When in Orlando...! 4/9 - 4/13 F&G and Disney Springs Reviews *Completed June 21

lauralynn0612

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
What's a girl to do when presented with a last minute work trip to Orlando?! Go to Disney, of course!

The conference was held at the Orlando World Center Marriott and began Saturday, April 8 and ended Wednesday, April 12. I chose to fly back late on Thursday, April 13 to enjoy a full day at Epcot's Flower & Garden. I mean, I did Food & Wine in October so how cool would it be to add another festival in the same year? Totally cool would be the correct answer. Also, for those doing the math, this happened to fall the week before Easter. Whoops! The crowd charts didn't look promising...

It's just me for this mini tour (two co-workers were with me but generally avoided all things Disney until I introduced them to the mecca that is Disney Springs). Here's me--in my favorite place--from our October trip:

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I hail from the land of wheat and ruby slippers... Kansas. I love all things Disney and managed to convert my husband on his first trip a few years ago. We tend to spread out our travels so we don't make it there as much as we (aka I) would like. My travels often revolve around where I will eat my next meal, and we like to stick with local options or at least options we can't find at home. But enough about me! On with the show!

What's Included:

Sunday, April 9
Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar
Sprinkles Cupcakes

Monday, April 10
Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'
Ghirardelli

Tuesday, April 11
Boathouse

Thursday, April 13
Contempo Cafe
Flower and Garden booths

 
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Sunday, April 9 - Jock Lindsey's & Sprinkles

I "conferenced" all day Sunday and was ready for a Disney break. My co-workers were headed to a reception hosted by one of our vendors for dinner, and I decided to break off for Disney Springs. I hadn't yet decided where I wanted to eat. Figured I would see what the crowds looked like and what sounded good (all of it!) when it was time to eat.

I took a Lyft from our resort, and it dropped me off on the eastside (?). Whatever dropoff point is just beyond the Orange lot and walks you by Cirque du Soleil entrance. The other dropoff is by Earl of Sandwich, based on the app's map. Regardless, it was only about $5 plus a tip.

I decided to shop a little before I found food. I knew I wanted some new Pandora charms. I didn't have my bracelet when we came in October due to unforeseen circumstances last summer. I really wanted a Chef Mickey charm for Food & Wine! Pandora was hoppin' but they got to me eventually and I ended up with the Beauty and the Beast trio and the Chef Mickey. And BONUS--the Beauty & the Beast soundtrack and a litograph.

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Because Pandora is right by D-Luxe Burger, I considered going there. The line was a little longer than I was thinking and wanted to try something more "Disney." I made my way over to the Paddlefish-Boathouse-Jock Lindsey's corner and landed on Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.

Being by myself, I decided to sit at the outside bar and quickly ordered a favorite:

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Schofferhofer Hefeweizen Grapefruit Bier
We discovered this during our October visit, and I loved it. It's light and refreshing with just a hint of grapefruit. Not too sweet and not too grapefruit-y... Which would be bad. Cuz I don't like grapefruit. I have yet to locate this at home. Granted, I haven't looked very hard, but I don't think it's there. I strongly considered one of the signature drinks, but I just wasn't on that level. Figured I'd keep it chill on the work trip.

I also ordered one of the meals that likes to disguise itself as an appetizer. I say that because it definitely is not appetizer-sized.

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Temple Tenderloin
Sliced Beef Tenderloin stacked high on a Toasted Baguette with Swiss, Tomato, Arugula, and Radish Slaw served with side of Jugo de Carne and Fries tossed with Bacon and Chimichurri Sauce
I loved how this was presented! Definitely fit for the fun atmosphere. (Sitting at the outdoor bar was an excellent choice... Next time I'm gonna be real crazy and sit in the boat.) The sandwiches were overall good. The beef tenderloin wasn't as tender as I hoped. Instead it was a little chewy. Not one of the easiest to eat. The fries were very good! They were the perfect balance between crisp and tender. Usually I am a soggy fry gal, but I let it slide this time. I really liked the bacon / chimichurri sauce party. It added a nice flavor.

