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!

 

[93boomer]

Time to say goodnight.

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Looks like you had the whole park to yourselves! Looks like you two girls had fun!

 

[93boomer]

Keep the rain gear handy. You gonna need it.

 

[Zipadeelady]

“I Ran” is the best @Zipadeelady !

Finally!! Some one who knows what they are talking about!!

 

[Darstarr]

Finally!! Some one who knows what they are talking about!!

 

[Zipadeelady]

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, June 1

Woody has a saying about park touring at WDW.

I can do early or I can do late - but I can’t do both.

Em subscribes to this philosophy too unless she gets in an afternoon nap and then she can do both. (Provided she sleeps in the following morning.)

With our late extra hours night, this was a planned pool day. Sleep in and lounge by the pool. Em accomplished this beautifully.

Me? I was wide awake at my normal time - less than 5 hours after going to sleep. Try as I might, I can’t sleep in.

I set up our pool chairs while Em got ready.

The quiet pool was crazy crowded at 10 am. The main pool had few people and lots of space. So Lava pool it is!

Been a few hours and no rain yet, @93boomer.

We just finished our poolside lunch. Cheeseburger for Em, Hawaiian pulled pork sandwich for me - with Poly chips, of course.

 

[93boomer]

Thursday, June 1

Woody has a saying about park touring at WDW.

I can do early or I can do late - but I can’t do both.

Em subscribes to this philosophy too unless she gets in an afternoon nap and then she can do both. (Provided she sleeps in the following morning.)

With our late extra hours night, this was a planned pool day. Sleep in and lounge by the pool. Em accomplished this beautifully.

Me? I was wide awake at my normal time - less than 5 hours after going to sleep. Try as I might, I can’t sleep in.

I set up our pool chairs while Em got ready.

View attachment 720482

The quiet pool was crazy crowded at 10 am. The main pool had few people and lots of space. So Lava pool it is!

View attachment 720484

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Been a few hours and no rain yet, @93boomer.

We just finished our poolside lunch. Cheeseburger for Em, Hawaiian pulled pork sandwich for me - with Poly chips, of course.

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Hope it keeps away!!!
I can’t sleep in either if I wake up. My DH is the same as Woody. He can doze anywhere and anytime.

 

[lindawdw]

Finally got all caught up with your last few updates and it looks like you are having a wonderful trip together! How fun that you got to do the Deluxe Resort EMH which are the BEST times to do all those attractions that always have long wait times! Since we don't buy Genie+, we bank on those perk nights to do all the rides that we never get to do anymore! Pete subscribes to the Woody rule too and I am just like you waking up early no matter what.

I'm so glad the rain held out and you got a pool in today!!!

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

First was a boat ride where we discovered a tiny rubber duck. On its bottom was an Instagram link (which Em looked up) which encouraged guests to hide the duck again for someone else to find.

We do these for cruises! Didn't know it was a thing at WDW now. I just ordered a few for my Alaskan cruise later this month. It was a big package, so I'm giving a few to my parents to take on their cruise in July. Mom will hide them, my dad will just give them to cute families.

Next each party received two transportation wooden nickels. According to the Disney Moms panel, these are rare and very few people know about them.

Rare or not rare, I was the lucky recipient of one last Fall!! That's what happens when you talk to the guys directing bus traffic every night leaving MK!

There’s a frozen POG smoothie on the drink menu that I was anxious to try. The restaurant was “out” of POG juice on my first visit.

Em ordered one too. Both of us loved it.

ON. MY. LIST.

Curious what @TrolleyFollower91 thinks so far because I LOVED it. I know I'm a bit biased as a person who grew up in a cottage in Maine but still.. warning that the title is deceiving - prepare for some heaviness and deep topics!

Yeah, I've heard it's a bit heavy but I just love Emily Henry so I'm optimistic that I'll enjoy it in a couple of weeks.

Em wants Woody to make this for her yard.

Well, if he doesn't have other projects going on, I'm sure he would do a magnificent job!

Not only that, we had to show our AP cards and our driver’s licenses. As if we were obtaining something of real value.

