# For the First Time In Forever.....A Disneyland reopening TR, Dark Ride photos and The End 5/8



## franandaj

OK so it hasn't been Forever, but it sure seems like it! This year has been one of the longest we have all endured and we can't wait for Disney in CA to reopen so we can all get back to our happy place!

If you don't know me, I've been posting on the DIS for a while, and even though I'm local to Disneyland I don't normally post over here on the Disneyland boards because I mostly tend to do day trips to Disneyland. My partner Fran and I have been together almost 25 years, and I've included some photos of us around California Disney over those years.

We only live half an hour away so most of my trips here tend to become bonus features on the tail ends of my WDW trips or my cruises, which are usually posted in the DVC or cruise forum.  However since we haven't done any of those (WDW or cruises) in the last year, I guess it's time to launch a good ole fashioned TR here on the DL boards. I do know that some people in California have read my TRs, because I have been approached in the parks by folks who recognized us. I think the most infamous TR was the one where I tossed a Frozen Prime Rib in our suitcase before we got on the plane. The Prime Rib traveled through Universal's resort in Orlando, and the Titanic exhibit before becoming dinner at the AKL and you can read about its adventures here. 

Trip Report with Prime Rib tagging along

Its not until page 16, that the Prime Rib actually gets cooked, but everyone was pretty darned concerned about that roast in the time leading up to it.  Just so you understand the rationale of bringing along a Prime Rib, Fran had recently recovered from a severe bout of venal ulcers in her leg and would not have the strength to dine out every night. She would need her rest, so with the Prime Rib, I was able to cook dinner in the room every other night while she slept and got some rest. Because a Prime Rib is so versatile I was able to make four completely different dinners each night that I cooked in the room. But enough about that let me introduce ourselves. People seem to enjoy seeing pictures throughout the years so here are some of us from the past. As you can see we enjoy Disney on all levels from fancy to casual.

This is the oldest Disneyland photo that I can find of us, it came from 1998, back when we were young and care free!





Here we are at the DCA soft opening in 2001.





And at a Lilo and Stitch Luau in 2003 (not the one at WDW)





Between that time and the time that I joined the DIS, I rarely took pictures of Fran and I at Disney. Going through my photo albums I found plenty of pictures of other people, but I was always the one taking the pictures, either that or Fran was taking them of me. Most of my pictures come from 2009 and later.

Here we are in front of the train station one evening.





Anyone remember this incarnation of DCA?





We’re up to 2010 with this celebration picture.





We love us some Cafe Orleans, and can’t wait to get back there for the Monte Cristo and Pomme Frites!





We also love us some Trader Sams, can’t wait to find out when that place will reopen!





While I enjoy the MCU, I’m going to miss A Bug’s Land seen here in 2010.





We love our shopping and after a rough couple years healthwise, we were happy to get back to the parks in 2013.





We clean up pretty OK, for special nights out like this one at Steakhouse 55 in 2014.





This year we spent our valentines day with royalty.





For the 25th anniversary of Splash, we got a special character meet.





In 2015 for the 60th Anniversary we saw the fireworks quite a few times!





We'd like to thank the Academy….





I hope that when we are on the other side of this mess, Disney comes up with something to replace the APs. All these little photo ops, magnets, and pins were lots of fun.





Our band used to play out at the parks, and then everyone got to run around and have a fun day at Disney. I hope we can do that again.





When Galaxy’s Edge opened, we spent a bit of time rubbing elbows with the unsavory characters in Oga’s Cantina. 





We were there for the 50th Anniversary of the Haunted Mansion





We have been known to get dressed up and have a night out on the town.





This was our final posed character photo in 2020, taken just two weeks before everything shut down.





We were in the parks last year March 6th & 7th, we were staying at the Grand Californian and I’m not sure if we went into the parks on check out day, the 8th. Of course we figured that we would be back, I mean I had booked several Food & Wine events, a couple $20 demos with Jenny (you'll meet her next chapter or two if you don't know her already) and her husband. We also booked Wine Receptions for Fess Parker, and Skywalker Vineyards at the Carthay Circle. Who needed to worry about hitting the park when we would be back in less than two weeks?

I’ll tell you that this is by far the longest Fran and I have ever gone between Disneyland visits!  

At first I was apprehensive about going back to the parks, however, with the virus rate dropping as it is in California, and more and more people getting vaccinated, I’m getting really excited for my upcoming days at the parks. I was even able to book a two night mid-week stay at the Grand Californian Villas, that coincides with one of my park reservation days!

As of tomorrow it's single digits until my first day back and I'll be counting down until then!

I'm going to lead into this new TR with my last bonus features from before the shut down. Remember back then? It was all the rage to try and get a boarding group for RotR from your home? Even though we all knew we wouldn't get a group without having scanned through the park, still folks with APs would "practice" and the queue would "sell out" within mere minutes. I had been following the RotR thread since opening day, and had all the strategies down. So when it came to our turn, we arrived on the Esplanade at around 7AM and went directly to the queue. We were not too far back.





And by 7:51 this was the line that had formed behind us! Can you imagine lines like this now???





At 8AM they started letting people into the park. Our party of four headed over near the little red wagon, outside the camera shop, and just waited for 9AM when the park opened.

It was just like everyone said online, silence right at 9AM and then big bursts of "Woot! Woot!", "Yay!" And other exclamations. We were successful and got a fairly low BG. I don't remember what it was now, but it was something like 13 or 14. Because the ride had a history of opening sometimes more than an hour after park opening, I had made us a reservation at Carnation Cafe for 9:15 so we could enjoy our wait for the BG to open.

As soon as we were seated, the ride opened up. Shortly after we placed our order our boarding group was called. No worries we have two hours to get there. 

Say hi to us!





Our meals arrived promptly.  I believe Fran got Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. She liked it a lot.





Both Jim and Leonard ordered Eggs Benedict.





I got a Mickey Waffle! Yum! Even with my own Mickey wafflemaker at home, they totally taste better in the park.





After we finished our breakfast we went directly to the ride. Luckily it hadn’t gone down in the time it took us to eat breakfast and walk over there. We had no problems and soon we were on our journey.


Watch out!  If you’re avoiding spoilers, skip the next three photos!























Such a fun ride!  I can’t wait to ride it again!

I’m not exactly sure what we did for the rest of the day.  I know that we rode Space Mountain because I have photo evidence.





Leonard tells me that we rode Guardians as well, but my phone was malfunctioning and wouldn’t take the picture, so he did. The problem is that once Disney closed down, I was never able to get my PhotoPass pictures from the site.  Every time that I tried to link them, I got an error message that I entered an invalid code.





We did get some treats in DCA, the guys got ice cream from Clarabelle’s while Fran and I got some treats from the sweet shop next door.










I think after that we headed out.  It was getting late in the afternoon. Leonard had to work the next day since this was a Monday, and he had to drive all the way back to the Valley after we got back to Long Beach.

But don’t worry we have more fun coming up in less than two weeks last year! I hope to have everything from the past posted before we attend our first DL day which is during the soft openings, our date is April 28. I don’t know how quickly I’ll be able to post once we start our DL trips because we have quite a few days booked right off the bat, but I promise I will try to update as soon as I can.


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## franandaj

*Quick Links*

March 2020
The Last Time Before the Shutdown

April 2021
Preopening Day Preview Part 1
Preopening Day Preview Part 2
Opening Day Disappointment

May 2021
Back at the Park with Friends Part 1
Back at the Park with Friends Part 2
Back at DVC
Saving the Galaxy Before Noon
Fancy Schmancy Dinner
Fran Finally Gets Her Monte Cristo
Back at the Grand Again

June 2021
Avenger's Campus Sneak Preview
Back at Avengers Campus Again
Avengers Campus with the Jenny Family
A Lovely Day with Leonard

July 2021
Dinner at Napa Rose
Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde
The Start of Jenny's Tiki Mug Obsession
A Long Day Including a Sleepover!

August 2021
One More Time for a Monte Cristo
A Fabulous Dinner with Friends

September 2021
More Fun with Friends Part 1
More Fun with Friends Part 2

October 2021
Halloween in the Park

November 2021
Christmastime in the Park


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## jedijill

First!  Going back to read.


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## jedijill

I love all the pictures of you and Fran through the years!  Who knew the whole world was going to shut down the last time we were there.  Can't wait to see you ladies in a couple of weeks!  Too bad California won't let me into DL yet.  I miss my happy place!

Jill in CO


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## tiggrbaby

So glad you are getting back to your happy place! Can't wait to experience it through your TR!


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## Steppesister

Here


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## rentayenta

Here! Great intro! I’m soooooo happy we’re finally opening up, slowly, but it’s happening!


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## pooh'smate

Joinning in!!!


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## pkondz

I'm here, but I'm at work and can't see the photos. I'll look later, when I can.


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## juniorbugman

I am here


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## pkondz

franandaj said:


> OK so it hasn't been Forever, but it sure seems like it!


Ugh. Tell me about it! 


franandaj said:


> This year has been one of the longest we have all endured


Funny (not), it's been more than a year, yet... that just feels like such an _accurate _statement_._


franandaj said:


> If you don't know me, I've been posting on the DIS for a while


You have? Who knew!?!?





franandaj said:


> I do know that some people in California have read my TRs, because I have been approached in the parks by folks who recognized us.


I like that. 
I've never had that happen, but... 1. I'm not in a Disney park anywhere _near_ as you guys. And 2. I seldom post photos of _myself_... so kinda hard to recognize me anyway! 


franandaj said:


> I think the most infamous TR was the one where I tossed a Frozen Prime Rib in our suitcase before we got on the plane. The Prime Rib traveled through Universal's resort in Orlando, and the Titanic exhibit before becoming dinner at the AKL and you can read about its adventures here.


What?!?!?!?
Gonna go read that one!


franandaj said:


> This is the oldest Disneyland photo that I can find of us, it came from 1998, back when we were young and care free!


You're _still_ young and care free. 


franandaj said:


> Anyone remember this incarnation of DCA?


Nope!


franandaj said:


> We clean up pretty OK,


Very ok! 


franandaj said:


> We'd like to thank the Academy….


And the Oscar for excellence in TR writing goes to...


franandaj said:


> We were there for the 50th Anniversary of the Haunted Mansion


Love the outfits. All of them.


franandaj said:


> We have been known to get dressed up and have a night out on the town.


I remember seeing that photo (or similar). You guys look amazing!


franandaj said:


> Who needed to worry about hitting the park when we would be back in less than two weeks?





franandaj said:


> As of tomorrow it's single digits until my first day back and I'll be counting down until then!


Woot!!!!


franandaj said:


> I'm going to lead into this new TR with my last bonus features from before the shut down. Remember back then?


Barely. 


franandaj said:


> And by 7:51 this was the line that had formed behind us! Can you imagine lines like this now???


Well... I actually hope to see lines like that again some day.


franandaj said:


> It was just like everyone said online, silence right at 9AM and then big bursts of "Woot! Woot!", "Yay!" And other exclamations.


"other exclamations"... 

Perhaps... a few swear words here and there for the less successful candidates?


franandaj said:


> We were successful and got a fairly low BG. I don't remember what it was now, but it was something like 13 or 14.


Wow! That _is l_ow!


franandaj said:


> As soon as we were seated, the ride opened up. Shortly after we placed our order our boarding group was called. No worries we have two hours to get there.


Ah! I was wondering about that.


franandaj said:


> Say hi to us!





franandaj said:


> Both Jim and Leonard ordered Eggs Benedict.


Because they're smart. 

(And is this _Naked _Jim??)


franandaj said:


> Such a fun ride! I can’t wait to ride it again!


Me too! (Take that any way you like.)


franandaj said:


>


Holy decadent!


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## NancyLuvsMickey

I would LOVE to live only 30 minutes from Disney!!! But I'm afraid if I did, I'd give Fran a run for her money when it came to shopping!!!


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## evilmommie

Love all of the photos. Looks like you all enjoy life!!


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## franandaj

jedijill said:


> First!  Going back to read.







jedijill said:


> I love all the pictures of you and Fran through the years!  Who knew the whole world was going to shut down the last time we were there.  Can't wait to see you ladies in a couple of weeks!  Too bad California won't let me into DL yet.  I miss my happy place!
> 
> Jill in CO



The next update will be our last time at DL!    Can't wait to see you!  Now it's less than 2 weeks!

As soon as DL will let you in, we will get you on a plane and into the park!


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## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> So glad you are getting back to your happy place! Can't wait to experience it through your TR!








Steppesister said:


> Here








rentayenta said:


> Here! Great intro! I’m soooooo happy we’re finally opening up, slowly, but it’s happening!




 Can't wait to go together! 



pooh'smate said:


> Joinning in!!!








pkondz said:


> I'm here, but I'm at work and can't see the photos. I'll look later, when I can.








juniorbugman said:


> I am here


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## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Funny (not), it's been more than a year, yet... that just feels like such an _accurate _statement_._



It *is* an accurate statement!



pkondz said:


> You have? Who knew!?!?







pkondz said:


> I like that.
> I've never had that happen, but... 1. I'm not in a Disney park anywhere _near_ as you guys. And 2. I seldom post photos of _myself_... so kinda hard to recognize me anyway!



I also think that two women on matching scooters are easy to spot......



pkondz said:


> What?!?!?!?
> Gonna go read that one!



Tell me if you think we're crazy!  



pkondz said:


> You're _still_ young and care free.



Definitely not young, and certainly not care free....way too many worries!



pkondz said:


> And the Oscar for excellence in TR writing goes to...



awwww.......



pkondz said:


> I remember seeing that photo (or similar). You guys look amazing!



Probably the same one.  I usually pick the best of the lot and go with that one.  Then again someone else took it and we may have only got one photo.



pkondz said:


> Well... I actually hope to see lines like that again some day.



Well I would hope that the world recovers enough that it is safe, but I really don't relish the idea of standing in crowds like that.



pkondz said:


> "other exclamations"...
> 
> Perhaps... a few swear words here and there for the less successful candidates?



Well, I didn't hear any of those....did you hear the new policy? They can kick you out of the park for profanity!  At least in California!



pkondz said:


> Wow! That _is l_ow!



And I never expected the ride to start up that early.  Most of the time it didn't get going until about an hour after the park opened.  Just wait for the next update.  



pkondz said:


> Ah! I was wondering about that.



I was just praying that it didn't break down before we got there.



pkondz said:


> Because they're smart.
> 
> (And is this _Naked _Jim??)



Yes, that is _Naked _Jim.  It's just been so long since that happened I wasn't sure if I should keep calling him that.  He will make an appearance in this TR.  He is on one of our reservations.



pkondz said:


> Me too! (Take that any way you like.)



Hmmm..... 



pkondz said:


> Holy decadent!



Looks delicious!


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## franandaj

NancyLuvsMickey said:


> I would LOVE to live only 30 minutes from Disney!!! But I'm afraid if I did, I'd give Fran a run for her money when it came to shopping!!!



 I can't imagine *not *living half an hour away!  Luckily we have no reason to move so we will stay close!



evilmommie said:


> Love all of the photos. Looks like you all enjoy life!!



 We try! Nothing else to do but try to enjoy it otherwise you're miserable!


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## pkondz

franandaj said:


> It *is* an accurate statement!


Of course it is!


franandaj said:


> I also think that two women on matching scooters are easy to spot......


Ha! That's true. Never thought of that. I'm more of a blur. I move _fast._


franandaj said:


> Tell me if you think we're crazy!


 Okay!


But the answer is yes. 


franandaj said:


> Definitely not young, and certainly not care free....way too many worries!


How about Just right and generous?


franandaj said:


> Well I would hope that the world recovers enough that it is safe, but I really don't relish the idea of standing in crowds like that.


I hear you.
I want things to go back to normal... but I also want it to be normal in a way that doesn't negatively impact _me_ in any way.


franandaj said:


> Well, I didn't hear any of those....did you hear the new policy? They can kick you out of the park for profanity! At least in California!


Really!
Then again... I'm not all that surprised.
Actually... I'm a bit surprised that it wasn't _already_ a policy.


franandaj said:


> Yes, that is _Naked _Jim.


Ah!!


franandaj said:


> It's just been so long since that happened I wasn't sure if I should keep calling him that. He will make an appearance in this TR. He is on one of our reservations.


I say keep calling him that. So colourful!


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## Captain_Oblivious

I'm here!  So excited for you guys.



franandaj said:


> OK so it hasn't been Forever, but it sure seems like it! This year has been one of the longest we have all endured and we can't wait for Disney in CA to reopen so we can all get back to our happy place!



Thank goodness!  Longest.  Year.  Ever.



franandaj said:


> I do know that some people in California have read my TRs, because I have been approached in the parks by folks who recognized us.



Do they ask for your autograph?  Selfies?



franandaj said:


> I think the most infamous TR was the one where I tossed a Frozen Prime Rib in our suitcase before we got on the plane.



I wonder how the bomb-sniffing dogs reacted.



franandaj said:


> Anyone remember this incarnation of DCA?



Nope.  Missed that one.  Doesn't look like it would have aged well, though.



franandaj said:


> We love us some Cafe Orleans, and can’t wait to get back there for the Monte Cristo and Pomme Frites!



Now we're talking!



franandaj said:


> While I enjoy the MCU, I’m going to miss A Bug’s Land seen here in 2010.



I think A Bug's Life is one of the few Pixar movies I didn't like, so...yeah, bring on the MCU!



franandaj said:


> We love our shopping and after a rough couple years healthwise, we were happy to get back to the parks in 2013.



That is quite the impressive haul there.



franandaj said:


> We'd like to thank the Academy….







franandaj said:


> I hope that when we are on the other side of this mess, Disney comes up with something to replace the APs.



I'm sure they will.  They don't ignore any cash cows out there.

I feel like they're using this break to try and figure out a system to better manage the crowds between AP holders vs. tourists/vacationers.



franandaj said:


> I’ll tell you that this is by far the longest Fran and I have ever gone between Disneyland visits!



I believe you!



franandaj said:


> As of tomorrow it's single digits until my first day back and I'll be counting down until then!







franandaj said:


> Even though we all knew we wouldn't get a group without having scanned through the park, still folks with APs would "practice" and the queue would "sell out" within mere minutes.



Hope that didn't mess up the system!



franandaj said:


> And by 7:51 this was the line that had formed behind us! Can you imagine lines like this now???







franandaj said:


> It was just like everyone said online, silence right at 9AM and then big bursts of "Woot! Woot!", "Yay!" And other exclamations.



Probably a few profane ones.

I think that's my biggest fear for my next park visit.  I'll have spent all this time and effort and money on the trip, and then end up getting shut out of a BG when I'm in the park ready to try it out.



franandaj said:


> Even with my own Mickey wafflemaker at home, they totally taste better in the park.



Everything tastes better in a Disney park.



franandaj said:


> Such a fun ride! I can’t wait to ride it again!



I can't wait to try it out!  (fingers crossed)



franandaj said:


> I don’t know how quickly I’ll be able to post once we start our DL trips because we have quite a few days booked right off the bat, but I promise I will try to update as soon as I can.



Don't worry, I'll have no problem falling well behind no matter how frequently you post.


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## 707MickeyGirl

Following along! I am so excited to start reading TRs again! Will you be posting right after you attend the soft opening?


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## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Ha! That's true. Never thought of that. I'm more of a blur. I move _fast._



Always always sashaying....



pkondz said:


> I hear you.
> I want things to go back to normal... but I also want it to be normal in a way that doesn't negatively impact _me_ in any way.



  I hope that we get to keep the outdoor dining when this is all over.



pkondz said:


> Really!
> Then again... I'm not all that surprised.
> Actually... I'm a bit surprised that it wasn't _already_ a policy.



I suspect that it was buried in the fine print. However, with the guest insubordination that I've heard about at WDW, I think they want to nip that in the bud, when DL reopens. I suspect there will be zero tolerance policy for folks who disrespect the mask policy.  There is a lot of that in the county where DL is located.



pkondz said:


> I say keep calling him that. So colourful!



OK, I will.  I will just point anyone back to that TR, or post it again for posterity, if someone asks.


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## alohamom

franandaj said:


> the one where I tossed a Frozen Prime Rib in our suitcase before we got on the plane.



This is only one of a multitude of reasons why I LOVE your trip reports! 

The retrospective of your photos together is fantastic and it made me really want to go back more than I already do.
When I was 5 (1972) I tried to walk to Disneyland from Toronto. I convinced all the neighbourhood kids to come along and we actually made it quite far before someone's big brother came by on a bike and told us to go home. This is kind of how I feel right now, I am ready to WALK there if I have to!


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## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Always always sashaying....


But of course. 





franandaj said:


> I hope that we get to keep the outdoor dining when this is all over.





franandaj said:


> I suspect that it was buried in the fine print. However, with the guest insubordination that I've heard about at WDW, I think they want to nip that in the bud, when DL reopens. I suspect there will be zero tolerance policy for folks who disrespect the mask policy. There is a lot of that in the county where DL is located.


Ohhhhh... okay. (mostly) for the masks.
I am perfectly fine with people who don't want to wear masks in stores/businesses/what have you. As long as they're fine with not being allowed into said establishments.
I presume these are the same people who insist on not wearing shoes or shirts into stores with those signs prominently displayed.
Probably the same people who use their phones in a movie.


franandaj said:


> OK, I will. I will just point anyone back to that TR, or post it again for posterity, if someone asks.


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## taaren

Following. I read one of your TRs for WDW many many years ago (possibly before our first trip?), I don't read a lot of TR's but yours are definitely entertaining, love all the pix! Excited to see how things look through your camera and the cameras of those who will get to go before us (our first time in forever will be Memorial Day weekend).


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## carejo

I love your trip reports! So happy to see this one.


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## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm here! So excited for you guys.



Me too!  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Thank goodness! Longest. Year. Ever.



Tell me about it!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Do they ask for your autograph? Selfies?



No just nice conversations and acknowledgement.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I wonder how the bomb-sniffing dogs reacted.



Good question!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Nope. Missed that one. Doesn't look like it would have aged well, though.



The Golden Gate bridge always ages well, but obviously Disney liked the overpass for Hyperion Blvd better....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Now we're talking!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> I think A Bug's Life is one of the few Pixar movies I didn't like, so...yeah, bring on the MCU!



I just thought that the perspective of the whole land was cute. The animal crackers box you walked through....and other such effects.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That is quite the impressive haul there.



She went pretty all out that night!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm sure they will. They don't ignore any cash cows out there.
> 
> I feel like they're using this break to try and figure out a system to better manage the crowds between AP holders vs. tourists/vacationers.



Well without the APs they can make a whole lot more money.  Some of the APs were as low as $375 per year, now they are getting $200 per day for most passes.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Hope that didn't mess up the system!



I doubt it, there was a line in the code where it checked to see if you had scanned into the park and at that point you got an error message. I'm sure that you were kicked out of the system at that point.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Probably a few profane ones.
> 
> I think that's my biggest fear for my next park visit. I'll have spent all this time and effort and money on the trip, and then end up getting shut out of a BG when I'm in the park ready to try it out.



Hopefully when you're out next year, we can make sure that you get on the ride!  I still feel some amount of guilt that you didn't get to ride Indiana Jones, even though I had nothing to do with it.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Everything tastes better in a Disney park.



Yes, it definitely does.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I can't wait to try it out! (fingers crossed)



Hopefullly we get you on it in 2022!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Don't worry, I'll have no problem falling well behind no matter how frequently you post.



Okey dokey, that's OK, my posts aren't going anywhere.  Just as @pkondz who is evidently reading my TR where I brought along the Prime Rib!


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## franandaj

707MickeyGirl said:


> Following along! I am so excited to start reading TRs again! Will you be posting right after you attend the soft opening?





Well, I will do my best. I guess I will try to get something up, but I'll only have one day, and then we are back for opening day. There is a lot involved in getting a post up. I have to choose and edit the pictures before uploading them, but I'll at least try and get something up from the first part of the day. Then I've got a pretty busy weekend, with a friend flying in to town for my birthday and a big dinner (we will have six people going out together!) woohoo! for me that's a huge party in covid times!


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## franandaj

alohamom said:


> This is only one of a multitude of reasons why I LOVE your trip reports!



Thank you!  



alohamom said:


> The retrospective of your photos together is fantastic and it made me really want to go back more than I already do.
> When I was 5 (1972) I tried to walk to Disneyland from Toronto. I convinced all the neighbourhood kids to come along and we actually made it quite far before someone's big brother came by on a bike and told us to go home. This is kind of how I feel right now, I am ready to WALK there if I have to!



I am getting so excited for the reopening!  I am practically thinking of nothing else between now and then!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Ohhhhh... okay. (mostly) for the masks.
> I am perfectly fine with people who don't want to wear masks in stores/businesses/what have you. As long as they're fine with not being allowed into said establishments.



Completely agree!



pkondz said:


> I presume these are the same people who insist on not wearing shoes or shirts into stores with those signs prominently displayed.



Most likely



pkondz said:


> Probably the same people who use their phones in a movie.



So annoying!


----------



## franandaj

taaren said:


> Following. I read one of your TRs for WDW many many years ago (possibly before our first trip?), I don't read a lot of TR's but yours are definitely entertaining, love all the pix!



I recognize your name!  I think I remember you mentioning that you were planning a trip.



taaren said:


> Excited to see how things look through your camera and the cameras of those who will get to go before us (our first time in forever will be Memorial Day weekend).



I will have made several trips before then and hopefully posted a lot by then!


----------



## franandaj

carejo said:


> I love your trip reports! So happy to see this one.



  Happy to have you onboard!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> So annoying!


I _have_ thrown popcorn at those types. I figure they wouldn't mind. They enjoy having their phone out and ruining my movie, I enjoy throwing popcorn and ruining theirs. It's a fair exchange, I think.


----------



## DnA2010

Awww mannnnn! Missed the first page! Boo!!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I _have_ thrown popcorn at those types. I figure they wouldn't mind. They enjoy having their phone out and ruining my movie, I enjoy throwing popcorn and ruining theirs. It's a fair exchange, I think.



But I doubt the unsuspecting phone user puts 2 & 2 together as to why the popcorn is showering down upon them. Fran has taken out her phone in the opening credits and gotten nasty words from people behind us.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> No just nice conversations and acknowledgement.



Well, that's a relief.



franandaj said:


> I just thought that the perspective of the whole land was cute. The animal crackers box you walked through....and other such effects.



Ok, but superheroes can blow stuff up.



franandaj said:


> Well without the APs they can make a whole lot more money. Some of the APs were as low as $375 per year, now they are getting $200 per day for most passes.



I see.  That definitely changes things.  $$$ will always win out, I'm sure.



franandaj said:


> Hopefully when you're out next year, we can make sure that you get on the ride! I still feel some amount of guilt that you didn't get to ride Indiana Jones, even though I had nothing to do with it.



That wasn't your fault at all!  Just not great planning on our part.  We tried to cram in so much that day.  I think we did pretty well.  Not all of the kids would have gone on Indiana Jones at that point, so that ended up being the sacrifice.



franandaj said:


> Hopefullly we get you on it in 2022!



We'll be trying our best!

My 2022 plans have already hit a big snag.  Sarah's summer break (she only gets a week, her school is on the quarter system and goes all year) is a week earlier than when Julie and the boys' school lets out.  So now she may not be able to join us.  Or she might only be able to come out for a couple days on the weekend or something.  It's a pretty big bummer.



franandaj said:


> Okey dokey, that's OK, my posts aren't going anywhere. Just as @pkondz who is evidently reading my TR where I brought along the Prime Rib!



He probably just saw the words "prime rib" and couldn't help but follow the trail.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> But I doubt the unsuspecting phone user puts 2 & 2 together as to why the popcorn is showering down upon them.


Depends. One time the person immediately put their phone away. Another time the person was so involved with their phone, they didn't even notice the popcorn landing in their hair.


franandaj said:


> Fran has taken out her phone in the opening credits and gotten nasty words from people behind us.


Sorry. Gotta side with the people behind her on this one.


Captain_Oblivious said:


> He probably just saw the words "prime rib" and couldn't help but follow the trail.


I fail to see a problem with that.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Awww mannnnn! Missed the first page! Boo!!



I tried to give you a head up!  Sorry!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ok, but superheroes can blow stuff up.



OK, you did get me on that one!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I see. That definitely changes things. $$$ will always win out, I'm sure.



The problem is also that APs really don't spend that much money.  They come in do the rides they want, watch parades or shows, and barely buy coke and a popcorn.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That wasn't your fault at all! Just not great planning on our part. We tried to cram in so much that day. I think we did pretty well. Not all of the kids would have gone on Indiana Jones at that point, so that ended up being the sacrifice.



I know it wasn't, but I still feel bad you didn't get on it.  I guess it's something you can complain about over and over and over and over again! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> We'll be trying our best!
> 
> My 2022 plans have already hit a big snag. Sarah's summer break (she only gets a week, her school is on the quarter system and goes all year) is a week earlier than when Julie and the boys' school lets out. So now she may not be able to join us. Or she might only be able to come out for a couple days on the weekend or something. It's a pretty big bummer.



Well that's a bummer. At least you are back in planning mode. So far I only have plans until the end of June.  I can't seem to think past there.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> He probably just saw the words "prime rib" and couldn't help but follow the trail.



   Who wouldn't?


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Depends. One time the person immediately put their phone away. Another time the person was so involved with their phone, they didn't even notice the popcorn landing in their hair.



Huh.



pkondz said:


> Sorry. Gotta side with the people behind her on this one.



I did too.  I almost slapped her hand when she turned it on, but the guy behind me beat me to it with his verbal reprimand.



pkondz said:


> I fail to see a problem with that.



Me neither!


----------



## franandaj

So our last update was from February 24, 2020. We rode RotR, a couple other rides, enjoyed a breakfast at Carnation Cafe and some sweets in DCA. This time we had a similar cast of characters, but instead of Jim, we have Jill. She flew in to crash on the couch of our 1 bedroom Villa we had booked for the weekend. Leonard came out for the Friday activities, we arrived at about 1:00 at the DLR, which is pretty good for us considering our past track record. We got there in time to secure spots for the afternoon parade.  Jill had arrived just in time to catch the tail end of the RotR Boarding Groups and I think she got something like group 121, so we were watching the progress of the boarding groups throughout the day.

Mickey started off the parade. I don’t even remember the name of this parade we were literally among the first people to see it.  I think it started the day or two before.





Each float was buffered by dancers or walking characters. Goofy and friends came behind Mickey.





Next up was Moana….









What can I say? I love Hei Hei!






















Next up was the float from CoCo









This guy was my absolute favorite of the movie!





Followed by this one….









Next came the Frozen sisters….






















The Frozen float was iconic….





Until it broke down in front of us…..





I don’t know how long it was in front of us playing it’s song over and over and over again….but while they were trying to haul it away, we had some very intense interactions with characters walking the parade route.









Leonard was having some serious words with Peter Pan….





Fran was having an existential discussion with Aladdin!













About 20 minutes later, after the Frozen float moved ahead, the parade resumed.





Merlin and Arthur rounded the corner.









Then it was time for Tiana and Prince Naveen





And finally the parade came to its conclusion with Sleeping Beauty, the Prince, and the Good Fairies. It looks like their float needed a little help as well.





*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

Then it was on to the next part of our day, the Food & Wine Kiosks. Fran did not start off with us, it was the 25th Anniversary of Indiana Jones, and she wanted to purchase merchandise instead of visiting the kiosks. She did end up joining us eventually because I caught her signature Diet Mtn Dew bottle in one of the later pictures. Our first stop was the Nuts About Cheese booth.





From there we got the Fiscalini White Cheddar Lager Soup served in a Mini Boudin® Sourdough Bowl (Vegetarian) – $6.75





And from Uncork California






We got the White Wine Flight which had the 
Malibu Rocky Oaks, Sauvignon Blanc, California
Rombauer Chardonnay, Carneros
Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sofia, Rose, Monterey County





It seems that I stopped taking pictures of the booths at this point, but based on our food, this came from Golden Dreams. Here we have the Brunch Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich with Mimosa-inspired Slaw and OJ Bubbles – $8.00 and Seared Verlasso® Salmon with Lemon Pea Purée, Black Rice and Meyer Lemon Relish (Gluten-Friendly) – $7.75





I can’t tell you about the Salmon because I don’t eat it, but the Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwich was pretty good, not awesome, but we polished it off.

I have no idea what that beverage in the background is, but both the option from that booth were non-alcoholic drinks.
Strawberry-Rose Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.00
Fig & Lavender Cold Brew (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.50

Next up was the LA Style booth. Monkey Bread with Caramel Whiskey Glaze and Candied Pecans (Contains trace amounts of alcohol) – $6.00





I don't remember anything about these so they obviously weren't that memorable.

We also got Asian-style Beef Barbacoa Street Tacos – $8.00





These were pretty good, they weren't too spicy and were easy little bites.

This must have been the Smoked Bacon Barbecue Beef Loco Moco on Rice (Gluten-Friendly) – $7.50





I didn't like this one much at all, but the others did, so I let them finish it.

This next one came from Avocado Time. Tortilla-crusted Fried Guacamole with Carne Asada – $8.25





I wasn't a giant fan of the fried guacamole, it was a little weird, but the chunks of Carne Asada hit the spot.

We also got the Mezcal Cocktail (Alcoholic) – $14.00, and it appears I also had a glass of wine. I think Fran and I split the cocktail, and I'm sure it was good. It's very rare that we don't like drinks like this.





By this point we had hit four different food booths and tried seven different bites split between either two, three, or four people, so we were pretty satiated. Fran wanted to lay down, so she headed back to the room. The rest of us decided to ride the Incredicoaster.





After that we decided that we would hit one more booth. One in a Melon.





At this booth we got Pabana Cream Puff with Mango, Passion Fruit and Banana Mousse – $5.50 and House-made Watermelon Agua Fresca (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.00 either that or the Berry Mule (Alcoholic) – $14.00. Probably more likely the latter knowing me.





I don't remember a thing about these, but from the picture it looks like we ordered three of them!

Meanwhile, back in the room, Fran was nice enough to take pictures before we messed it all up. We always get a one bedroom (or larger), because Fran doesn't like the studio roulette. Meaning one of us gets the side of the bed without a nightstand and she can't even get in and out of the bed on the small side. We need the King size bed with night stands on both sides as a guarantee. Plus I love having the Jacuzzi tub, since mine at home are continuingly malfunctioning. 

























I’m not certain what we did after that, I’m pretty sure Leonard went back home, it was well after dark. Jill had been up early since she flew in that day, I’m getting most of my information from our text messages which say that we were back in the room by 9:15. I do remember they called her boarding group even though it was a back up boarding group, but she had already decided she wasn’t going back into the park and trekking all the way to Galaxy’s Edge at this hour.

I’m pretty sure that I took advantage of the tub to relax and chill out. Cause I didn’t chime in until close to 10PM, probably after my bath. Regardless we had a pretty early morning the next day and didn’t want to be up too late.





*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

From our text messages the next morning, Jenny was up at 5AM and by 5:30 she was texting us when they planned to arrive. There was a whole lot of back and forthing, until we met up at around 6:45AM and headed over towards the Esplanade. Once we were inside the park we were greeted by Michael (Jenny’s husband) and one of his work friends. You see Michael worked as a firefighter at DL back then and they were making their morning rounds. They stopped to chat with us and take some pictures.









Here’s Jenny and her hunky firefighter husband (her words not mine )





We said our goodbyes and headed into the park. I love these trees that bloom at this time of year.




Photo courtesy Jenny.

We headed back over near the castle, on the walkway between the Matterhorn and the Castle.  All the reports said to try and get as far away from the crowds as you can.  Since we were staying on property we were able to go past the rope. We could have done Magic Mornings, but we were too focused on getting our boarding group.

When the time came, Jill was the hero who snagged it for our party. She got BG27.  We all cheered and Jenny ran around screaming and cheering. Her daughter, Chloe, put her head down, shaking it, saying, “That’s not my Mom.”  We all had a good laugh.

Then some of us needed breakfast so we went to the Red Rose Tavern.  I didn’t need anything, I’d had something in the room (don’t remember what it was now) and they didn’t take any pictures. Something with bacon, eggs and potatoes. After that we had some time to kill. The ride hadn’t come up yet so we decided to ride the Jungle Cruise. It was fun, we didn’t have the best skipper, but not the worst either.













Who knew that this would be my last time to see Trader Sam?





I didn’t have anything from the Red Rose Tavern and by 10:15 I was feeling a little peckish, so I decided to get a snack at the Tropical Hideaway.  I’m not sure what everyone else got, or if they did, but I got this raspberry swirl Dole Whip. I was never a huge fan of the Dole Whip. Not that I didn’t like it, but the line was always so long and it was just kind of here or there, I was always partial to the float anyways. However, once they opened the Tropical Hideaway with the swirls, I immediately went for the raspberry and never turned back! I suppose I should try one of the other swirled flavors, but this one is so good I keep going back for it!





By this time it was getting pretty late in the morning. The ride still hadn’t come up, so we decided to go on Indy, it was the 25th Anniversary of the ride afterall and they were giving riders these decoder cards like they gave out when it first opened.





After the ride, from our text messages, it appears that I went back to the room to see if Fran was OK, and bring her something to eat. I’m guessing the others went on a ride, but we all met back up and by this time it was close to or just after noon. We decided that it was 5 o’clock somewhere and decided to get ourselves a drink. Not sure exactly how that went down, I think we were in line for Carthay, but it was around this time when I noticed that the ride was accepting boarding groups. We bolted from DCA over to DL and went right for the ride.

Now all morning I had been reading about how this was the latest EVER opening for RotR since it opened in January. Now our group had Boarding Group 27. When the ride opened the spread was groups 14-23. As I mentioned, we hightailed it over to the ride. They were on Group 29 by the time we got to the queue. We encountered a small wait, however, we just got off the ride when groups 14-40 were being called. By this time the line extended into the outdoor queue. It was moving nicely along, but i think that they were trying to pack in as many groups as they could to get through the Guaranteed BGs and not have to issue any reparations for the next day.

Jill found her hunky boyfriend outside the ride and he posed for a pic.





This is a picture that I stole from the RotR thread of what the line looked like around 3-4PM that day. Keep in mind this is outside the cave portion of the queue.





After the ride, I said “see you later” to the clan, Jenny’s daughter Chloe had to go to work and I don’t even remember if she got to ride with us. Fran and I had to go back home because we forgot some stuff (like her meds). It turns out we had a miscommunication with our cat sitter, Naked Jim, and he didn’t realize that we left Friday afternoon, so he didn’t feed the cats Friday night or Saturday morning. All the cat food bowls were nearly empty, so I filled their crunchies, and gave them a round of canned cat food. I put a note telling Jim NOT to give them another round of cans, but nope he didn’t listen. He came by about 3-4 hours later and fed them again, throwing away all the cat food that I just gave them hours earlier. I learned that if we ever start traveling again, that I will text him the day we leave just to confirm that he should start feeding that night in case he entered it wrong in his phone.

By the time we got back to the resort, Jill and Jenny were celebrating Jenny’s birthday in style. 





They were enjoying Champagne and Cranberry Mimosas while we were darting back home.













Fran just wanted to take her meds and go back to bed. One of my texts between the gals earlier that day read “Fran thinks she shouldn’t have eaten the Nachos last night.” So I think her tummy was feeling rather rocky. Also she sometimes likes to just rest in the comfy beds while I hang out with my besties. I think she is partly relieved for me to have friends to hang out with at Disney and the hotel because it takes the pressure off her to be “up” and “having fun”, and she can just let me do what I want while she catches up on her sleep. When it’s just the two of us she feels pressure to keep me entertained and company.

I think all of us needed some rest, the early morning securing a boarding group was pretty stressful and then waiting all day for boarding to start must have exhausted us all. From what I can tell from our text messages, we wrapped things up fairly early again this night, between 8-9PM.

The next morning JIll had a noon flight that ended up being delayed after she got to the airport. I reported in our texts that we were home by 12:30 so we definitely checked directly out of the hotel and went basically right home.

The next week Covid cases started to ramp up all over the country. Disneyland announced that they would be closing down the parks over the next weekend. We had a “talk” booked at a local museum the Saturday of the following weekend about “The music of Disneyland” and we even called the day before to find out if they were still having it. The program went on, and we saw a lot of friends there. I think that was the last time that I hugged someone that wasn’t Fran. We greeted each other with a hug and then looked at each other like, were we supposed to do that?

That evening after the presentation, we went to our local Tiki bar and I actually ran into several Disney employees just by chance, we didn’t know them, but you know how you used to talk to strangers if they had a purse you recognized? Or if you overheard them say, oh yeah, I’m a busboy at such and such restaurant….It was really odd how none of us imagined that this would go on for so long.

We had even considered going out to Trader Sams the next day, just to be there for the last day before it closed for a little bit. And then that’s when it all got really real. First Mayor Eric Garcetti closed down all of Los Angeles, and I don’t remember if it was just hours later, but Gavin Newsom closed down the State of California. That made us think that perhaps we (with many many many underlying conditions) should really take this seriously. And so after that, we stayed home. Or went out together to the Post Office in masks. I did all the grocery shopping. Fran drove me around so she could get out of the house, but I went into all the places for online pickup, or takeout.

A whole year we didn’t do hardly anything, but then we got fully vaccinated midway through this month and we are ready to get back to doing things!  Disney here we come!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I did too. I almost slapped her hand when she turned it on, but the guy behind me beat me to it with his verbal reprimand.


Whoopsie!

Back later to read the update.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Whoopsie!



Don't worry, *this time* I got all the posts in before you posted.

I've learned to proof the 2nd or 3rd posts *after *posting in case you come in to reply.  



pkondz said:


> Back later to read the update.



Okey Dokey.  It's not going anywhere.


----------



## rentayenta

What a fun, mostly, update aside from Fran not feeling well. I miss this life!!!! Great pics and update. Can't wait to get back to the Villas and see everyone. It's been far too long since we have had a proper, or any, Disney day.

Hunky hubby.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> This is the oldest Disneyland photo that I can find of us, it came from 1998, back when we were young and care free!


Love love it!! 




franandaj said:


>



Awwww     



franandaj said:


> Anyone remember this incarnation of DCA?



I do remember these! is this when "California" was spelt in letters out front too?




franandaj said:


> the Monte Cristo and Pomme Frites!



Yummm to both! 


franandaj said:


> We love our shopping and after a rough couple years healthwise, we were happy to get back to the parks in 2013.



I love both of your faces here so much! Fran "hehehe" You "Okkk" 


franandaj said:


> We'd like to thank the Academy….



Nice!  Have you visited the museum in San Fran?



franandaj said:


> We have been known to get dressed up and have a night out on the town.



Always love this pic! 



franandaj said:


> We also booked Wine Receptions for Fess Parker, and Skywalker Vineyards at the Carthay Circle



I remember this in your plans too!



franandaj said:


> I'm going to lead into this new TR with my last bonus features from before the shut down. Remember back then? It was all the rage to try and get a boarding group for RotR from your home?



RoTR..sighhhhh...somedayyyyyy!



franandaj said:


>



I think I'd be interested in this, I like "hash" type jobs



franandaj said:


> I got a Mickey Waffle! Yum! Even with my own Mickey wafflemaker at home, they totally taste better in the park.



I have a Mickey waffle maker too, nice to have a little magic in the waffle form at home. 


franandaj said:


> Leonard tells me that we rode Guardians as well



Guardian's  Ella's fav- she wanted to ride all of the songs over our trip and I think we may have done it too



franandaj said:


>



Those look soo good right now- anything in a mickey shape I suppose



franandaj said:


> But don’t worry we have more fun coming up in less than two weeks last year! I hope to have everything from the past posted before we attend our first DL day which is during the soft openings, our date is April 28. I don’t know how quickly I’ll be able to post once we start our DL trips because we have quite a few days booked right off the bat, but I promise I will try to update as soon as I can.



Lots of us will be living through you for a while! 



franandaj said:


> I tried to give you a head up! Sorry!



Yup you did...don't know how I missed it, but it kinda goes with this week...thanks for checking in


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> The Prime Rib traveled through Universal's resort in Orlando, and the Titanic exhibit before becoming dinner at the AKL and you can read about its adventures here.
> 
> Trip Report with Prime Rib tagging along
> 
> Its not until page 16, that the Prime Rib actually gets cooked, but everyone was pretty darned concerned about that roast in the time leading up to it



Needed it's own separate message it seems but ahhh the PR adventures!    I think I will need to go back and read it again for some laughs


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> What a fun, mostly, update aside from Fran not feeling well. I miss this life!!!!



I do too!  I need to book some more stays at the Grand, and we can have Jill come crash!



rentayenta said:


> Great pics and update. Can't wait to get back to the Villas and see everyone. It's been far too long since we have had a proper, or any, Disney day.



Even if it is just going to be the two of us, next month, I can't wait to be back in a Villa watching the people out in the park, sipping wine on my balcony!



rentayenta said:


> Hunky hubby.



You're the one who put that in my head.  You said, "the next time a hunky firefigher asks me to move to Utah, I might say 'no'".


----------



## taaren

franandaj said:


> At this booth we got Pabana Cream Puff with Mango, Passion Fruit and Banana Mousse – $5.50 and House-made Watermelon Agua Fresca (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.00 either that or the Berry Mule (Alcoholic) – $14.00. Probably more likely the latter knowing me.


From the yellow cup, it must be a Berry Mule! I had one of those at Touch of Disney earlier this month. We travel with teens, so the kids know that the yellow cups are mom drinks that they have to ask before they can steal a sip!

Right around the time you were on this trip we had attempted to plan an extra trip for our Spring Break to go to to this food festival largely because DISsers and DFB pictures of the foods are irresistable (we plan a lot of our trips around food, which doesn't always work well with having VGC reservations in advance). Here's hoping they bring back this one in 2022!



franandaj said:


> I didn’t have anything from the Red Rose Tavern and by 10:15 I was feeling a little peckish, so I decided to get a snack at the Tropical Hideaway.  I’m not sure what everyone else got, or if they did, but I got this raspberry swirl Dole Whip. I was never a huge fan of the Dole Whip. Not that I didn’t like it, but the line was always so long and it was just kind of here or there, I was always partial to the float anyways. However, once they opened the Tropical Hideaway with the swirls, I immediately went for the raspberry and never turned back! I suppose I should try one of the other swirled flavors, but this one is so good I keep going back for it!


Zomg your raspberry swirl picture is making me hungry! Love that they have non-pineapple flavors now, the Tropical Hideaway is one of my group's favorite snack spots.


franandaj said:


> I think all of us needed some rest, the early morning securing a boarding group was pretty stressful and then waiting all day for boarding to start must have exhausted us all. From what I can tell from our text messages, we wrapped things up fairly early again this night, between 8-9PM.


The procedure to get those ROTR boarding groups was definitely rough! We got to go for Presidents Day weekend, and waiting for our boarding group meant we didn't get our usual afternoon break at the hotel. You know you're spoiled when you complain about having to spend a whole day in the park instead of getting breaks by the pool!

Your pictures of the 1 bedroom make me miss the VGC! We're lucky that this year due to all the extra points from not using any last year we'll be in 1 and 2 bedrooms instead of alternating between studios and 2 bedrooms. Will be hard to go back to smaller rooms after all the excess points get absorbed!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> So our last update was from February 24, 2020.


Man... that seems like a lifetime ago.


franandaj said:


> but instead of Jim, we have Jill.


J for J. Are they interchangeable?


franandaj said:


> I don’t even remember the name of this parade


It's a Disney parade!


You're welcome.




franandaj said:


> What can I say? I love Hei Hei!



Funniest part of that movie.


franandaj said:


>


Was he an inflatable? Did he move? (If you remember.)


franandaj said:


> This guy was my absolute favorite of the movie!


I need to watch that again. I don't remember either one of those guys! 


franandaj said:


>


Hey! There's Fran.
Must say (not gonna quote them all) that the floats in this parade are pretty amazing.


franandaj said:


> Until it broke down in front of us…..


Um... except for that part, I guess.


franandaj said:


> we had some very intense interactions with characters walking the parade route.


I'm thinking that maybe the breakdown wasn't so bad, then. 


franandaj said:


>


Fran: "So you head back the way you came, make a right at the intersection and it'll be on your left."


franandaj said:


> Merlin and Arthur rounded the corner.


This pleases me. Nice throwback. I'm thinking a lot (maybe most? All?) of the kids haven't seen that.


franandaj said:


> Fran did not start off with us, it was the 25th Anniversary of Indiana Jones, and she wanted to purchase merchandise instead of visiting the kiosks.


I'm not surprised. 


franandaj said:


> From there we got the Fiscalini White Cheddar Lager Soup served in a Mini Boudin® Sourdough Bowl


That looks very heavy. Was it?


franandaj said:


> We got the White Wine Flight


I'd be all over that!


franandaj said:


> Here we have the Brunch Fried Chicken & Waffle Sandwich


mmmmm... yes please.


franandaj said:


> Seared Verlasso® Salmon with Lemon Pea Purée, Black Rice and Meyer Lemon Relish


That sounds really interesting. I'd try that. 


franandaj said:


> This must have been the Smoked Bacon Barbecue Beef Loco Moco


Whoa. That sounds soooo good!


franandaj said:


> I didn't like this one much at all, but the others did, so I let them finish it.


But... maybe it wasn't so great. Still... I would've been pretty excited about that one. And maybe disappointed.


franandaj said:


> At this booth we got Pabana Cream Puff with Mango, Passion Fruit and Banana Mousse – $5.50 and House-made Watermelon Agua Fresca


Both sound really good.


franandaj said:


> Fran doesn't like the studio roulette. Meaning one of us gets the side of the bed without a nightstand and she can't even get in and out of the bed on the small side


Ohhh... Was gonna ask what the studio roulette was. Thanks for the explanation.


franandaj said:


> Plus I love having the Jacuzzi tub, since mine at home are continuingly malfunctioning.


Plus you never have to clean theirs.


franandaj said:


> I do remember they called her boarding group even though it was a back up boarding group, but she had already decided she wasn’t going back into the park and trekking all the way to Galaxy’s Edge at this hour.


Too bad. But... glad they got in the next day.


franandaj said:


> Here’s Jenny and her hunky firefighter husband (her words not mine )





franandaj said:


> All the reports said to try and get as far away from the crowds as you can.


Really? Huh. Wonder why? Bandwidth congestion, I guess?


franandaj said:


> When the time came, Jill was the hero who snagged it for our party. She got BG27.


Way to go Jill!


franandaj said:


> We all cheered and Jenny ran around screaming and cheering





franandaj said:


> Her daughter, Chloe, put her head down, shaking it, saying, “That’s not my Mom.” We all had a good laugh.





franandaj said:


> Who knew that this would be my last time to see Trader Sam?


I do wonder...
Is he gone for good? Or just getting a refurb/new storyline?


franandaj said:


> I got this raspberry swirl Dole Whip.


Want!!!


franandaj said:


> I was always partial to the float anyways.


Oh, for _sure_! I never have it any other way.


franandaj said:


> we decided to go on Indy, it was the 25th Anniversary of the ride afterall and they were giving riders these decoder cards like they gave out when it first opened.


Cool!


franandaj said:


> Jill found her hunky boyfriend outside the ride and he posed for a pic.





franandaj said:


> This is a picture that I stole from the RotR thread of what the line looked like around 3-4PM that day. Keep in mind this is outside the cave portion of the queue.


Holy crap. 


franandaj said:


> It turns out we had a miscommunication with our cat sitter, Naked Jim, and he didn’t realize that we left Friday afternoon, so he didn’t feed the cats Friday night or Saturday morning. All the cat food bowls were nearly empty, so I filled their crunchies, and gave them a round of canned cat food. I put a note telling Jim NOT to give them another round of cans, but nope he didn’t listen. He came by about 3-4 hours later and fed them again, throwing away all the cat food that I just gave them hours earlier.


Whoops! Bet the cats were at first, miffed, then later, overjoyed.


franandaj said:


> I think she is partly relieved for me to have friends to hang out with at Disney and the hotel because it takes the pressure off her to be “up” and “having fun”, and she can just let me do what I want while she catches up on her sleep. When it’s just the two of us she feels pressure to keep me entertained and company.


Interesting observation. Have you asked her?


franandaj said:


> The next week Covid cases started to ramp up all over the country.


Ugh. As mentioned earlier. Seems like a lifetime ago.


franandaj said:


> I think that was the last time that I hugged someone that wasn’t Fran. We greeted each other with a hug and then looked at each other like, were we supposed to do that?



That's such a sad couple of sentences.


franandaj said:


> but then we got fully vaccinated midway through this month and we are ready to get back to doing things! Disney here we come!


Please world. Get better.


franandaj said:


> Don't worry, *this time* I got all the posts in before you posted.


 Just barely!


franandaj said:


> I've learned to proof the 2nd or 3rd posts *after *posting in case you come in to reply.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Love love it!!
> 
> 
> Awwww







DnA2010 said:


> I do remember these! is this when "California" was spelt in letters out front too?



Yes. Not sure why the Hyperion bridge is better than the Golden Gate, but I guess it fits the LA theme of Buena Vista St.



DnA2010 said:


> Yummm to both!



Can't wait to have them again! I snagged two reservations yesterday, May 2nd and May 17th!



DnA2010 said:


> I love both of your faces here so much! Fran "hehehe" You "Okkk"



We had other friends with us and I don't remember what they were saying to make us laugh so hard!



DnA2010 said:


> Nice! Have you visited the museum in San Fran?



Yes, several times!



DnA2010 said:


> Always love this pic!



Thanks!



DnA2010 said:


> I remember this in your plans too!



So sad. It would have been fun.



DnA2010 said:


> RoTR..sighhhhh...somedayyyyyy!



It will happen!



DnA2010 said:


> I think I'd be interested in this, I like "hash" type jobs



Maybe next time!



DnA2010 said:


> I have a Mickey waffle maker too, nice to have a little magic in the waffle form at home.



Maybe one of these times we are going we should get breakfast....



DnA2010 said:


> Guardian's  Ella's fav- she wanted to ride all of the songs over our trip and I think we may have done it too



It took me four months to get all six!



DnA2010 said:


> Those look soo good right now- anything in a mickey shape I suppose



I'm gonna stock up on treats my first day. So many that I miss!



DnA2010 said:


> Lots of us will be living through you for a while!



I'll try to make it worth it!



DnA2010 said:


> Yup you did...don't know how I missed it, but it kinda goes with this week...thanks for checking in



Sorry you've had a sucky week. :flower3



DnA2010 said:


> Needed it's own separate message it seems but ahhh the PR adventures!   I think I will need to go back and read it again for some laughs



I read up to when I cooked the Prime Rib and it was fun re-living that trip!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

pkondz said:


> I fail to see a problem with that.





franandaj said:


> Who wouldn't?



Don't get me wrong; chasing prime rib is never a bad thing.  I mean, I did the same thing.



franandaj said:


> The problem is also that APs really don't spend that much money. They come in do the rides they want, watch parades or shows, and barely buy coke and a popcorn.



Out!  Out with all of them!



franandaj said:


> I know it wasn't, but I still feel bad you didn't get on it. I guess it's something you can complain about over and over and over and over again!



And I do!  Gotta get some mileage out of this suffering.



franandaj said:


> Well that's a bummer. At least you are back in planning mode. So far I only have plans until the end of June. I can't seem to think past there.



I have a hard time moving forward if I don't have something to look forward to on the calendar.

We're trying to get creative.  I didn't want to do Disneyland on a Saturday, but we might have to if that's the only day we get all together.



franandaj said:


> This time we had a similar cast of characters, but instead of Jim, we have Jill.



Hi Jill! 



franandaj said:


>



Best float, right there.



franandaj said:


> Leonard was having some serious words with Peter Pan….



Yes, you CAN save money with Geico!



franandaj said:


> And finally the parade came to its conclusion with Sleeping Beauty, the Prince, and the Good Fairies. It looks like their float needed a little help as well.



Love those magical farm tractors.



franandaj said:


> Fran did not start off with us, it was the 25th Anniversary of Indiana Jones



Hey, that sounds like a fun ride.



franandaj said:


> After that we decided that we would hit one more booth. One in a Melon.



I see what they did there.



franandaj said:


> Meanwhile, back in the room, Fran was nice enough to take pictures before we messed it all up.



That room looks a lot swankier than the Castle Inn across the street.  Don't ask how I know.



franandaj said:


> I do remember they called her boarding group even though it was a back up boarding group, but she had already decided she wasn’t going back into the park and trekking all the way to Galaxy’s Edge at this hour.



Oh man, I'd be hightailing it over there!



franandaj said:


> We said our goodbyes and headed into the park. I love these trees that bloom at this time of year.



Beautiful!



franandaj said:


> All the reports said to try and get as far away from the crowds as you can.



Huh.  Hadn't heard that one.



franandaj said:


> When the time came, Jill was the hero who snagged it for our party. She got BG27.



Nice!



franandaj said:


> Who knew that this would be my last time to see Trader Sam?



Yeah, that came about very suddenly.



franandaj said:


> I was never a huge fan of the Dole Whip.



Blasphemy!



franandaj said:


> I was always partial to the float anyways.



Well, ok.  The float is better.



franandaj said:


> The ride still hadn’t come up, so we decided to go on Indy, it was the 25th Anniversary of the ride afterall and they were giving riders these decoder cards like they gave out when it first opened.



Cool.



franandaj said:


> Jill found her hunky boyfriend outside the ride and he posed for a pic.



Looks like he could stand to shave.



franandaj said:


> Fran and I had to go back home because we forgot some stuff (like her meds).



Seems important.



franandaj said:


> I put a note telling Jim NOT to give them another round of cans, but nope he didn’t listen. He came by about 3-4 hours later and fed them again, throwing away all the cat food that I just gave them hours earlier.







franandaj said:


> I think all of us needed some rest, the early morning securing a boarding group was pretty stressful and then waiting all day for boarding to start must have exhausted us all.



This whole procedure sounds really stressful, and then your day might be ruined if you don't get a BG.  Not a huge fan.



franandaj said:


> The next week Covid cases started to ramp up all over the country. Disneyland announced that they would be closing down the parks over the next weekend.



Boo.



franandaj said:


> We greeted each other with a hug and then looked at each other like, were we supposed to do that?



Yeah...it's gotten weird.



franandaj said:


> That evening after the presentation, we went to our local Tiki bar and I actually ran into several Disney employees just by chance, we didn’t know them, but you know how you used to talk to strangers if they had a purse you recognized? Or if you overheard them say, oh yeah, I’m a busboy at such and such restaurant….It was really odd how none of us imagined that this would go on for so long.



I thought maybe we could make it for a couple of months.



franandaj said:


> First Mayor Eric Garcetti closed down all of Los Angeles, and I don’t remember if it was just hours later, but Gavin Newsom closed down the State of California. That made us think that perhaps we (with many many many underlying conditions) should really take this seriously.



Yeah, we all had that moment where it was like, "Ok...we're really doing this."



franandaj said:


> A whole year we didn’t do hardly anything, but then we got fully vaccinated midway through this month and we are ready to get back to doing things! Disney here we come!



Hooray!


----------



## DLfan4

Following along.  Great trip report.  Love all the pictures, especially the Food related ones.


----------



## irene_dsc

Jumping in to say hi!  Glad you guys got your jabs so you can go places more safely again.


----------



## Flossbolna

What a beautiful parade! Thanks for sharing those pictures!

Can't believe that it has been over a year now that DL closed. I am very much looking forward to reading about your new adventures!


----------



## franandaj

taaren said:


> From the yellow cup, it must be a Berry Mule! I had one of those at Touch of Disney earlier this month. We travel with teens, so the kids know that the yellow cups are mom drinks that they have to ask before they can steal a sip!



Yeah I finally figured that out after the bazillionth time I read that post! I'm sure it was good! How could it not have been?



taaren said:


> Right around the time you were on this trip we had attempted to plan an extra trip for our Spring Break to go to to this food festival largely because DISsers and DFB pictures of the foods are irresistable (we plan a lot of our trips around food, which doesn't always work well with having VGC reservations in advance). Here's hoping they bring back this one in 2022!



I usually just plan to go the first week in March and hope they have the F&W festival.  I really need to book for next year, cause I have a crazy amount of points since we didn't go last year.



taaren said:


> omg your raspberry swirl picture is making me hungry! Love that they have non-pineapple flavors now, the Tropical Hideaway is one of my group's favorite snack spots.



The raspberry swirl still has the pineapple buts ots not as prominent with the swirl.



taaren said:


> The procedure to get those ROTR boarding groups was definitely rough! We got to go for Presidents Day weekend, and waiting for our boarding group meant we didn't get our usual afternoon break at the hotel. You know you're spoiled when you complain about having to spend a whole day in the park instead of getting breaks by the pool!



#1stWorldProblems 



taaren said:


> Your pictures of the 1 bedroom make me miss the VGC! We're lucky that this year due to all the extra points from not using any last year we'll be in 1 and 2 bedrooms instead of alternating between studios and 2 bedrooms. Will be hard to go back to smaller rooms after all the excess points get absorbed!



Gosh I can't wait to go back!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> J for J. Are they interchangeable?



Not really. One comes with a whole lot more sarcasm than the other.



pkondz said:


> It's a Disney parade!
> 
> 
> You're welcome.







pkondz said:


> Funniest part of that movie.



He was the best part.



pkondz said:


> Was he an inflatable? Did he move? (If you remember.)



I'm pretty sure he was not an inflatable, and he may have rotated from side to side, but he wasn't like an animatronic.



pkondz said:


> I need to watch that again. I don't remember either one of those guys!



You don't remember the goofy dog with his tongue hanging out? In the end he transformed into a rainbow magical creature, just like the cat that was following them around in the afterlife. 



pkondz said:


> Hey! There's Fran.
> Must say (not gonna quote them all) that the floats in this parade are pretty amazing.



They were pretty spectacular, too bad the parade ran less than a few weeks.



pkondz said:


> Um... except for that part, I guess.



Yeah the song was LOUD, and it's OK when it's just passing by, but when it's stuck there playing over and over, not so much.



pkondz said:


> I'm thinking that maybe the breakdown wasn't so bad, then.



It was kind of fun having full on discussions with the characters who could speak, I know the Fairy Godmother spoke with us a bit as well.



pkondz said:


> Fran: "So you head back the way you came, make a right at the intersection and it'll be on your left."



I wouldn't be surprised!



pkondz said:


> This pleases me. Nice throwback. I'm thinking a lot (maybe most? All?) of the kids haven't seen that.



Maybe they're working on a live action movie down the road....



pkondz said:


> I'm not surprised.



She likes her shopping!



pkondz said:


> That looks very heavy. Was it?



Not that I remember.  We also split it three ways, so it wasn't too much. At some point that evening I sent Jenny that picture and said it was the winner so far.



pkondz said:


> I'd be all over that!



Yes I enjoy white wine flights!



pkondz said:


> mmmmm... yes please.



I haven't had chicken and waffles in a long time. Perhaps I need to fix that.



pkondz said:


> That sounds really interesting. I'd try that.



I don't do salmon. 



pkondz said:


> Whoa. That sounds soooo good!
> But... maybe it wasn't so great. Still... I would've been pretty excited about that one. And maybe disappointed.



Well you really like Loco Moco. I found there to be too much egg and that's why I didn't like it. You mentioned at some point that you really liked eggs as they were easy. I'm very particular about my eggs and don't care for them very often, so you may have liked this one more than me.



pkondz said:


> Both sound really good.



I don't remember so much.



pkondz said:


> Ohhh... Was gonna ask what the studio roulette was. Thanks for the explanation



Yeah, studios only have one nightstand and the other side of the bed has less than a foot to get in and out. For able bodied people that's not a thing. And for the first first few times we stayed in Studios I got that side so she was cool with it, but then we got a studio where her side of the bed was next to the wall and she went nuts. We had to switch sides and she pretty much said "never again!" And I was like 



pkondz said:


> Plus you never have to clean theirs.



Au contraire! I have read horror stories about sludge coming out of them so I always bring a bottle of bleach and clean my jets before using the tub myself!



pkondz said:


> Too bad. But... glad they got in the next day.



That's why she decided to forgoe it, we knew we would get a group the next day.



pkondz said:


> Really? Huh. Wonder why? Bandwidth congestion, I guess?



That was the theory. The group even suggested you run a speed test from your location. Something I had never heard of until RotR premiered.



pkondz said:


> Way to go Jill!







pkondz said:


> I do wonder...
> Is he gone for good? Or just getting a refurb/new storyline?



 



pkondz said:


> Oh, for _sure_! I never have it any other way.



Well except my new favorite!



pkondz said:


> Whoops! Bet the cats were at first, miffed, then later, overjoyed.



Not sure they really cared.



pkondz said:


> Interesting observation. Have you asked her



Nope. Afraid of the discussion.



pkondz said:


> Ugh. As mentioned earlier. Seems like a lifetime ago.







pkondz said:


> That's such a sad couple of sentences.



I know isn't it?



pkondz said:


> Please world. Get better.



Except I wonder. I saw a map of where in the US there is vaccine hesitancy. It's all up near the Canadian border. And in the South. California and New England are all over it. I don't know where we are headed.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Not really. One comes with a whole lot more sarcasm than the other.





franandaj said:


> I'm pretty sure he was not an inflatable, and he may have rotated from side to side, but he wasn't like an animatronic.


Ah. 


franandaj said:


> You don't remember the goofy dog with his tongue hanging out? In the end he transformed into a rainbow magical creature, just like the cat that was following them around in the afterlife.


I forgot!  But I watched it again yesterday. 


franandaj said:


> They were pretty spectacular, too bad the parade ran less than a few weeks.


Maybe they’ll bring it back?


franandaj said:


> was kind of fun having full on discussions with the characters who could speak, I know the Fairy Godmother spoke with us a bit as well.


That must’ve been fun. 


franandaj said:


> Maybe they're working on a live action movie down the road....


 


franandaj said:


> I haven't had chicken and waffles in a long time. Perhaps I need to fix that.


I have... but made the waffles myself. Chicken I got from Popeye’s


franandaj said:


> I don't do salmon.


Bu I do. 


franandaj said:


> Well you really like Loco Moco. I found there to be too much egg and that's why I didn't like it. You mentioned at some point that you really liked eggs as they were easy. I'm very particular about my eggs and don't care for them very often, so you may have liked this one more than me.


I’m pretty particular about my eggs too. I’ve started attempting a perfect French omelet. Have come very close twice. 


franandaj said:


> Yeah, studios only have one nightstand and the other side of the bed has less than a foot to get in and out. For able bodied people that's not a thing. And for the first first few times we stayed in Studios I got that side so she was cool with it, but then we got a studio where her side of the bed was next to the wall and she went nuts. We had to switch sides and she pretty much said "never again!" And I was like





franandaj said:


> Au contraire! I have read horror stories about sludge coming out of them so I always bring a bottle of bleach and clean my jets before using the tub myself!


Ew! Yuck! But m a bit surprised by that. I expect better of Disney. 


franandaj said:


> That was the theory. The group even suggested you run a speed test from your location. Something I had never heard of until RotR premiered.


Huh!


franandaj said:


> Not sure they really cared.


Well... cats. Of course. 


franandaj said:


> Nope. Afraid of the discussion.


Oops!


franandaj said:


> Except I wonder. I saw a map of where in the US there is vaccine hesitancy. It's all up near the Canadian border. And in the South. California and New England are all over it. I don't know where we are headed.


I suppose everyone (or close to it) will either get vaccinated or get the virus. Her immunity should happen one way or another.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Don't get me wrong; chasing prime rib is never a bad thing. I mean, I did the same thing







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Out! Out with all of them!



Well at least Fran and I pull our weight!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> And I do! Gotta get some mileage out of this suffering.



That should be the first ride when you get to DL!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I have a hard time moving forward if I don't have something to look forward to on the calendar.



That's why I haven't been getting out of bed before 10AM, nothing to look forward to.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> We're trying to get creative. I didn't want to do Disneyland on a Saturday, but we might have to if that's the only day we get all together.



School schedules are difficult to work around.....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Best float, right there.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Love those magical farm tractors.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Hey, that sounds like a fun ride.



Yeah, you should go on it sometime!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I see what they did there.



I don't....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That room looks a lot swankier than the Castle Inn across the street. Don't ask how I know.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Oh man, I'd be hightailing it over there!



Well, she pretty much knew she would be getting on the ride the next day.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Blasphemy!
> 
> Well, ok. The float is better.



But the raspberry swirl is even better!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Looks like he could stand to shave.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Seems important.



Just a teeny bit.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> This whole procedure sounds really stressful, and then your day might be ruined if you don't get a BG. Not a huge fan.



It is really stressful, hopefully we will get you a BG when you come out.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Yeah...it's gotten weird.



It's going to be even weirder when I start seeing people I know again.  I mean I don't generally hug the mailman or the gardener, and they're pretty much the only people I really see.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I thought maybe we could make it for a couple of months



I was thinking that we would be back at Disney for my birthday *LAST* year! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Yeah, we all had that moment where it was like, "Ok...we're really doing this."



It took a while for it to really kick in for us, but yeah....


----------



## franandaj

DLfan4 said:


> Following along.  Great trip report.  Love all the pictures, especially the Food related ones.



 Hope to have many more!



irene_dsc said:


> Jumping in to say hi!  Glad you guys got your jabs so you can go places more safely again.



 Thanks! Can't wait to go places!



Flossbolna said:


> What a beautiful parade! Thanks for sharing those pictures!
> 
> Can't believe that it has been over a year now that DL closed. I am very much looking forward to reading about your new adventures!



    Glad to have you here!


----------



## franandaj

OMG!  Tomorrow is our Preview Day!  I heard that today (the first preview day was a show, the kind like the first four letters of Japanese mushrooms that the DIS doesn't allow) it took people two hours to get into the parks. Not sure where they were comparing the two hours, but we are expecting the worst for tomorrow.

We have calculated a new route to get to the parking structure and plan to get there a little later than all the crazy people wanting to be first in line. Hopefully by the time we get there the major bottleneck will be solved and we can just park and enter the structure. From there it should be interesting as there will not be any trams.

Anyways, I sign off from this TR to go and take my shower this evening so we can get going sooner than later tomorrow morning!  Hope to have at least a small update before we go back for real opening day!


----------



## Flossbolna

Have a great day!!


----------



## brookelizabeth

I'm so excited for you both!! I'll be living vicariously.  I need to read your report. I just got back on here after a several-year hiatus.

 (and in case it's not obvious who I am, we met at WDW last year and have several mutual friends! I know it can be hard to connect who is who between Facebook and here sometimes!)


----------



## buzzrelly

Hello there! I'm excited to follow along! This moment is a long time coming, especially for you DL people!

I love all your memory-lane throwback pics, you have had some amazing moments over the years! It's only fitting that you'll be there for this historical moment as well! I hope it's as amazing as it seems it will be!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I heard that today (the first preview day was a show, the kind like the first four letters of Japanese mushrooms that the DIS doesn't allow)



BUTTon mushrooms?




franandaj said:


> it took people two hours to get into the parks




Good luck today!!!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Wishing you a magical day!


----------



## WebmasterMaryJo

I LOVE this thread!  What a fun one to read.


----------



## juniorbugman

Have a magical day


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> Have a great day!!



Thanks!  We did!



brookelizabeth said:


> I'm so excited for you both!! I'll be living vicariously. I need to read your report. I just got back on here after a several-year hiatus.







brookelizabeth said:


> (and in case it's not obvious who I am, we met at WDW last year and have several mutual friends! I know it can be hard to connect who is who between Facebook and here sometimes!)



I'm thinking you're my new German friend!



buzzrelly said:


> Hello there! I'm excited to follow along! This moment is a long time coming, especially for you DL people!



 Are you one of the "No Steve's allowed crowd?"



buzzrelly said:


> I love all your memory-lane throwback pics, you have had some amazing moments over the years! It's only fitting that you'll be there for this historical moment as well! I hope it's as amazing as it seems it will be!



Thanks! We have been going to awesome events over the years at DL and other aspects of Disney, but I focused this one on DL events.



pkondz said:


> BUTTon mushrooms?



Well No, more like Shi**ake mushrooms it was a Shi**ake mushroom show according to Jenny.



pkondz said:


> Good luck today!!!



We had mostly great luck!



tiggrbaby said:


> Wishing you a magical day!



Thanks! We had a great day!



WebmasterMaryJo said:


> I LOVE this thread!  What a fun one to read.



 Hope to have some fun posts



juniorbugman said:


> Have a magical day



Thanks! we did!


----------



## franandaj

OK Folks, I downloaded my pictures from today and started to edit them, but I'm just too tired tonight. I will try to get an update tomorrow.


----------



## Flossbolna

Yay! So happy to hear that you had a great day!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well No, more like Shi**ake mushrooms it was a Shi**ake mushroom show according to Jenny.


I know. Button mine's more fun.


franandaj said:


> We had mostly great luck!


Good!


----------



## buzzrelly

franandaj said:


> Are you one of the "No Steve's allowed crowd?"



Haha! Yes! That was an amazing trip! And your friend Jill was kind enough to allow me to crash her room at AKL with Liesa, even though we had never met! Small world!




franandaj said:


> I will try to get an update tomorrow.



Looking forward to it!


----------



## brookelizabeth

franandaj said:


> I'm thinking you're my new German friend!



You are correct!   Though, a recent German immigrant...


----------



## cruisehopeful

I'm living vicariously through you again. I am looking forward to your pictures and your tips!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

I hope it was a triumphant return!


----------



## disneyseniors

following too.  Sounds like you two are having a fun life and fun at DL.  WE are going to visit this fall if it is opened up to out of state visitors


----------



## franandaj

So I'll be back for replies, but here's an update

Soft Opening April 28

So before we get started on the new material, those of you who know me, know that I rarely visit Disney without a general plan. Once I knew what days we were going, I made lists of all the food I've missed, and I poured over all the new menus to make sure they had my favorites. Bengal BBQ fell off the list when I learned they don't have the Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewer right now. I also made lists of my favorite rides, and plan to tick them off over the coming weeks.

Now I have planned out all our favorite food places and which days we would enjoy them all they way through the end of May. We'll see how well we follow through and that's how June's plan will evolve.

So with that in mind, today's menu would include Plaza Inn fried chicken, and a raspberry swirl Dole Whip. I began checking the Mobile Food App while I was still in bed and no one had gone nuts and started ordering, all the slots were still open starting at 11AM.

The park opened at 9AM and we wanted to avoid the crazy opening crowds that we heard about for the first soft opening day. So we left the house at 9:20.  Here I am ready to do this!




And we are on our way!




There was absolutely no line going into the parking lot, and we found a space in Handicapped parking very easily. We were parked, with scooters unloaded, and exiting the structure at 10:11AM. 





Temperature check was before the security screening, and both went smoothly. 













There were no trams on soft opening day so everyone walked the tram route. 







Right off the bat Fran noticed that all the trash cans are propped open so you don't have to touch the flap that pushes in when you discard your trash.




Almost there!





They had ropes up so that you had to go to the middle of the Esplanade before you could turn to either park.




DCA was busier than Disneyland!









It took us less than 30 minutes from when we exited the structure until we passed through the turnstiles. The train station!




They had these barriers up for the Cast Members.





Our first stop was the Disneyana store. What became apparent quickly was the restricted access when going in and out of the stores and restaurants. 





We admired some of the artwork, but we didn't have $8K to blow on the original painting the HM ballroom. That was the only thing we really liked in there.

I checked the app to see what was running and how long the wait times were. It said that HM was temporarily closed. That was my #1 ride to get on so we decided to do more shopping.

Next was Disney Showcase. There was a Sebastian shirt in there that she liked, but not enough to actually buy it.

On the way out of the store we saw a socially distanced Cruella.





We also noticed Mickey and Minnie socially distanced at the train station. 





We went into the Emporium next. They didn't have a lot that interested us although I did spy these really cute aprons and hand towels. I need to replace a lot of mine at home.





Next we went to the candy store, we will have to see which of these goodies end up coming home with us!





Since HM was still down, I decided to ride BTMRR. On our way there I got a Castle shot.





And these.









I checked the food app and now the first slot was 11:10-11:40AM. Still OK. I wasn't really hungry yet cause we drove through Mickey D's on the way.

I saw some interesting signs on benches. This is one of the wooden benches on the edge of Frontierland.





Before BTMRR I though it prudent to visit the potty, and was amused by these signs near the sinks.





And the rocks outside the bathrooms that are always covered with people sitting on them had these signs on them. However, it didn't seem to do a lot to deter people from sitting on them because later in the day when it was hot and people were tired, there were people sitting there.





*[Continued in next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

The wait for BTMRR was up to 25 minutes now, but I went to get a return time and they let me right on.





Socially distanced roller coaster seating. 





WooHoo! So much fun. They made some changes to the blast scene. It's not quite as cool as it was when the ride first reopened, but they used the technology that they use in the Castle projections to make the rocks explode.

Everywhere in the parks are these little indicators of where to stand. They are anywhere you might find a queue, for food, rides, to enter a store, the bathrooms….





Fran asked if I wanted to check out the dress shop, so we headed over to New Orleans Square.  We saw a socially distanced Red on the way.





The Dress Sop was closed.  Unfortunately it looked like so many places all over. Empty, no sign indicating what it  had been. At least it wasn't boarded up or grafittied!

So we kept going along the path which goes past the Mint Julep Stand when I noticed people in the queue of HM. The app still said Temporarily closed, so we decided to go over and check it out. It had reopened within the last five minutes. The gal at the gate told me to go get a return time from the CM near the exit. I got the "return pass" for HM, and it was for 11:43,  I was like, "It's 11:43 now?" Pretty cool no waiting! 

Except....

I wanting to try for  Boarding Group for RotR at noon.

I had an hour to come back, just like FP. So instead of riding it right then we waited until noon, secured the BG and then I rode HM.









They did some refurbishment. 









This was the old boarding area.









I thought about ordering lunch as soon as we came in the gates but with HM closed that put some uncertainty in our day. We placed our order when I got off the ride at 12:15 and we couldn't pick up until 1:15, we decided to check out the clothing shop on MS which was the one shop we didn't hit on the way in. 

I don't know if it was because it was soft opening, but never do you see this corridor in front of Indy so empty!





I noticed that Indy only had a 15 minute wait, so I rode it.









I got my own truck that I drove! 





They had these little hand washing stations all throughout the parks and DTD.





We shopped on MS and Fran got a shirt. Then we got our "your window is open" message.

Now I learned a good lesson for QS places like Plaza Inn! Find your table before pressing, "I'm here. Prepare my order." Now each place is unique, I had a completely different experience later in the day, but I'll get to that later.

Here at the Plaza Inn, our order was prepared and waiting for us, but I ended up running around (while it got cold) looking for a table in the shade. There were plenty of tables in full sun, but it was turning out to be a very warm day. Finally we saw a party leaving their table and we commandeered it!

We split a chicken dinner, and I was plenty full eating my half of the portion.





We were given one of these utensil sets with all these condiments inside. I had to go back for a second one, but they were happy to give it to me.





While we were eating, our BG was called for RotR. We had an hour to come back, so we headed over to the ride.

And I think I'll wrap up this update here. Next update will be on Galaxy’s Edge.


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> Yay! So happy to hear that you had a great day!



We did! And I've finally started posting about it!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I know. Button mine's more fun.


----------



## franandaj

buzzrelly said:


> Haha! Yes! That was an amazing trip! And your friend Jill was kind enough to allow me to crash her room at AKL with Liesa, even though we had never met! Small world!



Ah, OK that puts everything into context!



buzzrelly said:


> Looking forward to it!



Well I didn't get to it yesterday but I finally got it up.there this morning!


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> You are correct!   Though, a recent German immigrant...



I guess I didn't word it well. The "new" applied to the German part, we have been friends well over a year now!


----------



## franandaj

cruisehopeful said:


> I'm living vicariously through you again. I am looking forward to your pictures and your tips!





I'll try to keep them coming! This is a busy weekend with friends and trips to the park!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> I hope it was a triumphant return!



I'd say for a first day back we accomplished more than we set out to do!


----------



## franandaj

disneyseniors said:


> following too. Sounds like you two are having a fun life and fun at DL.



Well with the exception of the last 13 months or so, our life has been pretty swell! At least with Disney open again, we have something to look forward to!



disneyseniors said:


> WE are going to visit this fall if it is opened up to out of state visitors



I really hope that it is open for out of state folks soon!


----------



## Flossbolna

Looks like you had a great start to your first day back. Success on the boarding group, getting on so many attractions without wait...


----------



## Steppesister

My turn to catch up here. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I wonder how the bomb-sniffing dogs reacted.



But first I have to giggle at Mark's reply!   


franandaj said:


> Fig & Lavender Cold Brew (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.50



That sounds like such an ODD combination, but I'd try it.



franandaj said:


> The rest of us decided to ride the Incredicoaster.



Kinda love that coaster. 



franandaj said:


> Meanwhile, back in the room, Fran was nice enough to take pictures before we messed it all up. We always get a one bedroom (or larger), because Fran doesn't like the studio roulette. Meaning one of us gets the side of the bed without a nightstand and she can't even get in and out of the bed on the small side. We need the King size bed with night stands on both sides as a guarantee. Plus I love having the Jacuzzi tub, since mine at home are continuingly malfunctioning.



Very good reasons to get the room you do. I always wondered why you went that route. 



franandaj said:


>



Nice gang there.  



franandaj said:


> I love these trees that bloom at this time of year.


We've talked about those trees there. 



franandaj said:


> Who knew that this would be my last time to see Trader Sam?






franandaj said:


> they were giving riders these decoder cards like they gave out when it first opened.



Okay, that's pretty cool!!



franandaj said:


> After the ride, I said “see you later” to the clan, Jenny’s daughter Chloe had to go to work and I don’t even remember if she got to ride with us. Fran and I had to go back home because we forgot some stuff (like her meds). It turns out we had a miscommunication with our cat sitter, Naked Jim, and he didn’t realize that we left Friday afternoon, so he didn’t feed the cats Friday night or Saturday morning. All the cat food bowls were nearly empty, so I filled their crunchies, and gave them a round of canned cat food. I put a note telling Jim NOT to give them another round of cans, but nope he didn’t listen. He came by about 3-4 hours later and fed them again, throwing away all the cat food that I just gave them hours earlier. I learned that if we ever start traveling again, that I will text him the day we leave just to confirm that he should start feeding that night in case he entered it wrong in his phone.



Uh oh, another round of cat drama! This is not the first time...



franandaj said:


> Fran just wanted to take her meds and go back to bed. One of my texts between the gals earlier that day read “Fran thinks she shouldn’t have eaten the Nachos last night.” So I think her tummy was feeling rather rocky. Also she sometimes likes to just rest in the comfy beds while I hang out with my besties. I think she is partly relieved for me to have friends to hang out with at Disney and the hotel because it takes the pressure off her to be “up” and “having fun”, and she can just let me do what I want while she catches up on her sleep. When it’s just the two of us she feels pressure to keep me entertained and company.



It's honestly a great win-win solution for you both. 



franandaj said:


> A whole year we didn’t do hardly anything, but then we got fully vaccinated midway through this month and we are ready to get back to doing things! Disney here we come!



YES!!!




pkondz said:


> BUTTon mushrooms?






franandaj said:


> I learned they don't have the Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewer right now



Say what?!



franandaj said:


> There was absolutely no line going into the parking lot, and we found a space in Handicapped parking very easily. We were parked, with scooters unloaded, and exiting the structure at 10:11AM.



Whoa! Good going!



franandaj said:


> I wanting to try for Boarding Group for RotR at noon.
> 
> I had an hour to come back, just like FP. So instead of riding it right then we waited until noon, secured the BG and then I rode HM.



Excellent and professional level planning right there!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> those of you who know me,


I'm sorry, who are you?


franandaj said:


> I also made lists of my favorite rides, and plan to tick them off over the coming weeks.


Don't tick them off too much, though. You might get banned.


franandaj said:


> today's menu would include Plaza Inn fried chicken


mmmmmm...

I _really_ need to get back there for that.
Maybe some day.


franandaj said:


>


Already love the top. Love the mask too!


franandaj said:


>


Look at those smiles!! 


franandaj said:


> Right off the bat Fran noticed that all the trash cans are propped open so you don't have to touch the flap that pushes in when you discard your trash.


Huh! And what a good idea. I either use the trash to push it open or an elbow if needed.


franandaj said:


> It took us less than 30 minutes from when we exited the structure until we passed through the turnstiles.


Not bad at all!


franandaj said:


> we didn't have $8K to blow on the original painting the HM ballroom.


I dunno. Would've been worth it. And I haven't even seen it!


franandaj said:


> we saw a socially distanced Cruella.


Love the shoes. 


franandaj said:


> Next we went to the candy store, we will have to see which of these goodies end up coming home with us!


Top left. Candy apple. Thanks.


franandaj said:


> Since HM was still down,





franandaj said:


>


Pretty empty.


franandaj said:


> Before BTMRR I though it prudent to visit the potty, and was amused by these signs near the sinks.


Why amused? Maybe I'm just used to seeing them.


franandaj said:


> Socially distanced roller coaster seating.


That looks like a lot of distance. Maybe 10'?


franandaj said:


> They made some changes to the blast scene. It's not quite as cool as it was when the ride first reopened, but they used the technology that they use in the Castle projections to make the rocks explode.


Huh!


franandaj said:


> We saw a socially distanced Red on the way.


Who looks a lot better than her animatronic.


franandaj said:


> I got my own truck that I drove!


Did you drive safely and use your turn signals?


franandaj said:


> I ended up running around (while it got cold) looking for a table in the shade.


Unfortunate. Lesson learned.

Also, re: HM.
So happy it opened up! I don't know what the refurbs were. I'd need to ride it again, I think, to notice. Or maybe I wouldn't notice.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Love how your mask matches your shirt!

Great start to your day!


----------



## rentayenta

Great update and pics! We also enjoyed the soft opening. I thought the Plaza Inn fried chicken was amazing! Double mashed, cannot go wrong. Looking forward to this coming Thursday as well. So fun to be normal again!!!!


----------



## pooh'smate

Enjoying all the pictures. So nice to hear you had a great day. My dh thinks they should always keep the trash cans open  He loved that part of WDW when we were there in September.


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> Looks like you had a great start to your first day back. Success on the boarding group, getting on so many attractions without wait...



It was a good day. Looking forward to more.


----------



## rentayenta

franandaj said:


> We're going back today, although a lot more tired and sore! Hopefully we can get on more items on my list!




Whats on the list for today?


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> But first I have to giggle at Mark's reply!



One almost always has to giggle at Mark's replies!



Steppesister said:


> That sounds like such an ODD combination, but I'd try it.



I think at that point I was looking more for adult drinks....it could be OK.



Steppesister said:


> Kinda love that coaster.



Can't wait to ride that one! We still haven't been to DCA yet, but that will change!



Steppesister said:


> Very good reasons to get the room you do. I always wondered why you went that route.



Besides those reasons mentioned, it's also nice having the two bathrooms. More often than not we have someone crashing on the couch, but when it's just the two of us I get the guest bathroom. Normally at home we have our own bathrooms....



Steppesister said:


> Nice gang there.



We were a fun group!



Steppesister said:


> We've talked about those trees there.







Steppesister said:


> Okay, that's pretty cool!!



When it first opened they hoped to keep guests engaged in line by solving the puzzles on the wall.



Steppesister said:


> Uh oh, another round of cat drama! This is not the first time..



Nope and probably not the last, we had a little of that today.



Steppesister said:


> It's honestly a great win-win solution for you both.



Yup! She's going to have to endure being my sole entertainment in 10 days!



Steppesister said:


> YES!!!



    



Steppesister said:


> Say what?!



I'm not exactly sure what is up with Covid protocols, but even last night, we asked where were the onion rings on the menus. Our server told us that due to restrictions they can't have them. Probably an issue of prep space in the kitchen. He assured us they would be back on the menu when things were back to normal. They probably chose the higher priced seafood type items and sides over something as cheap an onion rings.



Steppesister said:


> Whoa! Good going!







Steppesister said:


> Excellent and professional level planning right there!



Thank you very much. I still got it!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I'm sorry, who are you?



Who, who
Who, who



pkondz said:


> Don't tick them off too much, though. You might get banned.



I plan on kicking them off only once.



pkondz said:


> mmmmmm...
> 
> I _really_ need to get back there for that.
> Maybe some day.



Well, they're talking fully reopened by 4th of July. Just not sure what that means.



pkondz said:


> Already love the top. Love the mask too!



Thanks! Got to make the best of it!



pkondz said:


> Look at those smiles!!



We're ready to go!



pkondz said:


> Huh! And what a good idea. I either use the trash to push it open or an elbow if needed



I never even gave it a second thought. I guess I mostly used the trash to open the door.



pkondz said:


> Not bad at all!



I feel bad for the people who had to walk the distance. It was long!



pkondz said:


> I dunno. Would've been worth it. And I haven't even seen it!



Well, we also don't have any wall space left either. We already have to rotate pictures.



pkondz said:


> Love the shoes.



I had to go back and look, they were kinda crazy!



pkondz said:


> Why amused? Maybe I'm just used to seeing them.



I guess I don't use many public restrooms. And I suppose those that I have used may not have signs. Come to think of it, if we are out and need to use a restroom, we come back home, since we rarely go farther than five miles from our house.



pkondz said:


> That looks like a lot of distance. Maybe 10'?



I think it was more like 25% capacity so seating every four rows.



pkondz said:


> Who looks a lot better than her animatronic.



True.



pkondz said:


> Did you drive safely and use your turn signals?



I felt like the vehicle was out of my control, and I couldn't figure out where the signals were! I hate trying a new vehicle!



pkondz said:


> Also, re: HM.
> So happy it opened up! I don't know what the refurbs were. I'd need to ride it again, I think, to notice. Or maybe I wouldn't notice.



I'm not sure for you, I ride it fairly often as I'm so close and it's one of my favorite rides. Plus I've done so many rides to get photos with my good camera, and looked at them a million times. Some changes were very obvious, others were pretty subtle.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Who, who
> Who, who





franandaj said:


> I plan on kicking them off only once.





franandaj said:


> Well, they're talking fully reopened by 4th of July. Just not sure what that means.


I wonder if the border will open this summer. Doubtful. 


franandaj said:


> I feel bad for the people who had to walk the distance. It was long!


That might have caused some issues with some people I’m sure 


franandaj said:


> Well, we also don't have any wall space left either. We already have to rotate pictures.


Send some up here!

Happy to help.  


franandaj said:


> I think it was more like 25% capacity so seating every four rows.


Ah. Explains it. 


franandaj said:


> I felt like the vehicle was out of my control, and I couldn't figure out where the signals were! I hate trying a new vehicle!





franandaj said:


> I'm not sure for you, I ride it fairly often as I'm so close and it's one of my favorite rides. Plus I've done so many rides to get photos with my good camera, and looked at them a million times. Some changes were very obvious, others were pretty subtle.


Yeah...... I probably wouldn’t have noticed.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


>



Very well-coordinated for the magical return.



franandaj said:


> There were no trams on soft opening day so everyone walked the tram route.



Ugh.  How long of a walk was that?



franandaj said:


> DCA was busier than Disneyland!



Huh.  Wouldn't have guessed that.



franandaj said:


> It took us less than 30 minutes from when we exited the structure until we passed through the turnstiles. The train station!







franandaj said:


> We went into the Emporium next. They didn't have a lot that interested us although I did spy these really cute aprons and hand towels. I need to replace a lot of mine at home.



Any excuse is a good one in a Disney gift shop.



franandaj said:


> And the rocks outside the bathrooms that are always covered with people sitting on them had these signs on them. However, it didn't seem to do a lot to deter people from sitting on them because later in the day when it was hot and people were tired, there were people sitting there.



I'm sure it always comes down to enforcement.  Generally speaking, I think if people are following mask protocol there's no harm in sitting down for a bit.



franandaj said:


> The wait for BTMRR was up to 25 minutes now, but I went to get a return time and they let me right on.



I see the pixie dust is back, too!



franandaj said:


> WooHoo! So much fun. They made some changes to the blast scene. It's not quite as cool as it was when the ride first reopened, but they used the technology that they use in the Castle projections to make the rocks explode.



Wonder why they did that?  The blast effects were awesome!



franandaj said:


> The app still said Temporarily closed, so we decided to go over and check it out. It had reopened within the last five minutes. The gal at the gate told me to go get a return time from the CM near the exit. I got the "return pass" for HM, and it was for 11:43, I was like, "It's 11:43 now?" Pretty cool no waiting!



Whatever works!



franandaj said:


> So instead of riding it right then we waited until noon, secured the BG and then I rode HM.



Hey, nice!



franandaj said:


> I noticed that Indy only had a 15 minute wait, so I rode it.



That sounds like a fun ride.  I should try it sometime.



franandaj said:


> We split a chicken dinner, and I was plenty full eating my half of the portion.



Mmmm...Plaza chicken....



franandaj said:


> Next update will be on Galaxy’s Edge.


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Love how your mask matches your shirt!



Gotta have fun with fashion. I wasn't the only person at the park with that combo.



tiggrbaby said:


> Great start to your day!



Thanks!


----------



## Malia78

I saw hints you had started a trip report...your reports are some of my favorites Alison and I am so glad I found it!  Not too far behind....so nice to be able to walk into Disneyland again.  Your updates will help refresh my memory--its been way too long


----------



## rndmr2

Followed you over here from your other TR, glad to see a new one going. Looks like you had a great first day.


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Great update and pics! We also enjoyed the soft opening.



And I'm looking forward to Thursday!



rentayenta said:


> I thought the Plaza Inn fried chicken was amazing! Double mashed, cannot go wrong.



I don't get how you did double mashed, I
couldn't find anywhere in the app where you could make substitutions. But I like the green beans. One of the few Theme Park veggies I enjoy.



rentayenta said:


> Looking forward to this coming Thursday as well. So fun to be normal again!!!!



Me too!


----------



## franandaj

pooh'smate said:


> Enjoying all the pictures.



Thanks I hope to post more in the next day or so.



pooh'smate said:


> So nice to hear you had a great day.



It was quite fun!



pooh'smate said:


> My dh thinks they should always keep the trash cans open  He loved that part of WDW when we were there in September.



It makes me wonder how many things will become permanent after this whole thing blows over.


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Whats on the list for today?



Change of plans....


----------



## DnA2010

Literally the 3rd time I've quoted this update, so I'm doing my replies Right Now!



franandaj said:


> What can I say? I love Hei Hei!



hehe me too!



franandaj said:


> Mickey started off the parade. I don’t even remember the name of this parade we were literally among the first people to see it. I think it started the day or two before.



the colours really match the castle!!

[/QUOTE]


franandaj said:


>



I'm always impressed by the puppetiers on these sorts of floats, always try to smile at them



franandaj said:


>



The genie jigging in the back ground cracked me up!




franandaj said:


> Until it broke down in front of us…..



a wee bit less magical...



franandaj said:


> song over and over and over again



not like hearing it doesn't make it already stay in your head...



franandaj said:


>



Intriguing deal being made...



franandaj said:


> Leonard was having some serious words with Peter Pan….



Serious indeed! 


franandaj said:


>



Stay strong Fran! 



franandaj said:


> From there we got the Fiscalini White Cheddar Lager Soup served in a Mini Boudin® Sourdough Bowl (Vegetarian) – $6.75


I would totally love this right now...I've never really made a beer/cheddar soup, although I do make a lager/cheddar fondue



franandaj said:


>



Yumm! Salmon (I know you aren't a fan) looks right up my alley



franandaj said:


> I have no idea what that beverage in the background is, but both the option from that booth were non-alcoholic drinks.
> Strawberry-Rose Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.00
> Fig & Lavender Cold Brew (Non-Alcoholic) – $6.50



I'm thinking it's the cold brew (I think that's a coffee term?)



franandaj said:


> This must have been the Smoked Bacon Barbecue Beef Loco Moco on Rice (Gluten-Friendly) – $7.50



What were the big white things on top? Cheese? 



franandaj said:


> Tortilla-crusted Fried Guacamole



Not sure about this..I like quac, but big chunks fried...hmmm



franandaj said:


>



That's a lot of joy in that front seat!



franandaj said:


> Jacuzzi tub, since mine at home are continuingly malfunctioning.



the trials hey...



franandaj said:


> She got BG27



Ya she did! Score!!!



franandaj said:


> Her daughter, Chloe, put her head down, shaking it, saying, “That’s not my Mom.”



I'm sure M does that a few times with her Dad and I at the parks 



franandaj said:


> However, once they opened the Tropical Hideaway with the swirls, I immediately went for the raspberry and never turned back!



My "go to" now too, Dorian is a float fan like Fran



franandaj said:


>


Mmmm want! Funny enough, when I was a kid, there was a dole whip machine at a stand behind where we used to sit at hockey games...my sister says that had strawberry sometimes- it rotated between pineapple, raspberry, and stawberry apparently. 



franandaj said:


> giving riders these decoder cards like they gave out when it first opened.



I remember those!



franandaj said:


> I learned that if we ever start traveling again, that I will text him the day we leave just to confirm that he should start feeding that night in case he entered it wrong in his phone.



Sounds like a plan! 



franandaj said:


> Naked Jim, and he didn’t realize that we left Friday afternoon, so he didn’t feed the cats Friday night or Saturday morning.



I bet they were pretty happy to see you!



franandaj said:


> By the time we got back to the resort, Jill and Jenny were celebrating Jenny’s birthday in style.



Like how they roll, yup



franandaj said:


> we went to our local Tiki bar



I'm so glad you introduced me to the idea of Tiki Bars- had no idea...the one we went to in Vegas- so much fun, but WOW were the drinks strong!!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I wonder if the border will open this summer. Doubtful.



You never know. I think your outbreaks were less than ours. Then again all the vaccine hesitant states are near your border.



pkondz said:


> That might have caused some issues with some people I’m sure



I know that they notified us that there would be a long walk. ECVs were available for rent at the parking structure.



pkondz said:


> Send some up here!
> 
> Happy to help.



With the price of shipping for your medal, can you imagine what it would cost? 



pkondz said:


> Yeah...... I probably wouldn’t have noticed.



You never know...


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Very well-coordinated for the magical return.



Thanks! I planned it that way!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ugh. How long of a walk was that?



I'm not great at estimating distance but I'm sure it was at least half a mile. It wasn't quite as long as the walk from DHS to the Epcot Resorts, but it was close.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Huh. Wouldn't have guessed that.



Me neither. Alrhough I didn't go inside. Maybe they had less gates open.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Any excuse is a good one in a Disney gift shop.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm sure it always comes down to enforcement. Generally speaking, I think if people are following mask protocol there's no harm in sitting down for a bit.



Yeah, I don't think CMs are actually enforcing stuff. I think they are relying on guests to follow the rules.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I see the pixie dust is back, too!



There was a lot of pixie dust. And CMs were SUPER friendly. I was almost uncomfortable with how friendly they were being! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Wonder why they did that? The blast effects were awesome!



When it first reopened, I got to ride it at the previews. They had an awesome blast sequence where a huge cloud thrust out of the flashpoint.  But it didn't take long until that effect ceased to happen. There was an explosion noise, but the whosh of smoke/steam was gone.

The current modification is better than what it was, after the "whosh" broke down.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That sounds like a fun ride. I should try it sometime.



Yeah, you really should. I bet you'd like it!   



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Mmmm...Plaza chicken....



So yummy!


----------



## franandaj

Malia78 said:


> I saw hints you had started a trip report...your reports are some of my favorites Alison and I am so glad I found it!







Malia78 said:


> Not too far behind....so nice to be able to walk into Disneyland again. Your updates will help refresh my memory--its been way too long



I'll try and have plenty of pictures!


----------



## brookelizabeth

franandaj said:


> WooHoo! So much fun. They made some changes to the blast scene. It's not quite as cool as it was when the ride first reopened, but they used the technology that they use in the Castle projections to make the rocks explode.



I noticed that in a video I watched of opening day! I must have missed WHY they did this change, do you know?  It really is not nearly as cool...



franandaj said:


> I noticed that Indy only had a 15 minute wait, so I rode it.



15 minutes for Indy!!!!!  Incredible!!!


----------



## taaren

franandaj said:


> Soft Opening April 28
> So before we get started on the new material, those of you who know me, know that I rarely visit Disney without a general plan. Once I knew what days we were going, I made lists of all the food I've missed, and I poured over all the new menus to make sure they had my favorites. Bengal BBQ fell off the list when I learned they don't have the Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewer right now. I also made lists of my favorite rides, and plan to tick them off over the coming weeks.
> Now I have planned out all our favorite food places and which days we would enjoy them all they way through the end of May. We'll see how well we follow through and that's how June's plan will evolve.
> So with that in mind, today's menu would include Plaza Inn fried chicken, and a raspberry swirl Dole Whip. I began checking the Mobile Food App while I was still in bed and no one had gone nuts and started ordering, all the slots were still open starting at 11AM.
> The park opened at 9AM and we wanted to avoid the crazy opening crowds that we heard about for the first soft opening day. So we left the house at 9:20.  Here I am ready to do this!


Your day sounds delicious before you even leave! Now I am reconsidering our RD plan for Memorial Day, wondering if we shouldn't annoy ourselves with the inevitable line trying to get out of the Grand into DTD. Love the idea of trying to set up our food plan/mobile orders before entering the parks.


franandaj said:


> Right off the bat Fran noticed that all the trash cans are propped open so you don't have to touch the flap that pushes in when you discard your trash.


