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.

 

[Tuvalu]

I was at MK that day! It was my last chance to see HEA and there were definitely some tears. I've grown attached for the short period of time we've had it.

I assume that you had better sense and did not attempt to pet it, like I saw some woman do at EPCOT

 

[cgersic]

Oh man I really can’t stand those things. We have them everywhere at our place. They will absolutely destroy your lawn too! Fun fact, they will jump straight up
in the air when they are startled!

I've always wanted to try that! I have a baby one that I believe is living in my culvert and comes by each night. I'm pretty sure I could make that happen....

 

[Tuvalu]

Day Two, con’t

Attack of the killer balloons!

A water bottle cannot tell time. 🕰

(Hey Em, wait up!)

I caught up with her for these interesting(?) PP pics.

 

[Tuvalu]

Em and I learned pretty quickly that our time at the pool was well spent.

MK was PACKED. Wait times for headliner attractions were all over an hour. It appeared the park was full of locals who had come to enjoy a Saturday with family and friends before the start of school.

We started off at the end of a very long line for the MPB 2.0.

Thirty minutes later we were onboard.

 

[Tuvalu]

We had mobile ordered dinner earlier in the day so we didn’t have to wait too long for pick up.

However once we had our food, we had to search high and low for a table. Even the rooms where we usually luck out were full.

We were growing discouraged when I happened to spot a group getting up from a large picnic table near the door. Although there was only two of us, we did need to sit down somewhere to eat.

Em said her flatbread was disappointing. Can you sense a food theme here?

I had a kids meal. It was….edible.

At least Em got to watch the action (or should I say inaction) of It’s a Small World. She mentioned long stretches of time between boats.

We’d soon have a similar fate….

 

[Disney Loving Swede]

Em had a new book. I knew someone might be curious, so I snapped a picture of it.

Thanks! I just finished a book last night and hazard of my profession I love adding books to my to-read pile.

 

[LisaBelle]

Em and I had two goals for this vacation.

1. Watch HEA as many nights as possible
2. Lots of pool time (hopefully with sunshine!)

Today’s forecast had only a slight chance of precipitation. The pool was calling us.

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Saturday, 11 am. I’m sure the parks were crowded, but the pool sure wasn’t!

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Em had a new book. I knew someone might be curious, so I snapped a picture of it.

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I read that book this summer! My daughter is reading it now.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Trying to get caught up today @Tuvalu - our whole crowd has been battling COVID-19 for weeks.

 

[Swissmiss]

Trying to get caught up today @Tuvalu - our whole crowd has been battling COVID-19 for weeks.

Oh no! I hope no one has had a severe case.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Trying to get caught up today @Tuvalu - our whole crowd has been battling COVID-19 for weeks.

I hope you are all doing better now.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Oh no! I hope no one has had a severe case.

I hope you are all doing better now.

Thank you guys!
The kids did the best, Thank God but still had coughs and high fever, they kicked it faster though. It was/is horrid stuff.All the adults, even vaccinated ones had it really rough. I have double pneumonia now but thankfully the meds they gave me are helping now and I did not have to be hospitalized. Today is the first day I have been out of bed for more than a shower or to go to doctor in 2 weeks I lost almost 20 lbs. in 2 weeks.

 

[Tuvalu]

Trying to get caught up today @Tuvalu - our whole crowd has been battling COVID-19 for weeks.

Prayers for a full recovery for all of you!

 

[lindawdw]

Thank you guys!
The kids did the best, Thank God but still had coughs and high fever, they kicked it faster though. It was/is horrid stuff.All the adults, even vaccinated ones had it really rough. I have double pneumonia now but thankfully the meds they gave me are helping now and I did not have to be hospitalized. Today is the first day I have been out of bed for more than a shower or to go to doctor in 2 weeks I lost almost 20 lbs. in 2 weeks.

Praying for a full recovery for you all.

 

[lindawdw]

I'm glad you were able to get into WL even if it was a standard view/King bed room as I know how much you and Em enjoy your stays here. Boy, your food experience so far has been a disappointment! Disney really needs to get a handle on the mobile order issues and the whole seating problem in these counter service restaurants too! People Mover is always a great place to start at in MK especially in the later afternoon. So enjoying your TR.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Aww, isn’t leprosy cute though?

I assume that you had better sense and did not attempt to pet it, like I saw some woman do at EPCOT

What!!!! Did you just say leprosy???? Is that a joke? I heard it from my brother who lives in Tn and has alot of armadillos. I thought he was teasing me.

 

[Tuvalu]

Day Two, con’t

“Let’s pick an attraction with an indoor wait,” I suggested.

Em agreed.

We maneuvered through the crowds and found ourselves here. Granted some of the queue is outdoors (but covered) and the posted wait was only 25 minutes.

Em’s ready for a high seas adventure.

Poor Carlos was a .

His wife did not pop out from behind the shutters to warn him.


Another amazing ride photo. Not.

 

[Tuvalu]

Most agree that this ride is better at night.

But I have to say it was pretty great at sunset!

 

[Tuvalu]

When we completed our wild wilderness ride it was about 50 minutes prior to fireworks.

Certainly time enough for another attraction?

Em was skeptical. I was insistent.

Guess who won the argument?

We waited less than 10 minutes to board our boat.

However I had forgotten about the delays Em had witnessed while we were eating dinner.

We had to wait a few minutes before our boat launched. The cruise itself was exceptionally s l o w .Then we came to a halt in the universal room.

I became a little panicked as time ticked by. Would we be doomed to be stuck on IASW forever?

 

[Songbird76]

Thank you guys!
The kids did the best, Thank God but still had coughs and high fever, they kicked it faster though. It was/is horrid stuff.All the adults, even vaccinated ones had it really rough. I have double pneumonia now but thankfully the meds they gave me are helping now and I did not have to be hospitalized. Today is the first day I have been out of bed for more than a shower or to go to doctor in 2 weeks I lost almost 20 lbs. in 2 weeks.

Oh my! That sounds terrible! If that's not an endorsement for vaccines, I don't know what is! Had you already been vaccinated? My kids have one more week before they can get their 2nd shot and I'm just hoping we don't get it in the mean time. Hope you are back on your feet soon!!

 

[RememberWhen]

Most agree that this ride is better at night.

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But I have to say it was pretty great at sunset!

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There’s no bad time for thunder mountain!