Trip Report Food and Rain Festival, Polynesian, 5th Anniversary!

Thanks to fall break, I got my photos edited and uploaded already. Yay!

Cast: Me and my husband, R
Where: Polynesian DVC villa (rental)
When: Oct 4-10
Why: 5th wedding anniversary

When we were planning this trip, I was unable to find any decent rates for our flight down on the 5th. I ended up finding a late Delta flight on the 4th that would get us there after midnight. It was around $70 as opposed to the ~$250 Southwest flights I was finding. I figured I wouldn't be able to add a night at the Poly, and frankly, I wouldn't want to pay that much for a room we didn't need until the wee hours of the morning. So I booked a room at All-Star Sports with some Disney rewards points. Score!

Ok now on to the trip. I left work a couple of hours early, took Chipper to his sitter's house and got home to get all the bags ready. R got home a little earlier than planned, and we were able to leave the house a little before 4pm.

We got to the Memphis airport in great time. I don't have TSA pre-check, and they sent me through a line where they were training someone. It. took. forever. I already get super anxious during the security check, and additional waiting makes it worse. Once I'm through and I KNOW I'm at my gate, I'm fine. But enough about my issues...

We had a plane change in Atlanta. Not a long layover. They were already starting to board when we got there. Atlanta had this cool art installation that reminded me of Pandora.



We got to Orlando before 12:30 and headed to claim our bag. It was weird seeing MCO completely empty.




Our bag came out almost immediately, so we grabbed it and made our way to the busses. We were headed to All-Star Sports at about ten till 1. Me = sleepy and cranky. Slanky? (not creepy...). Unfortunately it hit me that we never got a room text, which meant we'd have to stop at the desk. ARGH.

We were the 3rd drop off and got off the bus at 1:40. There was only one person at the desk, and the two people in front of us seemed to be taking forever. It was about 15 minutes before a second person finally came out and we got our room number in less than a minute. Would have been nice to have just GOTTEN A TEXT. I guess maybe when I did online checkin I put that we'd be there late? I don't understand why that would make them not text us though.

Whatever. We got to sleep about 2:15am and I was OUT.

Sorry this is so text heavy. One more story, then I promise I'll do more pictures.

At 6am the freaking in-room alarm goes off. I turned it off (I thought)
At 6:10am the freaking in-room alarm goes off . I unplugged it
At 6:20am the freaking in-room alarm goes off . I briefly considered throwing it off the balcony, but R took it from me and started trying to figure it out. You needed a screwdriver to get to the batteries, but he figured out how to actually turn it off. Thankfully that worked.

We fell back asleep and didn't get up until 9. After we were up and moving, I took some pictures. Apologies for the slept-in beds (we sleep in a king bed at home, so in these doubles, we split up...no shame)



Donald I liked the room instantly because of this.



I thought the headboards were cool.






Honestly, I liked this room better than our Pop room last spring! I would totally stay here again. I think I'd request being closer to the main building. We were about as far as you could get in the baseball section. It didn't matter for us, but for a longer stay it would.

I headed out to get coffee and look for a rain jacket for R (we forgot to get one for him before). Sorry all iphone pictures...I forgot my camera. *Edited to add - after reviewing this post, I realize I took the room pictures AFTER getting coffee. Oops. Bad note taking.





It was raining steadily. It was a light rain, but heavy enough that I needed my jacket on with the hood up.

No luck with the jacket. I headed back to the room with only my $3 coffee.

We finished getting ready, packed back up and called at Lyft at 10. Jose took us over to the Poly. We had a great conversation! Unfortunately, this was the most expensive Lyft I've had, and it wasn't even that long. Ugh. No idea why there was surge pricing at 10am on a Friday. Whatever.

We walked into the Poly at about 10:30 and our room text came in! I couldn't believe it!




I love this lobby so much and it smells soooooooo good What I wouldn't give to smell it right now.

