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]

Thursday, June 13

Em wasn’t as fast with her finger today as she would have liked. In fact she was downright discouraged.

(Too close to lunchtime.)

“Fifteen bucks and you can pick your own time,” I said.

“Done!” she declared moments later.

Our goal was to be at Epcot in time for early entry. We got to the bus stop early, which was a good thing considering the debacle we witnessed.

A party with an ECV was waiting in the designated area when the bus arrived. The driver loaded the ECV rider and the rest of the family boarded the bus through the rear.

Except for Dad, who had been attempting to fold the stroller - unsuccessfully - for a good couple of minutes.

Two other dads in line went over to help. No luck. The bus driver got off the bus and tried a couple times before throwing up his hands and getting back on the bus.

It was comical.

How many men does it take to fold a stroller?

The world may never know. Because all of them had given up.

Dad finally managed to wrangle the stroller into a semi-folded position (it looked broken to us) and the exasperated bus driver (now behind schedule) allowed him to board and stand in the well next to the rear door.

Em and I have no idea if the stroller was able to go back into an open position, since we were one of the first off the bus and didn’t want to hang around to watch.

We had early entry to make!

 

[93boomer]

Thursday, June 13

Em wasn’t as fast with her finger today as she would have liked. In fact she was downright discouraged.

View attachment 796075
(Too close to lunchtime.)

“Fifteen bucks and you can pick your own time,” I said.

“Done!” she declared moments later.

Our goal was to be at Epcot in time for early entry. We got to the bus stop early, which was a good thing considering the debacle we witnessed.

A party with an ECV was waiting in the designated area when the bus arrived. The driver loaded the ECV rider and the rest of the family boarded the bus through the rear.

Except for Dad, who had been attempting to fold the stroller - unsuccessfully - for a good couple of minutes.

Two other dads in line went over to help. No luck. The bus driver got off the bus and tried a couple times before throwing up his hands and getting back on the bus.

It was comical.

How many men does it take to fold a stroller?
View attachment 796076

The world may never know. Because all of them had given up.

Dad finally managed to wrangle the stroller into a semi-folded position (it looked broken to us) and the exasperated bus driver (now behind schedule) allowed him to board and stand in the well next to the rear door.

Em and I have no idea if the stroller was able to go back into an open position, since we were one of the first off the bus and didn’t want to hang around to watch.

We had early entry to make!

He should have let the wifey do it. Just sayin’…

 

[lindawdw]

I'm glad you gave yourselves time with the whole bus situation!

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, con’t

We followed the masses to Soarin’.

Whoopsie. It’s no longer 2014. My bad.

We did have a nice flight. Concourse B row 1. Dead center.

Our travels continued on the water.

I might have been a little *too* excited to see the fire effect back on the prairie. It has been missing for ages.

Fun Fact: This is the outside of the house in Carousel of Progress.

How do I know?

Well the woman seated behind us said so. She said it with authority so it must be true, right?

 

[Loco_driver]

She said it with authority so it must be true, right?

She probably read or saw it on the internet. That makes it an indisputable fact.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

 

[LeighM]

I've never had a Gideon cookie because I just won't wait in line for one and most reviews are always that they are just OK. Hope you enjoyed them though!!!

I think their cake slices are much better than their cookies!

I'll admit, as a native NorthEastern girl, I had literally never even heard of Buccees prior to joining this group. Now, I'm on my mission to find one and see what all of the fuss is about.

A Buccee's will be built in VA on 64 in New Kent County within the next several years. People are already losing their minds over it LOL.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Thursday, con’t

We followed the masses to Soarin’.

View attachment 796303

Whoopsie. It’s no longer 2014. My bad.

View attachment 796304

We did have a nice flight. Concourse B row 1. Dead center.

Our travels continued on the water.

View attachment 796306

I might have been a little *too* excited to see the fire effect back on the prairie. It has been missing for ages.

View attachment 796305

Fun Fact: This is the outside of the house in Carousel of Progress.

View attachment 796309

How do I know?

Well the woman seated behind us said so. She said it with authority so it must be true, right?

 

[lindawdw]

I am like a kid in the candy shop when I can run straight to Soarin with no line like your picture!!! Your attention to detail is amazing Tuvalu because I never even noticed the missing fire effect on the prairie! LWTL is truly one of my favorite rides in Epcot! Hysterical story regarding the woman and the COP house.

 

[Songbird76]

Thursday, June 13

Em wasn’t as fast with her finger today as she would have liked. In fact she was downright discouraged.

View attachment 796075
(Too close to lunchtime.)

“Fifteen bucks and you can pick your own time,” I said.

“Done!” she declared moments later.

Our goal was to be at Epcot in time for early entry. We got to the bus stop early, which was a good thing considering the debacle we witnessed.

A party with an ECV was waiting in the designated area when the bus arrived. The driver loaded the ECV rider and the rest of the family boarded the bus through the rear.

Except for Dad, who had been attempting to fold the stroller - unsuccessfully - for a good couple of minutes.

Two other dads in line went over to help. No luck. The bus driver got off the bus and tried a couple times before throwing up his hands and getting back on the bus.

It was comical.

How many men does it take to fold a stroller?
View attachment 796076

The world may never know. Because all of them had given up.

