It's Good to be a Passholder :-) - a January 2020 Trip Report

How nice that you were able to share the photos with that family! I'm sure they really appreciated it. I saw on Facebook that SeaWorld would like to open on June 1st. With the good news from Universal this week, I am feeling more hopeful that our end of July trip may actually happen!
 
How nice that you were able to share the photos with that family! I'm sure they really appreciated it. I saw on Facebook that SeaWorld would like to open on June 1st. With the good news from Universal this week, I am feeling more hopeful that our end of July trip may actually happen!

I am virtually certain that SeaWorld will open sometime in June.....they have been running coasters with people wearing masks to test how riders fare with face coverings, so they are certainly getting prepared to welcome guests again. Your end of July trip might be perfectly timed, with just enough space between the reopening and your arrival for all the bumps of the "new normal" to be worked out before you get there. I am super excited for you!

Also, my offer to get you all your SW pics is still open :-) . Just collect all your photos on a Photokey card, and send me the card details once you're all done. I can add them to my account and download them for you. I have been the recipient of that specific kindness more than once from another Diser, and am thrilled when I can pay it forward!

That was really sweet of you to send them the PhotoKey pictures of Infinity Falls!

Also...can't wait for the BG segment! (I had been really looking forward to this one)

Thank you for your patience! I meant to get the BG portion started much sooner than tonight, but our weekend became much busier than I anticipated and all of a sudden it's Monday already! Coming up soon, though, I hope :-) .
 


Tuesday, January 28th: Busch Gardens

We set the alarm for that morning so that we could be up, showered an on the road in sufficient time to make the drive to Busch Gardens and be at the park for opening. We aren't very familiar with the Tampa area, so we anticipated that even with trusty Google giving us step by step instructions on how to get there, we may run into a snag or two (traffic, construction, or the plethora of other things than can send someone off track) so we wanted to leave plenty early to have enough time for the commute and a bit of a buffer besides.

We planned to purchase the all day dining plan when we arrived, but we weren't sure if there would be a breakfast location (like SeaWorld) or if the restaurants would open more toward noon. So, we opted to stop and grab coffee and breakfast sandwiches from McDonald's at the Crossroads on the way so that neither of us ended up "hangry" on the drive. We were able to be in-and-out of there pretty quick, and by the time we hopped on the I-4 we were even slightly ahead of schedule.

The drive isn't short (we have definitely been spoiled by the Vistana's proximity to SeaWorld, Disney and Universal!), but honestly it's not bad. We could have hopped the complimentary shuttle and saved ourselves the drive, but we didn't want to be limited by the shuttle schedule (which certainly wouldn't arrive before opening and depart after close) so driving was our best option. It's about 70 miles each way, and we made the trip in about an hour, even amidst the ample Tuesday morning commuter traffic.

Arriving at the park, we took advantage of our Preferred Parking privilege, meaning we could skip the tram from general parking to the entrance. We arrived at the gates about 10 minutes before the national anthem was played to open the park.....and then, we were in!

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We made a quick stop at Guest Services to iron out the day's add-ons and upgrades, purchasing the all-day dining plan for both of us and booking the Serengeti Safari, our free tour as Platinum passholders. We actually had the option of using that free Platinum benefit at either BG (for the Safari) or at SeaWorld (for the Dolphin Encounter) but since we had already had some dolphin love on this trip (and previous visits), it made sense to use this complimentary perk at Busch Gardens this time. We were super stoked to know we would be visiting some giraffes up close later that day!

We stopped for a Photokey picture at the entrance, grabbed a park map (since this park was ALL NEW for us) and then headed in to see some animals!

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I loved that these guys were chilling so close to the entrance. A nice little reminder of where were were.......nothing screams "Florida" like a whole bunch of massive gators.

The first main section that we stopped to tour was the beautiful Myombe Reserve.

