Canadian Buffoon's Semi-EPIC Vacation - 10/29 - Link to new TR!

[pkondz]

Still more quoting to do, but I'm going to say you're heading to AK (where critters are NOT used to hands up their butts)

Could be.
You have a one in three
chance of being right!

BTW...upper management typically has another appendage up their butts.

Quite possibly. Who nose?

 

[pkondz]

OK, I'd definitely take that one!

I thought you might.

Thank you for these times. I've copied them down and hopefully we can catch a performance in October.

You're welcome!
Hope it works out for you.

Well, I didn't want to look too piggy there.

This is one thing that the values do so much better than the moderates or deluxes. I dislike the multiple bus stops and the disorganization/lack of lines at the stops. At the values, you at least have an idea if you will make it on the next bus or not since you can see how many people are in front of you.

Okay!
And here I thought it was
just me that felt like that.

I almost changed my plans on this day so I could come and see the parade and ceremony for the 30th but in the end I kept my original plans. I'm very glad I did because I heard it was awful.

That's what I've been told.

Jim and I got second in line once but we were there an hour before opening.

I've been first in line.
(Not first there,
but first at my tapstile)

Nope, that was for the 30th anniversary "parade". I put parade in quotes because it was pretty lame from everything I read.

Same here.

Laughing not only at you but at the couple next to you. She looks bored out of her mind and he looks terrified.

I almost wrote
about them, too.

The lady in front of you looks like she is smelling Cinderella's gloves!

I used stupid hot in my TR for this day.

@Steppesister said that last
May was the hottest in 100 years.

OK, story time. On one of my solo trips, I met a very nice couple from Canada on the bus to HS. They asked all about Georgia and even called me a Georgia Peach which made me giggle.

But you are!

We went our separate ways once we got to the park but I ended up running into them three or four times that day, including sitting in the car next to them at Sci Fi. I also spotted them later that week at AK but decided not to look like a crazy stalker so I didn't say hi.

That's a little bit
odd, for sure!

Then again, how many times
did we bump into each other?

I was worried that you would hate it and it would be all my fault since I talk them up all the time. Glad you liked it.

I did think of you
when I got it!
Not to worry... I love
ice cream sandwiches.

Whoops, forgot to quote the "Did you see it". I did. Marvin doesn't seem to approve of the Babybel seats like you did.

 

[pkondz]

Kid these days have got it easy! In certain regards anyway. My niece has not had a moment without a cell phone since she got her first one.

I am familiar with the type.

I got my first one for Christmas in 2004 so I could take my sister to dance on public transit

I didn't know you danced
with your sister on the bus.

I lost it so I lost the responsibility and my mom found another mother to drive my sister.

I saved up and got another one in 2007 and I lost it four days...FOUR days later snowmobiling with my pockets not zipped up.

OMG. Stop!
You're killing me!

I saved again to get one in 2008 and have taken a lot better care since then.

Where is it now?

 

[pkondz]

You two will have quite the story to tell your grandfishies some day!

A story of love
and lobster.

That camera has not been your friend this trip...

Ah well...

Peter Pan?

Yes!

Your brother met you on the Mine Train?

That's awesome!

That's the girl we watched and have pictures of! She is excellent! And I told you they actually blow the glass

Yes you did!
That's the whole reason
I went in there!

I love that they added this and nobody knows where the heck the camera is! It makes for the best pictures...

Great shot!!

Ewwwww. We have a pool and keep finding dead animals…birds, mice, chipmunks…in there. I have become so accustomed to just scooping them out and flinging them in a bush I guess it's different with pets though, although I've flushed more than my share of goldfish

Yep. Always an adventure
when you open the skimmer.
I usually find either
mice or frogs.
And tons of crickets.

She sounds fun!

She was great!

Yum! I love the swirls!

But I'm supposed to try
the citrus cream swirl.

Lovely room

It was!

That was so nice of him!

Omg, can you imagine if you threw it out??

I would've felt horrible!

"Did you like the cheesecake?"
"What cheesecake???"

