2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Preview

My favorite time of year is right around the corner - Epcot Food and Wine Festival! This years festival will run from August 30th - November 12th and will have over 30 marketplaces with food, wine, beer and spirits.

Epcot Food and Wine Festival - ©Disney

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to check out a media preview for the festival on behalf of #teamdroolius www.droolius.com. I am now more excited about this years festival!

There are over 30 marketplaces this year. including one all about Mimosas (Epcot heaven). Other new additions to 2018 include Character Dance Party, new Food & Beverage Pairings, Sunday Brunch with the Chef, a Junior Chef Kitchen, and more!

Speaking of Sunday Brunch with a Chef, this may be the most exciting thing I've heard about for Food and Wine Festival. Sunday brunch with the Chef has a large variety of different Chef's to brunch with, to the likes of Richard Blais, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Geoffrey Zakarian and Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli. My husband and I are both crazy food network fans and I am stalking the Disney site everyday to see if any availability opens for these brunches.

Here's a sneak peek of what you will find on the menu. A lot of favorites are returning this year, along with some new exciting dishes.  I've included photos of some of the dishes I got to try over the weekend. Wines that are in bold purple are a few I suggest giving a try. My favorite dish from the sneak peek was from the Flavors from Fire marketplace: Charred Chimichurri Skirt Steak on a Smoked Corn Cake.

(GF) indicates Gluten/wheat-friendly
(KA) indicates Kid-approved (Dishes designed with kids in mind.)
(V) indicates Vegetarian
Select dishes featuring Melissa's Produce

Active Eats

Active Eats - Energy Bar Bites (these are Vegan)

Food:

Loaded Mac ‘n' Cheese with Nueske's® Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers and Green Onions (KA)
Spice-crusted Verlasso® Salmon with Warm Lentil Power Salad, Crushed Avocado and Sherry Vinegar (GF)
Active Eats Energy Bar Bites: a mixture of Chocolate, Nuts, Dried Fruit and Dates (V) (KA)
Beverages:
M.I.A. Beer Company HRD WTR Pineapple Coconut Hard Sparkling Water, Doral, FL
L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc Old Vines, Columbia Valley, WA
Evolution by Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR

Africa
Food:
Berbere-style Beef Tenderloin Tips with Onions, Jalapeños, Tomato and Pap (GF)
Spicy Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew with Vegan Yogurt and Quinoa (V)
Beverages:
Cederberg Chenin Blanc
Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz
Groot Constantia Pinotage

The Almond Orchard hosted by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze® 
(All food items are made with Almond Breeze Almond Milk.)
Food:
Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Pulled Chicken, Toasted Blue Diamond Almonds and Parmesan Cheese served with Nut Thins® Crackers
Fire-roasted Tomato Hummus topped with Blue Diamond Lightly Salted Roasted Almonds and served with Blue Diamond Artisan Nut Thins® Multi-seeds Crackers
Banana Almond Soft-serve Sundae with Fresh Berries and Chocolate Almond Streusel (KA) (V)
Beverages:
Almond Breeze Strawberry Smoothie (Non-alcoholic) (KA)
Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne
Dom Pérignon Brut Champagne
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Rosé Champagne

Australia
Food:
Grilled Sweet and Spicy Bush Berry Shrimp with Pineapple, Pepper, Onion and Snap Peas (GF)
Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies (GF)
Lamington: Yellow Cake Dipped in Chocolate and Shredded Coconut (V)
Beverages:
Coopers Brewery Original Pale Ale
Hope Estate “Wollombi Brook” Semillon, Hunter Valley
Franklin Tate Estates Chardonnay, Margaret River
Yangarra Shiraz, McLaren Vale

Belgium
Food:
Beer-braised Beef served with Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes
Belgian Waffle with Warm Chocolate Ganache and Whipped Cream (V) (KA)
Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream (V) (KA)
Beverages:
Leffe Blonde Belgian Pale Ale (Flight)
St. Bernardus Witbier (Flight)
St. Bernardus Abt 12 (Flight)
Stella Artois Hard Cider
Chilled Coffee featuring Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Brazil

Moqueca

Food:
Moqueca: Brazilian Seafood Stew featuring Scallops, Shrimp and White Fish with Coconut-lime Sauce and Steamed Rice
Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Tomato and Onions (GF)
Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread (GF) (V) (KA)
Beverages:
M.I.A. Beer Company Barbossa Black Beer, Doral, FL
Casa Valduga Brut Rosé
Quinta do Crasto Duoro Red
Frozen Caipirinha featuring LeBlon Cachaça

Brewer's Collection
Beverages:
Radeberger Zwickel Pilsner (Unfiltered)
Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse Naturtrüb
Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen Pomegranate Beer

