The ABCs of Starting Over- OR to KY Roadtrip + WDW 50th Ann. Trip 9/28-10/4; Day 6 and REPORT COMPLETE!

[Steppesister]

We made that mistake the first time they offered the early morning hours for resort guests. I think it has totally ruined Jungle Cruise for us, since the rope drop advantage is gone. But we have enjoyed Peter Pan with early hours. PP is an all time favorite that brings back memories of WDW when our kids were young and MK was the only park.

Perfectly said. The only solution I've found is do 1 or 2 rides in FLand and then line up at the Morimoto rope and get to JC first thing when they walk you back there. You will just about tie with the other crowd coming from the Crystal Palace rope.

ou are speaking the absolute truth on this one. I love bacon but it doesn't help the situation.

Nor all of the yummy cheese plates or charcuteries I seem to order when there. Not to mention the lack of salads and other healthier options.

I love Buzz because I receive intense pleasure when I get a better score than my husband, which isn't very often anymore. I made the mistake of telling him where some of the 100,000 point targets were.

I don't think I've ever beaten anyone ever. LOL!!!! Even if I knew where the bonus targets were I can never find my laser point, so it's all moot!!!

 

[franandaj]

I really enjoyed it a lot. Well done historical site to be sure.

I'm trying to get back into the swing of things here and I started back in San Antonio before I realized I got through Louisiana, but I took a look at my Mission San Jose pictures from 2005 and yes we did did go there. I even took a bunch of the same pictures you did, that Rose Window was almost identical!

I just realized that I'm on page 46, so we will see if I can start to catch up.

It was so very nice of the locals to come wish us well on our journey!

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This is why I sleep in air conditioned chain hotels!!!!

The meal was quite delicious!

I'll have to remember that place if we ever get back there.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Thank you very much. More from an upcoming trip at some point, but once I get back from Disney, Baltimore, and Italy, I have to jump right inot my next term and I'll be off the DIS again until I can finish my courses up.

Lots of exciting times ahead for you. Thank you for taking the time to share your 50th trip before you get stuck in to your next adventure.

 

[ambula603]

I have laughed and giggled at so many parts of your trip report! I feel like I am right there with you.

 

[missjackiemcg]

SO completely agree with you on the nighttime projection shows. I much prefer the fireworks shows, and would be ever so happy if they would bring back Wishes, especially

 

[Steppesister]

R is for: Right Where I Belong


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... nice touring ahead for your reading enjoyment, some mediocre photography, food porn, stories of Lost and (maybe) Found, thrills, chills, and no frills!!!

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Sighhhh..... One last day at Disney. A satisfaction and happiness washed over me and I know that must sound counterintuitive, but it had been such a lovely trip full of so many wonderful moments and blessings. I had gotten to see and do so many beautiful things with so many wonderful people, I really had nothing in the world to complain about. I truly was ready to have one last day of fun and then head home to concentrate on setting up my new home and starting a new job. But for then, for that day, I would seek to be in the moment and be grateful.

The day started out in the most delightful way...with a spoonful of sugar and then some. Mary Ellen and Denny and I chose to meet up at Olivia's- a place I'd never tried before. I kept hearing about the amazing Bloody Mary's and after checking out the menu on A.llears, I was really looking forward to it! I really have no idea how I got there except that it must have been by Lyft since there are no buses going from resort to resort.

We were seated right away in this cute little Old Key West themed restaurant. The banana leaf ceiling fans slowly spun while looking down on a relaxed vibe of nowhere-to-go-in-a-hurry. Seaside bric-a-brac and cheery pastels calm the otherwise frenetic space that Disney can be.

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Mary Ellen and I both started with a Bloody Mary and it did not disappoint. I get one about once a year and this one sure went down easy. It was perfectly spicy and came with a generous garnish of a brekkie appetizer- shrimp, bacon, olive, and celery. Yummy!! Obviously, I had some coffee too.

