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Episode 289: Moonlight Magic, Haunted Mansion Sipper & Festival of the Arts Food
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On This Episode
DVC announces registration dates for Moonlight Magic 2025 events along with some new restrictions. DVC also modified point transfer rules to make them more flexible. Disney Cruise Line will start building smaller ships after the current class is completed. A Haunted Mansion bride souvenir sipper materialized at Disneyland. The free dining plan offer returns for 2025. The guys discuss the food for this year’s EPCOT International Festival of the Arts.
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Transcript
Introduction and Hosts
00:00:09
Speaker
This is Skipper Albert A. Wall, the voice of the jungle, broadcasting on the DVC to all points unknown. If you're within the sound of my voice, you're listening to Welcome Home Podcast on the DVC.
00:00:30
Speaker
Hello and welcome home. This episode of Welcome Home is brought to you by DVC Resale Market. Thank you for joining us on episode 289 of Welcome Home, a Disney Parks and Vacation Club podcast. I'm Tom here with Trevor. Hey. Maybe Damon at some point. Who knows? yeah Possibly late, Damon, maybe.
00:00:46
Speaker
We're not sure. Maybe not at all, David. We really really don't know. He's like Bigfoot, you know, he might be out there. You might you might see a glimpse of him somewhere. um But you will you you won't get a picture either if you do. No, you won't get a picture. And if you do, it'll be blurry. Yeah, it'll be really you'll be unidentifiable.
Tattoos and Disney World Planning
00:01:05
Speaker
But, you know, for for those for those concerned about my ah my tattoo saga, ah my my tattoo has has gone away now. It's gone.
00:01:12
Speaker
um I know, I know. My rainbow, I forgot that it was a rainbow dinosaur unicorn, you know, until I took the, and by the way, surprisingly difficult to take a picture of your upper arm. I mean, I guess I could have done it in the mirror or something. I was going to say, that's why you use a mirror. Yeah, but like it was, I needed a close up of it and it just wasn't, you know, and also I'm not like generally taking like, you know,
00:01:37
Speaker
like selfies of yourself in the mirror. Yeah, exactly. like i'm not I'm not the guy whose profile is is me like you know making ah making a big muscle with my arm ah you know in the in a mirror at the gym. you know like That's not me, obviously. So um ah so anyway, yeah. So what what's going on with you? What's what's what's up?
00:01:57
Speaker
Um, not a lot. Uh, just, uh, I mean, you know, we've talked about previously that, you know, I'm, I'm going to Disney world in may. So I'm just in the, um, I'm in the planning phases right now of like, what do I need to finish? Yeah. Cause because you know how it is, right? Like, like I know, I know may sounds far out, but like there, there's things that come up like dining reservations and like making sure that I have like.
00:02:24
Speaker
Park tickets and everything sorted out, right? So I'm just kind of, I'm there right now. And and it's funny cause it's like, I could have done this stuff like a month ago, but I don't know about you, but it's like, it always feels like, like Christmas is like a weird barrier. Like the new year is like,
00:02:41
Speaker
You don't do it like there's stuff that i could have done before new year's but it's like no that's a new year's problem. That's a problem for the next year. yeah and and So that that's why i'm out is it's like yeah oh all the things that i've been putting off actually i need to i need to start getting going on so i'm i'm i'm starting to look at all that and make sure that.
00:03:03
Speaker
make sure I have everything I need for for this trip. because yeah it i don't she mean i play It always takes like a couple weeks to get back into like the routine of life after the holidays. you know It's like everyone needs that time to kind of just recover and then you know everything everything starts to really ramp up you know the next couple weeks here. But yeah, to your point, i you know I was talking to you about this too. My cruise is the same time you're at Disney And um it's it's coming up fast. I mean, it's going to be here before you know it, you know? And even though, it like you said, it feels far away, it it really isn't. I mean, it's it's a couple of months, especially since it's the beginning of May. ah You know, it's it's it's going to be here before I know it. And I got a book, you know, like I have to book stuff ah for the boat or for the ship, I should say, ah you know, only like a month from now. So, you I really have to think about all that too. Plus, you know, we're going with a pretty large group of people on our crew. So not not really that large, I guess. It's what...
00:04:03
Speaker
It's 10 of us? No, nine of us? That's a big enough group.
Cruise Plans and Mini-Golf Memories
00:04:08
Speaker
Yeah. And you reminded me of something, was that you and I said we were going to try and get together for an actual round of mini golf. Yeah, that's right. We need to talk about that at some point, because I don't think either of us are going to just show up and know where to go, because there's lots of places to play mini golf in. There are a lot of places. In Orlando.
00:04:28
Speaker
There's a place, and I remember it from childhood, and I think it's still there because I'm pretty sure I've driven by it before on the way to Disney, but there was one, and I remember this distinctly, where the last hole, like you end up on like the top of a mountain, and the last hole was like basically like a super steep ramp and you just have to tap it over and it like flies down all the way down the mountain and like hits a net and you know may or may not fall in.
00:04:51
Speaker
so i was not see Yeah. Is it like that ski jump hole that we played in Walkabout? Kind of, yeah. all for Yeah, kind of, yeah. Yeah. All right. Yeah. But I i don't know if that place exists. i I remember it from childhood and I feel like I've seen it, but I could be
Disney Backstage and Entrance Musings
00:05:07
Speaker
wrong. I mean, it might not be there. So it's actually been a while since I've gone, you know, be ever since my mom moved to Ocala,
00:05:17
Speaker
I don't go the old way that I used to go. right so like We used to come down 95 and we would go across the dreaded I4 and that you'd see all that stuff there. But now the way that I come from my moms, I usually end up coming through backstage areas to get to my resort. like Because of just the direction we're coming from, it like the GPS always like routes us backstage.
00:05:41
Speaker
Which is fine but like you don't get like the full you know i want to drive through the gates and stuff yeah know like yeah that it is different you know you know coming into into like like you said from like the the the front and i'm using air quotes like the you know the front of.
00:05:56
Speaker
of the resorts. and And yeah, you're right, you know, there is all those like, places that you see along the way, like all the, you know, you know, family fun entertainment places and mini golf and all that. And you're right, it's I've done the same thing where it's like, we did, we actually did when we left was it was like, we we took it or we had a ride or a town car service. And he did the same thing, you know, he took us out like, one of the back roads and it was like, huh,
00:06:24
Speaker
Like there's, there's not a lot out here. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we ended up going through like neighborhoods, like, you know, we're like driving through somebody's neighborhood and I'm just like, and there's like, oh, there's a high school right there. Like sometimes you forget that like life is, you know, regular life is just right outside of those Disney borders. the people that work there have to, you know, also have a place to live and take their kids to school and such. So, yeah, I mean, I've gone through those backstage areas a bunch of times, and every time my wife and I look at each other, they're like, are we supposed to be back here? Like, are we gonna get pulled over by Disney security or something? But nobody seems to care. Not supposed to be here.
00:07:04
Speaker
Yeah. Well, yeah, I just I don't want to I also don't want to ruin it either. Like for myself, you know, right? Like ah it. ah Well, not for myself. I don't care about for myself, but but for my daughter, you know, like you don't want to think about like the warehouses they have back there to hold all the stuff like I don't need to see that. I mean, you know, oh to be fair, you know, when I was a kid and we were driving places, I had no concept of like how we were getting there or like what things were. it It was like, once you got there, it was like, oh, we're here. It was like, I didn't care that we were driving through like, you know, neighborhoods or wherever. like yeah that's that's yeah And even my son, you know, I've i've told him like, oh yeah, you know, we, we went to this place. He's like, I don't remember how we got there. I'm like, okay. Just remember a arrival. Yeah. You know, he, he was in the car and then we were driving. So then,
00:07:58
Speaker
He just, it might as well have been teleportation technology to him because we he just appeared where we needed to be, right? This this is a good point. This is a good point. I do wonder, ah you know, and well, not wonder, I will say that the one thing that I always make sure we try to do is at least go through the the the gates, you know, we're with Mickey and Minnie on it, because my daughter does love that. My wife loves it, too. Still, every time she takes a picture as we're driving through, as if she hasn't taken the same picture 100 times. but you know And I'm not complaining, it's it's fine. i think it's I think it's cool, but um I just think it's funny that everybody takes a picture there, you know? I try to, but I'm never like... It's actually hard, like it's easier to take a video, it's hard to take a picture of going through the gates.
00:08:42
Speaker
It is. It is very hard to take a picture. as Well, especially if you're driving, you shouldn't do all your driving. Don't do it while you're driving. Yeah, don't ever do it while you're driving. Yeah, that's not a good idea. Taking pictures while they're driving. that's Yeah, it's it's not a good idea to do that. So now I'm trying to find this mini golf course as I'm talking to you, and I can't find it anywhere. So maybe I'm just making it up in my head, but I swear I remember it. so Well, we will figure out something. Like I said, we we actually I do have a list of courses that my brother and I have kind of we were not like experts or anything, but we kind of like looked and like, yeah, these ones look like they'll be a lot of fun. So we've we've done a our own curated list of I think we have about like six or seven different courses that we're planning to hit up. So nice. You know, barring you not figuring out which one
00:09:28
Speaker
you know If there is a specific one you want to meet up at, you know yeah, we'll we'll figure that out. But you know barring that, we have options. Honestly, I'd be happy just to do Disney's mini golf courses. i The one time I did them, i they were a lot of fun. you know and we're yeah We're actually not doing any of them the Disney ones because we've both done the Disney ones. Yeah, well yeah I get that. So we're trying to do new ones.
00:09:51
Speaker
No, I totally get that that. That makes total sense. We we did the ah the Fantasia. No, is it the? Yeah, is it? Is that is that the one? Fantasia, the one the one. near Yes, one dolphin.
00:10:02
Speaker
Yeah. So we did that one, but we had to stop on like whole like 13 because like a thunderstorm rolled in, you know, as they do in Florida. Um, and so like we had to like basically run to our car. ah Like, uh, we never actually got to finish cause it was like on our last day too. So, and it was pouring. So we're like, all right, well, I guess we just leave then. That's, that's how it goes. So, um, we never actually got to finish that one, which is, you know, unfortunate, but it is what
Moonlight Magic Events Discussion
00:10:32
Speaker
it is.
