Trick or Tweet! The Lurkyloos Do F&W, etc: 11/8 Last Day at WDW!

[ampooh]

Love the trip report so far.

 

[bambi0921]

I'm coming out of lurkdom to say great tr so far (as always!). Your Halloween costumes were fantabulous. I'm DYING to see your take on WWHP. Can't wait for more!

 

[Disneygrl36]

Hey Carrie I'm here!
What a jam packed first day. Loved the pics of Franks & the sneakie peek into the Atlantic Dance Hall. I've always wondered what that place looked like on the inside.
The Swolphin food & wine classic looked like fun!
Can't wait for more.

 

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

So as you can see Carrie I am lurking here as well and am wondering where you went... I have got so used to reading about your trips this past week I wont know what do do without updates to read please return to your reports I promise to participate if you return. Maybe even share some of my own fun pics form my trip. Here is my and my DBF at our MNSSHP in September 2010, maybe this will entice a return to DIS TR mode

 

[Petals & Pixie Dust]

Helllooooooooooooooo?!?!?!?!? We're just sitting here waiting for you!!!! Ok come back...anytime now...

 

[beatlesblonde]

I look forward to seeing your take on WWOHP, DH and I have decided to take a day out of our next trip to go over there and check it out. I hope that 2010 is ending well for you and Patrick and 2011 is full of Disney goodness!

 

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

Just a friendly reminder that we are waiting patiently here for you to finish, don't forget . I must.. no I NEED to see more costume photos! My interest as been peeked for months and it is dying to see more

Once you finish your Christmas one you must come back . I need more luryloo trip reports to look forward too. Don't know what I would do without your commical writing and wonderful Roos photos to look at each week .

 

[nycdisneygal]

Its Yuliya! I was eating at citricos with my family during your oct trip and came up to you! HI again!!! Looking forward to hearing about your trip. Ours was great but i am in a great depression over having to probably cancel our may trip

 

[tlhbdm]

Looks like your Christmas trip is almost over, so I hope you'll start up on this one.

 

[DisGirlAllie]

Subscribing!

 

[lurkyloo]

Where did the time go...?

Hi there, Carrie!

I am so excited to see you've started this trip report. It was such a treat to meet you and Patrick. You are as charming and delightful in person as you appear in your TRs.

I can't wait to go back and catch up to hear about your first day!

You are so sweet—we had a blast meeting you too! Hopefully our paths will cross again some day.

What a huge first day! Makes me wish that I had my wedding at Disney. I really loved that Tinker Bell cake and I am not even a Tinker Bell fan. I can't wait to read more. On a side not the picture I took with you the first morning at the D23 event isn't that great, but I need to put it in my trip report since it is the only one I have!

Oh I'm OK with you witholding any not-great pictures of me. In fact, I would be happy to supply you with a glamorous photo of me in a wedding gown to Photoshop into your shot...

Oh my god, that was the biggest ball of wasabi I've ever seen. It reminds me of one of the challenges on the Amazing Race one year. "Eaaatttt the Wassaaaabbbiiiiiiii!!"

Did anyone eat it?

What an ordeal with the five-hour delay on your flight! Ugh!

Loved all the wedding pictures from Franck's! Whether my daughter wants to or not, she is just going to have to get married at WDW! (In about twelve years!)

Totally... that's why the State won't let me even HAVE a daughter!

The food looked really good at the Food & Wine Classic. I wonder what they will do different next year??

I thought about booking the Dolphin for our upcoming trip (3 more days!!!) but didn't bite the bullet. What are your thoughts on it vs. Pop (our usual haunt). We always rent a car, so bus transportation doesn't matter to us.

Hmmm... it's sorta nicer than Pop cuz of the indoor corridors and the convenient Friendship boats, but... the decor isn't THAT much better and the bathroom's practically the same. Rooms are bigger though. And beds comfier...

Looking at all those pictures makes me want to have a vow renewal! Can you mix and match those linens/tablescapes? I really like the peacock blue tablescape but I LOVE that white linen with the little circle thingies.

Yes—you can mix and match to your heart's content!

I have never heard of the Bobble before...how cool! I'm thinking I may need to order one for Christmas. My sister is obsessed with drinking bottled water. She would love this!

Ooh! So did ya get one? I forgot to tell you to also get her earplugs—the filter is LOUD when air goes thru it!

Yayyy I'm loving it all so far!!

Love the part about you looking for Patrick 'did I set him down somewhere?' SO FUNNY!!

With Patrick, you never know...

Love the reivew!

