Epcot | Taryn's Mad Hatter Adventures

Tag: Epcot
- Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic at Epcot
  
  Posted at 9:55 am by taryngirl, on February 5, 2019
  
  8/15/18
  
  Being a Disney Vacation Club Member does have some perks! There are some special events held throughout the year for us. We were lucky that one was happening while we were there! I also was luckily able to get tickets…these events sell out quickly! It’s a free event, but they limit the number of people.
  
  The event time was 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., however attendees could start entering at 6 p.m. Upon arrival, we were given our food vouchers (a quick service meal was included), a wristband and a map/schedule of events through a special check in line.
  
  Each person was given a voucher for a quick service meal available at one of the locations listed above.
  
  We headed straight for Sunshine Seasons!
  
  Mongolian Beef–Mongolian Beef and Vegetables served with Rice (You can pick from fried or white rice). $13.49
  
  This was my meal. I never really get to eat lunch here. Usually only breakfast because I am waiting while people are riding Soarin’. This was good! The dessert was the Key Lime Tart, and one of my favorites! I did pay out of pocket for the dessert here.
  
  (I have no idea which this is!)
  
  This was a special for the evening I believe, as I can’t find it on the regular menu!
  
  Slow Roasted Pork Loin–Slow Roasted with Mashed Potatoes, Barbecue Sauce (she got it without) and Corn on the Cob $13.99
  
  I think this was just okay. A little bit dry if I recall.
  
  When we were finished eating, we headed towards Spaceship Earth. (We had FP+ for this evening! We were able to make them for regular park hours before the official party started.)
  
  After our Spaceship Earth FP+, we headed to our Test Track FP+.
  
  It was really hot and muggy this evening. Another perk for the party was unlimited fountain beverages. We stopped in Electric Umbrella for some drinks and for Kinsey’s meal of Chicken Nuggets.
  
  Mousegears is one of my favorite stores! So of course I had to check it out and see what seasonal merchandise they had.
  
  They have really stepped up their game! It used to just be a few t-shirts. If you happen to come unprepared for the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, don’t worry! They have plenty you can choose from!
  
  From here, my cousin and her family wanted to meet Sebastian. He had one of the longest lines! Kinsey and I rode Nemo while they waited. There was a steel drum band for entertainment while waiting in the line!
  
  We went from there to the dance party that was happening with a live DJ. Kinsey couldn’t get enough!
  
  It was soon time for the fireworks, so we walked to the edge of the World Showcase.
  
  After that, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to the resort.
  
  Overall, it was a really fun time! There were other rare characters to meet but that wasn’t our focus. We just wanted to have a good time and hit a few rides. Oh, and have a Mickey Bar! I would definitely do this again if we happened to be there during these special events.
  
  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Epcot, Quick Service, Sunshine Seasons, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Disney, Disney Vacation Club, Epcot, Moonlight Magic, Quick Service, Sunshine Seasons
- Epcot Dinner at Via Napoli
  
  Posted at 2:45 pm by taryngirl, on November 17, 2018
  
  We headed back to Epcot for the evening after a small afternoon break. Having hit most of what we wanted in the morning, we didn’t have to rush around to get anywhere specific. We made our way leisurely through the countries to our reservation in Italy at Via Napoli. This is Kinsey’s FAVORITE restaurant in Epcot! Pizza is probably her favorite food.
  I never have seen this lobby/restaurant in a calm state. It’s always buzzing with activity and there’s usually a line at the hostess stand waiting to check in.
  We come here specifically for the pizza!
  Normally our service here is very good, but tonight our waiter did not impress me. First of all, he was more worried about his tip from the surrounding tables as people were leaving than he was about taking our order and getting it correct. He messed up the order and did not bring us the correct thing. Ultimately we ended up with Margherita and Carciofi pizzas. I cannot even explain how good the Carciofi is! I think it’s the truffle oil they drizzle on the top. I silently wish they had a pizza window where they sold this. I would get it for my lunch every time!
  One thing to note…we were seated in this newer area. They expanded the seating area inside. This was much quieter than being in the main dining room area.
  After dinner, we made our way to the front of the park to do some shopping at Mouse Gears. (One of my favorite places to shop! I find they have a bigger selection than most other locations.) We hit Spaceship Earth as our final attraction.
  Up next…Disney’s Hollywood Studios–Toy Story Land!
  