I paid the bill and boxed up my leftovers. Who knows, maybe I'll heat them up for another meal? Not likely, but it's the thought that counts. I meandered a little longer and picked out some stuff I thought I couldn't live without. I planned to buy it when we all came back the next night. Terrible plan, by the way. The size I needed was sold out when I went through the next night.

On my way back toward the Lyft pick-up, I cruised through Sprinkles. We didn't stop here in October, and I fancy myself a baker. Ha. Anyway, I wanted to try the famous Sprinkles. My expectations were low as I considered it a chain shop. I quickly selected the Salted Caramel. Pretty much what I always get. I like to keep things spicy.

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I considered purchasing cupcakes for my co-workers, but I knew I would have to get two for me which pretty much rounds up to a dozen... (Cupcake math, you know.) And a dozen cupcakes costs $52!!! Say what?! Yea, hard pass. I would just have to eat mine before they saw it.

As for this particular cupcake, seriously amazing. The hype for real, people. This actually had a great salted caramel taste THROUGHOUT the cupcake. Such a crazy concept that so many places don't nail! Also, I always thought the idea of a frosting shot seemed totally ridiculous until I had this frosting. Life changing. Loved it. So basically, Sprinkles has my stamp of approval.

Me and my bad self made my way back over to the Lyft area. By now, it was nearing 10:00, and I start turning into a pumpkin around 10:30. Not to mention, all the conference workshops start at 8:00am. (I mean, who does that?!)

Up next: Homecomin'(g)!
 
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Monday, April 10 - Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' & Ghirardelli

After another long day of learnin', I was looking forward to a little Disney therapy. The plan for tonight was to take my co-workers to my newest favorite Disney restaurant--Homecomin'. Warning... About to get a little off-topic. Even though I type "Homecomin'" without the "g," I most certainly say "Homecoming." I just cannot. It goes against every fiber of my being to drop that "g," and we all have to draw the line somewhere.

Anyway... we made our way to Disney Springs as soon as the conference ended for the day (5:00pm). We all wanted to do a little shopping around Town Center. After parking in the Lime Garage, we descended on the area. Everyone managed to find something they couldn't live without that would also not tip her suitcases over 50 pounds, leading us to the main event--dinner time!

I really talked up Homecomin'(g) as we were planning our Orlando stay so I was starting to get a little nervous it might not live up to it. I also did not make ADRs and was just winging it with walk-up. Fortunately, we were seated without issue and quickly had our drinks. I ordered my favorite from our last visit:

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Moonshine Mash -Watermelon-infused moonshine, fresh watermelon, lime juice and simple syrup
Tastes just like a jolly rancher! But this jolly rancher leaves me feeling a little warmer and fuzzier. Cuz that's what alcohol do. Sweet without causing the ole Sour Patch lip pucker and making my stomach sloshy. Also no bad alcohol aftertaste. Two thumbs up!

No one seemed too interested in appetizers. I was seriously considering the Church Lady Deviled Eggs but everyone else was just kinda so-so on committing. I tried the Bee Haven Bay Fried Green Tomatoes and the Bunch of Puppies on my last visit so I didn't push anything too hard. We quickly made our meal selections and waited (im)patiently. It was killing us, watching all these delicious plates float by! Definitely had me wanting to change my order every time I saw something different. After having the fried chicken plate last time, I opted for the:

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Fried Chicken & Doughnuts -
Two pieces of Chef Art Smith's famous fried chicken served with house-made sugar doughnuts and creamy mashed potatoes w/ sausage gravy
The fried chicken was just as moist (I see some of you cringing out there...) and juicy as I remembered! The skin always gets me though, it is such a unique flavor... almost sweet. The mashed potatoes were also good. Creamy with solid flavor. The doughnuts were by far the most disappointing part of the plate. I mean, they were okay. They had a crispy outside with a semi-soft inside. Forgettable at best. No bother, though, because the main event on this plate for me is, drumroll, that sausage gravy. :worship: When it was my husband and I, they brought us a whole bowl of that gravy. We both swore we could have just eaten that and been set. Seriously ah-may-zing. My compatriots weren't as sold on the gravy. But--good news--they LOVED Homecomin'(g)! I hadn't let them down! They both ordered the mac & cheese (also amazing...just not three syllable amazing like the gravy). One ordered sweet potatoes. They were fine, but they were served cold? She never did ask if this was intended, and I didn't want to horn in on her party.

