Trip Report Shortest Retirement in History?

Justin Bieber lasted 2 weeks.

Tom Brady lasted 40 days.

I, Tuvalu, outlasted them both. Not by much, mind you. Yet if not for the encouragement of some forum friends - along with some unusual circumstances - you wouldn’t be reading this.

Unusual circumstances, you say?

Around Thanksgiving my beloved Woody learned his presence was required at a work conference. In Orlando. At Universal.
Just down the road from Walt Disney World.

Woody said I could accompany him if he drove (rather than flew) to Florida. And that we could leave a couple days early and have some Disney time together.

Well you don’t have to ask me twice!

I’d be on my own during the conference. Since the majority of Universal’s attractions don’t appeal to me, it didn’t make sense for me to buy Uni tickets when I could visit WDW for free with my AP. Being solo, I thought it might be fun to do a live trip report so y’all could be my virtual companions!

Turns out I won’t be alone while Woody is occupied after all. Some friends that you have seen in my previous TRs (and one you haven’t) have offered to play with me. I can’t wait!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Can't wait to see the holiday trip! I love all of your (Woody's & Em's) adventures.

Side note: Any trip planned for Easter or for our anniversary in 2025?

 

[Tuvalu]

can I claim first?

Can't wait to see the holiday trip! I love all of your (Woody's & Em's) adventures.

Side note: Any trip planned for Easter or for our anniversary in 2025?

Both trips booked for earlier in those months.

 

[93boomer]

I’m back from the park and following! Mickey misses you!

 

[Swissmiss]

Can’t wait to read this one too.

 

[Tiki Traveler]

It’s Josh Gad’s Fault (aka Josh Gad Is An Expensive Date

This is the last chapter of my year in trip report “retirement”. Nine vacations with dates that enabled me to be in WDW every month of the year - a first for me. I am grateful for your interest in reading over 100 pages of this travelogue since your encouragement and kind/funny/snarky comments were (and are) my motivation to keep going!

 

[WDisneyW]

Looking forward to this!

 

[Dave B]

I cannot wait to hear all about this one!!!!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Backstory, Part 1

A childhood dream of Em’s was to spend her birthday at WDW. She had to wait until her 25th for its fulfillment.

Two nights at Coronado Springs in Cabana 9B (demolished the next year for Gran Destino tower construction) and the Jingle Bell Jingle Bam! Dessert Party held in the Great Movie Ride courtyard. She’s wearing the special 3D glasses we received to “enhance” the fireworks.

We returned the next year and did our first MVMCP.

Three nights at POR where we met @riverside for the first time!

The third time was truly the charm - six nights at Wilderness Lodge with Woody.

Due to her school schedule we had to celebrate her birthday later in December 2019 - the last of our three days at POFQ was Christmas Eve.

We were on our way to breakfast at the Crystal Palace. The Castle Dreamlights stayed on all night. Gosh, how we miss them!

An extended family trip in November 2020 was the closest she would get to her birthday. DHS was the only park with holiday decorations during our dates.

2021 was another belated birthday celebration at POFQ right before Christmas. There was snow!

After a half dozen WDW birthdays, we switched it up and she visited Dollywood in 2022 & 2023 on her actual birthday.

Thus she now has a short history of birthday celebrations at theme parks all decked out for the holidays. A birthday bonus, so to say.

The story of 2024 up next.

 

[RememberWhen]

Happy birthday trip season Em!!

 

[93boomer]

Backstory, Part 1

A childhood dream of Em’s was to spend her birthday at WDW. She had to wait until her 25th for its fulfillment.
View attachment 829733

Two nights at Coronado Springs in Cabana 9B (demolished the next year for Gran Destino tower construction) and the Jingle Bell Jingle Bam! Dessert Party held in the Great Movie Ride courtyard. She’s wearing the special 3D glasses we received to “enhance” the fireworks.

We returned the next year and did our first MVMCP.

View attachment 829734

Three nights at POR where we met @riverside for the first time!

View attachment 829735

The third time was truly the charm - six nights at Wilderness Lodge with Woody.

View attachment 829736

Due to her school schedule we had to celebrate her birthday later in December 2019 - the last of our three days at POFQ was Christmas Eve.

View attachment 829738

We were on our way to breakfast at the Crystal Palace. The Castle Dreamlights stayed on all night. Gosh, how we miss them!

An extended family trip in November 2020 was the closest she would get to her birthday. DHS was the only park with holiday decorations during our dates.

