Trip Report I Will Survive.....Spring Break (with a hint of May) *COMPLETED*

At first I was afraid, I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live among the Spring Break crowds
But then I spent so many nights thinking how I could be wrong
And I grew strong
And I knew I could get along....

Well that’s what I’m hoping for anyway. I’m not a newbie when it comes to navigating Spring Break at WDW. I’ve got a couple decades of experience under my belt. “Spring Break” isn’t a single week of cray cray crowds (like the week between Christmas and New Years) but is spread over March and April. Unfortunately one (or more) of those weeks can end up being cray cray....and these days, there is no way to predict which one.

Please don’t let it be this week.

But we are prepared. ADRs at 180 days. FPs at 60 days. Clothing for rain or shine. (Praying for shine ~ we’ve had enough rain over the last 4 months to set an ark afloat.) And attitudes willing to “go with the flow.”

My goal is to keep the updates live. Should I fail? There’s always Part “Tu”.

Who: Tuvalu, Woody and Em (the teacher whose schedule dictates when we go)
When: Sunday, March 31 - Sunday, April 7, 2019
Where: Port Orleans French Quarter
Why: Let’s hope we don’t ask ourselves this!
How: We’ve done the plane, can’t take the train....so it must be the automobile!

Will we be smiling at the end of the week? Stay tuned.

And if you don’t hang around for the smiles, you may want to peek in and see if there are any WDWMagic meet ups. I know of at least three forum friends I hope to encounter.

Now it’s off to bed! The alarm is set for zero-dark-thirty.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Gondolas are operating.

In a testing phase or with passengers?

 

[Tuvalu]

In a testing phase or with passengers?

Testing. Moving quickly along on the cables. It’s amazing how fast they move.

 

[ELeigh]

Perfect for enjoying a frozen violet lemonade!

I was waiting for this! I was beginning to wonder if I missed it somehow

 

[wdwfamilynh]

My sympathies to you, @amjt660! I will SCREAM if I see that out my window again anytime in the near future

Remember how I said I would scream? Well, I’m screaming at Mother Nature right now as the snow falls

 

[Tuvalu]

Do you know where you find this?

 

[dclfan]

Do you know where you find this?

View attachment 361960

Back of sunset ranch market

 

[Tuvalu]

Back of sunset ranch market

One Mickey bar for you!

 

[Tuvalu]

Em and I are checking into the Hollywood Tower Hotel tonight.

There seems to be a problem with the elevator. You’ll have to trust me on this, since I cannot provide photographic evidence.....yet.

 

[Tuvalu]

PizzeRizzo closed?

Then we’ll have to cheat on Rizzo with Catalina Eddie.

 

[mouse_luv]

I love Em's shirts with the little Disney touch on the pocket. Do you know where she got them @Tuvalu?

Looks like you had a beautiful day in EPCOT!

 

[Tuvalu]

DHS is my favorite park at night. (Did I just say that?)

I love the neon lights, the peppy music, and the smaller crowds than are at MK at night.

Someone left their bags unattended! Should I notify security?

We miss Sweet Spells. A little dessert would have hit the spot after our pizzas.

 

[Tuvalu]

Em has not seen Toy Story Land after dark. Time to remedy that!

“Reach for the Sky!”
Okay, don’t reach for it.
But at least notice how cool it looks!

Couldn’t get Slinky Dog FPs at 60+3. Scored at 60+6.

There’s a mom with 2 young boys in front of us. The boys are 6 and 4. They’re using a rider swap pass. Children under 7 are not allowed to ride by themselves. Mom is a little panicked, so I offer to ride with her youngest.

Little P and I giggle the whole way. I sure hope our ride photo shows up!

In the meantime, here’s Wheezy.

 

[Tuvalu]

Toy Story only has a 20 minute wait.

Em wants to ride.

Knowing that both members of my family dislike riding with me (I have a mean competitive streak), I suggest Woody accompany Em and I’ll meet them back at POFQ.

Ooh, look how close the scores are!

And one of them is Best in Vehicle.

But which one?

 

[Tuvalu]

Park closes at 8:30.

Fantasmic is at 8:30.

Star Wars fireworks are at 9.

Seems somebody at DHS shares my math skills, @amjt660.

I’m outta here.

Methinks I literally missed the bus.

And in case you’re wondering, gondola testing is also done at night.

 

[Tuvalu]

My last sight of the night.

Woody and Em’s last sight of the night.

Believe they got the better deal.

 

[Tuvalu]

I, too, am a firm believer in carrying around my little black umbrella to ward off the precipitation! I figger if I got the umbrella, I'll never need it.

It works more times than not, I'm happy to report.

Always!

I love Em's shirts with the little Disney touch on the pocket. Do you know where she got them @Tuvalu?

Looks like you had a beautiful day in EPCOT!

We really did have a beautiful day in Epcot. Em gets her shirts from d3tees.

 

[epcotisbest]

We spent a third of the day in Epcot and did not ride a single attraction.

People might say we wasted our time (and/or money.)

Nothing could be further from the truth. We relished every relaxing moment.

Speaking of relaxing.....

View attachment 361915

Em and I are enjoying the view from our loungers.....

View attachment 361917
Kids are having so much fun on the serpent slide!

And we are trying to ignore what is happening overhead.

View attachment 361916

I have been working on my poolside lounging technique for quite a while but still have not perfected it. More practice is needed I think.
As for wandering Epcot without doing any rides, even I have never managed that one. We did go to F&G one time specifically to see the flowers and topiary displays with no other real plans in mind other than wandering aimlessly. Still, we managed Soarin' and LWTL first thing because, hey why not and with no fast passes, we typically head there first thing anyway, then usually are out of the land in time to put it in slow gear, watch the Jammitors then begin the wandering.

 

[Swissmiss]

I, too, am a firm believer in carrying around my little black umbrella to ward off the precipitation! I figger if I got the umbrella, I'll never need it.

It works more times than not, I'm happy to report.

I once brought an umbrella along with me not for the rain but as protection against the sun when I was visiting Pompeii in the afternoon of a typical scorching hot August day in Italy with clear blue skies and no tree cover. Both the friend I was traveling with and our Pompeii guide were having a good time making fun of me for having brought an umbrella ... until out of nowhere very dark clouds are overhead and a torrential downpour starts. Then they were quite happy I had my umbrella that saved us from getting completely soaked before we could find some cover

 

[Tuvalu]

As for wandering Epcot without doing any rides, even I have never managed that one.

 

[MinnieM123]

Let’s check it out!

To me, the excitement would be just to enter Odyssey. I can't even imagine how many years ago I was in that building. Glad they opened it up, even if for brief periods of time (such as festival dates).

Wouldn’t be a visit to Disney without saying hello to the Big Cheese!

I can see that Mickey was thrilled to finally meet the Big Cheese, and receive his own Tuvalu card!