Trip Report Tu in ‘25

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tu in ‘25

These lyrics came to mind when I thought about my trip reporting. (I also thought, Here we go AGAIN but the above sounds much more poignant.) It’s now that time of year when my Disney trips are frequent. And this Disney Senior loves sharing her visits with y’all because your engagement makes it fun!

Yes, there will be stuff that’s the same. Yes, there will be surprises (too soon for the reveals). And yes, there will be sun rises!

Spring break countdown is at 4 days.

Since this intro needs a picture, here are Tu.

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

Woody and I grabbed a personal pizza and meatball sub at Catalina Eddie’s. After several minutes we managed to find a table where people weren’t “camped out.” We were able to watch the Tower of Terror projections (and the snoap) while we ate. You’ll have to take me at my word because I seem to have no photographic evidence!

Hello Santa Gertie!

The crown jewel of the whole park. We lingered along the lake for quite awhile.

We also caught an unexpected surprise. I happened to look up at the sky as we were walking alongside MMRR. It was a moving stream of light that looked like the photo below (from the web.)

A quick Google search confirmed that we had witnessed another Space X launch. This would be our third time (second was at Epcot, first was on the Ft. Wilderness campground dock.) It’s always a cool experience!

I have mixed feelings about Disney’s repurposing former attraction props, as in these days of social media it comes across as patronizing to those of us who remember the glory of the original attraction.

“The Great Movie Ride may be gone, but we saved the Footlight Parade mannequins for your holiday enjoyment.”

“Note the swimmers’ caps beneath the Santa hats! Aren’t we clever?”

Clever would have been building a new MMRR attraction (like the better themed MMRR building in Disneyland) and leaving the GMR alone (and updating some scenes.)

When we’d had our fill of wandering, we said goodbye to DHS.

But we’d be back.

 

[lindawdw]

I really enjoyed seeing all your pictures from this night as we weren't taking in the holiday decorations on this trip as much being we brought friends from home, and I wanted to get in as many shows and attractions as possible for them.

 

[LadyBelle]

Don’t be mad, but I’m okay with The Great Movie Ride no longer being there. But I understand people’s nostalgia for it. I was unhappy when they changed Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. So glad that they realized their mistake and fixed that. And I am pleased with the upgrades to Country Bears.

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, November 19

It was another night of fitful sleep and an early wake-up for me. I medicated and sat outside watching another gorgeous sunrise.

Once Woody was awake I went to shower and wash my hair. I made the mistake of leaning back into the tepid water and dousing my hair, thinking it would warm up at any moment.

Only it didn’t.

I’ve never liked cold showers even on a hot, sweaty day. Since I’d committed to washing my hair I did so as quickly as I could. I couldn’t wait to turn on the hair dryer.

There was no warm water for Woody’s shower either. But he’s a tough guy.

We had a leisurely breakfast and rode the bus to Epcot. We arrived after 9 am and went to Test Track first, choosing the single rider option. We did not get the same car.

We didn’t get ride photos either. And while I expected we’d be separated on the attraction, I did not expect such as lengthy separation - which was totally my fault. I thought Woody was in the car in front of me and expected to find him waiting for me in the post-show area. He was not there.

I went through the gift store. He was not there.

I went outside and searched the immediate area. No sign of Woody either.

I sent him a “where are you?” text. No reply.

I backtracked into the post-show area, thinking I had missed him. Fortunately someone had noticed my behavior and asked if I was looking for my husband and I nodded.

Turns out Woody had been several vehicles behind me and had just gotten off the ride and was looking for me! He hadn’t seen my text yet. The kind stranger reunited us.

Then Woody left me again - this time to save the galaxy.

No ride photo here either. Thinking there must have been a glitch with our Photopass. I’d purchased LLMP for us today and a SP for Guardians.

Woody said the attraction was the emptiest he had ever seen it. He was in and out in under 15 minutes - I typically wait for him 20-25 minutes when he (or Em) has a LLSP.

When I asked him what song played on his ride he immediately replied, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

I’ve taught him well.

 

[Zipadeelady]

Do I get sad for the lack of sleep and not feeling well, angry for the cold water, or do I love that Woody knows what to do? Which one do I choose?

 

[lindawdw]

There is nothing worse than cold water for a shower especially when you are washing your hair!!! I hope that you had hot water after this day! We forgot that TT has a single rider line during our December trip and the line was always so long so we never rode it, but I will not make that mistake in January! I love that Woody was in and out so quickly for GOTG!

 

[dizfan917]

When we visited in early December, the line for TT was always 70 min+. We opted to try the Single Rider line and we got to ride in the same car (behind each other) about 5 minutes after we entered the building!! I'd definitely suggest going that route!! AND - we really enjoyed the new look of the attraction! It reminded us of Spaceship Earth in all the good ways.

