#maestroonthemove - Just the facts, man, Just the facts

 This day is best broken down by the cold hard facts….

• 7:00am. - Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group obtained thanks to Ella
• 7:30am -  In line for the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios
• 7:45am - Get to Hollywood Studios - Coffee, Starbucks Breakfast Sandwhich
• 9:00am - Gang arrives
• Tower of Terror
• Rockin’ Rollercoaster 
• Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway
• Rise of the Resistance (long wait)
• Toy Story Midway Mania (I beat Amy!!!)
• Lunch at ABC Commissary 
• Smugglers Run (obtained 2 coaxials!)

• Fast walk from Galaxies Edge to the Bus to Animal Kingdom
• Bus ride
• Fast walk  to Expedition Everest (I swear it seemed like a half marathon, besides the bus, we never stopped)
• 2 rides in a row on Expedition Everest 
• Maharaja Jungle Trek

• Bus ride to Magic Kingdom
• Starbucks stop
• Peoplemover
• Carousel of Progress
• Space Mountain (I opted out. It basically bruised me the last time)
• Dumbo
• Seven Dwarves Mine Train
• Mickeys Philharmagic
• Haunted Mansion
• Splash Mountain
• Thanksgiving Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern 
• Pictures in front of the castle at night
• Shopping
• Bus Ride

So now you know

Tomorrow - SHOPPING!

And that’s all I’m saying about THAT.

#mastroonthemove - Rollin’ Down the (Lazy) River

 Today’s blog should be short.  For a few reasons, the first being I’m. BEAT, the second being it was a water park day and what can you say about a water park?  

Well… to answer my own question - you can say quite a lot about a Disney water park.  Blizzard Beach is one of two water parks at WDW.  At the moment, it’s the only one open.  It is themed to snow, as well as everything that goes along with it, such as Christmas.  Part of the soundtrack of the park are Christmas songs.  If you don’t figure that out, you might think that it is odd that they are playing Christmas songs.  Anyway, I got there on time (let it be known that “on time “ means before any action takes place - not before the rest of the gang get there) and I met up with the gang and we had to wait before the area was open.  Of course, shops were open before, when is there never a shop open?  Anyhow, we were let in, we found our area, and the kids immediately wanted to do a slide.  Cool, let’s do slide… but what I neglected to mention was that the slide requires a ride up the mountain in a chair lift, similar to a ski lift.  

Now, as you know, I love the Disney Skyliner - maybe a bit too much - but I hate this chair lift.  I’ve done it before a few times and I just hate it.  Turns out, so did Amy and we rode up together - until it decided to stop a little before we reached the top - and it stopped for a while, not just a second.  We were not amused.  After what seemed like forever, we got to the top and we got off - barely.  They don’t stop the lift when you get off so you have to step off and run for it - or you’ll get bumped in the calves with the chair lift.  Anyway, we made it.  For this slide, it was Amy, Ella, Gavin and myself going on the Teamboat Springs slide.  All of us in one big inner tube type thing. This wasn’t the first time I was on this slide, the first time was with Amy, little Gavin and Little Mason, Sena and my Mom - and half way down Little Mason shouted “Matt, you’re gonna die on this ride” - and to this day, we have never forgotten that moment.  In fact, I tried to get a T-shirt made, but Disney did not approve of the quote.  Whatevs..

Afterward, we jumped in the Lazy River and lazied to our patio.  About 5 minutes into this I noticed that my Magic Band was not on my wrist.  Now, when you visit WDW, you use a Magic Band for almost everything.  It opens your room, it gets you into the parks, it can even pay for stuff if you set it up to do so.  Anyway - it wasn’t on my wrist.  I didn’t panic too much.  No one can really use someone’s Magic Band as it has a PIN for charges and such, and since I don’t have a CC attached to my Magic Band, it wasn’t a big deal.  For me, what was a big deal was it was a limited edition Skyliner Magic Band. 

