The Widow and the Spinster take a Holiday Trip to WDW - Throwing All the Plans Out the Window - 7/11

[franandaj]

Excitedly following!

WOW, I literally slapped my table and thought why haven't I ever done that before!!! That is a genius travel hack! Thanks for posting it.

I'm glad I could be of help. I've done this for several trips now. I love bringing some of my own stuff from home because I'm never going to find it on sale when I'm traveling!

 

[franandaj]

I’m here!

 

[franandaj]

Joining ...

 

[franandaj]

I’m here excited to hear all about it!

 

[franandaj]

And since I didn't win MegaMillions, I still can't retire.

I do love free wine and food in the lounge! Look at my stylish Chewbacca Crocs!

I wish Long Beach had a lounge, but they make too much money off the $30 cocktails!

Alison in her natural habitat....airplane seat!

Well not so much in 2025....

Our Amex gave both of us a $35 Uber credit instead of the normal $15 for December so it made our airport trips quite cheap!

That did help!

It was awful! After midnight and if you've ever stayed at Kidani you know how long the halls are!

So long......

Ok, all caught up after being out of town for Christmas. Hope everyone had a great holiday!

Happy New Year!

 

[franandaj]

Open seating hey? both AC and WJ always assign seats, so I haven't encountered this for a while...

Yeah, but only for about six more months or so. They announced that they will be going to assigned seats moving forward.

Jeepers, she could have done that all a bit nicer hey?

I know? Right?

Kinda like when we arrived at Kidani, I think we were 1-ish, and it was also empty

I bet and after a long drive after a long day of flying!

This master bath was Awesome! so huge!

It was very huge! I think it's bigger than most other resorts.

Perfect! I try to do this too, with snacks and things especially

It's sometimes easier than trying to get the things you want locally.

 

[franandaj]

Day 2

I woke up around 5AM and could not get back to sleep. So I started deep breathing in the nose and out the mouth, and telling myself, “I'm falling asleep, I'm falling asleep.” Evidently it worked because when I looked at my fitbit stats, I got 51 minutes of REM sleep, plus some light sleep after that.

Jill got up to use the potty and I asked her what time it was. She said, 7:30, so I was like, OK, I'm done trying to sleep, I might as well wake up.

I took a bath in the jacuzzi tub, and then we just kind of laid around reading our phones and such. I checked out the window and there were giraffes in view from our room.

I decided to get dressed and start breakfast. We had ordered bacon and eggs (plus a few other things) from Instacart, and today's plan was French Toast with brioche that I had carefully packed from home.

We ate our breakfast on the balcony and watched as it looked like a storm was coming in. We decided not to rush out to Epcot. Our LL for Guardians wasn't until 2:10PM.

However, as we sat watching the animals, it looked like the storm was going to pass us and we decided to take our chances. We had great bus mojo. We found the elevator closest to our room and it turned out to be just perfect. We were let out at the end of the bus stop farthest from the lobby. The bus stop was festively decorated for the holidays.

We found the Epcot bus stop and within 5 minutes our bus showed up. Soon we were on our way to Epcot, around 12 noon.

As we went through security, Jill got tagged for our utensil sets that we brought for the festival of holidays. It was pretty quick, but while I was waiting for her small drops started to fall. Then we were in the park, it was Festival of the Holidays time!

We entered the park and headed directly to Spaceship Earth that quoted a 15 minute wait. That was about right. For some reason the last two time we have rode SE, our pictures never come out. Boo!

When we came out the rain was a wee bit harder so we went across the way to the food court with the Starbucks inside. We got ourselves some tasty beverages and no sooner than we got our drinks, the skies opened up.

Jill found us a place to sit down and we waited out the storm chatting with several different couples who sat at the table next to us. Our time for our lightning lane came up and we headed over to ride Guardians. We got September as our song.

When we we got off the ride Jill spied Mama Kelce, Taylor Swift’s future mother in law, and Jill started completely fan girling out. They were on a VIP Tour. She Took a picture of them taking a picture. It looks to me like the guy next to her is the one in the queue who greets you in the first room, and doesn’t know what to call Terrans. Or am I crazy?

After that we headed over to Communicore where Jill had heard that there was a gingerbread Spaceship Earth. We got there just in time for the next show which happens every 15 minutes.

I bought one of the gingerbread shingle cookies that they offered for sale.

Then we went over to the Favorites of Festivals Past booth and got the Ham Sliders and Reuben Croquettes. These were amazing!

I’ll pick this up later with the rest of our day!

 

[jedijill]

I took a bath in the jacuzzi tub, and then we just kind of laid around reading our phones and such. I checked out the window and there were giraffes in view from our room.

Now this is a view I can get used to!

We ate our breakfast on the balcony and watched as it looked like a storm was coming in. We decided not to rush out to Epcot. Our LL for Guardians wasn't until 2:10PM.

