CKCK 6.0-June 11-17 at the Fort...BAM!

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Nice job on Daisy!  And totally agree about Stitch (ugh)

 

I don't know why we haven't done Animation Academy - I always completely forget about it when we're there.

 

Guess I need to put it on my spreadsheet.

 

The butterfinger cupcake is pretty killer but definitely better with cooler temps and a big glass of milk... and maybe a FrIEND to split it with.

 

 

BAM!

[alexwyattmommy 181]

The butterfinger cupcake was our must do too.  The red velvet was good too.  The peanut butter one was too much peanut butter and it ended up getting left behind and put in the garbage.

The salad, no bacon.  It has tiny chopped apples, candied walnuts, cheddar cheese, blue cheese and this dressing I cannot describe. [they had two salads, one with a dark dressing and one with the lighter color dressing, this is the light one] It normally comes with chicken, but I think the chicken ruins the clean taste of the other ingredients.  It has shrunk some, which I was not expecting and the price didn't, which I was expecting.

Daisy looks good.  I would not want to do Stitch either.

Looking forward to more food.

 

Ker Plonk!

[devores 382]

Better get to that lights motor action stunt show soon. They will be tearing it out and putting Carsland and Star Wars land in its place. The Backlot tour is also being taken out.

 

The below sign is actually from the new Lone Ranger movie. It is supposed to read "Justice For All Courthouse". It has been refurbished because in the movie it was destroyed.

 

[CKCK 45]

Nice job on Daisy!  And totally agree about Stitch (ugh)

 

I don't know why we haven't done Animation Academy - I always completely forget about it when we're there.

 

Guess I need to put it on my spreadsheet.

 

The butterfinger cupcake is pretty killer but definitely better with cooler temps and a big glass of milk... and maybe a FrIEND to split it with.

 

 

BAM!

 

Thanks

You definitely need to do it

Spreadsheet would work

 

My wife (in all of her reading about food) told me that there are people who just go around eating cupcakes all day.

 

That's crazy.  I don't know if I could finish one, let alone several throughout the day.  

 

The butterfinger cupcake was our must do too.  The red velvet was good too.  The peanut butter one was too much peanut butter and it ended up getting left behind and put in the garbage.

The salad, no bacon.  It has tiny chopped apples, candied walnuts, cheddar cheese, blue cheese and this dressing I cannot describe. [they had two salads, one with a dark dressing and one with the lighter color dressing, this is the light one] It normally comes with chicken, but I think the chicken ruins the clean taste of the other ingredients.  It has shrunk some, which I was not expecting and the price didn't, which I was expecting.

Daisy looks good.  I would not want to do Stitch either.

Looking forward to more food.

 

Ker Plonk!

 

Good to know about the peanut butter cupcake.

 

What kind of salad doesn't have bacon on it?  I'm skeptical.  And I feel like all food portions are shrinking around WDW...but none of the prices are.

 

Better get to that lights motor action stunt show soon. They will be tearing it out and putting Carsland and Star Wars land in its place. The Backlot tour is also being taken out.

 

The below sign is actually from the new Lone Ranger movie. It is supposed to read "Justice For All Courthouse". It has been refurbished because in the movie it was destroyed.

 

 

I don't think it will upset me at all for the backlot tour to be taken out.  Jury is still out on the stunt show...I need to see it first!  I look forward to the day that DHS has more though.  It definitely needs some updated and additions in my opinion. 

 

Interesting that they already have a prop from a movie that hasn't been released yet.  But from the signs in the buses and everywhere else, I guess they're really pushing that movie.

[CKCK 45]

Still Day 2:

 

At some point during this day (don’t remember when) we went looping and came across MicknMin setting up camp.  We had a nice chat and found out that they were waiting on a GC key because they didn’t have theirs.  Luckily they had a daughter who picked one up on the way down.

 

That is one of my biggest fears...forgetting the GC key, charger, or more importantly forgetting the keys to the TT.  

