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.

 

[Tuvalu]

Well I've been off the boards for a bit (had our own June trip 2-16) and works been busy, plus it's lake season! But of course there's another Tuvalu TR and I'm posting in the 200's

That juice is why I've been to 1900 PF twice in 3 months

But you'd be surprised at number of people who don't know you do not need a rooster to have a hen lay eggs- I have to explain this all. The. Time. I have 3 backyard hens. No rooster and yet I get eggs

That's how I felt too- June was first trip since last August that there wasn't some sort of festival going on when we (well, I) went that Epcot was just ...empty. Flower and garden is my favorite though- that hard cider and lemon scone...
me too lol! Or I turn my back then step back into them and apologize that "I didn't realize you were on my heels)".



Grab my oldest DD from her work location at Muppets- side benefit of being a CM is she gets galactic hero every time. No one wants to go on Buzz with her anymore lol

Definitely is -also one the one of the only TS we've repeated- largely due to this! It's weird to have alcohol here now though. I got a wine spritzer with dinner in June- just felt "wrong" to be drinking it.
I didn't carry that much stuff when I brought a young kid and a baby!

hope you eventually made it to spice road table- it was pretty good- the white wine sparkling sangria was good and decent view of Illuminations. It was our first time here in June.

Glad you’re here, @monykalyn. Hope you had a wonderful vacation! Plans yet for a return visit?

 

[monykalyn]

Glad you’re here, @monykalyn. Hope you had a wonderful vacation! Plans yet for a return visit?

August2-9: picking kidult up from her second DCP. And annual passes run out then. Hubs went wild and bought premier Universal passes in June so I expect Florida trips to continue, but breaking from Disney for a bit. Unless I can sneak away in September for a day at F&W and a MNSSHP when we go for HHN at Universal. So I'm really gonna have to live vicariously through you

 

[Tuvalu]

August2-9: picking kidult up from her second DCP. And annual passes run out then. Hubs went wild and bought premier Universal passes in June so I expect Florida trips to continue, but breaking from Disney for a bit. Unless I can sneak away in September for a day at F&W and a MNSSHP when we go for HHN at Universal. So I'm really gonna have to live vicariously through you

I’m confident you shall return from the dark side. Until then I am happy to go to WDW on your behalf.

 

[Tuvalu]

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.

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 ~

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.

 

[Tuvalu]

Woody had a few work teleconferences so he left to find a quiet space to conduct business ~ “quiet” being a relative term of course. If you have read any of my prior TRs where Woody has telecommuted from the WL, you may recall out-of-the-ordinary events (floor polishing, jackhammering, use of a power sander) that not only distracted but also disrupted him.

Today there would be vacuuming and two children playing on their tablets (without parental supervision) in the remote area where he had settled himself.

Once again Em and I were the lucky ones. We had ourselves a little #ShirleyStatus at the pool.

(Pool pics for ya, @MinnieM123)

So far there is not a fee to use these cabanas.

But Em and I are sunflowers.

 

[Tuvalu]

The sun was strong today and we spent most of our time in the water. The pool didn’t remain exclusively ours but it was never crowded.

A server and an “earning my ears” CM asked if we would like anything to drink.
Yes, please!

Em went with the millennial-trendy “Frosé”. It may have replaced the Island Sunset as her favorite frozen drink (you’ll have to ask her.) Plain Pina Colada for me.

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

Eventually we got hungry and wanted some lunch. Last summer on one of our pool days we had yummy burgers from Geyser Point and ate at a table near the bar. We decided a repeat was in order.

I texted Woody to see if he could meet us for lunch. We placed our order at the walk-up window and then learned would could not eat our food at any of the tables in the bar area.

“Geyser Point is table-service only,” a curt CM informed us.

So we schlepped our food back to the pool and ate there.

We’d finished eating before I remembered to take pics ~ told ya we were hungry!

 

[Tuvalu]

Em and I spent about an hour longer at the pool after Woody left. It was hard to pull ourselves away from the refreshing water but we had a schedule to keep.

The sky was still beautiful bright blue.

We stumbled upon a tour (DVC?) of the cabins.

Map for your viewing pleasure.

This pic relaxes me. Might need to make it a screen saver.

We picked up a snack on our way to the room.

Club CMs wrap up the leftover breakfast muffins and place them in a basket outside the lounge.

Two sights greeted us when we opened the door.

Em’s purchases from yesterday (club guests receive direct-to-room package delivery)

And Woody hard at work. (He’d given up on his public space.)

 

[MinnieM123]

And Woody hard at work. (He’d given up on his public space.)

I wouldn't mind working like Woody does, if my boss allowed me to do that at WL!!

Thanks for the pool pictures -- waaayyy Shirley status -- with you only you and Em there?! I don't think I ever saw (years ago) an empty pool at WL. What usually happened was that ALL the lawn chairs were "claimed" by goodness knows who--all had towels on them. Frustrating when you can't find an open chair!

 

[riverside]

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.
View attachment 294563
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 ~

View attachment 294564

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.

