Trip Report The ONE with the Bowl that was not so Super 🚽 2/5-2/9, 2021*COMPLETED*

HA HA HA!!!
Hello everybody! I returned yesterday from a last minute long weekend to WDW.
How? Who? Why? You ask. Well my Magical friends, here is everything you want to know, and maybe some things, you don’t.

It all began a few weeks ago at work when my bff/boss suggested we go to Disney for his birthday. I took him last year and we had a great time. We looked at dates and flights and room rates and hemmed and hawed for a couple days. We decided we would go President’s weekend. But my kids would be out of school and they would want to go. Then, texting with @Tuvalu she said “you’re going president’s weekend!?!?”

Ok, she didn’t say it like that but that is how I heard it in my mind. I said to my friend, M, “what the heck are we thinking? Let’s go the weekend before.” His sister/business partner/my other boss gave her blessing (then promptly booked a whole week in Florida for herself at the end of the month) and we started looking at rooms.
Pop was cheap with the AP discount so I booked.

We picked out our flights, then added a day and picked out new flights. Friday came, my day off and two weeks before departure and we had decided on everything. All we had to do was book the flights, which were $69 each way. Then I looked again and the flights were down to $49 each way. I texted M, “BOOK BOOK BOOK! This is not a drill!!!”

Then Saturday came and I canceled Pop and booked a studio at Saratoga Springs Resort using my DVC points. Bought M’s park ticket and made park reservations and some ADR’s. I also filled out the Magical Express request form and ordered a couple t-shirts.

13 days to go and we were all set.

 

[donaldtoo]

Holy cow, or should I say, holy elephant. That is so awesome. I did not even notice. Thanks!

Your welcome...!!!
I just searched “summer heat gifts”. Didn’t expect to find “Meathead”, but, then I noticed the trunk up elephant in the background...WINNER...!!!!!
I was hopping you’d notice...if you hadn’t by this morning, I was gonna’ suggest that you go back and take a look...!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

I love that story. Hey I will be polite and play by the rules but sometimes enough is enough.

Yea, we were pretty stunned. Never saw anything like it before or since. Dad, mom, all 3 spawn. “Entitled” doesn’t even really cover it. We, initially, (all 6 of us) just looked at each other like WTH...?!?!?! After repeated polite requests from us and other parties to either please move or sit down, SonIL and I decided that ruining his video was probably our best recourse, and, fortunately, it worked and they moved along not very far into the show.

 

[tommcp516]

Monday February 8, 2021

I woke up at 6:50. I had been able to get a good nights sleep (yay!) and felt great! Except I had BG stomach!
I did a restart on my phone and this time kept the wifi on. I hit the first join button (on the home screen) and waited on the second screen for that join button to turn blue. I hit that at 7:00 then hit the continue button without even checking if the party was correct.
View attachment 534065
I ran out into the living room to tell M. He said, “ok”.
OK?!?
OK!?!
Is he kidding me with “ok”???

The reaction from M that Darstarr was (justifiably) expecting:

...versus the reaction that she actually got:

Well, everyone here on these forums knows about the difficulty and anxiety involved in trying to score a RoTR BG within the few milliseconds that the window is open, so on behalf of all of us:

 

[Darstarr]

The reaction from M that Darstarr was (justifiably) expecting:

...versus the reaction that she actually got:

Well, everyone here on these forums knows about the difficulty and anxiety involved in trying to score a RoTR BG within the few milliseconds that the window is open, so on behalf of all of us:

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 8 cont

We made our way to RotR. We were very lucky to have a BG at this time because wait times were crazy high even this early. MMRR was down which usually takes a big chunk of the morning crowd.

THE PHOTO...

Look how empty it was! Gotta love those early morning boarding groups!

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 8 cont

We headed out through Toy Story Land, not on purpose really. I was trying to find the restroom and I walked past it or the wrong way or something. Galaxy’s Edge all looks the same so I still have a hard time getting my bearings.

But, I know where the TSL bathrooms are! No missing those! So that is where we went. Then I said to M that MMRR was still down, but it had been down for a long time. I suggested we walk that way so we are in position when/if it opens. And Yay! It opened as we were walking there. So we only waited about 20 minutes.

Hidden Mickey’s in the “ballet room”.

We were finished about 10:45. What next?
Baseline of course. We headed there and grabbed a table. There were 2 or 3 other parties at tables waiting for the opening.
At about 10:55 I went to stand in line. There was a guy in front of me, I tried some physically distanced chit chat, he was pretty rude about it.

Me: “They usually open a little early.”
Him: “No they don’t”
Me: “Maybe if they see a line they will open up, like the parks do.”
Him: “No they won’t”
Me:

We got some beers and some snacks:

So yummy.