We just bought Bobbles for our upcoming trip. I REFUSE to use snack credits for bottles of water, so we got 5 of the Bobbles, a different color for each of us! I used them a bit on our September trip, but not as much as I would have liked. It should come in handy during our longer trip though.

Yay! I hope they worked out for you! I found something else for days when we don't have a backpack to put the Bobble in—the Vapur bottle, which folds flat when it's empty and can hang from your belt!

Well worth the wait!! When you write to inform I truly feel like I've experienced what you've described enough to know if I would want to try it.

Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your reports, not to mention all the fun you throw into it to make it interesting.

Can't wait for your new posts.

Wow - thanks for the kind words! It makes me to know I'm actually able to inform somewhere in there with all the snarky commentary...

I'm squinting trying to see the time on the clock in your picture from Conch Key Marina -- if I'm seeing right I think you were there right before our vow renewal!

Oh man, I woulda freaked if I'd gotten to see you guys doing a real, live VR right in front of me!

How fabulous, another lurky report!

I really like that peacock table setting, very trendy right now I think. A bit more dramatic than my wedding though!

I was wondering how you were supposed to eat the shrimp steamroller, but I guess you weren't supposed to eat it, you were just supposed to swallow it like a baby bird *gag*

I've been without a computer for almost two months, but finally bought one this weekend, so now I'm caught up! Your trip looks exhausting so far. That five hour delay is just awful And by the way, it was your wedding that made me really decide that if I ever get hitched, I'm having a DFTW. Your wedding was just gorgeous, and I'm so glad that you and the other bloggers have so much info on Disney weddings! It'll make looking at it so much easier if I ever do get married.

Yay! I'm so glad I could help talk you into a DFTW!

Subscribed! I'm looking forward to this. Just one question, Lurkyloo and i apologize if this has already been asked, what kind of camera do you have? Your pictures are beautiful! My digital takes such horrible indoor photos.

You're too kind! We use a Sony DSC-HX1. The secret is we never use flash. OK, sometimes our pix come out too dark, but most of the time the camera can compensate and turn out pictures that are brighter than actual light levels in real life. Plus it can shoot 10 frames in one second, which helps with action shots. True, we're never gonna get Root-quality pix with this thing, but we like not having to so anything to the pictures to make them look decent.

And that was just day one!! You certainly pack alot of living into your trips and your trip reports! It is always so much fun to read them and try out some of the things you do that sound like fun! I was cracking up when you said you were an exclamation point talker.. I am the same way... sentences just don't look right without an exclamation point or two (but never three, because that would be overdoing it) after them!! Looking forward to a long and detailed report!!

That's so funny! I always go for three exclamation points... Maybe it's a symmetry thing for me... Two might look like a mistake, but three says, "That girl is EXCITED!!!"

I'm one of those lurkers who chatted with you at the festival on this evening. You even got a picture of me waiting for the Blue Zoo treats. I think this festival will get better next year.

Hiya, lurky! It was great to meet you. Perhaps we'll see each other again at next year's festival.

What a crazy-full first day!

It is so good to know about that lens, cuz I have (and love) your camera, and my Christmas list was looking pretty scanty...

I have no idea why, but Rube Goldberg references always make me really happy.

It's good to see some info on the Swolphin foodfest...I think you're definitely right about food festivals actually being about drinking. I actually admitted it to myself this October: I'm not crazy about F&W. There. I said it. And I enjoy drinking! And eating!

YAYYYY! Maybe we can start a support group for the few, the proud-to-admit-they-don't-like F&W! Also, did you get that lens for Christmas? We actually somehow LOST ours sometime between this trip and our anniversary trip. Hadda buy another one a couple weeks ago!

Love the trip report so far.

Well thanks!

I'm coming out of lurkdom to say great tr so far (as always!). Your Halloween costumes were fantabulous. I'm DYING to see your take on WWHP. Can't wait for more!

Well bless you for coming out of lurkdom, and thanks for hanging in there while I finished up the Christmas report.

Hey Carrie I'm here!
What a jam packed first day. Loved the pics of Franks & the sneakie peek into the Atlantic Dance Hall. I've always wondered what that place looked like on the inside.
The Swolphin food & wine classic looked like fun!
Can't wait for more.

Sorry it's taken so long!

So as you can see Carrie I am lurking here as well and am wondering where you went... I have got so used to reading about your trips this past week I wont know what do do without updates to read please return to your reports I promise to participate if you return. Maybe even share some of my own fun pics form my trip. Here is my and my DBF at our MNSSHP in September 2010, maybe this will entice a return to DIS TR mode

I love that picture—the atmospheric glow is perfect! Sorry it took me so long to get back to this report, but I'm now going full-steam ahead!

