Sleepydog's Dreamlogue AKA "All I Got Was a Lousy T-Shirt": The Sequel

[sleepydog25]

Some of you, if you're very ol--umm, have been on the DIS for some time may recall a hapless dad who opened his first cruise trip report with a picture of his painted toenails, a sort of karmic retribution for not taking his young daughter on the cruise and inspiration for the original TR title. (Cue the wavy screen and doodeeleeoo-doodeleeoo-doodeleeoo music!) There was also the contortionist incident with the Chiropractor's Friend, jokingly called a tub on the Wonder--yeah, that's a riot--and other such misadventures. (Stop the music!) Fast forward several years and said daughter is in high school. . .and I still didn't take her on a cruise this year! Instead, my sensational wife and I used this trip as our second anniversary gift to each other. [Ed. note: We cruised on the Dream in 2013 as our honeymoon after marrying in the World--which is a whole other story--but were too beat after the lead up to the wedding to enjoy the cruise as we wished.] Thus is reborn the long-awaited sequel, Sleepdog's Dreamlogue. Okay, so it's not really been awaited long; in fact, few will take note other than my mother, wife, and perhaps daughter (keepin' my shoes on this time, buckaroos!). Still, it's on like Donkey Kong (I don't really know what that means, but I've always wanted to say it)!


Well, this is us. After the wedding ceremony. No, I won't tell you what she said. You're grown up--figure it out. Now, we still look like this (she's still sexy and I'm still a goof), and there are other pictures to come; HOWEVER, Gibb's Rule #22 clearly states that one does not post pictures of his wife/girlfriend/SO without prior approval unless he knows she knows that he knows she looks good in said picture which is entirely based upon her having uttered as much in an earlier discussion. Now, my wife--let's call her Luv--is a vivacious, gorgeous woman in any picture I see of her. But, I know she likes this picture, so it'll have to do for now. I promise there will be more.

Here's a rundown of the trip. I'll expand the outline as I go along.
Day 1 - The Drive Down: How Not to See NC, SC, and GA in 8 Long Hours
Day 2 - The Arrival at the WDW: The Whole Planet Had the Same Idea
Day 3 - Wet n Wild in the World
Day 4 - "Leavin' On a Big Boat, Sure Hope We Stay Afloat" (I just wanted to put that ear worm in your
brain--got nothing to do with the cruise experience, frankly.)
Days 5-7 - Eat/Sun/Eat/Sun/Nap/Eat/Show/Eat/Sleep--REPEAT
Day 8 - The Drive Home: How Not to See NC, SC, and GA in 8 Long Hours, Part Deux

Thus endeth today's chapter. Go to bed!

 

[sleepydog25]

Luv and I decided to do a 2-day trip to WDW and then a 5-day cruise on the Dream. The first step, naturally, was to get to the World which is somewhat problematic since a) we both work and b) our anniversary is 5 July--one of the busiest times of the year at the Mouse. But, one just has to suck up the pain and move ahead, so we worked the day we left and headed out to our overnight destination in Pooler, GA, right off lovely I-95. Normally, it would take less than 6 hours--it took over 8. Rain, traffic, accidents (not us) made for a very long drive. Sleep, however, was great that night even if the room was less than spectacular. We usually go for lower-priced rooms when we're on the road and only spending a few hours sleeping. We've had great success with Quality, La Quinta, and even Microtel. We stayed at a Microtel in Walterboro, GA, a few years back and it was clean, well-appointed (for the price), and very convenient. Normally, we stop in Brunswick, GA, because the exit we take has a Starbucks, IHop, Cracker Barrel, Starbucks, a few decent hotels (La Quinta is our go-to there), and Starbucks. Due to our shortened driving day caused by our silly dedication to our jobs, we said, "Let's do Microtel in Pooler! There's even a Starbucks not too far away." Survey says, "Wrong!!" This particular Microtel was not terribly clean; in fact, we were first given a smoking room, detectable not only because it lacked a No Smoking sign on the door but also because it reeked of smoke. Though it was midnight, we trudged back to the desk and asked for a different room since our reservation actually specified non-smoking. Fortunately, there was a non-smoking room available. I say fortunately because this place did sell out that night. The new room was cleaner smelling, and to be fair, actually clean. Though a bit worn around the edges, there were no cleanliness issues and the a/c worked. . .loudly. But, it worked. And all we needed was a place to lay our fatigued heads that was clean. Check. We took no pics of the motel, so I'll leave you with one of our new ride. You can't tell, but it has all sorts of Disney window decals on the back. Go figure. . .