Poor Em--that sounds like that was quite the ordeal!!
Congrats on the race though!!

 

[davi]

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.
View attachment 294563
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 ~

View attachment 294564

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.

I love the view from your room! We had a similar view last year when they were building the cabins and that was cool to see!

I’m new to the boards or new to commenting I should say but I love your trips reports!!

 

[monykalyn]

his pic relaxes me. Might need to make it a screen saver.

I might make this my screensaver-what a pretty picture! Sounds like a nice relaxing morning (well-for you anyway! LOL) pretty pretty pool area too.

 

[LisaBelle]

This pic relaxes me. Might need to make it a screen saver.

One of my favorite spots at WL!

 

[Tuvalu]

I wouldn't mind working like Woody does, if my boss allowed me to do that at WL!!
Thanks for the pool pictures -- waaayyy Shirley status -- with you only you and Em there?! I don't think I ever saw (years ago) an empty pool at WL. What usually happened was that ALL the lawn chairs were "claimed" by goodness knows who--all had towels on them. Frustrating when you can't find an open chair!

Woody says WL is his favorite place to telework.....but he still “minds” having to work.
I too remember the “saved chair”issue at the main WL pool years ago. We resorted to putting our stuff on chairs on the beach (not convenient at all) and walking back to use the pool.

I love the view from your room! We had a similar view last year when they were building the cabins and that was cool to see! I’m new to the boards or new to commenting I should say but I love your trips reports!!

Appreciate your kind words. Was that your first stay at the WL or are you a “regular”?

 

[TrolleyFollower91]

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.

I knew it was a 3.1 mile round trip from the Lodge to around the campground and back. I was enjoying the trip and judging all the people still sleeping outside their tents and hammocks. (I Love NOT camping!) It was .75 miles from the Lodge to the campground, so I knew when I hit 2.5 miles and hadn’t reached the connecting trails yet that I had taken a wrong turn.

“Hmmm,” I thought. “Maybe I’ll use the friendly Disney Parks App to find my way back to the trail.”

I open the app and plug in directions from my location to the Lodge. It says 5 minutes walking. “Great,” I thought.

Well, let’s just say the app is not quite Google Maps. I was taken down roads, through campsites, across a field, and directed to a “Cast Members Only” service road. I’m pretty sure it would have taken me to the Settlement and I could’ve caught a bus back to the Lodge. However, I’m a rule-follower and could not bring myself to wander down that road. At this point I realized my shorts had ripped and the extreme chafing was going to stop me from running back. I looked around, really confused, but saw a bus stop! I figured a bus would come along at some point.

Soon enough, the bus pulls up and the driver says to me “Need a ride?”

“YES!” I say enthusiastically. I hop on board expecting a three minute ride to the settlement.

Only that didn’t happen. 10 minutes later we pull up to the Outpost. “Are you going back to the Settlement?” I asked. The bus driver curtly replied, “You got on the wrong bus!” (Insert my own eye roll here- no kidding, Sherlock!) “You need to get on the yellow route.”

I disembark the bus at the Outpost and wait with the hoards of people for the yellow route bus to pull up. When I get on, I ask “Is this bus going to the Lodge?” The bus driver kindly responds, “What, you don’t want to run back?” (Insert second eyeroll here). Eventually, we took off on another 10 minute drive to the Settlement and then continued on to the Lodge. I got off the bus, thanked the bus driver, and returned to the lounge.

During my 30 minute bus ride cool-down, there were numerous people confused about the bus system at the Campground. Maybe Disney should be clearer about routes with their guests?

 

[gwhb75]

Fun report so far. Just getting back into Disney stuff again (been crazy busy since our trip in November (which is why there was no TR)). When are you there in August?

 

[Tuvalu]

Fun report so far. Just getting back into Disney stuff again (been crazy busy since our trip in November (which is why there was no TR)). When are you there in August?

Wondered where you’d been! Going end of August. Will you guys be there?

 

[gwhb75]

Wondered where you’d been! Going end of August. Will you guys be there?

working on a PTR now. August 11-21

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

Em and I cleaned up and Woody finished his work for the day. I was excited to try out the bus time feature on MDE and see when we should leave our room.

So helpful.......NOT!!

There were some times posted on the monitor. Wonder why the app didn’t sync?

Em often gives me grief about being on my phone too much.
“Hey Pot, this is Kettle!”

 

[Tuvalu]

Did you guess this was our destination?

A definite benefit to a late afternoon park arrival is no lines at security or the tapstiles.

Is this sign new?

We encountered Stormtroopers upon entering the park. With as many times as they “march” during the day, odds were high our paths would cross.

 

[Tuvalu]

As soon as it was “all clear” we made our way down Sunset Blvd.

Our first FP was Rock ‘n Rollercoaster. Though I don’t ever ride, I occasionally accompany whoever is riding through the pre-show and take the chicken exit.

Just through the chicken door is a test car. I’m surprised a guest has to wait in line before being able to check if they can fit comfortably in a car.

I saw Rocker Stitch as I waited for Woody and Em.

Yet another fine Photopass pic of Woody!