Trip Report Two broke guys & a dog (for the last time.) (completed)

No, I’m not mad at Disney. We’ll be back (in fact, it can’t be soon enough.) But this turned out to be our last trip together as a family.

Who: Brian (R) Tony (L) and Kylie.

When: May, 2023.

Can’t tease this, so I’ll just come out with it.

We’ve posted TRs over the years under the “Two broke guys & a dog” banner (and other titles.) Our May trip was short, and we had already booked August for my birthday (complete with a planned meet up with @Tuvalu) so I thought I’d make one double TR after August.

I ended up with Covid mid-month and we had to postpone to December for Brian’s birthday.

In the meantime, Kylie, our 14 year old German Shepherd/Chow Chow was diagnosed with heart failure. That “heads up” turned out to be a gift and a blessing that allowed us to spend so much extra quality time with her.

Kylie’s 14th bday on Halloween:

She stayed with us through the holidays, rubbing on the Christmas tree when she walked past it, per usual (like a cat lol) and was really doing well - eating, going for walks, snuggling. I expected more of a slow, gradual decline…but she passed yesterday. Now my heart is failing.

I don’t know how far I’ll get with this today. It might actually be too soon. But I thought it could be therapeutic, and a nice tribute.

For some reason, since my 30s, if I cry even a little, my eyelids swell up and it’s hard to undo. Ice helps only temporarily. I fear typing all this out will continue the waterworks (it already has) and prolong that condition. OTOH, they’re already swollen, so WTH? I’ll play it by ear, if that’s ok.

This is my love letter to my pup.

 

[Tiki Traveler]

We have a big event on April 20th called Record Store Day. This will take up all my time for the preceding 4 weeks. That's why we typically go to Disney after (last week of April/early May) because I'm frazzled by the time it's over!

I just read about Record Store Day this year in Buffalo, NY!

Hope things go well!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Quick overnight visit - at All Star Music. Just me. And Mickey.

Visiting my friend, Gwyn, down from Jersey. On my way to Disney Springs now!

 

[MinnieM123]

Quick overnight visit - at All Star Music. Just me. And Mickey.

View attachment 773808

Visiting my friend, Gwyn, down from Jersey. On my way to Disney Springs now!

I love how you still bring (Kylie's) Mickey toy with you to Disney.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

First time in the “Broadway” section of ASM.

Almost went here, but plans were changed.

$850!!

That’s Gwyn. We worked together years ago. She was very motherly when my Dad died in the early 90’s. We hung out at Boathouse while her fam stayed at the Lego store. Her niece (CM) offered me a pass for tomorrow, but she was blocked out, too!

Oh, yes, my banana gelato. (Remember the cruise? Every day!) and it’s frickin’ freezing out - but it’s banana.

Self explanatory and sacrilegious to Italians. I bet they put pineapple on pizza, too (making it officially not pizza anymore.)

I forget the name, but this was a bourbon with fresh blueberry purée. (drink #3) ETA: this is at Chef Art Smith’s.

That’s cauliflower. And I got a chicken salad sandwich to go because I couldn’t eat another bite, and there was somehow no pork sandwich on the menu. (???)

I could/would have done a lot more poking around but

It’s frickin’ cold. (That’s down to 57 already. Please kill me.) @MinnieM123

What to do tomorrow?

 

[littleroo]

Lmao!! Cold??? That is heatwave! Have a great day!!

 

[riverside]

Lmao!! Cold??? That is heatwave! Have a great day!!

Right!! How about our first day of Spring, here??

 

[fractal]

True confession: while Brian was in the shower, I ate another beignet. (So I guess, out of the original 6, 2 were left. Damned beignets.)

So when we arrived at AK around 12:30, I wasn’t super hungry. At B’s suggestion, we got our bug on.

View attachment 769076

We stumbled across Yak & Yeti, and hoped there were seats at the bar.

“Come with me, and you’ll see, a world of pure imagination….”

There was one seat at the bar. I stood in front of it and B stood behind it lol. Plenty of seating for everyone!

Before entering, I checked the D3 (Disney Day Drinkers) FB page for the secret password (which only works at Y&Y, and only at the bar.)

When the bartender greeted us, I said the secret words.

