Herbal Blessing: DISNEY 2017

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”
Psalm 24:1-2

Since we are Florida residents, we are also Disney Weekday Select Passholders and love to spend some time at Disney each year. We enjoy finding other interesting things to do in the area too, so here are a few of our adventures so far this year:

DISNEY SPRINGS

We spent some time earlier this year at Disney Springs formerly Downtown Disney.

Our favorite places to eat are Earl of Sandwich (just off to the right) for lunch – my favorite sandwich is the All American with Turkey, Cheddar, Cranberry Sauce, Lettuce, Roma Tomato and Ranch Dressing and for dessert - Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop

We enjoyed some new views from the street overpass between our hotel, Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista and the Marketplace. It was great to be able to walk between them and there is even an elevator to save time and energy!

We also enjoyed a parade of little princesses from the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVAL

This week was our annual visit to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival which has only a few days left this year! We were welcomed by favorite Disney Characters with a new topiary – Welcome Spring Fun, Food and Flowers!

Farmer’s Market Stand

Figment

Other new topiaries included:

The Berry Basket was a new outdoor kitchen featuring Lamb Chop with Blackberry Gastrique, Field Greens with Strawberries, Blue Cheese & Spiced Pecans and Warm Wild Berry Buckle - it was a yummy treat!

Of course my favorites are always the gardens . . .

Edible Flowers

Pollinator Paradise

Health & Healing Garden

Seed Sanctuary sponsored by American Seed Trade Association

. . . plus all the practical ideas

Raised Garden Beds

Small Space Garden

. . . and all the herbs with a special friend!

We planned on visiting again to explore the new gardens in the World Showcase – Geranium Garten and Alpine Containers in Germany and the Florida Fresh in Morocco, but inclement weather cut our week short and brought us home early.

CHOCOLATE KINGDOM

We had a Groupon for a Chocolate Kingdom Factory Tour, so we visited the one in Kissimmee.

Bean-to-the-Bar Factory utilizing old world machinery

It was both fun and educational for all ages with a tour guide plus a handsome Prince and his Dragon to help us learn all about chocolate from beginning to end . . .

and included lots of samples from cacao nibs to drinks, a marshmallow game and shoes for the princess made of all types – white, milk and dark chocolate!

We even watched as they made our custom dark chocolate bar with pecans, M&Ms and caramels!

This sign was a favorite:

Love #2

GIORDANO’S

It is a tradition to visit Giordano’s for pizza while at Disney, but our usual Kissimmee location was closed for remodeling and so we found another one in Orlando Lake Buena Vista, in the Disney Springs area.