Ready, Set, Let the Games Begin! - Link to new PTR/TR!

[rentayenta]

Ummm, me too.

She always keeps us waiting. Not fair!

 

[franandaj]

Seafood free sounds good. I love beef and pork as far as red meat goes. I did spot the Beef Tenderloin with the Oxtail Ravioli on the menu and I would have loved this. We are considering a road trip in Florida for 2015 and maybe we should consider a reservation there then.

I would have loved to have a look around Theme Park Connection. This looks like a real treasure trove.

Corinna

They will make all sorts of dishes like that you might like and you will have choices amongst what you like to eat. It's a wonderful place to eat.

They had a lot of great stuff there. I just couldn't find a lot to buy since at that time the house was still up in the air and we already have a ton of stuff.

The Theme Park Connection looks like a dangerous place for me to visit.

Lovely pics of the three of you.

I think everyone should visit there, awesome stuff!

Treasures galore! I must get out there. How far away was it?

It took us less than 45 minutes to get there, but they are moving to a new larger location in November. That's why Fran says we can go back in 2014. I just can't get her to nail down when because we already have so much going on with the move, Our Roadtrip, Gay Games 9 and next year's cruise/LGBA Conference trip.

Nice to hear that you and Fran had a great time at V&A. I don't eat at too many fancy restaurants and I don't think I will ever eat at that restaurant. It was nice to see the pictures at V&A.


The Theme Park Connection store looks very interesting to see all the different Disney merchandise. I might have to consider stopping at that store one day when I go back to Orlando.

Nice update.

A place like V&As can be very daunting to a lot of people, but if you enjoy fine food it is a must.

TPC is a great place to go and since you stay off property and have a car, you should definitely check it out.

Theme Park Connection looks awesome. I would love to visit someday with a huge budget, because I would not even want to go if I only had a small one. You probably got a bunch of goodies for your new house. I cannot wait to see them.

We actually only bought a couple things, but at the Expo, she bought a ton of stuff from these folks. The "not having to ship" made a big difference in her decision.

Catching up on the celebrity TR! WOW....you've all gone and posted so much! The food looks amazing; as does the DisMeet pictures.

Celebrity?

I've been reading your trip reports, love them. My dh and I were at Theme Park connection a few weeks ago, we love that place, if we only had room for the big items!

Thanks! I'm glad you came out of lurkdom to comment. Some of the bigger items were amazing, even with our big new house, we aren't going to have enough room for all our stuff.

That store, looks like it would have been a Fran paradise? How did she do? Find a bunch of stuff y'all could not live without? I will have to go there sometime.

As I said we only bought a couple things, but when we could take the stuff home from the Expo in the SUV, she went nutso!

Well, what did Fran buy?!?!?!? Nosy minds want to know!

Jill in CO

OK, OK, I'll show you. I had to get home, find the box the stuff came in and unwrap it and then pack it back up so it stays safe.

Great trip report! I cannot wait to read more.

Thanks for stopping by and coming out of lurkdom!

I didn't see any questions, Alison? Now you have me curious.

As for the rest, sighing. What absolutely sweet things to say to me. Thank you. Someone in my life is causing me - well anyway - it was great to come on the DIS to this. But Alison - I shoot with a point and shoot. And I don't know what you're talking about re: agent. I mean do people have agents? I'm out to lunch. But more money to go to WDW made me smile.

Thank you for your sweet words. They couldn't have come on a better day. I love that life often does that.

It doesn't matter the kind of camera that you use, it is the composition of your photographs. The ones with Gaston's fountain, were absolutely brilliant! Most people stand back and try to get the whole fountain, right in the center of the picture. Myself included. Predictable. You, you took just a part of the statue and positioned the camera in a rather provocative (and I don't mean sexually) sort of position. I could go on, but your shots are very unique and from a perspective that most people don't even consider.

I think you could sell your photos!

So jealous. I just ADORE Halloween. So much so I would travel up to my parents just to see kids out and about. Or take my nieces and nephews that live here, out. But most are in their twenties and even thirties now.

Why do I need to travel? Because I get no kids living in a condo downtown.

I have to decide what to do this year. My parents are no longer an option since they had to sell the house. Friend's place maybe.


