A Bash, a Benson, and a Banshee: A DIS 20th Event Solo Trip ** new Aug 2nd, 2017 - Complete! **

[TheMaxRebo]

Hey just now finding this. So cool to see what you were doing the same time we were there.

We had lots of plans. Really, we did. Then we got there and they all went the way of the dodo.

it is always cool, I think, to read reports from others that were there the same time you were

Well, sounds like you still enjoyed yourself - sometimes no plans are the best plans

I just started reading your TR, but wanted to tell you I'm loving it so far! Your photos are great! Can't wait to read the rest of it.

Thanks for joining - I appreciate your kinds words

 

[Madonna3]

it is always cool, I think, to read reports from others that were there the same time you were

Well, sounds like you still enjoyed yourself - sometimes no plans are the best plans

It was still nice to finally meet you.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It was still nice to finally meet you.

I was very happy we did meet - thanks for finding me at the concert to say hi!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Part 17: Exploring Disney Springs
Thursday June 1st 11:30am - 12:20pm​

I had to wait a little bit for the bus to Disney Springs, but wasn't too bad. The goal was to have a bit of time to window shop for souvenirs for the family and then purchase them after lunch and then hopefully have time for a quick stop at the Polite Pig for pre-lunch

First, some shots of walking around Disney Springs - they really did a nice job with how it looks, especially the springs itself .... even if I am unlikely to shop at many of the new stores.

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I first went to the World of Disney as you sort of have to and thought it would be a good place to get souvenirs for the kids

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I was struggling as to what to get them as I didn't have a ton of space in my suitcase, didn't want to get something just to get, and didn't want to spend a fortune. In the end I wound up getting the girls the one thing they asked for which was the new Elsa and Anna dressed - which was not the cheapest option, but at least I saved 10% by using my Disney Visa. At least they seemed happy with the choice when I got back home

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For Peter everything I found felt like something I was getting to just get something - so I decided to check out the Lego store to see what they would have and they had some newly released Lego Junior Cars sets - so I got him a couple of those - again, he seemed pretty pleased with them

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I then headed towards the Market Place Co-op as Judi hinted that she would like a new purse for spring/summertime and I figured that was a good place to look. On the way though, Flatties PJ and Heidi contemplated getting their face painted

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Then I did make it to the Co-op to checkout the purses (and I may have also gotten myself a twenty-eight and main Adventurer's Club Shirt )

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I couldn't decide between a few options for bags so I sent pictures to Judi hoping she would respond with which one she liked best by the time lunch was over and I had to make a decision. Unfortunately she did not - on the plus side the one I wound up picking was one of the ones she liked so it worked out. Below is the new bag I got her (Small World themed) and next to it happens to be her old bag (Nightmare Before Christmas themed). I also had gotten her a shirt and puzzle from Pandora 0 she was very excited about the puzzle

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After shopping Flatties PJ and Heidi took time to take in the view

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I then headed toward a place that had just recently opened - the Polite Pig! My goal was to get a slice of their orange blossom cake and try one of their beers before heading to lunch

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It is set up that you wait in line to order and then they bring you your meal. They also had a number of drinks on tap - some beers but also wine and some mixed drinks (rum and coke, etc.) which is something I hadn't seen before

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Unfortunately the line was moving really slowly and I had to bail or risk being late to lunch .... oh well - something for next time!

Coming up next - another new-to-me restaurant, and more DISmeets!!!

TTFN

 

[ashleymrush]

Yay for pics of the kids and wife! It seems so weird to not see them along on this trip. I'm glad they enjoyed their gifts. The girls look so precious in their dresses and you can never go wrong with Legos!

It is too funny that the flatties wanted their face painted.

I'm sorry you weren't able to get a drink at the Polite Pig but like you said, it's just something to do next time. I'm hoping to eat there next time but I have a hard time eating BBQ when on vacation since I'm from NC it never seems to be up to the same level nor does it feel that special because I can get it pretty much anywhere at anytime. I've heard that it's decent though and they have a lot of sauces which I'm a fan of.

 

[cindianne320]

Sounds like a successful morning at the Springs. I love the choices you mad for your family- especially the D+B purse!
Sorry you had to skip out of line to get to lunch, but that's my favorite saying at the World- next time!

 

[samsteele]

Just catching up on your report. Great pics & glad you had a wonderful time!

I also love that Kungaloosh beer. I enjoyed one on the Nomad balcony last Sept. It was a little hot & humid for a dark(ish) brew but the taste was well worth it. Sort of like drinking hot English tea on a hot day. Sometimes it can cool you down much more quickly than an iced drink. Weird but true.

