I just picked a different version when I wrote my report. But, the picture in my avatar is the better photo. How's this for a full shot of the avatar photo?

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

You're too funny. I'm not that devious. I just picked a different version when I wrote my report. But, the picture in my avatar is the better photo. How's this for a full shot of the avatar photo?

Perfect! It looks so delicious!

 

[mickey916]

Perfect! It looks so delicious!

and it is! Time to change my avatar again....

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

and it is! Time to change my avatar again....

I have to say that the pineapple coconut bread served warm with honey butter that you showed earlier at Ohana’s, looks positively irresistible, as does the chocolate almond bread.

 

[mickey916]

5/13 Our Family Epcot Day
​

We started our morning with some pastries from Java, using our complimentary breakfast vouchers. I didn’t get pictures but we shared a blueberry muffin, chocolate chip muffin and ham & egg croissant. I also made coffee in the room with my travel Keurig. We thought they were all very good, fresh and flavorful.

After our quick breakfast we walked to Epcot from the Swan, arriving just after early entry. We made our way to Frozen since I had not booked a Lightning Lane for it, opting to choose Remy as our Tier 1 ride. As we walked to Norway, DS-28 captured this photo of a squirrel narrowly escaping the crocodile.

We arrived at the line for Frozen at 8:45 and waited only 20 minutes to ride. We headed next to Living with the Land and rode with no wait before heading to Spaceship Earth and riding with only a 6 minute wait.

Our sons had not yet experienced the Journey of Water Inspired by Moana so we walked through with them. As we were walking we noticed these distinct footprints in the walkway.

The footprints led us directly to Hei-Hei.

We finally found him! Our sons thought the interactive water displays were cool.

After exploring the Journey of Water, it was finally time for our first LL which I booked for Finding Nemo, simply because it was the earliest time I could find and it would open up my ability to book another tier 1 ride. After tapping in for Finding Nemo, I then booked Soarin’ for a timeslot immediately following our ride on Finding Nemo.

After riding Finding Nemo and Soarin’, it was time for our LL for Remy so we walked back through the World Showcase to France. The first time DS-28 rode Remy back in 2022 it made him motion-sick but he was willing to try it again. Thankfully this time it didn’t bother him at all and he was able to enjoy the ride a lot more.

Originally I had an ADR for lunch at Shiki Sai but after we didn’t care for it at the start of our trip, I decided to make a lunch reservation at La Creperie.

We shared two Prix Fixe meals which included soup or salad, one galette, one dessert crepe, and one drink. DH and DS-28 shared one meal and DS-26 and I shared the other meal. We also ordered extra soups and drinks to round out our meals.

DH and I have previously ordered the salad as part of our prix fixe meal but this time we all decided to try the soup of the day which was a potato cheese soup.

This soup was fabulous! It was served warm and was filled with creamy, cheesy goodness. We all loved it.

Both “teams” chose the Savoyarde for our galette: Raclette Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Bacon, Imported Bayonne Ham

We all really enjoyed this. The caramelized onions contrasted well with the bacon and ham. We all enjoyed the buckwheat flavor of the galette itself.

For dessert DH and DS-28 chose the Poire: Pear, Chocolate Ganache, Whipped Cream

They loved this! None of us are big fans of pears but cooked in this crepe they were delicious! (DH and DS-28 were nice enough to give me and DS-26 a taste). The soft pears paired with the chocolate ganache and sweet crepe were a wonderful combination.

DS-26 and I ordered the Gourmande: Hazelnut-Chocolate Spread, Whipped Cream

This too was very good! We agreed though that the Poire was the best crepe we had tried (DH had tried the caramel-apple and peach-melba ones previously).

Our boys both felt that La Creperie was a unique but very tasty meal. Even though we shared two prix fixe meals (with added two soups) it was plenty of food for the four of us. Our server was also excellent this time. La Creperie earned an A yet again.

After our meal we rode Journey into Imagination with Figment and then watched the Disney & Pixar short film festival. Our sons had never seen those movies before and they especially enjoyed the creativity of the Get a Horse film.

We returned to World Showcase to explore some of the pavilions and just had to share our latest delicious discovery at Kringla Bakeri with our sons, the Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie

They agreed that this was a wonderful new treat to add to our usual line-up. Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie still gets an A+.

