Trip Report The Never-Ending Summer Of Disney *COMPLETED*

Seriously?!!

Can you believe it??

This is jaw-dropping news!!

If only.

Two things in life give me the blues ~ the end of summer and the end of a Disney vacation. A never-ending summer of Disney would be a dream come true! But I am certainly happy to “settle” for a WDW vacay in June....in July....and in August. And rather than write three separate trip reports (and annoy @amjt660 when my *COMPLETED* report really isn’t ) I decided to take @Rista1313 ’s suggestion and post an ongoing travelogue, à la @blgauger style.

So let’s get started!

Vacation #1
June 16-24, 2018
Tuvalu, Woody and Em get pampered at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Was there rain? Any snarky Cast Members? Ridiculous guest behavior? A Magic meet-up? How many times did we watch Happily Ever After?

You’ll have to follow along to find out.

 

[Tiggerish]

Tuesday, June 19

I slept in a bit later and accompanied Woody to get breakfast at 7:30 am. When we returned to the room, Em was gone. She had mentioned the possibility of going for a morning run in preparation for the Peachtree Road Race on the 4th of July. She has run the race with her brother for several years but hadn’t had much time to train in the last couple weeks.

Since she was no longer sleeping, I pulled back the drapes and stepped outside to take in the view.
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Look at that blue sky!

Em was gone for an extraordinarily long time. It wasn’t affecting our plans but after awhile I began to grow concerned.

Then my phone chirped with this Snap ~

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Em may or may not share the entire story so here’s the synopsis: Mid-way through her run her shorts developed a hole which caused major chafing and distraction. She stopped running and discovered the exercise path from WL to Ft. Wilderness did not make a loop like she expected. She got turned around and boarded a bus that took her to the Outpost (entrance to Ft. Wilderness Campground) rather than the Settlement Depot (area closest to WL and where Hoop Dee Doo is located.) From the Outpost she had to catch a bus to the Settlement ~ and because her chafing was so bad (and she could not bear to run) she had to take another bus from the Settlement back to WL.

Can I say it was the last time she ran that week? However she did successfully complete all 6.2 miles of the Peachtree Road Race (in awful humidity) with a time she can be proud of.

Went to Ft Wilderness once. The internal bus system guaranteed that it was a “one and done” trip.

Sorry Em has to deal with all that, especially after having read her tale of the experience.

Me: “What are the poor people doing today?”
Em: “Not this!”

LOL for realz.

Next up.......

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Looking up in the Library
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Ever noticed this book?
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I rode Tower of Terror with Mike Wazowski and Sue Heck.
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We are opposites. I’ll do RNR, but once was more than enough ToT for me.

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

I'm excited to go back to Mama Melroses', it's been awhile! I may have to order that margarita, though I do love wine! Next time we go, I'll make a point of looking at the details in the Muppets.

 

[MinnieM123]

"Hon" this photo cracks me up!

 

[fractal]

"Hon" really goes well with the Italian themeing.

 

[mlegerto]

That new bundle you're expecting will be so much better than any ride you can't go on.

You are not wrong about that....I am SO excited about the idea of baby's first trip and he/she isn't even here yet!

 

[Zipadeelady]

So many posts to like!!

I'm glad to hear the love for Mama's. I had a great meal there. There is actually a thread about it and people are saying it's worse than an Olive Garden. Once more I'm thinking, what's wrong with people!!

 

[monykalyn]

One of my DDs locations is Muppets. She actually really likes working that location. I noticed there was a charge on my cc from Mama Melrose a few days ago - the kidult has forgotten her cash and debit card so she charged dinner on the “emergency” CC. Food is always important right?

Such a great view of fireworks!

 

[Tuvalu]

Went to Ft Wilderness once. The internal bus system guaranteed that it was a “one and done” trip.

Woody grew up camping with his family (they had a trailer) but they never went to WDW.
I grew up going to WDW with my family but we never went camping.
When Woody married me his camping days were over....but his WDW days were beginning.
I have absolutely no desire to camp ~ in a tent, trailer or Ft. Wilderness cabin. So the internal bus system at Ft. Wilderness is not a deal breaker for me, as I would NEVER stay there.

A couple weeks ago I got a “fun” survey from Chase Visa which asked questions about my “vacation style” using Disney characters in a multiple choice format. I think there were 7 total questions and then my responses were tabulated to discern my “Dream” Disney Resort.

I almost choked when I saw it.

Never. Gonna. Happen.

 

[Tuvalu]

I'm excited to go back to Mama Melroses', it's been awhile! I may have to order that margarita, though I do love wine!

I'm glad to hear the love for Mama's. I had a great meal there. There is actually a thread about it and people are saying it's worse than an Olive Garden. Once more I'm thinking, what's wrong with people!!

I noticed there was a charge on my cc from Mama Melrose a few days ago - the kidult has forgotten her cash and debit card so she charged dinner on the “emergency” CC. Food is always important right?

