Two Vegans, Too Much Food - Including D23 Party! (March 3 -6)

[onelilspark]

Wait. You got champagne...in the MK????

 

[v_gan]

Wait. You got champagne...in the MK????

Yep. Everyone did. I thought it was weird (and gross, because all alcohol is gross to me ), but apparantly they do serve it during special events and stuff (like weddings and whatnot).

 

[v_gan]

Wow, so I'm really bad at posting dining reviews in a reasonable amount of time. Sorry about that

After dinner, I don't really remember what we did other than riding the Jungle Cruise. But we were supposed to meet at the Hall of Presidents at (I believe) 8:00. So we sat in Liberty Square while Wishes was going on.

It was about 8:40 by the time some D23 people came by to walk us to Mickey's Phillharmagic.

Once seated, we waited probably another 20 minutes to listen to a few guys give the most vague and uninformative information possible on the new Fantasyland expansion. By this time, I was really hurting inside knowing how much I spent on a ticket to this event.

But, oh.. Once we got out it was all worth it: One word...


GASTON!

Yes, yes.. I know he uses antlers in all of his decorating and I'm sure he's totally anti-vegan . But I *LOVE* Gaston! I can't explain it. I just love him. I was beyond excited, and I was all smiles the rest of the night because I had met Gaston. Belle couldn't believe I handed him my autograph book, but I told her I thought it was safe since there weren't any mud puddles around.

Gaston was very proud of his pictures, since he knew he looked good in all of them.

After Gaston (and Belle.. ), we met Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar:

Clarabelle totally whacked me in the face with her nose. And, let me tell you, if you can avoid this happening to you, do so! It hurt. And it was a bit embarassing

After that, I met the Tremaine family:

Then we decided to check out the desserts, knowing there wouldn't be anything for us. Everyone had already dug into everything by the time we checked it out, so please excuse the messy photo content:

There were some fresh berries available at one table, but it wasn't something I really wanted at the time. So we passed. And then I found the most beautiful thing I had seen all night (besides Gaston): TEA!

Ahhh, you don't know how happy I was to see this. I grabbed some hot water and made a nice, warm cup of Darjeeling tea:

While we waited in line to meet Mickey, I sipped on my wonderfully hot and comforting tea and watched this amazing man draw Mickey on the ground with a wet rag:

Continued in next post due to picture limit...

 

[v_gan]

Continued from previous post...

I told him he was very talented. I wish things like this happened more often. It was so awesome. Then, finally, Mickey!

After meeting Mickey, we decided to ride some rides. We rode Snow White, and then I decided now would be the best time to ride Cinderella's horse on the carousel. So I searched for it while we waited and headed straight for the pretty pony when we got on. I felt like a princess

Then we went to look at the concept art they had set up near Ariel's Grotto. I thought it would be most appropriate to include this on in my dining reviews, as it shows the entrance to the Be Our Guest restaurant!

And I figured, since Dumbo won't be in it's current location for much longer, I had better take some pictures while we rode.

Then the event started to close up, and we headed towards to castle to pick up our "free" gift (that was included in the price of our ticket, of course):

A pin. Yippie. I don't collect pins.

Not quite midnight!

On the way out, we actually got to see shadows of people working on the ice cream parlor!

It was so cool, and reminded me of that Travel Channel special on what happens at Islands of Adventure after the park closes.

And that was my adventure at the D23 First Anniversary Party. To sum it up: The experience wasn't worth the price... Until they added Gaston into the mix!

Coming Up: Old Port Royale breakfast and lunch.

 

[disney_princess_85]

Thanks for reviewing the D23 Party. It's a shame it didn't live up to expectations.

On another note, your photos are really good! Do you mind me asking what camera you use? I'm on the prowl for a new one.

 

[v_gan]

Thanks for reviewing the D23 Party. It's a shame it didn't live up to expectations.

On another note, your photos are really good! Do you mind me asking what camera you use? I'm on the prowl for a new one.

Yeah, I was really dissappointed in the event. Especially for the price. Considering Disneyland's D23 Party was about half as much, and they had celebrities and Disney legends in attendance, I don't think WDW's was worth the special trip.

Thank you I use a Nikon D40. I really like it, but after two years with it, I think I'm ready to upgrade again! It's my first DSLR camera, and I love how simple it is to use. There's no lag in-between photos, so it's really easy to capture those quick once-in-a-lifetime shots that you normally miss with other digital cameras.

 

[princessallegra]

Hi!!! I just wanted to say your reviews are terrific!!!! I'm amazed by your meal at 'Ohana!!! WOW!!! What an amazing flight of VEGAN courses!!!

 

[disney_princess_85]

Thank you I use a Nikon D40. I really like it, but after two years with it, I think I'm ready to upgrade again! It's my first DSLR camera, and I love how simple it is to use. There's no lag in-between photos, so it's really easy to capture those quick once-in-a-lifetime shots that you normally miss with other digital cameras.

