I’ll bet you were holding out hope for us that we’d gotten the Disney plane.
No.
Instead we joked about there being something fishy about this.
Couldn't even get it to be a random clownfish.
I chose to Lyft it and we were seated at Jock’s at 5:30. This is one of my favorite lounges; I’ve done write ups of it before so will only say that I love the theming, love the appetizers menu, and the location is fantastic for a pre-dinner cocktail, especially to kick off a trip! Aren't Disney smiles fantastic smiles?

I love Jock Lindsey's! Great way to start things off.
Instead of a simple, “I understand these things happen, but in the future, you will really need your card, but tonight, no problem, we’ll ring you up right away.” I got, and I poop you not, “You really need your card, Ma’am, but tonight we’ll let it go. But I want to thank you! Tonight, you get to be the one who let me do a good deed and helped me feel good about myself.”

Yeah, you can feel real good about yourself.
Total bill (not including tax): $79 and that includes 3 hard ciders. 4 diners, $80. Not too bad considering it comes with entertainment!
Not bad at all, for feeding 4 people on Disney property.
Was I over-reacting to the TIW card thing? What would you have done (besides take it in the first place). Things to consider: 1) The card/prvilege did cost me $175 so naturally I wanted to use it as much as possible, 2) am I wrong it thinking it should be extremely easy for them to look up cardholders? 3) if he'd argued and wouldn't honor it, would you have been irritated?
1 - Yes, I'd explain and ask if they could look it up. 2 - I would think that they should be able to, but then again, that relies on Disney's IT system not sucking at something. And on that vein, if the system was actually good, they'd be able to identify it on your MB anyway. 3 - Kind of, but not at him. My own fault, I forgot the card *if* it can't be looked up, he's just following the rules and I'm sure less honest guests have likely tried to pull a fast one so I couldn't hold that against him. But being a smart... uh, butt, like he was. Yeah, I'd hold that against him 100%.
Baby Declan was born last night at 10:40PM. He was 7# 10oz.
Congratulations! Only 2 months late for the news.
T’was nighttime in Batuu when all through the land
Not a creature was stirring by Jedi command
Love it!
I turned around, and started jog-walking back through the Westside along Planet Hollywood (does anyone EVER go in there?! Have you?)
I have... before it was updated so it has been YEARS.
“Oh, yeah, we put it in the back for you and have been waiting for you. We were already looking up your information so we could call you and send it to your resort if you were staying here.”
Well, that's nice to know that they were going through the effort to do due diligence and provide exceptional customer service. Unlike a certain manager at another Disney Springs eatery.
However, this little imp, or is that "limp", was tenacious and persistent. Within a couple of hours of abusing my poor feet each morning, it’d practice self-replication and wiggle its way to the surface again making each step agonizing torture. I tried walking on the side of my foot, I tried soaking it at night, moleskin, changing shoes… everything I could think of to outsmart that little SOB (Son of Beelzebub) to no avail.
Yikes.. that stinks. Especially starting your trip off with it right out the gate.
Have you ever forgotten or lost something at Disney? Did you get it back or find it? Tell us your stories!!!
R and his Croc on Spaceship Earth. I'm sure that's not the only one, but that's all I can recall right now.
For 5 people it was adequate, but my kids are slobs and kept nothing inside their bags, so it basically looked like a bomb had gone off strewing crap all over the place for the week.
That just seems to be part of it. When you have that many people in a room, there's not enough closet/drawer space to fully unpack, you can't neatly have bags stored away and still easily accessible... it's a hard balance.
As for the pool, it’s pretty big with lots of room to spread out, but no matter how big the pool area is, there is simply no way to escape the ubiquitous and ever-present Dance with Miley Cyrus Hour that every Disney pool has, and whose volume is set to be heard the next county over.


Now, it's YOUR turn: What's your favorite form of Disney transportation to get around with? I'll leave it open-ended, so interpret anyway you want, but I am kinda thinking more along the lines of getting from resort to park or park to park. But hey, if you wanna share what your favorite one WITHIN a park is as well, by all means...
Monorail. I've always loved riding into the MK through the Contemporary and riding through Future World in EPCOT.
After all day in Animal Kingdom, your feet are going to feel like they've had an actual trek through Kathmandu to the mountain. Trust me on this.

