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]

I just saw on Disney Food Blog that there's a new transportation option from MCO to Disney Springs. I think it was called Lynx or something, and it only costs $2. The only problem is just what you mentioned....you can't take luggage on the Disney buses, so once you get to DS, you'll have to take a lyft or uber to your resort. Perhaps these people used the new bus line, but didn't know you can't take luggage on Disney buses? (I didn't know that until today.) Maybe the bus driver took pity on them because it wasn't so busy?

I didn't know this either. Last year we checked out of our hotel and took our luggage with us on the bus to Disney springs to eat before we left for the airport.

Can you imagine the safety hazard if more than a couple people brought luggage on the buses? Buses already must accommodate EVCs and strollers (there’s a reason that strollers must be folded). That’s why luggage is prohibited.

I imagine that some drivers “look the other way” when guests have luggage and the bus has few people on it. I’m certain that was the case the day we encountered it.

 

[pkkurz]

Friday, con’t

Em and I met T’s family in front of GotG (this time we were the late ones-whoops!) We gave our bands to the boys who happily raced to the entrance. The rest of us went to hang out in Connections Café.

SIL was on a mission to try Baumkuchen.

No, that’s not a health drink. Quite the opposite actually. It’s a popular German pastry consisting of layers made with a batter of eggs, flour, sugar and butter. The batter is poured onto a rotating drum over a heat source, with more batter added when each layer has finished baking.

View attachment 781578

Baumkuchen means “tree cake” in German. Its fifteen delicate layers of cake resembles a sliced tree trunk. SIL loved it.

Meanwhile later in the day M loved Journey of Water!

View attachment 781579

It’s my new favorite thing in Epcot. I was very intrigued by the process of making it.

 

[Tuvalu]

It’s my new favorite thing in Epcot. I was very intrigued by the process of making it.

Oooh, you got a fancy one!

 

[radiorae]

Baumkuchen!!! I’ve never had a slice from Epcot but there’s a couple bakeries near me that make them and they are sooo good. I like that they aren’t too sweet. They go really well with tea or coffee!

 

[Tuvalu]

Friday, con’t

Our evening was free and I inquired of Em what she would like to do.
Attempt Fantasmic again?
Return to Epcot to see Luminous?
Watch our fave HEA?

Fantasmic was a hard no (too close to last night’s disappointment) and we’ll have several opportunities to see HEA this summer from a MK resort. She had not seen Luminous, so Epcot was her choice.

We opted to grab dinner from Riverside Mill. On our walk over we encountered the charming horse-drawn carriage.

But as the horse made a right turn onto the path we were on, it came within an inch or two (not kidding) of us as we walked single file. The carriage was dangerously close to our feet and became no longer charming but torturous.

We breathed a sigh of relief when we were safely on the bridge.

The food court was the polar opposite from rainy night Wednesday. All stations had short lines and there were plenty of open tables.

Dusk had fallen by the time we made it to Epcot. We watched the beacons of light show on SSE and visited Journey of Water again.

We choose to watch Luminous from World Showcase Plaza so that we would be closer to the bus depot when the show ended.

A woman in front of us held her phone over her head and recorded the entire show. It was very distracting to those of us around her. There are only a million YouTube videos of Luminous with much higher quality that are available to watch at any time.

Is she really gonna watch her video again?

Meanwhile I limited my photography to a single photo, just in case I did a TR.

Em was impressed by the fireworks and fountains. Though T’s family was still in the park our paths didn’t cross. Texting sufficed.

And for once we had good luck with a POR bus! We were back in our room in record time.

 

[cgersic]

I've watched Luminous several times now, and for some reason, I like watching from where you did the best.

 

[pkkurz]

Friday, con’t

Our evening was free and I inquired of Em what she would like to do.
Attempt Fantasmic again?
Return to Epcot to see Luminous?
Watch our fave HEA?

Fantasmic was a hard no (too close to last night’s disappointment) and we’ll have several opportunities to see HEA this summer from a MK resort. She had not seen Luminous, so Epcot was her choice.

We opted to grab dinner from Riverside Mill. On our walk over we encountered the charming horse-drawn carriage.