Canada
Food:
Canadian Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Soup served with a Pretzel Roll
Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce (GF)
Beverages:
Moosehead Radler: Lager infused with Grapefruit, Grape and Lemon Juices, New Brunswick
Château Des Charmes Equuleus Red Blend, St. David’s Bench
Château Des Charmes Vidal Icewine, Niagara-on-the-Lake

The Cheese Studio hosted by Boursin® Cheese

Maple  Bourbon Boursin Cheesecake

Food:
Braised Beef Stroganoff with Tiny Egg Noodles, Wild Mushroom and Boursin Garlic with Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce (KA)
Cheese Trio: Profiterole topped with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese and Orange Apricot Jam; Smoked Salmon
Pinwheel with Boursin Shallot and Chive Cheese and Everything Seasoning; Strawberry Macaron with Boursin Pepper Cheese
Maple Bourbon Boursin Cheesecake with Maple Bourbon Cream, Caramel and Pecan Crunch (V)
Beverages:
Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Blueberry Wine, St. Petersburg, FL
La Crema Pinot Gris, Monterey
Domaine Saint André de Figuière Rosé, Côtes de Provence
Alta Vista Estate Malbec, Mendoza

China
Food:
Xi’an Pancake with Beef
Chicken Dumplings with Chinese Slaw (KA)
Beijing Roasted Duck Bao Bun with Hoisin Sauce
Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles
Beverages:
Mango Bubble Tea with Assam Black Tea and Milk (Non-alcoholic)
Jasmine Draft Beer
Happy Peach: Peach Liqueur and Dark Rum
Kung Fu Punch: Vodka and Triple Sec
Byejoe Punch: Chinese Bai Jiu Spirit, Lychee, Coconut and Pineapple Juice
Honeydew Bai Jiu Cocktail: Chinese Bai Jiu Spirit and Honeydew Syrup

The Chocolate Stuido
Food:
Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey-Caramel (GF) (KA)
Sweet Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart with Whipped Cream (V)
Beverages:
Twinings® Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea and Chocolate Shake (Non-alcoholic) (KA)
Banfi Rosa Regale Sparkling Red, Piedmont
Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
Croft 10 Year Tawny
Twinings® Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Frozen Cocktail with Caramel Vodka

Coastal Eats
Food:
Lump Crab Cake with Napa Cabbage Slaw and Avocado-lemongrass Cream
Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip with Sourdough Baguette
Seared Scallops with Roasted Corn, Butterbean Succotash and Chili-chipotle Butter Sauce
Beverages:
A to Z Wineworks Pinot Gris, Oregon
ROCO Gravel Road Pinot Noir, Oregon

Craft Drafts
Your choice of 2 distinctive Beer Flights
Beverages: Central 28 Beer Company Waff-Ale, DeBary, FL (Flight 1)
Bold City Brewing 1901 Roasted Red Ale, Jacksonville, FL (Flight 1)
Florida Beer Company Passport Triple Chocolate Milk Stout, Cape Canaveral, FL (Flight 1)
First Magnitude Brewing Co. Lemongrass Saison, Gainesville, FL (Flight 2)
JDub’s Brewing Company Honeydew Melon Kölsch, Sarasota, FL (Flight 2)
Shipyard Brewing Company Monkey Fist IPA, Clearwater, FL (Flight 2)

Earth Eats

The Steakhouse Blended Burger

Food:
The Steakhouse Blended Burger: Blended Beef and Wild Mushroom Slider with Brie Cheese Fondue, Arugula, Truffle and Blue Cheese Potato Chip on a Brioche Bun
The IMPOSSIBLE™ Burger Slider with Wasabi Cream and Spicy Asian Slaw on a Sesame Seed Bun (V)
Beverages:
Health-Ade Kombucha Pink Lady Apple
Health-Ade Kombucha Pomegranate
Health-Ade Kombucha Beet-Lime
Kombucha Flight

The Festival Center Wine Shop
Food:
Charcuterie Plate: Chefs Selection of Artisanal Meats and Accompaniments
La Bottega di BelGioioso® Cheese Plate: Crescenza-Stracchino®, CreamyGorg® Gorgonzola Dolce, and Artigiano® Vino Rosso Cheeses
Bloody Mary Seafood Cocktail: Shrimp, Bay Scallops, Mussels, Olive Salad and Crisp Lettuce in a Bloody Mary Vinaigrette
Beverages: 
Fess Parker Riesling, Santa Barbara County (White Flight)
MacMurray Estate Vineyards Pinot Gris, Russian River Valley (White Flight)
Silverado Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley (White Flight)
Silverado Vineyards Chardonnay, Carneros
Kurt Russell’s Gogi Wines “Goldie” Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills
MacMurray Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley (Pinot Noir Flight)
Kurt Russell’s Gogi Wines “Birdie” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills (Pinot Noir Flight)
Skywalker Vineyards Sommita Pinot Noir, Marin County (Pinot Noir Flight)
Silverado Vineyards Fantasia Sangiovese Blend, Napa Valley (Red Flight)
Chappellet Mountain Cuvée Bordeaux Blend, Napa Valley (Red Flight)
Fess Parker Rodney’s Vineyard Syrah, Santa Barbara County (Red Flight)
Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Flavors from Fire