We were in Moorea, so we headed there. I knew it would be on the far end, so we headed that way and when we ran across a map, we charted our course.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

When we got back to our room, R decided to take a nap, and I headed to the pool. I just went to the Oasis pool, since it was closer and I figured there was a greater chance of me finding a chair. I found a chair, then I grabbed a very sweet beverage, and when I returned there was a chair with an umbrella open. Score! The sun was still hitting me some, but still better than nothing.

DisneyFall17Edits-121[/url] by Kristi Woody, on Flickr[/IMG]

I stayed about an hour. It was pretty nice. There were some loud families, but it was overall fine. I notice the afternoon storm headed our way, so I packed up.



When I got back, there was still time for me to take a little nap after I showered. I had an alarm set for me to get up and start getting ready for dinner and I slept through it Thankfully R came in from the patio about 10 min later and woke me up. So I got up and started getting ready. Unfortunately my clean hair didn't want to curl, so I was pushing it on time.

Tonight was our Victoria & Albert's reservation at 7. We left the room at 6:20 and got there way early. I was looking for a spot to take a picture with a self timer, and I saw a gentleman taking pictures of the lagoon. I politely asked if he would mind taking a photo of us.

He was NOT happy to do it. He acted very annoyed that I asked, and this is the picture I got.



Thanks, man...guess I'll keep looking for a trashcan to prop my camera on



Much better!



And a selfie, for good measure.

We ended up walking in about 10 minutes early, and they seated us. I was overwhelmed by how classy the place was

Our server, James came over pretty quickly and got us started. I don't have a ton of notes, so I'll try to recount the experience as best I can.



Dunno why they put these plates down, they just pick them up when you get there. It does look better than an empty table though.

James walked us through everything and explained our options. We went back and forth on what we wanted to do, and despite getting the vibe that R didn't want to spring for the wine pairing, I decided to (@Tony the Tigger it's your fault ). We also got the 10 course. If I could do it again, I would get the 7 course with wine pairing. The 10 was a bit too much food for me, and I could have tasted the courses I missed because R had the 10 courses. Aaaaanyway.

I'm using our customized menu to remember these. That was a nice souvenir! They also gave us both champagne to toast with

1st course - Amuse-Bouche, Cauliflower Panna Cotta with Imperial Caviar. Paired with Henriot Brut Rose NV






This was my first experience with caviar, and it was GREAT. Everything about this dish was great. The panna cotta had amazing flavor and went perfectly with the caviar. This one was very memorable...we were off to a great start.

2nd course - Seared Duck Breast with Farro and Asian Pears. Paired with Tablas Creek Cote de Tablas Blanc 2015



Once again, delicious. I loved the duck, and the accompaniments were perfect. That little farro think was delicious. I tried the sauces with the duck, and both were good.

3rd course - Roasted Sablefish with Baby Bok Choy and Coconut Curry Broth. Paired with Dr. Loosen "Erdener Treppchen" Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2014



I decided after dinner that this was my favorite dish, which surprised me. Fish is not usually a star for me, but this was amazing! The curry broth just put it over the top. I love curry anyway, and this was AMAZING.

4th course- New Zealand Langoustine with Nage Crema. Paired with Maison Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes, Bourgogne 2013



I'd never heard of langoustine. R said it was tiny lobster-like things, and he was right. They were super tender and tasty. I liked it both with and without the sauce.

5th course- Marcho Farms Veal with Black Truffles. Paired with Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo D'Alba "Valmaggiore," Piedmont 2014



I remember these all being good, but that's about all I remember. This wasn't a standout for me. Still VERY good though.

I'm going to save the rest for another post because I've got to head out for a wedding. And now I'm hungry

Yay, Victoria & Albert’s!!!

And you did it in half the years we did!

(You do know one of those pieces of veal was the brain, right?)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Going to V+A next week and am pondering the 7 or 10 course? They called the other day and said there last was a $100.00 or so wine course or a $200.00 one. All they asked was about food allergies and to make sure us here Northern Michigan folk were able to Iive up to the dress code. Thought that odd, anyways, what do recommend? It will be just me and my 23 year old daughter

I don’t know which courses get cut out when you do seven versus 10. If they are cutting out some of the dessert courses, I would do seven next time. But the mains were all worth it.

