Auto Train to College Program w/24hr at MK & SWW(new!SWW '14 rope drop/sci fi brkfst)

[poison ivy]

well obviously "today" was 2 days ago and that came and went.
But I'm almost ready with the Flying Fish and a fun weekend update from June 2014.
which was a trip!

so stay tuned if you haven't already tuned out!

 

[poison ivy]

UPDATE

Part I - SWW IV w/Mark Hamill


Ok so I've been absent for a while but am determined to finish this report.

But before I talk to you about the Flying Fish, I wanted to post a mini update
from our crazy Star Wars Weekend IV trip June 5-8, 2014.

If you are planning a visit, here is a quick recap of several new things happening at the World!

Magicbands and FP+ – there are so many threads about this on the boards it's not even funny.

But for anyone not in the loop - Read this (courtesy of the Disney website):
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/

I. Magicbands
guests can now have just about everything they carry at Disney
(room keys/park tix/ magical express vouchers/ mealplans /fastpasses /photopasses/ charging privileges and more)
loaded onto a bracelet cleverly promoted as a “magicband” to encourage participation.

These silicone straps come in traditional grey when issued on property.
(this was our very first set from Dec)





But if you're really hip, you preorder them online, and choose from a variety of colors:
Red and Yellow and Pink and Green.........No Purple yet Orange and Blue....................
delivered right to your doorstep before you leave home! (let the tracking, err I mean packing begin!!)

And if you're in need of a little silicone enhancement, Disney is at your service.
(Iron Man wasted no time dropping $13.80 to augment his the minute he arrived)



Don't worry. It gets worse.

Here are JQ and Iron Man attending 2 of the more popular 2 minute lectures on Magicband 101 appropriately titled:

A. WEARING the BAND vs. trying to avoid it. And
B. TAPPING the READER or we won't let you bypass the que (which now includes the ME counter)





Too Funny!

But let's venture beyond the band.

II. Enter The FP+

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the World!

(explained very well and in detail per disney's website)
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/fastpass-plus/?CMP=KNC-WDW_FY14_DOM_Q3RACK_Sitelink_FastPass|G|4141300.RR.AM.02.13

That's right. You can now reserve your fastpasses months in advance.

But there's a catch:
You are limited to what, when and how many you can secure (and they're "tiered" - which I'm not even going to begin to get into);
Onsite guests are given preferential VIP access (60 days in advance);
And here's the kicker: You must prepurchase a park ticket to do this.

Which brings us to problem #1. JQ and I had no tickets
This was an unplanned, last minute trip booked in April to attend a SWW in June. We purposely let our AP's expire in Dec. without buying renewals. Mark however, still had an active AP, so he was allowed to book fastpasses for himself alone.

Followed by problem #2. FP+'s were coming for Event Shows at SWW

Let me explain.
FP's tend to run out well in advance for the more coveted attractions such as:

1. Meet Anna and Elsa
(way to go Iron Man!)





2. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Great fun for the entire family!



(it appears a guest may have cut his TAPPING the READER class in that last photo)









and most importantly:

3. "A Conversation With Mark Hamill"
Guaranteed seating inside the Premiere Theatre to view live and in person
the hottest Star Wars Weekend IV celebrity event in town.



This was a must have for any visiting fan that weekend, and we really wanted one!

But again, JQ and I had no park tickets.

And without that golden ticket you can't enter the Disney FP+ 60 day advance midnight run challenge, where grown men and women book resort stays and buy advance tickets for the chance to aggressively compete amongst one another when the clock strikes 12! and grab those ungettable get fastpasses ahead of the rest of us crazy kids! (***warning: sometimes the clock has to strike 1 AM*** check the "theme parks attractions and strategies forum" on that one)

Then everyone logs on the DIS for post-bragging rights! (guilty as charged)

JQ and I did not want to pass up the opportunity to at least try for an elusive theatre ticket to Hamill on June 7, and like it or not, this meant we HAD to PLAY FP+.

So we dug deep and bought new DVC AP's ahead of time.

Once you enter the (unactivated) voucher number the CM recites over the phone into My Disney Experience you are immediately linked up in the system and ready to go!

Next, we partially copied Iron Man's FP+ reservations (that's a whole other chapter) for all the great stuff happening at Fantasyland, and waited anxiously for the start of the online FP competition for Mark Hamill's show. (which had a special FP+ release date)

I told you it gets worse.

FYI: AP's can be obtained and loaded onto Magicbands at the parks, which we opted to do at the Transportation and Ticket Window.
They aren't activated until you tap the reader to enter a park. very easy!



So how did we make out? We joined our fellow disers on the day the passes for Mark Hamill were released, which quickly devolved into an online support group!

You can read about our trials and tribulations here.
http://www.htp.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3275083&page=141


At 8:00 am on 5/30/14 the FP's were supposed to go live.

Instead, we got error messages

Who called it?

"We're sorry,

We were unable to fully complete your request due to system challenges. If you continue to experience this problem, please visit the MyDisneyExperience Help Center, otherwise please try your request again later."

This lasted about 25 minutes. Then we all got this:

Finally shows up at almost 8:30 STANDBY ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so disappointed.

Until finally at 8:40:

I got it !!! I got it !!! I got it !!!

6/7... Replaced TSMM - obviously a tier 1.

This after I was complaining with GS that this was not working. They could not help me with changing a FP - I had to be transferred back to the internet help queue and wait again on hold, even though I had waited on hold for over 20 minutes to begin with just to be answered by a clueless CM.

We all managed to get them. And by 9:30 they were gone.

Was it worth it? Heck Yeah!

Could we have gotten into the show without a FP?
Yes - only a limited amount were distributed.
Seats were left available each day on a first come first serve basis.

But we wanted to avoid that.
We still had to line up early to be among the first to walk in for great seats!



And with that being said, I now present

A Conversation with the many faces of Mark Hamill

















What a Great Show!



Part II of SWW '14 coming up.

 

[Johnny Quest]

The whole reason we went to Disney pretty much was to see Mark Hamill and we weren't disappointed.

He is very easy to relate to. An unassuming, down to earth man who happened to have a part in one of the biggest movies of all time. I liked him as soon as he started to talk. His family was at WDW with him and he was very charismatic and entertaining. I wasn't sure what to expect but was very entertained.

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train on the other hand is a baby coaster.

 

[poison ivy]

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train on the other hand is a baby coaster.

I love how you sneak this comment over here where no one will notice.
Chicken.

You apparently have friends who agree with you.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50732176

Incidentally, a "baby" coaster is the caterpillar that goes around 3x in a little circle at our carnival.