Charred Chimichurri Skirt Steak

Chocolate Picante

Food:
Piggy Wings: Roasted Pork Wings with Korean BBQ Sauce and Sesame Seeds (KA)
Smoked Corned Beef with Warm Crispy Potatoes, Pickled Onions and Blonde Ale Beer Fondue featuring BelGioioso® Romano and American Grana Cheeses
Charred Chimichurri Skirt Steak on a Smoked Corn Cake with Pickled Vegetable Slaw and Cilantro Aïoli
Chocolate Picante: Dark Chocolate Mousse with Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder and Mango
Beverages:
Orlando Brewery Smokin’ Blackwater Porter
Michael David Winery 7 Deadly Zins Zinfandel, Lodi
Swine Brine featuring Jim Beam Bourbon

France
Food:
Croissant aux Escargots: Escargot Croissant with Garlic and Parsley
Carbonade de Boeuf, Purée de Pommes de Terre: Beer-braised Beef with Bacon, Onion and Mashed Potatoes
Crème Brûlée à la Confiture de Framboises: Crème Brûlée with House-made Raspberry Jam (V) (GF) (KA)
Beverages:
La Passion Martini Slush: Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron, Cranberry and Passion Fruit Juice
Chardonnay, Le Vieux Manoir
Cabernet Sauvignon, Village la Tourelle, Bordeaux
St-Germain Sparkling Kir: Sparkling Wine and St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 Pale Lager

Germany
Food:
Schinkennudeln: Pasta Gratin with Ham, Onions and Cheese (KA)
Roast Bratwurst in a Pretzel Roll (KA)
Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce (V) (KA)
Beverages:
Radeberger Zwickel Pilsner (Unfiltered)
Carl Graff Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese, Mosel (Flight)
J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Kabinett, Mosel (Flight)
Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken, Mosel (Flight)
Villa Wolf Pinot Noir, Pfalz

Greece
Food:
Loaded Greek “Nachos”: Pita Chips, Meatless Sausage Crumbles and Vegan Tzatziki (V) (KA)
Taste of Greece: Chicken Souvlaki, Feta Cheese Dip with Warm Pita and Lamb Sausage with a Dill Tomato Ragu
Spanakopita: Greek Spinach Pie (V)
Bougatsa: Warm Phyllo Dough Strudel with Sweet Vanilla Custard, Lemon Honey Syrup and Cinnamon (V) (KA)
Beverages:
Domaine Skouras Moscofilero, Peloponnese (flight)
Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, Santorini (flight)
Argyros Atlantis Red Blend, Santorini (flight)

Hawaii 
Food:
Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour DOLE® Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise (KA)
Grilled Tuna Tataki with Seaweed Salad, Pickled Cucumbers and Wasabi Cream
Teriyaki-glazed SPAM® Hash with Potatoes, Peppers, Onions and Spicy Mayonnaise
Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Toasted Macadamia Nuts (V)
Beverages:
Maui Brewing Company Bikini Blonde Lager
Florida Orange Groves Sparkling Pineapple Wine, St. Petersburg, FL
Mai Tai with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum and DOLE Pineapple Juice

Hops and Barley

New Brunswick Slider

Food:
New England Lobster Roll: Warm Lobster with Fresh Herb Mayonnaise and Griddled Roll
New Brunswick Slider: Slow-braised Beef Brisket “Pot Roast Style” with Horseradish Cream and Crispy Fried Onions on a Potato Roll with Pickled Vegetables on the side
Freshly Baked Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Icing (V) (KA)
Beverages:
North Coast Bewing Co. Blue Star Wheat, Fort Bragg, CA (Flight)
3 Daughters Brewing A Wake Coffee Blonde Ale, St. Petersburg, FL (Flight)
Heavy Seas AmeriCannon APA, Baltimore, MD (Flight)
Angry Orchard Rosé Hard Cider, Walden, NY
Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands
Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles

India
Food:
Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa and Coriander Pesto Dips (V) (KA)
Madras Red Curry with Roasted Cauliflower, Baby Carrots, Chickpeas and Basmati Rice (V) (GF)
Korma Chicken with Cucumber Tomato Salad, Almonds, Cashews and Warm Naan Bread
Beverages:
Mango Lassi (Non-alcoholic) (KA)
Godfather Lager
Sula Chenin Blanc, Nashik
Sula Shiraz, Nashik
Mango Lassi with Sōmrus Indian Cream Liqueur

