Week 47 - Epcot Rose & Crown Pub English Bulldog (Nov 18)

Today we decided to split our time between Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios. We wanted to end our day at Studios (to see the Osbourne Spectacle of Lights) so we parked at Studios and took the walkway to the World Showcase entrance of Epcot.


The walk along the water between Studios and Epcot takes about 20 minutes at a leisurely pace (and believe it or not can actually be quicker than taking the water taxi certain times of year:

Epcot - U.K.
Rose and Crown Pub
We heard many good things about the English Bulldog (even though it sounds a bit odd) that we decided to finally share one. We also added a Pimm's Cup and an order of house made crisps.

The English Bulldog is a split banger with mashed potatoes, cheese and bacon topped with mustard. I guess you could say it is a sandwich version of "bangers and mash". The sausage was tasty and overall we liked the sandwich but wouldn't rush out to get it again. It came with chips (french fries) which were hot a delicious. We've had the fries from the fish and chips cart outside the Pub and always agree they are the best fries at Disney. We added a side order of crisps (potato chips) which were equally yummy!


The Pimm's Cup was interesting and while we enjoyed it, wouldn't rush to get this again either. It was worth it to try something different. Pimm's is a citrus and spiced flavored gin. This drink mixes the Pimm's with Sprite and sliced fruit.


On our way back, we stopped by the Beach Club where Disney pastry chef's were assembling a giant gingerbread house. We even got a sample of gingerbread. We always thought they just pulled these out of storage every year. Didn't realize they make these giant gingerbread house displays fresh:

We ended our day by visiting Disney Hollywood Studios for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights:

More on this amazing display of Christmas lights in a future blog entry. This is by far one of our favorite holiday experiences at Walt Disney World. We last saw it during Week 1 of this blog and will see it many times more before the holidays come to a close.

Week 45 - Epcot Food & Wine Belgium Chocolates (Nov 3)

We went to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival for tonight's performance at the Eat to the Beat Concert series - The Pointer Sisters.

It was a sold out show. More than 45 minutes ahead of show time, nearly the entire theater was already filled. We knew there was no chance of getting a seat. Plus, we were very hungry. So instead of trying to get a seat, we dropped inside the American Pavilion's Liberty Inn counter service restaurant. We knew that you can hear just as fine (if not better) by standing near the rear of the theater.

Once again, Liberty Tree disappoints us. We walked in and it was surprisingly empty. Only 2 registers open (one on each end). A family of 5 on the right and a woman with her daughter on the left. We chose left. Big mistake.

The mother and daughter could not decide and asked questions about nearly every menu item. We watched 3 other families go through the right side before they finally decided on a salad and some chicken nuggets.

Just as we thought that it was our turn, the cashier asked us to wait as she waved over another woman who had been studying a big food binder with a cast member to determine her order based on food allergies. Again, we watched several families go through the line on the right side as the food allergy order was placed. (Several families got on and off our line during this process). We somehow felt that if we jumped ship to the other line, we would somehow be worse off. We should have known better.

Seriously... couldn't the cashier have said to us that she had a special order ahead of us and that we'd get faster service at the other register. We shared an 8-piece order of chicken nuggets. They were not good. Honestly, an order of nuggets I had from McDonad's a few weeks ago was better. Disney changed their chicken nuggets. We knew this, but hoped for the best. Cold, more coating than meat, chewy...

At least the icky Heinz honey mustard was gone (the BBQ sause was still Heinz). The newest honey mustard is pump-your-own. It is still not Ken's, but it is at least creamier and sweeter than the Heinz. This meal along with a bottle of water cost $11. 

Well, back to The Pointer Sisters. We stood at the back of the theater (behind the roped off area). The theater was closed to new entry. If you left (for a snack or restroom) you needed to grab a card from a cast member for re-entry. Great show. There was only 1 original sister on stage, but they all gave an entertaining performance. Not surprisingly, we watched several folks leave complaining that the sound was too loud. I'm not sure why this continues to be a problem.

Finally, some good news. At least I thought. The chocolate truffles were back at Belgium.

During our visit on October 28, the Belgium chocolates were sold out. I was very (pleasantly) surprised that they were packaged in a box. I did not eat the chocolates until the next day. The outer chocolate shell was a swirled mixture of milk, white, and dark chocolate and was a bit waxy. The inside had a nice texture, but tasted mostly like sugar. Overall, super sweet tasting and not a lot of chocolate flavor.

Week 44 - Disney Studios Hollywood and Vine Review (Oct 25)

Today we visited Disney Hollywood Studios including a dinner reservation at the all-you-can-eat buffet at the Hollywood and Vine restaurant. We visited here as a "make-up" anniversary celebration because of our disappointing experience at Yak & Yeti over at Animal Kingdom.