 

[Stacey LeDuc]

Following along. Looks like so much fun! V&A is on a bucket list of mine. It’s the convincing of my other half that I have to work on.

 

[MinnieM123]

Love the blue dress!! So pretty. Glad your dinner at V&A was everything you expected it to be.

 

[sheriffwoody]

Going to V+A next week and am pondering the 7 or 10 course? They called the other day and said there last was a $100.00 or so wine course or a $200.00 one. All they asked was about food allergies and to make sure us here Northern Michigan folk were able to Iive up to the dress code. Thought that odd, anyways, what do recommend? It will be just me and my 23 year old daughter

Yeah that's what they confirmed with us too. If they know your food allergies ahead of time, they can have a custom menu ready to go for you when you get there. And they won't let you in at all if you don't meet the dress code, so better to remind people on the front end! I personally would be fine with the 7 course. The way it was explained to me was that you would choose between the seafood dishes, two of the main dishes (can't remember which two) and the desserts. But if there are two of you, you could just get 7 and each choose a different one, so you at least can try everything. I just felt super full after (wine probably contributed). You would not regret the 10 though, so you can't go wrong! I hope you enjoy it!

Yay, Victoria & Albert’s!!!

And you did it in half the years we did!

(You do know one of those pieces of veal was the brain, right?)

STOP. Are you serious? They didn't tell us that . I still would have tried it...I'll try anything, but I'm surprised. I would have thought the texture would be weird, but I don't remember it. Was it the far left? I can't remember but was it fried? I feel like one of them had a brisket texture, and the other was just like really tender steak. I need to go back and read your report now.

 

[sheriffwoody]

Ok so picking back up with V&A's. (Glad y'all are enjoying this part!)

6th course- Lamb Loin with Barley Porridge and Compressed Plums, paired with Silverado Vineyards "Fantasia" Napa 2014




More yum! Wouldn't think something with "porridge" in the name would be so good, but it was. Gosh I wish I'd written more down about each course. The flavors are really complex in all of these dishes, but I just have an awful memory.



They brought out these spoons in between courses. I asked about the notch, and the server told us Queen Victoria insisted on those for spooning up sauces because she hated when people used the bread. What a diva!

Speaking of bread, they brought some out twice I believe. I nibbled on it, just to make sure I tried everything, but per @Doc Disney 's suggestion I went easy on it.

7th course- Australian Kobe-Style Beef with Roasted Garlic Potatoes, paired with Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012.



This was the course R was most looking forward to! He added the Miyazaki Japanese Beef



That was my plate, without the add-on. I took a small bite of the Miyazaki. It's....different. It's the highest grade beef possible, and the marbling is just not my favorite. Thankfully R LOVED it, but I was fine with my regular hella fine beef. This stuff is unlike anything you can get in a normal restaurant. It was absolutely perfect! The potatoes were excellent as well!

8th course- Selection of cheese from the market, paired with Vinos Viejos de Hidalgo, Pedro Ximenez Jerez 30 years old



I try so hard to be a cheese person, but I'm just not. Most of these tasted like a fart (sorry...I'm crass). I also think this was the wine that was AWFUL. It was a sherry I believe (at least that's what I remember him calling it). It was like drinking syrup. I let R have that one.

9th course- Caramelized Banana Gateau (no more pairing...the sherry is to be sipped through the dessert courses)



This was very good! Unfortunately I was pretty much tapped out by this point, so it was hard to fully enjoy the desserts. But I made myself eat it. I wasn't wasting any of this food knowing how much it was. The sugar waterfall was pretty cool.

10th course- Peruvian Chocolate Crunch




This was also delicious! I don't recall it being excessively rich, but it was certainly decadent. Obviously the presentation of all of these dishes was outstanding. I wish I could have photographed everything in more flattering light!

We decided against the coffee, even though the brew process looked really cool. We had passed the three hour mark, and I can't really drink coffee that late anyway.

