Category Archives: Swan and Dolphin Resorts

Live Tweeting Escape From Tomorrow

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Hi friends,

Here’s the geekiest, silliest blog post I’ve ever written. I watched the new film Escape From Tomorrow tonight on demand, and decided to “live tweet” my thoughts during the flick. (Any time you want to chat with me live, you can find me on Twitter at @MouseChow. I’m almost always around.)

If you missed it, here’s the play by play. Feel free to follow along as you watch it for yourself. It’s not a great movie – don’t say I didn’t warn you. And yes, there are spoilers.

Here goes:

Opening montage – Big Thunder Mountain #EscapeFromTomorrow

Quick images of SSE interspersed with Big Thunder montage. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Uh oh – Haunted Mansion images in the open sequence – spooky. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Opening scene – our hero is staying at the Contemporary, overlooking Magic Kingdom. Obviously disturbed. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Sweet kids locked Daddy out on the balcony while Mom keeps sleeping. Good thing Dad has his cell phone. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Every guest at the Contemporary has SARS and is entering the monorail. Monorail Gray obviously. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Photopass of family with the castle – wonder if the photographer was an actor? #EscapeFromTomorrow

Family is going on Snow White’s Scary Adventure. I’m jealous. #EscapeFromTomorrow

OK seriously, Winnie the Poo is totally scary, even not in black and white. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Hubby’s trying to get some on Poo, and my husband is saying, “See, it’s not just me!” #EscapeFromTomorrow

Jim is freaking out on It’s a Small World. Uh oh. Familiar feeling. #EscapeFromTomorrow

I wonder how many people have actually freaked out on Small World for real? I bet Jim’s not alone. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Somehow Jim and his family went from Florida to California in the span of seconds. This IS a freaky movie. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Jim has very bad language in front of the child. No wonder he’s the Bad Seed. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Jim is mesmerized by the tween ‘ho’s at the Tomorrowland Speedway. This is unrealistic – kid thinks the cars are fast. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Yea! Tiki Birds! Nothing bad can happen here, right? Hey…that water spout is sort of suggestive. I never noticed. #EscapeFromTomorrow

No wonder he doesn’t dig his wife – she’s wearing multiple fanny packs. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Oh no! Jim is ditching his kid in Push the Garbage Can! #EscapeFromTomorrow

Dad “made” me go on Space Mountain. Yeah, right. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Little girl didn’t eat. I know why – they’re in Magic Kingdom. Girl has taste. #EscapeFromTomorrow

I’m really jealous of all of these people on the raft headed to Tom Sawyer Island. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Bringing back memories of chasing my 4-year-old through those caves. What a friggin’ nightmare. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Poor Sarah almost got run over by an EV! It’s just like @JKDisneyHip and @KJDisneyhip ‘s daughter all over again. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Does this nurse know something we don’t? That was some amazing acting. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Where did Jim get that tiny turkey leg? Definitely not at WDW. #EscapeFromTomorrow

This lady on the bench is creepy. Hypnotizing Jim with her bosom jewel. Ew. #EscapeFromTomorrow

OK – just turned way creepier. Find my hidden Mickey! #EscapeFromTomorrow

Somehow they took a Friendship boat from Epcot to the Contemporary. #EscapeFromTomorrow

I don’t recognize this pool – maybe one of the small pools at the Poly? Better not let the resort police catch you! #EscapeFromTomorrow

Jim’s wife is kind of a bitch. I’m pretty sure she’s got good reasons considering Jim’s wandering penis. #EscapeFromTomorrow

I really see nothing wrong with the wife’s demeanor. She’s pretty much me at Disney. 10 minutes, Jim! #EscapeFromTomorrow

OK, the balconies at the Contemporary do have a pretty awesome view. Probably greatly improved by several beers. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Wow, I’ve never thought SSE looked like a giant testicle. Man is disturbed. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Finally, Jim is acting normal. Getting drunk in Epcot and trying on the fez in Morocco. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Yea! Jim got a giant beer at Biergarten. Why don’ they have another family at their table? #EscapeFromTomorrow

These princesses have better costumes than the real ones. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Grand Fiesta Tour! Nothing crazy better happen here. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Mary Blair makes Jim hallucinate. He shouldn’t have stayed at the Contemporary. #EscapeFromTomorrow

OK, wife now seeing freaky stuff. Must have had a bad margarita at @cavadeltequila #EscapeFromTomorrow

Just so you know, you might not want to use the hand dryers in the men’s bathroom near the Mexico pavilion. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Poor Jim. He found out he lost his job while at Disney. At least my company waited until the day I got back. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Disney seems to bring out the worst in this family. My husband says he’s never going back. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Hey, they’re leaving before Illuminations! #EscapeFromTomorrow

