Now is the Best Time! Our 2024 Florida Road Trip (complete)-RL update!

[mickey916]

Just remembered something funny from our 4/25 visit to POFQ...
​

I was just looking at my notes to write about 4/26 and was reminded about our visit to POFQ. As we were walking around, I recognized Desiree and Steve from the YouTube channel Florida Fabulous. They were there filming a "resort tour" video. They are relatively new vloggers that we recently started watching. They were so happy that we recognized them and stopped to chat with us for a bit. They are very nice and have two adorable little girls. Well....then everywhere we went around POFQ we just kept running into them. It was getting embarassing, like we were stalking them or something. They were pretty cool about it though and ended up giving us a nice shoutout in their video. Finally we decided we better head back to Disney Springs before we ran into them again...haha.

​

 

[mickey916]

4/26 Animal Kingdom Morning​

We chose to go to Animal Kingdom and arrived in time for rope drop. We headed straight to the Navi River Journey which had no wait. We then headed over to the Kilimanjaro Safari and rode with a minimal wait. The CM who guided our tour was excellent. He was knowledgeable and entertaining. He was so great that I gave him a CM compliment in the app and I don’t think I was the only one. I didn’t have it in my notes but I think his name was Corey from Florida. There were so many animals up and about.

We even got to hear the lion roaring as he walked around.

This was the best ride we’ve had on the safari.

After our safari, it was time to try a couple new snacks for breakfast. We headed to Pongu Pongu to pick up two newish items.

Marshall’s Favorite Stuffed Pancake sandwich with Sausage, Guava Jelly, Egg, and Cheese

Inside view:

This was pretty good. It definitely had potential. It needed just a bit more flavor from its components.

We only planned on getting this sandwich but then we saw the massive cinnamon roll and we had to order that too.

It’s hard to show just how big this thing was but that’s a six inch plate and it filled it. It was also pretty tall. This was a very good cinnamon roll, not quite as good as Gaston’s since it wasn’t served warm but very good nonetheless.

After our mid-morning snack, we took some time to walk around the Tree of Life, studying all the animal carvings. Then, we made our way to the Feathered Friends in Flight show. We just love this show and make sure to see it every time we go. I got some pretty cool action shots.

After the show it was time for another snack but that’s for the next post as I’m out of space to post any more pictures.

Up next…two more “new to us” snacks.

 

[mickey916]

4/26 Animal Kingdom Mid-Day​

After the show we stopped by Mr. Kamal’s to try two more snacks off our bucket list. First, the famous fries:

The fries were well cooked and nicely seasoned. The sriracha mayo was good and since we’ve never tried these before we didn’t miss the other dipping sauces they used to come with.

We also shared the chicken dumplings with ponzu sauce.

These were great! They were crispy on the outside with a tasty chicken filling. We actually preferred these to the fries. Unfortunately though they’re a little pricey at $6.99 for three small dumplings.

After our snack we sat for a bit in the bleachers that used to serve as the seating area for the kite show and Rivers of Light. We saw a couple character flotillas go by. We’re kind of sad they’re discontinued. It was always so fun to see them pass by.

Also, I’m pretty sure I spotted a hidden Mickey on the building across the way.

Speaking of hidden Mickeys we stopped by Restaurantosaurus to find a hidden Mickey up in the rafters that we had read about online. It’s hard to see but it’s there….

We stopped to see the flamingos and I took a picture of this guy scratching his head…lol.

We have attempted many times in the app to score a walk-up spot for Nomad Lounge and it always says “unavailable”. We decided instead to stop by and inquire about being added to the waitlist. The host told us there was no more room on the walkup list but that the bar had open seating and there were a few seats at the bar. So, we headed right inside!

My DH ordered the Balinese Breeze, the non-alcoholic version of Dalang’s Delight. He didn’t care for this at all. He said it was very watered down.

I ordered the Zingiber Fizzie, a non-alcoholic version of Annapurna Zing. I liked this, the passion fruit flavor was most dominant. It was a good refreshing drink.

The real reason for our desire to go to Nomad Lounge though was finally to try the warm churros with dipping sauce!

These lived up to hype! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with delicious cinnamon sugar coating. We liked both sauces too, which were chocolate and vanilla. We will definitely get these again sometime, perhaps with a meal.