Hollywood and Vine offers character meals for both breakfast and lunch. The dinner buffet does not include characters.

We had reservations for the opening of dinner. There are two sides to the buffet, however, only the right side was immediately opened. The food items are identical on both sides. We were seated on the left side of the restaurant. Everything we sampled from the original right side was moist and delicious. 

About half-way through our meal, the left side of the buffet opened. When we tried the left side, many of the items were dried out. I assume from being held for a longer period at a hot temperature.

Here is a sampling of what we put on our plates:

My husband chose from the large selection of cold appetizers including a variety of salads including a very delicious cold bowtie pasta and chicken salad. The bowtie chicken is the only item I took from the cold side (except for 2 green olives I plucked from one of the salads).

As a picky eater, I mostly bypassed the cold section and headed straight to the main entrees where I picked up two different kinds of baked chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, prime rib and a crusty (in a good way) dinner roll with whipped butter. Everything was super.

The second time around I grabbed second helpings of my favorites (the prime rib and garlic mashed), and tried some new items including Parmesan crusted chicken breast, pasta with meatballs, rice, mac and cheese from the kid's buffet and roasted pork loin. This time I topped by prime rib with a red wine demi-glaze sauce - awesome!

My husband's favorite entree selection was the salmon. He also raved about the green beans and broccoli. Other items on his plate that I did not try included a cornbread spoon bread and a seafood pasta. 

Let me just say, there was hardly any room left for dessert, but I managed to take a few tiny bites of a chocolate mousse, a red velvet cake square (my favorite) and cookie and an apple cobbler with vanilla sauce. There were several other options including carrot cake, a berry cobbler and self-serve soft-serve ice cream.

We were much happier with our meal at Hollywood and Vine. The food was well prepared and plentiful with lots of options. Be aware, that the menu for this buffet is always changing so you are unlikely to have the exact same items shown above.

Prices for the buffet vary by meal time and season but hover around $28-$36 per adult. Our final bill after taxes, tip and a small Disney annual passholder discount was just under $70 for two of us. While the dining room is not very romantic (it feels a bit like a diner/cafeteria inside) we both agreed that we had a much better experience at Hollywood and Vine than Yak & Yeti.

Week 41 - Epcot Food & Wine Australia & Argentina (Oct 4)

After attending opening day at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival with a taste of cheese fondue and pumpkin mousse (both delicious), we returned for some more samples. Below are some reviews and photos from our second tour around the world.

Australia - Lamb Chop
The lamb chop from Australia has been a "must do" for me over the last several years. My husband doesn't like lamb so it is literally the only time a year I have an opportunity to enjoy it. I often have it at least twice...sometimes three times. It doesn't come cheap. This year's price is $5.75.

The chops are always small and my experiences have always been hit and miss. Often, the chop is cold (like today's). Every once in a while I get lucky enough to have one fresh and hot right off the grill. That, of course, is when it is best. If you want it hot, go where there is a long line. I tend to be there during "off" times to avoid the crowds.

Today's chop was also very fatty. Previous chops have been leaner. However, it was moist (and just a little pink). Despite it being cold, small, fatty and expensive, I still enjoyed it. It's a treat (and a matter of expectations). The side offered changes each year. I enjoyed last year's potatoes more. This year's contained pieces of goat cheese (I'm not a fan).

Argentina - Beef Empanada
My husband had the beef empanada. He enjoyed it. It was served hot and there was plenty of beefy filling inside. The price was average at $3.75.

I took a small bite. The taste reminded me of something, but I haven't yet been able to put my finger on it. It had a sweet taste that I didn't really care for. Our only complaint is that is was difficult to find a table or other convenient spot to chow down. We would up leaning against a railing.

Mexico Margarita
All this eating made us thirsty so we decided to grab a frozen margarita from the year-round stand just outside the Mexico pavilion. The drinks cost $9. Unfortunately, they were running out of lime (our favorite) so we were forced to order a fiesta margarita which had layers of lime, strawberry and mango. Neither of us cared very much for the strawberry.

There's a good amount of alcohol in these drinks. I'm not sure I could drink one on my own. There are a few frozen alcoholic beverages available at the Food & Wine booths, but they are only 6 oz and average in cost about $7.50. We'd rather have the larger drink for $9.

Dessert
Again, I went off the Food & Wine Festival booths. This time I headed to Germany's Karamell Shop. I walked in ready to buy a caramel apple, but changed my mind as soon as I saw the freshly-made Werther's Caramel Popcorn.