Ireland

Guinness Baileys Shake

Food:
Roasted Irish Sausage with Colcannon Potatoes and Onion Gravy
Warm Irish Cheddar Cheese and Stout Dip with Irish Brown Bread (V)
Warm Chocolate Pudding with Irish Cream Liqueur Custard
Beverages:
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Bunratty Meade Honey Wine
Guinness Baileys Shake

Islands of the Caribbean 

Jerk-spiced Chicken Lollipop

Food:
Ropa Vieja Empanada with Tomato Aïoli (KA)
Jerk-spiced Chicken Lollipop with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt
Quesito: Puff Pastry with Sweetened Cream Cheese and Guava Sauce (V) (KA)
Beverages:
Red Stripe Lager
Caribbean White Sangria
Frozen Mojito

Italy
Food:
Fritto Misto: Crispy Shrimp, Zucchini and Sweet Potatoes with a Spicy Sauce
Pollo Alla Cacciatora: Braised Chicken Thigh, Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Parmesan Polenta
Mezzi Rigatoni: Vodka Sauce, Crispy Pancetta and Parmesan Cheese (KA)
Cannoli: Cannoli filled with Sweet Ricotta, Chocolate and Candied Fruit (KA)
Beverages:
Moretti Lager
Moretti La Rossa Double Malt
Placido Pinot Grigio
Placido Chianti
Villa Sandi Prosecco
Montegrande Corbinello Spumante Dolce
Fior d’Arancio Montegrande Moscato
Frozen Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila

Japan
Food:
Teriyaki Chicken Bun: Steamed bun filled with Chicken, Vegetables and a Sweet Teriyaki Sauce (KA)
Beef Nigiri topped with Shrimp Sauce and Diced Pickled Jalapeños (GF)
Spicy Roll: Tuna and Salmon topped with Volcano Sauce
Beverages:
Kirin Ichiban Lager
Ozeki Rai Sake
Fuji Apple Cocktail: Sake, Peach Schnapps and Green Apple Syrup

Light Lab

RGB Beer Flight

Phosphorescent Phreeze (KA)
InfraRED (KA)
UltraVIOLET (KA)
Bleu Spectrum: Blanc de Bleu Cuvée Mousseux with Boba Pearls
Original Sin Dry Rosé Hard Cider, New York, NY (Cider Flight)
3 Daughters Brewing Blueberry Peppercorn Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL (Cider Flight)
Ciderboys Zen Berry Hard Cider, Stevens Point, WI (Cider Flight)
Playalinda Brewing Co. Red Cherry Tart, Titusville, FL (RGB Flight)
GrassLands Brewing Company Green Kiwi Blonde, Tallahassee, FL (RGB Flight)
M.I.A. Beer Company Blue-berry Golden Ale, Doral, FL (RGB Flight)
Cider Flight
RGB Flight

Mexico
Food:
Short Rib Tostada: Corn Tortilla topped with Short Ribs, Black Beans, Salsa Verde and Spring Onion
Shrimp Quesadilla: Corn Tortilla with Shrimp, Oaxaca Cheese and topped with Spicy Guajillo Sauce and Sesame Seeds
Coconut Rice Pudding served with Mango Coulis (GF) (V)
Beverages:
Cerveza Por Favor: Dos Equis Draft Beer with a hint of Almond
Mariachi Loco: Margarita with Libelula Tequila Joven, Mango Purée and Chamoy
Ay Caramba: Smoky Margarita with Gracias A Dios Mezcal, Lime Juice and Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
La Chancla: Red Wine Sangria mixed with Fruit Juice
El Padrino: Blackberry Mexican Punch with Velo Blanco Tequila

Morocco
Food:
Kefta Pocket: Seasoned Ground Beef in a Pita Pocket (KA)
Hummus Fries with Cucumber, Tomato, Onions and Tzatziki Sauce (V)
Chocolate Baklava: Rolled Phyllo Dough with Toasted Almonds and Dark Chocolate Sauce
Beverages:
Casa Pale Lager
Kasbah Prestige Red Wine
Mimosa Royale: Sparkling Wine and Orange Juice topped with Orange Liqueur
Red Organic Sangria

New Zeland
Food:
Steamed Green Lip Mussels with Garlic Butter and Toasted Breadcrumbs
Lamb Meatball with Spicy Tomato Chutney
Seared Venison Sausage with Kumara Purée and Wild Mushroom Marsala Sauce
Beverages:
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
Antmoore Wineworks MOKOblack Pinot Noir, Marlborough
Frozen Wine Cocktail featuring Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar

Madras Mimosa with Cranberry Sparkling Wine and Orange Juice

Food:
Chocolate Croissant: Flaky Croissant stuffed with Chocolate
Almond Croissant: Flaky Croissant topped with Toasted Almonds
Jumbo Blueberry Muffin with Streusel Topping
Cheese Danish with Sweet Icing
Beverages:
Frozen Apple Pie (Non-alcoholic) (KA)
Tropical Mimosa with Sparkling Wine and Pomegranate, Orange and Grapefruit Juices
Key Lime Mimosa with Key Lime Sparkling Wine and Cranberry Juice
Blood Orange Mimosa with Sparkling Wine and Blood Orange Juice
Madras Mimosa with Cranberry Sparkling Wine and Orange Juice
Fromosa: Frozen Mimosa featuring White Claw Lime Hard Seltzer
Joffrey’s Cold Brew Coffee

Spain
Food: 
Charcuterie in a Cone with imported Spanish Meats, Cheeses and Olives with an Herb Vinaigrette
Spanish-style Paella with Chorizo and Roasted Chicken
Seafood Salad with Shrimp, Bay Scallops, Mussels, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar and Smoked Paprika (GF)
Beverages:
Lagar de Bouza Albariño, Rías Baixas
Casa Castillo Monastrell, Jumilla
Espelt Garnacha Old Vines, Catalonia

Thailand
Food:
Marinated Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Stir-fried Vegetables (KA)
Seared Shrimp and Scallop Cake with Cold Noodle Salad
Red Hot Spicy Thai Curry Beef with Steamed Rice
Beverages:
Singha Lager
Maison Willm Gewürztraminer, Alsace

Wine & Dine Studio

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Food:
Seared Scallops, Truffled Celery Root Purée, Brussels Sprouts and Wild Mushrooms featuring Melissa’s Produce
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Vinaigrette, Parmesan Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds (V) (KA)
Trio of Artisan Cheese featuring La Bottega di BelGioioso® Cheeses (V)
La Bottega di BelGioioso Crescenza-Stracchino®
La Bottega di BelGioioso CreamyGorg® Gorgonzola Dolce
La Bottega di BelGioioso Artigiano® Vino Rosso
Artist Palette of Wine and Cheese
Trio of Artisan Cheese paired with Rainstorm Silver Linings Pinot Noir Rosé, Reata Chardonnay and Spellbound Petite Sirah
Beverages:
Reata Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
Rainstorm Silver Linings Pinot Noir Rosé, Oregon
Spellbound Petite Sirah, California

2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Event Details

August 30 to November 12, 2018
Marketplaces are open daily during regular park hours
Epcot admission is required
Marketplace food and beverage samples require a separate purchase
Alcohol will only be served to Guests 21 and older
Availability for some marketplace offerings may be limited
Marketplaces subject to closure at any time
All menu items are subject to change without notice

0

2018 runDisney Princess Half Marathon Recap

Last Sunday, my best friend and I participated in the 2018 Disney Princess Half Marathon. This was a special weekend for both of us, as we celebrated milestones together. In 2012, Keri ran her first Half Marathon and I ran my first 5K during Princess Half Marathon Weekend. I spectated Keri's first half and at that moment, I decided to start my blog and journal my running. Needless to say, if it weren't for that magical weekend in 2012, this blog would not exist.

We made this a girls race weekend and spent time at the parks on Friday and Saturday. While I always tell people to be cautious and not overdo time at a park prior to a run, I didn't take my own advice. We ended up walking over 10 miles on Friday and 8 miles on Saturday. Oops. We had fun though!

Shirt: Champagne in the Membrane, Buy Me Brunch

Capri's: Asics Printed Capri, Similar

Shoes: ASICS Gel Nimbus 17 Light Show

Nathan Hipster Belt

Sparkly Soul Princess Tiara Running Headband

I had such a hard time sleeping the night of the race, more than the normal "did I set the alarm clock" anxiety. When the alarm clock went off at 3:15am, I had already been awake for 30 minutes. Something I haven't talked at all about on this blog is that I went vegetarian the month of February. Well, the night before the race, I ate Bolognese Pappardelle. To say I wasn't 100% prior to the race is an understatement. I vomited more than once prior to starting the race and felt so sick - dizzy, heart racing, etc. I honestly thought there was no way I would make it to the start, let alone finish 13.1 miles.

We got to Epcot and started making our mile long walk to the start line. The crowd was so dense and multiple people around me were saying the same thing. We hadn't even made it to the split of the corals when the gun went off for the wheel chairs. I knew right then and there we wouldn't make it to Corral D in time for our start. We were pushed to the very back of Coral E. This was 100% our fault for not being in the Corals at 5:00am like race instructions state, but there were quite a few volunteers let us walk up to D, only to be turned around. It was a cluster.

We finally crossed the start line, decided to do the Galloway 1 minute run, 1 minute walk and not stop for any photos prior to getting inside of Magic Kingdom (with the exception of the entrance of the TTC). I will say, knowing now what the rest of the race would be like, I 110% regret not waiting in the very long line for the Evil Queen and her Cauldron.

