There's Always Too Much Sauce - A July 2022 TR *Updated 3/23

[amazingact21]

I blame my husband . It all started in Mexico- I mean what like girl wouldn’t want a Donald Duck cuddly toy in his Mexican costume. Then well you can’t buy one kid a cuddly toy and not the other

This is hilarious. I can just imagine how many items you put into that suitcase. And I'm sure when you're only grabbing a few things here and there, it doesn't seem like too much. Then, when you pile them all up you realize you might've gone a tad overboard.
Not that there is such a thing it terms of Disney souvenirs. And I'm sure the kids had an absolute blast receiving all the items. Doesn't hurt to get them surrounded by all things Disney so they know where they want to vacation much later down the road.

best bit of it all was I had been eyeing up this Disney suitcase in the hotel shop.

Sounds like it was a win all around. And years later you'll see that suitcase and laugh at the memories.

ETA in a nothing to do with WDW bit of news I am going to be speaking to an old school friend later today for the first time in 39 years and she lives in Texas! No idea where or for long but can’t wait to catch up. Found each other on a FB group I joined for our school year last weekend

Hope the catch-up was fun!

 

[amazingact21]

Finally popping back in to catch up. (Life has been bonkers!!)

Glad to see you are doing well!

And, I can't believe the wand paint was melting! You'd think they would make those to withstand FL summer.

It surprised all of us.

You are so my spirit animal! I always am finishing a book... LOL

I wish I could read the same number of books in a year as you! I've become really bad about falling asleep every time I sit down to read, though.

I LOVE that you got time alone with hubby, as you know, Z and I love our couples trips, too!

It's a different dynamic without the kids!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Doesn't hurt to get them surrounded by all things Disney so they know where they want to vacation much later down the road.

Exactly!

Sounds like it was a win all around. And years later you'll see that suitcase and laugh at the memories.

I smile even thinking about it sitting here at the kitchen table. The friends we overlapped with came home the same day as us and hung about the luggage carousel just so they could laugh at the boys mortified faces

Hope the catch-up was fun!

It was as if we had been chatting together on the school bus just yesterday not the 39 years ago it actually was! She is hoping to make a trip home next summer and we will catch up in person then so I'm really looking forward to that. She tells me Texas is hotter than the surface of the sun in summer which made me think of your walk to the mailbox
Apparently she lives about 15 minutes from Southfork Ranch so not sure if she's a neighbour of yours or not but maybe lol

 

[amazingact21]

The friends we overlapped with came home the same day as us and hung about the luggage carousel just so they could laugh at the boys mortified faces

As a parent, there's a special kind of joy you get from embarrassing your children.

It was as if we had been chatting together on the school bus just yesterday not the 39 years ago it actually was! She is hoping to make a trip home next summer and we will catch up in person then so I'm really looking forward to that.

That's wonderful! I'm so glad to hear the chat went well. Heading overseas in the summer is a smart idea. Escape the Texas heat.

She tells me Texas is hotter than the surface of the sun in summer

It's a rare rainy day here and the cashier couldn't understand why I was so cheery when I was buying groceries. "It's raining, why are you so happy?"
"Because I can finally see rain again!"

Apparently she lives about 15 minutes from Southfork Ranch so not sure if she's a neighbour of yours or not but maybe

I had to look it up. She's in the next big city to me, which is several hours away. But, in Texas terms, that's practically in my back yard. This state is massive.
My gosh, for kicks and giggles, I looked up the distance from a major northern city in Texas to a major southern one, and it was 653 miles. Then I looked up Belfast to Kerry and it was 285 miles.
I guess on the positive side, Aberdeen to Plymouth, UK is 618 miles. So at least Scotland and England are a comparable distance to Texas.

 

[amazingact21]

July 18th Part 2:



When I get hungry in Animal Kingdom, there’s one place I always head to for a bite to eat.

Satu’li Canteen.


Since Alex and I had gone there with the kids earlier on in the trip, I ordered my second favorite item on the menu:


The cheeseburger pods.

Honestly, these would make for a great grab and go food between reservations. They’re safe, portable, and don’t require any kind of extra sauce or condiment.


