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! )

 

[Tuvalu]

Here it is -- about 1/3 of the way down the article (you'll see the marina area, and then the man posing with the Mickey sculpture). It was 1983, per his comment.

http://allears.net/2011/08/12/contemporary-resort-part-two/

It’s hard for me to doubt Jack Spense (big fan, met him years ago); just wish I could remember that sculpture before the 90s.

This was taken in 1996.

 

[bee]

This was taken in 1996.

If that ain't the most 1996 photo I've ever seen...

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, con’t

I finished my muffin and Em began to stir. I wouldn’t have let her sleep too much longer as I did not want her coffee to get cold (those Disney mugs do not have the insulation of a Yeti.) She ate and we watched a little morning TV. (Not Stacy.....we don’t care for her. Now how many forum friends have I just lost? )

Eventually we (swim)suited up for the pool. I had purchased new sunscreen for this trip and Em jumped about a foot in the air when I sprayed her back.

“It’s COLD!!!“ she cried out in pain.

We glanced at the can. In big, bold type it said, Cool zone, instantly cools and refreshes.

“No kidding!” Em exclaimed. Both of us burst into laughter. Yes, the Cool zone feature is perfect when you are out in the blazing hot sun.....not so much inside an air conditioned room.

I opted to use lotion instead.

We got to the pool before 10 am and were surprised at how many guests were already there. Then it occurred to me that people who take a mid-week break from the parks often do so on a Wednesday.

This may not look like a lot of people, but we were accustomed to having the pool to ourselves at that hour of the morning.

Em did a bit of reading in the warmth of the sun to get feeling back in her back.

I was in a mermaid state of mind and headed right into the water, where I stayed for a very long time. In due course Em joined me. Unlike the crowded pool day last month, we were not bothered by rambunctious screams or splashing.

When my tummy got rumbly I got out and dried off.

Em soon joined me.

The female pool server had begun making her rounds, to everyone but Em and me. If we wanted food, we would have to get it ourselves. Geyser Point was closer than Roaring Fork so we headed there.

 

[93boomer]

Wednesday, con’t

I finished my muffin and Em began to stir. I wouldn’t have let her sleep too much longer as I did not want her coffee to get cold (those Disney mugs do not have the insulation of a Yeti.) She ate and we watched a little morning TV. (Not Stacy.....we don’t care for her. Now how many forum friends have I just lost? )

Eventually we (swim)suited up for the pool. I had purchased new sunscreen for this trip and Em jumped about a foot in the air when I sprayed her back.

“It’s COLD!!!“ she cried out in pain.

We glanced at the can. In big, bold type it said, Cool zone, instantly cools and refreshes.

“No kidding!” Em exclaimed. Both of us burst into laughter. Yes, the Cool zone feature is perfect when you are out in the blazing hot sun.....not so much inside an air conditioned room.

I opted to use lotion instead.

We got to the pool before 10 am and were surprised at how many guests were already there. Then it occurred to me that people who take a mid-week break from the parks often do so on a Wednesday.

This may not look like a lot of people, but we were accustomed to having the pool to ourselves at that hour of the morning.
View attachment 394945

Em did a bit of reading in the warmth of the sun to get feeling back in her back.

View attachment 394946

I was in a mermaid state of mind and headed right into the water, where I stayed for a very long time. In due course Em joined me. Unlike the crowded pool day last month, we were not bothered by rambunctious screams or splashing.

When my tummy got rumbly I got out and dried off.

Em soon joined me.

View attachment 394947

The female pool server had begun making her rounds, to everyone but Em and me. If we wanted food, we would have to get it ourselves. Geyser Point was closer than Roaring Fork so we headed there.

That was hilarious!! Of course you went for the lotion!
Not so for the server

 

[Tuvalu]

If that ain't the most 1996 photo I've ever seen...

I resemble that remark!

 

[Tuvalu]

We placed our order at the counter and refilled our mugs while we waited. Each meal is freshly prepared and cooked to order but our wait wasn’t long.