Our pace time was much slower than we should have been at, even with maintaining a steady 1:1. We ended up falling in with a 30:30 Galloway group around mile 4. Due to how packed the race was, staying with them made it a lot easier to get through the crowd.

The course has changed a little since we last ran Princess. Being the 2017 WDW Half was cancelled, I realized it had been over 2 years since we last ran this course. We had to make a quick stop to take a photo with Bay Lake sunrise behind us. We quickly caught back up with our new pace group and ran through the entrance of Magic Kingdom. I truly loved this change to the course!

After running through Main Street, we stopped for a few castle photos and at that time got separated from the pace group, which was fine as we planned on taking some photos inside of Magic Kingdom.

I spotted a long line near Gaston's Tavern. I noticed Gaston right away (I mean, how could you not), then I saw Belle. I told Keri we had to stop. We were told the line was about 15-20 minutes but knowing how rare this photo opp was, I really wanted to take advantage of it.

Do I regret waiting in line 20 minutes for that photo? Yes and no.... I will get into that later. We got to the back of Cinderella's Castle to see the Evil Stepmother and Stepsisters. The line wasn't too long so we stopped.

Then we ran through Cinderella's Castle and waited in line another 5 minutes for the Castle Photo. This is the epic runDisney race photo of all race photos.

We stopped for one last photo inside of Magic Kingdom which was for Cowboy Goofy. This was around mile 7 and I already knew we were looking at a 3+ hour Half Marathon. We decided not to take any additional photos until we got inside Epcot. What we weren't expecting is to be forced to walk for nearly 2 miles.

That 2 mile walk is the only reason I regret waiting in line for the photos at Magic Kingdom. For those familiar with the course, miles 6-8 were far narrower than I ever remember and there was zero chance at running during the majority of this time. Once the course widened, we had already been walking for those 2 miles and it was difficult getting back into it. We decided to do the 30:30 the rest of the course but almost everyone was walking and at times, doing such a short interval was impossible.

Did I mention how hot it was? I am talking nearly 90 degrees with near 100% humidity. It's February!! By the time we got into Epcot, I was beyond overheated and didn't realize how red my face was until my Mom responded to this photo.

I love Epcot - it is my happiest place on earth. However, I cannot remember the last time I was so happy to see the Epcot Ball.

I was mentally and physically over the day and wanted to take a nap, drink a glass of champagne, take a shower and drink a margarita....in that order.

We finally got through and saw mile 13. I was so happy to see that finish line.

A few thoughts after the race.....

I LOVE THIS MEDAL

#1 The Crowds: Why was it so crowded? I have ran MANY runDisnsey races and never experienced anything like this before. There weren't additional runners.... so odd.

#2 SO HOT: I am not looking forward to this summer in FL.

#3 Long Distance Running: At this point, I think I am done running anything longer than a 15K. This may change....I've said this before.

#4 Judgmental Friends: I am not going to call anyone out, and can write an entire post (or two) on this.....but when did running turn into a judgmental sport and when did friends become our judges? It doesn't matter how long it takes someone to finish a race. They are out there for their own reasons and if that reason is to take it easy and enjoy the experience at Disney, you should still support them. Running is personal and it is not a platform to make fun of others because they are slower than you.

1

2017 my year in review

Although I am currently cooking something to bring to a New Years Eve party this evening, I find it impossible that we will be closing out 2017 at midnight. I say it every year, but this year has flown by. Although I didn't blog nearly as often in 2017 as previous years, my life was insanely busy. With that said, it is time for my annual year in review!

January

I said hello to 2017 with The Cancelled Walt Disney World Half Marathon that lived on. For the first time ever, I faced a cancelled race due to weather. Along with a few hundred other runners and volunteers, we made up 13.1 miles around various Disney resorts on race day (we were at Pop Century and had plenty of photo opps). It was amazing to see encouragement from visitors, made up water stations and an describable energy. It was one of my best running moments.

Following the cancelled half marathon, my best friend Keri and I headed down to Miami to board the latest Carnival fleet, the Vista on our annual girls cruise. The Vista was without a doubt the nicest cruise ship I have stepped foot on and I am itching for another cruise soon!

February 

February was when my work madness kicked in. In 2016, I took a new position in a new department within my company for events. Honestly, if someone was to ask me years ago to form my dream job, this is it. It also comes with travel, which I am perfectly fine with - but my blog had to take backseat. In the month of February, I went to NYC, Houston, Seattle and Atlanta. In between my work travel, I found time to run my first Gasparilla Half Marathon in Tampa.

March

March kicked off with back to back work weeks in Atlanta. I spent the entire month of March in Atlanta and got promoted during one of the visits! I also ran the First Watch Sarasota Half Marathon Relay with my husband during one of my weekends home. This is one of my favorite races in Florida and we have participated in it 3 times now.

April

We went to New Orleans for Easter Weekend with my husbands family. It was a busy weekend full of parades and activities and we had an amazing time.