Lol. #statussymbol #shirleystatus

Equipment-free lagoon.

THE BEST kind of Lagoon!

As we were exiting, we were startled to the Max.

Ohhhh, I love meetups! So happy you two were able to find each other!!

I can do early or I can do late - but I can’t do both.

Well, at least Woody tries to do either. I can't do early. Ever. Except that one day in Disney when we got engaged. S and I are late night people. Although poor S, because he always wakes up too early, too. I love Disney but when I'm tired, it's hard to get up, even for Disney. No regrets when I finally accomplish the task, though.

 

[TrolleyFollower91]

Oh!! I just got that one. Haven't read it. Hope she loves it!

@TrolleyFollower91 Do you like this one? I’ve read (and loved) the rest of her books, and I was thinking about grabbing this one next.

Curious what @TrolleyFollower91 thinks so far because I LOVED it. I know I'm a bit biased as a person who grew up in a cottage in Maine but still.. warning that the title is deceiving - prepare for some heaviness and deep topics!

I’m a little more than halfway through. I am enjoying it! I think I liked Book Lovers better than this one because it was funnier, but this one has some pretty clever dialogue too.

 

[Tuvalu]

Thursday, con’t

Another attempt to teach @wdisney9000 the proper spelling of this lounge.

He insists it’s Tambooo. But I’ll cut him some slack because I got to meet Zelda!

Y’all didn’t think one quick Max meet would suffice, did you?

He and Tricia have a new game to play, courtesy of a fellow Seinfeld fan.

What a pretty girlie drink.

Is it for me?
No.
Is it for Em?
No.
Is it for Tricia?
No.

It’s not for this guy either. He prefers a different girlie drink. One that Em ordered too.

There’s only one party member left. You do the math.

Not sure the Magical Star is girlie or not but hey, it comes with a glow cube!

That was round one. There was a round two. There might have been a third had none of us had dinner ressies.

Fun was had by all Magicians.

Bonus - we got to ride the monorail with Zelda!

 

[MickeyCB]

We did not love the paper straws which fell apart mid-drink. Our server brought us replacements.

I swear I will reuse every plastic bag I get if you will just give me a plastic non gagging paper straw.

 

[wdisney9000]

Thursday, con’t
Another attempt to teach @wdisney9000 the proper spelling of this lounge.

View attachment 720577

He insists it’s Tambooo. But I’ll cut him some slack because I got to meet Zelda!

View attachment 720575

Y’all didn’t think one quick Max meet would suffice, did you?

He and Tricia have a new game to play, courtesy of a fellow Seinfeld fan.

View attachment 720576

What a pretty girlie drink.

View attachment 720578

Is it for me?
No.
Is it for Em?
No.
Is it for Tricia?
No.

It’s not for this guy either. He prefers a different girlie drink. One that Em ordered too.

View attachment 720579

There’s only one party member left. You do the math.

Not sure the Magical Star is girlie or not but hey, it comes with a glow cube!

View attachment 720580

That was round one. There was a round two. There might have been a third had none of us had dinner ressies.
Fun was had by all Magicians.
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Bonus - we got to ride the monorail with Zelda!

View attachment 720582

We had such a good time! I think Zelda was happy to be around some other ladies. Especially after putting up with me the last few days. And I'm still stunned you got a good pic of her on the first try! She does NOT pose like that for me .

Always good to see you and Em! It's never vapid and lifeless

 

[wdisney9000]

There might have been a third had none of us had dinner ressies.

I just realized you slipped in ressies (and bolded it)!

 

[Tuvalu]

Here is where our evening began to go downhill.

Em and I were so looking forward to this meal. We were a few minutes late in arriving (thanks to Disney bus) and the hostess could not find our reservation. When she finally located it, she explained the restaurant was “running a little behind due to an earlier power outage.”

We were seated within 10 minutes in the main dining room.

Yet another 10 minutes passed before our server came to our table. All the staff in the restaurant seemed frazzled, none more so than the one waiting on us. She said she would bring us bread and water and then disappeared for awhile.