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10 minutes inside Busch Gardens and I was completely in love. The lush green foliage was completely captivating for these two travelers who hadn't seen green in months. Entering the Reserve, it really did feel like we were in our own little Florida jungle.....and it was sooooo pretty.

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497027

While the scenery was gorgeous, the animals were really what we came to see. We were delighted to find that we had an excellent view of these comical primates from the massive windows, and they captivated us with their very human-like behaviors.

497029

Their interactions are always so engaging. They seemed blissfully unaware of those funny looking faces on the other size of the glass, and went about their business as if we weren't even there. They were completely at home in their beautiful habitat, and we were completely content just to stand there and watch them.

When we finally moved on.....we had so much yet to discover!.....we stumbled upon a few of the first of many fun photo ops of the day: Busch Gardens has great spots all throughout the park to capture some "wild" photo memories. It was fun to be able to capture photos "with" the animals without actually being WITH an animal.

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Much more to come......
 


Tuesday, January 28th: Busch Gardens

We set the alarm for that morning so that we could be up, showered an on the road in sufficient time to make the drive to Busch Gardens and be at the park for opening. We aren't very familiar with the Tampa area, so we anticipated that even with trusty Google giving us step by step instructions on how to get there, we may run into a snag or two (traffic, construction, or the plethora of other things than can send someone off track) so we wanted to leave plenty early to have enough time for the commute and a bit of a buffer besides.

We planned to purchase the all day dining plan when we arrived, but we weren't sure if there would be a breakfast location (like SeaWorld) or if the restaurants would open more toward noon. So, we opted to stop and grab coffee and breakfast sandwiches from McDonald's at the Crossroads on the way so that neither of us ended up "hangry" on the drive. We were able to be in-and-out of there pretty quick, and by the time we hopped on the I-4 we were even slightly ahead of schedule.

The drive isn't short (we have definitely been spoiled by the Vistana's proximity to SeaWorld, Disney and Universal!), but honestly it's not bad. We could have hopped the complimentary shuttle and saved ourselves the drive, but we didn't want to be limited by the shuttle schedule (which certainly wouldn't arrive before opening and depart after close) so driving was our best option. It's about 70 miles each way, and we made the trip in about an hour, even amidst the ample Tuesday morning commuter traffic.

Arriving at the park, we took advantage of our Preferred Parking privilege, meaning we could skip the tram from general parking to the entrance. We arrived at the gates about 10 minutes before the national anthem was played to open the park.....and then, we were in!

View attachment 497014

We made a quick stop at Guest Services to iron out the day's add-ons and upgrades, purchasing the all-day dining plan for both of us and booking the Serengeti Safari, our free tour as Platinum passholders. We actually had the option of using that free Platinum benefit at either BG (for the Safari) or at SeaWorld (for the Dolphin Encounter) but since we had already had some dolphin love on this trip (and previous visits), it made sense to use this complimentary perk at Busch Gardens this time. We were super stoked to know we would be visiting some giraffes up close later that day!

We stopped for a Photokey picture at the entrance, grabbed a park map (since this park was ALL NEW for us) and then headed in to see some animals!

View attachment 497019

I loved that these guys were chilling so close to the entrance. A nice little reminder of where were were.......nothing screams "Florida" like a whole bunch of massive gators.

The first main section that we stopped to tour was the beautiful Myombe Reserve.

View attachment 497022

10 minutes inside Busch Gardens and I was completely in love. The lush green foliage was completely captivating for these two travelers who hadn't seen green in months. Entering the Reserve, it really did feel like we were in our own little Florida jungle.....and it was sooooo pretty.

View attachment 497026

View attachment 497027

While the scenery was gorgeous, the animals were really what we came to see. We were delighted to find that we had an excellent view of these comical primates from the massive windows, and they captivated us with their very human-like behaviors.

View attachment 497029

Their interactions are always so engaging. They seemed blissfully unaware of those funny looking faces on the other size of the glass, and went about their business as if we weren't even there. They were completely at home in their beautiful habitat, and we were completely content just to stand there and watch them.

