Trip Report The Holiday Humdinger *COMPLETED*

I can't believe the Summer of @Tuvalu is over! Is there going to be a holiday humdinger trip report?!!

I couldn’t disappoint a very expectant mama-to-be, now could I? Especially one who was kind enough to provide the title for this trip report!

So here you go, @krisri18......and anyone else who’d like to follow along on yet another Tuvalu WDW adventure, HOLIDAY STYLE.

I plan on posting live updates and will write an expanded report (“Part Tu” @Tony the Tigger ) once I return home. After all, what else will I have to do in December?

Who: Tuvalu and Woody

When: November 27 - December 3, 2018
Where: I shouldn’t even have to tell you. My go-to.

So be on the lookout for us, @DisneyShe, @slipperalwaysfits @mcstensrud. We’ve packed our sweaters and jeans for the chilly weekdays (highs only near 60, lows in the 40s ~ WTH??) and our shorts and tees for the unseasonably warm weekend (highs in the 80s). Yeah, that 30 degree temperature swing isn’t going to help the colds Woody and I are starting with.....

But we’re going to DISNEY WORLD!!!!

 

[MinnieM123]

“I see you have a lot of MagicBands that have been deactivated,” Ryan said. “Would you like me to purge them?”

Wait.....WHAT???!!

“You can purge them?” I asked astonishingly.

“Sure,” answered Ryan matter-of-factly. “Since you have so many deactivated bands, it will take me an hour or so but that should resolve the issues you’ve been having.”

WHY HAS NO ONE MENTIONED PURGING MY ACCOUNT OF DEACTIVATED BANDS UNTIL NOW??!!
RYAN, YOU ARE MY HERO!!!

At least two facepalms, for the fact that no one ever suggested the deletion of deactivated bands.

You can't possibly be the only guest who's had multiple issues with multiple older bands, interfering with your most current one. Good grief . . .

 

[Tuvalu]

Be careful with that heel pain - sounds like plantar fascia.

I was just going to say the same thing. I've been able to heal mine by wearing skechers from sun up to sun down (even while relaxing at home) You need something with a really good arch and not the flat teva's (do they have an arch?) I hated every minute of it, but I still do it most of the time, because I don't want that pain back. Also, keep a can of peaches (or whatever) by the side of your bed, and "roll" your foot before you stand on it. It will stretch out that tendon, and help with the healing process.
Not that you asked for my advise... but .. well there it is.

I am going to echo everyone's comment about heel pain. I ignored my for quite some time. Finally had to go to a podiatrist who treated me with two rounds of steroids and recommended an insert.

Thanks, friends. I have been diligent in caring for my foot and there has been some improvement, though I suspect a visit to a podiatrist may be in my future.

 

[Tuvalu]

I ignored the heel pain, or dealt with it anyway, for a few weeks, then (the day before my DD's wedding) I reached to shut a light off, and tore mine so badly that I was in a boot for about 5 months. Not fun at all!

Oh that sounds awful! So sorry!

 

[Nemo14]

Thanks, friends. I have been diligent in caring for my foot and there has been some improvement, though I suspect a visit to a podiatrist may be in my future.

I roll my arch on a tennis ball whenever I'm sitting at the computer - helps a lot. There are also exercises on line that you can do too.

 

[Nemo14]

Oh that sounds awful! So sorry!

It will be forever known as The Day Mom Had to Be Wheeled Down the Aisle while 91-year old Grandma Walked on Her Own....

 

[Tuvalu]

It will be forever known as The Day Mom Had to Be Wheeled Down the Aisle while 91-year old Grandma Walked on Her Own....

Forgive me, but this made me !

 

[Nemo14]

Forgive me, but this made me !

We all laugh about it now, and to be honest, if it had to happen to someone, better me than the bride or my mother. It was still a good wedding!

but enough about me - on with your TR!

 

[Tuvalu]

Finally! I was wondering the same thing all along. The fact that it can be done but was never mentioned to you before is mind blowing especially for a company that prides itself on being the best at customer service.

Well my mind was blown!

At least Ryan was nice about it. My deactivated bands were purged by a grouchy CM at the Bay Lake Tower front desk a few years ago; she acted as though she was doing me the world's biggest favor. Haven't had a problem since, though.

Did you ask for the purge or did she offer? Glad to hear it worked for you.

At least two facepalms, for the fact that no one ever suggested the deletion of deactivated bands.

You can't possibly be the only guest who's had multiple issues with multiple older bands, interfering with your most current one. Good grief . . .

So true!!

 

[Tuvalu]

I'll share more details when I get around to a TR, but I think we have a @Tuvalu in the making with Magic Band issues. Luckily when it comes to kids it's easy to get around. But lets just say the first few days I was thinking of you!

Ugh! I hope you got your issues resolved.

Really?? I had no idea! I need to do that. But I will wait until I get to the part that it worked.

Do it!!!

If there is, I don't know about it. My house is adjacent to a school building, and the guest room faces that way. When DH's snoring drives me into that bedroom, I'm awoken early by those darn beeps. They don't reach our bedroom at the front of the house.

One word solution....CPAP.

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, con’t

My morning became even better when I saw this!