 

On a side note, later in the trip we had a neighbor come down to our site who was locked out of their TT.  They had stepped outside and somehow the door locked behind them.  We couldn’t figure out how that could happen, but somehow it did.  They borrowed every tool I could find but still couldn’t get in.  I think about every Fort maintenance worker ended up at their site trying to help them (and totally blocked the loop and parked all up on the grass).  They eventually had to call a locksmith.  

 

While one of the Fort rangers was there trying to “help”, he couldn’t help himself but to scold them.  They had a little citronella candle, the kind in the bucket, burning on the table.  

 

He made them put it out because it was an open flame.

 

Seriously.

 

Way to kick them while they are down.  

 

 

 

 

I only took one pic of our afternoon at the Fort.  

 

And it involves a PSA.

 

 

I wish I had taken a video of this whole scene.  

 

At least 2 of these golf carts were together.  

 

Carrying on a conversation.

 

While driving two wide down the road.

 

What you can’t see in this pic was the best part.

 

The cart on the front right was pushing someone on an ECV.

 

Seriously.  You can’t make this stuff up.

 

Then they decided they needed to block the road to figure out where they were going next.

 

?

 

How can people be so unaware of their surroundings and the people around them?  I have ranted about self-centeredness in the past.  Yet it seems that I generally have more and more to rant about each trip.

 

People are sucking more.

 

As far as the golf cart thing goes, my wife thinks that people get to the Fort, get in their Fort “zone,” and forget that they are driving carts on roads that have other people on them as well.

 

I think people are just dumb.

 

So next time you want to have a conversation with people in another golf cart, please get out of the flipping road.

 

Oh, and don’t drive the flipping ECVs on the roads.  

 

Duh.

 

End PSA.  

 

 

 

 

It was Epcot time.

 

We didn’t know they were working here just as you enter the World Showcase.

 

 

Anyone know what they’re doing there?  I know about the new food place in Morocco, but this is on the other side of the lagoon.

 

 

We didn’t really have a plan of attack for the evening, other than that we were going to get some food and drinks as we made our way around.

 

Our first stop was at guest services inside the park to pick up a new Disney Visa redemption card.  

 

Had to get my redemption on.

 

While waiting in there, my wife continued our financial winning.

 

She found a crumpled up $10 bill under a chair.  

 

No one was around, nor had there been anyone there for awhile.  

 

She sat there waiting while I took care of things to see if anyone would come in.

 

No one did. 

 

I felt a little bad, because eventually someone was going to realize they were $10 short, but if we didn’t take it someone else would.

 

So we did.

 

I guess I’ll have to pay it forward.

 

 

Our first stop was La Cava de Tequila in Mexico for chips, queso, and a jalepeño margarita.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did I mention we were bagless again?  Sorry for the crummy pics.

 

 

After Mexico we worked our way down to Italy to Tutto Gusto.

 

 

I really dig their lights.

 

 

We split a wine flight and each got a panini.

 

 

If you read CKCK 3.0 you might remember that we went here last summer.

 

And got wine.

 

One of the wines was awful.  So awful that we named it new shoe wine because that’s what it tasted like.

 

Well guess what.

 

We got it again.  It was the Tre..  

 

Now we know.  No more new shoe wine.

 

 

 

 

 

The paninis were okay.  I wished they would have been pressed more, but whatever.  They came with a lettuce wedge...aka “salad.”  All in all they went well with the wine.

 

 

From here we left and headed towards France.  I didn’t get a pic, but we obviously got a Grand Marnier slushy.

 

duh. 

 

Some pics along the way:

 

 

I love the caladiums all around WDW right now.  The MK is rocking a bunch as well.

 

 

Maybe it was just the angle we were at, but it took me forever to figure out that the big building behind Canada is Soarin’.  It was really confusing me just because it looked so out of place there.

 

 

I call this photo, Rainbow over Epcot torch thing.

