Hunky Tuna Tostada - Fall 2017 DR - completed 7/12 - Animal Kingdom Snacks

[FSU Girl]

How amazing! I was wondering if you were getting married at the wedding chapel or somewhere else on property. I bet you are having such a great time planning!!

The Wedding pavilion was my number one choice so I'm really happy I was able to get it. I'm still in the beginning phases of planning, some of it is a little stressful. But I'm really excited too.

 

[pepperandchips]

October 5, Continued:

We left off with your three trusty dining companions bidding farewell to the Magic Kingdom. In an unusual turn of events for us, we got a bus straight over to Animal Kingdom without passing go or taking a nap in our room. We had FP booked for the Navi River Journey, the safari, and Everest, so we decided to standby Dinosaur since Sarah had never ridden.

We used our Navi River Journey fastpass and I took some crummy pictures in Pandora with my cell phone... it's really much more attractive on a sunny day.

However, I am still enamored with both the land and the Navi River Journey ride. I probably wouldn't wait more than 20 minutes in the standby line (which I've seen at 200+ minutes recently, which is NUTS) but I do think it is really beautiful and serene. I love the music and the detail that the imagineers put into filling all of the space. It's pure Disney magic to me, though I know I am in the minority on that opinion.

Speaking of magic, after we returned to earth, we decided to introduce Sarah to one of WDW's best watering holes: the Nomad Lounge. We grabbed a table inside (it was pretty drizzly and gross outside by this point) and ordered libations.

Sarah and I each started with the Hightower Rocks - Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, Watermelon, Sweet-and-Sour, and Lime Juice ($13). This is super refreshing, light, and fresh tasting with no noticeable sweet and sour flavor. I'm not even much of a fan of watermelon but I decided to take a chance on something new and was so glad that I did. There is nothing fake tasting about this cocktail! We both loved it. R had a bourbon and soda, his usual, which ran us $10 at Nomad Lounge. Not too crazy.

Round two led me astray. The darker drink pictured above is my choice - Dalang's Delight - Starr African Rum, Batavia-Arrack van Oosten, Vander Hum Tangerine Liqueur, Mountain Berry Tea, Simple Syrup, and Lemon Juice. ($11.25) I have no idea what Batavia-Arrack van Oosten is, but I am going to blame the overwhelming "cold medicine" notes I was getting on this ingredient since everything else sounds delicious. This had promise but was bitter and unpleasant, "medicinal" is probably an overly kind term to use as what I wrote in my notes is "GROSSS!!!!!" (yes, very mature AND descriptive )

Also pictured above is Sarah's wiser choice: Jenn's Tattoo - Ketel One Vodka, Watermelon, Hibiscus, and Lime Juice ($10.75), which is fairly similar in flavor to the Hightower Rocks, except this one may have been ever so slightly sweeter. Sarah really liked the candied hibiscus on top and it was certainly pretty!

(photo lifted from previous dining report )

R got a tempting tigress for round two, which is Russell's Reserve 10yr Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Tamarind Syrup, and Lime Juice ($13). This is "the usual" for both me and R, so he liked this, of course. It's got a nice depth and spice and doesn't have the offending bitters which usually ruin bourbon cocktails in R's opinion.

Sarah also went for the Kobe Poutine:

House-smoked Kobe-style Beef Brisket Poutine - Steak Fries, House-made Mozzarella, Pan Sauce ($12). These were incredible. Go order them!!! I stole this photo from the internet as we inhaled them so fast I never took a photo. NOM NOM NOM. Steak fries are one of those rare underappreciated treats in my opinion. These were hearty, beefy, cheesy, and delectable.

We'd opted for the second drink rather than a safari ride since the weather was pretty icky. Things had cleared up a bit while we nursed our drinks, so we did take advantage of our Everest FP.

It wasn't necessary, as you can see, since they weren't even filling in single riders. I was also on some kind of peace sign kick which I can no longer explain...

No trip to Animal Kingdom for me is complete without a stop by Harambe to see what's up...

Just kidding, you know I checked the app and made sure we got to see a set from Burudika. I'm a fangirl and not even a little ashamed. While we enjoyed the music we weighed our dinner options. Proximity and table service prevailed, and we wound up being seated immediately with no reservation at Yak & Yeti. Woo hoo!

Sarah embraced the Disney mentality with a souvenir drink. Sorry, I have no idea what this was.