There is no seating near the take-out window so we brought our food back to the pool and sat at the same table as last month to eat.

The Kids Finger Food Sampler is my go-to. It is advertised as Sliced Smoked Turkey, Tillamook Cheddar, Spiced Apple Jam, Grape Tomatoes and Sourdough Crisps. It also comes with what I like to refer to as a “Quinoa Surprise”. (I love quinoa and the first time I received this meal I was surprised to see it since quinoa wasn’t on the menu ~ hence the name!)

And this is what it looked like last month.
Everything present and accounted for.

This is what it looked like today.

Hmmmm, cucumber slices instead of tomatoes (good thing I like cukes) and where is my spiced apple jam??!
I still ate it.....all.

Em got the Classic Bacon Cheeseburger. It came as publicized.
She was given a choice of multigrain salad (the quinoa), waffle fries or homemade chips.

Em can’t resist a good homemade potato chip. And these were good!

Our lunch was very satisfying.

Did we wait the required 30 minutes before going back into the pool?

I’ll never tell.

 

[Tuvalu]

Before we left for this vacation Em lamented that she did not have her favored poolside drink....a Frosé....last month and her goal was not to let that happen again.

For about an hour we played the @Doc Disney game, Drink/no Drink. It’s basically a test to see if the poolside server will acknowledge you and take your order.

If you read my LIVE part you know that we were ignored.

I could not bear a sad daughter so I offered to procure her desired drink. On my walk back to Geyser Point I noticed the bison topiaries and thought of @epcotisbest.

These guys are practically overwhelmed by wildflowers now!!

There was no wait at the bar and the bartender whipped up the Frosé in no time.

Em ended up moving into the shade so the drink would not melt so quickly. (Hey, doesn’t it look like she could use a little more Cool Zone?)

I checked the temperature and it was 98 degrees. The water in the pool had warmed considerably and wasn’t as refreshing as it had been earlier. Temps that high can be dangerous if you don’t stay hydrated, and I was pleased to see a CM arrive with cold water and cold washcloths for everyone.

Everyone, that is, but us. Yup, once again Em and I were bypassed. But I was thirsty and boldly approached the CM for two cups of water.

We kept waiting for storm clouds to arrive but they never materialized. Dark sky and/or thunder is usually our sign that it is time to leave the pool. Since that didn’t happen, we had to force ourselves vacate the pool ~ nearly six hours after we’d arrived!

 

[DisneyGigi]

It’s hard for me to doubt Jack Spense (big fan, met him years ago); just wish I could remember that sculpture before the 90s.

This was taken in 1996.

View attachment 394938

You look the same @Tuvalu ! Disney Trips must have agreed with and kept you young!

 

[93boomer]

That was hilarious!! Of course you went for the lotion!
Not so for the server

You know I just read that last sentence and it sounded strange. What I meant to say is that it wasn’t hilarious about that server not waiting on you girls. (Borrowing your “senior moment” brain) Hope that cleared it up.

 

[epcotisbest]

I have always loved that metal sculpture of Mickey. Been trying to figure out how old it is. I looked online, and saw a guy posed in front of it, and that was back in 1983. Just curious if it's been there since the 70s when the resort first opened, or if it was added on, years later. It's such a simple design, yet always caught my attention when walking near the marina area, behind the hotel.

I'm surprised the sculpture was there in 1983, as I stayed at the CR in the 70s and 80s and don't remember "discovering it" until a family trip in the 90s.

I have always thought if they made a small version of this, perhaps 1/4 scale, it would make an awesome souvenir. I know I would have one or two in our flower gardens.

 

[MinnieM123]

And this is what it looked like last month.
Everything present and accounted for.

This is what it looked like today.

At least the cardboard box was still the same . . .

 

[NessNewt]

(Not Stacy.....we don’t care for her. Now how many forum friends have I just lost? )

Does @Darstarr allow it?

 

[Darstarr]

Does @Darstarr allow it?

