There's No Sleeping at Disney! - A Oct-Nov 2020 Trip Report. MINI TR COMPLETE 5/10

[Verstehen]

Day 6, Part 3

THERE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF SPOILERS FOR RISE OF THE RESISTANCE IN THIS CHAPTER, SO SKIP IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE!

As I mentioned, I myself had been avoiding spoilers as much as possible. I knew a few things about the ride and overall experience, but had mostly stayed in the dark. I don’t always do that, but I knew for this ride it would be the kind of thing better experienced as fresh as possible.

So, with that said, it was time for me to finally experience Rise of the Resistance!

I started by entering the Fastpass queue. I was behind just one other party, I believe. I went through the line and waited a few minutes to be let into the first holding area. There were colored markers on the floor indicating where we should stand once admitted, to keep parties separated from each other. It was all very efficient, and the cast members stayed in character the entire time.

The first of many preshows starred BB-8 and Rey, who explained that we’d be boarding a Resistance transport.

In the transport, we each had designated spots to stand in. I got a really good view of the Ackbar character (I don’t think that’s his name anymore, right?), which was a really great animatronic.

After our transport was inevitably intercepted by the First Order, a First Order cast member came on board to direct us into the Stormtrooper room. I looked it up on YouTube later and it looks like in normal times, people are allowed to just mill around in this area as they please until they’re called into the next room, but now of course we were kept in a pretty strict line with distancing. This actually works out well for the theming because it means the First Order cast gets to be very strict and keep us in line, which makes way more sense for the atmosphere of this section of the attraction.

We weren’t in this room for too long before we were called into the next section, which was the hallways of the Star Destroyer. Here we had to wait on designated spots just like always. There was some vehicle cleaning going on so we had to wait awhile, maybe ten minutes. I tried to amuse myself by fidgeting with the buttons on the wall, hoping a cast member would chastise me in character, but sadly they never noticed. They did have a lot of fun picking on some other guests though, so that was fun to watch.

From there, we were led into a prisoner cell, and this is where I experienced my favorite WOW moment of the whole attraction. I had seen other parties go into this room before us and not come out, but the only door appeared to be the one they had let us in from. I knew obviously that there was some other way out, and sure enough, minutes later a portion of the wall appeared to be cut open by a Resistance member, who hurried us through the door and into our ride vehicles. It was SUCH a great effect! Executed so well, and the cast member did a great job selling it. I was on board for this adventure.

We were hurried into our ride vehicles, told to keep our hands and arms inside, and off we went.

The ride itself was a ton of fun. I snagged pictures when I could, but it wasn’t easy to do so in motion, and of course I wanted to soak in the experience and details as much as possible. But there were some things I just had to try to get a picture of.

(This one isn't very good, but it's of Kylo trying to cut through the ceiling with his lightsaber, which was such a cool effect)

(This used to be Ripley, right?)

All animatronics seemed to be working, so my fears that this was a pared-down experience were for naught.

What I find so funny is the moment that surprised me the most. Obviously, the special effects in the ride itself were incredible, but I knew they would be incredible. But the ride ends outside. Your trackless vehicle leaves the show building and has you exit in the open air. I don’t know why, but I found that really delightful. I think because if you actually leave the building in the ride vehicle, it makes you feel like the vehicle really could go anywhere, like it really is autonomous. It’s a weird little detail that I am weirdly obsessed with, haha.

Anyway, I don’t think it’ll come as a surprise to hear that I loved Rise and I think my dad is insane for thinking it was just “okay.” This is definitely the pinnacle of theme park experiences, especially in America. If you’re not wowed by this, what’s going to wow you???

I exited and found Dad and April, expecting that she had been crying for me after being separated for so long. To my surprise, he said she was fine. But he’d been giving her some baby snack puffs, without a bib. Ugh. They get sticky when they come in contact with water or saliva, so naturally she’d gotten a bunch of them on her onesie and now needed to be changed.

We were hungry, and I figured Docking Bay 7 would be a good option. I opened my phone to the MDE app and started a mobile order. I picked what I wanted, then handed the phone to Dad and told him to pick what he wanted and hit the order button while I changed April.

Once we were all fresh, we moseyed over to Docking Bay 7 to pick up our order. I don’t think we waited long at all to be let inside. This was my second time eating there, after I went during a day trip in early 2020 with DH and some friends who were visiting from out of town. I remember it had been really hard to find a table then, but we didn’t have an issue now.

Dad got the chicken salad. I think it was pretty tasty! He let me try some. He also got some kind of non-alcoholic juice drink that we shared.

I got the Tip-Yip fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and broccoli. I’d gotten the chicken my first time here, but had gotten it with mashed potatoes and gravy, so I wanted to try this different combo.

