Circle of Parks Podcast: Talking all things Walt Disney World
Because there's far too much to see and do. We're here to help guide you through. We are a married couple with two boys age 9 and 6 talking all things Disney World. This podcast will cover the tips and tricks we've learned along our journey, history of the parks and attractions, and most importantly why and how Disney makes us feel how we do while in the parks and that it's ok to feel that way.
Circle of Parks Podcast: Talking all things Walt Disney World
Episode #190: Planning a Kid-Free Adventure
What if you could experience Disney World in a whole new way, free from the usual hustle and bustle of a family trip? Join us as we embark on a kid-free adventure through the parks, starting with a stay at the Port Orleans French Quarter. We're ready to explore its New Orleans charm and share our thoughts on the Disney Princess collection at Bath Body Works before diving into the magic of Animal Kingdom. Our journey is all about indulging in experiences we might skip with our kids, like savoring the flavors of Flame Tree Barbecue and embracing the thrill of the Kilimanjaro Safari and Gorilla Falls Trail.
As we stroll through Animal Kingdom, we relish the mix of relaxation and exploration, complete with stops for grilled corn, kakigori, and a refreshing beer near the Tree of Life. The Nomad Lounge awaits with its delectable churros and Tigresses, setting the scene for a perfect blend of leisure and excitement. We then head to Epcot, where the Festival of the Arts beckons with art activities and favorite attractions like Spaceship Earth and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Lunch at Connections Eatery and the magical Illuminous show promise to be highlights as we soak in the vibrant atmosphere.
Our Disney escapade continues with nighttime wonders and a cozy visit to Scat Cats Club Lounge. A breakfast at Boma and a final viewing of "It's Tough to Be a Bug" round out our adventure. We reflect on Disney's evolving park strategies and the nostalgia of beloved attractions. Despite a forecast of rain, our spirits remain high as we enjoy a day filled with safaris, Tree of Life strolls, and a live dining review at Satouli Canteen. This episode is your ticket to experiencing Disney through adult eyes, with a delightful mix of dining, entertainment, and magical moments.
#1 B2B Travel Podcast. Execs, Start-Ups, Major Trends
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Hello and welcome to Circula Parks podcast, episode number 190. Today we are trip planning for our kidless trip this weekend. There is far too much to see and do. We are here to help guide you through, but before we do that, we must talk Disney merch. Now we're going to Disney World. Yes, so this week's Disney merch is actually from Bath Body Works. They have a Disney princess collection right now and I have yet to shop it in person, but I think it's happening sooner than later, possibly tomorrow. They have Belle, ariel, tiana, moana, cinderella and Jasmine and you can get, you know, hand sanitizer, hand soap, fragrance, mist, the three-wick candle, body wash and more in all of those different princess collections. These are limited editions, so make sure you check it out either online or in person, sooner rather than later. But I am very, very excited to go shop this in person. I want to see the display and everything in person.
Speaker 2:Um, but that is this week's disney merch so erica and johnny were talking about that on their podcast once upon a park podcast. Well, let me present. Erica was talking about it. Johnny has a no button that he hits and just kept saying no, no, no, no like my mute button. Yes are you and erica going tomorrow?
Speaker 1:I think she may have already been gone but I I don't know like I was going to go today while I was out and about doing some other errands and had an appointment and stuff and then uh time kind of got away a little more at the appointment than I had planned, so I didn't go today, but hopefully tomorrow. Okay all right.
Speaker 2:Thank you everybody for joining us. Episode 190. We're kidless trip planning. Yes, can't wait. Cannot wait. It's going to be a great weekend. No kids, we're just going to relax, eat some good food and be Disney adults and try to embody what we tell you, the listener, to do. Slow down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think we do that more when we don't have the kids with us. We did this last year as well and we definitely took our time more and didn't. Not that we constantly are on the go, but we are on the go a little bit more when the boys are with us.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, it's a lot easier to do without the kids, our boys, our oldest one, ryan, he is go, go go yeah, he wants to ride, ride, ride or eat no one's a little more chill, which you would think, knowing their personalities. It would be that would be the exact opposite. Yeah, but no one is more like hey, let's take a break, relax, let's calm down, chill out. Ryan's like let's go ride, ride, ride, ride ride. Yeah. He'll go from well, maybe not rope drop anymore. He's getting into those teenage, early teenage years.
Speaker 1:Right so early mornings isn't really a good thing for him anymore.
Speaker 2:ride, ride yeah so, just knowing how their personalities are, you would think they'd be opposite. Yes, but they're not. But anyway, if you're new here, thank you for listening. Thank you for joining us. We really do appreciate that. Again, we are trip planning for our trip this weekend and let's just get right into it. It's going to be a friday through sunday trip, a quick trip, but I think we're going to do a lot of just relaxing and eating at restaurants we wouldn't normally eat at with the boys.
Speaker 1:A few of them, yeah.
Speaker 2:So we're arriving early Friday morning and going straight to Port Orleans French Quarter to drop our bags off. Now, this is not a resort that I think has been on our radar for a few reasons.
Speaker 1:One honestly, we're just not big fans of the New Orleans theme right and we had stayed at Port Orleans French, I mean uh Riverside before and that was much more chill, relaxed, that was more our vibe very chill, relaxed, yes right, but you know, obviously for the podcast, and I mean, even though we're not big on like mardi gras, new orleans and everything like, we still want to experience it- well, and from everybody that I've listened to, this is like their favorite moderate resort.
Speaker 2:It's probably I don't want to know the exact, I don't know the exact numbers but it's at least half the size of Riverside Right. So it's very small, quaint, not nearly as spread out, not nearly as crowded, and you know, I feel like every time we go into something with really low expectations we're like, golly, that was great. Yeah, we love that place. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I'm not saying I hope that happens with this place, but it could. And I'm being very open-minded to everything about it. And the kids, just when they look at the pool, when we talked about going with the kids, the kids are like, nah, because the pool is not as thematic or as nice as other resorts. So we thought, no kids, let's go ahead and stay here. If we don't like it, it's okay, it's just for the weekend. We're not really going to be there hanging out at the resort. We're going to be checking it out and stuff, but we're not like taking a resort day, right? So if we don't like it, it's not that big of a deal. It's only three, two nights, three nights, two nights. I can't remember friday, yeah friday and saturday night.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all right so we're dropping our bags bags off and going right to the bus stop and going straight to Animal Kingdom because we're going to be hungry.
Speaker 1:Yes, we are. We are going to be very hungry, so once we are in Animal Kingdom, we are going to eat lunch at Flame Tree Barbecue. Now we have eaten here before, but it's been several years.
Speaker 2:It's been a few years and we just went over the menu last episode, so I don't think we're really going to go through that. But I am looking forward to going down to the Pagodas, taking a good view of Everest, eating some good barbecue, having a drink and just starting the trip off with a good meal and just relaxing almost instantly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, because the food is good and where you eat and everything, it can be a very relaxing environment. It is going to be a little cooler while we're there.
Speaker 2:This may be the coolest week. Well, I don't know. Christmas was pretty chilly too.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's going to be cool.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Especially one of the days.
Speaker 1:I think the high is only going to be like 62.
Speaker 2:Which sounds warm, but that's cooler than Florida.
Speaker 1:It's a different kind of cool and with the wind.
Speaker 2:It will be a little. I mean we'll be good. I'm just not going to complain.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, we'll be good.
Speaker 2:We'll be leaving snow here in eight degree temperatures in Nashville, so you know what I'm good.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Leaving the snow behind.
Speaker 2:So but after we enjoy a good lunch, then we plan to walk towards dino land and ride dinosaur I do want to pay a little more attention to the details of restaurantosaurus and dinosaur and I want to try to get grant seekers little dino puppet puppet that he uses in the intro. They had him before. I don't know if they have him anymore.
Speaker 1:I don't know, because I think in the shop over there clothes now too.
Speaker 2:That was Chester and Hester's. Oh gotcha. That was just kind of like a general.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but the other shop is still.
Speaker 2:The dinosaur shop that's attached to the attraction is still open. Okay, the dinosaur shop that's attached to the attraction is still open.
Speaker 2:Okay, and that's where you would get it at, okay, but yeah, we're going to ride it. I'm looking forward to it. It's still not closing this year, in 2025. Right, so we still have the rest of the year to ride it, but we are going to take advantage and go ride it and then afterwards we're going to leisurely walk to Expedition Everest and Brittany is going to walk through the queue to finally see the best queue in Walt Disney World and, I'm gonna dare say, disneyland and DCA.
Speaker 2:I think this is the most well put together, well themed and most accurate queue you'll ever find. Bold statement any attraction ever not just in Disney, because it is so well done tells an amazing story. Everything in this queue has been used on expeditions to Mount Everest in real life. This is not a prop that somebody made. This came from Nepal, from the base camps, from other little camps you have to take to get there. From the airport in Lukla, you have to hike there. There's no way to get to base camp other than hiking. So all this equipment has been used either on that journey or on treks to Mount Everest. Right, it is so well done.
Speaker 1:So I may walk through the queue, but I don't know if I'm going to ride, I just want to get off.
Speaker 2:I don't want to ride, they'll be fine Like, okay, just go. You make a big deal out of it. It's not a big deal.
Speaker 1:Because I'm like, I'm an adult, so you would think the adult would go through with riding it. Oh, they don't care. They don't care so. And then zach probably will write it again a time or two, depending on how long the line is. Um, while I go to a certain secret spot not too far away and chill and relax listen to your music.
Speaker 2:So even if it's a posted 15 minute wait, my time wait time in the queue will be 30 minutes plus. Oh goodness, because I, just Because I just enjoy looking at everything. People are like waiting behind me and they're like no, no, no, just go, you're good.
Speaker 1:You can pass me. They're probably like come on, dude, come on.
Speaker 2:I know, Anyway, All right. So after we're done with that we're going to go to Mahuraha Jungle Trek to see the newest edition to animal kingdom park yes, brittany, baby tiger.
Speaker 1:What's his name? Is it back so or box?
Speaker 2:so backs? I don't know, yeah, box over back.
Speaker 1:So yes, and he is so cute from all the footage we've seen you know we've shared a lot of it yeah, he's very playful, yeah, at times loves his mama loves mama, loves cuddling with her, but also playing um and so, and this is currently like the longest wait time- in the parks. Yes, all of the parks yes, they have had to create like a line queue. Uh for the wait. I think.
Speaker 1:I don't know if it's still this long or not, but like what, two weeks ago when he first came out, it was like 120 minutes or something, almost two hours yeah, well, 120 is two hours, but yes yes, so for those that can't do math 120 yes, two hours so anyway, um, so we really do hope to see him, like we're probably not going to wait like two hours I'd wait 30 minutes yeah, 30, 40 maybe yeah, I'd do that but you know, and of course there's no guarantee, like he's he, because they leave, like this, door that leads inside open as well. So if he goes in that one area you might not see him. Yeah, you know, but very, very cute, hope we do get to see him. And then, of course, we plan to ride the safari.
Speaker 2:Always. You can't. Can you go to Animal Kingdom and not do the safari Always?
Speaker 1:Can you go to Animal Kingdom and not do the safari?
