*8/17 Update: Our Intentions Were Good, But The Treats Were Better: One Month in Disney (4/21-5/21)

[mickey916]

I wish I could work from home!! Haha

It certainly has its benefits!

Twice in row! Yay

HM is one of our favorites!

Another favorite. I agree one is too small for 3 people.

For sure!

It is fun. But the ride vehicle feels weird to me.

I like the ride vehicle, very simliar to FoP which I love. I must have a secret desire to ride Ninja motorcycles.

Can’t wait to see this refurb as well! Really needs it!!

It definitely does and it sounds like they are making great improvements.

We’re not fans of Tiana. I don’t really want to get into it here, but I’m sure you can guess.

We miss Splash Mountain but we think they did a good job with the music and animinatronics on Tiana. I do think the story makes very little sense, going through a salt mine to find a band for a party????

Haven’t eaten at Tony’s since the boys were little. Maybe we need to try it again.

Yes and get the garlic bread!

FYI we are always late for our ADR sometimes up to a half hour. Don’t stress.

Good to know! One time we were called ten minutes early at Sci Fi and our whole party wasn't there yet and they threatened to cancel us if we weren't all there within 15 minutes...ever since then I stress!

That’s great that she let you sit outside!!

She's an excellent server. It's funny we got her twice in a row.

All of that for a hat?!!

Seriously! But I was very impressed by how the cast members handled the situation.

The only thing that I don’t like about CB is the songs are just from movies. Nothing original except maybe the first song.

I could be wrong but I think the original CB songs were ones from pop culture at the time...

So when I saw the avatar these are what I thought they were from your last TR. haha

You're good! I'm running out of future snacks to change my avatar to but I got one coming up you probably won't be able to guess.

I don’t get sick on SDMT at all. I don’t think the carts move very much. Maybe he should try it.

That's good to know. I think he may try it someday. I was showing him the "motion sickness" eyeglasses on Amazon and suggested he try them. If you don't know what they are check them out. They certainly are interesting looking. He says he's not vain but these might be a little more than he's willing to wear, haha!

Sad about the river too. BTMRR was my favorite ride! I was soooo sad!!!

Hoping BTMRR opens soon!

Again another great day!!

They just kept on coming!

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Another fun and entertaining update! I am always amazed at how much you and your family are able to accomplish every day! That was so nice that your son was able to change his flight to spend more time with you.

The food at Tony’s looks and sounds so good. I also remember the not so positive reviews on Tony’s, some years back, which is why we have never eaten there. It sure sounds like things have changed for the better, especially with that killer garlic bread!

Great job maneuvering in and out of yet another theme park ride with ease, due to your fitness routine!

I share the same anxiety as you, trying to make it to ADR’s on time. I have sweated out some close calls, but no bad experiences attached to them. Yet.

“This is the first pouring.” I got such a kick out that when you ration out the cheese between the layers. I would totally do that!

Holy cow the lady with the hat! That’s crazy!

That was so funny that your DH gave the honeymooner a friendly warning.
So I see the previous avatar was the apple cider donuts. Love those!
This new avatar has me stumped. I’m not sure if I’m looking at a muffin or one of those taller type macaroons, like the ones I’ve seen at Panera, or something entirely different. I guess we will wait and see.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Forgot to add that we finally had the triple chocolate chip cookie in Norway! We both thought it was fabulous!!
I also got to have the carrot cake whoopie pie for breakfast. Lol
I was alone bc DH was golfing. It was HUGE! I was able to eat a little more than half. It was as good as I remembered!
Thanks for the tips!

 

[mickey916]

Another fun and entertaining update! I am always amazed at how much you and your family are able to accomplish every day! That was so nice that your son was able to change his flight to spend more time with you.

We like to like to get max value out of our vacations, lol!

The food at Tony’s looks and sounds so good. I also remember the not so positive reviews on Tony’s, some years back, which is why we have never eaten there. It sure sounds like things have changed for the better, especially with that killer garlic bread!

It is definitely much better than it used to be.

Great job maneuvering in and out of yet another theme park ride with ease, due to your fitness routine!

Disney is a great motivator, lol.

I share the same anxiety as you, trying to make it to ADR’s on time. I have sweated out some close calls, but no bad experiences attached to them. Yet.

We find we make fewer ADRs now that we go more often. It definitely decreases the stress level.

“This is the first pouring.” I got such a kick out that when you ration out the cheese between the layers. I would totally do that!

Gotta have cheese in every layer!

Holy cow the lady with the hat! That’s crazy!

It was crazy. I don't think she realized she was putting herself in danger for a hat.

That was so funny that your DH gave the honeymooner a friendly warning.

The guy got a chuckle out of it too. The couple had been married two days. We're going on 34 years....

So I see the previous avatar was the apple cider donuts. Love those!

Good catch!

This new avatar has me stumped. I’m not sure if I’m looking at a muffin or one of those taller type macaroons, like the ones I’ve seen at Panera, or something entirely different. I guess we will wait and see.

You are on the right track!

 

[mickey916]

Forgot to add that we finally had the triple chocolate chip cookie in Norway! We both thought it was fabulous!!

So glad you finally tried it. Isn't it surprisingly good? So much more than a chocolate chip cookie.

I also got to have the carrot cake whoopie pie for breakfast. Lol
I was alone bc DH was golfing. It was HUGE! I was able to eat a little more than half. It was as good as I remembered!
Thanks for the tips!

Breakfast of champions! Glad it was as good as you remembered and you didn't have to share it. It is definitely a lot for one person, though!

 

[mickey916]

5/16 Heading to Space​

Once again we started our day by using our breakfast vouchers at Java. Instead of our usual order of blueberry muffins and ham croissant, we picked up a new treat. The coconut macaroon.

I wish the picture could show you the actual size but this was huge! The four of us shared it (and a blueberry muffin). It was very good. I would definitely get this again. We gave it an A-.

Since DS-28 was working again, DH, DS-26 and I headed to the Kennedy Space Center. DS-26 is a huge fan of space exploration and hadn’t been to KSC since 2010. DH and I had gone in 2024 and were impressed at how much it had expanded since 2010 so we knew DS-26 would love it.

We drove to KSC and started by exploring the Rocket Garden, an outside area with displays of rockets from the past. Then we explored the Gateway which is described as “This bold attraction explores the future of space travel while highlighting what is happening right now in the space program.” DS-26 loved seeing a lot of the technology up close that he has read about.

For lunch we went to the Space Bowl Bistro in the Gateway as soon as they opened. We were first in line. Each of us ordered our own bowls where you choose a base, a protein, up to 4 toppings, and a sauce. We all pretty much got the same thing. I ordered the quinoa mix base with Korean BBQ Shortrib as my protein. I added pico de gallo, cheese, roasted corn, and avocado for toppings with Chipotle Ranch sauce.

These bowls were excellent. The ingredients were fresh and flavorful. We all enjoyed our bowls and gave the Space Bowl Bistro an A. It was one of our top 5 lunches.

After lunch, we took the bus tour, Behind the Gates, out to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. There we watched footage of a moon landing and got to see the huge Saturn V rocket.

It is hard to imagine that this huge rocket went into space.

Eventually we took the bus back to the main campus and got ice cream at the Milky Way (love the punny name).

There weren’t a lot of flavor choices for ice cream. We all got two scoops: cookies and cream and chocolate. It was decent ice cream. We gave it a B.

After our treat we spent some time looking at the Space Shuttle Atlantis display and other exhibits about the Space Shuttle program.

We ended up spending a full day at the KSC and there was still more to see. We didn’t do any of the motion simulators or watch any of the movies. We also didn’t make it to the Astronaut Hall of Fame. KSC is really more than a one day attraction at this point if you want to do everything. We saw all we wanted to see though and eventually headed back to the Swan to pick up DS-28 after his workday.

Once we picked up DS-28 we headed to Port Orleans French Quarter for dinner at Sassagoula Floatworks. We ordered three items to share.

First, we shared DH and my usual favorite, the Jambalaya: Chicken and Andouille Sausage with Vegetables cooked in a rich Spicy Sauce with Rice

This time we received a much better portion-size than we did earlier in the trip so I guess last time was just server-specific. Everyone really enjoyed the jambalaya.

We also shared the Gumbo: Rich Stew with Chicken, Sausage, Okra, and Spices served with Rice

We all really enjoyed the gumbo as well but agreed we like the jambalaya a little more.

Lastly, we ordered a “new to us” item, Shrimp and Grits: Shrimp, Smoked Ham, Vegetables, Cream Sauce, and Grits

DH didn’t try this as he usually isn’t a huge fan of shrimp but my sons and I absolutely loved this dish. This was loaded with shrimp and ham with a very creamy cheese sauce. We agreed it was actually our favorite of the three dishes. I’m going to have to convince DH to try it next time. Sassagoula Floatworks earned another A.

Of course we couldn’t go to the French Quarter without getting beignets for dessert. We ordered a 6-count and a 3-count.

We had to redistribute the powdered sugar a bit but these were warm, fluffy, and delicious as always. A+!

After our meal, my sons and I took the boat to Disney Springs just for the fun of it while DH drove our car from POFQ to the Orange Garage for later.

DS-26 and I have been wanting to ride the aerophile at night for a long time. (DS-28 doesn’t care for heights and DH was concerned about the swaying being too much motion.) We’d checked a few times and it had always been too windy. This time however it was a clear beautiful night so we purchased our tickets. Before we boarded however we had to wait a bit as they were continually checking the forecast. Eventually we were cleared for flight, although they said they wouldn’t be going the full way up. It was certainly high enough for us and so beautiful.