Meanwhile, yo girl went with the large option ofthe Funky Buddha Floridian Hefeweizen. It's like $1 more to get the bigger size and I love getting this beer at Disney. It's light and delicate, nothing bitter or hoppy in this one. As you can see in the background, R had some kind of pink drink. I think this was a special offering as I don't see it on the menu. They had a few specials for both food and drink that were on an extra menu we were given when seated.

Y'all here on the dining boards have gotten me hooked on the Firecracker Shrimp - Crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce, Asian slaw ($10.99). This massive portion is an appetizer. These are not too spicy but have just the right note of heat, and the slaw they are served with is so tasty and umami flavored. I love this dish and so did everyone else!

The Dragon Roll has similar flavors to the shrimp, so I probably wouldn't order both again at the same meal. At $15.99, this is described as spicy tuna, avocado, topped with Dynamite crab, tempura crunch, sweet soy glaze. Again, this is a large portion (but should be for the price). This was good!

This is the Bhaktapur Duck - Roasted half ducking, plum BBQ sauce, jasmine rice, stir-fried vegetables ($27.99). I wanted to branch out and try something new but I don't recommend this. The duck skin was not crisp as it had so much sauce on it, and the sauce itself was very sweet and one-note. I would skip this in the future. Despite the actual duck flesh being cooked properly, it wasn't very flavorful.

Sorry about the photos... the drinks *might* have been affecting my photography skill, and it seems like I can never get good lighting in this restaurant. We'd been seated downstairs in a bit of a dim corner.

This is the Chicken Lo Mein, which R and I shared as well as the duck. I like their lo mein and think the sauce has a nice brown flavor and I always enjoy the wok-fried veggies in this. ($18.99)

Sarah was lured by the majestic siren song of the Ahi Tuna Nachos - Sushi grade Ahi, Asian slaw, crispy fried wontons, wasabi aioli, sweet soy glaze. ($15.99). She loved it, of course! These are so delicious and despite being huge they somehow manage to seem light. Very fresh and crunchy.

We all really enjoyed this meal and I am so glad it was convenient for us just to duck in and be seated. It was a great end to our first full day together and a fun entree into Disney dinners for Sarah.

Up next: celebrating a birthday at Hollywood Studios, dessert for breakfast, and finally having some Food and Wine dishes!

 

[Texans_loyal]

Thank you for reviewing the duck! I had planned on getting it next time but will pass.

 

[pepperandchips]

Thank you for reviewing the duck! I had planned on getting it next time but will pass.

You're certainly welcome! I wanted to love it but it was one of the few meals I have ordered at Y&Y that I have been disappointed with. Actually I think it is the only meal I've ever been disappointed with!

 

[disneyAndi14]

I’m with you on Na’vi river ride and definitely with Yak and Yeti. This is a must for Andi and I almost every trip. I have to try the shrimp and the tuna nachos one of these times. Always hear good reviews! The Nomad lounge drinks and fries look great yummy!

 

[Raeven]

However, I am still enamored with both the land and the Navi River Journey ride. I probably wouldn't wait more than 20 minutes in the standby line (which I've seen at 200+ minutes recently, which is NUTS) but I do think it is really beautiful and serene. I love the music and the detail that the imagineers put into filling all of the space. It's pure Disney magic to me, though I know I am in the minority on that opinion.

I really love it too! I also wouldn't wait more than 20 mins for it, but really enjoy riding.

Speaking of magic, after we returned to earth, we decided to introduce Sarah to one of WDW's best watering holes: the Nomad Lounge. We grabbed a table inside (it was pretty drizzly and gross outside by this point) and ordered libations.

I really want to try one of these! We meant to get to the Nomad Lounge on our last trip but didn't make it there.

Sarah also went for the Kobe Poutine:

House-smoked Kobe-style Beef Brisket Poutine - Steak Fries, House-made Mozzarella, Pan Sauce ($12). These were incredible. Go order them!!! I stole this photo from the internet as we inhaled them so fast I never took a photo. NOM NOM NOM.

I really want to try this too yum! I didn't see it on the menu when I last looked, but I really hope it's back on before next time.

 

[FSU Girl]

Your food looks amazing from Yak and Yeti. I want to try everything you got. I wish my fiance didn't hate the place, it's going to be a long time before I can go back.

