Animal Kingdom

This week some friends from Washington are visiting the area, so Tuesday night while Susan worked Jenn and I hung out in Epcot's World Showcase with them, and watched the fireworks show. 

We were too busy with chores and appointments to join them in the parks Wednesday or Thursday, but Susan and Jenn were able to meet some of them Thursday night at Disney Springs for dinner at Ragland Road. Yesterday we joined them at Animal Kingdom.

We wandered through Africa and Asia with them, then had a late lunch at Yak n Yeti. 

In Dinoland Disney has completely removed the old Dino-Rama area, but the new Encanto ride building hasn’t gone vertical. From the concept art posted on the wall, it looks like the Chester & Hester and Restaurantosarus buildings will stay and be rethemed to tropical America. 

Disney World Construction Update

Besides the pending closure of Tom Sawyer Island and the Riverboat, Disney is also preparing for the expansion of Magic Kingdom backstage. Recently they cleared the land between Frontierland and the road that runs along the west side of the park. It looks like this will be a staging area for the Carsland & Villain Land expansion.  

For about a year now, Disney has been working on realigning and widening Floridian Way, the road that runs west of Magic Kingdom. They’ve done a lot of utility work, and built retaining walls and bridge abutments, but recently the roadway has started taking shape.

Meanwhile over near Fort Wilderness, the Lakeside Lodge continues to get taller. It looks like it will top out a nine floors at its tallest.

They’ve also started erecting frames for cabins on the shore on either side of the Lodge.

Frontierland

Earlier this month, Disney announced that Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle Riverboat would closing in early July to make way for a Cars themed area. Today Jenn, Susan, and I went into Magic Kingdom to experience them one last time. 

We took the train from Main Street to Frontierland, then I went to the new DVC lounge to get on the wait list while Susan and Jenn looked in the shops. After a brief wait we went in to enjoy the AC and free soda and snacks.

While Susan waited in the lounge, Jenn and I went over to Tom Sawyer Island and walked around. I was disappointed that Injun Joe's cave was closed.

From the island we could see Big Thunder Mountain, which closed at the beginning of January for a year long refurbishment. After that we rejoined Susan for a ride on the riverboat. I then took the train around the park while Susan and Jenn walked out through the Emporium.

Portland

After the book convention, Jennifer stayed with a friend in the Portland area for a week. They visited bookstores and went by University of Portland so Jenn could say hi to some of her professors. 

On Saturday Bryan drove over from Bend to join her for the friend's birthday. On Sunday they hung out in Portland. They visited the Voodoo Doughnut in Milwaukie and Powell's Books.

They had lunch at the Pietro's Pizza in Milwaukie, which had recently moved to a new location. Then he dropped her off at PDX for her flight home and drove back to Bend. 

Ferryboats

At the end of May I started training to drive the ferryboats at Magic Kingdom, and today, after two weeks, I completed it. 

Last weekend, Jennifer did an event with another author at her Barnes & Noble. Thursday night she flew out to Portland for a book convention. 

Bryan, meanwhile, spent last week on the Big Island of Hawaii, attending a friend’s wedding. He enjoyed the Kona coast and seeing Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Seattle

This weekend Susan and Jennifer flew to Seattle for another book convention. Before it started, they checked out downtown.

They stayed at the Westin downtown. Because it was a Marriott, they got upgraded to a suite. Bryan came up from Bend to visit.

After the convention, they checked out a new VooDoo Doughnuts and visited friends in the Seattle area. They flew home last night.

MuppetVision

Earlier this year, Disney announced they would be closing MuppetVision at Hollywood Studios in early June to make way for a Monsters Inc. area. Susan and I had loved this 3D movie when we saw it on our first visit over 30 years ago, so when Jenn and I visited the park last week I made sure to watch it again before it closed. 

I ate lunch at PizzeRizzo, across from MuppetVision, which will also be closing soon for the Monsters Inc land. We’ve eaten there several times over the last decade, and at Pizza Planet before that, even though the pizza was never great.

This weekend, Susan and Jennifer drove down to Fort Lauderdale for a book convention.