Love these details that Disney does! I've always hated that flap when I throw things away, feels like I have to wash my hands after throwing an item away.


franandaj said:


> DCA was busier than Disneyland!
> 
> 
> 
> We admired some of the artwork, but we didn't have $8K to blow on the original painting the HM ballroom. That was the only thing we really liked in there.


What??? Who wouldn't want to spend $8K on Disney art?

Wonder why DCA entrance was busier?


franandaj said:


> We went into the Emporium next. They didn't have a lot that interested us although I did spy these really cute aprons and hand towels. I need to replace a lot of mine at home.
> 
> 
> 
> I checked the food app and now the first slot was 11:10-11:40AM. Still OK. I wasn't really hungry yet cause we drove through Mickey D's on the way.


Glad to hear the slots were still available throughout your morning. After ToD I'm wondering if we'll have to pick all of our meals early or be out of luck.

I collect the Disney kitchen stuff too (although not much of an apron person). Those towels are super cute!!



rentayenta said:


> Great update and pics! We also enjoyed the soft opening. I thought the Plaza Inn fried chicken was amazing! Double mashed, cannot go wrong. Looking forward to this coming Thursday as well. So fun to be normal again!!!!


How did you get Double Mashed on a mobile order? We couldn't figure out how to customize at ToD!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> Bengal BBQ fell off the list when I learned they don't have the Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewer right now.



Oddly I've never picked up food here before...



franandaj said:


> today's menu would include Plaza Inn fried chicken, and a raspberry swirl Dole Whip.



2 of my favs for SURE!!



franandaj said:


> Here I am ready to do this!


So cute! Matching  



franandaj said:


>



Even Mickey is masked!



franandaj said:


> Right off the bat Fran noticed that all the trash cans are propped open so you don't have to touch the flap that pushes in when you discard your trash.



I wish more places would do this, although will have to see how they do in the heat, we have lots of wasps here...



franandaj said:


>



I just heard music start in my heading looking at this!



franandaj said:


> We also noticed Mickey and Minnie socially distanced at the train station.





franandaj said:


> And a disney horse
> 
> 
> we will have to see which of these goodies end up coming home with us!



Yum yum! Is there caramel under the chocolate on the marshmallow wands? Love it when there is both!



franandaj said:


> The wait for BTMRR was up to 25 minutes now, but I went to get a return time and they let me right on.



D's fav! Gotta love the wildest ride in the wilderness!!




franandaj said:


> Socially distanced roller coaster seating.



Well that's nice indeed!



franandaj said:


> Fran asked if I wanted to check out the dress shop, so we headed over to New Orleans Square





franandaj said:


> The Dress Sop was closed.



I hope it's open by the time I get there (I'm sure it will be) I was between sizes when we were last there, but I think I'm more one size now and want to get one. 



franandaj said:


> CM near the exit. I got the "return pass" for HM, and it was for 11:43, I was like, "It's 11:43 now?" Pretty cool no waiting!



Score indeed!



franandaj said:


> I had an hour to come back, just like FP. So instead of riding it right then we waited until noon, secured the BG and then I rode HM.



Double score!!
Glad you will have this all figured out by the time we get back



franandaj said:


> I don't know if it was because it was soft opening, but never do you see this corridor in front of Indy so empty!


Wowzas! that area can be sooo frustrating and bottlenecked!



franandaj said:


> I got my own truck that I drove!



Ok this is awesome! I don't know if we ever have, even at say closing time!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> You never know. I think your outbreaks were less than ours. Then again all the vaccine hesitant states are near your border.


We're making up for it now with our 3rd wave.
Vaccinations are progressing slowly due to availability.


franandaj said:


> With the price of shipping for your medal, can you imagine what it would cost?


Meh. How many arms and legs do you need?


----------



## franandaj

rndmr2 said:


> Followed you over here from your other TR, glad to see a new one going. Looks like you had a great first day.





We did! Looking forward to going back tomorrow!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Literally the 3rd time I've quoted this update, so I'm doing my replies Right Now!



I hate that!



DnA2010 said:


> the colours really match the castle!!



I never even noticed!



DnA2010 said:


> I'm always impressed by the puppetiers on these sorts of floats, always try to smile at them



I guess I really didn't notice them before!



DnA2010 said:


> The genie jigging in the back ground cracked me up!



I must be pretty blind, I only seem to notice what's in the front of the pictures, not the back.



DnA2010 said:


> a wee bit less magical...



Yeah....



DnA2010 said:


> not like hearing it doesn't make it already stay in your head...



But it was blaring so loud, and at least with a parade like this there are any number of songs that could get stuck in your head!



DnA2010 said:


> Intriguing deal being made...



Or as pkondz said, maybe she's giving him directions..... 



DnA2010 said:


> I would totally love this right now...I've never really made a beer/cheddar soup, although I do make a lager/cheddar fondue



I made the one from Le Cellier quite a bit, well at least once a year or so.



DnA2010 said:


> Yumm! Salmon (I know you aren't a fan) looks right up my alley



I wish I liked it, there are so many things I could do with it, but it's just too fishy tasting for me.



DnA2010 said:


> I'm thinking it's the cold brew (I think that's a coffee term?)



Sounds right.  It had to have been Leonard's.  Jill doesn't drink coffee, and he likes his coffee, even late in the day. It would keep me up if I drank it.



DnA2010 said:


> What were the big white things on top? Cheese?



No they were hard boiled eggs.  That was one of the reasons I didn't care for it, too much egg.



DnA2010 said:


> Not sure about this..I like quac, but big chunks fried...hmmm



Yeah, guac is fine, but this was kind of weird.  I can't wait to have my tableside guac next week! We are having dinner at Tortilla Jo's one night!



DnA2010 said:


> That's a lot of joy in that front seat!



So much fun!



DnA2010 said:


> I'm sure M does that a few times with her Dad and I at the parks



Funny how we are the giddy ones at Disney, and they say it's for kids.  



DnA2010 said:


> "go to" now too, Dorian is a float fan like Fran



Next time I'm going to try the raspberry/lemon swirl.



DnA2010 said:


> Mmmm want! Funny enough, when I was a kid, there was a dole whip machine at a stand behind where we used to sit at hockey games...my sister says that had strawberry sometimes- it rotated between pineapple, raspberry, and stawberry apparently.



Interesting.

I had never even heard of a Dole Whip until I joined the DIS.



DnA2010 said:


> I remember those!



I bet Fran has some of the original ones tucked away in a box somewhere.



DnA2010 said:


> Sounds like a plan



He can be rather forgetful. 



DnA2010 said:


> I bet they were pretty happy to see you!



I think they were just happy to have their bowls filled.



DnA2010 said:


> Like how they roll, yup



They got a pretty good head start on me.



DnA2010 said:


> I'm so glad you introduced me to the idea of Tiki Bars- had no idea...the one we went to in Vegas- so much fun, but WOW were the drinks strong!!



I think the strong drinks are part of the experience!


----------



## franandaj

OK, So I still have a few more replies to get to, but I wanted to get this post up before we go out for our next day tomorrow

So we left off with us heading to our boarding group for RotR. Here we are traveling through Batuu to the Resistance Base.





Notice the table on the right, they didn’t used to have those there. Now you can take your Ronto Wrap to the table to enjoy it.





Especially since you can’t sit on the random rocks.





Now Disney had to get really creative in their queue design, since every queue length had to be multiplied by six feet. With the queue for this ride mostly being indoors (inside the mountain) they had to extend it out into the very long walkway, which goes back to the Hungry Bear Restaurant. The line went as far as the bridge for the train. Here’s some fauna you’ll find in the queue.





I never noticed this waterfall in the queue of the ride, probably because the queue did not extend past this waterfall until now.





Another interesting plant in the queue.





If you don't want any spoilers, I suggest you scroll down to the third post. 

*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

What I didn't realize is that there was a path to skip the indoor queue, and the Rey briefing sequence wasn't running, we just walked straight through that portion and out to the ship where you leave the planet. We’re on the transport now.





And as I was writing this up the morning after our park visit, a story aired on my local news explaining that CA guidance says that Indoor rides can be no longer than 15 minutes. RotR is 18 minutes long so they had to remove the Rey briefing sequence part of the ride in compliance.

Pretty soon we were on our way to join the Resistance. 





It’s so cool how you start off in this cave and ascend to space.


















Our pilots accompanying us noticed a problem.





And then we figured out the problem. 





We were about to be boarded.





Our Captain





And we were forced to leave our ship.





I never noticed this prisoner transport in this room.














Pretty soon we were on our way to be interrogated. 









Kylo Ren was going to give us the third degree, but aw shucks, he got called to the bridge.





And then we were busted out and in our getaway vehicle. Finn gave us the low down on how to get out of there.





I don’t think I’ve ever taken this many selfies in one day before!





Folks call this, “the disco room.”





We were almost in the clear, until this droid saw us.





Which caused these guys to start shooting at us.





And then we took a wrong turn.





And the wrong elevator!





As we tried to escape, we inadvertently found our way to the bridge.





When Kylo Ren realized that the prisoners were escaping, he came after us. When we entered a lift, he climbed on top and tried to cut it with his light saber.  This feature was actually down the time that I rode this in Feb 2020.





I love the way the walls are burning from blaster fire at various points throughout the attraction!





At this point chaos was reigning. The rebels had amassed a fleet that was bringing the First Order to its knees. Finn issued an order for everyone to evacuate the ship. We had to contend with these huge blasters.  





Kylo Ren tried once again to get us to reveal the location of the Rebel base.





Soon we were loaded into our little evacuation pods and sailed back down to the surface of Battu. Notice the pods across from us being released down to the surface, amidst the explosions.





Here we are approaching the planet.





Ooops we landed a little bit off course.









Oh well, we made it back!

*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

As I got off the ride, I could tell that I was "done". My legs felt a little wobbly, and that fatigue that only comes from a Disney theme park was starting to set in. I was very thankful to have my scooter to carry me around!

We traveled around Batuu for a little more.  





Fran asked if we could look in “that expensive shop that always has so many people in it that I can’t see anything.” So we headed that direction. I don’t remember all these statues being here before, but I don’t have any pictures of it so who knows?





Lotsa cool stuff in here.  I guess I never took pictures before cause there were always too many people in here.

















Creepy little creatures









We walked down to the square where the Falcon was, but I was too tired to ride that ride, and the line looked longer than I wanted to wait.





We headed over to the section where the First Order rules.





So sad to see the Cantina closed up. We’ll have to go back when it opens.





We checked out the First Order store, but I’d rather own Rebel merch. These guys were trying to pick a fight with anyone who would bite.





And Kylo Ren came out to join the fun.





We had one last stop, the Tropical Hideaway.  We placed our Mobile Order at 3:15. On our way to that part of the park, I noticed that the Shooting Gallery is all closed up and converted to seating for dining.





We still had time to kill so we ducked into the Mercantile to take advantage of their AC. By now it was pretty hot. I found a tank top that I liked for our second merchandise purchase of the day. It was getting close to the time for our mobile order window so we went outside.





When our time window came up I pressed, "I'm here prepare my order." That was around 3:43. However I didn't get the "We're preparing your order, come on in." message until nearly 4 o'clock! And then there was a line once they let us in. 





It was only about five or six people, but it was nearly an hour from the time we actually placed the order to when we were enjoying our tasty treats.





People keep asking if it's crowded and really it's not too bad, but one phenomenon that is new is all the people standing around waiting for their mobile orders to be ready. About 20 minutes before, there were probably triple the amount of people standing around waiting for Dole Whips.





I'll have a few more chances to perfect the system over the coming weeks. After we enjoyed our Dole Whips, we were "done" for sure, and we still had that long ride back to the parking structure with no trams. 

We stopped at the Candy shop on Main Street and picked up a few items that we enjoyed at home. We got a Caramel Chocolate Wand.



We also got a Cheshire Cat Tail and Caramel apple.Sorry forgot to take pictures before we ate them!

Then we headed out of the park. I was amazed at how empty Main Street was. 




Nice to see Walt's light on.





We'll be back for more visits. One thing I forgot to mention. When in the stretching room at the HM, there were five spots indicated by circles on the floor. Each party was assigned to one of the circles. As I was a solo rider, I had my own number. There were parties of two or three on the other numbers. This system was also utilized at a point on RotR as well.

Here's the list and what I crossed off today!

Eat:
Plaza Inn Chicken
Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
Asparagus Skewer (not available)
Cafe Orleans
Mickey Macaroon from Jolly Holiday
Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
Funnel Cake
Pickle Corn Dog
Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
Sweet treats from candy shops
Ghirardelli sundae

Ride:
Haunted Mansion 
Pirates
Star Tours 
Space Mountain 
Guardians of the Galaxy
Soarin
Indiana Jones
Incredicoaster
Little Mermaid
RotR
Falcon
Train
Snow White
Mr. Toad
BTMRR


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a nice first day back!


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> I noticed that in a video I watched of opening day! I must have missed WHY they did this change, do you know? It really is not nearly as cool...



I'm guessing that the original technology was not sustainable. The event where they let us ride during CM previews had one of the imagineers speaking to us beforehand. He mentioned that some of the technology they incorporated into the refurb would not have been possible when the ride was originally built. Maybe it wasn't feasibly possible to run over and over daily in reality either.  



brookelizabeth said:


> 15 minutes for Indy!!!!! Incredible!!!



I know! I had to do it!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Notice the table on the right, they didn’t used to have those there. Now you can take your Ronto Wrap to the table to enjoy it.



A place to sit and eat?  Imagine that.



franandaj said:


> Especially since you can’t sit on the random rocks.







franandaj said:


> I never noticed this waterfall in the queue of the ride, probably because the queue did not extend past this waterfall until now.



Makes sense.  Better than staring at a parking lot or something.



franandaj said:


> If you don't want any spoilers, I suggest you scroll down to the third post.



Ah, I've already spoiled myself for this ride multiple times.



franandaj said:


> What I didn't realize is that there was a path to skip the indoor queue, and the Rey briefing sequence wasn't running, we just walked straight through that portion and out to the ship where you leave the planet.



Boo.



franandaj said:


> And as I was writing this up the morning after our park visit, a story aired on my local news explaining that CA guidance says that Indoor rides can be no longer than 15 minutes. RotR is 18 minutes long so they had to remove the Rey briefing sequence part of the ride in compliance.



I think I read about that.  Every state's guidelines get a little weird.  



franandaj said:


> And then we figured out the problem.



Somebody forgot to pack the cookies!



franandaj said:


>



That's a pretty epic-looking room.



franandaj said:


> As we tried to escape, we inadvertently found our way to the bridge.



Who's driving this thing?  You can't leave this dummy in charge.



franandaj said:


> When Kylo Ren realized that the prisoners were escaping, he came after us. When we entered a lift, he climbed on top and tried to cut it with his light saber.



So cool.



franandaj said:


> I love the way the walls are burning from blaster fire at various points throughout the attraction!



So cool!



franandaj said:


> Ooops we landed a little bit off course.



I guess he's not any better of a pilot than he was as a driver.



franandaj said:


> As I got off the ride, I could tell that I was "done". My legs felt a little wobbly, and that fatigue that only comes from a Disney theme park was starting to set in.



There's no fatigue like Disney parks fatigue.



franandaj said:


> Fran asked if we could look in “that expensive shop that always has so many people in it that I can’t see anything.”



Gotta be more specific.  That's like, every shop in Disney.



franandaj said:


> These guys were trying to pick a fight with anyone who would bite.



I bet that was fun.



franandaj said:


> We also got a Cheshire Cat Tail and Caramel apple.Sorry forgot to take pictures before we ate them!



This kind of thing happens all the time with us.



franandaj said:


> Nice to see Walt's light on.



Yes, what a relief!


----------



## Flossbolna

Sounds like a great day! And some of the shots look like the park is so empty, others, like the Tropical Hideaway give my half-vaccinated self the creeps because I am not used to crowds anymore!

I wonder whether the BTMR s scene is now like it is in Paris. Neat, but not as great as it was at DL. 

And thanks for the spoiler alert. I have been so good at avoiding them. I even shouted at Michael the other day for forwarding me something about the ride which had some info in it that I was not aware of yet. He thought that everyone knows it and he is staying away from pictures and video from the ride as well.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Here we are traveling through Batuu to the Resistance Base.


Looks like the First Order has done a recent sweep, picking up Resistance. Place is empty.


franandaj said:


> Notice the table on the right, they didn’t used to have those there. Now you can take your Ronto Wrap to the table to enjoy it.


Are there any tables inside?


franandaj said:


> Another interesting plant in the queue.


Pretty too.


franandaj said:


> And as I was writing this up the morning after our park visit, a story aired on my local news explaining that CA guidance says that Indoor rides can be no longer than 15 minutes. RotR is 18 minutes long so they had to remove the Rey briefing sequence part of the ride in compliance.


Huh! Interesting way to abide by that rule.


franandaj said:


> Our pilots accompanying us noticed a problem.
> 
> 
> And then we figured out the problem.


Ruh Roh!


franandaj said:


>


Great place for a selfie!
I've seen that shot in quite a few TRs... but yours is the first selfie I think. 


franandaj said:


> Pretty soon we were on our way to be interrogated.


Don't tell them anything, Alison!!!


franandaj said:


> Kylo Ren was going to give us the third degree, but aw shucks, he got called to the bridge.


Lucky for you!


franandaj said:


> Folks call this, “the disco room.”





franandaj said:


> We were almost in the clear, until this droid saw us.


Stupid droid. Shoulda borrowed Han's blaster and taken care of it.

_Next _time.


franandaj said:


> When we entered a lift, he climbed on top and tried to cut it with his light saber. This feature was actually down the time that I rode this in Feb 2020.


I remember you saying that. 


franandaj said:


> Kylo Ren tried once again to get us to reveal the location of the Rebel base.


Oh, fine. Just give it to him. What's the worst he could do?


franandaj said:


> As I got off the ride, I could tell that I was "done". My legs felt a little wobbly, and that fatigue that only comes from a Disney theme park was starting to set in.





franandaj said:


> Fran asked if we could look in “that expensive shop that always has so many people in it that I can’t see anything.”


Huh. So there's an upside to a pandemic!


franandaj said:


> These guys were trying to pick a fight with anyone who would bite.


Bullies. Ashamed that Disney allows that sort of thing.


franandaj said:


> I noticed that the Shooting Gallery is all closed up and converted to seating for dining.



That's a real shame. 
I presume that it was converted to laser/light and no longer used pellets though?


franandaj said:


> When our time window came up I pressed, "I'm here prepare my order." That was around 3:43. However I didn't get the "We're preparing your order, come on in." message until nearly 4 o'clock!


Long!


franandaj said:


>


mmmm.... I'd eat... both!


franandaj said:


> We got a Caramel Chocolate Wand.


Whoa! That looks good!


franandaj said:


> Nice to see Walt's light on.





franandaj said:


> When in the stretching room at the HM, there were five spots indicated by circles on the floor. Each party was assigned to one of the circles.


Huh. But... makes sense.
Still... that means no more "Please drag your carcasses to the dead center of the room".


franandaj said:


> Here's the list and what I crossed off today!
> 
> Eat:
> Plaza Inn Chicken
> Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
> Asparagus Skewer (not available)
> Cafe Orleans
> Mickey Macaroon from Jolly Holiday
> Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
> Funnel Cake
> Pickle Corn Dog
> Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
> Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
> Sweet treats from candy shops
> Ghirardelli sundae
> 
> Ride:
> Haunted Mansion
> Pirates
> Star Tours
> Space Mountain
> Guardians of the Galaxy
> Soarin
> Indiana Jones
> Incredicoaster
> Little Mermaid
> RotR
> Falcon
> Train
> Snow White
> Mr. Toad
> BTMRR


Still lots to do... which just gives you more reason to go!


----------



## franandaj

taaren said:


> Your day sounds delicious before you even leave! Now I am reconsidering our RD plan for Memorial Day, wondering if we shouldn't annoy ourselves with the inevitable line trying to get out of the Grand into DTD. Love the idea of trying to set up our food plan/mobile orders before entering the parks.



If you are planning on RD, I would get out SUPER early. Maybe enjoy something from Starbucks while you wait. I'm wondering about this too. We are staying this Wednesday and Thursday.  While I don't necessarily want to RD, I do want to try for the 7AM RotR distribution. 

It's definitely better to plan your mobile orders in advance as it will most like taken an hour from the time you place it until you're eating.



taaren said:


> Love these details that Disney does! I've always hated that flap when I throw things away, feels like I have to wash my hands after throwing an item away.



I guess I'm not at all a germaphobe. It never even occurred to me. Occasionally you'd see something nasty smeared across it, but custodial usually addresses those things quickly. At least at Disney.



taaren said:


> What??? Who wouldn't want to spend $8K on Disney art?



 

We have some expensive pieces but we've never spent that much on any one painting.



taaren said:


> Wonder why DCA entrance was busier?







taaren said:


> Glad to hear the slots were still available throughout your morning. After ToD I'm wondering if we'll have to pick all of our meals early or be out of luck.



I'd say if you have folks who go from zero to Hangry in moments flat, you definitely should plan ahead, or bring snacks.



taaren said:


> I collect the Disney kitchen stuff too (although not much of an apron person). Those towels are super cute!!



I have all the aprons that I need, but my dish towels are really tired. Some of them I've had from before we moved and that was seven years ago!



taaren said:


> How did you get Double Mashed on a mobile order? We couldn't figure out how to customize at ToD!



Evidently they added it to the app for that third soft opening day. It wasn't there on Wednesday, but Jenny went Thursday and it was on the app. It also had a double green beans option. There was even a no chicken option. It's interesting, as I reply now at 7AM I tried to bring up the app and every place in the parks now says "No mobile order arrival windows available." I guess too many people were ordering before the parks opened!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Oddly I've never picked up food here before...



It's a great place for a light snack. You'd have to eat a lot of skewers to get really full. I usually like a Beef/Chicken and then the bacon wrapped Asparagus, but they don't have my favorite one right now.



DnA2010 said:


> 2 of my favs for SURE!!







DnA2010 said:


> So cute! Matching



I try. Sometimes it's more subtle.



DnA2010 said:


> Even Mickey is masked!







DnA2010 said:


> I wish more places would do this, although will have to see how they do in the heat, we have lots of wasps here...



I suppose when it gets hot they will need to change them out more often. 



DnA2010 said:


> I just heard music start in my heading looking at this!







DnA2010 said:


> Yum yum! Is there caramel under the chocolate on the marshmallow wands? Love it when there is both!



Yes. At the Candy shops in CA, all the Marshmallow wands have Caramel and chocolate (or whatever is on the Cheshire Cat tail). At WDW Karamel Kuche seems to have the monopoly on anything Caramel so the Marshmallow wands at every place but there just have chocolate on them.



DnA2010 said:


> fav! Gotta love the wildest ride in the wilderness!!



So much fun!



DnA2010 said:


> Well that's nice indeed!







DnA2010 said:


> I hope it's open by the time I get there (I'm sure it will be) I was between sizes when we were last there, but I think I'm more one size now and want to get one.



I haven't posted yet, but they announced what's happening. It will be a QS themed for Princess and the Frog, mostly serving Gumbo. However the one in DTD is still open, and there is the one in DCA.



DnA2010 said:


> Score indeed!
> 
> Double score!!
> Glad you will have this all figured out by the time we get back



Lots of good fortune going on this day!



DnA2010 said:


> Wowzas! that area can be sooo frustrating and bottlenecked!



Yeah, I'm kind of enjoying this reduced capacity!



DnA2010 said:


> Ok this is awesome! I don't know if we ever have, even at say closing time!



It is pretty cool how the spacing/social distancing is working out!


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> I think at that point I was looking more for adult drinks....it could be OK.



Sometimes we do what we gotta do!



franandaj said:


> Can't wait to ride that one! We still haven't been to DCA yet, but that will change!


Looking forward to those updates too!!! Esp Jill's favorite attraction! 


franandaj said:


> Besides those reasons mentioned, it's also nice having the two bathrooms. More often than not we have someone crashing on the couch, but when it's just the two of us I get the guest bathroom. Normally at home we have our own bathrooms....



OH for sure!! I've been one of those "crashers" and got to see the logistics. It does work out well. I would also think just having the dishwasher and kitchenette sure come in handy too. :yes:


franandaj said:


> When it first opened they hoped to keep guests engaged in line by solving the puzzles on the wall.



Love the new queue concepts. So creative and engaging! 



franandaj said:


> Yup! She's going to have to endure being my sole entertainment in 10 days!



OH dear!! LOL!! I"m sure she'll survive. And so will you! 


franandaj said:


> Our server told us that due to restrictions they can't have them.



Ummmm, just...ok. 


franandaj said:


> Now Disney had to get really creative in their queue design, since every queue length had to be multiplied by six feet. With the queue for this ride mostly being indoors (inside the mountain) they had to extend it out into the very long walkway, which goes back to the Hungry Bear Restaurant. The line went as far as the bridge for the train. Here’s some fauna you’ll find in the queue.






franandaj said:


> Here’s some fauna you’ll find in the queue.


You know me and my plant geekiness. LOL! 


franandaj said:


> I never noticed this waterfall in the queue of the ride, probably because the queue did not extend past this waterfall until now.



I always notice it from the INSIDE. We joke about it being the back side of water. 


franandaj said:


> We traveled around Batuu for a little more.



I love spending time poking around in there. So much fun detail!


franandaj said:


> I don’t remember all these statues being here before, but I don’t have any pictures of it so who knows?



They've always been there, I took some photos of them when we were all there last. 


franandaj said:


> Lotsa cool stuff in here.



There super is!! 


franandaj said:


> I noticed that the Shooting Gallery is all closed up and converted to seating for dining.


So sad. Such great memories of that from when I was itty bitty. Good use of it temporarily but I hope it comes back!! I used to hit it up when I'd go back into the parks after my shifts too. 


franandaj said:


> That was around 3:43. However I didn't get the "We're preparing your order, come on in." message until nearly 4 o'clock! And then there was a line once they let us in.



Say whaaaaa....?! Our longest wait was a Satuli and it was 20. 


franandaj said:


> About 20 minutes before, there were probably triple the amount of people standing around waiting for Dole Whips.



If they want to avoid crowds, they are going to have to up their game here. 



franandaj said:


> Nice to see Walt's light on.



Yes, yes it is!


----------



## SeptemberGirl

So happy to see you both back in your park!!!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> We're making up for it now with our 3rd wave.
> Vaccinations are progressing slowly due to availability.



We already had ours! #winning





pkondz said:


> Meh. How many arms and legs do you need?


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> We already had ours! #winning


We'll let you have that one.


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> What a nice first day back!



Thanks! We had a lot of fun that day!


----------



## brookelizabeth

Loved your play by play through the whole ride! Makes me so excited to ride it again.  That is really interesting about having to shorten the ride sequence due to covid regulations. 




Flossbolna said:


> And thanks for the spoiler alert. I have been so good at avoiding them. I even shouted at Michael the other day for forwarding me something about the ride which had some info in it that I was not aware of yet. He thought that everyone knows it and he is staying away from pictures and video from the ride as well.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> A place to sit and eat? Imagine that.



Especially since I've heard that the mask police reprimand guests fom eating or drinking while walking maskless.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Makes sense. Better than staring at a parking lot or something.



Well true. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ah, I've already spoiled myself for this ride multiple times.



Hard not to.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I think I read about that. Every state's guidelines get a little weird.



I get why they leave it to the states, but it would also be nice to have some national consistency. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Somebody forgot to pack the cookies!



And the chips!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That's a pretty epic-looking room.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Who's driving this thing? You can't leave this dummy in charge.



Right? 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I guess he's not any better of a pilot than he was as a driver.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> There's no fatigue like Disney parks fatigue.



Truth.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Gotta be more specific. That's like, every shop in Disney.



 I guess that's all based on your perspective! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I bet that was fun.



Always!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> This kind of thing happens all the time with us.



I'm usually pretty good about this....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Yes, what a relief!



A beacon of Hope.


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> Sounds like a great day! And some of the shots look like the park is so empty, others, like the Tropical Hideaway give my half-vaccinated self the creeps because I am not used to crowds anymore!



It's actually really nice in the parks with the reduced capacity, and the rides are even better, not being crammed into small spaces to get as many on a ride.



Flossbolna said:


> I wonder whether the BTMR s scene is now like it is in Paris. Neat, but not as great as it was at DL.



Never been to Paris, so I can't say.



Flossbolna said:


> And thanks for the spoiler alert. I have been so good at avoiding them. I even shouted at Michael the other day for forwarding me something about the ride which had some info in it that I was not aware of yet. He thought that everyone knows it and he is staying away from pictures and video from the ride as well.



You're welcome! I would have hated to have not been on the ride when the commercials here started. It was hard enough when the ride in Florida was open, and it had not opened up at DL.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Looks like the First Order has done a recent sweep, picking up Resistance. Place is empty.



Kinda nice isn't it?



pkondz said:


> Are there any tables inside?



Well the Ronto Wrap place isn't really inside. It's under a dome, but it's kind of an open air sort of area. There are a few tables but not a lot. They have also added a lot of tables in the area above as well.



pkondz said:


> Huh! Interesting way to abide by that rule.



The whole thing took me by surprise.  Hopefully next month we can go back to the whole ride.



pkondz said:


> Great place for a selfie!
> I've seen that shot in quite a few TRs... but yours is the first selfie I think.



I think Su-Lynn also took a selfie there. Miss her TRs.



pkondz said:


> Don't tell them anything, Alison!!!



Mums the word!



pkondz said:


> Stupid droid. Shoulda borrowed Han's blaster and taken care of it.
> 
> _Next _time.



I'll try that on Thursday!



pkondz said:


> I remember you saying that.



That was part of our discussion of A and B scenarios. 



pkondz said:


> Oh, fine. Just give it to him. What's the worst he could do?



:



pkondz said:


> Huh. So there's an upside to a pandemic!



Actually when it comes to visiting a Disney park, there are kind of a lot of upsides....



pkondz said:


> Bullies. Ashamed that Disney allows that sort of thing.



Ya think?



pkondz said:


> That's a real shame.
> I presume that it was converted to laser/light and no longer used pellets though?



I have no idea, but I would guess so.



pkondz said:


> mmmm.... I'd eat... both



I would too if I had that much room!



pkondz said:


> Whoa! That looks good!



I think I need to get another tomorrow.



pkondz said:


> Huh. But... makes sense.
> Still... that means no more "Please drag your carcasses to the dead center of the room".



I know, that's sad.



pkondz said:


> Still lots to do... which just gives you more reason to go!



Yup! Got a few more ticked off on the last trip, but that's for two updates from now. Still got another one before that!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Kinda nice isn't it?


Kinda... almost eerie. 


franandaj said:


> Well the Ronto Wrap place isn't really inside. It's under a dome, but it's kind of an open air sort of area.


I remember. Well, from Florida.


franandaj said:


> I think Su-Lynn also took a selfie there. Miss her TRs.


Could be. I don't recall...


franandaj said:


> I'll try that on Thursday!





franandaj said:


> That was part of our discussion of A and B scenarios.





franandaj said:


> I have no idea, but I would guess so.


Nothing more satisfying than that <plink!> sound from a pellet. Dead silence from light? Not so fun.


franandaj said:


> Yup! Got a few more ticked off on the last trip, but that's for two updates from now. Still got another one before that!


Standing by!


----------



## rentayenta

Now you can cross more off your list! I won't give anything away though.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> Looking forward to those updates too!!! Esp Jill's favorite attraction!



That doesn't open again until Thursday....



Steppesister said:


> OH for sure!! I've been one of those "crashers" and got to see the logistics. It does work out well. I would also think just having the dishwasher and kitchenette sure come in handy too.



And this time the kitchen wi



Steppesister said:


> Love the new queue concepts. So creative and engaging!



And they just announced a virtual queue for Indy....



Steppesister said:


> OH dear!! LOL!! I"m sure she'll survive. And so will you!



I may be doing solo touring in the morning....  



Steppesister said:


> Ummmm, just...ok



Evidently it's a workspace/distancing issue.



Steppesister said:


> You know me and my plant geekiness. LOL!







Steppesister said:


> I always notice it from the INSIDE. We joke about it being the back side of water.



I think I've seen it inside the queue, just never noticed it on the outside.



Steppesister said:


> I love spending time poking around in there. So much fun detail!



It's generally entertaining.



Steppesister said:


> They've always been there, I took some photos of them when we were all there last.



Ah, I guess I never could see them since there were so many people blocking them!  



Steppesister said:


> So sad. Such great memories of that from when I was itty bitty. Good use of it temporarily but I hope it comes back!! I used to hit it up when I'd go back into the parks after my shifts too.



I've never actually even been in there.



Steppesister said:


> Say whaaaaa....?! Our longest wait was a Satuli and it was 20.



Hopefully they get this down a little more refined.



Steppesister said:


> If they want to avoid crowds, they are going to have to up their game here.



Like I said above! ^^^


----------



## franandaj

SeptemberGirl said:


> So happy to see you both back in your park!!!



 

So glad you made it over here!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> We'll let you have that one.



Yuss!  # winning!


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> Loved your play by play through the whole ride! Makes me so excited to ride it again. That is really interesting about having to shorten the ride sequence due to covid regulations.



Thanks!  I'm hoping to get on it again on Thursday!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I remember. Well, from Florida.



They are pretty much identical.



pkondz said:


> Nothing more satisfying than that <plink!> sound from a pellet. Dead silence from light? Not so fun.



But what about the "pew, pew, pew" sound.



pkondz said:


> Standing by!



Hoping to get the next one written by the time we get back from our next Disney trip!


----------



## franandaj

Opening Day

We had a great day at the previews. I was happy with the amount of rides that we got on and everything, however today would prove a little less successful. Sorry about the long drama, but it gives context to our not so magical day.

We woke up opening day with all the best intentions, Fran wanted some special merchandise that was going to go on sale at 12 noon. We had planned to leave at 9AM like we had done two days before, but a bit of a wrench got thrown into our plans.

As you may know we manage a few apartment buildings that we own. What I failed to mention in the last post was that the day before our preview day, the unit we used to live in had a relapse of an ongoing problem of a back up in their bathroom. We had sent a plumber out to take a look, the morning we were at the park. While we were enjoying the AC in the Mercantile, I got a text from our tenant that the tub was backing up again, after the initial plumber left. It was pretty late in the afternoon so the plumbing service said they would send someone out the next morning.

We aren't quite sure what the second  plumber did because they didn't call us while on-site (strike 1), also there was spillout through the clean out valve that they "don't clean up", and they did not replace stopper on the clean out valve (strike 2). Well that changed our plans for Thursday afternoon. Without going into great detail, we ended up removing 50 or so soiled pavers from the patio area (to deal with later). They weren't cemented in or anything, but Fran and I had put them in 20 or so years ago, so they had a bit of sediment that had "cemented" them together. And then we cleaned away any residual mess on the concrete. Let's just say it was a somewhat exhausting and disgusting way to spend an afternoon/early evening.

We had picked up a meal at some fast food restaurant before we started working so once we got back home, I wasn't hungry. I just wanted to get cleaned off. After a shower, we ate our Caramel apple from the day before. 

But let's backtrack a little, when we were working in the tenant's yard, moving the pavers, the tenant saw us and waved on her way to her car. You wouldn't think she had any earth shattering news that we didn't know. Remember the plumber never called us? Well they did call us when they arrived around 9:45AM and no one was home, but no word after they got in to check out the problem.

After my shower and caramel apple, I texted her that we cleaned the yard up and would finish in the future, and did the plumber ever get back to you? She sent the following:

"Yes they came at 1030 when I was home and said there is a major issue with the mainline and will need to dig under the master bedroom to get to the problem. He said he was going to call Fran. So this back up will continue to happen unless that is fixed. They will have to dig through the master bedroom floor, "break concrete" is what he said."

Say what? You didn't think to talk to us about this when you saw us earlier?????

That was strike 3 for the plumber. They want to destroy the master bedroom floor of one of our highest income generating units, and we don't even get a phone call!

I went to bed and Fran started looking online for a new plumber. After all we were leaving at 9AM. Right?

I kept that faith even at 7:14AM opening day when I sent this text to Jill and Jenny:

"We're going to try and leave right around the same time as Wednesday.  This will be a much more abbreviated day. Just shopping at noon, Guardians and corn/cheese dogs."

After all, we (Jenny, Jill, Michael, Fran and I) had dinner plans that night. Sort of a planned potluck where everyone was making something, and that started at 5PM.

I got up and dressed, fed the cats, made coffee, everything I would normally do. And then I went to see how Fran was doing on getting up. And at 8:38AM, this reality set in, when I sent this text to Jill and Jenny. 

"We aren't leaving anytime soon. Fran is still asleep, and I can't get her to stay awake."

It was finally 10:15 before she was awake and dressed. The prior evening, she had sent an email to the plumbing service she found online, but they didn't reply.  She called them and set up an afternoon appointment with the tenants, and then we were ready to go. Only an hour and a half late.

We stopped for Ham and Cheese Croissants at our favorite donut store, and may have picked up a few sweet items as well. And then we were on our way, finally.

While we were driving, the plumber from the day before called to give us an update. He called Fran's phone (which has bad sound), and she couldn't hear him. We asked him to call back on my phone, and he said he was driving too and couldn't write down the number. He asked us to call him back when neither of us were driving. Strike 4. I doubt he realizes that he was the final straw in losing a 20+ year customer for the company. A week later he still has not called back. 

Anyways back to the fun!

And here we are approaching the turnstiles for the Grand reopening of Disneyland!!!!









The train! I must ride this at some point!





Being back on Main Street is such a lovely feeling!




So by this time it was about quarter to 12. What Fran didn't realize was that when you want Disney merch, the early bird gets the worm. With limited entry into shops, there was a virtual queue formed, we were pretty far down the list.

We didn't know how long the wait would be, so I didn't want to get in any ride queues in case we were called back sooner rather than later. We waited in the shade and I worked on the TR on my tablet. Unfortunately she forgot about the fervor of Disney Fans, and by the time we were called most, most of the things she wanted were sold out.

After our unsuccessful shopping attempt we meandered over to New Orleans Square. I had read online about the fate of the Old Dress Shop. It is going to be converted to a Princess and the Frog themed QS. They had dressed up the space a bit so it didn't look nearly as sad.





The other unfortunate thing was that the day was proving to be very hot. Even though we were waiting in the shade, I was starting to feel a little queasy. As soon as I started to feel queasy, I started pounding back the water. I always carry a refillable bottle with me, and it's so nice to see more and more filling stations around the parks. However in 90° heat, nothing was helping. It was after 1PM so we could have park hopped over to DCA, but the idea of a Corn/Cheese Dog actually made me a little nauseous. I considered ordering a Dole Whip but with the hour long experience a couple days before, we passed on that too. So pretty much all our plans for the day were a bust.

Fran asked if we could roll through World of Disney on our way out, and here we finally had some success. I found a water bottle that I will use exclusively for the parks.





I did get some dish towels.





And I got this really cute T-shirt!




Pretty soon we were on the way home only to turn around and head back out to Jenny's. No pics from that night, we just had a good food and good times with friends.

Since this was such a sorry update, I'll include this little bonus from my Birthday. The reason I didn't choose to celebrate my birthday at the park, was that at the time I decided on how I would celebrate, there was barely a hint that they might open up. It was mid March when I decided it would be dinner at Del Frisco's.  First there were four of us, then five, and finally six. Jill flew in for the weekend so that we could have fun and be almost normal. We met at the restaurant and decided to order Family Style so that all of us could have lots of different flavors.

I started off with my Belvedere Gibson Up. I have missed these!





I also brought some of the wines from my cellar. We only ended up drinking two of these amongst our party.





They decanted the wine for us.





We started with two lettuce wedges split in half.





Fran got three orders of the Bacon au Poivre for the table.





So yummy!





I don't remember if we split three orders of Lobster Bisque, but everyone had some.





Look at all that Lobster!





Then it was time for the Main Course! We ordered two of these Ribeyes.





Creamed Corn





Au Gratin Potatoes





Creamed Spinach





And our table





To say that this was delicious would be an understatement! This was my first swanky dinner since the pandemic started and my first dinner with a bunch of friends at a restaurant!  The side dishes and especially the steaks were absolutely wonderful! The first time I had a Del Frisco's steak, my tastebuds had never experienced such joy. This was Leonard's first time, and he also said that he's never had a steak so tasty. Their rub is just phenomenal. I can't wait to go back again! I did pace myself, we had a lot of starters, and wanted to save some room.





The carnage





I ordered the Butter Cake which is the most luscious dessert that I have had in a long long time! It is crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. The ice cream and whipped cream compliment the cake perfectly. 





You may see a slice of cheesecake in the back ground. I tasted it, but nothing compared to my beloved butter cake.





Not even this Chocolate Mousse.





And I took this obligatory shot of the cheesecake.





It was a super fun night with friends!





I promise our next day at the park is better!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Now you can cross more off your list! I won't give anything away though.



That's for the next update!


----------



## brookelizabeth

It's almost 9 am here and after reading about your birthday dinner, my stomach is GROWLING!! What a wonderful way to celebrate.

What a mess about the plumber though. Customer service is SO important to me, shocking he didn't even call!  So so strange. Is it all squared away now?


----------



## rentayenta

I think we were posting at the same time! LOLOLOL 

Your birthday dinner was FABULOUS!!!! So wonderful to be out in the world. Good friends and good food and wine!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Belated happy birthday!  It looked like you had a wonderful celebration!

So sorry to hear about your plumber problem!  So frustrating when you have been working with the same company for so many years.


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> It's almost 9 am here and after reading about your birthday dinner, my stomach is GROWLING!! What a wonderful way to celebrate.



It was an amazing meal and so much fun to share with friends!



brookelizabeth said:


> What a mess about the plumber though. Customer service is SO important to me, shocking he didn't even call! So so strange. Is it all squared away now?



Well the second plumber that we sent found no problems and said everything was flowing fine. I hope we don't hear any more about this.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> But what about the "pew, pew, pew" sound.


I do believe you're thinking of Star Wars again.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> however today would prove a little less successful. Sorry about the long drama, but it gives context to our not so magical day.


So... um... I've read all the drama... but I'm confused on the timelines. Could you do a quick rundown? Like:
Monday: got call of plumbing issue.
Tuesday: Went to DL preview
Wed:... etc?

Only if you want to of course.


franandaj said:


> We aren't quite sure what the second plumber did because they didn't call us while on-site (strike 1), also there was spillout through the clean out valve that they "don't clean up", and they did not replace stopper on the clean out valve (strike 2). Well that changed our plans for Thursday afternoon. Without going into great detail, we ended up removing 50 or so soiled pavers from the patio area (to deal with later). They weren't cemented in or anything, but Fran and I had put them in 20 or so years ago, so they had a bit of sediment that had "cemented" them together. And then we cleaned away any residual mess on the concrete. Let's just say it was a somewhat exhausting and disgusting way to spend an afternoon/early evening.


"They don't clean up"... that just blew my mind. I'm sorry... you _what_????

_You _removed 50 pavers??? I sure hope they were the small 12" square ones and not the big boys! 
Even if they were small.. 50! 


franandaj said:


> After a shower, we ate our Caramel apple from the day before.


mmmm... _love_ Caramel apples!


franandaj said:


> the tenant saw us and waved on her way to her car. You wouldn't think she had any earth shattering news that we didn't know. Remember the plumber never called us? Well they did call us when they arrived around 9:45AM and no one was home, but no word after they got in to check out the problem.


"Not much going on here! I'll just have to move out for a week or so! You know, the usual!"




franandaj said:


> "Yes they came at 1030 when I was home and said there is a major issue with the mainline and will need to dig under the master bedroom to get to the problem. He said he was going to call Fran. So this back up will continue to happen unless that is fixed. They will have to dig through the master bedroom floor, "break concrete" is what he said."


hooo... big job.
But considering everything else he did... maybe the 2nd plumber disagreed?


franandaj said:


> Say what? You didn't think to talk to us about this when you saw us earlier?????





franandaj said:


> That was strike 3 for the plumber. They want to destroy the master bedroom floor of one of our highest income generating units, and we don't even get a phone call!


Nah. I'm sure that's not a problem. 


franandaj said:


> After all, we (Jenny, Jill, Michael, Fran and I) had dinner plans that night. Sort of a planned potluck where everyone was making something, and that started at 5PM.


Sounds like fun. 


franandaj said:


> "We aren't leaving anytime soon. Fran is still asleep, and I can't get her to stay awake."


Okay... so this was... the day after moving the pavers? 


franandaj said:


> He asked us to call him back when neither of us were driving. Strike 4. I doubt he realizes that he was the final straw in losing a 20+ year customer for the company. A week later he still has not called back.


Goodbye and good riddance. Ridiculous. Did you call the company and let them know? Or just dropped them?


franandaj said:


> The train! I must ride this at some point!


Yes!!!


franandaj said:


> Being back on Main Street is such a lovely feeling!


It sure is. I miss it a lot. Hopefully someday...


franandaj said:


> Unfortunately she forgot about the fervor of Disney Fans, and by the time we were called most, most of the things she wanted were sold out.


Whoops. But... yeah, not surprising.


franandaj said:


> I had read online about the fate of the Old Dress Shop. It is going to be converted to a Princess and the Frog themed QS.


So... is this a good thing or a bad thing (for you)?
I have a feeling... not so good.


franandaj said:


> Even though we were waiting in the shade, I was starting to feel a little queasy.


 Sorry to hear that.


franandaj said:


> it's so nice to see more and more filling stations around the parks.


Good! 
I typically don't drink plain water, but... I have asked for glasses of ice water (and then mixed in some drink powder.)
Is the water cold?


franandaj said:


> the idea of a Corn/Cheese Dog actually made me a little nauseous


Yeah, I bet.


franandaj said:


> I considered ordering a Dole Whip but with the hour long experience a couple days before, we passed on that too. So pretty much all our plans for the day were a bust.


well poop!


franandaj said:


> I found a water bottle that I will use exclusively for the parks.


Like it. 


franandaj said:


> And I got this really cute T-shirt!


Of course you did! It's right up your alley(cat)!


franandaj said:


> No pics from that night, we just had a good food and good times with friends.


That's the best kind. 


franandaj said:


> I started off with my Belvedere Gibson Up. I have missed these!





franandaj said:


> We started with two lettuce wedges split in half.


That looks really good.


franandaj said:


> Fran got three orders of the Bacon au Poivre for the table


Interesting. (That it came with a glaze/sauce.)


franandaj said:


> I don't remember if we split three orders of Lobster Bisque, but everyone had some.


Drool!


franandaj said:


> And our table


Pretty nice looking spread!


franandaj said:


> To say that this was delicious would be an understatement!


Looks it!


franandaj said:


> This was my first swanky dinner since the pandemic started and my first dinner with a bunch of friends at a restaurant!


Oh wow. Been a while! And looks like an excellent way to come back to it!


franandaj said:


> The first time I had a Del Frisco's steak, my tastebuds had never experienced such joy.


oooohhh... 


franandaj said:


> The carnage





franandaj said:


> I ordered the Butter Cake which is the most luscious dessert that I have had in a long long time! It is crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. The ice cream and whipped cream compliment the cake perfectly.


Never heard of butter cake. Sure sounds good, though.


franandaj said:


> It was a super fun night with friends!


----------



## cruisehopeful

franandaj said:


> I had read online about the fate of the Old Dress Shop. It is going to be converted to a Princess and the Frog themed QS.


Nooooooo. I didn't know about that. I'm sure they'll make more money on food but that was one of the shops that I always looked at when at DL. I know the dress shop in DTD has more stuff, but I'm still a little sad about this.


franandaj said:


> It was mid March when I decided it would be dinner at Del Frisco's.


That looks really good! I have never been there. It looks like a great place to celebrate a birthday or anything else. Glad you had a good time.


----------



## Flossbolna

The birthday meal looks fantastic! I am so intrigued by that bacon… already wondering when and where I can get to a Del Frisco’s!!

the plumber… good that you found a new one. My sister lives in a house where there are constant blockages. In the kitchen. And because it’s blocked between them and the floor underneath, the above floor doesn’t drain either, or not correct: drains into their kitchen sink. Always a fun surprise when they wake up with the dishwasher water from upstairs appearing in their kitchen sink. I once visited when that happened, so totally get how your cleaning job was not fun at all!!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> I think we were posting at the same time! LOLOLOL



  Actually I saw your post and purposely waited to reply so that my update would be at the top of the page! 



rentayenta said:


> Your birthday dinner was FABULOUS!!!! So wonderful to be out in the world. Good friends and good food and wine!



It was so fabulous to be out with other people, having drinks, food and a good time! I can't wait until next Friday!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> the unit we used to live in had a relapse of an ongoing problem of a back up in their bathroom


Just a crap situation overall! (sorry I couldn't help myself)



franandaj said:


> Let's just say it was a somewhat exhausting and disgusting way to spend an afternoon/early evening.



See above. Man oh man.  Or should I say, lady oh lady.



franandaj said:


> Strike 4



Yup! Hope you find someone great to replace him.




franandaj said:


> The train! I must ride this at some point!



Have you ridden it since we did?



franandaj said:


> Being back on Main Street is such a lovely feeling!



*sigh* can't wait to stroll that street again!



franandaj said:


> most of the things she wanted were sold out.



*whop whop* bugger!



franandaj said:


> I had read online about the fate of the Old Dress Shop.



I'm glad for your expertise in this dept, in confirming for me that there are other places to get the dresses, as I was between sizes last time I was there, and my reward for changing sizes will be a dress that fits.



franandaj said:


>



This is SO you!



franandaj said:


> I did get some dish towels.



As are these you two!!



franandaj said:


> And I got this really cute T-shirt!



This is also 100% you! 



franandaj said:


> I also brought some of the wines from my cellar. We only ended up drinking two of these amongst our party.



This pic alone makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside 



franandaj said:


> We started with two lettuce wedges split in half.



I really gotta work on liking blue cheese more as this looks so yummy



franandaj said:


> Fran got three orders of the Bacon au Poivre for the table.



The crust on that looks super good!



franandaj said:


> Then it was time for the Main Course! We ordered two of these Ribeyes.



Reminds me of that pic I sent you of our rib eye night the other week



franandaj said:


> Creamed Corn



I haven't eaten creamed corn much but this looks good!



franandaj said:


> Creamed Spinach



This looks like spin dip to me, which I love!



franandaj said:


>




I could really go for a luxury dessert right about now, may just have to hit up our one nice pastry ship to get something this weekend


----------



## rentayenta

franandaj said:


> Actually I saw your post and purposely waited to reply so that my update would be at the top of the page!
> 
> 
> 
> It was so fabulous to be out with other people, having drinks, food and a good time! I can't wait until next Friday!




 


Same! I am so looking forward to the Grand! Its been forever!!! And dinner!


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Belated happy birthday! It looked like you had a wonderful celebration!



Thank you!



tiggrbaby said:


> So sorry to hear about your plumber problem! So frustrating when you have been working with the same company for so many years.



Yeah really frustrating.


----------



## buzzrelly

franandaj said:


> It was getting close to the time for our mobile order window so we went outside.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When our time window came up I pressed, "I'm here prepare my order." That was around 3:43. However I didn't get the "We're preparing your order, come on in." message until nearly 4 o'clock! And then there was a line once they let us in.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was only about five or six people, but it was nearly an hour from the time we actually placed the order to when we were enjoying our tasty treats.



Yum! My dream is to get a dole whip and sit and eat it in The Tiki Room  




franandaj said:


> Nice to see Walt's light on.








franandaj said:


> Being back on Main Street is such a lovely feeling!



I bet! And it doesn't look busy at all!



franandaj said:


> They decanted the wine for us.



How fancy! I've never seen that!



franandaj said:


> And our table



That all looks amazing!




franandaj said:


> It was a super fun night with friends!



What a perfect birthday celebration!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I do believe you're thinking of Star Wars again.



I don't see why it wouldn't work. 



pkondz said:


> So... um... I've read all the drama... but I'm confused on the timelines. Could you do a quick rundown? Like:
> Monday: got call of plumbing issue.
> Tuesday: Went to DL preview
> Wed:... etc?
> 
> Only if you want to of course.



OK.

*Tuesday*: got call about plumbing issue, scheduled plumber for Wednesday
*Wednesday*: Soft opening of DL, plumber visited, issue recurred after plumber visit.
*Thursday*: Plumber came again in AM, we cleaned up the mess in PM
*Friday*: Opening Day (when Fran had trouble getting out of bed.), potluck dinner at Jenny's
*Saturday*: My birthday and the great feast



pkondz said:


> "They don't clean up"... that just blew my mind. I'm sorry... you _what_????



Remember the story on the other TR? Perhaps I didn't go into it enough, they didn't clean that up either. They just unblocked the pipe and left Fran and I to deal with it since the tenants were old and couldn't do that kind of cleaning.



pkondz said:


> _You _removed 50 pavers??? I sure hope they were the small 12" square ones and not the big boys!
> Even if they were small.. 50!



I put my foot in the picture to give you an idea. This is an end piece (and a broken piece above).  The full piece would have a top with eight sides like the broken one above, instead of the six sides that the end piece had. They're smaller than you were thinking, but when you are shoveling them up off the ground, or should I say Fran is shoveling them up off the ground, they are still pretty heavy.







pkondz said:


> mmmm... _love_ Caramel apples!



Me too, need another one next week!



pkondz said:


> "Not much going on here! I'll just have to move out for a week or so! You know, the usual!"







pkondz said:


> hooo... big job.
> But considering everything else he did... maybe the 2nd plumber disagreed?



Well the second plumber said everything was flowing just fine, and he didn't see any problems.  Makes me wonder if the other plumbers are sick of us and just trying to stop us from calling them...



pkondz said:


> Nah. I'm sure that's not a problem.



And still, no one has checked in with us, you'd think they might consider that.  We may not even have received a bill either.....



pkondz said:


> Sounds like fun.



It was. Like almost normal.



pkondz said:


> Okay... so this was... the day after moving the pavers?



Yes, after Fran shoveled all those pavers into boxes (about 10 at a time) and I wheeled them back into the garages. We still haven't dealt with hosing them off and putting them back.



pkondz said:


> Goodbye and good riddance. Ridiculous. Did you call the company and let them know? Or just dropped them?



Nope, just dropped them.



pkondz said:


> It sure is. I miss it a lot. Hopefully someday...



You never know, Florida's governor will probably be opening the border next....  



pkondz said:


> So... is this a good thing or a bad thing (for you)?
> I have a feeling... not so good.



Well if the Gumbo is good, I suppose it will be a good thing in the end.  There is already a dress shop in DTD, so they really didn't need two of them.



pkondz said:


> Good!
> I typically don't drink plain water, but... I have asked for glasses of ice water (and then mixed in some drink powder.)
> Is the water cold?



The water is chilled.  Not as cold as I like it since I like it ice cold, but still better than hot or room temp water.



pkondz said:


> Like it.
> Of course you did! It's right up your alley(cat)!



I see what you did there.....



pkondz said:


> Interesting. (That it came with a glaze/sauce.)



I guess it just makes it fancier.  It's always been served that way.  We had it for the first time when we dined at their Orlando location (before we had one in California).  It was new on the menu and we were game to try it, been a staple on our orders ever since.  Kinda like escargot for you at the Keg.



pkondz said:


> Pretty nice looking spread!



It was sooooo good!



pkondz said:


> Oh wow. Been a while! And looks like an excellent way to come back to it!



In a few updates I'll have our return to even more refined dining and how that went.  



pkondz said:


> Never heard of butter cake. Sure sounds good, though.



I've had butter cake at a few different steakhouses, and also at Maggiano's Little Italy (Del Frisco's was better. I had them in the same weekend and compared leftovers).  Wikipedia says this:

               "A butter cake is a cake in which one of the main ingredients is butter. Butter cake is baked with basic ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, 
                 flour, and leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda. It is considered as one of the quintessential cakes in American baking."


----------



## franandaj

cruisehopeful said:


> Nooooooo. I didn't know about that. I'm sure they'll make more money on food but that was one of the shops that I always looked at when at DL. I know the dress shop in DTD has more stuff, but I'm still a little sad about this.



I am too.  I always enjoyed looking through the stuff in that store, but then again, the food situation is a bit sorry right now, and they could use more QS places.  Especially as capacity in the parks goes up.



cruisehopeful said:


> That looks really good! I have never been there. It looks like a great place to celebrate a birthday or anything else. Glad you had a good time.



You folks have one down there in San Diego, it's a great place for a fabulous meal!


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> The birthday meal looks fantastic! I am so intrigued by that bacon… already wondering when and where I can get to a Del Frisco’s!!



I think you should show those pictures to Michael and he will want to go to.  You can plan it into one of your nights near Universal next Fall.  There is one on International Drive.



Flossbolna said:


> the plumber… good that you found a new one. My sister lives in a house where there are constant blockages. In the kitchen. And because it’s blocked between them and the floor underneath, the above floor doesn’t drain either, or not correct: drains into their kitchen sink. Always a fun surprise when they wake up with the dishwasher water from upstairs appearing in their kitchen sink. I once visited when that happened, so totally get how your cleaning job was not fun at all!!



Yeah, not fun at all....


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I don't see why it wouldn't work.


I think "pew" is considered classic Star Wars now, but yes it would work.


franandaj said:


> *Tuesday*: got call about plumbing issue, scheduled plumber for Wednesday
> *Wednesday*: Soft opening of DL, plumber visited, issue recurred after plumber visit.
> *Thursday*: Plumber came again in AM, we cleaned up the mess in PM
> *Friday*: Opening Day (when Fran had trouble getting out of bed.), potluck dinner at Jenny's
> *Saturday*: My birthday and the great feast


Got it now. Thanks!


franandaj said:


> Remember the story on the other TR? Perhaps I didn't go into it enough, they didn't clean that up either. They just unblocked the pipe and left Fran and I to deal with it since the tenants were old and couldn't do that kind of cleaning.





franandaj said:


> I put my foot in the picture to give you an idea. This is an end piece (and a broken piece above).


ooooohhhhhhh... Okay. Got it now. Familiar with those too.


franandaj said:


> Me too, need another one next week!


I need one... um... since I haven't had one in at least a year and a half! (or longer)


franandaj said:


> Well the second plumber said everything was flowing just fine, and he didn't see any problems. Makes me wonder if the other plumbers are sick of us and just trying to stop us from calling them...


Didn't see any problems??? Um...

Either you were _really_ getting shafted by the first one or the second one can't see the problem. Maybe because there isn't one.
I'd rather there be _no_ problem of course.


franandaj said:


> And still, no one has checked in with us, you'd think they might consider that. We may not even have received a bill either.....


I would consider not _paying_ the bill.


franandaj said:


> Yes, after Fran shoveled all those pavers into boxes (about 10 at a time) and I wheeled them back into the garages. We still haven't dealt with hosing them off and putting them back.


My back hurts just thinking about it.


franandaj said:


> You never know, Florida's governor will probably be opening the border next....


I'd be okay with that! 


franandaj said:


> The water is chilled. Not as cold as I like it since I like it ice cold, but still better than hot or room temp water.


Hmmm... I'll give it a passing grade. I too like my water ice cold.


franandaj said:


> It was new on the menu and we were game to try it, been a staple on our orders ever since. Kinda like escargot for you at the Keg.


I understand that!


franandaj said:


> In a few updates I'll have our return to even more refined dining and how that went.





franandaj said:


> "A butter cake is a cake in which one of the main ingredients is butter. Butter cake is baked with basic ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs,
> flour, and leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda. It is considered as one of the quintessential cakes in American baking."


Huh. I guess I would just call that.... cake.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Just a crap situation overall! (sorry I couldn't help myself)



I see what you did there.  



DnA2010 said:


> See above. Man oh man. Or should I say, lady oh lady.







DnA2010 said:


> Yup! Hope you find someone great to replace him.



It wasn't just one guy, there was a whole fleet of folks. We'll see how well these other people work out when we need someone again.



DnA2010 said:


> Have you ridden it since we did?



Well now I have, but that's for a future update!  



DnA2010 said:


> *sigh* can't wait to stroll that street again!



It's such a wonderful feeling!



DnA2010 said:


> I'm glad for your expertise in this dept, in confirming for me that there are other places to get the dresses, as I was between sizes last time I was there, and my reward for changing sizes will be a dress that fits.



I have so many dresses, and now that the parks are open again, I hope that I can start wearing them again.



DnA2010 said:


> This is SO you!







DnA2010 said:


> As are these you two!!







DnA2010 said:


> This is also 100% you!



Which is why I had to get them.



DnA2010 said:


> This pic alone makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside



When you can come back, we will have to go somewhere we can bring our own wine.



DnA2010 said:


> I really gotta work on liking blue cheese more as this looks so yummy



Blue Cheese is so yummy, you need to like it!



DnA2010 said:


> The crust on that looks super good!



It is!



DnA2010 said:


> Reminds me of that pic I sent you of our rib eye night the other week







DnA2010 said:


> I haven't eaten creamed corn much but this looks good!



I like it, but I've never made it myself, this was pretty tasty.



DnA2010 said:


> This looks like spin dip to me, which I love!



It's close, but more spinach in this than dip stuff.



DnA2010 said:


> I could really go for a luxury dessert right about now, may just have to hit up our one nice pastry ship to get something this weekend



I may be on an overdose course for good food over the next few weeks.  We will have to see how I hold up!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Same! I am so looking forward to the Grand! Its been forever!!! And dinner!



We will have a fantastic time!


----------



## franandaj

buzzrelly said:


> Yum! My dream is to get a dole whip and sit and eat it in The Tiki Room



That's a good goal!



buzzrelly said:


> I bet! And it doesn't look busy at all!



It's amazing how light the crowds are!



buzzrelly said:


> How fancy! I've never seen that!



When you have an older bottle of wine (these were all about 20 years old) there is often sediment that gathers at the bottom of the bottle. By pouring it into a decanter you can filter out the sediment by leaving it at the bottom of the bottle. Also by pouring it over the the long glass of the bottle it allows the wine to aerate and open up. It wasn't really necessary with a wine this old, but it was still good.



buzzrelly said:


> That all looks amazing!



It was!



buzzrelly said:


> What a perfect birthday celebration!



It was so much fun!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I think "pew" is considered classic Star Wars now, but yes it would work.



Yuss!



pkondz said:


> I need one... um... since I haven't had one in at least a year and a half! (or longer)



Are there any confectionaries up there that might have them? You could always get caramel at the grocery store and dip sliced apple in it. We've done that at home for an easy dessert.



pkondz said:


> Didn't see any problems??? Um...
> 
> Either you were _really_ getting shafted by the first one or the second one can't see the problem. Maybe because there isn't one.
> I'd rather there be _no_ problem of course.



I'm hoping there really wasn't a problem.  We haven't heard from them about plumbing for about two weeks now.



pkondz said:


> I would consider not _paying_ the bill.



I would consider it too, but Fran is too worried about her credit.



pkondz said:


> I'd be okay with that!



And no masks either!  No matter how many cases there are! 



pkondz said:


> Hmmm... I'll give it a passing grade. I too like my water ice cold.



It works in a pinch.



pkondz said:


> Huh. I guess I would just call that.... cake.



Yeah, I was expecting something a little more exciting.  I even googled some recipes and none of them sounded as yummy as the ones I've had in restaurants.


----------



## franandaj

Back with friends

So it had been almost a week since we had been to a park and I was really getting ancy. We had plans with five of us, well within the guidelines.  No more than three households (Jenny, Michael, Naked Jim, Fran and I) would be traveling together. 

Jenny planned to get a BG for RotR for her and her hubby, I said that Fran and I would pass since we rode the week before, but Jim wanted to ride so she added his pass to her app and was able to get BG 29 that morning. This changed our plans. I did the math and figured out that if she got anything less than 40, we would need to move up our departure time.

We had planned to pick up Naked Jim at 9AM, but now we needed to leave as soon as we could. As I was finishing getting dressed, Fran asked if she could skip today. She'd been having terrible stomach cramps for the past couple days, and really wanted to just stay in bed. While I was disappointed, I completely understood. Besides there were other friends I was spending the day with, so I'd manage.

Jim and I made pretty good time out to the park. Whereas I had planned to pick him up at 9AM, we were actually arriving on property at that time. It took us a while to get the car parked and us to the gates.





We were on MS by 9:51.









At that time, they were boarding groups 10 through 28 at that point so we agreed just to meet Jenny and Michael at the ride. 









The three of them rode while I waited in the shade and put on sun screen. 





We thought about riding Smuggler's Run, but the line was too long and we didn't want to wait.





We decided our next ride would be Pirates. On our way there….













Because of the social distancing in the lines, the queue for Pirates was blocking the easy access to where we were going, so we had to take what Fran and I call “the high road”.





You see we were going to the end of the ride to get a return pass since I ride a scooter. Turns out that the location to get one of those was the staircase to the Dream Suite. Jack Sparrow was a top the staircase.





We only had 10 minutes to kill so we meandered through the Jack store and the pirate store. You had to go in through the Jack store and exit through the Pirate one. While in the Pirate store our return time came up.





It was so great to be back on one of the most iconic rides in the park! I took some cellphone pics, and for a phone camera they didn't come out half bad!





I was absolutely elated that they finally put the harpsichord back!

































The rest of our ride was uneventful, but it was so nice not to be backed up at the scene here and have boats slamming into you while waiting forever and a day to be pulled up to the top of the ramp to proceed to the unloading area.

*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*


We decided to ride the train next.

























See how well all these people are social distancing in this queue?





And now for my favorite part of the ride!  Grand Canyon and Primeval World.

























While on the train we decided to check with Cafe Orleans and see if they could take us early. Our reservation was for 2PM, but we were fairly hungry now and were hoping to park hop to DCA after the 1PM mark hit. They could take us and by 12:45 we were seated and ordering.





Now those of you who have been dining out ever since outdoor dining began are probably familiar with this, but I’ve only been going this for a little more than a month, so this who QR code thing is new to me.





I didn’t need to use it. As soon as our server explained that the portion has been reduced and that instead of four pieces, it is only two pieces, but the pomme frites are included. I was absolutely sold! Everyone got the Monte Cristo, but Jenny and her husband split one. He got the gumbo also.





She got the salad. 





My sandwich.





I'd say it's a fair trade, even with the reduced portion I couldn't finish the sandwich, so Fran got a little bit that I took home for her.






Let’s wrap up this update here, next we hop over to DCA, and we’ll find out how many more items are crossed off my to do list!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Are there any confectionaries up there that might have them? You could always get caramel at the grocery store and dip sliced apple in it. We've done that at home for an easy dessert.


Yes there is! I keep forgetting. I can choose from candy or caramel or fancy decorated.
Need to get on that. 


franandaj said:


> I'm hoping there really wasn't a problem. We haven't heard from them about plumbing for about two weeks now.


Fingers crossed.


franandaj said:


> I would consider it too, but Fran is too worried about her credit.


I get that.


And... I'll have to come back to read the update. I'm at work, so no photos.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Yes there is! I keep forgetting. I can choose from candy or caramel or fancy decorated.
> Need to get on that.



At least you could have some joy. I think I might choose the heavily sugared Minnie version next time. 



pkondz said:


> And... I'll have to come back to read the update. I'm at work, so no photos.



Boo on the no photos! This was a photo heavy update!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Sorry to hear that Fran wasn't feeling well!

You certainly had a successful morning!  And great PotC pics!


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> That doesn't open again until Thursday....



And by now I see it wasn't the greatest.  



franandaj said:


> And they just announced a virtual queue for Indy....



I saw that!! Wonder how it's being received...



franandaj said:


> I may be doing solo touring in the morning....



Ruh roh...





franandaj said:


> however today would prove a little less successful.



EEK!! 


franandaj said:


> Let's just say it was a somewhat exhausting and disgusting way to spend an afternoon/early evening.



I have done that.

So. many. times.



franandaj said:


> Say what? You didn't think to talk to us about this when you saw us earlier?????



What the what?!



franandaj said:


> After all, we (Jenny, Jill, Michael, Fran and I) had dinner plans that night. Sort of a planned potluck where everyone was making something, and that started at 5PM.


Sounds like soooo much fun!



franandaj said:


> We stopped for Ham and Cheese Croissants at our favorite donut store



I love those, and they're my new go-to in the parks when I grab my $ixbux latte.



franandaj said:


>



OH alll the feels!! 



franandaj said:


> Unfortunately she forgot about the fervor of Disney Fans, and by the time we were called most, most of the things she wanted were sold out.



OH dear, she's lost her edge. 



franandaj said:


> I had read online about the fate of the Old Dress Shop. It is going to be converted to a Princess and the Frog themed QS.



Seriously? Ugh. 



franandaj said:


> So pretty much all our plans for the day were a bust.



Well, crap, sorry Alison.  



franandaj said:


> his changed our plans. I did the math and figured out that if she got anything less than 40, we would need to move up our departure time.



Yup, pretty much. I have gotten VERY low BGs but ideally, a 30's or 40s group is better so you can get some short wait rides in (SDD, MF, and MMRR at WDW) before yours is called. Also gives the option of finding a nicer breakfast if you want. 



franandaj said:


> We had planned to pick up Naked Jim at 9AM, but now we needed to leave as soon as we could. As I was finishing getting dressed, Fran asked if she could skip today. She'd been having terrible stomach cramps for the past couple days, and really wanted to just stay in bed. While I was disappointed, I completely understood.


Aw, man.  That is awful. Poor Fran! 


franandaj said:


> Besides there were other friends I was spending the day with, so I'd manage.



Eases the bummer of it. 


franandaj said:


> It was so great to be back on one of the most iconic rides in the park!



YAY!!! It's just the BEST!


franandaj said:


> I was absolutely elated that they finally put the harpsichord back!



: I always think about you when I pass that. 


franandaj said:


> And now for my favorite part of the ride! Grand Canyon and Primeval World.



YES!! 


franandaj said:


> While on the train we decided to check with Cafe Orleans and see if they could take us early.


I want to eat here again SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. The last time I ate there it was the last time I ever saw my aunt. Such bittersweet memories. She went on and on about the pommes frites and I would love to enjoy some again in her memory.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> So it had been almost a week since we had been to a park and I was really getting ancy.


A week... 

It's been a bit longer since I've been... and will be a bit longer still.


franandaj said:


> As I was finishing getting dressed, Fran asked if she could skip today. She'd been having terrible stomach cramps for the past couple days, and really wanted to just stay in bed. While I was disappointed, I completely understood. Besides there were other friends I was spending the day with, so I'd manage.


That's too bad. Hope she's feeling better?


franandaj said:


> On our way there….


Loved gazing longingly at all your photos.
I really need to get back there again.
Heck... _either _coast.


franandaj said:


> Because of the social distancing in the lines, the queue for Pirates was blocking the easy access to where we were going, so we had to take what Fran and I call “the high road”.



Apt name.


franandaj said:


> Jack Sparrow was a top the staircase.


He looks a little distracted. I mean more so than usual.


franandaj said:


> It was so great to be back on one of the most iconic rides in the park!





franandaj said:


> I took some cellphone pics, and for a phone camera they didn't come out half bad!


They did!


franandaj said:


> I was absolutely elated that they finally put the harpsichord back!


I didn't know it was gone, but I do recognize the sheet music. 


franandaj said:


>


<sigh> oh well...


franandaj said:


> it was so nice not to be backed up at the scene here and have boats slamming into you while waiting forever and a day to be pulled up to the top of the ramp to proceed to the unloading area.


Always hate that part. Maybe that can be part of the "new norm".


franandaj said:


> We decided to ride the train next.


Makes me wonder if MK's train is running yet?


franandaj said:


> See how well all these people are social distancing in this queue?


Pretty good!


franandaj said:


> And now for my favorite part of the ride! Grand Canyon and Primeval World.


I really liked that part too! So different than MKs. 


franandaj said:


> While on the train we decided to check with Cafe Orleans and see if they could take us early.


I'd love to try that some day.


franandaj said:


> Now those of you who have been dining out ever since outdoor dining began are probably familiar with this, but I’ve only been going this for a little more than a month, so this who QR code thing is new to me.


It's new to me too. Never done it.


franandaj said:


> He got the gumbo also.


mmm... I want.


franandaj said:


> My sandwich.


Looks good! I think I told you that I made some using their recipe?


franandaj said:


> Boo on the no photos! This was a photo heavy update!


But I'm caught up now!


----------



## Steppesister

pkondz said:


> Makes me wonder if MK's train is running yet?


Nope, Tron will have to be A LOT closer to being done as they need to find a way around that area. I am curious to see if they tunnel the track to just fit it beside Tron  BARELY, or...? Am anxious to find out.


----------



## pkondz

Steppesister said:


> Nope, Tron will have to be A LOT closer to being done as they need to find a way around that area. I am curious to see if they tunnel the track to just fit it beside Tron  BARELY, or...? Am anxious to find out.


Thanks for the eye on the scene update.


----------



## chunkymonkey

Hi Alison! I'm finally here! I'm so behind on the DIS.
It's nice to see everyone back at Disneyland again! Happy Belated Birthday! It looked fantastic! Dining out has become a whole new different experience. You can't take it for granted (granite haha) again so it's definitely a treat to dine out! I have gotten used to cooking and eating at home a lot more!


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Sorry to hear that Fran wasn't feeling well!



It was too bad, she would have enjoyed the Monte Cristo.  Hopefully tomorrow!



tiggrbaby said:


> You certainly had a successful morning! And great PotC pics!



Thanks!


----------



## rentayenta

We missed Fran but excited to see her later this week!!!

Such a good update! It was so fun to be back in the parks with good friends! Its been far too long! Lunch was yummy. Had fun seeing naked Jim, albeit with clothes on.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> And by now I see it wasn't the greatest.



Actually I haven't reported that one yet, a couple more updates.....



Steppesister said:


> I saw that!! Wonder how it's being received...



Not sure. I checked today and it was pretty late in the day, but all the BG were sold out.



Steppesister said:


> I have done that.
> 
> So. many. times.



Yucky huh?



Steppesister said:


> I love those, and they're my new go-to in the parks when I grab my $ixbux latte.



We have been enjoying them for years. We had a place near our old house where we got them and when we moved across town we found a place in this side of town to get them, but ours are with cheddar, not sure how I would like the swiss in the Starbucks ones.



Steppesister said:


> OH dear, she's lost her edge.



Well not exactly 



Steppesister said:


> Well, crap, sorry Alison.



It was OK, if I told you the real story I'd have to kill you!  



Steppesister said:


> Yup, pretty much. I have gotten VERY low BGs but ideally, a 30's or 40s group is better so you can get some short wait rides in (SDD, MF, and MMRR at WDW) before yours is called. Also gives the option of finding a nicer breakfast if you want.



I forgot what I got last week, but it was actually perfect and it was pretty high, but you'll find out eventually when I get to those pictures, screen shots and such.



Steppesister said:


> Aw, man.  That is awful. Poor Fran!



Yeah, I felt bad for her. She really has to stay off the Mtn. Dew. That's what we think is doing it.



Steppesister said:


> Eases the bummer of it.



Yes, good friends always do!



Steppesister said:


> YAY!!! It's just the BEST!



One of the best rides!



Steppesister said:


> : I always think about you when I pass that.



Thanks!  It's my favorite part of the ride!



Steppesister said:


> I want to eat here again SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. The last time I ate there it was the last time I ever saw my aunt. Such bittersweet memories. She went on and on about the pommes frites and I would love to enjoy some again in her memory.



It's basically one of the hardest reservations to get in the parks!  Even more difficult for us to get into than a certain other restaurant!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> A week...
> 
> It's been a bit longer since I've been... and will be a bit longer still.



Yeah, I get it. But since we used to go every week, it's good to be back to that pattern. In fact we're there three times this week.



pkondz said:


> That's too bad. Hope she's feeling better?



Yeah, I think we just need to get her off the Mtn. Dew and we're good.



pkondz said:


> Loved gazing longingly at all your photos.
> I really need to get back there again.
> Heck... _either _coast.



Florida will probably be first, the governor there doesn't give a hoot about who comes as long as they have money.  Infected? sure! As long as you'll spend cash!



pkondz said:


> Apt name.



Well?  We always used to ask, High Road or Low Road?  The high road took a little more scooter power to go over it, but we didn't have to go up the place that now we can't pass due to the extended Pirates queue.



pkondz said:


> He looks a little distracted. I mean more so than usual.



I may have just caught him at an off moment.



pkondz said:


> I didn't know it was gone, but I do recognize the sheet music.



I've been watching that since I was a college student.  Tony Baxter told me that they have had to replace that so many times over the years.  I just remember the harpsichord was gone the last time I rode it and that might have been Sept 2019. 



pkondz said:


> <sigh> oh well...



Yeah, I know.  My desktop is the old scene of the old redhead.



pkondz said:


> Always hate that part. Maybe that can be part of the "new norm".



We can hope.



pkondz said:


> Makes me wonder if MK's train is running yet?



Liesa answered that.



pkondz said:


> I really liked that part too! So different than MKs.



We have the stuff from thw 1960's world fair!  



pkondz said:


> I'd love to try that some day.



Next time we will go to Cafe Orleans



pkondz said:


> It's new to me too. Never done it.



Huh. You haven't been out to dinner yet?



pkondz said:


> mmm... I want.



I got that today!



pkondz said:


> Looks good! I think I told you that I made some using their recipe?



Which one?  I made it at home a few times and it was good, but a real PITA, you had to toothpick all the pieces and then deep fry it. Since we are so close I decided it was better just to get it there.  Until we couldn't.  I'm thinking of making a July reservation to have it again and we ate one today.



pkondz said:


> But I'm caught up now!



Yay!  I hope to have another update before we go out Friday, but we have another reservation tomorrow and we were just there today!


----------



## franandaj

chunkymonkey said:


> Hi Alison! I'm finally here! I'm so behind on the DIS.



 

I hope you will be doing TRs as well.  I miss hearing about your chunky adventures!



chunkymonkey said:


> It's nice to see everyone back at Disneyland again!



I am so happy to be back! We are totally enjoying our happy place, although we miss some of the things that we used to take for granted. (granite! )



chunkymonkey said:


> Happy Belated Birthday! It looked fantastic!



OMG! It was so fun to do something normal again and have fun with friends!



chunkymonkey said:


> Dining out has become a whole new different experience. You can't take it for granted (granite haha) again so it's definitely a treat to dine out! I have gotten used to cooking and eating at home a lot more!



I always cooked at home a lot, but this last year gave a whole new thing to it.  I tallied up our dinner list and didn't realize how many dinners that we ate out at the park and how many were at a certain special restaurant.  I am so looking forward to resuming that tradition as it reopened last Thursday and we plan to go to the casual location tomorrow to enjoy beverages and yummy food!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> We missed Fran but excited to see her later this week!!!



She should be plenty relaxed and happy on Friday. As long as I don't wear her out tomorrow. We were pretty tired after today.



rentayenta said:


> Such a good update! It was so fun to be back in the parks with good friends! Its been far too long! Lunch was yummy. Had fun seeing naked Jim, albeit with clothes on.



And we had even more fun after, can't wait to update on that!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> Jim and I made pretty good time out to the park. Whereas I had planned to pick him up at 9AM, we were actually arriving on property at that time



Very good time! 



franandaj said:


>



I wonder if the ground will be full of SD lines when I get back...



franandaj said:


>



I also wonder when F! will be able to come back...



franandaj said:


> Jack Sparrow was a top the staircase.



Was he his usual chatty self?



franandaj said:


> I was absolutely elated that they finally put the harpsichord back!



Ohh! How long was it gone?




franandaj said:


>



I still remember these treasure rooms blowing my mind as a kid...100% real loot of course right 




franandaj said:


> We decided to ride the train next.



Ahhh haa! 



franandaj said:


> QR code thing is new to me.



Ya me too..



franandaj said:


> As soon as our server explained that the portion has been reduced and that instead of four pieces, it is only two pieces, but the pomme frites are included. I was absolutely sold! Everyone got the Monte Cristo, but Jenny and her husband split one. He got the gumbo also.



Ah gotcha! I remember 2 still being loads, so I think we'd split and have a gumbo also possibly


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Very good time!



Considering I left half an hour before planned we did good!



DnA2010 said:


> I wonder if the ground will be full of SD lines when I get back...



Hard to say.  I wonder if people will keep their distance or just be on top of each other all over again. I like that the scooter gives me some distance even in non Socially Distanced situations.



DnA2010 said:


> I also wonder when F! will be able to come back...



NO IDEA on that one!



DnA2010 said:


> Was he his usual chatty self?



I don't think we could have heard him even if he was talking!



DnA2010 said:


> Ohh! How long was it gone?



Well I remember that it wasn't there in September of 2019 because I remarked to @Steppesister about it not being there.  It was gone for a while before that.  I'm pretty sure that I never saw it after that.  Did we ride it on your tour?  I'm pretty sure it wasn't there if we did.



DnA2010 said:


> I still remember these treasure rooms blowing my mind as a kid...100% real loot of course right



I remember knowing it was fake, but was still impressed.  I was in like 7th grade the first time I went.



DnA2010 said:


> Ya me too..



The thing is that most of the time when I've selected a restaurant, I've already stalked their online menu so I already know what I want.



DnA2010 said:


> Ah gotcha! I remember 2 still being loads, so I think we'd split and have a gumbo also possibly



We used to get the pomme frites appetizer, the Gumbo soup appetizer, the four pieces of Monte Cristo, and then take some home and then get beignets for dessert. Not an option now, but at least we can get three out of four. We just need to remember to order the beignets before we sit down to lunch.  We are learning.  Today I ordered my Mickey Macaron as soon as we left our doctor's office and picked it up after we got in the park about 30 minutes later. They sold out by 3PM yesterday.


----------



## franandaj

So we left off after having lunch at Cafe Orleans. It seems to be one of the hardest reservations to get in the parks. I’ve tried and the next ones available aren’t until July. So I”ll be making one just in case.

As we left New Orleans Square we saw Tiana Social Distancing.





Here's another look at that same corridor I showed you a couple weeks ago. Each time I go back to the parks they look more and more busy and this is before OC became Yellow. 





And then we hopped across the Esplanade to DCA. 





Here we are at DCA.









At the fountain we encountered one of the Prime locations for socially distanced meet and greets. We ended up seeing half a dozen characters here as we passed through here.













Our first stop here was Soarin. 









They aren't taking requests to wait for the top row and middle. We got the front row on the farthest side on the right, so our view was skewed. There is a plexiglass barrier in the middle of the row. Our group of four sat on one side and a group of two sat on the far left end of the row.

On our way to ride Guardians we saw these characters at the fountain.













Avengers Campus is getting ready to open soon, and there were signs of construction that went on while the park was closed all over.





The ride was literally a walk on. 





The preshow wasn't running and we literally went straight to the line up for our gantry lift.









Of course we got Jackson 5 for our song. I swear they play that one more often than any other.

We decided it was time for a drink. We headed past the fountain again and found these characters.





I decided it would be good to get a shot with these rare characters. 









another  peek at the Avengers Campus. 





Look at all these tables and chairs that they've put out. This area used to be so jam packed with people!





So we ordered our beverages from Sonoma Terrace. We actually ordered and didn’t have to mobile order, and then found a table.  There were tons of them open. We took this picture. 





Jim objected and said that we needed it to be symmetrical. So we took this one.





So weird with the lids on drinks so you don't sip and stroll.





Goofy and Mike were entertaining us socially distanced. 





When we were on the train, Jim told us a story about a friend of his who played one of the characters.  (Who was it? Beast?) And how evil kids could be. We remarked about how the people playing these characters must be loving this distance stuff.

This corridor is so empty.






*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*{Continued from Previous Post]*






We decided to hit RSR and saw these characters along the way.









Again the ride was almost a walk on.





Except that in the accessible loading area there was a line to get one of those cars.





The ride was fun and it was great to be back!





































You can see that I am ready to call it a day.  Even though we won the race, I was feeling faint.





By this point Jim and I were getting tired and decided to head out. We shopped a bit at Elias and Co. where Jim got a couple Disney masks and then we headed out. It was still pretty empty on the Esplanade





Jenny and Michael closed the place down and shopped for an extra hour on Main Street.

What I want to do:


Eat:
Plaza Inn Chicken
Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
Asparagus Skewer 
Cafe Orleans
Mickey Macaron from Jolly Holiday
Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
Funnel Cake
Pickle Corn Dog
Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
Sweet treats from candy shops
Ghirardelli sundae

Ride:
Haunted Mansion 
Pirates
Star Tours 
Space Mountain 
Guardians of the Galaxy
Soarin
Indiana Jones
Incredicoaster
Little Mermaid
RotR
Falcon
Train
Snow White
TSMM
Mr. Toad
BTMRR
RSR

Still lots left to do!  Good thing I'm going to be going back a lot for the next couple months!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> So we left off after having lunch at Cafe Orleans. It seems to be one of the hardest reservations to get in the parks.


I know I haven't been. 


franandaj said:


> As we left New Orleans Square we saw Tiana Social Distancing.


Makes sense. 


franandaj said:


> Each time I go back to the parks they look more and more busy and this is before OC became Yellow.


So... how do you feel about that? Concerned because of proximity to others or happy because it's a sign of things going back to normal?


franandaj said:


> At the fountain we encountered one of the Prime locations for socially distanced meet and greets. We ended up seeing half a dozen characters here as we passed through here.


I know a lot of people are much happier with the more (seemingly) random encountering characters.


franandaj said:


>


Well, hi there! 


franandaj said:


> They aren't taking requests to wait for the top row and middle.


Really! That.... is unfortunate.


franandaj said:


> We got the front row on the farthest side on the right, so our view was skewed.


Ew. Nope. Totally wrecks it for me.


franandaj said:


>


Heh. Anna looks like a Weeble.


franandaj said:


> The ride was literally a walk on.


Even with Covid... that surprises me a bit.


franandaj said:


> The preshow wasn't running


Due to technical issues or by design?


franandaj said:


> Of course we got Jackson 5 for our song. I swear they play that one more often than any other.


You've mentioned that. 


franandaj said:


> I decided it would be good to get a shot with these rare characters.


Holy smokes! I have _never_ seen Oswald (as a character)!


franandaj said:


> Jim objected and said that we needed it to be symmetrical. So we took this one.


He's not wrong. 


franandaj said:


> So weird with the lids on drinks so you don't sip and stroll.


I noticed that right away. Yeah... it looks odd.


franandaj said:


> When we were on the train, Jim told us a story about a friend of his who played one of the characters. (Who was it? Beast?) And how evil kids could be. We remarked about how the people playing these characters must be loving this distance stuff.


I've seen some videos, and... yeah. But... I wonder if the absolutely wonderful interactions help even it out??


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> We decided to hit RSR and saw these characters along the way.


Were they animated or static?


franandaj said:


> Again the ride was almost a walk on.


Really!!! Now I'm _shocked!_


franandaj said:


> The ride was fun and it was great to be back!





franandaj said:


>


 Love this! Never seen that one before, I don't think?


franandaj said:


> You can see that I am ready to call it a day. Even though we won the race, I was feeling faint.


You poor thing. Woe is you!


franandaj said:


> What I want to do:


That list is getting shorter!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I know I haven't been.



Well we have focused on Plaza Inn on your visits, I guess I need to add Cafe Orleans to the "the list".  It is worth it!



pkondz said:


> So... how do you feel about that? Concerned because of proximity to others or happy because it's a sign of things going back to normal?



I prefer less people. I don't care how close it is to normal. I would rather they have less people in the park so I don't have to bump into them!  



pkondz said:


> I know a lot of people are much happier with the more (seemingly) random encountering characters.



Really? I like being able to walk up to them and interact.



pkondz said:


> Really! That.... is unfortunate.



Yes, it is.  I am not used to having to watch the bending scenarios.  We normally wait for the better ones.



pkondz said:


> Ew. Nope. Totally wrecks it for me.



Just makes for better jokes.  We get to ride it more often than you.



pkondz said:


> Heh. Anna looks like a Weeble.



that's funny!



pkondz said:


> Even with Covid... that surprises me a bit.



Maybe it was just that day.  It was longer the last time I was there.



pkondz said:


> Due to technical issues or by design?



I think they were by passing that 15 minute wait thingy I mentioned in the RotR update.  Maybe they are bypassing most preshows.



pkondz said:


> You've mentioned that.



Yeah, I goe something else last time.  Pat Benetar, Hit me with your best shot.  I may need to refer to this post when I'm writing that update.



pkondz said:


> Holy smokes! I have _never_ seen Oswald (as a character)!



He is around kind of a lot at DCA since it it based on Walt's early endeavors. 



pkondz said:


> He's not wrong.



I can agree, symmetry is important.



pkondz said:


> I noticed that right away. Yeah... it looks odd.



Well at least you don't spill....



pkondz said:


> I've seen some videos, and... yeah. But... I wonder if the absolutely wonderful interactions help even it out??



Good question!  But evidently the Beast got some in the "you know what's"  Not sure if wonderful interactions can compensate for that? You tell me?  I don't have those!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Were they animated or static?



No they were animated characters who talked to you.



pkondz said:


> Really!!! Now I'm _shocked!_



Well we may have had a little help from some magic passes.



pkondz said:


> Love this! Never seen that one before, I don't think?



Perhaps we got Ramones instead of Luigis when we rode.



pkondz said:


> You poor thing. Woe is you!



I know!  I get so exhausted!



pkondz said:


> That list is getting shorter!



And it's even shorter for my next updates, but the food one is not updating as fast as the ride one!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well we have focused on Plaza Inn on your visits, I guess I need to add Cafe Orleans to the "the list". It is worth it!



Or... both! 


franandaj said:


> I prefer less people. I don't care how close it is to normal. I would rather they have less people in the park so I don't have to bump into them!


 Good point!
How about zero Covid _and _empty park??


franandaj said:


> Really? I like being able to walk up to them and interact.


Well... you've seen me interact with a certain princess...
But most people seem to prefer _not_ standing in lines to see characters. At least that's what I'm getting from all the TRs I'm reading.


franandaj said:


> Just makes for better jokes. We get to ride it more often than you.


Fair point. 


franandaj said:


> I think they were by passing that 15 minute wait thingy I mentioned in the RotR update. Maybe they are bypassing most preshows.


That's what I thought, but wasn't positive.


franandaj said:


> He is around kind of a lot at DCA since it it based on Walt's early endeavors.


Really! Huh. I'm sure I've never seen a photo of him before.


franandaj said:


> Well at least you don't spill....


True.


franandaj said:


> Good question! But evidently the Beast got some in the "you know what's" Not sure if wonderful interactions can compensate for that? You tell me? I don't have those!


I'd heard that (about the Beast)... While not a pleasant experience by any means, perhaps the good interactions outweigh that one?


franandaj said:


> No they were animated characters who talked to you.


Cool! 


franandaj said:


> Well we may have had a little help from some magic passes.


Ah!


franandaj said:


> Perhaps we got Ramones instead of Luigis when we rode.


You only can take that shot from the one side?


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

Well, crud.  Looks like I fell way behind here already.

QUOTE="franandaj, post: 62966110, member: 258028"]
What I failed to mention in the last post was that the day before our preview day, the unit we used to live in had a relapse of an ongoing problem of a back up in their bathroom.
[/QUOTE]

That sounds like a crappy job.



franandaj said:


> "Yes they came at 1030 when I was home and said there is a major issue with the mainline and will need to dig under the master bedroom to get to the problem. He said he was going to call Fran. So this back up will continue to happen unless that is fixed. They will have to dig through the master bedroom floor, "break concrete" is what he said."



Um...what?  No thanks!



franandaj said:


> Being back on Main Street is such a lovely feeling!



It's so great seeing photos again!  



franandaj said:


> What Fran didn't realize was that when you want Disney merch, the early bird gets the worm.



Pretty much true with anything at Disney.



franandaj said:


> Unfortunately she forgot about the fervor of Disney Fans, and by the time we were called most, most of the things she wanted were sold out.



I bet they were all on eBay by 3 p.m.



franandaj said:


> So pretty much all our plans for the day were a bust.



Well...that stinks.



franandaj said:


> It was mid March when I decided it would be dinner at Del Frisco's.



We have one of those in Philly.  I've always heard great things about it, but been too scared off by the prices!



franandaj said:


>



Wow.



franandaj said:


> To say that this was delicious would be an understatement! This was my first swanky dinner since the pandemic started and my first dinner with a bunch of friends at a restaurant! The side dishes and especially the steaks were absolutely wonderful! The first time I had a Del Frisco's steak, my tastebuds had never experienced such joy. This was Leonard's first time, and he also said that he's never had a steak so tasty. Their rub is just phenomenal



You are really selling it!  Maybe I'll have to try it next time they have Restaurant Week in the city.



franandaj said:


> We decided our next ride would be Pirates. On our way there….



I'm kind of mesmerized just by looking at photos of people in a theme park.  Almost seems like a foreign concept at this point.



franandaj said:


> It was so great to be back on one of the most iconic rides in the park!



I can only imagine!



franandaj said:


> Now those of you who have been dining out ever since outdoor dining began are probably familiar with this, but I’ve only been going this for a little more than a month, so this who QR code thing is new to me.



Yeah, they're not great for us old people losing our eyesight.  I don't like having to blow up menus on my phone.



franandaj said:


> As soon as our server explained that the portion has been reduced and that instead of four pieces, it is only two pieces, but the pomme frites are included. I was absolutely sold! Everyone got the Monte Cristo, but Jenny and her husband split one.



I mean, you pretty much have to order that.



franandaj said:


> It seems to be one of the hardest reservations to get in the parks. I’ve tried and the next ones available aren’t until July. So I”ll be making one just in case.



That's a bummer.  I'm going to have to be on my game.



franandaj said:


> Each time I go back to the parks they look more and more busy and this is before OC became Yellow.



I need all these people to get the park visits out of their system before next summer.



franandaj said:


> They aren't taking requests to wait for the top row and middle.



Boo.  I'm so annoyed at the newer version of this ride.



franandaj said:


> Avengers Campus is getting ready to open soon, and there were signs of construction that went on while the park was closed all over.



Interested to see how that turns out.



franandaj said:


> Again the ride was almost a walk on.



That's unheard of!



franandaj said:


> You can see that I am ready to call it a day. Even though we won the race, I was feeling faint.







franandaj said:


> Still lots left to do! Good thing I'm going to be going back a lot for the next couple months!



You're making progress!  Seems like a nice problem to have.


----------



## reluctantoranges

franandaj said:


> We decided it was time for a drink. We headed past the fountain again and found these characters.
> 
> 
> 
> I decided it would be good to get a shot with these rare characters.



So cool that you got to see these characters. I love the classic Roaring 20s costumes on Mickey and Minnie.


----------



## pooh'smate

Loving all the pictures.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


>



I was about to ask if it was California or World...then I saw my answer...I think I prefer Cali...


franandaj said:


>


Adorable!



franandaj said:


>



Other dress Elsa!



franandaj said:


>



So empty indeed!



franandaj said:


> Of course we got Jackson 5 for our song. I swear they play that one more often than any other.



I think it's Hit Me With Your Best Shot that I get the most



franandaj said:


>



Nice! I wonder if reg MnG will come back some day...




franandaj said:


> This corridor is so empty.



very empty! loads of empty tables also!



franandaj said:


> Again the ride was almost a walk on.



Well you sure don't see that very often!



franandaj said:


>



You know all the photo spots!



franandaj said:


> Even though we won the race



I'm very good at losing the races    



franandaj said:


> Eat:
> Plaza Inn Chicken    *YUM!!!!*
> Corn Dog/Cheese Dog   *Cheese Dog? *
> Asparagus Skewer
> Cafe Orleans
> Mickey Macaron from Jolly Holiday
> Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
> Funnel Cake
> Pickle Corn Dog  *This one seems odd, I look forward to hearing when you think...*
> Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip    * Sooooo goood!!*
> Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone  I*'ve enjoyed this! *
> Sweet treats from candy shops
> Ghirardelli sundae *I could really go for one of these! *




Looking forward to following more adventures!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Or... both!



We would need to do multiple days.  Each one is a very filling meal even when split between two people!



pkondz said:


> Good point!
> How about zero Covid _and _empty park??



That would be weird.  I mean part of the ambiance are the people in the background screaming on the rides, and other such noises.



pkondz said:


> Well... you've seen me interact with a certain princess...
> But most people seem to prefer _not_ standing in lines to see characters. At least that's what I'm getting from all the TRs I'm reading.



Well, not sure whose TRs you are reading, but at DL there are still lines for the socially distanced characters.  I had to wait in line (only about 3 people deep) to get that shot.



pkondz said:


> That's what I thought, but wasn't positive.



I'm guessing Preshows cause people to gather in a small space, and I read on Liesa's TR this morning that in MK they are skipping the stretching room on HM.  They can't do that at DL because they need the elevator to get people down to the level where the ride is located.  However they are severely limiting access to the stretching room as I mentioned a few posts back.



pkondz said:


> Really! Huh. I'm sure I've never seen a photo of him before.



He hangs out on Buena Vista Street in DCA quite often.  He was Walt's first character after all and that's what BVS is based on, Walt's early CA life.



pkondz said:


> I'd heard that (about the Beast)... While not a pleasant experience by any means, perhaps the good interactions outweigh that one?



I'm guessing not!  



pkondz said:


> You only can take that shot from the one side?



The other side you end up in Ramone's





Or if you mean that you can't take the picture on the Right side of the car, the curtain only pulls back on the Left side of the car so that you are focused in one area.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> We would need to do multiple days. Each one is a very filling meal even when split between two people!


I'd be okay with that. 




Actually, more time with friends works out _quite_ well with me. 


franandaj said:


> That would be weird. I mean part of the ambiance are the people in the background screaming on the rides, and other such noises.


Hmmm...
CMs walking around and on rides. They magically disappear when you want empty park photos and when you want to go on a ride with no wait.


franandaj said:


> Well, not sure whose TRs you are reading, but at DL there are still lines for the socially distanced characters. I had to wait in line (only about 3 people deep) to get that shot.


I'm reading more about the cavalcades and characters showing up on balconies or socially distanced.


franandaj said:


> I'm guessing Preshows cause people to gather in a small space, and I read on Liesa's TR this morning that in MK they are skipping the stretching room on HM. They can't do that at DL because they need the elevator to get people down to the level where the ride is located. However they are severely limiting access to the stretching room as I mentioned a few posts back.


I'm sure I don't have to tell you about the reasons for the stretching rooms being different. I wasn't at all surprised to read in DL the room was running/stretching.


franandaj said:


> He hangs out on Buena Vista Street in DCA quite often. He was Walt's first character after all and that's what BVS is based on, Walt's early CA life.


Huh! I had no idea.


franandaj said:


> I'm guessing not!





franandaj said:


> The other side you end up in Ramone's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or if you mean that you can't take the picture on the Right side of the car, the curtain only pulls back on the Left side of the car so that you are focused in one area.


I meant the ability to take a photo of yourselves in a mirror.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, crud. Looks like I fell way behind here already.



But now you're all caught up!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That sounds like a crappy job.



I see what you did there.....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Um...what? No thanks!



And so far so good....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> It's so great seeing photos again!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Pretty much true with anything at Disney.



Well...yes.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I bet they were all on eBay by 3 p.m.



I wouldn't be surprised.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well...that stinks.



It is what it is....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> We have one of those in Philly. I've always heard great things about it, but been too scared off by the prices!



Well, yes. But it's not an every day restaurant. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Wow.
> 
> You are really selling it! Maybe I'll have to try it next time they have Restaurant Week in the city.



I find that Restaurant Week menus pale in comparison to regular menus. You and Julie should find a reason that just the two of you need to celebrate and try it out. Most of the steaks are large enough to split as are the sides. It's totally worth it!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm kind of mesmerized just by looking at photos of people in a theme park. Almost seems like a foreign concept at this point.



I know! If I weren't living it, I would have a hard time believing it!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I can only imagine!



So fun!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Yeah, they're not great for us old people losing our eyesight. I don't like having to blow up menus on my phone.



I try to check menus in advance so I know what I want and don't have to read the tiny print on my phone. Doesn't always work out.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I mean, you pretty much have to order that



I think it's a law.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That's a bummer. I'm going to have to be on my game.



Well they say that on June 15 (of this year), no more social distancing, and other things we learned in the last year. There should be many more tables available and people will be over it by the time you get here.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I need all these people to get the park visits out of their system before next summer.



As I just said above. I think they will!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Boo. I'm so annoyed at the newer version of this ride



Yeah, the older one was much better.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Interested to see how that turns out.



Hopefully I'll have an update on that one....if they let us take pictures....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That's unheard of!



I know! Wait until you see my pics from last week!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> You're making progress! Seems like a nice problem to have.



   just keep swimmin'


----------



## franandaj

reluctantoranges said:


> So cool that you got to see these characters. I love the classic Roaring 20s costumes on Mickey and Minnie.





They are making up for the distanced stuff with great costumes and characters!


----------



## franandaj

pooh'smate said:


> Loving all the pictures.



Good! Lots more to come!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> I was about to ask if it was California or World...then I saw my answer...I think I prefer Cali...



I think every one does!



DnA2010 said:


> Other dress Elsa!



And Queen Anna!



DnA2010 said:


> I think it's Hit Me With Your Best Shot that I get the most



I think that is the one that I get second most.



DnA2010 said:


> Nice! I wonder if reg MnG will come back some day...



Probably, but I bet they will be slow to get back to it.



DnA2010 said:


> very empty! loads of empty tables also!



Yup!  That changes though.....



DnA2010 said:


> Well you sure don't see that very often!



Nope!



DnA2010 said:


> You know all the photo spots!



Well, it's hard not to when you ride this stuff as often as I do!



