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.

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Click to expand...
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Let’s see….where did I leave off?

Oh Yeah GIF by Jesse Ling


Friday, July 11 con’t

Em and I had used our final LL at Alice. The grand total for our DLR vacation was 25 LLs, not including the single passes for RSR and RotR. Absolutely worth the extra 💵.

We couldn’t leave the park without visiting Walt’s original audio-animatronic attraction.

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The waiting area (there is no queue) around the Tiki Room transports guests to a mythical Polynesia where each god has a backstory and special effects. You can also grab a Dole Whip at the Juice Bar and enjoy it inside the theater. (Take that, Magic Kingdom!)

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Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
You may have noticed that we skipped Tiana’s Bayou Adventure this trip. It was certainly hot enough to ride and there were a couple opportunities we could have gotten a LL for it. (The standby lines tended to be long.)

I would have been curious to see if the storyline “fit” better, without much of the “empty spaces” that complainers whine about in MK’s version.

But my companion wasn’t willing. Her PTSD from 2013 would not allow it.

I’ve posted these elsewhere before, but for those who haven’t seen them -

IMG_8473.jpeg


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To be fair, Em was soaked to the skin. And was wearing jeans. It was early March and temps were cool.

EDIT TO ADD:
I just read my journal post from the above “incident.” Here it is verbatim -

We did Splash Mountain mainly for the picture - and when the cast member asked if we’d like to sit in front, Em said, “Sure - better for the picture.” MISTAKE. We got soaked - Em was hit by a wall of water.

fail raven symone GIF
 
Last edited:
lindawdw

lindawdw

Well-Known Member
I think the white marks of your shirt was the shadow from the rope with the purple/white banners hanging. I love the Tiki Bird attraction and would love to have those cushioned seats at WDW!!! I don't blame Em for being scarred from the drenching experience! 🤣
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Friday, con’t

Em and I had been on the go for 9.5 hours! California had turned us into park commandos and we willingly gave up our beloved pool time this trip. (Note that I did not use the word vacation here because there was no relaxation grotto to soothe our souls! :hilarious:)

But on the way back to our room I did need to check out what we had missed.

There were three separate pools, plus a hot tub (not pictured.)

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Will you look at the padding on these loungers!

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(@riverside’s sister E said the chairs were AH MAY ZING!!)

Our loss. Maybe another time.
 
93boomer

93boomer

Premium Member
Tuvalu said:
You may have noticed that we skipped Tiana’s Bayou Adventure this trip. It was certainly hot enough to ride and there were a couple opportunities we could have gotten a LL for it. (The standby lines tended to be long.)

I would have been curious to see if the storyline “fit” better, without much of the “empty spaces” that complainers whine about in MK’s version.

But my companion wasn’t willing. Her PTSD from 2013 would not allow it.

I’ve posted these elsewhere before, but for those who haven’t seen them -

View attachment 879710

View attachment 879711

To be fair, Em was soaked to the skin. And was wearing jeans. It was early March and temps were cool.

EDIT TO ADD:
I just read my journal post from the above “incident.” Here it is verbatim -

We did Splash Mountain mainly for the picture - and when the cast member asked if we’d like to sit in front, Em said, “Sure - better for the picture.” MISTAKE. We got soaked - Em was hit by a wall of water.

fail raven symone GIF
Click to expand...
Sorry I laughed Em but that face is priceless!
Don’t blame you for not doing it again.
 
93boomer

93boomer

Premium Member
Tuvalu said:
Friday, con’t

Em and I had been on the go for 9.5 hours! California had turned us into park commandos and we willingly gave up our beloved pool time this trip. (Note that I did not use the word vacation here because there was no relaxation grotto to soothe our souls! :hilarious:)

But on the way back to our room I did need to check out what we had missed.

There were three separate pools, plus a hot tub (not pictured.)

View attachment 879768

View attachment 879770

View attachment 879771

View attachment 879772

Will you look at the padding on these loungers!

View attachment 879769
(@riverside’s sister E said the chairs were AH MAY ZING!!)

Our loss. Maybe another time.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the park commandos club!! 😉
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
Friday, con’t

It felt good to put our feet up! We FaceTimed Woody and caught him up with the day’s events. Em and I needed to eat something before going back to DCA for the evening. I opened the app and checked a few menus. The price for a whole pizza from Craftsman Grill (the hotel’s quick service) was eye-popping!
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And y’all thought Via Napoli pizza was expensive! 🤣

We nixed pizza real quick. Em offered to pick up sandwiches from Earl’s so I could continue resting my feet. When she returned we dined al fresco.

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We couldn’t decide between two sandwiches so she ordered both and we had a half sandwich of each - Earl’s original roast beef and the chicken avocado club.

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We people-watched from the balcony as we ate. Our curiosity was piqued when we noticed a helicopter circling above us. Em mentioned that she had encountered LOTS of security officers and police in and around the Grand Californian as she walked to/from Earl of Sandwich. We agreed that somebody important must be in the vicinity.

We later learned that Vice President JD Vance and his family had arrived to spend the weekend at the resort. The next morning at breakfast we sat at a table next to three Secret Service Agents. Thirty minutes later as we checked out, we noticed that guests were allowed to exit via only one door and enter only via another. Em was tracking our airport Lyft driver and said he was at the GC guard gate for over five minutes. The driver told us he and his car were thoroughly searched before he was allowed to drive through and he had no idea why. (We enlightened him as to the reason.)

Politics aside, Em noted that “not many people can say they slept in the same building as the Vice President of the United States!”
 
ajrwdwgirl

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
Tuvalu said:
You may have noticed that we skipped Tiana’s Bayou Adventure this trip. It was certainly hot enough to ride and there were a couple opportunities we could have gotten a LL for it. (The standby lines tended to be long.)

I would have been curious to see if the storyline “fit” better, without much of the “empty spaces” that complainers whine about in MK’s version.

But my companion wasn’t willing. Her PTSD from 2013 would not allow it.

I’ve posted these elsewhere before, but for those who haven’t seen them -

View attachment 879710

View attachment 879711

To be fair, Em was soaked to the skin. And was wearing jeans. It was early March and temps were cool.

EDIT TO ADD:
I just read my journal post from the above “incident.” Here it is verbatim -

We did Splash Mountain mainly for the picture - and when the cast member asked if we’d like to sit in front, Em said, “Sure - better for the picture.” MISTAKE. We got soaked - Em was hit by a wall of water.

fail raven symone GIF
Click to expand...

Good choice not to ride Tiana's at Disneyland, you would have gotten soaked.
 
Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Original Poster
93boomer said:
Welcome to the park commandos club!! 😉
Click to expand...
While we accepted the trial offer, we decline permanent membership. :joyfull:

lindawdw said:
WOW, I am super jealous of those lounge chair cushions!!! Why don't we get that at WDW in the villas????
Click to expand...
littleroo said:
Those cushions look comfy enough to make me go to a pool in Disney!!! Lol 😆
Click to expand...
The WDW equivalent would be the Grand Floridian loungers, a whopping 25% of the chair padding at Grand Californian.
 

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