1st time F&W, MNSSHP, Africa Trek & no kids! (Updated 5/11/14)

[saintstickets]

I'm glad they were able to find your pictures!!! That would be so disappointing to be missing some.

I agree...it was really nice that they were able to find them but like I said, a bit creepy too!

That close-up picture of the Tree of Life is really cool. Like it a lot!

Thx!

Love the FOTLK pics. I was bummed that it was closed when I was there, but it did ensure that I saw the Finding Nemo show for the first time.

The FOTLK is reopening for a special Harambe Night show on June 7th. I would assume the regular FOTLK show is close behind. We've actually never seen Finding Nemo

Tusker House's character breakfast was one of my favorite things from my trip... not sure that I would have loved it as much for a different meal and without Donald Duck.

I do believe the character breakfast would be much better.

Now I want apple strudel with caramel. Actually, I want caramel.... the apple strudel would just be a bonus! Ha.

It was actually VERY good and you can't beat the $3.50 price tag!

Yay for another trip in June!!!! I desperately want to go back and I've only been home for about 2 1/2 months!

Ahhhhh...the dreaded PDDS (Post Disney Distress Syndrome). Only a true Disney fan will know what we mean!

Love all your f&W samplings. I tried a couple of the things you mentioned. The dessert trio I felt the same way about... the ravioli... felt the same on that.

That dessert was mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!! C'mon Italy, put a little meat in your ravioli!! Don't tease me with a beef sauce!

DH and I have an ADR for Yachtsmen... in someways I am so excited and in others I am just worried it will fall short. I use to love LC... then finally got dh to go and it was one of the worst meals we ever had. (So much salt on the steak I was literally cutting away the outside edge to make it palatable.. not sure why I didn't just send it back. ) We finally tried BD in January and it too fell into "one of the worst" categories for us. So a solid B gives me hope that Yachtsmen wont fall short.

It wasn't bad at all...in fact it was quite good but I guess I went in expecting it to be better. Maybe I should lower my expectations next time...not all Disney restaurants can be like the former Bistro de Paris, Jiko's or the pièce de résistance - Victoria & Albert's!!!

 

[saintstickets]

Your trip looks delicious! I can't wait to go this September! I have my MNSSHP booked and a ton of meals. Still deciding on which Tour I want thou. I'm leaning towards the Africa Trek I think! I have already cancelled the Backstage Magic once, an 7 hour walking tour seems a bit much during short days at Disney.

Don't forget the F&W seminars, culinary events and luncheons!!

Can't wait for your next installment of the trip!

Ask and ye shall receive!!

 

[saintstickets]

Okay peeps...it's time to wrap this puppy up and put it to bed. Today is our last day!

Saturday – October 26, 2014

Today is another take-it-easy day. We have scheduled a Cheese seminar at 10:30am at the Festival Seminar that will last about an hour and a half, a Culinary demonstration at 1:00pm in the same building and a DISmeet dinner in the Rose and Crown in UK at 7:25pm tonight.

We arrived a few minutes early at the Festival Center and perused the items for sale. People started lining up about 10:00am for



While we were in line, I poked my camera through a spot in the surrounding screens to see what was going on.












As you saw on our ticket, we were at the Australia table. Each table was labeled with a country that participated in F&W and I assume the year was the first year they joined. I’m not sure how the seatings were assigned but there really isn’t a bad seat anywhere.

Soon we were allowed in and found our table.



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[saintstickets]

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Our hosts for today are



The first from left to right is…the Sommelier (A professionally trained wine steward) whose name I do not remember. He will discuss the white and red wine we will sample. The white wine was a Vincent Delaporte Sancerre Savignon Blanc. The red wine was a Vincent Girardin Beaujolais Gamay. Sancerre is the region in France where the grapes are grown. It is about 2 hours south of Paris near the town of Chavignol. The Beaujolais is grown near the village of Chenas in Burgundy and the area was first established in the Middle Ages. It is a highly prized area for vineyards. The Girardin brand is grown on just 50 acres in the Moulin-a-Vent appellation. In words I can understand, an appellation is a designated area set out by a bunch of high-fallootin’ muckety mucks on a wine board in France that said we’re gonna call this area this and that area that. I’m sure there are more details to consider but to sum it up, if you know your French geography, you can tell where the grapes were grown by the name of the wine.