I think it was pretty tasty! Nothing remarkable. I gave some macaroni and broccoli to April, and of course also some puffs, this time with a bib.

You can see from the picture of Dad’s meal that he was checking in for his flight home. It really was so close to the end of our trip!

But no time to get too sad about that now. Our bellies were full, so where would the day take us next?

 

[rdkeim]

Really glad you loved Rise! We did too. I definitely need to ride again. i don't think I realized it ended outside

 

[KathyM2]

After our transport was inevitably intercepted by the First Order, a First Order cast member came on board to direct us into the Stormtrooper room. I looked it up on YouTube later and it looks like in normal times, people are allowed to just mill around in this area as they please until they’re called into the next room, but now of course we were kept in a pretty strict line with distancing

The stormtrooper room is super cool. This is one of the things I wish I had known exactly when it was coming, because I would have loved to stop and get a selfie with the storm troopers...hopefully sometime soon I will get to ride again lol

But the ride ends outside. Your trackless vehicle leaves the show building and has you exit in the open air. I don’t know why, but I found that really delightful. I think because if you actually leave the building in the ride vehicle, it makes you feel like the vehicle really could go anywhere, like it really is autonomous. It’s a weird little detail that I am weirdly obsessed with, haha.

I don't remember being outside at the end...the ride was so amazing I forgot some of it lol!! I really do hope to get to experience this again, and maybe more than once on a trip, because there are just so many cool details to take in, once really isn't enough.

 

[suse66]

I'm so glad that dress in the picture fit, by the way. I still didn't fit into it during our last trip when I was only six weeks postpartum, and I was worried it would never fit again, but it does now! Hooray!

Your dress is amazing! It is on my must buy list. I am up to six DDS dresses now and they are very addicting!

Honestly, I was a little surprised. Everything I’d heard about the ride from the past year was that it was absolutely incredible, worth the wait, and the best thing that Disney had ever made. I’d woken us up early and dragged us all across property because I believed the hype. And now Dad was telling me it was “fine?” Was it not operating at full mode? He couldn’t tell me, of course, but as I walked off to redeem my rider switch, I felt a little apprehensive that I would be leaving the experience feeling that everything we’d gone through to get access for this ride had not been worth it.

I hope you loved it! I am avoiding all spoilers as I haven't been able to ride it yet. Really hoping I make it down in August and we get to experience it.

 

[Verstehen]

Really glad you loved Rise! We did too. I definitely need to ride again. i don't think I realized it ended outside

I hope it's not too long before I get to ride it again!

The stormtrooper room is super cool. This is one of the things I wish I had known exactly when it was coming, because I would have loved to stop and get a selfie with the storm troopers...hopefully sometime soon I will get to ride again lol



I don't remember being outside at the end...the ride was so amazing I forgot some of it lol!! I really do hope to get to experience this again, and maybe more than once on a trip, because there are just so many cool details to take in, once really isn't enough.

It's criminal they only let you ride once per day!

Your dress is amazing! It is on my must buy list. I am up to six DDS dresses now and they are very addicting!
I hope you loved it! I am avoiding all spoilers as I haven't been able to ride it yet. Really hoping I make it down in August and we get to experience it.

I love DDS dresses! I have four total now (original Orange Bird, Haunted Mansion ballroom, Trader Sam's, and Jungle Cruise). I'm picky about which ones I get but I'm so happy in general for the DDS line. I think it's a really great idea. I hope your August trip happens!

 

[Verstehen]

Day 6, Part 4
I checked the wait times for MMRR, and it was still pretty high. But you know what didn’t have a high wait time? That’s right. Toy Story Mania.
I asked last chapter if my Dad wasn’t impressed by Rise of the Resistance, what would he possibly be impressed by?

The answer is Toy Story Mania.

We moseyed over to Toy Story Land and got in the queue. I think it was only 20 or 25 minutes at this point. We boarded a ride vehicle and gave this game our all.

It looks like Dad beat me! Blasphemy!

Well, we’d done almost everything we wanted to do at the park. Almost everything.

Yes, the line for MMRR was still long. But the day was young, and I was determined to ride it. Who knew when I would get back here again? And besides, I reasoned with Dad, it’s not like a long line is the hugest deal in the world. What would we do with our time otherwise that we couldn’t do in a queue? Just hang out and enjoy each other’s company?

Dad still dreaded it. But he sucked it up because he loves me.

I won’t pretend that standing in line was fun. It wasn’t. April was cranky, she peed through her diaper at one point, and it’s not like standing in a line is the most fun thing in the world in the best of circumstances. But there were some highlights. I got some nice pics with my favorite girl.

