I know I have already told you about my royal welcome Thursday, Jeff Galloway Meet Up, the Expo, the 5k and the half marathon, and my blogger meet up, but there were a lot of other fun times during my trip as well that I wanted to share with you.
Friday after I met my mom, Karen and her mom at the expo, we went to Animal Kingdom Lodge and picked up my luggage. We then headed to the Grand Floridian where we would be staying on the concierge level of the main building for four nights, with a Magic Kingdom view!
We had just enough time to change clothes and freshen up before appetizers were being served in the lounge.
We relaxed and ate, then headed over to EPCOT for the pasta in the park party. I was given a free ticket through my fun blogging weekend, and my group was able to buy tickets even though it was sold out! The party was in the wonders of life pavilion, somewhere I had never been before.
It was open seating, and they had little buffet stations (of the same food) set up all around the place. We found my FitFluential friends, grabbed some plates, and chowed down.
There were a couple of different kinds of pasta, chicken, bread, salad, and dessert.
One of the employees in charge of the logistics of the runDisney races came over and chatted with our group. Did you know Princess had about 600 port o potties?!?
After we ate, everyone had pretty much cleared out. One thing I did NOT like about this event is the music was playing SO LOUD you couldn’t talk to anyone at your table! Come on Disney, music is nice, but lower the volume, please!
We took advantage of everyone leaving and went to take some pictures with the princesses.
It was time to go, so we made our way out and did a little shopping before Illuminations. Oh, we also had special wristbands that got us into a VIP seating area for the show. It was nice to sit on the ground without people crowding all around us.
We actually left a couple of minutes before it was over. I have been to this rodeo, and I know there is a mad dash for the monorail afterward. We were able to get on the second one and head back to the lounge just in time for dessert.
When we got back to the room, we realized Wishes was about to start, so we watched that from the balcony. After being all firework-ed out, we headed to bed. After all, we had a 5k in the morning!!!
My take on the Pasta party: I am glad I went to experience it, but I don’t think I would go again for the price. it was almost $50, and the variety of food wasn’t there, and the whole tone just wasn’t as excited and amped up as I thought it would be. The food was really good though! It was LOUD in there, and everyone just ate and left, maybe it just wasn’t what I was expecting? I can see how if you had a whole group you could make it really fun…but I think Disney could make it even better!
QOTD: What do you eat the night before a race?
I’m in complete agreement with you!
I’d save the money from the pasta dinner and use it on the race retreat from the reviews you told us about! LOL
That view from your room makes me want to be there right now!
We did the pasta party before the marathon in ’09 and had the same thoughts. Good food but WAY overpriced! Before the 1/2 in ’10, I’m pretty sure I just ate peanut butter and jelly from the lounge and that filled me up fine haha.
I think I am becoming a pre-race pizza eater. worked well for RnRNOLA. Reading your recaps makes me REALLY want to do a Disney race!!
Pizza is really becoming my go-to pre-race food, it really seems to do the trick!!!!
I need to run the Disney princess races!
My twin & I went to the Pasta Party during the 2010 WDW Marathon weekend. I’m not sure I would go again, but I’m glad we went once. The music was loud but our kids loved dancing to it! 🙂
Loud music totally ruins things for me. That right there would have soured the event, regardless of what it cost or offered.
I eat whatever the night before. I’ve never really thought much about it. I’d say 90% of the time we have dinner at a brewpub before my races LOL.
I know! we were screaming over it to hear each other. bah.
Finding the best double stroller can be tough though.
There are lots of models and designs out there, each
claiming to be the best.