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 ?!! 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.

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.....

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, con’t

Woody and I entered Galaxy’s Edge via Toy Story Land as I thought it would be a quicker route to Rise of the Resistance. We did not encounter many people.

However when we reached RotR, the Boarding Group line stretched through the tunnel entrance to Grand Avenue!

Fortunately the wait looked worse than it was and soon we entered the actual queue.
Woody was ready to go to battle!

He knew nothing about the attraction’s story, progression or effects so everything was new to him. The only thing he’d seen in advance were pictures of the Stormtrooper room.

And now it was his turn.

The mandatory face shields worn by the CMs added to the unnerving aura of the attraction.

From what I could tell all the special effects worked. Sitting in the front row of our own vehicle helped with the immersion. I’m glad we got to ride before the dividers were installed.

Woody was wowed by the whole experience. He agreed that the attraction was very well done and warrants high praise.

BUT....

He was uncertain that the stress of getting to the park before opening and subsequent anxiety in obtaining a Boarding Group was worth the effort.

“In the end, it’s just a ride.”

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

He was uncertain that the stress of getting to the park before opening and subsequent anxiety in obtaining a Boarding Group was worth the effort.

“In the end, it’s just a ride.

I haven't been on RotR yet, but I agree with Woody, it's "just a ride" and chances are, it will be there the next time we go. Yes, I know how ridiculously lucky and entitled that sounds but it's the truth for us who are lucky enough to plan and save and make our vacations trips to the World.. That's why I told my hubby I won't wait in a three hour line for FOP or Ratatouille.

I am glad Woody enjoyed it, though!

 

[Tuvalu]

Since we were in Star Wars mode we decided to take a little tour.

My motion sensitivity typically precludes me from riding, but I knew Woody wouldn’t go solo. As long as I keep my eyes closed I can endure 4.5 minutes in a simulator.

Which is a good thing ~ since next on our agenda was lunch!

Did I pre-order? I did not. I knew there would be bouncers (@Darstarr ) at the door, but I’d managed to bypass them last month due to my “no salads” request. Woody hung back while I approached the entrance. The bouncers were large, male and muscular ~ very unlike the women who had guarded the doors last time.

Bouncer #1: “What’s your order number?”
Me: “I didn’t mobile order, I was hoping to order inside. I have a special request.”

Bouncer #2 overhears our conversation. “What’s your request?”
Me: “I don’t want the side salads.”
Bouncer #2: “We don’t do special requests anymore.” (“Probably because they got wise to you,” Woody would say later.)
Me: “But I don’t want to pay for something we won’t eat, and I don’t want to waste food.”

Bouncer #2 was unrelenting. “Just tell them when you pick up your food you want a different side.”

But I don’t want ANY side, I wanted to say. Instead I asked for two cups of water, as I could see a CM just inside the door with a tray full of cups.

Bouncer #1 (the nicer of the two) called the CM over, grabbed two cups and handed them to me.

I reunited with Woody and shared my tale of woe. When I opened the app to order, the earliest pick up time was 20 minutes out.

Good thing we had that water. It was hot and we were thirsty. It would tide us over while we waited.

 

[Tuvalu]

Twenty minutes passed and no “Your order is ready” notification.

Five more minutes passed. Still nothing. I’d started out annoyed with the Mobile Order process and this wasn’t helping.

I decided a visit to my Bouncer friend was needed. “Excuse me, but I’ve been here for almost a half hour and haven’t received my order pick up number yet.”

Bouncer #1 asked for my name and glanced down at his iPad. “Yeah your order has been ready for awhile. We were wondering where you were. Pick up station 4.”

Wondering where I was?! Suddenly I became suspicious of Bouncer #2. Did he have something to do with my “missing” notification?

I waved Woody over to join me. And then my frustration turned to laughter when I saw Rizzo in a mask.

No one was at pick up station 4. Just a tray with two veggie pizzas, two Cokes....and two side salads. “Excuse me,” I called to a nearby CM. “I was told I could swap out the salads.”

She said my choice was either Go-Gurt () or chips. I picked chips. We went upstairs to eat.

Woody opened his chips to have with his pizza. I thought I’d save mine for later. (Purse carrots, purse grapes...why not purse chips?) Then I happened to glance down at the “Guaranteed Fresh Until” date.

