Of course it is the 6 weeks beforeBut for this year I was prepared! At 11 months, I booked us into the VGC for every weekend after Easter! Imagine my surprise when in January they announced it would take place in the six weeks before Easter. Doh!
Well, I find it hard to see where you could go wrong with any Disneyland chef!Our first demo was a slight mystery. It was called “Meet the Disneyland Chefs”, so essentially we were playing roulette with who would be cooking for/entertaining us. I was OK with that.
He's in charge of the booths? Even the bacon booth? And he made a dish that relied on bacon to help add flavor? This dude knows his stuff. You hit the jackpot on chef roulette.What he explained to us was that he essentially was in charge of all the food and drinks at the booths and one restaurant that they had converted for a special menu. I love the idea of special menus, but why do they always have to mess with one of my most favorite quick service restaurants? The Paradise Garden Grill.
Ice cream?There was another booth nearby called Wineology, guess what they served?
DW enjoys baking and decorating cakes. She's been known to get elaborate for the kids' birthdays. She'll spend hours on it. I'm like, I just want to destroy your artwork and eat it.It was entertaining to listen to and watch during our lunch, but way more work than I want to put in for a dessert!
That's annoying. I can understand not being able to check in early, but when a room isn't ready by check in time, I just don't have much patience for that.We checked on the room after 4PM and were told that the room was not scheduled to be ready at 4PM, but that it could be ready anytime after 4PM. What?????? That's bull….
Of course it was...Well nothing we could do. At 5:00 Fran and I headed off to our demo and just as we passed through the turnstiles into DCA, I got the text that the room was ready. Thanks.
Not too shabby!
Uh oh...Tomorrow does not go as I alluded in the introduction to this mini weekend.
I think I lost it a few chapters back....
I don't know. Could it have been a pesky teenager taking your attention?
Those are both good lessons, and as soon as you start to saute onions, everyone says, "smells so good in here!"
But crunchy bacon is OK!
Well not for me. I think that was the last time I encountered it, but now I see where you are going with this. You'll have to forgive me. I'm a little slow.
“Perfect,” I thought. “We have demos at noon and 6PM. If we're not full, we can always hit a few more kiosks and call it a night.” Then we can relax in the room until 11AM checkout, we'll just amuse ourselves until the 6PM demo and go home.”
I'm not sure if I told you all about the saga of 2017 DCA F&W, so I'll do it now. First off, the largest amount of DVC points that I own is at the VGC. I know that it sounds silly to have so many points at a place so close to home, but back in 2009 (before the VGC was even built), I used up a few of my SSR points trading them out for hotel rooms on three separate random nights. It was really nice not having to drive home after events involving drinking. Plus we never get up and out of the house early enough to get a morning start at the parks. By staying onsite, I could let Fran sleep while I go out and do my thing. On the last morning of staying at the GCH in 2009, I realized that I’d never be able to get in at the VGC during F&W at 7 months with my SSR points, and thus the idea of buying points in CA was born.
Plus we had been traveling so much back then we couldn't justify it to our cats, staying out there even if there was availability.
Our first demo was a slight mystery. It was called “Meet the Disneyland Chefs”, so essentially we were playing roulette with who would be cooking for/entertaining us. I was OK with that.
So our first demo was at noon, we had packed ever so lightly, one bag! That's a first for us!
His name is John State and I'll let you read his bio that I stole off another website.
I love the idea of special menus, but why do they always have to mess with one of my most favorite quick service restaurants? The Paradise Garden Grill.
I believe there was a bratwurst, a white wurst, and a keilbasa. They would be accompanied with sweet red cabbage and warm potato salad.
They continued to cook as we ate. After rendering the bacon for each dish, for the cabbage, they added onions, chicken broth, caraway seeds, vinegar, sugar, and then the chopped cabbage, he covered it and cooked it low and slow. At the end he finished it with julienned apples and ground sage.