They are also fans of the schoolbread, so we picked up one of those to share as well.

We have found that the consistency of the schoolbread differs from time to time. I would assume the fresher ones would be available in the morning but that wasn’t the case this time. This “afternoon” schoolbread was much fresher than the morning one we had previously. It was a really good one! Schoolbread gets an A.

After we finished our treat, it had started to rain so we went to China. We visited with Mulan and then watched Reflections of China. We don’t usually take the time to watch it but it was a good way to wait out the rain. DH had to close his eyes for some of it when there was a lot of motion but he was able to see most of it.

When we exited the theater the rain had stopped so we toured Germany and were fortunate enough to see the Hummels strike the bell in the clock tower.

We toured the Italy pavilion next before heading back to World Discovery for our sons’ first ride on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Up next..guarding the galaxy

 

[ddluvsdisney]

5/13 Our Family Epcot Day
​

We started our morning with some pastries from Java, using our complimentary breakfast vouchers. I didn’t get pictures but we shared a blueberry muffin, chocolate chip muffin and ham & egg croissant. I also made coffee in the room with my travel Keurig. We thought they were all very good, fresh and flavorful.

Do you get breakfast vouchers at the Swan or was bc of Marriott status?

After our quick breakfast we walked to Epcot from the Swan, arriving just after early entry. We made our way to Frozen since I had not booked a Lightning Lane for it, opting to choose Remy as our Tier 1 ride. As we walked to Norway, DS-28 captured this photo of a squirrel narrowly escaping the crocodile.

Another great animal pic!

We arrived at the line for Frozen at 8:45 and waited only 20 minutes to ride. We headed next to Living with the Land and rode with no wait before heading to Spaceship Earth and riding with only a 6 minute wait.

I’d say what a hike that was but forgot you came in from the IG.

Our sons had not yet experienced the Journey of Water Inspired by Moana so we walked through with them. As we were walking we noticed these distinct footprints in the walkway.

The footprints led us directly to Hei-Hei.

We finally found him! Our sons thought the interactive water displays were cool.

Yay for finding Hei Hei. It is cool.

After exploring the Journey of Water, it was finally time for our first LL which I booked for Finding Nemo, simply because it was the earliest time I could find and it would open up my ability to book another tier 1 ride. After tapping in for Finding Nemo, I then booked Soarin’ for a timeslot immediately following our ride on Finding Nemo.

Good strategy with LL. I really hate the game you need to play. I’m just running out of patience for it all. I’m just happy it wasn’t like that when we first started going. Although I was younger then.

After riding Finding Nemo and Soarin’, it was time for our LL for Remy so we walked back through the World Showcase to France. The first time DS-28 rode Remy back in 2022 it made him motion-sick but he was willing to try it again. Thankfully this time it didn’t bother him at all and he was able to enjoy the ride a lot more.

I get nauseous on Remy too but always ride it. I wish I could see the whole ride.

Originally I had an ADR for lunch at Shiki Sai but after we didn’t care for it at the start of our trip, I decided to make a lunch reservation at La Creperie.

We shared two Prix Fixe meals which included soup or salad, one galette, one dessert crepe, and one drink. DH and DS-28 shared one meal and DS-26 and I shared the other meal. We also ordered extra soups and drinks to round out our meals.

DH and I have previously ordered the salad as part of our prix fixe meal but this time we all decided to try the soup of the day which was a potato cheese soup.

This soup was fabulous! It was served warm and was filled with creamy, cheesy goodness. We all loved it.

Both “teams” chose the Savoyarde for our galette: Raclette Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Bacon, Imported Bayonne Ham

We all really enjoyed this. The caramelized onions contrasted well with the bacon and ham. We all enjoyed the buckwheat flavor of the galette itself.

For dessert DH and DS-28 chose the Poire: Pear, Chocolate Ganache, Whipped Cream

They loved this! None of us are big fans of pears but cooked in this crepe they were delicious! (DH and DS-28 were nice enough to give me and DS-26 a taste). The soft pears paired with the chocolate ganache and sweet crepe were a wonderful combination.

