Disney Vacation (7 Viewers)

[Bruce Dickinson]

Two device/tech things I've noticed that make me feel like an unfrozen caveman lawyer:

1). Several folks in the parks are carrying a contraption that looks like the grip and shaft of an 8-iron, but they attach their camera where the club head would go. Is this a widespread thing? Is it for wider range on selfies?

2) at the cafeteria in our hotel, the soda cups, even the paper ones. all came with bar codes on the bottom. The soda machines won't dispense product into a cup that doesn't have one of these bar codes. And once an authorized cup starts being used, a timer is attached to it, limiting how long an how often it could be used. Is this a thing?

 

[glvsav37]

Two device/tech things I've noticed that make me feel like an unfrozen caveman lawyer:

1). Several folks in the parks are carrying a contraption that looks like the grip and shaft of an 8-iron, but they attach their camera where the club head would go. Is this a widespread thing? Is it for wider range on selfies?

2) at the cafeteria in our hotel, the soda cups, even the paper ones. all came with bar codes on the bottom. The soda machines won't dispense product into a cup that doesn't have one of these bar codes. And once an authorized cup starts being used, a timer is attached to it, limiting how long an how often it could be used. Is this a thing?

1) yep, its for GoPro cameras and such. lets you hold the camera out to do selfie videos. Works well for filming yourself 'on' rides

2) that was integrated to beat the people bringing old refillable mugs back trip over trip. Its a big (in disney fan terms) to do now within the guest community. Its a PIA but people abused the refill stations....I've seen reports of families using things like their in-room ice bucket and other large containers. THe other side of the argument is that the soda syrup is basically free to minimal to Disney (read reports that its part of their advertising agreement with coke) so whats the big deal.

At least in the refill mugs, it does not limit how many, just wants you to wait a few mins between fills (so you are not filling and dumping into a larger container), and shuts the cup "off" after your stay.

Makes no matter to us b/c we get the mugs are part of the dining plan. I have too damn many of them as it is.

It burns some folks from years ago b/c in the beginning of the refill mug program, the mugs were bought were 'refills for life'

 

[Disco Stu]

Man, people really love soda.

 

[Deranged Hermit]

Two device/tech things I've noticed that make me feel like an unfrozen caveman lawyer:

1). Several folks in the parks are carrying a contraption that looks like the grip and shaft of an 8-iron, but they attach their camera where the club head would go. Is this a widespread thing? Is it for wider range on selfies?

2) at the cafeteria in our hotel, the soda cups, even the paper ones. all came with bar codes on the bottom. The soda machines won't dispense product into a cup that doesn't have one of these bar codes. And once an authorized cup starts being used, a timer is attached to it, limiting how long an how often it could be used. Is this a thing?

1) yep, its for GoPro cameras and such. lets you hold the camera out to do selfie videos. Works well for filming yourself 'on' rides2) that was integrated to beat the people bringing old refillable mugs back trip over trip. Its a big (in disney fan terms) to do now within the guest community. Its a PIA but people abused the refill stations....I've seen reports of families using things like their in-room ice bucket and other large containers. THe other side of the argument is that the soda syrup is basically free to minimal to Disney (read reports that its part of their advertising agreement with coke) so whats the big deal.

At least in the refill mugs, it does not limit how many, just wants you to wait a few mins between fills (so you are not filling and dumping into a larger container), and shuts the cup "off" after your stay.

Makes no matter to us b/c we get the mugs are part of the dining plan. I have too damn many of them as it is.

It burns some folks from years ago b/c in the beginning of the refill mug program, the mugs were bought were 'refills for life'

Oddly enough, I noticed this doesn't apply to the ice tea and coffee stations, just the soda fountain. My nephew got some coke and the syrup was low, so he dumped it. Wouldn't let him refill for five minutes. I got iced tea and thought it was unsweetened, but I guess I hit the wrong button. I dumped it and got regular tea no problem.

 

[Premier]

That's crazy they have to do that. Imagine all the soda abuse that led to that decision.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Awaiting Norway Christmas show.

Crowd for this is best described as "scooter-rific".

Five scooters, a wheelchair, and a stroller covering the prime viewing. And the woman in the wheelchair just stood up out of her chair for a better view. It's a Christmas miracle.

