Disney with Hayley - October 2017

Disney with Hayley - October 19-23, 2017

Yes, friends and neighbors, it's time for another collection of photos from Disney World!  This year my beautiful daughter, Hayley, was able to go with me and enjoy the Epcot Food & Wine Festival and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, as well as all of the fabulous Halloween and Fall decorations throughout the parks, Disney Springs, and our resort of choice, Port Orleans Riverside. 

It's my absolute favorite time of the year to go.  It's not as cold as it is in January, and definitely not as hot and sticky as the summer months. Temps this year ranged from the mid to upper 60's at night to the low 80's during the day, with hardly a cloud in sight during the entire trip.  It only rained while we were getting ready for the Halloween party, but other than that it was great weather all around.  Perfect for two Texas women who do not like it to be TOO cold, or too wet.

As usual, much of this trip report is just a posting of my photos, with captions that have descriptions of the food and drinks, since the main focus for me IS the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.  I've given better explanations and descriptions where I thought they were most helpful, so I hope you enjoy my ramblings.  

As I've said before, I use my souvenir food and wine guide to help me remember the names and descriptions of the food and alcohol consumed, because it's JUST SO MUCH.  Some of my photos seem a little blurry to me this year, and I think I want to take my Canon on my next trip.  It does a great job of capturing what I want better than just using an iPhone.  

The other bonus for me was the "hard ticket" event (read: extra fee) - Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP).  Four parks, too much food, too much candy, and just enough alcohol in just three days.  Already looking forward to next year!

Dinner at Morimoto Asia - Disney Springs

Lots of dining - and shopping - options in Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney), and we take the boat from our resort over to Disney Springs for dinner and a little shopping after we arrive late in the day.  It's one of the few resorts that has this option, and we enjoy it.

Belvedere Cocktails

Chicken & Shrimp Sui Mai

California roll

Shrimp tempura roll

Cookies & Cream Crunch - Hayley's fried Oreo dessert

Creme caramel

Disney's Port Orleans Riverside resort

This beautiful resort is attached to Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter by walking paths, roadways, and the aforementioned boats, and we have stayed here for most of our Disney trips.  It is a Moderate resort, with the cost per night starting at around $166+tax, but it is so spread out and has such beautiful grounds that you don't find any busy spots anywhere, except for the food court at 7:00 a.m.!  

There are tons of options for biking, boating, walking, carriage rides, movies, swimming...the list goes on.  We have stayed at the Caribbean resort once (everything was too far to walk to!), and the French Quarter once (much more closely built that Riverside), but we enjoy this resort immensely because it is so quiet.  Buses at each of the depots (North, South, East, and West depots) leave for the four parks just about every 10-15 minutes, so you never have to wait too long for another bus.  And you never have to worry; if you leave a park late, there is always a bus to take you back to your resort.

Our shirts for the first day of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival

A quick stop at Hollywood Studios

Walking on Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios.
We rode 3 times in a row, and only stood in line once.

Dug from "Up!"

Candied Mickey apples

A last view of The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios before they tear it down and create something new...

Park hop!  On to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival - Day 1

First up: France booth
Boeuf Bourguignon and a Passion Martini Slush

Brazil - cheese bread

Japan-Salmon BLT sushi roll and Pom Pineapple Sake Cocktail. The BOMB!

Italy - Moscato 

India-Warm Indian bread with pickled garlic, mango salsa, and coriander pesto.
We were not a fan of this one.

Also from India: pistachio cardamom bundt cake with chocolate coconut mousse.
That was good.

Front of the Norway pavilion

Greece - bugatsa

A view inside the Spaceship: Earth ride at Epcot.
A great slow ride in the dark that lets you cool off, warm up, or just rest your tired tootsies.  

Even the Living with the Earth ride was decorated for Fall!

A day - and night - in the land of Avatar 

at Animal Kingdom

Right now, this area is so congested because it just opened up in May.  The wait times for the two new rides, Na'vi River Journey (a boat ride), and Flight of Passage (a simulator ride) are over two hours long on average as soon as the parks open.  We were able to get Fast Pass+ for Na'vi River Journey, but we were not about to wait in the line for the other ride, as it just got progressively LONGER as the day-and night-went on, and was over 3 hours long when we finally said we were going elsewhere.

The area itself is beautiful, both during the day and at night, and definitely deserves a little look-see.  BUT be prepared to wait even to get into the shops or quick service restaurants, because the crowds are huge all day long.

See the wait times for the two new rides if you don't have a Fast Pass+?  Nope!

Entertaining street performers in Animal Kingdom

Dinner at Yak & Yeti - Animal Kingdom

Yak & Yeti is always one of our favorite places to eat.  We may have to wait about 20-30 minutes to be seated, but it is definitely worth it!