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I have no idea what the other 2 ordered now, a year later, but for myself I asked for:

Banana Bread French Toast, Topped with Bahamian Banana-Rum Syrup, Coconut Whipped Cream, and served with choice of Bacon or Sausage $16

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Holy Toastaroni!! This was so fantastic! I LOVED this, even being a non-sweets-for-breakfast girl. It was super filling and a very generous portion so, as per my usual, I only ate about half. I hate wasting money like that. I wonder if this could be ordered as a half portion or a la carte?

By 11:00 we had settled the bill and they, being the good people they are, drove me over to AK for my park start. By then it was already hot, so my goal was to simply take it slow, walk around soaking in the atmosphere, and head to Rafiki's for a bit.

I loitered in the Oasis Area for a bit, and was thrilled to see Annie the Anteater out and about. It's not often that she is; I think I've honestly only ever seen her one other time in all my years going. It was shocking to see how enormous she is! Seriously, I would NOT want to run into her in the rain forest. I know I'm not on her regular diet, but I'd probably scream and then she'd just run me over leaving me there for the scavengers to enjoy.

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I made it then to the TOL where the Winged Encounters Show was about to start so grabbed a spot right where I knew the birds would land. With a cacophony that rivaled anything that a bevy of teens at a rave could make, a couple dozen birds swooped in to the amazement of those gathered. The splashes of color, the screeching of a flock of hungry birds, and the backdrop of the Tree of Life makes for a very impressive show. After a bit of gangsta in-fighting over the food bits and a quick spiel by the handlers, they took off again back to their homes leaving me wondering where to turn next.

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I ducked in that little area with the otters since they were right there and caught a bit of swimming action going on. These little guys are just so darned cute! I never get very good photos from here, but they are fun to watch for a bit if you remember next time you're there.

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While there, I also caught a glimpse of Gigantor the Catfish. If you've not seen him either, you've missed a rather impressive specimen of nature.

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With my lackadaisical 'tude, I was amused at this sign I'd never noticed. It may come in very handy on FB.

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I had no pressing desire to go on any rides or stand in any lines whatsover, so headed for the train to go out to another favorite spot. I've done loads of drawings over the years and I don't think I've ever had a repeat. This was certainly a unique one in the lineup and really fun to see turn out in the end. I'm still trying to figure out a way to bind them, or display them, or somehow or other do something with them.

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Speaking of "the end", I needed to hit up the restroom and found this very encouraging little bit: Remember friends, no matter how bad your day is going, at least you didn't start out life like this.

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I also used my time in the Conservation Station Potty to admire the artwork. Seems like the bathroom is a perfectly legit place to display nice art.

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Exiting the Train Station, I noticed this on one of the buildings:

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Enquiring minds wanted to know! Who'd have thought there'd be a "Media Station" right here in "Africa"!!!

Time to head back out and make my way to the park exit... slowly. I did have one unfortunate stop to make as I went- Guest Services. When I went to buy something, or for some other reason, use my brand new AP card, it wasn't there. Well, at least where I was fairly certain I'd put it. I mean it was less than 3 hours old!! (I bought it coming into the park because I had 2 unused tickets to put towards it.) You might be wondering just how dumb one person can be. Or maybe not. Nevertheless, it took almost 45 minutes to explain what happened (I suspected it had fallen out of my wallet while I was getting something out), get a new card issued, get a new receipt, etc... the good news is that the new card I did get was a 50th Anniversary edition one instead of the yellow generic one. So I suppose it was worth the wait, I guess. With my new swag, I made my way to the buses for some last minute park time before heading to the airport.

I'll give you a hint... maybe these provided some inducement....

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[Steppesister]

I'm trying to get back into the swing of things here and I started back in San Antonio before I realized I got through Louisiana, but I took a look at my Mission San Jose pictures from 2005 and yes we did did go there. I even took a bunch of the same pictures you did, that Rose Window was almost identical!

