Fabulous Fifty Fall Fun: An October/November 2020 PanTR (Pandemic Trip Report) [COMPLETE]

[Jenny Sanders]

Yay for adding another day! You will love the RR. It's very pretty.

 

[drdisneygirl]

I am a little late to your report.... as I was scrolling through, I noticed that you live in Maryland. Where abouts? I live near Salisbury. Is that The Point restaurant where you ate crabs? I love your Donald Duck shirt! I may have to get one! I am enjoying reading about your plans!

 

[kittylady1972]

Yay for adding another day! You will love the RR. It's very pretty.

Well it's a done deal....and I am really looking forward to experiencing this resort even if it is only for one night. It's gonna be nice to be there on Friday now!

I am a little late to your report.... as I was scrolling through, I noticed that you live in Maryland. Where abouts? I live near Salisbury. Is that The Point restaurant where you ate crabs? I love your Donald Duck shirt! I may have to get one! I am enjoying reading about your plans!

We are near Annapolis and Crofton. The restaurant where we ate crabs was actually very near Annapolis Naval Academy. I am so excited about that shirt among other things. Thanks for reading!

 

[kittylady1972]

Ok...as our weekend comes to a close...I can now update you on the new plan.

First up my week/weekend...filled with tennis...my favorite kind of weekend. It was a week long tournament, I entered two events (8.0 Mixed Doubles and 8.0 Ladies Doubles) and made it to quarter finals for Mixed...but lost Saturday. After playing that match (which lasted a little over 2 hours) I took a short 20 minute break and was back on the courts for the 8.0 Ladies Doubles Semi-finals and we won...making it to finals which was today. Unfortunately we lost finals...but we had great weather and some great matches. So these photos were taken over the last two days:






Ok enough about that...now for the Disney update!

So I changed out flights on Friday...and we now leave in the afternoon.
I worked with another wonderful DISBOARDS member who was looking to rent points...and we finalized the reservation on Friday. We will be staying in a 2BR Villa at Riviera Resort.

I thought the first day would be a nice day to relax....and take a ride on the Skyliner...and hang at the resort. Then I realized for just $13 more I could add another day...well a few hours...and maybe go to EPCOT for a few hours. So I'm going to try to do that.

Here we go...new plan:

• FRIDAY: Afternoon flight, with an on time arrival, we should be on the ground before 3:30pm and hopefully at our resort before 5pm. That's not a lot of time...so if we are up for it we may Skyliner over to EPCOT and hang out there for a few hours.
• SATURDAY: EPCOT; ADRs at Spice Road Table, La Hacienda and Tutto Italia. I might try to do a breakfast this morning somewhere. Figure we can catch the Skyliner from Riviera over to EPCOT...or drive over since we have to check out anyway since I know Skyliner operation can be iffy before park opening without long lines. I know crowds will likely be crazy as it's a weekend during Food and Wine when the park is open until 10pm. We may head out of the park for lunch somewhere, or do Spice Road Table thing as a break/lunch, then back to the resort (Wilderness Lodge) and just return for dinner at Tutto Italia and then explore the last few hours in the park at night.
• SUNDAY: Hollywood Studios. ADRs at City Works and Mama Melrose. Plan here is to arrive early, hit MMRR first, then MFSR and try for a boarding pass. Beyond 10am, with no boarding pass for RoTR we would leave and go back to the resort for a while. We would then return close to 1:30pm to try again at 2pm if necessary, or time our return based on any boarding pass if we are lucky. I'm also considering taking a break from this park by hopping on the Skyliner to head over to maybe Beaches and Cream for dessert or, now that @Jenny Sanders has provided an awesome review, maybe checking out Abracadabar. Having just had Tutto Italia the night before, I'm okay skipping Mama Melrose.
• MONDAY: Magic Kingdom day...this remains the same. I actually have ADRs at Sanaa (if we want to take a break from the park) and The Plaza (if we want to stay and/or do a late lunch/early dinner). With a 6pm closing time, I'm hoping we can close down the park this evening.
• TUESDAY: Animal Kingdom day. Nothing changed here. I like the idea of the 5 of us doing our last Disney meal at Tiffins for sure.
• WEDNESDAY: Magic Kingdom. Our last park day. ADRs at Grand Floridian Cafe for breakfast and Tony's for dinner.

 

[DLo]

Congratulations on your successful tennis tournament!
Looks like good updated plans. But will they change again.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Congratulations on your tennis tournaments. Well done you!
Love the new plans and really hope you get the extra EPCOT time

 

[Jenny Sanders]

We will be staying in a 2BR Villa at Riviera Resort.