 

[cheermom2four]

Following! Great start to your TR.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I'm looking forward to reading along.

 

[sleepydog25]

It takes forever to load pics on my slow computer (upgrade likely coming in a few months), so that's why I've been lax in updating the TR. But, no more excuses shall thee hear from me (maybe). We were up bright and early the next morning, found Starbucks (I have an acute Starbucks radar, aka Stardar), and headed off to the Mouse World. Every. Other. Person. On. The. Planet. . .seemed to be driving along side the whole way down the rest of interminable I-95. Gloriously, we reached I-4 without any issues, and once one hits that highway, the celebration begins! We play Disney music starting when we reach I-4, then switch to Wilderness Lodge music once we get on Disney property which, for us, means once we take exit 64 heading toward MK. If you've ever been to WL, you know they have a majestic, western-themed soundtrack that plays all over the grounds and sets a wonderful mood. That mood permeates our car during that last 15-20 minutes before we roll up to WL. Check-in was easy, and the lobby still awesome. Walking in there NEVER gets old. Ever. Never ever.

But we didn't have time to waste as we wanted lunch at one of our favorite eateries--Sanaa. We zipped over there but had to park a half-marathon's distance to get to the restaurant. Yes, you can park under Kidani, but it was crowded. I think we passed Livingston along the way to Sanaa. We were walk-ups, but less than 10 minutes later, we were seated at a lovely table by a window and the wildlife was abundant. The food was warm, inviting, and so very tasty, especially the bread service. The lamb sliders were also tasty, with the bite of the sauce a lovely complement to the earthiness of the lamb. If you've not tried Sanaa, it's your loss. I can't recommend it enough. Friendly service, very good food, lovely setting, and the price is by Disney standards, inexpensive.

Here's a shot just outside Sanaa. . .


Obligatory food shots. . .

The infamous bread service--worthy of its reputation


That's an alcoholic mango slushie and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc--both delicious

Off to work for now, but more to follow. . .

 

[Benchley]

Joining in. Can't wait for the updates

 

[luvvwl]

Luv and I decided to do a 2-day trip to WDW and then a 5-day cruise on the Dream. The first step, naturally, was to get to the World which is somewhat problematic since a) we both work and b) our anniversary is 5 July--one of the busiest times of the year at the Mouse. But, one just has to suck up the pain and move ahead, so we worked the day we left and headed out to our overnight destination in Pooler, GA, right off lovely I-95. Normally, it would take less than 6 hours--it took over 8. Rain, traffic, accidents (not us) made for a very long drive. Sleep, however, was great that night even if the room was less than spectacular. We usually go for lower-priced rooms when we're on the road and only spending a few hours sleeping. We've had great success with Quality, La Quinta, and even Microtel. We stayed at a Microtel in Walterboro, GA, a few years back and it was clean, well-appointed (for the price), and very convenient. Normally, we stop in Brunswick, GA, because the exit we take has a Starbucks, IHop, Cracker Barrel, Starbucks, a few decent hotels (La Quinta is our go-to there), and Starbucks. Due to our shortened driving day caused by our silly dedication to our jobs, we said, "Let's do Microtel in Pooler! There's even a Starbucks not too far away." Survey says, "Wrong!!" This particular Microtel was not terribly clean; in fact, we were first given a smoking room, detectable not only because it lacked a No Smoking sign on the door but also because it reeked of smoke. Though it was midnight, we trudged back to the desk and asked for a different room since our reservation actually specified non-smoking. Fortunately, there was a non-smoking room available. I say fortunately because this place did sell out that night. The new room was cleaner smelling, and to be fair, actually clean. Though a bit worn around the edges, there were no cleanliness issues and the a/c worked. . .loudly. But, it worked. And all we needed was a place to lay our fatigued heads that was clean. Check. We took no pics of the motel, so I'll leave you with one of our new ride. You can't tell, but it has all sorts of Disney window decals on the back. Go figure. . .