DS-26 and I ordered the Gourmande: Hazelnut-Chocolate Spread, Whipped Cream

This too was very good! We agreed though that the Poire was the best crepe we had tried (DH had tried the caramel-apple and peach-melba ones previously).

Our boys both felt that La Creperie was a unique but very tasty meal. Even though we shared two prix fixe meals (with added two soups) it was plenty of food for the four of us. Our server was also excellent this time. La Creperie earned an A yet again.

Good call on La Creperie instead. We definitely need to make it over there one of these days.
We agreed that we weren’t going to make any ADRs next week.

After our meal we rode Journey into Imagination with Figment and then watched the Disney & Pixar short film festival. Our sons had never seen those movies before and they especially enjoyed the creativity of the Get a Horse film.

We returned to World Showcase to explore some of the pavilions and just had to share our latest delicious discovery at Kringla Bakeri with our sons, the Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie

They agreed that this was a wonderful new treat to add to our usual line-up. Triple Chocolate Chip Cookie still gets an A+.

They are also fans of the schoolbread, so we picked up one of those to share as well.

We have found that the consistency of the schoolbread differs from time to time. I would assume the fresher ones would be available in the morning but that wasn’t the case this time. This “afternoon” schoolbread was much fresher than the morning one we had previously. It was a really good one! Schoolbread gets an A.

I think instead of actual lunches I’m gonna have snacks!!! Ok I made an executive decision!

After we finished our treat, it had started to rain so we went to China. We visited with Mulan and then watched Reflections of China. We don’t usually take the time to watch it but it was a good way to wait out the rain. DH had to close his eyes for some of it when there was a lot of motion but he was able to see most of it.

When we exited the theater the rain had stopped so we toured Germany and were fortunate enough to see the Hummels strike the bell in the clock tower.

My Memere collected Hummels when I was a kid. They always remind me of her.

We toured the Italy pavilion next before heading back to World Discovery for our sons’ first ride on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Up next..guarding the galaxy

 

[pinkxray]

Ohana is one of my favorite too! Unfortunately, my family doesn’t love it like I do and our son is now 10 and adult price so I think we’ll be skipping it for awhile

We stayed at Portofino for a few days in July and loved it. I also booked it using the AP rate, and only picked it because it was the cheapest of the 3 resorts with express pass. We didn’t love it when we stayed there in 2021 but I think that was because we had a stroller and I had no idea to get around with all the stairs. We spent time finding our way around this time plus we no longer bring a stroller. Such a beautiful resort with huge rooms. Pool was great too.

I’m glad to see the salad at Circus Mcgurkus. It was on my possible lunch choices but we ended up leaving the parks to have lunch at NBC grill where I had my favorite salad of our trip.

I Love hot butterbeer! It’s my favorite item at Universal. We go to early entry specially to have breakfast at 3 broomsticks and I get my hot butterbeer. I don’t care if it Dec or 90 degrees.

We tried Ford’s Garage due to your reviews. Thanks for the idea. Everyone was happy with their meals. (I tired the berry salad, but yours looks good too)

 

[mickey916]

Do you get breakfast vouchers at the Swan or was bc of Marriott status?

It was bc of Marriott status. We got 2 vouchers per day for a "continental breakfast". They said we could also use them at Java for up to $20 value so that's what we did. I thought we could save them up and use them for the four of us to go to the Garden Grove but they had specific dates on them so we just shared pastries every morning.

Another great animal pic!

I'm so glad DS was able to take it in time.

Good strategy with LL. I really hate the game you need to play. I’m just running out of patience for it all. I’m just happy it wasn’t like that when we first started going. Although I was younger then.

I'm not a fan either of the added stress of LLs. I rarely use them when it's just me and DH. I'm considering purchasing for Epcot when we go in October just to be sure to get on Test Track. But, if it's alreay sold out by my purchase window I'll skip it for there too.

I get nauseous on Remy too but always ride it. I wish I could see the whole ride.

Interesting that Remy and FoP bother you and yet not Guardians. Happy for you though that you get to enjoy Guardians, the best ride in the universe.

Good call on La Creperie instead. We definitely need to make it over there one of these days.
We agreed that we weren’t going to make any ADRs next week.