Alex and I took our time with our food, in no rush. At six o’clock, we were both on our phones, ready to try and grab a VQ for GotG.

Alas, they were gone in seconds! Other guests had faster fingers (or cell data) than us.

Which left us stumped over what to do.

The plan was to go to Epcot after dinner, but without access to Guardians there wasn’t much else we wanted to do in the park.

All right, all right. Not much else I wanted to do.

Alex loves Epcot. He could go there every day and be perfectly happy.

But me? It’s my least favorite park.

There, I said it.

Come at me.



Stepping back to reconsider our options, Alex and I went back and forth on a few ideas before landing on a plan we liked.

Isn’t it funny how a sudden few free hours in WDW leaves us stumped? We’re so used to planning and scheduling and sorting out what we are going to do every minute of every day while in WDW, that when presented with an open block of time, we’re lost.

And of course, there’s just so much one can do at the WDW resort that it becomes a “WHAT DO I DO FIRST?” situation.

We’ve never been to Geyser Point, let’s head there!

Nah, we’re not ready to head back home.



Let’s go to the MK and go on some attractions at night!

Ehh, we’re not sure we want to deal with post-fireworks crowds.



The Skyliner, then! Or stay in DAK! Or grab beignets from POR!


See: TOO MANY OPTIONS.



Before we could go anywhere, though, I had to snag a sweatshirt I came across in the parks our previous visit.



The detailing in the tree is phenomenal, and there’s even a Hidden Mickey in there. It’s my go-to sweatshirt now, giving me a nice reminder of my favorite WDW park every time I put it on.



Souvenir acquired, Alex and I could now head out of the park.





Approximately two seconds after getting this photo taken, Alex realized we had forgotten to grab a map for Landon. He had forgotten to get one from DAK and begged us to remember to procure one. I’d set a reminder on my phone, but it went off before we arrived, and I forgot to snooze the alert.

So Alex hustled back into the park for one while I waited outside and witnessed a very unpleasant interaction between an adult and child. The poor kid was having a rough go of things, and the adult was not being understanding or patient.

I didn’t like seeing it. At all.


Man, what was up with people this day?! First the FotLK incident then this one.

I was over people.

Good thing Alex knew the solution to exasperation with humanity.


SUGAR.


My husband’s favorite dessert on property is Zebra Domes, and since we were so close to AKL I said we had to stop there first.

We weren’t in a rush. Why not?




They were worth the bus ride over.



While eating them, I called the kids to say good night.



And Landon immediately wanted to know where we were. When we told him The Mara, he wasted no time in going: “You got dad zebra domes!!!”

Long ago, Alex and I used to be fun and unpredictable. Now, our own kids can read us like a book.



Now that dinner and dessert was handled, Alex and I headed off to where we finally decided upon in our mad dash of planning.


We were finally, FINALLY going to try Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.


Because what screams “Parents On the Loose without Their Kids” more than visiting a tiki bar?



To get there, the two of us took a bus to the MK, then hopped on the resort ferry.



It was such a beautiful evening out, and the Electrical Water Parade was going by while we were out on the water.



When we joined the queue at Trader Sam’s, they told us it would be a two hour wait. Alex and I agreed to go to the beach, watch Enchantment, and go from there.


I’m so grateful Happily Ever After is back:


Enchantment was not my cup of tea.



At the end of the fireworks, Alex got the text that we could go inside Trader Sam’s. Perfect timing!


This was our first time seeing inside the bar, and it took a minute to take everything in. There was so much on the walls and so many lights and sounds going off. It was a place I could sit and spend hours in, relaxing and finding new paraphernalia to admire.

We eventually got seats at the bar and our first order was:


The Zombie and the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum.



And our second order was:


The HippopotoMai-Tai (this one is the red cup) and the Krakatoa Punch



The Zombie and Mai-Tai were our favorites, and they were the opposite of our experience with Oga’s Canteen. VERY generous with their pours.


During the course of our visit, Alex and I got to hear a lot of the antics, all of which were new to us. I tried really hard not to watch or read anything about Trader Sam’s, so it was all new and entertaining. At one point we had a nice lady join us at the bar where we began chatting.

