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.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Thanks, @Laurenciaa! And @brifraz I will keep my eyes peeled for your family. (Thought I might see @Weather_Lady at DHS today, but nope. )

I kept my eyes peeled for you as well.

 

[cgersic]

I hope you're having a magical time!!! I have a question, and feel free to answer when you are no longer occupied (I sure hope there are Tinys involved in this bonus!). I'm going to be driving up to St Augustine in a couple of weeks and normally stay overnight at Disney Springs just to get some kind of Disney fix. I'm thinking about taking a bus to the Beach Club and watching the Epcot fireworks from the bridge to the IG. Do you (or any of the many reading this report) think that's the best fireworks viewing I can get from outside of the parks? I haven't seen any fireworks since their return and I cannot be in town and not at least get a glimpse of one of the shows from somewhere. Thanks in advance and enjoy your day in the World!

 

[Tuvalu]

I hope you're having a magical time!!! I have a question, and feel free to answer when you are no longer occupied (I sure hope there are Tinys involved in this bonus!). I'm going to be driving up to St Augustine in a couple of weeks and normally stay overnight at Disney Springs just to get some kind of Disney fix. I'm thinking about taking a bus to the Beach Club and watching the Epcot fireworks from the bridge to the IG. Do you (or any of the many reading this report) think that's the best fireworks viewing I can get from outside of the parks? I haven't seen any fireworks since their return and I cannot be in town and not at least get a glimpse of one of the shows from somewhere. Thanks in advance and enjoy your day in the World!

No Tinys, just Woody (who is not so tiny. )

For Epcot fireworks your idea is the best. If you want to see MK fireworks (and hear the soundtrack) take a bus to Poly and walk down to the beach.

Double check the showtimes for both and allow yourself 90 minutes in advance. Also, do a weather radar check ~ last night was so stormy HEA was canceled.

 

[cgersic]

No Tinys, just Woody (who is not so tiny. )

For Epcot fireworks your idea is the best. If you want to see MK fireworks (and hear the soundtrack) take a bus to Poly and walk down to the beach.

Double check the showtimes for both and allow yourself 90 minutes in advance. Also, do a weather radar check ~ last night was so stormy HEA was canceled.

Thank you and I hope you and Woody are having a fabulous time! I'm leaning more towards Epcot so I can be closer and "feel" them but the Poly is such a favorite that I'll probably end up making up my mind when I get there. If they were still doing Epcot after 4 tickets, I'd be inside those gates in a hot minute.

 

[Tuvalu]

* BREAKING NEWS *

Goblets have returned to Beaches and Cream!

No more salad bowls for the No Way José.

 

[Loco_driver]

* BREAKING NEWS *

Goblets have returned to Beaches and Cream!

Glad to see them back. I sat in the same spot woody is sitting for my salad bowl no way Jose!

 

[Courtney6682]

I just wanted to say hi….it’s been a while

 

[Tuvalu]

I just wanted to say hi….it’s been a while

 

[Courtney6682]

I’m back friend! Life was getting in the way for a while there Ive missed you all as well. Glad you’re well !

 

[Tuvalu]

I hope y’all are ready to jump back in to where I left off a couple weeks ago!

Day Three, con’t

Em and I had spent a fun morning at DHS and a relaxing afternoon at the pool. We returned for another ride through Runnamuck Park followed by dinner at a familiar locale.

We were seated at the same table as last month. (Perhaps this should be called the Tu and Amy table, @ajrwdwgirl? )

The hostess who had brought us to the table glanced at the white reservation paper to see our server’s name.

“Oh, she’s good,” the hostess chirped.

Em and I cracked the code. Whenever a server is declared “good” by the person who seats you, it usually means they aren’t.

And ours wasn’t.

It took a long time for her to come over to us. Em and I were dehydrated after our HOT experience on MMRR and desperately needed water.

Okay, maybe there was something Em needed more than water….

