We woke in the morning and grabbed a quick breakfast at P&J’s before heading off to HOLLYWOOD.. studios that is!
We were running a little late for park open and it was slightly stressing me out (ask Tom it was more than slightly), but I reminded myself with Tom’s help that this trip was meant to be different. We were here to relax (nearly impossible at Disney) and spend time with family. We had three FASTPASSES setup so the day would be great.
Our first FASTPASS was for Tower of Terror, but they were down to one elevator so there was a bit of a wait. As always this ride was super fun and I was a lot braver than last time. I even threw my hands in the air right before the drop.
Next up, Toy Story Midway Mania! I was so excited for my family to finally experience this ride. The last time we went as a family the traditional FASTPASS ran out so quickly and you would end up wasting your whole day in the standby line.
They loved it! The constant whipping around makes you laugh out loud and the competition aspect with the games is so much fun.
It was finally time for a early afternoon snack. My family opted for Mickey shaped pretzel, but Tom and I couldn’t resist the smell of the popcorn.
Before our last FASTPASS I insisted on going to Muppet Vision 3D. There are rumors that it may go away in the future and I didn’t want to miss out on it. It’s one of my favorite attractions.
The last FASTPASS was for Star Tours. I sent Tom off with my brother because this ride makes me sick now. It was Tom’s first time on the ride and even though it made him a little sick he thought it was pretty cool.
Back at Fort Wilderness my mom and I got ready for our tea party at the Grand Floridian. The boys planned to hang by the pool and play around with the golf cart. Later on, we would meet up at EPCOT for Food and Wine.
Entering the Grand Floridian instantly takes me back to my childhood. It is the hotel where my grandparents would have us stay. It is so beautiful and special. It is worth just stopping in and taking a peak.
Our reservation for afternoon tea at the Garden View Tea Room was for 3:30, so we decided to pop in a few shops to kill time. The Grand Flo has some very nice shopping.
Once checked in for our tea, we were seated and ordered the standard package for 2. The package included 2 teas (1 for each of us), a selection of finger sandwiches, scones, and a dessert. My mom ordered the strawberries and cream and I selected the mini pastries. It costs about $35 a person and you can add on things like cheese, champagne, and caviar for additional costs.
This is an incredible Disney experience. The food and tea are delightful. We felt like we were in Downton Abby. It was a great atmosphere for my mom and I to talk wedding plans. Also, I now want a tea party for my shower!
Once tea was over we hopped the monorail to the transportation and ticket center to catch another monorail to EPCOT!
We met up with the boys and headed straight over to a kiosk to purchase gift cards (a recommended food and wine tip so you can quickly purchase all your treats) and to pickup our free festival passport so we know which food we want to try.
The evening started out rainy, but slowed up just as we ordered our first item. Let me start out by saying we didn’t try a bad thing. Everything, though not perfect, was delicious. Oh and the portions are fantastic for what you pay. Everything costs between $3-$11. Tom and I decided to share so we could try more things.
COASTAL EATS: Seared Scallops with Roasted Corn and Butterbean Succotash and Chili-Chipotle Butter Sauce – $6.00. I love seafood and Tom’s favorite kind of seafood is scallops, so it’s safe to say we really loved this dish. It was light and flavorful.
CHEESE STUDIO: Savory Caramelized Onion Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Tart with Cold Arugula Salad and Aged Balsamic – $4.50. This was by far the most bang for your buck! The tart is really big. The flavor is creamy and savory. The tangy balsamic helps to cut through all the heavy cheese.
CANADA: Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle – Butter Sauce – $8.00. Fielding Estate Red Conception, Niagara Peninsula – $7.00. Canada had the longest line and while the beef was very tasty and tender it was cold. The red wine was also chilled giving it very little flavor.
BRAZIL: Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Tomato and Onions – $5.75. While this was very good it was probably our least favorite item we tried that night. The pork belly could have been a bit crispier and it was very salty. It needed something to help keep it balanced.
HANSON BROTHER’S BEER: Festive Ale Saison – $8.00. Dreams really do come true in Disney World. I have been dying to try a Hanson Brother’s Beer since I heard MMMHOPS was a thing. The festive ale is brewed special for Food and Wine. It’s like a very hoppy hefeweizen.
At this point it was pouring and we were stuck waiting in the American Pavillion store. Once the rain let up enough we headed back to Fort Wilderness for the night.
The Cocho Life 