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!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Pre-planning is a godsend during a high capacity period like Easter week. Standby was clocking in at two hours. It was great being able to bypass that line!

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Any guesses as to what the thingy is on top of the books? It resembles a flip phone!

“Hey Mom, turn around!”
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I like the current border on the ride photo.
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Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Back when I was in the Army, we'd go out drinking a lot because in many military base towns there's nothing else you can do. It used to be a favorite activity of mine to drop a twenty into the juke box and play Justin Beiber on a loop. We'd make bets on how many other people would get sick of it and leave, LOL.
My daughter would hate you!!!! Last time we were in Disney, a girl got on the bus wearing a Bieber shirt and I pointed it out to my daughter, who makes friends wherever she goes. I said "Look! A new friend for you!" I tell you, if looks could kill...that was some glare.
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Pre-planning is a godsend during a high capacity period like Easter week. Standby was clocking in at two hours. It was great being able to bypass that line!

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Any guesses as to what the thingy is on top of the books? It resembles a flip phone!

“Hey Mom, turn around!”
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I like the current border on the ride photo.
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The ToT pic cracks me up. The woman in the front in the blue shirt has her arm in just such a way that it looks like she's running it through the beard of the guy in back of her. Too funny.
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
So I just ran across some notes that I intended to incorporate into posts I’ve already posted (got it?) :banghead:

Since I am too lazy to go back and edit, I will put them here.

1. I read before our trip that the background music at DHS had changed. Then I completely forgot that I’d read that the background music had changed. (Gals, you think new mom brain is bad? Wait until you hit senior brain.) But the good news is I was pleasantly surprised by the jazz versions of “Be Our Guest”, “Do You Want to Build A Snowman”, and “Friend Like Me” which played during the time we were waiting to get through security.

2. Em and I were next in line to pick up our 3D glasses at TSM when we overheard the following ~
Dad to his young daughter: “Now get your glasses.”
Little girl: “Daddy, I already have a pair of sunglasses!”
:inlove::inlove::inlove:

3. We have seen Voyage of the Little Mermaid lots of times but today we had a first. When the water effect started at the beginning of the show, the whole theater erupted with a loud “Ooohhhhh!!”
(Take that you VOTLM scoffers! This almost-30-year-old show still manages to impress a crowd!)
 

93boomer

Premium Member
So I just ran across some notes that I intended to incorporate into posts I’ve already posted (got it?) :banghead:

Since I am too lazy to go back and edit, I will put them here.

1. I read before our trip that the background music at DHS had changed. Then I completely forgot that I’d read that the background music had changed. (Gals, you think new mom brain is bad? Wait until you hit senior brain.) But the good news is I was pleasantly surprised by the jazz versions of “Be Our Guest”, “Do You Want to Build A Snowman”, and “Friend Like Me” which played during the time we were waiting to get through security.

2. Em and I were next in line to pick up our 3D glasses at TSM when we overheard the following ~
Dad to his young daughter: “Now get your glasses.”
Little girl: “Daddy, I already have a pair of sunglasses!”
:inlove::inlove::inlove:

3. We have seen Voyage of the Little Mermaid lots of times but today we had a first. When the water effect started at the beginning of the show, the whole theater erupted with a loud “Ooohhhhh!!”
(Take that you VOTLM scoffers! This almost-30-year-old show still manages to impress a crowd!)
Oh yeah sister! Senior brain is a mystery!! My DH and I get it constantly:joyfull:
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Thursday, con’t

You may recall that Em chose all our ADRs for this week. 50s Prime Time Cafe was on the docket for lunch today. But during one of our conversations last night we both decided we weren’t feeling it so I cancelled the ADR.

Besides, we saved $$ by choosing @Zipitidoda ’s and @becca_ ’s fave pizza!
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We had a unique birds-eye view from our table on the upstairs porch. Who else notices these windows?

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There’s a Christmas tree in the window on the right!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
After lunch we did some window shopping (but is it really window shopping if you go inside the stores?) and stopped to watch a Streetmosphere performance. I was afraid that due to the high crowds there would be no Streetmosphere skits today. I was happy I was wrong!

These characters are all so clever and funny. I am sure a lot of the sketch is scripted, but there is plenty of opportunity for ad libbing.

Don’t want to give away any details in case you happen upon this particular performance.

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(For any “black*ish” viewers, Em said that the gal in red was a grown-up Diane! :hilarious:)
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
While we lounged we discussed potential plans for the evening. Em wanted to return to Epcot and sample a few of the Flower & Garden booth offerings. It sounded like a fun option for dinner!

Once we cleaned up I summoned Uber. Our driver was a “Disney expert.” He asked why we were going to Beach Club. I said it was the closest drop off for the International Gateway.

“Oh that’s smart. Most people get dropped off at Boardwalk if they want to get to the back entrance of Epcot.”

This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr. Uber driver.

Sadly, giant cranes ruin the ambiance of France now.
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However the landscape has changed since our visit. A gondola pole now occupies that space.
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Photo courtesy of @Gabe1....Thanks!

The International Gateway
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Skyliner info on the wall.
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Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Two years ago I discovered my beloved McKenzie’s Black Cherry Cider at the U.K. Cider House during F&G. Therefore it was a MUST that we try this year’s cider flight. The flight always has the Black Cherry as one of the selections.

Em and I did not care for last year’s flight (other than the McKenzie’s) but we were hopeful for this year.
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I like pineapple so it was no surprise I enjoyed the Pineapple Tropical Hard Cider. Em did too: “This is light and refreshing with no pineapple aftertaste.”

She sampled the Grand Mimosa before I did. “You won’t like this.”

But I did.

Oh how I did!!!
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I hope I can find it locally. I know I will have a full size glass when I return next month!

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Seems big cranes are ruining a lot of views.
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