The Twelve Days of Swinter: From Castaway 'Key' to a Partridge in a Palm Tree!

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I got some kind of soup with bacon in it when I went to Montreal in January (going back in 2 weeks and determined to get it again), and it was way better than the soup at Disney. However your Canada photos are amazing! I don;t think I have ever been in that area of WS!

As for round two, being a native New Englander your would THINK I would love lobster, oddly the ONLY sea food I like is New England Clam chowder. The rest makes me ill.

That soup sounds really good. And maybe some bacon or something like that would've added some 'oomph' to the one in Canada. It just wasn't anything special.

That back part of Canada is really tucked away and you have to go looking for it. It's worth it though.

It's not odd for you not like seafood. Just b/c you grow up around certain things doesn't mean you'll like them. I do love shellfish though! And clam chowder too! YUM!

Love Canada! Your photos were beautiful. I can just imagine sitting there waiting to be seated at LeCellier and listening to the waterfalls.
I totally agree with your #1 pick of the Lobster roll. Just wonder how long it will get to stay a "snack" credit off the dining plan. I think this one is too good to be true.
Loved the photo of your daughter lying on the bricks with the fan up by her head. That is a great shot.

Thanks for the nice comments!

I sure hope they don't take that lobster roll off the snack list. It is a really super deal though. I can't think of anything else that sells for that much that you can use a snack credit on though.

Okay Rinky - I made it back from Europe and finally caught up on YOUR trip around the World! Lots to comment on!

Wow! You are FAST! I didn't expect to see you around here for a while. I know it takes forever to get back into reality. I cannot wait to hear about your whole trip though, but especially DLP.

I LOVED your DH's comment about you being his princess! Wow! What a guy!

He has his moments. Normally he would be more likely to dish me some sarcastic remark, but every once in a while, he is actually sweet. It works for us though. If he was sweet and syrupy all the time, that would get on my nerves.

DD had a beautiful Jasmine costume, too bad you didn't see her.
She chose a very pretty fan! I can see why she had to pose with it all the time!

Well I promise I did not ask her to do ANY of that posing. She came up with all of that on her own! There is just something about WS that seems to make her want to get silly and that fan just put it over the top!

Sergio in Italy is very funny! His whistle drove me crazy after a bit. I love Italy - spend lots of time there in the shops myself and can never decide what I "Must Buy". You chose very nice necklaces.
World Showcase is probably my favorite part of WDW, next to entering MK on Main street.

Yes, the whistle does start to get old, but the show is still great. I just love how they always pull some great big macho guys out of the crowd and make them act like kids!

I am SOOOO gald to hear someone else say that WS is their favorite! I really thought I was the ONLY one! My mom said that if she ever goes back to WDW, she doesn't even want to go back there! How could I be her child?

The DVC Guy - UGH! I'm glad you spelled it out for him that you did NOT go up to his stand!

F&W art? Okay, I know what I'm buying in OCtober!

I thought that art was really pretty too. I didn't even look at the prices, but I wish I had now.

The cost of Photopass going up plus the limited supply of Photographers means no cd for me. I'll have someone use my camera.
Sorry you missed France - don't worry - I covered the REAL thing for you!

Oh that was dirty Sheree! Why don't you just rub it in!

Just kidding. I am very excited about seeing your 'real' France. I know my version was a poor substitute.

Canada - I love that place - we'd not seen the back until we went in July 2010 and wandered around. Your DD's poses on the wall are really cute!

Canada is beautiful. I bet you've seen the 'real' one of that too since you are so close. I imagine that it is gorgeous. I most likely will make it there one day. I could even drive there!

Food - I like your selections! I'm really looking forward to trying things in Oct.
Morocco - I totally love the pictures and understand why a lot of people don't care for the food. It's similar to the middle eastern food I grew up eating in my family, so I do like a lot of it. Sometimes I'll get something from the CS there (the name escapes me!).

I really don't like the food in Morocco. We tried the Shwarma platter on our first trip and DH liked it but DD and I didn't. It was just too different for me. And I had never eaten lamb before so that was just sort of weird to me. I tried though. I am willing to try almost anything, so I at least I get an 'A' for effort. I'm not a huge fan of Greek food either, but those are really the only international flavors that I don't care for.

