We rode Rise of the Resistance on Walt's Birthday on our first Mother/Daughter Trip! December 2019! Updated September 19th!

[Jenny Sanders]

I am always blown away by the beautiful Christmas decorations at WL. It's my fav resort and I may be a little biased but I think it's decorated above and beyond the other resorts during the holidays.

 

[suse66]

Having not much to see, we didn't stick around long.
We were hungry and decided we needed burgers at Geyser Point.
There was pretty much no-one around as we headed to the boat dock,
which is always a cue for Allie to be a goofball...

Geyser Point sounds like a perfect plan!

With full bellies, we were ready to explore our last resort of the night.
And for sure, we saved the best for last!
Since it was late, there was hardly anyone in the lobby
so we could explore and take as many pictures as we wanted

I love it! I did my resort tour in the exact opposite order as you two. I started at WL and ended at the GF with drinks at Enchanted Rose.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Touring the MK resorts is always a must for us. I agree with you on your resort critique. We have been able to see the Christmas decorations a couple times and worth it.
Geyser Point is on our must do list next trip.

 

[buzzrelly]

Really? I'd expect much better than that from Disney.

Well, considering how lovely all the other monorail resorts are, I'll give them a pass. It looks like they tried, but the Grand Concourse is so big that maybe the decorations just seemed extra spread out

Getting late... but that just means the food will taste better.

It hit the spot! That Via Napoli pizza had worn off a while ago!

That's insane!! (My youngest DD is the same. Kids these days.)

She actually just started eating burgers about a year ago, so I guess there's hope for her

Memo to me to actually go into Geyser Point next visit lol

You've never been? It's so good and they have the BEST burgers!

Also, I just came to the realization looking at these photos. I've never taken a boat anywhere from CR. I've used the boats to get to WL and GF, but not CR. Weird.

That just goes to show, you can spend…how many months in WDW??…and STILL not see everything!

 

[buzzrelly]

I am always blown away by the beautiful Christmas decorations at WL. It's my fav resort and I may be a little biased but I think it's decorated above and beyond the other resorts during the holidays.

You're not wrong, Jenny, even if you weren't biased. It's absolutely perfect

I love it! I did my resort tour in the exact opposite order as you two. I started at WL and ended at the GF with drinks at Enchanted Rose.

Well, that works too! I still want to check out Enchanted Rose

Touring the MK resorts is always a must for us. I agree with you on your resort critique. We have been able to see the Christmas decorations a couple times and worth it.
Geyser Point is on our must do list next trip.

It was such a fun evening! GP is on our list for every trip, especially if Allie has anything to say about it!

 

[pkondz]

Well, considering how lovely all the other monorail resorts are, I'll give them a pass. It looks like they tried, but the Grand Concourse is so big that maybe the decorations just seemed extra spread out

Sure!

She actually just started eating burgers about a year ago, so I guess there's hope for her

Really! How did she avoid it? The fast food chain ads are everywhere.

 

[missjackiemcg]

Seeing all the Christmas-y beauty in those pics makes me wish I was Christmasing at WDW this year! It just makes me so happy!!

I absolutely LOVE the GF lobby with that giant Christmas tree! When we renewed our wedding vows, we had some pictures taken in front of it that are some of my favs. On that trip, we stayed until after New Year's Eve, and it was SO weird to walk in a few days after our renewal and see that they had already taken it down!

 

[vamassey1]

As much as I love The CR, the Christmas decorations were a little lackluster
and more like what you'd see in a shopping mall.

I agree with you here. CR and the Poly had way less decorations than WL & GF.

We debated for a hot second on whether we should share one burger
but Allie likes hers pink and I don't,
and she also doesn't put cheese on it which I think is crazy talk

No to pink and no to no cheese. What's up with kids today?

Since it was late, there was hardly anyone in the lobby
so we could explore and take as many pictures as we wanted

You're so lucky. It was really crowded when we went. The tree area was even sectioned off for pictures with Chip & Dale.


Beautiful Christmas Decoration photos.

 

[kastoney]

There was pretty much no-one around as we headed to the boat dock,
which is always a cue for Allie to be a goofball...