Overall, Homecomin'(g) was another solid win. I highly doubt I will take a trip without stopping here. I just need to keep bringing new people on trips with me so I don't look as desperate.

We all passed on the dessert offerings. I previously tried the Shine Cake and found it to be the only thing about Homecomin'(g) that didn't shine for me. Bleh. But I also like my alcohol masked in a tasty flavor, and I classified the Shine Cake as pretty much moonshine doused in moonshine.

We toured the area a little more. World of Disney was sadly sold out of my size in the shirts I spotted the previous night. I knew I still wanted dessert, and we all decided on Ghirardelli. I waffled between the Ocean Beach Sea Salt Caramel Sundae and the Treasure Island Warm Brownie Sundae, but both members of my touring party opted for the Ocean Beach. I have this rule about ordering the same thing as someone else (I am weird, I understand) so that made my decision easy:

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Treasure Island Warm Brownie Sundae -

Vanilla Ice Cream paired with our warm Ghirardelli® Chocolate Brownie and smothered with homemade Hot Fudge. Topped with Whipped Cream, chopped Almonds and a Cherry
Definitely a solid choice! And I got a brownie for the same price as their brownie-less sundae. Score. Totally unusual for me to stray from anything salted caramel (see Sprinkles post) so I had to overcome my loss somehow! Seriously, though, these sundaes are legit. If the line is any indicator to Ghirardelli's tastiness then it's off-the-charts. We decided to sit at one of the tables just outside that overlooks the lake. We were entertained by the T-Rex lava show.

Fully succeeding in making ourselves miserable, we called it a night and headed back to our condo.

Up next: Boathouse!
 
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Great report! I want to try Jock's and Homecomin'(g) - bugs me, too - on our upcoming trip. The list is a long one, though! The tenderloin sandwiches sound good in theory but my kids hate chewy meat, so thanks for the warning. We'll look at the other options if we get a chance to check Jock's out.
I absolutely love fried chicken and hate making it. It's one of those "worth ordering out" foods for me!
 


Great report! I want to try Jock's and Homecomin'(g) - bugs me, too - on our upcoming trip. The list is a long one, though! The tenderloin sandwiches sound good in theory but my kids hate chewy meat, so thanks for the warning. We'll look at the other options if we get a chance to check Jock's out.
I absolutely love fried chicken and hate making it. It's one of those "worth ordering out" foods for me!

Thank you! I would like to think the chewy meat was a fluke, but I'm not too sure. It made it a little messier. The toasted baguette made it a little unwieldy too. The couple next to me ordered the Pork Belly Sliders and really liked them. I'd say the key is sitting outside. I really liked the atmosphere of the hangar-building combined with sitting on the lake and watching the boats and amphicars.

And totally agree on "worth ordering out" foods. Fried chicken has always been so messy when I make it, and the worst part about cooking for me is cleaning up! Enjoy your next trip!!

Following along...everything looks delicious!

Welcome! Disney dining treated me well this trip!
 
Even though I type "Homecomin'" without the "g," I most certainly say "Homecoming." I just cannot. It goes against every fiber of my being to drop that "g," and we all have to draw the line somewhere.

LOL, no kidding! So ridiculous.

Moonshine Mash -Watermelon-infused moonshine, fresh watermelon, lime juice and simple syrup

I am totally getting one of these when we are there in September.

Glad everyone enjoyed dinner, and that sundae looks awesome! :)
 


LOL, no kidding! So ridiculous.



I am totally getting one of these when we are there in September.

Glad everyone enjoyed dinner, and that sundae looks awesome! :)

I highly recommend the Moonshine Mash! My husband ordered it on our October trip... And spilled the last half of it into his (empty) appetizer plate. He proceeded to use the straw to drink it out of the appetizer plate! Our server found this funny and ended up bringing him a new one at no charge. Bonus!
 
