The ABC's of a FALL Trip with Friends, Food, Wine, and a Conference-X is for: eXemplary Food and eXcellent Rides in EPCOT (4/11)

[Steppesister]

On a personal note:

Life is crazy right now. You know that feeling you get when you just have too much going on... too many moving parts and it gets tough to keep up? Yeah, I'm there.

Finally, a year and a bit after my Dad passed, Mom and I are finally getting his office that was FULL of audio-visual equipment, a rather complicated computer system with parts and pieces none of us have the foggiest clue about, literally hundreds of CDs full of rare music (nope, not getting rid of that!), and enough cords, chargers, and do-dads to circle the Earth twice.

4 huge boxes of stuff were taken to the Goodwill and the local tech shop today, and a spare bedroom is slowly coming together. The bed is about halfway assembled now... and it's a good thing! I ordered some new carpet for my own bedroom and now have to get all the "stuff" off the dressers and clean out my closet.

But wait, there's MORE!

The decking on our back porch was in horrible shape so with all of the other stuff going on, why not add a contractor and Trex to replace it all? Am I out of money and kinda in debt now? You BETCHA!

So why not add another Disney trip? Caroline and I will be heading back in April for super quick 4-day weekend. I need to save my PTO for my giganimous May trip (2 weeks after Disney), so any other travel this year will have to be when I have a holiday that the Clinic closes or for my week off I get for CEs. Ummm, had I known that I was going to get a VERY unanticipated, and very large tax bill, I probably would have deferred a couple of those projects and not gotten myself a cute little AP. Yep, you heard that right. It might come in handy for another long weekend or two. The timing of all this was just...

Well, it all piled up all at once and was supposed to have been spaced out. And I was supposed to get a refund. So, what does one do when one finds themselves in this situation? Work a bit more, of course.

And take a couple of weekends at Disney so you're right back where you started.

Now... time to get writing on the next chapter.

Coming up... A morning at Animal Kingdom.

 

[pkondz]

You know that feeling you get when you just have too much going on... too many moving parts and it gets tough to keep up? Yeah, I'm there.

I am familiar.

Finally, a year and a bit after my Dad passed, Mom and I are finally getting his office that was FULL of audio-visual equipment, a rather complicated computer system with parts and pieces none of us have the foggiest clue about, literally hundreds of CDs full of rare music (nope, not getting rid of that!), and enough cords, chargers, and do-dads to circle the Earth twice.

Ah yes. I am familiar with that process, too. Not the best experience, but... I suppose an inevitable one.

4 huge boxes of stuff were taken to the Goodwill

I think I can top you... I see your 4 boxes and raise you about three of these:

The decking on our back porch was in horrible shape so with all of the other stuff going on, why not add a contractor and Trex to replace it all?

I've done Trex decking. Great stuff. Good choice!

Am I out of money and kinda in debt now? You BETCHA!

Ah. So definitely no Disney trip after all...

So why not add another Disney trip?

Disregard that last comment.

Caroline and I will be heading back in April for super quick 4-day weekend.

You two seem to travel well together.

However! Definitely only one Disney trip, for sure!...

gotten myself a cute little AP.

Disregard that last comment.

Coming up... A morning at Animal Kingdom.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Ach I hope you’re managing to keep your head above water and sure the Disney trips will help destress you so you can work more to pay off the debt!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Oh my, that sure is a lot to deal with at once. But if I know you, you're already in the process of working your tail off to stay afloat and on top of it all! That AP in your pocket hopefully helps add a bit of relief and magic along the way and through it all.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your little trip with Caroline. It sounded like your last adventure was great for two such seasoned travel companions!

 

[vamassey1]

Yes! Very comfy and AC'd AND a good show! What's not to love?! I think there must be some rhythm to it. I wonder if Danielle ( @vamassey1 ) if she has a friend that knows...?

I'm sorry but she doesn't know anyone tied to the show.