Up next…exploring the Maharajah Jungle Trek and hoping to see the elusive tiger (and a few hidden Mickeys).

 

[ddluvsdisney]

3 little dumplings isn’t much at all! We have Nomad on our list too. I’m not a churro person but those look good!

 

[mickey916]

3 little dumplings isn’t much at all! We have Nomad on our list too. I’m not a churro person but those look good!

I'm not actually a churro person either but the ones at Nomad Lounge and Dahlia Lounge are excellent! The only ones I've ever really liked.

 

[disneyAndi14]

We love the churros at Nomad Lounge!
I have heard so many things about the pancake sandwich, most people really like it! I may try this in September!
AK is my favorite park, food being way up there as one of the reasons!

 

[mickey916]

We love the churros at Nomad Lounge!
I have heard so many things about the pancake sandwich, most people really like it! I may try this in September!
AK is my favorite park, food being way up there as one of the reasons!

The pancake sandwich is definitely worth getting. We just wished ours had a touch more guava. The food is so great at AK. To be honest, that was the whole reason we chose to go there that day to try new foods. Have you tried the Pineapple Crisp Sundae at Tamu Tamu? It is excellent! Definitely getting that one again next time.

 

[mickey916]

4/26 Animal Kingdom Afternoon​

We headed to the Maharajah Jungle Trek hoping once again to see the tiger. First we went through the bird area. I love this guy.

Nice mohawk! “I pity the fool”

The hippo was actually out of the water.

Then we saw the coolest thing happen when we stopped by the Meerkats.

This guy was acting as the sentry when a hawk flew overhead. He immediately alerted all the other meerkats and they scurried underground. This one ducked down but kept his eyes to the sky. Really cool to see how he looked out for his community.

Usually if we see the tiger, he is sleeping somewhere in the corner. However on this day he was out and about.

He was even roaring as he walked around.

Such a beautiful creature!

Here are some hidden Mickeys we spotted along the Maharajah Jungle Trek.

As we headed out of the park, we caught sight of one more flotilla. This time it was Launchpad and Scrooge McDuck!

Definitely going to miss these!

Overall, we only rode two attractions together, Navi & the Safari and watched Feathered Friends in Flight. I think we also watched Finding Nemo, which is currently DH’s favorite show. I bought an ILL for Flight of Passage and attempted to ride Everest with the single rider line but Everest was down every time we walked by.

This was such a different park day for us as we really were able to just relax, explore, search for Hidden Mickeys, and try new treats!

Up next…a dinner reservation at another new to us restaurant Wine Bar George, but did we end up going?

 

[ddluvsdisney]

We never see the tiger either. Do you remember how early it was? I love the meerkat!! It is so nice to relax and walk around along in the sights instead of rushing around. My DH usually plays golf on one day of our vacations. I’ll go to the parks solo those days until he’s done. I love to stroll around and see things sometimes I’ve never seen. Too bad about Expedition Everest we love that ride.

 

[mickey916]

We never see the tiger either. Do you remember how early it was? I love the meerkat!! It is so nice to relax and walk around along in the sights instead of rushing around. My DH usually plays golf on one day of our vacations. I’ll go to the parks solo those days until he’s done. I love to stroll around and see things sometimes I’ve never seen. Too bad about Expedition Everest we love that ride.

It was actually just after 3:00 in the afternoon so we were quite surprised to see the tiger out and about. This is our first trip with both of us having APs and it is such a more relaxing way to do the parks. We no longer feel the pressure to squeeze everything in since we know we can always come back another time. For us even though we live far away it's been a good purchase in our retirement. I love solo days too. Back in 2022 when I accompanied by DH on a work conference I had a few solo mornings in the parks (and even ate breakfast at the Cinderella's Royal Table by myself, since DH had no interest in that). I love Expedition Everest too. It's been down a lot on recent trips however.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

It was actually just after 3:00 in the afternoon so we were quite surprised to see the tiger out and about. This is our first trip with both of us having APs and it is such a more relaxing way to do the parks. We no longer feel the pressure to squeeze everything in since we know we can always come back another time. For us even though we live far away it's been a good purchase in our retirement. I love solo days too. Back in 2022 when I accompanied by DH on a work conference I had a few solo mornings in the parks (and even ate breakfast at the Cinderella's Royal Table by myself, since DH had no interest in that). I love Expedition Everest too. It's been down a lot on recent trips however.