Hayley's Sweet & Sour Chicken with Fried Rice

My combination Lo Mein with Chicken, Shrimp, and Pork

Waiting for the front seats on Expedition: Everest on my birthday!  YAY!

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

End of the line???

Back to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival-Day 2!

Flavors from Fire-Sweet Pancake with Spicy Chipotle Chicken Sausage, onion jam, and maple butter syrup, and the Chocolate Picante with Dark Chocolate Mousse and Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, and Raspberry dust

Earth Eats-Ricotta and Zucchini Ravioli, and a Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Mousse

Hawai’i - Teriyaki glazed Spam hash, and the dee-lish pineapple wine!

Scotland - Lamb stew with neeps and tatties, and the Tipsy Laird.

The famous (Infamous?) Cronut - a croissant/donut hybrid

Magic Kingdom-with Extra Magic Hours until 12:00 a.m. 

One of the benefits of staying at a Disney resort: getting to enjoy "Extra Magic Hours", either early in the morning or late at night, when anyone NOT staying at a Disney resort is not allowed in the park.  There are fewer crowds, and shorter wait times for the rides, which make for an enjoyable time all around.  

I have done the early morning Extra Magic Hours (generally 7 a.m. or 8:00 a.m.), but I really enjoy the later park hours.  During the winter months, the late hours are typically until 11:00 p.m. or 12:00 a.m., depending on the park, but can be until 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. during the summertime, when all of the parks are generally open later to begin with.  There are even days when they decide on the fly to keep a park open later because there is good weather and lots of people enjoying everything.  It happens!

The only cloudy morning at Magic Kingdom

The back of the Seven Dwarfs' cabin from the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride

Pirates of the Caribbean - "We wants the redhead!"
Sadly, this scene is being removed because it is no longer politically correct.  :(

Johnny Depp has yet to appear here for me.

Night view of the Haunted Mansion exterior

A view down Main Street USA, looking from Cinderella's castle.

Last day at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival-Day 3!

China-Black pepper shrimp with garlic noodles

Germany-roast bratwurst in a pretzel roll

Spain-traditional Spanish paella with shrimp, chicken, and mussels

Morocco-hummus fries and a Moroccan sangria. Yummy!

Hayley found a Grand Marnier slushy in France before we left to change for the Halloween party.

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

at Magic Kingdom

The only "hard ticket" event I go to.  Tickets are generally $65-$90 per person, per night, and the higher prices are closer to Halloween, and Halloween itself.  This party runs from August until the beginning of November.  The Magic Kingdom park closes to all the "other" people at 7 p.m., but you can get into the park with your special event ticket beginning at 4 p.m.  You get a special wristband, and pick up your "starter candy" - a bag of chocolate and other goodies to keep you occupied until the trick-or-treating starts at 7 p.m.  You can have your photo taken with any of the several characters dressed in their Halloween costumes that greet you as you come into the park, including some characters and villains that only come out for the Halloween party events.  We just had our photo taken with the sign.  

This is the only time that adults and children over the age of ten are allowed to wear (appropriate) costumes in the Magic Kingdom park, but they still discourage masks that cover your entire face, and do not allow anything that might be used as a weapon.  Smaller children are always welcome to wear costumes any day of the year.

Goal: Next year, I am taking character photos, like I did the first year I went to the MNSSHP! 

The shirts and headbands I made to wear to the party.
Not really costumes, but I enjoyed making them for us.

Taking a break from trick-or-treating to watch The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
And eat candy...

Nighttime view of the Beast's castle.

Mickey's Boo to You! Halloween Parade

As part of the MNSSHP, there are two Boo to You! Halloween parades; an early one at 9:15 p.m., and a later one at 11:15 p.m.  I like to go to the later parade and ride more coasters during the first parade.  Why?  Because the smaller kids generally go to the first parade, and then most go home early.  That way, come 10 p.m., most of the little kids are gone, and much of the park has cleared out, especially since all of the "common folk" had to leave at 7 p.m.  It is a great time to ride the things you normally would have to wait in line more than 30-40 minutes for, like Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  We did all of those, at least twice.

Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular

Like the Boo to You! parade, there are three shows: 8:15 p.m., 10:45 p.m, and midnight.  I like the latest one, because before that I've got too much other stuff to do!  It stars the Sanderson sisters of Hocus Pocus, and the ladies who portray Winnie, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson, and they are awesome!  I enjoy watching this show because of all the villains I never get to see any other time in the parks.

Note:  There is also a 10:15 fireworks performance called "Happy Hallowishes", but I did not take any photos this year, because I was too busy getting candy and riding rides. 

That's all for this year.  See ya real soon!