P minus 914
After being told I should go there my whole life, I am forced to visit Europe on a business trip. Shortly thereafter the entire world shut down. See, I said I shouldn’t go.
February 4, 2020
P minus 910
The Plaza has combined their lunch and dinner menus. No more screwing that selection up for me. YAY!
But wait, the famous strawberry salad is gone. What the heck?!?!?
[Later edit- it seems to have migrated over to Pecos Bill’s
Later later edit- Which we never made it to.
After being told I should go there my whole life, I am forced to visit Europe on a business trip. Shortly thereafter the entire world shut down. See, I said I shouldn’t go.
P minus 910
The Plaza has combined their lunch and dinner menus. No more screwing that selection up for me. YAY!
But wait, the famous strawberry salad is gone. What the heck?!?!?
[Later edit- it seems to have migrated over to Pecos Bill’s
Later later edit- Which we never made it to.
Alas.]
February 5, 2020
P minus 909
PhotoPass now has “Capture Your Moment” where you can hire a PhotoPass photographer for a special personal photoshoot. Doesn’t that defy the whole purpose of PhotoPass, where you can just get the shots you want and keep moving through the park?
February 12, 2020
P minus 902
Weird. They’re firing Mike from the Monster’s Inc. meet and greet, but not Sulley.
Usually they switch Pixar movies completely. Go figure.
February 22, 2020
P minus 892
Bo Peep and Frozone fired from MGM.
They will only be there seasonally now. What the actual heck?
February 27, 2020
P minus 887
Holy Moley! A Jungle Cruise Boat sank! Wow, it’s deeper than I thought. I’d still go on- repeatedly.
I wonder how long before they’re allowed to make jokes about it.
My guess- According to Disney: Never. According to Skippers: immediately.
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
(Huh, thought there would be more of these in the planning stages.)
Allears has an article about how many days are needed for a vacation. It highlights alien concepts like “1/2 day parks” “non park attractions” and the insane notion of “rest days.”
We’d have much shorter waits if Disney would only let in guests as serious and focused (or, crazy, if you will) as we are.
March 4, 2020
P minus 881
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens! It isn’t a roller coaster after all! It’s an animatronic and projection filled, dark ride, with thrills and scares but on a flat trackless system. YAAAY!
I still miss the Great Movie Ride.
(“WE KNOW!!!!” – Anabelle *begins Horizons ballet*)
March 12, 2020
P minus 873
Whoah! There are a zillion character busses from all different Disney and Pixar movies. I had no idea! I hear guests can even ride in them now!
March 17, 2020
P minus 868
All Disney Parks are closed. This virus sucks.
Please let it be contained sooner than later.
[Later edit- Spoilers: it was not.]
April 16, 2020
P minus 838
The “Disney Family Sing Along” on ABC features a bunch of Disney stars in their homes performing songs to help get us through the “lockdown” together. It is remarkably effective at lifting our spirits. Dang, the arts are super important to society, specifically its sanity. It would be great if those in power acknowledged this. (Hint Hint.)
May 3, 2020
P minus 821
Parks still closed. This is the furthest from actual planning we’ve ever been, as is everyone else I guess. To deal with the anxiety, Anabelle and I do Disney World Trivia almost every night. Sometimes we pick from our own experiences (the “Four Parks” questions being the hardest to make up) and sometimes we use AllEars.net, which thankfully has maintained content, as a guide.
May 20, 2020
P minus 804
Disney Springs opened…partially. Hey it’s something. I think Shanghai opened too, but that doesn’t count as a “real park” since its mostly owned by the Chinese Government, and more importantly, there’s no way I’m ever going to that one.
May 28, 2020
P minus 797
Disney World parks plan to open, piecemeal, in July, with all kinds of restrictions. Should be interesting. Spaceship Earth gets a reprieve. The closing for refurbishment was supposed to be today. Now it’s undefined so whenever EPCOT does reopen, it’s likely Spaceship Earth will be there. YAAAY!
June 18, 2020
P minus 776
The July opening will also have the longest Food and Wine Festival ever, using the kiosks to space people out I guess. No Eat to the Beat concert, and no Halloween parties this year. Come on medical science people, speed this up and save Disney! (And, y’know, everything else.)
June 19, 2020
P minus 775
Starting January, no more free MagicBands. MyDisneyExperience will be able to act as one, but you can still buy them.
That kinda blows. Hoping that reverses. There’s something…Magical…about the bands.
[Later edit- It did not. Alas.
P minus 909
PhotoPass now has “Capture Your Moment” where you can hire a PhotoPass photographer for a special personal photoshoot. Doesn’t that defy the whole purpose of PhotoPass, where you can just get the shots you want and keep moving through the park?
P minus 902
Weird. They’re firing Mike from the Monster’s Inc. meet and greet, but not Sulley.