After that, we went on a slide, which was on top of another hill, this time with stairs.  Yeah - one and done for me!  We got back in the lazy river and lazied to our spot and I went and checked guest relations to see if anyone turned in my Magic Band.  No such luck :-( 

So, the gang went off and did what gangs do and I stayed back and read. When Sena came back, I decided to take another lap in the lazy river.  Maybe I’d find the Magic Band.   So, off I went.  When I got to the part where I thought I may have lost it, I looked around and saw nothing.  So, I lazied on.  I decided to look up at a lifeguard as I passed her, and low and behold, on her chair was my Magic Band.  I said “Excuse, I think that’s is my Magic Band” and she asked what my name was since Magic Bands can be personalized and she turned it around and found it was a limited edition and there was no name so she handed it over and I was off.  Reunited - and it feels so good - at least my arm was complete again.  Turns out, Mason and Amy had seen it also, but wasn’t quite sure it if was mine so they tried to go back and check, but I had been there be they were and had already picked it up.   And that’s alll I’m saying about THAT.

The youngin’s were preparing to go down Summit Plummet -  so we watched them do that, which is very brave and daring of the youngin’s.  We all took another lap around the lazy river - this time in train fashion where we all hooked on to each other’s tubes while Mason pulled us down the river.  Not so lazy this time, but we all laughed the entire time.  

I headed back to my room to clean up and relax a little before dinner.  On the way home on the Disney bus, I started talking to the driver about his job.  Not many people know this, but I’ve always wanted to drive a bus.  In Fact, when I was little, I wanted to be a school Bus Driver.  So I’ve been thinking that when I retire, I could combine my love of Disney and busses and become a bus driver at WDW.  I think it’s something to strive for. 

Dinner was at  Ale and Compass at the Yacht Club resort so I took the Skyliner over.  I sat with a couple from Boston who said that they liked the Giants and wanted to go to Oracle Park one day - the husband also really liked the Skyliner as well.  Anyway, dinner was quite amazing and the food was great and the conversation was stellar.  We laughed as we recapped our day together and sorta planned out our day tomorrow. - which I’m told will be park hopping madness - starting at Hollywood Studios and hopefully on Rise of the Resistance again.  

What a great day - I’m missing my guys though - all three of them- quite a lot,   Early morning tomorrow.  Can’t wait!!

So, now you know! 

#maestroonthemove - Nants ingonyama bagithi baba

Another early morning. Animal Kingdom by 7:30am. I got up kinda late and skipped the protein shake, but I ate the banana, and got dressed and headed out for get the LYFT to Animal Kingdom.  I check out the bus line first, and as suspected, it was the longest one, so LYFT it was.  The LYFT driver was nice and his music was good, his windows were open and the ride was quick.  He got a nice tip.  I arrived at Animal Kingdom (DAK) before the rest of the gang, so I grabbed an iced coffee and waited under a tree.  When everyone got there, we got in the park and headed over to Pandora.

Pandora?  In DAK?  What does Avatar and the world of Pandora have to do with Disney? I mean really… does anyone even remember the first Avatar movie?  (2009 if you need to know when it actually came out) Yeah. I didn’t think so - and then there was the promise of 2 sequels.  I just checked the Google on the date of the first movie and when I typed in “Avatar” the google came up with Avatar 2  as one of the suggestions - so maybe there will be a second one?  Anyway, Disney shuck a deal with James Cameron and now we have the land of Pandora.  Besides the amazing theming and such, there are 2 attractions.  The Navi River Journey and Flight of Passage.  The Navi River Journey is a slow moving dark ride set on a river, much like It’s a Small World - but darker and shorter.  The main theme (HERE) and hopefully that link works - reminds me of the song “Diamond Girl”by Seals and Crofts (HERE) and hopefully that link works if you don’t know what I’m talking. About.  The ride. Does have a really cool animatronic towards the end.  There are several ride-through videos on the YouTube if anyone cares to looks.