Okay, all caught up! Carry on!

replies in blue

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I have never gone up in that area of Canada either. I need to check that out. I need more time of course too.

That pork looks very good. I am hungry right now...and that did not help

Maybe you can spend more time in WS in Nov. And maybe you can catch a few F&W days if your dates time out right.

I am so happy that I found your trip report~! I have had a fun time reading so far. Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful Epcot photos. I must say we have been skipping this park, but I can't wait to see all of this in June. I look forward to seeing and reading more.

WELCOME! So glad to have new people on board.

Oh I LOVE Epcot! You really should go and check it all out. I think you'll enjoy it!

You can't expect her to share disney food

Btw that fisherman's pie being from Ireland I have an issue with that because I'm from Ireland and the only time I've ever heard of this so called Irish Fisherman's pie is when people talk about disney's food and wine. A proper traditional Irish dish would be something like Colcannon (a potatos, cabbage and sausage mix)

Well that's interesting. I'm not sure how authentic any of the food is. It would be fascinating to know how they decide what dishes will be served. The Colcannon sounds good though!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I've been to a couple parts of Canada (it's just hours away), but I don't recall seeing anything like in the pavilion. Niagara Falls I guess. That's not close to here, but we went there on a road trip to the northeast a few years back. It's just amazing to see. I had grandparents in Toronto and went there when I was young, but don't really remember it. The parts of Canada that we took a couple trips to when I was a kid was very wilderness-ish (it's now a word!). Lakes, woods etc. very pretty.

Yeah, I had to rub in the France thing. It's my nature! Rest assured, I took about a zillion pictures in Disneyland Paris! You'll feel like you were there!

My DH is just sweet enough too. Too much of that sappy stuff and I question sincerity!

I know a lot of people who are kind of disturbed about eating lamb. You're not alone.

WS is the BEST! You're not crazy at all. Well, if you are, I'm right there with you!

 

[fnrsgrl]

I really expected to love that cheese soup, but I hated it! And I'm not an even remotely picky eater. I didn't even eat it--I have to say I was disappointed. Still loving this TR, by the way!

 

[emcclay]

Such a cute TR! Can't wait for more updates.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Too bad the fisherman's pie and the cheese soup weren't as good as you thought they would be. I have had the cheese soup and liked it well enough but that was a few years back.

Thank you for posting the pictures way in the back of Canada. Do you know that we've never gone back that far? I have no idea why but now I'm gonna make sure that we do.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I've been to a couple parts of Canada (it's just hours away), but I don't recall seeing anything like in the pavilion. Niagara Falls I guess. That's not close to here, but we went there on a road trip to the northeast a few years back. It's just amazing to see. I had grandparents in Toronto and went there when I was young, but don't really remember it. The parts of Canada that we took a couple trips to when I was a kid was very wilderness-ish (it's now a word!). Lakes, woods etc. very pretty.

Yes, I think wildernessish is a word. And if not, I think it is perfectly ok to make it up! I do that all the time.

I bet Canada is gorgeous. I'm sure we will go there at some point. It is such a huge place though. I don't know how I would narrow it down and choose where to go. I wonder what the pavilion at Epcot represents though. You have my curiosity up now. I will have to google it!

Yeah, I had to rub in the France thing. It's my nature! Rest assured, I took about a zillion pictures in Disneyland Paris! You'll feel like you were there!

Good. That may be the only way we ever see it.

My DH is just sweet enough too. Too much of that sappy stuff and I question sincerity!

I agree. If he lays it on too thick, then I wonder what he is gulity of!

I know a lot of people who are kind of disturbed about eating lamb. You're not alone.

I actually tried one bite of lamb on the cruise and I have to admit it was delicious. But I have a mental block with certain meats. I can't eat deer, rabbit, squirrel, lamb, etc. b/c it's just a weird feeling. I know that sounds so stupid, but I can't explain it any better. When someone cooks deer, I see Bambi. When someone cooks rabbit, I see Thumper. And lamb... well I just see those sweet fuzzy things being led into slaughter and I can't do it. I know I am nuts. My DH always reminds me that I don't have any problem woofing down a burger and there is nothing cuter in the world than a calf. I know it's irrational, but alas, I just can't eat it.

WS is the BEST! You're not crazy at all. Well, if you are, I'm right there with you!

