The Flip-Flop Trip: A first attempt to report our dining

[alex9179]

8/4 Evening at AK

I apologize, again, for the lack of pictures. Our evening plans were simply to finally see ROL. I understand that the show has been trimmed quite a bit since its premiere. "We Are One" is the new working title. It was...pretty. The entire park has incorporated more Lion King moments, and the show utilizes some of that imagery. I look forward to whatever new incarnation it has in the future. Honestly, I'd rather sit and watch the Tree of Life awakenings, which we did after the show! I think my main gripe is how we were packed into one small section, leaving large areas completely clear. I know they're trying to keep an eye on people but that made for a less-than-comfortable experience, especially when people need to get by.
Our brunch/lunch was so filling that all we had that night were some drinks from Royal Anandapur Tea Company. I was hot and my legs elephantine, but the Frozen Shakin' Jamaican, frozen cappuccino and Bailey's, gave me some relief! Alexis thought her Frozen Chai Latte was excellent and could drink one daily. The boys both chose frozen fruit smoothies, sweet and cold. My kids prefer Joffrey's for liquid treats more than Starbucks, by a mile.

Coming soon, I promise, drinks and snacks around Epcot with PICTURES
​

 

[alex9179]

8/5 EPCOT Snacks and Drinks

We were actually able to wake up on time this morning to make it Epcot for rope drop. For breakfast, I gave the kids apples we brought from home, and they drank the orange juice we squirreled away from our Mara meals. We met a father/daughter duo while waiting to be released and had a great chat. We ran into them twice more that day, which was so funny! I just love those moments at WDW. We had a pretty good AM experience riding TT twice and MS green, before using our FPs at Spaceship Earth, Nemo, and Soarin'.
After MS, the kids were hungry so we stopped for a side of fries and cups of ice water at Electric Umbrella. They were hot and crispy, and enough to get them through our FPs before the next food stop. This is where we ran into our Rope Drop buddies, great minds think alike!
My first "scheduled" snack was at Refreshment Port. The kids went for more fries in the form of Traditional Poutine with cheese curds and beef gravy. This wasn't bad, but the kids would've preferred the thick cut fries so that they'd hold up to the gravy better.


I enjoyed the Stow Away Mary, classic Bloody Mary with Absolut vodka garnished with a pimento stuffed olive, shrimp, grape tomato, beef stick and celery. I gave the kids bites of the beef stick, Alexis ate some of the celery, and I enjoyed the rest. The last thing I probably needed was salt, but I enjoyed it.
The kids were still hungry and, against my advice, they decided on the fish and chips at Yorkshire County Fishshop. They shared two orders. We used to love this dish but they've since switched to tilapia over cod. Alexis had one bite and ended up eating the breading and chips, which were still tasty. The boys didn't have a problem eating the filets. They drank ice water while I had Bass Ale draft. When not on the DDP, my favorite is to get the Blacksmith from the bar. It's a blend of Smithwick's and Guinness and absolutely delicious. We'll also get the fish & chips from there, as they still use cod in the restaurant.
We roamed around the UK pavillion, then meandered to France for dessert at L'Artisan des Glaces. Starting left, going clockwise, the kids ordered mixed berry sorbet, caramel fleur de sel and coffee ice cream. Three thumbs up!


We visited some shops and stopped in at Karamel Kuche to spend some snack credits. The boys got two big bags of caramel popcorn, Alexis chose the caramel butter bar, and I picked up the dark chocolate caramel with sea salt to take home to DH. Well, we didn't get to enjoy the bounty. Between the heat and small appetites, only a little popcorn was eaten while fresh. We stopped at a friends on the way home and I accidentally left the caramels in her fridge! Alexis and Bryson continued to eat the popcorn after arriving home, even though it was well past its prime.
It was late afternoon by the time we arrived in Mexico, and I was interested in a margarita and nachos at La Cantina! I'd read on the DDP forum that all of the margaritas on the menu were eligible and they used to have an interesting-sounding Patron lime margarita, but it had been removed from the menu. The only alcohol allowed on the plan were beer, sangria, and the classic margarita. The classic is okay, tasting very much like the bottled mix it is, but fairly strong. I would have been happier with the frozen version but I'll likely go somewhere else next time.