When we finally moved on.....we had so much yet to discover!.....we stumbled upon a few of the first of many fun photo ops of the day: Busch Gardens has great spots all throughout the park to capture some "wild" photo memories. It was fun to be able to capture photos "with" the animals without actually being WITH an animal.

View attachment 497034

View attachment 497041

Much more to come......
I’m loving this day already! You’re barely in the park and already having fun. I have a feeling I’m going to gush over the photos from your tour!
 
Hi Gina! I have been off of the boards for awhile, but just recently came back and saw that you had a trip report going. Woohoo! I'm a bit late to the party, but looking forward to going back and reading all about your and Steve's Orlando adventures!
 
All caught up! I am loving your trip report as always, Gina! I especially love the Sea World posts. Our youngest DD's 18th birthday is this year, and we were supposed to do a big Disney/Orlando trip for her like we did for her older sister when she turned 18 a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, due to all of the changes, (and if we are able to travel), it's going to be a much different trip than we had originally planned. However, Sea World has become a priority now, and so reading about that part of your trip is so super awesome! We love it there!

A little off topic, but we were absolutely crushed about the Sweet Tomatoes news. We always went once or twice on our trips. We are going to miss them so much when we travel to Orlando.

Also, love your backyard! You guys did such a great job! Hopefully, the weather has improved so that you guys can enjoy it. :sunny:

Look forward to reading about the rest of your trip!
 
I’m loving this day already! You’re barely in the park and already having fun. I have a feeling I’m going to gush over the photos from your tour!

Looking through the BG pics makes me so excited to go back! I can't believe it took us 10 years to finally visit for the first time......wish we had gone many moons ago.

Hi Gina! I have been off of the boards for awhile, but just recently came back and saw that you had a trip report going. Woohoo! I'm a bit late to the party, but looking forward to going back and reading all about your and Steve's Orlando adventures!

Welcome back!! Glad to have you reading along and joining in!

I always feel like the Myombe Reserve is so peaceful - it's never busy when I've been there and there are lots of great quiet spots to stop and watch the animals. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your Busch Gardens day!

It also helped that it was an incredibly low crowd day to begin with.....weekdays in January are super quiet. When we were in line for park opening, most of the other guests waiting with us were seniors. Everyone else must have been at work! LOL

All caught up! I am loving your trip report as always, Gina! I especially love the Sea World posts. Our youngest DD's 18th birthday is this year, and we were supposed to do a big Disney/Orlando trip for her like we did for her older sister when she turned 18 a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, due to all of the changes, (and if we are able to travel), it's going to be a much different trip than we had originally planned. However, Sea World has become a priority now, and so reading about that part of your trip is so super awesome! We love it there!

A little off topic, but we were absolutely crushed about the Sweet Tomatoes news. We always went once or twice on our trips. We are going to miss them so much when we travel to Orlando.

Also, love your backyard! You guys did such a great job! Hopefully, the weather has improved so that you guys can enjoy it. :sunny:

Look forward to reading about the rest of your trip!

Aw, I am so bummed for you guys......what rotten timing. What month is your trip scheduled for? I do hope you are able to make it happen, even if it can't be the exact vacation you had originally envisioned.

My autumn plans have taken a complete nose-dive this past week, so I'm pretty much back to the drawing board as far as planning goes. Did you see that SW will be closed Tuesdays and Thursdays for the balance of 2020, once they reopen? Aquatica will be closed Mondays and Wednesdays, and Discovery Cove will close on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Just something to keep in the back of your mind as you work on your own trip itinerary.

We have been enjoying our backyard SO MUCH over the past couple of weeks! We're headed to more 80+ degree weather again this week so I think the summer-like temps might be here to stay. It's been a labor of love, for sure.....and the perfect year to do it all. If we have to "stay home", at least we have a great space to be "home" in.
 