I love lingering here but we had things to do and people were looking for tables so we headed out. (And I forgot to look for that awesome Baseline tshirt @riverside )

We went to watch the Mickey and Minnie in Vacation fun as it was starting right away.

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

I really should screen shot it or make the list on my phone. I do love a good old fashion pen and paper list though

I love old-fashioned lists, too. My list is in my phone, I just happen to forget to check it the morning of each park. I EVEN HAVE REMINDERS IN MY PHONE FOR 8 am on each park day to do "x" for that park. I see them and those have really helped!

Do they realize they are playing a game? Not curing cancer or teaching kids to read or putting out fires. Just a game.

It is just a game. Thank you for listing my profession as a reading teacher as super important, though. I appreciate that!

Another attraction not enjoyed. There was TT the previous night where I was fighting with my seat belt the entire time and now RnR where all I could think about was X’s wallet.

Bad timing! Thank GOODNESS you remembered you took all those pics so you could pinpoint where he last had it!

“Mom, I found it.”
“Great, where was it?”
“Under the microwave.”

How DOES a wallet get under a microwave?

 

[BrerWayne]

Your welcome...!!!
I just searched “summer heat gifts”. Didn’t expect to find “Meathead”, but, then I noticed the trunk up elephant in the background...WINNER...!!!!!
I was hopping you’d notice...if you hadn’t by this morning, I was gonna’ suggest that you go back and take a look...!!!

Man, now I feel bad. Sorry I ruined your surprise. I will just sit here quietly in the circle of shame for the rest of the trip report.

 

[donaldtoo]

Man, now I feel bad. Sorry I ruined your surprise. I will just sit here quietly in the circle of shame for the rest of the trip report.

No worries, I’m just glad somebody caught it...!!!
No need for the circle...play on...I’ll be lookin’ for any “Easter Eggs” others may post...!!!!!

 

[Darstarr]

Bad timing! Thank GOODNESS you remembered you took all those pics so you could pinpoint where he last had it!

The wallet saga will not end there. That would be too easy.
stay tuned....

How DOES a wallet get under a microwave?

I would like to know that as well.
This is the microwave in question:

So confused!

(and yay! for the reading teacher!)

 

[Darstarr]

Man, now I feel bad. Sorry I ruined your surprise. I will just sit here quietly in the circle of shame for the rest of the trip report.

I know you said circle but this one is more Disney

 

[Darstarr]

No worries, I’m just glad somebody caught it...!!!
No need for the circle...play on...I’ll be lookin’ for any “Easter Eggs” others may post...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Monday February 8 cont

We headed out through Toy Story Land, not on purpose really. I was trying to find the restroom and I walked past it or the wrong way or something. Galaxy’s Edge all looks the same so I still have a hard time getting my bearings.

But, I know where the TSL bathrooms are! No missing those! So that is where we went. Then I said to M that MMRR was still down, but it had been down for a long time. I suggested we walk that way so we are in position when/if it opens. And Yay! It opened as we were walking there. So we only waited about 20 minutes.
View attachment 534124View attachment 534125

View attachment 534123

Hidden Mickey’s in the “ballet room”.
View attachment 534131

We were finished about 10:45. What next?
Baseline of course. We headed there and grabbed a table. There were 2 or 3 other parties at tables waiting for the opening.
At about 10:55 I went to stand in line. There was a guy in front of me, I tried some physically distanced chit chat, he was pretty rude about it.

Me: “They usually open a little early.”
Him: “No they don’t”
Me: “Maybe if they see a line they will open up, like the parks do.”
Him: “No they won’t”
Me:

View attachment 534127
We got some beers and some snacks:
View attachment 534130
View attachment 534128

View attachment 534129
So yummy.

I love lingering here but we had things to do and people were looking for tables so we headed out. (And I forgot to look for that awesome Baseline tshirt @riverside )

We went to watch the Mickey and Minnie in Vacation fun as it was starting right away.
View attachment 534132

Rude yes, but, at least the guy at Baseline didn’t ignore you like our “friends” at the castle...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

The wallet saga will not end there. That would be too easy.
stay tuned....

I would like to know that as well.
This is the microwave in question:

View attachment 534142

So confused!

(and yay! for the reading teacher!)

Yep, definitely no cash in that wallet...!!!!!