  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Epcot, Uncategorized, Via Napoli | 0 Comments | Tagged Dining Review, Epcot, Via Napoli
- Epcot Morning Touring
  
  Posted at 3:51 pm by taryngirl, on November 16, 2018
  I’m SO SORRY for the delay in getting up my next blog post! Once back to school hit, so did SOCCER SEASON! I’m slowly reclaiming my life back…
  
  Continuing on with my trip report from August…
  
  Today was Epcot day. We were at a very convenient location to walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center, and hop directly on the monorail to Epcot.
  
  Here you can see where they are building the new Guardians of the Galaxy indoor roller coaster. When facing Spaceship Earth, this is on the left hand side.
  
  A perk of having an Annual Pass, is there is a separate Annual Pass line which usually moves much faster. We always arrive here by 8:30 a.m.
  
  It was another gorgeous day…but HOT!
  
  We were doing our usual AM Touring Plan:
  - Ride Soarin’
  - Ride Living with the Land
  - Ride Finding Nemo
  - Zip through the Living Seas
  - Ride FP+ Journey Into Imagination with Figment
  - Ride Gran Fiesta Tour
  - Ride FP+ Frozen Ever After
  We always rope drop Soarin’ and save our Tier 1 Fastpass for Test Track or Frozen Ever After. We headed directly towards the Land Pavilion. I personally do not ride Soarin’! I can make it about half way before I have to close my eyes. It messes with my head… While everyone else rides, I usually check out Sunshine Seasons. I love the variety for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Look at these GORGEOUS cupcakes that were available this day!
  
  My plan was to get breakfast while I was waiting. I went with the Breakfast Platter, which included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, breakfast potatoes, and cinnamon French toast bread pudding. I don’t like Disney bacon, and LOVE Disney sausage, so asked to sub and they happily did.
  
  I love this! Every single thing is so good. Especially the French toast bread pudding. I grabbed Kinsey a croissant, which is her usual!
  
  After riding Living With the Land, we headed over to the Seas Pavilion. I have never in my life waited in a line for the Seas with Nemo ride. The queue is soooooooo long. Here’s a view from our walk over there.
  
  The Nemo ride ends inside The Living Seas Pavilion. Here you can wander around (as time permits!) and check out all kinds of cool creatures.
  
  After we explored The Seas, we headed to our next FP+ at Journey into Imagination with Figment. The ride was down, so we headed to the DVC Lounge for a quick drink and snack. We checked again and the ride was up!
  
  From there we headed back to the countries. Mexico was our first stop. We wanted to check out the new Kidcot Fun Stops since they had recently changed.
  
  Now you get a Ziploc bag, and collect cards and stickers to put in the
  
  m. The cards have some facts on them.
  
  You can find these stops at each country. Just look for a table with a cast member to collect a card from each country.
  
  From Mexico, we headed to Norway to use our FP+ at Frozen Ever After. A FP+ here is a must if you want to ride!
  
  Next was China…one of my favorite pavilions! I love the shop here.
  
  Next stop…Germany! My favorite snack place is here!
  
  I present to you…Karamell-Kuche! I can never decide because there are so many delicious goodies here!
  
  This was also our favorite Kidcot Stop! He was super interactive and even sang to her.
  
  Next stop was Japan. This is my #1 favorite country to visit! I love the store here, and the overall vibe. Kinsey also loves this because they have a huge Kawaii display set up…which she loves!
  
  (They also have an entire display of Gudetama, which she found awhile ago somewhere on YouTube.). It means Lazy Egg, and for some reason she loves it!
  
  Our next stop was Morocco, which is where I grabbed lunch. Tangierine Cafe is the quick service location in this country. There isn’t much seating inside, but there are some extra tables outside.
  
  If you are on the Disney Dining Plan or Quick Service Plan, this is a great value for your credit. I love the Chicken Shawarma Platter. It’s served with a side of Hummus, Tabouleh, and Tangierine Couscous Salad with fresh Moroccan Bread. It’s super filling and delicious!
  
  From there, we decided to hop on the Friendship boat to take us back to the opposite side of the World Showcase, so we could head back to the resort for our afternoon break.
  
  Of course we had to stop and get a picture at one of the famous “Walls of Disney!”
  