Hey! This is a naked picture of poor Jarvis!! (yes, we name our vehicles. Our Honda Pilot is Walt). BEFORE all his bling. You'd better fix this post haste. Chop chop!!

 

[sleepydog25]

Hey! This is a naked picture of poor Jarvis!! (yes, we name our vehicles. Our Honda Pilot is Walt). BEFORE all his bling. You'd better fix this post haste. Chop chop!!

We don't have one, dear. I've an idea: go take one and upload it to Photobucket.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled report. . .

One thing I failed to mention when we checked in at the Lodge was that a lovely couple who had checked out and were waiting on the bus to the airport saw us talking to the CM who had escorted us into the lobby. We were telling the CM how excited we were to be back and that we had gotten married at the Lodge two years earlier, and the couple must have overheard the conversation (luv can be very excitable--see her comment above) because they came up to us and gave us two FPs that were good anywhere in MK that day. What a gracious gesture and superb start to our magical anniversary! Here are a couple of pics looking at our room and away from it toward the confluence of the walkways between the main Lodge and the Villas.





We'd never stayed in a ground floor room, and we generally prefer the lake side of the Villas. However, we were pleasantly surprised at the lovely view and set up of the patio vice balcony. We didn't go back to this room after Sanaa as we had FPs for Animal Kingdom, a date with EE and Khali River Rapids. The park was crowded but not overly so, and besides, we were just there long enough to hit those two rides and check out the Starbucks there.

Huge and well-themed. . .


Yeah, we got wet. . .we were the lucky side that went down the falls backward. . .


After getting wet and cooling off, we headed back to the room to relax, unpack a bit, and get ready to go to dinner at The Wave. Originally, we planned to walk up to Kimono's, and then we'd work our way to MK to see Wishes. Instead, we thought, "let's try a new place" closer to MK so we could walk over.



We had no problems getting in The Wave as walk-ups, primarily because it was just the two of us. Although we enjoyed the experience and the food well enough, neither was notable. The food, while looking inviting, was rather bland and under-seasoned. The service was good overall, but there were some long lapses, especially when it came time to get the check to us. They did give us a small dessert on the house for our anniversary (luv made sure we wore our pins everywhere ), so the meal ended on a sweet note, figuratively and literally. We headed over to MK, FPs in hand, and lordy was it ever crowded. . .and very wet & stormy. Most of the major rides were down due to weather, and we were trying to dodge the rain best we could so we wound up using the FPs for Buzz Lightyear of all things. Ah, well, they were free! Naturally, the fireworks were delayed. . .and delayed. . .and delayed. . .and we were wet, tired from the trip down, and quickly began to rue the decision to enter MK on an almost holiday night (3 July). With very little to do since so many rides were stopped, people were simply hanging out in the streets, byways, walkways, sitting areas, and stores. We tried to shop a little, but all of the shops were packed with people trying to stay out of the rain and wait out the Wishes delay. We finally gave up around 10:30, walked back to our car, and drove to our room. We'd settled in less than 15 minutes when, BOOM! Yep, that was the first explosion from Wishes. Oops. So ended our first night in the World. . .watching the highest bursts over the Lodge and listening to the delayed thunderclaps of the fireworks. You know what? It was still a glorious day.

 

[disney2mom]

Joining your TR! Great start, looking forward to reading more!

