Trip Report Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It's Back to the World We Go! *COMPLETED*

Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you prematurely. I am your host ~ your trip report host. Here in the following pages you'll see how the Tuvalu family survived Spring Break 2017. Kindly sit back and relax please, and make room for everyone. There's no turning back now......

Well, that's not exactly true. You are free to FIND YOUR WAY OUT at any time. Although I hope you stick around for the tour. There's bound to be drama.

The deets:
Cast: Moi (Tuvalu), Benevolent Husband (Woody), and the only reason we braved Spring Break madness ~ our Teacher Daughter (Em)
Dates: April 1-8, 2017
Resort: Port Orleans French Quarter

Along the way you'll encounter the slowest cast members ever hired by Disney. Farewell performances of Wishes (were there tears?) The awesome Blue Angels flyover. A Magic meet-up with another mother/daughter pair equally obsessed with WDW as Em and me. And the BEST TRANSPORTATION EVER.

You'll also discover the answers to the following questions: Are Spring Break crowds really that bad? (I'll give you a hint......YES.) What the heck happened to the Trolley? And the flagpole? Is the Red Card really gone? Can you get a same-day ADR for Be Our Guest? What about 'Ohana?

And the most-pressing question of all: Will Woody be doomed to sit on a hard chair in our room chained to his PC and phone all week?

Now as they say, "Look alive" and we'll continue our little tour.

 

[Tuvalu]

I snagged a 4th FP while waiting at Frozen Ever After. We had a little time to kill so we took a potty break and explored Mexico.

There was even a long line here!

But it moved quickly and soon we were searching for Donald.

The Three Caballeros celebrated their reunion.

We were still several minutes early for our FP. We sat on a wall (because heaven forbid there'd be a bench!) to wait.

It had been awhile since our last Test Track experience and we were excited to have gotten a FP so easily. The standby wait is torture for us and even the single rider wait can be lengthy. But as we waited, the recorded announcement, "There is weather in the area. This ride may shut down at any time" played over and over. The sky had grown dark and ominous and there was likely lightning in the distance.

Just as our FP window opened, so did the skies.

Immediate regret leaving our rain gear in our room! We made a mad dash for cover in the breezeway next to MouseGear. After a few minutes, I checked MDE and saw that Test Track was closed. However, we now had a wildcard FP to use.

And where did we use it?

We did not feel like waiting out the rain in the breezeway and MouseGear was PACKED with people seeking shelter. So we dashed across the park (since we were already wet) to take flight.

Once we scanned our bands, I made a 5th FP. You'll have to wait to find out where.

 

[Tuvalu]

The rain had ceased when we left The Land. It was time for us to return to POFQ and check in on Woody.

On our way out I made Em pose under SSE to highlight the pocket on her tee.

Just a brief wait for a bus and we were at the resort in no time! Bus service continues to be great!

 

[AuburnBelle919]

Em looks so friendly to strangers that they all want to ride rides with her! It is crazy that the couple gave up a whole row to cram into your row!
I sheepishly admit that when my mom and I ate at Beaches & Cream for the first time we struggled to find the restaurant.
Loving the trip report so far-especially the Flower and Garden Festival pics!

 

[LeighM]

That Belle topiary is so much better than it was when I was there for the Festival 3 years ago. So glad to see they are including faces

 

[lostpro9het]

Mockers: "Why would you ever make a fastpass for Journey into Imagination?" <cough @lostpro9het cough>

That is just the sad proof of how little there is to do in EC now. I stand by my mockery of the imagination pavilion because it lacks so much imagination... The only real reason to head over there now is for the DVC lounge and the Disney Visa picture spot.

 

[Tuvalu]

That is just the sad proof of how little there is to do in EC now. I stand by my mockery of the imagination pavilion because it lacks so much imagination....

Agree 100%. It's just "something to do."

 

[DisneyJeff]

We took a longer-than-usual stop to admire the train set. Em noticed that there were many areas "under construction" which tickled us.

I am surprised they didn't have little tiny "green walls of progress" around the construction areas!!

 

[Zipadeelady]

@TrolleyFollower91 Love your butterfly picture!

 

[Tuvalu]

Bahahaha! I'm sure I'm one of those who have been confused looking for Cape May Cafe

I sheepishly admit that when my mom and I ate at Beaches & Cream for the first time we struggled to find the restaurant.

