The ABC's of a FALL Trip with Friends, Food, Wine, and a Conference- Day 5 Sneak Peeks! 10/23

[Steppesister]

Sounds like great plan!

It's so wonderful to have you here!



and THANKS!!! I remember seeing you far more (or being more interactive with you) in the past but my DISTime is DRASTICALLY less now with my new job. I miss the constant banter on the DIS! Now, I just try and keep my head above water. LOL!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Gotcha! Huh, Race Set up? Convention? Private party? Could be any of those.

Ugh, now I'm not sure we'll be at EPCOT Saturday morning. It's looking like for some reason we switched to AK? And I have no idea why? I'm going to do a recap in a couple minutes here with what I hope is a final plan. We do our LL's and Fancy Pa$$es in a week so things sort of need to be done with decisions.

I discovered that the Wine and Dine 10K happens on that Saturday. So, it might be a bad idea to go to Epcot that morning, even though the race will be over hours before the park opens.

 

[Steppesister]

The EATS and TREATS and Miscellaneous Drivel​

Well, as you might have guessed, there has been a bit more "last minute" tweaking of the BFP.

With our LL and Fancy Pa$$ Day coming up on the 12th, I think there won't be any further changes, so here is where it stands now:

Sunday- Arrival and EPCOT, then Howl o'Scream at SeaWorld

Monday- Conference Sessions at Yacht Club with Ale and Compass Breakfast, then DHS with Dinner at Il Mulino

Tuesday- Conference at Coronado until 11:15, then day at AK with Dinner at 3 Bridges late

Wednesday- Conference at Coronado until 11:15, Lori leaves and I head to MK with B&B at 7:00 then DHS for EMH

Thursday- Start at AK with lunch at Y&Y then hop to EPCOT for evening and dinner at San Angel

Friday- Breakfast at Topolino's then day at DHS

Saturday- AK with dinner at JIKO at 7:00

Sunday- MK, park closes at 6:00, head to The Springs for a dip into Jock's Halloween and dinner at Enzo's Hideaway

Monday- EPCOT for some last F&W goodies then head home

And now....let's review the Food Fun... Festivals mean eating, so does Disney in general. Sure there are fun, immersive attractions, wonderful music and atmosphere, shows, and fireworks, but food is a pretty big part of the magic for me. I eat VERY simply for the most part at home. I only go out to eat about once a week which saves a ton of money and makes eating out a nice treat for me. The BEST part of all this Dining Drivel... We scored some FREE dining. Oh sure, we paid rack rate for the room and tix, but heck, I almost always have to pay that anyway. Free, is free. I added up what I'd have paid OOP for what I plan to get just for kicks and giggles and I'd probably come up $50 bucks short of what I'd have paid for the DDP. That $50 is a nice price for peace of mind and the cocktails and/or desserts I'd probably never have gotten.

Okay, here's how dining is shaping up. We'll see in the TR how close I actually come to matching Plan with Reality.

Sunday- Travel Day/EPCOT/Howl o'Scream

It may come as a surprise, but I actually pack a breakfast when I fly out so early. I'll grab a coffee for sure at the airport, but homemade quiche is usually my go-to packed brekkie. Lunch will likely be 3 or so F&W goodies and dinner I'd planned to get from the Howl o'Scream booths. I'm going to post my full list of F&W picks at the end of this since there are a smattering of days we'll be there. Here is the link to the Howl o'Scream treats this year that are options for dinner.

https://seaworld.com/orlando/events/howl-o-scream/taste-the-terror/

It looks like standard theme park crap with a spooky name to mask the fact that nachos are nachos no matter what you call them. Same junk, different wrapping paper. I hope I'm surprised. INTERESTINGLY, I can NOT find any information AT ALL for individual pricing for the food. Like at all. Instead, it appears you MUST buy a package for either $45 for 1 entree and 3 drinks (alcoholic) or $75 for 2 entrees and 5 drinks. WEIRD, no?!