The next ride in Pandora is Flight of Passage.  FOP - as the fans refer to it as - is a simulator ride.  You’re basically sitting of a Banshee that you have been “paired” with and you fly through the land of …. Can’t remember the name…. And it’s really fun - you wear 3-D glasses and there are some gimmicks, etc, and it’s pretty intense.  Once again, quite the technological feat by Disney. Disney has been on a simulator kick, as well as a trackless ride system kick and an interactive kick.  Many kicks…. But I think we all want something a little more Classic Disney - kinda like Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway - even though it uses a trackless system, it’s still heavily Disney and not Star Wars or Avatar (still trying to figure out WHY on that one in the first place)….  Anyway - we ended up on this 2 times.

We walked around Animal Kingdom and checked out the Otters, and that’s all I’m saying about THAT.  Next we went on “It’s Tough To Be a Bug” - one of my least favorite 3-D attractions ever created - except maybe Shrek at the U-park.  It’s just creepy.  But I took one for the team and went on and it was as disturbing as it was the last time I went on it.  

Next was Rafiki’s Plant Watch, which is basically a “hands on” petting zoo and some inter-workings of how the animals are taken care of at DAK.  Speaking of animals - we went on the Safari attraction and saw a LOT of animals.  Our guide was very good.  I took pictures and hopefully will it them all in a video.  

Kali River Rapids followed - the worlds shortest river rafting expedition.  Grizzly River Run at DCA puts this attraction to shame x100. Expedition Everest followed which is always a great exhilarating rollercoaster.  We would have done it a second time, but the rain kept it closed in the afternoon.  

Speaking of rain - yes - it rained.  After lunch and after we went on Dinosaur. - which is the same type of ride as Indiana Jones in Disneyland, but in this case you are going back in time trying to bring back an Iguana-Don dinosaur for research - it started to rain.

So, there was some walking, sheltering, more walking, shopping, etc and then the gang decided we would park hop to the Magic Kingdom.  Which we took a bus and hopped.  The gang wanted to do the big ones again - Space, Splash, Mansion, Pirates, etc…. which after an iced coffee, we did.  And what fun we had.  I was pretty beat up after Space Mountain, though - it was very fast and very bumpy.  I may feel muscles I didn’t know I had tomorrow - but it was so much fun.  Splash Mountain is always my favorite and I was glad to get to do it a second time on this trip.  Maybe even a third???  Who knows….   We bussed over to the Yacht and Beach Club for dinner at Cape May Restaurant.  Cape May is usually a Buffett, but because of COVID, it’s now a family style meal which they bring to your table and it’s all you can eat.  We had a good time and I can safely say that the spell has been broken and no one spilled anything at dinner.  The past 3 sit-down dinners, someone has spilled something - including me.  Hopefully the spell is broken. 

Tomorrow is a Blizzard Beach day (water park) which I intend to sleep late and get to the park, and just sit in the lazy river all day.  However, I think the gang wants to head back to Magic Kingdom at some point tomorrow as well.  So, we’ll see how things go.

Another great day - 

So, now you know!  

#maestroonthemove - Here Comes the Rain Again

Today started a little later than the last few days as it was an EPCOT day and EPCOT opened at 11:00am so there was no real reason to get up at the crack of dawn.  So, I tried not to, but I was wide awake a little after 6:00am, so I just laid there for a while.  I finally got up, got cleaned up and made my protein shake and drank it SLOWLY as to kill more time.  I read a little, watched some stupid TV and finally left at about 9:30am.  The plan was to meet the gang at 10:00am or so at the Skyliner station near EPCOT.  When I got to the Skyliner station, I find out that the EPCOT line is down and I’d have take a bus.  So, I headed to the bus stop and hoped that the line wasn’t long.  The line wasn’t bad and I got on a bus pretty quickly.  I noticed on the bus that the standing handles were no longer tied up to the pole and not useable, but were hanging normally ready to be used.  Yesterday, we were limited to the number of seats on the bus, now there can be standing in the aisle.  Speaking of which, today was the first day where masks were not required anywhere except Disney Transportation.  It really was no big deal.  I never felt packed into an area where i felt uneasy, people were pretty good at practicing social distancing - which they should ALWAYS do going forward.  Many people, mostly tweens, wore masks in the park, but everyone seemed to be on board with the new policies.  It certainly made ride photos better!