Tuesday, April 11 - Boathouse

Tonight's dinner was with one of our vendors... She gave us the choice between STK and Boathouse. My posse left it to me to decide, and I chose Boathouse! It was one I had considered doing on our last trip so I jumped at the chance for this trip!

We arrived shortly before our ADR and were quickly seated in the back area. While not one of the tables right next to the windows overlooking the lake, we still had pretty great seats. The atmosphere was nice and cozy. I left any appetizer selections up to our vendor host (another Disney nut!), and she chose:

Photo Fail by Laura :rolleyes1
Firecracker Shrimp - Sriracha Mayo, Serrano Chilis and Sweet Peppers
Jumbo Lump Crab & Avocado - Tarragon Remoulade
Both of these were perfect starters. The Jumbo Lump Crab & Avocado is just as it sounds. It is off the raw bar so the crab is served cold with avocado slivers piled on top. I took a spoon of this and just ate it all by its lonesome with a fork. The firecracker shrimp were pretty good as well. Only mildly spicy on my spice-o-meter... Which is an admittedly weak spice-o-meter. (I don't handle spicy food well so I always get the mildest of milds.) The shrimp had my nose running a little but that didn't stop me from eating a few. I will say, both starters would have been a good amount to share between 2 or 3 people. We had 6 of us, and I made sure to take smaller amounts. No biggie, though. I was planning on a big meal!

We also had rolls with butter. The rolls were very similar to the dinner rolls I am used to seeing at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. They were served warm and were very fluffy. I really enjoyed them. However, I had really gotten used to some salt on my butter, and there was not a grain in sight!

For the entree, I selected the:

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Filet Mignon (8 oz) - proudly serving certified USDA Gibsons Blue Star Heritage Angus with choice of sauce


We have our fair share of fantastic steaks in Kansas, but this was calling to me. It certainly did not disappoint! This was delicious and needed no sauce, which I certainly did not have a choice of sauce. (I just now saw that on the description!! :rotfl2:) When ordering, we were also informed that the entrees came with potatoes. My ears swear they heard "garlic parmesan potatoes," but these were just plain roasted new potatoes. In hindsight I would either a) sub out for one of the other sides, or b) not waste the stomach room on the potatoes. But back to the steak... It was very tender and very flavorful. I loved the crust on it. I don't think I spoke during this whole portion. Leave me to enjoy my filet in peace, my friends!

While my regular stomach was full, my dessert stomach had yet to be touched. Most everyone ordered a different dessert--there was a couple of Key Lime Pies in Mason Jars, a Double Chocolate Bundt Cake, a Strawberry Shortcake (not listed on the online menu) and a NY Style Blueberry Cake Cheesecake. Sticking with my can't-order-the-same-thing-as-someone-else rule, I chose the:

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Cinnamon "Souffle" Bread Pudding

(Real Talk / Disclaimer... This is not my picture. Credit belongs to @askchefdennis via The Boathouse Facebook page. I was a major photo fail this meal. To be fair, I didn't think I was going to write this DR. Then I decided to write it.)

Oh. My. Goodness. :worship: Stop what you are doing and apparate to The Boathouse right.now. I am telling you, this was out of this world. I think I assumed the whole arm-blocking-my-plate-touch-it-and-die position. No lie. My dining partners were offering up samples of their selections. No, ma'am. I'm good right here. I absolutely loved this. It was not subject to the failings of so many bread puddings that have come before it -- sogginess. I absolutely loved it. It has slices of pear on top and is served in this perfect little mound of amazingness. Pure bliss. Similar to the Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich at Sleepy Hollow, I will have dreams about this until I have it again. Loved it. Now that I have talked it up, I hope it doesn't steer anyone wrong. They got all the things right when they concocted this beauty.

We wrapped up our dinner and rolled on out of there! Everyone was pleased with their dinner. It was definitely an experience. I think we were there for 2 hours. Sure didn't seem like it!

That's it for The Boathouse! I will certainly be returning. This was a hit for me, and I want to share it with my man-friend (to whom (who? I have an English degree...I should know this) I am married)!

Up next: Contempo Cafe & Flower and Garden Food Booths!
 