Speaker 2:I mean there's people that do that. I hope they're not listeners to our show.
Speaker 1:I know, because we have to ride it every single time Every time, every time, and with it being cooler weather, I don't think the time of day is going to really matter as much. You know. Usually we're one to do morning preferably, or like one of the last ones in the afternoon to do morning preferably, or like one of the last ones in the afternoon.
Speaker 2:So some of the best safaris I've been on when I've done my day trips have been like right before they stopped doing the safaris and in the evening, in the evening, like 4, 30, 5 o'clock. Even in the summertime when it's really hot. They've been active then, but the best time to do it is if it's raining. Go get on the safari. They are the most active. They're running around, they're like kids having fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So if it is raining, you're like I don't want to do safari, do it, trust me, you will thank me. That is the two times I've done it when it's been raining or just right after it has rained. Best safaris. They're all out. All the animals are out. Right.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:It's like that time when we were at Animal Kingdom and they were like all the antelopes were playing tag with each other.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but everybody else is like trying to hide under trees.
Speaker 2:Right, but I'm just saying like they're more active, yeah.
Speaker 1:Or the wildebeest.
Speaker 2:we're playing the wildebeest yes, not the antelope, the wildebeest. We're playing the wildebeest. Yes, not the antelope, sorry, yes.
Speaker 1:So then, after the safari, we plan to walk through the Gorilla Falls Trail and, you know, hopefully all of them are out, you know, because we tend to usually go earlier in the day, so like the family's not out but the bachelors are. But hopefully we'll get to see them all.
Speaker 2:We'll see all of them yes, and where the bachelors are some of the most beautiful terrain in animal kingdom park.
Speaker 1:It is just stunning how they did that right.
Speaker 2:I love it, like the water and everything the water how they did, the terrain built up in the big hills, and beautiful at just beautiful. I can't wait to go see it. And then after that, I'm going to be a little snacky hungry. I'm going to go to the market cart, get me some harambe market cart and get me some grilled corn with african spices. And I'm going to go to the market cart, get me some Harambe market cart and get me some grilled corn with African spices. And Brittany wants to go somewhere else.
Speaker 1:Yes, so he's going to snack on that. Meanwhile, I want to go to Caravan Road, which is mainly a small snack cart. It has shaved ice, so you can get some different types of slushy shaved ice, but they all are also known for I might say this wrong kakigori. You said it right, okay, so it's japanese shaved ice dessert flavored with watermelon in sweetened condensed milk, and I don't know. A lot of people say that it's really, really good, and we've been going for so many years and have yet to try it, so I want to try it.
Speaker 2:There's just so many snacks in Animal Kingdom, it's hard to get them all in one or a few trips, right? Yes, it's just hard.
Speaker 1:Now where you're getting the corn. It's going to be right in the area that we've been at after doing the safari Gorilla Falls and everything but we'll have to walk back over to Asia to get this for me, which is perfect, because after we get your kakigori, we're just going to chill, walk to the gardens and the tree of life.
Speaker 2:I'm going to grab me a drink. Of course, there's just something about just relaxing, right, and I just want to have a beer. You know what I mean. Like it's just like yeah, you know I don't need the beer to relax, but it's just just adds to it. Right, you know after I've had my corn, probably a little thirsty, right yeah. So listen to the music, walk the trails and just relax and take in the beauty. That's right there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's like a certain little area there too that I like to sit at and you hear, like the waterfall and everything, as well as the music, yes but we're not going to chill out for too long because very, very, very, very important place we have to go to for very important reasons. Yes, Nomad Lounge. Nomad Lounge yes.
Speaker 2:Here.
Speaker 1:we can stay here all day yeah and we can still chill and relax here as well. We can stay here all day. Yeah, and we can still chill and relax here as well. But one of the important reasons why we must let me add the word must go is for a certain favorite snack of ours churros.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Now we don't get churros anywhere else in Walt Disney World but at Nomad Lounge. They are delicious, amazing. They do come with sauces, but you don't need them. You don't need them. I tend to like every other bite just because. But you don't need them. They are amazing. So we plan to get churros and a couple of adult beverages.
Speaker 2:I'm going to have a couple of tempting Tigresses. I'm only going to have one order of churros, though, because we have something very, very nice planned for dinner. Yes, we do.
Speaker 2:So I don't know what time we're going to get to Tree of Life, but hopefully we'll have at least an hour or two to just I'm sorry Nomad Lounge. Hopefully we'll have a couple of hours to just chill there there, sit outside by the water, just listen to the music and just tune out, because we have a lightning lane. Single pass for flight of passage at 605 yes this is the first time using the lightning lane single passes it is our first, so I'm the process is exactly the same.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's not not a big deal, but we wanted to close the park, which was the park was supposed to close at six o'clock when we booked this trip yes, but then I looked like what two weeks ago, week and a half ago, and was like, uh, you might want to look at the time that it closes, because it's closing at 8 pm now.
Speaker 2:So I wish we could say till eight o'clock, because it would be so cool to ride Everest at night, hang out in Avatar Pandora. But after Flight of Passage we have dinner reservations at 730 at Gico in Animal Kingdom Lounge.
Speaker 1:Yes, I cannot wait. I found out that the park was closing later. Do we want to cancel or, you know, or keep it because of the nighttime at Animal Kingdom that we don't get to experience very often. But we've talked about Chico. You've really talked about Chico.
Speaker 2:I have raved about Chico. I cannot wait to go.
Speaker 1:Yes. So I said let's keep the reservation. So we are going to Chico.
