Day 5
Today the plan was to spend the first part of the day in Hollywood Studios, take a break, then head to Epcot for Iluminations and EMH.
We didn’t eat breakfast at the WL; instead we decided to grab something at Hollywood Studios. As our first FP was for Toy Story Mania, we decided to check out Woody’s Lunch Box. (insert childish snigger here.)
We used a QS credit and a snack credit here, to share the smoked turkey breakfast sandwich (turkey, Swiss cheese and scrambled egg on sourdough) and a lunch box tart - although they had a holiday cranapple special, we went for the standard chocolate-hazelnut version.
The sandwich was ok, the turkey was a little dry so we added a sachet of hot sauce, but the tart was more disappointing - it was quite hard. We had a bottle of water as the drink with the QS meal.
After Toy Story Mania we had some PhotoPass pictures taken and then we FP’d my favourite ride at Disney - Tower of Terror. That, perhaps oddly, put me in the mood for lunch. We used another QS credit at the Dockside Diner to get loaded chilli cheese nachos (and the obligatory water). I enjoyed these, much like I enjoy all nachos. 🤣 And at least you can see what they are, unlike my Peco Bills nachos!
Star Tours and another old fave, Muppet Vision 3D, followed lunch and then it must surely be time for a snack, right?
If I’m obsessed with nachos and cocktails at Disney, then DH’s twin passions are funnel cake and churros, and as he hasn’t had the latter yet it felt like it was time!
This was one snack credit. Being a churro purist, DH deemed the chocolate sauce unnecessary and binned it (they did ask if he wanted it so I’m not sure why he said yes).
Clearly if DH was being allowed to indulge in one of his passions, it was time for one of mine...
This is a frosted gingerbread martini as part of Flurry of Fun at Backlot Express and it was DELICIOUS. I love frozen cocktails and the spiced creaminess of this hit the spot with me. It is vodka, Baileys, Kahlua, ice cream mix and gingerbread syrup and was $14.50 OOP. I should note the cinnamon sprinkle was originally on the top but I had to have this poured into another glass as it was overflowing!
It had been quite chilly that morning so it was nice to take a moment to sit in a patch of sun and drink my cocktail; once that was done we headed back to WL.
As noted above, we had planned a late night in Epcot and had decided to shift an
ADR so that we could dine from the holiday kitchens.
First stop - France!
Turkey and mushrooms in a veloute cream sauce served in a light puff pastry. This was basically an enormous vol au vent. The sauce was creamy, the toppings plentiful and the pastry flaky. We enjoyed this; it cost one snack credit.
Next we headed for L’Chaim! I exchanged one QS credit for three snacks (I note that not all booths will do this - for example Mexico wouldn’t).
This is potato knish with herb sour cream, pastrami on rye with pickles and mustard, and an egg cream.
The potato knish was basically mash inside a crisp shell - what’s not to like? Nothing, that’s what! DH loves pastrami and deemed this one “ok, not the best I’ve had”. I ordered an egg cream just because it heavily featured in a book I read a lot as a kid and I’d never tried one. I wish I hadn’t bothered, it didn’t really taste of anything. We didn’t finish it.
Next we exchanged a snack credit for the New Year Celebration Soba at Shi Wasu holiday kitchen - sobs noodles in dashi soup with chicken and spinach.
The chicken was served in one large piece, which was a bit odd and made it tricky to eat, but the dashi was flavoursome and reminded us of the dishes we ate in Japan, so that’s a win.
We were starting to get full now but still had room for the Mongolian beef bao bun (and fortune cookie) and Shanghai Holiday Kitchen.
The beef was tender so we enjoyed this. It was also one snack credit.
As I said at the start, we had planned to stay for illuminations and EMH but by now it was so cold, we decided to scrap that plan and head for the hotel after our Soaring FP. There was, however, time for one final holiday treat for me.
This, from Las Posadas, is the La Posada Margarita - tequila, horchata-cinnamon liqueur and Agua de Horchata topped with cinnamon. This was $11 OOP and reminded me of the gingerbread cocktail from earlier in the day - as it was served on the rocks, it didn’t have the same texture, but the presence of cinnamon in both was obvious.
It was just what I needed to keep me warm as we waited for the bus!