This is so exciting!

 

[kittylady1972]

Congratulations on your successful tennis tournament!
Looks like good updated plans. But will they change again.

Thanks! Happy to have had the chance to play as much as we did and making it to the finals, even if we didn't win, was a pretty big accomplishment. Yes the plans are always at risk of changing...of course. We will see what happens in another two weeks or so when I start writing the actual trip report. There are never enough hours in a day for me to do all that I think I can do usually.

Congratulations on your tennis tournaments. Well done you!
Love the new plans and really hope you get the extra EPCOT time

Thank you...see above comments. We are definitely going to hit up EPCOT on Friday night, even if for a little while or just for dinner. I have an ADR at La Hacienda as of now.

This is so exciting!

I can't tell you how excited I am to check out this new resort...and for the rest of the family to not only see it but also experience the Skyliner for the very first time. Honestly we didn't go on it at all back in August...but now staying in a resort where it's RIGHT THERE means even if we just get on it to ride it for fun we can make it happen.

 

[kittylady1972]

Ok...not much has changed (shocking!) even though in my head I'm still waffling a bit on our days. I can't believe how close this trip is right now. I am constantly stalking the Just-Back-Current-Crowds thread and reading some good and some bad...of course. I know we'll make the best of it no matter what.

Our flight seems to be filling up a bit...and we are spread out in the emergency exit row and the row in front of it so the guys at least have some more space. We gave up the big big front seats when I changed the flights. I'm sure we'll be fine...it's only about a 2 hour flight.

• FRIDAY: Afternoon flight. Head to Riviera Resort. Check in and explore area. Skyliner over to EPCOT where we have dinner planned at La Hacienda.
• SATURDAY: EPCOT. Catch Skyliner over. Our friends will hopefully arrive between 11:30am and 12pm. I have booked Magical Express for them. ADR in the afternoon at Spice Road Table if we need a little break. Birthday dinner that evening at Tutto Italia. Definitely concerned about weekend crowds here and tempted to switch to AK instead with birthday dinner at Tiffins.
• SUNDAY: Hollywood Studios. ADRs at City Works (lunchtime) and Mama Melrose (early dinner). Plan here is to arrive early, hit MMRR first, then MFSR and try for a RoTR boarding pass. Beyond 10am, with no boarding pass for RoTR we would leave and go back to the resort for a while. We would then return close to 1:30pm to try again at 2pm if necessary, or time our return based on any boarding pass if we are lucky. I'm also considering taking a break from this park by hopping on the Skyliner to head over to maybe Beaches and Cream for dessert or, now that @Jenny Sanders has provided an awesome review, maybe checking out Abracadabar. Having just had Tutto Italia the night before, I'm okay dropping Mama Melrose.
• MONDAY: Magic Kingdom day...this remains the same. I actually have ADRs at Sanaa (if we want to take a break from the park) and The Plaza (if we want to stay and/or do a late lunch/early dinner). With a 6pm closing time, I'm hoping we can close down the park this evening. OPTION: We may move this to an EPCOT day if we do AK on Saturday.
• TUESDAY: Animal Kingdom day. Nothing changed here. I like the idea of the 5 of us doing our last Disney meal at Tiffins for sure. OPTION: This could become a MK day if we do AK Saturday and EP Monday.
• WEDNESDAY: Magic Kingdom. Our last park day. ADRs at Grand Floridian Cafe for breakfast and Tony's for dinner.

That's about it for now, nothing exciting except we are trying to knock out a few home improvement projects, just not sure they will happen before we go on vacation.

Based on what is happening around our country, I suspect we may return and then be in for a few months of total lockdown once again as this virus makes another peak wave. I feel like things are going to close down again so glad we are getting this in now.

8 MORE DAYS!!

 

[footballmouse]

 

[kittylady1972]

Of course I have to complicate things for myself.

Friday night I managed to get a coveted dinnertime reservation for Narcoossee's on DH's birthday.

Yay right? Except now what? Can't see us spending Saturday at EPCOT for food and wine with this that evening. DH is excited.

Now I'm really trying to determine what's the best plan for Saturday. We can spend all day at the park, but our friends won't get there until maybe closer to noon. With AK closing at 6pm that won't give them a lot of time, and with dinner at 5:45pm that's even less time. Our only goals there would be Flight of Passage, EE, and maybe the Safari. I think that's doable even in an afternoon on a Saturday right? Then I would move EPCOT to Monday, and MK to Tuesday and Wednesday. HS would still be Sunday.

