From Beak & Barrel to EPCOT Nights: Inside Our Geek Meet Weekend – Ep. 659

One of the best parts of the Geekin’ on Walt Disney World Podcast community is that it eventually jumps off the internet and into the parks.

In Episode 659, we kick off a two-part trip report from a recent Geek Meet weekend at Walt Disney World where a group of longtime friends and listeners gathered to spend a few days enjoying the parks together.

For this trip, Dan, Andy, and I shared a family suite at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, which turned out to be a surprisingly great option for a small group traveling together. The suite setup—with separate sleeping areas and a small kitchen space—worked perfectly for our home base during the weekend.

A Weekend Built Around Community

The meetup was inspired by longtime Geek Kevin Curtis-Allen and his wife Deborah coming down to Florida. That gave us the perfect excuse to organize a larger Geek Meet, with around 25–30 members of the community joining throughout the weekend depending on their travel schedules.

From the very beginning, the trip was less about rides and more about spending time together—meeting up in the parks, sharing meals, and bouncing from place to place the way Disney trips often unfold when you’re with friends.

Highlights from the First Half of the Trip

Some of the early moments from the weekend included:

A first meetup at Magic Kingdom’s Beak and Barrel, where a big group of Geeks gathered for drinks and food.
One of those classic Disney surprises—riding the PeopleMover while Space Mountain was down, giving us a rare look inside the ride with the lights on.
A spontaneous dinner trip to Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge, where the group tackled the famous bison burger.
A late-night visit to EPCOT to catch a Broadway-level concert performance during the festival.

Along the way we also started an unofficial “burger challenge”—trying burgers at different restaurants throughout the trip and debating which one might be the best on property.

Because that’s the kind of totally unnecessary but very Geek-style challenge that happens when you put a group like this together.

What Makes These Trips Special

As fun as the parks and food were, the best part of the weekend was simply spending time with friends who all share the same love for Disney.

Over the years this podcast has introduced me to hundreds of amazing people, and weekends like this are a reminder that the Geekin’ community is something truly special.

From longtime friends reconnecting to first-time meetups between listeners, the trip was filled with the kind of moments that make Disney trips memorable.

Coming Next Week: Part 2

This episode covers the first half of the Geek Meet weekend.

In Episode 660, we’ll continue the trip report with:

The EPCOT Geek scavenger hunt
More park adventures with the group
A few unique Disney experiences
And some unforgettable final moments from the weekend

There’s still plenty more Disney magic ahead.

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If you’re thinking about planning your next Disney vacation…

My wife Margita and our good friend Auntie Judy are the Travelin’ Tiaras, and they would love to help you plan your next magical adventure.

Their planning services are completely free, and they can help with: