TR Bonus - 10/20-24/18 "I hope you like pictures of food” - New TR LINK added 3/12

[TheMaxRebo]

Next up was a quick DISmeet, where we met up with @TheMaxRebo and his young daughter. We had joked we were going to have a beer and complain about all the sight-lines of all the new Epcot projects. We did do the former, but not the latter.

I'm glad you mostly enjoyed the party and the rain didn't disrupt it too much. We love the Halloween parties, but it is definitely becoming increasingly difficult to justify that cost for just a few hours in MK. The parade is really excellent! I still haven't seen HEA in person, so the Hallowishes fireworks still do it for me. lol I love the pic of you & DW in front of the Pirates ride!

Hey, you got to meet @TheMaxRebo ! Only one degree of separation between us now!!

Touring Epcot the day before Food & Wine starts is kind of brilliant. I'll have to keep that in mind if we are ever there that time lol

Sorry for just catching up to this! Super glad that we got to meet-up and that it worked out. It was great to see you and just chat for a bit - and we did discuss the siteline a little bit

I love that they have Cooties all over the Bathrooms

 

[skier_pete]

Sorry for just catching up to this! Super glad that we got to meet-up and that it worked out. It was great to see you and just chat for a bit - and we did discuss the siteline a little bit

Yes - it's nice catching up IRL. Wait until you year about the surprise DISmeet from my October trip!

I love that they have Cooties all over the Bathrooms

That's too funny. I didn't hear that. (And we didn't go in.) Are there boy cooties and girl cooties?

 

[khertz]

I will be really sad if the Muppets get axed from WDW, but I can definitely be realistic about it and see it happening in the near future.

We love Sci-Fi! I'm glad you were able to get in as a walk up. We usually have pretty good luck there too as long as we go early, and we are pretty early lunchers, so that's not a big deal for us. The atmosphere in there is just so fun.

Love to TSL pics! It really looks like a lot of fun. We really enjoy the Mater whip ride in DL, so I'm sure we will all enjoy the Saucers whenever we finally get to try TSL. What a tease being so close to Slinky Dog and knowing you won't get to ride for 2 more days!!

 

[skier_pete]

I will be really sad if the Muppets get axed from WDW, but I can definitely be realistic about it and see it happening in the near future.

We love Sci-Fi! I'm glad you were able to get in as a walk up. We usually have pretty good luck there too as long as we go early, and we are pretty early lunchers, so that's not a big deal for us. The atmosphere in there is just so fun.

Love to TSL pics! It really looks like a lot of fun. We really enjoy the Mater whip ride in DL, so I'm sure we will all enjoy the Saucers whenever we finally get to try TSL. What a tease being so close to Slinky Dog and knowing you won't get to ride for 2 more days!!

I really think TSL is another great addition to WDW. I know there's complaints about the lack of shade and I get that - especially with SDD and AS2 being completely outdoor queues, but overall I think they really made a neat area. Is it on par with Pandora or Star Wars? No. But not everything has to be top tier. And I know you are a Universal fan, but after watching Universal put in screen after screen its so nice to see new Physical rides. (I just am not a fan of the "every rides a screen ride" design plan.)

 

[khertz]

I really think TSL is another great addition to WDW. I know there's complaints about the lack of shade and I get that - especially with SDD and AS2 being completely outdoor queues, but overall I think they really made a neat area. Is it on par with Pandora or Star Wars? No. But not everything has to be top tier. And I know you are a Universal fan, but after watching Universal put in screen after screen its so nice to see new Physical rides. (I just am not a fan of the "every rides a screen ride" design plan.)

While I do love Universal and definitely don't mind the screens as much as some people, I do definitely give the win to WDW when it comes to new rides, because they manage to make great attractions without relying on screens and 3D. Definitely one of the things they will always have better over Universal!

 

[skier_pete]

Day 7 conclusion...