We definitely make fewer ADRs than we used to.

I think instead of actual lunches I’m gonna have snacks!!! Ok I made an executive decision!

Sounds like a perfect plan to me!

My Memere collected Hummels when I was a kid. They always remind me of her.

My grandmother did too! She loved them.

 

[mickey916]

Ohana is one of my favorite too! Unfortunately, my family doesn’t love it like I do and our son is now 10 and adult price so I think we’ll be skipping it for awhile

Oh that's too bad. I think you should stop by Tambu Lounge and at least get the noodles, wings, potstickers and bread pudding as a consolation.

We stayed at Portofino for a few days in July and loved it. I also booked it using the AP rate, and only picked it because it was the cheapest of the 3 resorts with express pass. We didn’t love it when we stayed there in 2021 but I think that was because we had a stroller and I had no idea to get around with all the stairs. We spent time finding our way around this time plus we no longer bring a stroller. Such a beautiful resort with huge rooms. Pool was great too.

That is the only other downside to Portofino is all the confusing stairways. We got lost a couple times. I can't imagine navigating them with a stroller. It is gorgeous though!

I’m glad to see the salad at Circus Mcgurkus. It was on my possible lunch choices but we ended up leaving the parks to have lunch at NBC grill where I had my favorite salad of our trip.

I'll have to try the NBC Grill salad some time!

I Love hot butterbeer! It’s my favorite item at Universal. We go to early entry specially to have breakfast at 3 broomsticks and I get my hot butterbeer. I don’t care if it Dec or 90 degrees.

We will have to try 3 broomsticks for breakfast some time too!

We tried Ford’s Garage due to your reviews. Thanks for the idea. Everyone was happy with their meals. (I tired the berry salad, but yours looks good too)

I'm happy to hear you enjoyed Ford's Garage. I've been tempted to try the berry salad but the Thai chicken one is so good it's hard to give that one up!

 

[mickey916]

5/13 continued...Guarding the Galaxy
​

Back in 2022 we visited Epcot as a family and I was fortunate to get a passholder preview for Guardians of the Galaxy. Unfortunately I was the only passholder in the family so my sons couldn’t ride with me. They haven’t visited Epcot since so I was very excited to ride with them for the first time. I had purchased a LLSP and we didn’t have to wait too long before we were in the preshow area. When we were assigned our rows unfortunately the CM put me in the car behind them so we didn't get a picture together. We got the song September which is cool since that was my first song when I rode in 2022. They both loved the ride! It was so great to finally share it with them.

After guarding the galaxy, our sons decided it was time to take a mission to mars so we headed to Mission Space. They rode the orange side with a lightning lane while DH and I waited. From there we stopped by Club Cool and then headed to World Showcase to finish exploring the countries. We toured Canada, UK, France, Morocco and Japan.

Finally it was time for dinner. Back when I was making ADRs I had given them options of Space220, Biergarten, Via Napoli, Garden Grill, or San Angel Inn. Both of them picked San Angel Inn which we had dined at back in 2022. They love the theming and the food.

We were assigned to a great table right along the water overlooking the Gran Fiesta Tour attraction. DS-28 was having fun waving to every boat as it went by, to the utter embarrassment of his younger brother, as so often happens between the two of them.

We shared a couple of appetizers to start. First, the queso fundido: Melted Monterey Jack Cheese topped with Chorizo, Poblano Peppers and Onions served with Flour Tortillas

We all really enjoyed this dish of meaty, cheesy goodness which is served with flour tortillas.

We also shared the Totopos: Corn Chips with sides of White Cheddar Cheese and Salsa

The chips were freshly prepared and the two dips were excellent. We love the queso and salsa at San Angel Inn.

For our entrees, DS-28 ordered the Pollos a Las Rajas: Grilled chicken breast over roasted potatoes with onions, Poblano peppers, corn and a Poblano cream sauce, topped with queso fresco

He liked this dish but said it was nothing special.

DS-26 ordered the Enchiladas de Pollo: Corn tortillas filled with chipotle chicken covered with your choice of ranchera salsa or Mole Negro [contains nuts], crema Mexicana, cotija cheese and crispy onion straws atop beans. Served with plantains topped with crema Mexicana and cotija cheese.

