Category Archives: Epcot

We’re Going to WDW – 10 Things I’m Looking Forward To!

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As mentioned before, I’m crazy excited to introduce our granddaughter to the joys of a Disney vacation. I can’t wait to see her reaction to characters, rides and all the sights, sounds, and flavors we can find for her to enjoy.

Personally, I am looking forward to quite a few things by myself. When I focus on staying “in the moment” while I’m at WDW, it’s amazing what random experiences stick in my mind as being particularly wonderful. I know what I’m most looking forward to changes for every visit, but this time the top ten are….

Drumroll, Please

10. The Electrical Water Pageant. Sure, there’s no afternoon parade in Magic Kingdom and no nighttime fireworks in the parks right now, but I’m kind of okay about it because I can still enjoy the most cheerfully ridiculous spectacle on the Seven Seas Lagoon!

9. Florida dawns and sunsets. I suppose we have some pretty amazing sunrises and sunsets in Louisiana, but I’m typically too busy to notice. Seems like when I’m at Walt Disney World I get to start and end the day with gorgeous skies and have time to soak up every moment.

8. The Ghost Host will lower my safety bar. And then I’ll get to see and hear all the things I adore in the Haunted Mansion! Madam Leota, Constance-in-the-attic, all of it! Maybe Little Leota at the exit might be my favorite. Hard to say because I love it all.

Haunted Mansion's Madame Leota

7. The smell of the lobby in Bay Lake Tower. Sure, it’s lovely when they say, “Welcome Home!”, but nothing is more welcoming to me than that special scent. It’s like a warm hug that washes away all my worries. I could be weird, but there it is.

6. Earning the lowest score on Toy Story Midway Mania. I don’t do it on purpose, but there’s a reason I have never participated in any sports requiring eye-hand coordination. Nonetheless, I love this ride! Breaking those plates is inexplicably gratifying.

5. PeopleMover. If you don’t love it, stay off of it and let the rest of us have it to ourselves. There’s not a single second of resting on that lovely blue upholstery as I cruise around Tomorrowland that I don’t love. Mr. Morrow, I can’t wait to be there!

4. Sipping and Snacking my way around World Showcase. This is the ultimate Epcot experience for me. I can shop, stroll, or sit and relax while sampling exotic fare and sipping an adult beverage. Doesn’t matter if we start in Mexico or Canada, I’m going to enjoy the trip around the World!

Italy Pavilion / Epcot's World Showcase

3. Taking a million pictures on Kilimanjaro Safaris. I’ve stopped trying to NOT do this. I can ride the Safaris five times on a single vacation and I will snap pics like I’ve never been there before. I’m convinced my family appreciates this phenomenon as just another of my many adorable quirks. And if they don’t, I don’t care. Look! An Okapi!

2. People watching from the Dawa Bar. Give me an Old Elephant Foot IPA and a place to stand. This is a great spot for soaking up the atmosphere in Africa. I don’t have very many must-do’s on every trip, but this is absolutely one of them.

And Number One…

Walking down Main Street USA. I can’t be alone here. This is probably something the majority of people love to do on a Disney vacation. It’s the ultimate I-am-back feeling. Familiar sights, sounds, and smells. The lovely air of nostalgia. There’s Cinderella Castle in all her glory…a familiar and beloved sight that will be especially welcome to these weary eyes…they’ll probably start leaking.

View of Cinderella Castle from Main Street U.S.A.

What will you be looking forward to the most on your next visit?

Walt Disney World Skyliner – Taking Flight!

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We didn’t know what to expect. For sure, I had my doubts. Would we even find Disney World’s newest form of transportation convenient? We hopped on the Skyliner and were surprised by what happened next!

Walt Disney World Skyliner – Taking Flight!

After the infamous Skyliner breakdown during its first week of operation, there was lots of chatter about Disney’s gondola system. Positives and negatives crowded social media as Walt Disney World guests took to the sky for the first time. According to many, fear of heights, motion-sickness, and concern about overheating were top reasons for avoiding the Skyliner. Raymond, Joseph and I weren’t worried about any of those things. We simply thought the Skyliner wouldn’t be a necessary option for us. We could travel between Epcot and the Studios by our customary Friendship Boat. The boats provide reliable, relaxing transport and we enjoy taking in the sights along the way.

When the time came for us to leave Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we exited the park and started walking towards the boat ramp. We noticed the Skyliner had absolutely no crowd. No wait at all! A number of signs provided instructions and other information about the gondola system. Curiosity got the best of us and we hopped right on!

Up, up and away!

What a fantastic experience! We (meaning mostly me) had fun checking out the huge variety of characters on many of the gondolas. I called out the character names as they went by (which I’m sure made Raymond and Joseph glad we had the gondolas to ourselves). We could see far in every direction as the Skyliner moved quickly along towards the transfer station. The gondolas were so well ventilated that my hair blew everywhere – swirling around my head the entire time. I promptly discovered #gondolahair and realized that if one wants to look presentable for a special dinner or other event, the Skyliner isn’t coif-friendly in any way.