Yeah, Soarin’! Nothing creepy better happen on this ride. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Wait, I don’t remember that scene…#EscapeFromTomorrow

Is this the version of Soarin they play during Illuminations? I’ve never seen it. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Why is creepy Jim into this little 13 year old girl? SSE is imploding before letting him do something nasty with her. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Where’s Sarah? Did she go ride Livin’ With the Land? #EscapeFromTomorrow

Wow those CMs tazed Jim’s little spaceship earths. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Ooooh, is this the true inside of SSE? I always suspected that Siemen’s was doing something evil in that ball. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Does the scientist with the yellow tights and black go-go boots work in this lab? #EscapeFromTomorrow

This must be the “climax” of the movie. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Weirdly, I can smell Illuminations just watching it. #EscapeFromTomorrow

I don’t think I like this new Illuminations soundtrack. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Jim just took the friendship boats over to the Swan and Dolphin. This must be where the “Presidential Suite” was. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Sarah makes a very cute Sleeping Beauty. Maleficent is creepy. #EscapeFromTomorrow

I’m not surprised that this nasty lady was a former Sleeping Beauty. She has the teeth for it. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Back to the Contemporary. This day really was hellish. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Jim is sort of sweaty. Maybe the air conditioning doesn’t work at the Contemporary. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Those turkey legs are catching up with Jim. @GoTeamMegan , you’re right I should have stopped. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Elliot is a mama’s boy. Jim shouldn’t have made him ride Space Mountain. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Wow, that cat flu is nasty stuff. #EscapeFromTomorrow

These Disney CMs are serious about cleanup. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Dammit, I KNEW those pins were evil. #EscapeFromTomorrow

Rope dropping Epcot…this is the happiest movie ever! #EscapeFromTomorrow

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH The End. A dream is a wish your heart makes…  #EscapeFromTomorrow

@EscapeTomorrow So I was snarky through the film, but truly it was fun. Quite a feat, too. Thanks for a good time! #EscapeFromTomorrow

So that’s it! Hope you had fun following along.

Super brief review: In general, I think for a low-budget “horror” movie it was OK. No Blair Witch Project, but I have a soft spot for WDW which helps it a bit. The high point for me was probably the Gran Fiesta Tour scene. Low point – the nurse.

The comparisons to David Lynch are waaaay overpromising. If you really want a David Lynch movie, watch a David Lynch movie. In fact, I think I may need to rewatch Blue Velvet to see how it’s really done.

So what did you think?

Announcing the MouseChow Meetup at EPCOT Food & Wine!

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Hi Friends! I’m getting so excited for the EPCOT Food & Wine festival this year. I haven’t been to Disney World since February, after having visited four times last year. I’m having serious withdrawal.

This year I’ll be touring, eating, drinking, and generally carousing with one of my best friends, without kids! I absolutely can not wait.

But what could make this party even better? Meeting YOU! Wouldn’t that be cool? Sitting around, drinking, chatting about Disney food, while IN Disney….hmmm…what could I add to this extravaganza of awesome that would make me even happier? That’s right, KARAOKE!  (I feel like George Costanza planning to have sex while eating a sandwich and watching TV.) 

So here’s the plan. Sunday October 28, 2012, my friend and I will park ourselves at Kimono’s at the Swan at around 9pm. Then, you’ll stop by at some point in the night (maybe you’ll catch a Friendship boat over to the Swan after Illuminations) and we’ll have a rip-roaring good time. You may have to hear me sing. There will be Kirin Ichiban and sake and kappa maki. And maybe a couple of giveaways. Maybe we’ll get to hear you sing!

So be there or be square! Drop me a line at dawn@mousechow.com and let me know if you can make it. Hope to see you there!

Dawn (a.k.a. MouseChow)

Romance and Refinement at Bistro de Paris in EPCOT – 5 Mice

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Bistro de Paris, EPCOT

Romance, seclusion, refined dining…these are probably not terms you would expect to describe a restaurant within an amusement park. It’s time to discard your preconceived notions of theme park dining, and enter the lovely atmosphere of Bistro de Paris in EPCOT.

Bistro de Paris, EPCOT

Bistro de Paris, EPCOT

Last September, my dear husband and I found ourselves at EPCOT just a few days before our 12th anniversary. We considered the options for an adult evening out to celebrate, and decided on Bistro de Paris because (1) we’d never been there, and (2) it was convenient to the Swan Resort, where we were staying for the weekend. Also, we had our 10-year-old daughter with us, and didn’t want to be too far from Camp Dolphin where she would be hanging out for the evening. As it turned out, we decided to bring her along for dinner. (With only a long weekend to spend in Disney we felt guilty leaving her out of an entire evening of activities in EPCOT.) While Bistro de Paris has recently added a children’s menu, you’ll find very few kids there. We dressed for the evening (no tank tops, swimwear, or cutoffs allowed), and strolled across the bridge to the International Gateway to Paris for dinner. How civilized!

