"Sip, Snack & Save the World" TR -- January 7-14, 2010 - COMPLETED 1/31 - Page 4 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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We woke up around 8:00 and went to the hotel gym to work out. We just grabbed a protein bar for breakfast and headed out to Epcot. We entered through the International Gateway and headed to Future World. We had so much fun doing Kim Possible on our trip with the kids in June that we wanted to do it again, so we stopped at the recruiting station on the bridge between Future World and World Showcase and were told to report to the KP station near Norway at 12:15.
Then we headed straight to Mission Space. The line was pretty short, maybe 10 or 15 minutes. We got lined up in the ante room and watched the Gary Sinise video, but then no CMs came to get us to bring us into simulator. Hmmmm, that's odd. Finally, the doors behind us opened a CM said they were experiencing technical difficulties with the ride. DH and I began to wonder if we were emitting some type of electromagnetic radiation that was causing all of the rides to break down -- this was the 3rd ride on the trip that stopped working when it was our turn! Actually, I'm not sure if it was a "technical" problem or a "biological" one. But they were able to take us over the loading bay next door and get us on the ride (but we had to re-watch the video...)
On our way out, we grabbed a Fastpass for Mission Space later for later in the day. Then we went over and rode Spaceship Earth, which is one of my favorites. By the time we finished playing around in Spaceship Earth, it was just after 11:00, so we walked over to World Showcase.
We stopped first in Mexico to check out La Cava del Tequila. We ordered the margarita flight, which had 5 mini-margaritas. DH had the blood orange, passion fruit, and jalapeno margaritas. The jalapeno one was really something! Thankfully, he likes spicy stuff. I had the cucumber and the avocado margarita. I had heard that the avocado margarita was good, but I admit it sounded disgusting to me. It was actually quite tasty and was probably my favorite of the 5.
In order from L to R: Avocado, Jalapeno, Passion Fruit, Cucumber, Blood Orange
We did some shopping the pavilion, then headed over to Norway.
We picked up our Kimmunicator at the KP station near Norway, then rode the Maelstrom before completing the KP mission in Norway. Because so much of the mission happened to center around the Kringla bakery, we decided to go in and try something from the bakery, which we had never eaten at before. I had heard so many things about the school bread that I decided I had to try it, so we bought one and split it. It was yummy!
Next we headed over to China. DH loves, loves, loves pot stickers, so we stopped in at Lotus Blossom Cafe for some pot stickers (and a Tsing Tao beer for DH). I got hot tea because I was so cold. We completed the KP mission in China, then watched the Reflections of China movie. There was so much we had not explored in the pavilion before, and we really tried to take our time on this trip to spend more time looking around at some of the pavilions we had not explored in depth.
It's funny because World Showcase is probably our single favorite area in any park at Disney, but we tend to rush from one familiar thing to another without slowing down to explore. Kim Possible actually proved to be a good aid to help us do this. Did you know there is a terra cotta warrior display in the China pavilion? Well, many of you probably did know that, but it was new to us!
Next stop was Germany, where we started our Wine Walk in the Weinkellar. If you're not familiar with it, for the Wine Walk, you can go the wine shop in Germany, Italy or France, pay $20 per person and that entitles you to samples of 2 different wines in each of the 3 countries. You get a passport that the wine shops will stamp whenever you've sampled each particular wine. We very much enjoyed the 2 rieslings we had in Germany, which was a bit of surprise because we are mostly red wine drinkers.
The wine shop in Germany also offers a wine flight. We noticed that the wine flight offered ice wine, which we had heard some good things about, so we decided to try a wine flight as well. That entitled us to 3 more wines. The ice wine is sweet dessert wine. I'm not big on dessert wines, but this was pretty good. We thought my MIL would like it, so we bought a bottle for her and had it sent to the front gate.
Next, we headed to Italy. We went to the wine shop and got our 2 wines for the Wine Walk. One was pinot grigio that was super dry. I didn't really care for it. The other wine was a sweet, sparkling rose. It wasn't great, but it was an interesting flavor and the bubbles made it kind of fun. We went out on the plaza to enjoy our wine and, while we were there, the World Showcase players came and put on their production of Romeo and Edna. They picked 3 people from the audience to participate, and it was really fun to watch.
