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.

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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. :hilarious:

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

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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! 💕)
 
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Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Mickey Waffles said:
So sad 😞.....I loved when they would announce his arrival! I’m also very disappointed that it appears for lunch they have removed the strawberry cupcake from the menu!! That was my ALL TIME favorite dessert there- sometimes ordering two. Lol I don’t really care for the changes at all. But I’m glad you had a nice dinner overall.
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There have been changes to the lunch menu which bum me out as well. :cry:

myhappyplace said:
Hmmm, I wonder if it was the night you went or if it changed since June, but when my friend and I went then, the Beast was still announced and we met him afterwards.

Now I want some grey stuff!
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Was the check in kiosk open? I wonder if this is a new change (like the Beast) or if I just happened to hit BOG on a not-normal-protocol night?

Wendy Pleakley said:
A common issue at WDW restaurants. Nothing is made to order, because of the high volume. It's all about speed speed speed, and turning over tables at a rapid pace.
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That was Woody’s comment all week. It seemed especially noticeable this trip.

Nunu said:
How can a restaurant inspired by France, get a baguette so wrong?! Good bread is something I really enjoy with a meal.
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I was stunned. Perhaps we were just there on an off night? Sadly, similar bread issues would surface at our next meal.
 
susan lees

susan lees

Well-Known Member
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
susan lees said:
My mum and dad have just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to your parents. In the UK the happy couple get a card from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth! 💕
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Awesome! Please send my congrats to your parents too!

riverside said:
I love chocolate but it's way too rich.
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Ditto....which is why I don’t understand the “need” for a truffle you can’t finish! 🤣
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Thursday, con’t

While at the pool earlier I had made 3 Fastpasses for tonight but given our new beautiful-view room, the only one I wanted to use was:

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Woody had a cute idea for our on-ride photo. I’m thinking it was flagged as inappropriate since it never appeared in MDE. Apparently it’s okay to pose like this outdoors.....

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....but not indoors on an attraction. 🤷🏻‍♀️

After our brief frolic with 999 happy spooks, we made our way out of MK. I wanted to be out on our balcony before it got dark!

We opted to boat back, figuring it would be faster since a boat was loading.

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It was one of the larger boats usually used to transport guests to Ft. Wilderness. Not sure why it was on the GF to Poly run.

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Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
When we went back inside we discovered housekeeping had been by with turn-down service.

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We hung in the room for a few minutes until we heard the familiar refrain of the Electrical Water Pageant.

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Then we waited for HEA to begin.

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It was fun to see all the boats on the lagoon positioned for fireworks viewing. And it was funny to watch all the boats immediately scatter after the finale!

We loved our private view.

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Fireworks night #6. Perfect.
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Friday, August 31

Today was our last full day. :cry: The arrival of Hurricane Dorian was pushed out a few days but the forecast still called for cloudy skies and rain. Woody and I had decided in advance to just roll with whatever came our way, but to keep our umbrellas by our sides.

We had FPs and a lunch ADR at DHS. The park opened at 6 am for Extra Extra Magic Hours but we were not going to break our necks to get there early, since it was only day #2 after Star Wars:Galaxy’s Edge official opening. We figured SW:GE would be a madhouse and had no plan nor expectation to tour the land.

So instead of waiting for the turnstiles at DHS to open at 6 am, we were on our balcony waiting for the sunrise.

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Construction crews had started work early on the new bridge which will connect MK to the GF.

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Many people are very excited about the possibility of walking from MK to the TTC. It sounds good in theory....but most don’t realize how FAR a walk that will be....and it is not a straight shot. It requires a convoluted walk through the grounds of the GF, then around the wedding chapel, then curvy paths from one end of the Poly to the other before reaching the final leg to the TTC. Paths at the Poly can be confusing to navigate in the dark, even for a Poly pro like me!

Since Disney has yet to release an official statement about what the bridge is for, I suppose it’s possible a perimeter walkway could also be constructed to avoid traversing the GF and Poly grounds....but that would mean more cost without any ROI. (And still a LONG walk from the MK to the TTC!)