I just realized that I'm on page 46, so we will see if I can start to catch up.

Well you have your work cut out for you! I threw up my 50th Trip TR in record time so it could be done before I start my travels!

This is why I sleep in air conditioned chain hotels!!!!

To be fair, this little guy was outside on the car when we went to load up.

I'll have to remember that place if we ever get back there.

And I hope you do get back there someday!

 

[Steppesister]

Lots of exciting times ahead for you. Thank you for taking the time to share your 50th trip before you get stuck in to your next adventure.

You're welcome! Only one more installment after the one I just put up and that'll be it.

 

[Steppesister]

I have laughed and giggled at so many parts of your trip report! I feel like I am right there with you.

I"m so so glad you enjoyed it!! Despite being pretty reluctant to doing one at all, I'm glad I did. Never fear, there will be more Steppe Trip Reports, stay tuned!!

 

[Steppesister]

SO completely agree with you on the nighttime projection shows. I much prefer the fireworks shows, and would be ever so happy if they would bring back Wishes, especially

YES!!! WISHES!!! Can we please just stick with something everyone seemed to love?

I guess Cheapek needed more cuts.

 

[missjackiemcg]

The lastest update has me yearning for a day to just meander through AK. Too much hussle and bussle and stress as the school year starts up again! Thanks for the little escape

Flotsum and Jetsum!? How awesome! In all our trips, we only finally managed to get to an Animator session in December 2021! We drew Timon, and Jimmy was lucky enough to be given the animators drawing, as well. Such a great experience, and I can't wait to give it a try again!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I was right there with my toes on the line and a goodly space in front of me preventing tall folks to pop in and block my view. Perfection!
.....
It was like an epic Lord of the Rings battle and we had the Great Horn of Gondor encouraging us to stand our ground.

I would be totally onboard with standing at the front of the line for over an hour just so that no one would stand in front of me, or worse, put a kid on their shoulders in front of me. I really hate when you get a nice spot and some last minute person ruins it.

Do I love the projection heavy shows that are the new style of Disney nighttime entertainment? Not really.

The problem with the projections is that you have to have a good view of the front of the castle for this. The only time we saw Enchantment was when the trees blocked our view of the fireworks and we only saw the projections. It was interesting but I would have preferred the opposite, good fireworks and not so good projections.

Holy Toastaroni!! This was so fantastic! I LOVED this, even being a non-sweets-for-breakfast girl.

The banana bread French toast looks delicious. I am a French toast fan. The first time we met Mary Ellen and Denny was supposed to be for breakfast at Olivia's. The restaurant is a big favorite of theirs. It ended up being breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe, which was fine but not Olivia's.

he good news is that the new card I did get was a 50th Anniversary edition one instead of the yellow generic one.

We had renewed our AP when we were there in Sept, just a few days before the anniversary event. We were given the old AP cards. We saw that they were handing out the new 50th AP cards the next day and were very jealous that we hadn't gotten a new one, since it is so much prettier.

 

[Steppesister]

S is for: Sweet and Savory Endings​

All good things must come to end, as they say. Even week-long Disney trips made of fairy tales. I wished AK well until I could see her again and hopped a bus to EPCOT to finish off my wonderful trip.

I waved goodbye at 1:22 and was on an Omnimover with Dame Judy by 2:18, so not a terrible commute from park to park. Not great either though. The Skyliner is such a game changer!

That was the only attraction I went on the entire day. Not a bad one to end the trip with.

(The risqué Centuion)


(Renaissance Santa, checking his list)

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I had no plan, really, no agenda, no direction except I was there to make sure I got some dinner at some point. For now, I found myself amongst the fish and other sea creatures. (Fish are friends not food. Today anyway.) I'm not even sure if I've EVER seen the manatees here so spent quite a bit of time watching them during feeding time. I have no idea how such huge animals survive on lettuce. I'm hungry 5 minutes after after a salad. I dunno, maybe if I ate 50 pounds of it too I'd be okay.



