Unique Clothes from UNIQLO and more in Disney Springs!

I relocated this week for a teaching job that begins in a few weeks, which puts me an hour away from Disney!  It doesn't give me free admission of course, so I won't be there ALL the time.  But everyone gets into Disney Springs for free!  This is my first time visiting since the new Town Center was added.  I unfortunately didn't get into Sprinkles (it was packed and the line went outside where it was 95 degrees with no shade), but we did check out UNIQLO, which was pretty cool.

Actually I just realized that we were there on UNIQLO's first day open, July 15!  UNIQLO has 2 floors and loads of Disney merchandise--even some that is unique to the Disney Springs location!  My favorite find was the display of Disney patches that they could iron onto merchandise for you!

(photo from http://www.uniqlo.com/us/company/news/2016/disney-springs-store-opens.html)

I couldn't think of anything to patch at the time, but I was in LOVE with the Donald and Daisy mouse ears patches.  I'm definitely going back (the possibilities are endless--shorts, polo shirts, the sleeves on a t-shirt, hats, the waist band on a skirt)!  My brother and brother-in-law bought me a blue shirt I had my eye on with stripes by the chest and Daisy wearing heart-shaped sunglasses (my favorite kind of sunglasses)!  I can't wait to wear it (as soon as it's under 90 degrees so I don't sweat in it).  

They are also selling traditional Japanese Yukatas--less formal Kimonos is the only way I can think to describe them.  They're beautiful!

Our actual first stop was the new Coca-Cola experience (which I was calling "The Coca Cola Experience"), "World of Coke."  I follow Disney Food Blog on instagram (and you should, too!  @disneyfoodblog) and saw a picture of the Float Tray (I had been calling it the Float Flight--much more fun to say) which I had to try!

They are 8 different sodas with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in each cup.  Our favorites were orange soda, root beer (of course), coke, cherry coke, and cherry cream soda.  Our least favorites: grape and Sprite.  It brought me right back to one lazy summer day years ago when I decided to try making my own grape soda float.  It's still gross.

Have you seen the videos of people meeting Coke Bear (as I fondly call him)?  Coke Bear is meeting people in Las Vegas and is very energetic and silly!  He blinks his eyes, opens his mouth, bites your head, smiles at the camera... I really can't wait for this character meet and greet at Coke World in Orlando!!

During my last visit I had seen construction facades to two kiosks and I couldn't figure out if they were jokes or the real deal.  It turns out they were real!  AristoCrepes and B.B. Wolf's Sausage Co.  While the sausage co. was up and running, AristoCrepes was not open during our outing.  It didn't occur to me to look at the sausage menu, but I took a picture of the crepe menu!

remember, you can click on any photo to see it enlarged!

cute!

Though I did get a picture of the cute detail on the roof of the sausage kiosk:

The balloon was finally up and running (I say finally because it wasn't operating due to HIGH WINDS [always in caps on the scrolling marquee] during my last 2 visits) and it looked beautiful.  We were distracted by the new Town Center offerings and were exhausted from heat on our walk back to the parking lot, so we never had a chance to go up before the HIGH WINDS came back.

I can't wait to see what the view is like from up there!!

Meanwhile, at Planet Hollywood:

Not lookin' so good.  The last time I visited in April, they had cranes and construction paraphernalia surrounding the big star ball, and it seems like nothing has changed.  I appreciate that the construction workers have big beach umbrellas to provide shade, though!  I imagine they're still examining things... Or doing very discreet work.  They are adding an "observatory" which will have fun new menu additions, as reported again by Disney Food Blog, who must have been part of the "special event" at Town Center during my visit, closing a large part of Town Center after 4pm!  (One day... one day...)

The big yellow supports I had seen around the Lego serpent in the water are gone now, which looks just lovely!

And, something that was being worked on the last time I was there... The completion of the "Springs!"  The water is a beautiful, clear blue with lanterns scattered about on blown glass!

Just gorgeous!  This is on the bridge between Town Center and the Boathouse area.  An unexpected surprise!  

Finally, I had to stop by the Ganachery, even on this HOT day, to pick up one of these cute Mickey chocolate ganache bars (it was strawberry flavored ganache on the inside):

Absolutely adorable!!  I asked if they thought it would melt, and they gave me 2 options: 1. I could set my purchase aside and leave it behind their counter for pick-up when I was ready to leave the Springs, or 2. They could give me a complimentary ice pack in my bag, which should last about 4 hours!  Without an ice pack it would last about 1 hour.  I went for the ice pack, and it was the best option.  Mickey survived the hour drive home and he was delicious!

I was excited to premier the backpack I had ordered after seeing it in a DisneyStyle post (also on instagram, @disneystyle) from the website shein.com:

I highly recommend traveling with a backpack around Disney--it leaves your hands free in a way a purse would not!!  I just checked their website, and they have one in pink!!  Adorable.  I hope you enjoy your next trip to Disney Springs!!

Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival!

Yaaaaaay!  There were TWO special events going on when my dad & I went to Disney!  Besides MNSSHP, there was the more mature, posh, international (which makes it really fancy) Food & Wine festival.  I heard about it when I was there in February (let me reiterate, it is very RARE that I make it to Disney besides once every four years.  I don't think we meant for that pattern to happen, but as a family, we went every four years.  It had been four years since my last visit when Mike & I went, but this trip with my dad came out of the blue for both of us and I felt very special and surprised that I got to go again!).  Anyway, we got the chance to attend both of these special events, and here's everything I know about the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot!!

