No zombies here, just 10+ years of trip reports!!!

[AirGoofy]

The next morning, we finished the food in our room, packed, and drove to the airport. Usually, we try a last breakfast or some other farewell activity, but it just wasn't worth the hassle. We have been home for the 14 days and no one has symptoms, so we are free again. I'm not sure where the quarentine the healthy idea came from, but it was useless. We were able to work from home or use paid sick leave days, but it was just a wasted measure designed to look like an intervention.

This will be a trip I won't forget, for different reasons. The emptiness of the parks, senior trip for dd, and first time on many new rides were the highlights. RoTR was an awesome experience. The masks were a definitely lowlight. More than one of us broke a mass each day, and while we were prepared with backups, it was not pleasant. We were able to try some new places and return to some ones. My new list is:
Favorite Park Attraction/ Dining
MK - Space Mountain/ Churro stand
DHS - RotR/ Brown Derby
AK - Kilimanjaro Safari/ Yak n Yeti
Epcot - Frozen Malestrom/ Via Napoli

One of the unexpected lowlights was the overplanning/ rigidity, which I guess had to be that way with the COVID. One of my favorite trips was still our Disneymoon, when we had no planning or reservations and just walked up to places. Sadly, it doesn't seem like Disney will be returning the spontaneity after this is over. Despite that, we still had a great trip and I'm so happy we made the decision to go.

 

[MaMudduck]

Our last day at the MK, and only one picture again not sideways.

View attachment 518405

We ended up getting the parks late and missed a mini DisDad meetup. But, I promised the family that I wouldn't push or drag them on this vacation. We did the 7DMT, which is still too small, even having lost weight. We all rode in a separate car in the Barnstormer, which is the only way I could fit in there. We ate at Be Our Guest, oldest's pick for her graduation meal. It was the most expensive and probably the worst meal of the trip. We usually don't do the TS ADR in MK because the food is so bad. We will definitely return to that plan. We rode the Mountains again, did our souvenir shopping, and made it an earlier day. My stomach was bothering me after the BoG food.

I tried Skippers Canteen for the first time in Feb.2020, I really enjoyed that, and will definitely be my go to at MK from now on.

Thank you for the continuing adventures! Congratulations to DD on graduation 2020!!!!

 

[AirGoofy]

I tried Skippers Canteen for the first time in Feb.2020, I really enjoyed that, and will definitely be my go to at MK from now on.

Thank you for the continuing adventures! Congratulations to DD on graduation 2020!!!!

I did like Skipper's Canteen, but the dds didn't. I was hoping for a 20th anniversary trip with DW, but we nixed that with COVID.

 

[DduzDis]

I read through this whole thread today. Thank you. It is such a great way to whisk away from reality right now. We have two DDs 4 & 7 that have been going to WDW with us annually since they were less than a year old. Your thread really hits close to home with the similarities. When you let yours go on their own with a charge limit I got a lump in my throat. I know our day is coming. While I like the idea of having adult time, I also really like the age we’re in right now. I did a daddy/daughter trip with my DD7 in July for the MK AP preview and reopening at MK last month. It was a trip I’ll remember forever. Also stayed at the Poly in Tokelau for that one. I love DVC for the opportunities it affords ( we own at BWV and BLT). I have a lot of the same pics you have on various trips. I do think your girls are more adventurous eaters than mine are so far. There are a few places I’d like to try but can’t just yet with the menus as they are. We have many years to get there. I really enjoyed reading your adventures over the years today. Well done sir and again thank you for sharing. I thoroughly enjoy the live updates.

 

[AirGoofy]

I read through this whole thread today. Thank you. It is such a great way to whisk away from reality right now. We have two DDs 4 & 7 that have been going to WDW with us annually since they were less than a year old. Your thread really hits close to home with the similarities. When you let yours go on their own with a charge limit I got a lump in my throat. I know our day is coming. While I like the idea of having adult time, I also really like the age we’re in right now. I did a daddy/daughter trip with my DD7 in July for the MK AP preview and reopening at MK last month. It was a trip I’ll remember forever. Also stayed at the Poly in Tokelau for that one. I love DVC for the opportunities it affords ( we own at BWV and BLT). I have a lot of the same pics you have on various trips. I do think your girls are more adventurous eaters than mine are so far. There are a few places I’d like to try but can’t just yet with the menus as they are. We have many years to get there. I really enjoyed reading your adventures over the years today. Well done sir and again thank you for sharing. I thoroughly enjoy the live updates.

Thank you for the kind words. I never did a dad/ daughter trip, and that would have been a lot of fun. Now, I only have the 21st birthday opportunity, which is as fearful as it is exciting. Enjoy them while they are that age. I tell everyone who says, "mine are too young" that we as parents get to see that magic of Christmas morning everyday.