And now, for your Steppe Report Overload of Sea Base Alpha Photos (I wonder how many of you remember the good old days of vintage EPCOT and the Hydrolators.)

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This was a fun little diversion for a few minutes. Upstairs near the manatees, there were a couple of CMs with the urchins and other baby creatures. They appropriately called this "the Nursery". I asked a question about the baby urchins and got quite an earful about how long it takes to get about this size, what they eat, etc.... They also made sure to mention that the urchins got special little hats for the 50th Celebration and they were having so much fun with it!

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And one last bit of silliness...

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By the time I'd diddled around with the fish, it was getting on towards the time I really needed to find a few things to eat and think about getting to the airport. What did I end up with? Well, I didn't have time to make a whole loop around the Lagoon and still had a couple of items I wanted to knock off the F&W List. Luckily, they were close to the IG where I wanted to stick close to.

First up: Smoked Corned Beef with Crispy Potatoes, Cheese Curds, Pickled Onions, and Beer-Cheese Fondue for $5.50 from Flavors From Fire.

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For what this cost, I felt it was a phenomenal value. Shockingly, the price has remained the same for this year. This dish was very filling and really nice. I loved the pickled onions that came on it. One word though. I didn't notice any cheese curds, but found it didn't really need them. It was plenty rich as it was.

After that I headed to Mexico for a:

Taco de Ribeye: Shaved Ribeye, Red Onions, and Poblano Peppers on a Corn Tortilla with Ranchera Salsa, Cotija Cheese, and Chives (new) – $7.00

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Unfortunately, this was the biggest disappointment of the Festival. It was teeny tiny and WAY too much money for a street taco- a total ripoff. I can get a FAR better street taco here at home for $2.50. This year, I've got my eyes set on the Blood Orange Marg with Peppercorns for $12.00.

The first dish filled me up pretty well so didn't feel a need for more food, but one thing that I'd had my eye on for quite a while:

Apple Blossom Sky: Fanta Apple, Ginger Beer, Floodwall Apple Brandy, Maple Syrup, and Mini Marshmallows – $11.50

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GOSH this sounded great, and know what?! IT WAS!!! Sooo yummy! I had NO idea it would be served in a Mule-style plastic cup. Super cute, and made me feel like the price of the drink more worth it. As with all F&W drinks, there really wasn't enough booze in this to make me feel like I'd even had a some brandy, but it was a frozen-y good concoction, sweet and delicious. If, and I probably will, get this again, I'll ask for mine without the marshmallows. Those just aren't my favorite and make me very thirsty.

And with that, there was no more time to forestall the inevitable. I had to leave. I walked to the Beach Club and ordered a Lyft back to the Poly to grab my bags and head to the airport. There was nothing notable about my return trip and that was that.

I hope you've enjoyed this Steppe Trip Report. I've enjoyed writing it even though I was very reluctant starting out. I'll be trolling the boards for a few more days and then I'm off on some very exciting travels for a few months. Some you know about, other trips I'm saving for a big surprise!! After that, I'll be starting up with classes again and won't be able to be on at all. It's just too time intensive. I will be in Disney in a couple of weeks and will post some photos on FB if you follow me there.

Until next time!!

Ciao Bella!!!

 

[Steppesister]

The lastest update has me yearning for a day to just meander through AK. Too much hussle and bussle and stress as the school year starts up again! Thanks for the little escape

Flotsum and Jetsum!? How awesome! In all our trips, we only finally managed to get to an Animator session in December 2021! We drew Timon, and Jimmy was lucky enough to be given the animators drawing, as well. Such a great experience, and I can't wait to give it a try again!

It truly is such a tranquil place to unwind and let the cares of this busy world melt away.

Aren't they fun?! I super stink at them but I still have fun with it. I got the animator's drawing too many years ago when they were doing it at DHS. He asked a trivia question about Donald's middle name- it's Fountleroy (sp?) and I got it.