Yes APs are great for slowing you down. We also live in MA but have a condo in Florida. It’s nice knowing you will be back. I don’t think we are renewing our APs . We want to do some different things and sadly Disney is just not what it used to be.

 

[mickey916]

Yes APs are great for slowing you down. We also live in MA but have a condo in Florida. It’s nice knowing you will be back. I don’t think we are renewing our APs . We want to do some different things and sadly Disney is just not what it used to be.

Sadly, we think we will get to that point too with all the changes but for now we're hoping to enjoy going for the next couple years. There's definitely other places we want to travel to too.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I saw on the how many days thread that you’re going to Black Hills SD! I just came back from a cross country trip. Where in the black hills will you be?

 

[mickey916]

I saw on the how many days thread that you’re going to Black Hills SD! I just came back from a cross country trip. Where in the black hills will you be?

We’re staying in Hill City. Our youngest son is a huge railfan. We went last year to ride the 1880 train and loved it. This year they are offering rides in the engine cab so we bought DS a cab ride for his 26th birthday. We told him he has to buy the flight but we’re picking up everything else. Couldn’t convince DS-28 to join us, at least not yet.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

We’re staying in Hill City. Our youngest son is a huge railfan. We went last year to ride the 1880 train and loved it. This year they are offering rides in the engine cab so we bought DS a cab ride for his 26th birthday. We told him he has to buy the flight but we’re picking up everything else. Couldn’t convince DS-28 to join us, at least not yet.

Oh that’s great! I did see signs about the 1880 train - very cool! What a great birthday present. Have fun!
I forgot to say we stayed in Rapid City while we visited Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park and Needles Highway.

 

[pwdebbie]

I stumbled on your trip report today and I'm hooked! You and your dh are doing exactly what I thought we'd be doing about now, until life interrupted. After our first Florida trip in 2007, I told dh that some day I'd like to road trip the state. Now, my role in life is caregiver and if I ever do get the trip, it will probably be a solo trip. One day at a time -- But that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about the future! I do not see how the two of you can eat so much, I eat 1/3 that and I'm a plus-size gal! Then again, the caregiving role has been quite the hindrance to getting out and walking like I used to. I'm sure all your steps offsets all those yummy meals. I'm looking forward to following along on this TR now.

 

[BellaBaby]

We love the Black Hills area. We live in Colorado, so a short road trip for us. We've visited many times and usually stay in Keystone.
We love walking around that town and as you know that is where the 1880 train is. Sounds like a great bday gift for your DS!
Hopefully your other DS will join in too!

 

[mickey916]

Oh that’s great! I did see signs about the 1880 train - very cool! What a great birthday present. Have fun!
I forgot to say we stayed in Rapid City while we visited Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands National Park, Custer State Park and Needles Highway.

We visited all of those on our trip last year. This year we have a shorter trip so we're probably skipping Crazy Horse and the Badlands but we enjoyed all of it very much! I just booked the Palmer Gulch chuckwagon dinner as a surprise. Can't wait!

I stumbled on your trip report today and I'm hooked! You and your dh are doing exactly what I thought we'd be doing about now, until life interrupted. After our first Florida trip in 2007, I told dh that some day I'd like to road trip the state. Now, my role in life is caregiver and if I ever do get the trip, it will probably be a solo trip. One day at a time -- But that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about the future! I do not see how the two of you can eat so much, I eat 1/3 that and I'm a plus-size gal! Then again, the caregiving role has been quite the hindrance to getting out and walking like I used to. I'm sure all your steps offsets all those yummy meals. I'm looking forward to following along on this TR now.

Sorry to hear your plans have had to change. The role of a caregiver is very challenging. We share most of our meals and we definitely don't eat like that at home. We do walk a lot on vacation and also make sure to get in at least a 3 mile walk every day while at home. Usually we gain a couple pounds but as soon as we get back home and back to our normal diet and exercise it comes right off.

We love the Black Hills area. We live in Colorado, so a short road trip for us. We've visited many times and usually stay in Keystone.
We love walking around that town and as you know that is where the 1880 train is. Sounds like a great bday gift for your DS!
Hopefully your other DS will join in too!