Hey everyone, I wanted to pop in and apologize that I've been lax on updates this past week. It's been part work related (we got the go-ahead from the Governor to reopen with massive restrictions last Tuesday, so implementing systems for those new guidelines and dealing with the challenges they pose has made for a chaotic post-Memorial day business week) and part crummy attitude on my part. After being so excited about all of our Disney plans for October.......most of which were a small consolation for our cancelled April and May trips......I've watched them unravel one by one with the most recent announcements surrounding the new policies which will be in effect as of their reopening. This weekend has been more than a little gutting as my ADR's for Boma, Ohana, and Spirit of Aloha have vanished from MDE, and at this point I have huge doubts that we'll be able to get a theme park reservation for our one-day Disney tickets that were supposed to be used for Epcot, with the intention of attending Food & Wine (which I'm also sure will be a no-go). As of right now, the only Disney components of our October vacation that still stand is MNSSHP and Cruella's Halloween Hideaway.....and I'm fully expecting Cruella's to disappear from MDE as well before long. Then, we learn that SeaWorld and Aquatica will both be closed 2 days each week for the balance of 2020, and Discovery Cove 3 days each week....which leads me to believe Busch Gardens may also announce something similar. Let's just say that right now I can throw my entire carefully crafted plan in the fire and just let it burn [actually, that might be kind of therapeutic....I might just try that]. I know its all first world problems (especially with all that's happening throughout the USA and beyond right now) but its still disappointing. And it hasn't exactly inspired me to be posting here on the Dis.

But I know I need to get back to this report, and I plan to do so soon. My goal is to have the next entry up by Wednesday, as tomorrow is the first of the month which means a couple of crazy days at work (again) for period-end.

Thanks for your patience as I work through my sour mood. The fact that I still can't get home to see my family for at least another month (at best) isn't helping my disposition either. This spring has been a real bummer, hasn't it? I know y'all are feeling it too, in your own way.

Hope you all had a good weekend in your own little corners of the world. Stay safe, everyone.
 
Disney has frustrated a lot of people this past week. I'm glad you mentioned the SW and Aquatica changes. It will definitely impact when (or if) we even get to take our summer trip. I know it stinks to lose those Disney dining reservations! I feel for everyone who worked so hard to make plans only to have them all flushed down the toilet.
 
I had the same problem with Disney. I booked Hoop for my birthday in July (back in Feb), and it's now gone. While I don't know if it will be open, my concern is they *will* reopen, and I won't be able to get the same category. Sigh :(
 
Welcome back!! Glad to have you reading along and joining in!

Thank you, Gina! I always enjoy reading your reports!

Aw, I am so bummed for you guys......what rotten timing. What month is your trip scheduled for? I do hope you are able to make it happen, even if it can't be the exact vacation you had originally envisioned.

My autumn plans have taken a complete nose-dive this past week, so I'm pretty much back to the drawing board as far as planning goes. Did you see that SW will be closed Tuesdays and Thursdays for the balance of 2020, once they reopen? Aquatica will be closed Mondays and Wednesdays, and Discovery Cove will close on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Just something to keep in the back of your mind as you work on your own trip itinerary.

We have been enjoying our backyard SO MUCH over the past couple of weeks! We're headed to more 80+ degree weather again this week so I think the summer-like temps might be here to stay. It's been a labor of love, for sure.....and the perfect year to do it all. If we have to "stay home", at least we have a great space to be "home" in.

Thank you. We're tentatively scheduled to go in early September. We haven't made any specific plans just yet. My DH had to change his vacation days at work, and we're waiting to see if his new request has been approved or not.

Thank you so much for the information on Sea World. I hadn't seen the specific operating days yet.

So glad you're enjoying your backyard. It's beautiful!

I'm so sorry to hear about the plans for your Fall trip. I know how discouraging those changes can be, especially after all of the planning that went into it. :hug:

Hope work goes well for you this week! Looking forward to your next installment.
 
