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.

 

[DisSplash]

There was no reason to stop in the U.K.

But, but but ... Winnie the Pooh! And fish and chips! I dunno. I like the U.K. area!

 

[Tuvalu]

There was no reason to stop in the U.K.

But, but but ... Winnie the Pooh! And fish and chips! I dunno. I like the U.K. area!

Just on that particular day.....
(We didn’t want to be late for lunch.)

 

[mlegerto]

Happy Canada Day to you, Max! (and @Matt and Kelly and @mlegerto and all other Canadians who may be reading along. )

Thanks Tuvalu!

I am SO behind in your TR (AKA haven't started reading it yet) because we've spent the last 3 weeks in Italy, but I am going to catch up now (and over the next few days) don't worry. We're also scrambling to figure out our September Disney plans - coming home the day before your FP booking day does not help LOL - we've just got a short 4 day trip over the September long weekend to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary and the upcoming arrival of baby before I am deemed not safe to travel until after pregnancy.

Happy Independence Day to you my friend! Can't wait to get caught up!

 

[becca_]

#WoodyStatus has me laughing

 

[Tuvalu]

Monday, June 18

Woody and I went to the lounge for an early breakfast while Em got herself ready.

Yes, that is a slice of smoked turkey on my plate!

The lobby was quiet.

Em soon joined us and after she’d eaten we went to the bus stop. While I am happy to report no smoke, firemen or other disconcerting situations inside the Lodge this morning, my favorite cowbell had gone missing!

True, one remained on the right but I couldn’t whack it with my hand as I often did to the one on the left. No more embarrassment for Woody and Em now, I suppose.

Happy to be starting a new Disney day!

The Avengers bus arrived!

 

[Tuvalu]

RIP Train Station Welcome Show.

On a positive note, the area in front of the Mickey floral is a lot less crowded now.

 

[Jedi Stitch]

We had some time to kill before our next FP window opened. The standby sign for It’s a Small World said 30 minutes so we joined the line, expecting the sign would be wrong.

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Oh it was wrong all right....but not in the way we had hoped. We saw the clock open three times ~ meaning our actual wait was 45 minutes.
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During our wait a CM continually urged all guests to: “Keep up with the party ahead of you.” “Know the number of your party.” (Shocking that many guests don’t!) And “Prepare your luggage for boarding.” (I’ll bet the last statement was to trick folks into listening to him!)

Finally made it into a boat.
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(If you make me sit in the middle, I get two selfies!)
Truthfully, the real fun in those pictures are the photobombing women behind us!

Our journey through the various continents of singing and dancing dolls was unnoteworthy until we sailed into the final room......
View attachment 293085
BRIGHT LIGHTS! BRIGHT LIGHTS! Who replaced these bulbs with LEDs??!!

I love the photo bombers in your Small World pictures. I wish we kept the selfie we did in '16 with the guy in the back just completely mickeyed out. We tossed it because we had a better one before it. I tell you, some times it is almost just as fun to see who pops into the photo.

 

[Jedi Stitch]

Moving through the castle hub wasn’t quite the nightmare we expected it to be, considering a sea of people was headed for the exit. And once we made it through there it was smooth sailing to our final FP attraction.

A Mickey bar for @slipperalwaysfits for correctly guessing where we were going!

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Though it was only our first BTMRR ride of the trip, my cumulative total for 2018 (in my friendly competition with my BTMRR buddy @Longers) was now at ~
View attachment 293196

Were we in the last car? But of course!

My adrenaline was still pumping and I was willing to stay another hour until park close but Woody and Em were done. Though they never complained, I’m sure they would have preferred to skip BTMRR and head back to the Lodge. But a benefit to not leaving immediately after HEA was a less-congested walk down Main Street!

A bus was waiting for us and in no time Woody was unlocking our room door.

“Oh I forgot about turndown!” said a happy Em as she reached for the Ghirardelli chocolates on her bed.

A spectacular end to our first Disney day.

Did you know there is a BTMRR themed suite in the Disneyland Hotel. Justin Scarred did a nice video on it.

 

[Tuvalu]

Ride the double-decker bus down Main Street? Sure!

We sat on top of course.

A birds-eye view of our journey from one hub to another.

And we’ve arrived. Time to disembark.

(We sat on that bench in front.)

 

[Tuvalu]

Did you know there is a BTMRR themed suite in the Disneyland Hotel. Justin Scarred did a nice video on it.

#BucketList

 

[ScarletBegonias]

I'm in!!! This will keep me satisfied until my trip in September!! I won't lie, I love me a club level trip report!

 

[Tuvalu]

Woody took this shot of Em and me before she wandered away to take a few pics.

I wouldn’t want to be the Tink who has to rappel down this cable.

It was a toasty morning and Woody and I had found a shady spot to stand in while we waited for the Welcome Show to begin. We like to tease Woody about being a “magnet” since he often attracts people with no sense of personal space thisclose to him. Today it was an “unofficial” Disney tour guide.

His backpack was much closer to Woody than the pics indicate.

How do we know this man was an “unofficial” tour guide and not a guest? He was spouting his “Disney knowledge” to three gum-chopping women who had just met up with him from their off-property hotel. He was very animated when he spoke, using large hand gestures, and nearly whacked Woody with his backpack several times. Woody kept moving away from him yet Mr. I-Know-All-About-WDW kept getting closer.

