Trip Report "That's not Ben!"

This trip report is brought to you by covid 19.
I hadn't planned to do a report, but I'm not working at the moment so I thought I'd relive our trip by sharing it with y'all.
When: March 6-11
Who: myself, E @MSUJafar and A @StupidJudy98
Why: A hasn't been on a trip with us since 2017. It's her senior year at Wayne State University, and this was her Spring Break. For those of you who know that I'm a teacher, that means I was playing hooky. Not to worry though, I left excellent lesson plans for the days I was out.
Where: Shades of Green resort. We didn't have enough DVC points and since E works for the Department of Defense, we are eligible to stay there.

I had to throw this in for laughs! Callum, was that you?!

I worked on Friday, March 6th. It killed me not to be able to tell my kiddos that I was going, especially when they were watching "Happily Ever After". We have "Fireworks Friday" and they watch it every Friday morning.
I had caught a ride to work with a friend that morning since the airport is only about 10 minutes from my school. E and A picked me up at 3:30 and we were on our way to catch our 6:00 flight.
I have zero pictures from that evening, so here's a summary:

• We had Chicken Tortilla soup at Max and Erma's (They're all closed in Michigan except for the one at the airport)
• Our flight was uneventful. We landed a little early.
• We had a little trouble locating our driver which caused E to leave his carry on at the airport. I guess we're so spoiled by Magical Express that we had trouble keeping track of all our bags! E had to Uber back to the airport the next morning to pick it up. Not the best way to start the trip, but I was able to push back our Kona breakfast ADR so he wouldn't miss it.
• Our hired car included a stop at a grocery store, so we picked up some water and other drinks and snacks.
• We were tired, E was understandably cranky anticipating his 5:30 alarm and it was late, so we went to bed.

 

[myhappyplace]

I love that spot by the fountain at Yak & Yeti!

 

[Dave B]

Great report, can't wait to hear more

 

[PineapplePrincess]

I love that spot by the fountain at Yak & Yeti!

It's so peaceful back there even when it's crowded. Oddly enough, there were no birds that day though.

Great report, can't wait to hear more

Thanks!

 

[Loco_driver]

Thanks for this report! I think we could all us a good TR these days. Looking forward to more!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Sunday continued
At OKW, the plan was to grab a drink at the Gurgling Suitcase while waiting for the boat. Just as E was about to order, the boat was arriving, so that idea was scrapped. We had #ShirleyStatus on the boat.

Wine Bar George was the first stop. I had the Frozcato, A had the Friezling, and E had a glass of red, but I don't remember which one.

The mac and cheese bites were shared as well.
Next stop Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.

A had the Fountain of Youth, E had an Old Fashioned, I enjoyed an Ace Pineapple Cider, and we shared a pretzel.
E wanted A to see the archway down by the House of Blues that we had discovered on our last trip.

It's pretty neat. The inside of the arch has a bunch of random items embedded in it like CM nametags, little toys, watches, picture frames, etc.
A's feet were hurting, so I suggested that she get a pair of Sanuk sandals. They are so comfy! Bonus, they were having a BOGO 50% off sale AND we got the Passholders discount!

Our last stop of the evening was the Edison. A and I had a glass of wine, E had a Manhattan and we shared some Electri-fries. The Absinthe Fairy was just coming in to start her shift and we were chatting her up. We asked her if we could buy a shot from her even though she wasn't on duty yet, and she obliged. They were a little pricey at $10 a pop, but we couldn't resist the presentation.

Obviously, this was the "after" photo. I'm looking into purchasing those vials to pre-make shots for our next pool party.
After this, we made our way to the bus stop. We took the Poly bus, and then trudged our tired Alien Swirling Saucers back to Shades of Green. Tomorrow we would attempt HS and boarding group madness!

 

[annienevells]

Along for the ride! When the world returns to normal, we are hoping to book our first SoG stay in December!

 

[Bullseye1967]

Following Along!!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Along for the ride! When the world returns to normal, we are hoping to book our first SoG stay in December!

Glad to have you! I hope you will have time to relax and enjoy what SoG has to offer. Ours was such a short trip that we didn't get to relax.

Following Along!!

Welcome!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Monday, March 9th
It was a pretty early wake up for us. Our goal was to call for an Uber by 6:30. HS was set to open at 8:00. We had a FP for Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway for Wednesday, so we wanted to rope drop Smugglers' Run. I was overconfident that we would secure a boarding pass, so I wasn't too stressed about it. Long story short, we got group 103. I heard a CM say that it took until 8:30 on Saturday to distribute all the boarding groups and today, they were gone by 8:03. I won't keep you in suspense...they stopped calling groups at 98. Stay tuned to see if we were more successful on Wednesday!
On the upside, we didn't wait too long for Smugglers' Run. The CM asked if we had a preference, so I said "yes." I knew E wanted to be Pilot. I thought being pilot would be too much pressure for me, so I chose Gunner. A chose Engineer.