Anyway, got to EPCOT before “rope drop” and connected with everyone else and arranged to meet as soon as we could near Test Track.  We met up and found Test Track had a “delayed” opening so the kids and I went on Mission Space - the Orange side.  The spinning side… the story of the ride is that you are on a mission to Mars and this is the training mission.  You are placed in a small simulator and are talked through a launch and then flying through space. Think i about the Gravitron at the county fair and amp the entire thing up 50x while watching a video.  It’s some intense spinning, but it’s fun.  I’ve been the the Orange and the Green side as well - the Green side doesn’t spin.  I like them both.  However, it definitely a “one and done”on each visit. 

We got on Test Track after Mission Space.  It’s the forerunner of the Radiator Springs Racers Attraction at Disney California Adventure,  Same ride system, etc.  Test Track goes really fast, but I like Radiator Springs Racers better.  Afterward, we headed t the Seas with Nemo and Friends - which is basically the submarine voyage at Disneyland without the submarine and with real fish as well.  That’s always a good time.  

Spaceship Earth was yet, the ride that is housed in the EPCOT Geodesic Sphere icon- it’s NOT A BALL - and that’s all I’m saying about THAT!!!  Anyway, I think we were lucky to be able to go on this attraction before it will be closed and re-imagined in the near future.  It was suppose to go down last year - but because of COVID, it is being delayed and in the meantime, we get the current attraction -which is narrated by Dame Judi Dench.  

Heading on the World Showcase, the afternoon got crazy.  Staring in Mexico, we popped into. the pyramid, but it was really crowded and we didn’t stay long.  When we got to Norway, the ponchos came out and by the time we got to China, it started to rain.  Now, it always rains everyday in Florida for at least 1/2 hour a day- but today - it never really stopped.  We ducked into the American Adventure Pavilion for lunch at the Regal Eagle Smokehouse.  It was an OK lunch, but it got us out of the rain.  The rain subsided and we headed back to Norway to ride “Frozen Ever After” - which we find out is down - and it starts to rain again - HARD.  So, what do you do when it rains hard?  You go back to the Italy Pavilion for gelato, which we ate huddled in a doorway to a store in the Italy pavilion.

We walked through the major store in Japan and while it wasn’t really raining when we went in, it was pouring again when we came out.  We ended up walking back to the Yacht Club - and it stopped raining - and we took a bus to Disney Springs shopping district to kill some time before dinner.  We walked around, found the Disney Store very overwhelming and then hopped on the bus to Old Key West Resort where we had dinner reservations at Olivia’s Cafe.  Dinner was fantastic.  The food was fabulous and the company was stellar.  I had some delicious prime rib and a cocktail and we had such a great time.  We decided to take the bus back to EPCOT to go on Frozen Ever After - which we did - and after, I strolled around the promenade while the rest of the gang went back to the hotel.  On the way out, I may have geeked out and spend a little too much $$ on Skyliner merch.  Gotta have a “thing” I guess!  I got on the Skyliner, with a very noisy family - with a very opinionated and loud male person.  I’ll just let that go - the wife apologized to me as they exited at the Riviera Resort.  Made for a great side show.  

Tomorrow is Animal Kingdom - meeting at 7;30am and will be on time!!!  

#maestroonthemove - Dude (Looks Like a Lady)

Wow, what a day!  First full day in the park.  Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park - usually I’m done with that park by 2:00pm, but we were there from opening to pretty much close.  So many new things today.

At 6:30am, my alarm went off so I’d be ready to try and get a boarding group for “Rise of the Resistance”.  In fact, we were all doing this at our respective hotels.  Well, one of us did score a boarding group and we were in!  I then made my protein shake and headed to the Skyliner to get to Hollywood Studios.  I was early and the line was really long, but as soon as it started loading, the line moved very quickly.  I had to transfer Skyliners to get to Hollywood Studios and that line was long as well, but moved very quickly.  I made it to DHS (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) before the rest.  (Score on being on time again) and bought a few masks as I didn’t like the mask that I had with me, so I picked up 2 Disney masks - 2 for 1 now. - so that was cool - I grabbed some coffee and waited for everyone else.