We really love the area too! When we went last year just to see the train, we were surprised at how much we enjoyed everything else too! Our other DS never wants to use up his vacation time and sadly often leaves some leftover days unused. I admire his dedicationn to work but hope someday he realizes he needs rest too. He's also not a plan ahead type person like the rest of us so it's not entirely out of the question that next week he'll announce he's decided to come, lol!

 

[mickey916]

4/26 Dinner in Disney Springs​

We headed straight to Disney Springs after our day at Animal Kingdom. We had a 6 pm ADR at Wine Bar George, a place we’ve never dined at before. We arrived at Disney Springs around 5 pm and went to look at the posted menu for Wine Bar George. Unfortunately with the exception of the mac n cheese bites, there was nothing on the menu that we was calling our names. We spoke to the CM and explained we had an ADR in an hour but had changed our mind. She nicely canceled the reservation. After walking around for a bit we headed to Polite Pig instead. We’ve dined here before ordering the Butcher Board for 2 but we didn’t have that big an appetite this time. Plus, we wanted to try all new things. We decided to share a starter and two sides.

First we ordered the burnt ends chili.

This was phenomenal! It had tons of burnt ends and a delicious barbeque flavored sauce. We’ve never seen this on the menu before but if you do, order it!

We also got a side of mac n cheese.

This too was excellent! I would rank it below our most recent order from Chef Art Smith’s and maybe below the loaded mac n cheese from Steakhouse 71 Lounge but it’s definitely a top 3 mac n cheese, slightly above Gasparilla Island Grill.

We also shared the Slider Trio: Southern Pig, Low and Slow Brisket and Fried Chicken

These were very good as well. The chicken was our favorite (pictured in the middle), followed by the pulled pork (on the left) and then the brisket (far right).

Overall we were very happy with our decision to shift gears and go to Polite Pig. We definitely want to try Wine Bar George sometime though, maybe next spring!

After our dinner we headed back to our hotel and ate Chocolate Crumb cake from Gideon’s that we purchased a few days earlier.

This was another fantastic day!

Total steps: 23,355

 

[ddluvsdisney]

4/26 Dinner in Disney Springs​

We headed straight to Disney Springs after our day at Animal Kingdom. We had a 6 pm ADR at Wine Bar George, a place we’ve never dined at before. We arrived at Disney Springs around 5 pm and went to look at the posted menu for Wine Bar George. Unfortunately with the exception of the mac n cheese bites, there was nothing on the menu that we was calling our names. We spoke to the CM and explained we had an ADR in an hour but had changed our mind. She nicely canceled the reservation. After walking around for a bit we headed to Polite Pig instead. We’ve dined here before ordering the Butcher Board for 2 but we didn’t have that big an appetite this time. Plus, we wanted to try all new things. We decided to share a starter and two sides.

First we ordered the burnt ends chili.

This was phenomenal! It had tons of burnt ends and a delicious barbeque flavored sauce. We’ve never seen this on the menu before but if you do, order it!

We also got a side of mac n cheese.

This too was excellent! I would rank it below our most recent order from Chef Art Smith’s and maybe below the loaded mac n cheese from Steakhouse 71 Lounge but it’s definitely a top 3 mac n cheese, slightly above Gasparilla Island Grill.

We also shared the Slider Trio: Southern Pig, Low and Slow Brisket and Fried Chicken

These were very good as well. The chicken was our favorite (pictured in the middle), followed by the pulled pork (on the left) and then the brisket (far right).

Overall we were very happy with our decision to shift gears and go to Polite Pig. We definitely want to try Wine Bar George sometime though, maybe next spring!

After our dinner we headed back to our hotel and ate Chocolate Crumb cake from Gideon’s that we purchased a few days earlier.

This was another fantastic day!

Total steps: 23,355

My family loves the polite pig!!! I’ve had that slider trio before… very good the Mac and cheese is also good there. Our favorite side is the Brussel sprouts. The chili looks delicious haven’t seen it before either.
I ate at wine bar George once with a friend for brunch. It was ok. Not somewhere I would go again.
Hope you other DS makes it to SD. Does your other DS live near there?