We settled up (I thought R might fall over...we knew the price going in, but that'd didn't make it hurt less ). The host guy took some super awkward pictures of us in front of the flowers out front I'll spare you those.

They offered us transportation, but since we were at the Poly, we decided we'd just walk. We headed back at about 10:15, and I believe it took us about 10 minutes to walk. I took my shoes off like a very classy lady.

Overall, we both agreed the experience was worth it, and we're glad we did it. We just try not to think about the money. We both grew up in households where you don't splurge often, so even though we HAVE the money (we saved up) it's still hard to spend on something like a meal. The justification is that V&A's is so much more than just a meal. It really was a unique experience!

Also, I can't remember if I mentioned that this was our actual anniversary (I'm too lazy to look back). We'd told the V&A's people that ahead of time, and they had it printed on the menu for us. They also gave me a rose, which I think it something they do for all the women. AND they gave us assorted chocolates! We took those back with us and enjoyed them later. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE...they gave us some kind of delicious bread. I wish I could remember what it was. It was a dessert-type bread. Very tasty. I finished it a couple of days later.

Ok...back later with more regular park stuff

 

[Bullseye1967]

Also, I can't remember if I mentioned that this was our actual anniversary

Happy Belated Anniversary!!!

 

[12in12]

Your cheese comment really made me laugh. I love most cheeses but understand not everyone does.
I have eaten in a few Michelin star restaurants, V&A's dinner looks very similar and is similarly priced so I understand the slight shock of seeing the bill.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I need to switch to my laptop...

 

[Tony the Tigger]

STOP. Are you serious? They didn't tell us that . I still would have tried it...I'll try anything, but I'm surprised. I would have thought the texture would be weird, but I don't remember it. Was it the far left? I can't remember but was it fried? I feel like one of them had a brisket texture, and the other was just like really tender steak. I need to go back and read your report now.

Yes! It is called by a deceptive name: sweetbreads.

Wait, I'm wrong! I just googled whether it's "sweet breads" or "sweetbreads" and found out many people confused mistakenly think it's brains, but it's worse! It's pancreas and/or thymus gland.

My trip report contains inaccurate information!

Yes, it was the fried one. Not my favorite, but glad I tried it once. The one you said was like really well cooked (like almost shredded) steak was one of my favorite bites of the night.

They brought out these spoons in between courses. I asked about the notch, and the server told us Queen Victoria insisted on those for spooning up sauces because she hated when people used the bread. What a diva!

Meanwhile I, of course, went out of my way to hoard bread between courses so I could sop up the sauces. What notch?

I took a small bite of the Miyazaki. It's....different. It's the highest grade beef possible, and the marbling is just not my favorite. Thankfully R LOVED it, but I was fine with my regular hella fine beef. This stuff is unlike anything you can get in a normal restaurant. It was absolutely perfect! The potatoes were excellent as well!

Completely agree. I don't know what possessed Brian to do this, but he overrode our server and ordered his Miyazaki one temperature warmer than what they recommended. This turned out to be brilliant, as I also did not enjoy the nearly raw marbling, but it was fantastic when cooked just a little bit more.

Also not a cheese guy, Brian ate 90% of my cheese plate lol.

It's been interesting to see some of the dishes you had that we didn't. Except:

Caramelized Banana Gateau

So. Jealous.

Overall, we both agreed the experience was worth it, and we're glad we did it. We just try not to think about the money. We both grew up in households where you don't splurge often, so even though we HAVE the money (we saved up) it's still hard to spend on something like a meal. The justification is that V&A's is so much more than just a meal. It really was a unique experience!

Agree with all of this. This one meal was nearly a mortgage payment. That was hard to wrap my head around, when as recently as several years ago, we'd go to Cici's pizza on 192 with a BOGO buffet coupon for $5.99 + 2 drinks one night per trip to justify a minor splurge another night.

Even though we paid for it with Chase Visa points, it still seemed a little nuts, especially when faced with staying 3 more nights at the GF vs. enjoying that meal, er, experience.