Oh, on the Skyliner ride to DHS, I did a video and ordered lunch at Woody’s Lunchbox for later.  Most food either needs a sit down reservation or purchased by mobile order using the Walt Disney World app for pick up at a certain time.  It’s actually quite handy, except that you have to think ahead quite a while for lunch or dinner times.  Anyway, we headed to Toy Story Midway Mania for our first stop - I was up against Amy and she beat me by 2,000 points or so, it was really close.  

Then we got in line for Tower of Terror.  Now, the Tower of Terror at DHS was the first rendition of the ride - and the best.  The second rendition was built in Disney California Adventure in 2004 - but it was totally different. Disney felt the need to streamline the attraction and while keeping the basic idea, changed the design.  For instance, the version in DHS has the drop chamber at the front of the tower, which adds a whole new dimension to the attraction as your elevator has to move from the back to the front of the tower, which is really cool.  All subsequent Towers has the drop chamber at the back so the elevator never leaves the chamber.  Kinda boring.  There is also the issue of the random drop sequences which are cool at DHS.  The Tower at California Adventure was open for over 10 years and the drop sequence never changed.  Now, the Tower in California Adventure is themed to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and is totally different from any other Tower - so there’s that.   There are Towers in Paris and in Tokyo which are exact replicas (so I’ve been told) of the California Adventure version (before Guardians took it over, that is).  So, the DHS is the original and the only version of the Tower that was built and the best.  So good, we did it 2 times!   So, now you know!

Next was Rockin’ Roller Coaster - starring Aerosmith.  The only coaster in WDW that has an inversion. Set as a limo trying to get Aerosmith to a concert in LA traffic, the ride is scored with music by Aerosmith.  I’ve been on this rollercoaster many times, but this time, I noticed the music.  Now, I’m not an Aerosmith aficionado, but this song I knew - Dude (Looks Like a Lady) - and I was like … I know this song…. And then it hit me, it was suppose to be used in a skit for Chickens Ball last year - which we all know didn’t happen - did last year even happen?  Never mind - that’s another blog). Anyway, that brought back some memories and I was happy to know I know at least one Aerosmith song.  We hit this attraction 2 times as well.

When DHS opened in 1989 (as Disney MGM Studios - a brilliant idea by Michael Eisner to stay in completion with Universal Studios), it opened with one major attraction - The Great Movie Ride.  It was in a show building at the end of Hollywood Blvd with a facade that was a sorta replica Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.  The Great Movie Ride was a slow moving romp through the movies.  The major part of the ride never changed (as far as I know) from 1989-2017. In 2017 it closed, much to a lot of peoples sadness, to make way for a new attraction, “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway” which brings you into in a cartoon.  It uses a trackless ride system - Disney’s newest technology - as well as video and 3D images, etc.  While I really loved “The Great Movie Ride” which was the first attraction that ever rode on my first visit in 2001, I really really love “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway” - we rode it 2 times as well. 

We rode “Rise of the Resistance”, which I had rode in Disneyland in February, 2020 - before the world stopped (topic for another blog, of course) and it’s such a great feat of technology and story.  There is nothing much more to say about that!

“Smugglers Run” - another attraction in Star Wars Galaxies Edge is an interactive attraction where you pretty much determine the output.  We did well as a team, which was really fun.  It was so fun, we rode it later on in the day again. 

Then it was back to Toy Story Land for lunch at Woody’s Lunch Box.  Which we mobile ordered earlier in the day.  I had the Totchos - which were basically nachos made with tater tots instead of chips.  They were delish!  We did a few more attraction in Toy Story Land including “Slinky Dog Dash” - which is a great “first” rollercoaster.  Very well done.  Although, one could say “Goofy’s Barnstormer” in Magic Kingdom could be a good first coaster, but that’s about 40 seconds long!  Anyway, I digress.

