Monthly Archives: October 2014

Day 47- Epcot: Guerlain & Tokyo Dining

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Today we are heading for Epcot! The weather is hot, but today there is a cool breeze. We get to the parking lot park about halfway down one of the very long parking rows! So, we cheer, and get out of the car as soon as the cars next to us get settled into their spots.

When you park, be careful to wait and see when the car next to you is stopped. There should be one on the left and one on the right, then, after they stop moving, you can open your doors and get out. If you open the doors to soon, you will be prompted by the parking cast to “close your car doors!” Also to get to the park/tram, walk down the aisle that is in front of your car, not the one that people are driving in on. This is for your safety and for the safety of the cars that are just entering into their parking spots! 😀

We have a friend from Dallas in town and we are meeting him at Guerlain in France! It is so very nice to see a familiar face from Texas! A fellow Texan and a good friend!

Oh, I did think we needed a snack if we were going to be out this long, so we went to Tokyo Dining. Tooti and I went a few weeks ago and totally enjoyed our dinner. The waitress was amazing and we got to see to see her again today. Twinkie was sick the other day when Tooti and I came, so this will be her first time to eat at Tokyo Dining, and she is so excited.

We arrive and check-in downstairs, and they give us our ticket. We climb the stairs and take a minute to look around at the Japan Pavilion. It is so very pretty! Now, we go in and ask for a table by the windows if one is available. Yay! We sit in the corner by the windows and have a wonderful cup of hot green tea. The chef is able to make our vegetable sushi gluten free, and of course the miso soup is gluten free!

The miso soup is perfectly hot, we enjoy sipping it as we chat and enjoy the scenery. Soon, our vegetable sushi is here and it is so pretty! I ask our wonderful waitress for a rubber band if she has one; I wanted to make my chopsticks like the ones they made me at Teppan Edo. That was the first time I had ever been able to use chopsticks!! Our waitress said, “Oh, you want special chop sticks!” Oh, OK. Yes, I would like those! When she returned, she handed me my special chopsticks. Then she handed Tooti her special chopsticks. Finally, Twinkie! Hey, look! Your special chopsticks have an origami Mickey on them!!! I love the Mickey on the paper!

Twinkie!
Sitting right by the windows!
View out the window…
Menu…
Smile!
New Guerlain Lipstick!
Mickey!
We love origami!
Vegetable Sushi made GF!
Yum!

It was a fabulous gluten free meal and our waitress was so sweet. I appreciate all of the work they do to make it possible and wonderful for us to be able to eat! Thank you Tokyo Dining and Disney World!!!

Now it is time to go! I thought I could go past the Kaki Gori stand, but I had to back track and get a strawberry Kaki Gori with sweet milk topping. Well, make that three! As we were leaving, four ladies saw our treats and asked what they were. We explained that it is like a snow cone with sweet milk on top; they were delighted and were going to get some too!

As we head through America, Italy, Germany, and the Outpost, we stopped for a minute and saw a drawbridge! I have never seen that before! The next thing we saw was the globe that they use during the IllumiNATIONS fireworks show coming through that area. The breeze off of the World Showcase Lagoon is very chilly!

The bridge is still up? The rest of the platforms that they use for the fireworks show tonight are coming out! It very interesting to hear the narration explaining some of the details of IllumiNATIONS, and fun to watch each piece begin to take their positions! Totally FACINATING! Soon, the drawbridge is lowered and the tons of people begin to cross from both sides.

We are enjoying our Kaki Goris and the walk to the front gate. As we get close to the Spaceship Earth, I love seeing how the sun accentuates the texture and angles in the ball! Anyway, I love to look at how the sun makes it look beautiful during the various times of the day in so many different ways! Rainy days have their own ambiance.

Oh, and I love the people that never let anything stop them! This amazing lady who we met, Dorothy, is a firecracker; she gave us a moment and wonderful advice! So, I had to get a picture with her!

Now, we walk to the parking lot, row 19, hop in our car, and drive off to get the puppies from school! The sky is just beautiful and the sun is shining! What a beautiful day, and how fun to see our friend Marcus from TEXAS!

Day 46- Hollywood Studios

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It is a spectacular day! The weather is warm during the afternoon, going up to the mid-80s. As soon as the sun begins to set around 5pm, it cools to below 80 degrees. Hollywood Studios is perfectly busy, and so many people enjoying getting here later in the day!