For the potatoes he rendered the bacon and added julienned onion and diced celery. This would become the “fat” component in the vinaigrette for the potatoes. The potatoes had been steamed on their own and were warm. To the bacon/onion/celery mixture he added two kinds of mustard and Cider vinegar, then he tossed the potatoes in the vinaigrette.
Some of you know that I had asked Fran to buy me a very specialized Moroccan sausage via the internet.
On our way out of the demo, I was approached by a DIS lurker who has read my reports and said that because of reading my TRs she and her husband took their first DCL cruise. If you're out there reading, stop in and say “hi”!
We were also interested in the Teriyaki Chicken Slider. This was great! Messy but great.
Fran came back with a Sangria flight. Turns out we both liked the Peach Sangria the best.
Besides early on it became clear to me that this was way more involved than I wanted to get. I'm not much of a baker. I have a few dessert recipes in my arsenal, but I'm mostly a boxed cake mix kind of person.
She got a pretzel (which unfortunately I had to fish it's stale self out of the basket of the scooter. We were so full from the fish that she didn't eat it right away and then forgot about it.
In an update a few back, I mentioned that we stopped at the AP area and took some pictures, but that I couldn't find them. It turns out they were on Fran's Photopass account, so let's pretend that after we ate our Fish & Chips we took these pictures.
We checked on the room after 4PM and were told that the room was not scheduled to be ready at 4PM, but that it could be ready anytime after 4PM. What?????? That's bull….
At 5:00 Fran and I headed off to our demo and just as we passed through the turnstiles into DCA, I got the text that the room was ready. Thanks.
Our perky hostess was back, I seemed to cover her face in this picture.
Then he made the Hollandaise in the blender.
I did take notes on this demo, but I didn’t figure I would use them.
The room, I didn’t take pictures of the second bedroom as Suzie and her kids were in there.
Our view.
The master bath.
Tomorrow does not go as I alluded in the introduction to this mini weekend.
Your AP pics are very cute!
I am enjoying your demo reviews. The room had a lovely view.
Another fantastic F&W update. I'm putting the DCA F&W on the bucket list with hopes of making it out there.
The food looks amazing!
Of course it is the 6 weeks before
Well, I find it hard to see where you could go wrong with any Disneyland chef!
He's in charge of the booths? Even the bacon booth? And he made a dish that relied on bacon to help add flavor? This dude knows his stuff. You hit the jackpot on chef roulette.
Ice cream?
DW enjoys baking and decorating cakes. She's been known to get elaborate for the kids' birthdays. She'll spend hours on it. I'm like, I just want to destroy your artwork and eat it.
That's annoying. I can understand not being able to check in early, but when a room isn't ready by check in time, I just don't have much patience for that.
Of course it was...
Not too shabby!
Uh oh...
Yep. Sounds about perfect.
They'd revolt?
I would be too.
One bag??????? Who are you people?!?!?!?
Impressive
He does look like he's about to chew you out.
Or make you do the dishes
Just to mess with you. It's a running gag.
Yum!
That looks sooo good. Interesting how they sliced the leftmost (kielbasa?) sausage.
Holy crap! Want.
Steamed the spuds
Yum! Had something almost identical day before yesterday.
Nice! I haven't had that happen to me, but I keep hoping!
Messy is almost always a good thing.
Ruby would've loved that. She's been on a red sangria kick lately.
Yeah, me too.
I've done a bit.... but not much.
That top one looks like it was trying to jump out of the fryer.
Shame. Love me a good pretzel.
Sure! Hey! Look! You just had fish and are getting your photos done!
Love that one.
That definitely is bull...
"I'm supposed to pay at checkout, but I'll pay anytime after that. Maybe never."
(Yes I know it doesn't apply to you.)
You really were annoyed with her!
Really! Huh. I always do it in a double boiler.
Think you will now?
Wow! That place is beautiful!
Whoa.... that is one heck of a master bath!
Hmmm.... that could be taken as a good thing or a bad thing.
Fun day with lots of yummies! Sounds like a great bonus with the chef you didn't know ahead of time.
