My Disney Best of 2014

Posted on December 30, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

What a great year this has been! I’d been looking forward to 2014 and it did not disappoint. I can hardly believe it’s almost over! Two trips to Walt Disney World – one of them a second honeymoon – and a full year of blogging about my love for all things Disney made for a great big bunch of fun! Just in the last few weeks, even more exciting things have happened. I could gush about the blessings of 2014 forever, but I want you guys to hang in with me all the way to the end of the list, so I’ll narrow my happy moments down to ten of the very best!

My Disney Best of 2014

10. Best Disney Recipe at Home – I had trying a couple of recipes on this year’s Disney New Year’s Resolutions list. Hands down, those Maui Potatoes (formerly of ‘Ohana fame) were the most delicious Disney delicacy produced in my kitchen with my own little hands.

9. Most Popular Reviews – I wrote blog posts about a wide variety of topics, but by far the most popular of all those posts were the reviews of Disney’s Memory Maker. We totally blew it on the first go (review here), but gave it another chance after we learned some important lessons and totally got our money’s worth on the second try.

8. Most Relaxing Disney Moment – It was a tremendous, extravagant splurge, but worth every penny – the massage for two in the Senses Spa at the Grand Floridian.

7. Best Disney Meal – This is TOUGH! Raymond and I enjoyed Citricos (Grand Floridian) more than I can say, but because Megan and Joseph were with us for this incredible dining experience, I’m going to have to say the Flying Fish (Boardwalk) takes the top spot in this category. The atmosphere, the food, and the service (Bob!) were all impeccable. We couldn’t have had a better time anywhere on or off Disney property.

6. Best Disney Purchases – I bought some limited edition t-shirts and some great new pins and they were all pretty darn special, but my best Disney purchases this year were the new Christmas ornaments Raymond and I picked out together at Disney’s Days of Christmas in Downtown Disney. We had a great time choosing just the right mementos of our vacation then enjoyed the memories those ornaments brought to mind as we decorated our tree.

5. Best Disney Snack – I’m only making this a category because I threw myself into Disney snack consumption this year with gusto! I’m still reeling over the number of snacks I purchased and consumed in the name of research. It’s no wonder I gained a few extra pounds! The winner has to be the Croissant Donut (a.k.a. Cronut) from Epcot’s Refreshment Port. It’s the perfect snack food…but not for sharing.

4. Best New Disney Endeavor: Hosting a New Podcast – If you haven’t heard, The Disney Exchange is a brand new Disney podcast. Episodes 1 and 2 are available from all your favorite podcast sources. Listen to me. Really, go download an episode and listen to me and my buddies Nick and Dave while we debate, argue, laugh, and joke our way through discussions of our favorite Disney topics. With over 80 years of combined Disney travel experience between the three of us, sooner or later we’re bound to say something useful to someone somewhere. In the mean time, I am having a blast!

3. Priceless Family Vacation Moments – It’s pretty challenging to coordinate schedules and get the four of us on vacation together, but we pulled it off in 2014 (and will do it one more time in 2015). Those of you with small children will wonder if Disney vacations lose their magic when your kids grow up and I’m happy to tell you that in our family at least, Disney vacations have just gotten more fun. I savored every moment of our May vacation, but enjoyed the evening meals we shared together the most. Being together in the place where we’ve had so much fun through the years and created so many happy memories – looking across the table at our children and seeing the fun, happy, productive, well-adjusted adults they’ve become was indescribably special.

2. Best Disney-Induced Euphoria – Feeling Like a Kid Again – Even though I was about to turn 50 and Raymond had just turned 60, when the two of us were at Disney World in October, we were kids again. We didn’t have to be anything to anyone, we just were. Relaxed, go-with-the-flow, joking around, trying new things, meeting new people, doing what we wanted, when we wanted, soaking up the Disney magic and the joy of each other’s company. It’s good to be married to your best friend – especially one who loves Disney as much as you do!