We both definitely thought it was worth it, but it was most likely a one and done. While they were less elaborate meals with fewer courses, we've had pretty close to as wonderful a meal with the wine pairings at other signature restaurants for less than a quarter of the price. But it was definitely enjoyable to go through that whole culinary parade for a special occasion!

they gave us some kind of delicious bread.

Ours was lemon poppy. Donated to the MIL during Irma

 

[Doc Disney]

That was my plate, without the add-on. I took a small bite of the Miyazaki. It's....different. It's the highest grade beef possible, and the marbling is just not my favorite. Thankfully R LOVED it, but I was fine with my regular hella fine beef. This stuff is unlike anything you can get in a normal restaurant. It was absolutely perfect! The potatoes were excellent as well!

I'm glad he liked it! I got nervous after I said something to you about it because of how pricey it is I'm impressed you made it through! I felt so bummed when I got to my beef course because I just couldn't eat anymore

 

[becca_]

The pictures of you guys before V & A's are so amazing!! You look so beautiful!! Glad it was a good experience

 

[dclfan]

Love love love your V&A dress. You look great.

 

[kaitertot5249]

I'm a little late to the party but I'm loving your report so far!

We got over to where Trader Sam's was. I opened the door, but then questioned myself, and closed it again real quick.

I did exactly the same thing when I visited Trader Sam's for the first time in February! The door looks so inconspicuous.

I really enjoyed reading about your V+A experience. It sounded wonderful. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to justify the price but I'll make due with reading trip reports in the meantime

 

[fractal]

Looks too good to eat!

 

[ksr99]

When we got back to our room, R decided to take a nap, and I headed to the pool. I just went to the Oasis pool, since it was closer and I figured there was a greater chance of me finding a chair. I found a chair, then I grabbed a very sweet beverage, and when I returned there was a chair with an umbrella open. Score! The sun was still hitting me some, but still better than nothing.

DisneyFall17Edits-121[/url] by Kristi Woody, on Flickr[/IMG]

I stayed about an hour. It was pretty nice. There were some loud families, but it was overall fine. I notice the afternoon storm headed our way, so I packed up.



When I got back, there was still time for me to take a little nap after I showered. I had an alarm set for me to get up and start getting ready for dinner and I slept through it Thankfully R came in from the patio about 10 min later and woke me up. So I got up and started getting ready. Unfortunately my clean hair didn't want to curl, so I was pushing it on time.

Tonight was our Victoria & Albert's reservation at 7. We left the room at 6:20 and got there way early. I was looking for a spot to take a picture with a self timer, and I saw a gentleman taking pictures of the lagoon. I politely asked if he would mind taking a photo of us.

He was NOT happy to do it. He acted very annoyed that I asked, and this is the picture I got.



Thanks, man...guess I'll keep looking for a trashcan to prop my camera on



Much better!



And a selfie, for good measure.

We ended up walking in about 10 minutes early, and they seated us. I was overwhelmed by how classy the place was

Our server, James came over pretty quickly and got us started. I don't have a ton of notes, so I'll try to recount the experience as best I can.



Dunno why they put these plates down, they just pick them up when you get there. It does look better than an empty table though.

James walked us through everything and explained our options. We went back and forth on what we wanted to do, and despite getting the vibe that R didn't want to spring for the wine pairing, I decided to (@Tony the Tigger it's your fault ). We also got the 10 course. If I could do it again, I would get the 7 course with wine pairing. The 10 was a bit too much food for me, and I could have tasted the courses I missed because R had the 10 courses. Aaaaanyway.

I'm using our customized menu to remember these. That was a nice souvenir! They also gave us both champagne to toast with

1st course - Amuse-Bouche, Cauliflower Panna Cotta with Imperial Caviar. Paired with Henriot Brut Rose NV






This was my first experience with caviar, and it was GREAT. Everything about this dish was great. The panna cotta had amazing flavor and went perfectly with the caviar. This one was very memorable...we were off to a great start.

2nd course - Seared Duck Breast with Farro and Asian Pears. Paired with Tablas Creek Cote de Tablas Blanc 2015



Once again, delicious. I loved the duck, and the accompaniments were perfect. That little farro think was delicious. I tried the sauces with the duck, and both were good.

