November Trip Reports

[Teamubr]

I'm already working to get spun back up with WDW happenings and (Joe will be happy) my spread sheet is already filling in with plans for 2024. I already got the eye roll from DW.

You got a second eye roll here from my DW. I think it was directed more at me and was intended as a warning that it is way too early.

I interpret that as a passive-aggressive confirmation to proceed in my book, Jack.

I think that's the only logical way to interpret it. Carry on!

j

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

You got a second eye roll here from my DW. I think it was directed more at me and was intended as a warning that it is way too early.

I think that's the only logical way to interpret it. Carry on!

j

It's never too early. Especially for as complex WDW gets. Take it from Ike:

 

[tigger92662]

Joe will be happy) my spread sheet is already filling in with plans for 2024

Love them spreadsheets.
Mine is a legal pad filled with notes front to back (both sides) and random doodling. Somewhat akin to acting like I'm taking notes at an important work meeting

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1. We had such a great time doing a weekday breakfast with Ed and wife.
. . . we had to leave our house mid-AM for the ressie time
. . . when retired for several years, this can be a challenge
. . . after all, time-of-day and clocks no longer matter
. . . and, except Sunday, EVERY DAY is Saturday
2. It was pre-COVID when we last were able to meet and enjoy "DIS-time" together
3. This was our first visit to the Contemporary eatery since the name change from "Waves".
. . . my guess is that it had weak revenue due to the name
. . . at first look, it sounds too much like a seafood-themed eatery
. . . unless checking the menu, folks would skip over it for other restaurants
. . . the new name firmly says "BEEF, BEEF, BEEF"
4. Not much difference inside, and (to us) only slight menu changes, except more meat entrees.
5. We plan to rent a cabin for an anticipated 2024 Diz-Meet at The Fort.
. . . might not be in the same loop as other DIZ-Meet campers
. . . but, close enough for meeting-greeting-seating-eating

NOTE-1:
Ed said for our next meal together he would buy. . . . I suggest Victoria & Albert's.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Been a little while since wife and I visited parks.
Although we get in free, we have to get a reservation.
More ressies are opening, but they go fast.
We will go during Christmas holiday top view all the nightime lights at MK.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I didn't look at it but will next time I'm in there. ED

Best viewing before promising

 

[bama_ed]

Rain.

Cold.

Nice day to not be in the parks now.

Watched college football yesterday and cooked chicken fried rice for dinner on Blackstone. I did make it to site 401 for some night pix. Again, starting at the rear of the site facing the 3way stop and moving around to entrance of 400 loop:













Apparently not all the lights in the inflatables were working?

Did go to church this morning and got the golf cart on way back to site.



Before going to bed last night I put up my sidewalls on the EZ ups. Good thing I did.





But in the next post, I'll relay our triumphant victory at Campfire Bridge this morning.

Bama Ed

 

[Teamubr]

We plan to rent a cabin for an anticipated 2024 Diz-Meet at The Fort.

NOTE-1:
Ed said for our next meal together he would buy. . . . I suggest Victoria & Albert's.

Thats great Scupper! We also plan on heading down for 2024. It will be great to see you again.

And where else would you go with Ed buying?

j

 

[bama_ed]

Campfire Bridge (between campfire singalong theater and 600 loop). I'll remember it till my dying day.

Went to Meadow TP before church and then to the campfire singalong area towards 1400 bus stop.

But me and my folks saw two birds on the handrails of Campfire Bridge. And they were up to no good.

Turned out the whole gang of no goods was there with 'em blocking the bridge. These two were the lookout men.

Once I caught the lookouts' attention, I let them know who they were up against.

They turned to leave and, wanting a peaceful end to the bridge occupation, I let them go kindly.

But once safely off the bridge, the bad guys turned to challenge us for one last time.

I can't begin to describe the carnage. Feathers were EVERYwhere.

But I'm here now to tell you we kept the bridge and town safe against bad influences. This here's a peaceful campground and it's gonna stay that way.