7DMT is The Barnstormer stealing 1/2 of the lowest inclined track from BTMRR to ride thru the base of EE.

 

[Johnny Quest]

C'mon, where's part 2? I need to see what I did on this trip. Hope I had a good time! Guess I'll find out.

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE Continued

Part II: The Good, Bad and the FP+

Let me start off with the following statement:

I'm not a fan of the magicband or FP+

There. I said it.

I'm sure there are tons of groupies extolling the many virtues of this technological breakthrough and I couldn't be happier for them.

But you can count me out.

(Disclaimer: of course this is purely subjective and my opinion only so pay no attention esp. if you tend to disagree)

FP+ is GOOD for 1 reason and 1 reason alone:
To secure an Advance Reservation for the latest in demand Ticket E headliner attraction or event.

It can get you:
a private viewing spot for the parade or fireworks
a guaranteed ride on an incredibly popular attraction like the 7 Dwarfs Mine Train
a reserved time to meet the elusive Anna and Elsa
a definite seat for an announced special event
and even a reservation for counter service lunch at Be our Guest restaurant.

What a relief to have that assurance without hassling with the crowd or rope drop.

BUT
Don't get too excited.

You still have to line up early and jockey for position against those among you to gain the best vantage point for a parade or show

FP+ is BAD for 2 reasons:

1. Confines your day - you have to meet a ton of time constraints.
2. Disrupts your impulsivity - you can't just stop and indulge at will; you've now got a full preset agenda to keep.

Having to attend to this much in a daily planner is a lot of work to maintain and manage.
It can really mess with all the magic and hinder that spontaneous family fun.
Tack on a few dining reservations and it's way over the top

Now: You have to physically make it to the park by a set time to be at this attraction at this time and the next attraction at that time, crammed in with a parade viewing at a fixed time and a meal probably wedged somewhere in between.

No thanks.

We will use it on a very limited basis in the future.
(Which may have been the company plan all along)
You know, expand the population in hopes the majority fade away.
Because let's face it - The less you tend to ride, the more you tend to buy!

FP+ is UGLY for 3 reasons:

1. Forces you to buy a park ticket in advance
2. Forces you become a member of My Disney Experience
3. Forces you to walk around with a pesky silicone wristband on all the time

I don't appreciate having to book onsite accommodations and buy a ticket in advance to take advantage of the 60 day window.
I know some view it as a perk. I view it as a veiled bribe. And I'm a DVC member who typically stays on property.
IMO, we should all be on the same playing field.

I also don't appreciate having to participate in "My Disney Experience" to take advantage of the online system. It could easily be linked via the resort or ticket confirm.

Ok enough said, let's get to the good stuff.
___________________________________________________

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE Continued

As I mentioned, June 2014 was a quick trip (3nts) and jam packed for SWW IV.



AND IT WAS SCORCHING HOT THAT WEEKEND!

(poor Chewie)



Besides 7DMT and Meet Anna & Elsa, there were only a few places we managed to utilize a FP+.

I. Star Wars Special Event Shows at the Premiere Theatre
Disney released about ½ the theatre thru FP+. (in the hundreds)
The remaining seats were general admission (first come first serve).

Using a FP+ at this particular venue was a big challenge for the two most popular Events at The Studios:

A. Saga with the Stars - special guests Ray Park and Billy Dee Williams and
B. A Conversation with Mark Hamill.

Especially since 2 of these amazing 3 celebrities would be appearing in only 1 show per day / 3 shows that entire weekend.



A nice visual aid was set up to remind of Mr. Hamill's limited appearances.



Here's Mark Hamill being simulcast live at Streets of America on Friday, June 6



As a result, both shows had crazy lines for FP+ and standby.
So we of course lined up way in advance (7th in line to be exact!)



And watched as other FP+ holders quickly swelled up around us.



But with that FP+ we were only "guaranteed" to be let into the show.
That's it.
We were given a side entrance with a 3-5 minute jump on the crowd.

(pic from Dec 2013 - JQ is in front of the ramp which leads down to the FP+ private entrance. Everyone else entered on the right as you can see here)



Once inside, there were no reserved seats.

And herein lies the problem with the Premiere Theatre Events:
(This next set of photos attempts to capture the heightened stress that went along with the FP+ at this theatre.)

FP+ requires your magicband to be scanned and green lighted at the door. Two scanners were set up.

Panic, frustration and crowd anxiety starts to build behind you as hundreds line up waiting to get in, while 1 by 1 each guest is stopped and scanned at the checkpoint.

(Notice the crowd backed up at the side door and how slow FP+ enters the theatre by the gap in people coming in and up the aisle.)



This quickly becomes a game of beat the clock with everyone trying to clear the readers within those precious minutes before standby starts to pile in.





Add to this the problematic RETRYS – where half your party gets thru and one or two bands read invalid as annoyance and agitation grows with this holding everyone up even more. (Imagine if it's a poor child) And you have one very unmagical set up.

All of a sudden, times up! A swarm of standby guests start pouring in thru the main entrance taking up all available good space.





Again, there was no roped off, reserved FP+ seating area so you really needed to get inside within the first few minutes the doors open to compete for the best seats ahead of the general crowd.

this could easily be remedied with pre-scanning; earlier seating or a reserved section for FP+.

I’ll close with a few parting shots from both great shows:

A. Saga with the Stars - special guests Ray Park and Billy Dee Williams









Billy Dee in the 70's






B. A Conversation with Mark Hamill.







Yoda – the majority of Mark’s scenes were filmed alone with no one else scheduled on set.





The actual Vader Fight Scene Set – which had a dangerously small platform at an incredible height.






Continued in next post

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE Continued

Part III: Festival of the Fantasy Parade and BOG FP+

Besides 7DMT, Meet A&E and the SWW Premiere Theatre Events, there were only 2 remaining places we used FP+:

Lunch at Be Our Guest and
Festival of the Fantasy Parade

**UPDATE**- A New Standby Policy has been put in place for lunch at BOG.
Also, this restaurant is now serving breakfast as well.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3314106
"The new policy for LUNCH will require guests who don’t have the Fastpass+ service to stop by Be Our Guest early in the day to pick up a return time card. Once all the FREE return time cards are all distributed for the lunch period, remaining guests will be turned away for that day with no further stand by permitted."

This could have a serious impact on planning so hopefully word will get out.

FP+ for lunch at BOG

In testing since May and now going strong, select guests can book a FP+ reservation for Lunch at Be Our Guest.
This restaurant has been serving one of the best counter service lunches since late 2012, and the line to get in was ridiculously long.