As with all things Disney, it will be interesting to see what the next of couple years brings.

Meanwhile Woody was content to sit and drink his coffee, watching the activity around the lagoon.

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MegRuss626

MegRuss626

Well-Known Member
Tuvalu said:
Friday, August 31

Today was our last full day. :cry: The arrival of Hurricane Dorian was pushed out a few days but the forecast still called for cloudy skies and rain. Woody and I had decided in advance to just roll with whatever came our way, but to keep our umbrellas by our sides.

We had FPs and a lunch ADR at DHS. The park opened at 6 am for Extra Extra Magic Hours but we were not going to break our necks to get there early, since it was only day #2 after Star Wars:Galaxy’s Edge official opening. We figured SW:GE would be a madhouse and had no plan nor expectation to tour the land.

So instead of waiting for the turnstiles at DHS to open at 6 am, we were on our balcony waiting for the sunrise.

View attachment 420992

View attachment 420994

View attachment 420995

Construction crews had started work early on the new bridge which will connect MK to the GF.

View attachment 420996

View attachment 420993

Many people are very excited about the possibility of walking from MK to the TTC. It sounds good in theory....but most don’t realize how FAR a walk that will be....and it is not a straight shot. It requires a convoluted walk through the grounds of the GF, then around the wedding chapel, then curvy paths from one end of the Poly to the other before reaching the final leg to the TTC. Paths at the Poly can be confusing to navigate in the dark, even for a Poly pro like me!

Since Disney has yet to release an official statement about what the bridge is for, I suppose it’s possible a perimeter walkway could also be constructed to avoid traversing the GF and Poly grounds....but that would mean more cost without any ROI. (And still a LONG walk from the MK to the TTC!)

As with all things Disney, it will be interesting to see what the next of couple years brings.

Meanwhile Woody was content to sit and drink his coffee, watching the activity around the lagoon.

View attachment 420997
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Man does that balcony make me regret not making our less than thrilled feelings known 👎🏻 Granted it wouldn’t have been as glorious of a view but still a nicer balcony!
 
krisri18

krisri18

Well-Known Member
Tuvalu said:
Friday, August 31

Today was our last full day. :cry: The arrival of Hurricane Dorian was pushed out a few days but the forecast still called for cloudy skies and rain. Woody and I had decided in advance to just roll with whatever came our way, but to keep our umbrellas by our sides.

We had FPs and a lunch ADR at DHS. The park opened at 6 am for Extra Extra Magic Hours but we were not going to break our necks to get there early, since it was only day #2 after Star Wars:Galaxy’s Edge official opening. We figured SW:GE would be a madhouse and had no plan nor expectation to tour the land.

So instead of waiting for the turnstiles at DHS to open at 6 am, we were on our balcony waiting for the sunrise.

View attachment 420992

View attachment 420994

View attachment 420995

Construction crews had started work early on the new bridge which will connect MK to the GF.

View attachment 420996

View attachment 420993

Many people are very excited about the possibility of walking from MK to the TTC. It sounds good in theory....but most don’t realize how FAR a walk that will be....and it is not a straight shot. It requires a convoluted walk through the grounds of the GF, then around the wedding chapel, then curvy paths from one end of the Poly to the other before reaching the final leg to the TTC. Paths at the Poly can be confusing to navigate in the dark, even for a Poly pro like me!

Since Disney has yet to release an official statement about what the bridge is for, I suppose it’s possible a perimeter walkway could also be constructed to avoid traversing the GF and Poly grounds....but that would mean more cost without any ROI. (And still a LONG walk from the MK to the TTC!)

As with all things Disney, it will be interesting to see what the next of couple years brings.

Meanwhile Woody was content to sit and drink his coffee, watching the activity around the lagoon.

View attachment 420997
Click to expand...
Excellent choice to watch the sunrise! Beats battling a bunch of Batuu-bound barbarians!
 

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