Helllooooooooooooooo?!?!?!?!? We're just sitting here waiting for you!!!! Ok come back...anytime now...

There's always my blog...

I look forward to seeing your take on WWOHP, DH and I have decided to take a day out of our next trip to go over there and check it out. I hope that 2010 is ending well for you and Patrick and 2011 is full of Disney goodness!

Thank you so much—I hope the same for you two! We really liked WWOHP—so much, so, that I'm regretting not springing for IOA annual passes. They aren't that much more than 2 days' admission, right? Totally would have come in handy on our last trip!

Just a friendly reminder that we are waiting patiently here for you to finish, don't forget. I must.. no I NEED to see more costume photos! My interest as been peeked for months and it is dying to see more.

Once you finish your Christmas one you must come back. I need more luryloo trip reports to look forward too. Don't know what I would do without your commical writing and wonderful Roos photos to look at each week.

I'm back! And all the Roots' photos are done. Buckle up!!!

Its Yuliya! I was eating at citricos with my family during your oct trip and came up to you! HI again!!! Looking forward to hearing about your trip. Ours was great but i am in a great depression over having to probably cancel our may trip

Hi Yuliya! So great to meet you in person and in cyberspace! I hope you haven't had to cancel the May trip...

Looks like your Christmas trip is almost over, so I hope you'll start up on this one.

You betcha!

Subscribing!

Welcome!

 

[lurkyloo]

Today was even better than yesterday! For one thing, I got to sleep in. Eventually I moseyed over to Epcot on a Friendship Boat to meet Carly for more wedding location shooting.

Epcot's International Gateway seemed unusually crowded to this off-season Walt Disney World visitor.

I stopped in at Guest Services and finally got my Tables In Wonderland restaurant discount card.

Looks like I also got a locker, prolly for my backpack and tripod…

Then it was off to Canada to meet up with Carly here:

While I'd been sleepin' in and moseying, Carly had been enjoying an exciting morning of sneaking into Epcot's private wedding venues—and getting thrown out! Her mission into Living Seas Salon had been a success along the lines of our visit to Atlantic Dance Hall the previous day. But when she tried to get into the Norway VIP Lounge, a CM with a little bit of authority and a whole lotta free time had hassled her about being an escort-less member of the media and confiscated her bag! She eventually got it back, but not before learning the valuable lesson that you will get a lot further with Disney as an ordinary tourist that you will as a member of the media…

Undeterred, she next tried to get us into Le Cellier for lunch without a reservation—talk about gutsy! Although we were shut down by the hostess, it didn't really matter because, just a few steps away, Canada's Food & Wine Festival booth was slinging cheddar cheese soup and maple-glazed salmon for the masses at better prices.

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup

Each emboldened by the other, we then sauntered right into Bistro de Paris, which was closed but full of people getting ready for a Food & Wine Festival seminar. You'd be surprised how far you can get if you act like you're supposed to be there—we even earned friendly waves and calls of "Bonjour!" from the staffers as we snapped and filmed away.

To celebrate, we stopped by the Australia booth for a snack and took a break by the water in the Japan Pavilion. Tip: The Yakitori House only gives out small cups of free ice water, and they are not at all impressed if you ask for it in Japanese!

Lamington (sponge cake dipped in chocolate and coconut) and Grilled Lamp Chop with Roasted Potato Salad and Red Wine Reduction

It was pretty hot, so as we continued on around World Showcase, Carly picked up a slushy and I went for cookies 'n' cream gelato.

In Norway we took a break to ride Maelstrom. On the way out, Carly showed me where the "secret" entrance to the Norway VIP Lounge is…

Tip: Kringla Bakery gives out ginormous cups of free ice water!

Then it was time for another break (did I mention that Carly was pregnant? Cuz that was totally the reason that we kept taking breaks—it had nothing to do with my wussing out in the heat…), so we sat on a bench at the back of the Mexico Pavilion and swapped stories about meeting our spouses. Carly's is fabulous because she and her future husband were both on the college program at Walt Disney World. Even though they didn't start dating right away, it must be nice to have so many reminders of that exciting time whenever they go back.

I had a bit of time to kill before I could check in for Party for the Senses, so when Carly decided to go shoot venues in Hollywood Studios, I rode the Friendship boat there and back so we could visit a little longer.

Such a pleasant way to travel!

 

[lurkyloo]

Back at Epcot, I headed straight for American Gardens Theater to check in for Party for the Senses. They give you the option to check in there or in front of World Showplace Plaza, but since they were giving us a special seating area for that night’s Eat to the Beat concert, it made the most sense to check in at the theater.