 

[Mr. Ected]

Two device/tech things I've noticed that make me feel like an unfrozen caveman lawyer:

1). Several folks in the parks are carrying a contraption that looks like the grip and shaft of an 8-iron, but they attach their camera where the club head would go. Is this a widespread thing? Is it for wider range on selfies?

2) at the cafeteria in our hotel, the soda cups, even the paper ones. all came with bar codes on the bottom. The soda machines won't dispense product into a cup that doesn't have one of these bar codes. And once an authorized cup starts being used, a timer is attached to it, limiting how long an how often it could be used. Is this a thing?

1) yep, its for GoPro cameras and such. lets you hold the camera out to do selfie videos. Works well for filming yourself 'on' rides2) that was integrated to beat the people bringing old refillable mugs back trip over trip. Its a big (in disney fan terms) to do now within the guest community. Its a PIA but people abused the refill stations....I've seen reports of families using things like their in-room ice bucket and other large containers. THe other side of the argument is that the soda syrup is basically free to minimal to Disney (read reports that its part of their advertising agreement with coke) so whats the big deal.

At least in the refill mugs, it does not limit how many, just wants you to wait a few mins between fills (so you are not filling and dumping into a larger container), and shuts the cup "off" after your stay.

Makes no matter to us b/c we get the mugs are part of the dining plan. I have too damn many of them as it is.

It burns some folks from years ago b/c in the beginning of the refill mug program, the mugs were bought were 'refills for life'

You'd think they would let you bring back a cup with a chip and recharge it for a bit less $$$. They'd get credit for being green, and people might be more likely to buy them.

We bought some at Kidani Village at AK, and didn't use them much. They do have a soda machine and coffee station in the lobby, but we brought a bunch of drinks from home.

 

[JackReacher]

At MVMCP right now. They are really cracking down on people trying to stay late for the party. They are checking wristbands everywhere so there have been no ride lines at all. We just walked on Haunted Mansion and Thunder Railroad. Amazing.

 

[The Ref]

So we bought passes for the Christmas party next Friday. Saw today it's sold out. Do they really cap it or did I just pay extra money to walk around with a 100,000 #######s?

They really do cap it. I bought tickets for last Friday night on the previous Tuesday and it was sold out on Wednesday afternoon when another family we know was looking into joining us.

And yeah - from 7-9 they are Brutal about getting non ticket holders out of there.

 

[glvsav37]

Two device/tech things I've noticed that make me feel like an unfrozen caveman lawyer:

1). Several folks in the parks are carrying a contraption that looks like the grip and shaft of an 8-iron, but they attach their camera where the club head would go. Is this a widespread thing? Is it for wider range on selfies?

2) at the cafeteria in our hotel, the soda cups, even the paper ones. all came with bar codes on the bottom. The soda machines won't dispense product into a cup that doesn't have one of these bar codes. And once an authorized cup starts being used, a timer is attached to it, limiting how long an how often it could be used. Is this a thing?

1) yep, its for GoPro cameras and such. lets you hold the camera out to do selfie videos. Works well for filming yourself 'on' rides2) that was integrated to beat the people bringing old refillable mugs back trip over trip. Its a big (in disney fan terms) to do now within the guest community. Its a PIA but people abused the refill stations....I've seen reports of families using things like their in-room ice bucket and other large containers. THe other side of the argument is that the soda syrup is basically free to minimal to Disney (read reports that its part of their advertising agreement with coke) so whats the big deal.

At least in the refill mugs, it does not limit how many, just wants you to wait a few mins between fills (so you are not filling and dumping into a larger container), and shuts the cup "off" after your stay.

Makes no matter to us b/c we get the mugs are part of the dining plan. I have too damn many of them as it is.

It burns some folks from years ago b/c in the beginning of the refill mug program, the mugs were bought were 'refills for life'

You'd think they would let you bring back a cup with a chip and recharge it for a bit less $$$. They'd get credit for being green, and people might be more likely to buy them.

We bought some at Kidani Village at AK, and didn't use them much. They do have a soda machine and coffee station in the lobby, but we brought a bunch of drinks from home.

THat would be a great idea, and maybe they will once the system is in full swing.

they are good if you stay around your resort a lot. B/c the free refills are only there. My wife grabs a cup of coffee to take to the park and i hate it b/c i'm stuck with a place to put it for the rest of the day. TG we still rock strollers so it goes in there, but the kids will be outta them soon.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Had dinner at Via Napoli.