 

[sleepydog25]

Thanks for joining in. I've been remiss in adding to my report due to starting a new job, but I will kick it into gear soon!

 

[luvvwl]

Did we fall off the boat?? Get swept away?? Did we ever make it ONTO the boat?????? Where's Waldo?

 

[sleepydog25]

Did we fall off the boat?? Get swept away?? Did we ever make it ONTO the boat?????? Where's Waldo?

Wisea--umm, acre! See below.

We woke the next morning (4 July if you’re keeping track. . .even if you’re not it was still 4 July), and I managed to not whack my knees, toes, or head as staggered to shower and dress before heading out. While luv can look marvelous within minutes of arising, I need a few minutes—about 60 or so. Most importantly for both of us, we need caffeine, and not just any caffeine. We need a hot pot o’ java soon after the eyes have adjusted to being awake. I fresh grind coffee beans each morning at home, and we’ve been known to haul our grinder and beans to the World on several occasions. Given the short nature of this visit to Mickey World, we figured to suffer until we could hit a Starbucks in a park.
We stumbled up the walkway (where I had an argument with Topiary Mickey—I felt sure he was mocking my lack of caffeine) on the way to the Territory Lounge. Yes, Virginia, we were headed for drinks first thing in the morning. Okay, so the real story might be that I’d read about a new coffee shop that had just opened there. In fact, the Lodge apparently knew we were coming and started a lovely new coffee shop right in Territory Lounge just for our pleasure. I kid you not. We ordered our heavily-laced-by-multiple-espresso-shots lattes; of course, I needed to sample their pastries, too. I gotta tell you, we were impressed. Best of all? They don’t charge for extra shots. Well, they didn’t. After we left, perhaps they changed their tune, since their smallest latte (about the size of a mini-growler) only came with two shots, and I kicked it up to five while luv wussed out at four, and the price was the same. The pastries are made in-house, and are good, though not exceptional. They touted the cinnamon roll, and though quite tasty, didn’t have the gooey unctuousness I covet. Prices were reasonable (think Starbucks range). The new coffee nirvana shop will be a regular stop for us provided it doesn’t disappear when all is said and done with the construction coming to the Villas (mostly).

From there, we headed out to the parks (DHS and MK, I think—I’m sure luv will chime in and correct me): rode a few rides, drank in the ambiance that is Disney, shopped in DTD, and sweated. . .a lot. I mean, this is truly a report on the Cruise thread, mostly about a cruise, so who needs all the park stuff? I should mention that we had gotten a coveted lunch reservation at The Boathouse. I say coveted since it took luv calling the place directly to score one. Turns out, they were hoarding the reservations in case they had overflow, walk-up crowds around the 4th. When we showed at noon, the place wasn’t crowded, and we were escorted to the iconic boat in the middle of the restaurant. Very cool. My wife had the Lobster Cocktail (good) while I had the Angus Beef Carpaccio (very good). Mine was served with arugula, olive oil, capers, lemon, and shavings of Gran Padano. We shared a small Galley Salad which had poached shrimp, hearts of romaine, hearts of palm, olives, and salami pieces (good). The star was the carpaccio which came with crostini and was simply delicious, with the bitterness of the arugula offsetting the earthiness of the beef, both complemented by the cheese and capers. We paired both meals with a glass each of Prosecco, and what a lovely meal it was. Many have claimed that The Boathouse is expensive for what you get, but we found the price point for what we had to be in line with the “normal” prices at Disney. Granted, there are some very pricey meals there, but our order came up to less than $60 after a military discount. Inexpensive? Well, no, but not astronomical, either. . .arguably.