But back to our server. She wasn’t very welcoming and appeared distracted. Not distracted by the other two tables she was servicing (which would have been understandable) but distracted by whatever thoughts were ebbing and flowing in her mind. She just wasn’t present.

She took our drink and food order simultaneously. Then she disappeared. Eventually we got our waters (and Em’s margarita) along with rolls and olive oil for dipping. The rolls were meh (not warm) and the olive oil had way too much pepper sprinkled in it.

We joked that we didn’t need the rolls anyway since we wanted plenty of room in our stomachs for the ultimate Mama Melrose entrée ~ Charred Strip Steak and Four Cheese Macaroni with Pancetta.

Is your mouth watering @LisaBelle at that picture? Mine is! Except I now remember how that steak (and Em’s also) tasted. Both steaks were very fatty and gristly….difficult to cut and to chew…to the extent that we stopped eating them before the halfway point.

Had our “good” server bothered to stop by and check on us, we would have sent the steaks back. (She didn’t even bring our meal to us; a food runner did.)

Eventually she remembered us by appearing with an “are you ready for dessert?” As I declined, I mentioned our poor quality steaks.

“Do you want another one?” she inquired, without a hint of apology.

It took 40 minutes to get these, I thought. This disappointing meal has already taken way too long.

“No thank you,” I replied. “But you should let the chef know about the condition of this meat. It’s unacceptable. This steak is typically excellent and the reason we often dine here.”

She then said she would be back with the check.

We waited.

And waited.

At last she returned. “The manager said that since you only ate the equivalent of one steak you will only be charged for one steak.”

I thanked her. And I only tipped on one steak.

Her service wasn’t “good” at all.

 

[amjt660]

* BREAKING NEWS *

Goblets have returned to Beaches and Cream!

View attachment 582884

No more salad bowls for the No Way José.

View attachment 582883

Goblets of ice cream are better than goblets of fire?

Max

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I hope y’all are ready to jump back in to where I left off a couple weeks ago!

Day Three, con’t

Em and I had spent a fun morning at DHS and a relaxing afternoon at the pool. We returned for another ride through Runnamuck Park followed by dinner at a familiar locale.

View attachment 583634

We were seated at the same table as last month. (Perhaps this should be called the Tu and Amy table, @ajrwdwgirl? )

View attachment 583635

The hostess who had brought us to the table glanced at the white reservation paper to see our server’s name.

“Oh, she’s good,” the hostess chirped.

Em and I cracked the code. Whenever a server is declared “good” by the person who seats you, it usually means they aren’t.

And ours wasn’t.

It took a long time for her to come over to us. Em and I were dehydrated after our HOT experience on MMRR and desperately needed water.

Okay, maybe there was something Em needed more than water….

View attachment 583636

But back to our server. She wasn’t very welcoming and appeared distracted. Not distracted by the other two tables she was servicing (which would have been understandable) but distracted by whatever thoughts were ebbing and flowing in her mind. She just wasn’t present.

She took our drink and food order simultaneously. Then she disappeared. Eventually we got our waters (and Em’s margarita) along with rolls and olive oil for dipping. The rolls were meh (not warm) and the olive oil had way too much pepper sprinkled in it.

We joked that we didn’t need the rolls anyway since we wanted plenty of room in our stomachs for the ultimate Mama Melrose entrée ~ Charred Strip Steak and Four Cheese Macaroni with Pancetta.

View attachment 583637

Is your mouth watering @LisaBelle at that picture? Mine is! Except I now remember how that steak (and Em’s also) tasted. Both steaks were very fatty and gristly….difficult to cut and to chew…to the extent that we stopped eating them before the halfway point.

Had our “good” server bothered to stop by and check on us, we would have sent the steaks back. (She didn’t even bring our meal to us; a food runner did.)

Eventually she remembered us by appearing with an “are you ready for dessert?” As I declined, I mentioned our poor quality steaks.

“Do you want another one?” she inquired, without a hint of apology.

It took 40 minutes to get these, I thought. This disappointing meal has already taken way too long.