As you can see from the description, he had a choice of ranchera salsa or Mole Negro. He told the server he would like it with Mole Negro. This greatly confused our server who told him it didn’t come that way. We explained that it was listed that way on the menu He then apologized and said it was a brand new menu and he hadn’t noticed that. He verified with the chef that it was possible to get the Mole Negro and placed his order.

DS-26 loved these enchiladas and said the mole negro sauce was excellent and worth the initial confusion.

DH and I shared Huarache Vegetariano: Fried corn masa topped with beans, grilled queso fresco, nopales and pea tendrils served with a side of roasted vegetables and salsa verde | Add Chicken or shaved Ribeye

We asked to add the shaved ribeye, since we loved their ribeye tacos last time we dined here. Our server told us that was a great choice, he loved the ribeye on the huarache.

Sorry for the dark photo. What you probably can’t see from this photo is that our huarache actually came with added chicken, not ribeye. We didn’t mention it to the server since we like chicken too. I was a little disappointed not to get the ribeye though. Overall this huarache was good but not nearly as large or as flavorful as the one we had at the Maya Grill. It was a little small for sharing but we had plenty of food with the appetizers.

DS-26 was disappointed to learn that they no longer offer the Chocolate Pyramid for dessert and there wasn’t anything else that interested us.

Overall we enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere and felt the quality of the food was very good. The portions are a little small for the cost. Our server was not perfect but really gave it a lot of effort. We liked him a lot. We gave San Angel Inn a B.

After our meal we took a ride on the Gran Fiesta Tour. DS-28 waved to all the patrons now dining at the San Angel Inn and was pleased to get a few return waves (once again mortifying his brother).

We wanted to ride Living with Land at night so we headed there, stopping to admire the lighted walkways and the beautifully lit Spaceship Earth.

So beautiful!

We exited Living with the Land and returned to the World Showcase to find a good viewing spot for Luminous. We had a beautiful view.

None of us had seen Luminous yet so we looked forward to experiencing it as a family for the first time. We actually didn’t really care for it. DH and I both thought the part about “your loved ones die and leave you alone” was a very odd choice for a theme park. While the message in the end that we all need to be there for one another is a wonderful sentiment, it felt out of place as a fireworks show. We all agreed that we preferred HarmoniUs (despite the big ugly barges).

After the show we then walked back to the Swan. It was so great to be within walking distance to Epcot. Our sons then spent some time enjoying the Boardwalk again while DH & I headed back to the room. Overall another great day!

Total Steps: 28202

Up next…Hollywood Studios Day

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Aha, I see the winning dessert happens to be the Poire! It looks amazing! It’s good to know it was delicious too. What an interesting combination of flavors!

 

[buzzrelly]

Looks like a perfect EPCOT day! We haven't been to San Angel in a few years but this is making me want to go back. I love Mexican food and that Queso fundido looks amazing!

So nice you get to spend quality time with both of your sons. My adult children are 21 and 23 and rarely do all of our schedules align anymore, plus my DS doesn't LOVE Disney like DD and I do. I usually end up at least once a year having a girl's trip with DD but having them both there together is the goal. Maybe someday!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

5/13 continued...Guarding the Galaxy
​

Back in 2022 we visited Epcot as a family and I was fortunate to get a passholder preview for Guardians of the Galaxy. Unfortunately I was the only passholder in the family so my sons couldn’t ride with me. They haven’t visited Epcot since so I was very excited to ride with them for the first time. I had purchased a LLSP and we didn’t have to wait too long before we were in the preshow area. When we were assigned our rows unfortunately the CM put me in the car behind them so we didn't get a picture together. We got the song September which is cool since that was my first song when I rode in 2022. They both loved the ride! It was so great to finally share it with them.

I somehow knew they would love it!! My DH rides it for me… he’s not a huge fan. Unbelievable!!!

After guarding the galaxy, our sons decided it was time to take a mission to mars so we headed to Mission Space. They rode the orange side with a lightning lane while DH and I waited. From there we stopped by Club Cool and then headed to World Showcase to finish exploring the countries. We toured Canada, UK, France, Morocco and Japan.

