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!!!!

 

[93boomer]

You might want to go to MK.....just sayin’.


I thought the no elephant thing was weird too....as was the “sunset”!


Typo has been fixed, thanks.


We don’t see AK much in the dark and I agree with you. Em gets the credit for the photos.

Woo Hoo

 

[MinnieM123]

We bypassed the Front Desk on our way to our room. The plan was to finish a small bit of packing and then we would haul our bags to the new room one floor below (once we received the room number).

However, my band failed to unlock the door. Ditto Woody’s. Ditto Em’s. Clearly we had a problem.

You've had your share of issues with room entry. Glad you eventually got it all resolved.

Happy to read that you were upgraded to Nature View. So nice that those rooms have a phone and did I see a clock?! And two side tables! #ShirleyStatus

 

[amjt660]

AK is moving up the depth chart for me


Max

 

[Rista1313]

I discovered the bug life thing thru internet and thought NOPE NOPE NOPE!

 

[Tuvalu]

Even though AK was our 4th park day, we were unable to get FPs for Flight of Passage. But it was fine since we now had a reason FP to try Na’vi River Journey for a second time.

To say we were underwhelmed by NRJ on our first ride is an understatement. We had not seen Avatar and had no idea what was going on in the attraction. There were some projections, a weird chanting that grew louder and a creepy auto-animatronic.....and just like that, the ride was over.

We thought perhaps we’d been too critical. Em decided it might be fun to take pictures (she did not take any the first time.) We approached the tapstile with open minds.

NRJ through the lens of Em ~

Was my mind blown?

I wanted to like it. I really did.

But I still didn’t get it.

Woody’s take?

“Because it’s a boat ride, I was tempted to call it Pirates of Pandora.....but after riding a second time.....nope....it’s Living with Pandora.”

 

[Tiggerish]

SAME. I was traumatized as a child by It's Tough to be a Bug. And still won't do it. Luckily my husband is in the same generation as me and was also traumatized so he doesn't want to do it either.

Agreed! None of us will even go near it!

I was 34 when AK opened—so I was traumatized by ITTBAB as an adult.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Everything you mentioned plus a lack of things to do (an hour wait for a boat that went nowhere!); two of my kids traumatized by It’s Tough to Be a Bug (and still won’t do it even as adults); animals that were in hiding because it was brutally HOT, so there was nothing to look at; a long, boring, HOT walk to ride the train to Conservation Station and there was nothing to do once we got there; a 75 minute wait to eat at Rainforest Cafe, which was the only restaurant with air conditioning....then bad food and service.

I could go on, but I think you get the gist.....

It’s funny, my first trip was when AK opened, it was November, but Hot! AK was a nothing, we did the Safari, went to Conservation Station, pet some goats, much to my horror, they licked us. (Not a fan of goats) then left. I love it though, but I think it is because it opened when we went.
I had no idea the speedway and MPB (TM) were going to be down that long. So glad Eli went with us, we would not have probably done either, had he not!

 

[LadyBelle]

They didn’t stay on long, as Em said they weren’t very comfortable.)

I second that. The headband is a bit too tight.

(my generation called them ponytail holders.)

Mine too.

I was 34 when AK opened—so I was traumatized by ITTBAB as an adult.

I was 28 when I went and it was traumatizing.

 

[Kiwiduck]

Hope that sunset looked a bit more realistic in person - the photo makes it look like a large multi-coloured TV screen. I think the natural sunsets at WDW are just beautiful so not sure why they would try and fake one (so badly).

 

[Spash007]

Agreed! None of us will even go near it!

I wsa "luckily" traumatized enough by Honey, I Shrunk the Audience that we just skipped it. And I still do. There's a slight part of me that is curious, but any time I read about it, I just think "Nope!"

 

[LittleTuna12]

I have to ask. How has it traumatized people? Just curious as my kids loved it. Sorry for the hijack @Tuvalu. Loving your report as usual!

 

[aliceismad]

On a scale of 0 to Stitch, how bad is Bug's Life really? I've never been.

 

[Nala06]

Add me to the list of traumatized kids by Its Tough to be a Bug! Ran out screaming. I was 10. Undecided if I want to take my four year old on it this year! Might make DH do it, he’s never experienced it before

 

[krause]

On a scale of 0 to Stitch, how bad is Bug's Life really? I've never been.

I would go on Stitch again before Bugs Life. Stitch is just a horrible ride? attraction? Not sure quite what to call it. Bug’s Life is terrifying! I freaked out as a 9 year old, thought I’d be over it when I was 20 but nope had to leave halfway through before I had a full blown panic attack

 

[Tuvalu]

My 9 year old son stood up in the middle of the theater and screamed, “Get me out of here!!”

I’ll let Em share her own experience (if she wants to.)

 

[bee]

I experienced ITTBAB for the first time at 28 in DCA, and that was enough. I won't say I was traumatized or terrified, but I was definitely anxious the whole time and ready to get out of there!

 

[need2go2wdw]

Regular readers of my TRs may recall that The Plaza was one of our go-to restaurants. Rarely did we skip it, and there was a trip or two when we actually went twice.

The food was good and very reasonably priced ~ only a few dollars more than a counter service restaurant.

The shakes were phenomenal.

We knew the servers by name (and a few recognized us.)