Nachos with ground beef, nacho cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos, beans, and sour cream. A large portion that Alexis and Bryson sampled. LT doesn't like cheese sauce or queso, crazy person. Very filling and would be great on a day that isn't as hot as the surface of the sun!


The kids were so excited about getting churros. They've never had them before! I think that might be against the law in Texas. The boys really liked them but Alexis thought they'd been sitting around, as they were chewy. They disappeared fast and the last bit of the caramel sauce almost started a brawl.

​

 

[alex9179]

Enjoying the food report!! Your kids are just the cutest, Alexis is a beautiful girl, she seems to have quite the sweet tooth but who wouldn't with those yummy desserts.
It's awesome what adventuresome palates they all have. Keep up the great dining report....you have me starving right now.

So happy you're reading! Yeah, the kids are sugar hounds. I'm not a "sweet" person, and don't buy or make it regularly, so they took full advantage of all the choices!
The kids didn't start out liking a variety of foods. It took a while for them to come around. Once in a while I'll still hear negative comments about trying something new. All I have to do is mention an "odd" dish they like, to get them to try a bite. I have to say, I really upped my cooking game after they came into the picture. They became very vocal if I didn't season properly or if my flavors didn't have enough "depth". Like living with non-cussing Gordon Ramseys!

 

[poppinsmomof2]

Epcot evening
Les Halles, Via Napoli

After lunch, we bussed back to AKL for a quick shower, change of clothes, and hydration. By now, my older body was rebelling against the heat, humidity, and being on my feet for hours. The third reference to the title saved my feet this week! I wear Fitflops regularly at home, and have had great success with them at WDW. They really saved my poor feet when they grew 2-3 sizes.
We'd just walked into the park when grumpy noises could be heard from my entourage. We caught a short stand-by wait for Nemo but they weren't going to tolerate anymore delays. I had a Soarin' FP for 620 and suggested Sunshine Seasons. Nope, they wanted to walk to France! My poor legs.
LT had another sulky episode when I said no to frangipane and asked him to pick something savory or share, since dinner was in an hour and a half. He refused to choose anything at that point. No pics, again, because they started eating before we found a table to set down the selections and cups of water. Alexis chose the roule lard & fromage, bacon and cheese roll. I thought it was a bit dry but she and LT (he couldn't resist the lure of bacon) just loved it. Bryson chose the winner, in my opinion, croissant jambon fromage. The one bite of ham, cheese, and bechamel on a croissant was fantastic. Both snacks were enough for the 3 to feel like they'd make it to dinner before needing to eat, again.
I'd made a 7:15 ADR at Via Napoli, planning on watching IllumiNations one last time. Of course, we waited a while to be seated. Why don't they use buzzers or text to let you know when your table is ready, like other venues in WDW? That lobby area is much too small to hold everyone who is waiting and there's no way to hear them call your name if you go outside.
We were led to a room in the back and seated on the end opposite the restrooms. It was much quieter in there, than the main room, and a nice break. Maria introduced herself as our busser and was such a lovely person! We chatted with her a lot throughout our evening. We sipped more water while waiting for our server. By my second glass she took our drink and food order, because we'd all made that decision weeks ago! The kids had Aqua Frescas, fruit puree in ice water. Blood orange for Alexis and LT, strawberry for Bryson. They were a little disappointed in the lack of sweetening, but thought they were refreshing. I had a glass of sauvignon blanc, but I can't remember the label. We ordered our pizzas and sat there, sipping our drinks, for quite a long time. To be fair, our server warned us that pizzas were taking longer than usual due to how busy they were. We waited about 20 minutes and Maria brought bread and olive oil. 5 seconds later we were back to sipping drinks. The pizzas finally arrived at around 830pm! We set upon them like wild dogs and ate half before I remembered pics. Then Alexis and I traded a slice with each other.
Bryson ordered Pepperoni Signature Pie
tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni

View attachment 428167

Alexis the Carciofi, I forgot to tell her that she could add arugula...sshhh
white pizza - artichoke, fontina, mozzarella, truffle oil
View attachment 428168

LT the Margherita
tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil
View attachment 428169

And my favorite, Prosciutto e Melone
white pizza - fontina, mozzarella, prosciutto, cantaloupe, arugula

View attachment 428170

Our server came back 10-15 minutes later and I told her no dessert because we wanted to see the fireworks. She insisted, because it's included, and promised to get them out quickly. Alexis and LT shared Coppa di Brutti Ma Buoni, cherry and vanilla sundae. LT had insisted that he didn't want dessert but ate over half of the sundae. They loved it. Bryson ordered Gelato Frizzante, orange San Pellegrino over vanilla gelato. He thought the soda water bitter until I told him that he was supposed to mix it all together. "Much better!" I had a cappucino and settled up with Aina.
We missed the beginning of the show but found a great spot to watch on the bridge by Italy. Our food was delicious. There's only ONE pizza place that can make a memorable pie, in our area. No one serves the prosciutto and melon, or makes the same kind of dough, so VN will always be on my dining list. The servers did the best they could and were very nice. The wait would have been more tolerable if I hadn't somewhere to be. In the future, I'll try to schedule a meal here during off times. LT finished his pizza but the rest of us took slices back to the room for another day.
​

Via Napoli is always a favorite of ours. We don't have a reservation for our next trip, but I imagine that we will probably end up going at some point. We just can't stay away!

 

[poppinsmomof2]

8/4 Evening at AK

I apologize, again, for the lack of pictures. Our evening plans were simply to finally see ROL. I understand that the show has been trimmed quite a bit since its premiere. "We Are One" is the new working title. It was...pretty. The entire park has incorporated more Lion King moments, and the show utilizes some of that imagery. I look forward to whatever new incarnation it has in the future. Honestly, I'd rather sit and watch the Tree of Life awakenings, which we did after the show! I think my main gripe is how we were packed into one small section, leaving large areas completely clear. I know they're trying to keep an eye on people but that made for a less-than-comfortable experience, especially when people need to get by.
Our brunch/lunch was so filling that all we had that night were some drinks from Royal Anandapur Tea Company. I was hot and my legs elephantine, but the Frozen Shakin' Jamaican, frozen cappuccino and Bailey's, gave me some relief! Alexis thought her Frozen Chai Latte was excellent and could drink one daily. The boys both chose frozen fruit smoothies, sweet and cold. My kids prefer Joffrey's for liquid treats more than Starbucks, by a mile.

Coming soon, I promise, drinks and snacks around Epcot with PICTURES
​

That frozen cappuccino with Bailey's sounds amazing! I am going to have to remember it for our trip next week!

 

[poppinsmomof2]

8/5 EPCOT Snacks and Drinks

We were actually able to wake up on time this morning to make it Epcot for rope drop. For breakfast, I gave the kids apples we brought from home, and they drank the orange juice we squirreled away from our Mara meals. We met a father/daughter duo while waiting to be released and had a great chat. We ran into them twice more that day, which was so funny! I just love those moments at WDW. We had a pretty good AM experience riding TT twice and MS green, before using our FPs at Spaceship Earth, Nemo, and Soarin'.
After MS, the kids were hungry so we stopped for a side of fries and cups of ice water at Electric Umbrella. They were hot and crispy, and enough to get them through our FPs before the next food stop. This is where we ran into our Rope Drop buddies, great minds think alike!
My first "scheduled" snack was at Refreshment Port. The kids went for more fries in the form of Traditional Poutine with cheese curds and beef gravy. This wasn't bad, but the kids would've preferred the thick cut fries so that they'd hold up to the gravy better.
View attachment 436439

