I Can't, I'm Not Wearing a Princess Dress! - New TR link!!!!

[ursalita]

I wish I could have gotten my phone up to take a picture of those beautiful, majestic…


Wild turkeys.


Maybe he had been drinking some Wild Turkey???

Guess he doesn't know his birds!

Eventually, we arrived at the Springs. I headed in and my first stop was a quick visit to the Lego store. Since we were leaving DS at home, we had to bring home something fun for him!

I love these giant figures. I just got a Kai Lo Ren for Sammy for his bday. I bet your son loved them!

The flatbread was also great. I don’t particularly care for seafood. I’ll eat it once in a while, but given a choice, it isn’t something I’ll tend to order. But for some reason, I chose to go that way this time, and I’m glad I got it. It hit the spot and it was absolutely delicious. Everything on it tasted fresh and flavorful.

What's left of it looks delicious.

She directed me to the side of the water where the boat launch is.


She was wrong.

Ugh. You did not have much luck with transportation, did you?

Not to brag, but who needs to be a runner? I found out that I can speed walk from DHS to Boardwalk faster than somebody decked out in running shoes and looking like a marathoner can do it.

After all that you could definitely call yourself a runner.

I walked up and introduced myself. It was great getting a chance to meet some individuals in person that I had known on here for years for the first time ever.

That's awesome! What a cool experience.

She was on her way home, so I talked to her and told the kids goodnight. While we were talking, she told me she had to have her brother come over and fix our garage door because it fell on her car!


I started asking a bunch of questions, but she couldn’t answer them. Basically she assured me that the car was fine and the door is ok and fixed. I’m still not sure “fell on the car” means to her what it means to me, but a piece of the track had come loose and had to be fastened back to the wall so it wasn’t a big deal.

Lucky her brother was able to help while you were away.

He got a Kimonos Dragon, I believe. The server kind of gave him a sideways look and told him it is pink and has rose petals in it. He smiled at her and said he’s secure in his manhood.

This cracked me up. Did he get girl drink drunk? I think I'm dating myself with that reference.

And… it was ok. I don’t remember the names of them, but the one on the left was smooth but basically flavorless. The one in the middle got a reaction from me similar to the Beverly pictures that we’ve all seen. The one on the right was a coconut sake and I’d say it really just tasted like Malibu rum. I survived my first sake experience no worse for the wear.

I'm glad you survived! The only experience with sake is the hot stuff they serve at our favorite Japanese restaurant. I didn't realize there were so many different kinds. I'll have to try a tasting sometime.

I got back to Pop and headed into the food court for a late night meal. I ordered a burger and fries and grabbed a tie die cheesecake and Powerade.


I have to assume it was because they were closing in about 15 minutes, but this was the absolute worst food I’ve ever had at Disney World. My burger was cold and the fries were cold and had clearly been sitting there for a while. It was just bad.


The cheesecake and Powerade at least hit the spot.

Oh my gosh, perfect after bar crawl food and it wasn't even good. At least the dessert and the critical Powerade came through for you.

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)

I can't believe I missed your last post with the contest. Dang it!!

Here goes: 1. 15,000 2. Everything Pop 3. Garage issues 4. Harry Potter 5. 3 6. Transformers 7. Selfies 8. 2 9. Hulk under construction

 

[Dugette]

Taking a page out of @pkondz ‘s book, I chose to time my wait. 2 minutes. Not bad.

Wow, not bad at all!

I had a paper in the room indicating there would be road closures due to the races and that the front desk could give proper directions for getting where we'd need to go. They were very helpful and told me that I'd have no problem going the way I planned to go. It was a refreshing change from what I experienced at Disneyland last year.

How ironic. Glad you got to experience the other side of this scenario, I guess.

I chose poorly.

I could tell that I missed a lot of the show because I really couldn’t see anything except for the highest fireworks. But I thought the soundtrack was great and from what I could see and hear, they did a great job making the fireworks go right along with the soundtrack. I thought it was a great show, but it was only about 5 minutes long. My only complaint is that I’d like it to be longer.

Yay for seeing/hearing the show!

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

17,562

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)

Landscape of Flavors

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)

Something at work.

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)

The Simpsons.

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)

3

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)

Forbidden Journey

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)

scream

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)

4

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)

The Hulk

 

[pkondz]

You need to do something about that...

I did... sort of.

Taking a page out of @pkondz ‘s book, I chose to time my wait. 2 minutes. Not bad.

Not bad at all.

I had a paper in the room indicating there would be road closures due to the races and that the front desk could give proper directions for getting where we'd need to go.

What is with you and Disney and road closures???

Anyway, I don’t know if I (and several other people around me) misunderstood him or he just doesn’t know his wildlife, but he pointed to the right and told us there were some eagles!


I wish I could have gotten my phone up to take a picture of those beautiful, majestic…


Wild turkeys.

Very similar. Wings. Feathers. Sure, I'll buy that.

But what I really wanted to say was...

Maybe he had been drinking some Wild Turkey???

Stole my line.

Since we were leaving DS at home, we had to bring home something fun for him!

aka The guilt gift.

I didn’t spend much time looking around and just got what I wanted and got out of there.

So... shopped like a guy. Check.

I was hungry, and thirsty, and soon I was approaching this sight!

Cool! Heard of this place. Like to check it out.

I’d finally sated my appetite just enough to take a picture for you this time though…

Well... at least you left a little for the photo.

My stomach didn’t really like them at the time, but I got over it quickly. I attributed it to the fact that I hadn’t had any food since breakfast and they really were very sweet and strong.


And it took me approximately 30 seconds to down each one.

That probably had nothing to do with it.

The flatbread was also great. I don’t particularly care for seafood. I’ll eat it once in a while, but given a choice, it isn’t something I’ll tend to order.

Oh? Love seafood... and hardly ever have it since Ruby's allergic.

I wouldn’t hesitate to get it again, but I also think I might try the meatball sliders next time, as they looked delicious.

Mmmmm.... meatballs....

I highly recommend taking some time to check it out if you get a chance.

I saw a couple of people come in for a Reggie’s Revenge to take with them in a to go cup, so they’ll definitely take care of you!

Huh. But I don't think I would. I'm only in there for the ambiance, so taking it to go sorta ruins that.

I waited 5 minutes and was on a bus back to Pop at 3:30.

Still not too shabby.

I chose to take my Lego purchase back to the room so I wouldn’t have to carry it around all evening.


I chose poorly.

Uh, oh.

After 19 minutes, I was finally on a bus to MK.

in the grand scheme of things, 19 minutes isn't that bad either.
Don't they say busses run every 20 minutes?

Ok, @pkondz maybe it took more than 2 or 3 bus rides to match you, but this is my third bus and I’m almost there. You suck.

I made it to the monorail platform just in time for the CM to stop me from boarding the one on the platform. Really? We can’t find room somewhere for just 1 person???

Sure! Just not you.

I waited 6 minutes for the next monorail to arrive.

Again, not really all that bad.

We pulled out of the MK station and stopped for a few minutes for “traffic.”

Uh, huh. And what is this "traffic"?

I think we ended up sitting there for about 15 minutes.

Wow. That sucks. Wonder what the hold up was.

There was nowhere to sit, and there was quite a crowd around the bar already. Rather than waiting to get a drink, I just walked around the place and enjoyed a few minutes of just taking in the details. I walked back to the hostess and told her thanks, but that I’d just go to the outside stand to get a drink. Again, there was a line. I stood there long enough to tell that it was going to take a while because the people currently ordering were beyond indecisive. I just gave up and left.


Oh well, at least I got to see the inside of Trader Sam’s.