It was still warm. I ordered the small bag for about $3. When the bag was handed to me, I couldn't get over how heavy it felt. Pick up a box of Cracker Jacks and it feels like air. This bag is filled with a serious amount of caramel. The only downside is that the popcorn loses it's crispy, crunchy texture. But the caramel is sooo good, it doesn't matter. I shared with my husband and we couldn't finish the bag (it is rich). I brought it home and took 2 more days to finally finish it. Note... it gets more and more soggy as the days go by so eat as much as you can while it is fresh. I don't think I could ever order the large bag...

Next, my husband grabbed one of the Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream. Awesome. Well worth the $3 price. I took a small bite and loved it (might have to get my own next time). Unfortunately, we dug right in and forgot to take a photo.

Week 40 - Epcot Food & Wine Festival Opening Day (Sept 30)

The Epcot Food & Wine Festival is my favorite time of year. We visited during opening day to give all the food booths a once-over to figure out what we'll be sampling over the next several weeks.

During our first visit, I sampled the cheese fondue with sour dough bread for $3 offered at the Cheese booth. One word... awesome. I you like Canada's beer cheese soup, you have to give this a try. One tip: don't take big bites of the sour dough or you'll quickly run out of bread and you don't want to miss a single drop of this yummy fondue.

We forgot to take a photo, but my husband tried the Pumpkin Mousse with Ocean Spray Craisins and Orange Sauce for just $1.50. That's not a typo. It is clearly the best-tasting bargain of the festival. 

While at Epcot, we picked up a Passport and festival guide map to take home and study. Next, we carefully planned our sampling schedule. We visited the Disney Food Blog to help with our decision-making. Although we had already been there in person, we didn't get to see every food item as it is served. This fantastic food blog is filled with descriptions, prices and photos of every menu item offered at the Epcot food booths. Definately worth a visit.

Can't wait to start tasting around the world and going to the Festival concerts!

Week 40 - Review Animal Kingdom Yak & Yeti Restaurant (Sept 28)

Today was a special occasion so we decided to try a Disney restaurant we had not yet tried - Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom.

Truth be told, I actually wanted to have dinner at Ohana at the Polynesian Resort. Unfortunately, even weeks in advance, we were unable to get a reservation for Ohana. So... we used Disney's online system to get a lunch reservation at Yak & Yeti and noted that it was our anniversary.

We arrived at Animal Kingdom a little early and picked up a pair of Happy Anniversary buttons at Guest Services. We also added funds to a Disney gift card to pay for lunch. We actually wanted to use our Disney Visa Rewards Dollars. Unfortunately, Yak & Yeti is not a Disney-owned restaurant and therefore does not participate in the program.

We cheerfully checked-in at the Yak & Yeti podium for our celebration lunch. Soon we were escorted to the worst table in the entire restaurant. Although the restaurant was not full, we were seated right outside the kitchen. All we could hear were pots and pans clanging and the roar of the kitchen staff, not to mention the swish of all the servers speedily passing our table. Not exactly the romantic lunch we had hoped for.

As we waited for our drinks to arrive, I seriously contemplated walking out. I just had a bad feeling and I should have listened to my gut. Instead, we politely requested if another table might be available. We were moved to the other side of the room downstairs. The restaurant has two floors, and I understand from other reviews that upstairs seating is preferred.

By now, we've interacted with two "cast members" in the lobby plus two different servers. Not one acknowledged our anniversary (despite the buttons and note in our reservation).

On to the meals. Since this was a celebration, we were prepared to splurge a little.

Appetizer
We love pot stickers. Unfortunately, we did not care for the version served at Yak & Yeti. Mostly because the soy lime dipping sauce was bitter. I did like that we were given the option of "steamed or seared". We chose "seared" but they were hardly pan fried. In fact, there were barely warm either. They were brought to our table by a kitchen staff member (who actually was the only person to say, "Happy Anniversary"). I much prefer the pot stickers at Ohana and at Lotus Blossom Cafe at China Epcot. The price for 5 pot stickers was $8.50.

Main Course
If you read this blog, you know that I love ribs. Thankfully, my favorite place for ribs at Animal Kingdom are from a counter-service restaurant because the baby back ribs served at Yak & Yeti cost $26. The hoisin bbq sauce was yummy, the ribs were extremely tender and meaty but they were barely room temperature. Sides included a scoop of chicken fried rice (just OK with almost no chicken) and a sweet chili slaw. I didn't try the slaw, but my husband did. He didn't think it was very good.