Yes. As she does not care for the Stacy either

 

[krisri18]

Yes. As she does not care for the Stacy either

"The Stacy" lolol

 

[Rista1313]

Yes. As she does not care for the Stacy either

I'm in support of the no Stacy movement.

 

[Darstarr]

I'm in support of the no Stacy movement.

Uh oh... I see where this is headed

Spoiler

 

[Tuvalu]

OK dear readers, I have made a *shocking* discovery.

I put on my Sherlock Holmes’ hat (or Columbo’s trench coat, or Jessica Fletcher’s spectacles, take your pick) and intently studied three photographs of the metal Mickey sculpture at the Contemporary ~ one from 1983, one from 1996 and one from 2019.

Guess what.

I purport the current Mickey is NOT the original. Nor is the one from 1996. The one in 1983 may be the original, as that is the earliest picture I could find (thanks to @MinnieM123.)

1983

Note the North Garden Wing behind Mickey (where Bay Lake Tower now stands). Just rooms. Do you see any water? How about the beach? The sculpture seems to be installed in Chattahoochee stone (look it up), which also appears to be Mickey-shaped.

1996

Note that the North Garden Wing is still standing, but behind Mickey is Bay Lake and on the far left in the photograph is beach. The sculpture is installed in paver stones (not Mickey-shaped). Mickey’s arms appear to be thinner and his shoes have a blue tint....although that may be the reflection of my rockin’ stonewashed denim shorts!

2019

Bay Lake Tower has appeared and you can still see Bay Lake......but the marina and a building are now also in view. The paver stones are different (to be expected) but so is the base that secures the sculpture.

Obviously Mickey’s location has “shifted” over the years. But do you agree that today’s sculpture is not the original? Is a metal sculpture sturdy enough to withstand moving several times over many years?

I clearly have way too much time on my hands.

 

[Rista1313]

Hmmm they all look like the same statue to me... except for placement.

 

[93boomer]

OK dear readers, I have made a *shocking* discovery.

I put on my Sherlock Holmes’ hat (or Columbo’s trench coat, or Jessica Fletcher’s spectacles, take your pick) and intently studied three photographs of the metal Mickey sculpture at the Contemporary ~ one from 1983, one from 1996 and one from 2019.

Guess what.

I purport the current Mickey is NOT the original. Nor is the one from 1996. The one in 1983 may be the original, as that is the earliest picture I could find (thanks to @MinnieM123.)

1983

View attachment 395113

Note the North Garden Wing behind Mickey (where Bay Lake Tower now stands). Just rooms. Do you see any water? How about the beach? The sculpture seems to be installed in Chattahoochee stone (look it up), which also appears to be Mickey-shaped.

1996

View attachment 395112

Note that the North Garden Wing is still standing, but behind Mickey is Bay Lake and on the far left in the photograph is beach. The sculpture is installed in paver stones (not Mickey-shaped). Mickey’s arms appear to be thinner and his shoes have a blue tint....although that may be the reflection of my rockin’ stonewashed denim shorts!

2019

View attachment 395111

Bay Lake Tower has appeared and you can still see Bay Lake......but the marina and a building are now also in view. The paver stones are different (to be expected) but so is the base that secures the sculpture.

Obviously Mickey’s location has “shifted” over the years. But do you agree that today’s sculpture is not the original? Is a metal sculpture sturdy enough to withstand moving several times over many years?

I clearly have way too much time on my hands.

Are my eyes going or do the eyes look different on each? Also, the shoes look different? I think they are all different ones.

 

[Spash007]

Hmm I'm thinking they might be the same, just moved. Like you, we always took a picture by it in the 90s, so next time I'm at my folks house I might have to check in their (dozens) of photo albums and see if I can do a year by year analysis.... And who knows, at the same time, I may even make a @Tuvalu sighting in the albums! (how funny would that be, but probably not totally surprising since we went pretty often back then, and I believe Em and I are just about the same age and probably did similar things).