Speaker 2:Well, and because the menu. Ryan might would eat a few of the things on the menu here, but there's nothing on this menu that no one would even touch Right Nothing. Yeah. So if we're going to do it, we need to do it by ourselves. So that's what we ended up deciding yes, and I cannot wait.
Speaker 1:The appetizer, we're going to get bride wild boar tenderloin. Yeah, I cannot wait, yeah, I. And then, as far as meals go, I don't know, I'll be debating between a couple. I'll probably ask our server like their opinion, because there's a couple that have my attention, so one I'll just go ahead and share one being the seared venison loin.
Speaker 2:That's exactly what I'm getting.
Speaker 1:Well then, maybe I won't then and just take like a small bite of yours or something.
Speaker 2:You ain't getting any of mine. I don't think so.
Speaker 1:Well, you might like something else that I get. Then Don't be tutting on. Hey, hey, hey hey.
Speaker 2:I don't share, get your own.
Speaker 1:Goodness.
Speaker 2:Well then, another thing I was looking at the lamb shank as well.
Speaker 1:The short rib looks pretty good too, yeah, so I don't know.
Speaker 2:Um, okay, I'm not that mean I'll have it. Let her have a bite of my venison.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we'll, we'll see, and who knows um, I've heard sometimes they change things up a bit too, or they might have like a special or something they may.
Speaker 2:And another thing that I really like about Chico their palate cleansers between plates lemon sorbet.
Speaker 1:And he loves sorbet. I'm out.
Speaker 2:That's it, and I may get a nice whiskey or a bourbon here, and they do have some pretty good looking bourbons here. They have a Lagavulin 16 year Ooh, for 24 bucks. That's not bad.
Speaker 1:Bad for a 16 year, uh yeah, so we'll see, I don't know, I may not get, uh, an alcoholic beverage, but there's some other things that have my attention. And just because of well, there's one, there's one alcoholic beverage, I may get a zebra teeny a zebra teeny, yeah fancy. So, but if I don't get an alcohol beverage? They have a lot of teas here and one is a masala chai that has my attention as well.
Speaker 2:That would be very unique, because you're not going to get that in a lot of places.
Speaker 1:No. So that's why I was like possibly that. But if I end up doing the alcohol route, then a zebra teeny the alcohol route than a zebra teeny mazala.
Speaker 2:The richly spiced elixir is a complex meritage of indian assam in a flavorful dance of hand ground spices.
Speaker 1:That might be pretty good yeah, so we'll see, and it may be that maybe I'm a little cold from the day and I want the tea so so yeah, and they have a lot of other loose leaf specialty teas, so so you know, if they have a whole section on their menu dedicated to specialty teas, that might be what I need to try instead. Yeah, so yeah.
Speaker 2:All right, and Brittany has begrudgingly agreed that after dinner we're going to go to Port Orleans Riverside and go hang out with the Hubbub.
Speaker 1:Yes, to port orleans riverside and go hang out with you hubbub.
Speaker 2:Yes, not, not for too long though, because I mean we will be awake, since what four am? That's our time so like we're staying at the airport, so maybe like 4 30 okay, but still so.
Speaker 1:So we'll see. But I mean, we'll at least maybe go and have a drink, yeah, so down have a drink.
Speaker 2:You, yeah. So Dan have a drink. You know he plays till, usually like 11, 1130, depending on how many people's there. I don't think we'll be there that late, no, but we'll be able to go watch him for at least 30 or 45 minutes. Right. And I just again I say this before and I'm going to say it again Yeehaw Bob is the embodiment of what Walt Disney thought entertainment should be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he is. He is pretty fun to watch, so don't get me wrong. He like it is a fun, good experience. I'm just more thinking like oh that's a long day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I agree.
Speaker 1:And I don't want to be like exhausted for the next day.
Speaker 2:No, because the next day is full day at Epcot.
Speaker 1:We're going to have breakfast and we're going to get mickey beignets for breakfast at scat cats club cafe at our resort before going to epcot yes, at uh french quarter yes, and I am looking forward to mickey beignets there. You know everyone says that they have some really good beignets, so we will see they have the mickey shaped beignets. You can get an order of six or three and the prices aren't too bad. Um, they do have specialty beignets as well that are kind of boozy up.
Speaker 2:Um, starting to kind of early aren't you, I'm not, I'm just reading off the menu.
Speaker 1:So people know, uh, so anyway, but that will be our breakfast before hopping on the bus to Epcot.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And we'll probably get to Epcot right at open around nine. Just you know, we don't want to waste the day, either Right, right, but we're not going to be rope dropping, but we're going to be enjoying Festival of the Arts at Epcot. We probably won't do any of the food booths though, because most of them are just really, really sweet, and the ones that are savory have not really like. I haven't wanted to try any of them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean there's. They're the same from last year too. There was like one or two, but we want to eat some other things.
Speaker 2:Yes, we do have some reservations here.
Speaker 1:But we are still going to enjoy the art. Yes, because I feel like we kind of rushed through that because we were focused more on the food last year.
Speaker 4:Yes, we were, so we focused more on the food last year?
Speaker 1:Yes, we were, so we will be enjoying some things that the festival has to offer.
Speaker 2:Yes, we'll be enjoying the art. We'll be doing the paint by number, yes, and looking at some of the artists, and I hope we don't come back with any art because we don't need to be spending all that money on this trip.
Speaker 1:I know.
Speaker 2:But some of it is really really good it is, and we didn't come back last.
Speaker 1:It might would have been different if we were driving, so anyways, but we just have carry ons this trip. Yes, so, but we do plan to ride all the attractions except for Mission Space on the non world showcase side earlier in the day.
