Food and Wine Festival 2012

Here's a look back at Food and Wine Festival 2012!

The day we visited Food and Wine Festival, we spent a bit of time in Future World with our then 16 month old.    After a bit of touring we decided we needed a snack...I know, we are wierdo's. We knew we had endless options awaiting us in World Showcase. In our defense we hadn't gotten our favorite snack the entire trip!



Doesn't it look amazing!?? It was so worth t!

It was time to start...now if you think this report is going to be an in depth report with detailed food pictures...you have come to the wrong place. For one, we were traveling with a baby...for two, it was HOT. I mean H-O-T...HOT!! We ended up a little dehydrated and lost our appetites. Plus I think we are pickier eaters than I'd like to believe. We love touring EPCOT and unfortunately didn't get the chance this trip...this is more like the Speed Around the World version!


We picked up a "passport" where you can get a stamp at each Food booth you go to. We started using it but once I realized we would not visit each stand I gave up.



Our first stop was Greece. I had the Spanakopita and hubby had a chicken dish. Apparently he didn't realize it would have Dill on it but it was pretty tasty!



Unfortunately I don't have pictures but we did manage to stop in Canada. This was my favorite stop along the way. Hubby had sausage with Corn Polenta and a Moosehead Beer while I had the mushroom filet. I really wanted the soup too but it was soooo hot!

Next stop was the Caribbean. We decided to head the OPPOSITE way around World Showcase so we back tracked a little. Here we enjoyed a Jerk Chicken drumstick and Empanada...I love empanadas!!

We continued on but I wanted to take a picture of the outdoor seating area at La Hacienda.

This was about Noon...check out those crowds!

If we've ever chatted you'll know this is my FAVORITE place to eat!

Believe it or not...I don't think we stopped again until China...no food or anything!

We ALWAYS shop in China :)

Hubby always stops to see this Giraffe...someday it will make it home with us.

After China we took a little detour off the Food and Wine Festival path to hit up some Hand-Crafted Caramel Treats! Oh I'm so glad we did! This was our first stop here since the shop opened a few years ago.

We decided to purchase one of these...Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookie.

It was HEAVEN!

I'm now realizing this isn't so much Food and Wine Festival with a little EPCOT thrown in, but the exact opposite lol. Sorry about that but stick with me!

Isn't Germany pretty?

Italy was up next and we had our eye on a Chocolate Canoli. Hubby loved it but I thought it was ok...growing up I had way better!

I wanted to take a peek at the new Wine Bar in Italy but the baby was sleeping and the line was out the door!



If you haven't tried Via Napoli yet...you must!



We ran into these lovely ladies on our way out. This is what I love about EPCOT! There is so much to do and see and EXPERIENCE! Unfortunately it was hard with just the two of us, a sleeping baby and the HEAT. I wish we could have spent more time here!!



We finally gave up for a while when we reached the American Pavillion. We were hot and deyhdrated and needed to sit. Here is my little pet peeve....we are EPCOT during Food and Wine Festival and I can't tell you how many people where here eating Hot Dogs!!  There is so much to sample and try...branch out a little :)


By the time we go to Japan the skies were so dark! We decided to high tail it out of there!

Of course we had time to stop and listen (or watch) Mo'Rockin!

Belle and the Beast were out in France. Hubby wanted to stop and show the Beast his new tattoo but the rain clouds were looming overhead.



We were on our way out and I felt bad that we barely tried anything at the Festival so we decided to get a few drinks back at the Caribbean Booth. These drinks were so amazing we went back and got seconds...which wasn't a good idea as we were probably a little dehydrated.

A Dragon Berry Colado and a Cherry Limeaid

Getting seconds was probably a mistake as we were enjoying them the skies opened up and we got stuck waiting out the rain for a little bit. Had it just been hubby and I we would have made a run for it, but we had our daughter who was getting over a double ear infection.

I hope my run around World Showcase gives you a bit of an overview of World Showcase and Food and Wine Festival. I know it was picture overload...and I have more if you want to see something specific.

Girls Getaway-Surprise Update

This trip has been a long time coming. Lauren and I have been trying to plan a trip together for YEARS.  One thing or another always got in the way; just life stuff like babies, weddings...her moving all the way across the country. We knew sooner or later we'd make it.  We had dreams of a weekend full of eating, drinking and taking pictures (without Mr. Stingy Pants complaining).

Well I threw Lauren one more curve ball recently...it wouldn't be a girls weekend with just the two of us.  I knew she'd be disappointed a bit, but I also knew she'd be really happy when I told her who'd be joining us.

That's right! Kennedy is going to be a big sister!  We are beyond excited and I'm even more exciting to be heading to Disney for a little R&R!  I'll be in my 2nd trimester by then and hopefully beyond the nausea and exhausting. Lauren will be taking over drinking around Disney but there will be plenty of treats in store for both of us!

I recently wrote a post about traveling to Disney while pregnant that you can read here. Let's talk a little bit about how our plans have changed and what we'll be doing!

1) Taking it easy!  We decided to fly in a night early to avoid some of the rushing around. We'll get in pretty late but it will allow for a good nights sleep and for us to start fresh the next day.

2) We'll be renting a car. This is a personal preference but since we know our way around so well and we'll be doing a bit of park/resort hopping, this makes life easy!

3)More dining! I mentioned before that we chose a value resort so we could put more of our budget toward dining. Now even more so than before, we'll be taking time out of our day to relax and enjoy a great meal!