It used to back up every day to where I am standing to take this shot.



and wrapped around toward the main entrance.



stretching all the way to the front doors.

(photo from Dec 2012)



Check out this thread if you haven’t seen or heard about this yet!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3310867

(some key excerpts)

What do I need in order to make a BoG Lunch booking?

A Disney on-site hotel reservation. You will need to know your 12 digit booking reference number, which will begin with 43 or 44 (depending on when you booked). If your reference number is shorter, or it has letters in it, then it will NOT work with the BoG booking site. See the end of this FAQ for advice on finding your 12-digit reference number.

A disney.com account login. This can be your My Disney Experience account, or disneystore.com, ABC.com, etc. At the moment, if you have more than one room booked using different reservation numbers then you will need a separate disney.com account for each separate reservation.

Where do I book?

Go to https://beourguestlunch.disney.go.com/ and log in using your disney.com account. The first time you sign in using a new account you will be asked to provide your hotel reservation number, which then seems to be remembered for subsequent visits.

You can only have one reservation number attached to one login at a time, so if you have more than one reservation number for a given stay, you will need to create multiple accounts using different email addresses (see below for tips on making such bookings).

Once linked to your account, the BoG Lunch system may even pick up new reservations automatically once you've added them to your My Disney Experience account.

Note: This is an "extra" FP+ being given out exclusively to resort guests.
It is not part of the daily limit of FP's you are restricted to when booking in advance thru My Disney Experience.

Once you book, a confirmation will appear on the screen that looks like this.
(notice there's no Ref # assigned.)



This is important because, not only is there no reservation # given,
but this is the only BOG FP+ confirm you will ever see.

It never appears in My Disney Experience and if you contact Disney Dining, they will tell you they have no record of any reservation, since BOG lunch is not part of their database.

So we took a photo of the screenshot to remember our booking, since Disney does not.

But don’t worry if you forget to snap that picture.
You can also try this link (thanks to fellow diser), and retrieve it online.

Originally Posted by pdarrah View Post
Are you sure they are really gone? For some of us, the "View" option has never been there, but if you login and then type in the page to go to

https://beourguestlunch.disney.go.co...firmation.aspx you can see your FP+ info for BOG. - ETA: the forum is shortening the link, the page is ViewConfirmation.aspx. Mine is still there for June.

Checking In for a 1:05 pm reservation at the Dinner Podium outside.
Lunch is served daily from 10:30 am - 2:30 pm

(note: they do offer a "pre-ordering" option w/ FP+ which we selected, but their system wasn't working when we arrived and we were instructed to place our order inside)



2 minutes later, we are waved on thru.
(which really only bypasses half the line!)



Once inside, you merge with the other guests backed up to the doors



And slowly work your way down a loooong corridor





Only to check in a 2nd time at the counter service podium inside
(along with everyone else)



Where the CM will direct you to a line approx. 1-2 groups deep.

Now this is the point designed to really test your patience as:
you stand _ and wait _ and watch

while each family member ahead of you wrestles with the challenge of ordering their own lunch and self check-out.



using these beautifully themed touch screens.



FYI: This whole process took about 20 mins. from the moment we got in line inside the door until our order was complete!



Honestly, BOG does serve an exceptional Counter Service Lunch tableside inside this incredibly beautiful restaurant!

per the Disney website:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/be-our-guest-restaurant/

Which Room Will You Dine In?

Feast on French-inspired fare in any of 3 elaborately themed rooms straight out of the beloved Disney film.

Nestled at the foot of the Beast’s Castle in the newly re-imagined Fantasyland, this expansive 550-seat venue allows Guests to relax and pull up a chair in the mysterious West Wing, the Rose Gallery or the grand 2-story Ballroom.

Featuring floor-to-ceiling arched windows overlooking the French countryside, snow details on the windows, graceful Gothic arches and intricate mosaics, this meticulously Imagineered dining destination truly immerses Guests in the heartwarming tale of Beauty and the Beast and demands encore visits.

If you dare explore the West Wing, you may even glimpse the enchanted rose. Just don’t let the Beast catch you!

Rather than post a ton of bad pics my camera keeps providing, here's an exceptionally photographed overview of the interior design of this restaurant, including the three themed dining rooms to choose from.
(thanks to a fellow diser!)

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47932580&postcount=2

It’s an enchanting experience at an affordable price.
(1 CS credit on the dining plan.)

What’s not to Love!

Ok so let's eat!

JQ and I have dined here 2x for Lunch - both times in the Rose Gallery
(and once for dinner in the West Wing ) so I will showcase as much as possible.



Lunch Entrees



We have sampled 4 out of 7 (in order)

Tuna Nicoise Salad - $ 13.49
Warm Seared Tuna Steak with Seared Green Beans, Potatoes, Olives, Roasted Bell Peppers, Tomatoes and a Hard Poached Egg

This is one of my favorite counter service meals!

1st Visit (Dec 2012) was the one that won me over!
The tuna was seared perfectly



2nd Visit (June 2014)
The tuna was a bit well done for my liking, but still an incredible salad.



Croque Monsieur - $ 11.49
Grilled Sandwich of Carved Ham, Gruyere Cheese and Béchamel with Pommes Frites.

Delicious! This is a great grilled ham and cheese sandwich.



Roast Beef Sandwich - $ 12.49
Carved Prime Chuck Roast Beef served warm on a Baguette with Horseradish Sour Cream and Pommes Frites.

JQ loved it. Said it was excellent and he’d order it again and again!



Braised Pork - $ 12.99
Slow-cooked Pork with Vegetables and Bacon with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans Jardinière.

Excellent as well. Mark devoured it.

(from June 2014)



(from Dec 2012)




Plus 6 Kids Meals and 2 Soup Appetizers to choose from







BOG drinks, dessert, dinner and a parade coming up

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE

Part III: Festival of the Fantasy Parade and BOG FP+

continued………

Ok who's ready for a Drink and Dessert?

BOG Beverages, Dessert and Dinner

For Lunch
BOG offers these Beverages and Desserts.





And they offer the same exact desserts for dinner, with the exception of the Master's Cupcake which is replaced with the "Grey Stuff".



Our group has enjoyed just about every one of these!

Lunch (June 2014)

The Masters Cupcake; Triple Chocolate Cupcake; and
Lemon-Raspberry Cream Puff - $ 4.19/ea



They are all filled inside.

Masters Cupcake - no description given but if I had to wager a guess:
Chocolate Sponge Cake, "Grey Stuff" icing and filling.



