Trip Report The (second) ONE with enhanced cleaning and (a little less) Physical Distancing. Sept 2020

How is everyone doing out there???

A little background on this trip. This trip was origionally booked as a Food and Wine/Birthday girls getaway with two of my friends. We booked The Poly at 7 months Thursday through Sunday. (One friend’s bday was Thurs, the other was Sunday! Sooooo perfect!!!)
Buuuuut, they are both teachers and were not allowed to go. (Read that again. Not Allowed)
I had the reservation and I wanted to go. My friend, R and I had a trip in April we had canceled. We had rescheduled for October to do a Halloween party (Nope!) and a DVC moonlight madness (Nope again). Then, she lost her job so she came back to work with me. Her Mom, Gpa and Uncle own the business.
“Hey R, want to go to Disney in September instead?”
“Yeah!”
“Should we add a night? I still have 18 points I can use.”
“Yeah”
“Do you think we can get the extra day off?”
She looks at me. I look at her.
I mean, her Mom makes the schedule.

She booked her flight, bought her park tickets, made her park reservations and we were set.

Tuesday night, September 15th I caught the sunset and headed to bed for an early start the next morning.

Wednesday, September 16 came early. R’s Gma was flying back to Ft Lauderdale an hour before our flight. So we all went together to help her out.

We were not sitting together because our flights were booked seperately. I asked to move us together but I asked on the late side and it was a no go. It was fine. We watched movies. I love Jet Blue TV’s!

Yay! The sign said 45 minute wait. The woman who checked us in pointed out the sign and said it “could” take 45 minutes.

Overheard on the ME: “Mom, I dont want to go to the Magic Kingdom!”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Legoland!!”
Haha
Lets check the weather...

Notice my phone is only at 44%

Back of the bus. Not a 45 minute wait but about 20.

Too far in the back of the bus to get THE SIGN. How about the side of the road? Almost as good???

For the record, we went to Wilderness Lodge, BLT, the Contemporary and then The Polynesian.

We finally made it and were ready to let the fun begin!!

 

[Darstarr]

So I saw this on one of my Facebook Disney groups. They use this website as their countdown clock. He was able to get boarding group one using it!
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The problem is on Disney IT end. They don’t seem to follow any clock. So it is partially luck. (Luck that Disney has their act together that morning)

 

[Darstarr]

Sooo cool for that kiddo...!!!
We were waitin’ at the front of the line at the right-side tunnel to MK on oldest DDs Sweet 16 in ‘07, when an elderly CM noticed her birthday bling. He got everybody’s attention and had the whole crowd (about 200-ish?) sing happy birthday to her...it was AWESOME, and somethin’ she, or we, will never forget...!!!!!!!

Dinosaurs aren’t real...?!?!?!
How is he on the moon landings...???!!!!!

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He believes in UFO’s

That is so nice for your daughter. Such a great memory!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Yeah, I have no idea. Drunken pix of flowers???

Boy howdy, am I slow on the uptake...!!!
I thought you were talkin’ about somethin’ specific in the pic, not the pic itself...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Maybe it just seemed darker since you went through the queue so fast and your eyes didn’t have time to adjust?

Also just say no the Bo! I know all have stuff we feel self conscious about but seriously your forehead is fine. And you don’t want to roll those dice on if the Botox looks natural or not:

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And, this is what I get for bein’ so far behind on your TR, @Darstarr ...I repeated another members gif...!!!!!

And, probably just did again...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Feel ya. Born and raised So Cal. Santa Ana winds will get ya every time. But jeez, fires started early this year. Stay safe!

We lived in No Cal from ‘68-‘76 when I was growin’ up, and I don’t remember any major wildfires. Even googling, I could only find the Laguna Fire in San Diego County from 1970. Crazy how much of the west is/was on fire...

 

[donaldtoo]

I liked your Poly pictures (and Peter Pan, one of my favorite cues). We last stayed at Poly pre-DVC around...2005 or 2006. It was a fantastic trip in my opinion and we loved the room. In my 3 year old daughters opinion (it was a 7 day Poly trip with a 3 day DCL cruise at the end) it was too much vacation. LOL Haven't stayed DVC yet so sounds like I will wait a bit longer.

The laugh is for the “too much vacation” part...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

This is so making me laugh because I have migraines and am so trying to convince doc I need Botox, to ...
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and I don’t even care if I can eat properly and look like this guy!
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but you look beautiful as always! I hate just seeing my eyes and forehead in a mask too though, so I feel ya. I am a huge lipstick fan. Lipstick and masks don’t work. Again, darn you 2020!

Watched “Christmas With the Kranks” on Freeform earlier...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Thursday September 17 cont

After Big Thunder we headed over to Jungle Cruise. They wait was longer than posted because they were cleaning. At least they were only doing every other boat. They would fill a boat and send it on it’s way, then clean a boat and send it for an empty cruise etc etc etc.... We moved, but at half the pace.
Our skipper was Sedona and she was hilarious!
Need cash? There are banks all along the rivers.
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Beautiful palm tree. Dark clouds...slightly less beautiful!
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While waiting for cleaning to happen I got a notification that I had new PP pix. These, obviously, were taken earlier but, well, here we are...
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Did I post the same pix twice???