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Sunday February 7 cont

We made it! England at last. The boys were quite pleased with themselves. I sent two of them to get a table and M, X and I ordered the beers and fish n chips. Silly me, I thought I could get three fish n chips to share (I knew M was not going to have any). Usually there are two pieces of fish. This time it had one very large piece. So I gave the boys each one and I sat and watched.
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Then I got them seconds and they shared with me, a little bit

It was almost closing time but I wanted to take them on Test Track. I knew they would not want to go on a ride so I tricked them. I used the walls to my advantage to walk them “out”. When we just so happen to arrive at TT doorstep X called foul. But it was short lived because M noticed we no longer had R’s present. Aaaah, I left the bag in England next to the table.
I volunteered to go back and I told them to go on TT without me. X insisted on going. And running. Haha. X does not run!
I said we would wait for him as long as possible outside the ride. He took off running.

We waited. I spoke to the CM at the door and told her we were waiting for my son and why. I told her, let me know the last possible second we have to go inside and I asked what would happen if my son arrived a minute or so late. Would he be allowed in? She gestured to a woman I assumed was the boss and I assumed that meant no.

Boss lady and two other CM’s slowly started walking our way, checking their watches. This was it. We were out of time. And just like that X arrived with a girl right on his heels. Remember I said he was competitive??? She said she would beat him to Test Track. I know in my heart and brain the only reason he made it back in time was because it was a competition.
Also, he arrived in England to retrieve the bag just as security arrived to check it out

He was sucking wind and pulled his mask away from his face just a tad to get a breathe. Mean boss lady yelled at him. I moved X to the front of the pack and I took the rear, closest to mean boss lady.
View attachment 533852

We made it to the load area in about 10 minutes and climbed into our car.
View attachment 533853
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They did the “yank on the yellow strap” spiel. All good. But then it wasn’t. I tried to get the CM’s attention but it was too late. Off we went. My seat belt was fine on top but there was a ton of slack across my lap and I could not get it to tighten. I pulled and pushed and fussed with it. I took my arm out to get better leverage but that just resulted in the top tightening up with my arm on the outside. (See photo)
View attachment 533856
When we got off I told the closest CM, “there is something wrong with that seatbelt.” I wanted them to know which car so maintenance could check it out. Nope, she handed me off to mean boss lady who gave me the third degree. Heck no lady! It’s broken, I didn’t do it, watch the film. Good night.

And one last photo on our way out.
View attachment 533855
The line at the bus stop was so long. We sat on the ground and waited.

When we got back I headed to the carriage house to get a couple complimentary tooth brushes.

#1: I got drunk just reading about all the drinks, LOL. Wow, I wouldn't be standing after one or two!

#2) don't know why I'm numbering, but here it is............... I am so Impressed with you for standing up to those people. I wouldn't have been able to walk around and stand in front of her, but I'm glad You did. Made me feel better
Also that CM at TT was really rude. I think a little power turns some people into tirants.
But it is so great to see you not taking any crap. Wonderful! I can pop off to someone, but it takes alot. so, good for you!
Okay no more numbers (too lazy to find a gif, sorry)

 

[Songbird76]

That’s what keeps us coming back! There is always something we didn’t do or a different type of experience to be had.
My next trip won’t include 3 college boys and a picky eater so it will be different. (And I can’t wait)

And when will that be??

 

[Songbird76]

I do love a good old fashion pen and paper list though.

I also love paper books. I don't have an e-reader...I love the smell of paper and have a "thing" for stationary.

 

[Songbird76]

We were finished about 10:45. What next?
Baseline of course. We headed there and grabbed a table. There were 2 or 3 other parties at tables waiting for the opening.
At about 10:55 I went to stand in line. There was a guy in front of me, I tried some physically distanced chit chat, he was pretty rude about it.

Me: “They usually open a little early.”
Him: “No they don’t”
Me: “Maybe if they see a line they will open up, like the parks do.”
Him: “No they won’t”
Me:

And did it open early like you thought?

 

[BigDis]

It had a peanut butter taste to it. I didnt care for it.
I don’t think any of us did. They ro sham boed to see who had to drink it.

Embarrassed to admit, I had to google "ro sham boed." I had no idea!

 

[Darstarr]

Monday February 8 cont


Back to Toy Story Land we went.
We rode Alien Swirling Saucers,

and Toy Story Midway Mania.

At this point Millenium Falcon Smugglers Run was down to about 35 minutes so we hustled over. It was 40 by the time we got there but it took us 40 from the minute we stepped on line until we were done and exited the building.

They have increased capacity and it is no longer one party per vehicle.
My last two visits it was one party per vehicle, whether it was a party of one or a party of six. Now there is a plastic barrier between the front 4 and back 2 seats. M and I were the back two, the Engineers. A nice family of four were in the front four seats with the two pre teens as the pilots. We had a fun time!

Then we walked to the Skyliner to go to Epcot.