Trip Report If At First You Don't Succeed...*COMPLETED*

Well we're trying again.

Easter week at WDW.

Not my favorite week to visit but when your travel buddy is a teacher, you make the sacrifice. Except this year it doesn't feel like a sacrifice. The loss of our Easter 2020 vacation (thanks to COVID) was harder than I expected. I’m excited to have the chance for a do-over!

Of course the plans we had in 2020 aren't the same for 2021. We'll have no Fastpasses to skip the long lines. There will be no turkey sammie for lunch at Be Our Guest or All-American Sundae from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. No fireworks to conclude our Disney days. And we'll be staying at a different resort.

But that's all okay....there's still fun to be had! And thanks to the credit we received from last year's cancellation, most of our trip is already paid.

I have to give David's Vacation Club Rentals props. Eighteen months ago I'd signed a "no refunds" contract for our 2020 points rental, figuring it was a low-risk gamble. When the pandemic happened and WDW closed, we considered our monies lost ~ disappointing for sure, but understanding that was the result of the risk we took. After all, David's is a business which would also lose money from this pandemic. Legally they did not have to do anything for us. Yet I received a travel voucher for the full amount we paid.

I hope to report live on the adventures of Tuvalu and Em beginning next Sunday. Time will tell if I succeed.

(Must have been a Callan photo shoot. )

 

[Tuvalu]

He gets to come with me though in June so hopefully he will get to meet these two lovely ladies then.

And we are in prep mode!

 

[Tuvalu]

Time to carry on!

Saturday, con’t

We go under the sea. Kind of a premonition about what happens next.
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Turns out the sea escapes the attraction and covers the entirety of Fantasyland.

I cannot help but point out we have had no rain all week until now. But it may not be strictly the rain goddess’ fault.

Em and I are not equipped with umbrellas nor ponchos. The weather app listed no chance of rain until after 9 pm. It begins to sprinkle as we approach Village Gifts. I want to pop inside to check the price of the Country Bears canvas for @LadyBelle.

However the CMs are not allowing anyone inside, probably because they don’t want the shop to be a refuge from the rain. I plead my case to a CM at the door, while a mortified Em takes shelter from the now-bigger droplets under an umbrella table outside Gaston’s.

The CM allows me inside “just for a moment” and I discover the canvas is gone! Someone had purchased it since my last visit.

Sorry @LadyBelle.

Em and I make a mad dash for our next attraction.

 

[Tuvalu]

Hmmmm, what’s close to Peter Pan so we won’t get really wet?

A fourth visit to see our ghoulish friends? Yes, please!

Em nails it. The flash reflects off my glasses. You make the call.

 

[lindawdw]

The HM is a great place to get out of the rain! If there’s one ride I’d like to do 4 times, it would be that one

 

[Tuvalu]

Flags in the wind for @slipperalwaysfits.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

And we are in prep mode!
View attachment 549771

I told him about your plan and that he might need to brush up on his game a bit!

 

[LadyBelle]

Sorry @LadyBelle.

Oh well. Thank you for trying anyway!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

Flags in the wind for @slipperalwaysfits.

Thank you for thinking of me! A ride with ghoulish friends will allow me to actually notice the flags when I am there!

 

[Tuvalu]

I told him about your plan and that he might need to brush up on his game a bit!

Oh well. Thank you for trying anyway!

Thank you for thinking of me! A ride with ghoulish friends will allow me to actually notice the flags when I am there!

 

[Tuvalu]

Earlier we placed a mobile order at Pecos Bills.

Tonight was our 4th visit to the MK this week and each time we had passed the restaurant, mobile order entry was at the side door near Adventureland. So after Haunted Mansion, we cut through the Frontierland restroom alley in order to save steps and be closer to the correct entrance.

Except when we arrive, the side door is now exit only.

The constant change in protocols for restaurant entry/exit and queue lines is one of the big frustrations when visiting the parks these days.

So we make our way to the main entrance.

I push “I’m here” on the app and we wait on the porch for our notification. Seems the rain has chased a lot of folks out of the park. Frontierland is very quiet for a Saturday evening during Easter week!

The “taco trio” is surprisingly tasty!*

*Of course paying extra for queso and guacamole is what makes the difference.

 

[Loco_driver]

The constant change in protocols for restaurant entry/exit and queue lines is one of the big frustrations when visiting the parks these days.

Amen to that!

 

[Tuvalu]

As we finish eating I receive another notification I’d been waiting for.

@Loco_driver and his lovely wife A are in the house!!

Okay, so technically we meet them outside on the porch.

@Loco_driver sure lives up to his name. Do you know that he drives the entire 17 hours from their house to WDW? And does so again on the return trip?

Thirty-four hours....nearly a day and a half behind the wheel....for a Disney vacation.

