Trip Report the last time (taylor's version)

Hi all! Guess who just came back from Disney World? Tis I! After over a year away, it was a most interesting trip. My grandma and I planned this back in June after I found out that I got into grad school (again... I'm a sucker for punishment) so it was meant to be a celebratory trip for that and also my grandma would be turning 70 shortly before it! And then the end of September rolled around and I (in Fort Myers) got to experience the delights of Hurricane Ian. I work in a first response field so it was a very busy, awful couple of weeks. After that I decided... If we were doing this trip (which was all that was keeping me going post-hurricane for a good bit), we were going to give Bob Chapek everything he wanted. That's right, we were going to cough up for Genie+. I'm a hypocrite, I know. Does it help if I say that I'm moving to West Virginia and won't get back to Orlando until after the program is over? No? I thought as much... But still... I spent A LOT OF MONEY on this trip LOL... and most of it wasn't even at Disney... Because, you see... While we were going to be in the World, Taylor Swift was going to have a presale for her tour... And I, a Swiftie to the max, knew that I would be going... come h-e-double-hockey-sticks or high water... Did I manage to get tickets? Did Grandma and I conquer our previous records regarding attraction count and step count? Stick around to find out....

We begin with DAY ONE, November 14th. Our travels would take us from Magic Kingdom to Epcot, as MK was closing early that evening for the Christmas Party (no expense spared, I say, whilst cringing away from the prices for the Christmas Party... So we didn't do that). I awoke at 6am, pulled up MDE, and....

But, I shelled out $36.22 (Grandma and I decided we would trade off each day) and got ready for the day. We had an hour and a half drive to get to WDW from my grandparents' house (which I had traveled to on Friday), so we got in the car around 6:45 and hit the road. It went well until we were about 30 minutes into the I-4 stretch... and then we hit solid red traffic. Stand still. Man, I had to pee. I kept looking down at my phone and seeing that we only had 15 miles left, 14, 13... Then 13 for an eternity... and then...

I decided to go a longer back way, because at least we would be moving. I'd rather be moving continuously for a longer stretch of time than sitting in stand still traffic. A brief stop was made at 7/11 to pee (huzzah), and then we continued on our strange, back way route to Disney property.

Meanwhile I received this

Which was a pleasant surprise! We were looking forward to dumping our belongings in the room, grabbing a bus to MK, and getting started with the day. And just like that...

We were pulling in! Huzzah!

This is where I decided to park *crowd oohs and ahhhs*. We took a very bizarre route to our room because we couldn't find the elevator, but eventually we were walking inside and were greeted by...

Welcome, [REDACTED] & [REDACTED]!

A room tour, you ask? No, I shan't do it. I will instead show you things that I noticed.

A crooked light fixture.

Some scum.

The shower got my seal of approval. With the room inspected and no egregious disturbances noted, we were ready to head to MK.

 

[tonystark]

I was pleased with our seats. I would have liked to have been right up against the water, but we had a great waitress (I should've done a cast compliment in retrospect but was not thinking).

What did I eat?

Pollo a Las Rajas​

Grilled Chicken Breast over a bed of Roasted Garlic Potatoes with Onions, Poblano Peppers, Corn, and Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce topped with Queso Fresco

It was delicious! Would recommend. And it was a pretty hefty piece of chicken (one would hope for 30$, I suppose).

I saw something... I witnessed something... So heinous during this meal. I don't want to shame anyone on the internet but what I SAW... Okay. Here we go. You all know the dessert at this restaurant. The dessert that I would LOVE TO TRY but recognize that it would be insane for any party smaller than like 4 (perhaps 3 if we want to push it) to order.

Chocolate “Fiesta” Pyramid​

A festively decorated Chocolate Pyramid filled with Mexican Chocolate Mousse and Toffee atop a traditional Tres Leches Cake, and accompanied by Ice Cream. Perfect for sharing.

34$ for a dessert. Madness. And I saw...