My husband ordered the Shaoxing Steak and Shrimp. Yak & Yeti get points for presentation with this dish. The skirt steak was thin, but tender. The jasmine rice was nothing special. The shrimp could have been a lot better. They weren't as "cleaned" as much as they should have been for being tempura battered - especially for the $26 price. The side of stir-fried veggies were OK and the chili plum dipping sauce was tasty.

   
Dessert
We had seen raving reviews about the fried wontons dessert at Yak & Yeti. The cream cheese stuffed pockets of dough were served skewered with pineapple and a with side of ice cream. The description also said they would be drizzled with a honey vanilla. The pineapple was sour and the drizzle was more of a puddle. They were good, but not particularly special. They cost $8.

The grand total for lunch at Yak & Yeti with drinks (non-alcoholic), tax and tip was about $90. Was it worth it? Not really. Will I go back? No. I don't mind over-paying for meals at Disney if in return I have a magical experience and quality food.

Yak & Yeti is lacking in the magical Disney experience department. I don't think I've ever spent $90 on lunch for 2 (at Disney or anywhere else) and I don't anticipate that I will do it again any time soon.

I should note that Yak & Yeti also offers a counter-service restaurant at Animal Kingdom. I might return to the fast food option to try crispy honey chicken.

Week 38 - Chicago Dogs and Casey's Corner Magic Kingdom (Sept 16)

After missing out on Chicago dogs over Labor Day weekend due to a refurb of Casey's Corner, we (I mean, my husband) finally experienced what we thought would be Magic Kingdom's best hot dog. Oh boy...

First, I chickened out. If you read this blog you know that I'm a picky eater. I thought I was ready to sink my teeth into the very delicious-looking Chicago dog, but I backed out. Instead, I ordered "just a plain hot dog, please".

I actually love hot dogs. Always have. For years, I used to really love getting hot dogs from Casey's Corner at Disney's Magic Kingdom. I remember tasty, extra-long hot dogs on soft white buns. Unfortunately, today's dogs are not at all like I remembered. The buns are great - IF you are having one of the very heavy specialty dogs. The buns are a little overwhelming if you're having a plain hot dog. My bun was hard to the touch and dry.

As I've complained about other entrees (like the Port Orleans muffaletta sandwich or the food at Pizzafari) the meat to bread ratio was way off for me. I just don't like that much bread. The picture doesn't show it accurately, but there's a lot of bread there. I realize, however, these buns were not meant to be served with plain dogs.

Now... on to the Chicago dog. Unfortunately, this was a "swing and a miss" (to keep with the baseball theming of this Disney restaurant). The toppings were tasty enough, but we had a temperature problem. The hot dog was cold. Like it just came out of the refrigerator cold. When my husband first tried to return the hot dog, he was told that the the toppings cool down the dog. After much "back and forth", the server finally touched the dog and realized it, in fact, was ice cold.

My husband returned to the table with a tray that had a plain dog and all of the toppings (pickles, Chicago relish, tomatoes, and pickled peppers) in separate cups. It's not how he wanted it (he wanted a properly heated and fully-assembled hot dog). Apparently, this is what "complainers" get. Disappointingly, the ala carte toppings assortment he received did not include the poppy seeds. Apparently, real Chicago dogs come on poppy seed buns. At Casey's Corner, they simply sprinkle the dog with poppy sees.

We would do it again? Not likely. We'll probably just stick to the corn dog nuggets at Casey's Corner. And, we'll only dine there when it is cool outside...

For practical purposes, the only seating for Casey's Corner is outdoors in the blazing sun. It was dinner time, and it was still close to 90 degrees outside. We were uncomfortably hot (and we're fairly acclimated to the Florida heat). The seating is also surrounded by birds looking for a handout. I'm an animal lover. I want to feed the birds, too. But... I know it is not good for them and that it causes aggressive behavior. Please don't feed the birds!

Speaking of birds, check out this little bird inside the food court at Disney's Contemporary resort:

Like I said, I'm an animal lover, but this concerned me. I was very surprised when we grabbed lunch at the Contemporary earlier in the day and had birds flying over our table and picking up crumbs from the carpeted floor INDOORS.

I can deal with that... but I was a little put off by the fact that these birds drank from the soda dispenser drip pans (click the photo to enlarge). Seriously, that is not healthy for the bird or humans. This particular bird is on the rail picking up drips just outside of the pans. Apparently, he preferred high fructose corn syrup droppings to the melting ice in the drip pans.

My question is... where is the poop falling? Fortunately, we did not have the displeasure of finding out!

Week 35/36 - Disney World Orlando Labor Day Weekend (Sept 2-5)

Labor Day weekend at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida provided us with beautiful weather and small crowds. Holidays are typically a busier time for the theme parks, but Labor Day is the exception.

