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!

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

I insisted on visiting HM next, knowing that the wait would quickly increase from its current 25 minutes….once we made it to the actual entrance, of course. Winding through the former keel boats area reminded me of pandemic times.

Playful spooks stopped us here.

My Memory Maker expired. Didn’t stop us from making faces though!

(Confidential to @TrolleyFollower91- your face was prophetic!)

 

[Tuvalu]

Time is money, right?

And while we refused to pay $39 each for Genie+, we gladly forked over $20 each for an Individual Lightning Lane for TRON.

We hate the VQ standby wait THAT MUCH.

We entered the LL and 20 minutes later exited the attraction. A dollar a minute?

WORTH IT!

While we were in the area we took a spin on the Peoplemover and mobile ordered an early lunch.

 

[Minnie1986]

Time is money, right?

And while we refused to pay $39 each for Genie+, we gladly forked over $20 each for an Individual Lightning Lane for TRON.

We hate the VQ standby wait THAT MUCH.

We entered the LL and 20 minutes later exited the attraction. A dollar a minute?

WORTH IT!

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While we were in the area we took a spin on the Peoplemover and mobile ordered an early lunch.

View attachment 780123

I will absolutely be purchasing ILL whenever possible/necessary; my patience level is nearing zero as I get older

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

Em was in a quandary when choosing her shirt for today. Her Happily Ever After comeback or Columbia Harbor House Upstairs Crew? She opted to match me, figuring we’d eat at CHH another day and wear that shirt then.

Whelp, we decided on CHH today. And sat upstairs.

Ultimately she made the right shirt choice though. A CM noticed our dated HEA tees (April 3, 2023 - the day HEA returned to its rightful spot as the premier MK fireworks show, replacing the short-lived Disney Enchantment) said they were awesome, asked if we were there debut night (YEAH!), and asked where we got them (Em had them made.)

While we were eating lunch, Em noticed (again) the side-eye from a nearby diner. A moment later, a woman (and her husband) came to our table and confessed to being a lurker in the TR forum. We had a delightful chat and she sweetly accepted a Tuvalu card.

Teacher Kelly from NY - PERSEVERE the next 3 years!

Before leaving CHH, I checked wait times.

Those were the worst. Everything else was 30 minutes or more. It was only 11:30 am.

Big fat nope from us. We were outta there!

 

[Tuvalu]

Em’s goal for the week was reading/relaxing by the pool as much as possible. The weather was perfect for doing just that so we quickly changed into swimwear and walked the few steps to the quiet pool, which was practically outside our door.

After awhile I had a craving for a frozen drink. I mentioned to Em that I was going to walk over to Muddy Rivers, the pool bar at the main pool. She said she’d like to go with me.

We ordered and grabbed a table.

Our table overlooked the pool and I spotted Joey. Then I saw @riverside. I told Em I was going to say hi.

I wasn’t the only one who spotted her. Patrick, bartender extraordinaire, had rushed to give her a hug and take her order.

Patti then joined us at our table.

We had a great time hanging out!

 

[Tuvalu]

Em and I planned to return to MK for Happily Ever After. We did not want quick service in the park so I browsed MDE for table service availability.

Burnt ends nachos and lava cake. Whispering Canyon here we come!

I made the critical error of not requesting Akira. I’d quickly scanned the restaurant and didn’t see her so I assumed she wasn’t working. The server we had was friendly enough, but inattentive and slow. (Recall my comment about a slow service trend this week?)

When the nachos came we devoured them before I got a picture. But I did remember the lava cake.

Although, yet again, I was surprised when it did not arrive in a little pot with the ice cream on top. The change to a plate (above) happened a couple years ago and I am still fixated on the way it used to be.

When it was better.

Midway through our meal I waved across the room at Akira. She shouted, “What’cha doing way over there? Why didn’t you ask for me?!!”

I hung my head in shame.

She came over and I apologized and asked her to take a selfie.

She obliged.

“Oh you mean with you guys?”

“Wait, wait, wait. That’s not good. I need to be closer.”

I promised to ask for her on our next visit in June.

“I won’t be here. I’m on vacation!”

“July?” I asked tentatively.

“July it is. I’ll see you in July!”

 

[Minnie1986]

Em and I planned to return to MK for Happily Ever After. We did not want quick service in the park so I browsed MDE for table service availability.

Burnt ends nachos and lava cake. Whispering Canyon here we come!

I made the critical error of not requesting Akira. I’d quickly scanned the restaurant and didn’t see her so I assumed she wasn’t working. The server we had was friendly enough, but inattentive and slow. (Recall my comment about a slow service trend this week?)

When the nachos came we devoured them before I got a picture. But I did remember the lava cake.

View attachment 780164

Although, yet again, I was surprised when it did not arrive in a little pot with the ice cream on top. The change to a plate (above) happened a couple years ago and I am still fixated on the way it used to be.

When it was better.

Midway through our meal I waved across the room at Akira. She shouted, “What’cha doing way over there? Why didn’t you ask for me?!!”

I hung my head in shame.

She came over and I apologized and asked her to take a selfie.

She obliged.

View attachment 780165

“Oh you mean with you guys?”

View attachment 780166

“Wait, wait, wait. That’s not good. I need to be closer.”

View attachment 780167

I promised to ask for her on our next visit in June.

“I won’t be here. I’m on vacation!”

“July?” I asked tentatively.

“July it is. I’ll see you in July!”

When in July will you be visiting again (as I anxious scheme how to get a Tuvalu card)?

 

[Tuvalu]

When in July will you be visiting again (as I anxious scheme how to get a Tuvalu card)?

7/9-15

 

[Minnie1986]

7/9-15

I definitely didn't start giddily dancing because I'll be there during those date as well

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

We opted for the boat as transportation from WL to MK.

I was so happy to see that the sign for the blue launch has returned. The blue launch operates between WL, Ft. Wilderness and the Contemporary. It was last in service pre-pandemic, and we’ve missed the convenience of the direct transport between the resorts.

Transport does not begin until 3 pm, however. But reduced hours are better than none!

We did one attraction before staking out our viewing spot for HEA.

What is Pirates of the Caribbean?

Or for @Songbird76.

 

[Tuvalu]

Ready to begin

Let the wonder take hold

Feel it draw you in

Watch the moment unfold

 

[pkkurz]

Ready to begin

View attachment 780327

Let the moment take hold

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Feel it draw you in

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Let the wonder unfold

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Beautiful pictures!! Those might even be @fractal quality!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

As soon as the show ended we walked as quickly as possible to the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness.

Last car - and we didn’t have to request it!

It wasn’t a flawless ride however. As our train climbed the second life hill, we came to a sudden stop.

Oh we really didn’t want an evac. Not now. We just wanted to end our day with fun, fast coaster ride.

After a few minutes the chain began to crank and our train made it up and over the hill.

So while our initial thrill was paused, the rest of ride was great!

 

[RememberWhen]

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Am I the only one seeing mickeys face here?!

 

[Tuvalu]

Am I the only one seeing mickeys face here?!
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Very cool!!

 

[Minnie1986]

Am I the only one seeing mickeys face here?!
View attachment 780500

Definitely not the only one

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, April 3

Memo to self - always check notes in advance of posting. Doing so can prevent a faux pas like this:

Tuesday, April 2

We left our room in the dark and arrived at the north depot (closest to our building) to find the pavilion full of people. It was so crowded that we missed seeing @riverside, L & J (who we were looking for!)

When the MK bus finally arrived - almost full - Em and I were part of the fortunate few able to squeeze on and had to stand. (Joey saw us on board and pointed us out to Patti.)

The majority of my MK bus delay rant from yesterday was true, except the part about looking for the @riverside clan and Joey’s spotting us on the bus. You see, the exact situation happened again today - except it was the DHS bus that kept getting delayed. And it was this morning that I had looked for PLJ and J saw us on the bus.

That is how bad the early bus transportation was for us this week - whichever park we were trying to get to for EE, that was the bus that was late arriving and we never made EE on time.

Before getting off the bus at DHS, I checked the app and saw that RotR was down. We opted for MMMRR instead, sneaking in just before the park opened to everyone at 8:30 am.

While in the outdoor portion of the queue, I glanced over and saw this.

Notice the Cast Member?

That’s the end of the standby line for Slinky Dog Dash! And at that moment it was filled only with guests eligible for EE!

Welcome to Easter week.

Thankfully MMRR is a big people-eater and if you get there before the LL people begin to show up the line moves quickly.

 

[Minnie1986]

Wednesday, April 3

Memo to self - always check notes in advance of posting. Doing so can prevent a faux pas like this:


The majority of my MK bus delay rant from yesterday was true, except the part about looking for the @riverside clan and Joey’s spotting us on the bus. You see, the exact situation happened again today - except it was the DHS bus that kept getting delayed. And it was this morning that I had looked for PLJ and J saw us on the bus.

That is how bad the early bus transportation was for us this week - whichever park we were trying to get to for EE, that was the bus that was late arriving and we never made EE on time.

Before getting off the bus at DHS, I checked the app and saw that RotR was down. We opted for MMMRR instead, sneaking in just before the park opened to everyone at 8:30 am.

View attachment 780506

While in the outdoor portion of the queue, I glanced over and saw this.

View attachment 780507

Notice the Cast Member?

View attachment 780508
That’s the end of the standby line for Slinky Dog Dash! And at that moment it was filled only with guests eligible for EE!

Welcome to Easter week.

Thankfully MMRR is a big people-eater and if you get there before the LL people begin to show up the line moves quickly.

View attachment 780509

View attachment 780510

Can't wait to check this ride out in WDW. My last visit was right before it opened.

 

[meggo819]

Am I the only one seeing mickeys face here?!
View attachment 780500

That was my first thought too!

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, con’t

For the life of me I can’t remember why I took this picture.

But if you have been in the standby queue of Rise of the Resistance, you have passed by here.

Oh my gosh I just remembered why I took the picture.

The backside of water!!

Guests can experience it in not just one, but TWO parks. (You’re welcome for this bit of useless information.)

Anyhoo, after exiting MMRR I checked the app and saw that Rise had opened. Em and I took a brisk walk and joined the line. We waited a little over an hour.

All the special effects were working except the cannons - and since it is highly likely they will never be fixed - I stand by my statement that ALL effects operated as designed.

Definitely was worth the wait!