Monday- Conference/DHS/Il Mulino

Breakfast is free with the conference, which I imagine will be granola bars, apples, and crappy coffee. Yuck. Instead I heard about the brunch at Ale and Compass and the menu looks pretty good! At least I can get a real latte or a French Press to go with that dark choco waffle. For $15, that's a fair upgrade from conference fare.
Lunch I'll pay OOP for something. @Wood Nymph mentioned a Southwest Chx Salad at Backlot Express that looks tempting. There are always the options of Woody's, Baseline, and Docking Bay too. Let's not forget a Ronto... The sky's wide open here.
Dinner at Il Mulino. Been wanting to try this for quite some time. Prices are decent for their pastas and I already have my cocktail picked out:
Amalfi Spritz- Ketel One Citron Vodka, Limoncello, Mionetto Prosecco, Fresh Lemon, Simple $16 Pasta or main TBD

Tuesday- AK/3 Bridges

Breakfast... remember that conference crap I just talked about? Yeah, that's the plan for this day. I might go to Barcelona and get a real latte though OOP. Call me a coffee snob, but I just can't do drip from an urn.
Lunch we'll grab an OOP QS probs from Satuli. Flame Tree is just too much and too heavy and I heard Harambe is turning into a Burger and Nuggies ho-hum place now. That breaks my foodie heart.
Dinner is planned for 3 Bridges. I've tried many times to get in there, but the VQ has always been too long. Hopefully with a LATE seating we can get in. My plan is to devour the Corn Dip, some tacos, and the Sangria Flight. Signature Sangria Flight: includes tastings of four signature sangrias $21

Wednesday- Conference/MK/DHS

Breakfast... remember that conference crap I just talked about? Yeah, that's the plan for this day. I might go to Barcelona and get a real latte, though OOP. Call me a coffee snob, but I just can't do drip from an urn. (Yes, I just copy and pasted )
For lunch I'm just going to enjoy something from the Mercado and use my first QS credit. The menu looks decent and I'm hoping for some leftovers for Thursday's breakfast.
For dinner we'll be at Beak and Barrel where I plan to get this:
Cook’s Corn Griddle Cakes- This warm corn cake is stuffed with melted cheese, lime sour cream, and chili peppers topped with cotija cheese. There are two paths you can take on your foodie adventure – one with roasted corn and poblano peppers;
with chipotle-braised chicken. -$14 ($12 without the chx) The reviews look like it's hearty enough for a small eater's dinner. OOP for this one. Yes, cocktails will be consumed.
I anticipate a snack later on at DHS (OOP) Loads of choices for an in-the-moment hankering.

Thursday- AK/EPCOT

I'm hoping that there'll be leftovers of some iteration for Breakfast. If not, I'll head to Creature Comforts for my usual ham and cheese croissant and a latte.
Lunch? I finally broke down and got my Landry's card so we'll head to Y&Y; we talked about splitting the Ahi Nachos and I love the Pink Himalayan- Ford's gin, ruby red grapefruit juice, passion fruit & lemon grass flavors, salt rim $14.00
This should be super low cost as the Landry's card will pay for $25 of my portion.
Dinner is scheduled for San Angel. I haven't been there since 2018 with my kids and we absolutely loved it. The food was excellent. Yes, it's super crowded but we got a water's edge table and it was fine. I'm always happy to wait extra for a better table at most places as I am to wait for a front row on attractions as well. Anyway, I'm headed for the Catch of the Day at $39 or the Roast Chicken with Poblano Cream Sauce at $33, a marg for $20, and Flan for dessert at $12- Adds up to an OOP cost of $65 but I'll pay $14 for the tip. (Tips not included in the DDP)

Friday- DHS/Maybe a hop?