Well I am pretty certain that my comments in this reply have left you with absolutely no doubt that I am crazy!

replies in blue

I really expected to love that cheese soup, but I hated it! And I'm not an even remotely picky eater. I didn't even eat it--I have to say I was disappointed. Still loving this TR, by the way!

I'm not a very picky eater either and I love creamy soups, but that one just wasn't over the top good like I expected. Sometimes I think it's just a mental thing. When something is hyped up so much, you can set your expectations too high and that usually leaves you dissapointed.

Such a cute TR! Can't wait for more updates.

Thanks, and welcome! I'm always happy to have new folks on board!

Too bad the fisherman's pie and the cheese soup weren't as good as you thought they would be. I have had the cheese soup and liked it well enough but that was a few years back.

Thank you for posting the pictures way in the back of Canada. Do you know that we've never gone back that far? I have no idea why but now I'm gonna make sure that we do.

Well I didn't think the soup was bad, it just didn't rock my world like so many others have reported. But the fisherman's pie was definitely not my thing. Still not sure what it was, but it just didn't jive imo.

Yep, you need to head to the Canadian backcountry! There's not much back there except the waterfall, but it's worth a few steps just for that. It is a really BIG waterfall.

 

[fnrsgrl]

I'm not a very picky eater either and I love creamy soups, but that one just wasn't over the top good like I expected. Sometimes I think it's just a mental thing. When something is hyped up so much, you can set your expectations too high and that usually leaves you dissapointed.

I agree! It certainly seems that way!

 

[sharonW]

CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR MORE!!!!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Sorry for the delay in updates everyone. This is the busy season for accounting and my little part time job has turned full time in the last few weeks! I’m making up for lost time though with a mega update!

So, in the last update we had just finished making our way around the beautiful World Showcase lagoon. The only plans I had for the day were to explore all the countries and enjoy the Food and Wine Festival. I was sure that it would take all day to complete that agenda, but because the park was practically empty, we had covered a lot of ground in very little time. By that point we had enjoyed a late princess breakfast at Akershus, and thoroughly toured almost all of World Showcase, and it was only 5:00! Our ADR in Mexico wasn’t until 8:00, so we had 3 hours to spare!

We easily made the decision that we would go check the wait time for Test Track. We wanted to ride Soarin’ too, but I felt certain that the fast passes for that would be gone so late in the day.

So off to Test Track we went…

And what do you think we found when we got there?

NO WAIT!!! Love it!!!

We walked straight through the queue and were immediately sent into the preshow room!!! I didn’t even have time to think about chickening out!

These ride photos are not great but I’m throwing them in anyway.

Can you tell we were pumped! We love this ride!

Do people really need signs that say “Do Not Touch” when something is the color of flaming, molten lava?

Ride photo…

So what do you do when Test Track is walk on?

Yes, that’s correct! You RIDE IT AGAIN!!!

This picture is super bad, but I took it for proof that there wasn’t another soul in line. Look at that empty queue! Isn’t that a beautiful thing even when it’s blurry!

And again, we walked right through and only had to wait for the preshow to begin.

(Haven’t I taught that girl to stand clear of the doors! )

This was the trip that turned my sweet little girl into a daredevil. She held her hands up in the air on every thrill ride! It’s bad when a 7 year old is braver than her mother.

That is pure Disney joy right there. Makes those trips worth every last penny!

Second ride photo…

We could’ve gone again, but I wanted to check on Soarin’. I figured if TT was walk-on, then maybe the standby for Soarin’ wouldn’t be too awful or they just might even have a few Fast Passes left if we were lucky.

Heading to The Land… wish us luck!

When we arrived, the standby time said 20 minutes. I was VERY happy with that! Then I noticed that the FP machines were still open, so I quickly grabbed a set of those little beauties before we got in line.

I was shocked and ecstatic to see that the return time was only 25 minutes later!! That meant we could ride standby and then go right back through with the FPs! Does it get any better than that?

Well on this day, yes, it did get even better! That standby time of 20 minutes was way wrong! Even Soarin’ was WALK-ON! I could hardly believe it! I have NEVER seen it like that before, especially in the afternoon/evening. What an awesome gift we got for braving the monsoon that morning! Or maybe everyone was off trick-or-treating. Who cares why! It rocked!