MouseChow family all dressed up

MouseChow family headed to dinner

Somehow, as we strolled the streets of Paris in EPCOT, the light seemed to take on a different quality, and I could almost imagine we were actually in Paris. (One of the keys to truly enjoying the World Showcase is that you have to be willing to suspend disbelief for a little while…) On arrival at Bistro de Paris, we were greeted and asked to wait at the bottom of the grand staircase.

Lobby staircase of Bistro de Paris

Lobby staircase of Bistro de Paris

Soon, our hostess descended the stair and brought us up to the lovely, serene, and very French dining room. We were greeted warmly, and our waiter complimented our daughter on her dress.

The room was elegant but comfortable, not too loud but not hushed, and sparkling with silver, crystal, and belle epoque style. (Hopefully you can glimpse the room around this lovely family.) It was also oddly not full at 8pm on Labor Day weekend.

Bistro de Paris dining room

Bistro de Paris dining room

We perused the creative French/Alsatian menu, and decided on the prix fixe menu with wine pairings. ($95 with wine, $59 sans wine. Obviously the kid got the “sans.”)

First up, a lovely amuse bouche from the chef – a tiny demitasse of mussel soup laced with sherry. My bouche was greatly amused (in a good way.)

Mussel soup with sherry at Bistro de Paris

Mussel soup with sherry at Bistro de Paris

First course! Serrano ham, celery root remoulade and artichoke hearts. As delicious as it was pretty.

Serrano ham, celery root remoulade and beets at Bistro de Paris

Serrano ham, celery root remoulade and beets

Mr. MouseChow went for the marinated tuna with lime and herbs, Mediterranean salad, peppers coulis, in a very symmetrical pattern. Very pretty, and the tuna super-tender.

Marinated tuna with limes and herbs, Mediterranean salad, peppers coulis at Bistro de Paris

Marinated tuna with limes and herbs, Mediterranean salad, peppers coulis

The kid chose a cozy tomato bisque with basil oil and puffed cheese croutons. (For the sake of honesty, I thought she had butternut squash soup, and every menu I can find online has butternut squash soup on it. But my kid SWEARS it was a tomato bisque, she remembers that it was absolutely delicious, except it could have used a little more salt, and that she ate every bit. She has a much better memory than I do, so I’m going with tomato.)

Tomato bisque, Bistro de Paris

Tomato bisque?

Our mains were good, though not as memorable as the starters. I had the Grilled beef tenderloin with mushroom crust, mashed potato, and Bordelaise sauce. It was tender and delish.

Grilled beef tenderloin with mushroom crust, mashed potato, Bordelaise sauce at Bistro de Paris

Grilled beef tenderloin with mushroom crust

Hubby ordered the chicken breast stuffed with tapenade, roasted bell peppers, and artichoke confit. I’m not a huge fan of chicken roulade or roasted peppers, but he enjoyed it.

Chicken Breast Stuffed with tapenade, roasted bell peppers, artichoke confit at Bistro de Paris

Chicken Breast Stuffed with tapenade, peppers, artichokes

Our daughter once again chose the most interesting dish. The almost florescent spring green of her basil risotto (with pan roasted scallops) was just gorgeous, and tasted as fresh and bright as it looks.

Seared scallops with basil risotto at Bistro de Paris

Seared scallops with basil risotto

Sadly, the desserts were a little bit of a letdown. The warm chocolate cake was fine, but I’m sort of sick of seeing this on every single menu, and this version was nothing special.

Warm chocolate and almond cake, feuilletine, vanilla ice cream, praline sauce at Bistro de Paris

Warm chocolate and almond cake

My peach “upside down” cake was good, but not at the same level as the rest of the meal.

Peach tarte tatin at Bistro de Paris

Peach upside down cake

We did see a table-side flambe of crepes Suzette which looked lovely, but sadly it wasn’t an option with the prix fixe menu. What else was on the dessert menu? Illuminations! The room lights dimmed, and we were treated to a spectacular view of the fireworks.

View of Illuminations from Bistro de Paris

View of Illuminations from Bistro de Paris

This random couple with the window seat seemed to have a very romantic dinner. We got to enjoy the family and life we’ve built together over the past 12 years, even if it wasn’t terribly romantic. But next time, we’re fitting in a date night! Have you been to Bistro de Paris? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

Thinking of visiting EPCOT for the Food & Wine Festival this fall? Join our mailing list and be among the first to know about our fabulous fall package!