Living the dream and remembering the Bagman LIVE UPDATE 10/2 - Page 24 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Ah well, there may be more changes to come to the hotel in Quebec City... that's all I'll say for now.
Oh neat! We'll have to keep an eye out for that!
So am I.
You're always full of surprises!! Ok, I'll be patient.....
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Tanya
Every click helps feed .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. Give a quick click every day and help animals in shelters! www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Marie's post is what made me decide to do the party as well...who knows when we will all see each other again. You never know what tomorrow will bring and memories are precious, which is why we are taking the littles out of school for a week.
Sounds like the Canada portion is really coming together! I know all of you at Bagman Days will make memories for a lifetime in your time together. Enjoy!
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Marie's post made us decide to go as well. What she said really hit me square in the gut. We need to remember to live in the moment with our friends and those we love. We don't know when we won't get to be with them any longer.
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Marie's post is what made me decide to do the party as well...who knows when we will all see each other again. You never know what tomorrow will bring and memories are precious, which is why we are taking the littles out of school for a week.
I'm so glad she posted that, knowing that she made the decision for at least two of us. Thanks Marie!
Marie's post made us decide to go as well. What she said really hit me square in the gut. We need to remember to live in the moment with our friends and those we love. We don't know when we won't get to be with them any longer.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Pre-trip report – part twenty three: designing a Bagman Days T-shirt…
Wednesday 18 May
I saw on the boards today that they’ve changed how they do Fastpasses. You used to be able to go online at midnight EST to get them done, but apparently as of today, it’s now 7:00am, which is actually more of a pain for us. We’re five hours ahead, so that makes it midday, which means unless it’s a weekend, we’ll be at work. Oh well, fingers crossed there’s going to be nothing that is that much of a hot ticket. I guess maybe the new Soarin’ may be popular, but I’d imagine it has a high capacity load to it. Equally Frozen Ever After (I think I have that right – essentially the Malestrom replacement ) might be popular, but I can’t imagine it being any worse than trying to get in to meet Anna and Elsa. Hopefully I’m right about that…
It seems as if there are going to be quite a few of our group now joining us at the Halloween Party, which I’m really pleased about. Angie said about how Bill loved to photograph the parade, and especially try and capture a good shot of the headless horseman. I said I’ll take up the challenge and see what sort of shot I can get, although I doubt it will be anywhere near as good as any of Bill’s. I remember the only time I got a really good shot was when, for some reason, he galloped through at a much slower speed than usual. I’m really glad we’re going and that others will be coming along as well. As Angie said, Bill loved the Halloween Party and I think it’s another great way to pay tribute to him.
Talking of Angie, she was one of quite a few people posting photos of Disney Springs, which finally opened up over the weekend, and I have to say I’m very impressed with what I’m seeing. When Disney first announced their plans for this part of Disney World, and we must be talking a lot of years ago here, as it involved the closure of the beloved Adventurers’ Club that so many of us loved, I was sceptical about what they were planning. I just didn’t get why the area needed yet more shops and restaurants, but now I do get it. I also understand why the clubs weren’t working, although I still would argue with the exception of the Adventurers’ Club. Ok, so maybe I’m biased, but that drew in what I’d describe as a very specific crowd, and probably not the sort that gave Disney security headaches on a regular basis, as some of the other club goers did. At least I know we were usually behaved anyway… I can’t wait to see it all for myself, finally with all the work finished and the hoardings down. How long have we waited for that? As I say, it feels like a long, long time…
Thursday 19 May
Someone posted in our Facebook group details of a new weekend brunch that’s being offered at Trail’s End. I did have a look at it, just out of interest, as I figured I’d probably stick with the brunch we’ve already got booked at the California Grill. The menu didn’t do much for me. They have all the standard breakfast fare, but the only other items I could see were things like pasta and pesto, mixed vegetables, fried chicken and mac and cheese, shrimp, Caesar salad, and potato salad, along with some soups. Ok, so it’s only $23/adults, but even so – I would’ve hoped for a bit more.