After lunch, we walked around DTD and headed over to MK to get a final walk in along Main Street. We knew going in that we wouldn’t have much time for the parks, but the main focus this trip was to be the cruise. We got back to the room in time to clean up for the restaurant most sentimental to us—Artist Point. While the quality of the food has waxed and waned over the past several years, this place is special to us, and we can’t seem to escape a Disney visit without eating here. We had been encouraged by our last couple of visits, and the latest word on AP was it had a new executive chef who had updated the classic menu items with a few new things. With that optimism firmly in hand, we walked over to the main Lodge.
Next up: Dinner at Artist Point (complete with pics)

 

[sleepydog25]

Here are a few pics from the Coffee Shop at the Territory Lounge, which I shall dub CoShaTeL. Okay, how about CSTL? No? Fine, just the coffee shop (at The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge's Territory Lounge, of course).

A look from the ramp heading up to the Territory Lounge. The 4th floor, outdoor viewing porch (partially obscured by the tip of the pine tree) is the spot where we married two years ago. . .



Price list as of July 2015


The pastry collection, and in the background you can see the espresso machine. It's all very automated, but the product is still quite good.

 

[sleepydog25]

These are photos from The Boathouse, obviously, and they should have accompanied the comments above. However, being that my computer processing speed is similar to that of a lame squirrel in a cage, you're lucky I can post pics at all.

Not sure who that guy is in the middle of the picture. . .


THE boat. . .


An absolutely delicious beef carpaccio


Part of the deck seating area


The water taxis. . .just out of the picture in the foreground is a turntable that operates much like one at a railroad depot. Taxis come in, disembark, spin around, load passengers, then back to the water they go.

 

[luvvwl]

You know, having that coffee shop at TL is just perfect! Some people I know are not really the best of morning people, if you know what I mean. Not that I'm naming any names or anything (hewhoworshipsthegroundIwalkon). And. Way more convenient than having to get in the car and drive all the way to Shades of Green.

Not that I would know about that. Now before you go all judgey because I have a coffee boy, aka hewhoworshipsthegroundIwalkon, I do not lounge around waiting for my room service NOK (no offense Kardashians). Mostly. I actually AM a morning person and I'm usually down in the gym while said non morning person fetches said coffee.

So there!

In any case, the coffee shop at TL is there, in all it's glory and hopefully to stay. I am not a danish girl so I can not attest to those however I did take note (barely) of how quickly devoured they were by my counter part. That may, or may not be an indication of their goodiness. Only one of us knows for certain.

It did take FORever to get an ADR for The Boathouse! Every time I checked, no soup for me! Not that I wanted soup, really, but I did want that lobster! Finally some kind soul took pity on me and let me make an ADR. Apparently they were expecting every citizen in the state of Florida to visit that day or something since they were not releasing any advance reservations. At all. For July 4th.

But they did for me. Mad skillz!

Also, someone forgot to mention we stopped and had Gelato too. At the gelato shop. MMMMMM! Big tip here ~ they let you sample before you buy BUT if you act confused and smile a lot you can sample every flavor!

Not that I would know anything about that.

 

[sleepydog25]

One of the things I enjoy most about staying at the Lodge are the small touches that make it seem to have been plucked out of the great Northwest and plopped down in steamy central Florida. As Luv (AKA, TLOML—see her comments above) and I headed over to Artist Point for dinner on our second and last night at the World before the cruise, we basked in the glow of the lanterns that dot the walkway between the Villas and the main Lodge. As usual, you could hear the crickets (both real and imported), as well as the majestic strains of the iconic music played throughout the grounds. The feel of the planks beneath our feet, the sun beginning to settle and casting shadows, and the soothing sounds and ambiance made the perfect setting as we walked to a romantic dinner at our sentimental favorite. Though we were anticipating a wonderful meal, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to some slight apprehension given they’d had some inconsistency issues over the past of years.

However, I will declare forthwith and henceforth that Artist Point is back. If you want a longer review, skip to the next paragraph. If you’re after a quick summation, here it is: service—very good; food—excellent; ambiance—second to none.

We always ask for a window seat—this night was no different—and we got our favorite table (where we first dined together).



Our server was prompt, and soon we were nibbling on the sourdough bread and butter w/sea salt.