  Up next, continuing our Evening Touring in Epcot.
  Posted in Dining Review, Disney, Epcot, Karamell-Kuche, Kidcot Fun Stop, Quick Service, Snacks, Sunshine Seasons, Tangierine Cafe, The Living Seas, Touring Plan, Uncategorized, Vacation, Walt Disney World Resort, World Showcase | 0 Comments | Tagged Breakfast, Cupcakes, Disney, Epcot, Karamell-Kuche, Kidcot Fun Stop, Snacks, Sunshine Seasons, Tangierine Cafe, The Living Seas, Touring Plan, World Showcase
- Joy Through the World! Holidays at Walt Disney World Resort Return November 8!
  
  Posted at 7:55 pm by taryngirl, on July 9, 2018
  
  Taken directly from Disney Parks Blog:
  
  It’s Christmas in July! Today we are announcing the return of the holiday season to Walt Disney World Resort. Starting November 8, you will be able to celebrate this magical season with festive parties, captivating holiday décor, delicious treats, spectacular entertainment and enchanting experiences that make this season one of the most wonderful times to visit our theme parks, resorts and more!
  
  A Flurry of Fun comes back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the return of Sunset Seasons Greetings. Featuring impressive new laser effects and “snow,” holiday magic transforms the famous Hollywood Tower Hotel with spectacular projections of beloved Disney Characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Olaf sharing their favorite seasonal stories.
  
  Another returning favorite is the nighttime spectacular Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! The new Toy Story Land also gets special seasonal fun including holiday songs on Alien Swirling Saucers and more!
  
  Magic Kingdom Park will transform into a world of holiday enchantment that includes the specially ticketed event Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, offered during select nights in November and December.
  
  At Epcot you will discover joyous holiday traditions of 11 World Showcase nations during Epcot International Festival of the Holidays beginning Nov. 18. One of our favorite holiday traditions at Epcot is the Candlelight Processional and this year it starts performances on Nov. 22
  
  New this year at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the magic of nature will receive a holiday touch with the inclusion of Diwali, the holiday Festival of Lights in India, as part of the new live show UP! A Great Bird Adventure.
  
  There is even more holiday fun at the resorts across Walt Disney World with festive seasonal décor as well as life-sized edible creations. And at Disney Springs you will find the perfect destination for holiday shopping, dining and entertainment, with the chance to experience holiday magic along the way.
  
  You can find everything holidays at disneyworld.com/holidays.
  
  Now is the time to play big and start planning your holiday vacation at Walt Disney World Resort!
  
  Posted in Breaking Disney News!, Holidays at Disney, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World Resort | 0 Comments | Tagged Animal Kingdom, Announcement, Disney, Epcot, Holidays, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
- March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 3}!
  
  Posted at 1:59 pm by taryngirl, on May 31, 2018
  
  Thursday was a team building day for our agency. We were split into scavenger hunt groups of three to four people, and were given a list of things to find. My group, “The Poor Unfortunate Souls,” teamed up with another group, in hopes to be able to get pictures of most of the things on the list. We just had to photograph things and then upload them into albums on Facebook. Our strategy was to park hop. The group decided to begin at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I however, had to remain back in the room while still trying to book these Disney Cruises! I had been unsuccessful with getting through thus far. I met up with somewhere around 10 a.m. in the area of Rock N Roller Coaster. While I was waiting for them to come off the ride, I walked back to Sweet Spells for one of my favorite snacks! Which in this case doubled as my breakfast. The Carrot Cake Cookie. {Just a heads up, Sweet Spells has recently closed. This snack IS still available though at The Trolley Car Cafe.} I can never eat this whole thing in one sitting. Ever. So I shared with my teammates.
  
  We then ran into these fine people while making our way back to the front of the park.
  
  They are some of the Citizens of Hollywood! And you can see them up and down Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard. They also sign autographs and they NEVER break character!
  
  Here’s my fabulous team, “The Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Rachel was so gracious enough to create these fun ears for us! This pic is one taken by a PhotoPass photographer.
  