I love this ride so much! It is my favorite in all 4 parks. I tried taking pictures during the ride for the first time and they didn’t turn out very good, but I love them anyway because I can just feel myself gliding over California when I look at them!

Continued in next post

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Time to use those FPs! I figured we probably didn’t even need them, but we went through the FP queue anyway.

A few more pictures from round two of Soarin’…

The second flight was just as good as the first! What an awesome day! If it had ended right there, I would’ve been the happiest girl in the world, but there was still more fun to come.

DH was getting a little hungry, so he wanted to see if it would be possible to check in for our dinner reservation early. We decided to just take a slow and easy stroll over to Mexico and soak in some of the beautiful nighttime sights of Epcot.

As we were heading out of The Land building, DD tripped going down the big ramp and fell pretty hard on the concrete. She was determined not to cry though, but I know it had to hurt.

She recouped fairly quickly and we were on our way.

I LOVE the way this fountain looks at night!

We really enjoyed that leisurely walk to La Hacienda. The weather was so nice that night!

We had plenty of time left before our ressie, so I really wanted to go ahead and see the Mexican pavilion, but DH already had his mind set on dinner.

I should’ve made a quick run in there to at least get a CM picture though because by the time we were done with dinner, the park was closed. That meant no CM picture for me from France or Mexico! I was pretty bummed about that. I do have a picture that I took of my DD with this pretty CM on our very first trip though, so I guess I will use this one in her passport book.

That was actually one of my favorite pictures from that trip and the one that gave me the idea of making the passport book with CM photos, so I guess it’s fitting that it is included.

But I know, I know… you just want to hear about the food, right? Well, let’s get to it shall we?

Fountain at the entrance of La Hacienda…

(Only at Disney would my DH wear a Mickey head sticker on his shirt and not give a rip what anyone thought of him!)

Right off the bat I noticed the gorgeous light fixtures in this restaurant. They were so unique and colorful and I loved them all!

The hostess said it was no problem that we were early, and she seated us immediately. I asked if a window seat was available and was glad to hear that she was already taking us to one! Yay!!!

One entire wall of this restaurant is lined with huge floor to ceiling windows that overlook the lagoon. I was really, really hoping to score one of these seats so that we could watch Illuminations from our table, so I was a very happy camper at that point!

Once I got over my excitement of snagging a window seat, I took a good look around the restaurant. That’s when I realized why it was so easy to get that much coveted prime Illuminations viewing spot… the place was practically empty! But of ‘course it was… that was the pattern for the day! And by the way, I like that pattern VERY much!

More pretty lights…

Everything is this restaurant is colorful…

DD dove right into the coloring sheet.

We had a wonderful waiter who was super friendly and attentive. First he brought out some chips with two dips.

I can’t find a description anywhere online of those two salsas, but we were not thrilled about either of them. The red one was way too hot and the green one was fruity tasting but bland. We preferred the green, but neither one was fantastic.

I’ll be honest, I was starting to worry a little at that point. So far the place was empty and the chips were less than terrific… not very promising signs. Also, I had read reviews on La Hacienda before booking it and they were not exactly stellar. I still wanted to try it for myself though since it was a new restaurant. And most of all I wanted to enjoy watching Illuminations from the peace and privacy of my own table. I knew going in that this place could be a dud, and sadly, it appeared that might be the case.

However, there is that tiny little word that can make all the difference… B-U-T…

Things were looking grim, BUT our entrée arrived and we were back in business!

We ordered the "La Hacienda Mixed Grill” and it was excellent! The menu description is “flank steak with chimichurri sauce, chicken al pastor, chorizo and grilled vegetables, served with beans, rice and tortillas - $49.95 (Serves 2)”.

DH said it was the best steak he had ever eaten… did you hear that… EVER! He loved the chimichurri sauce which we later found out was mostly cilantro, garlic and oil. My favorite was the chicken. It tasted like it was marinated in some kind of lime dressing and I loved it. The vegetables were also fantastic, especially the roasted corn. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much we liked it. It ended up ranking as our second favorite meal of the trip, only beaten out by Ohana! I will forewarn you though that the flavors here are BOLD and unique, and I don’t think picky eaters would enjoy it very much.