00:10:32
Speaker
So anyway, uh, yeah, I was, it's funny. You were just taught, we were talking before the show cause I'm trying to get a passport for my daughter before this cruise, which is, uh, you know, it's unnecessary. I know. i Don't write in and tell me I don't need the passport. I know I don't need the passport, but we're getting it anyway.
00:10:48
Speaker
Um, but it's, you know, it's, it's a whole challenge to do it with, with kids, you know, you gotta have both parents present, which is pretty difficult. You know, I i know that sounds crazy, but yeah it i mean no, like everyone has stuff going on, right? You know, it's, yeah it is hard for people to sometimes coordinate schedules, which is totally fair. But I also, you know, again, like we, as we talked about, I get why you're doing it because we did the same thing. We just started getting all that stuff sooner than later. So you're not in a position where your kid needs it yeah and you know they're past the age of requiring it and stuff, or you end up somewhere where you need it and you don't have it, right? Exactly. Especially on a cruise. like you you know you know you're I'm sure your cruise will go perfectly fine, but you know just because it is a cruise and you're in international waters, I think you don't want to be in a situation where like exactly you know you don't have a passport.
00:11:41
Speaker
Yeah. A hundred percent. And that's, that's exactly what my, my thought around it was. It's like, probably just good to have like, you know, and not that I think anything's going to happen, but if something did, it's good to have a passport, you know? yeah So anyway, do you want to talk about moonlight magic? Let's talk about moonlight magic stuff. yeah lets Let's talk about moonlight magic, even though i I know I'm never going to get to go to one, but let's talk about it anyway. I'm still bitter. i've I've had, I've had opportunities and I've missed them, but you know, I still want to believe that I'm going to go.
00:12:10
Speaker
I think the only time there was one going on while I was there was when I registered for and then we were just so tired we didn't go like you know which I feel bad about because someone else could have gone but it was like typhoon lagoon and so it wasn't like one of the coveted ones I feel like you know yeah I mean that's I feel typhoon lagoon I guess people are gonna come for me on this I feel like it's of all the ones to miss that's the one That's what I felt like. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the other ones are cooler. But so ah DVC actually announced a bunch of not a bunch, a couple new changes for ah the for 2025. And one of the things they're doing now is they're going to be limiting the number of moonlight magics, ah but moonlight magic events that a person can attend. So, yeah. So so the way that they're they're splitting up into seasons of moonlight magic and you can only go to one moonlight magic per season.
00:13:02
Speaker
It's the stipulation. So winter, spring, and summer, the three that they broke it out to. So yeah, there's three seasons. So technically, you could go to up to three Moonlight Magics throughout the year, which Okay, let's let let's talk about that. Yeah, let's talk about that first. yeah you know You know, it's a limitation. And I'm sure some people will go, well, what do you mean, you know, that's, or I can see somebody saying that's not fair. Or, you know, why do I, why am I restricted from going or, you know, maybe, i'm maybe I'm going to be there for all three dates in the winter season or something. But
00:13:34
Speaker
I get why they're doing this because Moonlight Magic is a very high demand thing. And I don't... This is entirely a perception thing. I'm not saying that this is what's actually happening, but I get the feeling that you know people that are maybe you know local or closer or local that are DVC members, you know they could definitely take advantage of going to every single Moonlight Magic, which is... you know They would get...
00:13:59
Speaker
You know, right now there's what eight different, uh, or no, nine different, nine there's nine schedules yeah um, days throughout the year where they just get free access to the park, which, you know, for those of us that are outside of, of the, you know, the, the local area go, you know, Hey, that, you know,
00:14:16
Speaker
That's not fair in that um you know they're they're able to go every single time, but then also they're taking up a spot from somebody else because they're they're every time that Moonlight Magic's come up, there is there's a wait list or there's you know they they have like a lottery or they they're always they're always trying some way to make it fair for people to get in.
00:14:34
Speaker
But there's way too many people that want to get in right so this is this way they're they're allowing more people to get in or to have a chance to experience these which i think is good like i think this is the right way to approach it because it seems you know.
00:14:50
Speaker
You're not being told no, but it's you know it's giving somebody else a chance. right It's it's it yeah the same as like you know when you go to um or you know when when your office has a pizza party because you know you know everyone's office loves having a pizza party and there's there's that one person that takes like you know five slices of pizza and it's and you know there's still a lineup behind them. right like you know there' I know most people are not like that, but i I guess in my experience, there's always that one guy who seems to be like oblivious to the fact that it's like, hey, other people want to partake in this as well, but they're busy you know taking everything for themselves. so I just walk away with a box.
00:15:28
Speaker
just you just gra I don't do that. I'm kidding. You got you go back to your desk and yeah and just take a box, you know, just just walk away with that. ah But yeah, so so I get why they're doing this is. Yeah, I guess. too Yeah, I get it too. By the way, so the the dates, I don't think we talked about these. I don't know when they announced them, but I don't think we talked about them. But Hollywood Studios on January 26, so that's coming up very soon here um and registration is going going to be on the 15th for early registration and then general on the 17th.
00:15:59
Speaker
ah So that's that's coming up and then so that's for all the winter season ones though too because there's also February 3rd at California Adventure so look at that Disneyland getting some love so you're right by the way there's eight at Disney World and and then there's ah just the ah that the one at Disneyland but California Adventure registration, the same dates, and then Animal Kingdom for February 12th. And then we have the spring season, which has April 30th at Epcot, ah May 20th at Typhoon Lagoon, and June 9th at Typhoon Lagoon. And then there's the summer season, which has Epcot July 17th, Typhoon Lagoon August 11th, Disney Hollywood Studios September 1st. And you know I think we noted this actually last time, no Magic Kingdom dates, which shouldn't be that surprising, I guess.
00:16:46
Speaker
Yeah. and And I think that the trade-off there is that Magic Kingdom has the after-hours parties. Yeah, it does. But it's not free though. It's not free. Yeah, exactly. I think they realize that they can charge for Magic Kingdom. Yeah. Well, of course. yeah Of course. yeah um But yeah, so listen, the registration dates are are spread out for these. So if you do want to register, just you know go look. But ah for the ones that are happening in January and February, that registration is coming up in the next few days here. So be prepared for that.
00:17:14
Speaker
Yeah, that'll be, that's Wednesday. that that ski is Wow, that is really big. Yeah, that's soon. Yeah, we're already halfway through this month, man. It's going fast, almost. and anyway And that comes back to you know the the stress of, you you know you know if you have a ah vacation booked at that time, you know there's going to be you know people getting on first thing, trying to to get in there and booked.
00:17:38
Speaker
i I understand why um Disney is limiting this for, like I said, you know, for exactly, you know, there's going to be people that, um there's going to be people that, you know, maybe this is the only trip they can do this year. And so yeah, hopefully, you know, this gives more of a chance for people to get it. Although because it is the first one of the year, I'm, I'm predicting that you're going to see a lot of posts after Wednesday of people who tried to get into Moonlight Magic and didn't because it booked up with inside of 10 seconds. Well, yeah, I could see that too. And by the way, early reservation ah is for people with a hotel reservation at the time of the event and late the later registration is for those without a hotel reservation. So 15th of January, 17th of January, those are the two dates for early in general. so Yeah.
00:18:28
Speaker
Yeah, so we'll have to see if anybody hops in. I don't have any Disney plans for next year outside of the air for this year, I should say, outside of the um the cruise yet. So we'll ah we'll see if I end up, maybe later in the year, wanting to to do one of these.
00:18:43
Speaker
Yeah, the the closest one for me would have been actually a typhoon lagoon one in May, but we leave three days before and I, yeah, I'm not, I'm not moving my, uh, and actually the, yeah, that the, that time period overlaps with, uh, my son's birthday. So I wouldn't be like, Oh, I'm going to extend my vacation to go to the typhoon lagoon because I'm not missing my son's birthday. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. One other thing that that DVC has done is they made some updates to the transfer rules.
00:19:13
Speaker
as far as far as point transfers. And and they're good updates. They're they're in the favor of members. And so it's a little more flexibility. um Before, you could not transfer banked or borrowed points, um and now you are able to. So it actually, the they put an addendum in it in the contracts that says, allotted banked borrowed reservation and holding home resort vacation points may be transferred.
00:19:38
Speaker
So it's a small change, but it definitely will help some people that tend to transfer points, which I actually used to transfer points between my two different use years, which was a huge pain in the butt, which I've talked about, which is why I'm getting rid of those. But this will also loosen things up a little bit too.
00:20:00
Speaker
and This actually really helps um like people who do rentals. so It does. um Whether you're renting out points or renting points, that there's going to be more available now because Yeah, you know, previously people like, you're right. I'm glad that they did this because yeah, I've been in that situation too, where it's like, oh, you know, I, I banked some points and, you know, still ended up not using them or, or had to like figure out like, well, we got to use these points because they are banked. And, you know, we have to use them before the end of the year kind of thing. Right. Like this way, even if you have banked them, you still have.
00:20:40
Speaker
you know, you have time to figure out either if you're going to use them or if not, you can transfer them to someone else, you know, via, um you know, ah via rentals or, um I guess, that yeah, this is primarily like it or, you know, if you have somebody, you know, a friend or whatever, it's like, hey, I can You know, transfer my points to you or or whatever, because yeah like like rentals are usually, I guess, people just renting reservations. But I mean, I have these scenarios where people will actually like, hey, I've got points. And then somebody else will say, yeah, I'll take those points from you. And then.
00:21:13
Speaker
and then you know transfer money that way. so it's Yeah, it could work for member to member, right? like If a member just needs some extra points, you know you could, I guess, theoretically buy those extra points from somebody. Although it is worth noting, you know you you are limited to ah one transfer per use year. So moving in or out of the account, right? So they yeah they still limit you on that. it's it's not um It's not like they're going to let you do a lot. And and I also saw, not in this article, but somewhere else, that they specifically prohibit doing this for any commercial purposes, ah such as renting them out. But yeah but you know at this at the same time, there's not a whole lot of ways they can enforce that. ah but Well, i mean the the stipulation on that is um
00:21:58
Speaker
commercial entities that own um or basically it it identifies like company own points cuz there are situations out there where that like a company has purchased points. And yeah that is restricted that that you can't you can't use it like that because yeah otherwise it'd be like you know hey you know my company bought points and.
00:22:19
Speaker
um Yeah, it becomes like ah you know like a secondary secondary in ah revenue stream where you know you're you're selling out points or you know effectively renting points through a company. I guess that's something like i i've seen um I've actually seen people one on Reddit because ah because I do go into Walt Disney World Reddit.
