Return of the Porg - A June 2018 TR *updated 6/24 Epic DISmeet highlights day 7 COMPLETED!*

[Lesley Wake]

So, when I booked the trip I had booked a Slinky Dog Dash FP around 4 pm. Unfortunately that interfered with the meet-up, so we skipped it. Dad insisted he didn't care about riding it, even though it was new to him. But I was a little bummed for him to miss out. As fates would have it, though, Slinky Dog ended up being down during our FP because of the rain, so it converted to an anytime FP! So we decided to catch a friendship boat back to Hollywood Studios so that Dad could ride Slinky Dog Dash.

Sweet! Isn't it great when that happens!

 

[Steppesister]

I've had this several times and it's always a perfect light lunch!

It was a beautiful walk, but a tad too hot to be enjoyable.

I always think so too! The boats are so much better!

So pretty!!

Elsa and Anna in Norway. Hibiscus flowers aren't very Norwegian...

LOL! Good catch!

I took a bite. I found it acceptable. Did I mention Kansas City is known for barbecue, and one of our specialties is burnt ends?!

While in Japan I ran into the girls! I figured they'd catch up to Dad and I and I could rejoin them, but they had started in Canada. Ughhh! But I did get to jump in a group photo with some of them!

That is GORGEOUS!!

FP because of the rain, so it converted to an anytime FP! So we decided to catch a friendship boat back to Hollywood Studios so that Dad could ride Slinky Dog Dash.

YAY!!! The best of a situation!

 

[suse66]

As you can tell I also used the 'holiday' as an excuse to wear my super cute R2-D2 dress. Not sure if this is allowed, but it's from an Etsy shop called KawaiianPizzaApparel and they've got tons of cute Disney dresses etc.

Adorable!!!

For lunch we ate at the Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge. I just wanted a light lunch and this Cobb salad is perfect.

I love that salad! Always with the dressing on the side.

I thought this was just ok. I liked the tomato part alright, but the salad was really weird. I didn't realize it at the time, but that's because there's fennel in it and I'm not a huge fan of fennel. There were a couple photo ops in the building; one was Minnie's Garden Party. It looked so cute, but the line was really long so I opted for the other. Oh yeah, and I had a costume change.

Super cute dress! Too bad about the food.

I surprised myself and liked it! The coconut was pretty subtle, and the rice flavoring actually reminded me of rice pudding, which I love. Plus, it's only little amounts of fruit, so it worked well for me. I probably wouldn't need to get it every festival, but could see myself picking it up again sometime.

I tried frushi for the first time in March and really liked it too.

This tasted like your average margarita. Black ant salt rim sounds weird, but again it just tasted like your regular salt rim. And here's the Three Caballeros!

Looks yummy!

I thought about turning around to join them but I really wanted to keep exploring the stuff I hadn't seen yet, so Dad and I continued the opposite direction.

It can definitely be overwhelming to be in a new group of people. I am a weird mixture of shy and extroverted so I completely understand how you were feeling.

I also stopped for a PhotoPass here.

Cute pic!

Dad and I grabbed some drinks at Baseline Taphouse. It rained some more. And then we headed back to Wilderness Lodge! For dinner we used a quick service credit at Geyser Point.

Drinks and Geyser Point sound great!

 

[knewton64]

Just saw your TR and had to take a browse -

LUV IT!!

from yer pics to the DISMEETS -
and the funniest part is I recognize some of those people (thru their TRs) in your DISMEETS pics -
toooooo dee-ja-vu

ANYWHO -

i'm still readin'



T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'all

 

[tundra1]

Kara, thank you so much for this trip report! I stumbled upon it because you added the word "EPIC" to your title and I wondered if you were part of the group, and you were! But, I read your whole report and loved getting to know you. And even better, how cool that you are a fellow RN! I am so happy you were able to join that group of ladies! I have enjoyed all of your trip reports and have learned so much for my upcoming trip to WDW. You take the best pictures... I had no desire to see HEA until I saw the photos you took from the garbage can location! How awesome! Thanks again!

 

[paradesintherain]

It was packed in the Odyssey and hot!! I like your picture in there with the flowers, very nice! I did wait it out for Minnie, she was sweet. The people in the line were so line clueless, I wanted to scream, haha! They kept huge gaps and just sat down in the middle of the line and wouldn’t move and if we tried to keep going we got the death stare!!

It looks like you tried some good F&G treats overall, I really liked the chocolate dessert in France, I got one and enjoyed it!!

That’s awesome you got to do SDD with your dad! I really like this ride.

It was packed, but it was a great place to get out of the rain. I should have waited for Minnie with you but I can be a bit impatient at times... and those people probably would have pushed me over the edge haha!

Yeah that dessert was great, I'd for sure grab it again!

I was so happy it worked out that he could ride - it is a cute little coaster! The ride vehicles could not be cuter.

Yep, I would be one of them!!! LOL!

If I recall you also let out a little word hahah

This is sooooo good! I've had it twice now, and I'm counting the days until August when I can get it again...

Your Buzz pics with @Mollydolly334 are too cute!

It really was! I'll definitely have to make some time to get it whenever I visit again.

Thank you!

Awww, I would have been the same as you and been shy with the large group. It is hard meeting new people sometimes even though you already know them from online.

Love the flower photo of you. What a nice backdrop.

Yeah it can be hard! I'm sort of an outgoing introvert, so it can be a bit taxing!

Thank you! It was the cutest backdrop, loved it!

