Trip Report Two broke guys & a dog (for the last time.) (Once more, with feelings. 1/13/25.)

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.

 

[Tuvalu]

So did we enjoy the newly renovated, “more appropriate” CBJ?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

So did we enjoy the newly renovated, “more appropriate” CBJ?

F*** yeah, we did!!

I was kind of rapt through the whole performance - the updated costumes, the (sometimes bear-ly recognizable) hillbillified Disney songs, the hinting at “Blood…” and, importantly, a lot more action from the mounted section again!

To me, this was no different than loving a band’s concerts, and then they come out with a new album, and tour supporting that album. Same band - different songs - just as much fun.

 

[Tuvalu]

Re: CBMJ ~

 

[Tony the Tigger]

My on the fly “plan” was to hit Haunted Mansion next.

…but HM did not want either of us to be their 1,000th haunt.

Second-ish choice and nearby:

Shout out to Italy!

What is that?

And the spinning sun..?

Poor Brian was having a harder time getting in and out of boats. Hopefully tomorrow’s Doc appointment helps with that! It’s a little bit heartbreaking because he will soldier on to make me happy.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Speaking of heartbreaking, warning: moment ahead.

Being the week before the Christmas we would be at WDW (but not in the parks*) and being nearby, we stopped into Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. I had no expectations, I had already purchased the Rose & Crown item to memorialize our trip (as I do every trip.)

We walked around just looking at things, and I came to the part with the ornaments that can be personalized. As soon as the idea hit me, I got choked up. Walked away. The more I thought about and decided the details, the choked up feeling ebbed and flowed. It surprised me that would happen in public, but you can guess who has been on my mind more with the holiday coming up.

I couldn’t say her name. I knew if I went up to the cashier and said her name, I would give myself away. I’d make some involuntary sound or breath or sniffle and feel awkward. I walked up to the counter, handed the young woman the ornament I had chosen, and she asked me what name would I like to personalize it with? I couldn’t say her name. I held up my phone:

Not dragging this out across two posts.

Once that was established, I picked an ink color. I felt the need to explain my odd behavior (holding up the phone.) I had a minute or two of “ebb” so I could briefly tell her what was up. I’m glad I did because the very kind CM suggested adding paw prints and I chose a color for those.

I was told it would be ready by 5. That long? Oh, it was already 3:15. Felt like noon because we arrived so late. I asked if there was any chance it would be sooner because we had a dinner reservation at 5:20. She couldn’t promise, but hinted she would try to move it along, after telling me about losing her dog last year.

In about an hour, we received the text that it was ready. I told you I did something sappy.

I chose the green because with her name, Brian’s late (Irish) father used to call her “a fine Irish lass.”

I couldn’t get that sentence out to Brian until later in the day.

And yet another thing fell into place on this trip! #grateful

*Just a reminder that I was looking at the price of one day tickets yesterday.

 

[Swissmiss]

Hmm, it suddenly got a bit dusty here

 

[pkkurz]

I’m not crying , you’re crying

 

[93boomer]

Speaking of heartbreaking, warning: moment ahead.

Being the week before the Christmas we would be at WDW (but not in the parks*) and being nearby, we stopped into Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. I had no expectations, I had already purchased the Rose & Crown item to memorialize our trip (as I do every trip.)

We walked around just looking at things, and I came to the part with the ornaments that can be personalized. As soon as the idea hit me, I got choked up. Walked away. The more I thought about and decided the details, the choked up feeling ebbed and flowed. It surprised me that would happen in public, but you can guess who has been on my mind more with the holiday coming up.

I couldn’t say her name. I knew if I went up to the cashier and said her name, I would give myself away. I’d make some involuntary sound or breath or sniffle and feel awkward. I walked up to the counter, handed the young woman the ornament I had chosen, and she asked me what name would I like to personalize it with? I couldn’t say her name. I held up my phone:

View attachment 831481

Not dragging this out across two posts.

