Trip Report No Sounds Like Summer? We'll JOURNEY Anyway! *COMPLETED*

It was this week last summer that @TrolleyFollower91 and I had an epic girls trip to WDW.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...e-july-journey-completed.917246/#post-7369605

On our first day we rocked to the music of DSB ~ the ultimate Journey tribute band ~ at the America Gardens Theater in Epcot. It was an event we'll always remember. DSB was the final band in the annual "Sounds Like Summer" concert series. The lead singer said the band was looking forward to returning next summer.

And here we are.....it's "next summer."

But there has been no "Sounds Like Summer" concert series in 2017.
No DSB.

Don't. Stop. Believin'.

Em and I refuse to go our Separate Ways. We have too much fun together. We have one last chance to do WDW together before school starts and by golly we're gonna do it....even without DSB.

Want to tag along?

Attempting a full-fledged LIVE trip report is daunting and difficult, so I decided to follow @TheMouseFan's lead and be LIVE-ish. Real time pics and updates to be expanded on after my return home.

Oh, and I will finish my currently-in-progress trip report.

Who's ready for Summer #2?

We are!!

 

[krisri18]

late to the party but so happy to be here! June is my favorite month! My birthday 6/6, my husband's birthday 6/14, and our wedding anniversary 6/23. I was hoping for June babies but they both came in mid July. I am actually really looking forward to taking my son to see Indiana Jones...he loves action. I am sad my kids will never experience GMR. It was my husband's favorite ride on our last trip. Both my kids love dryer lint, just like me. We actually shared a bag on Sunday haha.

What are the odds of 3 of us with the same birthday? I think I've only met 2 people with the same birthday as me in my Life!

 

[Gabe1]

I know my updates have been slow in coming but life in the Tuvalu family has been crazy busy these past several weeks. Now that the wonderful event is over I thought I'd share a few pics.....

View attachment 234979

Drumr's wedding day!
View attachment 234980

View attachment 234981

View attachment 234985

View attachment 234982

View attachment 234983

View attachment 234984

And in other exciting family news, Tuvalette is going to be a big sister.

Tuvaleen is due in the spring.

Wow! What times are being had in your family! Woot!!!! What a lovely wedding. Know I'm getting older when the bride looks like she is still in high school in my aging brain. So pretty. @Woodywrkr your smiles are always the brightest when you are with your little princess @TrolleyFollower91 Awesome! And Wow! Another little Tuvalette coming your way. WooHoo!

 

[Gabe1]

I used my "Shirley" celebrity status for a private viewing of Soarin'.

View attachment 218498
No one in C glider section....

.....or in A glider section.
View attachment 218499

Love that top! So dang cute on you!

 

[Gabe1]

Thursday, July 27

Day is not starting off magical. We have NO WATER!!

Called the front desk. "The hotel has no water. We are working on it."

WHAT??????!!!!!!!

No brushing teeth, no washing and most important....no flushing.

I think I preferred last night's surprise.

That happened to us at Riverside last fall. Got up and wooba, nothing. Went to get coffee and stopped at Lobby to inquire. You would have thought I was an alien. She got the manager for a time table update. While the maintenance folk obviously knew there was a problem Guest Services at POR started scrambling. Knew nothing. We had early FP+ my concern for a time table. They handed over 3 FP+ for each of us and apologies for being clueless.

 

[amjt660]

ur·ban leg·end
ˈərbən ˈlejənd/
noun

1. a humorous or horrific story or piece of information circulated as though true, especially one purporting to involve someone vaguely related or known to the teller.

I want to state again for the record:
I DID NOT STEAL CANDY FROM A BABY.

And without throwing @DisneyBound2017 under the bus, I did go in search of dryer lint (some would call it “cotton candy”) because she dared me to try it. Ok ~ “dared” is too strong of a word. Her exact words: “I hope to see a picture of you both sampling the dryer lint!!!”

So I aim to please.
View attachment 238721

My one little innocent taste has taken on a life of its’ own. Fake news has become urban legend

I know you did not steal candy from a baby


It was cotten candy and it was a toddler

Max

 

[12in12]

I know you did not steal candy from a baby


It was cotten candy and it was a toddler

Max

But the story is so much better when it is stealing candy from a baby.

 

[Tuvalu]

I know you did not steal candy from a baby


It was cotten candy and it was a toddler

Max

Sheesh, guess it’s time for another spelling lesson....

cotton candy

Tuvalu 2
Max 0

(Unless it’s a Canadian spelling. )

 

[Tuvalu]

With our three FPs crossed off the list, it was time to leave DHS and head for.....

....Disney Springs. Not to be confused with Coronado Springs. Or Saratoga Springs. (Somebody in upper management sure loves “springs.” ) Upon our arrival we went directly to Uniqlo. Em and I were on a mission to find cheap matching Minnie tees. By “cheap” I mean in price only, as the quality of Uniqlo Disney tees is superior to the quality of Disney tees found at the parks. I can’t vouch for any of the other merchandise at Uniqlo but the tees are great!

You just have to get past the creepy mannequins.....