Okay I am late but LOVING your reviews! You are hilarious and I totally agree with you on most of your opinions. I laughed so hard at your "dessert stomach" - R definitely has one of those whereas I do not. And I can't bring myself to drop the "G" from HomecominG either. Who in the world came up with the cockamamie idea to rename the restaurant one letter off? I noticed on our last visit how many places within the restaurant still say Homecoming. It's dumb, Disney. Change it back!
 
Joining in and I'm loving your report!!

Schofferhofer Hefeweizen Grapefruit Bier
I had no idea Jock Lindsey's had the Schofferhofer. I finally tried this last Nov. and now I absolutely love it! And FYI, the only places that carry it by me (NY) are the actual beer stores- the one I go to is Time Out, I know it's a chain - so if you haven't tried any of those by you, you may have luck there.

Not too sweet and not too grapefruit-y... Which would be bad. Cuz I don't like grapefruit.
::yes:: I hate grapefruit which is why it took me so long to try this. But after so many people here saying how much they loved it I had to put my hatred aside, and I'm so glad I did!

The sandwiches were overall good. The beef tenderloin wasn't as tender as I hoped. Instead it was a little chewy.
Hmm, it looked delicious-the fries sound amazing-but I can't do chewy meat. Nope.

As for this particular cupcake, seriously amazing. The hype for real, people.
I may have to reconsider trying Sprinkles! After many reviews of their cupcakes being "eh" yours is the 2nd review I've read that is telling me TO GO. Might swing by this month :cool1:

Even though I type "Homecomin'" without the "g," I most certainly say "Homecoming." I just cannot. It goes against every fiber of my being to drop that "g," and we all have to draw the line somewhere.
:laughing: When they changed the name I was like, "wha???" but I said okay and now I type it without the G. I will never be able to say it without the G though. And FYI we're trying Homecomin(g) in 2 weeks (I like your (g) idea!)

Bee Haven Bay Fried Green Tomatoes
And this is one of the reasons we're going!

The fried chicken was just as moist (I see some of you cringing out there...)
:rotfl2::rotfl: love it! As a 40.......something, I still can't help but snicker at the word....................

Ocean Beach Sea Salt Caramel Sundae
Got this in Nov. and don't think I'll ever be able to try anything else :cloud9:

While my regular stomach was full, my dessert stomach had yet to be touched.
I think I just have 2 dessert stomachs and one of them has the brain that says, "we might need some non-dessert food once in awhile". Because I've been known to put a few brownies in a bowl, smother them with ice cream and toppings and call it a dinner :rolleyes1

That's it for The Boathouse! I will certainly be returning.
So many awesome dining options now in DS! I was at a TA training back in Feb. and due to an unexpected "bonus" day, suggested to my co-worker that we try Boathouse and I loved it (she liked it). I want to go back, especially with DH. But now it's so hard to choose where to go down there while a few years ago it wasn't such a difficult decision to make :goodvibes

Looking forward to more reviews and more humor :P
 
Great review! I can't wait to go the Boathouse in September. That dessert does look pretty awesome :-)
 
I am not even 100% sure of the actual name of that restaurant anyways. Florida Homecoming Kitchen and Shine Bar? Art Smith's Homecoming Florida Shine Bar? Art Smith's Homecomin'??? They should just be like "the fried chicken place in Disney Springs with all the yummy drinks".

That dessert at Boathouse looks amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, send me an application to where you work. I need some free Disney Signature dinners :)
 
Okay I am late but LOVING your reviews! You are hilarious and I totally agree with you on most of your opinions. I laughed so hard at your "dessert stomach" - R definitely has one of those whereas I do not. And I can't bring myself to drop the "G" from HomecominG either. Who in the world came up with the cockamamie idea to rename the restaurant one letter off? I noticed on our last visit how many places within the restaurant still say Homecoming. It's dumb, Disney. Change it back!

Thanks for joining! Maybe we just start a movement to get it back to Homecoming, and Disney won't have any other choice. Ha.

Joining in and I'm loving your report!!


I had no idea Jock Lindsey's had the Schofferhofer. I finally tried this last Nov. and now I absolutely love it! And FYI, the only places that carry it by me (NY) are the actual beer stores- the one I go to is Time Out, I know it's a chain - so if you haven't tried any of those by you, you may have luck there.