Too bad. At least you got to see it.

It really is a cool place.

And popular too, apparently.

I waited 7 minutes for a bus to DHS.

Not bad. Really, other than the 19 minute wait once and the stalled monorail, those times are pretty good.

I got off the bus and I could see that there was no boat and there was a big crowd on the dock. So I decided I’d walk to the Boardwalk.


Only, I’ve never been on the path between DHS and the Boardwalk.

Here we go...

I saw a custodial CM. I asked her, because who would know the grounds better???

I get the feeling that that's where a lot of people start so they'd be the least knowledgeable.

She directed me to the side of the water where the boat launch is.


She was wrong.

I get that. Can't not give an answer to a guest. So give one. You've got a 50/50 chance of being right.

Not to brag, but who needs to be a runner? I found out that I can speed walk from DHS to Boardwalk faster than somebody decked out in running shoes and looking like a marathoner can do it.

There were about 8 or 10 Disdads sitting there enjoying some drinks.

Nice! Got to meet up with them after all.

It was great getting a chance to meet some individuals in person that I had known on here for years for the first time ever

but one of the dads set up a periscope while we were out at one of the lounges, so we had a chance to show others stuck at home how much fun we were having!

What's the point of having fun if you can't make someone jealous?

I chose not to get food, but I got a Yuengling and a glass of water.


Yep, I’ve had a Yuengling before. We’re still looking for the answer!

Still waiting...

I’m not sure if he was impressed or frustrated with us when he’d try to set up a joke and someone would steal his punchline.

Then get new material!

Symphony in the Sky!

Knew it! But I think everyone did.

I walked back towards DHS from the Boardwalk. This was the second time on this path for those who are counting.

I thought it was a great show, but it was only about 5 minutes long. My only complaint is that I’d like it to be longer.

That's it? Man, that's short!

While we were talking, she told me she had to have her brother come over and fix our garage door because it fell on her car!

I'm sure that was just what you wanted to hear.

I’m still not sure “fell on the car” means to her what it means to me, but a piece of the track had come loose and had to be fastened back to the wall so it wasn’t a big deal.

That's good. Would've sucked if a major repair was warranted at that time.

By the time I’d finished this conversation, I had just completed my third walk along the DHS/Boardwalk path.

That's enough. You can stop now.

The server kind of gave him a sideways look and told him it is pink and has rose petals in it. He smiled at her and said he’s secure in his manhood.

Security schmurity. It's the stream of insults from the other Dads that I'd be worried about.

I was then asked what my room number is because they’d need to know that information ahead of time if I was going to try sake.

Wow. If that doesn't make you order it, what will?

I wasn’t even sure how you’re supposed to drink it. Sip it? Shoot it?

Didn't you ever watch Karate Kid? Shoot it! (after shouting Banzai! first)

The one in the middle got a reaction from me similar to the Beverly pictures that we’ve all seen.

Ew.

The one on the right was a coconut sake

NOPE!!! I would've been ticked if I'd been served that!

I made my 4th walk on the trail between the Boardwalk and DHS

Dang.

I have to assume it was because they were closing in about 15 minutes, but this was the absolute worst food I’ve ever had at Disney World. My burger was cold and the fries were cold and had clearly been sitting there for a while. It was just bad.

Ew, again. Should've gotten your money back on that. Gross.

I'll answer the questions later, dude. Too tired now.

 

[pkondz]

And the questions for round 2:

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)

1. 20,321
2. Pop food court
3. Flight issue for DD/DW
4. Simpsons
5. 3
6. Forbidden Journey
7. scream
8. 4
9. Hulk

 

[vrajewski10513]

I should add though, that I stopped by the concierge desk on the way. I had a paper in the room indicating there would be road closures due to the races and that the front desk could give proper directions for getting where we'd need to go. They were very helpful and told me that I'd have no problem going the way I planned to go. It was a refreshing change from what I experienced at Disneyland last year.

Oh goodness, I don't think its possible for it to be worse than that Disneyland fiasco!

Our bus ride though… well, it was interesting. I didn’t time the actual bus ride, but it took forever! I swear it felt like we took the longest way possible to get to the Springs.

I felt the same way when we stayed at POP in 2014. Longest ride ever, AND we had to stop at one of the water parks!

Anyway, I don’t know if I (and several other people around me) misunderstood him or he just doesn’t know his wildlife, but he pointed to the right and told us there were some eagles!


I wish I could have gotten my phone up to take a picture of those beautiful, majestic…


Wild turkeys.


Maybe he had been drinking some Wild Turkey???

That or he's blind. I don't think either one would bode well for a bus driver.

I walked in and sat down at the bar. The diving bell was empty and for a split second, I considered just parking myself in there. But since I was alone, I decided to just sit at the bar, which was also empty, and save the tables for a larger group. It was still just a little bit before 3 at this time. I made myself comfortable and ordered a Reggie’s Revenge while I looked at the menu. I ended up choosing a shrimp flatbread.

Well, by the time I got my flatbread, Reggie’s Revenge was gone. I don’t know what I can say, other than it was good and it hit the spot on what was becoming a warm afternoon. I asked for a glass of water and then had them bring me a Cool Headed Monkey. And keeping with tradition, well, I rarely photograph food. I’d finally sated my appetite just enough to take a picture for you this time though…

It wasn’t all gone yet…


I’ve got to say that both drinks were fantastic and according to the bartender they are the 2 top selling drinks that they serve. They were both a little strong and a lot sugary. My stomach didn’t really like them at the time, but I got over it quickly. I attributed it to the fact that I hadn’t had any food since breakfast and they really were very sweet and strong.


And it took me approximately 30 seconds to down each one.


But both were delicious and I’d definitely order them again.


For those of you counting, that’s 2 drinks, and while I’ve never had these particular drinks, they’re what I consider to be some specialty cocktails. We’re still looking for the points!


The flatbread was also great. I don’t particularly care for seafood. I’ll eat it once in a while, but given a choice, it isn’t something I’ll tend to order. But for some reason, I chose to go that way this time, and I’m glad I got it. It hit the spot and it was absolutely delicious. Everything on it tasted fresh and flavorful. I wouldn’t hesitate to get it again, but I also think I might try the meatball sliders next time, as they looked delicious.


I didn’t take a lot of pictures, but I did take the time while I was in there to look around and soak in the detail. It really is a neat place with all of Indy’s artifacts and Jock’s airplane parts. I highly recommend taking some time to check it out if you get a chance. And while you’re at it, walk up to the bar and grab a drink to go if you don’t want to sit down. I saw a couple of people come in for a Reggie’s Revenge to take with them in a to go cup, so they’ll definitely take care of you! If you do want to sit down and enjoy a drink or tow, the service there was excellent and very fast. I was only there for about a half hour total.

Thanks for the review! This is definitely on my to-do list for our upcoming trip.

After 19 minutes, I was finally on a bus to MK.


Ok, @pkondz maybe it took more than 2 or 3 bus rides to match you, but this is my third bus and I’m almost there. You suck.

Not everyone can get that VIP bus package, or it would no longer be VIP!

I got off the bus and I could see that there was no boat and there was a big crowd on the dock. So I decided I’d walk to the Boardwalk.


Only, I’ve never been on the path between DHS and the Boardwalk.


I knew it was along the water, but I wasn’t sure if it was on the boat dock side or the bus loading side of the water.


I saw a custodial CM. I asked her, because who would know the grounds better???


She directed me to the side of the water where the boat launch is.


She was wrong.