View attachment 781681

But as the horse made a right turn onto the path we were on, it came within an inch or two (not kidding) of us as we walked single file. The carriage was dangerously close to our feet and became no longer charming but torturous.

We breathed a sigh of relief when we were safely on the bridge.

The food court was the polar opposite from rainy night Wednesday. All stations had short lines and there were plenty of open tables.

View attachment 781682

Dusk had fallen by the time we made it to Epcot. We watched the beacons of light show on SSE and visited Journey of Water again.

View attachment 781803

We choose to watch Luminous from World Showcase Plaza so that we would be closer to the bus depot when the show ended.

View attachment 781804

A woman in front of us held her phone over her head and recorded the entire show. It was very distracting to those of us around her. There are only a million YouTube videos of Luminous with much higher quality that are available to watch at any time.

Is she really gonna watch her video again?

Meanwhile I limited my photography to a single photo, just in case I did a TR.

View attachment 781805

Em was impressed by the fireworks and fountains. Though T’s family was still in the park our paths didn’t cross. Texting sufficed.

And for once we had good luck with a POR bus! We were back in our room in record time.

We have watched from a few locations around world showcase. For Luminous we agree this is the best location. Also you can make a fairly quick exit to the front of the park.

 

[radiorae]

I’m glad you had much better luck with Luminous than you did with Fantasmic! For taking a quick photo, it’s really pretty!!!

 

[Minnie1986]

Friday, con’t

Our evening was free and I inquired of Em what she would like to do.
Attempt Fantasmic again?
Return to Epcot to see Luminous?
Watch our fave HEA?

Fantasmic was a hard no (too close to last night’s disappointment) and we’ll have several opportunities to see HEA this summer from a MK resort. She had not seen Luminous, so Epcot was her choice.

We opted to grab dinner from Riverside Mill. On our walk over we encountered the charming horse-drawn carriage.

View attachment 781681

But as the horse made a right turn onto the path we were on, it came within an inch or two (not kidding) of us as we walked single file. The carriage was dangerously close to our feet and became no longer charming but torturous.

We breathed a sigh of relief when we were safely on the bridge.

The food court was the polar opposite from rainy night Wednesday. All stations had short lines and there were plenty of open tables.

View attachment 781682

Dusk had fallen by the time we made it to Epcot. We watched the beacons of light show on SSE and visited Journey of Water again.

View attachment 781803

We choose to watch Luminous from World Showcase Plaza so that we would be closer to the bus depot when the show ended.

View attachment 781804

A woman in front of us held her phone over her head and recorded the entire show. It was very distracting to those of us around her. There are only a million YouTube videos of Luminous with much higher quality that are available to watch at any time.

Is she really gonna watch her video again?

Meanwhile I limited my photography to a single photo, just in case I did a TR.

View attachment 781805

Em was impressed by the fireworks and fountains. Though T’s family was still in the park our paths didn’t cross. Texting sufficed.

And for once we had good luck with a POR bus! We were back in our room in record time.

I will never understand why people feel it necessary to take videos of entire shows. They are literally never going to watch them again, and it's so incredibly rude.

 

[Tuvalu]

I’m glad you had much better luck with Luminous than you did with Fantasmic! For taking a quick photo, it’s really pretty!!!

I will never understand why people feel it necessary to take videos of entire shows. They are literally never going to watch them again, and it's so incredibly rude.

 

[lindawdw]

I can finally say I'm here and following along with your wonderful TR!!! I have only stayed once at the All-Star Resort and had the same location that you did! How fun that you were located directly under Patti's room at POR! It certainly sounds like the buses were not all that efficient this trip, but I guess that's what you have to expect Easter week. Love that you got to enjoy time with Patti, E and J (and your new friend) at Baseline Tap House!!! That is one of my favorite things to do with Patti and her family when our trips overlap! Bummer about Fantasmic after waiting all that time for the show to begin. I'm glad you got to enjoy your pool time on this trip since Em was so looking forward to it. I'm so happy you decided to do a TR for this trip!!! Can't wait to see you in 7 days!

 

[Tiki Traveler]

Basin now carries wax beads to make-your-own candle jars. There are a variety of fragrances but our favorite is green clover and aloe - which happens to be the Grand Floridian signature scent Em made candles for both of us.

