Trip Report The Tuvalu Chronicles ~ Chapter 25 *COMPLETED*

Welcome, welcome, welcome to my 25th trip report.

Over the past five years, I have loved chronicling my WDW adventures with fellow forum readers who share my Disney passion. Writing keeps the magic alive for me. Discussions that result from your comments are icing on the cake! I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my posts. (And for those of you who have been following from the beginning ~ THANK YOU!!)

All my reports have been live, live-ish, or shortly-afterwards.....except one. In 2016 I wrote a retro TR detailing my first visit to the park that forever captivated my heart. You can read about it here. Or you can merely mock the photo below which is proof positive I cannot pull off wearing a hat.

Similar in style to last summer’s novel, this report will incorporate my June, July and August vacations. The ship has already sailed for a live report for June, but I may attempt some live updates in July/August. Or not.

Trip #1
Who: Tuvalu and Em
When: June 8-13, 2019
Where: Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Did we meet the Wicked Queen? Who got shoved in the Haunted Mansion? Did the rain rain rain come down down down? Was there an attraction evac? Did one of us really cause a ride to shut down?

Answers to come!

(Special thanks to @krisri18 for another trip report title! )

 

[MinnieM123]

No matter where we moved, one or more of them followed. Soon it felt like we were in the middle of a herd of wandering cats.

Only unlike cats, they were yelling and splashing.

It was not the peaceful pool time we had hoped for.

I understand that kids like to run around and play in the pool. My only issue is when they don't dial it down a smidgen (at least after a while), when other guests are around -- some of whom are clearly being quiet and relaxing. I blame this lack of awareness on the chaperones, for not having the sense to "remind" the kids that they're not the ONLY ones there.

 

[Tuvalu]

I think it has been a very virulent from of influenza. I'm a nurse in a GP surgery and we have had quite a few young fit adults develop this form of flu and some even needing hospitalised. Some of them had even had their flu shot! I've been nursing for many years and this has been a bad year for respiratory infections. Hope you get better soon @Tuvalu.

Thanks, Susan. My goal is to be completely better by our next trip. I did have a flu shot, although I just read that its effectiveness was low this year (probably due to the weird strain that developed.)

So sweet of you to start Em's day with coffee and muffins

That's what moms do........

My grandma didn't write down any recipe and she was taught to cook from memory. There were some things her and her cousins were all taught to make. So when she died, a lot of the family food history was lost. Mom and one of her brothers, both very good cooks, tried to recreate several of their favorite dishes and were successful for the most part. But the one thing no one was able to recreate was her chicken and dumplings. Each fall, I think about trying it myself but I chicken out LOL. If Mom and my uncle couldn't do it, I doubt I'll be able to! There were other recipes I tried to hunt down - contacted the childen/grandchildren of Grandma's first cousins to see if any of them wrote down any recipe for their families but nope. Each and every one cooked by memory and never wrote anything down.

I think that one of the reasons for not writing anything down is that people can be VERY protective of their recipes and want the praise of being "the only one who knows how to make this wonderful dish!" They forget that when they pass on the "wonderful dish" is lost forever.....and so is the family history behind it. It's sad.

I understand that kids like to run around and play in the pool. My only issue is when they don't dial it down a smidgen (at least after a while), when other guests are around -- some of whom are clearly being quiet and relaxing. I blame this lack of awareness on the chaperones, for not having the sense to "remind" the kids that they're not the ONLY ones there.

It was especially irritating because we were at the "quiet" pool. The other pool was clearly designed for kids and even has a splash pad play area.
We were also dealing with a cultural difference with this group.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Yay, a new adventures of Tuvalu and Em report! I was happy to see this when I ventured back into the trip reports, I didn't check while we were on vacation. I am sorry to hear that you weren't feeling well and are still recovering from your illness. It looks like you are a super trooper and made the best out of it as it looks like you two girls had so much fun, as usual together!

Seeing Em's sunglasses really makes me regret not buying a pair in Disneyland when I saw them a couple days ago, I might have to rectify that if I see them again in August.