We killed some time and ducked into some AC and attended the “Frozen Sing-A-Long” which was a lot of fun.  It’s fun to sing those songs and. The narrative that held them all together was very clever.

We hit the major attractions again and heading back to Galaxies Edge to ride “Smugglers Run” again and got caught in a crazy big rainstorm.  So we ducked into the stand by line for Smugglers and rode again.  Dinner was at Docking Bay 7 and I finally got to try a Ronto Roaster - which was really yummy. Want to know what that is?  Google is your friend.  I also tried both the Blue Milk and the Green Milk (at different times) in Galaxies Edge.  I was reticent… oh yes, oh yes I was reticent…. but I took a chance and tried the blue milk first.  It was really good. Later on, I tried the green milk and it was pretty good as well.  They both have a slushy consistency and taste sorta fruity - of fruit I can’t quite taste - but I know people who have hated these drinks, and I don’t see why -  I think they are very tasty.  You can get them both with alcohol as well, which I passed on.  They were both a tasty risk! 

We basically closed down the park. Oh, when it’s raining, the Skyliner doesn’t run. So, the gang had to take a boat back to Yacht Club and I had to take a bus back to Pop Century.  The bus stop was the farthest away and had the longest line.  Anyway, Disney was smart and hired charter buses to handle the big crowds that should have had to take the Skyliner back to Pop, so the line went quick and I was home in no time.  

Tomorrow is another epic day.  Luckily, it starts a little later because EPCOT opens at 11:00am.  So a little more sleep which is great.  Stay tuned.

So, now you know!

#maestroonthemove - Get Me To the Park on Time

 Today was a great day - beginning with a romp on Space Mountain and a wet walk around World Showcase.  And I was on time!

I know I’m on vacation, but I have a lot to prove - it all goes back to one to the last trips to WDW in 2018.I was traveling with the Costa’s, they were staying at the Yacht Club I was staying at Port Orleans Riverside.  Now, when you stay at Port Orleans Riverside, you’re stuck with one mode to transportation, the Disney Bus.  I have a love/hate relationship with the Disney Bus System.  They are never available when you want them, they used to pack you in like sardines (not now because of COVID) and at Port Orleans Riverside, there are at least 4 bus stops around the resort.  When I was here in 2018, I had a really difficult time getting to where I needed to be at the right time.  I remember it took me at least 3 days to locate the best bus stop in relation to my room.  So, that was the joke... Mattei was never on time.  I remember trying to get to the Polynesian Resort for breakfast one morning and I was doing great on time, until the monorail was delayed at the Ticket and Transportation Center.  I was late, I jumped off the monorail and walked to the Polynesian.  I was late, of course, and Amy had told the server that I was in the restroom so they could get seated.  The server inquired at one point if I was still in the restroom and if I was OK.  I finally showed up and the server asked me if I was ok, or if I needed some Imodium.  We are still laughing about this 3 years later.

So, that said, this time I am bound and determined not to be late.  So far, I’ve been great.  The plans was to be at the Magic Kingdom at 7:00am this morning, and I was up at 5:15am. I made my protein shake, filled my camelback and packed up the backpack and took off - way too early, but was there on time!  (Before the others) I ended up taking a Lyft - with a driver that didn’t believe in AC - in Florida!  So, I was thankful to get there without being drenched.  But we couldn’t get to the entrance of the Magic Kingdom because in order to get there, you have to take a monorail or the ferry.  Well, since we were all there, it was great.  We ended up talking the monorail to the Magic Kingdom.  It was great being back in a Disney park after more than a year away.  We hit the ground running and head to Space Mountain and continued from there.  Winnie the Pooh (better in CA), some iced coffee, Peter Pan’s Flight, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, It’s a Small World, the Tangled restrooms (poor Tangled doesn’t get an attraction but instead, themed restrooms) Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Tiki Room, Dole Whip, Little Mermaid, and Pirated of the Caribbean (better in CA). We never stopped - and that was all before 12:30pm!