Once that was established, I picked an ink color. I felt the need to explain my odd behavior (holding up the phone.) I had a minute or two of “ebb” so I could briefly tell her what was up. I’m glad I did because the very kind CM suggested adding paw prints and I chose a color for those.

I was told it would be ready by 5. That long? Oh, it was already 3:15. Felt like noon because we arrived so late. I asked if there was any chance it would be sooner because we had a dinner reservation at 5:20. She couldn’t promise, but hinted she would try to move it along, after telling me about losing her dog last year.

In about an hour, we received the text that it was ready. I told you I did something sappy.

View attachment 831485

I chose the green because with her name, Brian’s late (Irish) father used to call her “a fine Irish lass.”

I couldn’t get that sentence out to Brian until later in the day.

And yet another thing fell into place on this trip! #grateful

*Just a reminder that I was looking at the price of one day tickets yesterday.

I teared up several times last week just thinking about being able to spend the week with my daughter and her husband and making memories. Ohh shoot tearing up just thinking of the time together. We’re really close.
I was told by someone close to me that a great vacation, special occasion or place, human or animal that brings tears is a good thing.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Our 5:20 ADR was at California Grill. We checked in at 5 and asked to sit at the bar. They let us right up!

What a view at that hour!

When you sit at the bar, you don’t have to do the prixe fix menu. There is a very limited bar menu. The last time I did this, I was told I could also order dessert from the main menu, and you can still do the prixe fix if you like.

This time, they said we could order anything off the main menu a la carte, and if we wanted to split an entree, it would come split on two plates. Wassaaaaaap!

We started with the fab short rib wontons, a sushi roll, and drinks. Then another order of wontons (strangely inconsistent - less of the oniony jus(?) I don’t think I would call it a sauce, but there was more on the first order. We devoured them, anyway - still delicious!

Then what? We went back-and-forth debating if we should split a filet entree, keep going with appetizers, or go somewhere else.

We were satisfied, but not full. I think if there were more interesting things on the menu, we would’ve eaten there and stayed longer. The only thing really interesting was the filet, and we were both kind of meh about that. We very much enjoyed our visit, but we paid our tab and told the bartender we might return later. He advised us to hold onto our receipt to make that easier. I did.

We did see the gingerbread creation:

And a lame window view that I thought was cool at the time.

It was still early, so we took the monorail to…

 

[93boomer]

Our 5:20 ADR was at California Grill. We checked in at 5 and asked to sit at the bar. They let us right up!
View attachment 831518

What a view at that hour!

When you sit at the bar, you don’t have to do the prixe fix menu. There is a very limited bar menu. The last time I did this, I was told I could also order dessert from the main menu, and you can still do the prixe fix if you like.

This time, they said we could order anything off the main menu a la carte, and if we wanted to split an entree, it would come split on two plates. Wassaaaaaap!

We started with the fab short rib wontons, a sushi roll, and drinks. Then another order of wontons (strangely inconsistent - less of the oniony jus(?) I don’t think I would call it a sauce, but there was more on the first order. We devoured them, anyway - still delicious!

Then what? We went back-and-forth debating if we should split a filet entree, keep going with appetizers, or go somewhere else.

We were satisfied, but not full. I think if there were more interesting things on the menu, we would’ve eaten there and stayed longer. The only thing really interesting was the filet, and we were both kind of meh about that. We very much enjoyed our visit, but we paid our tab and told the bartender we might return later. He advised us to hold onto our receipt to make that easier. I did.

We did see the gingerbread creation:

View attachment 831520View attachment 831521
And a lame window view that I thought was cool at the time.
View attachment 831522

It was still early, so we took the monorail to…

MK?

 

[Tuvalu]

MK?

 

[Tuvalu]

 

[Tuvalu]

 

[93boomer]

 

[erstwo]

Shout out to Italy!

View attachment 831471

What is that?

No really? What is that? Some sort of monkey in a Carnival mask?

I too find myself sniffling. Must be allergies! ( the ornament!)

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It was still early, so we took the monorail to

How many more times can I take a picture of this ball?

And this one:

It was open this time.

