Trip Report Shrouded In A Daft Disguise *COMPLETED*

Two weeks ago today, I returned home from the most surreal Disney vacation I have ever experienced.

During my last visit in February, I couldn’t have imagined having to wear a face mask and have my temperature taken before being allowed into a park. “Social distancing” wasn’t part of my vocabulary. Hand sanitizer was something I carried in a little bottle in my purse, not something in giant containers at the entrance/exit of every attraction.

No park hopping? No Fastpasses? No FIREWORKS :jawdrop: ?!! Not even on my radar screen.

Like a bolt out of the blue, the pandemic struck and life was dramatically altered. For everyone. And there is no Magic Mirror to tell us when it will be over. For me the pandemic has been a reminder to take nothing for granted ~ and that there can still be joy in the darkest days.

My name is Tuvalu and I have been a WDW annual passholder for nearly 25 years. I was raised on Disney and so were my children. The parks have always been my “escape” from real life. Could they still be an “escape” in the midst of a pandemic? After months of quarantine, I was ready to find out.

My daughter Em was my travel buddy. My husband Woody had reservations, but not for our safety. He was concerned we’d struggle with the restrictions and disappointment with all the changes. He wanted us to come back happy and wasn’t sure we would. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure we would either. After much research and due diligence, Em and I felt prepared to embark on a vacation with few expectations.

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Full disclosure ~ I‘ve wrestled with writing a report of our trip. The pandemic and subsequent events have caused much division on this Disney fan forum. I’ve always considered the trip reports section to be a “safe space” and hope it stays that way. My goal is to provide entertainment to the reader, nothing more.

With that in mind.....

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Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Monday, con’t

Woody and I were a few minutes late for our lunch reservation. Though the sign out front clearly stated SEATING AVAILABLE.....

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....as soon as I checked in the CM said, “Follow me.” She led us out the front door of Liberty Tree Tavern and along this walkway....

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....and opened the door to the Diamond Horseshoe.

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Was our tardiness the reason for our banishment from the Liberty Tree Tavern’s dining rooms?

Or was the SEATING AVAILABLE sign misplaced? Seems it should have been in front of the Diamond Horseshoe. Lots of free tables here!

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The CM noticed the puzzled look in my eyes. “We’re using this for additional seating due to distancing requirements. Don’t worry, it’s the same menu.”

At first I was disappointed not to be in one of LTT’s smaller (and charming) dining rooms. Em and I had eaten dinner at Diamond Horseshoe a couple summers ago and found the experience “meh”. But Woody hadn’t been inside the Diamond Horseshoe in years and he seemed pleasantly surprised with this unexpected change in venue.

I decided to embrace it.

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The menu was fixed-price “all you care to enjoy” rolls/cornbread, salad, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, pot roast, turkey and roast pork.

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Much to my delight everything was fresh, tasty and proper temperature. Woody allowed me to have all the turkey (and in turn I “sacrificed” 😉 the pork for him.) Our excellent server Sandy offered to bring us more of anything we wanted, so I asked for a slice of turkey (for Woody) and more pot roast (for us both.)

We attempted not to overeat (too late!) because we knew dessert was coming.

Dessert was the “newer-but-not-improved” incarnation of Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. (You know, the one I’ve been complaining about for the past couple years. 😝)

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But before she brought dessert out, Sandy shared some exciting news with us. She told us that in two weeks (early September) LTT was returning to the ORIGINAL recipe for Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. (The former chef who wanted to “switch up” the recipe no longer works there.) Sandy said the restaurant still has the original round pans and that CMs had done a “taste taste” of new recipe vs. old. The OG won by a landslide.

“I’ll make sure your dessert is extra gooey today,” she promised.

Sandy wasn’t kidding. It tasted *almost* like the original. As full as we were, Woody and I cleaned the plate.

Sandy came back and begged us to let her bring us more. We firmly told her NO. We didn’t want to end up like Violet Beauregarde.

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I have seen no confirmation that the original is back, but I hope to find out for myself soon.
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
The Haunted Mansion had reopened. We weren’t deterred by the long, convoluted queue.

It began here.
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Entered the former Mike Fink Keel Boats area....

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....which finally led to the normal attraction entrance.

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Shockingly, we were inside the Mansion in only 10 minutes. We were greeted by a very tall CM who exhibited the proper amount of creepiness.

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I tried, but missed!
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Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
It was a 30 minute wait to board our ship to Neverland.

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MK was definitely busier than it was in July. Woody was ready for a break. Before making our way out he took some castle pics. (He was courteous during his photo shoot @ajrwdwgirl 😉.)

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Friends waved to us from the Crystal Palace porch!

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We popped into the Emporium before leaving. Woody wanted a ceramic coffee mug, as our room only had paper cups for coffee. He found the perfect mug for himself and I found princess masks for the Tuva-tinys (my DIL thought the girls would be more likely to wear “fun” masks.)