“Secret secret - I’ve got a secret!”

No, those aren’t the secret words. I just started singing Mr. Roboto in my head.

The mixologist showed me a QR code, which took me to the secret D3 drink menu. (Oooooh!)

View attachment 769081

The couple next to us helped us access the menu (there’s an extra not so intuitive click required) so we knew they were members also.

There were several drinks on the menu, but most seemed a little on the sweet side, so B played it safe with a Jack & Diet.

I went a little more fancy:

View attachment 769078

View attachment 769082

I don’t know if I’m supposed to show you that, but I just did. This drink was fab.

View attachment 769080

At this hour, it didn’t make sense to order full meals. Our dinner was at 5. We ordered egg rolls, which were exceptional IMO, and chatted up the couple next to us. They were from Atlanta (where Brian lived for a few years) and the guy’s Italian family were up in Jersey. Too funny. Per usual, we had a great time with them, just hanging out.

I ordered another round and some lettuce cups with chicken. They were good, but we preferred the simple eating style of the eggrolls (not to mention the eggrolls were more filling at $13 than the lettuce cups at $20. I know, duh lol. It’s lettuce.)

Our Atlanta friends moved along, and another group came in. We offered to move down to make room for more of them and were on the fence as to whether or not to stay. Then one of the guys put a phone stand on the counter and started recording or streaming to an audience. That was our cue!

As a man of a certain age, I don’t know how people do that with no sense of embarrassment whatsoever. I’d be very self-conscious about disturbing other patrons.

We said fond goodbyes and thanks to the bartender, and moved along as well.

Add that to the growing lists of firsts on our bazillionth Disney trip: arriving from home directly to a park, eating at Tony’s, staying at POFQ, having Mickey beignets, and now Y&Y.

We will definitely go back there for a real meal (probably still at the bar.) All your recommendations were spot on!

This just made me love Y&Y even more.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I’ll go over a little more detail from yesterday, but current view:

Checked out of ASM and getting a little work done “on Broadway” before I go exploring.

Not enough time left to justify a $150 park ticket (with Spring Break crowds, no less.)

Very nice out right now!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Oops - almost abandoned this one - get ready for a photo drop like when a canceled TV show is burning off remaining episodes.

Let’s see what the pics reveal.

First off, I want to say this was my first Mears experience, and it was fine. Very, very similar to the Magical Express. Way cheaper than an Uber (for one person) albeit slower. I don’t know what everyone complains about.

Went back to ASM. Tried to duplicate an earlier pic I like, but meh. Couldn’t get it right.

Got into that chicken salad sammy.

Honestly, it needed a little flavor. Well, some dressing was included. That helped!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I relaxed a bit at ASM, and came to think of it as underrated and under appreciated! The grounds are nice, the rooms are much improved from years ago. “Value?” Yep. At least compared to the moderates.

Got a little work done, too.

What to do with no park tickets and a too early departure time for a 9pm flight?

Let’s do something different.

I sat in that little park area and chatted with Brian on the phone. I booked the G. Flo Cafe for lunch! Hadn’t eaten there in years, and wanted to see all the Easter stuff. Plus they had some kind of banana oatmeal on the menu.

There was a 5pm open at Cali Grill (hello, monorail crawl!) but they wanted to pick me up at like 5:30 for my flight (Tragical style.) I called them, told them I had no bags to check, and they pushed back my time! Booked it. Seemed like a promising day. Beautiful weather.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It was nice not feeling rushed and just taking it all in. Then I realized I kind of had to rush to my lunch ADR!!

I took the bus to MK, thinking it would take me to the TTC, but it actually took me to MK. Duh. So I started walking and texting Mrs. Expert @Tuvalu because I had no time to waste! Which way should I go? Walk all the way and be sweaty for lunch? Or be late?

I could see it from here!

How long is that walkway?!

Is that boat coming this way?

It is! My hero!

And now, many pointless pics of a boat ride that don’t capture how blue the sky was.

That last pic is out of order. I’m not fixing it. But wait, there’s more…

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I loved that boat ride. I did, however, arrive 6 minutes late.

The Cafe’ ran over 40 minutes late!!

They said they didn’t have enough staff to clear the tables (it was nearing the end of the lunch shift.) That was a bummer. But I thoroughly enjoyed both the cocktail and the meal!