I love this type of Shrimp, I get something similar when I go to PF Changs and Bonefish Grill. So good.

 

[kastoney]

Sarah and I each started with the Hightower Rocks - Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, Watermelon, Sweet-and-Sour, and Lime Juice ($13). This is super refreshing, light, and fresh tasting with no noticeable sweet and sour flavor. I'm not even much of a fan of watermelon but I decided to take a chance on something new and was so glad that I did. There is nothing fake tasting about this cocktail! We both loved it. R had a bourbon and soda, his usual, which ran us $10 at Nomad Lounge. Not too crazy.

Yum!!! i haven't tried this one but will have to rectify that on our next trip. I'm a sucker for a good margarita and love Watermelon so this would be right up my alley.

Round two led me astray. The darker drink pictured above is my choice - Dalang's Delight - Starr African Rum, Batavia-Arrack van Oosten, Vander Hum Tangerine Liqueur, Mountain Berry Tea, Simple Syrup, and Lemon Juice. ($11.25) I have no idea what Batavia-Arrack van Oosten is, but I am going to blame the overwhelming "cold medicine" notes I was getting on this ingredient since everything else sounds delicious. This had promise but was bitter and unpleasant, "medicinal" is probably an overly kind term to use as what I wrote in my notes is "GROSSS!!!!!" (yes, very mature AND descriptive )

Yuck! Yuck! and Yuck!!! I don't care for dark liquor in general, but anything that appears to have the word attack, barvaria, and joel osteen in it should likely be avoided

House-smoked Kobe-style Beef Brisket Poutine - Steak Fries, House-made Mozzarella, Pan Sauce ($12). These were incredible. Go order them!!! I stole this photo from the internet as we inhaled them so fast I never took a photo. NOM NOM NOM. Steak fries are one of those rare underappreciated treats in my opinion. These were hearty, beefy, cheesy, and delectable.

We had these on our last trip too but ours looked no where near as good as yours.

Sarah embraced the Disney mentality with a souvenir drink. Sorry, I have no idea what this was.

Sarah is my kinda chick!

Y'all here on the dining boards have gotten me hooked on the Firecracker Shrimp - Crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce, Asian slaw ($10.99). This massive portion is an appetizer. These are not too spicy but have just the right note of heat, and the slaw they are served with is so tasty and umami flavored. I love this dish and so did everyone else!

These look delicious. I've never been able to tear myself away from the tuna nachos long enough to try anything else, but will have to change that one of these days as I'm a sucker for all things spicy and shrimp

Sarah was lured by the majestic siren song of the Ahi Tuna Nachos - Sushi grade Ahi, Asian slaw, crispy fried wontons, wasabi aioli, sweet soy glaze. ($15.99). She loved it, of course! These are so delicious and despite being huge they somehow manage to seem light. Very fresh and crunchy.

I knew I liked Sarah!!! One of my favorite dishes on property

 

[ncc1701]

Enjoying your reviews. The Shrimp and Lo Mein look good . I am sure the lighting was the issue & not any beverages.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Navi River and Yak & Yeti are favorites of mine too.

I hope to make it to Nomad Lounge next trip.

 

[Niki Andiokno]

I need to try Nomad Lounge. Your drinks look spectacular.

 

[pepperandchips]

I’m with you on Na’vi river ride and definitely with Yak and Yeti. This is a must for Andi and I almost every trip. I have to try the shrimp and the tuna nachos one of these times. Always hear good reviews! The Nomad lounge drinks and fries look great yummy!

I was so glad to read your reviews as well and know I am not alone! Animal Kingdom has such great options for food that it's hard to branch out sometimes but Nomad Lounge is definitely worth a stop! So beautiful inside too.

I really love it too! I also wouldn't wait more than 20 mins for it, but really enjoy riding.



I really want to try one of these! We meant to get to the Nomad Lounge on our last trip but didn't make it there.



I really want to try this too yum! I didn't see it on the menu when I last looked, but I really hope it's back on before next time.

I had not seen the fries on the menu before we had them and honestly I might not have picked them based on the description alone but they were soooo good!

Your food looks amazing from Yak and Yeti. I want to try everything you got. I wish my fiance didn't hate the place, it's going to be a long time before I can go back.



I love this type of Shrimp, I get something similar when I go to PF Changs and Bonefish Grill. So good.

