"I'm Off to Do Independent Duck Things!": a twice solo, F&W+MNSSHP DR *update 12/2, JLHB + Sprinkles

earfulofmagic

cranking out magic and assembly line whimsy
Joined
May 16, 2017
Hello hello friends!



Back again with a dining report, solo edition this time. The first trip was over Labor Day weekend from 8/31 to 9/3, and I just returned from the second trip, 9/6 to 9/8, late last night. Since they were so close together, I am combining both trips into one report.

This time there were quite a few new experiences dining and otherwise for me, including buying souvenirs (gasp!!!), Toy Story Land, and morning EMH.


~~~~~


WHO:
Chris (me!), mid-20s, works in tech. You can read a little bit more about me in my earlier dining reports linked in my signature.




WHAT:

These were my fourth and fifth solo* trips since my reintroduction to the magic of Disney last August. My first three trips were last year (2017) in August and September, all solo, and also bizarrely close together. So this is basically a tradition of sorts :hyper:

(*I was also solo for 2.5 days during our January/Festival of the Arts trip, but that is not included in the count since T joined me for the rest of that week.)


WHERE:

I stayed at the Swan for both trips!

I have now stayed at the Swan a total of 14 nights over 5 stays, 3 of which were solo. Safe to say, the Swan is still one of my favorites and imo a great deal for an Epcot area resort.


WHEN:

First trip: 8/31 to 9/3
Second trip: 9/6 to 9/8


WHY:

Bear with me. This is the (long) evolution of the trip(s)...

Originally, I had planned a little September/F&W/MNSSHP getaway, as a thank you gift to T, with a surprise stay at AKL. Then I accepted a job offer and we relocated for it, so our dates (9/2-9/6) were off the table.

Then I thought, you know what?! We still have expiring flight credits... Let's go over Labor Day weekend! ::yes:: I planned accordingly, about 2 weeks in advance, and made sure we wouldn't need to take vacation days.

And then my useless brain was like, mmm, I don't want to miss out on MNSSHP after all. Let's go back the next weekend after the Labor Day trip, because my brain on Disney planning is determined and unreasonable.

....and then, at the very, very last moment, after we booked flights and dining and hotels, the person who agreed to watch our dog canceled on us... purposefully. :sad2:



We were incredibly disappointed and upset. This person is a certain family member (and is a long story for another day), but we should've known she would do this because she has before. Lesson fully learned.

I was ready to cancel and eat the cost of my expiring flight credits, but T encouraged me to go by myself anyway, so that "at least one of us could have fun" :sad1: After a looooot of going back and forth, I stayed with the plan. I changed the resort from AKL to Swan for both trips. AKL just wouldn't be the same without T; it's our absolute favorite, and I already felt terribly guilty going on a trip meant to be a present FOR HIM by myself!

After all the reworking, it became an "woohoo new job" celebratory trip, at least in name. I managed to get over the extreme guilt and had a grand ol' time, but during both weekends I found myself ending every happy text with "wish you were here too!" :guilty:

As for T, he just flew off this morning to spend a week with his dad and stepmom. This was my backup "thank you" plan. He gets to spend time with his dad (a rarity) for a good long while, ride their motorcycles together, and more. So, all's well that ends well, and I was able to do something nice for him in the end. :goodvibes

~~~~~

And now, without further ado, what we are all actually here for...



Up next: arrival evening, a brief post.

 
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Table of Contents

Click each entry to go directly to that post! TOC updated as I go along.

(First trip)
Friday, 8/31:
Arrival evening

Saturday, 9/1:
Food & Wine booths, part 1
Be Our Guest (new prix fixe menu)
Nomad Lounge

Sunday, 9/2:
Java Bar
Food & Wine booths, part 2
Cooke's of Dublin + The Daily Poutine
Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar + Sprinkles

Monday, 9/3:
Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie
Hollywood & Vine (Minnie's Seasonal Dining - Halloween)
Departure evening


(Second trip)
Thursday, 9/6:
Arrival evening

Friday, 9/7:
Cape May Cafe (Minnie's Beach Bash breakfast)
Tony's Town Square
MNSSHP treats