As we talked, her chair began sinking and the bartender came up to us and shouted, “HEY! Don’t talk down to her! She looks up to you.”


Alex, my darling husband, is lover of all things puns. This was his place!

The time inside Trader Sam’s flew by, with us talking all things cruises with our seatmate. She was going on the special DVC sailing of the Wish, which was only the second sailing, I believe. Alex and I were excited for her; I’m sure it was a wonderful experience.

As much fun as we were having, Alex and I were ready to head back to the Wilderness Lodge. We had an early breakfast planned the following morning.



This trip was back when Disney was doing two showings of Enchantment every night. 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. And while we were waiting for the boat launch to head back to the MK, we caught the second showing.

Talk about timing!



We took the boat back to the park and then hopped on the boat back to the WL. Lots of boat hopping happening that night!



While disappointed we couldn’t get on GotG, I think Alex and I ended up having more fun than we would have had we gone into Epcot. It was certainly a complete 180 degree difference than our Disney experiences with the kids. We were taking full advantage of being kid-free and back to the original duo.



Up Next: I Want All My Meals To Be Here

 

[piglet1979]

All right, all right. Not much else I wanted to do.

Alex loves Epcot. He could go there every day and be perfectly happy.

But me? It’s my least favorite park.

There, I said it.

Come at me.

No argument from me. That is my least favorite too.

Jeff and I tried to go to the dueling piano bar on the boardwalk a few times this last trip but we were always too tired to go. Our next trip we will have to sneak away a do some of these adult resort things. They sound like so much fun.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

My gosh, for kicks and giggles, I looked up the distance from a major northern city in Texas to a major southern one, and it was 653 miles. Then I looked up Belfast to Kerry and it was 285 miles.

Isn’t that crazy! Basically Texas is bigger than the entire country I live in!

She's in the next big city to me, which is several hours away. But, in Texas terms, that's practically in my back yard.

As a parent, there's a special kind of joy you get from embarrassing your children.

and it only gets better as they age

Alex loves Epcot. He could go there every day and be perfectly happy.

I’m team Alex all the way

But me? It’s my least favorite park.

There, I said it.

Come at me.

ALICIA!!!!!!! Dear oh dear what will I do with you Nah that’s alright- I feel the way about AK that you do about Epcot. I mean I like it there but it always seems so busy and hot and the bugs love me so I end up half eaten alive. We didn’t make it there our last trip ( which was 17 days long). I was more than a bit sad about that but hey always a reason to go back to WDW

The detailing in the tree is phenomenal, and there’s even a Hidden Mickey in there. It’s my go-to sweatshirt now, giving me a nice reminder of my favorite WDW park every time I put it on.

Love the sweatshirt (and the tree is totally amazing).

Alex hustled back into the park for one while I waited outside and witnessed a very unpleasant interaction between an adult and child.

What is up with people! Honestly it’s meant to be a fun time together. Just breathe for goodness sake!

I was over people

I would’ve been too.

Good thing Alex knew the solution to exasperation with humanity.

Alex was doing a great job of offsetting all the bad karma from others this day

: “You got dad zebra domes!!!”

Smart kids.

Because what screams “Parents On the Loose without Their Kids” more than visiting a tiki bar?

What a fab idea!

Alex and I agreed to go to the beach, watch Enchantment, and go from there

Sigh- sounds perfect

The Zombie and Mai-Tai were our favorites, and they were the opposite of our experience with Oga’s Canteen. VERY generous with their pours.

Good to know

her chair began sinking and the bartender came up to us and shouted, “HEY! Don’t talk down to her! She looks up to you.”

while we were waiting for the boat launch to head back to the MK, we caught the second showing.

Talk about timing!

Magical

Alex and I ended up having more fun than we would have had we gone into Epcot

Isn’t that often the way. You guys deserved this so much and I’m really happy for you that you’re unexpected plans turned out to be awesome

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Bummer about the GotG VQ, but that really does sound like a fun night. And, definitely not one you could have had with the kids since they can't get into Trader Sam's that late, lol.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I'm right there with you about Epcot. My least favorite park and one I can spend about a half day in and I'm good. Trader Sam's sounds fun. I still haven't done that but it's on a list for sometime.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Man, what was up with people this day?! First the FotLK incident then this one.