Thanks for the quick look inside the Polite Pig. I have to check it out this Fall. I always try to eat at 2 new places each year. The PP and maybe Spice Road Table (new to me) in Epcot are my early picks in the running.

 

[TinkerTerry]

I wanted to try the orange blossom cake too but was too full from lunch. As you say...next time

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I've just got caught up on your report and looking forward to more food reviews. I enjoyed your coverage of Pandora as well. It looks like you spent a lot of time there!

 

[annie170]

Those are some darn nice souvenirs you picked out for everyone! My husband travels quite a bit for his job and has never brought me home anything as nice as that Dooney & Bourke bag you got Judi. I get tshirts, coffee mugs or candy!

Too bad the line was moving slowly at the Polite Pig. Is it getting good reviews? I haven't read anything so far.

 

[khertz]

Nice souvenirs for everyone! DH loaded us up with stuff when he took his first trip to Disneyland without us. lol And I always find myself wanting to buy all the things when we go somewhere Disney without the kids!

 

[bamacmac]

Phil! I am just now getting caught up! I LOVE your recap of our breakfast!!! I'm so glad you joined us...it was a great time! Lucky me to have such a fun breakfast with 3 handsome gents.

Also, your selfie comment..... I laughed quite loudly when I read that. So funny. I'm glad I got a good pic of all of us!

 

[bamacmac]

Awesome breakfast! Christy is awesome, and I love chatting with Rob during the Disneyland show.

Awww thanks! You're pretty awesome too!

 

[bamacmac]

breakfast was great and I am so glad I got to spend some time with Christy (we said a quick 'hi' at the 10th anniversary party last year, but that was really it) and it was nice to meet Rob and Don as well - definitely all were easy to talk to and I think we had a great time

I am so glad we got to actually spend some time together too! So great to get to know you a bit.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

@TheMaxRebo - Thanking you again so much for making/taking Flatty Heidi along, and letting me hang out with everybody, and go such cool places!

CONGRATS on the run - especially sandwiched in between 2 late nights, and in such heat and humidity. And nice to see the "proof you DID the run" pics, although I KNEW you really DID do them, even though it's an "honor system thing", and some people wouldn't. <wink>

Great gifts you picked out for the family, and nice to see the pics of them all enjoying them.

Glad you got to hang out with some fellow DIS'ers. And lucky @bamacmac - getting to hang out with 3 hunky dudes! Then again - she is pretty gorgeous herself!! I've had 2-3 "okay" breakfasts @ the GFC, but since I've never had the pancakes, maybe that's the problem, since Flatty Me seemed to really enjoy them.

Oh - and Flatty Heidi would DEFINITELY have enjoyed getting her face painted with the Sorcerer motif!!!

 

[wdwnut61]

Great choice with the dresses and your girls are darling.
Another great choice of the Lego's for your adorable son.
I love the purse you picked out for your wife.
Sorry you didn't have time to try the Polite Pig. I wonder how the gin & tonic tastes on tap

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yay for pics of the kids and wife! It seems so weird to not see them along on this trip. I'm glad they enjoyed their gifts. The girls look so precious in their dresses and you can never go wrong with Legos!

It is too funny that the flatties wanted their face painted.

I'm sorry you weren't able to get a drink at the Polite Pig but like you said, it's just something to do next time. I'm hoping to eat there next time but I have a hard time eating BBQ when on vacation since I'm from NC it never seems to be up to the same level nor does it feel that special because I can get it pretty much anywhere at anytime. I've heard that it's decent though and they have a lot of sauces which I'm a fan of.

Thank you - yeah, definitely weird and different to not have them with me. Made it feel like a very different trip - not bad or anything, just different. They definitely enjoyed their gifts!

I hear you about being heistant to eat a food at Disney that you know you have really good where you live (one reason we tend not to do Italian at Disney is we have such good Italian where we live just north of NYC in a very Italian-American heavy area) - I have heard it is quite good though so Perhaps worth a try

Sounds like a successful morning at the Springs. I love the choices you mad for your family- especially the D+B purse!
Sorry you had to skip out of line to get to lunch, but that's my favorite saying at the World- next time!

It was relatively quick time at Disney Spring but good to wander (though it had already gotten HOT). And my wife was definitely happy with the D&B purse so I was glad about that!

Definitely next time!

Just catching up on your report. Great pics & glad you had a wonderful time!

I also love that Kungaloosh beer. I enjoyed one on the Nomad balcony last Sept. It was a little hot & humid for a dark(ish) brew but the taste was well worth it. Sort of like drinking hot English tea on a hot day. Sometimes it can cool you down much more quickly than an iced drink. Weird but true.