I check with The Hollywood Brown Derby to see if there is walk-up availability. There will be in about an hour, so I thank them and walk outside to see if there is availability at The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge on the patio. Yes, there is a table! I get to enjoy a fun lunch and the beautiful weather. The waitress is super nice and she helps me order a gluten free cobb salad. It is fun watching all of the people go by and seeing all of the families! I love eating outdoors here.

Soon, I am back on Hollywood Boulevard. Oh, wait! I hear the Film Team! They are set up just a short walk down Sunset Boulevard, so I stop to watch. It is so fun watching and hearing them interact with the guests. In the second skit, they pull a man from the audience and say, “Look! It is The Captain on Gilligan’s Island!” Applause erupts and soon they find “Mary Ann” and “Gilligan”. I am standing close to the family of “Gilligan.” The son of “Gilligan” is beaming as his dad is picked to stand on the red carpet. I look again, and he is grinning ear to ear as he is eating his ice cream cone! Then, the Film Team finds “The Rock!”  “The Rock’s” sons are a little dismayed that their dad is being asked to stand on the red carpet. Soon, the older son starts laughing as he hears the Film Team talking to his dad; the boy is about 5, his younger brother, about 3, never loses his frowning eyebrows until his dad is returned to him! The dad? He had a blast being “The Rock!”

Now, I watch a couple more people get chosen to be celebrities, and the funniest was “Colonel Sanders”. It was a very funny and nice moment. I love seeing the interaction of the cast and guests at Disney! Seems the adults were having the most fun, maybe even a little more than the kids!

Well, Hollywood Studios is closing at 7:00pm tonight. It is beautiful, and the sunsets? Please, don’t forget to look at the skies in the evenings. The sunsets are absolutely amazing and vibrant in sunny Florida!

Day 45- Epcot & Dennis DeYoung (from STYX)

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It is an absolutely beautiful day! The sun is shining and there are very pretty clouds dusting the blue sky. It is late afternoon and there is one tram running. After parking on row 42, I boarded the tram.

As we get to the main gate, there are plenty of people coming and going. There is a nice flow of people. It is fun seeing everyone getting pictures as they enter into Epcot! I see so many First Visit buttons; I am so excited and happy for the people wearing them!

I am looking forward to going to the Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Tonight’s concert features Dennis DeYoung (an original member of STYX), known for his song “Lady” and “Come Sail Away.” The crowd for the first concert is seated, and it is overflowing. I think I’ll grab a seat under an umbrella at the American Adventure pavilion and wait until the second concert! I can hear the music, and I can catch a glimpse of the drummer on occasion!

Soon, I am in line. We go in, and it is filling up quickly! It is one of the best concerts I have heard! Dennis DeYoung announced in the first concert that each of the three concerts tonight will be different. I am so glad that I was able to hear the first one! He kept saying that he is 67 years old. Dennis DeYoung and his band were awesome!

I made my way back through Japan, Morocco, France, over the bridge to England, Canada, then away from the World Showcase to the main sidewalk that leads to the Epcot ball (or Spaceship Earth)! Now, out to the main gate and parking lot! It was the perfect weather for a beautiful evening.

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)
Gardens in France

Day 44- Hollywood Studios

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The parking lot is filling up and the trams are running like clockwork! There is a steady stream of people still arriving this afternoon, and the park is perfectly crowded!

Our first stop is to check the pin board at the stroller rental. If you have kids that are tired and you need a way to distract them, pin trading is a fun way! There are cast members all around Disney who have pins to trade! We found that the kids become more excited about finding the perfect pin to trade, and are totally distracted from being tired.

We enjoy our walk down Hollywood Boulevard, with the Public Works street show on the corner. They are really funny and yell a lot! We realize that we have not eaten lunch and the 50’s Prime Time Café is close. The line is really long and they do not have any walk-up reservations. This restaurant is usually full, but sometimes they have availability.

As we get close to Star Tours, we can hear Darth Vader and the young Jedis in the Jedi Training Academy. The kids really get into the training and the Jedi Training Academy is really fun to watch.

