Disney Dining

Susan and Jenn didn’t stop much on their way to and from Milwaukie, 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 some of Milwaukie, and stopped at a bookstore outside Louisville Kentucky, where Jenn signed some of her books. Last week, she released her eighth book, a sequel to the Halloween themed book she released last year. 

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.

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.