Annndddd that's why I won't stay at resorts with multiple bus stops anymore. I literally hate that, so annoying.

It was okay, once we figured
out where the first stop was.
And it was close by, too.

What?? I've never experienced this.

Really?
I have, several times.

Great shots! I love it in there too

And thanks!

Wait. I just got really confused (it doesn't take much)…Elle is not her real name?

No.
I can't use real names
for privacy reasons.

You can ask me why
if we meet in person.

I love all of this too! I cannot wait for the new TS Restaurant!

There's a TS restaurant going in there???

 

[buzzrelly]

No.
I can't use real names
for privacy reasons.

You can ask me why
if we meet in person.

Okay, but there's very little chance I'll call either of you anything BUT pkondz and Elle

There's a TS restaurant going in there???

Yes! It's going in TSL, not taking the place of Woody's LunchBox...





It looks amazing!

 

[Pluto0809]

Okay!
And here I thought it was
just me that felt like that.

Nope you aren't the only one. The bus stops at the moderates just drive me nuts with the disorganization. Even the ones that only have one bus stop are usually pretty chaotic with no lines. It's very easy to sneak on the bus in front of others who have been there before you if you know where to stand.

@Steppesister said that last
May was the hottest in 100 years.

You know, I thought it was hot but manageable this trip. And it was certainly not as bad as the August trip I did last year. I guess I came expecting the heat because it's been hot the previous times I've visited in May. And I wasn't surprised by the Love Bugs either because I've experienced them in the past. The one and only time I drove down to WDW was during Love Bug season. I'll leave it to your imagination as to what the front of my car looked like when I got back home. Took Jim a few hours of scrubbing to get it clean again.

Then again, how many times
did we bump into each other?

I think it was twice that was unplanned. Once in the bag check line at MK and once near the Little Mermaid show in HS.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

So you're saying you like it?

Methinkth Dithney should
payeth me.

So there you have it.

Well I can't argue with actual proof on the only-ever-true-never-just-made-up Internet!

It was about the piano playing
at MK.

Ohhh well then yes I agree. It's one of my recently discovered favorite little touches at the MK.

Now you tell me!
I had no idea!

And now you have something to look forward to for next time.

Yes, apparently there was,
and apparently it was lame
and apparently I say
"apparently" a lot.

Apparently.

They could yell at people
to stay off their lawn, together.

And then they'll probably yell at each other.

I should quickly post
another update
just to mess with you.

 

[docsoliday1]

Methinkth

Careful...

You might give yourself a permanent lithp.

I know it was said (I think it was Mark), whoever came up with that spelling was a very mean person.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Is there anyone who isn't
affected on some level by that
first view of the castle?

I don't think so. I have that feeling when I see any of the park icons - it's always so exciting to see the castle, the Chinese theatre (I still miss the hat!), the Tree of Life, and my favorite golf ball. It reminds you that yes, you really are here!

He then texted that he was
at the front desk and was
leaving a few things for them
to put in our room. Surprise!

How nice!

I resisted the ridiculously large
urge to ask a CM what time the
three o'clock parade was.

But I solved that problem.

I remember that picture! It is still hysterical.

Meanwhile, here she is,
gleefully showing off her
engagement gift:

Wow! It must be a cherished item for her!

We enjoyed it more than we
probably thought we would.

I LOVE the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor! I remember the first time Anika and I went in - seriously, it was because we needed to kill time and figured we should eventually see all the attractions. We couldn't believe how much we laughed and what a delight it was. It is now a must-do every trip!

Once the ride was over and she
regained consciousness, we had
the better part of an hour to kill
before our next FP would come up.

Kidding aside... so, did she like the ride?!

We got in line and I cracked
up when I read this woman's shirt:

That is hysterical! (And true! )

I remember when you'd wait an hour
or more for this ride.
Or have to rope drop it.
Not anymore.
Or maybe we just got lucky.

I think the Dumbo line is a heck of a lot faster as (1) there are now two spinners, and (2) the placement WAY back in Storybook Circus makes it less of a draw than when it was smack in the middle of Fantasyland. It still has plenty of visitors, but it's more people that go back there to ride it rather than those who see it and say, "Gosh, there's another ride! I better jump in line!"