Hi Kara! I had no idea you were writing this so I'm glad you tagged me! I'm caught up on the Epic Trip part. I also need to hop over to your August one and read that.

Thanks for coming over here and reading! I'm really enjoying your TR

Sounds like a good time in DHS and Epcot!

I love all your pics of the topiaries! I really want to go back for F&G one year.

What luck having your SDD FP convert to an anytime pass so you could still ride it!

It was a good day... so easy to hop between the two parks.

I'll go with you! Haha.

We actually ended up having that luck quite a lot it seemed, but this was the one I was happiest about.

I have a dress that looks just like that! It's not from Etsy but it has long sleeves and R2 on it as well.

Oh cute! I'm not sure I recall you wearing it, though I've read quite a few of your TRs. Might have to go dig now haha

Now that is a cobb salad I can get behind. I have to remember to ask them to put the dressing on the side. The last time I had the salad it was so over dressed it was...mushy.

Oh yeah, since the lettuce is so finely chopped it can definitely get mushy fast. The good news is that both times I've had it at the lounge the dressing has been on the side!

OMG my sister and I got them (one red one blue) just so we could post the pics on instagram. I don't like the colorful sprinkles, and you are correct, DLR churros are 10x better and more abundant!

Your pictures are what made me knew I needed to track it down! I was so jealous when Disneyland got them and Disney World didn't, so this was great.

Yessss! Disneyland churros are one of my favorite snacks and Disney World's don't even register for me!

I'm not a fan of fennel either! I tolerate it more now if I can't pick it out but I don't usually like it.
I honestly did not like this dish, my fried tomatoes were cold and icky.
The fried green tomatoes with mozzarella at Italy were amazing!

I can sorta tolerate it too, but I find it so overwhelming. Sorta like cilantro.

I can't remember if the tomatoes were cold for us, but it definitely wasn't an impressive dish.

I wish I'd tried those! Sounds delicious.

I was wondering about that! But your dress is so pretty!

Aww thank you! I felt it was more Flower & Garden appropriate... plus that R2 one is a little hot.

Awww I don't think you're shy! You are too sweet to be shy! You should have come talk to me, although we may have been stuck in the rain still at that point!
I am definitely shy too in the real world, but a lot of it goes away when I'm at Disney and with Dis meets because I already know that we have something in common!

I think you might have been stuck in the rain. I'm pretty good at being outgoing, but it can be hard for me. I've come a long way on my shyness since I was a kid, but it shows up now and then haha.

These were all my first Dismeets and now that I got it all out of the way I think I'd be much better at overcoming any shyness!

@LindseyJo22 !!
And I love this pic!

Oh thank you! I was searching through your PTR, but I couldn't find it!
Me too, it's adorable!

Yum that looks amazing

So good, would definitely repeat it.

Aw I'm glad that dad got to ride SDD!! What great luck you had with that FP! We had something similar happen to us for Mine Train later in the week!

It's so great when it works out that way! Feels like some extra Disney magic or something.

Sweet! Isn't it great when that happens!

So great! What do you think of MaxPass vs Fastpass+? Curious to try it out..

I've had this several times and it's always a perfect light lunch!

Agreed! And the lounge atmosphere is so nice!

I always think so too! The boats are so much better!

Yes, the boat was much better, although I do love a good walk.

So pretty!!

Aw thank you!

LOL! Good catch!

At least they look pretty!

That is GORGEOUS!!

Ugh, I know it's amazing!

YAY!!! The best of a situation!

Definitely worked out perfectly for us!

Adorable!!!

Thank you! I really love it

I love that salad! Always with the dressing on the side.

It's truly a perfect salad.

Super cute dress! Too bad about the food.

Thank you again! The rest of the booths at F&G made up for this dish!

I tried frushi for the first time in March and really liked it too.

Yeah it lives up to the hype, which surprised me!

Looks yummy!

Mmmm I always appreciate a margarita, that's for sure!

It can definitely be overwhelming to be in a new group of people. I am a weird mixture of shy and extroverted so I completely understand how you were feeling.

Yes! I'm the same way! Most people don't really believe that I am shy/introverted cause I can be pretty outgoing.

Cute pic!

Drinks and Geyser Point sound great!

Was a nice end to the day, such a relaxing atmosphere.

LUV IT!!

from yer pics to the DISMEETS -
and the funniest part is I recognize some of those people (thru their TRs) in your DISMEETS pics -
toooooo dee-ja-vu

ANYWHO -

i'm still readin'



T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS Y'all

Thanks for joining in and reading!!

Haha yes! There were so many people there, the TRs are everywhere!

Thanks again for taking the time to read, means a lot!

Kara, thank you so much for this trip report! I stumbled upon it because you added the word "EPIC" to your title and I wondered if you were part of the group, and you were! But, I read your whole report and loved getting to know you. And even better, how cool that you are a fellow RN! I am so happy you were able to join that group of ladies! I have enjoyed all of your trip reports and have learned so much for my upcoming trip to WDW. You take the best pictures... I had no desire to see HEA until I saw the photos you took from the garbage can location! How awesome! Thanks again!

Thanks so much for reading it! Always great to meet a fellow Disney-loving RN. What do you do as a nurse?

It was so fun to be able to join them, so thankful I got the opportunity.

I'm so happy my pictures convinced you to maybe watch Happily Ever After. When is your trip? Tell me the details!