Triple Chocolate - Chocolate Sponge Cake, Chocolate Mousse filling, and Chocolate Ganache



Lemon-Raspberry Cream Puff - filled with Lemon Custard.
A No Sugar Added Dessert.

(why this is called "lemon-raspberry" I have no idea.
It's a lemon cream puff garnished w/a raspberry on top same as the triple chocolate cupcake)



Dinner (Sept 2013)

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake - $ 4.19
Vanilla Sponge Cake, Strawberry Mousse Filling and Cream Cheese Icing



Chocolate Cream Puff - $ 4.19
Filled with Chocolate Mousse topped with Whipped Cream



The "Grey Stuff" - $ 4.19
Chocolate Shell, Cookie Crème topped with Lumiere’s special “Grey Stuff”



They are Delicious!

Drinks for Dinner

They've added specialty coffee; all natural fruit punch and lemonade; select beer and an extensive wine list!

From Disney's website: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/be-our-guest-restaurant/menus/dinner/

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

(these are offered plus all of the same drinks at lunch)

Evian or Perrier 750 mL $6.75
All-Natural Fruit Punch
sweetened with Organic Cane Juice and Wildberry Extract topped with Lemon-Lime Foam. $4.19
All-Natural Lemonade
sweetened with Organic Cane Juice and topped with a Wildberry Foam. $4.19
Espresso $3.79
Cappuccino or Latte

Sparkling, White, Red, and Dessert Wines

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Yellow Label, Reims
Classical dry Champagne with lightly honeyed flavors of apple blossom and peach. $75.00
Charles de Fere, Jean Louis Blanc de Blancs, France
Light, bright and fruity, exuding aromas of apple, apricot and a hint of honey $8.00
Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvée Brut, Green Valley
Intense apples and ripe pears, toasty and bright, balanced with cleansing citrus acidity $14.00
Terra d'Oro Moscato, California
Opens with elegant bouquet of honeysuckle, orange blossom, litchi, and nectarine. Sweet finish of apricots and rose petals $9.00
Helfrich Pinot Gris, Alsace
A touch of smoke ties together aromas of ripe apricot, pear and minerals with sweet-tart flavors of peach and apple $9.00
Pierre Sparr Riesling, Alsace
Lemon peel and green apple followed by banana and notes of sweet cherry blossoms with a charismatic mineral finish $9.00
Michel Redde Sancerre, Loire Valley
A crisp and racy Sauvignon Blanc with pure fruit and herb aromas, clean, intense citrus, apple and mineral flavors $13.00
Conundrum, California
Fruit forward flavors of apricot, peach, ripe pear, and apple joined in a creamy and richly textured style which has a lingering finish. $13.00
Flora Springs Chardonnay, Napa Valley
Smooth, rich and vibrant, with layers of ripe pear, fig, melon, vanilla, and hazelnut, finishing long and lively $11.00
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages, Burgundy
Silky palate and fruit forward on the nose, full of strawberry, black currant, and cinnamon flavors $9.00
Joseph Drouhin Laforet Pinot Noir, Burgundy
Full of red fruit aromas including raspberry, red currants and wild strawberry$9.00
Roth Pinot Noir, Sonoma Valley
Elegant and fruit forward, hints of rose petals and raspberry on the palate, with a finish of sweet vanilla $15.00
Louis Jadot Nuits-Saints-Georges, Burgundy
Ripe Pinot Noir with robust fruit flavors of red berry and dark stone fruit, offset by earth and spice notes including nuances of oak in the bouquet $17.00
Jacuzzi Barbera, Mendocino County
Bursting with bright cherry fruit, lush tannins, and a bright crisp finish of cherry and raspberry $10.00
Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy
An exquisite Chardonnay loaded with flavors of hazelnuts, toasted almonds, grapefruit, and lemon $13.00
Cline Cashmere Grenache Blend, Sonoma Valley
Flavorful offering of bing cherry, raspberry, and chocolate notes, with hints of black pepper and plum $9.00
Freemark Abbey Merlot, Napa Valley
Layers of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, dark plum, dark chocolate and spices such as cinnamon, clove, and vanilla $11.00
Lasseter Family Winery Paysage, Sonoma Valley
Luscious Saint-Émilion style red blend with aromas and flavors of cherries, black raspberry, and chocolate balanced with spice and cedar notes $16.00
Kuleto Syrah, Napa Valley
Lavender, honey, and juicy fruits highlight the intense aroma, with a delightful finish $16.00
Simi Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
Richly extracted black currant and dark cherry flavors extend to a long, polished finish $12.00
Château Batailley, Pauillac
Classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc with generous black currant fruit with hints of toast, chocolate and earth tones with spicy, well-integrated oak $99.00

Beers

Kronenbourg 1664, France
A lager with a noble history, characterized by its fine taste, golden hues and delicate bitterness from Strisselspalt, a French aroma hop from Alsace $6.50
Kronenbourg Blanc, France
A wheat beer with underlying tones of coriander and cloves, balanced with flavors of lemon zest and orange peel for a crisp taste $6.50
Hoegaarden Wit, Belgium
With an aroma of orange peel, coriander and spice, its characteristic taste is smooth and light-bodied with a subtle, spiced citrus flavor $6.50
Chimay Red, Belgium
Oldest from the brewery with coppery color and creamy head. Hint of apricot in the bouquet $10.75
Saison Dupont, Belgium
Refreshing farmhouse ale with flavors of orange, peel, clove, allspice, and citrus with a wonderfully fresh hop bouquet $8.50
Chimay Blue, Belgium
Dark Belgian Strong Ale brewed by Trappist monks. Aromas of spice and dried fruit with light caramel notes. Body is smooth and luscious with hoppy, sourdough flavors. Fresh yeast provides a rosy, floral touch $11.25

OK time to Eat!

There are a ton of threads on the DIS asking which meal is better at Be Our Guest:
Lunch or Dinner?

My answer: Both!
They are two very different experiences with two very distinct menus.

Since our group was lucky enough to score a dinner reservation for 7 during our Monster Land Sea and Tree mega trip
back in Sept 2013, I'll post some pics. to help compare the two meals.

All I can say is Dinner at this restaurant is a RARE FIND in the Magic Kingdom.

And at 1 TS Credit - Well Worth It!

First notable difference happens the moment you approach the Restaurant:

The Castle Doors remain closed until you are "invited" in.



Which gives you plenty of time to hang out with these guys!





And continue to imitate them during your meal.





Hours of Entertainment! Hilarious!

Dinner Menu

My dinner menu photos are dreadful, but luckily the items have not changed since Sept 2013.
So this is courtesy of Disney's website https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/be-our-guest-restaurant/menus/dinner/

With added photos of each item we enjoyed!

