19 Days: I Got Nuthin', Really

How's that for a "click-bait" title? Should really bring 'em in to want to read this.

But I'm just being honest. Perused blogs and Twitter and nothing leapt out.

Some people are gushing about the new IMAX Dr. Strange preview, which is good. I can't wait to see that movie.

An original copy of the first draft of a script of Steamboat Willy is going up for auction. I probably can't afford it.

A new wine bar was announced for Disney Springs, the first sommelier-owned and operated wine bar in the state. I want to go. Disney Springs is getting better and better. It's a destination in itself now, and with The Edison on the horizon, I'm looking to make a "just Disney Springs" (well, maybe some resorts as well) trip in the not too distant future.

A director was announced (Guy Ritchie) for an upcoming live remake of Aladdin. With that and Mulan announced recently, the live action remake thing is looking to be going strong. And I'm happy with that given how much I enjoyed Cinderella and Jungle Book.

OK,so maybe I had a few things. But that's it. I'm off to fall asleep while watching the Panthers on Monday Night Football. Peace out.

64 Days: Guy Fieri Comes To Disney Springs

I have no idea why this hasn't been bigger news among the Disney social media crowd, but Guy Fieri's signature sandwiches are coming to Disney Springs!

According to the OrlandoMyWay website, part of the refurbishing and re-imagining of the old Planet Hollywood will include Guy Fieri's signature sandwiches on a new and improved menu.

Looks pretty cool, huh?

I've never even had an inkling of a desire to visit the Planet Hollywood at Disney Springs. We went to the Myrtle Beach location while it was open and that was plenty. But I'm kind of loving what Disney is doing to their version. To make it fit into the new Disney Springs vibe, the outside globe motif is giving way to a sort of planetarium kinda thing. The artist's renderings look really good. I just figured that would make me less annoyed by what seemed to be an intrusion of Universal's City Walk onto Disney property, but if I can get a genuine Guy Fieri burger, I may be tempted to actually venture inside once it's finished. And as John is a HUGE Guy Fieri fan, I may not have a choice..... :-)

65 Days: New Bus Routes To Disney Springs

I'm not saying Disney noticed that I needed to get from Animal Kingdom to Disney Springs during our trip this October, but I DID just make Morimoto Asia ADRs two days ago and this announcement came out today, sooooooooo......

Whether it was my vacation panning that brought it on or not, as of this Sunday Disney will begin offering Disney Bus Transportation from each of its theme parks to Disney Springs. Buses will run from 4 pm to 11 pm, or two hours after park closing, whichever comes first. There will be no transportation the other way, from Disney Springs to any of the parks. You'll still need to transfer at the nearest resort for that trip. Buses will depart Disney Springs for the resorts as always, making a trip for drinks after a day in the sadly dry Magic Kingdom easy as pie.

The awesome Kenny the Pirate has a good article on this addition where he predicts buses will arrive bound for Disney Springs about every 10-20 minutes at park exits.

Clearly this is Disney's way to encourage after-park dinners and cocktails and shopping, but it's another one of those win-wins, ya know? I WANT to go to Jock Lindsey's for a nightcap after a long day in the parks. Thanks, Disney!

87 Days: Wordless Wednesday--Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar

Disney Springs: Love What You've Done With The Place!!

Here's the new logo and all :-)

We've always loved to use Downtown Disney as a first/last stop as we come and go from Walt Disney World. On the way in it's a toe in the water. On the way out it's a sort of decompression stop. This past trip we didn't stop on the way in because we were anxious to begin the Monorail Bar tour, but on the way out we got to be some of the last visitors to Downtown Disney.

As of Wednesday, Downtown Disney officially became Disney Springs, complete with a spiffy new website. While the name and the website are new, the changes that come along with the new moniker have been in the works for a while and will continue for a few years. It's a work in progress to be sure, there are construction walls everywhere, but it is coming along nicely and the newest additions are absolutely right up this guy's alley.

First off, the practical side. I LOVE the new parking garage. Parking was always a hassle here and this was a much needed addition. The garage is easy to get into and out of and looks to be big enough for most times of the year. You exit the garage in the West Side area, right next to Splittsville, which is sort of away from the more traditional shops we enjoy more, but also very close to the water taxi, so no big deal.

Under Construction, from the water taxi

Much of the new development is happening over on the West Side. It's largely not our thing. There are a lot "name," upscale stores that hold little interest for the Stites Fam, but the design tends to draw the people attracted to these stores over to that side, so it's kind of a good thing. In a little bit of a sick way.

In the middle, between Marketplace and West Side, are The Boat House and Jock Lindsey's Hanger Bar, two new additions. If this is the direction Disney Springs is taking, sign us up. We didn't try out The Boathouse, but it looks terrific both from a menu standpoint and the outside themeing. I'm a sucker for wooden sport boats and there is quite a collection tied up to the Boathouse docks. Also, it is home base to the Amphicars. These are four-seat completely amphibious vehicles that look just like the old early 60s commercial models. They drive down the ramp into the water and back up with not even a pause while they tour passengers around the lake/lagoon/whatever that body of water is called. When we first heard of the Amphicars I assumed they'd be rentals like the water sprites. Turns out they are a chauffeured experience, which opens what I desperately hope to make my next career move  as an Amphicar driver. Man's gotta have goals, right?

These Amphicars are too cool

Then there's Jack Lindsey's Hanger Bar. This one warrants and will get its own blog post later, but for now let's just say it met and exceeded some very high expectations. The Hanger Bar is themed as the bar Jock Lindsey, Indiana Jones' favorite pilot, opened in his retirement to Central Florida. It's full, and I mean FULL, of.......stuff. You could spend hours just pouring over the posters, artifacts, trophies, books, newspaper clippings and all sorts of assorted bric-a-brac in this place. It's large enough to serve plenty of people but small enough to seem authentic. It has a big outdoor deck and also a Jungle Cruise-esque river boat hanging in dry dock that serves as seating as well. We sat on the boat (of course) and felt fully enveloped in the story. The menu is simply drinks and apps, it IS a bar and not a restaurant. That's a bit new for Disney, but in this case it works very well. The drinks we had were unique and delicious and the food was the same. I have been wracking my brain for some sort of word of criticism for the place, so I don't come off as a complete fan boy here, but I got nuthin'. Jock Lindesy's Hanger Bar is the best. Period.

Best. Bar. Ever.

It doesn't seem as if much if anything of the "old" Downtown Disney had to go to make room for the new, and Disney is doing a good job of hitting all sorts of interests and tastes in its new development. This is making Disney Springs into a destination in itself, which I'm sure was the idea. And I'm all for it. We'll be back for another no-parks trip and Disney Springs will figure huge into our plans. We can't wait to try the new Morimoto Asia restaurant that just opened a few days ago.

Always something new........