We had to leave the park because we had our unchangeable reservation at the Void in Disney Springs. For those that aren’t aware this is a virtual reality simulator that is themed to a Star Wars adventure.
Because there’s no easy way to get to Disney Springs from the parks, we decided to take the boat back to the hotel to wash up/cool off a bit before heading over. We didn’t catch the first boat, but it wasn’t long until another one came along. In the meantime, here’s the state of the gondola station in August. As I type this (in November) they’ve announced a Fall 2019 opening.



Back at the hotel we were cutting things a little too close to rely on a bus, so we fell back to our old standby and took a Lyft over to Disney Springs – they were also able to drop us off much closer to the actual spot where the building was.
After signing away our lawsuit rights – we were geared up for the ride. This picture below was taken at the end, but better to show it now.



So you put on virtual reality headpiece and vest, and then they lead you into a box. Your mission is to steal some sort of McGuffin from an Empire base. You have to walk through a base, flip a few levers, and then shoot some Stormtroopers and a giant alien creature. It probably takes about 15 minutes but honestly goes by so fast it seems like it takes about 5. It’s definitely better with a group. (Only four allowed max.) It was fun, and maybe worth the $40 price tag per person to at least give it a try. We definitely all had fun, so I would say it was worth the price to me, and possibly I would do it again if it was a different “mission”. The only thing I didn’t like was all the gear was kind of sweaty from previous users. Ew.
We took the bus back to the resort after a stop for a pretzel that the girls wanted from Wetzels Pretzels. We had to wait like 30 minutes for the bus – Lyft is spoiling us silly.

While the girls spent the evening hanging out in the room – DW and I had other plans. We were going to dine in one of our favorite WDW restaurant’s. Yatchsman’s Steakhouse!





But enough looking at us – what about the food. Well, they always start you out with bread, but one of the neat things they do is bring out a whole head of roasted garlic cloves. Probably not something to eat on a first date, but it is delicious.



We ordered the cheese selection as an appetizer. We can’t really eat that much food, but I find these give you a lot of great flavors while not really filling you up before the meal.



They also gave us a little mango sorbet as a pallet cleanser



We tend to go pretty boring here because the NY strip is so world-class. I ordered with a side of the au gratin potatoes.



DW had a sweet potato side that was very tasty as well.



DW also wanted to get an order of Sweet Summer Cream Corn (Corn Cream, Pancetta, Roasted Onions, Shishito Peppers). Honestly this was probably the worst thing we ever had here. Not that it was bad, but it was just very “so what”. Would have muched preferred the Brussel Sprouts which have been fantastic in the past.

We had also had a bottle of wine, and remembering that we ate a sit-down meal for lunch, we really were not hungry for dessert. It was a wonderful meal as usual, and in my mind one of the more reasonably priced dining experiences at WDW. Not that it was cheap (Steaks are $49 but include the side.) but we often go to steakhouses at home that charge the same price – and anytime you can get something at Disney for the same price as at home, that’s a “bargain”!
We debated going out to a park in the evening, or going over to Jellyrolls – but we were way too beat and full at this point, and knowing we would be back in a mere 3 months made it not as pressing to go.

Step totals: 14,598 steps (5.4 miles).
Rides & Attractions: 4 (5 if you count the VOID.)

 

[skier_pete]

Day 8

I figured the last update was short so I would spread a little extra and start Day 8.

This was our second day of the trip where we were hitting the park early for EMH. Unlike the first time (on Day 3) the level of enthusiasm was not high, even if we spent the night before lazing in the hotel. We had some important stuff to ride here though – so I managed to get everyone out of bed and out to the bus. At least the ride wasn’t all that far! We definitely beat rope drop.




We had decided to hit on the Mine Train again, so battled the crowds to about a 15 minute wait to get on the ride. The wait wasn’t too bad, and we really enjoy the ride.




Made another rookie mistake – we were thinking that the whole park was open for EMH, but it was just Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. We went to go ride HM but we couldn’t go there. So instead we took some extra spins in FL, starting with the Carousel.



Then we rode Little Mermaid. DW and I had ridden it during the party.



DD insisted she knew where the hidden Nautilus was at – but I certainly didn’t. She found it for us!



We then rode Winnie the Pooh (no photo) and now the EMH were over with 4 rides in the books. The next stop was at Big Thunder. But first – we got to see the empty Rivers of America – which was under an unexpected refurb. (It was filled up again a few days later.)