Oh, please do!! I looked up each one, but there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason. Maybe initials and/or birthdays, but seemed liked random mix of letters and numbers.

Danielle says it does mean something but she doesn't know. She thinks Imagineering would know.

I did find this and the person who wrote the article doesn't know either, but does explain the name of the stand.

Dockside Diner

I spy Danielle!

Yes!!!!!

 

[Steppesister]

R is for: Real Animals Get Really Racy​

There was no racing out of bed on Day 7 of my trip. By then I’d done everything I’d wanted to at least once and, while expensive, LL is worth the money at times. I can, and have, done much of what I want to in a day in the park, but when you’re old and lazy, you can slow down the pace a bit AND get more value out of your day. If that makes sense. I realize I don’t (make much sense) often anymore…

Anywhooo, I took this photo of my breakfast of a mish-mash of leftovers at 7:53- late for my usual get up and out time.

(It looks a mess, but trust me, queso is NEVER an awful way to start the day)​

But Caroline and I weren’t in any huge rush that morning with LL’s in our back pockets. We were at AK a little before 9:00 and it appears we headed for Anandapur first. The Yeti Hotel is STILL not open; I’m starting to smell a bit of money laundering with this operation. Maybe someone’s tax write off. Regardless, there’s always the hope for next season.

​

At least the Anandapur Railway is still running regular trains up the Forbidden Mountain for sight-seeing tours.

​

I took a thrilling ride in search of a yeti and miraculously found one who was causing mischief in the area. I’m pretty sure I know why Disney keeps having to raise their prices- those track repairs are expensive with the price of steel these days! And having to do this this hundreds of times a day…..yikes.

Am I the only one who actually really enjoys the museum exhibits along the queue? For me, Disney is definitely not about racing from ride to ride but enjoying the exquisitely detailed theming as I go along.

(Sorry for the glare, but you get the idea.)​

Quite possibly my favorite area of the entire park is the Maharaja Trail. Without taking up pages and pages of text to go into a very deep dive, I’ll share a brief synopsis of the backstory of the trail from Wiki. If you want a truly wonderful book (they actually wrote an entire set for all 4 parks) that goes into great detail of all the areas of the park(s) this is a good one: The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, written by The Imagineers.

(Well worth the money, even if a teensy bit outdated. The info on Lands-no-Longer is still fascinating!)​

The Maharajah Jungle Trek in Animal Kingdom tells the story of the fictional Anandapur Royal Forest, which was established in 1544 by King Bhima Disampati as a private, walled hunting lodge. After the king was killed during a hunt, subsequent, more benevolent rulers transformed the opulent hunting grounds into a protected nature preserve, which was officially turned over to the villagers in 1948 following the end of British colonial influence.

Key Aspects of the Backstory:

• The Four Maharajahs: The tiger enclosure walls feature murals of four former kings/maharajahs, illustrating the shift from a hunting-focused, opulent society to one that values harmony with nature.
• The Founder: The trek includes a tomb and sarcophagus dedicated to Anantah, the mythical founder of Anandapur.
• Transformation to a Preserve: Following the era of the hunting lodge, the ruins of the palace, ballroom (now the aviary), and surrounding area were repurposed to protect endangered species, including the Sumatran tigers.
• The Setting: The area is depicted as a "Royal Anandapur Forest" managed by the villagers of Anandapur, with themes emphasizing a shift away from colonial and royal exploitation toward conservation.

Aside from the complex storyline, the colors, textures, mediums, and animals themselves soothe my soul. There are some people who have asked me, “Why do you keep going back to the same place over and over and over? Don’t you get tired of it?”

No. No, I don’t. When I lived in my RV park on the outskirts of Tucson, I walked the same trails on the BLM land it bordered every day, sometimes multiple times a day. It was my happy place- the sounds, the plants, the fresh air… I might ask those scoffers, “why do you keep going to the same beach every year? Or cabin?”

