Walt Disney World: Epcot and Granddaughters

We just got back from a week at Walt Disney World.  This was a family trip.  DisneyDad and Mom with our adult kids, son-in-law, and granddaughters.  We stayed at our home-away-from-home Disney's Old Key West Resort and had a wonderful time.  Old Key West at dusk is absolutely beautiful as you can see below.  We love going this time of year for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

Disney's Old Key West Resort

We tried out the new Magic Bands.  They seemed to work real well.  Door key, Annual Pass, Fast Pass, and room charge all on one "fashionable" bracelet with a Mouse Icon on it.  I didn't try to charge anything on it but it worked great for everything else.  No more trying to find the ID Card/door key when you get back late to the room.  Just touch the Magic Band to the door and open.  It was just as efficient entering the parks and going though the fast pass line.  (Amy had chosen our fast pass selections before we started our vacation on line.)

The Food & Wine Festival didn't work out like I had hoped. I didn't get to try much in the way of food.  It's hard to have a late breakfast with Princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and still "eat your way around the world".  Or have a late lunch at   LeCellier Steakhouse and have room for almost anything else.  But both meals were unforgettable.  I don't think I missed out on anything.

Amy had booked breakfast for our little princesses to visit with the Princesses at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway at Epcot.  It's an all you care to eat breakfast with  breads, fruit and smoked fish on the buffet and breakfast brought to the table, served family style.  The food was pretty good, but the "stars" were the pretty Princesses.

Tink

Minnie

Amy had dressed the girls in matching Snow White dresses.  Both of them looked cute enough to eat.  Of course as Granddaddy, I may be just a bit prejudice.  :-)  The girls ate more than I expected and never missed a beat when one of the Princess came by the table.  They jumped up and down and couldn't wait to get a hug and autograph from them.  Akershus features a rotating list of princesses.  We saw Belle, Ariel, Aurora, Cinderella, and Snow White walking through the dining room.  We had reservations for 10:30 and were seated promptly after the girls had a PhotoPass picture (included in the price of breakfast) with Belle.

Click on the photo above (or the restaurant name) to see a spherical photo of our table at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.  You can look around and see the dining room in an interactive 360 deg photo.

Three Snow Whites

The girls loved seeing all the Princesses but I think the seeing them dressed in their Snow White dresses with Snow White was extra special.  As much as I enjoy the Food & Wine Festival.  None of what they have could compare with seeing the girls with their favorite Princesses.  We finished up breakfast just after noon.  Mom and I walked around for a while and visited the Chase VIP Lounge.  It took all the way around to Canada before we fell like we could eat anything.  A Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup each and a shared beef filet was all we could manage. (Both were delicious.)

We spent one other day at Epcot.  Ridge took Andy, Mom and me to LeCellier for lunch to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary while Amy occupied the girls elsewhere.  The food was fabulous.  I had the best ever filet mignon, but that is for another post.

Epcot and Granddaughters.  A wonderful combination!

--DisneyDad