Lynx Bus, One Pretty Picture, Cookes of Dublin, Menus, Wonderful World of Gaming – Downtown Disney 1/22/12

Edit 2: Okay, we’re good to go.

Edit: One moment, let me add the Wonderful World of Gaming.

I have a bit of bad news.  But it’s your fault.  Since you weren’t receptive to my idea of taking a look at Sea World, I mean SeaWorld, we are going to Downtown Disney instead.  To look at menus.  It’s terribly boring.  Terribly boring.

I am an expert on the Lynx bus system because it’s what I take to the theme parks myself.  Well, I don’t know about “expert.”  That might just be my ego talking.  I get a lot of people rolling their eyes when I tell them that I am a “bus person,” but it really isn’t so bad.  They generally run on time.  The buses don’t run in a circle so everyone has to get off the bus at the end of the route.  That cuts down on “vagrancy.”  I can just sit there and pleasantly read my book or stare at my phone. It’s not as convenient as a car, but it’s cheaper and has some other advantages.

The picture above is the Downtown Disney West Side Transfer Center Lynx bus stop, which is all the way over near the West Side parking lot.  From here, you would just walk straight ahead along the path, take a right, and you’re at House of Blues and Cirque du Soleil.  The main Lynx bus stop on Disney property is at the Ticket/Transportation Center.  From there, you can go all the way up and down US-192 on Route 56 or up into Orlando on the 50 or 111.  The 56 would take you to the Medieval Times, Wal-Mart, Publix, Sam’s Club, etc.  It’s a relatively direct trip up the highway.  Buses run every 30 minutes in both directions and the bus stops only add a few minutes to the trip.  The 111 ends at Orlando International Airport.  The 50 or 111 would take you within a five minute walk of SeaWorld, which we will never ever take a look at.  Actually, we are going to SeaWorld in the next couple of days.  And I’m not going to put in a “continue reading” button so you’re really, really, really going to have to scroll down.  And I’m going to put the best Disney information ever right after it.

See?  It just pulls right up.  And they’re pink!  How cute is that!

I thought this picture was pretty.  I don’t get lucky like this very often.  I picked up a Tokina 11-16mm lens yesterday so maybe the pictures will improve if I ever learn how to use the camera.  This is the walkway from the parking lot or said bus stop to House of Blues etc.

Cookes of Dublin is my favorite Walt Disney World quick service.  If Disney were to agree to put a version of it in Hollywood Studios, I would do whatever they asked.   Shill for Disney Vacation Club nonstop.  Shut this website down.  Sell Magic Your Way tickets door to door in Wyoming.  And before you say, “That’s ridiculous!” please eat a few meals at ABC Commissary.  You’ll see what I mean.  Cookes of Dublin is the quick service arm of the similarly awesome Raglan Road. It’s located right next door to Raglan in Pleasure Island. Here’s the menu:

Every time I go in I mean to order the Scallops.  Every single time.  But I have ordered them in the past and as your Disney World blogger, I feel it is my duty to try something “new.”

So we have the Fisherman’s Pie with the paper underneath it very in focus.

A little better.  I’ve never had better quick service fries anywhere – Walt Disney World or otherwise.  Served hot.  Crispy.  Plump.  Salty.  And they serve them with your choice of several sauces, including a “Dalkey Mustard” that is divine.

And a half-eaten picture for your viewing pleasure.  This is a full service blog after all.  It’s more food than it probably looks like.  Very rich, filled with mashed potatoes, shrimp, scallops, and probably a few other things.  The crust ever so flaky.  Served fresh – piping hot.  Delivered to your table.  Self-serve soda machines.  LOVE IT.

Back over to House of Blues.  Some band was playing at 5:30pm and there was already a line of teenagers in line outside at 1:30pm.  Dress in black and be an individual.

Prices have gone up on Happy Hour drinks, but it’s still some of the cheapest alcohol on Disney property.  Appetizers are also half off from 3pm to 5pm.  I miss the days of half price appetizers after 10pm.