Thanks. It would be my first DSLR camera too, so it sounds ideal. I'll definitely check it out!

 

[v_gan]

Hi!!! I just wanted to say your reviews are terrific!!!! I'm amazed by your meal at 'Ohana!!! WOW!!! What an amazing flight of VEGAN courses!!!

It really was amazing. And I'm hoping I get the same thing in two weeks!

 

[v_gan]

Wow. Considering my next (and last, for a few years) trip is next Saturday, I better wrap these reviews up!

Today was our departure day. Since I was sick this whole trip, I decided not to make myself get up early. But I still got up early enough to pack, get ready, and then go have breakfast.

After I packed, I headed out to walk around the resort for the first time. I layed in a hammock for about a minute, walked around and looked at all the pools, and then I made my way into Old Port Royale.

And I really wanted Mickey Waffles. So I set out on my mission.

I found the station that was serving Mickey Waffles, and waited in line.

When it was my turn, I asked if they could make egg- and dairy-free waffles. They told me to wait a moment, and they would get a chef. It took a minute, so I just stood off to the side and waited. When the chef came, I asked my question again and he said that they could absolutely do that! He said it would take a little extra time, but I said that was fine. So I got out of line and stood off to the side while I waited.

No more than 5-10 minutes later, I had my very own, vegan Mickey Waffles. I thanked the chef for making them for me, paid for my meal, and headed off to find a seat.

This was my first time really doing anything on my own at Disney World. So I found a table in a corner by a window and enjoyed my time alone. It was weird eating alone at first, but then I noticed that no one was really paying any attention. So I enjoyed the rest of the time I had by myself.

Ta-da! Vegan Mickey Waffles!

I got them with the strawberry sauce, and picked up some syrup on the way to my table.

(I'm sorry, I couldn't help it! )

I hate to say this, but they weren't very good. Actually, if you want complete honesty, they were terrible. I don't know if it was so much the waffles that were bad as it was the toppings. The strawberry sauce and syrup were both disgusting. I would have paid some big bucks during this meal for some real maple syrup.

I really can't even remember the taste of the waffles. Only how bad the toppings were. But I was so happy to just have the opportunity to eat Mickey Waffles. You haven no idea how excited I was to finally get a Mickey-shaped treat that I could eat

I would definitely give vegan Mickey Waffles another chance. I'll just have to remember to pack an emergency supply of maple syrup

Up Next: Old Port Royale Lunch

 

[v_gan]

After breakfast, I headed back outside and walked around Caribbean Cay and then back to the room to finish loading the car. We went to Downtown Disney for an hour or two, and then headed back to Caribbean Beach for lunch. I was hoping to get the vegetable platter I had seen listed on a menu during dinner, but it wasn't available for lunch. I did, however, spy a black bean burger:

Unfortunately, after inquiring about it's contents, it was out of the question. It contained eggs. But the same wonderful chef that had helped me at breakfast (I believe his name was Todd) offered the suggestion of their regular veggie burger patty on a vegan bun, with the lettuce mixed with a vinegarette. It also came with freshly made sweet potato chips. Sounded good to me! I ordered two: one for me, one for my sister.

This time it took a bit longer, and there was also a family with allergies behind me waiting to talk to the chef. It tookd a good 15 minutes to get our food, but I didn't really mind.

Once the food did arrive, I thanked the chef again for helping me, and then went to pick up a few more items to finish using our snack credits.

To the right of all the cookies and pastries (where those people are standing) is where the Divvies products are kept. They had the same selection as Pop Century did the year before: Chocolate chip cookies and caramel corn.

There are plenty of healthy snacks to pick up here.

Fresh, whole fruit..

Freshly cut and sliced fruit, fruit bowls, salads, veggies and dip (usually Ranch, but you can pick up a vinegarette to use).

After I picked out my sides, I headed outside to ge a table.

I got a bowl of pineapple, a side salad, and a packet of Ken's Italian salad dressing. Plus some Divvies caramel corn and cookies for snacking in the car

The veggie burger patty was really yummy. The bun, however, was not. It was really dry. If I had smothered it in ketchup, it might have made it better. But I didn't. So it was just dry. The sweet potato chips tasted a little burnt. It was during this time we became bombarded with birds. So me and my sister both broke up our chips into pieces and fed them to the birds.

By the time I got to my side salad and pineapple, I was pretty full. But these were both fresh and tasty.

Not so sure I'll be ordering another veggie burger at Disney World if these are the only buns I can eat. Yuck. I was really dissappointed to find out the other buns aren't vegan. I hope this changes sometime soon, or they at least find an edible allergy-free bun to serve. Otherwise I might have to start carrying around my own buns, along with those tiny bottles of maple syrup!

The caramel corn and cookies were really good on the way home. I Divvies.