I’ve only done MS once. Never again. I think it was even the lowest (green?) I can’t even remember.

Finally it was time for dinner. Back when I was making ADRs I had given them options of Space220, Biergarten, Via Napoli, Garden Grill, or San Angel Inn. Both of them picked San Angel Inn which we had dined at back in 2022. They love the theming and the food.

Wow those are all great choices. I’ve never been to Biergarten. DH has with my DS when he was in school down there.
DH’s new favorite is Space220. We’ve eaten there a couple of times now.

We were assigned to a great table right along the water overlooking the Gran Fiesta Tour attraction. DS-28 was having fun waving to every boat as it went by, to the utter embarrassment of his younger brother, as so often happens between the two of them.

Did you ask for that table or were you just lucky? I’ve always wanted to sit by the water.
I loved the avocado margarita there!
So funny that your DS was embarrassing his brother. True brotherly love!

We shared a couple of appetizers to start. First, the queso fundido: Melted Monterey Jack Cheese topped with Chorizo, Poblano Peppers and Onions served with Flour Tortillas

We all really enjoyed this dish of meaty, cheesy goodness which is served with flour tortillas.

We also shared the Totopos: Corn Chips with sides of White Cheddar Cheese and Salsa

The chips were freshly prepared and the two dips were excellent. We love the queso and salsa at San Angel Inn.

For our entrees, DS-28 ordered the Pollos a Las Rajas: Grilled chicken breast over roasted potatoes with onions, Poblano peppers, corn and a Poblano cream sauce, topped with queso fresco

He liked this dish but said it was nothing special.

DS-26 ordered the Enchiladas de Pollo: Corn tortillas filled with chipotle chicken covered with your choice of ranchera salsa or Mole Negro [contains nuts], crema Mexicana, cotija cheese and crispy onion straws atop beans. Served with plantains topped with crema Mexicana and cotija cheese.

As you can see from the description, he had a choice of ranchera salsa or Mole Negro. He told the server he would like it with Mole Negro. This greatly confused our server who told him it didn’t come that way. We explained that it was listed that way on the menu He then apologized and said it was a brand new menu and he hadn’t noticed that. He verified with the chef that it was possible to get the Mole Negro and placed his order.

DS-26 loved these enchiladas and said the mole negro sauce was excellent and worth the initial confusion.

DH and I shared Huarache Vegetariano: Fried corn masa topped with beans, grilled queso fresco, nopales and pea tendrils served with a side of roasted vegetables and salsa verde | Add Chicken or shaved Ribeye

We asked to add the shaved ribeye, since we loved their ribeye tacos last time we dined here. Our server told us that was a great choice, he loved the ribeye on the huarache.

Sorry for the dark photo. What you probably can’t see from this photo is that our huarache actually came with added chicken, not ribeye. We didn’t mention it to the server since we like chicken too. I was a little disappointed not to get the ribeye though. Overall this huarache was good but not nearly as large or as flavorful as the one we had at the Maya Grill. It was a little small for sharing but we had plenty of food with the appetizers.

DS-26 was disappointed to learn that they no longer offer the Chocolate Pyramid for dessert and there wasn’t anything else that interested us.

Overall we enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere and felt the quality of the food was very good. The portions are a little small for the cost. Our server was not perfect but really gave it a lot of effort. We liked him a lot. We gave San Angel Inn a B.

All of the food looks delicious! Too bad about the steak. What a bummer!! Sometimes I don’t understand how mistakes like that are made if they’re writing it down.

After our meal we took a ride on the Gran Fiesta Tour. DS-28 waved to all the patrons now dining at the San Angel Inn and was pleased to get a few return waves (once again mortifying his brother).

We wanted to ride Living with Land at night so we headed there, stopping to admire the lighted walkways and the beautifully lit Spaceship Earth.

I love the way this space around SE looks at night!! So beautiful!

So beautiful!

We exited Living with the Land and returned to the World Showcase to find a good viewing spot for Luminous. We had a beautiful view.

None of us had seen Luminous yet so we looked forward to experiencing it as a family for the first time. We actually didn’t really care for it. DH and I both thought the part about “your loved ones die and leave you alone” was a very odd choice for a theme park. While the message in the end that we all need to be there for one another is a wonderful sentiment, it felt out of place as a fireworks show. We all agreed that we preferred HarmoniUs (despite the big ugly barges).