Speaker 2:If we don't do figment to the imagination, I'm OK with that. It needs. I love you figment, but your attraction needs some loving. Yes, it just does, he said it. Oh no, I'm not saying I don't like Figment. I'm just saying I love Figment, but the attraction needs a lot of love.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but so you know we'll ride Spaceship, earth and Living with the Land, living with the Land, and Soarin' I was getting there. Hold on, I don't know, we may do Nemo, I don't mind doing it. I don't know, may or may not?
Speaker 2:They have new manatees.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, I like walking through the aquarium area. Yeah, they have.
Speaker 2:So instead of like harboring or holding manatees or keeping them there for years, they're going to be like a rescue. Okay, there for years they're going to be like a rescue, okay, and only I think I read this keep them for like six to eight months until they can release them back in the wild, okay. So I think they're going to have a continuous yeah, new manatees coming in and out. I think it's cool yeah.
Speaker 1:so whether we ride nemo to get to that or just go through and walk the aquarium, we will be doing that as well. Uh, you know, if the lines shorter may ride a couple of things more than once we will see Depends on the day. Living with the land. Living with the land.
Speaker 2:A few times.
Speaker 1:Maybe Soarin' Soarin' is one of those it can be a walk-on or a long line, then a little bit after that you have a lightning lane.
Speaker 2:Single pass for Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic galaxy cosmic rewind at 12 10. And britney's gonna do it with me. Her eyes got really, really big uh well, no promises that's it. I'm not. I'm just gonna take your magic band and do it twice. I'm not gonna force you to do an attraction you don't want to do well, it's just because I got really, really dizzy off of it last time. Because you were looking at Nolan and turned your head instead of having it looked at where they're supposed to have you looking at.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so anyway, but Zach will at least be writing Guardians of the Galaxy, cosmic Rewind. And then after that we plan to eat, and I know you're about to say, ok, you're going to pick this place over the festival food, but I personally have not eaten here. Connections Eatery for lunch.
Speaker 2:No, and so I've had. I've eaten here before. It is for theme park quick service food. It is slightly elevated. Is it the best burger you're going to have? No. Is the best pizza you're going to have? No, but it is stepped up to the next level and we're gonna do a and I didn't say this during the when we're talking about, uh, flame tree barbecue, but we're gonna do dining reviews, live dining reviews, while we're eating at these quick service restaurants not for breakfast, though, and only quick service yes, so we're gonna do a live dining review at flame tree and a live dining review here and we're going to upload them as soon as we record them.
Speaker 2:And I've had the burger here. It was pretty good, and the pizza here as well. I think I'm going to pass on the pizza because we've been pizza'd out this week. It's a gourmet beef blend, caramelized onions. Bacon debris is what makes this burger. Yeah, it's different Mushrooms. Dijon, mayonnaise, toasted brioche bun it's $14.99. It's a good burger, is it the best? No but it's good, right, one of the dogs, yeah.
Speaker 1:So I was. I'm debating the burger or the general style chicken salad because I've seen some people eat some salads here before, like outside, and they looked really good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, again, it stepped up just a little bit here, so yeah, so, yeah, so we'll see.
Speaker 1:They have a couple other salads too, so I don't know. We'll see if I'm feeling eating something warm or something cold.
Speaker 2:You'll know Saturday when we post the review.
Speaker 1:Yes, so that is where we plan to eat lunch, and then after that we will check out the art paint by numbers for Festival of the Arts and then begin to head to the World Showcase.
Speaker 2:Oh, we got to get a popcorn bucket for Erica.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, we do the figment one. I'm not a big fan of them this year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I like the one we got last, the one last year was good and the one before that a figment. I know it's scary, but it is unique and it's really cool yeah but the new ones is kind of like, yeah, yeah but we, we will get one for her.
Speaker 1:So, yes, but then, yes, once we are over on the world showcase side, we'll start taking our time a little bit more, relaxing a little more get some drinks yes, and we plan our time a little bit more, relaxing a little more. Get some drinks yes, and we plan to eat a little something or get a drink. Are you getting a drink here?
Speaker 2:Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:At Kringla Bakery Aug Cafe. What are you going to get? I am going to get the Viking coffee, okay, and I think I'm going to do the frozen Viking coffee and I think I'm going to do the frozen Viking coffee. So it's Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur and Kimora Coffee Liqueur with coffee chocolate sauce and garnished with coffee chocolate crunch. But then they also do just a regular Viking coffee as well and you are getting.
Speaker 2:I like the Nordic Draft Beer here. They have a few different ones and I just like drinking beers that you can't get anywhere else, right, like you can get a bud light everywhere, right, yeah, but this is. I'm not even gonna try to pronounce them. They have a strawberry cream l, a farmhouse l and the juniper pilsner. I've had the farmhouse l and the pilsner.
Speaker 2:I like the pilsner a lot a lot better, yeah okay, I'm not getting a strawberry cream l I just think people try to do too much with beer and it just yeah, yeah, but that's just my opinion.
Speaker 1:Yes, and you know, while we're over there, of course we like the shop, the Norway shop. There's some cool shirts in there.
Speaker 2:Yes, Some cool stuff. I do like the gift shop in there. There's some of the gift shops in Epcot that I can. I do enjoy walking around and just looking and spending time looking.
Speaker 1:I actually have a shirt from the Norway. You do, yes.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:So after that.
Speaker 2:So we're just going to enjoy time in World Showcase and take our time and just stroll around. I don't want to eat too much because we've got a big dinner planned as well, but if there's something in a booth that does, like you know, strike our attention, then I'm not going to say we're not going to get it, but we're not going there specifically for festival food right and it might, would just be like we just share it.