We had a lunch reservation at 1:35pm at the Kona Cafe in the Polynesian Resort, so we took a Ferry over to the TTC and walked over from there..  The whole time watching the thunder and lightning that was getting close to where we were.  When we made it to the restaurant, we sat down to wait for our table and BAM, it startled to pour.  Lucky!   Lunch was really yummy, I had a Mahi BLT which was very tasty.  After lunch, I took Lyft back to my resort and took a nap. 

After the nap, I processed to head to EPCOT.  Well, it was thunder and lightning again and when that happens, the Skyliner doesn’t operate.  So, I took the bus.  There is only one stop at Pop Century, so lines could be long, but the line for the bus was short - only because the bus wasn’t showing up and people were bailing out the line.  The bust finally came, and we were off.  And - at the same time, the Skyliner was up and running.  

I love EPCOT, and walking in was a little emotional.   There is a lot of work going on at the front of the park so I headed to World Showcase and met up with everyone.  We ended up on Listen to the Land - one of my favorite attractions, and then on Soarin’ Over the World.  Not as great as Soarin’ Over California, but fun nonetheless. We walked around World Showcase eating and getting wet from the rain and I hopped on the Skyliner and headed back to Pop.  We have an EPCOT day this week, so I’m excited to get back.  

Tomorrow, first thing at 7:00am, we will all attempted to get in the virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios.  I plan to be on time! 

#maestroonthemove - There’s No Cure Like Travel

 Wow - today I rode on an airplane - seems like the first time in forever - cuz it was!   

After a year of teaching in a global pandemic, it was time to put on the traveling shoes and get away for a while.  So where is the first place I decided to go? Walt Disney World - which I know doesn’t surprise anyone.  

So here I am, at my second favorite Walt Disney World Resort - Pop Century.  (My first favorite is. out Orleans Riverside - which hasn’t opened up yet) Flights were fine.  Masked the entire time, but if you aren’t used to it by now, don’t bother flying/traveling. When I booked the vacation in April, masks were still required everywhere in WDW, and as the date approached the rules changed.  On June 15 (Tuesday) the mask mandate is simple - no masks are required unless you are using Disney transportation.  So, we’ll see how things go.  

Check in is easy.  In fact, I checked in on Friday.  When you arrive, Disney sends a text with the location of your room and you can open the door with your magic band or the Walt Disney World Experience app. Saves on long lines at check in.  My room is in the 70’s section of Pop Century.  There is a huge 8-track Tape marking. The building and a very large model of a Foosball Game outside my door.  This is considered a “value” resort.  All of Disney’s Value Resorts are themed with oversized “props” from popular Disney icons or in Pop Century’s case, oversized icons from the past 4 decades or so.  It’s fun.  It’s worth a google if you want to check it out.

I unpacked and started today’s blog, then it was time to meet my travel people at the Disney Boardwalk Resort for dinner at Trattoria I’ll Forno.  I’m traveling with Amy (my boss) her mom, her sons Gavin and Mason and Gavin’s GF, Ella.  Amy and her family and I have made the trek out to WDW many times - once we get here, it’s like getting right back on the horse.  So, we had dinner, which was OK - nothing exciting but it takes a REALLY good Italian meal to impress me, but we had a great time and that’s what counts.   Oh, I took the Skyliner over to the Boardwalk area and back again afterward.  I’m obsessed with the Skyliner, I admit it.  Even though it’s had a few mishaps in the past few months, it’s still a favorite mode of transportation. 

I got back to Pop and headed to the bell desk to pick up my Instacart order.  Almond Milk, bananas, peanut butter, lots of water and Diet Coke.  Ordering groceries is a “thing” and a great idea.  From what I spent on my Instacart order, that was more than a week of just bottled water alone. In the morning, I’ll fill my Camelback backpack with ice and fill with water - and then bring along an extra bottle.  Saves a ton of bucks.

So, that’s it.  First night here.  Tomorrow is a new adventure.