I think it's a bit much to expect CM who works there almost everyday to know how to navigate around the grounds

So I walked backtracked towards the busses, made a left turn and walked as fast as I could. I was walking along for a little bit when a runner passed me as he was jogging. He must have been doing some kind of interval thing, because just after he passed me, he proceeded to slow to a walk.


In no time at all, I passed him again.


I continued walking and a few minutes later, he jogged past me once again.


As before, he then slowed to a walk and I passed him.


Not to brag, but who needs to be a runner? I found out that I can speed walk from DHS to Boardwalk faster than somebody decked out in running shoes and looking like a marathoner can do it.

Awkward.

I found the lobby and it didn’t take me long to make it to Belle Vue Lounge. It was almost 6, but I finally made it! There were about 8 or 10 Disdads sitting there enjoying some drinks. It was kind of a fluid group throughout the evening as Dads would come or go as we made our way around the Boardwalk.


I walked up and introduced myself. It was great getting a chance to meet some individuals in person that I had known on here for years for the first time ever. Unfortunately, I don’t have a group picture, which I’m sure is partly due to the fact that the group makeup changed throughout the night. I didn’t really take any pictures while we were together, to be honest, but one of the dads set up a periscope while we were out at one of the lounges, so we had a chance to show others stuck at home how much fun we were having!

With as much as we all interact here on the Dis its always nice to put a face to a name!

What might that be?


Symphony in the Sky!

YAyyy!

With obstructed view, I was able to hear the soundtrack and see the show… which is better than not seeing it at all!

I could tell that I missed a lot of the show because I really couldn’t see anything except for the highest fireworks. But I thought the soundtrack was great and from what I could see and hear, they did a great job making the fireworks go right along with the soundtrack. I thought it was a great show, but it was only about 5 minutes long. My only complaint is that I’d like it to be longer.

Still a pretty nice view for a virtually free show!

As the show was ending, my phone rang. DW was calling me. She was on her way home, so I talked to her and told the kids goodnight. While we were talking, she told me she had to have her brother come over and fix our garage door because it fell on her car!


I started asking a bunch of questions, but she couldn’t answer them. Basically she assured me that the car was fine and the door is ok and fixed. I’m still not sure “fell on the car” means to her what it means to me, but a piece of the track had come loose and had to be fastened back to the wall so it wasn’t a big deal.

I'm with you on that one... I'm such a cynic that if my spouse called and said the garage door fell on their car I would automatically think the car was crushed and totaled lol

One of the dads took a quick look and ordered right away. He got a Kimonos Dragon, I believe. The server kind of gave him a sideways look and told him it is pink and has rose petals in it. He smiled at her and said he’s secure in his manhood.


Sure enough, it was a pink drink and it did indeed have rose petals floating in it.

I hope he drank it with his pinky in the air like a classy broad.

Who knows anything about sake?

My experience with sake extends to the Hibachi grill here where they squirt it out of what looks like those plastic ketchup bottles in restaurants into your mouth lol

I got back to Pop and headed into the food court for a late night meal. I ordered a burger and fries and grabbed a tie die cheesecake and Powerade.


I have to assume it was because they were closing in about 15 minutes, but this was the absolute worst food I’ve ever had at Disney World. My burger was cold and the fries were cold and had clearly been sitting there for a while. It was just bad.

Ugh, NEVER try to get food as the end of the night at Classic Hall... That goes for late breakfast as well!!

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)
21,624

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)
Cinnabon

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)
Your DW and DD's flight was delayed/cancelled.

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)
The Simpsons.

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)
Twice

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)
Escape from Gringotts

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)
Selfies

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)
3 times

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)
The Incredible Hulk coaster was down

 

[afwdwfan]

Great update - and it sounds like a really fun Dismeet with the Disdads...

It was a lot of fun. I'm glad I had a chance to go!

OMG are these Star Wars figures not the MOST IMPOSSIBLE LEGO ever??? Maybe it's just us...but my DS got one for Christmas, and we still have not finished it...

Um... I guess it is just you!

DS has 3 of those figures. He got one for Christmas from my parents and the 2 that I bought at the Lego store. I honestly don't think any of them took us more than 20 or 30 minutes at the most.

Oh gosh, yeah I remember you saying that when you were in DL.

That was just ridiculous.

Oh boy.

I'm guessing most of his experience with wildlife is in a zoo. Where there's a sign that says what he's looking at.

Oh cool! Oh let me ask you, what did you and your song think about the new Star Wars film?
Even though I'm not a fan of Star Wars, I still haven't seen it yet, but want to.

We loved it. DS even had a Star Wars birthday party this year.

I like the original films, but I think the new one will have a more broad appeal to fans of the old Star Wars and those who have never seen the franchise. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but the new movie does a great job of looking back at the history of the franchise by bringing in the original characters and even revisiting a few familiar plot points while introducing us to the future of the franchise. It's the kind of movie where you might pick up on a few little twists if you're familiar with the other films, but you could also walk in completely cold and I think you'd have no problem following along with what is going on in this movie.

Yum that sounds good.

It really was

That's good to hear you liked everything! It all looks/sounds great. I like the idea of the Hanger Bar, and really all the new places at Disney Springs. SO much more to do/see now!

It does add something nice. I'm really not into the whole shopping/restaurant district idea myself. I'd rather be in the parks. But having some specialty places that are well themed like this is definitely something that will make me want to take some time to head over there.

That's annoying, especially when you're kind of on a schedule

It was annoying, but really within the realm of what they say to expect with Disney Transportation. What I was trying to accomplish was going to count on everything going extremely smoothly and it just didn't quite play out that way.

WOW! From that view they do look very nice! Glad you enjoyed them.
Is DHS planning to keep them there for now?

I think so. It is part of the Season of the Force that they're doing, so I'd assume as long as it stays around they will be there.

I LOVE this place! I also love sushi. Just the whole atmosphere of the place, it's great. And the food is so authentic and fresh

Well... clearly I'm not so much into the sushi... but it was a nice place. And we were there for Karaoke. Thankfully, I didn't have enough sake to try it.

Always fun to try something new!

How nice you were able to meet up with some of the DISdads, sounds like it was a lot of fun!

It really was a good time.

35,000 steps.

The donut shop, I think it's by the Simpson's area? Sorry I don;t know what it's called

Harry Potter, using those darn wands.

4 times

ET?

Talk/take flash photography?

4 times

I did check the list lol, Twister was closed for good?

Got em!

And I really want the last one to be a gimme, so I'll point out that Twister wasn't in IoA, it was in US... feel free to change your answer.

I don't think so. The last time I ate at Pop, I had a cheeseburger that was so bad, that I went and complained to the manager. My mom refuses to eat there anymore, because the meals have just been nasty. For our trip this month, she plans on walking over to Art anytime she wants to eat back at the resort.

I really hate to see this. I've always thought that the food court at Pop was a step above a lot of the others. I hoped I just had some bad luck this time.

I don't think I've ever been dead last in anything before. My answers were just pitiful!

Maybe this round will go better for you.

26,900

The Three Broomsticks...I pretty much gurantee I'm wrong on this one, but I literally have zero knowledge on Universal restaurants/QS places aside from City Walk and WWoHP.

Express pass issues for Universal?

Minions

Twice

Forbidden Journey

Screamed as loud as they could.

Twice

The Hulk was dismantled.

Got em!

It sounds like you had a really fun evening with the DISdads. It's always fun to meet DIS friends you've known for years and put a face to their internet name.
You guys made some good progress on your..Epcot resort bar crawl? Would that be the right name for it?

I think they were calling it the Boardwalk bar crawl... but yeah, same concept. It was a good time. Honestly, I'd have been fine just parking in ESPN Club, or Martha's Vineyard, or really just anywhere for a few hours and not moving around.