Bread Course
Warm French bread-like rolls w/ sea salt butter.

Nothing stands out about this bread worth mentioning as I don’t really remember it. Sorry



Appetizers

Assorted Cured Meats and Sausages (Serves Two)
served with Cornichons, Pickled Onions, and Toasted Baguette $16.49

French Onion Soup
topped with a Crouton and Gruyère Cheese $7.49

Mussels Provençal
with White Wine, Tomato, Garlic, Onion, Basil, and Butter $12.99



Iron Man really enjoyed his along with some all-natural fruit punch



Potato Leek Soup $6.99

Garden Salad
with Champagne Vinaigrette $5.99



Seasonal Salad Trio
Three individual bowls of:
Roasted Beet, Gold Raisin, Orange Salad
Green Bean, Tomato, Roasted Shallot Salad and
Watermelon, Radish, and Mint Salad $7.99



Entrees

Grilled Strip Steak
with Garlic-Herb Butter and Pommes Frites $33.49

Herb-crusted Lamb Rack
with a Stone-ground Mustard Demi-glace serve with Buttered Celery Root and Seasonal Vegetables $28.99



Chicken Breast Provençal
Pan-seared and simmered in a rustic blend of Heirloom Tomatoes, Olives, White Wine, and fresh Herbs with Seasonal Vegetables and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes $23.49

Pan-seared Salmon on Leek Fondue
served with Creamy Saffron-crushed Potatoes $24.99

A few of us ordered this, including myself. It was delicious.



Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops
with Seasonal Vegetables and Mushrooms served in Puff Pastry with a Creamy Lobster Sauce $26.99





Layered Ratatouille
Oven-baked Zucchini, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Caramelized Onions sliced and layered on Quinoa served with a Bell Pepper Sauce $17.49


Braised Pork (Coq au Vin Style)
Eight Hour Slow-cooked Pork with Mushrooms, Onions, Carrots and Bacon served with Puréed Cauliflower and Seasonal Vegetables $23.49



Thyme-scented Pork Rack Chop
with Au Gratin Macaroni, Seasonal Vegetables, and Red Wine Jus $23.99

Still can't decide?
Here’s a Full Set of Food Photos from both menus including several of the kids meals.
Thanks to a fellow Diser!
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47936990&postcount=8

Bon Appetit!!



next: the beast and FoF FP+

 

[Henlady]

Ohhhhhhhhh, now I "NEED" a cupcake!
Great BOG review.

 

[Johnny Quest]

I just got home and read this and I need to go there now...17hr drive. We could make it for lunch tomorrow...and dinner!

My original expectations of this place weren't very high but I've been impressed every time. The food is excellent. My favorite lunch is the roast beef sandwich.

The only down side for me is the lighting. It's very dark in the West Wing. One time the Beast came in and surprised us during dinner. Then my FIL Gus almost had a coronary when the big clap of thunder went off and scared the c^#p out of him. It was his first visit with the Beast. He actually enjoyed himself a lot.

We had a great, fun time and plan to visit there again.

 

[poison ivy]

Ohhhhhhhhh, now I "NEED" a cupcake!
Great BOG review.

Thanks Kris! The cupcakes are so good! Every time I post food pics I'm craving another trip. Which is really bad right now because I've been contributing to that food porn thread!

 

[poison ivy]

I just got home and read this and I need to go there now...17hr drive. We could make it for lunch tomorrow...and dinner!

Sounds great to me! You know that F&W fest is calling us!

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE Continued

Part IV: BOG and FOF Parade FP+

[Final comments on BOG

One of the greatest perks to having dinner vs lunch at Be our Guest is that you are routinely greeted by your Host. (every ½ hr)



And treated to a photo session inside the castle. (no autographs)

But this we had to pretty much seek out ourselves. It is not well advertised and nobody escorts you.

So after dinner, we went looking for the Beast on our way out.
but I’ll save you the effort – he hides out in the library with the CS kiosks.

Just get in line to be photographed in whichever group or individual formation you prefer.
(If you want more than 1 picture – you need to get back in line)

My family on the Sept 2013 trip:
incl. myself in arm w/the Beast
DH JQ and DS Iron Man
plus DD Marie and my parents Gus & Edith.



I love that shot. We all came out really good, which is pretty tough to accomplish with a group photo

My friend Maryann chose to have her own photo shoot!



You can tell we had a great night!

Ok Back to SWW IV - June 2014

FP+ for Festival of the Fantasy Parade Viewing

This FP+ was actually used on Day 1.

The reserved viewing section for all MK parades is behind the rope seen in the foreground.



Anyone who attempts to stand in front of it will be asked to move.





Unfortunately, the FP+ section does not have any of the curbside seating shown across the way.



I've said this before, but it's worth repeating that even with a FP+, you still have to line up early and compete amongst the group for optimal viewing of parades and shows.

We are in line and ready to check in!



It's 2:25pm. The Parade starts at 3 pm.
Two CM's were on hand to check everyone in.

JQ again demonstrates how his training is going with
Magicband 101 - Session III: It's a touchpad - now what?
(remember, this was our arrival day)



They grab a great viewing spot along the ropes. Nice Job!



This reserved viewing area is pretty long.
It begins where you check-in and extends across the entire front of the HUB.

Here's the view from our spot looking toward my left.
Most of these guests checked in ahead of us and quickly lined up across the ropes from left to right.
And we walked up 35 mins before parade start time!



Notes
1) there are NO BENCHES inside this area. They are outside of the ropes.
2)This parade begins at 3pm in Frontierland and works its way thru Liberty Square and down Main Street.
3)By the time it reached our area at the HUB it was 3:15 pm.

So if you can't stand for long durations of time, you need to plan accordingly.

But there was another Big Problem today: it was HOT baking in the sun waiting for the parade to start and we were desperate for shade.
James managed to find the only viable option - a lowly hanging plant - and sat very uncomfortably along the rail.
(look close and you’ll spot a tiny bit of shade by his feet)



You can see how tired he was. In hindsight, I won't book a parade or show FP+ ever again on arrival day. Too much standing and waiting around after a really long day of travel. I also won't do this on a hot summer day.

The crowd really builds up and surrounds this area.





We really did have an excellent view of the parade though.
Here are some random photos.























up next: SWW IV cont... autographs prelude

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE Continued

Part V: Celebrity Autographs and a Sci-Fi Galactic Breakfast

Prelude:

Besides the mega popularity surrounding Mark Hamill's visit, here's something else we were up against during SWW IV.