Apologies to you both if I offended....the sarcasm was directed at non-wdwmagic-ers

 

[Tuvalu]

That Belle topiary is so much better than it was when I was there for the Festival 3 years ago. So glad to see they are including faces

Absolutely, the faces make a huge difference!

 

[Tuvalu]

Our break back in our room was short-lived, as the window for our 5th FP was approaching. Woody closed up shop for the day and accompanied us to the bus stop.

Where were we headed?

To old time Hollywood.

I had tried earlier to book a FP for Woody so that he could join us but was unsuccessful. It was probably just as well, since one of us would have had to ride solo.....or worse.....uncomfortably next to a stranger. Woody was content to wait.

Blurry TSM selfie.

The score:

The ultimate reward:

The victor:

Would any of you believe me if I said I let her win?

 

[cgersic]

LOVE Em's Lilly shorts!

 

[amjt660]

This was a fun new addition. The flat painting on the ground magically becomes 3D in a photograph.

View attachment 200981

View attachment 200982

Totally freaking cool!!!

It was good to include the pic of you standing on it to see how the magic was made

Max

 

[Tuvalu]

Totally freaking cool!!!

It was good to include the pic of you standing on it to see how the magic was made

Max

You need to thank the photographer for that! I had no idea what she was doing when she said, "Mom stand over there."

 

[amjt660]

Extra likes for Trolley Follower!!!!

Max

 

[Tuvalu]

You are about to learn the real reason for our jaunt over to DHS this evening. The Toy Story Mania FP was just a bonus!

Two favorite things found at DHS that Em cannot get anywhere else ~
1. The Darth Vader chocolate/peanut butter cupcake
2. A Mama's Margarita

There was a wee bit 'o panic when Starring Rolls closed, since Darth was always there. We thought we might find him in Sweet Spells.

We didn't, but there was this yummy temptation.

Em loves her M&Ms....and apples.....

But she passed.

A trip inside the Trolley Car Cafe and voila! Darth! And Em could use her Starbucks gift card to pay for him .

One down one to go.

Now I don't know how an Italian restaurant can serve up a better Margarita than a Mexican restaurant, but in Em's opinion Mama Melrose does. We checked in and soon followed the legendary Jean (yup, she was working!) to our table.

Woody selected a Chardonnay from the wine list.

Em's day was made when this arrived:

And mine was made when this arrived:

The amazing charred NY strip steak and FOUR cheese mac & cheese . Em usually orders a pasta dish but based on my raves she also had the steak. While not as good as the filet she had at California Grill in February (by which all future steaks will now be measured), she had no trouble finishing it.

Woody chose the Saltimbocca ~ pork tenderloin topped with prosciutto, fontina cheese and sage in a lemon caper sauce. He said it was very good.

Service was efficient and we were pleased with our Mama's experience.
Dessert would come later.

 

[MinnieM123]

favorite things found at DHS that Em cannot get anywhere else ~
1. The Darth Vader chocolate/peanut butter cupcake

That is my FAVORITE treat in DHS!! That's why I was devastated when they took away Starring Rolls. I'm not familiar with the Trolley Car Cafe--it looks like it's part (or somehow connected to) the Brown Derby? I'm trying to place it and I can't. What's it near? Is it a quick service place that somehow I've missed?

 

[LadyBelle]

The Darth Vader cupcake was available at Backlot Express when I was there in September. Granted, we had the DDP so it was our desert of choice. Maybe that's another option??

 

[MinnieM123]

The Darth Vader cupcake was available at Backlot Express when I was there in September. Granted, we had the DDP so it was our desert of choice. Maybe that's another option??

Never realized it was available there, too!!

This is great--we have our Darth Vader cupcake spotters out there and reporting in!!

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

That is my FAVORITE treat in DHS!! That's why I was devastated when they took away Starring Rolls. I'm not familiar with the Trolley Car Cafe--it looks like it's part (or somehow connected to) the Brown Derby? I'm trying to place it and I can't. What's it near? Is it a quick service place that somehow I've missed?

Trolley Car Cafe I believe is the Starbucks. They used to sell kids stuff in there and plushes were right outside.