Dad got to spend some quality time holding April and entertaining her. I snagged some pics of the handprints in front of the theater, including these ones by Steve Martin, who is my friend’s favorite celebrity, so I had to get a picture for her.

Mark Hamill did this one on my birthday! How auspicious!

At the end of the day, it wasn’t the longest line I’ve ever waited in (pretty sure that honor goes to Gringott’s, which kept breaking down when my friend and I tried to ride it the month after it opened), and it moved pretty smoothly all things considered. The social distanced lines can look SOOOOO intimidating, but as long as the ride itself is operating normally you’re pretty much constantly moving.

This was another ride I had purposely kept myself in the dark about. I guess I do that for all new rides these past few years, though it usually doesn’t take me so long to get onto it (I think I got on Flight of Passage within a couple months of it opening, for example). I’d heard about a few details in passing, but I really didn’t know what to expect or how to explain it to Dad. But we were about to find out what it was all about!

Inside, I had to get a pic of the poster for my favorite short.

Soon enough, we were on the ride. We were a few cars back from the front. There were lap bars, and I took April out of the carrier. A cast member told me as we were loading that I could keep her in the carrier, but I wanted her to see what was going on in the ride. There was some confusion regarding something a cast member was trying to explain to me about how to hold or or something while we pulled down the lap bar. I was worried maybe I wasn’t supposed to have her on my lap? But eventually they gave me the thumbs up so I guess it was all fine, or maybe they just gave up on me, lol.

So unlike with Rise, I didn’t get any pictures of MMRR, as I was too busy holding April and making sure she didn’t fly into a scene. But what did I think about it?

It was cute! Look, I grew up with the Great Movie Ride. I was very sad to see it go. But its time had come. I know there were a lot of people who wanted to see it updated rather than replaced, and I was one of them. But if they’d updated it, what movies would they have added or taken away? It was a cool ride but very easily-dated. I think Runaway Railway is a fresh concept, it’s family friendly yet with a more thrill-ish element, and it’s a much-needed draw in a park that has very few things for families with young children to do (besides sit through Frozen or Beauty and the Beast for the umpteenth time). I know it’s not as amazing as some other trackless rides (like the Pirates of the Caribbean in Shanghai, or Mystic Manor in Hong Kong), but it’s sweet and fun! I hope the lines move down soon so more families can enjoy it, though. The long wait is not something I’d deal with more than once, now that I’ve gone on it. For Rise, I’d wait two hours, no joke. For this, maybe 40 minutes, tops.

But I’m glad we did it!

And now we were truly done with all the activities both of us wanted to do. I’m sure Dad could have gone a few more rounds on Toy Story Mania if I’d let him, but April was getting really cranky and I knew it was time to go so we could have a relaxing final evening at the Riviera.

It was a little sad to be leaving Hollywood Studios though. Partially because this was our last part of our trip, and we weren’t yet sure when we would return. And also because we wouldn’t be leaving on the Skyliner! It’s sometimes more convenient to travel to and from a park via your own car, but it’s definitely less magical.

While we drove back, during which time I took a wrong turn somewhere and actually left property and had to turn around, Dad leaned over and took some pictures of April trying to eat her own foot.

Back at the Riviera, we promptly got into our swimsuits and went back down to the pool. The hot tub was pretty empty this evening, so I think we got some good amount of time in there.

We discussed dinner options. Dad actually suggested Indian again, since he loves it so much. I love it too but I was in the mood for something different. I suggested Chinese, which he agreed to. We ordered and went back up to the room to dry off and wait for our delivery.

The food came after a bit. I got some spicy dumplings, lo mein, and fried tofu with vegetables. I think Dad might have gotten an additional entree as well. Honestly, it was pretty lackluster and I found myself wishing we’d just ordered Indian again like Dad suggested. Oh well!

Not long after that, we headed off to bed after finally finishing the second season of What We Do in the Shadows.

We still had some time tomorrow to spend together before Dad would be on his way home!

 

[KathyM2]

I know it’s not as amazing as some other trackless rides (like the Pirates of the Caribbean in Shanghai, or Mystic Manor in Hong Kong), but it’s sweet and fun! I hope the lines move down soon so more families can enjoy it, though. The long wait is not something I’d deal with more than once, now that I’ve gone on it. For Rise, I’d wait two hours, no joke. For this, maybe 40 minutes, tops.

I really regret not getting on this a year ago when we were there (not knowing what was coming of course with the pandemic..sigh) I hope next time I can!

I want to go check out pirates in Shanghai now lol...or really anywhere lol

 

[Verstehen]

I really regret not getting on this a year ago when we were there (not knowing what was coming of course with the pandemic..sigh) I hope next time I can!