 

 

 

 

At this point we were getting some wicked lightning all over the place.  I was worried that we were about to have a storm drop on us and wanted to get back to the Fort. 

 

Turns out the rain never happened, so we ended up going to the beach to watch fireworks when we got back to the Fort.

 

The greatest thing about the entire night?  Between the $10 DW found and our visa redemption points, I only spent $1 out of pocket for the entire night.

 

Bam.

 

Tomorrow would be a big day, because not only would we be going to the AK and experiencing some new-to-us things, but the redheads would also be coming!

 

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Nice walk around the world.  Sorry about getting the shoe wine again.  Ick.  Not sure I would call those paninis either.  Look more like stuff on a roll to me.

 

Gives us the Redheads!

 

Argh!

[CoachClough 12]

Loving the report. 

 

And extremely jealous because the whole "Kidless" Disney won't happen until #2 is in college(he's 6).  So I live vicariously through you...

 

ZOOM

[Big Kahuna aka John 71]

Bring on the stars !   We want the redheads !!    POW !!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

Redheads! Redheads! Redheads! Redheads!

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

I am here.

 

 

 

Drunken Donuts.

 

 

 

 

Butterfinger Cupcake.

 

 

 

Drinks around the world.

 

 

 

We wants the Redheads!

[CKCK 45]

Nice walk around the world.  Sorry about getting the shoe wine again.  Ick.  Not sure I would call those paninis either.  Look more like stuff on a roll to me.

 

Gives us the Redheads!

 

Argh!

 

 

Loving the report. 

 

And extremely jealous because the whole "Kidless" Disney won't happen until #2 is in college(he's 6).  So I live vicariously through you...

 

ZOOM

 

 

Bring on the stars !   We want the redheads !!    POW !!

 

 

Redheads! Redheads! Redheads! Redheads!

 

 

Really?  You just use me for the redheads?  At least CoachClough had relevant comments!

 

Okay fine. The next update will have redheads.  I'll get to work...

[CKCK 45]

I am here.

 

 

 

Drunken Donuts.

 

 

 

 

Butterfinger Cupcake.

 

 

 

Drinks around the world.

 

 

 

We wants the Redheads!

 

 

Aaron wins.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Sorry Aaron.  I'm sure you're a real nice guy in person, but those redheads transcend photos.

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

I'm in and just in time for the Redheads! 

 

Bam!

[Beckers 1,136]

Where did the red heads get the red from? You nor wifey look red headed?

[CKCK 45]

I'm in and just in time for the Redheads! 

 

Bam!

 

Of course.  Join the club.

 

Where did the red heads get the red from? You nor wifey look red headed?

 

If you ask my grandpa he'll tell you the milkman.

 

I disagree.

[CKCK 45]

Day 3: Thursday, June 13

 

Now is where this TR gets exciting.  

 

Redheads.  

 

I know, none of you care about all the food and drinks we’ve had, or any of the pics we’ve had so far.

 

It’s okay.  I’m used to it by now.

 

My family does the same thing.

 

 

I have all of my mom’s pics mixed in with my own, so that means we will get to see her pics...synchronized with my own.  So while DW and I are at the Fort and AK we can see what the reds were doing. 

 

Kinda cool if you ask me.

 

 

 

Let’s stop stalling.

 

 

MaMa and PaPa left our house with the girls about 7:30 that morning.  That picture cracks me up.

 

They’re getting so old.

 

At that same time, DW and I were getting ready to leave the Fort to go to the AK.

 

Today would be the day of Cardinals.

 

Not that every day isn’t a Cardinal day.  

 

duh.

 

Go Cards.  

 

Best record in baseball (barely).

 

Regardless, we have several cardinal encounters.

 

Here’s the first one at the campsite:

 

 

 

As usual, we were let in the AK early.

 

 

Obligatory tree of life pic:

 

 

 

We grabbed our EE FP’s and headed towards the safari.  

 

On the way, I took some pics.

 

 

 

 

And guess what I saw.