Usually they switch Pixar movies completely. Go figure.
P minus 892
Bo Peep and Frozone fired from MGM.
They will only be there seasonally now. What the actual heck?
P minus 887
Holy Moley! A Jungle Cruise Boat sank! Wow, it’s deeper than I thought. I’d still go on- repeatedly.
I wonder how long before they’re allowed to make jokes about it.
My guess- According to Disney: Never. According to Skippers: immediately.
(Huh, thought there would be more of these in the planning stages.)
Allears has an article about how many days are needed for a vacation. It highlights alien concepts like “1/2 day parks” “non park attractions” and the insane notion of “rest days.”
We’d have much shorter waits if Disney would only let in guests as serious and focused (or, crazy, if you will) as we are.
P minus 881
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens! It isn’t a roller coaster after all! It’s an animatronic and projection filled, dark ride, with thrills and scares but on a flat trackless system. YAAAY!
I still miss the Great Movie Ride.
(“WE KNOW!!!!” – Anabelle *begins Horizons ballet*)
P minus 873
Whoah! There are a zillion character busses from all different Disney and Pixar movies. I had no idea! I hear guests can even ride in them now!
P minus 868
All Disney Parks are closed. This virus sucks.
Please let it be contained sooner than later.
[Later edit- Spoilers: it was not.]
P minus 838
The “Disney Family Sing Along” on ABC features a bunch of Disney stars in their homes performing songs to help get us through the “lockdown” together. It is remarkably effective at lifting our spirits. Dang, the arts are super important to society, specifically its sanity. It would be great if those in power acknowledged this. (Hint Hint.)
P minus 821
Parks still closed. This is the furthest from actual planning we’ve ever been, as is everyone else I guess. To deal with the anxiety, Anabelle and I do Disney World Trivia almost every night. Sometimes we pick from our own experiences (the “Four Parks” questions being the hardest to make up) and sometimes we use AllEars.net, which thankfully has maintained content, as a guide.
P minus 804
Disney Springs opened…partially. Hey it’s something. I think Shanghai opened too, but that doesn’t count as a “real park” since its mostly owned by the Chinese Government, and more importantly, there’s no way I’m ever going to that one.
P minus 797
Disney World parks plan to open, piecemeal, in July, with all kinds of restrictions. Should be interesting. Spaceship Earth gets a reprieve. The closing for refurbishment was supposed to be today. Now it’s undefined so whenever EPCOT does reopen, it’s likely Spaceship Earth will be there. YAAAY!
P minus 776
The July opening will also have the longest Food and Wine Festival ever, using the kiosks to space people out I guess. No Eat to the Beat concert, and no Halloween parties this year. Come on medical science people, speed this up and save Disney! (And, y’know, everything else.)
P minus 775
Starting January, no more free MagicBands. MyDisneyExperience will be able to act as one, but you can still buy them.
That kinda blows. Hoping that reverses. There’s something…Magical…about the bands.
[Later edit- It did not. Alas.
Yet the now pay
only MagicBand website was still horrible.
Alas again.]
June 25, 2020
P minus 769
A recent petition to retheme Splash Mountain away from the controversial Song of the South gains momentum. Disney announces they’re already working on a rethemeing to Princess and the Frog, displaying concept art. Honestly, I believe Disney constantly has “Skunk Works” plans in place to upgrade every single attraction in every park. It’s a matter of cost and priority.
Here’s hoping “Friends on the Other Side” becomes the music played before the big drop….
“Are you REAAAAADDYY!????”
Epic!
July 7, 2020
P minus 757
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are getting ready to reopen with major modifications to space guests apart. We’ll see if the general dopiness of how Florida is handling this plague can keep it open.
Jeff’s Disney World Philosophy:
If the Haunted Mansion room doesn’t stretch, did you really go to Disney World?
July 9, 2020
P minus 755
Passholder preview days has a four hour virtual line wait for Splash Mountain…GIFT SHOP. This is due to the theme changing, the timing of which is completely unknown. The ride itself only has a 25 minute wait. Guess the speculation market is more powerful than the lure of the ride itself. (Or people are stupid.)
Another vote for the theme changing.
July 14, 2020
P minus 750
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have tenuously opened, and the other two are just opening now. With no clue or plans on the horizon, Anabelle has selected and titled a fresh Disney planning book for preliminary ideas and information.
P minus 769
A recent petition to retheme Splash Mountain away from the controversial Song of the South gains momentum. Disney announces they’re already working on a rethemeing to Princess and the Frog, displaying concept art. Honestly, I believe Disney constantly has “Skunk Works” plans in place to upgrade every single attraction in every park. It’s a matter of cost and priority.
Here’s hoping “Friends on the Other Side” becomes the music played before the big drop….