I’ve never had a bad meal at Mama Melrose (I can’t say that about Olive Garden. ) Some items....like the charred steak and wood-fired chicken....have especially superb flavor yet the pizzas and pastas are also quite good.
And as Em will attest, Mama’s Margarita is second-to-none!

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, June 20

Woody had an early teleconference and he left the room as Em and I were getting ready. We popped into the lounge for our nutritious chocolate chip muffins and found a table overlooking the lobby.

From my seat I could see my beloved hard at work.

He was off the phone when Em and I finished breakfast so we approached him to say goodbye.

Don’tcha like his work attire?

No bus for Em and me this morning.

Once again, Em’s attempt at a clandestine pic was thwarted.

 

[Tuvalu]

Those of you who thought we were taking the boat to MK are WRONG!

We boarded this guy on the opposite side of the dock.

Farewell, WL!

Skunked again, Em!

 

[Tuvalu]

Em and I had a private boatride (#ShirleyStatus) to the Contemporary Resort. Bay Lake was so peaceful, as very few watercraft were out. We passed three gentlemen fishing from an anchored boat and all I could think was how hot they must be.

Okay, that was not all I thought. My first thought actually was, why would they be wasting their time at Disney fishing for something they would only throw back?

This one she asked me to pose for.

 

[Tuvalu]

Why the Contemporary? Were our muffins merely an appetizer for breakfast at Chef Mickey’s or The Wave?

Nope.

We’d been on vacation 4 days and hadn’t had a monorail ride!

Does #ShirleyStatus count for escalators?

Monorail blue had just swooshed in.

Can’t remember if she requested me to look and smile or if my intuition sensed a camera on me.

 

[Tuvalu]

We got off at the first stop, which was the TTC.

Our second monorail ride was on monorail gold.

We hadn’t cared for our bus-dump-in-the-boonies on Sunday’s visit to Epcot. Today’s boat/monorail trek was much more fun!

We could see Guardians of the Galaxy construction as we approached the entrance.

Not too many people......yet.

 

[Tuvalu]

A question I would love the answer to ~
Why is Epcot the only park to have a CM at the entrance to the Passholder line, checking to make sure those who enter actually have annual passes? Because it’s BRILLIANT!!

Fun fact: The sphere containing Spaceship Earth has a special gutter system that collects rainwater and directs it into the World Showcase Lagoon.

Kudos to any of you who already knew that!

 

[LadyBelle]

Fun fact: The sphere containing Spaceship Earth has a special gutter system that collects rainwater and directs it into the World Showcase Lagoon.

Kudos to any of you who already knew that!

That makes sense, since it’s an excellent place to stand under while it’s storming.

 

[Longers]

A question I would love the answer to ~
Why is Epcot the only park to have a CM at the entrance to the Passholder line, checking to make sure those who enter actually have annual passes? Because it’s BRILLIANT!!

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Fun fact: The sphere containing Spaceship Earth has a special gutter system that collects rainwater and directs it into the World Showcase Lagoon.

Kudos to any of you who already knew that!

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Yay I knew that fact about Epcot - I guess there’s no prize for this one though........

 

[Tuvalu]

Em’s favorite Disney character is not a member of the fab five or a princess. For the last three years she has felt a kinship with a character who shares similar personality traits.

Em has only met her once and I suggested she was due for another encounter.

You have a 50/50 shot at guessing which gal Em wanted to meet. Some of you may remember from previous reports.

It’s Sadness!

Joy balances Sadness. I relate to Joy. Can you see why Em and I are a happy mother/daughter duo?

 

[Rista1313]

Em’s favorite Disney character is not a member of the fab five or a princess. For the last three years she has felt a kinship with a character who shares similar personality traits.

Em has only met her once and I suggested she was due for another encounter.

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You have a 50/50 shot at guessing which gal Em wanted to meet. Some of you may remember from previous reports.

It’s Sadness!
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Joy balances Sadness. I relate to Joy. Can you see why Em and I are a happy mother/daughter duo?
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I’m more of a joy relator myself!

 

[Tuvalu]

Our first FP was for the Farm/Vegetable/Land boat ride....another chance to see if I was celebrating my anniversary!

This trading pin holder is almost as cute as the pizza box at Mama’s!

Em tapped her band first and started down the queue. I tapped mine and glanced at the cast member holding an iPad (since the main screen wasn’t working) to see if “Your Anniversary” appeared under my name.

The CM angrily cried out, “You don’t have a Fastpass!” as Em stopped in her tracks.

At first I thought he was joking around with us. After all, who would try to sneak in to the FP line of LWTL when the standby wait is only 5 minutes?

I smiled at him, ready to play along, only it was apparent he was dead serious.

“She’s with me. We both have a Fastpass. Mickey turned green,” I said.

“Not for her!” was his curt reply.

“Really?” I looked at him.

“Go on!” replied snarky CM #3.

So happy we snuck Em on a boat.....

First time we’d ever seen waders in the fish tanks.