Purchase in hand (we’d wear the shirts tomorrow) we excitedly walked to our dinner destination.

Praise for Chef Art’s is all over the internet and we wanted to try it for ourselves. It was a pretty humid evening so when the hostess inquired “Table inside or out?” Em hurriedly answered, “In!”

My view from our two-top:

Em’s view:

Our server was......okay. It took awhile for her to come and greet us. We had ample time to look over the menu, though we had decided before we’d even entered the restaurant what we were going to have. My margarita aficionado ordered a Moonshine Margarita. I can’t remember what she thought of it (help @TrolleyFollower91).

I was dehydrated and just wanted plain water. I sensed a little annoyance from our server.

Her mood didn’t get any better when we announced we wanted to share Art’s Famous Fried Chicken. She begrudgingly brought us an extra plate. I’d read the portion was hefty (it ought to be for $28) and we planned on having dessert and did not want to stuff ourselves.

The chicken was both crisp and moist and to quote Colonel Sanders “finger-lickin’ good!” (Now this is chicken, @mlegerto!) The cheddar cheese biscuit was To Die For. Neither Em nor I eat pickles but let’s assume Chef Art knows his pickles. The mashed potatoes were not the be-all-end-all I had hoped they would be....they were fine, but I would choose Bob Evans taters every time over these. Perhaps we should have subbed the Mac and Cheese for the potatoes (though I don’t know if that is allowed)?

We glanced over the dessert menu but Em wasn’t feeling it. Ice cream (specifically Ghirardelli’s) was calling her name. Imagine our server’s consternation when she returned for our dessert order and I asked for the check. There was a problem with our check (shocker!) which required tracking her down. Not the best way to end a meal.

Overall we enjoyed Homecomin’ and would be willing to give it another try. I am curious about the chicken and donut combination......

 

[Gabe1]

We should have stepped outside to shower.
For the last two hours, WL has had NO HOT WATER!!!!!!
We have a dinner ADR to make.
Cold shower = NOT MAGICAL

So I read this to my DD (the one Em's age). She did a Woody hmmmm....isn't this the same lady that broke the elevators at the Wilderness Lodge in a different trip report for an entire week???...now the the water and then the Hot water????

Maybe the next time that either @TrolleyFollower91 or @Woodywrkr agree to go to the Wilderness Lodge with Tuvalu you should bring a Tiki statue for good luck. Obviously the Tiki Gods are not liking Tuvalu cheating on the Poly.

 

[Tuvalu]

So I read this to my DD (the one Em's age). She did a Woody hmmmm....isn't this the same lady that broke the elevators at the Wilderness Lodge in a different trip report for an entire week???...now the the water and then the Hot water????

Maybe the next time that either @TrolleyFollower91 or @Woodywrkr agree to go to the Wilderness Lodge with Tuvalu you should bring a Tiki statue for good luck. Obviously the Tiki Gods are not liking Tuvalu cheating on the Poly.

“Don’t mess with Polynesia or the Tiki gods will seize ya!”
Got it.

 

[Tuvalu]

It was Christmas in July in the Marketplace section of DS.

(Will “Happy 4th in December” banners be up at Christmas?)

In keeping with the holiday theme, this dance party should have been led by Santa. Or a reindeer.

Nothing says Christmas like a Sea Salt Caramel Brownie Sundae.

Which apparently serves 4, since our server put down 4 spoons along with the sundae....even though Em and I occupied the only two chairs at the table. Do you think he was trying to tell us something?

BTW, this sundae was DELICIOUS!! So yum, in fact, we made a trip to the outlet mall near us to have it AGAIN. Ghirardelli at outlet mall prices? Yes please!

Em and I waddled to the bus stop. We made it back to WL just in time to watch a Happily Ever After from a window in the hall. Em synced up the soundtrack from YouTube and it was almost like being in the park!

I did say *almost*

And after HEA concluded we were able to watch the Electrical Water Pageant from our balcony.

More unabridged fun coming up!

 

[amjt660]

Sheesh, guess it’s time for another spelling lesson....

cotton candy

Tuvalu 2
Max 0

(Unless it’s a Canadian spelling. )

Actually it is a "I am so ready to go home" spelling

Max

 

[Gabe1]

After a quick unpack, we went in search of a snack.

View attachment 229109

There are no longer queues to order food, perhaps to "open up" the area? But I question the placement of this "snack island" in the middle of the room. (Note: We were never there when it was crazy busy so not sure how the new layout handles crowds.)
View attachment 229110
However, moving the beverage island into the dining area is an improvement.
View attachment 229111

During busy morning and after park closes that center island is a pain. While we liked the new ordering system it was a long wait to actually get your food delivered to your table. And since we were there before, during and after Irma that room was packed all day for the two lock down days of curfew. Insane on Monday. Artist was open 3 meals a day on Sunday pre-Irma but after she passed lockdown day #2 it was insane cause they changed their minds and didn't open Artist for Breakfast. Plus at Forks the old tables and new tables outside were tied down so only the tables were in the small indoor room.