Smart thinking to sneak away for minute and watch the Symphony in the Sky fireworks. Without having to go into the park.

I really hated to be so close and not get a chance to see the show. I didn't want to leave the group, but I'm glad I got to check the fireworks out.

Glad to see you made it to the bus stop by yourself after the sake flight.

It was pretty much a non-issue.

Man, your 20000+ on a non-park day seems like a lot. Or I guess I'm just a lazy person.

I thought it seemed like a lot too, but really, I crammed a lot into just a few hours. Walking around Pop, walking around Disney Springs, walking from the farthest MK bus stop to the Monorail, walking around the Poly, a complete circuit on the Boardwalk and 4 trips between the Boardwalk and DHS... it apparently all adds up quickly!

How many folks on that bus mistook a turkey for an eagle?!? Yikes.

I hope not many. I heard a lot of laughter.

I've had this happen before. My family is convinced the Disney Springs exists in an alternate universe because it always seems to take forever to get there

There could be some truth to this...

It's because at 90mph, any bird looks like an eagle

Oh yeah, there's that too.

Better than the last time I tried to get on the monorail. My mom, fiance, and I were leaving MK, and the express monorail to the TTC was down. So we do what any DISer would do, and walked up the ramp to the resort monorail. Only to be told by the CM at the top "This is for resort guests only, they pay for this privilege" I did write a strongly worded letter to Disney about her.

Oh really? Since when?

I knew it!

I couldn't resist.

And then you were done for the night and caught the boat to Epcot....right?

Um... something like that. Honestly, if there was a boat sitting there, or visibly en route, I probably would have. But since there wasn't I determined that I could walk it faster. So I did.

Heh. So, the last time my fiance had sake, it was while he was out with his family (in the wee years of our relationship, before we were engaged). And our texts looked something like this:
Joe: Saki woot!
Me: You mean sake?
Joe: No, saki
Me: The Japanese drink? It's spelled sake
*silence for 10 minutes*
Me: You're googling it aren't you?
Joe: I was, but I got yelled at by the waiter for being on my phone

No, dang it, you aren't following the plan.

There was a plan? You clearly don't know me well enough!

Psh, I don't even remember what I guessed. Except it was 3 times for the walk

Why would it be an odd number?

Wow. 13th place. I stink at this.

There will be plenty more opportunities. @jandlinz is already trying to run away with it.

38,763

Pop food court

Hmmm.....something to do with the garage that was supposedly fixed?

Minions. It's always minions.

4

Forbidden Journey....because it always breaks down

Squeal. Loudly and at a pitch not normally registered by the human ear

Again, hmmm. Nothing in your last TR hints as to whether you have a base ticket or a PTP (which I know you need to ride it), but I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess not at all.

The Hulk in pieces

Got em!

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

25,000

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)
Pop cafeteria

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)
Wife couldn't find Magic Bands

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points) Minions

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)
Twice

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)
The Mummy

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)
Yell obscenities.


8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points) Twice

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points) HULK was closed.

Got em!

 

[afwdwfan]

I just might have to do the same in March.

Just don't let it get you depressed when you pass his trip total on day 1.

OYE! AGAIN?!?!?!?!??

Well at least there's that! LOL.

Yes, again. But thankfully Disney World seems more well prepared to handle the situation. It's like Disneyland expects every guest there to be there for the marathon, and if you're not... well good luck.

Was it just the route this particular driver took or am I going to regret appeasing Little Miss and her love of buses?

It was the route. Coming back, it didn't take nearly as long. I don't know if it was due to some of the construction in the area or what, but it really didn't feel like we took a very direct route to get there.

Good thinking!

Can't forget about him... And I knew we'd both have fun building them together.

Wow! How... thoughtful...

That's the best food picture you'll see from me for the entire trip.

Because you tried a new beer right?

Um... sure...

We REALLY need to figure out where @pkondz bus mojo comes from! I somehow suspect my transportation times are going to be closer to yours than his.

And really, my times weren't all that bad. Having to wait for that second monorail and then hitting the delays are what really killed me. But even at that, I just couldn't help but think about the lack of waiting he did and how it compared to my experience.

But I will say... it was a little bit better than the waits I had at POR, and even there, I didn't run into any of the horror stories you experienced.

Missed out on that allusive VIP package eh?

Apparently so.

sorry you couldn't enjoy a drink in there.

I was too... but the main thing was just getting to see the place. There are other places to get a drink!

Because you tried a different brand new to you beer later right?!?!?

Well... maybe...

I knew it!

glad it wasn't a big issue!

Yeah, ended up being pretty minor. At first, I felt bad that I wasn't there to help. But then as details came out, I got over that feeling pretty quickly.

He played it up quite nicely too. I guess he had to though, because there's no way he wasn't going to catch all kinds of crap from the rest of us.

NOOooooo! Darn!

Beer is usually a solid choice. This time... well, I was looking for something different.

I knew it!

Eeek! I hope you have better reports of the food later.

I can neither confirm nor deny.

Well its hard to screw up prepackaged stuff!

True.

Hey I'm towards the top for the moment! Lets see if I can stay there!

Good luck! But that gap between 1 and 2 is already pretty huge!

23,567

POP because hopefully you gave them another shot and they were much better in the morning....

I would say a work issue but because you have it worth 20pts I'm going to guess that the answer isn't that obvious. I'll swing out into left field and say a travel issue for your wife and daughter.

Harry Potter

3 times

Forbidden Journey

Chant a la brazillian tour group style

2cew

THe Hulk was closed for referb.

Got em!

Y'all are really making me nervous!

It'll be alright. Worst case scenario, you walk over to Landscape of Flavors. Nothing to worry about.

Guess he doesn't know his birds!

I think it is safe to say his second job isn't with Flights of Wonder.

I love these giant figures. I just got a Kai Lo Ren for Sammy for his bday. I bet your son loved them!

Did you know Captain Phasma's blaster actually shoots? We've been having way too much fun with that.

What's left of it looks delicious.

It really was. I'm just not a food photographer.

Ugh. You did not have much luck with transportation, did you?

It wasn't horrible. The monorail stopping was the worst part. The bus waits weren't horrible, but it just wasn't quite working out as well as I'd have liked.

After all that you could definitely call yourself a runner.

I could. But I won't.

That's awesome! What a cool experience.

It was a lot of fun.

Lucky her brother was able to help while you were away.

This cracked me up. Did he get girl drink drunk? I think I'm dating myself with that reference.

Yep... had to google that one. He held his liquor very well though.

We did all engage in a conversation about how the manliest sounding drink on the menu could be the girliest drink they serve.

I'm glad you survived! The only experience with sake is the hot stuff they serve at our favorite Japanese restaurant. I didn't realize there were so many different kinds. I'll have to try a tasting sometime.

Yeah, I still know nothing about the stuff. Another dad got it and was commenting about it being chilled. I don't know, maybe it isn't ever supposed to be chilled? I honestly have no idea, but at least I've tried it.

Oh my gosh, perfect after bar crawl food and it wasn't even good. At least the dessert and the critical Powerade came through for you.

Yeah, I really wanted the PowerAde more than anything.

I can't believe I missed your last post with the contest. Dang it!!

Here goes: 1. 15,000 2. Everything Pop 3. Garage issues 4. Harry Potter 5. 3 6. Transformers 7. Selfies 8. 2 9. Hulk under construction

Got em!

Wow, not bad at all!

Not really. But still about double his typical waits.

How ironic. Glad you got to experience the other side of this scenario, I guess.

