Trip Report Disney in Winter came and went 2015!!

LowesChevy · Apr 3, 2015

mrdrift said:
Great review of the Teppan Edo and the food looked delicious. A location that my family want to try. Nice day at Epcot with some fantastic pictures. Following along.

Thank you @mrdrift ! we actually have a really good Japanese Steakhouse in town, but we still love to go to TE too. It is something we can all agree on and how do you not love steak and fresh shrimp?!

LowesChevy · Apr 3, 2015

Day 4
January 20th
DHS

It was an early wake up call for us because they started working on the room above us at 7:10 ish!! Really-they aren’t supposed to start until 9!! We stopped at the Boardwalk Bakery for a light bite. Our lunch is at the Hollywood Brown Derby, so we do not want to stuff ourselves at breakfast! I had a breakfast sandwich, which was okay. They are made up ahead of time and are warmed for service. My parents both had a bagel and a coffee. The tables outside were a nice thought, but they were freezing! It was might chilly this morning again, but it was going to warm up and possibly get some rain showers.

The boat ride was pleasant and our captains were very entertaining with their bad jokes. For instance why shouldn’t you give Elsa your balloon? She will “Let it go!” “Let it go!” Or why should you never ask snow white about her iPhone? She has a lot of problems with apples…tidi boom. They were on a roll this morning. Look how cute Mama Bear is this morning!

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So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen good bye!
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We were able to get through the gates and get to TSMM before 9:00 AM, so we hopped into the stand by line. This worked out well by 9:50 we had already rode twice and I notched my best score ever! The park didn’t seem as busy as it had been Saturday, but there was a lot going on in the park. There were camera crews shooting film of young people acting very enthusiastically-must have been for future promotional videos of some sort. I guess we may find out soon. I had FP+ for ToT, my favorite, but mom is not a fan so she has no problem sitting it out while dad and I go have fun. It was quicker than the other day of course and the stand by line looked okay for this time of the day. I can’t imagine what it will look like later. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…gift shop
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Afterwards we went back to The Great Movie Ride and took a spin around the movies before lunch. The line was loooong, but we must remember there aren’t that many attractions to suck up people with the Backlot Tour closed. The wait was about 20 minutes or so, not terrible, but longer than it had been in years past. Our CM was kind of awful, but it’s just because we have seen the act so many times perhaps.

Was it you?!
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We had time for one last ride on Star Tours before lunch too!

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Afterwards it was time to head over to the Hollywood Brown Derby for some sophisticated eating.

LowesChevy · Apr 6, 2015

The Hollywood Brown Derby

It was a few minutes early, but we were lucky enough to escape the thunderstorm that blew through! People were running everywhere and underneath the canopy in front the HBD it was madness. The check in line was full of people attempting to get in for the day, but it didn’t sound promising for most of them. DHS has some great table service options, but they are extremely limited. Get those ADRs before you come here if at all possible. They are several places in Epcot that you may be able to score a walk up ressie, especially during F & W. After a few minutes pager went off right around our ADR time and the rain let up and the place cleared out!

Dona arrived a few minutes later and she knew the business and gave us her recommendations. I debated on what I wanted to eat, but in the meantime dad and I ordered a tasty beverage. Beer for him and a fruity & tropical Open Audition for me

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I am really enjoying the HBD as I was skeptical of the menu before, but they have been running specials with some regular items on it and they seem to be crowd pleasing. A lot of folks were ordering the specials, so I hope they either add some of the menu items or keep running similar features. I also just made a reservation for lunch this October for our stay.

DM and I started with a greens salad and I had the Cobb salad. The green salad was on the tart side, as the dressing had a punch and the lettuces were on the bitter side. There were sugar coated pecans and some apples to compliment the dish as a whole, but little sweeter of a dressing may have cheered this dish up. The portion size was plentiful and perfect for splitting. The Cobb salad lived up to it’s reputation-excellent! All of the ingredients work so well together to give you one complete dish full of sweet, sour, salty and bitterness. This smaller appetizer portion was perfect as a starter and Dona even gave me the recipe card so I could make the dish at home, which I have done.

