Partners in Crime do Food and Wine! A PTR - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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I'm sorry you had a panic attack over the tickets, but I had to chuckle bc I messed up some tickets one time for a kids concert(The Doodlebops )and ended up buying the for the wrong city! I wanted tickets for Greensboro, but bought them for Fayetteville. (Around a 3 hrs drive for us, if I remember correctly)
Then, to "fix" my mistake, I turned right around and bought them for Greensboro thinking I could sell the Fayetteville ones. Dh said we'd just go to both. Needless to say, we were very tired of the Doodlebops after those two shows. My dh couldn't believe I bought tickets for the wrong city.LOL I was just so excited bc they were really good seats. You'd better believe I triple check everything now.
Anyway, I am loving your ptr! I can't wait to read more.
to all commenters and readers (yes, including for the lurkers. I've lurked on many a forum). I'm glad y'all seem to be enjoying it. I'm enjoying writing it, especially since it gives me something Disney-related to DO as I wait impatiently for our FP+ window to open.
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"Why do we have to grow up? I know more adults who have the children's approach to life...They are not afraid to be delighted with simple pleasures..." --Walt Disney
When it came to picking restaurants for this trip, the main things I kept in mind were a) Marq doesn't eat red meat, and b) he loves seafood/sushi. I do too, so that works out just fine! The red meat thing had me reconsider Le Cellier. I've never been and it's on my wishlist…but it just didn't seem right to take the non-red meat eater (who is funding this trip AND entrusted all of the dining decisions to me) to a steakhouse. Yeah, yeah, they serve more than steak, I know, it's the principle of the thing. Besides, we'll likely be eating at the F+WF booths exclusively at Epcot.
So, this trip became something of a tour of my favorite dining venues. I WANT to try new things but I also get so excited about sharing my favorites with people who haven't experienced them before. I mentioned in a previous post about wanting to plan a variety of meal experiences and I think I've done that!
Mon 10/24
Lunch: The Mara
Because we're taking the train, our arrival time isn't set in stone. I figure planning to just grab some QS at the resort would be the simplest solution. It needs to be light, though, because I have plans for a snack in the studios…
Snack: Starring Rolls Café
As a Disney Food Blog reader, I think it's probably almost criminal that I have not gone to Starring Rolls for cupcakes before. They have some amazing looking ones like a red velvet cheesecake cupcake. Yeah, that's happening. I'm also going to check to see if the Writer's Stop still has carrot cake cookies (I also heard they might be found at the candy shop?) There's no way I'll be able to eat one after a cupcake, but I'll grab one for later and I MUST get one to bring home to my father, a carrot cake connoisseur if there ever was one. If you aren't familiar, the WS Carrot Cake Cookie is like a whoopie pie. Two cake-like carrot cake cookies with a TON of delicious cream cheese frosting sandwiched between. It is HEAVEN, guys.
Dinner: Boma, 7:35p
HS closes at 7p Monday night, so we'll be able to stay at least near-ish to close and still get back to the resort in time to make our ADR (although, this may change if the Star Wars fireworks get an extended run. Right now, they aren't scheduled). There's just nothing like Boma. I love the wide variety of authentic foods, the boisterous atmosphere- everything. Just smelling Boma as you pass the restaurants in the evening is intoxicating. I think Marq will love the African cuisine, especially since it's not a readily available thing around here. Eating at our resort means we can have a chill evening. There may very well be some South African wine consumption this night. Not too much though, since we're hitting rope drop at MK in the morning.
Tue 10/25
Lunch: Be Our Guest Restaurant, 11:05a
Belle is my favorite Disney princess. I utterly adore her and I think that eating inside the Beast's castle is magical beyond belief. It's more special to me even than Cinderella's Royal Table, because it puts me inside the most dazzling place in my favorite Disney movie. On top of all that, the food is really good, so it's a must-do. To be honest, this is a somewhat more selfish choice, but I still think Marq will find the setting to be very cool (and the food delicious).
Snack: Dole Whip Floats
Because they are classic and amazing. I'm technically (mildly) allergic to pineapple, but I indulge in a pineapple dole whip float once per Disney trip. It gives me a kinda itchy throat for as long as it lasts but it's SOO worth it.
Dinner: Kona Café 6:40p
I tried Kona Café for the first time with my mother on my last Disney trip. I had wanted to go to Ohana but they were booked. I'm almost glad they were, now. Kona café serves the same pineapple bread and you can order the sticky wings (which I did. They were delicious) as an appetizer. It was so, so much quieter and we had great service from our server and our chef. It was a leisurely, laid back meal that was perfect after a day in the parks. The quality of the food and the service was just as good as what I've received at signature restaurants- even if the atmosphere and plating weren't quite as luxurious as, say, California Grill.