View attachment 781598

Another fun find at Basin! I‘ve used my 10% Magical Extras coupon to buy soap slices, which although higher priced and smaller than the soap slices at home, are WDW themed and are a souvenir I actually use. Have to add the make your own wax bead candles to my list!

Sorry about your troubles w/Fastasmic but how fun to spend time w/family and friends!

 

[Tuvalu]

I can finally say I'm here and following along with your wonderful TR!!! I have only stayed once at the All-Star Resort and had the same location that you did! How fun that you were located directly under Patti's room at POR! It certainly sounds like the buses were not all that efficient this trip, but I guess that's what you have to expect Easter week. Love that you got to enjoy time with Patti, E and J (and your new friend) at Baseline Tap House!!! That is one of my favorite things to do with Patti and her family when our trips overlap! Bummer about Fantasmic after waiting all that time for the show to begin. I'm glad you got to enjoy your pool time on this trip since Em was so looking forward to it. I'm so happy you decided to do a TR for this trip!!! Can't wait to see you in 7 days!

Another fun find at Basin! I‘ve used my 10% Magical Extras coupon to buy soap slices, which although higher priced and smaller than the soap slices at home, are WDW themed and are a souvenir I actually use. Have to add the make your own wax bead candles to my list!

Sorry about your troubles w/Fastasmic but how fun to spend time w/family and friends!

 

[Tuvalu]

Saturday, April 6 - aka The day @amjt660 questioned our park choice

It was our last day. Savvy readers know where Em and I like to spend our last vacation day.

Max knew and messaged me:

MK on a Saturday?

Em and I were determined to overcome the awful morning bus service. We opted to bypass the North Depot and board at the South Depot, where the bus goes directly to the park after pick up.

Our strategy worked. We were in the park at 7:15 am - fifteen minutes prior to Early Entry.

Arty Pooh at 7:32!

Wavin’ for Woody at 7:47.

Front row with Shirley Status at 7:55.

Three attractions during EE.

How would we fare after park opening?

 

[Tuvalu]

A quick stop at Rapunzel’s restroom then here.

Thirteen minute wait at Haunted Mansion (and Tower of Terror) is code for walk-on.

And we did.

PPP practice.

How many rides now, Em?

Time stamped 8:19.

 

[Tuvalu]

From HM we briskly walked to Adventureland, using the shortcut by the restrooms.

As we joined the line for Jungle Cruise, a CM handed us each one of these -

We did not have a long wait.

In fact we boarded the next boat! What attraction number is this, Em?

We had a great skipper right from the start.

“My name is Skipper Brett. It’s just spelled a little differently today.”

He made sure we knew the “Jungle” Book isn’t very valuable.

“It’s not a first edition. It’s not a Baloo.”

His puns were fast and furious. I was chuckling constantly and the two I mentioned are the only two I remember!

 

[Tuvalu]

Yo Ho, Yo Ho to number six we go!

And because why not?

Lucky 7!

Here’s some math for ya, @amjt660 - in 95 minutes we’d accomplished 7 attractions.

I’m thinking The Force was indeed with us! (Because it wasn’t the Genie. )

Time for breakfast!

 

[amjt660]

Max

 

[amjt660]

Hey @Tuvalu

Here is some actual math for you

That is one ride every 13 min and 34 seconds

( I knew you would have struggled to get that one!!!)

Max

 

[Minnie1986]

From HM we briskly walked to Adventureland, using the shortcut by the restrooms.

As we joined the line for Jungle Cruise, a CM handed us each one of these -

View attachment 782242

We did not have a long wait.

View attachment 782243

In fact we boarded the next boat! What attraction number is this, Em?

View attachment 782244

We had a great skipper right from the start.

View attachment 782245

“My name is Skipper Brett. It’s just spelled a little differently today.”

View attachment 782249

He made sure we knew the “Jungle” Book isn’t very valuable.

“It’s not a first edition. It’s not a Baloo.”

His puns were fast and furious. I was chuckling constantly and the two I mentioned are the only two I remember!

The Disney Gods were really with you that morning, huh?