You speak the truth.
Speaking of which, here is the Guardian himself… out of sorts as usual. I can only guess that it’s because he’s out of lemon flavoring again, trying to catch the hair tie tossers, or the Mrs. asked him to shovel the snow one too many times. Perhaps you can come up with a better theory, Dear Reader. (Let’s see who’s reading…)
I think he just wants those dang kids to stay off his lawn.
Now it's YOUR turn: What is one real life adventure, outside of Disney, that you want to go on. Let's assume you are in shape and healthy enough to do it. Doesn't have to be physically challenging, so any place you really want to travel to or site you want to see? For me, Disney in a LOT of places around the parks, makes me actually want to GO to those places; World Showcase is especially notorious for that, at least for me.
It's hard to say... there are so many. Not really adventures, in my opinion, but places I want to see. My heredity goes back to Ireland and Germany so I'd love to spend some time in those countries just taking in the scenery and history. And I've always had a love for Italy (especially the food there). So really a big trip through Europe, I guess.
Wish they’d kept the Fountain though. THAT makes me sad, but I digress…
“Hey Nigel, phone’s for you…! My imagination is telling me this is actually a legit deal!”
All they need is your birthdate and social security number!
Sitting, I expressed my gratefulness and began to eat my ice cream when the boy began to ask me questions. It became very clear, very quickly that he was autistic and struggled with communication, but was unbelievably friendly, engaging, and wanted to interact. I could sense moments of frustration in our conversation, but it was… magical. His dad let him lead the questions and answers and let his son and I have a very natural, sweet talk about Figment, Remy, ice cream, Disney… Time melted along with my ice cream; it wasn’t about gelato anymore. It was all about making this 10 minutes of my day matter and connecting with another human being on a more than passing level. And it was clear who was more blessed by pausing, allowing, inviting. Disney has had more than a few existential moments for me; this was one in the top few I will not too soon forget.
That's awesome!
I’m just standing there texting her and minding my own business when this guy in line in front of me rips a gigantic fart. He casually looked around to see who’d have heard, and I can neither confirm nor deny I was dying from trying not to laugh myself into apoplexy. Seriously, I just about gave myself a seizure from stifling the fact that I totally heard it and wished I’d had the guts to tell him I wished he’d just asked me to pull his finger. I mean Food and Wine can absolutely “do things” to one’s constitution, but this dude didn’t even TRY to hold back. I’m sure he must have known I 100% heard it, I mean, his rear end was mere feet from my face, but he cooly turned back around and pretended all was right in the Coastal Eats Queue.



As a Disdad, I think this is funnier than it should be.
As I snapped a quick photo to jog my memory, I was sad to think that this family’s vacation was impacted in such a bummer of a way. I do hope she was okay….
Definitely not something you want to happen. I'm glad that you were there to help and Disney was quick to respond.
No pass through Germany is complete without a little stop to see the trains.