Eggs Benedict with pulled pork? Hello!!

As you can see, it was pretty empty, making the wait a little more annoying.

My server was a doll. This lunch exceeded expectations.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I relaxed a bit at ASM, and came to think of it as underrated and under appreciated! The grounds are nice, the rooms are much improved from years ago. “Value?” Yep. At least compared to the moderates.

Got a little work done, too.

View attachment 783772View attachment 783773View attachment 783774View attachment 783775View attachment 783776View attachment 783777View attachment 783778View attachment 783779View attachment 783780

What to do with no park tickets and a too early departure time for a 9pm flight?

Let’s do something different.

I sat in that little park area and chatted with Brian on the phone. I booked the G. Flo Cafe for lunch! Hadn’t eaten there in years, and wanted to see all the Easter stuff. Plus they had some kind of banana oatmeal on the menu.

There was a 5pm open at Cali Grill (hello, monorail crawl!) but they wanted to pick me up at like 5:30 for my flight (Tragical style.) I called them, told them I had no bags to check, and they pushed back my time! Booked it. Seemed like a promising day. Beautiful weather.

Excellent report! You make me WANT TO stay at ASM!!!!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I did not have enough room for the banana oatmeal. Next time! On to the Easter Eggs that you’ve probably seen in every other TR from people who posted on time responsibly!

I’ll call this photo dump “Egg drop soup.”

 

[Tony the Tigger]

More soup for you!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Took a moment to appreciate the Grand-eur.

This is one of my favorite photo moments. This train was in motion when the pic was taken. Perfect timing. No cropping. (I was just trying to get a shot of the MK sign to say, “Aww, I can’t go.”)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

And on my way to the Contemporary.

Had some time to kill. A little shopping.

Some Pride stuff.

Loving the Ewok set. Wicket!

Don’t know why I didn’t take a pic, but I was very happy to find the Mickey Pride Christmas ornament I’d meant to get on a previous trip, and then couldn’t find anywhere.

And if you’ve read this whole TR, you know what this pic means. I rearranged some plushies and texted it to Brian.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Still a little time to kill, so I made friends with this masseuse. Three times.

That was wonderful. Even inside an arcade.

I made my way to the Cali Grill entrance and charged my phone while I waited. I hoped it was ok to sit at the bar even though I had a table reservation.

When I was checked in, the hostess asked if I’d like to sit at the bar. Perfect! (Get those thoughts out of my head that she thinks I’m a lonely old man who would be awkward sitting at a table by himself!)

I was surprised how many others joined me at the bar. (Get those thoughts out of my head that I’m a trendsetter and everyone wanted to sit with me!)

I decided to pass on the signature cocktail.

Even though 138 is my birthday backwards, I thought ordering that drink was backwards. And I was out of points again! (It sucks to be poor! )

 

[93boomer]

Still a little time to kill, so I made friends with this masseuse. Three times.

View attachment 783850View attachment 783851

That was wonderful. Even inside an arcade.

I made my way to the Cali Grill entrance and charged my phone while I waited. I hoped it was ok to sit at the bar even though I had a table reservation.

When I was checked in, the hostess asked if I’d like to sit at the bar. Perfect! (Get those thoughts out of my head that she thinks I’m a lonely old man who would be awkward sitting at a table by himself!)

I was surprised how many others joined me at the bar. (Get those thoughts out of my head that I’m a trendsetter and everyone wanted to sit with me!)

I decided to pass on the signature cocktail.

View attachment 783852

Even though 138 is my birthday backwards, I thought ordering that drink was backwards. And I was out of points again! (It sucks to be poor! )

Smart to pass on that drink! Wow that’s crazy!!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Now, as you know, CG is prix fixe (I always have to double check where the “e” goes ) the rules (and menu) are different at the bar!

Yes, you may order the standard prix fixe dinner. Or..you may use the special menu.

Ooooooooh!

It’s mostly the apps from the main menu. Plus.

A certain someone I had been texting turned me into a spy, texting that special menu so he or she could decide whether to sit at the bar on one of her…er, or his many trips to California Grill.

I started with A Little Whistle.

Anything with basil, I’m good.