We got there and we were waiting with a group of people for them to open the actual ride. The wait was pretty short.




After this BFF and I rode Splash Mountain while DW and DD wanted to get churros if they were available.



We then headed over to Pirates of the Caribbean and finally to the Haunted Mansion. HM claimed a 35 minute wait, but the line looked way shorter. We got in line and it was maybe 10 minutes.





Next time - our main reason we were coming here today...lunch at Be Our Guest...

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Glad you enjoyed the void even if you had to deal with sweaty equipment that’s just nasty!

They have Wreck It Ralph now so that will be something new to try out.

Yachtsman looks amazing! You’re right about the garlic but you’ve been married long enough that garlic breath won’t affect you guys too much!

Productive morning at MK! We really neglected MK this past trip as the crowds were so bad.

 

[SweetSerenity]

I've heard from several people that the Void was amazing. 40 per person may be a little steep, but some of the other extras are as well. Depends on what you like and what's worth it to you.

I agree wholeheartedly about Yachtsman's. It was definitely not the most expensive meal we had, and we ate very well there.

I thought the whole park was open for EMH, too.

 

[rteetz]

I really enjoyed the Void and want to try the new Wreck it Ralph version. When I did it, it was a flat $30 I believe so I didn't have a problem paying that.

I need to try Yachtsman one of these days.

Yeah I made that rookie mistake ones too. I tend to go for Tomorrowland now.

 

[skier_pete]

Glad you enjoyed the void even if you had to deal with sweaty equipment that’s just nasty!

They have Wreck It Ralph now so that will be something new to try out.

Yachtsman looks amazing! You’re right about the garlic but you’ve been married long enough that garlic breath won’t affect you guys too much!

Productive morning at MK! We really neglected MK this past trip as the crowds were so bad.

I would definitely go back and try the VOID again with a different experience. The technology is neat but was far from perfect. At one point my arm had disconnected from my body in my field of vision and was flailing away next to me. I am not sure I would do wreck-it-ralph, but a Pirates one would be lots of fun.

Yeah - the garlic breath isn't so bad when you are going back to a room with a couple of teenagers in it anyways.

It was a good morning at MK - even with our rookie mistake.

I've heard from several people that the Void was amazing. 40 per person may be a little steep, but some of the other extras are as well. Depends on what you like and what's worth it to you.

I agree wholeheartedly about Yachtsman's. It was definitely not the most expensive meal we had, and we ate very well there.

I thought the whole park was open for EMH, too.

I think the main issue I had with the price was the length of the experience seemed SOO short. It seemed like it only lasted about 5 minutes, even though maybe it took 10 or 15. I would say if it was just a little longer (maybe 20-25 minutes) it would be easier to say it's worth it.

I think Yachtsman and Sanaa are our "most attended" Disney TS restaurants - we've been to each at least 4-5 times. Maybe Crystal Palace is up there too, but it's been a few years for that one.

I really enjoyed the Void and want to try the new Wreck it Ralph version. When I did it, it was a flat $30 I believe so I didn't have a problem paying that.

I need to try Yachtsman one of these days.

Yeah I made that rookie mistake ones too. I tend to go for Tomorrowland now.

I think I would've done it differently had I known it was just Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Probably still would've done 7DMT - but then might've tried to go over a do Buzz Lightyear or Space Mountain. I wonder how long the wait is at SM later in the EMH.

 

[franandaj]

OK, I was putting together this reply when you posted your most recent update, so I'll have to get back to that one.

Also, I have been fascinated by the Riviera resort, and what the views into Epcot are going to be.

Is that one going to have a DVC component?

I didn’t manage to get any pictures (which is weird I swear I took some.) Perhaps I was too busy drinking my margarita!

I love the way your daughter is photobombong your you in that picture.

We started our with Arrencetti (forgive me spelling) which are fried balls of rice and meat, and they are yummy.

Arancini....and yes they are yummy!

