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!

 

[93boomer]

Just gonna leave these here.

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Yeah she looks like I did!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

Em learned in the spring that her district would have their first-ever fall break. The dates magically coincided with the BRV reservation. Woody happily bowed out so that Em’s wish could be fulfilled. October was the only month in which she had never set foot in the parks.

I'm so happy she got a Fall Break for the first time! We had a fall break once and went to Disney. Now we just get Thanksgiving break so we make the most of it with DISNEY trips because.....

There needs to be a Disneyholics Anonymous

I liked the embellishments themed to the current F&W Festival.

These are such a fun part of the Land. I love the way they decorate it for Christmas, too.

 

[Tuvalu]

Sunday, con’t

A ride on the MPB was a must.

Earlier I’d reviewed the menus of the MK quick service locations for lunch. Nothing appealed to my sensitive stomach. At the same time Em was perusing availability at table service restaurants.

“How about Liberty Tree?” she asked me.

Normally I would have responded, “Book it!” But the thought of all that food at the moment overwhelmed me.

“Steakhouse 71?” she offered as an alternate option. I pondered for a moment and asked to see the menu. “Book it,” I told her.

We disembarked at the Main Street Station and walked to the Contemporary. We passed several storm-damaged trees along the way.

It was a few minutes before we were escorted to our table at the front of the restaurant. Though this is not the best picture (of a picture!) it’s cool to see the beginnings of the tile mosaic for Cinderella Castle.

While service at Steakhouse 71 tends to be on the slow side, our server today was fairly prompt. Em ordered the steak frites and was very pleased with her choice. The fries were not waffle style per the menu, but they came with the same parmesan topping.

I’d forgotten how much I like grilled chicken sandwich. I ate it deconstructed, sans bun, and it was well received by my stomach. I did nibble on a couple fries because I do like the parmesan.

Direct transportation back to WL would have been great but it was too early for the blue launch. Instead we rode the monorail to the MK and caught the WL launch from there.

 

[Tuvalu]

Dare we have a little pool time in October?

If “a little” = two hours, then YES!

Though it was a nice warm afternoon, we practically had the place to ourselves. The rolled towels on the loungers indicated few people had taken advantage of this amenity.

The water was the perfect temperature. Em and I couldn’t have been happier.

We “discovered” this pool gate that we’d never used in all our visits to Boulder Ridge pool. It was very convenient to an entrance to the villas.

We used it as a shortcut to the beverage refill station.

 

[Tuvalu]

Em and I learned that lounging in the Florida sun in October can be as tiring as it is in summer. It’s that “Day at the Beach” phenomenon where you do absolutely nothing yet are exhausted at the end of the day.

Neither of us had the desire (or energy!) to leave the resort for nighttime fun.

Besides what could be better than an al fresco dinner at one of the prettiest resorts on property….

….which also serves an amazing smoked turkey sandwich?

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, October 14

Today was party day!!

As both of us are morning people (thanks to our body clocks) we knew we’d need a nap this afternoon if we had any chance of making it to party close at midnight. Thus I decided to make our park reservation (grrr…) for a place where we don’t have to spend a lot of time.

What an appropriate bus!

Most of you know that Tu and Trolley don’t visit here when temps are summer hot. With fall’s decreased humidity (hurricanes notwithstanding) we were hoping for a more pleasant experience.

It began well with just a short line at the Passholder entrance. AK does Passholder entry better than the other parks.

 

[Tuvalu]

We had three priorities - Kilimanjaro Safaris, Dinosaur and lunch.

Oh and perusing the stores, so I guess that makes four. (As I am always looking to wow you @Zipadeelady in regard to AK, it does have the best gift stores on property!)

As the park had already been open for an hour we made a beeline for the safari.

Forty minutes is not too bad of a wait.

If only it had really been 40 minutes….

 

[Zipadeelady]

If only it had really been 40 minutes….

How am I supposed to win you over like this!?

 

[TrolleyFollower91]

How am I supposed to win you over like this!?

 

[Zipadeelady]

You two are just kidding right.... leaving me stringing along.... trying to scare me?

 

[Tuvalu]

You two are just kidding right.... leaving me stringing along.... trying to scare me?

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, con’t (and the “more” Em hinted at)

We entered the queue and all was well until we passed by here.

Normally guests continue to move forward under the covered queue.

Not today.

Today was reminiscent of Easter week and other high volume weeks where guests must exit out on open door on the left and continue queuing outside along a convoluted path of foliage. It took us 20 minutes to travel this extended queue. Then an additional 45 minutes in the regular queue.

Over an hour to get to the load zone!

Finally happy to have a seat in a Jeep…

….which was directly behind the driver.

As it turns out going on safari a few days after a hurricane wasn’t the best decision. Water must have closed parts of the trail (though the CM made no mention of that.) Seasoned travelers like us noticed we did not drive by the mandrill monkeys nor the red clay pit. Very few animal species were out and about. No painted dogs, no greater kudu, no lions, no ostrich and a reduced number of giraffes, cheetahs, elephants and goats. This shortened safari was a disappointment, especially considering how long we’d waited.

Animals we did see:

A bloat of hippos

A dazzle of zebras

And an elephant!

 

[Tuvalu]

Okay time for another positive, @Zipadeelady.

The status indicators on the restroom stalls!

How great are these?!! AK must have taken note from Buc-ee’s playbook!

Also the exterior doors on all the restrooms were open. I thought the exterior doors were always closed for safety?

 

[Captain Barbossa]

The status indicators on the restroom stalls!

How great are these?!! AK must have taken note from Buc-ee’s playbook!

Which restrooms were these? I vaguely remember the ones at Rafiki’s having them many moons ago.

 

[Tuvalu]

Which restrooms were these? I vaguely remember the ones at Rafiki’s having them many moons ago.

Harambe.

I’m sure I would have noticed them on my April visit!

 

[Tiggertoo56]

Harambe.

I’m sure I would have noticed them on my April visit!

I noticed these in a few restrooms this visit and haven't previously!

 

[RememberWhen]

I wish they would do this in all the restrooms. Saves awkward peeking for feet.

 

[Tuvalu]

I wish they would do this in all the restrooms. Saves awkward peeking for feet.

 

[Zipadeelady]

Okay time for another positive, @Zipadeelady.

The status indicators on the restroom stalls!

View attachment 823026

How great are these?!! AK must have taken note from Buc-ee’s playbook!

Also the exterior doors on all the restrooms were open. I thought the exterior doors were always closed for safety?

This is positive news! The bend over to look for feet or the "I'm sure this stall is available" then pushing the door open to a lady sitting on the toilet with her knickers around her ankles because they forgot to lock the door are not moments I like to remember.

(apparently, I'm using the 74% England/NW Europe that Ancestry says I am and decided knickers instead of pants was better terminology)

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, con’t

And….back to another negative, @Zipadeelady.

Once we completed our safari, we opened the app to check the wait for Dinosaur. The wait times for other attractions - at 10:10 am - were eye popping!

Dinosaur was down and would not reopen while we were there.