I enjoyed the Stow Away Mary, classic Bloody Mary with Absolut vodka garnished with a pimento stuffed olive, shrimp, grape tomato, beef stick and celery. I gave the kids bites of the beef stick, Alexis ate some of the celery, and I enjoyed the rest. The last thing I probably needed was salt, but I enjoyed it.
The kids were still hungry and, against my advice, they decided on the fish and chips at Yorkshire County Fishshop. They shared two orders. We used to love this dish but they've since switched to tilapia over cod. Alexis had one bite and ended up eating the breading and chips, which were still tasty. The boys didn't have a problem eating the filets. They drank ice water while I had Bass Ale draft. When not on the DDP, my favorite is to get the Blacksmith from the bar. It's a blend of Smithwick's and Guinness and absolutely delicious. We'll also get the fish & chips from there, as they still use cod in the restaurant.
We roamed around the UK pavillion, then meandered to France for dessert at L'Artisan des Glaces. Starting left, going clockwise, the kids ordered mixed berry sorbet, caramel fleur de sel and coffee ice cream. Three thumbs up!
View attachment 436440

We visited some shops and stopped in at Karamel Kuche to spend some snack credits. The boys got two big bags of caramel popcorn, Alexis chose the caramel butter bar, and I picked up the dark chocolate caramel with sea salt to take home to DH. Well, we didn't get to enjoy the bounty. Between the heat and small appetites, only a little popcorn was eaten while fresh. We stopped at a friends on the way home and I accidentally left the caramels in her fridge! Alexis and Bryson continued to eat the popcorn after arriving home, even though it was well past its prime.
It was late afternoon by the time we arrived in Mexico, and I was interested in a margarita and nachos at La Cantina! I'd read on the DDP forum that all of the margaritas on the menu were eligible and they used to have an interesting-sounding Patron lime margarita, but it had been removed from the menu. The only alcohol allowed on the plan were beer, sangria, and the classic margarita. The classic is okay, tasting very much like the bottled mix it is, but fairly strong. I would have been happier with the frozen version but I'll likely go somewhere else next time.
View attachment 436442

Nachos with ground beef, nacho cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos, beans, and sour cream. A large portion that Alexis and Bryson sampled. LT doesn't like cheese sauce or queso, crazy person. Very filling and would be great on a day that isn't as hot as the surface of the sun!
View attachment 436443

The kids were so excited about getting churros. They've never had them before! I think that might be against the law in Texas. The boys really liked them but Alexis thought they'd been sitting around, as they were chewy. They disappeared fast and the last bit of the caramel sauce almost started a brawl.

​

Sounds like a productive morning at Epcot with some yummy foods and drinks! The nachos looks really good!

 

[Morieris]

This has been so much fun to read, I could read your Disney opinions all day!

 

[alex9179]

Hey! I just realized my Stow Away Mary pic is missing. I guess 4 pics/post is the limit. That's some dicey balancing that only a sober person would attempt.

 

[alex9179]

8/6 Trying to use snack credits, FTBBQ

We started our last DDP day with a ridiculous number of snack (19!) and QS (6) credits. Our TS credits were spoken for, that evening. The night before, Alexis used a snack credit for a frozen POG juice. The machine wasn't working and the drink wasn't even remotely close to being frozen. That morning, I sent the kids down for some mug refills and a few Zebra Dome containers. We brought all of them to my friend's house, where ONE whole dome was eaten. They were a little worse for wear by the time DH was able to sample. He still thought they were tasty with his morning coffee!
This was originally our last day. Then, Gran Destino opened and Disney Visa offered a water view room at a decent rate. I booked one night there, with the plan of exploring new-to-us CSR, sampling a drink at Barcelona Lounge, having a nice dinner at Toledo/drink at Dahlia/watch fireworks. Epcot released PM EMH and we thought to hang out there, if we had the energy.
We woke late morning and went to AK for our hard-won FP for FoP. I'd made earlier FPs when our plans changed and had time to roam around. The kids wanted to try Starbucks/Creature Comforts, where their preference for Joffrey's coffee drinks solidified.
Alexis ordered something called Sweet Vanilla Cream Cold Brew. She didn't like it, at all. Not only was it NOT sweet but, it tasted burnt (go figure). She added a couple of sugar packets but couldn't get over the way Starbucks processes their beans and was really disappointed. The boys ordered fruity teas, Dragonfruit and Strawberry, that they liked. They all ordered blueberry muffins, as well. No pic because they gnawed the muffin tops off before the drinks arrived! They DO recommend the baked goods