Service was exemplary the entire meal with just the right amount of attention without feeling as though he an uninvited family member. Of course, the real test was the food since a new menu had been advertised on a few forums. Though most of the old standbys were still there, the new executive chef had added a few items—an encouraging sign. Still, for me, the Smoked Portobello Bisque was an immutable choice, and it was even better than I recalled.



Nerd that I am, I was actually heartened that it was now more correctly labeled bisque (at some point, a different chef had begun calling it “soup”), and even more important, the over-arching salt content seemed to have been toned down a notch, making this unctuous dish even more sublime. Creamy, earthy, with an extra hit of smoke from the crispy shiitakes and countered by an herbaceous chive oil drizzled on top, this is a must dish for me. Though tempted to raise the bowl and just drink it, I resisted and merely sopped up the remaining drips with extra bread.

Conversely, Luv opted to try one of the new additions, the Dashi Braised Short Rib, and it was, in a word, fantastic. The meat was fork tender and served in an Asian-style barbeque sauce with pickled turnips, daikon, and some crisp greens. The tart crispness of the turnips and daikon highlighted the savory notes of the meat.



You could just about make a meal with just these two appetizers.

Of course, we still had entrees coming. While I most often go for the buffalo, the current offering didn’t vary much from what I’d had in our previous trip, so I chose the Alaskan Halibut with grilled bok choy, a carrot-ginger risotto, and a miso glaze.



I lived in Alaska for four years, and too often chefs screw up halibut by overcooking it, so I was nervous. I shouldn’t have been as it was handled with a deft touch: a crispy exterior with the tender meaty interior that was the perfect vessel for the risotto and the glaze. The bok choy’s char complemented the mild fish with the glaze tying it all together. This was, perhaps, the best halibut dish I’ve had since leaving Alaska years ago.


Luv also went for something new and settled on the Wild Caught Prawn Pho with mussels, calamari, rice noodles, red curry, some pork for a hint of smoke, and prawns, of course.



She loved it. The dish was chock full of seafood (of note were the expertly cooked calamari and prawns) layered in a piquant, slightly spicy broth and steaming rice noodles. She, too, used some extra bread to soak up the remaining broth after we (yeah, I might’ve helped) finishing off the noodles and seafood. Whatever doubts we had about AP’s return to significance were laid to rest after these four superb dishes. We were unable to sample any desserts since TLOML surprised me with a close facsimile of our wedding cake from two years earlier.

See how lucky I am? She thought ahead and ordered a small version of the chocolate with raspberry ganache delight. For the record, it was amazing. I’m sure if anyone wants to do something similar, Luv will tell you how to go about ordering from Disney.

It was such a lovely night: great food, perfect wine, embracing ambiance, and the perfect company. The only way it could possibly been any better was to catch Wishes from the beach. Again, however, it was raining, so they were delayed. Instead, we chose to go back to our room for the evening and retire. Yeah, that’s the ticket.*

*I should note that when Wishes did finally start, one of us was still awake and dashed to a spot along the nature trail we had noticed before that offered a great view of the Contemporary. When I got there, video camera in hand, there was already a group of CMs there. Apparently, this was a spot well-known to them as a good vantage from which to watch Wishes. While some of the bursts to our left were partially obscured, the majority of the fireworks appeared to dance directly overhead of the CR. It was quite the amazing show. The CMs offered me popcorn and pickles (no extra soda, though) and were tickled (euphemism for stupid) that I had run down the dark trail, full of mud puddles, video camera in hand, just to film Wishes in the light rain. It was a unique experience and a supremely fun way to end my day. . .and Luv can thank me for the sacrifice as she stayed dry back in the room.

Next up: We leave for the Dream!!

 

[luvvwl]

For the record, I was awake when Wishes started. I very smartly chose not to go out in the dark, in the rain to watch it. Although, I wish I had.

 

[sleepydog25]

You know, having that coffee shop at TL is just perfect! Some people I know are not really the best of morning people, if you know what I mean. Not that I'm naming any names or anything (hewhoworshipsthegroundIwalkon). And. Way more convenient than having to get in the car and drive all the way to Shades of Green.