Again our waiter was so nice and went above and beyond to make it a great meal for us. He noticed that DD wasn’t really excited over anything on the kid’s menu. They only offered chicken nuggets, hot dogs, etc., but DD is a HUGE Mexican food fan and she just didn’t want any of that other stuff. He was nice enough to have the chef make her a chicken and cheese quesadilla and tropical fruit. She LOVED it and ate every last crumb.

Continued in next post

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Just as we were finishing up our entrées, they lit the torches around the lagoon. We had one right outside our window.

And as soon as the show began, I knew we were in for some serious eye candy! It wasn’t until the first fireworks went off that I realized just how awesome those window seats were! They dimmed the lights in the restaurant and piped in the music, and to me it was THE best way we have ever watched Disney fireworks.

If you want fantastic photos of Illuminations, this is not the way to go because you have to take pictures through the glass window, which is not ideal. However, if you just want to sit back and enjoy the show from the best seats in World Showcase, this is the place to be!

We placed our dessert order just before the fireworks began, but our server waited until the show was over to bring it out, which I very much appreciated.

DH and I both got the “Empanada de Manzana - puff pastry filled with sauteed caramel apples and vanilla bean ice cream with Kahlua sauce $7.95”

This was excellent except for one thing… it didn’t have enough apple filling. If they fix that one issue, they have a real winner on their hands!

We were full, happy and well entertained, but it was time to leave. We were greeted by this little reptilian friend on the wall of the restaurant as we were leaving.

Goodbye Mexico… so sorry I missed you!

It was 9:30 at that point so if there had been a crowd for Illuminations, it was already gone. It was so nice to walk out of the park after a fireworks show without being in a mass stampede of people.

When we got to the bus stop there were very few people waiting and a bus came within minutes.

What a night! I am totally convinced that this is the best way for us to see Illuminations and we are looking forward to a repeat visit to La Hacienda!

So now you know why this was the best park day of our trip! I sure do wish they could all be that perfect!

Up Next: Finally, we do some exploring at CBR!!!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I agree! It certainly seems that way!

Maybe we should just expect it to be gross, then we should always be pleasantly surprised!

CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR MORE!!!!

I was typing the next update while you were posting... how's that for service!

 

[marDgreen88]

What an amazing day! I think your photos of IllumiNations are awesome. It sounds like yall had an awesome time. Plus back to back Test Track AND Soarin rides? Seriously though? I need to visit in October!

 

[MeMom]

That is pure Disney joy right there. Makes those trips worth every last penny!

I totally agree!

Since Soarin' is my favorite ride in all four parks, as well, if we ever cross paths in WDW, we'll have to plan to meet there for a ride.

The lights in la Hacienda are very cool. We haven't eaten there since they made it into the full service, but we ate counter service there several times before the refurb. Definitely a nice place for Illuminations viewing.

 

[sjs314]

What a wonderful day in epcot, I am guessing everyone was at MNSSHP. I would to try La Hacineda but not sure DH would like the food at all.

I so wish we could go back in the Fall. You seem to have the best luck with low crowds.

 

[jenseib]

Awesome day!!! I love how you got so much done! I hope we have some less crowded days like that in Nov!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Wow! Wow! Wow! What a fantastic way to finish up your Epcot day. I have never seen Test Track without some sort of line. I love the picture of your daughter on Test Track with her hands in the air. It's those kinds of moments that make all those hard earned/spent dollars well worth it. And, while I'm wowing, let me shout out another WOW! over getting to ride Soarin' repeatedly.

I think the salsa that you ate was the same kind they served at San Angel Inn and we didn't like it either. I'm glad to here that there was a BUT inserted and the meal turned out to be great.

I think that, all around, your Epcot day should snag a best day of the trip award.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

UGH!!! I'm so far behind.

Okay, so let's see.....Loved the last few updates!! Of course I love all of your updates!!

Beautiful World Showcase pictures. Wish I was there right now.

So glad to hear you loved La Hacienda. I think yours is the first positive review I have heard of the place. The mixed grill sure looks good. And what a wonderful spot to watch IllumiNations.

And Test Track and Soarin with very little to no wait, what an evening!!!

Can't wait to hear about your CBR adventures next!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Oh my gosh! What a fabulous day!!! I'm so jealous of your TT and Soarin walk ons!
So glad you enjoyed your dinner and got a prime location.

What day was this again? Wonder where everyone went?