Oh no, I can't remember if you posted about his distaste for Yak & Yeti. What happened? Maybe he would be down for one more try if you just went for appetizers? Haha.

The shrimp were great and they have a similar dish at the Boathouse that we really enjoyed also. The Yak & Yeti version is saucier and very good

Yum!!! i haven't tried this one but will have to rectify that on our next trip. I'm a sucker for a good margarita and love Watermelon so this would be right up my alley.

Oh yeah, very light and refreshing! I can see this one being just your style!

Yuck! Yuck! and Yuck!!! I don't care for dark liquor in general, but anything that appears to have the word attack, barvaria, and joel osteen in it should likely be avoided

Agreed I can't believe Nomad did me dirty like that!

We had these on our last trip too but ours looked no where near as good as yours.

Mine didn't look this appetizing either, I stole the photo from the annals of the interwebs but despite looking a bit like a bowl of garbage they were super tasty and worth it!

Enjoying your reviews. The Shrimp and Lo Mein look good . I am sure the lighting was the issue & not any beverages.

I will plead my innocence! We had a lovely time and really enjoyed the meal.

Navi River and Yak & Yeti are favorites of mine too.

I hope to make it to Nomad Lounge next trip.

It was a great afternoon! With so many awesome choices at AK, you just can't get to them all every trip!

I need to try Nomad Lounge. Your drinks look spectacular.

On the whole, they were! We love Nomad and especially the TIW discount! It's become one of our go-to places for sure.

 

[pepperandchips]

October 6:

Friday brought us to rope drop at DHS. R and I had managed to have pretty good bus luck and we were seeing this beautiful sight at 9:00 am.

With not many folks in the park, we enjoyed a scantly attended tour of the Hollywood Tower Hotel:

Seems not many other folks wanted to drop in with us. HAR HAR.

Next up was a trip to see a rock band with some back stage passes, but our wait was much longer than posted. We probably waited 45 minutes, though not on purpose. I passed the time by making R take photos of me, trying to make the Rock N Roller Coaster the new "it wall"

#90sTerraCottaWall?

R's name made it to the big time! I love these silly but special touches in the updated queues. (If anyone is new to my reports I don't use his full name as I don't want his students to stumble on my reports by googling our names together, but his name isn't a secret)

Sarah's on ride photo face does not disappoint!

We stopped for a "Sarah's Birthday Celebration" photo shoot and the photopass CM really tried to get some cute and unique shots. Unfortunately the underside of my arm flab is not suitable for internet consumption so here's the cute one you do get to see:

These Hollywood citizens played a guessing game trying to identify Sarah's accent. They never guessed Georgia but we had fun chatting with them!

Finally, we needed some sustenance. Seeing as how our former favorite, Starring Rolls, has not been satisfactorily replaced in my opinion, we "settled" for pastries from Sweet Spells.

Disney cheese danish - the breakfast of champions! I don't really understand why Disney cheese danish just tastes so much better than real world cheese danish, but I love it. Sarah went for a carrot cake cookie and shared a piece with me:

(cross section)

It was delicious as usual!

Next up was another LONG wait. I'd put on a motion sickness patch this morning and wanted to use it to my advantage to experience Star Tours

About half of the star speeders were down so the standby wait was close to an hour. We didn't have anywhere better to be so we toughed it out.

On the upside, we got to watch quite a lot of the luggage scanning droid schtick, which was really cute. I think they did a good job in this queue. Unfortunately no matter how many times I try, I still hate being shaken around in a box, so I again did not enjoy the actual attraction. I wish they had a non-moving option where you could just watch a 3D movie.

After being thoroughly shaken and stirred, our next natural stop was a bar, amirite?

I wanted to check out the Baseline Taphouse which was still relatively new, and we needed to regroup and discuss our plans for the remainder of the day. We'd initially planned to head over to Epcot immediately after enjoying DHS where we'd eat lunch at F&W before doing our fastpass attractions. The waits were getting long but we were contemplating doing Toy Storia Midway Mania on standby so we could accomplish all four (LOL) rides in the park.

I really liked the Baseline Taphouse selections and we each chose a draft to enjoy outdoors in the nice weather. I had a Stone Delicious IPA and it was only $9.50 for a 22 oz! Stone is one of my absolute favorite breweries and, as the name implies, my beer was indeed delicious and refreshing on a nice sunny day in Orlando. I like this area of DHS a lot as the last remnant of streets of America, and can't wait to see what else Disney does in this park.