I want to go check out pirates in Shanghai now lol...or really anywhere lol

That Shanghai pirates ride looks AMAZING. I've watched ridethroughs of that and I saw some places in MMRR that used similar techniques, but it wasn't quite as spectacular. It's like the American Imagineers met with the Asian ones for a day, took some quick notes, and then just incorporated what they could with a definitely smaller budget.

 

[Verstehen]

Day 7

We woke up around 9 am and got started with packing. It was a little challenging for me because April was extra sad this morning and wanted me to hold her. Don’t know if she was still tired, ready to be home, or just needed extra cuddles for whatever reason. I ended up having to direct Dad so he could help get all my stuff packed up.

We called Bell Services to help get our stuff down to the car. I took April down to the car. She was in a good mood, finally.

Then I drove us to the lobby, where we loaded up all our stuff. It was a tight squeeze! I think for our trip this year I’ll definitely have to bring the larger car, especially since my sister will be joining us.

We still had a couple of hours before Dad had to be at the airport, so we decided to spend that time getting brunch. There weren’t any brunch reservations available at Disney Springs that really appealed to us, so I’d looked up possibilities near the airport the day before. Since we only wanted to eat outside, our options were a little more limited, but I found a place called the Dixie Belle Cafe that apparently had some outdoor seating. It was on Orange avenue, not far from the airport. I called them while I was waiting for my Dad at the lobby, and they said there was not currently a wait for outside tables, but they didn’t do reservations or waiting lists. So we’d pretty much be rolling the dice!

Once the car was loaded, we decided to head over anyway. It had good reviews for the food and there weren’t a lot of other options that met our needs.

It was about a fifteen minute drive. When we got there, all of the outside tables were being used (there were about three of them), but at least one party looked like they were finishing up and there was nobody else waiting. I think April was sleeping or else just chilling in her car seat, because I waited in the car with her. The indoor area was pretty crowded and it didn’t look like all the staff were strictly adhering to mask protocols, so I wasn’t comfortable waiting in there.

Dad texted me that there was one table all finished but they were certainly taking their time wrapping things up. They’d even paid the check. It felt like we waited forever for a table, but it was probably only about 20 minutes. I’m sure it felt like longer because we were on a time crunch.

But finally, we were seated and we had our goodbye brunch!

The menu was Southern, so naturally Dad had a hard time finding something he could eat and also liked (given how picky he is). But they had a fried fish that wasn’t catfish (not kosher), and he got that with collard greens and hushpuppies. It was actually his first time having hushpuppies!

I had one of my favorite diner breakfasts: eggs over easy with corned beef hash. Normally I hate salty foods but hash just hits the right notes for me. I also got home fries, but I was disappointed with how underdone they were. They were basically slightly steamed potatoes. It also came with a biscuit as you can see.

I ordered the kids pancake for April, which the menu emphasized was a big pancake. They weren’t lying! I think this is a big pancake even for an adult. I gave her one of the ears on her placemat and promptly asked for a box for the rest. That pancake ended up lasting us several days across several breakfasts!

We ate our food, paid, and then, sadly, it was time to say goodbye.

It took about ten minutes to get to the airport, and one thing about COVID I’m grateful for is that with generally low traffic, it’s not necessary to get there many hours in advance right now. So we were able to take our time this morning and squeeze out every last bit of time together. Dad was especially sad to be saying goodbye to April, as he didn’t know when he would see her again.

It’s very strange to think about what’s happened since then that we didn’t know about now. That day was election day, which obviously had a really big impact on the events of the next few days and weeks (not to mention on my overall anxiety levels). And of course, just days after, the successful Pfizer vaccine results would be announced, and my Dad would be getting his first shot in just about a month after that.

But for now, all we knew was that we were saying goodbye and that the future looked a little hopeful but mostly bleak. I dropped Dad off at the airport and drove back home. DH was very happy to see us, and April was happy to be back at home with her dog and all her toys. I was exhausted but overall happy that we’d been able to do that trip and even happier when none of us got sick as a result. It’s a bizarre thing to think at the end of a Disney trip, but I guess that’s just how it is in this crazy new decade.

And that’s it! That’s our Disney trip for fall 2020, report in the books! I’ll be back for a wrap-up, and I’ll also do a mini report of my dad’s visit from last month. Thank you so much for following along! It’s been so great to share this time with you.

 

[piglet1979]

It sounds like you had a great trip with your dad.

My 15 year old son was asking me the other day about what kosher is and what constitutes food as kosher. I didn't really have an answer for him. Are you able to explain it to me?