Anika and I prefer to ride at night so I'm sure the line is even shorter, but we've usually walked right onto Dumbo (or just waited for the current spin to finish).

"What was your favourite meal
at Disneyworld?"

Her answer?
"Tony's!"

This is a surprise! I haven't been to Tony's since our 2012 trip - although I thought the restaurant was fine, other favorites (Liberty Tree Tavern and now Be Our Guest) have continually trumped Tony's when booking ADRs. I'm glad Elle enjoyed it!

At one point we were surrounded
by hungry hungry hippos.
But our skipper said she would
scare them off just like she did
with all her relationships.
She called out "I love you!"
and it worked!

Oh my goodness, I LOVE the Jungle Cruise skippers! They are always awesome!

Behold the throne of wonders!!

Laughter aside, that bathroom looks HUGE! What a nice room!

He'd asked what her favourite
movie was and I'd told him
that it was Lady and the Tramp.
(Which also explains why we
ate at Tony's now, doesn't it?)

It sure does! That movie is also Anika's favorite, hence my booking Tony's on our first trip! I'm so glad Elle loved it!

Also, that mug sounds awesome!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Obviously what happened to us
is that the bus filled up before
getting to the main stop
and passed it by.

Rotten trick, Disney.

I feel like this happens a lot at the multi-bus stop resorts. When we stayed at Coronado Springs and Riverside I would make a point to NOT wait at the "main" bus stop as it was always the last stop. As a result we never had a problem catching a bus! (I do feel bad for those who didn't know that filled buses would skip the additional stops - how frustrating if you trudged to the main building to grab breakfast with your little kids and then waited FOREVER for a ride to the park!)

ToT, here we come!

That's doing it right!

But when it's obviously
a ploy just to cut through
the line... I get annoyed.
If you're comfortable enough
about letting your child go
ahead of you, unsupervised...
Then you're comfortable
enough to have them wait
for you until you get there.

I completely agree. I don't mind a parent and child rejoining their family already in line (kid's bladders have a mind of their own!), but don't play this game with me.

I love the theming in there!

Absolutely. There's more than one reason why the Tower of Terror is my favorite attraction in Disney World. The theming of the entire ride is perfect - and the CM's at this ride are always on-point!

Voices rang out throughout
the elevator:
"It's over." "It's all done."
"It's finished now."


And then we shot up again.

Oh, poor kiddo! I know you can't tell how kids (or even adults!) are going to react on this ride, but you feel bad for the kids that are obviously terrified.

Time for something a little
less heart stopping.
Something calming.
Soothing.
Zen-like.

We marched over to RNRC.

I'm not sure if it was me,
or Elle that pointed that
our names were on the
posters.

Wow! I didn't know they did that on RNRC! Perhaps it's new since my last trip (or perhaps they don't grab the names from the FP+ line), but I'll have to look for it next time. I do love looking for my name on the Everest posters near the spot where you load onto the coaster.

How to make a chair.
Break Babybel in half.
stick a toothpick in and
tape a puzzle piece on.
Voila.

I kinda love that.

The details in Toy Story Land look amazing! I can't wait to see it next year!

But it was only recently, that I became
aware that there was also a
Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich.
I'd never had one, and this had
to be rectified.

That ice cream sandwich is excellent! That's one of Anika's favorite snacks in Disney World - she always bypasses the Mickey Bar for the ice cream sandwich!

 

[docsoliday1]

I would've felt horrible!

"Did you like the cheesecake?"
"What cheesecake???"

I'm glad you didn't either.
I thought I mentioned a couple things would be in the fridge, but then again I may be remembering telling the CMs two things needs to go in the fridge.

 

[Sue M]

Great report. Don’t ya just love the people pushing thru lines with lame excuses?
We were in Florida same time, but at Universal. We fly out of YVR on a US airline, usually on Alaska to avoid the whole Toronto thing.

