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!

BB429FCD-F668-4041-835B-D5BAFEDFD831.jpeg


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
Hope you found it improved this visit!
It was definitely better. Because I knew there would be no lavender focaccia (and my tastebuds weren't expecting it) I was able to appreciate the flavor and texture of the sourdough. The appetizers still didn't excite me but I decided to be adventurous and try the Brown Butter Parsnip Soup. It was topped with applewood bacon (which I love) and had a rich, slightly sweet, blend of flavors. I enjoyed it.

78891E7B-C721-4B07-96F7-9A550C340EEE.jpeg


The filet is now paired with grilled asparagus (always at the top of my veggie list) and mashed potatoes with a hint of smokiness. I devoured them. My filet was huge and I gave almost a third to Woody because I couldn't finish it.

E0016C71-BECA-4905-A088-B131610836A5.jpeg


And we got to dine in my favorite room with my favorite server. 😊
 

Nala06

Well-Known Member
It was definitely better. Because I knew there would be no lavender focaccia (and my tastebuds weren't expecting it) I was able to appreciate the flavor and texture of the sourdough. The appetizers still didn't excite me but I decided to be adventurous and try the Brown Butter Parsnip Soup. It was topped with applewood bacon (which I love) and had a rich, slightly sweet, blend of flavors. I enjoyed it.

View attachment 283938

The filet is now paired with grilled asparagus (always at the top of my veggie list) and mashed potatoes with a hint of smokiness. I devoured them. My filet was huge and I gave almost a third to Woody because I couldn't finish it.

View attachment 283939

And we got to dine in my favorite room with my favorite server. 😊
That soup looks yummy! And i loved the asparagus and potatoes with the filet also 👍🏻 Happy you had a better experience!
 

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
It was definitely better. Because I knew there would be no lavender focaccia (and my tastebuds weren't expecting it) I was able to appreciate the flavor and texture of the sourdough. The appetizers still didn't excite me but I decided to be adventurous and try the Brown Butter Parsnip Soup. It was topped with applewood bacon (which I love) and had a rich, slightly sweet, blend of flavors. I enjoyed it.

View attachment 283938

The filet is now paired with grilled asparagus (always at the top of my veggie list) and mashed potatoes with a hint of smokiness. I devoured them. My filet was huge and I gave almost a third to Woody because I couldn't finish it.

View attachment 283939

And we got to dine in my favorite room with my favorite server. 😊
Now that looks so much better then the risoto that I had with my filet. I love me some asparagus!!! :hungry:
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
FINAL THOUGHTS ON EASTER WEEK ~ (apology for the delay, was busy on yet another vacation.....:cautious::happy:)

Surprisingly, the crowds were not the biggest negative of our trip. There were only a few times when we felt overwhelmed by the number of people, far less than what we anticipated. In fact, crowds were worse in early December when we went for Em's birthday and in February near President's Day. The upside to there being no "slow season" anymore is the more balanced distribution of guests during the usual "NUTZ" week of Easter. Em's spring break for next year does not align with Easter so it will be interesting to compare the two. (Assuming we'll be there....)

The unexpected "surprise" were the hassles we had at POFQ: room not ready at 4:30 pm; door lock issues; constant WiFi signal drops; Magic Bands which had been mysteriously deactivated; leaf blowers several mornings before 7 am; and the removal of individual soap and shampoo for shower dispensers. All little annoyances, but when you have a lot of "littles" it does steal joy from your vacation. However, the refurbished rooms are very nice and the beds incredibly comfortable (which is important when you are exhausted!) The ambiance, pool, and boat to DS remain big plusses for POFQ and I'm sure we will stay here again.

We were blessed with beautiful weather and didn't mind that it was too cool (for us) to swim. (And we love being in the water!)

Having three Magic meets was very fun and will be special memories for us.

Epcot is simply stunning during the Flower and Garden Festival. Did you know that there are 30 MILLION flowers planted and blooming during F&G?!! I wish Epcot could always blossom like this.....or, at the very least, have floating planters all year round!

I did grow a bit fonder of AK. Definitely have to return to Saut'li Canteen!

Em and I laughed. A lot. :joyfull: It was much needed for both of us. We can't wait for our next mother/daughter journey....(see? I always find a way to work that in!)

In closing, I thought I would share the room view Woody and I had last week ~
01ECC7FF-7DFF-49E8-B4CF-BA3F10EB5F55.jpeg


D660F5C3-4F38-4E9D-B9CE-F78E1CB8B834.jpeg

❤️ 💛 💚 💜 🧡 💙 ❤️
 

fractal

Well-Known Member
FINAL THOUGHTS ON EASTER WEEK ~ (apology for the delay, was busy on yet another vacation.....:cautious::happy:)

Surprisingly, the crowds were not the biggest negative of our trip. There were only a few times when we felt overwhelmed by the number of people, far less than what we anticipated. In fact, crowds were worse in early December when we went for Em's birthday and in February near President's Day. The upside to there being no "slow season" anymore is the more balanced distribution of guests during the usual "NUTZ" week of Easter. Em's spring break for next year does not align with Easter so it will be interesting to compare the two. (Assuming we'll be there....)

The unexpected "surprise" were the hassles we had at POFQ: room not ready at 4:30 pm; door lock issues; constant WiFi signal drops; Magic Bands which had been mysteriously deactivated; leaf blowers several mornings before 7 am; and the removal of individual soap and shampoo for shower dispensers. All little annoyances, but when you have a lot of "littles" it does steal joy from your vacation. However, the refurbished rooms are very nice and the beds incredibly comfortable (which is important when you are exhausted!) The ambiance, pool, and boat to DS remain big plusses for POFQ and I'm sure we will stay here again.

We were blessed with beautiful weather and didn't mind that it was too cool (for us) to swim. (And we love being in the water!)

Having three Magic meets was very fun and will be special memories for us.

Epcot is simply stunning during the Flower and Garden Festival. Did you know that there are 30 MILLION flowers planted and blooming during F&G?!! I wish Epcot could always blossom like this.....or, at the very least, have floating planters all year round!

I did grow a bit fonder of AK. Definitely have to return to Saut'li Canteen!

Em and I laughed. A lot. :joyfull: It was much needed for both of us. We can't wait for our next mother/daughter journey....(see? I always find a way to work that in!)

In closing, I thought I would share the room view Woody and I had last week ~
View attachment 283963

View attachment 283962
❤️ 💛 💚 💜 🧡 💙 ❤️


Great report! I'm glad you are becoming more fond of AK.

Your comments on EPCOT made me long for the time the kids were young enough to take out of school. We had several April and May trips and loved F&G.

Looking forward to the next report. :D
 

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