A Shining New Era is Tiptoeing Nearer for the TCD Gang

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

  

Who's this larry you guys keep talking about?

 

Nobody.

 

Just the most awesome guy with who knew everything about everything.  And would tell you about it in excruciating detail.  With no punctuation.  He had a gift.

 

He was a member of that place where some of us used to post. I think they went out of business.  Apparently, Larry's mental illness advanced to the point where he can no longer post.  Sad.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Here comes a short update, which will be followed by a regular length one.

 

This one will take us through the end of Sunday night, May 18.

 

We left off watching the crowd fill in for the special Star Wars fireworks.

 

You may have noticed that I didn't mention anything about what we had for dinner that night.  We hadn't had our dinner yet.  We were both still stuffed from lunch, and decided to put dinner off for later. We each had a Mickey Head Pretzel when we were heading back from RNRC.  And I had a Magic Hat No. 9, which they serve right there at the pretzel stand.  Who knew?

 

The crowd slowly filled in in front of us:

 

 

The VIP area is over there on the left- I was surprised to see how full it was.  Another win for Disney:

 

 

The whole time we were sitting here, we were "entertained" by a gentleman by the name of DJ Lobot:

 

 

DJ Lobot needs to be sent back for reprograming.  He might be the dullest DJ we've ever come across.

 

Then, finally, the show starts.  I didn't even know there was a show, but there is.  It begins with that James Arnold Taylor guy using his cool headgear microphone introducing all the different Star Wars characters they have at the park:

 

 

Uh-oh, it's a red light saber:

 

 

Here's a bunch of characters up on the stage- as you can see, the place we chose was too far back to see what was happening on the stage.  Plus we lucked out an had an idiot dad hoist his brat up onto his shoulders:

 

 

Time for a baby Troll rant:  It is rude to hoist your bratty kid up onto your shoulders when you are in a situation like this and there are people behind you who want to see.  I've heard the response from Idiot Dads about how their poor idiot child is too short to see, so it's only right to put the brat up on his shoulders.  So, your brat gets to see, and a dozen people behind you don't?  How is that OK?  Don't do it.  Thank you.  That's all I have to say about that.

 

So, we weren't close enough to the stage to see the show.  Which is OK, because all it is is this James Arnold Taylor guy introducing everyone.  Including the characters from the cartoon that hasn't even begun to be broadcast yet.

 

Then the fireworks started.  I think we were in about as good a place as you can be in DHS to see fireworks, but that stupid BAH still blocks the view:

 

 

The fireworks were good.  Not the best we've ever seen.  Certainly not better than the NYE fireworks or the 4th of July fireworks, but better than Wishes. 

 

It was not a good scene when the fireworks ended.  The park was now closed.  Which meant everyone was going to leave at the same time.  Not a good plan, Disney.

 

We planned to go directly to the MK, so we headed out as quickly as we could to the MK bus stop.  Not good.  The roped-off line was full, and then there was an angry mob behind that.  At least two bus loads worth of people. 

 

We had walked past the POR bus stop to get here.  That one was full, but not as crazy.  So, we decided to head back that way and catch a MK bus from there.  

 

We headed back to the POR bus stop, and a bus pulled right up.  The crowd in front of us kept loading, and it looked like we wouldn't make this bus.  But the lady bus pilot was awesome.  She stood up and ordered the idiots blocking the aisles with their giant strollers to move the heck back.  And she stood there and watched them to make sure they did.  We got the last two spaces on that bus.  Winning.

 

The bus stopped right at the front of the POR, first stop, and we hopped off.  There was a bus in the spot where the MK bus picks up, but it didn't have MK on its marquee.  It said "Anna."  We asked the bus driver if this was the MK bus.  He said it was.  So we hopped aboard, and off we went.  We didn't stop at any of the other bus stops around the resort, we just headed straight out.

 

That was some amazing bus pixie dust.

 

On the way to the MK, our stomachs reminded us that we hadn't eaten dinner.

 

So we stopped at Casey's Corner when we got there and tried the sausage dogs.  Not a good choice.  I was expecting something like a bratwurst.  I got something like a funny tasting hot dog.  And the caramelized onions that I was looking forward to were just the lukewarm, soggy, onions that you can get out of the self-serve containers at places like Pecos Bills.  Blah.

 

After we finished our dogs, I wanted to head back to the Mine Train.  I had the foolish notion that there might be a soft opening for paying resort guests during tonight's EMH.  So we headed that way.  But, we were blocked by the MSEP:

 

 

 

We headed up the street, walking faster than the parade, and headed through the castle.  Here's a look down Main Street from the castle with the parade approaching:

 

 

We headed back to the Mine Train and found it closed and locked up tight.  Silly me.

 

We walked around the Mine Train, and pondered what to do next.  It was EMH's at the MK, and the crowds were light.