Hey everyone, I wanted to pop in and apologize that I've been lax on updates this past week. It's been part work related (we got the go-ahead from the Governor to reopen with massive restrictions last Tuesday, so implementing systems for those new guidelines and dealing with the challenges they pose has made for a chaotic post-Memorial day business week) and part crummy attitude on my part. After being so excited about all of our Disney plans for October.......most of which were a small consolation for our cancelled April and May trips......I've watched them unravel one by one with the most recent announcements surrounding the new policies which will be in effect as of their reopening. This weekend has been more than a little gutting as my ADR's for Boma, Ohana, and Spirit of Aloha have vanished from MDE, and at this point I have huge doubts that we'll be able to get a theme park reservation for our one-day Disney tickets that were supposed to be used for Epcot, with the intention of attending Food & Wine (which I'm also sure will be a no-go). As of right now, the only Disney components of our October vacation that still stand is MNSSHP and Cruella's Halloween Hideaway.....and I'm fully expecting Cruella's to disappear from MDE as well before long. Then, we learn that SeaWorld and Aquatica will both be closed 2 days each week for the balance of 2020, and Discovery Cove 3 days each week....which leads me to believe Busch Gardens may also announce something similar. Let's just say that right now I can throw my entire carefully crafted plan in the fire and just let it burn [actually, that might be kind of therapeutic....I might just try that]. I know its all first world problems (especially with all that's happening throughout the USA and beyond right now) but its still disappointing. And it hasn't exactly inspired me to be posting here on the Dis.

But I know I need to get back to this report, and I plan to do so soon. My goal is to have the next entry up by Wednesday, as tomorrow is the first of the month which means a couple of crazy days at work (again) for period-end.

Thanks for your patience as I work through my sour mood. The fact that I still can't get home to see my family for at least another month (at best) isn't helping my disposition either. This spring has been a real bummer, hasn't it? I know y'all are feeling it too, in your own way.

Hope you all had a good weekend in your own little corners of the world. Stay safe, everyone.

Hi Gina, I can totally relate to you feeling sour - I am feeling the same way and it sucks! We try to go to Orlando (from Newfoundland in Canada) at least once a year even though it is a long trip and is getting more and more expensive every year (especially with the exchange rate! 🤯). This year we have (had?) a trip planned for August 16-26 and while I haven't cancelled everything yet, I am getting close to accepting that it is just not going to happen. 😭 We were going to go to a few water parks, Disney Springs, Discovery Cove, Sea World, and spend one day at Universal - none of those are appealing options right now, unfortunately.

At this point, I am thinking that we may try to do a November trip for my daughter's 16th birthday or even push it off further to a Jan or Feb winter getaway...but that is all dependent on so many factors that it is just impossible to say at this point.

Like you said, these are definitely "first world problems" especially considering the state of the world right now but it still sucks, nonetheless.
 
Hi Friend! I finally read through some of this and here goes:

A- you deserve those first class tickets! And I hate that sometimes reading things online; you can't fully tell what they're trying to say. also, you never need to apologize for defending yourself.
B- I'm still so upset about Sweet Tomatoes; we went at least once a month. My favorite Little Person loved eating there. Sadly, I am not sure buffets will ever return after after all this Covid craziness.
C- I'm so sorry all your plans are crumbling. But you are you! And I know you're still going to throw together an amazing trip! That I will be jealous of all the fun you two have! Its going to all be so weird and very different as things begin to open up down here!
 