How kind to share the 2BR with friends, I bet they loved that!!! But am I reading she left the 6 year old in charge of the 1 year old?
What is this business about the room not being ready by 4???
Nice to see another bonus update!
The Demos looked pretty interesting. I'm not a fan of sausages but I love that red cabbage and the potato salad looked good. My MIL (grew up Pennsylvania Dutch) makes a great red cabbage.
Crazy that your room wasn't ready until 5p. But the room is beautiful, and what a view! Love that huge shower.
Such an ominous sounding cliff hanger...
Nice to see that you were able to do another F&W demonstration. It is fun to read your reports about the demonstrations.
The Korean BBQ Tacos and Teriyaki Chicken Slider were good.
You did recommend me to eat at Paradise Garden Grill during the F&W Festival and the Fish and Chips was good.
Nice pics at the AP area.
There was going to be a special event on the Pirates 50th anniversary weekend, and we got in!
We had to meet in the lobby of the Grand at 5:45AM. Thank goodness we had the room!
As you can see by the darkness, it was really early*!
Main Street is just so magical when it's empty like this!
I believe it was at this point that our group was met by couple security guards who were not informed that a special event was taking place.
There it is! Happy 50th Anniversary!
Luckily they were very civilised and had a coffee and juice bar set up for us.
Entertainment too!
This animatronic pirate parrot kept us entertained as well.
Once we docked at the Bayou,
They were mostly amusing, but there were plenty of eye rollers, the kind of dad jokes you might get from @Captain_Oblivious or @pkondz.
The thing that struck me most about riding the attraction with the lights on was first, how shallow the water was! As we sailed through the Bayou, you could see the bottom clearly. And that's the second most prominent thing I noticed, the water was very clean! Do you ever wonder when the water from the ride splashes you about how clean it is? No need to worry, it's crystal clear throughout the entire ride.
It amazed me to see the beginning part of the ride with the lights on because there is a ton of detail that no one will ever see in the rock work in the Bayou part, it’s crazy.
the easiest thing to do on a ride is to paint the ceiling black and no one notices it.
the show buildings basically extended to infinity. In the dark lighting no one would notice where the buildings end and the infinity of the ceiling began.
Fran ditched me for the line to the Pirate shop, several other folks did the same. I headed up to the breakfast and found us a table.
She didn’t end up missing out on the charcuterie. This seems to be in fashion for trendy restaurants these days.
They served us a breakfast of a corned beef hash and eggs, which I thought was quite good. Other folks didn’t seem to care for it, which I found odd, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.
What I do remember is that they talked about how Davis always relied on humor and gags in his imagineering designs.
Originally the ride was supposed to be a walk through.
(Remember IASW is all on one level.)
And I was able to find this photo of the ride under construction.
Fran was tired so Suzie and I decided to hang out for a bit.
While Suzie and I were relaxing, Fran was learning the hard way that sleeping in the lobby of the Grand Californian is discouraged. She was hassled by security multiple times while trying to rest.
Let me sum up that event in just one word ........
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
Must have been so worth getting up at this ungodly hour. The park looks so awesome empty. Don't get me wrong it looks awesome with or without people, but without is always a blessing.
To ride Pirates with the lights on must be so interesting. We did see a little bit of Pirates in Paris with the lights on when they had a major breakdown and they must have turned the lights on accidentially. I always love peeking behind the scenes.
I need to show Tom the photos you posted - he will love those.
Drinks look good btw and so did breakfast.
Totally agree with Karin, so worth it getting up early for this event! Fun fun fun!!! a pity so much detail is lost with the lights out but too cool you were able to see it.
Poor Fran getting harassed in the lobby, that must not have been pleasant. I don't see why it's a problem though, how did they know she wasn't just waiting for someone? it's not like its someone off the streets...
Bizarre they didn't tell security you guys weren't coming for a tour.
I got a set of postcards with a bunch of those old Pirates sketches. I had seen them at the parks for $30 and was happy to find them at the outlet for $15. Mom loves postcards and those pictures are so neat.