Saturday 21 May
I read on the boards this morning that ADRs were due to open today for Tiffin’s, so I waited as patiently as I could until late morning, when I knew the ADRs should have been loaded for the day, logged on, and snagged us a dinner reservation for Tiffin’s for the Saturday night when we’ll be at Animal Kingdom. Frustrating, I could only get 4:55pm as the latest booking, but that’s because Disney are being painfully slow about updating everything, and they’re still showing Animal Kingdom as closing as 5:00pm. I’ll just have to keep an eye on those park hours and then as soon as they lengthen (which they have to do at some point, right?) then I’ll see if I can book something a bit later. Of course, by then, we may know more about the Rivers of Light, whether it will be on by then, and if so, at what time and whether dining packages are available for it. At least I know we’ll definitely be trying out another new Disney restaurant this trip!
Talking of park hours, I had a quick flick through them, and noticed something very odd. Epcot is now open until 10:00pm on both the Friday and the Saturday night, with IllumiNations showing at 10:00pm. Hmm… I don’t ever remember seeing that before.
Sunday 22 May
I read online on Facebook yesterday about the challenges people were having getting Fastpasses for the various new things that became available. The most notable of these had to be Frozen Ever After, the new Maelstrom, where even Deb Wills was struggling to get a Fastpass for opening day. She managed it in the end, but from what I gathered from reading the boards this morning, she was in a minority, given people were saying they were all gone by 7:00am, an hour after they became available. Ok, so this is for trips in late June, not long after opening, but even so, I suspect we may need to be on the ball when it comes to our Fastpass window. We’ve got until late July, so it’s not something I need to worry about yet…
I emailed Sara, our travel agent, today to say go ahead and pay off our cruise on the Dream. It’s not due until 9 June, but given we’ll be away on the Baltic cruise, I don’t want to forget and I just want to get it out of the way now, so that’s another thing off the list of things to do.
Having read some comments today on the boards about the menu at Tiffins, and people were saying that it was a bit far out, I figured I’d better check it out. Oh wow, it looks amazing! The appetizers that appealed include the lobster-popcorn Thai curry soup, the marinated grilled octopus, the flash fried icy blue mussels and the sustainable seasonal fish crudo.
For entrée, I like the sound of the hoisin-glazed halibut, the grilled head-on prawns or the whole-fried sustainable fish. I wasn’t taken by the roasted market vegetable curry, as that just doesn’t sound quite as exciting. Mark could also have the Chermoula-rubbed chicken, the berbere spiced lamp chop, the Berkshire pork tenderloin and the Wagyu strip loin and braised short rib.
The desserts don’t do as much for me. The passion fruit tapioca crème and the lime cheesecake do not appeal at all, but the South American chocolate ganache, calamani mousse with mango lava and coconut meringue and the sorbet tasting are a lot more interesting…
Tuesday 24 May
I found this article on DVC News – Member Lounge opening punctuates landmark start to a milestone year. It’s about the new Member Lounge at Epcot that opens on 6 June, which will be on the second floor of the Imagination pavilion, with a Member entrance through the merchandise shop. It’s got complimentary beverages, device-charging stations (handy!), Wi-Fi, computer stations with access to Disney websites, like MyDisneyExperience.com. They’ll have advisors from both Member Services and RCI and displays of Member merchandise. I can’t imagine us spending a huge amount of time there, but we’ll definitely pop in to see what it’s like…
Angie (poohsgirl) posted a wonderful photo in the Facebook group tonight:
Isn’t it just beautiful?
Wednesday 25 May
Denise (wdwlovers) asked today for numbers who want the customised MagicBands that have been created in Bill’s memory. We’ve signed up for two, and judging by the number of posts already in our group, I think there’s going to be a big order.
Friday 27 May
Sandy (whoSEZ) posted today in the Facebook group with details of the T-shirt she’s designed for Bagman Days on Zazzle. It incorporates one of Bill’s beautiful sunset photos, that we’d previously voted for. It looks really impressive, and they have a 25% discount this weekend, but I’m concerned about the delivery charges, as I know they’re crazy. I posted about that, and Sandy suggested I could do it myself. She said I could download the photo and set up my own shirts on Zazzle.co.uk. She assures me it’s quite easy to do, so I’ll have to see. Whether I get a chance to do this before we head out on our Baltic cruise remains to be seen….