 

[psac]

Always enjoy seeing an update pop up! I rarely use the Disboards nowadays, but I just thought about you a couple of weeks ago. My wife and I were talking about non-WDW trips to possibly take, and we were talking about Hilton Head and Vero Beach, and I remembered your VB posts, and specifically the Italian a Restaurant with the Pastosa’s Ravioli sign in the window (you probably don’t even remember that, but they’re located here in NY). Anyway, sounds like a good trip all things considered. We would rarely go in the summer anyway because of the heat, so I can’t imagine that heat plus a mask. We get hot days up in NY, but I work from home, so the few times I go to pick up dinner or whatever with the mask (everyone wears a mask up here) is nothing compared to ALL DAY outside in the parks. Yikes.

Anyway, stinks you had bad meals at 50s and BOG. Last trip in March (right before the world went to hell), we tried 50s for the first time and loved it. Didn’t do BOG that trip, but the year before that was our first dinner there, too, and also really enjoyed it. But seeing a lot of reports on FB about the restaurants not having full menus, quality not as good, etc. hopefully those things bounce back once things get back to semi-normal (2022?)

We didn’t get to ride RotR on our trip (was very hard to get boarding passes then), but totally agree with Mcikey’s. They did a great job with it! A lot of fun.

glad you had a good trip!

 

[AirGoofy]

Always enjoy seeing an update pop up! I rarely use the Disboards nowadays, but I just thought about you a couple of weeks ago. My wife and I were talking about non-WDW trips to possibly take, and we were talking about Hilton Head and Vero Beach, and I remembered your VB posts, and specifically the Italian a Restaurant with the Pastosa’s Ravioli sign in the window (you probably don’t even remember that, but they’re located here in NY). Anyway, sounds like a good trip all things considered. We would rarely go in the summer anyway because of the heat, so I can’t imagine that heat plus a mask. We get hot days up in NY, but I work from home, so the few times I go to pick up dinner or whatever with the mask (everyone wears a mask up here) is nothing compared to ALL DAY outside in the parks. Yikes.

Anyway, stinks you had bad meals at 50s and BOG. Last trip in March (right before the world went to hell), we tried 50s for the first time and loved it. Didn’t do BOG that trip, but the year before that was our first dinner there, too, and also really enjoyed it. But seeing a lot of reports on FB about the restaurants not having full menus, quality not as good, etc. hopefully those things bounce back once things get back to semi-normal (2022?)

We didn’t get to ride RotR on our trip (was very hard to get boarding passes then), but totally agree with Mcikey’s. They did a great job with it! A lot of fun.

glad you had a good trip!

Thanks for catching up. I'm not a fan of those summer trips, but this one was dd's graduation. After missing graduation & prom, I just couldn't cancel this, even with the masks. Glad we did it, and hope it's the one and only. Hope you all get to enjoy some vacation time as well.

 

[psac]

Thanks for catching up. I'm not a fan of those summer trips, but this one was dd's graduation. After missing graduation & prom, I just couldn't cancel this, even with the masks. Glad we did it, and hope it's the one and only. Hope you all get to enjoy some vacation time as well.

Congratulations to your daughter!!

 

[AirGoofy]

Back from another Disney trip, and definitely not feeling the magic. It's the woke COVID rules.

This picture is from July 2020.

Limited park capacity, had to wear masks outdoors, couldn't eat while walking outdoors, and physical distancing. However, NBA finals played indoors without masks in the bubble.

Now, December 2021.

Outdoor cue at Jungle Cruise during a high COVID county wide alert. No masks, no physical distancing, and park at capacity. Eating while walking is permitted.

What has changed, other than the science.

FP in gone for the Genie +/ Lightening Lane available for purchase. Character greets/ photos are eliminated. Character dining eliminated. After buying tickets online, I still had to call to add the extra member to my party, sit on hold for an hour, and then once we got to Disney, make 3 trips to guest services to get the one extra person added. The magic has decreased while the price has increased.

I'm definitely struggling as a DVC member. I want to continue to use my DVC contract, which arbitrarily changed with COVID and I am prohibited from using 3 years of points as per the original contract. I want to be able to take my grandchildren to Disney. I guess it is time to just stay at the beach resorts for awhile and hope it gets better.

On to the trip report....

 

[AirGoofy]

This year, we add two new guest. Oldest dd is pregnant and the baby daddy joined us. He is a good guy, and I joke with him that he is baby daddy until he marries her. This is our first time in a 2 BR, and it is really nice. The room has some maintenance issues (no bathtub stopper, leaking shower door) but it is fixed the third day.