After that, we moved on the American Adventure where we caught the tail end of the singing group in the rotunda before moving on the attraction, which always makes me teary eyed.
Next stop: Japan. We had hoped to catch a show by Matsuriza, the drummers that DH loves so much, but they weren't playing right then. In keeping with our vow to explore the pavilions more in depth, we walked all the way to the back of the pavilion. Mostly, we had always stayed in the Mitsukoshi store and had not looked all the way in the back of the pavilion. Lo and behold, we found a sake bar back there! They had tasting samples, so we decided to try it. Because neither of us is really that into sake, we ordered a sake off the premium menu.
While we sipped our sake, we talked with a young couple in the 20s who were drinking their way around the world. He was knowledgeable about sake, so we chatted with them a bit. DH didn't care for the sake, but I actually liked it, so I ended up drinking half of us his in addition to mine. Because I hadn't really eaten much all day, the sake REALLY got to me and I was a little tipsy! I was suddenly starving, so we went into Yakitori House, another new CS place for us. I got a California Roll that I don't remember much about other than that it was yummy and I ate a lot of wasabi!
We went through Morocco and stopped in one of the shops where I bought a bracelet. Just as we left the shop, Mo'Rockin started to play, so we stopped to listen and to watch the belly dancer.
It was getting late, so we skipped France and went to complete the KP mission in the UK. The funniest part was when I had to go into the tea shop and say to the CM there, "Danger is my cup of tea." I won't spoil it by telling you what happened, in case anyone wants to do the KP mission.
After that, we returned our Kimmunicator and headed back to Future World to use our FP for Mission Space. We picked up our ice wine package from the front gate and boarded a bus to AKL for dinner at Sanaa.
Dinner was so delicious! We were lucky to have a table by the window, but it was 8:00 and too late to see anything. We ordered the appetizer sampler, which had two samosas, some pulled duck in red curry sauce over a pilaf rice cake, and roasted cauliflower. All were good, even the cauliflower, which I don't normally care for. For dinner, DH had a steak (the theme continues...) and I had the beef short ribs, shrimp in green curry and jasmine rice. We also got an assortment of Indian breads.
Appetizer sampler: Roasted Cauliflower, Pulled Duck in Red Curry and Potato & Pea Samosas
Entree: Beef Short Ribs, Jasmine Rice, Shrimp in Green Curry
Bread sampler
We then had to figure out how best to get back to BC from AKL. We asked our waiter, who confirmed our thought that the best bet would be to catch a bus back to MK, then take a bus from MK to BC. I wanted to stop and ask the hotel concierge also, but she was tied up with other guests and we got tired of waiting. So we headed out into the cold and waited about 10 or 15 minutes for a MK bus.
When one finally arrived, there were some people standing at the front steps talking to the bus driver, so we headed for the rear door to board the bus. DH got on and then, as I started to get on, the bus driver shut the door in my face. I thought maybe he just didn't know I was there, so I headed back to the front to try to board. He wouldn't let me on the bus and started yelling at me, asking why we wanted to get on the bus. We said we were trying to get back to MK so we could take a bus back to our hotel. He continued yelling at us and telling us that MK was closed and we had to take the bus to Downtown Disney.
I was so embarrassed that he had screamed at us in front of a bus full of other guests when we hadn't intentionally done anything wrong. And I was super angry about the fact that he had slammed the rear door on me apparently on purpose and that he spoke to us like that. I don't feel that it's appropriate for anyone to behave like that, but especially a Disney CM.
We waited a few more minutes for a bus to Downtown Disney, then had to switch buses there to get back to BC. The trip took us 52 minutes. Argh! I really wish Disney would find a more efficient way to travel between resorts. I was still angry when we got back to the resort, so I went to the front desk to lodge a complaint. It just so happened that the resort manager was at the front desk helping another CM with a computer issue and he was very kind and understanding and apologized for the way we had been treated. Just getting it off my chest to an understanding CM helped me feel much better.
That night, we started talking about the couple we met in Japan who was drinking around the World. As we looked back on our day, we realized that we had essentially completed half of that feat already. So, DH decided it would be fun to start over the next day and have a drink in every country in World Showcase. I knew I was too much of a lightweight to survive that, so I decided to snack my way around the world while he drank. And then we thought the crowning achievement would be to also complete all 7 Kim Possible missions while we ate and drank around Epcot. With our plan laid out, we headed to bed!
