Showing posts with label Epcot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Epcot. Show all posts

Friday, February 14, 2020

2020 Epcot International Festival of the Arts


Date of Visit: January 17, 2020

The Epcot International Festival of the Arts has become probably our favorite festival, although  the only reason we like it slightly more than the Flower and Garden is that we have managed to attend most years by lucking out that it ends up at least partially during our annual family trip. This year we only managed to catch the first day of the festival as our last park day of our trip.


We started our trip through the festival with a stop at Joffrey's near Canada as it was open before the rest of World Showcase and I wanted to end up trying all the Latte and Donut pairings. In the end, this one (Impression Pairing - Blackberry Iced Latte with Blueberry donut) was my favorite mainly because of the donut.


In order to get as much in as possible, we were in line for the France booth when it opened at 11am. The Creme de Brie en Petit Pain ended up being our favorite. Mik also enjoyed the Tomato stuffed with ribs and we shared the molten chocolate cake. The macarons were a good snack for later that we picked up for others in our group, especially considering in the evening when we came back to Epcot for dinner we discovered many booths ran out of things by 6pm.


Next Mik had the Sushi Donut in Japan. He enjoyed it, but didn't feel like it was anything special other than the presentation, which actually made it harder for him to eat than normal sushi.


Mik enjoyed the Musical Float from the Fife & Drum Tavern in The American Adventure Pavilion.


He also enjoyed the red velvet donut that was part of my second latte and donut pairing (Baroque Pairing - white mocha latte and red velvet donut). At this point we were full and also had fastpasses to get to in Magic Kingdom.


After our fastpasses in Magic Kingdom, we returned to Epcot and started with my third latte & donut pairing (mocha latte and glazed donut).


For dinner, Mik didn't end up with any more festival food because what Mik wanted to try was sold out. I did, however, get my final latte and donut pairing (Modern Pairing - coconut iced latte and chocolate donut) and picked up our annual pass magnets.

Destination Info:
Epcot International Festival of the Arts
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Walt Disney World: Epcot - Walt Disney Imagineering presents the Epcot Experience


Date of Visit: January 16, 2020

Mik and I used to enjoy the Blue Sky Cellar preview exhibits at Disney's California Adventure. Thus, it was a must do for us to check out "Walt Disney Imagineering presents the Epcot Experience" this trip.


The experiencee ended up exceeding out expectations with the projection show on the Epcot model, which made it so Mik didn't feel like he was actually missing anything on the Circle Vision screens because he missed it more due to focusing on the model than because he can't turn around easy.


The Moana water trail is one of the new experiences we are looking forward to.


Mik is looking forward to maybe trying the Guardians of the Galaxy ride.


We are curious to find out what the reimagined Spaceship Earth experience will be like, but not entirely interested as it's likely to remain a transfer required ride.


The Ratatouille ride is probably what we are both most excited about as I remember enjoying the one at Disneyland Paris. We also expect it to be an accessible ride as it appears it will be similar to the Paris attraction, which is accessible. However, we aren't counting on it as we've been disappointed in pretty much every new ride in the past five years requiring a transfer and, in particular, had really expected the Avatar boat ride to not require a transfer and still don't understand why they got lazy on follow through for that one.


Of course, I'm excited about Cherry Tree Lane coming to the UK Pavilion. Mik not so much. Apparently, he's had enough Mary Poppins for a lifetime ever since Mom took away my Mary Poppins VHS because I watched it constantly when he was a baby.

Destination Info:
Walt Disney Imagineering presents the Epcot Experience
Epcot
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Walt Disney World: Epcot - Coral Reef Restaurant

Date of Visit: January 16, 2020

We decided to try the Coral Reef Restaurant this trip as we'd thought the aquarium aspect would be fun, especially since the five-year-old loves aquariums. It also appealed to us that it wasn't a fixed priced like the character dining and we could eat only some courses if we preferred instead of feeling like we have to get the most for our money and making sure we're hungry enough for all the courses at the fixed priced dining.


We were immediately disappointed in the restaurant as they tried to sit us at two separate tables. Not only did we want to eat all together, but the way the tables are was difficult and crowded for the wheelchair.


Luckily, when we asked if we could sit more all together at the booths they were fine with that. That at least allowed Mik to roll up to the table more comfortable. However, it was two rather large tables that we still basically ended up feeling like we were dining as two entirely separate groups rather than as one.