A. Love silly Allie but B. This picture gives me so much anxiety. How on earth can you take a picture while on an escalator? I'd be hanging on for dear life

Oh this looks so good. Was planning on some chili for dinner but burgers may have to be had.

Wilderness Lodge is always my favorite resort, but it at Christmas time is just a thing of beauty and I've only ever seen pictures. For our December 2021 trip - which I'm officially making a thing by the way - we have to stay here.

 

[buzzrelly]

Hello, everyone! I'm sorry if I've seemed to abandon this trip report.
We literally are up to the last day and I promise, I'll get to it soon!

Since this pandemic started I've had moments of ups,
where I'm super positive, trying to look at the bright side of things,
and downs where I'm just very, very blah and sick of everything to do with it.
Lately I've been more blah than anything so I just haven't had it in me
to finish up this report.
One of the biggest things bringing me down
is the fact that we are supposed to leave for our trip in 23 days
and I literally don't know if we're going,
but with each passing day, it's looking less and less likely.

We have CCV booked from 10/5 - 10/12 with DVC points,
but CT has a travel ban in effect that if we travel to a hot spot state (FL),
then we have to quarantine for 14 days upon returning home.
I actually already have time off from work after and I shifted my days so I was considering moving up our trip by 2 days and then I'm off for 14 days afterwards.
But Allie is a senior in HS and she absolutely cannot quarantine for 14 days
and miss 3 weeks of school…distance or not,
since she'd be missing swim, dance and chamber choir as well.
And Mike was planning to drive there and back
so he'd literally have to take almost 4 weeks off from work which he can't do.

So now we are at the mercy of the state of CT and things aren't looking good, as far as I can tell. Of course, I cannot figure out what kind of numbers they need to lift the ban…I realize that FL has to have a less than 10% positivity rate, but I don't know where CT gets their statistics from and even then, it's on a rolling basis and you need to be a mathematician to figure it out. What I do know is that CT updates their travel ban list every Tuesday and September 29th is the last Tuesday before our trip so I guess that's decision day.

We will lose 114 DVC points if we don't use them by November 30th, so then I'll have to decide whether we should try to push the trip off until November or just roll them into RCI, which I believe would have to be done by October 15th. I think I would choose the RCI option, since I wouldn't feel like dragging this out again for another month to just be disappointed again.

If we don't go, this will be our third trip this year that has been cancelled and I'm slightly salty about it. Especially since I think WDW is doing an amazing job with keeping people safe and I truly feel that I would be safer there than I am going into work every day, and yet I've been doing that since March.

Sorry for the sad update.
I usually don't share too much here but I guess I needed to explain why I've been staying away.

One thing I have been doing more of lately is online shopping
It definitely makes me feel better to receive these cute packages at my doorstep...




Thanks for reading! I'll keep y'all posted of any new developments and I'll be back soon with the last day of our December trip!

 

[fractal]

Hello, everyone! I'm sorry if I've seemed to abandon this trip report.
We literally are up to the last day and I promise, I'll get to it soon!

Since this pandemic started I've had moments of ups,
where I'm super positive, trying to look at the bright side of things,
and downs where I'm just very, very blah and sick of everything to do with it.
Lately I've been more blah than anything so I just haven't had it in me
to finish up this report.
One of the biggest things bringing me down
is the fact that we are supposed to leave for our trip in 23 days
and I literally don't know if we're going,
but with each passing day, it's looking less and less likely.

We have CCV booked from 10/5 - 10/12 with DVC points,
but CT has a travel ban in effect that if we travel to a hot spot state (FL),
then we have to quarantine for 14 days upon returning home.
I actually already have time off from work after and I shifted my days so I was considering moving up our trip by 2 days and then I'm off for 14 days afterwards.
But Allie is a senior in HS and she absolutely cannot quarantine for 14 days
and miss 3 weeks of school…distance or not,
since she'd be missing swim, dance and chamber choir as well.
And Mike was planning to drive there and back
so he'd literally have to take almost 4 weeks off from work which he can't do.