 

But, we had a huge day tomorrow- Twin #2 would be checking in to the Disney College Program bright and early, and we would be moving her into her new apartment.  We decided to call it a night.

 

We headed out.

 

Of course, a POR bus was waiting for us.  It is good to be TCD.

 

We headed back, and called it a night.

 

We will be up before the sun in the morning.

 

TCD

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

Nice job on the parade pic from the castle.

Ipad guy and kid on top of the shoulders guy should be sentenced to death by firing squad.

It would be a disney death though.....so there wouldn't be any blood or anything.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

You went all the way from POR to MK just to have a crappy Casey's dog with not-so-caramelized onions, and you call that winning?  Well, I guess it probably beats whatever the heck I did that night. 

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I can't believe the good luck you seem to always have with buses!

[Lou... 3,118]

I can't believe the good luck you seem to always have with buses!

 

Some of it is pure luck, but not all of it. I believe it's TCD's familiarity and knowledge of the overall bus system.

He's had lots of practice using it and that goes a long way to avoiding the pitfalls.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Personally, I would have walked over to Boardwalk Resort from the Studios to catch an MK bus, or grabbed the Contemporary bus. Two buses is always more iffy than a walk and a bus, or a bus and a walk.

[jmaul 65]

Some of it is pure luck, but not all of it. I believe it's TCD's familiarity and knowledge of the overall bus system.

He's had lots of practice using it and that goes a long way to avoiding the pitfalls.

 

I think he's pulling the wool over our eyes.  He probably waited with the rest of the angry mob.  Bus after bus past him by, so he concocted this whole 'going to MK, eating crappy hot dogs, then bailing' story just to make it seem he was all over and had no wait for the buses.  Don't drink the Kool Aid, folks.........

 

Nice update other than that.

[Lou... 3,118]

 Don't drink the Kool Aid, folks.

 

 

 

My newest best friend.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Nice job on the parade pic from the castle.

Ipad guy and kid on top of the shoulders guy should be sentenced to death by firing squad.

It would be a disney death though.....so there wouldn't be any blood or anything.

 

No, iPad guy and kid-on-shoulder guy need to stay.  What would I take pictures of and complain about if they get shot?

 

Maybe a better solution would be to make them sit behind a Brazilian Tour Group at a future show?

 

You went all the way from POR to MK just to have a crappy Casey's dog with not-so-caramelized onions, and you call that winning?  Well, I guess it probably beats whatever the heck I did that night. 

 

You got it.  A funny tasting hot dog at Disney is better than sitting at home in a granny wig waiting for somebody to start the music.

 

 

I can't believe the good luck you seem to always have with buses!

 

It's pixie dust.

 

That day was amazing.  Wherever we went- our mode of transportation instantly appeared.

 

We took it as a sign that Twin #2 was doing the right thing by doing the DCP.

 

Some of it is pure luck, but not all of it. I believe it's TCD's familiarity and knowledge of the overall bus system.

He's had lots of practice using it and that goes a long way to avoiding the pitfalls.

 

That's true.  I would never rely on Disney transportation to get me to a park for rope drop or to someplace where I had a strict deadline.

 

The rest of it is positive thinking.  It works.

 

Personally, I would have walked over to Boardwalk Resort from the Studios to catch an MK bus, or grabbed the Contemporary bus. Two buses is always more iffy than a walk and a bus, or a bus and a walk.

 

I agree with you.  Taking the POR bus was a risky decision.  Luckily, it worked out for us.  We actually weren't even planning to go immediately to the MK- we were going to eat something in the food court, but that bus was just sitting there, so we went.

 

On this particular evening, I thought the most important thing for us was just to get out of DHS.  We were in the front of a huge crowd that was still streaming out of the park.  All buses to everywhere were going to be bad for a while.  We took the first bus that we could.  I think it ended up being quicker for us than it would have been to walk to Boardwalk.  But, it easily could have taken much longer.

 

I think he's pulling the wool over our eyes.  He probably waited with the rest of the angry mob.  Bus after bus past him by, so he concocted this whole 'going to MK, eating crappy hot dogs, then bailing' story just to make it seem he was all over and had no wait for the buses.  Don't drink the Kool Aid, folks.........

 

Nice update other than that.

 

Nope, no wool is being pulled.  There's no way I would wait in an angry mob.  Trust me on that.

 

My newest best friend.

 

Ah, isn't that nice?

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

 

You got it.  A funny tasting hot dog at Disney is better than sitting at home in a granny wig waiting for somebody to start the music.

 

 

I never wait for the music to start.  It's always playing in my head. 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Thanks for keeping me entertained on my way to the beach!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I never wait for the music to start.  It's always playing in my head. 

 

Can you hear it over the voices?

 

Thanks for keeping me entertained on my way to the beach!

 

No way!

 

You're on the way?

 

Have a great trip!

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Here comes another update.