A last minute trip with no preplanning = DVC members on the fly.

3 different resorts_3 different nights_3 different meal plans.
(yeah, even Saratoga was booked)

Results in THIS!!



That's right. 9 bracelets for a 3 night stay. (and here I thought Disney had gone green!)

Also included were several complimentary Advanced Magicband 301 courses:

I. Split Stay Band Juggling
II. Accessing AKL Concierge via Elevator with the Band? Not so fast! and
III. Multiple Meal Credits and Magicbands = An Insoluble Solution

So let's briefly discuss this.

First, the boxes are not labeled and the bands are not dated.
The bands do however have your first name printed on the inside.

Second, we received 1 box in the mail for each resort stay which arrived day by day for 3 straight days.

Now comes the fun part. (did I mention I'm not a fan of the band?)

Mistake #1 - I thought I had to keep these bands straight and immediately labeled the boxes before the men in my life started playing with their new toys.

Mistake #2 - I thought I had to bring ALL 9 with me and switch them out during our stay.

WRONG! You don't have to bring more than 1 set.
(Heck you can bring an old grey one you have lying around if you never deactivated it.)
These bands are kin to the Energizer Bunny - they just keep going and going and going.
Any magicband still active, past or present can go live when you check in.

Mistake #3 - I thought they would work the elevators to bring us to the AKV - Jambo House 6th Floor Concierge Level once we checked in. (which was also where our DVC studio was for 1 nt)

They don't and they won't until your magicbands are first tapped to enter the room.
Which you obviously cannot do until your room is assigned and ready.

(And by the way, only the magicbands physically tapped against the room entry panels will activate for the elevator - so every one of your room guests must first use their magicband to enter the room - which will in turn activate their personal band to work the 6th floor club level access pad inside the elevator)

I did warn you it gets worse.

So herein lies the irony.

Given that you need 6th floor club level access via the elevator to get to your DVC club level room - in order to tap your band against the room door entry panel to generate a working room key via your magicband - which you need beforehand in order to work the elevator access pad used to get you to the 6th floor DVC club level room in the first place ................

(thank goodness there are only 10 rooms on that floor!)

Disney does provide a solution:
they give you only 1 temporary generic "gold plastic key card" to operate the elevator for room and lounge access.
(which they ask you to give back.)

If you arrive before your room is ready you are granted full use of lounge amenities but have to share this card to get there. And when your room is finally ready - your group has to coordinate how to get everyone up to the 6th floor to tap their bands against the room door access panel hoping for a "green light".

Good luck with all that!

Mistake #4 - I thought meal plan credits would crossover or merge with new credits under different plans or at least be retained on separate bands for separate days of a split stay.

Wrong on both counts!

This one requires an associates degree to work thru.

Just to better explain, we had a Std Plan + a DLX Plan + a QS Plan over the course of the 3 nights during our split stay.

The bands easily loaded meal plan #1 when we checked in.
BUT NO BAND would load meal plan #2 AT ALL on that "crossover" day until every credit on Meal Plan #1 was completely utilized.
The new credits wait and automatically come thru electronically on the bands once the old credits are gone.

So if you're juggling meals on a crossover day and had hoped to double up on TS credits for dinner between two plans but first wanted to use some new QS and snack credits during the day - basically you can't at the point of sale.

Disney's solution?: the counters and restaurants are not equipped to deal with this situation. The CM's will indicate that no new TS, QS or snack credits are showing on your band - only the unused credits set to expire from the day before. Therefore, they will have to ring it up as a cash purchase at the counter and instruct you to reconcile your account at the resort.

(WARNING: this could rob HOURS from your life if you do not plan accordingly!)

we were lucky.

We learned this while dining at Jiko on Day 2.
We had 2 leftover Day 1 TS credits from our stay at the BCV blocking the reader from applying any of the Day 2 credits for the AKV stay.

And since we happened to be staying at the AKL that night, it was easily resolved thru management and worked out with split checks.

Also wanted to note that transportation for a trip like this called for driving around in style thanks to National Car at the Dolphin.
(highly recommend! esp. if you just need a car for a day or two)



Besides, you never know WHAT you'll run into at the Dolphin when you breeze thru to patronize their rental counter.
(like this past December 2013)























Ok enough of that, let's have some more fun with SWW IV



Continued in the next post

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE

Part V (continued):

Celebrity Autographs and a Sci-Fi Galactic Breakfast

One of the coolest events at a SWW is the opportunity to get an autograph from a visiting celebrity. (excl. Mark Hamill)

But this is not EASY by a long shot!

Here was our celeb lineup for Weekend IV



I call your attention to the fine print located bottom right:

Disney FASTPASS Ticket Required for autograph sessions.

An extremely limited number of FASTPASS tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at DHS main entrance, to the right of the main entrance touch points.
Distribution may begin prior to park opening based on demand.
You must have a FASTPASS ticket to receive an autograph.

To receive a FASTPASS ticket, join the line of the celebrity you would most like to meet You may not save a place in line for other party members.
While in line you will receive a wristband. Your Theme Park admission media and wristband allow you receive one FASTPASS ticket. Only one autograph FASTPASS ticket per guest Each guest must be present to receive a FASTPASS ticket.

Basically this is a 2 Step Process

Step 1: Get a color coded wristband
Step 2: Receive a fastpass ticket

Without a wristband, you can’t get a FP ticket, and without both you can't get an autograph.

Wristbands / Autograph passes are limited in quantity and restricted to 1 per guest per day.
They were being handed out in the morning before the park opened.
Once they're gone, standby passes may be given out, and when they're gone, that's it for the day.

Last year was our 1st Star Wars visit and we missed the opportunity to do this.
So we really wanted to go for it in 2014, hoping to get a few Darth Maul and Lando Calrissian Kenner action figures from our 90's collection signed by Ray Park and Billy Dee Williams.

Well, to get a hot ticket celeb like these two to sign some memorabilia, you will be up against some serious competition.
Guests notoriously line up the night before and CAMP out at the Studios.

The day was Friday, June 6, 2014. The start of Star Wars Weekend IV.
Not knowing when to arrive or what to expect, we drove over to the Studios around 3:15 am.



The parking lot was open with no attendants. We were able to drive right in and park up front.
(sorry for the bad photo)



And this is what greeted us!

Two lines had already formed, starting at the front where you see the faint hint of 5 marked signs. (designating each actor)
This is where the CMs will hand out paper Fastpasses.



Each line wrapped around to the bag check podium.