Em leaned over and whispered to me, “Where did they find this guy? Did they Google cheap, unofficial Disney Tour Guide?”

I know I would have demanded a refund at the end of the day. He was that bad.

 

[sheriffwoody]

We like to tease Woody about being a “magnet” since he often attracts people with no sense of personal space thisclose to him

Woody, I feel your pain!!! Personal space is so important, I don't know why some people just don't get that . You know those people who stand like 3 inches too close when they're talking to you so you have to like lean back at the waist?

 

[mlegerto]

I did not have high expectations for the quality of the desserts based on reviews I’d read. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement......this spread was a chocoholics dream! Everything we sampled was fresh, decadent and yummy.

When we did the dessert party on December 30th for the NYE show, we also went in with "low expectations" and came out very surprised. We really enjoyed the desserts and the "private" viewing area. Due to the cost, not something we will do every trip, but for special occasions we certainly will consider it. Mmmmmm chocolate!

Woody said that lunch at Beaches and Cream was his favorite meal of our vacation.

There's just something about Beaches n Cream. I always thought it was a nostalgia thing for me (have been going here since my first trip for ice cream), but I think its just good ol' simple and fun food/environment that everyone can enjoy. Glad Woody had such a great fathers day!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

Poor Woody and the awful fake tour guide!! I've noticed that at Disney, too. When I'm in line and try to move so I have more wiggle room, people just close the gap and I have zero idea why, especially when it's the person in FRONT of me messing with my bubble!

 

[MerMom1981]

Resistance is futile. I'm in

 

[93boomer]

Woody took this shot of Em and me before she wandered away to take a few pics.

View attachment 294126

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I wouldn’t want to be the Tink who has to rappel down this cable.
View attachment 294130

It was a toasty morning and Woody and I had found a shady spot to stand in while we waited for the Welcome Show to begin. We like to tease Woody about being a “magnet” since he often attracts people with no sense of personal space thisclose to him. Today it was an “unofficial” Disney tour guide.

View attachment 294124
His backpack was much closer to Woody than the pics indicate.
View attachment 294125

How do we know this man was an “unofficial” tour guide and not a guest? He was spouting his “Disney knowledge” to three gum-chopping women who had just met up with him from their off-property hotel. He was very animated when he spoke, using large hand gestures, and nearly whacked Woody with his backpack several times. Woody kept moving away from him yet Mr. I-Know-All-About-WDW kept getting closer.

Em leaned over and whispered to me, “Where did they find this guy? Did they Google cheap, unofficial Disney Tour Guide?”

I know I would have demanded a refund at the end of the day. He was that bad.

Beautiful flowers!! Backpacks and people stepping on your heels in line. People, it's called personal space--learn what this is!!!

 

[LeighM]

When people get too close to me, I've been known to put my hand up and stop their backpack from getting any closer - when they turn around to see what's stopping them, I just look at them directly and say that I wasn't sure they saw me standing there. Or I might lift my arms to"fix my ponytail" and my elbow might hit someone. My response is always "I'm sorry I didn't realize you were that close." I embarrass my husband horribly.

 

[susan lees]

Loving your shirts. I have to apologize in advance that I have occasionally unintentionally(most of the time) hit people with my bag. For this reason hubby took over backpack and I am allowed a teeny tiny cross body bag

 

[Tuvalu]

I'm in!!! This will keep me satisfied until my trip in September!! I won't lie, I love me a club level trip report!

Resistance is futile. I'm in

Happy to have you both reading along.

Woody, I feel your pain!!! Personal space is so important, I don't know why some people just don't get that . You know those people who stand like 3 inches too close when they're talking to you so you have to like lean back at the waist?

Poor Woody and the awful fake tour guide!! I've noticed that at Disney, too. When I'm in line and try to move so I have more wiggle room, people just close the gap and I have zero idea why, especially when it's the person in FRONT of me messing with my bubble!

Beautiful flowers!! Backpacks and people stepping on your heels in line. People, it's called personal space--learn what this is!!!

When people get too close to me, I've been known to put my hand up and stop their backpack from getting any closer - when they turn around to see what's stopping them, I just look at them directly and say that I wasn't sure they saw me standing there. Or I might lift my arms to"fix my ponytail" and my elbow might hit someone. My response is always "I'm sorry I didn't realize you were that close." I embarrass my husband horribly.

Some people are just clueless! It certainly can make us unhappy in our happy place. Love the “hand-block” @LeighM!

Loving your shirts. I have to apologize in advance that I have occasionally unintentionally(most of the time) hit people with my bag. For this reason hubby took over backpack and I am allowed a teeny tiny cross body bag

I have no problem with people wearing their backpacks as “front-packs.” In fact I am tempted to personally thank each one I see wearing them that way!

When we did the dessert party on December 30th for the NYE show, we also went in with "low expectations" and came out very surprised. We really enjoyed the desserts and the "private" viewing area. Due to the cost, not something we will do every trip, but for special occasions we certainly will consider it. Mmmmmm chocolate!
There's just something about Beaches n Cream. I always thought it was a nostalgia thing for me (have been going here since my first trip for ice cream), but I think its just good ol' simple and fun food/environment that everyone can enjoy. Glad Woody had such a great fathers day!

I agree about the HEA dessert party for special occasions and the certain “something” about Beaches and Cream.