Many folks are getting ready for a new school year rather than flying down to Florida so the parks tend to be less busy. However, you'll still find it crowded at times if you "follow the herd". We had a great 4-day weekend at Disney World.

FRIDAY - MAGIC KINGDOM
It felt a little strange entering the Magic Kingdom during Labor Day weekend and finding the park already decked out for Halloween. C'mon Disney, Labor Day symbolizes the end of summer not pumpkins!

Worse... Casey's Corner was closed for refurb so we missed out on the Chicago Dog we desperately wanted to try during this visit. So... we headed over to the Lunching Pad for a specialty hot dog - also closed for refurb. Really? We diverted to Cosmic Rays only to find out that their soda machines were out of order (I really wanted a Coke). So... we trudge over to Pecos Bills and the place is packed (gee, I wonder why). It takes forever for the food orders to be processed, it is crowded and so noisy we can't hear ourselves. Luckily, getting lunch was the worst of it. Or, at least we thought. Trying to get dinner proved equally challenging. The only place left open at 7 pm was Cosmic Rays.

Anyway, most lines were super short (walk right in) including Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Small World, and another of my favorites, Hall of Presidents. The longest lines were for Winnie the Pooh (about 20 min) and Peter Pan's Flight (we got a FastPass).

The highlight of our day was the new night time show, The Magic, The Memories and You! Cinderella's Castle literally transforms before your eyes during the approximate 10 minute show. Incredible! Can't wait to see it again soon. There's a short 5 minute break after the show prior to the Wishes fireworks show.

SATURDAY - ANIMAL KINGDOM
Another great day - but hot. The BEST way to cool off at this park is with a frozen drink. When we start to feel really hot, we share a Frozen Coke. A few minutes in the shade with a frozen Coke and we're completely re-charged.

We walked right into all of our favorite attractions with just a few minutes of wait time including, Kilimanjaro Safari, Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo and Bug's Life.

Our best safari ever! We highly recommend getting on the safari early in the day because it gives you your best chance of seeing the most animals up close. We saw rhinos, hippos, giraffes, gators, elephants (including a baby) zebras, ostriches and even the elusive lion among many other very active animals.

Lion King was always my favorite stage show (still is a "must do") until Finding Nemo came along. We had the BEST seats in the house - first row, second tier, center stage.

I love the creativity of this live stage performance of Finding Nemo and how well the performers "become one" with the puppets. It took my husband a few times before fully appreciating the style of this show. Now he loves it almost as much as I do.

SUNDAY - HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
We arrived a little later than we had hoped (just before 10 am) and almost missed out on getting a Fast Pass for Toy Story Midway Mania. In fact, Fast Passes were fully distributed by 11 am or so. Hands down, Toy Story Midway Mania is the MOST fun we had all day. You just can't help but come out grinning ear to to ear. Tip: if you missed out on Fast Pass and the stand-by line is 40 minutes or less, get on line. Throughout the day, we saw the wait time range from 25 minutes to 95 minutes.

Again, we walked right into many of our favorite attractions including, Beauty and the Beast; the Great Movie Ride, the Little Mermaid and Lights, Motors, Action. Lights, Motors, Action had been updated since we last saw the show. Toy Story's Lightening McQueen replaced Herbie the Lovebug as the entertainment between the stunt setups.

Lights, Motors, Action really is packed with action. The drivers who perform the stunts are expertly skilled. I'm always holding my breath and curling my toes. The grand finale (above) is stunning. The other change we noticed, the Flower Truck was replaced (I assume temporarily). Normally, there is a small European-looking delivery van. Today's performance used a full-size white minivan with a floral delivery sticker on the side.

MONDAY - EPCOT
On the last day of our Labor Day Disney staycation we went to Epcot. We typically visit Epcot late in the day to catch a concert or festival so it was a lot of fun to do many of the things we don't normally get to do at this park.

We did many attractions with no wait, including Spaceship Earth (love the go-go boots in this history of communication attraction), Ellen's Energy Adventure (a must-do for dinosaur fans); Journey Into Imagination; Gran Fiesta Tour (the reinvented Rio de Tiempo Mexico boat ride); and Norway's Maelstrom boat ride.

Fast Passes were required for both Soarin' and Test Track today. Soarin' was amazing as always. We almost didn't get to do Test Track due to weather. The sun was shining bright when we entered Test Track. A few minutes later and just before we were about to board our car, the attraction was shut down. Luckily, it was only shut down for a few minutes as a small rain shower passed by and we were on our way. Biggest thrill of the day!

