One of the joys of Walt Disney World is that there is always something new (to us) that we get to experience on each trip. Prior to our August trip to WDW, we wrote an article detailing some of the new things we were looking forward to experiencing. Now that we have experienced them, we wanted to do a recap.
Did they live up to the hype and anticipation? Read on to find out…
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
We were fortunate to be able to attend WDW’s hard ticket Halloween event. Even though most people normally associate Halloween with the fall, Disney milks the holiday for all its worth and runs parties multiple times a week from August through the end of October. We were fortunate enough this year to be going during party season, so we just had to attend!
To get into the spirit of the season, we decided to go all out. The Halloween party is one of the few times that adults are allowed to dress in costume, so we took advantage of the opportunity. We decide to go as characters from Alice in Wonderland. Little Banshee was the Queen of Hearts which is appropriate, since she is rules the family in real life. We were able to get a great photo ops with the actual Queen of Hearts. Kudos to Disney’s Queen of Hearts for acknowledging that Little Banshee is royalty. Game recognizes game.
The highlight of the party was the Boo to You Parade featuring the Headless Horseman. While I am not a huge parade guy, this parade is not to be missed. We staked out a spot in Frontierland around 45 minutes in advance, which in retrospect was a great decision. While everyone wants to be on Main Street USA, if you are in Frontierland, you are accompanied by Hitchhiking Ghosts, serenaded by the Cadaver Dan’s, and entertained by the Country Bears. So much fun!
The group also checked out some of the modified rides: Space Mountain in pitch dark, the Teacups with spooky music. However, the best ride of the night was the Haunted Mansion. First of all, the lighting and mist package added to the ambience. In addition, they had several of the ghosts chatting it up with guests while waiting in line. And of course, how can you not ride Haunted Mansion at a Halloween party?
There was also fun to be had Trick-or-Treating, watching the special fireworks show, checking out the exclusive food and merch. The party is five hours long and it definitely goes by fast!
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
This might be an unpopular take, but we generally felt that the new ride was better than the old one. The music, the animatronics, the effects, the story, etc were all modernized and relevant. Yes, I have nostalgia for Splash Mountain… I’ll miss singing Zip-Ah-Dee-Doo-Dah at the end, but objectively, it was old and tired and needed to be updated.
I know nostalgia is a powerful thing, but time marches on and Tiana’s will making new memories for the next generation of park goers.
And Tiana’s beignets were great too! That little drizzle of honey really elevated them.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass
We got some experience with the new “skip the line” system on our trip. I wrote a separate article on my updated strategy recommendations based upon our experience, so I won’t repeat myself here. However, I generally liked it better than Genie+ in that you don’t have to wait until the day of your trip in order to know what you are going to end up doing. I like being able to have my itinerary set up in advance.
It reminded me a lot of the old FastPass+ system to be honest. On the one hand, it is superior in that you can start booking additional rides after checking into your first ride (as opposed to FastPass+ where you could only book a fourth after using all three of your pre selections). On the other hand, you have to pay. So there’s that. Unfortunately, Disney is never going to go back to a free system, so there is no use complaining!
A New Buster and the Banshee Challenge
We wrote at length about our BBQ challenge, so I won’t rehash our comments. Suffice to say, there is definitely some great BBQ to be had on property.
New Dining Experiences
The BOATHOUSE
One of our best meals of the trip. They kept Little Banshee’s plate full with their signature dinner rolls, so that alone tell you something about the quality of service you will get here. The food was equally top notch.
I got the Classic Burger which was one of the best burgers on property. Banshee got the Fillet Mignon Sliders, which was “melt in your mouth” good. The BOATHOUSE gets its meat from the same supplier as Gibson’s Steakhouse in Chicago, and you could tell the beef was high quality.
Banshee also indulged in an adult beverage. She got the “Duck Duck Razz”, one of their signature drinks. I can’t tell you what was in it, but it was blue, garnished with a little rubber duck, and she enjoyed it.
You shouldn’t sleep on the seafood either.. it is a “boat house” after all. Little Buster got the Yellowfin Tuna Poke which he said was amazing.
It’s crazy that we have been dining at Disney Springs all these years and have never been to the BOATHOUSE. It will definitely be added to our rotation. Next year, we plan on trying their famous Sunday brunch!
Yak and Yeti
This was another signature restaurant that’s been on our “to do” list for awhile. Located inside Animal Kingdom, Yak and Yeti serves up elevated Asian-style cuisine. Banshee and Little Buster wanted to sample their famous Ahi Tuna Nachos. This shareable consist of fresh seared tuna served with crispy wanton chips. The kitchen did not skimp as this was a HUGE portion! Great value!!
Little Banshee and I stuck to the more traditional Sweet and Sour Chicken with an additional side of Garlic Noodles. Little Banshee devoured the noodles, so you know they were good. I thought the chicken was excellent as well. It rivaled Morimoto Asia in terms of quality. Overall, it was a great meal, and we would eat there again.
PRO TIP: Get the Landry’s Card. Yak and Yeti is operated by the Landry’s group (as is T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe on property, and a host of other restaurant chains throughout the country). Not only do you earn frequent dining points and other discounts, but you get priority seating. So if you roll up to Yak & Yeti without a reservation, you likely will be able to get a table.
eet By Maneet
You can’t watch the Food Network for more than five minutes without an appearance by celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan. It was only a matter of time before she got a restaurant at Disney Springs.
Unlike the other new restaurants we tried, eeT is a quick service restaurant. You order at a counter and the food is delivered to the table.
While the food is definitely Indian, every dish had a modern fusion twist to it. In particular, we enjoyed the Tandoori Chicken Poutine. It had the components of a traditional poutine, but using Indian-style ingredients. Most importantly, it tasted great!
Little Banshee, being the bread fiend that she is, absolutely devoured the fresh made naan bread service. While they didn’t serve the variety of accompaniments that Sanaa’s bread service provides, the naan itself just as good.. fresh, hot, and melt in your mouth!
Gideon’s
While Gideon’s is a staple of every trip, the cookie of the month was new to us. In celebration of Flavors or Florida, they had a Key Lime Chocolate Chip Cookie. It was as good as advertised.. the perfect marriage of sweet and tart! And of course all of our old favorites were there too.
The Cookie Bar at Summerhouse on the Lake
Nothing can compare to Gideon’s, but Summerhouse’s cookies were actually pretty good. They are a bit more traditional in their form. Certainly one Summerhouse cookie isn’t going to feed an army like one Gideon’s cookie can. However, if you aren’t in the mood to wait for 30 minutes, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Disney Dreams That Soar
This is (or was) the limited time drone show at Disney Springs. Unfortunately, only Banshee and Little Buster got to attend. As we had predicted, the crowds and general craziness would have been too much for Little Banshee, so she and I spend the evening at home.
However, Banshee and Little Buster said the the show itself was amazing. What they can do with drone tech these days is pretty special. The way that the displays moved and transitioned in three-dimensions was just mind boggling! I hope Disney notices how popular the show was and continues their use of drone technology in the future. Perhaps a nighttime drone show at Animal Kingdom? Maybe?
Wrap Up
All and all, it was a great trip. We got to mix into a lot of new experience with our usual old favorites. Is there anything that you are looking forward to on your next trip? Leave us a comment and let us know!
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