And breakfast was amazing! Such a great way to start our week!

As we went through security, Jill got tagged for our utensil sets that we brought for the festival of holidays. It was pretty quick, but while I was waiting for her small drops started to fall. Then we were in the park, it was Festival of the Holidays time!

Doh!

I also started the FoH Cookie Stroll here with the Sugar Cookie from Starbucks! We ate part of it later and it was tasty!

My streak of awful ride pictures continues!

When we we got off the ride Jill spied Mama Kelce, Taylor Swift’s future mother in law, and Jill started completely fan girling out. They were on a VIP Tour. She Took a picture of them taking a picture. It looks to me like the guy next to her is the one in the queue who greets you in the first room, and doesn’t know what to call Terrans. Or am I crazy?

I'm a HUGE Kansas City Chiefs fan and love Donna Kelce! Now the romance between Travis and Taylor is so cute I can't stand it. LOL So cool to see her in person!

After that we headed over to Communicore where Jill had heard that there was a gingerbread Spaceship Earth. We got there just in time for the next show which happens every 15 minutes.

The show was pretty cool and glad we timed it just right. There is a timer (in the picture) so you always know when the next show is!

hen we went over to the Favorites of Festivals Past booth and got the Ham Sliders and Reuben Croquettes. These were amazing!

Both were great but the croquettes were the winner!

Jill in CO

 

[cruisehopeful]

Loving it so far.

 

[pkondz]

It's not a term that I was very familiar with either, but Jenny and Jill have been throwing that word around for a while. In my line of work that doesn't exist.

I've heard it from other people too. I think mostly DISdads and TRs.

Also when flying Southwest into Long Beach, they also deplane from the back of the plane, unless you're on one of the last flights of the evening. If I don't have a lot or heavy carry ons, sometimes it's quicker off the plane.

They deplane from the back??? I had no idea! Huh!

I ordered it differently. I asked for "Vodka Cranberry" instead of a Cosmo.

"Did you ask for a car?"
"No, they said they couldn't do that, so I asked for a four wheeled, motorized conveyance. That they could do."

 

[pkondz]

I woke up around 5AM and could not get back to sleep. So I started deep breathing in the nose and out the mouth, and telling myself, “I'm falling asleep, I'm falling asleep.” Evidently it worked because when I looked at my fitbit stats, I got 51 minutes of REM sleep, plus some light sleep after that.

I've tried that... but more often than not it goes like:
"I'm falling asleep... I'm falling... gotta get more comfy... I'm fa... You know, my boss was a real jerk the other day... okay... I'm fa... I mean, who even does that?... stop thinking... I'm... What time is it?... Geez, gotta get up in a couple hours... I'm fall... when do I work next?..."

Jill got up to use the potty and I asked her what time it was. She said, 7:30, so I was like, OK, I'm done trying to sleep, I might as well wake up.

Not a bad time to get up.

I checked out the window and there were giraffes in view from our room.

That just never gets old.

today's plan was French Toast with brioche

mmmmm...

Wildebeast or gnus? Any idea?

We found the elevator closest to our room and it turned out to be just perfect. We were let out at the end of the bus stop farthest from the lobby.

We found the Epcot bus stop and within 5 minutes our bus showed up

Great! Did you use the app or just luck out?

As we went through security, Jill got tagged for our utensil sets that we brought for the festival of holidays.

Why do you bring your own? Just don't care for the wooden taste of the provided utensils?

For some reason the last two time we have rode SE, our pictures never come out. Boo!

Not okay! That's one of the fun parts.

no sooner than we got our drinks, the skies opened up.

Eep! Good timing being indoors.

Our time for our lightning lane came up and we headed over to ride Guardians.

Was it still raining at all, then?

When we we got off the ride Jill spied Mama Kelce, Taylor Swift’s future mother in law, and Jill started completely fan girling out.

Well, good for Jill!

It looks to me like the guy next to her is the one in the queue who greets you in the first room, and doesn’t know what to call Terrans. Or am I crazy?

Hmm... you're thinking of Terry Crews... Not positive, but I don't think that's him?

Wow!

I bought one of the gingerbread shingle cookies that they offered for sale.

Sometimes, if you're too full, you can't even eat a shingle cookie, let alone several.

Those look really good! Were they?

 

[alohamom]

a gingerbread Spaceship Earth.

That is soooo cool!
I love that the sign says "gingerdesic sphere"

 

[jedijill]

Hmm... you're thinking of Terry Crews... Not positive, but I don't think that's him?

It was not Terry Crewes.

 

[Steppesister]

You have had a busy last few years!

Filled with stress and hard work too!

We seem to work out very well as travel buddies. If we made it through Egypt, we can probably do anything.

I'd say so! Not easy travel.

I think the African-themed garlands were my favorites this year!

