WOW Y'ALL. I have a lot to say and a lot to show you! Honestly, I nearly cancelled this trip even though I was in dire need of a fix. The Delta variant threw a wrench into everything and I would not be surprised if I end up with COVID given how busy the parks were, BUT... I'm coming from South Florida where COVID is just as bad as Orange County, and I'm fully vaccinated. I knew in my heart that my free Dolly Parton merch would do the best it could against any passing virions and that's all I could ask of it. I masked up when required and outside during the evening/night and sometimes even during the day when I was feeling like a lunatic in crowded areas with a heat index going up as high as 106. Then tropical storm/depression/weakened group of storm cells Fred started to form and I began to wonder if perhaps this was another sign... A sign to add on Saturday the 14th and go up a day early, that is! (I ultimately didn't do this).
So, the night before the 15th, hesitant and more than a little anxious, I laid my little head down on the pillow and vowed that I would make the best of this trip and
- Not get heatstroke
- Have some fun
- Ride Haunted Mansion as many times as I felt like.
My alarm was set for 6 am and I wanted to get out of the house by 6:30 (I can get ready pretty dang quick when I want to), as I said I would be arriving to Pop! at 9am. Lo and behold my brain woke me up at 5 am and I laid there until 6 and then got up. I think I ended up backing out of the driveway at 6:38 and let the musical stylings of Taylor Swift and Harry Styles carry me away up the interstate. I made good time and pulled up to Pop! a little after 9:20 AM. I turned off the car and picked up my phone (I'm a good noodle, I don't text and drive!) and saw...
A little confusion at first (both texts were sent at 9:18 so what is the truth!!) but I decided to go check out the room if I could. Can I just say that I love going direct to room - I did not visit the front desk at all during this trip and it was super nice to just put my magic band against the lock and step into the room. We all know what a Pop! room looks like, but in case you've forgotten...
Looking good! Walking in to find the TV on with the music playing was a nice touch - though my plastic wrapped remote was a bit busted (the buttons didn't work very well. Perhaps from their intensive cleaning? I digress). I passed the adjoining room door and tested the handle (locked phew).
Clean! Unlike my last stay at Coronado where there was mysterious slime on the bathroom floor (likely spilled cleaning product), I did not slip and nearly die walking into the bathroom this time.
The mirror passes muster. Illuminations stan until I die (I saw a few of my fellow stans during my wanderings around the park). With everything deposited, it was time to move on.
Oh hang on let me get the door for you. There, after you...
It was HOT outside, and I was headed to EPCOT, which technically didn't open until 11AM. I actually had the psychotic longing to hop on a bus to MK, stare at it through the turnstiles, and then get on the monorail to EPCOT, but I didn't do that. On my voyage, I passed this fun housekeeping room.
My wanderings took me.... here....
I swore to you all that I would not ride the Skyliner. I figured I would take the bus... without realizing that they reduced bus service to EPCOT and DHS (of course they would, why would they spend the money when they could just chuck me onto a swinging death trap??? A valid argument, Mr. Chapek, sir.)
I stepped aboard with my own gondola (ride-vehicle? cabin? car?) to myself, which was nice, and began to swing my way over to Caribbean Beach.
The face of someone who was prepared to fall to her death into alligator-infested waters if the Skyliner gods willed it. But they did not will it, and I was soon stepping foot onto solid ground once more, only to get on another one! Also LOL at that line on the inside brim of the hat... salt from sweat? Maybe so! But how would it get so far across the brim... anyways...
I love this EPCOT-Skyliner poster. It was giving me SSE vibes. The line to EPCOT was much longer than the line from Pop! to anywhere, but the continual loading of the gondolas sped things along.
. At the moment, looking at a stay at Pop! and will be hitting up Epcot, MK, and MGM/DHS (?). And I must be honest with you. I really must...
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I feel like that’s a matter of preference. If her priority is rides, then “ride time” is more important than eating at a sit-down restaurant or soaking in the atmosphere. I’m the same way when I go 
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