This was a no-brainer for this trip because Kona Café serves tasty sushi AND ridiculous, island themed drinks. Marq is an unabashed fan of girly drinks, so we are going to have some fun with colorful, frilly alcohol. I'm ordering him a Lapu Lapu (the drink that comes in a pineapple). He doesn't even get a choice in the matter, I'm getting him one!
Wed 10/26
Lunch/Snacks/Dinner: Food and Wine Festival!
I've got the Disney Food Blog guide to F+WF pre-ordered. I definitely want to make a list of my must-eats and must-drinks so I can pace myself. Marq and I are going to ATTEMPT to drink around the world (one drink per pavillion in WS) but we're doing a modified version- we're going to split some of the drinks. There are some relatively small pours at the various booths (I think you can get a 6oz pour of beer most places? Or is it 8? ) and we have all afternoon and evening to accomplish out task, so I'm hopeful. It's not so much about getting drunk or meeting the "challenge" of having a drink per pavilion, but more about trying a wide variety of drinks. Don't get me wrong, tipsiness will happen, but I'd like us to at least stay sober enough for Marq not to mow down any pedestrians with his scooter. (My grandma didn't squash any toddlers- and that was a minor miracle- so I feel sanguine about our chances.)
Thur 10/27
Lunch: Harambe Market
It's new and it's in AK. YES. We could also hit Y+Y or FTBBQ if we prefer. So much good CS in AK. We may end up sleeping in this morning, instead, in which case we'll probably just hit the Mara again.
Dinner: Columbia Harbor House
Before the time of BoG, CHH was the best CS in MK. It might have lost first place, but it's still tasty, affordable, fast, and often quite pleasant to sit in if you head upstairs. I ate here all the time when I lived in Orlando. This is our MNSSHP night, so we just need some quick fuel/something on our stomachs before we start gorging on candy.
Fri 10/28
Lunch: Sanaa 1:15p
This is our rest/resort day and I figured, since Sanaa is best at lunch, this would be a great day for it! Why is Sanaa best at lunch? Because, if you're lucky, you'll be eating lunch alongside the giraffes. They set out browse for them in front of the restaurant windows in order to tempt the within the tourists' eye line. Even at lunch you aren't guaranteed giraffe sightings but that's fine because the food is amazing. I always get the Spicy Durban Shrimp. I know there are other delicious things, but I DREAM about that buttery green sauce. :yum:
Dinner: Earl of Sandwich (maybe)
If we're feeling rested and/or adventurous, we might head out to Disney Springs in the evening. If we do, you KNOW we're eating at EoS. No explanation needed; that place rocks.
Sat 10/29
Lunch: Tiffins 11:30a
A NEW signature restaurant in AK?!?! Yes. Just…yes. We're planning on doing the morning EMH here, so I imagine we'll be ready for food AND a rest by 11:30. It's their earliest reservation slot, so I'm hoping it will be relatively quiet. We'll probably do the crazy rushing from attraction to attraction thing during EMH but after that we can go at a more leisurely pace, which is so much better. AK is so beautifully themed and detailed. It really is best savored. What better way to set the tone for that than by a signature meal?
In fact, this is our only signature meal of the trip. I didn't do that on purpose and it kind of surprised me, since Marq has basically given me carte blanche to plan any dining I wish. A lot of my favorites, it turns out, are one-credit TS restaurants. Signature meals involve a lot more fuss and, while I do enjoy the signature dining experience, it can get frankly tiring when you have them day after day. Tastiness of the food is, at the end of day, the most important thing to me and there is, luckily, delicious food in every price range offered on property.
Dinner: Beaches and Cream 6:10p
Ok, so this is kind of a weird choice here (since we're spending the day at AK) and it MAY change. I made the ADR back when the park was slated to close at 5. Now it's open til seven and I'm HOPING it will get extended later so we can see the evening stuff. We'll probably be taking an afternoon break if they do, though. So, I'm currently thinking that we'll taxi from AKL to the Beach Club (it's just so much faster than taking Disney transportation between resorts), eat dinner, and then bus from BC to AK. I would really like to keep this ADR because I didn't make it on our last trip. I'm mostly just here for a No Way Jose (which may be all I need after our Tiffins lunch!) although their food is simple and tasty if we decide we need something more substantial first. B+C was high on the list of places to take Marq because of its location (Beach Club is fun to visit!) and the opportunity to show him the best sundaes on property (although the Ghiradelli sundaes are not to be sneezed at).
Sun 10/30
Brunch: Crystal Palace 10:10a
Our one and only breakfast ADR! I don't think there's anything better for the departure day blues than a visit with Pooh and his friends. I feel like everyone should do a character meal at least once, and this one is great. Sure, it's super loud, but the buffet is excellent and…and…Pooh!