Yes, it was a refreshing difference. I actually wanted to stay at Pop because I felt like I could head south out of there and avoid everything. Thankfully, that was the case.

Yay for seeing/hearing the show!

I'm glad I had a chance to do it!

17,562

Landscape of Flavors

Something at work.

The Simpsons.

3

Forbidden Journey

scream

4

The Hulk

Got em!

 

[afwdwfan]

I did... sort of.

When all else fails, go to Maui.

Not bad at all.

Not bad. Still double your average wait.

What is with you and Disney and road closures???

I'm just lucky like that. Although I was a little better prepared this time and didn't anticipate there being any problem.

Very similar. Wings. Feathers. Sure, I'll buy that.

But what I really wanted to say was...

They're big... and they are birds.

Stole my line.

aka The guilt gift.

The first of many.

So... shopped like a guy. Check.

Cool! Heard of this place. Like to check it out.

It's a great place to go. Definitely worth the effort.

Well... at least you left a little for the photo.

You'll never see me take a better food picture.

That probably had nothing to do with it.

I wouldn't think so...

Oh? Love seafood... and hardly ever have it since Ruby's allergic.

I'm ok with it... I just prefer beef in almost any scenario.

Mmmmm.... meatballs....

Yet I didn't try these things. They will probably be my choice next time.

Huh. But I don't think I would. I'm only in there for the ambiance, so taking it to go sorta ruins that.

It depends. You can walk in and get a little dose of the ambience and see the artifacts even if there aren't enough seats inside the bar. There's a large seating area outside the bar, but I think I'd almost prefer to go inside, walk up to the bar and get one to go while I walk around in there.

Still not too shabby.

Not bad.

in the grand scheme of things, 19 minutes isn't that bad either.
Don't they say busses run every 20 minutes?

Right. So this was barely inside that window. And again, it isn't like I waited 40 minutes for a bus, but nowhere near as lucky as you were with the buses.

Sure! Just not you.

Again, not really all that bad.

Not really.

Uh, huh. And what is this "traffic"?

That's what I'd like to know.

Wow. That sucks. Wonder what the hold up was.

Again, that's what I'd like to know.

Too bad. At least you got to see it.

And popular too, apparently.

It is definitely popular, although it can't have a capacity much more than 50 or 60... doesn't take too many people to fill it.

Not bad. Really, other than the 19 minute wait once and the stalled monorail, those times are pretty good.

Still a little bit more than your waits.

I get the feeling that that's where a lot of people start so they'd be the least knowledgeable.

I've kind of heard the opposite... that they tend to know the parks and grounds better because they are out working a little bit of everywhere and they see all the different areas. This one though was probably an international student. She had an accent and appeared to be very young. So being early January... who knows? Maybe she had just earned her ears? I'll give the benefit of the doubt.

I get that. Can't not give an answer to a guest. So give one. You've got a 50/50 chance of being right.

If you don't know an answer, make one up!

Nice! Got to meet up with them after all.

Most of them. Still missed out on quite a few of them though.

What's the point of having fun if you can't make someone jealous?

Exactly!

Then get new material!

Knew it! But I think everyone did.

Pretty much...

That's it? Man, that's short!

Yeah, it really was short. It was a great show, but I expected more.

I'm sure that was just what you wanted to hear.

Oh, yeah... that was the type of thing that could really bring a fun evening to a halt.

That's good. Would've sucked if a major repair was warranted at that time.

That's enough. You can stop now

Really, I should have.

Security schmurity. It's the stream of insults from the other Dads that I'd be worried about.

And we didn't disappoint.

Wow. If that doesn't make you order it, what will?

Um... well... a double dog dare would be sufficient as well.

Didn't you ever watch Karate Kid? Shoot it! (after shouting Banzai! first)

I haven't seen that movie in like 20 + years.

NOPE!!! I would've been ticked if I'd been served that!

I figured you might have that reaction. I kind of enjoyed it though!

Ew, again. Should've gotten your money back on that. Gross.

I'll answer the questions later, dude. Too tired now.

Yeah... I should have. But I also just wanted to go to bed. So I chugged the PowerAde and headed for my room.

1. 20,321
2. Pop food court
3. Flight issue for DD/DW
4. Simpsons
5. 3
6. Forbidden Journey
7. scream
8. 4
9. Hulk

Got em!

Oh goodness, I don't think its possible for it to be worse than that Disneyland fiasco!

It could have been worse if I came to find out that I couldn't get out of there that morning.

I felt the same way when we stayed at POP in 2014. Longest ride ever, AND we had to stop at one of the water parks!

We didn't even have to stop anywhere else. It was just a long route to get there.

That or he's blind. I don't think either one would bode well for a bus driver.

Good point.

Thanks for the review! This is definitely on my to-do list for our upcoming trip.

It's well worth it. I really enjoyed it and I'm sure it is somewhere that I'll return to any time I get a chance.

Like if DW wants to go shopping at Disney Springs... ok, I'll just be right over here...

Not everyone can get that VIP bus package, or it would no longer be VIP!

Good point. Just gotta learn who to bribe.

I think it's a bit much to expect CM who works there almost everyday to know how to navigate around the grounds

Exactly! I mean, she's out there working in the area around all the transportation into and out of DHS. Why should she know which way to go to get somewhere?

Awkward.

Only for him.

With as much as we all interact here on the Dis its always nice to put a face to a name!

It definitely is!

Still a pretty nice view for a virtually free show!

Yeah, I really can't complain. Basically I could have stood farther back and seen more but heard less. But I really wanted to see how the soundtrack went along with it, so I feel like I made the right call.

I'm with you on that one... I'm such a cynic that if my spouse called and said the garage door fell on their car I would automatically think the car was crushed and totaled lol

I hope he drank it with his pinky in the air like a classy broad.

You know, I think he did!

My experience with sake extends to the Hibachi grill here where they squirt it out of what looks like those plastic ketchup bottles in restaurants into your mouth lol

Well, that's still more experience with sake than I'd had up to this point.

Ugh, NEVER try to get food as the end of the night at Classic Hall... That goes for late breakfast as well!!

Why didn't you tell me this before hand?

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)
21,624

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)
Cinnabon

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)
Your DW and DD's flight was delayed/cancelled.

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)
The Simpsons.

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)
Twice

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)
Escape from Gringotts

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)
Selfies

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)
3 times

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)
The Incredible Hulk coaster was down

Got em!

 

[natebenma]

This meant they wanted us to wear a jacket and tie.


I’m not a jacket and tie type of person. I’ll wear one if I have to, but I do it under protest. It isn’t like I was planning to dress like a slob. Business casual is typically ok for this event and that is what I had planned. I wasn’t planning to take a jacket, but I actually did pack a tie to wear on the day of the election.

I hate a vacation with a dress code!

Not a bad picture considering nobody else was in the car.

I kicked back on the bed for a few minutes and had to get a quick dose of Stacy. I took this picture to taunt the Disdads on Facebook:

Hope that doesn't come back to bite you when the DISdads start taunting you with pictures of the Lapu Lapus.

I haven't read ahead and I am going to try to answer. Not necessarily for the points but because I am super competitive.

1. The next update will cover my afternoon/evening at Disney World with no park tickets. How many total steps did I walk today? (points to be awarded based on how close you are to the correct answer)

10,447


2. How many times did I make the walk between DHS and the Boardwalk? (5 points - I asked this on my last TR while I was still there and 5 bonus points will be awarded to anyone who already got it right there)

Going to go with 3. Dropped off at DHS, Walked to the resorts, walked back to DHS to catch bus.