::yes:: I hate grapefruit which is why it took me so long to try this. But after so many people here saying how much they loved it I had to put my hatred aside, and I'm so glad I did!


Hmm, it looked delicious-the fries sound amazing-but I can't do chewy meat. Nope.


I may have to reconsider trying Sprinkles! After many reviews of their cupcakes being "eh" yours is the 2nd review I've read that is telling me TO GO. Might swing by this month :cool1:


:laughing: When they changed the name I was like, "wha???" but I said okay and now I type it without the G. I will never be able to say it without the G though. And FYI we're trying Homecomin(g) in 2 weeks (I like your (g) idea!)


And this is one of the reasons we're going!


:rotfl2::rotfl: love it! As a 40.......something, I still can't help but snicker at the word....................


Got this in Nov. and don't think I'll ever be able to try anything else :cloud9:


I think I just have 2 dessert stomachs and one of them has the brain that says, "we might need some non-dessert food once in awhile". Because I've been known to put a few brownies in a bowl, smother them with ice cream and toppings and call it a dinner :rolleyes1


So many awesome dining options now in DS! I was at a TA training back in Feb. and due to an unexpected "bonus" day, suggested to my co-worker that we try Boathouse and I loved it (she liked it). I want to go back, especially with DH. But now it's so hard to choose where to go down there while a few years ago it wasn't such a difficult decision to make :goodvibes

Looking forward to more reviews and more humor :P

Welcome! I love your reports so totally thrilled to have you! Those fried green tomatoes are TASTY. Living in Kansas, it's not typical to find good fried green tomatoes... I had them at a wedding rehearsal in Savannah, GA a few years back and was sold. And I don't even like regular tomatoes in their original, physical form!

I hope you try Sprinkles! But now I have recommender's anxiety... I always get anxious when I talk something up and then it's a big fail. I'll have to follow along and see what you think!

Great review! I can't wait to go the Boathouse in September. That dessert does look pretty awesome :-)

I am not even 100% sure of the actual name of that restaurant anyways. Florida Homecoming Kitchen and Shine Bar? Art Smith's Homecoming Florida Shine Bar? Art Smith's Homecomin'??? They should just be like "the fried chicken place in Disney Springs with all the yummy drinks".

That dessert at Boathouse looks amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, send me an application to where you work. I need some free Disney Signature dinners :)

Seriously, though. "The fried chicken place" would be a lot better than all of its alter-egos. I think I call it something different every time I refer to it. And my husband can't remember the names of things to save his life... ("Okay, so what are all these letters for??" when looking at abbreviations-- MK, AK, DHS, etc.) So he'd definitely be good with calling it the yummy drink place.
 
**So my apologies to those still reading... I seemed to have lost all track of time. But on with the final installment!

Thursday, April 13 - Contempo Cafe and Flower & Garden

So I last left off with our Boathouse dinner on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, my traveling companions went a little more mainstream Wednesday night and chose Kobe's Japanese Steakhouse. Didn't check my boxes of being either a) local, or b) at least not somewhere I can eat at home. But it was actually pretty good, and it worked for the evening. We headed to the airport to pick up my rental car for Thursday. My plan was to spend the day doing something Disney-ish before flying out Thursday night.

I had kicked around the idea of checking out Flower & Garden on Thursday or doing a pub crawl / restaurant crawl with the Disney resorts. I decided the pub crawl may not be my brightest idea given that I would need to safely navigate the Orlando roadways later that day... I was waffling on Epoct. Sometimes I play fast and loose with our budget. Sometimes I have a breathe-in-a-bag panic attack. This week it was breathe-in-a-bag panic attack (we had subcontractors at our house finishing our basement in my absence...that's how the hubz finishes his "to do" list). Fortunately my husband doesn't handle the finances and told me I needed to go to Epcot. Sounds good, my friend.

So Thursday dawned a lovely day. I loaded the suitcase into the Nissan Juke, which barely fits one piece of luggage BTDubs. Meant for a literal interpretation on rental car ads. I skipped breakfast at the condo and headed toward Disney around 9:00am.