Hey everyone, I wanted to pop in and apologize that I've been lax on updates this past week. It's been part work related (we got the go-ahead from the Governor to reopen with massive restrictions last Tuesday, so implementing systems for those new guidelines and dealing with the challenges they pose has made for a chaotic post-Memorial day business week) and part crummy attitude on my part. After being so excited about all of our Disney plans for October.......most of which were a small consolation for our cancelled April and May trips......I've watched them unravel one by one with the most recent announcements surrounding the new policies which will be in effect as of their reopening. This weekend has been more than a little gutting as my ADR's for Boma, Ohana, and Spirit of Aloha have vanished from MDE, and at this point I have huge doubts that we'll be able to get a theme park reservation for our one-day Disney tickets that were supposed to be used for Epcot, with the intention of attending Food & Wine (which I'm also sure will be a no-go). As of right now, the only Disney components of our October vacation that still stand is MNSSHP and Cruella's Halloween Hideaway.....and I'm fully expecting Cruella's to disappear from MDE as well before long. Then, we learn that SeaWorld and Aquatica will both be closed 2 days each week for the balance of 2020, and Discovery Cove 3 days each week....which leads me to believe Busch Gardens may also announce something similar. Let's just say that right now I can throw my entire carefully crafted plan in the fire and just let it burn [actually, that might be kind of therapeutic....I might just try that]. I know its all first world problems (especially with all that's happening throughout the USA and beyond right now) but its still disappointing. And it hasn't exactly inspired me to be posting here on the Dis.

But I know I need to get back to this report, and I plan to do so soon. My goal is to have the next entry up by Wednesday, as tomorrow is the first of the month which means a couple of crazy days at work (again) for period-end.

Thanks for your patience as I work through my sour mood. The fact that I still can't get home to see my family for at least another month (at best) isn't helping my disposition either. This spring has been a real bummer, hasn't it? I know y'all are feeling it too, in your own way.

Hope you all had a good weekend in your own little corners of the world. Stay safe, everyone.

It's completely understandable. For some of us half the fun of a vacation is the planning aspect, and to have pretty much all those plans shot down is tough. Yes, its first world problems, but you can still be upset about your vacation while simultaneously being aware of everything else going on in the world.

2020 has had a rough start for everyone, so you're not alone. We brought K over to see my parents for the first time in 3 months last week (they are allowing gatherings of up to 10 people here in NY now), and my mom was in tears within minutes because she missed her so much. I know its hard for you right now, but soon enough you will be reunited with your Canadian dwelling family and it will be such a wonderful feeling! Hang in there, were all here for you! :hug:
 
Disney has frustrated a lot of people this past week. I'm glad you mentioned the SW and Aquatica changes. It will definitely impact when (or if) we even get to take our summer trip. I know it stinks to lose those Disney dining reservations! I feel for everyone who worked so hard to make plans only to have them all flushed down the toilet.

I feel so bad for those folks who had a Disney-only trip booked. I can't even imagine how they must be feeling right now. While the recent announcements have impacted a healthy portion of our trip, at least we still have other parks and components to look forward to. That's a silver lining, for sure!

I had the same problem with Disney. I booked Hoop for my birthday in July (back in Feb), and it's now gone. While I don't know if it will be open, my concern is they *will* reopen, and I won't be able to get the same category. Sigh :(

I am so sorry to hear that your birthday plans were cancelled :-( . That's so disappointing.

We are trying to hold out a little hope that Spirit of Aloha might still reopen by October, but honestly we're not expecting it as I can't see it being profitable at any kind of restricted capacity. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Thank you, Gina! I always enjoy reading your reports!

Thank you. We're tentatively scheduled to go in early September. We haven't made any specific plans just yet. My DH had to change his vacation days at work, and we're waiting to see if his new request has been approved or not.

Thank you so much for the information on Sea World. I hadn't seen the specific operating days yet.

So glad you're enjoying your backyard. It's beautiful!

I'm so sorry to hear about the plans for your Fall trip. I know how discouraging those changes can be, especially after all of the planning that went into it. :hug:

Hope work goes well for you this week! Looking forward to your next installment.

Fingers crossed that those new vacation dates get approved soon. Waiting on that kind of info is not fun!

Work has been a good diversion this week....we are very busy and most of my coworkers (all of whom I have become good friends with) have all been called back, so that social aspect has been good for the soul. Especially after such a lengthy period of self isolation.