Not that I would know about that. Now before you go all judgey because I have a coffee boy, aka hewhoworshipsthegroundIwalkon, I do not lounge around waiting for my room service NOK (no offense Kardashians). Mostly. I actually AM a morning person and I'm usually down in the gym while said non morning person fetches said coffee.

So there!

In any case, the coffee shop at TL is there, in all it's glory and hopefully to stay. I am not a danish girl so I can not attest to those however I did take note (barely) of how quickly devoured they were by my counter part. That may, or may not be an indication of their goodiness. Only one of us knows for certain.

It did take FORever to get an ADR for The Boathouse! Every time I checked, no soup for me! Not that I wanted soup, really, but I did want that lobster! Finally some kind soul took pity on me and let me make an ADR. Apparently they were expecting every citizen in the state of Florida to visit that day or something since they were not releasing any advance reservations. At all. For July 4th.

But they did for me. Mad skillz!

Also, someone forgot to mention we stopped and had Gelato too. At the gelato shop. MMMMMM! Big tip here ~ they let you sample before you buy BUT if you act confused and smile a lot you can sample every flavor!

Not that I would know anything about that.

I am sure I do NOT know of whom you speak, missstumbletothecoffeepotwhichhasfreshcoffeeiniteverymorningwhenshewakesup. If by "morning" you mean you wake up at that time, then I agree. This is true, though I left it off in the interest of time. Still, very, very good gelato. MMMMM, indeed!

 

[sleepydog25]

The dawn of our anniversary was hot and muggy. Who’d have thunk in Florida in July? However, it was a day to begin our celebration aboard the Dream, which not to sound too trite, is exactly what each of us found in the other. No trip to Disney—no matter how short—is complete for us without visiting Roaring Fork at the Lodge. “Why?” you ask. Read on, McDuff.

After another stop at the Territory Lounge for our morning lattes (so happy we found it!), we skipped down the ramp to RF where we ordered what has become a tradition to us—Mickey Waffles! They make them to order, and you can add all sorts of toppings to them. They are perhaps the best Mickey waffles on property. . .perhaps we think that because we stay at the Lodge a lot. Regardless, it’s a must do experience for us: crispy/crunchy crust, light and fluffy in the middle with the faint taste and scent of malt, and smother—umm, topped with butter, strawberries, and whipped cream. What a perfect accompaniment to the Territory Lounge lattes! Yay, us!!

Yet, we couldn’t stay. The Dream awaited. We did manage to walk around the grounds and nature trail of the Lodge/Villas one last time before construction starts (we won’t be back until next year). My biggest fear is that the serenity and relative quiet nature of the Villas is going to be—how to put it delicately?—crushed to smithereens. We walked hand-in-hand, sipping the last of our lattes, and perhaps shed a tear or two. Okay, I did. Okay, I didn’t really cry. . .maybe whined and whimpered a bit. Luv told me to grow up. Oh, well. Here are some pics. . .

Signs of things to come (i.e., construction)


Along the nature trail and the spot where I watched the fireworks the night before. . .


This is actually what sunrise looked like from the beach. . .which is where luv and I first met. . .


This spot exactly. . .which is likely to disappear in the new construction. Sigh. . .


From there, we went back to the room to finish packing, then hauled the luggage to the car—all 57 suitcases, shopping bags, carry-ons, backpacks, fanny packs, and garment bags. Well, that’s not quite accurate. . .we don’t do fanny packs. Once the car was bottomed out, we jumped in, accelerated (slowly), and cruised through the Wilderness Lodge arch on the way to the Port Canaveral and the Dream. Anniversary cruise, here we come! (Or is that “Here we came!”? maybe “Therefore, we goeth!”? I dunno.)

Next up: We're ba-a-a-ck!

 

[luvvwl]

FANNYPAK??????!!!!!!!!!