DnA2010 said:


> I'm very good at losing the races



Honestly I can't always tell whether or not we win!



DnA2010 said:


> Eat:
> Plaza Inn Chicken *YUM!!!!*
> Corn Dog/Cheese Dog *Cheese Dog?*



Where as a Corn Dog is filled with a hot dog....





A Cheese Dog is filled with Cheese!





I like to get one of each!



DnA2010 said:


> Asparagus Skewer
> Cafe Orleans
> Mickey Macaron from Jolly Holiday
> Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
> Funnel Cake
> Pickle Corn Dog *This one seems odd, I look forward to hearing when you think...*



It was funny cause this announcement came out on April Fool's Day and everyone thought it was a joke, but Fran and I are both interested in at least trying it once.  We make Crescent Dogs with the Pillsbury Crescent Dough and we put cheese and pickles inside and they are really good!



DnA2010 said:


> Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip *Sooooo goood!!*
> Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone I*'ve enjoyed this!*
> Sweet treats from candy shops
> Ghirardelli sundae *I could really go for one of these!*
> 
> Looking forward to following more adventures!



I hope that we can cross a few of those off our list in June, we have a couple days with no dining reservations. Usually we are too stuffed by the end of the day to get a Sundae!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I'd be okay with that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, more time with friends works out _quite_ well with me.



And I have no problem going with you to the Plaza Inn and  Cafe Orleans, just not in the same day.  That would be too much for me.



pkondz said:


> Hmmm...
> CMs walking around and on rides. They magically disappear when you want empty park photos and when you want to go on a ride with no wait.



Well, I think I can work with the status quo.



pkondz said:


> I'm reading more about the cavalcades and characters showing up on balconies or socially distanced.



There's a lot of that going on too....



pkondz said:


> I'm sure I don't have to tell you about the reasons for the stretching rooms being different. I wasn't at all surprised to read in DL the room was running/stretching.



It's the only way the ride would work!



pkondz said:


> Huh! I had no idea.



The things you learn!



pkondz said:


> I meant the ability to take a photo of yourselves in a mirror.



Well the mirror is there so that you can see your new White Wall tires, it's just turned into a photo op for people who know it's coming.  And Jim is actually not taking a picture.  He video'd every single ride we went on.  OK maybe not the train.


----------



## franandaj

OK everyone, move along....nothing to see here.


----------



## franandaj

Back at DVC


About a week later we were back at the parks, this time for a two night stay at the Grand Californian. I was able to snag these nights as soon as the booking for the Villas reopened in April. It was fate because the nights fit perfectly for our already planned return to a sorely missed dining experience. 

I began packing on Sunday for our Wednesday-Friday stay. I felt very out of practice. We had not stayed overnight outside our own house in 430 nights. Even though I have an entire dresser devoted to items that we pack on trips, I wasn't sure I was prepared. We had both robbed our travel bathroom bags of deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner over the course of the past year. Normally I trade those items out when I replace my daily use items, that way the bathroom bags always have the freshest hygiene products, but not knowing when we would travel again, I didn't bother to replace them. Until this week when we really needed to pack!

In addition to the missing supplies, we were just plain out of practice. In the end I forgot my own hotel slippers. They must have been buried in a drawer and I just didn't see them. We decided that after this trip we would go through that dresser and get rid of items we don't need to bring anymore. Luckily I had all the phone and tablet chargers, and everything we really needed. Walking on a cold floor in bare feet was an inconvenience but not horrible. Besides I knew for sure that I wouldn't be stepping on any cat puke!

However, being out of practice, we left way later than our normal "late". Normally we try to leave at noon and get out somewhere between 1-3PM. this time I thought we might leave by 3-4PM and we didn't leave until quarter to six!

We had a 7PM reservation at Tortilla Jo's, and we got to the Grand at about 6:30. Of course Fran brought way too much stuff that she didn't even use and the bellman had his work cut out! We checked in and the clerk was overly friendly to the point that I almost thought he was prying. Asking things like, "Do you have dinner plans? What's your favorite dish there.."

As soon as we got in the room, we called for the bags. We scored on the view, second best view for a one bedroom unit. I shot some pictures while waiting for the Bellman. 









These little sanitizing products were waiting on the counter for us.





This would be my bathroom for the stay.





The bedroom…









My Jacuzzi Tub!









The Bellman arrived at about 3 minutes to 7PM. We got the bags into the room, I quickly transferred the contents of the cooler to the fridge, and then we darted out the door.

Downtown Disney was PACKED! Probably because both parks had just closed, we were only a few minutes late and were seated promptly.  Chips and salsa arrived immediately. 





I never thought that I would appreciate physical menus so much. I've only been to a handful of restaurants since being vaccinated and two had menus you could hold (one was the same menu they've served for years now). Two had paper menus we could take home and the other three used the QR code. TJs was the latter. 

The tables were nicely spaced.





We were ready to have a good time on this “midweek weekend.’





We ordered up some Margaritas, she got the house, I got the Gold.





They no longer make the guac tableside, so we gave them our preferences (mild, no cilantro, no jalapeños) and waited. It took a little while, but Fran pointed out that we saved 5 bucks on tipping the tableside guacamole maker.





We ordered a three item combination, two beef tacos, a cheese enchilada, and all refried beans on the side. It arrived a little too quickly after the guac. I would have liked more time to enjoy that before the main course showed up. As usual, it was more than both of us could finish and we took home some leftovers. 





We stopped into Marceline's and got more sweet treats. This time I took pictures in the room before we ate them. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves!





As we made our way back to the lobby, I noticed that these chairs had new upholstery. I supposed that this sort of fabric is easier to clean off.





The lobby was empty when we got back.





The rest of the furniture in the lobby was also similarly upholstered.









And all the seating areas had signs like this.





The Hearthstone wasn't all that busy either.





She wanted to take a spin through the gift shop, and both of us got one of these shirts.





The color is all off in the picture because this Polo shirt that she got is Forest Green.





Then it was back up to the room.  I made sure to take pics of the goodies right away. We got both the chocolate and vanilla cupcakes.









It turns out this cookie had nuts in it, so it was all hers!





A Cheshire Tail!





And another Marshmallow Wand (the last one was so good!)





I missed this view!





I got our clothes for the following night hung up and unpacked our suitcases. I got the bed prepared and everything ready for a bath for me. 





We split the vanilla cupcake, after I thoroughly messed up the kitchen with our breakfast and snacks.





I took my bath and went to bed.  It was good to be back!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> And I have no problem going with you to the Plaza Inn and Cafe Orleans, just not in the same day. That would be too much for me.


Probably for me too. Not on the same day is _just fine_.


franandaj said:


> We had not stayed overnight outside our own house in 430 nights.


I was going to say "Me too"... but I did go camping a couple times with either Kay or all the family, last summer.


franandaj said:


> We had both robbed our travel bathroom bags of deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner over the course of the past year.


Interesting. I don't keep anything but meds (Advil and the like) in my travel bag. That's not a bad idea...


franandaj said:


> In the end I forgot my own hotel slippers.


If that's the only thing you forgot, that's not bad at all. 


franandaj said:


> Besides I knew for sure that I wouldn't be stepping on any cat puke!


 At least you'd hope not!!


franandaj said:


> we didn't leave until quarter to six!
> 
> We had a 7PM reservation at Tortilla Jo's,


Cutting it close!


franandaj said:


> We checked in and the clerk was overly friendly to the point that I almost thought he was prying. Asking things like, "Do you have dinner plans? What's your favorite dish there.."


I always chalk that up to Disney and the CMs trying to "make it magical".
I find it a bit weird when it happens, and just take it in stride.


franandaj said:


> My Jacuzzi Tub!


Yusssss...


franandaj said:


> I never thought that I would appreciate physical menus so much. I've only been to a handful of restaurants since being vaccinated and two had menus you could hold (one was the same menu they've served for years now). Two had paper menus we could take home and the other three used the QR code.


I haven't eaten inside at a restaurant since the Pandemic started. Done take-out of course, but that doesn't count.


franandaj said:


> We ordered up some Margaritas, she got the house, I got the Gold.


That read almost like a divorce settlement.


franandaj said:


> Fran pointed out that we saved 5 bucks on tipping the tableside guacamole maker.



I had no idea you were supposed to tip tableside service. I feel like such a dolt.


franandaj said:


>


Beans are _not_ on the side.
I know that's more traditional for tacos, but I prefer the stand and stuff version. Ench looks really yummy, though.


franandaj said:


> We stopped into Marceline's and got more sweet treats.


I still haven't gotten my candy apple! I forgot!


franandaj said:


> As we made our way back to the lobby, I noticed that these chairs had new upholstery. I supposed that this sort of fabric is easier to clean off.


That just looks... awful. Maybe the colour is off.


franandaj said:


>


What a great shot!!


franandaj said:


>





franandaj said:


> The color is all off in the picture because this Polo shirt that she got is Forest Green.


See previous comment re: upholstery.
In this photo, forest green = grey.


franandaj said:


> It turns out this cookie had nuts in it, so it was all hers!


I'm with you on that! I'll pass on it too.


franandaj said:


> And another Marshmallow Wand (the last one was so good!)


Not something I'd buy, but it does look good!


franandaj said:


> We split the vanilla cupcake, after I thoroughly messed up the kitchen with our breakfast and snacks.


I'd be sneaking in there in the middle of the night.


Several times. 




franandaj said:


> I took my bath and went to bed. It was good to be back!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Probably for me too. Not on the same day is _just fine_.



Now all we need is for the border to open! I've already got plans with one set of Canadians!



pkondz said:


> I was going to say "Me too"... but I did go camping a couple times with either Kay or all the family, last summer.



  I read about that.



pkondz said:


> Interesting. I don't keep anything but meds (Advil and the like) in my travel bag. That's not a bad idea...



I keep two travel bags. One is literally a baggie with shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. The stuff I actually use IN the bathroom. The other is a bag with a curved "hanger" that I hang off the nightstand next to my side of the bed. That has all the stuff for getting dressed. Hairbrush, barrettes, scrunchies, ibuprofen, various other stuff I might need for pain or other ailments (cuts, blisters, etc).



pkondz said:


> If that's the only thing you forgot, that's not bad at all.



It was the only thing I really missed, so I guess that's good!



pkondz said:


> At least you'd hope not!!



Considering their no pets policy!



pkondz said:


> Cutting it close!



I was not happy. At the last minute Fran wanted to bring a whole bunch of stuff she didn't need or use.



pkondz said:


> I always chalk that up to Disney and the CMs trying to "make it magical".
> I find it a bit weird when it happens, and just take it in stride.



I'm OK with the regular Magic, but I think Disney instructed them to "take it to 11."



pkondz said:


> I haven't eaten inside at a restaurant since the Pandemic started. Done take-out of course, but that doesn't count.



Yeah the in restaurant dining is definitely different, although Long Beach is trying to get the outdoor dining to stick around. I like that, at least when it isn't super hot.



pkondz said:


> That read almost like a divorce settlement.



 You're right!



pkondz said:


> I had no idea you were supposed to tip tableside service. I feel like such a dolt.



I don't know I you're supposed to, but Fran likes to overtip. 



pkondz said:


> Beans are _not_ on the side.
> I know that's more traditional for tacos, but I prefer the stand and stuff version. Ench looks really yummy, though.



What do you mean "Beans are not on the side." Most meals in CA Mexican restaurants come with a side of rice and beans. We just ask for all beans.

What do you mean "stand and stuff" version?



pkondz said:


> I still haven't gotten my candy apple! I forgot!



I've already had another! What are you waiting for?



pkondz said:


> That just looks... awful. Maybe the colour is off.



Actually I don't think it is off in this case. That's about the color I remember. Maybe that's why it caught my eye. They used to be green cushions I think.



pkondz said:


> What a great shot!!



Thanks! I got lucky!



pkondz said:


> See previous comment re: upholstery.
> In this photo, forest green = grey.



This was bad lighting.



pkondz said:


> I'm with you on that! I'll pass on it too.







pkondz said:


> Not something I'd buy, but it does look good!



I love these things.  I can't wait until they have more of a variety of flavors again.



pkondz said:


> I'd be sneaking in there in the middle of the night.
> 
> 
> Several times.



And you'd be buying me new treats! We usually split them all.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Now all we need is for the border to open! I've already got plans with one set of Canadians!


 We're like locusts!


franandaj said:


> I read about that.





franandaj said:


> I keep two travel bags. One is literally a baggie with shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. The stuff I actually use IN the bathroom. The other is a bag with a curved "hanger" that I hang off the nightstand next to my side of the bed. That has all the stuff for getting dressed. Hairbrush, barrettes, scrunchies, ibuprofen, various other stuff I might need for pain or other ailments (cuts, blisters, etc).


My bag is... considerably less encumbered. 


franandaj said:


> I was not happy. At the last minute Fran wanted to bring a whole bunch of stuff she didn't need or use.


oy


franandaj said:


> I'm OK with the regular Magic, but I think Disney instructed them to "take it to 11."





franandaj said:


> Yeah the in restaurant dining is definitely different, although Long Beach is trying to get the outdoor dining to stick around. I like that, at least when it isn't super hot.


Love eating al fresca. But... not when it's raining or too hot or too cold.


franandaj said:


> I don't know I you're supposed to, but Fran likes to overtip.


I do too.


franandaj said:


> What do you mean "Beans are not on the side." Most meals in CA Mexican restaurants come with a side of rice and beans. We just ask for all beans.


When I ask for something on the side, I expect it in a separate plate/dish.

Also, in my case, I'd be asking for all rice, no beans. Not a fan of refried beans.


franandaj said:


> What do you mean "stand and stuff" version?




Like that. Ground beef instead of pulled and only the shell deep fried.


franandaj said:


> I've already had another! What are you waiting for?


 For my brain to go "Hey dummy! Today's the day for a candy apple!"


franandaj said:


> Actually I don't think it is off in this case. That's about the color I remember. Maybe that's why it caught my eye. They used to be green cushions I think.


Green would be preferable.


franandaj said:


> Thanks! I got lucky!


All right Alison!


Oh, wait. You're talking about getting the photo.
That's good too.


franandaj said:


> And you'd be buying me new treats! We usually split them all.


I wouldn't _admit_ to sneaking in.


----------



## rentayenta

Great updates and its SO good to be back!  

That view is perfection! The treats look yummy! We got cookies and cramel apple. Chloe's choclate chip cookies have ruined us so we found the one from Marceline's just so-so.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> A Cheese Dog is filled with Cheese!


Riggghhhttt- just wasn't sure if there was a dog in there too



franandaj said:


> It was funny cause this announcement came out on April Fool's Day and everyone thought it was a joke, but Fran and I are both interested in at least trying it once. We make Crescent Dogs with the Pillsbury Crescent Dough and we put cheese and pickles inside and they are really good!



Yum, I remember that receipe, might have to make it for a tv dinner night soon



franandaj said:


> And I have no problem going with you to the Plaza Inn and Cafe Orleans, just not in the same day. That would be too much for me.



Thay would be way too filling I think...well the stuff I'd want to have



franandaj said:


> We checked in and the clerk was overly friendly to the point that I almost thought he was prying. Asking things like, "Do you have dinner plans? What's your favorite dish there.."



Go big or go home apparently with that guy



franandaj said:


> Downtown Disney was PACKED! Probably because both parks had just closed



I'm guessing they aren't limiting numbers in there anymore




franandaj said:


> I never thought that I would appreciate physical menus so much. I've only been to a handful of restaurants since being vaccinated and two had menus you could hold (one was the same menu they've served for years now). Two had paper menus we could take home and the other three used the QR code. TJs was the latter.



We had a pub dinner the other night..I was def missing holding a menu..it was a scanner too. 



franandaj said:


> two beef tacos, a cheese enchilada



Yum, I think I might make enchiladas this weekend- i love ench sauce. 



franandaj said:


>



Is that the cookie bottom right? Looks ginormous! 



franandaj said:


> both of us got one of these shirts.



Very nice! The polo seems very Fran



franandaj said:


> t turns out this cookie had nuts in it, so it was all hers!



Yum! Was it soft-ish?



franandaj said:


> And another Marshmallow Wand (the last one was so good!)



I love marshmallow wands, especially when there is caramel under the chocolate



franandaj said:


> And you'd be buying me new treats! We usually split them all.



We are splitters too, I would not be ok if I didn't at least get a bite!



pkondz said:


> We're like locusts!




Let us in, let us innnnn!!!


----------



## pkondz

DnA2010 said:


> Let us in, let us innnnn!!!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> In addition to the missing supplies, we were just plain out of practice. In the end I forgot my own hotel slippers.



Gah!  Totally ruined the trip. Way to go, Alison.



franandaj said:


> Besides I knew for sure that I wouldn't be stepping on any cat puke!



Even if you did, it would be Disney Cat Puke®.



franandaj said:


> Asking things like, "Do you have dinner plans? What's your favorite dish there.."



"May I join you tonight?"



franandaj said:


> As we made our way back to the lobby, I noticed that these chairs had new upholstery. I supposed that this sort of fabric is easier to clean off.



It really helps when you need to clean the Disney Cat Puke®.



franandaj said:


> She wanted to take a spin through the gift shop, and both of us got one of these shirts.



I like that one.



franandaj said:


> It turns out this cookie had nuts in it, so it was all hers!



NO!  Why do they feel the need to ruin perfectly good cookies like that?



franandaj said:


>



Glorious view!  Love all the lights.



franandaj said:


> I took my bath and went to bed. It was good to be back!



I can only imagine!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> We're like locusts!



In what way?  



pkondz said:


> My bag is... considerably less encumbered.



I'm not sure what that means.....



pkondz said:


> Love eating al fresca. But... not when it's raining or too hot or too cold.



Well lucky for us only one of those three are likely here.



pkondz said:


> When I ask for something on the side, I expect it in a separate plate/dish.
> 
> Also, in my case, I'd be asking for all rice, no beans. Not a fan of refried beans.



OK, I get that, but here most "plates" (or platos) come with a side of rice and beans.  Sometimes it is on a separate plate, sometimes it isn't.



pkondz said:


> Like that. Ground beef instead of pulled and only the shell deep fried.



So you like your Gringo tacos!  



pkondz said:


> For my brain to go "Hey dummy! Today's the day for a candy apple!"



Well when is that?  



pkondz said:


> Green would be preferable.



It was out of stock.



pkondz said:


> All right Alison!
> 
> 
> Oh, wait. You're talking about getting the photo.
> That's good too.







pkondz said:


> I wouldn't _admit_ to sneaking in.



But I'd know if was you....I was guessing you were crashing on the couch like all my other Disney friends who come to visit.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> In what way?


Swarming across the land.


franandaj said:


> I'm not sure what that means.....


Just have less stuff. I'm usually good with a comb, toothpaste/toothbrush, razor/shaving cream, deodorant.


franandaj said:


> OK, I get that, but here most "plates" (or platos) come with a side of rice and beans. Sometimes it is on a separate plate, sometimes it isn't.


Got it. 


franandaj said:


> So you like your Gringo tacos!





franandaj said:


> Well when is that?


My brain hasn't said yet.


franandaj said:


> But I'd know if was you....I was guessing you were crashing on the couch like all my other Disney friends who come to visit.


cover blown!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Great updates and its SO good to be back!



Totally!



rentayenta said:


> That view is perfection! The treats look yummy! We got cookies and cramel apple. Chloe's choclate chip cookies have ruined us so we found the one from Marceline's just so-so.



I can understand that! The cookie wasn't that good due to nuts and Cloe's are definitely better!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Riggghhhttt- just wasn't sure if there was a dog in there too



That's why we get one of each! You still get the dog, but you also get the cheesy goodness.



DnA2010 said:


> Yum, I remember that receipe, might have to make it for a tv dinner night



I need to add it back in the rotation. I've added so many good new recipes over the last year, I'm finally missing the old standards.



DnA2010 said:


> That would be way too filling I think...well the stuff I'd want to have



I don't think there is a choice of what to get. You get the Chicken at Plaza Inn and Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans. 



DnA2010 said:


> Go big or go home apparently with that guy



Or something.... 



DnA2010 said:


> I'm guessing they aren't limiting numbers in there anymore



Good question.  Since the structure is open, they don't know if you're going to the parks or DTD.



DnA2010 said:


> We had a pub dinner the other night..I was def missing holding a menu..it was a scanner too.



I'm hoping when they pull the band-aid off June 15 some of this comes back.



DnA2010 said:


> Yum, I think I might make enchiladas this weekend- i love ench sauce.



I like mine with a green Chile sauce when I make them at home.



DnA2010 said:


> Is that the cookie bottom right? Looks ginormous!



Yes, and yes.



DnA2010 said:


> Very nice! The polo seems very Fran



She rocks a polo shirt.



DnA2010 said:


> Yum! Was it soft-ish?



Ish. It wasn't crispy, but it wasn't soft baked.



DnA2010 said:


> I love marshmallow wands, especially when there is caramel under the chocolate



I feel gypped at WDW. The only place that they have Caramel is Karamel Kuche. 



DnA2010 said:


> We are splitters too, I would not be ok if I didn't at least get a bite!



Totally!



DnA2010 said:


> Let us in, let us innnnn!!!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Gah! Totally ruined the trip. Way to go, Alison.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Even if you did, it would be Disney Cat Puke®.



I like what you did there!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> "May I join you tonight?"



Yeah dude, you're getting just a tad bit too friendly....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> It really helps when you need to clean the Disney Cat Puke®.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> I like that one.



I'll just have to wait six months until I can wear it. Not the season for sleeves.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> NO! Why do they feel the need to ruin perfectly good cookies like that?



I don't know. And it didn't even come with a warning.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Glorious view! Love all the lights.



Me too! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I can only imagine!



Sadly we won't be back staying in the hotel anymore this year.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Swarming across the land.



Got it!



pkondz said:


> Just have less stuff. I'm usually good with a comb, toothpaste/toothbrush, razor/shaving cream, deodorant.



Ah. I guess I'm more.....High maintenance 



pkondz said:


> My brain hasn't said yet.



Well tell it to get it together!


----------



## franandaj

We left off where Fran and I had checked into the Villas at the Grand Californian, and after a hearty dinner we went to sleep.


I woke up a few times in the night, but slept well overall. The final time that I woke was at 6:32. I needed to be conscious and on the Disneyland app at 7AM to secure a boarding group for RotR. 





I ended up getting Group 51, which meant I wouldn't be riding until sometime after 11AM. I watched a bit of the news and then took my shower and bath. I made coffee and sat in bed cooling off, updating TR notes and such.





I decided to have breakfast and get dressed shortly thereafter.





Even though both of us had the Boarding Group, Fran decided she should rest up for the evening, so I headed out on my own. I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with California’s guidelines for opening, but there are four Tiers, Purple (worst infections), Red (still not so great), Orange (getting better), and Yellow (Almost there).  Well at this time Orange County was still in the Orange tier but they were approaching the standards to move to Yellow.  I think they had to maintain an infection rate under 2% for an entire week to be able to move forward. At that point, Disney could go from 25% capacity to 35% capacity.  As I entered the park, I already noticed that there were more people than when I had been there a week ago.













I decided that this morning I would try to save the Galaxy, so I started off in Tomorrowland.





Normally I’ll park my scooter underneath that window for riding Tomorrowland attractions, however, as you can see the queue now extends into that space, so I found another location to park.





My first quest in saving the Galaxy began with Star Tours.









These plexiglass shields separated different parties, and they were only seating people in rows 1, 3, and 5.





After we escaped the droid trying to get the Rebel Spy, we entered a Pod Race, and then escaped a bounty hunter trying to kill us, but we prevailed. 

Then I was thrust into a fast-paced Space Journey through the stars and other galaxies.



 

They were only seating like parties in one car, so two parties for each set of cars.









It was time to head to Battu, so I hopped onto my trusty ship that I had parked next to this edible foliage. I remember when they redid Tomorrowland (like 20 or so years ago) and they put in actual vegetables and such.  I wonder if security has busted any guests for eating the flora.





My trusty transportation device brought me past this mystical Castle





And this maiden in dis dress.





Shortly thereafter I found myself at the outpost of Battu ready to sign up as a smuggler for Hondo. 

























I waited in the body of the ship,





Here I am before taking my place as pilot. 





I was hampered by a lack of crew behind me and only got one load of coaxium.

Finally I decided to join the Resistance. 





The line here was long, and you can see that the social distanced queue stretched almost all the way back to Critter Country.









Many of you may know I tried a couple weeks ago, and this time I had much of the same result.

Feeling satisfied with my accomplishments of the day so far, I headed back to the room to see how Fran was doing.

On my way, I noticed a plaid who had become the “handler” for these little ones.





I thought about getting a Mickey Macaron on my way out, I checked the app and they were there so I figured I’d come back after I checked on Fran. 

While it had looked pretty crowded in the morning, Main Street was fairly empty when I left at noon.





She was still sleeping but was interested in some food. I had given her some of the V8 and Berry smoothie that I had for breakfast, but that was it. I made her an English Muffin with peanut butter on half and cream cheese on the other.





Once she was fed and awake I thought about that Mickey Macaron. I opened the app and it was gone!   They must have sold out of them.


I’ll be back later with our evening.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> I don't think there is a choice of what to get. You get the Chicken at Plaza Inn and Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans.



I agree! With fries at CO!



franandaj said:


> I like mine with a green Chile sauce when I make them at home.



Do you make the sauce? I like green chile sauce, but it's not easy to buy here and I've never tried making it



franandaj said:


> She rocks a polo shirt.



Ya she does!



franandaj said:


> As I entered the park, I already noticed that there were more people than when I had been there a week ago.





franandaj said:


>



Whoa that is getting busier!



franandaj said:


> These plexiglass shields separated different parties, and they were only seating people in rows 1, 3, and 5.



Plexiglass everywhere hey!




franandaj said:


> Rebel Spy



Was there still a rebel spy chosen?


franandaj said:


>



Just chillin' alone! So casual!




franandaj said:


> I remember when they redid Tomorrowland (like 20 or so years ago) and they put in actual vegetables and such. I wonder if security has busted any guests for eating the flora.




Pretty sure I remember my dad picking an orange from a tree at DL when I was a kid and giving it to us   


franandaj said:


>



One of my favs 



franandaj said:


> I was hampered by a lack of crew behind me and only got one load of coaxium.



Pretty good for flying solo!



franandaj said:


>



I actually really like doing this too- different things on different halves


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Ah. I guess I'm more.....High maintenance


I'm a dude. We're like... get up... smell clothes... not _overly_ rank? Wear same and leave. Maybe brush teeth. Maybe not. How much of a rush am I in or how lazy do I feel?


franandaj said:


> Well tell it to get it together!


 
It's not listening!
(It never does.)


franandaj said:


> The final time that I woke was at 6:32. I needed to be conscious and on the Disneyland app at 7AM to secure a boarding group for RotR.


Ah.
Disney is not for those who want a slow sedate vacation. 

Well, it _can_ be... but then the slow part comes from standing in long lines.


franandaj said:


> I ended up getting Group 51, which meant I wouldn't be riding until sometime after 11AM.


Not bad!


franandaj said:


> I decided to have breakfast and get dressed shortly thereafter.


There's the V8!
And that smoothie looks interesting.


franandaj said:


> I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with California’s guidelines for opening, but there are four Tiers, Purple (worst infections), Red (still not so great), Orange (getting better), and Yellow (Almost there)


Had no idea.


franandaj said:


> As I entered the park, I already noticed that there were more people than when I had been there a week ago.


Can see that. 

Not sure if that's a good thing... or an annoying thing. 

(Of course it's good as it signals a return to normalcy.)


franandaj said:


> I decided that this morning I would try to save the Galaxy



Have a bowl of cereal then save the Galaxy.


franandaj said:


> These plexiglass shields separated different parties, and they were only seating people in rows 1, 3, and 5.


Wonder if our landfills are going to be filled with plexiglass soon?


franandaj said:


> After we escaped the droid trying to get the Rebel Spy, we entered a Pod Race, and then escaped a bounty hunter trying to kill us, but we prevailed.


What a harrowing experience!


franandaj said:


>


You look so... alone, there.


franandaj said:


> I hopped onto my trusty ship that I had parked next to this edible foliage. I remember when they redid Tomorrowland (like 20 or so years ago) and they put in actual vegetables and such. I wonder if security has busted any guests for eating the flora.


Heh. Saves on dining costs.


franandaj said:


> And this maiden in dis dress.


Nicely done. 


franandaj said:


> Here I am before taking my place as pilot.


I thought you found pilot too stressful?


franandaj said:


> I was hampered by a lack of crew behind me and only got one load of coaxium.


Wait... you were all by yourself?!?!? No other crew at all?


franandaj said:


> The line here was long, and you can see that the social distanced queue stretched almost all the way back to Critter Country.


Whoa.

And yet... you'd think with the boarding groups they could prevent that.


franandaj said:


> On my way, I noticed a plaid who had become the “handler” for these little ones.





franandaj said:


> She was still sleeping but was interested in some food.


Fran is my spirit animal.


franandaj said:


> Once she was fed and awake I thought about that Mickey Macaron. I opened the app and it was gone!  They must have sold out of them.


Well shoot!


----------



## brookelizabeth

I was a few updates behind, but I am just LOVING your report here - all the pictures transport me to Disneyland!!  So wonderful.



franandaj said:


> I began packing on Sunday for our Wednesday-Friday stay. I felt very out of practice. We had not stayed overnight outside our own house in 430 nights. Even though I have an entire dresser devoted to items that we pack on trips, I wasn't sure I was prepared. We had both robbed our travel bathroom bags of deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner over the course of the past year. Normally I trade those items out when I replace my daily use items, that way the bathroom bags always have the freshest hygiene products, but not knowing when we would travel again, I didn't bother to replace them. Until this week when we really needed to pack!



This made me tear up! It's been such a long haul, hasn't it?  The normalcy that is returning is such a mix of a little scary, a bit unknown / foreign feeling, and a WHOLE LOT of excitement!



franandaj said:


> I missed this view!



Gorgeous. I love the Grand. I'm not sure I love that new fabric in the lobby.... but, oh well. 




franandaj said:


> It was time to head to Battu, so I hopped onto my trusty ship that I had parked next to this edible foliage. I remember when they redid Tomorrowland (like 20 or so years ago) and they put in actual vegetables and such. I wonder if security has busted any guests for eating the flora.



I had no idea!!  I can totally see a family chilling there, grabbing carrots out of the ground to go with their packed sandwiches.   



franandaj said:


> And this maiden in dis dress.



LOL!!! Love it.


----------



## roxy72

Hi Fran- I'm loving this trip report! I usually lurk but don't comment. 

Do you happen to have recommendations for newbies who want to rent points to stay at the Villa's at Grand Californian (we do not own DVC)? Your room looks amazing there! Any resources, websites, or tips would be appreciated!

My husband and I want to stay there for our honeymoon in early December (we got married last summer via Zoom...covid, man!). The regular rooms are so expensive- around $650/night for a standard room without a view, wowzers! Anyways, I looked at the Villa's on the Dave's Disney Vacation Club website, and we could get a 1-bedroom villa for the same price for our 3 night trip. However, I'm not sure if there is _actual _availability on those dates (we'd have to lock it down and make a deposit for Dave's to check), the entire cost is non-refundable so nothing better happen to us beforehand hah, and we want to ensure the park and restaurants have fully reopened before visiting. It's hard to predict what the parks will look like this December.

On a related note, do you think the hotels might offer any type of discount or promo code (Ie. 10% off, or buy 3 nights get a 4th free), by December?


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> And I have no problem going with you to the Plaza Inn and Cafe Orleans, just not in the same day. That would be too much for me.



I daresay that'd be a lot for most. Both are heavy meals. But.... sigh... A Cristo with Pomme Frites... I neeeeeeed this. 


franandaj said:


> Besides I knew for sure that I wouldn't be stepping on any cat puke!



Well, thank God for that. 


franandaj said:


> As soon as we got in the room, we called for the bags. We scored on the view, second best view for a one bedroom unit. I shot some pictures while waiting for the Bellman.



view of perfection. 


franandaj said:


> but Fran pointed out that we saved 5 bucks on tipping the tableside guacamole maker.



Holy guacamole! That sure looks good but I'd get spicy WITH the green stuffs. 



franandaj said:


> The Hearthstone wasn't all that busy either.


Quite possibly my 3rd favorite lounge at DLR. 


franandaj said:


> It was time to head to Battu, so I hopped onto my trusty ship that I had parked next to this edible foliage. I remember when they redid Tomorrowland (like 20 or so years ago) and they put in actual vegetables and such. I wonder if security has busted any guests for eating the flora.



I noticed that with you a few years ago. I kinda like it, but miss the marigolds they used to put in TLand that I associate with Disney from when I was a kid. 


franandaj said:


> I was hampered by a lack of crew behind me and only got one load of coaxium.



Yeah, I think being alone on that one would really mess up the results. 


franandaj said:


> While it had looked pretty crowded in the morning, Main Street was fairly empty when I left at noon.



What a heavenly view!! Gosh I'd love to be on Main Street when it was like that. 


franandaj said:


> Once she was fed and awake I thought about that Mickey Macaron. I opened the app and it was gone!  They must have sold out of them.


Dang it!!


----------



## wishing4PA

Hi!
We have a 1st time visit to DL coming up, and I am really appreciating especially TRs like yours to sort of generally get oriented and also to have an idea of how the parks are operating now. I had to lol when I saw your cups with lids. That's Disney for ya', being sneaky with the little nudges toward desired guest behavior. I know there's the no drinking/eating and walking rule, but the lids seem like a great reminder.
So sorry to read about your awful Plumber #1 experience. I'm glad you found someone new. 
Also, your GC pics *almost* make me wish I'd ponied up the money to reserve there. We booked 4 nights offsite though. Long story short, I went to try to book the 4 nights right after the out of state rule changes were announced, and could only book 3. So I decided my finances could handle just 1 night at one of the resorts. I wavered between PP & DLH, (went with PP),and never really considered upgrading to the GC, but then, I hadn't even pulled up the photos of it. That place looks amazing! Then the good neighbor "4th night free" promo magically reappeared about when the website stopped crashing so much due to overload of out-of-staters trying to book. So I really couldn't justify paying for a 4th night at PP vs. getting it for free and not having to move hotels. So now our 1st DL trip will be el cheapo lodgings. If that doesn't turn me completely off DL, maybe we'll upgrade for the "next" trip. But I sure could enjoyed one night in the GC, and I enjoy seeing your photos of it!
As for the guac tip, I had never even heard of it being made at your table! Is that a Tortilla Jo's thing, or common these days? I certainly wouldn't have thought to tip the server, as I would have been caught totally by surprise, so I'm glad that little detail came up. Well, at this point I have no idea if we're going to be able to get reservations anywhere or if we will end up living on nothing but popcorn or maybe those pretty mickey m&m stick things. 
Looking forward to reading the rest and more of your photos!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> I agree! With fries at CO



They put them on the side of the entrees now since sharing apps is bad during Covid.



DnA2010 said:


> Do you make the sauce? I like green chile sauce, but it's not easy to buy here and I've never tried making it



It's super easy compared to the ribs recipe....

http://longproperties.biz/EnchiladasRancheras.html


DnA2010 said:


> Whoa that is getting busier!



And even more so the more it goes along.



DnA2010 said:


> Plexiglass everywhere hey!



I'm sure that industry is booming!



DnA2010 said:


> Was there still a rebel spy chosen?







DnA2010 said:


> Just chillin' alone! So casual!



I'm kinda liking this social distancing!



DnA2010 said:


> Pretty sure I remember my dad picking an orange from a tree at DL when I was a kid and giving it to us



I think the rehab was after you were a kid, you're not that younger than me!



DnA2010 said:


> One of my favs







DnA2010 said:


> Pretty good for flying solo!



Someday I'm gonna just watch and see how we do!



DnA2010 said:


> I actually really like doing this too- different things on different halves



I'm a strictly butter kind of girl.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I'm a dude. We're like... get up... smell clothes... not _overly_ rank? Wear same and leave. Maybe brush teeth. Maybe not. How much of a rush am I in or how lazy do I feel?







pkondz said:


> It's not listening!
> (It never does.)



Well give it a smack upside the head.



pkondz said:


> Ah.
> Disney is not for those who want a slow sedate vacation.
> 
> Well, it _can_ be... but then the slow part comes from standing in long lines.



Well, we sometimes go slow.....



pkondz said:


> There's the V8!
> And that smoothie looks interesting.



That's my new favorite morning beverage!  There's a strawberry/banana version as well, but I like this one better.



pkondz said:


> Had no idea.



Currently LA and OC are in yellow.



pkondz said:


> Can see that.
> 
> Not sure if that's a good thing... or an annoying thing.
> 
> (Of course it's good as it signals a return to normalcy.)



I don't know if I want to go back to that normalcy! 



pkondz said:


> Have a bowl of cereal then save the Galaxy.



Isn't that how everyone starts their day?



pkondz said:


> Wonder if our landfills are going to be filled with plexiglass soon?



I hope that they figure out some way to recycle it.



pkondz said:


> What a harrowing experience!







pkondz said:


> You look so... alone, there.



Odd isn't it?



pkondz said:


> Heh. Saves on dining costs.



And it keeps you regular!  



pkondz said:


> Nicely done.



:



pkondz said:


> I thought you found pilot too stressful?



I do, and now I know that for sure.  But with no one behind me yelling at me I was willing to try it again.



pkondz said:


> Wait... you were all by yourself?!?!? No other crew at all?



They are only seating one party per vehicle, I was a party of one.



pkondz said:


> Whoa.
> 
> And yet... you'd think with the boarding groups they could prevent that.



A guy on the RotR thread has guessed that they generally call a boarding group every 3 1/2 minutes. Not sure how many are in a BG, but it's easy to have a bunch of people show up at once.



pkondz said:


> Fran is my spirit animal.







pkondz said:


> Well shoot!



I will remedy that soon.....


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> I was a few updates behind, but I am just LOVING your report here - all the pictures transport me to Disneyland!! So wonderful.



I'm glad you're enjoying it!



brookelizabeth said:


> This made me tear up! It's been such a long haul, hasn't it? The normalcy that is returning is such a mix of a little scary, a bit unknown / foreign feeling, and a WHOLE LOT of excitement!



And with all this talk of other folks traveling, Fran isn't ready to go anywhere but Disneyland right now. Maybe my parent's house.



brookelizabeth said:


> Gorgeous. I love the Grand. I'm not sure I love that new fabric in the lobby.... but, oh well.



I'm sure as soon as they can use a more appealing fabric they will.



brookelizabeth said:


> I had no idea!! I can totally see a family chilling there, grabbing carrots out of the ground to go with their packed sandwiches.



I think the vegetables are mostly lettuce, cabbage, and herbs. Carrots would be too enticing for folks to actually do that!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well give it a smack upside the head.


Ow!!!

Now I forgot what I was supposed to do...


franandaj said:


> Well, we sometimes go slow.....


Benefit of being able to go more often than once or twice every year or two.  


franandaj said:


> Currently LA and OC are in yellow.


Almost there! 


franandaj said:


> I don't know if I want to go back to that normalcy!




I keep seeing memes about that.

"I don't know what I'm going to do when I can't cancel plans because of Covid"
or
"When Covid is over, please still stay away from me."


franandaj said:


> Isn't that how everyone starts their day?


Sometimes I have eggs... and _then _save the Galaxy.


franandaj said:


> And it keeps you regular!


Win win!


franandaj said:


> I do, and now I know that for sure. But with no one behind me yelling at me I was willing to try it again.


Makes sense. But you were _still_ stressed? When alone?


franandaj said:


> They are only seating one party per vehicle, I was a party of one.


I'd be okay with that.


----------



## franandaj

roxy72 said:


> Hi Fran- I'm loving this trip report! I usually lurk but don't comment.



  it's so much more fun when people participate in a trip report!



roxy72 said:


> Do you happen to have recommendations for newbies who want to rent points to stay at the Villa's at Grand Californian (we do not own DVC)? Your room looks amazing there! Any resources, websites, or tips would be appreciated!



The first tip would be to plan far far far ahead. This would be the time to start thinking about Fall/Winter 2022. There are a number of sites out there to rent points, but you'll want to get in there with someone who owns at VGC so that they can book it between the 7-11 month period. Once you get past the 7 month mark, it's open to everyone in DVC and it pretty much sells out as soon as booking opens.



roxy72 said:


> My husband and I want to stay there for our honeymoon in early December (we got married last summer via Zoom...covid, man!). The regular rooms are so expensive- around $650/night for a standard room without a view, wowzers!



The hotel rates are ridiculous. I'm sure DVC is sold out for December at this point. Most of January is probably going fast as well.  In thinking about this reply prompted me to book the Grand for my birthday next year as we hit the 11 Mont mark a couple days ago.



roxy72 said:


> Anyways, I looked at the Villa's on the Dave's Disney Vacation Club website, and we could get a 1-bedroom villa for the same price for our 3 night trip. However, I'm not sure if there is _actual _availability on those dates (we'd have to lock it down and make a deposit for Dave's to check), the entire cost is non-refundable so nothing better happen to us beforehand hah, and we want to ensure the park and restaurants have fully reopened before visiting. It's hard to predict what the parks will look like this December.



You hit the nail on the head with this one. As soon as you are 7 months out availability vanishes. It's a highly desirable location and there are hardly any rooms compared to demand.



roxy72 said:


> On a related note, do you think the hotels might offer any type of discount or promo code (Ie. 10% off, or buy 3 nights get a 4th free), by December?



I have no idea about regular hotel prices. It's been so long since I've stayed in a regular hotel room anywhere. I think our last non-Disney vacation was our 2014 road trip. All other trips we have taken have been related to conferences with our National Band organization, and those hotels offer a conference rate. I'm terrible about stalking good hotel deals since buying DVC!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> The final time that I woke was at 6:32. I needed to be conscious and on the Disneyland app at 7AM to secure a boarding group for RotR.



Most important thing you'll do all day!



franandaj said:


>



Gah!  Look at all those people!  Go away!



franandaj said:


>



This is the most chill Space Mountain photo I've seen.



franandaj said:


> I wonder if security has busted any guests for eating the flora.



Not an issue with me, I can assure you.



franandaj said:


> I was hampered by a lack of crew behind me and only got one load of coaxium.



Excuses, excuses.



franandaj said:


> While it had looked pretty crowded in the morning, Main Street was fairly empty when I left at noon.



Wow, that really is a ghost town.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> I daresay that'd be a lot for most. Both are heavy meals. But.... sigh... A Cristo with Pomme Frites... I neeeeeeed this.



I have another date with one on July 15....



Steppesister said:


> Well, thank God for that.



If I found cat puke in my room, I would be mighty pissed!



Steppesister said:


> view of perfection.







Steppesister said:


> Holy guacamole! That sure looks good but I'd get spicy WITH the green stuffs.



We're wimps in the taste bud department.....



Steppesister said:


> Quite possibly my 3rd favorite lounge at DLR.



Including Trader Sam's?



Steppesister said:


> I noticed that with you a few years ago. I kinda like it, but miss the marigolds they used to put in TLand that I associate with Disney from when I was a kid



I don't remember that time period.  I was probably too busy focusing on rides back then.



Steppesister said:


> Yeah, I think being alone on that one would really mess up the results.



Sometime, I want to try just sitting back and not doing anything and see what happens.



Steppesister said:


> What a heavenly view!! Gosh I'd love to be on Main Street when it was like that.



It's too bad that I usually see that when we're tired and on our way out.



Steppesister said:


> Dang it!!



I fix the situation fairly promptly.....


----------



## franandaj

wishing4PA said:


> Hi!
> We have a 1st time visit to DL coming up, and I am really appreciating especially TRs like yours to sort of generally get oriented and also to have an idea of how the parks are operating now.



  I'm glad you appreciate the information!  When is your trip?



wishing4PA said:


> I had to lol when I saw your cups with lids. That's Disney for ya', being sneaky with the little nudges toward desired guest behavior. I know there's the no drinking/eating and walking rule, but the lids seem like a great reminder.



We'll see if that sticks around after June 15.....



wishing4PA said:


> So sorry to read about your awful Plumber #1 experience. I'm glad you found someone new.



Well, they were a one time use.  Not sure we'll call them again. We have another situation going on, but we've called yet another new plumber.



wishing4PA said:


> Also, your GC pics *almost* make me wish I'd ponied up the money to reserve there. We booked 4 nights offsite though. Long story short, I went to try to book the 4 nights right after the out of state rule changes were announced, and could only book 3. So I decided my finances could handle just 1 night at one of the resorts. I wavered between PP & DLH, (went with PP),and never really considered upgrading to the GC, but then, I hadn't even pulled up the photos of it. That place looks amazing! Then the good neighbor "4th night free" promo magically reappeared about when the website stopped crashing so much due to overload of out-of-staters trying to book. So I really couldn't justify paying for a 4th night at PP vs. getting it for free and not having to move hotels. So now our 1st DL trip will be el cheapo lodgings. If that doesn't turn me completely off DL, maybe we'll upgrade for the "next" trip. But I sure could enjoyed one night in the GC, and I enjoy seeing your photos of it!



Some of the Good Neighbor hotels are just fine, especially if you are mostly using the room for sleeping.  The DLH is really nice, I enjoy staying there too.



wishing4PA said:


> As for the guac tip, I had never even heard of it being made at your table! Is that a Tortilla Jo's thing, or common these days?



Not these days, this picture is from 2016, but they were doing it all the way up until the shutdown happened.  Now everything has to be done in controlled environments which are properly sanitized, yadda, yadda, yadda.....







wishing4PA said:


> I certainly wouldn't have thought to tip the server, as I would have been caught totally by surprise, so I'm glad that little detail came up.



Fran is a big tipper, and usually tips all kinds of people that take care of us.  Since we are there often and the bellmen and valets recognize us, we get better service when they know she'll give them a good tip.



wishing4PA said:


> Well, at this point I have no idea if we're going to be able to get reservations anywhere or if we will end up living on nothing but popcorn or maybe those pretty mickey m&m stick things.
> Looking forward to reading the rest and more of your photos!



As long as you stalk the reservations at 60 days, and some sit down restaurants are not as popular as others.  Plus more will be open come July 31st.


----------



## wishing4PA

franandaj said:


> I'm glad you appreciate the information!  When is your trip?


Thanks! We're going in August. Hottest month of the year and I hate heat (and can actually have some medical issues in heat) but that's when there's no school, so we're stuck. Besides, I checked weather averages and it's very likely to be at least 10 degrees cooler than if we just stayed home, so I can deal with it.



> We'll see if that sticks around after June 15.....


Well, if we're still wearing masks it might not matter much. If somehow masks go away and we can walk and drink then, it would be nice to have lidless cups - or straws, but does CA even allow straws? ETA: It looks like the first info I got on that was wrong and straws are allowed, it seems. Not that any of that is relevant if you can't walk and drink.


> Well, they were a one time use.  Not sure we'll call them again. We have another situation going on, but we've called yet another new plumber.


   I'm sorry to hear that!


> Some of the Good Neighbor hotels are just fine, especially if you are mostly using the room for sleeping.  The DLH is really nice, I enjoy staying there too.


Well, the less we like the hotel, the more likely we are to just use it for sleeping, I suppose. Keeping my fingers crossed. I actually found a video of our GN hotel's owner pleading for re-opening. The place has been in his family for a long time, so in a way I am happy to help out.  I know it's not going to be DLH quality, but as long as we don't feel unsafe and it's reasonably clean and bug-free (at least in the room), and the walk down Harbor isn't scary or unsafe after dark, we'll be fine.


> these days, this picture is from 2016,


Wow! That just looks like so much fun! Now I wish they were still doing tableside guac. Oh well!
Post-shutdown (not that we had much of one here in our state), just eating out will be a treat.


> Fran is a big tipper, and usually tips all kinds of people that take care of us.  Since we are there often and the bellmen and valets recognize us, we get better service when they know she'll give them a good tip.


Smart! (And nice!)


> As long as you stalk the reservations at 60 days, and some sit down restaurants are not as popular as others.  Plus more will be open come July 31st.


By July 31st? What have you heard? Details, details, please!
Anyhow, I do keep checking the dining openings. So far I've seen very little other than the occasional resort or DTD opening. _But_ I still haven't woken at 6 a.m. (our time) to see what openings look like at that time on the furthest day out. (Honestly for all you west coasters who hate checking at 3 a.m., over here I'm the one oddball who'd rather be checking at 3 than at 6. But 6 it is. I might try tomorrow. I'll feel so much better if I see some in-park ADRs available. Since we'll have time zone issues anyhow, we may as well eat our TS mid-afternoon, which might help. As good as some of the DTD places look, I don't want to risk getting capacity locked out of parks after our meal.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Ow!!!
> 
> Now I forgot what I was supposed to do...



Never mind. You can get a candy apple at Disney. 



pkondz said:


> Benefit of being able to go more often than once or twice every year or two.



Or every other week....



pkondz said:


> Almost there!



And Ventura County went to yellow this week!



pkondz said:


> I keep seeing memes about that.
> 
> "I don't know what I'm going to do when I can't cancel plans because of Covid"
> or
> "When Covid is over, please still stay away from me."



Yeah, I'm all over that!



pkondz said:


> Sometimes I have eggs... and _then _save the Galaxy.







pkondz said:


> Makes sense. But you were _still_ stressed? When alone?



Yes. Or wS stressful even with no one yelling at me.  I'm happier doing the other jobs.



pkondz said:


> I'd be okay with that.



I bet you would!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Never mind. You can get a candy apple at Disney.


I have to wait 6 years?!?!? (Or however long it will take to be able to travel again... )


franandaj said:


> Or every other week...





franandaj said:


> Yes. Or wS stressful even with no one yelling at me. I'm happier doing the other jobs.


Aye, aye, chief engineer! (Or gunner)


----------



## franandaj

*OK folks, by today I wanted to have two more updates posted, but life got in the way. I know I have a couple more replies to make, but I'm gonna go ahead and post this update and I'll get to replies over the weekend. You see today I had a preview of the Avengers Campus which opens to the public tomorrow. I may jump ahead and do my updates out of order to sneak in my pictures and thoughts for what I did today. It was pretty cool. Not life shattering cool, or nearly as cool as I thought Galaxy’s Edge was, but we had a good time, ate some neat food, rode a fun ride, and had a cool photo op or two. But for now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.*

Back in the hotel room, and disappointed that I wasn’t going to get my Mickey Macaron today, I decided just to work on getting Fran to wake up. She wanted to take a shower, and once she was done, I convinced her to dress for dinner. I did as well.





We headed out to DCA and went towards Carthay for a little pre dinner drink. 





She ordered a Margarita and I got a glass of Brachetto d’Acquii (aka Rosa Regale, they called it Rose sparkling wine)









Well once the server puts down the drinks he tells us that if there is alcohol on the table we need to have a food item as well. 





Now we had a pretty big dinner ahead of us, and I really didn't want anything to eat beforehand. We should have been a little bit more forceful, but we went ahead and ordered the meatballs. There were only two and how filling could they be?





Unfortunately pretty filling.

We paid our check and headed off to our dinner reservation. Earlier in the day, Fran said it would take more than half an hour to get there, but we were there at 4:30 and our reservation wasn’t until 5PM. 

So I ordered a cocktail. Now those of you who know me may think that this is my standard Belvedere Gibson up, however, I had a rain check to cash in. A couple days before the last weekend we spent at the Grand before the shut down, we had a little class on booze. I didn't post about it because honestly I didn't remember a lot. Not from all the drink, but all the time that had passed. 

At the end we got a wee tasting of various Gins due to the fact that I told our bartender that I didn't care for it. The only thing I remembered was that I liked the Gin with Monkey in the name. The weekend with Jill and Jenny we had planned to go for drinks, but with RotR being down for so long and me needing to go back home for Fran's meds and such, it never worked out. Then the parks closed down, so tonight was my chance! Behold my overdue Gibson with Monkey 47.





Soon we were seated for dinner. The room was fairly empty when we were seated but eventually all the tables ended up being full.





I started off with a Riesling, a Spatlese to be specific, Heinz Eiffel from Germany.





Fran had a hurricane.  I like how the umbrella is blowing away!





The menu.





This was my wine with the 1st course.





I got the Lump Crab Brandade, Delta Asparagus, SunGold Tomato Espuma. This was very good and I ate every last bite.





We were given the bread service around this time and for some reason there was only one piece of bread in the basket.  We did get more later, but I think I only ate my ½ piece of bread. I’ve learned not to fill up on bread.





This was Fran's wine.





Fran got the Organic Chicken Breast, Sesame, Minted Fava, Lemongrass Nage. She enjoyed it very much and also ate every bite.





For the second course, I had the Chianti with mine.





I had the Sauteed Ricotta Gnudi, Sage Brown Butter, Mushroom Jus, this was so tasty! I used my bread to mop up the sauce, and I'm not someone who normally does that.





She had the White Bordeaux blend.





Fran got the Sustainable Catch (John Dory), Pressed Zucchini, Pine Nut, Squash Blossom Essence.

She finished up this one. I had a taste and it was very good, but I was happy with my choice. 





So here's where I started to really regret the fact that we ordered the hors'd'ouevres. I wasn't ravenously hungry, but I wasn't stuffed...yet.

I was served the Mascot.





I had the Creekstone Farms Filet Mignon, Marble potato, Cabernet Jus. This was so tasty, but I could only eat about half of it maybe not even that. Fran took a few bites, but ultimately we ended up taking it home. In the end it made a lovely beef quesadilla which we enjoyed with our leftovers from TJs once we came back.home.





She was served the Burgundy wine.





She had Cold Water Salmon, Spring Onion, English Pea Coulis she said that this was very good and finished the whole thing.





Dessert came next. I had the Manjari Chocolate Marquise, Almond Crunch, Salted Almond Anglaise.





Served with a Special Decaf coffee.





Hers was served with a Donnafugata, Ben Rye, Zibibbo, Sicilia, Sicily, Italy, 2015. She really liked this wine and had me email its name to her.





It accompanied the Strawberry Buttermilk Crumble Cake, Roasted Strawberry Sorbet.





I ate about ⅓ of mine before I just couldn't manage another bite. Remember the guy in The Meaning of Life? If you've seen it you know the scene that I mean.

I asked the resident mixologist if he could make me up something like what Palo serves after dinner. 

Well I told him it had limoncello, and he mixed some concoction of anisette, vermouth, not sure if he said bitters, but he had to sweeten the thing so he added some sort of liqueur I don't remember, something minty but not peppermint schnapps. I was still in food coma when he told me, but after 5-6 sips I really started to feel better.





When I got back to the room I was still full, but I wasn't "Bring me a bucket" full anymore. But I couldn't even bring myself to take a bath. I just went to bed, and had the weirdest dreams. I don't remember what they were but they were very vivid. Fran said she had wild dreams that night too!

The next morning I did feel well enough to take a bath. I also fixed us some breakfast. She had the same English Muffin that I had fixed her the day before while I had toast with butter and peanut butter. We also finished off the V8 and the Berry Juice we had brought.





And while we were not feeling confident of our skills at packing for a trip we hadn't lost our skills for getting out of the room. We always push it to the last moment and are calling Bell Services pretty close to 11AM when checkout occurs. But this time we were ready at 10:20, a record for us!

We said goodbye to the bellmen and other staff and told them we would see them again in a week!

Here’s what I crossed off the list this time!


Eat:
Plaza Inn Chicken
Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
Asparagus Skewer 
Cafe Orleans
Mickey Macaroon from Jolly Holiday
Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
Funnel Cake
Pickle Corn Dog
Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
Sweet treats from candy shops
Ghirardelli sundae

Ride:
Haunted Mansion 
Pirates
Star Tours 
Space Mountain 
Guardians of the Galaxy
Soarin
Indiana Jones
Incredicoaster
Little Mermaid
RotR
Falcon
Train
Snow White
TSMM
Mr. Toad
BTMRR
RSR


----------



## Living42Day

Following along! I love that you have a continuing trip report.

That is so amazing that you are Club 33 members. My dream one day is to become a member, but that is on the far off distance lol


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> You see today I had a preview of the Avengers Campus which opens to the public tomorrow. I may jump ahead and do my updates out of order to sneak in my pictures and thoughts for what I did today. It was pretty cool. Not life shattering cool, or nearly as cool as I thought Galaxy’s Edge was, but we had a good time, ate some neat food, rode a fun ride, and had a cool photo op or two.


Sounds like it's pretty good. 
Maybe not GE good... but good. 


franandaj said:


> Back in the hotel room, and disappointed that I wasn’t going to get my Mickey Macaron today,





franandaj said:


> She wanted to take a shower, and once she was done, I convinced her to dress for dinner. I did as well.


Probably for the best. I suspect Disney would frown upon an attempt at nude dining.


franandaj said:


>


Nice shot of you two. 

I always forget there's a timer on phone cameras!


franandaj said:


> Well once the server puts down the drinks he tells us that if there is alcohol on the table we need to have a food item as well.


If he hadn't told me before-hand, I would've told him (politely) "No." If he insisted, I would've asked for a refund and left. Not ruining a wonderful dinner.


franandaj said:


> we went ahead and ordered the meatballs. There were only two and how filling could they be?


Oh my gosh. That's huge!


franandaj said:


> Behold my overdue Gibson with Monkey 47.


But... you like Gibsons but you don't like Gin?


franandaj said:


> Fran had a hurricane. I like how the umbrella is blowing away!


That's a nice touch!!


franandaj said:


> We were given the bread service around this time and for some reason there was only one piece of bread in the basket.


Must've been an oversight, surely?


franandaj said:


> For the second course, I had the Chianti with mine.


Was the second course fava beans??


franandaj said:


> I used my bread to mop up the sauce, and I'm not someone who normally does that.


You know it's good when!


franandaj said:


> I was served the Mascot.


A tragic end to a beloved pet. Sad.


franandaj said:


> She had Cold Water Salmon


Wait... she had John Dory _and_ salmon?


franandaj said:


> Remember the guy in The Meaning of Life? If you've seen it you know the scene that I mean.




It's wafer thin! (One of the least offensive photos I could find.)


franandaj said:


> When I got back to the room I was still full, but I wasn't "Bring me a bucket" full anymore. But I couldn't even bring myself to take a bath. I just went to bed, and had the weirdest dreams. I don't remember what they were but they were very vivid. Fran said she had wild dreams that night too!


Not at all surprised!


franandaj said:


> We said goodbye to the bellmen and other staff and told them we would see them again in a week!





franandaj said:


> Here’s what I crossed off the list this time!


List is getting pretty thin!


----------



## DnA2010

Ohhh Yahhhhh a big foodie/drinks update!! 



franandaj said:


>



Love the matchy matchy!



franandaj said:


> Carthay for a little pre dinner drink.



Pretty sure we had some of those classics, but the "spring into hollywoods" sounds quite tasty too!



franandaj said:


>



Love this! Fran "Oh Alison, I love you but..." 



franandaj said:


> Well once the server puts down the drinks he tells us that if there is alcohol on the table we need to have a food item as well.



Seriously dude  



franandaj said:


>



tzatziki and pomegranates- how was that?




franandaj said:


> Now those of you who know me may think that this is my standard Belvedere Gibson up



That's indeed what I'd think...



franandaj said:


> At the end we got a wee tasting of various Gins due to the fact that I told our bartender that I didn't care for it.



Mmmm gin tasting..I love my gins...



franandaj said:


> Behold my overdue Gibson with Monkey 47.



MMMMMmmmm!



franandaj said:


> Fran had a hurricane. I like how the umbrella is blowing away!



At first glance I thought it was an edible flower!



franandaj said:


>



Nice menu! I know what I'd have, and I know which item you wouldn't have!



franandaj said:


>



D would have this



franandaj said:


> Fran got the Organic Chicken Breast, Sesame, Minted Fava, Lemongrass Nage. She enjoyed it very much and also ate every bite.



And I would have this- yumm!



franandaj said:


> Fran got the Sustainable Catch (John Dory), Pressed Zucchini, Pine Nut, Squash Blossom Essence.



I would have this I think and D I'm not sure..maybe the other so we could have both...



franandaj said:


>



This looks sooo good but...


franandaj said:


> he had Cold Water Salmon, Spring Onion, English Pea Coulis she said that this was very good and finished the whole thing.



I'd probably have this...maybe...I LOVE filet..so we'd probably have both..I knew you'd have the filet of course. 



franandaj said:


>



I'm normally chocolate all the way, but wow this looks SO good!



franandaj said:


> Well I told him it had limoncello, and he mixed some concoction of anisette, vermouth, not sure if he said bitters



bitters are a good tummy "settler" so I wonder if he did?



franandaj said:


> We always push it to the last moment and are calling Bell Services pretty close to 11AM when checkout occurs. But this time we were ready at 10:20, a record for us!


 
Nice work you two!!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Most important thing you'll do all day!



Except now there are two choices! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Gah! Look at all those people! Go away!



I know!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> This is the most chill Space Mountain photo I've seen.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Not an issue with me, I can assure you.



I didn't think so! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Excuses, excuses.



I got a million of 'em.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Wow, that really is a ghost town.



Isn't it nice.  Unfortunately that's not the case in what would've been my next update.


----------



## franandaj

wishing4PA said:


> Thanks! We're going in August. Hottest month of the year and I hate heat (and can actually have some medical issues in heat) but that's when there's no school, so we're stuck. Besides, I checked weather averages and it's very likely to be at least 10 degrees cooler than if we just stayed home, so I can deal with it.



Actually August is not the hottest month. September or October are usually hotter. They call it Indian summer. I'm not saying it won't be hot, but hopefully it will be in the 80s not 90s or over 100.



wishing4PA said:


> Well, if we're still wearing masks it might not matter much. If somehow masks go away and we can walk and drink then, it would be nice to have lidless cups - or straws, but does CA even allow straws? ETA: It looks like the first info I got on that was wrong and straws are allowed, it seems. Not that any of that is relevant if you can't walk and drink.



Just wait until after June 15th. No one knows what's going to happen when we "fully reopen."



wishing4PA said:


> I'm sorry to hear that!



Problem fixed itself! Canceled the other plumber!



wishing4PA said:


> Well, the less we like the hotel, the more likely we are to just use it for sleeping, I suppose. Keeping my fingers crossed. I actually found a video of our GN hotel's owner pleading for re-opening. The place has been in his family for a long time, so in a way I am happy to help out.  I know it's not going to be DLH quality, but as long as we don't feel unsafe and it's reasonably clean and bug-free (at least in the room), and the walk down Harbor isn't scary or unsafe after dark, we'll be fine.



You will be fine. Anything on Harbor Blvd should be safe even after dark. Which hotel are you at? I've had DiS friends who have stayed at most of them and could maybe tell you what I know.



wishing4PA said:


> Wow! That just looks like so much fun! Now I wish they were still doing tableside guac. Oh well!
> Post-shutdown (not that we had much of one here in our state), just eating out will be a treat.



Well you never know.  Like I said after 6/15 they may just rip the band-aid off restrictions.  Or not.



wishing4PA said:


> By July 31st? What have you heard? Details, details, please



Just that the DLH will begin a phased reopening starting July 2. I heard Trader Sam's will reopen on the 30th. We are majorly looking forward to that!



wishing4PA said:


> Anyhow, I do keep checking the dining openings. So far I've seen very little other than the occasional resort or DTD opening. _But_ I still haven't woken at 6 a.m. (our time) to see what openings look like at that time on the furthest day out. (Honestly for all you west coasters who hate checking at 3 a.m., over here I'm the one oddball who'd rather be checking at 3 than at 6. But 6 it is. I might try tomorrow. I'll feel so much better if I see some in-park ADRs available. Since we'll have time zone issues anyhow, we may as well eat our TS mid-afternoon, which might help. As good as some of the DTD places look, I don't want to risk getting capacity locked out of parks after our meal.



If the reservation system for park reservations is still in place at that time you won't get locked out if you leave for a lunch or dinner reservation.  If the reservation system is over, then there's no way the park will get to capacity. There are still no APs, and daily tickets are ridiculously expensive.  So Cal residents are not visiting the parks in the numbers they did before Covid.

If you want to know about any restaurants I've eaten at most of the longer standing ones, but not any of the new ones.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I have to wait 6 years?!?!? (Or however long it will take to be able to travel again... )



Well from what I hear your country is going pretty slow. Have you received your second dose?



pkondz said:


> Aye, aye, chief engineer! (Or gunner)



I think I stand by my liking engineer.



pkondz said:


> Sounds like it's pretty good.
> Maybe not GE good... but good.



After you read my update you'll see why I'm OK with only being able to ride the ride once. I'm looking forward to the 2nd ride opening.



pkondz said:


> Probably for the best. I suspect Disney would frown upon an attempt at nude dining.



That and if she put on sweats and a T-shirt it would take another hour to change her clothes. Then again we wouldn't have been forced to eat the meatballs if she'd not got ready early.



pkondz said:


> Nice shot of you two.
> 
> I always forget there's a timer on phone cameras



That's the only way to get pictures of yourself. Disney employees can't touch your phone.



pkondz said:


> If he hadn't told me before-hand, I would've told him (politely) "No." If he insisted, I would've asked for a refund and left. Not ruining a wonderful dinner.



You're more insistent.  I think my friends who sat down across from us did that. We can be pushovers.



pkondz said:


> Oh my gosh. That's huge!



I know!



pkondz said:


> But... you like Gibsons but you don't like Gin?



I usually get them with vodka.

The only reason that I think I don't like Gin was an encounter during HS where I mixed a number of alcohols and Gin was the predominant one. It was not really good Gin either. At this particular tasting last year I was given several Top Shelf Gins, most likely with the intent of furthering my taste for expensive Gin. It worked.



pkondz said:


> That's a nice touch!!



Trader Sam's in Florida did that as well.



pkondz said:


> Must've been an oversight, surely?



Probably a mistake, Fran asked for more later. I only ate my 1/2 piece of bread.



pkondz said:


> Was the second course fava beans??



I'm assuming this is a reference to the movie Silence of the Lambs, which I have and never will see.



pkondz said:


> You know it's good when!



I eat my only half piece of bread!



pkondz said:


> A tragic end to a beloved pet. Sad.







pkondz said:


> Wait... she had John Dory _and_ salmon?



I guess so, but she had chicken for the first course.



pkondz said:


> It's wafer thin! (One of the least offensive photos I could find.)



Yeah, I actually had to leave the theater during that scene when I saw it for the first time.



pkondz said:


> Not at all surprised!







pkondz said:


> List is getting pretty thin!



Not from my POV!

Note: when I get through responses I have a three post update. Try not to get inbetween them or take my top post spot!!!!!!!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well from what I hear your country is going pretty slow. Have you received your second dose?


I did! Through a stroke of luck or a lucky mistake. 


franandaj said:


> I think I stand by my liking engineer.





franandaj said:


> After you read my update you'll see why I'm OK with only being able to ride the ride once. I'm looking forward to the 2nd ride opening.





franandaj said:


> That and if she put on sweats and a T-shirt it would take another hour to change her clothes. Then again we wouldn't have been forced to eat the meatballs if she'd not got ready early.


Every action has its consequences, huh?


franandaj said:


> That's the only way to get pictures of yourself. Disney employees can't touch your phone.


Oh! I hadn't thought of that. Of course!


franandaj said:


> You're more insistent. I think my friends who sat down across from us did that. We can be pushovers.


I prefer to think of you as agreeably accommodating.


franandaj said:


> I usually get them with vodka.


 D'oh! Of course. 


franandaj said:


> The only reason that I think I don't like Gin was an encounter during HS where I mixed a number of alcohols and Gin was the predominant one. It was not really good Gin either. At this particular tasting last year I was given several Top Shelf Gins, most likely with the intent of furthering my taste for expensive Gin. It worked.


 Another lamb to the slaughter!


franandaj said:


> I'm assuming this is a reference to the movie Silence of the Lambs, which I have and never will see.


Oh, go ahead. I mean what have you got to lose, except for sleep due to nightmares?


franandaj said:


> Yeah, I actually had to leave the theater during that scene when I saw it for the first time.


Not surprised. It's... a lot.
It's one of the most talked about scenes, but mostly due to the shock value.
_However... _the scene with the waiter immediately _after _that is one of my favourites. 


franandaj said:


> Not from my POV!





franandaj said:


> Note: when I get through responses I have a three post update. Try not to get inbetween them or take my top post spot!!!!!!!


I am promising nothing!!

Actually, you'll probably be fine. Working some funky hours over the next few days and I can't see your photos at work.


----------



## franandaj

OK, I have a few more updates to respond to, but I’m going to take advantage of having the top of the page advantage to update with yesterday’s events.

Avengers Preview

So I'm skipping two updates to post this one, and then I'll go back and hit the others. As many of you know, this week Avengers Campus opened at DCA. I was lucky enough to be invited to one of the various previews that were offered before opening day.

Our time slot was 5:30-7:30, but evidently various different groups were in there all day. We could check in as early as 1PM, and I wanted to leave around noon, but anyone who has followed along knows that what I want to do and what happens are rarely in sync.

It was 1:38 when I finally texted Jenny and Jill that we were on our way. I calculated how long it would take to get there, unload the scooters and take the Tram path into the park and then pulled up the mobile app.  Since we would be in DCA for the whole time today, I had planned to tick the Corn Dog/Cheese Dog combo off my list.

We got there quickly enough, but we had a heck of a time finding a parking spot. All the Accessible spots were full and we had to drive around the structure another time. I realized that I better move the time frame of our mobile order cause we weren't going to make the original time. I was able to push it back 15 minutes which should be plenty of time.

We eventually found a regular space at the end of an aisle. You see we need the extra space in the side of the car for the ramps to get the scooter in and out. Finally we were situated and on our way into the park. It was right about the time when our new mobile order window opened up. So we headed straight to Award Wieners and hit the button, “I’m here prepare my order.”  Here we are waiting for the screen to turn blue and say, “Your order is ready, please report to counter # “so and so”





I picked up our order and we easily found a table where we could unmask and eat!





Yummy corn dog!









Yummy cheese dog!









Happy Fran!





We decided to try the Carrot Cake Funnel Fries, which really had no taste of carrot cake at all.  Fran said that they tasted like churros.  I’m not quite sure what they tasted like. They were OK, but Fran finished them up, so I guess she liked then.





Then we went to the check in area to get our wrist bands and vouchers. Our band was purple and at this time they were letting in people with green bands.  They said that we could begin lining up at 4:30 so we had some time to kill.













We went back to the area of Hollywood land where we were before to go to the special Avengers store that they had set up in Stage 17.









They were definitely expecting some crowds as they had plenty of places to line up.









There sure was a lot of stuff in there!





















It took me a little while to figure out what these were, and then it hit me, Loki ears!





I texted this picture to Jenny and Jill, and Jill’s response was, “That suit better come with Robert Downey Jr for that price!”





They had a few other trinkets that you could purchase for a little cash.

















They had some other cool stuff on display from the movies.













Then we decided we might as well go wait in the line to get into the land.  There really wasn’t time to do anything else like go on rides or anything. I think it was probably a little bit before 5:30 that they actually started letting us in. My first picture is time stamped 5:33 and we were hundreds of people back in the line. The line started at the entrance to Avengers Campus (where I took the picture earlier with my wrist band) across from the Blue Sky Celler, and stretched all the way past the Carsland entrance, past Pacific Wharf there was a gap in the line so that guests could access Pixar Pier and we were finally led to the area where folks are placed for World of Color, there were people behind us though and they doubled the line back to who knows how far, it could have been all the way to the beginning by the time the line started to move and let us in the land.









We are walking along the ride building for Web Slingers here





Unbeknownst to me, this is the exit for the ride, I was kind of wondering where it went.





Outside the store they were testing these $80 Spidey Bots that you could purchase, but we’ll get back there later.





There’s a look at the main part of the Avenger’s Campus, but we’ll get back there later too. If you don’t want any spoilers on the ride, then I suggest you skip this next update and resume with the third part of this report.






*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*


We literally walked right into the line for Web Slingers.  It was extended about 10 ft outside the start of the queue. 





Now in all efficiency, we should have checked out the other parts of the land while everyone who was just let in to the Campus was waiting in line for the ride, but just like we did when we previewed Galaxy’s Edge, we went right for the ride itself. Then again we waited less than 20 minutes from the time that we entered the queue until we were actually on the ride, so not so bad.













Throughout the line they had these “Spotlights” on various Engineers and Designers.  The only one I recognized was Peter Parker. While I’ve almost seen all the movies and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episodes, evidently my retention and attention to detail is not that good.  I probably have to see them all five more times to catch the nuances.





I suppose this was supposed to be some kind of experiment or display to keep us looking while waiting in the queue.









Almost there!





Now we’re finally in the first room of the start of the ride.  Nothing really happens in here, but this is where they can at least count off the correct number ofr people for the preshow room. I believe there are two preshow rooms, we went through the door on the left. I’m sure there is another room through the door on the right.













This is the pre-show room. In here you are welcomed to WEB (Worldwide Engineering Brigade) for an Open House. While Peter Parker welcomes you, he demonstrates the spidey bots (seen in the picture in the previous post) self replicating feature. The bot gets “stuck” in self replication and the spidey bots will take over the world, so you have to help eradicate them.  Some cool effects happen while all this is unfolding, but I didn’t take any more pictures.





After this room they send you down a corridor (aka queue) to the vehicles where you will save the world. They give you tips on how to sling webs along the way.





And pretty soon you’re in the loading area.





You put on your 3D glasses and there are four seats on either side of the vehicle. It's like TSMM in that you go from scene to scene, but instead of having a pull string shooter in front of you, they have some kind of sensor that translates into webs that destroy the spidey bots. The sensation is a little weird and your first scene is pretty “easy” or sparse with the little bots. I thrust my arm out into the spideyverse and “ZOOM” a web shot out of it and I blew up a box. On my second shot I nailed the little bot thing and it blew up right there. Here’s a couple scenes that I stole off the Interwebs. There aren’t that many since the ride just opened.





I don’t remember how many vignettes there were but somewhere along the way Spiderman shows up and things start to get really hairy in the second or third scenario. The bots get bigger and need to be hit multiple times before they blow up.





At some point you're literally flailing your arms all over the place in front of you aiming at stuff, which explodes when you hit it. At least I was. At one point it was almost like I was pedaling a bike with my hands just to shoot the exploding webs out of my palms.





In the end you get a score. I got the 185,400, and there are little numbers underneath for which of the big bad bots you destroy. Plus there is a scene in there where Spiderman is going to die and you have to rescue him, and you get points for that. I think we got him out in the nick of time, barely.





After the ride was over, this was in the corridor where you get back to the unloading dock.






*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*


As soon as we came out of the ride, we stumbled upon one of these “bars”. This was actually the other one of the two, but they were serving ice cold water and sodas for free!





Now I couldn’t resist getting a shot of this guy, he must really like Captain America!  His suit was a full on tailored Captain America Sport Jacket and Trousers.





We decided to visit Dr. Strange’s area next.





It was so strange, all of a sudden I was just standing there….








And then it was like I was falling into an abyss.







I used my superpowers to get out of that one, and we found this doorway.





Not sure what was up with this area, perhaps it will be for meet and greets when that sort of stuff is allowed.





We headed toward the building, but it wasn’t open. 





I think this might be where another ride will be located.  I found this on the Interwebs.


While not opening at launch, alongside an Avengers HQ experience, fans will also be able to ride in a Quinjet (which is the iconic mode of transport for the Earth's Mightiest heroes). This will be far from a basic attraction though, taking fans on a brand new adventure.​​​It looks as if, from concept art, guests will be transported around the world in the S.H.I.E.L.D. tech to famous locations, like Wakanda, where they will have to do battle with dangerous enemies and familiar foes. It looks to be one of the premium experiences in Avengers Campus.​


We saw this fella hangin’ around





This is the bar area where they serve various cocktails, we didn’t try any. Fran’s stomach wasn’t feeling too great after lunch and we were lucky nothing bad happened on or after the ride.





We decided to head over to Terran Treats and redeem our first voucher for a dessert. I figured that if we waited until after eating dinner, everyone else who had already started on dinner might sell out one of the treats and we wouldn’t have a choice. We ended up getting the Cosmic Cream Orb, and just put them in my basket for later. They were sort of wrapped for storage, we figured we could eat them at home when we were hungry.  Pictures later.

The Terran Treats cart was over between the Hyperion Theater and Guardians of the Galaxy. So here’s a look into the area that had been closed off during the construction walking back to use our dinner vouchers.





We got in line to order Dinner at Pym’s Test Kitchen, there was a limited menu that our vouchers would include, but we wanted the Pretzel so it was no problem. We asked if they could pack it to go and the answer was “no”.





It was bigger than Fran’s head! It came with a beer cheese sauce (which I thought was too beer flavored), there was also some mustard as well. She looks like she’s thinking, take the darn picture already, I want to eat this thing.





We ended up eating less than half of this giant pretzel and luckily we had an empty Disney bag in the scooter so we packed the pretzel up to go leaving the sauces. We decided to use our second voucher for the Schwarma cart. That we could take home as it was packaged to go. On our way there I noticed that there was no line for web slingers. Evidently some of the guests rode it as many as 10 times.





We finally located the restrooms, not that we needed them, but it’s always good to know where the Disney restrooms are located!





Fran went to order our Schwarma at the cart, and I couldn’t have timed it better, Mr. Captain America Suit Man walked right into my picture!





We decided to check out this store. 





The merchandise was not very diverse. Most of what they were selling were these “add ons” for the web slingers ride.  As I understand it, if you get the wrist thingy, your webs generate at three for every one swipe of your hand. There are also add ons for electrifying your webs, and turning them into Iron Man strength.





They also had these $80 Spidey bot, and smaller ones for $24.99.





They had lots of kid’s size shirts.





And there’s those pesky spidey bots again…..





*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post*]


Still pretty dead on the ride.  I don’t think I could have gone on it more than once.  My shoulders were sore from all the flailing on that one ride.





Here’s a few more parting shots from Avenger’s Campus, we were tired from a long day (lots to do before Disney) and it was after 7PM. Our preview was between 5:30 and 7:30 and we had seen enough. There were some who stayed and rode the ride until 8:30 when Disney threw them out!





Another merchandise kiosk where you could get the web enhancers.





All evening there were different characters in this space, at one point Thor and Loki were there, and Black Panther and Ant Man. Obviously he was back and earlier Black Widow also did a “show” on the Headquarters building where she apprehended some bad guys. Super heroes were pretty much out all the time, just which ones were out rotated.





I was curious if the entrance from Carsland would still be open and evidently it will be, just not that night.





Captain America was back out again.





Another look at the Entrance to the Test Kitchen.





The bar was a little less busy as well.





Guardians was also a total walk on all night.





These two were out here arguing most all the night. The Dance Parties are probably not allowed during Covid.





Next time we go back (which is less than two week from today) we’re gonna get one of these!





There’s going to be a second Schwarma cart as well.





And this is where we exited.  The date stamp on this picture is 7:17PM so I’d say we got our value out of the event.  We made the long trudge back to the parking structure, thank goodness for the scooters! It was also getting cold, we’d brought over shirts, but we would have needed jackets if we were staying any longer.





Back home, I started to get hungry again, so I got the Schwarma out and gave it a try. It had some heat (that’s coming from a spicy food wimp).  I ate about half of it









I decided the way to eat this is to spoon a little of the sauce/salad onto the sandwich. It was almost like a Tzatziki sauce.





Then I decided to try our Cosmic Cream Orb. A CM told me that it was like a Raspberry Cheesecake and that was totally accurate.  It was really good and I would totally recommend this.









We also ate more of our pretzel with Cheese Whiz that I had in the fridge. Both of us liked the Cheese Whiz better than the sauce it came with.

I finished off the rest of the shawarma and my Orb for breakfast the next morning, I’d order them again! That might be tough. Jenny tells me that all the mobile order slots for the places in Avengers campus filled up by 9:30AM on opening Day.  Yikes!  That’s nuts!


Anyways, that’s a wrap up of my preview day.  I’ll be back in a few with my 5th day back in the parks which was back in Mid May.


----------



## pkondz

There. Happy?


----------



## franandaj

Living42Day said:


> Following along! I love that you have a continuing trip report.



 

Until I have a cruise or WDW TR to post this is the only thing that I can post on and it makes me happy!



Living42Day said:


> That is so amazing that you are Club 33 members. My dream one day is to become a member, but that is on the far off distance lol



I'm actually not a Club 33 member, but I am lucky that I have good friends and am able to take advantage of frequent visits and merchandise!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Ohhh Yahhhhh a big foodie/drinks update!!



Yup! You got it!



DnA2010 said:


> Love the matchy matchy!



Thanks!



DnA2010 said:


> Pretty sure we had some of those classics, but the "spring into hollywoods" sounds quite tasty too!



I don't even remember, drinks are so hard unless you stick to the same thing!



DnA2010 said:


> Love this! Fran "Oh Alison, I love you but..."







DnA2010 said:


> Seriously dude



I know....I can't wait for covid to be over.



DnA2010 said:


> tzatziki and pomegranates- how was that?



Actually it was a very nice combination.  I would do this again, if I didn't have a four course meal planned.



DnA2010 said:


> That's indeed what I'd think...



And now I want a Belvedere Gibson cause it does taste different than one with Gin.



DnA2010 said:


> Mmmm gin tasting..I love my gins...



I did like the Monkey 47,  I even have some in my fridge. I planned to make myself one during the lockdown, but never got around to it.  I did make myself a Windex Martini.



DnA2010 said:


> At first glance I thought it was an edible flower!



That's funny!  



DnA2010 said:


> Nice menu! I know what I'd have, and I know which item you wouldn't have!



I just wish they would update it. I guess ingredients are hard to find in a pandemic, but I would really like a change.



DnA2010 said:


> D would have this



Didn't we order similarly the last time?



DnA2010 said:


> And I would have this- yumm!



And didn't you two order similarly the last time?



DnA2010 said:


> I would have this I think and D I'm not sure..maybe the other so we could have both...



We usually like to get both, but sometimes we order the same.



DnA2010 said:


> This looks sooo good but...
> I'd probably have this...maybe...I LOVE filet..so we'd probably have both..I knew you'd have the filet of course.



Well since I don't like Salmon.  And I think I even tried her salmon just to make sure, and no, I still didn't care for it.  I really wish I did, it looks so lovely and I would really like to like it.  I just don't.



DnA2010 said:


> I'm normally chocolate all the way, but wow this looks SO good!



I can't wait to go back because I really want to try this dessert.  We were supposed to be there tonight, but we canceled because she's feeling icky.  I really hope we can figure out the icky.



DnA2010 said:


> bitters are a good tummy "settler" so I wonder if he did?



it was a definite mixture of stuff, but he said it did include bitters.



DnA2010 said:


> Nice work you two!!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I did! Through a stroke of luck or a lucky mistake.



Well good hopefully you are safe now!



pkondz said:


> Oh! I hadn't thought of that. Of course!



They have all kinds of little phone stands that you can put your phone into where CMs used to take your pictures.



pkondz said:


> I prefer to think of you as agreeably accommodating.



Another word for pushover. We usually don't like to object, especially at Disney where people know us.



pkondz said:


> Not surprised. It's... a lot.
> It's one of the most talked about scenes, but mostly due to the shock value.
> _However... _the scene with the waiter immediately _after _that is one of my favourites.



I don't remember that, probably cause I was still in the lobby or bathroom.  I was in HS when my date took me to that movie.  I'm not sure I ever rewatched that scene in adult life.  My favorite of that movie is the production number with the Catholic and Protestant folks and the debate of what to wear over his "John Thomas".  I love the way it turns into a total production number with dancers in the street and becomes like a full on Broadway production.



pkondz said:


> I am promising nothing!!
> 
> Actually, you'll probably be fine. Working some funky hours over the next few days and I can't see your photos at work.



And still while you didn't interrupt my posts, you got in there.....


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> There. Happy?


----------



## dizneeat

*I haven't been on the DISboards much since the pandemic hit and now I missed the start of this. But I will come back to read all 13 pages tonight.  Gets the spirit up to be able to have some new DIS reports*


----------



## wishing4PA

All caught up now! You have a lot of nice photos!

-- Re: Club 33 = Wow, what a meal! I'd be happy with just the dessert, but the rest looks good, too. The whole meal looks too good for something we aren't going to be able to eat anyhow, but if we could, that dessert would be gone in 2 seconds flat!

-- Hanging my head in shame for having taken the top of page 12.

-- Fran's Chip & Dale shirt is the cutest! I'd smile too, if I was wearing that shirt, with or without a corn dog.

-- Re: shopping: We might need a checked bag after all, for Avengers Campus.

-- Re: Pym's: I've got to get that pretzel, thought it looks like lunch for two.
We probably won't like that beer cheese sauce at all if it's too beer-y.
I suppose it was experimental after all. We'll just hope Pym can experiment w more cheese next time.    Or get Cheese Whiz.

-- Re: Webslinger: Shoulder soreness hadn't occured to me. I guess I should keep up with some exercises. I'd never had shoulder pain in my life, until planning this trip. Not so great timing on my part. Hopefully your sore shoulders recovered within a reasonable time.

-- Re: Shawarma: Uh oh, we're spicy food wimps too. But it looks so good!
-- The cosmic Cream Orb also is on my list. Glad it didn't disappoint! Sounds like we'd better order early though!

To answer your question right off the bat, we're reserved at the Castle Inn & Suites. If I were alone, I'd probably gone for Tropicana or something else closer, but it doesn't look TOO far, and DD liked the castle theme, so that's it, if I don't suddenly change my mind. Thanks for responding about Harbor. I kind of expected it probably would be okay all around DL, but it is out of the "bubble" and lately we've been bubble people at WDW, so I wasn't so sure.

Any more updates/pics on the way? I accidentally lost my place somewhere or I'd probably know, but will be happy to see more!


----------



## franandaj

dizneeat said:


> I haven't been on the DISboards much since the pandemic hit and now I missed the start of this.



   Karin!  I'm so glad you made it back on the DIS and over here.



dizneeat said:


> But I will come back to read all 13 pages tonight.  Gets the spirit up to be able to have some new DIS reports



Don't worry about it!  The report will be here!  Glad to give you new Disney content!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> As many of you know, this week Avengers Campus opened at DCA


I do! You told us! 


franandaj said:


> I wanted to leave around noon, but anyone who has followed along knows that what I want to do and what happens are rarely in sync.




Next time you want to leave at noon, tell Fran you absolutely, 100% no kidding, your lives depend on it... have to leave at 10:30. 

That way you should be able to leave only a little late.





franandaj said:


> We eventually found a regular space at the end of an aisle. You see we need the extra space in the side of the car for the ramps to get the scooter in and out.


Oh, so not a rear unloading. 
Still... am surprised given that it was a pre-view, combined with Covid restrictions that all the spots were taken.


franandaj said:


> Yummy corn dog!


mmmm...
Better, same, or not as good as the wagon?


franandaj said:


> Yummy cheese dog!


Nope. I can't see that as something I'd want. Of course I'd try it if offered, and might even like it, but... not something that grabs my attention.


franandaj said:


> Happy Fran!





franandaj said:


> We decided to try the Carrot Cake Funnel Fries, which really had no taste of carrot cake at all.


Well... that whole sentence is odd.
Carrot cake funnel fries??? That... don't taste like carrot cake???


franandaj said:


> They were definitely expecting some crowds as they had plenty of places to line up.


I'm sure those were full the next day.


franandaj said:


> It took me a little while to figure out what these were, and then it hit me, Loki ears!


Oh! I never would've guessed.


franandaj said:


> I texted this picture to Jenny and Jill, and Jill’s response was, “That suit better come with Robert Downey Jr for that price!”





franandaj said:


>


No idea what that is.


franandaj said:


>


So... you figure that's a movie used model?


franandaj said:


> We are walking along the ride building for Web Slingers here


I'm surprised by that. I wonder if things have changed. Last I heard, Universal had the rights to Spiderman for theme parks.


franandaj said:


> Outside the store they were testing these $80 Spidey Bots that you could purchase, but we’ll get back there later.


$80?!?!?

Do they do dishes? Clean the floor?

$80?!?!?!?!?


franandaj said:


> We literally walked right into the line for Web Slingers.


Was that by design? Did everyone go straight there, or were you free to branch off if you wanted?


franandaj said:


> Then again we waited less than 20 minutes from the time that we entered the queue until we were actually on the ride, so not so bad.


Not bad at all. 


franandaj said:


> Throughout the line they had these “Spotlights” on various Engineers and Designers. The only one I recognized was Peter Parker. While I’ve almost seen all the movies and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episodes, evidently my retention and attention to detail is not that good. I probably have to see them all five more times to catch the nuances.


You're probably more knowledgeable than I am. I haven't seen any SHIELD episodes.


franandaj said:


> In here you are welcomed to WEB (Worldwide Engineering Brigade)


Cute.


franandaj said:


> They give you tips on how to sling webs along the way.


Huh! I wasn't expecting an interactive ride. And certainly not like that!


franandaj said:


> . I thrust my arm out into the spideyverse and “ZOOM” a web shot out of it and I blew up a box.


Okay, that's cool. 


franandaj said:


> At some point you're literally flailing your arms all over the place in front of you aiming at stuff, which explodes when you hit it.



But I can see it hurting more than TSMM after a while.


franandaj said:


> Now I couldn’t resist getting a shot of this guy, he must really like Captain America! His suit was a full on tailored Captain America Sport Jacket and Trousers.


 Pretty creative!


franandaj said:


>


Watch out, Alison!


franandaj said:


> And then it was like I was falling into an abyss.


Noooooo...


franandaj said:


> I used my superpowers to get out of that one,


Phew! Thank goodness for your powers!


franandaj said:


> Fran’s stomach wasn’t feeling too great after lunch and we were lucky nothing bad happened on or after the ride.


Sorry to hear that. Maybe those "dogs" pre-ride weren't the best idea?


franandaj said:


> We decided to head over to Terran Treats and redeem our first voucher for a dessert. I figured that if we waited until after eating dinner, everyone else who had already started on dinner might sell out one of the treats and we wouldn’t have a choice.


Good thinking. I wouldn't have thought of that.


franandaj said:


> We asked if they could pack it to go and the answer was “no”.


Well... okay, then.


franandaj said:


> She looks like she’s thinking, take the darn picture already, I want to eat this thing.


 And yes, that pretzel is huge!


franandaj said:


> On our way there I noticed that there was no line for web slingers. Evidently some of the guests rode it as many as 10 times.


Wow!


franandaj said:


> Fran went to order our Schwarma at the cart, and I couldn’t have timed it better, Mr. Captain America Suit Man walked right into my picture!





franandaj said:


> The merchandise was not very diverse. Most of what they were selling were these “add ons” for the web slingers ride. As I understand it, if you get the wrist thingy, your webs generate at three for every one swipe of your hand. There are also add ons for electrifying your webs, and turning them into Iron Man strength.


Oh, geez. I can already guess that they're going to make a ton of money off those.


franandaj said:


> My shoulders were sore from all the flailing on that one ride.


Not surprised. 


franandaj said:


> Guardians was also a total walk on all night.


But you didn't go?


franandaj said:


> These two were out here arguing most all the night.





franandaj said:


> Back home, I started to get hungry again, so I got the Schwarma out and gave it a try.


You know, I've never had schwarma. We have it here, but... I've just never been in the mood, or hungry enough, or in the right area.


franandaj said:


> Then I decided to try our Cosmic Cream Orb. A CM told me that it was like a Raspberry Cheesecake and that was totally accurate. It was really good and I would totally recommend this.


It looks terrible/burnt, but obviously wasn't. Very interesting look!


franandaj said:


> We also ate more of our pretzel with Cheese Whiz that I had in the fridge. Both of us liked the Cheese Whiz better than the sauce it came with.


Huh! Maybe Disney should offer that. 


franandaj said:


> Jenny tells me that all the mobile order slots for the places in Avengers campus filled up by 9:30AM on opening Day. Yikes! That’s nuts!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well good hopefully you are safe now!


Almost. 
I believe it's 2-3 weeks after the 2nd shot that you are as immune as you're gonna get.


franandaj said:


> They have all kinds of little phone stands that you can put your phone into where CMs used to take your pictures.


Oh! Smart.


franandaj said:


> Another word for pushover. We usually don't like to object, especially at Disney where people know us.


You say "pushover", I say "kind".

I would much rather be friends with a "pushover" than with an abusive or rude person.


franandaj said:


> I don't remember that, probably cause I was still in the lobby or bathroom. I was in HS when my date took me to that movie. I'm not sure I ever rewatched that scene in adult life. My favorite of that movie is the production number with the Catholic and Protestant folks and the debate of what to wear over his "John Thomas". I love the way it turns into a total production number with dancers in the street and becomes like a full on Broadway production.




Great scene. Also like the Galaxy song scene:
Galaxy Song - Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - YouTube


franandaj said:


> And still while you didn't interrupt my posts, you got in there.....


But _not _at the top of the page.


----------



## franandaj

wishing4PA said:


> All caught up now! You have a lot of nice photos!



Thanks!



wishing4PA said:


> -- Re: Club 33 = Wow, what a meal! I'd be happy with just the dessert, but the rest looks good, too. The whole meal looks too good for something we aren't going to be able to eat anyhow, but if we could, that dessert would be gone in 2 seconds flat!



It was fantastic to eat such a fancy meal again after a year of being stuck at home.



wishing4PA said:


> -- Hanging my head in shame for having taken the top of page 12.



Hey no worries! I wasn't planning on posting an update at that point. Also page 14 probably won't get a top of the page update either. If I post updates too frequently people get overwhelmed and don't comment.



wishing4PA said:


> -- Fran's Chip & Dale shirt is the cutest! I'd smile too, if I was wearing that shirt, with or without a corn dog.



She likes that shirt a lot and doesn't get to wear it often since most of our days are spent at home and doing ho hum activities. 



wishing4PA said:


> -- Re: shopping: We might need a checked bag after all, for Avengers Campus.



They were very strategic to make sure all the good shopping experiences were open to all park guests and not just inside the Campus.



wishing4PA said:


> -- Re: Pym's: I've got to get that pretzel, thought it looks like lunch for two.
> We probably won't like that beer cheese sauce at all if it's too beer-y.
> I suppose it was experimental after all. We'll just hope Pym can experiment w more cheese next time.  Or get Cheese Whiz.



From what I understand they are limiting access to Avengers Campus, you either need to have a Webslingers Boarding Group or there is a queue. Someone said it was a 4-5 hour wait just to get into the land. I'm assuming it's a virtual queue. They tried the same thing with Galaxy’s Edge, but everyone stayed away due to the over hype, and there was no social distancing back then.

Hopefully after a few months the hype will calm down. Then again maybe not.



wishing4PA said:


> -- Re: Webslinger: Shoulder soreness hadn't occured to me. I guess I should keep up with some exercises. I'd never had shoulder pain in my life, until planning this trip. Not so great timing on my part. Hopefully your sore shoulders recovered within a reasonable time.



It just depends on how into it you get. I found myself caught up in the action and couldn't help myself.



wishing4PA said:


> -- Re: Shawarma: Uh oh, we're spicy food wimps too. But it looks so good!



I'll have to try it again, maybe when we go back in 10ish days.



wishing4PA said:


> -- The cosmic Cream Orb also is on my list. Glad it didn't disappoint! Sounds like we'd better order early though!



Well that came from a cart and I would imagine that by the time you visit the hype will either be over or they'll know how many they sell per day.



wishing4PA said:


> To answer your question right off the bat, we're reserved at the Castle Inn & Suites.



I haven't heard anything negative about that place. It's pretty basic, but sometimes that's all you nneed. It has a cute facade and it's not far at all. Maybe just a 5-10 minute longer walk than the Tropicana.



wishing4PA said:


> If I were alone, I'd probably gone for Tropicana or something else closer, but it doesn't look TOO far, and DD liked the castle theme, so that's it, if I don't suddenly change my mind.



It's not going to be bad at all. You're still North of Katella. There are many more hotel that are much farther away.



wishing4PA said:


> Thanks for responding about Harbor. I kind of expected it probably would be okay all around DL, but it is out of the "bubble" and lately we've been bubble people at WDW, so I wasn't so sure.



Actually there is a different bubble in Anaheim. There is of course the "on propety" bubble, which I love being a part of when we stay at the VGC. But there is another thing I've heard referred to as something akin to a "Disney price altering vortex". It has somewhat of an effect for around a block or two all around the Disneyland properties. Like the McDonald's you'll see on the map, you won't find the same "dollar deals" there. If we want McDonald's or a snack on our way home or on the way there, we stop at the one on Harbor and Lampson, which is out of the price vortex. 

I haven't checked out many off campus food/retail things available on Harbor Blvd. but anyone without a car is limited to that area and their prices are higher than just a few blocks away.

As a result of the higher priced retail establishments, you'll pretty much only find other tourists in the area and not many nefarious characters and I'm sure the homeless and other unpleasant folks are nowhere to be found.



wishing4PA said:


> Any more updates/pics on the way? I accidentally lost my place somewhere or I'd probably know, but will be happy to see more!



I've got plenty more updates to come, although they may become more boring as I will eventually tick most everything off my list of things to do. I have two more updates (one is basically a repeat of a previous one). And then we are out once a week for the next four to five weeks. So I'll keep posting as long as people keep reading!


----------



## wishing4PA

franandaj said:


> It was fantastic to eat such a fancy meal again after a year of being stuck at home.


  Ain't that the truth! We've been out once, but are not going to go crazy overboard until DL.


> They were very strategic to make sure all the good shopping experiences were open to all park guests and not just inside the Campus.


 Very smart.  


> From what I understand they are limiting access to Avengers Campus, you either need to have a Webslingers Boarding Group or there is a queue. Someone said it was a 4-5 hour wait just to get into the land. I'm assuming it's a virtual queue. They tried the same thing with Galaxy’s Edge, but everyone stayed away due to the over hype, and there was no social distancing back then.


 My crystal ball broke with the pandemic, so I don't have any idea how that's going to work out. We're there for 4 nights, so 3 full days, with 2 of them starting at DCA as well as our last part day. I'm pretty sure if we don't get a BG I'll end up with DD in the SB line for the land at least. I could be wrong and she'd say "no webslingers, no need to go into AC", but my bet's on us making our way into it, one way or another. She's _really _excited about that ride though, so we'll be trying for it as often as possible. It is sad though that you can't ride multiple times. Practice makes perfect after all! 


> It just depends on how into it you get. I found myself caught up in the action and couldn't help myself.


 I'll get into it. And I'll bring some Aleve.


> I haven't heard anything negative about that place. It's pretty basic, but sometimes that's all you nneed. It has a cute facade and it's not far at all. Maybe just a 5-10 minute longer walk than the Tropicana.
> 
> It's not going to be bad at all. You're still North of Katella. There are many more hotel that are much farther away.


Good to hear!
Thanks!


> Actually there is a different bubble in Anaheim. There is of course the "on propety" bubble, which I love being a part of when we stay at the VGC. But there is another thing I've heard referred to as something akin to a "Disney price altering vortex". It has somewhat of an effect for around a block or two all around the Disneyland properties.


 The vortex!
I totally believe you! We're prepared for expensive Egg McMuffins or whatever.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> I have another date with one on July 15....



Lucky girl!!!


franandaj said:


> If I found cat puke in my room, I would be mighty pissed!



The Disney cats know who loves them best, though.  


franandaj said:


> We're wimps in the taste bud department.....



I'll take your too-spicy portions. 


franandaj said:


> Including Trader Sam's?



Yes, including TS's. 


franandaj said:


> I don't remember that time period. I was probably too busy focusing on rides back then.



This was back in the day of no cell phones, so when we had to meet up with the folks, you sat. Marigolds were often in the planters we'd sit at, so lots of scented memories from that. 


franandaj said:


> Sometime, I want to try just sitting back and not doing anything and see what happens.



I'd LOVE to see that!!! LOL!! 


franandaj said:


> I may jump ahead and do my updates out of order to sneak in my pictures and thoughts for what I did today. It was pretty cool. Not life shattering cool, or nearly as cool as I thought Galaxy’s Edge was, but we had a good time, ate some neat food, rode a fun ride, and had a cool photo op or two.



Looking forward to it!! 


franandaj said:


>



A Penthouse for me! 


franandaj said:


> Well once the server puts down the drinks he tells us that if there is alcohol on the table we need to have a food item as well.



Say what? I've never heard that before. Can't they bring you a piece of bread? Pull a cracker out of his pocket? What? 



franandaj said:


> Unfortunately pretty filling.



UGH, huge.  


franandaj said:


> Behold my overdue Gibson with Monkey 47.



And lovely it is! 


franandaj said:


> Fran had a hurricane. I like how the umbrella is blowing away!



Super cute touch! 


franandaj said:


> I used my bread to mop up the sauce, and I'm not someone who normally does that.



The Italian scarpetta!!! 


franandaj said:


> When I got back to the room I was still full, but I wasn't "Bring me a bucket" full anymore.



 Never heard that expression before!


----------



## brookelizabeth

franandaj said:


>



Lovely!



franandaj said:


> Well once the server puts down the drinks he tells us that if there is alcohol on the table we need to have a food item as well.



Seriously?!  That's maddening. 

Do you know if it's a covid thing, or a general rule?  Last summer in NYC they had a rule for bars to open, they have to serve food, so bars starting offering things like "Andrew Cuomo Chips" for $1 and you got about 6 potato chips!



franandaj said:


> Served with a Special Decaf coffee.



