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.

 

[Swissmiss]

Collared shirt?

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I love the muppets man, but that shirt is hideous.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Skipped Muppets. Debated taking the Skyliner to Riviera, but both underdressed.

Got lucky and grabbed the bus back immediately. (Had to run a lil’ bit!)

The plan is to chill a minute, get changed into whatever we have and head to a nice dinner. Everyone says the rigatoni is so good; I’m skeptical, but may try it.

 

[93boomer]

I read this to him. He didn’t know I’d posted the sleeping pic.

We were a little hungry but didn’t want to ruin dinner. We stopped at ABC Commissary and split an order of pork carnitas tacos.
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Hit the spot. Tastier than the sandwiches, probably because of the pickled onions. Good call.

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Those tacos look yummy!!

 

[Tiggerish]

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.

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Got into that chicken salad sammy.
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Honestly, it needed a little flavor. Well, some dressing was included. That helped!

That first photo should've come with a warning. Lookin' good, man!!

Eggs Benedict with pulled pork? Hello!!

Hell yeah!

More soup for you!

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Hard to choose a favorite among many of those eggs, but is it just me or there's something freaky about the chocolate bunny in the last photo?

Took a moment to appreciate the Grand-eur.

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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.”)

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Pretty sure I voted for that last photo in a photo contest.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Brian was asleep in 5 minutes when we got back to the room. While I was being all (lovingly) judgy about that, I fell asleep, too.

Woke up at 9:03 and said, “Are we supposed to be somewhere?”

Omg!!

You never saw two bishes get changed so fast. No time for a bus, called a Lyft - arriving in 5 minutes - and got down there!

Made it right on time.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Dinner was very nice, server was great. Brian took pics of his own, so I don’t have those.

Started with a yummy pork belly appetizer.

Brian had the filet, which of course I tried, and it was cooked beautifully. I could cut it with a fork.

Mine was a fall off the bone lamb shank.

My dessert was good, not amazing, didn’t quite match the description. Basically crème brulee with some fancy doo-dads. Example: “chocolate mousse” was in the description, but it was really just this little gumdrop sized thing that kind of tasted like chocolate and was pretty solid. “Beignets” were listed, and that’s what those little balls are supposed to be.

Brian got a simple no sugar added vanilla bean ice cream with olive oil and kind of a lemon crumble. His was way better.

A couple of glasses of wine, and we’re spent.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring? We booked Epcot, but now it’s a good to go day so that doesn’t matter!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Random rooftop pics - and Disney movie posters in other languages. Vice Versa!

 

[MinnieM123]

Ok we didn’t take many pics, but we had the usual fantastic time with “Jules & Stools.” (That would be our favorite bartender, Julie, plus the reinstalled stools at the Tune-In Lounge.)

Glad to see that your friend, Julie, was bartending. (I know that your friendship goes back a number of years.) And I'm happy that they finally reinstalled the stools at the bar. (Wondering if they brought back the meal menu for bar patrons as well?)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

What the heck was that THUD?!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

That first photo should've come with a warning. Lookin' good, man!!

You are much too kind. (And maybe losing your eyesight?)

I like this better from a few months ago.

is it just me or there's something freaky about the chocolate bunny in the last photo?

Maybe it’s the glare.

Or…

Pretty sure I voted for that last photo in a photo contest.

Thank you!!

(Wondering if they brought back the meal menu for bar patrons as well?)

Not yet. And it’s going to be different. They don’t want the full 50’s PTC menu available, just like onion rings and something else. They want it more separate from the cafe, and a food menu like Baseline Tap House. (Like 2 things.)

Not a great idea, IMO. Keep it simple. Just order from the 50’s menu, I say!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

What the heck was that THUD?!

That was me falling out of bed at about 8am. Did you feel the ground shake? 🫨

Luckily I landed on my relatively ample bee-hind. I don’t think I added injury to my back. Probably won’t know until tomorrow!

Speaking of tomorrow, I called Brightline on my morning walk today. If you booked two people together, you cannot change the itinerary for only one. So I could not change my ride home to Friday if I wanted to stay another day, they could cancel mine, and I could rebook a one-way ride home, but that would have cost about $80 more.

In the meantime, there used to be a pic of this, but when I went to take a shower, there were 2 small roaches running around the tub. (They drowned. R.I.P.)

I just went down to the front desk and very politely asked them if they could spray while we went to the parks, and showed them the pic - and was my room available another night?

They were very nice, and they gave me vouchers for both of us for 2 QS lunches with drinks anywhere, and 2 snacks. Cool! On the condition that I delete the pic. Hmm…

Alas, Music is all booked up with cheerleaders. Only Movies was showing availability, but it was $174. That’s pretty high for a Value. The CM is in back now calling to see if she can book me at a lower rate. I’m kind of doubting that will happen. All good, I can probably book something nearby in my range.

If that all works out, Brian takes the train home Thursday morning (with a paid empty seat next to him - bonus) and my big bag, so I won’t have to pay for it on Spirit. I can book a free flight home on points for Friday night, book anyplace to stay Thursday night, and extend my fun. Hey, @Tuvalu !

Any votes on this live TR?

Should I stay or should I go now?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

In the meantime, the first bus that came in 1 minute was to MK! Here we go!

The driver thinks he’s Mario Andretti. B almost fell off the seat after an abrupt stop. We are like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum today! Weebles Wobble but they’re not supposed to fall down!

 

[Tiggertoo56]

Definitely stay! Hope the back & other areas are OK after the bump!

 

[cgersic]

 

[Tuvalu]

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Let’s take a train ride! First time since before Covid.

As soon as I sat down, the brat behind us got up and spit on my neck. I. Need. Sanitizer.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The brat did not get off at the Frontierland stop.

 

[cgersic]

I was looking at the weather today for my trip up there next week and saw you are currently at 97 degrees up there, but it feels like 111?!

 

[Lilofan]

I was looking at the weather today for my trip up there next week and saw you are currently at 97 degrees up there, but it feels like 111?!

It is not even June yet...

 

[cgersic]

It is not even June yet...

I'm in SW Florida and thankfully live on an island where there is still a breeze. A hot breeze, but a breeze nonetheless!