 

[rdkeim]

Great TR - thanks for sharing your experiences! We recently got home from 6 nights at WDW. I was anxious to ride MMRR and we waited about 50 min. at park opening. It was cute but I was a bit disappointed. The GMR was a sentimental favorite and I have to agree with people that think it should have been updated rather than replaced. Oh well, it is cute and good for younger kids. I'll be watching for your next TR!

 

[suse66]

But for now, all we knew was that we were saying goodbye and that the future looked a little hopeful but mostly bleak. I dropped Dad off at the airport and drove back home. DH was very happy to see us, and April was happy to be back at home with her dog and all her toys. I was exhausted but overall happy that we’d been able to do that trip and even happier when none of us got sick as a result. It’s a bizarre thing to think at the end of a Disney trip, but I guess that’s just how it is in this crazy new decade.

And that’s it! That’s our Disney trip for fall 2020, report in the books! I’ll be back for a wrap-up, and I’ll also do a mini report of my dad’s visit from last month. Thank you so much for following along! It’s been so great to share this time with you.

Thanks for sharing your lovely trip report! It was so fun following along.

 

[KathyM2]

Sounds like you had a great trip despite the pandemic and all the hurdles that it causes. I know what you mean, looking back is so strange and everything keeps changing. It's so great that your dad was able to get his vaccine so soon!

 

[Verstehen]

It sounds like you had a great trip with your dad.

My 15 year old son was asking me the other day about what kosher is and what constitutes food as kosher. I didn't really have an answer for him. Are you able to explain it to me?

Thanks for reading!

So officially, something has to be certified kosher in order to be considered kosher. What that means is that a rabbi has to oversee or approve its preparation. Very religious Jews will need something to be certified in order to eat or drink it. With meat, it has a lot to do with how the animal is killed as well (I believe it can't be killed with a serrated blade, as an example).

But less religious Jews like my dad will just go by general rules, and as long as it doesn't break those rules, he'll eat it. It doesn't need to be certified. The basic rules are: no shellfish or any sea creatures considered "bottom feeders" (e.g. catfish, octopus), no pork, and no mixing meat and dairy products in the same meal (although he'll sometimes make exceptions if the meat is chicken, since the point of the rule is that it's cruel to consume a mother's meat and her milk together, and obviously chickens don't make milk). At home he also has separate dishes and cutlery sets for meat and dairy meals. If you use the wrong plate or cutlery with the wrong type of food, you're supposed to bury it for seven days. My dad would just stick them in potted plants, which as you can imagine made for interesting conversations when I had friends over!

Great TR - thanks for sharing your experiences! We recently got home from 6 nights at WDW. I was anxious to ride MMRR and we waited about 50 min. at park opening. It was cute but I was a bit disappointed. The GMR was a sentimental favorite and I have to agree with people that think it should have been updated rather than replaced. Oh well, it is cute and good for younger kids. I'll be watching for your next TR!

I agree also that it should have been updated, but I understand why they ultimately decided to do this instead. 50 minutes isn't tooooo bad a wait to me, haha, but it's a wait I would only do for the first ride, and then if I were to go on it again I'd need it to be much shorter.

Thanks for sharing your lovely trip report! It was so fun following along.

Thank you! I had a lot of fun writing it.

Sounds like you had a great trip despite the pandemic and all the hurdles that it causes. I know what you mean, looking back is so strange and everything keeps changing. It's so great that your dad was able to get his vaccine so soon!

Thanks! I think overall the trip was a net positive, and a much needed break from reality during hard times, even though reality still crept in, as you saw.

 

[Verstehen]

Wrap-Up

This was obviously a very different kind of trip due to a variety of factors. I’m not going to pretend that COVID precautions don’t make things a little less magical. Part of the fun of a Disney vacation is supposed to be that it’s a place where you can be free of worry, and cast members only have to get involved with your safety if you’re doing something truly stupid, like standing up in a ride.

But reality is reality, and Disney can’t deny that. When they first announced they were reopening, I was really skeptical that it was a good idea. But the longer we’re in the pandemic, the more I realize, people need places they can go that are as safe as possible. And as long as people are willing to follow the rules, I don’t begrudge anyone who’s decided to visit during this time, because obviously I did too. I’m still not sure if they opened too soon, as cases were pretty much raging when they started, but I don’t think they should have waited as long as Disneyland had to take. Overall, I think they did the best they could with the information they had, and they’re giving guests the best experience possible. It’s not fun to wear masks or to stand on markers in a queue, and I wouldn’t recommend anyone visit now for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but if you’re like me and you are going absolutely crazy stuck at home, there are less safe places you can be right now than Walt Disney World. Way less safe. And now as more people are getting vaccinated, it’s going to get safer.