First time eating there.

I'm ordering drone strikes on every Sbarro and Olive Garden in central Florida to prevent folks from making the mistake of eating at one of those places instead of Via Napoli.

We ordered a pizza, a chicken parm, and a pasta dish to share family-style. All three were outstanding. The pizza crust was phenomenal.

Afterwards, I finally figured out a useful purpose for Ellen's Energy Adventure. It's a perfect climate-controlled setting to work through a food coma. As other raced to the front and center seats, we slinked off to the last row on one side, three benches all to ourselves. When the lights went down, I stretched across a bench, put my feet up, and zoned out for 37 minutes.

 

[Premier]

perfect.

Via Napoli is my favorite food there. Prosciutto and cantaloupe pizza is amaze balls. Going there next Saturday night.

 

[Battles]

perfect.

Via Napoli is my favorite food there. Prosciutto and cantaloupe pizza is amaze balls. Going there next Saturday night.

I thought we decided on Friday lunch...

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

perfect.

Via Napoli is my favorite food there. Prosciutto and cantaloupe pizza is amaze balls. Going there next Saturday night.

We had great service there, especially for a place that size. We had at least five different cast members check in on our table between order taking, food running, plate clearing, and courtesy checks. Our waiter mentioned up front they had multiple ovens and kitchens going, and gave us the option to have our whole order brought out at the same time, or just run out whatever is ready whenever. We opted for the latter, and I appreciated the option.

I'm a rube but I try. I have to point at menus but like to try to speak the names of the dishes correctly. After my valiant effort ordering the entree, our waiter told me, "I'll bring out the dessert menu in a bit. There's one on there that's very difficult to pronounce." (In text-only that might come off as dooshy, but it was delivered with charm.)

 

[Premier]

perfect.

Via Napoli is my favorite food there. Prosciutto and cantaloupe pizza is amaze balls. Going there next Saturday night.

I thought we decided on Friday lunch...

 

[Premier]

Has anybody done Keys to the Kingdom yet? I am going to get that for my insane, Disney-addicted wife for Christmas.

 

[Premier]

perfect.

Via Napoli is my favorite food there. Prosciutto and cantaloupe pizza is amaze balls. Going there next Saturday night.

We had great service there, especially for a place that size. We had at least five different cast members check in on our table between order taking, food running, plate clearing, and courtesy checks. Our waiter mentioned up front they had multiple ovens and kitchens going, and gave us the option to have our whole order brought out at the same time, or just run out whatever is ready whenever. We opted for the latter, and I appreciated the option.I'm a rube but I try. I have to point at menus but like to try to speak the names of the dishes correctly. After my valiant effort ordering the entree, our waiter told me, "I'll bring out the dessert menu in a bit. There's one on there that's very difficult to pronounce." (In text-only that might come off as dooshy, but it was delivered with charm.)

They import all of them over, many from Sicily and throw them together in what essentially becomes a ####-factory a few blocks off campus. I asked my last waiter how his tour was and he gave me this huge ####-eating grin and said something along the lines of "memories for two lifetimes". I told my wife he probably had an Italian woman orgy right before he clocked in for work.

####in' *******. Almost didn't tip him.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Magic Kingdom open until 3:00 am. We're gonna try to close it. Curious what ride lines are like at 2:30 in the morning.

Lunched at Sana'a. First time. Won't be the last. If you go, you must get the bread service. And pay the extra 2.50 to get all nine dipping sauces with the naans.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Space Mountain is shut down during our FP+ window. To fill the time, we hit the People Mover.

On the positive side, the view of Space Mountain from the People Mover was with the house lights up. Got to see the tracks and everything. Snapped a few photos. Another cool moment for a superfan.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Shut it down!

Made it closing time at MK. Waiting on bus now.

Park was pretty much empty from 1-3. And from 2-3 you walked right on a ride with the vehicle waiting for you at the station. Even Space Mountain.

Sleeping in tomorrow. Maybe some shopping at Downtown Disney.

Dinner tomorrow night is at...

Wait for it...

OHANA, #####ES!!!

 

[harryhood]

That's great Bruce. I'm in the guys with young kids crowd and couldn't believe the people waiting for the boat TO MK at Wilderness Lodge when we came back around 10:30, and were carrying 3 kids who were just wiped out. Got here yesterday and enjoyed a little time in Magic Kingdom since we had a 5th ticket at a park we wouldn't have been able to use otherwise.