Back in October, the sign looked like this:

So budget another $2.50 on the ten cosmopolitans you’re planning to order.

House of Blues has a new menu as of December 2011.  Here it is typed up at AllEars: http://allears.net/menu/menu_hob.htm.

Or (barely readable) pictures.  They’re on the Disney Dining Plan in 2012 for the first time:

I haven’t been yet in 2012.

And the outside bar with live music at 4pm.

Specialty drinks:

Some Swamp Water please.

The Gospel Brunch has always intrigued me, but I have never been.  Let me know if you want to go.  To the 1pm one obviously.

Splitsville construction continues in the old Virgin Megastore building on the West Side.

This is the current advertisement.

But I have done a little bit of market research and this would be a better advertisement.  The correct order should be drink, drink, drink, bowl, drink, drink, drink, drink.  Nobody wants to see Walt Disney World visitors dancing.

Over to the West Side Wolfgang Puck Express.  If you’re unfamiliar, there are actually two Wolfgang Puck quick services in Downtown Disney.  The Marketplace version (the other one) is far superior in both food and service.  Here’s the menu:

If something sounds good, you’re in the area, and you’re in the mood to sit outside, then you’re in business.  Otherwise, the Marketplace location is a better choice.

And Wolfgang Puck Cafe Lunch menu – The first floor table service restaurant.

For Kids:

Some inexpensive…and more expensive options.

Bongos Cuban Cafe is part of the 2012 Disney Dining Plan too.  The menu is ummmmm…for lack of a better word….extensive:

Not sure how you would narrow that down.

They also have a sandwich window attached:

Inexpensive, but I’ve never eaten there! There is rarely an open table.

Taking a step back from the menus for a moment.  One of those South American tour groups was marching through Downtown Disney.  They start at Cirque du Soleil, go all the way along Disney Quest and Splitsville, and end at the AMC Movie Theater.  Visas are really hard to get though.

Not much new going on along here.  We’ve got Hoypoloi, Sosa Cigars, and the relatively new Something Silver stores in front of us.  Followed by the massive AMC Theater.

And in the opposite direction.  That’s “sunglass icon by sunglass hut.”  This is easyWDW by easyWDW.

Looks friendly?  It’s basically Main Street Confectionery at Downtown Disney.  With a lot less space to move around.

“BLINK” by wet seal.  A good place to go if you have a sudden urge to buy pants.  And I mean really.  Who knows when that is going to strike?  That’s D Street and then Harley Davidson on the end.

Popping into D Street.  Vinylmation is as weird as ever.

I mean they are cute.

But not $45 a pop cute in this person’s opinion.  This particular one is limited to 1500 but they still don’t sell.

And others are just what the heck.

And others are one of a kind.  That’s $1,200 by the way.

Some neat Star Wars merch.  This one comes in a couple different colors.  In pink for the ladies too.

Marvel makes an appearance.

More new Mickey shirts:

If you’re looking for something a teenage boy (or older) (or younger) (or a girl) might be interested in, D Street is one of the best choices.

Over to Heaven on Earth…Wetzel’s Pretzels and Haagen Dazs within inches of each other!

Wetzel’s:

Haagen Dazs:

I almost feel like I’m being mean by posting that. Go ahead and open up the freezer and grab a treat.  You deserve it!

You’ll find a variety of these sorts of stands throughout Downtown Disney.  They rarely have a line, which makes a quick beverage purchase easy.  And there’s no bag check at Downtown Disney so it’s easier to sneak in that 100 ounce flask.

Menu:

It’s cost effective to bring your own Frangelico. And I would die laughing if I ever heard someone say, “Hunny, do you have the Frangelico?”

Over to the AMC Dine-In Theater.