  From this park, we went to Animal Kingdom. Upon exiting DHS, we went to the bus depot. You CAN get a bus directly to the other parks from here. So we stood in the AK line. And we waited. And waited. And waited. And one never came! People queued in front of us were waiting 45 minutes already. So we checked Uber. They could be there in 5 minutes. We walked over to the “Ride Share” area. Yes, this is labeled, and certain parking spots are set aside for it. We had such a large group that we took two different Ubers to get there. One note about DHS parking lot….it was all jacked up on this day. They were doing construction on the Skyliner Transportation System and everything is rerouted. So multiple lanes were funneling into one, etc. etc. I felt like we were riding on the bus forever through the parking lot! Uber drops you off at AK right at the sidewalk leading to the gates, near where the tram picks up/drops off.
  
  We made our way to the Tree of Life, and got the GREATEST PhotoPass photographer! She spent so much time with us and gave us all a “Magic Shot.” Here’s some info in case you are interested: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/07/a-new-way-to-find-magic-shots-at-walt-disney-world-resort/
  
  Here is my Magic Shot!
  
  Our next park was Epcot. We hopped on a bus to go directly from AK to Epcot. We were lucky to not have to wait very long. One was pulling up as we were getting in line.
  
  Did you know that there are some “famous” walls within the World? Here we are at the Bubble Gum Wall!
  
  We made our way in, and once again hit some Flower & Garden food booths as we made our way around the countries. I decided to wait, as I wanted to try a new quick service meal! But first…we needed a picture with a viking! This was another FUN PhotoPass photographer. We did many poses, and she declared me the most “viking like.” I’m not sure if that’s good or bad??!!
  
  We finally made it around to Morocco. And Tangierine Cafe, which is the quick service restaurant in that country. I have read report after report saying how good the Shawarma Platters are. I had this on my list for this trip, and this was the perfect time. I went with the Chicken Shawarma Platter, which is thinly sliced chicken served with a side of Hummus, Tabouleh, and Tangierine Couscous Salad with fresh Moroccan Bread. This was SO GOOD. And so much food, it is an easily shared meal. I will definitely be getting this again!
  
  Next we made our way to France to see if we could catch some more of our agents. While sitting on the wall, these two delightful men said Happy Birthday to me because I was wearing my pin. (My birthday was Friday.) They then asked me if I ever had anyone sing to me backwards, to which my response was no!
  
  I LOVE DISNEY PEOPLE! Seriously. These weren’t Cast Members, they were just park guests! And we saw them on our way through Canada again with their wives enjoying the live entertainment.
  
  A quick stop in a phone booth…
  
  It was time for us to make our way to the Magic Kingdom now. So we hopped on the monorail and headed over there. I had plans to meet up with my roommates here as well. I had to handle some more “cruise business” as I STILL hadn’t gotten through to make these reservations! So I sat on a rocking chair right outside of Tony’s Town Square Restaurant while I waited on hold and people watched. My team went ahead without me. I FINALLY GOT THROUGH! And got all 4 cruises booked for my clients! I also finally met up with my roommates.
  
  At this point, my feet were needing a little bit of rest. So I hit up one of my favorites to do during a down time…the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover! In fact, we got off, and got right back on. I love the views when on this ride!
  
  Next, we made our way to the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. My family LOVES this show! It’s different every single time we go. If you haven’t been yet, put it on your list.
  
  We made our way to the Happily Ever After fireworks show.
  
  Next Up…{Day 4}
  
  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged AEP, Animal Kingdom, Disney, Epcot, Foodie, Happily Ever After, Hollywood Studios, Magic Shots, Tangierine Cafe
- March Disney World AEP Trip {Day 1}!
  
  Posted at 6:54 pm by taryngirl, on May 21, 2018
  
  My first blog post!!! I’ve been tossing around, “What should I start with? Which trip should I talk about first?” Well I decided to start with my most recent!
  
  I was very excited to be invited to attend my travel agency’s Disney Agent Education Program this past March. About 40 agents from Mad Hatter Adventures Co descended upon the Walt Disney World Resort! This would be my very first time meeting ANYONE from the agency in person…including the owner! To say I was nervous is an understatement.
  
  My flight was leaving from Philadelphia bright and early at 6 a.m. I was able to meet some fabulous agents as soon as I arrived to my gate. Before I knew it, we had landed at MCO, and we made our way to the Magical Express. Lines were very short, as it was only 8:30 a.m. in the morning! We were staying at Port Orleans French Quarter and this was our queue:
  
  We arrived at French Quarter and to our surprise, our room was ready. I grabbed a quick breakfast of Mickey Waffles before heading to the room to dump off my carry on and rest for 10 minutes as I was getting a headache.
  