I just LOVE that!!  What a great meal. I'm sure it felt nice to be back!!



franandaj said:


> evidently my retention and attention to detail is not that good. I probably have to see them all five more times to catch the nuances.



I'm the same way.  Joe and Henry are always explaining things to me when it comes to Star Wars and Marvel, even though I've seen most / all the movies and know the story lines.



franandaj said:


> I thrust my arm out into the spideyverse and “ZOOM” a web shot out of it and I blew up a box. On my second shot I nailed the little bot thing and it blew up right there.



That technology fascinates me!  But it really does sound like a work out, like Toy Story Mania is.



franandaj said:


> It was so strange, all of a sudden I was just standing there….
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And then it was like I was falling into an abyss.



That is pretty cool!!



franandaj said:


> As I understand it, if you get the wrist thingy, your webs generate at three for every one swipe of your hand. There are also add ons for electrifying your webs, and turning them into Iron Man strength.



I wonder how popular these will be. This kind of "cash grab" thing always bugs me... do you recall the price?  Not something I would likely ever purchase myself unless it was only a couple bucks. I'm just too cheap.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> She wanted to take a shower, and once she was done, I convinced her to dress for dinner. I did as well.



Thanks for doing that.  Nobody wants to eat with naked people in the room.



franandaj said:


> You see today I had a preview of the Avengers Campus which opens to the public tomorrow. I may jump ahead and do my updates out of order to sneak in my pictures and thoughts for what I did today. It was pretty cool. Not life shattering cool, or nearly as cool as I thought Galaxy’s Edge was, but we had a good time, ate some neat food, rode a fun ride, and had a cool photo op or two.



Pretty cool sure beats "incredibly disappointing" though.



franandaj said:


> Unfortunately pretty filling.



Those are some big meatballs.



franandaj said:


> Fran had a hurricane. I like how the umbrella is blowing away!



Cute touch.



franandaj said:


> We were given the bread service around this time and for some reason there was only one piece of bread in the basket. We did get more later, but I think I only ate my ½ piece of bread. I’ve learned not to fill up on bread.



That's probably why they only had one piece.



franandaj said:


>



Fancy Schmancy!



franandaj said:


> She had the same English Muffin that I had fixed her the day before while I had toast with butter and peanut butter.



Finally, some food I recognize.   



franandaj said:


> We decided to try the Carrot Cake Funnel Fries, which really had no taste of carrot cake at all. Fran said that they tasted like churros. I’m not quite sure what they tasted like. They were OK, but Fran finished them up, so I guess she liked then.



That looks a little weird.  Not a huge fan of carrot cake--please keep vegetables out of my dessert.  Thanks.



franandaj said:


> They were definitely expecting some crowds as they had plenty of places to line up.



Wonder why. 



franandaj said:


> I texted this picture to Jenny and Jill, and Jill’s response was, “That suit better come with Robert Downey Jr for that price!”



 She's certainly not wrong!



franandaj said:


> The line started at the entrance to Avengers Campus (where I took the picture earlier with my wrist band) across from the Blue Sky Celler, and stretched all the way past the Carsland entrance, past Pacific Wharf there was a gap in the line so that guests could access Pixar Pier and we were finally led to the area where folks are placed for World of Color, there were people behind us though and they doubled the line back to who knows how far, it could have been all the way to the beginning by the time the line started to move and let us in the land.



Well, enjoy your evening in line!



franandaj said:


> If you don’t want any spoilers on the ride, then I suggest you skip this next update and resume with the third part of this report.



Ah, go ahead and spoil me rotten.



franandaj said:


> I suppose this was supposed to be some kind of experiment or display to keep us looking while waiting in the queue.



It's a machine designed to seamlessly remove more dollars from your wallet as you pass by.



franandaj said:


> It's like TSMM in that you go from scene to scene, but instead of having a pull string shooter in front of you, they have some kind of sensor that translates into webs that destroy the spidey bots. The sensation is a little weird and your first scene is pretty “easy” or sparse with the little bots. I thrust my arm out into the spideyverse and “ZOOM” a web shot out of it and I blew up a box. On my second shot I nailed the little bot thing and it blew up right there.



That sounds like fun to me.  I always hated the pull-string on TSMM.



franandaj said:


> Plus there is a scene in there where Spiderman is going to die and you have to rescue him, and you get points for that. I think we got him out in the nick of time, barely.



Thank you for not killing Spider-man!



franandaj said:


> This was actually the other one of the two, but they were serving ice cold water and sodas for free!



Free???  At Disney???? 



franandaj said:


> Now I couldn’t resist getting a shot of this guy, he must really like Captain America! His suit was a full on tailored Captain America Sport Jacket and Trousers.



Wow.  That's certainly a choice.



franandaj said:


> And then it was like I was falling into an abyss.







franandaj said:


> Not sure what was up with this area, perhaps it will be for meet and greets when that sort of stuff is allowed.



Apparently there's a Dr. Strange magic show around there.



franandaj said:


> I think this might be where another ride will be located. I found this on the Interwebs.
> 
> 
> While not opening at launch, alongside an Avengers HQ experience, fans will also be able to ride in a Quinjet (which is the iconic mode of transport for the Earth's Mightiest heroes). This will be far from a basic attraction though, taking fans on a brand new adventure.It looks as if, from concept art, guests will be transported around the world in the S.H.I.E.L.D. tech to famous locations, like Wakanda, where they will have to do battle with dangerous enemies and familiar foes. It looks to be one of the premium experiences in Avengers Campus.



Sounds similar to SWGE.  They open the lesser ride first and then the big showstopper opens when it's finally ready.



franandaj said:


> It was bigger than Fran’s head!



I guess the to-go boxes don't come in that size!



franandaj said:


> We finally located the restrooms, not that we needed them, but it’s always good to know where the Disney restrooms are located!



Spoken like a true Disney veteran.



franandaj said:


> Most of what they were selling were these “add ons” for the web slingers ride. As I understand it, if you get the wrist thingy, your webs generate at three for every one swipe of your hand. There are also add ons for electrifying your webs, and turning them into Iron Man strength.



You knew there was going to be a cash grab in here somewhere.



franandaj said:


> There were some who stayed and rode the ride until 8:30 when Disney threw them out!



It would be awesome if the Dora Milaje were the ones kicking people out of the park.



franandaj said:


> Jenny tells me that all the mobile order slots for the places in Avengers campus filled up by 9:30AM on opening Day. Yikes! That’s nuts!



People are nuts!


----------



## rentayenta

Yay for updates! I was two behind and for some reason did not receive an alert. 

Fun fun!!!! I cannot wait for Avenger's Campus in 2 weeks!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I do! You told us!



You mean you aren't glued to the Interwebs for news of this new land opening?



pkondz said:


> Next time you want to leave at noon, tell Fran you absolutely, 100% no kidding, your lives depend on it... have to leave at 10:30.
> 
> That way you should be able to leave only a little late.



I was pushing it with the noon leaving time.  She knew that the preview wasn't until 5:30PM. The only way that I could get her to agree to the noon leaving time was that they opened check in at 1PM.  I'm glad I told her noon and not 2PM!



pkondz said:


> Oh, so not a rear unloading.



Well this is how we usually would unload both the scooters.





But for the trips since the parks reopened, we have put my scooter in the back, so right now it's side and back unloading.







pkondz said:


> Still... am surprised given that it was a pre-view, combined with Covid restrictions that all the spots were taken.



Well all the Handicapped spots were taken. There was lots of availability in the structure overall, but some of it was really far away from the elevators. There's this little period in American that takes place every two years (in odd numbered years). You see Handicapped Plaques are good through June 30, of odd numbered years.  New plaques are mailed out to Plaque holders starting in April.  When we asked one of the guys directing traffic about Handicapped spaces he said this:

"Come July 1st this will be over, but for now all the children and grandchildren of Handicapped Plaque holders are using the expiring plaques that their elders gave them to use, while the elders use the new ones."

We need to remember to put the new one in the Van.  We had the new one in the dead car, so when we cleaned it out at the Mechanic's it's 2023 plaque made it into the little car, but the big car still only has the 2021 expiring plaque.



pkondz said:


> mmmm...
> Better, same, or not as good as the wagon?



Probably the same, but I like the option of the Cheese dog too.  I like the combination of both.



pkondz said:


> Nope. I can't see that as something I'd want. Of course I'd try it if offered, and might even like it, but... not something that grabs my attention.



If you were with us, we'd lop of a taste for you!



pkondz said:


> Well... that whole sentence is odd.
> Carrot cake funnel fries??? That... don't taste like carrot cake???



Well when I reread the description, it said that they were "funnel fries with cream cheese icing and sprinkled with crumbled Carrot cake." I didn't see too many crumbles.



pkondz said:


> I'm sure those were full the next day.



Probably.



pkondz said:


> Oh! I never would've guessed.



I took me a while to figure it out.



pkondz said:


> No idea what that is.



I'm guessing it's from Avenger's Endgame.  I think I need to watch Infinity Wars again before we watch Endgame.



pkondz said:


> So... you figure that's a movie used model?



Well other things displayed in that space are bonafide props and such.



pkondz said:


> I'm surprised by that. I wonder if things have changed. Last I heard, Universal had the rights to Spiderman for theme parks.



I believe that they had the rights East of the Mississippi....



pkondz said:


> $80?!?!?
> 
> Do they do dishes? Clean the floor?
> 
> $80?!?!?!?!?



  



pkondz said:


> Was that by design? Did everyone go straight there, or were you free to branch off if you wanted?



Well we could do whatever we want, but always at these things everyone tends to go right for the attraction.  Also a CM told me earlier in the week that the attraction can go down easily so it's best to get it out of the way as quick as possible.



pkondz said:


> Not bad at all.



It moved quickly.



pkondz said:


> You're probably more knowledgeable than I am. I haven't seen any SHIELD episodes.



I haven't finished all the Marvel Movies yet.



pkondz said:


> Huh! I wasn't expecting an interactive ride. And certainly not like that!



I had no expectations so I thought it was fun.



pkondz said:


> Okay, that's cool.







pkondz said:


> But I can see it hurting more than TSMM after a while.



Good thing you can only ride it once in a day.



pkondz said:


> Pretty creative!



Is that what they're calling it nowadays?



pkondz said:


> Watch out, Alison!
> Noooooo...
> Phew! Thank goodness for your powers!



I know that was a close one there!



pkondz said:


> Sorry to hear that. Maybe those "dogs" pre-ride weren't the best idea?



She has been having problems for almost two years now.  She saw out Gastroenterologist back in the Fall of 2020 and he did all kinds of tests.  She had a Colonoscopy about a week before everything shut down. Her stomach just cramps up horribly to the point where she is doubling over.  We thought we had solved it a year ago when we identified it to Mtn. Dew, but it's come back in the last couple weeks, so we're keeping a log of what she eats and when.



pkondz said:


> Good thinking. I wouldn't have thought of that.



This isn't my first "running out of food" rodeo!



pkondz said:


> Well... okay, then.



I thought Disney employees weren't supposed to use the word, "no".



pkondz said:


> And yes, that pretzel is huge!







pkondz said:


> Oh, geez. I can already guess that they're going to make a ton of money off those.



I'm not sure.  The Boarding Group is harder to get than RotR, and you can only ride once a day IF you get a BG.  Also with no APs, I can't imagine them flying off the shelves unless there is more chance to get on the ride.



pkondz said:


> But you didn't go?



I had a long long day.  I was up and out of bed at 7AM to get all the things we had to do done before we could leave.  The Web Slingers ride really fatigued me and I'd been on Guardians a bunch before.  I'll go on maybe Wednesday and definitely when I'm back with Jenny next week.



pkondz said:


> You know, I've never had schwarma. We have it here, but... I've just never been in the mood, or hungry enough, or in the right area.



Not sure if I'd had it either.  We have so many different kind of places serving food from that part of the world, I'm not sure which cuisines I've tasted and which I haven't.



pkondz said:


> It looks terrible/burnt, but obviously wasn't. Very interesting look!



That's a chocolate coating, so not burnt at all.



pkondz said:


> Huh! Maybe Disney should offer that.



I think the chef would be insulted, but I think it tasted better! 



pkondz said:


> Almost.
> I believe it's 2-3 weeks after the 2nd shot that you are as immune as you're gonna get.



So hopefully you're good now?



pkondz said:


> You say "pushover", I say "kind".
> 
> I would much rather be friends with a "pushover" than with an abusive or rude person.



Well me too!



pkondz said:


> Great scene. Also like the Galaxy song scene:
> Galaxy Song - Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - YouTube



I don't remember that one!  I need to watch that movie again!



pkondz said:


> But _not _at the top of the page.



Thank you.  I had to modify my comment pattern, but it worked out.


----------



## wishing4PA

franandaj said:


> "Come July 1st this will be over, but for now all the children and grandchildren of Handicapped Plaque holders are using the expiring plaques that their elders gave them to use, while the elders use the new ones."





franandaj said:


> I'm not sure. The Boarding Group is harder to get than RotR, and you can only ride once a day IF you get a BG. Also with no APs, I can't imagine them flying off the shelves unless there is more chance to get on the ride.


Let's not give Disney any ideas, but they _could_ charge triple for the things if they came with a bonus BG entry.


franandaj said:


> That's a chocolate coating, so not burnt at all.


Did someone say _chocolate?_ Now I've got to go back and find out what we are talking about and look at the photo!
Edit: Ooooooh... the cosmic cream orb. I'll have to order multiples now.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> You mean you aren't glued to the Interwebs for news of this new land opening?


Nope!


franandaj said:


> I was pushing it with the noon leaving time. She knew that the preview wasn't until 5:30PM. The only way that I could get her to agree to the noon leaving time was that they opened check in at 1PM.


ah. Okay, more in the loop now.


franandaj said:


> I'm glad I told her noon and not 2PM!





franandaj said:


> Well this is how we usually would unload both the scooters.


Like the ramps.  But they sure look steep!


franandaj said:


> Well all the Handicapped spots were taken.


That's what I mean. There should be enough to go around at capacity, so I'm surprised there weren't when it _wasn't_ at capacity.


franandaj said:


> "Come July 1st this will be over, but for now all the children and grandchildren of Handicapped Plaque holders are using the expiring plaques that their elders gave them to use, while the elders use the new ones."



That's disgusting.


franandaj said:


> Probably the same, but I like the option of the Cheese dog too. I like the combination of both.


Okay. Then I'll stick with getting my first at the wagon. Some day. Maybe.


franandaj said:


> If you were with us, we'd lop of a taste for you!


 Thanks!


franandaj said:


> Well when I reread the description, it said that they were "funnel fries with cream cheese icing and sprinkled with crumbled Carrot cake." I didn't see too many crumbles.


Ah. A crumbleless crumble dessert.


franandaj said:


> I'm guessing it's from Avenger's Endgame. I think I need to watch Infinity Wars again before we watch Endgame.


I don't know. I don't recognize it. Then again, I haven't seen Ultron.


franandaj said:


> I believe that they had the rights East of the Mississippi....


Oh... Then it won't happen at WDW.


franandaj said:


> I haven't finished all the Marvel Movies yet.


Me neither. See above.


franandaj said:


> Good thing you can only ride it once in a day.


Really? Huh!


franandaj said:


> She has been having problems for almost two years now. She saw out Gastroenterologist back in the Fall of 2020 and he did all kinds of tests. She had a Colonoscopy about a week before everything shut down. Her stomach just cramps up horribly to the point where she is doubling over. We thought we had solved it a year ago when we identified it to Mtn. Dew, but it's come back in the last couple weeks, so we're keeping a log of what she eats and when.


Hope you can figure it out. I have similar issues on occasion which I'm almost positive is peppers. Or too many raw veggies.


franandaj said:


> This isn't my first "running out of food" rodeo!





franandaj said:


> I thought Disney employees weren't supposed to use the word, "no".


No. I mean Yes!! No! Yes! Dang it!!!!


franandaj said:


> I had a long long day. I was up and out of bed at 7AM to get all the things we had to do done before we could leave. The Web Slingers ride really fatigued me and I'd been on Guardians a bunch before. I'll go on maybe Wednesday and definitely when I'm back with Jenny next week.





franandaj said:


> So hopefully you're good now?


Not quite. I've had my 2nd shot, but just a few days ago. Gimme 2-3 weeks and I will be.


----------



## chunkymonkey

Oh man, all your Disneyland posts have gotten me so excited to visit Cali again! So much so that I booked flights to San Diego in September! I found a good deal on flights so I booked it right away!

Also we haven't seen Steve's family in over a year. We are definitely going to visit Disneyland though! If you both are around, would love to buy you all a drink!  We are probably going to be there Sept 7-9, around those dates. I am not sure how this whole park reservation thing works, but I assume it's like WDW, where you get park tickets then reserve dates at each park? 

I cannot wait to see Avenger's Campus, Steve and I are huge Marvel fans so it's definitely something we've been dreaming about! Webslingers reminds me of that Ninjago ride at Legoland. Only went there once but it's similar but Webslingers looks like it's a souped up version!

Your dinner at the Club looks AMAZING as usual. That salmon and the strawberry buttermilk cake looks so good. 

Oh and yes I do have a new TR started! Its right here: *Social Disney-ing, A Chunky Birthday Trip!*


----------



## cruisehopeful

franandaj said:


> Still pretty dead on the ride. I don’t think I could have gone on it more than once. My shoulders were sore from all the flailing on that one ride.


I watched a ride through on Youtube and I was thinking that I wouldn't even be able to participate in the entire ride. I wonder if the ride is any good if you just sit through it and watch it like a movie. 


franandaj said:


> Guardians was also a total walk on all night.


 I live for times like that! That's the only ride that I will go back on several times in a row, but rarely get the opportunity to do that.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> Yummy cheese dog!



I wish they would have a combo version of these dogs. The idea of BOTH together sounds great! Is the Little Red Wagon Open ? 


franandaj said:


> You put on your 3D glasses and there are four seats on either side of the vehicle. It's like TSMM in that you go from scene to scene, but instead of having a pull string shooter in front of you, they have some kind of sensor that translates into webs that destroy the spidey bots. The sensation is a little weird and your first scene is pretty “easy” or sparse with the little bots. I thrust my arm out into the spideyverse and “ZOOM” a web shot out of it and I blew up a box. On my second shot I nailed the little bot thing and it blew up right there. Here’s a couple scenes that I stole off the Interwebs. There aren’t that many since the ride just opened.



WOW!! That technology is REALLY over the top. Sounds super fun!! Hopefully sometime soon I can try it out!! 



franandaj said:


>



Ok that's pretty funny. That guy is REALLY into it! 



franandaj said:


>



This gives me vertigo just looking at it. OY! 


franandaj said:


>





Holy crap! 



franandaj said:


>



This seriously reminds me of the Muppets area at DHS. 



franandaj said:


> I finished off the rest of the shawarma and my Orb for breakfast the next morning,


My kind of breakfast!!


----------



## franandaj

wishing4PA said:


> My crystal ball broke with the pandemic, so I don't have any idea how that's going to work out. We're there for 4 nights, so 3 full days, with 2 of them starting at DCA as well as our last part day. I'm pretty sure if we don't get a BG I'll end up with DD in the SB line for the land at least.



Hopefully with that many days you'll get on it.  If you don't get it at 7AM the 12 noon spot seems to be working well for a lot of people I know.



wishing4PA said:


> I could be wrong and she'd say "no webslingers, no need to go into AC", but my bet's on us making our way into it, one way or another. She's _really _excited about that ride though, so we'll be trying for it as often as possible. It is sad though that you can't ride multiple times. Practice makes perfect after all!



I would imagine she would at least want to ride Guardians.  That's a great ride and with restricted access to AC, I bet the lines are a lot shorter!



wishing4PA said:


> I'll get into it. And I'll bring some Aleve.



Good planning!



wishing4PA said:


> The vortex!
> I totally believe you! We're prepared for expensive Egg McMuffins or whatever.



If you don't have a car, you can always order groceries to be delivered. Not sure if your room has a fridge, but you can always have some bread products around for quick bites to eat that aren't super expensive.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> I'll take your too-spicy portions.



Sounds like a deal!



Steppesister said:


> This was back in the day of no cell phones, so when we had to meet up with the folks, you sat. Marigolds were often in the planters we'd sit at, so lots of scented memories from that.



I don't think I ever went to the parks (and was let to run around alone) so that I had to meet up with anyone.  I do remember that my ex-hubby's parents had a tradition of 5PM cocktails at the Disneyland Hotel in the site where Trader Sam's now sits. So we knew to meet them there and they would buy us drinks. Other than that when I went with my parents, they didn't let me out of their sight. After that I was an adult and went with one or two friends.



Steppesister said:


> I'd LOVE to see that!!! LOL!!



Maybe you can try it WITH me.



Steppesister said:


> Looking forward to it!!



:



Steppesister said:


> A Penthouse for me!



I might try that one next time.



Steppesister said:


> Say what? I've never heard that before. Can't they bring you a piece of bread? Pull a cracker out of his pocket? What?



It's a pandemic thing.  Bars themselves are not allowed to be open, or they just did recently.  So people had to have some kind of food that was served to be considered a restaurant.  Back last year, Gov. Newsom declared that "Chicken Wings were not a meal."  And I was like   I often have chicken wings for a meal.  It's a great low carb thing, and the celery is your veggie!



Steppesister said:


> Super cute touch!



They do that with the Dark and Stormy in Trader Sam's Grog Grotto.



Steppesister said:


> Never heard that expression before!



It's based off one of the sketches in Monty Python's "Meaning of Life" where the guy is so stuffed and asks the waiter to "Bring me a bucket." He subsequently explodes, and I got so grossed out I had to run out of the theater to keep from hurling.  Every time I've watched the movie since then, I forward through that sketch or go to the potty.


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> Seriously?! That's maddening.
> 
> Do you know if it's a covid thing, or a general rule? Last summer in NYC they had a rule for bars to open, they have to serve food, so bars starting offering things like "Andrew Cuomo Chips" for $1 and you got about 6 potato chips!



Yes it's a Covid related thing. I heard about the things they were doing in New York. It prompted our governor to proclaim that "Chicken Wings were not a meal." Which befuddled me since I often eat chicken wings and celery as a meal. Good low carb choice!

People are losing their minds over this!



brookelizabeth said:


> I just LOVE that!! What a great meal. I'm sure it felt nice to be back!!



It was fantastic to sit at a table and have someone bring you food, pour wine for you, and just enjoy!



brookelizabeth said:


> I'm the same way. Joe and Henry are always explaining things to me when it comes to Star Wars and Marvel, even though I've seen most / all the movies and know the story lines.



We just watched Avengers Infinity Wars and I still didn't understand the Infinity Gauntlet that Thanos got in the end. I have to watch that one again.



brookelizabeth said:


> That technology fascinates me! But it really does sound like a work out, like Toy Story Mania is.



It's 10x the workout of TSMM. I'm amazed at how low my stamina level is for Theme Park rides. The adrenaline exertion is such that I can only do 3-4 rides in a day before fatigue sets in. I wonder if that will get better the more I go back to the park. 



brookelizabeth said:


> That is pretty cool!!



I'm glad I got that pic in the previews, I bet there's a line for it now!



brookelizabeth said:


> I wonder how popular these will be. This kind of "cash grab" thing always bugs me... do you recall the price? Not something I would likely ever purchase myself unless it was only a couple bucks. I'm just too cheap.



The basic unit was $29.99, Fran bought us both one, and the enhancer yesterday.   I sure hope we get a BG next week!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Thanks for doing that. Nobody wants to eat with naked people in the room.



 Like we want to walk through Disney like that. We would get nekkid once we were there! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Pretty cool sure beats "incredibly disappointing" though.



That is true....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Those are some big meatballs.



Not what you want before a big meal.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That's probably why they only had one piece.



Maybe....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Fancy Schmancy!



We be fancy!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Finally, some food I recognize.



  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That looks a little weird. Not a huge fan of carrot cake--please keep vegetables out of my dessert. Thanks.



I'm not a fan of carrot cake either, but luckily this only had a few crumbles on it and I could pick around them.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, enjoy your evening in line!



At least it moved quickly! Can't say that for the current line.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ah, go ahead and spoil me rotten.



We'll try in 2022!  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> It's a machine designed to seamlessly remove more dollars from your wallet as you pass by.



That's not too hard.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That sounds like fun to me. I always hated the pull-string on TSMM.



It was fun, but tiring.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Thank you for not killing Spider-man!



You're welcome!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Wow. That's certainly a choice



  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Apparently there's a Dr. Strange magic show around there.



OK. Good to know.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Sounds similar to SWGE. They open the lesser ride first and then the big showstopper opens when it's finally ready.



Why wait until it's done to start grabbing the money?



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I guess the to-go boxes don't come in that size!



Everything there is designed to be eaten in the park. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> You knew there was going to be a cash grab in here somewhere.



Everything is a cash grab there!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> It would be awesome if the Dora Milaje were the ones kicking people out of the park.



See here's another one where I missed the nuance. Once I googled Dora Milaje I immediately recognized them, but I just don't pick up on many names and other subtleties.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> People are nuts!



Evidently the policies have been changing hourly since it opened and mobile order is out. I guess people thought that if they had placed a mobile order that would guarantee entry to the land. We were there yesterday and the restaurant had reported to "Stand by" which meant you just waited in a line when you wanted food. What a novel concept!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Yay for updates! I was two behind and for some reason did not receive an alert.



I don't get them either and I'm the one who authored the thread!



rentayenta said:


> Fun fun!!!! I cannot wait for Avenger's Campus in 2 weeks!



Now it's one week!


----------



## franandaj

wishing4PA said:


> Let's not give Disney any ideas, but they _could_ charge triple for the things if they came with a bonus BG entry.



I think they are trying to be as fair as they can without turning it into a "pay to play" experience. 



wishing4PA said:


> Did someone say _chocolate?_ Now I've got to go back and find out what we are talking about and look at the photo!
> Edit: Ooooooh... the cosmic cream orb. I'll have to order multiples now.



I've got an even better chocolate one for you coming up in three updates.


----------



## wishing4PA

franandaj said:


> I think they are trying to be as fair as they can without turning it into a "pay to play" experience.


Good point. So maybe it comes down to sort of a what is our corporate philosophy thing. I do hope they stick with the "fairness" doctrine -- in at least this one case. I tend not to like when they deviate from that too much.


> I've got an even better chocolate one for you coming up in three updates.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Like the ramps.  But they sure look steep!



They're not that bad. There is a point where the scooter "bottoms out" and you have to lift it over that point. They are 3ft ramps and fit in a standard handicapped parking spot. She bought 5ft ramps, but they're too heavy to lift up, and too long to use in a parking lot. 4ft might be the "Goldilocks" but I'm OK with the ones we have.



pkondz said:


> That's what I mean. There should be enough to go around at capacity, so I'm surprised there weren't when it _wasn't_ at capacity.



There are never enough handicapped spaces. 



pkondz said:


> That's disgusting.



It happens. Most people only care about themselves these days.



pkondz said:


> Okay. Then I'll stick with getting my first at the wagon. Some day. Maybe.



Do you mean 1st one of the trip? Cause I thought you got us some on the trip with Kay. I like the option of both kinds and splitting them with Fran.



pkondz said:


> I don't know. I don't recognize it. Then again, I haven't seen Ultron.



I don't think it was from Ultron. I don't recognize it either. Maybe we'll ask next time we are there. I didn't get to finish looking at that store.



pkondz said:


> Oh... Then it won't happen at WDW.



Nope. But they are looking to add it in Paris and Tokyo.



pkondz said:


> Really? Huh!



It's available through Boarding Groups. If you get one at 7AM you can't get a 12 noon group, if you have a Park Hopper you can try for RotR at noon. Each ride is one ride per day.



pkondz said:


> Hope you can figure it out. I have similar issues on occasion which I'm almost positive is peppers. Or too many raw veggies.



The doctor recommended these holistic pellets that seem to be helping. She puts five of them underneath her tongue every day, and so far no debilitating cramps. Yesterday I forgot to give them to her in the morning, and she started to get some in the later afternoon, so I need to keep up on them in the morning.



pkondz said:


> Not quite. I've had my 2nd shot, but just a few days ago. Gimme 2-3 weeks and I will be.



Cool! Almost there!


----------



## franandaj

chunkymonkey said:


> Oh man, all your Disneyland posts have gotten me so excited to visit Cali again! So much so that I booked flights to San Diego in September! I found a good deal on flights so I booked it right away!



 

It should be nice and hot then!



chunkymonkey said:


> Also we haven't seen Steve's family in over a year. We are definitely going to visit Disneyland though! If you both are around, would love to buy you all a drink!  We are probably going to be there Sept 7-9, around those dates. I am not sure how this whole park reservation thing works, but I assume it's like WDW, where you get park tickets then reserve dates at each park?



I'd love to meet you out there! I sent you a text the other day. Do you still have the same phone number?



chunkymonkey said:


> I cannot wait to see Avenger's Campus, Steve and I are huge Marvel fans so it's definitely something we've been dreaming about! Webslingers reminds me of that Ninjago ride at Legoland. Only went there once but it's similar but Webslingers looks like it's a souped up version!



I know you guys are huge fans. You'll probably understand it better than me. I've heard Webslingers compared to Ninjago as well.



chunkymonkey said:


> Your dinner at the Club looks AMAZING as usual. That salmon and the strawberry buttermilk cake looks so good.



I can't speak for either of those since Fran had those, but she enjoyed them.



chunkymonkey said:


> Oh and yes I do have a new TR started! Its right here: *Social Disney-ing, A Chunky Birthday Trip!*



Thanks for clueing me in. I was checking your old TRs looking for links hoping you would eventually come back.


----------



## franandaj

cruisehopeful said:


> I watched a ride through on Youtube and I was thinking that I wouldn't even be able to participate in the entire ride. I wonder if the ride is any good if you just sit through it and watch it like a movie.



I bet you would pick up on a lot more nuances than when you're flailing around trying to kill the bots!



cruisehopeful said:


> I live for times like that! That's the only ride that I will go back on several times in a row, but rarely get the opportunity to do that.



It is a fun one to do repeatedly. Not too long but tons of fun!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> I wish they would have a combo version of these dogs. The idea of BOTH together sounds great! Is the Little Red Wagon Open ?



That would be good too!  Have you heard of this one?





Steppesister said:


> WOW!! That technology is REALLY over the top. Sounds super fun!! Hopefully sometime soon I can try it out!!



Yeah, it is proving to be quite difficult to get the 7AM Boarding Group. We will see how the 12PM situation works when we go next week.



Steppesister said:


> Ok that's pretty funny. That guy is REALLY into it!



I know, right?????



Steppesister said:


> This gives me vertigo just looking at it. OY!



Well, it is an optical illusion, so you won't get vertigo while you're there......



Steppesister said:


> Holy crap!



  It took us several sittings to finish it off!



Steppesister said:


> This seriously reminds me of the Muppets area at DHS.



I can see that.



Steppesister said:


> My kind of breakfast!!



It was yummy!  I hope to get another one of these and split it with Jenny when we go back next week!


----------



## franandaj

wishing4PA said:


> Good point. So maybe it comes down to sort of a what is our corporate philosophy thing. I do hope they stick with the "fairness" doctrine -- in at least this one case. I tend not to like when they deviate from that too much.



I think this is their "best solution". They don't want people waiting for 4-6 hours (which they would do and did for Radiator Springs Racers) so I guess the fast finger phone lottery is the next best option.


----------



## franandaj




----------



## franandaj




----------



## franandaj

Fran gets her Monte Cristo!

So we’re jumping back a couple weeks from the Avengers update.  In Mid May Fran had still not had a hot Monte Cristo sandwich served to her in the park.  I brought her home some of my leftovers, but that’s not the same. There had been several opportunities for Fran to get a Monte Cristo and yet she still had not had that experience since the park opened, but because she didn’t feel up to it, she ended up not going. Today she would finally have that experience!

This was our first day that our park reservation was for DCA and not DL. We didn't get as early a start as I wanted. I'd hoped to leave at 10AM but it was closer to 11:30 when we finally left. It was 12:30 when we were approaching the gates so we stuck with our DCA choice since we couldn't park hop until 1:00PM.

I convinced Fran to ride TSMM so we headed to Pixar Pier first.  We stopped in the gift shop and she found a shirt that she wanted but they didn't have it in her size.









The line wasn’t too bad and pretty soon we were approaching the ride.





I wonder if they will remove these “Not Available” signs when the state reopens on June 15th?





Here comes our special accessible vehicle!





Vehicle loaded and ready to go.













We are out of practice and need to go back. At least I did get best in vehicle!





We continued around the pier, looking in the other shop near the Fun Wheel for her shirt, again with no luck. We continued around the circle past Silly Symphony Swings.





I’m sad that the Corn Dog Palace isn’t open, but glad that at least the same menu is being served at Award Wieners.





The Zephyr is down right now too.





It was still pretty quiet in this corridor.





She wanted to look through Ink and Paint, while I rode Guardians. 





There was no one else behind me in the queue and I was able to go slowly through the front room and take pictures.

























The weren’t running the pre-show, and I got to take pictures of Taneleer Tivan’s office. I also noticed that the walkman was gone…..









I don’t know why I’m always obsessed with this disgusting food table.





We noticed these little touches to put this area more in line with the Avengers Campus.  The little boxes on the wall were all over the rest of the Avengers Campus.

I got pat Benetar's Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and the camera malfunctioned so I didn't get a picture. That's two for two. I couldn't get the photo from my last ride to link up to my PP account from the day with Jenny.









I was amazed at how long the line had become, it wasn’t like that when I got there. They got really creative with the queue.









It was coming on time for our reservation at Cafe Orleans, so on the way out of the park, she wanted to look through Elias & Co. She made the mistake of asking me if I wanted to look at any jewelry. 

Now during the lockdown, I became very lax about my appearance. Since I never saw anyone but the Chiropractor, mailman, and gardener, well and Fran, but we don't care what each other looks like, I rarely wore jewelry and such. In preparation for our nights out, the week before this, I decided to change the earrings in my upper posts (I have four piercings in one ear and two in the other). Since I lost a few earrings in the early pandemic, I put in some earrings that screwed in instead of the traditional backing. Well they had been there so long without changing them, I actually had to use pliers to get them off and one of my ears was bleeding when I was done.

I had mentioned to Fran that she should look out on her FB posts in case she saw any good deals on Mickey shaped earrings. Now I can't wear just any earrings. They have to be gold or sterling silver. I can't wear Hypoallergenic earrings. They irritate my ears, so everything I end up with is usually expensive.

So when we asked if I wanted to look at any jewelry, it's not the stuff hanging on the spinning displays in the middle of a room. It's the stuff in the glass cases, locked up and you need someone to "help" you with it.

And fortunately (or unfortunately) I found something it liked! And these were the exact pair that I got, it was their last pair.





Fran always likes to buy me 2 pairs since I lose earrings so much. She says "one to use and one to lose", so we decided after our late lunch to check the other jewelry stores.

We were on our way to our reservation at Cafe Orleans, and before boarding Guardians I had the wherewithal to check the app and see that Jolly Holiday still had the Mickey Macaron. I ordered that and a Cinnamon Roll and chose an order window just before our Cafe Orleans reservation. We could take those home and enjoy them later. I picked them up as we passed by on our way to lunch/dinner.

*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

We were seated quickly at Cafe Orleans. 





I ordered the Gumbo. It was really good and I split it with Fran. 





We both got the Monte Cristo, and she finished hers while I took home some for her to have later.









Then we went to the hub and bought some popcorn buckets. My friend Scott in FL wanted one and they were selling for $75+ on eBay, so we picked up one for him. 









Now every day that we come back to the parks it looks more and more crowded and today was no exception. The crowd towards the end of Main Street looks almost like pre pandemic.





We hadn’t taken any Photopass pictures since the parks opened so we decided to get a few today.









On our way out of DL, we stopped in the jewelry store for that second set of Mickey earrings. They were out of them too, so we decided to go back to Off the Page as the folks at Elias & Co. said that they had one pair left. 

At Off the Page I found something else that struck my fancy. Maleficent head earrings. And if course those were the pair that I got because they were the last pair.





They called over to the Dress Shop who had ample stock of the earrings so they agreed to hold them while we made our way there.

On the way, we traveled through World of Disney, still in search of that elusive shirt, again to no luck. So we purchased our earrings and Marcelines was right next door. I couldn't resist the call of the Candied Apple and the Marshmallow Wand. 





And our haul from the Jolly Holiday. 









Here’s what I crossed off the list this time! Including what I got before the Avengers Preview

Eat:
Plaza Inn Chicken
Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
Asparagus Skewer 
Cafe Orleans
Mickey Macaroon from Jolly Holiday
Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
Funnel Cake
Pickle Corn Dog
Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
Sweet treats from candy shops
Ghirardelli sundae

Ride:
Haunted Mansion 
Pirates
Star Tours 
Space Mountain 
Guardians of the Galaxy
Soarin
Indiana Jones
Incredicoaster
Little Mermaid
RotR
Falcon
Train
Snow White
TSMM
Mr. Toad
BTMRR
RSR


----------



## wishing4PA

I'm not sure if you did a better job of shopping or eating! 
It all looks good though! Those Maleficent earrings are super cute!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> They're not that bad. There is a point where the scooter "bottoms out" and you have to lift it over that point. They are 3ft ramps and fit in a standard handicapped parking spot. She bought 5ft ramps, but they're too heavy to lift up, and too long to use in a parking lot. 4ft might be the "Goldilocks" but I'm OK with the ones we have.


As long as it works for you without too much trouble.


franandaj said:


> There are never enough handicapped spaces.


I can see that. 


franandaj said:


> It happens. Most people only care about themselves these days.


Hmm... I prefer to think that most people are kind, but _some_ people only care about themselves, but you tend to notice those more.


franandaj said:


> Do you mean 1st one of the trip? Cause I thought you got us some on the trip with Kay. I like the option of both kinds and splitting them with Fran.


I tried to get some, but it was before fireworks and the line was about a mile long.


franandaj said:


> Nope. But they are looking to add it in Paris and Tokyo.


Huh


franandaj said:


> It's available through Boarding Groups. If you get one at 7AM you can't get a 12 noon group, if you have a Park Hopper you can try for RotR at noon. Each ride is one ride per day.


I would think that will change with time. I remember when TSMM was pretty much a one/day too. Well, you could run, grab a FP and then rope drop it. But that was it. After that, the line was prohibitive. Now... sometimes it's a walk-on.


franandaj said:


> The doctor recommended these holistic pellets that seem to be helping. She puts five of them underneath her tongue every day, and so far no debilitating cramps. Yesterday I forgot to give them to her in the morning, and she started to get some in the later afternoon, so I need to keep up on them in the morning.


Glad you found something that works!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> So we’re jumping back a couple weeks from the Avengers update.


Cool! I had no idea time travel was an option!


Speaking of... I saw this cute/funny tik tok video yesterday.
A young lady is speaking to the camera:

"I keep hearing guys come up to me and say "If I was 20 years younger... Focus Harold! It's June 2001! We have to stop 9-11!"


franandaj said:


> In Mid May Fran had still not had a hot Monte Cristo sandwich served to her in the park.


This is a travesty that must be corrected!


franandaj said:


> Today she would finally have that experience!


I'd like to as well. I've made my own and it wasn't really a hit.


franandaj said:


> I wonder if they will remove these “Not Available” signs when the state reopens on June 15th?


Probably? I hear in FL they're removing all the plexi.


franandaj said:


> Here comes our special accessible vehicle!


How many accessible seats does it have? Room for 4? Or just 2? Or 3?


franandaj said:


>


Nice shot of you two. 


franandaj said:


> At least I did get best in vehicle!


Wait a sec... In the above photo, Fran is on your left... the high score is on the left... Shenanigans??


franandaj said:


>


Pretty


franandaj said:


> The Zephyr is down right now too.


Funny... I don't remember seeing that. I must have, but it just didn't register.
I presume it goes up?


franandaj said:


> She wanted to look through Ink and Paint, while I rode Guardians.


I would too. That sounds like a cool store.


franandaj said:


> There was no one else behind me in the queue and I was able to go slowly through the front room and take pictures.


Love that. If you recall, I did something similar at TOT not long ago.


franandaj said:


>


Like this shot the best. 


franandaj said:


> I also noticed that the walkman was gone…..


How on Earth could you notice that?!?!?


franandaj said:


> I don’t know why I’m always obsessed with this disgusting food table.


Hungry? Wanna forgo that Monte Christo??


franandaj said:


> the camera malfunctioned so I didn't get a picture.


Shoot!!! 

Or rather... it didn't.


franandaj said:


> I was amazed at how long the line had become, it wasn’t like that when I got there. They got really creative with the queue.


It was there. You just didn't notice and you cut in front of everyone.




franandaj said:


> she wanted to look through Elias & Co. She made the mistake of asking me if I wanted to look at any jewelry.


Uh, oh! 


franandaj said:


> (I have four piercings in one ear and two in the other).


Sorry, that's not symmetrical. You'll have to close one on one side and get another on the other side.


yes I'm kidding.


franandaj said:


> Since I lost a few earrings in the early pandemic,


The pandemic made you lose earrings??


franandaj said:


> Well they had been there so long without changing them, I actually had to use pliers to get them off and one of my ears was bleeding when I was done.





franandaj said:


> Now I can't wear just any earrings. They have to be gold or sterling silver.


That's like my sister. Except I think she can't do silver either.


franandaj said:


> And fortunately (or unfortunately) I found something it liked! And these were the exact pair that I got, it was their last pair.


Nice.


franandaj said:


> Fran always likes to buy me 2 pairs since I lose earrings so much. She says "one to use and one to lose",


 That can get pricey!


franandaj said:


> Jolly Holiday still had the Mickey Macaron. I ordered that and a Cinnamon Roll and chose an order window just before our Cafe Orleans reservation. We could take those home and enjoy them later.


I was wondering! "How are they going to eat all that... and _then_ have Monte Christos!?!?"


franandaj said:


> I ordered the Gumbo. It was really good and I split it with Fran.


mmmm... want.


franandaj said:


> I took home some for her to have later.


Yeah, I don't know if I could have gumbo _plus_ that sammie. Lots!


franandaj said:


> Then we went to the hub and bought some popcorn buckets. My friend Scott in FL wanted one and they were selling for $75+ on eBay, so we picked up one for him.


How much are they in the park??


franandaj said:


> The crowd towards the end of Main Street looks almost like pre pandemic.


We've had this conversation. Both a good thing and a bad thing.


franandaj said:


>


 Fran's shirt!!


franandaj said:


>


Cute shot. 


franandaj said:


> Maleficent head earrings.


Really like those!


franandaj said:


> I couldn't resist the call of the Candied Apple and the Marshmallow Wand.


<sigh> No. Still haven't. 


franandaj said:


> And our haul from the Jolly Holiday.


Your macaron!


franandaj said:


> Here’s what I crossed off the list this time! Including what I got before the Avengers Preview


----------



## rentayenta

Fun update and I love the earrings! Happy Fran got her fresh Monte Cristo!!!

Trying again for WS BG in a few minutes. Wish me luck.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> I don't think I ever went to the parks (and was let to run around alone) so that I had to meet up with anyone. I do remember that my ex-hubby's parents had a tradition of 5PM cocktails at the Disneyland Hotel in the site where Trader Sam's now sits. So we knew to meet them there and they would buy us drinks. Other than that when I went with my parents, they didn't let me out of their sight. After that I was an adult and went with one or two friends.



I doubt very seriously I would do that now with kids. Crazy abounds. It was safer then, and I'm sure my parents welcomed a break from my twin sisters who were 2 doses of hell on wheels. But.... 5PM cocktails, you say? I like that tradition.



franandaj said:


> Maybe you can try it WITH me.



Now you're talking! I'm certain there'd be no small amount of giggling.



franandaj said:


> I might try that one next time.



If you do, ask what the proportions are, might get the stuff to make that at home for Saturday evening cocktail hour. 



franandaj said:


> It's a pandemic thing. Bars themselves are not allowed to be open, or they just did recently. So people had to have some kind of food that was served to be considered a restaurant. Back last year, Gov. Newsom declared that "Chicken Wings were not a meal." And I was like  I often have chicken wings for a meal. It's a great low carb thing, and the celery is your veggie!



Silly. Too many things that made absolutely no sense. Covid doesn't discern whether there is food in a place or not.   



franandaj said:


> They do that with the Dark and Stormy in Trader Sam's Grog Grotto.



One I've never gotten. Should though. 



franandaj said:


> It's based off one of the sketches in Monty Python's "Meaning of Life" where the guy is so stuffed and asks the waiter to "Bring me a bucket." He subsequently explodes, and I got so grossed out I had to run out of the theater to keep from hurling. Every time I've watched the movie since then, I forward through that sketch or go to the potty.



Ohhh, I'm not even sure if I've seen that one or not. I don't think l have. Nevertheless it sounds like the Alien part where it explodes out of the chest. I walked out at that point. So gross. 



franandaj said:


> That would be good too! Have you heard of this one?


WAIT!! Slow down!!!! WHAT IS THIS?! Is that a pickle? I need that!! 



franandaj said:


> Yeah, it is proving to be quite difficult to get the 7AM Boarding Group. We will see how the 12PM situation works when we go next week.



I may try for the 1:00PM next trip and skip the whole getting up early part, since I want to see some PM stuff in the park if it's back by the time I go.




franandaj said:


> Well, it is an optical illusion, so you won't get vertigo while you're there......



It looks so real! LOL! I mean, I know it's not, but 


franandaj said:


> It was yummy! I hope to get another one of these and split it with Jenny when we go back next week!



You 2 have fun!! Wish I could join you!


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> We didn't get as early a start as I wanted.



This seems to be a theme.  


franandaj said:


> I’m sad that the Corn Dog Palace isn’t open, but glad that at least the same menu is being served at Award Wieners.


I like the location of this one so much better. Hope it opens soon!!



franandaj said:


> I don’t know why I’m always obsessed with this disgusting food table.



Me too!!! It's just unique; same with the little room of "stuff" at Ronto's. 


franandaj said:


> Since I lost a few earrings in the early pandemic, I put in some earrings that screwed in instead of the traditional backing. Well they had been there so long without changing them, I actually had to use pliers to get them off and one of my ears was bleeding when I was done.



Been there, done that. It's awful! 


franandaj said:


> We were on our way to our reservation at Cafe Orleans, and before boarding Guardians I had the wherewithal to check the app and see that Jolly Holiday still had the Mickey Macaron. I ordered that and a Cinnamon Roll and chose an order window just before our Cafe Orleans reservation. We could take those home and enjoy them later. I picked them up as we passed by on our way to lunch/dinner.



Good planning!! 


franandaj said:


>



Everything looks great except for the unripe strawberry. 



franandaj said:


> Then we went to the hub and bought some popcorn buckets. My friend Scott in FL wanted one and they were selling for $75+ on eBay, so we picked up one for him.


$75? I saw one for $45 just now. I think he could do better. I just sold my Porg Tiki for $50. I think I bought it for $35. I'm bringing and extra bag with me next trip to get a mug or two for selling. Unless I love it and then I might have to keep it. At the least I need to replace my green glass tiki from Jock's as it cracked. 



franandaj said:


>


I like the top pair a lot, and have the bottom pair but sadly one of the posts broke off one of them.  I asked a jeweler if he could fix it and the answer was no. But there is another one in town that I would like to ask. If it can't be fixed I am going to have them made into a necklace of some sort. Maybe caged or something. ?


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> In Mid May Fran had still not had a hot Monte Cristo sandwich served to her in the park.



This is something up with which I will not put!



franandaj said:


> I wonder if they will remove these “Not Available” signs when the state reopens on June 15th?



I sure hope so.



franandaj said:


> We are out of practice and need to go back. At least I did get best in vehicle!



So you've got that going for you, which is nice.



franandaj said:


> I also noticed that the walkman was gone…..



What?  Did somebody steal it?



franandaj said:


> I don’t know why I’m always obsessed with this disgusting food table.



So many jokes here...biting my tongue...



franandaj said:


> Well they had been there so long without changing them, I actually had to use pliers to get them off and one of my ears was bleeding when I was done.



Whoa!  I'm not an expert on earrings, but I don't think that's how it's supposed to work.



franandaj said:


> And fortunately (or unfortunately) I found something it liked! And these were the exact pair that I got, it was their last pair.



Nice!



franandaj said:


> We both got the Monte Cristo, and she finished hers while I took home some for her to have later.



Mmmm...all is right with the world.



franandaj said:


> Now every day that we come back to the parks it looks more and more crowded and today was no exception. The crowd towards the end of Main Street looks almost like pre pandemic.



Yeah, quite the difference from the previous photos.



franandaj said:


> Here’s what I crossed off the list this time! Including what I got before the Avengers Preview



Nice work!  Looks like a lot more progress.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> In Mid May Fran had still not had a hot Monte Cristo sandwich served to her in the park. I brought her home some of my leftovers, but that’s not the same.



I'm glad she was going to get one!



franandaj said:


>



This picture makes me so happy...hello Incredicoaster, Fun wheel, blue sky



franandaj said:


> I wonder if they will remove these “Not Available” signs when the state reopens on June 15th?



Now I'm wondering too, as it's the 16th...



franandaj said:


> Here comes our special accessible vehicle!



I know the side area from when I had my post surgery ankle and was wheel-chairing around...if I ever have to do Disney post surgery again, will def be a scooter. 




franandaj said:


> The Zephyr is down right now too.



Do you ever ride it?



franandaj said:


> while I rode Guardians.



I was going to ask what song, however I know now...



franandaj said:


> I also noticed that the walkman was gone…..



Whaaattt???



franandaj said:


> I don’t know why I’m always obsessed with this disgusting food table.



Wow I don't even remember it!



franandaj said:


> I got pat Benetar's Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and the camera malfunctioned so I didn't get a picture. That's two for two. I couldn't get the photo from my last ride to link up to my PP account from the day with Jenny.



Yay as I like this song, boo for no picture



franandaj said:


> She made the mistake of asking me if I wanted to look at any jewelry.



Oh boy!



franandaj said:


> I actually had to use pliers to get them off and one of my ears was bleeding when I was done.



Whoa!! 



franandaj said:


> And fortunately (or unfortunately) I found something it liked! And these were the exact pair that I got, it was their last pair.



My immediate thought...Last pair! Oh no! You need a pair to lose!
Yay for finding it. I had some in red, the birthstone ones they carry, I should wear them one of these days.
I have a pair of full hook dangly Donald earrings from DL from when I was a kid still...



franandaj said:


> I ordered the Gumbo. It was really good and I split it with Fran.



Yum, perfect little appy!



franandaj said:


>



The orange sauce was from the chips right? I'm having a moment...



franandaj said:


>



Hehe Fran's shirt!



franandaj said:


>



Ok that's a lot of awesome in one picture!


----------



## franandaj

wishing4PA said:


> I'm not sure if you did a better job of shopping or eating!



It is usually a valid question!



wishing4PA said:


> It all looks good though! Those Maleficent earrings are super cute!



Thanks I like them a lot!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Hmm... I prefer to think that most people are kind, but _some_ people only care about themselves, but you tend to notice those more.



Jenny and I were talking about this yesterday and she too sees that everyone (at least around us) is becoming "me me me".



pkondz said:


> I tried to get some, but it was before fireworks and the line was about a mile long.



Yes that happens. 



pkondz said:


> I would think that will change with time. I remember when TSMM was pretty much a one/day too. Well, you could run, grab a FP and then rope drop it. But that was it. After that, the line was prohibitive. Now... sometimes it's a walk-on.



As long as there are boarding groups, they can lock you out after your first ride. We will have to see if they eventually drop the Boarding groups. 



pkondz said:


> Glad you found something that works!



 We'll just have to see!



pkondz said:


> Cool! I had no idea time travel was an option!



On the DISboards almost anything can happen (except religion and politics).



pkondz said:


> Speaking of... I saw this cute/funny tik tok video yesterday.
> A young lady is speaking to the camera:
> 
> "I keep hearing guys come up to me and say "If I was 20 years younger... Focus Harold! It's June 2001! We have to stop 9-11!"







pkondz said:


> This is a travesty that must be corrected!







pkondz said:


> I'd like to as well. I've made my own and it wasn't really a hit.



I've made a pretty good one, many years ago, but it was very messy in the kitchen.



pkondz said:


> Probably? I hear in FL they're removing all the plexi.



Yup, most of it is gone in Cali too. Still at some registers and other high traffic cast interaction locations. But it's gone on all the rides and they are loading at full capacity.  



pkondz said:


> How many accessible seats does it have? Room for 4? Or just 2? Or 3?



Well each vehicle has two cars. The front one where we were sitting has room for two in front. The back side can be converted for a manual wheelchair. But otherwise is not used. The back car seats four, two on each side.

What makes it also accessible is that the spot where Fran is sitting has a button on the shooter in addition to a pull string. I've used it and the button is not as fast as the pull string.



pkondz said:


> Nice shot of you two.



Thanks!



pkondz said:


> Wait a sec... In the above photo, Fran is on your left... the high score is on the left... Shenanigans??



When you take a selfie on my phone it's a mirror image so flip it around and I'm actually the one on the left!

When I filmed my videos for the virtual band concert, the time on the microwave is backwards.



pkondz said:


> Funny... I don't remember seeing that. I must have, but it just didn't register.
> I presume it goes up?



It goes up and spins. Based on the laws of physics the ride vehicles spin out and upwards the faster it spins. I've never been on it. I should change that when it reopens.



pkondz said:


> I would too. That sounds like a cool store.



It has neat stuff, art, jewelry, and books and stuff.



pkondz said:


> Love that. If you recall, I did something similar at TOT not long ago.



I haven't been through the lobby in quite a few years. With the scooters they take us on the back way.



pkondz said:


> How on Earth could you notice that?!?!?



At the end of the preshow Rocket takes the Walkman as everyone is walking out the back door. He says something like "Oh, and I can't forget this." You see his little racoon hand reach down into the case and pick it up" 

Then he gives it back to Starlord during the ride.



pkondz said:


> Hungry? Wanna forgo that Monte Christo??










pkondz said:


> Shoot!!!
> 
> Or rather... it didn't.



At least I finally got one! Later....



pkondz said:


> It was there. You just didn't notice and you cut in front of everyone.



Technically it's not cutting... 



pkondz said:


> Sorry, that's not symmetrical. You'll have to close one on one side and get another on the other side.
> 
> 
> yes I'm kidding.



Yeah, I did it as an angry teenager. Everytime my mom did something or punished me, I'd go in the bathroom with a needle and a thimble and put another hole in my ear. After the one side got full I started on the other. I guess I stopped being angry before I hit symmetry!



pkondz said:


> The pandemic made you lose earrings??



I think one fell out while I was in the shower, and another I was on the table at the Chiropractor when the massage therapist noticed that I had a missing one too. I put in earrings from the "B" selection since I wouldn't be seeing anyone but the Chiropractor, mailman, and gardener. 



pkondz said:


> That's like my sister. Except I think she can't do silver either.



If I couldn't do silver that would get really expensive!



pkondz said:


> That can get pricey!



Yes it can...but I don't often find things I really like anymore. Ive gotten much pickier!



pkondz said:


> I was wondering! "How are they going to eat all that... and _then_ have Monte Christos!?!?"



We are keen on what we can take home with us. Next trip we need some Togo snacks!



pkondz said:


> Yeah, I don't know if I could have gumbo _plus_ that sammie. Lots!



It's good when you can split. When it was four pieces, I usually only ate one and we took one and a half home.



pkondz said:


> How much are they in the park??



They were $24.



pkondz said:


> We've had this conversation. Both a good thing and a bad thing.



It's nice having Avengers Campus open. No one is at DL right now.



pkondz said:


> Fran's shirt!!



  Yes that is a recurring theme with her.



pkondz said:


> Cute shot.



Thanks.  The photographer told us we would be getting a shot with Minnie Mouse.  



pkondz said:


> Really like those!



Thanks! I was wearing them as a pair in my 2nd positions, then I switched to Mickeys in the 2nd position and put one Maleficent in the third on my right ear.



pkondz said:


> <sigh> No. Still haven't.



You really need to get on that!



pkondz said:


> Your macaron!



So yummy! I think I'll get another on Monday.


----------



## pooh'smate

Someday I'll make it to Disneyland and get to try the Monte Cristo. It always looks really yummy in the pictures.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Jenny and I were talking about this yesterday and she too sees that everyone (at least around us) is becoming "me me me".


Who, me?





franandaj said:


> As long as there are boarding groups, they can lock you out after your first ride. We will have to see if they eventually drop the Boarding groups.


There was an article on the DIS about that just the other day.
Is the Last-Minute Disappointment of Attractions with Virtual Queues Becoming the Way of the Future? (wdwinfo.com)


franandaj said:


> On the DISboards almost anything can happen (except religion and politics).




Oh, Lord, that's true. Maybe we can elect someone to look into that?


whoops!


franandaj said:


> Yup, most of it is gone in Cali too. Still at some registers and other high traffic cast interaction locations. But it's gone on all the rides and they are loading at full capacity.





franandaj said:


> When you take a selfie on my phone it's a mirror image so flip it around and I'm actually the one on the left!


Huh!
I tried it with my phone before commenting and I could've sworn it didn't do that.
So just now I took a regular photo and a "selfie" photo of the microwave clock:

regular photo:


"selfie" photo:


Weird that mine doesn't do that and yours does!


franandaj said:


> When I filmed my videos for the virtual band concert, the time on the microwave is backwards.


See above.


franandaj said:


> It goes up and spins. Based on the laws of physics the ride vehicles spin out and upwards the faster it spins. I've never been on it. I should change that when it reopens.


To be complete, you should. 


franandaj said:


> I haven't been through the lobby in quite a few years. With the scooters they take us on the back way.


You're missing out IMHO. It's one of the best things about the ride.


franandaj said:


> At the end of the preshow Rocket takes the Walkman as everyone is walking out the back door. He says something like "Oh, and I can't forget this." You see his little racoon hand reach down into the case and pick it up"
> 
> Then he gives it back to Starlord during the ride.


Ohhhh...


franandaj said:


> Technically it's not cutting...





franandaj said:


> Yeah, I did it as an angry teenager. Everytime my mom did something or punished me, I'd go in the bathroom with a needle and a thimble and put another hole in my ear. After the one side got full I started on the other. I guess I stopped being angry before I hit symmetry!





franandaj said:


> It's good when you can split.





franandaj said:


> They were $24.


Not a bad markup, then.


franandaj said:


> Yes that is a recurring theme with her.





franandaj said:


> You really need to get on that!


 I know!!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Fun update and I love the earrings! Happy Fran got her fresh Monte Cristo!!!



Thanks!



rentayenta said:


> Trying again for WS BG in a few minutes. Wish me luck.



Well at least you finally got it!


----------



## rentayenta

Finally!!!!!!!  I have 2 more practice days!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> I doubt very seriously I would do that now with kids. Crazy abounds. It was safer then, and I'm sure my parents welcomed a break from my twin sisters who were 2 doses of hell on wheels. But.... 5PM cocktails, you say? I like that tradition.



Well 5PM or depending on when we get there. In my upcoming updates, you'll find a few "gaps" or just the day ends somewhat abruptly.  You can fill in the rest with information you know that I may not want to be putting out there....  And it definitely involves cocktails!



Steppesister said:


> Now you're talking! I'm certain there'd be no small amount of giggling.



Now we would have to find four other people to do it with since they are loading to full capacity now.



Steppesister said:


> If you do, ask what the proportions are, might get the stuff to make that at home for Saturday evening cocktail hour.



Found this online...but it doesn't sound exactly the same.  Maybe I'll get it on Monday....

*The Penthouse*

1 1⁄2 oz Gin, Tanqueray Rangpur
1 1⁄2 oz Vodka, Reyka
1⁄4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
1 twst Lemon peel
Instructions
Shake w/ ice, strain, serve up



Steppesister said:


> Silly. Too many things that made absolutely no sense. Covid doesn't discern whether there is food in a place or not.



I think their rationale was that if you are gathering in a place solely for the purpose of drinking, you're more likely to exhibit risky behavior.  Then again people were going to engage in risky behavior regardless, so all it did was make the bars lose money.



Steppesister said:


> One I've never gotten. Should though.



It's my favorite there now! And I upgrade to a Category 5 where they use either 151 or an extra shot of Premium Rum.



Steppesister said:


> Ohhh, I'm not even sure if I've seen that one or not. I don't think l have. Nevertheless it sounds like the Alien part where it explodes out of the chest. I walked out at that point. So gross.



Yeah, I'm pretty sure I never saw that movie.



Steppesister said:


> WAIT!! Slow down!!!! WHAT IS THIS?! Is that a pickle? I need that!!



It's at a stand in DTD, it will probably be one of the later things off my list that I try, still got a lot of food to go.  Working my way on the rides though.



Steppesister said:


> I may try for the 1:00PM next trip and skip the whole getting up early part, since I want to see some PM stuff in the park if it's back by the time I go.



It's at noon here, but you have to be scanned into the park to get that one.



Steppesister said:


> It looks so real! LOL! I mean, I know it's not, but



When you see it in person, it's obvious that it's not, but it's fun!



Steppesister said:


> You 2 have fun!! Wish I could join you!



The three of us had a great time and eventually you will be hearing about it.



Steppesister said:


> This seems to be a theme.



Story of our lives.  



Steppesister said:


> I like the location of this one so much better. Hope it opens soon!!



Me too!



Steppesister said:


> Me too!!! It's just unique; same with the little room of "stuff" at Ronto's.



I'll have to look next time we are over there.  I never noticed it.



Steppesister said:


> Been there, done that. It's awful!



Yeah, I'm going to be sure to change them more often now.



Steppesister said:


> Good planning!!







Steppesister said:


> Everything looks great except for the unripe strawberry.



Yeah, but we ate it anyways.



Steppesister said:


> $75? I saw one for $45 just now. I think he could do better. I just sold my Porg Tiki for $50. I think I bought it for $35. I'm bringing and extra bag with me next trip to get a mug or two for selling. Unless I love it and then I might have to keep it. At the least I need to replace my green glass tiki from Jock's as it cracked.



They seem to have gone down in price, wait until people are desperate and there are hardly any left on the market.



Steppesister said:


> I like the top pair a lot, and have the bottom pair but sadly one of the posts broke off one of them.  I asked a jeweler if he could fix it and the answer was no. But there is another one in town that I would like to ask. If it can't be fixed I am going to have them made into a necklace of some sort. Maybe caged or something. ?



I thought about the bottom pair, but I so rarely wear pearls, it just didn't make sense to me.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> This is something up with which I will not put!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> I sure hope so.



And yes they did.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> So you've got that going for you, which is nice.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> What? Did somebody steal it?



Rocket had it so he could give it back to Starlord in one of the scenes on the ride.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> So many jokes here...biting my tongue...



Now you have me curious!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Whoa! I'm not an expert on earrings, but I don't think that's how it's supposed to work.



You are correct!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Mmmm...all is right with the world.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Yeah, quite the difference from the previous photos.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Nice work! Looks like a lot more progress.



Thanks!  I still have a ways to go!


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> Well 5PM or depending on when we get there. In my upcoming updates, you'll find a few "gaps" or just the day ends somewhat abruptly. You can fill in the rest with information you know that I may not want to be putting out there....  And it definitely involves cocktails!



I can fill in the lines.  I can feel the stress melting off my old and tired body. 



franandaj said:


> Now we would have to find four other people to do it with since they are loading to full capacity now.



I'm game for that. Now to figure out something easy and cheap to bribe some strangers with....



franandaj said:


> Found this online...but it doesn't sound exactly the same. Maybe I'll get it on Monday....
> 
> *The Penthouse*
> 
> 1 1⁄2 oz Gin, Tanqueray Rangpur
> 1 1⁄2 oz Vodka, Reyka
> 1⁄4 oz Elderflower liqueur, St. Germain
> 1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
> 1 twst Lemon peel
> Instructions
> Shake w/ ice, strain, serve up



That looks super strong... I might need a bit more mixer.



franandaj said:


> I think their rationale was that if you are gathering in a place solely for the purpose of drinking, you're more likely to exhibit risky behavior. Then again people were going to engage in risky behavior regardless, so all it did was make the bars lose money.



Correct. 



franandaj said:


> It's my favorite there now! And I upgrade to a Category 5 where they use either 151 or an extra shot of Premium Rum.


Sounds just lovely!! And dangerous. 



franandaj said:


> It's at a stand in DTD, it will probably be one of the later things off my list that I try, still got a lot of food to go. Working my way on the rides though.



You are on fire and making GREAT progress! 



franandaj said:


> When you see it in person, it's obvious that it's not, but it's fun!



On my list!




franandaj said:


> The three of us had a great time and eventually you will be hearing about it.



Looking forward to that. 



franandaj said:


> They seem to have gone down in price, wait until people are desperate and there are hardly any left on the market.



Good strategy for sure. The guy I sold it to was very nice. His brother can't get vaxxed d/t anaphylactic reactions to eggs so can't go out. The Porg was his birthday gift and I was happy to help him celebrate with it. The brother who bought it/picked it up is his caregiver (sounds like other issues too) was ecstatic he not only found one for the price I let it go for, but that he could pick it up right here in town.  



franandaj said:


> I thought about the bottom pair, but I so rarely wear pearls, it just didn't make sense to me.



Which..... makes sense.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> I'm glad she was going to get one!



Me too!



DnA2010 said:


> This picture makes me so happy...hello Incredicoaster, Fun wheel, blue sky



I was just happy seeing the pier!



DnA2010 said:


> Now I'm wondering too, as it's the 16th...



Well on the 17th, it seemed that they were all gone.



DnA2010 said:


> I know the side area from when I had my post surgery ankle and was wheel-chairing around...if I ever have to do Disney post surgery again, will def be a scooter.



Yeah, the few times I have done it with my scooter, we go up and down the elevator and then go out the single rider line.



DnA2010 said:


> Do you ever ride it?



I have actually never been on it.  I will change that once it opens again!



DnA2010 said:


> I was going to ask what song, however I know now...



Yup. Pat Benetar.



DnA2010 said:


> Whaaattt???



Well when the preshow was running, Rocket would take it just as everyone walked out of the room so that he could give it back to Starlord before the ride was over.



DnA2010 said:


> Wow I don't even remember it!



Huh. I always looked at it when we were in the queue.



DnA2010 said:


> Yay as I like this song, boo for no picture



Yeah, I'm sad that they didn't get a picture of us.  The camera didn't even go off!



DnA2010 said:


> My immediate thought...Last pair! Oh no! You need a pair to lose!



You know us too well!



DnA2010 said:


> Yay for finding it. I had some in red, the birthstone ones they carry, I should wear them one of these days.
> I have a pair of full hook dangly Donald earrings from DL from when I was a kid still...



I get why you wouldn't wear them so much. I do because right now I'm in Disney at least every week so I feel justified!



DnA2010 said:


> Yum, perfect little appy!



Totally!



DnA2010 said:


> The orange sauce was from the chips right? I'm having a moment...



Well yes, for the chips, but we call them fries!  Just had to give you that one back when you mentioned "dressing" the other day! 



DnA2010 said:


> Hehe Fran's shirt!



You're the second one to comment, she wore it to see who would!



DnA2010 said:


> Ok that's a lot of awesome in one picture!



Yes it is! We need to bring home some more awesomeness on Monday we have not brought any since that day!


----------



## brookelizabeth

franandaj said:


> We just watched Avengers Infinity Wars and I still didn't understand the Infinity Gauntlet that Thanos got in the end. I have to watch that one again.



I have no memory of this Infinity Gauntlet. I've seen the movie twice.   
We are watching Loki now and Joe and Henry have to explain things to me sometimes! I don't think I'll every remember it all... it's all just too complex of a story. But, that is kind of what makes it great for me too.



franandaj said:


> I'm amazed at how low my stamina level is for Theme Park rides. The adrenaline exertion is such that I can only do 3-4 rides in a day before fatigue sets in. I wonder if that will get better the more I go back to the park.



I think part of it is "people-ing" too. Learning to be around so many people and "on" for so long!



franandaj said:


> The weren’t running the pre-show, and I got to take pictures of Taneleer Tivan’s office. I also noticed that the walkman was gone…..



Rocket must have stole it!! . I actually really love that pre-show, one of the few I don't want to just skip.



franandaj said:


> And fortunately (or unfortunately) I found something it liked! And these were the exact pair that I got, it was their last pair.



LOVE these!!



franandaj said:


>



Fran's shirt!!  I need something similar for our upcoming Florida trip.  It will be interesting.



franandaj said:


> Maleficent head earrings. And if course those were the pair that I got because they were the last pair.



Those are great too!!


----------



## franandaj

pooh'smate said:


> Someday I'll make it to Disneyland and get to try the Monte Cristo. It always looks really yummy in the pictures.



I'll join you if you like!  It is really yummy!

You changed your avatar!  I almost thought you were a new subscriber!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> There was an article on the DIS about that just the other day.
> Is the Last-Minute Disappointment of Attractions with Virtual Queues Becoming the Way of the Future? (wdwinfo.com)



Yeah, it certainly can be disappointing.....



pkondz said:


> Oh, Lord, that's true. Maybe we can elect someone to look into that?
> 
> 
> whoops!







pkondz said:


> Huh!
> I tried it with my phone before commenting and I could've sworn it didn't do that.
> So just now I took a regular photo and a "selfie" photo of the microwave clock:
> 
> 
> Weird that mine doesn't do that and yours does!



This was one of my videos that I submitted for the virtual Spring concert this year.





Perhaps the iPhone accommodates that and my Galaxy 10+ doesn't.



pkondz said:


> To be complete, you should.



When it opens back up!



pkondz said:


> You're missing out IMHO. It's one of the best things about the ride.



It's not by my choice, but as soon as they see us (or Fran) show up on a scooter the CMs take us to the back.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> This was one of my videos that I submitted for the virtual Spring concert this year.


1. Can't clearly make out the time, but I presume the microwave _controls_ are on the right hand side?
2. You play really well, Alison.  And no, I'm not surprised by that at all.


franandaj said:


> Perhaps the iPhone accommodates that and my Galaxy 10+ doesn't.


Maybe?


franandaj said:


> It's not by my choice, but as soon as they see us (or Fran) show up on a scooter the CMs take us to the back.


I know it's not by choice. And I can't imagine having scooters in a packed line and trying to turn around to go back! (In order to just see the lobby.)


----------



## pooh'smate

franandaj said:


> I'll join you if you like!  It is really yummy!
> 
> You changed your avatar!  I almost thought you were a new subscriber!


I will for sure let you know when we make it out that way. Yes I did change my avatar. I like to switch it up every now and then.


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Finally!!!!!!!  I have 2 more practice days!



Chloe for the win!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> I can fill in the lines.  I can feel the stress melting off my old and tired body.



And I didn't make it there today, too many things to do at home, but a half day is better than no day at Disney!



Steppesister said:


> I'm game for that. Now to figure out something easy and cheap to bribe some strangers with....



Skipping the line?  



Steppesister said:


> That looks super strong... I might need a bit more mixer.



Eventually I will get there and try the Penthouse, and will ask about the proportions.



Steppesister said:


> Sounds just lovely!! And dangerous.



It was just fun!



Steppesister said:


> You are on fire and making GREAT progress!



I seem to be slowing down because all roads seem to lead to Avengers Campus.  I need to go with a grazing mentality to cross off a bunch of items from the food list.



Steppesister said:


> On my list!







Steppesister said:


> Looking forward to that.



Still got a few more updates before I get to that one....



Steppesister said:


> Good strategy for sure. The guy I sold it to was very nice. His brother can't get vaxxed d/t anaphylactic reactions to eggs so can't go out. The Porg was his birthday gift and I was happy to help him celebrate with it. The brother who bought it/picked it up is his caregiver (sounds like other issues too) was ecstatic he not only found one for the price I let it go for, but that he could pick it up right here in town.



That's nice it worked out that way!


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> I have no memory of this Infinity Gauntlet. I've seen the movie twice.



It's the thing that Thanos is wearing on his hand that he keeps putting the stones into.



brookelizabeth said:


> We are watching Loki now and Joe and Henry have to explain things to me sometimes! I don't think I'll every remember it all... it's all just too complex of a story. But, that is kind of what makes it great for me too.



We just finished Endgame on Sunday. Once we catch up on another show, I think I'm going to suggest WandaVision.  I'm a little Avengered out right now.



brookelizabeth said:


> I think part of it is "people-ing" too. Learning to be around so many people and "on" for so long!



And the parks are so crowded now!  What with no capacity limits. And I know that *all *the people running around unmasked are not fully vaccinated. Kids under 12 can't even get the vaccine.



brookelizabeth said:


> Rocket must have stole it!! . I actually really love that pre-show, one of the few I don't want to just skip.



Well he had to have it because he gives it back to Starlord in the final vignette on the ride.



brookelizabeth said:


> LOVE these!!



I'm wearing them now!



brookelizabeth said:


> Fran's shirt!!  I need something similar for our upcoming Florida trip. It will be interesting.



She has a few versions of this shirt.  Donald loved it on our last cruise!  



brookelizabeth said:


> Those are great too!!



I've got one of them on right now.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> 1. Can't clearly make out the time, but I presume the microwave _controls_ are on the right hand side?



Yes, the microwave controls are on the right side of the microwave and the microwave is to the left of the refrigerator.







pkondz said:


> 2. You play really well, Alison.  And no, I'm not surprised by that at all.



Awww.....thanks....  

Then again, I_* did*_ get my Bachelors Degree in Saxophone Performance so it would be weird if I sucked at it!  



pkondz said:


> I know it's not by choice. And I can't imagine having scooters in a packed line and trying to turn around to go back! (In order to just see the lobby.)



Well they take us to the exit, and we go up a special elevator (that is not faulty) and it lets us out just outside where they load the ride.


----------



## franandaj

pooh'smate said:


> I will for sure let you know when we make it out that way.



Cool!  I love meeting up with folks out at Disney!



pooh'smate said:


> Yes I did change my avatar. I like to switch it up every now and then.



I haven't changed mine since I've been on the DIS!


----------



## franandaj

Back at the Grand again

So we were lucky enough to get another dinner reservation, this time with our friends Jenny and her husband.  It just so turns out that the reservation was for the same night they were staying in a two bedroom villa at the Grand. Back when they announced the reopening of the parks, she found a two bedroom villa that was available for two nights in May and snagged it. Big plans were made, Jill was going to fly out and we were all going to have fun at the parks, Jill (and maybe Jenny’s daughters) would crash in the second bedroom. Until Disney announced that due to guidelines of the state of California out of state park visitors would not be welcome upon reopening.

Jill planned her own little weekend getaway and Jenny offered us the spare room. Well it sure would be nice not to drive home after a big meal, so we took her up on it. When we arrived they had already been there since early the day before. They had breakfast, went into the parks, and by the time we arrived they were chillin’ back in the room. This was going to be our home for the night.

















We called the bellman to bring up our suitcase, cooler and computer bag while Jenny and I began chatting. I had plans for the early afternoon. One of my HS friends that I hadn't seen since 1984 was flying in that day and checking into the Grand. We had agreed to meet up in the Hearthstone Lounge for a drink before each of us went on to our respective dinner plans.





It was great catching up again and we decided not to wait another 37 years before we did it again!

While I was socializing, Fran had laid down for a nap, so now it was time to wake her up and get ready for dinner.





We decided to have some cocktails first.





You have here (clockwise) Hurricane, Manhattan, Margarita, and French Martini





It wasn’t long before our table was ready.





We decided to have another round of cocktails, this time Fran and I both went with the Elysian Fields. This was really yummy!





Instead of following the menu pairings our server started everyone off with a glass of this Champagne for the first course.  Cheers!









This time I had the Chicken for my first course. Organic Chicken Breast, Sesame, Minted Fava, Lemongrass Nage. 





It was good, but if I go back during this menu I would choose what Fran had this time and I had last time. Lump Crab Brandade, Delta Asparagus, SunGold Tomato Espuma.





For our second course, we both got the same thing. I contemplated getting the Catch of the Day, but in the end the Gnudi were just too good to pass.  Here’s our wine.





And here it is! Sauteed Ricotta Gnudi, Sage Brown Butter, Mushroom Jus





And zoomed in…..





We got more bread this time, I think someone snagged one before I could get a picture.





Of course I went with the Filet this time and so I had this wine with my Main Course..





This one looks a little smaller than the last….





Fran really liked the salmon last time and instead of opting for a change, she went with it again.









On the dessert I went back and forth, “Did I want to try something new? But that coffee is so good!”  In the end, the coffee won out, the chocolate may have had a little bit of say in it too.”









I didn’t notice if this was the same wine that Fran had last time, but it was very tasty and went well with her Strawberry and Buttermilk cake.









The Mixologist said that he had been working on this drink over the past week, and thought that he had finally refined it, and brought me a glass.  I wasn’t overly stuffed this evening, but it was still a refreshing way to end the evening!





We made our way back to the room, said our goodnights and slept very well. The next morning, Jenny texted me asking if I wanted coffee and offered to deliver it bedside. She made sure that Fran and I were decent before entering our room!

DVC room coffee cups are always so small, so I got dressed and we enjoyed another cup while sitting on the couch chatting.





Normally we linger in the room and dawdle about leaving but not today. We had to be out of the room by 9:30 at the latest. Jenny and Michael were out the door by 9AM and they were totally self contained, no bellman required, this inspired Fran.

She put the cooler under her legs on the floorboards of her scooter, she wheeled the suitcase and I wheeled the computer bag, and we too were self contained! We got the car loaded up, drove though Mickey D's once we left the Disney cost manipulating vortex and headed home. Naked Jim was waiting for us. We had the other car loaded up with music stands, chairs, extra music, and anything else we needed. And we were on our way shortly after 11AM.





Those of you who are friends on FB may have seen various posts where I was tagged in a spontaneous musical experience in Griffith Park. In reality it was not at all spontaneous and involved a bit of work on the part of Fran and I. We are no longer in leadership in our Community band, after about 15 years of doing so. Since stepping down over five years ago, things have changed a lot. Leadership is now mostly young kids (millennials), who are fearful of everything from Covid to litigation. Though we could return to in person rehearsals nearly two weeks ago, the Board is so frought with policies and mandates (not state inspired, but their own) that they have postponed the return of rehearsals a second time.

Knowing that this was going to be the case Justin wanted to just start getting together again. On a Zoom meeting the board said that they would not sanction it, and even though Justin is not on the board, they would not sanction him organizing a rehearsal because he is a paid staff member and his organizing could be seen as board endorsement.  Fran said "What if I did something?" 

And there response was "We don't want to know about it."

And thus the Guerilla band was formed. We couldn't use tools like the FB group or mass emails, so I emailed band members individually approaching them with a "Speak-easy" tone like "Psst, how would you like to make some music with real people, in person?" And following up with reminder emails and making sure we had everything we needed (chairs, music stands, etc) and extras for those who forgot.

In the end, we had about a dozen people show up.









It was a fun afternoon and because we had a balanced instrumentation, we didn't sound half bad. All the FB posts were an effort to recruit other members who may have been hesitant or busy that day. We did do it again three weeks later, we lost a few from the first rehearsal, but gained three who saw it of FB and wanted to be a part of it.

And just yesterday we got an email with a 14-page policy and documentation from the Board of directors on how the band can return to in-person rehearsals. With strict guidelines on behavior and expectations.


----------



## brookelizabeth

franandaj said:


> It's the thing that Thanos is wearing on his hand that he keeps putting the stones into.
> 
> And the parks are so crowded now!  What with no capacity limits. And I know that *all *the people running around unmasked are not fully vaccinated. Kids under 12 can't even get the vaccine.



OOOH! I didn't realize that was the name of it! The glove thing! Thank you for that explanation. I do know about that.   

And agree... We still mask here in Germany, even the fully vaccinated. It hasn't even been discussed about something to remove from the mandates.  We don't mask outside (never really have), unless it's very crowded, or at particular establishments - but indoors everywhere.  And 98% of the people follow the rules, which I appreciate! It's a very different mindset here I guess and people definitely have the more "common good" in mind, even when it's hot and uncomfortable.



franandaj said:


> It was great catching up again and we decided not to wait another 37 years before we did it again!



LOVE this! How wonderful!!

Your dinner looked fantastic. I just ate a sandwich for lunch and your food pictures told me it was NOT enough to eat... my stomach is rumbling!



franandaj said:


> And thus the Guerilla band was formed. We couldn't use tools like the FB group or mass emails, so I emailed band members individually approaching them with a "Speak-easy" tone like "Psst, how would you like to make some music with real people, in person?" And following up with reminder emails and making sure we had everything we needed (chairs, music stands, etc) and extras for those who forgot.
> 
> In the end, we had about a dozen people show up.



This is so wonderful. I bet everyone passing by really enjoyed the impromptu music as well.  Things can be done safely, even in uncertain times, if done smartly!  I am glad the board opened practices back up.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Yes, the microwave controls are on the right side of the microwave and the microwave is to the left of the refrigerator.


Copy that.


franandaj said:


> Then again, I_* did*_ get my Bachelors Degree in Saxophone Performance so it would be weird if I sucked at it!





franandaj said:


> Well they take us to the exit, and we go up a special elevator (that is not faulty) and it lets us out just outside where they load the ride.


I'm semi-familiar with that elevator. K took the chicken exit when I took her when she was little. So.... persons with disabilities going up, persons with fears of falling, going down.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Back at the Grand again


Don't know why, but this popped into my head right away:



franandaj said:


> Well it sure would be nice not to drive home after a big meal, so we took her up on it.


I ain't sayin' "no" to a free hotel room!


franandaj said:


>


So... is the bathroom with the bath behind the pocket door to the right? Or is it in another area?


franandaj said:


> One of my HS friends that I hadn't seen since 1984 was flying in that day and checking into the Grand.


Hey! Nice! 


franandaj said:


> It was great catching up again and we decided not to wait another 37 years before we did it again!


"See you in 2056!" (36 years. Not 37.)


franandaj said:


>


Don't you all look nice. 


franandaj said:


> You have here (clockwise) Hurricane, Manhattan, Margarita, and French Martini


Obviously the Hurricane is out for me, but I'd do any of the others. 


franandaj said:


> We decided to have another round of cocktails, this time Fran and I both went with the Elysian Fields. This was really yummy!


I can't say for sure, but think I'd like this one too.


franandaj said:


> Instead of following the menu pairings our server started everyone off with a glass of this Champagne for the first course. Cheers!


Very nice touch. 


franandaj said:


>


Great shot! Really like that one.


franandaj said:


>


Pretty presentation.


franandaj said:


> And here it is! Sauteed Ricotta Gnudi, Sage Brown Butter, Mushroom Jus


I had to look up "Gnudi". I'd never heard of it.


franandaj said:


> We got more bread this time, I think someone snagged one before I could get a picture.


HOW DARE THEY!?!?!?!?!?


franandaj said:


>


Is the "33" in chocolate or ground coffee bean?


franandaj said:


> The Mixologist said that he had been working on this drink over the past week, and thought that he had finally refined it, and brought me a glass.


What was it?


franandaj said:


> The next morning, Jenny texted me asking if I wanted coffee and offered to deliver it bedside.


Now that's service! Free room _and_ bedside service??? Hello!


franandaj said:


> She made sure that Fran and I were decent before entering our room!





franandaj said:


> She put the cooler under her legs on the floorboards of her scooter, she wheeled the suitcase and I wheeled the computer bag, and we too were self contained!


Voila! 


franandaj said:


> We got the car loaded up, drove though Mickey D's once we left the Disney cost manipulating vortex and headed home.





franandaj said:


>


More smiling faces. 


franandaj said:


> Fran said "What if I did something?"
> 
> And there response was "We don't want to know about it."




(And good for Fran)


franandaj said:


> In the end, we had about a dozen people show up.


That sounds pretty good? How many in the band in total again? Wasn't it around... 30?


franandaj said:


> And just yesterday we got an email with a 14-page policy and documentation from the Board of directors on how the band can return to in-person rehearsals. With strict guidelines on behavior and expectations.


Oy.


----------



## rentayenta

Coffee with a smile!!! That was such a fun night! Glad you ladies stayed over and we could enjoy coffee in the morning! Dinner was FABULOUS! I think my favorite course was the Jon Dorry (I am sure I am butchering the name)!


----------



## Matrixleos

Great pictures of Club 33!  Quick question, would you have any pictures of their dinner menu or any pictures of what the interior of Club 33 looked like?


----------



## franandaj

brookelizabeth said:


> OOOH! I didn't realize that was the name of it! The glove thing! Thank you for that explanation. I do know about that.



Probably the only reason I know the name is because they are selling "Iron Man Infinity Gauntlet cup holders" at Avengers Campus and people are walking around with them on their hands/arms.



brookelizabeth said:


> And agree... We still mask here in Germany, even the fully vaccinated. It hasn't even been discussed about something to remove from the mandates. We don't mask outside (never really have), unless it's very crowded, or at particular establishments - but indoors everywhere. And 98% of the people follow the rules, which I appreciate! It's a very different mindset here I guess and people definitely have the more "common good" in mind, even when it's hot and uncomfortable.



That's nice that people care about something other than themselves.  I'm not saying everyone here is like that, but a large percentage of people care only about themselves.



brookelizabeth said:


> LOVE this! How wonderful!!



We were good friends in school and just lost touch in college.



brookelizabeth said:


> Your dinner looked fantastic. I just ate a sandwich for lunch and your food pictures told me it was NOT enough to eat... my stomach is rumbling!



I'm having a very Dimitar late lunch today! I can't wait!



brookelizabeth said:


> This is so wonderful. I bet everyone passing by really enjoyed the impromptu music as well. Things can be done safely, even in uncertain times, if done smartly! I am glad the board opened practices back up.



When we did it three weeks later there was a multi family party going on and some of the kids kept coming over and listening and dancing. It was cute  I don't think the parents appreciated it as much.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Until Disney announced that due to guidelines of the state of California out of state park visitors would not be welcome upon reopening.



Boo!



franandaj said:


> One of my HS friends that I hadn't seen since 1984 was flying in that day and checking into the Grand. We had agreed to meet up in the Hearthstone Lounge for a drink before each of us went on to our respective dinner plans.



Wow, that's cool.  Glad you could meet up.



franandaj said:


> On the dessert I went back and forth, “Did I want to try something new? But that coffee is so good!” In the end, the coffee won out, the chocolate may have had a little bit of say in it too.”



I get like that once I find something I love on a menu.  If it ain't broke...



franandaj said:


> We made our way back to the room, said our goodnights and slept very well. The next morning, Jenny texted me asking if I wanted coffee and offered to deliver it bedside.



Wow, the service at this place is unbelievable!



franandaj said:


> Though we could return to in person rehearsals nearly two weeks ago, the Board is so frought with policies and mandates (not state inspired, but their own) that they have postponed the return of rehearsals a second time.



Gotta love bureaucracy...



franandaj said:


> And thus the Guerilla band was formed. We couldn't use tools like the FB group or mass emails, so I emailed band members individually approaching them with a "Speak-easy" tone like "Psst, how would you like to make some music with real people, in person?"



It's like a secret mission.  Glad you could pull it off!



franandaj said:


> And just yesterday we got an email with a 14-page policy and documentation from the Board of directors on how the band can return to in-person rehearsals. With strict guidelines on behavior and expectations.



14 pages!  Ain't nobody got time for that.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Don't know why, but this popped into my head right away:



That's not what comes to mind when I hear "Back in the Saddle Again."



pkondz said:


> I ain't sayin' "no" to a free hotel room!



That actually didn't cross my mind, but yeah free hotel room is good.



pkondz said:


> So... is the bathroom with the bath behind the pocket door to the right?



Yes.



pkondz said:


> "See you in 2056!" (36 years. Not 37.)



I often wonder if I'll make it until then.



pkondz said:


> Don't you all look nice.



Thank you!



pkondz said:


> Obviously the Hurricane is out for me, but I'd do any of the others.



The French Martini is my favorite (also my drink). Not sure I'd do a Manhattan. 



pkondz said:


> I can't say for sure, but think I'd like this one too.



This one is really good. I've had it a bunch!



pkondz said:


> Great shot! Really like that one.



That's one I stole from Jenny. I can't take credit.



pkondz said:


> I had to look up "Gnudi". I'd never heard of it.



Me neither, but it sure is good!



pkondz said:


> Is the "33" in chocolate or ground coffee bean?



I believe it's cocoa.



pkondz said:


> What was it?



Not sure, he didn't tell me. 



pkondz said:


> That sounds pretty good? How many in the band in total again? Wasn't it around... 30?



Actually we had over 60 members and about 40-50 attending weekly.



pkondz said:


> Oy.



Tell me about it.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> That's not what comes to mind when I hear "Back in the Saddle Again."


Aerosmith?


franandaj said:


> I often wonder if I'll make it until then.


You will. I have faith. 


franandaj said:


> That's one I stole from Jenny. I can't take credit.


Nice shot Jenny!


franandaj said:


> I believe it's cocoa.





franandaj said:


> Actually we had over 60 members and about 40-50 attending weekly.


Good size!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Coffee with a smile!!! That was such a fun night! Glad you ladies stayed over and we could enjoy coffee in the morning!



It was fun, kinda like we had a sleepover!



rentayenta said:


> Dinner was FABULOUS! I think my favorite course was the Jon Dorry (I am sure I am butchering the name)!



It was so good!  I think your only blunder on the name is that it has only one "R".


----------



## franandaj

Matrixleos said:


> Great pictures of Club 33! Quick question, would you have any pictures of their dinner menu



I posted this on the post with the first visit there about a week before.  It hadn't changed by the next week.







Matrixleos said:


> or any pictures of what the interior of Club 33 looked like?



This shot of the dining room was also from that same post.





These are some shots of the lobby from quite a few years back.  I normally don't take photos of much of anything besides the food because it is frowned upon to take pictures which may include other guests (for privacy reasons).  I've maintained the anonymity of the CMs in the shot where they appear.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> It was great catching up again and we decided not to wait another 37 years before we did it again!



Good!! 


franandaj said:


>



LOVE Jenny's dress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


franandaj said:


> We decided to have another round of cocktails, this time Fran and I both went with the Elysian Fields. This was really yummy!



Dill in a cocktail... huh!! Never thought of that! 


franandaj said:


>


Diggin' on the dust. 



franandaj said:


> Those of you who are friends on FB may have seen various posts where I was tagged in a spontaneous musical experience in Griffith Park.



I did, I did!! 


franandaj said:


> Leadership is now mostly young kids (millennials), who are fearful of everything from Covid to litigation.






franandaj said:


> the Board is so frought with policies and mandates (not state inspired, but their own)



Sad. 


franandaj said:


> It was a fun afternoon


YAYAYAY!!!!!!

Glad you had this to enjoy as things get back to normal!


----------



## rentayenta

franandaj said:


> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> Well at least you finally got it!





franandaj said:


> It was fun, kinda like we had a sleepover!
> 
> 
> 
> It was so good!  I think your only blunder on the name is that it has only one "R".





Hahaha! I was close! And it was delicious!

It was just like a sleepover; so much fun!!!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> I get like that once I find something I love on a menu. If it ain't broke...



I pretty much order the same things at places I like.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Wow, the service at this place is unbelievable!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Gotta love bureaucracy...







Captain_Oblivious said:


> It's like a secret mission. Glad you could pull it off!



It was!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> 14 pages! Ain't nobody got time for that.



Our first rehearsal is tonight, let's see how many people read the rules and who ends up enforcing them.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Aerosmith?







pkondz said:


> You will. I have faith.



I'm not sure what kind of shape my body will be in if I do!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> LOVE Jenny's dress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



It is very cute.



Steppesister said:


> Dill in a cocktail... huh!! Never thought of that!



It was very tasty! It's a very savory cocktail. 



Steppesister said:


> Diggin' on the dust.



It is cool!



Steppesister said:


> YAYAYAY!!!!!!
> 
> Glad you had this to enjoy as things get back to normal!



And today the county has put out a recommendation that all people, even fully vaccinated, should resume wearing masks indoors. (We never stopped.)


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Hahaha! I was close! And it was delicious!



You were close!



rentayenta said:


> It was just like a sleepover; so much fun!!!



And now we get to have another one next month!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> One of my HS friends that I hadn't seen since 1984 was flying in that day and checking into the Grand. We had agreed to meet up in the Hearthstone Lounge for a drink before each of us went on to our respective dinner plans.



QUOTE="franandaj, post: 63105499, member: 258028"]
It was great catching up again and we decided not to wait another 37 years before we did it again!
[/QUOTE]

That's great! I've actually seen people I know in the parks before!



franandaj said:


>



Good looking bunch!



franandaj said:


> You have here (clockwise) Hurricane, Manhattan, Margarita, and French Martini


MMmm pretty sure I had that Manhattan on a visit



franandaj said:


>



I saw this pic- "Is that dill"...quick scroll back... it is!



franandaj said:


> Instead of following the menu pairings our server started everyone off with a glass of this Champagne for the first course. Cheers!



Yummy! I think I need bubbly one of these days...



franandaj said:


> Organic Chicken Breast, Sesame, Minted Fava, Lemongrass Nage.



I love chicken breast and this looks very nice and moist and flavorful




franandaj said:


> Sauteed Ricotta Gnudi, Sage Brown Butter, Mushroom Jus



I love fish, but I may have just picked these also



franandaj said:


>



yum! With a butter I'm guessing over an oil, given the bread type?



franandaj said:


> little smaller than the last….



I didn't quote the pic it appears, but it looked just perfectly cooked!



franandaj said:


>



As does this! That pea sauce really jumps!



franandaj said:


>



A little dessert wine goodness?



franandaj said:


> She made sure that Fran and I were decent before entering our room!



Noted!



franandaj said:


> She put the cooler under her legs on the floorboards of her scooter, she wheeled the suitcase and I wheeled the computer bag, and we too were self contained!



Hard to get her apart at the end of the trip to the car?



franandaj said:


> Naked Jim was waiting for us.





franandaj said:


>



Hi there Naked Jim!




franandaj said:


> Those of you who are friends on FB may have seen various posts where I was tagged in a spontaneous musical experience in Griffith Park.





franandaj said:


> And thus the Guerilla band was formed



I've enjoyed the detail behind this, glad you got some folks out to play




franandaj said:


> the band can return to in-person rehearsals. With strict guidelines on behavior and expectations.




Hope they are still enjoyable...Most rules and restrictions are coming off here this week, will see how it all goes...


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I'm not sure what kind of shape my body will be in if I do!


Meh. Shape is what you decide is good for you.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> That's great! I've actually seen people I know in the parks before!



That's amazing considering how far you are from home.  We do it all the time, but then again we know a lot of local Disney fanatics



DnA2010 said:


> MMmm pretty sure I had that Manhattan on a visit



Yes! You did!







DnA2010 said:


> I saw this pic- "Is that dill"...quick scroll back... it is!



It was very good too!



DnA2010 said:


> Yummy! I think I need bubbly one of these days...



You deserve some!  For everything that's been going on!



DnA2010 said:


> I love chicken breast and this looks very nice and moist and flavorful



It definitely was!



DnA2010 said:


> I love fish, but I may have just picked these also



These were so good!  I hope that they keep them on the menu even when they start to offer more options.



DnA2010 said:


> yum! With a butter I'm guessing over an oil, given the bread type?



There was butter, no oil, and it is really delicious butter!



DnA2010 said:


> I didn't quote the pic it appears, but it looked just perfectly cooked!



It was perfectly cooked and there were no take home bags!



DnA2010 said:


> As does this! That pea sauce really jumps!



Another thing I don't like!  



DnA2010 said:


> A little dessert wine goodness?



Yes, but I have no idea what it was!



DnA2010 said:


> Hard to get her apart at the end of the trip to the car?



Actually no, it was rather easy.



DnA2010 said:


> I've enjoyed the detail behind this, glad you got some folks out to play



It was a fun afternoon! Twice.



DnA2010 said:


> Hope they are still enjoyable...Most rules and restrictions are coming off here this week, will see how it all goes...



We just got suggested to wear masks again indoors, even for the vaccinated.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Meh. Shape is what you decide is good for you.



Well with the way my body hurts and aches right now, this shape is not good for me.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well with the way my body hurts and aches right now, this shape is not good for me.


Sounds like it's juuuuust about time to book that massage.


----------



## franandaj

*Back to Avengers Campus *

Before I get into the actual TR part of this update, I thought I would let you know about our upcoming travel plans. Some of you may know that originally we were planning to visit WDW for the 50th Anniversary of the MK. Even after Covid started, I booked six nights at BLT (we bought points there to stay for the 50th), and four nights at the BCV. Both at the 11 month mark. Somewhere around January after the virus was really running rampant and the vaccines were not being rolled out efficiently in the US, we decided that we would rather not travel to Florida in the Fall. Never did we imagine that people would be maskless in WDW, but the idea of being masked in October heat didn't sound good.  Neither did the 50th Anniversary crowds. Flying on a plane still is not comfortable for us so we made a good decision.

Rather then just cancel the reservations, I put them up for rent at the DVC store. Someone took the BCV reservation back in early April, and I was about to give up on the BLT reservation when someone snagged it earlier this week. I got a pretty penny for that one and evidently the renter was so happy to get it so Win/Win!

We have no plans for travel outside of California for some time now. We do have a plan to stay overnight at the Grand in July with another "sleepover" with the girls, and then again in January we will also be staying with friends, provided that the border reopens.

We do have a cruise of the Mexican Riviera booked in March, so crossing our fingers that things settle down by then.  We'll have to see.  Anyhoo.....let's get back to the TR!

So I told you about our preview of Avengers Campus which was the next Chronological event in our Disney travels, and the following week we had a reservation at DCA. Now keep in mind I made all these reservations back in early April before the opening of Avengers Campus was announced, so I had no idea what was in store for us.

We decided that we would take another spin on TSMM for our first ride of the day. 





This time we unlocked the secrets on the Farm, the Volcano (but I always get that one), the plates (which is a hard one for me), and for the first time we launched the alien spaceship! It might not have been my best score, but I got the pus er CAT for my token!  





And I got Best in Vehicle again!





We heard there was a pretty big line to get into Avengers Campus if you didn't have a Webslingers Boarding Group, so I sent Fran along to get a place in line while I rode Incredicoaster. 













They weren’t doing pictures. I was bummed because I thought I had a good one! Here I am going back up the pier.









This is the turn around point for the line, it started at the entrance to Avenger's Campus and extended all the way to Pixar Pier.





Nice that they had umbrellas to shade the people waiting along this walkway.





This is where the line crossed Carsland.





See the guy there with the sign? That's the entrance to the queue. Now I’m not sure if it’s that bad anymore. We were there last week and there was no line to get in at 12:30 in the afternoon, but the Avenger's Campus was packed! The rest of the park and DL were empty.





Fran had made pretty good progress in the line while I was on the ride. It moved pretty fast and I met up with her and we played on our phones and tablets until we got in.  As soon as we entered we saw all these folks like they were waiting for something.





All of a sudden Spidey comes out and starts a gymnastics show.









Eventually he climbs down the building and poses for Meet and Greet photos. I would have been more impressed to see him do it without that without the wire!

















So the $80 versions are remote controlled, I guess they are going for the gamers market.





I think a show may have been starting here.





They had switched Pym Test Kitchen over to Stand By instead of Mobile order so we got in line.





Inside the restaurant...It’s just a place to order. All the seating is outside.

























We were in search of the Choco Smash bar. This wasn't available on the preview night. We saved it until we got home but this is a cross section of it. Yummy!









A look at the bar, we will eventually get there….





I went on Guardians, this is my last socially distanced ride photo. The parks are now loading rides to full capacity. And for some reason I can’t link this up with my photopass account so you get the raw pictures.  I have to make sure and take better pictures because more often than not I can’t get the pictures to link.





I didn't show a picture of where we got the Cosmic Cream Orb. We still haven't had another one, there are just too many tasty treats to try and so little stomach room!









*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

At this point I'd had enough rides so we decided to head over to Disneyland. As we walked through Hollywoodland the place was a ghost town.  With capacity limits still in place and everyone in line for or at Avengers Campus both DL and the rest of DCA were wide open.





We went to the pirate shop to see if they had received larger sizes of the shirt that Fran wanted from the Pirate shop. Unfortunately they still only had Small and Medium. But I saw this cute little display of Tiana and Prince Naveen as frogs in the Cafe Orleans window.





On our way out of the park we spotted this custodial CM escorting a family of ducks to safety. 









And Main Street, a virtual ghost town. You don't see this anymore.





And here’s the list….one more crossed off the rides list.


Eat:

Plaza Inn Chicken
Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
Asparagus Skewer 
Cafe Orleans
Mickey Macaroon from Jolly Holiday
Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
Funnel Cake
Pickle Corn Dog
Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
Sweet treats from candy shops
Ghirardelli sundae


Ride:

Haunted Mansion 
Pirates
Star Tours 
Space Mountain 
Guardians of the Galaxy
Soarin
Indiana Jones
Incredicoaster
Little Mermaid
RotR
Falcon
Train
Snow White
TSMM
Mr. Toad
BTMRR
RSR


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Sounds like it's juuuuust about time to book that massage.



Actually I had tried to book one for tomorrow, but the guy evidently wasn't working that day, so I have one for next Thursday.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Before I get into the actual TR part of this update, I thought I would let you know about our upcoming travel plans. Some of you may know that originally we were planning to visit WDW for the 50th Anniversary of the MK. Even after Covid started, I booked six nights at BLT (we bought points there to stay for the 50th), and four nights at the BCV. Both at the 11 month mark. Somewhere around January after the virus was really running rampant and the vaccines were not being rolled out efficiently in the US, we decided that we would rather not travel to Florida in the Fall. Never did we imagine that people would be maskless in WDW, but the idea of being masked in October heat didn't sound good. Neither did the 50th Anniversary crowds. Flying on a plane still is not comfortable for us so we made a good decision.