We ordered a large (1 meter) pizza with pepperoni and half mushrooms. One thing I like about Via Napoli, though the pizza is expensive, this one $35 pizza fed the all four of us, so overall it wasn’t too bad. Of course we also got a bottle of wine as well.

That is a pretty good deal to easily feed four at WDW, but it's also huge!

Well, if you are a regular Disney-goer - and most people probably reading this TR are - then you KNOW that Disney plans are not well set up to change.

Especially when those plans have been in place for literally months!

By the time we got off the boat to the Studios, my plans were all set! I had time to take a photo of the skyliner station. Should be interesting when these are running all over the area.

Good for you!

I always think how few people actually look up at this AT-AT. It’s a pretty impressive sight, but seems to be generally ignored.

I always look at it since we have nothing like that at DL.

Once the ride was over, we decided to stop by the Sci-Fi Dine In Drive In and see if we had any chance to get a table. They actually said they could take us right away! It was only about 10:30 AM, but we had only had breakfast in our room, so we decided to go for it.

That's pretty amazing to get in, then again I didn't realize they opened that early.

Next we did Muppets 3-D. DD never wants to see this because it’s 3D, but we used the BFF card to watch it.

We dont even have this attraction any more. I hope I can do it again before it leaves.

Many think it’s the same as the tea cups. (That’s what the girls said.) but it’s really not. This is a “whip” ride, where the front of the ride – the alien – is on a fixed figure 8 track, while the ride vehicle itself whips out behind it.

I've heard it's like the Mader ride in DCA.

 

[skier_pete]

Is that one going to have a DVC component?

Riviera is going to be entirely DVC. It's really the big motivation for the skyway. Can't sell a Deluxe resort there without direct park access, but with the Skyway you have probably < 5 minutes to the IG, and maybe 10 minutes to DHS.

I love the way your daughter is photobombong your you in that picture.

Yeah, I saw that too. She wasn't happy that I was enjoying myself. Teenagers prefer that you suffer.

Arancini....and yes they are yummy!

My bad (spelling).

That's pretty amazing to get in, then again I didn't realize they opened that early.

I didn't either. We were just walking up to see if we could get a table later. It was a tad early to eat, but I knew DDs BFF would like it.

We dont even have this attraction any more. I hope I can do it again before it leaves.

Too true! There's no real word of it shutting down - and I hope it doesn't - but it just feels like they are on borrrowed time when there's no merchandise for sale. Maybe the new streaming service show will prove successful.

I've heard it's like the Mader ride in DCA.

Yeah, very much compariable from a ride perspective. I think I like Mater better because of the goofy little songs he sings along. And it's outside instead of being covered - but in FL has to be covered for obvious reasons. (Same reason your teacups are better.)

 

[skier_pete]

Day 8 continued
We had a fairly early reservation (11:20 AM?) for Be Our Guest, but first a quick Tangled shot!




We didn’t wait long of course. It was lunch so this was quick service.











There’s never room in the west wing.





A bunch of us had the Croque Monsieur ham and cheese sandwich.


And the grey stuff cupcake!


Or the chocolate one


DW ordered the Braised Pork (Coq Au Vin Style)


DW preferred the Éclair


Lunch was a real hit with everyone!




We did one last thing before heading back to the resort…


And then we got our halloweeny picture on the way out.




Continued in next post...

 

[skier_pete]

Back at the hotel we took a bit of a break for a while. DD didn’t feel like swimming, so I went down to the pool with BFF. It felt good to cool off in the pool. We headed to Hollywood studios for our second time.




We really were just going for Star Tours, but as we were walking by the stage, the Indiana Jones show was going on, so we walked in partway through the middle sequence. This allowed us to see the second half of the show that we missed the day before – meaning we saw probably 90% of the total show. We then rode Star Tours (no pictures) but got a completely different ride from yesterday as well.
We then headed over to use our FP for Slinky Dog Dash…









The ride is an absolute blast. Not the most thrilling coaster you’ll ever ride, but a little more than the say 7 Dwarves Mine Train. It’s really a great family coaster – especially if you aren’t a big coaster fan.
Once we were done running this, the only other thing we had to do was to go and see Fantasmic! However, DD’s BFF had decided that she wanted to ride ToT. A little background, on her last visit, her family wanted her to ride it, but she refused. They were teasing her over her phone this whole trip that she should do it – so I am not sure if she was feeling the pressure from her family, or the fact that we WEREN’T pressuring her to have to ride it made her want to give it a try, but I love the ride and neither DD or DW will ride it with me, so I was super happy to ride with her as I usually have to ride by myself.