My plan below is still the same for now...but I'm still working on a plan and I'll also wait and see what the weather will be like to maybe help me plan a little bit.

• FRIDAY: Afternoon flight. Head to Riviera Resort. Check in and explore area. Skyliner over to EPCOT where we have dinner planned at La Hacienda.
• SATURDAY: EPCOT. Catch Skyliner over. Our friends will hopefully arrive between 11:30am and 12pm. I have booked Magical Express for them. ADR in the afternoon at Spice Road Table if we need a little break. Birthday dinner that evening at Tutto Italia. Definitely concerned about weekend crowds here and tempted to switch to AK instead with birthday dinner at Tiffins.
• SUNDAY: Hollywood Studios. ADRs at City Works (lunchtime) and Mama Melrose (early dinner). Plan here is to arrive early, hit MMRR first, then MFSR and try for a RoTR boarding pass. Beyond 10am, with no boarding pass for RoTR we would leave and go back to the resort for a while. We would then return close to 1:30pm to try again at 2pm if necessary, or time our return based on any boarding pass if we are lucky. I'm also considering taking a break from this park by hopping on the Skyliner to head over to maybe Beaches and Cream for dessert or, now that @Jenny Sanders has provided an awesome review, maybe checking out Abracadabar. Having just had Tutto Italia the night before, I'm okay dropping Mama Melrose.
• MONDAY: Magic Kingdom day...this remains the same. I actually have ADRs at Sanaa (if we want to take a break from the park) and The Plaza (if we want to stay and/or do a late lunch/early dinner). With a 6pm closing time, I'm hoping we can close down the park this evening. OPTION: We may move this to an EPCOT day if we do AK on Saturday.
• TUESDAY: Animal Kingdom day. Nothing changed here. I like the idea of the 5 of us doing our last Disney meal at Tiffins for sure. OPTION: This could become a MK day if we do AK Saturday and EP Monday.
• WEDNESDAY: Magic Kingdom. Our last park day. ADRs at Grand Floridian Cafe for breakfast and Tony's for dinner.

 

[DeeBee3]

How are you feeling about covid as your trip nears? I am from NY and we have the return quarantine, but I don't want to make a stupid decision. I keep scouring the numbers, but then I see so many trip reports and other things in the news and it seems safe if you use your precautions. I feel safer going to Disney than the mall. And I don't go to my mall.

 

[kittylady1972]

How are you feeling about covid as your trip nears? I am from NY and we have the return quarantine, but I don't want to make a stupid decision. I keep scouring the numbers, but then I see so many trip reports and other things in the news and it seems safe if you use your precautions. I feel safer going to Disney than the mall. And I don't go to my mall.

I'm feeling pretty good as long as we stay within the bubble. We probalby won't even venture to Disney Springs...just our parks and the resort. We have a car so not sure if we'll use too much Disney transportation. I go to work every day...but we are masked most of the day unless sitting at my desk and not around anyone. I feel like this will probably be our last chance to really travel anywhere for another 6 months or more...I feel things are going to close down again within a month or two. We don't have to return quarantine for now...but we'll likely self quarantine as much as we can when we get back.

 

[kittylady1972]

For the record, nobody in my family listens when I talk about our upcoming Disney plans. Last night DH asked things like: are we doing a park on arrival? YES...EPCOT. Do we have anything planned? YES...DINNER at La Hacienda (he knew that...I've told him before and he was excited...and also it's on the Google DOC I modify pretty much every day and have shared). I guess turning 50 soon already has his brain on mush mode.

DD asked me again what time we were leaving Friday for the airport...around 11am (she has class until 10:45am). When she heard about EPCOT being our park of choice...her response was that was her LEAST favorite park.

This will be a very busy week leading up to our trip. Nothing much today, tennis tomorrow night, and Thursday we will celebrate my daughter's 18th birthday...though where and how are still unknown but we will have CAKE as I ordered it last night with DDs help. We may end up just doing a small celebration at home with family, and even my dad, who is in MD with his girlfriend visiting from NC and staying about an hour south with her family, is planning to come up to celebrate with us. I may have guilt tripped him a bit into that since he's been here since Friday.

Anyway...now I'm thinking I need to change Saturday at EPCOT to Monday at EPCOT...and maybe take our chances at AK on Saturday. I might have to give up Narcoosee's and do Tiffins instead. So pretty sure whatever plan I make is going to change a LOT between now and then...and then is....

3 DAYS UNTIL VACATION!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Have a wonderful trip Dina! I can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[kittylady1972]

Have a wonderful trip Dina! I can't wait to hear all about it.