That bus driver makes me MAD- just thinking about it! That's ridiculous- I think I would have been in tears......... Glad the manager at the front desk was nice and I hope the bus driver was dealt with!
On another note, how cool is that terra cotta army display! I have never noticed that; I'll be sure to look for it when we are there in March!
Your day at Epcot sounds so enjoyable as well as tasty! The meal at Sanaa had me ready to have dinner there again, but I'll have to wait until June. Sorry about the grouchy bus driver!
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Boy, your day in EPCOT sounds perfect to me, and your next day's plans too! What fun!
I really want to try JellyRolls when we are staying at the BC in a few weeks. Is there a charge to get in?
And now I have to try a Margarita Flight, and the wine walk too! Geez, you are such a bad influence!
And I love the Terra Cotta Warriors, did you see an exhibit in Japan?, they have a nice little museum in the back too. In the past we have seen displays about Baseball and Tin Toys. I can't remember what is there now.
Can't wait to read more!
__________________
Donning my Wellies to cut Peat in Scotland
Melissa
That bus driver makes me MAD- just thinking about it! That's ridiculous- I think I would have been in tears......... Glad the manager at the front desk was nice and I hope the bus driver was dealt with!
On another note, how cool is that terra cotta army display! I have never noticed that; I'll be sure to look for it when we are there in March!
It's in a building to the right of Lotus Blossom and Nine Dragons, in front of the shops and to the left of the Circlevision movie. There's a lion on either side of the doorway. Enjoy!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Sorry about the bus driver! What a great time you had in Epcot with all the wines and sake! And a great meal at Sanaa as well!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cam22
Your day at Epcot sounds so enjoyable as well as tasty! The meal at Sanaa had me ready to have dinner there again, but I'll have to wait until June. Sorry about the grouchy bus driver!
In reading back over my TR, we sound like alcoholics! In reality, we don't really drink all that much. But being without the kids and being able to walk back to our hotel freed us up to drink more than we normally would!
And that meal at Sanaa was out of this world. I can't wait to go back!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MGW
Boy, your day in EPCOT sounds perfect to me, and your next day's plans too! What fun!
I really want to try JellyRolls when we are staying at the BC in a few weeks. Is there a charge to get in?
And now I have to try a Margarita Flight, and the wine walk too! Geez, you are such a bad influence!
And I love the Terra Cotta Warriors, did you see an exhibit in Japan?, they have a nice little museum in the back too. In the past we have seen displays about Baseball and Tin Toys. I can't remember what is there now.
Can't wait to read more!
There was a $10/person cover charge at Jellyrolls. If you want a table, I'd recommend heading over before 10:00. The crowd really picked up after 10:00p.m.
The margarita flight was good for us because we are not big tequila drinkers. I have friends here in Texas who would have gone for the tequila flight in a heartbeat instead of the margaritas. I'm telling you -- the avocado margarita will surprise you!
We did also go to that museum in Japan. It has a photography exhibit in it right now. That whole back area is so serene. I can't believe we never saw it before!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lazanya
Great day at Epcot, especially with the wine tastings! Sorry about the mean bus driver.
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Originally Posted by Russi01
Love the update. Sorry you had a awful CM. Glad that you were able to talk to someone about it. Keep the updates coming. Really enjoy them.
We woke up around 8:00 and went to the gym to work out. To be honest, if I really had any idea what was in store, I should have worked out much longer to create a bigger calorie deficit at the beginning of the day!
Let me also preface this by saying that we do not normally drink a lot. A few glasses of wine a week would be average for DH and even less for me. But I am a foodie and always game to try something new to eat.
Our plan was to eat ( that would be me) and drink (that would be DH) our way around the World Showcase while completing all 7 Kim Possible missions. We arrived at Epcot around 11:45, signed up for KP, then headed to Mexico. La Cava del Tequila didn't open until noon, so we took the Grand Fiesta boat ride to kill time.
When we got off the boat, La Cava was open. It was noon. We had an ADR at Le Cellier at 6:35. So we had 6.5 hours to complete our quest for world domination.
Mexico: La Cava del Tequila
Sip: Chinaco Emperador Extra Anejo Tequila -$55 for one shot!
