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]

Dinner time!

The Contempo Cafe is a fun spot to dine and watch the monorails glide by.

The food is tasty and reasonably priced. I had the Italian Beef Dip. It was YUGE and easily could have been shared. I think I only consumed half of it before calling it quits!

Em opted for the Hot Turkey Sandwich.

We lingered for awhile, chatting and people-watching. Contempo Cafe had some wonderful desserts (including ice cream) but we were too full to partake.

 

[MinnieM123]

As Em was making her purchase (you can see her in the BVG photo above) I took some pics of the screening area which looks to be getting enlarged.

Uggo -- the placement of that, in front of my favorite, exquisite tile mural by Mary Blair, in the Grand Canyon Concourse. Security area does not fit well with the original theme of the resort. Sigh . . .

 

[Tuvalu]

Uggo -- the placement of that, in front of my favorite, exquisite tile mural by Mary Blair, in the Grand Canyon Concourse. Security area does not fit well with the original theme of the resort. Sigh . . .

Agree but sadly there wasn’t another option when they moved security screening to the monorail resorts.

 

[Spash007]

@Tuvalu I have a question that has been bothering me, and if anyone knows the answer it's you. Back in the day, were the stores on the Concourse off to the side, under the rooms? Maybe this was before Chef Mickey's came into the Contemporary and was still in DTD? My memory is fuzzy since I was so young, but I swear when we went in the early 90s the stores weren't open air like that and were off to the side. And even one of them was this huge Emporium like structure that spanned multiple rooms.

 

[Tuvalu]

@Tuvalu I have a question that has been bothering me, and if anyone knows the answer it's you. Back in the day, were the stores on the Concourse off to the side, under the rooms? Maybe this was before Chef Mickey's came into the Contemporary and was still in DTD? My memory is fuzzy since I was so young, but I swear when we went in the early 90s the stores weren't open air like that and were off to the side. And even one of them was this huge Emporium like structure that spanned multiple rooms.

My memory is a bit fuzzy so I did a little research which I found fascinating and I hope you do too!

Disney's Contemporary Resort of the Past

Removed elements from the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World.

waltdatedworld.com

http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-contemporary-resort-through-1990s.html

 

[Nunu]

Just by looking at your pictures of the enlarged screening area at Contemporary, one would think you're at any generic airport! I wonder if those beige walls are temporary, or if they'll do something more visually appealing with them.

 

[Nunu]

Em opted for the Hot Turkey Sandwich.

Do I see cranberry jam in that sandwich?

Contempo Cafe had some wonderful desserts (including ice cream) but we were too full to partake.

 

[Spash007]

My memory is a bit fuzzy so I did a little research which I found fascinating and I hope you do too!

Disney's Contemporary Resort of the Past

Removed elements from the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World.

waltdatedworld.com

http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-contemporary-resort-through-1990s.html

Thanks for sending this! This brought back so many memories - the store with sorcerer Mickey is the one was remembering (and where I got so many souvenirs), and oddly enough now seeing it - I remember walking past the liquor store! There was something fancy to a 5 year old having a store in our hotel that was off limits to me.

I miss that old layout! Our first day we would just hang out on the concourse looking around stores and relaxing. It just felt more open and yet more cozy at the same time.

 

[mlegerto]

What I am not glad will be (soon) gone ~ the Fountain Of Nations.

 

[aw14]

Your advice worked. Amazing view.

 

[Darstarr]

“Oh this counts as a visit,” she replied.

A drive-by? But I wasn’t about to argue with a sick person.

I will allow it

 

[Tuvalu]

Do I see cranberry jam in that sandwich?

Yes!

View attachment 394317
Your advice worked. Amazing view.

So happy for you! And jealous....have fun!

I will allow it

Good! Will you also count a visit after midnight (Villains Party) as another day?

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

A benefit to our having dinner at the Contemporary is the ease of returning to the Lodge. There is a boat that runs between the two resorts. And I always enjoy a sunset cruise on Bay Lake!

We made our way down to the lower level and walked outside. Em said hello to Mickey.

We continued on to the boat dock. There was another family waiting. Em and I sat down on a bench and recollected about our “free” Pirates and Pals fireworks cruise a couple summers ago. The boat seemed to be taking a long time in coming. A couple more guests arrived on the dock.

Finally we spied two boats in the distance, both headed our way. One boat would return to WL; the other to Ft. Wilderness.

And then....rumbling in the sky.

In the LIVE part I asked if we boarded this boat.

Yes!

Sadly, we did not. When the boat arrived, the passengers disembarked and the captain said that due to lightning in the area he could not load for another 30 minutes. The captain of the second boat echoed the same message.

Em and I had already been waiting close to a half hour and did not feel like hanging around. Neither of us were particularly thrilled with walking over to the MK to catch the WL bus. The $7 we spent on an Uber back to WL was worth every penny!

When we opened our room door, we were glad to see that our luggage had arrived. (Does anyone else get nervous that ~ despite using the yellow tags ~ your baggage might not show up in your room? I always do!) We unpacked and showered and got ready for bed. Em hooked up the Roku and we watched Wings until it was time for HEA.

Then we said goodnight to our first Disney day.

 

[Rista1313]

Does anyone else get nervous that ~ despite using the yellow tags ~ your baggage might not show up in your room? I always do!

It's definitely magic! We aren't getting in until 6pm in September... we are going to grab our bags as I don't want to wait until the middle of the night to get them.

 

[MinnieM123]

We made our way down to the lower level and walked outside. Em said hello to Mickey.

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.

 

[Tuvalu]

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.

 

[Tuvalu]

Wednesday, July 17

Em and I feel very fortunate that we are able to have APs and visit WDW as frequently as we do. An AP provides the luxury of not needing to do/see everything on a trip in order to “get our monies worth.” So we are able to build-in resort days....guilt-free....and not feel like we are missing out. In fact, our non-park days often end up being our favorite.

Such was the case today.

There was no need to awaken early since there was no rope drop to rush to. However, my internal body clock rarely allows me to sleep in. At least this morning it was after dawn!

I read quietly for a little while so as not to disturb Em. When I began to feel hungry I crept out of the room to pick up breakfast. I did not pack any Entenmann’s this trip, since the boxes tend to get crushed whenever I fly.

Pre-breakfast rush ~ love it!

I selected chocolate chip muffins and filled Em’s mug with coffee. I managed to get back into the room and set everything up without waking her.

 

[Darstarr]

Yes!


So happy for you! And jealous....have fun!


Good! Will you also count a visit after midnight (Villains Party) as another day?

ABSOLUTELY!!!

 

[MinnieM123]

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.

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/

 

[LadyBelle]

Does anyone else get nervous that ~ despite using the yellow tags ~ your baggage might not show up in your room? I always do!

I tend to cram all my stuff into a suitcase that (currently) is allowed as a carryon for just that reason. And several other rea$on$ too..