Why did this make your morning better, Tuvalu?

Because the last time we stayed at WL, it looked like this:

Disney FIXED something!!!

Did I hit the bell? You betcha!

Ain’t nobody be hanging by the pool today!

Woody was appropriately dressed for Ohio-in-Florida temps!

He’s wearing 4 layers and was still cold!

 

[Tuvalu]

@Rista1313 I know it’s not Friday but I had to have this guy!

Enlarge the sweater, it’s hilarious!

 

[Rista1313]

@Rista1313 I know it’s not Friday but I had to have this guy!

View attachment 334370
Enlarge the sweater, it’s hilarious!

haha... that's so cute.. I love how the sweater looks knit =D The owner sent me ANOTHER free Chicken sandwich... I think I'll mobile order lunch for DH and I on Christmas eve, and get ANOTHER free sandwich!

 

[Tiggerish]

Did you ask for the purge or did she offer? Glad to hear it worked for you.

She offered! So I really didn't understand the grumpiness, unless she was channeling her favorite dwarf. It was like I was expected to know that they had to be purged or to have done it myself. Oh, well.

Can't wait to find out if the purge worked out for you, too.

 

[Tuvalu]

When I planned our dining ADRs at 180 days, I did not anticipate attending MVMCP ~ thus we found ourselves back at the MK today for a lunch ressie. I asked Woody if we should cancel but he said, “Nah.”

I approached the tapstile with trepidation. Would I finally see green?

I did! What a relief!!

Woody and I were also happy to see that the MPB was running, as we thought it was supposed to be closed.

We took in the sights of Town Square.

The Trolley was in the Car Barn.

So festive!

We had a few minutes until our ADR so I suggested going to Curtain Call Collectibles (next to Meet Mickey) to check out the tsum tsums. Em’s students are always clamoring for more!

It was a bust. The store no longer carries tsum tsums.

 

[Tuvalu]

We made our way to Tony’s Town Square Restaurant.

What initially propelled me to book Tony’s was the opportunity to dine al fresco on the porch, when it wasn’t 105 degrees with 100% humidity. Em and I had dined on the porch in April on a pleasant spring day, and we’d had a good table and good food.

So today wasn’t 105 degrees. But it was far from “pleasant”. I did not expect 50 degrees with a blustery wind! Dining on the porch was NOT gonna happen!

Instead I requested a table in the sunroom when we checked in.

We had a bit of a wait before our name was called. Woody and I had a chuckle when one of the servers yelled for the E-vans family.

My request was granted!

Not a bad view for not being outside on the porch.

Our server Daniel was excellent and said that he has been working at Tony’s since 2006. I was impressed until he made a statement that gave me pause, which I’ll get to in a minute.

Woody and I toasted our vacation with some Pinot Grigio. I want to say it “felt” strange drinking wine at lunch in the MK, but it didn’t.

Daniel brought us focaccia bread to start and asked if we had any questions about the menu.

Now baked rigatoni has always been one of my top choices when dining at Tony’s. But it wasn’t on the menu.

“What happened to the baked rigatoni?” I asked Daniel.

“Oh we haven’t served baked rigatoni for years,” Daniel answered. He went on to say that they had trouble keeping the rigatoni hot, they couldn’t find the right dish to serve it in, sometimes the dish itself would be hot but the rigatoni would be cold or unevenly heated, blah blah blah.

Years? Really?

I did not feel the need to embarrass him though I had a picture of the menu from April 2018 on my phone.

Baked rigatoni was part of the Italian Trio Em and I had shared.

If I recall correctly, that round dish kept the rigatoni plenty hot!

 

[Tuvalu]

Daniel, sensing that I wasn’t happy about the “long-gone” rigatoni, excitedly mentioned that the chef had “brought back” the very popular butternut squash soup.

He made a few other suggestions then said he would give us a minute to decide.

With that big muffin only a little while ago, I wasn’t overly hungry. Woody said he’d be glad to share something with me.

We went with the butternut squash soup.

I can see why this was (is?) so popular....the soup was delish! Warm and yummy on a cold day.

For our main we had the spinach ravioli with grilled chicken.

The heirloom tomatoes made this dish! The rest was tasty too.

The soup and ravioli filled us both and we did not order dessert. As I mentioned earlier, Daniel was attentive, friendly and was quick to refill and clear away (though we did not feel rushed.)

I would have given him 5/5 stars if not for the rigatoni misinformation.

While Tony’s won’t be on our regular rotation, we had a very nice lunch. (And certainly a much better experience than you had @DisneyGigi!)

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

YAY!! !The bands have been purged and your Disney life is now way easier!! (I hope!)
Tony's looks yummy, too bad about the rigatoni!
I hope your feet get better quick!

 

[Tiggerish]

I approached the tapstile with trepidation. Would I finally see green?

I did! What a relief!!

So, the purge was a success?

 

[Tuvalu]

YAY!! !The bands have been purged and your Disney life is now way easier!! (I hope!) !

So, the purge was a success?

Purge perfectly prevented problems!

 

[Rista1313]

Purge perfectly prevented problems!

They should really give guests an option to purge on the site!