I digress. All that to say, no, I don’t get tired of Disney, and some places make my heart smile more than others and the Trail in Asia is one of them. This is one place I never get racy.

​

Sheldon was out all fat and sassy on his throne catching some sunshine. It’s the life I aspire to.

(You sexy thing!)​

The macaques were out and about, hopping around on the branches of their enclosure. A keeper was nearby and explained that this one seemed to be the alpha female and was busy keeping tabs on her troop from her perch.

(Still not as cute as Punch)​

So far, I hadn’t had great luck with catching the two tigers together, but this time my patience paid off and both mom and son were out together playing in their royal palace.

​

Love me some aviary!

(Alfred getting into the Food and Wine Fall Spirit!)


(The always lovely Victoria Crowned Pigeons)​

From there, we took a long journey across the ocean (of pavement) to Africa and entered the village of Harambe. The village square was bustling with throngs of people and music and laughter, but we had a safari scheduled to depart so made the trek to the departure point. We were reminded to be wary of poachers and to report any signs of this to the proper authorities. While the problem is still unacceptable, it has gotten better according to the first-hand knowledge I got when I was on my amazing Tanzanian safari last year. If you’re interested in seeing pictures and reading the full account of those 2 wonderful weeks in Tanzania’s National Parks HERE << is that link to my TR.

​

We saw so many animals on our tour of Harambe National Wildlife Reserve. Some were close enough to get a really good view of. No, it never gets old.

​

Some animals did in fact get a bit racy; animals will do what animals do. Let’s all agree that baby giraffes are pretty dang cute and there ain’t no other way to make cute baby giraffes.

​

If you REALLY want to learn some very interesting biology, look up the Flehman response. I learned all about this on my safari last year and yes, it's really a thing.

A couple of my favorites from my time in Tanzania:

​

From Harambe to Pandora, we transitioned from the real to the mythical. Our next adventure was floating the Navi River where strange and wonderful creatures fill the other-worldly landscape. I always hope that my boat isn’t filled with “yackers” who want to talk incessantly through the journey wrecking the lovely soundtrack and ambiance.

​

Truly, this whole area is a masterpiece of landscaping storytelling. The selection of plants gives a perfectly seamless blending of the natural and beautiful hardscaping art. It is undeniably art. I had been seeing this species of tree around the property but this was the first time I’d seen it in bloom. And what a showcase beauty it is! Look at how huge these blooms are and that sexy, luxurious color!!

​

A lot of the natural ToL Trail areas were closed off during this trip and honestly, it’s been quite some time since I’ve spent any time at all in these quiet, peaceful sanctuaries where one can escape the noise and busy-ness that other areas of this park can have. One of my goals for my upcoming trip in April is to explore these trails around the tree again. I always seem to find something new to see and enjoy when I spend time there.

​

I’ve said it before that it is inherent to the current “FastPass” model that you crisscross the park ad nauseum. I just don’t know how to work the system well enough to minimize that as you just have to pick attractions that are available at the time you can choose. Pro-tip: Bring loads of moleskin and Band-Aids. All that to say, we found ourselves back at Dinosaur for another bit of time travel. Powered by ketchup, mayo, and mustard we loaded into our jeep to “go get that dino!” I admit, I do love this ride photo we came away with!

​

I’m going to leave off here, as my next chapter deserves to stand on its own. Caroline and I were treated to a somewhat private, VIP tour of sorts, and I can’t wait to share that with you!

Until next time, Folks, Peace and Love!

 

[Steppesister]

Oh, I agree. I've had much better pizza at so many other places (outside Disney.)

Been a LONG time since I've had pizza at all.

Then you probably did complete it. I'd be shocked if you hadn't.

I'll have to be a LOT more careful with my documenting in April!