We left here around 2 AM Sunday, and arrived around 4 PM. It was their first trip, so we did a park a day.

First day, went to eat at the new steakhouse where the Wave was in Contemporary Resort, the only place we could get an ADR on the drive down. The steaks and crab cakes were great, not the PB&J wings, but certainly interesting.


We did a monorail ride for the newbies as well, even though that is the bus picture, which are all back to being to full capacity.


We get to see the MK fireworks from the sky bridge to Contemporary. Sadly, TOTWL is closed for COVID. More science. Then, monorail to Poly for the Lapu Lapu.

I got a picture of the electric water parade with the 50th logo, which was cool. Then, was told that Tambu lounge was out of pineapples and couldn't serve lapu lapu, but could do the drink. Really? Out of pineapples? Just lazy Disney. So, I asked for a backscratcher. They were out of backscratcher sticks, but offered to do the drink anyway.

Onto GF to see the Gingerbread house. That was a first time, and it was really impressive.


We do the boat ride back from the GF to MK to bus back to the resort, where DW gets searched the 3rd or 4th time because of her glasses case in her purse.

 

[AirGoofy]

Looks like Disboard is changing photo orientation. Ugh.

Day 2 MK - Park Capacity
We did all of Tomorrowland first. Space Mountain, Astro Orbitor, People Mover, Carousel of Progress are favorites. Stitch ride is gone without a replacement. While it isn't a great ride, it could have helped dissipate the crowds. The jail picture at Buzz Light Year. I still get high score at Buzz Light year for all 5 of us.


Onto Adventureland, and the Jungle Cruise photo in the initial post to start here.

We skipped rides like Aladdin's Magic Carpets as everything was a 45 minute to hour wait. And, without any FP in park capacity, just isn't fun. We did get Pirates and Tiki room.

Onto Frontierland for the highlight of today, which was the churro. We did Country Bear Jamboree and Splash Mountain, and it started to rain, so out of line for BTMRR. After a soggy waffle and chicken pocket sandwich at Sleepy Hollow, back to ride Haunted Mansion.

We were all so tired from the car ride, lack of sleep, super crowds, waiting an hour for everyride, so we did some shopping and went back to the room.

 

[AirGoofy]

Day 3 Animal Kingdom

It was far less crowded and much more enjoyable. We all took turns sitting off rides with my oldest with her pregnancy. She rode what she felt she could and sat out of others.
Kilimanjaro Safaris is my favorite in AK, and we were able to ride it twice. Managed Expedition Everest twice. Flights of Passage once. Nemo show is closed. FOTLK removed the flying part of the birds and the gymnast monkeys, so it's still a good show, but a let down. Still, everything is an hour plus wait without FP. Nobody wanted to go to Dinosaur ride. Yak n Yeti was delicious as always. The Christmas decorations were enjoyable.


We ended AK early and went to Disney Springs for some shopping and ate dinner at T-Rex.

 

[AirGoofy]

Day 4 Hollywood Studios

Previous favorite Kilimanjaro Safari has been surpassed by Rise of the Resistance as my favorite ride, making DHS the highlight of the trip. And upon the only 30 minutes EMH for resort guets, RotR is down. How frustrating is that. No queue, no FP, and no EMH. So, we went and did Star Tours, and on the 2nd time, get the Vader opening which just makes my day. We had back over and get on RotR, which just reopens to a 45 minute wait, and will get up to a 150 minute wait on the app. So, we got lucky and it is a great ride. Onto Smugglers Run and anothet hour wait. It's my least favorite of the 3 Star Wars rides, but baby daddy likes it the best because he was able to do the shooting. Ray and Chewbacca walking around for pictures, just not with us included.


We ate at the docking station with mobile order, which was awful. Worst food this trip
Couldn't get into oga's cantina.

Onto ToyStory land and more waits. My youngest and I tied on Toy Story Mania, but she was alone in the car, and I had DW tsking away my targets. We get the Mickey Runaway Train with another hour+ wait, followed by Aerosmith RNRC and TOT. My youngest and I are the only ones to do TOT.
First time with Max there.


We had a wonderful at the Brown Derby with the cobb salad for me, and we all split the anniversary baked alaska and grapefruit cake as dessert. We did some shopping and the Skyliner so the baby daddy could experience all modes of Disney transport.

More science - Outdoors Star Wars Fireworks and Fantasmic cancelled for COVID. Indoor Frozen Sing along open and filled at capacity.

 

[AirGoofy]

Day 5 Epcot

And, as always, the plan is to.eat and drink aroud the world. And, while mostly successful, it is a lot different when you aren't sweating out the booze in the hotter time of the year, and don't have a character stop along the way to slow down the journey.