People, man. I know the crowds and the heat get to all of us, but losing your cool on CMs or your kids is unacceptable.

Satu’li Canteen looks SO tasty - if only we weren’t planning on Tusker House for the characters I’d LOVE to eat here. Perhaps I can squeeze in a meal between lunch and dinner? (Or I may try those cheeseburger pods - they get a lot of love!)

It’s a bummer you missed out on Guardians, but frankly, I think it was for the best! A visit to AKL, zebra domes, MK fireworks, and TRADER SAM’S (!) sounds like an awesome evening! I’d love to visit Trader Sam’s but don’t think it will be easy - at the very least, I’ll grab a fancy drink from their outdoor bar!

I’m so glad you and Alex enjoyed such a wonderful day.

 

[rdkeim]

I think part 2 of your day turned out pretty perfect. I hate how hard it is to get on some of the rides. But, who can argue with Zebra domes and time in Trader Sam's. Sounds like you were there long enough to relax and enjoy all the goings on. I do love Epcot but it seems the construction walls have been up a ridiculous amount of time? Anxious to hear where your breakfast plans take you!

 

[suse66]

Alex and I took our time with our food, in no rush. At six o’clock, we were both on our phones, ready to try and grab a VQ for GotG.

Alas, they were gone in seconds! Other guests had faster fingers (or cell data) than us.

Those night time boarding groups go so fast!

We’ve never been to Geyser Point, let’s head there!

Nah, we’re not ready to head back home.

I hope you made it there at least once!

Before we could go anywhere, though, I had to snag a sweatshirt I came across in the parks our previous visit.

Love it!

We were finally, FINALLY going to try Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.

Yay!! So fun!

This was our first time seeing inside the bar, and it took a minute to take everything in. There was so much on the walls and so many lights and sounds going off. It was a place I could sit and spend hours in, relaxing and finding new paraphernalia to admire.

It's pretty amazing.

We took the boat back to the park and then hopped on the boat back to the WL. Lots of boat hopping happening that night!

Love boat transport! It's so relaxing.

While disappointed we couldn’t get on GotG, I think Alex and I ended up having more fun than we would have had we gone into Epcot. It was certainly a complete 180 degree difference than our Disney experiences with the kids. We were taking full advantage of being kid-free and back to the original duo.

You had the perfect night!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

And Landon immediately wanted to know where we were. When we told him The Mara, he wasted no time in going: “You got dad zebra domes!!!”

Ha! Love it!

We were finally, FINALLY going to try Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.

YEAH!!!! That was an excellent idea! One day I will get here. One day...

Alex and I agreed to go to the beach, watch Enchantment, and go from there.

Perfect way to wait!

 

[vamassey1]

That's a good system. I have all my favorite novels in physical form (*ahem* Outlander ) , and over the past few years I've been trying to go through them a re-read them all. Maybe breaking it up like you do would help.

I have the physical forms of Outlander too. I've read each one a few times. I remember seeing a photo on FB and spotted your copies in the background.

The cheeseburger pods.

I really like these too.

Isn’t it funny how a sudden few free hours in WDW leaves us stumped? We’re so used to planning and scheduling and sorting out what we are going to do every minute of every day while in WDW, that when presented with an open block of time, we’re lost.

This happens to us when it's just us two. So many options.

Beautiful!

Long ago, Alex and I used to be fun and unpredictable. Now, our own kids can read us like a book.

Same.

We were finally, FINALLY going to try Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.

Excellent choice. I don't know if Dennis would have the patience to wait for this.

This was our first time seeing inside the bar, and it took a minute to take everything in. There was so much on the walls and so many lights and sounds going off. It was a place I could sit and spend hours in, relaxing and finding new paraphernalia to admire.

I think I would be overwhelmed too.