The middle host in the previous picture is Ms. Pam Smith. She hosts several seminars and culinary demonstrations during F&W. She is a registered dietician and nutrionist. She is a published author and owner of PS Flavor spices.

The gentleman on the right in the previous picture is Mr. Max McCalman. He too is a published author and considered a Maitre Fromager (big wig cheese guy!) and an expert on wine and cheese pairings for over 20 years.

With all that fancy talk, don’t be intimidated by this seminar. Yes, they talked about things that were over my head but they also brought it down to a level that I understood and appreciated.

Now for our cheese samplings today



The first three are cheese using cow's milk. From the top left we have an Appenzeller from Switzerland. Top right is a Gouda from Holland. Bottom right is a Stilton from England. The bottom left is cheese using milk from a sheep and is a Pecorino Toscano Stagionato from Italy. As you can see, there are also dates, apricot, raisins, nuts and other items to try with the various cheeses. In addition, there was a basket of thin wafers on the table.

I won’t even attempt to tell you what was discussed about each cheese sample or the wines. The hosts explained how the cheeses were processed down to where the cow/sheep grazed and how long it was aged in a cave at what temperature! The wine was harvested after sundown on the 3rd night following a full moon and was aged in a specific type of wooden barrel for X number of years. I exaggerate a bit but what was said were things over my head at times. However, they also said, try this cheese with this wine with a bit of apricot/date, etc. and it will taste good together. Try it with this other thing and you can taste the saltiness, the creaminess, blah, blah, blah. They dumbed it down quite nicely for this ole Mississippi boy. They also discussed the healthy benefits of cheese (I know…I didn’t know there were any either!) and Mr. McCalman even stated that certain cheeses improved the libido at which Ms. Smith quickly said, “Disney…Disney…remember we are at Disney!” Dang woman...hush up and let the man talk!

We really enjoyed the cheese seminar. In addition to learning a lot, the wine pours were unlimited!! One could easily walk (or crawl) away from this seminar with a nice buzz! In a nutshell, it is very much what F&W is all about.

As for my preferences, I liked the gouda cheese with the red wine and the Italian sheep’s cheese with the white wine. The Stilton from England was VERY similar to our blue cheese and a little goes a long way. It was my least favorite but I still liked it.

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[saintstickets]

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After the seminar, we wandered around inside the Festival Center. There was a very extensive selection of adult beverages that were featured in the various seminars and tastings.




Along with other items available for purchase






In addition to the featured beverages, there were others




Do you have to be skinny to drink it or does it make one skinny?

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[saintstickets]

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Over on one side of the Center, Ghirardelli Chocolate had a display




And here are their displays…behind glass of course. They couldn’t take the chance that some smarty pants might reach in and take a bite (not that I know anyone that would do that!)



PIC 542 (4393)









Can you believe everything was made out of chocolate?!? They were passing out free samples to ease the pain of seeing all that delicious chocolate and not being able to touch!

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[saintstickets]

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As we were walking around, I noticed that one of the hosts during the Cheese Seminar was having a book signing. Well, it wasn’t exactly a book…it was this




It’s a pretty neat swatchbook that lists 50 different cheeses. On one side of the page, it lists a type of cheese, a little bit about it and the suggested wine to pair with it. On the reverse, it has that wine, info about that type of wine and additional wines that would pair well with the cheese. For example…







Mr. McCalman was very hospitable. He asked where we were from and of course he was unfamiliar with our little hamlet but he was familiar with the area since he went to college in Arkansas. We talked about various restaurants in nearby New Orleans that we both knew. He was very gregarious and unpretentious (I had to look those words up!) and in no hurry to move on to the next patron and leave. Of course he signed the swatchbook for you since you bought it!




Later, when we returned home, I wanted to see who this guy was and find out more about the hosts that Disney brings in for F&W. If you Google Max McCalman, you will find this isn’t some wannabe that Disney schlepped in to fill time and take your money. This man is THE cheese guy! He has won numerous international awards and honors, he’s Dean at the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, published several books and the Chairman of the ACS Committee for CCP! For those in the know, that stands for American Cheese Society’s Committee for Certified Cheese Professionals…WHEW! I was impressed. For most people, Disney could have had anyone co-host this seminar, let them talk a big game over everyone’s head and then be on their merry way without anyone the wiser. They brought a very well respected and internationally known expert to share their knowledge and on a level that even this ole redneck could mostly comprehend. Not bad…not bad at all.