Saturday 28 May
I woke up this morning to see various photos of the food at Tiffins, and wow it looks good! It is so exciting that finally this is open for business. I have been looking forward to some more dining options at Animal Kingdom for such a long time now.
I decided to go ahead and try and order the T-shirts for Bagman Days. Wow, it couldn’t have been simpler! It was even easier than Sandy said. I didn’t have to sign up for an account, I didn’t have to say I had permission to use the photo (we do – thanks to Jan ), I just positioned the photo, worked out what size to go for and ordered – and now I hope that they look Ok and that they fit. Fingers crossed!
Monday 30 May
In the Facebook group this morning, this had been posted:
Hi everyone! A member of our group is hoping to create some magic and would like to know where everyone will be staying. Please post below with the name of your resort. If you prefer, you can send me a private message and I'll forward the info.
I think you guys will enjoy Tiffin's. I haven't been yet, but have read reviews (as I'm sure you have too!) that it's one of the best restaurants in all of WDW.
Oh, Rivers of Light. I know you wrote this in May, and I can't help but laugh that it's mid-late August and we still don't know what's going on.... It is just humorous at this point. I don't think they know either.
Really, really, really can't wait to see what you think of the DVC lounge at Epcot! I remember being up in that area as a kid, when it was open to the public. Such an amazing spot for a lounging area! I could probably sit up there for hours.
__________________
Tanya
Every click helps feed .6 bowls of food to rescued animals. Give a quick click every day and help animals in shelters! www.theanimalrescuesite.com
I think you guys will enjoy Tiffin's. I haven't been yet, but have read reviews (as I'm sure you have too!) that it's one of the best restaurants in all of WDW.
I've actually read mixed reviews, but I think some of those who weren't overly enthusiastic weren't 100% sure about the menu.
Quote:
Oh, Rivers of Light. I know you wrote this in May, and I can't help but laugh that it's mid-late August and we still don't know what's going on.... It is just humorous at this point. I don't think they know either.
I don't think they do either... I have seriously given up hope of hearing anything before we go. The rumour doing the rounds is it will launch for Earth Day, April 2017. I thought maybe in time for Thanksgiving, but either way, I don't think it will be in time for our trip.
Quote:
Really, really, really can't wait to see what you think of the DVC lounge at Epcot! I remember being up in that area as a kid, when it was open to the public. Such an amazing spot for a lounging area! I could probably sit up there for hours.
Oh that is so cool to hear! The photos of it look very nice, but not amazing, if that makes sense?
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) might be popular, but I can’t imagine it being any worse than trying to get in to meet Anna and Elsa. Hopefully I’m right about that… 
I was sceptical about what they were planning. I just didn’t get why the area needed yet more shops and restaurants, but now I do get it. I also understand why the clubs weren’t working, although I still would argue with the exception of the Adventurers’ Club. Ok, so maybe I’m biased, but that drew in what I’d describe as a very specific crowd, and probably not the sort that gave Disney security headaches on a regular basis, as some of the other club goers did. 
Frustrating, I could only get 4:55pm as the latest booking, but that’s because Disney are being painfully slow about updating everything, and they’re still showing Animal Kingdom as closing as 5:00pm. I’ll just have to keep an eye on those park hours and then as soon as they lengthen (which they have to do at some point, right?) then I’ll see if I can book something a bit later. Of course, by then, we may know more about the Rivers of Light, whether it will be on by then, and if so, at what time and whether dining packages are available for it. At least I know we’ll definitely be trying out another new Disney restaurant this trip! 
The appetizers that appealed include the lobster-popcorn Thai curry soup, the marinated grilled octopus, the flash fried icy blue mussels and the sustainable seasonal fish crudo. 
It is just humorous at this point. I don't think they know either.
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