And a stop by Karmel Kuche. And a stop by the grapefruit beer card. And maybe a pretzel.
As they finished their set, Anara wanted her photo with them and asked if I’d snap her picture. They told her that they’d sensed her enthusiasm and were actually going to ask HER if she wanted one. I guess her smile and toe-tapping gave her away.
Great pictures! I'm glad they enjoyed the show so much!
Now, it's YOUR turn...
1) My movie needs a title.
2) Would you be sad if they took out the train set
1 - Lizards on a Train (Starring Samuel L Jackson)
2 - Most definitely
Oh sure that's exciting and all, but the bills for my surgery have yet to start pouring in, I'm broke from Christmas, on disabilty at only 60% of my base pay until I can go back to work, yada, yada yada....
When it rains, it hails.
Yikes... that's rough. I've kind of glazed past most of the conversation but I hope you're doing much better now.
That was in EPCOT, wasn't it?
Okay, now it's your turn: Do you think it's weird for adults at Disney to do the activities that might be considered kids' stuff? Like the Agent P hunts at EPCOT or the Wilderness Badges at AK? I'm asking for a reason...
Nope. Do what you want to!
And with that... Arigato and Sayonara!!
Looks like a nice dinner with friends... aside from the wine mishap.
(The hat tip to the Carolwood makes me smile rather largely.)
(We interrupt this horrible attempt at poetry for a PIT STOP!!! It's a different sort of pit stop than found at 'race car' arenas! Sorry, I make a lot of these.)
Well, it is important to stay hydrated at Disney World.
Of the quieter, non-dark, non-thrill rides, perhaps a show-type, but could be a "ride", which do you enjoy most? Ideas that come to mind: Country Bears, Hall of Presidents, Liberty Belle, COP, IaSW, even Swiss Family.... Choose one or two and tell us why.
I've got to pick Country Bears and Carousel of Progress. Just based on nostalgia and memories of those attractions from when I was a small child coming to the parks.
Gastons… Gastons was an okay choice for a light breakfast on the go.
WHAT??? Just okay?????
The ordering area is ridiculously tiny and seating is a bit limited making for a bit of grouchy chaos.
Alright, alright, I'll give you that. Very true. It irritates me that the person working the register is also then turning around to get the drinks and food orders together. It takes way longer than it should to serve guests in that place. I know they don't want to pay more CM's, but they really need someone on the register and someone else assembling the orders. I've walked out of there before because the ordering area was just too chaotic and I didn't want to dedicate the time to it.
Anyway... I love the cinnamon rolls there. One of my absolute favorite snack/food items in all of Disney World. I believe you were right on about the inadequacies of the sandwich and fruit platter though.
I know some you, especially a few of my DISDad Readers really like the Carpets because you have some very nice memories of going on them ad nauseum with your rugrats and that is wonderful. I get it! But I have zero emotional attachment to it so loathe the thought of standing in a 60-90-minute wait for a 30 second ride that goes around and around. Okay, I’ll add one more "around" because 3 is about all you get for your hour-long torture session of sunbaked line standing. I’m glad you had the fortitude to sacrifice all for your kids.
I hate that ride with a passion. The kids see it. They want to do it. We have to explain, "no, we'll do it later" or "we'll get FP and come back." Long story short, I'm not waiting more than 15 minutes for it so why does it have to be there front and center where we keep walking past it???
EVERYONE is excited about Tron, yes? I mean there may be a few here who just can’t/don’t do coasters, but I’d say the vast majority here are just as excited as I am.

I can't wait. Not a big fan of the Tron movie (it was ok) but I'm all in for a new coaster!
A few comments on Pinocchio Village Haus. Whereas I can’t say I wasn’t warned, I am glad I did try PVH at least once just to say I’ve eaten there and to be able to speak with authority when I say it sucks. #tellushowyoureallyfeel
Nailed it!
Now, a word about Steppe’s Style…. I do not do hot dogs at Disney. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find me eating a hot dog anywhere, ever. * Tonight would be my once-every-10-year break from my self-imposed banishment from the hog dog world, and you know what? It was fantastic! I honestly liked the half a chili cheese dog I ate that Cosmic’s served up.
So, re-thinking this misplaced hot dog hate?
(Basically, I was just acting like a 10 year-old with an Snap account.)
And there's nothing wrong with that!
I literally just finished saying in my last update that I’d not stand in line for characters, but I will make an exception for something like this. (Or make my kids do it for me.) We purposefully dressed up for this Meet and were not disappointed. I didn’t feel like we missed out on any party stuff at all, we’d already had a full morning with nearly Rope Drop entry (but that’s another story altogether), and were ready for party stuff right at 7:05.
Hey, that was one worth the wait! You guys were dressed to impress and it looks like it paid off! If I were to wait for a character meet it would be something like that... a special party meet where you wait
before the party so you really aren't missing out.
I was over-the-top impressed he recognized their costumes and interacted on the fly to THAT character!!
The entire queue near us busted up with laughter and we took away another great memory from the Party! People are complaining about long lines and a lot of people and while that IS true, by 7:45 when we got off the ride, the party had already been worth the ticket price for us.
That's awesome!
Wanna post photos of clever costumes you've seen in the past at parties? If you don't have any, would dressing up make your party more fun or be a burden and detract from it for you? What have you done for costumes in the past? Or are you a t-shirt and call it good kind of party-goer?
Yeah, I've never been, but I'd probably be a t-shirt guy.