I wasn’t particularly interested in that night’s act, Taylor… Hicks (not Swift), but I wanted to see how good the Party for the Senses seats are. They are good!

We got that big empty area right at the front!

Dear Lord, when are they going to update the ’90s-tastic stage set at America Gardens Theater? It’s like MC Hammer left it after a gig and they never took it down!

Un-zoomed pic of the view

Zoomed pic

You’d never know how uninterested I am in Hicks’ music by the number of photos I took—I was just so excited about the view!

After the show, an event guide leads the Party for the Senses attendees back over to World Showplace for the start of the party. I’m not very good at walking slowly, so I kinda zipped on ahead, thinking I’d be first in line at the door…

Nope! Not first in line!

OK, so, for those of you not familiar with Party for the Senses, it’s a 3-hour food, wine, and entertainment event where you circulate among tasting stations offering exquisite small bites (usually around a different theme each week) created by a bunch of famous chefs. Except the chefs get less and less famous and more and more yanked outta Disney restaurants every year. I don’t begrudge the Disney chefs their chance to step out of the steak/chicken/salmon box their restaurants put them in, but I do find it galling the way PFTS ticket prices keep rising as the star power keeps falling.

Apparently they used to have full-on Cirque du Soleil shows going on during PFTS. This year it was a big deal because they brought back Cirque du Soleil performers after a year’s absence—or should I say “performer,” cuz the show was one lady in a metal cage. Oh, plus a mopey musical trio of pseudo-mimes…

Also, a couple years back they introduced the Wine View Lounge, a $215 ticket that gets you a reserved seat, early access (15 minutes), a premium bar, and an artisanal cheese selection. I decided not to spend the extra $90 because I don’t drink or need more than the 2 ginormous artisanal cheese tables already included at PFTS. The party is billed as an extravagant experience, so I felt sure the Wine View Lounge would be gilding the lily.

My first inkling that “regular” PFTS is no longer a VIP experience was this…

…A line of people streaming into World Showplace ahead of the rabble who’d merely paid $125 each for the party. Leave it to Disney to create an even more expensive experience out of an already over-priced one!

When they finally opened the gates for the rest of us, it was chaos. We were held again, this time at a curtain just inside the building.

Pity the fool (me) who didn’t grab a wine glass and a portable plate on her way in and had to sacrifice her place in line to go back for one…

When the curtain dropped, the crowd cheered and poured into the room like Dickensian orphans overrunning the Savoy Hotel buffet. More chaos!

 

[lurkyloo]

The place was PACKED, and lines were already long for all the stations in the front half of the arena. Fortunately, all of the offerings were duplicated in the back half of the space, so the smart folks headed there for food and tables.

Paula Da Silva, 1500 Degrees at the Eden Roc Renaissance, Miami = Steak & Eggs: Grilled Skirt Steak, Crispy Yucca, Fried Quail Egg and Castelveltrano Olive Salsa

Donald Link, Link Restaurant Group, New Orleans = Duck Etouffee with Stone–ground Grits and Pickled Cabbage

I immediately wished I had access to the Wine View Lounge (note that I did not wish I had *paid* for access)—yes, it is possible to find a few open tables on the fringes of the room, but if you’re flying solo, every time you leave to get another taste, you give up your table and have to go hunt for another. In the lounge, you get a reserved table all night. But, holy crap, $180 extra per couple just for the privilege?! I dunno, man…

“Let’s see… where did I put my wad of cigar-starting $100 bills?”

That guy figured if he was paying $215 for the night he’d better be able to SLEEP there!

Meanwhile, the freaky mime band serenaded us with lugubrious French ballads…

Julie Southern & Kim Gilmore, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Ohana = Pan-roasted Loin of Ostrich with Sofrito Salsa and a Chimichurri Salad in Yucca Crisp

Benjamin Brown, Pebble Beach Resorts, Pebble Beach, CA = Braised Pork Belly with Fig and Edamame Ragout

I’m going to show you the sign for that one so you can see how dreadfully copyedited most of them were. What’s a pork “belly-fig”? They must’ve left the job up to the notoriously grammatically challenged Disney Parks Blog food writer…

The dessert stations were pretty disappointing—it was all fussy fruit- and liqueur-laced stuff…

David Ramirez, Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando = Pumpkin Crème Brulee in a Chocolate Tart Shell with a Cherry Morello Sauce

 

[lurkyloo]

Royal Donaldson, The Grill at ESPN’s Wild World of Sports = Dungeness Crab with Tequila Lime Vinaigrette, Bread Salad and Microgreens

I noticed what looked like it must be the warm-up act for this promised Cirque du Soleil spectacle (or possibly a one-woman stage version of “Girl, Interrupted”) and stopped to take a picture or twenty—she wouldn’t hold still!