And of course, while we were waiting in line, something must have gone wrong. The sign indicated a 30 minute wait when we got in line, but we were waiting for about 15 minutes, and had gotten pretty close to the entrance, when suddenly the ride moved to a grinding halt – and the FP line started to back up as well. I think what happened is that one half of the ride ended up shutting down. The remaining one must’ve been moving really slow, and we ended up waiting in line close to an hour – but we FINALLY got onto the ride.




Once we got off, we only had like 10 minutes until Fantasmic started! The good news is that DW and DD had saved us seats and we were able to come in a watch the show with pretty decent seats.





When done, we headed back to the resort, but BFF and I wanted to get some ice cream from Ample Hills.



I can’t remember the flavors we got, but I got two flavors mixed and BFF got one. Honestly the one that we both had was NOT good –it had clearly been refrozen and was very icy. My second flavor was fine. That was it for the day.

Total # of rides/attractions: 10? I lost track - 7DMT, Carousel, LM, WtP, BTM, SM, PotC, HM, MPhil, IJ, ST, SDD, ToT, Fantasmic. - Fourteen! Wow!
Step totals: 22,160 steps (8.8 miles). https://flic.kr/p/2cVvdv5https://flic.kr/p/2cVvdv5https://flic.kr/p/2cVvdv5

 

[khertz]

I really enjoyed the lunch we had at BOG a couple years ago. It's a great experience for a QS. And that Master's Cupcake with the gray stuff is SO good!!

That's great BFF was willing to try TOT so you didn't have to ride alone! She looks in the pics like she enjoyed it??

Perfect that DD & DW could save you a spot at Fantasmic.

 

[skier_pete]

I just added a poll...this TR only has two more days to cover and it's all written in WORD ready to go. I've started to write the TR for our October F&W trip - which is a much shorter trip and contains about 80% pictures of food - what do you think y'all. Should I just continue this as part of the same TR thread - or should I bother to start a separate and new TR. Even if you don't normally post in TRs, let me know your opinion!!! (Poll at the top of the post.)

 

[skier_pete]

I really enjoyed the lunch we had at BOG a couple years ago. It's a great experience for a QS. And that Master's Cupcake with the gray stuff is SO good!!

That's great BFF was willing to try TOT so you didn't have to ride alone! She looks in the pics like she enjoyed it??

Perfect that DD & DW could save you a spot at Fantasmic.

She definitely enjoyed TOT, I think she would've gotten on and done it again if we didn't have to get to Fantasmic.

And can you believe, we haven't seen fantasmic in probably about 8 years??? Our DD saw it when she was little, declared it too scary, and wouldn't ever go back. It's really only listening to the music in DPark Radio and hearing it so much that got her to want to see it again. Fantasmic is not my favorite nighttime show, but I really do love the main theme and the finale from the Dragon on. (The rest of the show drags a little and it also doesn't help once you see it at Disneyland.)

 

[Dis_Yoda]

It makes me happy to know I'm not the only other person that pre-writes updates in another program. I do mine on Google Docs! It lets me skip around if I want to as well. I know for mine - I currently have my next two updates completely done as well along with one of our dinners and our going home update. There are a lot more to work on but I'm getting there!

 

[skier_pete]

It makes me happy to know I'm not the only other person that pre-writes updates in another program. I do mine on Google Docs! It lets me skip around if I want to as well. I know for mine - I currently have my next two updates completely done as well along with one of our dinners and our going home update. There are a lot more to work on but I'm getting there!

Yeah - I just can't necessarily get a block of time to do them. I admit I used to do them during my lunch break at work, but I've gotten too busy lately - I type them at home. I am on the second day of our October trip, putting me currently about 4 days ahead.