After that we headed over to Communicore where Jill had heard that there was a gingerbread Spaceship Earth. We got there just in time for the next show which happens every 15 minutes.

I thought this was pretty cool! I chose something else at that booth that ended up being my fave of the whole festival.

got the Ham Sliders and Reuben Croquettes

I got one of those 2 as well.

 

[DnA2010]

I woke up around 5AM and could not get back to sleep. So I started deep breathing in the nose and out the mouth, and telling myself, “I'm falling asleep, I'm falling asleep.”

I need to try this

Looks like a chill morning for these guys too!

We got ourselves some tasty beverages and no sooner than we got our drinks, the skies opened up.

Did Jill have a coffee not a tea?!

Jill spied Mama Kelce, Taylor Swift’s future mother in law, and Jill started completely fan girling out.

Taylor Swift's future MIL! Nice!

Wow! Excellent work!

Yum these do indeed look quite good!

 

[franandaj]

Now this is a view I can get used to!

And breakfast was amazing! Such a great way to start our week!

Thanks!

I also started the FoH Cookie Stroll here with the Sugar Cookie from Starbucks! We ate part of it later and it was tasty!

Yes!

My streak of awful ride pictures continues!

Actually I think it ends here.....

I'm a HUGE Kansas City Chiefs fan and love Donna Kelce! Now the romance between Travis and Taylor is so cute I can't stand it. LOL So cool to see her in person!

Hmmm......sportsball.....

The show was pretty cool and glad we timed it just right. There is a timer (in the picture) so you always know when the next show is!

It was neat to have seen it.

Both were great but the croquettes were the winner!

So much better than the croquettes in Lisbon!

 

[missjackiemcg]

I'm here for page 2! Not too shabby I am super excited to read about your holiday adventure. Christmas is my most favorite time to travel to WDW. Now that it's 2025, I can officially say we'll be there for Christmas THIS year!

Such a smart idea bringing some of your food from home. We have been better about getting a grocery order delivered the last few trips to save some money on breakfast and snacks at least, but bringing it along is even cheaper! I love the idea of using a tub so nothing gets squished, too.

Hooray for the start of the first day. Festival of the Holidays is so much fun. My son and husband really enjoyed the Cookie stroll on our last Christmas trip, so I know they'll be up for that again this go round. I hope they do the gingerbread Spaceship Earth again, too. What a cool addition.

 

[franandaj]

Loving it so far.

Glad to have you here! Any plans to visit DL soon?

 

[franandaj]

I've heard it from other people too. I think mostly DISdads and TRs.

Yeah, I guess it's for people who earn their money by doing something for a certain amount of hours, unlike myself.

They deplane from the back??? I had no idea! Huh!

Yeah it's great! They have a staircase attached to a little truck and it just drives right up to the back of the plane. Unless it's pouring rain, it's a streamlined and faster way off the plane than waiting for all the people at the front to leave. If it's pouring rain you're screwed either way because Long Beach boards outside.

"Did you ask for a car?"
"No, they said they couldn't do that, so I asked for a four wheeled, motorized conveyance. That they could do."

Pretty much.

I've tried that... but more often than not it goes like:
"I'm falling asleep... I'm falling... gotta get more comfy... I'm fa... You know, my boss was a real jerk the other day... okay... I'm fa... I mean, who even does that?... stop thinking... I'm... What time is it?... Geez, gotta get up in a couple hours... I'm fall... when do I work next?..."

I have to really resist the urge to do that, but the more I do it the better I get at it. This morning I was able to fall back asleep after a couple hours of restlessness.

Not a bad time to get up.

Especially on vacation! Don't want to sleep too late, but I don't want to be up before dawn if I can't see the sun rise from my balcony.

That just never gets old.

Wildebeast or gnus? Any idea?

Definitely Wildebeast!

Great! Did you use the app or just luck out?

We just lucked out, but stay tuned.

Why do you bring your own? Just don't care for the wooden taste of the provided utensils?

It's a Fran holdover thing. She hated wasting plastic silverware, so she bought us these really cool little packs of silverware. They have everything you need, fork, knife, spoon, chopsticks, straws, a little brush to clean the straws. All made of metal and each pack is a different color so everyone knows who's who's.

Not okay! That's one of the fun parts.

Eep! Good timing being indoors.

Was it still raining at all, then?

No, by then we were all done with the rain for that day.

Hmm... you're thinking of Terry Crews... Not positive, but I don't think that's him?

Jill confirmed it wasn't.

Sometimes, if you're too full, you can't even eat a shingle cookie, let alone several.

Those look really good! Were they?

They were very tasty, but not as tasty as the Reuben Croquettes.

 

[franandaj]

That is soooo cool!
I love that the sign says "gingerdesic sphere"

These are the little tidbits that I love about Disney! Such attention to detail!