Trip Report It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas! *COMPLETED*

The soothing croon of Michael Bublé kept reverberating in my mind as I pondered starting yet another trip report. Like summer, the Christmas season makes me happy. Going to WDW during the Christmas season makes me VERY HAPPY. The joy of sharing my trips with my WDWMAGIC friends makes me happier still. Thank you for the encouragement to keep on writing!

Holiday Vacation #1
When: November 16-23, 2019
Where: Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Who: Tuvalu and Woody

Looky! I finally got a Magic Shot!

Okay, so it’s a bit creepy. But it leaves no doubt that this was a CHRISTMAS trip.

In mid-November.

But hey, we had Halloween in August!

And yours truly was very excited to experience Christmas decor at the resorts and in 3 of the 4 parks. (Epcot was still in full “Food and Wine” mode.) It wasn’t always this festive in November. We’ve been this same week in the past and outside of MK, there was very little decorating completed. I was so disappointed the year we stayed at WL (very close to turkey day) and missed out on the holiday stuff. I was worried the same thing would happen again. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Woody, on the other hand, is a “Let’s celebrate Thanksgiving before shifting our focus to Christmas” kind of guy. Growing up, his family did not put up their tree until CHRISTMAS EVE. (Can you imagine?!!) Over the years he has mellowed, thanks to my influence, and better tolerates the Christmas creep. Yet I was concerned that his inner Scrooge might reveal itself during this vacation.

I needn’t have worried. But I’m getting ahead of myself again.

Our week consisted of some new experiences and old experiences....some frustrations....some drama (of course!)....and a very magical meet.

Stay tuned.

 

[93boomer]

After we exited Saucers I did open the MDE app to check out our options.

There weren’t any.

Ok, that may be a slight exaggeration. But Disney has done a fine job of mucking up park touring at DHS. Since we held a Toy Story Mania FP (and had just ridden Saucers), the other Tier 1 attractions (SDD, ToT and RnR) were out unless we wanted to wait 1-2 hours in a standby queue. SR:MF was over two hours and we didn’t feel like wandering around Batuu since we had just visited in August.

How about a show? Well, the shows (including Muppets!) don’t start until after 10 am. No wonder all the waits were long.....there were very few things EMH (and now regular) guests could do!

We walked out through the masses entering Toy Story Land and found an unpopulated location where we could think through what to do next.

We both love the courtyard of the former Great Movie Ride. We loved the ride too.

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Stunning details.

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Though it’s hard to tell, the fountain was working.

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The only attraction with a manageable (40 minutes) wait was Star Tours. My motion sensitivity does not care for this ride, but I can do it as long as I keep my eyes shut. Woody enjoys Star Tours (and has lots of fond memories of riding with our sons) so I suggested we join the line.

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Before entering the queue I did a quick search to see if any FPs were available. There were ~ after 6 pm. As a matter of fact all Tier 2 FPs (the shows, plus Muppets) did not have any availability until mid-afternoon.

It was only 9:30 in the morning!!

There was some entertainment to keep us occupied while in line.

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The CM working at the door to the show building briefly held us back so that FPs guests could enter. Then he looked at me and said, “What’s up with your phone?”

I was momentarily confused (and a bit panicked) before I broke into a smile.

This is my phone case.


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“Good one!” I chuckled as he allowed us entry.

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I fared fine on our mission, though haven’t a clue who was the rebel spy. And Woody had fun, which was the most important thing.

And you wondered how we get 30,000 steps a day. We were continuously walking since half the ride lines were over an hour. We will not wait over 30 mts for a ride no matter how desperate we are so we walk.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

“What’s Up with your phone?” ☎ Made me chuckle.

Reminds me of a CM taking my family's picture in 1999. He turned to my grandma and said:

"You have poo on your shirt!"

My grandmother was APPALLED and exclaimed:

"I DO NOT!"

Clutching her chest

Again, he said:

"You have poo on your shirt!"

Same response

Finally, he pointed at her sweatshirt and said:

"You have POOH on your shirt"



My grandma was so embarrassed! I tried to find the picture, but alas, I could not

 

[WDisneyW]

Sorry I am late to the party....... following along

 

[Tuvalu]

Why thank you but are you sure that's my photo? I haven't got to the HS part in my TR yet.

I thought it was until you asked....I pulled that photo from someone’s TR at 9 pm on 11/17....but now I notice you didn’t even post your report until 11/18....so it was not you after all.

I just did a quick scan of TRs I might have been reading on 11/17, but no luck finding the Woody pic.

If anyone reading recognized that photo as yours, please mention so I can give you credit!

Reminds me of a CM taking my family's picture in 1999. He turned to my grandma and said:

"You have poo on your shirt!"

My grandmother was APPALLED and exclaimed:

"I DO NOT!"

Clutching her chest

Again, he said:

"You have poo on your shirt!"

Same response

Finally, he pointed at her sweatshirt and said:

"You have POOH on your shirt"



My grandma was so embarrassed! I tried to find the picture, but alas, I could not

What a great story!