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DF enjoyed the waygu burger so much he had it again. It looks good and is a monster of a burger, but there are so many other goodies to choose from the menu. DM was also a repeat offender and had the fettuccine Alfredo. I had the crab cakes and they were good. Nothing spectacular since they were deep fried you tend to lose some of the delicateness of the crab and pick up the fried taste. The sauce and Asian spiced raw vegetable salad they were served with were very good. Also the crab claw garnish helps the dish. I would have them for an appetizer again, but I would most likely try something else instead.
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This birdie was too stuffed for dessert, but a Mickey ice cream bar may be in the works later. Lunch was wonderful and the service was great. Totally confirmed we will be back!

Overall-a must do for us

4/5 Food
5/5 Service
5/5 Total Experience

Time to head back to the Boardwalk Villas!!

So long DHS!! See you real soon

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Later on dinner at Via Napoli (Actually Tutto Italia, but I had made a schedule change last minute!)

LowesChevy · Apr 7, 2015

Via Napoli was on the list for a few nights ago as tonight we were dining at Tutto Italia. Since I have already posted that review, you get Via Napoli!

Before dinner we visited the Mexico pavilion for some fiesta time and the three Caballeros. We checked out what is left of the Norway shops as well. Later on that evening we made our way to Italy for dinner. It was a beautiful night with a clear sky and it just felt good to be out and about. The pavilion was busy as usual for the evening-with the two restaurants and Tutto Gusto there is a lot of tables to be filled. The check in line at Via Napoli was shorter than I had ever seen it. Usually they are stopping you at the door to try to control the check in line!

It was only a few minutes till we were called to head to our table. We were on the opposite side as the kitchen along the main drag, which is rather annoying if you are sitting on that side as people are constantly bumping you as they walk by. It is plenty wide enough, perhaps some folks should lay off the sangria?!

Matteo came over immediately and asked what type of water we would like-still this evening. DF always attempts to order beer, but they only handle the non alcoholic beverages at this time. There was a giant party being seated at the family style table in the middle about the same time. Marcelo, our waiter came over and introduced himself and encouraged us to order before the large party.

It was kind of a hurry up and wait experience, but at least the pizza and salad are delicious. Service wasn’t great, but of course we will be back.

Overall-a return trip booked

5/5 Food
3/5 Service
4/5 Total Experience

mrdrift · Apr 7, 2015

Great food reviews, I can always enjoy every ones adventures at a restaurant. By the sounds of it Hollywood Studious was a fun time. Following along.

LowesChevy · Apr 15, 2015

Day 5
January 21st

Another full day at Epcot. What could be better really?

This morning we walked over to the Captain’s Grille for breakfast. Our table was near the walkway and we had a nice view of the entire restaurant. Mouna took our order of pancakes and tailored eggs. Breakfast was great and service was good. Last September we had some lackluster experiences with The Captain’s Grill with lukewarm eggs and food, but everything was better this time around.

Test Track was first on the list today. We were going to ride standby since we had our FP+ secured for Soarin’ a little later. We figured this was our best shot at a shorter stand by line. The refurbishment improved the queue at least and after 30 minutes we were designing our race car. Not a bad wait at all!

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My parents stopped for a coffee and I took the opportunity to get some more photos of course. We wandered on to Club Cool to test some of the new arrivals. The floor must be permanently sticky because the place just opened and we were sticking to the floor! The place was jam packed, but the experience was fun as usual. It was time to head to The Land for Soarin’! The quality of the film for Soarin’ is getting pretty sketch, but there is still no experience like it. I hope they can improve the quality of the film at some point in the future though.

It was time to head to the World Showcase for some refreshments! The shops in Canada have some of the best souvenirs-great quality and a lot of things that are downright adorable. I bought my nephews each a little stuffed animal-Nick gets a raccoon because he is going through a raccoon phase, has pajamas, t-shirts and he was one for Halloween etc. Joshy got an owl, but I am sure Nick has commandeered it anyhow lol. I picked myself out a totem pole wood carving, just a small one, but it is cool. DM likes the selection of pajamas and night shirts.