As for WDW, my most magical moment ever was one day when it was pouring and the monorail was stuck. Well that's a good start to my story.

And I think I said this already from a TR of Halloween's past! Oh well.

Anyway, it was a day that nothing flowed. I think it took us hours to get to POR or something strange like that. Oh I remember. Went to DD and as were waiting for the POR boat, thunder started and that was that. And then the POR bus just never came. One of those days. Laughing.

_____________________________________

So the monorail was now stuck and we were all jammed on the MK platform and I had come across from somewhere else, probably a POR bus, and never looked up.

Standing on the monorail platform I thought ___________ it, I'm going into the MK, even though I had other plans. I suddenly realized I had an AP and could! That was magical since I rarely even have park passes.

I remember turning to the entrance and my mouth stayed open wide:

Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of a sudden it was there. Everywhere.

I almost started crying. Seriously. I just stood there and stared in wonder like I was five years old.

Literally stood there for a good five minutes just out of my body taking it in.

And then I ran down Main Street - my eyes were darting here and there and everywhere. It was such a beautiful and happy moment. Lovely memory.

I think I remember reading that TR!!!!

I've stayed at the VWL a myriad of times and never ever noticed one of these.

That's so scary that I haven't all those times.

CRAP! I just lost the picture of you and Paula. Loved it. Happy you were able to meet.

And the other meet up!

And Fran at the counter buying AGAIN at the warehouse had my laughing in hysterics. That woman is on a mission!!!!!

That's too funny about the carvings! Those were among the first things that we noticed. I still have more photos of carvings to post!

Just a quick interruption.....some of you may know that Alison and I spent a bit of time DisMeeting during September and October.

I've started posting the first DisMeet.....and the pictures I took of her new house from post #65 here.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=49819442#post49819442

I see most everyone has made it over there!

Could I possibly be caught up? I didn't know a place like Theme Park Connection existed. I want to know what y'all bought.

Nice meet photo.



Thanks for the link PIO. I'm going to check it out right now.

I didn't know about them until Fran spent half her shopping time at the Expo there. They knew her by name by the second day!

Ummm, me too.

She always keeps us waiting. Not fair!

OK, OK, I told you I had to find the box and get the things out and take pictures, coming up next post!

 

[franandaj]

OK, so here are the two things that Fran bought at Theme Park Connection. This first one is some sort of opening day at DCA commemorative thing. The little pins are sort of messed up, but we can just open up the plexiglass up and re glue it when we are ready to display it. Since the letters are gone, it's kind of a nostalgic piece.



This second piece goes along with a set of the WDCC figures that we have. This piece of glass goes behind them in the display cabinet.



I would take a picture of our figures, but a lot of them have been put away for the move. Here are some pictures that I found online.

 

[franandaj]

With our shopping complete, we still had quite a bit of time left until the rental car was due. Both of us were starving, so we started to look for a place that we couldn’t normally eat at home. I thought of Cracker Barrel and remembered seeing one on Apopka-Vineland the night before and since our route put us on that street (only much farther north than WDW), we decided to skip the strange Disney back roads in favor of the tourist trap that this road is. Besides we wanted to hit the Walmart just south of the WDW entrance, so it was good bet. As we drove down the road, I spied a Lonestar Steakhouse. This was our favorite value steak place in Long Beach until they replaced it with a Hooters like establishment!

I had gift cards in my purse, so it was a win, win, win! Good food, sunken cost, someplace we didn’t get to eat at often at home! They started us off with some dinner rolls.



I added a Caesar Salad to my lunch special.



Fran added a Texas Rose to our order



She got the lunch Ribeye with a baked sweet potato.



I got the lunch Ribeye with sautéed spinach



Everything was mighty tasty, and we were so glad to have seen this place before we had stopped anywhere else. On our way out, we spied one of those tourist traps where they sell cheap Disney merchandise, but even better they had Halloween Costumes for up to 50% off retail price. We stopped in and found Fran something perfect that she could wear at the party!

Then we went on to Walmart. It was a good thing that we brought her scooter along because all the Walmart electric carts were in use. We went around the store purchasing things that we needed. Things that we didn’t need and generally window shopping.

