We’ll Use Any Excuse To Go During the Holiday Season. Another food-focused trip report. 11/28-12/6 (Complete)

[Newsies]

Great looking morning so far! That apple crumb cake looks to die for!

 

[mickey916]

11/29 Epcot Day Continued…​

We made our way to the American pavilion, stopping to admire the view without the Harmonius barges.

I placed a mobile order for lunch at the Regal Eagle. We shared the Sliced Beef Brisket Sandwich with a side of macaroni & cheese.

We absolutely loved this! We have tried the mac n cheese before but never anything else from Regal Eagle. The brisket was so tender and flavorful and the Texas Toast made a perfect sandwich. The mac n cheese was creamy with a hint of garlic. We loved this so much we plan on going there again on our next trip!

After lunch, we continued our search for Olaf. I rode Remy and grabbed a LL for Test Track. We rode Figment with no wait so that we could see him in his holiday best.

It was a pretty chilly day so we toured the “dry route” on Journey of Water. It is a very nice area and there were lots of kids having fun with the water elements.

It was time for another snack so we picked up the spiced chocolate cookie from Nochebuena Cocina.

This was just a basic chocolate crinkle cookie with a glaze. It was good but we didn’t find anything spicy about it. Funny, a vlogger was commenting on feeling “the heat at the back of her throat” with this cookie. Our cookie had no “heat” whatsoever. It was fine but our least favorite of the day.

We rode Gran Fiesta tour and the Seas with Nemo and Friends, also with no wait. I then used my ILL for Guardians. I really wish DH could experience that ride. I just love it so much but his severe motion sickness makes it impossible for him to ride. This is by far my favorite ride in WDW.

We then had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Via Napoli. I requested a table in the dining area to the right of the hostess stand and was told that they would seat us there as soon as a table opened up. When we were called for our table, we were taken to a room off the back of the main dining area that I didn’t even know was there. We had a perfect table in the back corner, away from all the noise in the main dining room, even better than the side room.

We ordered the house salad which was delicious as always (sorry forgot to take a picture). We also ordered a large pizza, half quattro formaggi half piccante with added pepperoni.

This is our third time eating at Via Napoli and unfortunately this time it just wasn’t as good. The toppings were great but the crust was underdone and soggy. We’ve also had excellent service here previously and this time we did not. We could never get our server’s attention for soda refills or the bill. When we finally got the bill she never asked if we had discounts. I totally forgot to ask for my AP discount. This was our first table service meal of the trip so I was out of practice! We say this all the time but good service makes such a huge difference in the overall perception of the meal. Fortunately for us, we had way more excellent service than mediocre service throughout the week.

After dinner we stopped to pick up our Olaf scavenger hunt prize, cute Olaf and snowflake cookie cutters. We then decided to get in line for the 7:00 Candlelight Processional show. As we were standing in line we heard a brief announcement that tonight’s narrator would be Ashley Eckstein. On the sign outside someone had put masking tape over Ann Margret’s name and written Ashley Eckstein over it. It was odd that no reference was made about Ann Margret at all. She was simply replaced. It was a chilly night and I read the night before it was also very cold and Ann Margret was having to sit a lot during the performance. I never saw any other explanation for the change.

So…on to my “flashing” story. As we were standing in line lots of people were walking by in holiday outfits, many wearing flashing Christmas light necklaces. I was wearing a Mickey Mouse Santa sweatshirt that had tiny lights that run off a battery. My DH suggested I turn on my lights while we stood in line. So I did. A CM came over to me and said abruptly “You’re going to need to turn those off.” I smiled and said “Oh definitely. I won’t keep them on during the show. I know that would be distracting.” She looked at me and sternly said “No. You will turn them off now. You need to be respectful of the performance.” These lights were not overly bright and we were not even moving in the line yet. It was a bit of an overreaction on her part, especially since all around us were people with flashing lights around their necks and on their “antlers”. But, I did as she requested and turned off my lights. No more “flashing” for me at Epcot!

We ended up getting a great aisle seat for the show. We definitely didn’t need the Garden Grill breakfast package. Ashley Eckstein did a phenomenal job. It was a beautiful (yet chilly) night.

After the show, we headed to Living with the Land to use a LL I had booked earlier. This is my DH’s favorite attraction and we both love the Holiday overlay so much!

I still had my LL for Test Track so we headed there. DH opted to watch the Spaceship Earth projections while I rode the attraction. It was really fun to ride it at night but that outside portion was chilly!

We opted not to stay for Epcot Forever to avoid the crowds and headed back to our hotel. Overall, it was a perfect start to the trip!

