Day 24
Magic Kingdom
Dinner at Red Lobster
September 27, 2016

I take a lot of photos at Disney! I can never include them all!
All the photos from this day here | Florida 2016 photo collection on Flickr here
WDW-40, 2016: Trip Report Index | Pre-Trip Report



Day 24 of WDW-40 is here! Today is the last day for my brother Chris and his wife Meg – they’re sad, we’re sad… it’s been an awesome couple of weeks with them! We went to Magic Kingdom for their last few hours before they headed to the airport, and then Steve and I went and had a very late lunch at Red Lobster.


As with most days over the past two weeks, it started with us driving over to Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort to pick up Chris and Meg. We then drove onto Magic Kingdom where we would spend their last few hours in Orlando before going back home to the UK.

It would appear that we got the Ferryboat over to Magic Kingdom – now whether this was because the Monorail was down (possibly) or because we hadn’t done it yet is unknown. It does take longer than the Monorail, but I think everyone should experience the journey across Seven Seas Lagoon at least once!


For most of this trip, Cinderella Castle had this big fugly crane behind it. I believe they were putting on the Christmas lights. It’s not something I’ve ever seen before on previous trips, so maybe they do this every September? I’ve had to Photoshop it out of some pictures because it is just too hideous!

Once through security and the gates into the park, we caught the tail end of Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party Parade, which is just an updated version of the old Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! I think the old version is a lot better in my humble opinion. But it was cool to see new characters as part of the parade – Zootopia’s Nick Wilde & Judy Hopps, as well as classic Disney characters.


We then watched as The Dapper Dans – a barbershop quartet that performs around Main Street USA several times a day, ever day of the week. On this occasion they were singing while also playing Deagan Organ Chimes as part of the act. Each of the eight chimes has three octaves of a single note, comprising a C scale. (Thanks Wiki for that info!) At Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party they become The Cadaver Dans (have never seen them though, so will have to make extra effort next time!)


As I look back on these photos it reminds me how much there is to see at Walt Disney World – not just the main attractions and rides. Like The Dapper Dans, or the decor for the season, or the horse drawn carriage which makes its way up and down Main Street USA. Sometimes you should just pause for a moment in all the madness that a Disney holiday can feel like, and take it all in.


We popped into The Emporium and saw that they were selling 45th Anniversary merchandise, so we bought a few things and had them sent back to our resort to save carrying them around with us all day.

We also saw the Fire Chief and the Honorable Mayor of Main Street USA inside the store. It would be the last time seeing the Mayor as he sadly passed away in December 2017, aged 84. He served as Mayor for more than two decades, and will be missed by many.


Baring in mind that this trip was nearly two years ago, my memories are very hazy, so I’m literally having to go by what I see in the photos. Looks to me like we had a good old wander around Magic Kingdom so that Chris and Meg could soak it in for that last time. I remember this random duck being ever so vocal – quite clearly looking for a barney!

We did eventually go and watch Mickey’s PhilharMagic which is always awesome to watch. Disney describes it as “Join Donald Duck on a whirlwind tour of some of the most memorable songs in Disney animation history, and be transported to a host of classic Disney settings—presented for the first time in stunning 3D” When the curtains draw back and you get the full surround visual experience, it is just AMAZING. At some points it feels like you are moving with the animation, especially the Flying Carpet!

It was then time for the most iconic (if only for the annoying song!) Disney ride – it’s a small world! I think my brother’s face says it all don’t you?


The final thing we did before Chris and Meg left was going on the Walt Disney World Railroad which circles the whole park. The 20 minute journey has stops at Main Street USA, Frontierland and Fantasyland, so it’s a good way to get from land to land if you want a break from all the walking. It’s great to see some stuff behind the scenes as it were – things you can only see when on the train!


We said our sad goodbyes to Chris and Meg – we were all gutted it had come to the end for their holiday. They caught a bus back to their Disney Resort to pick up their luggage and board Disney’s Magical Express to Orlando International Airport (MCO). We had such a great time together, and I’ve never laughed so much as I had done with my brother during these two weeks. It has been on my Disney Bucket List to visit with my siblings – one down, two more to go! Maybe when I win the lottery we will all get there at the same time!

Steve and I hung out at Magic Kingdom for a while longer before making a move ourselves to grab a late lunch at Red Lobster.


Red Lobster

After two years of doing the Disney Dining Plan, this was our first time back at Red Lobster since 2013. The menu seems largely unchanged since then – one thing definitely not off the menu are the free, and unlimited Cheddar Bay Biscuits which are to die for. They are so yummy – soft, buttery and full of flavour – delicious!

You can buy a packet mix of these biscuits in the supermarket – not sure if I have seen them in Walmart of Publix, but I’ve definitely seen them. I really must buy a package next time we go so that I can make them back home in the UK!


Starters...

Me: Crispy Calamari and Vegetables – A generous portion of hand-breaded, golden-friend calamari, broccoli and red bell peppers, prepared to order. Served with tangy marinara and creamy ranch. ($9.99)


Him: New England Clam Chowder – cup ($4.99)


Steve and I are that couple that often shares food, especially somewhere like Red Lobster where the dishes are very shareable. We’ve had both of these starters before, and they both taste good. The calamari and vegetable platter is huge, so definitely worth sharing with others!

Main Course...

Me: Endless Shrimp – Shrimp Linguini Alfredo & Grilled Sriracha Shrimp ($17.99)

The Endless Shrimp is an offer that Red Lobster do from time to time, so I can’t find this on their menu at the moment, but from the bill I can see what I ordered. I’m more amazed at myself for the carb (pasta), on carb (rice), on carb (baked potato) over load! Since it is endless you could reorder the shrimp portion of your plate as many times as you wanted to.


Him: Bar Harbor Lobster Bake – Named for the idyllic seaside town of Bar Harbor, Maine, where lobster bakes are a way of life. Split-roasted petite Maine lobster tails with shrimp, bay scallops, mussels and tomatoes, piled over a bed of linguini in a garlic and white wine broth. ($28.99)

How awesome does this bowl of seafood look? I definitely had pangs of “I ordered the wrong thing” when Steve’s lobster bake came to the table! Which is ultimately why we end up sharing food because he quite often seems to order the better dish!

We also had a couple of iced teas to go with, but was way too stuffed for dessert.


After paying our bill we went back home to Kidani Village and spent the night at the resort. We watch the sun setting from our balcony, and later in the evening we could see fireworks in the distance – I think they were the Star Wars fireworks coming from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Excuse the pants pic, I just took a quick snap on my phone rather than haul out the big camera!

At night too, you could also just see the Awakening of The Tree of Life! So Animal Kingdom Lodge may well be the furthest away from all the parks, but, you still have some great views!




Read about the day after:
Day 25: Spectacular, Spectacular! »
La Nouba Cirque du Soleil / Dinner (Take-Out) from Bahama Breeze

Read about the day before:
Day 23: Singing In The Rain »
Shopping / Hollywood Studios / Dinner at Manny’s Chop House

Read ALL the days!

Lovely magic kingdom photos