I thought these snacks were so cute. I wonder if they sell them in non-Disney parts of the country.





After picking out way too much stuff we packed it up in the car and headed back to the VWL. We had a bellman take our groceries and accompany Fran to the room while I took the empty car back to the car care center. It took less than half an hour to drop off the car and catch a shuttle back to the resort. The car was about $50 total, and I’d say it was very worth it for a chance to visit TPC, eat at one of our favorite restaurants, and do some extra shopping.

[Continued in Next Post]

 

[franandaj]

[Continued from Previous Post]

So Fran went back to the room with all the goodies, and a Bellman, while I took the rental car back to the facility. It was surprisingly quick to get back from the rental car center. The had a fleet of buses waiting to take people back and our guy was just hanging out checking out FB on his phone before he picked me up and found out that he had a relative of some kind (niece, cousin, etc) just before he picked me up and shared with me the magic of Facebook on my return journey to the WL.

Once I returned to the room, I spent the next (I’m not sure how long) trying to transfer the funds for our down payment on the new house (if you’re not following along here is the thread The Saga of Our Disney Dream House). I won’t bore you with the details on the TR, but I’ll just say it took a lot longer than I wanted, and finally we took off for Epcot.

My plan was to get to Ireland and the rest was icing on the cake. We did get there and had my Fisherman’s pie and Chocolate Pudding. Now the Fisherman’s pie, was not quite what I remembered, it had some other flavoring, but it was still good.







We also got a Guiness and a Honey Mead to accompany this





And who could forget the newly renamed chocolate pudding.





Then we headed over to Greece. We got an order of the griddled cheese.



The Chicken Souvlaki



And the Spanokopita





All three were delicious. I’m assuming that the griddled Cheese is basically Saganaki which I have tried to order on occasion a various Greek restaurants, but each time I have ordered it the waiter/waitress has forgot/overlooked it and ended up taking it off the bill. I think they don’t like the whole flaming cheese part of it.

Anyways, at WDW we enjoyed the cheese regardless of flaming. The nuts added an extra tastes that was quite good. I have to admit, I had the other two in 2009 and they were good, I just couldn’t help ordering them again since I was in line for the one I hadn’t had. See Disney marketing is totally working!

After those two kiosks we were pretty full. We could have done more, but Epcot was pretty busy and we really didn’t want to wait in long lines. Besides we actually had a mission. One of our Disney groups had some steims on display as their cover photo. They were limited edition and released last April. When she saw these Fran went sort of nuts! She wanted to have them, so we headed over to Germany to see if they had any left. Lo and behold they had at least three or four of them left, but that was IT.

Here is Fran buying out the remainder of the beer steins at Epcot.



Meanwhile as they wrapped them all up, I went next door to the Karamel Kuche. I got us several of the swirls, a few of the salted caramels and one rice Krispie treat. This was not our last stop here!





OK so I forgot to mention, while we were out at Walmart we picked up a few things. Just like the Target by Disneyland has whole Disney section, so does the Walmart on Apopka/Vineland. We got some T-shirts for the house careres and some stuff for us.

 

[PrincessInOz]

WOW! I knew you two had gone shopping off-site whilst you were there but I had no idea that you'd packed in so much shopping and lunch. Great update. I do like the steaks....and that Texas Rose is something that I might consider re-creating at some stage.

 

[jedijill]

Wow, Fran found some really good stuff.

Can't wait to get to F&W tomorrow! That Bailey's pudding is calling my name!

Jill in CO

 

[mvf-m11c]

TPC is a great place to go and since you stay off property and have a car, you should definitely check it out.

I will remember this place when I go back to WDW. But I might forget about it so I might have to go back on your trip report to find the place.


The food at the Lonestar Steakhouse looks very appetizing.

All the food and drinks during the F&W Festival look great but the Fisherman's pie looks even better.

Very nice update.

 

[ACDSNY]

OK, so here are the two things that Fran bought at Theme Park Connection. This first one is some sort of opening day at DCA commemorative thing. The little pins are sort of messed up, but we can just open up the plexiglass up and re glue it when we are ready to display it. Since the letters are gone, it's kind of a nostalgic piece.
http://s915.photobucket.com/user/franandaj/media/2013/Oct PTR/DSC06659.jpg.html

I know right where those letters are now and it's just not the same as having them in front of DCA.