I ended April with a press trip to Disney for a photo workshop called Capture the Bite. I spent 3 days with talented photographers where we were taught new skills. This was a great workshop where we put away our smart phones and brought out our cameras for some incredible photo opportunities - and of course great food, all while meeting new friends.

May 

May started my crazy work schedule again with trips to Atlanta, Nashville and Ponte Vedra. Somehow I was able to keep everything in line and have some free time to do fun stuff. The day I got home from Capture the Bite, I received a text from my friend and neighbor Heather who invited me to be her plus one for a Disney press trip. I couldn't believe it - two Disney press trips in a week?! As Heathers plus one, I got to experience The World of Pandora, the new Avatar land inside Disney's Animal Kingdom prior to it opening. We rode all the rides, took plenty of photos and had a relaxing time in this beautiful world before all madness set in when it opened.

June

June was chaos upon an already chaotic year with work trips to New York, Atlanta and Hollywood (FL) - and my birthday of course. In fact, I didn't blog once during the whole month of June - and recapped everything here. We had an unexpected loss in our little family. We had to suddenly and unexpectedly put down our beloved 13 year old cat Boo. He started breathing funny and after taking him into the vet, we learned he had an advanced stage of cancer. We made the hard life decision to make him comfortable and say goodbye. June, a very eventful month, was very tragic for us.

July

Not to broadcast my age - my 20th High School Reunion was in July. How in the hell did that happen?! I swear we were just at our 10th Reunion. It was great to see so many people we spent a big chunk of our lives with. It was fascinating - one thinks they know everything going on in everyone's lives because of social media - but interacting on Social Media is far different than catching up in person. We almost didn't go, and booked our tickets a few weeks prior to the reunion. It was a great memory and I encourage anyone who is on the fence about attending their reunion to book your ticket and go!

After shedding far too many tears, we decided  it was time to rescue another cat and give him/her the life that we gave Boo. Enter Baloo! We found Baloo through a local foster group and after a week of back and forth, we finally got the approval to bring him home! He is a perfect fit to our little family. This crazy kitten loves to play fetch and is the biggest snuggler I have ever encountered. We are madly in love with this little guy!

August

August is the month that I named "the calm before the storm". We took Baloo on his first road trip to St. Augustine Beach and found out he is a wonderful traveler. My Cousin got married in St. Pete Beach and we got to spend the weekend with my parents. August also kicked off the craziest 4 months of work I could ever imagine. The craziness started with a Florida based roadshow, then I headed back to Atlanta. We were also finalizing a 9 city, 2 country roadshow that began in September. Hold on tight, here we go....

September

Although I knew September was going to be VERY busy, we were not expecting Hurricane Irma to be part of it. Luckily, our house was damage free in Tampa but we did evacuate last minute to my parents in Daytona (only to lose power there). The hurricane had potential impacts on all of my September events and honestly, this was not something I had done a crisis plan for. Once Irma came and went, I found myself in Nashville for a client event, then flew directly from Nashville to Orlando to kick off our 9 city road show. This was a first for our company and between me and my counterpart, we each went to 8 of the 9 locations (I skipped London, she skipped Orlando). Following the Orlando event, my husband and I headed to Fort Lauderdale to go on a Carnival Conquest celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary. I did something on this cruise I had never done before - I left my work computer at home and only checked my work email once. Baby steps!

October

Oh October........ Nashville, Charlotte, Atlanta, New York, Chicago and Portland - or as I nicknamed it, the tour of city skylines. Although I was gone the entire month, we did have an opportunity to check out some pretty great restaurants and I crossed one off my bucket list - Girl and the Goat! I have a ton of blog posts to write about my city adventures, I just need to find the time to do so!

November

My Portland trip ended the road show and I took a red eye so I could make it to packet pickup in time for runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon. I'm not going to sugar coat it, this was one of the hardest races ever. Between being totally exhausted from being on the road for 6 weeks straight and not having much time to train, my 13.1 miles were a total disaster. I did push through and finish but it wasn't pretty.

December

December was a very nice, much needed slow month. Gabe and I went back to New Orleans. This was a trip rewarding myself for all the work craziness over the past few months. We spent 5 days in the city, eating a ton of delicious food and enjoyed all the Christmas decorations. We even saw snow in the French Quarter!!! We closed out 2017 with a trip back home for Christmas and enjoyed quality time with our families.

Overall, 2017 was a good year. It surely had it's ups and downs but looking back, I would say far more ups. I hope everyone has a wonderful New Years eve and that 2018 is the best year ever.

xoxo

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2017 runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Recap

So let's start this post off by saying 2 things: The Wine and Dine Half was my was my 22nd half marathon......and I haven't ran more than 3 miles since March, 2017.