Speaker 2:You know like they have the uh wagyu beef buns in the japanese pavilion, right right. So for dinner they have those at the restaurant going to go to, but I have other things on mine, so I may get that the wagyu beef because it was really good, yeah, so.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because our dinner reservation time is a little bit later too. Seven o'clock, so we may snack a little bit, but we thoroughly want to enjoy our dinner. So, but yeah, we'll be going in and out through, you know, the World Showcase pavilions, and is it in the China pavilion where Ryan wants his?
Speaker 2:He wants his chips. Yes, um is it in the china pavilion where ryan wants his he?
Speaker 1:wants his chips. Yes, so we've mentioned this before, like as a souvenir. He really likes for us to get like the different weird flavors of lace potato chips that they have. Um, and I shouldn't say weird, but very unique unique.
Speaker 2:No, they're weird, it's okay. You can say weird, they're weird.
Speaker 1:So shrimp barbecue is a weird potato chip flavor but you know, a few of them have been surprisingly good. They have. But then there's been a couple that are like oh I know I can't do that, so but there's one snack I am going to get. Yes.
Speaker 2:And we're going to go to La Haculia ice cream shop and I'm going to get the croque glace.
Speaker 1:And this is in France.
Speaker 2:In the France pavilion. I was going to get one scoop of sorbet. I like their raspberry sorbet, but they have lemon. Like you can't go wrong with a lemon sorbet either, Like it's just classic.
Speaker 1:But for this particular snack, I don't know, maybe raspberry yeah.
Speaker 2:Raspberry sorbet, no sauce and a homemade brioche bun pressed warm for $10.95.
Speaker 1:I'm getting it this time, time, and we're going to go wait in line at ride. And remy's, yes, and I'm going to eat it in the wine. Okay, yes, because I definitely want to ride remy's ratatouille adventure. I love it, I love it, love it and it's growing on me. Yeah, I, the ride is just fun and cute and I like the theming, you know, like, of that whole area, um, like the waterfall and all that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the music is not the waterfall, but the music is really starting to grow on me. Like I really like the music and the ambience they have back there is, I will say, when they redid that area back there, they did a really good job of it yeah, they really did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because the fountain, like I don't know, I I'm always rushing by it because there's some I'm trying to get out of other people's pictures, but I would love to just take my time and like sit there for a minute because it's just I don't know something about. The fountain is just really cute.
Speaker 2:Well, you know what we're going to do this time. We'll just sit there. I don't care about your pictures. We're chilling, can't you see? We don't have any kids, we're not in a hurry. Sorry, you are, I'm kidding. I know, I know, but they have um photopass photographers there too, so maybe we can do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, maybe yeah, but yeah, I just again, I love, love the theming of it back there and then, once you're further inside the building, uh, you know the, the, the queue, like the town and stuff. It is really good yeah, again it's.
Speaker 2:When I first did it was like it's a cute ride, it's a, it's a you and Nolan ride Right. But the more I've done it I'm like you know I do like this I do. I can appreciate the music and the effects where you feel like you're really going fast in that ride vehicle but you're really not. Right. You're just like yeah, it's really unique and I like how they did it. Yes.
Speaker 1:Yes and so, yeah. So again, just continue enjoying the World Showcase side Now at night we do want to head back over to the non-showcase side to do Journey of Water.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's beautiful at night. If you have an option, go through it at night. It is stunning. With the music and the background of Spaceship Earth. It truly is stunning.
Speaker 1:It is. I mean, it's very pretty during the day too, don't get us wrong, but something about it at night is just a little bit more magical.
Speaker 2:Oh, and sometimes during the day we've got to go hang out with Walt.
Speaker 1:On the bench.
Speaker 2:You've got to go see Walt, yes, yeah, on the bench. You got to go see Walt, yes, yeah. But yeah, it's just beautiful at night. If your only option is to go during the day, then go, but if you have the option at night, do it. I think it'll be around sunset when we go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I think that would be good as starting to get dark, but not completely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, a little dusk time frame. Let me double check here.
Speaker 1:Well, and I was going to say, the time to go hang out with Walt would be like when we're eating lunch probably Because it's right there yeah. Connections, eatery, so either before or after.
Speaker 2:Before or after we eat lunch.
Speaker 1:Yeah and then. So yes, then our dinner reservation.
Speaker 2:Sunset will be around 630.
Speaker 1:So perfect timing okay because our dinner reservation is at 7 0, 5, okay, so, and we're eating at shiki shiki shi yeah, shiki sai uh sushi izakaya at the japanese pavilion.
Speaker 2:This is the newer restaurant here. This is not the hibachi place or the teppan edo. Five hundred dollars a person and sit there for eight hours and eat not that? Uh, this is uh sushi and izakaya basically in title, right? Yes, so, britney, have you even looked at the menu? I?
Speaker 1:just I don't know because, oops, sorry, um, I, I honestly don't know, because every I've looked at this menu, probably four times, if not more, and I feel like something different jumps out at me each time. Because I do like sushi, um, but then there's so many other things that I'm like, ooh, that sounds good. Also, you know, um, like even the, you know from the grill what they, what they serve, and then like their rice and noodles, and I'm like I honestly I think it's just going to be day of what am I in the mood for?
Speaker 2:Well, I know exactly what I'm getting. Yes, uh, cushy assorted, six of our signature skewers featuring two each of beef, chicken and shrimp. I really like Japanese skewered grilled meats. I really really do like it, and I'm going to just love every bit of this.
Speaker 1:Cannot wait yeah, see, there's also this grilled wagyu gyoza three piece, that's pan fried dumplings filled with smoky a5 japanese wagyu beef. That, that sounds good.
Speaker 2:I wonder if that's the same Wagyu bun you can get down at the? I don't know.