“No thank you,” I replied. “But you should let the chef know about the condition of this meat. It’s unacceptable. This steak is typically excellent and the reason we often dine here.”

She then said she would be back with the check.

We waited.

And waited.

At last she returned. “The manager said that since you only ate the equivalent of one steak you will only be charged for one steak.”

I thanked her. And I only tipped on one steak.

Her service wasn’t “good” at all.

Sad for the steaks but I do like that we have a table for us now.

 

[lindawdw]

Glad to hear the goblets are back at Beaches and Cream! You are a trooper visiting Disney so often in the hot summer!!! Ugh, sorry you had such a bad service experience and meal at Mama Melrose. They should have comped you on each steak being they were so chewy and grizzly!

 

[Tuvalu]

Sad for the steaks but I do like that we have a table for us now.

You are a trooper visiting Disney so often in the hot summer!!!

More like:

 

[Songbird76]

I hope y’all are ready to jump back in to where I left off a couple weeks ago!

Day Three, con’t

Em and I had spent a fun morning at DHS and a relaxing afternoon at the pool. We returned for another ride through Runnamuck Park followed by dinner at a familiar locale.

View attachment 583634

We were seated at the same table as last month. (Perhaps this should be called the Tu and Amy table, @ajrwdwgirl? )

View attachment 583635

The hostess who had brought us to the table glanced at the white reservation paper to see our server’s name.

“Oh, she’s good,” the hostess chirped.

Em and I cracked the code. Whenever a server is declared “good” by the person who seats you, it usually means they aren’t.

And ours wasn’t.

It took a long time for her to come over to us. Em and I were dehydrated after our HOT experience on MMRR and desperately needed water.

Okay, maybe there was something Em needed more than water….

View attachment 583636

But back to our server. She wasn’t very welcoming and appeared distracted. Not distracted by the other two tables she was servicing (which would have been understandable) but distracted by whatever thoughts were ebbing and flowing in her mind. She just wasn’t present.

She took our drink and food order simultaneously. Then she disappeared. Eventually we got our waters (and Em’s margarita) along with rolls and olive oil for dipping. The rolls were meh (not warm) and the olive oil had way too much pepper sprinkled in it.

We joked that we didn’t need the rolls anyway since we wanted plenty of room in our stomachs for the ultimate Mama Melrose entrée ~ Charred Strip Steak and Four Cheese Macaroni with Pancetta.

View attachment 583637

Is your mouth watering @LisaBelle at that picture? Mine is! Except I now remember how that steak (and Em’s also) tasted. Both steaks were very fatty and gristly….difficult to cut and to chew…to the extent that we stopped eating them before the halfway point.

Had our “good” server bothered to stop by and check on us, we would have sent the steaks back. (She didn’t even bring our meal to us; a food runner did.)

Eventually she remembered us by appearing with an “are you ready for dessert?” As I declined, I mentioned our poor quality steaks.

“Do you want another one?” she inquired, without a hint of apology.

It took 40 minutes to get these, I thought. This disappointing meal has already taken way too long.

“No thank you,” I replied. “But you should let the chef know about the condition of this meat. It’s unacceptable. This steak is typically excellent and the reason we often dine here.”

She then said she would be back with the check.

We waited.

And waited.

At last she returned. “The manager said that since you only ate the equivalent of one steak you will only be charged for one steak.”

I thanked her. And I only tipped on one steak.

Her service wasn’t “good” at all.

Aw, I'm so sad it was a disappointing meal. I know it's one of your go-to meals! It does make me feel a bit better about our lunch there though because I ordered the steak and mac n cheese because you always raved about it, but it was gristly and SALTY! Neither my daughter nor I could eat more than a few bites. Our server was great, and did offer to bring us something else, but we had already ordered an extra entree just to try it, so we had plenty of food. I think we had a woodfired chicken and pasta dish, which I can't find on the current menu, but it was delicious, and my husband had a shrimp pasta dish that he loved. But at the time, I couldn't figure out what you loved about the steak! Now I know, we probably hit it on an off day.

