Trip Report The Story Comes ALIVE! *COMPLETED*

Hello again, my friends.

For nearly a decade it has been such a joy for me to write about 50 (yes, 50!) different trips that I have taken to WDW - including one that was virtual.

The reason? You, the reader.

I don’t do trip reports for my own documentation. I have journals for that. I write because I love interacting with y’all. Your encouragement, humor, curiosity and even snark (*ahem* @amjt660) assure me that I am not alone in my crazy affection for Disney parks. A big thanks to each of you!

I am very fortunate to be a frequent visitor to WDW (despite what @Mr Ferret 88 believes, I do not live there!) and am entering a season of monthly visits. Trip reporting is time consuming (as those of you who’ve written can attest) but I’m not ready to completely give it up - yet.

What I’d like to do is keep this as an ongoing TR for the rest of 2023. It will be highlights and moments, with live posting as the goal. My story coming alive, so to speak.

First up is spring break with my favorite girl.

Followed closely by a getaway with my favorite guy.

There will be Magician meets. New experiences. And (as always) the unexpected.

I hope you’ll join the fun!

 

[Tuvalu]

Canadian geese - the scourge of southern golf courses. (Apologies to my friends from Canada.)

 

[Tuvalu]

Silly old bear.

Look who we found in the courtyard.

The elephant reminds me of old-school WDW, when animal topiaries adorned the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon.

As a kid I knew the Contemporary (where my family stayed) was only a few minutes away!

Did you know it can take 10 years to grow a topiary?

 

[Tuvalu]

Lunchtime!

@Loco_driver Woody *almost* finished his No Way José.

And we found a server who can be your new Herlina - her name is Raquel and she is fabulous!

 

[Tuvalu]

The cutest couple welcomed us when we re-entered Epcot via the International Gateway.

 

[lindawdw]

Pete is envious that Woody is getting to ride GOTG a few times on this trip. Since I can't handle that ride, I'll also be taking the chicken door. Your topiary photos are beautiful and it's one of my favorite things about Disney in the Spring! I actually remember the elephant topiaries which were planted along the roadway that was visible from the monorail! I often say to Pete when we travel on the monorail that I wish they still had the topiaries along that drive. We're staying at the BCV in May so hopefully we'll pop into Beaches and Cream for a delicious ice cream sundae too!

 

[93boomer]

The cutest couple welcomed us when we re-entered Epcot via the International Gateway.

View attachment 713004

Ohh I wish we had sunshine! It’s rained for two days here. I am going crazy! Keep posting sunny pix please.

 

[Loco_driver]

And we found a server who can be your new Herlina - her name is Raquel and she is fabulous!

I’ll put in a request for her next month!

@Loco_driver Woody *almost* finished his No Way José.

 

[amjt660]

Canadian geese - the scourge of southern golf courses. (Apologies to my friends from Canada.)

Max

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, con’t

It was getting hot. Though we were tempted to sit in the France fountain to cool off we did not because:

1. We were sober
2. We aren’t (ahem) Canadian

Instead we learned about Japanese water fountains.

They were cool!

 

[Tuvalu]

Woody and I admired the Tiana topiary in America, spent time watching the trains in Germany and enjoyed all the potted florals in Italy.

While on the elevated dock I spotted something I’d never noticed before.

The canoes in front of the Outpost.

 

[93boomer]

Thursday, con’t

It was getting hot. Though we were tempted to sit in the France fountain to cool off we did not because:

1. We were sober
2. We aren’t (ahem) Canadian

View attachment 713059

Instead we learned about Japanese water fountains.

View attachment 713051

They were cool!

View attachment 713052

View attachment 713053

They were so very cool! DH wants to make one.

 

[93boomer]

Woody and I admired the Tiana topiary in America, spent time watching the trains in Germany and enjoyed all the potted florals in Italy.

While on the elevated dock I spotted something I’d never noticed before.

View attachment 713065

The canoes in front of the Outpost.

View attachment 713066

Are those new? I can't remember ever seeing them.

 

[Tuvalu]

Are those new? I can't remember ever seeing them.

Us either. That’s why I wanted to post the picture!

 

[Tuvalu]

The orchids in Mexico were absolutely stunning.

Woody and I needed an a/c fix at this point so we headed inside the pavilion for a boat ride.

I don’t recall the spotlight to the right of the volcano. I noticed it with Em and it looks silly to me.

 

[Tuvalu]

Hello, Goofy!

Goofy’s number one fan had to take his annual F&G pic from this spot.

We had to wait several minutes for the monorail to pass by. It’s a necessary element for this shot.

 

[Tuvalu]

We had a great time at Epcot. But we were sweating and needed to cool off - in a pool, not a fountain.

The quiet pool in the Cabanas enclave was the choice today.

 

[Tuvalu]

Dinner was at Toledo on the 16th floor.

Views inside and out are lovely.

We began with drinks.

Strawberry hard cider for me.

A Spanish red for Woody.

Woody ordered the Marinated Hanger Steak for his entrée.

He devoured it. I had done the same on our first visit in 2019. I decided to try something different tonight.

The Rioja-braised Chicken.

I enjoyed the chicken but surprisingly did not care for the roasted tomato bomba rice. However the couple “crispy potatoes” (aka potato chips) on my plate were delicious. I asked our wonderful server if I could have a few more. He brought me an entire bowl!

We shared this Spanish coffee custard/dark chocolate custard delight for dessert.

So richly decadent - If we could have, we both would have licked the plate clean!

 

[Tuvalu]

We concluded our evening with a thirty minute stroll around the entire resort. Coronado Springs is huge, y’all!

We were fortunate that we beat the rain.

 

[sheriffwoody]

Toledo looks SO GOOD! We will go one of these days on a kid-free trip. Or perhaps when she's old enough to appreciate something besides uncrustable/mac-n-cheese/nuggets.

 

[LeighM]

Are those new? I can't remember ever seeing them.

They were there in 2018 and 2019 because I remember seeing them for the Easter egg hunt (they usually have one hiding over that wall in the Outpost section, I think it's called).