00:22:38
Speaker
Yeah, where like I saw somebody like, oh, oh you know, um like the these rental places, they're just, you know, they're just capitalized and they're buying up all these contracts. And it's like, no, that's not how the rental places work. Like like like people are actually under the perception that it's like,
00:22:54
Speaker
that that, you know, not not just, like you know you know, we have like, DVC rental store, who's a sponsor of ours, but, you know, there's other places like David's and stuff like that that, that, you know, people are like, oh, these rental places, buy up points, and then rent them out for, you know, so they can make money. And it's like, no, they're a broker, which is different. Like, it that you know, they're not Yeah, they're they're not buying the points. They're helping facilitate the renting of the points and yeah, people don't understand that nuance sometimes or that difference like it's not
00:23:27
Speaker
it's not that there's a company out there that's like got hundreds of DVC contracts and they're just renting them out. like that well I guess if it is, it's not anybody that we're aware of. Yeah. I mean, it it does exist though because it's somebody um somebody complained about this at one of the condo association meetings and and DVC leadership came out and said that you know that that's not allowed and that they are trying to find ways to crack down on it. But it's a tricky problem, right? Because maybe I bought a thousand points and I bought a thousand points so that my kids can go on trips all the time and then I... But are you buying them as a company though, I guess is the thing. Well, yeah, I know. There's a difference between you... I feel like you're right. They do need to find ways to crack down on it. But
00:24:16
Speaker
you can look at who, like the ownership. yeah Yeah. If you look at who owns it, if it's, if it's owned by a company, I mean, that's flag number one, right? Well, that's true. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's instead of an individual. Yeah. Yeah. So, all right. Well, so those changes were made. I wanted to talk though, too, about anything else DVC you want to talk about before we talk about, uh, no, not right now. Uh, you know, hopefully,
00:24:42
Speaker
maybe they'll or The only thing I want to say is maybe they'll add another Moonlight Magic event when I'm going, but I highly doubt it. I mean, they they they have been randomly adding them throughout the year, right? So yeah you know every once in a while, they'll they'll throw a new one in there. So who knows? ah So I did want to talk a little bit about Disney Cruise. I know it's not really your thing, but I thought this was kind of interesting. So Disney's building, they they have this wish class ship. you know they but All the cruise lines have different classes of ships that are different sizes and such. um and you know So like the Disney Wish and then the the Treasure. and you know can you Okay, sorry. But before you get into like what they're doing,
00:25:24
Speaker
Can you help me baseline what a wish class ship is like? OK, in terms of like small, medium, large yeah or like in that scale, what is a wish class ship? I mean, it's decently large. I don't think it's it's not as big as like the biggest rural Caribbean ship. Right. Like it has it can hold four thousand people.
00:25:45
Speaker
um yeah Yes, I should say. um But yeah, it's I mean, it's it's pretty it's it's pretty large. But I guess in comparison to like their other to to the other ships because if they're saying that it's it's a class of ship or or I guess it like does Disney actually classify theirs or is this just like people are just saying it's similar size to the wish.
00:26:09
Speaker
No, no it's it's it's the same it's the same size. so like they basically like the The treasure is exactly the same as the wish as far as structure goes. It's just different stuff on the inside. right ah so like yeah and so That's the the class ship. so like For example, though, I just looked this up really quickly. like ah Royal Caribbean's largest ship can hold 7,600 passengers. Disney's definitely not going for the largest ship, and which I actually kind of understand and appreciate because I feel like they're trying to do a more, I don't want to say specialized, but it like it's when you have those giant ships, like your experience, I feel like goes down. There's too many people.
00:26:49
Speaker
There's just too many people. Yeah. And I mean, that's Disney has this has this capacity thing that they do in the parks, too, right? they They understand that if you have too many people in one space, that people are less happy, they're less likely to come back, they're less likely to spend money. like you know And so the interesting thing about this news is that ah what they're planning to do after they release... Hey!
00:27:13
Speaker
Oh, look, it's Damon. I've now decided that I just need a text from you. Like, i I just need a text. Like, this is what my life has come to. Just need to set set up an alarm for you.
00:27:24
Speaker
That's something, man. i just I got very excited about some other things, and the time kind of got away from me. I thought it was 10.30. I'm not going to lie. It really did. It really did. yeah through Tom was literally like mid-thought when you came in. That's it's even better. That's what I love. Yeah. so Well, Damon, actually, this is ah you might be interested in this, because I was okay talking about the fact that after disney is done Disney Cruise Line is done with its next two ships, the the ships that come after it are going to be smaller.
00:27:53
Speaker
I don't know if I love that. i See, I was thinking i it's not it's kind of what Disney does, though. like they They like a smaller group to you know present things. And listen, I agree. I feel like I don't love it, but I get it, right? like You're paying this premium for Disney. It is definitely a premium cost that's associated with Disney Cruise Line, and there is more personal experience on the smaller ships.
00:28:19
Speaker
the Even with the newer stabilizers, though, I feel like the smaller ships as an introduction to people's experience can be a little tough because it is a little bit more wavy than, let's say, some of the larger ships. yeah I don't love it for myself, but I kind of get it, right? I mean, there's there's a whole industry, right, of smaller cruise ships and luxury. And I think Disney is truly in the luxury cruise ship brand right it's it's the it's that step between what you would see it carnival caribbean norwegian and all that and then kind of what you see on the other end of the super high end yeah like fighting and i think i think there's somewhere in the middle there so
00:29:00
Speaker
I don't love it for myself, to be honest, but I do understand what they're going for. I mean, I think there's probably also some good cost reasons involved, but I can't say too much until after I'm on one of the bigger ships as well. For me, I don't know what's happening with our Disney cruise at all. I mean, you haven't you do we didn't you have to like book like I did. I think I'm going to end up just getting the money back because we ended up booking another vacation for June now. And that's when I was like, oh, we'll have to go in June. And it's like, I already already booked another vacation.
00:29:34
Speaker
Oh, geez. Okay. Well, that makes sense then. But I should note though too, they also mentioned here that the the new ah the new class will be 20% larger than the magic and the wonder, but smaller than the dream and wish classes. And they're also going to be powered differently. So theyre instead of natural gas, they're going to do ah renewable methanol and vegetable oil. They're going to power their ship on vegetable oil. So that's interesting.
00:30:00
Speaker
Um, but then they're also going to do, it's going to be a lighter cruise ship. So they're, they're going to do, uh, I guess there's, there's new things they can do with making these ships lighter. Uh, and then, uh, a new, uh, a streamlined hull, a new propulsion system and all sorts of other ways to, for them to save energy and try to make the cruise line less a lighter ship. Doesn't make me feel great either. Right. We'll see. yeah I mean, skip across the waves. I'm sure it'll be fine. Yeah, it'll be better. Right.
00:30:30
Speaker
Um, okay. It says the more guests will see the difference from a more hydro. This is a quote from a more hydrodynamic design to lighter materials and energy efficient technology throughout. It doesn't say, I mean, just as guests, we'll see a difference. It doesn't say what you'll see a difference in hopefully and not more throwing up. and well that's you would see different Yeah. I mean, you would assume that they're not going to make it more bouncy, right? I mean, they're not going to make it so it's harder to to be on. I would think.
00:30:59
Speaker
but We'll see. The thing is, I did get on late, which is unfortunate because there was something that I want to mention about DVC, but I guess I'll just talk about it now. No, just talk about it now. It's fine. Go ahead. I mean, it's never stopped me before, so that's good. Yeah, exactly. So the thing is, is that we went to book a room prior for our June vacation, our other June vacation, right? So we're going to stay at a night at Disney um just as we get there, right? Because it makes sense. Why do I want to waste my money? Even though I have no points, I'll borrow because it makes sense.
00:31:30
Speaker
Why is there no difference between OKC, Saratoga, Animal Kingdom anymore? What do you mean by that? Points. No difference. Point values? I don't know. That's crazy to me. Like, the the thing that I was thinking to myself was, like, kind of stay at OKC or Saratoga because I want to save points. But if I can, unless I don't love the food at Animal Kingdom, but it doesn't matter, I think the experience is still nice. No better, yeah.
00:31:56
Speaker
I hate to use the word better, but sure, we'll go with that for now. I have to take the food out of the equation, so better. If you take the food out of the equation, I mean, you're walking out on your porch and seeing a giraffe, you can't see that at, you know, your Saratoga. I mean, I can play tennis at Old Key, but yeah, okay. So, why is this though? Like, when they finagled the point, I didn't really think about it too much, and then I'm sitting on like a June 13th And I'm like, wow, I really got to pay the same whether I go to Saratoga, Animal Kingdom, or whatever. Now Riviera was more points, but I was surprised that OKC, Saratoga, and Animal Kingdom are within a point of each other, which is crazy. So did Saratoga and OQS go up, or did Animal Kingdom go down?
00:32:42
Speaker
You know, I'm not that invested to to know the answer. I if I had to take a stab at it, I feel like they went up. But I mean, I was just surprised 40 points for one night in a two bedroom is just when I can get Animal Kingdom two bedroom for 41 points. That's crazy to me, man.
00:33:05
Speaker
That is pretty crazy. There's definitely a difference in those resorts. I didn't like that. That's not a Savannah view, though, for 41 points, is it? No, but who cares? There's no Savannah views. Okay, so you're in Saratoga? Well, that's true. That's true, yeah. And there was one that was more Saratoga if you were close to Hospitality House, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm just talking about generics for right now.
00:33:25
Speaker
Yeah, that makes sense. I was really surprised. now Riviera was 59 because we're like, hey, we really want to stay at Riviera. My wife's like, dude, I'm not spending 19 more points when we're not even going to be there but to sleep. And I'm like, I feel that. I definitely do. Yeah.
00:33:42
Speaker
But I would have liked to stay at Riviera at some point. I don't know. Just one night, you know, like just do it once, do it, you know? Yeah, and I'm borrowing points. If I wasn't borrowing points, I wouldn't feel so bad. But, you know, my wife's like, you know, we're borrowing points. Like why do we want to borrow 19 extra points for nothing? I'm like, God. It takes a chunk out of your future.