Speaker 1:But that just sounds good, is it?
Speaker 2:really A5? It may be For $20, I don't know. Now they have A5 Wagyu, which is $120 for four ounces. That sounds about right, yeah, not getting that.
Speaker 1:But I mean the different types of of sushi that they have and, you know, combos that you can get and everything I just again, it's going to come down to what. I want that particular day. You know, you get a sushi boat here by myself, but you can, and I think if you had a group of people that really thoroughly enjoyed sushi, that would be the way to go.
Speaker 2:Three hundred dollars feeds four to six people. That's a group of people that really thoroughly enjoyed sushi. That would be the way to go For $300 feeds four to six people.
Speaker 1:That's a lot of sushi. It is, but that's what I'm saying Like a big group, but you can also get a bridge. Okay. Instead of a boat that feeds two to four people for $100. So.
Speaker 2:There, you go yeah. All right, and then we're going to end the night where I am going to give another shot. We're going to watch Illuminous from the Garden and the Japanese Pavilion. Maybe that will like I'll understand it more. I don't know. I don't get this show. I don't understand the mashups of the songs. Okay, I just don't. I want to All right?
Speaker 1:Well, we're giving it another try. We are yes. So and then after that we will catch the bus back to Port Orleans, French Quarter, and in the night at Scat Cats Club Lounge.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we want to go enjoy the live music for a little bit, have a drink in the night, probably 30, 45 minutes, because that's a big part of this resort, right? Yes, the music right, and we've seen some YouTubers there and it does look really nice.
Speaker 1:It does it, does it just, you know, after a long day and stuff. That's why we're saying we don't plan on staying long, but we do want to experience it.
Speaker 2:Yes, all right Breakfast time.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Day three, day three, day three. So starting off with, is it an 8 am 8?
Speaker 1:o'clock, not as early as last time, an 8 am breakfast reservation at Animal Kingdom Lodge and we are going back to Boma.
Speaker 2:When you love something, you stick with it right.
Speaker 1:Yes, so Boma, you know well, for one, we love Animal Kingdom Lodge as well, so notice how we're going back multiple times on this trip yes, so breakfast was really really good when we went before. Love the buffet offerings that they have. They offer pog juice to drink.
Speaker 2:I forgot all about that.
Speaker 1:The pog juice I love the pog yes, that's why I was like, yeah, you love some things here, so, yeah, they have the pog juice. And of course, you know, just like any buffet, they're going to have your assorted pastries, pancakes, waffles, breakfast potatoes, bacon and sausage, seasonal bread, pudding, carved ham, oatmeal, omelets, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, deviled eggs with smoked salmon which was really good last time Lots of different fruits and salads, and then they have some different like grilled vegetables and oven roasted turkey. But they also have this turkey baboti and it's so good.
Speaker 2:I'll take your word for it.
Speaker 1:Yes, so, but all of it is good. I really love the theming in this restaurant. We've talked about it a few times before, but, yes, looking forward to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so after that we're going to head to Animal Kingdom, and just the name of the day, the name of the game here today is just relax. We're just going to take our time, chill out. We do have a lightning single pass for Flight of Passage at 1055 am, and the one thing we are going to make sure we do is go watch. It's Tough to Be a Bug. One last time.
Speaker 1:Yes, I forgot about that. We are, because it is. Do we know a date?
Speaker 2:Yes, it is closing on March 17th, the last day you'll be able to go watch. It is the 16th.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Last full day.
Speaker 1:Yes, so we are going. I mean, we've seen it several times, but it's a fun show.
Speaker 2:It is a fun show. We did it on our first trip and I thought it was a good show. It didn't freak our kids out, but it can, yes. But what I find interesting about this is this show opened before Bugs Life came out on movie.
Speaker 1:Yeah, came on in the movies. I didn't realize that yeah.
Speaker 2:So Disney used to promote movies in the parks before they came out in the theater. What movie bombed that they promoted and then they just didn't. They don't do that anymore. They wait until to see if it's going to do well before they put it in the parks. Right, you know? Yeah, like there had to be one example.
Speaker 1:There had to be. I mean, well, how did this one do? I don't know. Oh, it did great yeah.
Speaker 2:It did phenomenal. It's still like we've watched it to this day. It's still a good movie.
Speaker 1:I know, I was just wondering. But I to like, if you, just you don't want to put that money into it and want to make sure it is people's favorites.
Speaker 2:you know they filled up the the spots at the time that they had in the parks, I don't know right, but even frozen, they didn't put frozen in the parks until after it became I guess before we were big disney people. But looking back at history, they didn't put disney frozen stuff in the parks until after it became hugely successful, right. Right. So they were even hesitant then. So I don't know, something had to have happened.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Where they're like nope, not doing that anymore.
Speaker 1:Right, I don't know, or it could have just been budget reasons at the time and hey, let's make sure we assure that the movie is successful before I don't know.
Speaker 2:I like my reasoning better. Something had to bomb. I like my reasoning better. Something had to bomb, yeah, something had to Anyway. Yeah Again. But again, the name of the game today is just relaxing. We're going to do the attractions, but we're not going to be like, oh, we have to do this, we have to do that Except for it's tough to be a bug Right, relax, hang around Tree of Life Stroll.
Speaker 1:We're going day. There's a chance of a decent amount of rain too.
Speaker 2:What's going to rain?
Speaker 1:That's what it's showing the last I looked.
Speaker 2:Well, we got raincoats.
Speaker 1:So yeah. So I mean we're still going to be enjoying and walking around and stuff, but sometimes the rain slows you down.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we'll do the safari.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, yeah, because at first there wasn't supposed to rain at all, and then the last couple of times I've looked, it's changed a couple of times with the timing of the rain, but I think it will.