Upon our return to the Poly I snapped this pic for a fellow Magician who had inquired about resort monorail operating hours.

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MegRuss626

Well-Known Member
I found princess masks for the Tuva-tinys (my DIL thought the girls would be more likely to wear “fun” masks.)

Ryleigh has quite the collection of “fun” masks so that it’s a little more exciting to wear. I actually just found a display of Disney Princess, Minnie, and Pooh masks for little ones at Walmart today. And Ryleigh’s favorite non-Disney masks are made by Ty (the beanie baby people). They look like different animals and are only 2.99!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
We couldn’t let a pretty day go to waste. To the pool!

The quiet pool has longer hours than the main pool. Contrary to popular opinion it is not open 24/7.

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Woody and I wished the bar and grill had been open.

Lies! :hilarious:
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On a positive note, we had the place practically to ourselves.

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It was very warm and we spent most of our pool time in the water.
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
In the evening we rode the monorail to the GF. The resort was part of the NBA “bubble” and several areas were fenced off with blue tarps, rendering most of the grounds inaccessible to the general public.

The main building was open (though not for overnight guests) and two restaurants were operating ~ the Grand Floridian Cafe and Gasparilla’s.

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
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Our recent unsatisfactory experience at the Grand Floridian Cafe made the decision to choose Gasparilla’s a no-brainer.

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I had mobile ordered our dinner while in our room and pushed “I’m Here” when we disembarked the monorail. We still waited a few minutes outside before I received notification that our food was ready.

#ShirleyStatus

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The senior CM working the dining room could not have been kinder. Instead of having to pick up our food, she brought it to our table. She asked how much ice we wanted in our refillable mugs and patiently worked the Freestyle machine.
She inquired about our day and was genuinely interested in our answers. She might have been happy just to have company but it didn’t feel that way at all.

I hope she still has her job.

We both had sandwiches. Mine was ham and I think Woody’s was Italian? The bread was fresh, the meat portions were generous and the house-made chips had a nice crunch. It was our second “winner” meal of the day.

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Captain Barbossa

Well-Known Member
The menu was fixed-price “all you care to enjoy” rolls/cornbread, salad, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, pot roast, turkey and roast pork.

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Looks like they changed the mac & cheese. Didn’t it used to be elbow macaroni?

Aside from having to eat in the overflow/DH area, it sounds like y’all had a good experience! And IIRC, it’s been a while since you’ve had a good experience at LTT. And yay for the return of the OG Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Looks like they changed the mac & cheese. Didn’t it used to be elbow macaroni?

Aside from having to eat in the overflow/DH area, it sounds like y’all had a good experience! And IIRC, it’s been a while since you’ve had a good experience at LTT. And yay for the return of the OG Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake!
The mac & cheese was formerly elbow macaroni. I actually preferred the penne, it absorbed the cheese sauce better and was less “runny” if that makes sense.

It was the best LTT experience I’ve had in a while!
 

slipperalwaysfits

Well-Known Member
You’re sweet. I admire your tenacity teaching in a pandemic. Much is expected of teachers today. Thank you!
Thanks for thinking of me. :geek: I hope Em is doing well in her unusual teaching situation, also.
Or was the SEATING AVAILABLE sign misplaced? Seems it should have been in front of the Diamond Horseshoe. Lots of free tables here!
Glad you enjoyed a different locale with the same menu! Must have been a trek for the servers!
But before she brought dessert out, Sandy shared some exciting news with us. She told us that in two weeks (early September) LTT was returning to the ORIGINAL recipe for Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. (The former chef who wanted to “switch up” the recipe no longer works there.) Sandy said the restaurant still has the original round pans and that CMs had done a “taste taste” of new recipe vs. old. The OG won by a landslide.
:geek::geek::geek::geek::jawdrop::jawdrop: Was this the best info you heard the entire month of August???
I found princess masks for the Tuva-tinys (my DIL thought the girls would be more likely to wear “fun” masks.
AAAaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...
The main building was open (though not for overnight guests) and two restaurants were operating ~ the Grand Floridian Cafe and Gasparilla’s.
Okay, so this is a problem because I have been dreaming of The Enchanted Rose for ...awhile now! I feel like @riverside has been there during the pandemic and can prove it's open.....or I could just check the operating hours, but that isn't as fun. :inlove::rolleyes:
We both had sandwiches. Mine was ham and I think Woody’s was Italian? The bread was fresh, the meat portions were generous and the house-made chips had a nice crunch. It was our second “winner” meal of the day.
Even simple meals can be very enjoyable and delicious! I hope your server still has her job, also. Sometimes, nice wait staff can really make a meal!:geek:
The sun was setting and a cool breeze was blowing so we opted for a romantic stroll back to the Poly.
Romance is always in fashion, no matter how long you've been together!! 😍😍😍😍
 

Nunu

Wanderluster
Premium Member
Seeing you and Woody at LTT makes me smile, glad you enjoyed your meal, specially the turkey and dessert. Me, my eyes went straight to those delicious rolls! :hungry:

Piglet (my favorite WTP character) waving from Crystal Palace makes me nostalgic, Frank and I have always enjoyed dining there. Can't wait for it to reopen.