“Are you REAAAAADDYY!????”
Epic!
P minus 757
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are getting ready to reopen with major modifications to space guests apart. We’ll see if the general dopiness of how Florida is handling this plague can keep it open.
If the Haunted Mansion room doesn’t stretch, did you really go to Disney World?
P minus 755
Passholder preview days has a four hour virtual line wait for Splash Mountain…GIFT SHOP. This is due to the theme changing, the timing of which is completely unknown. The ride itself only has a 25 minute wait. Guess the speculation market is more powerful than the lure of the ride itself. (Or people are stupid.)
Another vote for the theme changing.
P minus 750
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have tenuously opened, and the other two are just opening now. With no clue or plans on the horizon, Anabelle has selected and titled a fresh Disney planning book for preliminary ideas and information.
That’s my girl!
July 15, 2020
P minus 749
EPCOT and MGM reopen. The Big Ball refurbishment is officially delayed.
P minus 749
EPCOT and MGM reopen. The Big Ball refurbishment is officially delayed.
YAY!
And so is release of the new Mary Poppins attraction.
And so is release of the new Mary Poppins attraction.
Alas.
August 4, 2020
P minus 729
Even in these dark times, some Disney Magic glows. Grandma ordered a bunch of Disney masks for everyone back in March. They finally came recently and though they were mostly ordered as large, the sizes varied wildly and many were teeny. A call to an Awesome Happy Disney person to let them know what happened yielded an apology and a loaded Disney gift card allowing replacements in their new extra-large size.
August 18 2020
P minus 715
One year after our last trip started hangs heavily over us. Anabelle fights the blues by starting pin trading online, setting up an Instagram account for it, and swapping Eve for a Timothy in Dumbo’s hat.
August 22, 2020
P minus 711
Anabelle’s hobby expands. She got a cheap lot of pins, sight unseen, to increase her “traders.” She found two keepers in there, a cutey Tiana and a Kanga and Roo cameo. She’s already traded a Sorcerer Mickey logo pin for a Mickey inside BB-8. She also realized no one would trade what she got in the lot for the Bernard from The Rescuers she was looking for and found a cheap one on EBay.
P minus 729
Even in these dark times, some Disney Magic glows. Grandma ordered a bunch of Disney masks for everyone back in March. They finally came recently and though they were mostly ordered as large, the sizes varied wildly and many were teeny. A call to an Awesome Happy Disney person to let them know what happened yielded an apology and a loaded Disney gift card allowing replacements in their new extra-large size.
P minus 715
One year after our last trip started hangs heavily over us. Anabelle fights the blues by starting pin trading online, setting up an Instagram account for it, and swapping Eve for a Timothy in Dumbo’s hat.
P minus 711
Anabelle’s hobby expands. She got a cheap lot of pins, sight unseen, to increase her “traders.” She found two keepers in there, a cutey Tiana and a Kanga and Roo cameo. She’s already traded a Sorcerer Mickey logo pin for a Mickey inside BB-8. She also realized no one would trade what she got in the lot for the Bernard from The Rescuers she was looking for and found a cheap one on EBay.
Whatever
helps with the withdrawal.
4 comments:
I didn't know about the jungle cruise boat sinking!
Your philosophy bit....uh...RUDE.
Shit. I missed the sing-a-long.
I don't think I'm going to ever go to Shanghai Disney either. But if I do, I'm going to do a bunch of rest days and half-park days. Just to spite you.
As for Magicbands. It's awful that they're no longer free. It would be less awful for me if all my old Magicbands weren't hiding away in moving boxes.
We ordered the Disney masks too. I'm just pointing that out so you can see that even though we do Disney differently, we have some things in common. So maybe you'll be less prejudiced and cruel towards my kind.
Cool about Annabelle's pin adventures.
Apologies... I didn't mean they should implement those procedures, just that it would be less crowded if they did. The sing along may be on Disney Plus now.
Fair point- spite away.
We always space our visits JUUUUUUST far apart enough that the old Magic Bands are probably dead.
Again, apologies. We have a great deal in common in our Disney vibes. If my family went more often we might do those things too. (Then again, we're kinda nuts so maybe not, we did a half (second) day in Animal Kingdom once - pre Everest and Avatar, then spent the rest of the time Downtown Disney, and got back to the hotel really late anyway.)
The pins really helped her through that time. I'm glad she found that community.
thanx for reading!
Oh yeah, and there was a short stretch of time where it felt like there was a ride boat sinking report coming out once a week...it was odd. Then it stopped.
I feel I have failed as a Disney fan...not knowing about these boat sinkings.
Also...the fact that I'm confused about all the CEO drama.
With things closing down, I was more obsessive than usual (which is alot) about checking news at the time.
Yeah, that CEO switch was a shocker all right. Lets hope it helps.
Post a Comment