  They were in the process of refurbishing the rooms at this resort. We did not get a refurbed room which was totally fine! We only spent time in the room when sleeping and showering. This is probably my favorite Moderate Level resort. It’s small! Everything is a short walk away. There’s a boat to take you to Disney Springs, and only one central bus stop for transportation to the parks. I like the theming and the grounds. It’s just beautiful!
  
  Now it was time to head to EPCOT! We had free time today until a cocktail welcome party in the evening. We wanted to make the most of our short time here, and check out the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival! So off we headed to the bus stop. This is a nice new addition to the bus transportation areas at the resorts. It allows you to see when the next bus will be arriving. Rats…we just missed the Epcot bus!
  
  I had to stop at the ticket window to activate my Annual Pass (AP). I’m a DVC member and they had an amazing Annual Pass special this past year. I grabbed my passport and we were on our way!
  
  Well…almost on our way. We had to stop for some PhotoPass pictures. You wouldn’t know it by looking at this picture, but I only met these people for the first time that morning! (A perk of having an AP…Memory Maker is included!)
  
  We all had various FP+ set up for the morning. We headed for the Land pavilion so some could ride Soarin’. I personally do not go on that ride, so I spent some time browsing around Sunshine Seasons. Everyone was hungry, so we grabbed something small. I opted for the Kid’s Chicken Caesar Salad meal. This came with 2 sides and a drink. I chose things I could take with me and snack on later. This is an INCREDIBLE value! The grand total for everything pictured was $6.38. This salad is super tasty and I wouldn’t hesitate to get it again. (As a side note…adults can order from the kid’s menu at any quick service dining location! It’s cheaper and typically comes with a drink and 2 sides.)
  
  From here, we went to ride Living with the Land. There was actually a line for this! We probably waited 20ish minutes. We had some other people who were meeting up with us at this location, so we didn’t mind the wait. I couldn’t help but take a picture of this quote on the wall. (Which I never see because there’s never a line when I ride it!)
  
  From here, we headed over to Journey Into Imagination with Figment….which was down! So to regroup, we headed to the DVC Member Lounge located directly above Figment. This is a great place to get a drink, snack, charge your phone, get out of the rain/heat/crowds, etc. We chatted for a little bit and got to actually know each other and then headed back down to Figment.
  
  Fun fact! Did you know that there are several photo booths all around? These are included if you have Memory Maker! This one was at the end of Journey Into Imagination with Figment. Typically it looks nice and professional, but we all 3 jammed in the booth so had to push the curtain back out of our way.
  
  Now it was time to head to the World Showcase and check out some of the Flower and Garden booths! (These booths are similar to the Food & Wine Festival booths. They offer snack sized foods and different beverages.)
  
  Our first stop, which ended up being my favorite out of them all, was The Honey Bistro hosted by the National Honey Board.
  
  We ended up splitting things so we could sample more! This was the Honey Tandoori Chicken Flatbread with White Cheddar Cheese, Charred Vegetables, Clover Honey Sour Cream and Micro Watercress ($5.25 and DDP Snack Eligible!) This was my favorite out of everything I tried at the booths! It had such a good flavor.
  
  This was the Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey Blistered Grapes and Sunflower Brittle ($4.50 and DDP Snack Eligible.) This was also very good!
  
  We made our way around counter-clockwise. I personally didn’t eat anything at the next few stands. Besides food booths, there were so many amazing topiary displays! This was one of my favorites. We had a FP+ for Frozen Ever After. I’ve only been on this once before so I wanted to make sure to ride it this time!
  
  My next food booth was Bauernmarkt Farmer’s Market. I tried the Potato Pancake with Caramelized Ham, Onions, and Herb Sour Cream. ($4.50 and DDP Snack Eligible!) This was good. Not great, but good.
  
  We had a FP+ for Spaceship Earth and had to be exiting the park by 6 p.m. ish, so we started to make our way back to the entrance.
  
  I had to make one quick stop before exiting to check out some merchandise! I completely regret not getting this backpack…
  
  Up next… {AEP Day 2!}
  
  Posted in AEP, Epcot, Flower & Garden Festival | 2 Comments | Tagged AEP, Disney, Epcot, Flower & Garden Festival, Memory Maker, Port Orleans French Quarter, Spaceship Earth, Sunshine Seasons, Walt Disney World