First full day complete:
27,415 steps
$132.54 food cost

 

[Paulaparm]

Great first day...other than the "flashing" incident

 

[disneyAndi14]

I had the brisket sandwich this past trip and loved it!
our service at Via Napoli is really hit or miss!
we love the pizza so keep going back, bummer the crust was soggy, ugh!

 

[mickey916]

I had the brisket sandwich this past trip and loved it!
our service at Via Napoli is really hit or miss!
we love the pizza so keep going back, bummer the crust was soggy, ugh!

We were extremely surprised at how good the brisket was! I think the service issue at Via Napoli was that there was a large party next to us that seemed to be monopolizing her time. It is a bummer about the crust. The toppings though were delicious as always!

 

[MommaKetch]

Following along!

 

[mickey916]

Following along!

 

[mickey916]

Olaf Scavenger Hunt 2023​

Since the Olaf Scavenger Hunt officially ended yesterday, I figured it’s safe to share all my Olaf photos without spoilers.

Mexico:

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Norway:

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China:

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Germany:

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Italy:

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America Gardens Theater:

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American Adventure:

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Japan:

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Morocco:

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L’Chaim Holiday Kitchen:

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France:
Seems we forgot to take a picture of this one. (UK and Canada on next entry).

 

[mickey916]

Scavenger Hunt continued...
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United Kingdom:

Canada:

Up next Touring Plans predicted a 3 for our Magic Kingdom day...were they correct?

 

[mickey916]

11/30 Magic Kingdom Day, part 1
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After going to Magic Kingdom last year on a MVMCP day and finding really low crowds, we decided to go on a party day again this year hoping for the same luck. Since we weren’t eligible for early entry we arrived at the TTC right around regular opening time. As we boarded the ferry, we went to the upper deck to discover only two other families onboard.

Even though we were expecting low crowds, I purchased Genie+ and an ILL for Tron. I also did a VQ for Tron. As we entered the park, we headed for Adventureland to ride the Jingle Cruise. Here’s what the walkway looked like at 8:11, with early entry at 7:30.

We walked right onto the Jingle Cruise and then headed to Frontier Land at 8:45.

I rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with a posted 15 minute wait but it was really a walk on. We then headed to Haunted Mansion. We were so excited to see the wait time!

For those who don’t know, a 13 minute wait at HM indicates no wait….and the excitement didn’t end there.

As we were getting on the ride, I remarked to my DH that the Hat Box Ghost was supposed to appear in November. Considering it was November 30th and there had been no recent posts about his appearance, I guess they missed the deadline. No sooner had I said this, we turned a corner and were greeted by the Hat Box Ghost! I quickly grabbed my phone out of my pocket but unfortunately with just an iPhone in the dark on a moving ride, this is my photo, taken at 9:11 am…

But, it was so cool to be one of the first to see him! When we exited the ride I asked a CM when he started appearing and she said, “just today.” So awesome!

At this point it was time for our LL for Peter Pan so we headed to Fantasyland and rode PP. With all this excitement it was time for a mid-morning snack. We headed over to Gaston’s Tavern to pick up one of our favorite treats.

Gaston’s Cinnamon roll with extra icing. We get this every time but this one was exceptionally good! I wish I had taken a side view photo as the whole thing was at least three inches tall. It didn’t even need the additional icing. It was phenomenal!

We also finally had the opportunity to try the Master’s cupcake, which had not been available our last few trips.

This was pretty good. The chocolate cupcake was nice and moist. The grey stuff was fine. Definitely not something we would get every time, like the cinnamon roll.

After our delicious snack break, we rode Little Mermaid, It’s a Small World, and the People Mover, all with no waits. I got in line for Space Mountain which was showing a 10 minute wait but then all of a sudden people started coming back through the line saying it was temporarily closed. I decided to wait a little to see if things started moving and probably waited 10 minutes before things started to move. A CM asked if there were any single riders and so I was able to jump ahead of a bunch of people. The wait would have probably been another 10 minutes at least. I think I’m getting too old for Space Mountain or maybe Guardians has spoiled me but I find the ride way too jerky. I love coasters and have ridden every single one at Hershey Park, Dorney Park, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Cedarpoint, and Universal but Space Mountain just does me in…lol.

After my Space adventure, we headed for our LL at Winnie the Pooh, which actually was showing a 25 minute wait. This was the longest we had seen all day with the exception of Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train that hovered around 45 all day. I immediately grabbed a LL for Buzz Lightyear after scanning in at Winnie the Pooh so we headed there. My DH outscored me badly. My hand eye coordination leaves a lot to be desired!