3. What kind of drink did I try that I have never had before? (25 points – It isn’t one of the specialty cocktails)

A milkshake from Beaches & Cream


4. Will I see a fireworks show tonight? (5 points)
4a. If so, which one? (5 points)

Yes. Illuminations before walking back to DHS



5. How many minutes will I spend waiting for Disney Transportation (5 bus rides, 1 monorail ride) this afternoon/evening? (points awarded based on how close you are to correct answer)

Based on comments on my trip report, you did not have the stellar VIP transporation package.

20 minutes

6. I visited 4 of the 5 EPCOT area resorts. 3 of them are resorts that I’ve never stepped foot inside before. (4 points each, -3 for each wrong answer!)
6a. Which 3 did I visit for the first time?
6b. Which 1 have I still never been in?
6c. Which 1 did I make a return visit to?

6a. Boardwalk, Dolphin, Yacht Club
6b. Swan
6c. Beach Club

7. What did the bus driver tell us? (25 points if you’re right, 1 point for trying. Bonus points for creative answers or even being close to right)

No idea what the bus driver told you but I'm going with "The bus is rigged with explosives and will blow up if the speed goes below 55 mph."

Get your answers in fast! I’m already working on the next update. I don’t know that I’ll post it this week, but it is a possibility!

 

[afwdwfan]

I hate a vacation with a dress code!

But they kept reminding us that that part was to be a business trip.

Not a bad picture considering nobody else was in the car.

Thanks. I just sat my phone up on the dash and I think I got about 20 pictures. This was the least crappy.

Hope that doesn't come back to bite you when the DISdads start taunting you with pictures of the Lapu Lapus.

I'd fully expect it. Somebody is taunting us with something almost every day. Gotta get my shot in when I can.

I haven't read ahead and I am going to try to answer. Not necessarily for the points but because I am super competitive.

Ok... well, I appreciate the effort. And because you're competitive I won't factor your negative score for this round in...

 

[natebenma]

Hey everyone

I just wanted to let you all know that the update will definitely not be posted today, so you've got all weekend. I might try to catch up on everyone else's updates and do some replies later, but I'm really not feeling it right now. I don't want to get into specifics, but if you're so inclined to say a prayer for our family, it would be much appreciated.

I just saw this and wanted to let you know you and your family are in my thoughts.

 

[franandaj]

Anyway, I don’t know if I (and several other people around me) misunderstood him or he just doesn’t know his wildlife, but he pointed to the right and told us there were some eagles!


I wish I could have gotten my phone up to take a picture of those beautiful, majestic…


Wild turkeys.

I'm not sure I would have known the difference.

The diving bell was empty and for a split second, I considered just parking myself in there. But since I was alone, I decided to just sit at the bar, which was also empty, and save the tables for a larger group.

I had to Google this, pretty cool, I would love to sit there in a group! Though I can see as a solo traveler why you wouldn't.

I’d finally sated my appetite just enough to take a picture for you this time though…


It wasn’t all gone yet…

Looks kind of like a bunch of Arugula, no evidence of shrimp.

I don’t particularly care for seafood. I’ll eat it once in a while, but given a choice, it isn’t something I’ll tend to order.

Depends on my mood, but I generally love seafood. Beef too, and pork, well, it's hard to find a protein that I don't like!

I think we ended up sitting there for about 15 minutes. I don’t know for sure. I didn’t exactly time it since I didn’t expect to be sitting there for so long.

Ugh. I had a similar experience, but I don't think it lasted quite 15 minutes.

I stood there long enough to tell that it was going to take a while because the people currently ordering were beyond indecisive. I just gave up and left.

Annoying.

She directed me to the side of the water where the boat launch is.


She was wrong.

Geez, you would think that CMs actually know their way around!

I walked up and introduced myself. It was great getting a chance to meet some individuals in person that I had known on here for years for the first time ever.

Nice, always great to put names to faces in person.

At about 7:40, I excused myself and told the dads that I’d catch up with them later. I had something that I wanted to try to do.


What might that be?


Symphony in the Sky!

Cool. I'm glad you were able to do that.

I thought it was a great show, but it was only about 5 minutes long. My only complaint is that I’d like it to be longer.

When we saw it a couple years ago, I could have sworn it was longer. But we did the dessert package which included f

While we were talking, she told me she had to have her brother come over and fix our garage door because it fell on her car!

Yikes!

So I posed a question to the group…


Who knows anything about sake?

Well not to be the alcoholic in the group, but I've been doing sushi and Sake for probably over 30 years now. There are as many variations on Sake as there are on any other type of beverage, beer, wine, vodka, rum... Hot sake is the most common for the same reason that people drink Schlitt's or Pabst Blue Ribbon out of a can. Sake connoisseurs generally drink sake chilled as heating the drink can mask it's flavors. It can span the scale from sweet to dry, and clear sake is filtered while the unfiltered version looks almost milky. My parents (who have been in a wine club that meets monthly since the early 70s) actually hosted a sake tasting party one of the nights that they were hosting the wine club at their house. It was pretty amazing to taste the difference between all the different kinds. Sake is also fun because unlike other beverages it averages about 17% alcohol so it can sneak up on you pretty quickly!

I was then asked what my room number is because they’d need to know that information ahead of time if I was going to try sake.

It can sneak up on the uninitiated....but not one flight.

I have to assume it was because they were closing in about 15 minutes, but this was the absolute worst food I’ve ever had at Disney World. My burger was cold and the fries were cold and had clearly been sitting there for a while. It was just bad.

That's too bad. Maybe the sushi would have been a better choice. At least that is supposed to be eaten cold.

franandaj 32

Man, I'm sucking at this one worse than pkondz's contest.

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

17,439

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)

Lard Lad donuts

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)

More garage door issues.

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)

Cat in the hat. Thing 1, Thing 2, etc.

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)

3

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)

Gringott's

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)

Constant Selfies

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)

2

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)

The Hulk was down.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Just don't let it get you depressed when you pass his trip total on day 1.

I won't! DH actually refuses to believe his total.

It was the route. Coming back, it didn't take nearly as long. I don't know if it was due to some of the construction in the area or what, but it really didn't feel like we took a very direct route to get there.

And I knew we'd both have fun building them together.

Oh so really they were for you then! Don't you love gifting things to kids?

That's the best food picture you'll see from me for the entire trip.

And really, my times weren't all that bad. Having to wait for that second monorail and then hitting the delays are what really killed me. But even at that, I just couldn't help but think about the lack of waiting he did and how it compared to my experience.

But I will say... it was a little bit better than the waits I had at POR, and even there, I didn't run into any of the horror stories you experienced.

Maybe they are improving? Gosh I hope so!

I can neither confirm nor deny.

Such a presidential answer

Good luck! But that gap between 1 and 2 is already pretty huge!

SHHHHH!!!! Don't burst my bubble!

It'll be alright. Worst case scenario, you walk over to Landscape of Flavors. Nothing to worry about.

Thats true I suppose.

 

[natebenma]

I would have been back to respond to your update a lot sooner, but I just spent an obscene amount of time trying to find a picture someone posted last week of a bald eagle on top of the Swan hotel. I saw the picture sometime last week, and I thought that it was on the Beach Club thread, but now I think it may have been on Disboards on Facebook, but the search feature was not working well.

Here is a thread on the Resorts board about a bald eagle in the area:

Bald Eagle in EPCOT Resort Area

Star Wars Lego sets sound like the perfect gift for your son.

Jock Lindsey's really looks well-themed and fun. (Loved the "I chose poorly" tie-in comment) Trader Sam's sounds pretty impressive as well. But crowded. Hopefully you'll get a chance to check it out another time.