Now back to our cruise.
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Selfie selfie selfie. Remember when selfie wasnt a word?
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Then it was time that @Loco_driver has been waiting for
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So good on this non snowy ( @fractal ) day!!

We found a shady little area. Haha. We sat in the Tiki room exit, on the wall, mask free and basked in the delicious pineapple raspberry creamy cold deliciousness. The plan was to wait for tiki to end, then we would go into the next show. In the past, they welcomed dole whips into the theatre. I assumed right now this is a no go, but I can not confirm as Tiki was full a few moments after getting on line.
Plan B, some Pirate action (have at it @Zipitidoda )
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Being in the front row I finally got a picture of the rock formation that looks like a skull. Being me, the photo looks like garbage.
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[donaldtoo]

Thursday, September 17 cont

Next we were Haunted Mansion bound.
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I wanted to look for the ring and was explaining to R what little I know about it as I was googling and bottom line, there was no time. Which, I guess is a good thing.
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Definitely did NOT nail it
I like the preshow/stretching room buuuuut, I like not being hearded like cattle even more.

What next R?
“Tea cups!”
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R wanted a pink teacup.
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For the record, we were way too full to do the tea cups. Who the heck did we think we were? Thank goodness lunch stayed in our stomaches. Some lunches, as you will soon learn, were not as lucky!

I remember the original “ring” at HM. When they did the refurb, it went away, but, so many fans complained that they “reimagined” it back...!!!

Original...

Now...

 

[donaldtoo]

Thursday, September 17 cont

The haunted Mansion got me thinking about my buddy True Value. I reached out to her to see if Sally was pounding Atlanta (grapefruit for you @Zipitidoda ).
@Tuvalu told me there was a lot of rain from Sally but they were ok. Then, she asked if it was raining in WDW. Then she said that was a rhetorical question because of course it was! After all, I was there. I assured her the weather was beautiful. No rain️ and no snow

Next stop were the Cars. I call it Autopia because I think that is the name in Disneyland but what is the WDW name?
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There was a CM out front and a family walked up, showed him something then went through the FP line. A man standing in line asked what that was all about. This CM was explaining to him that it was a DAS pass, but this is the funny part. He kept pulling his mask away from his face to talk. It was funny to me because I see people do that around here all the time. Then when he said DAS he said, “I dont know, we arent allowed to ask”. So frank. So honest.
His mannerisms were cracking me up. He wasnt the typical by the book CM. When I got close to him I read on his name tag that he is from LI. Halfway between my house and R’s

Tron construction from the cars.
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Next up was Space Mountain! Well next was technically the ladies room and a little shopping but that could be TMI.
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We walked all the way to the turnstile where they send you right or left. Left for us.
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Then, on the walk out...
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Three different piles. Was it one person’s lunch in three spots? Or was it three different lunches? Like a chain reaction, when one person sees/smells vomit it causes them to vomit as well?

Perhaps a trashcan or two should be added to this walkway.

Disney CM’s refer to that last part as a “protein spill”...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

After looking for the ring at the HM for years!!!! I finally found the right answer on line about where to find it.

As you meander through the line, look for a trash can outside of the lines but close. Look in front of it on the ground, and there is the ring! I was told for a long time that it was on the way out of the ride by a trash can, but this was on the way in. sorry, can't remember exactly where, but it was on the right when you make a sharp left turn. Hope you find it.

The original stantion “ring” was actually as you exited the ride, and the one now is as you enter...!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Thursday, September 17 cont

And then it started to pour again. There was lightning and thunder and all outdoor attractions were closed. And once again, c19 was no longer a risk as people huddled under cover where ever they could. But we had ponchos.
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The new halloween popcorn buckets @riverside !
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R had to get a Mickey bar. Neither of us was especially hungry but...when in Disney you eat ice cream shaped like a mouse.
But man, prices went up!
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We stood still, physically distanced and she ate. I overheard a mom, with 8-10 kids (not an exaggeration) ask a passing maintenance worker “where are the big coasters? Where should we go? What should we do?”
Lady! It’s 4:00! If you havent figured this out yet...

We went to see Ariel.
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We had a little pocket of no rain.
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What to do? Lets look for the elusive Steam Boat Hidden Mickey in the Little Mermaid queue. I had seen it before so I kinda knew what I was looking for. I knew it was at the exit so we headed that way. A CM was pointing it out to two ladies. Search over.
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For those of you who have never seen it, you can google a better picture. Those dang ladies wouldnt move and I was trying to be respectful of their space.
Move it already!!!
Take your picture and move on!!!
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The red are the two buttons of his shorts.
Purple is his hat.
Yellow is his nose.
I really should have been a foot or two more to my right, but those darn ladies. Never seen a rock hidden Mickey before I guess.

I have seen that HM online before...definitely one of the most obscure ones...!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Thank you. Trunk up for good luck!!!

Except for this guy

That’ll mess up your weekend...!!!!!

 

[PacNWTigger]

Watched “Christmas With the Kranks” on Freeform earlier...!!!!!