1. Best Disney Gift – New Friends – I’ve said it many times this year in many different ways, but the Disney fan community is just amazing. I’ve met some of the nicest, funniest, most caring people you could possibly imagine. If I could change anything about this year, I would have used pixie dust to bring us all together at Disney World so I could meet everyone face to face! I was lucky enough to meet Nick and Barbie (Disney Musings) and Jane and Heather (fellow Disney Divas) and a couple of dozen other fantastic folks, but there are scores of friends yet to meet! Hello 2015!!!

What’s on your list? What were your best Disney moments of 2014?

Best Walt Disney World Foods of 2014

Posted on December 22, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

I did extensive research to come up with this list of food! See, no sacrifice is too great for you and I’m carrying around a few extra pounds to prove it. I made the most of the two-weeks-worth of Disney food consumption opportunities I had in 2014 and now organizing my thoughts on my favorite flavors and experiences is more challenging than I thought it would be. Since we rarely eat out for breakfast (we bring granola bars from home), listing foods by meal is out. I’m going with four categories: Quick Service, Table Service, Snacks, and Food & Wine Booth Foods. This is going to be fun! Surely I’m not alone in the fact that when I think about Walt Disney World, I think about food first!

Best Walt Disney World Foods of 2014

Quick Service

Overall Experience: Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom) – While I was not thrilled with the French Onion Soup or dessert, I was completely happy with the hearty and delicious braised pork (with mashed potatoes and green beans). Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie and the details in Be Our Guest take you right into the movie in a way only Disney magic can create. This restaurant offers quick service for lunch and table service for dinner. After trying both, I highly recommend lunch over dinner.

Runner Up: Gaston’s Tavern (Magic Kingdom) – The roasted pork shank is incredibly delicious. The décor is pure Gaston!

Table Service

Overall Experience: Flying Fish Café – the food and service stand out above all the other places we enjoyed this year. And that’s saying a lot! We certainly enjoyed our dinners at Sanaa, Citricos, and California Grill, but there was something special about the Flying Fish. We loved the location (on the Boardwalk), the atmosphere in the dining room, and the top shelf service. The food was delicious. From the artisanal cheese appetizer to the decadent chocolate dessert (with bacon on top!), everything was perfect.

Runner Up: Raglan Road – a perennial favorite for the food, atmosphere, and entertainment. This year’s visit was especially outstanding. Not a place for a quiet meal, it’s a little rowdy and a lot of fun.

Snacks – I consumed a LOT of snacks! Strictly for research purposes. It had to be done and I was up to the challenge. Here are the winners!

Sweet Snack (It’s a TIE!): Croissant Donut (a.k.a. Cronut) from Epcot’s Refreshment Port and Espresso Gelato “Affogato” from the Italy Pavilion. I couldn’t choose a favorite between these two. I loved them both the same. One’s a warm, flaky, cinnamon-sugar-covered morsel from heaven. The other’s cold and refreshing with a punch of espresso and cookies on top! I’ll have to try them both again on my next visit to Epcot and see if that’ll break the tie.

Savory Snack – Jalapeno Cheese Pretzel: We enjoyed this surprisingly delicious treat in Animal Kingdom. The blend of flavors was just right to make it a perfect salty snack.

Food & Wine Booths – We tried as much as we could and loved nearly everything we ate. There were many more winners than losers in our taste-testing and not a single dish went unfinished. Picking ONE best dish is very difficult, but if I have to…

Brazil’s Crispy Pork Belly – If you read about our experiences at the Food & Wine Festival, you’ll remember how much we loved this treat. A nice bit of “bacon” served on a bed of black beans. Simple yet scrumptious.

Runner Up: Pepper Bacon Hash – are you sensing a theme here? Maybe I’m pork-deprived in my everyday life. This dish from the Farm Fresh Booth tasted like something you could make at home. It combined hearty potato and bacon hash with a rich and creamy hollandaise sauce, then topped it all with a few jalapeno slices. It was rich, a little spicy, and a lot delicious!