Snack: Beef flautas and a non-alcoholic drink called a pinata (like a smoothie).
Our waitress was very nice and taught us a little bit about tequila and the different aromas you could smell in the different parts of the glass. The tequila, by the way, was served in a small glass similar to what you would serve port in. It was not in a typical shot glass. DH ordered the most expensive tequila on the menu because (a) we are not tequila drinkers and he figured we should go for the good stuff, and (b) we have friends at home who are serious tequila drinkers, so he wanted to be able to tell them what a $55 shot of tequila tastes like.
The flautas were super yummy -- nice and crispy and filled with just the right amount of beef and topped with black beans and guacamole.
Our bill for one shot of tequila, one order of flautas and one non-alcoholic drink? $75. Holy moly -- this is going to be an expensive trip around the world!
Norway: Beer Kiosk and Kringla Bakery
Sip: Carlsberg beer in a souvenir mug
Snack: Lefse
DH found a cart in the Norway pavilion selling Carlsberg beer in a souvenir mug, so be bought that while I headed into Kringla. Since we had tried school bread the day before, I wanted something different. I went back and forth between the lefse and the Cloudberry Horn, but ultimately decided on the lefse. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it is potato bread filled with cinnamon, butter and sugar. It was okay, but the bread was a bit dry, particularly toward the edges where there was no filling.
One thing I had never seen before in the Norway pavilion was the statue of marathon runner Grete Waitz. Since DH was there to run the Goofy Challenge, I had to get a photo of the two of them together!
China: Lotus Blossom Cafe
Sip: Tsing Tao beer
Snack: Pork egg rolls
DH got a Tsing Tao beer. He wanted it in the bottle, but they had to pour it in a plastic cup. Maybe they can't hand out a glass bottle in the park? I am a sucker for egg rolls, so that's what I ordered. When I was little, my Chinese cousins from Canada used to call me the Egg Roll Queen because I loved them so much. Going into this snack around the world challenge, I told myself I would not eat an entire portion of anything. Yeah, well, that went right out the window in China. I devoured every last morsel of those egg rolls, and I enjoyed it, darn it!
Just as we were ready to leave Lotus Blossom, I saw Mulan pass by, so I ran to get in line for a photo with her. I had never seen her in the parks before, so this was a special treat!
Germany: Sommerfest
Sip: Spaten Oktoberfest beer (in a souvenir mug -- again!)
Snack: Bratwurst on a roll (no sauerkraut) with Gulden's mustard
After one shot of tequila and 2 beers, with a 3rd beer in hand, DH was feeling pretty happy. You know that little miniature village at the Germany pavilion? DH thought it would be funny if our photo in Germany was one of him about the crush the village with his giant beer. Beerzilla, if you will. Just as I was trying to snap the photo, this little kid walked up to DH and looked at him and looked down at the village with this puzzled look on his face. He could not figure out what this crazy beer-drinking adult was doing! It was hilarious.
The bratwurst was good, but the roll was a bit dry. I enjoyed it with the Gulden's mustard. I think that really made a nice flavor combination with the brat.
Time for a break!
We were to pick up our KP mission at the station near Italy. We thought this would give us a good opportunity to digest some of the food and drink, so we picked up our Kimmunicator and headed back to Mexico. We saved Kim Possible from the volcano in Mexico, beat the evil fashion designer Camille Leon in Norway, found the jade monkey and defeated monkey ninjas in China and found Dementor in Germany.
Italy: Gelato Kiosk and Enoteca Castello
Sip: Chianti from the wine shop where we sampled the Wine Walk wines the previous day. I didn't go into the store with DH, so I didn't get the name of the wine.
Snack: Chocolate gelato on a cone from a kiosk in the Italy pavilion.
Unfortunately, the Tutto Italia dessert cart was closed. I was hoping for a cannoli!
Up next: Our Alfred Hitchcock moment at The American Adventure, return to the sake bar, bonus drinks in France and much more!
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Pixie Dust
I was suddenly starving, so we went into Yakitori House, another new CS place for us. I got a California Roll that I don't remember much about other than that it was yummy and I ate a lot of wasabi!
PassPorter Guide Author
What a great time you had in Epcot with all the wines and sake! 
Sorry about the grouchy bus driver!
Deb
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