After some discussion, we decided that the lines were too long for our tastes at DHS and that it was time to move on to phase two for the day. Sarah needed to make a work call so she was going to head back to the Swan while we went on to Epcot.

We saw some troopers and Captain Phasma on the way out.

I think the friendship boats are one of my favorite things about Walt Disney World. I love getting a seat on the back and enjoying the beautiful scenery as we cross Crescent Lake.

As usual, our foray around the World (Showcase) began at Canada's beer/popcorn cart where R and I got our usual La Fin Du Monde, albeit in a 12 ounce pour due to the festival.

We also had the “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce ($8.00).

Of course it was delicious! I truly think some of the items at Food and Wine are insanely overpriced, but the value on this dish is fairly decent. You get a nice portion of pretty good quality steak for only $8.

Next up was Hawaii's Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise ($4.75). This was surprisingly flavorful pork with a nice soft bun. Better than last time I had it! I was surprised by the juiciness, depth of flavor, and portion size. I would definitely get this again.

We also had to have another Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Toasted Macadamia Nuts – $4.00, as this was one of our favorites from our trip earlier that fall. Again it was tangy, creamy, and delicious without being too sweet. By this time, Sarah had finished her call and was working her way back to Epcot.

Her iphone 8 photos put my sad little 7 camera to shame:

(that's the slush from France and the goat cheese quiche thing)

Meanwhile at the other side of World Showcase, R and I were losing steam in the heat.

It was a hot day and we were trying to stick it out to hang out with Sarah more but we needed something substantial to eat... and water!

Guacamole with Totopos - Fresh-made Gucamole with Tortilla Chips - $8.50

I got both at the Cantina de San Angel - I really like the chips here and even though this is just a quick service option, I am finding it increasingly difficult to pass up nachos or guacamole as we tour WS each trip. It turns out the creamy guacamole was just what the doctor ordered, and after having rested for a few minutes people watching and chugging water, we were restored enough to embark on the multi-leg monorail adventure back to the Grand.

Up Next: Appetizers, Dinner, and Dessert in Epcot and at the Boardwalk!

 

[kastoney]

Seems not many other folks wanted to drop in with us. HAR HAR.

What did you do to make that poor man sit in the back all by himself? He's not creepy back there at all

Sarah went for a carrot cake cookie and shared a piece with me:

Yum!!!!! My favorite

The waits were getting long but we were contemplating doing Toy Storia Midway Mania on standby so we could accomplish all four (LOL) rides in the park.

4 rides???? It really has come down to that hasn't it. So sad, but at least its 2 more than when the park opened

I really liked the Baseline Taphouse selections and we each chose a draft to enjoy outdoors in the nice weather. I had a Stone Delicious IPA and it was only $9.50 for a 22 oz! Stone is one of my absolute favorite breweries and, as the name implies, my beer was indeed delicious and refreshing on a nice sunny day in Orlando. I like this area of DHS a lot as the last remnant of streets of America, and can't wait to see what else Disney does in this park.

Good to hear you enjoyed it. We had planned to stop in, but never had a chance too. Given that they have beer with our namesake we'll have to make it a priority next time

As usual, our foray around the World (Showcase) began at Canada's beer/popcorn cart where R and I got our usual La Fin Du Monde, albeit in a 12 ounce pour due to the festival.

I'm not familiar with this beer at all. What is it?

Her iphone 8 photos put my sad little 7 camera to shame:

It really is a huge difference, huh??? Jason got the 8 and it astonishes me how huge a difference there is in the phone quality.

 

[Raeven]

We also had to have another Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Toasted Macadamia Nuts – $4.00

Yum I probably commented this if you posted it before, but this looks so good!

Her iphone 8 photos put my sad little 7 camera to shame:

I actually got the iphone 7 for camera quality (and because my 6 wasn't holding a charge) and like 2 months later they came out with the 8's that are even better! I think I'm going to buy one before we go on our next trip though because I love the camera.

 

[FSU Girl]

Oh no, I can't remember if you posted about his distaste for Yak & Yeti. What happened? Maybe he would be down for one more try if you just went for appetizers? Haha.