Nice update on you're shopping and lunch.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I loved all the food porn. Well done on finding a beloved restaurant. I also love the Steins.

Corinna

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Great update! I was really wanting to know what Theme park connection was like! Looks great $ 50 dollars for the car is a great deal! Loved the fastpass return sign. Would love to ship that home!

Yum to the steak house we have passed the Longhorn but haven't tried it yet. We will add it to the list! We were disappointed with The Outback. People raved about it but to us the meat was dry and very tasteless. I like my meat juicy. The lonestar does a nice steak!

Love your photos also. The fishpie at Ireland I agree had something I wasn't quite sure about so I left it. Rest looks lovely!

I think we have been on that road Disney doesn't want you to know about. Once when we were trying to avoid a traffic jam. We passed some massive laundry facility, a food storage etc. we called it Dis area 51 lol.

 

[kmedina]

I love the DCA collector's item you picked up at TPC. It is awesome, and I really miss the letters out front. Lone Star is the best. When Crap and I were first married, we ate there at least 2-3 times a month. We were sad when they closed the one near our place. His college graduation party even took place there. It has now been years since we've eaten there. Glad you found one to eat at.

Those snacks at Walmart are genius. I bet it gets kids to eat healthier, since they are on Mickey shaped containers. If they sold them here, I would totally buy them.

Your F&W selections look awesome. I am going to have such a hard time deciding what to get. Everything looks good. My plan to get ideas from other trip reports is back firing, because the trip reports make me want it all (making me more undecided). We are definitely visiting Karamel Kuche. I wrote it into our itinerary, so I do not forget.

Those beer steins are adorable. Crap loves beer, so he would probably like those. Too bad for him that Fran snatched them all up. Glad she got them though as we never entertain. I am guessing Fran will actually use them.

 

[Pinkocto]

The beer steins are too cute. Did she also get the Grumpy statue? You had some mighty tasty items that evening! Glad you got out to Epcot despite the money frustrations.

I love the glass music item but is that a chip on the bottom? Definitely worth the $50 for the car.

 

[rentayenta]

Fun finds. I'd never expect anything less. I really like the steins too Pam.


Once again reading your report when a little hungry does me no favors. Your F&W choices look great! Joshua will be glad the chocolate cake/pudding with a new name is still the same. It was his favorite on our last trip.

 

[franandaj]

WOW! I knew you two had gone shopping off-site whilst you were there but I had no idea that you'd packed in so much shopping and lunch. Great update. I do like the steaks....and that Texas Rose is something that I might consider re-creating at some stage.

We were pretty busy, and we bought quite a bit a WalMart. They sell these things on informercials in the US for the sole purpose of making the onion flower blossoms, some sort of slicer that cuts the onion just perfectly. I would never try to make one at home when just about every chain restaurant here sells them for about $9.95!

Wow, Fran found some really good stuff.

Can't wait to get to F&W tomorrow! That Bailey's pudding is calling my name!

Jill in CO

I hope you are/did enjoy F&W, I wouldn't mind going for a stroll around World showcase and try the things I didn't get to!

I will remember this place when I go back to WDW. But I might forget about it so I might have to go back on your trip report to find the place.


The food at the Lonestar Steakhouse looks very appetizing.

All the food and drinks during the F&W Festival look great but the Fisherman's pie looks even better.

Very nice update.

Next time you go, I'll remind you of it and you can see the new location.

I know right where those letters are now and it's just not the same as having them in front of DCA.

Nice update on you're shopping and lunch.

I miss the letters, now it just looks like you're going to DHS.

I loved all the food porn. Well done on finding a beloved restaurant. I also love the Steins.

Corinna

I was so thrilled to find it AND have the gift cards in my purse too!

Great update! I was really wanting to know what Theme park connection was like! Looks great $ 50 dollars for the car is a great deal! Loved the fastpass return sign. Would love to ship that home!

Yum to the steak house we have passed the Longhorn but haven't tried it yet. We will add it to the list! We were disappointed with The Outback. People raved about it but to us the meat was dry and very tasteless. I like my meat juicy. The lonestar does a nice steak!