Saturday, 9/8:
Food & Wine booths, part 3
Boardwalk snacking

In Closing: Trip Reflections and Favorites

 
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I’m here! Can’t wait to hear all about it. And woohoo to a second trip!! Have fun!!
Signing on!!
Can't wait to read your Food and Wine reviews. I get to experience it for the first time in just 60 days.
Following along! :wave2:
Joining the party! :flower1:

:welcome:

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And thank you for reading! :teeth:
 
(AE²) Arrival Evening: Airport Eats

Our solo adventure begins with a hectic and overcrowded airport on the evening of Friday, 8/31, AKA prime time for travelers taking off on their Labor Day holiday weekends. The bus I rode to the airport was packed full to standing, denied anyone boarding for the last few stops, and drove on the shoulder (!!!) on the highways to get around the major traffic and stay (mostly) on schedule. Bonkers!

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Ironically, there wasn't any line at all for TSA Precheck, although there usually is in DEN. The normal security line was packed and went through lots of switchbacks, then overflowed way back to baggage claim. I was in awe and very thankful for Global Entry (includes precheck), the best $100 I have ever spent. It has more than paid for itself in time and aggravation saved when flying out of DEN and MCO.

Since my flight wasn't due to arrive into Orlando until 11pm and I knew I wouldn't get to the Swan until midnight at the earliest, I decided to Preemptively Eat (when you're not hungry, but are fearful of becoming hungry at a bad time later on) by my gate:





A "turkey club" crepe (bacon, tomatoes, cheddar and pepperjack, $7.99) at Magic Pan, a QS crepe counter. This was very plain, but satisfying and filling, especially for the price. The crepe itself had good egg flavor and was thicker than a true crepe, but tasty. Estimating there was a half pound of turkey and like a quarter pound of bacon inside :eek: It was missing the tomatoes, though. The cheese was not overpowering nor was there much of it, which I like. It needed some kind of sauce in addition to some greens (even lettuce would've helped), but was otherwise a fine snack. Great bang for buck - so much protein, so few dollars.

Aaaand then my flight was delayed by a while. I flew Southwest and had boarding position B10, and snagged an aisle seat in the first row! I had to balance my Kindle on my lap or hold it out in front of me for the flight (because no tray tables), but it was nice to have the extra leg room. I also started (silently, but... profusely) crying on the flight because I began reading "Option B" by Sheryl Sandberg, and the very kind flight attendant saw me from the jump seat and brought tissues :blush::rotfl: I switched to "Hit Refresh" by Satya Nadella and that effectively stopped the crying.

I got into Orlando around 11:30 pm, didn't get my bag off the carousel until close to midnight, ordered a Lyft, then got to the Swan at 12:24am. Checkin took forever this time. I was put on a fifth floor King room (hooray king bed!) because I had requested a shower-only (no tub) bathroom, but the room had a tub/shower combo anyway.



After a shower, light unpacking, and FaceTime with T and our dog, I immediately fell asleep. I had gone to work that day before the airport and woke up two hours earlier than usual, so at that point I was awake for almost 20 hours and truly worn out.

Up next, September begins with a day full of Disney and some Food and Wine snacking!
 
Ah, I love those beds at the Swan and Dolphin! Have you stayed in their "corner rooms"? Those are my new fave thing - king bed but also a little alcove with a couch and TV. Those rooms plus the dining options and I have been picking the Swan more and more. Can't wait to hear about your first full day!
 
First Taste of Food and Wine

The next morning, I woke up around 9:30am and had a lazy start. The original plan was to go to Animal Kingdom this morning, use my three FP+, then lunch somewhere in AK, but I was in no rush. I spent a while drinking coffee, enjoying the Florida sunshine through the window, unpacking, and laying in bed flicking through the television channels.

Some views from/of my room this time:


Straight-on view.


Looking to the left, towards the river and Boardwalk Inn.


Looking to the right, a fantastic view of the roof :tilt: and the Hollywood Tower Hotel!



Of note, this time I finally checked, and at least some of the sofas are indeed sleeper sofas. Not sure if every sofa = sleeper sofa, but my room had one.