There are several quick service restaurants at Hollywood Studios, but we are going to see if Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater Restaurant has walk-up availability. While we are waiting, I hear the Mulch, Sweat, and Shears band playing on the Streets of America! There is a good crowd gathering as they begin to play. Oh, that is fun! They recruited a dad to dance with the music, pretty funny!

Yay! Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater does have walk-up availability today, and we are soon seated. This is one of our favorite places to eat. I love seeing the vintage drive-in theater.

Today? Today there is a happy feeling in the air and smiles everywhere!

Day 43- Magic Kingdom

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We are having beautiful weather this week! It is chilly in the morning, hot in the afternoon, and back to chilly at night. I love Florida weather.

Magic Kingdom is beautiful as we walk down Main Street USA, and see the sun shining on the buildings! There is a nice amount of people; it’s not very crowded today and seems to have a more laidback atmosphere. Oh, listen, the Mainstreet Philharmonic band is playing, and a crowd of people have gathered to listen and dance! Fun!

We have a little time before our first FastPass+, so we go through Adventureland toward Frontierland. As we pass through Adventureland, I see the lines for Dole Whips are so very, very long! I don’t remember ever seeing this many people in line for a Dole Whip.

Now, on around to Frontierland. I watch people taking pictures with Splash Mountain in the background, and listen as children are playing and having a wonderful time. I walked into Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café, and noticed that somehow, I missed that there is a Texas flag on the wall. Inside, there is this old west saloon that you can eat in, an indoor courtyard, and even more seating outside. It is a fun place to eat.

Now off to Pirates of the Caribbean! I love this ride! We have a full boat, and a little girl sitting between her dad and mom behind us said, “I feel like a sandwich sitting between you two!” I turned and said, “And a very pretty sandwich you are!” She giggled and thanked me. “…and your sister!” Both of her parents chuckled, they were a cute family! The ride was great, but this time, the cannons went off and when the “cannon ball” landed in the water, it soaked my side of the boat. Then, one hit near Twinkie and her side of the boat got soaked too!

We get off the boat and there is a moving sidewalk (or “gangplank,” as the announcer says) that takes you back upstairs to exit. I like the moving sidewalk going uphill! Very fun!

It was in the mid-80’s this afternoon, so the Tiki group was misting people!

As we are walking to the front of the park, we can hear the music coming from Cinderella’s Castle for the Dream Along with Mickey show. We catch a glimpse as we turn towards the Crystal Palace on our way to Main Street USA. Such a beautiful day!

Day 42- Epcot and San Angel Inn Restaurante

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Today is an absolutely beautiful day! We are off to Epcot to have lunch in Mexico. The trams are running at a quick pace as the parking lot is filling up quickly.

I love seeing all the happy faces as we scan our MagicBands and enter into Epcot! There are people lining up to get their photo taken with Spaceship Earth and the Food and Wine Festival display in the background. It is busy today.

We pass by several Food Kiosks on the way to Mexico and the air is full of delicious aromas. We have reservations at San Angel Inn Restaurante. As we walk into the indoor marketplace and there is a young lady painting one of the handmade animals that are for sale. I have never seen someone paint these before. There is so much detail in that little painted animal.

While we are waiting to be seated, we noticed the line for the Gran Fiesta Tour boat ride is the longest line we have ever seen. However, the line is moving quickly.

Soon we are seated, and it is like you are sitting in the courtyard between the buildings, under the night sky. There is a river that runs beside the restaurant (a part of the Gran Fiesta Tour), flanked by Mayan ruins and a volcano! If you sit by the river, you can see the boat full of people go by periodically. Oh, look, the volcano is erupting! It is a bit dark in this area, recreating a beautiful night in Mexico.

The waitress is really great and soon we have our tortilla soup. Even the chips here are gluten free! Yay! Oh my gosh, it is so very good!

We walk up the ramp to the main area, toward the exit; it kind of looks like the museum in Mexico City. Now, we exit the building toward the World Showcase Lagoon. The area is so busy.

I love being so close to Disney World that we can go and grab a bite of lunch there!

Day 41- Magic Kingdom & Roaring Forks at Wilderness Lodge

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The sky is so blue today and there’s not a cloud in the sky! Magic Kingdom is beautiful as we arrive on the Monorail. There is a steady stream of people arriving, and the weather is a bit cooler today, under 80 degrees and sunny!