My sights were set on one thing... Mickey waffles. I tell you, they splash/pinch/dash some sort of illicit substance into the batter of those waffles. Yum. My brilliant idea was to park at Epcot, buy my park ticket (obvi I didn't buy one ahead of time...budget and all that), and head over to Contempo Cafe. Why the Contempo? Because I think eating at a resort where the monorail runs through the middle of it is just about the coolest thing ever. Cheap entertainment

(I promise the text ends soon...) Funny thing about my plan... THE MONORAILS WERE DOWN. Seriously?! Fine. I'll hop the bus to TTC and then figure it out. Whatever, I'm resourceful. I'm also very low on the Disney transportation savviness. Once I made it to the TTC, I planned to get to the boats and make it to MK and walk. Steps are good. But the monorail magically opened so I rode it around the circle and hopped off at Contemporary. My husband was thoroughly amused that it took me 45 minutes to make it to this place. All for the waffles, my friends...

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Mickey-shaped Waffle - served with a choice of fruit topping, bacon or sausage

I went with a side of sausage and strawberries for my fruit topping. Just as amazing as a Mickey-shaped waffle is meant to be. Transportation issues or not, this little dude was worth.it. Loved the sausage links. Just like Johnsonville makes it. Also, the fruit topping was really just cut up strawberries. I went into it thinking some fruit swimming in a sugar bath, but this worked too. I just ate the strawberries on the side and didn't mess up the waffle with their healthiness. And for those wondering, I thoroughly enjoyed the in-flight entertainment--monorail watching.

My long monorail trip from TTC to the Contemporary came with at least one benefit... I was kicking around the idea of upgrading to a park hopper so I could hit up MK and maybe DHS (that one was purely for food), but the MK lines were out of control. It is the Thursday before Easter. Hard pass. I just saved those dollars. Maybe it'll buy a carpet swatch for our basement project...

Fortunately, my trip back to Epcot was a lot quicker than the one from Epcot, and I was through security in no time. (Fun fact, when you travel by yourself, they ask you a lot more questions... "Where you from?" "How's the weather there?" "When are you headed back?" I must have looked a little sketch, or I just didn't have enough pockets in my bag to check so they had to add some time somehow. No one gets off easy here! Granted, there's the possibility they felt sorry for my solo travels.)

I had hoped to pick up some last minute fastpasses, but the app wasn't working and I didn't want to wait at a kiosk. I decided to ride Finding Nemo or whatever it's called. Pro tip: not a must-do ride. I'm likely the last person on the planet to figure that out, but I am passing it along. I waited 35 minute for some projections on the wall.
I chose to bypass anymore rides and make my way to World Showcase. First stop was The Berry Basket for some liquid courage:


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Twinings Green Tea Berry Mint Julep (alcoholic version; non-alcoholic also available)

I loved this. Refreshing and sweet without making my stomach churn. I was a little nervous; I have had some questionable mint juleps in my day, but there was nothing off about this one. It hit the spot to kick off my tour de food booths!

I started heading toward Mexico (counterclockwise) before I got the distinct impression I was swimming upstream. So I turned around and headed to Canada. (They really should have a "Mon, Wed, Fri we walk clockwise" signs or something... They should hire me for my good ideas.)

I had already scouted the booths I wanted to visit, and it wasn't many. I hate wasting good food and drink (unless they aren't good) so I tend to eat all of what I purchase. I didn't hit my next booth until Florida Fresh. I did stop for a selfie (or attempted selfie) with Beauty and the Beast.


DISCLAIMER-- I'm actually really terrible at selfies. Here are my attempts:
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Whoops. So crazy that the Disney people thought it would be good to leave off your heads?! Sorry, guys. No heads for you!


I went for a redo, but just cut off my own head. Moving on.
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Here's what I ended up with at Florida Fresh:

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Key Lime Tart with Toasted Meringue

I am a sucker for all things key lime, and this was one of the better key lime desserts. You could actually taste the lime. Usually a plus in a lime dessert. It wasn't too dense and had a good airy quality about it. I really liked the graham cracker crust. The meringue really seemed to be more for looks as it didn't add or detract from the tart. Highly recommend for the $4.25!