Love your photos also. The fishpie at Ireland I agree had something I wasn't quite sure about so I left it. Rest looks lovely!

I think we have been on that road Disney doesn't want you to know about. Once when we were trying to avoid a traffic jam. We passed some massive laundry facility, a food storage etc. we called it Dis area 51 lol.

It gave us a fun day off campus, so I'm glad we got the car. We call Outback the "Outhouse" steakhouse. I think we've been twice, once we didn't like it and second for to give it a second chance.

The fish pie was my favorite last time, I'm not sure what was different, but it wasn't this time. DIS area 51...

I love the DCA collector's item you picked up at TPC. It is awesome, and I really miss the letters out front. Lone Star is the best. When Crap and I were first married, we ate there at least 2-3 times a month. We were sad when they closed the one near our place. His college graduation party even took place there. It has now been years since we've eaten there. Glad you found one to eat at.

Those snacks at Walmart are genius. I bet it gets kids to eat healthier, since they are on Mickey shaped containers. If they sold them here, I would totally buy them.

Your F&W selections look awesome. I am going to have such a hard time deciding what to get. Everything looks good. My plan to get ideas from other trip reports is back firing, because the trip reports make me want it all (making me more undecided). We are definitely visiting Karamel Kuche. I wrote it into our itinerary, so I do not forget.

Those beer steins are adorable. Crap loves beer, so he would probably like those. Too bad for him that Fran snatched them all up. Glad she got them though as we never entertain. I am guessing Fran will actually use them.

That's too bad they closed the one near you too. I'm sure that's the idea to get kids to eat healthier, and I bet they were pricey. I didn't even check the price.

Just wait the F&W selections get better! I'll have one for you (hopefully before you leave) that you'll want to miss.

We probably won't actually use those for drinking beer. They're more of a display sort of stein, we have others as well, they'll probably have their own cabinet for steins.

The beer steins are too cute. Did she also get the Grumpy statue? You had some mighty tasty items that evening! Glad you got out to Epcot despite the money frustrations.

I love the glass music item but is that a chip on the bottom? Definitely worth the $50 for the car.

It was more BANK frustrations than money. We had the money, the bank was just being a pain in the @#$%& about letting me do with it what I wanted to!

I hope that's not a chip in the bottom!

Fun finds. I'd never expect anything less. I really like the steins too Pam.


Once again reading your report when a little hungry does me no favors. Your F&W choices look great! Joshua will be glad the chocolate cake/pudding with a new name is still the same. It was his favorite on our last trip.

I was so glad it was the same cake, the sauce was a little stronger in Bailey's flavor than in 2009, but I liked that. I'm not sure what it was like last year.

 

[lisaviolet]

It doesn't matter the kind of camera that you use, it is the composition of your photographs.

That's too funny about the carvings! Those were among the first things that we noticed. I still have more photos of carvings to post!

I didn't mean that re: point and shoot but thanks for the lovely compliments. I might have to put you in my back pocket.

I meant I think I would have to be shooting with a DSLR to have the pictures clear enough, that's all.

I'm laughing about the carvings and you and me and Fran. Too funny.

She got the lunch Ribeye with a baked sweet potato.



I got the lunch Ribeye with sautéed spinach

Oh man - I dream of being a vegetarian and then I sit here and say, "Steak, PLEASE - LIKE NOW" to your pictures.

 

[lisaviolet]

Yum, such a great addition to the World Showcase.

 

[Pinkocto]

I forgot to say I really liked your Walmart purchases, especially the green towel, too cute

 

[TifffanyD]

We have those Mickey shaped snacks at our target but we aren't that far from Disney.

Love the steins!! I wonder if my husband will want one now lol

 

[eandesmom]

Oh your dinner at V&A looks absolutely lovely, from start to finish. It isn't Jeff's cup of tea (too long, portions too small etc) but oh it is lovely lovely lovely!

TPC looks like fun, I enjoyed seeing the pictures of it, I've always wondered what it looked like! Too cute about the beer steins (and they are cute) glad you got the last few. Your F&W selections look yummy. I could eat any, and all of them right now!

Especially that Shepards pie...

Cute kitchen goodies from Walmart. I have Walmart issues but those are darn cute!