Trip Report A New Hope, A New Day *COMPLETED*

That’s not a Star Wars reference.

Longtime readers of my trip reports know Star Wars isn’t my thing (although I immensely enjoy Rise of the Resistance.)

Fireworks are my thing. Like a moth to a flame, I am instinctively drawn to bursts of brilliant sparkles and colors in the sky. Just ask my family how quickly I’ve stopped whatever I’m doing to find the source of nighttime booms! I have serious fireworks FOMO.

Disney fireworks....especially Magic Kingdom fireworks....always flood me with nostalgia, happy memories and hope. After a long pandemic year, I know I am not alone in my yearning for hope of better days ahead.

Every step we take
Brings a new hope
A new day

The return of Disney fireworks, for me, is a sign that things are improving. Hooray!!

But there won’t be any pyro on my upcoming trip. And that’s ok. This vacation was booked with the assumption there would be no nighttime entertainment. (However when rumors began to suggest fireworks in July…..well let’s just say there might be another reservation in MDE for us.)

Who’s us?

Mother/daughter travel buddies, Tuvalu and Em. We last visited together in early April. We were there the day the mask mandate was dropped for stationary pictures.

Today the mask mandate for all those vaccinated has been suspended and we couldn’t be happier! We won’t have to be shrouded in a daft disguise again this summer!

I am not planning to do a full live report but may post a daily update. I’ll fill in the details when our vacation is over.

T-minus 3 days.
June 19 - 26, 2021
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Will any other Magicians make an appearance? Stay tuned.

 

[Swissmiss]

So, are Tuvalu and Em collectively "Tuvalem"?

Very well done. I must admit that since Bramy, I’d been thinking what Tuvalu and Em could become and none were particularly good (Emlu, Tuvem, Emtu). Tuvalem is good

 

[Songbird76]

Very well done. I must admit that since Bramy, I’d been thinking what Tuvalu and Em could become and none were particularly good (Emlu, Tuvem, Emtu). Tuvalem is good

Yeah, I was trying to figure out what we could call @Tuvalu and Woody, but thing sounds good. Tuvaloody, maybe?

 

[Tuvalu]

Day Four

*Warning, text heavy*

After checking the forecast last night we unexpectedly switched up our plans for today. Instead of rope dropping MK (and possibly running into you, @PineapplePrincess!) we opted for a pool day. Tomorrow was our scheduled resort day, with dinner at Epcot. However most of tomorrow called for rain, and we didn’t want to spend the day stuck in our room when we could be in a park.

I woke early and wanted to surprise Em with breakfast. When I got to the elevators (the ones that would bring me down next to Roaring Fork) I discovered they were BOTH out of order ~ meaning I had to walk all the way to the elevators on the DVC side. Those elevators drop off in the lobby, which meant I had to walk through the lobby and down the long ramp in order to get to Roaring Fork~ and then do the same process in reverse after picking up our breakfast.

Em was awake when I got back (she appreciated my extra effort) and we ate. Then I checked the park pass availability for tomorrow. MK was blacked out for resort guests but there was availability for APs. I canceled our park pass for Epcot (knowing we could park hop to dinner) and attempted to book MK for us.

I tried three times and got an error message each time. We have APs, the app showed MK available for APs, and we had no other park passes booked using our AP allotment. (Passholders without a resort reservation are limited to having three park passes at a time.)

Very frustrated, I went to the Front Desk to ask for help. Of course this required more steps due to the broken elevator situation. The only CM working was behind plexiglass, wearing a mask, and English was not her primary language. I explained my dilemma but the language barrier (and physical barriers) made it difficult for us to understand one another.

She was insistent there was no availability at all for MK.

I politely asked to see a manager.

Brad came out to assist me. He, too, saw no availability at MK for any type of ticket. I pulled up the app which clearly showed AP availability.

“Yeah, that happens,” he said. “But the system won’t let me book it. My advice is to keep trying throughout the day and you might get lucky.”