Bama Ed

PS - steady drizzle for now. HDDR at 4pm. Go to sleep early and get to DHS for Early Entry tomorrow.

 

[Sj disney]

Great report bama Ed We’re going to hddr on the 22 of December so looking forward to your report

 

[bama_ed]

@bama_ed loving your report!
& with @JP6972 , tell us (me) a bit more of the temps since arrival at the Fort!

Sweater weather in the am, pm, all the time, some of the time?
Hot hot hot?

My current plan is Florida roughly Oct 28 to Nov 17 2023, staying at the Fort roughly Nov 1-17, so same timeframe!
('course we all know how weather can vary!)

Well I can offer an opinion since I was here this year for Halloween and came back two weeks later to start this Thanksgiving trip. Of course, keep in mind it's a sample size of only 1 (as in 1 year of data - this year).

Halloween week was still high in the 80s and lows in the 70s. There were two nights in the five we were here that I needed the AC in the Aliner at night. But not to provide a cooler temp but instead to dehumidify the air in the camper. It was still humid in the evenings.

Fast forward to a week ago when we checked into the Fort. It was highs about 80 and low mid 60s. No AC needed. Lows did slip into t he 50s later in the week. Today we start a 3 day period of rain with highs in mid70s to 80 and lows in 60s.

So I think generally speaking the first part of your trip will be warm and humid still but by the end will be nice and cooler. One thing I have to remind myself about Florida weather is that at this time of year when you have a clear blue sky with lots of sunshine, it's great during the day but can get cool at night. There are no clouds in the sky to hold in the heat of the day. So cloudy nights are generally warmer than clear nights. And humid mornings will generally have a shower sometime during the day.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Hoop Dee Doo Review tonight was fun and good. I think it was my 4th paid visit (5th if you count the unpaid).

We were in the 3rd row of tables from the stage left side (party of 6 adults) of the open floor (Category 1 booked at 60+7). Garland and wreaths both with colored lights were all over Pioneer Hall.





They give each table a little info card to let you know your drink options and food offerings will be.





The beer/wine/sangria option is no longer "unlimited" as it used to be (which would depend on how quickly your server slow-rolled your replacments). Now it is limited to 2 alcoholic beverage which (at least the wine and sangria at our table) were served in small glasses. You got your 2 limit right away so in other words no asking for any more.



I got a diet Coke along with my Chardonnay and of course the soda got refilled as needed.

The songs are completely royalty free now and are okay. Of course there was the royalty tiff a few years ago. Some of the puns in the jokes didn't get many laughs. But the sold out crowd enjoyed the show and participated with gusto. Here was our cast.



Our Claire de Lune (blond) lady has been in the Players group in the past - I remember her. She still has that perfact laugh.



However, I am always a big fan of Flora (much like Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island"). And Jim always gets to sing to her and be her dance partner the most.





The cast was strong. We got some attention down on the floor from Dolly:



during the part of the show where she and Six Bits divide the audience and each leads half to determine who can cheer the loudest. Dolly chose our table (on Six Bit's side) to claim she wanted us to cheer with her side. She asked my name and used it about 3 times in that part of the show to say how much she liked how we supported her.

The food was okay. With six adults at the table we got the same food portions as a table of 4 next to us so the sides barely made it around the table once (and then with meager portions on the plate) before needing refilled. And given the small, limited wine servings, it was enough but we had a hard working server who kept up with us and did a remarkable job. Of course, strawberry shortcake and washboards with spoons came out at the end. As we left, the 615pm show guests were already lined up outside for their show.

The rain had mostly stopped when we checked in for the show about 330pm and is very sparse still even now.

Did some looping after HDDR. Pics in the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

We rode 1600 and 1700 first and not much there. (inflatables don't count unless it's a massive display like 401)

1200 had some great light displays. This was one early interior site:





I appreciated all the Christmas trees that were set up and lit.

Around the curve on the outside were two side by side sites that I liked.





In 1100 early there was a good interior site:



Also rode 900, 600, and 800 with not a lot to show for it. And 700 underperformed.