3rd course - Roasted Sablefish with Baby Bok Choy and Coconut Curry Broth. Paired with Dr. Loosen "Erdener Treppchen" Riesling Trocken, Mosel 2014



I decided after dinner that this was my favorite dish, which surprised me. Fish is not usually a star for me, but this was amazing! The curry broth just put it over the top. I love curry anyway, and this was AMAZING.

4th course- New Zealand Langoustine with Nage Crema. Paired with Maison Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes, Bourgogne 2013



I'd never heard of langoustine. R said it was tiny lobster-like things, and he was right. They were super tender and tasty. I liked it both with and without the sauce.

5th course- Marcho Farms Veal with Black Truffles. Paired with Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo D'Alba "Valmaggiore," Piedmont 2014



I remember these all being good, but that's about all I remember. This wasn't a standout for me. Still VERY good though.

I'm going to save the rest for another post because I've got to head out for a wedding. And now I'm hungry

Great picture of the both of you! Glad u got to try V&A!!!! My fav!

 

[ksr99]

Ok so picking back up with V&A's. (Glad y'all are enjoying this part!)

6th course- Lamb Loin with Barley Porridge and Compressed Plums, paired with Silverado Vineyards "Fantasia" Napa 2014




More yum! Wouldn't think something with "porridge" in the name would be so good, but it was. Gosh I wish I'd written more down about each course. The flavors are really complex in all of these dishes, but I just have an awful memory.



They brought out these spoons in between courses. I asked about the notch, and the server told us Queen Victoria insisted on those for spooning up sauces because she hated when people used the bread. What a diva!

Speaking of bread, they brought some out twice I believe. I nibbled on it, just to make sure I tried everything, but per @Doc Disney 's suggestion I went easy on it.

7th course- Australian Kobe-Style Beef with Roasted Garlic Potatoes, paired with Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2012.



This was the course R was most looking forward to! He added the Miyazaki Japanese Beef



That was my plate, without the add-on. I took a small bite of the Miyazaki. It's....different. It's the highest grade beef possible, and the marbling is just not my favorite. Thankfully R LOVED it, but I was fine with my regular hella fine beef. This stuff is unlike anything you can get in a normal restaurant. It was absolutely perfect! The potatoes were excellent as well!

8th course- Selection of cheese from the market, paired with Vinos Viejos de Hidalgo, Pedro Ximenez Jerez 30 years old



I try so hard to be a cheese person, but I'm just not. Most of these tasted like a fart (sorry...I'm crass). I also think this was the wine that was AWFUL. It was a sherry I believe (at least that's what I remember him calling it). It was like drinking syrup. I let R have that one.

9th course- Caramelized Banana Gateau (no more pairing...the sherry is to be sipped through the dessert courses)



This was very good! Unfortunately I was pretty much tapped out by this point, so it was hard to fully enjoy the desserts. But I made myself eat it. I wasn't wasting any of this food knowing how much it was. The sugar waterfall was pretty cool.

10th course- Peruvian Chocolate Crunch




This was also delicious! I don't recall it being excessively rich, but it was certainly decadent. Obviously the presentation of all of these dishes was outstanding. I wish I could have photographed everything in more flattering light!

We decided against the coffee, even though the brew process looked really cool. We had passed the three hour mark, and I can't really drink coffee that late anyway.

We settled up (I thought R might fall over...we knew the price going in, but that'd didn't make it hurt less ). The host guy took some super awkward pictures of us in front of the flowers out front I'll spare you those.

They offered us transportation, but since we were at the Poly, we decided we'd just walk. We headed back at about 10:15, and I believe it took us about 10 minutes to walk. I took my shoes off like a very classy lady.

Overall, we both agreed the experience was worth it, and we're glad we did it. We just try not to think about the money. We both grew up in households where you don't splurge often, so even though we HAVE the money (we saved up) it's still hard to spend on something like a meal. The justification is that V&A's is so much more than just a meal. It really was a unique experience!