THESE TWO PEOPLE HARDLY [REDACTED] TOUCHED IT.

I had to get closer.

Appalled, I turned away from this depressing image and left the restaurant pondering what it would be like to leave a dessert like that. I just... can't fathom it... I have too much of a sweet tooth I guess. A sweet tooth that I needed to satisfy (Caballeros was like a 15 minute ACTUAL wait and we weren't going to do that).

This would have to make up for skipping a ride. Dessert called.

You already know. Such a versatile snack, it can be breakfast, it can be dessert, it can be anything you want.

Time to find a vantage point to eat my delicious treat while my grandma facetimes my grandpa.

And then we went on one of our few circuits of World Showcase.

Stopped here briefly, as tradition demands.

America.... Spread your golden wings....

 

[RememberWhen]

I have a reservation specifically for that pyramid dessert! Can my 1yo and I finish it?! We’ll sure as hell try.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

My husband and I got the pyramid dessert and it was tasty. We couldn't finish it all but we took down a significant amount. The mouse inside the pyramid was great.

 

[tonystark]

I have a reservation specifically for that pyramid dessert! Can my 1yo and I finish it?! We’ll sure as hell try.

I BELIEVE IN YOU!!! I KNOW YOU WILL MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT THAN THE PEOPLE I WITNESSED!!! THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT THEY DID NOT EVEN DISCOVER...

My husband and I got the pyramid dessert and it was tasty. We couldn't finish it all but we took down a significant amount. The mouse inside the pyramid was great.

I feel like they hardly even cracked the surface of the pyramid. It's like they just ate the ice cream on the outside and missed the delights and joy on the inside.

 

[tonystark]

I forgot to mention a KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS! that I overheard. We were passing through Germany and a little boy said "I don't LIKE Germany... but I do like Mickey Mouse." Poor lad was in the wrong park.

It was a very good night. And my knee had gotten its act together (thanks to ibuprofen and the high of Taylor Swift tickets) so I wasn't limping too terribly.

We just can't stay away.

From her. ATTRACTION #24.

Hanging lights for Christmas!!! (I was very excited to see this but we weren't supposed to be coming back to Epcot... I'll let you wonder if that ended up being the case lol).

They Know.

Let us honor and admire Blueberry Child who looks so mischievous.

Well... It's right next door, innit.... ATTRACTION #25.

It's crazy how once you're in the air, you kind of forget that you're on a ride in a theme park and just sort of hang out. I can almost always block out the image of people's feet dangling and become immersed. Unless someone's kicking like a lunatic.

 

[tonystark]

Okay guys, I'm going to fully acknowledge that I went overboard taking pictures of Spaceship Earth. I was entranced. Please forgive me.

OK, we get it, you tried dark mode to see the difference...

Closer. We understand.

Are we exiting? No. I just needed to get closer to take more pictures.

I was going for something artistic here but the wind was not cooperating.

Maybe if I tried a different angle...

My grandma's contribution after patiently watching me dart around taking different pictures of the exact same thing multiple times.

Geodesic sphere....

She had burned us once before... But we were willing to give her another shot as ATTRACTION #26.

 

[tonystark]

Please don't hurt us again.

We got stopped here lol. I feel like these guys are really ill-equipped to go up against a mammoth. Their spears do not seem very sharp at all.

Did my best to appear unhinged. I would say mission accomplished.

A quick jog to the left brought us here.

Single Rider line puhleaaase.

ATTRACTION #27. I was actually trying to photograph my grandma in the car behind me but she's just out of frame

Yes, grandma, this time we are allowed to shop. This store also gives me airport vibes.

This sweatset was my grandma's holy grail.

nuiMOs... rip offs... except for Kermie.... and I can never find him.

This measuring cup seemed impractical.

 

[tonystark]

My baby, my baby, you're my baby... say it to me....
I may not have sprung for 150$ here, but I did spend 5$ today at 5 Below on an Iron Man funko pop because I just can't resist his siren song.