So now we are at the mercy of the state of CT and things aren't looking good, as far as I can tell. Of course, I cannot figure out what kind of numbers they need to lift the ban…I realize that FL has to have a less than 10% positivity rate, but I don't know where CT gets their statistics from and even then, it's on a rolling basis and you need to be a mathematician to figure it out. What I do know is that CT updates their travel ban list every Tuesday and September 29th is the last Tuesday before our trip so I guess that's decision day.

We will lose 114 DVC points if we don't use them by November 30th, so then I'll have to decide whether we should try to push the trip off until November or just roll them into RCI, which I believe would have to be done by October 15th. I think I would choose the RCI option, since I wouldn't feel like dragging this out again for another month to just be disappointed again.

If we don't go, this will be our third trip this year that has been cancelled and I'm slightly salty about it. Especially since I think WDW is doing an amazing job with keeping people safe and I truly feel that I would be safer there than I am going into work every day, and yet I've been doing that since March.

Sorry for the sad update.
I usually don't share too much here but I guess I needed to explain why I've been staying away.

One thing I have been doing more of lately is online shopping
It definitely makes me feel better to receive these cute packages at my doorstep...
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View attachment 525489

Thanks for reading! I'll keep y'all posted of any new developments and I'll be back soon with the last day of our December trip!

Sorry to hear that. Hang in there and I hope things work out.

 

[pkondz]

We literally are up to the last day and I promise, I'll get to it soon!

No worries! We'll be here!

Since this pandemic started I've had moments of ups,
where I'm super positive, trying to look at the bright side of things,
and downs where I'm just very, very blah and sick of everything to do with it.

That's okay. It's been a long time already. You're allowed to feel down.

One of the biggest things bringing me down
is the fact that we are supposed to leave for our trip in 23 days
and I literally don't know if we're going,

Yikes. Yeah, I can see how that would be both stressful and depressing!

CT has a travel ban in effect that if we travel to a hot spot state (FL),
then we have to quarantine for 14 days upon returning home.

Familiar with it. My work has that if I travel outside the country.
But couldn't get into the US if I tried.

What I do know is that CT updates their travel ban list every Tuesday and September 29th is the last Tuesday before our trip so I guess that's decision day.

Good luck!

If we don't go, this will be our third trip this year that has been cancelled and I'm slightly salty about it.

Totally understandable.

Sorry for the sad update.
I usually don't share too much here but I guess I needed to explain why I've been staying away.

One thing I have been doing more of lately is online shopping
It definitely makes me feel better to receive these cute packages at my doorstep...

A recent photo of Kelly's front door:

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I'm sorry to hear that. It definitely has been a bummer. I'm looking at a potential visit, granted it would just be to Universal and Springs, but it's just tough considering how poorly FL has dealt with this pandemic. I just could use the vacation like we all could.

So glad I'm not the only one who has just been thriving off online shopping. I'm buying so much stuff. I'm also a Taurus and retail therapy is how I cope normally sooo... this is just ten times worse lol

Sending all the good vibes. We all could use it right now.

 

[buzzrelly]

Sorry to hear that. Hang in there and I hope things work out.

Thanks!

 

[buzzrelly]

Familiar with it. My work has that if I travel outside the country.
But couldn't get into the US if I tried.

I now, that stinks. So many of us have sad stories in our own ways. I'll just try to stay focused on someday getting back there

Good luck!

Thank you!

A recent photo of Kelly's front door:

Seriously, though, where did you get that picture of my house?!

 

[buzzrelly]

I'm sorry to hear that. It definitely has been a bummer. I'm looking at a potential visit, granted it would just be to Universal and Springs, but it's just tough considering how poorly FL has dealt with this pandemic.

Uggghhhhh…that's been the most frustrating part of this. Apparently Disney/Universay, etc don't have much political clout since it would seem to me to be in their (and everyone's) best interest, to handle this more effectively

So glad I'm not the only one who has just been thriving off online shopping. I'm buying so much stuff. I'm also a Taurus and retail therapy is how I cope normally sooo... this is just ten times worse lol

I usually have a modicum of self control when it comes to online shopping, but it's literally the only thing that gives me that little bit of excitement that I'm missing lately!