 

[Tuvalu]

7

Do I get sad for the lack of sleep and not feeling well, angry for the cold water, or do I love that Woody knows what to do? Which one do I choose?

 

[Tuvalu]

We forgot that TT has a single rider line during our December trip and the line was always so long so we never rode it, but I will not make that mistake in January!

 

[radiorae]

I have mixed feelings about Disney’s repurposing former attraction props, as in these days of social media it comes across as patronizing to those of us who remember the glory of the original attraction.

“The Great Movie Ride may be gone, but we saved the Footlight Parade mannequins for your holiday enjoyment.”

View attachment 899203

“Note the swimmers’ caps beneath the Santa hats! Aren’t we clever?”

View attachment 899204

Clever would have been building a new MMRR attraction (like the better themed MMRR building in Disneyland) and leaving the GMR alone (and updating some scenes.)

They’re kind of scary up close

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, con’t

I’d booked two consecutive Lightning Lanes in The Land - Soarin’ and The Farm Ride (otherwise known as LWTL.) As we came down the escalator I saw that TFR had no wait, but since we were nearing the end of our window for Soarin’ we went there first.

As soon as we tapped in, I cancelled LL#2 and then booked two attractions at MK for tonight.

We did not have the best seats to soar over the world - glider A, row 3, down at the end. Neither Woody nor Em like when I request a change in seat assignment, so I kept my mouth shut and silently pouted for the duration of the flight. At least the Eiffel Tower is no longer as bendy in its shrunken size.

Our luck afterward did not improve much either. The wait for TFR had jumped to 25 minutes. We waited anyway. All the lights for the holiday overlay had been installed but wouldn’t be turned on until Black Friday, the same as last year. (Had I known there would be a “surprise” open a week early, you can bet your bottom dollar Woody and I would have returned to Epcot on Friday night!)

Once in our boat, our journey began in the rainforest - in pitch darkness! There was no lighting or water effects and obviously no need to take pictures. It was a relief to make it into the greenhouses, which could have been glimmering but weren’t.

The unlit strands of lights, LED flowers in the cherry sage and LED balloon “flowers” served only to tease us.

Woody and I then mosied over to Figment, which was a walk-on. Was he attired in his holiday sweater?

Nope.

 

[lindawdw]

For about 5 days during our December trip, LWTL was down according to the app! We lucked out on the last day of our trip and found it was open, so we got to ride it at least one time on the trip!

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, con’t

When I’d prebooked our LLs I’d selected Ratatouille as our Tier 1. Experiencing Remy in its new 2D format without a lengthy wait was the main reason I purchased LLMP for today. After riding the attraction on Monday - and both of us deciding it was a one and done - I was able to switch the LL to something less queasy!

As you can see by the time stamp, we had a little while before our window opened so we decided to grab some lunch. We opted for La Cantina and sat inside, since all the outdoor tables were taken.

I had the kids taco meal since my cold had quenched my appetite and I had a big meal planned later.

We finished lunch just as our window opened. The FEA Lightning Lane was surprisingly long and we stood stationary for a bit. A sudden kerfuffle caused me to turn around and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Directly behind me in line was a man laying prone on the floor, doing push-ups as his preschool aged son sat on his back! The mom was screaming at the dad to stop because, “I’m not recording this anyway.”

You can’t make this stuff up.

Woody and I were glad the family had to wait for the next Viking ship.

 

[Tuvalu]

Epcot had become quite crowded and we were ready for a break. I needed to use the restroom and we were close to the Odyssey so I used the facility there. In the stall next to me was a barefoot woman, no shoes or sandals in sight.

Perhaps she had lost her footwear on LWTL @wdisney9000? However I am confident uber-hygienic C (and the rest of us rational thinkers) would never enter a public bathroom with bare feet!!

The weirdness factor was now up to two: push-up man and toilet toes. As things tend to come in threes, I wondered what would be next.

My curiosity would be satisfied at the bus stop.

The WL/Ft. Wilderness gate is the furthest from the park entrance. There were a handful of guests waiting when Woody and I arrived. Soon we all noticed a couple on small ECVs, one behind the other in close proximity. Wife was on the lead scooter and Hubby appeared to be pushing her scooter with his. They were driving in the bus lane in the parking lot, not on the walkway, causing two different buses to honk at them with the drivers gesturing for them to get out of the way.

When they got to our gate Wife got off the disabled scooter and Hubby parked behind her - on the wrong side of the yellow safety line. Hubby then said something about a dead battery and began to disassemble the scooter while Wife watched. (Again on the wrong side of the safety line!)

My first thought was, why not leave the dead scooter alone and call the rental company?

Woody quietly told me it was not a rental but a personal scooter, one that looked like a second-hand purchase from an online marketplace.