Knocked out a couple things on the to do list before going back Monday for a full day there.

Tell me about frontierland and adventureland for girls between ages 4 and 7. There seemed to be a lot but it was dark and we were on our way out.

 

[AAABatteries]

That's great Bruce. I'm in the guys with young kids crowd and couldn't believe the people waiting for the boat TO MK at Wilderness Lodge when we came back around 10:30, and were carrying 3 kids who were just wiped out. Got here yesterday and enjoyed a little time in Magic Kingdom since we had a 5th ticket at a park we wouldn't have been able to use otherwise.

Knocked out a couple things on the to do list before going back Monday for a full day there.

Tell me about frontierland and adventureland for girls between ages 4 and 7. There seemed to be a lot but it was dark and we were on our way out.

Honestly there isn't a ton but here's what you do have:

Adventureland

- Aladdin carpet ride - same ride as Dumbo just themed differently

- Pirates if the Caribbean - dark boat ride

- Tink's nook where you can meet Tinker Bell - they will love this

- jungle cruise

- Tiki Room - animatronic singing birds

Frontierland

- Splash Mountain - wet ride

- Thunder Mtn Railroad - I think you have to be 40" so the 4-year old may not be able to ride. Mid-level coaster that's lots of fun.

- Country Bear Jamboree - animatronic singing bears

- Tom Sawyer Island - can be fun to explore - there's a fort and some "caves"

There's some can't miss rides but if you are trying to decide whether to tour those lands you could probably skip them. My recommendation if you are short on time? Absolutely meet Tinker Bell - I haven't met any 4-7 year old girls who don't love Tink. Hit Jungle Cruise and Pirates then head over and ride Splash and Big Thunder.

 

[glvsav37]

Awesome....I've done 1am with kids.....got a fantastic picture on Main St with both knoked out in their strollers....We can be considered Disney Comandos

But Yea, dis really late at night is an awesome experience. I love the MK at night anyway....takes on a whole new vibe

Harry....Frontierland and AV-land are pretty general for both boys and girls. It really depends on what they like.

AV-land:

Characters: Aladdin and Jasmine (over by the shop behind the carpet ride)

Attractions:

• Magic Carpet ride: a dumbo-type round and round

• Jungle Cruise: fun, light hearted, often corny-funny trip through a bunch of rivers. Not scary at all, just do it in the day

• Pirates: Classic ride, take a boat through a plundered town. Can be a little scary b/c its dark and fire scenes.

• Tiki room: Enjoy, simple show with birds that sink....love the Totem poles!!

• Robinson Tree house: Have not done this one in years, but walk up and through a remake of the Swiss Fam Robinson treehouse.

Snacks: Hit Sunshine tree terrace for some great citrus swirls. Or Aloha Isle (closer to the bridge from main street) for the holy Dole whip

Frontierland

Characters: Woody and Jessie meet back by the exit to Splash mountain.

Also, look for character mobs mid day outside at pecos bills. A bunch of characters from Song of the south (Splash mtn) and cast members do a flash mob type thing where they dance with guests and kids for a few minutes.

Attractions: 2 of the big ones are here, Splash mtn and Big thunder. If the girls like a little thrill both are fine. Splash is pretty simple except for 1 big drop. Big thunder is a mid level roller coaster...both my 8 and 4 year old love it.

• Country Bears: get off your feet for a bit and watch the show. kids love the bears and silly songs.

MOST OVERLOOKED: Tom Sawyer island: Its a bit of a time sucker, butr a great place for the kids to blow off some energy. Take the small keel boats over to the island. Lots of trails and forts and caves to explore. No real attractions or food, just an explore as you go type place that is usually pretty empty

Food: Pecos Bills is one of the more popular Quick Sev locations. (I use to work there..woot, woot). Burgers and such

Lots of other snacks....the huge turkey legs are there. Candy shop is really cool (next to the walkway b/t FL and AvL). Get loose jelly beans there...great to have to snack on through the day.

If its open, the Diamond Sorseshoe is a really good QS location, but its hit or miss when it will be open

Depending on the time and parade, FL is also a great place to watch the mid day parade, if it is coming from FL then you can catch it and its over quick. Plus, btw there and liberty square, there is a lot of open room and things like benches and knee walls to sit on. Plus, good traffic flow bc there are walkways along the lake.

enjoy

Enjoy!!!