Thanks so much Jenny!

 

[kittylady1972]

Surprise surprise...I've changed things up just as I mentioned in my previous post. So here we go...changes in BLUE!

• FRIDAY: Afternoon flight. Head to Riviera Resort. Check in and explore area. Skyliner over to EPCOT where we have dinner planned at La Hacienda.
• SATURDAY: Animal Kingdom. Not sure if we'll try to arrive at opening ourselves or just wander over later. We will wait until our friends arrive, flight lands around 9:30am, to all do FOP together where we know we are in for a wait. Our only goals here are FoP, EE and maybe Dinosaur. I would like to also do the safari and catch the train over to Rafiki's. I have a lunch at Rainforest Cafe at AK just in case I want to leave the family there and drive out to get my friends. I've decided on Tiffins for birthday dinner, which is at 5:30pm so we don't even need to leave the park. It closes at 6pm so we have about 5.5 hours to hit the things we want to at the park.
• SUNDAY: Hollywood Studios. ADRs at City Works (lunchtime) and Mama Melrose (early dinner). Plan here is to arrive early, hit MMRR first, then MFSR and try for a RoTR boarding pass. Beyond 10am, with no boarding pass for RoTR we would leave and go back to the resort for a while. We would then return close to 1:30pm to try again at 2pm if necessary, or time our return based on any boarding pass if we are lucky. I'm also considering taking a break from this park by hopping on the Skyliner to head over to maybe Beaches and Cream for dessert or, now that @Jenny Sanders has provided an awesome review, maybe checking out Abracadabar.
• MONDAY: EPCOT. This is the day the kids will be doing school off and on and they aren't thrilled with EPCOT anyway (well at least DD) so it seeems like a good plan. While I would prefer to do MK, with our friends leaving on Tuesday it makes sense for us to be able to fully do EPCOT Monday and have them do MK on Tuesday to get more time there. I do have a lunch at Spice Road Table if we want a sit down break, and also early dinner at the Plaza in case we do change our minds. Perhaps a 10am arrival at EPCOT on Tuesday, and leaving for the airport around 4pm for them would be enough if I drive them there? It's a thought.
• TUESDAY: Magic Kingdom day. Our friends have a 6pm flight and we have dinner for the 5 of us at Narcoossee's.
• WEDNESDAY: Magic Kingdom. Our last park day. ADRs at Grand Floridian Cafe for breakfast and Tony's for dinner.

I can't believe a week from now I'll be RETURNING from this vacation that I thought would require much less planning...and then here I am planning things DAILY! I just need to get through one more full day of work, and a few hours tomorrow since I have the afternoon off to take DD to a doc appointment.

2 MORE DAYS!

 

[kittylady1972]

Today we celebrate our 2nd child moving to adulthood!

View attachment 535334

I left her this shirt, crown, sash and balloon in her room this morning before leaving for work at 6am. She woke up and it scared the life out of her...but she is now in street clothes...I may have to make her wear the crown tonight for dinner. Her shirt says "I turned 18 in Quarantine 2020 NONE Of you are invited!".

We have a small dinner planned with family and good friends tonight...then cake. I took her to lunch...after driving her to a doc appointment for her foot...where I wasn't allowed to come in because HELLO she is now an adult! She wasn't happy about that, but she managed to check in, pay her copay, get her xrays done...and when they all looked at her wondering where her parents were and then read her chart...they wished her happy birthday. She has been to this foot specialist office before but her regular doctor has left the practice so she saw a guy she's only seen once and had to explain her current issues. She is now the owner of a brand new foot brace to wear every day until her new orthotics come in...so she'll have some extra fun walking around WDW in that!

 

[kittylady1972]

So the previous post was a draft from yesterday I guess I never finished. Birthday celebration 1 this week was successful.

Now coming to you live from our 2BR villa at Riviera. This place is so lovely. Wish we weren't leaving. Would love to come back.



Flight was packed but boys loved the exit row


May have been a bit abrupt with the rental car lady. I had places to be and no time to listen to her trying to redirect me to the wrong place.

Weather is AMAZING. We got to resort around 4pm and then hit EPCOT for a few hours. Dinner at La Hacienda was a big hit...it is on our must do list when we return. We all got the same thing...shrimp tacos.



Salsa and guacamole here also outstanding.

This room here even smells so good.

Got on Soarin, Mission Space and Spaceship Earth after dinner.



Plan is to play it by ear tomorrow and head to AK whenever everyone is ready.

 

[DLo]

Have a magical trip. Appreciate the live updates!