I had also planned to get the Shrimp and Stone-ground Grits with Andouille Sausage, Sweet Corn , Tomatoes and Cilantro (GF), but I forgot the first time through. By the time I remembered, there was a line of people. I used up all my line waiting quota on Nemo so I moved on. Kinda regret that decision.

My next food venture was at The Smokehouse in 'merica. I was keeping my hard-at-work husband apprised of my travels (thanks, Snapchat). He was disappointed I went with something so normal and uninventive. (I think it was more along the lines of, "You are traveling around the World, and you decided on American food??") Oh well, my friend. You're at home, and I'm here and BBQ is my fave so I'm getting:



Smoked Pork Ribs with Black Bean and Corn Salad
Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapenos
So I hail from Kansas, land of ruby red slippers and beef. BBQ and tolerating Wizard of Oz jokes tend to be our forte. So I went with two entrees in the land that I love. The burnt ends were fantastic. Tender and perfect with just a touch of crunch like you do on a solid burnt end. I honestly chose this one for the white cheddar fondue and came away loving it for the beef. (The fondue certainly didn't hurt anything.) The pork ribs were a total disappointment. Semi-tough and sorely lacking in flavor. I ate one and didn't touch the other, nor did I touch the black bean and corn salad. So with a perfectly untouched meal, I considered offering it to the family next door but decided against it as that seemed a little creeperish and stranger danger-y.

I continued moseying, taking some scenery pics along the way. Because I work for the Sheriff, I figured it only right to take a picture with The Sheriff himself, Sheriff Woody:





Because I somehow managed to get us both in the same picture, I figured I shouldn't tempt fate and traveled on down the road. Germany ended up as my last stop. I had a couple of things on my list but shockingly really only had room for one:


Warm Cheese Strudel with Mixed Berries

Whoa, doggies, this was DELICIOUS! A fantastic selection for my last food booth purchase. The cheese in the middle was nice and warm and finally some fruit in a sugar bath! Each complemented the other well. I couldn't coax my plastic fork to cut through the bottom layer, though, so I just scraped the filling from there. Probably a good thing. I totally didn't need those carbs..

I also popped into Karamell-Kuche for some souvenirs. (Food souvenirs make the best souvenirs.) I came away with some of the fresh made caramel corn and a chocolate covered s'more. Both were tasty and neither actually made it home.

Overall, the Epcot ticket was worth it. I am very glad to have made it to Flower and Garden (and within 12 months of Food and Wine!). I plan to drag my hubsteroni back so he can take some cool pics for me. I will leave a few of the ones I shot at the end of the report. It truly is beautiful and amazing how they transform the park into such a colorful place!

Hope you enjoyed reading along! I enjoyed writing my first trip report and look forward to documenting our upcoming Disneyland trip! (And I really will complete it in more of a timely fashion...)





(Because this is what I subject my pupper to.)


See ya real soon!
 
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So fun!!! I just saw this and really enjoyed reading about your culinary adventures. I love solo travels and it's even better when your work is picking up part of the bill. :)
 
Great report! I look forward to your D'Land report as I'm heading there next year!
 
Thanks for sharing these. I have Homecomin (g) reservations in december. Really looking forward to it!
 
So fun!!! I just saw this and really enjoyed reading about your culinary adventures. I love solo travels and it's even better when your work is picking up part of the bill. :)

This was my first solo trip, and it was pretty good overall. The only identifiable downside was the inability to share funny observations. So I just recited them in my head and moved on... Totally not weird.

Great report! I look forward to your D'Land report as I'm heading there next year!

I am so looking forward to heading to Disneyland! I have never been, and this one just so conveniently worked out that we'll be there during Summer of Heroes. I'll probably start a Pre-Trip Report here in the next couple days to share my planning so far.

Thanks for sharing these. I have Homecomin (g) reservations in december. Really looking forward to it!

Thanks for reading! Homecomin(g) has quickly become a favorite. I love recommending it but sometimes just a little anxious that it won't live up to my hype!
 

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