Trip Report Another Jolly Holiday ~ JOY From the World ! *COMPLETED*

At the conclusion of my last trip report
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/a-jingle-bam-birthday-completed.922901/
I ended with To be continued....

Well, here's the continuation. Though to be fair, the trips were totally different and not connected in any way except they both included Me (yep, a humble one I am!) And for the second time in a year, I left WDW only to return a week later. I am very grateful that I can visit my favorite place as often as I do and am honored that y'all follow along.

I booked this trip on a bounce back offer while vacationing last year:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/its-a-jolly-holiday-completed.909445/

And this year I may have booked a bounce back offer for December 2017. Okay, I did book. But my love/hate relationship with traveling in December and a few unknowns for the fall may cause me to cancel. Time will tell.

Ready to read about our latest adventures? There's DRAMA . And ELEVATOR COOKIES . And maybe even a RED CARD .

Dates: December 10-15, 2016
Resort: Disney's Wilderness Lodge (duh....it's Christmas!)
Cast: Tuvalu and Woody

Who's in?

 

[LadyBelle]

I still stick with my goal to be just like you when I grow up!

 

[Woodywrkr]

Semi-retirement? Hah!

 

[Woodywrkr]

I love that Woody chimes in with the Disney quotes, too. He loves it more than he lets on.

I have an image to maintain.

 

[Woodywrkr]

Woody may possibly be the one in our family who loves it the MOST!

Come on, everyone knows that's impossible with you and Tuvalu in the family. I love the people who love it the most.

 

[Woodywrkr]

I think someday I'll write my one and only trip report about how wonderful it is to take a trip to WDW with @Tuvalu and @TrolleyFollower91.

 

[Tuvalu]

The "Out of Service" sign was still on the elevator when we got back to the lodge. (No @ajrwdwgirl, we had no desire to climb 10 flights of stairs! ) The wait wasn't too bad and shortly thereafter Woody was studying the back of his eyelids while I journaled.

Our evening plans called for Epcot but we did not feel like taking the bus. I suggested boating to the Contemporary and catching the monorail. We rode the escalators from the ground floor to the 4th floor concourse and perused BVG, since that store often carries merchandise not seen anyplace else.

Then we came upon the gingerbread display.

Coming up......the DRAMA I promised @Courtney6682.....and she probably won't get to read about it until she returns from her WDW vacay! Have fun, Court!!!

 

[lostpro9het]

I think someday I'll write my one and only trip report about how wonderful it is to take a trip to WDW with @Tuvalu and @TrolleyFollower91.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I don't blame you for not wanting to walk up 10 flights of stairs. Yuck!

 

[Woodywrkr]

View attachment 187250

Wow, a meme! Now I feel hip! Or cool! Or whatever the kids say nowadays!

 

[bee]

Elsa's "Special Dust" eh???

 

[Gabe1]

I deleted my red card post @Tuvalu

Don't know what happened there to do that but it was while the site had a glitch/bug while trying new Ad software. Sorry.

 

[Tuvalu]

And I spy my favorite Minnie polka dot MB. Do you have any of the newest 2.0 bands yet?

But of course!!












































.

 

[Ciara]

Then we came upon the gingerbread display.
View attachment 187229

Did you count the olafs? I think i can count 7 from your photo!

 

[Tuvalu]

Did you count the olafs? I think i can count 7 from your photo!

I didn't, but there must have been a bunch if you saw 7!

 

[Doc Disney]

View attachment 187271
But of course!!
.

How do you like them?! I for once did not decline Magic Bands so that I could get one haha

 

[Tuvalu]

The new band is thinner than the old one (if I'm not mistaken @lostpro9het referred to it as "flimsy" and I agree). And the center Mickey is HUGE compared to the old one, making the center of the band bigger (and uglier, IMO). A tiny screwdriver is required if you want to remove the Mickey head and put it on something else.

Not a fan and not sure I will use it on our trip. But I had to get one and see it for myself.

 

[lostpro9het]

The new band is thinner than the old one (if I'm not mistaken @lostpro9het referred to it as "flimsy" and I agree).

Yup! I also referred to it as something I would get in a box of cereal as a kid only less fun.

 

[Tuvalu]

Sunday, con't

Woody and I have learned that the best drama at WDW is not found in one of the stage shows.

It is found on the monorail platform inside the Contemporary Resort.

Last spring we experienced quite an event which unfolded before our eyes. For details click here and scroll down. After viewing the Frozen gingerbread display, we rode the escalator up to the monorail and were shocked at the number of people waiting for a train. It was just before 5 pm, certainly not an expected "prime time" for a monorail ride.

The blue monorail (pictured) was just leaving and the line moved forward enough for us to reach the elevator. Typically the line forms past the elevator, where the larger queue area is. I suspected there may have been delays with the trains that caused the crowd backup.

As we waited.....and waited....and waited for a monorail, I believed my suspicion was correct. There was no train in sight and we weren't close enough to the CMs to learn any info. At least 15 minutes passed with no line movement and no train.

Suddenly we heard loud shouting and we witnessed a fistfight break out between two men! The CMs ran to try and separate them as the punches flew.

Now a narrow fenced-in lane, on the fifth floor of a hotel with open monorail beams on either side, is not exactly the ideal location for a fistfight. In addition to safety concerns, there is no place for folks to get out of the way. It took a good minute or so for the CMs to pull the men apart....just as a monorail arrived.

The doors opened but guests were not allowed to disembark. Pictured below is Boxer #1, the man in the red tee covering his mouth.

Paul Blart arrives to assess the situation.

At this point guests were allowed to disembark and we were finally able to board. I took the next two pics from inside our monorail car.

Boxer #2 is in the green shirt. He is speaking with one of the Contemporary "suits." I am pretty sure this "suit" was present at our last dramatic event in April. (He must really hate this part of his job.....)

Gathering witness statements

We don't know what caused the altercation or what was the end result (or if alcohol was involved ). Since security was escorting Boxer #1 away, we assume he was the instigator.

Our train eventually departed and in mere moments we were at the TTC, having survived our little Epcot detour.
(Hope it was worth the wait, @Courtney6682 )

 

[Tuvalu]

Once inside Epcot we headed here.

Earlier I had booked a 4th FP for Soarin'. Thankfully we made it despite the boxing match delay.

Remember how Woody and I were unable to sit beside each other on our airplane flight? We were unable to sit next to each other on our glider as well! There was a broken seat in-between us, and then 2 empty seats beside me ~ it was weird.

However I was able to get this cool shot:

Literally cool.......see the snow??!

 

[Tuvalu]

Living With the Land was a walk-on. We sat in the back of the boat.

I don't recall the last time we rode this at night (when it was dark.)

We both found it to be a little strange as the attraction looked "warehouse-ish." The fluorescent lights really make the pipes, rafters and ceiling stand out, drawing attention away from the plants.