 

[Tuvalu]

Day Three, con’t

Em and I left Mama Melrose at park closing time. We were very happy to see a bus waiting for us at the gate. We’d have plenty of time to catch HEA at 9:15 pm.

(Remember our #1 vacation goal was to watch HEA as many nights as possible.)

Did we have to park hop to MK?

We just stood out on our balcony. With the soundtrack from my iPad.

In the end, a little night noise was worth the fireworks view.

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, July 26 ~ Day Four

Vacation goal #2 was lots of pool time. Preferably with sunshine. No alarms were set this morning and we took our time with an in-room breakfast.

The sun was streaming through our sliding glass door as we donned our swimwear. Em needed to take a call so I headed to the pool without her.

Water from the spring in the lobby is once again flowing into the feature pool.

It continues on to Bay Lake.

I prepped our loungers before Em arrived. But she decided she liked the water better!

 

[lindawdw]

You were lucky to have such a nice view of the castle to watch HEA! Looks like the perfect morning to enjoy some pool time together.

 

[Tuvalu]

We spent most of the morning in the water.

Em had a hankering for Burnt Ends Nachos and I was successful in finding an ADR for us. We dried off, threw on our coverups and went to eat.

(Woody was aghast when I spoke with him later. “You ate in a restaurant in your BATHING SUITS??!!”)

No one seemed to notice. Certainly not our server. Check out her name.

She was great and was paired with a server “earning her ears.” Our water glasses were kept full (no need for the giant jars, @bee ) and our nachos were as fab as ever! (@Loco_driver)

One thing I do have to say... I am shocked at the lack of burnt end nachos in this trip report.

Of course no Whispering Canyon meal is complete without a molten chocolate lava cake.

Our mouths wanted two, but our bellies knew better. We shared one.

We returned to the pool for another ninety minutes of sunning and water lounging. Then it was back to the room for showers and phone calls ~ teacher interviews for Em, family business for me.

 

[Tuvalu]

Our evening plan was to go to the Magic Kingdom for dinner, followed by sundaes at The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (Em was hoping for her fave All-American). Included in the plan were attractions better experienced at twilight or in the dark. Yep, we had our ideal night all worked out.

Mother Nature wasn’t fooled. She had something else in mind.

So what’s a few sprinkles?

But sprinkles quickly became drops once we entered Town Square.

Those drops became steady as we headed down Main Street.

We picked up the pace when we made the turn towards the Fantasyland bridge.

By the time we reached Cosmic Ray’s it was a torrential downpour.

Em and I crowded under the covered entrance along with a couple dozen of our closest friends. We had mobile ordered earlier in the day but our window hadn’t opened yet. So for several minutes we enjoyed watching others caught in the deluge.

It didn’t take long for the area to become flooded. These kids had fun jumping off the bench into (over)ankle deep water!

Our window opened and I pushed, “I’m here.” A CM near the door saw me and said Em and I were welcome to wait inside as our order was prepared.

Cosmic Ray’s was PACKED. However only a few people were actually at the counters getting food. The rest were camped out at tables (devoid of food) clearly waiting out the rain.

I’ve run into this situation before at Ray’s and it’s incredibly frustrating. (And one of the many reasons why Cosmic Ray’s is my least favorite quick-serve.) Even in times without a staff shortage, CMs don’t seem to care about the table hogs. I was worried there would not be a place for us to sit once we had our food. As I glanced around the restaurant I saw several guests carrying full trays with nowhere to go.

My phone buzzed with the notification that our food was ready. Em was busy walking throughout the restaurant looking for a table to open. Tray in hand, I turned around to see two teens vacating a table only a few steps away from me.

Pixie dust! I slid my tray down on the table top and texted Em. She arrived a few moments later.

Two kids chicken tender meals. We had ordered “light” in expectation of the sundaes we planned to have later.