Em and I both ordered the buttermilk fried chicken, the most popular item on the menu and therefore one that should come quickly out of the kitchen.

We got our bread and water - no pics cause we were starving and dove right in.

Almost 45 minutes passed before our entrees arrived, delivered by a food runner. We never saw our server the entire time. No food pics because as I mentioned - starving.

The chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans were fantastic. It was the saving grace of the experience.

We never expected such a lengthy meal. I had “hit the wall” after my lack of sleep. Em ordered an Uber so we could get back to the Poly quickly.

When we got to our room I realized that somewhere along the way I’d lost my MagicBand. Thus began the tedious process of deactivating it and filing a lost and found report.

And here I am finishing this post when I should be sleeping. Goodnight, all!

 

[MissingDisney]

My son lost a band on our last visit. We didn't file anything because he has so many and it was just a regular one. But I did deactivate it.

We'd been home about a week and I got an email that it was turned in and did I want to pick it up at Beach Club or have it mailed to my home. They tracked it easily enough and 3 days later....the prodigal band returned home in a lovely Disney package.

Hopefully someone turns yours in too!

 

[fractal]

Thursday, con’t

Another attempt to teach @wdisney9000 the proper spelling of this lounge.

View attachment 720577

He insists it’s Tambooo. But I’ll cut him some slack because I got to meet Zelda!

View attachment 720575

Y’all didn’t think one quick Max meet would suffice, did you?

He and Tricia have a new game to play, courtesy of a fellow Seinfeld fan.

View attachment 720576

What a pretty girlie drink.

View attachment 720578

Is it for me?
No.
Is it for Em?
No.
Is it for Tricia?
No.

It’s not for this guy either. He prefers a different girlie drink. One that Em ordered too.

View attachment 720579

There’s only one party member left. You do the math.

Not sure the Magical Star is girlie or not but hey, it comes with a glow cube!

View attachment 720580

That was round one. There was a round two. There might have been a third had none of us had dinner ressies.

Fun was had by all Magicians.

View attachment 720581

View attachment 720583

Bonus - we got to ride the monorail with Zelda!

View attachment 720582

One of the best Trip Report posts ever!

 

[Songbird76]

I’m a little more than halfway through. I am enjoying it! I think I liked Book Lovers better than this one because it was funnier, but this one has some pretty clever dialogue too.

I also still need to read The People We Meet On Vacation. I have it, but people said they didn't like it as much as her first two, so I started with those and loved them, so I went ahead and got it, but I'm procrastinating.

Right now I'm reading Persepolis (graphic novel) so I can discuss it with my daughter to help her with her school assignment on it. Then I need to read The Handmaid's Tale for the same reason. Then I promised my friend I'd beta read her 3rd book for her and then I can get to all the new books I have.

 

[Songbird76]

Thursday, con’t

Another attempt to teach @wdisney9000 the proper spelling of this lounge.

View attachment 720577

He insists it’s Tambooo. But I’ll cut him some slack because I got to meet Zelda!

View attachment 720575

Y’all didn’t think one quick Max meet would suffice, did you?

He and Tricia have a new game to play, courtesy of a fellow Seinfeld fan.

View attachment 720576

What a pretty girlie drink.

View attachment 720578

Is it for me?
No.
Is it for Em?
No.
Is it for Tricia?
No.

It’s not for this guy either. He prefers a different girlie drink. One that Em ordered too.

View attachment 720579

There’s only one party member left. You do the math.

Not sure the Magical Star is girlie or not but hey, it comes with a glow cube!

View attachment 720580

That was round one. There was a round two. There might have been a third had none of us had dinner ressies.

Fun was had by all Magicians.

View attachment 720581

View attachment 720583

Bonus - we got to ride the monorail with Zelda!

View attachment 720582

I love your dress! And Zelda is adorable! It must have been hard not to pet her! Look at that face!

 

[Tuvalu]

Hope it keeps away!!!

It did not rain AT ALL today!!

I'm so glad the rain held out and you got a pool in today!!!

Us too!

Except that one day in Disney when we got engaged. S and I are late night people.

How magical that you and S got engaged at Disney!