The shrimp were great and they have a similar dish at the Boathouse that we really enjoyed also. The Yak & Yeti version is saucier and very good

He absolutely hated everything on the menu and it's the reason he actually reads the menus of what I've been booking. I don't think I'd be able to get him to go back. I'd have to go with someone else. Might be able to get him to have it at the Boathouse.

This is my favorite dish from food and wine. It's so good! And your cheese danish looks delicious and I don't normally eat those.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I so agree about the cream cheese danish, the carrot cake cookie is delicious as well!

I really thought the new Tap room in HS looked neat, we just walked through to check it out. On the bar there is writer stop spelled out, cool to give props to the old place.

Your snacking at Epcot looked like some good choices, guacamole and chips is one of my favorites! Yummy!

 

[flowergirl45]

Hello, your report is awesome! Thoroughly enjoying it. It’s been a while since I was on Rock N Roller coaster - is the name poster thing new? How does it work? I’m guessing perhaps it pulls from magic bands. A cute detail, however it works. Thanks for sharing your trip!

 

[pepperandchips]

What did you do to make that poor man sit in the back all by himself? He's not creepy back there at all

Omg yes, and he was making some hysterical comments about his family not loving him. It was great. I am pretty sure the CM told him to sit wherever he wanted... we weren't at the right ride for rope drop, I guess?

Good to hear you enjoyed it. We had planned to stop in, but never had a chance too. Given that they have beer with our namesake we'll have to make it a priority next time

I actually thought about you as I was writing up my post! Your family is brewery royalty!

I'm not familiar with this beer at all. What is it?

Welllll the popcorn cart there in front of the walkway down to Le Cellier has a couple of beer-flavored-beer choices (LaBatt Blue anyone?), popcorn, and then the item I've had the most times of anything at Disney, the Unibroue La Fin Du Monde. Beer Advocate says it is a tripel-style golden ale. I find it a lighter beer but with some nice fruity notes, more heavy than a Hefeweissen for sure but easy drinking. Also it's 9% ABV and usually available in a 16 oz pour, so it's normally our first stop at World Showcase depending on which way we enter. Can't hurt to try it sometime!

Yum I probably commented this if you posted it before, but this looks so good!

I would rather hear it twice as OH it was!

He absolutely hated everything on the menu and it's the reason he actually reads the menus of what I've been booking. I don't think I'd be able to get him to go back. I'd have to go with someone else. Might be able to get him to have it at the Boathouse.

Oh no, that truly is bad. Funny enough even though I love Yak and Yeti we don't get there that often. They do have a good burger if he ever has a change of heart!

your cheese danish looks delicious and I don't normally eat those.

I only eat them at Disney World! They are so disappointing everywhere else. And I found out on our last trip that the Joffrey's cheese danish is not the same as this generic disney pastry version, go figure!

I so agree about the cream cheese danish, the carrot cake cookie is delicious as well!

I really thought the new Tap room in HS looked neat, we just walked through to check it out. On the bar there is writer stop spelled out, cool to give props to the old place.

Your snacking at Epcot looked like some good choices, guacamole and chips is one of my favorites! Yummy!

We did not notice that on the bar! So cool. I would like to visit when it's really dead so we could spend a long time looking around. Though it wasn't packed when we were in, there wasn't any place to sit inside.

Hello, your report is awesome! Thoroughly enjoying it. It’s been a while since I was on Rock N Roller coaster - is the name poster thing new? How does it work? I’m guessing perhaps it pulls from magic bands. A cute detail, however it works. Thanks for sharing your trip!

So glad to have you reading along! The name poster thing appeared in the last year or so with some of the other queue elements on other attractions (like on Expedition Everest) and some attraction specific personalized moments, like on It's a Small World and at the end of Haunted Mansion. It definitely works via magic band and I've found it's easier to get your name up there if you have a "fresh" magic band, at least that's my opinion. Again, from what I've read, the long range RFID elements of the magic band require batteries, so while the Mickey-to-Mickey features will always work after the battery dies, the long-range things (like the name posters) will eventually stop working. I have some Magic Bands that are now almost 4 years old and have started declining new ones so I rarely get to see my name up there, but it's still a fun distraction to look!

 

[pepperandchips]

10/6 Continued...

