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.

 

[Wrangler-Rick]

Thanks @Tuvalu! A great way to help us survive the quarantine blues!!!

 

[wdwfamilynh]

Happy Easter to all!

 

[Tuvalu]

Friday, April 10

After discussing the pros and cons of returning to DHS this morning to use our 2nd MMRR Fastpass, we ultimately decide to wait until our next visit to ride again. Will we be able to score a FP for it? Only time will tell.

I sneak down to Roaring Fork in the quiet to get us some muffins and coffee for the car ride home.

Goodbye beautiful lobby. Oh I hope to see you again in 70 days!

The journey home is uneventful except for the usual traffic slowdowns. But we know this trip would take even longer tomorrow (Saturday) as the entire state of GA returns home from Spring Break ~ Easter Week Edition.

In the car Em and I lament that we never made it to the Tambu Lounge for Island Sunsets.

“But,” she says, “I have a Plan B!”

We are home mid-afternoon. Kona is happily waiting for us when we open the door. Poly (Diva Kitty) will eventually make her presence known by giving us the cold shoulder.

Em is going to stay a couple more nights with us. We have two big events this weekend, a birthday and Easter. She takes her luggage to her old room and returns with Plan B.

At 5 o’clock she recruits Bartender Woody to make mock Island Sunsets. He worked as bartender back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Although the drink’s color is slightly different, both Em and I are pleased with the final result.

We even have seconds!

Woody doesn’t care for sweet or fruity drinks. But he does not want to miss out on our Polynesian fest (which also includes tropical tacos...sorry no pics) so he joins in with his beverage of choice.

It’s a great way to end a great week!

 

[RememberWhen]

Friday, April 10

After discussing the pros and cons of returning to DHS this morning to use our 2nd MMRR Fastpass, we ultimately decide to wait until our next visit to ride again. Will we be able to score a FP for it? Only time will tell.

I sneak down to Roaring Fork in the quiet to get us some muffins and coffee for the car ride home.

Goodbye beautiful lobby. Oh I hope to see you again in 70 days!

View attachment 463007

The journey home is uneventful except for the usual traffic slowdowns. But we know this trip would take even longer tomorrow (Saturday) as the entire state of GA returns home from Spring Break ~ Easter Week Edition.

In the car Em and I lament that we never made it to the Tambu Lounge for Island Sunsets.

View attachment 463005

“But,” she says, “I have a Plan B!”

We are home mid-afternoon. Kona is happily waiting for us when we open the door. Poly (Diva Kitty) will eventually make her presence known by giving us the cold shoulder.

Em is going to stay a couple more nights with us. We have two big events this weekend, a birthday and Easter. She takes her luggage to her old room and returns with Plan B.

View attachment 463006

At 5 o’clock she recruits Bartender Woody to make mock Island Sunsets. He worked as bartender back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Although the drink’s color is slightly different, both Em and I are pleased with the final result.

View attachment 463034

We even have seconds!

Woody doesn’t care for sweet or fruity drinks. But he does not want to miss out on our Polynesian fest (which also includes tropical tacos...sorry no pics) so he joins in with his beverage of choice.

View attachment 463043

It’s a great way to end a great week!

I don’t want it to be over!!

 

[93boomer]

Friday, April 10

After discussing the pros and cons of returning to DHS this morning to use our 2nd MMRR Fastpass, we ultimately decide to wait until our next visit to ride again. Will we be able to score a FP for it? Only time will tell.

I sneak down to Roaring Fork in the quiet to get us some muffins and coffee for the car ride home.

Goodbye beautiful lobby. Oh I hope to see you again in 70 days!

View attachment 463007

The journey home is uneventful except for the usual traffic slowdowns. But we know this trip would take even longer tomorrow (Saturday) as the entire state of GA returns home from Spring Break ~ Easter Week Edition.

In the car Em and I lament that we never made it to the Tambu Lounge for Island Sunsets.

View attachment 463005

“But,” she says, “I have a Plan B!”

We are home mid-afternoon. Kona is happily waiting for us when we open the door. Poly (Diva Kitty) will eventually make her presence known by giving us the cold shoulder.

Em is going to stay a couple more nights with us. We have two big events this weekend, a birthday and Easter. She takes her luggage to her old room and returns with Plan B.

View attachment 463006

At 5 o’clock she recruits Bartender Woody to make mock Island Sunsets. He worked as bartender back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Although the drink’s color is slightly different, both Em and I are pleased with the final result.

View attachment 463034

We even have seconds!

Woody doesn’t care for sweet or fruity drinks. But he does not want to miss out on our Polynesian fest (which also includes tropical tacos...sorry no pics) so he joins in with his beverage of choice.

View attachment 463043

It’s a great way to end a great week!

I am so glad you came up with a recipe for the Island Sunset drink!! I haven't had one, but I definitely am going to try to make one this summer. Oh and DH and Woody have that beer thing in common. We have even had the longboard. It's good.

 

[MickeyCB]

Very much enjoyed traveling along on your Easter trip! Thanks for inventing and sharing!

 

[MegRuss626]

Oh I hope to see you again in 70 days!

79 days

Happy Easter!

 

[Swissmiss]

Thanks for taking the time to give us a break from our real life at the moment

 

[Rista1313]

The whole trip report without one rude person... GASP! LOL

Thanks for entertaining us Tuvalu!

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuvaleen Turned Two!!