We enjoyed it, but I'm glad we didn't wait too long. I would like to try being Pilot once.
Before heading over to our ToT FP, we waited for a PP photo op.

Apparently I don't know how to do a gun!

A didn't want to ride ToT, but she accompanied us through the queue and pre-show and then took the chicken exit.
E had a 10:05 reservation at Droid Depot, so it was back to Galaxy's Edge for us. A wanted to go in with E, so I was content to sit outside and people watch.

E's droid was dubbed "Bob" and he accompanied us into Oga's Cantina for our 11:00 ADR.

E had the Jedi Mind Trick. He gave it a . He says the Jedi Mind Trick is that they trick you into thinking it's good! A had a Carbon Freeze. She said it was too early to drink....amateur! I had the Yub Nub without the souvenir cup. I LOVED it!
E wanted to get a locker for Bob and we stopped for a Frozen Jack and Coke to share on the way up front. If you have a droid, they will store it for you, so you don't have to pay for a locker.
E was complaining that we weren't feeding him, so we crossed our fingers that we could snag some seats at Tune In Lounge. Some people were leaving just as we arrived. I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, A had a Sprite and E had a Crown Royal and Ginger Ale. We shared two orders of the Fried Herb and Garlic Cheese. We were still a little hungry, we moved on to Base Line Tap House. We shared a pretzel and an Ace Space Bloody Orange Cider and then headed to Andy's backyard to use our TSMM FP.

I took a few shots of A on our way out.
to be continued...

 

[KellBelle]

Along for the ride! When the world returns to normal, we are hoping to book our first SoG stay in December!

We plan to be at SOG in December also.

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Monday continued
Our last FP was for Slinky Dog and it was at 4:00. We had some time to kill and E wanted to be fed, so we put our names on the list for Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge. We spent our 45 minute or so wait wandering around the shops.
I had a glass of wine and the Cobb salad. A had a grilled cheese (it's on the kids menu) and I can't remember what E had, but I know he wishes he would have ordered the grilled cheese too.
I had checked Instagram and saw that Equity Ben would be performing at 3:30, so we went in for the show. As soon as the historians came out I exclaimed, "That's not Ben!" Turns out, I looked at his Instagram post from the PREVIOUS day. I may have been over-served that day! After the show, it was on to SDD for A's first time!

After this, we made our way out, picking up Bob the droid on the way.
If I recall accurately, we ordered an Uber since we wanted more time to rest before After Hours.
I'm not a napper, so I got a coffee in the SoG lobby and enjoyed it whilst E napped. We all changed clothes and headed out just before 7.
A had a 5 day non-park hopper ticket, so we had to wait until 7 to enter MK. After Hours was technically from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The plan was to ride what we could between 7:30- 8:30 and then try to find a spot for HEA. I had been able to get a FP for Pooh at 9:05.
Barnstormer said it was 25 minute wait, so we hopped in line. It was more like 40 minutes...oops!
After flying with Goofy, we managed to get a pretty decent spot for HEA.

I sang along and shed some tears wishing my students could see it in person instead of on Youtube.
We used our FP for Pooh. I didn't take very many photos, but I'll give you a summary of what we accomplished.

• Big Thunder
• Haunted Mansion X 2 (We were thrilled that it was open!)
• Pirates
• Astro Orbiter- E only
• Space Mountain
• Buzz
• Jungle Cruise
• Magic Carpets- E only
• Small World
• Peter Pan
• Carousel
• Under the Sea

We wanted to ride People Mover, but it was closed. At some point, we had popcorn, drinks, ice cream sandwiches and a Mickey bar. I regret not having more than one popcorn, but we didn't want to waste time eating.
After Hours was worth it for us because a) it was a short trip and we got a lot done & b) Since A didn't have a park hopper, it allowed us to visit 2 parks in one day.
We managed to make it to the very end...yay us!

We were exhausted, but thankfully we didn't feel the need to rope drop anything at Epcot the next day.

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Tuesday, March 10th
The plan was to walk to the Poly, monorail to the TTC and then transfer to the Epcot monorail. The first part went as planned, but the Epcot monorail wasn't working. There was an Epcot bus waiting so we hopped on. Apparently I took zero pictures until we got to World Showcase!
Our first stop was to pick up our Passholder magnets.
We had a FP for Soarin' after which we rode the "Farm Ride". Our second FP was for SSE. I lied...I did take one picture.

I really hope she makes it into the new SSE!
We skipped FP number 3 for Mission Space. E was getting hangry and his mind was set on Les Halles. E had the ham and cheese croissant and shared a pastry with A. I had the quiche Lorraine, which was a mistake. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but way too filling. It stopped me from snacking around the world!
A wanted some mac and cheese, so we went to check out Regal Eagle Smokehouse with a couple stops for photos along the way.

When ordering A's mac and cheese E discovered that they had Oberon. He was a happy guy!

We wandered around the countries and looked at the menus, but we weren't ready to eat yet.

The Four Caballeros?! Looks like we shared a Fiesta Margarita.