Just as Hubby had the entire scooter apart the WL bus arrived. Only the bus could not pull into the gate because Hubby, Wife and scooter parts were in the way. And neither of them had a clue!

The bus driver opened the door and told the couple they had to move behind the yellow line. They did and when the bus parked Hubby frantically began to put the scooter back together. Once all passengers on the bus had disembarked, Wife (on Hubby's scooter) expected to be the first one loaded. Except when the driver opened the rear door, she informed them that it was time for her lunch break and "another bus will be by for pick up shortly."

Hubby was angry. Honestly we all were as we'd already waited nearly 30 minutes for a bus (some of that delay caused by Hubby & Wife's ignorant behavior. ) When the bus pulled away Hubby went back to reassembling the scooter - on the wrong side of the yellow line again - causing another backup with the bus flow.

Another WL bus finally arrived 10 minutes later. Wife on scooter was loaded first and Hubby pushed the reassembled scooter up the ramp and onto the bus. Then the rest of us could board.

Ft. Wilderness guests get dropped off before WL guests and Woody and I just knew there would be another delay as scooter jerk attempted to get off the bus with a disabled scooter. And there was.

Relaxing on our balcony with a cold beverage was the first thing we did upon our arrival back at the Lodge.

 

[luvinthemajik]

Epcot had become quite crowded and we were ready for a break. I needed to use the restroom and we were close to the Odyssey so I used the facility there. In the stall next to me was a barefoot woman, no shoes or sandals in sight.

Perhaps she had lost her footwear on LWTL @wdisney9000? However I am confident uber-hygienic C (and the rest of us rational thinkers) would never enter a public bathroom with bare feet!!

The weirdness factor was now up to two: push-up man and toilet toes. As things tend to come in threes, I wondered what would be next.

My curiosity would be satisfied at the bus stop.

View attachment 900344

The WL/Ft. Wilderness gate is the furthest from the park entrance. There were a handful of guests waiting when Woody and I arrived. Soon we all noticed a couple on small ECVs, one behind the other in close proximity. Wife was on the lead scooter and Hubby appeared to be pushing her scooter with his. They were driving in the bus lane in the parking lot, not on the walkway, causing two different buses to honk at them with the drivers gesturing for them to get out of the way.

When they got to our gate Wife got off the disabled scooter and Hubby parked behind her - on the wrong side of the yellow safety line. Hubby then said something about a dead battery and began to disassemble the scooter while Wife watched. (Again on the wrong side of the safety line!)

My first thought was, why not leave the dead scooter alone and call the rental company?

Woody quietly told me it was not a rental but a personal scooter, one that looked like a second-hand purchase from an online marketplace.

Just as Hubby had the entire scooter apart the WL bus arrived. Only the bus could not pull into the gate because Hubby, Wife and scooter parts were in the way. And neither of them had a clue!

The bus driver opened the door and told the couple they had to move behind the yellow line. They did and when the bus parked Hubby frantically began to put the scooter back together. Once all passengers on the bus had disembarked, Wife (on Hubby's scooter) expected to be the first one loaded. Except when the driver opened the rear door, she informed them that it was time for her lunch break and "another bus will be by for pick up shortly."

Hubby was angry. Honestly we all were as we'd already waited nearly 30 minutes for a bus (some of that delay caused by Hubby & Wife's ignorant behavior. ) When the bus pulled away Hubby went back to reassembling the scooter - on the wrong side of the yellow line again - causing another backup with the bus flow.

Another WL bus finally arrived 10 minutes later. Wife on scooter was loaded first and Hubby pushed the reassembled scooter up the ramp and onto the bus. Then the rest of us could board.

Ft. Wilderness guests get dropped off before WL guests and Woody and I just knew there would be another delay as scooter jerk attempted to get off the bus with a disabled scooter. And there was.

Relaxing on our balcony with a cold beverage was the first thing we did upon our arrival back at the Lodge.

View attachment 900497

Sometimes,I weep for humanity.
You said, it comes in threes and indeed it did, although three more ridiculous situations I could not have imagined!! WOW

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Directly behind me in line was a man laying prone on the floor, doing push-ups as his preschool aged son sat on his back! The mom was screaming at the dad to stop because, “I’m not recording this anyway.”

Shame about the size of that man’s…carrot.

 

[lindawdw]

Epcot had become quite crowded and we were ready for a break. I needed to use the restroom and we were close to the Odyssey so I used the facility there. In the stall next to me was a barefoot woman, no shoes or sandals in sight.

Perhaps she had lost her footwear on LWTL @wdisney9000? However I am confident uber-hygienic C (and the rest of us rational thinkers) would never enter a public bathroom with bare feet!!

The weirdness factor was now up to two: push-up man and toilet toes. As things tend to come in threes, I wondered what would be next.

My curiosity would be satisfied at the bus stop.