 

[paradesintherain]

Epic Girls Trip Highlights Day 5



On this day Dad had booked a California Grill brunch in the morning. The girls had a big group brunch booked a little earlier, but Dad wanted to keep our time frame. This was our second time doing the Brunch at the Top, which uses 2 Table Service credits. Since endless alcohol is included, plus endless entrees, plus the buffet it's a pretty good deal.

When you get up there they greet you with champagne. It's stated as mimosas on the website, and I only recently realized that it's a mimosa due to the fruit boba balls. Still, it's basically just endless glasses of champagne!

Even better, our server let us know that the Bloody Mary bar was included in the Dining Plan! So the champagne is just a freebie, basically! Dad and I both went ahead and made our own Bloody Marys. It seems like they've perfected the process a bit since the last time we did this.

Bloody Marys in hand, we went up to the buffet. This is my first plate. The Deviled Eggs are delicious and I also love that salad.

Here's the description of that salad: Bacon and Egg Salad - Greens, Frisée, Quinoa, Avocado, Cherrywood Bacon Lardon, Pecorino Romano, Sherry Vinaigrette, Egg


I ordered 2 entrees because I couldn't decide, and because you can order as many as you want.

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes - Hazelnut Granola, Yuzu Curd, Strawberry Syrup


I did not like this at all. It sounded amazing, I was envisioning a light lemon flavor, but the yuzu curd was so overpowering and sickly sweet. I really wasn't into the pancakes either. They weren't as light and fluffy as I prefer.


Here's my second entree, which I shared with Dad. This was a lobster omelette, it seems like the description has changed a bit since then. It had tons of lobster in it, and the eggs were cooked well. But the lobster was a bit rubbery and off-putting. So I was 0 for 2 on my entrees. But at least the buffet is a winner!

I did go over and talk to the ladies before they headed out. Look how pretty everyone looks!

When we finished with brunch we hopped on the monorail to Epcot. Yes, Epcot 2 days in a row! It was raining really hard while we were on the monorail, but luckily by the time we got to Epcot the worst of it had pretty much passed. It had been a pretty powerful storm, and some of the Flower & Garden signs didn't fare too well.

Some of them did ok.

We also noticed one of those temporary umbrellas that had been snapped in half by the storm. Very glad we didn't get caught in it!

Our main focus for the day was Flower & Garden stuff, but we also rode a few rides. I just love the topiaries!

I might have darted back to this spot when I saw the monorail coming.

This is going to sound crazy, since I just wrote about brunch, but here's a snack item we picked up at a booth. But at this time it was like 6 pm so a lot of time had passed since brunch!

Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer - Served with Steamed Rice and Coconut Lime sauce

I've only heard good things about this so I knew I had to try it. The shrimp was really well cooked and I enjoyed the sauce. I'm not sure it's a must-do for me, but I enjoyed it. And I don't know how I never realized before, but the sugar cane is actually the skewer!


Some more topiaries in the area. These are especially cute.

Next we checked out the Honey Bee-Stro which is maybe the cutest area in Flower & Garden. A dessert caught my eye here, though it hadn't been on my list to try. But I went for it anyway!

Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake - Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream Garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses and Lavender Shoots

This was delicious and well worth straying from my list for! It's hard to see but there's also some sort of glittery drizzle on it. And I'm very girly in that I'm drawn to all things glittery. Highly recommend this dish!


Further down the trail another dessert, also not on my list, caught my eye. So I got it too.

Mickey Tart Peanut Butter Mousse - with Strawberry Jam and Boba Pearls

I loved this too! It tasted just like a peanut butter and jelly, except waaaay better. Also, it's glittery too.


Next I spent some time in the Butterfly Garden. It was a little late in the day so the butterflies weren't terribly active, but I did get one to land on my finger!

A little girl was just mesmerized by the butterfly on my finger so I gently transferred it to her finger and she was just thrilled to pieces! And she was so gentle with the butterfly too.


One of my favorite views.

Next up I used a snack credit on the lobster tail from Citrus Blossom! Dad had this on his solo day so I opted not to share.

Lobster Tail - with Meyer Lemon Emulsion and Grilled Lemon

This was so good! Not at all rubbery, and the lemon emulsion was subtle but added a nice touch of flavor to it. Now, the lobster is really small, about 3 bites, but it's a pretty good use of a snack credit.

I also got a drink at the Citrus Blossom, which I thought was really delicious and refreshing. It didn't taste alcoholic at all, but supposedly it was.

Orange Sunshine Wine Slushy


We entered through Canada since we had skipped those pavilions yesterday.

I decided to get my boyfriend candy from each pavilion so I also spent time picking out treats in each place. It was actually pretty fun! Although in the end it was pretty heavy and I probably spent more than if I'd picked out one souvenir for him. Oh well!

In France I knew I had to try the duck. I've never actually had it before so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity.

Canard Confit a la Provencal - Braised Duck Confit with Tomatoes and Olives on Polenta

I really liked it! It was a pretty hearty dish, but I enjoyed the vinegar contrast of the olives with the perfectly cooked duck. In the end I wasn't able to finish it, but I'm glad I tried it and would probably get it again.


France topiaries:

After the storms earlier, there was a beautiful sunset this evening. Florida sunsets cannot be beat.

I had Dad take a redo picture in front of the Lion King topiaries.

In the end I was sort of rushing to get treats at every pavilion before Epcot closed, so I took less pictures. But my mission succeeded! On the way out of Epcot we were even able to take one last spin on Spaceship Earth before it's (rumored) 2 year closure.

Back at Wilderness Lodge I was somehow feeling hungry, so I grabbed a sandwich at Roaring Fork. It seems like all I did this day was eat, but I swear there was other stuff and it was more spread out than this makes it seem

Vegetarian Pita - Pepper Hummus, Field Greens, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Onions and Feta Cheese on a Whole Wheat Pita with Chips

This was such a good sandwich! It always amazes me how vegetarian sandwiches can even taste meaty. Seriously, I'd take this over any of the other sandwiches at Roaring Fork.


And that was the end of this food-centric day!





Up Next - Epic Girls Trip Highlights Day 6​

 

[suse66]

As you can tell I also used the 'holiday' as an excuse to wear my super cute R2-D2 dress. Not sure if this is allowed, but it's from an Etsy shop called KawaiianPizzaApparel and they've got tons of cute Disney dresses etc.

I know I commented on the cuteness of your R2D2 dress earlier but just had to say I went down an Etsy rabbit hole exploring that shop. They have some very cute things which is dangerous for my bank account!

On this day Dad had booked a California Grill brunch in the morning. The girls had a big group brunch booked a little earlier, but Dad wanted to keep our time frame. This was our second time doing the Brunch at the Top, which uses 2 Table Service credits. Since endless alcohol is included, plus endless entrees, plus the buffet it's a pretty good deal.

We have that brunch booked for July 7th and I cannot wait!

Bloody Marys in hand, we went up to the buffet. This is my first plate. The Deviled Eggs are delicious and I also love that salad.

That salad would be right up my alley!

Here's my second entree, which I shared with Dad. This was a lobster omelette, it seems like the description has changed a bit since then. It had tons of lobster in it, and the eggs were cooked well. But the lobster was a bit rubbery and off-putting. So I was 0 for 2 on my entrees. But at least the buffet is a winner!

Too bad about the lobster, so disappointing!

Our main focus for the day was Flower & Garden stuff, but we also rode a few rides. I just love the topiaries!

Your photos are gorgeous!

I might have darted back to this spot when I saw the monorail coming.

Love this one!

Some more topiaries in the area. These are especially cute.

Huey, Duey and Louie!!

Next I spent some time in the Butterfly Garden. It was a little late in the day so the butterflies weren't terribly active, but I did get one to land on my finger!

Beautiful!

I also got a drink at the Citrus Blossom, which I thought was really delicious and refreshing. It didn't taste alcoholic at all, but supposedly it was.

I tried this too and really liked it.

We entered through Canada since we had skipped those pavilions yesterday.

Canada is always the best!

France topiaries:

How did I not see the Miss Piggy topiary?

After the storms earlier, there was a beautiful sunset this evening. Florida sunsets cannot be beat.

Spectacular!

This was such a good sandwich! It always amazes me how vegetarian sandwiches can even taste meaty. Seriously, I'd take this over any of the other sandwiches at Roaring Fork.

Yum, must make note of that for when we are at Copper Creek in July!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Some very yummy updates! You're making my mouth water with all these Disney treats! I also hadn't realized that the sugar cane was the skewer with the shrimp! Thanks for enlightening me! A 2-year closure for Spaceship Earth?? How will I survive!?

 

[disneyAndi14]

I loved experiencing the CG brunch, so good!

I love all your Epcot pictures, it is so beautiful at F&G!

I’m surprised I didn’t run into you in Epcot, I was in there having a few snacks for dinner myself that evening! I hung around Morocco, Florida Fresh, and France for my treats! Loved everything I tried this evening!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer - Served with Steamed Rice and Coconut Lime sauce

This was so good!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Oh cute! I'm not sure I recall you wearing it, though I've read quite a few of your TRs. Might have to go dig now haha

I've actually never worn it! It's long sleeved and I'm always so hot!

Your pictures are what made me knew I needed to track it down! I was so jealous when Disneyland got them and Disney World didn't, so this was great.

Yup, the sole purpose of us getting them was to take pictures with them, LOL.

Yessss! Disneyland churros are one of my favorite snacks and Disney World's don't even register for me!

100% true!

I can sorta tolerate it too, but I find it so overwhelming. Sorta like cilantro.

Yup I hear ya! Although I do like cilantro. I hate rosemary though!

I can't remember if the tomatoes were cold for us, but it definitely wasn't an impressive dish.

Agreed.

I wish I'd tried those! Sounds delicious.

They were!

Aww thank you! I felt it was more Flower & Garden appropriate... plus that R2 one is a little hot.

Haha hence why I don't wear long sleeves much at WDW!

These were all my first Dismeets and now that I got it all out of the way I think I'd be much better at overcoming any shyness!

Aww I didn't know we were your first DIS meets!
Hopefully not your last!

It's so great when it works out that way! Feels like some extra Disney magic or something.

Yes!!

Even better, our server let us know that the Bloody Mary bar was included in the Dining Plan! So the champagne is just a freebie, basically! Dad and I both went ahead and made our own Bloody Marys. It seems like they've perfected the process a bit since the last time we did this.

Oh wow that is a good use of the dining plan then, even though it is 2 credits but includes the BM bar!

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes - Hazelnut Granola, Yuzu Curd, Strawberry Syrup

I did not like this at all. It sounded amazing, I was envisioning a light lemon flavor, but the yuzu curd was so overpowering and sickly sweet. I really wasn't into the pancakes either. They weren't as light and fluffy as I prefer.

You know, I had higher expectations of this too. I shared this with Liesa (although I did have my own entree, LOL) and I didn't like the lemon curd on top of the pancakes. And the pancakes had to be eaten piping hot or else they got too dense. I think next time I'll try the other pancakes, I think it had blueberries.