(I’m up against my photo count so I’ll add a few more photos in the next post.)

DS-26 and I loved this attraction! The views were spectacular! There was a bit of motion during the descent that I don’t think DH would’ve done well with. I would definitely do this again but probably not with DH.

Disney Springs was very crowded since it was Friday night so DH and I drove back to the Swan after my ride. Our sons stayed behind and eventually took the bus back after Disney Springs closed for the night. They ended up getting back really late as for some reason there were no buses heading to the Boardwalk area.

Total steps: 18261

Up next…a wild breakfast experience.

 

[mickey916]

More photos from the Aerophile.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

5/16 Heading to Space​

Once again we started our day by using our breakfast vouchers at Java. Instead of our usual order of blueberry muffins and ham croissant, we picked up a new treat. The coconut macaroon.

I wish the picture could show you the actual size but this was huge! The four of us shared it (and a blueberry muffin). It was very good. I would definitely get this again. We gave it an A-.

That macaroon sounds delicious! I love coconut, but I wouldn’t be able to share with DH (he’s not a coconut fan).
I never would’ve guessed that for the avatar.

Since DS-28 was working again, DH, DS-26 and I headed to the Kennedy Space Center. DS-26 is a huge fan of space exploration and hadn’t been to KSC since 2010. DH and I had gone in 2024 and were impressed at how much it had expanded since 2010 so we knew DS-26 would love it.

I couldn’t believe when I read this. I had just said to DH today that we should’ve gone to KSC this trip. We took a day off from the parks bc my feet were killing me this morning and DH’s too. I guess KSC probably wouldn’t have worked to well either. Lol

We drove to KSC and started by exploring the Rocket Garden, an outside area with displays of rockets from the past. Then we explored the Gateway which is described as “This bold attraction explores the future of space travel while highlighting what is happening right now in the space program.” DS-26 loved seeing a lot of the technology up close that he has read about.

For lunch we went to the Space Bowl Bistro in the Gateway as soon as they opened. We were first in line. Each of us ordered our own bowls where you choose a base, a protein, up to 4 toppings, and a sauce. We all pretty much got the same thing. I ordered the quinoa mix base with Korean BBQ Shortrib as my protein. I added pico de gallo, cheese, roasted corn, and avocado for toppings with Chipotle Ranch sauce.

These bowls were excellent. The ingredients were fresh and flavorful. We all enjoyed our bowls and gave the Space Bowl Bistro an A. It was one of our top 5 lunches.

That bowl does look good. Too bad your older DS didn’t get to go too. Sounds like a fun day.

After lunch, we took the bus tour, Behind the Gates, out to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. There we watched footage of a moon landing and got to see the huge Saturn V rocket.

It is hard to imagine that this huge rocket went into space.

Eventually we took the bus back to the main campus and got ice cream at the Milky Way (love the punny name).

There weren’t a lot of flavor choices for ice cream. We all got two scoops: cookies and cream and chocolate. It was decent ice cream. We gave it a B.

That is a really cute name for a space ice cream shop!

After our treat we spent some time looking at the Space Shuttle Atlantis display and other exhibits about the Space Shuttle program.

We ended up spending a full day at the KSC and there was still more to see. We didn’t do any of the motion simulators or watch any of the movies. We also didn’t make it to the Astronaut Hall of Fame. KSC is really more than a one day attraction at this point if you want to do everything. We saw all we wanted to see though and eventually headed back to the Swan to pick up DS-28 after his workday.

My nephew is a huge space fan. My sister and her family saw a launch from there a few years ago. It was amazing!

Once we picked up DS-28 we headed to Port Orleans French Quarter for dinner at Sassagoula Floatworks. We ordered three items to share.

First, we shared DH and my usual favorite, the Jambalaya: Chicken and Andouille Sausage with Vegetables cooked in a rich Spicy Sauce with Rice

This time we received a much better portion-size than we did earlier in the trip so I guess last time was just server-specific. Everyone really enjoyed the jambalaya.

We also shared the Gumbo: Rich Stew with Chicken, Sausage, Okra, and Spices served with Rice

We all really enjoyed the gumbo as well but agreed we like the jambalaya a little more.

Lastly, we ordered a “new to us” item, Shrimp and Grits: Shrimp, Smoked Ham, Vegetables, Cream Sauce, and Grits

I would never think to order this bc I’ve never tried grits, but from your description its sounds fabulous! Next time I’m at POFQ…

DH didn’t try this as he usually isn’t a huge fan of shrimp but my sons and I absolutely loved this dish. This was loaded with shrimp and ham with a very creamy cheese sauce. We agreed it was actually our favorite of the three dishes. I’m going to have to convince DH to try it next time. Sassagoula Floatworks earned another A.