00:34:00
Speaker
prospect It does it does and again i was just so surprised that there wasn't that big of a difference anymore i felt like there where is the o okc value. I feel like maybe it's for the room type maybe it's a matter of volume that they but probably have the same amount of.
00:34:20
Speaker
Maybe, but evil both but when I went last time and we stayed in the two bedroom, there was a huge difference. and I felt like it was still over the summer, but I think when they re-finagled those things, remember they did that. I think that this is the time that kind of got it got a little bit and you rebalance the point charts yeah maybe you got the the bad end of that I think i did i think i did but i think it's something good for other people to know i mean we're going to thirteen switch i don't know if florida schools are out um we will just be out i know northern schools are not out at that point.
00:34:55
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that might be a good time to go, actually. But although if it's higher points... It was a good time when the points were lower. Yeah, now I don't know. Yeah. But they might have reallocated it because a lot of people were... I mean, because we know that usually DVC members like to go during the less busy seasons as opposed to the busier seasons. Could be. The fact that it's more points might tell you that it actually is not as busy, but you know who knows? Yeah, I'm not sure, but i I thought it was interesting.
00:35:19
Speaker
Yeah, I guess yeah point points traditionally are reflective of you know that it's when they want people to come versus when they yeah want to push people away from coming. So yeah, maybe that's it as something changed and they don't necessarily want two bit as many people at Old Key West and Saratoga for some reason. And I was surprised because I i was going to do a Copper Creek, but then I see those again for people that that get on the boards and post about this.
00:35:46
Speaker
like I see Copper Creek, I see Polynesian, there's big old things that say, there is construction, there is construction. And I just didn't want to be part of any construction nonsense. Like Copper Creek's in the middle of a refurb, so. Yeah, especially because we're going to go sleep and get up and go somewhere else. Like I just, I need to get like no issue of sleep, so. I get it. I would have gone there that paully though. as I don't know, Polly was tagged as well for those timeframes.
00:36:16
Speaker
wonder maybe are because i mean the the towers open so I'm trying to figure out what else they would be doing at that time. I don't know. I don't think they're due for a refurbishment either, right? or No, they i mean yeah they just did them not too long ago. so I don't know. Maybe maybe that was ah around, oh, actually, no. look i'm just ah looking they're They're doing renovations all the way through 26. I just found an article about that. Yeah, maybe. so that Maybe that's it.
00:36:43
Speaker
Yeah. Let's see. What are they doing? Yeah. Look at me. Look at me bringing DVC news to the table. I know. Look at that. That's impressive. Yeah. So they don't say specifically what's going on through 26, but they just said there's like general like improvements going on. So yeah I don't know. I guess maybe this they're they're just improving like the the grounds and all that kind of stuff. So um Yeah. Anyway, ah so should we should go ahead and do our ad unless there's anything else, Damon, you want to talk about that when you came in from from what we talked about before? No, that's okay. Okay. All right.
00:37:19
Speaker
So this episode is sponsored by DVC Resale Market. DVC Resale Market, a world of DVC company, is the leader in DVC resale industry with 13 former Disney Vacation Club guides and three former Disney Vacation Club quality assurance managers. If you're thinking of buying DVC, browse the largest selection of DVC resale listings anywhere with DVC experts on hand seven days a week to answer your questions. And if you're thinking of selling, turn to the friendly professionals at DVC Resale Market, where over 98% of listings sell within 30 days.
00:37:47
Speaker
In 2023, DVC Resell Market helped over 4,400 families join or add on to their memberships. Go to DVCresellmarket.com slash Welcome Home or call 1-844-DVC-PROSE. That's 1-844-382-7767 and we speak to them. Be sure to let them know that Welcome Home sent you. and i you know Listen, I'm going through this process right now with them, so I'm buying and selling. so ah you know i Look at you, Tom. I know. Look at me you know working with the the sponsor. We do need them to send us updated numbers for 2024. We do, yeah. we We don't want to keep saying, yeah, 2023. I'm sure they've helped more people. They probably have. Yeah, they probably have. By the way, I can really attest to that. Go ahead, sorry. At least one more because they helped you before the end of the year.
00:38:31
Speaker
Well, that's true. yeah i they And I can attest to the selling quickly thing, by the way, because they say 98% of listings sell within 30 days. Mine sold in less than 24 hours. How many families do we think it is for 2024? I'm going to say over 5,000. You can say over 5,000? All right. Yeah, OK.
00:38:49
Speaker
I we could do the over under at 44 and you'll think things are already sponsored by yeah Disney Draft Kings. Disney Draft Kings. I mean, yeah ESPN is in the ESPN bet, right? So um anyway.
00:39:05
Speaker
So I wanted to share this ah this this haunted mansion zipper, which why is Disneyland always doing the sippers? And I feel like not that doesn't happen in Disney World, really. I feel I mean, they're more appealing to the local crowd.
00:39:19
Speaker
Is that what it is? Yeah, I mean, I have one from the water park. Oh, yeah, they do. Yeah, I feel like you're right because they do ever have them every once in a while, right? Like they have the orange bird one. I remember I feel like last year. Yeah. The water park one I have, I love. But again, I can only have one of them. I wish like they keep doing them and I just I only need one and I'm good. Actually, Katie got it for me. I didn't even get it myself.
00:39:41
Speaker
Did you actually drink out of it? Sorry, Trevor. No, how dare you? um a micke is so Yeah, and it's not drink like you don't drink out of them. That's the yeah you drink outt know it looks really nice on my shelf. I am running out of shelf room now after that stuff that I got for Christmas, though.
00:39:57
Speaker
That's the problem I'm having. And i yeah i i I kind of am having this struggle with the Gravity Falls characters still staying in their plastic bags. I opened the one big Mabel, and I feel like feel like dirty now that I did that. I don't know why I did that. And then the other ones are still in their plastic bags. But dude, how do you show stuff when it's like a plastic bag? I'm looking at Dipper in his plastic bag and it's just she doesn't yeah it doesn't look the same.
00:40:25
Speaker
isn a great videoo bag maybe You need to get an acrylic box to put it in or something. Yeah, but then you still got to open the plastic bag though. Yeah. Well, but then it's sealed in acrylic. But the plastic bag has Gravity Falls like stuff on it. ah Yeah. See, it's not it's like a regular plastic bag. It says like Gravity Falls on it. Like, I don't know.
00:40:44
Speaker
Hold it nicely and put it in the acrylic box. With suggestion you on the bag? Yeah, with the bag in it. Yeah. With the bag. Not take it out of the bag. The problem is it's in a bag, though. Yeah, you got to leave the bag on. Yeah. Well, then I don't need it in an acrylic box just sitting in a bag. Oh, so is it like not a transparent bag? It's a it's an OK. It is. But it's got writing on it. It's got Gravity Falls stuff on it. OK.
00:41:06
Speaker
So, well, yeah, I get it. I get what you're saying. I'm going to take a picture and send it to you right now. Yeah, I want to see this. But I, well, listen, I don't know if you have ever had a drink out of one of these sippers. I feel like it always ends up tasting like chemicals, you know, because they're made out of plastic or whatever. But ah this one is pretty cool. It's a Honda Mansion Bride Souvenir sipper cup. Yeah, not not my vibe, but it looks cool. It does, right? Yeah.
00:41:33
Speaker
Are her eyes glowing or her face glowing? Or is my looks like this looks like the eyes and the chest glow because it's and that maybe the thing that and also, though, maybe the ah the candelabra she's holding to the you know, which it's funny that they gave her a candelabra because I guess they don't want her with the hatchet. Well, yeah.
00:41:52
Speaker
I guess, yeah. um Yeah, she has the candelabra and a bouquet. And yeah, no, I i just thought this was kind of cool. um But it looks like it's just Disneyland only, not a Disney World one. I feel like Disney World only does the sippers for like events, you know? yeah No, I mean, they've had random ones. But yeah, you you're right, though, in that it seems like ah my my working theory is that um because there's a lot more local people I feel like s sippers are like people will walk around with them more which I know people walk around with like you know sipper cups and stuff in Disney World it just feels like
00:42:29
Speaker
I don't know. but It feels like people can come and go with a sipper a lot easier in Disneyland because in Disney World, it's like I don't haul like my I've seen people like walking out with the resort mugs, which is just insane to me. But um I used to do a man I used to do. Yeah, I like there's no reason to. But I can see, like I said, I just feel like Disneyland, it makes more sense or or they I feel like they sell a lot more than also want to point out this zipper is $35, which I feel is kind of steep. I feel like it's gotten standard though for sippers now. No, I mean, that's is it like 30, 35 bucks. I feel like, I mean, for like, when are you paying $35 for a plastic cup? You're not. No, I mean, you're not, but it's, you know, it like lights up and stuff and.
00:43:17
Speaker
put it right Yeah, yeah i I can wrap LEDs around my... Where do you where do you drink from this, by the way? where where does it where does this Is there a straw that comes out of her head or something? top or Yeah, maybe it's behind. i don't yeah There's no straw on this. so it's yeah yeah You can see where it twists off, but yeah, I guess I don't know where you're sticking a straw. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. so Yeah. Anyway, so while Damon you know frets about his ah his his gravity falls things in bags. We got a photo. Yeah. Did we get do we get a photo? Okay, that's photo day. Well, I'm not going to get up to take the photo. I'm sitting down. He's on the top of my... ah I ran out of room, so he's on the top of my cabinet. It's just hilarious though. It's so peeking over. He does. He's looking at me right now. He's peeking over.
00:44:12
Speaker
I mean, that's hilarious guys and just peeking over the top of your cabinets. I legit ran out of room because I got the doorables, the Gravity for it Falls doorables.
00:44:26
Speaker
some other bitty pops, which I guess are like Funko pops, but super small. I got you know the what's called in this box figment. I got the one sipper. I got a lot of stuff over there, man. Sounds like you've seen yourselves. I have several things that are still in the box, David, that you would... I feel like... I'm very proud of your time. yeah That I kept these in the box. like the I have a couple Funko pops. I have the Haunted Mansion Ghosts and Funko Pop but still in the box.
00:44:53
Speaker
I feel like Funko Pops are such the Beanie Babies though. They're never going to be worth anything. don't know why anything yeah I don't know why I'm keeping my guy in his box. It's 100% modern Beanie Babies, right? It's like, ooh, he's going to be worth something someday and then not going to be worth anything. Except they take up more room somehow, I guess. but That's true. Yeah. Because you can't pile them all in a hammock in the corner.