Far left was for Ray Park.
Iron Man positioned himself right here.
This was Ray's 2nd weekend and his line did not appear that bad.
But he was only hosting 1 autograph session per day and he tends to take his time with the guests, so the amount of FP's were extremely limited. (approx. 75/day)

Far right (against the rail) was for Billy Dee Williams
He was only appearing at weekend IV and hosting 3 sessions per day.

His line was CRAZY LONG!!

It began at the front entrance near the ticket windows, extended thru the bag check area and kept going all the way down toward the Epcot resort boat dock.

(yes we are all crazy and I'm snapping a photo to prove it. Smile!!)



We found out later the lines began around park closing the night before, and had already stretched to this point by 1 am.

Notice how prepared everyone was with tents, chairs and blankets; etc.

Well, having flown in from NJ, we were ill-equipped with none of the above.
So we made due with a couple of bath towels and travel pillows.
(which was more than some had!!)

compared to Iron Man's choice spot for Darth Maul, check out how far back our LINE UP for LANDO was at 3:20 AM !
(again, sorry for the blur!)



My View for the next 2.5 hrs.



Such a calm, reflective mood, as one rests quietly on the cold concrete.
So much to contemplate. So little time.

That photo was taken around 6 am - you can see the sun beginning to rise.
And here's what the 2 lines had grown to by that time.





We were pretty far back - directly across from the two benches you see down on the right.
I was very nervous this was too far away to secure a FP.

Iron Man, however was way up by the bag check on the left.
I super zoomed to spot him.





I took a later shot of exactly where we spent the night.
Too Funny!



At 6:15 am everyone broke camp and the line closed up.





Lucky for us, we moved up directly in front of a bench



Wristbands were given out at 6:30 am.

Red for Ray Park / Purple for Billy Dee
Otherwise possibly a standby color or nothing.



And purple it is! With many to spare.






up next: rope drop and a Sci-Fi galactic breakfast

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE Continued

Part VI: Rope Drop; Celebrity Autographs and a Sci-Fi Galactic Breakfast

To briefly recap, we've just camped out at the Studios to get wristbands for celebrity autograph Fastpasses.
The autograph lines began to form at park closing the night before and Billy Dee's line was down near the boat dock by 3:15 am.
So keep this in mind for future plans.

I snapped these photos at the Studios around 8:30 pm Friday night. You can see the guests already lining up for Saturday 6/7/14. Check out the Tent! These fans come prepared.





Ok back to Friday, June 6, 2014 - The kick-off to Weekend IV!

With wristbands in place, we proceed in line to the designated distribution podium and collect our Fastpasses.
(numbered signposts at the front of the autograph ques in the above photo)

1 for each of us. Score!



From there, we continued following behind everyone and were all shuffled around the side and sandwiched between the ticket booths and turnstiles.



No area looked less crowded than any other





So we lined up w/Mark as best we could.





At 7:40 am we are going in!





Only to get about this far before being held behind the ropes.
(FYI - anyone looking to sign their children up for Jedi Training Academy (JTA) would be gathering with the group breaking left in these photos)





Within minutes, the crowd moved in around us.

(7:41 am)



(7:45 am)





Just in time for the Stormtroopers to arrive and open the park.







Here we go!

As soon as the rope dropped, a ton of families went left toward the JTA Sign-ups set up at the Epic Stunt Theatre for SWW.

But not us. We casually walked up Hollywood Blvd

passing the roped off private viewing area for the Feel the Force package we pre-purchased for today's parade and fireworks.
(more on that later )



And turned left on Commissary Lane.
(along with anyone headed to line up for Chewbacca)



We are en route to Breakfast with the Dark Side.





Who's hungry?


Continued in the next post

 

[poison ivy]

SWW IV: MINI UPDATE Continued

Part VII: a Sci-Fi Galactic Breakfast

5 hrs. in and the only thing we've managed to do is get 3 celebrity autograph fastpasses.

I've labeled our commemorative 2014 map to highlight key areas and our personal times for some of the major focal points during a very popular Star Wars Weekend IV. I would use these times as a guide for what I'd consider THE EXTREME in a SWW.

FYI: guests with first breakfast seating reservations WILL NOT be granted early entrance into the park.
Also, keep in mind Star Wars venues are always subject to change, so anything considered the norm for 2014 could be very different in 2015.

Orange Square = Designated FP Distribution Area - where autograph FP lines begin and where guests are shuffled around to collect Celebrity Autograph Fastpasses and crowd in front of the gates.

Blue Dot = Pre-dawn line position for Billy Dee Williams- on Friday 6/6/14. (his only weekend / 3 sessions per day)

Red Dot = Iron Man's line position for Ray Park - the same morning. (his 2nd weekend / 1 session per day)

Purple Dot = wristband received - actual line position upon breaking camp.

A = ABC Sound Studio - host to Billy Dee Williams Autograph Sessions and Padawan Mind Challenge Sign-ups

X = Jedi Training Academy Sign-ups - at the Epic Stunt Theatre (Star Wars Weekends only - otherwise at the ABC Sound Studio) Break left at the pink arrow!

S = Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant - host to the Star Wars Galactic Dine-In Breakfast

P = Parade and Fireworks Viewing Area - for Feel the Force and VIP Packages

Orange Dot = FTF package check-in (3rd in line at 9:05 am)

Red Arrow = Commissary Lane - line up in this direction for Chewbacca meet and greet.

Green Circle = Chewbacca and Wicket character meet location.

SoTS = Stars of the Saga 4:30 pm show (1st in line at 3:40 pm)

OK Let's eat.

STAR WARS Dine-In Galactic Breakfast! at Sci-Fi

Per Disney's Website: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/star-wars-dine-in-galactic-breakfast/

Feel the Force First Thing in the Morning
Head for the stars during a cosmic breakfast featuring some of your favorite Characters from a galaxy far, far away!
From May 4 through June 15, 2015, celebrate your love for the Star Wars universe with an unforgettable Character Dining experience at the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater Restaurant: alongside several familiar faces from the greatest saga ever told, including:

Darth Vader
Boba Fett
Greedo
Jawas
Stormtroopers

Be sure to book a reservation today's your chance to bring balance to the Force and enjoy a well-balanced breakfast too!
The Star Wars Dine-In Galactic Breakfast is available for $49.99 per adult and $31.99 per child age 3 to 9 (tax is included; gratuity is not).
Advanced reservations are highly recommended. For booking, please check availability online, or call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call.

Note: - 2014 prices were $ 47.99 Ad / $ 29.99 Ch or 2 TS credits.