I finally got to try the Violet Lemonade! It was a little too sweet, but I liked it a lot. It would be soooo good with some vodka!

Up next: a little more Epcot and a ride in the sky

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Tuesday continued...

After wandering around the countries a bit more, we exited at the International Gateway. We rode the Skyliner to the Riviera.

We rode with a mom and son from Tennessee. The son was probably around 10 or 11 and he struck up a conversation. We chatted during the whole ride, so I didn't even have the chance to get nervous.
When we arrived at the Riviera, we walked around taking it all in.

It's very beautiful, but I can't picture myself staying there.
We decided to have a drink at Bar Riva. Pretty fancy for a pool bar! We didn't eat anything, so I can't comment on the food.
After leaving the bar, E had to make a work call, so A and I sat and relaxed on a swing by a giant Chess board.

I was able to get a FP for Test Track, so we hopped back on the Skyliner and headed back.
A designed our car.

I have no idea why E is making that face! After TT, we headed out of Epcot. Thankfully the monorail was working.
We went up to the California Grill and sat in the lounge. I had the goat cheese ravioli, A and E shared the pepperoni flatbread. None of us was feeling a full meal there. A wanted the 'Ohana noodles again, so we went back to the Tambu lounge. E and I shared the pot stickers and some bread pudding.
After that, we called it a night and wandered back to SoG to pack up. Tomorrow would be our last day.

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Wednesday, March 11
Today was our last day, but our car to MCO wouldn't be arriving until 4:00. So, we stored our bags with bell services and ordered an Uber to go to HS and try again for a boarding group. This time we were successful and got Group 24! E was so happy and I was relieved that we could enjoy our last day.
It was a very exciting day. A would be riding 3 new to her rides, and E & I would be riding 2 new rides.
Our first 2 FPs of the day were in Andy's Backyard.
TSMM

Then A.S.S. (A's first time)

I'm not sure of the exact timing, but I know the line for Star Tours wasn't very long, so we rode that to get us warmed up for Rise of the Resistance.
I didn't take any pictures at all on Rise. I just wanted to be able to enjoy it fully. I loved how all of the CMs were in character. It really added to the experience. I wish we would have spent more time in the "Stormtrooper Room". All in all, I loved the experience. I'm just not sure it's worth all the stress! I still like Flight of Passage and Soarin' better.
Things Corona virus related had been escalating very quickly while we were in the bubble. Today was the first day they had these portable hand washing stations set up.

We couldn't have a trip without seeing Muppet Vision 3D or visiting the fountain.

It was an absolutely beautiful day and we were sad to be leaving, but excited for our first ride on Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.
Before heading to our FP for it, we had a bite to eat at ABC Commissary. No complaints...it hit the spot.
I took a few photos of MMRR, but I'm not going to post them because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. We loved it! It was cute, silly and fun! A said it was NOT as good as the Great Movie Ride. She is resistant to change, and she's still mad about Ellen's Energy Adventure closing!
We stopped for one more PP photo before heading out.

It was a wonderful trip! The weather was beautiful and we had our girl with us. I wish it could have been longer of course.
I'll be back tomorrow with some final thoughts.
I hope all of you Magicians are healthy. Thanks for following along!

 

[k8einwdw]

Thank you for sharing your trip with us! I enjoyed following along!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Thank you for sharing your trip with us! I enjoyed following along!

Thanks! I'm enjoying yours as well!

 

[LisaBelle]

Loved your TR! Glad you were able to get it in before the closure!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Loved your TR! Glad you were able to get it in before the closure!

Thanks a bunch...me too!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

In conclusion...

• I am beyond grateful that this trip happened. I came home and went to work for ONE DAY before they closed schools. Things are changing daily...hourly even. I'm sure we can all agree that not knowing when the end is in sight is the hardest part.
• Some opinions about Shades of Green. +big rooms, low price, respectful guests. -not Disney themed, had to go to TTC for some of the transportation. We didn't experience the restaurants at Shades, but the advertisements looked like they had good meals for decent prices. This guy in the lobby is pretty cool:

• The crowds were manageable and the weather was perfect. We're so used to going in the summer that the weather was a big plus.
• E and I were supposed to be returning for my Spring Break, April 3-12. The amount of times we said, "We'll be back in three weeks" is pretty comical now that we look back on it. We'd see a souvenir or a snack that we wanted and we'd say, "I can wait...we'll be back in three weeks."
• When I found out that school would be closed until April 13th, I did what any good Magician would do. I added 2 days to the beginning of our trip! A week later, we decided it would be best to cancel. (This was when Disney was still saying they would re-open April 1st.) Shout out to T.J. at DVC member services! He cancelled everything for me including ADRs and then helped me book a June trip. I was able to get all of my ADRs except for Cali Grill brunch. that our June trip will happen!
• Stay healthy, friends. Take care of yourselves and your family.

 

[Swissmiss]

Thanks for sharing your trip. It helped make the past two weeks stuck at home a little nicer