 

[pkondz]

Okay, but there's very little chance I'll call either of you anything BUT pkondz and Elle

Well... good!
Because "pkondz" is what
I answer to!

Yes! It's going in TSL, not taking the place of Woody's LunchBox...

I didn't think any new
restaurant would replace
Woody's LunchBox.
Too cute.

It looks amazing!

It sure sounds fun!
Hopefully the food
will be as good as
the description of the place.

 

[pkondz]

Nope you aren't the only one. The bus stops at the moderates just drive me nuts with the disorganization. Even the ones that only have one bus stop are usually pretty chaotic with no lines. It's very easy to sneak on the bus in front of others who have been there before you if you know where to stand.

While yes...

I've also taken advantage of that.
I've walked up to the bus stop
at a Mod and people are sitting,
waiting for the next bus.
So I walk over to the loading spot
and make sure I get on.
(I do this when I see the right
bus for the park I'm going to)
I figure if you don't get up,
then you take your chances.
I don't cut in front of people
who are standing, and if
the people sitting get up,
then I wait for them...

But... you snooze you lose.

You know, I thought it was hot but manageable this trip. And it was certainly not as bad as the August trip I did last year. I guess I came expecting the heat because it's been hot the previous times I've visited in May. And I wasn't surprised by the Love Bugs either because I've experienced them in the past. The one and only time I drove down to WDW was during Love Bug season. I'll leave it to your imagination as to what the front of my car looked like when I got back home. Took Jim a few hours of scrubbing to get it clean again.

I don't have to imagine it.
But that's for a later chapter.

I think it was twice that was unplanned. Once in the bag check line at MK and once near the Little Mermaid show in HS.

How soon she forgets...

But that too is for a later chapter.

 

[Pluto0809]

How soon she forgets...

But that too is for a later chapter.

Yep, I remembered after I typed that out that we also met up again and rode Space Mountain together. But you are right about the forgetting. I'm writing my last update for Day 2 and I've already forgotten half of what I did. Thank goodness for photos and also the brief summary I typed up as soon as I get home!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

3 o'clock.
Same time as the parade.
Choose wisely.

Can I skip both and go on more rides?

I mostly like them.
And are usually fairly accurate.

I liked them until the arrival time kept getting moved back for no apparent reason.

It's called rope drop.

I just told you.
It's called rope drop.

That's pretty much our only option at this point, isn't it? Then again, I saw your photo of the lines at Rope Drop...

Everyone knows this, Mark.

Everyone.

Everyone knows what?

Oh, right.

 

[pkondz]

So you're saying "yes", then.

Totally me.
Especially the part about
walking around with
no pants.

Well I can't argue with actual proof on the only-ever-true-never-just-made-up Internet!

It's right there in
black and white.

What more proof
could you possibly need????

Ohhh well then yes I agree. It's one of my recently discovered favorite little touches at the MK.

I really like it!

And now you have something to look forward to for next time.

Citrus cream swirl.

I have a list of things
I want to try.
It's constantly changing
since I first created it...
about 14 years ago.

That's on it now.

Apparently.

And then they'll probably yell at each other.

Of course!

 

[pkondz]

Careful...

You might give yourself a permanent lithp.

I know it was said (I think it was Mark), whoever came up with that spelling was a very mean person.

I've been saying that about
lisps (or lithpth) for... decades.
I thought of it when I was in
my teens.
I know I saw a comedian talking
about it once.
"He stole my material!"

But you heard it here first, folks!

 

[pkondz]

I don't think so. I have that feeling when I see any of the park icons - it's always so exciting to see the castle, the Chinese theatre (I still miss the hat!), the Tree of Life, and my favorite golf ball. It reminds you that yes, you really are here!

Although, unlike you, I was thrilled
when they got rid of the hat.

Hmmm...

Let me put it this way.
You go to Epcot and you
can't see the golf ball anymore
because Disney has put up a
massive statue of a world map.
It's there for 14 years. Then they
take it down.
People who go for the first time
in that period of time will lament
its loss, but you'll be happy, right?

How nice!

Very!