We do Soarin first at early EMH, so the line is shorter, just the herd that ran to it first. Living with the Land is great. We did the revised climate change add movie, which I liked the Circle of Life one better. The takeway thay my youngest picked up on was that the previous video talked about the problem of larger coorporations polluting and using resources and the new video talks only about individual making changes. We floated on Nemo and then enjoyed a lengthy manatee watching. The aquarium is so nice, and as baby daddy hadn't seen one that size before, we spent quite some time at each viewing area. Onto thr Figment of the Imagination where I founs the 50th Park pin with Mickey and Minnie that I wanted. We skipped the DVC lounge and went about eating and drinking around the world.

The Grey Goose slushes weren't slushes, so they filled a large cup. They had some kick at that volume. Some of drank some new drinks, familiar ones, and tried the new holiday cookies. They were delicious. We did have an ADR for Via Napoli which is terrific pizza.Managed a tequila flight on the good at La Cava. We didn't get the Frozen Maelstrom as it was just another 85 minutes that I couldn't wait. The 3 caballeros is still empty. We did Spaceship Earth, which can't get masked pictures, and then back for Remy queue to stand in line for another hour.


The virtual queue is a good idea except if it lands the time of an ADR or in our case, the time switched often, later and then sooner. I would have been able time it better than walking all away back around the park. The new ride is fun, using the same cars as RotR and MRT. We didn't wait for the fireworks, but watched them from the bus stop. It was a long day.

 

[AirGoofy]

And that was it for this trip. We left at 4 AM and made it home around 5 PM (time change). I don't think we plan to return to WDW until all the COVID restrictions are finally gone. Of course, this may be the new normal for Disney without fast pass, parades, photo stations, outdoor fireworks, character dining, and closed venues going forward. Sadly, the park system is here to stay, and DVC says that we must use digital cards going forward.

Until the next time, Merry Christmas and thanks for reading along.

 

[MaMudduck]

First off Congratulations on becoming a Grandparent! It is truly a wonderful phase of life!
I was in WDW in November and feel exactly the same way as you’ve expressed here. It’ll be a few years before I’ll return. I think cruises are going to be more in my future travels.

 

[AirGoofy]

First off Congratulations on becoming a Grandparent! It is truly a wonderful phase of life!
I was in WDW in November and feel exactly the same way as you’ve expressed here. It’ll be a few years before I’ll return. I think cruises are going to be more in my future travels.

Thank you. Definitely excited about being a grandparent. We haven't tried a Disney cruise, so that may be an option going forward.

 

[AirGoofy]

It has been a long 14 months since our last Disney trip. Sure, we've made it to the beach and a cabin in Pigeon Forge since then, but it's not the same as a trip to WDW. We made it for the 2nd 50th celebration, albeit 14 months apart, but it was great again.

The best news is that the COVID silliness is gone - spraying rides after each use, wearing masks outdoors while taking them off to sit down indoors, etc.

This would be a couples' trip for DW and I, our first since the Disneymoon. And, only 3 parks since I'm too old and fat to try 4 days in a row. And, we were back at the Boardwalk, our home resort, in a standard view studio room. Somehow, I forgot to take a picture of us at the Boardwalk, so here is my grandson. He will be with us next year.

 

[AirGoofy]

We drove down Saturday, stayed at a hotel, went to Mass at Mary Queen of the Universe, and then check in at Boardwalk. Day 1.

We went and toured the DVC rooms at the Riviera. They are nice. Check out their grand villa. WOW!!! Of course, it is a lot more points to stay there than the Boardwalk.

Dinner was at Todd English Bluezoo, and the fish was delicious. The corn chowder had a crab cake in the middle of the soup, and was a delight.

Apparently, my picture setting on this Samsung phone didn't work, so you get screenshots.

 

[AirGoofy]

Day 2 is at MK. We arrived for the EMH, but it was no use. Super crowded. Still moderate level, but more crowded than I thought it would be in February. Cheer competition.

We opted not to do Genie + this trip, to see if we could manage like the old days. Well, it's not possible. Sure, Tron had not yet opened, Splash Mountain was under refurb, and I am older and slower. Still, the days of riding most everything in the park along with the 3 mountains will be challenging without the Genie+. And, yes, the opposition was to a free service that is now pay to play.

We tried Diamond Horseshoe for the first time, got front car at BTMRR, saw the Country Bears on the roof, waved at Tianna in the window, enjoyed the mini and full parades, and were so excited to hang at the Villian's Lair at TOTWL. There was a hard ticket event for wine pairing, but we were still able to enjoy the view from the terrace.