While disappointed we couldn’t get on GotG, I think Alex and I ended up having more fun than we would have had we gone into Epcot. It was certainly a complete 180 degree difference than our Disney experiences with the kids. We were taking full advantage of being kid-free and back to the original duo.

Your night turned out perfect. I love trying new things.

 

[disneyAndi14]

This would be a favorite evening for me! AK is my favorite park, Love Satuli!
The sweatshirt you found is beautiful I never saw that one. I would have bought it in an instant!
Yay to trying out TS. Susan and I hope to get in there in December! It is such a fun place! My sister and I really enjoyed it!
Fireworks without crowds perfect!

 

[cindianne320]

So glad you got into Trader Sam's- I've been there, but DH has not. We tried in June but by the time we got called back, we had left the Poly, were eating dinner at the Grand, and had to head back to MK. Oh well, we enjoyed our afternoon at the Poly beach!
So awesome that you got to see the fireworks twice!

 

[amazingact21]

That is my least favorite too.

Epcot is great for food, and it's fun to see it decorated for the seasons, but that's about it.
As someone who loves rides, you'd think with a park of that size, there would be more.

Our next trip we will have to sneak away a do some of these adult resort things.

Hopefully so!

Nah that’s alright- I feel the way about AK that you do about Epcot. I mean I like it there but it always seems so busy and hot and the bugs love me so I end up half eaten alive. We didn’t make it there our last trip ( which was 17 days long). I was more than a bit sad about that but hey always a reason to go back to WDW

Alex and I you would get along swell. He does not get the appeal of Animal Kingdom at all. When we had to make some of our park visits day trips last summer, he kept saying, "But Animal Kingdom? Do we REALLY need to be there all day?"
And I don't think you can count your last trip to WDW. It was not a typical trip!

 

[amazingact21]

Bummer about the GotG VQ, but that really does sound like a fun night. And, definitely not one you could have had with the kids since they can't get into Trader Sam's that late, lol.

Alex and I tried really hard to do things we couldn't do with the kids to best utilize our time. I do think Alex was really disappointed we didn't get to go on Guardians, though. (Up to that point, neither of us had gone on the attraction yet.)

I'm right there with you about Epcot. My least favorite park and one I can spend about a half day in and I'm good. Trader Sam's sounds fun. I still haven't done that but it's on a list for sometime.

Glad there's another vote against Epcot here. Unless you're going for food, there's not a lot going on there. And even then, you have to walk three miles in the hot sun with no shade to get to some of those eateries.

Satu’li Canteen looks SO tasty - if only we weren’t planning on Tusker House for the characters I’d LOVE to eat here. Perhaps I can squeeze in a meal between lunch and dinner? (Or I may try those cheeseburger pods - they get a lot of love!)

I can completely understand why Tusker House is the priority on your trip. But if you all just need a little snack to get you through, I recommend sharing something from Satu'li. It's surprising how fresh all the food tastes there.

 

[amazingact21]

I hate how hard it is to get on some of the rides.

It makes the trip so stressful, which defeats the purpose of a vacation.

I do love Epcot but it seems the construction walls have been up a ridiculous amount of time?

They really have! Do they still have walls up behind Spaceship Earth now that the Moana attraction is open? I imagine so...

I hope you made it there at least once!

Unfortunately, Alex and I didn't get there on this trip, but I did go in April!

Love boat transport! It's so relaxing.

I think this was a huge selling point for my mom for the Wilderness Lodge. She loved taking a boat to the Magic Kingdom and having some time to decompress.

 

[amazingact21]

YEAH!!!! That was an excellent idea! One day I will get here. One day...

Hopefully!

I have the physical forms of Outlander too. I've read each one a few times. I remember seeing a photo on FB and spotted your copies in the background.

I try and not have too many things with how much we have to move. It gets exhausting, packing and unpacking everything and never knowing if our new house will have space for certain things. But the Outlander books have to stay! That's non-negotiable.

I really like these too.

I feel like a lot of people like the cheeseburger egg rolls in the MK, but I'd rather have the cheeseburger pods.

Your night turned out perfect. I love trying new things.

What all the non-Disney people don't understand; there's always new experiences to be had at the Disney parks!