We had some time before Dino-land, so stopped for my snack credit pick. I'd heard so many raves about the Pulled Pork Fries and all of that is my jam. Well, we wouldn't tell someone to order them. The pork was fine but under seasoned. The plastic cheese could've used some Velveeta for flavor! The bbq sauce is really sweet, though not totally objectionable if you enjoy Sweet Baby Ray's. The freshly chopped jalapeno peppers were great and I'd like a little tub of them. We all shared but I probably ate most of it since they'd just devoured muffins. The fries are something I'm going to re-imagine, and thoroughly enjoy, at home. I also purchased a Safari Amber, a malty beer that I tend to prefer. My receipt's time is 10:59 and there was a line when I arrived. They officially opened at 11:00!


This was supposed to be a relaxing stop, but the stare-down unnerved the kids and I had to walk over to Dinosaur with my half-full beverage.


​

 

[kastoney]

Loving all your Homecoming desserts. We also eat so much there we never have space for it. To go certainly seems the way to go.

Ugh, I had no idea they swapped out Tilapia for the cod in the UK. That is just sacrilege. I'm pretty sure Tilapia should exist no where in nature!

Glad to see you were inviting a bit a long the way. The stow away mary is one of my favs and I'll never turn a margarita down.

I can't believe how many credits you all had left over on the DDP. We've only ever had it once long before the kiddo was born and I remember we had like 20+ credits left our last day. We ended up going around Epcot and literally trying everything we could buy.

Can't wait to hear about Gran Destino. I was trying to get us in there but they didn't have any openings.

 

[alex9179]

Loving all your Homecoming desserts. We also eat so much there we never have space for it. To go certainly seems the way to go.

The cakes and tart/pie held up well. I'd like an order of those pecans!

Ugh, I had no idea they swapped out Tilapia for the cod in the UK. That is just sacrilege. I'm pretty sure Tilapia should exist no where in nature!

I totally agree that it's a travesty against nature. I read that they're using the tilapia from the tanks in Epcot, to make it seem okay and "sustainable". In reality, it's just plain icky.

I can't believe how many credits you all had left over on the DDP.

Not so spoiler alert, the dining plan was a chore.

Can't wait to hear about Gran Destino.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and a very memorable end!

 

[Morieris]

The birds just walk around in Dino-Land? Or is that a very realistic sculpture lol

 

[alex9179]

The birds just walk around in Dino-Land? Or is that a very realistic sculpture lol

The birds go where they want to go! We were sitting by the water at FTBBQ and this guy stalked us throughout the meal, because people feed them.

 

[Hettie]

Your snack credit situation is exactly my fear with the dining plan! I can't wait to hear what you did with all those credits and about your evening at Gran Destino.

I had that Patron margarita from La Cantina and it was quite good for a QS margarita, so that's disappointing that it's no longer on the menu. Figures though.

 

[alex9179]

Your snack credit situation is exactly my fear with the dining plan!

They were the most anticipated, too. The kids want a snack/TS dining plan I told them that we've done that before, when we paid OOP!

I had that Patron margarita from La Cantina and it was quite good for a QS margarita, so that's disappointing that it's no longer on the menu. Figures though.

Doesn't it, just? On the QS drink thread in the DDP sub, I said it may be connected to the start of F&W. You never know if they'll reinstate the good beverages, later!