And we always looked forward to a visit by Mayor Christopher George Weaver who would enter the restaurant with a flourish and choose a child (the “100th” guest of the day) as the “Junior Mayor of the Day.” (Smokey Miller the Fire Chief would do the honors on the Mayor’s day off.). The ceremony was one of those special touches that made Disney, “Disney”.

A couple years ago The Plaza began to lose its luster. The crispy signature fat fries were replaced by generic shoestrings. Entree prices increased by $3-4. Worst of all, the $5 shake was replaced with an all-you-can-drink shake for nine dollars....a single serving was no longer allowed, nor was “sharing” the all-you-can-drink.

Then the Mayor died.

Dining there lost its value to us. But as I mentioned earlier, Em got to choose the restaurants and she wanted to give The Plaza another try.

View attachment 339844

View attachment 339845

We did not know any of the servers. The one assigned to us did not show up for a LONG time. She was a bit scattered and did not refill our water glasses. Em and Woody ordered shakes which took FOREVER and when she delivered them this was all they got:
View attachment 339849
Usually the stainless steel container (that the shake was mixed in) with the remaining shake was brought to the table as well. Em thought perhaps this had changed too, until she noticed that every other table that had shakes also had the stainless steel containers.

Still there were smiles on their faces.

View attachment 339848

View attachment 339846

I am happy to report the food was good.
Cheesesteak for Em.
View attachment 339850

Club sandwich for Woody.
View attachment 339852

Gourmet chicken sandwich for me.
View attachment 339851

While we were eating a Main Street Suffragette entered and (with a little less flourish than the Mayor) presented the 100th guest of the day with a chocolate covered gold Mickey bar. We were too far away to see if the gold Mickey bar was candy or ice cream.

It was nice to see that this “special touch” continues.

When our server brought the check she asked Woody and Em if they wanted to-go refills of their shakes. Woody declined, but Em said yes “because I feel like I never got a full shake to begin with!”

View attachment 339853

Lunch came to $82....about $30 higher than it used to be. Sigh.

I’m sorry...does that menu say add a soup for $8 or a salad for $9?!?

 

[KellBelle]

“Kona wouldn’t know what to do with himself!” Woody laughed.

You see, Kona LOVES chasing elastic hair bands (my generation called them ponytail holders.) We have a stash of them in a kitchen drawer. When Kona wants to play, he’ll run to the drawer and stretch up to reach the handle....and cries until one of us opens the drawer to retrieve a hair band. Then we throw it and he runs after it. He’ll pick it up with his teeth and bring it back to us....and the fetching process starts over.

He should have been a dog!

LOL! I have a cat who loves them also and we play fetch with him too!

 

[ThemedScream]

Everything you mentioned plus a lack of things to do (an hour wait for a boat that went nowhere!); two of my kids traumatized by It’s Tough to Be a Bug (and still won’t do it even as adults); animals that were in hiding because it was brutally HOT, so there was nothing to look at; a long, boring, HOT walk to ride the train to Conservation Station and there was nothing to do once we got there; a 75 minute wait to eat at Rainforest Cafe, which was the only restaurant with air conditioning....then bad food and service.

I could go on, but I think you get the gist.....

My family went for soft openings, as my mom was a travel agent at the time and we were offered free passes to check out the park. I have to say, all of these observations are spot on. There was zero shade in that place. I was 12 at the time, and was basically bored to tears by most of it. I remember that terrible boat ride to nowhere during which they played Radio Disney. Yeah. AK was sorely lacking back then.

 

[Tuvalu]

I discovered the bug life thing thru internet and thought NOPE NOPE NOPE!

I was 34 when AK opened—so I was traumatized by ITTBAB as an adult.

I was 28 when I went and it was traumatizing.

I wsa "luckily" traumatized enough by Honey, I Shrunk the Audience that we just skipped it. And I still do. There's a slight part of me that is curious, but any time I read about it, I just think "Nope!"

Add me to the list of traumatized kids by Its Tough to be a Bug! Ran out screaming. I was 10. Undecided if I want to take my four year old on it this year! Might make DH do it, he’s never experienced it before

Bug’s Life is terrifying! I freaked out as a 9 year old, thought I’d be over it when I was 20 but nope had to leave halfway through before I had a full blown panic attack

I experienced ITTBAB for the first time at 28 in DCA, and that was enough. I won't say I was traumatized or terrified, but I was definitely anxious the whole time and ready to get out of there!

For the record I am not a fan of It's Tough to Be A Bug either. I have done it a few times hoping to find the "charm" in it and NOPE! I was amazed at how many of you feel the same way.

Happy to read that you were upgraded to Nature View. So nice that those rooms have a phone and did I see a clock?! And two side tables! #ShirleyStatus

If you saw a clock it was my travel one!

AK is moving up the depth chart for me
Max

Depth chart

Hope that sunset looked a bit more realistic in person - the photo makes it look like a large multi-coloured TV screen. I think the natural sunsets at WDW are just beautiful so not sure why they would try and fake one (so badly).

Em was quick to point out that the "sunset" did not photograph well ~ but honestly in person it was not much better. The "glowing" caught my attention the moment our jeep turned onto the savanna.

I’m sorry...does that menu say add a soup for $8 or a salad for $9?!?

Indeed it does.