Hi Gina, I can totally relate to you feeling sour - I am feeling the same way and it sucks! We try to go to Orlando (from Newfoundland in Canada) at least once a year even though it is a long trip and is getting more and more expensive every year (especially with the exchange rate! 🤯). This year we have (had?) a trip planned for August 16-26 and while I haven't cancelled everything yet, I am getting close to accepting that it is just not going to happen. 😭 We were going to go to a few water parks, Disney Springs, Discovery Cove, Sea World, and spend one day at Universal - none of those are appealing options right now, unfortunately.

At this point, I am thinking that we may try to do a November trip for my daughter's 16th birthday or even push it off further to a Jan or Feb winter getaway...but that is all dependent on so many factors that it is just impossible to say at this point.

Like you said, these are definitely "first world problems" especially considering the state of the world right now but it still sucks, nonetheless.

Oh, that exchange rate.....it is SO BAD!! My heart hurts for my fellow Canucks who are paying those ridiculous rates on top of an already expensive trip. It's insane. We were at Menards a few weeks ago and they were charging Canadian guests 66% exchange if paying in Canadian currency.....I honestly thought it was a typo. But nope.

I hope you get some definitive answers sooner rather than later on your August trip. Orlando would definitely be a pretty sweet place to celebrate your DD's sweet 16. And surely by November we will all see some transitions within the parks to a more "normal"(ish) state.

Hi Friend! I finally read through some of this and here goes:

A- you deserve those first class tickets! And I hate that sometimes reading things online; you can't fully tell what they're trying to say. also, you never need to apologize for defending yourself.
B- I'm still so upset about Sweet Tomatoes; we went at least once a month. My favorite Little Person loved eating there. Sadly, I am not sure buffets will ever return after after all this Covid craziness.
C- I'm so sorry all your plans are crumbling. But you are you! And I know you're still going to throw together an amazing trip! That I will be jealous of all the fun you two have! Its going to all be so weird and very different as things begin to open up down here!

You, sweet girl, are SO good for the soul. Thank you for all those kind, positive, uplifting words. You made my day.

I am working hard to embrace all this new uncertainty and am actually trying to think outside the box a bit. I am actively seeking one really cool, unique, previously-unconsidered thing to add in to our trip just to give us something non-traditional to look forward to. I'm wide open to any suggestions you might have, anything within a 90 minute drive of Lake Buena Vista. I figure it might be a good time to plan a day out of the parks and explore new territory. Jake thinks we should track down Carol Baskin at her Big Cat Sanctuary (lol) but I'm not sure that's exactly what we are looking for!!

It's completely understandable. For some of us half the fun of a vacation is the planning aspect, and to have pretty much all those plans shot down is tough. Yes, its first world problems, but you can still be upset about your vacation while simultaneously being aware of everything else going on in the world.

2020 has had a rough start for everyone, so you're not alone. We brought K over to see my parents for the first time in 3 months last week (they are allowing gatherings of up to 10 people here in NY now), and my mom was in tears within minutes because she missed her so much. I know its hard for you right now, but soon enough you will be reunited with your Canadian dwelling family and it will be such a wonderful feeling! Hang in there, were all here for you! :hug:

Aw, thank you SO much. You guys are all THE BEST. Truly.

I'm feeling a little better about things over the last few days. All the dining and special events have now disappeared from MDE (and refunds received) so that bandaid has finally been ripped off. Now the "healing" can begin. Whatever comes, we shall deal with it.

Steve winked at me last night and said, "You know Babe, planning is one of your favorite parts of our trips. Look on the bright side. This vacation just keeps giving you opportunity after opportunity to do just that!". Bless his heart.

I am so glad you are able to share that adorable baby with your parents again.....she's already growing up too fast, a week makes a huge difference in her (I can see it in your Facebook pics!) but 3 MONTHS is HUGE! I hope this means NY is finally starting to get back on its feet again. Michigan's numbers have also been on the decline (thank GOD) so let's hope we've entered that healing stage we all need so badly.

---------

I hope to have an entry up later tonight. Thanks for you patience, everyone.
 

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