View attachment 900344

The WL/Ft. Wilderness gate is the furthest from the park entrance. There were a handful of guests waiting when Woody and I arrived. Soon we all noticed a couple on small ECVs, one behind the other in close proximity. Wife was on the lead scooter and Hubby appeared to be pushing her scooter with his. They were driving in the bus lane in the parking lot, not on the walkway, causing two different buses to honk at them with the drivers gesturing for them to get out of the way.

When they got to our gate Wife got off the disabled scooter and Hubby parked behind her - on the wrong side of the yellow safety line. Hubby then said something about a dead battery and began to disassemble the scooter while Wife watched. (Again on the wrong side of the safety line!)

My first thought was, why not leave the dead scooter alone and call the rental company?

Woody quietly told me it was not a rental but a personal scooter, one that looked like a second-hand purchase from an online marketplace.

Just as Hubby had the entire scooter apart the WL bus arrived. Only the bus could not pull into the gate because Hubby, Wife and scooter parts were in the way. And neither of them had a clue!

The bus driver opened the door and told the couple they had to move behind the yellow line. They did and when the bus parked Hubby frantically began to put the scooter back together. Once all passengers on the bus had disembarked, Wife (on Hubby's scooter) expected to be the first one loaded. Except when the driver opened the rear door, she informed them that it was time for her lunch break and "another bus will be by for pick up shortly."

Hubby was angry. Honestly we all were as we'd already waited nearly 30 minutes for a bus (some of that delay caused by Hubby & Wife's ignorant behavior. ) When the bus pulled away Hubby went back to reassembling the scooter - on the wrong side of the yellow line again - causing another backup with the bus flow.

Another WL bus finally arrived 10 minutes later. Wife on scooter was loaded first and Hubby pushed the reassembled scooter up the ramp and onto the bus. Then the rest of us could board.

Ft. Wilderness guests get dropped off before WL guests and Woody and I just knew there would be another delay as scooter jerk attempted to get off the bus with a disabled scooter. And there was.

Relaxing on our balcony with a cold beverage was the first thing we did upon our arrival back at the Lodge.

View attachment 900497

Those stories were unbelievable Tuvalu!!! The push-up man deserved the scorn of guests around him. Why can't people just behave when on line at Disney? The barefoot woman in the bathroom is absolutely disgusting Again, what is wrong with people? The wheelchair husband and wife sound absolutely clueless. So happy to see that you had a beautiful balcony view to enjoy after experiencing those three crazy incidents.

 

[radiorae]

We finished lunch just as our window opened. The FEA Lightning Lane was surprisingly long and we stood stationary for a bit. A sudden kerfuffle caused me to turn around and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Directly behind me in line was a man laying prone on the floor, doing push-ups as his preschool aged son sat on his back! The mom was screaming at the dad to stop because, “I’m not recording this anyway.”

You can’t make this stuff up.

Woody and I were glad the family had to wait for the next Viking ship.

View attachment 900265

What is it about Epcot that makes men want to do pushups?!? First there was the guy I spotted in July, and now this guy. Is there a secret Epcot push up club we don’t know about?

 

[Minnie1986]

We Did It! Reaching an Unintentional Goal in 2025

Your destiny lies within you. You just have to be brave enough to see it. And then your journey begins! - Merida

Trust me, having a best friend by your side opens up a whole new world of possibilities! - Aladdin

This trip report is dedicated to my wonderful daughter with whom I shared unforgettable journeys and possibilities this year.

View attachment 888429

Who: Tuvalu and Em
What: Fall Break
Where: Disney’s All Star Movies and Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter
When: October 11-16, 2025

Hurricane-free but some rain there will be!

Finally getting a chance to catch up!

 

[Minnie1986]

Saturday, con’t

Em and I had last stayed here in 2021. It was the first All Star to open after the pandemic closure and we spent one night before moving to the Polynesian, a rescheduled DVC rental from April 2020.

View attachment 888764

I’ve only stayed here a handful of times (with various members of my family) but the food court was a favorite. One of the bays offered delicious Mexican fare and another made yummy chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches, like the ones offered in the Main Street Bakery before Starbucks took over.

I sent these pictures to my middle son, who loved the World Premiere food court the most.

View attachment 888773

The Rialto was home to the cookie sandwiches.

View attachment 888774

Our room text arrived immediately after we pulled away from the guard shack. This seems to be a new pattern with online check in. Rather than receive notification when the room is actually ready (which clearly was before we stopped at the guard gate) room texts are released once ID is confirmed.

We were assigned a room on the third floor of Toy Story Building 9.

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It was nice to know Buzz would be watching over us from afar!

View attachment 888765

Movies is definitely my favorite of the All Stars that I've stayed in (haven't done Sports). I also love Em's new ride!