 

[glvsav37]

That's great Bruce. I'm in the guys with young kids crowd and couldn't believe the people waiting for the boat TO MK at Wilderness Lodge when we came back around 10:30, and were carrying 3 kids who were just wiped out. Got here yesterday and enjoyed a little time in Magic Kingdom since we had a 5th ticket at a park we wouldn't have been able to use otherwise.

Knocked out a couple things on the to do list before going back Monday for a full day there.

Tell me about frontierland and adventureland for girls between ages 4 and 7. There seemed to be a lot but it was dark and we were on our way out.

Honestly there isn't a ton but here's what you do have:

Adventureland

- Aladdin carpet ride - same ride as Dumbo just themed differently

- Pirates if the Caribbean - dark boat ride

- Tink's nook where you can meet Tinker Bell - they will love this

- jungle cruise

- Tiki Room - animatronic singing birds

Frontierland

- Splash Mountain - wet ride

- Thunder Mtn Railroad - I think you have to be 40" so the 4-year old may not be able to ride. Mid-level coaster that's lots of fun.

- Country Bear Jamboree - animatronic singing bears

- Tom Sawyer Island - can be fun to explore - there's a fort and some "caves"

There's some can't miss rides but if you are trying to decide whether to tour those lands you could probably skip them. My recommendation if you are short on time? Absolutely meet Tinker Bell - I haven't met any 4-7 year old girls who don't love Tink. Hit Jungle Cruise and Pirates then head over and ride Splash and Big Thunder.

I don't think tink is there anymore...they moved her to Main Street with mickey now that the princess have their own place.

 

[tommyGunZ]

Bruce, I'm 6-5 and this dude was a head taller than me, so I put him at ~ 7 ft, figured you would recognize him. Is it Greg? https://www.flickr.com/photos/28296993@N07/15833482758/

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Bruce, I'm 6-5 and this dude was a head taller than me, so I put him at ~ 7 ft, figured you would recognize him. Is it Greg? https://www.flickr.com/photos/28296993@N07/15833482758/

Sure looks like Greg Ostertag. He's a legit 7 feet and grew up in DFW, so the Cowboys hat makes sense. And yesterday was a Jayhawks game day so breaking out the KU shirt would make sense, too.

The only thing that isn't a fit is the forearm tattoos, but maybe he got them in the last couple years. He's had ink done before - when he played he had a tat of Fred Flintstone spinning a basketball in his finger.

But seriously, how many 7-foot white guys would match Greg Ostertag's description expect for the tatted forearm? It's gotta be him.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

And GunZ - I'm loving the resorts and dining options that come with them here in Orlando, but no hotel is as convenient to two parks as that Park Vue Inn in Anaheim (or the Grand Californian or original Disneyland Hotel) Add in all the extra kids' rides in Fantasyland, and I standby my earlier recommendations of Anaheim if you have muliple kids 5 years or younger.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

DDP enthusiasts: if you make it to Downtown Disney (the soon to be rebranded Disney Springs), the Wolfgang Puck Express Restaurant counts as a QSR on the dining plan. This is NOT the big, formal Wolfgang Puck place down by House of Blues. It's a small shop on the Marketplace side. Fantastic pizzas, good salads, and the soups looked good, too. Heck, the half rotisserie chicken is probably spectacular if it's the same chicken used in the barbecued chicken salad.

We're on the Tables In Wonderland plan this time around, and the Express place offered 10% off for TIW members.

Great food, not a ton of time in and out. Plenty to tide us over until Ohana.

 

[Mr. Ected]

DDP enthusiasts: if you make it to Downtown Disney (the soon to be rebranded Disney Springs), the Wolfgang Puck Express Restaurant counts as a QSR on the dining plan. This is NOT the big, formal Wolfgang Puck place down by House of Blues. It's a small shop on the Marketplace side. Fantastic pizzas, good salads, and the soups looked good, too. Heck, the half rotisserie chicken is probably spectacular if it's the same chicken used in the barbecued chicken salad.

We're on the Tables In Wonderland plan this time around, and the Express place offered 10% off for TIW members.

Great food, not a ton of time in and out. Plenty to tide us over until Ohana.