I, along with the rest of planet Earth, am so tired of this thing. 


franandaj said:


> Rather then just cancel the reservations, I put them up for rent at the DVC store. Someone took the BCV reservation back in early April, and I was about to give up on the BLT reservation when someone snagged it earlier this week. I got a pretty penny for that one and evidently the renter was so happy to get it so Win/Win!


Glad that all worked out. 


franandaj said:


> and then again in January we will also be staying with friends, provided that the border reopens.


I am very _un_patiently waiting for the border to open!!


franandaj said:


> We do have a cruise of the Mexican Riviera booked in March


Very nice!!


franandaj said:


> This time we unlocked the secrets on the Farm, the Volcano (but I always get that one), the plates (which is a hard one for me), and for the first time we launched the alien spaceship!


You know a lot more about it than I do. Then again, you ride it a lot more than I do! 


franandaj said:


> It might not have been my best score, but I got the pus er CAT for my token!





franandaj said:


> They weren’t doing pictures. I was bummed because I thought I had a good one!


Well, shoot.

I'm talking to you Disney. Shoot! Take the photo!!


franandaj said:


> This is the turn around point for the line, it started at the entrance to Avenger's Campus and extended all the way to Pixar Pier.




How long was it from entering to riding?


franandaj said:


> All of a sudden Spidey comes out and starts a gymnastics show.


Cool!


franandaj said:


> Eventually he climbs down the building


He _what_?!?!?!?


franandaj said:


> I would have been more impressed to see him do it without that without the wire!


Oh.

Still, kinda neat, but... 


franandaj said:


> So the $80 versions are remote controlled, I guess they are going for the gamers market.


Nope! That's a lot of Dole Whips!


franandaj said:


> Inside the restaurant...It’s just a place to order. All the seating is outside.


Think that will change? Is there room for seating, later?


franandaj said:


>


Cute. I like that. 


franandaj said:


> We were in search of the Choco Smash bar. This wasn't available on the preview night. We saved it until we got home but this is a cross section of it. Yummy!


Holy smokes does that look (and sound) good!


franandaj said:


> I have to make sure and take better pictures because more often than not I can’t get the pictures to link.



This really isn't right. It's a perk you're entitled to and you seem to have a lot of them go missing.


franandaj said:


> there are just too many tasty treats to try and so little stomach room!





franandaj said:


> With capacity limits still in place and everyone in line for or at Avengers Campus both DL and the rest of DCA were wide open.


I suspect their capacity limit was based on the entire park...


franandaj said:


> But I saw this cute little display of Tiana and Prince Naveen as frogs in the Cafe Orleans window.


Wonder if they'll move that to MK once Splash is done. (Or whatever they're gonna call it.)


franandaj said:


> On our way out of the park we spotted this custodial CM escorting a family of ducks to safety.


Awww...


franandaj said:


> And here’s the list….one more crossed off the rides list.


Getting there!


franandaj said:


> Actually I had tried to book one for tomorrow, but the guy evidently wasn't working that day, so I have one for next Thursday.


I should book one. I'm a wreck right now. Hurt my back the other day and my neck/shoulder is killing me.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> And today the county has put out a recommendation that all people, even fully vaccinated, should resume wearing masks indoors. (We never stopped.)


No one is wearing them here anymore, and no spikes or increased numbers which is good!!


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> Rather then just cancel the reservations, I put them up for rent at the DVC store. Someone took the BCV reservation back in early April, and I was about to give up on the BLT reservation when someone snagged it earlier this week. I got a pretty penny for that one and evidently the renter was so happy to get it so Win/Win!



NICE!! Sounds like you both won.  


franandaj said:


> and for the first time we launched the alien spaceship!



WOOT!! I don't know ANY of the secrets for getting a higher score, but  still have fun. Someday I'll accidentally hit this elusive ship and get a pus... cat too! 


franandaj said:


> It might not have been my best score, but I got the pus er CAT for my token!






franandaj said:


> This is the turn around point for the line, it started at the entrance to Avenger's Campus and extended all the way to Pixar Pier.



LONG!! EEK! 


franandaj said:


> Nice that they had umbrellas to shade the people waiting along this walkway.



Yes!! Reminds me of the SDD queue.



franandaj said:


> All of a sudden Spidey comes out and starts a gymnastics show.



That's kinda cool! 


franandaj said:


> I would have been more impressed to see him do it without that without the wire!



Pretend it's spidey web?  


franandaj said:


>



EMPTY! And so perfect! 



franandaj said:


>


Gorgeous!! Makes me wanna cry!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> Yes! You did!



That's def D's shirt! Yum!



franandaj said:


> We have no plans for travel outside of California for some time now. We do have a plan to stay overnight at the Grand in July with another "sleepover" with the girls, and then again in January we will also be staying with friends, provided that the border reopens.



I really hope I can start making more plans soon...will just make me feel better to really have things to look forward to...



franandaj said:


> planning to visit WDW for the 50th Anniversary of the MK



I remember when you got those points for this trip...my how things change. 




franandaj said:


> I rode Incredicoaster.



Ella's fav! They did do a good job with it indeed



franandaj said:


>



When I see this view, it makes me think of a meet and greet location that may have been here...I may also be out in left field



franandaj said:


> we saw all these folks like they were waiting for something.



D is a spidey guy so I think he will enjoy 



franandaj said:


>



I think I want to try the "Not So Little" sandwich...I like teriyaki and red chili sauces...



franandaj said:


>





franandaj said:


>



Kinda looks like an "Oh Henry" bar - which I am a fan of




franandaj said:


>



So cute up there!



franandaj said:


>



Very empty indeed!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I, along with the rest of planet Earth, am so tired of this thing.



Which is just why it is so dangerous right now. So many people carrying it unknowingly, and so many people letting their guard down.



pkondz said:


> I am very _un_patiently waiting for the border to open!!



Sounds like your country has taken some baby steps.....



pkondz said:


> You know a lot more about it than I do. Then again, you ride it a lot more than I do!



  I do ride it more, and I have knowledgeable people who give me pointers.  



pkondz said:


> Well, shoot.
> 
> I'm talking to you Disney. Shoot! Take the photo!!



Maybe they're doing it now that the band aid has been ripped off.



pkondz said:


> How long was it from entering to riding?



We really didn't ride.  I mean, yes I went on Guardians, but that was after we went to the restaurant.  That line was simply to enter the Avengers Campus.



pkondz said:


> He _what_?!?!?!?
> Oh.
> 
> Still, kinda neat, but...



Yeah, kinda neat, but....



pkondz said:


> Think that will change? Is there room for seating, later?



No, it just wasn't designed for indoor seating.  That all-white room that I showed pictures of was most likely intended to have wall to wall people queuing up shoulder to shoulder. With capacity limits they can't let that many people fill up the room, but there is definitely no indoor space where they could put tables.



pkondz said:


> Holy smokes does that look (and sound) good!



I want another one!  Maybe at the end of the month when Jill comes and we might have lunch from Pym's.....



pkondz said:


> This really isn't right. It's a perk you're entitled to and you seem to have a lot of them go missing.



I know.  It's really sad.



pkondz said:


> I suspect their capacity limit was based on the entire park...



Yeah and it was all concentrated in one little area.



pkondz said:


> Wonder if they'll move that to MK once Splash is done. (Or whatever they're gonna call it.)



Good Question.  



pkondz said:


> I should book one. I'm a wreck right now. Hurt my back the other day and my neck/shoulder is killing me.



So did you?  I had mine on Thursday evening, and it wiped me out! Luckily I planned for Marie Calendar's pot pies for dinner.  I had them in the oven and started them baking as my massage was wrapping up. It gave me enough time to walk home (it's just around the corner) and feed the cats before dinner was ready.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Which is just why it is so dangerous right now. So many people carrying it unknowingly, and so many people letting their guard down.


And with Delta being more contagious...


franandaj said:


> Sounds like your country has taken some baby steps.....


Baby steps... yes. But still..._ very_ difficult to leave/enter the country.


franandaj said:


> We really didn't ride. I mean, yes I went on Guardians, but that was after we went to the restaurant. That line was simply to enter the Avengers Campus.


OH!!!


franandaj said:


> No, it just wasn't designed for indoor seating. That all-white room that I showed pictures of was most likely intended to have wall to wall people queuing up shoulder to shoulder. With capacity limits they can't let that many people fill up the room, but there is definitely no indoor space where they could put tables.


Okay, got it now.


franandaj said:


> So did you?


Nope. No time.


franandaj said:


> I had mine on Thursday evening, and it wiped me out!


But do you feel better afterwards?


franandaj said:


> Luckily I planned for Marie Calendar's pot pies for dinner. I had them in the oven and started them baking as my massage was wrapping up. It gave me enough time to walk home (it's just around the corner) and feed the cats before dinner was ready.


How were the pot pies? Is that a frozen thing?


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> No one is wearing them here anymore, and no spikes or increased numbers which is good!!



I hope that holds true. I keep seeing the maps of the midwest with record breaking spikes and hospitalizations and think that's its not that big of an inconvenience to wear it in public places if it can save mine or Fran's lives. We don't go out a lot.



Steppesister said:


> NICE!! Sounds like you both won.



Yes! A wad of cash was nice!



Steppesister said:


> WOOT!! I don't know ANY of the secrets for getting a higher score, but still have fun. Someday I'll accidentally hit this elusive ship and get a pus... cat too!



I suppose you could Google them. I was lucky to have people who explained them to me. I try to tell them to my riding companion because they are unlocked by teamwork.



Steppesister said:


> Yes!! Reminds me of the SDD queue.



Yes very reminiscent!



Steppesister said:


> Pretend it's spidey web?



I suppose....



Steppesister said:


> EMPTY! And so perfect!



Those days are gone...  Nearly full capacity now.



Steppesister said:


> Gorgeous!! Makes me wanna cry!



This crowd level is gone too, but my last few visits crowds were lighter at DL and everyone was at Avengers Campus.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> That's def D's shirt! Yum!



I think it's funny that I don't take pictures of people, but I've got our drinks.



DnA2010 said:


> I really hope I can start making more plans soon...will just make me feel better to really have things to look forward to...



We booked a trip in the last couple days, I'm very out of practice, but it's nice to have something to look forward to!



DnA2010 said:


> I remember when you got those points for this trip...my how things change.



I know!  I'm still glad that we own at BLT.  I like that resort. We just won't be able to stay there for a while since I blew most of the points for the trip that we didn't take!



DnA2010 said:


> Ella's fav! They did do a good job with it indeed



So much fun!



DnA2010 said:


> When I see this view, it makes me think of a meet and greet location that may have been here...I may also be out in left field



I believe that the incredible family used to do meet ups there.



DnA2010 said:


> D is a spidey guy so I think he will enjoy



He will probably love the ride.



DnA2010 said:


> I think I want to try the "Not So Little" sandwich...I like teriyaki and red chili sauces...



Review coming up in 3 updates......



DnA2010 said:


> Kinda looks like an "Oh Henry" bar - which I am a fan



I've heard of those, but not sure they still sell them in the states.  I remember ads from my childhood.



DnA2010 said:


> So cute up there!



Now the rides are back to being packed in there.



DnA2010 said:


> Very empty indeed!



Not anymore.....


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> And with Delta being more contagious...



I keep watching the maps of the MIdwest and how they are having massive spikes.  



pkondz said:


> Baby steps... yes. But still..._ very_ difficult to leave/enter the country.



Well, hopefully soon.



pkondz said:


> But do you feel better afterwards?



I think so.  I have a feeling if I can keep this up every three weeks or so, I will be much less stressed.



pkondz said:


> How were the pot pies? Is that a frozen thing?



Yes, they are a frozen thing.  They bake in the oven for 1 hour.  There are microwave directions, but I just don't think they would come out right.  I keep two of these in the freezer, the one below is the one I like. It has mushrooms and broccoli instead of peas, which is the standard one that Fran likes.  If we have one of those days when I'm just too exhausted to cook, I can always pull them out and we have dinner within an hour. They're only $3 each when purchased on sale, so it's a good economical choice when you're tired.  They taste pretty good too! I usually don't eat the bottom crust, but Fran likes hers turned upside down on the plate and all mashed together. I eat mine bit by bit right side up.  TMI?


----------



## franandaj

*Disney Archives at the Bowers Museum*

Back on March 7, 2020 an exhibit honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Disney Archives opened at a local Southern California museum. Fran became a member of the museum because of this exhibit and the anticipation of programs that would be presented over the course of its run.

In fact on March 14, 2020 we went to a presentation on the music of Disneyland in the museum theater. It was a retrospective of music that Walt intended to represent the various lands when DL opened. She played a number of selections from records and told us some interesting stories.

We didn't have time to look at the exhibit that day because Fran had another event planned, but we would come back and check it out later, we didn't realize how much later at the time. The event was a "mug release" at our local Tiki Bar. We went directly there, got in the queue for the mugs, and had some drinks and food while we waited to purchase the mugs. Little did we know that the next day California would shut down completely.

So when the Bowers Museum reopened earlier this year (almost 1 year from the day of the forced closure) we planned to make reservations to see the exhibit. It wasn't until just a few weeks ago when the exhibit was destined to close up to move to the Graceland Exhibition Center in Memphis, TN that we finally got around to visiting.





If you're anywhere in the neighborhood of this exhibit as is travels across the country, I highly suggest a visit. There is lots of neat stuff to see. In the very first room you'll see this replica of Walt's desk which was used in the movie "Saving Mr. Banks".





The next room has a replica of an animator's desk. Everyone was was given an exact replica of this desk. At a panel where I once saw animator Floyd Norman talked about these desks and mentioned that each one was identical down to the ashtray provided for each animator, who were almost exclusively men.





The next room simulated this room at the real Walt Disney Archives at the Studios:









We were lucky enough to tour the archives when Dave Smith was still alive. He was so much fun as a tour guide.  His enthusiasm for the archives was obvious in his presentation. He was always so excited about everything that he showed to the guests that it was contagious.

Those "bookcases" you see are very realistic looking and the titles they represent are similar to the books you would find in the actual Archives at the Walt Disney Studios shown above.





The displays in the room above represented various areas of the Walt Disney company.  Most of the first rooms had to do with the studios. There was correspondence between Walt and other executives, copies of telegrams and inter-company memos. What struck my interest of the various ephemera was these commissary menus.









What struck me about this first menu was the wide variety of options were offered. I was also surprised by the sorts of foods that were obviously commonplace back then. Some contemporary menus may still have things like Liver & Onions, but I've never seen Liver and Bacon, Mutton Chop with Kidney, a Sardine sandwich in the past few years. How often do you see Deviled Ham, Egg and Crabmeat on one menu? The poor chefs must have had to have so much going on in their kitchen. I did notice that this menu had a Monte Cristo on it!  The second menu has a date stamp, and I must guess this more extensive menu was from a similar time in 1940 because it features characters from Pinocchio which was released on February 7, 1940.

These Mickey and Minnie were the first "Walt Approved" stuffed toys merchandise. They were handmade designed by Charlotte Clark in her Los Angeles home. Mrs. Clark obtained permission from Disney to license her stuffed toys and sell them in stores in Los Angeles.  They look sorta creepy nowadays.





These Maquettes are just a few of thousands that Disney keeps on hand. Every animated character has a clay model so that the animators can view the subject in 3D and explore all the angles of the Character.  I know that there are thousands because at one D23 event we visited a warehouse where they store them. 





I believe these are opening day tickets from all the parks worldwide.





This is the "insides" of an Animatronic used in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.





This is the original prop Original Book from Sleeping Beauty.





One of the windows from the Emporium at Disneyland.





This figure had been on The Great Movie Ride until its recent renovation to the Mickey Minnie Train Ride.





And this was in the "It's a Small Mexico" ride at Epcot before the renovation. 





And everyone knows these guys!






This display of costumes comes from a variety of movies such as Frozen, Dick Tracy, Shakespeare in Love, Mary Poppins Returns, 101 Dalmatians, and others.





They had these vehicles. The only movie I had seen was Herbie, and I don't remember what the other ones came from.





Maui's Hook





And Davy Jones' heart.





Cogsworth and Lumiere









This scene from the Lion King was really neat, originally I’d planned to photoshop out the background, but I kind of think it’s neat to see the Maleficent costume in the background. There were several more from non-Disney movies that became Disney through various acquisitions.





I've been in this Plaza at the Studios that they are trying to replicate.





These are some pictures from a D23 event where we ate lunch on this Plaza. 













These pillars are representations of what you see in the background of the picture above. They are hand prints of the Disney Legends. Perhaps they are actual plates that are not currently on display.





These are the ones around the plaza which I believe is called “Legends Plaza”.









And one last look at Herbie and the rest of the exhibit which is now on its way to opening in Memphis, TN.





Next we’re back at Avengers Campus


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I keep watching the maps of the MIdwest and how they are having massive spikes.


Oh, no. 
I hadn't heard about that. I _had_ heard that there _could_ be spikes due to Vaccination hesitation, but... 


franandaj said:


> Well, hopefully soon.


Not if the spikes continue!

I'd be perfectly happy if it opened only for completely vaccinated people.


franandaj said:


> I think so. I have a feeling if I can keep this up every three weeks or so, I will be much less stressed.


Good!


franandaj said:


> Yes, they are a frozen thing. They bake in the oven for 1 hour. There are microwave directions, but I just don't think they would come out right.


No, I wouldn't think nuking them would be a good idea.


franandaj said:


> I usually don't eat the bottom crust, but Fran likes hers turned upside down on the plate and all mashed together. I eat mine bit by bit right side up. TMI?


Not TMI, but... upside down!! Huh!
How on Earth did she figure that out? Maybe one got accidentally dumped on a plate and she preferred it that way?


franandaj said:


> In fact on March 14, 2020 we went to a presentation on the music of Disneyland in the museum theater.


Right up your alley in at least two ways. Disney _and_ music!


franandaj said:


> We didn't have time to look at the exhibit that day because Fran had another event planned, but we would come back and check it out later, we didn't realize how much later at the time.


Yeah... 


franandaj said:


> If you're anywhere in the neighborhood of this exhibit as is travels across the country, I highly suggest a visit.


Heh. First I'd have to get in the _country._


franandaj said:


> The next room has a replica of an animator's desk. Everyone was was given an exact replica of this desk.


Everyone? Who's everyone? All the current animators, or... 


franandaj said:


> What struck my interest of the various ephemera was these commissary menus.


That struck me too!


franandaj said:


> I've never seen Liver and Bacon, Mutton Chop with Kidney, a Sardine sandwich in the past few years.



I don't think I've _ever_ seen that on a menu.


franandaj said:


> How often do you see Deviled Ham, Egg and Crabmeat on one menu?


Not often.

Never.


franandaj said:


> I did notice that this menu had a Monte Cristo on it!


I saw that right away too!


franandaj said:


> I believe these are opening day tickets from all the parks worldwide.


Cool!


franandaj said:


> This is the "insides" of an Animatronic used in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.


Speaking of "creepy"...


franandaj said:


> And everyone knows these guys!



Including the lovely lady in the foreground. ::yes:


franandaj said:


>


The car on the right is from The Absent Minded Professor.


----------



## Bianca and Bernard

franandaj said:


> *[Continued from Previous Post]*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> T
> RSR




When we were at WDW a couple of weeks ago, DH said I could get a sparkly for incentive (losing weight is hard...) so I got the necklace that matches those earrings! (World of Disney, Disney Springs) They had the earrings too, but I didn't get them. Then I got home, and decided I wanted those as well, so I ordered them (and a couple of other things) on Shop Disney. Maleficient is my girl; I have one tattoo (took me 49 years to get one, lol), and it's her outline on my left shoulder.

Anyways...you have good taste in jewelry!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Someone took the BCV reservation back in early April, and I was about to give up on the BLT reservation when someone snagged it earlier this week. I got a pretty penny for that one and evidently the renter was so happy to get it so Win/Win!



Hey, nice!  Glad that at least the consolation prize worked out.



franandaj said:


> We have no plans for travel outside of California for some time now. We do have a plan to stay overnight at the Grand in July with another "sleepover" with the girls, and then again in January we will also be staying with friends, provided that the border reopens.
> 
> We do have a cruise of the Mexican Riviera booked in March, so crossing our fingers that things settle down by then.



Hope that fills the Disney cravings for you for the time being.



franandaj said:


> This time we unlocked the secrets on the Farm, the Volcano (but I always get that one), the plates (which is a hard one for me), and for the first time we launched the alien spaceship! It might not have been my best score, but I got the pus er CAT for my token!



Good work!



franandaj said:


> This is the turn around point for the line, it started at the entrance to Avenger's Campus and extended all the way to Pixar Pier.



That's the kind of line that would have me contemplating my life's choices.



franandaj said:


> The rest of the park and DL were empty.



Can you just keep it that way for another 11 months or so?  Thanks.



franandaj said:


> Eventually he climbs down the building and poses for Meet and Greet photos. I would have been more impressed to see him do it without that without the wire!



Well, sure!  But Disney's attorneys would be less thrilled.



franandaj said:


>



I love those ketchup and mustard bottles.



franandaj said:


> And for some reason I can’t link this up with my photopass account so you get the raw pictures. I have to make sure and take better pictures because more often than not I can’t get the pictures to link.



Well, that's annoying.



franandaj said:


> And Main Street, a virtual ghost town. You don't see this anymore.



Alison!  Come on, you had one job!



franandaj said:


> If you're anywhere in the neighborhood of this exhibit as is travels across the country, I highly suggest a visit.



I'll have to be on the lookout for that one.



franandaj said:


> We were lucky enough to tour the archives when Dave Smith was still alive. He was so much fun as a tour guide.



I imagine that would be an awesome tour.



franandaj said:


> Some contemporary menus may still have things like Liver & Onions, but I've never seen Liver and Bacon, Mutton Chop with Kidney, a Sardine sandwich in the past few years. How often do you see Deviled Ham, Egg and Crabmeat on one menu?



Kidneys?  Blech.



franandaj said:


> I did notice that this menu had a Monte Cristo on it!



Now that's more like it.



franandaj said:


> This is the original prop Original Book from Sleeping Beauty.



Hey, that's cool!



franandaj said:


> And Davy Jones' heart.



Ew.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> I believe that the incredible family used to do meet ups there.



So I got thinking, I think Duffy used to greet there also




franandaj said:


> Review coming up in 3 updates......



Nice! 



franandaj said:


> I've heard of those, but not sure they still sell them in the states. I remember ads from my childhood.



I don't think they do sell them in the States, they are one of D's favs, I'll bring some next time we are back


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> I hope that holds true. I keep seeing the maps of the midwest with record breaking spikes and hospitalizations and think that's its not that big of an inconvenience to wear it in public places if it can save mine or Fran's lives. We don't go out a lot.


It's the unvaxxed that are the vast majority of the cases.  Maybe the stats will do the convincing. 




franandaj said:


> Yes! A wad of cash was nice!


Well, SURE! 




franandaj said:


> I suppose you could Google them. I was lucky to have people who explained them to me. I try to tell them to my riding companion because they are unlocked by teamwork.



OH, I didn't know that!! Okay, noted!


franandaj said:


> Those days are gone...  Nearly full capacity now.


It was nice while it lasted, but I'd take high crowds over pandemic lockdowns any day!! 


franandaj said:


> This crowd level is gone too, but my last few visits crowds were lighter at DL and everyone was at Avengers Campus.



Bonus!! 


franandaj said:


> The next room has a replica of an animator's desk. Everyone was was given an exact replica of this desk. At a panel where I once saw animator Floyd Norman talked about these desks and mentioned that each one was identical down to the ashtray provided for each animator, who were almost exclusively men.



I had a cousin who sat at one of those. Cool to see the work station.  I saw one in San Fran at the Disney Family Museum as well.  


franandaj said:


> Those "bookcases" you see are very realistic looking and the titles they represent are similar to the books you would find in the actual Archives at the Walt Disney Studios shown above.



Neat!!! Love this!


franandaj said:


> What struck my interest of the various ephemera was these commissary menus.



I think the artwork on it is is awesome! How fun! 


franandaj said:


> They look sorta creepy nowadays.



I dunno, I think they're kinda cool! 


franandaj said:


> This is the "insides" of an Animatronic used in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.


Not creepy at all. 


franandaj said:


> One of the windows from the Emporium at Disneyland.



I used to LOVE, LOVE!! seeing these animated window displays as a kid. I still pause for them on my way out of the park. 


franandaj said:


> And this was in the "It's a Small Mexico" ride at Epcot before the renovation.



Which was better. 


franandaj said:


> Mary Poppins Returns,


Someday I want to hand sew this dress and go to a Halloween party. I wonder if anyone would recognize it, but I sure do love it!!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Oh, no.
> I hadn't heard about that. I _had_ heard that there _could_ be spikes due to Vaccination hesitation, but...



LA County is on our 5th straight day with over 1000 new cases a day. Places in the South aren't even 40% vaccinated and they are having overrun hospitals worse than a year ago.

I spoke to a guy last week whose 94yo Grandma lives in Kansas and she was adamant about not getting it because of conspiracy theory type misinformation.  So he told her, "Grandma, I have connections. I can get you the REAL vaccine."



pkondz said:


> Not if the spikes continue!
> 
> I'd be perfectly happy if it opened only for completely vaccinated people.



I wish it wasn't such an issue here. A certain subset of our population are complete idiots.



pkondz said:


> No, I wouldn't think nuking them would be a good idea.



They have this coating on the inside of the box and you're supposed to flip the lid of the box around and use the box as a pedestal while nuking. The coating on the box is supposed to be a "crisper". I've seen frozen personal pizzas with the same concept. I think I tried it _once_ with one of those. There are some things that just need to be prepared in the oven.



pkondz said:


> Not TMI, but... upside down!! Huh!
> How on Earth did she figure that out? Maybe one got accidentally dumped on a plate and she preferred it that way?



Evidently that's the way her mother served them to her as a kid and that's how she liked it. Me, I prefer the crust to be crispy and to have a bit of crispy crust with some Gravy and fillings.



pkondz said:


> Right up your alley in at least two ways. Disney _and_ music!







pkondz said:


> Heh. First I'd have to get in the _country._



Well there is that.....



pkondz said:


> Everyone? Who's everyone? All the current animators, or...



Animators back in the 40s and 50s. When they first moved to the Studios in Burbank and for a while after that. Back when Animation was hand drawn and inked.



pkondz said:


> That struck me too!



Well I didn't show any pictures of the telegrams or inter-office memos....



pkondz said:


> I don't think I've _ever_ seen that on a menu.



I probably haven't either, but I have heard of people eating Mutton chops. I've never heard of a Sardine sandwich.   



pkondz said:


> Not often.
> 
> Never.



Lots of places down here have Deviled Eggs as an appetizer now. It's becoming trendy.  But Deviled Ham or Crabmeat, I've only seen the former in a can, and never heard of the latter at all. I find it fascinating to learn about past foods that have gone out of favor.



pkondz said:


> I saw that right away too!



Great minds.....



pkondz said:


> Speaking of "creepy"...



Liesa made a similar comment....



pkondz said:


> The car on the right is from The Absent Minded Professor.
> 
> View attachment 588466



I don't know why I didn't remember that. I saw that as a double feature back then they did those things. With the Shaggy Dog. And wasn't that the movie where they had the gag that he was driving that car at night and another car was coming at him head on? At the last moment it turned out to be two motorcycles that split off and drove around the car?  

Not sure why I remember that so vividly.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> LA County is on our 5th straight day with over 1000 new cases a day. Places in the South aren't even 40% vaccinated and they are having overrun hospitals worse than a year ago.


Ugh! That's definitely not what I was expecting you to say. Here our highest numbers were about 600/day (mind you, we're a lot smaller population. LA = 4M. All of Manitoba = 1.4M)
But for the last few weeks, our numbers have been under 100/day. 42 today.


franandaj said:


> I spoke to a guy last week whose 94yo Grandma lives in Kansas and she was adamant about not getting it because of conspiracy theory type misinformation. So he told her, "Grandma, I have connections. I can get you the REAL vaccine."



It's unfortunate that the elderly especially tend to believe everything they read. The internet is _not _your newspaper of 30-50 years ago.


franandaj said:


> I wish it wasn't such an issue here. A certain subset of our population are complete idiots.


I suspect that is true of many countries. Perhaps most.


franandaj said:


> They have this coating on the inside of the box and you're supposed to flip the lid of the box around and use the box as a pedestal while nuking. The coating on the box is supposed to be a "crisper".


Um... I think I'll skip that, thanks.


franandaj said:


> Evidently that's the way her mother served them to her as a kid and that's how she liked it.


Then maybe her _mom_ had an accident with one once. 


franandaj said:


> Me, I prefer the crust to be crispy and to have a bit of crispy crust with some Gravy and fillings.


mmmm...


franandaj said:


> Animators back in the 40s and 50s. When they first moved to the Studios in Burbank and for a while after that. Back when Animation was hand drawn and inked.


Got it. 


franandaj said:


> I probably haven't either, but I have heard of people eating Mutton chops.


I have too. 


franandaj said:


> I've never heard of a Sardine sandwich.


No? My mom would pack them in my school lunch when I was a kid.


franandaj said:


> Lots of places down here have Deviled Eggs as an appetizer now. It's becoming trendy. But Deviled Ham or Crabmeat, I've only seen the former in a can, and never heard of the latter at all. I find it fascinating to learn about past foods that have gone out of favor.





franandaj said:


> Liesa made a similar comment....


Great minds?

Well, hers, perhaps. I just got lucky.


franandaj said:


> And wasn't that the movie where they had the gag that he was driving that car at night and another car was coming at him head on? At the last moment it turned out to be two motorcycles that split off and drove around the car?


I don't remember. Maybe? 
Guess I need to watch it again!


----------



## franandaj

Bianca and Bernard said:


> When we were at WDW a couple of weeks ago, DH said I could get a sparkly for incentive (losing weight is hard...) so I got the necklace that matches those earrings! (World of Disney, Disney Springs) They had the earrings too, but I didn't get them. Then I got home, and decided I wanted those as well, so I ordered them (and a couple of other things) on Shop Disney. Maleficient is my girl; I have one tattoo (took me 49 years to get one, lol), and it's her outline on my left shoulder.
> 
> Anyways...you have good taste in jewelry!





Thanks for confirming my taste in Jewelry!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Hey, nice! Glad that at least the consolation prize worked out.



Yeah, except now we're jonesin' to go back!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Hope that fills the Disney cravings for you for the time being.



It will have to! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Good work!



 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That's the kind of line that would have me contemplating my life's choices.



Seriously.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Can you just keep it that way for another 11 months or so? Thanks.



Sorry. It's already ruined. Now that you're back we need to start working on your plans for next year!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, sure! But Disney's attorneys would be less thrilled



Good point!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I love those ketchup and mustard bottles.



They're nice set dressing. Not sure they do much else.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, that's annoying.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Alison! Come on, you had one job!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'll have to be on the lookout for that one.



Who knows where it goes next!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I imagine that would be an awesome tour.



It was! He was so excited by all that stuff!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Kidneys? Blech.



  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Now that's more like it.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Hey, that's cool



It is!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ew.



I thought it was kinda cool!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> So I got thinking, I think Duffy used to greet there also



I know Duffy also used to greet at the top of the hill across from the Lamplight Lounge and next to the store there.



DnA2010 said:


> I don't think they do sell them in the States, they are one of D's favs, I'll bring some next time we are back



You have a few candy bars there that are real good that @pkondz has sent me in the past.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> It's the unvaxxed that are the vast majority of the cases.  Maybe the stats will do the convincing.



I think that there is just too much misinformation out there and people with crazy conspiracy theories. It may end up just being Darwinian.



Steppesister said:


> It was nice while it lasted, but I'd take high crowds over pandemic lockdowns any day!!



I can see your point, but I still feel uneasy around a ton of unmasked people.



Steppesister said:


> I had a cousin who sat at one of those. Cool to see the work station.  I saw one in San Fran at the Disney Family Museum as well.



That's totally cool!  I suppose that there are quite a few of them out there, probably in homes of collectors as well.



Steppesister said:


> Neat!!! Love this!



They did a good job recreating the titles of the books too! They really looked like bookshelves, even up close.



Steppesister said:


> I think the artwork on it is is awesome! How fun!



And the artwork somewhat dated when the menu came from as well!



Steppesister said:


> I dunno, I think they're kinda cool!



Just shows how the look of stuffed toys has evolved over the years.



Steppesister said:


> Not creepy at all.



Well....that was the creepy section of the update.



Steppesister said:


> I used to LOVE, LOVE!! seeing these animated window displays as a kid. I still pause for them on my way out of the park.



I do too.  I'm amazed at how many of my friends don't even know about them and just walk right by.



Steppesister said:


> Which was better.



Honestly I don't think I rode it enough to even remember what it was like.



Steppesister said:


> Someday I want to hand sew this dress and go to a Halloween party. I wonder if anyone would recognize it, but I sure do love it!!


 
It's pretty obscure, it was only a short part of the film....


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Ugh! That's definitely not what I was expecting you to say. Here our highest numbers were about 600/day (mind you, we're a lot smaller population. LA = 4M. All of Manitoba = 1.4M)
> But for the last few weeks, our numbers have been under 100/day. 42 today.



Well last night the mask mandate went back into effect.  Let's hope that the numbers go back down.



pkondz said:


> It's unfortunate that the elderly especially tend to believe everything they read. The internet is _not _your newspaper of 30-50 years ago.



I'm not sure that it's the internet that doing that.  I think it's Wolf News, or it Coyote?  I know it is some sort of wild Canine, can't quite place the name.....



pkondz said:


> I suspect that is true of many countries. Perhaps most.



No, I think most of the world would vote Americans as the most oblivious and Ignorant people as a whole. At least the ones who make most of the news.



pkondz said:


> Um... I think I'll skip that, thanks.



Yeah, hard pass.



pkondz said:


> Then maybe her _mom_ had an accident with one once.



Her mom was just weird.



pkondz said:


> No? My mom would pack them in my school lunch when I was a kid.



Your mom sounds weird too!



pkondz said:


> I don't remember. Maybe?
> Guess I need to watch it again!



I guess you do!  You have a lot of things you need to do!  Ever get that massage?


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well last night the mask mandate went back into effect. Let's hope that the numbers go back down.


I hope so too. I had heard that, but I don't know what percentage of vaccinations you have in your area.


franandaj said:


> I'm not sure that it's the internet that doing that. I think it's Wolf News, or it Coyote? I know it is some sort of wild Canine, can't quite place the name.....


Sorry, don't know what you mean. 


franandaj said:


> No, I think most of the world would vote Americans as the most oblivious and Ignorant people as a whole. At least the ones who make most of the news.





franandaj said:


> Her mom was just weird.


Of course. She served pot pies upside down! 


franandaj said:


> Your mom sounds weird too!



I do know I was the only one at school (or so it seemed, certainly in my grade) with sardine sandwiches!


franandaj said:


> I guess you do! You have a lot of things you need to do! Ever get that massage?


Nope! Sure need one!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I hope so too. I had heard that, but I don't know what percentage of vaccinations you have in your area.



I believe most of California is between 68-70% and so is our area.



pkondz said:


> Sorry, don't know what you mean.



Fox - I guess you don't know about them up there.



pkondz said:


> Of course. She served pot pies upside down!



That wasn't the only thing.



pkondz said:


> I do know I was the only one at school (or so it seemed, certainly in my grade) with sardine sandwiches!



Honestly, I never knew that was a thing until I read that menu.



pkondz said:


> Nope! Sure need one!



Well, get on it!  Take care of yourself!


----------



## franandaj

It was only a few weeks ago when I was responding to comments about how our only plans for the future were to travel to my parent’s house in September because Fran was not comfortable getting out and about with other people.  Well, how things have changed! I’m not sure what changed in Fran’s mind, but a little over a week ago, we woke up Friday morning with only plans to visit my parents, and then next year we booked a Disney Cruise out of San Diego hoping that things would be better by then.

Well we got to talking that Friday afternoon, and I asked if we wanted to consider going to the 2021 Annual Band Convention. Last year they held it virtually and we didn’t participate, but she said to check it out and see if there were hotel rooms left and if registration was still open. There were and by 5PM that day, we were registered, had a hotel room, and flights back and forth, on points no less!

Well I guess the adrenaline for vacation booking didn’t stop there. The next day she said that she wanted to go to WDW, I asked her when and she said 2022! Well, we don’t go to Florida after May if we can avoid it, and I prefer not to book until the end of October because it’s just too darn hot there. I realized that we were rapidly approaching the end of our booking advantage with our home resorts and we got to plotting. It turns out that I’ve rented out so many of our points that we didn’t have much to work with.

In the end, we used the 7 month window with our SSR points at BLT, and then used our 7-11 month advantage to book BCV for the last four nights of the trip. We will be going in February of 2022, and I really wanted to create a ticker for my signature, but I can’t figure out how to put it in there.  None of the code from the ticker site seems to show up. I tried all of them and none worked. 

We have our cruise almost one month after we get back from WDW, so we entered the month of July with hardly any plans and now we have something going on nearly every month starting this Fall! Let’s hope that this thing doesn’t get worse and cause everything to shut down again!  Anyways, I just wanted to share that bit of news with y’all.  Now back to our day trips to Disneyland!




So the day after we visited the archives, we had a reservation for DCA. Back in April when they opened up the reservation system, I literally threw darts at the calendar and picked random days to go out during the first two months of park opening. Jenny wanted to have a girls day at the parks, as opposed to a day with the kids and family, so she made a reservation for this same day and our plan was to try for Webslingers. We figured that we'd get a group like 40 or 50. We'd pick Jenny up at 9AM (Park opened at 9) and saunter in about 9:30-10 and hang out until our BG got called.

She had been trying for a BG for weeks since the ride opened with no success. She works from home assessing mentally unstable patients who need psychiatric care. She described her obsession with getting the BG like this. "I feel so bad for the clients, but I NEED this. I feel like I'm saying, 'I know you're suicidal, but can you just give me 5 minutes while I try for this Webslingers Boarding Group? Then I’m all yours!' Crazy huh?"

Well she had me all worked up after trying for so many times with no success. So here's our chat that morning.





What follows can not be shared on a family board!





Who would have expected Group Freaking 9!!!!!!

Fran and I were still in bed, not even close to being dressed. I jumped up and told her we needed to get going as quick as we could. We were out the door in about an hour (which is pretty good for us!) We picked Jenny up at her house and her daughter (who just finished pastry school) made us fresh scones that morning. And Jenny had Mickey plates for us to eat them from.





When we were there the week before Fran had bought us the special Webslingers wrist enhancers.  On the way we listened to YouTube videos (I watched them) through the car stereo system, to figure out how to wear and use them.





We were about 15 minutes from the park when we got the notification that our BG was called. The park hadn't even officially opened yet!

We hauled butt to get there. It said in the screen return by 9:11AM and it was 9:15 and we were stuck in traffic trying to park! Jenny and I screen shotted the Boarding passes, but it wasn't really necessary, we still made it in plenty of time. They let us in, and even after they scanned our passes we still had about a 20 minute wait.









The ride was totally fun (again). This time I wore my Webslinger device, but I found it cumbersome and like it inhibited me. So I took it off for the second scene and as I had read online since the device had registered itself, even though it wasn't on my wrist, I was still slinging triple webs instead of the single webs.





Also I got a better sense of the storyline of the ride. The spiders are not trying to take over the world, just the Avengers Campus. Your first "scene" you are in the WEB building. (Worldwide Engineering Brigade). The second scene you are in the Pym Lab. The third you're in GotG, and the last one you are on the roof where the Quinn Jets take off and land. Jenny kicked my butt. I need to get better at this!

After the ride we did a little bit of shopping. Fran got more of those Webslingers.  Not sure if she wanted us to have one for each hand. I'm not sure that was entirely necessary.

Jenny wanted to get a drink at the bar and she twisted my arm to get one as well. I think this is when Jenny said.

"Life's always better with a little alcohol."

They encourage you to mobile order everything, we couldn't get a mobile order slot until 12:30 and I think it was 11:00, so we decided to just wait. 

They let all the Mobile order people go ahead of us, but in the end we waited about 15 minutes before they dispensed these little babies out of the bar tap gun.





We lucked out because only about a week later they stopped dispensing drinks in these beakers and just use the standard chartreuse cups that all the other alcoholic beverages are served in.

Adult beverages in hand, we decided that it was time for some Schwarma. 





Jenny was starving and couldn't wait. She had already cut it up for sharing and was digging in to her piece when I was able to get this picture. We sat in the seating area where the queue for the Hyperion theater used to be..





Next up Jenny wanted to do some shopping. She had secured reservations for the following Monday for her family and her daughter is a super mega Marvel fan, so she wanted to get her some Loki ears and T-shirts that she could wear. Fran is always up for some shopping!





We decided that it might be best if she scooted back to the car and dropped off the packages while Jenny and I rode Soarin'. It ended up being perfect timing. The amount of time we had to wait plus ride time was just right and Fran was waiting for us as we exited the ride.





Fran wanted to check on that Pirate shirt in New Orleans Square again to see if they got any larger sizes, but no luck. We noticed that Pirates was a walk on, so we went to get a return pass, and it wasn't for 20 minutes. We went to the end of the line, and tried having them scan it anyways. They said we were a little early, but let us on anyways.

Blue Bayou had recently opened and it was nice to see it back in action.

















I still prefer the original Redhead, sexist or not.

















By this point we were pretty tired. It had been a long day and we wanted to go home. I'd be back again soon!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Now that you're back we need to start working on your plans for next year!



Be careful what you wish for!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> It was only a few weeks ago when I was responding to comments about how our only plans for the future were to travel to my parent’s house in September because Fran was not comfortable getting out and about with other people. Well, how things have changed!



Cabin fever has set in!



franandaj said:


> We have our cruise almost one month after we get back from WDW, so we entered the month of July with hardly any plans and now we have something going on nearly every month starting this Fall! Let’s hope that this thing doesn’t get worse and cause everything to shut down again!



I don't think the country has any appetite for that.  But I also have confidence in the vaccines.  I feel pretty comfortable traveling now.



franandaj said:


> She had been trying for a BG for weeks since the ride opened with no success. She works from home assessing mentally unstable patients who need psychiatric care. She described her obsession with getting the BG like this. "I feel so bad for the clients, but I NEED this. I feel like I'm saying, 'I know you're suicidal, but can you just give me 5 minutes while I try for this Webslingers Boarding Group? Then I’m all yours!' Crazy huh?"



 Well, as long as she has her priorities straight.



franandaj said:


> Fran and I were still in bed, not even close to being dressed. I jumped up and told her we needed to get going as quick as we could.



Fire drill!  Fire drill!



franandaj said:


> We were about 15 minutes from the park when we got the notification that our BG was called. The park hadn't even officially opened yet!



That seems a bit...challenging.



franandaj said:


> So I took it off for the second scene and as I had read online since the device had registered itself, even though it wasn't on my wrist, I was still slinging triple webs instead of the single webs.



Interesting.  I guess all they care about is whether you spent the money or not.



franandaj said:


> "Life's always better with a little alcohol."



"little" being the key word there.



franandaj said:


> We lucked out because only about a week later they stopped dispensing drinks in these beakers and just use the standard chartreuse cups that all the other alcoholic beverages are served in.



Boo.  The beakers are really fun.



franandaj said:


> Blue Bayou had recently opened and it was nice to see it back in action.



That looks like such a great atmosphere for a meal.  All I would want is the monte cristo, though.



franandaj said:


> I still prefer the original Redhead, sexist or not.



Me too...if I'm allowed to say so.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> Liesa made a similar comment....





pkondz said:


> Great minds?
> 
> Well, hers, perhaps. I just got lucky.





franandaj said:


> I think that there is just too much misinformation out there and people with crazy conspiracy theories. It may end up just being Darwinian.



There will always be misinformation everywhere. And misrepresented information, skewed information, and UNreported information. 



franandaj said:


> I can see your point, but I still feel uneasy around a ton of unmasked people.



Hmm, they said things would be mostly safe at 70% which you are? And the new cases are 99% with unvaccinated with a highly contagious variant. So those that choose not to (the number of those who can't is very, very low) it should sweep through quickly and be over. At least in theory. Also, I think that whoever feels more comfortable with a mask on should absolutely wear one.  And those that don't shouldn't be made to. Everyone's had MONTHS to get their vaccine and now the onus is on them. 



franandaj said:


> They did a good job recreating the titles of the books too! They really looked like bookshelves, even up close.



On a similar note, reminds me of the titles/books in Skippers Canteen. So clever and fun! 


franandaj said:


> Just shows how the look of stuffed toys has evolved over the years.



So wildly. Isn't there one in 1901? I thought I saw one in there very similar to these. 


franandaj said:


> Well....that was the creepy section of the update.



LOL!! 


franandaj said:


> I do too. I'm amazed at how many of my friends don't even know about them and just walk right by.



People are always in such a hurry and miss the BEST parts of the parks. 


franandaj said:


> It's pretty obscure, it was only a short part of the film....



Very true.  Still a super cool dress!


----------



## rentayenta

Great update and for realzzzzz, the Web Slingers BG was of the utmost importance!!!!!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I believe most of California is between 68-70% and so is our area.


Both shots? Really! That's a high percentage. Very surprised you guys are having a spike!


franandaj said:


> Fox - I guess you don't know about them up there.


Ohhh... Sorry. Yes, I know about Fox. I'm just dense. 


franandaj said:


> That wasn't the only thing.


What else was served upside down???


franandaj said:


> Well, get on it! Take care of yourself!


Look what I got! Eating later tonight.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well we got to talking that Friday afternoon, and I asked if we wanted to consider going to the 2021 Annual Band Convention. Last year they held it virtually and we didn’t participate, but she said to check it out and see if there were hotel rooms left and if registration was still open. There were and by 5PM that day, we were registered, had a hotel room, and flights back and forth, on points no less!


Look at you guys! You're returning to normal activities!


franandaj said:


> In the end, we used the 7 month window with our SSR points at BLT, and then used our 7-11 month advantage to book BCV for the last four nights of the trip. We will be going in February of 2022


Nice! I'd like to stay at either BLT or CR just to be able to sashay over to MK whenever I feel like.


franandaj said:


> and I really wanted to create a ticker for my signature, but I can’t figure out how to put it in there. None of the code from the ticker site seems to show up. I tried all of them and none worked.


Ask @Steppesister. I see she has one on her siggie.


franandaj said:


> Let’s hope that this thing doesn’t get worse and cause everything to shut down again!


Please... no...


franandaj said:


> She described her obsession with getting the BG like this. "I feel so bad for the clients, but I NEED this. I feel like I'm saying, 'I know you're suicidal, but can you just give me 5 minutes while I try for this Webslingers Boarding Group? Then I’m all yours!' Crazy huh?"





franandaj said:


> What follows can not be shared on a family board!


You posted nude selfies of each other? Odd, butt, you're all adults, so fine by me.


franandaj said:


> Who would have expected Group Freaking 9!!!!!!


Apparently... not you!!


franandaj said:


> We picked Jenny up at her house and her daughter (who just finished pastry school) made us fresh scones that morning.


Hello?!?!? Pastry school graduate??? Perhaps she'd like to meet a friendly Canadian with a sweet tooth at some point.


franandaj said:


> We hauled butt to get there. It said in the screen return by 9:11AM and it was 9:15 and we were stuck in traffic trying to park!


You must've been sweating bullets!


franandaj said:


> The ride was totally fun (again). This time I wore my Webslinger device, but I found it cumbersome and like it inhibited me. So I took it off for the second scene and as I had read online since the device had registered itself, even though it wasn't on my wrist, I was still slinging triple webs instead of the single webs.


Interesting. I would've assumed you'd have to be wearing it. Too bad you found it bothersome.


franandaj said:


> After the ride we did a little bit of shopping. Fran got more of those Webslingers. Not sure if she wanted us to have one for each hand. I'm not sure that was entirely necessary.


Sounds like she got bitten by the... spider, I guess.


franandaj said:


> Jenny wanted to get a drink at the bar and she twisted my arm to get one as well.


Had to twist _real hard _I'm sure. 


franandaj said:


> I think this is when Jenny said.
> 
> "Life's always better with a little alcohol."


And you heartily agreed?


franandaj said:


> Adult beverages in hand, we decided that it was time for some Schwarma.


 Some day I _will_ get this! I should make a point of going to the next football game with an appetite. They have one there but they look so huge that I've never dared.


franandaj said:


> Fran is always up for some shopping!


This surprises... no one. 


franandaj said:


>


Holy smokes!! 


franandaj said:


> We decided that it might be best if she scooted back to the car and dropped off the packages while Jenny and I rode Soarin'. It ended up being perfect timing. The amount of time we had to wait plus ride time was just right and Fran was waiting for us as we exited the ride.


Perfect. 


franandaj said:


> Blue Bayou had recently opened and it was nice to see it back in action.


Yusss...

Need to get down there. Just get the border open and the covid numbers lower, okay?


franandaj said:


>


ah well...


franandaj said:


>


Huh. I thought he'd look more like Jack... but just doesn't. At least not in this shot.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Be careful what you wish for!



Bring it on!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Cabin fever has set in!



Evidently!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I don't think the country has any appetite for that. But I also have confidence in the vaccines. I feel pretty comfortable traveling now.



I'm still not very comfortable around other people. Look at all those fully vaccinated folks over at the Olympics who keep testing positive, but it looks like we are going to be living with this for a while so we may as well make the best of it.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, as long as she has her priorities straight.



I know, right? 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Fire drill! Fire drill!



Pretty much!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That seems a bit...challenging.



I was amazed at the timing, but I suppose they are told to let everyone in even if they're late.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Interesting. I guess all they care about is whether you spent the money or not.



Well it did still keep functioning like it was on my wrist even though it wasn't.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> "little" being the key word there.



Lest you end up like the birthday party in Liesa's TR!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Boo. The beakers are really fun.



They are! I'm glad I got one!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That looks like such a great atmosphere for a meal. All I would want is the monte cristo, though.



They do serve steak and potatoes....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Me too...if I'm allowed to say so.



Of course! We can both be politically incorrect!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> n fact on March 14, 2020 we went to a presentation on the music of Disneyland in the museum theater. It was a retrospective of music that Walt intended to represent the various lands when DL opened. She played a number of selections from records and told us some interesting stories.



This sounds like a really nice event., good musician then?




franandaj said:


> The event was a "mug release" at our local Tiki Bar. We went directly there, got in the queue for the mugs, and had some drinks and food while we waited to purchase the mugs.



I think I remember this, is this the place you got "to go" from drinks later on in covid? (or am I just making that up?)



franandaj said:


> animator Floyd Norman talked about these desks and mentioned that each one was identical down to the ashtray provided for each animator, who were almost exclusively men.



D gave me a Walt book and I remember reading that. Ahh I remember when ash trays were everywhere...




franandaj said:


> Commissary menus.





franandaj said:


>





franandaj said:


> but I've never seen Liver and Bacon, Mutton Chop with Kidney, a Sardine sandwich in the past few years. How often do you see Deviled Ham, Egg and Crabmeat on one menu? The poor chefs must have had to have so much going on in their kitchen.



I really enjoyed reading through these. I also thought, wow doing the ordering for those would be a lot of work!



franandaj said:


> They look sorta creepy nowadays.



Agree. 



franandaj said:


> Every animated character has a clay model so that the animators can view the subject in 3D and explore all the angles of the Character. I know that there are thousands because at one D23 event we visited a warehouse where they store them.



Wow, how many did you get to see? do they vary a lot in size much, the models?




franandaj said:


> This figure had been on The Great Movie Ride



Never did ride it...



franandaj said:


> And everyone knows these guys!



Sure do, nice pic!



franandaj said:


>





franandaj said:


>



Those two are too cute. I thought they did a nice job of them.




franandaj said:


>



We had Lion King so I know it well. I liked the costumes in the background!

Thanks for sharing this event, enjoyed it!


----------



## Steppesister

pkondz said:


> Ask @Steppesister. I see she has one on her siggie.


I just googled Disney vacation countdown tickers and the website that is visible on the ticker in my siggie and it walks you through the process. Then you can copy and paste the html code and you can just stash in your siggie as a link? Either that or just copy and pasted. It seems to be working so it's not just an image apparently.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> There will always be misinformation everywhere. And misrepresented information, skewed information, and UNreported information.



And there will always be stupidity as well. 



Steppesister said:


> Hmm, they said things would be mostly safe at 70% which you are?



Evidently we are not at 70%, and yesterday they were reporting over 3K new cases in LA County.



Steppesister said:


> And the new cases are 99% with unvaccinated with a highly contagious variant.



They're saying that the new cases are actually 80% unvaccinated, but the hospitalizations are 99% unvaccinated.




Steppesister said:


> So those that choose not to (the number of those who can't is very, very low) it should sweep through quickly and be over. At least in theory. Also, I think that whoever feels more comfortable with a mask on should absolutely wear one.  And those that don't shouldn't be made to. Everyone's had MONTHS to get their vaccine and now the onus is on them.



In the end, it will be a Darwinian solution and since I know that Fran and I are not the fittest, we'll do the masking.



Steppesister said:


> On a similar note, reminds me of the titles/books in Skippers Canteen. So clever and fun!



I've never eaten there. Fran has deemed it weird. I'll have to take a look at the menu again.



Steppesister said:


> So wildly. Isn't there one in 1901? I thought I saw one in there very similar to these.



You're right! There is one on that shelf.



Steppesister said:


> People are always in such a hurry and miss the BEST parts of the parks.



Yes they do.



Steppesister said:


> Very true.  Still a super cool dress!



It is cute.


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Great update and for realzzzzz, the Web Slingers BG was of the utmost importance!!!!!



Well I'm glad you finally ended up getting it. Now we're going to be doing it again in five days!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Both shots? Really! That's a high percentage. Very surprised you guys are having a spike!



Evidently I was wrong. We aren't quite to 70%. They keep saying we haven't reached quite 70% and herd immunity.



pkondz said:


> Ohhh... Sorry. Yes, I know about Fox. I'm just dense.







pkondz said:


> What else was served upside down???



She was just weird.



pkondz said:


> Look what I got! Eating later tonight.
> View attachment 590991



Yay! Finally! How was it?



pkondz said:


> Look at you guys! You're returning to normal activities



We even went to an indoor concert last night.



pkondz said:


> Nice! I'd like to stay at either BLT or CR just to be able to sashay over to MK whenever I feel like.



That was part of the appeal. Also the fact that the 1 bedrooms have two bathrooms. 



pkondz said:


> Ask @Steppesister. I see she has one on her siggie.



I tried what she said. Maybe the DIS was having a bad day. I'll try it again today.



pkondz said:


> Please... no...



I have a feeling we're going to just have to live with the death since Americans won't comply anyways.



pkondz said:


> You posted nude selfies of each other? Odd, butt, you're all adults, so fine by me



Actually it was more like:

"Group 9? HOW THE FLIP DID YOU DO THAT????"

Only that might not have been the exact phrase that was used. 



pkondz said:


> Apparently... not you!!



Nope! I was thinking it would be more like Group 40.



pkondz said:


> Hello?!?!? Pastry school graduate??? Perhaps she'd like to meet a friendly Canadian with a sweet tooth at some point.



Probably not. 



pkondz said:


> You must've been sweating bullets!



We were a little stressed!



pkondz said:


> Interesting. I would've assumed you'd have to be wearing it. Too bad you found it bothersome.



It just feels weird on the arm. I'll try it again this next week.



pkondz said:


> Sounds like she got bitten by the... spider, I guess







pkondz said:


> Had to twist _real hard _I'm sure.



Actually before noon I generally prefer not to drink unless I'm planning on going back to bed.



pkondz said:


> And you heartily agreed?



More like reluctantly....



pkondz said:


> Some day I _will_ get this! I should make a point of going to the next football game with an appetite. They have one there but they look so huge that I've never dared.



The ones in Avengers Campus are kind of small, so easy to eat.



pkondz said:


> This surprises... no one.







pkondz said:


> Holy smokes!!



She's not messing around.



pkondz said:


> Need to get down there. Just get the border open and the covid numbers lower, okay?



I'm doing my best to keep my number down and that's all I can control. 



pkondz said:


> Huh. I thought he'd look more like Jack... but just doesn't. At least not in this shot.



Well they all kind of look the same (he appears like 3 places in the ride). I think they're hoping that you don't see him long enough and it's dark so you won't notice.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Evidently I was wrong. We aren't quite to 70%. They keep saying we haven't reached quite 70% and herd immunity.


<sigh>
Any time, planet Earth... any time.


franandaj said:


> She was just weird.


So not just the pies were upside down, but the whole house was too.


franandaj said:


> Yay! Finally! How was it?


Ah-mazing!
Been far too long. It was a homemade one too, so I didn't have to go get one. It came to me!


franandaj said:


> We even went to an indoor concert last night.


oooohhhh... nice!


franandaj said:


> That was part of the appeal. Also the fact that the 1 bedrooms have two bathrooms.


Not generally a concern for just l'il ol' me.


franandaj said:


> I have a feeling we're going to just have to live with the death since Americans won't comply anyways.





franandaj said:


> Actually it was more like:
> 
> "Group 9? HOW THE FLIP DID YOU DO THAT????"
> 
> Only that might not have been the exact phrase that was used.


Fudge? Was the word, fudge???


franandaj said:


> Probably not.





franandaj said:


> It just feels weird on the arm. I'll try it again this next week.


Let me know. 


franandaj said:


> The ones in Avengers Campus are kind of small, so easy to eat.


Ah. At the stadium, they're as long as a football and about as thick as a baseball bat.

How very sporting of them.


franandaj said:


> I'm doing my best to keep my number down and that's all I can control.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> This sounds like a really nice event., good musician then?



Actually, I'm not even sure if she was a musician. She played records of music that were sold when the park first opened.  They were like soundtracks for the various lands in DL, and were available for purchase so that folks could be reminded of the parks when they got home.  Much like we all have Disney playlists on Spotify....or at least I do.  



DnA2010 said:


> I think I remember this, is this the place you got "to go" from drinks later on in covid? (or am I just making that up?)



Yes, it is!  And we just went back there a couple weeks ago with Jenny and Michael!

This was mine and Fran's first round of drinks




She got the Burger and I got the Chicken Sandwich, Michael also got the Chicken Sandwich.








Jenny got the wings. She said they were spicy




We got a second round of drinks, 




And I think I was the only one to get a third round.







DnA2010 said:


> D gave me a Walt book and I remember reading that. Ahh I remember when ash trays were everywhere...



Yeah, we are listening to a book from the WWII time period and everyone smokes in there too.



DnA2010 said:


> I really enjoyed reading through these. I also thought, wow doing the ordering for those would be a lot of work!



I suppose you are talking about the menus, do you mean the person stocking the kitchen?



DnA2010 said:


> Wow, how many did you get to see? do they vary a lot in size much, the models?



When we went on the D23 we got to see an entire warehouse filled with them.  Most of them were fairly small maybe a quarter metre to half a metre.  About a foot tall or less.



DnA2010 said:


> Never did ride it...



That's too bad.  I really liked the ride. I was sorry to see it go.



DnA2010 said:


> Sure do, nice pic!



Thanks!



DnA2010 said:


> Those two are too cute. I thought they did a nice job of them.



I did too, they were very ornate.



DnA2010 said:


> We had Lion King so I know it well. I liked the costumes in the background!
> 
> Thanks for sharing this event, enjoyed it!



I'm glad we got to go, even if it was the week before it closed down.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> <sigh>
> Any time, planet Earth... any time.



Really......



pkondz said:


> So not just the pies were upside down, but the whole house was too.



It's like she was Turning Turtle....



pkondz said:


> Ah-mazing!
> Been far too long. It was a homemade one too, so I didn't have to go get one. It came to me!



Well that was convenient, wasn't it?



pkondz said:


> Not generally a concern for just l'il ol' me.



I can see that, but we don't usually share a bathroom at home, so it can be an inconvenience to do so on vacation.



pkondz said:


> Fudge? Was the word, fudge???



You are 2/5 correct!



pkondz said:


> Ah. At the stadium, they're as long as a football and about as thick as a baseball bat.
> 
> How very sporting of them.



That's pretty huge.  These ones are just a little larger than a cell phone, but not flat like a phone.


----------



## franandaj




----------



## franandaj




----------



## franandaj




----------



## franandaj




----------



## franandaj

*Avengers with the Jenny Family*

It was only a few days later when we were all up before 7AM at our respective households on the Disney app, waiting for that clock to hit 7AM.

I never even got the "Join" button, but luckily Chloe did! She got is BG 47. Not bad and at least I wouldn't have to rush around. This time I wasI was already dressed, so I did my morning stuff. Fed the cats, and got ready to go. However, we had packages to drop off at Fed Ex before we could head out to the park.  I should have just planned to take care of it after I left the park. You see we were shipping a trombone and we had "built" a box by taking three separate boxes and taping them together. Since the distribution center didn’t open until 9AM, we took it to a "FedEx Office" location. We should have just headed directly out to Disney because we lost almost an hour driving across town and then didn't even get to drop off everything. They wouldn’t take my Frankenstein box. We did stop at McFood on the way so I wouldn’t starve.

It was 8:53 when we were getting on the freeway, so frustrating!

Just before 10AM I was waiting for Jenny and her family at the exit of Soarin', so we headed over to Avengers Campus and decided to get some photos.





My arm is twisted in the weirdest way in this one, we were supposed to be slinging webs.





We ended up getting there just in time to see the Spiderman Show. Since they had never seen it, we stopped and watched again.  I missed this shot the last time I saw the show.





After a stroll through the gift store with no results we headed towards a photo ops for legacy passholders.













Jenny looks less than impressed.





By this time Jenny noticed that mobile ordering had opened for Pym's lunch menu and she frantically took orders for all the kids. I declined anything since Fran and I ate McFood for breakfast and I wasn't hungry, but in hindsight I should have ordered one of those chocolate bars because Jenny forgot to order one. As we were walking around figuring out what to do next, the Dora Milage came out to recruit new members.









Our Webslingers BG had not been called yet so we decided to ride Guardians. And what do you know? Just as we were entering the preshow our group got called!

No worries this is a short ride and as we knew from the week before they let you in well after your group has been called.

Now when I commented that the Walkman was gone when they were skipping the preshow, some of you were perplexed as to how I noticed that.

Well here it is when you enter the room. 





Then Rocket comes down out of the air vent to reveal the plan.





On our way out the back door, you can see his little arm reach into the case to grab the Walkman, which he gives back to Quill at the end of the ride.





I believe that we got "We got the Funk" on this time around.





Then we headed over to Webslingers where it was again about a 20 minute wait. There are two preshow rooms and this time we got the other preshow room. The exit into the main queue from this preshow room is a little cooler than the other. I'll have to take a picture next time I ride which should be the end of July if all goes as planned. This update may not even be posted by then!  Jenny and I rode together while the rest of the family rode in the car on the other side of ours.





By the time we got off the ride it was getting close to the Mobile order Window from when Jenny had ordered.  We decided to go find a table in the dining area that was set up in the queue for the Hyperion Theater. Pretty soon after sitting down Jenny got the push notification that her mobile order window was open and clicked "I'm here prepare my order." She and her daughter went to pick up the food while she sent her hubby to get them some drinks. Both of them got back at about the same time.

Jenny shared her "Not So Little Chicken Sandwich" with me. Fried Chicken Breast, Teriyaki and Red Chili Sauces, and Pickled Cabbage Slaw on Brioche, served with crispy Potato Bites, the chicken itself was really good I would order this again. However the top bun was hard as a rock. There were not nearly enough of the tater tots. If sharing the sandwich, I'd order a side of these.





Michael and Josh got the panini sandwich with Salami, Rosemary Ham, Provolone and Sun-dried Tomato Spread on Toasted Focaccia, served with Marinara Dipping Sauce and Arugula Salad. They seemed to like it well enough as they ate it all. I think Michael told Jenny that her sandwich was the winner.





Chloe got the Rigatoni and Ditalini Pastas, Plant-based Meat-balls, Tomato Sauce, Dairy-free Parmesan and Micro Basil, I'm not sure if she was impressed with this or not.





Lunch was just before noon and they were trying to get a BG for RotR. Evidently everyone else in the area was trying for some sort of BG as well, because just after 12PM hit you heard cheers and other exclamations.

The guy at the table next to us stood up and yelled, “Who got a boarding group just now?” and then he panned the crowd taking video on his cell phone of everyone in the area cheering and whooping.

Unfortunately, I had work to do that day. I wanted to ride Webslingers, and I got that done. Also Fran had been texting me, asking if we were done yet and was I ready for her to pick me up. I told her to go ahead and start coming out.

Jenny and her family wanted to give TSMM a go, it had been down in the early morning and now it was back up and running. So I walked with them until they split off to Paradise Pier and I headed back down the path near Grizzly River Run.  I spied this guy hanging out. I tried to figure out his name, but can’t find it anywhere.





And with that I headed out for Fran to pick me up and go back to our daily hum drum. But no worries, this was Monday and we would be back by Friday.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


>


Those look really good. 


franandaj said:


> Well that was convenient, wasn't it?


Yup! 


franandaj said:


> I can see that, but we don't usually share a bathroom at home, so it can be an inconvenience to do so on vacation.


Makes sense.


franandaj said:


> You are 2/5 correct!


Ah! So it must be.... midge!
Knew I'd get it eventually.


franandaj said:


> That's pretty huge. These ones are just a little larger than a cell phone, but not flat like a phone.


Much more reasonable. Less daunting.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> We should have just headed directly out to Disney because we lost almost an hour driving across town and then didn't even get to drop off everything. They wouldn’t take my Frankenstein box.



Best laid plans...


franandaj said:


> We did stop at McFood on the way so I wouldn’t starve.


McFood?
Pretty sure there's little to no real food served there. (And yes, I do occasionally eat it.)


franandaj said:


>


Gang's all here!


franandaj said:


> My arm is twisted in the weirdest way in this one, we were supposed to be slinging webs.


Ohhh... I just thought you were all having heart attacks.


franandaj said:


>


Whoa! What the heck?!?!??


franandaj said:


> Jenny looks less than impressed.


Not an Ant Man fan.


franandaj said:


> the Dora Milage came out to recruit new members.


Pick you?


franandaj said:


> Our Webslingers BG had not been called yet so we decided to ride Guardians. And what do you know? Just as we were entering the preshow our group got called!


Of course!


franandaj said:


> No worries this is a short ride and as we knew from the week before they let you in well after your group has been called.


Okay, phew.


franandaj said:


> On our way out the back door, you can see his little arm reach into the case to grab the Walkman, which he gives back to Quill at the end of the ride.


Ohhhh! That's so cool!


franandaj said:


>


Nice shot of you guys. You crack me up. 


franandaj said:


>


Huge! Too bad the bun wasn't good, though.


franandaj said:


> Michael and Josh got the panini sandwich with Salami, Rosemary Ham, Provolone and Sun-dried Tomato Spread on Toasted Focaccia, served with Marinara Dipping Sauce and Arugula Salad.


That sounds delish.


franandaj said:


> The guy at the table next to us stood up and yelled, “Who got a boarding group just now?” and then he panned the crowd taking video on his cell phone of everyone in the area cheering and whooping.


 Would be fun to see that.


----------



## rentayenta

Fun update!!!! I forgot about the Bamboo Club! We need to go back! 



franandaj said:


> Well I'm glad you finally ended up getting it. Now we're going to be doing it again in five days!




We need to upload all the tickets etc on all the phones for Rise and WS BGs. Excited for another evening at Trader Sam's and then the ultimate Tiki Takover!!!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> I never even got the "Join" button, but luckily Chloe did! She got is BG 47.



If you have a family where not every single member has a phone, you're at a serious disadvantage.



franandaj said:


> My arm is twisted in the weirdest way in this one, we were supposed to be slinging webs.



I figured you were just trying to dislocate your shoulder.



franandaj said:


> We ended up getting there just in time to see the Spiderman Show. Since they had never seen it, we stopped and watched again. I missed this shot the last time I saw the show.



That animatronic is pretty darn impressive.



franandaj said:


> Jenny looks less than impressed.



I get that look from Julie all the time.



franandaj said:


> As we were walking around figuring out what to do next, the Dora Milage came out to recruit new members.



By threatening you with spears?  I feel like there are better ways to accomplish this.



franandaj said:


> On our way out the back door, you can see his little arm reach into the case to grab the Walkman, which he gives back to Quill at the end of the ride.



Now it makes sense.



franandaj said:


> Jenny shared her "Not So Little Chicken Sandwich" with me. Fried Chicken Breast, Teriyaki and Red Chili Sauces, and Pickled Cabbage Slaw on Brioche, served with crispy Potato Bites, the chicken itself was really good I would order this again. However the top bun was hard as a rock. There were not nearly enough of the tater tots. If sharing the sandwich, I'd order a side of these.



That sandwich is hilarious.  I could see my self pushing everything aside and just going for the chicken and tots.



franandaj said:


> Plant-based Meat-balls



I think I found the problem.



franandaj said:


>



No idea.  But he's kinda scary-looking.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I tried to figure out his name, but can’t find it anywhere.


I tried too.
Best I can figure is he's either Shaker: (but I don't think so)


Or Wendell:


Wendell has the blue scarf and the teeth look similar.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> I never even got the "Join" button, but luckily Chloe did! She got is BG 47.



I have terrible luck too. My kids always seem to be the ones who get this for us. 


franandaj said:


> We did stop at McFood on the way so I wouldn’t starve.



Are you sure you still weren't "starving"? It barely qualifies as food.  


franandaj said:


>



And Jenny looks like she's doing a hula. 


franandaj said:


>



Funny! 


franandaj said:


> Our Webslingers BG had not been called yet so we decided to ride Guardians. And what do you know? Just as we were entering the preshow our group got called!


Of course it did!! 


franandaj said:


> Then Rocket comes down out of the air vent to reveal the plan.






franandaj said:


> On our way out the back door, you can see his little arm reach into the case to grab the Walkman, which he gives back to Quill at the end of the ride.



I think you pointed that out when I was there last time. Cute detail! 


franandaj said:


> Jenny shared her "Not So Little Chicken Sandwich" with me. Fried Chicken Breast, Teriyaki and Red Chili Sauces, and Pickled Cabbage Slaw on Brioche, served with crispy Potato Bites, the chicken itself was really good I would order this again. However the top bun was hard as a rock. There were not nearly enough of the tater tots. If sharing the sandwich, I'd order a side of these.



 That is inSANE!! 


franandaj said:


> The guy at the table next to us stood up and yelled, “Who got a boarding group just now?” and then he panned the crowd taking video on his cell phone of everyone in the area cheering and whooping.



That's super funny!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Looks like a fun morning (except for the mailing run)!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Those look really good.



The Bamboo Club is a good and solid location for grub and Tiki Drinks.  Unfortunately for you most of them have rum. But they do have a few with other alcohols....



pkondz said:


> Ah! So it must be.... midge!
> Knew I'd get it eventually.



You're so smart!    



pkondz said:


> McFood?
> Pretty sure there's little to no real food served there. (And yes, I do occasionally eat it.)



Sometimes, you just want all that grease!



pkondz said:


> Gang's all here!







pkondz said:


> Ohhh... I just thought you were all having heart attacks.







pkondz said:


> Whoa! What the heck?!?!??



Not sure if a real person goes flying like that or they have two different spideys, one on each side of the building and that's just a mannequin. The whole show is voiced "on tape" and the performers just pantomime.



pkondz said:


> Not an Ant Man fan.



She didn't know what was going to show up there, but she wasn't going to be thrilled with whatever it was.



pkondz said:


> Pick you?



Of course not!  This old tired body?



pkondz said:


> Ohhhh! That's so cool!



I never get tired of watching it!



pkondz said:


> Nice shot of you guys. You crack me up.



It's hard to come up with new and unique photo ops with as many times as I ride these rides!



pkondz said:


> Huge! Too bad the bun wasn't good, though.



Yeah, I think that's just a thing with that sandwich.



pkondz said:


> That sounds delish.



I have yet to try that one....



pkondz said:


> Would be fun to see that.



That's the only time I've experienced the noon boarding group phenomenon.


----------



## DnA2010

I'm soooo behinnndd! 



franandaj said:


> This was mine and Fran's first round of drinks



Those look soooo good!




franandaj said:


>



As does this little number! mmm fried chicken!



franandaj said:


> We got a second round of drinks,



Looking tasty, I don't really order "milky or creamy" drinks much- how was that one?




franandaj said:


> And I think I was the only one to get a third round.




Ya you did! Love it!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> then next year we booked a Disney Cruise out of San Diego hoping that things would be better by then.



Fingers crossed! I wish Disney had the mandatory vac policy for those that can tbh. 



franandaj said:


> There were and by 5PM that day, we were registered, had a hotel room, and flights back and forth, on points no less!



Boom! Yay for points!



franandaj said:


> We will be going in February of 2022



That should be a really nice time to go! I'm so looking forward to getting back to the World in the next few years...gotta take the small thing. 



franandaj said:


> We have our cruise almost one month after we get back from WDW, so we entered the month of July with hardly any plans and now we have something going on nearly every month starting this Fall! Let’s hope that this thing doesn’t get worse and cause everything to shut down again! Anyways, I just wanted to share that bit of news with y’all. Now back to our day trips to Disneyland!



It better not get too worse and shut things down!!



franandaj said:


> Who would have expected Group Freaking 9!!!!!!
> 
> Fran and I were still in bed, not even close to being dressed.



I so remember hearing about this LOL



franandaj said:


>


yum yum yum! Love scones, croissants 



franandaj said:


> The ride was totally fun (again).



I enjoyed the review!  Like me and Rise, Dorian has been not reading anything about slingers!



franandaj said:


> franandaj said:
> 
> 
> 
> "Life's always better with a little alcohol."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes indeed!
> 
> 
> 
> franandaj said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> franandaj said:
> 
> 
> 
> We lucked out because only about a week later they stopped dispensing drinks in these beakers
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Oh boo! Those are adorable!
> 
> 
> 
> franandaj said:
> 
> 
> 
> Fran is always up for some shopping!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I laughed out loud actually at this! Her eyes even look a bit smug to me!
> 
> 
> 
> franandaj said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Still the World eh, I like Cali better.
> 
> 
> 
> franandaj said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> This was so real when I was a kid, all that treasure!
> 
> 
> 
> franandaj said:
> 
> 
> 
> I still prefer the original Redhead, sexist or not.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Me too!!
> 
> 
> 
> Getting closer to caught up!
Click to expand...


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Fun update!!!! I forgot about the Bamboo Club! We need to go back!



One month!



rentayenta said:


> We need to upload all the tickets etc on all the phones for Rise and WS BGs. Excited for another evening at Trader Sam's and then the ultimate Tiki Takover!!!



Done and done!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> If you have a family where not every single member has a phone, you're at a serious disadvantage.



Well if at least the fast fingered teens have them you're good. But you'll be covered for at least a day.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I figured you were just trying to dislocate your shoulder.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> That animatronic is pretty darn impressive



Yeah I wonder about that too. Somehow I think the guy in the spidey suit runs through the building while the Animatronic dummy is catapulted through the air.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I get that look from Julie all the time.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> By threatening you with spears? I feel like there are better ways to accomplish this.



But it sure parts the crowd!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Now it makes sense.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> That sandwich is hilarious. I could see my self pushing everything aside and just going for the chicken and tots.



Spoiler Alert: I did exactly that last week.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I think I found the problem.



Yeah....I got another story on that for later.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> No idea. But he's kinda scary-looking.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Unfortunately for you most of them have rum. But they do have a few with other alcohols....


So... you're saying there's hope...


franandaj said:


> You're so smart!





franandaj said:


> Sometimes, you just want all that grease!


Please... not often.


franandaj said:


> Not sure if a real person goes flying like that or they have two different spideys, one on each side of the building and that's just a mannequin. The whole show is voiced "on tape" and the performers just pantomime.


I read somewhere something about a mannequin, so... maybe?


franandaj said:


> She didn't know what was going to show up there, but she wasn't going to be thrilled with whatever it was.





franandaj said:


> It's hard to come up with new and unique photo ops with as many times as I ride these rides!


I believe you! I have trouble with just the few times I've done Splash photos!


----------



## rentayenta

Done and done!  I love us!!!!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I tried too.
> Best I can figure is he's either Shaker: (but I don't think so)



I didn't think it was Shaker either.



pkondz said:


> Or Wendell:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wendell has the blue scarf and the teeth look similar.



Wendell was my best guess as well because of the scarf.  I guess we'll never know!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I didn't think it was Shaker either.
> 
> 
> 
> Wendell was my best guess as well because of the scarf.  I guess we'll never know!


Mystery bear!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> I have terrible luck too. My kids always seem to be the ones who get this for us.



I actually seem to have really great luck.  When playing from home and we still have to drive to the park. So far of the three or four times I've tried it, twice I've gotten lower than BG10.



Steppesister said:


> Are you sure you still weren't "starving"? It barely qualifies as food.



No, it barely qualifies as food, but it can also fill up the stomach just like styrofoam might.



Steppesister said:


> Of course it did!!



Murphy's Law!



Steppesister said:


> I think you pointed that out when I was there last time. Cute detail!



I like to point that one out, so many people miss it because they are in a hurry to bolt out that back door.



Steppesister said:


> That is inSANE!!



It was pretty tasty though.


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Looks like a fun morning (except for the mailing run)!



Well the mailing run is just a part of normal life for us so it wasn't so bad.  Just a pain that they wouldn't take our box at the retail location when they have no problem at the distribution center.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> I'm soooo behinnndd!



It's not like you don't have a good reason.



DnA2010 said:


> Those look soooo good!



I can't wait to go back! We have plans in a few weeks.



DnA2010 said:


> As does this little number! mmm fried chicken!



Really Tasty!



DnA2010 said:


> Looking tasty, I don't really order "milky or creamy" drinks much- how was that one



That was Fran's. It came from the "Coconut" section of the menu. She gave me a taste and it actually didn't taste like coconut



DnA2010 said:


> Fingers crossed! I wish Disney had the mandatory vac policy for those that can tbh.



Well they are making their employees get vaccinated.



DnA2010 said:


> Boom! Yay for points!



You'd think with the amount that I've rented out there wouldn't be any left!



DnA2010 said:


> That should be a really nice time to go! I'm so looking forward to getting back to the World in the next few years...gotta take the small thing.



Hopefully we'll start letting Canadians in again soon!



DnA2010 said:


> It better not get too worse and shut things down!!



Well, it's not looking so good right now.



DnA2010 said:


> I so remember hearing about this LOL



Yes, first world problems, I think is the way that I put it.



DnA2010 said:


> yum yum yum! Love scones, croissants



And they were baked that morning!



DnA2010 said:


> I enjoyed the review! Like me and Rise, Dorian has been not reading anything about slingers!



Hopefully you'll get to experience it first hand in January.



DnA2010 said:


> Yes indeed!







DnA2010 said:


> Oh boo! Those are adorable!



I know!  I have mine on a shelf with a bunch of other Disney mugs.



DnA2010 said:


> I laughed out loud actually at this! Her eyes even look a bit smug to me!



I think she was saying "hurry up and take the picture so I can go unload all this stuff."



DnA2010 said:


> Still the World eh, I like Cali better.



Me too.



DnA2010 said:


> This was so real when I was a kid, all that treasure!



I never saw it until I was older and jaded.



DnA2010 said:


> Me too!!
> 
> 
> 
> Getting closer to caught up!



Hoping to have another update soon, I'm getting swamped!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> So... you're saying there's hope...



Hope for what?  



pkondz said:


> I read somewhere something about a mannequin, so... maybe?



I feel like we have lost the context of what we're talking about.



pkondz said:


> I believe you! I have trouble with just the few times I've done Splash photos!



But your Splash photos are epic!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Done and done!  I love us!!!!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Mystery bear!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Hope for what?


That I'd be able to get a non-rum drink.


franandaj said:


> I feel like we have lost the context of what we're talking about.


What's this "we" business?
It was about whether the high spiderman jump was a person or a mannequin.


franandaj said:


> But your Splash photos are epic!


 Thanks!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> That I'd be able to get a non-rum drink.



Ah, and here I thought you were talking about humanity or something high and mighty like that.



pkondz said:


> What's this "we" business?
> It was about whether the high spiderman jump was a person or a mannequin.



   I guess I'm getting so far off track that I got lost when you said, "I read something somewhere...." and then I had no idea where this was going...  

I need a vacation.


----------



## franandaj

Several days after the day I spent out there with Jenny and her family, we had another visit to the park planned. This time was with our friend Leonard.  On our way there, stopped at the Post Office to drop of some music we sold on eBay, and then we stopped at Panera for some bagels with cream cheese. Sorry no pics!

It was around 10AM when we finally entered the park. We made a conscious decision not to try for RotR, Leonard had already been on it and didn’t want our day to to have all the stress involved with trying to get it in the morning, and then watching the Virtual Queue to see when your group is boarding. We wanted to have an easy going low stress day, so no rushing and no fretting.

I think Fran went to do some shopping while Leonard and I decided to start off with BTMRR. Now this was after June 15 when California fully reopened. I don’t remember what the mask mandate was. We pretty much always wore our masks at Disney except when eating and still do. It’s changed so many times I can’t keep track of it. But with that many people around whose infection status that I don’t know about, I’m wearing the mask. Plus it matches my outfit.

















This explosion scene is better than it was a few years ago, but nothing like when the ride first reopened about 5-6 years ago.









Then we went to ride MF:SR but the line was just way too long, the app must have been showing an inaccurate time.





So then we decided to ride Haunted Mansion. We were able to get a return time with only about a five minute wait, and just as we got to the FOTL it broke down.





We decided that we were all getting hangry so we got an itty bitty snack, I’m not sure if things were still mobile order only, but we were going to mobile order and Leonard decided that he wanted to treat us. I explained that he would need to hook up a credit card and yadda yadda yadda. He’s like, “Oh, Apple Pay!” clicked a few buttons and we were going to have food.  “That was way too easy!” he said.  And soon it was our mobile order window, we had already found a table in the “still new to me” seating area. Pressed “I’m here, prepare my order.” And soon we were snacking on these little babies.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewers





crossed that one off my list!  You may think that wasn’t much food.  It wasn’t, but you’ll see in just a bit, why we didn’t want to eat too much…..it was just enough to take the edge off.

We still had a little time before lunch so we rode Buzz.









Leonard flew solo while Fran and I tried to defeat Zurg together.









I really suck at this game.  Even though I know where a lot of the high point targets are, I still can’t hit them.  I’ve never got above this level.





But I usually beat Fran.













And then we rode Star Tours, 













We got the scene without vader, the Pod race and Coruscant.

The Jungle Cruise had not opened yet, but Fran noticed this sign over the Exit to the ride.





It was finally time for our reservation so we headed in that direction.

*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

First some pictures.





















We were seated at a lovely table.





The menu looked at tad bit familiar.





That day was the beginning of a Festival called Tiki Takeover which is celebrated during the summer months.  It features specialized mugs, merchandise, and foods. We were able to purchase the special mugs in the dining room, and came complete with an alcoholic beverage or a non alcoholic beverage. Fran said she actually preferred the one without alcohol. I preferred the one with.



 

These specialty drinks were also available for purchase, but they didn’t come with mugs.













The lounge (which is only for members) featured these special appetizers in addition to the regular menu.





I believe for the First Course everyone got the Artichoke Heart Au Gratin, Parmesan, Sun Gold Tomato. It was delicious!





I had the wine pairings and this one was paired with a Trimbach Muscat, not the wine listed on the menu.





For the Second Course, I just couldn’t resist these Gnudi again.  They are just so good!





And also not following the menu pairings, I was served this Amarone Della Valpolicella with them.





Fran went with the Sustainable Catch of the Day which I believe was a Yellowtail.





We were also served bread with this course.





Fran was on a seafood binge and went for Salmon as her main course.  I guess she really liked it that much.





I went with the filet, as before, it was very good and perfectly cooked.





Since our server was going rogue with the pairings, he pulled out another one that departed from the suggested pairings on the menu.  I’ve had this one before and it’s very good!





They also offer a vegan menu, and Fran was feeling adventurous.





She decided to try the Vegan Chocolate Bliss Cake, Fresh Raspberry, Cocoa Mousse. She said it was OK, but not as good as a regular cake.





I went with the good old standard Manjari Chocolate Marquise, Almond Crunch, Salted Almond Anglaise, so tasty!



 

And this coffee is just so good!





I think we were the last people left in the dining room.





Full and happy a nice gentleman waiting to go up offered to take our picture. (The CMs can’t hold your camera now due to Covid.)





We decided to hop over to DCA and ride Guardians.













We got the song Free Ride





And then we’d had enough.  We were tired and Leonard still had a long drive home after he would pick up his car at our house. He was off work for the next two weeks and would be going on a long camping trip with friends of his at a lake with boats and other fun toys.  

Us? Back to the same daily grind. We wouldn’t be back inside the parks for quite some time.


----------



## whoever

I am SOOOOOO Jealous of people who get to go during Tiki Takeover.  We NEVER happen to be there when it's going on.  Here's for hoping next year may allow a trip while it's ongoing.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Ah, and here I thought you were talking about humanity or something high and mighty like that.


Oh, I was. 

If I'd ever get there, I'd look at the menu, see all the rum drinks and declare "Oh, the humanity!"

See? Totally high and mighty.


franandaj said:


> I guess I'm getting so far off track that I got lost when you said, "I read something somewhere...." and then I had no idea where this was going...
> 
> I need a vacation.


 You and me both!


franandaj said:


> . On our way there, stopped at the Post Office to drop of some music we sold on eBay,


I pictured you playing the sax into an empty box and then trapping the music inside.


franandaj said:


> then we stopped at Panera for some bagels with cream cheese. Sorry no pics!


I've never been to Panera to _eat _(but I did use their wifi on a trip once.) Any good?
Closest one to me is in Grand Forks. Besides the fact that I can't cross the border right now, I don't think I'm going to drive 4 hours round trip for a bagel. Especially when we have a _really good _bagel place here.


franandaj said:


> We made a conscious decision not to try for RotR, Leonard had already been on it and didn’t want our day to to have all the stress involved with trying to get it in the morning, and then watching the Virtual Queue to see when your group is boarding.


I get that. And if I have ridden it a couple times, I can see myself doing the same thing.

But let me try it out first, okay? 


franandaj said:


> We wanted to have an easy going low stress day, so no rushing and no fretting.


Love those kind of days. I got there, having been a few times in a fairly short timespan... but now? I have a feeling the next time I go (_if_ there's a next time! ) I'll be like "Do all the things!!"


franandaj said:


> But with that many people around whose infection status that I don’t know about, I’m wearing the mask.





franandaj said:


> Plus it matches my outfit.


But of course! 


franandaj said:


> This explosion scene is better than it was a few years ago, but nothing like when the ride first reopened about 5-6 years ago.


Oh? How so?


franandaj said:


> So then we decided to ride Haunted Mansion. We were able to get a return time with only about a five minute wait, and just as we got to the FOTL it broke down.


I had to re-read that. Festival of the Lion King? Oh... 

Still... pretty rare that HM breaks down.


franandaj said:


> I explained that he would need to hook up a credit card and yadda yadda yadda. He’s like, “Oh, Apple Pay!” clicked a few buttons and we were going to have food. “That was way too easy!” he said.


 Just like magic! And just like magic, money disappears from your account.


franandaj said:


> Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewers
> 
> crossed that one off my list!


Yay!

Must admit... I'd try it, out of curiosity, but... while I'll eat asparagus, it's not a favourite either.


franandaj said:


> really suck at this game. Even though I know where a lot of the high point targets are, I still can’t hit them. I’ve never got above this level.


Pro tip. Start shooting _before_ you enter the first room. See where your dot is and how far off the aim of the gun is. That should help.


franandaj said:


>


1-3?


franandaj said:


>


Not exactly the _clearest _ride photo I've seen.


franandaj said:


> The Jungle Cruise had not opened yet, but Fran noticed this sign over the Exit to the ride.





franandaj said:


>


You look really nice. I like the dress. And yes! The mask matches! 


franandaj said:


>


Look at those smiling faces. 


franandaj said:


>


Princess pose!
You pull that off really well. 


franandaj said:


> That day was the beginning of a Festival called Tiki Takeover which is celebrated during the summer months. It features specialized mugs, merchandise, and foods. We were able to purchase the special mugs in the dining room,


I do recall your penchant for tiki mugs. 


franandaj said:


> These specialty drinks were also available for purchase, but they didn’t come with mugs.


I think you can guess which drinks I _won't_ have. 


franandaj said:


> I believe for the First Course everyone got the Artichoke Heart Au Gratin, Parmesan, Sun Gold Tomato. It was delicious!


I still don't think I've had artichoke... but must admit that looks really tasty.


franandaj said:


> For the Second Course, I just couldn’t resist these Gnudi again. They are just so good!


When you like something, you like something!


franandaj said:


> And also not following the menu pairings, I was served this Amarone Della Valpolicella with them.


So why wasn't the server following the menu pairings? Was it at your request? His suggestion? Or did it just happen?


franandaj said:


> We were also served bread with this course.


Of course.


franandaj said:


> Fran was on a seafood binge and went for Salmon as her main course. I guess she really liked it that much.


See above comment about when you know, you know...


franandaj said:


> I went with the filet, as before, it was very good and perfectly cooked.


mmm... filet.


franandaj said:


> She decided to try the Vegan Chocolate Bliss Cake, Fresh Raspberry, Cocoa Mousse. She said it was OK, but not as good as a regular cake.


I don't think I've ever had a Vegan... well, anything, that's as good or better than non-Vegan.


franandaj said:


> We got the song Free Ride


Have it playing right now. 

I'm very familiar with the song, of course, but... I had no idea who it was by! I've never heard of the Edgar Winter Group.
And... I don't know any of his other music. (Listened to about 4. Not even Frankenstein which apparently hit #1.)

Odd that I wouldn't know that.


franandaj said:


> Us? Back to the same daily grind. We wouldn’t be back inside the parks for quite some time.




Ya don't say.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Love your outfit! 

What an amazing meal!


----------



## franandaj

whoever said:


> I am SOOOOOO Jealous of people who get to go during Tiki Takeover.  We NEVER happen to be there when it's going on.  Here's for hoping next year may allow a trip while it's ongoing.



We just lucked out on that one! The reservation was made when the day opened up. Being local is definitely a plus!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> We made a conscious decision not to try for RotR, Leonard had already been on it and didn’t want our day to to have all the stress involved with trying to get it in the morning, and then watching the Virtual Queue to see when your group is boarding. We wanted to have an easy going low stress day, so no rushing and no fretting.



I can see where not having to try for RotR would make the day a lot more stress free!



franandaj said:


> This explosion scene is better than it was a few years ago, but nothing like when the ride first reopened about 5-6 years ago.



I wonder why they changed it.  I thought it was so cool when we were there.



franandaj said:


> So then we decided to ride Haunted Mansion. We were able to get a return time with only about a five minute wait, and just as we got to the FOTL it broke down.



Oh, come on!  I'm going to Guest Relations about this!



franandaj said:


> I really suck at this game. Even though I know where a lot of the high point targets are, I still can’t hit them. I’ve never got above this level.



I'm going to have to research the DL version.  I only know where the good Florida targets are.



franandaj said:


> But I usually beat Fran.



And that's all that matters.



franandaj said:


> We got the scene without vader, the Pod race and Coruscant.



Because there is no Darth Vader scene.



franandaj said:


>



I like that one.



franandaj said:


> I think we were the last people left in the dining room.



Cool!  Private club!  You guys are la creme de la creme!

I totally would have gone for the filet too.



franandaj said:


> (The CMs can’t hold your camera now due to Covid.)



That's a little silly.



franandaj said:


> Us? Back to the same daily grind. We wouldn’t be back inside the parks for quite some time.



But...but...


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Oh, I was.
> 
> If I'd ever get there, I'd look at the menu, see all the rum drinks and declare "Oh, the humanity!"
> 
> See? Totally high and mighty.







pkondz said:


> I pictured you playing the sax into an empty box and then trapping the music inside.



You definitely need a vacation!



pkondz said:


> I've never been to Panera to _eat _(but I did use their wifi on a trip once.) Any good?



It's pretty good. We've been going there more often because one opened up near out house and it's convenient when going places. There are several things that we have ordered there which have been winners. Any of the baked goods such as cookies, bread and Croissants have been good. Also we have ordered sandwiches for lunch and Mac n Cheese from their "pick two" menu. The Mac was very cheesy! For breakfast I actually prefer their Four Cheese Soufflé, which is misleading. It's not a traditional soufflé but baked eggs and cheese in a crust of puff pastry. I've tried the bacon and Spinach versions but they were a little too salty. I've settled on the four Cheese as my "go to".

They also have breakfast sandwiches and that's what Leonard ordered that day.  He liked that.



pkondz said:


> Closest one to me is in Grand Forks. Besides the fact that I can't cross the border right now, I don't think I'm going to drive 4 hours round trip for a bagel. Especially when we have a _really good _bagel place here.



Fran usually gets a bagel. I might have gotten the four cheese soufflé that morning. I just don't remember. And we do have better places for bagels here too.



pkondz said:


> I get that. And if I have ridden it a couple times, I can see myself doing the same thing.
> 
> But let me try it out first, okay?



I would defer to your choice. I'm trying for it again on Monday, but mostly for someone else who is going. It just turned out that Fran and I will also be there that day.



pkondz said:


> Love those kind of days. I got there, having been a few times in a fairly short timespan... but now? I have a feeling the next time I go (_if_ there's a next time! ) I'll be like "Do all the things!!"



I get that. But I don't have the stamina anymore.  I'm going to put up my "list" of things I want to do and have done, it's getting there!



pkondz said:


> Oh? How so?



Well when the ride first reopened there was this awesome pyrotechnic display when the mine blew. A large fireblast shot out of the flash point and it went about 3 meters into the cavern. It was really cool if you were in one of the last cars. If you were in the first one you sort of missed it.

Now it's just projections like they do on the castle during fireworks. For about six months or so the fireblast was going and then I guess it broke. After that you just heard the sounds but no visible blast occurred. I think they made the current "fix" while the park was closed.



pkondz said:


> I had to re-read that. Festival of the Lion King? Oh...
> 
> Still... pretty rare that HM breaks down.



I was amazed. I think that was the first time for me.



pkondz said:


> Just like magic! And just like magic, money disappears from your account.



That too!



pkondz said:


> Yay!
> 
> Must admit... I'd try it, out of curiosity, but... while I'll eat asparagus, it's not a favourite either.



I just like this as a little snack. It's unique and since you're eating Asparagus you can convince yourself it's healthy.  



pkondz said:


> Pro tip. Start shooting _before_ you enter the first room. See where your dot is and how far off the aim of the gun is. That should help.



Hmmm....it was only just this last time on the rode that I realized how bad the aim of the gun is.



pkondz said:


> 1-3?



L-3  I cut off the bottom of the "L".



pkondz said:


> Not exactly the _clearest _ride photo I've seen.



Actually that's one of the first pictures from that ride that I've ever gotten!



pkondz said:


> You look really nice. I like the dress. And yes! The mask matches!



Thank you!  



pkondz said:


> Look at those smiling faces.



We were just about to have a fantastic meal!



pkondz said:


> Princess pose!
> You pull that off really well.



Is that what that's called.  I just thought it was showing off your skirt.



pkondz said:


> I do recall your penchant for tiki mugs.



Well not me necessarily.....



pkondz said:


> I think you can guess which drinks I _won't_ have.



Most of them!



pkondz said:


> I still don't think I've had artichoke... but must admit that looks really tasty.



You can't really tell the artichoke hearts in there....Most people just eat the hearts, but we often have them as mostly dinner when they're on sale.  A large one can be pretty filling.



pkondz said:


> When you like something, you like something!



I guess so.



pkondz said:


> So why wasn't the server following the menu pairings? Was it at your request? His suggestion? Or did it just happen?



Actually I didn't even notice that he had departed from the menu until I was writing up this part of the TR.  I just trust that someone at a place like that knows what will be good with what I'm being served.  I'm pretty sure they get to taste a bite of each of the foods, so they know what they are serving you.



pkondz said:


> See above comment about when you know, you know...



Yeah, I guess so....



pkondz said:


> I don't think I've ever had a Vegan... well, anything, that's as good or better than non-Vegan.



I've had some good stuff that's intended to be vegan, like Fran's summer salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion, oil, cider vinegar, S&P), or french fries cooked in vegetable oil, but I just recently tried "impossible meat", and....well you'll hear about that in a couple chapters or two. Let's just use one word: despiration.



pkondz said:


> Have it playing right now.
> 
> I'm very familiar with the song, of course, but... I had no idea who it was by! I've never heard of the Edgar Winter Group.



They were very popular in Northern California when I was growing up.  They played Frankenstein on the radio all the time.  I looked up their Wikipedia page and I didn't realize that Ronnie Montrose was one of the original band members. I became familiar with him when he was a solo artist in the late 70s early 80s.  And digging even further I discovered that Rick Derringer and Randy Brecker were also members. You wouldn't know Randy Brecker, most likely, but his brother Michael was a saxophone GOD. Unfortunately he passed away several years ago due to a terminal disease where they could not find a suitable donor.



pkondz said:


> And... I don't know any of his other music. (Listened to about 4. Not even Frankenstein which apparently hit #1.)
> 
> Odd that I wouldn't know that.



I'm surprised, like I said it was big in the Bay Area.



pkondz said:


> Ya don't say.



Well maybe not quite as long as it would be for you.....


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> You definitely need a vacation!




Yes.


franandaj said:


> It's pretty good. We've been going there more often because one opened up near out house and it's convenient when going places. There are several things that we have ordered there which have been winners. Any of the baked goods such as cookies, bread and Croissants have been good. Also we have ordered sandwiches for lunch and Mac n Cheese from their "pick two" menu. The Mac was very cheesy! For breakfast I actually prefer their Four Cheese Soufflé, which is misleading. It's not a traditional soufflé but baked eggs and cheese in a crust of puff pastry. I've tried the bacon and Spinach versions but they were a little too salty. I've settled on the four Cheese as my "go to".
> 
> They also have breakfast sandwiches and that's what Leonard ordered that day. He liked that.


Good to know. Now, if I ever get to go on a road trip again, I'll know I can stop there. 


franandaj said:


> I would defer to your choice. I'm trying for it again on Monday, but mostly for someone else who is going. It just turned out that Fran and I will also be there that day.


Good timing then. 

You know you never have to defer to my choice, right?


franandaj said:


> I get that. But I don't have the stamina anymore. I'm going to put up my "list" of things I want to do and have done, it's getting there!


My stamina is actually a lot higher now. I'm shocking myself. But happy for it.


franandaj said:


> Well when the ride first reopened there was this awesome pyrotechnic display when the mine blew. A large fireblast shot out of the flash point and it went about 3 meters into the cavern. It was really cool if you were in one of the last cars. If you were in the first one you sort of missed it.
> 
> Now it's just projections like they do on the castle during fireworks. For about six months or so the fireblast was going and then I guess it broke. After that you just heard the sounds but no visible blast occurred. I think they made the current "fix" while the park was closed.


Huh. Had no idea. And I'm sorry I missed that. Then again, maybe someday they'll bring it back. (not likely)


franandaj said:


> I just like this as a little snack. It's unique and since you're eating Asparagus you can convince yourself it's healthy.


 "Bacon? Oh that. Just ignore it."


franandaj said:


> Hmmm....it was only just this last time on the rode that I realized how bad the aim of the gun is.





franandaj said:


> L-3 I cut off the bottom of the "L".


Okay... what's "L-3"?


franandaj said:


> Actually that's one of the first pictures from that ride that I've ever gotten!


Really!


franandaj said:


> Is that what that's called. I just thought it was showing off your skirt.


Princesses know how to show off their outfits. 


franandaj said:


> Well not me necessarily.....





franandaj said:


> Actually I didn't even notice that he had departed from the menu until I was writing up this part of the TR. I just trust that someone at a place like that knows what will be good with what I'm being served. I'm pretty sure they get to taste a bite of each of the foods, so they know what they are serving you.


Interesting. Is that common there?


franandaj said:


> I've had some good stuff that's intended to be vegan, like Fran's summer salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion, oil, cider vinegar, S&P), or french fries cooked in vegetable oil, but I just recently tried "impossible meat", and....well you'll hear about that in a couple chapters or two. Let's just use one word: despiration.


Well... sure, a salad or fruit or veggies... but something that is traditionally made with a non-vegetarian protein? Nope.
I've had Beyond "meat" and "Impossible" meat and... yeah... No.


franandaj said:


> They were very popular in Northern California when I was growing up. They played Frankenstein on the radio all the time. I looked up their Wikipedia page and I didn't realize that Ronnie Montrose was one of the original band members. I became familiar with him when he was a solo artist in the late 70s early 80s.


I've heard of Ronnie Montrose, but am not familiar with any of his solo work.

Makes me wonder what else I missed back then!


franandaj said:


> And digging even further I discovered that Rick Derringer and Randy Brecker were also members. You wouldn't know Randy Brecker, most likely, but his brother Michael was a saxophone GOD. Unfortunately he passed away several years ago due to a terminal disease where they could not find a suitable donor.