Also, I can't remember if I mentioned that this was our actual anniversary (I'm too lazy to look back). We'd told the V&A's people that ahead of time, and they had it printed on the menu for us. They also gave me a rose, which I think it something they do for all the women. AND they gave us assorted chocolates! We took those back with us and enjoyed them later. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE...they gave us some kind of delicious bread. I wish I could remember what it was. It was a dessert-type bread. Very tasty. I finished it a couple of days later.

Ok...back later with more regular park stuff

Happy Anniversary!

 

[sheriffwoody]

Thank you all for the kind words about our celebration! It was kind of nice to get all dressed up during vacation and have a fancy night out.

On to our 3rd park day!
I was up at 7:30 again. Since I'd already used the one packet of coffee grounds in the room, I walked over to Captain Cooks for some coffee. I realized later that I might could have gotten some at the Oasis pool bar, but it could also have just been drink machines. I never looked to be sure, but I did see people going over there with the refillable mugs.

When I got back to the room, R was still sleeping, so I read on the patio a bit. He started stirring a little after 8, so we got ready to go. We left at about 9:15 for Epcot. I LOVED being able to walk to the TTC. I hated having to go through security twice, especially since the TTC security was often pretty crowded....but whatever, it is what it is.



Ready to eat some of that food!



Love this area.

This was a Saturday, so I didn't have high hopes for our time at Epcot. If you've been during F&W, you know weekends are a nuthouse in World Showcase. Not fun at all. But we had FPs to do, so I couldn't worry about the crowds yet.

First we headed to the Pixar short films to see the new ones they added. Stopped on the way for a picture in my Figment shirt and ears.



Ears are from my fav, Makings of a Dreamer. I asked for Figment ears and she created these beauties! I love them. The shirt is from Our Ohana Tees.



We obviously didn't need a FP for the Pixar shorts, but I never know what to use FPs on in Epcot, so I just got one anyway. We loved it! When we got out, we were going to head to Test Track because we had a FP, but it was down. Since some of the F&W booths in Future World had already opened up, we decided to snack a little while we waited for Test Track to start up again (hopefully).



We started at Flavors from Fire.

• Smoked Corned Beef with Warm Crispy Potatoes, Pickled Onions and Blonde Ale Beer Fondue featuring BelGioioso Romano and America Grana Cheeses – $5.00
• Piggy Wings: Roasted Pork Wings with Korean BBQ Sauce and Sesame Seeds – $4.50

The corned beef was alright. I don't remember specifically why I wasn't crazy about it, but I remember being disappointed. It was also really hot, and as you can tell from the picture, there was no shade. We had the piggy wings last year, and I like the sauce. The meat didn't seem as good this year, but we may have just gotten a fattier piece.



That area is really pretty. Love these flowers

Since we were close, we stopped in the Light Lab

• Founders Brewing Company Green Zebra Watermelon Gose Ale, Grand Rapids, MI – $4.25

This was pretty good. This is R's kind of beer...I just tasted it. We didn't end up going inside the actual light lab part, so no pictures. I guess we should have, but I honestly just wasn't that interested. I only went in there to get my little AP button. I don't know why I collected those silly things...I don't need them. But alas...they were free!

We hopped back outside and I got one of my favorite F&W items, which is now at Active Eats

• Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Nueske’s® Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers and Green Onions – $4.75

We were super thirsty at this point, but I didn't want to pay $3 for a water. I really should get over that, especially since we pay $5 for a small portion of food every 5 minutes

Anyway, since we were thirsty, we swung by Club Cool and got some sips of soda.

Up next: more epcot and waiting for Test Track

 

[MinnieM123]

That area is really pretty. Love these flowers

Those flowers are exquisite. What a beautiful photo!

 

[gdisneyfans]

Wow - your trip reports are just great! Your photos -

Happy Belated Anniversary! What an amazing memory to spend your 5 year anniversary at V&A. I love seeing the photos and hearing all about the different courses they serve, but I must admit, I don't know if I could eat some of the things they serve

Also, love your dress that you wore that night too! Looking forward to reading more!