Walt Disney World with Irma -- Part IV

In today's post, I will focus on Epcot, and its Food & Wine Festival, as well as Disney Studios. A note: I originally went to Epcot on the Sunday, and it was wall to wall people. Dear readers: because this is also a big event amongst locals (and who can blame them?) weekends are the worst times for a tourist to try and attend this event. So, I went back later in the week.

Peking Duck and Tsingtao

Before I go on, I would just like to do a shoutout to my favourite Epcot beverage: the Viking Coffee. It's a breakfast beverage! It's a reviving snack!

Kalua Pork and Mai Tai

There are also attractions and rides at Epcot. In the Living Seas, you can see this wonderful manatee that they rescued after it had its tail mangled by a boat motor.


And let us not forget the fabulous World Showcase, where one can visit several countries in a single day.



By the time I got to Disney Studios, I already knew I was going to be stranded until after Irma. Several days before the storm was due, they stopped sending planes to Florida. I guess they didn't want them to fly down empty just to evacuate people.

But I made the best of a bad situation, and did the Frozen Singalong. I also did various other things, like the Tower of Terror, and Indiana Jones.







By the time I got to the TV Tune-In lounge, they were doing excessively large pours. I guess to keep us calm?

* Stay tuned starting next Friday, when I start live-blogging my upcoming trip to Panama!

Walt Disney World with Irma - Part III

First a disclaimer -- some of the pictures are from my 2015 trip because I inexplicably took no pictures of my room, or the lounge. But this post is going to be all about my favourite Walt Disney World resort: the Animal Kingdom Lodge; and my favourite way to stay at that resort: Club Level.

These rooms are notoriously hard to get, and need to be booked months in advance, usually. But I love them. I love the Savannah views.






The club is wonderful. They have my favourite beer, Tusker!, and wonderful African wines.



Also, in the evening they have delicious hot hors d'oeuvres, cheeses, and other delightful foods.




Victoria Falls is a lovely lounge if you're not staying club level. It has standard bar offerings, as well as imports from Africa.



The lobby of the main building is magnificent. It also has many small spaces where a person can sit and wait for friends and family.









Speaking of public spaces, the pool and hot tubs are lovely.






Especially with a nice beer.



The rooms are also very nice. I recommend getting a Savannah view, even if you can't get club level. There's something about sipping your coffee on your balcony in the morning watching the animals go by. (Don't forget to put something on if you sleep raw).

Walt Disney World with Irma - Part II

While I don't wish to dwell too much on the Magic Kingdom in this report, I do want to give Honourable Mention to the Haunted Mansion. I just love this ride so much. It is a classic. And they have updated the line, so there are interactive bits, and lots to see while you're waiting. So, even if you don't have a FastPass for it, as long as the line isn't too terrible, it's worth the wait.

Haunted Mansion Musical Instrument

Haunted Mansion Cemetery

Haunted Mansion Line

Madame Leota Haunted Mansion

Polynesian Hot Tub

A few more words on the Polynesian resort. The hot tub is very nice, and there is a quiet pool away from the Volcano pool which isn't quite as hectic. The resort decor is amazing, and it is, of course, home to my favourite Disney bar -- Trader Sam's. I only spent 2 nights there, and then moved on to my very favourite resort: the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

While I was waiting for my room to be ready, and my luggage to be transferred, I went to the Animal Kingdom.

Tree of Life

The Tree of Life is the centrepiece of the park. It has many animals carved into the trunk.

Good Gnus!

Flights of Wonder

The Yeti

Meerkats

New this trip was Pandora, a new land in the Animal Kingdom from the film Avatar. The theming of this area is spectacular.

Pandora

Pandora

There are two rides here: Na'vi River Journey, and Avatar Flight of Passage. The River Journey is a fairly standard boat dark ride, but Flight of Passage is phenomenal! It is the best ride I have been on so far. It is a VR simulation of flying a banshee. It's breathtaking.

Walt Disney World with Irma - Part I

In September of 2017, I decided that I should go visit Walt Disney World.  It's the perfect time for it. Food and Wine is going on at Epcot, and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween gives lots of opportunities to go on rides with little to no wait at the Magic Kingdom. 

I did a 3 resort trip, starting with the Polynesian, Club Level. I am a huge fan of Hawaii, and I've always enjoyed visiting the lobby. I love Trader Sams. The resort is lovely, and convenient to the Magic Kingdom. The pool is fun, and in spite of some previous reports I had seen, it does indeed have a hot tub.

Club Level Room in the Polynesian Resort

I started off with a visit to the Magic Kingdom, since it is the one that is most convenient to the Polynesian Resort. 

Main Street USA

I want to concentrate on Adventureland for today, because it contains some of my favourite rides, and my favourite MK restaurant (but more about that later). 

Entry to Adventureland

One of the underrated things in Adventureland, if you are easily mobile, is the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. I've never seen a wait for it, and the detail is amazing. You do have to be able to climb stairs, but if you have a daily flights goal, this is an easy way to rack up the numbers.

Cannon from the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse

Detail from Adventureland

Tiki Misters in Adventureland

A new-to-me addition to Adventureland was the Skipper Canteen. As a fan of both the Jungle Cruise, and the late, lamented Adventurers' Club, I love this restaurant. It has a lot of references to both, with droll wit and fun props. It also has the best tofu I have ever eaten. Beer and wine are available, to make your meal a little more adult, if you like.

Display in the Skipper Canteen

Speaking of the Jungle Cruise...

Ladies and Gentlemen: the Backside of Water!

And let's not forget my favourite in Adventureland -- Pirates of the Caribbean!

Reintroduction and Quick New Orleans 2017

I'm sorry it has been so long. I've missed you all. I have been travelling, but I haven't been posting. Well, that changes today.

There have been a few changes since we last spoke. I have retired from the world of software development, and am now a full time travel agent. Dear reader, I offer full service travel planning, including some extras (buy a vacation package, and you can get a 2 week countdown via text or email, with pictures and facts about your destination).  So, contact me please, and let me help you.

In the early summer of 2017, I went to New Orleans for a quick romp before I started my new job (still as a dev).

Jackson Square

Jackson Square is a great place, with cats if you can find them. It is near Cafe du Monde, Muriel's, and many other fine bars, restaurants,  and other establishments.

Ghost's Table at Muriel's

Muriel's is at the top right corner of Jackson Square. It is reputed to be very haunted, of course, and has massively delicious food, because this is New Orleans, and even the poltergeists like to eat. The ghost's table is in fact reserved for the former owner, and is replenished daily with bread and wine to keep him happy.

Pierre Maspero's

A restaurant I love to go to for the ambience, and traditional New Orleans food options. Don't forget the hot sauce. 

Holiday Inn Chateau LeMoyne

A nice hotel, conveniently located in the French Quarter. My room had a balcony overlooking a very nice wall. ;)

I did a lot of tourist stuff this trip, including singing several songs at the Cat's Meow, bar (jazz) hopping down Frenchmen Street, a Haunted Pub Tour, and, what was surely the highlight, the History of the Cocktail tour with the Confederacy of Cruisers. They fit you with a bike with a drink holder, and start you off with a proper daiquiri. It is a great tour and highly recommended, if you don't mind mixing your drinks.

The above is a gin fizz from one of the tour stops. I had never had one before. It was hand shaken, and took the bartender quite some time. It was delicious. The whole tour was wonderful.

Sadly, the trip had to end, but my last morning there, I was at Jackson Square, and a brass band busking there played "St. James' Infirmary." It was a truly wonderful end to a short, but terrific trip.