NEW! for 2014 - Disney introduced 2 Star Wars themed character meals:

Breakfast at the Sci-Fi Dine-In and
Dinner at Hollywood & Vine
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/03/may-the-fourth-be-with-you-two-new-star-wars-themed-character-dining-experiences-may-4-june-15-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

We were lucky enough to score the first seating for breakfast at 8:05 am.

Our meal included a complimentary photo op with Darth Vader and Boba Fett, who were set up and waiting right at the entrance to the restaurant.



This photopass session is their only appearance.





We also took a few shots of our own, but since the photopass photos were inclusive in the price, the cm's did not take pictures with our camera for us.



Next, we were escorted into the restaurant.

Being one of the first guests to arrive afforded us a front row car and a great view!
(notice the different set up for certain cars - some with chairs vs 3 rows of seats)



JQ and I grabbed the front which turned out to be a benefit, as we could also utilize the dashboard to spread out a few plates. (Iron Man took the middle)



Three characters were roaming inside and visited us during our meal:

1 Stormtrooper



1 Jawa - always looking to trade.





and Greedo





They offer a very unique menu.





First- this is a TON of food.

Second- our courses were served 1 on top of the other, which was not ideal.
(we did want get out of there in less than an hour and had no problem doing so without even telling our server)
But being pressed for time is a bad set up to enjoy that amount of food, so keep this in mind when you go.

Our Meal - consisted of:

Star Wars Breakfast Pastries
Vanilla Cream Turnover (Vader), Almond Pastry and Double Chocolate Muffin

Pre-plated and served to everyone (1 of each/pp) and immediately brought to the table.
You can request additional plates as much as you wish.
These were all delicious. The vanilla cream filled turnover had a dry flaky crust which was not soggy at all. The chocolate muffins were so good.



Complimentary Beverages
The non-alcoholic drinks listed on the menu were all-inclusive w/ no limits.
You could order as many as you like refilled as often as you want.

Minute Maid Light Pomegranate Lemonade
JQ ordered this and I ordered the orange juice which was in a glass 1/2 the size. (photo below)
We also both ordered the Freshly Brewed Joffrey's Coffee



Iron Man ordered the Blue Milk (no photo sorry!)
He said it didn't really taste like anything, which is of little help, I know.
but here's a great photo rich review of this breakfast thanks to a fellow dis'er that not only includes the blue milk, but shows different entrees from what we ordered.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51693384&postcount=14

Moving right along -

Anchorhead Appetizers (choice of 1)
They offered 2 options and we sampled both.

Greek Yogurt Parfait with fresh Berries and Homemade Granola
(w/orange juice)
This was a vanilla and blueberry yogurt with fresh fruit and a delicious granola topping. Unfortunately it was too filling to finish along with all the other food. I wound up putting it aside and only managed a few spoonfuls, given our entrees were served right on top of it. But it was really good.



Seasonal fresh Fruit and Berries
Very fresh and very good.



Entrees

Tatooine Sunrise
Scrambled Eggs, Nueske's Bacon, Sausage Links and Breakfast Potatoes.

The more traditional breakfast entrée on the menu. We really enjoyed it. It was delicious.



The Kessel Run
Grilled Beef Tenderloin (cooked to order) on Baby Spinach with Bacon and Cheddar Custard on a Roasted Tomato and Cheesy Horseradish Potatoes.

This was our favorite, although JQ did not care for the potatoes. A great variation of steak and eggs. The tenderloin w/spinach was just excellent along with the custard and tomato.



Imperial Delight
Caramelized Banana-stuffed French Toast with Caramel Sauce and Strawberry Compote.

Iron Man ordered and devoured this. That's all I can tell you.



Finally, they wheeled around a "special dessert"
This looks like a cake, but it's actually creamy, similar to a thick strawberry mousse with these tiny beads of strawberry liquid. Very festive and very sweet.





Would we do another galactic breakfast? Not if we're rushed; not if we plan to view the parade that morning; and not before we try out the Star Wars themed dinner first.

This would have been great if we had no big agenda to conquer that day and were able to take our time to enjoy the experience given the price. I would recommend booking it for a time on a non-parade day - which unfortunately was not our situation. But the food and atmosphere are great!



up next: a celebrity filled parade package

 

[sandieb]

I absolutely love the auto-train. We have used it many times - probably 10. We usually get the superliner BR and a roomette since there are 5 of us. The little guy (8yo) and I sleep on the bottom bunk of the Superliner - a little cozy, but not bad at all. What I like the most is being able to bring our stuff - we have a Suburban and bring bikes, fishing poles, etc. We usually do a day or two at the beach also with WDW.
The reason the Family room is so rough is that it is on the first level and at the end of the car. You feel the wheels on the tracks much more. We always have the second floor.
Unfortunately, Amtrak has eliminated the Welcome reception with wine and snacks. In reality, we try and eat at 5pm or 7pm. The kids like the lounge car to watch the movie, but we can only do that if we eat early. So if we eat snacks, then no one is hungry at dinner.
We bring Legos, a puzzle, board games, cards and such and go to the Lounge car. We have a good time. The kids and I sleep very well on the train, but my husband does not. Still, it beats driving and flying.
We have a travel trailer and have stayed at Fort Wilderness. Obviously we drive then, but we have all our stuff with us.
Finally, I agree to travel during off times - not near a holiday as the prices go up - just like the airlines.

Thanks, I love your trip report and pictures.

 

[sandieb]

I absolutely love the auto-train. We have used it many times - probably 10. We usually get the superliner BR and a roomette since there are 5 of us. The little guy (8yo) and I sleep on the bottom bunk of the Superliner - a little cozy, but not bad at all. What I like the most is being able to bring our stuff - we have a Suburban and bring bikes, fishing poles, etc. We usually do a day or two at the beach also with WDW.
The reason the Family room is so rough is that it is on the first level and at the end of the car. You feel the wheels on the tracks much more. We always have the second floor.
Unfortunately, Amtrak has eliminated the Welcome reception with wine and snacks. In reality, we try and eat at 5pm or 7pm. The kids like the lounge car to watch the movie, but we can only do that if we eat early. So if we eat snacks, then no one is hungry at dinner.
We bring Legos, a puzzle, board games, cards and such and go to the Lounge car. We have a good time. The kids and I sleep very well on the train, but my husband does not. Still, it beats driving and flying.
We have a travel trailer and have stayed at Fort Wilderness. Obviously we drive then, but we have all our stuff with us.
Finally, I agree to travel during off times - not near a holiday as the prices go up - just like the airlines.

Thanks, I love your trip report and pictures.

 

[Duffy Lover]

You're back! Woo Hoo!