FOOD
For the most part during our Labor Day weekend at Disney, we had some pretty good food. We shared a delicious meatball sub at Epcot's Electric Umbrella. The roll was bakery-style with a crusty outside and soft chewy inside - perfect. Even though I have complained about the pizza at Animal Kingdom, the pizza I had at Pizzafari on Saturday was hot and perfectly prepared. Our burger at Pecos Bills was cold, but they make up for it with a great fixin's bar. I've also complained a lot about the change in chicken nuggets at Disney, but the ones we had from Cosmic Rays on Friday weren't awful (that's the best I can say). I still can't stand the Heinz honey mustard (bring back Ken's).

Our biggest disappointment, however, was the churros from Epcot Mexico.

My husband had been looking forward to these for almost a year. We decided as our last snack before heading out that we'd grab an order to share. WORST CHURROS EVER!

The "Churros con Cajeta" (churros with milk caramel) cost $3.95 + tax for 4 small sticks of churros. They were cold, hard, and greasy. Worse, they were flavorless. Even if they were hot and fresh, they would not have tasted good. The milk caramel dip was very fluid (milk-like in consistency) and also void of flavor. I LOVE caramel so I was very disappointed. I'm not even sure if the dip should have been that soupy.

We ate one churro stick each and decided it wasn't even worth the calories to finish the remaining two and threw them out in the trash - which is hard to do when these crunchy little sticks of nothing cost a buck each. Never again, I'm afraid.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time we were disappointed by La Cantina de San Angel in Epcot. This used to be one of our favorite spots to grab a bite to eat.

Week 34 - Magic Kingdom New Attraction Updates (Aug 26)

It had been a while since we last visited Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, so we spent this Friday exploring many of the attractions that have been recently updated (and a few of our favorites). By the way, the lines were very short today. We often walked right into an attraction with no wait.

Follow the footsteps of our day at the Magic Kingdom:

Enchanted Tiki Room
The Tiki Room had actually caught fire early this year. The attraction running at the time (Enchanted Tiki Room - Under New Management) suffered a bit of damage.

It has now reopened with a performance similar to the original attraction, Tropical Serenade and no longer includes the birds, Lago (voiced by Gilbert Gottfried) or Zazu. I think it is no coincidence that the Tiki Room reopened without Lago. A few short weeks after the fire, Gilbert Gottfried was fired from his gig as the Aflac duck for a series of un-Disney-like "tweets" he posted on Twitter (what's up with Gilbert and birds?). It would seem Gilbert made Disney's decision to dump rather than repair ore rebuild Lago a very easy one.

Pirates of the Caribbean
Hands down this is one of my favorite rides. We've already seen the Captain Jack Sparrow enhancements and really enjoy them.

As much as I enjoy Captain Jack, I have five favorite moments in the Pirates attraction: 1) Dead men tell no tales; 2) Getting "shot" by a cannon; 3) We want the red head; 4) The hairy leg and dirty foot hanging over the bridge and 5) The dog holding the jail cell keys.

The Haunted Mansion
The Haunted Mansion recently expanded the queue to run through a bit of a cemetery. Guests now have the option to stroll through the cemetery or bypass it (for quicker entrance).

While the cemetery is cute and worth a look at least once, I would suggest bypassing this little extra tour if you are short on time.

In addition to the new cemetery, the ending of the Haunted Mansion ride has changed a bit too (no spoilers here). Unfortunately, my line of vision seemed to be interrupted for some reason and I did not experience the full effect of the ending. Another reason to go back...

Carousel of Progress
There's just something about the Carousel of Progress that my husband and I both really enjoy. We can't help but sing, "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow".

Originally built for the 1964 World's Fair in New York, we always try to make it part of our visit to the Magic Kingdom.

Fantasyland Expansion
Last, but not least, we spent some time looking at the posters for the new Fantasyland Expansion. Here's a sneak peek at what is scheduled to open in 2012. Click on any of the photos for a larger image:

New Fantasyland

New Fantasyland Construction

Enchanted Tales with Belle

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Looking forward to this one... some neat roller coaster technology!

Looking forward to our next visit to Magic Kingdom. We had lunch at Casey's Corner and saw some really awesome looking Chicago Dogs go by (we split an order of corn dog nuggets). I probably won't like it because I'm such a picky eater, but my husband is definitely going to try it out. I'll give it at least one bite because it looked really good - even to me!

Week 27 - Epcot Soarin' Fast Pass (July 9)

As we walked across the Epcot parking lot today a man exiting with his sun asked my husband and I if we'd like two Fast Passes for Soarin' later that evening. We actually had plans to leave the park prior to the 8:15 PM time stamped on the pass, but said we would gladly pay it forward to another group of two.