We celebrated “2020 Quarantine-Style” ~ Birthday Girl, her parents and big sister Tuvalette on the back stoop; grandparents Tu and Woody and Auntie Em social distanced on the patio. Zoom lens. No food, just presents!

(Don’t you love the card, @MinnieM123? Minnie is also Tuvaleen’s favorite character.)

The chair also features Minnie Mouse, though you can’t see her!

It wasn’t nearly enough time to spend with our sweet grands, but there will be a proper party (and lots of play dates!) once it is safe again.

 

[93boomer]

Tuvaleen Turned Two!!

We celebrated “2020 Quarantine-Style” ~ Birthday Girl, her parents and big sister Tuvalette on the back stoop; grandparents Tu and Woody and Auntie Em social distanced on the patio. Zoom lens. No food, just presents!

View attachment 463476
(Don’t you love the card, @MinnieM123? Minnie is also Tuvaleen’s favorite character.)

View attachment 463477

The chair also features Minnie Mouse, though you can’t see her!

View attachment 463478

It wasn’t nearly enough time to spend with our sweet grands, but there will be a proper party (and lots of play dates!) once it is safe again.

Happy Birthday Tuvaleen!!

 

[TheMouseFan]

Tuvaleen Turned Two!!

We celebrated “2020 Quarantine-Style” ~ Birthday Girl, her parents and big sister Tuvalette on the back stoop; grandparents Tu and Woody and Auntie Em social distanced on the patio. Zoom lens. No food, just presents!

View attachment 463476
(Don’t you love the card, @MinnieM123? Minnie is also Tuvaleen’s favorite character.)

View attachment 463477

The chair also features Minnie Mouse, though you can’t see her!

View attachment 463478

It wasn’t nearly enough time to spend with our sweet grands, but there will be a proper party (and lots of play dates!) once it is safe again.

Love it! We celebrated Lily's 15th on Sunday and our extended family and one of her friends decided to drive their cars by our house with birthday signs and yelling out the windows at her! You've got to make the best of these types of situations!! Hopefully, you'll get to give her a big birthday hug soon!

 

[Songbird76]

Reminder...
View attachment 462062

Does the Dole Whip have to be the pineapple variety? I don't like pineapple, but I did really like the lemon/lime swirl dolewhip I had at the Poly.

 

[Songbird76]

Thursday, April 9

Our alarm sounds in the darkness. It’s early, but we must get ourselves going. We want to be inside DHS in ample time to try for a RotR Boarding Group. Woody has not experienced Rise. He’s the only one of the 3 of us who knows Star Wars, and Em & I hope he appreciates the attraction as much as our friend Kel did.

We drive to the Studios (so glad we have our own vehicle!) and are tapped into the park T-minus 10 minutes before opening. 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.

We watch the second hand count down and log in. This appears.

View attachment 462057
A bad sign. Upon logging in the “Join Boarding Group” link is supposed to be red. Speed matters here. We furiously press buttons ~ adrenaline pumping ~ and receive this.

View attachment 462050

NO!!! Not a back up group! We finish the process and receive Back Up Group 85. The odds of us getting to ride are now less than if we had obtained a regular BG. And if the attraction breaks down (which it frequently does), our odds drop even lower.

Em and I are bummed. Woody shrugs and says, “No big deal. If we ride it, great. If not that’s okay.”

We love this man. Em and I can relax knowing Woody’s not disappointed.

Besides, Tink might just sprinkle some pixie dust on us today.

View attachment 462051

A walk down Sunset Blvd. to Woody and Em’s first attraction.

View attachment 462053

As I wait for them, I realize @Mr Ferret 88 might be running low on TR snacks.

Never fear my friend. Gotcha covered now!

View attachment 462054

My fam returns from their very fast ride and we tap in for a very fast drop. Or drops, as is our case.

View attachment 462055

Oh that poor little girl in the front on the left on ToT. She looks terrified! The one on the right in the middle row looks like she is praying! And I'm not sure what's up with the mom in the front row. Is she laughing or crying? She looks more scared than the daughter clinging to her arm. I'm not used to seeing so many people in one picture who look like they think they are going to die! Even on ToT!

 

[Songbird76]

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.

View attachment 462204

There is a theme park in Germany that has a ride with old movies. The park is called Phantasialand and the ride is called Hollywood Tour. It's not as immersive as TGMR, but it does take you through several movies like King Kong, and Jaws, etc. There are ride through videos on Youtube. If you ever come to this side of the pond, you could make a day trip. They have coasters, a TOT-like drop ride, and a kind of Chinese version of The Haunted Mansion, and a TSMM type ride where you shoot mice with balls of frosting from your piping bag. You could at least ride through some old movies. @Longers they have a really nice ice cream shop, too.

A few pictures here: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/where-in-the-world-isnt-bob-saget.895312/page-2894

 

[Songbird76]

Maybe you GOT the card, but it was like the Star of Asteroth in Bedknobs and Broomsticks....you can't take it from one world to another....it just disappears.

 

[lindawdw]

Sounds like the perfect ending to your trip together! So glad you got to see your grandchildren if even from a distance! Thanks again for sharing this wonderfully creative TR. Can't wait for the next real one to happen!!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Thinking of you @Tuvalu !
View attachment 462455

WANT. THIS. NOW!!!!!

Cannot find it anymore in my area.

 

[King Panda 77]

Great trip report

 

[King Panda 77]

@epcotisbest here's a better one