 

We were up early on Monday morning.  Twin #2 wasn't 100% certain when we were supposed to go and check in for her program.  Up until recently, Disney apparently assigned DCP participants  to apartments based on who was in line with you when you checked in.  No roommate matching or any of that stuff.  I guess that kids used to reach out to each other via social networking and arrange to meet up at the place where you check in so they could all be in line together.  That apparently made for a big mess.  So, Disney recently changed things up and now lets kids request roommates.  There are Facebook groups and such where kids find each other. After Twin #2 found out she had been accepted, she lined up roommates, and they were assigned a designated check-in time. But, the other girls from her apartment told her that they should still get there early, they were planning to be there at 7 am.

 

We decided that we would eat breakfast at 7, and then head over to the check-in area.  And that's what we did.  Check in was at one of the DCP apartment complexes.  The one we went to, Vista Way, is the oldest one, and is supposed to be the least nice.  It looked pretty nice to me. 

 

As expected, the whole process was incredibly well organized.  Twin #2 checked in, and next thing I knew she was on a bus to "casting."  There were guides around to help parents, and they told me that Twin #2 would be gone for about two hours.  I decided to go back to the hotel and chill.  So that's what I did.

 

A while later, Twin #2 texts me, an she's ready to go to her apartment.  I picked her up, and met one of her roommates, who needed a ride.  We headed over to the apartment complex where Twin #2 would be living.  It was very nice. Luckily for me, she has a first floor unit, so I didn't have to haul of her stuff up stairs.

 

Oy vey, that apartment was noisy. It has three bedrooms and three baths, and all the girls and some of their parents were all in there when we arrived. 

 

We got all of Twin #2's stuff in way faster than I expected.  Then it was time for lunch.

 

We had to go back to POR to pick up Twin #2's car, so we decided we would eat somewhere on property.  We thought about BOG, but decided it would take too much time and effort.  Twin #2 used to love Captain Cook's at the Polynesian, so I suggested that we go over there and see what the temporary location is like.

 

We drove to the Polynesian.  From what I've noticed, they have big parts of the parking lot walled-off, and I wondered if they would let us park there.  I had my POR parking pass on the dash, and was wearing my MB.  I am not sure if that helped.  I told the guard that we were there to eat lunch, and he looked at the parking pass, and scanned my MB, and told me Aloha.  I am not sure what would have happened if I didn't have the parking pass and MB. 

 

There have been some big changes to the Polynesian parking lot since we were last here.  Also, at least for now, you can't walk directly from the parking lot to the lobby doors- it is walled off:

 

 

This part of the parking lot has been completely reconfigured- and that sidewalk and those trees are all new:

 

 

This handicapped parking section is all new, and there are many more handicap spots than there ever used to be:

 

 

Here's the drive that leads up to the main entrance- you can see the left part is all closed off- there were stairs there. I wonder if those are being removed?:

 

 

The garden area to the left of the path you walk along to the front doors is all walled off:

 

 

This is the waterfall in the lobby.  This is probably the last time you're going to see it.  They're fixing to rip it out.  And soon:

 

 

Looking up, you can see that they already have construction walls encircling the second floor of the atrium, which used to overlook the waterfall:

 

 

'Ohana is on the other side of that wall:

 

 

More wall:

 

 

That art studio where you could buy thousand dollar psychedelic dolphin statues is empty:

 

 

I guess if you want a psychedelic dolphin statue, you're just out of luck.

 

This is looking down the hallway to Captain Cook's.  Only instead of Captain Cook's there's a wall:

 

 

So where are the rich folk dropping 500 bucks a night on a deluxe hotel room supposed to get a pulled pork sandwich?

 

Not to worry.

 

There's a fake Captain Cook's open just down the hall.

 

I guess this used to be an employee cafeteria.  And it looks it:

 

 

It sure doesn't look like a deluxe hotel restaurant:

 

 

It seemed to be set up like a cafeteria.  Simple enough.  And it wasn't busy.  But, you couldn't just walk down the food line and order.  There was a CM there who explained how things work:

 

 

We could look in the case to see what they had:

 

 

But we couldn't tell one of he many CMs standing around behind the counter doing nothing what we wanted.  Nope.  We had to tell the lady, and she would enter our order into this high-tech ordering system:

 

 

If you are a TCD TR regular, you may remember that Twin #2's favorite quick serve dish in all of WDW was the Asian noodles they used to serve in Captain Cook's.  Those noodles aren't on the menu here.  I guess they don't have a pot.  So, she ordered the pulled pork sandwich.  And, I decided to try the teriyaki chicken, which is a new item on the menu.  Here's my teriyaki chicken:

 

 

Have you ever seen chicken teriyaki that looked like that?

 

I haven't.

 

Twin #2 pointed out that the vegetables there on the side were identical to the vegetables that used to be in the Asian noodles.  I think she's right.  So, why did they take the noodles off the menu?