Breakfast at Topolinos at the Riviera. One of the few 1-credit character meals. I'm generally NOT a character meal person OR a buffet person, but I do love the Riviera's vibe, the view is wonderful, and this seems like a nice way to start the morning slow and full. $52 OOP, FREE for me. Side note, the DDP is $95ish/day. if you're not on FREE Dining. If you aren't ordering the most expensive stuff on the menu as you go, you are losing money. However, you ARE paying for peace of mind and convenience though.... so YMMV.
Lunch: This little beauty has come to my attention: Bouncin' Mini Churros: Savory churros topped with Coca-cola and bourbon candied bacon, sriracha aioli, and scallions $9.29 It's on the DDP for a snack and looks hearty enough to be a small meal. Who knew?! Savory churros! Caveat: If I'm still too full from Topolinos, I'll save the credit and use it at F&W on Monday. (Tip, in the past, the servers have offered to throw the leftover pastries from Topolinos in a bag to go since they are going to be tossed anyway. Perfect for a next AM breakfast.)
Dinner will be a QS either at the park or back at our resort. Mara has some great looking options and as always the choices for a QS meal at DHS are endless. Either way, we'll use a DDP credit.

Saturday- AK/JIKO

Breakfast- Mara it is! Here's what caught my eye: Ancient Grain Power Bowl- Farro Wheat, Quinoa, Seasonal Berries, Greens, Sweet Potato, Feta, and a Hard-boiled Egg $10.99 DDP This sounds super interesting so I'll give it a whirl.
Lunch- Some snack at AK. Always have my eye on an 8 Spoons Mac and Cheese, there's Mr. Kamal's, and the most bang for the buck is a bucket of Fried Rice at Y&Y take out. Which I love because I can use it as a brekkie the next day!
Dinner is our fancy-affair, 2-credit extravaganza at JIKO. Been forever since I've been there (2016) and I am super stoked about giving it another whirl. Dessert comes with the DDP meals so let's start with that: Dumela- Creamy Chocolate Sorbet, Hibiscus Cake, Passion Fruit Sauce, Mango Salsa, Chocolate-Lime Soil (Plant-based) $15, How about this for a Main? Moroccan-spiced Lamb Shank- Pomegranate-glazed Lamb on Nhopi Mash, Confit Squash, Cranberry-Date Relish $49 and a cocktail too! There are at least 4 after dinner coffee drinks so I'll save my DDP drink for then. Mmm, coffee.

Sunday (almost done )- MK/DS

Breakfast, I'm sure there'll be plenty of leftovers to take care of. Glad the Food Courts have microwaves.
Lunch is planned for a QS credit at MK. Maybe CHH lobster roll? Corn dog nuggies at Casey's?? Who knows!
I snagged an ADR at Enzo's for dinner. We HAD a WBG ressie but that's not on the DDP (BOOOOOOO!) but Enzo's is a solid and the theming is cool. We'll hopefully hit up Jock's to check out the Halloween-themed drinks beforehand. While we're there, I'd love to grab a Gideon's cookie for enjoying at home too. I heard that Sprinkles has a little tub of broken cookie pieces for sale that gives you a variety of still-viable cookies in various flavors so you can try a little bit of everything.

Monday- EPCOT/Departure

Breakfast will be using my last QS credit so I'll likely hit up Les Halles or the Creperie? Not sure yet. Les Halles has some very good looking, fairly hefty and savory options.
For lunch, my plan it use up any remaining Snack Credits on F&W kiosks; the most expensive ones on my list, obviously. There are a few for $8 and $9. By then, I'll be stuffed to the max and about 10 pounds heavier than when I'd left home.
I've gotta leave the park by 4:00, so dinner will have to be at the airport and may very well be the other half of my Les Halles treat. We'll see. I'm not on as tight of a budget as in my other more recent trips so just may splurge on some sushi or other airport something.

Now, for the Official Steppe's F&W Pick List:

Alps	Kirschwasser Torte
China	Beijing Noodles
Coastal	Seaside Pot Pie
Flavors/Fire	Corned Beef
India	Samosas
Milled/Mulled	Squash Soup
Africa	Beef Stew	$6.75
Mexico	Empanada
Dumplings	French Onion
Earth Eats	Short Rib
America	Slider
Italy	Bacetti
Morocco	Lamb Wrap
*Greece	Griddled Cheese
*Milled and Mulled	Cheesecake
*Brazil	Cheese Bread
*Germany	Pasta Gratin
*Forest/Field	Ravioli

​

The ones with asterisks at the bottom are on Remy's Fromage Montage. Chances are about 50-50 I complete that. But I DO plan to do both Hunts (Remy's and the Pumpkin one) to satisfy my Completist's neurosis. Obviously there are FAR more than I'll ever get to, but it does help guide my wanderings as I make my way around WS and the other kiosks. If it ain't on the list... keep walking.

