Trip Report Tu in ‘25

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tu in ‘25

These lyrics came to mind when I thought about my trip reporting. (I also thought, Here we go AGAIN but the above sounds much more poignant.) It’s now that time of year when my Disney trips are frequent. And this Disney Senior loves sharing her visits with y’all because your engagement makes it fun!

Yes, there will be stuff that’s the same. Yes, there will be surprises (too soon for the reveals). And yes, there will be sun rises!

Spring break countdown is at 4 days.

Since this intro needs a picture, here are Tu.

 

[Tuvalu]

Saturday, con’t

I had hoped to take a last Riverboat cruise this week but the timing never worked out. My original goal this summer was to catch the twilight cruise in August with Woody, but then the July 6 closing date was announced. Tonight Em and I had just missed a sailing so we did this instead.

And there would be no twilight cruise for us because after the 999 Happy Haunts we had our dinner reservation.

See her happy face (despite the last-day-of-vacay Sadness tee?)

Why?

Because we weren’t seated in the corner behind the serving station or at a tiny two-top next to a pole. We had lots of breathing space at our four-top in the George Washington room! (Although Em’s view was of an exterior exit door - can’t have it all, I suppose.)

Our server was excellent - friendly, helpful, prompt and attentive. The food was delicious as always and there was lots of room on our table for it. (A problem when seated at a two-top!)

(I did squish the dishes together for pictures!)

Em and I were careful not to overeat so we could enjoy the fab Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. Instead of having to share one individual OGTC, our server brought us each our own!

Did we finish both? You betcha!

 

[littleroo]

 

[riverside]

I see you still have them leave the pork behind.

 

[LadyBelle]

I wanted to react with all the emojis - like, love, laugh and wow!

I chose wow because I can’t believe she hadn’t improved in the six weeks since you had her. But for all we know, she could be piloting boats for the last six years!

Imagine if she drove one of the buses…

 

[Tuvalu]

Saturday, con’t

We took a stroll after dinner. Love the Castle reflection in the water!

Our stroll led to Tomorrowland for the last ride of vacation. Em’s pick will surprise none of y’all.

The manual turnstile for the Peoplemover had been removed overnight! It’s been replaced by an electronic count reader.

To set the scene for our ride through Tomorrowland, this post should have Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody resounding in the background. Because it was blasting through every speaker in Tomorrowland. Very jarring because it was so out of place!

It wasn’t until we passed by the stage that we saw a DJ wearing a silver glitter dress who was in charge of a “dance party” as part of Cool Kid Summer.

Disco for children? Yeah that aligns with the decision to remove Tom Sawyer Island. Look at all the children enjoying themselves!

Em was having a good time - minus the loud music.

I don’t recall the next two songs. They were familiar disco tunes that I like, but not at deafening volume in the Magic Kingdom!

On the upside, it made leaving the park easier.

 

[littleroo]

Come now, everyone wants to dance while walking on the sun especially children

 

[Tuvalu]

Saturday, con’t

We’d gotten our eviction notice at dinner. The wording was different this time. Instead of encouraging checking out via the app (since my credit card was on file), the notification simply said, Please visit the Front Desk before 11 am to check out.

Weird, I thought. We had charged nothing to the room. Maybe it was a glitch. I would check out via the app in the morning once we’d gotten our stuff out of the room.

Goodnight, Wilderness Lodge. It’s been another awesome stay!

 

[Tuvalu]

Sunday, June 15

Em and I were up at our usual zero dark thirty on travel day. Once we’d gotten all our belongings in the hall outside our door, I opened the app to check out.

The Check Out Now button was grayed out. Swell. Front Desk it was.

There was not a soul in the lobby at that hour. Worse, there was not a soul at the Front Desk. Worst of all, there was not a bell - or anything else on the Front Desk - to notify someone that we were waiting for help.

I tried clearing my throat loudly. Several times.

I finally saw a CM and waved her over. “I was notified I needed to check out at the Front Desk,” I explained.

Without asking my name or my room number she said, “You don’t need to check out. Have a magical day!”

I was very confused but also didn’t want to waste any more time in the lobby when we still needed to load the car. I met Em at the lobby door where she was waiting for me and we walked to the parking lot, put the bags in the car and began the drive home.

Almost three hours later I received this:

Clearly the MDE app didn’t know we were “already checked out.” Disney technology at its finest.

No late charges appeared on my credit card (thankfully), but this new protocol needs better clarification!

We had an uneventful ride home but made the unfortunate choice to stop at Buc-ee’s at 11 am on Father’s Day.
It. Was. MADNESS!! Every one of the 672 gas pumps were in use. The end of the line for the restroom was in the middle of the store. Sandwiches were slim pickins’. If this had been our first experience in a Buc-ee’s we would NEVER return.

On a positive note, the Coke dispenser was fixed!

Thanks y’all for following along again!

 

[Swissmiss]

Once again, thanks for entertaining us.

 

[Songbird76]

Come now, everyone wants to dance while walking on the sun especially children

Yes, especially when there's absolutely nothing else to do! I mean...what else are they going to do? Ride rides and meet their favorite characters? Who WOULDN'T choose to do something they could do at home!?