The lumberjacks were warming up, but we didn’t catch a show this time. Hopefully in the fall we can see them perform. I snagged a couple of magnets for my desk at work-a red phone booth and a map of London in the UK pavilion. We explored France again and made our way to Germany…for beer and more souvenirs. We wanted to get some of the German ornaments for my brother and family. They have some beautiful handmade and blown glass ones that I adore. We picked out a few for us and some for them. My grandparents were from northern Switzerland, so many of our traditions are similar to German ones, so these items are nostalgic for us.

All of this shopping made us hungry-Vamos a Mexico!! Time for lunch at Cantina De San Angel[/URL]

LowesChevy · Apr 15, 2015

Cantina De San Angel

This is by far my favorite counter service spot to dine. You can’t beat the view and we love Tex-Mex style food. It is no Chi-Chi’s or El Torrito, but it does the trick. Finding a table is the most difficult task and even with the indoor seating, it is still jammed most of the time.

DM and I ordered nachos sans jalapenos and DF went for the barbocoa tacos. Both dishes were good and filling. My only complaint is the weird circular churros they sell here-what is that about?

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Overall: a great spot to grab a lunch al fresco!

LowesChevy · Apr 17, 2015

That afternoon....

So DM was tired and needed a rest. For the record we just found out she tore her meniscus back in September and will finally have surgery May 15!! She is a tough little birdy, but she needs a lot of rest. You may find yourself need a nap when you visit WDW in general because you are a lot more active then you may normally be at home. It was extremely convenient staying at the BWV since she would really have no trouble finding her way back to the room. However, she told us not to do anything to fun that she may have wanted to do lol.

DF and I usually have some plenty of time to venture out on our own each trip. We decided to explore Future World in depth for a few hours. It works out well because she is not a huge fan of Spaceship Earth-dark, cramped space, kinda hot near the top. I always enjoy it of course and the line was short this time of day. The Seas with Nemo and Friends and the manatees were a nice diversion as well. We peeked at the Coral Reef menu to see what was cooking and then it was off to Imagination. My poor little Figment just isn’t getting any love.

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We strolled back through Canada and had a refreshment…yes you guessed it beer! Impressions de France, aside from having a wonderful musical score, is my favorite show. After that we picked out some pastries at Boulangerie Patissie for breakfast the next morning. The Villas at the Grand Floridian and the Magic Kingdom are calling us, but they must wait for tonight we are feasting at Les Chefs De France![/URL]

LowesChevy · Apr 23, 2015

Les Chefs De France

There is always a buzz around the French pavilion at night. Lots of folks staking out space for Illuminations or sampling the sweet and tart punch of champagne. Wonderful smells fill the air in France as I always find it calming and relaxing. This evening was no exception as there were lots of people waiting to be seated or looking at the menus out front. I checked us in and we had a seat on the long benches that lie underneath the awning.

It wasn’t too long before we were called and the host led us to our table in the main room near the restrooms. This is a hot spot for me lol! Although I feel that the bathroom is undersized and cramped for a restaurant this size. This spot gives you a great view of the restaurant and of the folks strolling by outside. My parents got the view and I got the mirror, but it is not the same!

Soon after we were seated Cindy, from St. Tropez, came by to greet us and offer us beverages. I was in the mood to try a bunch of different items. There are so many starters to try I can never make up my mind! We decided to order several different dishes and share.

Lobster Bisque, Assiette Compagnarde, Tarte Alsacciene, goat cheese salad-DF also had the cheese plate. Not pictured, but the servings are generous.

A French feast

DM was the primary eater of the lobster bisque, but I did manage a spoonful for testing. The assiette compagnarde has a country style and a more classic style pate. Both are rich in flavor, but the classic style with aspic on top is my favorite. The tart tends to vary in its looks I guess depending on who did the prep work in the kitchen, but tasty as always with the bacon, caramelized onions and crème fraiche fighting it out on a thin crispy crust. The goat cheese salad is a mix of greens with a tangy dressing and a bread crumb coated slice of goat cheese heated till it just begins to ooze. Goat cheese will not really melt, but warmed it has intoxicating delicious effects. No meal in France would be complete without some amazing sweet treats-profiteroles for me and crème brulee for DM.