I'll be posting more soon about our itinerary plans, dining choices and more! Thanks for reading!

Girls Getaway Trip Planning-Resorts

Since this was a relatively unplanned, last minute trip, Lauren and are left with few options for our upcoming trip.   Even as travel agents, we often agonize over where to stay and what the best value is. We found ourselves in the same position a lot of clients do; moderate vs. value.

Here's the scoop:

Who: 2 adults...no kids or husbands this time

When: Middle of November

Why: 1st EVER Girls Getaway

How long: Just 4 nights

Our dilemma is this...we've spoiled ourselves. We are so used to staying Deluxe or Moderate that the idea of a value resort is a little scary. Mind you we've stayed value plenty of times...in fact our first ever couples trip was at Disney's Pop Century!

Let's go through our Pro's and Con's of Moderate vs. Value!

1) Location, Location, Location! Personally I love the location of all the moderates. Coronado Springs is about as far out as you get and you are still relatively close to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.  The value resorts are somewhat split with the All Star Resorts being very close to Animal Kingdom and Pop Century and Art of Animation being a bit more centrally located but closer to Downtown Disney

2) Size of the rooms!  With the exception of the family suites at All Star Music and Art of Animation, the value resorts are going to have rooms that are on average around 260 sq ft. The Moderate resorts are going to be a bit more generous at 315 sq ft.  Also keep in mind that 3 of the 4 moderate resorts have been upgraded with Queen Beds (Caribbean Beach has not).

3) Amenities at the value resorts are going to be scarce. They offer the basics; a food court, several swimming pools and usually a pool bar.  There are a few things the moderates have that the values don't have including a Table Service restaurant, awesome themed pools with slides, and usually at least one bar.  Some offer even more like Rix Lounge at Coroando Springs that offers drinks and food, or the River Roost Lounge at Port Orleans Riverside with the amazing entertainer, Ye Haa Bob Jackson!

4) When you arrive at a value resort, there is no doubt you are at Disney! Everything is bright, loud and over the top!  The colors are vibrant and the characters and icons tower above you.  Not so much at the moderate resorts. Their themeing is much more subdued and delicate. You won't find giant character or neon colors.

For our trip we definitely lean more toward a moderate resort. Even though there is just two of, we love the idea of having Queen Beds. We also love the "Grown Up" feel the moderates have over the values.  Although when it comes down to it, you really can't beat the price of a value and with the schedule we have, we'll mostly be using the resort for sleep! You'll  have to stay tuned to see what resort we pick!

This blog is dedicated to you!

Happy Labor Day! First I'd like to apologize for the lack of posts lately.  August was an off month for me and I had a serious case of writer's block. I'm ready to get back on track and provide you some great blog posts and video's this month!

Last night I was thinking about all the blogs that are out there that focus on Disney..and there is A LOT. Sometimes, it's just information overload and the worst part is the information isn't always consistent. For a family that travels to Disney just once in their lifetime, or maybe even infrequently every 5 years or so, a lot of that information isn't relevant to their vacation. Disney is constantly changing and moving forward. For folks that aren't Disney addicts, it's hard to keep up with an ever changing "world".

That's where I come in. I like to focus on the simple things, the most important aspects of a first timer's vacation. Today I want to talk about my Top 5 Most Important tips for first timers!

1) Walt Disney World consists of more than 20 resorts to choose from in 4 different categories. Everyone has their opinion on which resort is best and you will hear from friends and family which resort you just HAVE to stay at.  Be sure to check the amenities at each resort and find one that fits your family.  Each resort offers a unique theme, amenities and location. There may in fact be more than one resort that fits you families needs and budget but remember you can only pick one.

2) Take the good with the bad! People will more than willingly share their negative reviews to anyone who will listen, while those with positive reviews don't always share so willingly.  Seek out opinions of those you trust; close friend and family or the help of an expert (Like a Disney travel planner) and take online reviews with a grain of salt. Keep in mind Disney is pretty quick to fix any serious issues.

3)Don't hide behind your camera or cell phone. It's easy to get caught up in taking a  million photos of Little Susie with Cinderella, or Instagraming your breakfast. Come out from behind the camera and LIVE the memories that you are making.  Disney's Photopass service makes it easy to let someone else capture the big moments like your's son's first Roller Coaster Ride, or the baby's first time meeting Piglet.  For just $149.00 you can purchase Memory Maker that comes complete with all your photopass pictures PLUS select character meal and attraction photos....and now video's on select attractions!

4) Don't over plan...but plan to have fun!  With a place like Walt Disney World you need to have a plan in place. You need to know what you are paying for and when you be at each park, restaurant and resort. Get an overview before you go of where things are in relation to each other. I like to provide my clients with a simple overview of each park that let's them know which attractions are MUST DO's first thing in the morning, what can wait till later, and what they should schedule Fast Passes+ for. You don't want to spend your vacation like a Sergeant shouting orders at your family from your minute but minute itinerary.  Half the fun of Walt Disney World is the exploring...it's stumbling up on those amazing little moments that just can't be planned.

5)  The internet can be  scary place when researching a Walt Disney World vacation. Walt Disney World  is 47 square miles! That's the size of a small city! And with 4 main theme parks, 2 water parks, a shopping and entertainment district, golf courses, spas....and more, there is more to do that you can fit into your 3,4 or 7 night vacation.  Each park is filled with hundreds of things to see and do from shops, to shows, to attractions! You can't do it all in one trip!  Take your time and HAVE FUN!!!