Nope. You're right. Haven't heard of them.
I should look up some Randy Brecker stuff...

(listening to "Some Skunk Funk" now.... wow!)


franandaj said:


> I'm surprised, like I said it was big in the Bay Area.


Maybe it didn't make it this far north? Or I wasn't listening to the right station?


franandaj said:


> Well maybe not quite as long as it would be for you.....


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Love your outfit!



Thanks! I rarely get to wear my Disney dresses!



tiggrbaby said:


> What an amazing meal!



It absolutely was!


----------



## Tasscrapper

I love your Aristocats outfit! Sooo cute.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> I can see where not having to try for RotR would make the day a lot more stress free!



And I'm trying again tomorrow. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I wonder why they changed it. I thought it was so cool when we were there.



I have a feeling the technology was difficult to maintain.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Oh, come on! I'm going to Guest Relations about this!



;laughing:



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm going to have to research the DL version. I only know where the good Florida targets are.



I only know the one on Zurg at the end, but I've never hit it. I need to ride this again tomorrow!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> And that's all that matters.



Funny story on that in about four updates....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Because there is no Darth Vader scene.



I thought you got it once.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I like that one.



 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Cool! Private club! You guys are la creme de la creme!
> 
> I totally would have gone for the filet too.



That may not have been the only time....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That's a little silly.



.  I don't make the rules....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> But...but...



Well, for us "some time before we are back in the parks" means "not every week".


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Good to know. Now, if I ever get to go on a road trip again, I'll know I can stop there.



They also have soups, which I have not tried...you should stop if you have the opportunity, it's pretty good quick food.



pkondz said:


> Good timing then.
> 
> You know you never have to defer to my choice, right?



I know I don't have to, but most people don't get to DL as often as I do, so I'm always happy to let my friends suggest what they want to do. It adds variety since I tend to do the same things over and over.



pkondz said:


> My stamina is actually a lot higher now. I'm shocking myself. But happy for it.



Well you started running....still doing that?



pkondz said:


> Huh. Had no idea. And I'm sorry I missed that. Then again, maybe someday they'll bring it back. (not likely)



I have a feeling the technology is difficult to maintain. 



pkondz said:


> "Bacon? Oh that. Just ignore it."



It's just flavoring....



pkondz said:


> Okay... what's "L-3"?









pkondz said:


> Princesses know how to show off their outfits.



Ahhhh, got it!



pkondz said:


> Interesting. Is that common there?



No idea. Early on the manager told us that it was hard to get certain items consistently, so they had to be careful. Maybe the wines listed on the menu weren't available anymore.  



pkondz said:


> Well... sure, a salad or fruit or veggies... but something that is traditionally made with a non-vegetarian protein? Nope.
> I've had Beyond "meat" and "Impossible" meat and... yeah... No.



Yeah....I have a funny story on that in about three updates.



pkondz said:


> I've heard of Ronnie Montrose, but am not familiar with any of his solo work.



OK the stuff I know was his band called Montrose, don't know why I thought he was solo. Sammy Hagar was the vocalist. These were three big hits from the band Montrose's first album. 

Bad Motor Scooter
Rock Candy
Space Station #5

I also listened to his band Gamma. Had all their albums, but not sure they made big chart hits.



pkondz said:


> Makes me wonder what else I missed back then!



Good question!



pkondz said:


> Nope. You're right. Haven't heard of them.
> I should look up some Randy Brecker stuff...
> 
> (listening to "Some Skunk Funk" now.... wow!)



Yeah, that's one of the Brecker Bros. big hits.



pkondz said:


> Maybe it didn't make it this far north? Or I wasn't listening to the right station?



I figure you were listening to the right stations. It seems we have similar tastes in Rock n Roll.


----------



## franandaj

Tasscrapper said:


> I love your Aristocats outfit! Sooo cute.



Thank you very much!!!!!!!


----------



## franandaj

It was a couple weeks before we were back and then we didn’t even head into the parks! We were having dinner at Napa Rose with Jenny and Michael.  Fran and I got there early and went into DTD to look around.  I found this coffee mug that met all my specifications (tall, wide enough, but not too wide, and microwave safe), so she bought it for me.



Then we met up with Jenny and Michael at Napa Rose.  The Chef’s counter wasn’t open yet, so we sat at a regular table. It was so nice to be back in this lovely restaurant!



They had the Vintner’s Menu which you either had to order in it’s entirety….



Or there was the regular menu, where you could pick and choose whatever you wanted to order. You could not order individual items off of the Vintner’s menu to go with items from the regular menu.



While considering what to order we decided to have some cocktails.



Everyone ended up deciding on the a la Carte menu. I asked the Sommelier if he would provide wine pairings for each of my courses, and he was happy to oblige!
The first wine was this Viognier.







It went with the Sauteed Diver Scallop and Shrimp, English Peas, Leeks and Yukon Gold Potatoes. Fran got this also. I was a bit surprised as I was actually expecting something a little different, however, it was still delicious!



As much as I wanted to, I didn’t finish off all the potatoes and such.  I knew this would be a very filling dinner!
The next wine that I was served was this Eden Valley Dry Reisling.



It was pairing with the Smiling Tiger Salad, Spicy Beef (which you can’t see in the picture), Lobster-Shrimp Fritters, and Coconut Vinaigrette.



Now many of you may be scratching your heads about now.  The vinaigrette has coconut in it….why would Alison eat this?

Well this dish was first served to me at the Chef’s Counter. They didn’t tell me anything besides it was a Smiling Tiger Salad.  I loved it!  It wasn’t until later I learned that there was coconut, and really none of us could taste it.  Jenny and Michal also split one of these salads. She said that she couldn’t taste the coconut either.
While I ate my half of the salad, Fran got the Zucchini Blossom, Goat Cheese, Fava Beans, and Golden Beets. She liked it a lot and ate it right up. She offered me a bite, but I had ordered an entree and wanted to be able to eat that.



Jenny and Michael were served the Smiling Tiger Salad while Fran and I ate our scallop and shrimp. So while Fran and I were eating the Salad they were served this.  Michael got the Cavatelli Pasta, Forager Mushrooms, Prosciutto and Parmesan Cloud.  He gave me a taste and it was good, but I was happy with my choices that I had made.



Jenny got the “Pot Pie”, Rocky Chicken Fricassee and Summer Vegetables.  This was steaming hot when it arrived, and she nursed that thing for most of the rest of the night. She really liked it!



For my Main I ordered the Sicilian Lemon Lamb, Rack, Shoulder, and Artichoke Barigoule.  This was so good and I shouldn’t have worried about being able to finish this off.  I was cleaning the bone it was so good!



This is the wine that I was served along with it and it was perfect!



Fran got the Hearth Roasted Sustainable Fish, Lemon Mussel Broth. She liked this a lot. The fish was Salmon.



I don't remember what Jenny and Michael got but I believe that they shared an Entree but Jenny was still working on her Pot Pie. They didn't order dessert, but we did! I got the Manjari Chocolate Indulgence, Chocolate Cremeux, Devil Food and Cloud Kisses. It was very good and rich, but not my most favorite dessert that I've had. I might try something else if I went back.




This is the wine that my dessert was paired with, it was something special and I got the last of the bottle. The main Sommelier had gone home, but he left this for another one of the staff to pour for me and she mentioned that I was getting a real treat. 



Fran got the Summer Peach Custard Pie, Blackberries and Peach Sorbet. She was very happy with her choice.



The best part about this meal? We got to use Michael's 50% off Coupon that CMs receive as a perk! 

Next up Trader Sams reopening and two very different visits!


----------



## rentayenta

Best part of the meal? All being together... and the 50% off.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Love Fran's mask and hat!

Looks like it was a lovely meal!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> It was a couple weeks before we were back and then we didn’t even head into the parks!



Is that even allowed??



franandaj said:


> It was so nice to be back in this lovely restaurant!



Or any restaurant!  But especially that one, I'm sure.



franandaj said:


> They had the Vintner’s Menu which you either had to order in it’s entirety….



That...feels like an awful lot.



franandaj said:


> You could not order individual items off of the Vintner’s menu to go with items from the regular menu.



Boo.  This is America!  Don't deny me my rights!



franandaj said:


> I asked the Sommelier if he would provide wine pairings for each of my courses, and he was happy to oblige!



It would have been funny if he'd said, "Nah, I'm not really feeling it today.  You're on your own."



franandaj said:


> The vinaigrette has coconut in it….why would Alison eat this?



Are you ok, Alison?  Have you been kidnapped?  Blink twice if you're under duress.



franandaj said:


> Fran got the Summer Peach Custard Pie, Blackberries and Peach Sorbet. She was very happy with her choice.



That looks mighty tasty!



franandaj said:


> We got to use Michael's 50% off Coupon that CMs receive as a perk!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> we lost almost an hour driving across town and then didn't even get to drop off everything. They wouldn’t take my Frankenstein box. We did stop at McFood on the way so I wouldn’t starve.



The night I moved the horses I had McFood twice in like 7 hours I realized! 



franandaj said:


> My arm is twisted in the weirdest way in this one, we were supposed to be slinging webs.



It almost looks like it's going to go- what is it called, double jointed!




franandaj said:


>



Whoa!! That's high!




franandaj said:


>



Aww cute!



franandaj said:


> I should have ordered one of those chocolate bars



They better still have it when I make it down so we can taste test against an Oh Henry!



franandaj said:


>



You just never stay away on rides  LOL!



franandaj said:


> Jenny shared her "Not So Little Chicken Sandwich" with me. Fried Chicken Breast, Teriyaki and Red Chili Sauces, and Pickled Cabbage Slaw on Brioche, served with crispy Potato Bites, the chicken itself was really good I would order this again. However the top bun was hard as a rock. There were not nearly enough of the tater tots. If sharing the sandwich, I'd order a side of these.



Yum, I'm glad it's good, on my list for sure, but ya 12 tots...def not enough!



franandaj said:


> Arugula Salad. They seemed to like it well enough as they ate it all. I think Michael told Jenny that her sandwich was the winner.



There's like 12 pieces of lettuce also! Disney you cheapin' out!



franandaj said:


> Chloe got the Rigatoni and Ditalini Pastas





franandaj said:


>


 

Not very many noodles it looks like also!


Apparently that's all I quoted! On to the next one! I'm hungry now though!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Best part of the meal? All being together... and the 50% off.



Bring on the 40% and 30%!


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Love Fran's mask and hat!



She likes getting creative with her hats and masks!



tiggrbaby said:


> Looks like it was a lovely meal!



It sure was! I can't wait for another lovely meal!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> This explosion scene is better than it was a few years ago, but nothing like when the ride first reopened about 5-6 years ago.



Have some of the effects just stopped working well?




franandaj said:


> Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewers



I've never actually ordered anything from Bengal, isn't that weird?



franandaj said:


> I really suck at this game. Even though I know where a lot of the high point targets are, I still can’t hit them. I’ve never got above this level.



I know where a lot of them are too, and I've only had like one or 2 stand out scores- the really good ones are super tiny is my understanding 



franandaj said:


>



Wow you think with all the downtime they'd have updated the cameras!



franandaj said:


>



So matchy matchy!



franandaj said:


>



Everyone so happy in the sunshine! 



franandaj said:


>



Nice chargers!



franandaj said:


> I preferred the one with.


Hehe ya you did  



franandaj said:


>



I know we've talked about these already and what became your fav, but they do all sound (other the the coconut as I'm with you there) super yummy



franandaj said:


>



MMMmmm! Tenderloin tips jumped out at me



franandaj said:


> Sustainable Catch of the Day which I believe was a Yellowtail.



This looks sooo perfectly seared 



franandaj said:


>



As does this guy!




franandaj said:


>



This looks perfect too, I'd really want both!



franandaj said:


> vegan menu, and Fran was feeling adventurous.



it sounds good, but I'm guessing vegan would be no delicious stuff like butter in the dessert



franandaj said:


>



I'm always impressed by edible decorations like this




franandaj said:


> coffee is just so good!



Mmmm perfect coffee!




franandaj said:


>



Nice pic on the way out, you and Fran are colour co-ordinated!



franandaj said:


> We got the song Free Ride



Always a good one!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> They also have soups, which I have not tried...you should stop if you have the opportunity, it's pretty good quick food.


Thanks for the tip. 


franandaj said:


> I know I don't have to, but most people don't get to DL as often as I do, so I'm always happy to let my friends suggest what they want to do. It adds variety since I tend to do the same things over and over.


I will keep that in mind. 


franandaj said:


> Well you started running....still doing that?



Doing 5K almost every day.


franandaj said:


>


ohhhhhh... Thanks! Had no idea.


franandaj said:


> Yeah....I have a funny story on that in about three updates.





franandaj said:


> OK the stuff I know was his band called Montrose, don't know why I thought he was solo. Sammy Hagar was the vocalist. These were three big hits from the band Montrose's first album.
> 
> Bad Motor Scooter
> Rock Candy
> Space Station #5
> 
> I also listened to his band Gamma. Had all their albums, but not sure they made big chart hits.


Funny... I had actually heard _of_ Bad Motor Scooter... somewhere... but had never actually_ heard_ it.


franandaj said:


> I figure you were listening to the right stations. It seems we have similar tastes in Rock n Roll.


I think we do too.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I found this coffee mug that met all my specifications (tall, wide enough, but not too wide, and microwave safe), so she bought it for me.


Which one? The "Nope" or Grumpy?
Given a choice... I really like the "Nope" one.


franandaj said:


> It was so nice to be back in this lovely restaurant!


Elegant. I like.


franandaj said:


> Everyone ended up deciding on the a la Carte menu.


At first I thought, "Why?"... but then noticed that some of the menu items were the same and the a la Carte menu gives you more choices.


franandaj said:


> I asked the Sommelier if he would provide wine pairings for each of my courses, and he was happy to oblige!


Nice. 


franandaj said:


> It went with the Sauteed Diver Scallop and Shrimp, English Peas, Leeks and Yukon Gold Potatoes. Fran got this also. I was a bit surprised as I was actually expecting something a little different, however, it was still delicious!


What were you expecting?


franandaj said:


> It was pairing with the Smiling Tiger Salad, Spicy Beef (which you can’t see in the picture), Lobster-Shrimp Fritters, and Coconut Vinaigrette.


You had me riiiiiight up to that last thing.


franandaj said:


> Now many of you may be scratching your heads about now. The vinaigrette has coconut in it….why would Alison eat this?





franandaj said:


> Well this dish was first served to me at the Chef’s Counter. They didn’t tell me anything besides it was a Smiling Tiger Salad. I loved it! It wasn’t until later I learned that there was coconut, and really none of us could taste it.


Huh. I wonder if I'd be able to eat it, then?


franandaj said:


> Jenny got the “Pot Pie”, Rocky Chicken Fricassee and Summer Vegetables. This was steaming hot when it arrived, and she nursed that thing for most of the rest of the night. She really liked it!


I love the presentation. It looks very appealing to me.


franandaj said:


> For my Main I ordered the Sicilian Lemon Lamb, Rack, Shoulder, and Artichoke Barigoule.


Which is _exactly_ what I would have ordered.  And it looks amazing!


franandaj said:


> I got the Manjari Chocolate Indulgence, Chocolate Cremeux, Devil Food and Cloud Kisses.


mmmmm... chocolate.


franandaj said:


> This is the wine that my dessert was paired with, it was something special and I got the last of the bottle. The main Sommelier had gone home, but he left this for another one of the staff to pour for me and she mentioned that I was getting a real treat.


And was it a real treat?


franandaj said:


> Fran got the Summer Peach Custard Pie, Blackberries and Peach Sorbet. She was very happy with her choice.


Very refreshing.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


>



So cute!! 



franandaj said:


> This explosion scene is better than it was a few years ago, but nothing like when the ride first reopened about 5-6 years ago.


It's such a great scene! Glad they fixed it. 


franandaj said:


> He’s like, “Oh, Apple Pay!” clicked a few buttons and we were going to have food. “That was way too easy!” he said.


 They make it so magically easy to get more of your money.


franandaj said:


>



I super miss those. 


franandaj said:


> I really suck at this game.


But probably not as much as I suck at it.  


franandaj said:


> It was so nice to be back in this lovely restaurant!



Someplace I've not had the pleasure of eating at yet. Hope to change that soon. 


franandaj said:


> It went with the Sauteed Diver Scallop and Shrimp, English Peas, Leeks and Yukon Gold Potatoes. Fran got this also. I was a bit surprised as I was actually expecting something a little different, however, it was still delicious!



Holy moly that looks amazing!! I think of all the luscious dishes you ordered at the two elegant meals, this was a stand out. 


franandaj said:


>


Drool!!!!! 

Okay, all caught up again, but will be a bit sparse as I keep working on my packing/moving chores.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Is that even allowed??



It happens all the time to people who don't have passes!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Or any restaurant! But especially that one, I'm sure.



I'm getting to an any restaurant kind of mentality....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That...feels like an awful lot.



They're small courses so not a lot.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Boo. This is America! Don't deny me my rights!



There are so many inappropriate for the DIS responses to this. Good thing I recognize your sarcasm! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> It would have been funny if he'd said, "Nah, I'm not really feeling it today. You're on your own."



I'm not sure funny is the word! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Are you ok, Alison? Have you been kidnapped? Blink twice if you're under duress.



  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That looks mighty tasty!



It was pretty good!



Captain_Oblivious said:


>



Like that 50% discount huh?


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> The night I moved the horses I had McFood twice in like 7 hours I realized!



I'm sorry!  :larughing:



DnA2010 said:


> It almost looks like it's going to go- what is it called, double jointed



Perhaps I am?



DnA2010 said:


> Whoa!! That's high!



We are debating whether or not that is a mannequin....probably.



DnA2010 said:


> They better still have it when I make it down so we can taste test against an Oh Henry!



I bet they will.  It's too good to get rid of!



DnA2010 said:


> You just never stay away on rides LOL!



I know!  What's with that?



DnA2010 said:


> Yum, I'm glad it's good, on my list for sure, but ya 12 tots...def not enough!



Especially when splitting!



DnA2010 said:


> There's like 12 pieces of lettuce also! Disney you cheapin' out!







DnA2010 said:


> Not very many noodles it looks like also!



It did end up being a lot of food.



DnA2010 said:


> Apparently that's all I quoted! On to the next one! I'm hungry now though!



Well you are catching up.....slowly but surely.



DnA2010 said:


> Have some of the effects just stopped working well?



Well they had stopped working before the shutdown.  During the shutdown, it appears that they changed the effects. Probably to something that was more consistent and stable.



DnA2010 said:


> I've never actually ordered anything from Bengal, isn't that weird?



That is weird, we should rectify that in January.  Maybe that will be our Friday light lunch so as not to fill up too much.



DnA2010 said:


> I know where a lot of them are too, and I've only had like one or 2 stand out scores- the really good ones are super tiny is my understanding



This is my new mission, to get to Galactic Hero, or at least past L-3



DnA2010 said:


> Wow you think with all the downtime they'd have updated the cameras!



Evidently not.



DnA2010 said:


> So matchy matchy!



I like matchy matchy!



DnA2010 said:


> Everyone so happy in the sunshine!







DnA2010 said:


> Nice chargers!



Too bad they don't sell them!



DnA2010 said:


> Hehe ya you did



Of course I did!



DnA2010 said:


> I know we've talked about these already and what became your fav, but they do all sound (other the the coconut as I'm with you there) super yummy



It turns out that I did not like "The Blossoms of Edo" and Fran had ordered the coconut drink at the same time. We traded and I actually liked the coconut drink better!



DnA2010 said:


> MMMmmm! Tenderloin tips jumped out at me



They are good, but don't seem to be as good a value.



DnA2010 said:


> This looks sooo perfectly seared



That's usually the case!



DnA2010 said:


> As does this guy!







DnA2010 said:


> This looks perfect too, I'd really want both!



So many foods, so little stomach space!



DnA2010 said:


> it sounds good, but I'm guessing vegan would be no delicious stuff like butter in the dessert



Yeah, the only real vegan things I like are vegetables....



DnA2010 said:


> I'm always impressed by edible decorations like this



It is very pretty.  I guess to make up for the cake not being so tasty.



DnA2010 said:


> Mmmm perfect coffee!



Love that coffee!



DnA2010 said:


> Nice pic on the way out, you and Fran are colour co-ordinated!



We didn't plan it that way!



DnA2010 said:


> Always a good one!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Thanks for the tip.



Tip your servers, I'm here all week......



pkondz said:


> I will keep that in mind.



You can call the shots.  If I object, I'll let you know.



pkondz said:


> Doing 5K almost every day.



Wow!  Good for you!



pkondz said:


> ohhhhhh... Thanks! Had no idea.



You haven't seen the sign at the end of the ride?



pkondz said:


> Funny... I had actually heard _of_ Bad Motor Scooter... somewhere... but had never actually_ heard_ it.



My senior year HS boyfriend rode a crotch rocket, I did some really dumb things riding on the back.  It was his anthem.



pkondz said:


> I think we do too.







pkondz said:


> Which one? The "Nope" or Grumpy?
> Given a choice... I really like the "Nope" one.



Those are both sides of the mug.



pkondz said:


> Elegant. I like.



It's a very pretty place!



pkondz said:


> At first I thought, "Why?"... but then noticed that some of the menu items were the same and the a la Carte menu gives you more choices.



Not many were the same.  They try and hook you into the Vintner's menu.



pkondz said:


> What were you expecting?



I don't know why I was expecting this because the menu clearly said, Shrimp and Scallop and English Peas....







pkondz said:


> You had me riiiiiight up to that last thing.



I know, I was debating whether or not to order it as kept reading coconut, but I really have never been able to taste it.



pkondz said:


> Huh. I wonder if I'd be able to eat it, then?



If we went I would let you try a bite and split it if you liked it.



pkondz said:


> I love the presentation. It looks very appealing to me.



It's really so good!  The fritters are yummy and the beef is so good!



pkondz said:


> Which is _exactly_ what I would have ordered.  And it looks amazing!



It was!



pkondz said:


> mmmmm... chocolate.







pkondz said:


> And was it a real treat?



I think so, it was nicely aged and went perfect with dessert.



pkondz said:


> Very refreshing.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Tip your servers, I'm here all week......


I always do.

Well... there was that _one_ time...


franandaj said:


> You can call the shots. If I object, I'll let you know.


Deal. 


franandaj said:


> Wow! Good for you!


Thanks!


franandaj said:


> You haven't seen the sign at the end of the ride?


I don't think so!


franandaj said:


> My senior year HS boyfriend rode a crotch rocket, I did some really dumb things riding on the back. It was his anthem.


Oh dear. 


franandaj said:


> Those are both sides of the mug.


Ah! Even better.


franandaj said:


> I know, I was debating whether or not to order it as kept reading coconut, but I really have never been able to taste it.


Hmm.... I dunno if I'd have the nerve...


franandaj said:


> If we went I would let you try a bite and split it if you liked it.


That's very nice of you.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> It's such a great scene! Glad they fixed it.



Well I don't know that they "fixed" it, but it is better than when it was broken.



Steppesister said:


> They make it so magically easy to get more of your money.



Yes they do!



Steppesister said:


> I super miss those.



So yummy!



Steppesister said:


> But probably not as much as I suck at it.



I'm making it my mission to get better!



Steppesister said:


> Someplace I've not had the pleasure of eating at yet. Hope to change that soon.



It's definitely a great place to dine!



Steppesister said:


> Holy moly that looks amazing!! I think of all the luscious dishes you ordered at the two elegant meals, this was a stand out.



They do know how to cook a scallop!



Steppesister said:


> Drool!!!!!







Steppesister said:


> Okay, all caught up again, but will be a bit sparse as I keep working on my packing/moving chores.



You've definitely got a lot on your plate right now.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I always do.
> 
> Well... there was that _one_ time...



Oh?  Bad service?



pkondz said:


> Hmm.... I dunno if I'd have the nerve...



Well I had eaten it multiple times before with no ill effects, so I took a leap of faith.



pkondz said:


> That's very nice of you.



:flower3


----------



## franandaj

So before we get to this next update I just thought I'd give y'all an update of that super fun plumbing situation that we had going on back at the beginning of this TR. Well about a month ago we got another text from the same tenants that they had been away for a while and came home to yet more sludge in the tub and shower.


Yay.  


We had received a discount postcard in the mail from a particular plumbing company (won't say their name in case I get nailed for "advertising"), so we decided to give them a try. I met the guy over at the apartment since I wanted to hear directly from him what was happening. Of course there was no problem with the plumbing when he got there. But he suggested that he could run a camera down the pipes and that might give us an idea of what was going on. First off the he went down this pipe that had been put in by the previous plumbing company so that they could clean out the lines. See how they cut a chunk off the pipe going horizontally?





Well look there it is in the pipe there!





This was the drain for the bathtub, we tried the toilet and the sink and it wasn't until we turned on the bathwater that we saw water flow in this pipe.

Since he couldn't get the camera past the blockage, the only choice to see what was going on was to take up the toilet and run the camera that way. What he found was that there was standing water in the pipes. In this picture the camera is basically underwater.





In this picture you can see (maybe?) that over the 50 years of the building's life a small trench has formed in the bottom of the pipe. What I don't see, but the plumber did, is that the inside of the pipe has developed imperfections, small points, and rough spots. 





Between the blocked pipe and the condition that he noted, he wanted to kick this up to his supervisor, so we made an appointment for the following Monday. I kicked it up to my supervisor and made Fran come along.

Long and short of it, when the supervisor came out, the piece of pipe stuck there was dislodged into the main pipe, so that was solved. However, those imperfections in the pipe noted previously can snag things like toilet paper as it travels through the pipe. When enough gets caught, the pipes back up and it shows up in the lowest drains, showers and tubs. So this will continue unless we do something.

The “something” is called descaling. Essentially they go inside the pipes and smooth them out so that everything will flow through smoothly again. As an extra precautionary matter, we could do an additional service which would put a coating on the interior surfaces of the pipes. He said that this would get us an additional 15-20 years of life out of the pipes. Since we intend to keep the building for that long, it seems prudent that we do both procedures.

I've already signed the contract and paid the deposit for the first procedure. It's scheduled for next week. Once they complete the first job, we will talk about the second one. It's a good thing that we refinanced one of our buildings and pulled out some cash earlier this year. But hopefully after this we won't get any more texts with pictures of sludge in the bathtub and shower.


So back to the TR….


*Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde*


Trader Sam’s opened on July 2nd and while we had plans to visit with Jill at the end of the month, when we were enjoying our night at the Bamboo Club in Long Beach, we made plans to visit Trader Sam’s sooner rather than later. Evidently Fran didn’t remember that we all had wanted to do this because somewhere from the time that we left home to the time we arrived at the DLH her mood had gone from just fine to super crappy.  As has been discussed on other TRs, there is no sense in sugar coating crap so I'm going to tell this evening like it was.

As we were parking, Fran was telling me that she should just drop me off and have Jenny and Michael drive me home. Jenny and I had been texting and it was unclear to me what was the exact situation with regards to waiting for a table. I convinced Fran to get on the scooter and ride to the restaurant. It turns out that Jenny had put our names in for a table, and we were waiting on being seated. There were tons of unoccupied tables, but it seems that they just did not have the staff to service the tables. At least they left them open so people were not sitting around with poor service.

When I found Jenny and Michael, they had ordered drinks at the walk up window. No one was sitting at the bar so they grabbed a couple seats and were sitting there. When I figured out what was going on, I convinced Fran to stay. But she crossed her arms and said, “Fine, but I’m not ordering anything besides a diet coke.”

I explained the situation to Jenny, and since she deals with crazy people for a living she didn't even let this phase her. I ordered a Mosquito Mojito and we sat at the bar chatting while waiting for our table. 









Soon our table was ready. Proof that Jenny and Michael were there!





We ordered some panko crusted long beans. They were excellent!





I got another Mosquito Mojito, and Jenny and Michael ordered second drinks as well….





See there’s Michael’s drink and Fran’s Diet Coke. 





I got the Tempura Shrimp. I know that I could have gotten Tempura Shrimp just about anywhere during the pandemic (and I did), but there is something about having them outdoors at Trader Sam’s with a Tiki Drink!





Jenny got the Wings.  I think she said they were pretty hot.





Michael got what Fran would have normally ordered, the burger with bacon, pineapple, havarti cheese and sweet potato fries.





Over the course of the evening, Fran lightened up a tiny bit, she didn’t ruin our evening, but it was nothing like what happened the following week.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So just eight days later we were back with the same folks plus Jill. This time Fran was a completely different person. All day, the J's squared (as they have been named) and I had been texting back and forth about when we should leave to meet at Sam's. By 3PM Fran and I had finished all of our “chores” and we had two stops to make before getting on the freeway and by 4:20 we were in the parking lot and unloading the scooter.

I don’t think it took long for us to be seated, in fact, I think we were seated right away. Fran and I were starving and we ordered food at the same time we ordered our drinks. The food came out even before we got our drinks!

We got the green beans again since they were so good the previous week.





This time she got her burger with the bacon, pineapple, havarti cheese and sweet potato fries.





I got the Poke bowl with Ahi tuna.  I stirred this all up before eating it and it was really good, but not totally filling.





She also started off with a Sea Monster’s Revenge, that could have had something to do with her jolly mood. It’s usually a drink for two, but she had it mostly to herself.





I got the Safari Swizzle, and I believe Jill got the Krakatoa Punch because Fran bought her mug.





Not sure who got the drink with cherries, but Jenny has a little “skill” that she likes to show off at cocktail parties, she can tie the cherry stem in a knot.





Fran was riding my scooter that night because mine was in the back of the van, and hers was in the garage charging. She was having such a good time that night that she decided I should put her scooter in the car and she would come out to the park in the afternoon the next day, but she would drop me off in the morning.

It was somewhere around this time that it was clear that Fran was having a good time, and everyone was enjoying her mood. We were talking about all kinds of fun stuff like deciding on our picnic menu for our trip to the Hollywood Bowl a month later, and other fun things. I’m not sure if she went into her Laurel and Hardy imitation saying, “This is a fine mess you’ve gotten us into!”  By now Jenny and Michael decided to order a bowl of Ramen, which is another tasty dish at Sam’s.





While we were chatting away, Fran mentioned something about the mug release that was taking place the next day. Our server overheard us talking and gave us some tips that even if we ordered them early we could still pick them up later, but the important part was we needed to order them before they sold out.  She also told us they were going to open up the order window at 6AM, and not 7AM like so many people assumed because the pick up window opened at 7AM. I guess in all of the frenzy Jenny and Jill got hyped up to buy mugs.

We ordered another round and Jill got the Piranha Pool (in the green mug), and I got the La Florida. It was good! Not sure what Jenny’s drink was.





We got ourselves some Dole Whip Floats with Rum for dessert. Which prompted Jenny to text us “You make it home?” later in the evening.





And of course we did, or I wouldn’t be here to tell you about it.  We stopped at Costco for gas on the way home because our tank was running on fumes.  Fran asked if I wanted to put her scooter in the car tonight, and I didn’t relish putting it in when I was tipsy, so I told her I’d do it in the morning. I took my battery into the house and put it on the charger so it would be all ready for our day at the park the next day.


----------



## rentayenta

Fun update! We need another TS date!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Well look there it is in the pipe there!



Well, there's your problem!



franandaj said:


> What he found was that there was standing water in the pipes. In this picture the camera is basically underwater.



I'm not a plumber, but that doesn't seem good.



franandaj said:


> The “something” is called descaling. Essentially they go inside the pipes and smooth them out so that everything will flow through smoothly again. As an extra precautionary matter, we could do an additional service which would put a coating on the interior surfaces of the pipes. He said that this would get us an additional 15-20 years of life out of the pipes. Since we intend to keep the building for that long, it seems prudent that we do both procedures.



I guess that sounds better than completely replacing the pipes.



franandaj said:


> Evidently Fran didn’t remember that we all had wanted to do this because somewhere from the time that we left home to the time we arrived at the DLH her mood had gone from just fine to super crappy. As has been discussed on other TRs, there is no sense in sugar coating crap so I'm going to tell this evening like it was.



Ugh.  I know I, for one, would never dream of ruining Julie's fun evening by being a grumpy sourpuss. 



franandaj said:


> See there’s Michael’s drink and Fran’s Diet Coke.



Careful, don't drink that too fast!



franandaj said:


> I know that I could have gotten Tempura Shrimp just about anywhere during the pandemic (and I did), but there is something about having them outdoors at Trader Sam’s with a Tiki Drink!



Everything is better at Disney!



franandaj said:


> She also started off with a Sea Monster’s Revenge, that could have had something to do with her jolly mood. It’s usually a drink for two, but she had it mostly to herself.



That is quite the sizable drink.



franandaj said:


> Not sure who got the drink with cherries, but Jenny has a little “skill” that she likes to show off at cocktail parties, she can tie the cherry stem in a knot.



Wow, impressive!



franandaj said:


> I guess in all of the frenzy Jenny and Jill got hyped up to buy mugs.



Does the server get a commission?



franandaj said:


> Fran asked if I wanted to put her scooter in the car tonight, and I didn’t relish putting it in when I was tipsy, so I told her I’d do it in the morning.



Aw, I was hoping there would be video.


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> Fun update! We need another TS date!



I know! But I can't figure out how to get a reservation!  Do they still take walk ups?


----------



## rentayenta

franandaj said:


> I know! But I can't figure out how to get a reservation!  Do they still take walk ups?




They were only testing reservations for a month so I am assuming they take walk-ups still.


----------



## jedijill

OMG, that was a fun night!  Can't wait to see you guys again NEXT week!  I need to find a lightsaber ASAP!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, there's your problem!



If only it were so easy!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm not a plumber, but that doesn't seem good.



Yeah, I had the same thought....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I guess that sounds better than completely replacing the pipes.



Or "breaking concrete" which was the words the other guy used.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ugh. I know I, for one, would never dream of ruining Julie's fun evening by being a grumpy sourpuss.



Hmmm....sounds like there might be a story in there somewhere.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Careful, don't drink that too fast!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Everything is better at Disney!



Well, maybe not plant based sausage....I got a story about that coming up....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That is quite the sizable drink.



And tasty too....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Wow, impressive!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Does the server get a commission?



You would think! Or maybe she just wanted to be helpful. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Aw, I was hoping there would be video.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> I found this coffee mug that met all my specifications (tall, wide enough, but not too wide, and microwave safe), so she bought it for me.



travel mug or everyday mug? seems to have a handy lid!



franandaj said:


> While considering what to order we decided to have some cocktails.



Moscow for you, is the other a Manhattan? 



franandaj said:


> It was pairing with the Smiling Tiger Salad, Spicy Beef (which you can’t see in the picture), Lobster-Shrimp Fritters, and Coconut Vinaigrette.



This looks super!



franandaj said:


> Now many of you may be scratching your heads about now. The vinaigrette has coconut in it….why would Alison eat this?



I totally did!




franandaj said:


> While I ate my half of the salad, Fran got the Zucchini Blossom, Goat Cheese, Fava Beans, and Golden Beets. She liked it a lot and ate it right up. She offered me a bite, but I had ordered an entree and wanted to be able to eat that.



What is the red sauce?



franandaj said:


>



this looks yummy, so what was in there?



franandaj said:


>



this looks perfectly cooked!



franandaj said:


> It was very good and rich, but not my most favorite dessert that I've had. I might try something else if I went back.



I really like rich dark chocolate desserts, yumm!



franandaj said:


> Fran got the Summer Peach Custard Pie, Blackberries and Peach Sorbet. She was very happy with her choice.



This looks fan-friggin tastic!



franandaj said:


> The best part about this meal? We got to use Michael's 50% off Coupon that CMs receive as a perk!



WOOOHOOOO!!!  That's awesome!



franandaj said:


> We had received a discount postcard in the mail from a particular plumbing company



Funny, I just got one for furnace servicing which I was going to call



franandaj said:


> What I don't see, but the plumber did, is that the inside of the pipe has developed imperfections, small points, and rough spots.





franandaj said:


> Between the blocked pipe and the condition that he noted, he wanted to kick this up to his supervisor, so we made an appointment for the following Monday. I kicked it up to my supervisor and made Fran come along.



I totally laughed out loud about kicking up to BOTH of your supervisors!



franandaj said:


> I've already signed the contract and paid the deposit for the first procedure. It's scheduled for next week. Once they complete the first job, we will talk about the second one. It's a good thing that we refinanced one of our buildings and pulled out some cash earlier this year. But hopefully after this we won't get any more texts with pictures of sludge in the bathtub and shower.



You def need less sludge to deal with!!!



franandaj said:


> to the time we arrived at the DLH her mood had gone from just fine to super crappy.



Ahhh ohhh...so I thought..will she stay grumpy...



franandaj said:


> There were tons of unoccupied tables, but it seems that they just did not have the staff to service the tables.



Common thing in restaurants these days it seems...



franandaj said:


> I convinced Fran to stay. But she crossed her arms and said, “Fine, but I’m not ordering anything besides a diet coke.”



So I also thought...will that change...will Fran have a cocktail...



franandaj said:


>



Are those giant balls meant to be like fishing floats or ?



franandaj said:


> We ordered some panko crusted long beans. They were excellent!



Those need to be on my must eat list!



franandaj said:


> Fran’s Diet Coke.



She really did have diet coke!



franandaj said:


> Michael got what Fran would have normally ordered, the burger with bacon, pineapple, havarti cheese and sweet potato fries.



This will need on the list too for Dorian!



franandaj said:


> Fran and I were starving and we ordered food at the same time we ordered our drinks. The food came out even before we got our drinks!



Wow! Not a bad thing when starving!



franandaj said:


> Poke bowl with Ahi tuna. I stirred this all up before eating it and it was really good, but not totally filling.



Dorian will want this possibly too!


Ok new post I think right?!



franandaj said:


> Sea Monster’s Revenge, that could have had something to do with her jolly mood. It’s usually a drink for two, but she had it mostly to herself.



Nothing like a drink for 2 for 1 hehe



franandaj said:


> Not sure who got the drink with cherries, but Jenny has a little “skill” that she likes to show off at cocktail parties, she can tie the cherry stem in a knot.



This is a very cool trick indeed, nice work Jenny!



franandaj said:


> By now Jenny and Michael decided to order a bowl of Ramen, which is another tasty dish at Sam’s.



Yum! what's the brown stuff top left of it?



franandaj said:


>



These looks sooo good! Can't wait for a whip or 3!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Oh? Bad service?


Absolutely horrible.


franandaj said:


> about a month ago we got another text from the same tenants that they had been away for a while and came home to yet more sludge in the tub and shower.


Oh, no. Not again!


franandaj said:


> But he suggested that he could run a camera down the pipes and that might give us an idea of what was going on.



Very surprised the previous guy didn't do that. More than very surprised. Shocked. That borders on negligence. 


franandaj said:


> See how they cut a chunk off the pipe going horizontally?


Please tell me that was capped!!!!


franandaj said:


> Long and short of it, when the supervisor came out, the piece of pipe stuck there was dislodged into the main pipe, so that was solved. However, those imperfections in the pipe noted previously can snag things like toilet paper as it travels through the pipe. When enough gets caught, the pipes back up and it shows up in the lowest drains, showers and tubs. So this will continue unless we do something.


ohhhhh.
That seems a bit... dunno... odd? That slight imperfections would do that? But like Mark mentioned... I'm not a plumber.


franandaj said:


> I've already signed the contract and paid the deposit for the first procedure.


Sure hope that takes care of it!


franandaj said:


> Evidently Fran didn’t remember that we all had wanted to do this because somewhere from the time that we left home to the time we arrived at the DLH her mood had gone from just fine to super crappy.


uh oh...


franandaj said:


> As has been discussed on other TRs, there is no sense in sugar coating crap so I'm going to tell this evening like it was.


Oh dear...


franandaj said:


> As we were parking, Fran was telling me that she should just drop me off and have Jenny and Michael drive me home.


Wow, she _really_ wasn't feeling it that evening.


franandaj said:


> it seems that they just did not have the staff to service the tables. At least they left them open so people were not sitting around with poor service.


Huh. I've seen the opposite. Tables filled with nowhere near enough staff. It's not pretty.


franandaj said:


> I convinced Fran to stay. But she crossed her arms and said, “Fine, but I’m not ordering anything besides a diet coke.”





franandaj said:


> I explained the situation to Jenny, and since she deals with crazy people for a living







franandaj said:


> I ordered a Mosquito Mojito


Googled. Pisco mojito. Interesting! I'd try that.


franandaj said:


> Proof that Jenny and Michael were there!


Fake! Obviously photoshopped!!!





franandaj said:


> We ordered some panko crusted long beans. They were excellent!


They look good. 


franandaj said:


> See there’s Michael’s drink and Fran’s Diet Coke.





franandaj said:


> I got the Tempura Shrimp.


mmmm... yes please.


franandaj said:


> there is something about having them outdoors at Trader Sam’s with a Tiki Drink!


 It's all about the location!


franandaj said:


> Jenny got the Wings. I think she said they were pretty hot.


They look it, too.


franandaj said:


> sweet potato fries.


Nope. I just don't care for them. Love fries... but not those.


franandaj said:


> but it was nothing like what happened the following week.


When I read this, I thought you were saying she was _much worse! _


franandaj said:


> All day, the J's squared (as they have been named)


 I like that!


franandaj said:


> The food came out even before we got our drinks


Huh! That doesn't normally happen.


franandaj said:


> I got the Poke bowl with Ahi tuna.


I've had poke in hawaii, but... 
1. It was at a not so great Luau and didn't taste good.
2. It was by itself. Maybe with other items in a bowl I'd like it more.


franandaj said:


> that could have had something to do with her jolly mood.


You really surprised me when you wrote that. I kept expecting you to say "But all of a sudden, her mood changed"
Glad that wasn't the case!


franandaj said:


> Jenny has a little “skill” that she likes to show off at cocktail parties, she can tie the cherry stem in a knot.


Such a talent! I've heard it means talent in other endeavours as well.




franandaj said:


> I’m not sure if she went into her Laurel and Hardy imitation saying, “This is a fine mess you’ve gotten us into!”


 I'd like to hear that. 


franandaj said:


> By now Jenny and Michael decided to order a bowl of Ramen, which is another tasty dish at Sam’s.


mmm... ramen...


franandaj said:


> We got ourselves some Dole Whip Floats with Rum for dessert. Which prompted Jenny to text us “You make it home?” later in the evening.


 I can see why!


franandaj said:


> And of course we did, or I wouldn’t be here to tell you about it.


TRing from the other side!!!


----------



## franandaj

rentayenta said:


> They were only testing reservations for a month so I am assuming they take walk-ups still.



Well let's find a date! We have so much going on!


----------



## franandaj

jedijill said:


> OMG, that was a fun night!



It sure was!



jedijill said:


> Can't wait to see you guys again NEXT week!



Only a few days now!



jedijill said:


> I need to find a lightsaber ASAP!



Done!


----------



## rentayenta

We do!!! I read that without a reservation, we can still put our name in BUT they won't give an ETA.


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> travel mug or everyday mug? seems to have a handy lid!



I use it both ways. I just have my coffee at home if it comes up in the rotation. I have six mugs now that I use regularly plus a real travel mug. Also this one doesn't fit in the cup holder of one of our cars. Just the big car.



DnA2010 said:


> Moscow for you, is the other a Manhattan?



Yes, Michael likes his Manhattans.



DnA2010 said:


> This looks super!



So tasty!



DnA2010 said:


> I totally did!



They really shouldn't put that in the description.  You can't taste it at all.



DnA2010 said:


> What is the red sauce?



I have no idea! And Fran doesn't remember either.



DnA2010 said:


> this looks yummy, so what was in there?



I know chicken, but not what else. Jenny doesn't remember either.



DnA2010 said:


> this looks perfectly cooked!



It was absolutely perfectly cooked!



DnA2010 said:


> I really like rich dark chocolate desserts, yumm!



That one was tasty, not the best, but I wouldn't scoff at it.



DnA2010 said:


> This looks fan-friggin tastic!



She really liked it!



DnA2010 said:


> WOOOHOOOO!!! That's awesome



We love when they share their 50% with us!



DnA2010 said:


> Funny, I just got one for furnace servicing which I was going to call



So did you call?



DnA2010 said:


> I totally laughed out loud about kicking up to BOTH of your supervisors!



Well....   



DnA2010 said:


> You def need less sludge to deal with!!!



That's for sure!



DnA2010 said:


> Ahhh ohhh...so I thought..will she stay grumpy...



Unfortunately yes.  



DnA2010 said:


> Common thing in restaurants these days it seems..



Yeah, evidently there is a server shortage.



DnA2010 said:


> So I also thought...will that change...will Fran have a cocktail...



Nope.



DnA2010 said:


> Are those giant balls meant to be like fishing floats or ?



Geez!  You're asking me all the tough questions!  I have no idea!



DnA2010 said:


> Those need to be on my must eat list!



They're really good!



DnA2010 said:


> She really did have diet coke!



Yup. And that's all. We drove through McDonald's on the way home.



DnA2010 said:


> This will need on the list too for Dorian!



Those who like it seem to really like it.



DnA2010 said:


> Wow! Not a bad thing when starving



Totally!



DnA2010 said:


> Dorian will want this possibly too!
> 
> 
> Ok new post I think right?!



Same Post New Day.



DnA2010 said:


> Nothing like a drink for 2 for 1 hehe



I helped a little, taking a sip here and there.



DnA2010 said:


> This is a very cool trick indeed, nice work Jenny!



She's got skilz



DnA2010 said:


> Yum! what's the brown stuff top left of it?



OK, finally something I know!  That's Woodear mushroom, they put it in Hot n Sour Soup as well as Mu Shu Pork.



DnA2010 said:


> These looks sooo good! Can't wait for a whip or 3!



I think we need a do-over on these....


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Very surprised the previous guy didn't do that. More than very surprised. Shocked. That borders on negligence.



Remember I said that he never actually gave us a report of what he did.  I like this new company, they have "set" pricing. It may be a little higher, but there are no surcharges for weekends and holidays.  Plus they send you a detailed invoice of everything they did and the price.



pkondz said:


> Please tell me that was capped!!!!



I have no idea....



pkondz said:


> ohhhhh.
> That seems a bit... dunno... odd? That slight imperfections would do that? But like Mark mentioned... I'm not a plumber.



Perhaps I under-exaggerated when I used the word slight.  I got the idea from the plumbers that almost any imperfection in the pipe could be a problem.  They need to be completely smooth.



pkondz said:


> Sure hope that takes care of it!



Me too!



pkondz said:


> uh oh...
> Oh dear...
> Wow, she _really_ wasn't feeling it that evening.



Nope.  



pkondz said:


> Huh. I've seen the opposite. Tables filled with nowhere near enough staff. It's not pretty.



Well at least they got that part right.



pkondz said:


> Fake! Obviously photoshopped!!!



Funny you've never called me out on any real photoshopping!



pkondz said:


> mmmm... yes please.
> It's all about the location!



In the setting sun with a Tiki Drink? Heaven!



pkondz said:


> They look it, too.



How so?



pkondz said:


> Nope. I just don't care for them. Love fries... but not those.



Me neither. Not a fan of Sweet Potatoes in general so she never has to worry about me stealing her fries.



pkondz said:


> When I read this, I thought you were saying she was _much worse! _


P]

Had it been worse I might have skipped the update all together but this funny turn of character was a good TR title.



pkondz said:


> I like that!



@DnA2010 came up with that one!



pkondz said:


> Huh! That doesn't normally happen.



I know! Which is why I specifically commented on it. But normally I prefer to sip my beverage a bit before chowing down. Even when I'm super hungry.



pkondz said:


> I've had poke in hawaii, but...
> 1. It was at a not so great Luau and didn't taste good.
> 2. It was by itself. Maybe with other items in a bowl I'd like it more.



I'm not sure you would get the best quality at a Luau and I know what kind you are talking about.  It's just the fish. Right now in So Cal Poke Bowl places are all the rage. They're like a Subway of Poke. You pick your base, rice or lettuce. You pick your protein, my place has several kinds of Tuna, salmon, spicy or not, tofu, Crab salad and I'm not sure what else..then you choose your condiments which can range from marinated seaweed, smelt eggs. Salmon roe, green onions, tons more stuff I just don't remember right now. It run you $9-12 bucks and is pretty tasty. I believe that there are sauces as well. I haven't done it in a while but it was good the last time I had it. Fran just doesn't do raw fish so I don't get it very often. 



pkondz said:


> You really surprised me when you wrote that. I kept expecting you to say "But all of a sudden, her mood changed"
> Glad that wasn't the case!



Thank God! 



pkondz said:


> Such a talent! I've heard it means talent in other endeavours as well.



At first I was going to say, I can't believe you were t there, but of course you did.  






pkondz said:


> I'd like to hear that.



She has to be pretty blotto to say that!



pkondz said:


> mmm... ramen...







pkondz said:


> I can see why!



But Fran is very good about making sure she is OK to drive. She also has a lot more weight on the rest of us to absorb the alcohol. 



pkondz said:


> TRing from the other side!!!



Beetlejuice-Beetlejuice-Beetlejuice


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Remember I said that he never actually gave us a report of what he did.


Right. So... maybe he didn't... and he should have. Or he _did_ and he _still_ didn't see the problem.


franandaj said:


> I like this new company, they have "set" pricing. It may be a little higher, but there are no surcharges for weekends and holidays. Plus they send you a detailed invoice of everything they did and the price.


Glad you're happy with them. 


franandaj said:


> I have no idea....





franandaj said:


> Perhaps I under-exaggerated when I used the word slight. I got the idea from the plumbers that almost any imperfection in the pipe could be a problem. They need to be completely smooth.


I can see that, actually. I mean... It just has to catch one hair or something and... domino effect.


franandaj said:


> Funny you've never called me out on any real photoshopping!


 That's true!


franandaj said:


> How so?


Well, at first, I thought those sesame seeds were chili flakes. Now I see otherwise.


franandaj said:


> Me neither. Not a fan of Sweet Potatoes in general so she never has to worry about me stealing her fries.


You and I seem to have some similar likes/dislikes.


franandaj said:


> Had it been worse I might have skipped the update all together but this funny turn of character was a good TR title.





franandaj said:


> I'm not sure you would get the best quality at a Luau and I know what kind you are talking about. It's just the fish.


Correct. And that particular luau's food was lousy. (I've had good food at them too, but not that one.)


franandaj said:


> Right now in So Cal Poke Bowl places are all the rage.


"Places" aren't the rage up here, but a lot of restaurants are offering them.


franandaj said:


> Right now in So Cal Poke Bowl places are all the rage. They're like a Subway of Poke. You pick your base, rice or lettuce. You pick your protein, my place has several kinds of Tuna, salmon, spicy or not, tofu, Crab salad and I'm not sure what else..then you choose your condiments which can range from marinated seaweed, smelt eggs. Salmon roe, green onions, tons more stuff I just don't remember right now. It run you $9-12 bucks and is pretty tasty. I believe that there are sauces as well. I haven't done it in a while but it was good the last time I had it. Fran just doesn't do raw fish so I don't get it very often.


Huh! Didn't know they were popular enough to be able to be the mainstay of a restaurant.


franandaj said:


> At first I was going to say, I can't believe you were t there, but of course you did.





franandaj said:


> But Fran is very good about making sure she is OK to drive. She also has a lot more weight on the rest of us to absorb the alcohol.


Interesting. I've "known" for a long time that larger people can have more alcohol than a smaller person... but wasn't sure if that was just a myth or not.


franandaj said:


> Beetlejuice-Beetlejuice-Beetlejuice


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I can see that, actually. I mean... It just has to catch one hair or something and... domino effect.



Yeah, I don't think we need to talk about the possibilities. There are two apartments on the bottom floor each with five residents.....



pkondz said:


> You and I seem to have some similar likes/dislikes



Besides other known tastes, your comments on Mark's family's pizza choices today confirm this.



pkondz said:


> Correct. And that particular luau's food was lousy. (I've had good food at them too, but not that one.)


.

I don't place a lot of faith in the food quality of a Luau.  I've only been to one but it wasn't very good. It was also like 30 years ago.



pkondz said:


> "Places" aren't the rage up here, but a lot of restaurants are offering them.



I can see that. We have a large Asian population here and many poke places have popped up here. I wanted to post my pics of the place but I'm posting from the phone and I don't have the pics here.


----------



## franandaj

I woke at 5:30AM, no alarm, no nothing.  My head was a little foggy from the various Tiki drinks the night before. My first thought was, “I’m supposed to do something at 6AM.” At 5:45 Fran woke up and said, “Are you ready to buy Tiki Mugs?”

And I was like, “Oh yeah, that’s what we’re doing.”

Jenny and Jill started texting just before 6AM to make sure we were all ready.

At first the window didn’t open and they both implied that they were going to roll over and go back to sleep, but I kept trying and soon the window opened.

Both Fran and I scored mugs with a 7:10-7:40 pick up window.  For the second time in as many months we were jumping out of bed and rushing to get to Disney. I put her scooter in the car, and I finished feeding the cats just before 7AM so we hung out in the kitchen waiting to get the Webslingers BG.

And what do you know? I did it again, but this time it was Group 7.  Geez, way to complicate our morning.  Another thing that put a wrench in the works is that the park opened at 8AM, we didn’t realize that and had thought it was opening at 9AM. So we had a lot of things going on at once!

We immediately left after scoring the BG, while Jenny, Jill and Michael drove through Starbucks on the way grabbing breakfast. I told Fran there was no time for food, we had to get our mugs and then I needed to bolt over to meet them at the Grand. Jill had scored a studio for Friday night so they could park in the self parking there and not have to walk over from the structure.

Fran and I decided earlier that day that she would ride my scooter to get the mugs and then when she got back to the car, I would take my scooter and go meet the group at the Grand. Then when she came back later, she could get her scooter out and join us. Perfect right?

We made record time and were on approach to the DLH at 7:40AM. But then there was another snag in the mix. Did you read my last update? The one that ended with “I took my battery into the house and put it on the charger.”

Did you read carefully what I did that morning? Was something missing?

Parked and ready to go get our mugs, I opened the back of the car to put my scooter together for her only to see a giant space where the battery SHOULD HAVE been.

Oh Cra…..

Fran being the thinking one, told me to just grab the battery off of her scooter. They are basically interchangeable. Problem solved, we headed off to get our mugs.

By 8:00AM Fran and I had the mugs in hand, but not without some drama.  





Our pick up windows had expired and we didn’t understand we could reschedule our pick up time. But the nice CMs working the line were able to resurrect our orders and push them through so that we could head in and pick them up.

Just when I was saying to the text group that maybe they should get their mugs before we ride, Jill texted that our BG was just called. OK, ride the ride first.  

I hustled over to the Grand and found them lounging in the lobby.

Our first stop was Wesblingers since our BG had been called.  I was starving but decided that I could do this on an empty stomach. The queue was totally empty, I guess other people weren’t ready for an 8AM park opening either.





















Jill rocked the ride! And her first time too! This was the first time I had been on The ride with all four spots filled. Made a difference in our combined score for sure!


We decided to pick up their mugs at the DLH now that we were done with the ride. But first I needed to eat something. 


I noticed that the Schwarma cart was open, so I figured that would be good for some sustenance.  As I got in line, I noticed people eating theirs, and realized that it was a breakfast Schwarma, not the one that I enjoyed over a month ago. I was already in line, and decided I might as well just try it. Then I saw that it was “Beyond” sausage. Jill pointed out later that I must have been REALLY desperate since I ate eat pre-cooked eggs and fake meat.









I ate a couple of bites and once the hunger wasn’t absolutely overwhelming, I took one piece of the sausage out. After we exited the park I asked if everyone could stop for a moment.  I took out all the sausage, all the egg, ate the smashed potato bites, tore of half the bread (the part without the cheese) and made a cheese foldover. Jenny threw the rest away for me.  About halfway through DTD on our way to the DLH, I tossed what was left of it.  I probably won’t be ordering that again.


Upon review of the Pym Test Kitchen breakfast menu, there wasn’t anything that would have been any better for me to have that morning.  I would have probably been better off with a Lemon Pound Cake or Cheese Danish from Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe (Starbucks). Live and learn.


Jill, Jenny and Michael picked up their mugs. He ran to the Self parking area and stowed the mugs in the car while us three girls found a potty!  LOL! We made our way back to DCA through DTD. Fran had sent me a message about a new dress, so we stopped in the dress shop only to find that it was an open backed dress (which I don’t wear), so I saved about $150!


I’m not sure at what point we placed our mobile order for lunch, but I think we chose 11:30-12:00 as our pickup window time. We had all agreed that we would get two of the chicken sandwiches and split them, two extra sides of tots, and also a Chocosmash bar.


Our next stop was TSMM, and just as we got to nearly the front of the line the ride went down.  But not just a normal shut down. Michael was a paramedic before he retired and he could tell that the CMs were really panicking. They were checking the manual for what to do, and it appeared that they were doing a hard shut down of the ride.  “I think someone might have gotten hurt in there.” He said. It was really eerie being there with the ride down and no CMs. Not sure where they all went to.





Regardless they let us out of the line and gave us “Multi-experience” passes which were good for any ride in DCA.  So we hopped on over to the Incredicoaster and Jill and I rode that.





She wanted to get a Jack Jack Num Num cookie and I certainly wasn’t going to miss out on that!  She took hers togo to eat later in the room, while I ate part of mine right away. I shared it with the group, but still ended up taking home half of it for Fran.





By this time our window for lunch was opening up, so we headed back to Avengers Campus. Jenny and Michael went to pick up the food while Jill and I snagged a table in the same seating area where we had sat the previous two times we'd had lunch here. At least this time I took a picture. 





It was around this time that Fran decided that she was not up to joining us out at the park, and she would rather stay home and rest up for tomorrow. 


As I mentioned earlier, we got two chicken sandwiches and a chocosmash bar. 





This time the chicken seemed a bit spicy to me, or maybe I got full, but I gave the last part of my chicken to Michael. And with the extra sides of tots there was plenty and I couldn't finish them all. I think Jenny did and said something to the effect that she couldn't let them go to waste.









We went on Guardians after that. I don’t know why I couldn’t get the photopass picture to link up with my account, so here’s the one from my phone





Then RSR.





By this time Jill's room was ready. I was starting to feel kinda icky. I had been eating pretty much crap all day. We had decided earlier that since Jill had a room, I could leave my scooter in her room to charge and Jenny and Michael could take me home. Then I would just pick it back up in the morning. Jill and I went up to her room and J&M went to pick up the car. We walked into the room and I'm thinking…."when did a studio have a kitchen?"


Jill exclaimed, "They upgraded me to a one bedroom!" So totally cool!


I parked the scooter and reached in the bag for my charging cord, only to realize that it was still charging my battery at home. I had Fran's battery and her charging cord was in her scooter bag.


So Jill lugged the battery downstairs where Jenny and Michael were waiting. Upon the news that Jill had been upgraded, Jenny decided to stay the night so we all piled into their car so that Jenny and Jill could come back together and spend the evening in the pool or having dinner.


I made some chicken soup or something equally soothing at home and hoped I would be all better for tomorrow.  I packed the car with our suitcases and other things we would need for the next day while our batteries charged.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Besides other known tastes, your comments on Mark's family's pizza choices today confirm this.


I am ashamed to admit that Hawaiian pizza is a Canadian invention.
Insulin? Good.
Basketball? Sure.
Wonderbra? Definitely!

Hawaiian pizza? Nope!


franandaj said:


> I don't place a lot of faith in the food quality of a Luau. I've only been to one but it wasn't very good. It was also like 30 years ago.


It was so gross. I'd been to a smaller one before and that was very good. This was huge and disgusting.


franandaj said:


> My head was a little foggy from the various Tiki drinks the night before.





franandaj said:


> My first thought was, “I’m supposed to do something at 6AM.” At 5:45 Fran woke up and said, “Are you ready to buy Tiki Mugs?”


 Your internal clock is spot on!


franandaj said:


> Both Fran and I scored mugs with a 7:10-7:40 pick up window.


Yay!


franandaj said:


> And what do you know? I did it again,


Oops, she did it again...


franandaj said:


> Geez, way to complicate our morning. Another thing that put a wrench in the works is that the park opened at 8AM, we didn’t realize that and had thought it was opening at 9AM. So we had a lot of things going on at once!


 You're too efficient!


franandaj said:


> Fran and I decided earlier that day that she would ride my scooter to get the mugs and then when she got back to the car, I would take my scooter and go meet the group at the Grand. Then when she came back later, she could get her scooter out and join us. Perfect right?


Sure. So far... 


franandaj said:


> Did you read my last update? The one that ended with “I took my battery into the house and put it on the charger.”
> 
> Did you read carefully what I did that morning? Was something missing?


Ohhhh... nooooo...


franandaj said:


> Fran being the thinking one, told me to just grab the battery off of her scooter.


quick thinking saves the day. 


franandaj said:


>


Those look really different. But... not easy to drink from, perhaps? I don't see a handle.


franandaj said:


> Our pick up windows had expired and we didn’t understand we could reschedule our pick up time. But the nice CMs working the line were able to resurrect our orders and push them through so that we could head in and pick them up.


Phew. Glad it worked out. After all the prior events, it would've been doubly hard to miss out.


franandaj said:


> Our first stop was Wesblingers since our BG had been called.


I get calling a Star Wars ride a BG... but for Webslingers it should be called... a net slot? Something like that?


franandaj said:


> Jill rocked the ride! And her first time too!


Way to go Jill!


franandaj said:


> I noticed that the Schwarma cart was open,


I _still _haven't tried one. Need to rectify this some day.


franandaj said:


> Then I saw that it was “Beyond” sausage. Jill pointed out later that I must have been REALLY desperate since I ate eat pre-cooked eggs and fake meat.





franandaj said:


> I ate a couple of bites and once the hunger wasn’t absolutely overwhelming, I took one piece of the sausage out. After we exited the park I asked if everyone could stop for a moment. I took out all the sausage, all the egg, ate the smashed potato bites, tore of half the bread (the part without the cheese) and made a cheese foldover. Jenny threw the rest away for me. About halfway through DTD on our way to the DLH, I tossed what was left of it. I probably won’t be ordering that again.


Not exactly a ringing endorsement.


franandaj said:


> Jill, Jenny and Michael picked up their mugs. He ran to the Self parking area and stowed the mugs in the car while us three girls found a potty! LOL!


I finally found out why you girls always go in groups!



franandaj said:


> it was an open backed dress (which I don’t wear), so I saved about $150!


So if all dresses were open backed, you'd be rich!


franandaj said:


> Our next stop was TSMM, and just as we got to nearly the front of the line the ride went down.


Ugh. The worst.


franandaj said:


> Michael was a paramedic before he retired and he could tell that the CMs were really panicking. They were checking the manual for what to do, and it appeared that they were doing a hard shut down of the ride. “I think someone might have gotten hurt in there.”


Oh geez. Ever find out?


franandaj said:


> As I mentioned earlier, we got two chicken sandwiches and a chocosmash bar.


That looks pretty good. not a tater tot fan, but the sammie looks good.


franandaj said:


> We went on Guardians after that. I don’t know why I couldn’t get the photopass picture to link up with my account


You sure have been having trouble with that. 


franandaj said:


> I was starting to feel kinda icky. I had been eating pretty much crap all day.


Yeah, I get that. It's all Yumm! until it isn't.


franandaj said:


> Jill exclaimed, "They upgraded me to a one bedroom!" So totally cool!


Nice! Two scores in one day. 


franandaj said:


> I parked the scooter and reached in the bag for my charging cord, only to realize that it was still charging my battery at home. I had Fran's battery and her charging cord was in her scooter bag.





franandaj said:


> I made some chicken soup or something equally soothing at home and hoped I would be all better for tomorrow.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Jenny and Jill started texting just before 6AM to make sure we were all ready.
> 
> At first the window didn’t open and they both implied that they were going to roll over and go back to sleep, but I kept trying and soon the window opened.
> 
> Both Fran and I scored mugs with a 7:10-7:40 pick up window.



Man, this is just as competitive as the Star Wars boarding groups.



franandaj said:


> And what do you know? I did it again, but this time it was Group 7. Geez, way to complicate our morning. Another thing that put a wrench in the works is that the park opened at 8AM, we didn’t realize that and had thought it was opening at 9AM. So we had a lot of things going on at once!



I'm confused already!



franandaj said:


> Parked and ready to go get our mugs, I opened the back of the car to put my scooter together for her only to see a giant space where the battery SHOULD HAVE been.



D'oh.



franandaj said:


> Jill rocked the ride! And her first time too! This was the first time I had been on The ride with all four spots filled. Made a difference in our combined score for sure!



Nice work Jill!  I'm taking your word for it that these are good scores, I have no idea.



franandaj said:


> Jill pointed out later that I must have been REALLY desperate since I ate eat pre-cooked eggs and fake meat.



She is not wrong.



franandaj said:


> I took out all the sausage, all the egg, ate the smashed potato bites, tore of half the bread (the part without the cheese) and made a cheese foldover.



Well, then.  I guess I'll cross that one off the list.



franandaj said:


> He ran to the Self parking area and stowed the mugs in the car while us three girls found a potty! LOL!



Poor guy.  Hope you tipped him well.



franandaj said:


> Michael was a paramedic before he retired and he could tell that the CMs were really panicking. They were checking the manual for what to do, and it appeared that they were doing a hard shut down of the ride. “I think someone might have gotten hurt in there.” He said. It was really eerie being there with the ride down and no CMs. Not sure where they all went to.



Yikes.  That sounds scary.



franandaj said:


> This time the chicken seemed a bit spicy to me, or maybe I got full, but I gave the last part of my chicken to Michael. And with the extra sides of tots there was plenty and I couldn't finish them all. I think Jenny did and said something to the effect that she couldn't let them go to waste.



Jenny is a true hero in this situation.



franandaj said:


> I was starting to feel kinda icky. I had been eating pretty much crap all day.



It takes time to build up a tolerance to eating nothing but crap.  Don't ask how I know.



franandaj said:


> Jill exclaimed, "They upgraded me to a one bedroom!" So totally cool!







franandaj said:


> I packed the car with our suitcases and other things we would need for the next day while our batteries charged.



...and totally remembered to take them with you the next day.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> Yes, Michael likes his Manhattans.



An man with good taste! (haha)



franandaj said:


> So did you call?



Nope, but thanks for reminding me, will try to do it tomorrow



franandaj said:


> Both Fran and I scored mugs with a 7:10-7:40 pick up window.



Score, but EARLY!



franandaj said:


> I did it again, but this time it was Group 7.



Classic, you and the early BG's!



franandaj said:


> only to see a giant space where the battery SHOULD HAVE been.



Ahhh-ohhhh...



franandaj said:


> The queue was totally empty, I guess other people weren’t ready for an 8AM park opening either.



Wowzas! Very empty!



franandaj said:


> Schwarma cart



Mmm Schwarma!



franandaj said:


> Then I saw that it was “Beyond” sausage.



I have to admit, I've steered clear of "beyond" meat products..I know I should give them a try, but I just don't..



franandaj said:


>



This actually looks decent though



franandaj said:


> I probably won’t be ordering that again.



Sounds like it, given the disassembly, but you tried it 



franandaj said:


> He ran to the Self parking area and stowed the mugs in the car while us three girls found a potty! LOL!



Legit us too, D always running things to the car while we find the potty! LOL!



franandaj said:


> so we stopped in the dress shop only to find that it was an open backed dress (which I don’t wear), so I saved about $150!



Ugg I so regret not buying the green Tiki dress when I was last there...I was between sizes but should have just bought it 



franandaj said:


> two extra sides of tots,



Well given you got like 5 the last time, this makes total sense!



franandaj said:


>



MMMmmm different sized chocolate!



franandaj said:


>



This looks soo good!



franandaj said:


>




You just can't believe you're on RSR's?


----------



## MaleficentMe

Wow! What a read - I'm finally caught up! If I wore jewelry, I would have LOVED to get those Maleficent earrings - beautiful!

How wonderful that you're able to spontaneously go to DLR - For us in the PNW, it takes serious planning! 

We were in the parks Sept 2, 4, and 5th. We visited Pym's for the Not-so-little-chicken and the Pym-ini... Loved the huge chicken with the itty-bitty bun (plus the tots are delish)!

And of course, omg yer killin me with all the Club 33 food.... divine!! Looking forward to reading further adventures of Franandaj!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I am ashamed to admit that Hawaiian pizza is a Canadian invention.
> Insulin? Good.
> Basketball? Sure.
> Wonderbra? Definitely!
> 
> Hawaiian pizza? Nope!







pkondz said:


> It was so gross. I'd been to a smaller one before and that was very good. This was huge and disgusting.



I'm sorry. 



pkondz said:


> Your internal clock is spot on!



I did it on Wednesday too.



pkondz said:


> Oops, she did it again...



I think there is some sort of pop reference for this that evades me....



pkondz said:


> You're too efficient!







pkondz said:


> Sure. So far...
> Ohhhh... nooooo...
> quick thinking saves the day.



At least it was a salvageable mistake.



pkondz said:


> Those look really different. But... not easy to drink from, perhaps? I don't see a handle.









pkondz said:


> Phew. Glad it worked out. After all the prior events, it would've been doubly hard to miss out.



We were building a fleet so we didn't want to be incomplete!



pkondz said:


> I get calling a Star Wars ride a BG... but for Webslingers it should be called... a net slot? Something like that?



Ha, ha! That would be too confusing!



pkondz said:


> Way to go Jill!



She musta read up on what to aim for.



pkondz said:


> I _still _haven't tried one. Need to rectify this some day.



I liked it, but Fran confessed the other day she didn't care for the seasonings. 



pkondz said:


> Not exactly a ringing endorsement.



Nope.



pkondz said:


> I finally found out why you girls always go in groups!



Uh, ya, that's it....  



pkondz said:


> So if all dresses were open backed, you'd be rich!



No cause Tiki mugs still exist in the world.



pkondz said:


> Ugh. The worst.
> Oh geez. Ever find out?



No. Disney is tight lipped about those kind of situations. 



pkondz said:


> That looks pretty good. not a tater tot fan, but the sammie looks good.



I thought both were good, but I have something new to try.



pkondz said:


> You sure have been having trouble with that.



And it's just *that* ride. Weird.



pkondz said:


> Yeah, I get that. It's all Yumm! until it isn't.



Comes on real quick....may have been a few other things consumed that may have been glossed over.   



pkondz said:


> Nice! Two scores in one day.



She was #winning!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I did it on Wednesday too.


Toss the alarm clock! You don't need it!


franandaj said:


> I think there is some sort of pop reference for this that evades me....


Britney Spears
One of only two songs of hers that I know. (I think?)


franandaj said:


> We were building a fleet so we didn't want to be incomplete!


But of course!


franandaj said:


> Ha, ha! That would be too confusing!


Probably true.


franandaj said:


> Uh, ya, that's it....





franandaj said:


> No cause Tiki mugs still exist in the world.


Ohhhh... right. 


franandaj said:


> Comes on real quick....may have been a few other things consumed that may have been glossed over.


Oh???


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Man, this is just as competitive as the Star Wars boarding groups.



Actually since it's newer it's even more competitive!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm confused already!



Tell me about it.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Nice work Jill! I'm taking your word for it that these are good scores, I have no idea.



I don't know if they're good either, but scores in the 200,000's are as high as I've seen.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> She is not wrong.



No she's not! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, then. I guess I'll cross that one off the list.



I wouldn't bother with it.  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Poor guy. Hope you tipped him well.



That's Jenny’s job! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Yikes. That sounds scary.



It was definitely different than a normal shutdown.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Jenny is a true hero in this situation.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> It takes time to build up a tolerance to eating nothing but crap. Don't ask how I know.



Yeah. I eat salads occasionally.....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> ...and totally remembered to take them with you the next day.



Yes we did!  Otherwise it would have been a disaster!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Oh my about the battery!  Glad you were able to exchange!

The mugs are adorable!

I am always impressed with how much you are able to accomplish at the parks!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> An man with good taste! (haha)







DnA2010 said:


> Nope, but thanks for reminding me, will try to do it tomorrow



So did'ja?



DnA2010 said:


> Score, but EARLY!



Well we wanted to get them picked up before we had to do the boarding group.....



DnA2010 said:


> Classic, you and the early BG's!



I know!  I'm quick!



DnA2010 said:


> Ahhh-ohhhh...



Yeah, we ended up lucking out.



DnA2010 said:


> Wowzas! Very empty!







DnA2010 said:


> Mmm Schwarma!



Only if it's the regular one....



DnA2010 said:


> I have to admit, I've steered clear of "beyond" meat products..I know I should give them a try, but I just don't..



No, you don't need to. That may have been the first time I had it.  Although there was one time Del Taco "gave" us some tacos that we didn't order. They tasted funny. I think they might have been made with meat substitute.



DnA2010 said:


> This actually looks decent though



Looks can be deceiving.



DnA2010 said:


> Sounds like it, given the disassembly, but you tried it



Mistakes happen. 



DnA2010 said:


> Legit us too, D always running things to the car while we find the potty! LOL!



I guess it's the lot for men surrounded by a bunch of women.



DnA2010 said:


> Ugg I so regret not buying the green Tiki dress when I was last there...I was between sizes but should have just bought it



Is it no longer available? They are still selling the shirts in that pattern.



DnA2010 said:


> Well given you got like 5 the last time, this makes total sense!



Yeah this time there were too many.



DnA2010 said:


> MMMmmm different sized chocolate!



I highly recommend this!



DnA2010 said:


> This looks soo good!



It is!



DnA2010 said:


> You just can't believe you're on RSR's?



Either that or I could've had a V8!  (Did you have that commercial in Canada?)


----------



## franandaj

MaleficentMe said:


> Wow! What a read - I'm finally caught up! If I wore jewelry, I would have LOVED to get those Maleficent earrings - beautiful!







MaleficentMe said:


> How wonderful that you're able to spontaneously go to DLR - For us in the PNW, it takes serious planning!



I can see that.  It's lovely living so close that we can go anytime there is a reservation open!



MaleficentMe said:


> We were in the parks Sept 2, 4, and 5th. We visited Pym's for the Not-so-little-chicken and the Pym-ini... Loved the huge chicken with the itty-bitty bun (plus the tots are delish)!



We considered going on the 4th but decided that it would be crazy busy on Labor Day weekend so we gave it up and went to an offisite Tiki Bar instead.



MaleficentMe said:


> And of course, omg yer killin me with all the Club 33 food.... divine!! Looking forward to reading further adventures of Franandaj!



Plenty more to come, along with another wonderful dinner at Club 33.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Toss the alarm clock! You don't need it!



  I don't remember when I ditched the alarm clock, probably 20ish years ago when I left the day job.



pkondz said:


> Britney Spears
> One of only two songs of hers that I know. (I think?)



I don't think I would recognize _*one*_ Brittany Spears song. 



pkondz said:


> But of course!



Why not?



pkondz said:


> Oh???


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I don't remember when I ditched the alarm clock, probably 20ish years ago when I left the day job.


Aaaaaaannnnndddd... a little part of me just died.

Someday!


franandaj said:


> I don't think I would recognize _*one*_ Brittany Spears song.


Consider yourself fortunate.


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Oh my about the battery! Glad you were able to exchange!



Its good that we both have basically the same model of scooter.



tiggrbaby said:


> The mugs are adorable!



Aren't they cute?



tiggrbaby said:


> I am always impressed with how much you are able to accomplish at the parks!



And here i thought I was taking it slow!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Aaaaaaannnnndddd... a little part of me just died.



Why?  



pkondz said:


> Consider yourself fortunate.


----------



## franandaj

Just a little bit of real life to interject here….as you know we really love our kitties. A little over two weeks ago while watching TV, we heard a loud *crash* and I got up to investigate but found no evidence of what had broken/fallen so we went back to what we were doing.  The next night Fran noticed one of the cats “favoring” one of her back paws, and then the cat disappeared.  Well not really disappeared, you just have to be creative looking for them.

She had crawled into the bottom floor hidey hole of one of our cat trees in the section of the house we call the kitty Riviera (long before the resort itself was built). Instead of waking me up when she couldn’t find the cat, she waited until the next day to tell me about this.  Even though it was a Sunday we packed her up in the carrier and headed up to the vet.  They’re open 24/7.  I called to find out the procedure, whether we waited in the car or came into the office (covid stuff).  Well it turned out that they weren’t even taking walk-ins. They had a 12 hour wait and were at full capacity. We could go somewhere else or call back later.

Since Molly seemed somewhat content in the carrier (and we get a 35% “rescue discount” there) we opted to wait. Back home i set the carrier in front of her hidey hole and left it open. She stayed in the carrier for a good 6 or more hours. We called several times that night, but the vet still wasn’t taking walkins. By morning she had climbed back in her hidey hole, and at 6AM they were taking walk-ins again. We headed right up and were actually helped rather promptly. We explained that she may have injured her leg and could they please check it out.

They put her on pain meds through an IV drip and said they would get back to us when they had some information. We left a deposit and were able to go home. I even made my Monday morning chiropractor appointment on time! By the time I was done being adjusted, the vet had called Fran. She had a fractured leg. They didn’t have an orthopedic surgeon in house today, but they bandaged up her leg with a splint and would send her home with a recheck in a week. So here has been her life for the past 2+ weeks.





She had surgery on Monday, and came back home Tuesday.  Six more weeks in the crate. Then she will be limited to one room in the house.  So you’re thinking, “Great they have a guest room for her!”  You would be wrong. Next time I’ll tell you about Clancy.

Now back to the TR.

Today we knew that we would have a long day for sure! Fran was joining us as well as Leonard. You see we had planned this day well in advance. Jill had booked her plane tickets shortly after the parks reopened to out-of-state folks and one day back in June while surfing the DVC site, I found a two bedroom villa that opened up for this evening.  I grabbed it immediately and this way we could spend all day at the park, stay for fireworks and not have to drive home!

We planned to all meet at the Grand Californian at 9AM in the lobby. Fran and I drove through McFood that morning because I was not going to have a repeat of the previous day. I think I ordered a Blueberry muffin and a hash brown. Their sausage can be a little spicy for me, and with my tummy not feeling well the day before I was being very cautious. I think in the end I ate half of one of the muffins and half of the hash brown.

The room was in my name, so I started the check in process. It was taking longer than expected so Fran and Leonard went up to Jill’s room to get the scooter. Fran had my really fully charged battery on her floor boards and soon we had our room keys and were all together in the lobby. Luckily Jill had the forethought to get us a BG for RotR and so that was our first stop!

















































After we failed at saving the Galaxy we decided to help out the Resistance by gathering a few parcels of Coaxium. We were successful at getting two this time! I got to do my favorite, engineer! No pressure at all!

It seems to me that we made a whole lot of potty stops that day, and that was our next stop at the Galaxy’s Edge potty near the Droid Depot. Then we made another stop where Jill purchased a beverage. This is where we had our one bad moment of the day. Fran and I had pulled our scooters over into the shade. Other people were in the shade too. It was a hot day. The park was pretty crowded. I started putting on sunscreen while we waited, when all of a sudden this jerk says to me and Fran "Hey ladies give my baby some space!" I didn't see any babies, but not wanting to create a situation we moved away to another shady spot. 

Jenny and Leonard however, stayed right there and waited the whole time talking about what a jerk he was...things like "what do you suppose makes someone so self righteous that they think they can just demand their own space in a public place? On a busy Saturday no less?" Evidently they went into all kinds of psycho analysis types of scenarios the entire 10-12 minutes that we waited for Jill to get her water. Sitting right next to the guy and his wife. I’m sure he was so self absorbed that he didn’t even notice they were talking about him.

After that we decided to ride Mr. Toad.  I mean where else in Disney can you go to Hell!





And then we went on the newly revamped Snow White ride.





















My pictures didn’t come out, but they stole some scenes directly out of the 7DMT at WDW.









They took out the controversial date rape kiss scene at the end. Two more rides crossed off the reopening list!

By this time we were all getting hungry, remember I only ate half a muffin and half a hash brown. But first an obligatory castle shot on our way to get lunch!





Lunch was, of course, the Plaza Inn! Jill nor Leonard had had the opportunity to eat some good fried chicken from such a fine establishment since the reopening. And the last time Fran and I had it was mobile ordered in a take out container, I believe Jenny hadn’t eaten it since the CM previews as well.

Not only were they serving the normal way (don’t have to mobile order), the inside was open for dining. While we like to be safe, we didn’t worry about eating inside at Disney.  They have great ventilation and our table wasn’t really close to any other parties.  Besides, did I mention it was really hot out that day?

Of course we got the Fried Chicken dinner. Now there is controversy in our group, some say double mashed is the only way to go, but I really like these green beans. They’re obviously not canned and whatever they season them with is quite tasty.  Besides after eating like crap the day before it’s good to have a little roughage in your system!





And then even better news, they brought back the Cobb Salad! This salad is mixed to order right in front of you. The ingredients are pre measured and they just drop them in the bowl and toss it right there! They had several other salads since the last time they offered the Cobb Salad, but I suppose that none of them measured up or sold as well as this one. We shared the salad with anyone else at the table who wanted some.  Again, it makes you think you’re eating healthy even though it’s got bacon, egg, and blue cheese.





And we couldn’t resist something sweet to finish off our meal.  I don’t know why we always order cake here. Most of the time it’s relatively unsatisfying, however, this chocolate cake was delicious!  It was super chocolatey, the frosting wasn’t too sweet, it had just the right amount and complimented the cake perfectly. Normally I like my cakes without frosting.





While at lunch we were able to get a BG for Webslingers later that afternoon.  Following lunch we made yet another potty stop.

Next we went for the Jungle Cruise, and this ended up being our longest wait of the day. We went in through the exit which is the HA way to go. We get all the time we need to board, and that worked great for Fran as she needed the extra time.





The ride had recently reopened after the controversial rehab to remove all the insensitive cultural references.









They made the people in this scene more diverse.





This is the previous incarnation:













Instead of Trader Sam running the show, now it’s the Monkeys.




Getting out of the boat was tougher, and they had a godsend! If you have someone who has with trouble with steps, there are blocks that they can put on the steps to make them only half the step distance. This was perfect for Fran so I didn't have to shove her butt up the steps!

*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

Next up we went to Pirates and that's another one where the HA boarding is via the exit. We usually have to wait for a few boats to go before we get to board.

























This is probably the best shot I’ve gotten of this guy.




















This is about my best picture of the kitties here, it’s so dark, it’s almost always blurry, but this is one of my favorite parts of the ride.















After that we rode the Haunted Mansion, but I didn't get any pictures. Jenny and Leonard wanted to ride Splash Mountain. The rest of us did not fancy walking around in wet clothes for the rest of the day, so we grabbed some popcorn and went to the end of BTMRR to wait for them. It took a while for them to ride and while we were waiting Jill, Fran and I decided that we would ride BTMRR, hit our Webslingers Boarding Group, TSMM (since we didn't get to ride it the day before), and then go get a drink at Carthay.

No pictures from BTMRR, but as we left the park, we spied this float coming up Main Street. It traveled to an instrumental version of "Let it Go" while the sisters waved to the "sort of crowds". 





And again on Main Street at the Firestation, we stopped yet again for potty. Jenny sat on one of the concrete benches while she waited and thought it was so funny that she left a wet spot outlining where her jeans had touched the seat. The rest us gave her a SMH look confirming our wise choice not to ride Splash.

We hopped over to DCA as our Webslingers BG was open. This was my best score to date!  Previously I had scored between 134,000 - 185,000.  Interestingly enough, before this, my second best score was the first time that I rode! This day I got the 222,000!





We had one last ride. Most of us were pretty well done. We had been on a ton of rides (at least for us) and we wanted to stay up for the fireworks. So we headed towards TSMM. This time I was concentrating on trying to unlock the secrets and not focusing on large targets. Usually I do a mix of both. 

In a previous post it was noted that I'm on the left, Player 1. As you can see I scored the lowest of the two of us. 






As soon as the scores came out Fran exclaimed loudly, "I beat Alison!" She kept saying it over and over again.

We still had not received the text that our room was ready so we went to Carthay for a drink.





Just as the server set down the drinks I got the text that our room was ready. We were too tired to rush, but we didn't linger over our drinks either. Our room was on the first floor and it was one of the rooms facing the redwood challenge. No biggie, besides the time we slept this would be the longest period of time we were in the room. We had our bags brought up and I got Fran and I situated for the night.

I know somewhere in there we ate a little something, but mostly we were still pretty full from the chicken dinner we had for lunch. And then we headed back to Disneyland for the fireworks.  Look how exhausted I look in this picture!


























Now at this point I was done. All I wanted to do was go back to the room and take a bath in my Jacuzzi tub. But Fran wanted to see if Trader Sam's had any mugs left.  The rest of them were game so as we passed the entrance to the Grand, I said "Goodnight" and they all went on to Trader Sam's. I'm not sure who did what but from my understanding some Dole Whips with Rum were ordered and possibly other drinks.

On the way back enough of the party was somewhat inebriated that some sobriety was requested by splitting a Full Montague from Earl of Sandwich. While no pictures of these events seem to exist I have been able to piece together the timeline from verbal accounts. I was definitely asleep by this time.

We checked out of the hotel the following day and all went our separate directions knowing it would only be a month before we saw Jill again.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Why?


Because on many days, that alarm clock is my boss. I'm never a fan of it going off.
Envy anyone who doesn't need to do that and look forward to the day that I don't too.


franandaj said:


> the house we call the kitty Riviera (long before the resort itself was built)


Now we know where they got the name from.


franandaj said:


> Well it turned out that they weren’t even taking walk-ins. They had a 12 hour wait and were at full capacity. We could go somewhere else or call back later.





franandaj said:


> the vet had called Fran. She had a fractured leg.


Oh, no! Poor kitten!


franandaj said:


>


 Poor thing.

Brings back memories when our pup broke hers.

Good thing is, now you'd never know she was ever hurt. Hopefully your kitten will be the same.


franandaj said:


> So you’re thinking, “Great they have a guest room for her!” You would be wrong. Next time I’ll tell you about Clancy.


Oh?


franandaj said:


> Their sausage can be a little spicy for me, and with my tummy not feeling well the day before I was being very cautious.


Funny. I was thinking "I'd do the sausage & egg..."
But get it if you weren't feeling 100%.


franandaj said:


> The room was in my name


How cool is that? They named a room after you!






franandaj said:


>


Like this photo of you guys. 


franandaj said:


>


That's such a cool photo. 


franandaj said:


> I got to do my favorite, engineer! No pressure at all!



And here's me, lamenting that engineer is the only thing I got to do and hated it.


franandaj said:


> It seems to me that we made a whole lot of potty stops that day, and that was our next stop at the Galaxy’s Edge potty near the Droid Depot.


These are _not_ the potties you are looking for...


franandaj said:


> I started putting on sunscreen while we waited, when all of a sudden this jerk says to me and Fran "Hey ladies give my baby some space!" I didn't see any babies, but not wanting to create a situation we moved away to another shady spot.


What the heck???


franandaj said:


> Jenny and Leonard however, stayed right there and waited the whole time talking about what a jerk he was...things like "what do you suppose makes someone so self righteous that they think they can just demand their own space in a public place? On a busy Saturday no less?" Evidently they went into all kinds of psycho analysis types of scenarios the entire 10-12 minutes that we waited for Jill to get her water.




GOOD!!


franandaj said:


> Sitting right next to the guy and his wife. I’m sure he was so self absorbed that he didn’t even notice they were talking about him.


I sure hope he heard.


franandaj said:


> After that we decided to ride Mr. Toad. I mean where else in Disney can you go to Hell!


I know one dude with "babies" that could go... 


franandaj said:


> And then we went on the newly revamped Snow White ride.


I barely remember the ride. I'd have to go again... hmmm.... even then, I don't know if I'd remember what was new vs what I'd forgotten.


franandaj said:


> My pictures didn’t come out, but they stole some scenes directly out of the 7DMT at WDW.


Really! Huh.


franandaj said:


> They took out the controversial date rape kiss scene at the end.


Um... The _what_????


franandaj said:


> Lunch was, of course, the Plaza Inn! Jill nor Leonard had had the opportunity to eat some good fried chicken from such a fine establishment since the reopening.


mmmm... Plaza chicken...


franandaj said:


> Of course we got the Fried Chicken dinner. Now there is controversy in our group, some say double mashed is the only way to go, but I really like these green beans. They’re obviously not canned and whatever they season them with is quite tasty. Besides after eating like crap the day before it’s good to have a little roughage in your system!


Totally get this controversy. And I'm not really sure on which side of the fence I stand. On the one hand, mashed (with gravy!) is 1,000% better than beans. But on the other fork, er, hand, I do like a bit of variety on the plate.


franandaj said:


> And then even better news, they brought back the Cobb Salad! This salad is mixed to order right in front of you.


Whoa! That looks fantastic! I want that!


franandaj said:


> Normally I like my cakes without frosting.


I'm sorry, you _what_??


franandaj said:


> While at lunch we were able to get a BG for Webslingers later that afternoon.


Glad you netted one.


franandaj said:


>


Cute shot of you ladies. 


franandaj said:


> The ride had recently reopened after the controversial rehab to remove all the insensitive cultural references.


We wants the Re... oops. Wrong ride.


franandaj said:


>


Huh. I'd have thought it'd be characters from the movie.


franandaj said:


> Instead of Trader Sam running the show, now it’s the Monkeys.





franandaj said:


> Getting out of the boat was tougher, and they had a godsend! If you have someone who has with trouble with steps, there are blocks that they can put on the steps to make them only half the step distance. This was perfect for Fran so I didn't have to shove her butt up the steps!


Glad they had that for her (and you.)


franandaj said:


> This is probably the best shot I’ve gotten of this guy.


Not bad!


franandaj said:


> This is about my best picture of the kitties here, it’s so dark, it’s almost always blurry, but this is one of my favorite parts of the ride.


I can see why. 


franandaj said:


> Jenny and Leonard wanted to ride Splash Mountain. The rest of us did not fancy walking around in wet clothes for the rest of the day


I've rarely gotten very wet on Splash. Then again, I usually sit in the last row and I'm sure that makes a difference.


franandaj said:


> Jenny sat on one of the concrete benches while she waited and thought it was so funny that she left a wet spot outlining where her jeans had touched the seat.





franandaj said:


> As soon as the scores came out Fran exclaimed loudly, "I beat Alison!" She kept saying it over and over again.





franandaj said:


> Our room was on the first floor and it was one of the rooms facing the redwood challenge.


The redwood challenge?


franandaj said:


> Look how exhausted I look in this picture!


You do look a little tired, Alison. 


franandaj said:


> On the way back enough of the party was somewhat inebriated that some sobriety was requested by splitting a Full Montague from Earl of Sandwich.


----------



## hhisc16

As someone that has never visited Disneyland, I enjoy reading the trip report to see the differences between WDW and DLR.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Because on many days, that alarm clock is my boss. I'm never a fan of it going off.



I can see that. You also don't have a regular schedule so you need to be artificially awakened. I usually wake around the same time each day, but I sit around in bed watching the news, and playing on my electronics.  Today I caught up on a couple TRs. 



pkondz said:


> Envy anyone who doesn't need to do that and look forward to the day that I don't too



It is nice, but during the height of the pandemic, I wanted a reason to get out of bed and couldn't find one.



pkondz said:


> Now we know where they got the name from.







pkondz said:


> Oh, no! Poor kitten!



She's far past kittenhood. She's one of the little old ladies in the herd.



pkondz said:


> Poor thing.
> 
> Brings back memories when our pup broke hers.
> 
> Good thing is, now you'd never know she was ever hurt. Hopefully your kitten will be the same.



Hopefully at her age recovery won't be a problem. She doesn't seem to mind being in the cage. She just sleeps.



pkondz said:


> Oh?



In time....  



pkondz said:


> Funny. I was thinking "I'd do the sausage & egg..."
> But get it if you weren't feeling 100%.



Normally I get the sausage and egg McMuffin and then pull the yolk out of the egg.



pkondz said:


> How cool is that? They named a room after you!







pkondz said:


> Like this photo of you guys.
> That's such a cool photo.



Both can be attributed to Leonard.



pkondz said:


> And here's me, lamenting that engineer is the only thing I got to do and hated it.



Well come down and we'll ride it multiple times and you can be pilot.



pkondz said:


> These are _not_ the potties you are looking for...



 like that!



pkondz said:


> What the heck???
> 
> 
> GOOD!!
> 
> I sure hope he heard.



Would serve him right!



pkondz said:


> I know one dude with "babies" that could go...







pkondz said:


> I barely remember the ride. I'd have to go again... hmmm.... even then, I don't know if I'd remember what was new vs what I'd forgotten.



Well it used to be Snow White's scary adventures.  So there were parts where she ran through the forest and it had a much darker tone.



pkondz said:


> Really! Huh.



That whole slow part between the coaster parts is recreated in this ride.



pkondz said:


> Um... The _what_????



When it reopened that scene from the end of the movie where the prince kisses her and draws her out of sleep was depicted. People were offended because he was forcing himself on her without her consent.  



pkondz said:


> mmmm... Plaza chicken...







pkondz said:


> Totally get this controversy. And I'm not really sure on which side of the fence I stand. On the one hand, mashed (with gravy!) is 1,000% better than beans. But on the other fork, er, hand, I do like a bit of variety on the plate.



And those beans are really tasty!



pkondz said:


> Whoa! That looks fantastic! I want that!



We would have given you some!



pkondz said:


> I'm sorry, you _what_??



I know people think I'm crazy, but most of the time it's too sweet for my taste. 



pkondz said:


> Glad you netted one.







pkondz said:


> Cute shot of you ladies.



Jenny loves when I take selfies with her.



pkondz said:


> We wants the Re... oops. Wrong ride.







pkondz said:


> Huh. I'd have thought it'd be characters from the movie.



Since it tanked, I'm not surprised.



pkondz said:


> Glad they had that for her (and you.



Made it so much easier. 



pkondz said:


> Not bad!



Thanks!



pkondz said:


> I can see why.



I love that they're hissing and making cranky cat noises.



pkondz said:


> I've rarely gotten very wet on Splash. Then again, I usually sit in the last row and I'm sure that makes a difference



The last time I rode it, when I sat down my butt got immediately drenched.



pkondz said:


> The redwood challenge?



It's an attraction where you take your kids to get out their energy and climb stuff and get them exhausted. I've actually never been past the gates.



pkondz said:


> You do look a little tired, Alison.



I was totally wiped out.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I can see that. You also don't have a regular schedule so you need to be artificially awakened.


Sometimes earlier than I'd like. Like today. When the dogs woke me at 4:30am. Oh, well. Only an hour before the alarm was going to go off anyways.


franandaj said:


> I usually wake around the same time each day, but I sit around in bed watching the news, and playing on my electronics. Today I caught up on a couple TRs.


That works. 


franandaj said:


> It is nice, but during the height of the pandemic, I wanted a reason to get out of bed and couldn't find one.


Ah. I can see that. I think you were far from alone in that.


franandaj said:


> She's far past kittenhood. She's one of the little old ladies in the herd.


Oh! 
Not sure where I got the idea she was a kitten.
Hmmm... maybe because when Luna broke hers, she was just a puppy?


franandaj said:


> Hopefully at her age recovery won't be a problem. She doesn't seem to mind being in the cage. She just sleeps.


That's good at least. Silver lining.


franandaj said:


> Normally I get the sausage and egg McMuffin and then pull the yolk out of the egg.


No yolks for you.
Can you just ask for egg white only?


franandaj said:


> Well come down and we'll ride it multiple times and you can be pilot.


Deal! 


franandaj said:


> Well it used to be Snow White's scary adventures. So there were parts where she ran through the forest and it had a much darker tone.


Ah. So that's what they took out. More kid friendly.


franandaj said:


> When it reopened that scene from the end of the movie where the prince kisses her and draws her out of sleep was depicted. People were offended because he was forcing himself on her without her consent.


That annoys me. Like the people who were saying Baby It's Cold Outside was bad.
If you're too stupid to understand something, maybe you should just shut the hell up?

Sorry. Hit a nerve there.


franandaj said:


> We would have given you some!


I would've taken some!


franandaj said:


> I know people think I'm crazy, but most of the time it's too sweet for my taste.


You may be crazy, but we still love ya anyways. 


franandaj said:


> Jenny loves when I take selfies with her.





franandaj said:


> Since it tanked, I'm not surprised.


Did it? I guess I'm not overly surprised. 
I, on the other hand, enjoyed it a lot.


franandaj said:


> I love that they're hissing and making cranky cat noises.





franandaj said:


> The last time I rode it, when I sat down my butt got immediately drenched.


Look before you leap!... er... sit.


franandaj said:


> It's an attraction where you take your kids to get out their energy and climb stuff and get them exhausted. I've actually never been past the gates.


Ah. So like a play area.


----------



## franandaj

hhisc16 said:


> As someone that has never visited Disneyland, I enjoy reading the trip report to see the differences between WDW and DLR.





I'll have to try and take more pictures of the park itself to show the differences!  I just got a new wider angle lens for my big camera, so when I go next week, I think I'll bring it along and see what sort of pictures I can get!


----------



## Steppesister

Hey Alison, finally getting all caught up on everyone's TRs. There is a lot of good stuff and stories in your latest chapter, but rather than multi-quote I simply enjoyed reading. Poor kitty!  That doesn't look comfortable at all.  

Mmm, Plaza chicken dinner. We can do that again, right? 

You did so many rides with the group, no wonder you were so tired by the end of the day! I'd have been too! I am in Orlando next week but will catch up again when I get back. I'm woefully behind in getting my own chapters up on my 2 TRs so will do that too as well as try to settle in here in Kentucky.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Sometimes earlier than I'd like. Like today. When the dogs woke me at 4:30am. Oh, well. Only an hour before the alarm was going to go off anyways.



Yikes! The cats know better than to wake me up!



pkondz said:


> Ah. I can see that. I think you were far from alone in that.



Except a lot of people still had jobs to go to, even if it was just on their computer in the living room. I had literally no reason to get out of bed. No one would have cared if I spent all day solving puzzles. Well OK the cats would have been mad. Then again some of them like to sit in bed with me. Like the one laying between my calves right now.



pkondz said:


> Oh!
> Not sure where I got the idea she was a kitten.
> Hmmm... maybe because when Luna broke hers, she was just a puppy?



This is more like a geriatric fall and broken leg.



pkondz said:


> No yolks for you.
> Can you just ask for egg white only?



Well I'm picky on this. I like runny yolks, like on my eggs bennies. I don't like hard cooked yolks.

Before Covid they had a sandwich called the "Egg White Delight" and you could get the egg on any sandwich and I was all over that one, but since Covid they have removed my two favorite breakfast items.  That sandwich and the Fruit and Yogurt Parfait.



pkondz said:


> Ah. So that's what they took out. More kid friendly.



More happy, less scary.



pkondz said:


> That annoys me. Like the people who were saying Baby It's Cold Outside was bad.
> If you're too stupid to understand something, maybe you should just shut the hell up?
> 
> Sorry. Hit a nerve there.



Yeah, I get it. Women have been harassed over the years, but it's ridiculous to rewrite and erase everything because it doesn't meet today's "woke" culture. 



pkondz said:


> Did it? I guess I'm not overly surprised.
> I, on the other hand, enjoyed it a lot.



I haven't seen it, but one reviewer said, "Parents will enjoy waiting in the line for the Jungle Cruise ride more than they will enjoy watching this movie."



pkondz said:


> Ah. So like a play area.



Pretty much. I watched a video of someone showcasing the area. I feel I need to take a look at it myself.


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> Hey Alison, finally getting all caught up on everyone's TRs.



I hear ya. I think I've only got one more to catch up on.



Steppesister said:


> There is a lot of good stuff and stories in your latest chapter, but rather than multi-quote I simply enjoyed reading.



I get that.



Steppesister said:


> Poor kitty!  That doesn't look comfortable at all.



She's only halfway through her cage recovery right now.



Steppesister said:


> Mmm, Plaza chicken dinner. We can do that again, right







Steppesister said:


> You did so many rides with the group, no wonder you were so tired by the end of the day! I'd have been too!



It's exhausting having fun!



Steppesister said:


> I am in Orlando next week but will catch up again when I get back.



I've seen that!



Steppesister said:


> I'm woefully behind in getting my own chapters up on my 2 TRs so will do that too as well as try to settle in here in Kentucky.



I get it!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Yikes! The cats know better than to wake me up!


Wish my dogs did! Except they've been "trained" to get up that early. Pre-pandemic, DW would get up around 4:30 - 5:00 to go to work. Now they expect it.


franandaj said:


> Except a lot of people still had jobs to go to, even if it was just on their computer in the living room. I had literally no reason to get out of bed. No one would have cared if I spent all day solving puzzles.


I get that.


franandaj said:


> Well OK the cats would have been mad. Then again some of them like to sit in bed with me. Like the one laying between my calves right now.




Awww... Nothing better than a cat on (or between in this case) your legs.


franandaj said:


> Well I'm picky on this. I like runny yolks, like on my eggs bennies. I don't like hard cooked yolks.


Ah. Understood.


franandaj said:


> Yeah, I get it. Women have been harassed over the years, but it's ridiculous to rewrite and erase everything because it doesn't meet today's "woke" culture.


Hear hear.


franandaj said:


> I haven't seen it, but one reviewer said, "Parents will enjoy waiting in the line for the Jungle Cruise ride more than they will enjoy watching this movie."


I think if you are a Disney fan and enjoy the ride... you'll enjoy all the hidden gems in the movie that the average movie goer would completely miss.