Ate there for lunch Friday. Wonderful. One of my sons had the ravioli with a basi and tomato cream sauce. WOW!

There are also some tables in the front near the kitchen. Kind of cool, eat with the chef-like, for an QS restaurant.

 

[AAABatteries]

I'm picturing your lips wrapped around a potsticker right now.

NTTAWWT.

 

[AAABatteries]

DDP enthusiasts: if you make it to Downtown Disney (the soon to be rebranded Disney Springs), the Wolfgang Puck Express Restaurant counts as a QSR on the dining plan. This is NOT the big, formal Wolfgang Puck place down by House of Blues. It's a small shop on the Marketplace side. Fantastic pizzas, good salads, and the soups looked good, too. Heck, the half rotisserie chicken is probably spectacular if it's the same chicken used in the barbecued chicken salad.

We're on the Tables In Wonderland plan this time around, and the Express place offered 10% off for TIW members.

Great food, not a ton of time in and out. Plenty to tide us over until Ohana.

Ate there for lunch Friday. Wonderful. One of my sons had the ravioli with a basi and tomato cream sauce. WOW!There are also some tables in the front near the kitchen. Kind of cool, eat with the chef-like, for an QS restaurant.

Their breakfast pizza and Belgian waffles are awesome. We try to do a breakfast there at least once a trip.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

DDP enthusiasts: if you make it to Downtown Disney (the soon to be rebranded Disney Springs), the Wolfgang Puck Express Restaurant counts as a QSR on the dining plan. This is NOT the big, formal Wolfgang Puck place down by House of Blues. It's a small shop on the Marketplace side. Fantastic pizzas, good salads, and the soups looked good, too. Heck, the half rotisserie chicken is probably spectacular if it's the same chicken used in the barbecued chicken salad.

We're on the Tables In Wonderland plan this time around, and the Express place offered 10% off for TIW members.

Great food, not a ton of time in and out. Plenty to tide us over until Ohana.

Ate there for lunch Friday. Wonderful. One of my sons had the ravioli with a basi and tomato cream sauce. WOW!There are also some tables in the front near the kitchen. Kind of cool, eat with the chef-like, for an QS restaurant.

Their breakfast pizza and Belgian waffles are awesome. We try to do a breakfast there at least once a trip.

Good info here, guys. Thanks!I was surprised my daughter didn't order the ravioli. She told me later she was saving room for Ohana. That's my girl.

The breakfast menu looked delicious. I loves me some Belgian waffles. Glad to hear it delivers.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

I'm picturing your lips wrapped around a potsticker right now.

NTTAWWT.

I let the girls split the potstickers. And bread. And noodles. And lettuce wraps. I was there to take down dead animals.

4 honey coriander wings

5 shrimp

4 sirloin

4 pork loin

4 more shrimp

Then took a short break to dance with my daughter.

5 more shrimp were waiting for me when I got back

2 more sirloin when my daughter wanted one more

When our waiter asked if we wanted any other meats, I half-jokingly said, "I could go for a sour more shrimp"

Waiter comes back and empties AN ENTIRE SKEWER OF SHRIMP on my plate.

I stare at it for a moment, declare "Challenge: ACCEPTED." 16 more shrimp went in my belly.

Final body count:

30 shrimp

6 sirloin

4 pork loin

4 wings

1 broccoli floret (used to sop up dipping sauces when they started mixing on my plate)

That left me too full to partake in bread pudding. I just had a couple bites of a brownie for dessert.

Our next dining reservation is at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon. Mama Melrose's at DHS. I hope I'm hungry again by then.

And yes, I am typing this out while on the ####ter. This may take a while.

 

[AAABatteries]

Impressive. I'm not able to pass on the potstickers, I love them. The shrimp are fantastic though. Good luck with the ####.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Impressive. I'm not able to pass on the potstickers, I love them. The shrimp are fantastic though. Good luck with the ####.

Everything came out all right in the end.

During that bonus round of shrimp, my wife's demeanor was akin to Marge Simpson's the night Homer ate the entire Frying Dutchman buffet. I didn't help matters by mentioning that she has let me see her naked on many occasions.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Gonna try to do DHS from open to close today. First order of business is getting the kid signed up for Jedi Training.

FPs for the day are Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, and Tower Of Terror.

 

[glvsav37]

I'm picturing your lips wrapped around a potsticker right now.