 

[Steppesister]

LOVE the View Master!! We got ours from my cousins who were a few years older than me. I vividly remember loving the Disneyland disc and being terrified of the Thriller one she had, LOL, as a huge Michael Jackson fan! I think it's all in my parents' basement somewhere. It would definitely be worth digging around to find it!

Do you remember when the dessert menu at 50's Primetime Cafe was on a View Master!? That was a super fun detail.

OH WOW!! I don't!! Maybe that was before my time, but how freaking cool is that!?!

I fully support your quest!

I've been slack the past few weeks with this. I need to get back to my store and stock up on another mix-and-match 6-pack.

I am kicking myself for forgetting to do this in December!!! It was either Caroline or Kelly who mentioned it in one of their TRs, that I found out about it in the first place. On the list for next trip!

There's ALWAYS a long list of "next trips" and enough there to do again a few years later and love it all over again!

SO enjoyable! When we were there, our paths crossed with one of my students and their family (I've taught all 3 of their kids now!) We spent almost 2 hours just sitting outside and chatting over a few beers. It was one of the best afternoons of our trip.

What a wonderful chance meeting and such a perfect place to chill out and slow down for a bit!

I spy Danielle!

I told Rob and Jimmy that the flags spelled Dockside Diner, but I had no proof to back it up

 

[Steppesister]

Ah yes. I am familiar with that process, too. Not the best experience, but... I suppose an inevitable one.

I think I can top you... I see your 4 boxes and raise you about three of these:

OH geez. Yikes. I'm STILL slowly getting rid of stuff by way of multiple loads to the Goodwill. Such a big process. Not easy, and quite time consuming.

I've done Trex decking. Great stuff. Good choice!

It looks absolutely lovely. I can't WAIT to get it all set up with the furniture, plants, hummer-feeders, etc... It's my weekend happy place!

ou two seem to travel well together.

However! Definitely only one Disney trip, for sure!...

So far only one

Disregard that last comment.

.... but we'll see...

 

[Steppesister]

Ach I hope you’re managing to keep your head above water and sure the Disney trips will help destress you so you can work more to pay off the debt!

It's slowly, slowly starting to ease up. The chaos part of it. The financial pieces will take months to recover from.

 

[Steppesister]

Oh my, that sure is a lot to deal with at once. But if I know you, you're already in the process of working your tail off to stay afloat and on top of it all! That AP in your pocket hopefully helps add a bit of relief and magic along the way and through it all.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your little trip with Caroline. It sounded like your last adventure was great for two such seasoned travel companions!

It all sort of piled up quite unintentionally. I thought I'd spaced some of these things out, but contractors and all didn't get the memo. It's all working out though and slowly easing off. My deck looks fabulous and I can't wait to spend time out there this spring and summer.

We'll see if any more trips materialize. I'll need to see how finances shake out over the next few months.

I may or may not do a little write up here.

 

[Steppesister]

I'm sorry but she doesn't know anyone tied to the show.

Never hurts to ask!

I did find this and the person who wrote the article doesn't know either, but does explain the name of the stand.

Dockside Diner

Thanks, Vanessa! That was a fun read!

 

[Paulaparm]

I have (maybe had) that set of books! I am going to have to look and see if I can find them. They are good!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

you can slow down the pace a bit AND get more value out of your day. If that makes sense.

Totally makes sense to me. Our trips are usually for 14 days or so and I love it. UK tickets cover the whole trip it’s so easy and absolutely wonderful to nip into a park and just wander along taking it all in. I especially love wandering around World Showcase of an evening just soaking up the atmosphere.

queso is NEVER an awful way to start the day)

Ok confession time- I don’t think I’ve ever eaten queso? And I’m not sure I know what it is? I will look it up shortly but regardless I’m glad you enjoyed your breakfast.

The Yeti Hotel is STILL not open; I’m starting to smell a bit of money laundering with this operation.