Today’s date was August 26. Guess these would be stale purse chips.

(For fun I just checked the current menu for PizzeRizzo. Interestingly, all pizzas are now served “with a choice of side” instead of “a side Caesar salad.” Side choices are the aforementioned Caesar salad, a Cuties mandarin or Mini Babybel Snack Cheese....cause who wouldn’t want MORE cheese with their pizza? But no chips.)

Before leaving the restaurant I checked the app for wait times, hoping MMRR’s wouldn’t be too long.

Rats!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Woody said he was willing to give the line for Runaway Railway another chance.

The “End of Line” sign said 50 minutes but a good bit of the line was in the shade.

It was still HOT but at least it wasn’t raining and the line was moving.

Here’s a cement slab that didn’t age well.

The third time WAS a charm. Our wait was not 50 minutes, but 35.

Goofy fan Woody noticed this immediately.

Like Rise, Woody had no idea what to expect with MMRR. He loved that Goofy had a prominent role. He thought the technology was “pretty cool.” He was able to spot many homages to the Great Movie Ride which made him happy.

Nothing Could Stop Him Now from riding again in the future!

 

[Tuvalu]

Following our jaunt through Runamuck Park we headed back to the Poly. Woody had phone interviews with two candidates for a position in his division.

It was the perfect excuse for me to spend time at the Oasis pool.

The bubble fountains in the zero entry were turned off. Without the circulation, the water felt especially warm. However the water temp was still cooler than the air temp so I stayed in the pool.

See the object in the top of the pool? That’s a duck. A very annoying duck who would not leave me alone. I would swim away and he would follow. Again and again.

He reminded me of a certain pet that shares my home. I began to call him Kona Duck.

Kona Duck stopped pestering me when a 4-year-old girl and her 2-year-old brother arrived. They (unintentionally) scared him away from the pool. He took to flight right over the fence!

His command for my attention was soon replaced by the young siblings. I became Grandma Friend. I learned their names, ages and what they had for lunch. What happened yesterday at the MK. Why little brother doesn’t like naps. I watched them bravely put their faces in the water. Hold onto the side of the pool and kick.

All while Dad (sitting at a nearby table) scrolled away on his phone, oblivious.

Both kids were wearing life jackets but not in a million years would I have left them unsupervised. We were at the quiet pool, so no lifeguards. It wasn’t until their grandfather arrived....and called them over to the table....that I was free from babysitting duty.

 

[Swissmiss]

I am always shocked by how many parents don‘t actually watch their kids (in a pool, in a park, wherever). But especially in a pool!

 

[DryerLintFan]

Following our jaunt through Runamuck Park we headed back to the Poly. Woody had phone interviews with two candidates for a position in his division.

It was the perfect excuse for me to spend time at the Oasis pool.

View attachment 508548

The bubble fountains in the zero entry were turned off. Without the circulation, the water felt especially warm. However the water temp was still cooler than the air temp so I stayed in the pool.

See the object in the top of the pool? That’s a duck. A very annoying duck who would not leave me alone. I would swim away and he would follow. Again and again.

He reminded me of a certain pet that shares my home. I began to call him Kona Duck.

Kona Duck stopped pestering me when a 4-year-old girl and her 2-year-old brother arrived. They (unintentionally) scared him away from the pool. He took to flight right over the fence!

His command for my attention was soon replaced by the young siblings. I became Grandma Friend. I learned their names, ages and what they had for lunch. What happened yesterday at the MK. Why little brother doesn’t like naps. I watched them bravely put their faces in the water. Hold onto the side of the pool and kick.

All while Dad (sitting at a nearby table) scrolled away on his phone, oblivious.

Both kids were wearing life jackets but not in a million years would I have left them unsupervised. We were at the quiet pool, so no lifeguards. It wasn’t until their grandfather arrived....and called them over to the table....that I was free from babysitting duty.

I'm always in the water with A, but sometimes adults engage her and play with her and I'm not going to lie, sometimes it's a really nice break. Especially if we're in a long queue or something. I don't check out though, I switch to watching for social cues from the adult that they're either a creepy person or want their own break from my kid but I kinda feel for the dad, here. Like, a long stressful day at Disney world certainly make me want to check out for a while, even though I wouldn't

 

[93boomer]

Following our jaunt through Runamuck Park we headed back to the Poly. Woody had phone interviews with two candidates for a position in his division.