A’s got herself a good man.

But after only a few minutes with A, it’s clear Loco’s got himself a good woman. She’s a real sweetheart!

Both are big Country Bear Jamboree fans. As am I. It’s only natural that I suggest attending the next show together. Em warns them that I will sing, clap my hands and stomp my feet during the performance.

“Oh we do too!” our new friends exclaim.

We go inside to wait.

We sit in back near Melvin, Buff and Max.

Our masks do a good job at muffling the sound of our singalong. But our joy is apparent during our fervent clapping!

We make a core memory.

 

[Tuvalu]

When the show lets out it is raining.

As I make a snarky comment about it being the rain goddess’ fault (sorry, Dar ) @Loco_driver informs us that he and A are known for bringing rain with them.

Good to know.

We talk for awhile and the drops become a drizzle. Em notices that Big Thunder Mountain has reopened (it was down). A goal for this trip was a BTMRR ride at night. While it isn’t completely dark yet, we don’t want to risk another closure ~ especially because Em and I haven’t experienced the wildest ride in the wilderness

Loco and A decide to join us. The rain becomes more steady as we approach the attraction.

The wait isn’t long. But we end up in front. Definitely not my preference, but special requests are rarely granted thanks to the pandemic.

This one’s for you, @Longers!

We are PELTED by raindrops during the ride.

We laugh. Another core memory.

 

[Tuvalu]

Em has a request.

One which would have @Longers full approval.

If not for this only a few hours earlier....

....I’m sure our new friends would have accompanied us here:

But Loco says he couldn’t possibly eat any more ice cream. Besides, they want to get to Epcot to accomplish the “all 4 parks in one day” feat.

We say our goodbyes, entrusting this fine couple to other Magicians they will meet this week.

Em gets her soft serve. I have a taste.

We longingly look at the Peoplemover and hope it is open again by our next visit!

 

[Tuvalu]

We haven’t done any attractions in Tomorrowland.

That is about to change.

Space Mountain is out because.....ice cream tummy.

Carousel of Progress is an option but I don’t want to wait and then sit for 20 minutes.

Buzz is a walk on.

We I pick Buzz.

Mistake.

Em and I sit in separate vehicles because.....competitive spirit. (Mine, not hers.)

Tuvalu, how are you able to take this picture while shooting lasers?

I’ll tell you how. Not only are BOTH my guns broken, but so is the spinner. I cannot turn my vehicle in ANY direction. As a matter of fact, I spend most of the ride facing backwards.

Except when the car turns automagically for the ride photo.

By dumb luck Em nails it! She says she has no idea where the camera is. I myself have been trying to find the camera for years without success (@cgersic). I’m usually blinded by the multiple light flashes!

Does anyone know the location of the camera?

 

[Tuvalu]

The Buzz debacle is over and it’s time to leave. I keep my eyes peeled for a PPP. Nighttime mask-free pics with the castle backdrop would be amazing!

There are none in the hub, none on Main Street and none in Town Square.

Blame the rain?

There aren’t even any characters atop the train station to bid us farewell.

Em waves goodbye anyway.

Not wanting to risk a wet boat ride, we opt to take the bus to Poly.

We begin the sad task of packing up. We have to depart early in the morning.

But we won’t be going straight home.

 

[BwlrBry212]

Room is ready. All Star Movies must think we’re a couple, rather than mother/daughter.

Late catching up but All Star Sports did the same thing to my mom and I a couple years ago. In addition to the King sized bed we were also in a handicap accessible room that did not have a tub or shower stall but just a curtain and a drain on the floor. But when we called to try to get a new room they did not have any rooms with two beds available but the adjoining room was available so they gave us that room as well so we each ended up with our own King bed and our own bathroom so it worked out in our favor.

 

[Loco_driver]

Our masks do a good job at muffling the sound of our singalong. But our joy is apparent during our fervent clapping!

We make a core memory.

We are PELTED by raindrops during the ride.

We laugh. Another core memory.

Core memories indeed. We had a blast with you guys and will always remember our raucous time at the jamboree and your gleeful and contagious laughter while riding big thunder! Here’s hoping our paths will cross again someday!

 

[Longers]

Em and Tuvalu had to suffer through dinner with just me. I was on a solo trip because Brad (being a pastor) had to work on Easter. He gets to come with me though in June so hopefully he will get to meet these two lovely ladies then.

Girly lunch then

 

[Longers]

Love tour magician meet up looks like fun. More memories of fun times with Disney friends.

I would take a ride anywhere on BTMRR right now - back is obviously best though.

yay for Em suggesting ice cream afterwards. My ideal vacation.

And the camera on buzz we did work out which flash it was one year as we did a different face for each one but I just can’t remember now which one it was - sorry - but try that idea next time you’ll work it out.