Twilights at WDW are specially beautiful, perfect for romantic strolls. Glad you and Woody enjoyed yours. 😊
 

93boomer

Premium Member
Monday, con’t

Woody and I were a few minutes late for our lunch reservation. Though the sign out front clearly stated SEATING AVAILABLE.....

View attachment 506724

....as soon as I checked in the CM said, “Follow me.” She led us out the front door of Liberty Tree Tavern and along this walkway....

View attachment 506725

....and opened the door to the Diamond Horseshoe.

View attachment 506726

Was our tardiness the reason for our banishment from the Liberty Tree Tavern’s dining rooms?

Or was the SEATING AVAILABLE sign misplaced? Seems it should have been in front of the Diamond Horseshoe. Lots of free tables here!

View attachment 506728

The CM noticed the puzzled look in my eyes. “We’re using this for additional seating due to distancing requirements. Don’t worry, it’s the same menu.”

At first I was disappointed not to be in one of LTT’s smaller (and charming) dining rooms. Em and I had eaten dinner at Diamond Horseshoe a couple summers ago and found the experience “meh”. But Woody hadn’t been inside the Diamond Horseshoe in years and he seemed pleasantly surprised with this unexpected change in venue.

I decided to embrace it.

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The menu was fixed-price “all you care to enjoy” rolls/cornbread, salad, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, pot roast, turkey and roast pork.

View attachment 506730

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Much to my delight everything was fresh, tasty and proper temperature. Woody allowed me to have all the turkey (and in turn I “sacrificed” 😉 the pork for him.) Our excellent server Sandy offered to bring us more of anything we wanted, so I asked for a slice of turkey (for Woody) and more pot roast (for us both.)

We attempted not to overeat (too late!) because we knew dessert was coming.

Dessert was the “newer-but-not-improved” incarnation of Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. (You know, the one I’ve been complaining about for the past couple years. 😝)

View attachment 506732

But before she brought dessert out, Sandy shared some exciting news with us. She told us that in two weeks (early September) LTT was returning to the ORIGINAL recipe for Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. (The former chef who wanted to “switch up” the recipe no longer works there.) Sandy said the restaurant still has the original round pans and that CMs had done a “taste taste” of new recipe vs. old. The OG won by a landslide.

“I’ll make sure your dessert is extra gooey today,” she promised.

Sandy wasn’t kidding. It tasted *almost* like the original. As full as we were, Woody and I cleaned the plate.

Sandy came back and begged us to let her bring us more. We firmly told her NO. We didn’t want to end up like Violet Beauregarde.

View attachment 506758

I have seen no confirmation that the original is back, but I hope to find out for myself soon.
Also giving this ❤️
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Glad you enjoyed a different locale with the same menu! Must have been a trek for the servers!
Actually LTT and Diamond Horseshoe share a kitchen, so not necessarily a longer haul for the servers.

Okay, so this is a problem because I have been dreaming of The Enchanted Rose for ...awhile now! I feel like @riverside has been there during the pandemic and can prove it's open.....or I could just check the operating hours, but that isn't as fun. :inlove::rolleyes:
Enchanted Rose is open now.

Piglet (my favorite WTP character) waving from Crystal Palace makes me nostalgic, Frank and I have always enjoyed dining there. Can't wait for it to reopen.

Twilights at WDW are specially beautiful, perfect for romantic strolls. Glad you and Woody enjoyed yours. 😊
I hear ya on Crystal Palace! It's our favorite place for breakfast.
Hope you get in a romantic twilight stroll at WDW with your honey very soon!
 

cgersic

Well-Known Member
@Tuvalu, I'm not sure when you are headed back, but I'm needing a really big favor from you or any Magician that might read this. When I was there in July, my niece came for my last park day and we went to Magic Kingdom. It was only her 2nd visit and the last time she went, it was a very long time ago. She announced VERY big news that she was pregnant (first baby!) and I was hoping to get her a "First Visit" button, but they were not handing them out in July. She was very disappointed, as was I, that we did not have anything to commemorate the little one's first "visit", so I'm hoping someone might pick one up for me? I'd be more than happy to pay for any shipping costs if someone can help? Sorry for hijacking your report, but I know how many people read them! :inlove: I'm (hopefully) heading back to the World in January, but that will be too late for putting in under the Christmas Tree. Thanks in advance for any help!
 

plaz10

Well-Known Member
The menu was fixed-price “all you care to enjoy” rolls/cornbread, salad, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, pot roast, turkey and roast pork.
The mac & cheese was formerly elbow macaroni. I actually preferred the penne, it absorbed the cheese sauce better and was less “runny” if that makes sense.

It was the best LTT experience I’ve had in a while!

So is the “all you care to enjoy” the only option at lunch? No more ala carte?
 

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