00:45:13
Speaker
Yeah, you can't just like throw them all in a thing. right like they're not yeah Trust me, we have an absurd amount of Beanie Babies in my house, um just from like that my in-laws had bought for my wife when she was a kid. and I don't know if they ever like saw them as an investment. you know I think it was more just toys, but like none of them were worth anything. I looked them up. There's only like one that's worth anything. right Yeah. Yeah. So that's, yeah, anyway. ah So I just wanted to talk about the free dining plan being back again, which I'm not surprised by. I mean, they of course they're going to bring that back, but um you know, a lot of people really like this one and usually they will do it when they need to fill the parks up a little bit more. So ah they're doing from January 2nd, so it's already right from to February 10th, you can do free dining plan with a purchase of a non discounted three night, three day
00:46:07
Speaker
at a minimum, so 393 days the minimum package that includes a room and and and park hopper tickets. So we've talked about this before. There are times where actually they will have a room discount instead of free dining, which ends up being a better deal.
00:46:23
Speaker
But I don't know if they're doing the room discount, too. I don't see it, but I could be wrong. I don't see any room discounts, but yeah, that the thing everyone needs to remember about free dining is, yeah, you know, because you are paying for a non discounted room, if you really do the math on it, sometimes it, you know, it can come close to the room discount. A lot of times you're I mean, you're saving in that, I guess you're not it's Sorry, it's less about the free and more about the fact that you're not having to figure out meals for the time that you're there. like it's It's a convenience thing. I think the convenience factor, yeah. you know The more I start to soften on convenience factors, you know even if they're not truly economical convenience factors, great whether time is money, money is time. yeahp so Yeah, yeahp it's your time or your money. You got to decide which one you want more.
00:47:18
Speaker
I mean, that's the whole value proposition behind FastPass, right, is paying for FastPass. What is your time worth? Is it worth, you know, paying X amount of dollars for you to skip all the lines or, you know, you want to wait in time? Wait. I agree. Lines to me, I mean, there are some cues that I want to go through once. That's the that's the rub. Like, I don't remember.
00:47:41
Speaker
Like there were some cues that I want to go through. So that's kind of the rub sometimes is sometimes fast passing all the time. You don't necessarily get to see some of the cool stuff that exists, but yeah, that's, that is true. Like, uh, and I know you don't like flight of passage, but flight of flight of passage was kind of classic for that. There was a lot of, there was a lot in there. Yeah. There's a lot of cool stuff in the queue and you kind of skip it all. If you're go fast pass, Toy Story Mania back in the beginning.
00:48:03
Speaker
And they had a lot of stuff in the queue. I mean, now it's been moved so many times, not as much, I don't feel like, but... I mean, he's still there, yeah. Yeah. What were you going to say, Trevor? I was going to say, but when it comes to dining plans, you know, you're not it's not like you're skipping the meal for but for the dining plan, you know?
00:48:22
Speaker
yeah You know, it's just, yeah, saving you on, or I guess, is is the dining plan actually more convenient? I've never done a dining plan. I feel like, I feel like at an extra layer of like- No, I think the prepay is where it is because you're not worried about how much money you need to bring. The convenience of not having to think about money, yeah I think is what it is. Maybe not a time convenience, but a mental health convenience, I think.
00:48:48
Speaker
Yeah, but then you still got to like balance your credits and stuff. or You got to make sure that you got but you've already paid her. Yeah, I guess the worst thing that can happen is you leave there and you wasted some credits, which in theory could be wasted money, but you've already paid so it doesn't matter rather than rolling and being like, Yeah, I got to whip out some you know money for this. Now that's already done. So I think people that want to have that non anxiety feel of dining, I think there is a convenience factor in that.
00:49:18
Speaker
I, yeah, no, I would, I would agree with that. I feel like I always ended up with too many snacks when we did the dining plan. Like for, we always forgot that we have the snacks and we would just end up with like a bunch and then you go like, we get a bunch on the last day before you leave. You don't know what to do with them. yeah You get all this, up a whole bunch of stuff. It's crazy treats for everybody. Oh yeah, exactly.
00:49:37
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. so i mean it it like i Like you said, it's it is convenient in that way because it's like you know you have a quick service meal, you know you have a table service meal and you don't have to worry about the cost of those things because it's already paid for. like you don't you Everybody can get whatever they want and you know it's paid for. I've done it with people where they've done the dining plan and we didn't.
00:49:57
Speaker
And it wasn't like, I don't think either one was any harder, or easier, or any different in terms of actually going. What we did is they kind of figured out where they want to go, and we just kind of went along with them and and paid, so. Yeah. I mean, and that is, go outside. I was going to say, it was nice though when the bill comes, and you know they're kind of like, oh, OK, cool. Thanks. Rather than like, oh, man, you're going to bring another credit card for this? All right.
00:50:23
Speaker
ah Yeah, yeah, I guess that's fair as you know, sometimes, ah even when I've been prepared for it, like some of the sit downs, it's like yeah it be expensive, yeah and then the bill comes and you're like, Oh, wow. Okay. Well, I think not only that, but I think that there's a lot of pressure that happens.
00:50:40
Speaker
when you bring younger kids to parks, right? And you're just like, okay, well, they didn't eat this, they didn't do that. And I just paid $30 for that. Like it kind of listen, I think it takes that off as well. Because yes, you know, there was some money involved, but it's play money at this point. And if your kid doesn't eat, or they don't like what they got, or this, that or the other thing, I think it takes that pressure off of being like, Oh, no, I got you this, you're going to eat it sort of thing.
00:51:05
Speaker
Yeah, eat it it does compartmentalize it. yeahly Absolutely not. You're right. You're you're not going out. Oh, i i You know, I, I gambled on spending, you know, $20 on chicken tenders for you and you didn't eat them. Like you didn't like the breading or they weren't shaped the way you wanted. Oh gosh. You guys are giving me like PTSD sitting here. Cause it's like, I, my, like my daughter loves apples. And if I give her one that has like a little bit of an imperfection, she's like, I don't want this apple. And I'm like, but, but the rest of I it's fine. She's like, no, it's not good. It's ruined. I feel that, I feel that pain though. I feel that way about apples too, to be honest with you. Well, but that's, yeah, she likes to eat them like, you know, just like while holding them and I'm like, well, if I could cut it, I'll just cut the bad part off and you will never know that it was even there. Oh, we're a big apple slice guy.
00:51:55
Speaker
Yeah, you bring apple slice. Yeah, like I don't usually. Yeah, I try not to just do apples off the cuff. I like to slice them, but my dog is like my dog is an apple fiend like apple and pizza like you and popcorn. You can't even so like if I want to eat an apple in the house, I literally have to hide.
00:52:16
Speaker
I really i think like to go in the pantry, close the door, eat an apple. Oh my gosh. I have to take like bites of the apple and then give her the bites that I took off the apple. Yeah. um I can't eat popcorn because like I can be on the opposite end of the house and he hears like yeah all moving bagger. Yeah. Instantly at my feet. like Yeah. Yeah.
00:52:38
Speaker
That's my daughter with my, whenever my daughter has goldfish, my dog, like he can hear that from across the room and just, knows there's free snacks coming. He knows goldfish are going to be dropped. Like, cause they just always are, right? Like there's never, there's never a time a goldfish doesn't hit the ground. Um, so yeah, and that's, you know, his little favorite snack, but, um,
00:52:56
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I know what you're saying though. like that that does That does factor in. I think I told everybody here, we used ah we prior to being DVC members, although one time I think while we were DVC members, we used to do the dining plan all the time. And then one time we decided not to do it and then just like add up the cost of all like just eat whatever we want.
00:53:14
Speaker
not think about it, and then add up the cost of everything that we spent. And we ended up spending less than we would have spent with the dining plan. So at that point, we felt the dining plan was not worth it for us. Now, that math might have changed now that we have a daughter. ah But I don't know if it has or not. I mean, i'd really we'd have to look at it again. but I mean, I did the math on it years ago when we first started with DVC and specifically doing a DVC stay and the dining plan.
00:53:42
Speaker
it never it was the same thing. It always worked out that it was more expensive to do the dining plan versus just buying what we wanted in the moment. So yeah, I like yeah i feel like even you know with young kids, you're right. is um you know and And that was like we were budging like, oh, you know we're going to buy like kids meals here and there and and all that. And and even as our my son's getting older and like you you know were we're buying you know we're not buying the kids meals anymore,
00:54:08
Speaker
It's still the same thing because you know it's like you can get the the kids dining plan. like like By the time he was old enough that you know he was eating the adult meals, it's like, well, he's paying for the adult dining plan now too. So it still works out the same same way, right? So yeah that mean I get you on that, but it's... um I think the the biggest problem is when you have dvc that just the immediate value of dvc. The only way i would even consider this is you know obviously yeah it it is a package and you're you're paying for the package if i like drain all of my dvc points and there's like no way that i could stay on dvc but i was still going. Sure i would consider this but.
00:54:49
Speaker
For me, like yeah, the the math never works out. it And even even if I was like, well, but it it takes away the the mental stress of it, I mean, the way that I get around that is...
00:55:01
Speaker
I just always, i mean I'm sure, or I don't know if everybody does this, but you know i I make a bucket of like, I have my money defined well ahead of time and I always like over budget by like an extra $500 or more, which i I know may sound like a lot for food, but it's like, that way it's like any incidental stuff that comes up.
00:55:22
Speaker
I, it's like, yeah, you know, we, yeah, we can go get snacks. Yeah. We can, you know, Oh, you're hungry. Yeah. We can stop for, for this or whatever. And it doesn't, we never get to a point where I'm feeling like, Oh, you know, I don't know if we got enough money to make it to Saturday. like Yeah. Yeah. yeah your Yeah. All right. So, but yeah, but you know, it's good that it's good that they're bringing it back. I mean, you know, people had been asking about it. Like ah again, you know, reading Reddit and stuff, you know, people are always asking about dining plan. So yeah.