 

 

Bam.

 

Cardinal #2.  This one was looking a little rough.  Possibly from the night before.  

 

Too much bird partying.

 

 

We stopped by the monkeys.  Turns out, there are two monkey things.  

 

Never knew that.  

 

The inside monkey thing nearest the Kali River Rapids had a baby monkey.

 

 

 

We probably sat for 15 minutes watching it.  

 

 

 

It was amazing to see how the monkey families interacted.  Also crazy to watch how the mama monkey was letting the baby crawl around and try out the ropes...literally.  

 

Then the CM came in to feed them, so they all moved down towards the bottom.  That was crazy.  The mama monkey just started going down and the baby just hung on.  

 

Crazy.

 

 

 

What’s going on here?

 

Is this already work for Avatar Land?

 

And while we’re on the subject, I can say that I’m not sold on Avatar Land yet.

 

I just don’t feel that the movie ended up being big enough to warrant an entire land based on it.  We’ll see...

 

 

We finally made it to the safari.

 

I have never been a huge fan of it, but it’s something to do, and it’s neat to see some of the animals.  However, the whole fake ant mounds and baobab trees get old.  Or like when the CM will tell you that the elephants have been there leaving their trunk marks on the ground.  

 

Okay, whatever you say.  

 

That’s why I’m glad they finally quit that whole poacher scenario.  I hated that.  

 

 

Regardless, this ended up being our coolest safari to date.

 

 

We sat in the very front, which was cool because I could see everything that the CM did.  

 

 

 

We passed some people on the Wild Africa Trek.

 

 

Now that’s something that would be cool.  You get to have a guided tour, go over rope bridges, and get a fantastic meal.  

 

I’m down.

 

 

 

Check out the elephant’s pool:

 

 

It has steps.  

 

Do you think that the ponds in Africa have steps for the elephants?

 

Of course, I bet they’re also not made out of concrete in Africa.

 

 

 

We thought that was going to be our closest encounter with white rinos.

 

We were wrong.

 

 

Two more of them decided they wanted to be all up in our business and blocked the road.

 

So much so that the CM put the truck in park and got on her little phone thing and called it in that they were blocking the road.  

 

She tried to get by one time, but the rhino moved and we couldn’t pass.

 

Finally they moved over enough for us to get by.  That was when we got really cool pics.

 

 

 

 

We finally made it past and saw something you wouldn’t expect to see on an African safari:

 

 

See it in the middle of that pic above the fallen tree?

 

Another cardinal!  

 

Bam!

 

 

After the safari we headed back to EE.

 

 

 

Have you ever walked through the Maharajah Jungle Trek?

 

We have.

 

It has a lot of cool animals on it. 

 

Like giant bats.

 

 

These things are crazy.

 

What we found out was that they will actually follow commands.  Each bat has it’s “person” that it listens to.  The CM can come in and call a bat’s name and it will come over.  Then the CM can get it to turn around, spread it’s wings, or whatever.  

 

Crazy.

 

 

 

 

Check out the dude in the middle:

 

 

I think he escaped from one of the AK attractions.

 

 

We decided to go try the Festival of the Lion King.

 

It was awesome.  

 

We have to take the girls back next time.

 

 

 

 

My second favorite WD quote:

 

 

 

Before we left we had to get food.

 

duh.

 

DW had two things in mind, so we went and got summer rolls and some Asian noodles.

 

 

 

Aside from the mouse poop on the noodles they were both really good.  

 

Not your typical theme park food.  They were both cold, and surprisingly refreshing.  They didn’t make you feel all weighed down with grease and friedness.  We would definitely get them again.

 

 

On our way out I found another escapee:

 

 

What’s with all the red hair?

 

 

What do you notice about this sign?

 

 

Look carefully.  

 

No Fort.

 

What the Fort?

 

How are they going to list the Lodge but not the Fort?

 

Obviously we knew that the Lodge bus is the Fort bus, but what about the people who don’t know that?  