Speaker 2:We'll make the most of it. You know we're going to make the most of it.
Speaker 1:And I mean, again, we're still going to, we'll have our rain jackets and stuff, and so you know we'll still do the trails. And again, you know that might just slow us down even more, though, and then, like Zach was mentioning earlier, you know sometimes the best times to see the animals is during the rain on the safari. So, but yeah, then we will end the trip with what.
Speaker 2:We're going to finish the trip with Satouli Canteen and we're going to do a live dining review at Satouli Canteen. Can't wait. We're not going to finish the day with Flight of Passage, but I thought the best way to do this trip would be to end with Satouli Canteen. Have some cheeseburger pods, have some Hawk's Grog Ale. Well, for you. Sunday ooh yeah, 40% chance of rain.
Speaker 1:a cloud caught you with occasional showers high 67 because yesterday evening it showed like like legit rain off and on all day. So I don't know, but it did change to what you just read yeah, so anyway but yeah.
Speaker 1:so cheeseburger pods, I'll probably give them a try again, you you know, because I did used to love them and then, like two years ago, I got one that just seemed a little dry. It happens and so. But that's why I was like I don't know if I can do those anymore. But you know, I'll give it a try again.
Speaker 2:It happens. Yeah, you know it happens. And then we're going to end with doing the Lumpia. Oh yeah, we're going to record that at From Pongu Pongu and see how we like it. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I may not like it.
Speaker 1:We go either way. But we'll see, but then we're going to Well, explain what that is.
Speaker 2:It's an egg roll with pineapple and cream cheese.
Speaker 1:Right, which I like cream cheese, you'll like it. I like pineapple, I like pineapple.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know. We'll see. I'm keeping an open mind. Okay, but then our transportation picks us up from our resort at six o'clock for our flight home. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So we'll be leaving Animal Kingdom at five and then, yeah, port Orleans at six, but you know we're doing a lot in those few days.
Speaker 2:We're doing a lot, but we're not doing a lot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yes, but I mean still full days. You know even whether it's relaxing or not.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think a lot of it's going to be a lot of relaxing and just I'm looking forward to just spending time with us.
Speaker 1:Yes, because we don't get that. No, we don't.
Speaker 2:We really don't yeah.
Speaker 1:So what? What are you looking forward to? Yeah, I mean, you know, just being us, because I think as a you know a couple, especially being together for so long, like you really truly need that, that time for each other. You know whether you can like people in general, like if it's date nights here and there or taking little trips like this here and there, because you know you, you get to be yourselves, not that, yeah, I mean you're still yourselves with the kids but you got to be mom and dad, right?
Speaker 2:yeah, we're not mom and dad this weekend, right?
Speaker 1:yes, so exactly that makes sense yeah and I'm like, so I'm looking forward to it, and it's been a while since we've been in Disney, or at least for me you haven't been since the summer.
Speaker 2:I've been twice since then. Yeah, I'm going'm going again in April.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So you know I need a little bit of that Disney magic again and everything, because it just I don't know it definitely helps break up the year.
Speaker 2:Definitely does. And when I say I'll be back in April, that would be my last research trip Kind of sad. Yeah, it's coming to an end. Yeah, I challenged myself to do this and I never, ever thought I would write a book ever Right, and here we are Right.
Speaker 2:And I'm, I would say, over halfway done with it. I just finished up Frontierland, which Liberty Square in Frontierland took a lot longer to write than I thought it would. There's so much storytelling in there, in both those lands, that it just I didn't realize it until I got down to the nitty-gritty and started researching everything. Right, uh, working on fantasy land next I. It's a big land, but I don't think it will take as long because it's just attractions and then there's a little more a little more than that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then tomorrowland will probably take a while, because there's a lot to unpack in Tomorrowland and we all know how you left Tomorrowland. And then I'm going to finish with the castle and the hub and the partner statue with Walt.
Speaker 1:So kind of like a full circle it's a full circle.
Speaker 2:It's like you're doing a guided walking tour through the Magic Kingdom. That's exactly what it is right so if you think it's going must ride this ride and must eat this food, you're going to be sorely disappointed, because it is not going to be that. Yeah. But if you want to know the history, the nitty gritty, the story behind it, the people involved in the attractions and the storytelling of what you're looking at, this will be the book for you, Right? Maybe I'll sell 10 copies, no, well, two right here, me and you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean two right here, me and you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it is definitely going to be that way, like I've read some of it and as he's been working on it, and so, yeah, I mean it is definitely a walking tour things to, to look for things you might not notice your first time two or three times, or five or six times um, but they're just, you know about the details and and why things are the way they are, and um, the, the reasoning behind it and all that you know, if there is something you know, and Disney is there for a reason.
Speaker 2:So definitely All right. Well, thank you everybody for listening. I hope you enjoyed this trip planning episode. I know we are looking forward to it. We are.
Speaker 2:And we are looking forward to sharing our trip with you as we're on it. So we're going to be posting Instagram stories and again doing live dining reviews at those quick service restaurants. Hope you look forward to them, we're looking forward to it and thank you so much. If you want to support the podcast, the best way to do that is share the show we really do appreciate it with your friends, family, whoever, and go, leave us a five-star rating review on Apple Podcast. Really, really do appreciate that. If you want to contact us, you can email us circleofparks at gmailcom. Our website is wwwcircleofparkscom. We're on Facebook, instagram and X all at Circle of Parks and just thank you so much for listening. We really do enjoy doing these shows and we look forward to talking to you this weekend.
Speaker 1:Yes, talk to you soon, thank you.