NTTAWWT.

When our waiter asked if we wanted any other meats, I half-jokingly said, "I could go for a sour more shrimp"

Waiter comes back and empties AN ENTIRE SKEWER OF SHRIMP on my plate.

I stare at it for a moment, declare "Challenge: ACCEPTED." 16 more shrimp went in my belly.

Final body count:

30 shrimp

6 sirloin

4 pork loin

4 wings

1 broccoli floret (used to sop up dipping sauces when they started mixing on my plate)

That left me too full to partake in bread pudding. I just had a couple bites of a brownie for dessert.

lol...similar happened to me. No one else in the family eats seafood, so when shrimp man came by, my wife jokingly pointed at my plate and said "he'll have mine"

When I returned from taking photos of the coconut race, I found Mount Shrimpmore on my plate.

Shame about the Bread pudding...they need to include that as a side dish during dinner os you make sure you get some of that in there

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

I could sense Yankee23Fan's disappointment in me when I passed on the bread pudding.

Appetite is still zero. Slept fine. Got daughter's Jedi training in a few. Weather is warming up. Should have time to do a drawing class or two - I suck at it but enjoy the heck out of trying to draw Disney characters. The girls love it and are good at it.

 

[JackReacher]

Just got back from a mini-vacay at WDW. Wanted to bang out a semi-long post. J

Drove up from Miami Beach and stayed at WorldQuest, which I highly recommend if you have to stay off property. We love staying at Fort Wilderness but it is cost prohibitive during the holidays so we always stay at WorldQuest in December. The fees can be high there but my wife scored a Black Friday deal; two bedroom suite for $109 a night out the door. WQ is clean, spacious and close to both MK and Epcot. Less than 10 minute drive.

On Friday night, we did the MVMCP. I posted upthread that it was great. MK staff cracked down like I have never seen before and asked to see everyones wristbands. You were not getting on a ride after 7p if you did not have a wristband. Ride lines were short for most of the night and we really enjoyed it. They didnt have the snow on Main Street. Not sure if they ended that practice.

On Saturday, we did Epcot in the morning. We had magic band issues the night before and the staff gave us a Soarin FP from 1p-close so that was a nice treat. We lunched at Via Napoli and I echo BD and Premiers thoughts on the place. Good pizza, good value. The lasagna portion was a bit small but Id give VN a high grade.

On Saturday night, we ate in Cinderellas castle. My 3 year old loved every second of it. She got pictures with Cinderella, Jasmine, Aurora and one other princess. Food was good too. Highly recommend. We reserved at least 6 months in advance.

We were stuffed, but then hit the rides, saw the fireworks, electric light parade and passed out. Saturday night was extremely packed when we got there, but the crowd really thinned out after the fireworks.

Great trip!

One last quickie: my daughter got really spooked by the fireworks (which were spectacular). I took her into the Beauty and Beast shop to hide. One of the girls in the shop came up and asked if she wanted to have a tea party with her. She loved it! The staff gave her special treatment like that all weekend and we really appreciated it.

Edit to add: we did Ohana for breakfast on Sunday morning. Lots of food with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo & Stitch. Went home nice and full!

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Love the stories.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

One last quickie: my daughter got really spooked by the fireworks (which were spectacular). I took her into the Beauty and Beast shop to hide. One of the girls in the shop came up and asked if she wanted to have a tea party with her. She loved it! The staff gave her special treatment like that all weekend and we really appreciated it.

Edit to add: we did Ohana for breakfast on Sunday morning. Lots of food with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo & Stitch. Went home nice and full!

We had to do something similar when my oldest was young. He didn't do well with loud noises for a long time and he lost it at Illuminations. When we would stay after the show for EMH at EPCOT we would take him to the Under the Seas complex. The Nemo ride was in the process of being built so there was no ride but the acquarium complex is basically sound proof because of the tanks. We told the cast members why we were hiding there and they played with him while the show was going on.

We also had another time when Fantasia Mickey was in Studios for pictures and there was no one there at all so Mickey played with him for like 10 minutes. That kind of stuff happens there all the time and just adds to the "magic" of the whole place. They really do a great job making you forget the real world for a small time.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Crowds are getting big.

Lines are getting long.