I remember that picture! It is still hysterical.

And absolutely factual.

Wow! It must be a cherished item for her!

Of course it is!
She's madly in love
with me, you know.

I LOVE the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor! I remember the first time Anika and I went in - seriously, it was because we needed to kill time and figured we should eventually see all the attractions. We couldn't believe how much we laughed and what a delight it was. It is now a must-do every trip!

That was my experience!
"Well I should do this
since I never have."
I liked it a lot more than
I thought I would!

Kidding aside... so, did she like the ride?!

She did!
However...

oops! Getting ahead
of myself.

That is hysterical! (And true! )

I think the Dumbo line is a heck of a lot faster as (1) there are now two spinners, and (2) the placement WAY back in Storybook Circus makes it less of a draw than when it was smack in the middle of Fantasyland. It still has plenty of visitors, but it's more people that go back there to ride it rather than those who see it and say, "Gosh, there's another ride! I better jump in line!"

Two spinners for sure,
but I hadn't thought of
the other part.
I think you're right!

Anika and I prefer to ride at night so I'm sure the line is even shorter, but we've usually walked right onto Dumbo (or just waited for the current spin to finish).

Why do you prefer it
at night?
Just the surrounding
nighttime lights?

This is a surprise! I haven't been to Tony's since our 2012 trip - although I thought the restaurant was fine, other favorites (Liberty Tree Tavern and now Be Our Guest) have continually trumped Tony's when booking ADRs. I'm glad Elle enjoyed it!

I would book other places
over Tony's.
But maybe not LTT when
going solo.
Too much food!
(But sooooo good!)

Oh my goodness, I LOVE the Jungle Cruise skippers! They are always awesome!

Yes they are!

Laughter aside, that bathroom looks HUGE! What a nice room!

It sure does! That movie is also Anika's favorite, hence my booking Tony's on our first trip! I'm so glad Elle loved it!

Perfect!
You have to eat there
at least once if you're a fan.

Also, that mug sounds awesome!

I really like it!
I'm kinda jealous.

But nothing will replace
my HM mug.

 

[pkondz]

I feel like this happens a lot at the multi-bus stop resorts. When we stayed at Coronado Springs and Riverside I would make a point to NOT wait at the "main" bus stop as it was always the last stop. As a result we never had a problem catching a bus!

Yep.
After that first day,
we made a point of
going to the real
first stop.

(I do feel bad for those who didn't know that filled buses would skip the additional stops - how frustrating if you trudged to the main building to grab breakfast with your little kids and then waited FOREVER for a ride to the park!)

Very much so.
Unless you do the
research (which we did,
after the fact), how would
you even know???

That's doing it right!

I completely agree. I don't mind a parent and child rejoining their family already in line (kid's bladders have a mind of their own!), but don't play this game with me.

Yep. I see moms
(or dads) with little ones
in hand, and I automatically
let them through.
Like I said. I get it.

Absolutely. There's more than one reason why the Tower of Terror is my favorite attraction in Disney World. The theming of the entire ride is perfect - and the CM's at this ride are always on-point!

It's an incredibly well
themed ride.
I love it, but won't say
it's my fave.
(Sorry, that's HM, for me.)
But you're not the only
person I know who's made
that claim.

Oh, poor kiddo! I know you can't tell how kids (or even adults!) are going to react on this ride, but you feel bad for the kids that are obviously terrified.

Yes, but...


I have to admit that when
we shot back up again...

I thought it was hilarious.

Wow! I didn't know they did that on RNRC! Perhaps it's new since my last trip (or perhaps they don't grab the names from the FP+ line), but I'll have to look for it next time. I do love looking for my name on the Everest posters near the spot where you load onto the coaster.

They don't do it on the FP
line because the FP line
doesn't go through there.
I hadn't noticed it before, though.

The details in Toy Story Land look amazing! I can't wait to see it next year!

It's really well done.

That ice cream sandwich is excellent! That's one of Anika's favorite snacks in Disney World - she always bypasses the Mickey Bar for the ice cream sandwich!

I just might too from
now on.