It was the perfect excuse for me to spend time at the Oasis pool.

View attachment 508548

The bubble fountains in the zero entry were turned off. Without the circulation, the water felt especially warm. However the water temp was still cooler than the air temp so I stayed in the pool.

See the object in the top of the pool? That’s a duck. A very annoying duck who would not leave me alone. I would swim away and he would follow. Again and again.

He reminded me of a certain pet that shares my home. I began to call him Kona Duck.

Kona Duck stopped pestering me when a 4-year-old girl and her 2-year-old brother arrived. They (unintentionally) scared him away from the pool. He took to flight right over the fence!

His command for my attention was soon replaced by the young siblings. I became Grandma Friend. I learned their names, ages and what they had for lunch. What happened yesterday at the MK. Why little brother doesn’t like naps. I watched them bravely put their faces in the water. Hold onto the side of the pool and kick.

All while Dad (sitting at a nearby table) scrolled away on his phone, oblivious.

Both kids were wearing life jackets but not in a million years would I have left them unsupervised. We were at the quiet pool, so no lifeguards. It wasn’t until their grandfather arrived....and called them over to the table....that I was free from babysitting duty.

Sorry the laugh is for that duck attaching to you! He wanted a friend.

 

[Tuvalu]

I am always shocked by how many parents don‘t actually watch their kids (in a pool, in a park, wherever). But especially in a pool!

I’ve always been a Nervous Nelly with kids and water. I could never take my eyes off mine.

I'm always in the water with A, but sometimes adults engage her and play with her and I'm not going to lie, sometimes it's a really nice break. Especially if we're in a long queue or something. I don't check out though, I switch to watching for social cues from the adult that they're either a creepy person or want their own break from my kid but I kinda feel for the dad, here. Like, a long stressful day at Disney world certainly make me want to check out for a while, even though I wouldn't

Totally get needing a break from your kid. But you do the responsible thing ~ watch for social cues and don’t check out (unlike pool dad.) I was surprised he never glanced our way, even if he could hear us and assumed I was watching his children. It was very presumptuous on his part.

 

[RememberWhen]

I’ve always been a Nervous Nelly with kids and water. I could never take my eyes off mine.

Totally get needing a break from your kid. But you do the responsible thing ~ watch for social cues and don’t check out (unlike pool dad.) I was surprised he never glanced our way, even if he could hear us and assumed I was watching his children. It was very presumptuous on his part.

I would never have my kids in the water unsupervised. I might let the 8 year old go in by himself but I wouldn’t take my eyes off him. But I’m super paranoid about kids and water. I totally would have been the random adult friend chatting with the kids. I always feel like I need to keep an eye on all the kids in a pool... Maybe I drowned in a past life?

 

[BuckyMom]

This is wrong on multiple levels. 1. They are your children, Dad. That equals YOUR responsibility. 2. Disney is a wonderful place filled with mostly wonderful people. It's great that the kids can be polite to strangers at the pool. But hey, that's a polite hello - not free babysitting. I love chatting with kids in line (much to my 20 yr old's embarrassment usually), but not when I'm relaxing. 3. As many others have said, horrible things happen in pools all the time. You could have closed your eyes and one of them could have gone under in an instant. I feel like an old grump, but I can't help it.

 

[BuckyMom]

And I'll add... Thank goodness you are a great person who kept an eye on them.

 

[Disney Loving Swede]

I am always shocked by how many parents don‘t actually watch their kids (in a pool, in a park, wherever). But especially in a pool!

We stayed at Beach Club last trip and we were shocked by how many parents let their kids with poor if any swimming skills in the pool without supervision. I have never experienced so many times that the lifeguards had to jump in and one day we just left from the stress of watching other peoples kids and being concerned. It took the relaxing part of the lazy river away.

And I'll add... Thank goodness you are a great person who kept an eye on them.

I'll second that! Those kids were lucky they had you to keep an eye on them.

 

[Darstarr]

Did I pre-order? I did not. I knew there would be bouncers (@Darstarr ) at the door, but I’d managed to bypass them last month due to my “no salads” request. Woody hung back while I approached the entrance. The bouncers were large, male and muscular ~ very unlike the women who had guarded the doors last time.

