Trip Report Already? 2 broke guys for 2 more days of Music & Mickey! Live-ish!

Yes, yes, I know we just got back. We went in the middle of December, then again for Christmas, then again in the middle of January, and now - our third month in a row…

When: Feb 2-4
Where: All-Star Music, and All-Star Music (you’ll see.)
Who:

Tony

And Brian

Wait, wait - that’s not right. Pretty close, but not right. Let’s try again.

Tony

And Brian

OK but those were reject “blooper” pics from our last TR. Here’s one where we’re overdressed:

That’ll do.

And…Mickey.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Although I was very conscious of the time (after arriving to MK so late the day before) as I made my way to the park exit, I decided if the wait for Spaceship Earth was 15 minutes or less, I would do it.

Believe it or not, that’s a “15.”

Actual wait time was 5 minutes.

Got stuck in a good spot for a few moments. I’ve always been a prehistoric creatures buff, and the woolly mammoth has long been a favorite.

Poor guy.

@Tuvalu which super blurry album cover is this?

Hint: it’s an easy one.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

No one is that gay!

 

[Tuvalu]

@Tuvalu which super blurry album cover is this?

View attachment 857959

Hint: it’s an easy one.

Mary Poppins!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Mary Poppins!

Supercalifrickinisticexpyalodocious! (That’s the Jersey version.)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Timestamp: entering Magic Kingdom: 3:29PM

That’s right - 3 parks in 3 hours. Pointless? Maybe. But I enjoyed beating yesterday’s time.

I was hungry by this time.

Now, last year, after discovering Tony’s as an acceptable option, I last-minute booked a table for one at least a couple of times with no issue.

This year, it hasn’t worked out. I tried a standard reservation, I tried the walk up list. It would allow me to book a table for more people, but not solo dining. Am I supposed to starve, or eat common quick service meals?

I decided to just walk in and wait to be seated.

I promptly turned around and walked right back out, as that place was packed!

Once you’ve already started drinking, it’s best to maintain. That limited my options. I started walking towards Skipper canteen. Again, I tried both ways of booking, and neither would work.

I walked up to the much less chaotic entrance and asked about a table for one. The young lady somewhat apologetically offered that it would be about a 10 minute wait. I cheerfully accepted. No sooner had I sat in one of the big outdoor chairs than my “table ready“ text popped up!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Hello, Chakalaka, my old friend.

It was nice and cool inside. My server did not bother with the spiel, and I was fine with that. (I heard it from the tables on either side of me.)

Not every entree on their menu is a winner, but I’ve had plenty of good ones through the years (some I’m sure are gone from the menu.)

On this day, I experimented with the “duck fried rice.”

This was a revelation! Any time I’ve had duck (which I’d never even tried until I was in my 40’s) it’s been duck breast - which is delicious, but usually served with a layer of fat I don’t love.

This was a duck leg. It was not fatty at all, and the sweet & mildly spicy sauce was perfect. The rice was crispy and had a little veg in there. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish, and will go back for it. This was a perfect stop.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Refueled food & drink.

Would that come back to haunt me on Tron?

Still had some time to kill. What to do?

Bad pic of Goofy.

Made me miss Brian.

I made it to the dock at just the last second - hurray for good timing! (Siri originally changed “good timing” to “food poisoning.” Not hurray for that! WTH, Siri?!)

So, having not sailed in years, it’s now been two trips in a row, knowing it’s over soon.

I wandered around the boat more since I was alone. I don’t think I ever realized these inner rooms were accessible.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I decided to document them for posterity - while resting my posterior! The benches were comfy.

Bye for now, Belle!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Haunted Mansion line was a larger donation of time than I was willing to offer. Tiana sounded fun, but would I want to be wet for Tron?

No.

So…

What the heck, if you can’t beat ‘em…

This was the best country music I heard on the whole trip! (vs. our twang-fest-o-rama line dancing hell resort!)

I sat in row 3. Hi, Al!

It was too sad. He couldn’t go on!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

During the finale, I placed a mobile order at Pecos Bill’s next door. (I purposely saved room for dessert after Skipper Canteen.)

After clicking “I’m here,” exiting the theater, and walking into Bill’s, my order was ready.

@Tuvalu and @TrolleyFollower91 how have you not tried this yet, as often as you go to PB’s?

It looks like corn…but it’s corn mousse!

Let me emphasize that for effect:

It looks like corn on the cob - a savory dish, sometimes hard on the teeth…

But you cut through the whole thing with a spoon, and realize it’s mousse - that tastes like sweet corn - and quite easy on the teeth!

It’s magic!

That’s some Victoria & Albert’s level sorcery!

Second time was just as good as the first.

And now it was time to psych myself up.

Dun dun DUN!!!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Let me emphasize that for effect:

It looks like corn on the cob - a savory dish, sometimes hard on the teeth…

IJS… look at the pic… it’s not corn!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

IRL - boarded for Atlanta - no frickin internet on the plane.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Did not know what to expect with Tron. People made it seem like no big deal, and “too short.”

Took me a sec to find it. We don’t usually walk over there.