Sounds like an incredible night of EPCOT bar hopping, including your intermission of Star Wars fireworks. Too bad you weren't around Crews Cup long enough for some grub. The burgers there are fabulous.

The sake flight and the comment about your room number cracked me up. The most drunk my husband has ever been was after doing sake shots with friends. We keep sake on hand at the house, but now it is for making teriyaki sauce.

OK, contest guesses:

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

18,233 steps

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)

Cinnabon

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)

Something related to the conference

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)

Dr. Seuss

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)

Two

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)

Gringotts

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)

Screaming

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)

3

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)

Dismantled Hulk

 

[FantasiaMagic]

We loved it. DS even had a Star Wars birthday party this year.

Aw that is so sweet!

I like the original films, but I think the new one will have a more broad appeal to fans of the old Star Wars and those who have never seen the franchise. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but the new movie does a great job of looking back at the history of the franchise by bringing in the original characters and even revisiting a few familiar plot points while introducing us to the future of the franchise. It's the kind of movie where you might pick up on a few little twists if you're familiar with the other films, but you could also walk in completely cold and I think you'd have no problem following along with what is going on in this movie.

Oh wow that's great! It definitely sounds cool and it seems as if the reviews from long time fans were very good. I have to make time to check it out. Especially since Stars Wars Land will one day be finished, it would be nice to have a better idea of what everything means!

I think so. It is part of the Season of the Force that they're doing, so I'd assume as long as it stays around they will be there.

Oh ok great, good to know for future trips.

And I really want the last one to be a gimme, so I'll point out that Twister wasn't in IoA, it was in US... feel free to change your answer.

You can see how much of a Universal fan I am

I am going to change my answer to The Hulk.

 

[afwdwfan]

I just saw this and wanted to let you know you and your family are in my thoughts.

Thank you.

I'm not sure I would have known the difference.

One's a big bird that eats rodents and other birds. The other is a big bird that destroys vegetation and multiplies like rabbits. Let's just say I'm not a big fan of wild turkeys.

I had to Google this, pretty cool, I would love to sit there in a group! Though I can see as a solo traveler why you wouldn't.

I could have enjoyed it just fine by myself. I just kind of felt like that would have been kind of an a hole move though.

Looks kind of like a bunch of Arugula, no evidence of shrimp.

There's one piece left on that little corner of flatbread! They were actually pretty good.

Depends on my mood, but I generally love seafood. Beef too, and pork, well, it's hard to find a protein that I don't like!

I agree with this statement, to a point. It's just that seafood is kind of farther down the list of proteins. Beef is always number 1, then pork, then poultry then fish. I rarely order seafood unless I'm at a dedicated seafood place and I'd feel like a goober if I ordered a steak there.

Ugh. I had a similar experience, but I don't think it lasted quite 15 minutes.

Like I said, I didn't time it so I'm just estimating based on other factors that I remember. I can say that by the time we started moving, the monorail platform in the Contemporary had filled back up... It was literally packed with people waiting to board the next monorail.

Annoying.

If you need to look at the menu, just take one and kindly step to the side. Don't stand there looking it over and talking about it while the bartender is standing idly by waiting and a line is forming behind you.

Geez, you would think that CMs actually know their way around!

I really would have expected a custodial CM in that area to kind of know their way around. Oh well.

Nice, always great to put names to faces in person.

It really was a fantastic evening!

Cool. I'm glad you were able to do that.

Me too! You never know when you'll get a chance to see those shows and I didn't want to let an opportunity pass by.

When we saw it a couple years ago, I could have sworn it was longer. But we did the dessert package which included f

It might have been longer if you're including the show that they had there at the stage for SWW as part of the event. I don't know since I've never been to SWW, but maybe the fireworks were longer too.

Well not to be the alcoholic in the group, but I've been doing sushi and Sake for probably over 30 years now. There are as many variations on Sake as there are on any other type of beverage, beer, wine, vodka, rum... Hot sake is the most common for the same reason that people drink Schlitt's or Pabst Blue Ribbon out of a can. Sake connoisseurs generally drink sake chilled as heating the drink can mask it's flavors. It can span the scale from sweet to dry, and clear sake is filtered while the unfiltered version looks almost milky. My parents (who have been in a wine club that meets monthly since the early 70s) actually hosted a sake tasting party one of the nights that they were hosting the wine club at their house. It was pretty amazing to taste the difference between all the different kinds. Sake is also fun because unlike other beverages it averages about 17% alcohol so it can sneak up on you pretty quickly!

Good to know! See, this is the kind of information I was looking for and all I got was someone basically saying that sake will make you black out. And I guess it's good that it was served chilled then, even though someone else commented that it should be warm. I didn't know the difference, but I tend to prefer a chilled drink to a warm one.

It can sneak up on the uninitiated....but not one flight.

I felt pretty safe with a flight. They tend to not pack enough alcohol into one to get you black out drunk on one flight of something.

That's too bad. Maybe the sushi would have been a better choice. At least that is supposed to be eaten cold.

Yeah... I just don't do sushi. Tried it, don't like it and I didn't have a lighter with me to cook it... so...

Man, I'm sucking at this one worse than pkondz's contest.

That's alright. There's still plenty of time!

17,439

Lard Lad donuts

More garage door issues.

Cat in the hat. Thing 1, Thing 2, etc.

3

Gringott's

Constant Selfies

2

The Hulk was down.

Got em!

I won't! DH actually refuses to believe his total.

I'm skeptical to say the least...

Oh so really they were for you then! Don't you love gifting things to kids?

Maybe they are improving? Gosh I hope so!

It might be. I have to ask this... did they have the TV screen up in the south depot that showed the ETA for the next bus when you were there? My understanding is that that was the only bus stop that had the screen at the resort, but I really liked being able to see when the next bus would arrive. It tended to be pretty accurate too.

Such a presidential answer

We're not giving away any points here!

SHHHHH!!!! Don't burst my bubble!

I'll think of another good multiple choice thing later... there will be opportunities for some big points out there.

Thats true I suppose.

 

[afwdwfan]

would have been back to respond to your update a lot sooner, but I just spent an obscene amount of time trying to find a picture someone posted last week of a bald eagle on top of the Swan hotel. I saw the picture sometime last week, and I thought that it was on the Beach Club thread, but now I think it may have been on Disboards on Facebook, but the search feature was not working well.

Here is a thread on the Resorts board about a bald eagle in the area:

Bald Eagle in EPCOT Resort Area

Cool! I know they're around there. I think the first time I ever saw a bald eagle in the wild was on a trip when I was a child and we were on our way to Kennedy Space Center. They've started to kind of repopulate the area around us over the last 8 years or so and we have a few living around here that we see every once in a while.

Star Wars Lego sets sound like the perfect gift for your son.

Jock Lindsey's really looks well-themed and fun. (Loved the "I chose poorly" tie-in comment) Trader Sam's sounds pretty impressive as well. But crowded. Hopefully you'll get a chance to check it out another time.

Yeah... I didn't even think about that tie-in. It's just one of those movie lines I use a lot because it tends to be appropriate in a lot of situations.

Sounds like an incredible night of EPCOT bar hopping, including your intermission of Star Wars fireworks. Too bad you weren't around Crews Cup long enough for some grub. The burgers there are fabulous.

Somebody had one and it looked awesome. Clearly better than what I got back at Pop.

So let me ask... do you know about this performer at Martha's Vineyard? Is it a regular performer or do they just have random performers come in once in a while?

The sake flight and the comment about your room number cracked me up. The most drunk my husband has ever been was after doing sake shots with friends. We keep sake on hand at the house, but now it is for making teriyaki sauce.