….And then it was over and we all realized that THAT had been the Cirque du Soleil show. Huh.

Charles D. Dolson IV, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Magic Kingdom = Moroccan Braised Lamb with Cous Cous

Ted Siegel, Institute of Culinary Education, New York = Orange Lacquered Baby Back Spare Ribs with an Enoki, Radish and Pea Shoot Salad and Szechuan Black Bean and Chili Dressing

Artur Bukalo, Coral Reef, Epcot = Main (sic) Lobster Risotto with Sea Beans and Lime Oil

Nabi Saito & Mizuki Toyota, Japan Pavilion, Epcot = Tokyo Sushi Duet: Pomegranate Sushi Rice and Raw Scallop Nigiri Sushi paired with a Spicy Raw Salmon and Japanese Egg Omelet Maki Sushi rolled in Seaweed and Soy Sheet

Christopher Miller and Richard Tang, Sci-Fi Dine-In, Hollywood Studios = Herb Pheasant Breast, Smashed Root Vegetables, Wild Mushrooms Ragout and Watercress Oil

David Chapman, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Sanaa = Paneer and Seasonal Squash Tikka with Fragrant Basmati, Squash Puree, and Papadum

Meanwhile... the mimes, they were a-changin’!

Cheese display!

 

[lurkyloo]

I like cheese. I just don’t know very much about cheese. And I certainly didn’t know you were allowed to put HONEYCOMB on cheese—where has this been all my life?!

Overall… I dunno… I’ve heard Food & Wine Festival vets say they’d rather take the $125 and eat at Victoria & Albert’s than hassle with another Party For the Senses, and I kinda have to agree. Nothing I ate knocked me out, and the experience of fighting my way through crowds, constantly hunting for tables, juggling a bag and a camera and plates and glasses… it’s kinda like eating at a food truck festival, but without the cheesy mac 'n' short rib sandwich!

The final insult was the shwag bag you picked up as the door hit you on your way out. I have the Internets. I have seen the kind of stuff that used to be in these bags. This year, unless they paid the extra dough for Wine View Lounge, all the $125-paying rabble got was a cheap prom-style wine glass and (I kid you not) a red foam clown nose. Nice. On another note, watch my blog for the upcoming red foam clown nose giveaway!!!

I made my way out of Epcot and caught a boat back to the Swolphin to see if I could watch IllumiNations from my room.

Wazzo, I believe this Donald’s for you…

Apparently at one point I blacked out.

Looks like a gargantuan, sinister fish has flopped up on the roof of Atlantic Dance Hall!

Smile, you piece of garbage!

The Swolphin’s Food & Wine Classic was still in full swing when I got back.

Pieces of a Dream were still smoothly, gently tearing the roof off the mutha…

I decided that a peanut butter shake from The Fountain would be the perfect accompaniment to my in-room IllumiNations party.

It was… just OK.


I was surprised how much of IllumiNations I could see from my room. It wasn’t close, but I could see many of the low effects on the water.

 

[lurkyloo]

A lot of my shots are out of focus because my camera thought I wanted a fix on the greasy smudges on my window…

Up Next: First Full Day of Food & Wine Seminars, plus Interviewing Sam from Disneymooner.com for My Podcast!

 

[Beka]

Well I guess that explains why DH saw Taylor Hicks at ESPN on Saturday night.

I saw you at the Swolphin Food & wine thingy, but thought it best to not holler across the way with a mouth full of steak.

I really wish I had tried more food that week, but unfortunately morning sickness prevailed, so Kyle got to be the adventurous eater that week.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Huh. Well, I am now entirely confident that I would not enjoy the Festival for the Senses. It just seems entirely too crowded, crazy, and overpriced. For that sort of pricetag, I would at least think a seat wouldn't be an upcharge. It looks like a fun event, but just too hectic for my taste. And that Cirque performance was a bit too remnicent of the Line Ride from South Park .

 

[DISNEYaddict4evr]

“Let’s see… where did I put my wad of cigar-starting $100 bills?”

That guy figured if he was paying $215 for the night he’d better be able to SLEEP there!

Praise the lord!

My prayers have been answered soon very soon I will get to see more halloween costumes!

... by the way your comments on these pictures might have actually caused he to snort ... too funny!