This was tempting and I was out for a new water bottle because my Peoplemover bottle has unfortunately almost completely peeled off (this was my bad because I put it in the dishwasher unthinkingly and it is not dishwasher safe). However, I had my mind made up on which one I wanted so I placed this one back on the shelf.

Before you know it, it was time for our Fast— uh... lightning lane (sorry Bob) that I had booked hours ago. Also check out that creepy reflection in the picture. Don't know how that happened. ATTRACTION #28.

A very unassuming queue.

The ride vehicles are cute.

Hat hair gone wild LOL. But check out my cool designer shades.

Yeah, I wasn't wowed with this. I just don't like screen based rides very much (Soarin', you get a pass girlie).

The nice night continued. Would we stick around and watch HarmonioUS? We considered it. Grandma wanted an alcoholic beverage, I wanted an alcoholic beverage. We parted ways with a rendezvous point decided upon.

I stood in line at this booth like a complete moron. For 15 minutes. Only to be told that the cider I wanted was actually IN the Canada pavilion and I would have to venture deeper. My bad tbh. Grandma was already getting lit at the rendezvous point.

This was the Blake's Hard Cider Co. Saint Cheri Bourbon Barrel Aged Cherry. At the time, I was disappointed because it did not taste like cherries. Now I'm beginning to think that the barrel was perhaps made of cherry tree wood??? Twas not giving me cherry (the fruit). Twas giving me cider (apples).

Here we sat. Grandma enjoying her vodka cran (a simple gal), me drinking my child's portion of hard cider. We decided we'd rather not watch the fireworks and headed out. Just like the night before, a bus was waiting for us.

On this day, we did 14 attractions (just as we did the day before) and our step count wasssss

24,747.

 

[RememberWhen]

Kermit Nuimo is the BEST! My sister got him for me and my kids keep trying to steal him, but he’s MINE!

 

[tonystark]

Whoops. I disappeared. To be fair, there was a lot to get done and then a lot of driving to get to WV and moving in looms and... anyways. Where were we?

Ah, yes, DAY 3! Which took place on Wednesday, November 16th. Our park of choice was going to be... Magic Kingdom! (Of course).

I seem to recall that we awoke bright and early for early entry. I didn't think that 30 minutes was going to do much for us, and I was right. I also purchased genie but have failed to take a screenshot, so I'm entirely unsure of what I spent and can't be bothered to check my credit card statement. I'm going to say... 17$ a pop. That feels right.

On our walk over to get my grandma her kids scramble. This seemed unfortunate. I guess I should be appreciative that at least they gathered all their bottles into the box.

I took this picture because each day, I was dying for a chocolate chip muffin for breakfast. Each day, they did not appear. HOWEVER, that does say double chocolate chip muffin on the menu, does it not? I rest my case.

Soft serve ice cream was tempting. It always is. I was gifted a soft serve ice cream machine by some coworkers as a going away gift and I am about to spend many a night crying over my textbooks with a cup of soft serve to console me. It'll get me through. It's mostly air anyways.

I settled for... Mistakes. First mistake, that fruit yogurt parfait. God, it sounded so good. But amongst my many ailments as a decrepit 25 year old, I have developed acid reflux over the past year! I know that yogurt will hurt me. I ate it anyways. It hurt me. I wanted a muffin so bad that I got a raspberry lemon muffin. It was not a chocolate chip muffin. I did not finish it

Grandma's kid's scramble would have been kinder to me. I did swoop in on those apples though (these packets of apples slapped the entire trip. Always crisp. I was pleasantly surprised).

All aboard. We have GOT to get our 30 minutes!!

Hurry, hurry, hurry. You see those skies? Yeah, that was not a good omen.

Very threatening.

And then we were in, and we thought we were being so smart booking it towards the Liberty Square entrance to get to Peter Pan (grandma's request). Ummm guess WHAT I did no research on this and didn't realize there's only one entrance for PRECIOUS 30 MINUTES WE GIVE YOU AS A COURTESY TM and it was in Tomorrowland. Soooo then we started booking it to Tomorrowland. It did not matter. The heavens opened.