 

Are they supposed to start walking?

 

Stop dissing the Fort, Disney!

 

 

That’s it for this update.

 

I know you were expecting a lot more of the redheads.  

 

That didn't happen, because MaMa didn't take many pics while they were on the road until they stopped for lunch.

 

So they will be all up in the next update.

 

Just to give you another tease, I’ll end with a pic from their lunch break at Cracker Barrel:

 

 

We’ll pick it up from there next time!

[CoachClough 12]

Excellent report.  I also see what all the fuss is about.  Those two girls are super cute.

 

However, all due respect, I have 2 young children.  I know the truth.  Its why they keep cute dangerous animals behind glass.

 

Thanks for the food info, what's a snack without mouse crap?

 

ZOINK

[Beckers 1,136]

If you ask my grandpa he'll tell you the milkman.

I disagree.

My kids are from the UPS man, I don't judge

[alexwyattmommy 181]

What the heck?  Mouse poop?  I'm not paying for mouse poop.  I can get that for free out in the barns.

 

My goodness, they only get cuter each trip.  You are in some serious trouble when your girls discover boys.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Whoa-

 

You are bringing the heat!

 

I just caught up, and have many comments, but I will limit them to 15:

 

1.  I have the exact same watch as you.  I wonder what that means?

2. I knew about the Victory Garden, but not the war vignettes.  I learned something new!

3.  Both you and the Mrs. did good at the animation class.  Those are two good Daisies.

4.  I agree with your cart driver PSA.  Things have gotten bad at the Fort in that regard.

5.  I always wondered if citronella candles were OK.  They sell those bucket candles in the Trading Post for Pete's sake.

6.  I don't know what they are building there in Epcot, but if I had three guesses, I would guess a new Starbucks twice.

7.  I can't believe that you found that $10 bill I lost at Epcot!  I'll get it from you the next time I see you.

8.  That Panini y'all got there in Italy is the strangest one I've ever seen.  Although the truth is I haven't seen too many.

9.  That Rainbow over Epcot Torch Thingy photo is one of the nicest rainbow over Epcot torch thingy photos I've seen.

10. You sure saw a lot of cardinals that day you went to AK.  It probably means something. Some kind of sign.

11. I don't know what that crane is doing at AK, but if you gave me three guesses, I would use two to guess that they're building a new Starbucks.

12.  I never knew the elephant pool had steps.  That makes two new things I learned from your report.

13. Nice Rhino photo.

14. Never knew that the Fort was dissed at the AK bus stop.  Three things!

15. BAM!!

 

TCD

[Big Kahuna aka John 71]

Now we're into a TR !   The stars have arrived !   By the way...  what exactly was the mouse poop?  Burnt sesame seeds?   I also gave you props on the bourbon..   See I'm just mostly in it for the adorable redheads..

 

 

 

PS -  SSBB   you may owe me a keyboard...   UPS man ...  funny very funny......

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Great safari!  We had one a couple of years ago where the rhinos pulled the "You shall not pass!" routine and we had to wait.  They were so close when we finally went by that I'm pretty sure I could have reached down and touched one.  ...if I were completely nuts. 

 

Love Maharajah Jungle Trek.  I could spend ages watching the bats (DH waits outside-LOL) and could stare at the tigers even longer.

 

Those mouse poop noodles actually look pretty tasty.  Have to give them a try next time.

 

 

BAM!

[Hotmamac aka Misty 11]

Right now I am saying to myself..."self, this guy is hilarious!"

 

I also have a redhead courtesy of the UPS man. They're the best! 

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Excellent update.

 

Was the Mouse poop officially licensed by Mickey?

 

I agree that you may have issues when those younglings get to dating age.

 

It is nothing that can't be fixed by you answering the door wearing a Glock though.

 

Beckers--I snarfed hot coffee through my nose when I read the UPS man comment.  It actually helped me clear my sinuses though so no worries.