Okay, Friends, next weekend is my last before I head south. Only more PTR chapter after this to go!! Lightning Lane selections are Sunday the 12th and I'll let you know what Caroline snags for us and we'll see what I end up with for the nails and how the packing goes.

 

[Steppesister]

I discovered that the Wine and Dine 10K happens on that Saturday. So, it might be a bad idea to go to Epcot that morning, even though the race will be over hours before the park opens.

Ah that makes sense. And yeah... might still be in recovery mode. Let's keep finagling to find an overlap.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

A few... GEO82, Beak and Barrell and Il Mulino. I've been to Ale and Compass before but at night in the lounge. I'm just hoping for a nice, aesthetic place to study that is a quick walk to EPCOT. (Wish there were lockers at the IG. Wonder if they can store my laptop at the resort. Hmmm....

There’s loads of nice seating in the Solarium of the BC which could be useful to study if it’s not too busy, also places up the first flight of stairs from the lobby in either Yacht or Beach that were quiet that my son used to do some work on his laptop. Same son used the business centre in the YC to do a job interview on that one of our trips a few years back and he said it was a good space for what he needed. He got the job so it must have been ok .
Don’t know if it’s of use but there’s definitely lockers at the pool area though I’m not sure if you need to be a hotel guest to use them.

 

[pkondz]

A few... GEO82, Beak and Barrell and Il Mulino. I've been to Ale and Compass before but at night in the lounge.

Can’t wait to read all about them

Wish there were lockers at the IG. Wonder if they can store my laptop at the resort. Hmmm....

From the interwebs…

EPCOT offers a second locker area at the International Gateway entrance near the France Pavilion. This area doesn't have jumbo lockers, but they provide a virtual locker to store your items for a similar cost. A Cast Member told me this option is a storage room where guests can leave items during the day. Just so you know, the same size rules will apply when coming through the security checkpoint at the International Gateway.

 

[pkondz]

Well, as you might have guessed, there has been a bit more "last minute" tweaking of the BFP.

Shocked! I’m shocked!!

The BEST part of all this Dining Drivel... We scored some FREE dining.

INTERESTINGLY, I can NOT find any information AT ALL for individual pricing for the food. Like at all. Instead, it appears you MUST buy a package for either $45 for 1 entree and 3 drinks (alcoholic) or $75 for 2 entrees and 5 drinks. WEIRD, no?!

Odd… but if it’s the normal theme park food, then you could find the prices elsewhere?

Breakfast is free with the conference, which I imagine will be granola bars, apples, and crappy coffee. Yuck.

Hence… free.

Dinner at Il Mulino. Been wanting to try this for quite some time.

Me too

Call me a coffee snob, but I just can't do drip from an urn.

I guess I’m a coffee snob then too.

I heard Harambe is turning into a Burger and Nuggies ho-hum place now. That breaks my foodie heart.

Really? That’s a shame.

(Yes, I just copy and pasted )

I scrolled back up!

Bouncin' Mini Churros: Savory churros topped with Coca-cola and bourbon candied bacon, sriracha aioli, and scallions

Mara it is! Here's what caught my eye: Ancient Grain Power Bowl- Farro Wheat, Quinoa, Seasonal Berries, Greens, Sweet Potato, Feta, and a Hard-boiled Egg

No.


Zebra domes.

The ones with asterisks at the bottom are on Remy's Fromage Montage.

The what?

we'll see what I end up with for the ails and now the packing goes.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Dinner is scheduled for San Angel. I haven't been there since 2018 with my kids and we absolutely loved it. The food was excellent.

San Angel Inn has improved the seating area. They have added booths and removed some of those tables that were right on top of each other. We've added the restaurant to our regular rotation and have not been disappointed yet.

Food & Wine food booths - my husband loved the slider from the America booth. And we tried the pasta gratin from Germany and it was surprisingly good - very cheesy.