Thanks for the quick look inside the Polite Pig. I have to check it out this Fall. I always try to eat at 2 new places each year. The PP and maybe Spice Road Table (new to me) in Epcot are my early picks in the running.

Thanks Sam! I totally get what you are saying as the Kungaloosh is not a *light* beer but it is still refreshing

We ate at Spice Road our last trip last summer and really liked it and got a good view of Illuminations from our table which was nice. I definitely recommend (our favorite was the lamb sliders, and the chocolate pyramid dessert was quite good too)

I wanted to try the orange blossom cake too but was too full from lunch. As you say...next time

Sorry you weren't able to try the orange blossom either Tink - totally get being too full from lunch though! Definitely a "next time"!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I've just got caught up on your report and looking forward to more food reviews. I enjoyed your coverage of Pandora as well. It looks like you spent a lot of time there!

Thank you - the next update will be pretty much all food ... actually, the next few will be food/drink heavy!

All in all it wasn't too much time in Pandora but over several shorter trips so I guess it did add up a bit. I loved it and probably could have spent even more time there - so much detail to take in

Those are some darn nice souvenirs you picked out for everyone! My husband travels quite a bit for his job and has never brought me home anything as nice as that Dooney & Bourke bag you got Judi. I get tshirts, coffee mugs or candy!

Too bad the line was moving slowly at the Polite Pig. Is it getting good reviews? I haven't read anything so far.

haha, well, typically when I travel I just get t-shirts or candy or something ... but I figured since I went to Walt Disney World and left them at home I had to step up the souvenir game a bit

Polite Pig has gotten at least solid reviews - I know the DIS team did a vlog from there and enjoyed it ... definitely want to at least try it. next time!

Nice souvenirs for everyone! DH loaded us up with stuff when he took his first trip to Disneyland without us. lol And I always find myself wanting to buy all the things when we go somewhere Disney without the kids!

I think it is an unwritten rule that if you go to a Disney park and leave your family at home you have to come back with pretty quality souvenirs!

Phil! I am just now getting caught up! I LOVE your recap of our breakfast!!! I'm so glad you joined us...it was a great time! Lucky me to have such a fun breakfast with 3 handsome gents.

Also, your selfie comment..... I laughed quite loudly when I read that. So funny. I'm glad I got a good pic of all of us!

Christy - thanks for readying and glad you enjoyed the recap of breakfast - it was one of the highlights of my trip! I am really glad we got a good picture of all of us as sometimes it is easy to forget to get a picture

 

[TheMaxRebo]

@TheMaxRebo - Thanking you again so much for making/taking Flatty Heidi along, and letting me hang out with everybody, and go such cool places!

CONGRATS on the run - especially sandwiched in between 2 late nights, and in such heat and humidity. And nice to see the "proof you DID the run" pics, although I KNEW you really DID do them, even though it's an "honor system thing", and some people wouldn't. <wink>

Great gifts you picked out for the family, and nice to see the pics of them all enjoying them.

Glad you got to hang out with some fellow DIS'ers. And lucky @bamacmac - getting to hang out with 3 hunky dudes! Then again - she is pretty gorgeous herself!! I've had 2-3 "okay" breakfasts @ the GFC, but since I've never had the pancakes, maybe that's the problem, since Flatty Me seemed to really enjoy them.

Oh - and Flatty Heidi would DEFINITELY have enjoyed getting her face painted with the Sorcerer motif!!!

You are quite welcome Heidi! Flatty Heidi seemed to have a good time! Really, some people would not really do the swim, er, I mean, run and still take credit for it?!?!?!

I was definitely happy to get to spend time with Christy and to meet Rob and Don - really did have a good meal with them.

I was looking at the board with the facepaint option and as soon as I saw that one I KNEW it was the perfect one for Flatty Heidi (Had a bit of a harder time picking one for Flatty PJ)

Great choice with the dresses and your girls are darling.
Another great choice of the Lego's for your adorable son.
I love the purse you picked out for your wife.
Sorry you didn't have time to try the Polite Pig. I wonder how the gin & tonic tastes on tap

Thanks so much - they were really happy to get the dresses and would make a big deal out of dressing in them over the next few days

I would definitely dry one of the mixed drinks from a tap (though my first priority is to try the beer) ... I feel like usually pre-mixed drinks aren't as good as those mixed on the spot, but maybe these are of a higher quality ... I mean, obviously research is needed!

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Love the report! It's great getting to relive everything we did through your report! Looking forward to hearing what you thought of lunch even though I was at your table.