It was a long standby line, too. A little boy ahead of us was crying because he got soaked and told his mom that he wanted to go back to the hotel... The day had just begun...

 

[tonystark]

Furnishing an apartment...

So... Did I get wet from the rain? Well...

Yes. At least I had a hat which managed to keep the top of my head relatively dry. It was chilly that morning, but I knew it would warm up and I'd be dry within a couple of hours. Though we did consider buying clothes shortly after this because it was... chilly and being wet and cold is miserable.

Anyways, we were in line!

Fantasyland floods, but not as badly as Tomorrowland. Still, the puddles are pretty deep. I was glad to get into the covered portion of the extended queue.

I find this creepy.

Entertaining children and grandmas alike... (She was going for bunny ears).

It's time for ATTRACTION #29!

I thought Captain Hook had an English accent in the original film, but he certainly doesn't in the ride.

(just a tribute to my favorite Peter Pan adaptation).

The park was officially open. You know where we went. Where we beelined to. Where we happily trotted through puddles to reach.

Two graves I actually focused on instead of the usual Leota at the front. RIP Cousin Huet.

ATTRACTION #30 with that dark/night mode camera baybeee

Shhh... Listen...

 

[tonystark]

First night sleeping on an actual bed in my new apartment

(ignore that it says Friyay it is actually Thursday)

I'm sure I've told this story before but it's a family classic that is always referenced whenever I go on this ride, and it is also highly ironic. When I was little, like 5 or 6, and went on Haunted Mansion for the first time... I hated it. I made it all the way to the very end of the ride before having a complete meltdown and screaming GET ME OUT OF THIS PLACE!!! It always reminds me of this guy... Let me out.... Let me out... And now it's my favorite ride!

I love these little guys.

My favorite ghost in all of Haunted Mansion?

An animal in the pet cemetery

ATTRACTION #31 baybee and it was a walk on.

Who is Mama Hutchinson...

Climb aboard. I hear tell that this is the wildest ride in the wilderness...

We wanted to get a couple of rides in on Splash this trip and thought that 30 minutes was reasonable, and we were already cold and wet so now was the time to do it...

But instead we got out of line because it wasn't moving an inch and I had a suspicion that 30 minutes might not be entirely accurate. So we went to nasty Splash bathrooms instead. But they weren't nasty this time. I feel like they got a little renovation whilst I've been away. The stall doors felt sturdier... and were those half-moons, outhouse motifs always there? I think not.

Wherever could we possibly be headed next?

 

[tonystark]

Moving to a new state

Succumbing to a terrible head cold that throws off my family's travels for Christmas and lowkey ruining the holiday

See I don't abandon you guys on purpose!! I just couldn't breathe out of my nose long enough to form a logical thought.

Avast me hearties... You knew we were headed here because our other options would be like... Jungle Cruise (didn't ride this trip actually and didn't particularly miss it), Flying Carpets (highly unlikely), or Swiss Family Treehouse (even MORE unlikely).

Climb aboard onto ATTRACTION #32!

You take a picture of me, I take a picture of you. Fair's fair...

Don't tell him, Carlos, don't be cheeeeeekin

Drunken cat wrangler.

Drunken pig cuddler.

One day my phone will be so advanced that you'll look at this picture and think that you are really there.

On our way across the park, I took this picture to bemoan the loss of the All American Sundae. One of my favorite dessert options on property. For some reason, it has not returned since reopening. It's not particularly challenging. Chocolate and vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and peanut butter sauce. But... for some reason (Bob Iger's instruction no doubt as a personal spite directed towards me), it has not returned.

A braille map I had never noticed before!

A quiet cut through. Grandma and I discussed (at some point) what the best bathrooms at MK would be. I suggested the bathrooms here since no one is ever here anymore. Alas, they have the bathrooms roped off as inaccessible unless you're there for a fireworks dessert party. Guess hidden Pirates bathroom will have to do.