Sending all the good vibes.

Thanks! You too!

 

[buzzrelly]

DECEMBER 7, 2019


Ok, so back to the last day of our last trip.

After packing up and storing our bags with Bell Services,
we went to the food court for our favorite breakfasts...

What I wouldn't give right now for those cheesy hash browns

We had already missed rope-drop, so we weren't in a huge rush to get to our last park...

This was taken at 10:05.

We headed straight to Star Tours, as we were already in our FP window...


And then dropped in for a brief stay at The Hollywood Tower Hotel...




Strangely, we survived.

Allie contemplated taking a limo ride but I just don't enjoy it
and she didn't want to go by herself,
so she settled for a picture of what was not to be...

It's the one ride in all of WDW that I really don't enjoy.
I've been on it a few times but I really need coercion to do so
and Allie must not have been very convincing this day

Our last FP was for TSM so we headed that way,
passing by my main man on the way

No time for rainy day shenanigans this day,
but I'll never not think about these two whenever I think of One Man's Dream


We finally made it to my other main man, Woody,
who looked so cute decorated for Christmas...


And I looked longingly at my favorite ride...

but we had a FP to get to that was not SDD.

Continued in next post!


​

 

[suse66]

So now we are at the mercy of the state of CT and things aren't looking good, as far as I can tell. Of course, I cannot figure out what kind of numbers they need to lift the ban…I realize that FL has to have a less than 10% positivity rate, but I don't know where CT gets their statistics from and even then, it's on a rolling basis and you need to be a mathematician to figure it out. What I do know is that CT updates their travel ban list every Tuesday and September 29th is the last Tuesday before our trip so I guess that's decision day.

I feel your pain....we have a mandatory two week quarantine if you leave Canada AND the border is closed until September 21 at least.

We will lose 114 DVC points if we don't use them by November 30th, so then I'll have to decide whether we should try to push the trip off until November or just roll them into RCI, which I believe would have to be done by October 15th. I think I would choose the RCI option, since I wouldn't feel like dragging this out again for another month to just be disappointed again.

Same here.......I will look at RCI too if Hilton Head in March ends up being a no go. Cancelling all those trips is the worst!

I usually don't share too much here but I guess I needed to explain why I've been staying away.

So tough....it's hard to be here when Disney is sadly missing from your life.

It definitely makes me feel better to receive these cute packages at my doorstep...

Packages of cuteness are everything right now!

 

[buzzrelly]

DECEMBER 7, 2019



After we tapped into TSM using our FP,
I immediately went on to try for a fourth, really wanting SDD.
At the time, there was a trick about what times they actually dropped
more SDD FPs into the system and it was right around that time
when we were in line for TSM
so I made Allie kind of pull over to the side to try to get a SDD FP
at the exact time they were supposed to drop.
Of course, all those secret tricks aren't worth anything currently,
but it didn't work for us then either

Allie was super annoyed with me for making her wait
and letting everyone go by us,
but she got over it quickly






I'm literally the worst at this game

I've read all the tricks about how to increase my score,
but pulling the shooter kills my arm!

After a quick, checkered-wall photo shoot...


I convinced Allie to wait stand-by for SDD with me .
I absolutely LOVE this ride and she can take it or leave it,
but my powers of coercion must be better than hers







I think we waited around 45 minutes to get on and it was so worth it


Afterwards, we headed off to find lunch and I had one thing in mind.

That's next!
​

 

[buzzrelly]

I feel your pain....we have a mandatory two week quarantine if you leave Canada AND the border is closed until September 21 at least.

CT may as well be Canada since we're in the same boat!

Same here.......I will look at RCI too if Hilton Head in March ends up being a no go. Cancelling all those trips is the worst!

Eek…I pray everything is better by March!

Also, I love DHHIR I have a link to an old trip report in my signature from when we stayed there in 2016 that has lots of pictures in it, if you're interested.

So tough....it's hard to be here when Disney is sadly missing from your life.

It kind of is, and it also makes me feel better sometimes.
I tell ya, I think I've gone mad