So dang hard. Just to get a pizza. There is always Cindy’s way....

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

I waved Woody over to join me. And then my frustration turned to laughter when I saw Rizzo in a mask.

See, Disney magic all around, just when you needed it!

(Purse carrots, purse grapes...why not purse chips?) Then I happened to glance down at the “Guaranteed Fresh Until” date.

That would be depressing! Funny that they no longer give Chips out as a side.

(For fun I just checked the current menu for PizzeRizzo. Interestingly, all pizzas are now served “with a choice of side” instead of “a side Caesar salad.” Side choices are the aforementioned Caesar salad, a Cuties mandarin or Mini Babybel Snack Cheese....cause who wouldn’t want MORE cheese with their pizza? But no chips.)

Before leaving the restaurant I checked the app for wait times, hoping MMRR’s wouldn’t be too long

He reminded me of a certain pet that shares my home. I began to call him Kona Duck.

AAAAAAAAaawwwwwwwwwww, I have a cat that follows me everywhere, too! That duck in a pool would be annoying at WDW!

All while Dad (sitting at a nearby table) scrolled away on his phone, oblivious.

Both kids were wearing life jackets but not in a million years would I have left them unsupervised. We were at the quiet pool, so no lifeguards. It wasn’t until their grandfather arrived....and called them over to the table....that I was free from babysitting duty.

Echoing what everyone else says, thank goodness you were there. But the dad didn't know if you were a creep or not and those little ones are in WATER!! How could he be so irresponsible??!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, con’t

We had a dinner ADR at a restaurant where Em and I had dined last month.

Except tonight’s reservation was at a typical dinner time ~ 6:30 pm. There was a new addition to the podium which detailed entry requirements, including temperature screening (like we’d experienced last night at The Wave.)

It was nice to see guests enjoying Stormalong Bay again.

Our table was in the same area where I’d sat on my first visit to the expanded Beaches and Cream. This was a positive for two reasons ~
1. Matt was our server again. (He’d taken good care of Em and me.)
2. I had a good view of these adorable prints:

Woody had a favorable impression of the refurbishment. His cheeseburger and steak fries were as good as he’d remembered. Matt was happy to bring me my special order chicken sandwich.

While we were eating a family with two little kids was seated behind Woody. They had come to Beaches and Cream for one reason ~ The Kitchen Sink. Five flavors of ice cream with every available topping, slices of pound cake and brownies, plus a WHOLE CAN of whipped cream. It was delivered with great hoopla and the kids’ faces were beaming with excitement. Though they could not finish the sink, they made a decent size dent in it.

Dessert was a definite for Woody. He cannot resist the No Way José.

Look! Glass goblets have returned! No more banana split dish for the No Way José.

Before I ordered a sundae I wanted to clarify with Matt that the marshmallow topping was SYRUP, not FLUFF.

It was!

We returned to our room full and satisfied. We were back in time to catch the sunset over Seven Seas Lagoon.

 

[TrolleyFollower91]

Five flavors of ice cream with every available topping, slices of pound cake and brownies, plus a WHOLE CAN of whipped cream.

A WHOLE CAN?!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

Dessert was a definite for Woody. He cannot resist the No Way José.

Neither can I! I am the girl scraping all that peanut butter off of the sides!

Before I ordered a sundae I wanted to clarify with Matt that the marshmallow topping was SYRUP, not FLUFF.

It was!

This is an important distinction.

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, August 27

Today was our second MK day and I was determined to be there for rope drop. I’m really not sure why, other than it was how I operated pre-pandemic and perhaps I was longing for some “normalcy”?

I still miss the Welcome Show atop the train station. Like the opening chapter of a book, it built anticipation and excitement of what was to come.

Our family really misses the train also. The closure is coming up on two years with no reopening date in sight.

In case anyone was wondering if park maps are still available ~

I was honestly surprised to see them considering Disney has removed most paper literature from resort rooms.

Look who was standing atop the backside of train station!

Minnie was waving just to me! (For you, @MinnieM123 )

A “busier” Main Street made the morning feel a little more “normal”.

What wasn’t normal was the lack of Photopass CMs on Main Street. I really wanted a pic of us with the castle in the background. I searched the hub area until I found one PP photographer. He was near the Plaza Gardens. These shots weren’t exactly what I had in mind but will have to suffice.