First of all, you don't have to pay extra to attend.  It started Sept. 28 and goes to Nov. 12 so you can still go!!  They say you can "taste your way around the world," and it's true.  But you also have to "pay your way around the world."  Nothing is free, of course, but the prices aren't crazy!  The highest we paid was $8 and change for the Fairy Tale Cuvee (fancy, exclusive-to-Disney champagne), and the cheapest was around $1.75 for the Dark Chocolate Mousse with Chili and Salted Caramel (both products I mentioned were things I heard about from a video I watched before the trip).  Here's the video on some beverages (including the Cuvee!), and one on the food!

Duffy is so cute.  I met him in his pumpkin outfit (you can see our picture in my MNSSHP post) but here he is for sale in his Chef Duffy outfit!  How adorable!  I have a little magnet plush that I keep on my bag, and I'm thinking of making him tiny outfits out of felt :)

Well, we started our tour around the world at the Terra booth, then went clockwise from Mexico to Canada.  I believe "Terra" is Disney's vegan booth.  I had the Chili Colorado with House-made Chips and Cashew Cheese featuring Gardein Beefless Tips:

It was alright, just too spicy and beef-flavored for me!  I know it's not real beef, but man they did a good job making it taste like the real thing!!

In Italy we each had a Cannoli al Cioccolato (Chocolate Covered Cannoli).  Yum!

In Japan, we saw the candy-maker Miyuki (that's also my sister-in-law's name :)) who isn't part of the festival--she's here year-round!  And her candy creations are awesome.  They donate the candy to children's hospitals!

At the Japan booth I got the Sake Strawberry Mist, which is a blended beverage, kind of like a frozen margarita, but with sake.  It was soooooo good.  Probably my favorite purchase of the food & wine trip!

Next, we passed one of the official festival shops, where they have all the festival merchandise.  I read about this plate on the festival facebook page and had my dad pose with it.  It's see-through and has a checklist of all the countries, and a spot on the corner for your wine glass!  (We didn't see anyone using these but it's a cute idea.)

Also, there is an exclusive festival Vinylmation figure--the waiter from Lady & the Tramp, with spaghetti and meatballs on one ear, and a starry night sky on the other.

We took a break from all that food & wine and went back to Future World for Soarin' (we had a fastpass), Journey Into Imagination (an old family-favorite :)), Captain EO (which we saw YEARS ago), Turtle Talk with Crush (which was so much fun to watch), and The Seas with Nemo and Friends.  Walking back to the food, we saw a beautiful rainbow!

 

A few moments later, it became a double rainbow!!  But very faint, and only for about a minute.

In Australia, I had Shrimp on the Barbie with Pepper Berry Citrus Glaze!

Saw a raspberry plant:

And then had my Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee!

 

Dad got the Taste of Scandinavia - Cured Salmon, Herring and Shrimp Salad (minus the salmon here--I kept forgetting to take pictures before we started eating).  We got the cuvee at the same stand.

I feel like a princess with this drink!

Dad had the JH Selbach Riesling Classic from Germany (notice the small wine glass you get):

Then, of course, I was taken with the glasses at the little glass stand.  Here's a mug with a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean, and "Von Goofy Burgermeister."

 And, of course, some Mickey das boots :)

Then we went to America!  I had Linda Bean's Perfect Maine Clam Chowder:

 

Mmm.  I love chowdah.

Then there was New Zealand, where my dad got Kim Crawford Un-Oaked Chardonnay.  They also told him here that he looks like Steven Spielberg.

What do you think?  (On a side note, I prefer my chardonnay oakey).

 Can you guess where I got this Creme Brulee au Chocolat au Lait?

That's right, Australia!!

Nope, just kidding.  France!

I really should have tried the Escargots Persillade en Brioche (Garlic and Parsley Snails in Brioche--just reading straight from the pamphlet here, translation and all).  They were served as three little "boules" of bread like a hidden Mickey.  But I didn't think that'd go with creme brulee!

I was pretty full at that point, but I wanted to try the Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki at Greece!  So I did.

I loved the portion sizes all through the festival!  It was like tapas!

Then we came to "Desserts and Champagne."  I know, we should have started there first ;)  Look at the cool kiosk with the fake windows and "people" inside:

With hardly any room left, we ordered two "Dark Chocolate Mousse with Chili and Salted Caramel"s.  Sounds amazing, right??

Looks amazing, too (if small)!  Well, it was TOO SPICY for both of us.  I really wanted to like it, but my tongue and mouth just couldn't take it.  Goodbye, yummy-looking chocolate.  Straight into the garbage.  Good thing it was the cheapest-priced dish we bought!

A giant glass of champagne was one of the decorations:

We stayed for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, then hung out for a while after for Extra Magic Hours. 

We rode Spaceship Earth and went to some shops (Mouse Gears, and the one by the back exit to the resorts), and continued on to Mexico.

Got some churritos (wanted plain old churros but this is what was on the menu).  Still tasty!!  With caramel dipping sauce:

There are some things that come out at night, like the special lighting on Spaceship Earth, the twinkling sidewalks, and this projection of the Food & Wine Festival sign:

So long, Epcot!  See ya real soon!