The menu:

Finally a movie theater where we won’t get kicked out because every square inch in a 30 foot radius smells like malt liquor and whiskey.  I can see how a waffle sundae and a movie would be a nice way to end a romantic evening as well.  I don’t imagine I’ll ever find myself on said date, but it sure sounds nice.  Considering a package of Skittles runs you $4.25, $10 Prime Rib Tacos don’t sound so bad.  I’m always the guy that buys the large popcorn, eats one and a half tubs to “get my money’s worth” and then feels sick and regrets it for the next ten days.  Thai Coconut Chicken Tenders sound less regrettable.  Though I’m not sure sitting next to the doofus constantly rustling his way through his package of Dibs is any better than some bro grinding his teeth against his fork through a Country Fried Steak.  At least they took the chili off the menu.

Planet Hollywood looks a lot more fun from the outside than it probably is on the inside.  The menu outside doesn’t have prices, but here it is anyway: http://www.easywdw.com/reports2/bankrupt_twice_menu.jpg.

Looking up at the helium balloon on a string known as Characters in Flight.  It’s good marketing because there are no characters and it isn’t a hot air balloon like many people assume.

In the daytime there aren’t usually a lot of people up there.  It makes it easier to move around or a larger buffer if you pass out.

$18 per person for about five minutes in the air – ten minutes total.  It’s certainly a unique experience, but a family of four can expect to pay around $64.

This lists the wind speed and how many people can safely ride during various gusts.  I’m assuming the insinuation isn’t that it crashes and no one survives at wind speeds over 22 miles per hour?

You’ll see a couple of these Italian Ice stands around Downtown Disney.

Your choices:

The Gelati Boat?  The prices are a little crazy because they “come out even” when you multiply by the tax rate, 6.5%.

My favorite Downtown Disney bathrooms.  Plenty of stalls and rarely crowded with little going on around here.  If you know of a better set, do tell!

Laffer’s Cantina.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense without Comedy Warehouse around, but they do serve alcohol so who’s gonna hate?

Nobody knows your name at the Adventurers Hut.

Menu:

These sorts of places in Pleasure Island may or may not be open in the evening.  They shouldn’t be open during the day unless there’s a very special event.

A look back at the Pleasure Island seating area.  There is live entertainment in the evenings.  Usually just a guitar player and somebody dressed up in a shiny outfit that just stands there in place not moving.

The Paradiso 37 menu without pricing.  It’s another fun evening area with the outdoor bar, plenty of beer, and more tequila.  Appetizers are mostly great.  Entrees…not so much in my experience:

Not usually very busy.  A nice late night spot, particularly when the bugs aren’t out and it’s 75 at night.  The weather has been beautiful here lately.  Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the low 60s.  Prime outdoor scotch weather.

The PI Live looking pretty sad this time of day.

The menu should look familiar.

The Marketplace bus stops are closed through the end of the month, opening back up on February 1st.  The Pleasure Island stop near Planet Hollywood is the only one currently available.

The current Raglan Road lunch menu: http://www.easywdw.com/reports2/ragland.jpg.

We’ll return for the rest of the menus later.  That’s all of the West Side and most of Pleasure Island.

Whoops, forgot the Wonderful World:

I hate it when I don’t know something exists.  It makes me question my life as an amateur Walt Disney World blogger.  What am I doing here?  Can they trust me?  Can someone input the knowledge into my brain for me?

This is it inside of the Once Upon A Toy Store, the massive toy store near the end or beginning of the Marketplace depending on where you’re coming from.  It’s across the street from Earl of Sandwich further away from Pleasure Island and the West Side.

They have a variety of Nintendo DS titles to play.

And Nintendo Wii titles.  Supposedly Epic Mickey 2 is on the horizon for sometime in 2012 and will be coming to PS3 and Xbox 360.  That would be SWEET!

It’s a great opportunity to “accidentally” whack your brother.

Bring your own.

Some other sorts of games and accessories.

This (The 4-Disc version) is actually $42.99 right now on Amazon, so this isn’t a terrible price.  I’m sort of (very) surprised by that.

$15.99 at Amazon for either Toy Story 3 or Midway Mania on the Wii at the moment.

If it’s a Disney game, they probably have it. I wish they would remake DuckTales: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckTales_%28video_game%29.  Sadly, Launchpad McQuack could only be used one time per level!

It’s a fun area.

Books? We don’t need no stinkin’ books!

Until next time.