00:55:52
Speaker
You know, it makes sense that they brought it back. It's just, and unfortunately, I wish DVC would look at it from time to time and that we, cause you know, we, we used to get like promos on tickets and stuff, right? I mean, we do still like, you know, I have a promo for DVC members for, for dining, not free because that doesn't benefit them in any way to do that. No, but, but you know, maybe one year, yeah. I do a promo where, you know, Hey, it could actually like, let me just spend points for free dining. Oh, that's, that's an interesting. and yeah yeah I'd be on board for that for sure. How many points would you need to spend for that? Who cares? I would definitely do it. I have too many points as is, so I would definitely do that. It would probably be similar to like the park ticket. Yeah. and that they're doing Yeah, that's that's true. For the annual pass thing, right? yeah Yeah. Yeah. David, are you going to stick around for food or are you going to? Oh, I almost said a bad word. No, definitely not.
00:56:44
Speaker
okay Wow, that was a close one. ah i think and in like the The only thing I will say, i have ah i did look ah Festival of the Arts is the only food I would talk about if I was going. yeah There are some new items though that do do look interesting, but I refuse to talk about them just on principle.
00:57:04
Speaker
no All right, that's fine. That's why we have the music. and You can't even be here anyway because the music says you're not here. so Exactly. so what That just wouldn't even work. Yeah, wouldn't work. All right. All right. Well, let's get let's get into it. All right. Let's do it.
00:58:02
Speaker
Gotta miss it. Yeah, it's good. You know, it hasn't lost its edge, I think. It's still a good song. Yeah, it's still a good one. Anyway, so food time, we got Festival of the Arts coming up here and we've got the food for the Festival of the Arts. So we also got a new popcorn bucket too.
00:58:20
Speaker
Yeah, let's start with the popcorn bucket. My wife and I both looked at this and the figment popcorn bucket we have is way better than this one. I kind of like this one. I don't like this one. I feel it's, I don't know, it's kind of boring. It's fine. It's just like a clear plastic ball. And then they stuck figment on it.
00:58:45
Speaker
I'm assuming it lights up, though, too, right? like I'm assuming it does. It does, right? Okay. Yeah. But yeah, I don't know. it like i i'm not This is not one that I'm... like Like I said, we looked at it and we're like, yeah, we've already got a figment popcorn bucket. We don't need another one. We can pass on this one. The one you're talking about that you like, it's just the one that's figment, right? Yeah, it's the big cartoony figment. That's the one I asked you. Somebody sent this to us, didn't they? Or did we buy them? I forget. No, one of our listeners was kind enough to send it. That's right. Back when the figment popcorn bucket mania was going on,
00:59:21
Speaker
Um, so we, we do have some new stuff over at commuter core Plaza. Yeah. let's Let's get into the very first thing that Tom's never going to. Oh God. I saw it. I looked at it and I was like, Oh, no, I love it. Okay. We've got, yeah we've got a soft shell crab slider, which has green papaya slaw and mango ketchup on a toasted brioche.
00:59:43
Speaker
So this thing is a breaded soft shell crab, and it very clearly looks like a breaded crab, the entire crab. Yeah. So I mean, I know crab. Yeah. Yeah. It's not shell crab. I mean, if you, if you're not familiar with soft shell crab, you eat the whole thing. And this literally, they breaded and fried an entire soft shell crab and threw it on a bun. And it just looks disturbing to me. i Listen, my wife is with you. She would eat it too. So, i you know, I don't even have to ask her. She would, she'd be all over this.
01:00:12
Speaker
ah so yeah Yeah. Yeah. I just, I just saw that. I'm like, Oh yeah, that we're, we're not off to a good start. not off to a good start But you know, then there's the cheddar and chives going with smoked salmon salad topped with cream, fresh and caviar. Again, not my cup of tea. Uh, but what a fancy little dish they got right there with some caviar. Yeah. Yeah. I actually thought I initially was like, is this like a pulled pork thing? But then yeah, I realized it's salmon, which, yeah um, yeah, again, you know, you know, not, not great for you, but, uh,
01:00:42
Speaker
ah You know, of the two, I would definitely go for the crab slider over the yeah the scone. um Yeah. I mean, I'm sure the scone's good, but yeah. I think the very first thing, though, that um I feel is appealing to you, and and honestly looks fantastic, yeah is this enchanted rose. Yeah.
01:01:02
Speaker
which chocolate rose with raspberry and a rose center. What is rose center? Is that like a rosewater kind of thing? Like, or I what think it's actual like rose because because roses are edible. They are. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it looks, I listen, you, you have me anytime you say milk chocolate and this also just looks very cool.
01:01:21
Speaker
who yeah might Like I always like when they do like, like it's very vibrant, right? You know, you know it's, it's, it's so eye catching. Like, you know, if you saw somebody walking by eating that, you're like, Ooh, what's that like? Yeah, exactly. Exactly. I agree. um there You know what? They have something similar at, ah at, um,
01:01:40
Speaker
Oh gosh. Why am I forgetting the name of the really nice chocolate place at Disney Springs? Uh, the other one. Um, Emirates. Thank you. They have like a Rose chocolate thing over at Amber. Yes, they do. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, I don't know if they just decided to steal that or whatever, but I mean, i'm I'm not mad that they are. It's, you know, it's better to, better to have more stuff, you know, more options in more places than, oh you know, it only being in one place.
01:02:08
Speaker
They have a lot of new stuff going on, by the way. yeah This is not like the past festivals. they they They're doing a lot here. We also have Connections. Go ahead. yeah so Connections eatery has a figment's liege waffle with Ube filling. which I'm not familiar with. yeah Ube, I thought was a... No, I'm thinking of Uzu.
01:02:29
Speaker
purple yam. Is that what I'm getting here? Okay. Yeah. Looks like, um, the only thing I'll say about this is they did that thing again that we hate, which is what they just throw the picture on the, they just, yeah, it took like a printed picture of figment and put it on a chocolate to be fair though. They also did color his colors all around it in like little, it's, it's, it's decorated outside of that.
01:02:52
Speaker
Yeah, I guess the thing is is that I would have known it's a figment waffle even without the the your figment the stamp. like yeah Yeah, I get it. I got it i mean, yeah, it's it's fine, I guess. But yeah, okay, let's but's keep going. um i like this I like this booth, but I'm not going to eat anything. and I just like the name and the and the vibe of it. Fictional Victuals.
01:03:15
Speaker
That's a very yeah fancy word. And they have weird stuff there, though. so They do. So they have squid ink pasta with lump crab, truffle cream, and shaved truffle. Again, not me, but maybe you? I don't know. Would you eat that? Yeah. This year is not looking good for you. That's true. There's a lot of seafood going on, which, I mean, I do like squid ink pasta. I've had it before. It's it's good.
01:03:36
Speaker
um ah the The next one is like okay this is the thing that there's a like you have a choice between squid. um <unk>d or octopus I feel like you would be filled up at this is one you could eat a lot of fun stuff at that you. yeah all about so yeah yeah The second one is a charred octopus charred octopus with crushed fingerling potatoes.
01:03:59
Speaker
come a lot of olives, capers, and romesco sauce. Okay. Which again, looks delicious. And yeah, I can get the the squid or the octopus tentacle can be off putting. But, but it's good. I mean, it's, you know, if you've had or I guess if you haven't had calamari, you know, I ah get that.
01:04:18
Speaker
um Yeah, but they're they're definitely going all in on the sea thing because even the dessert um that this black cocoa brownie with the Ube ice cream, a coral tweal and sponge cake like it's it's made to look like an aquarium, which I think is very like that's very cool that they're they're making the entire um booth thematic in that like, yeah,
01:04:42
Speaker
Hey, this is, you want seafood? This is seafood, even if it's not seafood. like yeah Yeah, no, 100%. I don't know how, if I don't think I've ever had ube before, so I don't know what that even really tastes like, but I would, I mean, the brownie looks good. I mean, I would eat the brownie. Think like, I mean, you've had like sweet yams or like candied yams. Yeah, yams aren't my thing. Okay, then, yeah. I mean,
01:05:09
Speaker
Yeah, it's I think it's good. But yeah, obviously, yeah, everybody has their own preferences. They do also but have a butterscotch milkshake here with a chocolate garnish, which I would be all about.
01:05:20
Speaker
ah love buttercot as I I love milkshake. So while while I'm chowing down on the octopus and squid ink, you're having um butter's got a milkshake. which i want I bet that would get really like too sweet after a short period of time, but I mean, maybe not. Maybe it's maybe it's not as sweet. but Um, we're not going to do deconstructed dish because it's all returning things to that one. Um, so you can go back to last year, but we will do ah the figments inspiration station menu, which is at the Odyssey.
Dessert and Food Festival Highlights
01:05:52
Speaker
Uh, they have the rainbow a cake that they've had the past couple of years, uh, which is a bunch of different layers of, uh, you know, different colors. And then also, uh,
01:06:01
Speaker
the freeze dried Skittles candy on the top, but they do have a raspberry pastry tart, which, you know, read Pop-Tarts, right? Um, but basically it's a ah house made Pop-Tarts sugar cookie with raspberry and lemon cream cheese filling. So that's pretty good. Yeah. yeah I would, uh, you know, I would ignore the no dairy rule for that. Um, or, you know, I i just, I take lactate if I need to, but Yeah, you just you'd be worth it, right? Yeah. And and you know I find it funny that um know the you know going going back to the liege waffle, you know they're like, it's a figment liege waffle. This raspberry pop tart or pastry tart is very clearly a figment pastry tart. But because there's no figment disc on it, they're not calling it a figment.
01:06:51
Speaker
Well, me said they could have thrown that same figment disc on top of this. like Yeah, because it's got the orange and purple, like like yeah they could have called it a a figment tart, or so they could have done some kind of play on figment with it. like They could have, they could have, but they didn't. But let's go over to the crafts Craftsman Courtyard, which does have one new item. Beef Wellington inspired croissant supreme, creamed spinach, croissant pinwheel, mushroom, gorgonzola, ragu, mustard grilled flank steak, red wine sauce and pickled mustard seeds. That's a whole lot.
01:07:28
Speaker
Ooh, that is something. That is that's that's nice looking though. but that is That is good. That's got a lot of good stuff on it. Yeah, that this this is like an English meal, just like all in one bite. like It's got everything going on. It does. It looks very fancy. Yeah.
01:07:49
Speaker
All right. Most people with horseradish actually, like I feel like, or at least in my family, like it's really like me and my dad that go for it. But yeah. Yeah. I feel like it's like a, I don't know, an acquired taste, but I love horseradish. It's so good. I'm not a huge fan, but as you probably surmised. We're going to skip over. We're skipping ahead. Skip, skip, skip, skip. The painted panda.