Of course, that wasn’t the only thing that was different about this trip. My last fall trip, I was pregnant. During my winter trip, I had a newborn. And this trip I had a little nine-month-old! Every stage is just so different, fun and challenging in new ways. I know my days of going to Disney and just chilling out for hours are over, at least for now. This was a long trip, which was nice on the one hand because we got a lot done, but on the other hand every day seemed to wear on April more and more. It was fun to see her finally able to react to things, and I know the next trip will be even better for that, but the big thing I learned is that we need way more space, and we need to go with the flow. Do not go into a trip with a baby or toddler with ANY expectations about how it will go, even if you’ve taken them before. They are someone new almost every day. The best thing you can do for your sanity is embrace the unpredictability.

So with that said, here are some highlights and lowlights from our trip.

Lowlights:

• The stress of learning the Skyliner, especially on our Hollywood Studios day.
• Adapting to the big differences with the new Disney, like shorter hours.
• Not getting to use the hot tub like we would normally want to due to distancing being pretty much impossible.
• No fireworks or shows.
• Wearing masks all the time. I am by no means against the idea of masks and I’m happy that such a simple thing can keep us so much safer, but I can’t pretend it’s fun to wear one all day at Disney World!

But of course, there were many highlights as well:

• Watching April enjoy her time in the kiddie pool night after night.
• The Skyliner, when it worked, was really cool. I think it’s the perfect transportation system and would love to see it expanded across property. Lines move fast, every party gets their own car, and it’s super efficient (most of the time).
• Finally getting to experience Rise of the Resistance. OMG it was definitely worth the hype.
• Watching my daughter take in more and more of the attractions and details, and getting to share some special time with her and my dad.
• Seeing in general how hard Disney is working to preserve the magic in these really hard times. They could have honestly just said, “Masks are required, come at your own risk,” and just opened a few rides and nothing else.” But they really are trying hard to make it a special experience for people who choose to visit during this time.

So...what’s next for our crew?

Well, we are pretty optimistic that we will be able to have our fall trip. There’s a very good chance I’ll be vaccinated well before then, and with my dad and sister being vaccinated already, we will likely feel comfortable visiting. I don’t see the mask requirements going away by fall, but if I were a betting person, I would guess that by then, we’ll see the return of a lot more entertainment, since that already seems to be trickling back in. So I’m hopeful that this trip will look a little more “normal.”

In terms of our plans, we have a stay at the Boardwalk tentatively booked for September 17-23 in a one bedroom water/garden view villa. We learned on this trip that a studio would be pushing it in terms of space for two adults and one child, and with an extra adult it’s almost impossible. Plus, with a one-bedroom, we get a jet tub, so we can have something of a hot tub experience right in our room without having to share air with strangers!

So rather than go twice a year, once with my sister in the late winter and once in the fall without her, we’ve decided to combine the two trips into one during the fall so that we can enjoy more space. We’ve also waitlisted September 22-28 in the same room as that works slightly better with my dad’s work schedule, but either week would work fine for me.

The loss of our second annual trip does suck a bit, but to be honest, two trips a year with a toddler is pretty daunting, especially given that I can only take so much time off work per year and it seems cruel to take two weeks off to go to take my daughter to Disney and spend hardly any of that time with my husband.

One thing that sucks about going in September is it means we’ll be missing out on the start of the 50th anniversary. We originally planned to go in October, but availability was spotty at best, and then we discovered that staying in September would save us about 100 DVC points. 100 points! We only have about 250 points yearly anyway, so that’s a savings too good to pass up, and it means that my dad and sister could potentially come back in the winter or spring for a shorter trip, because we’ll have some points to spare.

So that’s the extent of our fall trip plans so far. We will all need to renew our passes before then. My dad had hoped for him and my sister, whose passes expire in July, he could let them lapse and then get new passes closer to the date. But I think this is a terrible plan for several reasons. First, Disney isn’t selling new passes now and we don’t know when they will start. Second, it means I can’t make park passes until his AP lapses and he buys a new one. It’s only a two month difference between his renewal date and our trip; I don’t think it’s worth losing out on the renewal discount anyway. So that will be the next conversation.

Either way, the trip should fall during Food and Wine, so that will be a fun time. I’m hoping some special events return by then. It will be my sister’s first time joining us during a fall trip, and I’m looking forward to sharing this time of year with her! I hope we’ll also get to do MNSSHP.

But September, honestly, is practically an epoch away in terms of where I sit now. It’s hard to even think about what the world will look like by then, with everything changing so rapidly. They just announced today that all adults in Florida will be able to get the vaccine in April, which is great, though I hope everyone who's currently eligible hurries up and gets theirs, because I don't want to compete with them for spots, lol.