 

Twin #2's pulled pork sandwich was good.  It had a pineapple flavor to it. 

 

After lunch, I wanted to look around on the second floor of the lobby.  So we headed up there.  This is the wall opposite the entrance to 'Ohana:

 

 

And this is the 'Ohana waiting area:

 

 

The bar next to 'Ohana is still there and open for business:

 

 

A month or so ago, there was discussion on this board about a change to the 'Ohana menu reported by the Disney Food Blog. They said that there were no more chicken skewers. Then they said that there were.  The menu does not list chicken skewers:

 

 

What the Fort is going on here?

 

Now, chicken wings and noodles, which used to be appetizers, are called entrees?

 

Those lettuce wraps are new.

 

But, who is coming to a place with all you can eat meat and going to eat a lettuce wrap?

 

I don't like these menu changes one bit.

 

Nobody knows how to spell 'Ohana, including Disney, but I think this is the accepted spelling:

 

 

Now we're on the other side of the second floor, looking at the Kona Sushi Bar.  They are serious about these walls that they've installed all around the second floor:

 

 

Now, we're over by the gift shop.  I've never understood why they wasted valuable retail space to include this fake hut here in front of the stores:

 

 

Does it have any purpose?  Did it ever?

 

We have now completed our walk around the second floor, and are looking toward 'Ohana again:

 

 

From here, we headed down the stairs and back to POR so Twin #2 could retrieve her car.

 

This is where we said goodbye.  She was heading back to her apartment.  I was going to head home.  But, since I was in the neighborhood, I figured I ought to go and take a look around the Fort.

 

So, that's where I'm heading next.

 

I solved a mystery while I was there.

 

And met a couple of Fiends.

 

I'll cover that in the next update.

 

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Captain Cook's doesn't have noodle bowls or Dole Whips?!?! What's the point of it being open then?

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Captain Cook's doesn't have noodle bowls or Dole Whips?!?! What's the point of it being open then?

 

Simple it's not. There is a temporary quick serve location. Considering the limited amount of options when ALL Star sports quick service was being remodeled. this looks good. 

[dvccamper 32]

Thanks for the Polynesian pics. That looks like a really extensive rehab project. We have the opportunity for a quick trip this fall and I would really love to stay at the Polynesian but with so many walls up I think it might make for a less than magical stay. Will need to work on a plan B.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Captain Cook's doesn't have noodle bowls or Dole Whips?!?! What's the point of it being open then?

 

Exactly.  I'm not going back there any time soon.

 

Simple it's not. There is a temporary quick serve location. Considering the limited amount of options when ALL Star sports quick service was being remodeled. this looks good. 

 

They are calling that temporary location Captain Cook's.  I thought I got a photo of the sign, but I didn't.

 

What did they do at All Star Sports?  That quick serve is the only restaurant they have.

 

Thanks for the Polynesian pics. That looks like a really extensive rehab project. We have the opportunity for a quick trip this fall and I would really love to stay at the Polynesian but with so many walls up I think it might make for a less than magical stay. Will need to work on a plan B.

 

The thing is that the real demolition/ construction hasn't even started yet.  That lobby is going to be an ugly mess.  Also, I believe at some point, they are shutting down the main pool for an extended period of time.

 

Stay away!

 

TCD

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

For the record, i dont like any of this Poly construction crap.

[Lou... 3,118]

It is a mess there.

I pull in there a couple of weeks ago, and there are barrels everywhere. So I pull into one side of the security shack. Oops, wrong side.

The security CM gives me the look. Hey, Jackass, you're on the wrong side". I give her the Lou look. Hey Jackass, I'm a WDW bus driver and I can go anywhere I want, deal with it, c-ya. Besides, I make more than you.

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

Wow, the Poly has changed a TON since we were there a few weeks ago. We had dinner at Oha'na's' and no walls then. 

 

Here is a picture of the lettuce thing. I had a bite of it, but that was it.

 

 

 

We made our way down to Cooks as well at some point and were surprised with it. Felt like a hospital cafeteria to me.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

With all that crap going on at the Poly they should be charging Value rates until they are done.  

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

When All Star Sports food court was closed they had a grab and go place in the arcade temporarily and extra buses to shuttle people to the other all star food courts for hot food. 

[HappyCamper...Deb 61]

We were at Poly for breakfast earlier. The walls really close things off. They also looked pretty darn permanent (with electrical outlets, light fixtures). Sad. I eavesdropped as a CM was talking about replacing the skylights too. (Boo!)

Here's hoping extra pixie dust goes into the imagineering of this rehab...

(Oh, hey! Fancy that...I met a fiend at the fort too!)

[Lou... 3,118]

(Oh, hey! Fancy that...I met a fiend at the fort too!)

 

I'm disappointed that it wasn't me.