01:08:16
Speaker
Okay, painted panda, yep. Another one up Trevor's alley right here. yeah ah but What is this, Hargau, would you say? Yeah, Hargau, yeah. Shrimp dumplings with pumpkin puree and a drizzle of chili oil. Interesting. The pumpkin puree throws me off a little. Does it? Yeah. yeah In shrimp dumplings, I wouldn't expect to see pumpkin puree, but I'm sure it's probably good.
01:08:39
Speaker
Yeah. And then they also have an egg tart, a Hong Kong style egg custard tart. Now this is something I would try that I like custard. This looks good. I would eat it. I mean, yeah. cut Anything custard is usually going to be good. Yeah. I agree. I agree. Yeah.
01:08:54
Speaker
It's skipping down. Oh, refreshment outpost has its typical artist palette, jumbo chocolate chip cookie. Yeah. With the, you know, a little bit of paint on it. Yeah. um Germany, sorry, you want to do Germany? Yeah, Germany has, so the the pastoral palette menu is, I love the play on words they do. I do. I enjoy the alliteration that they're going for in a lot of these. Yeah. Yeah. And so, so this is a, a pork and white bean casserole with a Rassenberger sausage and crispy pork rinds, which is that the, I guess that's the take get someone to the left. Yeah. Yeah. I think they go left to right on these. So yeah. Okay. Yeah. Cause you have the salt. Yeah. Sausage is in there. So yeah, that, what do you think about that? Cause I know you're usually, I'm not a vegan guy.
01:09:40
Speaker
Not a big guy. But even though it's a Germany thing, because you you tend to like a lot of stuff in Germany. I do tend to like the German stuff, but i listen, I'd eat the Black Forest cake. I like Black Forest cake. That's, you know, yeah, that's always a good one. ah If we move down to the Italy one, and I'm not going to try to pronounce this one correctly, um but they do have some new things here. They have, what is it? Tricolore, maybe?
01:10:05
Speaker
Cheese filled raviolini. Yeah. Cheese filled raviolini. Raviolini. Okay. Raviolini, Pomodoro, cream, and pesto sauces. That looks pretty good. Oh yeah. That looks good. I would eat that. I have such a love hate relationship with like ravioli and tortellini and stuff like that. Cause they're, they're usually cheese filled. Yeah. That makes it tough for you. I shouldn't eat them, but I always do want to eat them.
01:10:31
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Then we have a ah just basically a circular mozzarella stick that they had last year. um But I think the star of this one is the hazelnut s'more cannoli. A cannoli shell di dipped in chocolate and graham cat cracker, chocolate hazelnut cannoli cream, and toasted marshmallows. I would be all i love anything s'mores, but i love and I also love cannoli, so this is like heaven for me right here in a dish. It's a meeting of two perfect places in your mind. It is. Yeah, it really is. Uh, so I would be all, but I feel like I'm just going to eat desserts. Uh, if I were to go to this, just walk around eating dessert, which I'm fine with. Don't get me wrong. I love desserts. So, um, oh wait, you yeah, go ahead. How many of these canoles are you ordering? At least two. There's at least two happening at least. I think if you want to go back for more than one, I think that says,
01:11:24
Speaker
that says it's really good, right? Like yeah there's some things where it's like you try it and you're like, yeah, it's, you know, it's good. But if you want to go back for a second one, like, yeah, that's, that's, that's what you want. That's what you want. Yeah, I agree. Although the artist table menu over here, it looks like it might have some stuff for me here. There's a deviled egg trio, a pimento cheese one, a green goddess one, and a BLT one. I'm not really digging that, but I'm talking about the chicken pot pie.
01:11:51
Speaker
which is, and it has pot pie, by the way, in quotation marks. So smoked cheddar mornay sauce, roasted vegetables. yeah I could do without the pickled mushrooms and the wasabi peas, but the the sherry chicken jus served on an open-faced flaky pie crust. So it's basically a deconstructed Yeah, it's that's why they're calling it a pot pie in quotes is that it's it's literally it's it's more like a pizza than. Yeah. or But I guess because it's the it's the flaky pie crust and not like a pizza crust. It's a it's basically all the ingredients of a chicken pot pie, but it's like ah looks like a pizza. Yeah, it's served like a pizza. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not sure how I feel about pickled mushrooms. I never. This is odd, right? Yeah, it seems weird. Yeah, it's a lot.
01:12:38
Speaker
Yeah. ah The artist table is kind of, I mean, they also didn't do any alliteration with the name, which I feel fortunate. Yeah. they're there' No rhyming, no alliteration. Cause it's in the American adventure and we're boring. so and And then there's also the funnel cake, um, or they just call it.
01:12:56
Speaker
Funnel cake, I guess. yeah So there is a cotton candy funnel cake, which I mean, because if you didn't need more sugar on your funnel cake, you know, here it is. Yeah. So but cotton candy funnel cake topped with powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, pink and purple sugar dusting and cotton candy crunch.
01:13:17
Speaker
What is cotton candy crunch? Is that like a is it like cotton candy that they made into like ah like a crunchy chip? Because that sounds kind of great, actually. Oh, yeah. um i'm i'm it's it's it's I would ah equate it to ah you know the texture of pop rocks, but without the popping, like like a crunchy candy. Yeah, it's like that. But then, obviously, you get the cotton candy flavor, which you know if if you're if you're looking for cotton candy flavor this definitely looks like it'll it'll give you that but there's a lot going on on that there it's it's it's a bit much um oh boy this next one is is true just all over it um the taiyaki or all just all of it and the whole thing right yeah
01:14:02
Speaker
All right. Um, in Japan, so Taiaki is, uh, so it's a crisp flaky fish shaped pastry filled with sweet beans served with whip topping and blueberry popping boba. So, okay. I know, I know that sounds weird, but Taiaki, okay. Taiaki is really good. And it's like, it's not fishy or anything. It's actually, most of the time it's like custard or like.
01:14:26
Speaker
cream filled. So even though it has a picture of a fish on it, I would say you should try it. Okay. Okay. Like, like I think, and, and again, the way that they presented it where like the, the cream is like, it makes like waves and everything. Like it looks pretty cool. It's beautiful. It does. Um, this is be the one like again, you governor yeah you're reading dessert at all of these places anyway. So, um, this would be the one I would say you would get from Japan. I would say you would actually like this one. Okay. Okay. Yeah.
01:14:54
Speaker
And sweet red bean is very, it's candy. I know red bean, you equate to beans, but it's good. Okay. The other thing they have is a Wagyu bun, which I... Wagyu is... It's American Wagyu though. Yeah, which is not Wagyu. Which is not really Wagyu. They got a steam bun filled with American Wagyu beef served with Japanese karashi mustard sauce and violet shiso sauce. You're all about the steam buns though, right? Yeah, steam buns are great. I've yet to have a bad steam bun.
01:15:30
Speaker
So, I mean, yeah this this is for sure going to be an easy, easy stop. And then and then, of course, you know, the the returning of the sushi donut, which I think the sushi donut is the most ridiculous thing, like it's just maybe it really is. But it's not an actual donut, though. It's it's just donut shaped sushi. But yeah, it's it's yeah. Sushi and rice or well, sushi with the rice underneath. And it's shaped like a donut, but it's too much like. Yeah, I might rock the sake of plate. That might be nice.
01:16:01
Speaker
yeah They got like a little flight going on. Although all the times I've ever had it at the Japan Pavilion, I have not enjoyed it. So then again, every time I've done it, we were drinking around the world and it was not, you know. so Yeah. And you have to have like rice wine is. Yes. You have to want to or you have to know what you're getting into. Like it doesn't. You're right. It doesn't taste like any other alcohol. it does Right. Doesn't know.
01:16:28
Speaker
So ah the Moroccan pavilion only has one new thing and it's a dessert. It's an avocado coconut custard tart with pomegranate cream cream and henna inspired Geely veil. This is, it looks beautiful. Oh, that's the green on. That's the green picture. Yeah. That is cool.
01:16:45
Speaker
It is very cool. I hate avocado. So I'm immediately out on this, but it does look very cool. I will say that. Yeah, yeah this is like, okay. A lot of things are very like, um, are you, you know, you know, I talk about like bright stuff and like attention grabbing. This actually looks like it would be served in a, like in a high class restaurant. Oh yeah. This is yeah the presentation of it is very, like, it looks very pretty. It does.
01:17:15
Speaker
And I mean, that's, you know, the festival of the arts, I feel like tends to have the fancier food, right? Then food and wine. Uh, and then we'll go down here a little bit further and there's a lot of the France pavilion. Yeah. I'm not even going to try to say this. I'm going to let the the Canadian over here. Uh, I I'm getting what this is, which is duck. Um, I can't pronounce that first word.
01:17:43
Speaker
river Give me the duck thing. That's what I would say. Yeah, I'll take the duck thing, you know, like a wild is which is, yeah. So a puff pastry with duck chicken, onions, mushrooms, cranberry and duck sauce. So so that's it. It's it basically looks like a hamburger with ah puff pastry, which is kind of neat. And then, yeah. yeah And then, oh, this, wait, oh, okay, I get it. oh so i I got confused for a moment as well, Trevor, I'm assuming you're looking at the server. So the name is Escargot on Chocolat, which is, which I go wait, that's a- That's Escargot in chocolate? That's a snail, yeah, chocolate snail, which it is a chocolate snail, but it's it's a chocolate mousse, flourless cake, citrus coulis, almond chocolate coating, and dark chocolate decoration in the shape of a,
01:18:38
Speaker
obviously of a snail. Which is pretty clever. Yeah, yeah okay that that I'm okay with. I i was like, wait, where does the escargot go in? Yeah, I was like, wait, they made chocolate covered snail. That sounds disgusting. No, so it's it's chocolate in the shape of a snail. OK, that's fair. That's fair. That's better. um Oh, let's go to Canada. Canada's got to some new stuff. Oh, that that's a gorgeous meal that they have right there. The citrus braised beet tartare with golden beet egg yolk, mustard, vinaigrette, pickled mustard seeds, pickled mushrooms, spiced pistachios and feta snow.