It was approaching noon and we had already experienced 10 attractions so we decided to mobile order a quick lunch at the Lunching Pad. We decided to share the Cuban Hot Dog:
All-Beef Hot Dog topped with Diced Ham, Pickles, Swiss Fondue, and Dijonnaise served with a choice of Side. We chose potato chips as our “choice of side”.

This looks worse than it was. It was okay. The ham and pickle dices were very tiny and under the mound of swiss fondue and dijonnaise so you really couldn't taste them much. The hot dog was only lukewarm. The bun was very soggy due to all the fondue so we had to eat it with a knife and fork. Overall the flavors were good but nothing we’d get again.

We also ordered Cream Cheese Warm Stuffed Pretzel.

This was the highlight of our lunch. It was very good. We’ve never had any sort of stuffed pretzel before and very much enjoyed the sweet cream cheese inside.

Here’s an inside view:



After we finished lunch I checked to see how long until my VQ return time for Tron and, as soon as I checked, I got called, so we headed there. I had snagged a VQ for both of us in case my DH wanted to give it a try but he opted to stay with me in line and then duck out at the end. We waited about 35 minutes. I ended up getting assigned the first car along with a woman whose husband was also sitting it out. We actually had a lot of fun riding together for the first time for both of us. It was a blast! Wish it were a little longer but it was really fun.

Since we hadn’t used a LL yet for Haunted Mansion, we grabbed one to be able to try to get another picture of the hatbox ghost.

This picture didn’t come out much better…I was hoping the ride would stop near him so I could get a good picture. No such luck.

We then decided to see the Country Bears one more time before it gets updated.

Up next…more rides, a tasty treat and a delicious dinner!

 

[mickey916]

11/30 Magic Kingdom Part 2​

This is the first time we’ve visited MK since the train re-opened so of course we had to ride it. Way back in 2010 we did the Behind the Steam tour and it was the best tour we’ve done at the parks. If it ever comes back, we’d probably take the tour again.

Such a beauty!

Here is a picture of the completed mural for Tiana’s Bayou adventure taken from the train.

And the Christmas tree view from the train station (notice the crowds are still very low):

After riding the train we decided it was time for a snack so we headed to the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. We ordered the seasonal peppermint brownie sundae.

This was very good! The peppermint ice cream had just enough peppermint flavor without being overpowering. The brownie had a cake-like texture. This was a very tasty treat, even for my DH who isn’t always a fan of peppermint. We enjoyed this at a table outside the Plaza Restaurant overlooking the castle.

After our treat, we went to the Carousel of Progress. Then, we took another ride on the train, stopping in fantasyland to ride It’s a Small World again with no wait.

I grabbed a LL for Pirates, so we took a second ride there. We returned to Tomorrowland for a second spin on the People Mover and then I rode Tron again with my ILL. I was further back this time but it gave me an opportunity to see more of the sites as I rode. My riding companion wasn’t nearly as fun as the first time (basically we ignored each other).

Having experienced every attraction that we desired (some a couple times), we decided to stroll Main Street and admire the decorations. We loved seeing the Christmas Carol windows (missing the Jacob Marley photo…too many reflections in the window for a clear photo).

Up next, more Main Street photos and a shocker of a dinner!

 

[footballmouse]

 

[Skywatcher1206]

I am enjoying your trip report and am looking forward to reading more!

 

[mickey916]

I am enjoying your trip report and am looking forward to reading more!

 

[pigletto]

I’m loving your report ! We haven’t been to Disney for the Christmas season since 2013! We have just booked for mid November 2024 and I am so excited

 

[mickey916]

I’m loving your report ! We haven’t been to Disney for the Christmas season since 2013! We have just booked for mid November 2024 and I am so excited

That's very exciting! We just love Disney during the holidays! Glad you're enjoying my report.

 

[mickey916]

11/30 Magic Kingdom Part 3​

We enjoyed more of the Main Street decorations as we waited for our dinner reservation at park close at 6:00 pm.

A little background about our dinner choice. Originally when I was booking ADRs at the 60 day mark, I reserved a 5:55 ADR at our favorite MK restaurant, Liberty Tree Tavern. At the time I wasn’t thinking that we were going the week after Thanksgiving. After enjoying our Thanksgiving meal and subsequent leftovers for several days afterwards, we both realized that we weren’t exactly in the mood for turkey with all the fixings. So the day we headed for the airport, I changed our reservation to 6 pm at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. We know it doesn’t get great reviews but Italian food sounded the best to us after several days of turkey and stuffing.

As we checked in, I asked the CM if we could be seated outside on the porch. She said she would put in my request but it wasn’t guaranteed. Shortly thereafter we were called and made our way to our outside table. Here’s the view from our seats, as people arrived for the

Such a perfect setting for our meal! We decided to share Tony’s Garlic Bread for the Table.