We did exactly that. First, we headed straight to the American Gardens Theater to see Little Queen - The Music of Heart as part of the Epcot Sounds Like Summer series. A good show although I only recognized a few of the songs.

Next, we were starving so we popped into the American pavilion's Liberty Inn. What a mess that was. First the cashier did not follow line protocol (by alternating order to his left and right). 5 people were let to order ahead of that should not have.

Next, our order was "lost". It took FOREVER. I blame it on the servers. Instead of calling out order numbers (which would eliminate any confusion) they simply yelled out "chili cheese dog" or "chicken nuggets" and people in line would simply grab one and take off. People didn't even care that they were getting the wrong sides (apples vs fries) or sometimes servers were throwing both on the tray because of the mass confusion.

It was impossible to get anyone's attention. We had a large drink with our order, but none of the trays were coming out that way. Finally, I was able to convince one of the servers that our order was lost (our large drink had been sitting on the counter melting). A male server snorted that it was probably the one he already called out 10 minutes ago that no one claimed (it wasn't). After realizing we were wronged, she at least offered to give us a fresh drink since the one on the counter had obviously been there a very long time.

After we cooled off (literally and figuratively), we sat for a few minutes and took in the collection of flags that hang at Liberty Inn.

Last, but not least, we headed over to The Land in search of couple disappointed that the Soarin' Fast Passes had all been distributed for the day and the stand-by line was way too log. We found such a couple who were very happy to have the tickets. The experience of making someone's day made up for the less-than-Disney experience we had at Liberty Inn.

Week 16 - 25% Off Disney Restaurants in High Season (Apr 21)

We took advantage of a special promotion and enjoyed a 25% discount lunch at Pizzafari restaurant in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The promo is something new that Disney has been trying out - and we like it. It saved us about $5 on our lunch (which we then spent on an onion ring snack later in the day).

With the Easter week crowds making the parks extra busy, Disney offers the food discount in an attempt to get park guests to eat during off-peak times. Even with the promotion, the discount dining window is not very busy at the restaurants. Both during this visit and a previous discount period in December, we waited no more than 5 minutes in line. For that reason alone, it is worth it to take advantage of the off-peak dining times.

Last time we visited Animal Kingdom we lunched at Flame Tree Barbecue for some ribs (my favorite). This time we went for my husband's favorite: the Hot Italian Sandwich. The meal comes with your choice of a side (my husband selected the chips for me - see why below) for $8.59. He usually loves this sandwich but felt like the recipe changed. It was still good, just not what we had remembered enjoying in the past.

While my husband and I typically share something to eat at Disney, I'm just not into Italian sandwiches. As a matter of fact, I pretty much don't like anything with lettuce on it. Yes, I can pull it off, but it is a bigger "food issue" than that for me. But that's for another blog...

At Pizzafari, my only other dining option is pizza. All adult pizza meals come with a side Caesar salad for $8.69. Since I don't eat salad unless it is drenched in a super sweet dressing, it goes directly to my husband. That bag of chips I got in return had exactly 11 chips in it (with another tablespoon or so of crumbs). Beware... those chips are also the super-hard and crunchy kettle chips.

I suffer (not so silently) through my pizza each time we go to Pizzafari. My biggest complaint is the crust to pizza ratio. I had a similar complaint about the Epcot Via Napoli pizza slice, but Pizzafari is far worse. To be fair, I'm originally a Jersey Girl who grew up on NY style pizza which makes me a bit of a pizza snob. I'm not a huge fan of Pizza Hut or Dominos. If you are, perhaps you'll like this pizza more than me.

My pizza was a bit on the over-done side (which doesn't help matters). The center of the pizza (the only part I eat) gets really soggy. Each of the four pizza slices gives me 6 small bites of pizza. The crust provides another 6 bites or so, but it is just way too much bread for me so I typically leave all my crust behind. Oddly, though, I can't complain about the flavors. The sauce and cheese are both flavorful enough to make it tolerable. Overall, I'd have to rate it lower in quality than the individual pizza from SeaWorld.

As I've mentioned in the past, no trip is complete without an order of onion rings from Animal Kingdom. And since my husband enjoys them too, we made a stop at Flame Tree Barbecue to pick up an order.

  
We didn't score the 25% Disney dining discount on the rings though. We had already passed the discount window. To be eligible for the dining discount, must order between 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM. Cost for the onion rings is $3.79 (and another $2.79 for the large Coke).