Swell.

The long trek back to our room….now for the 4th time this morning….did not help my mood. Poor Em was the victim of my tirade. She suggested we change for the pool and go relax.

Em is a wise woman.

And the sunshine we were supposed to have? Not happening.

Oh well. It was warm enough to go into the water and water relaxes me, so that’s what I did.

When I returned to my lounger I noticed I’d missed a text from Brad. He said that after several attempts, he was able to secure MK park passes for us and I could see them in MDE.

After a quick look at MDE, I sent A HUGE THANK YOU text to Brad!!

And though the weather didn’t improve, my mood sure did. I even offered to walk over and pick up lunch from Roaring Fork so that Em could continue lounging.

She had the Wilderness salad. I had a delicious turkey sandwich.

Life was good….until the raindrops came.

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Dang! I missed my chance to get my I met Tuvalu card! One of these days!

 

[Tuvalu]

Thankfully housekeeping had already been by to do the “every other day” service. They left a calling card.

While “every other day” housekeeping can suffice (especially for just a party of 2) I am ready for daily service to resume. We did receive fresh towels and trash was emptied, but the bar soap was never replenished and regular coffee k-cups were replaced with decaf, much to Em’s dismay.

I sat outside on the balcony and returned a call from a friend while Em showered.

Lifeguards blew their whistles just before 3 pm, indicating lightning was in the vicinity and the pools were now closed.

 

[Tuvalu]

For a couple hours storm winds blew and there was plenty of thunder and lightning ~ yet oddly no rain. At least not at WL.

Em and I had plans to use today’s MK park pass after our pool time but repeated checks on the app revealed this:

Most outdoor attractions remained closed. Earlier we had placed a mobile order at Pecos Bills, so we eventually decided to head over to MK and perhaps visit an indoor attraction before our dinner window opened.

We arrived as the flag was being lowered.

A quick pic in front of the castle.

We’d barely made it to Frontierland when the sky opened up and it began to pour. Our destination was Country Bear Jamboree, but CMs were outside on the porch and the entrance was roped off. Instead we huddled with others under the covered area that connects Adventureland to Frontierland.

It rained HARD.

 

[Tuvalu]

I kept my eye on the CBJ entrance. When a CM removed the rope I turned to Em and said, “Let’s make a run for it.”

We expected others would follow us inside but none did. We sat down.

The phone rang three different times as we waited, prompting Em to ask, “Who’s calling the Country Bears?” (Was it you @Loco_driver?)

At last a few guests began to trickle in. I’m at a loss for a comment here. @amjt660?

It ended up being almost a full house.

A couple CMs entertained us with jokes until Melvin, Buff and Max took over.

 

[Tuvalu]

The exit for Country Bears dumps guests into Pecos Bills. Since COVID, however, that area is roped off and guests are forced outside. It was still raining heavily, and Em and I hoped the entrance for mobile order pickup was next to CBJ and not on the Adventureland side.

Score!

Our timing was perfect and we soon had our food. Finding a table on the other hand….Grrrr.

Chicken tacos and chicken nachos. Cluck, cluck.

The rain had temporarily ceased when we finished eating. Radar indicated more storms were on the way. We decided not to tempt fate and return to the Lodge.

We popped into Starbucks so Em could buy a mug. Starbucks gift cards are a very popular teacher gift and Em has more Starbucks $$ than she can possibly drink.

Which will win the transport race? Monorail and bus are neck and neck!

Our ride was a fancy one.

Remember I said that lightning had closed the pool at 3 pm? It had remained closed until 8 pm. We went out on our balcony when we got back and laughed as we watched the masses (who were hovering outside the pool gates) race onto the pool deck and into the water the moment the lifeguards gave the “all clear” signal.

We wondered how long they had been standing there? All five hours?

The pool was open for a grand total of 15 minutes when another thunderstorm began and the masses scattered….except for one family who had to be literally escorted off the pool deck as the lightning boomed and the downpour continued.