Don’t even get me started with Luminous and Harmonius for that matter. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!! What was wrong with Illuminations!!??? Miss it so much!!!
Same with Wishes!!!

After the show we then walked back to the Swan. It was so great to be within walking distance to Epcot. Our sons then spent some time enjoying the Boardwalk again while DH & I headed back to the room. Overall another great day!

It is the best to be able to walk back to your resort!

Total Steps: 28202

Up next…Hollywood Studios Day

 

[mickey916]

Aha, I see the winning dessert happens to be the Poire! It looks amazing! It’s good to know it was delicious too. What an interesting combination of flavors!

DH and I would never have tried it since it sounded weird but DS-28 chose it and now we're glad he did! We're planning on eating at La Creperie in October and most likely will get it again. So good!

 

[mickey916]

Looks like a perfect EPCOT day! We haven't been to San Angel in a few years but this is making me want to go back. I love Mexican food and that Queso fundido looks amazing!

We've had good food and excellent service the several times we've dined there.

So nice you get to spend quality time with both of your sons. My adult children are 21 and 23 and rarely do all of our schedules align anymore, plus my DS doesn't LOVE Disney like DD and I do. I usually end up at least once a year having a girl's trip with DD but having them both there together is the goal. Maybe someday!

It does get much more challenging as they get older to align schedules. I was so grateful that we were able to swing an entire week with our sons. It was just a perfect vacation! DS-26 is already talking about joining us again next spring. DS-28 never plans that much in advance so he's always the wildcard in the equation!

 

[mickey916]

I somehow knew they would love it!! My DH rides it for me… he’s not a huge fan. Unbelievable!!!

I was so hoping that they would and grateful to have someone to ride with!

I’ve only done MS once. Never again. I think it was even the lowest (green?) I can’t even remember.

I've done both the orange and green. It doesn't really bother me but it's not something I enjoy. I tend to skip it.

Wow those are all great choices. I’ve never been to Biergarten. DH has with my DS when he was in school down there.
DH’s new favorite is Space220. We’ve eaten there a couple of times now.

We went to Beirgarten I think in 2006. My older son loved it. The rest of us just thought it was okay. We went to Space220 in 2022 with my brother's family. It was really cool to see. My older son loved the steak frites he ordered but DH and my younger son didn't care for their chicken meals. I don't even remember what I got. I do want to go again some time, maybe eat in the lounge.

Did you ask for that table or were you just lucky? I’ve always wanted to sit by the water.
I loved the avocado margarita there!
So funny that your DS was embarrassing his brother. True brotherly love!

We did ask for the table and had to wait a few minutes for it. The avocado margarita sounds intriguing. My older DS was also wishing happy birthday to anyone he saw with a button and challenged my younger DS to see who would get the most thank yous. At the end of the day the score was 35-0 since my younger son wasn't playing along..haha. They're so different from each other but thankfully they actually are very close.

All of the food looks delicious! Too bad about the steak. What a bummer!! Sometimes I don’t understand how mistakes like that are made if they’re writing it down.

I don't think he wrote it down, therein lies the problem.

I love the way this space around SE looks at night!! So beautiful!

This was actually our first time seeing it since they re-installed the ground lighting. Really beautiful!

Don’t even get me started with Luminous and Harmonius for that matter. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!! What was wrong with Illuminations!!??? Miss it so much!!!
Same with Wishes!!!

I agree that Illuminations was by far the best Epcot show!

It is the best to be able to walk back to your resort!

It really is! If the boys come again next spring we will probably book the Swan again. You really can't beat it.

 

[mickey916]

5/14 Efficient Touring at Hollywood Studios​

When I was planning our Hollywood Studios day I was faced with a dilemma. I knew we would need to purchase LLMP if we wanted to ride everything but DH usually only rides one of the Lightning Lane rides, MMRR. It seemed like a waste of money to buy LLMP for him for one ride. So, we planned to rope drop Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway during early entry and then use LLMP for the three of us for all the rest.