 

[tonystark]

PLEASE ANYTHING BUT THIS LINE AGAIN. PLEASEEEEE...
Too bad. You have to endure this line. For ATTRACTION #33.

Pretty wretched score, too. I'm quite certain we were even stopped during this ride, and I still managed to not hit anything. I'm blaming the gun.

When in Rome...
ATTRACTION #34!

I guess I'm so unimpressed with the sign that I didn't bother to take a picture of it this trip. This is as close as we got to it.

The Ferris wheel DOES NOT LOOK FUN. However... I'd like to live in the model of Progress City.

Since we were so close, might as well make time for one of my faves. I was even more excited than normal since I'd heard that John had gotten a makeover (as had everyone else apparently) but I was under the impression that the change had been made in all the scenes lol.

My anticipation building for ATTRACTION #35.

Hang on... He looks the exact same. Okay... Maybe it's the next scene.

Have I been FOOLED?

It appears that I have been bamboozled.

 

[MickeyCB]

PLEASE ANYTHING BUT THIS LINE AGAIN. PLEASEEEEE...

Looks like she was teaching the other gal the 2 finger point!

 

[tonystark]

Looks like she was teaching the other gal the 2 finger point!

I should have turned and looked at what they were pointing at tbh

 

[tonystark]

Taylor SWIFT?

I appreciated this update. I liked all the little personalized touches they added. And I always appreciate how Daughter (Trish, I think, in this scene) laughs. You should focus on it next time because you will LOL.

It was time for a brief window shopping break at Star Traders.

I was considering this shirt because I thought it was cute but THEN

But a missing apostrophe dissuaded me.

What IS this supposed to be.

Our shopping adventures took us to Fantasyland, to an area I don't think I had stepped foot in in many, many years. Sir Mickeys and all of that. We did not buy anything, but I enjoyed the theming of this window.

I would have been a little disappointed if I had gone on a trip without going on ATTRACTION #36 at all...

Our carriage awaited us.

Despite what the blurriness of this picture might make you think, we did not bounce along with Tigger. We were quite stable which was sad as I was looking forward to bouncing.

A live look at me recovering STILL from this cold.

 

[Tuvalu]

Even worse than the missing apostrophe is that the shirt is from DisneyLAND!!

 

[tonystark]

*gasp* and no one's gonna help her? woooow... some world we live in.

No transition no exposition just a kid's meal at Pinocchio's Village... whatever. And it was actually remarkably filling. We had a great view also.

Pictured here. Time was spent sipping on my soda trying to discern whether it was truly Diet Coke. It tasted like Coke... but perhaps it WAS diet. I'm still loyal to Coke Zero, but sometimes I want to drink something that just tastes like chemicals. Diet Coke satisfies me in that regard.

I guess this will do as ATTRACTION #37.

Wish I was getting on a different omni-mover grumble grumble.

Wow sometimes I look at this and I'm like THIS PARTICULAR PART MUST HAVE COST THEM SO MUCH MONEY TO BUILD!!! like at least 500$.

Got stopped here for a minute. Probably my preferred area to be stopped on this ride.

Getting stopped here would also be quite neat.

Or here, just to marvel at their hair...

WE ESCAPED!!!

We then went to have a little photo shoot. I saw it on this FB group that I'm not a member of but observe from a distance (believe me, some of the things posted there are best observed from a distance). It's supposedly a tips and tricks group and this was a worthy trick of a cool place to have pictures taken with the castle. Unfortunately, grandma's photography skills did not satisfy me (or I was just horrified by my appearance I'll let you decide) so the below picture is all I've got now... But at least we got to see the band. I think I have a picture of the general area as well.

 

[tonystark]

Even worse than the missing apostrophe is that the shirt is from DisneyLAND!!

I guess if you mass produce merchandise you might as well just sell it anywhere and hope no one notices... but we notice... we see all...