And so far the best part of your report is the picture on Buzz, I just love it and how happy you both look! I also love that dress on you, it looks cute!

View attachment 385324

Looking forward to seeing more of your adventures!

 

[Tuvalu]

Yay, a new adventures of Tuvalu and Em report! I was happy to see this when I ventured back into the trip reports, I didn't check while we were on vacation. I am sorry to hear that you weren't feeling well and are still recovering from your illness. It looks like you are a super trooper and made the best out of it as it looks like you two girls had so much fun, as usual together!

Seeing Em's sunglasses really makes me regret not buying a pair in Disneyland when I saw them a couple days ago, I might have to rectify that if I see them again in August.

And so far the best part of your report is the picture on Buzz, I just love it and how happy you both look! I also love that dress on you, it looks cute!



Looking forward to seeing more of your adventures!

And I can’t wait to read all about SW:GE at DL! Especially Brad’s reactions....hope it was a dream come true for him.

You NEED those sunglasses!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

And I can’t wait to read all about SW:GE at DL! Especially Brad’s reactions....hope it was a dream come true for him.

You NEED those sunglasses!

I plan to get my pictures loaded and start a trip update by Wednesday. And you might be right about those glasses....

 

[Tuvalu]

Somebody had a craving.

Wasn’t me.

It required a visit to the MK.

I’m in!

Once again #ShirleyStatus on the bus!

We got through the train tunnel just in time to catch some of the parade.

I just love fire-breathing Maleficent!

Then we began power walking to beat the crowds.

Success!

Are you jelly @Rista1313? Em with her All American Sundae.

She’s even wearing the perfect shirt for indulging!

My choice stunned Em.

A kid’s mint chocolate chip cone.

It was the flavor that surprised her. She didn’t know I liked mint chocolate chip. But it was so humid that I knew the coolness of mint would be refreshing....and it was!

(Plus @NunuBelle ~ dark chocolate Mickey ears!!)

 

[93boomer]

Somebody had a craving.

Wasn’t me.

It required a visit to the MK.

I’m in!

View attachment 385612

Once again #ShirleyStatus on the bus!

View attachment 385620

We got through the train tunnel just in time to catch some of the parade.

View attachment 385613

View attachment 385614

I just love fire-breathing Maleficent!

View attachment 385615

Then we began power walking to beat the crowds.

View attachment 385616

Success!

View attachment 385617

Are you jelly @Rista1313? Em with her All American Sundae.

View attachment 385619
She’s even wearing the perfect shirt for indulging!

My choice stunned Em.

A kid’s mint chocolate chip cone.

View attachment 385618

It was the flavor that surprised her. She didn’t know I liked mint chocolate chip. But it was so humid that I knew the coolness of mint would be refreshing....and it was!

(Plus @NunuBelle ~ dark chocolate Mickey ears!!)

Mint chocolate chip is my fav ice cream!!

 

[93boomer]

And I can’t wait to read all about SW:GE at DL! Especially Brad’s reactions....hope it was a dream come true for him.

You NEED those sunglasses!

You really do @ajrwdwgirl !!!

 

[Tuvalu]

Craving satisfied, it was time to leave MK and make our way to Epcot.

(Fear not....we’ll be back again before this vacation concludes!)

We don’t often get to ride the Express monorail.

Em couldn’t resist saying, “We’re going the wrong way!” as we began the counter-clockwise ride to the TTC.

I took this shot of the GF because it has the resort line beam in it.

Transferring to the Epcot line is quick when arriving via the express ~ just a few steps across the platform.

Hello Spaceship Earth!

Epcot was a construction mess. The tram drop off was all torn up, the granite monoliths were in the process of being removed, and there was dirt and construction walls everywhere. If it bothered us.....regular, repeat visitors....I can only imagine what first-timers thought.

I told Em I had one request. I wanted PP pictures of us in front of Spaceship Earth. We are always in a hurry when we enter the park and never want to wait in a PP line.