And that's that! I'll have a new batch of reviews after our trip in May. Me and Jon are going to a few new places, and I'll be in a much better mood on this trip

New places we'll be trying: Beaches and Cream, Cosmic Ray's (or El Pirata), Backlot Express, California Grill, and The Wave. And (hopefully) another wonderful meal with Chef TJ! *crosses fingers*

I hope you all enjoyed the reviews, and I apologize for taking so long

 

[disney_princess_85]

Old Port Royale looks like a fun food court. It's a shame the food wasn't so great! Would you recommend CBR?

Thanks for your reviews, I look forward to more. Have a great trip!

 

[athenna]

Enjoyed your reviews!
We were @ the D23 party, also...Acutally, my fiance and I were sitting on the same side you were upstairs, we were on the other end close to the stairs....I agree, I was disappointed in it, the meal was chaos, I expected some type of organization
I didnt even realize until I got back to my seat and look down, that I missed a whole sections of foods, I never saw the salads, etc while I was downstairs..It was a mess

 

[Plasticletters]

yay for divvies!

It is a big bummer about the Mickey Waffles. I heard they could be veganized and was looking forward to trying them

 

[v_gan]

Old Port Royale looks like a fun food court. It's a shame the food wasn't so great! Would you recommend CBR?

Thanks for your reviews, I look forward to more. Have a great trip!

I wanted to try the vegetable platter they had in the food court for dinner. I have a feeling it would have been good!

And, yes, I would reccommend CBR. Our pirate room was fantastic. The only thing I had some issues with were the CMs in the lobby. I didn't have a single good experience in there. But the food court and the gift shop were both nice. And if it hadn't been freezing during our trip, I'm sure the pools would have been fantastic. The pirate pool was one of the main reasons I wanted to stay there. There were so many things we didn't get to experience due to the cold weather. I'm sure it would be better in the heat, and I would definitely try it again one day (after I've made my way through the other moderate resorts!)

Enjoyed your reviews!
We were @ the D23 party, also...Acutally, my fiance and I were sitting on the same side you were upstairs, we were on the other end close to the stairs....I agree, I was disappointed in it, the meal was chaos, I expected some type of organization
I didnt even realize until I got back to my seat and look down, that I missed a whole sections of foods, I never saw the salads, etc while I was downstairs..It was a mess

The organization really was a mess. I just couldn't believe they weren't seating guests to make room for everyone. I just didn't enjoy myself at all, and I'm hesitant to attend any other D23 events now. Especially for the price. I just don't think it's worth it, and I hate to say that

yay for divvies!

It is a big bummer about the Mickey Waffles. I heard they could be veganized and was looking forward to trying them

Yay for Divvies, indeed! I looove Divvies. They're so addicting.

I was a bit bummed about the waffles. I would definitely try them again, though, if I got the chance. But I'm serious about bringing my own maple syrup next time! haha. Those toppings were so awful.

 

[mandibc11]

I hope you'll be posting some reviews of your upcoming trip!

I know you mentioned being from Birmingham...we will be heading that way next Friday (two days before we go to Disney ourselves!) to visit some friends for dinner. They mentioned a place called Surin and then one called Cocina Superior. Any vegan items on these menus? I'm thinking with Surin being Thai that might be a little better...but they are leaning towards the Margaritas at Cocina!

 

[v_gan]

I hope you'll be posting some reviews of your upcoming trip!

I know you mentioned being from Birmingham...we will be heading that way next Friday (two days before we go to Disney ourselves!) to visit some friends for dinner. They mentioned a place called Surin and then one called Cocina Superior. Any vegan items on these menus? I'm thinking with Surin being Thai that might be a little better...but they are leaning towards the Margaritas at Cocina!

Of course!

I've actually never been to either (I don't eat out much unless I'm on vacation), but I've heard good things about both. I'm sure you could find a vegan item at both of the restaurants. Here's a link to their menus:

http://www.thecocinasuperior.com/menu.html
Looks like they have veggie enchiladas, fajitas, and a wrap.

http://www.surinwest.com/
I think you can substitue tofu or vegetables for most of the meat-based entrees.

There's a restaurant/music venue downtown called Bottletree that serves quite a few vegan entrees and desserts. It's not fancy in the least, but it's fun and different. A lot of "hipsters" go here, but if you can get around that, it's great.
http://www.thebottletree.com/btmenu.html

There's also a few mediterranean restaurants that have falafel and vegetable kebabs.

 

[mandibc11]

Thank you for the suggestions! Turns out we won't be going afterall...which is just as well; we have to pack for Disney!

Hope you're having a blast on your trip.

 

[purpleveg]

I'm so excited for you next reviews! They are all so fun to read!
That sucks about the vegan waffles...do you think they were gluten free too? That might be why..my mom is somewhat gluten intolerant and we make baked goods (when we have to, like birthdays) gluten free (vegan sometimes too) Some turn out ok and some...not so much. haha, just wondering.

 

[VeganRazzleDazzle]

This is probably a little late but better late then never right!

Your Dumbo Ride pic (the closeup) is AMAZING!!!

It is better than any on the Disney Website! They should buy it from you.
What kind of camera do you have???