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[saintstickets]

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We hung around the Center for a while because at 1:00pm, we had tickets for another show. This was one of the daily F&W Culinary Demonstrations. This particular one was co-hosted by the same woman we saw during the cheese seminar, Ms. Pam Smith RD LDN. Like Mr. McCalman, she is not someone they pulled off the streets. She too has published multiple books, hosted numerous TV food shows, has her own line of spices (PS Flavor) and is creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Weight Strategy that she has used to coach various celebrities and professional athletes. She is an executive on the culinary development team at Darden Restaurants, Cracker Barrel, Aramark Business Dining, Hyatt Resorts, Bimini Bay Resort and of all places, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Lines! She has been a host at F&W every year since it began in 1995. Again, this is no light weight Disney has hosting the demonstraton.

For this demonstration, she paired with a woman that owns Schweiger Vineyards in Napa Valley, Mrs. Sally Schweiger. The featured wine was their Chardonnay.

In this demonstration, Ms. Smith shows how she prepares a specific dish. In our case, it was country Caesar salad with smokey southern grilled shrimp. Here is the recipe






Here is Ms. Smith to begin the show




Since it would be impossible to see the actual cooking process for a group, they have two large flat screen TV’s on either side of the stage area that made it very easy to see what was happening








Backstage, there were numerous assistant chefs preparing the dish for the attendees to eat and here is the finished product




The demos run about 45 minutes and are very reasonable at $14 per person. You get to learn how to cook a dish and can ask questions. We received a free sample of the spice that was used in the dish.




And the best part, you get a decent meal and unlimited pours of wine (or at least unlimited to what you can drink in 45 minutes). There aren’t many places at Disney you can get that for only $14!

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[saintstickets]

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After the demonstration, we headed back to World Showcase. By now it was after 2:00pm and as I have said before, at this time of the day, the populace is expanding




One would think we were full after the cheese samples and the shrimp dish but we had also consumed a copious amount of wine so we decided to visit a few F&W kiosks on the way back to the room. First up was seared scallops with a ragout of tomatoes, peppers & hearts of palm at the Brazil kiosk. Dunno where that pic is but I do remember this was quite tasty. Next were samples of two of my favorite things at WS.






In case you don’t recognize this, here is a hint…we were at the Canada kiosk.

Yup…you got it…from Le Cellier we have wild mushroom beef filet mignon with truffle butter sauce and their cheddar cheese soup! For a total of $11.25, we sampled 2 of Le Cellier’s signature dishes and didn’t have to have an ADR!!

We head back to our room to get cleaned up because tonight, we’re going to have a DISmeet dinner at Rose and Crown with the infamous, anonymous spy MEK and her husband Denny!

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[saintstickets]

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Like most people on the DISboards, you follow their TR’s and get to know a bit about them. DISboard member MEK has been very gracious to me, especially when I ask crazy questions (or post even crazier comments! You're shocked...I know!!). One of her TR’s was the first I followed. In addition, she was one of the first to follow my first TR in 2010. In 2011, we discovered that we were both going to be at HHI at the same time in October. A DISmeet was planned. Our DS1 called us about 2 months before the trip to tell us he was getting married so we had to cancel the HHI trip. Yea for DS1 getting married…boo for not getting to meet MEK. Two years later we discovered that our WDW trips were going to overlap. A DISmeet was planned again. We worked out a mutually agreeable time and dinner was planned at Rose and Crown. Fast forward to the last day of this TR and we are meeting at 7:25pm!

DW and I arrived a few minutes early and the crowds were not abating from this afternoon. If anything, I think there are more people! We are standing outside R&C people watching and a college age male exits. He was belligerent and loudly (as most drunks do) telling his mother that he wasn’t going to take that s**t! Another college age male exits and before you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, the two are going at it! I turned to DW to see if she was seeing what I saw and by the time I turned back around, security appeared out of nowhere! I tried to take a pic but it didn’t come out very well




The two WDW uniformed guards were trying to break it up but the mother of male1 is involved and the girlfriend of male2 is also involved. The girlfriend is trying to get male2 to stop. The mother of male1 is joining in on the action and going after male2!! Ahhhh…the love of a mother for her child….sighhhhh. I might understand this if there was a huge size or age difference in the two enemy combatants but the “contestants” were very similar! It’s a different world these days I guess. When I was younger, I’d be more worried about what my mother would do to me afterwards than anything the other person could do!