And I love that they've moved it to AK and it takes a bit more effort to get there. That way it's not so crowded and a more cozy atmosphere.

 

[Steppesister]

I would be totally onboard with standing at the front of the line for over an hour just so that no one would stand in front of me, or worse, put a kid on their shoulders in front of me. I really hate when you get a nice spot and some last minute person ruins it.

I really thought it was worth it. Sure, my legs certainly got tired and I was sorely tempted to sit (pun intended) but it did make for some good old fashioned drama watching for a pre-show and I LOVED not having Mr. Tall in front of me. Kids on shoulders are the absolute WORST!! Seriously! One can easily give their kid a nice view by just holding them at the same eye-level as they have.

The problem with the projections is that you have to have a good view of the front of the castle for this. The only time we saw Enchantment was when the trees blocked our view of the fireworks and we only saw the projections. It was interesting but I would have preferred the opposite, good fireworks and not so good projections.

Exactly, and most people don't The vast majority are packed down Main Street and miss half the show.

The banana bread French toast looks delicious. I am a French toast fan. The first time we met Mary Ellen and Denny was supposed to be for breakfast at Olivia's. The restaurant is a big favorite of theirs. It ended up being breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe, which was fine but not Olivia's.

Yes it is as they often stay at Saratoga or Old Key West. I'd definitely go back to Olivia's again for that dish. Very, very good!

We had renewed our AP when we were there in Sept, just a few days before the anniversary event. We were given the old AP cards. We saw that they were handing out the new 50th AP cards the next day and were very jealous that we hadn't gotten a new one, since it is so much prettier.

I was pretty stoked to get that pretty Anniversary Card, not that I'm a huge merchandise or memorabilia fan, but it was kinda fun to get one. I'm the same with my AP slider. I'd forgotten that one trip and tried to get one from the EPCOT Customer Service Desk and they said no. I was sad not have had it that trip. It's packed now on my favorite MB for my trip coming up.

 

[Paulaparm]

I enjoyed your story about your MK fireworks-watching spot. People watching is always a good way to pass the time!
When we stayed at Fort Wilderness in February, we enjoyed watching the EWP and Fireworks from the dock area. They piped in the music and narration. Of course, it was a very different view of the fireworks, but we liked it
Looking forward to reading about your upcoming trips.
Same name on FB? I'll need to follow along

 

[disneyAndi14]

What a wonderful last day. I want my sister to do the animators art class, she will love it!
SE is a great ride to do if only doing one!
The corned beef cheesy snack, is on my list!!
Thanks for sharing your 50th celebration with us!
See you real soon

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Fab last day and now you’re off to enjoy more amazing travel adventures. Wishing you a wonderful time and safe travels.

 

[Wood Nymph]

And now, for your Steppe Report Overload of Sea Base Alpha Photos (I wonder how many of you remember the good old days of vintage EPCOT and the Hydrolators.)

The Hydrolators were fun and an easy way to trick you into thinking you had descended to the Sea Base.

I'll ask for mine without the marshmallows.

I can't imagine why they thought it was a good idea to put mini marshmallows on a cold drink.

 

[Steppesister]

I enjoyed your story about your MK fireworks-watching spot. People watching is always a good way to pass the time!

Always! Love to find a bench with a Disney snack to people watch!

When we stayed at Fort Wilderness in February, we enjoyed watching the EWP and Fireworks from the dock area. They piped in the music and narration. Of course, it was a very different view of the fireworks, but we liked it

I LOVE Ft. Wilderness. Maybe someday down the road I can get my RV to Florida and do a winter there. (Near Disney) but do a Ft. Wilderness stay during it.

Looking forward to reading about your upcoming trips.

Might take me months to start since classes start the day I return from Italy, Greece, etc... but I'll get there. Hoping to finish the term by Feb.

Same name on FB? I'll need to follow along

I'll PM you.