But in the meantime, cases seem to be slowing down a bit here (they’ve gone up in the past few days, but fingers crossed they go down again soon). My husband’s actually getting his first vaccine dose today. I am still doing my best to stay safe while also staying sane. I hang out with my friends once a week, outdoors, with masks and six feet apart (we’ve agreed that once all us adults are vaccinated we will get together indoors without masks again, but only 2/4 of us are vaccinated so far). We were invited to my in-laws’ in Tampa for Easter and we may go as long as cases stay low. We haven’t committed yet.

In two weeks, my mom and sister are coming down for a week. They will be staying in an Airbnb, like my dad did last month, and we will do two days at Disney. We have park passes for Epcot and Magic Kingdom, so I’m excited for that. We also have a dinner reservation at the Boathouse, which I am almost looking forward to more, lol. Other than that and possibly going to Tampa for Easter, which I know is a lot, I don’t plan to go anywhere non-essential until I’m vaccinated. But I haven’t seen my mom and sister in over a year, so even though it’s a bit risky I think it’ll be good for my mental health.

Well if you made it this far, thank you for sticking with me! I’m glad I got to share this journey with you and if you are considering whether or not to visit Disney during this time, I hope I gave you an idea of what to expect. It’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all answer, but I’m glad Disney is providing a relatively safe spot for families to go right now.

I’ll be back to do mini reports on my recent visit with my dad, and I’ll also post about my upcoming visit with my mom and sister after that happens! I’ll start a new thread to report on our big trip in September, and I’ll be sure to post here when that happens!

Thank you again!

 

[piglet1979]

Thanks for reading!

So officially, something has to be certified kosher in order to be considered kosher. What that means is that a rabbi has to oversee or approve its preparation. Very religious Jews will need something to be certified in order to eat or drink it. With meat, it has a lot to do with how the animal is killed as well (I believe it can't be killed with a serrated blade, as an example).

But less religious Jews like my dad will just go by general rules, and as long as it doesn't break those rules, he'll eat it. It doesn't need to be certified. The basic rules are: no shellfish or any sea creatures considered "bottom feeders" (e.g. catfish, octopus), no pork, and no mixing meat and dairy products in the same meal (although he'll sometimes make exceptions if the meat is chicken, since the point of the rule is that it's cruel to consume a mother's meat and her milk together, and obviously chickens don't make milk). At home he also has separate dishes and cutlery sets for meat and dairy meals. If you use the wrong plate or cutlery with the wrong type of food, you're supposed to bury it for seven days. My dad would just stick them in potted plants, which as you can imagine made for interesting conversations when I had friends over!

Thank you. As soon as he is out of class I will read this to him.

But September, honestly, is practically an epoch away in terms of where I sit now. It’s hard to even think about what the world will look like by then, with everything changing so rapidly. They just announced today that all adults in Florida will be able to get the vaccine in April, which is great, though I hope everyone who's currently eligible hurries up and gets theirs, because I don't want to compete with them for spots, lol.

Looking for appointments at midnight have worked well for lots of people I know. CVS and Rite Aid are posting new appointments at this time. Walmart might be too. I hope you will be able to get it soon. I just had my second vaccine on Wednesday. It is like a weight is lifted off my shoulders. I will still mask and be careful but I can at least see my mom soon. DH gets his first tomorrow.

I can't wait to go back to Disney. We had a trip for last August with my mom and step dad that we canceled. We only go every few years. I really miss it but can't justify the money right now and not have all that they offer. Hopefully next year. I will also feel better when the kids can get vaccinated. If I lived closer I might be going during this time too.

 

[piglet1979]

I just had DS read about being Kosher. He understands it now. He liked the part about the plates in the plants.

 

[KathyM2]

But reality is reality, and Disney can’t deny that. When they first announced they were reopening, I was really skeptical that it was a good idea. But the longer we’re in the pandemic, the more I realize, people need places they can go that are as safe as possible. And as long as people are willing to follow the rules, I don’t begrudge anyone who’s decided to visit during this time, because obviously I did too. I’m still not sure if they opened too soon, as cases were pretty much raging when they started, but I don’t think they should have waited as long as Disneyland had to take. Overall, I think they did the best they could with the information they had, and they’re giving guests the best experience possible. It’s not fun to wear masks or to stand on markers in a queue, and I wouldn’t recommend anyone visit now for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but if you’re like me and you are going absolutely crazy stuck at home, there are less safe places you can be right now than Walt Disney World. Way less safe. And now as more people are getting vaccinated, it’s going to get safer.