 

[Loco_driver]

“Who’s calling the Country Bears?” (Was it you @Loco_driver?)

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

We never got to the Country Bears this trip. Brad doesn't like it, except to nap, so whenever I suggested it he always said maybe later which meant never.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

I’m at a loss for a comment here. @amjt660?

At first glance, I thought it was an Annie Oakley impersonator. Dress, long curly hair, sun hat, her purse reminded me of a gun stock and the way she’s grabbing the strap looked like someone holding a gun barrel over their shoulder. I guess Annie Oakley is fitting for Frontierland though lol.

 

[Tuvalu]

Day Five

If you’re familiar with the saying, Man plans and God laughs, you’ll appreciate this post.

Before bedtime last night I told Em I wanted to leave our room no later than 7:30 in the morning in order to make 8am rope drop at MK ~ using the park pass Brad had obtained for us yesterday.

I was up extra early in order to book dining for a vacation in August. I logged in exactly at 6am. It was 60 days out from our first day. Day one was bookable. Days two through seven were greyed out.

After multiple attempts I remembered a crucial detail. I had two separate reservations ~ a 1-night and a 6-night. Resort reservations are no longer linked for the purpose of making ADRs. I would have to get up early again tomorrow to finish the task.

On a whim I decided to check the forecast. Formerly the hourly forecast had displayed clouds and lightning bolts, with a high percentage of rain for most of the day. The current screen displayed nothing of the sort. The predicted “all day” rain had changed to “possible” afternoon thunderstorms, with most precipitation moved to Thursday.

I pulled back the drapes and saw this….

Sun. Glorious sun! Rays of sunshine that we had hardly seen any of the past four days.

Before our vacation Em and I had agreed that the one thing we were looking forward most was a sunny pool day. Thus far we’d had clouds….and rain.

At that moment we both knew we would not be at the MK for rope drop.

We celebrated with chocolate chip muffins for breakfast.

Yes, the elevators near our room were STILL out of service. But we’d picked up the muffins last night just in case.

Em used her new Starbucks mug for her coffee.

 

[ELeigh]

Finding a table on the other hand….Grrrr.

I’m still scarred from this experience on our trip-did tables still have the “closed for your safety” signs when you were there?

 

[Tuvalu]

We had a PERFECT pool day.

While on our loungers, we were privy to a long conversation between two Gabby Gildas. When one paused from talking to take a breath, the other jumped right in. It was difficult for Em and me to read! Eventually we made our way into the water.

Lunch was from Geyser Point. Cheesy brisket and chips for me….

….and an order of kids chicken tenders for Em.

In early afternoon the rain clouds began to form.

Em and I were satisfied with the sunny hours we had and returned to the room. Again it was a “just in the nick of time” situation. In only a couple minutes the scenery changed from this…..

to this…..

 

[sheriffwoody]

The park pass system has GOT TA GO.

 

[cgersic]

Your "Gabby Gildas" just reminded me of a movie I just watched - Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar. The scene where they are on the plane is hysterical because they do this and do not miss a beat or take a breath. So glad you got a great pool morning in!

 

[NeilHoytPA]

The park pass system has GOT TA GO.

100% Agree!!!

 

[amjt660]

Em is a wise woman.

The apple does not fall far from the tree.

At last a few guests began to trickle in. I’m at a loss for a comment here. @amjt660?

You lied to me!! You promised me a beach vacation !!

Which will win the transport race? Monorail and bus are neck and neck!

Good to see that WDW is finally getting Radiator Springs Racers ( with budget cuts of course)

Max

 

[Darstarr]

At first glance, I thought it was an Annie Oakley impersonator. Dress, long curly hair, sun hat, her purse reminded me of a gun stock and the way she’s grabbing the strap looked like someone holding a gun barrel over their shoulder. I guess Annie Oakley is fitting for Frontierland though lol.

Ditto!

 

[Captain Barbossa]

Ditto!