We got some bad news while souvenir shopping. Our Ohana waiter gave us back an empty gift card that he thought had $32 left on it. (we checked the numbers; he gave us the wrong one.) This did not go over well when we tried to buy a souvenir with a gift card that had no money on it. And if you've ever tried to contact a Disney resort restaurant directly from off that resort's grounds... Well, it's pretty much impossible. We were told we would have to revisit the restaurant in person to resolve the matter.

Then...Mama Melrose's has usually been pretty reliable for us, but let us down today. Had to call the manager out. Got a FastPass and my wife's meal taken off the bill, but that experience on top of our Ohana switcheroo threw off our mojo the rest of the day.

Tomorrow is another day. And in our case, it's AK in the morning, and MVMCP at night. (I'm married to someone who really, really likes the MVMCP)

 

[The Ref]

30 shrimp! I'm impressed!

 

[AAABatteries]

Should have time to do a drawing class or two - I suck at it but enjoy the heck out of trying to draw Disney characters. The girls love it and are good at it.

One of my favorite things to do at DHS. I thought that my Jiminy Cricket was so good I wanted to show the instructor.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

30 shrimp! I'm impressed!

Challenge accepted

P.s. If I'm staying at a Disney hotel with no car would there likely be somewhere in the hotel or close by I could purchase some beer and wine for the evening?

 

[Premier]

Love the shrimp story Bruce. Keep em coming.

 

[Mr. Ected]

Just got back from a mini-vacay at WDW. Wanted to bang out a semi-long post. J

Drove up from Miami Beach and stayed at WorldQuest, which I highly recommend if you have to stay off property. We love staying at Fort Wilderness but it is cost prohibitive during the holidays so we always stay at WorldQuest in December. The fees can be high there but my wife scored a Black Friday deal; two bedroom suite for $109 a night out the door. WQ is clean, spacious and close to both MK and Epcot. Less than 10 minute drive.

On Friday night, we did the MVMCP. I posted upthread that it was great. MK staff cracked down like I have never seen before and asked to see everyones wristbands. You were not getting on a ride after 7p if you did not have a wristband. Ride lines were short for most of the night and we really enjoyed it. They didnt have the snow on Main Street. Not sure if they ended that practice.

On Saturday, we did Epcot in the morning. We had magic band issues the night before and the staff gave us a Soarin FP from 1p-close so that was a nice treat. We lunched at Via Napoli and I echo BD and Premiers thoughts on the place. Good pizza, good value. The lasagna portion was a bit small but Id give VN a high grade.

On Saturday night, we ate in Cinderellas castle. My 3 year old loved every second of it. She got pictures with Cinderella, Jasmine, Aurora and one other princess. Food was good too. Highly recommend. We reserved at least 6 months in advance.

We were stuffed, but then hit the rides, saw the fireworks, electric light parade and passed out. Saturday night was extremely packed when we got there, but the crowd really thinned out after the fireworks.

Great trip!

One last quickie: my daughter got really spooked by the fireworks (which were spectacular). I took her into the Beauty and Beast shop to hide. One of the girls in the shop came up and asked if she wanted to have a tea party with her. She loved it! The staff gave her special treatment like that all weekend and we really appreciated it.

Edit to add: we did Ohana for breakfast on Sunday morning. Lots of food with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo & Stitch. Went home nice and full!

We saw flurries there Friday night, both at the DHS lights and at MVMCP. They were light, but they were there.

 

[Premier]

Impressive. I'm not able to pass on the potstickers, I love them. The shrimp are fantastic though. Good luck with the ####.

Everything came out all right in the end.During that bonus round of shrimp, my wife's demeanor was akin to Marge Simpson's the night Homer ate the entire Frying Dutchman buffet. I didn't help matters by mentioning that she has let me see her naked on many occasions.

He's no man, he's a remorseless eating machine. Arrrr

 

[Yankee23Fan]

30 shrimp! I'm impressed!

Challenge acceptedP.s. If I'm staying at a Disney hotel with no car would there likely be somewhere in the hotel or close by I could purchase some beer and wine for the evening?

Every hotel I've been at had a small liquor cabinet to buy from or more. Yiu should be fine.

 

[The Ref]

30 shrimp! I'm impressed!

Challenge acceptedP.s. If I'm staying at a Disney hotel with no car would there likely be somewhere in the hotel or close by I could purchase some beer and wine for the evening?

Each hotel has a store with both, they even have bottles of booze. Like everything else bring your American Express card