Here's my second entree, which I shared with Dad. This was a lobster omelette, it seems like the description has changed a bit since then. It had tons of lobster in it, and the eggs were cooked well. But the lobster was a bit rubbery and off-putting. So I was 0 for 2 on my entrees. But at least the buffet is a winner!

That looks alright, too bad the lobster wasn't that great. I agree the buffet is the best part and I pretty much fill myself up on stuff there.

Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer - Served with Steamed Rice and Coconut Lime sauce

I've only heard good things about this so I knew I had to try it. The shrimp was really well cooked and I enjoyed the sauce. I'm not sure it's a must-do for me, but I enjoyed it. And I don't know how I never realized before, but the sugar cane is actually the skewer!

Yum my favorite shrimp!

Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake - Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream Garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses and Lavender Shoots

This was delicious and well worth straying from my list for! It's hard to see but there's also some sort of glittery drizzle on it.

This looks amazing. I missed this.

And I'm very girly in that I'm drawn to all things glittery.

Aren't we all?

I loved this too! It tasted just like a peanut butter and jelly, except waaaay better. Also, it's glittery too.

Yum! I didn't even see this!

Lobster Tail - with Meyer Lemon Emulsion and Grilled Lemon

This was so good! Not at all rubbery, and the lemon emulsion was subtle but added a nice touch of flavor to it. Now, the lobster is really small, about 3 bites, but it's a pretty good use of a snack credit.

So yummy!

I also got a drink at the Citrus Blossom, which I thought was really delicious and refreshing. It didn't taste alcoholic at all, but supposedly it was.

agreed, I enjoyed this too!

I decided to get my boyfriend candy from each pavilion so I also spent time picking out treats in each place. It was actually pretty fun! Although in the end it was pretty heavy and I probably spent more than if I'd picked out one souvenir for him. Oh well!

Haha you're a good girlfriend, I'd probably go the T-shirt route to save on space and weight.

Canard Confit a la Provencal - Braised Duck Confit with Tomatoes and Olives on Polenta

I really liked it! It was a pretty hearty dish, but I enjoyed the vinegar contrast of the olives with the perfectly cooked duck. In the end I wasn't able to finish it, but I'm glad I tried it and would probably get it again.

Wow that does sound hearty but I like the flavors! I didn't get this because we had duck that week already and I wasn't craving duck, but next time this is on my list!

Back at Wilderness Lodge I was somehow feeling hungry, so I grabbed a sandwich at Roaring Fork. It seems like all I did this day was eat, but I swear there was other stuff and it was more spread out than this makes it seem

That's like every day for me!

Vegetarian Pita - Pepper Hummus, Field Greens, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Onions and Feta Cheese on a Whole Wheat Pita with Chips

This was such a good sandwich! It always amazes me how vegetarian sandwiches can even taste meaty. Seriously, I'd take this over any of the other sandwiches at Roaring Fork.

There was this sandwich at Columbia Harbor House. I think they might still have it, I have to check. It had broccoli slaw and hummus. A weird combination but I enjoyed it a lot!

 

[missangelalexis]

Sounds like a nice time at brunch! I'm sorry your entrees weren't better!

Fun time at Epcot! Love that you caught a butterfly!

The sunset was beautiful!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

When you get up there they greet you with champagne. It's stated as mimosas on the website, and I only recently realized that it's a mimosa due to the fruit boba balls. Still, it's basically just endless glasses of champagne!

Sounds delightful!

After the storms earlier, there was a beautiful sunset this evening. Florida sunsets cannot be beat.

So pretty! Epcot always seems to have the best sunsets!

 

[Lesley Wake]

So great! What do you think of MaxPass vs Fastpass+? Curious to try it out..

Maxpass is so much better for Disneyland. As long as you get up early you have the same shot as everyone else at getting the big rides. I love that you can stack them up, so if you take a mid-day break you can build up a bunch of FPs to be used at the end of the day. And that the FPs can overlap, which is super handy! It's 100% worth it!

Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake - Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream Garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses and Lavender Shoots

This was delicious and well worth straying from my list for! It's hard to see but there's also some sort of glittery drizzle on it. And I'm very girly in that I'm drawn to all things glittery. Highly recommend this dish!

It was sparkly!

It was a little late in the day so the butterflies weren't terribly active, but I did get one to land on my finger!

Wow! I don't think I've ever seen that before! And so nice to transfer it to the little girl!

I also got a drink at the Citrus Blossom, which I thought was really delicious and refreshing. It didn't taste alcoholic at all, but supposedly it was.

Sooo yummy! Loved this drink!

 

[paradesintherain]

I know I commented on the cuteness of your R2D2 dress earlier but just had to say I went down an Etsy rabbit hole exploring that shop. They have some very cute things which is dangerous for my bank account!

Right? I feel you there, I have quite a few things favorited on there. Can't wait to see if you end up purchasing anything for an upcoming trip!

We have that brunch booked for July 7th and I cannot wait!

You're going to love it! It's such a fun experience, and the views during the day are phenomenal!

That salad would be right up my alley!

It was just as good as I remembered it from my first trip there too! Hopefully it's still there in July.

Too bad about the lobster, so disappointing!

But at least there was other good food!

Your photos are gorgeous!

Thank you so much!! I love taking pictures.

Love this one!

Monorails really elevate any photo!

Huey, Duey and Louie!!

Aren't they so cute?

Beautiful!

It was so exciting too!

I tried this too and really liked it.

I feel like we have very similar tastes!