Sorry I am late to the party....... following along

 

[Tuvalu]

Sunday, con’t

We moseyed over to the Muppet Courtyard next.

The theater was open so we went in to see our Muppet friends.

It was a good news/bad news situation. The preshow had just ended and everyone was headed to their seats. This would be good news for those who like to get right to the main attraction. But we find the preshow amusing and a great introduction to what is about to follow. However, standing around waiting for the next preshow to begin seemed silly so we found our seats.

There have been times when I don’t watch the movie but only watch Waldorf and Statler for the duration of the show. Their performance is a real hoot....and mostly missed by the audience whose eyes are focused on the screen.

 

[riverside]

There have been times when I don’t watch the movie but only watch Waldorf and Statler for the duration of the show.

I'm guilty of the same thing!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Time for the confession of the real reason we came to DHS.

Oh, PizzeRizzo, how I’ve missed you so!!!!!

To be clear it’s not for the pizza. I can make the same Boboli crust pizza at home. My love is for the whole experience ~ the wonderful theming, the festive ambiance (which is different depending on where you sit), the feeling of having plenty of personal space while dining since the restaurant is so large ~ it is one of the few quick service eateries where I can truly relax. I am happy at PizzeRizzo.

With increased crowds at DHS now, I still can’t understand why the restaurant closes at 4 pm. But at least it’s back OPEN for lunch!

Woody and I were one of the first ones to order.

Insider tip: Tell the cashier to hold the side Caesar salad and you’ll save a couple dollars off your meal.

It’s Kermie!!

The Banquet Hall was decked out for the holidays!

Adore the Banquet Hall! It’s such kitschy fun!

But we couldn’t eat there without Em. It just wouldn’t be right. So we chose a booth in the main area instead.

Both of us had veggie pizzas. Yum!

We lingered awhile inside since it was so cold outside. The predicted sun had never arrived to warm us up!

 

[Tuvalu]

We returned to Toy Story Land for our Mania FP. If we thought the park was crowded earlier, it was even worse now. The only “special event” that I knew of that weekend was Dapper Day....but there weren’t that many “Dappers” at DHS from what I could tell. Perhaps a flood of locals before AP blackout restrictions? I don’t know. Whatever the reason, the place was NOT Nahtazu.

We got sent to the 3rd track side.

@riverside ~ Here’s a clear shot of the screen for ya!

Whoops! Guess it’s not so clear after all. But at least there’s not a CM standing in front of it!

Let’s take a look at the scoreboard.

Bravo Player 2! Tops in score and accuracy!

And what’s this?

Best in Vehicle too? (Or should I say, Tu?)

 

[riverside]

I am happy at PizzeRizzo.

I totally agree!!

With increased crowds at DHS now, I still can’t understand why the restaurant closes at 4 pm

Esp. b/c most of the other QS options are pretty lousy.

@riverside ~ Here’s a clear shot of the screen for ya!

Thanks for thinking of me!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Woody and I got trapped by a character parade.

Once we got the “all clear” we wandered around admiring the retro Christmas decorations. Holiday music was playing inside the park. It really felt like Christmastime despite being mid-November!

 

[Tuvalu]

More Christmas.

We watched a funny Streetmosphere contest.

The finale was a joke-off between Officer Patton Friskem and Evie Starlight.

Evie was declared “The Funniest Citizen of Hollywood”.

 

[Tuvalu]

I wanted the Passholder Minnie coaster set from the Food & Wine Festival (which required 4 separate visits to Epcot) so we decided to leave the Studios and “tap in” at Epcot before returning to Pop.

And then for the second time in less than 24 hours, we had to adjust our plans due to a closed Skyliner.

We’d noticed the LONG line for the boat when we exited and now knew the reason why.

Bus it was! We had a fairly long wait for one.

The driver dropped us passengers off in the farthest lot from the entrance. We hiked a mile to security, tapped in, went out through the exit and hiked another mile back to the Pop gate ~ which I previously mentioned is the LAST gate in the complex.

All for the opportunity to receive free coasters.

We didn’t log 30,000 steps @93boomer, but it was a bunch!!

Our room had been serviced so we immediately put the table to use. Woody had a work thing to prepare before morning and I organized my journal notes for you fine folks. I also snagged a last-minute dinner ADR.

Location to be revealed soon!

 

[Tuvalu]

One of the reasons I booked this ADR was the convenience of having our own car. We got to Ft. Wilderness easily, but we still had to take the internal shuttle to the restaurant. Typically boarding a Settlement Depot bus from the Outpost (where car parking is) is a direct shot. The dozen or so of us who boarded the bus were all going to the Settlement. However our driver drove some convoluted way through the campground, making stops at different places without anyone getting off/on.

The detour caused us to be a few minutes late checking in.