Dad finally managed to wrangle the stroller into a semi-folded position (it looked broken to us) and the exasperated bus driver (now behind schedule) allowed him to board and stand in the well next to the rear door.

Em and I have no idea if the stroller was able to go back into an open position, since we were one of the first off the bus and didn’t want to hang around to watch.

We had early entry to make!

 

[lindawdw]

That is so hysterical!!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Yep, that’s pretty much what we saw.

Minus the smart woman!

 

[93boomer]

That is so hysterical!!!

Wasn’t that the best??!!!!

 

[93boomer]

Yep, that’s pretty much what we saw.

Minus the smart woman!

I love that she walked right up to it, barely touched it, and it closed!!!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, con’t

I posted earlier that the last of the walls around the center of (the former) Future World had been taken down and we were able to walk straight across after leaving the Land pavilion. On the right is the new Communicore Hall and while we were taken with the mural on the side, we were appalled to see that it is the outdoor queue to meet Mickey! So, Innoventions (with an indoor character queue) was demolished and — five years later - is replaced by a building with an outdoor queue?!!

Rocket science imagineering at its finest, from those who work in California.

I guess we should be grateful the queue is covered.

Walls down also means a quicker walk to SSE.

Which was a walk on.

Our first of several stoppages.

In the future Em must be in witness protection.

At least she’s not an open target in the woods.

 

[lindawdw]

I have heard a lot of negative things about the whole "transformation" of Communicore Hall. I'll wait until October when I see it all in person, but my expectations are kind of low being the original plans seem to have been scaled back quite a bit from when they started this whole renovation.

 

[Tuvalu]

I have heard a lot of negative things about the whole "transformation" of Communicore Hall. I'll wait until October when I see it all in person, but my expectations are kind of low being the original plans seem to have been scaled back quite a bit from when they started this whole renovation.

More to come….

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, con’t

Two hours prior to her “free” BG being called Em was able to ride GotG with her ILL.

Her money was well spent even for me, since I did not have to wait in a long queue with her (only to chicken out at the end.) Twenty minutes after parting we were reunited at the exit.

And she ran
She ran so far away
And declared it the BEST song with which to ride the coaster, @Zipadeelady!

We then made our way to World Showcase clockwise.

San Angel Inn had just reopened after a short refurb which included new lighting and the addition of booths. All the Negative Nancys on the internet were screaming about “ruined ambiance.” We did not feel this complaint was true at all. I took a couple pictures to post with my positive comments, as most whiners had not seen the change IN PERSON. Note that cellphone cameras tend to “brighten” dark areas so the actual restaurant is darker IN PERSON.

(And the ceiling is not noticeable like this from the water.)

Em and I have an ADR here on our next visit when we’ll be able to experience the refurb as diners.

On one of my trips earlier this year I posted this picture and asked, “What’s missing?”

No one commented but in case anyone can’t remember, let me help.

TA-DA!

 

[93boomer]

Thursday, con’t

Two hours prior to her “free” BG being called Em was able to ride GotG with her ILL.

View attachment 796836

Her money was well spent even for me, since I did not have to wait in a long queue with her (only to chicken out at the end.) Twenty minutes after parting we were reunited at the exit.

View attachment 796837

And she ran
She ran so far away
And declared it the BEST song with which to ride the coaster, @Zipadeelady!

We then made our way to World Showcase clockwise.

View attachment 796840

San Angel Inn had just reopened after a short refurb which included new lighting and the addition of booths. All the Negative Nancys on the internet were screaming about “ruined ambiance.” We did not feel this complaint was true at all. I took a couple pictures to post with my positive comments, as most whiners had not seen the change IN PERSON. Note that cellphone cameras tend to “brighten” dark areas so the actual restaurant is darker IN PERSON.

View attachment 796841

(And the ceiling is not noticeable like this from the water.)
View attachment 796842

Em and I have an ADR here on our next visit when we’ll be able to experience the refurb as diners.

On one of my trips earlier this year I posted this picture and asked, “What’s missing?”

View attachment 796839

No one commented but in case anyone can’t remember, let me help.

View attachment 796843
TA-DA!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Thursday, con’t

Two hours prior to her “free” BG being called Em was able to ride GotG with her ILL.

View attachment 796836

Her money was well spent even for me, since I did not have to wait in a long queue with her (only to chicken out at the end.) Twenty minutes after parting we were reunited at the exit.

View attachment 796837

And she ran
She ran so far away
And declared it the BEST song with which to ride the coaster, @Zipadeelady!

We then made our way to World Showcase clockwise.

View attachment 796840

San Angel Inn had just reopened after a short refurb which included new lighting and the addition of booths. All the Negative Nancys on the internet were screaming about “ruined ambiance.” We did not feel this complaint was true at all. I took a couple pictures to post with my positive comments, as most whiners had not seen the change IN PERSON. Note that cellphone cameras tend to “brighten” dark areas so the actual restaurant is darker IN PERSON.

View attachment 796841

(And the ceiling is not noticeable like this from the water.)
View attachment 796842

Em and I have an ADR here on our next visit when we’ll be able to experience the refurb as diners.

On one of my trips earlier this year I posted this picture and asked, “What’s missing?”

View attachment 796839

No one commented but in case anyone can’t remember, let me help.

View attachment 796843
TA-DA!

My only concern would be what seems to be double-sided benches.