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.

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Followed closely by a getaway with my favorite guy.

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

I hope you’ll join the fun!
 
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Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Woody and I enjoyed our club level stay for our anniversary so much that booking again (with a hefty discount) was a no-brainer.

And I took pics this time.

The lounge area spans the left side of the top floor (7th).

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Gated entrance to keep the riff raff out. 😉

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Humphrey the mascot greeted us.

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Fireworks viewing area.

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MinnieM123

MinnieM123

Premium Member
Tuvalu said:
The lounge area spans the left side of the top floor (7th).
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Tuvalu, I haven't been up there in many years. What is on the other side of the floor (the part not gated off)? Is that area similar to the past, with various seating areas, or have they repurposed that space for something else? I recall that the entire floor used to be the club level, with an elevator that required a card to access entry to the club floor.
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Sunday, con’t

We waited around until 4pm - no room text.

But good news - the rain had stopped.

We’d made an ADR on our drive down and needed to head out of the club lounge.

Zip a Dee Do Dah was one of the songs we heard while on the bus. Seems whomever is in charge of bus soundtracks did not get the memo.

Since fall has arrived in August in central Florida (gotta love that autumn breeze), we had ourselves a photo shoot first.

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I left out the “kiss cute” photo as not to mortify Em.
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
MinnieM123 said:
Tuvalu, I haven't been up there in many years. What is on the other side of the floor (the part not gated off)? Is that area similar to the past, with various seating areas, or have they repurposed that space for something else? I recall that the entire floor used to be the club level, with an elevator that required a card to access entry to the club floor.
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Took this for ya, Minnie!

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This is the 7th floor outside the gate. The rooms on this side of the Lodge are DVC villas.

The original club lounge used to be directly behind the gentleman in the rocker and yes, the entire 7th floor was club level.

When the DVC conversion happened, the lounge was moved to the opposite side, requiring removal of several guest rooms.

Thus the number of guests utilizing the lounge was cut in half, and one of the reasons we enjoy it more now - no fighting the crowds!
 
MinnieM123

MinnieM123

Premium Member
Tuvalu said:
This is the 7th floor outside the gate. The rooms on this side of the Lodge are DVC villas.

The original club lounge used to be directly behind the gentleman in the rocker and yes, the entire 7th floor was club level.

When the DVC conversion happened, the lounge was moved to the opposite side, requiring removal of several guest rooms.

Thus the number of guests utilizing the lounge was cut in half, and one of the reasons we enjoy it more now - no fighting the crowds!
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Thank you for the update. One of the highlights up there was the gorgeous view down into the impressive, open lobby area. (Nice to see they still provide the rocking chairs.) Happy to hear that it's a smaller crowd in the club lounge, and that Woody and you (almost ;) ) have the whole place to yourselves! :joyfull:
 
Laurenciaa

Laurenciaa

Well-Known Member
Tuvalu said:
Sunday, con’t

We waited around until 4pm - no room text.

But good news - the rain had stopped.

We’d made an ADR on our drive down and needed to head out of the club lounge.

Zip a Dee Do Dah was one of the songs we heard while on the bus. Seems whomever is in charge of bus soundtracks did not get the memo.

Since fall has arrived in August in central Florida (gotta love that autumn breeze), we had ourselves a photo shoot first.

View attachment 739481

View attachment 739482

View attachment 739483

I left out the “kiss cute” photo as not to mortify Em.
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aahhh the look of love :inlove:.

I might have a dumb question -> Can you always upgrade to Club Level of also subject to availability? Are the Club Level rooms so different from the normal WL ones? Is it sometimes complementary?
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Laurenciaa said:
Can you always upgrade to Club Level of also subject to availability? Are the Club Level rooms so different from the normal WL ones? Is it sometimes complementary?
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Club level is a bookable category but you can inquire at check in for availability. Gone are the days of the complimentary upgrade and you would need to pay the difference in price (and CL might only be available for part of your vacation.) We received a complimentary upgrade in 2010 but we were just staying one night and were celebrating a birthday. Requests to upgrade in subsequent years (that we were willing to pay for) were denied. That said, it never hurts to ask!