Anyhow, back to the fisticuffs…in a matter of seconds, three more security personnel appear from out of the blue and they are the no-nonsense type!! All three were dressed in all black and looked like they were members of a SEAL team! In no time, the action is stopped and male1 is in plastic handcuffs. Mama bear is told to shut it or she will be put in handcuffs too. Male2 is trying to explain, in a very confrontational way, that he was attacked. His girlfriend keeps telling him to calm down but to no avail. He is now in handcuffs. Girlfriend throws up her hands and says, “I told you to shut up!”

The two UFC wannabes are frog-marched away and order was restored. The whole thing, from start to finish, took less than 4 minutes! Way to go Disney!! Wanna bet there are at least two names on the “Do Not Let In” list?

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[saintstickets]

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Shortly thereafter, we see MEK and Denny. Spouses are introduced and in a few minutes, we are seated. First the food…DW had this




For the life of me I don’t know remember what that was. Normally I would look at the receipt but the CM messed up and put part of MEK and Denny's order on our ticket and part of DW's order on theirs. I do remember I had the corn beef and cabbage




And we shared a dessert




Shortly after the meal we had fantastic seats for Illuminations


















My pics of Illuminations were okay but MEK took some GREAT pics. Make sure you look at those on her TR.

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[saintstickets]

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The meal was very good, the fireworks were spectacular but the best part of the meal was the company




I have a feeling that MEK and I never meet a stranger but I think Denny and Grace were a little apprehensive about meeting and dining with someone they never met before. Within a few minutes of being seated, one would think we’d known each other for years (well…technically…MEK and I have here on the DISboards!). There were no awkward moments of silence or pregnant pauses in the conversation. MEK and Denny are two of the nicest people you would ever meet. DW and I had the best time and truly hope we get the opportunity to see this couple again and often in the future. Thanks MEK & Denny for a wonderful evening!

The four of us took a leisurely stroll back towards our respective resorts. We said our goodbyes as MEK and Denny headed to BWV and Grace and I made our way to BCV. What a great way to end our fantastic week at WDW!!

Tomorrow we pack up and drive the 601 miles back to our home in Mississippi.

I’ll wrap this TR up in the next post and give a sneak preview of our next trip.

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[saintstickets]

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As you have read, we had a really great time this trip. There were a few hiccups along the way but there always is no matter where you go. I hope I didn’t “over-picturefy” (how’s that for a made up word?) the TR. I took nearly 1300 pictures during the trip but posted only 575 for this TR!

A few days after we were home, I was looking at all our souvenirs, receipts and pictures to begin planning this TR. I noticed on the printout of all the charges that you get when you checkout that there was something missing. Being the type of person that I am, I keep all my receipts and when I compared them to the printout, I discovered that the meal at Les Chefs de France was not included. I called the Guest Services number on the printout and told them of the error. Since I had the receipt, I could tell the CM all the details and she tried to find the charge in the system. She could not find it. I asked her if I could give her my credit card number to complete the transaction since we enjoyed the meal, we should pay for it. She told me she didn’t have the capability to do that and she guessed that I got the meal for free. I tried again to pay for it to no avail. Oh well… Not only did DW enjoy the eye-candy provided by our waiter CM Teddy at Les Chefs, we got to see Remy before he left, we had a nice meal and it was free!
Pixie dust!!!

That wraps up this TR folks. I hope you enjoyed it and maybe discovered a thing or two to do on your next trip. I know I always find something to add to my bucket list when I read other TRs. My bucket started out a pail and now it is 55 gallon drum!!

As I finish this TR, we are getting geared up for our next trip to WDW. DW, myself, DD and DSiL will leave our little hamlet on Saturday 5/31 for a 2br at BWV. We will be at WDW all week and leave on Saturday 6/07. Here are our plans thus far…

5/31 (Sat) – Travel the 600+ miles to WDW. Arrive about 6:00pm and check into Fairfield Inn & Suites for the night.