Of course we couldn’t go to the French Quarter without getting beignets for dessert. We ordered a 6-count and a 3-count.

We had to redistribute the powdered sugar a bit but these were warm, fluffy, and delicious as always. A+!

I love those beignets. Unfortunately DH doesn’t seem to think they are all that wonderful.
He likes them but wouldn’t go all the way there for them.

After our meal, my sons and I took the boat to Disney Springs just for the fun of it while DH drove our car from POFQ to the Orange Garage for later.

DS-26 and I have been wanting to ride the aerophile at night for a long time. (DS-28 doesn’t care for heights and DH was concerned about the swaying being too much motion.) We’d checked a few times and it had always been too windy. This time however it was a clear beautiful night so we purchased our tickets. Before we boarded however we had to wait a bit as they were continually checking the forecast. Eventually we were cleared for flight, although they said they wouldn’t be going the full way up. It was certainly high enough for us and so beautiful.

(I’m up against my photo count so I’ll add a few more photos in the next post.)

DS-26 and I loved this attraction! The views were spectacular! There was a bit of motion during the descent that I don’t think DH would’ve done well with. I would definitely do this again but probably not with DH.

No one will ride that with me. Maybe we’ll need to do it together sometime!!

Disney Springs was very crowded since it was Friday night so DH and I drove back to the Swan after my ride. Our sons stayed behind and eventually took the bus back after Disney Springs closed for the night. They ended up getting back really late as for some reason there were no buses heading to the Boardwalk area.

Total steps: 18261

Up next…a wild breakfast experience.

So I realized why I can never get an accurate mile count when we go to Disney. I always used my fitness app on my watch and it pauses when you stop and you always need to unpause it. What a pain in the a**!!
But my phone automatically calculates the steps. So yes I get the step thing now. I just convert them to see how many miles it is.

 

[mickey916]

That macaroon sounds delicious! I love coconut, but I wouldn’t be able to share with DH (he’s not a coconut fan).
I never would’ve guessed that for the avatar.

It was so good. We tried to get one another day but they didn't have any left!

I couldn’t believe when I read this. I had just said to DH today that we should’ve gone to KSC this trip. We took a day off from the parks bc my feet were killing me this morning and DH’s too. I guess KSC probably wouldn’t have worked to well either. Lol

It was still quite a bit of walking/standing but definitely not Disney-level

That bowl does look good. Too bad your older DS didn’t get to go too. Sounds like a fun day.

My older DS isn't as interested in Space stuff. We offered to wait until Saturday so he could join us but he said he'd rather do other things on Saturday so it actually worked out well. He would've like the bowl though, haha!

That is a really cute name for a space ice cream shop!

You have to get ice cream when it has a cute name!

My nephew is a huge space fan. My sister and her family saw a launch from there a few years ago. It was amazing!

DH and I saw a launch from there last year. It was really cool. I was hoping DS-26 would be able to see one too but there weren't any launches that week.

I would never think to order this bc I’ve never tried grits, but from your description its sounds fabulous! Next time I’m at POFQ…

I didn't think the grits were very noticeable in this dish. It was more like a creamy sauce.

I love those beignets. Unfortunately DH doesn’t seem to think they are all that wonderful.
He likes them but wouldn’t go all the way there for them.
No one will ride that with me. Maybe we’ll need to do it together sometime!!

I'm in! We'll have to ride the aerophile and then go get beignets!

So I realized why I can never get an accurate mile count when we go to Disney. I always used my fitness app on my watch and it pauses when you stop and you always need to unpause it. What a pain in the a**!!
But my phone automatically calculates the steps. So yes I get the step thing now. I just convert them to see how many miles it is.

Interesting. I have an Apple watch and use the fitness app that comes with it with the red, green, and blue rings. I never have to unpause it and it counts my steps and miles automatically. Wonder if it's a settings thing??? My watch shows me today I walked 10,234 steps/4.24 miles.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Great update as always! You guys sure had a nice day at the Space Center. Amazing pics! Lunch looks delicious too! First in line at the Space Bowl Bistro, you guys weren’t messing around. Love the Milky Way ice cream shop name. Perfect!

And back to the French Quarter for beignets…
“We had to redistribute the powdered sugar a bit,” … I love that! They sure look delicious!

How fun that you rode the aerophile at night! Great pics!

Looks like my long shot guess at a macaroon avatar paid off. I can’t imagine how big that macaroon must have been to be able to split 4 ways!
Unlike your tasty macaroon from Java, the two smaller macaroons my daughter and I shared at Panera, plain coconut and chocolate, were a one and done experience, even though I love coconut. I’m glad your macaroon was yummy. I bet you’re looking forward to having them again. Maybe next time you can call ahead to let them know to make plenty of them, so they don’t run out.