It comes with a side of alfredo sauce to pour over the top. Instead of pouring the whole thing on the top slices, we rationed it and poured some on each level. We even had a little sauce leftover.

Absolutely delicious! The bread was nicely toasted so it was crispy on the edges but softer in the middle. It had great garlic flavor and the sauce took it over the top. We ate all of it!

My DH was feeling like your plain old Spaghetti & Meatballs and I decided to go for Chicken Parmesan with Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce subbed in place of the spaghetti. As usual, we actually shared both entrees.

This was surprisingly delicious! The red sauce tasted house made. The meatballs were moist with lots of flavor. For a simple dish, it really was very good!

The chicken parmesan was also very good. The chicken was lightly breaded and fried. It was perfectly cooked and not at all greasy. The fettuccine alfredo was also very tasty.

In addition, our service was exemplary. Our server, Julia, was friendly and attentive. She brought two extra sides of shredded parmesan cheese and refilled our drinks promptly.

This was not just a good meal. It was a fantastic meal! We are so glad we made the last minute switch. It was one of our best meals all week.

Up next…checking out Fort Wilderness decorations, dessert at Contempo Cafe, and a surprise at the hotel to end the night.

 

[mickey916]

11/30 Magic Kingdom Part 4​

After our phenomenal meal at Tony’s it was time for us to leave the park, as we did not have MVMCP tickets. This is our second year in a row attending MK on a party day and it’s truly the best time to go. I told my DH we’re going to be spoiled now when we go in April and have to deal with regular crowds. TouringPlans had predicted a “3” for the day but it ended up being a “1”. Honestly, it doesn't get any better than that. We ended up experiencing 20 attractions. I did purchase Genie+ but it wasn’t really necessary. We used the LL on 5 attractions: Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, Haunted Mansion and Pirates, but they were all listed under 30 minute waits. I also purchased an ILL and did the VQ for Tron. We had a very relaxing and fun day!

As we exited the park, we decided to take the boat to Fort Wilderness to see the resort’s and guests’ decorations. Here’s our beautiful view of the Contemporary during our boat ride.

One of our goals was to take pictures of the tree at each resorts. Here’s the Fort Wilderness tree:

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Last year we took the Fort Wilderness Holiday Sleigh ride on December 8 and were amazed by all the holiday displays. This year we were too early I think, since it was only Nov. 30th. There were a few displays but way less than last year. I really liked the light poles in this display.

After walking around the campground a little, we planned on taking the recently reinstated blue line boat from Fort Wilderness to the Contemporary. However, the line was very long and the boat to the Magic Kingdom came first. So, we ended up going back to Magic Kingdom and then walking over to the Contemporary. Since nothing appealed to us for dessert at Tony’s Town Square, we decided to try something new from the Contempo Cafe. We had our eye on the kitchen sink cookie and the chocolate peanut butter bar. At the Contempo Cafe, we found the chocolate peanut butter bar in one of the coolers. It was TINY! It was like half of a regular sized brownie cut on the diagonal. The online menu listed it as $5.99 but the sign in front of it said $7.99!!!! There was no way we were paying $8 for two bites of a bar. So, we settled on just the kitchen sink cookie: Chocolate Chunk Cookie with Toffee, Peanut Butter Chips, Salted Caramel, and Flaky Salt. This is listed online at $4.29 but we paid $4.79, $5.10 with taxes.​

This wasn’t very good at all. It had a really weird taste. We can’t even describe what was wrong with it. It was just bad. Worst dessert of the trip.

After our disappointing dessert, we walked back over to the Magic Kingdom and took the ferry back to the TTC.

We drove back to the Residence Inn and, as we were entering the hotel, my DH went to throw away some trash when all of a sudden he jumped back….something was moving in the trash bin! Upon a closer look we saw this guy enjoying dinner…

He took a look at us, ate some more stuff, then hopped out and went on his way. A funny end to a great day!

Second full day complete:
29,537 steps
$143.99 food cost

Up next…a resort/Disney Springs Day

 

[VAtink]

Love all the resort decorations. We tried to check out most of them as well, but I totally forgot about the campground!

It's too bad that cookie wasn't good, it looks good, and sounds like it would be!

That racoon would have given me a heart attack!

 

[mickey916]

Love all the resort decorations. We tried to check out most of them as well, but I totally forgot about the campground! ...

It's too bad that cookie wasn't good, it looks good, and sounds like it would be!

That racoon would have given me a heart attack!

The cookie sounded and looked good to us too. Don't know if we got a bad one or not. It just had a strange taste. My DH jumped a foot when he saw something move in the trash. He nearly had a heart attack!