6/01 (Sun) – Requested online an early check in at BWV around 9:00am. We shall see if this works.
11:00am – Purchased the “Feel the Force” Star Wars package with reserved spot for Star Wars parade
1:10pm – FP for Toy Story Mania
2:10pm – FP for Tower of Terror
3:45pm – FP for Great Movie Ride (rumor is this will be gone by the end of the year)
6:45pm – ADR @ Kouzzina by Cat Cora (this restaurant will close 9/30/14)
8:30pm – “Feel the Force” dessert party followed by reserved space for fireworks

6/02 (Mon) – DHS
9:05am – FP for Rock-n-Roller coaster
10:35am – FP for Tower of Terror
12:25pm – ADR @ Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
1:25pm – FP for Star Tours
4:00pm – Surprise Mother/Daughter massage at Mandara Spa in the Dolphin
8:15pm – ADR @ Shula Steak House

6/03 (Tue) – AK
9:40am – FP for Kilimanjaro Safari
10:40am – FP for Expedition Everest
No lunch ADRs but probably eat at Flaming Tree BBQ
12:25pm – FP for Kali River Rapids
DTD 6:00pm – Tickets for Cirque Du Soleil
No dinner ADRs – Will try Earl of Sandwich or Raglan Road

6/04 (Wed) – MK
10:10am – FP for Peter Pan’s Flight
11:40am – FP for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
12:55pm – FP for Splash Mountain
Here I am going to test the new FP rules and as soon as we get off Splash Mountain, I will try to get another FP for either the afternoon parade or for Wishes.
4:50pm – ADR @ Be Our Guest

6/05 (Thur) – EP
9:45am – FP for Journey into Imagination
10:55am – FP for Soarin’
12:40pm – FP for Mission Space (GREEN SIDE!)
6:05pm – ADR @ Coral Reef

6/06 (Fri) – 9:30am – ADR @ Kouzzina by Cat Cora for breakfast
No plans for the rest of the day. Putt putt golf? Swimming pool? Another day in the parks?

6/07 (Sat) - Time to pack up and leave

That’s all we have planned thus far. I’m sure we will make a change here and there but it looks like we’ll have plenty to do! Thanks again for reading along!!

 

[ElenaJane]

I had a lot of fun reading your trip report! And you even caught a fight on film at the end. That's entertainment! When I was last in EPCOT, as the evening approached, the World Showcase took on a vibe I was not expecting. I bet there is some type of brawl about every night. Factor in booze, heat, crowds...

We seem to travel around the same times! We took the late October 2013 trip as well, and now we are going this month also! I hope you do another TR for your next trip! You did not over-picturfy!! Have fun counting down these last few weeks until you are "home" again.

 

[stacylm]

Loved reading your trip report! And, the pics were great you totally make the reader feel like they are at Disney with you. Hope you do a TR for your upcoming trip. I won't be in WDW till October so I'm living the dream through you!!! Safe travels and lots of

 

[natebenma]

What an amazing continuation of your day at AK!!!

Love EE! Love FotLK! Flights of Wonder is on my bucket list, but unfortunately, not on the rest of my family's. We also haven't been to Rafiki's Planet either.

Great photopass pictures. I'm glad they were not lost forever. We had some taken at RNR a few years ago, the only time I have ever seen a PP in front of the guitar, but the pictures never made it to our account and even though I knew exactly when and where they were taken, and provided pictures showing what we were wearing, the pictures were never found.

We have had breakfast and lunch at Tusker House, but when we are in the mood for an African themed buffet, it is Boma that does it for us!

 

[POLY1985]

Breakfast at Les Halle's is something I definitely want to try. Will they let you enter from the front if the park or just the International Gateway? I like the idea of being able to take some pictures with less people.
I see you will be going to Shulas on your upcoming trip. We have a Shulas near our home in PA and we went for DH's birthday in December. I never order steak out - I like mine grilled at home - but I decided to try it here. Best. Steak. Ever!
I don't know if that Shulas does the same as the one in our area but if it does and one of you going has a birthday within a few weeks of your trip, sign up for their online newsletter. They send you a certificate for a free entree -that can be a $40 something coupon!
Sorry your TR is over, I really enjoyed it!

 

[annmarieda]

I really and truly enjoyed your TR. The pictures were amazing!

Your last day...

I envy your seminars that you did. Cheese and wine pairing.. I would absolutely love to do this. I will be looking into it for my own fall trip. Then the culinary demo... OMG! $14 sounds like quite the deal.

The 4 minute brawl sounds intense. I am impressed that Disney took little time to get it under control. Those black clothed agents... we encountered them once. They are pretty stealthy. It was shocking how they seem to come out of no where and then are just as quick to disappear. In our case, it was just that a couple obnoxious youths (probably late teens early twenties) who started to curse at dh and our then toddler to move out of their way. There was no time for dh to even react before a large male in black clothing appeared and informed the offending youth that he would need to stop or be escorted out of the park. Even before dh could react to that... both were gone. Kinda a nothing to see here sort of moment..and what just happened rolled into one. Since then I have always felt as though Disney is watching VERY heavily the goings on within the parks. Kinda creepy.. kinda reassuring....