 

[MinnieM123]

I tried clearing my throat loudly. Several times.

I finally saw a CM and waved her over. “I was notified I needed to check out at the Front Desk,” I explained.

Without asking my name or my room number she said, “You don’t need to check out. Have a magical day!”

I was very confused but also didn’t want to waste any more time in the lobby when we still needed to load the car. I met Em at the lobby door where she was waiting for me and we walked to the parking lot, put the bags in the car and began the drive home.

Almost three hours later I received this:

Clearly the MDE app didn’t know we were “already checked out.” Disney technology at its finest.

No late charges appeared on my credit card (thankfully), but this new protocol needs better clarification!

I think your check-out "experience" is supposedly "progress" . . .

As usual, this was another great TR, Tuvalu! Thank you!

 

[wdisney9000]

Disco for children? Yeah that aligns with the decision to remove Tom Sawyer Island. Look at all the children enjoying themselves!

We watched a live stream of the 4th of July fireworks at MK and prior to the show was a DJ on stage in front of the castle playing electronic drum and bass music fitting for a night club. We both thought it was neither patriotic or fitting for MK.

The actual fireworks show was amazing and patriotic tho. Perhaps they were intending to create some form of juxtaposition? Did I use that word correctly

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Saturday, con’t

I had hoped to take a last Riverboat cruise this week but the timing never worked out. My original goal this summer was to catch the twilight cruise in August with Woody, but then the July 6 closing date was announced. Tonight Em and I had just missed a sailing so we did this instead.

View attachment 869084

And there would be no twilight cruise for us because after the 999 Happy Haunts we had our dinner reservation.

View attachment 869086

See her happy face (despite the last-day-of-vacay Sadness tee?)

Why?

Because we weren’t seated in the corner behind the serving station or at a tiny two-top next to a pole. We had lots of breathing space at our four-top in the George Washington room! (Although Em’s view was of an exterior exit door - can’t have it all, I suppose.)


View attachment 869085

Our server was excellent - friendly, helpful, prompt and attentive. The food was delicious as always and there was lots of room on our table for it. (A problem when seated at a two-top!)

View attachment 869087

View attachment 869088
(I did squish the dishes together for pictures!)

Em and I were careful not to overeat so we could enjoy the fab Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake. Instead of having to share one individual OGTC, our server brought us each our own!

View attachment 869089

Did we finish both? You betcha!

Wait…

What is that kid doing?

Not the one on the phone, the other one.

Mom is clearly interested in the table talk.

Re: checkout: I don’t think I’ve done anything to check out in years. I just leave.

Re: disco: Let’s goooooo!!!

 

[Captain Barbossa]

What is that kid doing?

Not the one on the phone, the other one.

I know exactly who that kid is reminding us of. We’re all thinking it.

 

[Tiggerish]

Wait…

View attachment 869348

What is that kid doing?
View attachment 869349
Not the one on the phone, the other one.

Mom is clearly interested in the table talk.

Re: checkout: I don’t think I’ve done anything to check out in years. I just leave.

Re: disco: Let’s goooooo!!!

I recognize that pose from observing our youngest niece when she was that age.

He is also looking at his phone, in defiance of the family "rule" of no phones at dinner--he's just hiding it under the table and pretending to be totally bored or totally exhausted while he scrolls.

Mom is clearly not engaged enough to enforce what I assume is a rule that she herself set. In her defense, though, she may legitimately be totally exhausted.

 

[Swissmiss]

I recognize that pose from observing our youngest niece when she was that age.

He is also looking at his phone, in defiance of the family "rule" of no phones at dinner--he's just hiding it under the table and pretending to be totally bored or totally exhausted while he scrolls.

Mom is clearly not engaged enough to enforce what I assume is a rule that she herself set. In her defense, though, she may legitimately be totally exhausted.

I don’t think so - he’s too close to the table to be able to see anything under it. I honestly think he is asleep.

When my kid was about 8ish we were out to dinner with friends. It had been a long day and she was exhausted. She felt asleep while raising a slice of pizza towards her mouth.

 

[Tuvalu]

The actual fireworks show was amazing and patriotic tho. Perhaps they were intending to create some form of juxtaposition? Did I use that word correctly

 

[Tuvalu]

What is that kid doing? Not the one on the phone, the other one.

I know exactly who that kid is reminding us of. We’re all thinking it.

He is also looking at his phone, in defiance of the family "rule" of no phones at dinner--he's just hiding it under the table and pretending to be totally bored or totally exhausted while he scrolls.

I don’t think so - he’s too close to the table to be able to see anything under it. I honestly think he is asleep.

Perhaps he's saying grace before the meal comes.

 

[Tuvalu]

Re: checkout: I don’t think I’ve done anything to check out in years. I just leave.

Hello, I'm a rule follower - have we met?

Re: disco: Let’s goooooo!!!

 

[lindawdw]

I’m all caught up and loved every moment of your TR! It was so nice that you were able to spend time with Tony and Patti on this trip! I felt frustrated reading your post about the rude guests taking your lounge chairs at the BR pool! They should have a CM monitoring those situations at all the deluxe resort pools. I’m glad you and Em had such a memorable trip together. I can’t wait to hear about your next trip!