Also, I personally prefer fur character interactions to face character interactions. I can usually get myself sufficiently into the Disney magic with all characters but it still gets awkward with face characters sometimes. This doesn't happen to me with WtP characters. Partially, I think, because I loved Pooh so much when I was very small, it immediately puts me in that Disney space. Believe it or not, I wasn't really much of a princess fan until I was an adult (I didn't know who Aurora was until I was planning my first Disney vacation). I seriously considered doing Ohana for breakfast instead (Marq and Stitch have a lot in common; I think they'd bond.) but the selection of food there seems pretty limited if a person doesn't eat pork.
Linner: Coral Reef 4:00p
Yes, linner. It's a thing. This was a more recent addition. I thought both the aquarium and the excellent seafood would tempt Marq and he was ALL over it. I wasn't sure where I was going to fit it in until I realized that we will be leaving much later on the train than we would have if we were traveling by plane or car. So, bam, shove Coral Reef in there.
It's not a perfect meal plan. I feel like a lot of the TS is kinda scrunched together with Wednesday and Thursday having none but I'm still pretty happy with it all the same. A couple things might shift as Disney updates their park hours/entertainment schedule but I think it's mostly a solid plan at this point.
I also realized in editing this that I sometimes explain things that your average Passporter already totally knows. I'm not insulting your intelligence! I just may share this with people who are not as Disney knowledgable and you can't say, "Of course, we're going to Sanaa for lunch and not dinner," to a muggle and expect them to have a clue about what you're talking about.
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"Why do we have to grow up? I know more adults who have the children's approach to life...They are not afraid to be delighted with simple pleasures..." --Walt Disney
So, apparently I forgot to tell Marq about Club Level (I know, shame on me ). I've told him about it now (including my experience at AKL Club Level on my last trip, 3 years ago) and he's "intrigued."
I told him that, for me personally, I don't think I get $1000 value out of CL (that's how much more it would be to upgrade). So, if we end up upgrading, it's not my fault! I just disseminated the information! I'm not "talking him into" anything.
But I would be lying if I said I wouldn't love to stay CL again...
STILL, I'M INNOCENT!!
__________________
"Why do we have to grow up? I know more adults who have the children's approach to life...They are not afraid to be delighted with simple pleasures..." --Walt Disney
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)and ended up buying the for the wrong city! I wanted tickets for Greensboro, but bought them for Fayetteville. (Around a 3 hrs drive for us, if I remember correctly) 
My dh couldn't believe I bought tickets for the wrong city.LOL I was just so excited bc they were really good seats. You'd better believe I triple check everything now. 
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Pixie Dust
to all commenters and readers (yes, including 
for the lurkers. I've lurked on many a forum). I'm glad y'all seem to be enjoying it. I'm enjoying writing it, especially since it gives me something Disney-related to DO as I wait impatiently for our FP+ window to open. 
Yeah, that's happening. I'm also going to check to see if the Writer's Stop still has carrot cake cookies (I also heard they might be found at the candy shop?) There's no way I'll be able to eat one after a cupcake, but I'll grab one for later and I MUST get one to bring home to my father, a carrot cake connoisseur if there ever was one. If you aren't familiar, the WS Carrot Cake Cookie is like a whoopie pie. Two cake-like carrot cake cookies with a TON of delicious cream cheese frosting sandwiched between. It is HEAVEN, guys. 
Not too much though, since we're hitting rope drop at MK in the morning.
) and we have all afternoon and evening to accomplish out task, so I'm hopeful. It's not so much about getting drunk or meeting the "challenge" of having a drink per pavilion, but more about trying a wide variety of drinks. Don't get me wrong, tipsiness will happen, but I'd like us to at least stay sober enough for Marq not to mow down any pedestrians with his scooter. 
This doesn't happen to me with WtP characters. Partially, I think, because I loved Pooh so much when I was very small, it immediately puts me in that Disney space. Believe it or not, I wasn't really much of a princess fan until I was an adult (I didn't know who Aurora was until I was planning my first Disney vacation). I seriously considered doing Ohana for breakfast instead (Marq and Stitch have a lot in common; I think they'd bond.) but the selection of food there seems pretty limited if a person doesn't eat pork.
This was a more recent addition. I thought both the aquarium and the excellent seafood would tempt Marq and he was ALL over it. I wasn't sure where I was going to fit it in until I realized that we will be leaving much later on the train than we would have if we were traveling by plane or car. So, bam, shove Coral Reef in there. 
). I've told him about it now (including my experience at AKL Club Level on my last trip, 3 years ago) and he's "intrigued."
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