I had to pick up my renewed annual pass that morning, and I was dangerously hungry... so I ditched my AK plans and made my way to Food & Wine instead.


As another side note, a portion of the Swan's lobby is under construction right now but is not at all intrusive. I almost didn't notice it.


Wore my new Figment magicband for the first time. This was an unnecessary gift to myself the weekend after I accepted the job offer :laughing: On to the International Gateway!

Picking up my AP was super quick. I headed into World Showcase, starting with France (always my preferred starting point!). It was surprisingly not busy that morning/afternoon. I thought since this was the first Saturday of Food & Wine that people would be waiting to flood into World Showcase at 11, but I guess not. Anywho, I took some Photopass photos in front of France's fountain and there weren't any other people in the photos, at 11:03am. It continued to be a crowd-free day around WS.

First up was the Belgium booth.


Beer Braised Beef with Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes, $5.25

This was fine. You can probably see there is exactly one chunk of beef. It's a better-than-average beef stew with good mashed potatoes, but nothing mind-blowing or unique.


Leffe Blonde Belgian Pale Ale, $4.25

Delicious, can't wait to (day-)drink again. I am going to look for it at our local alcohol emporium this week. T said we had actually had this beer at a Christmas party once, but I think it was a darker version from the same company.


Same beer, just a photo that includes more of my Figment MB :bitelip:



After that, I stopped at one of the merchandise kisoks to purchase and load a festival gift card. Last year I got one of each wristlet card, this year I just chose the one with Remy + sushi. Too cute, and the wristband is convenient imo. These are "souvenirs" to me even if I never use the cards again after the festival.

Onwards!







Empty in the Japan pavilion. I texted these to T and felt a twinge of guilt; he more than anyone appreciates low crowds.



Lots of space in Italy. This was taken at 11:22am, so still early for World Showcase. Also, these photos are in direct contrast to how Food & Wine crowds were yesterday (9/8), so there is a reason for posting these in the report!



Always fun to appreciate the train set.

Moving past Germany, I stopped at the Brewer's Collection booth for a taste of a favorite from last year's festival, the Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen pomegranate beer.



At $4.25, this is highway robbery like most alcohol during F&W, but especially so when you find out that this is only 2.5% ABV. It's basically kombucha at that level. Still, very delicious, and both T and I love it. When we moved back to Portland for a quick 3 month summer vacation (lol) I randomly chanced upon it in 6-pack form in our local Fred Meyer.



Naturally, I haven't found it anywhere in Colorado so far. Such a shame. It's fruity and enjoyable, and if you drink two really fast on an empty stomach, you can maybe accumulate a buzz. ;)



Continuing on, evidently I did not stop again until I came across Chef Daisy :lovestruc So adorable. Her line was maybe five or so families long and it didn't take long at all. This is where I believe Pluto meets regularly, not far from the walkway between Future World and World Showcase. I cropped myself because Chef Daisy is truly the star here, but you can see just a bit of my black sunhat near her chef toque.

Next, I browsed some Halloween merch at one of the Port of Entry gift shops, and then I made my way towards Coastal Eats.


Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip with Sourdough Baguette, $5.75

I had this at least twice at last year's festival and it's still delicious. Creamy, rich, a bit of tang. I'd love a full size version as an appetizer at any restaurant. They could really improve Coral Reef with this, for instance.


^ My first time trying it in 2017. Looks like they toned down the herbs and breadcrumbs while adding a piece of bread. Also looks like my camera had an easier time last year.

I think it's one of the better values at F&W because there's typically a lot of shrimp, and that makes the $5.75 price tag more worthwhile for me. Last year it cost $5.50. Scampi-inflation.

After that, I went to the Festival Center to pick up my passholder magnet, and it sure was packed in there. Maybe more people are beginning their festival journeys at the center this year? They added a bunch of attractive alcohol-centered booths and culinary demos etc. there; I feel like last year it was one booth and a merchandise location, but I also went during an insanely low crowd period due to Irma. :confused3 So perhaps it's always been this popular.