Your meal with MEK sounds quite nice. Dismeets are so fun. Even though you may never have met in person it can feel like you are seeing an old friend that you have known forever.

I said it on MEK's TR, but I will also say it here... you view of illuminations is amazing!!!

And... your upcoming trip is not too far off. Sounds like some great plans!!

 

[natebenma]

(Continued from previous post 4)

Later, when we returned home, I wanted to see who this guy was and find out more about the hosts that Disney brings in for F&W. If you Google Max McCalman, you will find this isn’t some wannabe that Disney schlepped in to fill time and take your money. This man is THE cheese guy! He has won numerous international awards and honors, he’s Dean at the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, published several books and the Chairman of the ACS Committee for CCP! For those in the know, that stands for American Cheese Society’s Committee for Certified Cheese Professionals…WHEW! I was impressed. For most people, Disney could have had anyone co-host this seminar, let them talk a big game over everyone’s head and then be on their merry way without anyone the wiser. They brought a very well respected and internationally known expert to share their knowledge and on a level that even this ole redneck could mostly comprehend. Not bad…not bad at all.

The Big Cheese?

(Continued from previous post 6)

After the demonstration, we headed back to World Showcase. By now it was after 2:00pm and as I have said before, at this time of the day, the populace is expanding

YIKES!!!

I enjoyed reading about your adventures in Food & Wine. The seminars sound really well done. The Caesar Salad recipe looks fantastic!

Wow, those chocolate displays are insane.

I love sampling all kinds of food, and I am not finicky in the least. I would have trouble not trying everything. I'm not a big fan of kimchi, but many people have identified that as their favorite thing at F&W, so I would even give that a try.

I might skip the ravioli- I have read that is so-so in a few reviews.

I haven't been to Yachtsman- I've only dined at the sister restaurant, Captain's Grille.

Great dinner & meet with MEK and Denny! I love the view and your pictures of Illuminations from there.

Great report!

Sounds like a really fun lineup for the next trip- I look forward to reading all about it.

 

[saintstickets]

I had a lot of fun reading your trip report! And you even caught a fight on film at the end. That's entertainment! When I was last in EPCOT, as the evening approached, the World Showcase took on a vibe I was not expecting. I bet there is some type of brawl about every night. Factor in booze, heat, crowds...

Thanks so much for the kind words. I really don't understand the concept of spending all that money to go to WDW and then get drunk. You could have saved yourself a lot of time, effort and $'s and stayed home to do that! Not to mention the fact that I doubt they will be riding anything the next morning!

We seem to travel around the same times! We took the late October 2013 trip as well, and now we are going this month also! I hope you do another TR for your next trip! You did not over-picturfy!! Have fun counting down these last few weeks until you are "home" again.

It does seem that we go at similar times. One day we'll have to stop and say hi!

Loved reading your trip report! And, the pics were great you totally make the reader feel like they are at Disney with you. Hope you do a TR for your upcoming trip.

Awww....thank you ma'am. I love getting my Disney fix between trips by reading TRs!

I won't be in WDW till October so I'm living the dream through you!!! Safe travels and lots of

We will be on the DCL Dream from 10/02-10/05 and then back to WDW from 10/05-10/10/14. If you are there during the same time in October, stop by and say hi! I'll be the one with a Saints polo on!

What an amazing continuation of your day at AK!!!

Love EE! Love FotLK! Flights of Wonder is on my bucket list, but unfortunately, not on the rest of my family's. We also haven't been to Rafiki's Planet either.

I think one could go to WDW 3 times a year for a week each and still not see everything...I also think I need to try and prove myself wrong!

Great photopass pictures. I'm glad they were not lost forever. We had some taken at RNR a few years ago, the only time I have ever seen a PP in front of the guitar, but the pictures never made it to our account and even though I knew exactly when and where they were taken, and provided pictures showing what we were wearing, the pictures were never found.

I wish they could've found the pics for you. I try to get the PP photog to take one using my camera too just in case something gets lost.

We have had breakfast and lunch at Tusker House, but when we are in the mood for an African themed buffet, it is Boma that does it for us!

Boma is on our bucket list. Since we already have all our ADR's set for the rest of this year I guess it'll have to wait until 2015!