The main disappointing thing, though, was the restaurant has a stepped tier design and the only accessible seating is in the back area farthest from the aquarium. Thus, we really couldn't enjoy the whole point of the restaurant, especially Mik as he ended up with his back to the aquarium, although that was our choice and probably the reason they didn't try to seat our group with a wheelchair where we decided to sit. Honestly, though, the view did seem better from the booths than the initial tables they tried to seat us at as we were farther from the wave wall and could somewhat see over it. Really though if that wave wall was just more level with the tables or a clear barrier if they want it higher for safety reasons, then it would have been better.

Overall we did enjoy the food, but there is so much different cuisines to enjoy at Epcot that it seemed a waste in the end since we didn't end up with an aquarium view experience as part of the dining as we had expected. The fact that the restaurant was very empty did make it a nice relaxing break in our day, though.

Destination Info:
Coral Reef Restaurant
Epcot
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Sunday, May 12, 2019

2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival: Fourth & Final Visit

Date of Visit: May 6, 2019


On our last visit to Epcot together this trip (I went on my own on the 7th to do rides Mik doesn't typically do), we finally got over to the penguin sculpture near Living with the Land.


We started at Taste Track with the Violet Blueberry Vanilla Croissant Doughnut, which was tasty, but makes us miss the savory croissant doughnuts we've had at the Epcot International Art Festival.


Next we enjoyed the Sugar Cane Shrimp Shewer from La Isla Fresca.


One of our favorites was the Crab and Cheese Wontons from the Lotus House in China.


In China, we also enjoyed walking around to the Zodiac Garden to see all topiaries representing the 12 zodiac signs.


Mik finished with the Toasted Pretzel Bread at the Bauernmarkt in Germany, which was another of his favorites.

Destination Info:
2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Lake Buena Vista, FL

2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival: Third Visit

Date of Visit: May 5, 2019


As we got to Epcot before the food booths opened at 11am this day, we started by going through the gardens in the United Kingdom while the World Showcase was still pretty much entirely empty. The English Tea Garden is interesting in that it has the different plants that are used in different Twinnings teas growing in teacup shaped pots.


What we found most interesting, though, was the Shakespeare Garden. This area had signs with lines from different Shakespeare plays along with the plants mentioned in the lines.


For food on this visit, we started at the Northern Bloom in Canada. Mik had the Seared Scallops, which he thought were okay. He liked my Maple Popcorn Shake more.



Next at the Flavor Full Kitchen, Mik enjoyed the Cookie Butter Worms and Dirt, which ended up being his favorite beverage this year, while I had the Citrus-poached salmon.


We tried the Smoked Salmon Stack at Arbor next, which neither of us liked much mainly because it seemed too salty.


Mik enjoyed the Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob from Trowel & Trellis as our final stop this visit. We ended up with two cobs because the guy serving them said they were small.

Destination Info:
2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Saturday, May 4, 2019

2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival: Second Visit

Date of Visit: May 4, 2019


For our second visit to the 2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, we focused on the areas at the beginning of the World Showcase. Our first stop was the Citrus Bloom, where we tried the lobster tail, which we liked the taste of, but found hard to get off the shell as tends to be the norm for lobster...


Next we stopped at the Honey Bee-stro. Mik enjoyed the honey-peach cobbler freeze and the chicken flatbread.


Nearby we checked out the Goodness Garden Butterfly House. There's lots of butterflies to see, but not that interesting to us because it just seemed like they were mostly flying by the netting trying to get out.


Next we stopped by the Gardeners Terrace where Minnie's Garden Party is going this weekend only. Here we picked up the button they were giving out and also tried the fried green tomatoes at Arbor, which Mik didn't like, but I got them mainly for me and I liked them except the paprika oil does make them spicy.


Our last stop was dessert from Pineapple Promenade. Mik had the pineapple soft-serve ice cream and I had the desert violet lemonade (sadly my flower blew away as I was carrying the items back to Mik).


On the way out of Epcot to park hop over to Magic Kingdom, we stopped for a photo because Mik wanted one with his Darth Vader socks for Star Wars Day. We were going to do a photo in Hollywood Studios earlier in the day, but we were just done with the park after discovering that we couldn't use our Toy Story Mania fastpass because the wheelchair accessible vehicle was down.

Destination Info:
2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Thursday, May 2, 2019

2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival


Date of Visit: May 2, 2019

Every year we talk about wanting to go to the Flower & Garden Festival again. We'll go next year turned into five years since the last time we went mainly because we started doing an annual extended family trip every January (once it was February) and then it just seemed too soon to go again for the Flower & Garden (or we were doing Destination D for our just us WDW trip for the year).