Next, I walked onto Mission Space: Orange with no wait for another fun mission to Mars. After exiting I walked through a major downpour on my way back to the Swan. My park bag is waterproof so it was not a problem to walk through the rain, but it hilariously cleared out any of the forming crowds in World Showcase. I had a straight shot through Canada and the UK! Once I got back to the Swan I went for a swim (it was sunny again), showered, and watched Harry Potter on television while getting ready for dinner. :) Unrelated, but I developed horrendous thigh chafing this day because I wore chino shorts that are (in hindsight) not ideal for walking long distances, even with anti-chafing gel on. So it was all longer undershorts from there on out, and I used boat transportation more often than I normally do.


Up next, I return to Be Our Guest for dinner and try the new prix fixe menu!


 
Ah, I love those beds at the Swan and Dolphin! Have you stayed in their "corner rooms"? Those are my new fave thing - king bed but also a little alcove with a couch and TV. Those rooms plus the dining options and I have been picking the Swan more and more. Can't wait to hear about your first full day!
I don't think I have stayed in a corner room, but I did stay in a king that was oversized in June. It had a separate alcove with a second desk and a kitchenette area, way too much space for the two of us but very nice to have. This time the normal king room felt small because of that oversized one! The alcove with couch and TV sounds like a nice setup.
And, ITA with your reasons for picking the Swan more often! Their dining options just between Swan/Dolphin are awesome, plus proximity to other Epcot area dining. We also really love the grotto pool and that the buses are typically not as crowded. And, of course, walk or boat to 2 parks! :boat:
 
Be Our Guest: Prix Fix(e) This Menu, Please

We continue our solo adventures with an early dinner ADR (4:35pm) at Be Our Guest. I randomly snagged this reservation a couple of days beforehand, and was really looking forward to trying the new prix fixe menu.

I hopped on a bus and entered Magic Kingdom right around 4pm.


MK was all dressed up for Halloween.

On the bus ride over I realized I was accidentally starving, having only eaten two F&W booth items all day :guilty: This happens to me sometimes, between drinking so much water and walking in the heat - my appetite disappears and my body enters camel mode, only to turn into a hungry hungry hippo a few hours later. I was eager and ready to chow down at BOG.




I checked in early at Be Our Guest right around 4:15pm, and I was seated in the ballroom by 4:19pm.




Not quite busy yet then, I'm estimating maybe 10-12 other parties were also seated in the ballroom when I entered, all spread out.

This was my 2nd time at BOG for dinner, 4th time overall (have been twice for lunch previously). I still think it's a gorgeous and well-themed restaurant, *but* some of its charm faded on this visit and reality crept in. The table was a bit sticky and wet, and a few other aspects of dinner finally made me see why people often liken BOG to "eating in a nice cafeteria."

Service/timing was the usual at Disney restaurants where they assign too many tables per server, so that's one thing that hasn't changed at BOG. However! On every visit I've found the servers here to be really friendly and delightful to talk with, and that was true this visit as well.



...almost got a beer, didn't?, and got diet coke instead. Here's a picture. :laughing:



Three rolls and butter showed up, I think, right after the appetizer. These are your standard carbalicious filler, but warm and good.



For the appetizer course I nearly ordered the lobster bisque, but in the spirit of trying new prix fixe dishes I went with the charred octopus: Citrus-laced Fingerling Potatoes, Pickled Hearts of Palm, and Red Pepper Coulis served Cold. There were also some olive slices and herbs. I honestly can't remember any hearts of palm.



Already bitten into, but slightly better lighting.



The octopus itself was quite good. A little overcooked around the edges and too chewy in those spots, but otherwise it was the best part of this dish. The potato (salad, it's basically a vinegar-based potato salad...) was fine. I liked the zesty and tart profile of it but as I went on, it got really bitter and tasted metallic, as if there was iron leaching from the serving platter. :scared:



You know how you learn in junior high that tomatoes were believed to be poisonous in the middle ages, but really it was serving the acidic tomatoes on pewter plates, and the tomatoes leaching lead from said plates, that caused lead poisoning and death? I kept thinking that was happening between the coulis + vinegar, but with iron, or something other than lead. Whatever happened, I only ate about half of the potato salad before giving up. It became far too bitter and metallic to finish.



