Trip Report The “No Trip” Trip Report *COMPLETED*

There are pre-trip reports.

There are trip reports.

I’d like to welcome you to what I believe might be the first “No Trip” trip report.

My name is Tuvalu. Ok, that’s not my real name (it’s not “Shirley” either ) but it’s how I’m known here on WDWMagic. For the past six years I have contributed a lot of trip reports in this forum. A lot! Along the way I have met so many wonderful people and made new friends, some of whom I have had the privilege of meeting in person. Honestly the reason why I write is for you, the reader, because I cherish our interactions. (Getting to re-live my trip is just a bonus!)

My husband Woody, my daughter Em and I were supposed to be leaving for our Spring Break trip to WDW tomorrow. Of course we are sad we cannot go (and our doing our part to keep ourselves and others safe) but remain confident we WILL get to go back sometime in the future.

I had been contemplating going “live” for our trip. Woody and Em are not fans of my reporting “live” since my attention is diverted from enjoying vacation with them. However this idea for a “No Trip” trip report came straight from Woody himself!

So for the next week, if you‘d like to Journey into My Imagination and read about what could have been, I’ll be here.

 

[Tuvalu]

Time for lunch, @slipperalwaysfits!

#ShirleyStatus in the Banquet Hall!

Hmmmm....the pizzas here seem to have gotten larger.

No complaints though, the 3 of us can share. Good thing we all like pepperoni!

Remember when PizzeRizzo offered cupcakes for dessert?

Guess what.

For one day only, Rizzo’s has Em’s favorite Darth Vader ~ chocolate cake with peanut butter. I get to eat the dark chocolate candy Darth. (It’s as good as it looks, @Nunu!)

We hear murmurings of a nearby Mickey Mouse meet and greet and go to check it out for ourselves.

(Ah, the days of yore without Photopass....and for us, a good-quality 35mm camera. )

 

[Tuvalu]

I had already booked our Fastpasses for this week when Disney announced the opening date for TATKTGMR.

Say what?

The Attraction That Killed The Great Movie Ride.

You know, this one.

A few days after that announcement, Disney released MMRR Fastpasses. I read the news early and tried to snag them. There were none available for today, so I searched for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is our departure day. There were FPs for late morning, so I booked them. We normally begin the drive home very early morning in order to avoid afternoon rush hour in Atlanta. I reasoned we could leave after riding MMRR and still avoid rush hour, since we wouldn’t make it home until around 8 pm.

Later that day, as I was on these forums reading more about Fastpass for MMRR, it occurred to me that I may have been unable to book MMRR for today because I’d already booked Slinky Dog Dash as our Tier One. I went into MDE, cancelled Slinky and voila! MMRR was available now.

That’s how we ended up with two sets of FPs ~ one for today, and one for tomorrow.

And it is time.

 

[epcotisbest]

Tomorrow is our departure day.

OK, I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest you go ahead and extend this trip for a few more days. I bet there is some availability right now at WL and you might not even have to change rooms. More F&G Festival time and of course more pool time is never a bad thing. Nothing special going on in Atlanta right now anyway (except lots and lots of pollen) so why rush home?

 

[epcotisbest]

Of course, you could always change resorts and head over to POFQ for a few days. Yeah, that's the ticket!

 

[Captain Barbossa]

How did I do @Captain Barbossa?)

Looks good to me!

 

[MegRuss626]

Reminder...
View attachment 462062

Did you see that Disney posted their official Dole Whip recipe today??

Thursday, con’t

We have a little time until our next FP so we take in a show.

View attachment 462069

Woody used to bring Em here when I took our sons to ride ToT and we’d meet up afterwards.

The courtyard across from Little Mermaid sure looked different then!

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Looking to the far left at the strollers, it appears Disney rented umbrella-style strollers to guests.

After the show we head to Toy Story Mania for FP #2.

I’ll just leave this here.....

View attachment 462070

We went to the Aladdin breakfast at the Soundstage Restaurant in the background of your picture! My picture proof is at my mom/grandma’s house and I’m only allowed to the porch to drop off groceries sooooo after this craziness is over, I’ll have to find them!

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, con’t

Our review of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway?

It’s cute....but we know we missed a lot of details, which is common when riding a complex attraction for the first time. We decide we need to ride it again before forming an opinion. We still miss The Great Movie Ride, especially Woody. Old movies are his thing and he often relaxes watching TCM.

Rise of the Resistance has been having difficulties and Boarding Group numbers have not been progressing much. We have a dinner ADR in the park tonight, so that gives us a reason to come back. As expected there are a lot of guests here and standby waits are ridiculous. I managed to secure a 4th FP but not until much later.

We’re leaving so we can play here one more time.

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

Em and I get splashed, not drenched, and we are happy.

The BEST way to ride Splash!

Rizzo’s has Em’s favorite Darth Vader ~ chocolate cake with peanut butter

Sounds absolutely amazing!!!

We hear murmurings of a nearby Mickey Mouse meet and greet and go to check it out for ourselves.

WOW! Loving the old school pics!

There were FPs for late morning, so I booked them

Lucky you! But man, I still miss the GMR a lot, too! I'm glad they have a new family ride but....TGMR was a CLASSIC!! I loved reliving my favorite movies! I'm with Woody, so far!

 

[Tuvalu]

All caught up!! Enjoying your report as always!
What a wonderful and original virtual trip!

Thanks for reading, @MissViv!

Reminder...
View attachment 462062

You knew I needed a visual!

My little guy went home day before yesterday so was finally able to watch Schitt’s Creek finale yesterday. So sad that show is over. We then moved onto Tiger King & agree - mouth dropped open in shock, yet we made it trough 3 episodes. A train wreck, you can’t stop watching.