Cindy took a wonderful photo of the three of us

The service and food were both excellent. Even with the restaurant being nearly full everything was spot on as usual for us.

Overall: Oui Oui!
5/5 Food
5/5 Service
5/5 Total Experience

Time to head back to the Boardwalk and finish packing our bags because we are off to the Villas at the Grand Floridian tomorrow!!

mrdrift · Apr 24, 2015

Wow is all I can say about the food pictures from Les Chefs De France. All of the food look delicious and you gave such good reviews. On the list to do next trip. Following along.

sheriffwoody · Apr 24, 2015

LowesChevy said:
Great ride, the girl next to me had a death grip on the seat handle! I think it was her first time.

haha! This sounds like me...but I've been on it several times. I still hate the drops, but I do it because A. my husband likes it and B. I love the theming.

LowesChevy · Apr 24, 2015

mrdrift said:
Wow is all I can say about the food pictures from Les Chefs De France. All of the food look delicious and you gave such good reviews. On the list to do next trip. Following along.

Thank you! I know I see a lot of negative reviews, but CDF is always been a good one for us. There are so many appetizers that are great and not being on a dining plan or paying out of pocket allows for the flexibility.

coachwnh · Apr 28, 2015

All caught up. Enjoying the reviews.

LowesChevy · Jul 7, 2015

I am back on track trying to finish this report up! I apologize for my absence, but I was writing this thing out when my gran passed away, so working on it was a bittersweet reminder. However, I am feeling better and excited about our upcoming trip in September, so I better get this report finished! stay tuned

LowesChevy · Jul 7, 2015

Day 6

January 22nd
Check out of BWVs
Move to GFV

We decided to hit IHOP off property for some breakfast this morning, that way we could also grab a few items at Goodings for the remainder of the trip. The Villa de Grimm wasn’t quite ready, but we had planned to head to DTD for some shopping. The bus seemed like a good option at the time, but it is a loooooong trip from the MK resorts! However there is no parking close to the DTD section right now or it doesn’t seem like for long.

The World of Disney and the 365 Days of Christmas were on the list of places to buy and ship items home. I really wish Disney would come up with a better, faster way for guests to ship items home. The process of writing out the packing slips really takes time and slows down the lines. I love shipping things home because I don’t have to worry about luggage space and who doesn’t love getting a box from Disney?! I am hoping that they work on streamlining the process, maybe they can use the Magic Band technology and just scan your band someday.

Our list was complete and it was time to catch the bus back to the Grand Floridian so we could head to the Magic Kingdom!!

LowesChevy · Jul 7, 2015

Magic Kingdom

I had made a few FP+ for mid day so we would have plan of action. We rode Buzz Lightyear then decided to grab some late lunch at Casey’s. It was 2:30 PM or so and the place was jammed with nowhere to sit. We noticed other folks booking down to the Tomorrowland Terrace with their meals, so did the same. Nice and quiet over there, but the bathroom facilities are small for that size dining room, plus the bathrooms next store were closed. I do love a good weenie-my favorite are a local company Smith’s, but a close second are the Vienna beef dogs from Chicago. A satisfying lunch it was.

Back through Tomorrowland and onto the TTA. Afterwards our FP+ time for the Mine Ride was good to go! I did get the room ready notification while we were in line, so now we were really excited!

Off to the ferry we went.

LowesChevy · Jul 7, 2015

Grand Floridian Villas

We were able to snag a two night stay with some leftover points we had to use and wow. I was amazed by this place and I want to come back!! I need more points L

Reception-Ma and Papa bear on the left

Foyer

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LowesChevy · Jul 7, 2015

Grand Floridian Villas

Even the standard view is amazing

The 2 bedroom villa
The living room

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Murphy bed

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fractal · Jul 7, 2015

Sorry about your loss.

Thanks for finishing - and great pics of the GF.

smk · Jul 8, 2015

LowesChevy said:
Grand Floridian Villas

Even the standard view is amazing

The 2 bedroom villa
The living room

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Murphy bed

So sorry to read of your loss. I hope writing this report for the rest of us helps get your mind on a wonderful family vacation. This Villa is beautiful and your pictures are the closest I will ever be to seeing it! Thanks and I am loving the report!