Week 14 - Epcot Via Napoli Pizza Slice Review (Apr 8)

Take a look at this slice of pizza from Via Napoli at Epcot. It looks good, right? I mean it looks really, REALLY good.

We thought so too. This was our second try of a pizza slice from Via Napoli. We first tried an Epcot pepperoni slice about 10 days ago. In fact, here it is again for comparison:

After sampling the pizza at SeaWorld last week, I began to think that my perhaps my first Epcot pizza slice review was a little harsh. Unlike the Epcot slice, the pizza at SeaWorld was more typical of mass-produced theme park pizza. The crust was like frozen pizza from the supermarket. Don't get me wrong, the SeaWolrd pizza did have some good points. It was generous in cheese and was piping hot - literally fresh out of the oven. Well, see for yourself for comparison:

But... let me get back to reviewing the most recent pizza slice at Epcot. As much as I wanted to give Via Napoli a second chance and as much as I thought the cheese slice looked like it would be awesome - it still wasn't. Why? It was cold again. And, not just cold but the crust was almost stale - like chewing through day-old Italian bread that had become tough and dense. My husband enjoyed the crust on our first piece... not so much on our second slice.

Given theme-park pricing, I think the cheese slice is priced right at $4.50. Our cheese pizza slice was a center cut slice. Apparently our pepperoni slice (above) was a corner piece. We actually saw a full pizza go past the window before it was sliced. It was rectangular and I would guess they get 10 slices out of each whole pie (which is why we probably heard people grumbling last December about $50+ for a whole pie). Whole pizza pies are currently not offered.

There was a lot more "topping" to the center cut and it was a bit bigger than the end piece. The sauce is scant and a little bit on the acidic side. Some people prefer it that way... I like my sauce a little sweeter. The cheese distribution on our Via Napoli slice wasn't even. One side had more than the other and it had less cheese overall when compared to the SeaWorld slice.

I want to like this pizza. I really do. And, honestly, I think it has a real chance to be Epcot's best grab and go food option. The folks at Disney just need to figure out how to improve the overall process for keeping it hot and fresh. I simply can't figure out how I could stand in line for more than 5 minutes, watch at least 20 slices go out ahead of me and still wind up with cold pizza - twice. 

Week 13 - Epcot Pizza by the Slice at Via Napoli (Mar 27)

When we first heard that the Italy showcase at Epcot was getting a new pizzeria restaurant we were thrilled. There are not many counter service opportunities for a quick bite when you enter World Showcase from the Canada side and we always wished that Italy would open a casual restaurant to grab a slice of pizza.

That enthusiasm quickly faded as soon as we found out that Via Napoli was going to be Italy's second sit-down restaurant. After the Disney restaurant's grand opening in late 2010, we began to hear grumblings about Via Napoli's overpriced (and often over-baked) pizza. The price for an individual pizza averages $15-$17. We've resisted the idea of trying it out anyway and splurging because we simply couldn't justify spending that much money on pizza.

Our decision not to splurge on Via Napoli was also based on our many past experiences at L’ Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante (now closed and replaced in 2007 by Tutto Italia). We were just never that impressed and always felt that the wait staff was less than friendly. To be fair, neither Via Napoli or Tutto Italia is related to Alfredo. Nevertheless, our many visits to Alfredo over the years tainted our desire to explore other Epcot Italy restaurants. That all said...

Recently, Via Napoli introduced exactly what we were hoping for... pizza by the slice at Epcot Italy. Finally, we can sample real Italian pizza (at least we thought) at a more affordable price. Two options were available: cheese pizza slice for $4.50 or a pepperoni slice for $5.25. We shared a slice of pepperoni:

Like many counter service items we order from Disney, our Epcot Italy slice of pizza was cold. It most definitely was not hot. The pizza to crust ratio favored the crust a little more that I would have preferred. My husband, on the other hand, liked the chewiness of the crust. Overall, I felt the pizza slice was small. The pepperoni was extremely mild (I like mine spicy). Seating is outdoors only and sparse. All of the tables were taken so we grabbed a concrete bench.

The pizza we received at the window is NOT the same as the brick oven pizza inside. Overall, I'm glad I spent just five bucks on a pizza slice to share. Pizza by the slice was also temporarily offered around New Year's - cheese only and for a higher price per slice (we didn't get a slice at that time). Unfortunately for Via Napoli, I won't be making plans to eat indoors any time soon. I wanted to sample the "inside" pizza as a way to decide if I should make reservations for this restaurant.

I understand the pizza window is again temporary (at least for now) and will close by end of May or so. I may give them one more try, but based on the slices I saw other guests walk away with, I don't have high hopes for a better pizza experience.