2nd favorite Christmas movie!!

 

[Darstarr]

And, this is what I get for bein’ so far behind on your TR, @Darstarr ...I repeated another members gif...!!!!!

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And, probably just did again...!!!!!

I was going to let it go...

That’ll mess up your weekend...!!!!!

And then some!

 

[Darstarr]

Saturday, September 19 cont

Time was running out on our final park day.

“What would you like to do?” I asked R.
We both had really enjoyed the Safari (it was R’s favorite thing of the day) and the wait was not too bad so we decided for a repeat ride.
That was an unfortunate decision...

But first, I really like this thermometer!

Let me check my notes:
The giraffes were all huddled by the barn gates.
No elephants.
No lions.
Oh yeah, and the piece de resistance...

Apparently a guest in the ride vehicle was not wearing his/her mask properly.
The CM made a couple of generic general reminder announcements about “keeping your mask on at all times.”
Then:
“YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH ARE BOTH PART OF YOUR RESPIRATORY SYSTEM!”
And then:
“You agreed to wear a mask at all times when you entered into the contract when you purchased your ticket.”
Then the best part:
The CM slammed on the brakes and we came to a sudden screeching halt in the middle of nowhere (rock walls on either side).
“I SEE YOU!” Looking into his rearview mirror. “PUT ON YOUR MASK AND LEAVE IT ON!!!”

I was equally annoyed with the maskhole and the driver who gave me whiplash.
It was the worst. And here are some pictures to prove it...

The giraffes really want to go into the barn...

The backside of water? No, the backside of R’s head
And plastic barriers.

The highlight, Mandrils.

There is an ostrich there. That’s cool I guess.

@Captain Barbossa is this your favorite??

 

[Darstarr]

Saturday, September 19 cont

We had time for one last attraction.
We had not ridden Navi yet today. The wait was 30 minutes which normally I would not do but it was 5 minutes until park close so we had to decide fast. We were close to Pandora so decided to ride Navi.

It was pretty empty.

Another story, if I may.
These people were on line not too far ahead of us:

Their shirts said: IF YOU CAN READ THIS YOU ARE TOO CLOSE

I see how that could humorous buuuuut....
If you are going to make such a bold statement you better back it up! For most of the wait they had their masks down eating, talking, walking. I am ok with eating in line because, in line you are physically distanced and stationary for a good part of the time. But when moving/passing people, you need to mask up, and they did not. Seriously, it would not have bothered me but their shirts screamed HYPOCRITE! And that bothers me.

We rode Navi.

Then I hit up the ladies room on our way out.
Guess who was in there?
And guess who left the ladies room WITHOUT washing her hands???

 

[DryerLintFan]

Saturday, September 19 cont

We had time for one last attraction.
We had not ridden Navi yet today. The wait was 30 minutes which normally I would not do but it was 5 minutes until park close so we had to decide fast. We were close to Pandora so decided to ride Navi.

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It was pretty empty.

Another story, if I may.
These people were on line not too far ahead of us:
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Their shirts said: IF YOU CAN READ THIS YOU ARE TOO CLOSE

I see how that could humorous buuuuut....
If you are going to make such a bold statement you better back it up! For most of the wait they had their masks down eating, talking, walking. I am ok with eating in line because, in line you are physically distanced and stationary for a good part of the time. But when moving/passing people, you need to mask up, and they did not. Seriously, it would not have bothered me but their shirts screamed HYPOCRITE! And that bothers me.

We rode Navi.

Then I hit up the ladies room on our way out.
Guess who was in there?
And guess who left the ladies room WITHOUT washing her hands???

It's clever but only if the font is smaller. Like, right now you could read that from a block away

 

[muddyrivers]

I see how that could humorous buuuuut....
If you are going to make such a bold statement you better back it up! For most of the wait they had their masks down eating, talking, walking. I am ok with eating in line because, in line you are physically distanced and stationary for a good part of the time. But when moving/passing people, you need to mask up, and they did not. Seriously, it would not have bothered me but their shirts screamed HYPOCRITE! And that bothers me.

I was at a mall stand ordering a pretzel the other day when a woman with a mask saying "Please keep 6 feet away" walks right up next to me and starts looking at all the pretzels in the display. Do as I say not as I do...

 

[k8einwdw]

Apparently a guest in the ride vehicle was not wearing his/her mask properly.
The CM made a couple of generic general reminder announcements about “keeping your mask on at all times.”
Then:
“YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH ARE BOTH PART OF YOUR RESPIRATORY SYSTEM!”
And then:
“You agreed to wear a mask at all times when you entered into the contract when you purchased your ticket.”
Then the best part:
The CM slammed on the brakes and we came to a sudden screeching halt in the middle of nowhere (rock walls on either side).
“I SEE YOU!” Looking into his rearview mirror. “PUT ON YOUR MASK AND LEAVE IT ON!!!”

God bless that CM. I know they get tired of reminding people to keep their masks on. I have a friend who works at Star Tours, and she kept a tally one day of how many times she had to remind people in a single shift - 35 times. 5 of those were all the same person.