We got up early and started our morning with pastries from Java with our breakfast vouchers. We shared 2 blueberry muffins.

These were excellent, very fresh and full of blueberries.

We also shared a ham and egg croissant.

This was also pretty good for a quick service breakfast.

After our in room breakfast, we walked to Hollywood Studios. It is such a beautiful walk along the waterway.

We arrived at 8:10 for 8:30 early entry and were allowed through the tapstiles right away. We went directly to MMRR to join the line. The line started moving at 8:20 and we were on the ride at 8:38.

Since it was still early entry time, we headed to Toy Story Mania, another ride that DH sometimes rides without too much motion sickness. We rode with minimal wait. This is DS-26’s favorite ride in Hollywood Studios. All three of them always outscore me.

We headed next to Rock n Roller Coaster. My sons and I waited in the standby line for only 30 minutes.

Having already accomplished more than we expected, it was time for a snack and we had to share another one of our favorites with our sons. We headed to Trolley Car Cafe for the carrot cake whoopie pie.

Our sons loved it as much as we do!

Refueled and ready to go we headed to Muppet Vision 3D for our final goodbye to the show. We’ve always enjoyed this show and were sad to have to say goodbye to it.

After the show, it was finally time for our first lightning lane so the boys and I headed to the Tower of Terror. We waited 13 minutes to ride and had a really cool sequence with multiple short drops.

We met back up with DH and headed for our sons’ favorite lunch in Hollywood Studios, Ronto Roasters. We ordered four Ronto Wraps: Roasted Pork, Grilled Pork Sausage, Peppercorn Sauce, and Tangy Slaw wrapped in Pita Bread.

These are always even better than I remember them to be. The pork sausage had great flavor, very reminiscent of the linguica sausage that we have in Southeastern Mass. The pita was freshly grilled and the slaw and roasted pork elevated the flavors. These were really good!

One of the challenges of dining at Ronto Roasters is the very limited seating. We often end up standing and sharing a small shelf along the wall. This time though I asked the CM when I picked them up if we could sit at Docking Bay 7. She said “of course”. As we headed there, we found a great outdoor seating area between Ronto Roasters and Docking Bay 7. It was so nice to be able to enjoy our Ronto Wraps seated in a booth.

After our delicious lunch, our sons said they wanted to get dessert in the big dinosaur so we headed to Dinosaur Gertie’s Ice Cream. We each ordered a cup of soft serve twist.

The CM that served us was an older gentleman who was super friendly and struck up a conversation with DS-28. The soft serve was excellent. It was rich and creamy and so much better than the soft serve we got in the waffle sundae at Marketplace Snacks in Disney Springs.

At this point, I had a bunch of Lightning Lanes stacked up for the three of us. Since we were just going to be going from ride to ride, DH decided to take the skyliner over to Epcot. It was the first day of Passholder Appreciation Days and he wanted to pick up his Maleficent magnet and check out the passholder lounge in Marrakesh.

While he was off enjoying Epcot, my sons and I used Lightning Lanes for Toy Story Mania, Smugglers Run, MMRR, and RNRC as well as an LLSP for Rise of the Resistance. We were about to use a final LL for Alien Swirling Saucers when DH returned from Epcot. He was happy that he got a Maleficent magnet but he said the passholder lounge was a waste of time. He said it was packed and he had to wait in a long line for lukewarm mint tea, a pin, and two bags of snacks.

He said the mint tea and the trEAT4U nut free mix were gross. It was the first day so hopefully it improved but we never stopped by there again.

Instead of riding Alien Swirling Saucers we opted to get pineapple coconut slushies from the Market.

This really hit the spot on a hot day. We enjoyed our slushes as we explored Toystoryland and Batuu.

Overall it was a great day at Hollywood Studios. It was so much more fun for me to be able to enjoy all the rides with my sons and DH enjoyed his field trip to Epcot (with the exception of the passholder lounge). I had to do a lot of refreshing and checking the MDE app but I was able to get lightning lanes for every ride that we wanted to ride. As much as I dislike the LLMP system, it really is a necessity in Hollywood Studios if you want to ride everything.

We headed out of the park around 5:00 to head to Disney Springs for our dinner ADR.

Up next…dinner at another family favorite restaurant