The rooms are exactly the same - with a bonus rug in front of the sinks.
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Sunday, con’t

I had seen a social media post a day or so ago about a new menu here -

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Pre-pandemic The Plaza was a family fave. Cuts, changes and price increases made it fall out of favor. A few items on the new menu interested me and when I saw there was availability Woody said, “Why not?”

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The restaurant remained about half full during the time we were there. But wait times at MK were low so I wasn’t surprised the restaurant wasn’t overly busy. Our server Karen couldn’t have been nicer or more accommodating, and was genuinely glad to receive our feedback about our meal. She absolutely defied the current stereotype given to her name (which is unfair and unwarranted to all Karens.)

The club sandwich has made a welcome return and was what Woody ordered. I debated between the club and the “lightly breaded crispy chicken sandwich” because the dill slaw atop the sandwich intrigued me. In the end I went with the chicken.

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Oh, what a mistake I made! Heavily breaded and deep fried beyond “crispy”, the major flavor was paprika. Way too much paprika (and I like paprika). The slaw was very dry and the dill flavoring was hard to discern. I looked at Woody’s turkey club with envy.

Being the chivalrous man that he is, he offered to switch meals with me. I settled for a quarter of his sandwich (which was wonderful, BTW.)

I have no doubt that Karen would have replaced my meal had I asked, but it was my choice to order the chicken and I wanted to save room for dessert.

Woody had a cookies and cream hot fudge sundae.

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I ordered an extra-thick chocolate shake. This baby did not disappoint and I slurped it down so quickly that I immediately wanted another.

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But “wanted” and “ordered” are two different things! I do miss the old days when shakes came with the extra in the stainless mixing container.

I totally would have finished that too!

The Plaza is back on our list. I’ll just avoid the crispy chicken sandwich next time.
 
93boomer

93boomer

Well-Known Member
Tuvalu said:
Sunday, con’t

I had seen a social media post a day or so ago about a new menu here -

View attachment 739575

Pre-pandemic The Plaza was a family fave. Cuts, changes and price increases made it fall out of favor. A few items on the new menu interested me and when I saw there was availability Woody said, “Why not?”

View attachment 739576

View attachment 739577

The restaurant remained about half full during the time we were there. But wait times at MK were low so I wasn’t surprised the restaurant wasn’t overly busy. Our server Karen couldn’t have been nicer or more accommodating, and was genuinely glad to receive our feedback about our meal. She absolutely defied the current stereotype given to her name (which is unfair and unwarranted to all Karens.)

The club sandwich has made a welcome return and was what Woody ordered. I debated between the club and the “lightly breaded crispy chicken sandwich” because the dill slaw atop the sandwich intrigued me. In the end I went with the chicken.

View attachment 739578

Oh, what a mistake I made! Heavily breaded and deep fried beyond “crispy”, the major flavor was paprika. Way too much paprika (and I like paprika). The slaw was very dry and the dill flavoring was hard to discern. I looked at Woody’s turkey club with envy.

Being the chivalrous man that he is, he offered to switch meals with me. I settled for a quarter of his sandwich (which was wonderful, BTW.)

I have no doubt that Karen would have replaced my meal had I asked, but it was my choice to order the chicken and I wanted to save room for dessert.

Woody had a cookies and cream hot fudge sundae.

View attachment 739579

I ordered an extra-thick chocolate shake. This baby did not disappoint and I slurped it down so quickly that I immediately wanted another.

View attachment 739581

But “wanted” and “ordered” are two different things! I do miss the old days when shakes came with the extra in the stainless mixing container.

I totally would have finished that too!

The Plaza is back on our list. I’ll just avoid the crispy chicken sandwich next time.
Click to expand...
Oh that’s a shame about the chicken. I wouldn’t have liked it either. Way too fried!
Milkshake looked yummy!!
 

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