Oh I stopped watching.....can’t say the same for Woody and Em.
I think I am going to start rewatching Schitt’s. Such a quality show!

It was sooo good to see you and Em at HS. Shame that I missed Woody though.
[At least according to the dream I had last night ]

You forgot your Tuvalu card.....

 

[Tuvalu]

OK, I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest you go ahead and extend this trip for a few more days. I bet there is some availability right now at WL and you might not even have to change rooms. More F&G Festival time and of course more pool time is never a bad thing. Nothing special going on in Atlanta right now anyway (except lots and lots of pollen) so why rush home?

As much as I love this idea, all good things must come to an end....

Of course, you could always change resorts and head over to POFQ for a few days. Yeah, that's the ticket!

 

[Tuvalu]

Looks good to me!

We went to the Aladdin breakfast at the Soundstage Restaurant in the background of your picture! My picture proof is at my mom/grandma’s house and I’m only allowed to the porch to drop off groceries sooooo after this craziness is over, I’ll have to find them!

I believe you! Looking forward to seeing them.

But man, I still miss the GMR a lot, too! I'm glad they have a new family ride but....TGMR was a CLASSIC!! I loved reliving my favorite movies! I'm with Woody, so far!

At least the new attraction doesn’t have a scary alien! When Em was young, she used to hide her face in Woody’s ball cap whenever we passed through that scene. When she got older, Woody used to hand over his ball cap to her as a joke.

 

[LadyBelle]

You forgot your Tuvalu card.....

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Em and I are not fans of the Citrus Swirl. But Woody is! And there has been an ongoing debate in this forum....Team Dole Whip vs. Team Citrus Swirl....but honestly I can’t remember the players on each side!

I feel obliged to mention Team Orange Cream....

 

[Nunu]

I get to eat the dark chocolate candy Darth. (It’s as good as it looks, @Nunu!)

Hmhmhm... Look good it does!

(Said in Yoda's voice).

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, con’t

I receive a push notification.

Unfortunately we can’t accommodate your boarding group. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you enjoy the rest of your day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

We opt to bus back to DHS. Earlier we found a primo spot in the WL lot that will make it easy to load up the car for the ride home.

Our timing works out perfectly for FP #4.

I ride alone. I figure it is less awkward then Woody riding alone.

Dinner follows. This ADR would have been cancelled if not for the very good meal and service Em and I received in February. For the time being, Mama Melrose is back on our list.

There’s Jean on the far right.

Can you bear another Mama’s Margarita pic?

The special tonight:
Chicken Piccata with House-Made Fettuccine Alfredo, Grilled Asparagus

We don’t hang around for Fantasmic. We never do.

Back at Lodge we begin the sad task of packing up. How quickly the last 6 days have passed....much faster than our recent days!

Em and I can’t miss fireworks on our last night in the World. Since we can’t see them from our balcony, we do the next best thing.

It wouldn’t be a Tuvalu trip report without a crappy fireworks photo.

(In my defense, it’s hard to shoot through a reflective window using a cellphone! )

‘Night y’all.

 

[Swissmiss]

Oh no. It’s sounding distinctly like another @Tuvalu TR is winding down

 

[lindawdw]

I was so happy to see that you wrote a Fantasy TR for this trip!!! With so many of us cancelling WDW on these boards, you really lifted our spirits writing this. I loved the Goofy/Mallet reference along with your retro pictures of when your kids were little. Your TR will help tide me over to the day that I can get back to my happy place. Thank you!

 

[krisri18]

Thinking of you @Tuvalu !

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

So I think I got a bit out of order on your TR...I was reading in quick bits and here's what I ended up with today:

Her 2 year old sister, Tuvaleen, prefers Anna. She can sing a rousing toddler rendition of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” while playing the keys on the family piano. I could not be more proud!

You SHOULD be proud! Start 'em young, raise 'em right!

We use the ADR for dessert.

I think a lot of people share your sentiment and use this ADR for dessert! I've only ever done the sandwiches and dessert there but YUM! A definite must-do!!

Both Em and I have had prior success obtaining a Boarding Group ~ Groups 3 and 6. We take our success as luck, not skill. So much can go wrong when thousands are on their devices at the exact moment.

I have a feeling Woody will get a Boarding Group by Labor Day, if not sooner~

Rizzo’s has Em’s favorite Darth Vader ~ chocolate cake with peanut butter. I get to eat the dark chocolate candy Darth. (It’s as good as it looks,

Since I won't be going back for awhile, I should try to bake a chocolate cupcake at home!

Can you bear another Mama’s Margarita pic

Seriously, I've got to put this on my must-drink list!!!

Thank you for a fantastic trip report! Can't wait to read your next one!

 

[MissViv]

Dinner not at Earl of Sandwich, @epcotisbest.

Dinner not at Pecos Bill’s, @Songbird76.

Dinner not at Sunshine Seasons, @Mr Ferret 88. (And definitely not at Goofy’s Candy Co.!)

Dinner here. (Where were you when I needed you, @93boomer?)

View attachment 461135

Satu’li Canteen for anyone unfamiliar with the entrance.

Typically we go for the beef bowl with noodles.

View attachment 461130

Tonight we feel like chicken. With multi-grain bread.

View attachment 461133

The blueberry mousse cheesecake is Satu’li’s signature dessert.

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That‘s a hard pass for us. Fortunately chocolate cream pie is available.

View attachment 461134

We’re stuffed. And tired. Time to return to our room!

We ate here on our last trip after seeing one of your previous trip reports and all I can say is WOW! It was really good and makes me want to go back soon. For the people who think WDW does not have very good food (especially the quick service), they haven't eaten here. It was wonderful!!