 

[Steppesister]

There’s loads of nice seating in the Solarium of the BC which could be useful to study if it’s not too busy, also places up the first flight of stairs from the lobby in either Yacht or Beach that were quiet that my son used to do some work on his laptop. Same son used the business centre in the YC to do a job interview on that one of our trips a few years back and he said it was a good space for what he needed. He got the job so it must have been ok .
Don’t know if it’s of use but there’s definitely lockers at the pool area though I’m not sure if you need to be a hotel guest to use them.

Well, in the end, I changed it up again. It made more sense to do Ale and Compass on our arrival morning and head straight to the park until 4:30 or so. Our room won't be ready anyway, and we won't have to mess with toting laptops all over WDW. It'll save hassle and locker $. I am getting the feeling that Lori is the kind of gal who wants to focus on the conference and is there less for the parks. I had to low-key talk her into even going to the pool to do the sessions as it is . She had no idea they were available virtually from anywhere! Oy. NO WAY am I going to sit in some stuffy conference ballroom when I have a beautiful pool area to hang out at and listen from!!!

 

[Steppesister]

From the interwebs…

EPCOT offers a second locker area at the International Gateway entrance near the France Pavilion. This area doesn't have jumbo lockers, but they provide a virtual locker to store your items for a similar cost. A Cast Member told me this option is a storage room where guests can leave items during the day. Just so you know, the same size rules will apply when coming through the security checkpoint at the International Gateway.

That is GREAT to know. It seems so silly to have to make EPCOT or Skyliner resort guests trudge all the way to the front for a locker.

Shocked! I’m shocked!!

Would you be shocked to know it's changed.... again?

Odd… but if it’s the normal theme park food, then you could find the prices elsewhere?

You'd sure think!!!

No.


Zebra domes.

Okay, fitghin' words incoming...

I really don't care for those. Too cloying for my taste tbh.

I said what I said.

The what?

Fixed.

 

[Steppesister]

San Angel Inn has improved the seating area. They have added booths and removed some of those tables that were right on top of each other. We've added the restaurant to our regular rotation and have not been disappointed yet.

Food & Wine food booths - my husband loved the slider from the America booth. And we tried the pasta gratin from Germany and it was surprisingly good - very cheesy.

That's super to know and makes me super happy too. It was really just uncomfortably crowded in there and WAY too loud. The food made up for that, but...

That gets consistently good reviews, hence on my list.

I"ve done the gratin potatoes in the past and sadly it was a bit on the dry side. I"m willing to give it another shot!

 

[Paulaparm]

I shouldn’t have read this before lunch…

 

[Steppesister]

I shouldn’t have read this before lunch…

My work here is complete!!

 

[pkondz]

Would you be shocked to know it's changed.... again?

Nope. I expect it now.

I really don't care for those. Too cloying for my taste tbh.

I said what I said.

Thats okay. No one is required to enjoy the finer things in life.

 

[buzzrelly]

Lori picks me up at 2:00AM for our 5:30AM flight from BNA to MCO.

I have a love/hate relationship with those early morning flight! Love getting to WDW early, HATE getting up at 2am because let's be honest...I am not sleeping that night at all worrying about waking up at 2am!

I’m positive I’m going to regret this decision when I fall into bed after being up for almost 24 hours.

I think you might!

Instead, we’re going to head to Yacht for an Ale and Compass brunch at 9:40.

Yum! Those dark chocolate waffles are the stuff dreams are made of. On my September trip I made a last minute ressie and went solo just for them

Dinner is at Il Mulino at 7:00. I’ve been wanting to try that for quite some time, so I am excited to see how it is.

Excellent!

having a late dinner at Three Bridges. The sangria flight calls my name.

Wow...aside from that 2am wake-up you are making some really good choices for this trip!

Wine Bar George is holding a table for us at 7:00 where I will have a special date with some fried Mac & Cheese bites

Another favorite!