Naps are truly miraculous. After ours, we felt like new human beings

We met Sarah to test our car design skills

(I think I was worried about losing my ears... or either caught mid-YMCA )

And then we decided to snack on some appetizers from the festival kiosks. My first stop was to cash in some remaining sampler tabs I had on this thing of beauty:

Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé Imperial – normally $16.00 but had for the low price of one sampler tab I'd bought back in September. Again this was lovely - a delicate, lightly floral sparkling wine that wasn't too sweet to enjoy. A favorite of mine this year!

We then backtracked over to the Thailand booth so that I could order the Red Hot Spicy Thai Curry Beef with Steamed Rice – $5.50. This was one of my favorite dishes at the TIW Food and Wine Tasting Preview, and it didn't disappoint at the festival either. This is a pretty substantial serving and I loved the rich flavors here. I did feel that the quality of beef was very hit or miss, but this serving was tender and delicious. Another hit!

We stopped for some beers in Germany... intrepid food reporter Melinda took no notes on what this was and now I have no clue, but it looks like... BEER!

My best guess is Radeberger Zwickel Pilsner (Unfiltered) – $4.25, as that would be the option that most appeals to me from a retrospective review of the menu. Sadly, I have nothing to note about this other than it probably tasted like beer.

We were having a great time, enjoying the atmosphere of Epcot after dark and just enjoying each other's company. Sarah doesn't live so close anymore (and is now moving even farther away - down to Florida!) so it was great catching up. Apparently I took the opportunity to chill my food reporting as I know we stopped in at Tutto Gusto (I have a photo of the receipt... LOL) where R and I each had a draft beer and Sarah had a prosecco. It was busy in there but we had a good time standing at the bar peoplewatching and then found a nice quiet spot to sit out in the piazza to finish our beverages.

Despite our appetizer success and the lovely outdoor ambiance, we needed to stop snacking and drinking as we had one of the very few ADRs we'd made to get to!

We checked in at Via Napoli and the place was an absolute zoo. For the life of me I don't understand why they can't have you check in out in the piazza and hand out pagers. The little entry area and method of calling out names in thickly accented (though lovely) stage whispers just doesn't make for a relaxing experience. Our ADR was at 8:35 and I think we waited 15-20 minutes past that for a table.

For dinner, I had the only thing I ever have at Via Napoli as I can't get anything like it at home:

Large Carciofi pizza - white pizza with artichoke, fontina, mozzarella, and truffle oil. Heaven on a pie pan! This was $35.00 and worth every red cent. This is the first time I've ever managed to get a photo prior to tucking in to the pie! It's just that good, I can never control myself. The combination of cheeses and the addition of the rich, succulent truffle oil really puts this pizza over the top. I love the thin neopolitan style crust and never feel like they skimp on toppings. Solid thumbs up.

Another look at the ooey gooey truffley majesty. Om nom nom nom.

Sarah had the Prosciutto e Melone individual size - white pizza with fontina, mozzarella, prosciutto, cantaloupe, arugula. ($23) She offered me some and it was good! Not as good as the Carciofi, but nothing is!

You've already seen this photo but I like it:

Happy Birthday, Sarah! This was their birthday freebie and we didn't really eat it. It was mostly whipped cream. We also had a family style salad, which I did not photograph but my body enjoyed, being in need of vegetable nourishment. At this point we were really rushing as we wanted to see Illuminations and after being seated late, our server was also not the most speedy. Despite the chaos, VN remains on our quasi-regular rotation simply for the amazing pizza. Wine, salad, and pizza for three ran us $143.45 figuring in the TIW discount and tip, so not the worst deal at Epcot by any means but also not the value some people make of it.

I'd sent R and Sarah ahead to find an Illuminations spot while I settled up, and I ended up enjoying a new vantage over by the Japan pavilion. It was a nice spot and of course Illuminations made me cry as usual. After the park closed we had one final stop in mind:

This is the tasting flight from Ample Hills, my new favorite thing at Disney World. As was the case on our previous visit, the Ooey Gooey Butter Cake was my favorite, followed closely behind by the dark chocolate and neck and neck with Nonna D's Oatmeal Lace. Gosh now I want some Ample Hills! There is no way to describe just how wonderful this ice cream is unless you've had it yourself. The ice cream itself is perfection but everything that's mixed into the more complex varieties are totally quality ingredients. Can you tell I love this place?

After our late night dessert, we took an uneventful Uber ride back to the VGF and drifted off to dairy dreams.

Up next: more Epcot snacks, a wild afternoon, and a GRAND evening!