Canada is always the best!

See, I usually always start in Mexico! But it's fun to switch things up.

How did I not see the Miss Piggy topiary?

It's kind of off to the side a bit, maybe that's why! Think that just means you'll have to go back next year to make sure you see it!

Spectacular!

One of my favorite parts of a Disney World vacation!

Yum, must make note of that for when we are at Copper Creek in July!

I hope it's still there! And that's so awesome you get to stay at Copper Creek! The rooms look absolutely beautiful, I hope you're planning on writing a TR.

Some very yummy updates! You're making my mouth water with all these Disney treats! I also hadn't realized that the sugar cane was the skewer with the shrimp! Thanks for enlightening me! A 2-year closure for Spaceship Earth?? How will I survive!?

Haha, all my highlights do seem to revolve around food....

It's a rumor, at this point, but a pretty strong rumor. Some even say it could last as long as 3 years!

I loved experiencing the CG brunch, so good!

I love all your Epcot pictures, it is so beautiful at F&G!

I’m surprised I didn’t run into you in Epcot, I was in there having a few snacks for dinner myself that evening! I hung around Morocco, Florida Fresh, and France for my treats! Loved everything I tried this evening!

It really is a special experience, and my dad keeps suggesting going back there!

Thank you, it really is the best time of year at Epcot. Though I haven't been during Festival of the Arts.

Darn, I wish I'd known you were there!

This was so good!

Agreed, very glad I tried it!

I've actually never worn it! It's long sleeved and I'm always so hot!

Oh yeah, long sleeves in Florida can be pretty rough. Ya know, except those 2 weeks where it's freezing cold

Yup, the sole purpose of us getting them was to take pictures with them, LOL.

yours turned out way better than mine! Stupid broken churro!

100% true!

Very glad for the validation. People rave about Disney churros as if they're all created equally!!

Yup I hear ya! Although I do like cilantro. I hate rosemary though!

I wish I liked cilantro! I'm unsure how I feel about rosemary... can't really think of the flavor off the top of my head haha

Haha hence why I don't wear long sleeves much at WDW!

Smarter than me! For Star Wars day I'll go "fashion" over comfort though. But ONLY for Star Wars!

Aww I didn't know we were your first DIS meets!
Hopefully not your last!

Definitely not my last! I had a great time, and I'm for sure counting on many more (including the next Epic one!)

Oh wow that is a good use of the dining plan then, even though it is 2 credits but includes the BM bar!

I feel like we definitely came out ahead there with all the booze and unlimited entrees!

You know, I had higher expectations of this too. I shared this with Liesa (although I did have my own entree, LOL) and I didn't like the lemon curd on top of the pancakes. And the pancakes had to be eaten piping hot or else they got too dense. I think next time I'll try the other pancakes, I think it had blueberries.

It sounds so promising! Really disappointing that it was so unsatisfying. There's these pancakes at a place I love in Kansas City, and I imagined the California Grill pancakes to be something like them, so maybe that played into my distaste? Anyway here's the pancakes because they deserve to be shared.

Ricotta Hotcakes - with Honeycomb Butter, Caramelized Bananas and Fresh Strawberries

Now THOSE are pancakes!

That looks alright, too bad the lobster wasn't that great. I agree the buffet is the best part and I pretty much fill myself up on stuff there.

It could be that lobster is just kinda weird in an omelette too. Like the idea of it now is just odd.

Yum my favorite shrimp!

It was really yummy, well worth trying!

This looks amazing. I missed this.

Nooo, that's sad! But just means you'll have to get it next year!

Aren't we all?

It seems to be the general consensus haha

Yum! I didn't even see this!

Another treat for next year!

So yummy!

It was kind of the perfect amount of lobster!

agreed, I enjoyed this too!

Maybe even more than the slushes in France?

Haha you're a good girlfriend, I'd probably go the T-shirt route to save on space and weight.

I should have! He's barely even tried the candy! But he's not a huge Disney fan (yet) so I wasn't sure he'd even wear a shirt.

Wow that does sound hearty but I like the flavors! I didn't get this because we had duck that week already and I wasn't craving duck, but next time this is on my list!

I hope you like it! It was my first time having duck so it actually could have been cooked poorly for all I know

That's like every day for me!

you're always eating the most incredible food! Jealous you live so close to New York - there's so many amazing restaurants there.

There was this sandwich at Columbia Harbor House. I think they might still have it, I have to check. It had broccoli slaw and hummus. A weird combination but I enjoyed it a lot!

The Lighthouse sandwich? Or something like that? I never had it but I wanted to... I think they might have taken it off the menu.

Sounds like a nice time at brunch! I'm sorry your entrees weren't better!

Fun time at Epcot! Love that you caught a butterfly!

The sunset was beautiful!

It's a lovely brunch even though the entrees didn't blow me away!

That was so exciting for me, I wanted to catch a Monarch butterfly but they were too sleepy.

Ugh I know! Disney sunsets can't be beat. Except maybe by Hawaii sunsets?

Sounds delightful!

It truly was!

So pretty! Epcot always seems to have the best sunsets!

I feel like I've had great luck at all the parks... maybe Magic Kingdom the least though. Still Disney sunsets are great!\

Maxpass is so much better for Disneyland. As long as you get up early you have the same shot as everyone else at getting the big rides. I love that you can stack them up, so if you take a mid-day break you can build up a bunch of FPs to be used at the end of the day. And that the FPs can overlap, which is super handy! It's 100% worth it!