I  am a seasoned idiot. OK now that I got that off my chest, I must say that I do not suggest my lack of training to anyone. I will be honest throughout this long recap in hopes that others don't make my ignorant mistake.

Disney's Wine and Dine Half Marathon is my absolute favorite runDisney event. It is a combination of all my favorite things (Disney, Wine, Food, Running) and it is the only race that runDisney puts on which gives runners access into a park for an after party. When runDisney cancelled the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January, my best friend Keri and I switched our registration to the 2017 Wine Dine Half since it is our favorite race to run together.....well Keri ended up getting into the NYC Marathon so I was tackling on Wine Dine Half alone.

I had full intentions properly training for this event. Well that didn't happen and I am not going to bore you with excuses. My work schedule conflicted with half marathon training and I will leave it at that. I had to take the red-eye in from Portland to get my bib on time. I was Jet lagged and beyond exhausted.

My Outfit:
ASICS Women's Gel-Nimbus 19 Running Shoe (on sale)
ASICS Women's Printed Capri (on sale)
Mary Poppin Bottles tank (similar)

At 3:15am, I was up and ready to go. I read the digital runner guide the night before and I read that the race started at Pocahontas Magic Kingdom Parking Lot. My big mistake for not questioning what I read. I missed an important part - where it said to park at Epcot and take a bus over. I had to turn around, drive back to Epcot, and be one of the final people to board the bus back to where I was just at. This was my mistake, but not having a printed out version of the runner guide really screwed me up and I beg runDisney to bring those back.

By the time my coral (D) started, I was in a foul mood. Nothing was going right, I was tired, I was untrained and everything I love about runDisney was annoying me. Next thing I know, it was time to start. I crossed the start line with the 2:30 minute run walk coral and made the decision to stay with them. Being untrained and used to this run walk ratio, I knew this was something that I could accomplish. Within a few steps, I was in a bad way. The humidity was impacting my breathing. I missed the last 8 weeks of Orange Theory due to work travel and I was starting to mentally doubt myself on all levels.

We passed a "parade bus" at mile 3.1 and I seriously thought about quitting. Then I thought to myself, Keri will have 23.1 miles to go when she reaches this point. Carry on.

I was very excited to run through Pandora, the new Avatar land in Animal Kingdom. I have only been to Pandora once during a media sneak peek. Upon entering Pandora, I left the 2:30 pace group so I could get some photos. This is where my downward spiral became a landslide.

Upon exiting Animal Kingdom, I wanted to quit again....and again...and again. At this point, I had not taken any character photos, so I stopped at the first one I saw which happened to be chef Pluto. I waited in line for a few minutes and when it was time to start running again, I felt positive for the first time all day - OK I can do this.

That is when I decided to stop at all the photo stops along the course. The next one - of course - was the one group of Disney Characters I hate....the Country Bear Jamboree. This is somewhat of an inside joke between my mother and I so I stopped, just for her. Awkward photo much?

Next up was the penguins from Mary Poppins. Given my shirt said "Mary Poppin Bottles", I was really hoping for a photo on the course with her, but penguins I will take.

I believe at this point, we were nearing mile 8-9. I honestly had a mental battle going on at this point. I was pissed off at myself for the lack of training. My ego got a hold of me, knowing how many half's I have completed. I thought no big deal, been there done that - and no ma'am, that is not what happened. Just smile for the cameras....

When I entered Hollywood Studios, I saw Oswald the Rabbit - and was stoked. I have always wanted a photo with him! On to the next character, which was tourist Genie, I skipped him as this photo already belongs in my runDisney collection.

Once leaving Hollywood Studios (which is beautifully decorated for Christmas, already), I found myself with the 3:00 run walk pace group. By the way, I was walking pretty much at this point. Hating life. This group was doing 30:30 which is what saved me during the Inaugural Dopey Challenge. I decided to stay with them through the end - that was until I saw Remy & Emile from Ratatouille which is my runDisney bucket list photo. I was grateful for that pace group as I would've ended up walking the last 2 miles if it weren't for them.

After my photo with Remy & Emile, I ran pretty much the rest of the course. My Mom was at the finish line - and believe it or not, this was her first opportunity to be able to watch me cross the finish line since my first 5K at Princess weekend in 2012.

I found my Mom, she graciously stood in line to get me a corndog (at 8:45am) from the Fantasy Fare Food Truck while I stood in line to get us 2 glasses of Moet Champagne. Cordogs and Champagne yall!

Then we took a couple of photos together. It was a treat having my Mom there at the finish line. Especially considering the mental and physical condition I was in.

This race was not fast. I don't even know (or want to know) my finish time. My accomplishment was only the fact that I finished 13.1 miles totally untrained (although it is an ignorant accomplishment). I learned a huge lesson in terms of training.

Our next race is the Key West Half Marathon in January and you can guarantee I will be training over the next few months!

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