----------



## franandaj

So I told you about Molly and her broken leg last update and I promised to tell you about Clancy next time, and here it is next time! Well Fran tends to be in all kinds of "groups" that have landed us in trouble, and this was no exception. She saw a post that someone had an injured cat whom they brought to the vet and the vet wouldn't treat him because he wasnt their cat. Turns out we both went to the same vet, so when Fran showed up with this cat there was a little bit of confusion and they had to contact the other people before they would agree to treat him, even though he wasn't their cat.

Turns out he wasn't injured. They did find that his tummy was irritated.  It appears he had eaten a bird a few days ago cause the bones were still in his belly (saw it on the Xray). But other than the fact he was FIV positive, he was OK. So we figured we'd put in him the spare bedroom get him socialized, and adopt him out to a nice family as a single indoor cat. As expected when we opened the carrier door, he darted under the bed. That was three months ago.

Now it's not that he doesn't come out of there. The food I put out disappears, the litter box is being used regularly. But when he's not eating or pooping he is under the bed at the farthest point from everywhere. Fran has laid in the bed reading her kindle aloud to him so that he gets used to human voices. We've left the TV on, and he is still too scared to come out. 

This week we plan to take matters to a more aggressive approach.  We are going to buy a second crate (like the one Molly is in), Jenny and Michael will come over and Michael is going to pick up the mattress and boxspring for the bed, and we're gonna play catch the cat. He's gonna live in a crate out in the open until he learns to live with people.  If he can't get socialized he'll have to go to a cat farm somewhere like the Cat House on the Kings.

Wish us luck!

It was over two weeks from our last adventure before we would get back to Disney again. Remember back in May we went to Cafe Orleans for a Monte Cristo?

Well that very day I made us another reservation for the first day available (which was mid July). Well that date didn't work out. We were super busy in Mid-July and Fran had me change our Cafe Orleans reservation. The soonest time I could find that didn’t conflict with other things we had scheduled was August 19. Well just one week before that day she wanted to change our Cafe Orleans reservation yet again because Fathom events was having a 35th Anniversary showing of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. 

I told her that she had to find me another reservation for Cafe Orleans before I would agree to this deal. Figuring it would be another month before we would get there, I taught her how to use the Disney app to make dining reservations. Not only did she get one, but it was three days sooner than the one I got!

So the day of our reservation arrived, and I was up at 7AM trying to get a BG for RotR. I ended up getting Group 23. 

For whatever reason the ride didn't open up until around 10:45ish. We were still at home when the BG was called. I guess Fran didn't understand that I actually wanted to ride the ride. So I had to explain to her that we needed to leave sooner rather than later. 

When we got to the ride she found a spot in the shade and I parked my scooter and walked on. This was my first time on the ride without someone in a scooter.. This was also my first test of the whole "arriving outside of the Boarding Group time". We were probably an hour late arriving, she chose not to ride, so I went alone. They gave me no problem, and just scanned my code before letting me ride.

I decided to take pictures of weird things that most people don't notice in the queue this time.  These things were on the walls high up at the beginning of the ride.





Trust me there is a waterfall in there.





Do you ever pay attention to Disney trash cans?  They always are themed to whatever locale you may be in.  Can you imagine having that job, trash can designer?




I like their creativity on how they separate these two spaces where the queue wraps around, they just put useless space junk in the doorway blocking your path so you have to walk around the wall.




At this point in the queue I was starting to think about the POV of the Imagineers. I was looking at this duct work on the ceiling and wondered about the back story as to why the Imagineers thought to include this piece of hardware and why they chose this room to run it through. I bet they have a playbook explaining this!





And then there are these yellow things arching over the hallway here. And for that matter the texturing on the walls.  Keep in mind it’s not like there were hills or mountains here that the Imagineers had to excavate through to “get” to these passages.  This is where the horses used to be boarded and they stored extra floats and stuff. All these things were built for this attraction. I’m wondering what use the Imagineers are having for these to justify their existence.





And then there’s these little odd sort of “remnants” in the walls here.  Whether or not they are some sort of ancient remnants of artwork or an odd ancient language, it makes you wonder.




This picture was taken in the same room farther down the bench.  What’s with that thing in the bench that looks like an urn or pot?  Is this supposed to be on the site of an ancient civilisation? 




What happened here? Did the original coat of paint peel off the top part of the wall? I mean someone made a conscious decision for this design. Or did they just run out of the gray paint?





Was this once part of a door and all is left is The giant keyhole? The more I looked at things this way the more questions that I had!





This one was a big question mark for me. Was this once the kitchen and they filled in the ovens? Good thing we are almost at the end of the queue!





For the last of my odd musings in the queue I'll leave you with this device. This last room was full of them. No idea what it is for, but there sure were a lot of them sitting around. I'd love to hear what the imagineers were thinking of when they decided to put these here. Did they create them special or did some tech company clean out it's storeroom and say, "Hey! Disney could maybe use these things in that new Star Wars land they are building!"





After our mission briefing we went to board our transport. I realized that I'm always looking this direction in preparation of boarding the ship.





So today I looked in the opposite direction. I realized that when Rey tells BB8 that he needs to get ready for the mission, he goes and gets ready!





Normally for the first segment of this ride I end up in the back. But since I was walking and riding solo, I made my way right up to the front where they were flying the ship.





Once we were captured I lingered on my way out of the transport ship.





Everyone takes pictures of the stormtroopers lined up here, so I decided to take a picture of the guard giving us some stinkeye as we proceeded to interrogation.





Normally on this ride, they direct my parties to the right which must be where they send guests with disabilities.  So for the first time, I was directed to the waiting area which is directly forward of the entrance. So I passed these guys from a different angle.





Once off the ride it was close enough to the time for our reservation (at least once we made our way over there) so we headed directly there.on our way we saw this duck on this barrel in the water. We weren't sure if it was real or an animatronic. 





It was gone after our meal so we decided it was real.

Normally Cafe Orleans is an al Fresco kind of dining place and one wants a table near the edge of the restaurant so you can see the water and people watch. However this day was really really hot, like in the 90s or so. I would generally be upset if they tried to seat me inside, but today the table in the AC was a very welcome surprise!









We started off by splitting the gumbo. Always yummy!





And of course we both got the Monte Cristo. I think I like it better served with just two pieces and fries on the side.









While we were seated at our table, but waiting for our check, Fran got a phone call. Remember that super fun plumbing business that I told you about in a previous update? Well this is an example of how as a landlord you're never "not working". While we weren't "on vacation" we still were on call, even if we were relaxing. It was the boss from the plumbing company calling to answer some questions we had regarding the upcoming work.

To begin the job, our first task was to notify the tenants that they would be experiencing periods where their water use would be restricted. We needed to know exactly when the work would start, how long the tenants would not be able to use the water, and how many days the work would take. It was about a 15 minute call and it was nice that we were still sitting in the AC.

After that we picked up some Mickey Beignets at the Mint Julep bar. Last time we dined at Cafe Orleans, mobile ordering was having crazy wait times. Like we would have had to wait two hours after our meal time to get the beignets. I think we ordered before we left Cafe Orleans and it was only about 10 minutes before we pressed the "I'm here prepare my order." It doesn't look like much, but yet another thing finally ticked off the list of stuff I want to do/eat.





It was about this period in time that my TR was focused on a previous attempt at riding Buzz Lightyear.  We were discussing how I never got past L-3, so I decided it was going to be my new mission in life to better my score on Buzz Lightyear. I know, I know, some people learn new languages, others take up exercising, but I'm just not that motivated. I feel that this is something I can manage.









So I read up online about how to increase your score.

Unfortunately the article I read was for Florida's version of the ride. So I still got my similar sorry score that I had back in June. Disregard that "L" in front of the score. I caught the thing going back and forth between L-3 and the actual score.





On our way out of the park we ran into this Frozen Cavalcade yet again. 









We decided to stop at the Dress Shop on our way out because I spied this Haunted Mansion Dress on the mannequin in the window. 





Turns out it fit pretty well so I got it. They weren't allowing people to use the changing room, but I did put it over my clothes and seemed to fit nicely. Then I spied this Jungle Cruise Dress and got that one too.





I have yet to wear either of these dresses, but I hope soon, now that restaurants are open and such.

It’s been a while since I posted my pre-reopening list of things that I want to do and eat, and a lot more things have been checked off that list.


Eat:

Plaza Inn Chicken
Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
Asparagus Skewer 
Cafe Orleans
Mickey Macaroon from Jolly Holiday
Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
Funnel Cake
Pickle Corn Dog (taking this one off the list)
Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
Sweet treats from candy shops
Ghirardelli sundae


Ride:

Haunted Mansion 
Pirates
Star Tours 
Space Mountain 
Guardians of the Galaxy
Soarin
Indiana Jones
Incredicoaster
Little Mermaid
RotR
Falcon
Train
Snow White
TSMM
Mr. Toad
BTMRR
RSR


The only foods left are a funnel cake and a Ghirardelli Sundae, and the only ride left is The Little Mermaid.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

Finally catching up!  Sorry it's been a while.  Been slammed with all sorts of stuff and haven't been on the boards much.



franandaj said:


> By the time I was done being adjusted, the vet had called Fran. She had a fractured leg. They didn’t have an orthopedic surgeon in house today, but they bandaged up her leg with a splint and would send her home with a recheck in a week. So here has been her life for the past 2+ weeks.



Poor kitty.  Hope she's healing well.



franandaj said:


> Fran and I had pulled our scooters over into the shade. Other people were in the shade too. It was a hot day. The park was pretty crowded. I started putting on sunscreen while we waited, when all of a sudden this jerk says to me and Fran "Hey ladies give my baby some space!" I didn't see any babies, but not wanting to create a situation we moved away to another shady spot.



Um...what?  This guy doesn't make any sense.



franandaj said:


> I mean where else in Disney can you go to Hell!



I've always been shocked that scene actually exists!



franandaj said:


> They took out the controversial date rape kiss scene at the end.







franandaj said:


> Of course we got the Fried Chicken dinner. Now there is controversy in our group, some say double mashed is the only way to go, but I really like these green beans.



I'm gonna go with the double mashed crowd.



franandaj said:


> Most of the time it’s relatively unsatisfying, however, this chocolate cake was delicious! It was super chocolatey, the frosting wasn’t too sweet, it had just the right amount and complimented the cake perfectly. Normally I like my cakes without frosting.



I'm with you here.  I don't like my cakes to be overpowered with icing.



franandaj said:


> Jenny sat on one of the concrete benches while she waited and thought it was so funny that she left a wet spot outlining where her jeans had touched the seat. The rest us gave her a SMH look confirming our wise choice not to ride Splash.



You made a good call!



franandaj said:


> This was my best score to date!







franandaj said:


> As soon as the scores came out Fran exclaimed loudly, "I beat Alison!" She kept saying it over and over again.



So obnoxious!

I mean, I would totally do the same thing, but it's not nice when other people do it.



franandaj said:


> Now it's not that he doesn't come out of there. The food I put out disappears, the litter box is being used regularly. But when he's not eating or pooping he is under the bed at the farthest point from everywhere. Fran has laid in the bed reading her kindle aloud to him so that he gets used to human voices. We've left the TV on, and he is still too scared to come out.
> 
> This week we plan to take matters to a more aggressive approach. We are going to buy a second crate (like the one Molly is in), Jenny and Michael will come over and Michael is going to pick up the mattress and boxspring for the bed, and we're gonna play catch the cat. He's gonna live in a crate out in the open until he learns to live with people. If he can't get socialized he'll have to go to a cat farm somewhere like the Cat House on the Kings.



What a struggle.  I never think about the work involved in something like this.



franandaj said:


> Remember back in May we went to Cafe Orleans for a Monte Cristo?







franandaj said:


> Trust me there is a waterfall in there.



Uh huh.



franandaj said:


> Can you imagine having that job, trash can designer?



Graphic Design!  It's Sarah's major.  Maybe this will be her future career.  Hey, can you set up an interview for her while we're out there? 



franandaj said:


> At this point in the queue I was starting to think about the POV of the Imagineers. I was looking at this duct work on the ceiling and wondered about the back story as to why the Imagineers thought to include this piece of hardware and why they chose this room to run it through. I bet they have a playbook explaining this!



I think about stuff like this, too.  Like, is there some HVAC stuff that they needed to disguise?



franandaj said:


>



So here, my guess is they would say the rebels needed to tunnel into the cave, and this was a weak spot, so they had to reinforce it by jerry-rigging some scrap parts into place.



franandaj said:


> This picture was taken in the same room farther down the bench. What’s with that thing in the bench that looks like an urn or pot? Is this supposed to be on the site of an ancient civilisation?



I got nothin' here.



franandaj said:


> What happened here? Did the original coat of paint peel off the top part of the wall? I mean someone made a conscious decision for this design. Or did they just run out of the gray paint?



Gives the appearance of age.  Maybe an old rebel base that the Resistance has re-purposed.



franandaj said:


> This one was a big question mark for me. Was this once the kitchen and they filled in the ovens?



Showing off their rock collection?



franandaj said:


> For the last of my odd musings in the queue I'll leave you with this device. This last room was full of them. No idea what it is for, but there sure were a lot of them sitting around. I'd love to hear what the imagineers were thinking of when they decided to put these here. Did they create them special or did some tech company clean out it's storeroom and say, "Hey! Disney could maybe use these things in that new Star Wars land they are building!"



I don't think we're supposed to spend this much time thinking about Leia's microwave oven.



franandaj said:


> And of course we both got the Monte Cristo. I think I like it better served with just two pieces and fries on the side.



I'll take it any way I can get it!



franandaj said:


> It doesn't look like much, but yet another thing finally ticked off the list of stuff I want to do/eat.



You made great progress!



franandaj said:


> I decided it was going to be my new mission in life to better my score on Buzz Lightyear. I know, I know, some people learn new languages, others take up exercising, but I'm just not that motivated. I feel that this is something I can manage.







franandaj said:


> The only foods left are a funnel cake and a Ghirardelli Sundae, and the only ride left is The Little Mermaid.



Not too shabby at all!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I promised to tell you about Clancy next time, and here it is next time!


Time flies!


franandaj said:


> Well Fran tends to be in all kinds of "groups" that have landed us in trouble, and this was no exception.





franandaj said:


> when Fran showed up with this cat there was a little bit of confusion and they had to contact the other people before they would agree to treat him, even though he wasn't their cat.


Um... what?
"We can't look at your cat because it's not _your_ cat, but if you have someone _else_ bring us the cat, we'll ask you if it's okay to look at the cat."


franandaj said:


> As expected when we opened the carrier door, he darted under the bed. That was three months ago.


I thought you were kidding.
I was going to say "And he's still there! "


But he _is_!!!


franandaj said:


> Fran has laid in the bed reading her kindle aloud to him so that he gets used to human voices.


Awww... nice of her. 


franandaj said:


> We've left the TV on, and he is still too scared to come out.


 Poor thing.


franandaj said:


> Wish us luck!


Good luck!


franandaj said:


> Remember back in May we went to Cafe Orleans for a Monte Cristo?





franandaj said:


> I told her that she had to find me another reservation for Cafe Orleans before I would agree to this deal.


Hah! Good for you.


franandaj said:


> Not only did she get one, but it was three days sooner than the one I got!





franandaj said:


> I guess Fran didn't understand that I actually wanted to ride the ride.


Um... then why get a BG???


franandaj said:


> This was also my first test of the whole "arriving outside of the Boarding Group time".


What does that mean? You mean after your BG window is over?


franandaj said:


> I decided to take pictures of weird things that most people don't notice in the queue this time.


Glad you did. Interesting/fun shots!


franandaj said:


> Can you imagine having that job, trash can designer?


Will it get me in the parks for free? Then absolutely.


franandaj said:


> I like their creativity on how they separate these two spaces where the queue wraps around, they just put useless space junk in the doorway blocking your path so you have to walk around the wall.





franandaj said:


> I’m wondering what use the Imagineers are having for these to justify their existence.


I'm sure there's a backstory explaining it all somewhere.


franandaj said:


> And then there’s these little odd sort of “remnants” in the walls here. Whether or not they are some sort of ancient remnants of artwork or an odd ancient language, it makes you wonder.


These are the Star Wars version of this:



franandaj said:


> What’s with that thing in the bench that looks like an urn or pot? Is this supposed to be on the site of an ancient civilisation?


Toilet plumbing clean-out.


franandaj said:


> What happened here? Did the original coat of paint peel off the top part of the wall? I mean someone made a conscious decision for this design. Or did they just run out of the gray paint?


No. Turns out grey paint is just more expensive.


franandaj said:


> This one was a big question mark for me. Was this once the kitchen and they filled in the ovens? Good thing we are almost at the end of the queue!


Sure looks like ovens. 


franandaj said:


> Did they create them special or did some tech company clean out it's storeroom and say, "Hey! Disney could maybe use these things in that new Star Wars land they are building!"


Betting it's both. They love finding weird stuff and then fixing it up a bit and re-purposing it.


franandaj said:


> So today I looked in the opposite direction. I realized that when Rey tells BB8 that he needs to get ready for the mission, he goes and gets ready!


Glad you looked! Had no idea.


franandaj said:


> Once we were captured I lingered on my way out of the transport ship.


Empty transport ship shot! Cool!


franandaj said:


> I decided to take a picture of the guard giving us some stinkeye as we proceeded to interrogation.





franandaj said:


> on our way we saw this duck on this barrel in the water. We weren't sure if it was real or an animatronic.


It's an animatronic barrel. Yup.





franandaj said:


> However this day was really really hot, like in the 90s or so. I would generally be upset if they tried to seat me inside, but today the table in the AC was a very welcome surprise!





franandaj said:


> We started off by splitting the gumbo. Always yummy!


mmmm... gumbo.


franandaj said:


> And of course we both got the Monte Cristo. I think I like it better served with just two pieces and fries on the side.


Yum. Looks so good. Much better than my attempt.


franandaj said:


> Remember that super fun plumbing business that I told you about in a previous update?





franandaj said:


> To begin the job, our first task was to notify the tenants that they would be experiencing periods where their water use would be restricted. We needed to know exactly when the work would start, how long the tenants would not be able to use the water, and how many days the work would take.


Sure. Makes sense.


franandaj said:


> After that we picked up some Mickey Beignets at the Mint Julep bar.


Yes please! I remember when we got some. Yum!


franandaj said:


> It doesn't look like much,


I disagree! Looks delicious!


franandaj said:


> We were discussing how I never got past L-3


I presume that's for... Level 3?


franandaj said:


> I know, I know, some people learn new languages, others take up exercising, but I'm just not that motivated. I feel that this is something I can manage.


Not many can manage a musical instrument...
I think you manage _just fine._


franandaj said:


>


Oh no! That poor lady just got shot in the head with a laser!


franandaj said:


> So I read up online about how to increase your score.
> 
> Unfortunately the article I read was for Florida's version of the ride.


 Whoops!


franandaj said:


> On our way out of the park we ran into this Frozen Cavalcade yet again.


Good way to cool down.




franandaj said:


> I spied this Haunted Mansion Dress on the mannequin in the window.


Anything HM is okay by me!


franandaj said:


> Then I spied this Jungle Cruise Dress and got that one too.


Like that one. Glad you got them both. 


franandaj said:


> It’s been a while since I posted my pre-reopening list of things that I want to do and eat, and a lot more things have been checked off that list.


Almost all done!


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> I hear ya. I think I've only got one more to catch up on.



And here  I am with about 15 more. 



franandaj said:


> She's only halfway through her cage recovery right now.


And....



franandaj said:


> It's exhausting having fun!






franandaj said:


> I've seen that!



The 50th was just so much fun! I really enjoyed my trip last week!



franandaj said:


> It was over two weeks from our last adventure before we would get back to Disney again. Remember back in May we went to Cafe Orleans for a Monte Cristo?



Yes, I do! Love that sammie!



franandaj said:


> I told her that she had to find me another reservation for Cafe Orleans before I would agree to this deal. Figuring it would be another month before we would get there, I taught her how to use the Disney app to make dining reservations. Not only did she get one, but it was three days sooner than the one I got!



Well, that worked out well. You got her to learn a new skill AND turns out she's pretty good at it! 



franandaj said:


> They gave me no problem, and just scanned my code before letting me ride.



Well, shoot! That worked out nicely. 


franandaj said:


> I decided to take pictures of weird things that most people don't notice in the queue this time. These things were on the walls high up at the beginning of the ride.



I always try to do that. Love the little details. 


franandaj said:


> Do you ever pay attention to Disney trash cans?



Yes, actually I do. 



franandaj said:


> I was looking at this duct work on the ceiling and wondered about the back story as to why the Imagineers thought to include this piece of hardware and why they chose this room to run it through.



I think it's probably just to add dimension and interest. 



franandaj said:


> This picture was taken in the same room farther down the bench. What’s with that thing in the bench that looks like an urn or pot? Is this supposed to be on the site of an ancient civilisation?



I think it is themed to be an old, OLD civilization store room or "base" long before the Resistance started using it. I think this is a purposeful use of theme adding history to the space. 



franandaj said:


> What happened here? Did the original coat of paint peel off the top part of the wall? I mean someone made a conscious decision for this design. Or did they just run out of the gray paint?


Again, part of creating the story that this space has been used for millennia for various purposes, and only recently as a hidden base. 



franandaj said:


> Everyone takes pictures of the stormtroopers lined up here, so I decided to take a picture of the guard giving us some stinkeye as we proceeded to interrogation.



I tend to focus on them too; far more entertaining- less show stopping, but more engaging. 


franandaj said:


> We started off by splitting the gumbo.



Bet it's the same recipe they've been using at BB for over 30 years. 


franandaj said:


> While we were seated at our table, but waiting for our check, Fran got a phone call. Remember that super fun plumbing business that I told you about in a previous update? Well this is an example of how as a landlord you're never "not working". While we weren't "on vacation" we still were on call, even if we were relaxing.



Exactly why we got out of that business. 


franandaj said:


> We were discussing how I never got past L-3,


My score is consistently pathetic too. Sucked again last week just as badly.


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> Is it no longer available? They are still selling the shirts in that pattern.



Not on the online site that I saw, maybe it will be in the shop!



franandaj said:


> She had a fractured leg. They didn’t have an orthopedic surgeon in house today, but they bandaged up her leg with a splint and would send her home with a recheck in a week. So here has been her life for the past 2+ weeks.


I know we've talked about her, poor girlie



franandaj said:


> BG for RotR and so that was our first stop!



Annnd I scroll quickly through lol, just can't wait to ride it!



franandaj said:


> I started putting on sunscreen while we waited, when all of a sudden this jerk says to me and Fran "Hey ladies give my baby some space!" I didn't see any babies, but not wanting to create a situation we moved away to another shady spot.



What a jerk, like dude you don't own the park



franandaj said:


>



Nice picture! Her reflection is very clear!



franandaj said:


> Lunch was, of course, the Plaza Inn!


Yumm, can't wait!



franandaj said:


> Now there is controversy in our group, some say double mashed is the only way to go, but I really like these green beans. They’re obviously not canned and whatever they season them with is quite tasty. Besides after eating like crap the day before it’s good to have a little roughage in your system!



As is! Don't even need an extra biscuit to share, remember we got one and nope, didn't need!



franandaj said:


> this chocolate cake was delicious! It was super chocolatey, the frosting wasn’t too sweet, it had just the right amount and complimented the cake perfectly. Normally I like my cakes without frosting.



That looks very good indeed, I'm a fan of a classic chocolate cake. 



franandaj said:


> They made the people in this scene more diverse.



Wow they did! Is that a lady at the top?



franandaj said:


> Getting out of the boat was tougher, and they had a godsend! If you have someone who has with trouble with steps, there are blocks that they can put on the steps to make them only half the step distance. This was perfect for Fran so I didn't have to shove her butt up the steps!



Nice! I remember being casted and almost falling on more **** trying to get out of those boats!



franandaj said:


>



This was just so real when I was a kid...



franandaj said:


>



Hi Jack!



franandaj said:


> This is about my best picture of the kitties here, it’s so dark, it’s almost always blurry, but this is one of my favorite parts of the ride.



Very strong willed kitties!



franandaj said:


> After that we rode the Haunted Mansion, but I didn't get any pictures. Jenny and Leonard wanted to ride Splash Mountain.



I wonder when it will go down for the change-out



franandaj said:


> So we headed towards TSMM. This time I was concentrating on trying to unlock the secrets and not focusing on large targets. Usually I do a mix of both.



I really need to read up on this ride. 



franandaj said:


> As soon as the scores came out Fran exclaimed loudly, "I beat Alison!" She kept saying it over and over again.



This will be me, someday...I've never beat Dorian on TSMM



franandaj said:


>


Fran is looking perky, but you do look a bit space cadet



franandaj said:


> take a bath in my Jacuzzi tub



The place we stayed this past weekend had a jacuzzi tub..it did not work


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Finally catching up! Sorry it's been a while. Been slammed with all sorts of stuff and haven't been on the boards much.



Yeah and now it's my turn to say that. Although I'm not quite sure exactly what has been keeping me so busy. I dawdle getting out of bed, then I hurry through to get as much done as I can. I only get about half of what I want to do finished and then it's time to make dinner and collapse. Never ending!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Poor kitty. Hope she's healing well.



We're not sure. She has to have a special doctor appointment this week.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Um...what? This guy doesn't make any sense



I think he was calling his 7-10yo his "baby", and assuming he could have all the personal space he wanted in a crowded park on a Saturday. Entitled Jerk!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I've always been shocked that scene actually exists!



But it's so much fun!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm gonna go with the double mashed crowd.



This surprises no one. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'm with you here. I don't like my cakes to be overpowered with icing.



I like the flavor of the cake more than anything else.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> You made a good call!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> So obnoxious!
> 
> I mean, I would totally do the same thing, but it's not nice when other people do it



But it really made me think about how she must have felt all these years as I whipped her butt every time! 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> What a struggle. I never think about the work involved in something like this.



Cats are a handful....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Graphic Design! It's Sarah's major. Maybe this will be her future career. Hey, can you set up an interview for her while we're out there?



Ummmm....  I'll get right on that.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I think about stuff like this, too. Like, is there some HVAC stuff that they needed to disguise?



And that is probably more likely a reason.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> So here, my guess is they would say the rebels needed to tunnel into the cave, and this was a weak spot, so they had to reinforce it by jerry-rigging some scrap parts into place.



Plausible enough.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I got nothin' here.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Gives the appearance of age. Maybe an old rebel base that the Resistance has re-purposed.



Also very plausible.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Showing off their rock collection?



Now that seems a bit far fetched.....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I don't think we're supposed to spend this much time thinking about Leia's microwave oven



The microwave oven must be the recruitment gift for the Resistance because there were a TON of them in that last room. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I'll take it any way I can get it.



OK. I can see that.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> You made great progress!
> 
> 
> Not too shabby at all!



And as of now even more has been crossed off the list!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Um... what?
> "We can't look at your cat because it's not _your_ cat, but if you have someone _else_ bring us the cat, we'll ask you if it's okay to look at the cat."



I know right? The logic makes no sense!



pkondz said:


> I thought you were kidding.
> I was going to say "And he's still there! "
> 
> 
> But he _is_!!!



And it's definitely becoming a problem, well it will be when my parents want to visit.



pkondz said:


> Awww... nice of her.
> Poor thing.
> Good luck!



Yeah we need it!



pkondz said:


> Hah! Good for you.



I wasn't going to give up plans that I'd been looking forward to for months! Then again I got the best of both worlds, Cafe Orleans and seeing a 35 year old movie in the theater. The only movie I've seen in a theater in 2 years. Oh wait we also saw a 70 year old movie in the theater this year as well.



pkondz said:


> Um... then why get a BG???



Well there was this time when Jenny was obsessed with getting a Webslingers BG and every morning she would try for it and couldn't get it. Perhaps she thought that I was doing it just the practice.



pkondz said:


> What does that mean? You mean after your BG window is over?



Yes.



pkondz said:


> Glad you did. Interesting/fun shots!



Thanks!



pkondz said:


> Will it get me in the parks for free? Then absolutely.







pkondz said:


> I'm sure there's a backstory explaining it all somewhere.



I'm sure there is



pkondz said:


> These are the Star Wars version of this:







pkondz said:


> Toilet plumbing clean-out.







pkondz said:


> No. Turns out grey paint is just more expensive.



OKAY then!



pkondz said:


> Sure looks like ovens.



Couldn't think of anything else when I saw them.



pkondz said:


> Betting it's both. They love finding weird stuff and then fixing it up a bit and re-purposing it.



Makes sense.



pkondz said:


> Glad you looked! Had no idea.



Neither did I!



pkondz said:


> Empty transport ship shot! Cool!



It's always full when I get in there so I lingered a bit on the way out.



pkondz said:


> It's an animatronic barrel. Yup.



That's what I thought too!



pkondz said:


> mmmm... gumbo.







pkondz said:


> Yum. Looks so good. Much better than my attempt.



I've made them before. A lot of work!



pkondz said:


> Yes please! I remember when we got some. Yum!



They're so good!



pkondz said:


> I disagree! Looks delicious!



OK, well you know what's contained at the bottom of that bag!



pkondz said:


> I presume that's for... Level 3?



I'm guessing. They were too lazy to write "evel"



pkondz said:


> Not many can manage a musical instrument...
> I think you manage _just fine._



All righty then!



pkondz said:


> Oh no! That poor lady just got shot in the head with a laser!







pkondz said:


> Whoops!



Not very helpful when none of the targets you're looking for are there!



pkondz said:


> Good way to cool down.







pkondz said:


> Anything HM is okay by me!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> And it's definitely becoming a problem, well it will be when my parents want to visit.


Ruh roh 


franandaj said:


> Well there was this time when Jenny was obsessed with getting a Webslingers BG and every morning she would try for it and couldn't get it. Perhaps she thought that I was doing it just the practice.


Ah okay


franandaj said:


> It's always full when I get in there so I lingered a bit on the way out.


Good move 


franandaj said:


> OK, well you know what's contained at the bottom of that bag!


What?


franandaj said:


> I'm guessing. They were too lazy to write "evel"


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> And here I am with about 15 more



I still have two or three left including one of yours...



Steppesister said:


> And....



We have an appointment later today to see if she can lose the cast/splint.



Steppesister said:


> The 50th was just so much fun! I really enjoyed my trip last week!



I'm really hoping we can take the trip we have planned in February.  Sadly I'm thinking our cruise the next month will need to be postponed.



Steppesister said:


> Yes, I do! Love that sammie!



I'm looking forward to trying the one that they have at Smoke Jumpers to see if it is similar. Then I could have it without needing a reservation. 



Steppesister said:


> Well, that worked out well. You got her to learn a new skill AND turns out she's pretty good at it!



Now I just need to motivate her to try and use it more often!



Steppesister said:


> Well, shoot! That worked out nicely.



Yes! Now I'm going to not stress about making it so quickly anymore....



Steppesister said:


> I always try to do that. Love the little details.



I think I may have been inspired by you.



Steppesister said:


> Yes, actually I do.



This doesn't surprise me at all.



Steppesister said:


> I think it's probably just to add dimension and interest



Makes sense.



Steppesister said:


> I think it is themed to be an old, OLD civilization store room or "base" long before the Resistance started using it. I think this is a purposeful use of theme adding history to the space.



Definitely plausible....



Steppesister said:


> Again, part of creating the story that this space has been used for millennia for various purposes, and only recently as a hidden base.



You might be on to something here.



Steppesister said:


> I tend to focus on them too; far more entertaining- less show stopping, but more engaging.



It's also interesting how some get really into their roles and others are just sort of there. It's much more fun when they are really into it, but I can see where it might really intimidate little kids.



Steppesister said:


> Bet it's the same recipe they've been using at BB for over 30 years.


.

I hope they use that same recipe for the gumbo shop they are opening in the old dress shop.



Steppesister said:


> Exactly why we got out of that business.



Our accountant told us a few years back when everyone was struggling financially how we were lucky to be in Real Estate/Property Management as we didn't take as bad of hits as many of his other clients.



Steppesister said:


> My score is consistently pathetic too. Sucked again last week just as badly.



I'm getting a little better... need more practice.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Hope the kitties are doing better!

Way to go on crossing off items on your list!


----------



## Flossbolna

Hello!! I have lots of catching up to do still, but read the last two updates. Sounds like a lot of kitty drama! I hope both the leg and the unsociable one have improved!


----------



## Steppesister

Hey Alison! 

Trader Sam's is always amazing! I've never had any food there that wasn't really good and the drinks are pretty great too! You all are having such fun the last few trips! 

Glad you're getting some more normalcy into your lives and that some fun travel is on the docket.  I'm all caught up here but commenting will have to be a bit limited while I struggle to get caught up everywhere!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Not on the online site that I saw, maybe it will be in the shop!



I haven't seen it in the shop. Usually with Disney, you have to buy it when you see it because you can't guarantee that you'll ever see it again.



DnA2010 said:


> I know we've talked about her, poor girlie



She's doing much better now.....



DnA2010 said:


> Annnd I scroll quickly through lol, just can't wait to ride it!



Soon!



DnA2010 said:


> Nice picture! Her reflection is very clear!



I thought it came out pretty well too! Thanks!



DnA2010 said:


> Yumm, can't wait!



Me neither.  Haven't had it since this update.



DnA2010 said:


> As is! Don't even need an extra biscuit to share, remember we got one and nope, didn't need!



I'm starting to get to the point that I can't eat enough to need it anymore.



DnA2010 said:


> That looks very good indeed, I'm a fan of a classic chocolate cake.



Mmmmm.....chocolate cake.



DnA2010 said:


> Wow they did! Is that a lady at the top?



It is a lady at the top!



DnA2010 said:


> Nice! I remember being casted and almost falling on more **** trying to get out of those boats!







DnA2010 said:


> This was just so real when I was a kid...



I wish I could have gone to Disney when I was a kid and impressionable.



DnA2010 said:


> Very strong willed kitties!



My fav!



DnA2010 said:


> I wonder when it will go down for the change-out



Well Toontown is about to go down for a MAJOR refurb so they probably won't do both at the same time.



DnA2010 said:


> I really need to read up on this ride.



I can give you some pointers....



DnA2010 said:


> This will be me, someday...I've never beat Dorian on TSMM



I hope this isn't a pattern that continues.....



DnA2010 said:


> Fran is looking perky, but you do look a bit space cadet



I'm not surprised....



DnA2010 said:


> The place we stayed this past weekend had a jacuzzi tub..it did not work



OH man that sucks.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> What?



Beignets!


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Hope the kitties are doing better!



Well it was just one kitty who had a problem and she is getting much better.



tiggrbaby said:


> Way to go on crossing off items on your list!



Thanks! Almost there!


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> Hello!! I have lots of catching up to do still, but read the last two updates.



Glad to see you!  I have a lot of catching up to do too!



Flossbolna said:


> Sounds like a lot of kitty drama! I hope both the leg and the unsociable one have improved!



The leg, yes, much better.  The unsociable one, not so much.....


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> Trader Sam's is always amazing! I've never had any food there that wasn't really good and the drinks are pretty great too! You all are having such fun the last few trips!



Wow! You must have been behind....we were at Trader Sam's so long ago (at least not it seems).



Steppesister said:


> Glad you're getting some more normalcy into your lives and that some fun travel is on the docket.  I'm all caught up here but commenting will have to be a bit limited while I struggle to get caught up everywhere!



I have tons of places to catch up, but while Fran is taking a nap I'm going to take advantage and sneak in an update!


----------



## franandaj

OK, I have no idea what has been keeping me so busy, but it seems like it’s been crazy. I feel like I’ve been running around with no time to stop. Good news, the kitty has been released from her cage. We cleaned out “the office” so we could put a couple chairs and a cheap TV in there. We spend a couple hours a day with Molly in there and she’s happy to have a space she can move around in, but nothing too high to jump on. There is also carpeting in the room instead of tile, so if she did jump and fall it won’t hurt her as bad as the kitchen. By Christmas time (when we visit my parents) she will probably have moved back into the main part of the house. We’ll give her a couple weeks to ease into it.

I’ll report back on more IRL things later….back to the TR!

Next time we were at the parks, we were getting together with Jenny & Michael for dinner.  They were at the park earlier in the day enjoying adult beverages and I believe some rides as well. While we were on the way, they texted us that they split a corn dog. Fran decided that it would be a good thing for us to do as well since it would be a little while before we were actually served food to eat. While I was browsing the app to mobile order, I came across one of the items that I had yet to tick off of my list of things I wanted to eat.  The Bacon Mac n Cheese from the Cozy Cones. I don’t care for the cone part, but the Mac n Cheese is very good.





From the Cozy cones we went through Avengers Campus towards the Ink and Paint store.  I'm looking backwards here.









I found these earrings at the Ink and Paint store and she bought me a few pairs of them.





We ended up meeting Jenny & Michael at the fountain in DCA, and hopped over to Disneyland. The Halloween decorations were just starting to go up.  Geez I'm behind, Christmas just started last week.

















We decided to ride Buzz again before our dinner reservation came up. I did better than the last time on Buzz, nearly doubling my previous scores. However the clear winner in this game was Fran, and again she was ecstatic about having beaten me.





Then we headed to Club 33. We were lucky enough to score another reservation for dinner. There was a new menu and this one had much more variety than the menu they had upon reopening. 













Jenny and I both ordered French Martinis, these are sooooo tasty!  You wouldn’t hardly even know that there was alcohol in them.





For our first courses, both Fran and I ordered the Summer Zucchini Involtini, Taleggio Cheese, Mache.  It was delicious!





And it was paired with this Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.





Jenny ordered the Artichoke Heart Au Gratin, Parmesan, Sungold Tomato and thoroughly enjoyed it.





Michael ordered the Ahi Crudo “Nicoise”, Cured Egg, Tarragon Pistou.





It was paired with this Italian White Wine









For the next course, Fran and I both got the Heirloom Tomato Salad, Local Goat Cheese, Focaccia Crouton which was superb!





It was paired with this Rose Wine.





Michael ordered the Wild Summer Mushroom Polenta, Blackberry Relish.





It was paired with this Chianti Classico.









The Bread was also served with this course.






I want to say that Jenny ordered the Polenta as well because why else would she be “baby birding” Fran a taste of her food.





*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

For mine and Fran's Entree we both went with the Sustainable Fish, Saffron Coucous, Shrimp Nage. I’m pretty sure that the fish was swordfish.  It was really good, but alas I was getting pretty full….I think Fran finished off my piece for me. I did eat quite a bit of it though!





It was paired with this lovely Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena.





Michael ordered the Grilled Bison Rollatini, Yellow Corn Velvet, Zinfandel Jus.  I had a taste and it was good, but I was pleased with my choice.





His entree was paired with this Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon.





Jenny ordered the Creekstone Farms Filet Mignon, Marble Potato, Cabernet Jus for the sole purpose that it would make for better leftovers than any of the others.  She knew that she would be pretty full by then so she didn’t even bother trying to finish the entree.





However, there’s always room for dessert! Mine was served with this Late Harvest White.





The Summer Peach, Vanilla Creme Fraiche Semifreddo, Lemon Pound Cake, this was soooo good!  The in season peach was delicious as was the cake and semifreddo.  I believe that Fran got this as well.  No idea what Jenny ordered!





Michael got the Manjari Chocolate Marquise, Almond Crunch, Salted Almond Anglaise.  I’ve had this several times so you don’t need to tell me that it’s good!  He had taken off to the restroom when it was served!





It was paired with this delicious coffee. We also learned that unless otherwise requested this is made with decaf coffee because they don’t want two stimulants working in your system.





The table next to us was celebrating some sort of occasion because after their meal and during dessert their server brought them a three tiered tray (like you would be served high tea) filled with delicious desserts, cupcakes, marshmallow wands, cookies and a kinds of things.  They obviously would not be able to eat all those things, so they were offering nearby tables to share some of the wealth.  They gave us this cupcake to split. I believe that it was churro flavored.





After all that we definitely needed to walk off (scoot off) some of that meal.  Michael suggested that we check out Galaxy’s Edge after dark since he was the only one who had seen it.

I’m just going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

























We found ourselves a PhotoPass Photographer and took a few snaps in front of the Falcon.

















And then we made our way out of the parks, another fun evening in the books.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Beignets!


I have no idea what the question was, but... beignets is _always_ a good answer!


franandaj said:


> I feel like I’ve been running around with no time to stop.


Oh, I get this.
I _did_ manage to get in a road trip, but... other than that, can't seem to catch my breath! (And it's only going to get worse next month.)


franandaj said:


> Good news, the kitty has been released from her cage.


Good! 


franandaj said:


> While we were on the way, they texted us that they split a corn dog.


Lengthwise or width-wise?




franandaj said:


> The Bacon Mac n Cheese from the Cozy Cones. I don’t care for the cone part, but the Mac n Cheese is very good.


I've heard good things... I would love to try that.


franandaj said:


>


So, wondering... does that little fan make much of a difference on a hot day?


franandaj said:


>


Really like this shot. 


franandaj said:


> I found these earrings at the Ink and Paint store and she bought me a few pairs of them.


Pretty. 


franandaj said:


> The Halloween decorations were just starting to go up. Geez I'm behind, Christmas just started last week.


Or you could say you're about 10 months early... 


franandaj said:


> I did better than the last time on Buzz, nearly doubling my previous scores.


Good for you!


franandaj said:


> However the clear winner in this game was Fran, and again she was ecstatic about having beaten me.


 
And I'm sure she made sure to remind you!


franandaj said:


>


Nice shot of you all. 


franandaj said:


> Jenny and I both ordered French Martinis, these are sooooo tasty! You wouldn’t hardly even know that there was alcohol in them.


I Googled... sounds good to me!


franandaj said:


> Michael ordered the Ahi Crudo “Nicoise”, Cured Egg, Tarragon Pistou.


So I looked over the menu and picked my choices... and this was the starter I picked.


franandaj said:


> Michael ordered the Wild Summer Mushroom Polenta, Blackberry Relish.


And Michael and I are on the same page again, here.
But that tomato salad almost won me over.


franandaj said:


> I want to say that Jenny ordered the Polenta as well because why else would she be “baby birding” Fran a taste of her food.


 What a great shot!!! You guys are obviously having a ton of fun! 


franandaj said:


> For mine and Fran's Entree we both went with the Sustainable Fish, Saffron Coucous, Shrimp Nage.


This was a _very_ close second for me. But tonight, I'm just feeling more like...


franandaj said:


> Jenny ordered the Creekstone Farms Filet Mignon


...this one.
Tomorrow, if you ask again, I might change my mind.


franandaj said:


> The Summer Peach, Vanilla Creme Fraiche Semifreddo, Lemon Pound Cake,


And this for dessert.


franandaj said:


> It was paired with this delicious coffee. We also learned that unless otherwise requested this is made with decaf coffee because they don’t want two stimulants working in your system.


Huh! Really!


franandaj said:


> The table next to us was celebrating some sort of occasion because after their meal and during dessert their server brought them a three tiered tray (like you would be served high tea) filled with delicious desserts, cupcakes, marshmallow wands, cookies and a kinds of things. They obviously would not be able to eat all those things, so they were offering nearby tables to share some of the wealth.


Very nice of them. That tray sounds wonderful, too.


franandaj said:


> I’m just going to let the pictures speak for themselves.


And they did! Nice shots!


franandaj said:


>


This one is my fave of the bunch. 


franandaj said:


>


A serious looking group of bad-a****


franandaj said:


>


ugh... agh.... can't... breathe...


franandaj said:


> And then we made our way out of the parks, another fun evening in the books.


Sure sounded like a fun night.


----------



## Flossbolna

The meal looks delicious!! And the menu sounded great. I would have had a really hard time to choose. Everything sounded amazing!

Galaxy‘s Edge looks great at night! We had a very late reservation at Oga’s at WDW and leaving the park was as good as empty. So creepy in that part as it felt like you truly where in another world.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

Hi Alison!



franandaj said:


> OK, I have no idea what has been keeping me so busy, but it seems like it’s been crazy. I feel like I’ve been running around with no time to stop.



I understand.  This last month and a half feels like we've had something on the calendar practically every night.  Just a lot going on.



franandaj said:


> The Bacon Mac n Cheese from the Cozy Cones. I don’t care for the cone part, but the Mac n Cheese is very good.



Looks pretty tasty to me!



franandaj said:


> The Halloween decorations were just starting to go up. Geez I'm behind, Christmas just started last week.



I feel like Halloween came and went without me really noticing.



franandaj said:


> I did better than the last time on Buzz, nearly doubling my previous scores. However the clear winner in this game was Fran, and again she was ecstatic about having beaten me.



Oh, man.  This is getting to be a thing.  Revenge is going to be sweet, though!



franandaj said:


> I want to say that Jenny ordered the Polenta as well because why else would she be “baby birding” Fran a taste of her food.



Well, you have to finish your meal if you want dessert.  Those are the rules.



franandaj said:


> Jenny ordered the Creekstone Farms Filet Mignon, Marble Potato, Cabernet Jus for the sole purpose that it would make for better leftovers than any of the others.



Smart, thinking long-term.  That entree would probably be my choice as well.



franandaj said:


> The Summer Peach, Vanilla Creme Fraiche Semifreddo, Lemon Pound Cake, this was soooo good! The in season peach was delicious as was the cake and semifreddo. I believe that Fran got this as well.



Looks awesome! I'm a sucker for good peach desserts.



franandaj said:


> It was paired with this delicious coffee. We also learned that unless otherwise requested this is made with decaf coffee because they don’t want two stimulants working in your system.



Well, that's very thoughtful of them!



franandaj said:


> I’m just going to let the pictures speak for themselves.



Lovely!  Looks like they did an amazing job.


----------



## cruisehopeful

The Club 33 meal looks fabulous! Glad you had a nice time.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> The Bacon Mac n Cheese from the Cozy Cones. I don’t care for the cone part, but the Mac n Cheese is very good.



That's been on my list forever.  I need to go back to DLR!



franandaj said:


> I found these earrings at the Ink and Paint store and she bought me a few pairs of them.



A few pair....??? 


franandaj said:


> Then we headed to Club 33. We were lucky enough to score another reservation for dinner. There was a new menu and this one had much more variety than the menu they had upon reopening.



Yay!!! And yes, that menu looked spectacular!


franandaj said:


>


  


franandaj said:


> The Summer Peach, Vanilla Creme Fraiche Semifreddo, Lemon Pound Cake, this was soooo good! The in season peach was delicious as was the cake and semifreddo.



OH wow, that looks so pretty! And delicious too!


----------



## DnA2010

franandaj said:


> Well Toontown is about to go down for a MAJOR refurb so they probably won't do both at the same time.



For the new coaster etc right?



franandaj said:


> I can give you some pointers....



I'm going to need them!



franandaj said:


> OH man that sucks.



Right! I should have complained but meh, just too busy.



franandaj said:


> I found these earrings at the Ink and Paint store and she bought me a few pairs of them.



Those are so pretty!



franandaj said:


> However the clear winner in this game was Fran, and again she was ecstatic about having beaten me.



Is there a pattern developing here...



franandaj said:


> Jenny and I both ordered French Martinis, these are sooooo tasty! You wouldn’t hardly even know that there was alcohol in them.



I just googled to be sure what's in it, yum!



franandaj said:


> For our first courses, both Fran and I ordered the Summer Zucchini Involtini, Taleggio Cheese, Mache. It was delicious!



That looks so cute and yummy!



franandaj said:


> Local Goat Cheese, Focaccia Crouton which was superb!



Mmmm local goat cheese! I'm not a huge raw tomato fan, but those look nice and fresh 



franandaj said:


> I’m pretty sure that the fish was swordfish. It was really good, but alas I was getting pretty full….I think Fran finished off my piece for me. I did eat quite a bit of it though!



Looks like a pretty  heavy whitefish, which I believe swordfish is...either way, yummy!



franandaj said:


> Mine was served with this Late Harvest White.



That reminds me...




franandaj said:


> he Summer Peach, Vanilla Creme Fraiche Semifreddo, Lemon Pound Cake, this was soooo good! The in season peach was delicious as was the cake and semifreddo. I believe that Fran got this as well. No idea what Jenny ordered!



It looks sooo good! I love peaches too, so this would be up my ally, although I generally go for chocolate stuff...good think D is good about sharing 



franandaj said:


> nless otherwise requested this is made with decaf coffee because they don’t want two stimulants working in your system.



That's interesting! I would have never thought either.




franandaj said:


> suggested that we check out Galaxy’s Edge after dark since he was the only one who had seen it.



I love GE at dark- we watched fireworks from there on our last trip and it was pretty neat



franandaj said:


>


 

oops that's not the one I meant to quote, but yay for the falcon anyways!


----------



## traceyg

Yay! I'm finally caught up, so I figured I'd post about how much I am enjoying your TR. 
I grew up in Los Alamitos but moved away during my high school years. We ended up in Texas and I think there's a vacuum here that keeps people. lol 
We went to DL often as a family and I miss being so close. 
I had leukemia in 2016 and spent the better part of 8 months in and out of the hospital. Needless to say, the second that my oncologist said I could travel I was making reservations at WDW. After I had those reservations secured my grown daughter, who lived in Utah, let me know that her boyfriend's family was taking a trip to DL. So, like any other Disney fan would do, I bought plane tickets and park tickets and we went west! lol We stayed at the Grand for that trip. Our room looked out into trees. sigh So now, after reading your report I have become terribly "home" sick and I am feeling the need to try the Grand again (and maybe get a better view?)
Like your ride and food list, I now have a true Bucket List. (almost dying will do that to you!) I forgot to add eating at Club 33! I could foresee trying to get my name in the bucket to join if it was just me, but my husband would kill me! lol He is NOT the fan that I am unfortunately. He does love me though and therefor we are DVC members 2x over. If you've ever watched Phenomenon with John Travolta and the part where Robert Duvall is in the bar and says something along the lines of "he buys her chairs".... my husband "buys my chairs" ie- He knows how much Disney means to me so he goes (and buys) to keep me happy. Thanks for including that in your TR. 
Membership at one location grants you access to the others, correct? Have you eaten at any of the others? My older kids and I have a game where we point out random things in the parks to each other- the entrances to the Club 33's are one of those things. 
I can't wait to read more! I hope your days aren't hectic anymore and you're enjoying time at the parks instead!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I have no idea what the question was, but... beignets is _always_ a good answer!



Works for me!



pkondz said:


> Oh, I get this.
> I _did_ manage to get in a road trip, but... other than that, can't seem to catch my breath! (And it's only going to get worse next month.)



I know what you mean.



pkondz said:


> Lengthwise or width-wise?



Ha!  I didn't ask.  



pkondz said:


> I've heard good things... I would love to try that.



It's very good, I've had it a few times.



pkondz said:


> So, wondering... does that little fan make much of a difference on a hot day?



Actually it does!  You at least can have a little breeze blowing on your face.



pkondz said:


> Really like this shot.



Thanks!



pkondz said:


> Or you could say you're about 10 months early...







pkondz said:


> And I'm sure she made sure to remind you!



At least several times that day.



pkondz said:


> Nice shot of you all.



Thank you!



pkondz said:


> I Googled... sounds good to me!



Yes, it's one of my new "drinks of choice."



pkondz said:


> So I looked over the menu and picked my choices... and this was the starter I picked.



I wanted this one too, but the Nicoise implies olives and they said that there was olive juice in the marinade.  I couldn't taste it in the bite he gave me, but my zucchini were really really good!



pkondz said:


> And Michael and I are on the same page again, here.
> But that tomato salad almost won me over.



I love a good tomato salad!



pkondz said:


> What a great shot!!! You guys are obviously having a ton of fun!



We were!  We were laughing most of the night!



pkondz said:


> This was a _very_ close second for me. But tonight, I'm just feeling more like...
> ...this one.
> Tomorrow, if you ask again, I might change my mind.



Either one would be a good choice.



pkondz said:


> And this for dessert.



Peaches are awesome for dessert.



pkondz said:


> Huh! Really!



Caffeine picks you up, booze drags you down.  I guess they don't want you pulled in both directions.



pkondz said:


> Very nice of them. That tray sounds wonderful, too.



It was impressive.



pkondz said:


> Very nice of them. That tray sounds wonderful, too.



It was very impressive.  They said that they gathered all the stuff from Main Street bakeries and candy shops.



pkondz said:


> And they did! Nice shots!



Thank you again!



pkondz said:


> This one is my fave of the bunch.



OK, I'm not sure I chose a fave.



pkondz said:


> A serious looking group of bad-a****








pkondz said:


> ugh... agh.... can't... breathe...



 



pkondz said:


> Sure sounded like a fun night.



It was!  Luckily we've had a few since then as well!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I know what you mean.





franandaj said:


> Actually it does! You at least can have a little breeze blowing on your face.


Huh. I didn't think it would. Or at least not much.


franandaj said:


> I wanted this one too, but the Nicoise implies olives and they said that there was olive juice in the marinade. I couldn't taste it in the bite he gave me, but my zucchini were really really good!


ohhhh... yeah, that might be a no for me too, then.


franandaj said:


> We were! We were laughing most of the night!


 Good!


franandaj said:


> Caffeine picks you up, booze drags you down. I guess they don't want you pulled in both directions.


Huh. I can see that, but... wouldn't have occurred to me!


franandaj said:


> It was! Luckily we've had a few since then as well!


Great!


----------



## franandaj

Flossbolna said:


> The meal looks delicious!! And the menu sounded great. I would have had a really hard time to choose. Everything sounded amazing!



It was probably the best meal that I've had there, and that's saying a lot!



Flossbolna said:


> Galaxy‘s Edge looks great at night! We had a very late reservation at Oga’s at WDW and leaving the park was as good as empty. So creepy in that part as it felt like you truly where in another world.



I can see that.  There weren't very many people while we were there. I had a few more pictures of the Marketplace that I meant to include, but in my haste to put up the update I forgot.  Oh well....


----------



## afwdwfan

Hi!  Long time no see... I can't say I've caught up on everything in detail, but I did read through your trip updates.  This is the first that I've really seen of the Avengers Campus and it looks incredible!  We're considering maybe going back to Disney World this summer...  I did look into Disneyland just because our youngest absolutely loves all things Spiderman and shooting webs.  Not sure we're ready to pay for flights and attempt the post covid airline situation with the kids in tow.

In any case, I'm glad to see that you and Fran have been able to return to the parks to spend some time with friends!  I hope to get back sooner rather than later this time around.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> I understand. This last month and a half feels like we've had something on the calendar practically every night. Just a lot going on.



For me it's been every day is filled with stuff to do, by the time evening rolls around, I barely have the strength to cook dinner.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Looks pretty tasty to me!



It's a favorite!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I feel like Halloween came and went without me really noticing.



Yeah, the most I celebrated was noti ING the decorations at DL.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Oh, man. This is getting to be a thing. Revenge is going to be sweet, though!



Hopefully soon!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, you have to finish your meal if you want dessert. Those are the rules.



If they were the rules in my house, I'd never get dessert!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Smart, thinking long-term. That entree would probably be my choice as well.



It definitely had the most potential for leftovers.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Looks awesome! I'm a sucker for good peach desserts.



Me too! Too bad it's a mostly summer kind of thing.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Well, that's very thoughtful of them!







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Lovely! Looks like they did an amazing job.



 And you'll get to see it soon!


----------



## franandaj

cruisehopeful said:


> The Club 33 meal looks fabulous! Glad you had a nice time.



Thanks! It was very wonderful!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> That's been on my list forever.  I need to go back to DLR!



No matter how often you go there is still not enough time for all the deliciousness!



Steppesister said:


> A few pair....???



Well three....



Steppesister said:


> Yay!!! And yes, that menu looked spectacular!



It was probably one of the best meals I'd had there!



Steppesister said:


> OH wow, that looks so pretty! And delicious too!


----------



## Steppesister

Hey Alison! 

Still here. Finally have internet back and am able to check-in on the threads I have missed so much! I think I was caught up so read the rest of the chatter.  Looking forward to another chapter!


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> For the new coaster etc right?



Actually I'm not sure, I think it's more than that.



DnA2010 said:


> I'm going to need them!



The thing is you have to work as a team so if you ride with Dorian, he'll need to know too!



DnA2010 said:


> Right! I should have complained but meh, just too busy.



I know what you mean.



DnA2010 said:


> Those are so pretty!



Thank you! I'm wearing them now!



DnA2010 said:


> Is there a pattern developing here...



No, I think she just got lucky a few times....



DnA2010 said:


> I just googled to be sure what's in it, yum!



We should have some while you're here!



DnA2010 said:


> That looks so cute and yummy!



It was delicious.  I wish it had been on the menu longer.



DnA2010 said:


> Mmmm local goat cheese! I'm not a huge raw tomato fan, but those look nice and fresh



I miss all the summer foods......



DnA2010 said:


> Looks like a pretty heavy whitefish, which I believe swordfish is...either way, yummy!



Yup! Super good!



DnA2010 said:


> That reminds me...



We still haven't finished all the ice wine from the last time!  I better bring a bottle to my parent's house!



DnA2010 said:


> It looks sooo good! I love peaches too, so this would be up my ally, although I generally go for chocolate stuff...good think D is good about sharing



Yeah, sometimes it's a hard choice!



DnA2010 said:


> That's interesting! I would have never thought either.



I know!  I've ordered it thinking it will give me a "pick me up."



DnA2010 said:


> I love GE at dark- we watched fireworks from there on our last trip and it was pretty neat



Maybe I'll do that someday.



DnA2010 said:


> oops that's not the one I meant to quote, but yay for the falcon anyways!


----------



## franandaj

First of all  to the TR!



traceyg said:


> Yay! I'm finally caught up, so I figured I'd post about how much I am enjoying your TR.



Thank you for posting, it's so much more fun when people interact!



traceyg said:


> I grew up in Los Alamitos but moved away during my high school years. We ended up in Texas and I think there's a vacuum here that keeps people. lol
> We went to DL often as a family and I miss being so close.



I know Los Al!  I'm not sure why TX likes to suck people in, but I know a lot of people who have moved there and never come back!  



traceyg said:


> I had leukemia in 2016 and spent the better part of 8 months in and out of the hospital.



I'm sorry to hear that.  I hope that you are recovered! 



traceyg said:


> Needless to say, the second that my oncologist said I could travel I was making reservations at WDW. After I had those reservations secured my grown daughter, who lived in Utah, let me know that her boyfriend's family was taking a trip to DL. So, like any other Disney fan would do, I bought plane tickets and park tickets and we went west! lol We stayed at the Grand for that trip. Our room looked out into trees. sigh So now, after reading your report I have become terribly "home" sick and I am feeling the need to try the Grand again (and maybe get a better view?)



I can completely relate to this!



traceyg said:


> Like your ride and food list, I now have a true Bucket List. (almost dying will do that to you!) I forgot to add eating at Club 33! I could foresee trying to get my name in the bucket to join if it was just me, but my husband would kill me! lol He is NOT the fan that I am unfortunately. He does love me though and therefor we are DVC members 2x over.



Well at least he has granted you DVC membership.  I think that's one of the best things I've ever bought!



traceyg said:


> If you've ever watched Phenomenon with John Travolta and the part where Robert Duvall is in the bar and says something along the lines of "he buys her chairs".... my husband "buys my chairs" ie- He knows how much Disney means to me so he goes (and buys) to keep me happy. Thanks for including that in your TR.



Not familiar with the movie, but I get the concept.



traceyg said:


> Membership at one location grants you access to the others, correct?



I'm not a member, but from what I understand they are two different entities, you have to pay initiation and dues for locations on each coast to have access.



traceyg said:


> Have you eaten at any of the others?



I have only had the privilege of dining at the original Club 33, but from what I understand all other locations have just appetizers and snacks, not full meals.



traceyg said:


> My older kids and I have a game where we point out random things in the parks to each other- the entrances to the Club 33's are one of those things.
> I can't wait to read more! I hope your days aren't hectic anymore and you're enjoying time at the parks instead!



I hope to post more! I hope things slow down a bit now that the holidays have arrived.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Huh. I didn't think it would. Or at least not much.



You'd be surprised how much air those little fans move.  Although we certainly don't need them now.



pkondz said:


> ohhhh... yeah, that might be a no for me too, then.



Yeah, not a fan of olives or their juice.


----------



## franandaj

afwdwfan said:


> Hi! Long time no see... I can't say I've caught up on everything in detail, but I did read through your trip updates.



  Glad to see you back on the boards Andy!  I read your Covid story on pkondz's TR and that sounds awful.  I'm glad you were able to keep your family safe, and you recovered well!



afwdwfan said:


> This is the first that I've really seen of the Avengers Campus and it looks incredible!



They did do a pretty awesome job.  I can't wait until the super cool ride opens up!



afwdwfan said:


> We're considering maybe going back to Disney World this summer... I did look into Disneyland just because our youngest absolutely loves all things Spiderman and shooting webs. Not sure we're ready to pay for flights and attempt the post covid airline situation with the kids in tow.



We're still considering our trip in February although I do share your trepidation of flying during Covid times.



afwdwfan said:


> In any case, I'm glad to see that you and Fran have been able to return to the parks to spend some time with friends! I hope to get back sooner rather than later this time around.



It's been such fun getting back out there.  Even if it's just the two of us it's so much nicer that sitting home alone with our cats!  But it's even more fun with all the friends that we have been able to connect with over our love of Disney!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> Hey Alison!
> 
> Still here. Finally have internet back and am able to check-in on the threads I have missed so much! I think I was caught up so read the rest of the chatter.  Looking forward to another chapter!



Well you made it just in time!  I'm hoping to get in a bunch of stuff over the holidays so that I can post more updates and be more caught up around here!


----------



## franandaj

Hey folks!  Remember me? Who hasn’t posted an update in over a month!

So I have to apologize for another absence. Life has just become so hectic. We are at my parents house over the Christmas Holidays and I'm hoping for some downtime while here and that I can post a few updates, or at least get them ready to post. I have three more after this one, until we go back, the day after we drive home, and then there will be a fourth one….

The Christmas crazies on our eBay stores died down the few days before we left, but we were going strong up until a week before Christmas.  The remainder of that down time was spent packing and getting ready to drive to San Jose. The farthest we had traveled since Feb 2020 was Anaheim to stay at the Grand. We did drive to Riverside one night to see a show, but we didn’t stay overnight.

On kitty news we had an interesting development this week. Bear with me, this is a long one, if you just want to read the Disney update, skip the text in green and in red. Those of you who were reading my thread with the “What I did over Covid times” update, you’ll remember that Fran signed up for a Facebook group that finds volunteers for cats that need transporting. We’ve taken two on a journey from South LA to Hemet to folks who adopt out cats. We also took three kittens to the free spay neuter clinic for a woman who had to work. And also recently we picked up an adorable kitten from a family living in the projects in LA to a woman who helps relocate cats. We don’t know what happened to him, but evidently he was very sick (though we couldn’t tell by looking at him when we dropped him off with her.)

So I wasn’t surprised when she volunteered us to transport a cat from Downey (not too far from us) to Sacramento. We wouldn’t drive all the way to Sacramento, but the lady taking the cat would meet us at my mother’s place in San Jose. I asked the woman giving up her feral cat, who was taking him? She said that there was a woman who gave a home to “unadoptable feral cats”. Now I believe it was on this thread when I mentioned Clancy to you folks. He showed up back in July and never left.

I asked, “Do you suppose this woman might take two cats?” I explained Clancy’s situation and she gave me the number of the woman in Sacramento. Long and short, she said she would take the cat, turns out that the other cat got a sweet deal and didn’t end up getting relocated.

When I left off with Clancy on this thread, we were going to just pull up the bed, grab him and put him in a crate. Well something happened between that post and the day we were going to do that. We caught him by surprise while he was out from under the bed.  He may have been using the litter box in the bathroom and tried to get away and ended up getting stuck in the shower.





I tried to give him some treats and when I dropped them in front of him he ABSOLUTELY freaked out. He started hissing and running around like a wild animal. Bouncing off the walls, and getting himself trapped in the corner of an open door, he finally ran into the laundry room and tried to climb the closed door. He crawled up the walls and eventually landed behind the washing machine. After that, we knew there was no way to catch him and put him in a crate. So we gave up and started seeking out rescue organizations to take him. None of them returned our emails.

So you can imagine how thrilled we were when we found someone to take him. I got some meds from the vet that would supposedly calm him down, I was hoping sedation, but they won’t give those out. I started dosing him Monday in his food, and Tuesday before bed I gave him a double dose, and at 5AM Wednesday I gave him a 1.5x dose. Well, when Michael and I got in his room (wearing long sleeves, him a leather jacket, and thick gloves) there was no sign that the cat had been drugged.

He was crazy nuts! First we took the mattress and put it straight up on it’s side. Then we moved the boxsprings (they were two splits under the King Size mattress.) Clancy kept moving around the room from hiding place to hiding place, hissing and swatting at Michael. At one point he climbed the walls and I was fearing for my Disney artwork because he knocked two different pictures off kilter and clawed the frames trying to get away from Michael. At one point he grabbed the moulding on the top of the window and hung there. Michael was able to grab him and I had the carrier ready but he wiggled out of Michael’s hand as he tried to get him across the room.

After another 15 minutes we finally trapped him between one of the box springs, my suitcase, and the bathroom door.  This time I was ready with the carrier open at Michael’s side and he dropped the cat in and slammed the door of the carrier. And from then on, we never heard a peep out of him.

The drive itself was no picnic.  We sailed through most of Los Angeles, and we hit a little traffic on the Northern edge of the County, but soon we were driving well over the speed limit. Until we hit Frazier Park. I know most of you don’t know where that is, but it’s more than halfway over what we call the Grapevine. It should be smooth sailing from here. However, amidst the traffic, I looked at Google directions that were telling me to get off the freeway and take a frontage road to save 1 hour 30 minutes.

This is what it looked like getting off at the off ramp where we exited.





Well once we got down the mountain, the sun started to set, and then we found the rain storms that are predicted in California all week. And this wasn’t just some rain, this was torrential rain coming down hard. If you’ve driven the I5 in the Central Valley at night, there are no lights, there are barely any reflective thingies to show you where the lanes are, and people were still driving like there were normal conditions. Around 6PM both Fran and I agreed it wasn’t worth risking our lives and booked a room for the night at the next place to turn off the freeway. 

It rained almost all night, but when we woke up it was clear and at 5:45AM they said there was a two hour window of no rain for the Central Valley. We jumped out of bed, ate the free breakfast of waffles, sausage, biscuits and gravy, and whatever else Fran had, and we got on the road. We ended up meeting the cat lady about halfway between my Mom’s and Sacramento, I mean she WAS taking this nutso cat! We gave her a wad of cash, the carrier and the towels and finally our problem was solved.





Just a note, she is someone crazier than us!  She has 32 cats in her house.  All Feral.  She has a wing for the ones who are FIV positive.  This woman is a saint! 

On another front my 60 day window recently opened for my WDW trip. I really wasn't feeling it, when the window hit. I didn't even get up at 3AM to make dining reservations. But over the next week, I somehow got my Disney fever again and made a bunch of reservations and other plans! A few other folks are going to be there at the same time and now we have a bunch of plans together for the last portion of the trip.

Now I'm really looking forward to this trip! However, even before WDW I've got a trip to the Grand Californian with more friends from the DIS at the end of January. And before that Fran and I will be celebrating 25 years together with a swanky dinner and some of our closest friends! Lots of good times ahead!

Anyways I hope to be better with the updates, and even a new TR in a couple months!

So our last update was a lovely dinner with Jenny and Michael followed by a stroll around Galaxy’s edge.  A week later, Su-Lynn (chunkymonkey) and her hubby came to town. I met up with them on their second day at the parks. She scored us a BG for Webslingers and I was able to get out to the parks before the return time closed. Back when I wrote my notes for this update, they weren’t really enforcing return times, and now the ride is on a simple queue system as opposed to BG.

This is one of the random things on the wall in there.





And Peter Parker preparing you for your tour of the facility.













Steve kicked butt on the ride and later he shared with me some of the "tricks" he used. I’ve been on it a couple times since then, and his advice was, “Don’t shoot the Red Spiders who are the lowest score, try for anything and everything else.”  I’ve blown up some really cool stuff since then and unlocked some neat effects. I can’t wait to try it again next month!





Steve and I decided to ride Guardians as the line was totally short. Su-Lynn wanted to do some shopping and she doesn't like that ride at all. 





We saw The Wasp on the way over to the ride.





Finally I got Elvis’ Burning Love, the last of the six songs, since the reopening.  I wasn’t able to link my photo (which is weird because I was able to link the photo when we rode later.)





After the ride we met Su-Lynn in the big Marvel store in Stage 17. I think she bought something for her sister. I remember going to the register but I think Steve and I were talking MCU lore so I wasn't paying attention. After spending the day with him I realized I need to rewatch all the Marvel movies again! And we finally finished with The Falcon and the Winter Solidier and Loki. Now we need to catch up on the New Boba Fett series (even though that isn’t Marvel.)

Su-Lynn was hungry so we placed a mobile order at Pym's Test Kitchen. She and Steve mobile ordered a drink. I wasn't going to get one until I noticed that they had these cool beakers back. I got the X-Periment. Patrón Silver Tequila, with Mango and Habanero Syrups, and Mango Flavor-filled Boba. I was a little concerned about the Habanero syrup and it was a tad bit spicy but not too much. I was able to finish it.





She ordered the PB3 Superb Sandwich. warm PB&J with Banana and Candied Bacon on Pym Particle Bread, served with Micro Banana Smoothie and crispy Potato Bites.





And the Quantam Pretzel. 453.8 grams, Bavarian-style, with Sharp Cheddar Cheese-Beer Sauce





I thought the PB&J was gross and ate mostly pretzel.

We took a picture in the Doctor Strange area,





Steve and I rode Guardians again. 





Then we tried to ride Radiator Spring Racers but it was down.  I did get a few snaps of the holiday decorations.

























*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

By this time park hopping hours opened up and we went over to Disneyland to ride HM with the NBC overlay.





















































































After that I was starting to tire out, I did one last ride with them on Buzz and I got my best score ever!  It may have had something to do with getting stuck in front of a 10,000 point target for about 3-5 minutes where I could continually point and shoot at it. 









We took one last picture before I headed for home.  I’m sure that they stayed almost to the bitter end of the night!


----------



## DnA2010

Doing a read n run, but wow that cornering the cat story!


----------



## pkondz

Don't have time to read, let alone comment right now, but...
Merry Christmas, Alison (and Fran!)


----------



## franandaj

DnA2010 said:


> Doing a read n run, but wow that cornering the cat story!



Yeah, that was tense few minutes. Michael got there at 9AM and I was just wrapping up feeding the other cats. We were in that guest room until 9:30 before we could declare victory!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Don't have time to read, let alone comment right now, but...
> Merry Christmas, Alison (and Fran!)



Well I'm glad to see that I haven't lost all my readers!

Merry Christmas to you too!


----------



## Steppesister

I super miss DLR at Halloween time. It's so far superior to WDW IMHO with  the HM overlay and Carsland. Someday, I'll make it back there. 

Sounds like quite the travel adventure! That traffic is an absolute nightmare! But, glad you're getting some downtime; enjoy the time away from the daily grind! Merry Christmas, you two!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> I super miss DLR at Halloween time. It's so far superior to WDW IMHO with the HM overlay and Carsland. Someday, I'll make it back there.



I didn't get out there for Halloween festivities as much as I would have liked!  I think I might consider attending an Oogie Boogie Bash next year, sounds like a lot of fun!



Steppesister said:


> Sounds like quite the travel adventure! That traffic is an absolute nightmare! But, glad you're getting some downtime; enjoy the time away from the daily grind! Merry Christmas, you two!



I'm hoping the drive home tomorrow is a lot less painful.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Hey folks! Remember me? Who hasn’t posted an update in over a month!


Hmm... I'm not sure.... Allie, something? Alicia? I'll figure it out eventually.


franandaj said:


> So I have to apologize for another absence. Life has just become so hectic.



That's okay. I _totally_ get the hectic part. Today's the first chance I've had to read and comment since you posted.
(I do occasionally get some time on a break at work, but I can't see your photos at work. Nor Liesa's... nor mine!)


franandaj said:


> I have three more after this one, until we go back, the day after we drive home, and then there will be a fourth one….





franandaj said:


> The Christmas crazies on our eBay stores


Oh! Yeah, I guess that would be the case. 


franandaj said:


> Bear with me





franandaj said:


> skip the text in green and in red.


Nope! It's too festive.


franandaj said:


> We’ve taken two on a journey from South LA to Hemet to folks who adopt out cats.


Sounds like you've adopted cats out there before... to the same folks?


franandaj said:


> So I wasn’t surprised when she volunteered us to transport a cat from Downey (not too far from us) to Sacramento. We wouldn’t drive all the way to Sacramento, but the lady taking the cat would meet us at my mother’s place in San Jose.


I Googled that. Long way to go!


franandaj said:


> Now I believe it was on this thread when I mentioned Clancy to you folks.


I think so? I do know the story, but not 100% if it was this thread.


franandaj said:


> He may have been using the litter box in the bathroom and tried to get away and ended up getting stuck in the shower.


Oh dear.


franandaj said:


> I tried to give him some treats and when I dropped them in front of him he ABSOLUTELY freaked out. He started hissing and running around like a wild animal. Bouncing off the walls, and getting himself trapped in the corner of an open door, he finally ran into the laundry room and tried to climb the closed door. He crawled up the walls and eventually landed behind the washing machine.


 Holy crap!


franandaj said:


> when Michael and I got in his room (wearing long sleeves, him a leather jacket, and thick gloves) there was no sign that the cat had been drugged.


Oh, no...


franandaj said:


> At one point he climbed the walls and I was fearing for my Disney artwork because he knocked two different pictures off kilter and clawed the frames trying to get away from Michael.





franandaj said:


> Michael was able to grab him and I had the carrier ready but he wiggled out of Michael’s hand as he tried to get him across the room.


Yikes. You guys must've been plenty scared that he'd claw up your legs.

Have you tried a blanket? I've caught both cats and squirrels that way with no damage to either myself or the animal.


franandaj said:


> Until we hit Frazier Park. I know most of you don’t know where that is


Googled that too.  About an hour and a half north of you (barring traffic.)


franandaj said:


> This is what it looked like getting off at the off ramp where we exited.


Ugh! Nope!!


franandaj said:


> and people were still driving like there were normal conditions.


Well... it depends.
Weather that would have you holed up and shivering with fright wouldn't even slow me down. (Talking snow, not rain, but you get the idea.)
Some people are more comfortable than others in poor conditions.

Also... some people are _stupider_.





franandaj said:


> We gave her a wad of cash, the carrier and the towels and finally our problem was solved.


Phew!
Nice of you to do that, by the way. All of that.


franandaj said:


> Just a note, she is someone crazier than us! She has 32 cats in her house. All Feral. She has a wing for the ones who are FIV positive. This woman is a saint!





franandaj said:


> A few other folks are going to be there at the same time and now we have a bunch of plans together for the last portion of the trip.


Hey! That's great! Sounds like you'll have a wonderful time. 


franandaj said:


> Fran and I will be celebrating 25 years together with a swanky dinner and some of our closest friends!


25 years already. 
Congratulations to you both! (in advance.)


franandaj said:


> A week later, Su-Lynn (chunkymonkey) and her hubby came to town. I met up with them on their second day at the parks.


Nice! I haven't met Steve, but Su-Lynn is really nice. 


franandaj said:


> This is one of the random things on the wall in there.


Um... what?


franandaj said:


> And Peter Parker preparing you for your tour of the facility.


Cool! Didn't know about that. 
Of course, I don't know about _most of the ride._


franandaj said:


> Steve kicked butt on the ride and later he shared with me some of the "tricks" he used. I’ve been on it a couple times since then, and his advice was, “Don’t shoot the Red Spiders who are the lowest score, try for anything and everything else.” I’ve blown up some really cool stuff since then and unlocked some neat effects. I can’t wait to try it again next month!


Good tip. I'll have to remember that if/when.


franandaj said:


> Su-Lynn wanted to do some shopping and she doesn't like that ride at all.



Doesn't. Like. The. Ride.........


franandaj said:


> I realized I need to rewatch all the Marvel movies again!



Oh, that won't take any time at all.




franandaj said:


> And we finally finished with The Falcon and the Winter Solidier and Loki.


Haven't seen either, although I think I'll start Loki soon.


franandaj said:


> Now we need to catch up on the New Boba Fett series (even though that isn’t Marvel.)


I think that hasn't started yet? Soon? I think?


franandaj said:


> I got the X-Periment. Patrón Silver Tequila, with Mango and Habanero Syrups, and Mango Flavor-filled Boba. I was a little concerned about the Habanero syrup and it was a tad bit spicy but not too much. I was able to finish it.


I'd try that. Don't know if I'd like it, but... I'd give it a try.


franandaj said:


> She ordered the PB3 Superb Sandwich. warm PB&J with Banana and Candied Bacon on Pym Particle Bread, served with Micro Banana Smoothie and crispy Potato Bites.


Sounds interesting. I'd try it, despite your feelings on it. What did Su-Lynn think?


franandaj said:


> And the Quantam Pretzel. 453.8 grams, Bavarian-style, with Sharp Cheddar Cheese-Beer Sauce


mmmm... yes please!


franandaj said:


> I thought the PB&J was gross


Too bad. Do you normally like PB&J?


franandaj said:


>


Oh, noooooooooooo...


franandaj said:


> Then we tried to ride Radiator Spring Racers but it was down.


Well, shoot. 


franandaj said:


> I did get a few snaps of the holiday decorations.


Those are cool! I'd like to see them in person some day.


franandaj said:


> we went over to Disneyland to ride HM with the NBC overlay.


<sigh>
Someday..... 


franandaj said:


> I did one last ride with them on Buzz and I got my best score ever!


Good for you!


franandaj said:


> It may have had something to do with getting stuck in front of a 10,000 point target for about 3-5 minutes where I could continually point and shoot at it.



That's cheating!


franandaj said:


>


Cute top.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well I'm glad to see that I haven't lost all my readers!


Never.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Hmm... I'm not sure.... Allie, something? Alicia? I'll figure it out eventually.



"What's her name?" Works just fine as well.



pkondz said:


> That's okay. I _totally_ get the hectic part. Today's the first chance I've had to read and comment since you posted.
> (I do occasionally get some time on a break at work, but I can't see your photos at work. Nor Liesa's... nor mine!)



Well from the employers standpoint that probably means you can't look at porn either. Been there done that.



pkondz said:


>



Well you'll be relieved to know we had to cancel our Disney plans today case there was full of rain  predicted for today.



pkondz said:


> Oh! Yeah, I guess that would be the case.



Yes it was quite hectic up until the day that they said packages wouldn't arrive before Christmas.



pkondz said:


> Nope! It's too festive.



Well, thanks!



pkondz said:


> Sounds like you've adopted cats out there before... to the same folks?



Well no, those were the same ones I mentioned earlier, they were just for emphasis.



pkondz said:


> I Googled that. Long way to go!



Well we weren't going all the way to Sacramento, but San Jose was pretty close.



pkondz said:


> I think so? I do know the story, but not 100% if it was this thread.



I checked. It was this thread.



pkondz said:


> Oh dear.
> Holy crap!



Yes.   All of that.



pkondz said:


> Oh, no...
> 
> Yikes. You guys must've been plenty scared that he'd claw up your legs.
> 
> Have you tried a blanket? I've caught both cats and squirrels that way with no damage to either myself or the animal.



We never worried about him clawing our legs. He mostly wanted to get away from us. I'm not sure that we could have used a blanket as there were no areas that we could have thrown it on him. There were too many little hiding places in the room.



pkondz said:


> Googled that too.  About an hour and a half north of you (barring traffic.)



I usually figure two hours until we reach the bottom of the Grapevine if not more (because of traffic). That's when we generally switch drivers, and I drive the flat part, but that didn't happen this time.



pkondz said:


> Ugh! Nope!!



Well I think we did save some time by taking the frontage road, but really there is only one way down that mountain. We got back on the freeway a few miles later and it still took us forever to get down to the Valley floor.



pkondz said:


> Well... it depends.
> Weather that would have you holed up and shivering with fright wouldn't even slow me down. (Talking snow, not rain, but you get the idea.)
> Some people are more comfortable than others in poor conditions.
> 
> Also... some people are _stupider_.



Well there is no situation where it is safe to drive 80 miles an hour in torrential rain.



pkondz said:


> Phew!
> Nice of you to do that, by the way. All of that.



Well considering that she had to get him spayed and all,, it was the least we could do.



pkondz said:


> Hey! That's great! Sounds like you'll have a wonderful time.



I hope so, as long as no one gets covid....☹



pkondz said:


> 25 years already.
> Congratulations to you both! (in advance.)



Thank you! It's coming up really soon!



pkondz said:


> Nice! I haven't met Steve, but Su-Lynn is really nice.



He's very nice, and super knowledgeable about Marvel lore. He had lots to offer that I didn't realize.



pkondz said:


> Um... what?



OK what d I you mean by "um...wat?"



pkondz said:


> Cool! Didn't know about that.
> Of course, I don't know about _most of the ride._



It's a cool rde!



pkondz said:


> Good tip. I'll have to remember that if/when.



You need to come out!



pkondz said:


> Doesn't. Like. The. Ride.........



I know a lot of folks who don't like ToT/GotG



pkondz said:


> Oh, that won't take any time at all.



We started rewatching them in July 2020 and finished about a year laterish.



pkondz said:


> Haven't seen either, although I think I'll start Loki soon.



It's good!



pkondz said:


> I think that hasn't started yet? Soon? I think?



I saw something that it's available today.



pkondz said:


> I'd try that. Don't know if I'd like it, but... I'd give it a try.



It's worth a try......



pkondz said:


> Sounds interesting. I'd try it, despite your feelings on it. What did Su-Lynn think?



She liked it ate it all.



pkondz said:


> mmmm... yes please!



This was good.



pkondz said:


> Too bad. Do you normally like PB&J?



No I don't,  and with banana and bacon. That makes is sounds even wose!



pkondz said:


> Oh, noooooooooooo...








pkondz said:


> <sigh>
> Someday.....



They are letting Canadians back in....and for now you don't have to quarantine when you get back.



pkondz said:


> Good for you!
> 
> That's cheating!







pkondz said:


> Cute top.



Thanks!



pkondz said:


> Never.


----------



## franandaj

Halloween at the DLR. This isn't one particular trip to Disneyland but various pictures taken over the course of my trips to DL last fall. I decided that it was better to group all the Halloween pics into one post as opposed to trying to describe the individual visits, since some days I only took a few snaps.

I love the Pumpkin Characters greeting you at the turnstiles.





And the train station with its Fall colors.





Oh looky! There’s Goofy in his skeleton costume on the steps of the train station!









And the Giant pumpkin at the end of Main Street.





Let’s stroll down Main Street with all the Happy Halloween decorations!





And look over here, there’s a Mrs. Potts pumpkin!





Even if it’s not decorated for Halloween, we’ve got to have an obligatory Castle shot!





Jack and Sally even came out to play on this fine day!





Though we didn’t attend any Oogie Boogie bashes this year, we did happen to be in DCA when folks began to arrive all dressed up.  Here were some of the more imaginative costumes that we saw.  But first the man himself Oogie Boogie!





I thought this one was cute





Fran liked this one as it was something she could do in a scooter.





These two were super cute as well!





Obviously we couldn't go down the treat trails. I don't think they were even open while we were still in the park. But this was one of the markers for the treat trails. I'm really considering attending an Oogie Boogie bashes next year!





-------------------------------------------------------------------

On another day, we decided to have breakfast at Goofy`s Kitchen. It reopened mid August and Jenny and I were anxious to go, just because! It was a very early breakfast hence the cold weather clothing! It was probably in the low 50s that day, so not cold for most of you, but it was for us!

















We were seated at a table quite near to the buffet.





That entire curved counter you see there in the foreground is all desserts!





I have no idea what this was and I didn't think to catch the sign in my pictures!    I think it was Mickey shaped polenta.





The menu is super kid friendly with Mac n cheese with eggs and chicken nuggets.





One of Goofy's Kitchen's signature items is the PB&J Pizza. This isn't that one, but they also had breakfast pizza and cheese pizza.





But I was in search of more traditional breakfast fare, and Mickey waffles. Especially Mickey waffles.





The characters would come out every 20 minutes or so. I didn't get a lot of good pictures of them unless they came into our area. That wall behind Chip extended in a circle and encompassed our table. The characters mostly paraded on the main path, which was on the other side of the wall. Those pictures didn't come out as good since the characters feet or lower torsos we obscured by the wall.





I'm pretty sure that I missed taking a shot of several of my plates because fruit is usually the last course. I know I had a plate of desserts, and I think I had another plate of breakfast type foods. But this is the only photo evidence I have.





Pluto also came by our table for an extended visit. Jenny took a selfie.









Next up Festival of the holidays!


----------



## traceyg

franandaj said:


> I know Los Al!  I'm not sure why TX likes to suck people in, but I know a lot of people who have moved there and never come back!
> 
> We moved between my 8th grade and Freshman year- talk about homesick, terrible timing and culture shock! I was one unhappy and miserable teen.
> 
> I'm sorry to hear that.  I hope that you are recovered!
> In March I will officially be cured, however my oncologist keeps a close eye on me like forever. I guess the tons of chemo can cause other cancers to pop up later. I’ve gotten at least 4,75 good years ahead of where I was so life is good! Every day is a blessing!
> 
> Well at least he has granted you DVC membership.  I think that's one of the best things I've ever bought!
> Me too! It’s horrible to have to use my points, sigh.
> 
> 
> Not familiar with the movie, but I get the concept.
> The wife (I can’t remember her name) has a dream of making furniture so she creates these chairs. They keep getting bought up so she makes more. Towards the end of the movie she finds them stacked up in the barn. Turns out that John Travolta had been buying them secretly and thus supporting her dream.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not a member, but from what I understand they are two different entities, you have to pay initiation and dues for locations on each coast to have access.
> Note to self: unattainable bucket list item, member at all Clubs.
> 
> 
> I have only had the privilege of dining at the original Club 33, but from what I understand all other locations have just appetizers and snacks, not full meals.
> 
> Well that’s a bummer. For the price, I want the whole package! I mean if I’m going to pursue this bucket list I cannot survive on bread alone!
> 
> I hope to post more! I hope things slow down a bit now that the holidays have arrived.
> Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> "What's her name?" Works just fine as well.



So which is better. Being called "What'shername" or being called the _wrong _name???


franandaj said:


> Well from the employers standpoint that probably means you can't look at porn either. Been there done that.


Actually... that's exactly why one guy in my office got fired!
But there's another reason we can't see that. Well... maybe two?
One I won't go into, but the other is... maybe you can download a virus from a 3rd party? I'm not sure.


franandaj said:


> Well you'll be relieved to know we had to cancel our Disney plans today case there was full of rain predicted for today.


I'm not relieved! I'm sad you had to cancel. 


franandaj said:


> Well no, those were the same ones I mentioned earlier, they were just for emphasis.


Ah. Okay.


franandaj said:


> We never worried about him clawing our legs. He mostly wanted to get away from us. I'm not sure that we could have used a blanket as there were no areas that we could have thrown it on him. There were too many little hiding places in the room.


Ya gotta be quick. 


franandaj said:


> Well I think we did save some time by taking the frontage road, but really there is only one way down that mountain. We got back on the freeway a few miles later and it still took us forever to get down to the Valley floor.


Ugh. I think I'll stick with a bike down there. It was sooooo much quicker.


franandaj said:


> Well there is no situation where it is safe to drive 80 miles an hour in torrential rain.


Oh, no? None?







franandaj said:


> Well considering that she had to get him spayed and all,, it was the least we could do.


Still nice of you. 


franandaj said:


> I hope so, as long as no one gets covid....☹


It's looking more like it's not "if" you'll catch covid... but "when".


franandaj said:


> He's very nice, and super knowledgeable about Marvel lore. He had lots to offer that I didn't realize.


Well all righty! I'll be prepared to be intimidated!


franandaj said:


> OK what d I you mean by "um...wat?"


Just no clue what it's referencing. I _think _maybe the design for the ride?


franandaj said:


> You need to come out!


Yes I do!!!


franandaj said:


> I know a lot of folks who don't like ToT/GotG


I noticed you said "folks" and not "friends"...





franandaj said:


> We started rewatching them in July 2020 and finished about a year laterish.


Wow! Impressive.


franandaj said:


> It's good!


It's on the list next. That and the Fett.
Right now I'm finally watching Squid Games.


franandaj said:


> I saw something that it's available today.





franandaj said:


> No I don't, and with banana and bacon. That makes is sounds even wose!


Ah. So...
1. You're already at a disadvantage.
2. You'd never survive with Mark's family.


franandaj said:


> They are letting Canadians back in....and for now you don't have to quarantine when you get back.


Yesss... sorta.

But for me to go, I'd have to drive 2 hours to Grand Forks (or 3 to Fargo) first. Because if I test positive outside the country, I can't get on a plane to come back. I _can_ however, drive back. The other problem is my work. They are requiring that if you travel, you have to get management approval for an _additional_ two weeks leave after your return. Not a huge problem, except in my office, we're short staffed so only one person can get away at a time. And if someone else has leave booked after yours... someone can't go.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Happy New Year!
Happy Anniversary!


----------



## franandaj

@traceyg

I'm not sure exactly how to quote your post as it is contained inside mine, but glad to have you onboard!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> So I have to apologize for another absence. Life has just become so hectic.



No apologies necessary!  It's much easier to keep up with this way.



franandaj said:


> I tried to give him some treats and when I dropped them in front of him he ABSOLUTELY freaked out. He started hissing and running around like a wild animal. Bouncing off the walls, and getting himself trapped in the corner of an open door, he finally ran into the laundry room and tried to climb the closed door. He crawled up the walls and eventually landed behind the washing machine.



Holy cow.  This kitty's a few fries short of a Happy Meal.



franandaj said:


> After that, we knew there was no way to catch him and put him in a crate. So we gave up and started seeking out rescue organizations to take him. None of them returned our emails.



"Feral cat?  Uh...no speak-a de English!"



franandaj said:


> He was crazy nuts! First we took the mattress and put it straight up on it’s side. Then we moved the boxsprings (they were two splits under the King Size mattress.) Clancy kept moving around the room from hiding place to hiding place, hissing and swatting at Michael. At one point he climbed the walls and I was fearing for my Disney artwork because he knocked two different pictures off kilter and clawed the frames trying to get away from Michael. At one point he grabbed the moulding on the top of the window and hung there. Michael was able to grab him and I had the carrier ready but he wiggled out of Michael’s hand as he tried to get him across the room.



Good grief.  This is quite the adventure! Hope nobody was hurt in the attempt!



franandaj said:


> I looked at Google directions that were telling me to get off the freeway and take a frontage road to save 1 hour 30 minutes.
> 
> This is what it looked like getting off at the off ramp where we exited.



Looks like Google was very wise.



franandaj said:


> And this wasn’t just some rain, this was torrential rain coming down hard. If you’ve driven the I5 in the Central Valley at night, there are no lights, there are barely any reflective thingies to show you where the lanes are, and people were still driving like there were normal conditions.



We've actually had some studies done suggesting the reflective pavement markers are not good in rain--they give drivers a false sense of confidence to drive faster than they should in bad conditions.



franandaj said:


> We ended up meeting the cat lady about halfway between my Mom’s and Sacramento, I mean she WAS taking this nutso cat! We gave her a wad of cash, the carrier and the towels and finally our problem was solved.



Thank goodness!



franandaj said:


> Just a note, she is someone crazier than us! She has 32 cats in her house. All Feral. She has a wing for the ones who are FIV positive. This woman is a saint!



I can't even imagine.  I wouldn't want any part of that!



franandaj said:


> On another front my 60 day window recently opened for my WDW trip. I really wasn't feeling it, when the window hit. I didn't even get up at 3AM to make dining reservations. But over the next week, I somehow got my Disney fever again and made a bunch of reservations and other plans! A few other folks are going to be there at the same time and now we have a bunch of plans together for the last portion of the trip.



Sounds like fun!  I haven't really been feeling Disney fever lately either with all of the price gouging going on.



franandaj said:


> Now I'm really looking forward to this trip! However, even before WDW I've got a trip to the Grand Californian with more friends from the DIS at the end of January. And before that Fran and I will be celebrating 25 years together with a swanky dinner and some of our closest friends! Lots of good times ahead!



Wow!  Lots of good news on the horizon.  And an early congratulations! In case I forget later.



franandaj said:


> Steve kicked butt on the ride and later he shared with me some of the "tricks" he used. I’ve been on it a couple times since then, and his advice was, “Don’t shoot the Red Spiders who are the lowest score, try for anything and everything else.” I’ve blown up some really cool stuff since then and unlocked some neat effects. I can’t wait to try it again next month!



Ooh, I'll have to look this up.  Sounds cool.



franandaj said:


> Finally I got Elvis’ Burning Love, the last of the six songs, since the reopening.



Ah...the collection is now complete.



franandaj said:


> And we finally finished with The Falcon and the Winter Solidier and Loki. Now we need to catch up on the New Boba Fett series (even though that isn’t Marvel.)



And Hawkeye!  That's the newest Marvel show.



franandaj said:


> I was a little concerned about the Habanero syrup and it was a tad bit spicy but not too much. I was able to finish it.



I don't think I'd enjoy a spicy drink.



franandaj said:


> I thought the PB&J was gross and ate mostly pretzel.



With the bananas in it, it sounds gross.



franandaj said:


> By this time park hopping hours opened up and we went over to Disneyland to ride HM with the NBC overlay.



NBC?  Was Jimmy Fallon there?  The Saturday Night Live cast?



franandaj said:


> After that I was starting to tire out, I did one last ride with them on Buzz and I got my best score ever! It may have had something to do with getting stuck in front of a 10,000 point target for about 3-5 minutes where I could continually point and shoot at it.



Hey, whatever works!  



franandaj said:


> I’m sure that they stayed almost to the bitter end of the night!



That's how it's done.


----------



## traceyg

franandaj said:


> @traceyg
> 
> I'm not sure exactly how to quote your post as it is contained inside mine, but glad to have you onboard!


I posted from my phone and somehow it got all tangled up but not in a good Flynn Rider kinda way. Sorry.


----------



## afwdwfan

Clancy is one crazy cat!  Wow!  I'm glad you were finally able to secure him and get him off to a new home.  I'm pretty sure he'd have killed you in your sleep if he had the opportunity.  



franandaj said:


> Steve kicked butt on the ride and later he shared with me some of the "tricks" he used. I’ve been on it a couple times since then, and his advice was, “Don’t shoot the Red Spiders who are the lowest score, try for anything and everything else.” I’ve blown up some really cool stuff since then and unlocked some neat effects. I can’t wait to try it again next month!


That looks like so much fun!!!


franandaj said:


> I thought the PB&J was gross and ate mostly pretzel.


That was my reaction based on description and pictures alone. 


franandaj said:


> Halloween at the DLR. This isn't one particular trip to Disneyland but various pictures taken over the course of my trips to DL last fall. I decided that it was better to group all the Halloween pics into one post as opposed to trying to describe the individual visits, since some days I only took a few snaps.


I love how Disney does Halloween!  It looks so cool!  


franandaj said:


> But I was in search of more traditional breakfast fare, and Mickey waffles. Especially Mickey waffles.


 I can always go for some Mickey waffles.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> This isn't one particular trip to Disneyland but various pictures taken over the course of my trips to DL last fall. I decided that it was better to group all the Halloween pics into one post as opposed to trying to describe the individual visits, since some days I only took a few snaps.


Nope.
I insist you categorize them by subject, theme, date and time.







franandaj said:


> Oh looky! There’s Goofy in his skeleton costume on the steps of the train station!


Love it! 


franandaj said:


> And the Giant pumpkin at the end of Main Street.


I need this for my front yard.


franandaj said:


> And look over here, there’s a Mrs. Potts pumpkin!


Cute. 


franandaj said:


> I thought this one was cute


Great idea!


franandaj said:


> I'm really considering attending an Oogie Boogie bashes next year!


If it's anything like MNSSHPs, then you definitely should go!


franandaj said:


> It was probably in the low 50s that day, so not cold for most of you,






It's -18F right now. It warmed up quite a bit last few hours.


franandaj said:


> We were seated at a table quite near to the buffet.


So... good or bad?
You were close, so convenient... or you were close, so crowded and noisy?


franandaj said:


> That entire curved counter you see there in the foreground is all desserts!


My kind of buffet.


franandaj said:


> The menu is super kid friendly with Mac n cheese with eggs and chicken nuggets.


I repeat... my kind of buffet. 


franandaj said:


> One of Goofy's Kitchen's signature items is the PB&J Pizza.


The _what_????


----------



## franandaj

Well howdy folks!   I thought I would just pop in for a sec and apologize for my absence. Again. This time I can tell you exactly why I've been missing! 

Ever since we got home from the parent's house, I've been preparing for their visit. Two years of no house guests whatsoever can really let your housekeeping slip! Our house became a storage locker, with little winding pathways through the various rooms in the main part of the house. What were once wide open walkways became barricaded with boxes and everything else you could imagine. After seven trips to storage, full trash and recycling bins, and a LOT of consolidating, we finally have a house back. My parents went home this morning.

We had a lovely visit which included a SUPER fun dinner party to celebrate mine and Fran's 25th Anniversary. So now it's back to the grindstone. Sort of. We will be staying three nights at the Grand Californian next week. Not the trip we had originally planned, but at least we salvaged something and didn't have to cancel the reservation and put the points I to holding. More on that later....

I just wanted to check in and hopefully I'll be back a little more often. Especially now that the house is relatively clean!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Two years of no house guests whatsoever can really let your housekeeping slip!


I get it. 


franandaj said:


> Our house became a storage locker, with little winding pathways through the various rooms in the main part of the house.


Oooohhhh... everyone loves a maze.





franandaj said:


> We had a lovely visit


Good! 


franandaj said:


> which included a SUPER fun dinner party to celebrate mine and Fran's 25th Anniversary.


Oh! Wow! Happy anniversary!!


----------



## whoever

> Fran got three orders of the Bacon au Poivre for the table.



I cure my own bacon from whole belly and cook with Pork Belly frequently uncured.  This looks AMAZING.  I'm gonna have to replicate it.


----------



## tiggrbaby

Glad to hear that you had a lovely visit with your parents and a special celebration for your anniversary!

Now can you come clean my house?


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> What were once wide open walkways became barricaded with boxes and everything else you could imagine. After seven trips to storage, full trash and recycling bins, and a LOT of consolidating, we finally have a house back.



I know that pain.  We're looking at possibly installing new floors and the idea of cleaning up the house to get them in is...daunting, to say the least.



franandaj said:


> We had a lovely visit which included a SUPER fun dinner party to celebrate mine and Fran's 25th Anniversary.



Congratulations and happy anniversary!



franandaj said:


> We will be staying three nights at the Grand Californian next week.



Awesome.  Glad you were able to salvage that!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> So which is better. Being called "What'shername" or being called the _wrong _name???



I think I like "What'shername" better.  At least the person is admitting they don't know my name.



pkondz said:


> Actually... that's exactly why one guy in my office got fired!



I had an employee working for me who was doing that too, but I couldn't afford to fire people so I put software on everyone's computers that notified me when they went to a restricted site.  It was sickening how often he went there....  



pkondz said:


> But there's another reason we can't see that. Well... maybe two?
> One I won't go into, but the other is... maybe you can download a virus from a 3rd party? I'm not sure.



Now you have me curious about the one you won't go into!  



pkondz said:


> I'm not relieved! I'm sad you had to cancel.



Well it would have been no fun, it was pouring rain that entire day, so even the plans we had would have been scrapped by Disney, but we did do a reschedule so I do have that "other update" coming up!



pkondz said:


> Ugh. I think I'll stick with a bike down there. It was sooooo much quicker.



Well except you wouldn't want to travel for 300 plus miles on the bike, and then you wouldn't be able to bring clothes for the week either!



pkondz said:


> Oh, no? None?



I think that even car races would be cancelled for the types of rain we were having.



pkondz said:


> It's looking more like it's not "if" you'll catch covid... but "when".



I'm still trying to stay in the "if" crowd!



pkondz said:


> Well all righty! I'll be prepared to be intimidated!



Unless you don't talk Marvel.  Then again if you meet up at Avengers campus like we did, it's hard not to!



pkondz said:


> I noticed you said "folks" and not "friends"...



I try to speak in gender/affection neutral terms. That way I am not limiting myself to any certain subset.  By using "folk", it encompasses people i know and don't know. I never use "guys" anymore because lots of women I know are offended by using that word to describe a group of people.



pkondz said:


> It's on the list next. That and the Fett.
> Right now I'm finally watching Squid Games.



I won't be watching Squid Games.

We are watching DC's Legends of Tomorrow.  It's currently on Season 7 and we just finished season 5 last night.



pkondz said:


> Ah. So...
> 1. You're already at a disadvantage.
> 2. You'd never survive with Mark's family.



Oh, I like peanut butter, just not jelly.  I prefer butter opposite the peanut butter.



pkondz said:


> Yesss... sorta.
> 
> But for me to go, I'd have to drive 2 hours to Grand Forks (or 3 to Fargo) first. Because if I test positive outside the country, I can't get on a plane to come back. I _can_ however, drive back. The other problem is my work. They are requiring that if you travel, you have to get management approval for an _additional_ two weeks leave after your return. Not a huge problem, except in my office, we're short staffed so only one person can get away at a time. And if someone else has leave booked after yours... someone can't go.