Up early tomorrow to drive to DHS. We got our touring plan down. And a Sci-Fi Diner lunch (never been there). We are rope drop to close folks. Rain chances drop in half tomorrow morning. So cross your fingers for us.

Bama Ed

 

[tigger92662]

2 questions Ed? Did you happen to see what the souvenir character cup was at HDDR and looks like Michael Jackson moonwalking in the 1st picture of the 5 er's?

 

[4077]

Rain chances drop in half tomorrow morning. So cross your fingers for us.

Looking at aviation radar now and looks dry… enjoy your DHS day!!

 

[bama_ed]

So far so good Jimmy. Partly cloudy skies. Ed

 

[bama_ed]

I just willingly got in a line with a posted 165 minute wait time at 4pm Eastern. Pray for us!

Yes Rise of the Resistance.

Bama Ed

Ps - ok flame away at me

 

[bama_ed]

Intense. Got to preshow in 110 min.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Yesterday was Hollywood Studios day and the rain stayed away all day which was great. We had a few false starts trying to get away before we piled in the car and got over there and parked in the first row of cars for general parking. Our plan the kids had come up with was Rock-n-Roller Coaster first, Mickey's Runaway Railroad, next, and Millennium Falcon third.

We queued up a ways back from the turnstiles. Park opening was 830am so Early Entry was 800am.





Turnstiles opened at 730am.

Queued up again on Sunset Boulevard.



Walked on to RNR. It's probably my last time to ride it. I don't enjoy it any more (but know all the music of course). Guess that means I'm getting old.

Only a 25 minute wait for Mickey's Runaway Railroad which was cute.



The one thing about it is that I will say it is sensory overload. Spoken lines, video screens, the car turning and twisting, kind of hard to keep up with it all.

Walked down Grand Avenue past our lunch spot Sci-Fi Diner and through the tunnel to Galaxy's Edge.



It's a BIG addition to a theme park (unlike some other WDW past attempts) and very immersive. I barely felt like I was in a theme park (restrooms, outside merch vendors, and counter service restaurants gave it way lol).





Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run was an 80 minute wait but it's another simulator ride so we broke up and went through the Single Rider line and I being the last one of our group to ride had to wait less than 10 minutes in Single line. The simulator part was fine but I enjoyed the exacting interior of the MF known from the first Star Wars movie in 1977.





In fact I would have been fine with it as a walk-through if there was another 10 yards or so of realistic ship and maybe a view of the cockpit.

The next target on the plan was Tower of Terror and on the way out of Galaxy's Edge DS1 got some Blue Milk.



More in the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

I felt bad for the kids because they stood in line for ToT for two hours (only one shaft was operating).



And as they got indoors in the line into the hotel lobby and ALMOST into the library pre-show, the second shaft shut down and the ride was closed and all guests had to leave. They were bummed.

Meanwhile, me and DW (I don't do ToT no more either) waited outside the gift shop and got a view of Goofy and son Maxie as they entertained the folks waiting in line.





We had time to catch The Muppets 3-D (kids remember it from their youth) and we were close to Sci-Fi for lunch. Service was attentive and food was good but slow to come out of the kitchen. It was dark so no pix but I got the burger offering of the day which was a Surf n Turf burger of a beef patty, crab cake, and arugula salad on top which was all surprisingly good. And I got the onion rings upgrade.

After lunch we split up kids one way old folks the other. DW and I BARELY made it into the last row for the 2pm Beauty and the Beast Show on Sunset. Still good. Then we headed for the Indy Jones show and took some pix along the way.



Live a capella group singing Christmas songs (caught only the last one).



Followed by a Santa Cavalcade (all on the way to the Indy show).







The Indy show is basically the same as it's been for the last 3 decades.



The difference now is MUCH seating is devoted to Lightning Lane guests and a Standby queue is allowed in 15 minutes before show start to fill in the ends or stand in back at the top. (we found 2 empty bench seats in the LL section).

The Christmas Tree at Studios is set up in the lake outside the Indy entrance near the blue dinosaur.



Finally it was time to head for Rise of the Resistance.

Bama Ed