 

[missjackiemcg]

I added up what I'd have paid OOP for what I plan to get just for kicks and giggles

THIS!!! I cannot wait to do the same! We are staying at Pop for 10 glorious days over Xmas to New Year's Day. We got the free quick service Dining Plan, but upgraded to the regular DDP. We're paying about $90ish a day total for the three of us, but there is zero chance I could ever feed all three of us for that price, so I feel like we are coming out way on top. I'm going to add up what our actual OOP cost would've been for all of our dining during the trip, just to see how much we beat it by. I'm such a nerd that I'm so excited about this. LOL

Your plan sounds delightful and delicious!

 

[Steppesister]

Nope. I expect it now.

Hopefully no more now. I need to get on with making up my little laminated BFP cards.

Thats okay. No one is required to enjoy the finer things in life.

 

[Steppesister]

I have a love/hate relationship with those early morning flight! Love getting to WDW early, HATE getting up at 2am because let's be honest...I am not sleeping that night at all worrying about waking up at 2am!

Exactly. I really don't sleep well AT ALL before travel either. I'm super afraid of missing a flight and I'm just excited to get there. (AM I FORGETTING ANYTHING?!) And I do love the whole day to do stuff!

I think you might!

Hence the reason I changed my ADR for Ale and Compass for Sunday morning (our arrival day) so we can sleep in a little Monday AM and not have to go far.

Yum! Those dark chocolate waffles are the stuff dreams are made of. On my September trip I made a last minute ressie and went solo just for them

Oh wow! Now I'm even more excited!

Wow...aside from that 2am wake-up you are making some really good choices for this trip!

I think so. But a lot of my favorite old "stand by's" are on the docket too. The animation class at Rafiki's Planet Watch, Food and Wine, wandering around looking for new details.

 

[Steppesister]

THIS!!! I cannot wait to do the same! We are staying at Pop for 10 glorious days over Xmas to New Year's Day. We got the free quick service Dining Plan, but upgraded to the regular DDP. We're paying about $90ish a day total for the three of us, but there is zero chance I could ever feed all three of us for that price, so I feel like we are coming out way on top. I'm going to add up what our actual OOP cost would've been for all of our dining during the trip, just to see how much we beat it by. I'm such a nerd that I'm so excited about this. LOL

I'm a Disney Math Nerd too. I run numbers and see how close I can get to what I think I'm going to order and spend. Need to add up my little souvenirs (pin(s)), maybe a sweatshirt? But mostly food and Lyfts.

 

[Steppesister]

Last Minute" Babblings" ​

Well, one week until D-DAY! Disney Day, that is!!

Why not add a bit of my usual pre-trip stress and shenanigans?

Luckily, I’d packed 95% of my stuff last weekend not knowing that this weekend I’d be spending the whole weekend with my mom in the hospital. She passed out and took a tumble on Saturday morning and banged herself up enough to win a 2-night admission for a cardiac and pulmonary workup. The hope is that they can find out why she keeps having these episodes and discharge her tomorrow sometime.

Meantime, my Lightning Lane window opened this morning, and I was able to tackle that at 6:00AM with some fairly good luck .

Here’s the breakdown…

Sunday- EPCOT, $26pp for MultiPass and $19pp for GoG (Lori and I)
LwtL- 10:10
GoG- 10:55
Soarin'- 1:00
Geo82 @ 2:10
Remy- 4:25 (I will work on getting that one for closer to 3:00)
I’ll futz around and add TT, Frozen, and if needed It’s a Small Mexico, and Figment

Monday- DHS, $29pp for MultiPass, NO FancyPa$$ for RotR (Lori and I)
ToT- 11:20
TSMM- 1:10
SDD- 3:35
I’ll futz around and add MMRR, MFSM, and Star Tours. None needed for Frozen Sing-a-long.

Tuesday- AK, $19pp for MultiPass and $15pp for FoP (Lori and I)
EE- 11:05
Dino-12:15
NRJ- 12:55
FoP- 1:50
I’ll futz around for Safari, Lion King Show, and maybe Nemo? My main focus usually isn’t rides at AK. There’s just too much beauty there to not wander around and enjoy.

Wednesday- MK, $32 for MultiPass, and $21 for Tron
HM-12:00
PotC- 1:00
TBA- 1:40
I’ll futz around for JC, Space (maybe, it’s not a fave at all, ouch my neck!), Pooh and think on 7DMT.