View attachment 829742

2021 was another belated birthday celebration at POFQ right before Christmas. There was snow!

View attachment 829739

After a half dozen WDW birthdays, we switched it up and she visited Dollywood in 2022 & 2023 on her actual birthday.

View attachment 829740

View attachment 829755

Thus she now has a short history of birthday celebrations at theme parks all decked out for the holidays. A birthday bonus, so to say.

The story of 2024 up next.

I love love love this!!!

 

[Swissmiss]

A childhood dream of Em’s was to spend her birthday at WDW. She had to wait until her 25th for its fulfillment.

I had to wait until I was twice her age

 

[Tuvalu]

I had to wait until I was twice her age

You made me chuckle. But I suppose the correct reaction should have been

Fun fact - my first Disney birthday was at Disneyland. I turned 35.

Like you, I also celebrated my half century at WDW. Came home to find 50 Mickey heads decorating our front lawn.

I have funny friends.

 

[cgersic]

I did my 50th there too!! I've had the joy of celebrating there almost 20 times now, and can't believe that as I typed it.

 

[Tiggerish]

My birthday's at the end of July, so I've never celebrated it at WDW, nor would I ever want to!

 

[Swissmiss]

You made me chuckle. But I suppose the correct reaction should have been

No, it was definitely more

 

[Tuvalu]

Backstory, Part Tu

The Candlelight Processional is a Disney tradition that’s a must do for many, regardless of the narrator. I am more selective - the narrator is pivotal in my decision to attend the show.

Woody and I have seen the most popular narrator.

And Em and I have seen the most handsome narrator.

So it was a bit of a surprise to my family (and myself, actually) that I was interested in seeing this narrator.

But let’s be honest. It really wasn’t that guy. It was this guy -

Who wouldn’t want to listen to lovable Olaf tell the Christmas story?!!?!!

Josh/Olaf would be narrating on Saturday November 30, our arrival day. If we encountered no travel delays on the road (it was Thanksgiving weekend) we should be in Epcot by mid-afternoon, with plenty of time to stand in line for the 5 pm performance. We’d only ever waited standby for the Candlelight Processional, since the upcharge for a dining package seemed unnecessary.

This year’s prices were jaw dropping.

Regal Eagle had a same-day package that was affordable. But it was first-come first-served, and we would be crunched for time as it was. La Crêperie was the least expensive table service option, but we’d never eaten there and I was unsure if Em and I would like it.

My intent was to wait standby as usual. Then, the morning of October 29, I was overwhelmed by a bad case FOMO….or my highly competitive nature kicked in (not sure which.) Reservations for Candlelight Processional Dining Packages (CPDP) had opened at 6 am. When I logged on here around 7:30 am, all I saw was post after post complaining that Disney’s dining page wouldn’t load, all dates had no availability, restaurants were missing, the app glitched, the website glitched, etc. etc. Posters were either angry or worried.

I was swept up in the drama. I decided to see if MY app worked (so that I could report something positive) and if it did, if there was CPDP availability for November 30 (for research purposes, of course.)

My app worked fine. I scrolled through the CPDP options for 11/30. And there it was - a 2:30 pm time slot at La Crêperie for the 5 pm show.

I booked it on impulse. I figured I could always cancel it once rational thinking returned.

Yeah, that didn’t happen. This is Disney after all.

Rather I began to obsess about making it to WDW in time for a 2:30 pm ADR. The added pressure would make for a very stressful drive if something unexpected occurred - likely holiday weekend traffic.

I began to ponder driving halfway to FL on Black Friday. But much of the area we drive through is rural, with few options for hotels and restaurants. Woody priced out a few hotels which were 2/3 the cost of a Disney room.

Disney logic - for 1/3 dollars more and a few more hours of driving, we could arrive on Friday and be fully rested for Saturday’s late lunch and date with Josh Gad.

I wasn’t able to add a night to our POFQ reservation. But CSR had an AP rate I couldn’t pass up.

Do you think Josh Gad is willing to reimburse me the money? After all, it was his fault.

 

[RememberWhen]

I love your Disney math.

 

[TrolleyFollower91]

Me, the entire time before we left, knowing we’d end up at Disney a day early.

 

[LadyBelle]

I had to wait until I was twice her age

I still haven’t. Dang Princess marathon.

 

[Tuvalu]

I still haven’t. Dang Princess marathon.

Dilemma solved.

RUN!!