Thanks to cheap Spirit flights and my dvc membership, I can pull off these one night friend trips a couple times a year.
The goal for this trip was to see a childhood friend who was camping all week at the Fort.
Landed Orlando 8am and Lyft to BW to drop off backpacks.
Took another Lyft to Poly for our Kona breakfast for 950am reservation. The Macadamia nut pancakes and Gouda grits are my all time favorite Disney breakfast. Tried the press pot coffee for the first time, good but not my favorite.
From Poly did monorail to MK to catch a boat to Lodge. Had Huckleberry cocktails at Geyser Point. Score 10 on the drinks very good! Disappointed I didn’t see any comfy patio furniture (except for out by the water in the sun). On previous visit there was a nice low seating patio set with oversized cushions. This time we sat at table and chairs. Had to deal with a pesky horsefly and of course the duck that likes to come make eye contact at every table LOL. Hey you gonna drop some food or what?
Visited the Lodge lobby before heading out to buses where we caught one going to the Fort. The Fort bus dropped us off between the horse stables and HoopDeDoo building. There is a dvc office and sample cabin right there at that bus stop and the nice dvc rep allowed my group to do a walk through of the cabin after I told her I was dvc. I was really impressed with the new cabins, very nice.
We headed to Trails End to visit with my childhood friend for awhile and then ended our Fort visit with a walk through of TriCircleD Ranch stables. These horses are so majestic! And got to see Disneys Dragon Calliope, very interesting history.
We took Fort bus to MK and then bus to BW where our room was ready. We enjoyed the drinks and atmosphere at abracadabra bar until it was time for our 5pm Rosa reservation at Dolphin. Rosa was a huge win! Loved it and it’s on my list to do again.
We then took boat to HS for our after hours ticket. Entered park about 8 minutes before 7 (they started allowing guests in about ten minutes before 7) and it was a fast moving line. Sadly we did power walk to new Villians and got there just before 7 and they were closing the rope just as we walked up. Show was filled to capacity.
We did Terror (45 min), MMRR (25 min), MFSR (walk on), Rise (15 min), Slinky (25 min), Toy Story (10 min), RnRC (25 min), Terror (5 min), Terror (5 min)
Enjoyed bottled waters, ice cream and popcorn in between rides. Took boat back to BW at 1215am
Went stock up on Gideons cookies the next day at Disney Springs and got the PB nitro cold brew (so good!). Arrived at Gideons for 1130am and had a 25 min wait.
Then headed to Homecoming reservation at 1230, service and food were good, we ordered way too much, and we all found chicken cooked very well but not seasoned.
Before heading back to BW we shopped at World of Disney and got more cookies at Summer House. I already have all my cookies cut up in bite size pieces and in the freezer to enjoy anytime I need a sweet taste of Disney.
We got Lyft from BW at 345 back to MCO for our 7pm flights. Half my group has TSA preck and other half did regular TSA, which was about 30 minutes.
It was hot, and 5am flights to Disney with a park day that ends after midnight means we were up for over 24 hrs straight— as I get older these trips are physically demanding and taking a toll on my body. But friend trips are also filled with laughs and memories.