We transferred gondolas to continue our trip to Epcot which was a quick and easy process. Before long we touched down outside the International Gateway and were headed for the World Showcase and those Food & Wine Festival booths. My hair may have been a bit messier than usual, but the Walt Disney World Skyliner was a pleasant surprise and a super fun mode of transportation. We can’t wait to ride it again.

Have you been on the Skyliner? What did you think about the ride? How was your hair?

Epcot International Festival of the Arts – Best Thing We Ate

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We tried a few specialty food offerings at this year’s Epcot Festival of the Arts this year. Some were good, some were great, all were certainly creative. One delectable dish stood out from the rest and I’m still thinking about how very tasty it was. (I’m trying to forget about the calories.)

Festival of the Arts, as the name implies, gives food booths and kiosks the opportunity to show off clever culinary works of art that showcase the artistry of plating and the beauty of specialty ingredients.

A great example of this was an offering from the POP EATS! booth. We chose the Sous Vide Chicken Roulade ($6.75) “Served with Apples and Sage, Warm Brie Fondue, Blueberry and Beet Gel, and Garnished with Apple and Beet Chips” This dish certainly sounded interesting (to say the least). We paired that selection with the Almond Frangipane Cake ($4.50) “Layered with Raspberry Jam and Callebaut Belgian Chocolate”.

Open-minded were we when we dug in! The chicken was delicious and none of the garnishments were overpowering. The flavors were nicely balanced. The cake (remember I don’t have a sweet tooth) was meh. I didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t great. I feel like maybe the vibrant colors were a bit off-putting as well.

Epcot Festival of the Arts – Best Thing We Ate

On each visit to Epcot, I searched for things that appealed to both Raymond and me so we could share. There was one, extra-tempting item I kept hearing about. It wasn’t located in World Showcase, but sounded exactly like a dish we would both love. We headed for Taste Track in Future World East. We didn’t even know this place existed. What did they have that we couldn’t resist? I’ll tell you – it was the best thing we ate at Festival of the Arts!

Lobster Bacon Macaroni and Cheese!

Served in a warm bread cone, this stuff was scrumptious! The temperature, texture, and flavors were perfect which seemed to me no easy accomplishment. Unless you have a shellfish allergy (I’m sorry for you, Nick and Heather) – I would not miss an opportunity to try this dish if they bring it back next year. Oh, boy, it was great. Raymond and I polished the entire thing off in mere moments. It was hard to share, but the $8.00 price tag kept us from buying a second serving.

Have you tried this Lobster Bacon Mac & Cheese? What was your favorite Festival of the Arts food?

Who Would Love Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts?

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Here in Louisiana, festivals are an entertainment staple.  Small towns and big cities alike pride themselves on offering unique experiences and some, like my personal favorite, Abbeville’s Giant Omelet Celebration have a rich history and are quite popular.  For me, there are three essential components that all festivals must do well:  Food, Music, Arts & Crafts.  Epcot’s festivals are no exception to the aforementioned rule and as one might expect, those Disney folks go all out in the three main categories.  In it’s third year, Epcot’s newest addition to the festival lineup proves (for 39 days) that Disney festivals are the best.

Who Would Love Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts?

Epcot's International Festival of the Arts

Let’s talk about the food!  It’s fancy.  13 food studios, spread throughout the park, offer hungry guests delicious and artistic selections.  In 2018 we tried a dish from the American Adventure pavilion and it was as tasty as it was good looking.  Foodies will find plenty of culinary specialties to enjoy.  See the full menu here.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

What about music?  There’s a concert series and it’s extra special.  Featuring Disney on Broadway stars, the Festival of the Arts’ concerts are uniquely different from those offered during Flower & Garden or Food & Wine.  Take a peek at this year’s lineup and tell me you wouldn’t want to give it a listen.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Arts and Crafts…well, maybe just arts.  But it’s awesome Disney art by Disney artists and it’s displayed all over the place.  Last year the weather was awful during our short visit to the festival (we were at WDW dropping Joseph off for the Disney College Program).  We felt cheated that we didn’t have more time and less rain.  We loved checking out all the art styles and wanted to buy something, but time got away from us.  I’m not letting that happen again this year.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Okay, so the Festival of the Arts checks off all the necessary boxes, but WAIT there’s MORE!  You can speak with the visiting artists and attend seminars and workshops.  Let’s not forget about Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt!  (On my must-do list.)  Also, guests can put themselves into famous art classics for excellent and hilarious photo ops. (This year, I hope to pose for photos not wearing a rain jacket!)

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Our last experience at the Festival of the Arts left us wanting more, so we’ve blocked out lots of time to enjoy all it has to offer. Stay tuned for more about the festivities when we get back.

Have you been to the Festival of the Arts? What did you enjoy the most? Is it on your Disney radar for something you’d like to do one day?