Do you have to enter the park before the Maxpass is active? I already booked it for the tickets.

I've read a bit about the stacking, which I kind of get, but it's hard for me to imagine!

It was sparkly!

I loved that! And TMI, I did notice later that something else was sparkly...

Wow! I don't think I've ever seen that before! And so nice to transfer it to the little girl!

They were landing on a lot of people when I went! Maybe it depends on the time of day?

Sooo yummy! Loved this drink!

Me too! Wish they'd had a bigger portion of it.

 

[paradesintherain]

Epic Girls Trip Highlights Day 6!



So the night before I had picked up our first Magic Cookie Bar from Roaring Fork! I figured Dad would love this because of the coconut, but I surprised myself by loving it too! It really IS magical.

We ate some of that bar, but I also went down to Roaring Fork and grabbed us some breakfast to share.

Chicken and Waffles - starring Mickey-shaped Waffles with Pecan Butter and Maple Syrup

I thought this was pretty enjoyable. It's obviously not the best iteration of chicken and waffles, but it was a nice combination of sweet and salty. And pecan butter means I got REAL butter with my waffles and not that margarine junk Disney likes to pass out.


So it's really going to look like all I did today was eat. And maybe it's true. But anyway, I had Afternoon Tea booked at the Grand Floridian with some of the girls, so I just spent some time at the resort getting ready and then hopped on a boat to the Contemporary where I boarded a monorail to the Grand Floridian. I was cutting it really close for time, but I ended up getting there right on time!

This was my second time doing tea, and I ordered the rooibos tea again. This is actually an herbal infusion, but it's my very favorite.

The tea comes with finger sandwiches:

The sandwiches are all really delicious. My favorites are probably the cucumber and egg salad. Least favorite was definitely the pear and cheese one.

Each person also gets a scone and tart. These are very tasty and satisfying.

There's also a choice of dessert, I opted for the trifle. Luckily, there was no beef in this trifle (any Friends fans out there?).

@Lesley Wake wore a super appropriate dress for tea, so she had to get pictures with the adorable tiles. She was obviously focusing on a different camera, but still cute!

And here's our adorable group photo! It was such a nice, peaceful meal. I'd happily repeat this experience again!

After saying final goodbyes to everyone I jumped on a bus to Animal Kingdom to meet up with Dad. I had the goal of getting photos at the new Lion King photo spots!

And I was successful! Do you think once Disney is done with this they'd let me have it?

Such a cute little photo-op. I'm all for Disney parks having MORE Lion King.

We rode some rides and walked around and then completely randomly ran into Kevin! I had actually forgotten all about him her being at Animal Kingdom. He She interacted with me for a long time before I looked around and realized Dad was just standing in the background, not taking photos! I yelled, "Dad, you're failing!" and threw my phone at him. It wasn't too much of a fail, though, because the guide told me I could give Kevin a hug and then he she posed with me! Such a fun little experience, and I love his her little flapping wings and squawks.

Just in awe of this beautiful bird.

We explored Animal Kingdom a bit more.

And then headed off for our next meal at Sanaa. See, told you it's all food! I was really excited to finally see the tortoise out. IN all the times I've been to Sanaa that elusive creature has never shown its face. It was eating all the hibiscus flowers that had fallen on the ground, it was adorable.

Again we were using the Dining Plan and we inquired about using our dessert credits for appetizers. We were told that we'd have to trade in both dessert credits for one appetizer, which we were happy to do for the bread service! We got only naan for our bread.

Indian-style Bread Service - Choice of Five Breads and with all Nine Accompaniments - Traditional Naan, Garlic-Ginger Naan, Spiced Naan, Onion Kulcha, or Paneer Paratha. Accompaniments - Cucumber Raita, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Mango Chutney, Tomato-Date Jam, Tamarind Chutney, Coriander Chutney, Garlic Pickle, Red Chile Sambal, or Spicy Jalapeño-Lime Pickle


I also got this beautiful, refreshing mojito with my meal.

For my entree I got the same thing I always get. And probably will always get!

Potjie Inspired - Choose one from the Journey - Butter Chicken Choose one from the Harvest (Plant-based) -Chickpea Wat, served with scented Basmati Rice


This butter chicken is probably my favorite chicken dish in the world. Chicken is kind of boring to me, in general, but wow this is out of this world. As for the chickpea wat - it was good, but I didn't really focus much on it. Bread service and butter chicken is all I need!

Dad had a friend at dinner. This bird stared forever, I'm assuming at its own reflection.

After dinner I had to go say Jambo to Jambo House.

My home <3

We then headed back to Animal Kingdom for the rest of the evening. We actually had Disney After Hours tickets purchased for this night! It was my first time doing an After Hours outside Magic Kingdom. First, some Pandora.

We rode Flight of Passage, and I finally noticed Joe Rhode's handprints on the exit wall.

We rode the Safari at dusk, which was new to us. And funnily enough we actually ended up on the same Safari vehicle as Billie and Sarah! They were also doing After Hours. A fun little Dismeet. The Safari was a bit boring and it was difficult to really see anything. I think the lions were actually up and moving so that was cool, but still wouldn't recommend it!


Then After Hours started, so here's some random pictures from After Hours at Animal Kingdom.

Look at these adorable statues of Russell and Dug.

Snacks are included during After Hours, so we indulged in some of those. Yes, more food! They actually did things a little differently in Animal Kingdom. Rather than the usual full-sized popcorn boxes they were filling up drink cups, and they just had them sitting there for guests to grab. Maybe Magic Kingdom does this now too, but that wasn't the case last August.