Now… this whole process was a first for me. What did I think of the app and usability? It wasn’t horrible but it could certainly be better too. Maybe I’m missing something, and confessedly I’m still a newb, but you can only modify one LL at a time. It just seems like you should be able to modify multiple ones at the same time before pushing “Continue”.

I had to keep reminding myself that I’m not limited to those booked 3. It’s been 10? More? years since I’ve used any form of “FiPs” (my forever affectionate term for FastPasses, sigh… remember when they were free?!) and “stacking” them was actually kind of fun. I’ll just need to remember to stay on top of the process once we tap into that first one. I do know that a certain amount of finessing will be necessary to hopefully score that 2nd or 3rd Tier 1 attraction and/or grab those better times.

I’ve got my nail appt on Saturday and will get a last-minute brow threading as well. I’m watching the forecast like a hawk and, right now, the weather looks absolutely sublime. Highs in the mid-80s with no rain at all. Fingers crossed!
I'm thinking something like this?

​

My first purchase is formulating in my brain even now… I need a park bag. I had bought a Lounge Fly a couple of years ago and wore it every day of that trip. I love the size and layout and would love another one. The bummer though was that it was one of the carousel ones like this....

​

The straps are a “metallic” gold color and by the end of the trip they were completely cracked and very worn looking. I don’t know if all Loungeflys are like that with all the colors of straps or if NON-“metallic” straps would withstand more wear. Anyone here a Loungefly expert who would know? Anyway, my plan at this moment is to get an Uber from the airport, drop off our bags with Bell Services, and continue on (in the same Uber) to EPCOT. I’d like to have my Park Bag Stuff in a plastic bag ready to dump straight into a newly purchased Loungefly right after we arrive. I’m assuming Creations has a crap-ton of them for me to choose from.

I’d love to have you all chime in on your “Park Bag Stuff”. If you are so inclined, let’s have a discussion on YOUR essentials that you have on you all the time while out and about!! This is a NO-judgment Zone. I’m just curious what you all carry.

Here’s mine: Phone, extra battery pack (cords built in), poncho, little bag with Tylenol, bandaids/moleskin, Carmex, sunnies, small baggy of maybe 5-6 wet wipes for grimy hands before and after F&W snacks, hat (if not on my head), wallet with Rewards Card, Landry’s card, debit/credit cards, ID, etc…, MB is on, and flip-flops if rain forecast. (Nothing is worse than wet tennies and socks!) That all fits super great inside the Loungefly. No umbrella, no water bottle (there is free ice water every few feet).

YOUR TURN!

You might have noticed that we're going straight to EPCOT instead of to Yacht Club as I'd posted last weekend. I figured if we did that brunch at 10:00 we'd not even get into the park until almost Noon. Since we have to leave at 4:30 at the latest, that'd leave us with only 4 hours which hardly makes a park ticket worth it. I think if we head straight there we'll buy ourselves 2 extra hours. Looks like F&W treats will have to suffice for lunch. I'll survive.

Now that the LL’s are all made, I can get my little travel cards printed off, laminated and made into its neat little 3-ringed bundle. All of my daily schedules, anticipated food picks, F&W list, and reminders of things I want to find or do in one handy place. It may seem silly, but in all of my years of traveling all over the world, these little flip cards have saved my a$$, bacon many, many times. My flight confirmation and Disney reservation #s are all there so I can have it at my fingertips if my phone battery dies (It has.) or somewhere along the way someone can’t find my reservation (It’s happened.) Here’s the Bali/Australia Trip’s Cards as an example.

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So, a couple of items to throw in the bag on Saturday and I'll be ready to go. Lori invited me to spend the night at their house that night so they don't have to drive across town to pick me up at 3:00AM. It'll be like a pre-trip slumber party! They've even invited me to dinner.

I think that's it, Friends. The next update here will be a couple of SNEAK PEEK Photos from Day 1; I'll try and post a couple of those teasers each day that I'm there. Now... let's discuss park bags!