Reflections

While everyone else were at conventions, I rode a cruiser from the Magic Kingdom to the Fort Wilderness campgrounds. Recently there’s been construction activity on the old River Country site. 

At one point Disney announced that it was building a DVC hotel on the site called Reflections, but it was stopped when the pandemic hit. 

Yesterday afternoon Susan, Jenn, and I went to the Studios to meet a friend from Bend, who was visiting WDW for the first time. We did a few rides and grabbed some lunch at the ABC Commissary. 

Today while I worked, Susan and Jenn had breakfast at the Grand Floridian Cafe then met him in Magic Kingdom. They rode the train and the Peoplemover, and bought a Halloween popcorn bucket.

More Conventions

While Susan and I were on our cruise, Jennifer drove to Tampa for another Lightning game. She and her friend had just bought new jerseys to wear.

The Lightning defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 4-1.

This weekend, Susan and Jenn flew out to Las Vegas for another book convention. It was held at the Paris Las Vegas. They flew out Thursday morning and back Sunday night. 

Meanwhile, Bryan flew out to Anaheim to visit friends and attend a convention there. He also spent a day at the Disneyland resort. The train station was being refurbished.

Celebrity Cruise

Monday morning Susan and I drove down to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, where we boarded the Celebrity Reflection for a four night cruise to the Bahamas. We had an Aqua-class room, which gave us a midship veranda room, plus some other perks. 

On Tuesday we stopped at Nassau. This was a disappointment because we were supposed to spend Tuesday at sea and stop at Bimini on Thursday, but a storm was approaching so it got changed. We got off and walked around the shops a bit, but then headed back. We were going to go to the Pirate Museum, but they didn’t take American Express and neither of us had another credit card on us. 

On Wednesday we stopped at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island. It’s more developed than Disney’s island but most of the extra things also cost extra. 

Thursday was spent at sea. The Celebrity Reflection is a nice ship but we definitely prefer sailing on a Disney ship. We prefer the way Disney has guests rotate between three dining room rather than the way Celebrity has one and then more that cost extra. The entertainment is also better on Disney, and the quality of the food. Still it was nice to relax. This morning we came back into Port Everglades, and drove home. 

Hurricane Milton

Last weekend, Jennifer and Susan attended a book convention at a hotel near Disney Springs. Jenn signed books and visited with fans, and Susan helped her sell books. Jennifer also took part in a panel discussion. 

This week Hurricane Milton tore through central Florida. We spent Tuesday getting ready, Wednesday waiting it out, and Thursday cleaning up. Disney closed its parks early Wednesday and all day Thursday. 

Sunday morning Susan and I drove out to Vero Beach and checked into the Disney resort there. Since it was just for one night we just got a deluxe studio. 

In the afternoon we walked on the beach and took a dip in the pool. Usually we eat at the restaurant but this time we just had dinner in the room. Afterward we had dessert in the Green Cabin Lounge. 

Disney Dining

Every October, Disney gives its cast members coupons to save money at Disney restaurants and snack kiosks and every September we realize we need to use a bunch before they expire. So Tuesday evening we stopped at Port Orleans French Quarter and had dinner at the food court, and ordered some beignets to take home.

Wednesday night we went to another Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game. This time it was at the Kia Center in downtown Orlando. It was a preseason game so tickets were cheaper and we were closer to the ice. The Lightning defeated the Florida Panthers, 8 to 7.

Yesterday afternoon Susan and I went to Hollywood Studios and ate lunch at Prime Time Cafe. A hurricane was coming up the gulf so it was pretty windy, but the park was still fairly crowded. After lunch we used our snack coupons to pick up some ice cream sandwiches, which we took home and put in the freezer.

More Book Signings

 

Susan and Jenn didn’t stop much on their way to and from Milwaukee, but they did stop at several Buc-ee’s, including a new one in Smith Grove, Kentucky. 

 

On their way back, they visited friends in a suburb of Milwaukee, and stopped at a bookstore outside Louisville Kentucky, where Jenn signed some of her books.

Last week Bryan attended a Haunted Horror Night event at Universal Studios with some friends. They went several times last year too, but he never took any photos. 

 

Meanwhile, Jennifer released her eighth book, a sequel to the Halloween themed book she released last year. Yesterday she met some fellow authors at her Barnes & Noble, then went up to Sanford to do a signing at a book store there.

Magic Kingdom Launches

Last Thursday I completed training on my first of the three boats at Magic Kingdom, the small launches. That night, we went to Steakhouse 71 to celebrate Bryan’s birthday. 

On Tuesday Susan and Jenn left for a book convention in Milwaukee, so yesterday morning I decided to head into the Magic Kingdom. I got there before the park opened, so I decided to a cruiser to the Polynesian to take a photo of the progress on the new island tower. 

Once in the park, I made a circuit and rode the Astro-Orbitor. When it was over my virtual que boarding group for the Tron coaster had been called, so I headed to it. A little over a half hour later, I was off, and a grabbed a pretzel and rode the riverboat, then headed home. 

This morning I got to Hollywood Studios early so I could ride the Friendship Boats and catch up with some of the captains there. Friendship Four was out with its new paint job. 

Over at the Boardwalk, the Cake Bake Shop is getting closer to being completed, but not open yet. After visiting the International Gateway of Epcot, I took the boat back to the Studios, where I rode Star Tours and ate at Ronto Roasters, then headed home.