I was surprised to see that the Pandoran fruit bars were included. This was really tasty! Glad I got to try it. I actually picked it up before we got in line for Flight of Passage. Of course there was no line. But the CM let us wander back through the standby line and I got to see the floating avatar thingy!

We also explored that cool science room. It was fun to just walk around that without anyone else in line. We only rode Flight of Passage once since it's such a long experience time and we've been lucky enough to ride it many times. We needed time for Triceratops Spin, obviously! This was actually my first time on the ride. Probably my least favorite of the spinners.

I was surprised that Primeval Whirl wasn't running during After Hours. It's not like Animal Kingdom has a ton of rides, and that would be a great one to ride with no line. Maybe it was down for refurb and I just hadn't noticed? Anyway, I also picked up another Mickey treat in DinoLand.

They also had the DJ truck from Donald's Dino Bash out and playing music. It was a little awkward as it was pretty much just the DJs dancing alone. It would have been a fun extra if Chip and Dale had been out dancing like during the day.

Here's some of the ride photos from the night. We rode Expedition Everest 3 times, Flight of Passage once, Navi River Journey, Triceratops Spin, Dinosaur and ended the night meeting Mickey & Minnie! I suggested seeing It's Tough to be a Bug but Dad vetoed that.

Final thoughts on Disney After Hours at Animal Kingdom: it was fun to experience once. It doesn't seem to have as much value as the Magic Kingdom After Hours since there's just so few rides! It is fun to be in Animal Kingdom after dark, and nothing beats Everest after dark, but there's just so few offerings! If you had limited time and wanted to get on those Pandora rides a few times this would likely be a good way to do it, we waited maybe 5 minutes to board Flight of Passage. Still, I'd give Magic Kingdom the advantage!



Up Next: Epic Girls Trip Highlights Final Day!​

 

[suse66]

So the night before I had picked up our first Magic Cookie Bar from Roaring Fork! I figured Dad would love this because of the coconut, but I surprised myself by loving it too! It really IS magical.

Yum! I love coconut too. Do you know if there are nuts in it as well?

So it's really going to look like all I did today was eat. And maybe it's true. But anyway, I had Afternoon Tea booked at the Grand Floridian with some of the girls, so I just spent some time at the resort getting ready and then hopped on a boat to the Contemporary where I boarded a monorail to the Grand Floridian. I was cutting it really close for time, but I ended up getting there right on time!

This was my second time doing tea, and I ordered the rooibos tea again. This is actually an herbal infusion, but it's my very favorite.

Nothing wrong with delicious food all day long!! I enjoyed this tea SO much when I experienced it on my 50th birthday trip. DH actually requested it for our upcoming anniversary trip so am very excited to go there again!

The tea comes with finger sandwiches:

They are delicious!

And here's our adorable group photo! It was such a nice, peaceful meal. I'd happily repeat this experience again!

Love this photo!

Such a cute little photo-op. I'm all for Disney parks having MORE Lion King.

Adorbs!

We rode some rides and walked around and then completely randomly ran into Kevin! I had actually forgotten all about him being at Animal Kingdom. He interacted with me for a long time before I looked around and realized Dad was just standing in the background, not taking photos! I yelled, "Dad, you're failing!" and threw my phone at him. It wasn't too much of a fail, though, because the guide told me I could give Kevin a hug and then he posed with me! Such a fun little experience, and I love his little flapping wings and squawks.

OMG, you got a photo with Kevin!! And you got to hug her! Lucky, lucky you!

Again we were using the Dining Plan and we inquired about using our dessert credits for appetizers. We were told that we'd have to trade in both dessert credits for one appetizer, which we were happy to do for the bread service! We got only naan for our bread.

Sanaa bread service is everything!

After dinner I had to go say Jambo to Jambo House.

That picture is making me so excited for our upcoming stay in 12 days!!!

Snacks are included during After Hours, so we indulged in some of those. Yes, more food! They actually did things a little differently in Animal Kingdom. Rather than the usual full-sized popcorn boxes they were filling up drink cups, and they just had them sitting there for guests to grab. Maybe Magic Kingdom does this now too, but that wasn't the case last August.

Looks like a fun night!

 

[paradesintherain]

Yum! I love coconut too. Do you know if there are nuts in it as well?

I'm not entirely sure... I did a quick Google search and Disney Food Blog says pecans!

Nothing wrong with delicious food all day long!! I enjoyed this tea SO much when I experienced it on my 50th birthday trip. DH actually requested it for our upcoming anniversary trip so am very excited to go there again!

So guys do enjoy it! Dad says it's a girl experience, but I say it'd be enjoyable for anyone!

They are delicious!

So delicious! I should make them for myself sometime, they're pretty simple.

Love this photo!

Me too! We all did pinkies up!

Adorbs!

Maybe they'll keep it forever if they don't give it to me.. haha

OMG, you got a photo with Kevin!! And you got to hug her! Lucky, lucky you!

Oh my goodness, I misgendered Kevin! "Kevin's a GIRL?!" I had to go back and correct that terrible error!

Sanaa bread service is everything!

It really is! Wish I could find something similar nearby.

That picture is making me so excited for our upcoming stay in 12 days!!!

I'm so excited for you! And maybe a teensy bit jealous...

Looks like a fun night!

It was! It's always nice getting to experience something new at Disney World.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

What an awesome food day! I love magic bars. I love tea at the GF. Sanaa's bread service is wonderful and who doesn't love Mickey bars!!!