01:19:17
Speaker
Again, with the pickled mushrooms. Yeah, like of the pickled, yeah. But it's gorgeous. I mean, it's it's a beautiful looking dish. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it looks very pretty um for sure. um Yeah, i don't I don't know why people are on pickled mushrooms this year, but. It's a thing, I guess. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I guess I guess this is what they chose for cat. I don't know that. I mean, I don't know where I would find this in Canada. I mean, I guess maybe this actually like is daily dish for you no that This actually seems like it could be something like more in Eastern Canada. like I want to say like I could probably find something like this near Toronto or Montreal, okay I feel.
01:19:58
Speaker
Listen, at least you get like fancy stuff. You know, America gets deviled eggs and and a pot pie. All right. Like at least you're getting cool stuff like that. Yeah. And we also have a near cat or there's a refreshment port. I love that they say location near cat, which I mean, yeah, it's right there. It's right there. Oh, they're using poutine improperly again. This is the poutine stop, which, um, I don't know how much of this is actual. put There's no, this is not poutine.
01:20:27
Speaker
I was waiting for it. so so it It says Caprice poutine with Tuscan spiced, French fries, confit tomatoes, slivered garlic, mozzarella pearls, basil pesto, shaved pecorino, and balsamic glaze. Mozzarella pearls are not cheese curds. lets Stop it. These are loaded fries. that This is not poutine. Do not be tricked.
01:20:52
Speaker
It does look pretty good though. I mean, ill but it looks like a good meal. Yeah. But it's, I mean, but they're, they're faking it with the mozzarella because they're trying to make it look like cheese curds. I'm a big pesto guy. So I like, I like pesto and I'll, ah you know, pesto and that's so on fries probably is pretty good. I've never had that, but I'm sure it's good. And, and that, that's perfectly fine. Like, you know, I'm sure, I'm sure it's going to be good, but you know, they're trying to sell it as something that it's not.
01:21:18
Speaker
it just this is ah This is Italian fries. of of like yeah It's french fries with Italian stuff on top, which I don't even know what. like It's like a crazy salad on on top of ah fries. that they're Yes, that's exactly what it is. and But yeah, calling it poutine is kind of a stretch.
01:21:36
Speaker
yeah ah and So I'm going to say, tre Trevor, we should save the the other food one we have for the next episode for Lunar New Year out in California Adventure. But let's finish up. Yeah. Let's finish this one up. So we've got Swirled Showcase. Bubblegum soft serve in a cone is a new thing this year. I don't really like the flavor of bubblegum, but I'm sure some people do. Really? You don't like bubblegum ice cream? No, not a fan.
01:21:59
Speaker
I mean, when I was a kid, I probably had, you know, the, the bubblegum ice cream on a stick that had like the bubblegum in the middle of it. Yeah. Yeah. You know what I'm talking about. Was it blue for you? Like it was always bad like bubblegum ice cream for me. Yeah.
01:22:13
Speaker
Oh, yeah, yeah, it was always like, yeah. And then they all said the one that was like in the cone and then it was like a bubblegum at the bottom, I think, like at the bottom of the. Yeah, there's a whole thing. ah Then you have the imagination cone, which is bubblegum soft serve and a lavender cone. Sparks of imagination. I don't know what that means because we don't have a picture of it. But um and then white chocolate wings. And then they also are doing a candy trio flight.
01:22:38
Speaker
Dole Whip Strawberry with Starburst Minis Fruit Chews. I don't know what that means. I guess that they're just... but Little bits of Starburst. Yeah, so it's just they're doing a flight of Dole Whips with different candies on top. So Dole Whip Lemon with Skittles on top, Freeshried Skittles, and then Dole Whip Lime, which I had when I was with you at Disney, actually. Yeah.
01:22:58
Speaker
Um, which was very good, uh, with chili lime seasoning and lifesavers gummies on top. Okay. Interesting. and I'm more interested in the chili lime seasoning on my dolip. That is interesting. Yeah. I don't know if you've ever had, um, so it's something that they do in, in California is the, uh, the Taijin seasoning on the dolip. Yeah. Um, it's really good if like, so.
01:23:22
Speaker
I feel like this is going to mean that same kind of wheelhouse as you get, you get like the sweet and savory, which after this flight, you know, you, you've just like, you know, Oh deed on sugar and go away. I think that chili lion seasoning is going to be the only thing saving you with the lifesavers. Haha. But, uh, I feel like if I actually walked around this festival, I would die from overexposure to sugar. Yeah. Yeah. You would be in a sugar column by the time you hit Morocco, I think.
01:23:49
Speaker
Yeah, I'd be in really bad shape. There's also a liquid nitrogen, and they've been doing the liquid liquid nitrogen thing for a couple of years now, mini cake pop with berry sponge cake, white chocolate ganache, and a colorful chocolate splats. Yeah, which is the one thing we do have a picture of here, which just looks like Looks like a very cold cake pop. It does. Yeah. But there's something about the little, the smoke coming off of it there that make it, I mean, I know it's not smoke, but you know what I mean. It's a, p oh yeah, I get it. Like we, we, we actually, we did that at one of, um, we went to a ah dessert party where they, it was actually a Star Wars one in Hollywood studios and yeah, they were serving, um, they were serving cake pops that they were dipping in liquid nitrogen. And yeah, it was like,
01:24:30
Speaker
they had you the smoking cake pop. And of course, although yeah, yeah yeah and you put it in your mouth and for like a second year, it's like you're breathing fire, right? Like, or like, there's like smoke coming out of your mouth and everything. special pressure Yeah, yeah, it's it's yeah, the definitely liquid nitrogen stuff is fun. And and you know, there's this the the The pictures you know allude to it. you know it's It's another one of those eye-catching things that if you see people eating in the park, you'll be like, ooh, what's that? What's that? Give me that. when I want to eat that. So I think that wraps up a Festival of the Arts. I hope anybody that goes enjoys you know for those that ah don't know. it's this is like the short This is like the shortest festival, I feel like. It's only January 17 to the February 24. So you're talking just like five weeks, basically, right?
01:25:18
Speaker
um so So get out there and do that one, and then you know I'm sure we'll have ah the we'll have um Flower and Garden coming up soon here. They'll put the menu out for that in a month or two. And then of course, the main attraction, food and wine. ah So yeah, but we'll do we also have a Lunar New Year one for California ah but for a Disneyland, but we'll we'll hold off on that one until next week.
01:25:39
Speaker
So yeah yeah, we can touch on that later. And yeah, I will say I think of all because I have been to all the festivals. I feel I really do enjoy Festival of the Arts. It's a cool one. Yeah, just because it's it's um you get the most interesting stuff, right? Because it is all artistic based. It's not like food and wine. Like you said, you know, they're there's pushing food and wine. This is like Festival of the Arts is the place I feel they get a lot more experimental with it because it is festival of the arts. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I agree. All right. um that's right up Yeah, I guess. Yeah, I realized I'm looking at the timer, but I forgot um we had a um we had a blip in the middle of the episode. So the timer is not correct, which means we're actually way longer than I thought. That's that that's why we're stopping. Yeah. Yeah.
Connecting with the Podcast
01:26:31
Speaker
Um, so yeah, I guess, uh, you know, if you guys ever want to reach out to us, you can always find us at welcome home podcast, gmail.com. We love getting your questions, you know, hearing your trip reports or, you know, you know, anything you want to share with us about the show. Um, so you can always find us there and you can also find us on social media. Uh, we are on Facebook as welcome home podcast on YouTube as welcome on podcast and Instagram as welcome home picks.
01:26:54
Speaker
Make sure you check out our group on Facebook, Welcome Home Disney Waitlist, where you can partake in all kinds of conversations about things that we talked about in the show, but also um you know just find a place to connect with a bunch of other people that are passionate about Disney the same way that we are. and you know You can talk about DVC and you know you know your own trip planning, all that kind of stuff. you know we We love seeing people you know you know just asking questions and stuff in the group and you know everybody contributing, which is I think it's a great reason to have a Facebook group like that, so you know please check it out. and If you want to help support the show, you can go to store.welcome1podcast.com and check out our merch. You can get all kinds of different stuff there. Maybe you need some t-shirts for an upcoming Festival of the Arts trip, so you know you know go grab one from the store.
01:27:40
Speaker
um And similarly, we also have a Patreon. You can go to patreon dot.com slash welcome on pod and check out our different levels of Patreon support. um And the logo there is exclusive to Patreon. So if you want something different than what's on the store, it is the Patreon stuff is exclusive. And our Patreon listeners also get access to the Discord server, which is yet another place that we have Um, great conversations about things related to the show and then also things not related to the show. Like I think this last week we were talking about, um, or get you getting snow in your area, Tom oh yeah and people, you know, driving and whatnot. So, you know, it's, it's not just about the show, you know, it's just a, you know, a great place for people to come and chat. So, you know, please, uh, please ah come check us out both on the Facebook group and the discord server. and
01:28:28
Speaker
Last but not least, if you have any or if you're listening to us on iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere really, please leave us a five-star review so that um you know more people can find the show. And also, leave us a review on iTunes because we love hearing what you guys think about the show.
01:28:46
Speaker
Yeah, and also don't forget to subscribe to Welcome Home podcast so you can be reminded every time we release a new episode, you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Music, just about any podcast app that's out there, you can find us. You know, just search for Welcome Home, look for the one that says Disney. on it. That one's us. ah Just a reminder to our listeners, welcome home podcast. For entertainment only, we are not employed by the Walt Disney Company. That's such all opinions we expressed on the show are our own. So please consult your, you know, DVC cast member or Disney cast member for more information about anything we talked about today. Huge thank you to our sponsors, DVC Resell Market for sponsoring this episode and World of DVC for being our partner for, I don't even know Trevor, what is it, like six or seven years now? They've been with us a long time ago, since the very beginning, yeah. Yeah. so
01:29:32
Speaker
Please, you know, support them. ah they've so They've supported us for a long time. So, you know, check them out. Like I said, I'm i'm ah i'm ah not just like, you know, promoting them here. I'm actually using them for my own personal business. It's it's coming up on nine years.
01:29:47
Speaker
Nine years or eight years? it I thought it was 2017. Because we started this in 2016, didn't we? Or no, I guess 2017. Yeah. So I think it's, I think this year is yeah it's eight years, which crazy. I can't believe it's been that long. Uh, anyway, thank you. So again, thank you to our sponsors. Uh, join us next time for more Disney parks discussion. Of course, more DVC talk. We hope to see you all real soon.
01:30:12
Speaker
This is Skipper Albert A. Wall, the voice of the jungle, signing off from Welcome Home Podcast on the TVC.