I love seeing little children so happy to be here, and the happy faces of first time visitors getting pictures with Cinderella’s Castle in the background. There is a bustle of strollers passing by as families make their way down Main Street USA.

We stop at the Starbucks inside of the Main Street Bakery and grab a tea and coffee. A few months ago, when we moved here, I realized that I could just run to Magic Kingdom and get my hot tea! I love to grab a cup of tea and get to see many happy people before heading home on those days.  Next though, we are off to lunch by boat!

We’re off to go to Wilderness Lodge for lunch. Tooti has talked about getting a Roast Beef and Blue Cheese Sandwich at the Roaring Fork quick service restaurant. I cannot wait to get to ride the boat from Magic Kingdom over to Wilderness Lodge. We sit in the front of the boat, the Mermaid I, and are joined by a family who we chat with as we are traveling across the water. Once we dock, we disembark and walk to Wilderness Lodge, enjoying the path through the trees.

Lunch was great! We absolutely loved their gluten free Roast Beef and Blue Cheese Sandwich, and my Turkey and Swiss sandwich. The homemade potato chips were amazing, and I loved the cucumber salad!

Now, back to the boat. We sat at the back, soon to be joined by a family; they were really nice. We enjoyed talking on the nice trip back to the Magic Kingdom Boat Launch. I love days like today when we get to meet so many young families visiting Disney World for the first time, and get to hear how they are enjoying their trip. The common topics that come up in these conversations are: the amount of walking, how tired their kids get just walking, the 8-10 hours spent at a Disney Park in a day (if not longer), and yes, it is about 1.1 miles around the World Showcase Lagoon at Epcot. That was a question today, “Should we think about renting a stroller for Epcot?” My answer is, “Yes, I would, it is a long way around the park. After you rent the stroller, you go up and around Spaceship Earth, and then down a long path to the World Showcase Lagoon. There are so many hills in Epcot and so many countries to explore, the 1.1 miles around the World Showcase Lagoon is just the beginning!”

Day 40- Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream at Hollywood Studios

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Today, I am heading to Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream – From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdom! It tells of Walt Disney’s life and you can see so many facets of his walk to become the one man who I feel changed the world by believing, “Dreams do come true.” I wish I could convey the power of One Man’s Dream.

We enjoy the pictures; they tell such a wonderful story as they outline the timeline of Walt Disney’s life and accomplishments.

Walt was born in 1901. Main Street USA is fashioned after the town he lived in for four years of his childhood (Marceline, Missouri).

Main Street

He began taking drawing lessons at the age of 14 years old. He was such an innovator, constantly coming up with new ideas and inventions.

As I see the picture that shows, “Walt Comes To Your Living Room,” I remember seeing this program on TV growing up. I didn’t get to watch it very often since it was aired on Sunday evenings.

The Mickey Mouse Club influenced so many kids when I was growing up! Did you know that when Mickey Ear Hats were first released, they sold about 24,000 pair per day?

At the end of the hallway is of the story of Walt’s life, inside the theater that shows a short movie in which Walt tells his story in his own words.

If you have not been to Disney World, it is a magical place. I said that I feel Walt Disney has changed the world. If you have never been to Disney World, you can see many people that have traveled from all over the world to see and enjoy the result of, as this attraction calls it, “One Man’s Dream.” I love seeing “First Visit” buttons on little Grandmas, children, and adults alike, all laughing and enjoying Walt’s dream.

You see, it was at Disney World that I could begin to see life from a very different perspective. For me, it was in January 2012; we came and as I hugged Eeyore at the Crystal Palace, I found that I could laugh again. I could feel my heart smile again after losing my husband to cancer 2 years earlier. For that, I am forever grateful that one man, Walt Disney, dared to dream.

Main Street

Day 39- Animal Kingdom & Sanaa

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We decided to go to Animal Kingdom today, it is our 39th day in a row! It is a beautiful sunny day as we park and walk to the gate. I love how friendly the people are at Disney and the cast members are so wonderful! We stop at the stroller rental to see their pin stroller, and then go around the Oasis.