Of course there were no PP photographers in sight when we got there.

 

[Tuvalu]

Dejected, we took our own picture inside SSE.

We managed to pick different answers to the questions on our video screen and received a “Future” that was new to us.

Em didn’t look too happy about it! (Maybe because she had no legs....or feet....in the garden?)

 

[Rista1313]

Are you jelly @Rista1313? Em with her All American Sundae

Totally Jealous! I might have to get my makeshift one down at the ice cream place tomorrow!

View attachment 385643

This people in the bottom right corner... quite interesting!

 

[Tuvalu]

This people in the bottom right corner... quite interesting!

Yeah, there’s a whole story going on there!

 

[Tuvalu]

FP #1 used, moving on to #2 and #3.

We did not have good seats in the glider. Lots of bendy, odd-shaped landmarks for us.

We had better seats on The Farm Ride. Front row!

As our boat passed the fish tanks, a woman sitting behind us announced, “I have a fear of fish!”

Never heard someone claim that before.

 

[Rista1313]

♥ for the Orange Bird Shirt!

 

[Tuvalu]

♥ for the Orange Bird Shirt!

Thought you would like it!

 

[Loco_driver]

Epcot was a construction mess. The tram drop off was all torn up, the granite monoliths were in the process of being removed, and there was dirt and construction walls everywhere. If it bothered us.....regular, repeat visitors....I can only imagine what first-timers thought.

The entry experience at the front of Epcot has to be the most unpleasant entrance to any theme park, and that was before the construction. We have resorted to just taking an Uber to beach club and using international gateway to avoid the mess. I imagine it leaves a terrible first impression for first time visitors.

 

[Tuvalu]

The entry experience at the front of Epcot has to be the most unpleasant entrance to any theme park, and that was before the construction. We have resorted to just taking an Uber to beach club and using international gateway to avoid the mess. I imagine it leaves a terrible first impression for first time visitors.

Agree. And it’s only going to get worse!

 

[Nunu]

That's what moms do........

That's right!

(Plus @NunuBelle ~ dark chocolate Mickey ears!!)

Yes! I'm keeping count

 

[wdwfamilynh]

Tuesday, June 11

I woke refreshed after a better night’s sleep, but I was still a long way from being fully healed. (In fact, as I type this nearly five weeks after the first symptoms appeared, I am still battling a cough. I know others who have been sick just as long. Whatever strain of infection this is, it’s a doozy.)

I left a sleeping Em to get muffins and coffee. She was awake when I returned.

View attachment 385517

Em commented that she really enjoyed our morning at the pool yesterday and wished we didn’t have plans to go to Epcot this morning.

I went into Fairy Godmother mode and switched our fastpasses from morning to afternoon.

“Done!” I announced.

She looked at me quizzically.

“Pool first, Epcot later!” I chirped.

When we got there we practically had the place to ourselves. A couple of swimmers....

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....and a couple of ducks.

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And a very happy daughter!

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The sun was strong and we lounged only a short time before needing to go into the water. Sadly our #ShirleyStatus did not last long. A large group of non-English speaking guests (mostly children) arrived and donned life jackets. They were very boisterous and commandeered the area in the pool where Em and I like to relax. No matter where we moved, one or more of them followed. Soon it felt like we were in the middle of a herd of wandering cats.

Only unlike cats, they were yelling and splashing.

And one of the chaperones (I use that word very loosely) shot video with his phone of the children splashing and yelling (none of them could swim) for a full thirty minutes. (Dude....is anyone ever going to watch that footage?)

It was not the peaceful pool time we had hoped for.

I love Em’s swimsuit!

And you saying “dude” cracked me up

 

[susan lees]

The entry experience at the front of Epcot has to be the most unpleasant entrance to any theme park, and that was before the construction. We have resorted to just taking an Uber to beach club and using international gateway to avoid the mess. I imagine it leaves a terrible first impression for first time visitors.

We nearly always do the same and IG was always a bit quieter anyway. Unfortunately not for long due to gondolas