We’ve never had a bad meal at Trail’s End, though we have only ever been for dinner. We usually make a point to dine here during the holidays because many of the RV campsites are beautifully decorated. Since we were still 6 weeks away, we didn’t expect to see much, if anything. We did pass two cabins with colored lights while on the bus, but that was it.

Imagine my joy in discovering lights and garland inside Trail’s End.

A shout-out to our server Cecilia. She was amazing! Friendly, hard-working, quick to clear our dirty plates and keep our drinks refilled. Some people grumble about tipping the same amount at a buffet restaurant, but most of the servers do more work there than at other places. When you find a good one, be generous. Cecilia was a good one!

Woody and I began with chili. Trail’s End makes a mean chili and I have to be careful with my portion intake because it can be a meal in itself.

The buffet spread is plentiful. Standout proteins include bbq ribs, fried chicken and ummmm brisket.

I made sure to save room for dessert!

Woody tends to stick with the warm cobbler and ice cream.

(And a chocolate chip cookie. He can never pass up a chocolate chip cookie!)

Trail’s End is very casual and therefore it was a little jarring to see several couples in “Dapper Day” attire. They seemed so out of place! But the restaurant is great at accommodating large parties at communal tables. It was just funny to see Dappers next to camper families.

After filling our bellies we walked over to the Trading Post to buy batteries. The ones in our Roku had died.

Here are a few fun items I saw.

(Although this doesn’t apply to me! )

Our bus from the Settlement took us directly to the Outpost where we jumped in our car and returned to Pop. It was too cold to venture to Epcot/DHS, which were the only parks open. (There was a MVMCP at MK.)

With fresh batteries we were able to watch Netflix before drifting off to sleep. We’d survived the double Cs!

 

[Mickey Waffles]

Yay!! So glad you decided to share your trip with us!! All of the hard work and time that goes into taking us with you as you relive your Disney adventures is very much appreciated!! I always love looking at your pictures!

And on a completely unrelated note...while watching a recent episode of ABCs “Great Christmas Light Fight,” I would’ve sworn your mom was on location at of one of the houses in GA!! Lol It could quite possibly be her doppelgänger!! Anyway, it made me think of you and your family!! Hope you have a joyful holiday season and a very Merry Christmas!!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

Today can be succinctly summed up in two words ~ COLD and CROWDED.

Being from Seattle originally and in Denver now, I really don't mind the chilly days in Florida. It's better than the incredible humidity I felt in October one year in WDW.

Had to snap the Minnie Rockettes for Em (and apologize for the glare.)

I love the Minnie Rockettes! Such a cute design!

But Disney has done a fine job of mucking up park touring at DHS

I am positively DREADING my HS park day next December. I'm hoping we can get several things done and maybe they'll change the tiers by then (but I doubt it)

There have been times when I don’t watch the movie but only watch Waldorf and Statler for the duration of the show. Their performance is a real hoot....and mostly missed by the audience whose eyes are focused on the screen.

I do love the Muppets there! Sometimes, I find myself watching W and S, too instead of the movie!

 

[MickeyCB]

was giddy that we got to (spin? swirl? whip?) to Deck the Halls. More Christmas!

Your magic band is super cute!

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Woody and I got trapped by a character parade.

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Once we got the “all clear” we wandered around admiring the retro Christmas decorations. Holiday music was playing inside the park. It really felt like Christmastime despite being mid-November!

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I love the retro Christmas decorations! I think I had a set of those pink poodles but don't remember what happened to them? Do they still have the old fashioned tinsel? Love those HS decorations at Christmas

 

[amjt660]

Hey look
It’s the Ewok version of Buddy!!

Max

 

[k8einwdw]

All caught up! I’m missing WDW this holiday season, so I can’t wait to live vicariously through you!

 

[Tuvalu]

Your magic band is super cute!

Thank you, I think so too.

Yay!! So glad you decided to share your trip with us!! All of the hard work and time that goes into taking us with you as you relive your Disney adventures is very much appreciated!! I always love looking at your pictures!

And on a completely unrelated note...while watching a recent episode of ABCs “Great Christmas Light Fight,” I would’ve sworn your mom was on location at of one of the houses in GA!! Lol It could quite possibly be her doppelgänger!! Anyway, it made me think of you and your family!! Hope you have a joyful holiday season and a very Merry Christmas!!

You are very kind....and as they say in baseball, “good eye!” I was just as surprised to see a close-up of my mother on Great Christmas Light Fight. (Although I knew she was at the taping last year. She told me all about it and was especially excited to meet Carter Oosterhouse.)
Merry Christmas to you and your family! ️

I love the retro Christmas decorations! I think I had a set of those pink poodles but don't remember what happened to them? Do they still have the old fashioned tinsel? Love those HS decorations at Christmas

Those pink poodles are a hoot! I don’t know if tinsel is still available, but there was plenty of sparkly silver garland at the Studios. (And we have some on our tree!)

All caught up! I’m missing WDW this holiday season, so I can’t wait to live vicariously through you!

And I will live the DL version vicariously through you!