There was doubt? Was it random draws? Or just tickets sold out that fast? Or?
Can you imagine having to drive in from an hour or two out?
Is it just me, or does anyone else think the dude looks kinda like Barney Rubble.
*photo taken the previous night.
It is! But... wait!
Empty? What are all these people doing here?
Oh. Right. Photos from previous evening.
"Carl, did you leave the front gate open again?"
Other wise people would be revolting.
I'm always revolting. heck, you've seen me. You know.
What was he doing?
That right there.
You're on POC... and you docked at the Bayou.
Soooo cool.
Wow! They were that funny?!?!?
You guys are so lucky! You must've been rolling in your boats in hysterics!
Huh. Can you see it with the lights off? If you know where to look?
Never thought about it... so they're right.
Now I'm gonna have a sore neck from staring at ceilings all the time!
Flash photography to the rescue!!!!
no?
Hmmm... tough call.
I wouldn't mind seeing what they have to offer... but considering I don't collect anything (well HD poker chips. But my entire collection fits in a wine glass) I think I'll stick with you and do breakfast.
I know! It's everywhere.
Coming soon.... "McCharcuterie."
Now you know (or if you don't... you do now) I don't drink coffee.
But I would've been sad to miss out on that.
It sure looks good!
What's the sauce?
Wrong colour for hollandaise.... unless it's got a bit of colour added to it?
Not melted cheese, I don't think.
Oh! Like HM. Didn't know that.
I try not to think about it on any level.
Looks like he's having fun!
Dang! I never knew. Just assumed it was pretty much a circle.
Looks like you had a good crew with you.
Holy crap.
I'm a bit tired.
I first read that as "Fran was so tired of Suzie..."
Looks oddly familiar.
It was online registration and the event sold out in less than two minutes.
There was the option to purchase a room package with registration.
Too skinny.
No, It's the hundred or so other lucky people who registered in the two minutes that registrations was open.
Oh, please, stop with that!
That's where the ride always docks.
It's not so much what to see, it's just the detail in the way the rocks are carved, or whatever you call it. The small little crevices that were in the rocks, and then the lichens and things you would expect to find in a cave. But it's so dark, you can't see it.
Well you don't have to stare, one glance up and that should do the trick.
They did have another drink, but I think it had Rum in it.
I'm pretty sure that it was a Hollandaise, but perhaps with some other flavor mixed in.
I'm the only one not putting my arms up!
What? Does it look that bad?
We had to meet in the lobby of the Grand at 5:45AM
Main Street is just so magical when it's empty like this!
There it is! Happy 50th Anniversary!
Around 7AM we were welcomed by these swashbuckling pirates and taken to ride Pirates of the Caribbean.
We were warned not to take pictures due to the nature of our ride. Not wanting to jeopardize the possibility of future events I complied
Wow! That's an early start!The only catch was that the event took place before the park opened. We had to meet in the lobby of the Grand at 5:45AM. Thank goodness we had the room!
Corporate communication at its finest...I believe it was at this point that our group was met by couple security guards who were not informed that a special event was taking place. I was too busy taking pictures to try and listen in on the conversation.
Well, you know I'm not a fan of coffee, but at least that one looks cool.I had the specialty coffee of the day.
AWESOME!!!We had Disney Legend Tony Baxter and Author and Imagineer Christopher Merrit present. They brought another imagineer, but I don’t have his name.
That's hardcore right there. Coast to coast Disney!Suzie had a hotel reservation for the evening as her husband was going to drive back down (yet again) for some nighttime fun in the park. And then the next night they were on a red eye to WDW! Ah to be young and have energy!
What? Come on! It isn't like she just came in off the street trying to make herself at home. What's wrong with a little catnap sitting in the lobby when you're waiting on someone?While Suzie and I were relaxing, Fran was learning the hard way that sleeping in the lobby of the Grand Californian is discouraged. She was hassled by security multiple times while trying to rest.