As we started our day in Hollywood Studios with Toy Story Mania fastpasses, we entered Epcot between the UK and France pavilions. After hanging out in the gift shop by the entrance for the rain to let up, we decided to start in France where Mik had one of his favorites from before - the duck confit. We also enjoyed the chilled cucumber soup.


Next we enjoyed a key lime tart and a watermelon cucumber slush (my favorite thing we had today) at Florida Fresh between France and Morocco.


Next Mik had the shredded beef brisket with smoked potato from The Smokehouse in American Adventure. He didn't particularly enjoy it, but we did like the sunflower topiaries with Mickey and Minnie.


After the brisket, Mik was full so we just strolled through the rest of World Showcase making note of what we might want to try later this week. Of course, we also strolled through Mik's favorite part of Epcot - the Romantic Road in Germany.



We also enjoyed checking out the various topiaries with my favorite being Huey, Dewey, and Louie.


Destination Info:
2019 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 2018



Date of Visit: November 12, 2018

We actually planned to go to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival last year, but had to cancel our trip due to a hurricane. This year we didn't plan to go and ended up catching the last day of it as it seems like it ran much longer this year than normal.


We started at The Cheese Studio with Braised Beef 'Stroganoff' for Mik and Cheese Trio for me. The stroganoff ended up being Mik's favorite.


Mik also really like the seating area by The Cheese Studio as he could actually use it, unlike the high tables they mainly have available around the festival.


Next Mik had the Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle and I had the Twining's Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea and Chocolate Shake from The Art of Pairing.



At the Austrlia booth, we shared the Grilled Sweet and Spicy Bush Berry Shrimp, which was my favorite of what we tried.


Finally, we tried the Warm Indian Bread with three dipping sauces. Mik mainly liked it for the bread, but did also like the coriander pesto dip.


Before leaving we made sure to stop at the Festival Center to get our passholder magnet and check out the chocolate sculptures (and get our free Ghiradelli square because not like we didn't still have leftovers from the Disney Cruise last month...).

Overall glad we at least got to experience the festival a little this year. Really wish we could've come four days during it, though, and got the passholder cutting board!

Destination Info:
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot


Date of Visit February 6, 2017

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall has been on our list to try for awhile. We even had a reservation to go on one of our trips last year, but decided to cancel a few days before because we weren't sure about the whole character dining aspect. To some extent, I am glad we saved it for this trip as at least we had one person into the princesses/characters, but I also kind of wish we had already done this place and realized it isn't worth it when it was just us and done something different (i.e. at least cheaper and likely much better experience) for our larger family trip.


The main thing that appealed to us about Akershus is the Norwegian inspired menu. It didn't really disappoint in this regard, especially for the meatball lovers. However, I had thought it was entirely a buffet and it was only the appetizers that were. This didn't bother us so much except that it was fixed price per person and then dessert was a specific trio of desserts for the table rather than each ordering your own or a buffet.


We were mainly disappointed in Akershus because there wasn't much of a character experience, which was why we had chosen to even do this restaurant after we took too long to plan dining and couldn't do the character breakfast we wanted. There are several princesses that come by, so the number of characters is nice. However, they seemed to be in a rush and there was barely time to have them sign the autograph book and take a photo with the kid. Thus, by the time the kid got used to the concept they were already done. All other places we've done the character dining with her, the characters came around more than once. I kind of remember this was the same way the time Mik, my Dad, and I ate at Cinderella Royal Table, but at least there you have a fun castle atmosphere and we had service.

One of the reasons we did not like Akershus was the price. We knew that going in it would be expensive, but somewhere I had gotten in my head that lunch was never more than $50 and it was $57 per person (at least that was before the annual pass discount). The price wouldn't have really bothered us if at the same time we had gotten the character experience we expected (or even just some attentive service...never saw waiter after ordering until they were trying to rush us to finish and clear the table at end, so drinks never got refilled, and they force you to pay 18% gratuity for nothing).

Add to all that, they squeezed way too many tables into the space that it is almost impossible to even dine there with Mik. In order to get him into the table I had to lift and slide the chair sideways up to his spot. It wouldn't have been too bad if it was a regular table dining experience, but since there is a buffet aspect it was extremely annoying to get out around him (and almost impossible). This was the only reason we were glad the whole meal wasn't a buffet, but then we kind of wish none of it was.

Bottom line is I better just book that character breakfast six months out next year. Also, for princesses, Mik and I recommend Cinderella Royal Table over this. I don't remember the food being anything special and we had the characters skip us, but we still really enjoyed that dining experience simply for the castle atmosphere.

Destination Info:
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Epcot
Lake Buena Vista, FL