Trip Report I Vowed Never Again ~ Yet Here We Are! *COMPLETED*

Wait, what?

WDW-obsessed Tuvalu actually vowed never again ?!?!

Must. Read. More.


Clickbait! :joyfull:

But there is truth in my statement. I did vow not to visit the world whenever our spring break...always the first week in April....aligns with Easter. The first week of April typically brings heavy crowds since most southern school systems are out. I can handle heavy. But add in additional volume from schools that coordinate their break with Easter and “heavy” becomes INSANE. (Not quite the insanity of Christmas week....I am smart enough to avoid that, thanks to a one-day trip in 1994.)

But I’ve BEEN THERE ~
In 2009 (during the recession) when it took 40 minutes just to get through the Epcot parking booth....and the line for the boat ride in Mexico was out the front door of the pavilion....and Magic Kingdom was closed due to capacity.

In 2010 when the mid-morning standby wait for Test Track was 240 minutes (that’s 4 hours, people!) and the wait time for Nemo (Nemo!) was 150 minutes.

In 2015 when we watched the 6:45 am MK Welcome show in the dark because we wanted to ride a few attractions before the hordes descended.

Long lines to use the restrooms (always filthy because attendants couldn’t keep up); no available tables in quick-service locations, forcing guests to sit on the ground outside the restaurants; and a general atmosphere of cranky/angry guests who didn’t like dealing with the multitude any more than I did.

So I declared, DONE THAT!

Or so I thought.....

My darling daughter Em lives for spring break. As a student she vacationed (Disney or beach) every year but one ~ and there was nearly a mutiny! Now that she’s a teacher, going away for spring break has reached an even higher level of importance. 😉 With this year’s Easter/spring break overlap, we began researching other warm-weather destinations.

Guess what we discovered. Transportation, resort and dining costs were cheaper if we went to WDW! And having APs means our entertainment would be free. Em’s teacher budget would not be strained. The practical side of me could not argue....and the mom side of me could not disappoint my daughter.

We leave on Monday. We’re prepared. And we’re gonna be LIVE!

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A few Magic meet-ups are in the works. Hope to keep them a surprise (as long as @Zipitidoda doesn’t spill the beans! :cautious:)

Despite declining MagicBands for our upcoming stay, these arrived in yesterday’s mail ~

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Yeah, like we’re gonna wear the UGLY gray ones.....🙄

See Ya Real Soon!
 

Gabe1

Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
Good thing the behind-Main Street walkway is open today. We need to make our lunch ADR!

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Me<----can't understand why the bypass is not always open, come on....

I've also had some of those daydreams...bicycles from land to land or in the world showcase, moving sidewalks like they have at Ohare Airport, or that surface of modern playgrounds, ground rubber sidewalks to ease the feet pain. *nice daydreams*


This is one of my favorite World Showcase locations during Flower and Garden.

Our view
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Good for people watching but the heat coming through the window makes our spot uncomfortable. And thus far service has been slow.

We have now just stopped seating any where but the main building at Via Napoli. The service is never good. The food is hit or miss. My last pizza wasn't cooked long enough. Dessert Donuts is the only real reason we go, thou rarely lately, but so yummy. They really need new management. The sub-wing is hot and disengaged. I'm not eating on that patio, so not blocked form tourism. They need to get their act together. And not accepting the AP discount.....oy. At least they took my Chase discount.

oooh nice! Love that they got rid of that carpet!!

Now if they can learn to clean the floor with a wet swiffer so your socks are not black.

Wow cannot believe those crowds!! Glad we put our trip off until next month now. Good luck you two today!!

Us too!

Via Napoli service up to its usual lousy standards.

I’d say this was worth the waiting but I’d be lying.
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Deets to come later.

I'm going to be looking for your review. We went in December. Less than amused for the service and 'done-ness of our pizza. We left so disappointed. :( Flashback to our first visit...we were in awe of how awesome it was. Once was.

@Woodywrkr

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Em: “This is Dad’s banner!”

So want to understand???? :confused:
 

DryerLintFan

Premium Member
Two Island Sunsets, a Lapu Lapu and a Watermelon Margarita

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Four new friends

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At first i forgot you guys were meeting up with others and was like,.... Wow, @Tuvalu is really going for the gold tonight!! Two drinks each!!:hilarious::hilarious:

Earl’s has always been a favorite. We also discovered a new yummy there which will be disclosed at a later date. 😉

Hopefully before my trip in September!! We got a new pizza joint here called Mod Pizza which is the same as Blaze, so we put Earl of Sandwich on the list instead.
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Ive had my eyes peeled for you guys! I'm from buffalo and read yours.... well everyone's trip reports! We are down here now celebrating my husbands last chemo before radiation and surgery.
I know some good people from Buffalo! 😊 Congrats to your hubby for fighting the good fight and keep watch for us, we’re here three more days.

We grand opened both PO and Dixie in their days a year and a little apart. They use to mow the lawn and trim the bushes starting at 3am. They were pretty much done at dawn. At that time Disney viewed grounds keeping as off stage and not to be seen.
So being heard in the wee hours was preferable to being seen during daylight hours?! :banghead:

You likely have something there. WDW over the years has implemented everything they could to keep guests up and moving, in the parks or other destinations other than the resorts. From a business standpoint it does make sense. I remember how painful it was without WiFi long long after the world had embraced WiFi. How long it took Disney to have Cell towers that actually worked. Wasn't until MDE and MB's were coming online that Disney did a feeble attempt to catch up with the world and their WiFi and Cell towers failed miserably for a very long time. They didn't want guests on Smart Phones or playing on devices at the pool not spending money. It backfired for a while there.
Remember this well! Woody had to pay the daily $9.95 fee just to check his email. And had to stand outside a resort building to receive a cell signal.

At first i forgot you guys were meeting up with others and was like,.... Wow, @Tuvalu is really going for the gold tonight!! Two drinks each!!:hilarious::hilarious:.
After two of those drinks, I would have been napping on the floor! (My drink of preference? A Shirley Temple, of course!)
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Time for brekkie (@JenniferS 😉)

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Take out again today. My Disney princess likes to awaken to her breakfast ready.

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The muffin is hers. The French toast is mine. The food court has gotten its act together and there is no more waiting for French toast to be made, yay! It was still hot, crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside....and worth every calorie!

And it came with purse grapes that I can enjoy later! :joyfull:
 

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