Onto the main course. I was undecided on this, too, until the last minute. I wanted to get the filet mignon because it seemed like the best value for the $55 price, or the lamb chops because I love lamb, or the smoked ricotta and corn tortellini because that sounded delicious and difficult to mess up. But I went with the Saffron-infused Seafood Bouillabaisse: Seasonal Fish, Maine Lobster, Shrimp, Confit Potatoes, and Baby Fennel. I figured it would be one of their more unique and standout offerings on the new menu. My server also assured me it was good, and offered to replace the potato confit with rice, but I declined.



I should've gone with any of the other options. :guilty: First, this was a very small dish, served lukewarm at best, and definitely not a bouillabaisse in any sense of the word. The broth was a ladle-ful in the bottom of the dish. It had ZERO flavor. It was lukewarm water sitting under pieces of seafood... seriously.

My thoughts expressed to T:



The next text was about how I managed to eat 1.5 of the 4 mussels before giving up. I think the langostino was actually lobster tail, just waaaaay overcooked and dried out.



Held by the spoon are the "confit potatoes," aka slice of potato gel. Zero flavor, again! This entire dish needed salt at the very least. I was glad for two things: first, that I did not opt for rice, which would've just soaked up the completely tasteless "broth" (water). Second, that I saved some rolls and ate the rest with the main course.

This was just as awful as the udon I had at Tokyo Dining, which was previously the #1 worst dish I've ever had at WDW. Now it's tied with this sad excuse for bouillabaisse. Lumiere and Cogsworth would be appalled if they were overseeing the dinner service.



But not all is lost, friends, for the dessert trio held promise.



Almond Macaron with Lemon Jam and Raspberries, White Chocolate "Chip" Cup with Grey Stuff and Crisp Pearls, Dark Chocolate Truffle filled with Dark Chocolate Grand Marnier Ganache



The surprise hit here was the macaron. The lemon jam and raspberries were perfect: not too sweet, fruity, slightly tart. The macaron was perfectly light, and chewy when bitten into. This was the best of the trio.



The truffle was good, but I'm not a fan of chocolate, so I only ate about half. It was very rich, dark, and tasted... expensive?



The stained glass design is beautiful sugar paper. I let a few pieces dissolve on my tongue for the novelty of it.



The Chip cup is, of course, so precious and the most visual of the desserts. Entirely made of white chocolate, filled with the Grey Stuff, and then topped with another white chocolate piece and crispy pearls. Adorable.



Almost too cute to eat, but I ate all of the Grey Stuff inside, which I estimate to be about 2 tablespoons' worth.



He even has his signature chip! Seen at 9'o'clock in the photo above.

I didn't eat all of poor Chip because the white chocolate was thick and sweet. I nibbled around the top and that was it for me. All in all, I would say the dessert trio was very cute but not great.

I signed the check and left to go meet the Beast right before 5:30pm, so the meal lasted just over an hour. The total with Tables in Wonderland discount plus tax and tip came to $56.76, saved $11 with the card.

There was no line at all to meet the Beast, a benefit from eating an early dinner. I took my solo photos with the Beast (looked way better than the photos I took with T last time, so I was thrilled) and exited BOG into the super bright sunlight -- such a contrast from the dim restaurant! Stopped to look around the Halloween-filled gift shops, left MK, ran right onto a bus to Animal Kingdom, and continued the evening there.

~~~~~

Final takeaway? I thought the food was horrendous and I don't need to go back. There is nothing "signature" about the new prix fixe menu; if anything, it is more evident they serve mass-produced banquet food. T and I both loved our dinners last November, and I frequently made BOG dinner ADRs only to cancel them in favor of somewhere new to us on all of our subsequent trips... but I must've chosen the worst dishes off the new menu. Thoroughly unimpressed.

However, if you can separate the food from the dinner, I had a pleasant time there anyway. I still enjoy the setting and atmosphere of BOG, at least the bread wasn't awful, and my server was such a joy to meet and chat with during the meal. I wouldn't write this off entirely for others, especially if you've never gone for dinner, but I strongly caution against the bouillabaisse.

~~~~~

Coming up next, the solo adventures continue with a visit to Nomad Lounge!

 
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