I really didn't think it was that bad. I guess that would be how it might sneak up on someone after a certain quantity.

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

18,233 steps

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)

Cinnabon

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)

Something related to the conference

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)

Dr. Seuss

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)

Two

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)

Gringotts

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)

Screaming

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)

3

9. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)

Dismantled Hulk

Got em!

Oh wow that's great! It definitely sounds cool and it seems as if the reviews from long time fans were very good. I have to make time to check it out. Especially since Stars Wars Land will one day be finished, it would be nice to have a better idea of what everything means!

Yeah, it's a good one. I'd say it is my second or third favorite out of all of the Star Wars movies. I feel like I need to do some studying though, too. I've never watched the TV series' on Disney channel... the Clone Wars or Star Wars Rebels. From some of the characters that I've seen as being at SWW, I feel like I might need to brush up on those at some point. I'm pretty sure DS will get hooked on Star Wars Rebels though, so I might not be able to get away from it if I wanted to.

You can see how much of a Universal fan I am

I am going to change my answer to The Hulk.

 

[jandlinz]

Anyway, I don’t know if I (and several other people around me) misunderstood him or he just doesn’t know his wildlife, but he pointed to the right and told us there were some eagles!


I wish I could have gotten my phone up to take a picture of those beautiful, majestic…


Wild turkeys.


Maybe he had been drinking some Wild Turkey???

I'm not sure how you can mistake a wild turkey for an eagle. That just seems crazy. I wonder if someone corrected him on their way off the bus. That really is funny.

Since we were leaving DS at home, we had to bring home something fun for him!

That is so sweet of you to get him something, especially a really cool Star Wars toy. My boys are all really into Legos, but not Star Wars. Did your son like the movie or was it too much for him?

And keeping with tradition, well, I rarely photograph food. I’d finally sated my appetite just enough to take a picture for you this time though…

Yummy

After 19 minutes, I was finally on a bus to MK.

That is a loooooong wait for a bus. Hopefully you didn't have a zero wait expectation.

I think we ended up sitting there for about 15 minutes. I don’t know for sure. I didn’t exactly time it since I didn’t expect to be sitting there for so long.

That's a long time to wait in a confined monorail train. I think I'd be begging to get off.

I stood there long enough to tell that it was going to take a while because the people currently ordering were beyond indecisive. I just gave up and left.

That's too bad.

Oh well, at least I got to see the inside of Trader Sam’s.


It really is a cool place.

Did you take any pictures inside Trader Sam's?

She was wrong.

I would have thought the same thing, that she would know where to go. At least you didn't walk too far before figuring it out.

I found the lobby and it didn’t take me long to make it to Belle Vue Lounge. It was almost 6, but I finally made it! There were about 8 or 10 Disdads sitting there enjoying some drinks. It was kind of a fluid group throughout the evening as Dads would come or go as we made our way around the Boardwalk.

Yippee! You got to meet with the disdads after all.

I walked up and introduced myself. It was great getting a chance to meet some individuals in person that I had known on here for years for the first time ever.

I'm sure that is a very neat experience.

Symphony in the Sky!

Amazing! Do you know how long they will be running that show?

While we were talking, she told me she had to have her brother come over and fix our garage door because it fell on her car!

Nice! I'm the total opposite of your wife. I would have called my DH freaking out and he would have reacted the same way as your wife, the car isn't damaged, no one was hurt. I once called him driving home from work (in a bad area) telling him something fell out of the bottom of the car and I couldn't steer the car. He calmly tells me not to worry something just can't fall out of the car (he's a mechanical engineer by the way, working for a car company). I'm screaming that I can't turn the wheel and the dials (not sure what they're called) are all lowering. I pull the steering wheel as hard as I can into a parking lot. He tells me he'll get a ride to come help me (we carpooled). It's freezing out and I wait outside of the car, just in case it blows up (yep, I'm that dumb). Anyways, turns out some belt fell off and did drop out of the car. He even walked further down the busy street and found it in the middle of the road. I couldn't steer because I had no power steering. I think he was more excited to try and fix the car than actually knowing I was ok. So a garage door falling would be a "project" for him.

He smiled at her and said he’s secure in his manhood.


Sure enough, it was a pink drink and it did indeed have rose petals floating in it.

I love that!

Who knows anything about sake?

Seriously?!!!! I totally thought I shot myself in the foot with that guess.

It was a fun evening getting to put a face with some names and enjoy some conversations in person. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to spend some time with them and enjoy some interactions. I hope I can do it again in the future!

What a great night!

jandlinz 71

Holy moly!!!!

1. I’m going to be going to Universal Studios and then checking in at my conference. How many steps will I walk on Saturday? (points will be awarded based on how close you are to the answer)

40,555

2. Where did I have breakfast? (5 points)

Lard Lad Donuts

3. What kind of problem did I have to deal with over the phone when I woke up? (20 points)

Having to check in to the conference earlier than you were hoping to.

4. I repeatedly encountered an annoying family wearing shirts based on characters from an attraction in Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Name the movie, TV show, Attraction, Land or characters. (5 points)

Minions

5. How many times did I walk past Diagon Alley before figuring out where to go? (5 points)

4

6. Which ride broke down while I was on it? (5 points)

Gringotts (if it did, did you snap any pictures while exiting the ride?)

7. What did my fellow passengers on Jurassic Park River Adventure continually do that made me want to feed them to the T-Rex? (10 points)

Roar like a dinosaur. Not sure if roar is the right word.

8. How many times did I ride the Hogsmeade Express between the parks? (5 points)

3

. I saw something in Islands of Adventure that made me really, really sad. What was it? (Hint: This should be easy if you know my favorite ride there and check the refurb list. – 20 points)

Hulk closed

 

[Gracefulskinny]

It might be. I have to ask this... did they have the TV screen up in the south depot that showed the ETA for the next bus when you were there? My understanding is that that was the only bus stop that had the screen at the resort, but I really liked being able to see when the next bus would arrive. It tended to be pretty accurate too.

Yes they did but it was pretty pointless as it would just update as the bus skipped us. YOu would come up the depot would be fairly empty and the tv would show a wait of 20 or less and you would think, "Fabulous we got here in enough time! Not a long wait at all.." 30 minutes later the depot would be rather crowded at this point. Some family would send their older kid to check the tv and low and behold the time had changed AGAIN and again and again. Heck for March, I'm not even looking for @pkondz level of Bus Mojo just regular old no more than a 20 minute wait for a bus mojo would make me happy.

I'll think of another good multiple choice thing later... there will be opportunities for some big points out there.

 

[natebenma]

So let me ask... do you know about this performer at Martha's Vineyard? Is it a regular performer or do they just have random performers come in once in a while?

So I have never been in Martha's Vineyard lounge and I have never heard anyone talk about entertainment there. So that is a first for me. This was a Friday night, right? I'm going to have to go over to the thread and ask about it.



ETA: So I asked over on the thread-

Someone found a review on Trip Advisor from November:

"The entertainment here on Saturday from 3-7 pm, John Stevens, is a lot of fun! Catch him if you can.

Staff here is amazing and accommodating. The food menu is small, but they have a full service kitchen for the nearby Cape May Cafe, so if you would like something you do not see, just ask (especially if you are vegetarian or vegan like me!)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34515-d8546698-r316330800-Martha_s_Vineyard-Orlando_Florida.html#

Was this the guy?

and from Teena:

Martha's is next to the Cape May Cafe on the Beach Club side and they have been scheduling entertainment there off and on for a few months. Its totally hit or miss.