Livin' at the Riv'

Next day, we moved to Disney’s Riviera. This is one of the newest Disney Resorts and we looked forward to staying here. We used my annual pass discount, coupled with a slew of Disney reward dollars to book a one-bedroom suite because that gave us a washer/dryer and with the heat, we really needed to wash clothes. Bob and I had been to this resort previously with friends for dinner in their signature restaurant, Topolino’s, and we were impressed by the 10th floor outdoor viewing bar, Topolino's Terrace, giving us a huge vista across numerous hotels and parks. We also were looking forward to using the Skyliner, Disney’s newest transportation to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.

But first, Bob wanted Penny to have a bath, so we went in search of a car wash. The trip down had been pretty wet, and Florida in August is good for a thunderstorm daily. Once we got Penny nice and clean, we made our way to the Riviera, and checked in. Disney is handling the return of COVID cases differently than Universal. Masks must be worn indoors, and even in some of the queues for rides. Outside, masks could be removed. This can be tricky, as the constant donning and doffing of masks might mean you forget where you last stashed them. We knew that, and had purchased some mask holders, allowing us to drop our masks around our necks like glasses, so we could quickly put them back on. Frankly, this felt safer to us than the no-masks at all policy over at Universal as Florida is becoming the COVID capital of the US.

That evening, we went to Topolino’s and had what we both thought was one of the best meals of our lives. We have committed to sharing food during our travels, both as a cost savings measure, and because portions are so huge, we don’t really need all that food. At Topolino’s, we started with a shared olive appetizer, an amazing beet salad, and a bouillabaisse to die for. I can show you the olives and the beet salad, but we demolished the bouillabaisse before we thought of a photo. Our waiter told us that the chef is from France, and that the bouillabaisse is his own recipe, created from the way poor French fisherman prepare their fish stew after a long day on the water. It was heaven. We were disappointed to learn that the terrace, while open for viewing, did not have the bar open, so we weren’t able to enjoy a pre-dinner drink overlooking the world. Many areas of Disney are not yet open, and it looks like it may be a while before that happens.

Next day, we took the Skyliner and went to Hollywood Studios. We had reservations at Oga’s Cantina at 9:30 am. This is early morning drinking at its finest, and we’re on vacation, right? We each had a Fuzzy Tauntaun, a vodka-and- peach based beverage that somehow manages to make your lips numb and tingly while you drink. Delicious and weird. Our plan was to stop there, but then we decided to share a Bespin Fizz, mostly because it bubbles and smokes like something out of a Disney villain’s kitchen. Oga’s is packed from dawn until dusk, and there are frequent cries of “Rancor” when someone orders the beer flight which is poured into four Rancor teeth. If you are not familiar with Rancor, you need to brush up on your Star Wars creatures. If you order the beer flight, you get the teeth. For $75.00. We were lucky enough to score a reservation on the Rise of the Resistance (ROTR), but we were boarding group 160, so we weren’t sure we would get on before the park closed. Since we were in old-people park mode, we weren’t too worried about that. We wandered around, rode the things we were willing to wait for, enjoyed dinner at the Brown Derby, and finally made our way over to Galaxy’s Edge. ROTR is very immersive, and for Star Wars fans, is a must-do. We enjoyed it, but my favorite ride at Disney World continues to be Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom.

Animal Kingdom was our next day, and it was pretty packed. Flight of Passage was a very long wait and we were fine not riding this time. After all, we had been there the day the ride opened, and I lost a toenail in the stampede to the ride! We went to the Lion King show, which continues to have very talented singers, dancers and performers, but like most things, isn’t truly back to full scale. We wiped out quickly and it was crushingly hot, so we returned to the hotel. One of the things we wanted to do was go to the quiet pool, which was right outside our room. There were two daybeds there and we were hoping to get one, which we did on this day. We have one of these on our deck at home, and it is a great place to get some shade, read a book, take a dip in the pool, and relax. Not sure why this was so different, but we came to realize that the daybeds at the quiet pool at Riviera were like ovens. Somehow, no matter how you turned them, they managed to block any breeze, and allow the full blast of the sun. The cushions sank into the frame, making it nearly impossible to get out (and we are adept at climbing in and out of a Corvette), and the pillows quickly become hot and sticky. We finally fled in fear for our lives. Dinner that night was at the California Grill, a favorite of ours, where the steaks are coated in butter and left in the fridge overnight to fully soak up the flavor. Our palate loved it, and fortunately we are both on cholesterol medication.

Last day was EPCOT. It was brutally hot, the park was crowded, and after we managed Soarin’ and Test Track, we retreated to the hotel. The Food and Wine Festival is on, which is usually one of our favorite things about EPCOT, but August beat us down, and we spent most of the day in the pool or the air conditioning. Dinner that night was another of our favorites; Le Cellier in Canada, again with steak. One thing we have learned is that we can ask for child size portions of things we like, saving money and calories, and the child portion cheese soup was just right.

Final thoughts on the ‘old people’s theme park’ trip. August is really too hot for us at this point. While masking was optional at Universal, we appreciated Disney’s concern for their guests, and the masks didn’t seem to make the blazing heat much worse. We stayed in concierge at the Hard Rock Hotel in Universal, but it is a shadow of its former self, perhaps due to staffing, and probably not worth the extra expense right now. While Disney still has plenty of magic, many of the things I have always liked best are not yet open. EPCOT in particular is a mess of construction, probably in preparation for their 50th celebration in October, but right now, it is confusing and industrial-looking. Both parks had wonderful staff, all of whom worked hard to make the guest experience special. We will certainly be back someday. But for now, there is a whole big world to see.

On to Key West.