WDW Tusker House (Animal Kingdom)

In our first 2 visits to WDW (2012 and 2013), Ken and Austins least favorite park was Animal Kingdom but I think our visit in September 2015 changed their minds. Part of the wonderful experience was a buffet lunch at Tusker House.

The ambiance was inviting. It was sunny and spacious and decorated in a way that made you want to stop and touch. this is the view from the dining room to the buffet area.


this is the dining area where we sat. There are others also.


this is the buffet area


The meal was not expensive (by Disney standards) but it was packed. Even though we had reservations, we still had to wait about 20 minutes. I didn't realize this was a character meal until we were seated and the server told us how the character meet worked ie where we were at within the visit schedule and that we should try to be at our table because if we weren't when they came by we would miss them. This was a 'Mickey &Friends' safari themed character meal and they were a lot of fun.

A, Me, Mickey, K


Me, Donald, A


Daisy and K


Me and Goofy


Even better than the characters was the food. It was buffet and fantastic. I don't think I tried anything I didn't like.





Lastly, our server spent quite a bit of time talking to us about his experience as a cast member and a lot of Disney related trivia. He noticed Kens celebration button and brought him a cupcake with a candle and a birthday card signed by the safari crew;

Sinus Surgery Post op day 19

See Sinus Surgey Post op day 5 for some insight into this surgery. I'm posting this if I need some sort of miserable reminder later on in life or if anyone who is thinking about sinus surgery wants some real world truths.

I'm still quite congested, really as much as I was prior to the surgery and I've had a minor headache non stop for the last 19 days. I stopped taking the pain pills I was given a week ago and now I also can feel the facial pain from my teeth all the way to my forehead.

Blowing my nose has been rather interesting. I've blown stitches out a couple times and thrice I've wondered how the blood clot I've just blown out actually fit through my nostril. My right nostril is now a bit larger than my left one and I don't know if its because of the surgical incision or because its getting stretched out from the humongous blood clots which are the size and consistency of a salamander. Sorry for the visual but that is really what it reminds me of.

Depression does not run in my family nor do I have any of the indicators for post op surgical depression (there really is such a thing) but I think I may have it. Or maybe its just frustration at not feeling better after almost 3 weeks.

A simple positive though is that I went back to work full time today. I was back half time last week and none of my work magically completed itself so I must have some value with this company.

WDW - Packing the Backpack for a day at the park

I just found the SD card with the images from our WDW trip in September so I better post while I can still remember what everything is. This first shot is everything laid out on the table. I usually pack the following;

Ziplock bag #1:

• Reading glasses
• Sunglasses
• Pencil
• Reservation folder (see below)
• Sunglasses
• Lanyard (car keys, scooter keys, and trading pins)
• Snack size ziplock with pennies and quarters
• Ponytail holders
• Ponchos

Ziplock bag #2 is my first aid kit

• Wet wipes
• Essential Oil
• Chafing gel
• Hand sanitizer
• Sunscreen
• Carmex
• Advil
• Kleenex
• Moleskin
• Bandaids
• Cough drops
• Nail clippers
• Tweezers
• Feminine pads

Ziplock bag #3 is my autograph bag. I always keep my sharpies and autograph books in a separate ziplock bag so nothing gets wet if it rains and its easy to pull out. Here is a pic with everything including a birthday card I had signed by all the princesses.



I bring a hard copy of all my reservations and fast pass times. I put schedules for each park in the pockets and manually update the spreadsheet if we need to change anything.


We also bring frozen water


and frozen towels if its hot


Here are our frozen towels in use


fyi, most pics were taken in our cabin at Fort Wilderness



after we get back from the last park of the day, this is what I do to get my bags ready for the next day;

1. freeze 6-8 bottles of water
2. get 2 hand towels or wash clothes wet, roll them up and freeze them
3. put any pressed pennies in the pressed penny book and and replace them with new pennies and quarters. I usually carry about 10 sets. 
4. charge the camera and cell phone
5. replace anything in the 1st aid bag that was used during the day (advil, bandiads, etc)
6. make sure that everything that we need to take with us is in a designated area. I pick a tabletop or counter when we get there and designate that as the spot and anytime anyone takes anything off that needs to go with us goes there. Even if we might wear it the next day, like sunglasses, hats, and magic bands, they go in the bag or in the designated spot.