We get to Discovery Island and stop to look at the kangaroos! As we watched, there were two male kangaroos sparring! It was so cool to see how they use their tails to balance as they spar and box with each other. Their tails are so very strong as the boxing and balancing is happening. What a wonderful thing to get to see and experience! As I was watching, there was a vulture sitting near the kangaroos, and it looked like it was refereeing; the moment seemed so surreal.

I wanted to find how to get to the other side of the kangaroos. We found the path that wraps around to the other side, and watched the kangaroos hanging out in the shade.

Do you see the walrus?

You can hear the music of Africa as we head over the bridge. This evening is cooler with the sun beginning to set.

Russel and Dug!

We walk for a while and as we are going back across the bridge to the Oasis, there are so many birds roosting in the trees. I love seeing so many ibis in one area. If you watch for a short while, they will flutter around and sit on another limb of the trees, or a stalk of bamboo. Beautiful!

Now? I think that Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge would be a great place to get dinner! It is beautiful to see the animals that are right outside. First, you can see them through the windows, and then, you can go out onto a walkway and watch as they eat and move through the large open area. If it is late at night and chilly, there will be a fire in the fire pit.

Gluten Free Naan is our favorite and it has been perfected! You can get the bread service with Gluten Free Naan and 9 different dips. The flavors are so varied and delicious! It is worth the wait, and I cannot wait until we get to go again! Naan! Naan! Naan! Oh, did I say that I love Naan?

Day 38- Hollywood Studios

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Today started early as we dropped the pups off for school. Since we were out, we decided to stop by Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter to pick up some gluten free breakfast. Chef Raphael came out of the kitchen, and was happy to see us, as we got to meet him at a gluten free venue a few weeks ago! He took our order of gluten free Mickey waffles, and reminded us that they also have gluten free beignets… we had to order some beignets too! These are probably the best gluten free waffles I have ever had on Disney property, and I love the beignets! Yummy!

The weather is cooler today and we are off to Hollywood Studios! It is 85 degrees here in Florida and it is beautiful. There are blue skies and a soft wisp of clouds as you look through the palm trees.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is nice, and the crowd is light today. Yes, there are still a lot of people, but there is room to enjoy walking and looking around during the day! Toy Story Midway Mania is our first stop! The FastPass+ line is really long; a family of 16 is in front of us. I love this ride!

At Toy Story Midway Mania, I met a really nice lady and her husband. The lady was sharing about her kids and grandkids. She said that one of her daughters stayed home until she got married at age 30. The lady shared that she loved those years with her daughter being home. I had to hug her neck; she is so sweet and shared a special love for her daughters! I love meeting people and hearing their stories!

We walk towards the Brown Derby and see the Mulch, Sweat, and Shears band driving by and setting up for their concert! The other evening we got to see them play! This is a fun show to watch. However, we remember it is dinnertime, and a quick place to grab a bite to eat is Backlot Express. We go up the indoor ramp and find a nice table by the windows. I didn’t know we could see the Star Wars Jedi Training Academy through the windows! This is a great place for your kids to participate in the activities and get to be a part of the show. (Note: There is an area nearby to sign up for the show early in the day if your kids want to participate. If you ask a cast member, they can help point you in the right direction.) It is so much fun to watch!

Fish near the Little Mermaid Show!
Another fish…
Jedi Training!

QUESTION!!! How many miles will you, or can you, walk in a day at a Disney Park?

One of the cast members at Backlot Express checked to see if we were doing fine, and we got to talk for a couple of minutes. I mentioned that a little girl was asking about how far we would walk today. I told her about 2 to 4 miles! The cast member smiled, chuckled, said that you can easily walk 7 to 10 miles a day! I totally agreed with him and said that I know we have walked at least that many miles in a day before. When you start your day at a Disney resort, you can easily walk half a mile to the restaurant for coffee, and half a mile back to your room. Then, half a mile to the catch the bus, then a quarter to a half a mile from the bus to the park gate. Before you even begin to enjoy the park, you could have easily walked 1-2 miles. If your children are not used to walking 8 to 10 hours a day, a stroller might be a good choice. My good friend and her family came with children, 5 and 10 years old, and by the end of the day, the 10 year old was in the stroller and the little 5 year old was being carried to the car. If your daughter isn’t a fan of strollers, maybe call it a carriage like Cinderella uses! If you have a little boy, maybe a chariot. It works.

There’s a beautiful sunset as we leave the park!