People complain that they will never stay at such-and-such resort again because the bus service was "lousy." Doesn't matter what level of resort ~ value, moderate or deluxe ~ gripes about the bus service are common. As someone who has utilized Disney bus service for over 25 years, I have had my share of lousy service but have also had great luck. The majority of my bus experience has been neutral ~ some waiting, but no real problems. The increase in the number of ECVs that need to be accommodated has increased over time and I think accounts for the majority of "lousy service" complaints. Only one ECV load/unload can throw the bus off schedule and increase wait times. And none of us like to wait!

During our stay, Em and I had no bus issues to/from WL. Our wait times were short. Yet a month later @sheriffwoody encountered long delays. So our current opinions on WL transportation are vastly different. I may encounter long waits on my next trip (though there is no way to predict that in advance) and my opinion might change.

My point? No guest transport experiences are exactly the same. What qualifies as "lousy service" to one may not seem that way to another. Perception can cloud reality. No resort has "perfect" transportation. Trust me ~ I've been burned way too many times by the "convenience" of the monorail!

Aside from an off oddity here and there WL might have been the very worst bus service we have ever had especially to the MK and the boats were worse. Only one that came as close was to that was AKL. It was bad before Irma but after the boats were cut from two to one boat because Ft. Wilderness was closed. I missed a boat going to the Halloween Party and 60 minutes later, yes 60 minutes for the direct boat before we docked at the MK! I could have swam. The bus was miserable. One night we waiting for the Lodge bus at the MK, people waiting there already and frustrated. 40 minutes for a bus to the Lodge. Even if they only have one bus it is 5 minutes to the bus stop (3 minutes if they know you are onboard) Best we can figure is Bus drive took his lunch break after he dropped people off and we just waited until he finished up and came to get us. Seriously I could have walked to WL quicker.
The other parks, farther away were not as bad but the backtracking to the Contemporary Ride Share program they have going was horrid.

We used Uber so much this trip staying at the Wilderness. We didn't opt for the $20 Minnie though.

View attachment 229963
Wouldn't it be funny if Disney inserted some sort of scary image in these "look surprised" shots?

We had the best scared out of our wits "look scared" at the tower of terror. A great photographer too.

Welcome to Mexico! Always a fun experience to browse in the open air market while enjoying the nighttime atmosphere. We didn't buy anything this time. We have yet to go inside La Cava ~ you'd think the margarita lover would attempt to persuade her mama to give it a try.

Instead we took our usual cruise.

View attachment 232263

Me <------LaCava-----Margarita Lover

Do it! But beware...once you've had their Margaritas others are not quite the same. Try it. So yummy. Generous Size. The Classic. Straw must be requested now.

 

[Tuvalu]

@Gabe1 thanks for the update on the Roaring Fork “island” during busy times ~ sadly what I expected. Agree that there are still operational issues to be worked on. And yuck about all your transportation problems. I hope we fare better in December.

Glad you made it through Irma safely.

La Cava is on the list .

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, July 25

I had been looking forward to this day for awhile ~ the opportunity to meet the legendary @fractal . His was the first trip report I ever read, based on Em’s recommendation. As a budding photographer, Em became acquainted with Fractal’s work in the Photography forums. Then she found his trip report and discovered that not only did he take amazing pictures, the man could write!

But more on that trip report later.

We had @lostpro9het / @imahistorygeek Breakfast of Champions before heading for the bus. (If you don’t know what that is, you need to read our previous TRs! )

Wanna see us in our new Uniqlo Minnie shirts?

But I’m getting ahead of myself. We were on our way to the bus.

Em had to ring the cowbell. And I managed to refrain from singing the chorus of Buttons and Bows.

The bus was waiting for us and in no time we arrived at the MK.

Em was a *little* too excited about the empty Passholder entrance.

Did you know there is a mailbox on Main Street? And it’s REAL!

 

[Tuvalu]

Our plan was to rope drop Jungle Cruise.
It was a good plan!

I took the next picture for @Sheriff Woody, as she had asked if the rhino was still missing. Because I have been so tardy in completing this TR, she has been able to see for herself on the two trips she has taken since!

 

[Tuvalu]

Does anyone know what time it is?

Pirate Time!!

Heeerrre’s Johnny!

Fortunately for Em, she did not drop her lens into Pirate waters. It was imperative she get pictures of the Redhead!

The man in the front row is a classic!

I think this is a cool Magic Shot.

 

[Tuvalu]

Where to next?

The crowds were still light so we opted to join the standby line for Big Thunder Mountain.

Did the lady above get a shocking text or something?

We asked to ride in back.
Score!

Here we go again, @Longers!

 

[riverside]

View attachment 239137
Does anyone know what time it is?

Pirate Time!!
View attachment 239135

View attachment 239140

View attachment 239139

Heeerrre’s Johnny!
View attachment 239141

Fortunately for Em, she did not drop her lens into Pirate waters. It was imperative she get pictures of the Redhead!

View attachment 239142

View attachment 239143

View attachment 239144

The man in the front row is a classic!
View attachment 239138

I think this is a cool Magic Shot.
View attachment 239136

Great photos!! This is one of my favorite rides!!

 

[12in12]

The new tshirts are very nice!