Am I the only one who actually really enjoys the museum exhibits along the queue? For me, Disney is definitely not about racing from ride to ride but enjoying the exquisitely detailed theming as I go along

This is absolutely how I feel too. I could genuinely spend entire days in a park and not do a single ride and still have the best time. Disney does the details so well and I really do think that’s why I enjoy it so much.

The Imagineering Field Guide

Thanks for the book recommendation.

All that to say, no, I don’t get tired of Disney,

Me either. I have heard all of those comments though and then some! I just laugh and tell people that as I’m not asking them to actually pay for my holidays I reckon I’ll spend my hard earned cash exactly as I like and they should do the same with theirs ( spend it as they like).

Let’s all agree that baby giraffes are pretty dang cute and there ain’t no other way to make cute baby giraffes.

I admit, I do love this ride photo we came away with!

That ride photo is brilliant! Love all the expressions/poses and you are sitting behind an Arsenal fan so definitely in good company as they’re the team my family follow. They have a tough game today at home against Chelsea so channel your inner soccer fan and shout “c’mon ye gunners”. Gunnersauraus is the team mascot so very fitting

It's slowly, slowly starting to ease up. The chaos part of it. The financial pieces will take months to recover from.

I’m glad that the chaos is easing.

My deck looks fabulous and I can't wait to spend time out there this spring and summer.

I know it’s been a financial hit but I’m so glad you have a beautiful decking area to enjoy and that you’re happy with how it all turned out. Definitely takes a wee bit of the sting away when you get something lovely to enjoy for all those $$$

I may or may not do a little write up here.

I’d definitely be interested in reading if you do.
Your photos in your last update are beautiful. I really enjoyed taking my time and checking out all the details in the Asia pics and you got some great animal shots. Thanks for sharing.

 

[buzzrelly]

So why not add another Disney trip? Caroline and I will be heading back in April for super quick 4-day weekend.

Yay! I love that for you both!

I need to save my PTO for my giganimous May trip

Wait, did you tell us about this? Where to?

Some animals did in fact get a bit racy; animals will do what animals do. Let’s all agree that baby giraffes are pretty dang cute and there ain’t no other way to make cute baby giraffes.


[][/]

Stopppp! How funny! The poor parents having to have "the talk" with their kids for the first time after seeing this!

I admit, I do love this ride photo we came away with!


[][/]

Perfect!

 

[Steppesister]

Just a quick heads up...

I've gone ahead and posted my PTR/TR for the May Trip to the Balkans. Join in, Friends!!

The ABCs of Adventuring Across the Balkans

 

[Wood Nymph]

The Maharajah Jungle Trek in Animal Kingdom tells the story of the fictional Anandapur Royal Forest, which was established in 1544 by King Bhima Disampati as a private, walled hunting lodge. After the king was killed during a hunt, subsequent, more benevolent rulers transformed the opulent hunting grounds into a protected nature preserve, which was officially turned over to the villagers in 1948 following the end of British colonial influence.

I never knew that there was a backstory. But it does explain why it looks that way.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Oh my gosh I totally forgot about the giraffes having a little sexy time!
I did find this picture from the back of the tree of life with Dug and Russell. It was nice to say hi to them and no line at all!


I loved our Dinosaur pictures and the “VIP” tour after the ride!
I miss Dinoland so much!

 

[vamassey1]

I love the Maharajah Jungle Trek too. Thanks for sharing the back story. I knew some of it, but not in that much detail. I find that area so beautiful.

You got some interesting animal photo on the Safari too. Excellent Lion picture.

Love the Dinosaur photo, so much going on with all the different riders.

 

[missjackiemcg]

(It looks a mess, but trust me, queso is NEVER an awful way to start the day)

Queso is always the answer.

Am I the only one who actually really enjoys the museum exhibits along the queue?

I LOVE those exhibits!!! I also love the single rider line though and hate to miss it all!

The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, written by The Imagineers.

Ooh thanks for this tip! I don't mind it being outdated; I am excited to read about my old favorites, too!