Trip Report Two broke guys & a dog (for the last time.) (now with Christmas 2024!)

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.
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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:
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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.
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dizfan917

Well-Known Member
It is amazing to me to see folks who drink ALL around the Whole Disney World...

Kevin and I might have a glass of wine with dinner (at Jiko, it's the Cederburg Bukkatraube - YUM!), and maybe another something boozy and sweet somewhere else, and I'll MAYBE have a Schofferhofer in Germany (a small one), but that is our whole alcohol budget for eight days!

When I went with my brother on a Solo Bro Trip (no kids or partners) he remarked that he never ATE so much in one week and I replied that I'd never DRANK so much in a week! It's nice that everyone can do their thing and have the vacation they desire.

I must be saving so much $$$!! :D 🍰 How is it still so expensive?!
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It is amazing to me to see folks who drink ALL around the Whole Disney World...

Kevin and I might have a glass of wine with dinner (at Jiko, it's the Cederburg Bukkatraube - YUM!), and maybe another something boozy and sweet somewhere else, and I'll MAYBE have a Schofferhofer in Germany (a small one), but that is our whole alcohol budget for eight days!

When I went with my brother on a Solo Bro Trip (no kids or partners) he remarked that he never ATE so much in one week and I replied that I'd never DRANK so much in a week! It's nice that everyone can do their thing and have the vacation they desire.

I must be saving so much $$$!! :D 🍰 How is it still so expensive?!
Ah, that’s where the Visa points come in handy for us!
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Had fun catching up on your live trippin. Have a good trip to Nashville!
@Tony the Tigger , I got many chuckles out of your live trippin' vacation! :joyfull: (Just got caught up with it all this morning -- I was away for 3 days last week, so I was not following "live".)

Have fun in Nashville! :)

Thank you!

JW Marriott downtown Nashville.

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The shower door doesn’t move, so that’s weird. It’s always open.

So far lots of meetings, using the gym, and falling asleep early. There was a fun welcome party last night.

Today, every meeting is an hour: Elektra Records, Warner, Universal (they actually distribute all the Disney titles) and others. There’s a brunch at 11, etc. I’m about to be late for the 8 AM meeting, so I might skip it. 😆
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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This is the time of year we most often visit WDW - my bday is 8/31 & our anniversary is 9/8.

We decided not to go up this year b/c Brian just had back fusion surgery on 8/13. (He was back to work 2 weeks later! The guy is not lazy.)

My bday was a low key, local, good time with a few friends. We saw my friend Jennifer sing at da club, had a nice dinner, home by midnight. 😆

Last minute, we decided to stay for the first time in Key Largo for our anniversary. We’ve stayed in Key West, Marathon, and Islamorada but never Key Largo before. Just a Sunday Monday thing, home on Tuesday so B can go to work.

Had to tell someone - this hotel is fantastic. The Amoray. (“That’s amore!” 💕🇮🇹) Paid $111 per night on a deal. Our room was going to be on the second floor. I mentioned B’s surgery, and we were upgraded to a room with a full kitchen on the first floor. We love it. Highly recommended! The bar where “Key Largo” was filmed is next door, too. Food pics are from Sundowners a couple doors down.
 
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Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
As for Disney, if I re-sign the contract with a marketing company I’ve been using for the last 6 months, they want to take us both to WDW, while having our monthly meeting on the Brightline! I thought that was a fun idea. (Park tix would be our own responsibility but the rest is on them.)

Otherwise, we really want to go for Christmas if we can. I am having two surgeries (my first ever - do I get a first time button? 😆) over the next two months (neck & back) and will be in a neck brace until mid-December. Without Kylie, we don’t want to be home (I got sad over July 4th, our usual “take her to a hotel” time.) With all that - a Disney trip would be awesome, with or without park tix (an AP would be blacked out, anyway.)

Or…this hotel wouldn’t be so bad, either!
 

93boomer

Premium Member
View attachment 814178View attachment 814179View attachment 814180View attachment 814181View attachment 814182View attachment 814183View attachment 814184View attachment 814185View attachment 814187View attachment 814188This is the time of year we most often visit WDW - my bday is 8/31 & our anniversary is 9/8.

We decided not to go up this year b/c Brian just had back fusion surgery on 8/13. (He was back to work 2 weeks later! The guy is not lazy.)

My bday was a low key, local, good time with a few friends. We saw my friend Jennifer sing at da club, had a nice dinner, home by midnight. 😆

Last minute, we decided to stay for the first time in Key Largo for our anniversary. We’ve stayed in Key West, Marathon, and Islamorada but never Key Largo before. Just a Sunday Monday thing, home on Tuesday so B can go to work.

Had to tell someone - this hotel is fantastic. The Amoray. (“That’s amore!” 💕🇮🇹) Paid $111 per night on a deal. Our room was going to be on the second floor. I mentioned B’s surgery, and we were upgraded to a room with a full kitchen on the first floor. We love it. Highly recommended! The bar where “Key Largo” was filmed is next door, too. Food pics are from Sundowners a couple doors down.
That place is gorgeous!!
 

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