And now all that is out the window with the "no non-essential travel" thing......


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Happy New Year!
> Happy Anniversary!



Thanks! Happy New Year to you too!  (Although a bit belated!)


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> No apologies necessary! It's much easier to keep up with this way.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Holy cow. This kitty's a few fries short of a Happy Meal.



I gotta remember that one!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> "Feral cat? Uh...no speak-a de English!"







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Good grief. This is quite the adventure! Hope nobody was hurt in the attempt!



Michael was smart he wore a leather jacket and thick leather gloves.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Looks like Google was very wise.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> We've actually had some studies done suggesting the reflective pavement markers are not good in rain--they give drivers a false sense of confidence to drive faster than they should in bad conditions.



These ones on I5 were so worn and lacking reflection that we were having a hard time even figuring out where the road was!  Later that evening when we went out to get dinner, there were super bright yellow ones leading to town. Those we could see!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Thank goodness!
> 
> I can't even imagine. I wouldn't want any part of that!



I only want kitties that love me. Not one who wants to kill me. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Sounds like fun! I haven't really been feeling Disney fever lately either with all of the price gouging going on.



This reminds me that I owe you an email. Less than 150 days!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Wow! Lots of good news on the horizon. And an early congratulations! In case I forget later.



Thanks!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ooh, I'll have to look this up. Sounds cool.



You've got some time....



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Ah...the collection is now complete.



I see what you did there!  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> And Hawkeye! That's the newest Marvel show.



Yup. On the list.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I don't think I'd enjoy a spicy drink.



It wasn't very refreshing......



Captain_Oblivious said:


> With the bananas in it, it sounds gross.



For me the jelly was the first tier of gross, bacon in the mix was the sc I nd tier and the banana was just the icing on the proverbial cake. 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> NBC? Was Jimmy Fallon there? The Saturday Night Live cast?



Oh please. You think someone as cool as Jack would hang out with those losers?



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Hey, whatever works!



 



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That's how it's done.



When you can't go to Disney any day you want.


----------



## franandaj

traceyg said:


> I posted from my phone and somehow it got all tangled up but not in a good Flynn Rider kinda way. Sorry.



No worries! Cute way to put it!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I think I like "What'shername" better. At least the person is admitting they don't know my name.



I always get so embarrassed when I can't remember a name. Now I usually go in saying "I'm going to forget your name, so don't mind me when I ask again."

And it happened just the other day. Met my neighbour and asked her name. Met her again a few days later and had to ask. At least _now_ I remember... uh... what's-her-name.


(kidding. It's Maria.)


franandaj said:


> I had an employee working for me who was doing that too, but I couldn't afford to fire people so I put software on everyone's computers that notified me when they went to a restricted site. It was sickening how often he went there....


I guess when boredom strikes...


franandaj said:


> Now you have me curious about the one you won't go into!


I didn't dare write about it as I was on a work computer at the time.
What happened was this. A bunch of guys from work had gotten together at someone's house. The were all drinking and someone bet someone else that they wouldn't swim across the pool. (I don't know if it was really cold or dirty from being abandoned or not open yet.) The guy accepted the bet, stripped down and dove in. Someone made a comment about his shortcomings  and said "I bet he couldn't even please (name of woman co-worker) with that!"
Unfortunately, the whole thing was videotaped, and put on YouTube. Some people saw it at work and the poor woman was mortified. I'm not sure if any of the guys got disciplined, but they did wind up transferring the woman out of the Province and restricting YouTube access.


franandaj said:


> Well except you wouldn't want to travel for 300 plus miles on the bike, and then you wouldn't be able to bring clothes for the week either!


True. But for getting around once I'm there (and the clothes are in the hotel room), it would be convenient.


franandaj said:


> I think that even car races would be cancelled for the types of rain we were having.


Yes, they have been. They've also _not_ canceled them and had major crashes.


franandaj said:


> I'm still trying to stay in the "if" crowd!


Me too


franandaj said:


> I try to speak in gender/affection neutral terms. That way I am not limiting myself to any certain subset. By using "folk", it encompasses people i know and don't know. I never use "guys" anymore because lots of women I know are offended by using that word to describe a group of people.


Interesting. On Survivor, for 20 years, Jeff Probst has said "Come on in guys!" It's become a catch-phrase. But last season he asked about it and now no longer says it.


franandaj said:


> I won't be watching Squid Games.


You're not missing much. It was interesting and overly violent. It was okay, but... I'm not sure what all the fuss was about.


franandaj said:


> We are watching DC's Legends of Tomorrow. It's currently on Season 7 and we just finished season 5 last night.


Hmmm... 7 seasons is a commitment. Unless you tell me it's "really good", I don't think I'd start it.


franandaj said:


> And now all that is out the window with the "no non-essential travel" thing......


<sigh>


----------



## franandaj

afwdwfan said:


> Clancy is one crazy cat! Wow! I'm glad you were finally able to secure him and get him off to a new home. I'm pretty sure he'd have killed you in your sleep if he had the opportunity.



That's one reason we never slept in that room while he was in there!



afwdwfan said:


> That looks like so much fun!!!



It's a great ride, I just wish I was better at it.



afwdwfan said:


> That was my reaction based on description and pictures alone.



I read the description when the land first opened and knew that I wouldn't like it.



afwdwfan said:


> I love how Disney does Halloween! It looks so cool!







afwdwfan said:


> I can always go for some Mickey waffles.



Me too! I think I will in a few weeks!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Nope.
> I insist you categorize them by subject, theme, date and time.



You never know what I'll do....I just caught up on my dinner log yesterday. It's a spreadsheet that goes back to 2014 documenting what we had for dinner on a given night. It's grouped by protein type, or whether we dined out and where.



pkondz said:


> need this for my front yard.



There are people in So Cal who have very similar decorations. 



pkondz said:


> If it's anything like MNSSHPs, then you definitely should go!



From what I hear, it's becom8ng more and more like it.



pkondz said:


> It's -18F right now. It warmed up quite a bit last few hours



I don't know how you live like that. We seem to be coming out of our cold season. Highs are back in the 70s again here. My 3/4 length sleeve shirts may be retired until after American Thanksgiving this year.



pkondz said:


> So... good or bad?
> You were close, so convenient... or you were close, so crowded and noisy?



Always good. The less Fran has to walk the better.



pkondz said:


> My kind of buffet.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I repeat... my kind of buffet.







pkondz said:


> The _what_????



Not my cup of tea, but it's their signature item.





pkondz said:


> I get it.



The struggle is real.



pkondz said:


> Oooohhhh... everyone loves a maze.



The thing that gets me every time is that when I exit the hallway from the bedrooms, I can turn right and walk _across_ the living room. I don't have to walk past the the couch and cat tree forest, turn into the kitchen, go through the dining room to finally reach the living room. There were two dead end paths you could follow into the living room. One ended at the bins where I keep items listed on eBay, the other ended at stuff I was storing until Fran would put it on eBay.

Now I can enter the living room from three different directions!



pkondz said:


> Oh! Wow! Happy anniversary!!



Thank you!


----------



## franandaj

whoever said:


> I cure my own bacon from whole belly and cook with Pork Belly frequently uncured.  This looks AMAZING.  I'm gonna have to replicate it.



Good luck! That stuff is pretty amazing!


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Glad to hear that you had a lovely visit with your parents and a special celebration for your anniversary!



Thanks! It was good times!



tiggrbaby said:


> Now can you come clean my house?



I'm not quite so good at the actual cleaning part. I'm better at the rearranging boxes and just taking stuff elsewhere. That's why I have a house elf to do the actual tidying up of the stuff after I remove the big things.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> You never know what I'll do....I just caught up on my dinner log yesterday. It's a spreadsheet that goes back to 2014 documenting what we had for dinner on a given night. It's grouped by protein type, or whether we dined out and where.


So may I ask _why_ you are doing that? Do you refer to it? Or... ?


franandaj said:


> I don't know how you live like that. We seem to be coming out of our cold season. Highs are back in the 70s again here. My 3/4 length sleeve shirts may be retired until after American Thanksgiving this year.


We'll have 70s soon. Not later than June, for sure. Maybe even a day or two here and there in May!


franandaj said:


> Not my cup of tea, but it's their signature item.


Not what I pictured, but that makes some sense.


franandaj said:


> The thing that gets me every time is that when I exit the hallway from the bedrooms, I can turn right and walk _across_ the living room. I don't have to walk past the the couch and cat tree forest, turn into the kitchen, go through the dining room to finally reach the living room. There were two dead end paths you could follow into the living room. One ended at the bins where I keep items listed on eBay, the other ended at stuff I was storing until Fran would put it on eBay.
> 
> Now I can enter the living room from three different directions!


Look at you! You're branching out... literally!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> I know that pain. We're looking at possibly installing new floors and the idea of cleaning up the house to get them in is...daunting, to say the least.



We have some cracks in our tile floors and I'm ignoring that in hopes of saving some money. Even more daunting would be moving the furniture to get that done.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Congratulations and happy anniversary!



Thank you!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Awesome. Glad you were able to salvage that!



Me too. I really need some Disney time and time away from home and responsibilities!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I always get so embarrassed when I can't remember a name. Now I usually go in saying "I'm going to forget your name, so don't mind me when I ask again."
> 
> And it happened just the other day. Met my neighbour and asked her name. Met her again a few days later and had to ask. At least _now_ I remember... uh... what's-her-name.
> 
> 
> (kidding. It's Maria.)



I know my neighbors names only because their mail is missing delivered to my house.



pkondz said:


> I guess when boredom strikes...



 play solitaire, write a memoir...there are plenty of better things to do! And there were other people in the room.  Ewww



pkondz said:


> I didn't dare write about it as I was on a work computer at the time.
> What happened was this. A bunch of guys from work had gotten together at someone's house. The were all drinking and someone bet someone else that they wouldn't swim across the pool. (I don't know if it was really cold or dirty from being abandoned or not open yet.) The guy accepted the bet, stripped down and dove in. Someone made a comment about his shortcomings  and said "I bet he couldn't even please (name of woman co-worker) with that!"
> Unfortunately, the whole thing was videotaped, and put on YouTube. Some people saw it at work and the poor woman was mortified. I'm not sure if any of the guys got disciplined, but they did wind up transferring the woman out of the Province and restricting YouTube access.



Wow! That is a pretty juicy story!



pkondz said:


> True. But for getting around once I'm there (and the clothes are in the hotel room), it would be convenient.



There would be no other reason than you were traveling somewhere to be on that stretch of highway. The closest civilisation is 45 minutes either south or north with no traffic. Bakersfield is to the north and Santa Clarita is to the south. Calling Bakersfield civilization is a but of a stretch based on several factors. That portion I showed you in the picture is strictly used for people traveling and trucks engaged in commerce. A lot of trucks engaged commerce.



pkondz said:


> Yes, they have been. They've also _not_ canceled them and had major crashes.



See not safe to go that fast in torrential downpour!  



pkondz said:


> Interesting. On Survivor, for 20 years, Jeff Probst has said "Come on in guys!" It's become a catch-phrase. But last season he asked about it and now no longer says it.



Never seen the show, so I don't understand the context. Was this to a mixed gender group?



pkondz said:


> You're not missing much. It was interesting and overly violent. It was okay, but... I'm not sure what all the fuss was about.



That's what I figured and don't need anything overly violent to give me nightmares.



pkondz said:


> Hmmm... 7 seasons is a commitment. Unless you tell me it's "really good", I don't think I'd start it.



Well I didn't really care for it when we first started watching, but I did it because Fran wanted to watch it. There have been a lot of cast changes, and a ton of plot twists, but I'm liking it a lot more. It doesn't hurt that there is a lesbian captain, whose partner that used to head up the "Time Bureau" which fell a couple seasons ago, has now joined the crew. It's a show about time travel and fixing anomalies in the timeline.

In the last season or two they've done some really silly episodes parodying other TV shows, eras in history and other fun stuff. Then there's also some occult thrown in there, and oh yeah, super heroes! I wouldn't go so far as to say it's really good, but when my parents were here, we both missed watching it and spent the day that they left binging Season 5 and almost finished it, but we had to go to sleep.



pkondz said:


> So may I ask _why_ you are doing that? Do you refer to it? Or... ?



So I've been making these charts to an my dinners since the 80s. I know this because when we were moving, i found college notebooks with dinner plans in them. For about 30 years I only worried about say two maybe two and a half rows which was a little over a week, and I could make my shopping list based on what was coming up for dinner. It was the pandemic and control of my environment which made me fill out the whole page and have suggestions in the sidebar.





Well back in our old house, I kept all the sheets so that when I was lacking inspiration for what to have for dinner I could look back on it. I had to throw away all the prior sheets to 2014 because either at the old house or when we moved in here one of the cats peed on the stack and they were unsalvageable.  Somewhere in there I got tired of rifling through pages and pages of dinners and decided to digitize it. Being the spreadsheet and analysis queen, I of course chose Google sheets so I could access it from my phone and computer, and that is my favorite program for anaylsis.

So when I put it all into the spreadsheet (and I think that was either 2018 or 2019), I was astonished to find that over the years since 2014, 40% of our meals at home were Beef/Lamb. Poultry was second, I think in the 20s. I've been trying to level it up and so I keep keeping track.

Also when I'm at a loss for what to cook I can look at everything we've eaten over the past 8 years and pick something I haven't had in a while.

Oh i also now keep track of that and we repeat dinners on average of every 165 days.



pkondz said:


> We'll have 70s soon. Not later than June, for sure. Maybe even a day or two here and there in May!



I'll be back in Capris in no time!



pkondz said:


> Look at you! You're branching out... literally!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I know my neighbors names only because their mail is missing delivered to my house.


 That would do it, all right.


franandaj said:


> play solitaire, write a memoir...there are plenty of better things to do! And there were other people in the room. Ewww





franandaj said:


> There would be no other reason than you were traveling somewhere to be on that stretch of highway. The closest civilisation is 45 minutes either south or north with no traffic. Bakersfield is to the north and Santa Clarita is to the south. Calling Bakersfield civilization is a but of a stretch based on several factors. That portion I showed you in the picture is strictly used for people traveling and trucks engaged in commerce. A lot of trucks engaged commerce.


Okay... so probably _won't _be on that stretch on a bike.


franandaj said:


> See not safe to go that fast in torrential downpour!


Okay, okay... point taken. 


franandaj said:


> Never seen the show, so I don't understand the context. Was this to a mixed gender group?


Yes. May have been one trans and definitely at least one gay/lesbian person for sure.


franandaj said:


> Well I didn't really care for it when we first started watching, but I did it because Fran wanted to watch it. There have been a lot of cast changes, and a ton of plot twists, but I'm liking it a lot more. It doesn't hurt that there is a lesbian captain, whose partner that used to head up the "Time Bureau" which fell a couple seasons ago, has now joined the crew. It's a show about time travel and fixing anomalies in the timeline.


Hmmm... Sounds pretty good. May have to look into it. 
I'm currently watching The Witcher and have a few episodes left. 


franandaj said:


> In the last season or two they've done some really silly episodes parodying other TV shows, eras in history and other fun stuff. Then there's also some occult thrown in there, and oh yeah, super heroes! I wouldn't go so far as to say it's really good, but when my parents were here, we both missed watching it and spent the day that they left binging Season 5 and almost finished it, but we had to go to sleep.


Yeah... sounds better and better. 


franandaj said:


> So I've been making these charts to an my dinners since the 80s. I know this because when we were moving, i found college notebooks with dinner plans in them. For about 30 years I only worried about say two maybe two and a half rows which was a little over a week, and I could make my shopping list based on what was coming up for dinner. It was the pandemic and control of my environment which made me fill out the whole page and have suggestions in the sidebar.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well back in our old house, I kept all the sheets so that when I was lacking inspiration for what to have for dinner I could look back on it. I had to throw away all the prior sheets to 2014 because either at the old house or when we moved in here one of the cats peed on the stack and they were unsalvageable. Somewhere in there I got tired of rifling through pages and pages of dinners and decided to digitize it. Being the spreadsheet and analysis queen, I of course chose Google sheets so I could access it from my phone and computer, and that is my favorite program for anaylsis.
> 
> So when I put it all into the spreadsheet (and I think that was either 2018 or 2019), I was astonished to find that over the years since 2014, 40% of our meals at home were Beef/Lamb. Poultry was second, I think in the 20s. I've been trying to level it up and so I keep keeping track.


Whoa.
I'd wager that our poultry intake is the highest. But... cool that you can authoritatively make that statement.


franandaj said:


> Also when I'm at a loss for what to cook I can look at everything we've eaten over the past 8 years and pick something I haven't had in a while.


I do that... not 8 years worth, but I dig through my recipes and "Did we like this? Maybe? Let's try it again."


franandaj said:


> Oh i also now keep track of that and we repeat dinners on average of every 165 days.




I'm lucky if I don't repeat in 30.


----------



## pkondz

And.... poop. No Legends of Tomorrow on Netflix, Prime or Disney+


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> This reminds me that I owe you an email. Less than 150 days!



Crap, is it that soon already?  I need to start making some reservations.


----------



## franandaj

OK folks! I'll be back with replies and even possibly another update, but I just wanted to say that yesterday was 

*Single Digits for my WDW trip!*​Back to your regularly scheduled programming.  That's all!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Single Digits for my WDW trip!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Awesome!  I miss going to Disney, so I have to live it through your reports.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Whoa.
> I'd wager that our poultry intake is the highest. But... cool that you can authoritatively make that statement.



Well, when I first made one of those pie graphs, beef was at 40%, since it's an ongoing thing and I've tried to up the seafood intake, beef is now down to 37% overall, but in the last year, beef and poultry are now right around 21% with pork and seafood at about 13-16%



pkondz said:


> I do that... not 8 years worth, but I dig through my recipes and "Did we like this? Maybe? Let's try it again."



A lot of my recipes are one and dones.  Either they are more trouble than they are worth or they just don't taste as good as I thought.  Then there are my tried a true ones that I keep turning back to.



pkondz said:


> I'm lucky if I don't repeat in 30.



Well that is the average repeat time.  Some recipes I haven't tried in four years and some happen every other month (prime rib, turkeys, etc).  I think this past year has been a comfort food kind of year because we've had polka dotted mac and cheese seven times in the last year!  



pkondz said:


> Hmmm... Sounds pretty good. May have to look into it.
> I'm currently watching The Witcher and have a few episodes left.





pkondz said:


> And.... poop. No Legends of Tomorrow on Netflix, Prime or Disney+



We're watching it on Netflix, I just googled and found this:

To watch Legends of Tomorrow in CANADA on Netflix:


Subscribe to PureVPN
Enter your credentials and sign in.
Select US server from the list.
Head over to Netflix website or app and enjoy streaming Legends of Tomorrow in CANADA.


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Crap, is it that soon already?  I need to start making some reservations.



Ya think?


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Awesome!  I miss going to Disney, so I have to live it through your reports.



Hopefully you'll get back soon!  In the meantime, I've got plenty of content!


----------



## franandaj

So we left off with Halloween, and if you've ever been at Disney during this season you know that you can leave the park at night having viewed pumpkins and Halloween decorations only to enter the park the next day and find Christmas has arrived. For us it wasn't quite so drastic, there was probably a month between our last trip when we finally made it out again for the Festival of Holidays.

We had planned to meet Jenny and Michael at DCA and enjoy some of the offerings from the kiosks. Every year I tell Fran not to buy the lanyard with the tabs because we have such a hard time using them up, and every year she still buys it!

Our first stop (because I was borderline on hangry) was the first booth we encountered, Holiday Duets.





We ordered the Braised Pork Belly Adobo. It was a great combination of textures with the crispy pork rind on top, soft rice and melt in your mouth pork belly. We got a great portion, but I heard other people's reports that theirs was served rather dry.





Now that I had food in my tummy, I was fit to be around other human beings besides Fran, so we texted Michael and Jenny and met up with them near the Winter Sliderland Booth, where I got the Beef Pot Roast on Potato Roll.  This is one of the best things that the festival offers!









Since this was our first time out here during the Christmas Season, Fran wanted to do some shopping so she took off, and we met back up later.  I wanted to try this Peppermint Cold Brew Cocktail – Cold brew with coffee liqueur, a splash of crème de menthe, and crème de cacao garnished with a miniature candy cane.  It was really good!





Because I unfortunately have the appetite of a small bird, I wasn’t hungry for anything else, so we went on Ariel’s ride (which was the only ride I had left on my reopening list to go on).





















I decided that I might as well get this Hot Chocolate inspired Macaron.  I remember having this before and liking it, but I forgot how sweet it was.





I decided that a glass of sparkling wine was in order….I have no idea what this was though!





It’s cute how they change up the different holidays in Cars Land, similar theme different decorations.





Jenny and Michael decided that they had eaten enough and headed home.  Fran and I decided to hop over to Disneyland.  Bye bye Festival of Holidays, I’ll see you again next year.





Hello Disneyland!





As we entered the park we stumbled upon this Christmas Cavalcade.













The castle was all decorated for the season.





Even the Jungle Cruise ride was in the spirit of things!





I had a socially distanced meet with Santa!





He had such a cute little lair!





The castle is so beautiful all lit up in it’s wintertime decor.





And Main Street too!









We stopped in the lobby of the Grand Californian to check out their decorations.





And the gingerbread house.





And finally we did a little bit of shopping at the dress shop. I picked up this super cute holiday shirt.





That wraps up our Christmas visits to the park!  Up next the Crown Jewels!


----------



## tiggrbaby

Your holiday pics are lovely!  The castle is just gorgeous!


----------



## Steppesister

I have zero hope of reading all the chatter and even probably missed a chapter or two, but I AM here, Alison and went back as far as time will allow this weekend.  



franandaj said:


>


How cute!! I LOVE Disney at Halloween time and would love to do an Oogie with you. Maybe we can plan one for this year with Kari and you guys? 



franandaj said:


>


Absolutely clever! Love this! 



franandaj said:


>



Mmm, polenta!!



pkondz said:


>


I sure thought they stopped races for wet tracks?? Huh!



franandaj said:


> Well howdy folks!  I thought I would just pop in for a sec and apologize for my absence. Again. This time I can tell you exactly why I've been missing!


At least you can give account for why you're MIA! I am just busy in general with a smattering of stuff; yours seems to be more targeted! 

Glad you got your house more organized and cleaned out! 



franandaj said:


> We had a lovely visit which included a SUPER fun dinner party to celebrate mine and Fran's 25th Anniversary.



YAY for celebrations!!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well, when I first made one of those pie graphs, beef was at 40%, since it's an ongoing thing and I've tried to up the seafood intake, beef is now down to 37% overall, but in the last year, beef and poultry are now right around 21% with pork and seafood at about 13-16%


mmmm... pie.





Okay, okay.  I don't know if I have the time or ambition to start plotting my meals... but I do think it's pretty neat that you can do this.


franandaj said:


> A lot of my recipes are one and dones.


Ditto. I often poll the family. "So is this one worth doing again?"
But I have the final say, since I'm the one doing the cooking.


franandaj said:


> Either they are more trouble than they are worth or they just don't taste as good as I thought.


Exactly. 


franandaj said:


> I think this past year has been a comfort food kind of year because we've had polka dotted mac and cheese seven times in the last year!



And yet, I'm sure there are some dishes that I've made at least a dozen or more times/year.


franandaj said:


> We're watching it on Netflix, I just googled and found this:
> 
> To watch Legends of Tomorrow in CANADA on Netflix:
> 
> 
> Subscribe to PureVPN
> Enter your credentials and sign in.
> Select US server from the list.
> Head over to Netflix website or app and enjoy streaming Legends of Tomorrow in CANADA.


hmmmm... I'll have to think on that. $50/year for one show... and there's so much to watch already... dunno.
But thanks for the info.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> So we left off with Halloween, and if you've ever been at Disney during this season you know that you can leave the park at night having viewed pumpkins and Halloween decorations only to enter the park the next day and find Christmas has arrived.


I've never experienced that (on either coast), but I have heard of it. And I think I would find it very jarring.


franandaj said:


> Every year I tell Fran not to buy the lanyard with the tabs because we have such a hard time using them up, and every year she still buys it!


 A girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do!


franandaj said:


> We ordered the Braised Pork Belly Adobo.


That looks good.


franandaj said:


> Now that I had food in my tummy, I was fit to be around other human beings besides Fran, so we texted Michael and Jenny and met up with them


 That bad?!?!?

 Remind me to make sure you stay fed when I'm around!


franandaj said:


> I got the Beef Pot Roast on Potato Roll. This is one of the best things that the festival offers!


mmm... sounds and _looks_ good!


franandaj said:


> Peppermint Cold Brew Cocktail


That one's gonna be a no from me.


franandaj said:


>


The clamshells fit three adults? Are they bigger than the MK ones? I don't recall for sure, but think those only fit 2?


franandaj said:


> I decided that I might as well get this Hot Chocolate inspired Macaron.


Pretty. 


franandaj said:


> I decided that a glass of sparkling wine was in order….I have no idea what this was though!


Oh, I can help you out with that.


It's sparkling wine.
You're welcome.






franandaj said:


> Fran and I decided to hop over to Disneyland. Bye bye Festival of Holidays, I’ll see you again next year.


Wait!!! 
See? I had no idea that it was only at one park. I associate the two parks together since they're so close and just assumed that the festival was spread over them both.


franandaj said:


>


Cute ride. 


franandaj said:


>


I assume that's Mrs. Claus... which begs the question "Are these photos in order?" Usually Santa comes last, in a parade (cavalcade here).


franandaj said:


> The castle was all decorated for the season.


With snow on the rooftops! Cool! Very nice touch.


franandaj said:


> I had a socially distanced meet with Santa!


Because you'd been naughty, right?
Right.


franandaj said:


> The castle is so beautiful all lit up in it’s wintertime decor.


Very!


franandaj said:


> And finally we did a little bit of shopping at the dress shop. I picked up this super cute holiday shirt.


I really like that.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


>



This looks divine!


franandaj said:


> I wanted to try this Peppermint Cold Brew Cocktail – Cold brew with coffee liqueur, a splash of crème de menthe, and crème de cacao garnished with a miniature candy cane. It was really good!



Holy smokes that sounds good! 


franandaj said:


> It’s cute how they change up the different holidays in Cars Land, similar theme different decorations.



Oh it totally is!! I adore Carsland, that being a #1 reason!


franandaj said:


>


I'll bet that is super pretty lit up at night! 


franandaj said:


> He had such a cute little lair!



LOL! I don't normally think of Santa occupying a "lair". Which I read as "liar" at first. 


franandaj said:


>


Stunning!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Every year I tell Fran not to buy the lanyard with the tabs because we have such a hard time using them up, and every year she still buys it!



Everyone has their Christmas traditions.



franandaj said:


> I got the Beef Pot Roast on Potato Roll. This is one of the best things that the festival offers!



Sounds like a solid choice!  What's the sauce on it?



franandaj said:


> I wanted to try this Peppermint Cold Brew Cocktail – Cold brew with coffee liqueur, a splash of crème de menthe, and crème de cacao garnished with a miniature candy cane. It was really good!



That sounds like something Julie would really love.



franandaj said:


> I decided that a glass of sparkling wine was in order….I have no idea what this was though!



Um...sparkling wine?



franandaj said:


> Hello Disneyland!



Never gets old being able to walk between the parks.



franandaj said:


> He had such a cute little lair!



I didn't know Santa had a lair.  Makes him sound like more of a villain.  Maybe he has a whole secret life we don't know about.



franandaj said:


>



Love this!


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> Your holiday pics are lovely!  The castle is just gorgeous!



Thank you!  :


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> How cute!! I LOVE Disney at Halloween time and would love to do an Oogie with you. Maybe we can plan one for this year with Kari and you guys?



I definitely plan on doing one this year, I just have to find out the timing.



Steppesister said:


> Absolutely clever! Love this!



I know! Isn't it?



Steppesister said:


> Mmm, polenta!!



I'm not a huge fan, but I thought the Mickeys were a cute idea.



Steppesister said:


> At least you can give account for why you're MIA! I am just busy in general with a smattering of stuff; yours seems to be more targeted!
> 
> Glad you got your house more organized and cleaned out!



Even when we left, I was still tripping out about how I could walk all over the place without stuff in my way!



Steppesister said:


> YAY for celebrations!!



And no one got Covid either!  



Steppesister said:


> I have zero hope of reading all the chatter and even probably missed a chapter or two, but I AM here, Alison and went back as far as time will allow this weekend.



That's how I am with your TRs!  Usually I read the chatter from the folks I know, but I'm just struggling to keep up at this point.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> mmmm... pie.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Okay, okay.  I don't know if I have the time or ambition to start plotting my meals... but I do think it's pretty neat that you can do this.



Sometimes, it's a pain to keep it up, but I like that I have it going now, and will take a few minutes every so often to get caught back up.



pkondz said:


> Ditto. I often poll the family. "So is this one worth doing again?"
> But I have the final say, since I'm the one doing the cooking.



I usually have the final say since I plan the menu schedule.



pkondz said:


> And yet, I'm sure there are some dishes that I've made at least a dozen or more times/year.



I think I would get sick of eating something every month.  I can get away with 6-8 weeks later, unless it's a particular establishment that I am not required to cook or do the dishes.



pkondz said:


> hmmmm... I'll have to think on that. $50/year for one show... and there's so much to watch already... dunno.
> But thanks for the info.



OH, I didn't realize it was that much.  Then again, we've been known to pay $24.99 for one series on Amazon.



pkondz said:


> I've never experienced that (on either coast), but I have heard of it. And I think I would find it very jarring.



I probably have not, but I remember Su-Lynn mentioning it in one of her TRs.



pkondz said:


> That bad?!?!?
> 
> Remind me to make sure you stay fed when I'm around!



I don't know if I'm that bad, but Fran says I am!  



pkondz said:


> mmm... sounds and _looks_ good!



That was definitely the best thing at the festival IMHO.



pkondz said:


> That one's gonna be a no from me.



I knew that.



pkondz said:


> The clamshells fit three adults? Are they bigger than the MK ones? I don't recall for sure, but think those only fit 2?



Well Michael is very skinny.  Jenny is skinnier than me!



pkondz said:


> Oh, I can help you out with that.
> 
> 
> It's sparkling wine.
> You're welcome.



OK, since both you and @Captain_Oblivious were both wise guys.....I looked it up, it was Chandon!  BTW your wise-guyishness was not completely unexpected.  



pkondz said:


> Wait!!!
> See? I had no idea that it was only at one park. I associate the two parks together since they're so close and just assumed that the festival was spread over them both.



Disneyland doesn't generally serve alcohol, the addition of it at Oga's Cantina and now Blue Bayou are quite recent.  A lot of the festival focuses around craft beers and specialty drinks, so it's only at DCA.



pkondz said:


> I assume that's Mrs. Claus... which begs the question "Are these photos in order?" Usually Santa comes last, in a parade (cavalcade here).



Yes they are in order.  I guess in this case Santa started it off....



pkondz said:


> With snow on the rooftops! Cool! Very nice touch.



They do something similar every year, but it's always beautiful.  That's So Cal kind of snow!



pkondz said:


> Because you'd been naughty, right?
> Right.



I've always been nice!  



pkondz said:


> I really like that.



Thanks!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> This looks divine!



As I told @pkondz, this was the best thing at the festival IMHO.



Steppesister said:


> Holy smokes that sounds good!



I knew you would be a fan of that one!



Steppesister said:


> Oh it totally is!! I adore Carsland, that being a #1 reason!



They always do a great job decorating Carsland!  So many possibilities!



Steppesister said:


> I'll bet that is super pretty lit up at night!



Sadly I did not get a picture, but it did look pretty cool.



Steppesister said:


> LOL! I don't normally think of Santa occupying a "lair". Which I read as "liar" at first.



I don't know that's exactly what came to mind when I saw that little "man cave".


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> Everyone has their Christmas traditions.



  I hate to think that's one!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Sounds like a solid choice! What's the sauce on it?



It's a sour cream horseradish sauce, my favorite!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> That sounds like something Julie would really love.



It is geared toward a certain palate and it seems Liesa, Julie, and I share that!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Um...sparkling wine?



You and @pkondz always the wise-guys!  I looked it up and it was Chandon.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Never gets old being able to walk between the parks.



Being here at WDW right now and needing to take "transportation" to get everywhere makes me really appreciate how simple it is to get places at DL.  You park your car, and you are really done with the driving the whole time you're there!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> I didn't know Santa had a lair. Makes him sound like more of a villain. Maybe he has a whole secret life we don't know about.



That's funny!  Maybe he does have a whole secret life!



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Love this!



The decorations are always stunning!


----------



## franandaj

Last Summer we attended an exhibit at a local museum from the Disney Archives. This winter a new exhibit came to the same museum.





This exhibit was pretty cool in that there was something for almost any Disney fan to enjoy.  

There were gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
And whozits and whatzits galore
And thingamabobs?





This glass slipper was from the Live Action version of Cinderella.





These pendants are really cool. I love how they make multiple versions of them for different scenes and such.





These crowns from the White Witch in the Series The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are super cool.  As she loses her powers, the crown keeps shrinking.  How many of you noticed this in the movie?





This room had a ton of treasures in it.  One of them was the giant jewel of the main character of the movie Titanic, but since I never saw that movie, it wasn’t of interest to me.  What’s funny is that in all of the TV coverage of this exhibit that I’ve seen since we visited, that is the one piece that they keep advertising.  I didn’t even bother to take a picture!  





Fran commented that she would like to have a pair of these!





I took a picture of this for all you sports fans out there….you know who you are.





These were all the crowns worn by the kids in The Chronicles of Narnia.





And the Crown of Loki!





I thought this one was particularly cute.  From The Princess Diaries Fat Louie had a crown as well.





This is the Golden Necklace worn by Erik Killmonger (played by Michael B Jordan) in Black Panther.





I liked this one a lot, it was the necklace that Elizabeth Swan (played by Keira Knightly) in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie.





Anyone recognize this guy?





These are various rings worn by Jack Sparrow in a couple different Pirates movies.





There were tons of items, many more that I took pictures of, and probably even more that I didn’t take pictures of. All in all you could see items from all of these pictures.





Next up, Christmas lives on….


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I usually have the final say since I plan the menu schedule.


Me too.
But I'm not going to spend time cooking something that no one will eat.


franandaj said:


> I think I would get sick of eating something every month. I can get away with 6-8 weeks later, unless it's a particular establishment that I am not required to cook or do the dishes.


Depends on the dish.
I make my "noodle-bowl" dish fairly often as the family frequently ask for it.


franandaj said:


> OH, I didn't realize it was that much. Then again, we've been known to pay $24.99 for one series on Amazon.


I get that. Done similar...


franandaj said:


> I don't know if I'm that bad, but Fran says I am!





franandaj said:


> I knew that.





franandaj said:


> OK, since both you and @Captain_Oblivious were both wise guys.....I looked it up, it was Chandon! BTW your wise-guyishness was not completely unexpected.





franandaj said:


> Disneyland doesn't generally serve alcohol, the addition of it at Oga's Cantina and now Blue Bayou are quite recent. A lot of the festival focuses around craft beers and specialty drinks, so it's only at DCA.


Ohhhh... Okay. See that now.


franandaj said:


> Yes they are in order. I guess in this case Santa started it off....


Huh!


franandaj said:


> I've always been nice!





franandaj said:


> You and @pkondz always the wise-guys!


Great minds think alike.

No idea why it happened in this case.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> There were gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
> And whozits and whatzits galore
> And thingamabobs?


Nicely done.
Was the Little Mermaid box used as a prop for animation?


franandaj said:


> These pendants are really cool.


They're crabs! Cool!


franandaj said:


> These crowns from the White Witch in the Series The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are super cool. As she loses her powers, the crown keeps shrinking. How many of you noticed this in the movie?


Never seen it. So... nope.


franandaj said:


> One of them was the giant jewel of the main character of the movie Titanic, but since I never saw that movie, it wasn’t of interest to me.


You've never seen Titanic???

You must be the only person left alive who hasn't.


franandaj said:


> What’s funny is that in all of the TV coverage of this exhibit that I’ve seen since we visited, that is the one piece that they keep advertising. I didn’t even bother to take a picture!





franandaj said:


> Fran commented that she would like to have a pair of these!


Can see why. 


franandaj said:


> I took a picture of this for all you sports fans out there….you know who you are.


I recognized it as a championship ring, but without the placard... wouldn't have known which (major) sport it was for.


franandaj said:


> And the Crown of Loki!


Reminds me... need to watch that series still.


franandaj said:


> I liked this one a lot, it was the necklace that Elizabeth Swan (played by Keira Knightly) in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie.


I like it tool 


franandaj said:


> Anyone recognize this guy?


Freddie!
(Although took me a minute. "Looks familiar... why are there people?")


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Me too.
> But I'm not going to spend time cooking something that no one will eat.



There's that too. Then again there are things that Fran has liked better than I do and I don't plan them as often. There's one that I love that I have to make for just myself because she says it's too spicy for her. I hardly put ANY spice in it the time I made it and she still couldn't eat it. 



pkondz said:


> Depends on the dish.
> I make my "noodle-bowl" dish fairly often as the family frequently ask for it.



OK. What is this?



pkondz said:


> Great minds think alike.
> 
> No idea why it happened in this case.







pkondz said:


> Nicely done.
> Was the Little Mermaid box used as a prop for animation?



There was a live action Little Mermaid. I think it was one of those things that they broadcast live in the US.



pkondz said:


> They're crabs! Cool!







pkondz said:


> Never seen it. So... nope.



I've only seen the first one. It's a cool fantasy piece.



pkondz said:


> You've never seen Titanic???
> 
> You must be the only person left alive who hasn't.



 I don't remember when it came out, but I've never been a person who has been big on going to the movies. It's always so expensive.



pkondz said:


> I recognized it as a championship ring, but without the placard... wouldn't have known which (major) sport it was for.



I wouldn't have known anything at all if not for the placard. 



pkondz said:


> Reminds me... need to watch that series still.



It was good!



pkondz said:


> I like it tool







pkondz said:


> Freddie!
> (Although took me a minute. "Looks familiar... why are there people?")



This is another movie I need to see....


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> There's one that I love that I have to make for just myself because she says it's too spicy for her. I hardly put ANY spice in it the time I made it and she still couldn't eat it.


That's my family. A few weeks ago, Kay made a dish (I was at work that evening) and no one could eat it as it was far too overly spicy/hot.
I ate it all the next day. _very_ mild.


franandaj said:


> OK. What is this?


It's a layered dish I serve in individual bowls. From bottom to top, rice with some soy or teriyaki sc, asian noodles stir fried with stirfry sc, mixed stirfried veggies (carrot, celery, snap peas, mushrooms, green onion... usually in teriyaki sc), chicken stirfried with black bean sc, shrimp or scallops or crab stirfried with oyster sc or black bean sc, soft poached egg.


franandaj said:


> There was a live action Little Mermaid. I think it was one of those things that they broadcast live in the US.


ohhhhhh...


franandaj said:


> I've only seen the first one. It's a cool fantasy piece.


I didn't know they did more than the one... which I never saw.


franandaj said:


> I don't remember when it came out, but I've never been a person who has been big on going to the movies. It's always so expensive.


It _must _be available on-line now... somewhere.


franandaj said:


> I wouldn't have known anything at all if not for the placard.


So we're in the same boat! 


franandaj said:


> This is another movie I need to see....


I liked it. I thought it was better than Rocketman.
Have you seen Yesterday? I've watched it a couple times. (It's available on Prime if you have it.)


----------



## afwdwfan

franandaj said:


> That wraps up our Christmas visits to the park! Up next the Crown Jewels!


I love seeing all the decorations.  It feels like Disneyland does a better job than Disney World does when it comes to decorating for Christmas.  I miss the days of the garland and wreaths hung all the way across Main Street. 



franandaj said:


> Anyone recognize this guy?


I've got to admit.  I wasn't sure.  The blinged out belt and arm band thing should have given it away.  I saw pkondz guessed Freddie and realize that's right now, but I was going to be a smart ace and say John McClane.


----------



## jedijill

All caught up!  I need to come out for the holidays this year.....if I don't live there already. 

Jill in CO


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> It's a layered dish I serve in individual bowls. From bottom to top, rice with some soy or teriyaki sc, asian noodles stir fried with stirfry sc, mixed stirfried veggies (carrot, celery, snap peas, mushrooms, green onion... usually in teriyaki sc), chicken stirfried with black bean sc, shrimp or scallops or crab stirfried with oyster sc or black bean sc, soft poached egg.



Sounds interesting, but somehow, I don't think Fran would like it.



pkondz said:


> I didn't know they did more than the one... which I never saw.



I liked the first one, want to see the second.



pkondz said:


> It _must _be available on-line now... somewhere.



Oh, I'm sure it is. When Fran found out I hadn't seen it, she said we had to correct that.



pkondz said:


> I liked it. I thought it was better than Rocketman.
> Have you seen Yesterday? I've watched it a couple times. (It's available on Prime if you have it.)



All on my list to see!


----------



## franandaj

afwdwfan said:


> I love seeing all the decorations. It feels like Disneyland does a better job than Disney World does when it comes to decorating for Christmas. I miss the days of the garland and wreaths hung all the way across Main Street.



I've only been to WDW once for the Christmas Season, and it was a long time ago.  I love Disneyland at Christmas!



afwdwfan said:


> I've got to admit. I wasn't sure. The blinged out belt and arm band thing should have given it away. I saw pkondz guessed Freddie and realize that's right now, but I was going to be a smart ace and say John McClane.



Good one!  I like it!


----------



## franandaj

jedijill said:


> All caught up!  I need to come out for the holidays this year.....if I don't live there already.
> 
> Jill in CO



Lets start the mocking up.  #YouLiveHereNow


----------



## franandaj

OK folks!  I'm back from my trip to WDW and if you want to read my new TR Here is a link!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Sounds interesting, but somehow, I don't think Fran would like it.


One of the few dishes I make that everyone in the family likes. 


franandaj said:


> Oh, I'm sure it is. When Fran found out I hadn't seen it, she said we had to correct that.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> One of the few dishes I make that everyone in the family likes.



Must be difficult since you have so many varyinga types of eaters in the house!


----------



## franandaj

So technically by this time, Christmas was long over. Most everyone had put away their trees, and most people were moving on by breaking their New Year's resolutions. But at Disney Christmas continues for another week or so. We had plans to check out the Christmas parade a couple days before the New Year, but heavy rain in Southern California changed those plans. So with only a few days left we headed back to Disney to wrap up the holiday season.

Remember I told you that Fran bought one of those lanyards for the Festival of the Holidays? Well darned if I wasn’t going to get some value out of it! So we started off at DCA.  Here’s one that we missed back in November. A Twist on Tradition.





Here we ordered the Reimagined Beef Brisket Wellington – $8.50





Reuben Potato Bites with Russian Dressing & Rye Toast Crumble – $7.00





I thought that both of them were nice and tasty and would order them again if they are back next year.

The next item we got was from the Favorite Things booth.  I forgot to get a picture of the booth but it was the Holiday Stuffing Mac N Cheese $7.75.  I didn’t like the “stuffing” part on top of the Mac.





At this point, we decided that it didn’t matter if we got our “value” out of the tabs (using them for items over $6.50) and that getting ANY value was more important than none at all. So from Making Spirits Bright, we got this Cinnamon & Sugar Holiday Tart – $6.00





I got another one of these Pot Roast sandwiches since I knew it was a solid choice.





And then we used our final credit on this Gingerbread Mickey – $5.25 from Grandma’s Recipes.  And then we used all our tabs!





Now it’s off to Disneyland to see the Christmas Parade!  Hi Clarabelle!





Hello Train station!





The Christmas Tree won’t be there for much longer!









Time to eat our Cinnamon and Sugar Holiday Tart!





Fran is all snug, like a bug in a rug!





So it’s been a long time since I’ve broken out the good camera and I decided that for this parade I would do so.  I was so smart, I knew that since it hadn’t been used in a while I had to charge the battery so i did!  So once we were in our spot on the parade route, I whipped out the camera to get a few shots to test the light and “No card in Camera”  DOH!  Rookie move.  So you can enjoy these pictures from my cell phone.

*[Continued in Next Post]*


----------



## franandaj

*[Continued from Previous Post]*

And I’ll just let the parade pics speak for themselves:

































































































































And that truly wraps up the Christmas season at DL!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Must be difficult since you have so many varyinga types of eaters in the house!


Yup. 


franandaj said:


> most people were moving on by breaking their New Year's resolutions.



For the first time in a while, I didn't make any. Just... not motivated.


franandaj said:


> Remember I told you that Fran bought one of those lanyards for the Festival of the Holidays?





franandaj said:


> Well darned if I wasn’t going to get some value out of it!


 Good for you!


franandaj said:


>


Mickey head!


franandaj said:


> Holiday Stuffing Mac N Cheese $7.75. I didn’t like the “stuffing” part on top of the Mac.


Too bad. That sounds like it should be a winner.


franandaj said:


> we got this Cinnamon & Sugar Holiday Tart


It looks... plain.


franandaj said:


> I got another one of these Pot Roast sandwiches since I knew it was a solid choice.


That, on the other hand, looks delish.


franandaj said:


> Hi Clarabelle!


I wonder how many people remember actually seeing her in cartoons?


franandaj said:


> Time to eat our Cinnamon and Sugar Holiday Tart!


Oh! There's filling. Do you remember what it was?


franandaj said:


> Fran is all snug, like a bug in a rug!


 Looks toasty!


franandaj said:


> I knew that since it hadn’t been used in a while I had to charge the battery so i did! So once we were in our spot on the parade route, I whipped out the camera to get a few shots to test the light and “No card in Camera” DOH! Rookie move.


D'oh!
Sorry about that.


franandaj said:


>


Like the books.


franandaj said:


>


I think this might be my favourite part of the whole parade!


franandaj said:


>


A whole tree?!?!? How cool is that!


franandaj said:


>


Gotta have a gingerbread house. 


franandaj said:


>


Holy crap.

Thanks for all the photos. Looks like it was a pretty amazing parade!


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> There were gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
> And whozits and whatzits galore
> And thingamabobs?



That is clearly a dinglehopper.



franandaj said:


> These crowns from the White Witch in the Series The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are super cool. As she loses her powers, the crown keeps shrinking. How many of you noticed this in the movie?



Nope, never saw that.  But it's a neat little detail.



franandaj said:


> I took a picture of this for all you sports fans out there….you know who you are.







franandaj said:


> Anyone recognize this guy?



Nope.  No clue.



franandaj said:


> The next item we got was from the Favorite Things booth. I forgot to get a picture of the booth but it was the Holiday Stuffing Mac N Cheese $7.75. I didn’t like the “stuffing” part on top of the Mac.



Hot take: I think stuffing is really overrated, especially among Thanksgiving side dishes.



franandaj said:


> Fran is all snug, like a bug in a rug!



Is she even there?



franandaj said:


> I whipped out the camera to get a few shots to test the light and “No card in Camera” DOH! Rookie move.



I can totally relate to that one!


----------



## rndmr2

I have been off the Dis for a few weeks because my laptop has been acting up but I am finally caught up.  Will be going over to the other TR soon too.  I have had a DLR trip planned for a while now but it kept getting rescheduled due to Covid.  It all is because of a concert I have tickets for (a-ha) that was originally September 2020, then it was moved to May 2021, now it is in April, going on the 8th to the 2nd of their 3 shows at The Wiltern (they actually have another concert booked at The Hollywood Bowl in July, too). We are doing the WB studio tour earlier that day and an LA tour on Saturday. I finalized all the arrangements in the last few weeks,  Flights, hotel, tickets, etc. We have a 4 day ticket. Looking forward to it.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> The next item we got was from the Favorite Things booth. I forgot to get a picture of the booth but it was the Holiday Stuffing Mac N Cheese $7.75. I didn’t like the “stuffing” part on top of the Mac.



NOW we're talkin'! 



franandaj said:


> I was so smart, I knew that since it hadn’t been used in a while I had to charge the battery so i did!



YAY!! 


franandaj said:


> So once we were in our spot on the parade route, I whipped out the camera to get a few shots to test the light and “No card in Camera” DOH! Rookie move. So you can enjoy these pictures from my cell phone.



oh


But.... thank goodness I'm not alone in feeling like a rookie!! I did the EXACT same thing last weekend when I went to the rodeo. Got a primo parking spot, paid, went in, whipped out my camera for my first photo... D'oh! No card. I raced to Walmart and bought one, came back, waited forever to get a new, terrible parking spot, and finally made it back in. Felt so dumb! 



franandaj said:


>


Holy cow what a fantastic photo!! Nicely done!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Mickey head!



All the food at Disney should be in the shape of a Mickey head! 



pkondz said:


> Too bad. That sounds like it should be a winner.



Well the Mac part was. I just didn't care for the bread crumbs on top. Made it kind of mealy.



pkondz said:


> It looks... plain.



But it was super tasty!



pkondz said:


> That, on the other hand, looks delish.



This was sure bet since I'd had it before several times.



pkondz said:


> I wonder how many people remember actually seeing her in cartoons?



Possibly a lot now that Disney+ is out there.



pkondz said:


> Oh! There's filling. Do you remember what it was?



Cinnamon and sugar, my favorite flavor of pop tart too!



pkondz said:


> Looks toasty!



She was actually still freezing.



pkondz said:


> D'oh!
> Sorry about that.



#facepalm 



pkondz said:


> Like the books.



Gives it that old time feel



pkondz said:


> I think this might be my favourite part of the whole parade!



I cracked up at that one!



pkondz said:


> A whole tree?!?!? How cool is that!



There were several!



pkondz said:


> Gotta have a gingerbread house.



Of course! 



pkondz said:


> Holy crap.
> 
> Thanks for all the photos. Looks like it was a pretty amazing parade!



It was! I'm glad we took the time to see it!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> All the food at Disney should be in the shape of a Mickey head!


"Here's your drink... and the two smaller drinks for ears."


franandaj said:


> Well the Mac part was. I just didn't care for the bread crumbs on top. Made it kind of mealy.


Ah.


franandaj said:


> Possibly a lot now that Disney+ is out there.


Oh? Maybe? I haven't seen her on Disney+, but I'm not watching cartoons either.


franandaj said:


> She was actually still freezing.





franandaj said:


> I cracked up at that one!


----------



## franandaj

Captain_Oblivious said:


> That is clearly a dinglehopper.







Captain_Oblivious said:


> Nope, never saw that. But it's a neat little detail.







Captain_Oblivious said:


>



Yup! You were the first person I thought of, but I know there are others out there.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Nope. No clue.



Freddy Mercury.



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Hot take: I think stuffing is really overrated, especially among Thanksgiving side dishes.



Well, it's my favorite side.  



Captain_Oblivious said:


> Is she even there?







Captain_Oblivious said:


> I can totally relate to that one!


----------



## franandaj

rndmr2 said:


> I have been off the Dis for a few weeks because my laptop has been acting up but I am finally caught up. Will be going over to the other TR soon too.



I saw you made it over there!



rndmr2 said:


> I have had a DLR trip planned for a while now but it kept getting rescheduled due to Covid. It all is because of a concert I have tickets for (a-ha) that was originally September 2020, then it was moved to May 2021, now it is in April, going on the 8th to the 2nd of their 3 shows at The Wiltern (they actually have another concert booked at The Hollywood Bowl in July, too).



Never heard of that group, but I don't keep up with current music anymore, so it doesn't surprise me.



rndmr2 said:


> We are doing the WB studio tour earlier that day and an LA tour on Saturday. I finalized all the arrangements in the last few weeks, Flights, hotel, tickets, etc. We have a 4 day ticket. Looking forward to it.



So what days are you at Disney?


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> NOW we're talkin'!



Can't go wrong with Mac n Cheese!



Steppesister said:


> YAY!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> oh







Steppesister said:


> But.... thank goodness I'm not alone in feeling like a rookie!! I did the EXACT same thing last weekend when I went to the rodeo. Got a primo parking spot, paid, went in, whipped out my camera for my first photo... D'oh! No card. I raced to Walmart and bought one, came back, waited forever to get a new, terrible parking spot, and finally made it back in. Felt so dumb!



Well at least you could fix your situation.  I had to rely on the phone.



Steppesister said:


> Holy cow what a fantastic photo!! Nicely done!



Thanks!  I was hoping someone would notice that one!  It was total luck though.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> "Here's your drink... and the two smaller drinks for ears."



They'd need special serving thingies to hold the drinks!  



pkondz said:


> Oh? Maybe? I haven't seen her on Disney+, but I'm not watching cartoons either.



Now you're making me want to look around and see if she is on there.


----------



## franandaj

So this last trip out to the Grand Californian was a bit of a bittersweet experience. We had a nice time with some good friends, but it wasn’t the friends that we’d expected. You see Allyson and I had been planning this trip for her birthday since May of 2021.  Vaccines were becoming available in both the US and Canada and we made the assumption that by January we had to be doing pretty well, so the border would most likely be open and we could plan a trip together.

For those of you who are DVC members, you know that everything is cancelable up until 30 days prior to your reservation. Well throughout most of December things were looking pretty good.


Then Omicron hit.


The 30 day mark passed and the trip was still on. Then the Canadian government issued a travel mandate that “no unnecessary travel would be permitted.”  They tried as hard as they could to come up with a way to make the trip happen, but everything would have ended up either with a 14 day quarantine, or some other delay which would have caused both to lose pay from work, or worse. So at two weeks out from the trip they had the bad news that they would not be able to make it.

I put the reservation up on the DVC rental store, but it was over $3K for three nights stay.  I didn’t think that anyone would pay that for a last minute getaway. Then I remembered some friends that we had reconnected with after the lockdown.  They have two boys under the age of 10. We had offered the two adults to join us for a park visit last summer, but they declined stating that they wanted to wait to ride Rise of the Resistance when they could do it with their boys.

I texted S and asked her to call me at her earliest convenience.  I explained to her the situation, and how everything was in place for this “mid-week weekend” and all she had to do was cover the costs of our Canadian friends and the entire package would be theirs (and ours). All they had to do was be able to check in on a Wednesday evening, and stay until Saturday. I wasn’t sure how flexible their work schedules were and the kid’s school schedules. Later she told me that she almost said “yes” without talking to her husband, but she thought better and said she’d call me right back. 

And so the trip was saved, it just had a bit of a different focus.  Instead of an adults only trip with lots of fun in drinking establishments, it would be family oriented trip, something I had never really ever done.

So enter the day of check in. Both had to work their full days and the kids had school, so they got started around 3:30PM. Before we left home we got an email from J (husband), “S and I are surprising the boys with this trip. They have no idea what's going on. We've been watching the Marvel movies so we thought it would be fun to incorporate an Avengers-themed scavenger hunt that starts with a mission being handed to them when we pick them up from school today. Some of the highlights of our trip will be revealed each day, so if possible, we'd like to keep our plans a secret until the boys figure it out.”

OK. Sounds like fun.

They live around the area of Imagineering so it was a bit of a drive for them at rush hour.  We both arrived right around 5PM and J greeted us out at the Port Cochere when we pulled up for the Bellmen to take our bags. Luckily our room was ready (it better be when we arrive that late!) and we headed up to the room to have our bags delivered.

When the Bellman arrived, he handed this to one of the boys and Jake (lets call them Jake and Elwood for the purposes of this TR)  got this HUGE grin on his face, “Look Dad!  It’s another one!”





They let me take a picture of the communication, evidently all of them had this official look to it.  J must have had a lot of time on his hands while at work that day!  Can you figure out where we are going?





When we knew they were coming I shared with them the planned itinerary for the other incarnation of this trip, and they were down with a trip to Trader Sams. Back when they only had one son, they used to come down for drinks and nap it off in one of the many hidden areas of the DL hotel, so Elwood was no stranger to Trader Sams.

Now before I go on, let me give you a bit of background information.  Two weeks earlier we had gone out to the park with my parents. Because they’re both in their 80s now, we let them ride our own scooters and Fran rented one from an offsite company. I walked that day, over 17,000 steps. Boy was I pooped.  One of the reasons I haven’t posted any updates from that day is that watching over two octagenarians on scooters, I didn’t have a lot of time to take pictures! But we had one snag in the day. My scooter stalled out on my Mom later in the day. She switched with Fran who was able to get my scooter to hobble along, and after sitting and charging while the rest of us went on a couple rides, my scooter made it to the end of the day.

We had decided to switch scooters this weekend because Fran puts the scooters to more of a test than I do because of her weight. If my scooter had any problems whatsoever, we would get new batteries for me before our trip to WDW.

So with our bags in our rooms, Fran and I hopped on our scooters and the whole group headed over to check in at the restaurant.  We went past the parking lot and onto the back way to the DLH and just after we passed under the hat, my scooter stopped. I got it going again, and then it stopped.  A few more feet and it stopped again.  I tried working with it and coaxed it all the way to TS, but barely.

I was able to find a place to plug it in, but something was funny.  Normally when I plug the scooter in for charging, the Power light is green and the Charge light is red.  When the scooter comes to a full charge both lights turn green. This time there was only one light and it was orange. I let it charge through dinner and returned to the table.

After I returned to the table, the server came by with another confidential secret communication from S.H.I.E.L.D. This time they were supposed to watch out for Ultron, as he may have some bad operatives lurking around. Evidently they were only about halfway through the movies at this point.

Our friends are mostly Vegan, although if J had a choice in his food, he says that he would probably be dead by now. While the rest of the family mostly stuck to their meal plan, he enjoyed the freedom of being on vacation and being able to eat whatever he wanted. We all started off with an order of the Panko Crusted Long Beans.  These are always good!





I believe that I ordered a Mosquito Mojito or a Safari Swizzle, those have become my two Go-to drinks here. I think it’s the Mojito because it looks like it has muddled mint.





Fran got the Piranha Pool because she could get the souvenir mug.





S ordered the Rongo Salad, Edamame, Green Papaya, Iceberg Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Gooseberries, crispy Shallots, Sesame Seeds, and Marinated Tofu, with Fermented Miso Vinaigrette





The boys, Jake and Elwood both ordered kids rice bowls with Tofu. They also had some sort of special non-alcoholic beverages.





J ordered the Poke Bowl with Salmon, Sushi Rice, Togarashi Aïoli, Crispy Onions, Smashed Avocado, Sliced Cucumber, Masago Fish Roe, and Crab Salad.





Fran and I split the Tempura Shrimp





And the Pork Gyoza. These are two of my favorite items here and I can’t wait to have them again next weekend!





Once we finished dinner, we grabbed my scooter from it’s charging location and it was still not charged. Luckily Fran has a pretty powerful scooter, so we put mine in neutral and she “towed” me back to the Grand Californian. I plugged it in to no avail over night.

The next morning we had agreed to take my battery back to the place near our house where we get scooter supplies.  It turns out that the fuse in my battery was bad. You see there are two small batteries inside the the plastic case that we call the battery. Plus the two batteries in there were nearly five years old!  They had stickers on them that read 5/17. So they had lived out a good course of their lives. So they replaced the fuse and the batteries and several hundred dollars later I was back in business.

And then we went back to the Grand. J, S, and the boys were out in the parks enjoying the rides, and I was going to join them, but Fran wanted to stay back in the room and rest. I was going to try and steal the reservation that Allyson made at Oga’s Cantina. It was for a party of six, and we showed up at 1PM only to discover that earlier that month they had canceled almost all the reservations that had been made in advance. However they were happy to take our name and in 15 minutes, we were called!

I didn’t take any pictures while we were there. It was just fun to be back.  But I got the Jedi Mind Trick (recycled image).





After that I went back to the room to shower up and get ready, we had a fancy evening coming up!


----------



## rndmr2

franandaj said:


> I saw you made it over there!
> 
> 
> 
> Never heard of that group, but I don't keep up with current music anymore, so it doesn't surprise me.
> 
> 
> 
> So what days are you at Disney?


They were famous in the 80's, they are the ones that sing "Take on Me". Here in the US they sort of fell off the face of the earth in like 88 or 89 but they stayed very popular in Europe and South America. 

We fly in on Wednesday the 6th. We are at DL on Thursday,  doing LA things Friday (concert and WB tour) and the LA tour Saturday. Then CA on Sunday,  DL Monday and CA on Tuesday, flying home Wednesday.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> I texted S and asked her to call me at her earliest convenience. I explained to her the situation, and how everything was in place for this “mid-week weekend” and all she had to do was cover the costs of our Canadian friends and the entire package would be theirs (and ours). All they had to do was be able to check in on a Wednesday evening, and stay until Saturday. I wasn’t sure how flexible their work schedules were and the kid’s school schedules. Later she told me that she almost said “yes” without talking to her husband, but she thought better and said she’d call me right back.
> 
> And so the trip was saved, it just had a bit of a different focus. Instead of an adults only trip with lots of fun in drinking establishments, it would be family oriented trip, something I had never really ever done.



Glad it worked out in the end. Sounds stressful and a major pain to figure everything out! 


franandaj said:


>



So creative and fun!! Nice!



franandaj said:


> My scooter stalled out on my Mom later in the day. She switched with Fran who was able to get my scooter to hobble along, and after sitting and charging while the rest of us went on a couple rides, my scooter made it to the end of the day.



Oh dear.  


franandaj said:


> We all started off with an order of the Panko Crusted Long Beans. These are always good!



Exactly what I'd order with the gyoza too. 



franandaj said:


> I believe that I ordered a Mosquito Mojito or a Safari Swizzle, those have become my two Go-to drinks here. I think it’s the Mojito because it looks like it has muddled mint.



Fresh mint makes EVERY cocktail better. 



franandaj said:


>



I'm sitting next to mine that's on my side table literally 18 inches away from me. Kinda thinking I'll use it for my cocktail that I'm taking to the Happy Hour in a couple of hours. Might be a Mojito with my last ginger beer. 


franandaj said:


> J ordered the Poke Bowl with Salmon, Sushi Rice, Togarashi Aïoli, Crispy Onions, Smashed Avocado, Sliced Cucumber, Masago Fish Roe, and Crab Salad.



That sounds right up my alley. Great combo there! 


franandaj said:


> And the Pork Gyoza. These are two of my favorite items here and I can’t wait to have them again next weekend!



That's what Kari got last time we went together. So much yummy!!



franandaj said:


> The next morning we had agreed to take my battery back to the place near our house where we get scooter supplies. It turns out that the fuse in my battery was bad.



Oh no, but makes sense. 


franandaj said:


> So they replaced the fuse and the batteries and several hundred dollars later I was back in business.


EEK, but.... yay(?)


franandaj said:


> However they were happy to take our name and in 15 minutes, we were called!


Nice score!!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> They'd need special serving thingies to hold the drinks!





franandaj said:


> Now you're making me want to look around and see if she is on there.


A worthwhile endeavour.


----------



## franandaj

rndmr2 said:


> They were famous in the 80's, they are the ones that sing "Take on Me". Here in the US they sort of fell off the face of the earth in like 88 or 89 but they stayed very popular in Europe and South America



I stopped paying attention to popular music in the mid 80s, so I may not have heard of them.



rndmr2 said:


> We fly in on Wednesday the 6th. We are at DL on Thursday, doing LA things Friday (concert and WB tour) and the LA tour Saturday. Then CA on Sunday, DL Monday and CA on Tuesday, flying home Wednesday.



Sounds like a fun trip!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> Glad it worked out in the end. Sounds stressful and a major pain to figure everything out!



Well until I remembered that J & S really love Disney, and that they hadn't been since the reopening.  Then it was an easy sell.



Steppesister said:


> So creative and fun!! Nice!



They put a lot of effort into making a fun trip for the boys.



Steppesister said:


> Exactly what I'd order with the gyoza too.



So yum, but we didn't get there this past weekend.  Now I need to go back!



Steppesister said:


> Fresh mint makes EVERY cocktail better.



Well, maybe not my Gibson....  



Steppesister said:


> I'm sitting next to mine that's on my side table literally 18 inches away from me. Kinda thinking I'll use it for my cocktail that I'm taking to the Happy Hour in a couple of hours. Might be a Mojito with my last ginger beer.



How fun that you have a Happy Hour in your little community!



Steppesister said:


> That sounds right up my alley. Great combo there!



I've had the Poke Bowl with Tuna and really liked it.  Not a fan of salmon.



Steppesister said:


> That's what Kari got last time we went together. So much yummy!!







Steppesister said:


> Oh no, but makes sense.



Yeah, it was a necessary evil.



Steppesister said:


> EEK, but.... yay(?)



Sort of.....



Steppesister said:


> Nice score!!



I was happy to find out that you can do a walk up.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> A worthwhile endeavour.



So far, no luck!


----------



## franandaj

I’m sure many of you know how difficult it is maintaining two trip reports. With my limited time to devote to the boards, I’ve decided to wrap this one up soon.  I’ve got two more non traditional updates (after this one) from this little “weekend trip”, and then I will concentrate on my current TR from WDW.  Any bonus features of my escapades at Disneyland will be tacked on to the end of that one.  Unfortunately I don’t have any plans for other trips besides Disneyland until next February when I hope that it is safe enough to take the Disney cruise we had originally planned for 2020, moved to 2021, then 2022, and now 2023.  

Dinner at Club 33

When our party changed from just four adults to adding two young kids, I was reluctant to ask my friend to change the reservation at Club 33 to include these youngsters. However I needn't have worried. They were the most well behaved young men and dressed in their Dr. Who costumes from the previous Halloween, the staff complimented them on having been the "best dressed" young men they had ever seen visit the club. Think David Tennant Dr. Who. One wore a bow tie and the other had a thin long tie. They were so cute.  Sorry, I don’t want to post pictures of other people’s young children.

The castle looked quite pretty on our way to dinner.





We met up with J, S, and the boys and were shown to our table.





And given menus….





I believe all the adults ordered the wine pairings as well as dinners.  I didn’t get a picture of the kids menu, but I think theirs was only three courses, appetizer, main and dessert. This first wine was Fran’s, the Alabarino, Lagar D Cervera, Rias Baixas. All I can tell you is that it was a white wine.





She said that it went well with her first course which was Alaskan Halibut Brandade, Lemon Aioli, Spanish Olive Relish.





This was my first wine, A Sauvignon Blanc, from Martinborough, New Zealand, and this is not the wine listed on the menu. It was very good.





I adored my first course, Sauteed Mussels, Saffron Broth, Garlic Crostini.  





I don’t remember what J got, but S had a vegan version of the Artichoke Gratin. Then they poured the wines for our next course.  Again, mine was not what was listed on the menu, it was a Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay.





I had the Simple Market Green Salad, Chardonnay Vinaigrette.  It was basically a salad.





Fran was served a Pinot Noir, Domaine de Bellene, Savigny-Les Beaune, Vielles Vignes, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France. I’m sure it was good.





She had the Winter Chestnut Soup, Duck Confit, White Truffle Oil which she very much enjoyed.  I believe that J got this one as well.









My next wine was a Syrah from Ramey on the Sonoma Coast. A very interesting choice since I had chosen the catch of the Day, but it went quite nicely.  Now the menu said, Catch of the Day, Golden Cauliflower, Couscous, Shrimp Nage.  Everything about that sounded lovely to me, except the Cauliflower, so I asked if they could make it without. It ended up that they joked that my Cauliflower went for S’s dinner, and they made her something similar but vegan.





This was an interesting choice for a seafood course, but it went well with it as the sauce was very bold. 





Fran was served a Zinfandel, Hartford Court, Old Vine, Russian River Valley.





This went well with her Grilled Venison Chop, Winter Greens, Persimmon Velvet. She liked this a lot.





And finally dessert!  I ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Cremeax, Blood Orange Curd, Satsuma Coulis. I’m not sure if I ordered it because the dessert sounded good, or so that I could have this yummy coffee with it!









I quickly realized that I had ordered the inferior dessert and that the Sticky Toffee Date Cake, Tangerine Creme, Bananas Foster Sauce was the superior choice.  Luckily Fran liked both and gave me her dessert while she ate mine.





Stuffed and happy, we headed back to our room, but not before stopping at the Castle to take some pictures.


----------



## tiggrbaby

What a lovely picture of the two of you!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I’m sure many of you know how difficult it is maintaining two trip reports.


Actually... no. I've never run two at once. I find one _more_ than enough to handle. _Especially_ if I'm running a contest.


franandaj said:


> Unfortunately I don’t have any plans for other trips besides Disneyland until next February when I hope that it is safe enough to take the Disney cruise we had originally planned for 2020, moved to 2021, then 2022, and now 2023.


Ugh, how I understand this. I've rebooked my cruise for this fall and I'm not at all sure that it will happen either. It too was originally planned for 2020.


franandaj said:


> When our party changed from just four adults to adding two young kids, I was reluctant to ask my friend to change the reservation at Club 33 to include these youngsters. However I needn't have worried. They were the most well behaved young men and dressed in their Dr. Who costumes from the previous Halloween, the staff complimented them on having been the "best dressed" young men they had ever seen visit the club.





franandaj said:


>


Such a pretty table setting. 


franandaj said:


> And given menus….


All right... I've made my choices. We'll see how closely we match...


franandaj said:


> All I can tell you is that it was a white wine.


I'm on board so far. 


franandaj said:


> her first course which was Alaskan Halibut


This was my second choice.


franandaj said:


> This was my first wine, A Sauvignon Blanc,


2 for 2 with the wine so far...


franandaj said:


> I adored my first course, Sauteed Mussels, Saffron Broth, Garlic Crostini.


That was my first choice.  We're on the same page so far...


franandaj said:


> a Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay.


Still white... 3 for 3...


franandaj said:


> I had the Simple Market Green Salad, Chardonnay Vinaigrette. It was basically a salad.


So, you might even say it was... a simple salad?





franandaj said:


> Fran was served a Pinot Noir


Ah... knew it couldn't last.


franandaj said:


> She had the Winter Chestnut Soup


This was my first choice. 


franandaj said:


> Everything about that sounded lovely to me, except the Cauliflower, so I asked if they could make it without. It ended up that they joked that my Cauliflower went for S’s dinner, and they made her something similar but vegan.



You don't say what the catch of the day was?
I had the most difficulty with this course. I might have ordered that depending on what it was.
And I too may have turned my nose up at the cauli.


franandaj said:


> her Grilled Venison Chop


I _might_ have ordered that. 
This course really would've depended on my mood at the time. Catch of the day, depending on fish, probably would have been first choice, though.


franandaj said:


> I ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Cremeax


And again, my first choice. 
We seem to have fairly similar tastes... at least with this menu.


franandaj said:


> I quickly realized that I had ordered the inferior dessert and that the Sticky Toffee Date Cake, Tangerine Creme, Bananas Foster Sauce was the superior choice.


Really! Huh. I'm glad you got to try both, though.


franandaj said:


>


Very nice shot of you two. 
And you _know_ I absolutely love your dress.


----------



## Steppesister

franandaj said:


> Well, maybe not my Gibson....



Well, okay, maybe not that.  



franandaj said:


> How fun that you have a Happy Hour in your little community!



It IS lovely. We sit out a lot and chat and drink cocktails with yummy nibblies. 



franandaj said:


> I’m sure many of you know how difficult it is maintaining two trip reports.



Umm, yes. Yes, I do. 



franandaj said:


> They were the most well behaved young men and dressed in their Dr. Who costumes from the previous Halloween, the staff complimented them on having been the "best dressed" young men they had ever seen visit the club.


I'm so glad!! It's refreshing to see well-behaved kids when the occasion calls for that. 



franandaj said:


>


I'd have gone with mussels, the apple salad, catch of the day, and the date cake. I'm so glad I got to see all but 1 of them.  And I'd have probably done a "light pairing" so as to avoid a stumbling out like 2 times before...


----------



## franandaj

I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. Two weeks ago Fran suffered a severe injury and has been hospitalized since. I’ve been up and back to the hospital several times daily to keep her company and find out her condition, etc. Last night she was transferred to a rehab facility which is somewhat more restrictive on visitation, so I’m only able to see her for about 1 hour per day now. I’ve got time at this point. I had this update all ready to go before this happened, so I thought I might as well post it. Most of you reading this thread are already subbed into my Fran updates, so this isn’t anything new, but I thought I would just explain to the lurkers and other folks out there what’s going on.

I know that I owe a couple of you some replies, and I'll see if I can get to that tomorrow, after my daily visit. 

Let’s go on a Scavenger Hunt!

Some of my readers are familiar with @Steppesister’s TRs where she likes to go on a Scavenger hunt. Well on this morning (the last full day of our little mid-week-weekend getaway), I read one of her TR updates on my phone where she had gone on a quest to hunt down the different colors of the rainbow. That seemed like a perfectly good approach to my day today.

We had planned this day to be our big park day with rides and everything. We took it easy the day before so that we could enjoy our big dinner, but the boys were ancy to get on more rides (they only did a few the day before).  The only order for these pictures is that they follow the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.

Starting off with the color red….





















And moving on to Orange













And the first half of the rainbow all in one shot





And on to yellow













One could argue that this could be either yellow or green, but I’m calling it yellow.





I’m going to take a quick break from the rainbow for lunch.  This trip was during the Lunar New Year Festival, and while it has gone on for quite a while, this is the first time that I have made it out (and to the kiosks) while it is running. It’s a very short festival, only a few weeks long. I was glad to try some of these items.









J and the boys wanted the Mickey Chinese Hot Dog Bun: Brioche-style Mickey-shaped buns stuffed with hot dog and finished with sesame seeds and scallions.  I wanted to try it, but wasn’t sure I wanted to buy a whole one.  Luckily they shared an ear with me.  It was OK, but I’m glad I didn’t get an entire one to myself.





These two booths were combined, you could order from both and then wait in line for the items for both.  These two booths were popular and had quite long lines.





From here I ordered three items that Jenny and I split.  Spicy Pork Dandan Noodles: Pan-fried noodles with ground pork and a spicy tri-chile blend sauce.  These were very tasty and not very spicy.





I also ordered Garlic Noodles: Long noodles tossed in a zesty garlic butter with Parmesan cheese, these were also very good!





And lastly we shared Shrimp Fried Rice with garlic bacon edamame, also very good.





Jenny picked up this one from Red Dragon Spice Traders. 





Spicy Three-Cup Chicken served on a bed of jasmine rice.  Again, this one wasn’t that spicy, but very tasty.





Now that we have been satiated with lunch, let’s resume our scavenger hunt with green.





















Moving on to Blue…..

















And finally Purple….

















And that wraps up the color scavenger hunt for the day!  One more update coming up.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. Two weeks ago Fran suffered a severe injury and has been hospitalized since.


I do know about that and I'll continue to wish you both well and Fran a speedy recovery.


franandaj said:


> Let’s go on a Scavenger Hunt!


Okay. 


franandaj said:


> Some of my readers are familiar with @Steppesister’s TRs where she likes to go on a Scavenger hunt.





franandaj said:


> they follow the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.


Hold on there!
Purple??? What happened to Indigo and Violet?

You know how I know that? Because I Googled. You know how I tell the difference between blue and indigo and violet and purple???

I don't. I'm a guy. There's no such colour as indigo and violet.


franandaj said:


>


Whoa.
Here's me trying to lose a few pounds and I see this right out of the gate. I think I gained a pound just looking at that!  


franandaj said:


>


I find it interesting that the paint is flaking off that hydrant.


franandaj said:


>


Wait... is that salmon?? I thought you didn't like salmon?


franandaj said:


>


 


franandaj said:


>


Hey! That's cheating! One colour at a time!


franandaj said:


>


Love the springs on the boots.


franandaj said:


> One could argue that this could be either yellow or green, but I’m calling it yellow.


It's your TR... you could call it puce (another colour that doesn't exist) if you want.


franandaj said:


> This trip was during the Lunar New Year Festival, and while it has gone on for quite a while, this is the first time that I have made it out (and to the kiosks) while it is running. It’s a very short festival, only a few weeks long.


Cool! Was that at DTD?


franandaj said:


>


That just doesn't appeal. It looks like someone said "Just grab a plain ol' Mickey pretzel and shove some cut up wieners on it."


franandaj said:


>


That looks good.


franandaj said:


> I also ordered Garlic Noodles: Long noodles tossed in a zesty garlic butter with Parmesan cheese, these were also very good!


Really! And yet, so simple. Huh.


franandaj said:


> And lastly we shared Shrimp Fried Rice with garlic bacon edamame, also very good.


mmmmm... fried rice? Yes please.


franandaj said:


> Spicy Three-Cup Chicken served on a bed of jasmine rice. Again, this one wasn’t that spicy, but very tasty.


Not surprised it wasn't too spicy. They know the majority of their clientele won't eat it if it's too spicy. 


franandaj said:


>


I know Mike is green, but he sure looks yellow in that photo.


franandaj said:


>


yusssss...


franandaj said:


>


Look, too colours of the rainbow...


franandaj said:


> And that wraps up the color scavenger hunt for the day!


That was fun.


----------



## pooh'smate

I am so sorry to hear about Fran and send her well wishes for a speedy recovery.


----------



## cruisehopeful

Very sorry to hear about Fran. I hope you are both doing the best that you can through it.


----------



## rndmr2

So sorry to hear about Fran, hope she is doing well at rehab. Glad to see an update. I just came home from my trip yesterday and started my TR if you are interested.


----------



## franandaj

tiggrbaby said:


> What a lovely picture of the two of you!



Thank you very much!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Actually... no. I've never run two at once. I find one _more_ than enough to handle. _Especially_ if I'm running a contest.


Yeah, it's tough.....


pkondz said:


> Ugh, how I understand this. I've rebooked my cruise for this fall and I'm not at all sure that it will happen either. It too was originally planned for 2020.


I've rebooked my cruise, I don't know how many times.  I really hope that Fran is up for it by February.  Hopefully she is all healed and maybe just want to rest.  I have a bunch of friends on it, so she could chill out in the room and mostly come out for meals and some light touring.  


pkondz said:


> Such a pretty table setting.


Yes, it very much is, but I've actually got a better one for the Bonus features after the next TR.


pkondz said:


> All right... I've made my choices. We'll see how closely we match...


Okey dokey!


pkondz said:


> I'm on board so far.





pkondz said:


> This was my second choice.


OK.....


pkondz said:


> 2 for 2 with the wine so far...


Well you would have only received one of them....and you could have told them you like sweeter white wines and they would have tailored the wines to your taste.


pkondz said:


> That was my first choice.  We're on the same page so far...


I loved this app. If I had ever been in some sort of situation where I might have been able to order single menu items off this menu, I may have ordered that app on multiple occasions....   


pkondz said:


> Still white... 3 for 3...





pkondz said:


> So, you might even say it was... a simple salad?


I can't seem to find a drumset emoji, to reply to this....


pkondz said:


> Ah... knew it couldn't last.


Sorry.....


pkondz said:


> This was my first choice.


See I'm not a nut fan. Not sure if I've ever tasted Chestnuts and not sure what a soup of them would taste like.  I didn't look like something I would really like, but I'm sure she did.


pkondz said:


> You don't say what the catch of the day was?
> I had the most difficulty with this course. I might have ordered that depending on what it was.
> And I too may have turned my nose up at the cauli.


From looking at it, the fish was either Halibut or Cod.  I'm guessing Halibut.


pkondz said:


> I _might_ have ordered that.
> This course really would've depended on my mood at the time. Catch of the day, depending on fish, probably would have been first choice, though.


Yeah, that was my take too.


pkondz said:


> And again, my first choice.
> We seem to have fairly similar tastes... at least with this menu.


Except after tasting it, I didn't like it as much as the other one.


pkondz said:


> Really! Huh. I'm glad you got to try both, though.


Yeah, anything Sticky Toffee and dates, I should have known. And I may have been able to taste this again, had I had the chance to order single items off this menu.


pkondz said:


> Very nice shot of you two.
> And you _know_ I absolutely love your dress.



Of course you do! And you actually recognize it!


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I've rebooked my cruise, I don't know how many times.


I've only rebooked once, but... I waited until the last possible minute on my cruise credit before it expired. And I booked for as far ahead in the future I could too. (CC expired 2021 and had to be used by end of 2022)


franandaj said:


> I really hope that Fran is up for it by February.


I hope so too. Sure sounds like she's making progress. She walked quite a long ways yesterday!


franandaj said:


> Well you would have only received one of them....and you could have told them you like sweeter white wines and they would have tailored the wines to your taste.


Ah!


franandaj said:


> I loved this app. If I had ever been in some sort of situation where I might have been able to order single menu items off this menu, I may have ordered that app on multiple occasions....


Whoa. You _really _liked it!


franandaj said:


> I can't seem to find a drumset emoji, to reply to this....








I have one on file.
(Except I can't access them when I'm at work... ah well.)



franandaj said:


> See I'm not a nut fan.


I'm not either... but in a weird way.
I will gladly munch on peanuts or other nuts (salted or honey roasted or BBQ mostly.) But I _never_ want them mixed with other things. I don't want walnuts in a Waldorf Salad or brownies. But I like peanut butter and love a PB&J milkshake.


franandaj said:


> Not sure if I've ever tasted Chestnuts


I _may_ have... when I was a kid, mom would put out a bowl of nuts with a nutcracker. I'm pretty sure there were some in there? Maybe?
But that was over 100 years ago, so...


franandaj said:


> Except after tasting it, I didn't like it as much as the other one.


Still... we would've picked the same thing and both regretted our choices afterwards. 


franandaj said:


> Of course you do! And you actually recognize it!


----------



## franandaj

Steppesister said:


> Well, okay, maybe not that.





Steppesister said:


> It IS lovely. We sit out a lot and chat and drink cocktails with yummy nibblies.


Sounds like fun!


Steppesister said:


> Umm, yes. Yes, I





Steppesister said:


> I'm so glad!! It's refreshing to see well-behaved kids when the occasion calls for that.


They are very sweet and well behaved boys.


Steppesister said:


> I'd have gone with mussels, the apple salad, catch of the day, and the date cake. I'm so glad I got to see all but 1 of them.  And I'd have probably done a "light pairing" so as to avoid a stumbling out like 2 times before...


I thought you got to see all of them. That's pretty much what I ate.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I do know about that and I'll continue to wish you both well and Fran a speedy recovery.


Thank you very much! She is coming right along.


pkondz said:


> Hold on there!
> Purple??? What happened to Indigo and Violet?
> 
> You know how I know that? Because I Googled. You know how I tell the difference between blue and indigo and violet and purple???
> 
> I don't. I'm a guy. There's no such colour as indigo and violet.


I think Crayola invented those colors. Did you have the 64 color crayon kit up there in Canada?


pkondz said:


> Whoa.
> Here's me trying to lose a few pounds and I see this right out of the gate. I think I gained a pound just looking at that!


How can you need to lose a few pounds? You're already skinny! 


pkondz said:


> I find it interesting that the paint is flaking off that hydrant.


Now I'm going to look at that every time I walk by!


pkondz said:


> Wait... is that salmon?? I thought you didn't like salmon?


I don't like salmon, but it was on a buffet, so I took a picture.


pkondz said:


> Hey! That's cheating! One colour at a time!


Do you know how hard it was to find isolated colors????


pkondz said:


> Love the springs on the boots.


I didn't even notice those!


pkondz said:


> It's your TR... you could call it puce (another colour that doesn't exist) if you want.


Cool! 


pkondz said:


> Cool! Was that at DTD


No, all the festivals happen at DCA.


pkondz said:


> That just doesn't appeal. It looks like someone said "Just grab a plain ol' Mickey pretzel and shove some cut up wieners on it."


Yeah, the kids got two of them, so I'm glad that I got to try it without having to buy one.


pkondz said:


> That looks good.


It was. And I've seen it on menus since then, but I was afraid to try it in case it was spicy.


pkondz said:


> Really! And yet, so simple. Huh.


One of my favorites. I had it the other night. When I have spaghetti I make two piles on my (divided) plate, one with sauce, one with just butter and parmesan.


pkondz said:


> mmmmm... fried rice? Yes please.


Your comment here had me order chicken fried rice for 1st meal the other day. I just sat in the car in the parking lot while eating part of it. Then it had the rest for breakfast over the next two days.


pkondz said:


> Not surprised it wasn't too spicy. They know the majority of their clientele won't eat it if it's too spicy.


Yeah, I haven't had much at Disney that is truly spicy hot.


pkondz said:


> I know Mike is green, but he sure looks yellow in that photo.


I took that picture with my big camera, fast lens, and no flash....so.....


pkondz said:


> That was fun.


I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was a fun project to have that day rather than just documenting our day.


----------



## franandaj

pooh'smate said:


> I am so sorry to hear about Fran and send her well wishes for a speedy recovery.


Thank you very much, I appreciate it!


----------



## franandaj

cruisehopeful said:


> Very sorry to hear about Fran. I hope you are both doing the best that you can through it.


Thanks so much! We are trying to stay positive in this difficult time.


----------



## franandaj

rndmr2 said:


> So sorry to hear about Fran, hope she is doing well at rehab.


She's making rapid progress. Well ahead of what they expected!


rndmr2 said:


> Glad to see an update


I had this last update all ready to go before she went into the hospital, and hadn't had a chance to get to replies, so I just went ahead and posted it. I have one more left, but need to put it together.


rndmr2 said:


> I just came home from my trip yesterday and started my TR if you are interested.


Yes please, can you post the link?

I was going to suggest that i could come out and meet you for part of one of your DL days, and then she went into the hospital and lost all track of time.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Thank you very much! She is coming right along.


She sure is. 


franandaj said:


> I think Crayola invented those colors. Did you have the 64 color crayon kit up there in Canada?


I'm not sure? I know I personally didn't have one but I'm almost positive I saw some.


franandaj said:


> How can you need to lose a few pounds? You're already skinny!


Well... between injuries and illness I've put on a few (too many) pounds. And trying to lose them with all that ain't easy.


franandaj said:


> Now I'm going to look at that every time I walk by!


 Sorry!


franandaj said:


> I don't like salmon, but it was on a buffet, so I took a picture.


Ah. Okay, now that makes more sense.


franandaj said:


> Do you know how hard it was to find isolated colors????





franandaj said:


> No, all the festivals happen at DCA.


I had no idea. 


franandaj said:


> Yeah, the kids got two of them, so I'm glad that I got to try it without having to buy one.


Ah! Kids. Now it makes sense. I would've loved that when I was 8 or so.


franandaj said:


> Your comment here had me order chicken fried rice for 1st meal the other day.


You're welcome.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Yes please, can you post the link?


https://www.disboards.com/threads/k...-dlp-la-tr-4-6-4-13-22.3879782/#post-63933577


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> https://www.disboards.com/threads/k...-dlp-la-tr-4-6-4-13-22.3879782/#post-63933577



Thanks!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I've only rebooked once, but... I waited until the last possible minute on my cruise credit before it expired. And I booked for as far ahead in the future I could too. (CC expired 2021 and had to be used by end of 2022)


We rebooked the 2020 cruise about a month before to March of 2021.
In December 2020 we rebooked that cruise to March of 2022.
In November 2021 we rebooked that cruise to April of 2023
Just a few months ago we found out friends would be sailing on the same itinerary in Feb of 2023, and it was $2000 cheaper than our April 2023 cruise, so we rebooked again.



pkondz said:


> I hope so too. Sure sounds like she's making progress. She walked quite a long ways yesterday!


Yeah, but no therapy on weekends, so I did the in the bed exercises with her.


pkondz said:


> Whoa. You _really _liked it!





pkondz said:


> I have one on file.
> (Except I can't access them when I'm at work... ah well.)


That's the one.  I don't know how to "keep" it.


pkondz said:


> I'm not either... but in a weird way.
> I will gladly munch on peanuts


I like peanuts, can eat those quite a bit!


pkondz said:


> or other nuts (salted or honey roasted or BBQ mostly.)


Not a fan of too many other nuts...but can tolerate some of them. Starting to come around to cashews.


pkondz said:


> But I _never_ want them mixed with other things. I don't want walnuts in a Waldorf Salad or brownies.


Absolutely NOT!


pkondz said:


> But I like peanut butter and love a PB&J milkshake.


I like peanut butter, but not the jelly part.....


pkondz said:


> I _may_ have... when I was a kid, mom would put out a bowl of nuts with a nutcracker. I'm pretty sure there were some in there? Maybe?
> But that was over 100 years ago, so...


Yeah, Colbert made a joke last night that all three holidays (Easter, Passover, & Ramadan) haven't happened on the same day in over 30 years, so like 2020!  


pkondz said:


> Still... we would've picked the same thing and both regretted our choices afterwards.


That's one reason Fran usually gets the opposite of me because she knows I sometimes regret my choices, and she will eat just about anything, but brussel sprouts.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I'm not sure? I know I personally didn't have one but I'm almost positive I saw some.


It was super cool.  Even had a built in sharpener.


pkondz said:


> Well... between injuries and illness I've put on a few (too many) pounds. And trying to lose them with all that ain't easy.


What happened?????  


pkondz said:


> Ah! Kids. Now it makes sense. I would've loved that when I was 8 or so.


Yeah, the boys were all over it.  They are vegan at home so that made it even more exciting.  They're 11 and 6.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> We rebooked the 2020 cruise about a month before to March of 2021.
> In December 2020 we rebooked that cruise to March of 2022.
> In November 2021 we rebooked that cruise to April of 2023
> Just a few months ago we found out friends would be sailing on the same itinerary in Feb of 2023, and it was $2000 cheaper than our April 2023 cruise, so we rebooked again.


Way too much rescheduling. Hopefully this time it will work out for you two.


franandaj said:


> Yeah, but no therapy on weekends, so I did the in the bed exercises with her.


I was thinking of you around 1pm (my time... 11am yours.)
"Bet she's with Fran right about now.

Last night, I was reading the Google Doc while you were typing it. That was neat. Your name shows up above the words you're currently typing. There's a pause and then it jumps with 2-3 new words. It was like watching a ghost on my laptop.


franandaj said:


> That's the one. I don't know how to "keep" it.


I have mine saved on Photobucket... which means I can't use it or even see it when I'm at work.


franandaj said:


> Starting to come around to cashews.


gesundheit


franandaj said:


> Absolutely NOT!


You get it!


franandaj said:


> Yeah, Colbert made a joke last night that all three holidays (Easter, Passover, & Ramadan) haven't happened on the same day in over 30 years, so like 2020!





franandaj said:


> That's one reason Fran usually gets the opposite of me because she knows I sometimes regret my choices, and she will eat just about anything, but brussel sprouts.


I've always said "Fran is smart"


franandaj said:


> It was super cool. Even had a built in sharpener.


That rings a bell. I _must_ have seen it. 


franandaj said:


> What happened?????


Since last fall, I've injured my hip and my Achilles in both ankles. That lasted _months_. The left one is still a bit tender and I tend to limp if I've been sitting or lying down too long. Now I have Covid. Fun times.


franandaj said:


> Yeah, the boys were all over it. They are vegan at home so that made it even more exciting. They're 11 and 6.


What an interesting statement. "Vegan at home"... and they ate _hotdog_ meat when they weren't at home? Talk about extreme ends of the spectrum!


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I was thinking of you around 1pm (my time... 11am yours.)
> "Bet she's with Fran right about now.


Aww. That's sweet.


pkondz said:


> Last night, I was reading the Google Doc while you were typing it. That was neat. Your name shows up above the words you're currently typing. There's a pause and then it jumps with 2-3 new words. It was like watching a ghost on my laptop.


How fun! When Fran and I collaborate on things like letters to tenants we see the same thing, but I bet it was interesting for you to see as I was updating. 


pkondz said:


> I have mine saved on Photobucket... which means I can't use it or even see it when I'm at work.


I would have no idea how to save an emoji to photobucket.


pkondz said:


> I've always said "Fran is smart"





pkondz said:


> Since last fall, I've injured my hip and my Achilles in both ankles. That lasted _months_. The left one is still a bit tender and I tend to limp if I've been sitting or lying down too long. Now I have Covid. Fun times


Oh no! Do you know where you got your covid? I'm hoping to stay in the "never had covid" lane. So far I'm good and testing every other day now.


pkondz said:


> What an interesting statement. "Vegan at home"... and they ate _hotdog_ meat when they weren't at home? Talk about extreme ends of the spectrum!



Well Suzie keeps them vegan when they're at home, but the little one told Jenny (while she sat with him while we rode MF:SR) that his mom said he could eat anything on vacation.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Now I have Covid.


So if you have Covid dies that mean your are quarantine at home?


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> How fun! When Fran and I collaborate on things like letters to tenants we see the same thing, but I bet it was interesting for you to see as I was updating.





franandaj said:


> I would have no idea how to save an emoji to photobucket.


First find one... then save it. Not hard. 


franandaj said:


> Oh no! Do you know where you got your covid?


From one of the kids. Kay got it from her boyfriend. No idea where he got it, other than he works in retail, so could be from anywhere.


franandaj said:


> I'm hoping to stay in the "never had covid" lane. So far I'm good and testing every other day now.


I was hoping for that lane too.


franandaj said:


> So if you have Covid dies that mean your are quarantine at home?


I was, yes.
Yesterday was my first day where I felt I could safely interact again.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> First find one... then save it. Not hard.


To me emojis are a series of words or html code which usually begins with a semi colon and then has words after it like "laughing"  or "snooty"  or "teeth"   and not *.jpegs, *.tifs, or :*.gifs. So I don't understand where you "find" one and once you do, where you would "save" it.


pkondz said:


> From one of the kids. Kay got it from her boyfriend. No idea where he got it, other than he works in retail, so could be from anywhere


Most of the folks I know who have gotten covid, got it from their kids.


pkondz said:


> I was hoping for that lane too.


 


pkondz said:


> I was, yes.
> Yesterday was my first day where I felt I could safely interact again.


Do you have any lingering symptoms?


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> To me emojis are a series of words or html code which usually begins with a semi colon and then has words after it like "laughing"  or "snooty"  or "teeth"  and not *.jpegs, *.tifs, or :*.gifs. So I don't understand where you "find" one and once you do, where you would "save" it.



Take this one for instance. I downloaded it from https://www.animated-smileys.com/
I saved that one to my laptop, but I've saved them to Photobucket in the past so I could use them like I use the rest of my photos on a TR.


franandaj said:


> Most of the folks I know who have gotten covid, got it from their kids.


Rotten kids!

And... not at all surprised by that.


franandaj said:


> Do you have any lingering symptoms?


Yes. I still have a tiny bit of a cough. Most notably in the evening. Throughout the day, I'm constantly clearing my throat. I also have a persistent ringing in my ears that I didn't have before.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> Take this one for instance. I downloaded it from https://www.animated-smileys.com/
> I saved that one to my laptop, but I've saved them to Photobucket in the past so I could use them like I use the rest of my photos on a TR.


OK, that's interesting. I downloaded this one.  



And uploaded it to photobucket!  


pkondz said:


> Rotten kids!
> 
> And... not at all surprised by that.


Yup. Teenagers are invincible so it's no wonder they don't think they'd get it.


pkondz said:


> Yes. I still have a tiny bit of a cough. Most notably in the evening. Throughout the day, I'm constantly clearing my throat. I also have a persistent ringing in my ears that I didn't have before.


Sorry about that.  Fran has been suffering from tinnitis for years. Hopefully the cough is getting better.


----------



## franandaj

Time To Say Bu-Bye!

This will be my final update on this thread. I think it's about time to wrap it up. A year ago we were all celebrating the reopening of Disneyland, and now it's almost back to normal (kind of). Physical character meet and greets are back, so all those poor folks can now get slapped, kicked, and bitten by unruly children. And while a lot is returning to normal, as I said when this first started, I'm not sure we will ever go back to where we were before. 

I think some of the things that aren't going away are QR code menus, curbside pickup, mobile orders (ever been inside a McDonald's lately?). And many of those things are in effect at DL, so as we enter our phase of new normal, so ends this TR.

On our last day of our January trip, in addition to the photo scavenger hunt, I took a lot of dark ride photos, so I thought I would share a few of the better ones. I don't think that they need much commentary.

We started off at Monsters Inc.













We did a bunch of other rides, but they weren’t dark rides so I didn’t take pictures, or if I did, you saw them in the scavenger hunt post. So later in the day we hopped over to DL and I snapped these dark ride photos.

































Then we popped over to Pirates….





I have been trying for years to get this shot, and this is the first time I’ve been able to get a clear shot.

































Here kitty kitty…..

























And just because this thread is coming to an end doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the fun.  I’ve got a WDW TR going on here, and once that trip is wrapped up the DL bonus features will continue there.


----------



## rndmr2

Great dark ride pics, love the Pirates ones, I was so sad that was closed when I was there. Wow, it's been a month already.


----------



## franandaj

rndmr2 said:


> Great dark ride pics, love the Pirates ones


Thanks!  I was pretty pleased with these since I have to manually focus to take them.  If I put the lens on Autofocus, it gets confused where to focus and doesn't take any pictures.


rndmr2 said:


> I was so sad that was closed when I was there. Wow, it's been a month already.



I was so lucky to ride it one more time in late February.  I was so sad on our March trip when we were there for the weekend and it was all closed down.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> OK, that's interesting. I downloaded this one.
> 
> 
> 
> And uploaded it to photobucket!


And being at work... I can't see it!

And... that means I can't see any of your update. I'll have to come back later.  


franandaj said:


> Yup. Teenagers are invincible so it's no wonder they don't think they'd get it.





franandaj said:


> Sorry about that. Fran has been suffering from tinnitis for years. Hopefully the cough is getting better.


Cough is better. 
tinnitis is not bad now. It's there, but I have to stop and think "Is it there? <pause> Yep!"


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> And being at work... I can't see it!
> 
> And... that means I can't see any of your update. I'll have to come back later.


I think you will be amused by the emoji.

The update will be there when you get home.


pkondz said:


> Cough is better.
> tinnitis is not bad now. It's there, but I have to stop and think "Is it there? <pause> Yep!"


Sorry you're still having the thing in the ears, but glad the cough is better.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Physical character meet and greets are back, so all those poor folks can now get slapped, kicked, and bitten by unruly children.




I guess I shouldn't laugh, but... pretty funny the way you put it. 


franandaj said:


> And while a lot is returning to normal, as I said when this first started, I'm not sure we will ever go back to where we were before.


<sigh>
I'd like to think so, but... nothing ever does, does it? Always changing.


franandaj said:


>


Nice shot of this guest getting scared...


franandaj said:


>


Yusss...
Loved all the HM shots.


franandaj said:


> Then we popped over to Pirates….


Yo, ho!


franandaj said:


> I have been trying for years to get this shot, and this is the first time I’ve been able to get a clear shot.


Which one?
This next one...


franandaj said:


>


Or this next one?


franandaj said:


>





franandaj said:


>


Know you like that one for the sheet music.


franandaj said:


>


Don't hide there... Amber will find you.


franandaj said:


>


<sigh> Ah well


franandaj said:


>


There ya go. She'll never find you there.


franandaj said:


> Here kitty kitty…..


You like that, don't you. 


franandaj said:


>


Still miffed that only _one_ person recognized it when I dressed like that for MNSSHP.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> I think you will be amused by the emoji.


 I was!


franandaj said:


> Sorry you're still having the thing in the ears, but glad the cough is better.


I don't know if I'm just getting used to it or it's faded a bit... but the ringing isn't as bad now.
Still there, though.


----------



## franandaj

pkondz said:


> I guess I shouldn't laugh, but... pretty funny the way you put it.


Well, I've heard horror stories about what some of those kids do to characters.  Evidently Gaston really gets a lot of abuse.


pkondz said:


> <sigh>
> I'd like to think so, but... nothing ever does, does it? Always changing.


And yet so many things stay just the same.


pkondz said:


> Nice shot of this guest getting scared...





pkondz said:


> Yusss...
> Loved all the HM shots.


Thank you!  


pkondz said:


> Which one?
> This next one...


No, I have a ton of that one....there's a lot of light in that shot.


pkondz said:


> Or this next one?


Both of them.  The light flickers on the helmsman, lightning you know.  The drinking skeletons are in the dark. Super hard to get.


pkondz said:


> Know you like that one for the sheet music.


Yup. And I have a ton of that one too.  Also well lit.


pkondz said:


> Don't hide there... Amber will find you.


 


pkondz said:


> <sigh> Ah well


I know, at least I have a figurine of the pretty one.


pkondz said:


> There ya go. She'll never find you there.


Good one!


pkondz said:


> You like that, don't you.





pkondz said:


> Still miffed that only _one_ person recognized it when I dressed like that for MNSSHP.


Sorry.....  


pkondz said:


> I don't know if I'm just getting used to it or it's faded a bit... but the ringing isn't as bad now.
> Still there, though.


Ugh, I hope it goes away.


----------



## pkondz

franandaj said:


> Well, I've heard horror stories about what some of those kids do to characters. Evidently Gaston really gets a lot of abuse.


That doesn’t surprise me at all. 


franandaj said:


> And yet so many things stay just the same.


Some. 


franandaj said:


> Both of them. The light flickers on the helmsman, lightning you know. The drinking skeletons are in the dark. Super hard to get.


Ah. 


franandaj said:


> Sorry.....


they _better_ recognize me at the next one!
Have to get started collecting costume parts. 


franandaj said:


> Ugh, I hope it goes away.


Me too.


----------



## Captain_Oblivious

franandaj said:


> Physical character meet and greets are back, so all those poor folks can now get slapped, kicked, and bitten by unruly children


And probably a few adults!


franandaj said:


> I have been trying for years to get this shot, and this is the first time I’ve been able to get a clear shot.


These turned out really well! I admire your perserverance.

Trying to finally get caught up around here!  I haven't been on the boards much lately.


----------