We rode Nemo, and I was hoping to do Living With The Land, but it was a 50 minute wait.

Soarin’ was almost a walk-on. And we had good seats.

LWTL was down to 45 minutes, but…mehhhh.

 

[Tuvalu]

LWTL was down to 45 minutes, but…mehhhh.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

We strongly considered it, but knew it would restrict our dining options. (And we were getting tired by now lol.)

A lot of typing:

While wandering through Epcot, I saw dining reservations up until 9:45-9:55pm at Cali Grill, at Kona Cafe, etc. We left Epcot in plenty of time, and might have even played some Monorail Bingo to see which one to go to.

I was thinking splitting the Filet at Cali Grill would be better than most of what's at Kona.

The first stop was the TTC. No way we were going there.

The next stop was...Epcot. What?

These two idiots who never do this kind of thing didn't know the Epcot monorail only had two stops.

Be nice.

It takes quite a while to go all the way back around, and then back out to the TTC. We did that, but it was really eating up our time. We switched monorails. The Poly came up before the Contemporary (some of you are saying, "Of course!") and Brian went to get up. I said nah, let's try Cali first, and if we have to, we can come back.

We tried Cali first. The gentleman downstairs was perfectly agreeable and sent us on our way up the elevator.

The folks upstairs said the bar was full, there were at least 4 people asking for a spot ahead of us, and they weren't taking anyone else.

I never showed them my receipt from earlier or mentioned I'd been there earlier. Don't know if that would have made a difference.

So we went back down. The Kona reservation...was gone. Now we'd have to chance going back to the Poly and getting seated in like 7 minutes. We decided it wasn't worth the risk of being turned away a second time.

We went to the Contempo Cafe, and brought our meals to the Outer Rim for a better vibe. I was kind of disappointed (mostly in myself for bad time management) until I tasted my very reasonably priced spicy chicken sandwich, and it was quite good. Brian enjoyed his hot turkey sandwich, and we got a BBQ chicken flatbread to go.

From the bar, I had a nice chocolate martini, and Brian a basic Crown & Diet. Likely saved a few bucks and felt better after tasting what I expected to be mediocre QS food, but was decidedly better than that. And I liked sitting at the bar rather than the more cafeteria feel of the Contempo.

So in a way, that was the end of my streak of everything going exactly my way, but it was fine in the end. Brian got to have an "I told you so" because we probably should have just stopped at Kona when the monorail stopped at Poly. I was the dog with the bone seeing a reflection of himself in the mirror. (You know the story.) And more things are still going better than I expected for our upcoming Christmas trip!

 

[Tuvalu]

The first stop was the TTC. No way we were going there.
The next stop was...Epcot. What?
These two idiots who never do this kind of thing didn't know the Epcot monorail only had two stops.

And apparently didn't hear the "This monorail will be returning to Epcot" announcement as it pulled into the TTC station.

Be nice.

We tried Cali first. The gentleman downstairs was perfectly agreeable and sent us on our way up the elevator.
The folks upstairs said the bar was full, there were at least 4 people asking for a spot ahead of us, and they weren't taking anyone else.
I never showed them my receipt from earlier or mentioned I'd been there earlier. Don't know if that would have made a difference.

We went to the Contempo Cafe, and brought our meals to the Outer Rim for a better vibe. I was kind of disappointed (mostly in myself for bad time management) until I tasted my very reasonably priced spicy chicken sandwich, and it was quite good. Brian enjoyed his hot turkey sandwich, and we got a BBQ chicken flatbread to go.

From the bar, I had a nice chocolate martini, and Brian a basic Crown & Diet. Likely saved a few bucks and felt better after tasting what I expected to be mediocre QS food, but was decidedly better than that. And I liked sitting at the bar rather than the more cafeteria feel of the Contempo.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Random pics on our way out of the Contemporary.

The Lyft back to the room was much cheaper at that hour and from that location (non-WDW surge pricing.)

As Miss Jackson would say as "Miss You Much" winds down: "That's the end?"