Arrived one minute early, scanned in, and walked past many people in the standby line. Took some pics along the way.

Darn it gotta go into airplane mode.

 

[rshell68]

Safe trip home!!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Safe trip home!!

I live in Fort Lauderdale! Flying to ATL for what’s called the “Music Biz” conference. Brian used to live there, so he’s with me, but goes home Tuesday night to work on Wednesday. I’m here until Thursday night.

Just landed!

Top priority: talking with label execs to hopefully finalize a fairly well-known artist coming to visit our store this month! Hope to be able to announce on Tuesday.

Today I have a get-together at a friend’s record store here, and dinner with Brian’s best man from our wedding, and a couple other friends.

Who knows who else I may bump into?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

That was my last pic of Tron, because you get to a point where there are lockers to put all your stuff in. Just pick one and tap your magic band on it, no fee. I put my phone in there. I kept my glasses on my head.

I had heard you could also stow small items on the ride - but I had also heard that about Tiana’s, and never noticed a spot on that one - so I left everything in the locker.

Next thing you know, I’m next - and set to be
in the front row!

But….uh oh…

 

[93boomer]

That was my last pic of Tron, because you get to a point where there are lockers to put all your stuff in. Just pick one and tap your magic band on it, no fee. I put my phone in there. I kept my glasses on my head.

I had heard you could also stow small items on the ride - but I had also heard that about Tiana’s, and never noticed a spot on that one - so I left everything in the locker.

Next thing you know, I’m next - and set to be
in the front row!

But….uh oh…

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The person in front of me goes on without a hitch. I’m watching to see how to sit and everything. I nervously asked the CM if that thing on your back clamps down or moves? She was not into chit chatting. Fellow travelers told me the answer was both - it locks in place, but also has give.

I noticed, compared to Flight of Passage, you are in a flatter position. It was perfect for kids, their heads didn’t really even stick up in front.

OK, I’m ready! Let’s go before I change my mind or freak myself out!

Here come the next set of empty cycles! It’s my turn! Front row!

They let that batch of cycles go empty.

OK, that’s normal once in a while, right? Here comes the next one!

They let the next batch go empty, too.

Then there was an announcement about some kind of delay. So I stood there for a few minutes, waiting, hopefully…

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Another CM appeared from behind the line. She took just the four of us who were in front over to the other track - but that didn’t seem to be moving, either, and now there were two people ahead of each of us.

Another announcement…

And then the people in front of us went!

I guess since no one died, we were next! Finally!

By now, I had had a slight chit chat with the kid who would ride next to me, who was probably born after Men At Work’s career was already over. That made me more comfortable.

The ride…was nuts! I don’t think this was a simple, easy coaster! Half in the light, half in the dark (very cool) no corkscrews or completely upside down (I don’t think) but certainly very sideways and quite fast!

I kept thinking #1 my glasses are going to fall off and #2 I’m going to fall off! Not knowing what was coming made me more anxious, and by the end, I realized I was sweating! (I never sweat unless the sun is beating down or I’m in a sauna.)

It was fun! It will be more fun next time when I know what to expect.

Brian would have died. He is not going on Tron.

For me, it will be a once in awhile solo thing.

And as much as I hate to admit it, was the hour saved waiting in line worth $16? Yes. That got me 3 rides, really: Tron + riverboat + CBJ.

Alas, I broke the ride! As I walked in a circle, completely missing the exit ramp, @Tuvalu texted me the ride was down!

And so it was.

D’oh! Good thing I went 1 minute early vs 40 minutes into the return window!

Tron
A hint of motion disruption (not sickness) towards the end, but doable, fairly wild, and not too short.

 

[the_rich]

Another CM appeared from behind the line. She took just the four of us who were in front over to the other track - but that didn’t seem to be moving, either, and now there were two people ahead of each of us.

Another announcement…

And then the people in front of us went!

I guess since no one died, we were next! Finally!

By now, I had had a slight chit chat with the kid who would ride next to me, who was probably born after Men At Work’s career was already over. That made me more comfortable.

The ride…was nuts! I don’t think this was a simple, easy coaster! Half in the light, half in the dark (very cool) no corkscrews or completely upside down (I don’t think) but certainly very sideways and quite fast!

I kept thinking #1 my glasses are going to fall off and #2 I’m going to fall off! Not knowing what was coming made me more anxious, and by the end, I realized I was sweating! (I never sweat unless the sun is beating down or I’m in a sauna.)

It was fun! It will be more fun next time when I know what to expect.

Brian would have died. He is not going on Tron.

For me, it will be a once in awhile solo thing.

And as much as I hate to admit it, was the hour saved waiting in line worth $16? Yes. That got me 3 rides, really: Tron + riverboat + CBJ.

Alas, I broke the ride! As I walked in a circle, completely missing the exit ramp, @Tuvalu texted me the ride was down!

And so it was.

D’oh! Good thing I went 1 minute early vs 40 minutes into the return window!

Tron
A hint of motion disruption (not sickness) towards the end, but doable, fairly wild, and not too short.

I watched the outside loop too many times while waiting in line and psyched myself out. My sister went on and said it was a good thing I didn't because I wouldve died lol.