If I could go to Disney I would...it seems like the safest place in Florida and people are willing to follow the rules to be allowed to be there!

Thanks for sharing all about your trip!! Looking forward to hearing about the next one and continuing to live vicariously!

 

[Verstehen]

I just had DS read about being Kosher. He understands it now. He liked the part about the plates in the plants.

I'm glad it was helpful! The potted plant thing is probably unique to my family though, lol.

If I could go to Disney I would...it seems like the safest place in Florida and people are willing to follow the rules to be allowed to be there!

Thanks for sharing all about your trip!! Looking forward to hearing about the next one and continuing to live vicariously!

Thank you!

 

[Verstehen]

Mini Report: Valentine’s Week with Dad

I hope everyone is doing well! I’m happy to report that I got my first vaccine dose on Monday night! I am not technically eligible until Monday, April 5th, but I’d been intermittently checking around at some Publix locations near me for leftover doses in the evenings, and on a whim I went out Monday night. First location said no, but the second had a bunch of extras! The pharmacist had had to open a new vial for her last patient so she had to finish the bottle before the end of the night. I got a shot for myself, and I texted a friend who had also been looking and she was able to come over and get it as well. So now we don’t have to worry about the big rush next week. I’ll be two weeks out from my first shot when my mom and sister and I go to Disney soon, so that gives me some nice peace of mind.


So as mentioned, my dad came back in February, having been fully vaccinated against COVID. We only did one Disney day, so instead of DVC he rented a small Airbnb near my house (walking distance, in fact!). I’ll do a quick rundown of some of the activities we did.

Dad arrived on Saturday, February 13th, but his plane arrived pretty late so we didn’t get to do a whole lot that evening besides eat dinner. He brought a bunch of toys for April, which she immediately loved.


On Sunday I made all of us a pancake breakfast and we also shared some chocolate covered strawberries his girlfriend had sent to us. While I got breakfast ready, Dad let April play with his practice drum.

Then we went kayaking on the Winter Park chain of lakes. This is an activity I’d encourage anyone to do if they want to explore the greater Orlando area more. It’s I think five lakes, connected by a series of canals, with lots of cool spots to dock. There are engine powered boats on here too, and I think you can pay for a tour, but we love just taking our kayak and exploring.

Monday was our Epcot day. I worked until noon since the park wasn’t open until 11 anyway. While I worked, Dad tried to feed April some yogurt.

I cleaned her up and we got ready, and then we were off. I didn’t take detailed notes, so I’ll just go off pictures here, haha.

Since the new fountain pylons have officially been revealed, I HAD to get a Photopass picture with it when we entered.

One of the first things we did was check out the big paint-by-numbers mural, which was across from the Land pavilion this year. I always love doing this activity.

We then went into The Land and rode the boat ride. On the way out, we had to get a picture of April and me with the building sign, as has become tradition.

We walked around World Showcase. We started in Canada where we got our beloved maple popcorn.

Next we stopped at the UK to get a picture of April with the White Rabbit painting, as she was wearing the Alice in Wonderland dress I got for her birthday. I was hoping Alice herself would be out in the gardens, but no luck.

We got this mushroom croissant from the booth in France. It’s super pretty on the outside, but inside, it was pretty much just filled with what tasted like Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup. Which don’t get me wrong, I love cream of mushroom soup, but for a fancy Festival of the Arts croissant, I expected something a little...fancier.

We loved this vegetarian flatbread from the booth in Morocco. It was so tasty. My dad was delighted that it used za’atar spice. He ended up mailing me some so I can make stuff with it at home.

I got the sushi donut from Japan. There’s shrimp on this so dad couldn’t really share it with me, but he had a bite of the salmon bit.

The line for Frozen was way too long, but we went into the shop to find a gift for my sister, who loves Frozen (we ended up buying her a shirt that we forgot we’d already bought her, so now she has two. D’oh!). In the shop, we got a picture of April and me with the troll statue, as so many generations of our family have gotten pictures before.

We stopped at the bathrooms after and when we got out, Elsa was meeting with guests!

It was a very special and unexpected meet. April loved seeing Elsa, maybe just because she wasn’t wearing a mask, haha.

I got this margarita from Mexico! So yummy.

At some point, dad decided to have April ride on his shoulders. I can’t remember if she was getting fussy in her stroller or if he just wanted to do it for fun. But shortly after, we found this photo op that we just couldn’t pass up.

The mural painting went until about 5, so shortly after we passed by to see how it had turned out. Looks like it wasn’t 100% finished, but it still looked awesome!

I think I'm about to hit the photo limit, so I'll pick this back up tomorrow!